Good summation of the Cons' latest attacks on 'democracy' over the last few months.
That they are getting away with it is, as a protester in the vid states, pretty much our own fault. Notable how little media attention was paid to Harper's interview with Business News Network two weeks ago in which he characterized Parliament as an impediment to business.
"The fiction of democracy remains useful, not only for corporations, but for our bankrupt liberal class. If the fiction is seriously challenged, liberals will be forced to consider actual resistance, which will be neither pleasant nor easy. As long as a democratic facade exists, liberals can engage in an empty moral posturing that requires little sacrifice or commitment. They can be the self-appointed scolds of the Democratic Party, acting as if they are part of the debate and feel vindicated by their cries of protest."
Up here, our primary concern still seems to be keeping that border open for business, even at the risk of losing a toehold on our own struggles towards democracy.
Shorter Supremes : While it is true that the Canadian government violated the Canadian charter rights of a Canadian citizen when it sent Canadian agents to interrogate him in a foreign concentration camp and then turned the contents of that interview obtained under duress over to the owners of that concentration camp, and while it is true that same Canadian's charter rights continue to be violated every day that he is held there, unfortunately we don't do foreign policy here at the Supreme Court so we're hoping Steve will do the right thing all by himself. (edited for clarity) .
with Peter Hallward, Anthony Fenton, and Danny Glover
"As thousands of tons of desperately needed food, water, and medical supplies piled up behind the airport fences-and thousands of corpses piled up outside them-Defense Secretary Robert Gates ruled out the possibility of using American aircraft to airdrop supplies: "An airdrop is simply going to lead to riots," he said. The military's first priority was to build a "structure for distribution" and "to provide security."
On Tuesday, a doctor at a field hospital within site of the runways complained that five to 10 patients were dying each day for lack of the most basic medical necessities. "We can look at the supplies sitting there," Alphonse Edward told Britain's Channel 4 News."
Liberal MP Gerry Byrne says he believes the federal government should investigate whether the pieing of Fisheries Minister Gail Shea by a woman opposed to the seal hunt constitutes an act of terrorism.
I think Gerry should at least get a cupcake for that.
"Approximately 1% of the total population of Newfoundland and Labrador derive income from sealing."
When last we heard from our FishMin Gail Shea, she was promoting BC's fish farms at a trade show in Norway, where their Minister of Fisheries is "a co-owner of a salmon farming company and former head of the Norwegian salmon farmers association". Over 90% of the open-pen fish farms in BC originate in Norway.
Asked about the connection between fish farming and the collapse of the Skeena and Fraser River salmon fisheries in December, Gail Shea, minister in charge of Fisheries and Oceans, said : "Nobody knows what’s happening in the marine environment."
I'm betting right now you want to replay that vid at least one more time.
We have had 5 pieings of politicians in Canada in the last decade, two of which were misses. Colby Cosh at Macleans says it's all fun and games till someone throws an acid pie, a particularly daft and rather desperate argument which depends on conflating tofu with acid. Or as one commenter over there points out : "it is stupid to say that pie throwing is serious because somebody could throw something WHICH IS NOT A PIE"
Very upbeat mood throughout, passing cars honking their support, people cheering us on out of office windows. Felt great to be out on the street with Canadians who give a damn.
Many thanks to University of Alberta grad student Christopher White who started the whole thing rolling with just a page on facebook, now numbering over 213,000.
And to all those talking heads who assured us nightly on the evening news that Canadians could care less that a single MP who happens to be the PM dismissed parliament via a phone call to the GG - you helped more than you know.
All in all a great day for democracy in Canada.
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Lolsy Update : Naturally some Con supporters are now requiring proof that the rallies along with their extensive media coverage are not just some kind of elaborate leftie hoax.
As I type this, a Canadian named Sarah is marching in a one-woman No Prorogue protest in Brunei, the day's first. Soon there will be others in Trafalger Square and The Hague, with New York, Dallas Texas, and San Francisco joining in later on.
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63 rallies across Canada and their fb pages listed here
The Vancouver meet up is on Georgia St. with a march to Victory Square.
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Boots on the streets, people, boots on the streets.
For the past six years, a heart disease group has been using this logo of a torch with a heart-shaped flame and the words "Canadian Congenital Heart Alliance - for life".
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Naturally enough, the Canadian Olympic Committee are concerned that people might not be able to easily distinguish between a support group for congenital heart patients and the Olympics.
"Hi Everyone, This is beyond belief. On this past Monday, we received a letter from our Patent and Trademark Attorneys advising us that The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) objected to our use of a torch and flame in our logo. We had applied to the Canadian trademark office to have our logo trademarked over a year ago. It was published and received no objections and therefore it was granted. The COC applied to have the "Objection period extended" as they failed to object during the legal time allowed and the Trademark office granted their wish.
This fight is going to cost us far more money than we have and therefore I am asking you if you would kindly donate to our Canadian Olympic Defence Fund.".
The COC lawyer's letter offers not to "proceed through to hearing and appeal, if necessary" as long as the CCHA agrees to certain conditions, including :
~CCHA agrees not to apply to register, register or use directly or indirectly its Combined Mark or a similar mark in association with the marketing, promotion, or sponsorship of sporting events or sporting goods ~CCHA agrees not to challenge, directly or indirectly the public authority status of the COC now or in the future
Well you can see the Olympic Committee's point. Just imagine thousands upon thousands of tourists trudging up the stairs to the CCHA's suite in Oakville Ontario only to discover that the congenital heart patient advocacy group has no luge, no ski hills, no skating rinks, nor even any of those peculiar hello kitty mascots. What an embarrassment for Canada that would be.
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In other Owelympic logo mojo, the Vancouver Public Library has sent a list of Dos and Don'ts around to its branches :
"Do not have Pepsi or Dairy Queen sponsor your event," read guidelines sent to VPL branch heads and supervisory staff last fall. "Coke and McDonald's are the Olympic sponsors. If you are planning a kids' event and approaching sponsors, approach McDonald's and not another well-known fast-food outlet."
Ok but what about equipment used in the libraries? What if they happen to be the wrong brand?
"The same care must be taken for audio-visual equipment. The branch should try to get devices made by official sponsor Panasonic. Should staff only be able to find Sony equipment, the solution is simple. "I would get some tape and put it over the 'Sony,' " [VPL manager of marketing and communications Jean]Kavanagh said. "Just a little piece of tape."
"Our government is working to dismantle the client relationship that existed between the government of Canada and organizations whose priority is seemingly to advocate for the legalization of banned terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as deny the Jewish people's right to a homeland."
Or, as Minister of International Cooperation Bev Oda put it, "the program didn't meet CIDA's current priorities".
Naturally enough, the churches comprising KAIROS -the United Church of Canada, the Anglican Church of Canada, the Presbyterian Church in Canada, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops - did not much care for Kenney's insinuations.
This month Oda doesn't think the UN's Palestinian refugee agency meets CIDA's current priorities either :
"The government has quietly taken what many consider the first step to cutting ties with the UN agency responsible for supporting more than 4.67 million Palestinian refugees scattered throughout the Middle East."
While not cutting the actual amount of the aid, funding of UNRWA is being shifted away from its traditional core funding for food, clothing, health services, and schools - to food aid only.
"Jewish organizations have long alleged that UNRWA has been infiltrated by groups like Hamas" and "that funds given to the UN agency are being diverted to the group".
B'Nai Brith and the Canada-Israel Committee have both released statements applauding the government's decision, while pro-Israel websites and media have reported widely on the change. Mr. Dimant said his organization had been advocating in favour of moving away from UNRWA for a long time"
Frank Dimant, CEO of B’nai Brith Canada and a member of the Cross-Cultural Roundtable on Security at Public Safety Canada, is pleased the government has adopted his viewpoint:
"This is certainly a step in the right direction," he said. ... "I believe it's a very progressive step forward. ... I think that it is strange, to say the least, that there is a specific refugee agency just dedicated for the Palestinians and that all the millions of other refugees in the world are serviced in a different category."
Oh, good one, Frank. I'm willing to bet you do not think it at all strange, to say the least, that there is a Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Antisemitismand that all the millions of other people in distinct minorities in Canada are not serviced by their own pet privately-funded parliamentary coalition. .
- Doctors Without Borders report five of their planes, including one containing a field hospital, have been refused permission to land by the US controlled airport.
"One thing that I think is really important for people to understand is that misinformation and rumors and, I think at the bottom of the issue, racism has slowed the recovery efforts of this hospital. Security issues over the last forty-eight hours have been our—quote “security issues” over the last forty-eight hours have been our leading concern. And there are no security issues.
I’ve been with my Haitian colleagues. I’m staying at a friend’s house in Port-au-Prince. We’re working for the Ministry of Public Health for the direction of this hospital as volunteers. But I’m living and moving with friends. We’ve been circulating throughout the city until 2:00 and 3:00 in the morning every night, evacuating patients, moving materials. There’s no UN guards. There’s no US military presence. There’s no Haitian police presence. And there’s also no violence. There is no insecurity."
"About 7,000 UN military peacekeepers and 2,100 international police are in Haiti. Ban said Monday he asked the UN Security Council to add 2,000 troops and 1,500 police. About 180 tonnes of relief supplies arrived Saturday, but people on the street say none of it is reaching them. Geneva-based Doctors Without Borders said: "There is little sign of significant aid distribution."
Why these poor people are not rioting after a full week of this I have no idea.
"The longer “security” is used as a reason not to distribute food, water and medical supplies the more angry and desperate Haitians will become, and thus the worse the security situation will be. Troops which are not actually providing security for actual distribution of supplies, by taking up airlift capacity which could be used for relief, make the security situation worse rather than better."
And remember Airshow Mackay proudly sending off two Canadian destroyers to Haiti "loaded with supplies and relief" ? Well, they've arrived :
"HMCS Athabaskan brings little in terms of actual food and water, but is more equipped to provide support to existing agencies, to provide leadership in chaotic communities and to better assess their needs and priorities."
Jesus wept. Maybe they can reconnoiter the Haitians up some mud pies. .
The Haitian government has signed a memorandum of understanding formally transferring control of the Port-au-Prince airport to the US. From the Guardian :
"Flights seeking permission to land continuously circle the airport, which is small, damaged and with a single runway, rankling several governments and aid agencies. "There are 200 flights going in and out every day, which is an incredible amount for a country like Haiti," Jarry Emmanuel, air logistics officer for the UN's World Food Programme, told the New York Times. "But most of those flights are for the United States military. Their priorities are to secure the country. Ours are to feed. We have got to get those priorities in sync."
France protested when an emergency field hospital was turned back. The foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, said the airport was not for the international community but "an annexe of Washington", according to France's ambassador to Haiti, Didier Le Bret. Brazil was also indignant when three flights were not allowed to land.
Obstructing assistance from other countries, refusing to allow people to escape, and sending in the military ... and right about now I'm guessing you're remembering the US relief efforts following Katrina.
On January 25th, given he has nothing else to do til the Owelympic photo event, Steve is hosting a Haiti 'reconstruction' conference in Montreal for leaders from 16 countries which make up the Group of Friends of Haiti . While you're at it, here's something you guys can reconstruct ...
"In 1995, the IMF forced Haiti to cut its rice tariff from 35% to 3%, leading to a massive increase in rice-dumping from the United States. As a 2008 Jubilee USA report notes, although the country had once been a net exporter of rice, "by 2005, three out of every four plates of rice eaten in Haiti came from the US."
During this period, USAID invested heavily in Haiti, but this charity came not in the form of grants to develop Haiti's agricultural infrastructure, but in direct food aid, furthering Haiti's dependence on foreign assistance while also funneling money back to US agribusiness."
Tuesday update. It's now been a week since the quake. It's probably safe to assume that more people will die from infection and going without food, water, or medical care for a week than died in the initial quake. Aid groups still being refused permission to land at the airport .... but wait! Headline in today's Star : Canada rides to the rescue in Haiti 2,000 more soldiers flooding into Haiti with navy ships to help with security, relief
CBC : "About 7,000 UN military peacekeepers and 2,100 international police are in Haiti. Ban said Monday he asked the UN Security Council to add 2,000 troops and 1,500 police. About 180 tonnes of relief supplies arrived Saturday, but scores of people on the street say none of it is reaching them.
Geneva-based Doctors Without Borders said: "There is little sign of significant aid distribution."
