Budget Time - Week 99 - March 19-25

Conservatives like to compare governmental matters to personal matters.  "You don't spend more money than you make at home, why should we do it with government?"  Let's extend their analogy out to this decision to link foreign aid with the trade and security interests of Canada.  Perhaps we would only allow the food bank to give food to people who might come over and mow our lawn?  Or help out heroin addicts if they only promise to stay out of our neighbourhood.  Aid and charity aren't really aid or charity if you ask something in return, no?  And check out that awesome John Baird photo.

I'm going to call this a Freudian slip, as a government agency puts out a press release with "Harper Canada" instead of "Harper Government"  (which is ridiculous enough).  Thanks for reminding us.

Surprise, surprise.  Steve-O and his band of merry idiots are trying to push through copyright treaties.  Again.  With no discussion.  It doesn't seem to matter what Canadians say.  They keep trying to push this stuff through.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer officially pointed out the ridiculousness of Stephen Harper's spending on his tough-on-crime agenda as crime rates continue to drop.  As well, the costs of Stephen Harper's War-on-crime are landing on the Provinces.  Nice to create things that you don't have to pay for, no?

Jim Flaherty stepped in when Manulife offered a mortgage rate that was too low.  And other Conservative MP's don't like it.

Ouch.  NP Headline "Questionable fiscal credibility and health leave Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s political future in doubt".

Jason Kenney says that Turkey won't allow Syrian refugees to leave Turkey.  Turkey says Jason Kenney is full of shit.  And really needs Canada to accept some Syrian refugees.

Elizabeth May is not going to run a Green Party candidate in Labrador, and is calling on the NDP to do the same.  They refuse.  Sounds like they're acting a bit high and mighty about it too.

The Conservatives drop tariffs on hockey (and other sports) gear.  But then will jack tariffs up on just about everything else.

SNC-Lavalin made some questionable donations to Conservative candidates during the last election.  There are some suggestions that employees were compensated for donations in the form of enhanced bonuses, skirting corporate donation laws.

Patrick Brazeau insists that he is innocent.  This guy needs to go away.

The National Post suggests that the Federal Government is taking a "divide and conquer" approach to the Northern Gateway pipeline by appointing a special First Nations envoy.  Why is it the job of the government to spend boatloads of money lobbying for this pipeline?

We talked a week or so ago about how oil industry connected groups were behind creating the State Department Keystone XL report.  Well, looks like that wasn't just an oversight.  Looks like they actively worked to cover this fact up.

I feel like Obama worked a nice balance in to his Israel trip.  Not-quite-unwavering support while recognizing Palestinian rights and encouraging Israel to not do dumb things.  This seems a lot better than the Harper ostrich strategy.

I'm starting to feel lately like it's really just a question of what is going to kill us first.  Rising sea levels?  Drought?  Earthquake/Tsunami?  Rogue Asteroid?  Or maybe just all the bees dieing out.  More with the bees dieing.  It seems like they have a pretty good idea of what the problem is now though.  Aren't doing anything to stop it, but they know what it is.