Paul Martin will huff and puff about 'gay marriage rights' -- rights which amount to whatever the Liberal Party wants them to be to gain votes and divert attention. Rights have become whatever Liberal governments want. Compliance is demanded; backbenchers who were supposed to have a free vote are being pressured to comply to help Paul Martin. This issue will be strong armed through Parliament by forcing MP's to vote the government line--OR ELSE -- but keep in mind:

The gay marriage issue is intended to create much sound and fury so people will not look too closely at the corruption of the Liberal government. Don't be misled.

Gay marriage is not the issue; corruption is the real issue!

CONSERVATIVE LEADER Stephen Harper announced yesterday the launch of a series of national roundtable discussions about how to fix the immigration system, a move immediately slammed by the Grits. . . .

The party's immigration critic, Calgary MP Diane Ablonczy, will head up the review and make public a report of her findings May 3.

A wide range of groups will be consulted, Harper said, and will be asked to discuss service delivery, international credentials, settlement support and the refugee system.

The announcement prompted Immigration Minister Joe Volpe to accuse Harper of being clueless. . . . [. . . . ]

"Demand for oil in China is growing at a blistering rate, about 30% to 40% a year," Korin said. "Demand is coming not just from China, but also from India and the rest of the developing world. To meet that demand, there's going to have to be four to five Saudi Arabias out there. If not, there's going to be a huge crunch."

It's nice to have a red-hot economy like China's that's hitting on all cylinders. But where will it keep getting the gas to fill its tank? And will there be enough to go around?

On Tuesday, China said its GDP rose a faster-than-expected 9.5% in 2004 to a record $1.65 trillion.

China's demand for crude has grown even faster. . . .

China will consume 8 million barrels of oil daily by the end of 2006, the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates. Chinese demand has been a big factor, pushing oil prices to record levels last year.

As China guzzles crude to feed its breakneck economy, it could trigger a global shortage. China is striking deals with oil exporters around the world to secure its supply. That could leave other nations dry. The U.S., which is the world's largest consumer of oil, would be the most affected. [. . . . ]

Although security concerns mounted this week over the acquisition of IBM's PC business by China's largest PC maker, Lenovo Group, the companies say they are cooperating with a review panel set up to deal with such issues.

Three Republican congressmen said this week in a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow that the deal could pose a threat to U.S. national security and deserves a closer review by the U.S. Congress and government agencies before a decision is made on whether or not to approve the deal.

The U.S. Treasury Department's Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) is examining the deal.

[. . . . ] In their letter, the congressmen said the $1.75 billion deal could result in the transfer advanced technology and corporate assets to the Chinese government, along with licensable or export-controlled technology, and may result in certain U.S. government contracts involving PCs being fulfilled by the Chinese government, according to a statement released by the House Armed Services Committee, IDG News Service said. [. . . . ]

Ottawa — Auditor-General Sheila Fraser and two opposition parties are throwing their support behind Mr. Justice John Gomery in his showdown with Jean Chrétien, leaving the former prime minister increasingly isolated in his efforts to oust the outspoken head of the sponsorship inquiry, sources say.

The show of support for Judge Gomery will help soothe some of the tensions at the inquiry, which was clearly rattled by Mr. Chrétien's call this week for the recusal of the commissioner over public comments he made last month.

OTTAWA (CP) -- The head of the sponsorship inquiry is warning he'll take the federal government to court if necessary to get access to secret government documents that could shed light on the ill-fated program. [. . . . ]

VANCOUVER - Global warming may auger future environmental misery for some, but it is good news for entrepreneurs poised to cash in on the melting polar ice cap to forge a new Canada-Russia trade route.

Russian crude oil destined for the gas guzzling United States could soon be shipped through a passage between Churchill, 1,000 kilometres north of the U.S.-Canada border and Murmansk in Russia's far north on the Barents Sea.

Churchill, on the western shore of the Hudson Bay, is cut off from Murmansk by a vast tract of ice that blocks off routes between chains of islands for much of the year, but warming temperatures on the roof of the world are allowing ships to navigate for longer periods annually. [. . . . ]

By mid-century, scientists predict waterways could remain ice-free year round, cutting more than 2,000 kilometres (1,240 miles) off trips to northern Europe or Russia. [. . . . ]

CALGARY - The federal government shouldn't pick favourites in the fight to build the Canadian leg of the US$20-billion Alaska gas pipeline, the chief executive of Enbridge Inc. said yesterday.

[. . . . ] Canada's two pipeline giants, Enbridge and TransCanada Corp., are competing for a role in the pipeline, the largest yet, to move natural gas from fields in Alaska through Canada to the lower 48 states. [. . . . ]

CALGARY - The federal government shouldn't pick favourites in the fight to build the Canadian leg of the US$20-billion Alaska gas pipeline, the chief executive of Enbridge Inc. said yesterday.

Patrick Daniel, whose company is competing for a piece of the project, said Ottawa should let the pipeline proceed under National Energy Board rules, rather than abide by the Northern Pipeline Act (NPA), a law he says is outdated and likely to result in delays and higher costs.

[. . . . ]"We are urging the government to maintain regulatory neutrality [neutrality? Be serious. ]and to avoid any decisions that will limit the commercial flexibility of this project," Mr. Daniel said in a call with industry analysts.

Canada's two pipeline giants, Enbridge and TransCanada Corp., are competing for a role in the pipeline, the largest yet, to move natural gas from fields in Alaska through Canada to the lower 48 states. [. . . . ]

* Deal signed for new Prince Rupert port facilities (Dec. 13, 04)
* WestPac used to be North American Tungsten Corp Ltd -- NTC on the Vancouver Stock Exchange -- gold and precious metals
* Terasen Gas (Vancouver Island) Inc. (“TGVI”) and WestPac Terminals have been in competition
* The Competition: Letter Re: Terasen Gas (Vancouver Island) Inc. (“TGVI”) -- June 2004 Resource Plan Filing Certificate of Public Convinience and Necessity Application -- Enbridge "Gateway project and it expects to reach preliminary supply deals with refineries in China" -- Enbridge eyes $2.5 billion pipeline deal for 2005 (13 Dec 2004)
* 'Big things' in store for Prince Rupert -- "un-named investor" -- Husky Energy Inc.
* Jackie Jura: Husky oil
* Enbridge May Offer China Oil-Sands Pipeline Stake -- Terasen (formerly North American Tungsten Corp Ltd), Husky's Tucker and Sunrise mentioned
* Any connections? PM, BC Rail Privatization, Basi's Boys, Rail line to Fort Nelson, Omnitrax, Prince Rupert-Superport, Privatization-Foreign Interests-BC, Enbridge-Terasen-Husky Oil

* HUSKY OIL TO SPEND MILLIONS ON WHITE ROSE OIL FIELD
* Link to "DIVERSIFICATION UNDERWAY AT PORT OF PRINCE RUPERT" (2001)
* Huge $200m gas project hits ‘critical milestone’ December 13, 2004
* Quebec begins major LNG project
* "Ridley Terminals, a federal Crown corporation" -- financing mentioned
* Enbridge of Calgary, a part owner of Gaz Metropolitain -- Gaz de France -- WestPac has agreement with Ridley Terminals, a federal Crown Corporation
* Jackie Jura: Husky ranks among Canada's top producers of crude oil, natural gas and recovered sulfur.
* Better bet for B.C. -- Oil sands pipelines, LNG terminals hold more immediate promise than offshore oil and gas development; Enbridge, Terasen in tight race -- Is Ridley Island owned by the federal Crown Corp's Ridley Terminals
* Petroleum News: Forecasting a Mackenzie gas footprint -- Arctic environmental watchdog reviews possible scope of gas exploration, development and pipelines in Northwest Territories
* Venezuela's Chavez pledges support for Chinese oil exploration
* Super port concept will not benefit city, Krusel -- Prince Rupert
* Philanthropy of the highest order, indeed. What does philanthropy buy?
* Tycoon to create $1.2B charity -- Hong Kong tycoon selling CIBC stake -- Money to help less fortunate Canadians

* An Aside: How does all this fit together? Observations and Questions

* Operation Everywhichway

* An Aside Continued: How does all this fit together? Observations and Questions

* A Province for Sale? As B.C. assets shift into foreign hands, some see a big cost: Ability to chart our own economic future -- Terasen used to be BC Gas -- mentions Kicking Horse Canyon upgrade, the Golden Ears Bridge, the Okanagan Lake Crossing, the RAV line, the Sea to Sky Highway upgrade and the Sierra Yoyo Desan Road -- , COPE, foreign owners
* Link to "Public Versus Private Ownership and Operation of Airports and Seaports in Canada "
* Who Paid for Liberal Party Memberships in BC? Basi's boys' "influence was largely based on being able to bring in the Indo-Canadian vote" for Paul Martin and his Liberals

* Raiding the BC Legislature
Two former B.C. gov't aides charged -- mentions B.C. Rail, Fort Nelson, Tumbler Ridge
* Have you had enough yet?
* "Who allegedly bought influence?" -- These indictments allege corruption of major government deals. So why the big yawn?
* Link for the "BC Basis' Boys" Section: RCMP-Drugs-Maine-NB Border-Organized Crime, Charges Laid-BC-Basi's Boys & PM's Organizers, Worthington-Sharia-Canada, Arafat's Investments

* Port of Prince Rupert -- mentions "Direct access to CN Rail's high capacity northern mainline and the Trans-Canada Yellowhead Highway"

Paul Volcker, the former head of the Federal Reserve who is heading up a U.N. investigation of the oil-for-food scandal, is an adviser to a company linked to a French oil firm that benefited from the United Nations program.

According to Fox News, Volcker has been a paid adviser and is now an unpaid adviser to a firm linked to Total, which did nearly $2 billion of business under the oil-for-food program.

Since 1987, Volcker has been an adviser to and close friend of billionaire Paul Desmarais of the Canadian company Power Corporation. Fox says the company confirms Volcker is a member of its international advisory council. Power, along with a Belgian firm, shares control of a company called GBL. GBL is the largest single shareholder of Total.

In addition, until 2001 Desmarais was a director for Total.

Fox reported Power has close ties to BNP Paribas, the bank that handled all oil-for-food transactions. BNP owns a large stake in Total, and an executive sits on Power's international advisory council alongside Volcker. [. . . . ]

Is China’s ownership interest in Alberta oil sands being financed with Canadian tax dollars?

. . . Sinopec Corp . . . .

. . . Minmetals Corp. . . .

When the fix is in, the Canadian Liberal Government will have managed to sell off our nation’s coveted natural resources–allowing China to buy them with our own money!

This story begins and ends with The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), which provides more development assistance to China than to any other country in the world. That information gem comes from the Canadian Embassy in Beijing.

CIDA’s disbursements for the bilateral program (the core of Canada’s development in China) amounted to $65.45 million in 2002. [. . . . ]

It sounds like a Hollywood spy movie starring Harrison Ford.
For a long time, Sidewinder moldered on the shelf as just another conspiracy theory.

In reality, Sidewinder was a controversial report put together by a small but hard-working team of RCMP and CSIS (Canadian Security & Intelligence Service) officials.

It was Sidewinder that sounded the first alarm bells that China is one of the greatest ongoing threats to Canada’s national security and Canadian industry.

But even after Sidewinder was side swiped by former Prime Minister Jean Chretien, intelligence proves that . . . . [. . . . ]

Paul Martin is not the only Western leader to promote trade with China while ignoring that country’s terrible human rights record. There may be something to the argument that as China progresses economically, the human rights abuses will lessen.

But on a recent trip to the Peoples Republic of China, the globetrotting Martin has shown that he is either indifferent to human rights or has little understanding of the concept of what human rights are. [. . . . ]

Chinese authorities have severely beaten a man for commemorating the death of a former Communist Party leader who was ousted for supporting the nation's freedom fighters, reported Radio Free Asia.

According to the report, the Beijing man was beaten to within an inch of his life by several policeman after he was spotted wearing a white flower, indicating he was mourning for Zhao Ziyang. [. . . . ]

OTTAWA — Military researchers are developing a high-tech radar system that can see through walls, locating and tracking hidden enemies, hostage-takers or even avalanche victims buried under mounds of snow.

Canadian, British, European and U.S. scientists are racing to perfect the revolutionary 3D technology, which can create images of individuals, detail a room's layout or even detect buried landmines.

[. . . . ] "This could be a potential winner that we have here," Mr. Dyck said.
Once proven, the agency can retain the technology's intellectual property rights while licensing the development to private industry, with the proceeds funnelled back into defence research and development.

Sorting out any possible privacy issues would be the responsibility of end users.

The second stage in the process to create a new public debt issuer within the Brascan Corp. group occurred this week.

In an unusual move, Brascan Power Corp., which used to be known as Great Lakes Power, raised an extra $50-million on Tuesday by way of a private placement. The financing, led by RBC Capital Markets, was a reopening of an existing deal. [. . . . ]

In time, Brascan Power Corp. will acquire all the power assets held by Brascan Power Inc. Those assets are extensive: It owns 117 hydroelectric power generating stations (in North America, the United States and Brazil), which generate about 10,500 GWh of electricity per year. It also owns transmission lines and distribution stations. Total assets are $4.5-billion; power revenue is almost $700-million a year and net income is $166-million. [. . . . ]

With an unprecedented number of homicides straining investigators and an ongoing migration of criminals to rural Alberta, the RCMP is looking for 50 more Mounties to patrol the province.

In 2004, there were 50 homicides in RCMP jurisdiction -- the highest number in years and a dramatic increase from 2003's total of 33.

At the same time, the rate of homicide investigations resulting in a charge or conviction has dipped to 68 per cent in 2004, compared with 85 per cent the year before.

"The pressures are on. When you have an almost 50 per cent increase (in homicides) in one year, investigators are going flat out," said Supt. Fred Kamins, who is in charge of the RCMP's contract policing operations in Alberta. [. . . . ]

RCMP members working in areas of federal jurisdiction, such as cross-border drug enforcement and customs, are not covered by the provincial contract -- nor are officers working in larger municipalities such as Red Deer and Airdrie, which contract directly with the federal government.

WASHINGTON — The FBI is significantly expanding its intelligence-gathering activities in the U.S., including stepped-up efforts to collect and report intelligence on foreign figures and governments, a function that long has been principally the CIA's domain, intelligence and congressional sources said Thursday.

The bureau in December launched discussions with top CIA officials to rewrite the two-decade-old ground rules covering how the agencies conduct their intelligence efforts in the U.S. and abroad. That effort reflects an acceleration of the FBI's foreign-intelligence collection efforts in the U.S. in recent months, as well as the desire of top bureau officials to assert what they view as their legal duty to track CIA activities in the U.S. and coordinate with the agency's operations. [. . . . ]

The only solution — enforcement of existing laws, employer sanctions, legal and measured immigration, closed borders, a radical return to assimilationist policies in education and government, a one-time (not a rolling) amnesty for those here for a decade or more — is palatable to most Americans but ignored by both parties.

There are several issues ahead, such as immigration, deficits of all sorts, and energy dependence, that have the potential to erode conservatives' appeal to the general public. There is also no guarantee that the Democratic party is going to stay politically suicidal, as if an embarrassing Barbara Boxer or an unhinged Michael Moore will always remain self-appointed symbols of the opposition.

The president's immigration proposals are probably unworkable. A conservative base bristles at the idea that perhaps as many as 20 million illegal aliens now reside in the U.S. There are no proposed enforceable mechanisms such as stiff employer fines for unlawful hiring. Closing the border is never mentioned. Yet how are we to avoid a continued illegal presence in tandem with a legal guest-worker program without stern coercive measures — as if suddenly one million aliens annually will cease coming north because they did not qualify for the program?

Rather than dealing forthrightly with the crisis of national sovereignty and respect for the legal system, the issue is demagogued by the race industry on the left and by the laissez-faire Right that wants cheap labor, leaving most Americans in the middle and increasingly frustrated. [. . . . ]

Did you ever get the feeling the border was better defended by the Alamo than it is today?

Yet, despite the fact that millions of foreigners invade our country, break our laws, rob us of billions in tax dollars and provide cover for terrorists, drug dealers and arms merchants hell-bent on destroying what is left of our civilization, the Bush administration is unconcerned.

Even though the president signed a bill authorizing 2,000 new border agents, Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge said President Bush will not ask Congress for enough money to fund them.

As part of the intelligence bill passed last month, Congress proposed nearly doubling the number of Border Patrol agents by adding 10,000 over five years. But Ridge scoffed at such an increase, saying it would be an inefficient use of homeland security funds.

"The notion that you're going to have 10,000 is sort of a fool's gold," Ridge told USA Today. "It's nice to say you're going to have 10,000 more Border Patrol agents in five years, but what other part of Homeland Security do you want to take the money from?" [. . . . ]

More than two dozen students of a Weld County truck- driving school illegally obtained commercial driver's licenses and were later blamed for nearly 200 traffic and regulatory violations, including 26 accidents, investigators say.

Twenty-seven students who attended the school, Careers World Wide, used false personal information to get training permits and other documents from the state Division of Motor Vehicles, a federal agent says in court documents. All dealt with Janet Gonzalez, a license examiner in Northglenn who has been arrested and accused of providing licenses for cash, the records show.

The allegations are detailed in federal search warrant affidavits filed as part of a multi-agency investigation into the sale of driver's licenses and other documents by DMV employees. [. . . . ]

In 2001, Careers World Wide was investigated then quickly cleared by the FBI after the agency received a tip that as many as 35 Arabic-speaking men had studied at the school. [. . . . ]

MEXICO CITY - Mexico may turn to international courts in an effort to block a new Arizona law limiting services to illegal immigrants, Foreign Secretary Luis Ernesto Derbez said Wednesday.

He said in a radio interview that Mexico might take such a step after it has exhausted all possibilities under U.S. law to halt Proposition 200.
"We are seeking all the legal opportunities that exist, first using the legal capacities of the United States itself and ... if that does not work, bringing it to international tribunals," Derbez said. [. . . . ]

Related stories: Battle over illegals: Bush vs. Congress

Americans urge: Defend the border!

The leaders comments were made via video link at the World Economic Forum's meeting of political and business leaders at the Swiss resort of Davos, reported Agence France-Presse.

Calling it an "experimental" tax, Chirac proposed a levy on airline tickets, some fuels or financial transactions.[. . . . ]

AFP reported that among Chirac's ideas were a "contribution" on international financial transactions, a tax on aviation and maritime fuel, a tax on capital movements in or out of countries that practiced banking secrecy, or a "small levy" such as a dollar on the 3 billion airline tickets sold every year. [. . . . ]

The underground diplomats at the New Sisyphus make an eloquent case for listening to those who want to kill us, something which the Munich generation neglected to do to Adolph Hitler.

One of the most common observations about World War II was that if only Western leaders had heeded what the National Socialist Worker's Party and its leader Adolf Hitler were saying, they would have known of the grave danger facing the world. After all, it's not as if the Nazi Party or its frenzied Fuhrer tried to hide what they were about. On the contrary, in speech after speech, newspaper after newspaper and book after book, Hitler and other senior Nazis laid out in some detail their plans for European domination, the destruction of parliamentary democracy and the elimination of the Jewish people.

But when we ourselves have supplied the rationale for our own condemnation then listening to the indictments of the enemy is a waste of time. To the question 'why does Bin Laden hate us', there are those who unhelpfully suggest that we ask Bin Laden. Besides being unacceptable it is also unnecessary because some already know why we should be hated. There is no need to listen further. The New Sisyphus observes that while there are two competing explanations for Islamic extremism, only one explanation is provided by the Islamic extremists themselves. [. . . . ]

In light of unprecedented United Nations scandals – from widespread sexual abuse and rape of women and children to the terrorism-supporting Oil-for-Food scandal – more Americans than ever are pushing for the U.S. to alter or abolish its relationship with the U.N. The latest issue of WND's Whistleblower magazine – titled "ENEMIES WITHIN: How the United Nations supports terrorists and fuels global chaos"

Mohammad Elmasry, one of Canada’s "most prominent Muslims" is already making noises about how much more palatable polygamy is than monogamy that includes a lover on the side.

I’m finding it tough to follow the current firestorm about the legalization of same-sex marriage opening the door to the slippery slope of polygamy and other unorthodox marital arrangements. Many of the more rational pundits that I have read of late, both left and right, seem to agree in well-reasoned prose that re-defining marriage as a union of one person with one other person rather than a union of one man and one woman, will not necessarily lead to the general redefinition of marriage. Thus, they reason, since the new legislation still defines marriage as a union between two individuals, we need not worry about seeing legalized polygamy any time soon. Yes, and tomorrow the temperature is going to climb to 30 degrees Celsius.

I believe these reasonable and rational pundits are missing the point entirely. [. . . . ]

Seems that car thieves have found yet another way to steal your car or truck without any effort at all. The car thieves peer through the windshield of your car or truck, write down the VIN # from the label on the dash, go to the local car dealership and request a duplicate key based on the VIN #.

I didn't believe this e-mail, so I called a friend at Chrysler Dodge and pretended I had lost my keys. They told me to just bring in the VIN #, and they would cut me one on the spot, and I could order the keyless device if I wanted.

The Car Dealer's Parts Department will make a duplicate key from the VIN #, and collect payment from the thief who will return to your car. He doesn't have to break in, do any damage to the vehicle, or draw attention to himself. All he has to do is walk up to your car, insert the key and off he goes to a local Chop Shop with your vehicle.

You don't believe it? It IS that easy. To avoid this from happening to you, simply put some tape (electrical tape, duct tape or medical tape) across the VIN Metal label located on the dash board. By law, you cannot remove the VIN, but you can cover it so it can't be viewed through the windshield by a car thief.

I urge you to forward this to your friends before some car thief steals another car or truck. I slipped a 3 x 5 card over the VIN #