Sept. 19, 2006: #2 Military & Cdn. Centre for Policy Alternatives

Again, I noted a news item mentioning a study published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. There was no mention of who this group are, who fund them, what they stand for ... anything which would explain why the reader should pay attention to their analysis, so I checked further. Just below is what they say and below that is more information on the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives to give some perspective on whether we should heed them.



Four Canadians killed in Afghan suicide bombing , Updated Mon. Sep. 18 2006 11:58 PM ET, CTV.ca News Staff

www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/
20060917/suicide_bomb_afghan_060918?s_name=&no_ads=

[....] One of the soldiers killed in the attack has been identified as Pte. David Byers of the Second Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry based in Shilo, Man. He was originally from Espanola, Ont.

The military has so far withheld the identities of the other three soldiers at the request of their families. [....]

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

Cdns bearing brunt of Afghan coalition casualties, Sarah Challands, CTV.ca News, Updated Mon. Sep. 18 2006 10:21 AM ET

www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/
20060918/cdn_afghan_update_060918/20060918/

[....] The study, published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, says Canadian soldiers are incurring a "disproportionately heavy burden of casualties" among coalition troops in Afghanistan. [....]

The study says when that figure is adjusted to take into account the relative size of each country's troop commitments, a Canadian soldier in Kandahar is nearly three times more likely to be killed in hostile action than a British soldier, and more than four times more likely than an American soldier in Afghanistan.

Defence researchers Bill Robinson and Steven Staples, who wrote the report, say a Canadian soldier in Kandahar is six times more likely to die than a U.S. soldier fighting in Iraq. [....]

Why did CTV.ca publish their views without any context that would explain why their views should be read ... the group's background? Do they have global connections, networks of like-minded individuals and groups around the world?


Just check the names and affiliations: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Board of Directors
www.policyalternatives.ca/the_nation
al_office_board_of_directors/index.cfm


Again, I find the word "progressive": Progressivism is term that refers to a variety of political philosophies that promote what they see as progress, or positive social change.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressivism

In a somewhat more restricted sense, "progressive" is a term used within left-wing politics to distinguish left-wingers who advocate moderate or gradual social change (called "progressives" or "reformists") from those who advocate larger and more rapid changes (called "revolutionaries" or "radicals").

[....] Progressives support the continual advancement of workers' rights and social justice within the context of a mixed economy. They were also among the earliest proponents of the welfare state and anti-trust laws.

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives is issuing yet another report in support of the NDP election campaign. What’s the real story about this NDP front group? -- "The Real Story"

www.bcliberals.com/EN/464/3466?PHPSESSID=
ea8a3bc12133654d806fb2b302cda6ff

[....] NDP-Funded: The CCPA received over $400,000 in taxpayer money from the NDP between 1993 and 2001. [....]

Union-Funded: The CCPA is partly funded by a grant from the Columbia Foundation whose board of directors is made up of union leaders such as:

* Ken Georgetti (president, Canadian Labour Congress); [....]

Union-run: [....]

This is the same group that in 2003 released an "alternative budget" for BC that included 27% increase in taxes and deficits until 2010.

Another member of OneWorld.net!

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives






Note they do not like the idea of Tax Freedom Day. Hands in your pockets is more their style, it appears.