This and that for your Thursday reading. – Brendan O’Neill writes that the UK Cons are following in Stephen Harper’s footsteps by pushing the concept of thought policing. And George Monbiot rightly criticizes the gross inflation of supposed terror threats and simultaneous neglect of far more serious risks: A global
Continue readingTag: Rob Nicholson
Montreal Simon: The Nepalese Tragedy and the Shameless Con Clowns
About a month ago I told you how Jason Kenney was bragging about the arrival of a new and massive C-17 aircraft.As only he could.And claiming it would allow the Con regime to "project Canada around the world." Great moment to receive fifth @RCAF_ARC C17 Globemaster @ CFB Trenton: allowing
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Political business in great waters: When they that go down to the sea in ships are up to no good!
Prime Minister and First Lord of the Admiralty Stephen Harper. For all we know, actual Canadian prime ministers do appear in silk stockings and tri-corner hats exactly as illustrated. You know, in private. Below: The unlucky Sir John Franklin. O Eternal Lord God, who alone rulest the raging of the
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: CSEC Letter from Wayne Easter Liberal MP
Last week I sent a letter to Justin Trudeau and Liberal MP Wayne Easter expressing support the Liberal bill that would impose parliamentary oversight over CSEC. Here is Mr Easter’s reply. I copied my letter to the Prime Minister, his Defence Minister and my MP, Joan Crockatt. Not a peep
Continue readingPolygonic: Of babies and bathwater: how Harper might be undermining the monarchy
The Constitution? Unborn Queens? Fascinating stuff (do not insert a “said no one, ever” after that please). The scene unfolds thusly: Parliament recently approved a gender equity bill as regards which unelected English aristocrat may reign over us (such progressive times in which we live), that met little controversy or
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: How Brent Rathgeber changed Edmontons political map and why the Tories might like it
TweetEdmonton-St. Albert MP Brent Rathgeber unleashed a political storm last night when he announced on Twitter that he is leaving the Conservative Party of Canada caucus. Initially citing a “a lack of commitment to transparency and open government,” he expanded his criticisms to the control Prime Minister Stephen Harper‘s office exercises over
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: VICTORY: Canadians Killed Harper’s Internet Surveillance Bill C-30
by Obert Madondo | The Canadian Progressive, Feb. 12, 2013: Prime Minister Stephen Harper‘s Internet surveillance Bill C-30 is dead. The demise of the deceptively christened Protecting Children From Internet Predators Act is a victory for the Internet. For Canadian democracy. For Canadians. Federal Justice Minister Rob Nicholson confirmed it yesterday when he announced that the
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Obert Madondo’s Canada crime Bill C-10 hunger strike: Response from the Minister of Justice
On June 6, I ended my 85-day hunger strike against Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s New Jim Crow-style crime Bill C-10, the deceptively christened “Safe Streets and Communities Act”. Two of my demands: the immediate repeal the Safe Streets and Communities Act and a national inquiry for the 600+ missing and murdered aboriginal women and girls. I
Continue readingImpolitical: Nicholson on a Toews appointment
Justice Minister Rob Nicholson was attending the Canadian Bar Association meeting yesterday in Vancouver and he was asked a hot button question given rumours about Public Safety Minister Vic Toews possibly retiring for a judicial appointment. This Globe headline captures Nicholson’s non-answer: “Politicians should not be ruled out for judicial
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Making Politics Out Of Tragedy
The terrible shooting in Toronto that saw two people killed and 24 injured elicited this response from Julian Fantino and Rob Nicholson. I have no words to express my feeling toward this craven exploitation of tragedy: Joint statement by ministers Julian Fantino and Rob Nicholson: Our Government was very saddened
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Canada Day? Really?
In my non-virtual life, I like to think that I am a reasonably pleasant fellow who enjoys the small pleasures life has to offer, has a decent sense of humour, and can see the good as well as the bad of this world. I sometimes fear, however, that in my
Continue readingThe Equivocator: Vigilantes and Mercenaries: The Harper Government and the Abdication of Responsibility
With the revelation that Minister Peter MacKay failed to ask many of the obvious/necessary questions when working on the F-35 procurement, the subject of basic ministerial/government responsibility has been weighing heavily on my mind as of late. When I listen to/discuss politics with my friends who are more libertarian-leaning conservatives,
Continue readingPample the Moose: Happy Charter Day! And the importance of an "s"
Today’s the 30th anniversary of the formal adoption of the 1982 Constitution Act and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. A lot of ink has been recently devoted to the Harper government’s non-observance of this day. I could add to this, but instead I’d like to draw your attention to
Continue readingPample the Moose: Happy Charter Day! And the importance of an "s"
Today’s the 30th anniversary of the formal adoption of the 1982 Constitution Act and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. A lot of ink has been recently devoted to the Harper government’s non-observance of this day. I could add to this, but instead I’d like to draw your attention to the text of the formal statement issued by Heritage Minister James Moore and Justice Minister Rob Nicholson which was originally posted here. I say “originally posted” lest the initial text be changed.
The full statement reads:
Statement by the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, and the Honourable Rob Nicholson, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, on the 30th Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Constitution Act of 1982
OTTAWA, April 17, 2012 – Today marks the 30th Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Constitution Act of 1982, which was formally signed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on April 17, 1982, in the presence of tens of thousands of Canadians on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
This anniversary marks an important step in the development of Canada’s human rights policy. Building on Diefenbaker’s Canadian Bill of Rights of 1960, the Constitution Act of 1982 enshrined certain rights and freedoms that had historically been at the heart of Canadian society into a constitutional document known as the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The Constitution Act of 1982 empowered our government to amend every part of Canada’s constitution, for the very first time.
As we look ahead to Canada’s 150th Anniversary in 2017, we encourage all Canadians to commemorate the milestones that have built our nation and made us the great country we are today.
There are all sorts of things that can be critiqued about this statement, starting with the omission of the Prime Minister and architect of the deal, Pierre Trudeau. But because I’m in a peculiar mood, let me instead draw your attention to paragraph 3 of the statement. There’s a rather important little “s” that is missing from the end of the word “government”. Because as any constitutional expert worth their salt knows, most parts of Canada’s constitution cannot be amended by any single government. In some cases, it takes at least two, in most it takes eight (seven provincial governments representing 50% of the population, plus the federal government), and in a few key areas it takes eleven governments to amend the constitution.
So unless there is a super-secret plan by the Harper government to start unilaterally amending the constitution, his ministers’ staffers did a terrible job proofing that mediocre statement.
Continue readingPample the Moose: Happy Charter Day! And the importance of an "s"
Today’s the 30th anniversary of the formal adoption of the 1982 Constitution Act and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. A lot of ink has been recently devoted to the Harper government’s non-observance of this day. I could add to this, but instead I’d like to draw your attention to
Continue readingImpolitical: 7 Robocon lawsuits filed
The latest from McMaher: The Council of Canadians has launched legal challenges of May federal election results in seven ridings, on behalf of electors living in those ridings. The ridings are: Don Valley East (Lib Ratansi defeated by Con, 890 votes), Winnipeg South Centre (Lib Neville defeated by Con, 722
Continue readingCowboys for Social Responsibility: Canada’s government at work
It really says something when even the gun lobby thinks the Justice Minister has said something dangerous. Victoria Times-Colonist February 8, 2012 As for warning shots, he said they can be dangerous. “We do not advocate that anybody fire a firearm in any place you don’t know where bullet is
Continue readingCowboys for Social Responsibility: Making it up as they go
In 2009, the Harper Tories had a clear plan to replace the long gun registry with something that could work: We want to return to the better system of having retailers record their sales of non-restricted weapons instead of having to register them with the long-gun registry. – Guy Lauzon,
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: You guys have a majority.. why hide behind a Private Members Bill?
That’s my only real question of this particular reversal/manoeuvre on Section 13 regarding hate speech and the Human Rights Tribunal. I’m not at all surprised they’re doing this, even if they didn’t campaign on it, nor am I surprised that they’ve reversed course on supporting it, now that they have
Continue readingJane Taber and Candy Hoeppner Are Now Into Fiction: Part 2–Inconsistencies Between Scrapping C-391 And Tough On Crime Agenda
Part 2 doesn’t really have anything to do with Janie Taber’s little apparent attempt at fiction regarding Candy getcherguns Hoeppner’s little ego trip, but it did raise questions in mind like how does stripping away at gun control square with a tough on crime agenda? How does the meme of not wanting to . . . → Read More: Jane Taber and Candy Hoeppner Are Now Into Fiction: Part 2–Inconsistencies Between Scrapping C-391 And Tough On Crime Agenda
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