Election Round-up #7 - Aug 25-31

Conservative candidates have been told not to talk to the media or attend debates during the election campaign.

My comment was going to be "hopefully we respond better than the US government to killing Iraqi civilians."  But seeing as it happened in January and we covered it up until now, that isn't likely.  And Jason Kenney claims nobody told him about it (but they did tell Rob Nicholson).

I don't remember this story.  But it's reared it's head again.  First off, Leona Aglukkaq approved a plan for Shell that allows them 21 days to cap any leaks in their underwater drilling systems.  Worry not though, it still needs final approval...from a board with an ex-Shell member on the panel.

Where did all the props for the background come?  A crane.  Dozens of people in matching high viz vests and hardhats.  Probably a dancing bear.  Justin Trudeau announces infrastructure spending based deficits.

Manufacturing is not recovering with the decline of the loonie.  It's weird that massive factories don't spring up immediately as the dollar drops.

The Duffy trial moves in to semantics.  What exactly did PMO aide Chris Woodcock mean when he said they had to "force" Mike Duffy into accepting their repayment scheme?  I'm starting to feel like the Duffman is going to skate on all of this.

A PMO staffer was seen talking to a witness at the Duffy trial.  Purely innocent conversation though, the Conservatives tell us.

Some more details have emerged about the Saudi Arms Deal.  It only happened if Canada promised to not say anything about it.

Fracking caused an earthquake in Northern BC.  How dare you question this magical technology though.

Fly at it, you fucking imbecile.  Scott Walker thinks the US should build a wall between itself and Canada.  Also wonders why everybody was so down on the Maginot Line.

You'd think Patrick Brazeau would just be happy that nobody has arrested him lately.  But no.  He's speaking out.  Against Harper, mind you.

When you have to rely on Chilean ships for your Navy to function, it feels like it is hard to claim that you're great at supporting your military.

It's hard to fault somebody like Elon Musk for his success.  But Stephen Colbert hosting CEO's on his talk show?  On one hand it's great to celebrate people for not just being good at acting.  On the other, this feels like it could be a giant CEO ego inflation used to push for even higher CEO salaries.

Big News! - Week 197 - Feb 2-9

This was a week when all of the stories are so big, there's almost no point in posting.  Yet...here we are.

Steve re-shuffles the deck in the wake of John Baird's departure.  An interesting article on how John Baird was a master of blowing smoke up peoples asses.

Eve Adams is now a Liberal.  Man.  This seems like bad news for everybody.

The Cons lose another court case.  The ban on wearing a niqab during a citizenship ceremony is struck down.  Fuck.  Can you believe that any of that was necessary.

This wasn't a law created by the Cons...but they certainly aren't happy about losing this case.  Supreme Court to allow limited physician assisted suicide.

The Liberal MP loses his bid to re-instate the long form census.  Here's some details, not that it matters.

A disproportionate amount of infrastructure funding for disabled access has gone to Conservative ridings.

A former soldier is asking why the government is giving details about the mission in Iraq.  Because details are what could jeopardize soldiers.  Not telling people the cost of the mission.

Who is in charge of Parliament Hill security seems to be a big political deal, somehow.

The Libs confirm that they will follow the Cons on anti-terror legislation.  And we've totally misunderstood.  We shouldn't worry about people getting swept up in terror accusations if they're just "teens messing around in the basement".  In Steve's world, those fuckers belong in jail!:
asked how to distinguish between teens messing around in their basements and someone who is radicalized, Harper said it would be a serious offence "no matter who you are."  "It doesn't matter what the age of the person is, or whether they're in a basement, or whether they're in a mosque or somewhere else," Harper said Friday in Richmond Hill, Ont.

Because he thinks all this terror shit will get him elected.  Worked for George Bush, I guess.

A BC businessman received a huge settlement after  having his business destroyed by a misguided "terror investigation".  Over two boxes worth of electronics.

Andrew Weaver wins a defamation suit against the clowns at the National Post.

And Trudeau announces some sort of plan on carbon reduction.  It might not be a great plan, or much of a plan yet.  But it's more than the Cons have given us.

This is just a nonsense article that is tough to follow.  Don't begrudge the 1% attaining half of all the wealth...people making $40,000 saw an increase of 3.9% over 4 years.  That's nearly a percent a year!  Fuck, hope Wal-Mart party supplies are on sale because we're going to celebrate the shit out of this.  With quotes from the Fraser Institute!Just a reminder.  The Fraser Institute receives huge amounts of funds from pro-oil billionaires from the US.  Foreign Radicals indeed.

Wow.  Rich.  Harper suggests that Trudeau has it in for the military.  I guess if you think that committing the country to wars where soldiers can go off and get killed and then cutting support for veterans is "pro military", than yes, he may be right.

What a fucking mess.  The Feds allow some TFW's to stay in Alberta, because they might be on track to stay anyhow, but the rules are so convoluted it probably won't help anybody anyhow.

The NDP is going to have to pay back $2.75 Million in salaries due to the satellite offices controversy.  Yikes.

BC raw log exports have increased dramatically under the Liberals.  From 200,000 cubic meters in 1997 to 6.5 Million in 2013.  Much of that jump coming from 2009-2013.  There's really no justification for this.

Copyright has been for life of author, plus 50 years.  That's been wholly and totally adequate.  Except all the pouting entertainment companies are demanding an extension to cover a handful of their franchises.  So now it's life + 70.  Fuck these people.  Why do we need to keep changing laws to support their business model?

Fuck.  Alberta.  You don't want a sales tax.  And corporate taxes are off the table.  What are you going to do?  I love it though.  "If we charge taxes to all of these oil companies, they'll take their business elsewhere."  Because oil is an incredibly mobile resource.  I drink your milkshake?

These are the stories that get me up in the morning.  "MacKay once backed intelligence oversight now rejected by Tories"

I didn't read the full story, but I'm extremely troubled by this.  A lady in her mid 30's attacked a pipeline worker in Alberta.  But how was she radicalized?  I mean, she's a terrorist, right?

The Port Metro truck driver dispute is a total shitshow.  Drivers strike because they're paid shit and have to wait for hours and hours (unpaid).  Well fuck you then.  We'll just create a new licensing system that puts a whole bunch of you out of business.  In the name of "fairness".