Okay Canada Senate - Prove you have balls!

The Stephen Harper government's omnibus crime bill is making its final stop in the Commons this week before heading off to the Senate. 


  I recall having a conversation with two political reporters at a Progressive Bloggers event in the East Block on Parliament Hill.  Our host was the well respected Progressive Conservative, Senator Elaine McCoy.  I should also note that I believe she is the last Senator standing in the Senate as a Progressive Conservative, steadily defying Stephen Harper and his Reform minded colleagues. 


We had a big discussion on the value of the Senate. I was for throwing it out and two parliamentary reporters were all for keeping it. They agreed it was a little undemocratic, yet okay in a democracy and far superior to the American model of elected Senators. 


They cited the example of Parliament putting the boots to abortion and the Senate stopping it. We can thank the Senate for one maybe four or five occasions when it did not follow its political masters in the House Of Commons and abortion remained legal. 


So here is a major test.  Every person in Canada pretty much knows that crime is way down. Almost every person in Canada knows someone that smokes dope. The new crime bill brings massive change and costs.  We will see many more Canadians in jail. We will see the cost of keeping them there sky-rocket.  Almost every progressive voice in this country says this is wrong.

I have a question for all you good people that support the Senate. Will the chamber of so called 'sober second thought' stop the omnibus crime bill as it is?

I'm willing to reconsider supporting a senate of some kind if the Senate we have today steps up to the plate and tosses this legislation right back at Harper.  Its time my two political buddies on Parliament Hill start proving the Senate has value.  Its time the MSM start calling on the Senate to full fill its mandate. 

BC Last in Child Poverty - Eight years running

So in doing some research into Premier Clark and her BC Liberal Government, I discovered what I already suspected was the case. BC has the highest child poverty rate in Canada.  In fact, they have had the worst record of child poverty for eight years in a row.  Kinda makes you proud to be from BC right?  


Christy Clark, the Great 'not' Gordo hope for Families in BC wants to put Families First.  What is she doing about it ... 

As Paul Wilcocks points out   ...when it was reported that B.C. had the highest rate of child poverty in Canada for the eighth consecutive year, Premier Christy Clark rejected calls for a plan to address the problem, with targets, actions and a requirement for an annual report on “progress or lack of progress,” to use Falcon’s words.  Why no plan? Clark and the other ministers never offered a coherent reason. Because there isn’t one. 

Its astonishing that the province in Canada that for the last five years has been billing itself as The Best Place on Earth, has more poor kids per-capita than any other province in our country.  

I found this here.

Perhaps this slogan would have been a little more honest 

H/t to The Gazetteer

BC Liberals Deadly Silent on Queers in School

I know of a few of my blogging friends here in Ontario, people on the progressive side of politics (today that means almost anyone that isn't a Conservative), who support the BC Liberals and in particular, Christy Clark.  Supporting Christy Clark puts your progressive credentials on the line.

Premier Christy Clark

Clark is a slightly younger version of Stephen Harper.  She better than Gordon Campbell because, well, she's not Gordon Campbell. The packaging is different, the product inside is the same.   


No doubt there are good people in that party who are socially progressive.  These people don't stand a chance however as getting votes in bible belt BC requires the party to cater to regressive southern baptist like attitudes.  Something The Liberals are good at, just as the Social Credit party was for years.  


In the recent BC municipal elections, the right wing religious folks in the NDP stronghold of Burnaby waged a mighty war against the NDP friendly school board, because the  board brought in a strong anti-homophobia policy. What's interesting here is the lack of response to the hateful anti-queer campaign waged by the Parents’ Voice slate for school board from the BC Liberal government.


Some more history...

"On January 8, 2011 Christy Clark promised the gay community that homophobic bullying would be among her top priorities if she were to become premier. But homophobia is not mentioned in Clark's new education policy released on February 14th, this year. Clark spokesperson Shane Mills told Xtra on February 15 that Clark did not want to bury her bullying policy in the general education document. He said it would be released in conjunction with Pink Shirt Day on February 21 or 22.” (Jeremy Hainsworth, Xtra West, Feb. 15, 2011)

It didn't happen. 

Hon. Mary Polak

There's still no plan on the part of the BC Liberal government to bring in any anti-homophobia curriculum changes in BC schools.  And I for one am not surprised when one of BC's most famous homophobes, Mary Polak is a key member of Premier Clark's cabinet.  


Polak's government bio site states that she served nine years on the Surrey School board and boasts of her efforts to balance the books.  Not surprisingly, she doesn't mention spending One million School Board tax dollars to keep books about same sex families out of the schools.  She lost in the end.  
See The Silence on Sex Candidate


Christy Clark has a long history of playing both sides of the homophobia debate. In 2003, then Education Minister, Christy Clark convened a “Safe Schools Task Force” – their report acknowledged that concerns about homophobia figured prominently in submissions and that attempts to raise the issue of homophobia in schools often met with resistance. Yet despite the acknowledgement of a culture of homophobia in the school system, the report offered no recommendations aimed at addressing these serious concerns. “Even though the report infers a connection between bullying based on sexual orientation and suicide and murder, it offers no standard anti-homophobic harassment guidelines in its recommendations. Homophobia does not even rate a mention." (Jeremy Hainsworth, Xtra West, Sept. 4, 2003) 


The report did not even say the word homophobia. 

Hon. Barry Penner

Now Barry Penner, long time Liberal MLA from Chilliwack-Hope has retired. That means a by-election.  The riding is part of BC's Bible belt. Its an area the BC Liberals will have to win in the next election if they have any hope of staying in power.  The BC Lberals are fighting a rear guard action as the BC Conservative party looks to take some seats in the next election.  


The writing is on the wall for queer kids in BC schools.  The current government lead by Premier Clark will do nothing more to protect them.  In fact in Premier Clark claimed that protecting LGBT students was a local issue: "Local school boards can make their own rules about these things." (Christy Clark, Global TV, June 15, 2011)  

Christy Clark is Gordon Campbell in drag, which is funny to say in a way, seeing as future drag queen/kings get no help from her government.


 


You cannot support Christy Clark and the BC Liberals and call yourself progressive. 

Yikers, Who hasn't recorded Little Drummer Boy

Okay, something different I always liked the song, Little Drummer Boy. Im not a christian, yet I find this song comforting. So I decided to gather a few versions. Its all my buddy Michael Yoder's fault. He posted a an okay version of the song on facebook.

Then Bob Dylan did this version

Then Justin Bieber abig time Christian, does this really yucky version of the song...

This is a little better an likely the most popular version to last 30 years or more. Boney M Josh Groban does a great job here and then Dolly does it And in 1970 Michael and the rest of the Jackson Five recorded what I am seeing is a song recorded by almost anyone who has done a Christmas Album

NYPD harass media and Undercover cop is caught

AMAZING video of a journalist not taking crap from NYPD. The reporter is told that he can not be there filming the protest. The police manhandle him, shout at him and continue to direct him away. The reporter is having none of that. Its fortunate for the reporter that there were many other cameras recording the incident. No cameras and the reporter is charged with assaulting a police officer and then resisting arrest. The world is watching. In this video an undercover cop is exposed and takes a swipe at the protester filming him. Cover blown.

Who Knew it was legal to Camp at Best Buy

Ken Sander's photo

TreeHugger

Don't Mess up Like Texas - maybe too late?

We still have time to raise awareness on Bill C-10, the omnibus crime bill being rammed through the House of Commons by the Stephen Harper Conservatives.

LeadNow.ca

This would be funny if it weren't so true.  Crime rates at record low levels and a crazy government decides it needs to get tough on crime.

They take on Texas like program just as Texas decides it doesn't work.

It's rife with potential comedy as bumbling Conservative Prime Minister and his sidekick justice Minister convince a country that they are facing crime around every corner.  They build gazebos to hide cash for retirement and then use government helicopters to spend time at planning retreats hosted by rich people.  It goes so well they decide to try something even more outrageous.

Ethical Oil they scream!  LOL that's a good one.  What's next for all of us.  Hey I know...

Leadnow provides these links on Bill C-10

1. 10 reasons to oppose Bill C-10, Trinda L. Ernst, President, Canadian Bar Association:
   http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/1086785--10-reasons-to-oppose-bill-c-10
2. Texas conservatives reject Harper's crime plan - 'Been there; done that; didn't work,' say Texas crime-fighters (CBC):
   http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/10/17/pol-vp-milewski-texas-crime.html
3. Tough on crime bill will hurt First Nations, Atleo says:
   http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/story/2011/11/16/north-atleo-crime-bill.html
4. Provinces wont foot bill for crime legislation, McGuinty warns PM:
   http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/provinces-wont-foot-bill-for-crime-legislation-mcguinty-warns-pm/article2222867/
5. Leadnow petition: http://www.leadnow.ca/keep-canada-safe
   Avaaz petition: http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_harpers_cruel_crime_bill/
6. Bill C-10 in full: http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Docid=5124131&file=4

Aransas County Judge William Adams Beats Daughter

This is horrifying.  No parent should ever get away with this.  I know many parents 20 and 30 years ago did this.  It was wrong then and it is wrong today.  The person beating his daughter in the video below is a Family Law Judge in Texas.  This man is suppose to be someone who upholds the law and can be respected.  I tried to watch this video three times so far.  I have only managed to watch the first 4 minutes and the last 45 seconds.

(CBS/AP) McALLEN, Texas - The Texas family law judge whose daughter secretly videotaped him savagely beating her in 2004 has been suspended as a judge by the Texas Supreme Court.
According to an order signed Tuesday by the clerk of the state's highest court, Aransas County court-at-law Judge William Adams is suspended immediately with pay pending the outcome of the inquiry started by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct earlier this month. CBS

This video is traumatizing.  I have chosen to post it because its vitally important that people know just what kind of man this Judge is.  I know people that as children were the victim of this kind of violence.  Its vital we stop it where ever we see it.

From You Tube:  2004: Aransas County Court-At-Law Judge William Adams took a belt to his own teenage daughter as punishment for using the internet to acquire music and games that were unavailable for legal purchase at the time. She has had ataxic cerebral palsy from birth that led her to a passion for technology, which was strictly forbidden by her father's backwards views. The judge's wife was emotionally abused herself and was severely manipulated into assisting the beating and should not be blamed for any content in this video. The judge's wife has since left the marriage due to the abuse, which continues to this day, and has sincerely apologized and repented for her part and for allowing such a thing, long before this video was even revealed to exist.