Yesterday, I discussed the need for an open discussion about Canada’s future in Afghanistan, focusing primarily on recent requests from our NATO partners to extend our commitment to the Afghan mission. I was careful to remain personally neutral on the issue, though the article largely supported the argument to prolong
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More Notes From Underground: Predators
Like the aliens from the movie franchise, these sick fucks use a massive technological advantage to engage in some deranged sport shooting:
Continue readingA. Picazo: It’s Time For An Open, Honest Debate On Afghanistan
As the date for withdrawal from Afghanistan by the Canadian forces approaches, pressure to remain in the battle mounts amid two high profile requests for Prime Minister Stephen Harper to reconsider his decision to abandon the Afghan mission. On March 29, in an interview with CTV’s Tom Clark, U.S. Secretary
Continue readingAndy Lehrer's Firebrand blog: Trustee Sheila Ward wants to ban a book she hasn’t read
Toronto District School Board Trustee Sheila Ward (Toronto Centre) told the Jewish Tribune this week that she will “move heaven and earth to have The Shepherd’s Granddaughter taken off the school library shelves” in response to a demand by B’nai Brith Canada and parent Brian Henry that the book be
Continue readingA. Picazo: Stephen Harper’s Maternal Health Disaster
In what is arguably an effort to win over fundamentalist Christian voters, Stephen Harper’s G8 maternal and child health initiative, as it currently stands, will result in far more preventable deaths than the overall number of lives saved. In what Huffington Post contributor Jodi Jacobson called an “absurd move,” Harper
Continue readingA. Picazo: Levant, Coulter Protect Free Speech
The rules laid out for attendees of the Coulter event in Calgary demonstrate who’s ‘free speech’ Ezra Levant, Ann Coulter, and event sponsors International Free Press Society are seeking to defend…their own. Levant and Coulter both hide behind the guise of ‘free speech’ to justify their slander, bigotry, and blatant
Continue readingRailroaded by Metrolinx: Get Smart and Go Electric
“We’re all in favour of a better public transit system. Everyone is on board. But no one should be asked to trade public health for public transit.” Medical Officer of Health, Dr. David McKeownElectric vs Diesel Forum on March 22nd at City HallAs I write this, I am sitting on
Continue readingDTK: Idiocy? Banning Religion.
It’s just the stupidest thing you could possibly do. You can’t get rid of a religion or a culture by banning it. You’d think that people in Quebec would realize that all that does is drive it underground, romanticize it and make it stronger. But the Quebec government is going
Continue readingA. Picazo: Fomented Outrage And Phoney Censorship
Ezra Levant, the self described expert on free speech in Canada, is Outraged! over the cancelation of Ann Coulter‘s scheduled Tuesday appearance at the University of Ottawa. Levant’s been busy on twitter, Facebook, TV and radio, desperately trying to sell the public his version of events and paint himself and Coulter
Continue readingDTK: Coulter: Confusing Dissent and Censorship
So the bile-spewing Ann Coulter arrived in Ottawa yesterday and got so frightened by people who were legally disagreeing with her that she ran away and is filing a human rights complaint. There’s nothing in what I’ve read that suggests anyone threatened violence. Okay, nothing except a quote from Ezra
Continue readingA. Picazo: Playing With Guns
“An Albatross and an embarrassment.” On Saturday, that’s how Conservative MP Candice Hoeppner labelled the gun registry during her address at the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters Annual General Meeting. Bill C-391, Hoeppners private member’s bill to abolish the long gun registry, was spared the axe of prorogation and
Continue readingSeeing Red in the Southwest: Where’s the beef???
Violence against women is a personal experience for me. And I have the answer to why women don’t leave violent relationships. Are you interested?Having lived in the virtual world for several months, I finally woke up last month to face my real one. This is that tale!Let me tell you
Continue readingA. Picazo: Thinking Big, With Small Minds
On Saturday March 20, Calgary will take its turn to host a conference touted by the organizer as “the political event of 2010.” The ‘Think Big Conference: Inspiring The Leaders Of Tomorrow‘ is presented by the Société Macdonald-Cartier Society (SMCS), an organization founded by Immanuel Giulea that describes itself as
Continue readingAkaash Maharaj - Practical Idealism: Team Canada Rides Again – Akaash Maharaj Podcast
CBC Radio One’s Fresh Air interviews me on whether Team Canada will be able to repeat our improbable dominance of tent pegging, the cavalry sport of horse, sword, sabre and lance, as I saddle-up to compete at the 2010 International Championships in New Delhi.
Continue readingMore Notes From Underground: Murdoch, Toronto and Ontario
Bill Murdoch has made this claim that Toronto and the rest of Ontario should separate for the best of rural Ontario. The idea here is that the big bad city is overpowering the voices of the insane landowners’ groups springing up everywhere. The reality is though that even outside of
Continue readingA. Picazo: Stephen Harper Takes Your Questions!
Pre-screened questions, pre-scripted answers, and a pre-taped interview. That, in essence, is as authentic as Stephen Harper gets. The ‘much’ anticipated You Tube question and answer session with the Prime Minister was supposed to allow Harper to avoid the (alleged) filter of traditional media, so instead it was fed to
Continue readingRailroaded by Metrolinx: Invitation to Electric vs Diesel Public Forum at City Hall: Monday, March 22nd
This forum is a public discussion of the proposed Metrolinx expansion of the Georgetown South transit line and the rail link from Union to Pearson. The Board of Health supports expanded public transit as a way to reduce vehicle traffic, but remains concerned about health risks and air quality impacts
Continue readingAndy Lehrer's Firebrand blog: Tim Uppal’s anti-Israeli Apartheid Week motion has been defeated!
Finally, some politicians are starting to stand up to the attempts by Israel’s supporters to limit discussion through intimidation. This letter comes from MP Libby Davies: Dear Friends, Thank you so much for taking the time to write and express your views about the motion proposed by a Conservative MP,
Continue readingA. Picazo: Rahim Jaffer And The ‘Tough On Crime’ Facade
Former Conservative MP Rahim Jaffer, who was charged with cocaine possession and drunk driving on September 11, 2009, has just been given a sweetheart deal: plead guilty to carless driving and pay a $500 fine in exchange for dropping the drunk driving and cocaine possession charges, and escape with no criminal
Continue readingMore Notes From Underground: Prorogued for This?
Everyone else has said it, but the government’s Olympic holiday was shown to be a total sham (like everyone knew it was) with today’s throne speech. We need to change the anthem? Ooooooh, that took three months to figure out. In three months we could have let someone rewrite the
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