Liberal Party to Carolyn Parrish: DENIED!

Carolyn Parrish will not be re-joining the Liberal Party caucus.

Traditional Chinese medicine to be regulated in Ontario

The CBC is reporting that the Ontario government is going to bring traditional Chinese medicine under regulation, to promote quality care from TCM.

Am I the only one who thinks this is, at best, a silly idea, and at worst, a dangerous one? Probably.

In Canada courts can't change laws?

An Edmonton man, Rene Hamilton, was acquitted by the Supreme Court of Canada on charges of counseling others to commit a crime, in particular to build and detonate a bomb. He had purchased 200 files on the Internet and was reselling them through a spam email. Bomb-making was covered in some of those files.

He did not read all the files, including the bomb-making ones:

"The trial judge appears to have accepted Mr. Hamilton's evidence that he did not read the files relating to bombs and to burglaries and found as a fact that he had no intention to induce the recipients of his 'teaser' (e-mail) to either ... build bombs or commit burglaries," Justice Morris Fish wrote in the court's the 6-3 majority decision.

But here's the kicker:

[T]he court said it would leave any attempt to tighten up restrictions on Internet sales to Parliament.

"Even if they were minded to do so, the courts cannot contain the inherent dangers of cyberspace crime by expanding or transforming offenses, such as counseling, that were conceived to meet a different and unrelated need," Fish wrote.

"Any attempt to do so may well do more harm than good, inadvertently catching morally innocent conduct and unduly limiting harmless access to information."

I find this fascinating. When the courts decided that laws defining marriage as a heterosexual union were wrong, they did not leave it up to Parliament. They just struck down the laws immediately. They could have struck the law down, then suspended the judgment for a fixed period of time, giving Parliament time to address the issue democratically. But no, can't wait on hearing from the people on something important like that.

But for selling bomb-making instructions on the Internet? That can wait until the fall, assuming the government even decides to deal with it. The Supreme Court is not going to push it as an issue by making a ruling on the law. As far as they are concerned, this is not an issue important enough to make that kind of trouble over.

Oh, and the three dissenters? They wanted to acquit Hamilton on all charges. The majority held that he could still face charges on credit card fraud since one the files he was selling, and that he clearly read, was on how to generate a valid credit card number.

Poland vs Belarus -- Lessons in history

Poland's history has always revolved around freedom. But unlike some nations, Poland is showing herself to be an avid student of history and is working hard to avoid repeating mistakes.

Environmentalists on Mars?

What if there are Martians, for real?

Police misconduct in the Jama Jama case

A case of police misconduct puts the larger problem of the self-image of the police in the spotlight.

Afrocentric Science?

In my pieces on Afrocentrism, I raised the concern of whether the racist extreme end of this field of study would come to Canadian schools if an Afrocentric curriculum was adopted. Some might think me alarmist -- surely there would be safeguards in place.

Perhaps.

But giving Afrocentrist Professor Molefi Asante the benefit of the doubt, and noting that he is the prime consultant on the "Africentric Learning Institute" to be built with taxpayer money in Nova Scotia, can we be certain that whatever other nonsense they teach black students, Afrocentrist teachers will be able to teach science right?

Actually, I'm certain they won't be able to.

Paul Martin's women -- Stronach and Parrish

First, there was Belinda Stronach. To cross the floor, she demanded a cabinet post (we assume). Upon completing the deal, Prime Minister Paul Martin was subject to laughter from the Ottawa press corps during the press conference when he asserted that her reward of a cabinet post was entirely based on merit.

Is Paul Martin about to be humiliated again?

[Carolyn] Parrish, who was booted out of the Liberal caucus last year after she criticized the government of U.S. President George W. Bush as "bastards" and "idiots," also said she is interested in returning to the Liberal fold, but only if she receives a personal invitation from the prime minister that has no strings attached.

Most leaders would make it clear to a rogue like Parrish exactly where she stands in the pecking order.

But here we have a very loud woman like Parrish who is a darling of a media deperate for stories during the summer when domestic stories are few and far between, and a Prime Minister who is not a strong leader at the best of times, and is still wounded from a bruising spring session of parliament. I'd say there's a fair chance that we're going to be presented with another scene of the Prime Minister being laughed at by reporters.

Carolyn Parrish undermining military discipline?

It's one thing to criticize government policy, but it's another to be undermining the top commanding officer of the armed forces who has the full confidence of the government.

Bloggers in the Media

The National Post is running a piece I've written on the question of Afrocentrism in Canadian schools. It appears in the print edition for July 28, 2005, on page A19, the "Issues & Ideas" spread.

It also appears in the electronic version of the paper (subscription required).

For readers visiting here for the first time, especially those coming via the National Post, welcome. I've provided more information on this topic after the column.

Canada vs Denmark -- A carefully delivered insult?

More on the Hans Island affair from the National Post:

The Danish government has offered to reopen formal negotiations with Canada in an effort to resolve the decades-old tug of war over a tiny Arctic island.

[A visit to the island by Defence Minister Bill Graham] prompted the Danish government to call in the Canadian ambassador. The outraged Danes sent a protest letter to Ottawa and a senior official in Copenhagen called Graham's visit "an occupation."

The Canadian government appeared to shrug off the Danish offer of negotiations. A Foreign Affairs official said Ottawa would examine any formal request but was in no hurry to reopen talks.

Ouch! "Yeah, we'd really like to talk about it, but I'm washing my hair tonight. Just come by and slip the note under the door and I promise to read it later tonight. Or tomorrow. Definitely soon."

Is this a diplomatic insult? If it is, Canada better be ready to back it up. Insults are serious business:

Some diplomatic practices do not change. The diplomatic insult has existed since the origins of diplomacy. In the Bible there is an account of the king of the Ammonites shaving off half of the beards of the envoys sent by King David. The diplomatic insult today can be a carefully crafted instrument of statecraft used as a way of communicating extreme displeasure when all other efforts at communication have failed. France in particular is a consummate user of the diplomatic insult. Napoleon "insulted the British ambassador in 1803, the Austrian in 1808 and the Russian in 1811 - a sign that war with each power was imminent."

Leave it to the French, though, to take being rude to all new levels:

The French signalled their displeasure with a number of American policies, including their differences over the UN secretary-generalship and the command of the NATO southern command, through just such a gesture. At United States Secretary of State Warren Christopher’s last NATO dinner the secretary-general of NATO (Javier Solana) proposed a toast to Christopher, whereupon the French foreign minister Herve de Charette abruptly left the room. To make the gesture clear, the French ambassador to NATO (Gerard Errara) took Charette’s place and ostentatiously turned his back on the room while the toast was conducted.

Tag-teaming the smackdown. Brilliant!

Maybe this is why Carolyn Parrish is being brought back into caucus -- the government needs a Minister of Cheesing People Off and decided they needed an expert. I feel sorry for the Danes. THe certainly don't deserve to be in Parrish's crosshairs.

Do I stoop down to make a cheap French joke?

Hell yeah!

AP and UPI reported that the French Government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from "run" to "hide." The only two higher levels in France are "surrender" and "collaborate." The increased alert was precipitated by the recent fire which destroyed the French white flag factory, effectively disabling their military.

[Thanks to TF]

Canada and Denmark and the Pig War

What do the Danes think of all this? And could we really go to war over something as silly as an icy rock?

Actually, it's happened before.

"The return of the Vikings is only the beginning."

I posted recently about the dispute between Canada and Denmark about Hans Island. I purposely made it light in tone, a lark, a minor tiff between two mature nations that don't resort to violence.

Guess what?

I was yanking you. This is serious, and now I'll tell you why.

Bishop Henry writes. Where's the hate?

Bishop Henry was excoriated for defending the traditional model of marriage and criticizing the forces that undermine it:

Last weekend, Henry continued his toxic and prejudiced preaching through a letter that said, "Since homosexuality, adultery, prostitution and pornography undermine the foundations of the family, the basis of society, then the State must use its coercive power to proscribe or curtail them in the interests of the common good."

Now he writes an editorial, and frankly, I don't see the "toxic" element. But I do see the naïvete.

San Diego is taking a stand on Gay Pride "activities"

In Canada, the whole city council would have been hauled in front of a Human Rights Tribunal -- how dare they not endorse a gay parade involving pedophiles?

A resolution endorsing Gay Pride Week in San Diego was abruptly pulled from the City Council docket Monday afternoon.

The defense and criticism of the festival and parade are nothing new. The resolution was similar to those in past years that declared a San Diego Gay Pride Week. Even some of the criticism and those voicing it were familiar.

"They have gay pornography booths," said Christian activist James Hartline. "They have a whole tent devoted to S&M leather sex and all the other things that go along with that. They have pornography stores walking down the parade."

"You know, [Hartline] highlights the extreme things he's most concerned about," said Atkins. "I don't hear him pointing out the fact that we have numerous churches who participate and march in the parade."

Protesters led by Hartline also complained that two volunteer parade staff members were convicted pedophiles. Parade organizers said the two would be setting up fences away from any contact with children, and police were consulted about them. But critics said the event should not have public officials and law enforcement participating.

"And what is being celebrated? Homosexuality -- which was correctly diagnosed and treated as a psychiatric illness until 1973," said festival critic Stephanie Hooper.

"This is about being inclusive," said Aktins. "It's about tolerance and inclusivity, diversity in our city, and that's what Pride is all about."

I'm not sure I buy Stephanie Hooper's argument, but these parade organizers need to seriously get their heads around the fact that despite what they might think, most people are not interested in having a parade that celebrates the fringe of sexual activities, and when it comes to pedophiles, are they there to help celebrate how diverse you are? Are the parade organizers that hard up on volunteers, or did that decision fall under the "tolerance and inclusivity" category?

Get a clue! Maybe homosexuals truly don't understand what it means to have children. I can't believe that could be the case, but then what were these people thinking? If you want the mainstream to start accepting you, you need to start thinking, at least a little bit, like the mainstream.

Surprise choice for the next Governor-General

From the National Post:

Prime Minister Paul Martin will soon unveil his new Governor-General -- and it won't be anyone currently touted for the job, the CBC reported last night. The report from Ottawa said Adrienne Clarkson won't be replaced by any of the names under speculation, including former astronaut Marc Garneau, former prime minister Joe Clark, former Reform party leader Preston Manning, wheelchair athlete Rick Hansen, native leaders Georges Erasmus and Phil Fontaine or Ontario Lieutenant-Governor James Bartleman. The story did not say, however, who will take over as Governor-General when Mme. Clarkson's term ends in September.

Watching my phone...my fingers crossed...come on...come on...cushiest job in the world...let it be me...

Movie tag

Wonkitties got me on this one. It's movie tag! My favourite movies at different times of my life, hmmmmm.

Teenager: Star Wars
First non-Disney movie I had ever seen in a theatre, believe it or not.

University years: Goodfellas
You think that's a funny choice? You think I'm funny? You think I'm here to amuse you?

Recent years: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Looking forward to watching this with the kids when they're older, and then reading the books. Oddly, I have yet to see the extended version of The Return of the King. Need more hits in the tip jar before I can run out and buy it.

All time favourite: ffolkes
Huh? Best movie Roger Moore ever made, and best action thriller ever put on film. Cerebral and intense, plausible and timeless. Does what the Die Hard movies never could -- make you think it could actually happen, and despair that we might not have a real hero like ffolkes to save us. Great cast of Brits and Yanks. Best thing about it: the action starts in the final 15 minutes, and it is great! The plan goes to hell in 30 seconds (in a laugh-out-loud moment, believe it or not), and ffolkes and his commandos have to wing it. Makes you glad these guys are smart as well as deadly.

OK, Phantom, Either-Or, and Dr. Dawg are up.

Catholic Carnival XXXX is up

Check out this diverse collection of Catholic thought.

Carolyn Parrish might be coming back -- and she's as ignorant as ever

It's hard to imagine anyone in Canadian politics more ignorant and offensive than Carolyn Parrish...except Carolyn Parrish. Just when you think she's hit the peak, she surprises you by opening her mouth and shocking you even more. Here again she fails to miss an opportunity to offend, this time anyone who had served in the Canadian military, ever.

Dictating grannies

This one-liner from the Toronto Raging Grannies, a left-wing peace activist group, answering the hypothetical question about what they would do if they were given a million dollars:

We would also give money to branches of government if they accepted our conditions as to its dispersal!

This was just one of few answers about what they would do, and I understand what they're getting at, but think about it for a minute.

If I was a Bay Street banker, and I gave a million dollars to some branch of the government, and I directed them to disperse it on advertising aimed at promoting my institution as the officially recommended place for Canadians to do business, there'd be hell to pay, and rightly so. The government doesn't take directions from you or me individually on how to disperse money, nor does it take money directly from individuals or groups in order to spend it on their behalf. Money is raised through taxes according to a tax code managed by Parliament, and that same Parliament sets spending plans according to a budget passed after a debate that includes representatives from across the country.

I know these people were talking in hypotheticals, and were not making a serious policy statement about how government should work with regards to raising and spending money, but this is a group that screamed bloody murder when the UofT worked with a company that also happened to have done contract work for Saudi Arabia. They wanted to "prevent the taint of dealings with dictatorships".

Unless they're the ones doing the dictating of course. That's different. When they use government to pursue their own agenda without regards to the Parliamentary procedure or the principles of collective democratic decision making, that's not tainting anything. I guess for them dictatorship is when unenlightened people dictate the wrong things.

NBC boss can't connect the dots

From the NY Daily News:

NBC officials, having watched the network slip to fourth place last season after two decades of relative dominance in prime time, tried something new yesterday when assessing its status with the nation's TV reporters - blunt, sometimes harsh honesty.

Harsh honesty is based on having a realistic view of your world, and NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly seems to be disconnected from his audience.

We could take 'em

From the Globe and Mail:

Denmark says it will send a protest letter to Canada over a cabinet minister's visit to an Arctic island off northwestern Greenland, which is claimed by both countries.

Canadian Defence Minister Bill Graham set foot on the 1.3-square-kilometre Hans Island last week, saying Canada has always regarded it as Canadian territory.

Denmark also claims the island, which is roughly 1,100 kilometres south of the North Pole.

So if this were to get ugly, who would win?

[Had a good laugh? Now go read what this is really about.]

The march against smoking continues

Your car comes to stop at the checkpoint. The policeman walks over to the car, slowly, sizing you up, glancing at the plate registration, the condition of the lights, anything that might give him reason to ask you to consent to a search.

He motions for you to roll down the window.

He leans in, way in. He eyes you and says, "Sir, have you been smoking a cigarette in this vehicle?"

In case you've lost your secret decoder ring...

When reading a post some liberal / leftist / progressive blogs or message boards, you would do well to keep in mind the following translation table:

right winger = right whinger
Free Dominion = Freak Dominion
George W Bush = Bushitler / Shrub
Albertan = Alberdumb
Blogging Tories = Blogging Whories
Stephen Harper = Mr. Angry

To make it easier to read my posts, here is an equivalent translation table:

left winger = left winger
rabble.ca = rabble.ca
Hilary Clinton = Hilary Clinton
Ontarian = Ontarian
Blogging Grits = Blogging Grits
Paul Martin = Paul Martin

It's tempting to sneer at the cheap name-calling, but there is a certain efficiency. "Right whinger" captures the perception of the complaining always-in-opposition conservative. Bushitler requires no explanation.

The problem, of course, is that this sort of thing fixes an image that is hard to shake, even as the object of the ridicule grows or changes. As that discrepancy grows larger, the name-calling seems less clever and more petty.

Another problem is that most of the name-calling is just that. A desperate rhyme that carries no useful information other than the message of disdain, but then we already knew that. How many times can you deliver the message that you don't like these people before it becomes boring? I'm not sure what the answer is, but the number is low, very low.

So I choose not to indulge in it. Not because of a sense of superiority, but because I don't want to bore you, my readers.

For a time, I used to write Paul "Dithers" Martin. Over and over again. It got boring to write it. If I got bored writing it, wouldn't you get bored reading it? So I stopped, and decided I would play it straight. You'll just have to read the whole post to figure out what I think about a person or a party or a policy.

I hope you don't mind. With any luck, a fair number of my posts will be worth it.

The path along which Afrocentrism leads

If we allow Afrocentrism to take hold in our schools, as seems to be taking place in Nova Scotia, and has been called for in Ontario, the innocuous "feel good" curriculum with its odd twist to world history is just the starting point. The end point seems to be much darker. For those who think that Canada's inherent tolerance will resist Afrocentric extremism, you might be surprised to learn that the dark side of Afrocentrism already has an eager following in Toronto.

A new weapon to fight Al Qaeda

This might be one of the best ideas I've seen in a long time:

Allah Made Me Funny
The Official Muslim Comedy Tour

They'll be in Toronto on August 13. Check out the full list of tour dates.

What do the imams have to say about this?

"Allah Made Me Funny is funny, inspirational, and important as practicing Muslims as well as non-Muslims come to support it. My cheeks hurt and I laughed out loud! If we’re to be entertained as a community anyway, why not by Muslims?"
— Imam Siraj Wahhaj, Imam of Masjid Al-Taqwa, Brooklyn, NY

"I have listened to stand-up comics for years and I definitely have to add Azhar Usman to my list. This man is bound to become as familiar as Sinbad. Giving the public a way to laugh about our serious misunderstandings is one of the best ways to get us thinking."
— Dr. Aminah McCloud, Ph.D., Professor of Islamic Studies, DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois

From the Cleveland Jewish News:

Two months ago, Usman performed at a Jewish-Muslim comedy night in Chicago, close to where he grew up in the largely Jewish suburb of Skokie. He adapted his material to suit the audience, opening with a zinger. "Truthfully, looking around the room I'm more Jewish than half of you," he quipped. "I got the beard going, I keep kosher, and I went to law school."

In the spirit of good clean laughter:

How many Al Qaeda terrorists does it take to change a light bulb?

Put your best lines in the comments, but let's keep them clean, and respectful of Islam.

I'm glad for the Iraqis, but...

I'm glad that the Iraqi constitution is progressing well. Here's a proposed clause in their bill of rights:

b. Private ownership is protected. Nobody may be prevented from using his property except within the boundaries of law. Nobody may be deprived of something he owns except for purposes of public welfare in cases specified by law and in the manner stipulated therein and with the condition of just and prompt compensation.

They have the right to own property, the right to use it, and the right to compensation if the government decides, within the law, that the property is needed for public welfare.

In Canada, we don't have the right to property, or to compensation:

But Parliament has chosen for undisclosed reasons to lawfully deny the veterans, to whom the Crown owed a fiduciary duty, these benefits whether legal, equitable or fiduciary.

In short, the Legislature within its jurisdiction can do everything that is not naturally impossible, and is restrained by no rule human or divine. If it be that the plaintiffs acquired any rights, which I am far from finding, the Legislature had the power to take them away. The prohibition, 'Thou shalt not steal,' has no legal force upon the sovereign body. And there would be no necessity for compensation to be given.

I guess the Iraqis have something new to be thankful for, that wise and learned Canadians are nowhere nearby to give advice while they work out what natural rights every Iraqi should enjoy.

This is great. It looks like Iraq will be a better example of what a democracy should look like than Canada. Wonderful.

Maybe sometime in the future, Canada will have an opportunity to re-work its constitution and charter of rights. Hopefully the Iraqis will be willing to give us a hand when the time comes.

(Hat tip to Instapundit)

Mike Duffy is shocked. Then he should do something about it.

CTV political reporter Mike Duffy shares this anecdote:

But Duffy admits a Liberal bias at some media outlets makes it difficult for Harper and the Conservatives to get their message out.

“I’ve just been speaking to a couple of young journalists and I was shocked,” he said.

“One young journalist in New Brunswick said to me, ‘when I see Stephen Harper I see the enemy.’ It’s not journalists’ place to have enemies.”

I agree, of course.

But why does it end there? Perhaps there was more to this story. Perhaps Duff gave this young journalist a severe tongue lashing, but even Duff admits that the Liberal bias is more widespead, so much so that it is affecting the ability of the opposition to participate in political life in this country.

In others words, significant elements of the main stream media are complicit in the establishment of a one-party system which is replacing democracy in Canada.

Duff has to see that based on what he just said. As one of the most respected and recognized journalists in Canada, he has the power to do something about it. And with great power comes great responsibility.

Yeah, just like Peter Parker. Let's all hope Mike Duffy doesn't decide to put on a skin-tight superhero suit. Not too many people can pull that off.

What can he do? He's probably in the best position to know. But I have some ideas.

• Publicize the problem. Make Canadians understand how serious this is.


• Name names. Highlight bias with concrete examples. Especially his own failings in being objective.


• Set an example. Promise to be better in the future. Purge his own staff of the irredeemably partisan. Work to apply the same standards throughout CTV.


• Work with journalism schools to address the problem. Identify and publicize institutions and individual professors that are responsible for churning out biased reporters.


• Urge the government to do its part. This will be tough sell, since the Liberals are benefitting from the problem. But if the other points are implemented, then they have little choice. What can the government do? Gee, do I have to think of everything! You come up with some ideas.

Shocked is good. Shocked and doing something about it is infinitely better.

The fatuous fatwa -- An update? Or maybe not

Apparently, the learned Canadian imams who denounced terrorism are calling for the faithful to help the authorities. But its still not in the fatwa.

Church and State -- Checkpoint [Updated]

This is a summary of my thoughts on the issue of the relationship between Church and State in Canada. There have been a disquieting number of incidents recently in which people in the public eye have called for a radical redefinition of that relationship. Though same-sex marriage was the catalyst, the issue has not gone away with the passage of Bill C-38. There is not much new here, but for those who are interested, this makes for a good summary of where I think issue is going.

[Update: I missed a significant event in this checklist, and have added it in for completeness.]

Reality Check for Reporters

From Wonkitties:

I am not a fan of journalists being roughed up, least of all simply because they have asked a very good question. Mitchell's question was perfect. However, I am Canadian, and I don't get why this is such a big deal. After all, our former prime minister, Jean Chretien, throttled people and shoved them down staircases when he felt they so much as looked at him the wrong way.

Of course, Rondi Adamson, a journalist/columnist herself, was talking about the incident in Sudan in which reporter Andrea Mitchell, traveling with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, was manhandled at a news conference for posing a tough question to the Sudanese leader.

Still, I can't help but smirk when I think of a reporter like Mitchell, as slanted with reporting as the rest of the American media elite, being reminded of what real suppression of the free press is like. Without getting hurt of course.

For instance, Andrea Mitchell was a reporter who kept flogging the Bush Air National Guard non-story, reading the Killian memos on the air for a full minute before raising the question of their authenticity in one throw-away comment. I don't recall any heavies from the Republican National Committee giving her the bum's rush. I wonder if she's even considered that.

So much for George W Bush the dictator.

Anyway, Rondi asks an interesting and amusing question:

[B]etween you all and me, there are some reporters I wouldn't mind seeing roughed up. I won't name names...but I invite my readers to. Send me your suggestions for "journalist I'd most like to see roughed up," by Monday, July 25th, at noon Toronto time, and I'll post the results.

So visit her blog and submit your nomination for the Canadian journalist you think most needs a reality check.

By the way, bloggers don't count.

[In a stunning turnaround, I've been convinced that this wasn't in the best of taste. I apologize to everyone I embarassed. For a full and detailed chronology of my takedown, check out the comments. Enjoy!

But in true blogging tradition, I won't delete this post. Let it stand as a testament to my poor judgement. I can't promise I won't make mistakes like this in the future, but I can promise I will try harder to avoid them because of today.]

Afrocentrism in Ontario

The call for Afrocentric teaching has been heard and is being implemented in Nova Scotia. The same call was made in Ontario this past February.

Afrocentrism in Nova Scotia -- Consequences

In my piece about the implementation of an Afrocentric curriculum in Nova Scotia in an attempt to improve the academic performance of black students, unreported in the main stream media, I focused on the immediate concerns, and in particular, the details of what would be taught to black students in an attempt to achieve equity.

Now I'll consider the long term consequences.

A fatuous fatwa [updated]

A fatwa from Canadian Muslims is just public relations. Ignore it. It means nothing.

[The text of the fatwa has been released -- no direct call for Mulsims to support the authorities.]

[There was a call to support the authorities, but it did not appear in the fatwa. It was spoken at the news conference, and did not appear in the initial news reports. However, the signed fatwa remains unchanged. My thoughts on this.]

Then you will know the truth...

..., and the truth will set you free.
John 8:32

Not all people believe that. For them the truth matters less than feeling good about themselves. It's one thing for an individual to seek therapy, no matter how misguided. But in Nova Scotia, the therapists are running the education system, and the black students are going to be given a therapeutic curriculum, heavy on good feelings, but light on the truth.

[Update: Considering the consequences, and looking at the call for Afrocentrism in Ontario.]

C-407 -- The severely flawed "Die with Dignity" bill

To end one's life when that life is filled with pain is a tricky proposition. But the "Die with Dignity" bill that has passed first reading is a mess, and will cause a great deal more pain if it is allowed to stand as it is written.

CBC issues call for the Church to be subservient to the State

I've written before (here and here and here and here) on what I see as the danger of regalism in Canada -- a term for a relationship between Church and State in which the Church is subservient to the will of the State.

I've seen hints of this, and wondered if I was just being paranoid.

Well, now our State-funded broadcaster has issued a call for exactly that.

Canada: Totalitarian Theocracy of Political Correctness

There is nothing "free" about speech in Canada. If you say something that annoys the wrong person, even if it was not aimed at him directly, but merely conflicts with his point of view, there will be a price to pay, and if necessary, the government will make you pay it.

News from Iraq -- 75,000 fewer civilian killed than previously "estimated"

A new study estimates 25,000 civilian deaths in Iraq since the invasion, a far lower number than the 100,000 deaths estimated last year in a Lancet study. That estimate, considered suspicious almost as soon as it was released, has been quoted as gospel by the anti-war left. How quickly will people accept this new, much lower, estimate?

"No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism."

Canadian General Rick Hillier, Chief of the Defence Staff, was quoted as saying the following:

"We are not the Public Service of Canada," he declared. "We are not just another department. We are the Canadian Forces and our job is to be able to kill people."

He has been taking heat for this, as only can happen in Canada, for declaring that he is a soldier. Most of the criticism is coming from those who think the Canadian Army is made up of peacekeepers, and seem to be upset that peacekeeping isn't working:

Well, all of a sudden the Canadian military has gone from Peacekeepers to Killers. Hiller [sic] is head guy in Defence, appointed, and Martin backed his comments today.

We should all be wearing black armbands.

Maybe the terrorists don't want peace.

But in honour of General Hillier, I've collected a number of other politically incorrect quotes on the subject of the military and warfare. Enjoy.

Is something up on the topic of judicial appointments?

Over the course of the day I've noted several hits from cbc.ca to posts of mine dealing with judicial appointments. Some came from Google searches, suggesting someone is doing some research.

If you recall, during the Gomery Inquiry, it was alleged that judicial appointments were handed out to lawyers who were particularly helpful to the Liberal Party. I did some analysis, later used without attribution by the main stream media, that showed that over 60% of Quebec judges appointed over the last 10 years had made significant contributions to the Liberal Party. The remaining 40% were essentially apolitical, inasmuch as party donations were concerned. Virtually no donations went to other political parties. Of course, of that 40%, many might have donated time to the Liberal Party instead of money -- that is not reported or tracked.

A similar pattern appeared in Ontario.

So why the interest today? Is something about to break? Or is someone at the CBC just following an old thread for his own personal edification?

I'll keep an eye out.

By the way, here are some links (if that CBC person comes back, he or she can follow these, LOL):
Has the first judge been fingered?
Number crunching the judges
Liberal Militancy and Judicial Appointments
Does an Alberta bench appointment cost $30,000?
Did the judge know? I call for the Oxner Commission
Kakistocratic Canada
Fishing for information on "good" Liberal lawyers
Canadian blogging credited in the House of Commons
Number crunching the judges -- Ontario
Political appointment of judges
BEEP-BEEP-BEEP -- Watch out, that's Cotler backing up

Irwin Cotler pleads for "reasonable accommodation"

Poetic justice...

From Women Priests to the United Nations as supreme arbiter of morality

An odd journey for me through the labrythine world of moral relativism.

"King of Bombs" by Sheldon Filger

I haven't read "King of Bombs", but the premise is chilling:

It is the ultimate nightmare scenario for intelligence agencies engaged in the war on terrorism: an alliance, based on shared enemies, between Iran, North Korea and the Al-Qaeda terrorist movement. The objective: provide Al-Qaeda with weapons of mass destruction, using Canada as a staging ground, so it can launch a devastating nuclear attack on the United States. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service, better known as CSIS, is in a race against time to prevent a terrorist event which, if it occurs, will prove apocalyptic for much of North America. This frightening prospect is explored in explicit detail in the novel, "King of Bombs," just published.

I suppose I could joke about what's more chilling: that terrorists could use Canada as staging ground for a nuclear attack on the United States, or the CSIS is charged with saving the day.

The author is Winnipeg-born Sheldon Filger, who was living in New York City on 9/11. Comments are welcome from people who have opinions about the premise, or who have read the novel and have any thoughts they want to share.

So only ugly people go to prison?

This is an argument sure not to go over well with a jury, twelve probably average looking people:

A teacher [Debra Lafave] will claim she was insane due to emotional stress and did not know right from wrong when she had sex numerous times with a 14-year-old student, her lawyer said Monday.

[Defence attorney John] Fitzgibbons said plea bargaining broke down because prosecutors wanted Ms. Lafave to serve too much prison time, though he did not give details.

“To place an attractive young woman in that kind of hell hole is like putting a piece of raw meat in with the lions,” said Mr. Fitzgibbons.

Too pretty for prison?

Of course, it could be said that the 14-year-old victim was too handsome to be thrown into Debra Lafave's class. Who was the predator then?

Sympathy factor: 0

Ebonics: The plan doomed to fail

With a hat tip to Michelle Malkin, this bit of silliness from California:

Incorporating Ebonics into a new school policy that targets black students, the lowest-achieving group in the San Bernardino City Unified School District, may provide students a more well-rounded curriculum, said a local sociologist....

...Ratibu Jacocks, a member of the Westside Action Group, a coalition of black activists, said they are working with the district to ensure the policy is implemented appropriately.

The argument is that by teaching them their own "language", they'll succeed (that is, presumably stop being the "lowest-achieving group", that position to be taken over by the next ethnic group not having their culture celebrated enough, like those academically underperforming Korean-Americans).

I see two problems with this plan.

First, don't these black kids already know Ebonics? I mean if they don't speak Ebonics, they are presumably speaking English, so what's the problem? And if they do speak Ebonics, they don't need lessons, right?

And secondly, won't this only work if they teach Ebonics to me and you and everyone else who might have to hire these kids? Right now, I'm hiring English-speakers only, because, you know, I speak English.

Adoptees as tokens for gay affirmative action

And you thought same-sex marriage was divisive?

Congratulations to Dr. Dawg

My blog has had the benefit of having been read by Dr. Dawg, and his comments to my posts are always appreciated. Though Dr. Dawg is of a different political persuasion than myself, I was pleased to see he was recognized by his peers and named "blog of the week" at rabble.ca:

Dawg's blog

My interest in blogging came out of the blue. Well, not entirely. I came across so much right-wing nonsense that I thought I could add some left-wing ... wisdom. I have a good sense of humour and a short fuse.

Though I personally would not pursue the label of "blog of the week" from the rabble folks, nor do I think they'd ever give it to me, having been called "Insane in the Great White North" and "Demented in the Great White North" by rabble readers**, that does not mean I think it any less an accomplishment for Dr. Dawg, and I'm happy to congratulate him for the recognition he has earned.

** Hey, that means I must be known to these people. There ain't no such thing as bad publicity.

Harry Potter: Magic and ignorance

With the release of the next in the Harry Potter series, I thought I'd take a break from politics and media for a bit of philosophizing about magic and knowledge and faith, and the interplay between those concepts, as I see it.

A warning about taking bloggers too seriously

This American columnist thinks the Democratic Party is trying too hard to please left-wing bloggers. I think he's right.

Doonesbury doesn't get bloggers

More insults from old-school press.

Finally, a voice of reason at rabble.ca

It took over twelve hours:

Isn't it a tad bit hateful to suggest that terrorists should attack this cruise and kill its participants? Or that it should hit an iceberg and sink?

Perhaps the site admin should review some of these posts?

Regards,
/Johan

Johan is a "recent-rabble-rouser", which might explain his reticence. I'd say that hoping that the Western Standard Cruise be attacked by murderous terrorists or sink with virtually all hands is more than a "tad" hateful.

All this time, and just one meek voice of challenge to the hate that swirls around these "progressive" thinkers.

One wonders if his meekness comes from being a new member of rabble.ca and thus unsure of what reaction he'll get, or if it comes from the fact that he has not had the time to absorb the moonbat rays that twist the mind of an otherwise reasonable liberal into a foaming-at-the-mouth we-hate-anybody-not-like-us you-all-deserve-to-die progressive.

New to this story? Not sure what I'm talking about? It's all right here.

Update: The jokes keep coming:

I see also that the first item on the schedule is "Lifeboat drill (mandatory)". In keeping with the neo-con theme of the cruise, the safety procedures will consist of "EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF!!!", with lifeboats available for the most aggressive. Weaker passengers will be pitched in favour of the strongest, and their friends.

Odd, I thought it was the liberals and progressives who argue passionately in favour of the utilitarian evaluation of the value of life, and conservatives who waste time with non-secular faith-based arguments saying that all life was worth protecting and defending.

Update: Well, the feeding frenzy has begun, as various rabblers have descended upon Johan and fellow rabbler Sitsonsix, both of whom had the temerity to suggest that this thread had crossed a line, and that it reflected poorly on progressives. Look for all sorts jokes involving homosexual activity -- I particularly enjoy how progressives, on the front line of gay rights, accuse each other and others of being gay when they get mad.

Good news from London!

Last week, I posted a plea from a reader in Australia trying to help her mother get in contact with a cousin in London:

My mother is trying to find her cousin Dennis Smale. He works in the law courts not far from the bombings. We know that he takes the bus/train as he hates to drive in london. If you have any news please email me in Australia. Thanking you for your time.

I posted the phone numbers for British and Australian authorities and organizations who were helping with connecting loved ones, and also forwarded her email to a Canadian blogger living in London, hoping he might have the time to do some checking on his own.

He found a phone number and forwarded it back to Australia. Today, I received this email:

Hi

I am writing to thank you for all your help in finding my mothers cousin Dennis Smale.

I am writing to let you know that he is alive and well and was not near the sites on the day of the attacks.

Thank you all again it was greatly appreciated to know that someone so far away was trying to help us find our relatives

Regards
Michelle & Sylvia

I'm going to be smiling all day.

Hoping we all die a miserable death [updated]

A new depth of depravity from the rabble.ca crowd. The Western Standard Cruise is an event which will bring together like-minded conservatives in Canada for a week of fun and an opportunity to share ideas.

If I had the money, I'd be on that boat in a heartbeat (hint: hit my tip jar!)

But for the rabble folks, it's an excuse to show their true colours:

I must be evil because, upon reading that, the very first thing that popped into my head was: Achille Lauro (Tape_342)

I thought "Titanic" myself. (Doug)

Newsflash: you don't have enough class to be evil.

Tape_342 belittles the memory of Leon Klinghoffer, the wheelchair-bound man murdered for the crime of being of Jewish when the Achille Lauro was hijacked by freedom fighters minutemen insurgents Muslim terrorists, and whose body was thrown into the sea. But the rabble crowd does no better, as none of them have stood up to challenge what this person had said, to tell him that hoping a National Post columnist will be shot in the back of the head makes him unwelcome in their midst.

And to wish an entire shipload of fellow Canadians, regardless of their political stripe, the same watery fate as the 1,500 souls who perished when RMS Titanic went down is beyond the pale. The level of political discourse in this country continues to astound me with the depths to which it falls.

Hey, would this constitute a hate crime? Promoting violence against a recognizable group?

Update: I've been told I'm taking this too literally. It was meant metaphorically. Fine, someone explain the symbolism to me:

In the afternoon of October 8, 1985 as 69 year-old disabled Leon Klinghoffer sat in his wheelchair aboard the Achille Lauro cruise ship, four Palestinian terrorists shot then threw him overboard while his wife watched in horror. Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer, American Jews, had been celebrating their wedding anniversary by taking this cruise.

Four months after Leon Klinghoffer's murder, Marilyn Klinghoffer died of colon cancer.

Though the American F-14s forced the plane carrying the hostages down in Sicily, Italian authorities allowed the leader of the group, Mohammed Abbas, to escape to Yugoslavia. He never served time for his crime, and ultimately ended up in Iraq helping Saddam Hussein funnel money to Palestinian suicide bombers. He was captured by American forces in a raid in April of 2003, but later died in custody.

Metaphors, metaphors. Still looking for the metaphors.

Update #2: It was over twelve hours, but finally someone at rabble.ca has posted a meek challenge to the hope the others have voiced that conservatives die horribly in large numbers.

Update #3: Another example of moonbat depravity being presented as a political statement.

Adjusting American foreign policy

Doesn't seem like much adjustment is needed...

Irwin Cotler: The Liberal Party still giving out rewards

With a hat tip to ProudCanadian.ca, this from Essex CPC MP Jeff Watson, who describes the scene of Liberal MPs shaking Chuck Cadman's hand after the budget vote, an MP none had ever bothered to know prior to that night:

Most telling of all was our nation’s Justice Minister [Irwin Cotler] who confessed, at his turn in line to shake Chuck’s hand, that he didn’t know Chuck came to Parliament to honour the killing of his son by pursuing rights for victims of crimes and tougher sentencing of criminals. Mr. Cotler promised to move on this issue dispensing a great favour for a favourable vote – as if Chuck could be bought.

It's a shame the Mr. Cadman passed away before he could cash in the IOU Irwin Cotler handed him. Somehow, I doubt Mr. Cadman would have used it , though. By all accounts, he had too much character.

Certainly a better man than Irwin Cotler was worthy to shake hands with.

Any bets on the likelihood that Irwin Cotler will introduce a victim's rights bill in Cadman's honour? It might happen, of course, but then what does Cotler have to gain from it?

Replaceable non-self-conscious babies

In my meanderings, I've come across the writings of Peter Singer, utilitarian philosopher. What I read was shocking...

The Pope vs Harry Potter

A simplistic meme is spreading that Pope Benedict XVI is condemning the Harry Potter books. The truth is a bit more subtle.

Debating with unreasonable children

In many of the side discussions on this blog in recent days, the issue of preventing STDs has been raised. Of course, one approach, backed by Christian traditionalists, is abstinence. In a reasoned debate, reasonable people can disagree with that approach. But not everyone in this debate is gifted with reason.

Kevin Bourassa -- Ignorant blowhard

A gay activist is on record as demanding that the Roman Catholic Church lose its tax-exempt status. He reveals an ignorance both of why religious institutions are tax-exempt, and of his own limitations in effecting real change.

News of the icky

See what same-sex marriage has wrought? To be fair, I can't blame C-38 or Svend Robinson for this one. But it's still icky.

And actually, now that I think about it, in days long since gone, this marriage would never have been allowed (unless it was a desperately required political thing and that family had no younger females available) simply because they couldn't have had kids. As a society, we don't apply that rule anymore, and maybe that's part of why we're where we are today. Saddled with freakshow marriages, and being forced to smile and say things like "Oh, love conquers all" while trying to suppress that perfectly normal but politically incorrect "Ewwww" reaction,

Freakshow? Who am I to judge, right? Hey, I didn't decide it was odd enough to be newsworthy. Take your complaints up with the editor.

(Hat tip to NealeNews)

Alberta -- the next battleground?

Alberta to recognize same sex marriage...but with reservations.

The difference between "forcing" and "talking"

People have forgotten what it means to debate. Debate is the antithesis of force. When you force someone to adhere to your views, you don't even bother explaining your views. You go in with the threat of violence and compel people to act in a way consistent with your views, suppressing speech and acts that you don't like. A public letter has no force behind it. Yet there are those who respond to letters with the threat of harsh force, and yet call themselves enlightened and progressive.

A compromise on same-sex marriage was never a possibility

In the discussion thread for this post on forcing schools to incorporate mandatory classes on queer issues, one reader commented that he thought a compromise on same-sex marriage (using a different term for homosexual unions) would have been acceptable. He is a homosexual, so his opinion is notable. Unfortunately, in the homosexual community, and certainly at the level of political activists, he would have been in the minority.

Probably a minority of one.

Thinking about it, there was never a chance for a compromise, nor will there be one in the future on other issues.

London Bombings: So they were soldiers after all?

As reports flow in that the London Bombings were perpetrated by suicide bombers, and that a network is being rolled up, I am wondering whether or not this is truly a criminal case. Fortunately an editor of a Arab-language daily in London has cleared the issue up quite nicely.

The Marginalization of Parents in Education

Queer issues being taught in school -- the drive to make it mandatory.

Catholic Carnival #38 is up

The 38th Catholic Carnival is up. I haven't tracked the carnival in the past, though I have read some posts. But in this week's carnival, my "Choices have consequences" piece has been deemed worthy for inclusion, and for that I am humbly grateful.

More fallout from the Comartin affair

The Roman Catholic Church's acts of discipline against wayward members continues to generate fallout.

I expected better from an Albertan

In considering whether Canada is going to be a target of Osama bin Laden's terrorists, "Jingles" at rabble.ca had this to say:

We aren't [a target], because there is no such thing. I'm pretty worried about being attacked by that goddamn Loch Ness Monster. Or Bigfoot.

If a bomb goes off in Canada, it will be done by intelligence agencies. It is the oldest trick in the book, yet people are still simple enough to believe tales of indestructable Supermen who hate us "just 'cause they can". Most thinking people with functional bullshit detectors can see through that garbage. I think Canadians in general have a better sense for that than Americans, so if anything did happen, we wouldn't see the lurching stupidity and heard [sic] mentality we see down there.

I checked the profile for this person, and his postal code puts him in Edmonton, at Jasper Ave and 124 Street.

There aren't any terrorists? It's all the work of Western intelligence agencies? I thought Albertans had more sense than that.

What Catholics must (and may not) agree on

With the news of two NDP members of parliament being disciplined by the Roman Catholic Church for their support of same-sex marriage (see here and here), some people have expressed confusion on why these Catholic politicians are taking heat for same-sex marriage, while others seem to be getting away scott-free despite their support of the Iraq War.

There is a reason, and it's not all that hard to understand.

"We will judge you"

If enlightened progressives ran the world, just what kind of paradise would we enjoy? It might very nice, for all I know, but then I would almost certainly run afoul of the authorities within minutes of opening my mouth.

Any help will be appreciated

From a reader:

My mother is trying to find her cousin Dennis Smale. He works in the law courts not far from the bombings. We know that he takes the bus/train as he hates to drive in london. If you have any news please email me in Australia. Thanking you for your time.

The United Church (US) is for MPs Angus and Comartin

NDP MPs Charles Angus and Joe Comartin have been given an ecclesiastical bum's rush out of the Catholic Church because of their vocal support of bill C-38.

They've expressed a lot of grief that the Church won't incorporate, or at least tolerate, their beliefs. They should seriously consider joining the United Church in the United States, where the first commandment is "Thou shalt not pass judgment or otherwise make someone feel icky":

A venerable Protestant denomination [the 1.3 million-member United Church of Christ] - at the behest of some of its conservative members - is preparing to vote next month on a measure declaring that Jesus Christ is the Lord, and making it mandatory for clergy to accept his divinity.

"Religiously speaking, it sounds like apple pie," said the Rev. Raymond Kostulias of the First Congregational Church of Park Ridge. "But there is a judgmental quality to it that implies very strongly that those who do not agree with us are condemned or damned or hopeless - and that's exactly the thing that UCC is against."

Now the divinity of Christ may not be a sticking point for Angus and Comartin, but they may appreciate this fact of the United Church:

"If you join the UCC, you are not given a list of things and asked, 'Do you believe in this?' " said the Rev. Sherry Taylor, who represents the New Jersey churches in the denomination's central Atlantic conference. "There are no tests of faith."

No tests? Nonsense! There has to be some minimum standards. It is a religion, after all!

"The whole point of this is that many of these people have a very fuzzy idea of faith in God," said the Rev. Albert W. Kovacs of the Hungarian Reformed Church. "We have significant numbers of clergy who don't believe in God."

OK, I was wrong.

[Note that this does not seem be an issue in the United Church of Canada:

As members of one body of Christ, we acknowledge our Reformation heritage and the teaching of the creeds of the ancient church (particularly the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds). Our membership in the World Council of Churches today links us to a fellowship of churches "which confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the Scriptures". Above all, we trace our continuity in faith to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, whose witness is the ultimate standard for Christian faith and life.

The Nicene Creed is very clear on the divinity of Christ. Question: How rigorously does the UCC enforce this "acknowledgment" throughout the local parishes? Note also that the American branch makes a similar statement:

The United Church of Christ embraces a theological heritage that affirms the Bible as the authoritative witness to the Word of God, the creeds of the ecumenical councils, and the confessions of the Reformation.

The Nicene Creed is listed as one of the "embraced" creeds. Embrace doesn't mean believe, apparently. The Canadian church "acknowledges" the Nicene Creed. "Acknowledging" seems even less than "embracing" to me.]

Christopher Hitchens -- A lot funnier than Jon Stewart

Jon Stewart is smarmy, and depends too much on silly faces (usually the "confused" face he puts on when they run a clip of some politicians speech entirely out of context) to get a cheap laugh.

You want real funny? Real funny comes from the brain, way up there, and not from dumb faces. The brainier the guy, the more potential for spit-out-your-drink funny. It's no wonder the British members of Monty Python were medical and law graduates from Cambridge.

Another funny guy is Christopher Hitchens. Read this post at Wonkitties and then join me in wishing for an eighth of his wit.

Is the Church working to a plan?

A second MP has been punished by the Catholic Church. Is there a plan here?

Terrorism -- the very small threat

What would you call a man who characterized terrorism as "a very small threat"?

Alternative Theories of the London Bombings

From all over, different theories of who was behind the bombings, each stranger than the last.

Hold that burger

That celebratory burger I was going to have is going to have to wait:

British Columbia Supreme Court Judge Kristi Gill ruled that there was enough evidence against [suspected eco-terrorist Tre Arrow] to have him extradited to face federal charges. His lawyer said he would appeal, a process that could take months.

The former U.S. Green Party candidate for Congress in 2000 -- who says the trees told him to change his name -- last week told the court that he was innocent of the charges and a target of a government conspiracy.

The trees told him to change his name to "Tre Arrow"? Come on, buddy, don't you know when some tree is playing a joke on you?

I bet there's an aspen and a maple somewhere just yucking it up.

"I can't believe he fell for it," the aspen will say, "He actually changed his name to 'Tre Arrow'!"

"Oh man, if only we had known he was such a rube," responds the maple, sap running down its bark from laughing so hard, "we could have told him to change his name to 'I. P. Freeley'!"

A quick Tre Arrow blogosphere roundup:
Daniel's Political Musings
Dust My Broom
Brainster
Cloud of Idiot Gas
Discard Lies
Greenie Watch
Eabha the Kiwi

And finally, Tre Arrow's website. Needless to say, he mentions nothing of blowing stuff up.

For all those who think we should get out of Afghanistan...

If we did, scenes like this would not be occuring:

Eighteen of Gulbiddin Hekmatyar’s Hezb-e Islami commanders turned themselves over to government officials in the Paktia Province June 12.

The loyalty statement to the Afghan government includes an agreement not to possess heavy weapons or take up arms against the Afghan government or Coalition forces. The commanders received new reconciliation identification cards and were embraced by Taniwal who welcomed them back to Afghan society.

Read the whole piece at Captain's Quarters.

The attacks in London have already been met with calls to abandon Afghanistan and Iraq. Not only would that be giving the terrorists what they want, which is never a good idea, since that just encourages terrorism, but it would put an end to the great strides that are taking place in rebuilding civil societies that have seen only war.

Those advances continue to be bought at a terrible price, as yesterday reminds us. But the cost of listening to those who would have us quit these places is far worse, for us and for the people of these far off places.

Strange how people who claim to care so much for the "victims of Imperial aggression" are those so eagre to abandon them to violence and terror.

A Canadian blogging from London

Alan Adamson is a Canadian blogging from London. He and his wife are fine, thank God. Go and take a look for some personal observations, including some comments on the local and European media coverage.

Howard Moscoe's response to the London Bombings

As the man in charge of the Toronto Transit Commission, which includes an extensive bus and subway system, Howard Moscoe was quite in demand yesterday by local media wondering how Toronto's transit system was being protected.

I did not see the press conference in question, but based on Girl on the Right's amazing letter, he seemed to think that avoiding taking a stand against terrorists and living in a city no one can find on a map was all the protection we needed.

From that we can infer that (1) Howard Moscoe believes the British are at fault for what happened to them yesterday, and (2) the city he serves is some two-bit backwater burg not worthy of notice.

How appallingly stupid.

Are Canadians drawing the right conclusion about why we haven't been attacked?

In considering why Canada is the only "Crusader" country not yet attacked (Al Qaeda listed America, Britain, Spain, Australia, Canada and Italy, in that order), the typical reason given is Iraq:

"I think it is less likely to happen here," said Stuart Farson, a political scientist at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. "I find it difficult to imagine."

Farson points out Canada did not take part in the invasion of Iraq, a conflict that has inflamed the ire of extremists.

Farson does not point out another possibility. The other reason not to draw attention to Canada is because they have important assets in Canada. This is pure speculation, but if Al Qaeda had important personnel in Canada working on a new attack on the US, the last thing they would do is stage an attack on Canadian soil.

What was it Sherlock Holmes said about the dog that didn't bark?

[Update: Do this fit the theory I'm proposing?]

Post 7/7 vs Post 9/11

What changes can we expect post 7/7? In these early hours, with much of what we know being mere speculation, whatever I say can't be all that valuable, but that does not mean it's entirely worthless, and it might give people some cause to consider the future.

In other news...

The foodist who was the subject of my post on foodism has been ordered extradited to the United States to face arson charges.

I think I'll go have me a hamburger to celebrate.

London Bombings: Canadian socialists aren't much better than British socialists [Updated]

Is Jack Layton defying the terrorists, or just ignoring them?

G8 anarchists and the London Bombings

I've been taking some heat for linking the G8 protests with the timing of the London attacks. I'm not the only one to have suggested the link, and thus casting some blame for the attack on the anarchists in Scotland. But the for those who still think I'm being an opportunist, I've added some more food for thought.

For Canadians who need information about the London attacks...

CBC Radio reporting the following CANADIAN number(s) to call for info:

613-943-1055

outside the National Capital Region:

1-800-387-3124

Foreign Affairs has set up a hotline for Canadians with strong reasons to believe their relatives might have been travelling in London transit this morning. They should have on hand the missing person's full name, date of birth and passport number before calling the toll-free hotline at 1-800-387-3124.

Linking the G8 protesters and the London bombing

From the Guardian:

Michael Clarke, director of the Centre for Defence Studies at King's College London, said six bombs would mean at least 24 people involved in planting them in a targeted operation. The fact that London had been hit when the resources of the security forces were focused on the G8 summit at Gleneagles indicated some clever thinking by terrorists.

And people have been calling me callous and partisan for musing the same thing.

British Socialists are blaming Blair; no mention of the terrorists

The British hard-core left (called "hard left Trots" by my new British friend) has issued a statement, and are looking to capitalize on Al Qaeda's attack.

Did the anarchists distract UK forces?

No one has said as much so far, but here is what Chief Constable Peter Wilson, co-ordinating the national police effort for the Gleneagles summit, had to say:

We have been very well supported throughout this week by officers from across the UK with a whole variety of skill sets.

Now, with the events as they are emerging, we are looking at our databases to see whether we can release very quickly, without in any way compromising the operation here, officers back to England and Wales.

The detail is still coming through but I would imagine that they would be around search and evidence gathering, as well as if there are any needs for cordons and public safety.

Sounds like forces were spread a bit thin after all.

London Bombings -- Huge Impact + Casualty Update

Just to give readers a sense of what the impact of these bombings have had, here is the public advice from the BBC home page:

The Metropolitan Police advise people to stay where they are.

Do not call the emergency services except in life-threatening situations.

An emergency hotline number is expected shortly.

All London hospitals are closed to non-emergency cases.

Emergency service calls are being given priority on mobile phone networks.

All London Underground trains are suspended until further notice.

All Zone 1 buses are suspended.

Drivers are advised not to come into central London.

Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted Express trains are suspended.

Thames Clippers are providing free travel on all boats.

Mainline train services are disrupted.

For those of us (including myself) who have never lived in a city during a major terrorist attack, I don't know that we appreciate how it affects everyone, not matter how big and sprawling a city is, and no matter how localized the terror attacks were.

Also, London officials are confirming 6 deaths so far.

Update: Over 40 deaths now.

Terrorism in London while all eyes were on Scotland

I'm going out on a limb here, but if any official suggests that the terrible bombings in London were made easier to carry out because the anarchist socialist anti-G8 anti-capitalism anti-globalization violence in Scotland distracted the attention of anti-terror forces in the United Kingdom, you know that, free speech or no free speech, these rock-throwing window-breaking vandalizing fools are not going to be allowed to gather and demonstrate anywhere, anytime.

Ironic words

From the Globe and Mail:

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has ordered construction speeded up on the West Bank separation barrier, giving priority to the section around Jerusalem, the head of Israel's National Security Council said Wednesday.

Three Arab neighbourhoods that are within Jerusalem's municipal boundaries recently filed suit against the route of the barrier, which puts them on the “Palestinian” side.

The petitioners accused the government of using the barrier to reduce the number of Palestinians living in the city.

Maybe they should stop and recall the Palestinian technique of reducing the number of Jews living in the city.

Liberals to move research facility from NDP riding to Liberal riding; majority of staff to quit

The Liberal government is going to move a materials research lab from Ottawa Centre, Ed Broadbent's NDP riding, to Hamilton. Liberal MP Tony Valeri, MP for the new location, is very pleased.

But the scores of highly paid scientists and researchers who have been told to move or quit are not pleased at all.

[Updates added]

An internet thief gets caught

A story about a thief, what he stole, how he got caught, and why he thinks he did nothing wrong.

Belinda Stronach to renew faith in democracy

From the National Post (hat tip to NealeNews):

Belinda Stronach, the Democratic Renewal Minister, will embark this year on a cross-Canada tour to listen to Canadians, especially young people, on voter apathy and public disengagement from politics.

The tour's goal is to listen to and engage people, especially youths, in politics, partly by creating a better understanding of how the political system works.

Why are they apathetic? Let's see.

Could it because they see Parliament infested with greedy self-serving opportunists who would ditch love and honour for raw power?

Could it because they see responsibilites being awarded to those who can serve best in the pursuit of that power, and not to those who could best execute those responsibilities?

Could it be because they are insulted when they are asked questions about how they feel about politics by individuals who could not have even the slightest idea how the average underpaid overtaxed Canadian is affected by those same politics?

I know why they are targeting youths. They know adults are more likely to be well informed, and more likely to give her a hard time. Better to have Stronach field questions from the MuchMusic generation.

I guess Bono's ego is big enough to be a country

The Prime Minister has a queer way of looking at the world. To me there are people, elected by millions by their fellow citizens, who make far-reaching policy decisions and lead the execution of those ideas.

I call them presidents and prime ministers. I think they're important.

Then there are people who sing loudly, jump around on stage, have adoring if fickle fans, and probably have lots of sex.

I call them rock stars. I think they are, by and large, irrelevant.

But Paul Martin is not as discriminating:

Paul Martin kicks off the G8 summit Wednesday by meeting three of the world's most powerful men - two politicians and a rock star.

The official said the prime minister would be holding bilateral meetings with "Germany, Japan and Bono."

Bilateral meetings with Bono? Is anyone else embarrassed down to their toes?

I've said it before -- Canadian Content rules should apply, and the Prime Minister should be spending at least equal time implementing the political and economic ideas of Martin Short.

Big Surprise -- No general election after the Gomery Report

The only surprise here is if anyone is surprised that the idea of reneging on this promise is being seriously discussed within the Liberal Party.

Choices have consequences

People who don't understand that their choices have consequences make me angry. Very angry.

[Update: It has happened to another MP. Is there a plan at work?]

[Update: The fallout continues.]

Some genuinely funny stuff from Robert McClelland

I hate to say it, but most of the time I find Robert McClelland, author of My Blahg, tiresome. He tends to be abusive, which detracts from debate. But this piece of satire, poking fun at the well known Western Standard Cruise, is really funny, and you should read it.

Here's a sample of the itinerary:

12:30pm: Joe Dillmon instructs us on the art of newspaper letter writing.
1:30pm: Bus drives down a number of random Toronto streets.
2:00pm: Mark Williams reads excerpts from the best of the Dwight Monthly Newsletter.
2:30pm: Bus arrives at the Dufferin Mall so I can run in and pay my phone bill at the Bell Centre.

And apparently Warren Kinsella will be on board:

I have just received confirmation that Warren Kinsella will be added to the star studded line-up. Wow! Warren won't actually be speaking to the passengers though and he's expressely asked that they not speak to or bother him in any way during the tour. He's just catching a ride with us from Yonge and Bloor out to the Dufferin Mall.

New Canadian blog

If you don't know who Rondi Adamson is, shame on you. She's an accomplished Canadian journalist and columnist, and she's been very mindful of blogs in Canada. She wrote a piece about Canadian blogs vs the Gomery publication ban that was printed in both the Christian Science Monitor and in USA Today. Figuring that she was the last person on the planet without a blog, she's taken the leap and has started Begin Each Day As If It Were on Purpose.

See, I told you she's a professional writer. I can't come up with clever titles like that.

To be fair, neither did Rondi -- she admits to lifting it from a greeting card, being a quote by Mary Anne Radmacher.

But unlike Ms. Radmacher, Rondi has a navel piercing! That's reason enough for me to go read her stuff.

CRTC protects Al Jazeera and the Liberals, not Canadians

Who exactly is the CRTC protecting when it censors Al Jazeera?

Not as funny as it sounds

A silly lawsuit is a hint of worse to come.

Book Review -- Stephen Harper and the Future of Canada

People should go and read this book review by Adam Daifallah (columnist and writer for the National Post, the National Review, etc, etc) of William Johnson's Stephen Harper and the Future of Canada. A great capsule bio of Stephen Harper for free, along with some excellent insights into the book and the conclusions it draws.

"I'm not a reporter, but I played one in a movie once" [updated]

If I were a reporter, I would be insulted by this. I wonder, though, how many reporters might be blinded to the insult because of their politics. In this case, I'm talking about advice given to reporters by an actor.

Let's hear it for our guys in uniform

From the Globe and Mail:

Canadian soldiers testing their fighting skills in a rare urban exercise were forced to rent commercial paintball weapons because they couldn't get proper army gear, a newly disclosed document shows.

Normally, the troops use a faux bullet that explodes into harmless powder on impact called "Simunition". The bullet will fit into the standard issue C7 assault rifle. The troops had Simunition but did not have the right protective gear. The gear is in short supply, and none was available.

So our resourceful men and women in uniform rented commercially available paintball guns and related equipment in order to carry on with the exercise. Though the troops lost on the chance to get the feel for handling a C7 in a building-clearing exercise, they were successful into completing the training and practising the group tactics required in such an environment.

Maybe it's the Dominion Day glow speaking, but I'm not going to rant about how short-changed our military is. Instead, let's cheer for these guys and they way they manage to get the job done, despite the best efforts of our budget-minded political leadership to strangle them financially.

Well, I guess that counts as a bit of rant, after all.

Iran's feelings are hurt

In world news:

Iran accused the U.S. and Israel on Sunday of a smear campaign against its president-elect and warned Europe, which is in tricky nuclear negotiations with Tehran, not to join in the mudslinging.

Smear campaign? Mudslinging?

And calling the United States the "Great Satan" is what? A Freudian slip? An oopsie?

Bill C-38 Passes -- How it was reported

Last week saw the passage in the House of Commons of bill C-38 that redefined marriage to include same-sex couples. The bill is now off to the Senate, but with the overwhelming Liberal majority in the upper chamber, the expectatuib is that the bill will pass easily and then receive Royal Assent before the end of the summer.

So with same-sex marriage all but inevitable, I thought it would be interesting to see how the vote last week was covered in the major dailies.

Happy Dominion Day!

Happy Dominion Day to one and all!

Word of the Day: "Foodist"

In reviewing the news, I came across the story of Tre Arrow, eco-terrorist, in custody in BC, awaiting a decision on an extradition request from the US.

What can be said that hasn't been said before about US deserters hiding out in this country? I was going to dismiss this one and move on, but then I noticed this:

Tre Arrow is a foodist.

Angry in the Great White North by Steve Janke is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Canada License. Based on a work at stevejanke.com.