This is Sad News

Anyone who paid any attention to the news during the SARS outbreak will be familiar with Dr. Sheela Basrur.

She was was the voice of calm and reason during that tumultuous time. Her reputation only grew from there and she certainly received well deserved accolades to the very end.

More here.

I Love Mike Harris Too!

What a blithering idiot. Baird was on QP today, berating Charest and McGuinty for coming forward with a Carbon Trading plan.

Like his buddy Flaherty, he apparently thinks the way to win votes in Ontario and Quebec is to bash the provinces or at least the Premiers. Bashing McGuinty isn't new or surprising. Charest?

Pssst. Mr. Baird, you have a few problems in that province at the moment and you still need votes there. Maybe now is not the time to put the Premier or the province down?

Anyway, that's not the worst of it. He was challenged by that great environmental expert Jane Taber, sigh, as to whether or not it was a problem that the provinces were beginning to take matters into their own hands and putting together a patchwork quilt of solutions across the country. He sloughed off the Quebec/Ontario plan saying it had no substance. As a result he didn't seem to think there was a problem.

Fast forward a few hours and he must have received new talking points from the PMO. Someone having seen the interview must have twigged that Taber's question was a better line of attack. So, presto! A new talking point is born.

Environment Minister John Baird told a national news agency that the agreement could undermine Ottawa's climate change plan.

Nothing up his sleeves folks! Come one, come all and watch our Environment Minister change his opinion right before your very eyes. His bizarre blathering will keep you captivated and you'll hardly notice that he is cycling backwards, while treading water.

Good grief this guy is pathetic. They really do count on Canadians being stupid don't they?

Then there was a story on the wire today that said the Fed's were planning to put a new regulation into effect that would absolve companies and government for any damages done to wildlife. No mention of Baird. (Sadly I didn't capture the story when it broke.) Now it's been updated to state that Baird is questioning this move.

Huh? Who is running the department? Surely they do not put together such a plan without the Minister's knowledge?

A recent department request for proposals gave details of the plan, which could come into force in two or three years.

"This process would provide for the minister to issue permits for a limited incidental take of migratory birds, nest or eggs during the course of an activity in Canada provided conditions prescribed on the permit are met and the intent of the (Migratory Bird Convention) Act is fulfilled," said the document.

Or, maybe they do. Which raises another question. Is Baird on top of this file? Who is running this country? Did the civil service do this on their own? Did they see this incompetent bunch of boobs coming, (Con's) and decide to take charge? Or, did Baird okay this and is now, like his revered leader, throwing them under the bus?

I'll let you decide but if it is not obvious yet that what Harper brought to Ottawa was a circus, well, what can I say to you.

Bernier, McKay, Ambrose, Guergis, Flaherty, Clement, O'Connor, Toews, Lukiwski, Poilievre, Kenney, Van Loan, Oda, Verner...all of these have made their less than stellar mark and of course the list goes on.

If it was in me, I'd feel sorry for Harper, but it's not. I loathe the man and his principles and to use a phrase that ill suits him as much as it does me, (though I'm honest about it), 'you dance with the one who brung you'.

These people brought Harper to power. He now has to deal.

Oh, please be sure to listen to the audio provided with the second link. Notice the ridiculous, 'Poilievre Pause' (my new term), when he announces spending by the government. Also notice that he says a constituent stopped him to say, too much talk, not enough action. He suggests that this person is speaking to the Premiers. Obviously this person was accusing him. Telling though don't you think? People are calling him out, on the street.

Finally, you'll note (it's at the very end) he says 'I love Mike Harris too'.

I think he'd find that to be a lonely love fest.

Update - The Premiers react.

Insite vs Ideology and Ignorance

I don't suppose many people are surprised by Clement's announcement that he will appeal the B.C. Supreme Court ruling. He has after all given every indication that he was leaning that way. He's stalled, commissioned studies that he hoped would buttress his case and avoided all and any direct answers for months.

The problem of course was, whenever he called for a study, the results came back in favour of the program. What to do? What to do? Not really a difficult question for this guy or the government he represents is it? They ignore fact, reason, science and create their own bizzarro world. They then proceed to lie and make it up as they go.

I watched the committee meeting yesterday and witnessed the arrogant Clement bluster his way through nonsense, absolute nonsense. He cherry picked a couple of items from a report and decreed that the science was 'mixed'. Baloney! The science is clear. What's foggy is this government refusing to own up to what they believe. He said that policy had to be based on more than science, it had to include ethical judgement. In this case, the word ethical is a substitute for the word 'moral' as defined by the Conservative Party of Canada.

This decision gives way to a much larger problem of course. You see, the funding is not really the issue here. It's important, but what the Con's are really trying to do is eliminate the extension of the exemption from federal drug laws. In doing so they would succeed in cutting off funding not only by the Fed's, but all levels of government and even private and social agencies. Clement can claim he doesn't want to shut Insite down, but that of course is precisely what he wants to do. One member on the Con side actually said that abstinence is the answer here. That would be David Tilson. He goes down in my book as the MP most deserving of the 'I'm angry at everything!' award.

It's obvious to me that this government ignores, or is incapable of seeing things in broad terms. They get stuck in their ideology and I presume determine how to play that to their base but this isn't just about addicts. It's about the community at large, you and me. It's about safety in that area for those who inhabit it. The Con's miss that of course and narrow the discussion to what I would term a juvenile overview.

This is not the only example. Consider Bill C-10. That's the Bill that has hidden in it's hundred's of pages, provisions for the Minister of Heritage to deny tax credits to the Art's community retroactively. Who do they have as their spokesperson? Charles McVety. Anyone who claims he does not have a narrow view of the world needs help. They don't cite him as their champ, but they aren't denouncing him either.

Then of course we have the Bill that will be voted on, on Monday. Hidden in there was the Immigration rights that go to the Minister. They lie about that too and have even advertised as to what the Bill will do, dishonestly, before the Bill has passed.

Then we have the Khadr debacle and the lies they tell around that. More on that in a later post.

My point here is this. The Harper government touted themselves to be on the 'up and up' and straight shooters. They are anything but. They have no qualms in discounting their opposition, no matter where it comes from. They call those who oppose them wimps, terrorist supporters and worse. Their supporters use more colourful terms, but lack the depth to debate, let alone see a full picture.

Guess who doesn't have courage here?

The Con's hide behind catch phrases and ludicrous commentary rather than be honest and say 'this is what we think'. They couch their views, because they know that is not how Canada thinks. That my friends is cowardly behaviour.

Polls last night told me that Canadians may be catching on. Here's hoping that trend stays fast.

What's Left?

A new poll shows that satisfaction for the Con's is taking quite a hit. The participants voiced their opinion before finding out just how incredibly incompetent Bernier is.

A new poll suggests satisfaction with the performance of the Conservatives plunged 13 percentage points from December to May.
The Canadian Press Harris-Decima survey indicates satisfaction fell to 40 per cent from 53 per cent — with majority dissatisfaction in every region of the country except Alberta.

The Mood of Canada poll also found that just 27 per cent of respondents said the Tories were doing a good job in regard to government integrity.
And 65 per cent said the government was doing a bad job on accountability.

I'll wait for further polls to substantiate this one before declaring that this is the definitive view of Canadians, but it is interesting to note that only a number equal to Harper's base thinks his government is doing a good job on accountability.

Wait. Accountability? Oh say it isn't so! How on earth could their signature plank, their trademark, their poster of John Accountability Baird, have apparently failed so badly? Oh, right...you actually have to do more than utter the words and work partisan groups into a frenzy, for people to believe you.

Integrity is also mentioned. Boy, that's gotta hurt. Thankfully Canadians think that you have to actually demonstrate a measure of honesty and responsibility in order to be respected for having integrity.

If another poll supports the conclusions drawn by this one and that opinion holds, you have to wonder what Harper will run on in the next election. If Canadians do not think that the government is accountable or has integrity, that kind of puts a dent in the whole leadership thing doesn't it? So what will it be?

The Environment? Ha! Health Care? Nope, Clement tipped his ideological hand today. The Economy? Well I suppose they could try by there are an awful lot of sectors that are ticked off in that area too. Cultural Issues? Daycare? Human Rights?

I give up. Something tells me this might not be the last time we see this expression on Harper's face.

Update - Ooops, I think I spoke too soon concerning what he might run on . More details here.

Satisfaction with government integrity fell 10 points, with just 27 per cent saying the Tories are doing a good job in this regard. And 65 per cent said the Harper government is doing a "bad job" on accountability. A shortfall in this category would suggest the government is losing support in an area that was critical to their electoral success two years ago. The Conservatives rode a wave of voter disgust over the Liberal sponsorship scandal into office in 2006.

Some 74 per cent said the government was doing a bad job on health care, 70 per cent believe the Tories are not being attentive to the views and priorities of Canadians, and 66 per cent gave the thumbs down on environmental policy.

Ratings for providing "smooth, orderly government" sank 12 points to 40 per cent from 52.

"Good-job" ratings fell 16 percentage points on the government's promotion of economic growth, 15 points on fiscal management and 13 points on limiting taxes.

That reflected declining confidence in the overall economy, with the number of respondents who felt the economy was in good or excellent shape falling to 51 per cent from 78 per cent during the five-month period.
Among 20 government policy areas surveyed, 12 showed "significant deterioration," said Harris-Decima, three improved and five others remained stable.

The government's five best ratings were for: human rights protection ("Good job," 50 per cent); managing Canada-U.S. relations (48 per cent); public safety (48 per cent); international relations (45 per cent); and economic growth (43 per cent).

Human rights protection 50% good job? Okay, we seriously need more exposure of the truth here. Cda-US relations? Call me after the next US election. Public safety? Yawn, the 'fear' card. International relations? Something tells me that is going to change, especially when various cultural channels play all the horrible coverage we've received in the world of late. Economic growth, well nasty Flaherty will be sure to keep that number sinking. Good grief, 15% down?

It would seem that the master strategist Harper, according to this poll at least, is more of a master saboteur.

I Quit!

Just how stupid does Harper think Canadians are?

Bernier quits? Ha! Another view.

Please. He quit? How idiotic does this government look? Harper primarily and if I recall correctly the guy who is leaving, Ian Brodie, recommended Bernier for the position.

During his news conference today Harper dismissed all and any accusations against Bernier, then turned on his heel with a look of disgust, now this? Van Loan did his usual, 'the Lib's are looking for dirt' in the House during QP, now this?

These guys are so incompetent, they don't know the meaning of the word.

It seems suspicious to me that an interview is coming out tonight (at 9:00 on, um , TVA I think) with Julie Couillard. We'll see if that was the deal breaker, but if it wasn't, who the hell did he leave a classified document in front of?

Emerson is going to stand in? The Minister of Trade is going to stand in as a proxy for Foreign Affairs? Good grief...just take the time to think about how weak this government is in terms of bench strength.

Pathetic.