I just love it when people like PMS and Robert Ford say that getting tough on the causes of crime is tantamount to “coddling thugs.” I’ll be brief on this one. Nothwithstanding the uptake in gun violence recently, and my feeling that mandatory minimums for an unlawful discharge of a
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Canadian Progressive World: Match.com Paired Colorado Woman With Aurora Shooter James Holmes
A perfect example of one of those WTF moments we encounter in life. A Colorado woman, “Diana”, says that Match.com paired her with James Holmes, the man accused of killing 12 people at the Friday screening of The Dark Knight Rises. Diana claims that she discovered Holmes’ profile among her suggested matches on
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Rob Ford: When the Bigot is a Moron
Damn. I've been trying to think of something nice to say about Rob Ford for soooo long. It's the kind of guy I am. Always looking for the good in people. Or the pony in the manure. And besides after calling him an incompetent buffoon, a crass and vulgar redneck,
Continue readingBlast Furnace Canada Blog: Harper: Going after Guergis to punish Jaffer?
Of all the arguments I’ve heard from the Conservative Party regarding the Helena Guergis lawsuit where she is claiming PMS and Co defamed her and dismissed her as a Cabinet minister without cause, this one has to take the cake; that the party can’t be sued because it is an
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: ConCalls: Gone Dismissing
So, new Elections Canada commish, what’s up? I know you’re new on the job, but you seemed to have been able to get a confident handle on things enough by only your second day at work. You were already sure it was right to dismiss a months-long investigation into an
Continue readingCANADIAN PROGRESSIVE WORLD: RCMP’s Misogynistic Response to Gillford Sexual Harassment Claim
In May, Corporal Catherine Galliford filed a claim of being sexually harassed by her male superiors during her 16 year career with our national police force, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Predictably, the responses from the four accused Mounties is denial. But, in this country famous for compassion, how
Continue readingCANADIAN PROGRESSIVE WORLD: Rob Ford calls Toronto “one of the safest cities in the world” after deadly shooting
Reacting to the Danzig Street shooting, which left two dead and another 24 injured, the “furious” mayor of Canada’s largest city assures us that Toronto has “the greatest police service in the world.” He invites Torontonians to “declare war on these violent gangs.” The kind that will “catch these criminals
Continue readingCANADIAN PROGRESSIVE WORLD: The real “gateway drug” is alcohol, not marijuana
With the recent passage of crime Bill C-10 into law, we can expect a lot of young and first-time Canadian marijuana users in our high school system to do real time in jail. That’s because of the Conservative government’s’ tough-on-crime agenda and legendary disdain for evidence. And, especially, the long-standing societal
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Stolen Bike Alert
My Giant Boulder SE, men’s frame, silver colour bike was stolen from 15th Ave and McTavish St. (Regina) at 2:45pm Saturday; please watch for it. It had a yellow round reflector hanging loosely from back of seat, rear black plastic fender (but not front fender), and a black headlight, and
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: ConCalls: Cutbacks
Investigating election crimes is hard work, but someone has to do it. Elections Canada in particular has to do it, and in theory they are conducting an investigation into illegal phone calls of all sorts made in 2011. The Conservatives are trying their best to slow that hard work down.
Continue readingCANADIAN PROGRESSIVE WORLD: No Place In Canada For Russell Williams TV Movie
Any Canadian citizen or resident who cares about gender-based violence, equality and women’s rights should condemn “An Officer and a Murderer”. The new TV movie dramatizing the real-life horror of the crimes of the former commander of CFB Trenton airs on the U.S. network Lifetime on July 21. I never
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: ConCalls: Delayed Justice, Swift Dismissal
The day after the new Elections Canada commissioner took over the duties of the suddenly retired previous commish Corbett, he’d had his office dismiss photographic evidence of Americans not living in Canada, making inducement phone calls to convince voters to vote for Conservatives. It’s against the law, by a reasonable
Continue reading350 or bust: TED Talk Thursday: Poverty, Crime, And Greenhouse Gas Emissions
From TEDx Manitoba is Shaun Loney, founder and Executive Director at BUILD Inc. and Warm Up Winnipeg where he leads an innovative approach to promote social enterprise as a no-cost way to cut poverty rates. In this talk, Mr. Loney makes surprising connections to poverty, crime and greenhouse gas emissions,
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Friday RoboCon
News goes to die, on Fridays. So today it is appropriate to talk about the biggest news story in the country that doesn’t get the respect or urgent coverage it deserves. It’s only been more than the entire last year that our present government may have been ruling without a
Continue readingCANADIAN PROGRESSIVE WORLD: What Republican Texas Said About Harper’s Crime Bill C-10
In this video, the CBC News reported from Texas where even tough-on-crime Republicans told Canada not to follow America’s failed path of mandatory sentences and massive prison expansion, which cost them billions and drove crime rates up. The report warned about the consequences of this un-Canadian and vindictive criminal justice
Continue readingCANADIAN PROGRESSIVE WORLD: Harper’s Crime Bill C-10: Breaking Down The Cost
The Harper government’s flagship tough on crime omnibus legislation will cost Canadian taxpayers at least $15-billion to implement. Bill C-10 is a suite of crime legislation that will radically stir the Canadian justice system away from the preventive and restorative measures which have proven to be more humane, effective and
Continue readingCANADIAN PROGRESSIVE WORLD: Private prison companies look to Canada as industry faces lawsuits in US
US states are beginning to rely less on privately run prisons, but Canada may be a land of opportunity for the two biggest firms By: BILBO POYNTER | The Guardian US private prison firms are targeting Canada for fresh opportunities as pressure builds at home on the troubled multi-billion dollar
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Random Links
Here are some links sitting in the drafts that I never got around to writing background for. Enjoy them, out of context. Fantino dox get no comment from UBS. Speaking of alleged crimes, what ever happened to the Bruce Carson report? #HarperHistory
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Accountability in Conservative Government
Do you know what I love about Stephen Harper? He wants [wanted?] Canadians to hold politicians accountable. Let’s get right on that please, and stand up for Canada. “Bullying” and “frequent sexual harassment” created “toxic” work environment under Brazeau: court documents allege aptn.ca/pages/news/201…— Emilie Novaczek (@envczk) June 27, 2012 Brazeau
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: ConCalls: Timeline and Timeliness
CBC offers a timeline of Del Mastro’s apparent overspending on his campaign. I think the Prime Minister may regret defending Del Mastro. Prime Minister Stephen Harper, in the House of Commons on June 20, 2012, defended Conservative MP Dean Del Mastro against opposition questions June 13 over his election spending.
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