One day after the JDL picketed his office and brought a few MSM reporters in their wake.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Mr. Gendron Regrets
MONTREAL — Faced with growing outrage over anti-Israel statements that the Jewish community and others regard as antisemitic, TV host Stéphane Gendron made an on-air statement of regret Jan. 27.
One day after the JDL picketed his office and brought a few MSM reporters in their wake.
One day after the JDL picketed his office and brought a few MSM reporters in their wake.
They Believe
Joe Oliver was asked during QP yesterday whether he "believed" in Global Warming, and seemed to suggest that it was all a matter of theology. Not good.
MERX is Canada's electronic tendering service. Among other things, its where the gov. goes to hire scientists to think on behalf of the nation. A glance there sometimes can give you an idea of what the Harper government really believes about the scientific issues of the day.
In order to position itself to be competitive in an increasingly carbon-constrained global economy, Canada needs to reduce the overall carbon-intensity of its economy. This does not necessarily, at least in the short-term, suggest a shift from the resource-intensive production (e.g. oil and gas production, mining, etc.) on which Canada’s economy is currently heavily reliant for growth. It does suggest that these sectors need to become as carbon-efficient as possible, and that the power generation, transportation and building sectors which support both industry and society more broadly need to become more efficient from an energy and greenhouse gas emissions perspective and less reliant on GHG-intensive energy sources. These changes – some incremental (e.g. more energy-efficient buildings) and some potentially transformative (e.g. electric vehicles, distributed renewable energy) will require significant investment from both public and private sources.
(Note: the phrase "at least in the short term" is interesting here. It suggests that the folks at the folks at the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy understand Canada's role as a hewer of wood & carrier of water for the rest of the planet must eventually come to an end.)
It is important for both describing the transition to a more carbon-constrained economy and assessing the most efficient and effective path for Canada in this transition to understand the required investment – both in terms of its magnitude and the sectors in which it is required.
It is also essential to understand the implications of delayed investment with respect to the level of investment required to achieve the desired outcome. The level of investment in low-carbon technologies and approaches is greatly influenced by public policy. Lacking policy-certainty (and indirectly market certainty) with respect to the intent to reduce the carbon-intensity of the economy, investments in capital stock and infrastructure are likely to either be delayed, or give minimal consideration to GHG-related factors. This may result in the installation of capital stock / technology and infrastructure that is not optimal. Once constructed or installed, the costs associated with modifying or changing the infrastructure or capital stock are typically significantly greater than the incremental cost of alternatives at the outset. Completely changing the infrastructure / capital stock would result in stranded assets – sunken investments which have not had the opportunity to realize their full potential return. Thus sub-optimal stock and/or infrastructure may be “locked-in” as a function of delayed public policy action.
It is perhaps marginally encouraging to know that remarks like Oliver's are meant to delude the government's political base, rather than the government itself.
MERX is Canada's electronic tendering service. Among other things, its where the gov. goes to hire scientists to think on behalf of the nation. A glance there sometimes can give you an idea of what the Harper government really believes about the scientific issues of the day.
In order to position itself to be competitive in an increasingly carbon-constrained global economy, Canada needs to reduce the overall carbon-intensity of its economy. This does not necessarily, at least in the short-term, suggest a shift from the resource-intensive production (e.g. oil and gas production, mining, etc.) on which Canada’s economy is currently heavily reliant for growth. It does suggest that these sectors need to become as carbon-efficient as possible, and that the power generation, transportation and building sectors which support both industry and society more broadly need to become more efficient from an energy and greenhouse gas emissions perspective and less reliant on GHG-intensive energy sources. These changes – some incremental (e.g. more energy-efficient buildings) and some potentially transformative (e.g. electric vehicles, distributed renewable energy) will require significant investment from both public and private sources.
(Note: the phrase "at least in the short term" is interesting here. It suggests that the folks at the folks at the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy understand Canada's role as a hewer of wood & carrier of water for the rest of the planet must eventually come to an end.)
It is important for both describing the transition to a more carbon-constrained economy and assessing the most efficient and effective path for Canada in this transition to understand the required investment – both in terms of its magnitude and the sectors in which it is required.
It is also essential to understand the implications of delayed investment with respect to the level of investment required to achieve the desired outcome. The level of investment in low-carbon technologies and approaches is greatly influenced by public policy. Lacking policy-certainty (and indirectly market certainty) with respect to the intent to reduce the carbon-intensity of the economy, investments in capital stock and infrastructure are likely to either be delayed, or give minimal consideration to GHG-related factors. This may result in the installation of capital stock / technology and infrastructure that is not optimal. Once constructed or installed, the costs associated with modifying or changing the infrastructure or capital stock are typically significantly greater than the incremental cost of alternatives at the outset. Completely changing the infrastructure / capital stock would result in stranded assets – sunken investments which have not had the opportunity to realize their full potential return. Thus sub-optimal stock and/or infrastructure may be “locked-in” as a function of delayed public policy action.
It is perhaps marginally encouraging to know that remarks like Oliver's are meant to delude the government's political base, rather than the government itself.
Another Shoe Drops In Northern Gateway Debate
Following Bob Rae's somewhat watered down but nevertheless not bad interjection yesterday, the NDP brings a bit more rhetorical muscle:
OTTAWA -- If the independent review panel studying Enbridge's Northern Gateway oilsands pipeline proposal gives its OK to the project, the interim leader of the federal NDP says that still wouldn't settle the matter for her.
If both Bob Rae speaking yesterday in Vancouver and Turmel speaking today are trashing the pipeline, then you know somebody has whispered into their ear that its good politics.
And by the way the secret weapons in the anti-NGP fight aren't the First Nations or hippy enviro types from California. They are the weird, homegrown Left/Right amalgams that B.C. kicks up in times of trouble. I'm thinking Rafe Mair, guys like Van Der Zalm in his latest anti-HST incarnation (remember: his policies may have been far right but his 60's side-burns were left of Neil Young) and, most significantly these days, Terry Glavin. Thank Gawd the pointless Afghan Mission is winding down, because Terry can quit bashing all us folks who knew that both it and the Iraq War were going to be a gigantic bloody waste of time, and turn his considerable talents for invective and outrage in a more useful direction. When the tractors come, I expect he and Rafe will lie down in front of the first one, and rage agin' it together.
OTTAWA -- If the independent review panel studying Enbridge's Northern Gateway oilsands pipeline proposal gives its OK to the project, the interim leader of the federal NDP says that still wouldn't settle the matter for her.
If both Bob Rae speaking yesterday in Vancouver and Turmel speaking today are trashing the pipeline, then you know somebody has whispered into their ear that its good politics.
And by the way the secret weapons in the anti-NGP fight aren't the First Nations or hippy enviro types from California. They are the weird, homegrown Left/Right amalgams that B.C. kicks up in times of trouble. I'm thinking Rafe Mair, guys like Van Der Zalm in his latest anti-HST incarnation (remember: his policies may have been far right but his 60's side-burns were left of Neil Young) and, most significantly these days, Terry Glavin. Thank Gawd the pointless Afghan Mission is winding down, because Terry can quit bashing all us folks who knew that both it and the Iraq War were going to be a gigantic bloody waste of time, and turn his considerable talents for invective and outrage in a more useful direction. When the tractors come, I expect he and Rafe will lie down in front of the first one, and rage agin' it together.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
How The LPoC Can Win In B.C.
Rae told a Vancouver audience Saturday he still sees a need for his party's informal ban on oil tankers along B.C.'s north coast, which is right where Enbridge wants tankers to load up with oil coming from Alberta's oilsands via a new pipeline.
A formal ban would kill that cursed pipeline; an informal ban suggests opposition to it but plays about with semantics. Nevertheless, its a start.
Nevertheless, this should also lay down a marker for the other LPoC leadership potentials. The Libs should stand with B.C. and against Northern Gateway (and opposed to Alta., where they have no hope anyhow).
A formal ban would kill that cursed pipeline; an informal ban suggests opposition to it but plays about with semantics. Nevertheless, its a start.
Nevertheless, this should also lay down a marker for the other LPoC leadership potentials. The Libs should stand with B.C. and against Northern Gateway (and opposed to Alta., where they have no hope anyhow).
Saturday, January 28, 2012
CIJA Head On Section 13
Looks like Shimon Fogel has plumped for a repeal:
Shimon Fogel, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, said that he believed that “there has been an acknowledgement that changes to the Criminal Code would be necessary in addition to passage of the (private member’s ) bill.” While Fogel said he supports repealing Section 13, he believed Storseth’s bill was “not entirely adequate as an alternative to Section 13.
This is not eontirely surprising. The rumour is that the criminal code changes Fogel wants will involve removing the requirement that the AG approve charges. That has been one of the impediments that have made using the code in such circumstances problematic.
Sorry for the link to Lemire's site, incidentally. The original piece from the Cold Lake Sun appears to be unreachable.
Shimon Fogel, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, said that he believed that “there has been an acknowledgement that changes to the Criminal Code would be necessary in addition to passage of the (private member’s ) bill.” While Fogel said he supports repealing Section 13, he believed Storseth’s bill was “not entirely adequate as an alternative to Section 13.
This is not eontirely surprising. The rumour is that the criminal code changes Fogel wants will involve removing the requirement that the AG approve charges. That has been one of the impediments that have made using the code in such circumstances problematic.
Sorry for the link to Lemire's site, incidentally. The original piece from the Cold Lake Sun appears to be unreachable.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Mr. Prime Minister, We Are ALL Approaching Retirement Age
On Friday, talking points coming from the Prime Minister's Office stated that any proposed cuts were still several years away, and wouldn't affect any Canadians currently approaching retirement age.
I guess the question now is--what's the cut-off date? How old do you have to be today to not get screwed over?
Not that I really have any skin in the game re this issue. I never plan to retire. I'll keep showing up until they club me to death with a shovel. I get bored easily and can't imagine being idle for long spaces of time. But most folk want to slack off in their senescence and winter in Florida, or Arizona. But I've been to Arizona and the good bits involved cacti and road-runners, the bad bits involve snakes and poison spiders. The locals don't figure into it as all, being boring as heck.
I guess the question now is--what's the cut-off date? How old do you have to be today to not get screwed over?
Not that I really have any skin in the game re this issue. I never plan to retire. I'll keep showing up until they club me to death with a shovel. I get bored easily and can't imagine being idle for long spaces of time. But most folk want to slack off in their senescence and winter in Florida, or Arizona. But I've been to Arizona and the good bits involved cacti and road-runners, the bad bits involve snakes and poison spiders. The locals don't figure into it as all, being boring as heck.
Dan Gardner Sees Hitler In The Swirling Clouds Of Rhetoric
I don't think Bob had this in mind at all.
source
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Northern Gateway Rising: A Slightly More Interesting Bullshit Poll
Decima's latest, which gives the following national numbers:
...the Conservatives at 32 per cent support, followed by the NDP at 29 per cent. The Liberal Party, which held its 2012 convention in Ottawa two weeks ago in an attempt to rescue itself from permanent third-party status, is sitting at 25 per cent support. They are followed by the Green Party, at 7 per cent, and the Bloc Quebecois at 5 per cent.
The CPoC is down a couple of points nationally, if you look at Decima's deets. But what's most interesting is the B.C. breakdown:
That's the Northern Gateway issue taken' effect, I think. The NDP has been most aggressive about this on both the provincial and federal level, and the Greens get a minor bump.
C'mon LPoC; like Rafe Mair says, there is no middle way here; take a stand and avoid talking Centralist mush!
...the Conservatives at 32 per cent support, followed by the NDP at 29 per cent. The Liberal Party, which held its 2012 convention in Ottawa two weeks ago in an attempt to rescue itself from permanent third-party status, is sitting at 25 per cent support. They are followed by the Green Party, at 7 per cent, and the Bloc Quebecois at 5 per cent.
The CPoC is down a couple of points nationally, if you look at Decima's deets. But what's most interesting is the B.C. breakdown:
C'mon LPoC; like Rafe Mair says, there is no middle way here; take a stand and avoid talking Centralist mush!
JDL Off To Quebec...
...to picket Stephane Gendron's office. Gendron is mayor of Huntingdon, Quebec and a small-time radio shock-jock. His most recent comments re Israel's right to exist, when seen in their full context, are not as awful as have been portrayed, but the guy more generally comes across as divisive rabble rouser. And in any case, picketing an asshole is a democratic right. So I can't criticize Meir and the gang too much for this one. Just don't get yourself lynched out in the Que. backwoods, Meir!
Rafe Mair On The Northern Gateway Pipeline
I oppose violence with every remaining sinew in my body but I’m saying to Harper and Oliver that violence is what their policies will bring. I haven’t had a fight since about Grade VII and I lost that one but I can tell you that I’m prepared to stand in the way of that first shovel and take the consequences. And I say to you both that you’re making a mistake if you think you can do these things without very serious consequences.
There is no middle way, Prime Minister – this Tar Sands gunk has to go by train or truck through Alberta to Houston because it isn’t coming though BC or through her waters.
Rafe Mair served as a Cabinet Minister in Bill Bennett's SoCred government; his various portfolios included Environment, Health and Education. Incidentally, I think Mair's playing of the NEP card (National Energy Plan) is quite astute. Ottawa is in effect NEPing British Columbia for the sake of Alberta and saying its in the national interest.
There is no middle way, Prime Minister – this Tar Sands gunk has to go by train or truck through Alberta to Houston because it isn’t coming though BC or through her waters.
Rafe Mair served as a Cabinet Minister in Bill Bennett's SoCred government; his various portfolios included Environment, Health and Education. Incidentally, I think Mair's playing of the NEP card (National Energy Plan) is quite astute. Ottawa is in effect NEPing British Columbia for the sake of Alberta and saying its in the national interest.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
We Do Not Comment On Bullshit Polls...
...conducted barely eight months into a four year mandate. Even (marginally) encouraging ones. And hardly a reason to plump for Bob as LPoC leader this far in advance of the leadership convention, if anyone is thinking that. Wait until he craps a gold brick in public before we declare him THE ONE.
That is all.
That is all.
Climate Scientists Send In The Lawyers
Climate Science Legal Defense Fund Gets New Backing
PEER Sponsors Effort to Counter Fossil-Fueled Attacks on Climate Scientists
Washington, DC — The Climate Science Legal Defense Fund (CSLDF) has found a non-profit home in Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) which provides it fiscal sponsorship and logistical support. CSLDF lets scientific colleagues and the public directly help climate scientists protect themselves and their work from industry-funded legal attacks.
In recent years, these legal attacks have intensified, especially against climate scientists. The fund is designed to help scientists like Professor Michael Mann cope with the legal fees that stack up in fighting attempts by climate-skeptic groups to gain access to private emails and other correspondence through lawsuits and Freedom of Information Act requests at their public universities.
The project is co-directed by physical sciences Professor Scott Mandia of Suffolk County Community College and Joshua Wolfe, co-author of “Climate Change: Picturing the Science.” The Fund started this past fall after Prof. Mandia posted a “Dear Colleague” appeal for support which generated more than $10,000 in less than 24 hours (http://bit.ly/qzg7X4). To date, CSLDF has raised $25,000. All contributions to CSLDF are tax-deductible.
“Academic salaries are not designed to support ongoing legal expenses in fights with corporate-funded law firms and institutes,” said Prof. Mandia. “These legal battles also have taken many of our brightest scientific minds away from their research.”
“Our goal is not only to defend the scientist but to protect the scientific endeavor,” explained Wolfe. “The Climate Science Legal Defense Fund was established to make sure that these legal claims are not viewed as an action against one scientist or institution but as actions against the scientific endeavor as a whole.”
In addition to its core mission of defraying legal fees, CSLDF will –
· Educate researchers about their legal rights and responsibilities on issues surrounding their work;
· Serve as a clearinghouse for information related to legal actions taken against scientists; and
· Recruit and assist lawyers representing these scientists.
“The Climate Science Legal Defense Fund dovetails with the mission of PEER – to protect those who protect our environment,” stated PEER executive Director Jeff Ruch. “When individual researchers find themselves under intense legal assault, they often have few resources. Their universities do not necessarily represent their interests and may be disinclined to resist corporate fishing expeditions. We are stepping into this void to provide direct aid to both the scientists and their institutions.”
The original release can be found here. I am told that this is primarily a U.S. effort, though there are discussions re extending the aid internationally. There are also efforts to create similar funds in places like Australia. I don't know if anyone in Canada is working on something like this.
Section 13 Swan Song?
The story of Cran Campbell, who is on a mission to keep hate-speech off Craigslist:
After sending a complaint to the CHRC in the fall, Campbell received a response this month. In a letter dated Jan. 12, early resolution advisor Jamie Masters said the CHRC will send a letter to Craigslist advising that some of the posts in the "Rants and Raves" section of the Vancouver website may be in violation of the Canadian Human Rights Act, as well as Craigslist's own Terms of Use Policy.
The commission will take further action if this attempt at early resolution is unsuccessful at remedying the situation.
The story also notes that Campbell is spearheading an attempt to defeat Storseth's Bill C-304, which would repeal section 13 of the CHRA. I don't see a website or anything devoted to that. I will try and email to see what plans he's got.
After sending a complaint to the CHRC in the fall, Campbell received a response this month. In a letter dated Jan. 12, early resolution advisor Jamie Masters said the CHRC will send a letter to Craigslist advising that some of the posts in the "Rants and Raves" section of the Vancouver website may be in violation of the Canadian Human Rights Act, as well as Craigslist's own Terms of Use Policy.
The commission will take further action if this attempt at early resolution is unsuccessful at remedying the situation.
The story also notes that Campbell is spearheading an attempt to defeat Storseth's Bill C-304, which would repeal section 13 of the CHRA. I don't see a website or anything devoted to that. I will try and email to see what plans he's got.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Denier Defunded
The much-criticised author and climate policy sceptic Bjorn Lomborg has told the Ecologist he is the victim of a vendetta after his funding was cut by the Danish government.
Bjorn's complaints ring hollow; he has been criticized for several years by players from all across Denmark's political spectrum.
Bjorn's complaints ring hollow; he has been criticized for several years by players from all across Denmark's political spectrum.
Corbella Story Collapses Utterly
In a story a week or so back, Licia Corbella intimated that someone in the environmentalist camp was signing fake names to the list of people asking to make oral presentations to the NEB panel holding hearings into the Northern Gateway Pipeline. Never mind that this doesn't make sense as part of a "mob the mic'" strategy; presumably the panel doesn't waste time on no-shows. In any case, I was able to contact one of the mystery signers a day or so later, and discovered that Elano Ferraz of Brazil had indeed asked to speak and was still hopeful he might get to Canada for the hearings. Today I find that the Globe has contacted the other "foreigner" mentioned in the Corbella story:
A further 400 people signed up through websites crafted by Dogwood for organizations like the Spirit Bear Youth Coalition, which succeeded in stoking international interest. It sent out an e-mail that reached some six million people.
One was Ines Gudic, a bank worker in Santos, Brazil. She owns 10 cats, three dogs and spends her free time collecting donations to bring in injured strays for veterinary care. Her love of animals led her to watch a DVD about the spirit bear – or the kermode bear, a white subspecies of the black bear whose habitat lies near where Northern Gateway-fed tankers would sail. Apprised of pipeline plans, and concerned a spill could hurt these unique bears, she signed up.
She was “totally unaware” she was registered to make an oral statement, she said, speaking through an interpreter. But she did fill out the form herself – as did another Brazilian named Elano Ferraz, who wrote in an email: “I did sign up to speak at the environmental hearing for the Northern Gateway pipeline.”
They contradicted reporting by a Calgary newspaper, which called it a “mystery” that the two Brazilians “were signed up without their knowledge.” That allegation sparked fury from pro-pipeline groups and industry leaders. Enbridge chief executive Pat Daniel last week accused non-Canadians of attempting to “delay” and “confuse” the project, pointing to “the number of people who are serving as intervenors that have never heard of the project.”
Yet each of the people with foreign addresses contacted by The Globe and Mail said they had registered themselves. The process was not, however, entirely clear. The Spirit Bear group’s e-mail, for example, asked people to “give the Spirit Bear a voice.” It didn’t mention it was asking people to speak before the National Energy Board.
Just to clarify, the Ferraz email mentioned in this story appeared first on BCLSB (see link above), so thanks to the Globe for giving credit where it is due...NOT! Secondly, having contacted the Spirit Bear people myself -while their email reached millions, they are just a small organization and don't really have the means to geo-target and translate their message into the home language of all the recipients. So while Ms. Gudic and Mr. Ferraz have have been slightly confused, there was certainly no attempt to deceive on the part of the coalition.
A further 400 people signed up through websites crafted by Dogwood for organizations like the Spirit Bear Youth Coalition, which succeeded in stoking international interest. It sent out an e-mail that reached some six million people.
One was Ines Gudic, a bank worker in Santos, Brazil. She owns 10 cats, three dogs and spends her free time collecting donations to bring in injured strays for veterinary care. Her love of animals led her to watch a DVD about the spirit bear – or the kermode bear, a white subspecies of the black bear whose habitat lies near where Northern Gateway-fed tankers would sail. Apprised of pipeline plans, and concerned a spill could hurt these unique bears, she signed up.
She was “totally unaware” she was registered to make an oral statement, she said, speaking through an interpreter. But she did fill out the form herself – as did another Brazilian named Elano Ferraz, who wrote in an email: “I did sign up to speak at the environmental hearing for the Northern Gateway pipeline.”
They contradicted reporting by a Calgary newspaper, which called it a “mystery” that the two Brazilians “were signed up without their knowledge.” That allegation sparked fury from pro-pipeline groups and industry leaders. Enbridge chief executive Pat Daniel last week accused non-Canadians of attempting to “delay” and “confuse” the project, pointing to “the number of people who are serving as intervenors that have never heard of the project.”
Yet each of the people with foreign addresses contacted by The Globe and Mail said they had registered themselves. The process was not, however, entirely clear. The Spirit Bear group’s e-mail, for example, asked people to “give the Spirit Bear a voice.” It didn’t mention it was asking people to speak before the National Energy Board.
Just to clarify, the Ferraz email mentioned in this story appeared first on BCLSB (see link above), so thanks to the Globe for giving credit where it is due...NOT! Secondly, having contacted the Spirit Bear people myself -while their email reached millions, they are just a small organization and don't really have the means to geo-target and translate their message into the home language of all the recipients. So while Ms. Gudic and Mr. Ferraz have have been slightly confused, there was certainly no attempt to deceive on the part of the coalition.
Monday, January 23, 2012
How's That Ethical Oil Thing Working For You? Part II!
h/t
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Trost Drops Hints?
Inertia and piecemeal solutions are the order of the day, unfortunately. Something major needs to be done. Getting rid of the Indian Act would be a good start.
If legislation was passed sun setting the Indian Act and forcing a major overhaul of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, we might start to get results that would benefit all Canadians.
I dunno. The boy's got insight sometimes into what the Harpercon mind is thinking. And who knows; if the gov. doesn't just use this as a means of screwing over the First Nations for their opposition to Northern Gateway and other acts of defiance, it might get cross party support. We know Harper is looking for a legacy...
If legislation was passed sun setting the Indian Act and forcing a major overhaul of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, we might start to get results that would benefit all Canadians.
I dunno. The boy's got insight sometimes into what the Harpercon mind is thinking. And who knows; if the gov. doesn't just use this as a means of screwing over the First Nations for their opposition to Northern Gateway and other acts of defiance, it might get cross party support. We know Harper is looking for a legacy...
Would You Like Fries With That, Sir?
The result of a survey of unemployment rates among college graduates:
Nice to see what would happen if they split up "Communications/Journalism" into two catagories. Writing up press releases for a lobby group isn' t really at all like journalism, but I bet it pays the bills better. From
here.
PS. Full disclosure: I started off my post secondary education aiming for a philosophy degree. I aimed to be a free-lance logician, parachuting onto drilling rigs off the Yukon coast whenever the folks up there needed help reasoning clearly. When that career path proved non-viable, I switched to English Lit.
Nice to see what would happen if they split up "Communications/Journalism" into two catagories. Writing up press releases for a lobby group isn' t really at all like journalism, but I bet it pays the bills better. From
here.
PS. Full disclosure: I started off my post secondary education aiming for a philosophy degree. I aimed to be a free-lance logician, parachuting onto drilling rigs off the Yukon coast whenever the folks up there needed help reasoning clearly. When that career path proved non-viable, I switched to English Lit.
We're Number 9!
Just a reminder. Nature doesn't care what's on or off the political agenda.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Paul Wells On Northern Gateway
Sure, he's recycling the work of bloggers without giving acknowledgement (mostly DC; maybe me a bit). Sure, some of it is unintentionally funny: a Conservative insider insisting that there is no collusion between the Ethical Oil Institute and the Harper government...but doing so anonymously. Nevertheless, Paul Well's piece on Ethical Oil and Northern Gateway is worth a read.
Do Tar Sands Have Libel Lawyers?
Levant said the oilsands have been “defamed” by a number of organizations...
Ezra, getting them all riled up in Fort Mac.
Ezra, getting them all riled up in Fort Mac.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Harper Will Meet First Nations Next Tuesday; Plans To Bugger Off Early
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is expected to leave by lunch time during next Tuesday’s meeting with hundreds of First Nations leaders in Ottawa, according to chiefs in Ontario and British Columbia.
I'd kind of forgotten APTN was out there after they broke the Bruce Carson story. Bad on me. They still do the kind of journalism MSM folk forgot about years ago. Here's Bill Erasmus on the Keystone XL decision.
I'd kind of forgotten APTN was out there after they broke the Bruce Carson story. Bad on me. They still do the kind of journalism MSM folk forgot about years ago. Here's Bill Erasmus on the Keystone XL decision.
If Your iPad Seems A Bit Slow
As many as 10 fake iPad 2s, all made of slabs of modeling clay, were recently sold at electronic stores in Vancouver, British Columbia. Best Buy and Future Shop have launched investigations into how the scam was pulled off.
On a related note, I've had my Acer Iconia for two weeks now, and am quite pleased with it. Using the keyboard is actually not that difficult, but simple tasks like copy&pasting, and creating a link through text, seem unnecessarily complicated. Its also a chick magnet, and when I am in mixed company I have to keep it pocketed to give the other fellows a chance.
On a related note, I've had my Acer Iconia for two weeks now, and am quite pleased with it. Using the keyboard is actually not that difficult, but simple tasks like copy&pasting, and creating a link through text, seem unnecessarily complicated. Its also a chick magnet, and when I am in mixed company I have to keep it pocketed to give the other fellows a chance.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Rumour: Quebecor To Cut Management Staff
I heard yesterday there was finally going to be some trimming at the management level due to creation of one sales force. Less advertising managers was the story going around.
Just a rumour, but from what's left of the Toronto Sun Family blog, where rumours re the fate of Quebecor often graduate into news.
Just a rumour, but from what's left of the Toronto Sun Family blog, where rumours re the fate of Quebecor often graduate into news.
Their Audience Is "Indeed Miniscule"
The verdict so far on Fox News North:
So who does watch Sun News Network?
“The vast majority of the few viewers SNN does get are way over 50, outside the demo advertisers want. So SNN draws enough on a nightly basis to fill a senior’s mall,” says Brioux
He went on to say that after the top two shows, Sun News Network gets even fewer viewers.“Beyond Lilley and Levant’s shows—the two highest rated SNN offerings by far—everything else stiffs,” says Brioux. “Charles Adler has bombed from the beginning, drawing 8,000 at 8 p.m. and 2,000 at 11 p.m. on the 28th—and zero in the 25–54 demographic both hours, across Canada.”
As for David Akin’s Daily Brief, Brioux says 6,000 viewers tuned in over the supper hour. But the late-night slot tanked. “Daily Brief at midnight got zip and zip—so few viewers, BBM Canada could not measure them. The same night, CBC News Network peaked at 198,000/60,000 viewers.”
Poor David Akin. The rest of them, on the other hand, can get bent.
So who does watch Sun News Network?
“The vast majority of the few viewers SNN does get are way over 50, outside the demo advertisers want. So SNN draws enough on a nightly basis to fill a senior’s mall,” says Brioux
He went on to say that after the top two shows, Sun News Network gets even fewer viewers.“Beyond Lilley and Levant’s shows—the two highest rated SNN offerings by far—everything else stiffs,” says Brioux. “Charles Adler has bombed from the beginning, drawing 8,000 at 8 p.m. and 2,000 at 11 p.m. on the 28th—and zero in the 25–54 demographic both hours, across Canada.”
As for David Akin’s Daily Brief, Brioux says 6,000 viewers tuned in over the supper hour. But the late-night slot tanked. “Daily Brief at midnight got zip and zip—so few viewers, BBM Canada could not measure them. The same night, CBC News Network peaked at 198,000/60,000 viewers.”
Poor David Akin. The rest of them, on the other hand, can get bent.
Wind Concerns Busted!
A prominent anti-wind-power group is under fire amid accusations it broke election financing by running a negative advertising campaign against Liberal candidates last fall.
[...]
They say Wind Concerns Ontario failed to comply with the Election Finance Act by allegedly spending over the $500 threshold on political advertising during the provincial campaign without registering as a third party.
MacDonald points to billboards that said, “Hudak In Turbines Out,” and a pro-Progressive Conservative speaking tour of 24 ridings carried out by the grassroots anti-wind group.
Ex WCO John Laforet denies that the group put up the billboards. Here's one of them:
Just popped up there all by themselves, I guess.
More on the rise and fall of Wind Concerns Ontario (because the group has pretty much shut down since the election) can be found here. In particular, an account of their possible issues with Elections Ontario can be found here.
[...]
They say Wind Concerns Ontario failed to comply with the Election Finance Act by allegedly spending over the $500 threshold on political advertising during the provincial campaign without registering as a third party.
MacDonald points to billboards that said, “Hudak In Turbines Out,” and a pro-Progressive Conservative speaking tour of 24 ridings carried out by the grassroots anti-wind group.
Ex WCO John Laforet denies that the group put up the billboards. Here's one of them:
More on the rise and fall of Wind Concerns Ontario (because the group has pretty much shut down since the election) can be found here. In particular, an account of their possible issues with Elections Ontario can be found here.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
A Touching Rapprochement Between Muslim And Christian
Except its over the wrong damn issue:
January 16, 2012 (theCatholicThing.org) - The 10 p.m. negotiating session was set to go all night long. This was the last night of a two-week process that had been in planning for years before. All the hard things would be decided in the dead of that final night, when everyone was exhausted, the cafeteria was closed, and the translators had all gone home.
I walked out onto the floor of the immense negotiating room in the basement of the United Nations. Concentric half rings of desks cascaded from the front to the back with one hundred and eighty-something national “flags” arranged alphabetically, and floor-to-ceiling windows 100 feet high overlooking the moonlit East River.
On the negotiating floor, I approached a Muslim ambassador and said, “This session is going all night long and its going to be very tough going. And when it gets really hard, I want you to know that right over there,” and I pointed to a section of raised seats off to the side, “twenty Christians will be praying for you.”
That night this man was a tiger in defense of unborn children. The gathered western governments, along with U. N. bureaucrats, hungered for a right to abortion that would require nations to allow for the unrestricted killing of their unborn babies.
He rose time and time again to stop dangerous language from entering into that document. He pounded on his desk. At one point, he even rose in defense of our Christian NGOs who had come under attack from the European Union. As the sun rose, his efforts, our efforts, paid off. An alleged right to abortion was stopped once more.
And here's how they justify folks who might be persecuting Christians at home:
We in the U.N. pro-life movement believe we are called to this fight in particular. We applaud those who work on other legitimate human rights issues like religious persecution. But we believe the right to life comes first. It is the right that makes all other rights and freedoms possible including freedom of religion.
We also believe that in our own way we do fight for religious freedom. In working with Muslim diplomats, in becoming friends with them, even by loving them, we believe we are changing hearts and minds. And in our own – perhaps mysterious – way, we do help our beleaguered brothers and sisters. This commonly misunderstood way is the way of Christ.
I reproduce this here for no other reason than I think its a fairly compelling piece of prose, though of course I disagree with many of the sentiments expressed in it.
January 16, 2012 (theCatholicThing.org) - The 10 p.m. negotiating session was set to go all night long. This was the last night of a two-week process that had been in planning for years before. All the hard things would be decided in the dead of that final night, when everyone was exhausted, the cafeteria was closed, and the translators had all gone home.
I walked out onto the floor of the immense negotiating room in the basement of the United Nations. Concentric half rings of desks cascaded from the front to the back with one hundred and eighty-something national “flags” arranged alphabetically, and floor-to-ceiling windows 100 feet high overlooking the moonlit East River.
On the negotiating floor, I approached a Muslim ambassador and said, “This session is going all night long and its going to be very tough going. And when it gets really hard, I want you to know that right over there,” and I pointed to a section of raised seats off to the side, “twenty Christians will be praying for you.”
That night this man was a tiger in defense of unborn children. The gathered western governments, along with U. N. bureaucrats, hungered for a right to abortion that would require nations to allow for the unrestricted killing of their unborn babies.
He rose time and time again to stop dangerous language from entering into that document. He pounded on his desk. At one point, he even rose in defense of our Christian NGOs who had come under attack from the European Union. As the sun rose, his efforts, our efforts, paid off. An alleged right to abortion was stopped once more.
And here's how they justify folks who might be persecuting Christians at home:
We in the U.N. pro-life movement believe we are called to this fight in particular. We applaud those who work on other legitimate human rights issues like religious persecution. But we believe the right to life comes first. It is the right that makes all other rights and freedoms possible including freedom of religion.
We also believe that in our own way we do fight for religious freedom. In working with Muslim diplomats, in becoming friends with them, even by loving them, we believe we are changing hearts and minds. And in our own – perhaps mysterious – way, we do help our beleaguered brothers and sisters. This commonly misunderstood way is the way of Christ.
I reproduce this here for no other reason than I think its a fairly compelling piece of prose, though of course I disagree with many of the sentiments expressed in it.
Your Daily Nazi: Big Ambitions
Is this the beginning of a post Section 13 Neo Nazi Renaissance in Canada? Some have wondered as much.
Edmonton due to the existence of a Blood & Honour chapter just itching to prove that they aren't all blithering idiots (already failed in that regard, folks)
London, Ontario since there appears to be a small movement tied to Blood & Honour located there (that, and "Max" who attended the rally in Calgary last year has returned to London).
There's no mention in the invite of Storseth's Bill C-304, but with its imminent passage the White Nationalist movement is looking at its greatest legislative victory in Canada in decades. Maybe they'll be up to a more vigorous celebration.
Or maybe not. The folks at ARC doubt the organizers ability to organize a panic on a sinking submarine, let alone a rally across multiple provinces. But they do note that several cities that might experience trouble:
Calgary for obvious reasons
Calgary for obvious reasons
Edmonton due to the existence of a Blood & Honour chapter just itching to prove that they aren't all blithering idiots (already failed in that regard, folks)
London, Ontario since there appears to be a small movement tied to Blood & Honour located there (that, and "Max" who attended the rally in Calgary last year has returned to London).
There's no mention in the invite of Storseth's Bill C-304, but with its imminent passage the White Nationalist movement is looking at its greatest legislative victory in Canada in decades. Maybe they'll be up to a more vigorous celebration.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Fake "Supports Northern Gateway Pipeline" Facebook Pages
Northern Gateway Proponents Play Dirty!
Since hearings into the Northern Gateway began last week, there have been accusations of misconduct on the part of pipeline/route opponents. These have been shown to be false, as even the folks at Ethical Oil seem to realize (see "update").
However, people on the pro-pipeline side of the issue seem clearly to be playing dirty pool. From the comments at Deep Climate, a Prince Rupert, a B.C. resident complains about fake Facebook Pages launched in support of the project:
A resident of another community complained that a facebook page made it look like the Chamber of Commerce in Fort St James was coming out in support of the Northern Gateway pipeline. I found your blog after I became curious as to who is behind the creation of a string of facebook groups for Northwestern BC Communites coming out in support of the Northern Gateway.
These pages all with similar themes/logos have appeared for the communities of Prince George, Fort St James, Fraser Lake, Burns Lake, Houston, Smithers, Kitimat. It appears people “Foreign” to these communities have been creating these face book groups.
In fact, the page for Fort St. James has a shot of the local Chamber of Commerce building ( a log cabin thingy) prominently displayed, suggesting that the Ft. St. James Chamber of Commerce supports the page and the pipeline. Here is that picture:
But in fact the local Chamber of Commerce DOES NOT endorse this page, as Wendy Swan, director of the Chamber, quickly pointed out:
Hard to know if this effort has been coordinated with the work by Ethical Oil--its too damn easy to spread AstroTurf on the various social media platforms. But it certainly looks as though an attempt is being made to suggest to non-residents that a degree of local support for the pipeline exists where it does not.
In addition, as noted above, it doesn't look like Fort St. James is the only place suffering from these underhanded tactics:
There are currently 10 Facebook pages from cities in northern British Columbia that proclaim to support the Northern Gateway pipeline: Prince George; Smithers; Kitimat; Fort St. James; Burns Lake; Fraser Lake; Houston; Vanderhoof; Bruderheim; and Bears Lake. All of them have pretty much an identical news feed, and were started in late October 2011.
However, I have yet to find these additional pages.
However, people on the pro-pipeline side of the issue seem clearly to be playing dirty pool. From the comments at Deep Climate, a Prince Rupert, a B.C. resident complains about fake Facebook Pages launched in support of the project:
A resident of another community complained that a facebook page made it look like the Chamber of Commerce in Fort St James was coming out in support of the Northern Gateway pipeline. I found your blog after I became curious as to who is behind the creation of a string of facebook groups for Northwestern BC Communites coming out in support of the Northern Gateway.
These pages all with similar themes/logos have appeared for the communities of Prince George, Fort St James, Fraser Lake, Burns Lake, Houston, Smithers, Kitimat. It appears people “Foreign” to these communities have been creating these face book groups.
In fact, the page for Fort St. James has a shot of the local Chamber of Commerce building ( a log cabin thingy) prominently displayed, suggesting that the Ft. St. James Chamber of Commerce supports the page and the pipeline. Here is that picture:
In addition, as noted above, it doesn't look like Fort St. James is the only place suffering from these underhanded tactics:
There are currently 10 Facebook pages from cities in northern British Columbia that proclaim to support the Northern Gateway pipeline: Prince George; Smithers; Kitimat; Fort St. James; Burns Lake; Fraser Lake; Houston; Vanderhoof; Bruderheim; and Bears Lake. All of them have pretty much an identical news feed, and were started in late October 2011.
However, I have yet to find these additional pages.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Liberal "Supporters"
...just like Members, but they don't pay anything. And right after I pitched out $20 for Membership. Won't bother with that nonsense ever again.
PS. Comments against this motion were running 2 to 1 against LPoC website, so this 70 per cent in favour surprises me.
PS. Comments against this motion were running 2 to 1 against LPoC website, so this 70 per cent in favour surprises me.
A Couple Of Good Names
WK has a few names of possible LPoC leadership potentials. I've always heard good things about Cauchon, but I'd love to see Martha Hall-Findlay run again. I'd kill for that woman. Also answer phones.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Even More Ethical Oil/Tory Connections Shit!
Deep Climate has done some excellent digging on the connections between the Ethical Oil Institute and our current government.
Meanwhile, Jenny Uechi from The Vancouver Observer has got a response from Minister Clement's office re the fact that the Ethical Oil Institute is using his old mailing address:
Tony Clement's communications director Jennifer Gearey called to say that it was "sheer coincidence", asking if living in the same house as a previous tenant indicated a connection between the residents. She requested the story to be taken down.
Uechi goes on to quote one Ian McGugan, a Vancouver based "analyst":
"The balance of probabilities makes me think that the P.O. box [shared by Ethical Oil and Tony Clement] is still under the control of the Ontario PC party."
McGugan probably thinks this because, if you google the toll-free number linked to Clement's old mailing address--1-866-257-4499--you find it linked to Ontario PC stuff going back for years.
Also, I found this interesting bit from an earlier DC post:
It turns out the Ethical Oil Institute was a “birdie” sponsor of this year’s Kinnear Classic celebrity golf tournament, an annual fundraising event in support of the Calgary Health Trust.
Ethical Oil launched in late June 2011, but even from the get-go they had the $8,000 on hand to send four golfers off to a golf tourney for Alta. lobby groups. That's what a "birdie" sponsor costs (see page 10 of the .pdf).
Question: Is Ethical Oil the fakest of fake "grassroots" groups in the history of fake grassroots groups?
Meanwhile, Jenny Uechi from The Vancouver Observer has got a response from Minister Clement's office re the fact that the Ethical Oil Institute is using his old mailing address:
Tony Clement's communications director Jennifer Gearey called to say that it was "sheer coincidence", asking if living in the same house as a previous tenant indicated a connection between the residents. She requested the story to be taken down.
Uechi goes on to quote one Ian McGugan, a Vancouver based "analyst":
"The balance of probabilities makes me think that the P.O. box [shared by Ethical Oil and Tony Clement] is still under the control of the Ontario PC party."
McGugan probably thinks this because, if you google the toll-free number linked to Clement's old mailing address--1-866-257-4499--you find it linked to Ontario PC stuff going back for years.
Also, I found this interesting bit from an earlier DC post:
It turns out the Ethical Oil Institute was a “birdie” sponsor of this year’s Kinnear Classic celebrity golf tournament, an annual fundraising event in support of the Calgary Health Trust.
Ethical Oil launched in late June 2011, but even from the get-go they had the $8,000 on hand to send four golfers off to a golf tourney for Alta. lobby groups. That's what a "birdie" sponsor costs (see page 10 of the .pdf).
Question: Is Ethical Oil the fakest of fake "grassroots" groups in the history of fake grassroots groups?
Ethical Oil Pot-Pourri
Ethical Oil shares a mailing address with Tony Clement's old campaign office.
Also, note this statement from their "About Ethical Oil" page:
The median size of our donations to date is $38.
This is quite clever. Lets say you have three donations: $1.00, $38.00, and $100,000. The average size of your donations comes in at a little more $33.000; their median size is...$38.00! I should not that the "average" is by far the more commonly used measure of central tendency. So, a good way to not quite lie about the kind of money you are raking in?
Also, note this statement from their "About Ethical Oil" page:
The median size of our donations to date is $38.
This is quite clever. Lets say you have three donations: $1.00, $38.00, and $100,000. The average size of your donations comes in at a little more $33.000; their median size is...$38.00! I should not that the "average" is by far the more commonly used measure of central tendency. So, a good way to not quite lie about the kind of money you are raking in?
Gary Clement On Same Sex Marriage
Cartoon from here.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
BCLSB Exclusive: Intervenor Confusion At Northern Gateway Pipeline Hearings? Not As Much As Reported!
Yesterday Licia Corbella reported that she had found two people on the 4,000 plus list of folks wanting to present orally to the Northern Gateway pipeline hearings who, when contacted, claimed to have never heard of the project. She used this fact to cast doubt on the whole hearing process:
Clearly, the National Energy Board and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency have not done a very good job of ensuring the legitimacy of the process. As for the people or the groups who are fraudulently signing up foreigners in this process, they do nothing but hurt their own cause.
However, I was able to contact Elano Ferraz, one of the people mentioned in the Corbella story, and it turns out he did sign up to speak. I reproduce his email to me below:
Dear BigCity Lib,
When a reporter from the Calgary Herald sent me an e-mail Tuesday night, asking about the Northern Gateway pipeline, I really didn’t remember anything about that. The reporter didn’t say anything about the spirit bear, so I didn’t related the Northern Gateway pipeline with the bear protection.
But yesterday, when I read the article that the Calgary Herald published in its website, I saw some parts of my speech in there. And I saw that article mentioned Simon Jackson and the Spirit Bear Youth Coalition. So I reminded that I really had signed the petition and signed up to speak to the environmental assessment.
It was a misunderstanding and I’m so sorry for that.
Simon Jackson is my friend and Rede PECA de Proteção Ambiental and the Spirit Bear Youth Coalition have a great partnership. He helps me engaging youth for PECA in Canada and
I help the Spirit Bear in Brazil.
The Spirit Bear Youth Coalition didn’t use my personal informations. I wrote them in a
website for signing up to speak to the environmental assessment some months ago.
Simon created the SBYC when he was 13. I founded PECA when I was 13 too (today I’m 17), and he is always giving me some advices about how to administer an organization. And believe me, it worked: today PECA has 09 offices in Brazil, 01 in Canada and another one in the United States. We are formed by young people who want to make a difference and promote sustainable development.
I can say that I am against any kind of environmental impact on the habitat of the Kermode Bear. If the Northern Gateway pipeline is causing environmental damage in the bear habitat, then its route should be changed.
I am not against building the pipeline, since it is made in accordance with the principles of sustainable development.
P.S.: This text may contain a few grammatical errors.
Thanks and I’m so sorry for my mistake,
Best Wishes,
Clearly, the National Energy Board and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency have not done a very good job of ensuring the legitimacy of the process. As for the people or the groups who are fraudulently signing up foreigners in this process, they do nothing but hurt their own cause.
However, I was able to contact Elano Ferraz, one of the people mentioned in the Corbella story, and it turns out he did sign up to speak. I reproduce his email to me below:
Dear BigCity Lib,
When a reporter from the Calgary Herald sent me an e-mail Tuesday night, asking about the Northern Gateway pipeline, I really didn’t remember anything about that. The reporter didn’t say anything about the spirit bear, so I didn’t related the Northern Gateway pipeline with the bear protection.
But yesterday, when I read the article that the Calgary Herald published in its website, I saw some parts of my speech in there. And I saw that article mentioned Simon Jackson and the Spirit Bear Youth Coalition. So I reminded that I really had signed the petition and signed up to speak to the environmental assessment.
It was a misunderstanding and I’m so sorry for that.
Simon Jackson is my friend and Rede PECA de Proteção Ambiental and the Spirit Bear Youth Coalition have a great partnership. He helps me engaging youth for PECA in Canada and
I help the Spirit Bear in Brazil.
The Spirit Bear Youth Coalition didn’t use my personal informations. I wrote them in a
website for signing up to speak to the environmental assessment some months ago.
Simon created the SBYC when he was 13. I founded PECA when I was 13 too (today I’m 17), and he is always giving me some advices about how to administer an organization. And believe me, it worked: today PECA has 09 offices in Brazil, 01 in Canada and another one in the United States. We are formed by young people who want to make a difference and promote sustainable development.
I can say that I am against any kind of environmental impact on the habitat of the Kermode Bear. If the Northern Gateway pipeline is causing environmental damage in the bear habitat, then its route should be changed.
I am not against building the pipeline, since it is made in accordance with the principles of sustainable development.
P.S.: This text may contain a few grammatical errors.
Thanks and I’m so sorry for my mistake,
Best Wishes,
Elano Ferraz
Founder and Chairman
Rede PECA de Prote̤̣o Ambiental РBrasil, Canada, USA
In addition, Elano has told me in a second email that he will still try to get up here from Brazil to make his presentation. I am also trying to contact Ines Gudic, the other person mentioned by Corbella.
If A Newspaper Nobody Reads Goes Behind A Pay-Wall
...will anyone read it less?
And, oh look!, Revenues are down again. I think when I run past the Postmedia building this morning I'll throw dimes at the windows, see if I can trigger a staff riot.
And, oh look!, Revenues are down again. I think when I run past the Postmedia building this morning I'll throw dimes at the windows, see if I can trigger a staff riot.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Rob Ford And White Trash
Try and read the story through the link below and NOT think of the theme from Deliverance, which I would render in text as follows:
Dingalingningningning...ning...ning...ning.
Dingalingningningning...ning...ning...ning.
Dingalinganinganing...Dingalinganinganing....Dinalinganinganinganinganinganinganing...!
...and etc.
I swear to God: before Rob Ford's first term is out he will tell somebody to squeal like a pig.
Dingalingningningning...ning...ning...ning.
Dingalingningningning...ning...ning...ning.
Dingalinganinganing...Dingalinganinganing....Dinalinganinganinganinganinganinganing...!
...and etc.
I swear to God: before Rob Ford's first term is out he will tell somebody to squeal like a pig.
Free Speech Throwdown: Warman Vs. Des Rosiers
And I won't say much about the debate itself, because frankly I'd heard most of it before. RW was thorough and logical in his responses, and most of his jokes worked. Des Rosiers was passionate, but I found her vague in places. Her objection to S13 being that someone's right to free speech somewhere might get chilled somewhat some day...though she couldn't point to concrete instances of this actually having happened. My impression is that the majority of the room was in Warman's corner.
I chatted briefly with Meir Weinstein, who is a civil enough fellow in person. If I were to summarize his current views, it is that the white supremacist movement has been entirely supplanted by radical Islamists as a threat to the Canadian Jewish community (mostly by being a threat to Israel), and that really the latter group are the only ones worth pursuing these days. I think he's dead wrong, or at least that it isn't an either/or (but not both!) proposition. And I don't see why he would want to see S13 discarded as one of the tools in the tool-kit for fighting hate, whatever the source of that hate.
As a side note, Meir and the gang (including possibly a small contingent from the Canadian Hindu Advocacy) will be driving up to Quebec later this month (the 26th, I think) to protest Huntingdon Mayor Stephane Gendron's recent remarks on the Israel/Palestine conflict. These are the latest in a series of inflammatory statements by the fellow, and a few have clearly strayed over the line into Anti-Semitism. More power to Meir and Co., then, but be careful--don't get yourselves lynched out there in the back-country!
Gary Harding, the only Canadian to be convicted of hate-mongering under the criminal code, was also in attendance. And, minus the beard, he looks astoundingly like Dr. Dawg. And that's not a joke or an attempt to insult the Dawg; Harding even had the same style of hat. I almost went up and said hello, but noticed a mad gleam in his eye (Dawg also has a gleam in his eye from years of NDP indoctrination, but its a slightly different gleam. That's how I could tell the difference). I didn't catch much of what Harding said to the people around him; however, a couple of them looked as though they wanted to change seats but were too polite.
It doesn't seem like anyone from Free Dominion showed up, through apparently several of them watched via webcast. That's a pity, because there was a FreeD guy sitting next to me at the Lemire hearing whose name, and a DNA sample, I wanted to collect this time out for inclusion on my personal enemies list.
Went out for drinks later with Bernie Farber and other notables from the old CJC. Almost all of our discussion was ruled officially "off the record", and will remain so, because I don't want to get sued nine ways from sideways. However, the general sense seemed to be that this was all window dressing and, no matter where CIJA eventually comes down on the issue of section 13 (they're currently fence-sitting), its gone which--given how hard it is to get the police to act on a hate speech complaint via the criminal code--means Canada will have no viable legal means of combating hate speech. There have been hints dropped that, as a replacement, the Tories will move to make the criminal code provisions easier to use, but nothing concrete so far. In any case, we shall see. There will be a fight in the HOC over Storseth's bill to repeal the measure; so far nobody from the NDP or Liberals has come out in support. And surprises can happen, even in a majority parliament.
Finally, Ron Bannerjee of the Canadian Hindu Advocacy was apparently in attendance, but I did not meet him. Which is also a pity: one of my readers recently commented that the guy was an honest to goodness porn star, which remark I deleted as possibly defamatory. Maybe Ron could clear this up, though. If its true, my hat is off.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
As The Debate Over The Northern Gateway Pipeline Heats Up
...it will be important to keep a level head. The GreenPolicyProf blog is a good place for a level headed assessment of the situation on the ground in B.C..
Incidentally, there is some question as to whether the regulatory changes suggested by Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver would apply to Northern Gateway itself. This report suggests they would. I have read elsewhere, but can't remember quite where, that any statutory change would apply only to later projects.
You can see, though, why Mr. Oliver would want to speed things along. A late 2013 approval date for the pipeline would put its actual construction into 2015, the year of our next federal election. Given the crap storm that will likely become (Rafe Mair laying down in front of a tractor, mass arrests, and whatnot), the gov. probably want as much of it out of the way before the next vote as possible.
Incidentally, its worth noting that Vivian Krause, the gal behind the "foreign billionaire's influencing Canadian policy" line of argument, has been making an identical defense of the fish-farming industry for years now--ie Suzuki and co. are taking foreign money to help Alaskan salmon fisherman at the expense of B.C. aqua farmers. Its just been re-purposed for this debate. Her research is typically shoddy; here's something I wrote on her last year.
Incidentally, there is some question as to whether the regulatory changes suggested by Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver would apply to Northern Gateway itself. This report suggests they would. I have read elsewhere, but can't remember quite where, that any statutory change would apply only to later projects.
You can see, though, why Mr. Oliver would want to speed things along. A late 2013 approval date for the pipeline would put its actual construction into 2015, the year of our next federal election. Given the crap storm that will likely become (Rafe Mair laying down in front of a tractor, mass arrests, and whatnot), the gov. probably want as much of it out of the way before the next vote as possible.
Incidentally, its worth noting that Vivian Krause, the gal behind the "foreign billionaire's influencing Canadian policy" line of argument, has been making an identical defense of the fish-farming industry for years now--ie Suzuki and co. are taking foreign money to help Alaskan salmon fisherman at the expense of B.C. aqua farmers. Its just been re-purposed for this debate. Her research is typically shoddy; here's something I wrote on her last year.
NDP Defector?
Ottawa - Liberal Caucus (PLC), relegated to the third party in the Commons by the orange wave that swept the last elections, may well have robbed a member of its rivals, according to The Gazette has learned.
Bob Rae will be there for Coderre's presser, so it must be something important.
PS. Quite ominous for the NDP if this is what happens. You shouldn't be having your MPs skip-out for a 3rd party after less than a year as official opposition. Something is not right behind the facade.
Update: It's Lise St-Denis.
Bob Rae will be there for Coderre's presser, so it must be something important.
PS. Quite ominous for the NDP if this is what happens. You shouldn't be having your MPs skip-out for a 3rd party after less than a year as official opposition. Something is not right behind the facade.
Update: It's Lise St-Denis.
Monday, January 09, 2012
James Morton For VP English
I'm not going to the convention this week, so this is strictly FWIW, but I believe James Morton is the LPoC's best bet for the position of VP English.
I have had a chance to meet with James on several occasions, and found him to be civil, articulate, and level-headed. I have also seen his occasional tv appearances, and read his occasional OpEd pieces in the various print media outlets, and while the position of VP English does not require it, it is always useful to have someone who can eloquently defend the party position on air or in the papers on your team.
Good luck James.
I have had a chance to meet with James on several occasions, and found him to be civil, articulate, and level-headed. I have also seen his occasional tv appearances, and read his occasional OpEd pieces in the various print media outlets, and while the position of VP English does not require it, it is always useful to have someone who can eloquently defend the party position on air or in the papers on your team.
Good luck James.
Sunday, January 08, 2012
Farber On The Gatineau Mosque And Other Recent Hate Crimes
Bernie has a nice piece in the Citizen:
Recently there has been a debate raging here in Canada regarding the necessity of antihate laws. There are those who believe that any restriction on speech whatsoever is an infringement on our valued right to free-speech. In 1990 the Supreme Court of Canada upheld our anti-hate laws by a slim margin. While it found that such laws were a limitation on speech, given the serious need to ensure protection of vulnerable minorities such an infringement, it argued, was justified.
I agree. We are a democracy based on justice and law. We understand that human beings are far from perfect, hence we created laws to protect society. Anti-hate laws are a kind of insurance for the future. Such laws help define us as a tolerant society. To be sure we must find the correct balance between freedom of expression and the right to equality that we all share.
Obviously, a sentiment I agree with.
And let me mention again that Richard Warman will be debating Nathalie Des Rosiers of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association re Section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act on Tuesday, January 10th, at the George Ignatieff Theatre in Toronto. The event begins at 7:00 pm. It would be nice to see a few progressives in attendance, as you know the loonies will be out in force.
Now, the clowns that attacked the Gatineau Mosque, and the ones that keyed the car of mixed-race couple Rita Brown and Seun Oyinsan, probably have never heard of section 13. In fact, I doubt they can count that high between them. However, those within the more organized racist community have heard of it, and should it be repealed this Spring, they will treat the occasion as a great victory and a license. I expect we will see more and broader attempts to organize later this year. And I'm not the only one who thinks that.
Recently there has been a debate raging here in Canada regarding the necessity of antihate laws. There are those who believe that any restriction on speech whatsoever is an infringement on our valued right to free-speech. In 1990 the Supreme Court of Canada upheld our anti-hate laws by a slim margin. While it found that such laws were a limitation on speech, given the serious need to ensure protection of vulnerable minorities such an infringement, it argued, was justified.
I agree. We are a democracy based on justice and law. We understand that human beings are far from perfect, hence we created laws to protect society. Anti-hate laws are a kind of insurance for the future. Such laws help define us as a tolerant society. To be sure we must find the correct balance between freedom of expression and the right to equality that we all share.
Obviously, a sentiment I agree with.
And let me mention again that Richard Warman will be debating Nathalie Des Rosiers of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association re Section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act on Tuesday, January 10th, at the George Ignatieff Theatre in Toronto. The event begins at 7:00 pm. It would be nice to see a few progressives in attendance, as you know the loonies will be out in force.
Now, the clowns that attacked the Gatineau Mosque, and the ones that keyed the car of mixed-race couple Rita Brown and Seun Oyinsan, probably have never heard of section 13. In fact, I doubt they can count that high between them. However, those within the more organized racist community have heard of it, and should it be repealed this Spring, they will treat the occasion as a great victory and a license. I expect we will see more and broader attempts to organize later this year. And I'm not the only one who thinks that.
Saturday, January 07, 2012
Manitoba Newspapers Reject Accountability
The Manitoba Press Council has ceased operating after the last few participating newspapers withdrew their financial support.
[...]
...Bob Cox, publisher of the Free Press, said that today’s social media environment lends to different avenues for the public to complain about news media...
If the papers lie, just bitch about it on twitter, in other words.
[...]
...Bob Cox, publisher of the Free Press, said that today’s social media environment lends to different avenues for the public to complain about news media...
If the papers lie, just bitch about it on twitter, in other words.
Friday, January 06, 2012
Gotcha? Connections Between Ethical Oil And The Tory Gov.?
So this fellow notes on Twitter that the guy doing radio ads for Ethical Oil in support of the Northern Gateway Pipeline sounds suspiciously like the guy that did the anti-Ignatieff ads for the CPoC during the runup to the last election. And I think he's right. For example, here's the "just visiting" ad. And here's another anti-Iggy ad. And the notion that they are they same guy is not only mine (or the guy on twitters'); I've emailed these clips to a number of people I trust , and the responses range from (with respect to the "just visiting" ad) they're definitely the same guy to that they sound very much like the same guy.
Now, who exactly is doing the voice over is still in question, but what we know for sure is that the "just visiting" ad was done by The Würstlin Group, as you can see here.
Now, the thing is The Würstlin Group has been doing work for the Harper Tories for years. So this would seem to show that one of the radio voices they have hired on several occasions (whether they are WG employees or not) is also doing work for a supposed grass roots group pimping the Alberta tar-sands in general and the Northern Gateway Pipeline in particular.
Makes you wonder how grass-roots Ethical Oil really is.
Of course what you read here is hardly conclusive. But maybe it will get some MSM people asking a few questions.
PS. I notice that my links to WG don't take you quite where I want. Go to "our work", then "Conservative Party".
Now, who exactly is doing the voice over is still in question, but what we know for sure is that the "just visiting" ad was done by The Würstlin Group, as you can see here.
Now, the thing is The Würstlin Group has been doing work for the Harper Tories for years. So this would seem to show that one of the radio voices they have hired on several occasions (whether they are WG employees or not) is also doing work for a supposed grass roots group pimping the Alberta tar-sands in general and the Northern Gateway Pipeline in particular.
Makes you wonder how grass-roots Ethical Oil really is.
Of course what you read here is hardly conclusive. But maybe it will get some MSM people asking a few questions.
PS. I notice that my links to WG don't take you quite where I want. Go to "our work", then "Conservative Party".
Whither PostMedia?
Quote from here .
Thursday, January 05, 2012
I Am NOT GOING BALD!
My wife mentioned my alleged bald spot the other night, after I refused to move some furniture for her with sufficient alacrity.
She's not the first to have made note of it. There have been persistent rumours that I have a bald spot just a little back from the very peak of my skull, a spot which is almost impossible for me to see. The thought has always worried me...that I will lose my hair and be the last to know. That the voices I hear from behind me sometimes, laughing, are laughing at the vast wasteland that my scalp has gradually become.
So I took our old digital camera out and took about 30 or 40 shots of the area, holding the camera above my head and pointing downwards, and I am happy to announce, upon examining them closely, that the rumours are definitely FALSE. At best the hair at that spot might be said to be thinning. THINNING!!! NOT GONE SOUTH AND NEVER COMING BACK!!! And anyway, its probably been like that for years. AND you can only really see it from above, so so what? Why should I care what someone going by in a low flying helicopter thinks?
I have informed my wife that she will get no flowers this week.
Thank you for listening.
She's not the first to have made note of it. There have been persistent rumours that I have a bald spot just a little back from the very peak of my skull, a spot which is almost impossible for me to see. The thought has always worried me...that I will lose my hair and be the last to know. That the voices I hear from behind me sometimes, laughing, are laughing at the vast wasteland that my scalp has gradually become.
So I took our old digital camera out and took about 30 or 40 shots of the area, holding the camera above my head and pointing downwards, and I am happy to announce, upon examining them closely, that the rumours are definitely FALSE. At best the hair at that spot might be said to be thinning. THINNING!!! NOT GONE SOUTH AND NEVER COMING BACK!!! And anyway, its probably been like that for years. AND you can only really see it from above, so so what? Why should I care what someone going by in a low flying helicopter thinks?
I have informed my wife that she will get no flowers this week.
Thank you for listening.
John Miller On Sun TV's Freedom Weekend
The discussion topics for Freedom Weekend-by-the-lake have yet to be decided, but Ezra says "we'll talk about how to strengthen our freedoms here at home, and project freedom abroad to the world." Wow, that sounds like a cattle call for any white, barrel sucking immigrant hater who's too stupid to find out the regular room rate at the Muskoka Marriott is only $199.
Note: Sun TV is charging $1,050 per person, although I suspect that price will come down.
Note: Sun TV is charging $1,050 per person, although I suspect that price will come down.
Alberta Mayor On B.C. Opposition To Northern Gateway Pipeline
"It's kind of like the spoiled child syndrome. We're not going to get [any major benefits], so we're not going to do it..."
B.C. For B.C.ers! Go back to Mordor, Blue Eyed Shiekh.
(Although I should point out I am not currently an official B.C.er, merely an Ex one with fond memories. But I'm pullin' for ya!)
B.C. For B.C.ers! Go back to Mordor, Blue Eyed Shiekh.
(Although I should point out I am not currently an official B.C.er, merely an Ex one with fond memories. But I'm pullin' for ya!)
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
I Give It Six Months
OK, maybe eight months, because she is resplendently hot, even if she appears to be wearing a menorah (or maybe some kind of chandelier) in each ear.
h/t
PS. My wife suggests he's trying to marry into money.
Your Daily Nazi: JDL Canada And The EDL
A piece from Al Jazeera, which features JDL-Canada Leader and occasional BCLSB commenter Meir Weinstein:
Extremist Jewish factions and far-right parties team up against "Islamisation" despite the latter's anti-Semitic past.
Right-wing movements previously associated with anti-Semitic and neo-Nazi ideologies are increasingly opting for a surprising tactic to garner legitimacy within mainstream politics: Forging alliances with extremist Jewish organisations under the banner of fighting "Islamisation".
"Far-right parties are professing a new found love of Israel as a way of escaping their past anti-Semitism and racism, and to justify their prejudice towards European Muslims as not being racist," Toby Archer, a researcher who studies far-right parties and the "counter-jihad blogosphere", explained to Al Jazeera. "Parties like the British National Party (BNP) in the UK, Vlaams Belang in Belgium, and the National Front in France are all coming out from a neo-fascist past."
These parties have stopped using anti-Semitic rhetoric, Archer said, which had prevented them from attracting support. It is important to distinguish between the traditional far-right, who are historically anti-Semitic, and the populist new-right, who have emerged in the last two decades and partake in an anti-Muslim discourse, he said.
The article doesn't quite get the differences between the various wings of the JDL, but whatever. My question to Meir (and, tangentially, to the people at CIJA, who have been courting similar folk) is: how deep do you think the conversion among these far right groups runs? I would suggest not very: consider the case of Lemire and the Fairness Fairy. And are you willing to trade off support for Israel in exchange for giving Holocaust Denial, among other things, a pass? Because that is what the stakes are. The people who bash Muslims can, currently, in this country, bash them about as hard as they are capable of. The day after Section 13 goes, the organized Jew Bashers in Canada will declare victory, toss off this nonsense about being supporters of free speech, and get back to job number one (and, Meir, I am not referring in this case to some lady in a Bhurka thinking dark thoughts about Israel).
PS. Richard Warman debates Nathalie Des Rosiers re Free Speech and Section 13 at the George Ignatieff theatre in Toronto. Meir will be there, asking Richard some "pointed" questions. I might try and get there myself, esp. if the concession sells draft beer.
Extremist Jewish factions and far-right parties team up against "Islamisation" despite the latter's anti-Semitic past.
Right-wing movements previously associated with anti-Semitic and neo-Nazi ideologies are increasingly opting for a surprising tactic to garner legitimacy within mainstream politics: Forging alliances with extremist Jewish organisations under the banner of fighting "Islamisation".
"Far-right parties are professing a new found love of Israel as a way of escaping their past anti-Semitism and racism, and to justify their prejudice towards European Muslims as not being racist," Toby Archer, a researcher who studies far-right parties and the "counter-jihad blogosphere", explained to Al Jazeera. "Parties like the British National Party (BNP) in the UK, Vlaams Belang in Belgium, and the National Front in France are all coming out from a neo-fascist past."
These parties have stopped using anti-Semitic rhetoric, Archer said, which had prevented them from attracting support. It is important to distinguish between the traditional far-right, who are historically anti-Semitic, and the populist new-right, who have emerged in the last two decades and partake in an anti-Muslim discourse, he said.
The article doesn't quite get the differences between the various wings of the JDL, but whatever. My question to Meir (and, tangentially, to the people at CIJA, who have been courting similar folk) is: how deep do you think the conversion among these far right groups runs? I would suggest not very: consider the case of Lemire and the Fairness Fairy. And are you willing to trade off support for Israel in exchange for giving Holocaust Denial, among other things, a pass? Because that is what the stakes are. The people who bash Muslims can, currently, in this country, bash them about as hard as they are capable of. The day after Section 13 goes, the organized Jew Bashers in Canada will declare victory, toss off this nonsense about being supporters of free speech, and get back to job number one (and, Meir, I am not referring in this case to some lady in a Bhurka thinking dark thoughts about Israel).
PS. Richard Warman debates Nathalie Des Rosiers re Free Speech and Section 13 at the George Ignatieff theatre in Toronto. Meir will be there, asking Richard some "pointed" questions. I might try and get there myself, esp. if the concession sells draft beer.
Tuesday, January 03, 2012
Paleo Artist Dan Varner
...has passed away suddenly. He specialized mostly in painting the ancient beasts that swam The Oceans Of Kansas (Western Interior Sea). If you ever find a copy of the book with the same name (by Mike Everhart; illustrated by Varner), by the way, get it. The prairies were once a far more exciting place.
In any case, a great loss for those of us who follow paleo matters.
Monday, January 02, 2012
BCLSB Resolutions For 2012
1) Force the resignation of a Tory cabinet minister. But I've given up on the idea of embroiling one in a sex scandal. These guys are too high maintenance. You want to seduce a cabinet minister, they expect you to drive them around. And buy the drinks.
2) Stop the construction of a pipe-line. Not sure which of them yet yet. But it'll be a long one.
3) Destroy Fox News North. But before the free market does. So I'll have to hurry.
2) Stop the construction of a pipe-line. Not sure which of them yet yet. But it'll be a long one.
3) Destroy Fox News North. But before the free market does. So I'll have to hurry.
Sunday, January 01, 2012
Why I Cannot Currently Support the B.C. Liberal Party
B.C. Premier Christy Clark alludes to the Northern Gateway pipeline:
British Columbia's coast does not just belong to British Columbia, it belongs to Alberta...
Not that anyone out there cares about my opinion, but the winner of the next B.C. Provincial election will have come out against this monstrosity. A few local pols have already lost their jobs from fence-sitting--these guys at the municipal level, mind you, who don't really have much say over the matter.
And should Northern Gateway get approved in late 2013, the next LPoC leader should get pictures of himself lying down in front of the first tractor ASAP. That's how the Libs can win back the Left Coast.
B.C. For B.C.ers! Let the Calgary tar patch stick that in their pipe-line and pump it.
British Columbia's coast does not just belong to British Columbia, it belongs to Alberta...
Not that anyone out there cares about my opinion, but the winner of the next B.C. Provincial election will have come out against this monstrosity. A few local pols have already lost their jobs from fence-sitting--these guys at the municipal level, mind you, who don't really have much say over the matter.
And should Northern Gateway get approved in late 2013, the next LPoC leader should get pictures of himself lying down in front of the first tractor ASAP. That's how the Libs can win back the Left Coast.
B.C. For B.C.ers! Let the Calgary tar patch stick that in their pipe-line and pump it.
Michael Ignatieff Tribute
...is no longer a part of the Liberal Biennial Convention program. A fact that I will note without comment.
h/t
h/t
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