Nov. 19, 2006: 2

Prime Minister's address at the Canadian War Museum

... [watch the video] -- “Because of their sacrifices,” the Prime Minister said, “we are privileged to live in one of the most prosperous, civilized and safest countries in the world.”, November 6, 2006, Ottawa, Ontario

pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?category=1&id=1394

Prime Minister Stephen Harper launched Veterans Week today with a speech at the Canadian War Museum in which he spoke of Canada’s long tradition of honouring and remembering the men and women who have given their lives in defence of the nation and its values. [....]

The Prime Minister also congratulated and thanked four veterans of the Afghanistan conflict who are Canada’s first-ever recipients of Military Valour Decorations. “Clearly the Canadian Forces of the 21st century are continuing the tradition of excellence established by their forbearers,” Prime Minister Harper said. “When the cause is just, Canada always answers the call.”

Following the Prime Minister’s remarks, he unveiled a new 90 second video which will be aired on television, on the Web and in public spaces across Canada during Veterans Week. The video is assembled from archival and contemporary sources, and honours the contribution and sacrifices of Canada’s service men and women, from WWI through to the mission in Afghanistan.

Borat film 'tricked' poor village actors, the Daily Mail via W.

www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/
news.html?in_article_id=415871&in_page_id=1770



Latest travel report from a friend ...

There still is the odd vacation place on the Planet, but the getting there and the returning travel does its damnedest to ruin it. This is not even considering the narrow seats, etc; but the hassle for international travelers at Dallas airport. is enough to send the blood pressure out of space: mile long lines for Immigration; then to get the bags; then customs; then the congestion where you re-check the bags; then security all over again, another mile long line; meanwhile, you traveled from one gate to another, except that they changed your gate, so ... etc. 3 hours are barely enough between connections there.

I suspect he is relaxing from all the work of going on vacation.



Refugee aided abuses: court -- Deems Angolan civil servant stayed silent too long , Adrian Humphreys, National Post, November 13, 2006

www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=
a0f96341-1b14-4f01-95e2-d515b4c0744f

After serving eight years as a military officer in the African nation of Angola, Jose Pedro Justino applied for work with the Ministry of the Interior, despite its notoriety for abuse.

As a senior economist, Mr. Justino ensured the agency's field units, which had been waging a war against insurgents for a quarter-century, were adequately supported. It was a time when Human Rights Watch was documenting the Ministry's arbitrary killings, torture and rape against civilians and rebels with the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA).

Little of that likely came as a surprise to Mr. Justino when, in 1996 at the age of 33, he applied for a job with the Ministry. [....]

He has been found complicit in crimes against humanity and faces deportation, one of several cases recently upheld by the Federal Court as Canada continues a crackdown on perpetrators of atrocities who seek refuge here. [....]

Liberal calls for investigation into alleged spying on defence committee , Murray Brewster, CP, Monday, November 13, 2006

www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=
7590d793-850c-405d-a08b-6001a82bfb16&k=9309

[.... Senator Marjorie] LeBreton freely admitted that she asked her staff to look into the expense claims, which had been filed, but not made public.

"I don't see anything unusual about someone making an inquiry about something that certainly was in public knowledge," she said in an interview.

LeBreton defended the action as being in the public interest.

"I'm up against a large Liberal majority in the Senate," she said.

"They feel there's a certain amount of entitlement and they don't like public scrutiny, obviously." [....]

Search: Alberta Liberal Senator Tommy Banks , the $138,000 trip , Manitoba Conservative Senator Terry Stratton , London, Rotterdam and Dubai