The Liberal Express with Michael Ignatieff & 10 other Liberal MP's will be in Stratford tomorrow. Sunday July 25th at 12 Noon.
His bus will stop in front of Stratford's City Hall (1 Wellington Street).
Hope to meet up with any of you supporters who live in the area at the event tomorrow!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
One Is Ok, The Other Is Not?
Here, again, another revealing view of Harper/Conservative priorities:
From the CP in CanadaEast:
The Harper government was expected to announce today one of the biggest military equipment purchases in history _ a controversial, non-competitive $16-billion contract to build a new generation of fighter jets.
And from Christine Dobby in The Telegraph-Journal:
The provinces need to rein in "rampant" growth in health-care spending says the federal minister of finance.
Jim Flaherty told the Telegraph-Journal's editorial board on Thursday that provincial spending on health care is growing at a rate that outstrips economic growth, a situation that is unsustainable over time.
"The provinces are going to have to look at their budgets and figure out ways of providing health-care services without rampant growth," Flaherty said.
The finance minister in Stephen Harper's Conservative government said he hopes provinces will adopt "best practices" to control the rate of growth of health-care costs.
So, $16 BILLION for 65 fighter jets we don't need versus our Health Care. I know which one is more important to me & most other Canadians.
For more on those fighter jets & the cost go to Impolitic who's done a great post on this issue.
From the CP in CanadaEast:
The Harper government was expected to announce today one of the biggest military equipment purchases in history _ a controversial, non-competitive $16-billion contract to build a new generation of fighter jets.
And from Christine Dobby in The Telegraph-Journal:
The provinces need to rein in "rampant" growth in health-care spending says the federal minister of finance.
Jim Flaherty told the Telegraph-Journal's editorial board on Thursday that provincial spending on health care is growing at a rate that outstrips economic growth, a situation that is unsustainable over time.
"The provinces are going to have to look at their budgets and figure out ways of providing health-care services without rampant growth," Flaherty said.
The finance minister in Stephen Harper's Conservative government said he hopes provinces will adopt "best practices" to control the rate of growth of health-care costs.
So, $16 BILLION for 65 fighter jets we don't need versus our Health Care. I know which one is more important to me & most other Canadians.
For more on those fighter jets & the cost go to Impolitic who's done a great post on this issue.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
EU Trade Pact & Our Municipal Water Services
This is something we need to keep an eye on as Harper negotiates trading deal with the EU. Water, & the lack thereof, will be the cause of future wars. And not too far off in the distance either as climate change rapidly increases.
By Bruce Campion-Smith in The Star:
OTTAWA – Foreign companies would gain unprecedented access to municipal water services and perhaps even a claim to the water itself under the free trade deal now being negotiated between Canada and the European Union, a new report says.
While the federal government has touted the economic upsides of the trade pact, a legal analysis claims it will likely have big implications for municipalities by forcing them to open their contracts to European firms.
By Bruce Campion-Smith in The Star:
OTTAWA – Foreign companies would gain unprecedented access to municipal water services and perhaps even a claim to the water itself under the free trade deal now being negotiated between Canada and the European Union, a new report says.
While the federal government has touted the economic upsides of the trade pact, a legal analysis claims it will likely have big implications for municipalities by forcing them to open their contracts to European firms.
Harper Trying To Make Exemptions In Detainee Deal
Here we go again. Did anyone REALLY think Harper was going to let the opposition see crucial, & critical, documents on the Afghan detainee issue?
From Steven Chase in the Globe & Mail:
The Harper government has been trying to insert a loophole in a deal that’s supposed to grant opposition MPs full access to secret records on Afghan detainees – a proposal that could derail negotiations if not resolved.
Opposition parties are fighting the attempted exemption that would let Ottawa withhold some documents on the grounds they are “not necessary or appropriate for the purpose of holding Parliament to account.”
From Steven Chase in the Globe & Mail:
The Harper government has been trying to insert a loophole in a deal that’s supposed to grant opposition MPs full access to secret records on Afghan detainees – a proposal that could derail negotiations if not resolved.
Opposition parties are fighting the attempted exemption that would let Ottawa withhold some documents on the grounds they are “not necessary or appropriate for the purpose of holding Parliament to account.”
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
BP Live Cam of Oil Gush
Here is a very clear view of the gush. It's no leak, wrong word, it's truly a gusher. Today is the supposed "Top Kill" plan. Let's hope it works!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
I Didn't Know This - Did You?
I find this appalling. And is it really necessary to have ALL these perks for the Speaker of the House? Disgusting.
By Greg Weston in The Sun.
By Greg Weston in The Sun.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Live Webcam Of Oil Spill In Gulf of Mexico
Scroll down the page to watch the live cam.
Mind boggling!
Mind boggling!
Friday, April 9, 2010
A Question
If Jaffer has one of his wife's GOVT. ISSUED Blackberries that he's using for his personal & business use does that mean the Govt. (taxpayer) is paying the bill on it every month?
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Interesting News On Jaffer
This is a very interesting article written by Kevin Donovan of The Star. It's long but well worth the read. Also, it makes one wonder if Jaffer does have some major pull in the govt, (wouldn't surprise me given his history with the Con Party & of course who his wife is) when he keeps saying the following to the scam artists he was associated with:
" Jaffer, as he often does, told businessmen that he and his company, Green Power Solutions, were experts in obtaining government money. “I can get it, no problem,” he said. His company’s promotional material boasts a “thorough knowledge of government policies and incentive programs.”
For the OPP in Caledon, the Jaffer arrest was a routine case. That’s why officers were surprised to be told in early January by Crown Attorney Marie Balogh that she did not want a trial. Instead, she was seeking a guilty plea on reduced charges. A pre-trial conference – the matters discussed are secret – was held on Feb. 18, 2010 before a judge. Caledon OPP were notified that the deal with Jaffer was made at “the most senior levels” of provincial law enforcement. OPP Caledon pushed back but to no avail.
In Toronto, former associates of Gillani speculate that Jaffer has “rolled over” on Gillani, provided evidence, and in return was given a good deal on his drug, speeding and drunk driving charges.
" Jaffer, as he often does, told businessmen that he and his company, Green Power Solutions, were experts in obtaining government money. “I can get it, no problem,” he said. His company’s promotional material boasts a “thorough knowledge of government policies and incentive programs.”
For the OPP in Caledon, the Jaffer arrest was a routine case. That’s why officers were surprised to be told in early January by Crown Attorney Marie Balogh that she did not want a trial. Instead, she was seeking a guilty plea on reduced charges. A pre-trial conference – the matters discussed are secret – was held on Feb. 18, 2010 before a judge. Caledon OPP were notified that the deal with Jaffer was made at “the most senior levels” of provincial law enforcement. OPP Caledon pushed back but to no avail.
In Toronto, former associates of Gillani speculate that Jaffer has “rolled over” on Gillani, provided evidence, and in return was given a good deal on his drug, speeding and drunk driving charges.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Harper appoints VP of Pfizer to CHIR
Astounding! Harper appoints Bernard Prigent to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research while Prigent is VP to Pfizer & a lobbyist, still, for Pfizer. What is going on here? It appears Harper & his Cons have even less ethics than I realized.
By Tim Bousquet in The Coast:
Last October, the Harper government appointed Bernard Prigent to the governing council of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the federal agency that distributes about a billion dollars annually for health research. That appointment was met with near-universal condemnation from medical ethicists, because Prigent is a vice-president of Pfizer Canada, a firm that stands to profit from the decisions made at CIHR.
"There's a structural conflict of interest," explains Jocelyn Downie, the Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy at Dalhousie University. "On the one hand, it's [Prigent's] statutory duty to represent the best health interests of Canadians, and on the other hand, as an executive with Pfizer, he's legally bound to promote the profit interests of his company. Those competing interests will not always align, and will sometimes be in conflict."
Read the entire article here.
By Tim Bousquet in The Coast:
Last October, the Harper government appointed Bernard Prigent to the governing council of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the federal agency that distributes about a billion dollars annually for health research. That appointment was met with near-universal condemnation from medical ethicists, because Prigent is a vice-president of Pfizer Canada, a firm that stands to profit from the decisions made at CIHR.
"There's a structural conflict of interest," explains Jocelyn Downie, the Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy at Dalhousie University. "On the one hand, it's [Prigent's] statutory duty to represent the best health interests of Canadians, and on the other hand, as an executive with Pfizer, he's legally bound to promote the profit interests of his company. Those competing interests will not always align, and will sometimes be in conflict."
Read the entire article here.
JIM CURRAN - For VP Organization LPC(O) / Pour VP Organisation PLC(O)
I endorse Jim for VP Organization. He's a hard-working, industrious person who is deeply in touch with the Party grassroots. He knows & understands many of the problems & will put all his experience, & his heart, into fixing them.
To read Jim's platform go here.
And for his Facebook page please go here.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Vic Toews, Hard At Work
What a busy guy - denying Mikhail Lennikov's appeal to stay in Canada. Lennikov, an ex-KBG agent, & his family have lived here for more than a dozen years, never been in trouble & have lived an exemplary life. Hard-working, industrious. Another example of how shameful & unjust this Con Govt. is with human rights.
By Norma Greenaway with CanWest News Service:
The Harper government's new public safety minister has rejected a fresh appeal to stay in Canada from a former KGB agent who has been holed up in a Vancouver church for the last seven months.
Vic Toews, who took over the portfolio last week from Peter Van Loan, said Thursday the government is not prepared to budge in the case of Mikhail Lennikov, who was ordered deported because he once worked for the Russian secret service.
"The Immigration and Refugee Board and the courts have determined that Mr. Lennikov is not admissible to Canada under our laws." Toews said in a statement.
Read the entire article here.
By Norma Greenaway with CanWest News Service:
The Harper government's new public safety minister has rejected a fresh appeal to stay in Canada from a former KGB agent who has been holed up in a Vancouver church for the last seven months.
Vic Toews, who took over the portfolio last week from Peter Van Loan, said Thursday the government is not prepared to budge in the case of Mikhail Lennikov, who was ordered deported because he once worked for the Russian secret service.
"The Immigration and Refugee Board and the courts have determined that Mr. Lennikov is not admissible to Canada under our laws." Toews said in a statement.
Read the entire article here.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Canada's Worst Politicians of 2009
From the Wasaga Sun:
What do Prime Minister Steven Harper, Springwater mayor Tony Guergis and Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai have in common?
They all made the Creemore-based Mad River Institute for Political Studies’ list of Worst Politicians of 2009.
Springwater mayor Tony Guergis, the Warden of Simcoe County until he stepped down at the end of his term in December 2009, was named the Worst Municipal Councillor.
Guergis is the brother of Con MP Helena Guergis.
Ignatieff made the list “for failing to make his party the real Official Opposition,” the institute said, adding that early “in the year he had his Liberals simply back Conservative actions while criticizing but not offering alternatives.”
What do Prime Minister Steven Harper, Springwater mayor Tony Guergis and Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai have in common?
They all made the Creemore-based Mad River Institute for Political Studies’ list of Worst Politicians of 2009.
Springwater mayor Tony Guergis, the Warden of Simcoe County until he stepped down at the end of his term in December 2009, was named the Worst Municipal Councillor.
Guergis is the brother of Con MP Helena Guergis.
Ignatieff made the list “for failing to make his party the real Official Opposition,” the institute said, adding that early “in the year he had his Liberals simply back Conservative actions while criticizing but not offering alternatives.”
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Today Is My Birthday
And in honour of all those other boomers who are, or will be, the same age as me this year here's a little tune for us. ;)
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Kate McGarrigle Feb 16, 1946 - Jan. 18, 2010
Sadly, Kate passed away yesterday from cancer. She & her sister, Anna, were a big part of the folk music scene in the 1960's, before they became known, playing in small coffee houses in Montreal as well as other Canadian cities & in New York State.
She will be missed by many, many people. My condolences to her family & friends.
Go here to see a montage of photos & listen to one of their songs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7FQCmQz474
RIP Kate...
For more info on Kate please go here.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Cons Win In & Out Court Case
How depressing. Now they can do the same thing again in the next election - cheat the taxpayer & use more money to run their campaign.
Read it here from Kady O'Malley at CBC.
Read it here from Kady O'Malley at CBC.
More Double-Talk from a Con Minister
This time from Vic Toews who was in the Middle East for 5 days. He says one thing when out of the country & something else here at home. Hmmm...just like Jason Kenney. What is it with these Kons? Do they think no one in Canada is paying attention when they are on foreign trips? Why are these fools still in Govt.?
From Mia Rabson at Winnipeg Free Press:
Manitoba's senior cabinet minister Vic Toews was able to escape the winter and the flurry of post-prorogation reaction last week for a trip to the Middle East.
However, stickhandling accusations his party is undemocratic has probably been easier than the delicate task of wading into Middle Eastern politics.
Toews's five-day tour included stops in Jordan, Israel and the West Bank.
Following his trip, a number of Middle Eastern news outlets, and even B'Nai Brith Canada, reported Toews used the journey to announce Canada was yanking its funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. The UNRWA runs 59 Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
In 2008, Canada was the eighth-largest donor to the organization, which receives 97 per cent of its funding from foreign governments.
Critics, including B'Nai Brith, accuse UNRWA of being infiltrated by Hamas and terrorists.
Toews was quoted in several newspapers, including the Jerusalem Post, as saying Canada's aid for Palestine is being "redirected in accordance with Canadian values." Instead of funding the camps, Canada is going to pay for projects to train Palestinian justice officials like judges, police and prosecutors and build courthouses, something Canada began doing in 2007.
Certainly, paying for police and courthouses is in keeping with the government's anti-crime agenda at home.
The news was well-received by B'Nai Brith Canada, but when the stories were checked with Toews's office, it seems there isn't much changing at all. Christine Csversko said the stories were "inaccurate," including the suggestion that Canada's funding to UNRWA goes to the Palestinian Authority's general revenues. She said UNRWA manages its own accounts and Canada continues to give it aid money.
From Mia Rabson at Winnipeg Free Press:
Manitoba's senior cabinet minister Vic Toews was able to escape the winter and the flurry of post-prorogation reaction last week for a trip to the Middle East.
However, stickhandling accusations his party is undemocratic has probably been easier than the delicate task of wading into Middle Eastern politics.
Toews's five-day tour included stops in Jordan, Israel and the West Bank.
Following his trip, a number of Middle Eastern news outlets, and even B'Nai Brith Canada, reported Toews used the journey to announce Canada was yanking its funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. The UNRWA runs 59 Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
In 2008, Canada was the eighth-largest donor to the organization, which receives 97 per cent of its funding from foreign governments.
Critics, including B'Nai Brith, accuse UNRWA of being infiltrated by Hamas and terrorists.
Toews was quoted in several newspapers, including the Jerusalem Post, as saying Canada's aid for Palestine is being "redirected in accordance with Canadian values." Instead of funding the camps, Canada is going to pay for projects to train Palestinian justice officials like judges, police and prosecutors and build courthouses, something Canada began doing in 2007.
Certainly, paying for police and courthouses is in keeping with the government's anti-crime agenda at home.
The news was well-received by B'Nai Brith Canada, but when the stories were checked with Toews's office, it seems there isn't much changing at all. Christine Csversko said the stories were "inaccurate," including the suggestion that Canada's funding to UNRWA goes to the Palestinian Authority's general revenues. She said UNRWA manages its own accounts and Canada continues to give it aid money.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Con Ministers Abusing Challenger Jet
Translation from Le Devoir:
The Harper government ministers regularly use the luxurious type aircraft Challenger improperly, causing unnecessary costs for taxpayers. Une enquête du réseau TVA montre que ces voyages injustifiés ont coûté 236 000 $ durant les 30 premiers mois du règne conservateur à Ottawa. A survey of the TVA network shows that these trips unnecessary cost $ 236 000 during the first 30 months of Conservative government in Ottawa.
In French here.
The Harper government ministers regularly use the luxurious type aircraft Challenger improperly, causing unnecessary costs for taxpayers. Une enquête du réseau TVA montre que ces voyages injustifiés ont coûté 236 000 $ durant les 30 premiers mois du règne conservateur à Ottawa. A survey of the TVA network shows that these trips unnecessary cost $ 236 000 during the first 30 months of Conservative government in Ottawa.
In French here.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Canadian Cover Up?
This is about our latest losses in Afghanistan. From Michael Yon:
"A reporter at Canwest News Service, emailed Saturday asking for information on the four Canadian soldiers and the journalist who were killed on December 30 in Afghanistan. I supplied a portion of the unpublicized information, and the reporter emailed Sunday that the Canadian military is “trying to suppress our telling of your information.”
Read the entire, interesting, article here.
"A reporter at Canwest News Service, emailed Saturday asking for information on the four Canadian soldiers and the journalist who were killed on December 30 in Afghanistan. I supplied a portion of the unpublicized information, and the reporter emailed Sunday that the Canadian military is “trying to suppress our telling of your information.”
Read the entire, interesting, article here.
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