To my knowledge, I have never met a transgendered person in my life. That does not mean I don’t have respect or compassion for those who live the sex opposite of the one they are by birth, or for those who decide to take it to its logical conclusion and
Continue readingTag: Canada Politics
Blast Furnace Canada Blog: Terrorism comes home
It’s been thirty years or so since there was a coordinated terrorist attack in Canada – the bombing of the Litton plant in Toronto that was making guidance systems for American cruise missiles. Since then, and especially since 9/11, we’ve kind of hoped and prayed that it wouldn’t happen again.
Continue readingBlast Furnace Canada Blog: Kick Russia out of the Helsinki Accords
Is the Helsinki Accord of 1975 a worthless scrap of paper? Because Vladimir Putin sure seems to think it’s a joke. I was not even three years old when the declaration was signed but my father, an emigré from Croatia, understood its meaning. As a younger it was impressed on
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: NDP Youth Reject Leaders’ Support of Israel’s Gaza Atrocities
The New Democratic Youth of Canada rejects party leaders’ uncritical support of Israel’s ongoing war crimes in Gaza, demands that Israel “be held accountable for its actions.” The post NDP Youth Reject Leaders’ Support of Israel’s Gaza Atrocities appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingBlast Furnace Canada Blog: Oil spills, oil schmills
So the Cons have announced they’re raising the penalty for offshore oil spills – from $161 million to $2 billion ($400 million for the actual offence, the rest for environmental damage). It’s not just they’re not kidding anyone. It’s that they made the announcement on the East Coast where the
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Harper’s Attack on Supreme Court Chief Justice McLachlin Unacceptable
Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s attack on Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin is an attack on Canadians and Canadian democracy. It’s unacceptable. by: Obert Madondo | May 4, 2014 Prime Minister Stephen Harper is so desperate for political capital he’s willing to publicly smear the Supreme Court of Canada and its Chief Justice, Beverley
Continue readingBlast Furnace Canada Blog: Federalism wins with Senate decision
When Stephen Harper tried to go about his ideas about Senate reform, his belief was that one could have Senate elections and fixed terms without the consent of the provinces. Today, the Supreme Court of Canada reaffirmed that Canada is a federation, not a unitary state like France and not
Continue readingBlast Furnace Canada Blog: With the new Québec government, the provinces should push back
Monday’s landslide win by Phillipe Couillard and his Québec Liberal Party is a great sign that the idea of sovereignty may have been set aside for a long time. But I think it should lead to something more. It should lead to the federation our Founders wanted but has often
Continue readingBlast Furnace Canada Blog: RIP Spousal privilege
One of the oldest principles in law is the spousal privilege. Considered even more sacred than the privilege between a lawyer and client, physician and patient, or cleric and penitent, it has at its core one basic principle: Unless there was abuse involved or a couple conspired together, any communications
Continue readingBlast Furnace Canada Blog: What in the world is Eve Adams?
When I was a kid, I was known for throwing hissy fits on just about anything that didn’t go my way. Now a lot of us adults probably were like that in our younger days, too, but we smartened up. In that vein, though, I have to wonder if Eve
Continue readingBlast Furnace Canada Blog: Another rebuke against PMS
0 and 4 so far for Stephen Harper. First, he lost the InSite decision, which now allows safe injection sites. Then he lost the prostitution decision, which all but legalizes the sex trade. Yesterday, he lost a decision which in effect restores accelerated parole for those who have served just
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Ukraine Crisis: The Harper Conservatives Are NOT Canada
by: Obert Madondo Last week’s “Canadian delegation” to Ukraine wasn’t a Canadian delegation. It was an all-Conservative outfit. The opposition was completely shut out. The shut out reminds me of how Third World tyrants do politics. How they exploit global crises to score cheap domestic political points. The shut out makes
Continue readingBlast Furnace Canada Blog: Doing right by sex trade workers
Due to multiple technical issues I haven’t been able until now to comment on the Supreme Court’s decision in Attorney General of Canada v. Bedford on December 20th but all I can say is it was absolutely the right decision. What surprised me was that it lined up 9-0,
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: New Conservative Ad Reveals Stephen Harper’s Fear of Justin Trudeau [VIDEO]
The possibility of “waking up in 2015 to Justin Trudeau as Prime Minister” of Canada unnerves Stephen Harper and the Conservatives. The post New Conservative Ad Reveals Stephen Harper’s Fear of Justin Trudeau [VIDEO] appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingBlast Furnace Canada Blog: "I’ve got more than enough to eat at home," Ford says
You couldn’t get the best scriptwriters in Hollywood or Broadway to come up with this line. Rob Ford, responding this morning to numerous allegations that he hired a call girl to visit his office in Toronto (among other allegations of downing mickeys in one shot and DUI), said they were
Continue readingBlast Furnace Canada Blog: Take a time out already, Rob!
So Rob Ford has actually admitted it. He’s bought illegal drugs during the last two years. Notwithstanding that concession, 30 of 44 councillors on Toronto City Council voted to ask him to take a leave of absence. Naturally, Ford refused. He also said he still has a “coat hanger” in
Continue readingBlast Furnace Canada Blog: As always, it’s the coverup (if that’s what it is)
At this point, I really don’t give a damn if Toronto Mayor Rob Ford did drugs. If he did it certainly hasn’t impaired his performance as a politician. What I do care about are the following: Ford obviously has major issues. Be they mental or substance, or both, he needs
Continue readingBlast Furnace Canada Blog: See, we told you so (Senate reform edition) — and what I’d like to see
Finally someone has told the Prime Minister he can stuff it on his brand of changes to the Senate of Canada. It comes courtesy of the Québec Court of Appeal which has unanimously ruled Bill C-7, if passed, would be unconstitutional and therefore a form of “dead letter clause”. (The
Continue readingBlast Furnace Canada Blog: Senate or Star Chamber?
Barring a last minute change of minds, it looks like Senators Brazeau, Duffy and Wallin will be effectively impeached from the Senate. I think there are a lot of questions that need to be answered. I will recognize that I have written all three have a lot to answer for.
Continue readingBlast Furnace Canada Blog: Where’s the draft text?
Today, Harper and EU President Jose Manuel Barroso initialled a trade and labour agreement between Canada and the world’s most powerful trading bloc. Like I said in my last post, I think open trade with the EU will be overall good for Canada. But don’t you find it odd that
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