True, according to Subscriber Wars.
Stephen Harper, by proroguing Parliament, has confirmed what Canadians think [Montreal Gazette, Canadians think politicians get little done: poll]:Canadians think politicians don't get along well, that they've accomplished little in the past year, and few would want their kids to grow up to be one.Stephen Harper has now confirmed to Canadians he believes Parliament is irrelevant as well.
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And yet, 72 per cent of those surveyed by Ipsos Reid said they disagreed with the statement "Politicians in Ottawa got a lot done this year." And that disagreement was consistent across sex and regional lines.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper was left off U.S. President Barack Obama's guest list for an emergency meeting of world leaders in the final hours of the Copenhagen climate talks.Canada's position, such as it is, is considered irrelevant.
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Among the attendees were Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei, Brazilian President Luiz Lula da Silva and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
The list, provided by the White House, did not include Harper.
It's in Conservative nature to dig deeper when in a hole. Their reflex is to reject, refute and rebut rather than rely on the famous decency of Canadians to forgive and forget inevitable political failures.This pattern applies to Conservative supporters as well - reject, refute and rebut.
There's just no way around it [Toronto Star, Afghan beaten by police was in Canadian custody: top general]:In an unexpected and explosive admission, Chief of Defence Staff Walter Natynczyk said not only was it known Afghan police abused prisoners but that one in particular had been handed over by Canadian troops.I don't believe for a moment that "suddenly new information" arrived. Suddenly, they realized, this story wasn't going away with constant denials.
Natynczyk said suddenly new information arrived on his desk today after telling a parliamentary defence committee Tuesday that a prisoner beaten by Afghan police had not be in Canadian custody before he was handed over in May 2007.
"The moment I saw this report his morning I realized that the information I provided yesterday was incorrect and I am responsible for that," he told reporters.
Today, December 1, is World AIDS Day.World AIDS Day, observed December 1 each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. It is common to hold memorials to honor persons who have died from HIV/AIDS on this day. Government and health officials also observe the event, often with speeches or forums on the AIDS topics. Since 1995, the President of the United States has made an official proclamation on World AIDS Day. Governments of other nations have followed suit and issued similar announcements.Consider today joining the "Give a Day" campaign.
AIDS has killed more than 25 million people between 1981 and 2007, and an estimated 33.2 million people worldwide live with HIV as of 2007, making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history. Despite recent, improved access to antiretroviral treatment and care in many regions of the world, the AIDS epidemic claimed an estimated 2 million lives in 2007, of which about 270,000 were children.
The Toronto Marlies are a better hockey team than the Toronto Maple Leafs. I have a far better time watching the Marlies - more action, more effort, more everything.Yes, it's the British Conservative Party.They were out there trying to gather as many signatures as possible for our petition to get Gordon Brown to commit to protecting the [National Health Service] from any spending cuts.
Yes, the state of the public finances calls for serious cuts in public spending.
And yes, tough decisions will have to be made that many may find unacceptable.
But when you are doing such difficult things it is vital that as a government, you take people with you.
And one of the ways we want to do that is to protect the institution that we all care most about.
So the Conservatives will increase spending on the NHS every year so we can protect frontline services.
We’ve made our decision on the NHS, when are Labour going to make theirs?
Despite demonstrable evidence that countries enjoy comparatively greater economic growth if they choose to invest in improving and protecting education for girls and young women, too little is still being done to nurture these vulnerable young people – especially in developing countries.
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The global recession both magnifies the challenge and heightens the urgency of the situation. As the preface of Plan International's report puts it, even fleeting economic turmoil can take a long-term toll on the futures of girls and young women around the world: “In times of financial stress it is girls who will be pulled out of school by cash-strapped families; who will bear the brunt of increased household chores as their mothers search for work; and who may end up in exploitative and often dangerous jobs because the immediate need for money is so pressing.” Family hardship all too often results in the future of girls and young women being neglected.
Coming back slowly.
Survey says!In the 416 area code in Toronto itself, the Liberals have the support of 52 per cent of respondents, while the Conservatives and NDP are tied at 19 per cent. The margin of error for this sample is eight per cent.[Canadian Press, Tories on a downslope in support in key areas: poll]
In the 905 region, the Liberal lead is 50-27, with the NDP at 11 per cent. The margin of error in this data is 7.8 per cent. Before the last election, the Tories led 44-32 here.
On election day, however, while the Progressive Conservatives did win nine more seats than they held at the dissolution of the previous legislature, and won just under 70 per cent of the popular vote, the highest popular vote share ever attained by the PC party in the province, they did not sweep all 48 seats in the legislature. Three Liberal incumbents, as well as New Democratic Party leader Lorraine Michael, successfully held their seats. Notably, however, Liberal leader Gerry Reid was not reelected in his own riding.Here's what happens when provincial Tories stand against their province, and with the Harper Conservatives [CBC, N.S. voters elect first NDP government]:
Nova Scotia has its first ever NDP government.
CBC News projects a historic win for Darrell Dexter's New Democratic Party, ending a decade of Progressive Conservative rule.
I've come to the conclusion that less is more on Facebook -- fewer friends means greater value. So, over the next little while, I'm going to be saying goodbye to Facebook friends and Facebook apps.
Toronto the Good hasn't gone away.I asked some folks previously to back that tractor up. I wonder if they will.
Statistics Canada -- using a new crime severity index developed with help from police, justice officials and academics -- reports Toronto had the lowest ranking out of the 27 metropolitan areas in the country in 2007.
That year, Toronto also had the lowest rate of police-reported crimes for cities across the land, with 4,278 offences called in to cops per 100,000 of population.
Hogtown's grades are worse when it comes to violent crime but still below the national average and far less than the highest crime cities in the country, which include Regina, Saskatoon and Winnipeg.
While I will do my best to blog some of my thoughts from the Vancouver convention, in all likelihood, I will not be blogging full time while I'm there. I'm going a couple of days early to sight-see and visit with some old friends before hunkering down to do whatever it is us Liberals do at these things.
I'm in the market for a smart phone. Please help decide for me.
If you're opposed to the YLC amendment to the OMOV proposal, feel free to join the Facebook group and share your feelings on your opposition.
The Liberal Party will always be progressive if we, as a youth wing, constantly focus on growing our active base. Youth will never be marginalized if we punch above our weight with real numbers. No one will be able to ignore our ideas if our members have real influence, not just every couple of years, but all the time, and throughout the Party. And so at the very least, we need to double our membership. I'd personally like to see it triple, or quadruple, or even reach 100,000. But we have to start somewhere. So let's get on with it!That's youth energy. That's why the OMOV amendment is unnecessary.
The YLC is proposing an amendment to the amendment to allot a minimum of 25 points to youth voters in each federal riding in order to maintain our representation in LPC. This amendment would translate to having separate youth ballot boxes at a leadership vote in every riding, and the votes would be tallied separately and given a minimum of 25/100 points in that riding. However, if the percentage of youth exceeds 25%, the larger number will be counted.Quotas are undemocratic and will ultimately undermine the purpose behind OMOV; giving each riding a direct vote in selecting a leader.
Here are my predictions for the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party leadership race as it stands now.
The traditional photo of the G20 leaders was reshot after Prime Minister Stephen Harper missed his opportunity Thursday to be in the first snap.
Emphasis mine. I wondered if I could ever use that picture again.Harper met with his officials following the first working session in London on Thursday morning when the picture — dubbed the family photo — was scheduled to be taken.
Officials said the prime minister was getting a quick briefing on changes to the communiqué that is expected to be released by the G20 at the end of the summit.
The BBC, however, is reporting that Harper was in the bathroom while the photo was being taken.
Simmering tensions between Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government and predecessor Brian Mulroney boiled over with party sources saying he was no longer a Conservative and the ex-leader insisting he will be a party member as long as he draws breath.[CTV, Tories, Mulroney in tiff over party membership]
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"I can confirm [Brian Mulroney] is no longer a member," said one Conservative source.
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"I remain a member of the Conservative Party and I will remain so until the day I die," Mulroney said.
A few points on teh Twitter.A paralyzed Tory MP has lost a bid to have the Supreme Court of Canada hear his case against Manitoba's public insurer.Is it really the case of a Tory MP looking for an activist judge to intervene in an area of provincial jurisdiction when the private sector would be more than happy to help him out -- or, was it publicized to show that, as implied ...The court refused today to hear Steven Fletcher's appeal against a decision by the Manitoba Public Insurance Corp., which denied him more money for full-time care.
Lawyer Sidney Green said bureaucrats were punishing Mr. Fletcher because of his Conservative politics.... the Supreme Court and the bureaucracy is stuffed with Liberals.
Really super light blogging for the near future. I hope to be back soon.We interrupt this blog for a pledge moment.On Tuesday, Liberal science critic Marc Garneau said that believing in evolution is not a job requirement for the science minister.It's not what someone believes that is dangerous for a politician, it's how much that personal belief shapes their perception of public policy. Right now, neither the Conservative Party nor Gary Goodyear have given us any indication that they believe in the scientific process. Rather, they allow their personal impressions of academia in general dictate public policy.
“It is a personal matter. It is a matter of faith.… I don't think it prevents someone from being a good minister,” said the former astronaut, who has been a vocal critic of the government for its cuts to the three granting councils that fund university-based research in Canada.
"We are evolving every year, every decade. That's a fact, whether it is to the intensity of the sun, whether it is to, as a chiropractor, walking on cement versus anything else, whether it is running shoes or high heels, of course we are evolving to our environment. But that's not relevant and that is why I refused to answer the question. The interview was about our science and tech strategy, which is strong."Ouch, the burning.
Well, I said evolution is a great theory. You know, all of us who get involved in science spend a lot of time away from religion to read all kinds of theories about science, probably get in many ways the most rewarding experience you could have, you know.After all, he was caught off guard.
It's not backyard science, you don't see all the hot scientists and all the great experiments but you get a real sense -- the kind old and the of sciencey stuff I've done, especially the last seven or eight months, you get a real sense of evolution, what it means, who dreamed it up and what its challenges are. And I think this theory has unlimited potential.
That's why I think it would be so exciting to take over at this point in science. But I think it's necessary to make a change if we're going to realize that potential.
Regardless of what happens, let this be the last time any Conservative party jettisons a conservative agenda in the hopes of winning just by showing up and trying to be nice. We've seen that movie once too often.Adam wants Conservative parties to jettison a conservative agenda in the hopes of staying in power, though.
But where conservatism is definitely losing the battle and has for many years without any sign of push back is on what I would call the "nanny state" issues -- the gradual encroachment of state involvement into more and more areas of our lives through regulation. Smoking by-laws, banning this and that behaviour, boating licenses, gun registration, etc... are all rampant and there's no sign of it slowing down.I thought the so-called nanny-state was the hallmark of the new conservative revolution. What with it in the hands of deficit-loving, big spending Blue Tories and proselytizing, uber-government, social conservatives, Adam.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper says language used this week by [Senator Mike Duffy], whom he recently appointed to the Red Chamber, was "perhaps inappropriate."
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In his maiden speech to the Senate on Feb. 3, Duffy said P.E.I. Premier Robert Ghiz may get the "shaft" by getting in bed with Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams. Ghiz and Williams have been protesting a cap on equalization payment increases in the federal budget during a period of economic downturn.
Before the Red Chamber, Duffy described the pairing as a "grotesque scene" in which Williams, the premier of a wealthier province, would likely "come out on top."
As the Progressive Conservative Party’s Special General Meeting quickly approaches, amendments to the Party’s constitution have been submitted, and there is some shocking amendments made which affect the future of the Ontario PC Youth Association, and all associations of the party (OPCCA and OPCWA).
Amendment 13 blatantly calls for the dissolution of Youth Associations within the PC Party, which would eliminate all youth associations and cause irreversible damage for the future of youth in the PC Party.
The amendment— submitted by party members from Lanark- Frontenac-Lennox & Addington , is signed among others by MPP Randy Hiller. The amendment this time explicitly discriminates against the OPCYA. But party constitutional experts admitted to Bluenotes [PDF] editors that it sets a dangerous precedent, and would leave all associations of the party including both the women’s and campus association open to constitutional challenges of the same intend.
Sources also say that Hillier may also be concerned that his unpopularity with the Youth association may affect his future ambitions within party. Eliminating a youth voice within the party is eliminating a key player in the grassroots movement to help build a better party by 2011.
It risks the involvement of current youth within the PC Party for future generations. Support Youth! Vote NO to amendment 13!You can join the Facebook group, We Are Against Amendment 13.
We are hereby notifying you that, after a recent review of your account activity, it has been determined that you are in violation of [bank name withheld]'s Acceptable Use Policy.Suh-weet.
Therefore, your account has been temporarily limited for: webcam shows.
