Whip the Vote, Mr. Rae (#lpc #prochoice)

Citation: R. v. Morgentaler, [1988] 1 S.C.R. 30

Date: January 28, 1988

State interference with bodily integrity and serious state-imposed psychological stress, at least in the criminal law context, constitutes a breach of security of the person.

...

Liberty in a free and democratic society does not require the state to approve such decisions but it does require the state to respect them.

...

The decision whether or not to terminate a pregnancy is essentially a moral decision and in a free and democratic society, the conscience of the individual must be paramount to that of the state.

...

The state here is endorsing one conscientiously-held view at the expense of another. It is denying freedom of conscience to some, treating them as means to an end, depriving them of their "essential humanity".

Whip the vote, Mr. Rae.

The Manning Centre is Still a Registered Charity

Ethical Oil has written a letter to the Canada Revenue Agency to review the David Suzuki Foundation's charitable status because, they allege, the Suzuki Foundation is a partisan political organization. I won't link to it because I don't want to. The National Post and the Toronto Sun are also carrying stories - I won't link to them either, because I don't want to.

I will point out, whatever you think of the David Suzuki Foundation, if you support this move to remove their charitable status, you should at least be arguing the same for the Manning Centre. To do otherwise, is to attain unheard of hypocritical heights.

What is the Manning Centre's mission statement? Building Canada's conservative movement.

What do they do? The Manning Centre’s role is to equip future political leaders with the ideas, skills and networks necessary to make a principled and effective contribution to Canadian politics.

Somehow, I don't think the National Post nor the Toronto Sun will run stories calling for the Manning Centre to be de-registered.

Ontario Budget Consensus : Ontario Wins, Ontario's Conservatives Lose

If you're from Ontario, you have to agree that all the political discussions taking place to prevent an election are a welcome relief. The deal of course reached between the Ontario Liberals and New Democrats is to include a surtax on those in Ontario earning more than $500,000 per year. If you're an Ontario Liberal or an Ontario New Democrat, you're clearly on the side of Ontarians.

Sources close to the talks said Mr. McGuinty and Finance Minister Dwight Duncan had vigorously opposed the new tax. But they were clearly in the minority. The sources said a many Liberal caucus members support the tax, including a majority of cabinet members. As well, opinion polls show that the tax also enjoys widespread support from the public.

As an aside, polling those earning more than $500,000 will likely show they're not opposed to the surtax.

Fully 64 per cent, including a majority of Conservatives and wealthy people, say they are willing to shell out a bit more in taxes to protect social programs such as health care, pensions and access to higher education, all of which help reduce income inequality. Less surprisingly, there’s even more support — 83 per cent — for raising taxes on the wealthiest.

[H/T, Scott's DiaTribes]

However, count on the Ontario Conservatives to be on the wrong side of opinion.

Adding insult to injury, Ontario's Conservatives find themselves on the wrong editorial side as well.

Steve Paikan, TVO

The Progressive Conservatives, in the short run, seem to have taken one on the chin.  By announcing on budget day that his entire caucus would vote against the budget, PC leader Tim Hudak essentially removed himself from the conversation.  That immediate "nay" vote may have pleased his base which hates any accommodation with McGuinty, but it allowed the spotlight to shift to Hudak's NDP opponent as "a player" at the legislature.

Torontoist

The Tories, by contrast, have been nowhere in evidence. Tim Hudak came out the day the budget was presented and said his party would be opposing it; in so doing, he put himself on the sidelines. (Whether the Progressive Conservatives reward the principle or condemn the politics of that move is yet to be seen.)

Toronto Star

The downside for McGuinty is that he is now exposed to attack by Tim Hudak’s Conservatives for raising taxes, yet again, after vowing not to do so. That’s a price the premier is prepared to pay. He’s probably also banking on Hudak coming across as a one-trick tax-cutting pony, while others are trying to make the legislature work.

That said, if you're an Ontario Tory - you're probably breathing a sigh of relief.

How exactly do you campaign that those earning more than $500,000 shouldn't be charged a surtax and that Ontario needs to be plunged into another election for no reason whatsoever?

Rant on Tories!

Will the Real Rob Ford Please Stand Up?

Rob Ford's former press secretary, Adrienne Batra, addresses the hullabaloo regarding the mayor's pending absence from Pride events:

I know Rob Ford. He is a far more tolerant individual than many of the people attacking him. Ford's problem isn't homophobia, nor does he have a hidden agenda to take away gay rights. His concern is that his participation in a Pride event, particularly the parade, will tick off his political base. But Ford needs to remember his base consists of a lot more people than social conservatives.

Where is this individual? I thought conservatives were all about standing up for their principles? Or, perhaps he's more concerned about maintaining the politics of division.

If it walks like a weasel, it's a weasel.

[H/T, Torontoist]

Larry O'Brien Loves Glenn Beck

I don't pay much attention to Larry O'Brien. I know he was Ottawa's mayor, but he had no direct impact on me or my life. The only thing I paid attention to was when Toronto elected Rob Ford, Rob Ford was dubbed "our Larry O'Brien" and that Toronto shouldn't vote for him. Makes me hopeful that Ford will also only be a one-term mayor.

In any event, Larry de-friended me on Facebook. I suspect it was when I commented on a blog post he wrote and subsequently shared to his Facebook profile.

Luckily, I too have a blog and I can address his post with my own.

Glenn Beck, the Leader

I contend that Glenn Beck will be seen as one of the great credible leaders of our times when they write the story of the twenty-first Century. I for one will be following him.

Again, I do not know Larry very well, but I do know Glenn Beck. I think everyone does.

"The only [Katrina victims] we're seeing on television are the scumbags."  

"So here you have Barack Obama going in and spending the money on embryonic stem cell research. ... Eugenics. In case you don't know what Eugenics led us to: the Final Solution. A master race! A perfect person. ... The stuff that we are facing is absolutely frightening."

"I'm thinking about killing Michael Moore, and I'm wondering if I could kill him myself, or if I would need to hire somebody to do it. ... No, I think I could. I think he could be looking me in the eye, you know, and I could just be choking the life out. Is this wrong?" 

"I went to the movie this weekend with a gun. And surprise, surprise, I didn't kill anybody!" 

"You got to have an enemy to fight. And when you have an enemy to fight, then you can unite the entire world behind you, and you seize power. That was Hitler's plan. His enemy: the Jew. Al Gore's enemy, the U.N.'s enemy: global warming. Then you get the scientists — eugenics. You get the scientists — global warming. Then you have to discredit the scientists who say, 'That's not right.' And you must silence all dissenting voices. That's what Hitler did." 

More? Hit the Craziest Glenn Beck quotes generator.

The money shot?

"I say on the air all time, "if you take what I say as gospel, you're an idiot.""

I still hold out hope Rob Ford really is our Larry O'Brien.

The Pope is Still Catholic

In all likelihood, Toronto mayor Rob Ford will not attend this year's Pride parade. That's not news. What should be news is the fact that, once again, he refuses to say why.

He is unable, or more likely unwilling, to honestly tell the people of Toronto why he will not attend an event that will significantly increase tourism and boost the Toronto economy.

There are lots of opinions, lots of colourful metaphors describing the Mayor and his reasons for not attending - but, none forthcoming from the mayor. Sure, he's going to the cottage - that's what a weasel would say when wanting to avoid the spotlight.

He's not required to the attend the parade nor is he required to attend any of the preamble activities.

He is, however, a politician and sometimes that means explaining the rationale for his decision, especially when he is invited and especially when one of the events happens at City Hall. He is making a pointed effort to avoid the event without a simple statement why.

It speaks to his character as a so-called man of conviction that he is unable to do so.

Critiquing Boutiquing

Conservatives mocking Liberal Boutique would like to remind you that the Stephen Harper bobble-head doll is $19.99 at their online store.

I'm a Progressive Bloggers Moderator

That's it.

I'm outted.

I have an email, a picture, and I'm physically able to attend your events.