Canadian News Reader

Governor General Problems

2005-11-06T08:22:00.000-05:00

In a week during which Martin's party took a pounding at the polls due to the Gomery Report, he did not need this.

Governor General Michaelle Jean is being criticized by her sister Nadeje for "crossing the line separating humour and sarcasm" with jokes she recently cracked about Parti Quebacois leadership candidate Andre Boisclair's past cocaine use.

Martin came under fire for his choice of Governor General when Jean was first mentioned. There were concerns about her once sovereigntist leanings. It seems her sister retains those leanings. When your own sister criticises you, in public, that means the sister's sovereigntist feelings are very strong and passionate - raising the question as to how strong Jean's own feelings were, before she was offered the post. Maybe the allure of the post, with all its perks, was too strong?

Tags: Governor General Canada Michaelle Jean

Paris Riots lessons For Quebec

2005-11-04T10:49:00.000-05:00

Indeed in the burning suburbs of Paris where the rioters clash with the police, are lessons for Quebec to heed. For generations, the so-called 'pure' French have ignored or brushed aside the concerns and welfare of the 'newly' French, or the North African, Muslim, immigrants. France had lots of colonies, and like many former colonial powers, Britain included, many former residents of the colonies have migrated. Rather than trying to integrate them into the mainstream society, the French pretend they do not exist. Consider:

- 9.2% unemployment rate for people of French origin
- 14% unemployment for people of foreign origin (adjusted for education)
- 5% overall unemployment for university graduates
- 26.5% unemployment for "North African" university graduates

Just like the blacks in America of the 60s, the North African French have a French passport, and nothing else. The BBC has done a fantastic and exhaustive expose and analysis of the riots. Rather than reporting provocatively, they have investigated the issues.

- French Muslims face job discrimination
- France's disaffected Muslim businessmen
- Anger grips Paris riot suburb
- Headscarf defeat riles French Muslims
- French press searches for solutions

Why do I say it has ramifications for Quebec, the only French dominated province of Canada?

Consider the language used by the separatists this week as they celebrate their near win in the referendum ten years ago.

"Gathered in Quebec's nerve centre to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their near-win, separatists are drafting the rules of their Utopian society where money is no object and no one is left behind as long as they're ready to be assimilated into French culture."

It sounds a lot like the nonsense sprouted by France.

Ten years after then-premier Jacques Parizeau of the Parti Quebecois blamed "money and the ethnic vote" for his narrow referendum defeat, the image remains that sovereigntists are an exclusive movement made up of old-stock Quebeckers.

That is the real danger of a French society. A society which is by its very definition exclusive for a language will NOT be able to absorb minorities (this explains why English countries are better able to assimilate minorities, as English is a very fluid language and everyone's second language). The BQ and the sovereigntists are a xenophobic bunch, and should they try to around French nationalistic passions there will be trouble in Quebec.

The aboriginal population of Quebec is approximately 62,000. There are lot of English and Arabs in Quebec who do not regard French as their native tongue. The Anglos in Quebec, as the English are known, face a lot of discrimination daily. The Language Laws in Quebec for one.

Indeed from Paris, there's a lot to learn for Quebec.

Tags: Paris Riots Quebec

Democratically Elected Madmen

2005-10-29T22:53:00.000-04:00

The pictures coming out of Iran are very festive. Lots of guys and kids. Some with toy guns. All of them burning Israeli flags. All of them smiling. I have one question.

Where the heck do you get so many Israeli flags in Iran?

I mean, when I went to the middle east last winter, I was warned by the consulate that if I had any Israeli stamp on the Canadian passport, I would be refused entry. So who imports Israeli flags? I mean, is there some import/export office in Tehran that deals with this?

Bush, for some reasons, did not say much on this. His deputy at the UN, Bolton, expressed dismay. Coming from the man's usual rhetoric, this was most uncharacteristic. Bush's other ~~deputy~~ ally, Blair, minced no words.

"I have never come across a situation in which the President of a country has said they want to wipe out another country. That is unacceptable."

Ofcourse, what Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad should have done is be diplomatic, like Blair's buddy GW Bush, and say, "I don't want to destroy Israel. Having said that, all options are on the table." You know, discuss war like civilized people. If you have to threaten a fellow UN member, do it the proper way. Drop hints of military action. Say you are getting tired of them flouting UN regulations.

Just don't threaten to wipe them off the map outright. Stupid.

After all, it's not like anyone is going to war against some country that did nothing to you.

The Times of UK has a great piece on how similar the career paths of the US and Iranian presidents have been.

The early conclusions are startling. Although there could scarcely be two more different political capitals than Washington and Tehran, regional experts have found remarkable parallels in the careers of the Iranian and American presidents. Were it not for their different languages and family backgrounds, Bush and Ahmadinejad might be political "soulmates", according to Juan Cole, a Middle East historian at the University of Michigan.

The article continues the detailing. Their appeal to religious fundamentalists, their war cry, their running as outsiders, and so on. What is more chilling is the conclusion.

The similarities may also extend to an unswerving belief in their nations' rectitude and a refusal to admit to mistakes. In the case of Iran's nuclear ambitions, the two men are set on a collision course that neither seems interested in avoiding.

Wow. Two nutcases. Both democratically elected. And we innocent normal people are caught in the middle.

This World Is Getting Crazy.

Tags: Iran Israel

Wrong to Aid, Says Right

2005-09-17T22:35:00.000-04:00

Seems Bush's big speech last night to help Katrina survivors and rebuild New Orleans has many from the right seeing red. According the Guardian many are angry about the expansion of the role of the federal government. Given that the government did practically nothing in the first days, any expansion should be welcome. Not so, says these fellows.

"This is a shocking expansion of the federal role in disaster relief," said Stephen Slivinski, director of budget studies at the Cato Institute, a libertarian thinktank. "The fear is these programmes that are supposed to be temporary will find a permanent home in the budget."

...

Some Republicans are voicing their unease. Senator Tom Coburn declared: "I don't believe that everything that should happen in Louisiana should be paid for by the rest of the country."

In Canada the common grouse of many Albertans is that they have to pay for what they see as those lazy Maritimers. What they don't realize is that much of Alberta's wealth comes from oil, and not due to 'hardworking' cow herders. Federalism means the rich help the poor, which is why Ontario, Quebec and Alberta continue to provide help for Nova Scotia, New Foundland and Nunavut.

Given that an American senator openly questioned the wisdom of helping fellow Americans, questioning "that should happen in Louisiana should be paid for by the rest of the country" is right or wrong, it would be curious to see how soon before Albertans (the most American of Canadians) start thinking along the same lines.

Sharon threatens to disrupt Palestinian vote

2005-09-17T19:12:00.000-04:00

The Age (of Australia) is reporting (reg. required) that Israel could hinder voting in the occupied West Bank during a Palestinian legislative election in January if Hamas candidates take part, according to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

"We will make every effort not to help (the Palestinians). I don't think they can have elections without our help," Sharon was quoted by The New York Times as telling journalists at a meeting in New York. Sharon said Israel might not remove roadblocks in the West Bank, making it difficult for Palestinians there to vote.

Hamas is widely expected to do well at the ballot box at the expense of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' mainstream Fatah faction. Abbas hopes to move Hamas into the political mainstream and away from confrontation with Israel. Sharon's threats have caused deep concern within the Palestinian Authority, which is eager to demonstrate that it was committed to democracy on the road to statehood.

Israel is often touted as the only democracy in the Middle East, where everyone is equal. Such claims often ignore the fact that Israel's Arab citizens are discriminated against (one example is that if an Israeli Arab citizen marries a non-Arab Israeli citizen, the spouse will not get Israeli residency papers). This is restricted to Arabs only, whereas Jews all over the world are encouraged to migrate to Israel. For a so-called-democracy, this is religious apartheid.

Now Sharon's attempts to control elections is meddling in Palestinians' affairs.

You can have democracy and elections, as long as you vote properly, he seems to be saying.

US, Canada and China

2005-09-15T12:54:00.000-04:00

Like the 'other woman', China has unexpectedly become the US's no. 1 trading partner, temporarily usurping Canada's supposed birthright. It is only temporary, with a current lull in trading, but the contest is set to begin in earnest in the next few years. With the NAFTA ruling and rule-flouting by the US still ringing in Canada's ears, and a federal election looming, it will be interesting to see what trade policies Canada adopt in the following month.

New Zealand Elections and Canada

2005-09-13T23:32:00.000-04:00

Read an article on BBC about New Zealand's upcoming elections. It's interesting how their situation is very similar to Canada's.

"... Labour, which is hoping to win a third three-year term in office. Labour's leader, former academic Helen Clark, is an experienced politician and her government has presided over a sustained period of economic growth. But Labour is facing a strong challenge from National on the two big issues of race and tax, and opinion polls put the two parties level ...National has taken a popular stand against what Mr Brash calls race-based funding, through which Maori receive targeted government funding for health, education and development. Also under fire are new laws allowing same-sex civil unions, a ban on smoking in public places, and a proposed ban on smacking.

While race relations may have soured, the economy has boomed. Unemployment is currently at 3.7%, the lowest in the OECD, and annual growth has been running at more than 4% over the last five years - higher than Australia and the United States - although it has slowed significantly in the past year. As a result, the Labour government is now sitting on a budget surplus of around NZ$7bn ($4.9bn)."

Well, in Canada, the Liberals will soon be seeking an extension to their fifth continuous mandate, having steered Canada very well economically, and sitting on a huge surplus. Many of their laws, such as same-sex marriage and decriminalizing marijuana, has been met with strict opposition by the Conservative Party.

Another similarity can be found on the following paragraph.

"If there is a change of government, the biggest shake-up is likely to be in foreign affairs.

"If National wins, you'll see an opening of dialogue with the United States," said John Armstrong, political commentator at the New Zealand Herald. "They'll want a closer defence relationship in the hope of getting better trade relations."

New Zealand is seeking to follow Australia's lead in winning a free trade agreement with Washington, but a major stumbling block has been Wellington's liberal internationalist stance."

Here the substitution is even easier. There is no doubt a Bush government would welcome a Stephen Harper victory, as Harper has promised actions more in line with Bush's foreign policy than Martin.

However one strict difference between the Canadian political scenario and New Zealand's remains. In New Zealand, voters are equally split between the two camps. In Canada, Harper is languishing at the bottom of the popularity contest.

Jewish Holidays At York University

2005-09-13T13:01:00.000-04:00

History professor David Noble wants York University to remain open on Jewish holidays.

According to the Toronto Star (subscription required),

A York University professor is calling on Queen's Park to stop the school's tradition of cancelling three days of classes in October to honour Jewish holidays.

While York is believed to have more Jewish students than any university in Canada — at nearly 5,000, they represent almost 10 per cent of the student body — history professor David Noble says no public, secular university should cancel classes for Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah or any other religious holiday, especially in a province that plans to outlaw religious arbitration.

Noble, who is Jewish, plans to hold classes in open defiance of the cancellations, which he says violate the York University Act of 1965 forbidding the university to impose religious observances on any of its members. "We have a secular government and a secular university that makes it illegal to impose religious observances on students and professors who otherwise would not honour them," he said. Noble doesn't plan to defy cancelling classes on religious holidays like Good Friday because they're statutory.

The Cynical Beaver salutes this brave professor. In a multi-cultural society no one culture should be allowed to dominate, else there will be problems. Given that students can already ask for extensions, or waivers, for exams and assignments due to religious reasons, there are no reasons to specially mark Jewish holidays at York. This is promoting a certain culture and idealogy.

I am back

2005-09-12T12:59:00.000-04:00

Back from a loooong vacation. Updated the blog with a new layout. Will start regular blogging from tomorrow.

Softwood dispute to continue

2005-08-11T00:33:00.000-04:00

In typical American fashion, having received a verdict they don't like (for the umpteenth time), the Americans are now completely dismissing the whole judgement process. The Globe and Mail article says:

"Canada scored what should be a knockout legal victory in the softwood dispute Wednesday, but the U.S. government quickly dismissed the unanimous NAFTA ruling as irrelevant, ..... The U.S. lumber lobby, which started the timber battle in 2001, responded to the NAFTA judgment by calling the trade treaty's dispute resolution process “constitutionally defective.”

Sure, the process is irrelevant, which is why you went through it for this long.

I think we should just scrap NAFTA, and let the chips fall where they may.

MPPs Travel Around Globe

2005-08-10T12:29:00.000-04:00

Want to know why taxes are so high in Canada? Check this (registration required) out. The article, entitled "Group slams MPPs' global trip to study elections", begins like this:

"An around-the-world trip being planned by Ontario politicians who want to research elections in other countries is a misuse of public funds, a taxpayer watchdog charged today."

Um... you think?

"The Canadian Taxpayers Federation says it's angered by a report that all nine members of the Committee on Electoral Reform have scheduled a trip to British Columbia, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Scotland and Ireland."

Now my question is this:

What can they study by visiting these countries, when NO election is happening, that they can't study by ... oh I don't know ... googling?! It's good that people are thinking about reforming the first-past-the-post system we have at present, but scheduling a summer world tour is best left to the Rolling Stones.

Cook's Constituency Up For Grabs

2005-08-07T17:33:00.000-04:00

The Financial Times mentions that Labour party will "face its first real test of public opinion since the May general election in Robin Cook’s former Livingston constituency".

Robin Cook, who honourably resigned from Blair's cabinet rather than support his lies and lead the nation into a false war, died on Saturday after an apparent heart attack while on holiday in Scotland. He was widely respected by friends and opponents alike. While derided by the likes of Fox News' Bill O' Reily, history and foresight now proves him right.

CIBC In Trouble?

2005-08-07T17:28:00.000-04:00

The collapse of any major financial institution in a country means disaster for thousands of people, many of whom will lose their lives' savings. If this Globe and Mail story is true, and CIBC is really in trouble, I cannot imagine the Government of Canada will remain on the sidelines - they have to act - Canada only has 4 major banks.

Then again, Stewart and Decloet says, "Given its sordid past, CIBC may be living proof that you can't kill a Canadian bank." Which sort of loses the focus of their article.

New Yorked

2005-08-06T12:07:00.000-04:00

The closet racists in New York are slowly coming out of the woodwork. Multiculturalism always has a drawback - the bigots are equally part of the culture as the normal folk. BBC examines how random searches are dividing New Yorkers. Atleast now the officials have stuck to the line that racism is bad - but how long will they continue not to scapegoat innocents?

Indian Politics Goes To The Toilet

2005-08-04T00:58:00.000-04:00

I know politicians ideally should set an example of their orders. Like when McGuinty asks us to conserve energy, you would expect the government buildings could actually turn off their air conditioners. But there's always two sets of laws.

India has decided to have their leaders set an example in a novel manner. The minister in charge of rural development says all village council candidates should have toilets at home. Apparently many of them have been shitting in public, and I don't mean the verbal kind.

Quick question - rural development - if the rural becomes developed does it remain rural anymore?

Air France Crash In Toronto

2005-08-03T13:03:00.000-04:00

As everyone knows by now, an Air France plane has skidded off a runway at Toronto's Pearson airport and burst into flames but with all passengers surviving. It's all anyone in Canada is talking about at the moment - unless I suspect you happen to be one of the passengers whose flights have been disrupted, who has to sleep on the airport floor and wait hours for some official to give some clue as to what's going on.

I just found out (from 680 news) that on these international flights, in particularly Air France, the crew are trained to evacuate all passengers within 90 seconds, even if half the entrances are blocked. And kudos to the crew, they stuck to their job instead of panicking and fleeing (they are human too). The investigation is going on - I suspect weather will play a big role. I also question the need for the pilot to land at that time. There's also some discussion about the ravine at the end of the runway. Meanwhile John Gibson is amazed that he is praising the French. Wonder what Ann Coulter would say, she hates both the French and the Canadians.

The Toronto Star has a good overview (registration required, or go here) of the crash, with transcripts of air control - plane dialogue, graphics, etc.

Radicalizing of British Muslims

2005-08-02T10:52:00.000-04:00

The Times of Europe has an article on the radicalizing of young British Muslims, particularly the 7/7 bombers. This paragraph is very chilling.

"You will find him searching through the Koran in the middle of the night," says this source. "And then one fine morning you will see him with tears in his eyes begging you to prepare him. Nobody can stop him now, no one can change his mind. He lives on earth, but his mind is somewhere else, like he is already in heaven."

Fareed Zakaria on Jon Stewart last night (a rerun) had a quote which got the biggest applause of the night: "Nothing justifies terrorism and blowing up innocent people - atrocities in Palestine, Iraq - nothing!"

On another note, I find the media's description of any terrorist as a devout muslim disturbing. They will describe his descent into radicalized as "he turned devout, praying five times a day, fasting in Ramadan" and so on. Well hello! - any muslim is supposed to do that.

The King Is Dead

2005-08-01T14:35:00.000-04:00

King Fahd of Saudi Arabia is dead. Crown Prince Abdullah is now the King. The Economist of UK asks, "After Fahd, Abdullah. But then?".

As usual the 'leaders of democracy' fell ahead of themselves rushing to mourn the passing of a 'legend' and congratulate the new monarch. The late king was indeed instrumental in ensuring some benefits of oil flow into the kingdom. He was the main architect of vast improvements to facilities in Mecca and Medina for the pilgrims. He has hugely funded many Islamic propagation centres.

But a lot of the young Saudi Arabians are unemployed. Their leadership is old and detached from them (Abdullah is Fahd's brother and thus similarly aged). Women are suppressed (not allowed to drive at all, or walk alone). Oil wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few (unlike neighboring UAE, for example). Thus many natives make a bare living as taxi drivers, a scene unimaginable in the other Gulf states.

The new King has been managing the country behind the scenes for quite sometime due to Fahd's ill health, therefore it is understandable there will be no quick changes to fix these problems.

Han(d)s(Off) Island

2005-07-31T10:02:00.000-04:00

It is not a big secret that Canada does not have a well funded army. It is also well known that Canada is one of the most wired countries in the world as far as the internet is concerned. Maybe that's why we are 'winning' the war over Hans Island with Denmark - on the web. Or are we?

The BBC claims that "observers say the dispute is marked by a sense of humour at present, but could turn nasty if oil or mineral resources were discovered beneath the island". I think this is very likely to happen.

CBC says "Northern mapping project could expand Canada". I don't know if I should laugh. A 'mapping project' expanding a country? Only Canadians can think like that.

Recently the Canadian government has pledged to become more active in the North and protect Canadian sovereignty. I would believe that when I see increased funding and equipment for our military.

The Toronto Star has an article by Poul E. D. Kristensen, Denmark's Ambassador to Canada. He wants to let the 'law' (whatever that is) decide Hans Island. The article is obviously very biased towards Canada.

Now I am as left as the next Canadian, but I don't know whether the Star should be publishing articles like this. This is counter-intuitive to Canada. We should be building support for the Canadian position, and if that means silencing the foreign point of view, so be it.

Monkeys Follow Shariat?

2005-07-28T13:41:00.000-04:00

This really makes me mad.

A little background first. Years ago, I saw on TV a gay speaker saying homosexuality is a natural behaviour. He gave an example of a monkey in a South American zoo, where after 15 years of living in the same cage, two male monkeys have started to display sexual behaviour to each other. The speaker's point: homosexuality can be found in the animal kingdom as well, so it's not as unnatural as first thought.

This was a very fake logic. So we are supposed to take cues of sexual behaviour from a pair of monkeys that were living in a cage for 15 years? As one of my friends remarked at that time: if he was living in a cage for 15 years with another guy, he would start to doubt his sexuality as well.

Now it looks like the "imams" who run some Islam propagation centre in Saudi Arabia have harped on to this logic as well. Take a look on this website article (warning: this is a biased anti-muslim website).

If you click on the picture of the clip, you can actually play it in media player with subtitles. Or you can read the transcript below the image of what this "sheikh" is saying.

This, we don't need. Stupid people posing as experts on religion, using their perverted logic and fake research to push Islam in a wrong way. There's nothing wrong with Islam. But there's a whole lot wrong with a lot of Muslims.

These so called "imams" are the real foes the religious Muslims should be fighting.

Muslims Girls In A Double Life

2005-07-28T11:30:00.000-04:00

Here is an article and discussion about a disturbing trend amongst Muslim girls in the West - their double life. For a long time there has been documented cases of girls from the Indian diaspora leading a double life, going clubbing and drinking on their own time, while reverting to a more traditional role when with parents. It looks like Muslim girls (of all backgrounds) have similar behaviour.

From my experience I have found out that the stricter the parents are when the kids are kids, the more 'Western' the attitude of the young adults. Kids whose parents have not put strict boundaries on their behaviour but have always explained to them what is right or wrong and let them know why the right is right usually turn out pretty fine. This is applicable to anyone, not just Muslims.

Fundamentalism in Pakistan

2005-07-26T22:56:00.000-04:00

Read the following review posted by someone on Amazon on Niazi's book, The Betrayal of Pakistan.

"The basic plot theme: Everything was everyone elses (sic) fault. 3 million Bangladeshis were not murdered, 27,000 women were not raped. The Pakistanis kept on winning but somehow (unexplained) lost to the Indians in the end. The General was always right, everyone else was wrong. This self-delusional, lying, racist drivel shows what is wrong with Pakistan -- a nation created (mainly by Bangladeshis as it happens, as they provided the majority of the votes for the new country) supposedly in the name of Islam, but which has murdered more Muslims than India, Israel, Serbia, Croatia and indeed pretty much any other nation you can think of apart from Iraq or Russia -- and those countries took years to do what Pakistan did in months. This is an army that has killed or oppressed more of its own people than any other. The reviews on this page are also instructive; the Pakistani names are unashamed revisionist anti-Bangladeshi bigots who refuse to learn anything from their own past for their own national good. Explains why their country is still a Punjab dominated, poor, backward, repressive, military dictatorship today. Also explains how they could support the Taleban with no problems and have regular riots, independance movements in Sind and Baluchistan, political and social violence, a drug problem, illiteracy, massive debt, few international friends, corruption and God knows what else. A nation cannot progress until it learns from its mistakes and Pakistan refuses to learn from its biggest one."

Niazi was the General who commanded the Pakistan army during the 1971 conflict between West and East Pakistan (aided by India), who ultimately surrendered with his 93,000 men to the joined Indian-Bengali forces.

I think it sums up perfectly why India has progressed by leaps and bounds despite being independent only a day ahead of Pakistan, and why Bangladesh is hailed as a model Muslim democracy despite her violent birth in 1971, and why Pakistan is still a mess.

London Subway Blues

2005-07-26T11:18:00.000-04:00

The BBC runs an article on who passengers' behaviour has changed on the London tube. A certain Ed from London has an interesting method to determine would-be suicide bombers:

"The traditionally safe notion of not talking to strangers, and the Londoners' habit of remaining silent and avoiding eye contact on the tube (to avoid provocation among other reasons) now play against us. It is now an unhappy truism that anyone darker than the average Celt is likely to be viewed with a degree of suspicion, especially if wearing arucksack or heavy clothing. I suggest we start saying good morning to each other; comment on the weather. An impending suicide bomber would beedgy and nervous, and not in the least bit talkative. Then's the time to get suspicious."

Would be very interesting if this was followed, and the terrorists end up making London a friendlier city.

A Great Logical Twister

2005-07-26T10:42:00.000-04:00

Here's a great mind bender.

I can add more examples, strictly of the Israel-Palestine variety, Iran-Contra, and so on.

No Prison Pictures To Be Released

2005-07-26T09:26:00.000-04:00

The Pentagon has blocked the release of Abu Ghraib images. Yesterday, news emerged that lawyers for the Pentagon had refused to cooperate with a federal judge's order to release dozens of unseen photographs and videos from Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq by Saturday. The photos were among thousands turned over by the key “whistleblower” in the scandal, Specialist Joseph M. Darby. Just a few that were released to the press sparked the Abu Ghraib abuse scandal last year, and the video images are said to be even more shocking.

So much for an open investigation, and all that talk of "when we do wrong we investigate and punish the guilty". Rumsfield and Gonzales are still there.

Tories To Act Spoilsports

2005-05-29T16:26:00.000-04:00

The Conservative Party of Canada doesn't get it. The Tories are promising to act as spoilsports, saying they won't let the budget pass. The Globe has more on that.

Apparently May 19's vote, where the budget "passed", it really did not "pass". It is now being sent to this committee, where the Tories and the Bloc hold a majority. The NDP ofcourse are acting as the good guys, saying there should be no summer recess until they pass the budget. The Tories ofcourse are on the other extreme. And then they wonder why they cannot usurp the Liberals in popularity. It looks like more and more the Conservatives are out of touch with mainstream Canada. No wonder Belinda flipped.

Meanwhile Greg Weston of the Ottawa sun gets it, and the Liberal rally has an interesting analysis by the Ancaster news.

Corby Guilty

2005-05-27T10:42:00.000-04:00

Shifting focus temporarily to Australia, their top story is a real life-and-death situation for a young (27 years old) woman Schapelle Corby. Like many young Australians, Corby went on a vacation to Bali, Indonesia, to visit her sister Mercedes. Or so she thought.

He flight left from Brisbane to Sydney and on to Bali, where customs officials found 4.1 kg of cannabis in her bag. She was arrested and put on trial. The Indonesians accused her of smuggling in drugs, which carried a maximum of the death penalty. Corby ofcourse claimed it was not hers. Now Indonesia has jailed her for 20 years.

This case has everything to alarm young travellers from the Western countries. You go to this exotic locale with dreams of a nice vacation but then are mired in a foreign justice system whose punishment and procedures make no sense. Especially when you consider the Bali bomber received 10 times less than her sentance.

US Military Wars Are Occupations

2005-05-20T20:37:00.000-04:00

Meanwhile fresh details of abuse of Afghan prisoners are emerging. This is normal. When you are an occupying power whose soldiers are above the prosecution of the law of the land you have occupied, the abuses will occur. Any occupying force throughtout history has always raped, abused, tortured and killed prisoners in the land they have occupied.

Besides, it's the US. The American forces (the infantry who do the grunt work) are made of men (and women) from the lowest strata of the society. Why else would they join the army, other than to supplement their college education to get out of the rut they have placed themselves in due to their economic plight? These people, who have no education, who have no respect for other cultures, religions or way of life, cannot be placed in a volatile situation without training and expected to behave like perfect gentlemen.

The New York Times states, "The file depicts young, poorly trained soldiers in repeated incidents of abuse. The harsh treatment... went well beyond the two deaths."

The BBC states that one sergeant told investigators that detainees were considered terrorists until proven otherwise and that the Geneva Convention only applied to prisoners of war.

Saddam Reaps What He Sowed

2005-05-20T12:36:00.000-04:00

Washington has promised an investigation on 'Saddam in his underwear' pictures. Looks like a lot of recent investigations into Washington's prisoners recently. I don't see why Saddam's trial cannot start. He does not look too good in the pictures and may die before he is brought to trial. I wonder if he will testify how many guns he had ordered from Rumsfield?

Martin Survives

2005-05-19T16:34:00.000-04:00

As expected, Paul Martin's Liberals survived the budget vote. Independent MP Chuck Cadman of BC voted with the Liberals, as did Carolyn Parrish, the former Liberal, now an Independent, who was booted out of the Liberal caucus by Martin last year when she criticized him and Bush. Now it looks like she may rejoin the party.

"The margin of tonight's vote is very narrow -- indeed that is an understatement," said Martin, moments after Speaker Peter Milliken broke the nail-biting 152-152 tie. It was the first time a Speaker had to vote on a non-confidence motion. Maybe now we can finally see an end to the daily soap opera on Parliament Hill, until after the summer.

'Belindagate' Continues

2005-05-19T12:16:00.000-04:00

Despite the recession of the initial shock value, Belinda Stronach's defection continued to make news in Canada. With the looming budget vote, and the fact that Carolyn Parrish may not be able to make it, a lot of excitement is generated on Parliament Hill, the likes of which has not been seen in more than a quarter of a century.

The Star has a good column on Stronach by Alfred Apps, basically agreeing to what I posted yesterday. He pointed out Harper's shortcomings, as well as his tactics ever since the Gomery fallout from five weeks ago.

James Travers of the Star also wrote about Harper being 'in the line of fire'. So far it's only the Toronto Star crying foul on Harper's leadership (it's the Star after all), but I hope others can pick this up as well. I don't agree with Travers, though, when he begins with "Stephen Harper is widely respected for his honesty". Has he forgotten Harper's 'amnesia' about his Iraq war stance? It's almost as if Travers is apologizing for criticizing Harper.

The sexism that was apparent yesterday, and highlighted in last night's The National, gets a mention as well. Shannon Rupp of the Tyee has a lovely piece on it, as does another blog (check the May 18 post). I agree. The commentary would have been far different for a man. As the National pointed out, the worst commentary for Scott Brison was "turncoat".

Switching over to a right-wing view, here's a humorous in-between-the-lines view of Belinda's statement. It starts of well and funny, but then half-way through loses steam and starts off mouthing the usual Harper talking points. No logical arguments, whatsoever.

More statements appear of how it was Harper's dressing down of Belinda that was the final straw. For all of the Tories' arguments that Belinda should have stayed within the party and tried to fix things from within, it appears that that was what she was trying to do, and Harper botched it.

I like this quote from a Tory: "We've got the bullets, but we don't have the gun. We should be so far ahead in the polls right now." As you can imagine, he was criticizing Stephen Harper's leadership of the Conservative party through the Adscam.

Finally, one good reason for tonight's budget vote: David Kilgour can go back to his usual, irrelevant position in Canadian politics. I never heard of the man until this week. I'm so sick of hearing what he has to say, or the demands that he has. He was not 'impressed' with Belinda Stronach for switching parties. This, coming from a man who has sat in three different positions in the House of Commons (Tory, Independent, Liberal). And his demands for aid to Darfur. Has he ridden the TTC? That aid money could have been spent here.

Bail-inda Stronach Bolts Tories

2005-05-18T22:20:00.000-04:00

Belinda Stronach's departure from the Conservative ranks, a stunning and shocking news delivered yesterday at lunch, was always going to occupy the headlines today. From titles like "Blonde Bombshell", "Boo-linda", to comments like "dipstick" and "whore", the news was always ... interesting.

She said one of her main reasons for leaving the party she helped create with her now ex-boyfriend, Peter MacKay, was the direction the party has taken under the leadership of Stephen Harper. In effect, she felt the Alliance had completely hijacked the Progressive Conservatives, and since she was being shut out, she decided to bail.

Stephen Harper has to me always been the problem. I am of the opinion that the Conservatives cannot make any serious headway east of Manitoba as long as that man is in charge of the party. Everytime I get angry about the 12 years of Liberal broken promises, the wastage of money, the lack of support for immigrants once they get here, I think of the Conservatives. And then I remember who's in charge.

I cannot forget that Harper supported the illegal war in Iraq, even if he chooses to. I cannot forget that the crazy Stockwell Day, a shill for Israel, is part of his inner circle. As long as those two men are in charge, the Conservatives will not have my support. And I suspect the majority of Ontarians who want to support Conservatives but don't, think like me.

Which is why I cannot understand why Belinda bolted. The Conservatives would have lost any upcoming election. One of their ex-Alliance members would not be able to keep his medieval views to himself. And I am sure they would then think of dumping Harper, and Stronach would have been in the picture as leader.

I can support a Conservative Party led by the likes of Stronach, MacKay or John Tory. These are not blinded by ideology. They know the government has to speak for everyone, not just those who share their views. In other words, they are not Republicans.

Naked ambition, says Harper. I don't think so.

Madam, I salute you. And may your departure cause the Conservatives to take a long, hard look at Stephen Harper, dump him, and choose a moderate east of Alberta to succeed.

Go Galloway

2005-05-17T18:54:00.000-04:00

This Goerge Galloway is da man! I don't think the US Senators even knew what hit them! Watch his testimony here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4556113.stm

One reason I find the US politics is so crooked is because of the 'politeness' that exists. One has to see the House of Commons in Canada, the Parliament in UK, to see what real politics are. There's no politeness like 'my esteemed honorable opponent is wrong'. They say the truth, the harsh truth... 'my opponent is out to lunch', 'you are lying'. You get the idea.

I hope this Goerge Galloway is a true crusader and believes what he says. It would be a shame if he was just a crook disguised as a truthful politician. I sincerely hope he is a truthful guy. His testimony today should have been played over and over on US cable tv. Unfortunately they are too worried about whether Michael Jackson watched porn with a 12-year old.

Oh well. You get the kind of leaders you deserve.

Newsweek Retracts Koran Story

2005-05-17T09:10:00.000-04:00

It's funny how every news story that has talked about crimes committed by the Bush crew has been either retracted or discredited. I am attaching the following from BBC:

"US magazine Newsweek has issued a full retraction of its report that a Koran was flushed down a toilet at Guantanamo Bay by US interrogators. It said a US
military investigation had failed to corroborate the story and apologised for carrying the report. A White House spokesman said the retraction was a "good first step", but it could not repair all the damage. "

A couple of points come immediately to mind.

1. Why would Ms Rice then have issued the following statement just two days ago?

"Disrespect for the Holy Koran is something the United States will never tolerate. The desecration of the Holy Koran is in no way consistent with our values or our policy, that these allegations are a very serious concern to us."

This only shows that they knew it was serious, it was there. Only after violent protests took place through Afghanistan, a place they supposedly control with the supposedly democratically elected Karzai, did the US understand this would complicate things in the Muslim world. So rather than fixing the problem, the fix the messenger, Newsweek.

2. The Pentagon spokesperson actually had the gall to claim a detainee had tore pages of the Koran.

Now I don't know about you, but even a rather non-practicing, alcohol drinking, bar hopping Muslim would always treat the Koran with respect. It would be placed on the highest shelf in the room, be wrapped in a cloth, or have its own place. Many people hide the Koran in their room inside a cupboard before even watching TV. It's that respected.Now they want us to believe that these supposedly religious zealots in Gitmo, who are prepared to die for their religion (die - mind you), will tear pages of their own holy book to block the only toilet they will ever have, and share with ten others, in a sign of protest?!! They must think the people listening to them have no critical thinking talents whatsoever.