I received an email from a reader suggesting I check another perspective on police attitudes and the public's reaction. Since I have posted so much in favour, I felt it incumbent upon me to be fair. The weblog writer--an ex-police officer--may have a point. In the course of looking at the site, I found some other articles worth perusing which are listed before the article on policing.
"To Serve And Protect" goes the mantra of many a Canadian Police Force. . . Sir Robert Peel, the founding father of modern policing, that inspired this mantra. Peel set down nine principles upon which he believed policing should be based. . .
One of those principles, which seems to have been forgotten by North American police forces, is this:
"Police, at all times, should maintain a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence."
[. . . .] What disturbs is the trend that I see of many police officers believing that somehow, they are set apart from the public, and in fact, are the masters. I used to be evaluated by supervisors, not based upon my rapport that I had carefully and slowly built up with criminals, community members, children, and parents, but by how many charges or tickets I wrote. Quotas of course, don't exist. Instead of quotas, we had "benchmarks." A nice semantical term to deny there are quotas. I recall one long evaluation session in which I was told that I "did not make full use of my legislated authority" because I had not met the benchmark that was expected for writing tickets.
[. . . . ] What would make most police officers' jobs easier for them would be to ensure that before every shift, the parading Sergeant has them recite Peel's Principles. Police Officers should then be evaluated on whether or not their actions and attitudes while on patrol, are in tune with those principles. Perhaps Pierre Lemieux is correct - it's time to disarm the cops (quebecoislibre)
*For Peel's Principles, see this page hosted on the New Westminster Police site
Update Mar. 19, 04:
In response to the article excerpted above, there is a post from a member of our policing services on ianism.com that is worth reading for a police officer's perspective.
Lately I have tried to bring to the attention to readers the underfunding of our policing agencies. Investigations take time, manpower, resources and equipment; all cost money. Now, it is time to fund these services so that Canadians may feel secure as our policing agencies clean up and clean out some of the scum operating in Canada. Good work, RCMP. NJC
OTTAWA -- The RCMP laid a whopping 278 criminal charges Thursday against 11 people for allegedly trying to fix immigration appeal hearings in exchange for cash.
Among those charged is Yves Bourbonnais, a 62-year-old judicial officer with the Immigration and Refugee Board who presided in both Montreal and Ottawa. Ten others, all Quebecers not employed by the board, also face charges ranging from fraud to obstruction of justice. [. . . . ]
[Between] 50 and 60 individuals facing hearings were offered positive judgments in exchange for cash bribes of $8,000 to $15,000 per individual.
Congratulations on a successful body of work! If the courts don't thwart your efforts with puff-ball judgements, maybe Canadians will receive justice. Perhaps I am much too optimistic. NJC
The rapid decision to pull Spanish troops out of Iraq because Al-queda attacked Spain in the Madrid bombing is a mistake. Al-Qaeda is a malignant cancer that spreads rapidly if not excised. It has no real moral base other than the defeat of the Christian West. Whether it takes mass migration to Europe to win demographically, in the long run; or the subjugation to 14th century Islamic thinking through terrorism, in the short run, all are facing an implacable enemy.
"A scandal to come?" -- a letter to the National Post editor Mar. 16, 04
Gary Switzer from Toronto alerts us to yet another multi-million waste of our money. He claims that Mr. Cardinal, a leading native architect, is pitching the idea of an eighty-four million dollar--$84,000,000--Native conference center. For the building proposed, the construction costs, plus furnishings, would come to $577 per sq. ft. Yet only about a quarter of the building is not used conventionally.
Switzer has done his homework on this scam. It makes me think he is in the construction end of things. Using the estimates of a Mr. Helyar, said to be the leading construction consultant in Canada, he claims these costs are wildly inflated. He says that to erect a 30 storey skyscraper in Ottawa is only $155 per sq. ft. Even to construct a high quality condominium is $175 per sq. ft. Finally, you could construct a hospital with all its nooks and crannies for around $310 per sq. ft.
This must be stopped -- now. Believe me, Paul Martin, the Auditor-General should have a field day with this one. If you fund it, it will show that you really have lost touch with how the average Canadian would view this chicanery. You could also save yourself the recurring nightmare of the inevitable cost over-runs -- sort of like the gun registry with feathers. We can thank Mr. Switzer for bringing this to our attention.
CBC: Islamic group that claimed Spain bombings names possible next targets -- report
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - [. . . . ] "Our brigades are getting ready now for the coming strike," said the statement dated March 15. "Whose turn will it be next? [. . . .]
"Organizations like Jemaah Islamiah and al-Qaida are not going to tell Australia what to do," Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told reporters in Perth. In Tokyo, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Japan would "not be swayed."
Ah, but Canada's response? I expect Canada's Liberal government will be handing out multicultural grants to every Muslim group possible--appeasement--and to gain their votes for the coming election -- instead of demanding of Muslims in Canada that they show their hatred of and willingness to work against Muslim terrorist activity -- that they decry the fanaticism of Islam -- that they will not allow it in their mosques. NJC
4. Air Canada confirms acceptance of Victor Li's investment in insolvent airline, Dec. 22. 03 [This article has disappeared from the website but may be obtainable through the National Post archives for a small fee. If you do a Google search, you will find several articles on this, particularly Li buys 31% stake in Air Canada for 486 million Kenneth Wong, Bloomberg, International Herald Tribune, Nov. 10, 03. NJC]
*** Li, a son of Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing, holds Canadian citizenship and is not restricted by federal guidelines that limit foreigners to 25 per cent of an airline.***
[What follows is from the second article mentioned. NJC]
***Air Canada has accumulated losses of 2.6 billion dollars in the past three and a half years. . . .
Milton and the executive vice president Calin Rovinescu will each receive 1 percent of Air Canada over four years, the airline said. Their stakes will come from [Victor Li's] Trinity's holdings after Air Canada emerges from bankruptcy.
Trinity will appoint five out of the 11 directors on Air Canada's board.***
There is mention in the article of "unnamed sources"; I wonder who they might be. To whose benefit would it be to talk to the media anonymously? Is it time for liquidation to take place -- or should AC find a new investor? NJC
Victor Li's Trinity Time Investments Ltd., frustrated over the refusal of Air Canada's unions to discuss possible changes to their pension plan, has thrown down a gauntlet and says it's ready to renege on its proposed $650-million investment -- a warning that threatens to force Air Canada into liquidation.
[. . . . ] The pension impasse, which has been brewing over the past six weeks, is over Trinity's demands that unionized employees be offered a choice to participate in either a defined benefit pension plan or a defined contribution plan. Unions have refused, arguing protection of the defined benefit scheme was crucial in last year's new collective agreements that had its members grant $1.1-billion in wage and job concessions.
As a result, Trinity, with the help of Goldman Sachs, will now examine all the unions' collective agreements, negotiated in May and June, 2003, and see whether each union is giving up as much as it promised. Moreover, it will determine how much of a financial hit will be sustained by the unions' refusal to give their members a choice on pension schemes.
[. . . . ] The Trinity warning, coupled with similar concerns raised yesterday by GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) -- Air Canada's largest aircraft lessor -- are aimed at applying pressure to union leaders. Trinity initially wanted all Air Canada workers to see their pension plans converted to a defined contribution scheme, but backed off following a suggestion from Robert Milton, Air Canada's chief executive, that employees be given a choice on pension plans.
Labour officials rejected that compromise, and last night were adamant they would agree to no change to their retirement benefits.
[. . . . ] Air Canada's current pension scheme, defined benefit, guarantees workers a certain amount per week upon retirement and puts the company on the hook if the pool of contributions -- through bond and stock investments -- can't meet the payouts.
Victor Li knew this when he became involved. Methinks this is an effort to get the unions to back down. There were two American companies interested; perhaps it is time to look into them. NJC
[. . . . ] Meanwhile, defined-contribution provides, at retirement, whatever pension income is available based on accumulated contributions and investment returns. Workers bear the risk but also have control over how contributions are invested.
The Trinity statement added union leaders were unwilling to discuss potential pension changes "despite consistent and widespread expressions of interest on the part of Air Canada employees." Air Canada was conducting an online survey of its unionized employees about whether they wanted a choice of pension plan scheme, but was ordered to stop the polling and destroy the results by federal labour regulators.
At this point, it would be interesting--even imperative--to know who ordered these "federal labour regulators" to become involved and why. It is a helpless feeling most taxpayers as laymen experience when they read these accounts -- just who is pulling strings? -- who ordered the poll? -- who stopped it? -- and of course, why? Surely a poll of union members is an inocuous exercise in a democracy? Or am I being naive -- again? NJC
[. . . . ] Earlier yesterday, GECAS -- which is set to provide Air Canada with $1.8-billion of financing to help it exit creditor protection -- voiced similar worries as Trinity.
At a court hearing, a lawyer for the lessor asked Mr. Justice James Farley of Ontario's Superior Court to postpone all motions dealing with Air Canada until the pension issue is resolved.
While he rejected the request, Judge Farley, who is supervising the reorganization, suggested a "kick in the head" may be in order for the airline, its unions and Trinity to resolve the pension impasse.
You might be interested in going back to March 1 post and any links on that date to learn Judge Farley's previous interventions on behalf of Victor Li and Trinity. A very active and involved judge. NJC
"GECAS is very concerned about the lack the progress on pensions," Eric Jones, a spokesman for the Stamford, Conn.-based lessor, said [. . . . ]
GECAS is not timid about getting its own way. Last year, it threatened to seize its 100 planes from Air Canada's fleet unless the carrier renegotiated new leases and started paying rent. Those talks resulted in the $1.8-billion financing deal.
Madrid -- Spanish police have arrested four more suspects, believed to be of Moroccan origin, in the Madrid terror bombings[. . . .]
The four arrests take the total number of people in custody to 10. They include three Moroccans and two Indians arrested Saturday [and since, released], two days after the bombing, and an Algerian being quizzed to see whether he had advance word of the attack.
[. . . .] The key suspect is Moroccan Jamal Zougam, 30. Spanish police were reported to have been seeking another 20 people -- nearly all Moroccan -- for questioning.
Spanish law enforcement agencies were aware of Zougam's alleged links to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terror network since at least 2001, when they searched his Madrid apartment. They found videos, including one that contained a bin Laden interview, and phone numbers for suspected al-Qaeda members.
Later Thursday, Judge Baltasar Garzon was to quiz Imad Yarkas, the alleged leader of al-Qaeda's cell in Spain. Mr. Yarkas is in jail on suspicion that he helped plan the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States.
Mr. Zougam and Mr. Yarkas have known each other since at least 2001, according to Judge Garzon's painstaking probe of al-Qaeda operations in Spain. [. . . .]
Mr. Zougam also is suspected of having links to Said Chedadi, another alleged al-Qaeda operative arrested with Mr. Yarkas on Mr. Garzon's orders in 2001. [. . . .]
Moroccan authorities say they suspect Ansar al-Islam, an Islamic extremist guerrilla group blamed for terrorist strikes in Iraq, Jordan, Turkey and Morocco, of being behind the Madrid bombings.
Moroccan officials said evidence shows Mr. Zougam had links to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi ? a key operative with strong ties to Ansar.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, believe the perpetrators of the March 11 attack in Madrid also have ties to those responsible for suicide bombings in Casablanca, Morocco, that killed 33 people and 12 bombers last May.
OTTAWA - Government and opposition MPs took only minutes last week to pass a bill that will extend Parliament's medical insurance plan to retired MPs five years earlier than it would otherwise be available.
The legislation will allow 50-year-old former MPs to receive topped-up medical and hospital benefits until they qualify for the normal parliamentary retirement plan that kicks in at age 55.
In a deal reached earlier in private, all parties agreed to treat the bill as though it had received first reading in the usual process, second reading, committee hearings, committee report stage, and third and final reading in only 15 minutes, according to the time notations in Hansard.
The bill did not leave the Commons floor and no committee hearings took place.
Only three MPs, government House leader Jacques Saada, former Conservative leader Joe Clark and Bloc Quebecois MP Benoit Sauvageau, spoke to the bill, all in support.
Although Mr. Saada claimed the bill puts MPs on an equal footing with public servants, who have access to their government health and dental plans in retirement, the Public Service Alliance of Canada says the bill is more generous than the public service plan.
[. . . .] The leading national lobby group against government waste and high taxes denounced the hasty passage as a "sweetheart deal" that makes MPs of all stripes appear hypocritical when they claim the current health care system is serving ordinary Canadians well.
"It's appalling," said John Williamson, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, who added the sleight-of-hand procedure demonstrates MPs can act swiftly on measures that affect them directly while major issues drag on for months in Parliament.
"When it's in their best interest, the system works very well, thank you very much," said Mr. Williamson, arguing the bill and the generous parliamentary health scheme show even Liberal and NDP MPs recognize government health plans are not providing Canadians with adequate care.
[. . . .] MPs qualify for a pension after six years in the Commons, with the benefits increasing with each additional year of service.
The legislation was dubbed the "Wendy Lill bill" for the NDP MP who is retiring in part because she has multiple sclerosis.
For retiring MPs like Ms. Lill, with a known medical condition, the scheme will offer access to supplementary health insurance for drugs and specialized care that might not be accessible through private plans. [. . . .]
The bill must still be passed by the Senate.
See how generous they all are to an MP with a serious medical condition? -- with your hard-earned tax money, of course. NJC
*** Mr. Harper, who is personable and funny in private, disdains the baby-kissing, glad-handing side of politics. Good for him. What are we electing here? A prime minister? Or a best friend? ***
[. . . .] If because of the crazy rules the party has chosen votes in my home province of Quebec get extra weight -- "You could be worth 50 points all on your own," the operative who recruited me sighed -- why simply stand by and watch when you could actually help achieve what you'd be telling readers you favoured anyway? Full disclosure is the best policy for politicians. Why not for people writing about politicians? [. . . .]
Why would I have voted for Stephen Harper?. . . .
The negative reasons are Belinda Stronach and Tony Clement. Ms. Stronach is a welcome addition to Canadian and conservative politics -- even if, at heart, she doesn't seem all that conservative. With time, if she stays in the game and works hard at it, she may become a talented politician. But she isn't one yet.[. . . .]
That so many heavyweight Tories are backing such an obviously underqualified candidate suggests great animus in some parts of the new party against Stephen Harper. If the Conservatives actually win the next election -- a one-in-five shot, down from one in a thousand just three months ago -- or if they get close to power, dissension won't be a problem. But anything less and they may revert to fratricide. [. . . .]
I suggest it is less an animus against Stephen Harper personally (who is NOT a rabid Western redneck, despite what our CBC/Pravda tries to keep alive--that same CBC bought in return for its continued existence and hence beholden to the Liberals). Rather, it is against anyone from the West, anyone to whom the word conservative actually applies. Stephen Harper is a reasoning and reasonable man -- a man who would allow his caucus to stand firm for what their constituents have sent them to Parliament for, their values, not the values emanating from the PMO. The Toronto-centric Liberal Party and old backroom Red Tories aping the Liberals are afraid of democracy and are working to maintain backroom control. May they rot--out of office and working for a living as do the majority of Canadians. NJC
Tony Clement is a much better politician than Ms. Stronach and would be an attractive addition to the Conservative front bench, but few Canadians would see him as a potential prime minister. Too nerdy, too eager, too inexperienced at the federal level . . . . if Mr. Clement, too, hangs around, he could grow on people.
Nerdy? What a change! What a relief! Bring on this man to Cabinet -- though if the following is true, I withdraw that. I hear he is poised to throw his votes behind Belinda which marks him as one of the old Tory backroom decision makers which we all want to be rid of -- those of us not in the back room, anyway. Tony, use your brain and be decent! Don't be profligate with the goodwill that has come your way in your desire for power to remain in Central Canada. Besides, how can you "give" a group of votes to anyone in a democracy? NJC
[. . . . There] are many reasons to be enthusiastic about [Stephen Harper]. He's young (compared to Mr. Martin), smart, hard-working, an economist by training -- which means he thinks in terms of costs as well as benefits, a habit we need in people spending public money. He's also not a lawyer from Quebec and once in a half century we should let someone be prime minister who isn't. It would be good for central Canada, the most welcoming, open-minded and tolerant of all societies on Earth, as it keeps telling us, to prove it by allowing someone from the long condescended-to West have a go at the top job.
Mr. Harper is also conservative, or at least has a history of being conservative. . . . The only good thing to be said for this new-found moderation is that it shows determination to win.
[. . . . ] Mr. Harper, who is personable and funny in private, disdains the baby-kissing, glad-handing side of politics. Good for him. What are we electing here? A prime minister? Or a best friend? Humanizing photo ops -- the leader flipping pancakes, the leader water-skiing, the leader chowing down with ordinary folk -- are designed to show the leader is just a regular guy (or gal). But people who aspire to be prime minister are not regular guys. They are socially useful neurotics. They are driven. They have to be. And they lead very, very strange lives. In a month-long election campaign Mr. Harper's character will out. If in the meantime he wants to keep the official focus on what he'd actually try to do as prime minister, more power to him.
If he loses on Saturday, I hope it's by more than one Quebec vote.
*** In debates, Harper can be counted on to pummel the Prime Minister with his instant recall of ugly facts and Liberal failures while Martin struggles to control his temper and stammers to find lucidity without a script. ***
[. . . . ] Belinda Stronach has run a campaign of muddled mediocrity, showing modest growth as a candidate backed by a Cadillac campaign notorious only for delivering fewer than expected memberships in Quebec -- and that includes the bogus sales. At the end of the campaign, her claim on the leadership remains the fact she's never been a politician. In other words, elect a mouse to become a rat.
Since so many of her power backers were or are on her father's Magna Board of Directors, that, alone, makes her candidacy suspect -- Toronto centric money men or political former heavyweights who are being paid for their services--whether by Magna or by her own considerable resources--hardly renders their support baggage free. The list sounds like an old back-room bunch working for one of their own and that does NOT endear Belinda to the great unwashed to which I happily belong. NJC
Clement has produced a flurry of interesting ideas, but his Cabinet experience in Ontario's Mike Harris and Ernie Eves's governments are becoming liabilities amid lingering legacies of big deficits and power generation blues in Ontario.
Tony would make a good Minister in a new Conservative government -- with plenty of energy -- an ambitious go-getter to have onboard. NJC
Harper's Leadership Strength
[. . . .] In debates, Harper can be counted on to pummel the Prime Minister with his instant recall of ugly facts and Liberal failures while Martin struggles to control his temper and stammers to find lucidity without a script.
[. . . .] "What's historic here is that the conservative movement has been brought together ... as a deliberate act of will. Because of that, we have the capability of not just winning some elections, but of creating Conservative majority governments in this country."
OK, that's a commandment the voting masses could well break. But Harper's ready to lead the charge. And that once-intimidating red Liberal sea blocking his way is starting to part on its own.
