Access Commissioner, MP Monte Solberg -&- More

Access Commissioner John Reid' Access Bill

Access Commissioner John Reid produces his own access bill -- ahead of Cotler Ken Rubin, Hill Times, Oct. 10, 05 [kenrubin@rogers.com]

[. . . . ] Take the case and challenge of what to do about too much secrecy in government and how to change that.

[. . . . ] Today, Reid has beat the government to the punch by being the first out to produce an access bill that goes beyond the Martin-Bryden Bill. And the bill is much more consistent, but far from an overhaul effort. He is also providing the bill to Justice John Gomery for consideration.

Federal Justice Minister Irwin Cotler, on the other hand, bombed out in front of the House Access Committee [. . . . ]

Changing the channel -- MP Monte Solberg on budgets and "surplus" October 6, 2005

Let's see here. We had the budget in February which was to set the direction for all major government tax and fiscal policy for the next year. Two months later Ralph Goodale told the NDP that they couldn't cherry pick the budget. Two days after that Paul Martin sent Ralph Goodale out to the cherry orchard to hold the basket while Jack Layton picked $2 billion worth of cherries. An extra two billion that wasn't included in the budgetary spending plans. Plus Ralph agreed to temporarily remove the budget measure that would provide tax relief for large employers. But the Libs also assured us that this would be back in the House this Fall and would be passed then. Then the Fall rolls around and we find out that the Libs spent many more billions at year-end on items that weren't listed in the budget. There was the AECL write down and Atlantic Accord and it meant, guess what, the surplus which was to have been over $6 billion turned out to be under $2 billion.

[. . . . ] Oh and did I mention that in Budget 2005, with all it's five-year spending projections there was nary a mention of this new surplus formula?

Oh yes and did I mention that last year that there wouldn't have been any tax rebates for anyone because, guess what, the Liberals refuse to commit to staying within budget so they will actually spend all of the surplus before year-end. That means the Libs will ensure pizza for Joe Volpe and gum for Dingwall, even if it means going billions over budget, and then if there are a few bucks left at year-end -- 1/3 of it will go to taxpayers.

See they have been managing the size of surpluses for years so don't be surprised if they keep spending like...well...like Liberals, so that there won't be a surplus to divide up. Nice. [. . . . ]

Is anyone surprised? Smoke and mirror budgeting. BS and bafflegab. Meanwhile, poor Canadians pay and pay and pay.




Map: earthquake area via Newsbeat1




After-school special -- "Dawn taught math by day, but after the final bell had rung, it was phys-ed all the way"

MONTREAL -- Frustrated by her meagre salary, a Montreal math teacher took advantage of school holidays to work -- as an escort.

Using the pseudonym Dawn, the 29-year-old, who recently retired from teaching, sold her sexual services by night and taught high school math by day. [. . . . ]

Police raid motorcycle clubhouse in N.B. Oct. 9, 05

HILLSBOROUGH, N.B. (CP) - Police have arrested three men after two raids in southeastern New Brunswick - one at the clubhouse of the Bacchus Motorcycle Club and the other at a house.

The two search warrants were executed. The clubhouse is located in a secluded area near Hillsborough.

Police said they arrested a Bacchus member and a "club associate" for questioning in connection with a home invasion last year in Petitcodiac.

A third man faces drug and weapons charges. [. . . . ]

Buyers Bank on Canada's Debt

Five banks dominate the Canadian market, but all are hesistant to sell their bad debt. American lenders operating there aren't as shy. What's the outlook for Canadian debt sales?

[. . . . ] There are several reasons why Canada’s banks aren’t selling their debt, ranging from fears that they’ll be perceived poorly by the public and lose business to the current lack of need because delinquencies are low. [. . . . ]

And there’s more, he says, including privacy laws in the U.S. that are confusing and not being properly explained by prospective buyers. “Would we have a liability surrounding what happens to our accounts if mismanaged by a U.S. debt buyer? We don’t know. We need to know,” he says. “The Patriot Act is such a big unknown. The way I understand it, any time information is with a third-party, the government can seize it.

“If I’m a buyer, I’m working to understand these laws and I’m explaining it to us. That’s not happening.”

[. . . . ]




Man-made diamonds sparkle with potential -- "Apollo Diamond "seeds" grow into pure diamonds perfect for lasers and computer chips, as well as jewelry" By Kevin Maney, USA TODAY, Oct. 6, 05

That's right — making diamonds. Real ones, all but indistinguishable from the stones formed by a billion or so years' worth of intense pressure, later to be sold at Tiffany's.

The company doing this is Apollo Diamond, a tiny outfit started by a former Bell Labs scientist. Peer inside Apollo's stainless steel-and-glass machines, and you can see single-crystal diamonds literally growing amid hot pink gases.

Don't miss the sidebar which shows how diamonds are made.



" the justice system needs to be rebalanced." via Newsbeat1

A fair trial is fundamental to our judicial system, and compassionate sentencing has its place. But what about the protection of society? What about sentences that actively deter crime?

Perhaps nothing the courts could have done would have turned Roszko into a model citizen. But, as Peter Schiemann's father, Don, pointed out, if he had actually served five years for sexual assault, he might have been in jail on March 3, rather than stalking police officers on his Mayerthorpe property. [. . . . ]

Bob MacDonald


Carnival of the Recipes and here