the question is not can they (doubtful) but do they intend to. The basic Reagan Republican (in Canada the Mike Harris / Steven Harper boodogle) fairy tale (whose effects we are witnessing) is that you can have bread and circuses, and never have to pay for them. We see what that idea did for Rome and it will do the same for the USA (and Canada if we are stupid enough to believe Harper's claim that deficits dont have to be paid for through increased taxes ... just leave the debt for our kids to pay). One way or the other (default or inflation) their creditors will never again see most of their money.
Since the twin towers fell killing 3000 innocent victims, more than 30000 americans have been killed in gun violence. American gun nuts are a much greater threat to canadians than the Taleban yet I dont see Harper and company taking on the NRA and other assorted right wing nuts. If anything they are trying to eliminate gun regulation (the gun registry) to cater to their good ol boy/ trailer park boys electoral base. Picking on the innocent, exiling canadians because their name isnt smith further caters to the zenophobic racist angry old white men who are the core supporters of the CPC. Since the disappearance of the Progressive Conservative party Canadians have been treated to a revival and revitalisation of the KKK now that the CPC provides them with a cloak of legitimacy.
A voice of reason I can agree with. We should never trust the unsubstantiated (generally self serving) claims of security services or politicians. If you cant prove it to a jury in a court of law I will assume you are lying and most of the time I will be right.
What the hell for? Having embarassed the government? In that case you would have to arrest at least half the cabinet and three quarters of the conservative caucus. Last time I checked unfounded accusations, innuendo and the opinions of ignorant conservative witch hunt specialists (is there any other kind) were not sufficient in and of themselves to justify imprisoning Canadian citizens. For your information both CSIS and the RCMP have clearly stated that he is guilty of nothing. Judging from the two previous comments one can only conclude that Canada is become such a nation of cowards that we are willing to enslave ourselves and toture our fellow citizens on the mere suspicion that someone may be out to harm us. I certainly hope that cowards like sceptical and PhilCP are the exception rather than the rule in Canada. If not we can look forward to a long fight to defend freedom not against the minimal threat that Bin Laden and his type represent but against the very real threat to the rule of law and respect for individual rights and freedoms represented by the two previous commentators.
This is way off topic but the news is so overdue that I think it should be posted right away. The Harper thugs have finally caved in and, however reluctantly they will obey the court order and let mr. Abdelrazik come home. The entire episode was the most atrocious abuse of government authority by a government famous for such abuses. I find it a source of shame that when I travel I have to carry both my passports (I also have French citizenship) because I cannot trust my country to defend my rights when I am abroad. Were I to have problems while travelling overseas it would not even occur to me to approach Canadian representatives for help. This episode and others demonstrate the urgency of abolishing the royal priviledge which subjects Canadians to the whims of sleazy incompetent hack politicians like our current foreign affairs minister. I find it supremely anoying that I will have to contribute to this Bozo's pension for the rest of his life. He should be held personnally responsible and made to pay for the results of his callous stupidity.
.Cooperation was never the intention. Ignatieff wanted and got a window of opportunity to take down the government. Mr. Castonguay of Le Devoir got it dead on when he suggested that that was the goal all along. I think it is pretty safe to conclude that after the house adjourns tomorrow we will have seen the last of the very ephemeral marriage of convenience between the liberals and the conservatives
Not necessarily young people. I have been a liberal since 1970 and I am disgusted by this new coalition. I have already stopped my financial support for the party and if Harper's latest stooge is still leader at the next election I will park my vote with the greens. I urge other liberals to do the same. we must be able to find a leader worthy of the name somewhere. To bad Chretien retired.
ignatieff will never be prime minister. He blew it today. As a Liberal I take solace in the fact that Harper will not get a majority but he has ensured his survival well into 1011. That is the probable date of the next liberal leadership race. Now that it is one member one vote we may actually be able to choose someone who can win.
So am I and Ignatieff is starting to look like as big a disappointment as Dion was. He comes out looking weak. He made vague demands and got nothing. Jack Layton and the NDP can now credibly claim to be the only real national opposition to the Conservatives. Ignatieff starts coming accross as Harper lite. I am starting to think that maybe the attack ads are right and he spent way to much time in the USA. He seems to think that a bipartisan approach can be made to work in a parliamentary system based on the adversarial principle.
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Opus