This is one of the most erroneous, uninformed, ignorant and absolutely biased, unobjective and partisan pieces of writing that I have ever read, in all of my 60 years, which calls itself "journalism" or "an editorial". It is utterly without logic, factual basis, knowledge, research or even rational or critical analysis on any level. I am utterly shocked to read this in a publication that used to actually represent some of the best of Canadian journalism. Absolutely disgusting beyond words. My subscription, as well as that of two relatives, will be promptly cancelled. Shame on you, MacLeans. And whoever the "masked writer" was who wrote this drivel.

Oh good. In Afghanistan, we're supposedly fighting to free the Muslim women from the oppressive Taliban rule, so they can leave their homes & participate in public life. In Quebec, we're forcing Muslim women to be imprisoned in their homes, so they cannot participate in public life.
Maybe not the best move.
I do see both sides and am torn about this issue. I suggest someone ask the women themselves what they think about this & about Quebec's concerns re identification. Is there a compromise possible?

No, GRANT. Her handlers cancelled her speech - which would mean Ezra Levant & "her people" & herself. If you read more widely, you would already know this fact, which has been openly reported. Coulterists, however, keep passing around this myth & hoping to make it retroactively true. FACT: Ann Coulter Cancelled her speech. The U. of Ottawa did NOT cancel Ann Coulter's speech. I know you can grasp that truth if you try. (And please, do a little research.)

It is a hideous, very HarpCon act to shut down the 3 Human Rights Commission Offices in the 3 Canadian cities where they are needed the most. Harper hates anything that is not white, male, corporate, and profitable for his cronies. This is utterly disgusting.
"First the come for the immigrants. But I don't say anything, because I'm not an immigrant. Then they come for the Natives. But I don't speak up, because I'm not a native. Then they come for the muslims, but I'm not a muslim so I don't say anything. Then they come for the smokers, the obese, the professors, but I don't speak. Then they come for me. There's no one left to speak out to save me. (Broadly adapted from the original from Neidemeyer in Germany re Nazis)"

Dear Gabrielle, who is apparently a practising Roman Catholic from Quebec, & thus somewhat "Predisposed to certain views" about birth control, etc.,
I was an Obstetrics Nurse for 15 years. I am now a practising Nurse/Midwife. The term, "Maternal" health is used, in real life by real people who work with it every day, as the overall health and well-being of the woman and her reproductive health, from menses onset to menopause, including menstruation, fertility control, pregnancy, post-partum, breast-feeding, etc. Further, fertility control includes discussion, education, and provision of available options for Birth Control.
These are the FACTS, ma'am. Just the facts. Your opinion is yours, but in terms of maternal health, it is uninformed.

First of all, Thank SO much for this excellent article, Paul! I've been furious all day, have written Harper & Cannon & Oda, but it didn't make me feel any better. You said what I wished to.
Secondly, I've been doing some research & reading about the Conservative party, Stephen Harper, & things unspoken (much). When I heard this policy announced, I too thought, WHY? Condoms? Birth Control? But thinking of some of the things I've seen about Harper & the Party's deep evangelical fundamentalist Christian roots, I thought, "Ah-Ha!" I suspect that this policy goes back to the same reasons Bush intitiated the very same policy (The Global Gag Rule) - because of their far-right religious beliefs. In their world - if there are Condoms & birth Control available, that "encourages promiscuity" and "sex outside of marriage". Thus, no condoms & no Birth control. And the spread of AIDS - well, they believe that Condoms "might or might not" stop the spread of the Virus. But it is people's "punishment from God" if they get the virus. And we can always try to save the "deserving ones" with AIDS drugs later, if it was the "rare" occasion that they were infected without being sinners. (Of course, they still believe that only homosexual men get AIDS, so they're not very worried about them.) I know this sounds INSANE - and it is! But from what I have read & researched, this is actually the way they think (using the term loosely.) In addition, Brad Tros (Con)t is my MP & he has been lobbying in the shadows for sometime to get abortion banned in Canada, among the ever-more-powerful Christian Right in Canada. Since the man will not brush his teeth without asking permission from the Great Leader, this "anti-abortion intiative" has most certainly been approved from on high. Speaking with people from Brad's church, one hears the same arguments about condoms & Birth Control that I have stated here. It's all very very weird & more than a little scary. Of course, I could be completely wrong. Just sharing a few random thoughts.

ROTFL!!! Scott, you can't quit now! Write his version of Brokeback Mountain! Pleeeze! ;-)

Every Canadian should be completely & utterly embarassed by the appallingly ignorant, arrogant & non-cooperative attitudes & action of our government in Copenhagen. In a four year period, Harper has destroyed a respected and globally honoured reputation that took 150 years to build. We are all becoming embarrassed to be Canadian because of this man, his government and his dinosaur, militaristic, and incredibly self-serving policies and practises. He is absolutely the worst thing that has ever happened to Canada, and is turning us into little more than a non-democratic banana republic of the North.