Obfuscated Thoughtlessness Inversed

Michael Moore supports downloading SiCKO

2007-06-19T15:57:00.000-07:00

Filmmaker Michael Moore said he disapproves of copyright laws. It’s a stance, he admits “I’m sure is different than that of Harvey and Bob,” referring to the Weinsteins, whose Weinstein film company is releasing the movie nationally June 29.

“I think the music industry’s response to Napster was misguided … and for me, it’s about getting people to see the movie and that’s what I want, so they will talk about it,” Moore said. -June 18, 2007 from Brandweek

You have to see this film. I recommend the theatre on opening night June 29, but I certainly couldn't wait that long. Given Michael Moore's high profile support for you downloading it, this might be time to up and do what he says.

You'll need a BitTorrent client like Azureus or BitTorrent and then to make a quick visit to a website like ThePirateBay.org. After you download it you will need to install an MPEG4 codec.

Caution, I am not suggesting you break your local copyright laws, I'll let Michael Moore do the suggesting there. However, as you are probably aware this activity is not illegal in Canada (where I reside) as you already pay a fee when you buy storage media.

“As a moviemaker … I created a work of art that is meant to be seen on a screen that is 40 by 20 feet. It’s a big-screen experience that is to be shared in a movie theater, where people love to boo and get mad.”

Moore added that the number of theaters the movie is distributed to is determined on the opening weekend, meaning that if too many people opt to download the movie instead of seeing it at the theater, it may not see as widespread a screening.

“That said, I would never want to prosecute anybody who would download it,” he added.

Sicko is available on a number of P2P sites for free download. One site, thepiratebay.org, lists at least roughly 2,000 downloads of the flick, and the Web site p2pnet.net, which tracks torrents, or P2P downloads, writes that the movie “is already thoroughly entrenched on the p2p networks.”

Facebook now number 4 ahead of Google.com in Canada

2007-05-02T16:54:00.000-07:00

Sometime ago I noted that Facebook was now the #5 most used website in Canada in terms of Alexa's reach. Incredibly, Facebook has now moved up to #4 ahead of Google.com but still behind Google.ca.

No one would seriously ignore Google in terms of internet presence. These days no one in Canada should ignore Facebook either. If you are implementing any kind of visibility or internet strategy you must now take Facebook into account in your plan.

I have been having some good fun with Facebook Activism. It appears to be an excellent platform for building commonality around issues and lobbying government.

Some of the groups I have started are:

Oppose the 29% Pay Increase for MLAs
: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2322485417
Against Nuclear Energy: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2315031616
Miners' Memorial - Cumberland: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2303218290
NDP - Julian West for Saanich Gulf Islands: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2343496213
Oil Free Coast!: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2379666338
Support Canadian Electoral Reform - Make Every Vote Count!: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2247059467

If you aren't on Facebook you should at least know what it is.

PS: Don't forget to find me on Facebook

Which way would Bloc voters vote if there was no Bloc Quebecois?

2007-04-17T09:32:00.000-07:00

No one is saying Canada's constitutional crisis are solved or even that the Bloc Quebecois' time has come, however, my favourite polling companies recent survey in which they asked Bloc voters how they would vote if there was no Bloc is very interesting.

If the Bloc Quebecois did not exist federally and you had to choose between the federal [rotate] Liberals, Conservatives, NDP or Green Party, which federal party would you vote for?
Quebec without Bloc (N=230, Margin of Accuracy +/- 6.5%, 19 times out of 20)

Conservative Party 41% (+13)
Liberal 21% (+3)
NDP 23% (+10)
Green Party 12% (+8)
None 4% (0)

We could believe all kinds of things as a result of reading this poll including that Bloc voters aren't really hard-core federalists or that all the Bloc is, is a coalition of anti-Liberal voters. I don't think there is enough data to make any such assumption clear.

I love the accuracy of the research SES does, however, if you ask people a fictional question you get a fictional answer. It definitely is interesting to get a sense of the political unknown fantasy world of all Canadian federalists in which a separatist option didn't exist for Quebec voters.

That option does exist and it will continue to no matter how much Dion and May would like to eliminate voters options to gerrymander an outcome.

Morgan Stewart announces candidacy for Prince Edward Island Senate seat

2007-04-01T09:02:00.000-07:00

VICTORIA - In the hopes of shaming Stephen Harper's continued inaction on senatorial reform, Victoria resident Morgan Stewart has announced his intention to seek a senate seat from Prince Edward Island at the first possible electoral opportunity.

"I don't really expect to enter an election any time soon. The Senate just hasn't been reformed despite Harper's promises," said Stewart. "Stephen Harper promised an elected Senate with term limits. His bill to get term limits still isn't law let alone instituting the basic democracy of elections."

"It isn't just that I'm against people from PEI having seats in the Senate, I'm against anyone having a seat in the Senate - I'm against the Senate," said Stewart. "This is why I've decided to seek election if there ever is one. The unelected unaccountable institution of patronage should have been abolished before I was born. Instead, there are senators who have been sitting in the senate since before I was born, without ever having to face an election."

Prince Edward Island, Canada's 23rd largest island and 7th most populous, but the only one that is a province unto itself, has a population of 138,632 residents and has 8 federal representatives -- 4 seats in the House of Commons and 4 more in the Senate. Vancouver Island has a population of over 700,000 people, is Canada's 11th largest island, has the second highest population behind the Island of Montreal and has no representatives in the Senate. With a population more than 5 times that of PEI, Vancouver Island gets 6 representatives in the House of Commons. If Vancouver Islanders had the same level of representation as Prince Edward Islanders based on population they would have at least 20 Members of Parliament and 20 Senators.

"Senator Pat Carney, bless her hardened old Mulroney Conservative heart, lives 'near' Vancouver Island on Saturna Island (population 359)," continued Stewart. "From Port Hardy to Saturna Island is an equivalent travel time of driving from Toronto to Quebec City if you arrive just as the ferry to Mayne Island is leaving. If you have to wait overnight for the ferry the travel time is equivalent to driving from Toronto to Charlottetown, PEI. It isn't that Pat Carney doesn't want to represent more than just Saturna it's that the territory is so vast and it has been so long since she was elected to anything that she can't possibly do it. So, Saturna Island gets their own senator with a population of 359 people, but Vancouver Island is short more than 30 of the federal representatives it deserves."

"We have some excellent Members of Parliament from Vancouver Island, but some aren't so great," said Stewart. "How can the rest of Canada expect the 6 members of parliament to do the work of 40 PEI representatives? At the very least their riding offices should be funded for the area and population they have to serve."

The latest census makes some single Vancouver Island House of Common's ridings nearly as populous as Prince Edward Island. Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca now has a population of 120,669 and neighbouring riding Nanaimo-Cowichan now has a population of 125,149. This area in BC is represented by just 2 federal Members of Parliament. PEI has an entire provincial legislature and 8 federal representatives for an area with 55% of the population.

"My candidacy in the PEI Senatorial election may have to wait a while, as Stephen Harper doesn't seem like the kind of guy who keeps his promises. Hopefully, common sense or the House of Commons will prevail and the Senate will simply be abolished instead of a creating an elected Senate," said Stewart. "However, if the time comes for Senatorial elections in PEI, I am announcing today, that I will enter the race to be the Senator from PEI from Vancouver Island."

Stewart noted with some consternation that generally Senatorial elections, if they ever come, will likely be a provincial matter held in line with provincial elections and may require six months residency in the Province before being elected. This makes today's announcement as likely to happen as any other Stephen Harper promise.

-30-

For more information:

Call your Senator, unless you are from Vancouver Island cause you don't have one.

They can't get away from being on the record that easily

2007-03-21T10:59:00.000-07:00

Today, at 17:30 EST will be a critical vote for the federal Liberal caucus. Anti-Scab legislation that has existed with much success in British Columbia and Quebec is coming up for a vote. Bill C-257 has passed first and second reading but in a move designed to destroy the Liberal Party's left-wing credibility Dion has ordered his caucus to kill this legislation.

Dion appeared to be extremely happy that the government was going to fall, this bill would die on the order papers and that he would be able to avoid voting on this key motion. Instead, the Bloc has kept the sitting alive and Dion's Liberal caucus can't hide behind another unlikely to be fulfilled future promise to introduce a $10 minimum wage.

I hope you can take a few minutes in the next two hours to send a message to your MP and to Dion to encourage them to rethink this and support the legislation. Anti-Scab legislation saves lives, improves working conditions and is international law.

Take this action now:

Bill C-257 is now back in the House of Commons for debate on the Committee Report and a final vote at Third Reading. A strong majority of MPs supported the bill last October because they agreed that ending the practice of using replacement workers during labour disputes would provide the balance required to bring better labour relations. They also supported it because so many of their constituents asked them to. I'm asking you to support C-257 at Third Reading. The Standing Committee on Human Resources, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA) heard from many witnesses during its study of C-257 – 13 representing unions, 32 representing employers, and various technical experts. What stood out from those hearings was the many ridiculous things big business put forward to confuse and scare MPs. A good deal of the big business fear mongering about C-257 focussed on the continuation of “essential services” during labour disputes. No doubt your Ottawa office has received some letters or phone calls about this in recent weeks. Essential services are already protected by both the Canada Labour Code and other statutes that deal specifically with federal public services. Passing C-257 does nothing to diminish those protections. While it is unfortunate that the Committee's attempts to make direct reference to those protections (contained in section 87.4 of the Canada Labour Code) were ruled out of order by the Speaker, rest assured that ruling should not be taken to mean these protections are gone. Quite the contrary. In fact, the one amendment the Speaker did allow (because it has always been part of the legislation) anchors C-257 to the strict safeguards that are already in place to guarantee the essential services upon which Canadians depend are not interrupted by a labour dispute. The bottom line is that C-257 provides a much-needed balance to labour relations that take place under the Canada Labour Code. A balance that goes much further towards the protection of essential services by eliminating the threat of tactical lockouts by employers or strikes that happen because a few rogue employers refuse to bargain with their workers. Bring balance to labour relations and reduce the risk of labour disputes that put essential services at risk in the first place. Support C-257 at Third Reading.

Mac OS X for me...

2007-03-08T05:25:00.000-08:00

Ok, so it has been a while since my last blog entry. It may be quite a while longer until the next post, as I am now employed, for at least the next couple of weeks.

Other than getting a job, my last week has been very busy installing Mac OS X. Thanks to the extremely useful tips at www.osx86project.org it was a procedure but not impossible. My Dell Dimension 2400 is now running Mac OS X. My only problem with the Broadcomm 440 on-board ethernet. It worked under 10.4.1 but doesn't under 10.4.8. Instead of messing with it excessively, I've just dropped a Realtek card into a PCI slot and that works like a charm.

For your enjoyment I have tried to keep track of some of the software, I have been installing, since I bootstrapped up a clean operating system. Much of this is open source, available for Unix (can you say AIX? cause I know you can say Solaris) also as in Linux (y'know like Ubuntu and Red Hat), but don't forget BSD is/was Unix too (like OpenBSD, my favourite FreeBSD and Mac OS X). Most of this software even runs on Windows, if you have the stomach for it, I have even been doing a little messing around on Vista in the last couple of weeks. You guessed it.. it sucks.

Feel free to add your favourite applications, that you think, I should download in the comments below.

I recommend all these fine pieces of software:

Firefox with GoogleToolbar
Adblock for Firefox
OpenOffice.org Office Suite
Fink
aMSN, MSN Messenger or Adium.. I couldn't decide so I installed them all. In the end i will probably add Gaim too
FlightGear open source flight simulator
Chicken of the VNC
Azureus bit torrent client
GIMP graphics extraordinaire
VLC for watching video in spite of my new love for Totem
Alarm Clock Pro (I said I have a new job.. now I have to get up).
SWF & FLV Player - what's that you say? Full Screen Leftytube, yup, watch flash full screen
Bandwidth Usage Widget
Google Earth
Amarok - although it is still compiling, see more words about my love of Amarok here
As usual, I am heavily reliant on web based applications GMail, Docs & Spreadsheets, Google, Blogger and Google Reader.

PS: Dontcha just love that Canada:

The Copyright Board of Canada issued a decision on private copying last Friday that set new levies for fixed recordable media, such as that found in portable MP3 players, and asserted that downloading copyrighted files from peer-to-peer networks does not break Canadian copyright law as long as the copying is done for private usage. - from DRM Watch

The end of Black History Month

2007-02-28T14:47:00.000-08:00

"One was an ardent defender of segregation, the other a passionate advocate of civil rights. But for Strom Thurmond and the Rev Al Sharpton, it seems the battle began long before they were born." - from The Independent Online

Today is the last day of Black History month. This year marks the 200th anniversary of the formal abolition of slavery in the British Empire. It also happens to be as good a day as any to blog about our collective racist past. This incredible story of how Strom Thurmond's family once enslaved Al Sharpton's is a poignant reminder of that past.

"Thurmond still holds the record for the longest Senate filibuster, a 24-hour-18-minute effort on 29-30 August 1957, against a civil rights measure of the Eisenhower administration." - from The Independent Online

The story gets even more interesting when you read about Thurmond's 81-year old secret daughter.

History doesn't always come directly from the history books. Sometimes stories must be given an intriguing angle or even a touch of fiction to bring them alive. A friend of my father's has recently had a piece of historical fiction published about the most intriguing of civil war heroes, Harriet Tubman.

I found [Home, Miss Moses: A Novel in the Time of Harriet Tubman] inspiring and enriching. It's a novel, but I learned a lot from it. It's a suspense story in some ways and a history lesson too. An intriguing, complex book, it follows a vast sweep of American history that this one woman's life covered in reality. Harriet Tubman was no ordinary woman. And you get an up-close and personal glimpse of her spirit and stunning courage and fortitude in these pages. The horrific injustice of slavery as she lived it and saw it leaps off the page. You get a window onto both the remarkable cunning and the deep heart of this visionary American patriot who sacrificed everything to end this shameful episode of our history. Although it's a bit of a struggle to get used to the "patois" of her voice (a slave dialect) and there are also a lot of people and places to keep track of as you read, keeping you on your toes, it's well worth it." - from A fine work, honoring this extraordinary African American

A few more Liberals like these 14 and Canada's New Government would be like Canada's last government...

2007-02-28T02:46:00.000-08:00

The Conservative Government and its backers in the Liberal Party should be ashamed of themselves. Canada's last government brought in an abandonment of basic civil liberties with the so called anti-terror act. Thankfully, after five long years two parts of the act are being allowed to sunset.

In the end, 12 Liberal MPs didn't show up for the vote, with some excused by the party whip for other parliamentary duties.

But at least four no-shows were known to oppose killing the powers: Keith Martin (Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca), Don Bell (North Vancouver), Derek Lee (Scarborough-Rouge River) and Roy Cullen (Etobicoke North).

Only one Liberal – Tom Wappel (Scarborough Southwest) – outright defied Dion, voting with the Conservative government to renew the powers.

Wappel was a member of the Commons subcommittee that last fall supported their extension.

Another Liberal – MP Irwin Cotler, a former justice minister – showed up, but abstained from voting because he supports renewal of the powers, but only if they are accompanied by a comprehensive review and reform of the act by Parliament.

Cotler (Mount Royal) said he expected no discipline for doing so, and Dion didn't indicate what if any consequences Wappel or the no-shows would face. - from The Star

With friends like Keith Martin and Irwin Cotler who needs enemies? If Dion hopes to be Prime Minister he had better show he can discipline his caucus now. Speaking of which why is Ignatieff sitting down during the standing ovation for Dion?

"The two measures, introduced by a previous Liberal government in 2001, have never been used." - from CBC

"Prescription drugs are 16,400% more deadly than terrorists" - via Rational Reasons

Dion should get his caucus together and vote to repeal the rest of the ridiculous Anti-Terrorism Act. In the end though - both the Liberals and the Conservatives are right about one thing - each other:

Leading up to Tuesday's vote, Conservatives ... accused [Liberals] of flip-flopping on a law they'd written themselves.

Liberals have responded that governments cannot be trusted with too free a hand over people's rights, especially the current Conservative government. - from CBC

At least we still live in a multi-party democracy even if the only two parties that have ever held the federal government don't act like it.

The best of LeftyTube

2007-02-27T21:03:00.000-08:00

OTI hit 1000 unique visitors for the month of February last night. But, ultimately despite all my efforts to make this blog the better one, it is LeftyTube that gets all the hits. Maybe that's because I don't fill LeftyTube with prattle like this post. Ok, I know why it is, it's because of crooks and liars referring all that traffic.

Anyway, I have had half a dozen posts on the back-burner that haven't materialized in to full posts. Here are few in short form.

"Any truly effective senior manager and executives of a sizeable organization know they must delegate to, and trust, those managers who report to them in order to run an organization effectively. A general manager cannot double-check every activity and transaction a senior manager like Sharma undertakes." - Doug Ausman in an op-ed response in the Martlet in 2004.

I left the UVic student union before Vivek Sharma's reign of thievery. The links above tell a bit of the story about the financial disaster that the Student Union would become in the time after the three years of surplus that signified my involvement.

As the blogosphere argues our way against climate change and increased emissions I find myself extremely intrigued by the means of rhetoric employed.

I'm too lazy to do the kind of full rhetorical analysis I intended (as a post to both review basic rhetorical style and provide links for those arguing against climate change). Maybe it will happen sometime in the future.

I did note with incredible pleasure that the L'Alliance's Lights Out campaign was extremely successful in France. The campaign managed to reduce consumption of electricity by 1% during 5 minutes on February 1, 2007.

For other daily climate saving tips I recommend: CoolMove.org

The continuing unacceptable inequality between men and women will be the topic of a rant not yet written. This article in the Toronto Star highlights this on-going ridiculousness in Canadian Universities.

I have added a script to the blog margin that let's you read items I've read and intentionally shared. I'll try and keep them interesting.

Work Search continued...

2007-02-26T21:27:00.000-08:00

I posted back in November a few links in my job search. Amazingly, I'm still not employed.

I've spent the day, in the Spectrum Job Search Centre in downtown Victoria and I have found some new resources:

I will repeat the previously posted links:

Feel free, to let me know about other great job sites in the comments.

On public urination

2007-02-23T18:35:00.000-08:00

And while the tourism folks are selling sex, the city is taking aim at those who pee in public with an anti-urination education campaign.

I wonder, what kind of education, short of a PhD, could possibly convince drunken downtown bar flies to hold their water? Hard to blame the problem on women though. The late night, drunken leak against a wall in an alleyway is a uniquely male ritual, as old as beer itself. This is because, and I’m sure premier would agree with me, “all men are boars.”- Leftovers Reheated by Brennan Clarke Newsgroup

After having worked a four month stint on the Friday and Saturday night shift downtown, with my desk near the glazed window of an alcove, I can tell you with absolute certainty that urinating in public is not a male only pursuit in the downtown core.

Line-ups in night clubs are known for being much worse at the sit-down washroom than the stand-up one. This results in a requisite need to relieve, that although requires some more choice in locations to achieve privacy for the squat, does not free one set of plumbing's need for action.

This alcove near my desk acted as a full-time washroom from midnight until after 4 am. Usage was so high, that squatters seemed to get priority as a result of the slight privacy gained from the extra two walls. The only time business seemed to slow was when the alcove became shelter and was occupied with a different activity that required either a needle, sleeping bag or a rock and a lighter. Through the glazed glass, I was not privy to much detail (although way too much for comfort) but I could certainly make out the difference between a squat and a stand.

There is a simple solution to this problem. Most of the people urinating do so because of lack of access to appropriate facilities. For hundreds of years we have known that public health is linked to public sanitation. Not only should their be public washrooms accessible and available in the downtown core, but also downtown business should be required to make clean washrooms in a number appropriate to their customer base, available to their patrons, at all hours that they are open.

PS: This post made it in as a Letter to the Editor in the Victoria News.

Tell the leaders how to act on climate change

2007-02-22T19:55:00.000-08:00

"The previous Liberal government ratified the Kyoto Protocol knowing Canada wasn't ready to take the tough measures needed to address climate change and would likely miss the deadlines for reducing emissions, says a top adviser to former prime minister Jean Chrétien." - from Cullen on Climate Change

Tell our political leaders to stop the rhetoric, take action, and do something real for the environment. It will take you 20 seconds. - from David Suzuki Foundation e-mail

To: Stéphane Dion (Liberal Party), Gilles Duceppe (Bloc Québécois), Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Conservative Party of Canada), Jack Layton (New Democratic Party) From: Morgan If I were Prime Minister... I would condemn my predecessors incessantly for their crimes against humanity for failing to act to avert the environmental crisis that is overcoming our world. Hey Stephen & Stéphane its time for action! Get your butts in gear and stop holding up effective solutions in committee.

After you send a note; sign this petition.

Public Inquiry and the resignation of a Police Chief

2007-02-22T18:21:00.000-08:00

Firlotte said the Vancouver Police Department didn't want to find the truth.

"I've never been interviewed by the VPD," he told CBC News on Monday. "How can you have somebody die who was in the custody of the VPD … and I'm one of the principals, and I've never been interviewed?

"I think they did what they felt they had to do to protect the department's reputation."

The surprise timing of the retirement announcement of Jamie Graham, Vancouver Police Chief and the nearly simultaneous reversal of the wrong-headed decision by the provincial government to overrule the Police Complaints Commissioners intent to investigate the death of Frank Paul gives the appearance that these two events are linked.

An internal police review concluded that a police van driver dumped Paul, 47, in the alley. The van driver was suspended for a day.

The fact that this investigation was so severely botched in the first place is nearly as much of a scandal as the horrific decision to allow Mr. Paul to die from exposure in an alleyway in the first place. In our racist country it is of substantial significance to have the opportunity to examine this heartless police conduct and cover-up.

This decision by the provincial government and response by Jamie Graham, opens the door for other investigations and resignations. There have been many deaths in custody in this province that need further examination, including a complete review of the circumstances that lead to Anthany Dawson's death in Victoria Police custody.

More on this story:

"In my view, the issues in the Paul case are so serious that an inquiry is necessary in the public interest ... and best suited to arrive at the truth and make recommendations for future conduct," Ryneveld said in a summary of the Paul case in his annual report. But then-Solicitor General Rich Coleman refused to oblige, saying that he had yet to be convinced that it would be in the public interest.

Stand up, all victims of oppression
for the tyrants fear your might
Don't cling so hard to your possessions
For you have nothing, if you have no rights
Let racist ignorance be ended
For respect makes the empires fall
Freedom is merely privilege extended
Unless enjoyed by one and all
- from Billy Bragg's version of The Internationale

Mooning the Prime Minister

2007-02-22T15:17:00.000-08:00

"Conscription: involuntary labor, especially military service, demanded by some established authority."

A new low in decency has been achieved by our Prime Minister. Unlike the rest of the blogosphere, I'm not talking about the mildly annoying linking in the house of the terrorist Air India bombing (Canada's own per-capita equivalent of the World Trade Centre attack) and the federal Liberals. In this rant, I am complaining about something that will likely see Stephane Dion and 100% of his caucus vote below the belt with Harper.

What am I talking about? Conscription.

I understand that we are at war, but, like the goalie who mooned the refs in this hockey game, "I['ve] had my fill." The war must end, but, it isn't like the conscription I'm complaining about only happens at wartime in this country.

The conscription that has me mooning mad, is the ubiquitously named back-to-work legislation proposed by the federal government to conscript striking UTU workers back to work at CN Rail.

Shame on you Harper and Dion. If you want workers to work, pay them and negotiate in good faith. Clearly, no company will negotiate in good faith if they know they can have a contract imposed. Don't overrule the labour board that sees no basis to force workers back.

The one upside to this story is it appears that Canada's border guards are using their powers positively, by preventing scabs from illegally crossing the border.

Asleep in the doorway.. outside the emergency shelter..

2007-02-22T04:41:00.000-08:00

It wasn't guilt or astonishment I felt, as I biked home after the bar, past the Emergency Shelter.

Shame? Angst? Fear? These don't quite describe the feeling either. Just a flicker in my gut as I saw the half dozen folks within a block, in sleeping bags outside and under doorways. It isn't a lack of compassion just a numbness from seeing it every day in downtown Victoria. Two of these people were camped in separate doorways of the shelter itself.

It wasn't until after I stopped at the Canadian branded Wendy's, ate a rainbow glazed donut and after I cycled past the hockey rink at CFB Esquimalt and saw all the activity (keep reading) that my pilot light of feeling grew to an all out flame I recognized.

The feeling by then was unmistakable. It was anger. I was downright mad. I took it easy then, road slowly up the railway tracks (for those of you not from the island, don't worry, even in my semi-sober state it would be hard to get hit by a train that only runs because the Canadian constitution says it must and even then it only comes by once in each direction per day during the busy season). I'd never been up this section of the tracks. I really haven't spent that much time in my parent's home in View Royal, where I moved back to, two days after quitting my Aussie job and leaving that country for what I thought would be a short period of unemployment and eating the parental cooking. Maybe that's what people think when they move on to the street in the first place. "I won't be here long." I am very lucky I have my parents to stay with.

You see, I live in a city where the regular shelter is so full we built an Emergency Shelter 10 years ago down the block. This shelter has been so full since before it even opened, that when I worked on databases around the place, 8 years ago, one of the most important projects was on how to individually identify the homeless in a way that determined who was staying in the emergency shelter beyond the maximum 3 nights per month.

My friend who is doing a social work practicum at a day drop-in centre writes that there have been six deaths amongst the street community since he started in early-January. That's about a death a week.

I started Jack Layton's book Homelessness last weekend. I read half of it in a single night, but then I didn't pick it up again. I just haven't finished it and it is this inaction that makes me the most angry. It isn't that I haven't tried to help. I lived on the lawn of the legislature in a camp of the homeless, dubbed Camp Campbell, for nearly a month in February 2002. But, like the camp's name sake and his latest budget yesterday, I am too much talk and not enough action:

"Rather than making a long-term investment in housing for the homeless, this government’s solution is to create more shelter beds – temporary beds that do not provide the homeless with a place to call their own."

In front of me on the screen are postings for jobs working at the Cool Aid shelter. I'm not working and I haven't been for a couple of months. Its been a peaceful and healthy time in my life. I've had time for much reflection and stoking of the burning fire in my belly (and the creation of this blog). I don't know why I haven't applied yet, I've known about these postings for almost as long as I've been unemployed. It isn't like I'm collecting some kind of benefits -- just temporarily retired on credit.

That anger though, it kept growing. The burning in my belly is unbearable as I write this. The knowledge that it takes more money to house people in substandard emergency shelters than a real home. That the federal government is giving you the chance to rate your top five budget priorities:

a) Debt
b) Spending
c) Personal Tax
d) Corporate Tax
e) Other

Ok, so that wasn't the order I chose, but did it matter? I realized when I filled it out it probably didn't. What I meant by spending was more. When Flaherty reads the statistical summary of my submission he isn't going to be motivated to raise taxes and spend more. When I put Corporate tax anywhere in the list he is going to take that as a vote to cut them, despite my comments.

While the military is buying laser guided killing devices for $40 million and 80 new tanks the social deficit in this country is growing crazily. As I cycled by CFB Esquimalt up the tracks, bumpy bump, the military port was running full steam ahead. It was past three am and there were lights, dry-docked ships, workers and a helicopter. This is where our federal taxes our going and I'm pissed about it.

We need more than just emergency shelters, we need the kind of thinking that realizes that money spent killing people in Afghanistan doesn't make it safer for the people dieing on the streets of Victoria.

A day in the life of the federal NDP Caucus

2007-02-20T01:16:00.000-08:00

The NDP is being incredibly effective in the balance of power position. Movement is happening on NDP priorities without capitulation.

This all happened today:

Layton's announcement yesterday that there is a "Prosperity gap continue[ing] to grow for new Canadians" and that the NDP has a plan to help, saw headlines across the country, today. Montreal Gazette, The Star, Toronto Sun, The Globe and Mail, CTV and many more headlines headlines abounded.

It met with some incomprehensible, yet hilarious criticism from the likes of these guys. That's right weirdos, Layton wants to help immigrants use their skills ipso facto he is having an affair, has a love child and ... ... ... you guessed it: Thai food in Alberta. Everyone else seemed to like the ideas presented including these conservatives who claim it coincides nicely with the Ontario Conservatives plan.. whatever..

Then Catherine Bell, had the opportunity to introduce and speak to the importance of Bill M-262. Correspondingly, you have the opportunity to sign a petition supporting this excellent motion for electoral reform in Canada. Back in 2005 Ed Broadbent pushed a motion through that was adopted unanimously calling for electoral reform. Today's motion picks up where that motion left off. It's necessary because the other parties aren't moving on this critical priority at all.

A motion calling for a $10 minimum federal wage was also moved in the house today by the NDP:

Today one in six Canadians live in poverty and nearly 1.2 million of these are children. Many adults living in poverty work for rock-bottom wages. One quarter of poor families now have someone working full time and two million families are unable to find shelter they can afford. The federal minimum wage was abolished by the Liberal government in 1996.

And finally, as South of the border, folks come up with a surefire way to get argue for troops to come home from Iraq. North of the border superstar MP, Dawn Black, uncovers military plans that have not been approved by parliament despite what O'Connor's department says. Check out this magic exchange from Question Period:

Ms. Dawn Black (New Westminster—Coquitlam, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, the government needs to come clean on this. Will the Royal Canadian Regiment be returned in February 2010? Will the PPCLI be returning in August 2009 for their third or fourth rotation? And will the Van Doos return for their third rotation in August 2010 as General Hillier's planning documents indicate? It is hard to see where civilian oversight is taking place at DND. How can the military plan rotations that Parliament has not approved?

Hon. Gordon O'Connor (Minister of National Defence, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, the government has said that we are committed to the end of February 2009. No further decision has been made. The government, when it finds it appropriate, will make the decision on what happens if and when the events occur after 2009.

Has the NDP uncovered the military reporting to someone other than the executive? Maybe it is like that time, the RCMP deported Arar to be tortured in Syria because they gave information to US Authorities but not their own political leadership. Nope, no convenient fall guy (can you spell Z-a-c-c-a-r-d-e-l-l-i) will be available this time (H-i-l-l-i-e-r), Dawn Black received these documents through a Freedom of Information request.

Here's the entire exchange:

Ms. Dawn Black (New Westminster—Coquitlam, NDP) :
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence has refused the NDP request to set a time for debate and a vote on whether or not to extend the mission in Afghanistan beyond 2009. Documents I have obtained through access to information show that the Chief of the Defence Staff is already way ahead of the government. The CDS has detailed plans going until 2011 for deployments.

Will the minister tell the members of the Canadian Forces and their families what General Hillier has planned for them?

* * *

Hon. Gordon O'Connor (Minister of National Defence, CPC) :
Mr. Speaker, I have answered this question a number of times. The member is confusing the military internal plan which is based upon the Afghanistan compact and government direction. If she reads the plan in detail, she will notice that the military acknowledge that they are committed to the end of February 2009, however, they plan beyond those dates because the Afghan compact goes until 2011.

* * *

Ms. Dawn Black (New Westminster—Coquitlam, NDP) :
Mr. Speaker, the government needs to come clean on this. Will the Royal Canadian Regiment be returned in February 2010? Will the PPCLI be returning in August 2009 for their third or fourth rotation? And will the Van Doos return for their third rotation in August 2010 as General Hillier's planning documents indicate?

It is hard to see where civilian oversight is taking place at DND. How can the military plan rotations that Parliament has not approved?

* * *

Hon. Gordon O'Connor (Minister of National Defence, CPC) :
Mr. Speaker, the government has said that we are committed to the end of February 2009. No further decision has been made. The government, when it finds it appropriate, will make the decision on what happens if and when the events occur after 2009.

That's what a hit parade feels like when you are face down

2007-02-19T15:46:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Crooks and Liars my other useful blog - Leftytube - got hit with a massive round of hits this morning.

Although LeftyTube isn't hosted on my home server like Obfuscated Thoughtlessness Inversed it still created a chain that overwhelmed my D-link router causing it to reset and come back up with the OTI server DHCPed to the wrong IP address. The result was OTI was down this morning for a few hours, third time in a week because of the same router. I guess I should fix that already.

On a positive note, the hits are up and the grail of 1,000 unique visitors is within reach this month.

This is in part because of OTI being added to Progressive Bloggers, Vast Left Wing Conspiracy, Sense of Irony, Tall Poppy Syndrome, Dipper Chick and as always Blogging Dippers Everywhere, Brine Bubble's blatant promotion and my favourite ping tool Ping-o-matic. Thanks!

Special thanks goes out to Blue Gal who arranged the anti-creationism hit parade in the first place.

Comparing Canadian political parties' online presence

2007-02-19T00:11:00.000-08:00

	Alexa.com Canadian Rank	Alexa.com World Rank	Google Pagerank	Technorati
Conservatives NDP Liberals Greens	1:6,371 2:6,470 3:11,108 4:11,154	3:230,398 2:192,757 1:166,558 4:435,101	2:6 1:7 2:6 1:7	3:9,072 2:8,501 1:7,528 N/A

I bet you didn't guess those ranking.

Before I looked it up, I certainly didn't expect the Liberals to be behind in several significant ways except blog links. The Liberals are even behind the Greens in a couple of measures. The methodology might not be perfect but it is a very interesting look at what is going on on the web for the main party sites.

What does all that mean?

It means that the Liberal Party's blogging strategy is working best, yet, they just aren't reaching internet users in Canada. Despite this blogging strategy the Conservatives have the most reach right now. The NDP is consistently doing well across the board with a great deal of interest being shown on the web in what the NDP is up to.

A part of the NDP strength may come from the fact that the provincial NDP sites are for the most part, sub-domains of the federal site (ie bc.ndp.ca and ns.ndp.ca). The strongest of these sub-domains ontario.ndp.ca is attributed 13% of the NDP.ca traffic by Alexa.com. However, to see NDP.ca ahead of the Liberal.ca in some ways and ahead of Conservative.ca in others, when they are 10-15 points behind in polls, is astoundingly positive. The sub-domains are not substantive enough to explain all of this reach, instead this shows the NDP has the best overall web strategy to date.

The following graph shows the last three months on Alexa. The Liberals obviously got a gigantic bump during their leadership convention, visible on the left of the graph:

Repeal all anti-terrorism laws - Don't just let a couple parts expire

2007-02-17T16:16:00.000-08:00

Prime Minister-in-waiting-Dion's attempts to remake his Liberal caucus as left-wing and ignore the 13 years of failures to act, continues. This week, parts of the useless anti-terrorism laws that the Chretien government brought in, while Dion was a minister, are up for debate. A couple of the many illegal and immoral sections of the law are set to expire on March 1, 2007.

The Dion led caucus has taken a stand, to vote to do nothing and allow the expiration of these sections, along with the NDP who opposed them in the first place and the Bloc. The problem for Dion is his party loves these laws. Several prominent members of the Chretien administration, Dion used to be part of and Bob Rae (who also happens to be co-chair of the platform committee for the next Liberal election platform) have all been critical. Apparently, so have 20 of Dion's backbench.

Now don't get me wrong, I'd be delighted if for once the Liberal party:

imploded through internal conflict over past-guilt,
went all crazy and right-wing and kept supporting the passage of the kind of laws they did in the last 13 years thereby destroying any chance of getting elected in lefty Canada, or
went all lefty and actually started arguing for the kind of change we need, like the repeal of security certificate legislation (also brought in under Chretien).

All of these are unrealistic expectations of a party almost as divided as our country itself. Instead, it will tow some bizarre and incomprehensible middle line through opposition into government where it will govern completely differently than it says it will in the next Red Book (or will it be called the Rae Book this time around).

At least some people are standing up for basic Human Rights and critically needed electoral reform.

It is hard to forget at moments like these that:

"It took 89,296 votes to elect each NDP MP — but just 43,339 votes for each Conservative, 43,490 for each Liberal, and 30,455 for each Bloc MP."

Return to Democracy Day

2007-02-14T01:06:00.000-08:00

With a speech from the throne and the crack of an enabling act, the BC Legislature is back. It only took three seasons, made up of the normal two month hiatus for winter, a four month "cancellation" because democracy makes the Liberals look bad often called autumn, and the regularly scheduled four months off for summer before that. Finally, we have a democratic legislature in session once again.

And, fancy that, it looks like Gordon Campbell has gone from being a drunk driver to a hybrid driver. No idling limousine outside for Campbell, I guess no one told the Lieutenant Governor about the contents of the speech she was about to read. She still idled her limo outside the legislature while she read it.

My favourite quote in response to the throne speech has to be:

"I'm pleased that the speech mentions climate change, but one has to wonder why the premier is suddenly embracing his Inner Eco-Warrior when his government has paid virtually no attention to this area," says CUPE BC president Barry O'Neill.

That comes from this press release. Here's another gem from the CUPE BC release and O'Neill:

"Once again, like last year, there are platitudes about 'unacceptable' homelessness, but no recognition that it's the government's own policies and cutbacks that have led to the crisis in Vancouver and other cities. They talk about 'sunshine legislation' for school district companies' business practices. Maybe they should consider 'sunshine legislation' for their own public-private partnership agenda, which is notorious for its secrecy."

Meanwhile, talk of the future of BC was the hot criticism of Campbell's hot air filled throne speech. After cutting $50 million from Child-Care the question had to be asked, why is Gordon Campbell seriously jeopardizing the future of BC by putting the lives of BC's youngest last on the priority list. Items like this from today's headlines really bring the point home: For today's family, time's not on their side [as] hectic schedules, longer work weeks contribute to less togetherness than in 80s and Canada mediocre about child welfare.

This BCGEU press release hammers the point home so many times you could have built it into a house:

"Gordon Campbell has done nothing to restore the cuts to child care let alone provide funds to improve the system," said George Heyman, BCGEU president. While the government talks about communities being caring places for children, the government says nothing about improving our child care system. They have the money to improve and expand child care. The premier’s own Progress Board, parents, and others have all said that the improvements are necessary."

Now, I don't want to hear any whining about how it was the federal Liberal government that didn't get re-elected that resulted in the $50 million not being available either. Dion had 10 years and his Liberal buddies had 3 more to deliver on the child-care promise they made in 1993. The money never arrived. period. end of story. You lost the election and you never delivered on the child-care promise. Let's refresh, in 1993 that promise was:

"Quality, accessible child care is an economic advantage for Canada...The objective of the Liberal policy on child care is to create genuine choices for parents. A Liberal government, working with the provinces, will implement a realistic and fiscally responsible program to increase the number of child care spaces in Canada." - from The Red Book, 1993 via Voices for child care Canada

And, when those same Red Book Liberals presided over the largest cuts to social programs in Canadian history the BC NDP government protected those same social programs by cutting elsewhere. The Campbell Liberals instead are running a surplus and cutting the $50 million.

So this leaves it up to the NDP to hold the government accountable and get results. It looks like they are up to the challenge:

“It’s clear that Gordon Campbell read the climate change plan put forward by B.C.’s New Democrats,” said James. “The question now for British Columbians is can they trust Gordon Campbell to deliver. Every year, Gordon Campbell picks a new priority for his Throne Speech and every year he fails to deliver. Last year, Gordon Campbell’s priority was health care, but 12 months later all B.C. saw was more cuts, longer ER waits, and hallway medicine.

Stay tuned to your local parliamentary channel, for the full response to the throne speech, by the NDP official opposition, later, today.

Real wages and number of jobs fall despite government line in Australia

2007-02-13T23:48:00.000-08:00

"Women's pay has dropped significantly under the new [Industrial Relations] laws with real average earnings for women in the private sector falling by 2.0% and a majority of award workers suffering a real wage cut averaging almost 1% under the new minimum wage setting process." - from a a summary of Brave New Workchoices - What is the story so far

The new Labour laws aren't even a year old yet, but they have caused a major transition in the Australian workplace. The changes are broad and characterized by a few of the headlines from Austrlian unions this week.

Some examples from this week's union press releases and labour news in Australia:

As the old ways of working out workplace conflicts are falling apart the Melbourne-area Paramedics are forced to threaten to withdraw services over the lack of due process in the firing of a colleague: Melbourne ambulance paramedics to take historic stop-work action.
Dick Cheney is coming to Australia for a visit and meanwhile his old company Halliburton's construction subsidiary uses the new workplace laws to justify preventing free speech and the display of a union flag on a construction site.
The minimum wage officially went up on December 1 for Australia's lowest paid meanwhile real wages fell.
Workers' paradise yields to new reality as union owned vacation spot for workers with a capacity for 2,000 per night is sold to fund the campaign against the new laws.
Australian federal treasurer Peter Costello says the new laws have resulted in a lower unemployment rate of 4.5%. The Australian Council of Trade Unions rightly points out that the 30 year low in unemployment is a result of a fall in the participation rate and that there has been a net loss in actual jobs.
Unions have virtually ruled out taking strike action over the proposed Qantas sale because they fear being penalized under the tough federal industrial laws.

You can always find the latest Labour headlines at Labourstart where trade unionists start their day. The latest news is even sortable by country as in Australia and Canada.

Time to stop using the RCMP in BC

2007-02-12T15:18:00.000-08:00

It isn't that the provincial police used in Ontario, Newfoundland and Quebec are any better than the RCMP. However, the enforcement of the criminal code is jurisdictionally a provincial matter in Canada. Why is it that the BC Attorney General continues to pretend he has no control over the policing of our province.

The BC office of the Police Complaints Commissioner has had a rocky ride since its inception nearly ten years ago. A limiting budget and a more limited mandate from the start got much worse when the courts over ruled the first significant Public Hearing into the riot at the Hyatt. I remember the police's actions that night vividly and a public hearing was absolutely warranted. The courts however, stated that the commissioner acted without jurisdiction in calling for a hearing. Although Commissioner Morrison was eventually successful in overturning this ruling, 4 years had now passed since the incident. Morrison himself was finished as commissioner long before there was a final outcome. Now, a series of suggestions for improving the complaints process have been brought forward by Justice Wood.

From Opininon 250:

Strengthening the oversight powers of the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner (OPCC) to ensure that serious complaints are properly investigated and resolved.

Shifting from the current model where the OPCC oversees a complaint after police have investigated it, to contemporaneous oversight where the OPCC can be involved throughout the handling of a complaint. This would involve the use of new software to track complaints across all municipal police departments.

Increasing the police complaint commissioner's powers to include the ability to provide advice or direction to a police department during an investigation; the power to issue guidelines that are binding on police; and statutory responsibility to monitor non-lodged or oral complaints (complaints made by a member of the public who does not want to commit the complaint to writing).

Compelling police by law to co-operate both with internal and external investigators, including providing a statement and submitting to an interview. Failure to co-operate would constitute a new category of discreditable conduct under the Code of Professional Conduct regulation.

Of course, no Canadian can forget how much worse the RCMP's Public Complaints Commission is. Their handling of the complaints related to the injured protesters at APEC will go down in history as a massive blunder almost as bad as the actions of the RCMP in the first place.

For those of you who don't live in British Columbia, or who do and don't follow policing jurisdiction closely, I should give some background. The RCMP is a federal police force reporting to the federal government. The BC Government and all but a few BC municipalities contract the RCMP to provide policing. This arrangement is used instead of provincial police forces in much of Canada. Cities like Surrey, Kamloops and Kelowna don't have their own police forces. Many smaller cities, districts and municipalities do, like Central Saanich and the District of Oak Bay. It gets weirder though, districts like the UBC endowment lands and the Naval Base at Esquimalt are policed by the RCMP on contract but surrounding areas like the Esquimalt municipality and the City of Vancouver have their own policing arrangements that don't include the RCMP. Federal legislation stops any kind of real oversite of the RCMP by the provincial governments, civilians or municipalities. However, the option exists to negotiate a new policing regime or simply do away with municipal and provincial policing duties by contract with the RCMP.

Today's call from the BC NDP Opposition that all communities should benefit from improvements to police complaints requires extending a new kind of civilian over-site to the majority of the province is one I hardily support. The RCMP can no longer operate by a different set of rules than the rest of the police in BC.

If Stockwell Day and the RCMP continue to insist they should have their own set of rules; then we should simply call their bluff and stop using the RCMP in BC.

Tanks huh? That'll help like a hole in the head, an infected hole in the head, since it's Afghanistan we're talking about.

2007-02-12T02:36:00.000-08:00

"There were 469,685 sick and wounded, of whom 53,753 or 11.44%, were wounded, injured or sustained concussion and 415,932 (88.56%) fell sick. A high proportion of casualties were those who fell ill. This was because of local climatic and sanitary conditions, which were such that acute infections spread rapidly among the troops. There were 115,308 cases of infectious hepatitis, 31,080 of typhoid fever and 140,665 of other diseases. Of the 11,654 who were discharged from the army after being wounded, maimed or contracting serious diseases, 92%, or 10,751 men were left disabled." - Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan from Wikipedia

The latest headline screams "Iranians 'at highest levels' meddling in Iraq War".

If it is meddling to provide bombs to Iraqi insurgents, wtf was the United States doing in Afghanistan prior to and during the Soviet occupation.

Oh, you know, at the highest levels - meddling. Presidentially approved meddling in fact, as revealed recently by Robert Gates and admitted as a US trap to bring the USSR into Afghanistan. The trap was effectively the arming of the Afghan Mujahideen. These same people, including Osama Bin Laden, are the people that Canada is at war with in Afghanistan. Of course, the USSR actually committed a large number of troops (620,000 total 80,000-104,000 at a time) to their war effort, unlike the US in Iraq or the NATO forces in Afghanistan.

You don't win a counter-insurgency war by fighting. But you know that story... and if you don't, you'll go read about it from historians, not me, while I'm commenting on current events. Here's a little more about that current event:

"Over the last year there has been a major about-face in the Canadian military's view of the usefulness of tanks.

Last fall, after originally denying that it was going to send Leopards to Afghanistan, the military confirmed the armoured vehicles were indeed headed for that south Asia war zone. "Tanks produce a certain amount of shock action," army commander Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie said at the press conference confirming the deployment of the Leopards. "They can be extraordinarily intimidating."

In the late 1990s the Canadian Forces spent $145 million to equip the tanks with new computers and heat-sensing equipment to improve their fighting capability." - Canadian military hunts for new tanks from Canada.com

By the way, tanks aren't cheap:

"In May 1976, DND received Cabinet approval to purchase 128 Leopard tanks at a cost of $187.1 million to replace the aging Centurion tanks that were used in carrying out Canada's commitment to NATO. The purchase also allowed DND to equip an operational squadron at the Combat Training Centre, CFB Gagetown and to provide tanks for use in the Armoured School in Gagetown and the Land Ordnance Engineering School at CFB Borden." - 1984 Report of the Auditor General of Canada

These current tanks cost $641 million plus the $175 million in CPI inflated dollars that it took to re-equip them. Meaning the commitment of tanks is more than a $800 million commitment of assets to this war. Given the survival rates of the Soviet equipment that was committed to Afghanistan this is one asset we may never see again.

No clear amount has been quoted for the newest 80 tanks, but let's say they are each worth about the same amount as the first 128. That would mean another $500 million committed on the next 80.

It is time for Canadians to make it clear that they are not willing to fund a potentially never-ending counter-insurgency war in Afghanistan. We must let our elected representatives know that $1.3 billion on tanks is an unacceptable expenditure.

Population estimates put Afghanistan's population at about 30 million or very near to the same population as Canada. These tanks represent an expenditure of about $40 per person. That's more than the cost of two chickens for a family in need from Oxfam, but two chickedns would also have the desired effect of "produc[ing] a certain amount of shock action." The chickens, however, would be unlikely to kill anyone. Although, I'm not sure Oxfam can provide 60 million chickens as quickly as Germany can get 80 tanks to Kandahar, I think we should get Gen. Hillier to make the call. I hear he is a man of his word and a very persuasive Newfoundlander:

A few months ago General Rick Hillier promised me a Christmas I would never forget; turns out he is a man of his word.
This year, on Christmas morning, I was in Sperwan Ghar in the Panjwai district of Afghanistan sitting around a single-burner Coleman stove with a dozen Canadian soldiers. Rush was on the stereo and we were watching a pot of Tetley tea bags threaten to boil. Outside it was wet and muddy, but inside the sandbag bunker where these Royal Canadian Dragoons ate and slept it was warm and as comfortable as one could expect under the circumstances. Corporal Frank Farrell was in charge of the pot and there was no top on it this morning - this was not to be rushed.

Gen. Hillier is a very persuasive man. He is also a Newfoundlander. And while he is the chief of the Canadian Forces it has been suggested that he might think he is the chief of all Newfoundlanders. He'll call you up and suggest to you that on Dec. 25 there is only one place you should be and it's so special that by agreeing to go there you render your life insurance null and void. You aren't asked so much as you are voluntold.

... On Christmas morning, the convoy headed to Sperwan Ghar. The troops here sleep in dugouts with sandbag perimeters. ... The trip carried on. We visited more forward operating bases. Gen. Hillier made good on his goal of shaking hands with practically every [Canadian] soldier in harm's way this Christmas. And by late afternoon we took the convoy back through "ambush ally" to the main base in Kandahar for the prime show of the tour for about 800 soldiers in the newly opened Canada House. - A Christmas in Flak Jackets from Rick Mercer's Blog

Maybe next Christmas... by then maybe we will all be voluntold how to support this developing world war.

It isn't enough for us to sit passively by and watch our tax dollars be spent. We need to actively oppose this war.

We must express our disappointment with the direction of our government. In part this means being extremely clear that Rick Mercer and other people who think it is ok to entertain (or for that matter arm or supply) the Canadian Forces are participants in and contributers to war. The Guardian has an excellent piece on the trouble the US Forces are having getting quality entertainment.

Ultimately it is up to Canadians to avoid being trapped into a war in Iran, the one country that separates Afghanistan from Iraq. Our neighbours to the south seem trapped already. Robert Gates sometimes takes 27 years to admit the truth about traps so don't read too much into this denial of an intention to attack Iran:

“I don't know how many times the president, Secretary (of State Condoleezza) Rice and I have had to repeat that we have no intention of attacking Iran, that the second carrier group is there to reassure our allies, as well as to send a signal that we've been in the Persian Gulf for decades and we intend to stay there." Robert Gates quoted on the Pentagon's website.

Is defying democratic will the price of peace?

2007-02-09T01:26:00.000-08:00

"The talks, mediated by Saudi King Abdullah in Mecca, resulted in an agreement on the distribution of cabinet positions, with nine posts going to Hamas and six to Fatah. Three key ministries — foreign affairs, finance and interior, which controls security — will be held by independents. Haniyeh [of Hamas] will stay on as prime minister." - from cbc.ca's Fatah, Hamas agree on unity government

I am the first to admit that my limited knowledge of middle-eastern politics means that I can easily put my foot in my mouth when criticizing violence and the anti-democratic tendencies of the region. Maybe it's hubris, but I feel the need to comment some more on the latest news out of the Palestinian Authority.

Is defying democratic will really a reasonable price for peace? Will this agreement actually lead to peace within the Palestinian territories?

I can't happily accept an outcome that results from the inclusion of three non-aligned and unelected minister's within a government. By the way, I am not talking about David Emerson and Michael Fortier. I am further annnoyed by the agreement being brokered by King Abdullah, an unelected dictatorial monarch whose family was installed in Saudi Arabia by the same British forces who decimated middle east peace for generations by imposing borders for their own purposes, George W. Bush style.

I have written before about how the blockaders of the Palestian Authority should rethink their route towards peace and stop the blockade. However, I do think that the Israeli Prime Minister's demands that the new Hamas led government immediately "Accept and respect all three of the international community's principles, ie, recognition of Israel, acceptance of all former treaties and a clear renunciation of all terror and violence" is more than reasonable. At the same time Israel should get on with it and do the same. Immediately respect international law, recognize the Palestinian Government, accept all former treaties and issue a clear renunciation of violence.

We should not forget that the workings of democracy are very fragile at the best of times. I post this here with the hopes it will be a constructive contribution to the debate about how people can support non-violence and democracy across this extremely violent and anti-democratic region.

Stop Killing Whales - Iceland, Norway and Japan!

2007-02-08T23:38:00.000-08:00

The news that anti-whaling heroes Karl Neilsen and John Gravois were found safe after 7 hours adrift in Antarctic waters is exhilarating and relieving.

The Sea Shepherd's two anti-whaling ships (and as a result Greenpeace too) have finally caught up to the Japanese Whaling fleet after searching since early December in the Antarctic, will hopefully mean significant interruption to the slaughter of whales.

"Japan plans to harpoon up to 935 minke whales and 10 fin whales under what it calls a scientific research program this year. However, it admits that whale meat from the hunt ends up on restaurant tables." - Lost whaling activists 'lasso iceberg' from Melbourne's The Age

That is Japan is up to, but what of Iceland you ask? After ceasing whaling in 1986 as a result of Paul Watson's critically important direct action sinking of Iceland's entire factory whaling fleet has returned to commercial whaling. Iceland killed 36 whales again for the first time since 1986 under scientific auspices in 2003.

Send the following note, today:
Prime Minister of Iceland Mr. Geir H. Haarde Prime Minister's Office Stjornarradshusinu vid Laekjartorg 150 Reykjavik Iceland Tel: +354-545-8400 Fax: +354-562-4014 E-Mail postur@for.stjr.is Dear Prime Minister Haarde, I write to express my disappointment at Iceland's recent decision to resume commercial whaling and international trade in whale meat. Iceland now joins Norway and Japan as the world's three rogue whaling nations. Your country has become the North Korea of whalers displaying complete contempt for international conservation law and total disrespect for conservation and world opinion. Iceland's announcement to kill 30 Minke and nine fin whales defies the International Whaling Commission (IWC) moratorium on commercial whaling - a decision accepted by your government in 1982. It was Sea Shepherd Conservation Society that convinced you, in 1986, to finally stop your illegal whaling. Twenty years ago, on November 16, 1986, Sea Shepherd crew sank half the Icelandic whaling fleet and destroyed the whale meat processing plant in Reykjavik. That action was taken in response to Iceland violating the global moratorium the first year it was imposed. Icelandic authorities refused to charge the Sea Shepherd crew despite Captain Watson turning himself in to the authorities in Iceland to demand that they lay charges. Your country refused to charge Sea Shepherd because Iceland knew it was in violation of international law and it knew Sea Shepherd were put on trial it would be putting Iceland's whale killing on trial in front of the watchful eyes of the world. Sea Shepherd is making plans to return to Iceland next year to confront these ruthless Icelandic pirate whalers once again and I fully support this. Whaling has no place in the 21st century. It is cruel, unnecessary, and immoral. I reiterate my opposition to the Government of Iceland's plans to resume commercial whaling and meat trade. I urge Iceland to focus on developing its far more lucrative and sustainable whale watching industry. Please, make sure that your country doesn't need to stand trial to the world's opinion again. Sincerely, Your name here