Budget 2011 Canada - Who will win the day?

Tomorrow is budget day in Canada. Jim Flaherty the Finance Minister will introduce the budget in hopes it will cause the Government to go down instead of the expected confidence motion to come after his government is found in Contempt of Parliament.

The Liberals and Bloc have indicated they will vote against the budget.  For the Liberals it would be the first time they have done this since Harper was elected.  The Bloc will of course hold their fire as they await news that a deal has been reached with the Quebec Government to compensate them for the conversion costs associated with the HST.  Quebec did not get the same money as Ontario or BC when they combined the provincial sales tax with the GST.

That leaves the NDP.  Jack Layton, leader of the NDP has put a few things on the table.  If the government meets the goals set by the NDP they would vote for the budget.  Some of the items put forward by the NDP include, removal of the GST on home heating fuel, Increases to Seniors income (GIS) and changes to the Canada Pension plan for seniors, and the continuation and funding of the ecoHome renovation program.

Barring a self detonating bomb in the budget and Harper meets Layton's requests, we may see the NDP support Harper on the budget.  There is of course lots of room for Layton to dismiss any efforts by the Harper Govt on these issues as being too little and or the big deal breaker of inclusion of significant corporate tax cuts.  We won't know for a couple of days what will happen.

In the interim Harper and company along with the Liberals will blast the NDP until they vote one way or the other.  Harper by saying he gave them much of what they asked for and Ignatieff  because of all the heat he has taken from the NDP for supporting Harper. 

Its a mine field in the House of Commons right now.  One that will easily blow up on which ever party fails to step carefully.

update: The NDP list presented to Prime Minister Harper.

Jack Layton and the New Democrats have put forward a set of practical, affordable proposals – all focused on taking pressure off your family budget:

• Take the federal sales tax off skyrocketing home heating bills and restore the EcoEnergy Retrofit program.
• Increase the Guaranteed Income Supplement for our most vulnerable seniors.
• Strengthen the Canada Pension Plan we all rely on.
• Hire more doctors and nurses across Canada.

Sun Media - Can't read a whole press release - they get it wrong for RIGHT reasons?

The HST is adding a great deal to the heating bills for people in Ontario and BC. In Ontario the bill has actually gone up 17% due to the increased profit margin granted to electricity providers. The Ontario provincial NDP are asking that the Premier remove the 8% provincial portion from the hydro bill in order to help many low and middle income families cope. To date the request has fallen on deaf ears.

Federally, the NDP Leader Jack Layton has asked Prime Minister Harper, to reduce the HST on heating bills. Being the ever right wing protagonist, Brian Lilley at Eye On the Hill, a SUN media blog, came out with a story today with only half the facts, stating that Jack Layton was a Climate Change denier.

Lilley conveniently failed to read all of Jack's media release. Layton calls for reducing the HST and measures to assist people retrofit their homes to assist in reducing heating costs. You can read Brian's misrepresentation here and Jack's press release here.

Harper creates 550 jobs in Public Service

Did I hear him right?  Harper is making a big announcement in New Brunswick.  He is talking about adding to the federal public service.  The creation of 500 Jobs.  Harper, the government cutter is announcing he will move and create 550 pencil pushing jobs. 

Was this an old Liberal press release that was pulled from the archives.  Does Harper read what he is going to deliver?   I mean Harper first runs up the biggest deficit in Canadian history and after years of calling for elimination of jobs, he is announcing 550 new public (read that again, 550 tax payer paid jobs).  Will wonders ever cease?

Canada, Happy immigrants, at least I am

How soon we all forget. Most of us are immigrants or refugees. We came from somewhere else, or at least our ancestors did. John Moore writes in today's National Post just what I have been thinking. I might actually have to tune into Newstalk1010 in the mornings to hear his show.

Here is a link to his article: John Moore: Canada, a country of happy immigrants and short memories

Moore has a line for The Harper government as well...

"One of my colleagues has griped indignantly that by raising our history of intolerance toward newcomers I am necessarily calling anyone with concerns about the arrival of the MV Sun Sea a racist. Not at all. But if Public Security Minister Vic Toews and others who like to stir up panic over this latest arrival of refugees find themselves sharing political terrain with unabashed racists that’s their burden to shoulder.

This doesn’t mean we don’t need to have an adult conversation about whom we welcome and how we integrate them into our national culture. But as long as people don’t even know what the difference between an immigrant and a refugee is, one has to question just how adult a conversation it’s going to be. But it is good to be inside the velvet rope isn’t it?"

Billions of tax dollars for Harper re-election fraud!

Now we know why the Conservatives want to make StatsCan look stupid. Stockwell Day has decided that the government must go ahead and build more prisons because the stats showing reduced crime rates are wrong. That's correct Mr. Day lets not let the facts get in the way of a good ole law 'n order re-election campaign.

The next Conservative campaign will highlight the opposition parties as being weak on crime and you guessed it, only the Conservitives are between you and the bad dude(s).

See CBC story here; Crime statistics not accurate, Day suggests

In an effort to build public acceptance for the billions in cost for new prisons, the Conservatives are trying to create a public impression the crime rates are in fact rising when all the stats suggest otherwise.

See CTV story here: Crime rate, violent crimes drop in 2009: StatsCan

The crime rates have been falling for several years now in Canada, yet the Harper led Conservatives continue their rant, playing to their base vote and hoping to scare the lights out of the soccer moms and blue collar white men. Lets hope people see this for what it is, a multi billion dollar taxpayer paid re-election gimmick.

update: See other blogs
Stageleft:: I Admit To Confusion
thewfds.blogspot.com jail-jail-jail.html

My rant

Its crazy here in Canada. We have an ever growing Christian lobbying effort in Ottawa. People that won't stop until Canada no longer allows abortions, says to queers of all kinds, get back in the closet and be lucky we don't do what the Muslims do in Iran.
Stephen Harper thinks he is fooling us all. In fact the mainstream media are fooling us. They act like Mr. Harper won an election. Hell, 66% of Canadians voted for someone other than Mr. Harper's party. Of course the Liberals have conceded to almost everything Harper has put forward. No wonder folks have the idea that Harper is an absolute ruler. The Libs are propping him up.  If Mr. Harper wins a Majority, it because of a completely inept Liberal party.

Iggy couldn't come up with a policy if Canada depended on it.  I guess that was a given.  The Liberals missed the boat going with this academic.  He waits for the results to come in months after a decision is needed.  Witness his late conversion on the road to Damascus, "the Harper Government has to go at all costs"  all the while, hoping the Harper government would not fall.  He was about a year late in that conversion.  Now he is at it again.  Supporting Conservative budgets. 

The only hope for people opposed to Harper is to vote NDP.  Not a bad choice given they have wrung concessions out of Harper and before him, Martin.  In fact they are the only ones in Parliament committed to making the place work.  Harper has a narrow agenda to get through, Iggy is protecting his own publicly paid housing across the street from Harper. 

The media need to start asking the tough questions of Harper, Ignatieff and Layton.  Make them answer and when they side step it go after them.  I know that Layton will be okay.  He at least has policies to refer people too. 

Imagine that, maybe we could focus on what each party would do if they were elected. 

Baird was outed by Christian web site

A little more digging on the reporting of John Baird's gayness. I remembered an article on Lifesite that attacked the Harper government for not being "social conservative" enough.

Here are some comments deep into a report ...

"Harper rejected the candidacy of pro-marriage candidate John Pacheco during the Dec. 2005 Ottawa West nominations in order to protect the party’s star candidate, homosexual activist John Baird. Baird is a gay activist and staunch proponent of homosexual 'marriage'. In the provincial legislature Baird spoke in favour of a provincial gay marriage law striking the words "husband" and "wife" from all Ontario legislation. In the legislature Baird went so far as to heckle one of his own provincial Conservative colleagues who opposed the gay marriage law.

In 2003 Baird was asked by Stephen Harper to serve as co-chair for his leadership campaign. And in the federal election of 2004, John was again asked by Stephen Harper to serve as Ontario co-chair for the National Campaign." - Life Site June 27, 2006

Incidently, when I put the link to the story below on facebook, they ask you to type two words to be sure you are a person and not a machine. Here is a pic of those two words that came up for me... Do you think facebook is that intuitive?

Baird - queer as a three dollar bill?

OH no

Tell me its not so...

John Baird, the Stephen Harper Minister is gay... (tongue firmly placed in right cheek).

Toronto Centre Conservative candidate, Pamela Taylor lets it slip on CBC Radio's Toronto Morning show today.

Ms Taylor has officially outed one of her own. Bet she has fun putting that one back in the box.
It is common knowledge in the gay community but not that commonly known in the wider world.

see Xtra here

Not my Prime Minister

More Harper posters for January 23 protests can be found here.

"I want you to Not Care," smirks Stephen Harper

This poster is free to use. The creater is here

How Harper has hurt our Democracy

This is from
Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament, the largest Canadian Facebook group ever. It is from the discussion topic
The Harper Attack on Canadian Democracy Documented
as posted by Defend Parliament:

I found this on driving the porcelain bus blog, my thanks for his posting.

This is stomach turning. You will find links to everything that is referred too. It is a very long list. I am posting it here to ensure in my mind, it remains available to as many people as possible..

--------------------------------

MUZZLING CABINET MINISTERS, MPs, JUDGES, ETC

How Harper controls the spin
Zeal to manage message sees journalists shunned, bureaucrats, cabinet ministers routinely muzzled. Public appearances by cabinet ministers – whether it's a speech or an interview – are carefully staged, starting with a "message event proposal" vetted by the Privy Council Office, the bureaucratic wing of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/429906

PM slaps muzzle on military brass
http://www.ottawasun.com/News/National/2006/04/15/1535119-sun.html

Hillier, Sr.Officials Muzzled by PMO
http://forums.army.ca/forums/index.php/topic,42247.0.html

Mum’s the word: Harper tells MPs to keep mouths shut
http://www.carleton.ca/ctown/archiv/mar3106/Insite2.htm

Tories tighten muzzle on PS [Public Service] for campaign
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=93e98b5c-593a-4eac-b835-a4359e80babd

Former chief justice of Canada accuses PM of trying to "muzzle" the judiciary
http://www.anticorruption.ca/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4792&sid=44cad6d7756e9bd7010d182cb62e00da

'Muzzle' Placed On Federal Scientists
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=47bf0fba-b98f-43fb-89fb-58b6464a7b24&k=65248

Tories muzzle environmental scientist
http://www.hour.ca/news/news.aspx?iIDArticle=8942

Minister stops book talk by Environment Canada scientist
http://www.cbc.ca/story/arts/national/2006/04/13/ambrose-climate.html

Mum's the word till message vetted
No federal cabinet minister speaks to a journalist, gives a speech or makes a policy announcement until a "message event proposal" has been vetted by a wing of the Prime Minister's Office.
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/429903

Harper lawsuit smacks of authoritarian state: prof
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/08/07/harper-lawsuit.html

Holland shocked by Conservative comments on media
http://www.markholland.ca/news/2006/060331harpermedia.htm

Harper government whips Tories into line with secret handbook
http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/columnists/story.html?id=b8122d51-95e8-4b29-b99b-34217406425d

Information Commissioner Robert Marleau told The Hill Times recently that the Harper government has been quietly drafting about 25 government policies that impact on the rights of officers of Parliament, and that it has been happening without their knowledge or input.
http://www.thehilltimes.ca/members/login.php?fail=2&destination=/html/cover_index.php?display=story&full_path=/2008/may/12/spindoctors/

Conservative headquarters scripting calls to radio shows
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080325.wtorytalk0325/BNStory/National/home

Feds keep lid on Atomic Energy Canada sale report
http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/Feds+keep+Atomic+Energy+Canada+sale+report/2121029/story.html

Huge loss expected in any AECL sale, MPs concede
http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Huge+loss+expected+AECL+sale+concede/2129653/story.html

Is he sitting on it?
Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan still has not tabled the 2008 report from the Commissioner of Firearms. Knowing the report will likely be favourable to the existing gun registry, many have questioned whether Van Loan is suppressing the report until after tonight's vote on scrapping the long gun registry.
http://www.cbc.ca/politics/insidepolitics/2009/11/is-he-sitting-on-it.html

Canada slips in 'press freedom' rankings
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/712978--canada-slips-in-press-freedom-rankings

Torture probe delayed; Tories deny gagging witness
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/704155

Lawyers seek to gag witnesses in Afghan prisoner inquiry
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090929/taliban_prisoners_090929/20090929?hub=Canada

Has Canada entered a 'Bush-like vortex'?
Richard Colvin's torture allegations suggest civil servants aren't writing down what the government doesn't want recorded
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/has-canada-entered-a-bush-like-vortex/article1404311/

PMO issued instructions on denying abuse in '07
Former NATO official says response to reports was 'scripted' in Ottawa
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/afghanmission/article/729157--pmo-issued-instructions-on-denying-abuse-in-07

Tories attack credibility of diplomat who blew whistle on torture
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/tories-attack-credibility-of-diplomat-who-blew-whistle-on-torture/article1369993/

Attack on senior diplomat signals demise of independent public service: experts
"If we don’t have a public service that speaks truth to power we might as well have everything run out of the Prime Minister’s Office.”
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Attack+Colvin+signals+demise+independent+public+service/2283460/story.html

Diplomats told to keep quiet on torture allegations, sources say
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/diplomats-told-to-keep-quiet-on-torture-allegations-sources-say/article1367390/

Former ambassadors condemn Ottawa's attack on diplomat
Response to Colvin's detainee testimony discourages honest reports, letter says
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/former-ambassadors-condemn-ottawas-attack-on-diplomat/article1392248/

Public service in crisis over Colvin
The Harper government's attack on a senior diplomat could be the final blow in the unravelling of Canada's once-sacred tradition of an independent, non-partisan public service, warn experts
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Public+service+crisis+over+Colvin/2285239/story.html

Afghan detainee watchdog warns of Tory ‘chilling effect'
Departing military commission chief's [BECAUSE HE WAS REFUSED REAPPOINTMENT BY THE TORIES] comments come as Harper government digs in its heels in face of parliamentary order to turn over confidential files
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/afghan-detainee-watchdog-warns-of-tory-chilling-effect/article1397570/

Detainee watchdog post remains unfilled
Military police commission set to meet in March, but Ottawa's delays in appointing new chairman could prompt delay
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/detainee-watchdog-post-remains-unfilled/article1428874/

Feds refuse legal funding to whistleblower diplomat
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091027/whistleblower_legal_091027/20091027?hub=Canada

Ottawa's stance on whistleblower's legal costs called 'unethical'
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/716489--ottawa-s-stance-on-whistleblower-s-legal-costs-called-unethical

Feds tried to order nuclear regulator to bend rules
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20071218/reactor_order_071218/20071218?hub=Politics

Ottawa fires nuclear safety commission head [nuclear regulator]
http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourview/2008/01/ottawa_fires_nuclear_safety_co.html

Ousted regulator just doing her job
http://www.thestar.com/comment/columnists/article/294886

Tories drop RCMP complaints commissioner
Paul Kennedy sparred with government over office's powers, budget
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/731775--tories-drop-rcmp-complaints-commissioner

Clement slams CMA doctors for supporting drug-injection site
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=732204

Scientific data backs Insite
http://www.straight.com/scientific-data-backs-insite

Budget officer [Kevin Page] questions projected federal surplus
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/canada/Budget+officer+questions+projected+surplus/1054174/story.html

If the object of the exercise was “truth in budgeting”, that’s what Kevin’s office provided. But that realism, whether in regard to rosy but flawed government fiscal forecasts or the true cost of the war in Afghanistan, has been a bit too much truth for this government. Mr. [Kevin] Page’s office has had its budget cut by one million dollars.
http://informedvote.ca/2009/11/07/our-parliamentary-budget-officer-kevin-page-%E2%80%93-a-canadian-hero/

Conservatives stop funding for learning organization
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/conservatives-stop-funding-for-learning-organization/article1423912/

Ottawa is cutting off public input into climate-change policy
http://www.montrealgazette.com/opinion/Ottawa+cutting+public+input+into+climate+change+policy/2126254/story.html

Tory candidate dumped for frank TV comments: Mused riding wouldn't get infrastructure cash because it's Liberal-held
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/702396

Tory candidates avoiding debates [Election Campaign, 2008]
Campaign official says 'there's no policy' forbidding participation in certain all-candidates' meetings
http://www.thestar.com/FederalElection/article/510147

Gov't program wants job applicants' views on Tory budget
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091104/interns_federal_091104/20091104?hub=QPeriod

Insults, discourtesy and disrespect mark Harper team's behaviour: Targets have included AIDS activists, Nobel Prize winners and Road to Avonlea star
http://www.harperindex.ca/ViewArticle.cfm?Ref=00145

PM Never Too Busy For a Photo OP
summoning hordes of photographers to document your every move following a massive humanitarian disaster, and then not letting reporters ask questions seems very disingenuous, and a little ridiculous. The intent is obviously to make Mr. Harper look Prime Ministerial, but I think if the public knew the context behind the images they were seeing they would feel exactly the opposite.
http://www.hilltimes.com/blog/?p=247


THE CULTURE OF SECRECY
Watchdog blasts Tories for secrecy obsession: Information chief challenges Ottawa to ease 'stranglehold'
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/593921

Watchdog alarmed by Harper's information clampdown
Canada's information watchdog says the public knows less than ever about what its government is doing – a stark contrast to Barack Obama's push for openness in the United States.
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/575765

Government secrecy ‘grim,' watchdog says
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090226.wPOLinformation0226/BNStory/politics/home

Ottawa nixes bid to expand transparency
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-nixes-bid-to-expand-transparency/article1325061/

Watchdog slams lack of transparency in stimulus spending
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091009/watchdog_stimulus_091009/20091009?hub=TopStoriesV2

Can't say if federal stimulus is working: watchdog
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/12/11/stimulus-funding-watchdog011.html

Tory stimulus boast tough to verify
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091203/stimulus_cash_091203/20091203?hub=Canada

Tories blasted for secrecy on stimulus cash
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/stimulus/article/718466--tories-blasted-for-secrecy-on-stimulus-cash

Stimulus spending watchdogs stymied by lack of data
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091004/stimulus_data_091004/20091004?hub=Canada

Tories not so open now
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/712110--tories-not-so-open-now

Ottawa seeks secrecy in Tamil migrant case
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ottawa-seeks-secrecy-in-tamil-migrant-case/article1406347/



CENTRALIZING POWER IN STEPHEN HARPER’S HANDS
Siddiqui: Harper acting like an elected dictator
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/740829?bn=1

Gomery slams Harper for ignoring him
The man who investigated the sponsorship scandal says Prime Minister Stephen Harper seems to have abandoned any commitment he once had to transparent government in favour of a top-down style that centralizes power in his own hands.
http://www.marketingmag.ca/english/news/agency/article.jsp?content=20080131_777333_2206

Gomery slams increasing power of PM's office
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/345503

Failure to decentralize PMO power poses danger to democracy: Gomery
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/03/13/gomery-committee.html




CONTEMPT FOR ACCOUNTABILITY
Ottawa moves to block detainee-transfer hearings [2008]
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/article722656.ece

Redactions hamper Afghan detainee probe [2009]
Unreadable documents make meaningful inquiry ‘almost impossible’ and reflect government efforts to keep record a secret
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/redactions-hamper-afghan-detainee-probe/article1383375/

Ottawa won't release Afghan documents
Harper government says it will not comply with Opposition motion passed by Parliament, setting stage for legal battle
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/afghanmission/article/737634--ottawa-won-t-release-afghan-documents

Tories to ignore vote on releasing prisoner reports
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091211/afghanistan_motion_091211/20091211?hub=TopStoriesV2

Parliament in showdown with Harper government over Afghan documents
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/national/091211/n1211113A.html

Tories refuse to release uncensored documents on Afghan detainees
http://www.montrealgazette.com/Tories+refuse+release+uncensored+documents+Afghan+detainees/2330193/story.html

Tories force shutdown of hearing on torture [2009]
Opposition blasts boycott as whistleblower readies rebuttal to Ottawa today
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/afghanmission/article/739427



Tories dodging detainee debate to slurp eggnog?
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/bureau-blog/tories-dodging-detainee-debate-to-slurp-eggnog/article1409101/

Ritz avoids listeria joke questions at agriculture debate
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/article713835.ece

Promised listeriosis probe still lacks investigator
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090104.wlisteriosisprobe0104/BNStory/politics/home

Harper government withholds listeriosis notes
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090222.wfoilisteriosis0222/BNStory/politics/home

Did lag in releasing listeriosis notes break law?
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090223/listeriosis_notes_090223/20090223?hub=Canada

Tories opened patronage doors before election: CP
Harper, who railed against Liberal patronage in the 2006 election, later failed to deliver on a campaign pledge to put an independent commission in charge of vetting cabinet appointments. He angrily shelved the idea after opposition MPs refused to ratify his nomination of Gwyn Morgan, a Calgary oil baron who is also a friend of the prime minister, as the commission chair.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080929/election2008_patronage_080930/20080929?s_name=election2008

Harper makes history by naming 18 senators in one day
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/national/081222/n122280A.html

Stalled investigation
In April of last year Elections Canada asked the RCMP to help raid Conservative headquarters in Ottawa to search for evidence. Investigators seized dozens of boxes of documents and copied millions of files from the party's computers. But according to an affidavit filed in court, the Conservatives' lawyer claimed virtually all the documents were subject to solicitor-client privilege. Meaning everything had to be sealed.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/politicalbytes/2009/01/stalled_investigation.html

'NAFTAgate' began with PM's chief of staff
http://news.therecord.com/article/318895

Harper says Obama leak might have been illegal
Prime Minister Stephen Harper says leaks from his government that rocked Barack Obama's U.S. presidential campaign were "blatantly unfair" - and may have been illegal.
http://www.thewesternstar.com/index.cfm?sid=114599&sc=505

Not investigating 'NAFTAgate' leak: Conservatives
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/309381

Prentice defends use of government jet
An analysis of federal air travel by a French-language television network found that 15 ministers had used the private plane 72 times after four years in office, including 31 trips that did not appear to meet government criteria for use of the plane.
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Prentice+defends+government/2421858/story.html

Tories stall on Liberal request for jet passengers
The Harper government says it is unable to provide the names of passengers who have flown on its fleet of Challenger executive jets since 2006 because it would take longer than a month-and-a-half to assemble the list.
http://www.montrealgazette.com/Tories+stall+Liberal+request+passengers/2240281/story.html


CONTEMPT FOR ETHICS
People don't care about Afghan detainee issue: Harper
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/746448--people-don-t-care-about-afghan-detainee-issue-harper?bn=1

PM's former adviser accused of peddling access to corridors of power
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081212.wbrodie12/BNStory/Front

Bureaucrats objected to gov't ad campaign: sources
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091008/govt_advertising_091008/20091008?hub=Politics

PM ignores fixed-election date law
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/CanadaVotes/News/2008/09/07/6690346-cp.html

Conservatives confusing public on 'in and out' financing says Prof. MacIvor
http://www.thehilltimes.ca/html/index.php?display=story&full_path=2008/april/21/legislation/&c=2

RCMP raids Tory party headquarters
The Conservatives insist the transactions were legal but Elections Canada disagrees and rival parties have labeled the scheme outright fraud
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/414652

Tories overspent on election by $1M: warrant
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/04/20/rcmp-torieswarrant.html

Tory dissenters 'idiots, turds'
Workers on the campaign of a Conservative MP who declined to participate in the in-and-out advertising scheme in the 2006 election were denounced as "idiots" and a "bunch of turds"
by senior party officials, who wanted to "put the fear of God" into them for not taking part in the contentious TV and radio purchases.
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/decisioncanada/story.html?id=060d55a6-71be-4426-9188-f67987e472f9

Tory MP admits he broke elections law
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090401.wPOLelxn0401/BNStory/politics/home

Tory MP derides jobless as 'no-good bastards'
MPs' comments on unemployed, abortion show party's 'meanness,' opposition critics say
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/730478--tory-mp-derides-jobless-as-no-good-bastards

Finley under fire for 'lucrative' jobless comment
Conservative government has no interest in increasing Employment Insurance payments and making it “lucrative” for jobless workers to sit around the house
http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Finley+under+fire+lucrative+jobless+comment/1245571/story.html

“In terms of the unemployed... don't feel particularly bad for many of these people. They don't feel bad about it themselves, as long as they're receiving generous social assistance and unemployment insurance.”
Stephen Harper, Speech to the [American] Council for National Policy, June 1997
Full text of Stephen Harper's 1997 speech
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20051213/elxn_harper_speech_text_051214/20051214/

PM's Jewish pitch hits a new low, critics say Tory flyer suggests Liberals are anti-Semitic
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/727885--pm-s-jewish-pitch-hits-a-new-low-critics-say

Speaker slaps Tory wrists over hyper-partisan flyers
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/national/091119/n1119147A.html

Speaker rules flyers may have damaged MP's reputation
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Speaker+rules+flyers+have+damaged+reputation/2273061/story.html



“… new book made the claim that former Conservative MP Chuck Cadman was essentially offered financial inducements [ a $1 million life insurance policy] by Conservative party officials to vote down the Liberal government's 2005 budget …. Chuck Cadman's widow [a current Conservative MP] has said her late husband told her about the offer. Two other family members say Cadman told them the same thing ….”
Quoted from “Dion, Harper clash over Cadman allegations”, http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080303/harper_lawsuit_080303/20080303

PM's cutback plan: Choke rival parties
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/544388

NDP considers legal action after Tories tape private meeting
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/article725170.ece

Recreational stimulus favours Tory ridings
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/recreational-stimulus-favours-tory-ridings/article1332609/

Tory ridings get more stimulus money
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/10/22/stimulus-spending.html

Stimulus funds forget high jobless areas
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/national/091111/n111141A.html

Lobbying czar probes firm with ties to Tories
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/lobbying-czar-probes-firm-with-ties-to-tories/article1339588/

Raitt accused of expense abuse: She improperly approved her London trip, Port Authority's former chair says
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/721434--raitt-accused-of-expense-abuse?bn=1

Why were port authority board minutes altered?
Documents approved in December 2008 differ greatly from those rewritten and approved six months later, Star examination finds
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/722028--why-were-port-authority-board-minutes-altered

Raitt under fire for calling cancer, isotope crisis 'sexy
http://www.canada.com/news/Raitt+refuses+apologize+calling+cancer+radiation+sexy/1678638/story.html

Tories overstate cost of Liberal EI plan: budget office
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/09/11/employment-insurance.html

Tory attack on carbon tax is dishonest: economist
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080610/tory_ads_080610?s_name=&no_ads=

Harper won't rule out carbon tax
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/741961--harper-won-t-rule-out-carbon-tax

Tories outspent Liberals on consultants
The Conservative government spent almost $1 billion on consultants in its first two years in office – nearly double what the Liberals spent in a similar time period, a Toronto Star investigation shows
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/550044

PM's pal gets government job
Appointment to board of directors is geologist's third posting to be criticized for favouritism
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/624802

Conservative spending on polls hits $31-million, DOUBLES Liberals [under the previous gov’t] http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=142342

Tory MP who led anti-drug campaign charged with cocaine possession
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/national/090916/n0916139A.html

Tories spend 5 times more on ads than H1N1 prevention
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/698415

Harper so far unscathed by HST blowback
Federal support key to tax harmonization that has been poorly received by Canadians
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/harper-so-far-unscathed-by-hst-blowback/article1308907/

Tories reject fast-tracking of sentencing bill
Conservatives rejected a bid Thursday to expedite a key piece of their tough-on-crime agenda, even as they continued to bash Liberal senators for holding up the legislation
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091009/nicholson_legislation_091009/20091009?hub=Canada

Canada quietly asks EPA to weaken anti-pollution measures
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/canada-quietly-asks-epa-to-weaken-anti-pollution-measures/article1327805/

Ethics czar to investigate Tory logos on cheques
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091020/cheque_probe_091020/20091020?hub=TopStoriesV2

Taxpayers on hook for $1.7-million as PMO rolls out video
Extra funding requested to help bolster Stephen Harper's communications support services
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/taxpayers-on-hook-for-17-million-as-pmo-rolls-out-video/article1393248/

Tories spend $108,000 on 1-hour event
The Conservative government spent more than $100,000 staging a one-hour event in June to provide an update on its economic recovery program
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/712078--tories-spend-108-000-on-1-hour-event

John Baird won't let truth blunt a good barb
For second consecutive day, Transport Minister misquotes Liberal defence critic in fending off criticism on Afghan detainee torture allegations
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/bureau-blog/john-baird-wont-let-truth-blunt-a-good-barb/article1384665/

Climate walkout `certainly happened'
Despite minister's denial, email confirms incident
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/744092--climate-walkout-certainly-happened

Flaherty's deficit plan: Take an axe and cut deep
'I've done it before,' in Harris-era Ontario
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/742220--flaherty-s-deficit-plan-take-an-axe-and-cut-deep?bn=1

Tory prison policy 'wedge politics': study
Critics say Harper's blueprint for revamping corrections policy disregards studied evidence
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/tory-corrections-policy-just-wedge-politics-study/article1300457/

Tory suspended for comments about dead soldier's father is back on job
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/10/21/sparrow-tories.html

Harper was in on the ground floor of coalition building
Ironically, it was Stephen Harper who first brought the option of vaulting to power from the benches of the official Opposition to the fore in the early days of Paul Martin's 2004 minority regime.Even before the presentation of Martin's Speech from the Throne, Harper had sought out his two opposition rivals to lay the groundwork of an alliance to unseat the Liberals.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/712078--tories-spend-108-000-on-1-hour-event

Bloc part of secret coalition plot in 2000 with Canadian Alliance
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/article725469.ece

Tory aide tried to scuttle Hanukkah event: organizer
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20081224/Hanukah_Flap_081224/20081224?hub=Canada

Payroll taxes to wipe out income tax cuts in 2009: watchdog group
http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2008/12/30/taxes.html



Harper zigzags on economy
For the past three months, the only thing consistent about Prime Minister Stephen Harper's position on the economy has been its inconsistency
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/554978


CONTEMPT FOR CANADA AND CANADIANS

“Canada appears content to become a second-tier socialistic country, boasting ever more loudly about its economy and social services to mask its second-rate status….”
Stephen Harper,
National Post editorial, 2000

“It may not be true, but it's legendary that if you're like all Americans, you know almost nothing except for your own country, which makes you probably knowledgeable about one more country than most Canadians.”
Stephen Harper, Speech to the [American] Council for National Policy, June 1997
Full text of Stephen Harper's 1997 speech
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20051213/elxn_harper_speech_text_051214/20051214/

“Canada is a Northern European welfare state in the worst sense of the term, and very proud of it.”
Stephen Harper, Speech to the [American] Council for National Policy, June 1997
Full text of Stephen Harper's 1997 speech
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20051213/elxn_harper_speech_text_051214/20051214/

Flaherty calls Ontario 'last place' to invest
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2008/03/01/flaherty-budget.html

Economists warn against Flaherty's attacks on Ontario
http://www.nationalpost.com/related/topics/story.html?id=360520

Conservative government seems to be picking on Ontario
http://www.navdeepbains.ca/.%5Cupfiles%5CBram%20Guard.pdf

"Whether Canada ends up as one national government or two national governments or several national governments, or some other kind of arrangement is, quite frankly, secondary in my opinion ….”
Stephen Harper,
Speech to the Colin Brown Memorial Dinner, National Citizens Coalition, 1994

“If Ottawa giveth, then Ottawa can taketh away… This is one more reason why Westerners, but Albertans in particular, need to think hard about their future in this country. After sober reflection, Albertans should decide that it is time to seek a new relationship with Canada …Having hit a wall, the next logical step is not to bang our heads against it. It is to take the bricks and begin building another home – a stronger and much more autonomous Alberta. It is time to look at Quebec and to learn. What Albertans should take from this example is to become “maitres chez nous”.
Stephen Harper
National Post, December 8, 2000

“You’ve got to remember that west of Winnipeg the ridings the Liberals hold are dominated by people who are either recent Asian immigrants or recent migrants from eastern Canada: people who live in ghettoes and who are not integrated into western Canadian society."
Stephen Harper,
The Report newsmagazine, January 22, 2001

"I think in Atlantic Canada … there is a culture of defeat that we have to overcome. …Atlantic Canada's culture of defeat will be hard to overcome as long as Atlantic Canada is actually physically trailing the rest of the country.”
Stephen Harper,
New Brunswick Telegraph Journal, May 29, 2002




CONTEMPT FOR PARLIAMENT

WAR WITH ELECTIONS CANADA

RCMP raids Tory party headquarters
The Conservatives insist the transactions were legal but Elections Canada disagrees and rival parties have labeled the scheme outright fraud
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/414652

Tories oppose Bloc motion supporting Elections Canada
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/04/29/elections-motion.html

Legal fees mount in Tory case against Elections Canada
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/article729554.ece


PARLIAMENT DIMINISHED

PM's 'bizarre' report card under attack
Critics charge that not only are his claims that he and the Conservatives saved the economy meaningless, his pattern of disdain for Parliament reached new levels when he upstaged his finance minister and delivered the [economic] update while overseas.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/733969


PROLOGUE: THE FIRST LIES ABOUT DETAINEE TORTURE EXPOSED

April 27, 2007
Reports confirm Canada’s complicity in Afghan state torture
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=5501


Nov.15, 2007
'Credible' case of torture found in Afghanistan
http://www.thestar.com/article/276691

Transfer of detainees is complicity in torture
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/276161


THE FIRST WAR ON PARLIAMENT: LOCKING OUT PARLIAMENT TO SAVE STEPHEN HARPER’S JOB

Opposition parties won't support Tory economic update
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/11/27/question-period.html

Harper's reckless game of chicken could lead to election
http://www.montrealgazette.com/harper+reckless+game+chicken+could+lead+election/1013467/story.html

Conservatives 'fume' about blunder
Their blades remain sheathed but astonished Conservatives are quietly fuming about the tactical blunder they fear could toss them into opposition. And the blame seems to be landing on the prime minister's doorstep.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/546661

Harper to blame for political crisis
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/546179

Fighting for his career, Harper will use all weapons at his disposal
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081202.wcosimp03/BNStory/politics

Tories may dodge confidence vote
http://www.montrealgazette.com/Tories+dodge+confidence+vote/1025030/story.html

PM hangs on as Parliament shut down for seven weeks
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/548382#video

Canadian Leader Shuts Parliament
Canada’s parliamentary opposition reacted with outrage on Thursday after Prime Minister Stephen Harper shut down the legislature until Jan. 26, seeking to forestall a no-confidence vote that he was sure to lose and, possibly, provoking a constitutional crisis.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/world/americas/05canada.html?_r=2&hp



THE SECOND WAR ON PARLIAMENT

ACT I: ESCAPING THE COPENHAGEN FIASCO

Canada contradicts climate change consensus at Commonwealth
http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Canada+contradicts+climate+change+consensus/2275617/story.html

Canada falling behind U.S. in clean-energy efforts: experts
http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Canada+lags+behind+clean+energy+experts/2382672/story.html

No faith in Harper on climate
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/no-faith-in-harper-on-climate/article1394595/

Harper lies low in Copenhagen
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/harper-lies-low-in-copenhagen/article1404101/

With the world watching, Canada draws line in the oil sands
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/climate-change/with-the-world-watching-canada-draws-line-in-the-oil-sands/article1401901/

Prentice hints there may be 'special breaks' for tarsands
http://www.thestar.com/news/sciencetech/environment/copenhagensummit/article/739078--prentice-hints-there-may-be-special-breaks-for-tarsands?bn=1

Ontario and Quebec slam Ottawa on climate
http://www.thestar.com/news/sciencetech/environment/copenhagensummit/article/738264--ontario-and-quebec-slam-ottawa-on-climate

Prentice delivers Canada's unpopular position
Harper leaves it to his Environment Minister to present plenary session
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/climate-change/prentice-delivers-canadas-unpopular-position/article1404676/

Harper lays low, Prentice addresses UN in Copenhagen
http://www.thestar.com/news/sciencetech/environment/copenhagensummit/article/740177--harper-lays-low-prentice-addresses-un-in-copenhagen

Groups declare Canada world's biggest environmental offender at climate talks
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/national/091218/n121867A.html

Canada's a joke at climate talks
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/739272--canada-s-a-joke-at-climate-talks

Quebec premier tears into Harper government's performance on environment
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/national/091222/n122287A.html

Charest rips into Harper government over environment
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091222/charest_harper_091222/20091222?hub=TopStoriesV2

Canadians cool to Harper's climate change stand
http://www.montrealgazette.com/technology/Canadians+cool+Harper+climate+change+stand/2371025/story.html

Canadians, Conservatives differ on climate: poll
Petition, protest keep pressure on Harper government, as key U.S. agency moves on greenhouse gas emissions
http://www.thestar.com/news/sciencetech/environment/copenhagensummit/article/735389

PM suspends Parliament
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/744175--pm-suspends-parliament?bn=1



ACT II: WAS THE HARPER GOVERNMENT COMPLICIT IN WAR CRIMES?

Scene I: THE ACCUSATION

Canada handed over innocent Afghans to torture: diplomat
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/canada-handed-over-innocent-afghans-to-torture-diplomat/article1368631/


Scene II: THE VILLAIN’S ROLE IS MISCAST

Tories attack credibility of diplomat who blew whistle on torture
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/tories-attack-credibility-of-diplomat-who-blew-whistle-on-torture/article1369993/

Canada generals deny ignoring Afghan abuse warnings
Generals say crucial reports did not mention torture
"Ludicrous" to say most detainees abused – general
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN25361220


Scene III: THE SUPPORTING CAST REVEALED

PMO issued instructions on denying abuse in '07
Former NATO official says response to reports was 'scripted' in Ottawa
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/afghanmission/article/729157--pmo-issued-instructions-on-denying-abuse-in-07

Diplomats told to keep quiet on torture allegations, sources say
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/diplomats-told-to-keep-quiet-on-torture-allegations-sources-say/article1367390/

Many detainees were just farmers, Afghan official says
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/many-detainees-were-just-farmers-afghan-official-says/article1372428/

Detainee ties to insurgency could not always be established: Afghan agency
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Detainee+ties+insurgency+could+always+established+Afghan+agency/2285358/story.html

Canadians warned early that Afghan detainees faced torture
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/canadians-warned-early-that-afghan-detainees-faced-torture/article1323231/

EU diplomat backs claims on torture
Canadian's warnings on Afghan detainees reflected common view, says his European colleague
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/afghanmission/article/728958--eu-diplomat-backs-claims-on-torture

Dutch raised concerns over conditions in 2006: Netherlands suggested a separate facility
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/afghanmission/article/731044--dutch-raised-concerns-over-conditions-in-2006

Coalition allies faulted Canada over handling of detainees
Complaint was lodged over secretive approach on captures as early as summer of 2006
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/coalition-allies-faulted-canada-over-handling-of-detainees/article1400522/

Red Cross warned Canada of Afghan prison abuse
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091202/red_cross_091202/20091202?hub=TopStoriesV2

Afghans rejected Canadian-captured prisoners for 'insufficient evidence'
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/afghanmission/article/734238--afghans-rejected-canadian-captured-prisoners-for-insufficient-evidence

Hillier accused of 'trivializing' torture at detainees hearing
http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Hillier+accused+trivializing+torture+detainees+hearing/2371954/story.html

The record and the falsehoods: The government's insistence it knew nothing about the torture of Afghan detainees becomes more and more tenuous
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/editorials/the-record-and-the-falsehoods/article1392183/

Canada defended Afghan 'human-rights abuser,' memos allege
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/afghanmission/article/738292--canada-defended-afghan-human-rights-abuser-memos-allege

Canada kept feared Afghan governor in power despite rep as 'human-rights abuser'
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/national/091213/n121375A.html


Scene IV: PETER MACKAY, CANADA’S VERSION OF SARGEANT “I KNOW NOTHING” SCHULTZ, DELIVERS HIS SOLILOQUY

Government denies liability in torture cases despite report
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/697974

Tories reject call for Afghan torture inquiry
No proof detainees were tortured, defence minister says
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/11/19/afghanistan-torture-colvin-inquiry.html



Scene V: NEMESIS, THOU ART A BITCH!
Proof of detainee abuse exists, despite MacKay's denials
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/subscribe.jsp?art=1390782

Ex-ambassadors condemn gov't on detainee issue
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091208/afghan_ambassador_0911208/20091208?hub=TopStoriesV2

Warnings on detainees were e-mailed to MacKay's office
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/warnings-on-detainees-were-e-mailed-to-mackays-office/article1377821/

MacKay's office got Red Cross warnings about Afghan treatment
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/afghanmission/article/731056--mackay-s-office-got-red-cross-warnings-about-afghan-treatment

Documents confirm whistleblower's emails were sent to then-Foreign Affairs minister Peter MacKay's office
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/afghanmission/article/733623--heavily-censored-afghan-abuse-memos-released?bn=1

Why was Harper so blind to abuse?
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/736829--why-was-harper-so-blind-to-abuse


Scene VI: HARPO, I HAVE A FEELING THAT WE’RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE!

Natynczyk makes major reversal on detainee story
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091209/mackay_oconnor_091209/20091209?hub=TopStoriesV2


Scene VI: TWAS BUT A DREAM AND THE BLACKED OUT MEMOS ARE STILL A BIT FUZZY

Harper government changes tune on Afghan prisoner issue
MacKay says Tories were aware of concerns and began to act shortly after taking office
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/harper-government-changes-tune-on-afghan-prisoner-issue/article1381187/

Heavily-censored Afghan abuse memos released
Documents confirm whistleblower's emails were sent to then-Foreign Affairs minister Peter MacKay's office
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/afghanmission/article/733623--heavily-censored-afghan-abuse-memos-released?bn=1


Scene VII: FRAILTY, THY NAME IS PARLIAMENT!

Parliament in showdown with Harper government over Afghan documents
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/national/091211/n1211113A.html

Ottawa won't release Afghan documents
Harper government says it will not comply with Opposition motion passed by Parliament, setting stage for legal battle
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/afghanmission/article/737634--ottawa-won-t-release-afghan-documents

Tories to ignore vote on releasing prisoner reports
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091211/afghanistan_motion_091211/20091211?hub=TopStoriesV2

Tories refuse to release uncensored documents on Afghan detainees
http://www.montrealgazette.com/Tories+refuse+release+uncensored+documents+Afghan+detainees/2330193/story.html

Conservative boycott shuts down Afghan detainee hearing
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/conservative-boycott-shuts-down-afghan-detainee-hearing/article1401524/

Tories force shutdown of hearing on torture
Opposition blasts boycott as whistleblower readies rebuttal to Ottawa today
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/afghanmission/article/739427

Tories dodging detainee debate to slurp eggnog?
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/bureau-blog/tories-dodging-detainee-debate-to-slurp-eggnog/article1409101/


ACT III

Scene I: THE DEMOCRACY DEATH SCENE?

PM suspends Parliament
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/744175--pm-suspends-parliament?bn=1


EPILOGUE: AT HOME AND ABROAD

Democracy diminished, accountability avoided
By suspending Parliament, Stephen Harper allows the governing party to elude the detainee issue, a move that undermines the democratic rights of the people
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/democracy-diminished-accountability-avoided/article1415461/

Prorogation redux: Harper in contempt of Parliament
His request to shut down the House again undermines Canada's democratic institutions
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/745949

The Economist vents spleen on PM's decision to prorogue
“His officials faced grilling by parliamentary committees over whether they misled the House of Commons in denying knowledge that detainees handed over to the local authorities by Canadian troops in Afghanistan were being tortured. The government would also have come under fire for its lack of policies to curb Canada’s abundant carbon emissions.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/bureau-blog/the-economist-vents-spleen-on-pms-decision-to-prorogue/article1422507/

'Harper goes prorogue,' The Economist laments
"Never mind what his spin doctors say: Mr. Harper's move looks like naked self-interest," says the editorial. The editorial likens Canadian ministers to hapless former U.S. president Gerald Ford, "who could not walk and chew gum at the same time."
http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2010/01/07/harper-economist.html

Canadian Leader Shuts Parliament
Canada’s parliamentary opposition reacted with outrage on Thursday after Prime Minister Stephen Harper shut down the legislature until Jan. 26, seeking to forestall a no-confidence vote that he was sure to lose and, possibly, provoking a constitutional crisis.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/world/americas/05canada.html?_r=2&hp

Afghans violating detainee-transfer agreement
A number of insurgents handed over to Afghan police can't be accounted for, despite Ottawa's assertion transfer
http://www.A.com/news/politics/afghans-violating-detainee-transfer-agreement/article1399050/



And, a final word from Defend Parliament:
Reply to all. I've been saving these links for a few years and finally found a forum to paste them. I've organized them in a logical way, which I hope shows a persistent pattern of attack on Canada's democratic institutions, of which the latest prorogation is only the latest example. The scale of this attack is truly frightening! As you can see from the sheer volume of HEADLINES and LINKS alone (with very little content) that fear for our democracy should not be limited to a few paranoid types or to anyone of a particular political persuasion but to anyone that cares about living in a free society.

Sorry that I can't reply to all of you individually (that are posting right now) but I've been at this project for several days and need to get some sleep.

Enjoy these links. It would be great if the members of the site could send some of this stuff in an e-mail to 2 or three of their friends, get them to join the page and then send the content to 2 or 3 of THEIR friends, etc. We could easily hit 1,000,000 members if people knew what our autocratic government was actually doing.

Good night and hopefully the fight to make Canadians aware has begun in earnest!


ADDENDUM

If this is not mentioned above

CBC Report on Conservatives' leaked "dirty tricks manual"

www.youtube.com

Only days after filibustering several committees, a leaked document seems to prove the Conservative government has been deliberately wrecking havoc. The CBC's Susan Bonner gives the full report.
From the Spring of 2007: a Conservative manual to purposely and deliberately disrupt and make the government committees dysfunctional.

WHEN THEY TRY TO BLAME SOMEONE ELSE ...

Conservatives and supporters often try to blame the Liberals before them, or someone else.

The following (might as well keep all the links in one spot) are links to show that the Conservatives are the ones at fault (or the ones currently at fault for continuing on with obvious bad policy):

Flailing, Flailing

The Conservatives try to blame the Liberals for the Afghan Detainee scandal. But the it wasn't until the Conservative government was in power than problems began to surface (and it was the Conservatives who did nothing about the problems) Fact: General Rick Hillier, acting on his own or not as the case may be, signed a deeply flawed agreement to turn over detainees to the Afghan authorities in December, 2005, during an election campaign. The Conservatives were elected a month later. Instances of mistreatment were reported by Richard Colvin to his superiors, first in May 2006, and well into 2007.

Rebuttal to Conservatives who protest that proroguing of parliament is "routine"

Except it's not routine in a minority Parliament. It's not routine when you have dozens of bills on the table and work left undone. And it's not routine to do it two years in a row, and in both cases when you're under intense political pressure from the opposition.

TWO-TIER CITIZENSHIP

The Harper government has failed to help a number of Canadian citizens in trouble outside the country. This link contains a lot of information and coverage of the incidents and issues:
http://drdawgsblawg.blogspot.com/search?q=abdelrazik

THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY VS. THE WHEAT BOARD
The Harper government resorted to dirty tricks to try to dismantle the Canadian Wheat Board:
http://myblahg.com/?p=2015

VIDEOS

101 Reasons not to vote for the Conservative Party
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNJvWt7syfU

HYPOCRITICAL HARPER QUOTES

"The first principle of a democracy is that the Prime Minister is supposed to be able to face this House of Commons any day on a vote. This government now has the deliberate policy of avoiding a vote. This is a violation of the most fundamental constitutional principle of our democracy." - Stephen Har...per as Leader of the Opposition attacking the Martin government, May 3rd 2005

"When a government starts trying to cancel dissent or avoid dissent is frankly when it's rapidly losing its moral authority to govern " Stephen Harper Canadian Press, April 18, 2005"

LPC have a Rae of hope

It looks as if Jack Layton made the right decision when he decided to keep the Harper government in power for now. It is clear the Tories are on a high and today's ekos poll shows the LPCers losing ground in Toronto. To put that in perspective, imagine the Liberals being in the game in Calgary. Thats how big this is. The LPC Iggy lead party is performing as bad and maybe worse than the Dion lead team. At least with Dion, you knew what the LPC stood for.

As is usual, the New Democrat numbers go up a little when the LPC goes down. No different in today's polling info. The New Democrats need to do a lot more advertising, spend it now and show the country they do have some alternative views on the issues of the day. The LPC is sliding and the New Democrats can make some head way.

And the LPC needs to sit down and decide what it is that defines them. Can anyone point to an issue they lead on, that they have made their own?

Can Bob Rae have been worse than this? Rae's NDP government was likely the deciding factor in the LPC decision to choose Iggy to save Ontario. It looks like losing Ontario has happened anyway. The slide in Toronto is even worse. Would Bob have let this happen?

Son don't pay to register your gun

Looks like if he can't get rid of the gun registry Harper will simply make it irrelevant. He is going to wave the fees for registration of your gun(s). Smart move on his part. It's some movement he can put to his anti-gun control crowd.

The decision to cancel fees will cost us 15 million this year in lost revenue. Just another way to say thanks to your friends. More over at Musings from the political youth corner.

Perhaps now he can change other regulations?

HST for the record....

"... We need another way. This harmonization of the GST, this tax collusion between provincial and federal Liberal governments, is not the way to reverse the economic decline of this country...."

Who said this in 1996? Not the New Democrats, Not the LPC Government, no it was Stephen Harper MP from Calgary West.

h/t to Blogging a dead horse

New NDP ad hits the mark

Ok, this is on the right track. Lets see more of these ads on a variety of issues.




See others can do better!

Harper's Big Victory

Do you remember the Court Challenges program? It was cut by the Stephen Harper government in 2006. It has been one of the few ideological victories for the Tories since coming to office. Ironically it was another conservative government that created it by expanding the a government program providing assistance for minority language cases.

The Court Challenges program's direction was to provide financial assistance for important court cases that advance language and equality rights guaranteed under Canada's Constitution.

The program has long been a thorn in the side of right wing ideologues conservative political parties and the Religious Right. Two of the more vocal objectors were the Reform Party and a national lobby group, the National Citizens Coalition.

The primary objection was too "left wing" groups gaining access to funding to challenge the law of the land. They referred to it as undemocratic and usurping the duly elected government's will. The program was key to many issues being canvassed before the Courts in Canada. It meant that Queers, women and other groups were able to make successful challenges to the law of the land, base primarily on the Charter of Rights. Many of these challenges would have been delayed or lost due to inadequate access to funding to take a case to the Supreme Court of Canada in the first place.

One case that has stuck in the craw of Prime Minister Harper has to be Harper Vs Canada, in which he then the Executive Director of the National Citizens Coalition, challenged what is called the election gag law. That law limited organizations, like the NCC from spending gobs of money during elections. They lost the case. The court Challenges Program funded two interveneors in the case, Democracy Watch and National Anti-Poverty Organization who argued in support of the "Gag" law.

I'm sure that Harper didn't like taxpayers money being used against him in is fight to remove the "gag" law.

So I can imagine it was with a great deal of delight he eliminated the program. Now in a move likely to appease Quebec and Francophone voters across Canada Harper has started up a Language Rights Support Program. It's job is address language related issues across the country.

Mulroney in 1985 expanded the then Minority Language Rights Support Program after the Charter of Rights kicked in. It was likely that they would have been forced to expand the program by the courts if they had not done so. Mulroney however in 1992, in a bid to appeal to the more Conservative voter that was being pulled away from the Tories, killed the program. It was re-instated in 1993 by the new Liberal Government.

Back to this day and we now again have a Minority Language program to fund challenges based on instances of discrimination. I suspect they (Harperites) have to know the new program discriminates against other minorities but are willing to chance it won't be successfully challenged, by in large due to minority groups not having enough funds to mount a successful challenge. Clever right?

Well it seems some very conservative folks aren't happy about it. Check out Joseph C. Ben-Ami. This guy would be a "birther" in the US of A.