Buckdog

A huge majority of Canadians - fully 82% strongly oppose the War in Iraq. But let's not forget that Stephen Harper wanted Canadian soldiers to invade Iraq with Bush.

"It is inherently dangerous to allow a country such as Iraq to retain weapons of mass destruction, particularly in light of its past aggressive behaviour. If the world community fails to disarm Iraq, we fear that other rogue states will be encouraged to believe that they too can have these most deadly of weapons to systematically defy international resolutions and that the world will do nothing to stop them."
- Stephen Harper
(supporting the American invasion of Iraq)
House of Commons
March 20, 2003.
No weapons of mass destruction have been ever been found in Iraq.

"From the Tory benches the prime minister was greeted by jeers and hoots and shouts of derision. 'Vote with pride', "All right," exclaimed Mr. Pearson, "they have turned it down with jeers and insults, but we will vote with pride."

Shouts, screams, desk-banging - even obscene gestures - marked the final phase of the Conservative fight against the red Maple Leaf Flag.
Introduced in senate today, and even with the last vote they declared that they would not quit and that the fight would go on in the senate, where a similar flag resolution was being introduced today.

The early-morning victory for the new flag had been heralded much earlier Monday when the government had won a vote on its closure motion to limit debate. The count was 152 to 85.

At midnight Monday the result was plain to see when the last Conservative amendment calling for substitution of the Red Ensign for the Maple Leaf flag, was defeated by 162 to 80."
Ottawa Citizen
December 15, 1964

The Conservative Party of Canada has a long history of reactionary, illogical behaviour. The Flag Debate was a classic example. If it had been left up to Conservatives, our beloved Red Maple Leaf would NEVER have been made our national flag!

To this day, Conservatives continue to try and turn this nation into a right wing bastion of political nastiness and reaction.

Put your feet up - don't worry about Harper, Bush, Wall and the rest of the right wing nutbars who are wrecking our world! Kick your sneakers off, spark up the bar-b-que, have a few cold drinks and RELAX! (Those of you poor buggers who have to work tomorrow - well you deserve to kick back extra hard today)!

A lot of Canadians will be singing the praises of General Rick Hillier as he leaves the military on July 1st - I will not be one of them.

I believe that this particular general played the political game far beyond what is acceptable from a servant of the Canadian public.

I have nothing but the greatest admiration for the peace keeping record of the Canadian military but Hillier and his supporters (especially Harper and his Reform / Conservative ilk) have downplayed that legacy and have tried to emulate hawkish American military escapades.

Goodbye General Hillier.

-Gen Hillier Insists Canadians Support Afghan War

-Stop Misinformation About Afghanistan

-Are You Ready For 10 Years in Afghanistan??

-Is It Time For General Hillier To Step Down?

-General Hillier MUST Go!

-Someone Should Stick A Cork In General Hillier's Mouth

-Who's Watching The Generals?

-General Hillier Getting More And More Political In His Speeches


tag general hillier

I feel badly for Amy Winehouse. She is well down the road that some very talented artists go when they burn the candle at both ends.

Throughout the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's we watched great talents like James Dean, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain burn out and die while still in their twenties.

It would be unfortunate if the same thing should happen to Amy but she seems to be on a path of self destruction that is not going to change. Just released from hospital, she is right back at it. I hope that she proves me wrong.

Daily Mail


( three years later )
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Amy Winehouse Dead - July 23, 2011 ....
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

During the last federal campaign, Liberals won 22.4% of the vote in Saskatchewan.

With Dion's admission that his new 'Green Shift' plan will hit Saskatchewan and Alberta particularly hard, it appears that the Liberals have written off these two prairie provinces. Even veteran Ralph Goodale's seat could be lost.

I suppose that Liberal strategists thought this through as they hived together their carbon tax plan and decided to write Saskatchewan off.

Fair ball. Liberals should not be surprised when Saskatchewan voters write the Liberals off. Sad thing is, Harper becomes the real winner.

New Democrats will pick up a lot of the lost Liberal support and it may even translate into some seats, but make no bones about it, Stephan Dion has written Saskatchewan out of his electoral plan. Liberals should be corrected when they refer to themselves as a 'national party'.

Dion Writes Off Saskatchewan

Tory blogger, Steven Taylor. just published a post announcing that Harper's Director of Communications, Sandra Buckler, has resigned.

Stephen Taylor

... CTV News has more ....

Conrad Black is serving a 6 1/2-year sentence in a Florida prison after being convicted last year on three counts of fraud and one of obstruction of justice.

His conviction has now been confirmed on appeal. Yesterday, a three-judge panel rejected Black's argument that he and other convicted executives were entitled to so-called non-compete fees.

The Chancellery of Honours has a policy that considers terminating appointments to the Order of Canada if that person "has been convicted of a criminal offence."

There is no other way of looking at this matter. Conrad Black simply must be stripped of his Order of Canada as soon as possible!!

The Star

Anthony Hanemaayer was falsely accused and convicted of a 1987 sex attack that he did not commit. He went to jail and sat there while the real perpetrator, Paul Bernardo originally said nothing. There are a lot of twists and turns to this story because even when Bernardo did finally admit to the attack, Ontario Justice authorities said nothing for 18 months and never did contact either Mr. Hanemayyer or his lawyers directly.

On the Bernardo matter, he sits in a small jail cell for 23 hours a day and will remain there for the rest of his natural life. Bernardo, however, believes that he will one day achieve some type of parole. This disconnect between Bernardo and authorities may even be allowing other 'Hanemaayer's' to be sitting in jail, wrongfully accused.

So how do we find a way for Paul Bernardo to be enticed to come clean and admit to each and every crime he committed?

The possibility of parole cannot be on the table. He must remain incarcerated as a dangerous offender for life. Period. He is a psychopath and there is no treatment available that will change his behaviours.

Bernardo has in past stated that while he IS guilty of sexual assault, he claims that 'no one died until Karla came along' - referring to his former wife, Karla Homolka.

When she was released, Bernardo indicated that he had information that he wanted to bring forward about her, but he was not allowed to speak publicly. Ontario Justice screwed that one up badly.

Ontario Justice officials have a public responsibility to ensure that no one else is or has sat in prison for a crime that Bernardo committed.

Clearly, a public inquiry into what happened to Mr. Hanemaayer is needed in this case. Hard questions need to be asked of Ontario Justice officials. Hard questions need to be asked of Paul Bernardo.

Remember all of the bravado and arrogant self confidence that Conrad Black used to spew about his 'innocence' - blah blah blah? He told everyone who would listen that he was innocent. In fact a lot of political losers actually believed that crap and stand by the discredited former 'Lord'!

Well guess what? Conrad Black lost his appeal. His guilt has been confirmed. He is a criminal. He is NOT in jail because we with lesser bank accounts were envious and jealous of his wealth. I will repeat, he is a convicted felon and should stay in jail.

Who wants to make a wager that George Bush will grant a pardon to this crook before he exits the White House? Call it one criminal helping another.

Report on Business

Joan Beatty was a Saskatchewan NDP cabinet minister in the government of Lorne Calvert. She vacated her provincial seat to run in a federal byelection in the riding of Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River. She lost.

Today, there is a byelection in her abandoned provincial constituency AND Ms. Beatty has also announced that she will be a Liberal candidate again in the next federal campaign.

-Voters go to the polls in Cumberland byelection

-Beatty throws her hat in the ring again

Alberta Conservative MP Myron Thompson had an amusing and unexpected piece of advice for the hundred plus investment professionals gathered in his riding on Monday for the annual conference of the Investment Industry Association of Canada in Banff.

"I would advise you not to date any biker chicks," he told them, in reference to the one-time girlfriend of former Conservative cabinet minister Maxime Bernier, who resigned after erstwhile flame Julie Couillard revealed classified information had been left in her home. "And," Mr. Thompson cautioned in his welcome address at the investment industry conference, "if you do, don't leave any documents behind!"

Barbara Shecter
Financial Post
June 23, 2008

“Greenpeace Canada is warning taxpayers to hold on to their wallets if nuclear power gets the go-ahead in Saskatchewan, even with the provincial government pledging not to put public money into any project.”
Regina Leader-Post

Premier Brad Wall’s government inherited a healthy financial situation when he won election in November, 2007. With the price of oil at an all time high, the money just keeps rolling in and Wall is hungry for a mega-project or two that will continue the current good fortunes of his Saskatchewan Party.

What makes this interesting is the fact that Saskatchewan’s new right wing Premier is a free market fundamentalist. He claims that government will not pick 'winners and losers' in the Saskatchewan economy by using precious tax dollars.

Enter Bruce Power. The day after Ontario’s private nuclear operator Bruce Power was passed over for building new nuclear reactors at its site on Lake Huron, the company announced that it will carry out a “feasibility study” for the possible construction of a new nuclear power plant in Saskatchewan.

Wall is telling the press that any nuclear plant constructed in Saskatchewan would have to be built without public funds. Right. No taxpayers money in any such mega-project.

Well, in Ontario, Bruce Power leases a nuclear site from the provincial government. The lease agreement passes on full liability for such things as cost over-runs onto Ontario’s taxpayers. The Ontario government also agreed to build a $ 600 million dollar power line to transmit Bruce Power’s electricity to Toronto. It’s a great deal for Bruce Power. It’s a bad deal for individual taxpayers. Saskatchewan should beware.

The biggest part of Bruce Power’s ‘feasibility study’ will likely involve determining exactly what Wall is prepared to put on the table to sweeten any future nuclear deal between Saskatchewan and the company.

Greenpeace has rightly pointed out that the necessary size of a nuclear power plant compared to the relatively small demand for electricity in Alberta and Saskatchewan, as well as the massive capital costs for a nuclear plant, make such a project a poor fit for Saskatchewan. But remember, newly minted Premier Brad Wall is desperate for a mega-project and he is flush with cash.

"They (Bruce Power) need in some way, shape or form government backing. Whether that comes in the form of direct loans, loan guarantees, performance guarantees, guaranteed contracts for electricity purchase, they're all forms of government support." said Dave Martin, energy co-ordinator for Greenpeace.

Greenpeace Blog

"The federal Conservatives are seeking to end the monopoly of the Winnipeg-based board, which is controlled by farmers. The monopoly makes the agency one of the biggest exporters in the world of wheat and barley.

In Saskatoon to announce funding for a municipal road plan, a defiant Prime Minister Stephen Harper vowed to battle on.

"We'll continue to fight in Parliament. We'll continue to fight in the legislature. But the bottom line is this, mark my words, Western Canadian farmers want this freedom and they are going to get it. And anybody who stands in their way is going to get walked over."
Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Saskatoon - June 20, 2008

So bully boy Harper is going to 'walk over' anyone who stands in the way of his gutting of the Canadian Wheat Board! Isn't that a fine and diplomatic way for the leader of our nation to speak!

Our right wing prime minister is starting to lose his cool! Both he and the small handful of free market radicals who want the Wheat Board gone have lost all major court challenges and their frustration is starting to show.

Well Mr. Harper, threaten all you want, but your opponents will only fight that much harder!

Calgary Herald

In many countries around the world, the longest day of the year holds special cultural and spiritual significance. In Canada, this special time is when we observe National Aboriginal Day, an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the diverse cultures and outstanding contributions to Canada of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.

Celebrating Saskatchewan’s Aboriginal past and present connects us to the culture, history and traditions of First Nations and Métis people. The history of Saskatchewan includes tales of legendary chiefs like Poundmaker and Big Bear, and Métis leaders Louis Riel and Gabriel Dumont. Today’s modern Saskatchewan Aboriginal culture is one that honours the past while building toward an exciting future.

On June 21, National Aboriginal Day celebrations will happen across the province of Saskatchewan. Here is a sampling of what’s happening:

National Aboriginal Day Celebrations - Wascana Centre, Regina
Celebrate the 12th Anniversary of Regina National Aboriginal Day in the northwest corner of Wascana Centre. Free admission, 10:00 am grand entry. Aboriginal peoples - singing, drumming, dancing, fiddling, children's activities and more. Telephone: 306-546-4006, email: regina.nad@accesscomm.ca

National Aboriginal Day Celebrations - Friendship Park, Saskatoon
Afternoon activities begin with a grand entry, free soup and bannock lunch at 12 noon followed by guest speakers and Metis/First Nations entertainers. Free admission, 11am - 4pm. Telephone: 306-244-0174, email: SIMFC@sasktel.net, Website: www.simfc.com

National Aboriginal Day - Prince Albert National Park
Join in the celebrations marking National Aboriginal Day. 2008 will showcase Metis culture and heritage. Community Hall, Waskesiu Lake. Telephone: 306-663-4508, email: henry.fremont@pc.gc.ca

DRYLAKE at First Nations University Pow Wow - Regina, April 2008

NASA engineers and scientists are finally finding what they'd hoped to discover in the latest Mars mission -- signs of water and other elements that could have supported life.

Dice-size pieces of whitish matter dug up in a trench on the Martian north pole appears to be ice. In the above photos, the small ice chunks appear in the bottom left of the photo on day 20 but have evaporated in the thin dry Martian atmosphere by day 24.

- Computerworld.com
- Reuters

Breaking news ...

The Federal Conservative government violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms when it issued a gag order on officials with the Canadian Wheat Board in 2006, the Federal Court has ruled. Actions by the Harper Government to gag the Canadian Wheat Board are 'unconstitutional'!

"A Federal Court judge has struck down a Harper government gag order that restrains the Canadian Wheat Board from promoting its monopoly powers.

In a ruling released this morning, Judge Roger T. Hughes agreed with the wheat board that the government order contravened the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The government directive prevented the wheat board from spending money promoting its single desk powers."
Winnipeg Free Press

CBC has more ....

"Why would he want to come here other than use Canada as a stage to talk about NAFTA and to create a wedge on it with Obama?"
Paul Dewar
New Democrat MP

When Republican hopeful John McCain walks into the ballroom of the Chateau Laurier Hotel in Ottawa today, he won't be there to win votes from the assembled crowd. No, he hopes to win votes back home over an issue that he believes could be problematic for his rival, Barrack Obama.

The optics of taking a presidential campaign to a foreign nation might just allow McCain's spin doctors to rub Obama's nose in negative comments he made concerning the North American Free Trade agreement during the US primaries.

You can bet that McCain will find a warm greeting from the assembled Canadian Right Wing establishment. Canadian Conservatives, by and large still think that Bush's foreign policy is sound and simply cannot understand why Americans are rejecting him. They do not represent the opinion of most Canadians who find Bush an incompetent and misguided leader. So much so, that Canada's Conservative Prime Minister has cautioned his Members of Parliament and staff to avoid the McCain luncheon lest his political opponents try to focus on connections between American Republicans and Canadian Conservatives.

John McCain is using an entire nation as a political prop. Hopefully, his opponents south of the border call it what it is.
Ottawa Sun

CBC has more ...

"OTTAWA - It may be the most sought-after ticket in Ottawa, but when Republican presidential hopeful John McCain addresses a sold-out luncheon tomorrow, it will be hard to find a Conservative politician in the crowd. [...] The Prime Minister's Office, concerned about the optics, also advised staff working for MPs to avoid the speech. Tickets for Mr. McCain's speech sold out in an hour but, among the 380 guests, the federal Conservatives will be limited to those with official reasons to attend. David Emerson will be there as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Conservative MP Rob Merrifield will also go in his capacity as co-chair of the Canada-U. S. Inter-parliamentary Group.

Mr. McCain was invited by the Economic Club of Canada. It is thought to be the only time a presidential candidate has given a speech in Canada in the midst of a campaign."
National Post

Once again we see the Conservative Party of Canada, its Leader and elected representatives trying to camouflage their Right Wing roots. These Bush loving Hawks aren't fooling anyone ... they might as well go to the luncheon and wallow in good old fashioned Republican muck - have a few drinks and call it a week!!

Vigilant Canadians continue to resist our nation's shift towards acceptance of authoritarian practices by our police forces. Here is a major tip of the hat to RCMP Complaints Commissioner, Paul Kennedy. His report on the use of tasers by Canada's RCMP is a scathing condemnation of the casual and cavalier attitude that our national police force has concerning use of the device.

"The commission chair told reporters that he thinks the RCMP has "the weakest policy" on Taser use compared to other police forces in Canada, and indicated that the potential harm the weapons can cause is not always appreciated.

"We've all successfully diminished the significance of the use of the Taser and that's why we find it being used, I think, in circumstances that are highly inappropriate," Kennedy said before going on to describe how the commission had 117 reports of Tasers being used on 13- to 16-year-olds. In some cases, the devices were used on individual teenagers four or five times.

"That tells me that people are viewing and using the Taser in a fashion far different than they would a gun. A gun brings its own respect, a Taser doesn't seem to have done that. And that's why I'm calling for stricter guidelines," he said."

Regina Leader-Post

Here is a HUGE tip of the hat to Orgie at Eye on Saskatchewan!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - National Farmers Union

SECRET CABINET DOCUMENT CONTAINED DETAILED PLANS FOR DESTROYING FARMER CONTROL OF CWB

In a secret Cabinet briefing document dated August 10, 2006, the Harper Government spelled out a methodical, step-by-step plan to destroy the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) single desk for wheat and barley.

The document listed nearly every totalitarian tactic the government subsequently used against the CWB, including: a gag order, an attempt to change the CWB mandate through Cabinet Order, firing CWB CEO Adrian Measner and other appointed Directors and replacing them with Directors who “favour marketing choice,” a plebiscite with a three-part question and “no specified percentage” for victory.

The previously-classified Cabinet document was made public by lawyers representing the CWB during a court hearing in Winnipeg June 16. The six-page document contained several blacked-out portions, but listed a number of “options” the Harper Cabinet could use to circumvent the democratic Parliamentary process.

The document clearly shows the Harper Government had a pre-determined agenda, and was determined not to let democracy or real information get in the way, said National Farmers Union President Stewart Wells. “This document proves the anti-democratic actions of the Harper Government were mapped out in advance. Also, keep in mind that in court documents from the previous case led by the Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board, the Harper Government admitted that it had done absolutely no financial analysis of the effects of weakening or destroying the CWB.”

Among the “options” contained in the once-secret document are:

1. Set up a “non-binding” vote among wheat and barley producers after implementing a gag order on the CWB to prevent any advocacy for the single desk option. The outcome of the vote would be pre-determined: “Following the vote, the Minister would return to Cabinet with the next steps to end the compulsory aspects of the CWB and to implement marketing choice for producers.”

2. Manipulation of the results of the plebiscite. The document states the government should tabulate the results to suit its objective. “There would be no specified percentage that constitutes sufficient support for a given option.”

3. Replace the appointed directors, “including the CEO, with individuals who favour marketing choice.” The document noted that if the government appointed five directors, and was able to gain “as few as three elected directors who favour marketing choice,” this “would constitute a majority of the board of directors and would be able to use the discretion provided to the CWB by the current legislation to lessen the compulsory aspects of the CWB and provide more choice to producers.”

4. Table legislation aimed at removing the requirement for a vote by producers from the CWB Act. The document admits this option would be unlikely to pass through Parliament until the Conservative Party achieved a majority following a general election.

4. The use of “Orders-in-Council” to force the CWB to “do certain things” to weaken the single desk.

Wells said the Cabinet briefing document is “an incriminating document” that spells out, in the government’s own words, its intention to end farmers’ democratic control of their marketing agency.

- 30 –

Contact: Stewart Wells, NFU President (306) 773-6852 or (306) 741-7694

Terry Pugh, NFU Executive-Secretary (306) 652-9465

Darrin Qualman, NFU Director of Research (306) 652

More on this story ...
Save My CWB

"Canadian soldiers who witness civilians being raped have a duty to intervene, even if the assailants are Afghan soldiers or police, Canada's top soldier says."
The Star

Well I suppose you could spin this new Canadian Armed Forces policy as a 'positive'! Yup ... our little war in Afghanistan is moving along quite nicely! Our top soldier, General Rick Hillier has made it clear that when we see our Afghan military allies raping young boys or girls, we will speak out! We will tell them that we don't like it! Yes siree!

It is being speculated that no charges will be laid against any of the RCMP officers who brutally killed Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski in the Vancouver Airport.

Considering that RCMP homicide investigators investigated fellow RCMP officers, are you surprised?!

Members of the RCMP tased and knelt on the neck of Dziekanski within 25 seconds of contacting him in an airport waiting area. He died.

The RCMP who killed Dziekanski refused to remove handcuffs from him when ambulance attendants requested that they do so. The handcuffs were only removed after it was determined that he was already dead.

This is not your grandfather's old Royal Canadian Mounted Police. This is a perverted mutation of what was once Canada's proud national police force.

-CBC
-National Post

The worst President in American history continues to threaten world security with his ongoing threats of military action against Iran. George W. Bush is a war mongering war criminal. Americans should in unison stand firm and tell him that he has lost ALL authority to initiate a new war in the dying days of his presidency!

Why is it that we have to go to bed each night unsure if this madman is going to further demonstrate his flawed concept of foreign policy?

Congress should let him know that no war or military action can occur without their approval.

The day that George Bush leaves the White House, the safer the planet will be!

The Independent

Letter from Jean-C. Hébert, counsel to Julie Couillard, to the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security:

Dear Mr. Préfontaine:

I regret to inform you that Ms. Julie Couillard chooses to decline the invitation to appear before the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security on June 18, 2008, for one hour and fifteen minutes. My client chooses to decline this invitation for a number of reasons.

Background:
On June 2, 2008, the Committee adopted Serge Ménard’s motion on division. This motion authorizes Committee members to consider and report to the House of Commons on “the security issues raised by the relationship that the former Minister of Foreign Affairs had with a person with ties to organized crime.”

The purpose of Ms. Couillard’s testimony is very broad. At first glance, it is unrealistic to imagine that all the Committee members could effectively and fairly interrogate my client in seventy-five minutes.

Let us recall that, in his letter of resignation of May 26, 2008, Mr. Bernier openly stated that he had “left classified government documents at a private residence.” This allegation is tremendously important.

*Equality before the law

Pursuant to paragraph 4(4) b) of the Security of Information Act, R.S., 1985, Ch. O-5, “every person is guilty of an offence under this Act who allows any other person to have possession of any official document issued for his use alone.”

Under this same paragraph, any person is guilty of an offence who “without lawful authority or excuse, has in his possession any official document […] or on obtaining possession of any official document by finding or otherwise, neglects or fails to restore it to the person or authority by whom or for whose use it was issued, or to a police constable.”

Pursuant to section 27, if indicted, the person committing one of the above offences is liable to imprisonment for a tem of not more than 14 years. Under section 24 of the Act, prosecution is subject to the consent of the Attorney General of Canada.

Mr. Bernier’s refusal to testify is of significant strategic importance. The Committee cannot confirm the terms or accuracy of his defence of having “left” the documents behind. If he did not voluntarily allow another person to have possession of official document, how can former Minister Bernier be accused of violating the Act?

My client however is at risk of being indicted by the Attorney General for having had an official document in her possession, without lawful authority or excuse. The main witness for the prosecution would have to be Maxime Bernier.

If the Committee wishes my client to publicly disclose all the circumstances surrounding the secret document having been “left” at her residence by an inattentive minister, her fundamental right to make a full and complete defence could be seriously affected in a subsequent trial.

The fundamental principle of justice guaranteed by Article 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the right of the accused to “prepare” and if necessary to present a full and complete defence,” manifests itself in several more specific rights and principles, such as the right to full and timely disclosure, the right to know the case to be met before opening one’s defence, (R. v. Rose, [1998] 3 S. C. R. 262, par.98). These rules of fairness that apply before a court of law should also inspire the work of the parliamentary Committee.

There comes a time when defending these principles should take precedence over political opportunism. These principles should not simply be held in reverence but should serve as active forces inspiring the course of justice.

*Possible introduction of irrelevancies

Mr. Juneau-Katsuya’s testimony, resting as it basically did on a press clipping file, was purely the product of a creative imagination, but it did nevertheless contain one important thing: a sexist reference to the attributes of the “mole” Couillard. If my client were forced to give evidence, the indifference of the Committee’s members to this offensive comment suggests that other irrelevancies would be introduced.

Lopsided treatment by the Committee of the two main witnesses, Mr. Bernier and Ms. Couillard, would seriously distort the requirement for equality of all before the law. Oddly, by forcing Ms. Couillard to testify before the Committee, the opposition MPs would be strengthening Mr. Bernier’s strategic position … and that of the government!

Politics and justice

Without being certain of it, my client nevertheless has reasonable grounds to believe that the RCMP is currently undertaking an investigation. In remarks made to the House of Commons on November 19, 2007, MP Serge Ménard accurately described the dynamic of a police investigation:

When the police investigate a crime, they likely begin with hypotheses and lists of suspects. Sometimes the investigation reveals that some of the suspects did not commit the crime being investigated. Throughout the investigation, they carefully seek new evidence, collect and preserve that evidence, and proceed only once they are sure that the evidence will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the person believed to be guilty of a crime, is. (emphasis added)

Mr Bernier is not required to give evidence before the Committee. In the framework of a police investigation, he has the constitutional right to remain silent. Moreover, he is not obliged to collaborate with the investigators from the Department of Foreign Affairs who are carrying out an internal investigation. His silence could complicate a police investigation and hamper the preservation of evidence.

Requiring Ms. Couillard to disclose the case for her defence before Mr. Bernier does the same would violate the principle of equality of arms. This inequality in the treatment of the two witnesses runs the risk above all of having repercussions on the preservation and analysis of evidence by the RCMP.

*Conclusion

The classical view of the separation of powers, founded on parliamentary sovereignty, is that the judge is simply the representative of Parliament. But in the modern view, anchored in constitutionalism, the judge becomes the overseer of the legislative power. In Canada, the concept of separation of powers reflects the mutual respect that the three powers must have for one another in order to distinguish and strengthen their roles.

When it comes to arbitrating conflicts in the fundamental rights and the conflicting or contradictory interests of Ms. Couillard and Mr. Bernier, parliamentarians should have the grace to let justice calmly and effectively follow its course.

I would appreciate your transmitting this letter to the members of the Committee.

Yours sincerely,

Jean-C. Hébert, Barrister and Solicitor


CBC News

Progressive bloggers are well aware of the fight that has been going on between supporters of the Canadian Wheat Board and the ideological driven Harper government. You may also have noticed that when it comes to the plan by the Conservatives to gut the CWB ... all seems quiet now on the 'western front'.

Saskatchewan farmer, Larry Hill, is chair of the Canadian Wheat Board. He has an editorial published today in a number of western daily newspapers:

"The western Canadian grain industry has repeatedly been subjected to trade challenges -- a total of 14 times since 1990. In each case, the result has been the same: the CWB does not violate international trade regulations and acts as a fair and commercial marketer of western Canadian wheat and barley. This was confirmed as recently as 2005, when the U.S. International Trade Commission dismissed U.S. claims that Canada was in contravention of anti-dumping and countervailing duty laws.

The reason why the CWB continues to be targeted is simple: protectionist interests in other competing nations view the CWB as a threat. Since every claim of unfair trading practices has been dismissed, the only other reason for the attention that the CWB gets on the trade front is that it is doing its job -- getting the best possible price for our wheat and barley in the export markets."

Regina Leader-Post

"I don't know where he (Osama Bin Laden) is. [...] I truly am not that concerned about him."
President George W. Bush
March 13, 2002


George W. Bush is a liar. A bold faced liar. The above clip proves it. So now, at the end of his term this lying President of the United States of America has decided that he needs to have Osama Bin Laden captured! .... Nukes would work ....

-The Times Online
-The Evil FOX Network

I personally think that Pierre Poilievre is a hard Right Refomer whose time at the University of Calgary did something to his brain. He seems to be Harper's lapdog so the above pic is appropriate.

Pierre is the kind of politician that you either HATE or LOVE. Since Buckdog is consistently fair on political matters .... I will give both sides a shot!

-Thank God for Pierre Poilievre
Mark Peters, a christianist blogger from Nova Scotia simply gushes joy and love for him:
"Pierre Poilievre is correct to encourage them to apply themselves to hard work and self-reliance and make the future as bright as it can be."


-Is Poilievre fit to hold public office?
Randall Denley, a constituent of Poilievre's articulates:
"In all, Poilievre's record ought to make Nepean-Carleton voters ashamed. The message from his residential schools comments and his shot about sex changes is that people in his riding are a bunch of red-neck bigots who have to be pandered to. Next election, let's show him that he's wrong."

Unless something earth shattering occurs today - please stand by ....

Going into Wednesday's formal apology to aboriginal survivors of the residential school policy, there were bad feelings that representatives of the survivors would not be allowed to speak on the floor of the House of Commons. It was not the government that was blocking Phil Fontaine and others from speaking, rather, it was the traditions and rules of Parliament itself that does not allow non-members to speak.

Enter, NDP press secretary Ian Capstick with a possible solution. Under the rules of the House of Commons, the House can resolve itself into the 'Committee of the Whole', a technicality that allows all Members to be involved, but where non-Members can give testimony or verbal advice to the House.

Prior to the formal apology ceremony, Capstick raised the possibility of the House resolving itself into Committee of the Whole to NDP Leader Jack Layton. Layton contacted Prime Minister Harper, protocols were verified, and the House Leaders of all four caucuses agreed.

As a result, representatives of the groups represented at the apology, were able to speak and have their works recorded for posterity in Hansard.

The Star

Conservative MP, Pierre Poilievre is getting spanked in public once again for saying the following while Harper was supposed to be giving an apology to survivors of residential schools:
"My view is that we need to engender the values of hard work and independence and self-reliance. That's the solution in the long run -- more money will not solve it."

This comment is not only dumb and reeking of right wing ideology, it was completely inappropriate to be said on the same day that the Government of Canada was giving a formal apology to First Nations, Innu and Metis people.

The timing was so outrageous, I simply have to ask the following question: was Pierre Poilievre assigned to speak to Harper's hardcore Reform base back home?

I wonder if Polivere was tasked (as he quite often is) to make a statement that is intended to resonate with the old Reform ideologues back home in Alberta and Saskatchewan. It seems to me that Polivere has played this role before.

The question is worth asking simply because the only other possible reason for Polivere to have said what he said is because he is a complete moron!

UPDATE:
During Statements By Members in Parliament today, the final statment before Question Period was delivered by Conservative MP Pierre Polievre who apologized for his remarks yesterday concerning Aboriginal and First Nations people!

Stephen Harper and a number of other Canadians were of the opinion that the matter between Julie Couillard and Maxime Bernier was a private matter and should not be delved into. Hogwash! It is now evident that events were occurring that require public attention and scruitiny:

OTTAWA — The Couillard affair mushroomed into a case of alleged influence peddling yesterday, following revelations that two Conservative officials discussed a major federal project last year with a woman with past ties to biker gangs.

Federal officials confirmed that Julie Couillard raised the Kevlar Group's bid on a project worth an estimated $30-million in Quebec City with former foreign affairs minister Maxime Bernier and ex-public works adviser Bernard Côté.
The Globe & Mail

Marguerite Wabano, 104, from Moosonee, Ontario, a survivor of Canada's racist residential school policy was seated on the floor of the House of Commons as the Prime Minister of Canada apologized on behalf of all Canadians.


-Globe & Mail
-CBC News

na·ive·ness, noun
having or showing a lack of experience, judgment, or information; credulous:

This blog has received some extremely naive comments and emails from individuals who repeat Harper's mantra that the Bernier / Couillard matter is personal and not anyone else's business!

I will not respond to such political naiveness! This scandal is going to be the worst thing that ever happened to the Harper government. Stay tuned!

-Couillard affair trips top Tory aide

-RCMP knew Couillard's biker ties; won't say if Ottawa was warned

-Poll: 66 per cent feel Bernier affair an important issue

-Top Mounties dodge Couillard questions

-Canadian ‘Mata Hari’ faces House

-Conservatives' troubles increase over Couillard

While Canadians will be watching Prime Minister Harper's apology to survivors of residential school abuses, there is a lot of international interest in the event:

Canada to apologize to native students: Los Angeles Times


Canada to apologise to native Indians for 'abuses': Australian Broadcasting Corp


Reconciliation goes sour in Canada: Radio Netherlands International


Canadian leader to apologize to aboriginals: CNN International

The editorial in today's Globe & Mail looks at how the Dion Liberals left themselves open for the Conservative Party to embarrass them on their 'Carbon Tax' concept:

"A basic rule of political strategy is to define yourself and your policies before your opponents do so on your behalf. Yet this tenet appears to have been lost on Stéphane Dion's Liberals, who in a peculiar act of self-sabotage have refused to define their plan for a carbon tax at all."
Globe & Mail

Some of the fifteen artworks stolen from the University of BC Museum on the night of May 23rd have been recovered. A spokesperson for the RCMP has confirmed that they have recovered some of the Bill Reid aboriginal gold artworks. The works are intact.
Globe & Mail
CTV News

Apparently, the all-party House of Commons Public Safety Committee is about to recommend that Canada’s police forces continue to use Tasers but that their use must be restricted to those episodes where the only other course of action would be with lethal force from a firearm.

It seems to me that is exactly what the Taser was intended for when it found its way into the hands of Canadian Police forces in the first place. However, somewhere along the way, Tasers became the weapon of choice that police used to enforce compliance. News stories abound of inappropriate use of Tasers on people who tried to skip paying the fare on Vancouver public transit, a senior citizen who was double parked, an octogenarian in a hospital bed as well as the most notable Robert Dziekanski case.

I have to wonder what it is in the human condition that allows someone with a uniform to think that they are so superior to another individual that they can zap them with high voltage discharges simply because they will not comply to supposed ‘authority’?

Law makers can legislate proper use criteria for Tasers, but it is the human component that needs to be addressed here. Far too often, it is obvious that the training of our police is the problem. The tactics used by the RCMP officers who killed Robert Dziekanski were probably ‘textbook’. However, the heavy handed use of these tactics simply did not match the circumstances of their use and Dziekanski was killed by police with near execution precision.

The Commons Public Safety Committee needs to look beyond the Taser itself as a tool, and ensure that they address the circumstances that see this tool constantly being misused by police forces. Canadians should not have to live in an environment where they have mere seconds to either comply or die. There is a disturbing authoritarian mind set that has settled on those who use the Taser for compliance. Those police officers who can’t distinguish the difference between situations where lethal force is required and those where compliance is requested should not be in uniform. They are potential killers. We have ample examples of this in the news.

Ottawa Sun

"Citing unidentified Conservative party sources, a Montreal newpaper reported that Couillard was active in fundraising in the Chateauguay-St-Constant riding."
Canadian Press

We get more indication that a public inquiry into the actions of Maxime Bernier and the Conservative Party of Canada is necessary as this story turns and twists. If Couillard had a hand in fundraising for the Conservatives, her underworld and biker connections look even more problematic. The Tory's are busy throwing obstacles and smoke screens in front of this story. Canadians deserve a full inquiry now!

"La contribution de Mme Couillard ne figure toujours pas sur le site internet d’Élections Canada puisque l’association du Parti conservateur de Châteauguay–Saint-Constant n’a pas encore remis son rapport de dépenses à l’organisme fédéral."
(Translation):
"Ms. Couillard's contribution is still not included on the website of Elections Canada since the association of Conservative Party Chateauguay-Saint-Constant has not yet submitted its report of expenditure to the federal agency."
Cyberpresse.ca

The federal Conservative Party is launching an aggressive attack ad campaign today targeting Liberal leader Stephane Dion over his proposed new carbon tax.
Toronto Sun


Here's a sneak peak of the campaign!

It is not a 'song' as many are referring to it because it has no words. Best described as a 'fanfare' ... the theme to Hockey Night in Canada is one of the most recognizable melodies in the nation. Unfortunately, it will be played no more as a prelude to Canada's national sport, televised on Saturday nights across the country. Its passing is certainly worth noting.

CBC Sports

Saskatchewan residents of all political stripes will note the passing of a great son of the province - Ed Tchorzewski.

Ed sat as a minister in every cabinet of both Premier Alan Blakeney and Premier Roy Romanow. He served in many portfolios most notably as Saskatchewan's Finance Minister and Deputy Premier under Romanow.

Ed was well liked, down to earth and will surely be missed. I had the good fortune of knowing Ed and will always remember his wit and firm political resolve. He loved Saskatchewan.

-Government of Saskatchewan
-CBC Saskatchewan
-Regina Leader-Post

"About 32,000 Canadian farmers are on the alert after learning a laptop containing their financial information has been stolen.

The laptop has the bank account numbers and social insurance numbers of farmers who applied for Agriculture Canada's advance payments program, which is administered by the Canadian Canola Growers on behalf of the federal government."
CBC News

Clearly, Canada's Federal government still has a lot of work to do to ensure that the confidential financial and personal data of Canadians is safe and secure. You would think by now that this would sink in. I am also going to give a shot here at the Information Technology profession over this situation. How cavalier is it to have a laptop in an insecure location with 32,000 individuals' most confidential information?

I know that most provinces and the Feds have 'privacy commissioners', but tell me please, why it is that these stories keep coming up?

"The ex-girlfriend of former foreign affairs minister Maxime Bernier had contact with an individual closely associated with Quebec biker gangs as recently as 2006, CBC News has learned."
CBC

"The government is very serious about the need to protect sensitive information."
Rodney Moore
Foreign Affairs spokesperson


OTTAWA–"The foreign affairs department does not know whether all the classified government documents Maxime Bernier had access to have been returned following a security breach that ended his cabinet career, an official told the Star. Answering that question will be among the first tasks of a probe into the former foreign affairs minister's laissez-faire approach to sensitive government information, which came to light in a television interview last week with his ex-girlfriend."
The Star

So here is the deal ... the Foreign Affairs department NEVER missed the secret documents that Maxime left at his girlfriend's place. They ALSO have NO IDEA if he has returned their other documents ... AND THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT HARPER HAS MANDATED TO CONDUCT THE 'INVESTIGATION'!! (Give me a break ... you bloody Conservatives are so crooked, it is shocking) ....

A poll conducted by the Privy Council Office has found that less than one-third of Canadians believe the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper is "open and honest."

Is it any wonder that Canadians feel this way? Look at how the Conservatives refuse to be honest on any number of issues with the public:

-In and out election fraud scheme
-RCMP raid on Conservative headquarters to seize documents
-Cadman bribe (and now the claim that the tape is doctored ... yeah, right!)
-Bernier's romantic involvement with a woman from the biker gang and mafia underworld
-Bernier's loss of secret NATO briefing notes

Harper is fortunate that the Liberals are so screwed up and crippled. It is the ineffective Liberal Caucus that allows him to remain in power!

Ottawa Citizen

"Neither Maxime Bernier nor any government MPs will engage in this political circus,"
Senior Government Source
(speaking on condition of anonymity)

My first impression on the Bernier matter when Prime Minister Harper refused to communicate with the media and Parliament, was that he was embarrassed over the actions of his Foreign Affairs Minister.

Rightly so. The fact that Harper put the incompetent Bernier in a key cabinet post simply because he is from Quebec, says a lot about his judgment. Sure, that must be it, Harper was embarrassed. He had tolerated Bernier's screw-ups for far too long and now he wanted the whole matter to simply go away.

However, the ongoing revelations about Ms. Couillard's past connections with Quebec biker gangs and now with the Mafia, leads me believe that there is something much more nefarious going on with this whole scandal.

Since Bernier was the senior Conservative lieutenant in Quebec, and since he was deeply involved with someone from Quebec's organized crime sector, questions now need to be asked concerning the possibility of underworld donations to tory coffers in Quebec or any other number of inappropriate connections. If Prime Minister Harper will not allow public light to be shed on this matter, all questions are legitimate!

It there were ever an issue that demanded a full judicial inquiry, it is the Bernier/Coullard Affair.

Something very fishy is going on here and it is beginning to stink in the halls of Parliament, with the strongest smell coming from the Prime Minister's Office itself.

National Post

"WASHINGTON (AFP) — The White House Monday rejected Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's charges of "abuse" of pre-war intelligence on Iraq, saying "the entire world" agreed on the threat posed by Saddam Hussein."
Google.com

"Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is now pulling no punches in decrying the subservience of his predecessor, John Howard, to Washington."
Consortium News

Sanity is returning to the government of Australia with the acknowledgment that President Bush and his Republican administration fabricated, embellished and created reasons for deposing Saddam Hussein by invading Iraq.

When lance at catprint in the mash dropped the SaskBlogs aggregator awhile back, Saskatchewan bloggers and their readers were caught in a lurch with no quick way to access all of the fine blogs that come to us from Saskatchewan.

However, Saskboy, from the well know blog, Abandoned Stuff by Saskboy took it upon himself to work with lance and revive the SaskBlogs listing if not the aggregator.

Well - those searching for blogs from the great province of Saskatchewan need only click on SASKBLOGS.CA and you will once again find yourself surrounded by all things Saskatchewanaise!

Some of the better know political SaskBloggers are:

-Abandoned Stuff by Saskboy

-Buckdog

-Giant Political Mouse

-Larry Hubich's Blog

-Politics'n'Poetry

-smalldeadanimals

-John Murney's Blog

-The Wheatsheaf

Former White House press secretary, Scott McClellan, has now made appearances on both Fox Network's Bill O'Reilly show AND Jon Stewart's The Daily Show. Here are links to the video of both interviews:

Bill O'Reilly Show (courtesy Huffington Post)

Comedy Central's Daily Show

"OTTAWA–Despite a chorus of bad publicity over the Maxime Bernier affair, the Conservative government waltzed through a series of confidence votes Monday.

Rows of Liberal benches remained vacant in a series of votes on controversial immigration reforms that are part of a larger budget-implementation bill.

All opposition parties have excoriated the Conservatives for the immigration changes, but the Liberals continued their months-long practice of abstaining on key votes.

The Liberals were taunted and laughed at by their opponents as only a handful of their members showed up for a set of 114-83 votes that took the legislation one step closer to becoming law.

But Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion noted that the political gift of Bernier's resignation would never have happened if, several weeks ago, he'd brought down the government as some in his party urged him to do."
Alexander Panetta
THE CANADIAN PRESS
The Star

There are going to be three key votes taken in the House of Commons tonight on the Conservative's controversial immigration reforms that are part of a larger federal budget implementation bill. The New Democrats and the Bloc will vote to send the Harper administration to the people for a new mandate or defeat. The Liberal Caucus will, however, allow the Harperites to continue governing.

Canadians will be reminded of this when the time comes. Canada has a coalition government right now with the Liberal Members of Parliament propping up the Conservative minority.

Globe & Mail

“We don't consider it the best health outcome to keep people in a position where they continue to use the illicit drugs, to inject the illicit drugs.”
Tony Clement
Minister of Health
Government of Canada

“The court has decided that the government cannot deny drug addicts access to the health care that they desperately need and that Insite provides,”
B.C. Civil Liberties Association


It has been my experience that individuals afflicted with a ‘conservative’ world view constantly try to apply simplistic solutions to extremely complex problems. No better example of this exists than the Harper administration’s policy on safe injection sites for the chronically addicted.

The Right Wing mind simply cannot get past the hurdle of this simplicity. To them, the policy formula for heroin addiction goes like this: ‘Heroin is bad - do not use it. If you use it - STOP!’

This sounds well and good and strikes a cord with those who have no knowledge or experience with addiction. There is no recognition of the psychological irrationality that is a symptom of hard core addiction. There is no recognition of the dynamics necessary for cessation of use. All there is to Conservative’s are cutesy little quips that resonate with their base support.

Conservative Party public policy concerning addiction is primitive, simplistic and will do nothing to stop the scourge of this terrible disease. They do not view addiction as a disease, rather, they see it as the result of 'bad' choices that require only 'good' choices to fix. The collective experience of addicts who have found a way to live without drugs indicates that there is no quick cure. Recovery is possible but only with a major coordinated effort of the addict, the medical profession and other recovering addicts.

Harper’s government will do nothing to alleviate this terrible disease. It will only add to the misery while right wing thinkers smugly ignore fact and medical science.

The very fact that police officers and their associations strongly argue that harm reduction sites are beneficial and should be maintained means nothing to Harper’s government.

To ignore the facts is ‘ignorance’. To Stephen Harper and his ideological ilk, ignorance is bliss.

Globe & Mail

... more Buckdog on this topic ...

“I think Alberta has had to unfairly go it alone. We ought to be shoulder-to-shoulder. Alberta deserves a little help in this regard, and we’re going to be riding shotgun.”
Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall
(on Alberta’s $25-million dollar public relations campaign)

The Alberta government recently announced it is spending $25-million over three years to promote Alberta and the oilsands as environmentally friendly. In response to the Alberta propaganda campaign, Saskatchewan's premier has left people wondering exactly what 'riding shotgun' means for Saskatchewan taxpayers? Are they going to 'pony-up' dollars to help Stelmach defer the cost of his media campaign, or is Wall going to 'saddle-up' and mount his own advertising in Saskatchewan trying to convince us that tarsands mega-projects are good for the environment?

Saskatchewan's new premier loves to speak in his best 'cow-poke' language from time to time - leaving many of us embarrassed here in the 'wild wild west'!

Saskatchewan NDP Caucus

When it comes to Conservative Members of Parliament, what they 'say' is not what they 'do'!

REGINA -- A Conservative member of Parliament, who promised earlier this year to spend his life promoting tolerance after a video surfaced of him making anti-gay remarks in 1991, was a no-show Saturday at Regina's gay pride parade.

Gay groups said they were disappointed that Regina-Lumsden MP Tom Lukiwski didn't even respond to an invitation to attend the parade.

"Mr. Lukiwski stated in his public apology ... that he would spend the rest of his life making amends,'' said gay pride spokesman Nathan Markwart. "Well, when exactly does that kick in?
Canadian Press