Proudly Canadian - Week 214 - May 25 - June 1

Reddit tricked me with an old link.  Oh well, I'm sticking with it because we haven't had a photo in a while.  Hey guys!  I got me a panderin' license!

6,000 aboriginal children may have died under the Residential School system.  That's a shocking, shocking number.

We plunged in to a war against ISIS a year ago with little thought or planning.  And amazingly, we're worse off now than when we started.

The RCMP thinks you might be at terrorist if you're protesting the Big Brother act.

This article is titled "Have the Tories' electoral changes remade our democracy for the better?".  And then goes on to list all the things they've done to make democracy worse.  So I don't really get it.

The PMO feels the need to approve any request for a public meeting.  Any public meeting with Federal Government involvement.  Or at least a Federal Government logo.

I guess when you put out this many promotional videos, some things are liable to slip through the cracks.  Including highlighting an assembly line that will be moved to the US.

 

Lovely.  An educator attempts to educate a group of military cadets about sexual assault.  Is catcalled and harassed.  Reports it.  And is harassed via e-mail for reporting it.

The Victoria terror trial descends further into sideshow.  The Judge declares there was nearly a mistrial due to the absurd closing argument from the prosecution.

Vice explains how the transparency watchdog is being starved and ignored.

I think it is awesome that a First Nation took the time and money to do their own detailed study on the Kinder Morgan expansion.  Surprisingly...they don't exactly agree with what Kinder Morgan or the government have been selling.

U-S-A!  U-S-A!  When there's sports scandals to prosecute, we know who to call!  Lance Armstrong.  Barry Bonds.  Now FIFA.  Don't worry about those guys who almost ruined the world in 2008 though.

Political ploy, yes.  But kind of awesome.  Liberal bill to unmuzzle scientists.

Conservatives don't want it.  The City of Ottawa doesn't want it.  But the Victims of Communism Memorial will probably go ahead anyhow.

Canada blocks a UN plan to ride the world of nukes.  Because Israel needs them.  Won't admit to having them...but needs them.

Joe Oliver wants us to voluntarily put more money into our government run pension plan that he doesn't want to fund.  Ya.  Okay.

Temporary Foreign Workers.  Also unable to do anything when sexually harassed at work.

Omar Khadr finally speaks.

I used to think Peter McKay was one of the good ones.  Long ago.  I no longer think that.  Good riddance.

Laurie Hawn is an Asshole - Week 213 - May 18-25

Question C-51?  Well we're going to question your loyalty to Canada.  What a fucking asshole.  Laurie Hawn gets added to my list.  Of Conservative assholes.

Joe Oliver, who had to resort to financial shenanigans to "balance the budget" this year, is already musing about more tax cuts.

The Alberta Oil Industry is asking for a carbon tax.  A retail carbon tax?  The cynic in me - which is most of me - thinks that there must be a catch.  The Federal Government solution?  Buy international carbon credits.

This guy raises an interesting point.  Fixed election dates turn our campaigns into US style, drawn out affairs.  Which sucks.

Thank goodness for all the new spying powers.  We caught 10 young people trying to fly to join ISIS!  What?  Their parents turned them in?  Oh.

What is going on with the debate debates?  This is a good roundup.  And, of course, the traditional debate will happen, with or without Harper.

Pipelines - Safe for everybody.  Now leaking into the sea in Santa Barbara.

Here, a question is raised, but not answered.  Who were the major donors to Stephen Harper's leadership campaigns?

It is a bit hard to feel sympathy for parents who can't bring their foreign nannies into Canada.  Still, why are all the applications just being quietly denied?

The West Coast gets Coast Guard base closures.  The East Coast gets new ones.

Even Conservatives think the victims of communism memorial is stupid.

This is why the new copyright rules and legislation are so stupid.  GM is suggesting you don't own your new GM vehicle due to their copyright over the computer code contained within.  Which is a bit like telling you that you don't own your own home because the alarm system is proprietary.

Reason enough to not vote for Harper.  Jeb Bush wants him re-elected.

Taking a page from the RCMP, the FBI has decided to investigate opponents of the Keystone XL pipeline as "threats to National Security".

Another withdrawal from the Kinder Morgan NEB hearings.  It's the wife of the first guy...but still.  She had some great points on the radio this morning.

$21 Million to audit the Senate and a shitstorm about to be unleashed.

We're not too worried about what Saudi Arabia is up to on the human rights front.

Vacation. Again - Week 207-208, April 6-21

I've been away.  I've been lazy.  I've been sad.  I've been disgruntled.  Where did we even leave off?

Stephen Harper met Castro.  Wouldn't provide a photo.  So here it is.

Of course we have the budget.  Where apparently Joe Oliver buying a pair of NB runners is a story.


I recognize that the auto bailout wasn't an "investment".  But still...somehow we lost $3.5 Billion?  We certainly didn't negotiate very good terms with the companies about to go bankrupt, and then sell it all off to balance the budget.

An article on Stephen Harper's less than great economic leadership.

And Mike Duffy.  A good breakdown here.  And details!  Of how he was an incredibly popular fellow among Conservative MP's.  74 of them asked him to show up at campaign events or otherwise help them get elected.  Canadaland suggests he paid journalists to help him out.  He started claiming expenses before he was even a Senator.

The Speaker isn't letting people ask questions about Duffy in the House of Commons.








Contained in this story - A former senior member of the Kits Coast Guard base says the Coast Guard Commissioner is full of shit when he says the Kits base would have had no effect. "Toxopeus said the base had thousands of feet of oil-containing booms and a pollution boat. Reopening that base, and reversing cuts to Coast Guard staffing would mean federal responders ready to hit the water 24/7 from full-time, dedicated stations, not needing to be called in from afar."

Of course, there are a lot of people hurling a lot of blame over the spill response.  Most of it at Harper and the Coast Guard.  Feds deny anything went wrong.

Jeffrey Simpson isn't a fan of the Conservative Government advertising program.

The NDP fights back against ridiculous "balanced budget" legislation.  Suggests the Harperites pay back a bunch of salary for all the deficit budgets they've passed.

A story about Thomas Mulcair and his Dutch Disease comments.

We're selling off Diplomatic properties around the world...but building a new embassy in Israel.

Tax evasion convictions have gone way down.  Speculation is that this is due to a lack of resources.

Mohamed Fahmy may finally be getting his passport.

Quite a few stories about councils and government type people who will continue to pray in an official capacity despite the Supreme Court ruling.  Edmonton City Council.  Saskatchewan Legislature.

The National Post lays out all of the Supreme Court victories and losses for Harper in the last few years.  8 Losses.  2 Victories.

Harper refuses to disclose the work that went into making "Strong. Proud. Free." the new Government slogan.  It's been classified as a "cabinet confidence".  They're also using legislation designed to fight terrorism to suppress news about the Harper family.


We're selling the Canadian Wheat Board to a Saudi Arabian firm.

Judges refusing to charge the victim surcharge are being reigned in.

Pierre Poilievre.  An idiot who can't use numbers.

Toyota moves some production from Canada to Mexico.

A Steelworkers charity is being targeted by Revenue Canada.

The government spend $750,000 recruiting TFW's overseas. 

More ads! - Week 205 - March 30 - April 6

Fuck off!  The Cons are planning an ad blitz for their delayed budget.  This is fucking shameful.  Like your deadbeat neighbour hiring a skywriter to announce that he finally mowed his lawn - but he's running for block president and used block party funds to pay for the skywriter.

This TFW thing is getting nasty.  We're going to start throwing any out that are here for too long.

The cost of the ISIS mission is classified, because the terrorists will be able to know exactly what we're up to if they find out our budget.  So is Kenney going to be on trial for treason?  $528 Million is a lot of war to bring.

Every time a total Conservative shithead quits the party, I feel a bit sad.  The anti-Evolution MP has quit...so that he can talk more about how much he hates evolution?

More progress on Climate Change.  From the US and Mexico.  As Canada falls further behind.

This is amazing.  People asked for help from the government due to expensive and hard to find daycare for young children...Conservatives respond with tax benefit for people with kids up to the age of 17...for, you know...daycare or something.

Michael Geist outlines the lengths the Government went to in order to call witnesses in support of Bill C-51.  All sorts of crazed, right wing Americans.

This link speculates that the National Firearms Association agreed to not oppose Harper on C-51 if he moved forward on C-42.  And the members are kind of confused.


Paul Martin doesn't think the Conservatives have done a very good job with the economy for the last 10 years.  Which must be like selling your house and watching the crackheads that bought it slowly destroy it.

The Senate expenses scandal should not be about not eating a free lunch...Complaining that a Senator bought lunch before a flight feels like it misses the point.  Up to 40 Senators have questionable expenses.

Another story points out the incongruity of Duffy being charged while Wright isn't.

A victory for Civil Liberties?  Cops blatantly trample on protesters rights and several years later, the courts officially recognize that this is wrong but not even a slap on the wrist is handed out?  Okay.

This feels like reverse trolling - An article specifically written to bring out the worst in commenters.  "Restaurant dress codes open to sexual discrimination complaints"

John Baird has another good week, potentially making more bank on the CP board of directors.  Hey, this will at least give West Side Vancouverites a target for their scorn.

Supposedly the CIA tried to tell Canada that Maher Arar wasn't guilty.

The Canadian Government won't issue Mohamed Fahmy a new passport.

Roma are treated horribly in Eastern Europe.  And then face discrimination when they arrive in Canada as refugees.

The BC Terror Trial is becoming a bit of a shitshow as details are released.  240 police officers were involved.  The accused are delusional, most likely mentally ill, drug addicts, hardly capable of paying the rent, let alone planning a terror plot.  It's just...fuck.

2015 might be the year of the political criminal - Week 192 & 193 - Dec 30 - Jan 12

Holy shit.  The CBC lists all the political trials (and other legal court things) on the schedule for this year.  Insane.

This seems to be a theme.  Terror attack.  News comes out that the authorities were aware of the perpetrators.  Yet we still use the attack to justify more intrusive surveillance.  So we can be doubly aware of future attacks?

Canada is preventing a NAFTA watchdog from investigating oil sands tailing ponds.

An interesting interview with Jason Kenney in Vice.  When asked why no young people vote Conservative, he points out that young oil patch workers who make a lot of money actually do.  Which is a ringing endorsement for his party.  Probably reason enough not to vote for them, right there.  As well, a nice breakdown of Stephen Harper's year end interview.

What the fuck is going on at the CBC?  Rex Murphy has devolved into a crazy, lunatic, corporate sponsored mouthpiece.  And Amanda Lang worked really hard to spike stories on behalf of her best buds at RBC.

Fantino out.  Some other loser in.  An article detailing the Cons terrible policies related to our military.  And they've actually started directly accusing soldiers of faking injuries.

A detailed article on the Conservative obsession with memorials, and their attempts to construct giant ones all over Parliament Hill.

Why is Canada so far down the list when it comes to children's health?  We've also dropped out of the top 10 for "most developed countries".

Kevin Vickers will be named ambassador to Ireland.

I find it odd when an article contains a statement such as "the energy-intensive oil sands sector accounts for less than half a per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions", suggesting that this is a trivial amount.

Not only do our refugee policies suck, when they finally make it here, we make all kinds of mistakes processing their paperwork.

I feel like the Tyee has given us a few articles with a similar vibe already, but it deserves repeating.  Kinder Morgan and their Trans Mountain pipeline really don't provide much in the way of economic support to Canada.  It's mostly drained off into the States.

HD Mining strikes again?  I feel like the Globe is late to the party in detailing how this BC mine will be staffed by foreign workers.

Speaking of late to the party.  The Globe asks where the $3.1 Billion went.  Probably a fair question.

There are many riding changes in the upcoming Federal Election, and nobody really knows what to make of it.

The joint strike fighter won't be able to fire its guns before 2019.  We need to run away from this project.

This is definitely torture - Week 189 - Dec 8-15

Steve insists US torture isn't our problem.  We need to remind ourselves of our diplomat trying to tell us that we directly handed Afghan detainees over to be tortured.

We've already totally fucked up our Syrian refugee program.  We're about to throw another curveball into it...We're going to prioritize Christian minorities.

Canada has decided to not do it's part in protecting endangered species.  76 endangered species!

Steve knows better.  Cons reject recommendations on solitary confinement from Ashley Smith inquiry.

"BC needs LNG for jobs!" sez Christy.  "Most of those jobs will go to non Canadians" sez Petronas.

Steve has another reason to do nothing about oil patch emissions.  Falling oil prices.  At one point they actually claimed they couldn't do anything due to high oil prices.  Through quotes, McLean's shows how Steve and his band of assholes are a bunch of fucking liars.

Cops can now search your phone on arrest without a warrant.  This might not sound like a big deal.  But are they maybe not more likely now to arrest you so that they can search your phone, if that is their desire?

Steve doubles down on denial that they treat Veteran's poorly.  Writes off BC lawsuit as being against a Liberal policy.  Even thought the Veteran's Charter was passed by the Conservatives with all party support.

An analysis on how the Cons are starving spending with new process and requirements.  Smaller Government evidently means more bureaucracy, somehow.

Remember that ever ratcheting up F-35 price tag?  Add another billion.  As well, if you leave the fuel truck in the sun, they won't run.

More partisan ads.  This is getting tiresome.

"Fair Elections" strikes again.  Scrutineers will now be allowed to use smartphones and keep in touch with the mothership.  Nice that the Conservatives had a head start to develop an app to take advantage of the legislation that they changed.  And a lesson - WHEN RIVAL POLITICAL PARTIES COME TO YOUR DOOR DON'T TELL THEM HOW YOU ARE PLANNING ON VOTING.  As well, the Cons are trying to make it harder for ex-pats to vote in elections.

I know our food safety system isn't terrible.  People aren't keeling over all over the place, after all.  But this is disturbing.  An E.Coli outbreak was caught not by the first line of defense, but by a secondary test outside of the regular system.  As well, the recall wasn't initiated until the meat was past it's best by date.

Israel is proposing a very controversial bill that I won't pretend that I understand.  Thing is, pretty much everybody is speaking out against it.  Except Canada.  Which is what unconditional support means, I guess.

This tears apart the idea to raise fees for access to information.

Somebody other than Trudeau thinks we should try to understand just why we have all these terrorists all of a sudden.

A Jury member who selected the winning entry for Steve's Communists are Bad memorial wonders why it's been given such a prominent site.  And thinks the cost estimate is insanely low.  Amongst other things.

Rules were bent to allow an anti abortion protest to take place on Parliament Hill.

The Liberals suggest their membership numbers are rising handsomely.

The Feds continue their Omar Khadr crusade.

Harsh repercussions for medical marijuana advertisements, lack of enforcement for prescription drug advertising.

House prices are fine!  Don't worry about it!

Oh man.  Gross.  Cruise ships produce insane amounts of pollution, and just dump that shit right into the ocean.  Every one of your old relatives is guilty of killing baby dolphins.

There is a report detailing the costs of "Corporate Sovereignty" clauses in European free trade agreements.  It's not cheap.

Thanks - Week 180 - Oct 6-14

I love Tom the Dancing Bug.  This is a pretty good one.

Jason Kenney uses his government staff to create anti-Trudea graphics.  But of course, they're doing it on their "spare time".

Oh fuck these clowns.  More pandering to gun owners.  Fuck off.  Nobody cares about your stupid "Swiss Arms rifles".  All announced at a shooting range.

The Europeans are upset about the Stephen Harper Airlines free flight to Europe as well.  Turns out bureaucrats accepting an unnecessary $300,000 flight has ruffled some feathers.  And they've pointed out that the whole thing was unnecessary and the excuses are probably bogus.

Joe Oliver thinks changes to EI premiums will create 25,000 jobs.  The PBO thinks it will cost 9,000 jobs.  Hmmmm...that's a bit of a spread.

Another Harper law will be challenged in court.  A group is suing to overturn the new election laws.  As well, they won't provide information on how much it cost to make changes.

Patrick Brazeau has more problems.  He has been arrested again.

Evidence for Democracy has released a report detailing the muzzling of Canadian scientists.  Basically, it's way, way harder for Canadian government scientists to present their research and speak out than it is for US government scientists.

The Cons new regulations on TFW's have no teeth.  Remember the Victoria area McDonald's caught abusing the program?  They were denied more TFW's twice...then phoned and complained and had the decision reversed and the TFW's fast tracked.  As well, a cafeteria on a reserve that suffers from high unemployment has brought in temporary foreign workers.


Let's just ignore your thoughts on the Harper Government response to global warming.  Not enough regulation?  Weak targets?  Needs to go further?  Irrelevant.  As this story details, the Environmental Commissioner thinks we aren't even on a path to reach our insanely low goals.  And even worse, the actual regulations are a secret!  And the reductions we have made have come primarily due to Provincial programs, not Federal.  Jeffrey Simpson is onto it as well.

An organization involved with treating addiction has come out in favour of legalizing marijuana.

Wow.  American TV networks are suggesting that if their business model isn't propped up by forcing their channels on people that don't want them, they're going to lose money and have to pull out of Canada.  I guess I see their point.  I mean, who wants to be forced to keep customers by offering them something they want for the money they're giving you?  And I would also be upset if people no longer wanted to give me money for something that they didn't want in the first place.

This is really interesting.  The Cons want to be able to freely use copyrighted news in political ads.

Great news.  There's not only a 1 percent for money...there's a 1 percent for booze consumption.  People wonder why macrobreweries still exist.  It's to service those guys.

Two cops responded to a noise complaint, entered a house illegally, beat a bunch of people up and kept their jobs.  The people they beat up won their court case...but the City won't pick up their $66,000 in legal costs.

Well of course we're not going to support the Hong Kong protestors!  That would take balls.

This is sad.  The pot smoking mountie has been found dead.  Just a really sad, tragic story.

I'm going to be super fucking pissed if refusing to support a plan to bomb ISIS with six fucking airplanes results in 4 more years of the Cons.  Super pissed.  Here's my bold prediction: As the Cons receive a boost in support for their bombing the shit out of terrorists, an election is called.

Fur Hats for Everyone - Week 179 - Sept 29 - Oct 6

This is just a perfect example of the Harper Government.  We've got accusations of extremism.  Overturning somebody else's decision because you know better.  Grandstanding.  Killing animals.  Jobs!  Jobs!  Jobs!  It's perfect, really.  The Conservatives decide to overrule the RCMP's decision to no longer wear fur hats.  Claim it's for the greater good of Canada.  Congratulate themselves for saving...like what?  10 jobs?  And stick it to the extremists, for good measure.

Jim Prentice feels like all Alberta really needs right now is a few more temporary foreign workers.  Seriously.  What an asshole.  I know this isn't science or anything...but a year ago all the Oil Sands companies were advertising for engineers in BC.  Now?  Not a one.  I'm not surprised that our CEO/worker pay gap is the worst in the western world.  Well...except for America.  And some more stories about TFW's getting taken advantage of.

Does anybody out there have a really good idea for how to deal with ISIS?  At this rate, I feel like if we go in and take them out it's going to be some kind of flesh eating zombies that take their place.  The west just keeps making shit worse.  Maybe blowing the fuck out of everybody isn't the answer?  But no, Trudeau is the asshole here for questioning things.

Somebody decided that there would need to be a prison lockdown if Omar Khadr is granted an interview.

Sometimes you make a mistake, admit that you're wrong, and then move on.  Other times you double down on awful.  The Harper Government decides to appeal the decision that struck down their cuts to refugee health care.

This story details the impossible decision members of our military face.  Admit that you have a mental health problem and get treatment...or keep quiet and keep your pension.

MacLeans has a take on the Paul Calandra affair.  And some more about stupid things he has said.

The Conservatives don't want a motion to go forward that would grant the speaker the power to make people answer questions.  This is all kinds of confusing.

Once again, the Cons explanations for spending a lot of money beg greater explanation.  There's no real logic towards last minute changes leading to Canada footing the bill for a private plane ride home for some European bureaucrats.

Stephen Harper's "Ra Ra Canada is Great so let's stick it to the Russians" Franklin expedition to enhance Canadian ownership of the North...had a Russian component to it.  Which kind of chips away at the justification for it.

We now basically have one newspaper owner in Canada.  Good thing nobody reads them any longer.

And lastly...Sun news apologizes to Justin Trudeau for calling his mom a whore.  Basically.

Backbenching - Week 178 - Sept 22-29

I begin this week with a pretty awesome article from Raif Mair.  Wow...I made about six typing errors coming to grips with that first sentence...Anyhow, Rafe talks about Dianne Watts running for the Conservatives.  Which isn't all that interesting.  Until he starts talking about how useless the life of a backbench MP are.  Makes you understand all the hooting and hollering in the House, doesn't it?  Wouldn't we be better off if we all just decided this was a farce?  If all MP's are there for is to vote how they're told...shit...must be a better way to do things?

I must admit that I have some strange tendencies.  All it takes to bring me on side is a bit of grovelling.  I love an underdog.  I think that's why I hated Lance Armstrong so much.  Now that he's sad and apologetic he's coming around for me.  And now Paul Calandra,  I can't help but feel a bit sorry for him.  I mean, his responses in Parliament were absolutely idiotic.  But there's no way he came up with that all on his own.  Now...hung out to dry.  This is the Conservative Modus Operandi.  My question is this: How come they put so many questionable people into positions of authority to begin with?  Bev Oda.  Paul Calandra.  Dean Del Mastro.  Mike Duffy.  Pamela Wallin.  That other guy.  On and on it goes.  And...we still don't really have answers as to what is happening in Iraq.

Statoil is backing out of an OilSands project.  This is interesting for two reasons.  First, does this signify a larger problem within the OilSands?  Second, how come every other fucking country on this earth is allowed to have a state oil company invested in our OilSands, except for us?

Is there anything worse than somebody who wants to "advise" on an issue and not get involved in any other way?  I laughed a bit when our contribution to the ISIS fight was 60 or so military advisors.  Now we might send some planes...really fucking old planes.

The Canadian 1% is still a bit sad.  $191,000 in yearly salary gains you entry.  I mean...must be nice.  But you're basically an American shoeshine boy with that money.

Andrew Scheer does not respond kindly towards questioning of his impartiality.

I actually kind of like Jason Kenney's recent responses on Temporary Foreign Workers.  We'll see if there's any substance to it.  If we're going to sell out the country in the name of jobs, let's at least make sure people can get jobs and salaries go up a bit.  Nobody should have sympathy for Alberta companies complaining that they can't hire cheap foreign labour.

It's tough to figure what Steve is thining about the UN these days.  I mean, don't show up for the climate conference, but show up for dinner?  And then re-announce an announcement that we already announced a few years ago?  That basically does nothing but bring us in line with US Regulations?  At least we brought some cash...Canada forks out a bit of UN money for Ebola...and some more UN money for a maternal health initiative.

This needs to be read because it's just too weird.  A murdered man in France had stolen the identity of Glenn Miller...and was living the life of a washed up Canadian "rockstar".

I'll start by pointing out the obvious.  Nobody thinks this is a good thing or should have happened.  The question is what we should do about it?  The response to the murder of a Surrey teen by a recently released High Risk Offender has been about what you would expect.  I'd like to see a happy medium between keep-everybody-in-jail-forever and do-absolutely-nothing-once-high-risk-offenders-are-released-except-deliver-a-warning.

The Cons look to shaft everybody by re-introducing their union finance law, ignoring the recommendations of the Senate, and limiting debate on the whole sordid affair.  Nothing to see here, folks.

So, ya, there is an argument for stripping terrorists of their passports.  But that comes at a cost.  And I don't trust these assholes enough to give them the right to start stripping citizenship, especially with the loose definition of "terrorist" these days.

Some more info on North Korean refugees.  The reason we don't accept them?  Well, Chris Alexander sucks.  And the loophole seems to be that since South Korea will accept North Koreans, they're no longer considered to be refugees in Canada's eyes.  Which is some fucking loophole.

Super Late - Week 165 - June 23 - July 2

It's funny how by-elections are always pumped up as some huge deal.  But then nothing dramatic every really happens.  Except for only 12% (or something like that) of eligible voters showing up in Fort McMurray.  Don't make me open the link again.

Some details have come out in the Dean Del Mastro trial.  He backdated cheques (allegedly) so that expenses incurred during the election didn't look like they had occurred during the election.  This seems like it will be fairly easy to prove/disprove.  And this guy was a Minister!

Government departments are starting to point out that climate change is happening.  That's a pretty good way to get branded a radical bureaucrat and have your funding cut.  Meanwhile, rising sea levels.  Dropping lake levels.  Lack of water in the Great Lakes could become exceedingly expensive.  I wish they'd finally get some scientists to prove this global warming shit.  Gawd.

Washington State is concerned that our pipelines and tanker traffic might impact them negatively.  Especially their otters.  I've seen one of these little guys.  They're pretty awesome.

Peter MacKay never does anything wrong.  It wasn't his fault that he sent out sexist e-mails for Mother's Day.  It was a female staffer.  He just signed them without reading them.  His actual excuse...which is supposed to make it okay.  "I'm not sexist...I just don't give a shit about these things and I'm going to blame some poor staffer."

The Conservatives have always been up in arms about the Temporary Foreign Workers program.  I mean, until recently they were up in arms that it was too difficult to bring them in to the country...Meanwhile, Complaints about the Temporary Foreign Workers program date back to 2006.  Quick action, I tell you!  More details on how decisions about Temporary Foreign Workers are made using terribly awful data.

The Egyptian journalist jailing lays bare the absurdity of the Conservatives citizenship stripping bill (not to mention their terrible response to the whole thing).  By the letter, this guy should be a non-Canadian according to the Conservatives.  But don't worry, in their infinite wisdom and judgement he will remain a Canadian.  But this should be left to the governments judgement?

A Conservative Senator hired his girlfriend.  Twice.  But it's somehow not a conflict of interest.  She looks just his type, no?  There's some info on him bilking for expenses buried in the story as well.

Tough Talkin' Stephen Harper has inspired Putin to start flying bombers towards Canada.

Why are there so many sketchy "loans" to Conservative MP's and why is Nigel Wright in the shadows in dealing with all of them?  details on Mark Adler and his court case/"loan" repayment.

So it begins.  The CBC starts cutting back.

Come on Vice, this is weeks old news (about the request for information on any and all protests by the government).

Is this still a good thing?  Turns out Starbucks isn't actually contributing any money towards employees educations as they suggested in their employee scholarship announcement of a few weeks ago.  It looks like they just negotiated with the University to drop the prices a bit for Starbucks employees.

Nice Shirt - Week 164 - June 16-23

I'm not even going to talk about the elephant in the room.

This picture is fabulous!  From here.

Let's start with a boatload of Cons who like to just make shit up.

The Conservatives seem to attract the sickest of weirdos to run in the Vancouver suburbs.  This isn't the first time Wai Young has made shit up about another candidate.  Her anti-marijuana attacks on Justin Trudeau are seriously over the top.  And done via taxpayer funded mailouts to all her constituents.

Julian Fantino claims injured veterans receive $10,000 per month.  Which is true...for four injured veterans.  The rest receive far, far less.

Chris Alexander continues to come up with creative ways to not answer questions.  Turns out he has a reason to hope nobody finds out how many government sponsored Syrian refugees have made it into Canada.

Mark Adler decided to invite several lobbyists to his fundraising dinner.  Nothing wrong with that.  Oh, sorry...Conservative MP Mark Adler.

The Conservatives have created a doozy of attack ads, and it seems to suggest that it came from a former Liberal MP.

The Conservatives have finally done something about temporary foreign workers.  It's taken a few years, but it's something.

Who knew that government cuts could have repercussions?  DFO cuts mean that it's really, really easy to poach fish in BC.  And I'm not talking about slowly cooking them in liquid.

Why is our government so terrible at military procurement?  There's a Sea King replacement contract, finally.  But the winning bid doesn't meet a key safety requirement.  Speaking of bad decisions...This guy was involved in the design of the f-16. He rips the f-35 a new one. Too many things for too many people. Good at nothing. Fifth generation is a scam. Stealth doesn't really work.

It has cost Canada $4.5 Million dollars to return to the old style of ranks and insignia.  Which isn't a whole lot of money in the grand scheme of things, I will admit.  But seeing as there's no plausible benefit to this change, it's a bit of a waste, and a nice reminder that even the smallest of decisions cost a lot of money.

The CBC figures the Cons are trying to get the drop on the other parties for an early election call.

A study suggests that the more you pay your CEO, the worse he will probably do.

Another oil comparison to Norway.  Norway built pipelines in order to haul their offshore crude onshore, to be refined in Norway.  Not the opposite.

A look at Enbridge's donations to BC political parties.

I thought that major music labels were dieing?  But no.  They're getting propped up by Google, of all things.  Youtube is promising to cut off independent label music videos from Youtube if they don't pay for a licensing agreement with Youtubes new service.  I sense a business opportunity for somebody.

I think that this story perfectly shows how Steve goes about his business.  Quietly make shit difficult for people until they reach a point where they can't compete/complete and laugh as an enemy is quietly defeated.  It's no secret that Conservatives hate the CBC.  And you can spend a lot of time talking about privatizing the whole thing.  Or you can just slowly turn back their funding, until they can't compete for important show contracts and just slowly disappear.  Maybe the end of Hockey Night in Canada isn't a big deal?  Maybe Don Cherry will finally just disappear into a basement to yell at his TV?  But I think this is a turning point.  And a montage.  I feel Steve must be at lest the tiniest bit torn about this one.

Killing it softly - Week 163 - June 9-16

I feel like a few months from now, a psychiatrist will be able to look back on this blog and track my slow descent into madness.  Or apathy.  Slow descent into apathy.  As each post gets shorter and posted later.  Oh well.

This story perfectly shows how Steve goes about his business.  Quietly make shit difficult for people until they reach a point where they can't compete/complete and laugh as an enemy is quietly defeated.  It's no secret that Conservatives hate the CBC.  And you can spend a lot of time talking about privatizing the whole thing.  Or you can just slowly turn back their funding, until they can't compete for important show contracts and just slowly disappear.  Maybe the end of Hockey Night in Canada isn't a big deal?  Maybe Don Cherry will finally just disappear into a basement to yell at his TV?  But I think this is a turning point.  And a montage.  I feel Steve must be at lest the tiniest bit torn about this one.

Should I just end it there?  One post about hockey and we're done?

Steve and his Australian buddy have decided to double down on their anti climate change agenda.  Their distant relatives held a similar press conference years ago about refusing to kill jobs with a response to the nay-sayers and their made up asteroid impact.

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association makes a fatal assumption when they say things like "Back to the drawing board" with respect to privacy legislation.  That assumption being that the Conservatives give even one fuck about what anybody thinks or whether or not something is legal.

Justin Trudeau is setting a bit of an odd precedent.  He suggests that male legislators shouldn't be making decisions on a females right to abortion.  Which I kind of agree with.  But what other responsibilities is he going to try to shirk off next?  Is he just going to sit in an office with a giant stamp that says something like "Sorry, I can't deal with this because I'm white and male"?  Shit.  If only Steve had a similar attitude.

Click through on this sucker and listen to the full interview.  Chris Alexander is a master of not answering questions.  And he sounds so hard done by.  And then he hangs up the phone.  Jason Kenney is also a master at not answering questions (about Temporary Foreign Workers).

The Robo-calls trial has given an insight into how political campaigns act in Canada.  Like children.  I'm surprised they aren't ordering dozens of pizzas to show up at the opponents campaign office.  Actually, that would be a bit of a morale booster, wouldn't it?

I feel like I'm slowly descending into madness with respect to Vancouver real estate.  It's easy to feel stupid for not buying a shitty house as values continue to rise into the stratosphere and an entire industry works to convince us that we're incompetent humans for not over-paying for a house already.  So, the 2013 breakdown of incomes in Canada is very interesting.  If you make more than $191,000 per year, you're in the top 1% of all income earners in Canada.  So....if you are just barely in the top 1% of all Canadian income earners, you can barely afford the average Vancouver detached house (at $1,000,000+)?  What's considered affordable?  5 times annual earnings, right?  Less?  It gets way, way worse when you look at median individual income ($27,600) and median family income ($76,000).  Of course, you're thinking the median Vancouver income is higher than the median Canadian, right?  Sorry.

MacLean's points out that we're really, really terrible at protecting our marine habitat.  Like worse than Russia and China bad.  Worse than the US, even.