Tough times for the RCMP - Week 94 - Feb 12-18

A report came out early this week that suggested that the RCMP was raping and abusing women in Northern BC.  The report stresses that it's not every member of the RCMP, but a few bad apples.  Really bad apples.  The National Post isn't buying it.

I'm not sure the Prime Minister is, either.  "Let them eat cake" says the Prime Minister.  No.  Wait.  "Let them file reports" says the Prime Minister.  So...you know.  Walk in to the RCMP detachment and file your report that they raped you.  Seems logical.

And then a day later, another report is released with bad news for the RCMP.  This time, bullying and sexual harassment.  Ya.  Nothing new.

And then...Another RCMP "difficulty".  An officer faces child sex charges.

They're not the only bad cops out there though.  Details are coming out about the random people the LAPD shot in search of the cop killing ex-cop.  It touches on a couple of thoughts.  First, police feel as if they are above the law.  Second, a cops life always comes first.

Surprise, surprise.  Tar sands processing activities are contaminating groundwater.

At first, I thought it was really noble that John Duncan resigned over an issue where he improperly lobbied on behalf of a constituent.  But then I thought about it.  And he's resigned as a minister.  But he is still an MP.  And it suggests that he may have been on his way out anyhow

And here is the inevitable backlash to Justin Trudeau banking huge sums of money while making speaking engagements.  Apparently he missed Parliament "events" (votes, sittings, etc.) in order to do some of these speaking events.  So...he basically skipped out on his job to go make money elsewhere.  I think the Cons just booked an agency to start making some attack ads.  This seems like a tough one to justify.  Hey!  Justinfy!  I only wish the Sun news dug this hard into sordid Con behaviour.  Oooh....Yikes.  There's more.  Apparently one of the speeches was to federal government employees.

I'll give the National Post some credit here.  They'll pursue the Cons when they smell blood.  Pamela Wallin sounds pretty ridiculous, but why not?  Stephen Harper sees no problem with (roughly) $350,000 in travel for one Senator in a (roughly) 2-1/2 year period.  Oddly, I'm anticipating that this is going to work to Harper's benefit?  "Is it my fault that I appointed these useless buffoons?  Of course not.  We just need to reform the Senate and this will all go away."

The National Post is calling out Thomas Mulcair for his stance on International Aid.  Apparently he's not singling out enough international aid organizations for their anti-gay stance?

The Federal Government is seeking confidentiality agreements on some arctic research.  Is this another way to muzzle scientists findings on global warming?

The National Post talks about how nationalizing military procurement is a bad idea.

As always, Matt Taibi gets the blood boiling.  Here is a long piece on the failure to prosecute HSBC executives for money laundering.  I think he had a short piece up on his blog a month or two back.

Oh gawd.  We should probably just have a few credit card terminals at the border.  Let anybody in for, what?  A hundred thousand?  The Conservatives have decided that Mexico is a "safe" place and that nobody could have a valid reason to seek refugee status.  I mean, there's only been a few million people murdered there, right?  They most likely all deserved it.

This sounds similar to another story a month or so back.  The Conservative cuts seem to be affecting front line services the most.  In this case, military reserve units are seeing deep cuts that are having a big effect.

A Conservative MP has made an out-of-court settlement with a convicted money launderer over investment money not paid back.  No further elaboration required.

This article brings up a point that there are black football players in Manitoba, and even another black hockey player, that don't have the difficulties of Evander Kane.  And then points out another hockey player who is hated for his attitude.  And who is also black.  It seems to me that there is always another "reason" for a reaction other than race.  But there's probably something to a whole bunch of people claiming they hate two black hockey players not because they are black, but because they are "arrogant".  There's lots of arrogant hockey players that don't take this much shit.


I think I might have said this a few months ago, but what exactly is the "Office of Religious Freedom" supposed to do?

Grandstanding blowhards.  I remember how embarrassed I was when my then-MP Nelson Riis made a giant speech in the house of commons when Wayne Gretzky retired.  Now we've got two parties wasting time talking about the zombie apocalypse?  I'm all for lightening the mood and I tend to treat everything like it's a bit of a joke.  But I guess I draw the line with Parliament.