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Thursday, January 31, 2008
Mark Levin gets too dizzy spinning for Romney (Part I)
It really hurts for me to write this. I’ve liked Mark Levin from the moment he went on the air, for he is just about the only talk radio host who notices the danger from Communist China. However, I have to respond to the erroneous (and I’m being generous) attack Levin launched against John McCain in his spin-laden endorsement of Mitt Romney in National Review.
I’ll start with the worst one - Levin’s insistence that McCain “lied” about what Romney said on Iraq back in April. Here’s Levin’s paragraph on the subject:
Even worse than denying his own record, McCain is flatly lying about Romney’s position on Iraq. As has been discussed for nearly a week now, Romney did not support a specific date to withdraw our forces from Iraq. The evidence is irrefutable. And it’s also irrefutable that McCain is abusing the English language (Romney’s statements) the way Bill Clinton did in front of a grand jury. The problem is that once called on it by everyone from the New York Times to me, he obstinately refuses to admit the truth. So, last night, he lied about it again. This isn’t open to interpretation. But it does give us a window into who he is.
Out of the eight sentences written there, seven are incorrect.
If you want the details, look here.
Posted by D.J. McGuire on January 31, 2008 in International Politics, Media | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack
The cost of abortion: John Williamson
John Williamson, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, looks into the surprising costs to taxpayers of abortion in "A not-so-private matter of abortion."
Posted by Matthew Johnston
Posted by westernstandard on January 31, 2008 in Western Standard | Permalink | Comments (3)
None of the Above?
That's the question the Canadian Centre for Policy Studies is asking on its online poll.
So far, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are neck and neck.
Posted by Gerry Nicholls on January 31, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (81) | TrackBack
Politics 101: Keep Your Base Happy
It was good politics, I argued, because "law and order" issues play well to Harper's base. I remember the reporter who interviewed me was skeptical about this because, after all, Canada is such a liberal country.
Well lo and behold a recent poll shows that 53 percent of Canadians support the government's position on this.
What's more, support for revoking clemency is highest in British Columbia (61 per cent) and Alberta (58 per cent) which just happen to be the two provinces where a large chunk of the Conservative base resides.
So maybe the lesson from all this is that Harper should play to his base a little more.
Posted by Gerry Nicholls on January 31, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (19) | TrackBack
Feeding the blog machine
What I find especially interesting in this Washington Post story, about concerns over the conservative bona fides of John McCain, is the matter-of-fact, fourth-paragraph reference to McCain's having conducted a conference call with bloggers.
A politician treating bloggers like real journalists. What's the world coming to?
Posted by Terry O'Neill on January 31, 2008 in International Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
New at the Standard
Ori Rubin gives us the first feature installment of a special three-part series on the Canadian Human Rights Commissions entitled "The HRC on Trial."
Posted by westernstandard on January 31, 2008 in Western Standard | Permalink | Comments (38) | TrackBack
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
My debate observations
Basically, it settled to three questions:
1) How many Americans realize "timetables" was indeed the buzzword for withdrawal when Romney used it back in April?
2) How is it that no one took the time to crticize Arnold Schwarzenegger's idiotic "global warming" plans?
3) Will anyone really remember this amidst McCain's parade of endorsements and tomorrow's Dem debate?
Unless the answers are (1) few, (2) no one cares, and (3) yes, I don't see anything stopping McCain from winning the GOP nomination. The again, I would say that.
Posted by D.J. McGuire on January 30, 2008 in International Politics | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
The Apotheosis of Ronald Reagan
Listening to the Republican debate, I can't help but think that the Reagan worship has gotten wildly out of control. I mean, really, folks - he was a great man and one of the greatest Presidents but, the way that people are talking about him these days, I'm starting to think that we should forget about building a Reagan Memorial in Washington and instead just get it over with and build a temple to worship the man.
Posted by Adam T. Yoshida on January 30, 2008 in International Politics | Permalink | Comments (23) | TrackBack
Commercial interruption...
The Western Standard hosts regular seminars about investment opportunities presented by our advertising partners.
Farmland
Here’s one on investing in farmland being presented by Amcapita Investments. I think you’ll enjoy their presentation in Calgary and their research report on the macro-economic trends driving the agriculture boom. Amcapita Investments has created Canada’s first RRSP-eligible farmland investment partner – and they are big supporters of the Western Standard.
Mining
If you live in Northern Alberta, you may want to attend the North of 60 Resource Conference. With gold reaching new highs everyday, many investors have turned their attention to mining stocks. The Western Standard is a proud sponsor of the North of 60 Resource Conference each year. Canada’s North is becoming a resource hotspot with many exciting projects and investment opportunities in the junior mining sector. Don’t miss this resource show in Edmonton on February 12th. Here are the details.
The Western Standard events page will be up shortly and I'll post this information there in the future.
Thanks.
Sincerely,
Matthew Johnston
Western Standard
Posted by Matthew Johnston on January 30, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Promising trend
What do you call the firing of five senior government bureaucrats?
A good start.
OK. I’m not funny.
I got this list from a Liberal party email:
• Linda Keen, President of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, fired in the “dark of night” for embarrassing the government by exercising her mandate to enforce nuclear safety regulations.
• Adrian Measner, President and CEO of the Canadian Wheat Board, fired for his decision to follow the direction of the CWB’s farmer-elected Board of Directors.
• Johanne Gélinas, Environment Commissioner, fired after publicly commenting to the media about her not receiving sufficient information from the government about its "Made in Canada" environmental plan.
• Yves Le Bouthillier, President of the Law Commission of Canada, fired after all federal government funding for the Commission was eliminated.
• Allan Amey, President of the Canada Emission Reduction Incentives Agency, created to oversee federal compliance with the Kyoto Protocol, fired in 2006 and the agency dismantled.
They took a more cynical view of this “dangerous trend” than I did.
Let's hope the job vacancies go unfilled for a while. Capitalism might just break out.
Posted by Matthew Johnston on January 30, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack
Are health care premiums a “good” tax?
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) will be delivering 2,000 more petitions to Premier Ed Stelmach tomorrow calling on the Alberta government to eliminate health care premiums. This brings their petition count to 11,000 names.
According to the CTF, Alberta's health care premiums cost the average family $1,056 per year and bring in $979-million in tax revenues. The 64,000 member strong, tax-fighting advocacy group thinks the Alberta government doesn’t need any more money and that eliminating health care premiums will help average families in need of tax relief.
It’s a nice thought, but I’m not sure scrapping health care premiums is a good idea. Health care isn’t free – and health care premiums are a good reminder of this. In fact, maybe these premiums should go up to reflect the rising cost of health care.
Instead of scrapping health care premiums, why not scrap public health care and invite Albertans to direct those same premiums toward private insurance? If that’s too radical a proposal, just cut general revenue and leave this user fee in place until Albertans are ready for a real free market solution.
Tell me why I’m wrong, Scott.
Posted by Matthew Johnston on January 30, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack
Love thy neighbour! And that's an order!!
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, has called for the outlawing, essentially, of heated debate:
"The legal provision should keep before our eyes the general risks of debasing public controversy by thoughtless and, even if unintentionally, cruel styles of speaking and acting," he said to the Times.
I guess this would mean that rabble-rousing iconoclasts, preaching revolutionary theological concepts that scandalize the establishment, would be breaking the law. Or does the archbishop have a loophole in mind that would allow a modern-day Jesus to escape the net of his censorious law?
(h/t Mark Steyn)
Posted by Terry O'Neill on January 30, 2008 in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack
The caffeinated tax code
An exclusive Western Standard article by Seyitbek Usmanov:
"Forget the free lunch--employees can't even have free coffee without noting it on their income taxes."
Posted by Matthew Johnston on January 30, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Big city? Big government
An exclusive Western Standard article by Terrence Watson:
"As the Conservative Party is learning, buying votes by lavishly doling out grants is not as easy as it used to be."
Posted by Matthew Johnston on January 30, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack
For once, the alternative media gets it wrong
I'm guessing that nearly every American source of news trusted by the Canadian readership (NR, Fox News, talk radio, most bloggers, etc.), will insist that McCain sandbagged Romney by claiming he (Romney) once supported a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq.
FWIW (and that may not be much to you folks up there), the usually exceptional right-wing media missed this one:
When asked by ABC News’ Robin Roberts on “Good Morning America” if he believes there should be a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq, Romney replied, “Well, there’s no question that the president and Prime Minister al Maliki have to have a series of timetables and milestones that they speak about, but those shouldn’t be for public pronouncement.”
For why this quote is so damaging (and why McCain is right to point it out) read on.
Full disclosure: I've been a McCain supporter since Sunday.
Posted by D.J. McGuire on January 30, 2008 in International Politics | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack
A Sensible Shade of Red
Alexander Cockburn might, under ordinary circumstances, be the sort of crypto-communist who I'd like to have exiled to an Alaskan work-camp but even a stopped clock can be right once a day.
Cockburn joins the long list of people who've said perfectly sensible things about the hysteria over Climate Change and resultantly been subjected to a level of abuse ordinarily encountered only by someone wearing a yarmulke in Mecca.
Here in the West, the so-called ‘war on global warming’ is reminiscent of medieval madness. You can now buy Indulgences to offset your carbon guilt. If you fly, you give an extra 10 quid to British Airways; BA hands it on to some non-profit carbon-offsetting company which sticks the money in its pocket and goes off for lunch. This kind of behaviour is demented.
Of course, other people have said this all the time - but it's refreshing to hear an out-and-out red say it. At least the whole world hasn't gone crazy.
Since I started writing essays challenging the global warming consensus, and seeking to put forward critical alternative arguments, I have felt almost witch-hunted. There has been an hysterical reaction. One individual, who was once on the board of the Sierra Club, has suggested I should be criminally prosecuted.
Indeed, if he could step back a step further, he might observe that this sort of derangement is a central part of the modern left. Indeed, that the basic character of a good portion of his side is totalitarian at heart.
Just for the record - and in the interest of averting comments about my first comment in relation to my remarks about the left, my opening remark was a joke. Cockburn's niece is way to hot for me to wish him any specific harm.
Posted by Adam T. Yoshida on January 30, 2008 in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Liberal Fascism Finally Arrives in Canada
Chapters-Indigo's site is down at the moment, but - as of a few hours ago - Jonah Goldberg's new book, Liberal Fascism, has finally hit Canadian shelves. There were five copies listed as in-stock at the Coles store at Lougheed Mall in Coquitlam, BC. I'm guessing that stock at the rest will arrive and be set up tomorrow or the day after, since books tend to arrive company-wide when ordered.
Perhaps someone might ask our nation's monopoly bookseller why it took the better part of a month for them to get a New York Times-bestselling book onto their shelves. They don't seem to have any trouble stocking the other side's books. But, as I recall, they did have some difficulties with Mark Steyn's last opus. For that matter, they had their issues with the print version of this magazine.
Now, I'm a long-time Chapters customer (well, I'd pretty much have to be, wouldn't I?) - but I don't think that it can be denied that there's always a certian liberal bias in which books they stock, which they discount, and which they display. As a private business, of course, that's their right. However, one has to wonder if such behaviour is appropriate for a company which holds an effective monopoly on book retailing in this country (at least, a bookstore monopoly). I'm not free to just go to the local Barnes and Noble, after all (though, it should be said, that the Barnes and Noble in Bellingham didn't have it in stock last night either - said they were sold out - and that the girl at the counter gave me a real look when I asked after it).
Posted by Adam T. Yoshida on January 30, 2008 in Books | Permalink | Comments (24) | TrackBack
Made in China: It Might be Expensive, But it's Still Junk
One of the downsides of made-in-China stuff is that, while it might be cheap, it's still junk. It's just that, ten years ago, in general you only got junk if you were buying the same.
In the past week, I've had the following items die on me:
a) My iPhone headset.
b) An adapter plug to use a conventional headset with my iPhone.
c) A Logitech wireless mouse.
d) A wireless router.
None of these items were cheap off-brand knock-offs. They were all either relatively high-end products or accessories. None of them was much more than a year old (the router, I believe, was the oldest item at thirteen months).
(Continued after the break, if you want to learn a lot more about my present and future electronics)
The interesting thing is that, for the most part, I replaced these with more or less identical items. Indeed - I drove literally minutes ahead of the snowstorm which blanketed the Lower Mainland in order to replace my iPhone headset at the AT&T store in Bellingham, WA (yes, I realize that this is probably further evidence that I'm deranged, but I'm cool with that). The mouse, I bought another Logitech mouse - but actually went up to one of their VX Revolution models.
But, for the most part, that was because of a lack of a reasonable alternative.
My point isn't just to whine - it's that there's a market opening here. If someone were to manufacture products of a deliberately superior quality - and to advertise touting their relaibility at fairly reasonable prices - I would pay a premium.
Indeed, I'm in the market to consolidate my mess of computers (three in use at present) into a single unit, for reasons of portability. I'm looking at either getting one of the current-generation MacBook Pro's refurbished from Apple, or waiting for the Penryn-based Pro's to ship. But, frankly, as an avid reader of Apple forums, I'm a little concerned about the generation-after-generation reliability problems that we've seen in the Pro's (everything in the first gen, and all sorts of LED-related fun in the present gen). The result is that I'm thinking of a T62 ThinkPad as an alternative which, despite also being Chinese-made, seems to have a much better track record so far as reliability is concerned.
Though, I don't think that will happen - since I'm kind of in love with the MacBook Pro. More than kind-of, actually. I want a brand-new one as badly as... Well, I'll just leave it at that.
Of course, the biggest part of the manufacturing problem is that the Chinese are able to work unbelievably cheaply becuase they've replicated in an economic sense their traditional approach to warfare - the human wave. When you have a lot of people and don't care too much about their living conditions (don't have to care, for that matter) you can simply throw people into producing notebook computers - or at machine gun nests - and eventually numbers will tell, unless technology offsets mass.
And there's where the West's real chance lies. Human waves aren't terribly effective against people with fully automatic weapons. "For we have got the Maxim gun, and they have not," said the British a century ago. That's the real secret to beating back the Chinese economic threat - we need the economic equivilant of a Maxim gun.
Posted by Adam T. Yoshida on January 30, 2008 in Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBack
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
McCain is only inevitable until tomorrow
As we say often down here, a week is a lifetime in politics.
Posted by D.J. McGuire on January 29, 2008 in International Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
It's Over - McCain is the GOP Nominee
McCain won Florida. It looks like he's going to win bigger than indicated by polling. Seven or eight points is my guess.
Now comes word that Giuliani will endorse him tomorrow in California.
John McCain is, without a miracle for Romney on a bigger scale than McCain's own comeback (and in a single week) going to be the Republican nominee for President of the United States and, given how well he polls - and how ugly the Democratic race is getting - I'd say that McCain is now the odds-on favourite to be the 44th President of the United States.
Posted by Adam T. Yoshida on January 29, 2008 in International Politics | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack
Opposing 'liberal fascism'
Ron Gray, national leader of the Christian Heritage Party, has just issued a communique (not yet on the CHP's website) urging Canadians to light a fire under politicians so they will adopt an idea that I advanced last week in the National Post. My Post op-ed called on Stephen Harper and provincial premiers to amend the law so that human rights commissions no longer have the power to censor journalists such as Ezra Levant, Mark Steyn and, for that matter, me.
Here's the full text of Gray's communique, complete with its rather arresting headline:
Posted by Terry O'Neill on January 29, 2008 in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (25) | TrackBack
If you think the Republican contest was unpredictable
Jim Geraghty of National Review offers a scenario for the Democratic nomination that could split the party in half.
If both Hillary and Obama are short of the majority necessary, there will be 156 delegates from Michigan and 210 delegates from Florida, most of which will be for Hillary, sitting on the sidelines (DJ's note: the Dem Nat'l Committee stripped them of their delegates because they moved their primaries up so early). The Clintons will fight tooth and nail to get those into the count.
Under that scenario, the Obama camp and their supporters will be able to legitimately charge that yes, they did have the nomination stolen from them.
I further extened that possible scenario (here's my logic train, FWIW), and came up with this:
the GOP convention will begin four days after the Democratic one ends. So odds are any attempt at “healing” will still be in the early (and unproductive) stages when the GOP nominee (whoever it is) can shake things up even further by picking an African-American running mate (say, former Maryland Lt. Governor Michael Steele or former Congressman J.C. Watts).
. . . titanic “ifs,” but should they all hold up, we could be headed for a realignment election of earth-shattering proportions.
If a Canadian spring election is added to all this, we political junkies may need some serious rehab after this year.
Posted by D.J. McGuire on January 29, 2008 in International Politics | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
This is a good ruling, I think...
The case of William Whatcott brings together two of our favorite topics around here: abortion and freedom of speech. Whatcott, a nurse, had the bad sense to protest in front of a Planned Parenthood clinic in Saskatchewan. In 2004, this off-duty activity earned him two convictions of professional misconduct from a disciplinary committee of the Saskatchewan Association of Licensed Practical Nurses (SALPN.)
His punishment? A $15,000 fine and a 45 day suspension.
However, on January 16th, the Saskatchewan Court of Appeals overturned the convictions, arguing that disciplining Whatcott was not "rationally related" to SALPN's legitimate objective of upholding public respect for the nursing profession.
“There is no evidence that any member of the public thinks, or will think, less of nurses because of Mr. Whatcott’s behaviour,” Justice Jackson wrote. “In the absence of evidence, one way or the other, one might as easily hypothesize that licensed practical nurses are respected, as a general rule, not for what occurs during their off-duty hours, but for their direct activities in the case of patients.”
All in all, a good decision. Why should Mr. Whatcott's professional body be able to punish him for expressing his opinion in a legal manner while he was not even on the clock?
On the other hand... consider the actual content of Whatcott's speech:
Whatcott carried signs with pictures of fetuses, captioned “Planned Parenthood Aborts Babies.” He shouted phrases such as: “Planned Parenthood will give you AIDS”; “This place is the world’s biggest baby killer”; “Don’t let Planned Parenthood corrupt you;” “Planned Parenthood murders innocent babies”; and “fornicators will not inherit the kingdom”.
SALPN's definition of "professional misconduct" includes lying and making defamatory statements, because these are activities that might bring their profession into disrepute. Whatcott's "Planned Parenthood = AIDS" comment is arguably false and defamatory. Shouldn't professional bodies be able to punish their members for telling outrageous lies?
Posted by Terrence Watson on January 29, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBack
Putting on blinders to avoid seeing the truth
The National Post's Jonathan Kay is appalled that Canada has no law regulating or outlawing second- and third-trimester abortions, and wonders how this has come to pass. He thinks he found his answer at a Toronto "symposium."
He writes, "Locked in what they feel to be a tribal culture war against pro-lifers, the pro-choice camp allows itself no nuance. This is essentially the reason Canada has no abortion law: Any stirring of legislative action arouses such tribal war fury among pro-choicers as to send politicians scurrying."
In other words, the pro-aborts are fanatics.
Posted by Terry O'Neill on January 29, 2008 in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBack
While pro-aborts celebrated downtown
About 60 pro-lifers braved the sub-zero weather in suburban Coquitlam last night to attend a candlelight prayer vigil to mark the 20th anniversary of the Supreme Court of Canada's infamous Morgentaler decision (see my entry from yesterday, below, for more information). The event was peaceful, loving and, ultimately, hopeful. Here's a photo of the event.
Posted by Terry O'Neill on January 29, 2008 in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Monday, January 28, 2008
'Alberta's greed is a threat to the world'
A liberal dose of hysterical hyperbole from the left coast's left-wing online magazine.
Posted by Terry O'Neill on January 28, 2008 in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (48) | TrackBack
Florida predictions
For the Republicans, I'm guessing Romney; for the Democrats, Clinton (yes, the Dems have a primary; there just aren't any delegates involved due to the penalties for having it so early - Clinton is the only candidate who campaigned, albeit stealthily, in the Sunshine State).
Posted by D.J. McGuire on January 28, 2008 in International Politics | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
R.I.P - Gordon B. Hinckley (June 23, 1910 – January 27, 2008)
Gordon B. Hinckley is worth remembering:
"My forebears left there [England] in early times, two of them on the Mayflower, another in 1635, whose son became governor of Plymouth Colony, and others who fought in the Revolutionary War, which made of America a separate nation, but still joined together in brotherhood with a common language, a common culture, a common system of justice, a solemn respect for the dignity of man, and above all an attitude that human freedom and liberty are more precious than life itself." (Convocation for Honorary Degrees, BYU, March 5, 1996.)
"When you speak to the average citizen concerning the provisions of the Constitution he is likely to think of it in terms of the Bill of Rights rather than the Constitution itself. The Constitution sets up the machinery of government. The Bill of Rights denies to government those basic and fundamental elements of freedom which belong to the people as their divine inheritance and which they refuse to surrender to the whims of politicians." (Sons of American Revolution Dinner, May 4, 1990.)
Gordon B. Hinckley
Posted by Matthew Johnston on January 28, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (14) | TrackBack
Layton: We can't win, and the lies supporting why we shouldn't try . . .
When it comes to the Afghanistan mission, Jack Layton lets us all know what he's against. What's far less clear is what he's for. Then again, Jack plays it loose with the facts when describing even the Manley Report, which gets a lot more specific than a defeatist like Jack ever dares. . .
In an interview with Don Newman on CBC Newsworld's Politics today, Jack said at one point that there was no mention of "Peace" by Manley.
This isn't quite true. It's mentioned more than forty (40) times in the Manley Report, on pages 8, 12, 14, 20, 21, 24, 25. 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 49, 57, 66. 71, 72, 73, 78, 79, 81, and 89.
When Don pressed him to explain what good could possibly come from doing as the NDP wants and withdrawing the troops that are protecting the people of Afghanistan and the people working to rebuild that country, Jack sputtered out some dodgy nothingness about getting the UN involved . . . .
Get the U.N. involved? OK. Done. The mission in Afghanistan is sanctioned and by the United Nations. In fact, Jack, the UN wants to bring these Taliban SOBs to justice just like the rest of us - It just called for a redoubling of efforts ten days ago after a recent bombing. I guess Layton isn't above trying to capitalize on the 'information deficit.' He'd prefer to spread the lie that the UN isn't involved or that the UN's prescription would be some magic solution that didn't involve fighting the bad guys.
Jack's not above a lot of stuff. He uses Afghanistan's Human Rights Commission as a source of information on civilian casualties, but is silent on the fact that the head of that same Human Rights Commission disagrees completely with Jack's pro-pullout Afghanistan policy.
So despite what Jack claims, all the supposed bogey men in this coalition want peace - they're just willing to be honest about what it will take to get there;
So the UN is involved and looking for precisely the opposite of what Jack claims;
So the Human Rights Commission in Afghanistan that Jack considers reliable wants Canada's troops to stay in their current role.
What's left for Jack to suggest?
Give up.
Jack's final words in the Newman interview:
". . . it's as though we're gonna charge off with a few more troops and win a war that clearly can't be won. "
Whether or not he's intending to serve in the role, Jack Layton is a great asset to the anti-democratic, anti-women, anti-freedom and anti-peace cause of the Taliban. What's lost on him and his supporters is the fact that even if every NATO soldier packed it in today, there'd be nothing "peaceful" about the re-establishment of a country-sized thug ghetto and a torturous regime.
Posted by Liam O'Brien on January 28, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (18) | TrackBack
Hillary Vs. Bill
Seems Bill Clinton is doing his wife Hillary more harm than good in her quest to become the Democratic nominee for president.
Thwarting Hillary's political ambitions is probably a worse sin in her mind than marital infidelity.
So Bill better watch out.
On the other hand, Victor Davis Hanson wonders why Bill wants America to embrace Hillary when he spent 30 years running away from her.
Crossposted at Making Sense with Nicholls
Posted by Gerry Nicholls on January 28, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBack
Micheal Coren Show covers the Steyn/Levant HRC controversy
The show tapes and airs tomorrow (Tuesday, January 29, 2008). Details here.
Posted by Kathy Shaidle on January 28, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack
Here we go again
Controversy over "the right to offend" is on the boil in the Netherlands, as Western values clash with the usual villain.
Posted by Terry O'Neill on January 28, 2008 in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Celebrating the infamous
Interesting to see that Simon Fraser University's Women's Studies Department is being lauded in this poster about tonight's feminist celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Supreme Court of Canada's Morgentaler decision. More evidence of the rampant bias in such departments, it appears.
Also interesting to see is that the part of the poster that advertises the screening of the documentary film Henry describes the abortionist as "one of Canada's biggest heroes." It's a ridiculous assertion, of course, especially in light of the fact that last summer's flawed but telling Beaver poll placed him as the third "worst Canadian" of all time--showing that he remains an extremely divisive figure.
Meantime, while feminists gather tonight to celebrate their unfettered ability to kill defenceless unborn children, a pro-life group in my neck of the woods will be holding a candlelight prayer vigil to mark the infamous date. Organizer Colleen Roy says her group will erect 274 tiny crosses, one for each of the unborn children who dies every day at the hands of an abortionist in Canada.
Posted by Terry O'Neill on January 28, 2008 in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (21) | TrackBack
At times I even surprise myself
Approximately 24 hours after I decided the GOP candidates couldn't stumble backwards fast enough, a spat between two of them over Iraq has convinced me that one stopped his reversal cold.
Yet even as I typed this post, I couldn't believe I was doing it. Still, the process of elimination made it inevitable:
As I have traveled the road from Fairfax County political activist to Spotsylvania blogger, America has gone from a deceptive “peace” to a war for her survival against an array of enemies from the Middle East and Central Asia (Wahhabists, Ba’athists, and Khomeinists - hence my term for this war: the Wahhabist-Ba’athist-Khomeinist War, or WBK War for short). Now, of the five candidates, only four (McCain, Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, and Mike Huckabee) and seem to recognize the danger we face; only three (McCain, Giuliani, and Huckabee) seem determined to fight the enemy wherever it can be found; only two (McCain and Giuliani) are adequately aware of the ways of the world to put that determination to good use.
Only one has the experience, determination, foresight, and vision to win this war as soon as possible, and he is John McCain.
Surprised? I know I am.
Posted by D.J. McGuire on January 28, 2008 in International Politics | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack
Sunday, January 27, 2008
What are our parliamentarians thinking?
Gerry Nicholls reminds us that parliament convenes tomorrow. The best way I know to understand what’s on the minds of our parliamentarians is to take a look at the private members bills before the house.
I like James Bezan’s initiative to create “Ukrainian Famine and Genocide Memorial Day.” An annual reminder of the horrors of Stalinism seems like a good idea.
I’m always impressed with the legislative work of Gary Breitkreuz. He’s solid, and so is his bill to strengthen property rights.
And here’s one for the Conservative base: Ken Epp’s crafty little bill to strengthen the legal rights of the unborn and force a debate on abortion.
And here’s an awful private members bills from Liberal Wayne Easter to promote supply management in agriculture. Bad idea.
I have my own standard for good legislation: 1. It's written with an eraser. 2. Government is reduced. 3) And the private sector and civil society is strengthened. I've learned to expect less.
Matthew Johnston
Posted by westernstandard on January 27, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Media is the Message
Parliament resumes tomorrow.
I can't wait to see what issues the Liberals raise in the House of Commons on behalf of the CBC.
Posted by Gerry Nicholls on January 27, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBack
Vancouver Libertarian Supper Club event notice
Michael Cust on the foundations of property...
When: Saturday, February 2, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Speaker: Michael Cust (MA candidate in Political Science, University of Waterloo)
Topic: The foundations of property: comparing Hobbes, Locke & Rousseau
(This topic is Cust's MA thesis to be completed Summer 2008. This thesis is being written under the direction of Canada's foremost libertarian philosopher, Jan Narveson, author of The Libertarian Idea.)
Cust is presently an intern at the Fraser Institute in Vancouver. He is a veteran of many political campaigns including Stockwell Day's campaign for leadership of the Canadian Alliance and Marc Emery's BC Marijuana Party provincial election in 2001.
He is the author of essays including Block the Extradition of a Hero for Liberty, The Politics of South Park, and Canada’s Stake in the Security and Prosperity Partnership.
Where: Cheers Restaurant, 125 E. 2nd Street (at Lonsdale), North Vancouver
Cost: $2 to the club and then order from the menu. (The buffet is just under $20)
RSVP required: Please let me know if you are coming by replying to this announcement ([email protected]). (Cheers wants to know how many will be there.) Please feel free to distribute this announcement to those you think will be interested in this fine talk.
PS: A popular topic of dinner conversation will undoubtedly be whether the Ron Paul campaign will be helpful for libertarianism.
Paul Geddes ([email protected])
Posted by Matthew Johnston on January 27, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
On defamation
Think you’re a defender of free speech? How far are you willing to go?
Everyone seems to agree that defamation laws and libel chill can be a threat to free speech, but nobody seems prepared to call for an end to these laws.
Well almost nobody. Some libertarian free speech advocates have challenged the integrity of defamation and libel laws. Their argument goes like this:
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4.2. Defamation and libel
Most commentators have argued that one has a legitimate ownership right to one’s reputation. But this is not so. For the simple reason that one’s reputation consists of the thoughts of other people. That is, A’s reputation consists solely of the thoughts of B, C, D, and B’s reputation of those of A, C, D . . . etc. But since no one can own the thoughts of other people, one cannot, paradoxically, own one’s own reputation.
While there can be no universal right to one’s reputation, and libel and defamation do not constitute exploitation per se, the right of a person to engage in libellous or defamatory action is not unrestricted. For while everyone has an unrestricted right concerning his thoughts, the right of free speech is not absolute. For example, no one has the right to tell another person ‘unless you hand over to me your wallet, I’ll shoot you.’ This sort of speech would be strictly forbidden in a private property society. It is a threat to engage in initiatory violence. As well, no one, including any of my detractors, has a right to come to my living room to give me a speech or tell me what he thinks about me and when I tell him to leave object on the ground of his right to freedom of speech. A trespasser has no free speech rights whatsoever – on my property. Free speech rights, so called, are really but an instance of private property rights. I can say anything I want on my property and so can anyone else, including any libellous person, on his own property.
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Walter Block, the co-author of this essay, dedicates a chapter to this subject in his book Defending the Undefendable. Frederick Hayek called the book “a real service”.
If you don’t oppose defamation laws in principle, can you really condemn those who use these laws to protect their reputations from harm?
Posted by Matthew Johnston on January 27, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Sneaky taxes fund B.C. global-warming crusade
Canada's left coast is sliding further and further to the left these days, as the B.C. Liberal government of Gordon Campbell tries to elbow its way to the front of the climate-change stampede.
Finance Minister Carole Taylor is even talking about introducing carbon taxes in the upcoming provincial budget, a measure she at first declared would be revenue neutral. However, she later contradicted herself by revealing that she wasn't actually planning any tax reductions to offset the increases.
Mary Woo Sims and I debate this issue in today's Face to Face feature in the Tri-City News. Of course, given my scepticism about the whole climate-change juggernaut, I'm opposed to any carbon tax. But I also advance the position that government should not be forcing citizens to pay any such tax in the first place. Let those of us who think global-warming is a serious problem adopt voluntary measures to fight it; the rest of us can continue leading our lives in a way we consider to be reasonable and responsible.
Also on the subject of sneaky, green tax increases, the Vancouver Sun's Vaughn Palmer on Saturday exposed the surreptitious way in which the Campbell crowd snuck in a new energy tax last year, also part of his global-warming-fighting agenda.
Perhaps it's time to start taking the B.C. Conservative Party a little more seriously.
Posted by Terry O'Neill on January 27, 2008 in Canadian Provincial Politics | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBack
Saturday, January 26, 2008
The states of the races
Barack Obama's huge win will have the punditry going ga-ga and insisting he has the momentum now. Don't believe it.
Meanwhile, the Republican race continues to be unpredictable, although it appears the winner of the Florida primary will have the inside track to the nomination. The readers from up north might be wondering why there is so much angst among Republican voters about this field of candidates. I tried to explain why here; what follows is the main thrust - my reactions during the last debate on Thursday night:
In fact, I was more disturbed by the state of the race after I saw the debate than before. I drifted from candidate to candidate during the debate, only to have the candidates themselves remind me why I stayed away from them in the first place.
I know it sounds weird, but the more we find out about these candidates, the worse they look. It could be a tremendous problem for the GOP come November.
Posted by D.J. McGuire on January 26, 2008 in International Politics | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack
Empowering the mullahs?
From the recent article by Amir Taheri:
"More regime opponents were killed or thrown into prison under Rafsanjani and Khatami than under Ahmadinejad. And both "reformers" tried to export the Khomeinist revolution via agents and clients in many Muslim countries, especially in the Middle East."
Iranian regime reformers and hardliners are no different. The current so-called reformers are those who seized the US embassy in 1979 and helped massacre the dissidents in the 1980s and killed foreign based ex-government officials such as Prime Minister Shapur Bakhtiar and other Kurdish leaders. No elements of this inhumane regime can be trusted and voting in their sham elections only prolong the regime's life. And the US Secretary of State Condi Rice is wrong to believe that promoting dialogue with this evil regime can bring peace to the region.
Posted by Winston on January 26, 2008 in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Friday, January 25, 2008
New cartoon at the WS
McCullough, our cartoonist, takes on the U.S. Federal Reserve in this week's comic entitled "Voodoo Economics."
Posted by westernstandard on January 25, 2008 in Western Standard | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack
Pushing the limits of free speech on American TV
Friday night potty humour...
Watch Family Guy’s hilarious Osama bin Laden outtakes and listen to the anti-FCC song.
Show creator Seth MacFarlane pushes the limits of free speech and good taste in every episode.
Posted by Matthew Johnston on January 25, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission and Free Speech
'What follows is my question to the AHR&CC and their response. Do I feel any better about my right to free speech and expression as supposedly protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms? Quite simply, no. Based on the way this Commission is currently operating I see it as a can of worms. How do we deal with it? Two days ago I attended a presentation by Alan Borovoy, entitled "Whatever happened to free speech?" He was one of the persons instumental in getting human rights commissions established. He was dead against them dabbling in "Freedom of Speech and Expression" matters but offered only turning the bright light of public scorn on their proceedings. I say if you are faced with dealing with a can of worms you first arm yourself with an appropriate can opener.
Thank you for visiting the Alberta Government feedback web site. Following is the response to your question prepared by Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture [TPRC]
On 2008-01-25 12:37:00.0 you wrote:
What in the act authorizing your existence or the mandate under which the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission operates allows you to act on and award punishments in cases that are not in any way illegal and are strictly matters of free speech or freedom of expression which is expressly protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms?
Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture responds as follows:
Thank you for your Alberta Connects inquiry. The Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission is an independent body of the Government of Alberta. In addition to providing public information and education programs that help to reduce racism and discrimination, the Commission accepts human rights complaints made under the Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Act (HRCMA).
The HRCMA protects Albertans from discrimination on grounds such as race, colour, gender, and religious belief, and in areas such as employment, services, tenancy, and publications and notices. The Act also includes a strong statement upholding the right to free expression of opinion on any subject.
When the Commission receives a complaint in the area of publications and notices, it has the difficult task of balancing the right to be free from discrimination and the right to free expression. The Commission is guided by the Act, by Supreme Court decisions, and decisions from other courts regarding what constitutes discrimination in publications.
The Commission follows standard procedures that are in keeping with the provisions of the Act for all complaint files. Both parties are offered complaint conciliation services that often result in a settlement agreement. If settlement is not possible, the Commission conducts an investigation to determine whether or not there is a reasonable basis to proceed with the complaint. If there is no reasonable basis to proceed, the complaint is dismissed. If there is a reasonable basis to proceed, the matter is referred to a human rights panel.
Human rights panels hold public hearings into complaints. The Commissioners are appointed by Order in Council through public competition. Commissioners are selected based on their human rights knowledge and their ability to run fair hearings. Panel decisions can be appealed to the Court of Queens bench. Additional information is available on the Commission’s website at www.albertahumanrights.ab.ca
Government reviews all legislation from time to time to ensure that it is meeting its intended purpose, and your comments will be kept in mind".
Posted by Bob Wood on January 25, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (17) | TrackBack
Sceptical people still need to be persuaded
The headline on the B.C. government's big news release today reads, "B.C. TO FUND WORLD-LEADING CLIMATE RESEARCH." But read the release, and it becomes clear that the $94.5 million "Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions" isn't just about climate-change science. Instead, the centre is also slated to be a public-relations hub, "to find ways to educate and encourage greener lifestyles."
Oh, did I just say "public relations"? Sorry, I meant to say, "propaganda."
Posted by Terry O'Neill on January 25, 2008 in Canadian Provincial Politics | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack
Saddam lied, people died
Sure, it's not as catchy as the Bush-Derangement-Syndrome-fueled original, but it has one thing said original doesn't have . . . it's true.
Posted by D.J. McGuire on January 25, 2008 in International Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
A ten year forecast on the Calgary job market
And in local news...
Calgary Economic Development (CED) announced today that they are going to release the results of a commissioned report on a 10-year forecast of employment demand in the Calgary region. Calgary’s Employment Demand Forecast will be released on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 and will “assist in identifying the occupations of high growth anticipated over the next 10 years.”
So what do you think?
Will we need more realtors and mortgage brokers – or more bankruptcy trustees and bailiffs? Fewer elementary school teachers but more geriatric nurses? More preachers and prison guards for the casualties of hard times - or more travel agents and plastic surgeons for the oil rich?
Are you bullish on the next ten years in Calgary – or have you caught the subprime flu?
And, for those of you who call Calgary home, what do you think about the future of civic life in our city?
Let me know.
Posted by Matthew Johnston on January 25, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Boycotting the Racists
Dysfunctional, corrupt, wasteful, undemocratic --- these are the words which best describe the United Nations.
Yet strangely, Canadians generally hold this institution in high esteem.
That's why it took something akin to courage for the Harper government to boycott the UN's "anti-racism" conference scheduled to take place next year.
Of course, the government is doing the right thing.
As the Canadian Coalition for Democracies put it, "the last UN anti-racism conference held in Durban in 2001 degenerated into a hate-fest of anti-Jewish and anti-Israel vitriol, while the most egregious human rights violators escaped criticism."
Posted by Gerry Nicholls on January 24, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (19) | TrackBack
Enough to drive you to drink . . .
Liquor store employees in Nova Scotia will soon be voting on a cushy wage increase. A new deal was reached this week. As their union leader Joan Jessome put it, "The employer did not get any of the concessions they were looking for and there were quite a few of them." For those trying to follow, "the employer" here is a crown corporation run by the government of Nova Scotia.
It's hard to believe that in 2008 there are still antiquated state monopolies running liquor sales. It's a pan-Canadian shame. In Saskatchewan not that long ago, CTF found that the cost of running government liquor stores has soared.
There is another way. You get to keep all of the revenue, dramatically increase employment in the sector, dramatically improve product selection and avoid the pitfalls, public sector labour tactics and politicization of state run liquor sales: Privatize it. It worked in Alberta; It works in a lot of places - from Taiwan to Ireland to New Zealand. Politicians, union bosses and bureaucrats might drive us all to drink, but it doesn't mean they should be holding the bottle for us. . .
Posted by Liam O'Brien on January 24, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBack
Two years and counting
At 4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Friday afternoon in the Congress Hall of the Ottawa Congress Centre, Prime Minister Stephen Harper will deliver remarks at an event celebrating the government's second-year anniversary. He will be joined by members of the Conservative Caucus.
Two years in a fragile minority government. I have to admit it: I never dreamed that even such an astute strategist and tactician as Mr. Harper could pull it off. Then again, I never imagined that Stephane Dion would suffer from such an acute case of political osteoporosis or that Jack Layton would devolve into a caricature of himself.
Posted by Terry O'Neill on January 24, 2008 in Canadian Politics | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack