A Plea For Corporate Compassion

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Two Links To Fight The Government Omnibus Bill

Thanks to Dr. Dawg for this link and this link to help us fight Bill C-38.

Apparently, Talk Of Charter Rights Is Just Nonsense

"Guys are talking nonsense and he got nonsense back.” - Sgt. Mark Charlebois in defense of his denial of Paul Figueiras's Charter Rights during Toronto 2010 G20 Summit.

Unfortunately, Sgt. Charlebois is not the only one who feels that our Charter Rights are a risible matter. As reported in today's Star, the York Police Services Board has blocked efforts to lay misconduct charges against the officer, shown in the YouTube video above telling a G20 protestor “This ain’t Canada right now” and demanding that he be searched.

In October, the province’s police complaints watchdog recommended three misconduct charges against Sgt. Mark Charlebois, who apprehended Paul Figueiras during the G20 summit two years ago. Unfortunately, standing upon a technicality, the York Police Services Board has refused to authorize the laying of those charges.

What is that old saying about bringing the administration of justice into disrepute?

The Sins Of The Father?

But then again, perhaps Peter MacKay is only modelling his behaviour after his elders.

Peter MacKay Does Enjoy The Largess of The Public Purse, Doesn't He?

WHEN I GROW UP, I WANNA FLY A BIG JET!

It seems that Peter MacKay, the Defence Minister for our self- and inaccurately-proclaimed fiscal stewards, the Conservatives, does enjoy the generosity of Canadian taxpayers, but at least he is versatile in exploiting that resource. Not content to use it only to shorten his return home from fishing forays in remote regions of Newfoundland, he also likes to spend lavishly for photo-ops in F-35 mock-ups, probably every little boy's dream.

He must have been quite a play companion in his childhood.

Liz Witmer's Political Karma

As a survivor of the Mike Harris years in Ontario, I have very vivid memories of what was undoubtedly the most mean-spirited and incompetent of provincial regimes I have ever lived through. Their economic 'strategy' of slashing and burning, selling key assets such as the 407 to foreign consortia to conceal their colossal fiscal ineptitude, and appeasing big business left a lasting legacy of discontent; as well, their divisive rhetoric pitted Ontarians against one another, much in the same manner as the Harper regime has done throughout Canada.

While she was Harris's Labour Minister, Liz Witmer set her sights on The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, slashing both the benefits paid to workers and the premiums charged to business. As Martin Regg Cohn points out in his column today, Ms Witmer, recently appointed head of WSIB, is about to experience some political karma as she contends with the results of her former intervention: the board currently faces an unfunded liability of over $14 billion.

No doubt Ms Witmer will bring her much-vaunted abilities to bear on the situation.

Harper Down On Democracy?

Well, this can't be much of a surprise, can it?