Watching Stephen Harper Like A Hawk

The Harper crew is getting ready to introduce a new crime bill which, given their majority and complete lack of giving a damn about what the public wants or needs, will pass. This bill includes some frightening changes to the legal system, including this little tidbit regarding your online privacy and individual rights. Some of these "lawful access" provisions have been heavility criticized by privacy watchdogs and consumer advocates. Here's a sampling of what's in store.

• Require internet service providers to give subscriber data to police and national security agencies without a warrant, including names, unlisted phone numbers and IP addresses.
• Force internet providers and other makers of technology to provide a "back door" to make communications accessible to police.
• Allow police to get warrants to obtain information transmitted over the internet and data related to its transmission, including locations of individuals and transactions.

When Liberal public safety critic Francis Scarpaleggia brought up concerns regarding the bill in question period yesterday, Public Safety Minister Vic Toews replied, "He can either stand with us or with the child pornographers." That statement is proof enough that Canadians should be very afraid of this government.

CBC News has a story on the event; click here to read it.

To hear the Stephen Harper and Jim Flaherty talk, things are pretty good here in Canada and it is all because of their brillian stewardship. Of course, you know what they say about things being too good to be true? You can apply that to the picture being painted by Harper Inc. Globe and Mail columnist Lawrence Martin takes a step back from the spectacle of faked citizenship ceremonies to examine the Conservative finance record. Remember, these guys inherited a $13 Billion surplus from the former Liberal government and now they're about to raise the age of retirement to help pay for their tax cuts and prisons. A little clear-headedness is probably in order and Martin provides us with a taste.

For Lawrence Martin's story, please click here.

Toronto Star national affairs columnist Tim Harper has a great column where he covers the deplorable and tragic story that is the London plant closure by Caterpillar. This company displayed a gargantuan lack of ethics when it told workers to accept an 'offer' of a 50% pay cut or face the closure of the plant. Yes, folks, it's race to the bottom for the Canadian middle class and the Harper government is cheerleading us into mediocrity.

For the rest of the story, click here.

This is one of those stories that makes you wonder whether somebody set up an elaborate joke. Then you realize that Conservative Immigration Minister Jason Kenney and Sun News television are the joke, and a sick one at that. Pushed for time, and apparently lacking in new Canadians willing to show their faces on Sun News, the motley crew had bureaucrats stand in for the missing new Canadians (only three real ones showed up) in a bogus reaffirmation ceremony. It's disturbing, unethical, and just plain wrong.

In case you missed this sad moment in broadcast history, you can watch the Canadian Press video detailing this disgraceful event by clicking the image below.

Specifically, he tells same-sex couples who came to Canada to get married that they aren't married, but how long before he extends this to couples who were married in Canada.

In this Globe and Mail article, Harper claims this will not reopen the same-sex marriage debate in Canada but he and his Conservatives like to use the thin edge of the wedge approach to things. First we take away these rights, tell you it's okay and explain why, then we take away something else. If you are a Canadian in a same-sex marriage, pay attention. Despite the PM's assurance, you're next.

Read the full story here :

Hey, maybe I can get a ride in one of them there Snowbirds! The Globe and Mail follows the story of Defense Minister Peter MacKay's little helicopter ride. The Minister claims he was taking part in 'training exercise' but emails from the Military show that this is an outright lie. And so, Harper tried to deflect attention by turning on the old Harper charm.

Mr. Harper, who was in Burlington, Ont., to open an arts centre, was asked by reporters to explain what message it sends to Canadians if a minister can mislead the House of Commons and there are no consequences for his actions.

Mr. Harper replied that the government has been very clear. “The minister was called back from his vacation and used government aircraft only for government business. And that is appropriate.”

Read the full story here. 

In case you were working on the premise that the situation in Attawapiskat just sort of snuck up on our elected officials, you might want to take a moment to read this article over at the CBC. 

"In an interview with CBC Radio's The House, Chuck Strahl tells host Evan Solomon the crisis at Attawapiskat "has been a slow-moving train wreck for a long time."

Strahl's comments come on the heels of remarks made by the current Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development John Duncan during a House of Commons committee this past week.

Duncan said that officials in his department were not aware of Attawapiskat's housing problems until Oct. 28, despite his officials having visited the community several times in the past year."

Read the whole story here. 

It's your fault! No, it's your fault! You started it! Oh dear, this is what we pay these people for.

Ottawa has been co-managing the Attawapiskat band for 12 years now, so obviously something isn't working and hasn't been working. The difference between the last 12 years and the last few days is that the story has somehow become newsworthy, which is why everyone the finger pointing is reaching fever pitch. Meanwhile, on January 24th, Harper Harper will finally meet with First Nations leaders in what he calls a "historic" opportunity to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing aboriginal peoples.

Read the whole story here.

This is a very good question, and one, it seems, with a lot of answers and a lot more questions. Of the many trying to answer some of these questions is the blogger who calls herself apihtawikosisan. She spends a little time to take apart those numbers and tries to make some sense. It's worth a read and, while it may lead to even more questions, that's probably a good thing when it comes to Attawapiskat.

Read the full story here.