April 26, 2006: #2

Palestinians authors of their own misery Re: Don't Blame Hamas, letter to the editor, April 24.

[....] Before Yasser Arafat returned in 1993 to take over the business of their daily lives, the Palestinian population was free to come and go, to work in Israel and to prosper. Their GNP was higher than any other in the Arab world except the oil-rich Gulf states and Lebanon. The number of schools and universities had grown dramatically, infant mortality was down, and life expectancy was way up. It was terrorism that caused the repeated closure of border crossings, that built the barrier and that impoverished the people. [....]

Pakistani refugee to go free, no longer seen as terror threat

He had been refused by the US, a safe country, then came to Canada to try refugee shopping ......... in a pushover nation.

[Raja Ghulam Murtaza] fled Pakistan for the United States in 1997. Mr. Murtaza has also said that he lived in Houston with his wife, from whom he is now separated, and children, but headed to Canada three years ago to make an asylum claim here after his U.S. claim failed.

His Toronto girlfriend attended a hearing yesterday and urged reporters to rehabilitate Mr. Murtaza's reputation. "We need help in clearing his name," said Rose Bertuman, who has dated the cabbie for nearly two years. [....]

I suppose his being turfed out of Canada would be considered a hardship for his significant other so ..... Didn't he come from a safe third country?



Newsbeat1

Hansard Question Period: April 24 and Hansard Question Period: April 24

Hon. Stockwell Day (Minister of Public Safety, CPC): Mr. Speaker, under the former Liberal government the number of RCMP detachments was cut in the province of Quebec. We are going to change that.

The Prime Minister was very clear: we will increase resources for the RCMP and we can assure the citizens of Quebec that their streets and communities will be safer. We will make sure of it.

Gordon O'Connor-Minister of National Defence- Hansard - April 24,2006

This Conservative government will put Canada first by strengthening our national sovereignty and security. We will enhance our presence on land and sea and in the air. We will enhance the security of Canada and its citizens both at home and abroad by acquiring the means to act wherever and whenever required. We will become more reliable and effective international security and humanitarian partners with the means to respond to natural and man-made disasters.

Great endeavours come at a great cost. With the support of Canadians, the will of the government, this great nation's resources, the outstanding service members and the support of their families, we will achieve our vision. Canadians need this and Canada can do it.

Flag Protocol

General Lewis MacKenzie Globe and Mail Update, Apr. 25, 06

Gen. Lewis MacKenzie: I certainly see the argument, appreciate the concern and respect the intent. However, as the veterans organizations have pointed out, it is important to treat the deaths of all those who voluntarily accept unlimited liability when they join the Armed Forces equally and that is done eloquently on the 11th of November. In fact, I'm pleased to see that the attention paid to Remembrance Day is expanding every year.

I don't believe you are quite accurate regarding the flag protocol regarding federal buildings — for MPs and Senators the flags are only lowered in the riding of an MP and the residence of a Senator.

In the case of fallen soldiers, the flag is lowered at National Defence Headquarters and at the Canadian Forces Bases where the soldiers were stationed prior to deployment and in the villages, towns and cities where the soldiers had an association at the discretion of the local political leadership. [. . . . ]

George W. Strawman Apr. 25, 06

If George W. Bush is an unpopular figure in Canada, does the media's invocation of the U.S. President when commenting on Stephen Harper's government's policy on not lowering the flag after every military death (and the restriction of media on Canadian bases when fallen soldiers arrive home) merely allow them to offer negative commentary when they are supposed to be filing so-called unbiased reports?

Do not miss the comments and the dialogue with EdtheHun -- more than one entry. He is in Kandahar.


Well, Technically ...

... it was the previous Liberal government that returned to the old tradition of not lowering the flag on the Peace Tower for war fallen [CBC, When to lower the flag for Canada's war dead]: [T]he Peace Tower flag was not lowered when Pte. Braun Woodfield was killed in November in Afghanistan, when his armoured vehicle rolled over, and the practice has not been picked up since the Conservatives ca...

Mounties confirm criminal probe into donations to former MP -- "We're investigating the handling of the campaign contributions and donations" Canadian Press, April 25, 2006

So is it the ex-MP or someone who worked for him being investigated or something else?

[....] Grewal has been battered a series of controversies, including going public with secretly recorded audio tapes of then-Liberal health minister Ujjal Dosanjh.

Grewal said he was trying to catch Dosanjh offering him a job in exchange for his vote in the House of Commons.

[....] Just after the January election, the federal ethics commissioner cleared Dosanjh of allegations that he offered a reward to the Conservative MP in exchange for support during a crucial budget vote.

Bernard Shapiro instead took Grewal to task, calling his conduct "extremely inappropriate."