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We believe in spending your money on departments whose focus is the encouragement of illusion over reality. That is all.
Where to begin with such a malodorous concept? Starting with irony is always good, so… for instance how about the blinding irony of the Conservatives dedication to ‘austerity and smaller government’? How this equates with creating nebulous departments with equally nebulous goals defies rational comprehension.
“It was a Conservative campaign promise meant to promote religious freedom worldwide.
The promise, the Tories said, was to give a Canadian foreign policy focus to oppressed religious minorities in places such as Egypt, Pakistan, China and Iran.”
Well, it sorta sounds good, but how does this mission statement jive with the rest of Canada’s foreign policy?
“Last month, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird called freedom of religion a linchpin of Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedom and Bill of Rights. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has also touted the new office, hoping Canada would step forward as a major champion of international religious rights.
At an hour-long interfaith meeting in Toronto on Wednesday, participants Abdul Hai Patel, of the Canadian Council of Imams, and Rev. Bhante Saranpala, of the West-End Buddhist Cultural Centre, said Baird noted the “office doesn’t have any teeth.”
But Baird spokesperson Joseph Lavoie said the minister was referring to the office’s legislative influence around the world.
“At the end of the day, we can’t force another government to do anything,” Baird said in a later interview.”
Oh, so we are going to set up a government bureaucracy to send guilt-inducing notes to other countries tell them about how to run their countries, fantastic. Of course, the amazing rate of failure will be promptly ignored by the Conservative powers that be because as always, ideological concerns always trump science and empirical evidence.
“the new entity — which will cost $5 million, employ five and, Lavoie said, launch in early 2012 — has rankled a number of Canadian religious organizations, human rights groups and academics, who remain unsure of what it hopes to achieve and whose interests it will serve”
Well, with no tangible goals, its impossible to get a bad evaluation. Win!!
““It could be argued that a secular government is well-positioned to (promote religious freedom abroad) because it doesn’t have a vested interested in any particular community,” said Tamas, who attended the October consultation. Baha’is face persecution in a number of Muslim countries, including Iran.”
Just out of the goodness of our hearts. Wowzers! It certainly couldn’t be a sweetheart nod to the deluded Conservative base here in Canada, nope nope nope no irrelevant agency adding mindless persiflage to our foreign policy. The ORF will make a difference.
“MacDonald points to Harper’s trip to China next month. While Harper has criticized China’s commitment to human rights in the past, the country remains one of Canada’s largest trading partners, with $13.2 billion in exports and $44.5 billion in imports in 2010.
MacDonald said it is “absolutely inconceivable” that the Tories will speak out against China’s well-documented persecution of Christians and the Falun Gong. In October, Baird voiced support for China’s Christians and Falun Gong, as well as its oppressed Tibetans and Uyghurs”.
Err…
What a nice way of saying that there is no possibility of our party winning a majority in an election, furthermore if I fail again it will be my head on the block. Therefore, there shall be no election.
“Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he will not try to trigger an election next year, saying the government needs to stay focused on the economy.
Like Anakin, but without the redemption in the end.
“I’m not going to cause an election,” Harper told CTV News in a year-end interview. “I’m not going to call an election and we’re not bringing forward some kind of poison pill to provoke an election. We are committed to governing. We don’t need an election.”
Good on ya Steve, adhering to the first rule of politics, maintaining power is admirable and duly noted.
“We’re in a fragile global recovery. Canada is in a very good position for the long term but we need to stay focused on that and not screw around with a bunch of political games.”
Political games? Like dissent, debate and well you know that other ugly D word: Democracy. We shan’t be screwing around with the likes of those things.
“Harper also said there will be no prorogation early in the new year. He said there would be a small cabinet shuffle but he was mostly happy with his team.”
Conveniently left open for prorogation at anytime because “early in the new year” could be January 2nd. Stay tuned for more conservative tom foolery.
Do we really need to follow this particular mode of thought?
The idea that ideology as opposed to reality being in the drivers seat when it comes to decisions that the Federal Conservative government makes is scary. Since when did making policy based on fact become sacrosanct? Did Steven Harper need his own noun to make war on? I propose we give Steve his war, let us call it the “The War on Evidence“.
It certainly seems to be a war with recent policy decisions that are based on what seems to be the zany ideas Harper pulls out of his ass. Cancelling the long form census is the most notable example of policy that seems to have come out of deep right field. I mean the Census is the tool we use to gather data about our country and are people; lets get rid of it? The notion that the mandatory long form census is some sort of violation of privacy rights is clearly absurd. People have lost more private information on facebook in one day than the ‘intrusion’ the long form census presents.
How are we to make rational policy decisions without data? The canaries are already chirping a warning on this topic:
“OTTAWA – The union representing federal scientists says “confusing policy decisions” highlight the need for evidence-based decision-making in Ottawa.
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada has launched a campaign to raise public awareness of the work done by government science researchers.
Union president Gary Corbett says the Harper government’s controversial decision to scrap the mandatory long-form census is an example of a long-term trend in devaluing government-funded research.
Corbett says program review and departmental budget pressures are putting the squeeze on federal scientists who are also muzzled by a restrictive communications policy from sharing their research with the public.”
Our government is waltzing away from reality and no one seems to really give a damn. At least not yet.
“The Conservative government has come under repeated attack for shelving or ignoring research from its own bureaucracy on issues such as climate change and criminal justice policy.”
The entire unreported crime fiasco looms large but largely unnoticed by our recalcitrant media. We are set to build new prisons for theoretical crimes and theoretical prisoners. All of this despite the fact that we know that building more prisons is clearly not the answer. Since when did doing things we know are wrong become policy choice #1?
Cynically speaking, I would chalk the systematic ignorance and neglect of science and evidence as a structured part of Conservative policy. Why? Because much of what they support is bug-frakking crazy and faced with evidence and fact that tells them and everyone else so is not particularly good PR. The solution? Move closer to reality and evidence based policy? Hell no! Lets muzzle and undermine scientists and science so we can pass our wack-a-loon policy with no hindrance from reality.
Our current Canadian Government is funny. It campaigns to be tough on crime while cutting funding to women’s groups and trying to kill the Gun Registry. Another ‘fixture’ in the Conservative platform is a strong sense of fiscal responsibility and wise money management.
Obviously, the best way to show Canadians about sound fiscal management going on under watchful Conservative government is to build a two million dollar fake lake. I am not making this up, we are adding another two million dollars onto the millions we are pissing away on the G8 summit.
“Prime Minister Stephen Harper has defended building a $1.9-million tourism pavilion at the G8/G20 summit media centre in Toronto that includes an artificial indoor pool to simulate Ontario’s cottage country.”
One of the traditional ‘selling points’ about Canada is our abundant natural environment. Apparently, Mother Nature fails in the Conservative play book.
Your Tax Dollars in Action!
So instead, lets build a fake lake.
“His comments[Harper] came as the government scrambled Tuesday to correct the price tag associated with the so-called fake lake at the $1.9-million G8/G20 “Experience Canada” pavilion in Toronto’s Direct Energy Centre.
During Tuesday’s question period in the House of Commons, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff asked how Harper could instruct other countries how they should manage their own funds amid the government’s “astonishing” waste of taxpayers’ money on the summits.
The Liberal leader also questioned how much the public could expect to see at the end of three days of meetings, with topics such as climate change not even on the agenda.
“Canadians wanted leadership, and all they got was a fake lake,” Ignatieff told the House.”
I think Ignatieff is being a little hard on Harper and the government. I mean, for a 3 day meeting experiencing the (simulated) Ontario cottage country 1.9 million dollars is super cheeeep! Only more outrageous things could cost more such as, oh say, actually going to cottage country?
Wait..no no no it can’t be just a lobe shattering grossly negligent abuse of the public purse. It is a marketing opportunity! Steven the Harper-Douche says so!
“In fact, it’s a $2-million marketing project,” Harper said, “We must not miss this opportunity.”
The mock lake inside the centre will actually be a 10-centimetre-deep pool, built at a cost of $57,000, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon told the House. It was initially reported the pool itself cost $1.9 million.
Liberal MP Mark Holland hit back, saying $57,000 is more than the annual income for 40 per cent of Canadian families.”
Amazing! I’m sure the ‘buzz’ generated will pay big dividends to the poor people of Canada, I can just imagine the dollars rolling in!
This government is anything but fiscally conservative when it comes to spending the tax dollars of Canadians.
Extra Bonus!
The Liberal Party does Fake Lakeing on the Thrifty-Side!
“OTTAWA – Creating fake lakes for the amusement of reporters appears to be turning into a cottage industry.
Liberals have installed their own water feature in the garden at the Official Opposition leader’s residence in Ottawa.
And, they’ve done it for just $19.95 _ a fraction of $1.9 million the Harper government is spending to recreate the look of Muskoka cottage country in a Toronto media centre for the G-8 and G-20 summits.
In the middle of Liberal Leader Michel Ignatieff’s yard was a blue plastic children’s wading pool. A cardboard plaque proclaimed it to be “Fake Lake Harper” and warned “No Diving.”
Another sign declared the pond to be a project funded by the federal economic action plan, “supporting Canada’s fake lake industry.”
Obviously some political hay is being made at the Conservative Governments’ expense. I’m okay with that.
“Reporters were invited to lounge on vinyl Muskoka chairs and watch plastic ducks and tiny boats bobbing in the pond, while recorded loon calls played in the background. Life jackets were available for anyone who wanted to venture into the three-inch deep waters.
One boat _ carrying muppet Ernie and his rubber duckie _ was dubbed the “Captain Tony,” after Industry Minister Tony Clement, whose Muskoka riding has been flooded with cash in advance of the G-8 summit.
A remote controlled craft with a plastic action figure glued to its deck was dubbed the “Stuntwell Day” — a reference to Treasury Board president Stockwell Day, who once famously arrived for a press conference wearing a wetsuit and riding a personal watercraft.”
This will end badly for the Conservatives. Probably not as bad as their leader arriving to a press conference on Jetski, but close.
I miss the days when the Conservatives could actually display how batshite crazy they actually are. Thanks to the Harper 'Muzzle on the Crazy' we'll have to be happy with the Fake Lake-Gate scandal.
I don't do "women's rights".
Steven Harper does not believe in female autonomy. If his mendacious crew of ethically challenged social conservatives ever took power women across the country would have to mobilize and shut this country down to protect our reproductive freedoms. Evidence of the Conservative disregard for women is writ large as the Conservative government has decided, as a part of its’ G8 platform on women’s issues, not to fund abortions as a part of maternal reproductive care in the third world.
You would think that outright crazy crank-batshittery would take a holiday at least once in awhile. Unfortunately for us Canadians we are still given the pleasure of living under the yoke of religious-inspired delusional conservative ‘morals’ . Rule one in their insipid handbook of perfidious ass-hattery is this: If ye be woman, ye shall not have rights – especially when the holy fetus is involved. Let us examine what the Canadian government stance is, from the CBC report on our G8 position:
“International Co-operation Minister Bev Oda said the government would consider funding family planning measures such as contraception, but not abortion under any circumstances.
“We’re saying that we’re using the definition in our discussions of family planning, which does not include abortion,” Oda told reporters on Monday in Halifax, where she was meeting with her G8 counterparts.
“We’re not debating abortion; we’re clarifying family planning.”
Which is akin to making a garden salad without any allowing the use of any lettuce. Thank you Bev Oda for your wonderfully refreshing anti-woman stance. It is always hearting to see government policy based on fatuous religious beliefs, because the the frak needs evidence?
The Lancet has called the Canadian Conservative Government on its mendacity:
Canada’s position against funding abortions abroad is ‘hypocritical and unjust,’ a medical journal editorial says (via the CBC).
“The Canadian Government does not deprive women living in Canada from access to safe abortions; it is therefore hypocritical and unjust that it tries to do so abroad,” the Lancet says in an editorial Saturday.
The conservatives hypocritical? Not this bunch, the very same that want to abolish the gun registry despite the fact that police forces across the nation are strongly in favour of the gun registry. This is the same group of politicians who gleefully brought down the Martin minority government on charges of corruption that are now currently wallowing in the Jafer/Afghan Detainee accountability scandals of their own (not to mention the unwarranted prorogation of parliament). I digress. The Lancet editorial brings us back on track though:
“Although the country’s decision only affects a small number of developing countries where abortion is legal, bans on the procedure, which are detrimental to public health, should be challenged by the G8, not tacitly supported. Canada and the other G8 nations could show real leadership with a final maternal health plan that is based on sound scientific evidence and not prejudice.”
Decisions based on evidence? What is this crazy talk about ‘evidence’ you leftard crypto-fascist Lancet editors?!
“The Lancet said the plan’s omission of improved access to safe abortion services “is no accident, but a conscious decision by Canada’s Conservative Government not to support groups that undertake abortions in developing countries.”
“This stance must change,” the editorial said, noting 70,000 women die from unsafe abortions worldwide each year.”
Ah, but it is only 70,000 women who die per year. Come on they are just people women after all.
Rona Ambrose, who I would not trust to successfully rub two dimes together, spouts the following tom foolery as a ‘reply’:
Rona Ambrose, the status of women minister, defended Canada’s G8 initiative, citing a statement by World Vision Canada that the abortion debate was clouding the issue while 8.8 million children die every year from causes that would cost pennies to prevent. World Vision, one of the world’s largest humanitarian organizations, opposes abortion as a family planning method.
Ah, yes those damn womenz and their bodies. They just need to shut the f*ck up and die quietly.
Ambrose said the government wants to save the lives of women and children, Ambrose said.
“We ask the opposition to stop playing politics with this issue.”
Ah, yes I am guessing ‘Playing politics’ actually means: Stop debating our irrational faith based position with real world evidence and fact. You are just not playing fair; being all evidence based and supported by fact and what not. Let us leave reason firmly outside the political playpen.
Playing politics indeed. The buffoonery that passes for reasonable arguments from conservatives is shocking. How many clown cars need to be called in before Canada squares its position on abortion with reality?
I’m guessing not until the Conservatives are out of power and once again bidden to the background, where they belong.
Peter Goldring certainly does not typify the entire conservative party of Canada. Just most of it. Unaware of historical nuance, blindly obedient to power and happy in his role as one of Harper’s many courtiers. Am I wrong? Well let us see how Mr.Goldring frames a sensitive historical period of Canadian History. The CBC writes:
“In the newsletter, titled The Truth About Louis Riel, Goldring calls the former Métis leader a “villain” who has blood on his hands from leading the Northwest and Red River rebellions.
Goldring said Riel doesn’t deserve a statue on Parliament Hill and that such a tribute would condone his “civil disobedience.”
Well, take that. I am surprised he did not call Riel a terrorist. Then, instead of hanging him, we would just detain him indefinitely without rights or recourse.
“Winnipeg Liberal MP Anita Neville said the Conservative party should apologize to the Métis for what she calls a 
“smear campaign” against the founder of Manitoba.
Although he was hanged as a traitor, Riel is regarded as a folk hero by many for his defence of Métis rights and culture.”
Of course, alternative narratives and the aforementioned concept of nuance escape Mr.Goldring as does such unnecessary ideas like oh say, ‘diplomacy’.
It should be interesting to see how this plays out as Goldring seems to be fond of taking ‘conservative positions’ on controversial issues.
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