Prop 8 decision is expected within the hour. The California judge that ruled Prop 8 was unconstitutional last week heard arguements in court this week to decide if he will allow same-sex marriages to go ahead while the case goes to appeal. It will go to appeal, you can count on that.
Read more at Canuck Attitude
also check out the Huffinto Post : Why Gay Opponents Hated and Feared the Proposition 8 Trial
Its interesting to see that local government is getting ready: Sonoma County Clerk's office ready for judge's decision on Prop. 8 stay. Extra staff being put on just in case its legal for same-sex couples to marry in California. I hope those that want to get married rush in soon. Don't wait for some other legal trick to stop you! The more people that marry, the harder time the Supreme Court will have to reject gay marriage!
8.12.2010
Gordon Campbell's friends to the rescue
The HST Petition in BC was put on ice yesterday by the Chief Electoral Officer, Craig James. James was compelled by the act to verify the petition within 42 days of receiving it. He did that. The petition has more than enough signatures, and BC's Initiative Act says James must now send the verified petition to the BC Legislature.
There is however the matter of a lawsuit brought against the petition by some people that support the BC Liberal government lead by a Premier who spent a night in jail in Hawaii and was later convicted of drinking and driving. A criminal offence in BC but not in Hawaii.
The lawsuit is being brought by the Council of Forest Industries, the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association, the Mining Association of B.C., the B.C. Chamber of Commerce, the Coast Forest Products Association and the Western Convenience Stores Association. I can't think of a better place to find Liberal party hacks and funders.
Back the the BC Initiative and Recall Act, it says the petition must be verified within 42 days. After verification it must be sent to the Legislature. Only trouble here is that there is no deadline stated as to when it must be sent, simply that it must be sent. The Court case brought by big business in BC can be seen as an attempt to usurp the rights of British Columbians.
When you consider that the only people in BC supporting the HST are people making $100,000 or more you can see who Gordon Campbell's friends are. The lawsuit if successful would nullify the petition. James in refusing to send the petition to the Legislature until the outcome of the court case is decided has set a dangerous precedent for future petitions. If you have the money, you can thwart the people. The people of BC have spoken very loudly. 705,000 people signed a petition demanding action of the government.
The BC Liberal Government deceit (they said they would not bring in an HST if re-elected in May 2009) has ironically put the current government en route to a major defeat in the next election by the NDP. It was under an equally disastrous government lead by Bill VanderZalm that the Social Credit Party was defeated. Bill VanderZalm has been working hard ever since to make up for that. He has been working with grassroots groups, unions and even the NDP to point out the arrogance of Gordon Campbell and the BC Liberal government.
If the action brought by BC's Big Businesses manages to defeat a verified petition, BC is very likely to see many Liberal MLAs recalled. 705,000 people signed a petition. They won't take this lying down.
The final irony in all of this is that the BC Initiative and Recall Legislation came into being because Premier Bill VanderZalm put it on a referendum in the election his party was soundly thrashed. The new NDP government were compelled to implement the results of the referendum.
There is however the matter of a lawsuit brought against the petition by some people that support the BC Liberal government lead by a Premier who spent a night in jail in Hawaii and was later convicted of drinking and driving. A criminal offence in BC but not in Hawaii.
The lawsuit is being brought by the Council of Forest Industries, the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association, the Mining Association of B.C., the B.C. Chamber of Commerce, the Coast Forest Products Association and the Western Convenience Stores Association. I can't think of a better place to find Liberal party hacks and funders.
Back the the BC Initiative and Recall Act, it says the petition must be verified within 42 days. After verification it must be sent to the Legislature. Only trouble here is that there is no deadline stated as to when it must be sent, simply that it must be sent. The Court case brought by big business in BC can be seen as an attempt to usurp the rights of British Columbians.
When you consider that the only people in BC supporting the HST are people making $100,000 or more you can see who Gordon Campbell's friends are. The lawsuit if successful would nullify the petition. James in refusing to send the petition to the Legislature until the outcome of the court case is decided has set a dangerous precedent for future petitions. If you have the money, you can thwart the people. The people of BC have spoken very loudly. 705,000 people signed a petition demanding action of the government.
The BC Liberal Government deceit (they said they would not bring in an HST if re-elected in May 2009) has ironically put the current government en route to a major defeat in the next election by the NDP. It was under an equally disastrous government lead by Bill VanderZalm that the Social Credit Party was defeated. Bill VanderZalm has been working hard ever since to make up for that. He has been working with grassroots groups, unions and even the NDP to point out the arrogance of Gordon Campbell and the BC Liberal government.
If the action brought by BC's Big Businesses manages to defeat a verified petition, BC is very likely to see many Liberal MLAs recalled. 705,000 people signed a petition. They won't take this lying down.
The final irony in all of this is that the BC Initiative and Recall Legislation came into being because Premier Bill VanderZalm put it on a referendum in the election his party was soundly thrashed. The new NDP government were compelled to implement the results of the referendum.
8.11.2010
BC Liberals can't be blamed
The BC Liberals need help with budgeting
First they said the BC budget would be about $500 million in the hole, that was before the election in May 2009. After the election we learn the deficit will be in the order of 2 billion!
Last year they said the budget for a new roof over BC Place Stadium would be $365 million, now it is $577 million – a 58-per-cent increase in just one year.
Then before the May 2009 election the BC Liberals were asked if they would bring in an HST. The BC Liberals said they wouldn't. Today the results of a petition drive to get the government to introduce legislation to end the HST is to be announced at 8:30 Toronto time, 5:30 Vancouver time. I am expecting the HST petition will be certified.
I am sure glad BC is not saddled with a fiscally incompetent NDP government. It isn't the BC Liberals fault that they have racked up the biggest deficits in BC history. Its not their fault that they did not know two months before the election the deficit would actually be four times the size they told the people of BC it would be. And we can hardly blame them for the roof raising rate the cost of the new roof for BC Place stadium, I mean the markets are to blame for all the Liberals problems.
The same rules do not apply to the NDP however.
First they said the BC budget would be about $500 million in the hole, that was before the election in May 2009. After the election we learn the deficit will be in the order of 2 billion!
Last year they said the budget for a new roof over BC Place Stadium would be $365 million, now it is $577 million – a 58-per-cent increase in just one year.
Then before the May 2009 election the BC Liberals were asked if they would bring in an HST. The BC Liberals said they wouldn't. Today the results of a petition drive to get the government to introduce legislation to end the HST is to be announced at 8:30 Toronto time, 5:30 Vancouver time. I am expecting the HST petition will be certified.
I am sure glad BC is not saddled with a fiscally incompetent NDP government. It isn't the BC Liberals fault that they have racked up the biggest deficits in BC history. Its not their fault that they did not know two months before the election the deficit would actually be four times the size they told the people of BC it would be. And we can hardly blame them for the roof raising rate the cost of the new roof for BC Place stadium, I mean the markets are to blame for all the Liberals problems.
The same rules do not apply to the NDP however.
8.05.2010
Prop 8 - gay baiting
Gay baiting abounds...After the big victory on same sex marriage in California (Prop 8) the right is out in force...
It seems if you are gay you can't make any decisions, yet if you are straight you can condemn anyone or enforce any agenda you want. Homo equals wrong again!
You can sign a petition telling the National Organization for Marriage (very anti gay group) to stop gay baiting! Here is the link - Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund Petition.
"Here we have an openly gay federal judge substituting his views for those of the American people and of our Founding Fathers who I promise you would be shocked by courts that imagine they have the right to put gay marriage in our Constitution." stated Maggie Gallagher, Board Chair of NOM."
It seems if you are gay you can't make any decisions, yet if you are straight you can condemn anyone or enforce any agenda you want. Homo equals wrong again!
You can sign a petition telling the National Organization for Marriage (very anti gay group) to stop gay baiting! Here is the link - Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund Petition.
And the Republican Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts will oppose the nomination of former Harvard Law School Dean Elena Kagan to a lifetime position on the United States Supreme Court, due to her limited courtroom experience. Yeah right!
Update: I just saw a great post on this woman on the blog: Gay Persons of Colour
Update: I just saw a great post on this woman on the blog: Gay Persons of Colour
8.04.2010
overturned - California's same-sex marriage ban
A U.S. federal court judge has overturned California's same-sex marriage ban. More coming soon !
- copy of Prop-8-Ruling-FINAL
- copy of Prop-8-Ruling-FINAL
Queers in Canada's Military for 18 years!
This Friday, August, 6th marks the 18th year since Canada rescinded it's ban on LGBT in the military. The decision was made after a court case decided that the armed forces could no longer prevent homosexuals from serving in the military. The actual date of implementation was October 27, 1992, three and a half months after the Military accepted the court decision. see more at slap upside the head.
Currently 36 countries allow gays, lesbians and bisexuals to serve and 22 of the of 26 NATO countries permit them to serve. The United States as most of you know, allows gays, lesbians and bisexuals to serve as long as they keep it secret and are celibate. Countries that ban open service for gays, lesbians and bisexuals include the USA, Cuba, China, Iran and North Korea. See more on Wiki here.
A study on the acceptance of LGBT members in the Canadian Military was published in April 2000 by Aaron Belkin and Jason McNichol. Belkin was the Director of the Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military at the University of California, Santa Barbara. McNichol was Doctoral Candidate in Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley and Director of ELM Research Associates, a non-partisan research firm in Berkeley when it was published.
The study found
Given that the USA and Canada work so closely exchanging officers to facilitate understanding and working relationships, I wonder if an open queer Canadian was ever put in charge of and American military unit...
update: from National Defense Research Institute (U.S.), United States this report from 1993 - Sexual orientation and U.S. military personnel policy: options and assessment
page 77 deals with the Canadian experience shortly after discrimination was ended against queers.
Currently 36 countries allow gays, lesbians and bisexuals to serve and 22 of the of 26 NATO countries permit them to serve. The United States as most of you know, allows gays, lesbians and bisexuals to serve as long as they keep it secret and are celibate. Countries that ban open service for gays, lesbians and bisexuals include the USA, Cuba, China, Iran and North Korea. See more on Wiki here.
A study on the acceptance of LGBT members in the Canadian Military was published in April 2000 by Aaron Belkin and Jason McNichol. Belkin was the Director of the Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military at the University of California, Santa Barbara. McNichol was Doctoral Candidate in Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley and Director of ELM Research Associates, a non-partisan research firm in Berkeley when it was published.
The study found
* Lifting of restrictions on gay and lesbian service in the Canadian Forces has not led to any change in military performance, unit cohesion, or discipline.The reports conclusion is that allowing LGBT folks to openly serve did not undermine Canada's military or cohesion.
* Self-identified gay, lesbian, and transsexual members of the Canadian Forces contacted for the study describe good working relationships with peers.
* The percent of military women who experienced sexual harassment dropped 46% after the ban was lifted. While there were several reasons why harassment declined, one factor was that after the ban was lifted women were free to report assaults without fear that they would be accused of being a lesbian.
* Before Canada lifted its gay ban, a 1985 survey of 6,500 male soldiers found that 62% said that they would refuse to share showers, undress or sleep in the same room as a gay soldier. After the ban was lifted, follow-up studies found no increase in disciplinary, performance, recruitment, sexual misconduct, or resignation problems.
* None of the 905 assault cases in the Canadian Forces from November, 1992 (when the ban was lifted) until August, 1995 involved gay bashing or could be attributed to the sexual orientation of one of the parties. Link to study results here
Given that the USA and Canada work so closely exchanging officers to facilitate understanding and working relationships, I wonder if an open queer Canadian was ever put in charge of and American military unit...
update: from National Defense Research Institute (U.S.), United States this report from 1993 - Sexual orientation and U.S. military personnel policy: options and assessment
page 77 deals with the Canadian experience shortly after discrimination was ended against queers.
8.03.2010
Laraque - Cause I like the colour Green?
I can't add much more to this...
Q Can you name three of your favourite Green party policies?
A I just got a big book about all the policies. If you ask me in a month, I’ll be able to tell you. So far, the biggest policy is about promoting the environment. In the coming weeks, I will be studying and meeting and reading with Elizabeth [May] a lot more on those environmental policies to be more informed on the specific policies that they have.
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).
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.
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