"I believe that society is best served when individuals are free to take their actions based on the fundamental freedom of religion that is a cornerstone of Canadian democracy and protected by our constitution," John Weston, a Christian constitutional lawyer and Conservative candidate for West Vancouver, told CanadianChristianity.com.
Weston added: "If people freely enter into arbitration . . . based on rules that they agree upon in advance -- and they understand those rules -- then I think the results will be better than if they are imposed by, let's say, a court system."
Better for whom, John?
We already have rules that we have agreed upon in advance.
The decisions of binding arbitration boards are enforceable in Canadian courts, and Muslim women are unwilling to hand over their children to the father when they reach the age of eight - as a Muslim faith-based arbitration board would dictate.
Shari'a Law doesn't recognise either freedom of religion or the separation of church and state. Do you?
What about freedom from religion?
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Vote early and vote often
Advance polls open today.
Did you miss the Jan 9th televised leaders' debate because you do have a life and you don't have a tv?
Shorter English debate :
Martin : I'm the only one who can hold this joint together, notwithstanding the shenanigans of...
Harper : Stand up, stand up, stand up!
Layton : We're the only ones who really care about you.
Duceppe : Fuck off, you lying hypocrites.
Winner of the debate?
Moderator Steve Paikin, who asked the kind of questions the Green Party should have been there to answer.
What? You missed the French debate as well?
Shorter French debate :
Martin : Je suis le seul l'un qui peut tenir ce joint ensemble, notwithstanding les maux de...
Harper : Levez-vous, levez-vous, levez-vous!
Layton : Nous sommes les seuls types qui s'inquietent vraiment de vous.
Duceppe : Fuck off, you lying hypocrites.
Hope this helps.
Did you miss the Jan 9th televised leaders' debate because you do have a life and you don't have a tv?
Shorter English debate :
Martin : I'm the only one who can hold this joint together, notwithstanding the shenanigans of...
Harper : Stand up, stand up, stand up!
Layton : We're the only ones who really care about you.
Duceppe : Fuck off, you lying hypocrites.
Winner of the debate?
Moderator Steve Paikin, who asked the kind of questions the Green Party should have been there to answer.
What? You missed the French debate as well?
Shorter French debate :
Martin : Je suis le seul l'un qui peut tenir ce joint ensemble, notwithstanding les maux de...
Harper : Levez-vous, levez-vous, levez-vous!
Layton : Nous sommes les seuls types qui s'inquietent vraiment de vous.
Duceppe : Fuck off, you lying hypocrites.
Hope this helps.
The gods must be crazy
The Christian God apparently struck down Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon last week with a severe stroke in divine retribution for the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Speaking on God's behalf, "The 700 Club" televangelist Pat Robertson who opposes the Gaza withdrawal explained, "God says, 'This land belongs to me, and you'd better leave it alone.' "
This was a much-needed win for Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition of America and a former presidential candidate, who in July unsuccessfully called for American operatives to assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. and previously suggested that the State Department be blown up with a nuclear device and that feminism encourages women to "kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians."
Meanwhile the Muslim God was said to crush 345 of his followers to death and injure 289 others today for "hurrying". In a three day stoning ritual at Mecca, thousands of the faithful have from noon to sundown to throw 7 rocks at each of three pillars in order to purge themselves of sin. A total of 2.5 million pilgrims all throwing rocks in a time-limited event.
Saudi Interior Ministry spokesman Mansour al-Turki explained, "This was destined by God. Some pilgrims were undisciplined and hasty to finish the ritual as soon as possible."
At the very least the gods seem to be in need of some new management.
Speaking on God's behalf, "The 700 Club" televangelist Pat Robertson who opposes the Gaza withdrawal explained, "God says, 'This land belongs to me, and you'd better leave it alone.' "
This was a much-needed win for Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition of America and a former presidential candidate, who in July unsuccessfully called for American operatives to assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. and previously suggested that the State Department be blown up with a nuclear device and that feminism encourages women to "kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians."
Meanwhile the Muslim God was said to crush 345 of his followers to death and injure 289 others today for "hurrying". In a three day stoning ritual at Mecca, thousands of the faithful have from noon to sundown to throw 7 rocks at each of three pillars in order to purge themselves of sin. A total of 2.5 million pilgrims all throwing rocks in a time-limited event.
Saudi Interior Ministry spokesman Mansour al-Turki explained, "This was destined by God. Some pilgrims were undisciplined and hasty to finish the ritual as soon as possible."
At the very least the gods seem to be in need of some new management.
The Wacko Waco Pact
Schwartzman suggests in the comments that a follow-up is needed as to what happened as a result of 'The Task Force on the Future of North America' (see below). He recommends this from The Council of Canadians website.
I'll wait here while you go read it.
Go on - it's really short.
Yes, it's a pact called 'The Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America' (SPP), and was signed by Canada PM Paul Martin, Mexico President Vicente Fox, and US President George Bush on March 23, 2005 in Waco, Texas. It reads like a slightly more anemic version of the Task Force on the Future of NA.
No one paid much attention to it at the time, as this was the same day that the media was clogged with the spectacle of Crusader Bunnypants criss-crossing the nation, pen in hand, to save the brain-dead Terri Schiavo from slipping through the fingers of the christian right into a dignified death.
But maybe you think The Council of Canadians, a watchdog group who has written extensively against "deep integration" with the US, is acting like The Council of Chicken Little here.
Given that it was the Canadian Council of Chief Executives who first launched this whole initiative in 2003, perhaps it would be a better idea to go to their website and see what they themselves have to say about it :
"Task Force Report Emphasizes Need for Urgent Action on North American Security and Prosperity
The final report of the Independent Task Force on the Future of North America adds momentum to the trinational security and prosperity initiative launched recently by the leaders of the United States, Mexico and Canada, says the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE).
Sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and composed of 26 leading figures from government, academia, business and the non-profit sector, the Task Force strongly endorses the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP) announced at the March 23 summit in Texas, and proposes building on and extending that initiative by creating a new community by 2010 with a single market, common external tariff, and an outer security perimeter.
In January 2003, the CCCE embarked on a multi-year project to develop a strategy for shaping Canada's future within North America and beyond. In launching its North American Security and Prosperity Initiative (NASPI), the CCCE said that a Canadian strategy for managing its future within the continent should be based on five pillars: reinventing borders; regulatory efficiency; resource security; the North American defence alliance; and new institutions. All five areas are addressed in the final report of the CFR-sponsored Task Force."
Well of course they like it - they wrote it.
It's their very own "Chickens For Colonel Sanders" campaign.
Quislings.
I'll wait here while you go read it.
Go on - it's really short.
Yes, it's a pact called 'The Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America' (SPP), and was signed by Canada PM Paul Martin, Mexico President Vicente Fox, and US President George Bush on March 23, 2005 in Waco, Texas. It reads like a slightly more anemic version of the Task Force on the Future of NA.
No one paid much attention to it at the time, as this was the same day that the media was clogged with the spectacle of Crusader Bunnypants criss-crossing the nation, pen in hand, to save the brain-dead Terri Schiavo from slipping through the fingers of the christian right into a dignified death.
But maybe you think The Council of Canadians, a watchdog group who has written extensively against "deep integration" with the US, is acting like The Council of Chicken Little here.
Given that it was the Canadian Council of Chief Executives who first launched this whole initiative in 2003, perhaps it would be a better idea to go to their website and see what they themselves have to say about it :
"Task Force Report Emphasizes Need for Urgent Action on North American Security and Prosperity
The final report of the Independent Task Force on the Future of North America adds momentum to the trinational security and prosperity initiative launched recently by the leaders of the United States, Mexico and Canada, says the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE).
Sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and composed of 26 leading figures from government, academia, business and the non-profit sector, the Task Force strongly endorses the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP) announced at the March 23 summit in Texas, and proposes building on and extending that initiative by creating a new community by 2010 with a single market, common external tariff, and an outer security perimeter.
In January 2003, the CCCE embarked on a multi-year project to develop a strategy for shaping Canada's future within North America and beyond. In launching its North American Security and Prosperity Initiative (NASPI), the CCCE said that a Canadian strategy for managing its future within the continent should be based on five pillars: reinventing borders; regulatory efficiency; resource security; the North American defence alliance; and new institutions. All five areas are addressed in the final report of the CFR-sponsored Task Force."
Well of course they like it - they wrote it.
It's their very own "Chickens For Colonel Sanders" campaign.
Quislings.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Workers of the World - Untie!
Quisling Watch
- John Manley - former Liberal Deputy Prime Minister and ex-Finance Minister of Canada
- Michael Wilson - former Tory Canada Finance Minister
- Pierre-Marc Johnson - former Quebec premier
- James Dinning - former Alberta Finance Minister
- Tom Axworthy - former Chief of Staff to P E Trudeau
- Thomas D'Aquino - Chief Executive of Canadian Council of Chief Executives
Thanks to the above for all their work this year on the 'Task Force on the Future of North America'. We are especially grateful for these recommendations:
- a N.A. resource pact allowing greater trade and investment in non-renewable resources, such as oil, gas, and water
- an integrated N.A. electrical grid
- a common N.A. currency
- a N.A. passport
- a N.A. security perimeter
- an educational project to teach the idea of a "shared N.A. identity" in schools
- a harmonization of immigration and refugee policies with the US
- a trilateral threat intelligence center with US and Mexico
and also for this quote:
"Governance has not kept pace with economic realities and is preventing further integration."
Monday, January 09, 2006
Some Candidates Meeting at the Legion
Any one else notice that all the Green Party/NDP/Marxist-Leninist supporters spontaneously seated themselves on the left side of the hall and all the CPC supporters spontaneously seated themselves on the right?
For those of you who couldn't untangle yourselves sufficiently from your counterpanes in time to attend (and I'm looking at you here, b-boy and ricky larch), the format consisted of intros from each candidate, followed by Murray Atherton reading aloud the written questions which had been anonymously submitted beforehand by members of the audience.
The candidates :
Green Party - Silvaine Zimmerman
Liberal - Blair Wilson
Conservative - John Weston
NDP - Judith Wilson
Marxist-Leninist - Anne Jamieson
And right off the top comes :
Do you or your party consider water to be exempt from NAFTA ?
M-L, GP, and NDP candidates : Yes, exempt from NAFTA but the NAFTA rules we do have aren't enforceable.
Lib. : Yes, but currently it's legally up to individual provinces to negotiate.
CPC : Says he doesn't know.
Really?
What are the most important issues to this riding:
Lib : Biggest riding in Canada so accessibility and accountability to each part of it. (Boos on Lib accountability)
NDP : Poverty gap and cynicism regarding social justice.
M-L : Productive job base threatened - we can't live on tourism and house construction.
GP : Balancing economy and environmental concerns - more green collar jobs needed.
CPC : The 2010 Games and expanding the military.
No kidding?
CBC :
Lib : Yeah!
GP : No corporate meddling and no ads.
NDP, M-L : Why no meaningful local programming? More money needed.
CPC : The 2010 Games! and more Sheri Ullrich.
Priorities re kids and childcare :
NDP, Lib : Quality daycare and affordable housing.
GP : Daycare should be available where you work but affordable housing is the bigger issue.
CPC : Tax credit for kids in sports programs.
You're fucking killing me here.
Gun regulation :
GP : Tough on gun offense sentencing but more relevant to fix causes like poverty and gangs.
Lib, M-L : Deal with poverty, hunting rifles ok.
NDP ; Fix existing hand gun registry.
CPC : Stiffer sentencing, more cops, increase the military.
?
Abortion :
Lib : Didn't we establish this 20 years ago? (Cheers)
GP, NDP, M-L : Better sex education.
CPC : Will listen to his constituency and support a free vote.
You're toast now, buddy.
Gay rights :
GP, Lib : Duh!
M-L : Yeah, fine, what about a constitution that addresses all human rights?
CPC : The gov't has no place in the bedrooms of the nation.
NDP : Oh give me a break. You have a SoCon agenda and are also personally involved in a vote against the Nis-Ga'a.
Murray : Ok and now to wrap up ....
Of course I'm excluding here how the table some of us were sitting on collapsed noisily during the 'bedrooms of the nation' speech, and how several members of the audience coughed 'Mulroney' repeatedly throughout the proceedings, and how likeable and funny the Lib candidate was in the face of audience opposition, and how GP Silvaine really kicked ass here but with a light and amusing human touch. But I was just wondering...
Hands up everyone who watched CPC John Weston today and thought, "Now here's a serious guy, an intelligent Harvard-educated well-spoken guy, who is sincere and courteous and well-meaning."
OK, good, thanks.
Now hands up everyone who watched John Weston today and saw a sock-puppet.
Yeah, that's what I figured.
For those of you who couldn't untangle yourselves sufficiently from your counterpanes in time to attend (and I'm looking at you here, b-boy and ricky larch), the format consisted of intros from each candidate, followed by Murray Atherton reading aloud the written questions which had been anonymously submitted beforehand by members of the audience.
The candidates :
Green Party - Silvaine Zimmerman
Liberal - Blair Wilson
Conservative - John Weston
NDP - Judith Wilson
Marxist-Leninist - Anne Jamieson
And right off the top comes :
Do you or your party consider water to be exempt from NAFTA ?
M-L, GP, and NDP candidates : Yes, exempt from NAFTA but the NAFTA rules we do have aren't enforceable.
Lib. : Yes, but currently it's legally up to individual provinces to negotiate.
CPC : Says he doesn't know.
Really?
What are the most important issues to this riding:
Lib : Biggest riding in Canada so accessibility and accountability to each part of it. (Boos on Lib accountability)
NDP : Poverty gap and cynicism regarding social justice.
M-L : Productive job base threatened - we can't live on tourism and house construction.
GP : Balancing economy and environmental concerns - more green collar jobs needed.
CPC : The 2010 Games and expanding the military.
No kidding?
CBC :
Lib : Yeah!
GP : No corporate meddling and no ads.
NDP, M-L : Why no meaningful local programming? More money needed.
CPC : The 2010 Games! and more Sheri Ullrich.
Priorities re kids and childcare :
NDP, Lib : Quality daycare and affordable housing.
GP : Daycare should be available where you work but affordable housing is the bigger issue.
CPC : Tax credit for kids in sports programs.
You're fucking killing me here.
Gun regulation :
GP : Tough on gun offense sentencing but more relevant to fix causes like poverty and gangs.
Lib, M-L : Deal with poverty, hunting rifles ok.
NDP ; Fix existing hand gun registry.
CPC : Stiffer sentencing, more cops, increase the military.
?
Abortion :
Lib : Didn't we establish this 20 years ago? (Cheers)
GP, NDP, M-L : Better sex education.
CPC : Will listen to his constituency and support a free vote.
You're toast now, buddy.
Gay rights :
GP, Lib : Duh!
M-L : Yeah, fine, what about a constitution that addresses all human rights?
CPC : The gov't has no place in the bedrooms of the nation.
NDP : Oh give me a break. You have a SoCon agenda and are also personally involved in a vote against the Nis-Ga'a.
Murray : Ok and now to wrap up ....
Of course I'm excluding here how the table some of us were sitting on collapsed noisily during the 'bedrooms of the nation' speech, and how several members of the audience coughed 'Mulroney' repeatedly throughout the proceedings, and how likeable and funny the Lib candidate was in the face of audience opposition, and how GP Silvaine really kicked ass here but with a light and amusing human touch. But I was just wondering...
Hands up everyone who watched CPC John Weston today and thought, "Now here's a serious guy, an intelligent Harvard-educated well-spoken guy, who is sincere and courteous and well-meaning."
OK, good, thanks.
Now hands up everyone who watched John Weston today and saw a sock-puppet.
Yeah, that's what I figured.
All Candidates Meeting at the Legion
Quotes from the after-brawl :
"Look, Harper made those remarks ten years ago. It's just not fair to bring them up now after all this time."
"Ok with me as long as you don't bring up Jesus."
"Look, Harper made those remarks ten years ago. It's just not fair to bring them up now after all this time."
"Ok with me as long as you don't bring up Jesus."
"Wait a sec there, Slick...Turn it back, turn it back now a sec..."
You're telling me that you're gonna give me $1200 a year in Child Care Allowance that I can spend any way I want -- for free-- and all I gotta do in return is let you make whatever changes you want to the country and the constitution and the judiciary.
$1200?
Damn but that's gonna buy a lot of beer and popcorn.
With apologies to David Cross.
$1200?
Damn but that's gonna buy a lot of beer and popcorn.
With apologies to David Cross.
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
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