Government's Balkanization of Canada Continues -- Insidious!
Ottawa eyes fast track for land claims -- 'Secret' draft paper: Native treaties could bypass Parliament
"The federal government is looking at bypassing Parliament by ending the practice of having self-government agreements with First Nations ratified by MPs"
This is a "must read" article. "Secret" draft policy paper.
OTTAWA - The federal government is looking at bypassing Parliament by ending the practice of having self-government agreements with First Nations ratified by MPs, internal documents show.
CanWest News Service has obtained a copy of a Sept. 10 draft policy paper, marked "secret," which was prepared by officials at the department of Indian Affairs in advance of wide-ranging closed-door consultations with aboriginal leaders.
Entitled "A Framework for Renewing Canada's Policies with Respect to Aboriginal and Treaty Rights," the document contains a chart comparing a host of aboriginal issues under the headings "current policy approach" and "new policy direction."
[. . . . ] Such a move would allow land claims to be approved through regulation without the lengthy Parliamentary debate involved in passing a bill through the House of Commons and the Senate. Regulations are rarely reviewed by MPs and have only been overturned by Parliament in a handful of cases. [. . . . ]
Will PM Paul Martin and his government--as did his predecessors--do just about anything to gain blocs of votes -- to be re-elected? Is this man as bad as--or worse than--his predecessor?
* Identity politics -- funding difference rather than encouraging Canadianization -- Examples abound, the latest pushing gay "marriage" -- See several articles including one below.
* Assymetrical federalism -- Think unequal enforcement of the Canada Health Act from province to province -- private clinics allowed to operate in some provinces while others are penalized
* Along with his predecessors from Quebec, allowing Quebec to use the notwithstanding clause--for its language policies--but denying that this should--or is it could?--be used at all by the rest of Canada. (The media conveniently go along with this fiction instead of exploring the topic.) Why was this clause included in our Constitution if it were to be used only "asymmetrically" for the good of only one province?
* Allowing a foreign government--in this example, Italy's--to exercise undue influence on the "independent" CRTC's decision making concerning access to Canadian programming channels -- This stemmed from the last election's politicking and pressure to allow Italy's government mouthpiece, RAI, to enter Canada (reference: CBC The National, Dec. 20, 04). Then, of course, there is the potential possible now of bringing Al Jazeera, that conduit for terrorist news on barbarism, beheadings, and Osama's directions to his followers and potential recruits. Could one call this a "news" or "media" organization in any Western sense? Is nothing too negative--too evil--to be brought to Canadians? At the same time, what has his government done to end the proliferation of violent, prurient, debasing quality of materials, programming and advertising already coming to Canada's children via all avenues? Think pornography.
* Willingness to compromise Canada's security, its international ethical stance, its independent economic survival--its ownership of its own resources and its environment. Think of our government's acceptance of the pronouncements of an unelected and ineffectual body, the UN (Scroll to "In custody, Aziz ready to name names -- Saddam’s foreign minister may finger U.N. officials in oil-for-food scandal ") -- as though somehow ethically superior to Canadians' well-thought out positions as determined by our representatives' discussions in committees and in our Parliament. Think what use the UN has been in Rwanda, Darfur, the Middle East. Think of the Prime Minister's refusal to admit the porosity of our ports and borders, the abuses of our out-of-control Immigration and Refugee system, our ludicrously lax courts peopled by appointees who don't take seriously their job to administer the enforcement of laws already on the books in Canada. Think of the leaders and businessmen with questionable connections that the PM and his government court, while insulting or denigrating our US neighbours upon whom we still rely for much of our security. Think of his courtship of Libya and China, as though doing business were supreme, no matter the long-term implications for Canada and Canadians. Where do his own business interests--through his sons--end and Canada's begin? Are we not supposed to notice? Note the leaning toward alignment with France/Europe, (See UN article below.) almost anywhere except with our long-term ally, the US.
* et cetera
* And now a treaty and probably treaties with a small native population giving them unprecedented powers over vast swaths of Canada's North, just when it looks as though there will be mineral and oil exploration, production and wealth generation. Who is going to police this land, the resources, the Arctic areas? Let's be honest about what has happened to the billions sluiced to natives in the past, to the business plans, the businesses started. What has been accomplished? Think places like the Labrador community, the glue-sniffing and alcoholism, as well as the move from one situation to another, the newly constructed houses vandalized, as examples of the problems yet to be solved. Now, Paul Martin wants to give away land that belongs to all Canadians, apparently achieving few, if any, concessions in return? And he wants to do it through regulation, AVOIDING PARLIAMENT! This man has to go.
UN as ethical leader? UN multilateralism for Canada? "In custody, Aziz ready to name names -- Saddam’s foreign minister may finger U.N. officials in oil-for-food scandal"
David Kay — a former U.S. adviser in Iraq — spent months questioning Aziz and others. He says Aziz quickly turned on Saddam and could testify at any trial.
"He talks about direct orders to murder, to assassinate, to kill," says Kay.
[. . . . ] U.S. officials say Aziz already has implicated the French and others, claiming payoffs were made with the understanding that recipients would support Iraq on key matters before the U.N.
"He pointed to specific individuals in Russia and France, in the United States — that received favorable treatment," says David Kay.
Now, sources tell NBC News that Aziz has indicated he's finally ready to talk about alleged bribes to U.N. officials. U.N. investigators refuse to comment. [. . . . ]
Selling Ark of Hope through the classroom -- Earth Charter -- UN and Maurice Strong, our PM's mentor's influence
[. . . . ] Without waking the sleeping giant known as the public masses, activists pushing the Earth Charter have already obtained signatures and public support from local, state and national governments, schools and organizations.
Like most Marxist ideals pushed through at the municipal or civil level of government, the Earth Charter has been bobbed over by mayors and councils the world over.
Public school children who have been introduced to the Ark of Hope and its charter now number in the tens of thousands.
As far as is known, notes from the principal asking parental permission are not sent home with school children.
Meanwhile, it’s coming on to 2005. Do you know where your children are?
You have to read the whole thing. It is almost hilarious, except that its implications are not. It is social engineering on the environment given the UN imprimatur.
Similarly, Canadians would let government influences over daycare begin the process. This type of influence is insidious and effective, as I have found from talking with young people. Governments should be kept away from too much influence over the education of our children; it can lead to a subtle yet pervasive control over what is an acceptable range of thought, in my opinion.
Somewhere, yesterday, I read that daycare socializes children very effectively. Presumably, this is a good thing. I would say that there is a fine line, up to which point socialization is necessary for all of us to live in relative harmony -- but beyond which point it results in passive, easily-controlled citizens who do not like to go against the group, citizens whose principles will cave before the onslaught of "the group". That is not what we want. We need people who pursue independent thought and ideas, even at risk of alienating "friends". I have seen too many children try to "fit in" -- to their and society's detriment.
Gomery Investigation -- "Bluenose art fuels $200,000 mystery -- Ad firm got $30,000 commission in sale of prints nobody can find"
OTTAWA - The federal government doesn't know what happened to $202,800 worth of art prints the federal sponsorship program bought from the trust that runs the Bluenose II.
In 1997, the Bluenose II Preservation Trust sold 1,014 numbered, signed prints of a painting of the schooner to the federal government for $200 each.
Testimony at the sponsorship inquiry has shown that although the head of the trust, Liberal Senator Wilfred Moore, arranged the details of the sale with sponsorship director Charles Guite, an advertising firm with Liberal connections, Lafleur Communication Marketing Inc., picked up a $30,000 commission.
The commission on the prints is one example of money associated with the schooner that went to Liberal-connected advertising firms rather than to the Bluenose. Federal documents and testimony from the sponsorship inquiry suggest much of the spending associated with the schooner may have been wasted. [. . . . ]
Chinese multinationals on the move -- New report outlines world economic impact of China's industrial ambitions
NEW YORK -- Western companies and their investors need to prepare for a flood of aggressive Chinese multinationals that will soon be competing in global markets, says a new report by AllianceBernstein, a New York-based investment house.
[. . . . ] And so they follow the path taken by Lenovo [buying IBM's pc and laptop--Thinkpad--division]: They ally with foreign companies through alliances or outright sale of key assets. TCL Corp., a Chinese maker of televisions, mobile phone sets and major appliances, has formed a joint venture with Thomson SA, giving it access to the French company's RCA and Thomson brands, which are marketed in North America and Europe, respectively. [China-Minmetals may still be pursuing Noranda-Falconbridge; wait for PM's visit to China for more on this. ]
Typically in these partnerships, Chinese companies provide a low-cost manufacturing base, scale and access to their booming domestic market, while the foreign partner offers brand management, advertising and marketing, the AllianceBernstein analysts noted.
But there are Chinese companies that are attempting to build a soup-to-nuts global player that designs and manufactures its own products, owns the brands and controls the distribution. [. . . . ]
In a sign of Australia's worsening skills shortage, a Victorian transport company has hired 60 "guest" welders from China because it cannot attract locally based tradespeople.
[. . . . ] More than 20,000 contract workers were attracted last year to fill trade and professional skill shortages, blamed in part on Australia's declining birthrate and the demands of a global economy. [. . . . ]
Meanwhile, Canadians are allowed in our schools to "amuse themselves to death" too often instead of being exposed to rigour and discipline in education. (I know something of what I speak; just lately, but also over the years, I have read university essays that should have received F -- and received anything from A to C instead. The same is true in the high schools. Teachers will tell you why, if you do not know. Ask them.) Personally, I do not care a whit about the UK's David Blunkett and his sex life, but he displayed an honour unheard of in Canada, I believe, by resigning from his ministerial position in the UK at the scandal of his interfering in an immigration matter, I believe. It is his views on education that most interest me. He said a rigorous education and high standards are often the only hope for the disadvantaged poor and he, himself, was a prime example. (Robert Fulford, Dec. 18, 04, National Post)
Canada Goes To Hell -- Legal pot? Legal gay marriage? Universal health care? What's next, free porn and candy?
You may be able to guess the perspective out of San Francisco.
All of which makes you wonder: how many more countries will it take? How many more nations will have to, for example, prove that gun licensing works, or that gay-marriage legislation is a moral imperative, or that health care for all is mandatory for a nation's well being, before America finally looks at itself and says, whoa, damn, we are so silly and small and wrong? Is there any number large enough? After the announcement that gay Chinese and gay Russians may legally marry and grow lovely gardens of marijuana as they all get free dental care, will America remain terrified of nipples and queers? [. . . . ]
[. . . . ] The modern heroines of mayhem had predecessors: They didn't just spring from the forehead of modern feminist matriarchs in full armour, as the Greek goddess Pallas Athena did from her father Zeus. [. . . . ]
Jonas puts paid to the male violent / woman non-violent myth with historical examples. Meanwhile, our government encourages women to go out to work, to leave their children to others to care for and decreases, rather than increases, support to families so children might be parented by one stay-at-home parent; yet, violence is building among all teens, particularly females so we need to be concerned about parenting.
Our government and media complicity in the Marc Lepine (not Gamil Gharbi) "male violence" story, instead of the attitude toward women learned from his Algerian Muslim father, has allowed a myth about male--not female--violence to be bruited about for political reasons.
It serves the feminist agenda and garners their votes, but violence is an equal opportunity pathology.
I have noted also that women have their own methods of achieving misery in others, perhaps not as violent as the examples noted in the press and by Jonas, but equally effective; think bullying, shunning, that whole panoply used in the schools to devastating effect, for example, as the Toronto Sun has reported even in the last two weeks. Think poor Reena Virk.
Also, think about our divorce courts aided by appointed justices who have tended to side with women; think of the misery caused to males. Yet our government, courts, and media perpetuate this and do not make clear that all abuse, violent or emotional, is offensive.
Stop or cut aid to Bombardier, executives say -- 'Poor-management issue'
A majority of business leaders want the federal government to stop or reduce assistance to aerospace and transportation company Bombardier Inc., according to a poll conducted for the Financial Post by COMPAS Inc.
The poll of chief executives and business leaders found 63% of respondents believe the government should cut subsidies to the Montreal-based company either because they think the company has displayed poor management and proved unsuccessful with the financial aid it has received to date (36%) or because Canada can no longer afford the subsidies (27%).
"Governments have trouble picking winners, but the losers don't seem to have much trouble picking governments!" said one executive. [. . . . ]
Canadians still cool to bank mergers, poll suggests
OTTAWA — Bay Street may still be in love with bank mergers, but the concept leaves consumers on Main Street cold, even after they've had six years to think about it.
Public opinion polling for the federal Finance Department suggests a solid majority of Canadians think they would be better served if big banks don't merge. [. . . . ]
