Canadian breaking news and politics and hats and general sexiness [Archive]

betenoire

12-10-2010, 12:55 PM

I really wanted us to have our own thread.

Anyway, I was fishing around on the CBC website just now and found these poll results:

Tories hold teenytiny lead, according to EKOS poll (http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/12/09/ekos-voter-intention-poll.html)

~~~

Sometimes I wish that the Liberals, NDP, and Green Party would amalgamate, like the "Unite the Right (http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/conservativeparty/uniteright_timeline.html)" fiasco. It would guarantee a loss for the CPC - which would (almost) make me happy.

Thoughts on this?

Most of the time I do NOT wish to see the Liberals, NDP, and Green Party become one big happy family. That would cut us down to exactly 2 viable parties - which feels very American to me (so that would make me unhappy).

(Do not try to tell me that the Liberals and the Conservatives are currently the only viable parties in Canada - I do think that the Green party has a real future as they are so popular with people my age and younger. As more young people get old enough to vote and more of the older generations who are more likely to vote Conservative, you know, die...I think there's a pretty real possibility that we will see a Green PM at some point, although that may not be for another 30 years.)

Also - nothing good rhymes with Left. So there couldn't be a fun catchphrase to go with the movement. ;)

ALSO - I don't see the Liberal party as politically "left" by any stretch of the imagination. (Although, with the amalgamation of PC and Alliance/Reform - you saw a move toward the right for the new CPC party. Maybe joining forces with the NDP and Green Party would force a move to the left for the Liberals. That'd be nice.)

EnderD_503

12-16-2010, 02:20 PM

Maybe joining forces with the NDP and Green Party would force a move to the left for the Liberals. That'd be nice.)

Somehow I don't think that's how it'd go down. I think instead we'd see the disappearance of the more left-leaning aspects of the NDP and Green Party, and the emergence of a larger, more powerful Liberal party with a system much closer to what the Americans have in place. Don't think anything will really change in one fell swoop, but hopefully society will continue to become less religious over time, and therefore less conservative, and the prevalence of science and human rights will eventually completely boot whatever religion contributes to politics today out beyond the fringes of society. That would be a nice start...

Linus

12-16-2010, 06:13 PM

I thought the Green Party in Canada was fiscally right-wing, even if on a platform of environmentalism? I seem to remember a candidate in Toronto East being that (the one that ran in Cabbagetown in the early 2000s)

dark_crystal

12-16-2010, 06:48 PM

i have nothing to add to the discussion regarding the teenytiny lead of the tories

i do, however, have a hat

http://cn1.kaboodle.com/hi/img/b/0/0/1a/2/AAAAC0qy__0AAAAAABojWQ.jpg?v=1229328351000

and come to think of it, i've been accused of general sexiness, but your mileage may vary

EnderD_503

02-06-2011, 06:36 PM

Also - nothing good rhymes with Left. So there couldn't be a fun catchphrase to go with the movement. ;)

Well, they could always go with the United Front of Lefty Pinkos, or possibly Lefty Bicycle Riding Pinkos...name courtesy of Mr. Don Cherry, of course :p

Anyways, so I saw an article in Metro the other day and thought I'd share to see what current/former Torontonians and others thought.

Attack In Gay Village a Hate Crime: Police
TORSTAR NEWS SERVICE
Published: January 31, 2011 5:43 a.m.
Last modified: January 30, 2011 8:45 p.m.

Toronto Police are calling a recent late-night assault in the Gay Village a hate crime, stoking concerns the neighbourhood is no longer safe.

Ryan Lester, 30, was kicked in the face and called “faggot” while getting a post-bar snack at Mehran Restaurant on Church St. early Saturday Jan. 22. His 24-year-old brother, Ben, suffered deep bruises on his back and had to go to the dentist to repair a broken molar.

The beating comes on the heels of allegations that local students from Jarvis Collegiate have been hurling slushies, ice and homophobic slurs at residents in the Gay Village.

While one victim believes the slushie incident was a crime of opportunity, Lester said he used to have a sense of security in the Gay Village, but the recent incidents have him on edge.

“I think all of us (now have) a false sense of security in the village. I thought of it as an inherently safe space. If you have a problem with gay people, you just don’t go there,” Lester said.

Eoin McManus, 21, and Benjamin McCall, 21, both of Toronto, have each been charged with two counts of assault and one count of mischief after breaking the restaurant’s front window.

Toronto Police recorded 174 hate crimes in 2009, the most recent year for which statistics are available. Twenty six were related to sexual orientation.

Source: http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/local/article/758483--attack-in-gay-village-a-hate-crime-police

Thoughts on Lester's suggestion that the Village is becoming less safe? Are Torontonians (or Canadians at large) becoming more tolerant or intolerant? How does this all fit (or does it at all?) within the backdrop of increased support for politicians representing the Christian right?

betenoire

02-06-2011, 11:45 PM

Thoughts on Lester's suggestion that the Village is becoming less safe? Are Torontonians (or Canadians at large) becoming more tolerant or intolerant? How does this all fit (or does it at all?) within the backdrop of increased support for politicians representing the Christian right?

I don't know that I would say that the Gaybourhood (or anywhere else in Toronto) is "less safe" than it has been. I remember a few years (probably 6?) back there was a rash of incidents in the neighborhood - it seems to be somewhat cyclical.

I also don't think that Canadians are becoming less tolerant - but I think that those who ARE intolerant are currently feeling more angry and have more brevity than usual. The culture wars are back - thanks to the right wing in the US. Every time the culture wars get dragged to the forefront shit like this starts to happen.

betenoire

02-10-2011, 12:59 AM

Transgender protection bill approved by Commons (http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2011/02/09/ndp-transgender.html)

An NDP private member's bill to protect transgender people from discrimination was passed by the House of Commons, but could face a roadblock in the Conservative dominated Senate.

Soon

02-10-2011, 07:46 AM

Transgender protection bill approved by Commons (http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2011/02/09/ndp-transgender.html)

Reading the comments under the article has made for an interesting morning.

EnderD_503

02-10-2011, 09:14 AM

Reading the comments under the article has made for an interesting morning.

I was so happy yesterday when I heard the news and still am, but some of those comments can make you go from ecstatic to seeing red. I know it does little to get pissed about some of the crap that was written in there, but seriously, when exactly are trans people going to start being considered human beings by the general population? If someone equated the rights of ethnic minorities to the rights of geese, it would be an entirely different story in the eyes of the majority of the Canadian population. But it's ok to spew this kind of garbage because hey it's just about "those freaks over there." The fact that you can dehumanise someone to that degree and nobody bats an eyelash is proof enough that current laws supposedly protecting trans people leave much to be desired. It's very easy for someone whose rights are protected by law to shrug off the struggle of someone whose rights are not protected by law. "Life is easy for me, therefore anyone who tries to struggle for their own rights is just a whiney, lazy bastard."

MsTinkerbelly

02-10-2011, 01:48 PM

Canada's Parliament Approves Transgender And Gender Identity Protections

By a vote of 143-135, the Canadian Parliament has narrowly approved a bill granting transgender and gender identity anti-discrimination protections nationwide. The bill now goes to the Senate, where it faces a tough battle.

Bill C-389 now goes to the Senate, where it must go through three readings. Readings in the Senate don’t take months-to-years as they do for Private Members Bills in Parliament. However, as far as I know, a Senator still needs to be found who is willing to bring the bill to the floor. There could be some perils in the Senate. In the past, the Senate has mostly just ratified and tweaked legislation passed by Parliament, but as Harper has packed more conservatives into the Senate (rather than reforming it to create an elected Senate, which he once campaigned on), it has been sometimes used more undemocratically. In one recent such move, he used a lack of attendance of Liberal senators to kill a climate change bill. It is also still entirely possible that an election call could kill the bill before it is enacted into law. What would happen then is that as a community, we would need to press candidates and parties to pledge to finish what was started, and also to address other glaring omissions such as the absence of sex / gender from the hate crimes provisions from the Criminal Code of Canada.

***I know you posted the story, but some of us are link challanged!***

DapperButch

02-10-2011, 04:21 PM

Transgender protection bill approved by Commons (http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2011/02/09/ndp-transgender.html)

Once again, kudos to the :canadian:s

betenoire

02-11-2011, 11:01 AM

NFB Interactive - Pine Point (http://interactive.nfb.ca/#/pinepoint)

This isn't news or anything.

A friend of mine forwarded this to me last night. It's an interactive project about a town in the NYT called "Pine Point" that no longer exists. It's super interesting and it made me really sad.

Because there isn't anybody who can't relate to loss.

Soon

02-14-2011, 03:45 PM

A Montreal Band (The Arcade Fire) Won Album of the Year at the Grammy`s! (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/13/the-arcade-fire-grammy-_n_822697.html)

EnderD_503

02-17-2011, 03:51 PM

Since it may get more views over here, thought I'd put this over here instead of the trans zone:

Tell the Senate to pass Bill C-389 as soon as possible

We are so close to seeing trans human rights inscribed in law – but we need your help for Bill C-389 to pass one more hurdle.

On February 10, a majority of MPs voted to add gender identity and gender expression to the Canadian Human Rights Act and federal hate crimes laws.

Now it’s up to the Senate to pass the bill, so it can be given Royal Assent. With the threat of a spring election looming, we need to act now.

Send a letter to the Senators in your province now (Link: http://petition.web.net/psac/node/48?utm_source=PSAC+Master+List&utm_campaign=bc1b52a91f-Get_C_389_through_the_senate_eng2_16_2011&utm_medium=email). Tell them to obey the decision of Parliament and act for trans human rights today.

betenoire

02-17-2011, 04:08 PM

hey Ender, do you know where I can find a list of which MPs voted which way on the bill?

I want to see if that douchebaggleturdwad MP of mine (sorry, I really don't like her) did the right thing - which she probably didn't because she's a douchebaggleturdwad.

ETA - Found it (http://openparliament.ca/bills/votes/1056/)

And no, she did not do the right thing. GOD she is so annoying!

EnderD_503

02-17-2011, 04:30 PM

betenoire

02-17-2011, 04:33 PM

Is she Conservative?

Ugh, honestly I don't get those who vote against this (well, actually I do "get" them, but it just pisses me off and wish they'd leave others alone to live their lives).

Fortunately my MP is decent, very gay and voted for the bill.

Yes, she's conservative and pure evil.

She tried to pull some sneaky anti-choice bullshit in 2007 so I've been on her ass ever since. She also has yet to respond to even one of my dozens of emails.

I live in a really shitty town right now.

betenoire

02-19-2011, 12:37 PM

I just emailed my MP (Patricia Davidson, AKA the devil) to let her know that I am disappointed with how she voted on Bill C-389 and reminded her that I won't be voting for her.

I know she doesn't give a shit, but it still needed doing.

I'm starting to think she's got my email address kill-filtered - I have NEVER heard back from her. I should start showing up at her office. ;)

EnderD_503

03-01-2011, 03:18 PM

crap wrong topic

AtLast

03-01-2011, 03:53 PM

Now, HOW is it that one secures a Visa for Canada? Guess I have to settle for visiting.... always have enjoyed your country!

Soon

03-17-2011, 02:54 PM

CANADA: Florist Refuses Gay Wedding

A florist in New Brunswick has refused to provide flowers for a gay wedding because she "must respect her conscience before God."

After agreeing to provide the flowers for a wedding, Kim Evans of Petals and Promises Wedding Flowers sent an email last month to the couple, saying she didn't know it was a same-sex wedding and would have no part of the ceremony. "I am choosing to decline your business. As a born-again Christian,

I must respect my conscience before God and have no part in this matter," the email said. Evans has not returned calls from CBC News to explain her decision. Mario Bourgeois Leduc, wedding planner for the couple, who didn't want their names released, said he was appalled by the florist's email, especially since "you're celebrating love and you're going against all of the odds to celebrate what is important in your life." "This is going to stay with them for years, because they were again told that their lives are not OK."

According to the New Brunswick Human Rights Act, businesses cannot refuse customers based on sexual orientation. This Saturday a group of LGBT activists will hold a protest at the shop.

A group of gays and lesbians form New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are planning a protest at Petals and Promises florist shop, 39 Glen Pine Drive, in Riverview, New Brunswick. The demonstration will take place on Saturday, March 19, from 3 to 6 PM. Protesters are encouraged to bring flowers to lay at the doorstep of the florist shop to make the point that the LGBT community is aware of the illegal actions of the florist in refusing services for a same-sex wedding, yet they are not condemning them for their religious beliefs.

Should the couple pursue a complaint, you can bet this incident will be heralded by the Christianist right as yet another example of the legalized homofacism coming to America.

Original Article:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2011/03/16/nb-riverview-florist-1009.html <--for those interested, there are over 1200 Comments from our fellow Canadians with some varying opinions; so far, mostly in support of the couple, but a handful (only got through first three pages) are quite unenlightened when it comes to our Charter and equality laws. :|

/snip/

Eldon Hay, a United Church minister in Sackville and a well-known gay rights advocate, said he still sympathizes with the florist.

"The shopkeeper has every right to her own convictions as long as she is a private citizen in her own house," Hay said.

"But if she opens her doors to sell flowers, then she must be prepared to meet and deal with the public."

According to the New Brunswick Human Rights Act, anyone doing business in the province cannot refuse customers based on race, religion or sexual orientation.

LGBT Protest: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2011/03/16/nb-riverview-florist-1009.html

EnderD_503

03-24-2011, 10:03 AM

Budget's in and elections are happening. Which means Bill C-389 is very likely dead in the water as of now barring a miracle...fuck.

suebee

03-24-2011, 10:37 AM

I googled because I didn't know this bill by it's number: discouraging the sites that have sprung up against it. "The Homosexual Agenda" seems to be at work again. :readfineprint: I sure wish somebody would email me a copy! :|

betenoire

03-24-2011, 01:44 PM

My homosexual agenda mostly has to do with paying my rent and figuring out when I'm going to have time to do laundry. I have no idea when these people think we have time for world domination.

MsTinkerbelly

03-25-2011, 10:07 AM

Canada To Help LGBT Refugees

In a partnership with an LGBT group, Canada has announced a landmark asylum program to assist LGBT refugees fleeing persecution in their home countries.
Through the project, Citizenship and Immigration Canada will work with the Rainbow Refugee Committee to share the cost of sponsoring gay, lesbian, transgender, transsexual and bisexual refugees overseas to Canada. The department will provide $100,000 in assistance to cover three months of income support for the refugees upon their arrival here, while the Rainbow committee will offer orientation services, accommodation, food and other basic needs. “These funds are a welcome first step in response to the crisis facing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people around the globe, at a time when 77 countries continue to criminalize homosexuality and five prescribe the death penalty,” said Helen Kennedy, executive director of Egale Canada, the country’s largest LGBT human rights organization.

Greyson

03-25-2011, 10:33 AM

USA Non-Profit Program for LGBTQ Refugees - ORAM

My apologies for posting this here in the Canadian thread but because I have a meeting in a few minutes, I decided to do it in support of post about Canada's Program.

__________________________________________________ ______________

Dear Friends,

I've been asked to share this with you.

“Gay Sex Pervert Can’t Boink Wife” in big black typeface covered more than a third of the tabloid newspaper Moses held up for everyone in the audience to see. These words were next to a large photo of him which took up the other third of the paper. Moses had run for his life to America seeking asylum after his community in Uganda found out he was gay. Being gay in Uganda is front page news!

Moses was orphaned at a young age. Both of his parents died of AIDS. The irony is that the same country that donated money to “help” people like Moses’ parents, people with HIV, also imported radical anti-gay evangelism that ultimately forced Moses to flee his own country to save his life.

For the past several years, influenced by American evangelicals who have taken their anti-gay fight overseas, the Ugandan government has been trying to pass a bill that would make homosexuality a crime punishable by death and would give life sentences to anyone who knows about an LGBT person and doesn’t report them to the government. While this horrific law has not passed, LGBT people in Uganda are public enemy #1 and have been violently attacked, some brutally murdered, because of the climate of virulent homophobia.

Moses has a beautiful smile and an androgynous appearance. He is gentle and extremely intelligent. You could hardly imagine the horrors he has experienced by his calm demeanor. He’s clearly someone who has learned to roll with the punches. For Moses, the punches started when he was just a boy and caught engaging in sexual play with another boy his age at his school. Moses spoke about being repeatedly beaten by his father after this was discovered. He learned to hide, but never deny, the truth of who he was.

When he was “outed” again as a young professor, it became clear that he was going to lose his job. He was pressured into marrying a woman. This of course did not make him a heterosexual, nor stop his true sexual orientation from being expressed, and he was finally forced to leave the country to save his own life. He’s applied for asylum in the United States several times and there have been several errors in his case. To date, he has not been granted asylum.

I met Moses at a forum on LGBT Asylum presented at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley and sponsored by Rev. Roland Stringfellow of the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies.

Neil Grungas, the Executive Director of the Organization for Refuge, Asylum and Migration (ORAM), painted a grim picture of the situation LGBT asylum seekers face. Unlike LGBT asylum seekers, most heterosexual asylum seekers are reunited with other family or community members. They have the support of their culture and religion to fall back on.

LGBT asylum seekers, however, are fleeing from homophobic family, community, and religious organizations. They are isolated beyond measure and completely dependent on the kindness of strangers. Many LGBT asylum seekers, Grungas says “flee violence by community members or ‘honor killings’ by their own families.”

Grungas says that even upon relocation, LGBT asylum seekers are at-risk for suicide and substance abuse. Many have severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder from childhood abuse, sexual abuse, and violent acts against them. In the U.S., they are unable to go many churches for support because of the churches’ anti-gay stance and the LGBT community is not set up to provide the kinds of psychological, vocational, and other support these refugees need.

The Organization for Refuge, Asylum and Migration (ORAM) is committed to providing training and support to LGBTI organizations and mainstream organizations to help educate them about the needs of LGBT refugees and to helping LGBTI refugees resettle.
They have an “Adopt An LGBTI Refugee” program where folks can make donations or literally house an LGBTI refugee. Their website is www.oraminternational.org

We met another man from Uganda at the forum, a young gospel singer. He had fled the country only a week earlier after his picture was published in the paper stating that he was involved in a sexual relationship with a priest. A friend of ours had sent out an e-mail the week previously asking us if we would be able to house a young man fleeing Uganda for his life or if we knew anyone else who could. We have a small two bedroom house and I work out of the one room, so I knew it wouldn’t work for us. It was surreal to meet this young man at this event and hear his story. Gratefully, another LGBT colleague and his husband took this young man in and are now doing a movie to raise more awareness about this dire reality in Uganda.

We asked Moses, Neil, and the young man how we can help. Moses and the young man said “Tell our stories. Please let people know about what’s happening in Uganda. We need more people to know about the LGBT persecution.” Neil Grungas encouraged us to let people know about ORAM. “We need volunteers, interns, donations, pro-bono therapists, all of these things could help.”

I invite you to share this blog with at least 5 other people so that they can know more about the realities facing LGBT Ugandans and other LGBT asylum seekers. The State Department and Social Services organizations need more education and information to understand the needs of LGBT people seeking asylum. You can help.

Please consider Adopting-A-Refugee. Go to www.oraminternational.org/adopt-a-refugee.html

betenoire

03-25-2011, 01:44 PM

That's right bitches, the government has been dissolved. Time to get a new one. (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/03/25/pol-defeat.html)

And if that douchebag Harper gets back in I will lose my mind.

DapperButch

03-26-2011, 10:17 AM

My homosexual agenda mostly has to do with paying my rent and figuring out when I'm going to have time to do laundry. I have no idea when these people think we have time for world domination.

You SO should make this your signature!

Linus

03-26-2011, 12:34 PM

betenoire

03-26-2011, 01:45 PM

When's the vote? I should get Elections Canada to send me an out-of-country ballot!

I'll tell you as long as you promise not to vote for the Conservatives.

(It's May 2nd)

Linus

03-26-2011, 01:51 PM

I'll tell you as long as you promise not to vote for the Conservatives.

(It's May 2nd)

Fuck no! I'm going to vote in my Aunt's riding in Halifax and she usually votes NDP/Liberal.

AtLast

04-02-2011, 01:44 PM

Linus

04-02-2011, 02:41 PM

Is public transporation supported in Canada in any congruent manner? Are the existing systems in major cities "user friendly?" The US never seems to grasp how essential public (and rapid) transit is to our well being. Wondering if Canadians treat is in the same hit and miss manner as the US does.

Well, I know Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal are pretty good. Not sure about others. Halifax wasn't too bad when I visited but living there might be a different thing.

betenoire

04-02-2011, 07:00 PM

Well, I know Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal are pretty good. Not sure about others. Halifax wasn't too bad when I visited but living there might be a different thing.

Durham Region (where my sister lives) (East of Toronto) actually has a pretty good set-up right now. They've essentially amalgamated their public transit systems so you can travel from Pickering to Oshawa on one fare and formed a partnership with the Go Bus system so you can take parts of your trip with them along Hwy 2 included in your DRT fare. It's not bad at all.

I'm TOLD that Vancouver has good transit, but I never cared for it when I lived there - but I guess because I was so used to Toronto.

Even where I live now (dumb little town of about 70,000 people) the transit is pretty good, my only complaint being that it doesn't run late enough at night.

AtLast

04-02-2011, 08:14 PM

Well, I know Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal are pretty good. Not sure about others. Halifax wasn't too bad when I visited but living there might be a different thing.

Thanks- it has been years since I was in Toronto. I was in western CA in 2003- but on the Alcan up to Alaska mostly. Didn't explore larger cities that trip really.

EnderD_503

04-03-2011, 03:28 PM

The TTC in Toronto is pretty good. The only complaint I'd have of it is that they need to do something about hooking up with Viva (Richmond Hill, Newmarket etc.) and the Mississauga buses, because it sucks having to pay two different fares just to go to a house party or something. I know a dude who commutes to UofT St. George from Richmond Hill every day and ends up paying like 12 bucks in transit fare a day. Its craziness. GO has a new smartcard for seniors and kids (why do they always forget the poor uni students? :( ) that I think they should extend to be used throughout the GTA's transit systems including the TTC...and make it available for everyone.

I'm always surprised how efficient the TTC is at getting frequent shuttle buses going whenever the have to cut off subway service on a line. It's a pretty efficient system overall. Or at least they try to be with our stupid municipal gov't.

Montreal has a pretty decent system from what I remember, but figuring it out is kind of crazy, lol.

Only ever taken the buses in Ottawa and they're pretty cheap and easy if I remember right. Take you just about everywhere, but Ottawa's pretty small so if you're downtown you can just walk everywhere.

St. John's has an ok bus system that takes you mostly where you need to go, but it's not as frequent as big city buses and doesn't run past midnight or 1am if I remember right. Pretty inexpensive if I remember. At least last time I was there it was $2,75. That doesn't really matter though because the city is small enough that you can walk just about everywhere that isn't out by Torbay or something.

EnderD_503

04-03-2011, 03:37 PM

When's the vote? I should get Elections Canada to send me an out-of-country ballot!

Dooooo eeeeeeetttt...and vote for Ignatieff! :D

Btw, has anyone else seen those stupid Conservative campaign commercials? "A vote for the Liberals is a vote for Michael Ignatieff!" No shit sherlock, here I was thinking a vote for the Liberals was a vote for Gilles Duceppe lol

Linus

04-03-2011, 04:38 PM

DapperButch

04-03-2011, 05:10 PM

Durham Region (where my sister lives) (East of Toronto) actually has a pretty good set-up right now. They've essentially amalgamated their public transit systems so you can travel from Pickering to Oshawa on one fare and formed a partnership with the Go Bus system so you can take parts of your trip with them along Hwy 2 included in your DRT fare. It's not bad at all.

I'm TOLD that Vancouver has good transit, but I never cared for it when I lived there - but I guess because I was so used to Toronto.

Even where I live now (dumb little town of about 70,000 people) the transit is pretty good, my only complaint being that it doesn't run late enough at night.

What is the cost of say, a monthly pass?

betenoire

04-03-2011, 08:39 PM

Dooooo eeeeeeetttt...and vote for Ignatieff! :D

Btw, has anyone else seen those stupid Conservative campaign commercials? "A vote for the Liberals is a vote for Michael Ignatieff!" No shit sherlock, here I was thinking a vote for the Liberals was a vote for Gilles Duceppe lol

Michael Ignatieff - he didn't come back for you. OH NO! I'm terrified of the Liberals now! I mean, seriously. If the biggest issue with the guy is that he lived in the US for a while - he's looking pretty sweet.

I'm probably going to vote for the NDP, though. I love me some Jack Layton.

What is the cost of say, a monthly pass?

Where? Where I am now it's $60 a month for a pass, although I don't personally buy them. (My work and grocery store are both within walking distance so it's not been worth it to me - although at tax time I always wish I had bought monthly passes because you can claim those when you file.)

Toronto is $121.

EnderD_503

04-06-2011, 12:11 PM

Anyone else done the CBC's political compass thing for these elections? Apparently I should be voting Green. That won't get Harper out of office, though lol

If anyone wants to do it for fun: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canadavotes2011/votecompass/

betenoire

04-06-2011, 07:41 PM

EnderD_503

04-13-2011, 10:03 AM

I missed the first half of the election debates last night, but from what I saw of the second half Ignatieff and Duceppe were well ahead of the others...and Duceppe made some hilarious comments. Honestly, if I lived in Québec I'd vote for him. I loved one of his comments on Harper's anti-gun registry spiel that went something like: "With the Conservatives you register the dogs, you register the ducks, you register everything except for the gun!" :rofl:

Also, I wish Layton would stop trying to pick at Ignatieff, that kind of left/liberal division is not what this election needs. We need to get rid of Harper, not pick at other liberal/left parties. We need a left/liberal coalition, and barring that Ignatieff is the best shot we have. But looking at the polls, it'll probably be another minority government. Since last time it looks like the Liberals have won 3% from NDP to give them a greater edge on the Conservatives.

Anyways, in case anyone else missed a part of the debate, they are apparently on youtube. Will be sure not to miss the French language debates tonight.

First part:
jYEilQOhw3k

Second part:
UIY_yeM_ZE0

Third:
Uw1QoL-4YzY

and beyond that you can listen to the rest of the parts (there are 12 in total) through this guy's channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/chrisgratton#p/u

foxyshaman

04-13-2011, 12:32 PM

I like the compass, I heard about it on the Strombo show. I love Strombo, he has to be one of the hardest working Canadian men in show/talk business.

Anyway, I was only able to catch parts of the debate, but I did catch the CBC wrap up. I personally don't like Iggy, he creeps me out. I really like Layton, as a public speaker and a leader. And Harper looks like a poster child for Valium. He is such a wet noodle.

I am a greenie through and through and ONE DAY the greenies will be on the debate. Even if I am not a huge fan of Elizabeth May, I am a fan of their policies. It is my hope that one day Canadians will wake up and vote... and maybe, just maybe, we will have more than a two party freaking political system...ooh look we are conservative...oh no we are liberal... oh no now we are conservative again...

okay off my rant

EnderD_503

04-13-2011, 06:26 PM

I know some folks I know were having problems finding the French language debate. It's on CBLFT/Radio Canada for those looking for it (and everyone should watch!).

Also, Ignatieff needs to spruce up his French a little "Il faut dire des choses vrai à des gens!" Lulz :P

Harper is robotic as usual...but somewhat more hesitant in French which throws of his "look at me, I shall be calm yet belittling...beeeliiieevveee mmeee! Pretty please!", lol. I don't think he's staring as creepily at the screen as last night though...but continues to lie outright about everything.

suebee

04-13-2011, 07:09 PM

I came out liberal on the compass. This riding is always conservative, so I guess I'll just get out there and vote. Liberal about fits I guess, but only in regards to their stated positions. We all know that the reality doesn't necessarily fit the description. Don't have television, so didn't see the debates. Thanks for the links Ender. I didn't even think to look online. I'll take the time tomorrow to watch them "comme il faut".

betenoire

04-16-2011, 06:04 AM

Shit Harper Did (http://shitharperdid.ca.nyud.net/) - and none of it is any good.

Don't forget to vote, people.

EnderD_503

04-16-2011, 11:51 AM

Lots and lots of news! And most of it fucking sucks these days!

On the topic of Shit Harper Did: These elections have resulted in some pretty skeezy moves the Conservative Party and highlights how important it is that we get them the fuck out of office!

One of the biggest issues: On Thursday April 14th, Students at the University of Guelph were lining up to vote at the special ballot station on the UofGuelph campus when Conservative party members stormed onto the scene questioning the legality of the voting station. One Conservative even tried to grab the ballot box, which is completely illegal. As such, there was a huge issue on whether or not Elections Canada would count the 700 votes placed by UofGuelph students. They've ruled that they will count the votes, but fell to Conservative pressure and have now stated that NO special ballot voting stations are to be placed on University campuses despite that they were legal before. This is a DIRECT blow to student voters and I hope its enough for my peers to realise how important this election is. Harper is systematically trying to dismantle democracy in this country, by discouraging young Canadians from voting; a vote that would almost certainly unseat him since only 21% of Canadians voted for Harper in the last elections and they were largely over 40 years of age, many organised into voting by leaders in Canada's religious right.

Many Canadians between the ages of 18-30 are often politically apathetic. And even Canadians in their 30s don't go out and vote as often as those over 40. These age groups are very often, albeit apathetic, supporters of Liberal and Left-leaning parties, moreso than their older counterparts (though that isn't to say there aren't those over 40 that support the Left...otherwise we might not have had a minority, but a majority)...they make up a chunk of the 50% of Canadians that didn't vote last election. So to I'll expand that 18-30 to 18-39...GET OUT AND VOTE!

I highly recommend that everyone vote strategically in their area. http://catch22campaign.ca/notes is a website that has detailed most/all uncertain ridings. If you live in one of these ridings under threat of a Conservative seat, then I'd encourage you to vote for the Liberal/NDP/Green leader who is closest to unseating the Conservative in your riding.

Ignatieff made an excellent speech yesterday in Sudbury telling Canadians that this is no longer about party politics, about who you vote for, but about ending the threat to democracy that Harper represents. He told Canadians to "Rise Up!" and that has quickly become the Anti-Harper slogan. So help secure your riding from the Conservatives!

In other news, the Jewish Defence League protested outside of the Toronto Pride office yesterday, throwing around homophobic slurs at mostly silent lgbt counterprotestors. Boo on them, and screw that idjiot Rob Ford...at least he has no excuse to cancel Toronto Pride funding without revealing himself even more as the bigot he is.

http://www.xtra.ca/public/Toronto/Jewish_Defense_League_holds_protest_at_Pride_Toron to-10031.aspx

EnderD_503

04-16-2011, 12:36 PM

I just wanted to drop a link to Ignatieff's amazing speech yesterday:

Rise Up Canada! Levez-vous, le Canada!
NjVPWASKUTQ

and might I add a Vive le Canada libre! :D

Canadians are really starting to talk about this speech last night and today. I wonder how it'll affect the Conservative lead in the polls...negatively I hope!

Linus

04-22-2011, 01:07 PM

Ok. I need someone to explain something to me. The Charter of Rights says the following:

Source: http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/charter/page-1.html#anchorbo-ga:l_I-gb:s_2

Democratic Rights

Democratic rights of citizens
3. Every citizen of Canada has the right to vote in an election of members of the House of Commons or of a legislative assembly and to be qualified for membership therein.But Elections Canada says...

Source: http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=vot&dir=bkg&document=ec90540&lang=e

Canadian citizens temporarily residing outside Canada

Canadians who will be 18 years of age or older on polling day and are temporarily residing outside Canada may vote by special ballot in an election or referendum. They must have resided in Canada at any time before applying for registration, have been residing outside Canada for less than five consecutive years immediately before making the application and intend to resume residence in Canada.
The five-year limit does not apply to:

electors who are employed outside Canada in federal or provincial public administration or people living with them
electors who are employed outside Canada by an international organization of which Canada is a member and to which Canada contributes, or people living with them
electors living with members of the Canadian Forces outside Canada or with civilians who are teachers or members of the administrative support staff for a Canadian Forces school

So do I suddenly not become Canadian once the 5th year passes? I lose one of my basic fundamental rights as a Canadian? :blink: :rant:

EnderD_503

04-22-2011, 04:11 PM

@Linus...that is really strange, I've never heard of that before. I'd call their 1-800 number and ask them. I can't see why Canadians should have to stop voting after residing outside the country for 5 years...you still have Canadian citizenship. For some reason I always thought my relatives over in Europe with dual citizenship still voted in the elections. If that's true then that sucks arse! :blink:

On that note, to those who may not have been paying attention (but really, who wouldn't be!? lol) advanced polls are open today, tomorrow and Monday from 12-8pm. I have officially done my duty to help take Harper down :canada:

Now it's time for the massive link/video drop. Check here to see if your riding's a swing riding: http://www.stopthesplit.org/

Mocking Harper's attempt to get "the ethnic vote" lol:
T5UE0SgN5ic

And McGill vote mob cause UofT one (hellz yeah!) isn't up yet:
3WwTPf3cP2s

Had Enough Harper?
ELTJAvInTUg

Ok, I'm done now :P

Soon

04-22-2011, 05:57 PM

Recommendation: Vote freely

NDP 51.9%
Liberal 19.4%
Conservative 23.9%
Green 4.5%

http://www.stopthesplit.org/

EnderD_503

04-23-2011, 08:48 AM

Harper's latest stunt now appears to be promising to create an Office of Religious Freedom. Canada seems to be turning into a dystopian novel and the perfect picture of a dictatorship. I've no doubt Harper will use this to get even more of his evangelical friends into office, maybe give Faytene Kryskow an official job...these people are nuts.

This is how our government continues to promote discrimination and abuse of individual's rights under the guise of "religious freedom." I don't know if anyone read Harper's Rediscovering the Right Agenda essay, but he's even gone as far as excusing parents physically punishing their children as "religious freedom." I'm sure same-sex marriage would come under attack as well under the guise of "religious freedom" as well as women's right to abortion and so on.

http://www.conservative.ca/press/news_releases/harper_proposes_new_office_of_religious_freedom_to _promote_religious_freedom_around_the_world

Linus

04-29-2011, 09:58 AM

Am I reading right? The NDP are in second place? :blink: And gaining?

EnderD_503

04-29-2011, 10:09 AM

Am I reading right? The NDP are in second place? :blink: And gaining?

So the EKOS polls say, though some others say differently. Also, even pollsters have gone over the real problems with poll accuracy. They only poll people via landlines and only 1,000 or so at a time...so likely completely leaving out many demographics including youth and students. Only 15% of respondants actually agree to answer these things anyways. We won't know what's going on until May 2nd. That said, an NDP surge is better than a Conservative surge so it doesn't worry me too much. I just don't trust Layton that much, but I trust Harper 100 times less, lol.

I dunno, I'm kind of against polls in the elections cause I worry that they suppress votes by making people think their vote won't make a difference anyways. Then again, already they said the advance polls attracted far more than in the last few elections, so that's good news.

Linus

04-29-2011, 10:19 AM

So the EKOS polls say, though some others say differently. Also, even pollsters have gone over the real problems with poll accuracy. They only poll people via landlines and only 1,000 or so at a time...so likely completely leaving out many demographics including youth and students. Only 15% of respondants actually agree to answer these things anyways. We won't know what's going on until May 2nd. That said, an NDP surge is better than a Conservative surge so it doesn't worry me too much. I just don't trust Layton that much, but I trust Harper 100 times less, lol.

I dunno, I'm kind of against polls in the elections cause I worry that they suppress votes by making people think their vote won't make a difference anyways. Then again, already they said the advance polls attracted far more than in the last few elections, so that's good news.

Yes but Canada has far less polling than the US when it comes to elections and, IIRC, Elections Canada puts a limit on when the polls can be asked near an election (I think they can't ask within a 24-48 hour period before the election or something like that)

EnderD_503

04-29-2011, 11:53 AM

Yes but Canada has far less polling than the US when it comes to elections and, IIRC, Elections Canada puts a limit on when the polls can be asked near an election (I think they can't ask within a 24-48 hour period before the election or something like that)

Even so, I think the damage is already done by that point. Tbh, I'd support getting rid of them outright. They often seem self-prophecizing as far as how important many people think they are. Especially when it comes to getting the youth/student vote out I think it's important to realise how polls can affect results or suppress votes since many young Canadians are already under the impression that they can't make a difference. These elections things are going better what with vote mobs, social media etc., but still really hate how much weight the public puts on polls.

EnderD_503

04-29-2011, 11:57 AM

Oh and Rob Ford just said he endorses Harper. Surprised, anyone? Anyone at all? lol

Linus

04-29-2011, 12:04 PM

Even so, I think the damage is already done by that point. Tbh, I'd support getting rid of them outright. They often seem self-prophecizing as far as how important many people think they are. Especially when it comes to getting the youth/student vote out I think it's important to realise how polls can affect results or suppress votes since many young Canadians are already under the impression that they can't make a difference. These elections things are going better what with vote mobs, social media etc., but still really hate how much weight the public puts on polls.

Not necessarily. Remember they only show how Canadians feel across the country as a whole and isn't reflective of local MP. Many vote based on that person alone, regardless of the overall party. Certainly there are those that "toe the line" but I don't think it's as prevalent as previously.

I think Canadians are not happy with Harper and if the advanced polls are higher than usual we may be seeing something entirely new. IIRC, when the NDP won in Ontario years ago the same thing happened: backlash against a PC gov't and deciding to give someone new a chance in the ridings.

I've heard a few of the ads on CHUM-FM (listening Live Online) and have to said that some of them are just bad, like really bad. They treat Canadians as if they are children and I don't think I've really heard any ads by any party state what they are going to do for the country. They've all been about what's wrong with the other guy (negative ads like that are why people don't vote).

Linus

04-29-2011, 08:49 PM

Here's the solution for the election:

HiHuiDD_oTk

betenoire

04-30-2011, 10:33 AM

Oh and Rob Ford just said he endorses Harper. Surprised, anyone? Anyone at all? lol

Rob Ford can suck my left one. Wait, no he can't because I wouldn't let him. Nevermind.

Here's the solution for the election:

HiHuiDD_oTk

Yes, please. It's really much more sensible.

p/s:

NDP NDP NDP NDP NDP NDP NDP NDP

betenoire

05-02-2011, 08:11 AM

Get out there and vote, motherfuckers! (I've only been awake for an hour and I've done it already. I'd do it again if they'd let me!)

9oEZsVi4wek

betenoire

05-02-2011, 08:20 AM

aVH9C_JWwJU

betenoire

05-03-2011, 07:38 AM

I'm very sad today. And more than a little pissed off. How does 40% of the vote become a "clear majority"? We need electoral reform in Canada - what we have now does not work unless there's a two-party system.

I looked at the vote breakdown in many of the ridings that the Conservatives one, and it's really clear that the smartypants vote being split between the NDP, Green, and Liberals is to blame - with the Cons winning by having as low as 35% of the vote in those ridings and the remaining 65% being split between the NDP and the Liberals. So either we need an AV+ voting system or the NDP and Liberal parties need to merge.

I'm also mad because my Dad bet me $20 that the Cons would form a majority government this time around. I took that bet (because I didn't think it was possible!) and said "Not in my country, Dad." How long do you think I can dodge him for?

Blech.

suebee

05-03-2011, 08:27 AM

foxyshaman

05-03-2011, 12:19 PM

<<SIGH>>

I knew the cons would get the majority. I think Canadians wanted stability. But 60% turnout, shame for freaking shame.

I am surprised by the amount of seats the NDP got, Layton was on fire. Iggy did not even win his seat, not surprising to me. And Bloc is without a leader. Holy Moly.

Yeah Elizabeth May. Glad to hear she finally got in. Not sure what good it will do as a one seat party, but one seat is more than they have had. And green is my color.

So... now where did Harper put that Trans bill? Oh yeah, right back to square one.

<sitting back sipping coffee waiting for the world to turn>

betenoire

05-03-2011, 08:30 PM

I've been really annoyed by the talk of a coalition. My feelings have been "if you didn't get voted into power, then suck it up and be the opposition". But last night's vote will have me re-thinking that position. And I agree with you Bete: the system needs to be re-thought if we are going to have so many parties. But the likelihood of that happening is pretty slim since the party in power would NEVER benefit from it.

I don't think a coalition is a bad thing. I mean, really, it has the potential to represent MORE of the voting public than the party that holds the minority government has. The NDP/Bloc/Lib "coalition" represented the people who had not voted for the stupid Cons - which is the actual majority of Canadians.

When the Cons go on about how scary a coalition in the government is - it's because they hope we don't know how to count.

EnderD_503

05-19-2011, 07:15 PM

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Is Mammoliti scared of drag queens?
Toronto Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti says he's sorry if he offends any drag queens, but he'd rather not get "lipstick all over his office."

At city council on May 18, Mammoliti lamented that "For the first time ever, there are more people that go through the mayor's door than we've ever seen before, and I'm saying this in an unbiased way.

"You may not want to admit it, but it's happening every day. People are coming in from the street, knocking on the door, and he is bringing them in to talk to them without an appointment or any of that."

When he finished speaking, Councillor Mike Layton asked Mammoliti about the trio of drag queens that popped into city hall on May 12.

"What drag queens?" Mammoliti asked.

"Did the drag queens come to my office, Councillor Davis?" Mammoliti asked. Councillor Janet Davis said softly into a microphone, "They should have."

"Did they come to my office? I'm glad I wasn't there," he said as snickers and laughter rippled throughout council chambers. "There would have been lipstick everywhere."

At this, other councillors reacted with gasps.

"What? Oh, did I offend the drag queens? I'm sorry if I offended the drag queens," he said.

City-hall watcher Matt Elliott, who captured the clip, says the comments were made during the debate on the advisory committee item. Mammoliti had just moved to refer several motions to the mayor's office and Councillor Gord Perks was questioning him on the wisdom of such a move.

On May 12 drag artists Amber Ellert, Stephanie Stephens and Michelle DuBarry spent the afternoon inviting councillors to the Proud of Toronto International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia event that took place at city hall on May 16.

When they asked to speak to Mayor Rob Ford, the queens were turned away from Ford's office by his assistant, Tom Beyer, who claimed the mayor was "in a meeting."

Source: http://www.xtra.ca/blog/national/post/2011/05/19/Councillor-Giorgio-Mammoliti-talks-drag-queens-at-city-council.aspx

Mammoliti on Drag Queens: http://fordfortoronto.mattelliott.ca/2011/05/18/mammoliti-on-queens/

EnderD_503

05-25-2011, 08:38 AM

Well, the bullshit surrounding this year's Pride continues. Yesterday was the 8 hour or so city council meeting that would determine if Pride gets city funding this year or not. They are still saying that they are going to withhold funding until after Pride (which is just stupid) to see if QuAIA participates or not. The problem is they are so fucking vague about QuAIA's participation. They've already said they will not march this year, but now the mayor and Mammoliti are saying that if members of QuAIA show up in any Pride events then funding could be withheld. How do you ban individuals from a public festival? It's so stupid.

The other thing too is that the moderate Jewish community doesn't even appear to be the ones who give a damn about QuAIA. It's radicals like the Jewish Defence League who are calling QuAIA a hate group, despite that the JDL are a hate group themselves and even considered a terrorist group themselves in some nations. At the first or second rally they held in front of Pride headquarters they were yelling homophobic slurs. The JDL themselves are a hate group and its obvious city hall is just trying to use their hatred not only for QuAIA and Palestinians/Arabs but for the gay community as well to further city hall's own homophobic views.

Anyways, here's the article:

2011 city funding for Pride Toronto likely safe
TORONTO NEWS / 'QuAIA better stay away,' says Mammoliti
Andrea Houston / Toronto / Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Funding for Pride Toronto (PT) is conditional and will be determined after this year's parade, councillor Giorgio Mammoliti told media following a city of Toronto executive committee meeting on May 24.

The committee heard from more than 45 speakers, 26 in support of PT, during the eight hour meeting. In the end, no motion was brought forward that would have made funding contingent on a guarantee by PT that the group Queers Against Israeli Apartheid (QuAIA) take no part in any festival events, anywhere, all week.

A city manager’s report, released in April, confirmed that the phrase "Israeli Aparthied" – and by extension QuAIA's participation in Pride celebrations – does not violate the city's anti-discrimination policy. Those who oppose QuAIA's particiaption have argued from the outset of the controversy that it does and that therefore makes PT inelligible for city funding.

It’s good news for PT. But Ward 27 councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam warns, “Council rules supreme. So at any time there could be a motion on the floor of council for a vote in June without notice. Then we would have to open it up and go through a big debate all over again, this time, without public consultation.... But it seems unlikely because council voted unanimously to receive the report. I was scared because some councillors had their knives out and had made some threats.”

After the vote, Mammoliti told Xtra he still anticipates QuAIA will make an appearance during Pride Week. Even if PT organizers aren't aware, he says, he plans to hold PT responsible.

“QuAIA better stay away," he says. "If they think they can do what they want at the expense of the taxpayer, they’re wrong.The City of Toronto isn’t going to fund an organization that wants to cause trouble. That’s not what the taxpayers want to do.... This councillor will defend the Jewish community and I’ll do it in an aggressive way.”

Mammoliti says the festival won’t get a penny until after the event.

“Some of us will be watching carefully and we’ll determine later whether or not they should get funds,” he says.

In fact, as Wong-Tam says, a majority of councillors would have to vote to claw back PT funding.

QuAIA members have already announced the group will not participate in the 2011 Pride parade. PT co-chair Francisco Alvarez says he believes that QuAIA is sincere and will not participate. But he refuses to provide Mammoliti with the written guarantee he demanded earlier this spring.

“In our view they are trying to make us discriminate against a group,” says Alvarez.

Alvarez told the executive committee that without the city support, PT could face bankruptcy and would most likely have to withdrawl from World Pride scheduled to be held in Toronto in 2014.

“It’s really been rough on everyone, but democracy is not an easy process,” he says.

Many of those who spoke against QuAIA at the meeting said they are Jewish, or were representing Jewish groups. There were several members of the Jewish Defense League, an organization dedicated to "protect Jews from anti-Semitism by whatever means necessary." The group has already promised to protest at the PT offices every Friday until Pride Week.

During the meeting, Mammoliti was joined by mayor Rob Ford and councillors James Pasternak and David Shiner in questioning some who spoke in favour of QuAIA about hate speech.The committee was repeatedly reminded that there is nothing anywhere in Canadian jurisprudence to suggest the phrase constitutes hate speech. Also, the city manager’s report determined it isn’t breaking any city rules.

In fact, free speech, including the aparthied analogy, is protected under Israeli law. And the term and the validity of the analogy has been part of the discourse at all levels – political, acedemic, activist, vernacular – inside and out of Israeli society and around the world for decades.

Still at one point Mammoliti argued that even though the phrase isn’t legally hate speech, it is still “hurtful.”

“I think it’s hate speech. I don’t care what the staff report says,” he said. “We've all suffered from hate. I’m Italian. I’ve been called a wop.”

Towards the end, councillor Peter Milczyn spoke up in favour of free expression at Pride.

“Once you censor one group, one idea, even if you disagree with it violently, it starts a slippery slope. Because what will it be next, the next group?”

In 2010, PT recieved a $123,807 grant and about $250,000 worth of in-kind services from the city, including garbage cleanup and policing. According to a 2009 economic impact study conducted for PT by Enigma Research,
the festival drew $136 million in spending during the 2009 Pride celebration. $94 million of that came from visiting tourists.

“These economic benefits are exceptional,” said Enigma’s Michael Harker in a Pride Toronto press release at the time. “The estimates are considerably higher than we have seen at many similar sized festivals and sporting events throughout North America.”

http://www.xtra.ca/public/National/2011_city_funding_for_Pride_Toronto_likely_safe-10209.aspx

Linus

05-25-2011, 08:49 AM

Who or what is QuAIA?

EnderD_503

05-25-2011, 08:56 AM

Who or what is QuAIA?

Queers Against Israeli Apartheid, a Toronto-based group who's aim is solidarity among LGBT Palestinians and who oppose seeing Israel (note the government/military of Israel, not the Jewish people as a group) try to use LGBT issues to justify its violence against Palestinians.

You can check out the group description on their site:
http://queersagainstapartheid.org/who/

dark_crystal

05-25-2011, 08:57 AM

http://upgifting.com/media/catalog/product/cache/2/thumbnail/300x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/m/o/moose-hat_2_2.png

betenoire

05-25-2011, 11:55 AM

They've already said they will not march this year, but now the mayor and Mammoliti are saying that if members of QuAIA show up in any Pride events then funding could be withheld. How do you ban individuals from a public festival? It's so stupid.

Stupidest thing I've ever heard of. God, I hate Rob Ford.

(And yes, I have been following this closely)

A big part of Ford's motivation in this is his dislike for our community. But you know what? He should be leaning close and kissing Our Queer Asses considering the amount of money the city makes during Pride Weeks. I mean look at all of the out-of-towners who shack up in Toronto hotels and eat at Toronto restaurants and spend their money in Toronto shops and drink in Toronto bars during Pride week! The tourism revenue around Pride is fucking HUGE and he OWES us.

(By the way, colour me sad that I won't be able to make it back home for Pride this year. I just started a new job and I'm not able to take any vacation days for 6 months. BOO!)

EnderD_503

05-26-2011, 09:23 AM

Stupidest thing I've ever heard of. God, I hate Rob Ford.

(And yes, I have been following this closely)

A big part of Ford's motivation in this is his dislike for our community. But you know what? He should be leaning close and kissing Our Queer Asses considering the amount of money the city makes during Pride Weeks. I mean look at all of the out-of-towners who shack up in Toronto hotels and eat at Toronto restaurants and spend their money in Toronto shops and drink in Toronto bars during Pride week! The tourism revenue around Pride is fucking HUGE and he OWES us.

(By the way, colour me sad that I won't be able to make it back home for Pride this year. I just started a new job and I'm not able to take any vacation days for 6 months. BOO!)

Boo, indeed! That sucks hard that you can't make Pride this year!

I agree, he should be supporting Pride if he gives a shit about bringing money into the city and helping local businesses. He goes on with his "champion of the taxpayer" facade claiming he won't "waste our money" on a parade that supposedly supports a "hate group" (despite that the city's executive council ruled otherwise...), yet if he were really such a "champion" he would realise that the money Pride makes for the city outdoes the funding it receives by leaps and bounds. Either his hatred for our community is so strong that even his greedy ass won't support a festival that is good for the city financially just because he hates queers, or he and his cronies are so clueless on finances that they just don't get it. It could be either one, really, given the financial fiasco that has been "Ford Nation" since he got in.

foxyshaman

05-26-2011, 10:39 AM

I did not know that was going on. We had huge opposition with our previous mayor, he could barely say Gay, let alone put any city monies towards Pride activities. The new mayor however loves Pride and heck even goes in the parade. I am heading off tonite for the Queer Film Festival. Which I always enjoy. And then June 10 is our official kick off.

betenoire

05-26-2011, 12:04 PM

Boo, indeed! That sucks hard that you can't make Pride this year!

2011 has been a real bust for me. I haven't been back home since early January, I just haven't had the time (I need at least 3 days off in a row to make it worth my while, since the train ride is like a 5 hour fiasco.)

Although, to be perfectly honest I don't really enjoy Pride. I do like the Dyke March on Saturday, but that's about it. It woulda been nice to see my sister (and parents) and friends sooner rather than later, though - and Pride is always a really good excuse for me to go home. Next year!

How many more years of Ford do we have? And can we trust the suburbs to not act stupid next election?

betenoire

08-26-2011, 09:49 AM

http://i53.tinypic.com/1dyblh.jpg

A letter to Canadians from the Honourable Jack Layton (http://www.ndp.ca/letter-to-canadians-from-jack-layton)

August 20, 2011
Toronto, Ontario

Dear Friends,

Tens of thousands of Canadians have written to me in recent weeks to wish me well. I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughtful, inspiring and often beautiful notes, cards and gifts. Your spirit and love have lit up my home, my spirit, and my determination.

Unfortunately my treatment has not worked out as I hoped. So I am giving this letter to my partner Olivia to share with you in the circumstance in which I cannot continue.

I recommend that Hull-Aylmer MP Nycole Turmel continue her work as our interim leader until a permanent successor is elected.

I recommend the party hold a leadership vote as early as possible in the New Year, on approximately the same timelines as in 2003, so that our new leader has ample time to reconsolidate our team, renew our party and our program, and move forward towards the next election.

A few additional thoughts:

To other Canadians who are on journeys to defeat cancer and to live their lives, I say this: please don’t be discouraged that my own journey hasn’t gone as well as I had hoped. You must not lose your own hope. Treatments and therapies have never been better in the face of this disease. You have every reason to be optimistic, determined, and focused on the future. My only other advice is to cherish every moment with those you love at every stage of your journey, as I have done this summer.

To the members of my party: we’ve done remarkable things together in the past eight years. It has been a privilege to lead the New Democratic Party and I am most grateful for your confidence, your support, and the endless hours of volunteer commitment you have devoted to our cause. There will be those who will try to persuade you to give up our cause. But that cause is much bigger than any one leader. Answer them by recommitting with energy and determination to our work. Remember our proud history of social justice, universal health care, public pensions and making sure no one is left behind. Let’s continue to move forward. Let’s demonstrate in everything we do in the four years before us that we are ready to serve our beloved Canada as its next government.

To the members of our parliamentary caucus: I have been privileged to work with each and every one of you. Our caucus meetings were always the highlight of my week. It has been my role to ask a great deal from you. And now I am going to do so again. Canadians will be closely watching you in the months to come. Colleagues, I know you will make the tens of thousands of members of our party proud of you by demonstrating the same seamless teamwork and solidarity that has earned us the confidence of millions of Canadians in the recent election.

To my fellow Quebecers: On May 2nd, you made an historic decision. You decided that the way to replace Canada’s Conservative federal government with something better was by working together in partnership with progressive-minded Canadians across the country. You made the right decision then; it is still the right decision today; and it will be the right decision right through to the next election, when we will succeed, together. You have elected a superb team of New Democrats to Parliament. They are going to be doing remarkable things in the years to come to make this country better for us all.

To young Canadians: All my life I have worked to make things better. Hope and optimism have defined my political career, and I continue to be hopeful and optimistic about Canada. Young people have been a great source of inspiration for me. I have met and talked with so many of you about your dreams, your frustrations, and your ideas for change. More and more, you are engaging in politics because you want to change things for the better. Many of you have placed your trust in our party. As my time in political life draws to a close I want to share with you my belief in your power to change this country and this world. There are great challenges before you, from the overwhelming nature of climate change to the unfairness of an economy that excludes so many from our collective wealth, and the changes necessary to build a more inclusive and generous Canada. I believe in you. Your energy, your vision, your passion for justice are exactly what this country needs today. You need to be at the heart of our economy, our political life, and our plans for the present and the future.

And finally, to all Canadians: Canada is a great country, one of the hopes of the world. We can be a better one – a country of greater equality, justice, and opportunity. We can build a prosperous economy and a society that shares its benefits more fairly. We can look after our seniors. We can offer better futures for our children. We can do our part to save the world’s environment. We can restore our good name in the world. We can do all of these things because we finally have a party system at the national level where there are real choices; where your vote matters; where working for change can actually bring about change. In the months and years to come, New Democrats will put a compelling new alternative to you. My colleagues in our party are an impressive, committed team. Give them a careful hearing; consider the alternatives; and consider that we can be a better, fairer, more equal country by working together. Don’t let them tell you it can’t be done.

My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.

All my very best,
Jack Layton.

imperfect_cupcake

08-26-2011, 11:33 AM

betenoire

08-26-2011, 11:38 AM

that made me sad yesterday when my mom told me.

My father in law died of cancer three weeks ago. He told us ever since the facist Geert Wilders got into power in the netherlands, that if he came down with a terminal disease, he'd kill the fucker on his way out. When he became ill he said "the shittiest thing is now that I do have a terminal illness I'm far too sick and weak to kill Wilders..." lol I did love my Father-in-law a lot

One of the things I did think when my mom told me about layton was "too bad he didn't take Harper with him on the way out..."

But I'm not a very nice person.

Lol, I guess that just wasn't Jack's style.

And really, I would hate to see Harper martyred. Ick. The news coverage would be so annoying.

I hope the NDP can come up with a leader who is as....likeable as Jack.

(It's so embarrassing that I've bawled like a baby on several occasions since finding out that he died. He had something that Canadian politics needed and it hurts me that we don't have that thing/him any more. Now what?)

imperfect_cupcake

08-26-2011, 12:43 PM

I agree. I've been an NDPer for a very long time (federally. I did vote socialist party but they don't run federally) and for a while I was despondent with what they had done. But I understand Layton had been doing very good things and frankly I think he would have taken the next election. I sincerely hope they come up with someone just as good. I am quite sad about his exit. My mom, who works for an NDP MP was beside herself.

I still wish that canada would have word with itself and get rid of harper before I come home. Honestly. I leave and the country falls to shit. Next thing you know, they'll be asking Van Der Zalm for advice on how to run a province or sumthin. Oh. wait....

CRAZY STUPID

http://fighthst.com/wp-content/themes/main/img/Bill.jpg

LYING BASTARD

and being both crazy and a bastard, I know what I'm talking about.

betenoire

08-26-2011, 12:48 PM

Honestly. I leave and the country falls to shit.

Thanks bunches.

I agree. I think that the NDP would have had a good shot of taking the next federal election if he had lived another four years to do so. We'll see who they come up with.

I've also always voted NDP, aside from once when I lived in a riding that was real close between the Liberals and the stupid Conservatives. I voted Liberal that time. (And I actually DO like the Liberal MP from that riding, so I don't feel bad about it.)

imperfect_cupcake

08-26-2011, 01:03 PM

betenoire

08-27-2011, 10:38 AM

For those who are interested, cp24 has live coverage (http://www.cp24.com/live/) of Jack Layton's funeral.

betenoire

08-27-2011, 10:42 AM

well, I wish I could still a) be a member so I could vote for the next one in the party and b) still vote in canada.

I've been gone 8 years. Please mail me some dirt. When I left amsterdam a week ago to come back to england I stared vacantly at the stone steps whilst waiting for a local bus and said "Ok. I've been Olde-Worldied out now."

My homesickness knows no bounds at times. I think I'll cry when I get to finally come back and press myself against some pine sap. 8 years without spork or dill pickle chips is a long time.

When will you be back?

My parents bought a place in the wilderness recently (no seriously) and they even have a sugar shack on their land for making their own maple syrup. They're pretty excited. (you mentioning tree sap made me think of that.) When I visited them there last week I spent most of my time eating wild blueberries and catching snakes. I think I could live there provided we never ran out of snakes and blueberries.

SecretAgentMa'am

08-27-2011, 02:05 PM

Also - nothing good rhymes with Left. So there couldn't be a fun catchphrase to go with the movement. ;)

Give the Left Some Heft?
Something Something Bereft?

I got nothing.

Linus

08-27-2011, 04:10 PM

Whoa. I didn't know he passed! :( Dis sucks! I will say one thing he remained true to himself and his conscience when he ran for office and kept it.

imperfect_cupcake

08-28-2011, 02:39 AM

I spent most of my time eating wild blueberries and catching snakes. I think I could live there provided we never ran out of snakes and blueberries.

that sounds like bliss!!! *sigh*

betenoire

08-29-2011, 11:25 PM

You know, maybe I'm being a brat about this but I can't believe that US media hasn't even given a nod to Jack Layton's passing. Huffpost had a brief article, but that was it. Crickets.

imperfect_cupcake

08-30-2011, 01:05 AM

One thing I've learned from living over here is that most countries are pretty self absorbed. Some more than others, granted. And countries like wales, scotland, canada, and new zealand (for example) are usually a little less self absorbed because we can't be. The nations next to us always BLAH BLAH BLAH about their own stuff in a volume that we just can't tune out but the more sizable and forefront nation can very easily ignore the one next to it. Places like the US, England, China, India and Japan often just steam roll (or attempt to steam roll) over as many "other" countries as possible with the assurity of their own moral/political system being correct. They do it a lot to the people in their own country even.

Living in England and watching wales and scotland roooolllll their eyes and have to fight for a few centemeters of their own political space has made me appreciate canadian fortitude a lot more. And to not take the states en mass unilateral foreign policy so personal any more: they do it to everyone; and they aren't the only ones to do it, unfortunately...

But I do find their television content to be fucking annoying and usually insipid and I'm not looking forward with it being the only choice when I get back. That's why I'll get some proxy servers for BBCiplayer and a couple of other countries stuff ;)

lettertodaddy

08-30-2011, 01:31 AM

betenoire

08-30-2011, 01:46 AM

But I do find their television content to be fucking annoying and usually insipid and I'm not looking forward with it being the only choice when I get back. That's why I'll get some proxy servers for BBCiplayer and a couple of other countries stuff ;)

That might be why I think teevee is so boring. Except for HBO.

Unfortunately Canadian television is mostly horrible. Lots of period dramas, which I can't freaking stand. This Hour Has 22 Minutes and Degrassi are like the only saving graces (well, old Degrassi was good. I haven't seen the new show yet.)

betenoire

08-30-2011, 02:01 AM

As someone who has both American and Canadian citizenship, I understand why Jack Layton didn't get more coverage in the American media. He wasn't the Prime Minister or Head of State in Canada. He was beloved by many (it was Layton's NDP that convinced me to pursue citizenship instead of just staying a permanent resident), but that notoriety didn't really go beyond Canada's borders. Jack was fundamentally a local/national politician who wanted to do the best for Canada. I think it's OK that the American media didn't cover his passing or his funeral, because his focus wasn't on the United States.

He was the official leader of the opposition party. That's a big deal. We're not talking about the mayor of some tiny town in northern ontario. I wouldn't have expected/wanted to see a 3-page spread in he New York Times, but a fucking mention would have been nice. Because god knows that if, say, John Boenner or Nancy Pelosi or somebody had died it would have been more than mentioned in Canadian papers.

On top of that, you and I both know that if John Boehner or Nancy Pelosi had died that the PM here would have made some sort of a goodwill statement. But Obama couldn't be bothered to say "wow, that stinks kids. So sorry to hear it." It just feels really disrespectful and symptomatic of that whole thing where the US is really only interested in the US. We're supposed to be neighbours, and completely ignoring something that is a huge fucking deal to so many Canadians feels mighty unneighbourly.

imperfect_cupcake

08-30-2011, 03:34 PM

On top of that, you and I both know that if John Boehner or Nancy Pelosi had died that the PM here would have made some sort of a goodwill statement. But Obama couldn't be bothered to say "wow, that stinks kids. So sorry to hear it." It just feels really disrespectful and symptomatic of that whole thing where the US is really only interested in the US. We're supposed to be neighbours, and completely ignoring something that is a huge fucking deal to so many Canadians feels mighty unneighbourly.

But look at bush, when interviewed he thought "poutine" was the PM. And it's not just the states - many countries that have the weight that the states do, they don't acknowledge. The nice thing is, once you leave the island of north america, the states isn't in your face like it is in canada. it's put into it's self absorbed perspective just like other imperialist-acting governments. I do have to say, not having the US shoved down my throat every day, even though I don't live there, has been a nice break. Most countries don't expect England to give much of a nod either, cause they are pretty hell bent on their own navel as well. Granted, they cover far more international news because the contient is a spit away, but they tend not to cover anything of import that the scots or welsh get up to. Unless, of course, it effects them.

annoying, and I'm not looking forward to the constant pablum force feeding when I get home, but I miss the north american concept of space and what QUIET actually sounds like...

lettertodaddy

08-30-2011, 04:00 PM

You know there was a hurricane and an earthquake that happened in the US within days of each other, right? And the US economy is on verge of a collapse, and the President is gearing up for the political fight of his life, right? I'm sorry if it seems insensitive, but I just think he has bigger things to worry about than sending condolences to someone who isn't a head of state. The Pelosi/Boehner mention is slightly different for a number of reasons because until very recently, she was in the direct Line of Succession. Boehner is now in that line of succession. Jack Layton wasn't.

I'm not saying it is right or wrong, but what I am saying is that as someone who is American by birth, but Canadian by choice, the Canadian finger wagging gets old after awhile.

I loved and respected Jack Layton, but I don't think lack of coverage of his passing is evidence of some great moral failure or cultural myopia on the part of the American media.

lettertodaddy

08-30-2011, 04:03 PM

It's also important to remember that just because you didn't hear or read about any official condolence that it didn't happen. There is lots and lots of official (yet personal) correspondence that comes out of The Oval Office or 24 Sussex that just doesn't make it into the daily news cycle.

lettertodaddy

08-30-2011, 04:18 PM

Being the librarian that I am, I searched our digital newspaper subscription service for mentions of Jack Layton's death or funeral in American newspapers over the past week and found 92 mentions, including The Wall Street Journal. I'd say getting coverage in a major American paper of record counts. And that's just the papers I have access to.

betenoire

08-30-2011, 07:00 PM

The two people who did the two mentions in the Wall Street Journal (one to say he died, one to say that a temporary leader for the NDP was appointed) are both Canadians. The one person who mentioned his passing in the New York Times? Also Canadian. Just saying.

MSNBC on Sunday finally got around to hotlinking to a few articles from other sources (reuters, ap) and Fox has said nothing.

(That Prime Minister Jean Poutine thing really did happen, by the way. It was funny.)

(and of course I am aware of the hurricane and earthquake. the hurricane hit the east coast of Canada, also. And we felt the earthquake in Ontario.)

You don't think there is a phenomena where the US as a whole is very disinterested in anything outside of the US, that's cool. I think there is, and that's cool too.

lettertodaddy

08-30-2011, 07:16 PM

You don't think there is a phenomena where the US as a whole is very disinterested in anything outside of the US, that's cool. I think there is, and that's cool too.

I never said there wasn't, I'm arguing that during this news cycle, the American media (and President) had bigger issues to focus on. I'm also arguing that maybe it would be better if my fellow Canadians focused inward a little more instead of wringing our hands worrying about what Canadian news stories Americans did or didn't cover.

suebee

08-30-2011, 07:48 PM

......
You don't think there is a phenomena where the US as a whole is very disinterested in anything outside of the US, that's cool. I think there is, and that's cool too.

I never said there wasn't, I'm arguing that during this news cycle, the American media (and President) had bigger issues to focus on. I'm also arguing that maybe it would be better if my fellow Canadians focused inward a little more instead of wringing our hands worrying about what Canadian news stories Americans did or didn't cover.

You know ltd, your remarks make me think of the remarks made by Janet Napolitano after her visit to Ottawa. She was annoyed that so many people brought up the topic of her mistaken belief that the 911 hijackers came to the States through Canada, even though the story had been debunked and OFFICIALLY recognized as having no merit many times. It seemed to be a small affair to her - though I would think somebody in her position would have access to accurate information. We are one of two immediate neighbours, and the largest trading partner to the U.S., and the average U.S. citizen knows jack shit about us. I live in a border town and I am repeatedly amazed at how little folks know about their northern neighbour. You seem more embarassed by us bringing it up than anything. The U.S. as a society is VERY ego-centric. This doesn't mean that every individual is - but as a whole Americans know little of what happens outside of their own country. It's a fact. Perhaps you haven't been paying attention. And if you have and you still feel that we're "wringing our hands" - a comment I found pretty condescending - well then all power to you. You have the right to your opinion.

Sue

lettertodaddy

08-30-2011, 08:33 PM

I'm not embarrassed. It's just curious to me how Canadians can spend half their time kvetching about how Americans don't pay any attention to them, and half their time trying to appease Americans (especially with the current government).

There was a Canadian comedian - I wish I could remember his name - who said that the relationship between the US and Canada was like the relationship between him and his little brother. Whenever he wanted to go off and do anything, his mom would say "be sure to take your little brother with you!" and if he ever dared to try to go off on his own, his little brother would whine and run and tell mom.

It's lazy thinking to be so biased and so bigoted about an entire country of people. It seems like disordered thinking to be so dismissive of an entire country yet completely obsessed with getting them to pay attention to you. It's so easy to drift into that lazy thinking, and I get that Canadians obviously get something out of this national obsession with trying to catch the eye of the United States, but as an outsider who chose to make Canada her home, I've never understood it. Canada's awesome in its own right - we don't need the klieg lights from down south to focus on us to realize it. Rep your own. Hype your own. Don't mind what the others are doing, just do you, Canada.

lettertodaddy

08-30-2011, 08:34 PM

And while we're on the subject of American media paying attention to Canada, how awesome is it that Entertainment Weekly's Music Mix section has a "Things that are Canadian (http://music-mix.ew.com/category/misc/things-that-are-canadian/)" tag?

suebee

08-30-2011, 11:22 PM

.....It's lazy thinking to be so biased and so bigoted about an entire country of people. It seems like disordered thinking to be so dismissive of an entire country yet completely obsessed with getting them to pay attention to you.....[/B]

I can't even begin to express how condescending this is. You're saying that we're awesome - just as long as we don't say anything about anybody else. Using the phrase "lazy thinking" is a great red herring, but offers no explanation or examples as to why what I have to say is invalid. And speaking of lazy.....did you notice this part of my post?: "The U.S. as a society is VERY ego-centric. This doesn't mean that every individual is - but as a whole Americans know little of what happens outside of their own country." - expressed in context of my experience of living on the border. Your opinions are yours. Please have the respect to realize that others may differ with you.

betenoire

08-30-2011, 11:48 PM

It seems like disordered thinking to be so dismissive of an entire country yet completely obsessed with getting them to pay attention to you. It's so easy to drift into that lazy thinking, and I get that Canadians obviously get something out of this national obsession with trying to catch the eye of the United States, but as an outsider who chose to make Canada her home, I've never understood it.[/B]

I'm just saying that I'd like to, on occasion, see some positive mention of Canada in the US media. There are times that we got a LOT of coverage south of our border. Like if one of our politicians is caught calling Dubya a moron - boy oh boy that media shitstorm lasted a MONTH. Or when we opted out of Iraq - another shitstorm of media attention. Or when we almost decriminalised possession of cannabis - that shitstorm included lengthy articles about how now people are going to be trafficking tonnes of drugs from Canada to the US and culminated to my wait to cross the border (I was living in BC at the time) going from an average of 10 minutes to WELL over an hour (and getting the back seat removed from my car by US border guards on a regular basis). And when Obama started working toward affordable healthcare for everybody in the US - again attention was turned to Canada and our apparently 3rd world health system and the long waits and all the people who die in our emergency rooms waiting for care (none of which is true, of course).

Like Suebee, I live in a border town. Before I moved here I never really thought about Americans that much. And now that I'm married to a Butch from Ohio....well. I love my spouse but sweet Jesus some of hys friends ask me the stupidest fucking questions. Sometimes I just want to shake them and say "I know that about you guys, how do you not know that about us?"

lettertodaddy

08-31-2011, 12:04 AM

I'm an American who doesn't always get pegged as American who has lived here for 10 years (because of how I look, most people assume I'm from the Caribbean).

In that ten years, I have heard and read some of the most dismissive yet completely off-handed biased and sometimes outright bigoted comments about Americans that I've ever heard. When I speak up about it, I generally hear "Oh, well, we didn't mean you!" in response. This is the same sort of lazy bigotry that I've heard from white people who, when making racist comments about blacks, are quick to turn to me and say "Oh, well I didn't mean you!" in reply. Bigotry is bigotry, and I'm calling it as I see it.

Do I need to provide you with a transcript, subeee? Because if that's what you're waiting for, I'm afraid you'll just have to keep waiting.

I once did a little experiment with a Canadian friend of mine who was one of the worst offenders when it came to these kinds of lazy assumptions. For one day, I decided that every time she made a bigoted, uniformed, broad sweeping comment about Americans, I was going to poke her in the ribs. I told her in advance that I was going to do it, just so she could see how often she was making comments that I took offense to and were hurtful. After about the fifth or sixth poke, she started to become annoyed. After about the tenth, it finally sank in that she was making these comments without even thinking about them.

Dismissive? Sure. But it isn't any more dismissive than some of the things I've heard over the years. I think what's different is that maybe many Canadians haven't had many Americans call them on it before.

To you it may matter that you're speaking about the group and not the individual. But I'm a member of that group, and I take my membership in that group very, very seriously. I am here to tell you that it is hurtful, and that it needs to stop.

And please don't get on me about being respectful. I've been nothing but respectful in this thread. I just have a different opinion. But as it seems that this opinion isn't welcome here, I'll bow out and leave y'all to your little Canadian oasis. Don't mind me as I whistle "O Canada" on my way out.

imperfect_cupcake

08-31-2011, 12:29 AM

Ltd et al feel free to completely ignore my post like it has nothing to do with this at all ....

here I'll put it in a nutshell to re-dress: large powerful imperialist-esque nations will be very self-gazing. the states isn't the only one. even though scotland and wales and ireland are all next door, people in england know relatively nothing about them. for example all they know about the welsh is "their language is funny hahaha" and "sheep shaggers hahaha" etc.

It's fucking annoying. But it will never, ever change. not ever. why? because they don't have to. And LTD I don't think of it like an annoying little brother, I think about it like a mentally challenged older cousin who keeps punching you (with things like their unilateral foreign policy, their bullying tactics with NAFTA, their religious right sending money into canada to try and undo our constitution, just to name 3 out of thousands of toe crushing/rib bruising/wrist twisting encouragements made on us - not to mention many other countries) but you have to be nice about it because they'll never "get it" and plus if you piss them off, they'll break your arm.

The relationship used to be called the lion and the mouse, when I was a kid. And Mulrooney, used to be accused of trying to shove the mouse up the elephants ass, which no one liked. However, the one thing people do like in a priminister, is when they have the guts to tell the US to fuck off - like during the NAFTA negotiations when they wanted us to flood our desert in BC to hold water for them. LMAO.

It's a very, very strained relationship. Just like every other country who lives next to a large and very powerful nation. But it won't change. There will always be stupid questions, they will think we're smug when they actually notice us. forever and ever, amen.

betenoire

08-31-2011, 12:36 AM

everyone feel free to completely ignore my post like it has nothing to do with this at all....

I'm pretty sure I interacted with you? I could be misremembering, though. Possibly I just blah blah blahed about Rick Mercer or something.

betenoire

08-31-2011, 12:41 AM

11th Human Foot Since 2007 Found On The Shore In BC (http://www.king5.com/news/local/Another-foot-found-on-BC-shore-brings-total-to-7-128725188.html)

(I'm not going to lie. Because I am a terrible person I laughed hysterically when I read the part about how a couple of "fake" feet have also been found. And then I was sad that I didn't think of it first.)

imperfect_cupcake

08-31-2011, 12:43 AM

betenoire

08-31-2011, 12:45 AM

sorry, I meant the back and forth you were having with LTD lol. and ta da! I expanded to include what I ment.

I think I missed anything about rick mercer... or I could just be half awake. To educate my dutch wife on canadian culture I showed her "talking to americans" ;)

Yeah, your mention of the Prime Minister Jean Poutine thing made me watch Talking To Americans again. I had to.

Congratulations Canada, on allowing the Irish the right to vote!

imperfect_cupcake

08-31-2011, 12:47 AM

betenoire

08-31-2011, 12:50 AM

PS - don't forget to lock your door, I can hear that bodyless foot walking up your pathway.

I don't imagine it'll have any trouble hoping up the three flights of stairs to my apartment, either.

But it will be defeated by my doorknob! Unless it brings thing with it:

http://www.addamsfamily.com/addams/afthing1.jpg

imperfect_cupcake

08-31-2011, 12:54 AM

it could annoyingly scratch at your door with it's toe nails till you let it in.

betenoire

08-31-2011, 01:00 AM

it could annoyingly scratch at your door with it's toe nails till you let it in.

Well now I -really- hope it brought Thing with it because somebody needs to clean the coffee off of my monitor now.

Lordamercy.

betenoire

10-26-2011, 11:26 AM

Linus

10-26-2011, 11:31 AM

So apparently Marg Princess Warrior showed up at Mayor Ford's place to try and get an interview with him...so he ran back inside and called 9-1-1.

Jackass.

Ford calls 911 on CBC comedians (http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1075287--mayor-ford-calls-911-on-cbc-comedians)

What. A. Dumbass.

I would kill to get an interview with Marg Princess Warrior (I still say she'd make a great PM).

betenoire

10-26-2011, 11:31 AM

45 Canadian movies you should see - according to Strombo (http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/arts-and-entertainment/45-english-canadian-movies-you-should-see.html)

I am still raw that eXistenz was left off of the list.

Jesus of Montreal is also a cool movie, although it's not an english movie and that's what the list is of. But still.

Isn't Hard Candy canadian???

betenoire

10-26-2011, 11:33 AM

What. A. Dumbass.

I would kill to get an interview with Marg Princess Warrior (I still say she'd make a great PM).

I know! I would want to be in politics in Canada JUST so that she would ambush me for an interview!

(Hey, Linus. Is there any way I could get you to move this thread back to the Canada forums? I'm not sure why it ever got taken out of there. Since it's not super active Canadians are unlikely to come across it in the "news" forums and if it's Canadian content they're looking for the first place most people would look is in the Canada forums. Please?)

Linus

10-26-2011, 11:35 AM

betenoire

10-26-2011, 11:40 AM

Nope. US. Although that is a great movie.

Another film, although french, that's good is Les Boys. I actually enjoyed it both dubbed and subtitled.

Really? But Hard Candy has so many Canadians in it! I guess we're the only ones willing to be in a movie like that (it's one of my favourites)

(Well, I guess by "so many Canadians" I really just mean Ellen Page and Sandra Oh)

Linus

10-27-2011, 08:46 AM

So apparently Marg Princess Warrior showed up at Mayor Ford's place to try and get an interview with him...so he ran back inside and called 9-1-1.

Jackass.

Ford calls 911 on CBC comedians (http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1075287--mayor-ford-calls-911-on-cbc-comedians)

And Ford, of course, had to use his sense of entitlement.

Sources say Ford turned on the dispatcher, yelling: “You … bitches! Don’t you f--king know? I’m Rob f--king Ford, the mayor of this city!”

tapu

10-27-2011, 08:54 AM

Canadianz

i haz one

mm-hmm!

betenoire

10-27-2011, 09:40 AM

Sources say Ford turned on the dispatcher, yelling: “You … bitches! Don’t you f--king know? I’m Rob f--king Ford, the mayor of this city!”

What a douchebag. Where'd you read that, Linus?

Linus

10-27-2011, 09:42 AM

What a douchebag. Where'd you read that, Linus?

Check the front page of HuffPost.ca (http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/)

betenoire

10-27-2011, 09:47 AM

Check the front page of HuffPost.ca (http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/)

Haha, I love it. He's like a trustfund kid! "Do you know who my father is?"

Softhearted

10-27-2011, 12:00 PM

Hello Linus,

If you enjoyed Les Boys you will probably enjoy Starbuck (which was released in theater this summer... so I dunno when it will be released on DVD). It is a funny movie :)!

Kelz

10-27-2011, 09:27 PM

I hate Ford. I despise the guy! It's embarrassing he's the mayor. He's a one term wonder mayor lol.

One of his volunteers during his campaign was circling a parking lot and rolls up beside me while I'm trying to load the groceries in my car and starts asking me who I'm voting for. Now I'm a civil person so as politely as possible I said, "I'm undecided but I can assure you, I won't be voting for him" And he says asks me "why?" WHY!?!? So my partner steps in and says "Because he's homophobic" he starts pulling away and says "Well check the polls" At that point I lost it and told him to f*** off. Felt good :)

Linus

10-27-2011, 09:44 PM

EnderD_503

10-28-2011, 11:08 PM

From what I've been reading (via CBC and HuffPost.ca) this guy is actually worse than Mel Lastman -- and that is saying a lot. :blink:

Oh god...dude...not even the same league as Lastman. Lastman wasn't exactly world's best mayor, but Ford is like a parody of the worst redneck bigot you could possibly think of. Not even the conservatives wanted his support in the past two election campaigns. Have you seen the TweedleRob and TweedleDoug caricatures? They've been vandalized all over the city, lol. He really is the worst mayor this city has ever had. From privatizing garbage pick up west of Yonge, to him and Doug's whole "hey, let's build the world's largest ferris wheel on Toronto's lakeshore! And a giant mall! Tourists will flock!" venture, to selling off/trying to sell off the city's low income housing units (cause we need more condos! everyone wants to buy condos! Never mind poor people can't find places to live! They're just lazy anarchists!), to lying about the whole transit city deal with the province...to every other stupid idea the dude has ever had. This city is going to be a mess by the time he's done with it. He's even mentioned trying to decamp the Occupy movement currently set up in St. James park. And if he does I get the sense the shit will really hit the fan, cause a surprising amount of people here are supporting the movement.

I also wonder if Rob or Doug (aka co-mayor) have any knowledge whatsoever of Canadian culture in general. First Doug claims he has no clue who Margaret Atwood is, now Rob doesn't know who Marg Warrior Princess is (:p)...seriously, where have these guys been? Under a rock?

And yeah...this whole 911 call on Marg was just beyond stupid. I keep thinking to myself "no, he can't be THAT fucking stupid"...then he goes and does something stupider than the last time. Apparently he tried to deny calling police dispatch "bitches" and throwing insults at them...little did he realise...it's a fucking 911 call. They record it you moron! You can't deny something they've recorded you saying, and the police ain't exactly your biggest fans as of late.

Then he tries to lie about how the Marg thing went down, saying she came running out of the van scaring his young daughter who supposedly went screaming back into the house "and freaking out." Uh...duuuhh, you don't think there were cameras filming the whole thing, Mr. Ford? As Marg said "unless the child was in his suit coat, there wasn't any child there." And of course, he has to tell us how intimidated and afraid he was. And again gotta love Marg's reply to that one "I'm a 60 year old woman with a plastic sword..."

So yeah, in conclusion, he is definitely fucking worse than Lastman. Lastman I didn't question as a sentient being. Ford is like a character you'd expect to be in Family Guy or the Simpsons. Fucking hate the guy and his "gravy train" bullshit with a passion, and can't believe how many idiotic people who haven't been able to figure out that not paying taxes = no money for city/no money for public services fell for his campaign. Oh well, never mind he's shut down all sorts of museums, is screwing everyone over by wiping out public services...but damn, at least he got rid of those pesky vehicle registration fees! *megaeyeroll*

Did I mention I really fucking hate him?:p

betenoire

11-02-2011, 05:49 PM

Kobo Vox (it's in COLOUR!) has just been released - retails at 199.

http://www.thestar.com/business/article/1079635--roseman-kobo-s-200-tablet-sets-new-benchmark-price?bn=1

I'm really digging the looks/reviews of this toy. I don't have an ereader yet - but I think this is the one I will get. It looks FANTASTIC.

Things about it I think are cool:

1 - Kobo is Canadian.

2 - cheaper than the Nook Color. So there.

3 - Has an AFFS+ (advanced fringe field switching plus) screen, which is apparently used on technology in fighter planes. Basically it means "you can see the screen outside in the daylight" - which is pretty amazing.

4 - The "Pulse" social feature is kind of a virtual bookclub intergrated into the book itself. You can see how popular a book is, how many people are reading it at that moment, discuss the book, etc. It's apparently the most advanced/useful/fun "social" feature on any ereader thus far.

5 - Their own android app store! And they are all FREE. So there.

6 - You can view books from other devices on Kobo and vice versa - which not all ereaders support.

I think I might buy this for myself soonish.

Cin

11-08-2011, 07:19 AM

http://www.leadnow.ca/images/crime-bill-comic.png

If you are interested you can send an email at Leadnow
http://www.leadnow.ca/keep-canada-safe

EnderD_503

11-08-2011, 09:12 PM

Seems like TweedleRob and TweedleDoug are looking to dislodge Occupy TO protesters from St. James Park fairly soon.

Even the St. James church is supporting the protestors' cause, which I think is important. A large number of Torontonians have really supported Occupy Toronto. Our community among others have showed support by bringing food and so on to those occupying St. James. Even local restaurants have been donating food to them, and the below article even says that the church allows them to use the kitchen twice a week.

Ford has already placed himself at odds with most Torontonians, including many who stupidly voted for him. I think evicting the Occupy folks, especially with the church partially owning the land they're camping on supporting them, will only further create discontent.

Occupy Toronto ready to legally resist eviction if necessary

November 8, 2011 20:11:00
Raveena Aulakh
Staff reporter

Police crackdowns, court injunctions and warnings: around the world, the Occupy movement is being pushed and it is being shoved.

In London, England, a court battle will begin in coming weeks as lawyers for St. Paul’s Cathedral and the city work to evict about 500 protesters from the church grounds.

Closer to home, Quebec City’s mayor has asked protesters to pack up. Vancouver is seeking a court injunction. In Victoria, activists are moving to an area closer to City Hall in a compromise to make way for an outdoor skating rink.

In Toronto, the protesters, about 500 of them, are well entrenched at St. James Park at Jarvis and King Sts., co-owned by The Cathedral Church of St. James and the city. Quietly, they have dug in their heels and tents in preparation for the long haul.

Will there be one?

Mayor Rob Ford said a few days ago that he is “working on a plan” for St. James Park. While the mayor’s office did not respond to a request for comment, deputy mayor Doug Holyday said city staff are reviewing the situation.

“They’ve made their point,” he said in an interview with the Star. “Now it’s just them squatting in the park … that can’t go forever. Over the next few weeks, we will see an end to this matter.”

So the question is, can the city evict the protesters?

The issue is very complicated, says John Mascarin, a Toronto lawyer who specializes in municipal law.

It’s tough to say what the city can do without examining ownership documents or the legal statutes that may apply to it, he said.

“But as the owner of the land, the city has the ultimate control,” he said Any municipality, if it owns land, has a right to treat the land as any other owner and could put restrictions on the use of land, he said.

Mascarin doesn’t think co-ownership makes a difference. “The city still has an upper hand.”

Of course, he agrees there may be counter-arguments, saying it is a public space and is being used for democratic purposes.

What complicates the matter is that the church has indicated, through a letter on its website, that it is not in favour of evicting the protesters.

“We are talking to the police, the city, the protesters, neighbours … everyone,” said Douglas Stoute, dean at the church.

He added the church and the city have shared the land for 50 years.

George Rust-D’Eye, one of Canada’s leading municipal law lawyers, says Toronto, like Vancouver, may be looking at court proceedings.

Meanwhile at St. James Park, protesters are aware of what’s going on at protests in other cities.

They say they understand that while activists around the world are still demonstrating against corporate greed, authorities seem to be losing patience and are attempting to push them out.

But Occupy Toronto will not provide any reason to be kicked out, said Anna Crooke, a media relations officer with the movement. “We don’t allow drugs or alcohol here,” she said, adding that there are regular security checks to ensure that St. James Park is safe.

She also said the fire marshal has visited the camp twice to check for fire hazards and given it an all-clear.

Occupy Toronto is one of the most organized of the movements, to the point of becoming a talking point for activists in other cities.

The protesters are doing everything right, said Crooke, adding that the group has sanction from the church to be there. The church also lets them use its kitchen twice a week.

“If there is any move to evict us, we will fight it,” she said. “We will go through proper procedures but we will fight it.”

But if the city does evict them, Crooke says there is a back-up plan firmly in place.

“We have been offered several venues in the downtown area,” she said. “We would go there if evicted. But we won’t stop this movement.”

Source: http://www.thestar.com/mobile/news/article/1083542--occupy-toronto-ready-to-legally-resist-eviction-if-necessary?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Softhearted

11-11-2011, 03:18 AM

Linus

11-11-2011, 05:56 AM

"A new safety approach aimed at getting airlines to police themselves could endanger passengers, particularly those flying with smaller airlines, aviation experts warn.

In 2005, Transport Canada began changing over to a system that critics say essentially leaves airlines to regulate themselves, instead of primarily relying on federal inspectors to oversee airplane safety as they had before.

The federal department says the new approach, called safety management systems (SMS), makes flying safer, but critics disagree."

rest of the article at: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/11/08/airline-safety-system-flights.html

_______

Maybe I'm cynical, but can we totally trust private big corporations policing themselves?

No. The US did this in the 80s (I think that's when it was) and there was a flurry of accidents. There are still questionable incidents today and a lot of questionable practises (I mean, I've heard of flights using duct tape to keep certain parts together -- I know it's strong but.. :| ).

I really do think this is a bad idea. I know Harper is keen on impressing the likes of Limbaugh, Palin, etc. but I don't think he should do it risking Canadian lives.

Linus

11-11-2011, 07:52 AM

EnderD_503

11-11-2011, 11:20 AM

http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourcommunity/2011/11/should-people-have-the-right-to-wear-a-poppy-at-work.html

Are you shitting me? This isn't just about raising money for veterans; it's about remembering those that never made it back...

Wow...this is the biggest piece of bullshit I've read in a while. Banning poppies? This isn't about "supporting a cause." If anything, Western societies need to be reminded more and more about what should have been learned following the first and second world wars.

Cin

11-13-2011, 02:06 PM

Occupy Toronto Protesters Quit Queen's Park Site

Occupy Toronto protesters who set up camp at Queen's Park on the weekend have removed their tents, reportedly after being told they were breaking the law.

Some protesters had moved to the park outside the Ontario legislature to bring their cause closer to provincial politicians. Protester John Erg said Occupy Toronto had become so popular, it had outgrown its space at St. James Park downtown.

But the new campsite was short-lived after protesters were told the land was provincial property and they couldn't camp on it, police said. The posters left Saturday night.

The majority of protesters had stayed at James Park but said they planned to discuss whether they should relocate.

Businesses in the area have complained about the makeshift village, and Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has said it was time for the protesters to "move on."

Occupy Toronto: Anonymous Threatens Cyber Attack If City Attempts To Evict Protesters
TExJzOYij2o&feature=player_embedded

betenoire

11-14-2011, 11:09 AM

Hey M Tick, that video is gone. So sad! I would have liked to have seen it.

In other Canadian News: I freaking LOVE my new Kobo Vox! Now, I have never owned a tablet or Ipad or smartphone or anything like that, so I don't have any sort of standard to measure it against...but the picture is amazing (as good as my actual computer monitor) and it browses pretty fast.

I'm so sold.

I'm also really excited to note that the device will pay for itself. I just paid 12.99 for a new release ebook that would have cost me 35.99 if I had bought a physical copy. Considering how quickly I go through books, this is going to be an amazing investment.

Also: Buy Canadian.

Cin

11-14-2011, 07:50 PM

Zj_8SNJw7ZA&feature=player_embedded

hopefully this will work.

EnderD_503

11-14-2011, 08:27 PM

^When I read that on the subway yesterday I seriously lol'ed to myself :p Considering the stupid shit Ford has said in public, I'd love to see them reveal his personal emails to the public. We might just have the very first mayor to get booted out of office before the end of his term. I'm not sure if people around here could hate him anymore these days.

Once again... o/ Anon :D

EnderD_503

11-15-2011, 09:30 AM

Just now this morning, protestors from Occupy TO have marched to Brookfield Investments, in protest of the evacuation of Occupy Wall Street in New York from Zuccotti Park. Two protestors were arrested, one a Native Canadian was tackled by a police officer (so far no one seems to know the charges), while the other was allegedly arrested trying to pick up the First Nations unity flag the previously arrested protestor dropped.

Police are now giving Occupy TO camp eviction notice.

EnderD_503

11-15-2011, 03:06 PM

Awesome support for Occupy Toronto faced with eviction! Mohawk elders sent word after the eviction notice that they support Occupy TO remaining on St. James' Park land, and apparently more people will becoming down to the city to support. The Cathedral, who owns 25% of the land, reaffirmed that they support the movement. The Ontario Federation of Labour called for its member to go down to the park in support of the movement tonight. City council has moved to block Ford's eviction notice since he did not consult city council on the eviction notice. 12 city councilors so far have signed a letter to Rob Ford telling him to postpone eviction to the next city council meeting at the end of the month, at the very earliest, so that councilors can discuss the issue.

The eviction notice says people need to be out of the park between 12:01am and 5:01am, Occupy TO asks that all supporters who aren't camping at the park be down at 11pm to peacefully resist eviction if necessary.

Hopefully Ford will soon realise that he's making a huge mistake.

EnderD_503

11-16-2011, 12:54 AM

Well, Occupy TO was safe tonight :D Earlier this afternoon a judge ruled that Ford couldn't evict protestors tonight, and that no action could be taken until the conclusion of court proceedings Friday afternoon. So tonight's call to defend the park turned more into a celebratory gathering, lol. I think at least all this did show that a lot more people are supporting this than Ford thinks.

Also heard something about how the close proximity of NYC and Toronto evictions were actually planned that way by cooperation between the mayors. Considering Ford didn't manage to evict Occupy TO and NYC occupiers are back in the park (or so I hear?), I guess their attempt to dislodge occupiers in a single stroke didn't quite work out. But the fact that this kind coordinated attack between mayors across North America is happening is a bit disturbing, and a bit too blatantly "the people vs. local government."

Cin

11-22-2011, 10:57 PM

He cracks me up.

MWwEwUz45_I&feature=player_detailpage

Soon

11-23-2011, 10:07 PM

B.C. court upholds anti-polygamy law as constitutional (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/bc-politics/bc-court-upholds-anti-polygamy-law-as-constitutional/article2246238/)

Greyson

11-24-2011, 12:03 AM

Honestly, I have mixed feelings and thoughts about this non-binding ruling. I do understand how this judge was concerned about the well being of women and children. I am somewhat familiar with the American "Bountiful" sect of the LDS. Most of the information I know of Bountiful is via the American and Canadian media.

Just last week I was watching a Lisa Ling piece done for her show on the OWN channel about the women members of the American Bountiful LDS sect. Apparently these women are content with their way of life and believe their way is also healthy and good for their children. I found it very ironic that a Lesbian with advocacy experience and skills is now working with these women to state their case in the media and courts.

I know there are judges, senators, members of congress, zealots and others who believe that Queer parents and families are unfit and will harm the well being of children. If "the majority" had their way we would be stripped of any legal recognition and/or protection. This could be a slippery slope. I am undecided on this one. Thanks for posting the link.

EnderD_503

11-24-2011, 07:29 AM

While I disagree with anti-polygamy laws in principle, I agree with this ruling as far as it relates to religious sects and the trend in relationship dynamics of those pushing for polygamous marriage. If polygamous marriage were legalised in Canada, very likely over 90% of those entering into such marriages would be heterosexual men marrying numerous heterosexual women and more than likely would involve those from fundamentalist Christian and Muslim sects.

The fact that such marriages would overwhelmingly involve one man marrying several women, really is what worries me. Although theoretically one woman could marry multiple men, one man multiple men or one woman multiple women and so on, that likely wouldn't be the case. I think that such a law would only largely be used to continue the oppression of women, and the propagation of the idea of women as either sexual play things or as baby making machines, or both (in the case of these sects). As such, I do think that such a law would be a danger to Canadian women, until society reaches such a point at which we no longer see polygamous marriage as one heterosexual man with multiple wives.

Whether those women feel "happy" in those relationships or not, isn't the issue for me. I do believe that Canadian law has the duty to promote women's rights and to protect Canadian women at large from practices which restrict or harm their rights. A woman can claim to be "happy" in these marriages, but it means very little. Very often people in oppressive situations do not speak up, especially when religion comes into play. Instead of supporting antiquated religious beliefs, Canada should be promoting education that informs women of their equal footing with men, of their ability to exist as an entity separate from men, to ultimately detach "being a woman" from relating with men. Still, too many Canadian women define themselves in relation to men/boyfriends/husbands/fathers. Religious freedom should only be allowed to go so far, but should not extend to threaten the rights of women or any other marginalized group.

Soon

11-30-2011, 02:22 PM

8tAzhbGHZrE&feature=player_embedded#!

betenoire

11-30-2011, 03:09 PM

The first "it gets better" ever:

t1Y7qpiu2RQ

betenoire

11-30-2011, 03:30 PM

Also:

Wh1jNAZHKIw

EnderD_503

12-01-2011, 06:32 PM

8tAzhbGHZrE&feature=player_embedded#!

It took the Liberal gov't long enough to act on it, but finally it seems they are starting to take some kind of responsibility in making it better for lgbtq students in Ontario Catholic schools. Unfortunately, some of their comments on upholding the potential new legislature seems a bit wishy-washy. Catholic schools are still claiming that the portion of the legislature that says "gay-straight alliance or other names" means that they can force students to use another names. Then they have the nerve to come back and say that they don't have a ban on queer langauge. The Liberals really need to be sure to put their foot down on this one and make it explicitly clear in the legislature that no Ontario school can ban or discourage the use of terms like "gay" or "queer" in student clubs. This would be a good time for the Ontario government to put an end to this bullshit.

Soon

12-10-2011, 07:03 PM

Just turned on the tv to The Fifth Estate -- an investigation into the RCMP and sexual harassment.

Thought some of you others might want to catch it.

Truly Scrumptious

12-13-2011, 11:59 AM

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women is going to conduct an inquiry into the murders and disappearances of Aboriginal women and girls across Canada.

It's about time. Sad though that this is coming from an external source . . . just another example of the shameful treatment of First Nations people in Canada.

http://www.nwac.ca/media/release/13-12-11

Linus

12-13-2011, 02:56 PM

Speaking of Canadian sexiness, if you haven't read How to be a Canadian by the Ferguson brothers you should! OMG! It's funny! I picked it up on my recent weekend trip to Montreal.

Truly Scrumptious

12-13-2011, 05:12 PM

From Leadnow.ca:
Painful as it is to read this kind of searing critique in a foreign paper, we're glad the Guardian has been doing such a good job of holding our government accountable. Quote: "The response of the Canadian government to the emergency in Attawapiskat shows why indigenous communities are in trouble."

Full article here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/dec/11/canada-third-world-first-nation-attawapiskat?fb=native&CMP=FBCNETTXT9038

(Let’s not forget that in 2004, Harper sent a letter to an Ontario native organization congratulating them on Republic Day, which is actually celebrated in India to mark the date when their constitution took effect.
He wrote: "On the occasion of India's national day, I salute the Indian community for long-standing contributions to the economic and cultural vitality of our wonderful country”.)

Cin

12-13-2011, 06:33 PM

"The response of the Canadian government to the emergency in Attawapiskat shows why indigenous communities are in trouble."

(Let’s not forget that in 2004, Harper sent a letter to an Ontario native organization congratulating them on Republic Day, which is actually celebrated in India to mark the date when their constitution took effect.
He wrote: "On the occasion of India's national day, I salute the Indian community for long-standing contributions to the economic and cultural vitality of our wonderful country”.)

LOL. Yes, perhaps Harper is still confused about the difference between the people of India and First Nations. That would explain his failure to act. He sent money to the Indians. More likely it is reflective of how he actually feels about Canada's Aboriginal Peoples in general. Hard to believe such a limited, unfeeling, pompous ass became Prime Minister of Canada.

Truly Scrumptious

12-14-2011, 03:05 PM

gCcocKPVYWA

Cid

12-22-2011, 08:30 AM

LOL. Yes, perhaps Harper is still confused about the difference between the people of India and First Nations. That would explain his failure to act. He sent money to the Indians. More likely it is reflective of how he actually feels about Canada's Aboriginal Peoples in general. Hard to believe such a limited, unfeeling, pompous ass became Prime Minister of Canada.

Seems to be the common denominator of politicians, don't you think?

Truly Scrumptious

12-26-2011, 03:21 PM

http://media.thestar.topscms.com/images/fd/ac/c7609e04433dae7153e4bc0277b5.jpeg

Truly Scrumptious

12-28-2011, 09:14 PM

Some of the highlights:

He did his best to avoid journalists at the summit, subjected them to security searches, and then held a teleconference call that required Canadian journalists in South Africa to phone an Ottawa call centre to ask him questions.

http://www.canada.com/Environment+minister+played+hide+seek+summit+befor e+Kyoto+withdrawal/5919433/story.html

Truly Scrumptious

12-29-2011, 01:31 PM

If there were two things that defined 2011, they were the Arab Spring uprisings that threw the Middle East into turmoil and the Occupy Wall Street protests in North America and Europe. But Canadian Senator Romeo Dallaire, the former U.N. general lionized for leading the besieged peacekeepers during the Rwandan Genocide, says a third revolution connects the two movements — the communications revolution.

“We are in an era of conflict with a certain world disorder, a time of revolutions, with the communications revolution being one,” Dallaire tells Huffington Post Canada.

Dallaire begs to differ with author Malcolm Gladwell's argument in his essay “Small Change: Why the Revolution Will Not be Tweeted," that technology and social media play no real role in high-risk activism,

“It's starting. We are entering an era where the revolution in communications is empowering the under-25s and they're able to start realizing that they can coalesce in real-time around the world. They’re also getting more information about what's going on around them, whether they want it or not, because it's all being punched out every minute,” he says, adding that their power extends beyond protests.

Full article here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2011/12/28/romeo-dallaire-arab-spring-occupy-wall-street_n_1172570.html

Truly Scrumptious

12-30-2011, 09:45 PM

From The Globe And Mail today:

On Dec. 15, the Governor-General gave royal assent to Bill C-18. This means that the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act, the legislation that ends the Wheat Board’s monopoly of wheat and barley sales, is now the law of Canada – or is it?

The question arises because on Dec. 7, Federal Court judge Douglas Campbell ruled that the way Bill C-18 was introduced into Parliament violated the Canadian Wheat Board Act. Section 47 of the act requires that the Minister of Agriculture not introduce in Parliament a bill that would end the Wheat Board’s control of all wheat or barley sales without first consulting the board and holding a vote to determine whether farmers favour such a change.

In the May election, the Conservatives ran on a platform that promised to end the Wheat Board’s monopoly. When polls indicated that a majority of both wheat and barley farmers favoured retaining the Wheat Board’s “single desk,” the government realized it might fail to honour its election commitment if it followed the procedure laid down in the act.

The government could have avoided this issue by asking Parliament to repeal the entire Wheat Board Act, or at least Section 47. Instead, it took the position that it did not have to comply with the act’s requirements because one Parliament cannot bind another. So, in its view, it could simply ignore legislation passed by a previous Parliament.

Read more here:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/opinion/does-it-matter-if-our-laws-are-passed-illegally/article2286544/

Truly Scrumptious

01-05-2012, 07:30 PM

As of noon on January 3, Canada’s 100 highest paid CEOs have already pocketed $44,366. It takes the Average Joe an entire year, working full-time, to earn that same amount.

NsCg9Fl4R6U

Truly Scrumptious

01-06-2012, 06:46 PM

Marketplace returns tonight on CBC at 8pm EST, with a story on the worst customer service in the country. It's hard to imagine there could be a rival for the absolute lack of anything resembling customer service here in Montreal, but I'll keep an open mind!

http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/includes/2012/promo_canada.jpg

EnderD_503

01-07-2012, 07:39 AM

Cin

01-07-2012, 10:04 AM

I don't know anything about Market Place. This was the first time I've ever watched the show and it did clear up something for me. I always wondered if the rather rude treatment I would receive from many store clerks was a uniquely Quebec thing, or even a Montreal thing, or perhaps a French thing, which I doubted since many store employees were not French, although it might be cultural, an unconscious mindset that seeped into the psyche of all customer service employees. What watching the show last night did for me was make it clear that the 'I'm blind to your existence' thing that I experience from most employees in most stores appears to be Canada wide. I've never made a racist, sexist or homophobic comment about anyone, let alone a store employee that I was trying to get help from. I was certainly never rude from the get go. But I've been treated so poorly, so often, that I've learned not to bother asking for help.

However, there are other aspects that would fall under the umbrella of poor service that I've never experienced outside of Quebec, although having only shopped in Ontario and Nova Scotia, I don't know if i have enough data to make that claim as reality. It's just been my experience.

In Montreal I've learned to jump out of the way when employees are walking down the aisles with stock that they are replenishing the shelves with. I've been hit on three separate occasions and never received as much as an "I'm sorry." As a matter of fact I was screamed at and followed around a grocery store by an employee who was angry because I complained that he hit me with a pallet of groceries.

I've also given up trying to look at anything where an employee is putting up stock. In the Dollarama I was trying to reach something just behind two employees with a cart who were reticketing some items. I explained I needed to get something and asked if they could move the cart just a tad. They were talking to each other and just ignored me. I reached over the cart to grab the article I wanted to purchase and one of the clerks pushed the cart into my arm and scrapped the skin on my forearm. I complained but they continued to ignore me. I told the woman she had scraped my arm and it was bleeding. She just started to talk to the other women and continued to ignored me. I couldn't understand the language they were speaking so I don't know if they were talking about me or about the weather. I kept on pointing to my arm and saying that she had hurt me. Finally she said and I quote, "Well, you shouldn't have tried to reach around the cart." I went to find a manager. When I did find the manager, I explained what happened. She looked blankly at me and my arm, didn't offer any advice, any sympathy for my experience, or even a band-aid. However, when it was clear I wasn't going anywhere until somebody addressed my issue, she asked if I had told the clerk I needed her to move. I said I did but she ignored me, just like she did when I complained about how she scraped my arm with the cart. And then she blamed me for reaching over her cart even though I had no way of knowing she would choose that exact moment to move the cart. I explained that a simple "oh, I'm sorry." would have ended it right there, I didn't even need a band-aid as I have some in my car. So the manager dutifully apologized in the most uninterested monotone one could imagine. Still since it was the first one I had ever received since coming to Montreal, it would do. Now I just walk on by if an employee is stocking or working around something I need. It just isn't worth it. Whatever I wanted to buy can wait or I can try to buy it some place else.

When I first moved to Montreal from Boston, other than the fact that people actually use their directionals, drive even faster than we do in Boston, and that Montreal is the only place in Quebec (maybe even in Canada) that you are not allowed to turn right on red because we can't be trusted, this rude thing from store clerks was the most different experience. And also the most jarring and difficult to get used to.

I get that people are overworked, that companies need to save money and put more work on their employees as a way to do it. I am always mindful of this. I am a working class stiff myself. I cut my teeth on dead end customer service type jobs and if I had not stumbled into human services and fallen in love with the population I work for, I would still be doing them. However, I have never treated anyone the way a large number of employees seem to feel comfortable treating me. I don't get it. And I don't deserve it.

And as far as not having the right not to serve customers, I certainly don't think that is the case here in Montreal. Everywhere I go, from grocery stores to hospitals, there are signs hung clearly explaining the kind of behavior they will not tolerate and can refuse service for. I was rather surprised when I came here and first saw these signs. I wondered to myself why would people have to tell other people not to swear, or be verbally or physically assaultive. Then I experienced how customers are treated, how frustrated you can get and I immediately understood the need for the signs everywhere. Although I believe simply treating people better might also work.

Truly Scrumptious

01-07-2012, 10:15 AM

From the commercials for Marketplace, I thought the show was going to be about which cities had the worst customer service, not which stores. As for the 3 stores they chose to investigate, I have to say I think Zellers is the absolute worst. (Now, I can only speak to the service in Montreal though I have to say that we spent a week in Halifax a couple of months ago and had great service straight across the board.) Zellers here is atrocious. You have to fight to use a coupon (never mind what happened with their own coupons last week which was all over the news, that’s a special case), you have to fight to be charged the price listed under the product on the shelf, because they have a nasty habit of putting the wrong prices on the shelves, and it seems like every experience requires a guest appearance by the manager just to get them to honour their own policies.

Long ago I gave up ever expecting help finding anything in a store in Montreal, the clerks are few and far between and avoid you as much as they can, just as shown on Marketplace last night. So really, any complaints I have are not about that kind of help because if it exists here, I don’t know where. Walk into the Future Shop and try to get some help, and you will be disturbing the employees who are hanging out talking together. (Best Buy, on the other hand, is better. Weird, since they are the same company.) Ask for something at Walmart, and you will be treated to a shrug. Try to get some help at Canadian Tire, and you'll still be standing there an hour later waiting. Ask for something at a grocery store, and you will be told if they have it, it's on the shelf. Eventually you give up asking. If it takes me too long to find something, I am going somewhere else.

I wish Marketplace had investigated grocery stores. In Montreal, Loblaws is by far the worst, and as they also own Provigo and Maxi, it’s pretty hard to avoid them. Chances are when you walk down an aisle in Loblaws, an employee is going to be stocking shelves and blocking the aisle. You can either turn around, or you can stand there and wait, but he/she is not going to move, and if you ask him/her to do so just so that you can get what you need, you are going to be rebuffed. (By contrast, at the Atlantic Superstore in Halifax, a girl stocking the shelves saw me coming and said “let me get this out of your way”. I almost had a stroke.) Long check out lines at Provigo are the norm, one Saturday afternoon at 2pm in November, I counted 42 people in line, and there were only 2 registers open. I’m sure some of those people were angry by the time they got to check out, and I can’t even imagine how frustrating it is for the cashiers who have to handle that kind of volume of (annoyed) customers and I am always mindful of that . . . it is not the cashier’s fault when this happens. But still, it happens and the company clearly doesn’t care about anyone’s feelings, including their employees. (What I don’t understand is that Loblaws and Atlantic Superstore are the same company, so why is there such a contrast in their customer service?)

Loblaws stocks mostly President’s Choice products wherever possible, and with good reason . . . they make them, they are usually better than any other brands, and they are cheaper. But they seem to have absolutely no quality control . . . . we have had an alarming rate of incidents finding things like bones, pieces of what might be wood, and other debris in products that are not supposed to contain bones, pieces of wood, or other debris. And the thing is, they don’t give a crap. Call or write the head office, they are not one bit interested in resolving your complaint. You can bring it back to the store and they will replace it, but really, it would serve them much better if they just worked on their QC.

Honestly, the great customer service I see is in New York or Vermont when we go cross border shopping. The difference is startling. Maybe they have more employees, maybe they are better trained, I don’t know. I do know that it seems they want to make their customers happy, whereas here, it seems they just want to make you go away.

Cin

01-07-2012, 10:37 AM

^ Honestly, I saw the ad for the new Marketplace in the lunchroom at work yesterday...and in a way kind of pissed me off. I wish there was a show that revealed how horribly employees are treated by customers. A lot of times when customers claim that employees are "rude" to them, it's because the customer was more than rude from the get go. I've had customers make racist comments about my co-workers, sexist comments about my co-workers, I've heard all kinds of homophobic comments by customers who "aren't getting what they want," and yeah I might act a little "frigid" toward them because my company won't allow me to outright refuse service to the jackasses...which I would if it didn't jeopardise my job. Honestly, I feel more companies should be like Ikea where they allow you to refuse service to customers who are more than distasteful as far as their treatment of employees. Maybe then, people would get better customer service. Keep your employees happy by empowering them to refuse service to some idiot who sees fit to cuss up a storm just because they think you should be licking their boots.

Let's face it, Canadian society is not as "polite" as we claim to be, and when people go shopping they can often be downright assholes. A lot of the employees they deal with are getting paid minimum wage in a shit job where they are regularly treated like crap by both customers and their employers. If I'm going to work a job where I get treated like a piece of shit on the bottom of a customer's shoe, they're going to have to pay me more than minimum wage, and the government should at least raise minimum wage rates to an amount that actually allows people to survive and not have to work more than one job.

Marketplace claims to be "protecting Canadians" yet fails to realise that its a lot of low income folks that get stuck in these jobs that are accused of "not giving good customer service." Fuck that. When I go out to a store I actually make sure to treat employees there with respect because I know what they have to deal with a hundred times a day...and in return I get respect back the majority of the time. Yes, there are some people that just don't give a shit, but I'd say they aren't the majority.

You certainly make a good point. I know from experience that customers can be difficult and employers are generally unsympathetic. I remember getting suspended for three days at a job I had just out of high school where I worked as a telephone operator. A customer asked if this was the asshole operator and I said as polite as pie, "Why no sir. She went home at 5:30." It was just anther incident of my smart mouth, my supervisor explained, when they suspended me. It sucks how businesses don't care about their employees or their customers. Seriously, what can an employer expect an employee to say to a question like that?

I think businesses don't care about customer service that much because there's no reason for them to care. A good many of the corporations have close to a monopoly or share a monopoly with another corporation. In Montreal, grocery stores are all owned by the same two corporations. If you don't buy from one particular store because of some incident, you still have to buy groceries and chances are they will get your business anyway. Eventually it gets so you hate them all equally so you shop according to sales. You can't win so you learn to ignore the poor service. So they can cut back on how many employees they have on per shift with impunity. They put the burden right on the back of employees and the consequences of being served by overburdened employees right on their customers. And they continue to reap the profits. Pisses me off.

Truly Scrumptious

01-10-2012, 08:14 PM

dbPtJ1ml5Zw

betenoire

01-10-2012, 08:58 PM

I just need to put out there that I appreciate not being hassled by sales clerks when I am in a store. It makes me feel pressured and I will often leave instead of taking the time to browse and buy something.

For crissakes if I want help finding something I will go ask you for help, leave me alone.

betenoire

01-12-2012, 10:17 AM

First: Abortion, gay marriage could be next on chopping block because of the Conservative government, Chrétien warns (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/abortion-gay-marriage-could-be-next-on-chopping-block-chrtien-warns/article2269178/). Afterall - we've already pulled out of the Kyoto accord and aren't able to do gun control the way we need to do it.

My boyfriend Jean Chrétien. This is a very smart fund-raising effort on the part of the Liberals - I approve.

And, incidentally, he's absolutely fucking right because

Second: Some Lesbian couple from outside of Canada (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/story/2012/01/12/pol-harper-same-sex-marriage.html) got married in Canada. Now they want a divorce and were unable to get one because Canada does not divorce non-residents. So instead of changing the rule to allow for divorces of ALL people married in Canada regardless of their country of residence...some douchebag government dude is all "well I guess since you can't get get divorced here and your country doesn't recognise your marriage anyway you're not really married and don't need a divorce - have a nice day!" And Harper is all "I promise I'm not going to bring same-sex marriage up for review!" - but I do not believe him.

and Third: Some shitstick backbencher is all "blah blah blah we have a duty to debate the rights of the unborn!" (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/mps-have-duty-to-debate-rights-of-unborn-backbench-tory-argues/article2299369/)

I swear to blog, the Republican Primaries in the US are making Canadian Conservative act like bigger assholes.

betenoire

01-12-2012, 10:59 AM

EnderD_503

01-12-2012, 07:15 PM

A series of studies in Canada and elsewhere over the past decade has found that the children of lesbians aren't just well-adjusted – they excel. On average, kids with two moms seem to be more confident and less aggressive than those raised by a mom and a dad. They are open-minded, affectionate and less susceptible to anxiety and depression. (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/parenting/advice/more-advice/with-two-moms-the-kids-are-all-right/article1666493/)

I hate how a lot of the comments on articles like this study take it out of its context.

Instead of looking at what there is to be said about families that are not made up of "oops babies" (as it was put in the article). Or families that may not put as much emphasis on certain forms of normativity/authoritarian gender roles, sexual expectations for the sake of normativity and so on. Or families who simply don't have parents who believe in being authoritarian for its own sake, due to parental insecurity or values affected by an unexamined patriarchal upbringing (do what daddy says because he says so and he's the boss, instead of do this because xyz).

Instead they rail on like traditionalists often do, which is to whine about how society is oppressing white men who just need everyone to fall into their proper roles damnit! And what do you mean my son doesn't need a male role model/father figure!? You can't raise a duck and tell it about duck stuff!!! :seeingstars:

EnderD_503

01-12-2012, 07:19 PM

I swear to blog, the Republican Primaries in the US are making Canadian Conservative act like bigger assholes.

I wish they would all just move down there to join their Tea Party/Republican buddies and leave us alone...:|

Soon

01-13-2012, 10:52 AM

http://www.sorryworld.ca/

betenoire

01-13-2012, 11:19 AM

http://www.sorryworld.ca/

woo I posted that to my G+ last night

love it.

foxyshaman

01-13-2012, 12:03 PM

and Third: Some shitstick backbencher is all "blah blah blah we have a duty to debate the rights of the unborn!" (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/mps-have-duty-to-debate-rights-of-unborn-backbench-tory-argues/article2299369/)

I swear to blog, the Republican Primaries in the US are making Canadian Conservative act like bigger assholes.

Interesting. I am sure we can agree that we will never ever see a repeal of the abortion laws in Canada.... and I am grateful otherwise I would be well on my way to Gramma. However, to nit pick, and I like nit picking sometimes, (I blame the Aries in me) I wish we could open the debate on fetus vs. living being insofar as wanting to give rights to an unborn child to be born safely. I would, in my perfect Aries world, love to see laws where if the mother is endangering the life of her unborn child, that we have the right to a) abort said fetus or b) confine her so that her gestating fetus has the right to a perfectly formed brain. And not one riddled with holes due to alcohol or drugs.

But, it is not a perfect Aries world.

betenoire

01-13-2012, 12:19 PM

Interesting. I am sure we can agree that we will never ever see a repeal of the abortion laws in Canada....

There ARE no abortion laws in Canada TO repeal. And that suits me just fine.

betenoire

01-13-2012, 12:23 PM

I wish we could open the debate on fetus vs. living being insofar as wanting to give rights to an unborn child to be born safely. I would, in my perfect Aries world, love to see laws where if the mother is endangering the life of her unborn child, that we have the right to a) abort said fetus or b) confine her so that her gestating fetus has the right to a perfectly formed brain. And not one riddled with holes due to alcohol or drugs.

No and no.

See the thing is - if the government meddles enough to call a fetus a person with rights and the government can control the behaviour of the mother...the government then gets to decide that a fetus is a person with rights who can not be aborted.

You can't have it both ways.

Either a fetus is not a person and I can have an abortion if I want one, or a fetus is a person and I am not allowed to have an abortion.

Cin

01-13-2012, 02:04 PM

It is interesting to note that while there are no laws governing abortion in Canada, arguably a good thing, and that the Canada Health Act has been interpreted by the federal government as requiring provinces to fully fund abortion clinics, the reality is women seeking abortion in Canada, depending on their location, can be literally out of luck. Several provinces make it extremely difficult for women to get an abortion. New Brunswick pays nothing toward funding abortion clinics. Nova Scotia has very limited funding. It’s impossible to get an abortion in PEI, however, the province will pay for hospital abortions in other provinces, coincidentally (or not) hospitals in the Maritimes will not perform abortions on women from out – of – province. The only option available to women in PEI are expensive private clinics in NB or NS and that is only as long as they get service in 16 weeks. Other than that, they need to go to Montreal or Toronto.

The number of Canadian medical schools that give instruction in abortion procedures is decreasing, which could potentially create a shortfall in medical personnel skilled in this area. Third-trimester abortions are not generally available In Quebec women seeking third-trimester abortions are sent to the US.

Abortion is the only medical procedure in Canada that does not meet even the most basic requirements of the Canada Health Act, which states that “insured medical services must be universal, accessible, portable and comprehensive.”

Many poor and especially rural women must depend on hospitals, yet it is very difficult to obtain an abortion at a hospital for a variety of reasons. Only about 1/3 of hospitals actually perform abortions. Some hospitals put women through illegal approval processes. There are also quotas, parental consent for surgery on minors, and long waiting lists (yet most will only perform first trimester abortions.) Hospitals also require a doctor’s referral for an abortion, which can be difficult to obtain. Often women have to face anti-choice medical staff who disapprove of their decision.

British Columbia is the only province in the country to have an Access to Abortion Services, or a bubble zone law restricting anti-choice protesters from areas around clinics, doctor’s offices and homes. Other provinces make it incredibly difficult for a woman to obtain an abortion, although if you live in Montreal or Toronto finding a clinic isn’t difficult. In the prairie provinces access is concentrated in the larger cities. In the Yukon there are no private clinics, but the province pays part of the cost for a woman to travel to BC to obtain an abortion. In Nunavut, there is one hospital that provides tax-payer funded abortions but if a woman is pregnant past 13 weeks she must travel to Ottawa. In the Northwest territories there are no private clinics but abortions are provided at two out of the three hospitals there. Nationally there are 151 abortion facilities available as opposed to 197 of the so called crisis pregnancy centres.

In conclusion I must say that although obtaining an abortion in Canada is not a crime, depending on where you live it might just feel like one.

foxyshaman

01-13-2012, 03:20 PM

No and no.

See the thing is - if the government meddles enough to call a fetus a person with rights and the government can control the behaviour of the mother...the government then gets to decide that a fetus is a person with rights who can not be aborted.

You can't have it both ways.

Either a fetus is not a person and I can have an abortion if I want one, or a fetus is a person and I am not allowed to have an abortion.

I totally get that. I was musing out loud how in a perfect world we could protect the life of a fetus from a damaging set of circumstances. I work with damaged kids day and day out. I do realize, legally there is no way to accomplish this. Again, when I, the Supreme Aries, rule the world....:canadian:

foxyshaman

01-13-2012, 03:23 PM

In conclusion I must say that although obtaining an abortion in Canada is not a crime, depending on where you live it might just feel like one.

Miss Tick, thank you for sharing your knowledge. I was aware of some of the information you provided, but not the extreme difficulties that some Canadian women face.

Again... thanks.

betenoire

01-14-2012, 07:24 PM

I attended an NDP Leadership Race Q&A/Luncheon/Fundraiser today in my town. Unfortunately the only hopefuls able to make it were Peggy Nash (http://peggynash.ca/2012/) and Romeo Saganash. (http://www.saganash.ca/saganash/)

Those two are my favourites, however, so I was pretty satisfied.

(I sat at Ms Nash's table!)

I'm really very torn between the two of them, and not sure how I'll vote (if you're an NDP supporter but not yet a member I encourage you to join (https://secure.ndp.ca/membership_e.php) the party so that YOU can vote too!)

betenoire

01-14-2012, 11:57 PM

Peggy Nash's Queer Politics (http://www.xtra.ca/public/National/Peggy_Nashs_gay_politics-11325.aspx)

(Blog Post) Romeo Saganash and the White Left (http://maysie.ca/?p=1475)

Romeo Saganash on how to beat Stephen Harper (http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/romeo-saganash/stephen-harper_b_1112328.html)

betenoire

01-26-2012, 01:22 AM

I know this is very old and no longer breaking news. But I was reminded of it today and I wanted to share.

It was just so freaking funny! We need more of these sort of shenanigans, please.

CdXjUCX6ONw

tapu

01-26-2012, 05:53 AM

.
.
.
Canada beware. The tapu is in-country this weekend.

My parole officer has been informed and the City of Montreal has been put on alert. The inconvenience caused to those of you who live there should be short: I am but passing through on my way to Ontario.

Also, for the citizens of New Hampshire and Vermont, I am allowed inside state lines, to pass through for my journey, but can make no stops except for gas adjacent to US routes.

Softhearted

01-29-2012, 04:07 PM

"Shafia jury finds all guilty of 1st-degree murder
Verdict sends message, prosecutor says"
By Melinda Dalton, CBC News Posted: Jan 29, 2012 8:48 AM ET

Source:http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2012/01/29/shafia-sunday.html

Truly Scrumptious

02-25-2012, 06:16 AM

Leadnow.ca is attempting to force by-elections in enough ridings to challenge the Conservative's majority government. Please sign and share!

524. (1) Any elector who was eligible to vote in an electoral district, and any candidate in an electoral district, may, by application to a competent court, contest the election in that electoral district on the grounds that
(a) under section 65 the elected candidate was not eligible to be a candidate; or
(b) there were irregularities, fraud or corrupt or illegal practices that affected the result of the election.

http://www.leadnow.ca/robocall-fraud

Cin

02-27-2012, 08:29 AM

Ottawa’s Focus on Alberta Oilsands is Killing Manufacturing Jobs in Eastern Canada, Economists Say
by Antonia Zerbisias

You know that old saying, “When the U.S. sneezes, Canada catches a cold.”

It still applies. The United States remains our biggest trading partner. What happens there affects everything from our tourism to our exports.

But now, Canada is facing a bigger threat to its economic health.

It’s called Dutch Disease — and it’s complicated by Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s newly acquired China Syndrome. Stung by U.S. President Barack Obama’s rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline, Harper is looking to China’s government-owned oil companies.

Dutch Disease isn’t about tulips or wooden shoes or even sick elm trees. It’s about Canada’s steady conversion to a petro-state, fueled by the rapid development of Alberta’s oilsands. It means that, more and more, Canada’s economy will be subject to the price of oil.

Coined by The Economist in 1977, “Dutch Disease” describes what happened to the Netherlands after natural gas fields were discovered off its shores. The little country became so economically entangled with its resource industry, its manufacturing sector tanked.

“Ontario is probably the province that has suffered the most from this,” says University of Ottawa economist Serge Coulombe, co-author of a massive study on the impact of Dutch Disease on Canadian jobs, published last fall.

“The biggest losers are typically the white males who had all those great jobs in manufacturing, much like in the U.S.,” he says, adding that Canadian salaries and environmental standards make our manufactured exports less attractive, especially as our dollar strengthens. “If we want to compete with China we have to be very, very smart. It is very, very difficult.”

In his report, Coulombe and his co-researchers determined that our petro-currency was responsible for 42 per cent of job losses between 2002 and 2007. That translates to at least 140,000 manufacturing jobs gone as a direct result of the oilsands development.

It didn’t get any better after that. Our manufactured exports dropped another 12.6 per cent between the second quarter of 2007 and the first quarter of 2011.

If Dutch Disease is allowed to spread, Coulombe and other economists warn, Canada’s ailing manufacturing sector will face still more job losses, while consumers, farmers and non-oil producing industries will feel increasing pain through inflation and gas prices at the pump.

It all started when the price of oil started rising in 2002, tripling through the decade.

The long-unprofitable oilsands, which require the expensive and water-intense extraction of tarry bitumen, suddenly became economically feasible. That increased oilsands development boosted crude exports. By 2006, oil became our biggest export, displacing autos and auto parts. The loonie surged against the weakening U.S. dollar. That made our manufactured exports — long dependent on a low Canadian dollar — more expensive. And that cost factory workers jobs.

Over the past year, alarm bells have been sounding.

Last April, Montreal-based MRP Partners (Macro Research Board), an independent global investment research firm, warned of the “petrolization” of Canada.

“Canada has often been referred to in jest as the 51st state, due to its historical reliance on the U.S. as a key export market,” wrote MRB partner Phillip Colmar. “However, it is becoming more accurate to regard Canada as another Province of China.”

“You have 1.3 billion people right now that are growing at an unprecedented rate,” explains Coulombe. “That creates a huge demand for natural resources.”

And Harper is eager to meet that demand, saying it is “increasingly clear that it is in Canada’s national interest to diversify our energy markets.”

Over the past two years, China has invested some $15 billion in Alberta’s oilsands. It wants the bitumen moved via the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline to the B.C. coast, where it will be loaded into tankers.

That crude, rated the dirtiest on earth, will travel through our most environmentally sensitive areas, critics charge.

Earlier this month, economist Robyn Allan submitted a 74-page analysis of the Northern Gateway proposal to the National Energy Board Joint Review Panel considering the project.

Allan, a former Insurance Corporation of British Columbia CEO, makes a case that, if the project is approved, the Canadian economy will be hit by “an inflationary oil price shock” — as well as interprovincial conflicts.

“Right now 95 per cent of the oil is in Alberta but 75 per cent of the manufacturing jobs are in Ontario and Quebec,” she says. “If you have a policy that deliberately supports Alberta at the expense of Eastern Canada, then you’re stretching the national fabric.

“The jobs are not there, the benefits to Canada are not there,” she maintains. “We are going to experience even more upward pressure on the Canadian dollar; we are going to have even more intense division between Eastern and Western Canada.”

Yet another study published last fall, this time by Montreal’s Institute for Research on Public Policy, emphasized that “resource booms don’t last forever” and that Canada should maintain a competitive manufacturing industry.

Economists suggest there are ways to cure Dutch Disease, or at least lessen its impact.

Canada could invest in other industries, including green technologies. Or it could go the foreign currency route, by investing abroad. That’s what Norway does with its oil wealth. By creating a petroleum fund with foreign currency, it also pays down its debt, which reduces the upward pressure on the krone and protects the country’s exports.

But, as Coulombe says, “We cannot do that in Canada because we have a sophisticated and complicated federal and provincial system and it is the provinces that own the natural resources.”

Alberta doesn’t seem particularly disposed to help Eastern Canada, which, ironically, imports most of its oil from the Middle East, Mexico and Norway.

“When the federal government talks about diversifying our markets, we shouldn’t be looking to northeast Asia, we should be looking to Canada,” says Allan. “We hear we have to diversify to Asia because Asia needs to protect its source of supply so it’s not dependent on Saudi Arabia. But Canada also has a dependency on Middle Eastern countries.

“So why are our federal leaders so concerned about everybody else’s oil security and not Canada’s? We should be looking at what we can do to help Eastern Canada avoid the unpredictable and volatile (prices) and perhaps supply restrictions that are going to happen in the years to come.”

Coulombe fears that little or nothing can or will be done to protect Canadian consumers and manufacturers from the effects of Dutch Disease.

“I don’t think the manufacturing sector will come back; I think we have to accept that,” says Coulombe. “The growth of China is like a big train. Canada will be more and more a country that will live on its natural resources.”

There’s another old Canadian expression, attributed to the late University of Toronto economist Harold Innis. He compared Canadians to “hewers of wood and drawers of water” because we were dependent for so long on exporting our raw materials to buy back value-added manufactured goods.

Today, we are selling our oil to buy back gasoline, jet fuel, asphalt, plastic and other petroleum-based products.

That would make us “deliverers of crude and drawers of water.”

Cin

02-29-2012, 01:52 PM

If you haven't signed this petition yet just click on the link.

Leadnow.ca is attempting to force by-elections in enough ridings to challenge the Conservative's majority government. Please sign and share!

524. (1) Any elector who was eligible to vote in an electoral district, and any candidate in an electoral district, may, by application to a competent court, contest the election in that electoral district on the grounds that
(a) under section 65 the elected candidate was not eligible to be a candidate; or
(b) there were irregularities, fraud or corrupt or illegal practices that affected the result of the election.

http://www.leadnow.ca/robocall-fraud

Truly Scrumptious

03-07-2012, 03:10 PM

From DemocracyCanada:

We call on all Canadians to join in a PROTEST on Sunday, March 11, 1:00 - 4:00pm in every city across Canada. TIMES VARY BY CITY. PLEASE see list below.

We the people of Canada demand a FULL PUBLIC INQUIRY INTO ALL CALLING PRACTICES AND BY-ELECTIONS IN ALL AFFECTED RIDINGS!
Get Fraud out of Parliament NOW!
Events Date/Timess by CITY:

BRAMPTON: http://www.facebook.com/events/247656928655120/

CALGARY: http://www.facebook.com/events/279165258822521

CHARLOTTETOWN:

EDMONTON: http://www.facebook.com/events/400985336582256/

FORT ST JOHN, BC: Sunday March 11, 1-4pm @ Centennial Park. Link coming...

FREDERICTON:

GUELPH: Rally in Guelph on Sunday March 11 at 2 p.m. from St George's Square to City Hall ... link coming....

HALIFAX: https://www.facebook.com/events/404227776260456/

KINGSTON: http://www.facebook.com/events/197347437036133/

KITCHENER-WATERLOO:

KELOWNA: March 11, 1:00pm - 4:00pm, at the Sails - link to come!

KAMLOOPS: https://www.facebook.com/events/361277043892850/

LETHBRIDGE: Saturday, March 10, more detail coming...

LONDON, ON.: http://www.facebook.com/events/334163146634012/

MONTREAL: http://www.facebook.com/events/331388483564902/

NANAIMO: http://www.facebook.com/events/401321439884776/

NELSON,BC: http://www.facebook.com/events/199143646854401/

NORTH BAY,ON: http://www.facebook.com/events/201208559978692/

OTTAWA: http://www.facebook.com/events/339230162786113/

PETERBOROUGH: http://www.facebook.com/events/168997493216709/

REGINA: http://www.facebook.com/events/384485521579099/

ST. JOHN'S: http://www.facebook.com/events/385763404786355/

SASKATOON: http://www.facebook.com/events/188334024608977/

THUNDER BAY:

TORONTO: http://www.facebook.com/events/161404757312027/

VANCOUVER: http://www.facebook.com/events/345013878875538/

VICTORIA: http://www.facebook.com/events/183919385055445/

WINDSOR: http://www.facebook.com/events/253368638081506/

WINNIPEG: http://www.facebook.com/events/336790496356157/

YELLOWKNIFE: http://www.facebook.com/events/364168013615697/

http://www.facebook.com/events/181631648613672/

Soon

03-19-2012, 09:22 AM

Foreign Affairs Issues Advisory for Travellers to Russia

http://www.voyage.gc.ca/countries_pays/report_rapport-eng.asp?id=249000

Homosexuality is legal, though some still strongly disapprove of it. Canadians are advised to avoid displaying affection in public, as homosexuals can be targets of violence. A law prohibiting public actions propagandizing homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality and transsexuality among minors, and prohibiting public actions propagandizing pedophilia, came into effect in St. Petersburg on March 17th, 2012. Public actions (including dissemination of information, statements, displays or conspicuous behaviour) contradicting or appearing to contradict this law may lead to arrest, prosecution and the imposition of a fine. Similar laws are also in effect in Ryazan, Arkhangelsk and Kostroma.

Soon

03-19-2012, 08:43 PM

She’s a Sens fan, her girlfriend’s a Leafs fan and their marriage proposal during NHL game was adorable (VIDEO) (http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/she-sens-fan-her-girlfriend-leafs-fan-marriage-060257777.html)

foxyshaman

03-19-2012, 10:49 PM

betenoire

03-20-2012, 10:10 AM

NDP holds on to Toronto-Danforth / Gay lawyer Craig Scott to be part of the largest queer caucus in Canadian history (http://www.xtra.ca/public/Toronto/NDP_holds_on_to_TorontoDanforth-11719.aspx)

Linus

03-20-2012, 01:49 PM

foxyshaman

03-20-2012, 01:52 PM

Does this mean I will get back my right to vote since Elections Canada has deemed that I no longer have a right to vote (even if the Canadian Constitution declares that I do)?

Why do you no longer have the right to vote?

Cin

03-20-2012, 01:55 PM

Does this mean I will get back my right to vote since Elections Canada has deemed that I no longer have a right to vote (even if the Canadian Constitution declares that I do)?

What does your right to vote, although you should of course have it, have to do with the robocall fraud?

girl_dee

03-20-2012, 02:05 PM

More than 130 beef products recalled 3

BY SHEENA GOODYEAR ,QMI AGENCY
FIRST POSTED: TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012 09:21 AM EDT | UPDATED: TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012 03:03 PM EDT

2.27 kg package of No Name club pack beef steakettes. (CFIA/HO)

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Canada isn't doing enough to protect consumers from tainted food, says a prominent food safety expert on the heels of a major frozen beef recall.

"If the public thinks food inspections by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency are going to protect Canadians from contaminated food, think again. It's just not that way," said Richard Holley from the University of Manitoba.

Just as spring begins and Canadians start dusting off their barbecues, more than 135 kinds of frozen beef have been recalled in Canada because of E. coli fears. On Monday night, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency updated its list of beef recalls for the fifth time this month, following four updates in February.

These massive recalls — which include popular brands like President's Choice and Best Value — are possible, in part, because so much food in Canada comes from just a handful of companies, Holley said. The recalled beef, sold across Canada under a number of brands, all comes from the same food facility, Establishment 761 in Saskatoon.

"The businesses are getting larger and larger and they have a clientele that, in some instances, stretches right straight across the country," Holley said. "But when you have the capacity to have an extended shelf life of a product by freezing them, this sort of increases the scope of the recall."

Garfield Balsom, a food-recall specialist with the CFIA, said authorities decided to pull all products from Establishment 761 made between July 1, 2011, and Feb. 15, 2012, after one person reported getting sick.

"This is a lot of frozen beef that was manufactured way back in July 2011. Now something's wrong there. E. coli analysis takes, max, 10 days," Holley said.

Balsom said CFIA is trying to get to the root of the problem, but investigations of this scale are complex, and finding the cause of a contamination can be "extremely difficult."

Holley said CFIA only discovers the cause of outbreaks about 50% of the time.

He said in order to protect people from food-borne illness, Canada needs to focus more on prevention rather than relying on after-the-fact testing to catch outbreaks. Canada also needs to keep better data, he said.

"There are things in the system in need of repair and things we don't know and we have the will in Canada to address this. We don't know how many people die in Canada from eating tainted food. Nobody is charged with the responsibility of keeping that data."

The food industry isn't much safer now than it was during the 2008 listeria outbreak that killed 23 people, Holley said.

"There's too many holes in the system to have the assurance that this is not going to happen again," he said.

The full recall list, which can be found on the CFIA website, includes Best Value, President's Choice, Calgary Stampede, Country Morning Gold, No Name, Grillhouse, Heritage Angus Beef, Irresistibles, Keg, Maple Lodge Farms, Overwaitea, Our Finest, Q Burger, Prairie Heritage Producers, Simply Food, Sunspun, Spring Creek, Webers, Western Family and Zabiha Halal.

Food contaminated with E. coli might not look or smell spoiled, but it can cause severe abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea in healthy people. But for some people — especially children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems — the effects can be serious and even fatal.

"Some people may have seizures or strokes and some may need blood transfusions and kidney dialysis. Others may live with permanent kidney damage. In severe cases of illness, people may die," the CFIA said.

foxyshaman

03-20-2012, 02:36 PM

More than 130 beef products recalled 3...

This would not be such an issue if we still maintained local butchers and local abattoirs. The fact that thousands of animals go through establishment 761 in Saskatoon is, in large part, the problem. I am not sure how beef products, produced in such horrific conditions, (sanitary and humane conditions) could be safe. If one MUST eat meat, then one should go to the local farmer's market. I buy my kids their meat from a local farmer who takes it to his local butcher... the meat is better. And more importantly... safe. Oh and it tastes wwwaaayyyy better. I can't even imagine how many individual animals make one pkg of ground beef.

Thank you for posting that Cajun_dee. I don't eat meat, so I had NO IDEA this was going on today. <shudder>

girl_dee

03-20-2012, 02:50 PM

This would not be such an issue if we still maintained local butchers and local abattoirs. The fact that thousands of animals go through establishment 761 in Saskatoon is, in large part, the problem. I am not sure how beef products, produced in such horrific conditions, (sanitary and humane conditions) could be safe. If one MUST eat meat, then one should go to the local farmer's market. I buy my kids their meat from a local farmer who takes it to his local butcher... the meat is better. And more importantly... safe. Oh and it tastes wwwaaayyyy better. I can't even imagine how many individual animals make one pkg of ground beef.

Thank you for posting that Cajun_dee. I don't eat meat, so I had NO IDEA this was going on today. <shudder>

THIS is why i stopped eating meat years ago. my family was in the cattle industry, i know what it is supposed to be like, and this is not it.

dee

foxyshaman

03-20-2012, 03:28 PM

THIS is why i stopped eating meat years ago. my family was in the cattle industry, i know what it is supposed to be like, and this is not it.

dee

Agreed Dee. I grew up on a farm. The reason I quit eating beef was because of how tasteless the store bought crap was. I still don't understand what all the 'yummy' fuss is about. We grew, killed and butchered all of our own meat and poultry. There is no comparison. I really prefer a vegetarian diet. It just tastes better, to me. I don't care if someone eats meat, I am personally not offended. :canadian:

EnderD_503

03-20-2012, 07:13 PM

If you haven't signed this petition yet just click on the link.

It's a noble effort by Lead Now, but unfortunately no one can force the Conservatives to do anything within our present political system. This is why our system needs a serious revamping...which we can't do until another party gains control of Parliament. If the Canadian population as a whole were getting more progressive, I'd say that there were many ways we'd be able to hold the Cons accountable, but sadly this country is getting more conservative by the day. Sometimes it feels like we're heading backwards a decade rather than forwards as far as social consciousness and progressiveness.

Cin

03-20-2012, 07:26 PM

Agreed Dee. I grew up on a farm. The reason I quit eating beef was because of how tasteless the store bought crap was. I still don't understand what all the 'yummy' fuss is about. We grew, killed and butchered all of our own meat and poultry. There is no comparison. I really prefer a vegetarian diet. It just tastes better, to me. I don't care if someone eats meat, I am personally not offended. :canadian:

Even veggies taste like crap half the time. I can't find a decent carrot to save my life. I love chomping on a raw carrot but every time I buy a bunch they are either tasteless or flaccid or both. The same with radishes. I love radishes. I can't remember the last time I actually ate one that I enjoyed. The limp tasteless thing again. I wish I had the time and a way to grow my own stuff.

Cin

03-20-2012, 07:39 PM

It's a noble effort by Lead Now, but unfortunately no one can force the Conservatives to do anything within our present political system. This is why our system needs a serious revamping...which we can't do until another party gains control of Parliament. If the Canadian population as a whole were getting more progressive, I'd say that there were many ways we'd be able to hold the Cons accountable, but sadly this country is getting more conservative by the day. Sometimes it feels like we're heading backwards a decade rather than forwards as far as social consciousness and progressiveness.

Ya, I know. I think the world as a whole is getting more conservative by the day. By design I imagine. But then I'm a bit paranoid. Doesn't mean it's not a plot to keep the money in the hands of the few. It's so easy to get people to look below them on the socio-economic ladder for the cause of their financial problems. It's really the direction they want to look anyway. Just in case they get a chance to climb up a few rungs they want to keep the status quo. They just don't get there isn't much room for climbing anymore.

Quebec is having a stroke over the crime bill. They are seriously stressed here. It's hilarious. Most countries look to the states to understand what NOT to do regarding a prison system. Unfortunately now Canada appears to be looking to emulate them.

Linus

03-21-2012, 04:38 AM

Why do you no longer have the right to vote?

Elections Canada has determined that if you've been out of the country for longer than 5 years you cannot vote in any further elections.

Linus

03-21-2012, 04:40 AM

What does your right to vote, although you should of course have it, have to do with the robocall fraud?

Perhaps a new gov't might cause Elections Canada to change their policy?

betenoire

03-24-2012, 01:09 PM

So today is the day that the NDP membership chooses a new leader.

There are three people left. Thomas Mulcair, Brian Topp, and Nathan Cullen. Peggy Nash got bumped out in the most recent vote.

17eBELp8tEA

EnderD_503

03-24-2012, 07:31 PM

I was honestly really disappointed that Nash was eliminated. She was really the only one I was really hoping to see lead the NDP.

betenoire

03-25-2012, 08:52 AM

I was honestly really disappointed that Nash was eliminated. She was really the only one I was really hoping to see lead the NDP.

She was probably the most NDP-like of the potentials, so it does suck.

Thomas Mulcair. I don't know! I didn't vote for him, but I think he'll be okay. He's probably a bit of a departure, but that might be a good thing.

EnderD_503

03-25-2012, 10:48 AM

She was probably the most NDP-like of the potentials, so it does suck.

Thomas Mulcair. I don't know! I didn't vote for him, but I think he'll be okay. He's probably a bit of a departure, but that might be a good thing.

With Nash I felt she was a lot more involved in the community than most MPs seem to be. When I was still living in Parkdale I was impressed at how engaged and visible she was with the community, in contrast to most MPs who you don't see or hear from other than around election time.

I don't know how engaged/visible Mulcair has been in his riding for folks living there, but Nash is one of the rare politicians who reads "activist" to me. I don't get that from what little I know of Mulcair. It would have been nice to see a party leader that was more "activist" than "politician" in Canada.

Truly Scrumptious

03-26-2012, 02:06 PM

Linus

03-26-2012, 03:13 PM

Breathless

03-27-2012, 02:23 AM

http://shine.yahoo.com/beauty/miss-universe-canada-disqualifies-transsexual-contestant-she-born-192000420.html
Miss Universe Canada Disqualifies Transsexual Contestant: She was Born a Boy

Breathless

03-28-2012, 02:57 PM

Little lighter topic, prayers go out to those injured, hoping for a speedy recovery.. but otherwise.. holy crap!

This is right outside of my childhood home.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2012/03/28/19561056.html#.T3Nyu6S2jD8.facebook

betenoire

03-28-2012, 07:49 PM

EnderD_503

04-07-2012, 07:28 PM

http://shine.yahoo.com/beauty/miss-universe-canada-disqualifies-transsexual-contestant-she-born-192000420.html
Miss Universe Canada Disqualifies Transsexual Contestant: She was Born a Boy

In case anyone hasn't heard, Jenna Talackova was allowed back into the competition a few days ago.

http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1155638--miss-universe-canada-allows-transgendered-woman-to-enter-pageant-after-all

Obviously, I'm happy that a competition for women has chosen to include non-cis women (I originally said "all women"...but that really isn't true considering the standard of what qualifies as "beauty" in these things). At the same time, I'm not a big fan of "beauty contests," in general. So I think in some sense this is a victory, at least for trans rights and being recognised as one's true sex. On the other hand...beauty pageants have never sat well with me because of this idealisation of what female beauty "should" be, when it can be so many things, and why create a competition out of it? But either way, congratulations to Jenna and being able to compete in an area that she is passionate about.

EnderD_503

04-07-2012, 07:34 PM

Ontario's Court of Appeal has struck down Canada's ban on brothels or "bawdy houses," but says the ban on communicating for the purposes of selling sex should stand.

In a 132-page landmark decision, the court said Monday that the ban on brothels puts prostitutes in danger by forcing them to ply their trade outdoors. It said sex trade workers should be allowed to work safely indoors.

The court said the law against brothels was too broad because "it captures conduct that is unlikely to lead to the problems Parliament seeks to curtail." It said the impact is "grossly disproportionate" to the law's intent because "the safest way to sell sex is for a prostitute to work indoors in a location under her control."

Read more: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20120326/appeal-court-decision-canada-sex-trade-laws-120326/#ixzz1qFsSiD9m

And yet solicitation continues to be illegal... Honestly, our laws around sex work are really silly. You can be a sex worker, pay for sex/receive payment for sex, work in a brothel/own a brothel...but you can't solicit. It's like telling a shop owner that they can have their shop and sell their products, but they can't attempt to advertise/attract customers to their product. It has more to do with cracking down on sex workers than protecting them, imo. There is no reason sex work should not be entirely legal, and generally improve the treatment of sex workers. It's a business like any other as far as I'm concerned.

suebee

04-18-2012, 07:10 AM

A prominent gay rights activist and journalist in Halifax was beaten to death outside a popular gay bar, Canadian media organisations report, in what seems to be a homophobic hate crime.

LINK (http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/04/17/canada-prominent-gay-activist-killed-in-apparent-hate-crime/)

There's some discussion as to whether or not this will be classified as a "hate crime" as the attacker was on a day pass from a local psychiatric facility.

Linus

09-24-2012, 08:21 PM

Speaking of Canadian sexiness..

j_-MsDSAW0Y#!

femmeInterrupted

04-10-2013, 01:35 PM

Queer Femme Artist Circe has a show!

http://thatswomensworkarts.com/services/

Here are some of her Butch/Femme images from her Queer Lives Series. For those of you in the GTA, it's worth a trip to support this wonderful representation of queer and butch/femme inspired art! :)

http://media-cache-lt0.pinterest.com/736x/e5/55/63/e55563b16b7eb01b1ec27b2c5c836dba.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/859919_535813023108610_2128975179_o.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/177038_482935435063036_2127335017_o.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/395283_470823649607548_533252778_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/602589_447399741949939_93914245_n.jpg

Kobi

05-04-2013, 08:00 AM

An Ontario real estate agent has been fired by his agency after distributing newsletters promoting the value of traditional families, but says he is not homophobic and would be a “very good neighbour” to a gay man or woman.

Andrew Ciastek says he did not intend to offend anyone when he mailed a newsletter to residents of a Mississauga, Ont., neighbourhood that included a note entitled “traditional family is the best for the future of the kids.”

The article is said to have been taken from a Polish weekly newspaper called Sieci and pointed to research done by Texas sociologist Mark Regnerus. Regnerus suggests children of same-sex couples are more likely to be unemployed, depressed and get in trouble with the law.

“I put a few sentences from reputable polish (sic) weekly. I did not suggest in any way that this is my opinion," Ciastek wrote in an email to Yahoo! Canada News.

"If I only knew that some people were so much hurt by the statistics I included I would never do it and for that I really wanted to apologize."

A RE/MAX spokesperson confirmed that Ciastek had been "terminated and is no longer affiliated" with the agency. His profile had been scrubbed from the RE/MAX website on Friday.

A statement released by Christine Martysiewicz said the company "cannot and will not tolerate any form of discriminatory behaviour."

Ciastek claims the the affair was a misunderstanding. He said when he first moved to Canada more than 20 years ago, he lived in Toronto and participated in gay parades because they were colourful and he loved dancing. He said he was concerned about the impact that news coverage of his newsletter would have on his family.

"If I had a gay or lesbian neighbour I probably would be a very good neighbour and I would defend my neighbour if somebody wanted to offend him/her verbally or otherwise for the simple reason that everybody, no matter what colour or gender, has the right to love and be loved," he wrote.

Ciastek sends frequent newsletters to the community that included details on agency as well as information about the real estate market. Three recent flyers forwarded to Yahoo! Canada included some topics that could be useful to homeowners, such as information about paint and how to maintain air conditioning units, as well as tips on insulating an attic.

Other, more general, details were also occasionally included, such as an article on trans-fats and the study about traditional families.

Reaction to Ciastek’s newsletter has been strong, with residents complaining to local police and the Human Rights Tribunal. No charges are expected. A profile for Ciastek real estate agent ranking site currently contains 12 comments, all posted after the controversial letter came to light.

Most of them were anonymous, all of them were negative, and only one suggested the reviewer has business dealings with Ciastek.

“I regret my business relationship with him but it’s too much work,” said the one anonymous user who claimed a connection. “I cannot believe he would put out a flyer slagging one group of potential buyers without thinking about the harm it would cause to my listing. Moreover some potential buyers would definitely choose another house vs. mine if they are already fence sitting. He doesn't represent my values. But I realized this too late.”

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/realtor-released-homophobic-newsletter-says-attention-ruining-life-160030598.html

Cin

08-20-2016, 09:54 PM

I hope some others had the chance to see Gord Downie and The Tragically Hip's final performance. It was awesome. Broke my heart a little bit.

girlin2une

08-21-2016, 05:45 AM

I hope some others had the chance to see Gord Downie and The Tragically Hip's final performance. It was awesome. Broke my heart a little bit.

Here, in my little town, they live streamed the performance and invited one and all down to the beach to watch the performance....
You are absolutely right....it was heartbreaking...

MitchM42

08-23-2016, 04:02 AM

I :hk19: Canada!

Cin

09-02-2016, 06:55 AM

I just found this out when reading about Brazil, the water, and the olympics. The article talked about how Canada is also guilty of dumping raw sewage into the ocean. I checked it out cause I figure it might be something worth knowing in case the opportunity to change it presents itself. It's hard to change things we aren't aware of.

http://environment.about.com/od/waterpollution/a/canadasewage.htm

Canada flushes some 200 billion liters of raw sewage directly into natural waterways every year, from the St. Lawrence River to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean. That’s only a fraction of the three trillion liters of sewage Canadians produce annually—about 6 percent, in fact—but it’s still enough to fill more than 40,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

According to Macleans, Canada’s leading news magazine, the sewage is a mixture of water, human waste, microorganisms, toxic chemicals, heavy metals, excreted pharmaceuticals and, potentially, pathogens such as cholera, typhoid and hepatitis B.

"It is widely recognized that inadequate or no waste water treatment have negative impact on aquatic life, human uses of water, fisheries and human health,” Environment Canada told Macleans. “Therefore it is unacceptable and shortsighted not to maintain and upgrade infrastructure."

A number of municipalities throughout Canada persist in this practice that the Sierra Legal Defence Fund calls a “national disgrace,” particularly coastal cities where for many years the sewage could be dumped in open water and remain out of sight and out of mind for many people.

Unlike the European Union and the United States, Canada has no national standards for sewage treatment that cities and towns must follow. So while some Canadian cities have top-notch sewage treatment facilities, others have none.

Even Montreal, a seemingly world-class city, pumps 900 billion liters of sewage into the St. Lawrence River. Most of it receives primary treatment, which reduces the number of solids somewhat by means of a settling process, but 3.6 billion liters of that total enters the river as untreated raw sewage.

According to many environmentalists, however, the worst offender in the Canadian landscape is Victoria, the picturesque provincial capital of British Columbia. Not only does Victoria pump its raw sewage directly into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, an arm of the Pacific Ocean, but city officials also claim they are doing the “right and responsible thing” for their community and the environment. They see no reason to change.