Saturday, June 30, 2007

Another original pic


Reader West Coast Teddi sent me this one. He says it's a picture of a 'political blogger'.

How so? I asked him.

He replied that the swan in the middle is 'preaching to the choir'.

Well, I tell you. I think a couple of those swans aren't paying attention. I'm going to call one of them 'Liberal Supporter".


In any case, thanks Teddi!

What's Canada to you?


I thought I'd try playing around with images today. Copyright laws regarding pics on the internet are confusing to say the least. However, I knew there would be no issue with this one, since my husband took it on a fishing trip in Northern Ontario a few years ago.

The National Post's editorial today is titled "Canada's Day", and makes the point that celebrating Canada is about way more than politics - So take that, Susan Delacourt!!!

In fact, Canada is not about politics at all. It is about whatever each Canadian holds dear to his or her heart.

For me that is a profound appreciation for family, friends, faith, freedom and for the wild, rugged beauty of our amazing country.

A very Happy, nonpolitical Canada Day to all!


* * * *

Just noticed that the top of this blog gets cut off in Explorer. Not sure if it's because of the image, or if it's been happening all along? Any ideas from you techies out there? Thanks.

* * * *
Canada Day Update: Defining the Nation - Winnipeg Sun (H/T to National Newswatch).

This is priceless, yet sadly true in so many cases:

George Stromboulopoulos, hipster host of CBC's The Hour gets the last word:

"My favourite thing about being a Canadian is that I don't have to think about it."



Friday, June 29, 2007

Honesty does exist in Liblog Land

Every once in a while I venture into dangerous waters to see what the other side is thinking.

I was pleasantly surprised here.


* * * *
On the other hand, not so surprised here. Susan Delacourt is obviously still green with envy that her party didn't win the last election.

The Phantom Observer has also covered this one - Delacourt's Decorative Delusion. (Try saying that 20 times after celebrating Canada Day!)


Reader Paulsstuff wonders if the stage in this 2002 pic isn't blue? Hard to tell. We'll have to ask Sheila.

Solidarity schism

Well the blockades are up, and Shawn Brant is flaunting the fact that he has firearms ready in the camp.

I see some bloggers are not overly enthused about the AFN's National Day of Action, but I think we need to differentiate between the hotheads like Brant, and the other more peaceful protesters.

In fact, National Leader of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples Patrick Brazeau was on CBC Newsworld this morning, attempting to make it clear that the majority of First Nations chiefs and aboriginals do not condone Shawn Brant's actions.

Seriously ladies, would any of you really have a problem with Chief Brazeau protesting in your town? Another great link here - Native leaders divided on use of blockades. (H/T Jack's Newswatch).

* * * *

Update: Just caught an interview on Newsworld with Shawn Brant. He and Fantino are obviously not the best of friends. He said that Fantino accused him of using the deaths of aboriginal children as a way to further his agenda. Brant told reporters that this is intensely personal for him because his wife lost a pregnancy of two twin girls due to an 'accident' while drawing water from a well. So he obviously blames the ROC for the loss of his two infant daughters, due to the fact that they had no running water and his pregnant wife had to go and haul water from a well.

While giving the interview, his supporters were milling around in the background with bandannas covering everything but their eyes. Why the bandannas? Why wouldn't they be proud enough to show their faces?

Road closures: If you're travelling to an Ontario cottage today, maybe better read this first.

9:05 a.m. Newstalk 570 has just reported that a deal has been reached between the natives and OPP to reopen the 401. Details to follow.

Star - It's official - Deal reached to reopen 401.

Star - Protest leader happy with results.

OPP Road Closures site here - Not sure how up to date it is.


* * * *

Major Update: Brant says he'll turn himself in at the end of the day - CBC. I believe the charge is mischief.


Stephen Taylor - Day of Action a Success?

Lots of opinion here at CBC - Your view.

Patrick Brazeau's blog here!

* * * *

Saturday Update: Fantino's tactics explained here - How police stared down natives.

The template for police negotiations is generic, Dr. Webster said, but there are unique dynamics in dealing with aboriginals.

“This is Canada's dirty little secret, how aboriginal people have been treated. I've told police before, ‘The best thing you can do is cross the line and stand over there with them.'”


Thursday, June 28, 2007

Two-Tier Law o.k. for Canada?

I have a strong feeling that Globe readers will not be overly impressed with today's National Post editorial.


* * * *
Update: There appears to be somewhat of a difference in opinion between Phil Fontaine and Shawn Brant as well.

Also - Prentice: Reserve Elections a Worry.

Star - Natives' tactics could hurt cause. (H/T to reader Southern Ontarioan).

CTV - Via Rail shuts down service ahead of protests. Smart move!



Important Update: Things changed dramatically by the end of the Globe poll!

More updates - Guns ready to deal with police - “It's our intent to go out and ensure a safe day. Unfortunately, previous incidents have shown that aggressive tactics by the police need to be met with equal resistance by the people that they're bringing those against.”

Do as we say; not as we do.

Is it fair to expect members of the Kyoto Kult to practise what they preach?

In today's National Post, Kevin Libin uncovers a scathing exposé of hypocritical actions by so-called environmentalists and green advocates- Emissions omissions.

He cites the Kyoto high priests themselves, Suzuki and Gore, whom we all already know emit more hot air when giving speeches than most ordinary Canadians do in a lifetime.

But he also hones in on Liberal Environment critic David McGuinty, of the Flying McGuinty Brothers. (Great blog there, BTW)

Libin provides a stinging list of David's environmental sins acquired by access to information. Just check out McGuinty's carbon footprint! You'll be blown away by the greenhouse gases.

Anyway, as we all know brother Dalton is having his own problems - especially lately with news leaking out of his own Environment Minister Laurel Broten's unpopular plans to build a huge two-story garage to accommodate "one of their four vehicles, baby gear and bikes." Neighbours are not happy due to the threat to a large nearby tree and the perceived visual impact of such a monstrosity.

Then there is the matter of those fours vehicles, which Broten defends as something her husband is entitled to, after having become a "mining town boy made good".

Ah, so if you achieve some financial success in your life, you're allowed to drive a bunch of fancy cars. Or maybe they're just saving them for the boys, who should be ready to drive in around 15 years or so...

Anyway, back to the Post article. An actual Doomsday Believer is frustrated with these high-profile, so-called green advocates who make convenient exceptions for themselves:

"It's arrogance. It's a sense of entitlement. A lot of people in the environmental movement, and in government, are so convinced that they're smarter than everybody else, a certain amount of behaviour just comes from that."


What do you think? Do you feel it's acceptable for these environmental saviours to preach one thing but do another?

If you're rich enough to purchase carbon credits to offset your lifestyle, does that seem fair to others that are being asked to make huge personal sacrifices with cutting back on the A/C in the summer, shivering in the winter, letting their lawns go brown and taking the bus to work?

Or are such questions considered to be an act of heresy?

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Puffery exposed

Ontario Government - World class smokescreen.

H/T National Newswatch.


Meanwhile, the Ontario Environment Minister is busy planning her four-car garage. Well, she's gotta spend that raise somewhere...

Update:

Oh here's a good one - Ontario schools to receive Gore's ‘Truth':


Ontario Environment Minister Laurel Broten says the former U.S. vice-president's film will inspire students to “reduce their environment impact.”

Tides Canada Foundation director Tim Draimin says the film helps viewers think about the long-term implications of lifestyles.


Could someone please drop off a copy to Laurel? Perhaps she could play it for the kids when driving around in one of those four vehicles. I'm sure one has a DVD player.


* * * *

Thursday Update: Blizzard - Marin: A Rottweiler who needs to be unleashed. (H/T Bourque)

Coyne nails it

Not a lot of time for blogging this morning, but I did want to draw your attention to Andrew Coyne's excellent editorial in this morning's National Post, Harper's J-turn on Afghanistan.

...Perhaps my decoder ring is not working as well as Lawrence's (Martin), but I don't see any U-turns in this. What I see, rather, is a J-turn. It's straight out of Jean Chretien's playbook. You run into too much resistance with a given policy thrust, you take a couple of steps back. Lacking a flashpoint, the issue subsides, your opponents relax their guard -- only to see it come crashing back months or even years later, when the time is right...


...There's another sense in which it is a good thing to seek "consensus" from the opposition. Read the last part of the Prime Minister's remarks: "I don't want to send people into a mission if the opposition is going to, at home, undercut the dangerous work that they are doing in the field." Translated: that's exactly what's happening now.
The Taliban read the Western press. They are looking for the weak link in the NATO chain, and having found it, they will exploit it -- by killing as many soldiers from that country as they can. If critics of the war should not be accused of supporting the Taliban, neither should critics of the critics be accused of suppressing debate if they point out that there are consequences to their fecklessness. The Prime Minister has invited them to grow up. They should accept.



Ironically, those very values that our sons and daughters are fighting for - democracy and freedom of speech - are putting them at greater risk. The Taliban will strike where it senses weakness.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Thoughts on Native "Day of Action"

Excellent essay in today's National Post by Peter Shawn Taylor, "Indian Give and Take".

Taylor argues that Canada's natives need to recognize the necessity of compromise and bargaining in good faith; otherwise they may very well lose the support of the ROC in terms of the battle for hearts and minds (and money and land).

Ottawa's latest attempt to do right by Canadian natives involves the creation of a specific claims tribunal to clean up the huge backlog of land claims. Rather than leaving the final settlement process to politicians, the tribunal will create a more court-like arrangement. Final decisions are to be made by impartial judges. It is a welcome proposal. But setting up a conventional arbitration-style process to settle treaty claims will require a business-like approach from both sides.

Anyone familiar with labour arbitration understands that giving judges the power to impose settlements typically means saw-offs for both parties. The two sides often get about half of what they asked for as deals are cut down the middle. If this is the case with the new tribunal, it will require a major attitude adjustment on the part of Canada's native communities. Because from what we have seen and heard to date, the most vocal of Canada's natives have little interest in giving up anything other than their threats to wreak havoc.

Thus, Taylor seems skeptical that the new process could work much better than the current 'hostage' approach, unless the more radical elements can be somehow reigned in.


If Canada's natives decide to focus exclusively on past injustices, ignore good faith efforts by Canadian governments and refuse to accept honest compromises in current negotiations, the rest of the country may well decide there is no point to negotiating at all.

There are many groups in Canada who feel that they have been harmed in some way by the Canadian government. Some have accepted gestures of regret, such as the Chinese Head Tax reparation, even though nothing can take away all the pain and injustice.

I think Canadians want to do right by the natives, but they also want fairness and equality. If rail blockades and situations like Caledonia are allowed to continue to grow and fester, there may come a 'tipping point' whereby the lack of compromise may very well work against native goals in the form of a public backlash.

And that will not help anyone.


* * * *
Related Links - Tory: Indians not above the law. (Star)

A lesson to learn (Sun).

* * * *
Wednesday Update: Protest day just the beginning. (CTV)

Mohawk protester plots major disruption. (Winnipeg Free Press) (H/T National Newswatch).

Illegitimate Threat of a New Blockade - (Globe).

Threats weren't part of it - by Minister Jim Prentice (Globe).


* * * *
Thursday Update: Native Leaders ask for calm. (Star)

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Will the Real Stephen Harper Please Stand Up?

I searched the on-line Post site for Julie Smyth's "Insider's Week on Parliament Hill" and was unable to come up with a link for you, so you'll have to trust me on this one. (June 23, page A6)

Julie has an Ottawa gossip column running the in Post. Among the juicy tidbits was this very interesting entry regarding Bill Graham's sudden departure announcement:

"Hard-core Liberals were impressed with Mr. Harper's speech. The PM had about an hour's notice and spent most of QP scrambling to write it - an aide to Mr. Graham, who normally thinks of Mr. Harper as the devil, said he was stunned at his "gracious and charming" address.


Perhaps the PM should do his own speech-writing in the future?

Friday, June 22, 2007

...when first we practise to deceive.

As if living in Toronto wasn't expensive enough, Toronto taxpayers now find themselves being forced to fund TTC employee health premiums due to a combination of Premier McGuinty originally trying to sell the health tax as a premium, and the 1972 guarantee obtained by the union the transit authority would pay 100% of OHIP "contributions."

Both TTC Chairman Adam Giambrone and Local 113 President Bob Kinnear said that:

"...had the McGuinty government not initially tried to sell the new health levy as a "premium" rather than a tax, the union might not have won its case."

"That really hurt the TTC," Mr. Giambrone said. "If the government had been clear that this was a tax, we would likely not be in the same position."

On the other hand, I don't have a whole lot of sympathy for a city that just keeps re-electing politicians and parties that use the public purse as their own personal lottery.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Mr. Incredible

I'm still taking a bit of a break, but this post by Garth Turner (as picked up by National Newswatch) was a jaw dropper.

Do you know of any other Canadian M.P. who would take on a blogger in a public forum?

There are other ways to deal with these kinds of things, Garth.

For example, have an assistant contact Mr. Taylor to express your concern and displeasure, rather than relying on personal attacks such as "sock puppet" and "miscreant".

Or ask Mr. Taylor to publish a retraction if he has said anything that is not factual. Explain where he might have made an error in his calculations.


Can you think of any other M.P. in Canada who would handle criticism from a blogger in this way?

It is so sad.

Or perhaps this is a sign of things to come.


* * * *
Update: Brandon explores some possible reasons why Garth Turner may have Stephen Taylor in his sights. - Tell Me Folks...

Scott Tribe picks up the thread. An Attempt at a Gotcha Moment - for what?:

"...I mean, I haven’t seen any of the Liberal bloggers obsessing this much over Emerson or Khan’s defections; what blogging there was of them has long ago ceased, and in both their cases, they jumped straight to the Conservatives, unlike Garth who sat as an independent first and THEN became a Liberal..."


Well, first of all Scott, Garth didn't voluntarily 'defect'. He was booted out of the Conservative caucus and has apparently been angry ever since. He seems to enjoy hurling little potshots at Harper and crew, which appears to be A-O.K. with his comrades.

His blog is allegedly an information source as part of the new "digital democracy". However he often uses it as a forum to vent and attack when bloggers like Stephen Taylor challenge him. I think he would be wiser to either ignore posts that infuriate him, or else take it up quietly with the writer. But that's not his style.




Sunday, June 17, 2007

FYI

Taking a little break. Real life requires some attention.

Happy Fathers' Day to all the Dads. Good fathers should be cherished.

* * * *

Update: Sometime between the hours of 9 and 10 a.m. on Monday, June 18, this blog hit the 100,000 hit mark since I began keeping track with Sitemeter in April 2006.

Thanks to friends and foes alike for the memories!


* * * *

Tuesday Update: An encouraging story in this morning's Post explaining how an international kiddie porn ring was busted.

Also check out Lorne Gunter's "Greed knows no bounds in Atlantic Canada".

"If anything, Dalton McGuinty is being too polite." - Gunter.


Excellent post by Steve at Far and Wide - Who was that Guy? Well worth the read.

* * * *

Wednesday Items of Interest: Mark Peters - Who's irrational now?

Shane at The Politic - Personal Freedom Trumps Well-Being Now... Get Used to It. (with link to Lemon.)

Sun - Dalton's Spending Drive.

SDA - Dogbert the Green Consultant.


Post - Flying under Most People's Gaydar. "Sure, it's never been cooler to be gay than right now. Gay is the new straight!" - Trevor Boris.

Star - Weary Commons needs Injection of New Blood - Chantel Hébert.

Star again - Much assumed in plan to close coal-fired plants. "Astonishing"

Quote of the Day - McGuinty says a car is a 'loaded gun'... So we will finally be calling for a ban on cars, right Dalton?

More stories from the 'hood

Chilling story in Saturday's Globe by Joe Friesen (Canada's Toughest Neighbourhood), where he paints a graphic picture of life and death in the Jane-Finch area.

Possibly one of the most frightening aspects of the story is where Friesen explains the gang boundaries, which even the city planners have been forced to understand and incorporate into how they deliver social programs:

In their planning sessions, community workers refer solemnly to “boundary issues” that impede program delivery. When the police hold consultations with youth, they have meetings in each distinct area to prevent rival gangs from mingling.

It's as though the kids have redrawn the neighbourhood map and forced the adults to adapt. As a result, the teens from Palisades, who often complain of having nothing to do, don't use the well-equipped community centre that's a block away in Crips territory.

The Sun's Lorrie Goldstein has an excellent column today that relates the unimaginable fear and terror that must exist living in this area. He explains the reason for the "No snitch rule" as being one of survival:

True, there are ways to tell the police what you know anonymously, but are you willing to bet your life, or your spouse's life, on them? Has there never been an instance where information that was supposed to be confidential somehow got out?

Goldstein then goes on to advocate for strengthening of the witness protection program.



Sitting in our safe little houses in the suburbs, it's so easy to chastise others for seeming to take so little responsibility for their own misfortunes.

Who's Standing up for Ontario?

This morning, the Sun's Angelo Persichilli asks the very question that I did a few days ago - Who'll Stand Up for Ontario?


Persichilli argues that if the Atlantic MP's feel that they are standing up for their provinces by opposing the budget, then all Ontario MP's, regardless of political stripes, should be standing up for Ontario by supporting the budget, since Premier Dalton McGuinty supports it himself. (I would love to be at a family dinner with Dalton and David talking politics these days!)

Angelo also takes a shot at Dion's self-proclaimed attributes of consistency and clarity:


Dion said in 2004 there was no fiscal imbalance but in 2006 (May 5 -- Mike Duffy Live) he said that "we need to have a clause of this kind that gives a safety net to Ontario." Is that clear? Doesn't sound like it.


Moving on to the topic of the Senate approval of the budget now. Remember Senator Terry Mercer saying this? -

"I think you'll find that senators from Nova Scotia, such as myself, from Newfoundland and Labrador, and probably from Saskatchewan, will all vote against it and I don't think we'll be alone," Mercer said.

"If we care to mount a full-fledged campaign with our colleagues, I think we can defeat this bill."


Assuming that he is referring to Ontario Senators among others, I wonder how he expects them to look their fellow citizens "in the eye" as he claims he is worried about in his own province.


Meanwhile, Mercer doesn't seem to be on the same page as Liberal Senate leader Celine Hervieux-Payette, who assures us that:

"In my view, based on past experience, the likelihood is high that the budget implementation bill, notwithstanding its many failings, will pass in the Senate following a thorough examination," she said.

Dion said in the release that the Senate has a "responsibility to conduct a thorough review" of the budget bill.

"I am confident that in the spirit of sober second thought that characterizes the Senate, honourable senators on both sides of the aisle will undertake that review in a measured and professional fashion," he said.

The release seemed worded to avoid suggesting that Dion is telling the senators how to vote.

Yeah, right.



So, how's that campaign going, Senator Mercer?


* * * *

Update: Great column here by Lorne Gunter - Atlantic Premiers Hooked on Cash. (H/T to reader Jenna)

Linked to this post: NB Tory Lady - I have managed to hold off an election - Dion.
Great post and a fantastic blog! She had me chuckling with this one.

* * * *

Monday Update: Fantastic column The Chronicle Herald by Dan Leger - The Atlantic Accords: Time for Truth-telling.

Also please check out Thomas Courchene's "When enough is enough". (Globe)

More here. Lots of different opinions on a complex issue.

Following Monday Update: Harper right to break vows.

Ottawa doesn't have a magic pot of gold.

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Dion claims victory!

Stephane Dion is quite proud of himself for having thwarted the election plans of his arch rival:

"We have succeeded to make sure that Michael's the government's plan would fail."


I suppose we can infer from this that the Liberal Senate has decided to pass the budget.

* * * *

Update: Dion's victory party may be a bit premature.

Then again, maybe Dion should push for an election now anyway.

All in the Family

A couple of disturbing stories have emerged following the massive police takedown of the Driftwood Crips earlier this week.

The Globe reports that Jordan Manner's sister was one of those arrested and charged with possession of a restricted firearm with ammunition.


Also, we learn in today's Sun that a member of the Toronto Police force allegedly tipped off a family member who was then able to avoid the Wednesday morning raids, but was later found and arrested.

The officer's lawyer says his client is being used as a scapegoat, and that he is a good cop.

All this lends credence to the view that gang culture is often enable by familial relations.

(Link to great article available here at Fri Jun 15, 05:09:00 PM EDT. Record links on the main post site do not work very well with Blogger).


How do we address this kind of willful blindness right in the family? No wonder government appears powerless to deal with it.


* * * *

More opinion on root causes here, from someone who's lived and worked in the 'hood. Note that Gary Pieters refers to "ineffective elder influence", in his list of possible problem areas. I would suggest that it may be much worse than merely "ineffective".


BTW, this post has been picked up by Jack's Newswatch - Daily Blogger. I feel quite honoured to have been included in this category on a number of occasions. The traffic doesn't hurt either.

Thanks, Jack.

* * * *
Related: More Canadians believe minorities should change their ways - Poll.

But who are those "rest of Canadians" that they're supposed to try to be like?

* * * *
Sunday Update: Absolutely awesome column by Lorrie Goldstein today - Helping out Jane-Finch.

This is one of his best!

Friday, June 15, 2007

Harsh Reality

Lorrie Goldstein treats us to a very politically incorrect POV today - "No worries - We're studying it".

Much of the violence involves black people killing each other -- which the left claims is racist to mention and the right claims nobody ever mentions ... every time they mention it.

(Well, somebody has to say it, Lorrie.)

And does anyone know why Ottawa brings so many people into Canada who can't speak English, provides almost no help to teach them, and then wonders why some turn to crime? Gee, hard to see that one coming, eh?

Finally, black men who father babies and abandon the mothers increase the chances their male sons will become gangsters, and black women who have these children, knowing the man won't be around, do themselves, their child and society no favours.

But according to our lib/left politicians (mayor, premier, etc.) we shouldn't discuss that.

Yep. Nobody wants to talk about that stuff.


On the plus side, in another editorial Lorrie points out that gang raids seem to work, but asks if the courts will do their part.

I'm not optimistic.


* * * *

Update: Wow. Jordan Manner's sister was one of the ones arrested. Via SDA.

McGuinty loses one of the good ones

Looks like Marie Bountrogianni is jumping ship.

Opposition parties salivate in the wings.


* * * *

Update: Wow! Adam obviously has a totally different view on this. - Good riddance.

More Liberal news - Money jumping ship too. With alleged cover-up. H/T Steve Janke.

Saturday Update: As Zac mentions in comments, two female Liberal MPP's are leaving 'for family reasons'.

Liberal Senate could be Harper's Best Ally

The inimitable Chantal Hébert warns Liberals Senators that they may be walking right into a Tory trap; with their sabre-rattling about opposing the budget ("Beware, Liberal Senators").

So far, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan, as the aggrieved provinces in the equalization dispute, have had the centre stage to themselves.

That could change in a rearguard Senate battle against the budget.

Seven provinces – accounting for more than 90 per cent of the population – are relatively satisfied with the new way the federal government proposes to redistribute its revenues among them.

Some have already factored the changes into their plans.


Moreover, she suggests that Dion may have less control over his non-elected counterparts than he cares to admit, and that he is obviously worried about the potential fall-out:


By virtue of the government's minority status, Harper's budget has already had to secure sufficient opposition support to have it adopted in the House. So, it's at the will of the Commons rather than just at a soft Conservative target that Liberals senators are currently rattling their wooden sabres. They court a boomerang effect.

With his differences with his senators already public, a blockade in the Upper House could do more damage to Dion's credibility than to the battered budget itself.


So we have a Liberal-dominated Senate angry with Harper for attempting to democratize and control their very existence vs. a Liberal opposition leader who is worried about his own political future.

We also have MSM pundits who are very anxious to start their summer vacations, and would be in a foul mood to have to scuttle those plans because of a snap election.


So, what do I think about it?

Go, Senators, go!!!


* * * *

Update: Alberta Ardvark links to an article where McGuinty backs the Federal budget.

This is actually quite interesting when you think about it. Those Ontario Federal MP's who voted against the budget (i.e. everyone of them except the now Independent Joe Comuzzi) actually voted against Ontario's best interests!


That is certainly good fodder for the next election - It works both ways, Rodney.

Update #2: Chuckle of the Day QP - John Baird got up to ask the Liberals to lobby the Senate to pass the budget, on behalf of his Premier!


Thursday, June 14, 2007

Me, me, me!

McGuinty's worst fears may soon be realized.


Update: New Atlantic Deal is more than Fair - From the Star!!!!


PM Update: Newfoundland May Back Legal Challenge.

Is Stephane Dion a Leader?

This and other interesting questions come to mind after reading the Post's report that Liberal Senators may defy Dion and amend the budget or even defeat it. (H/T National Newswatch).

According to Senator Terry Mercer, "the Senate is not considered a confidence chamber and thus, unlike the Commons, it can defeat money bills without provoking an election. He said he's already warned Dion that he and other Atlantic Canadian senators won't support the bill, regardless of the leader's view on the matter."


So if that happens, will the money be prevented from flowing where it is needed?

According to Liberal Senator Celine Hervieux-Payette, no. She maintains that:

...the Senate will not be rushed and dismissed the Harper government's contention that more than $4 billion in funding for things like climate change, patient wait times and post-secondary education will be lost if the bill isn't enacted by the end of the month.

"I've been told by others that this is totally false, the money will not be lost," she said.



So, just who are those "others"?

Is anyone a constitutional expert here?

* * * *

More at DBT.

Update: It's interesting too that Dion has a totally different skew on how things work in Ottawa:

The news will have been greeted with some nervousness by Liberal leader Stephane Dion. If the budget is not passed by month's end, the government says $4-billion intended for program spending will not go out the door as planned and he will get the blame.


Well, either Stephane Dion is misinformed or else the Liberal Senate is. No wonder the ROC is confused.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Gang crackdown

I hope to comment further on this later, but apparently Toronto police are cracking down on gangs.

Just saw a clip on Global news. Poverty blamed.

Video at the Star.

More here regarding Montreal gang recruitment.

Then there's this idea.

And Lemon wonders if racial profiling is the answer.

* * * *

Well, I've given this a lot of thought, and I don't have any answers. I'm quite sure that we will never solve this problem, because human nature being what it is, there will always be crime.

Hopefully we will somehow be able to protect our children from the worst of it.

Rage from the left - With update

I learned a few things yesterday:

1. Misogyny and sexism are both alive and well in Canada. (*I can personally attest to this.)

2. Free speech is the exclusive privilege of the Left.

3. According to most Progressives, Lifesite is not a credible source, and anyone even linking to it as a reference is homophobic. (So I won't link to it here. Lesson learned.)

4. There is a lot of anger out there.

5. Controversy generates a lot of hits on a blog (a record 841 for this one yesterday).


And so, my journey continues.


* * * *
* The level of debate begins to decline the minute someone uses a personal attack instead of logic. When men use sexually disparaging remarks against women, they lose the argument by default.

It's interesting that women from opposite political views can agree on that one point.

In fact, guys, let me tell you something: When you attempt to diminish a woman with sexual remarks, that is harassment and abuse. A lot of women are familiar with that. They band together against it. And so it becomes empowering.


As an aside, I've had very few discussions with lesbians that weren't respectful for the most part - a bit heated sometimes, but usually civil.


Thursday Update: Aaron chronicles the whole fiasco in a fairly non-partisan manner, and asks some interesting questions. Well worth the read.


Tuesday, June 12, 2007

What happened to good old common sense?

Not much time, but I did want to draw your attention to the editorial in today's Post - More gun control isn't the answer.

To me, this is a classic. It addresses the mindless simplicity of McGuinty and Miller yelling for a ban on handguns every time there is a murder in Toronto, and also manages to take a swipe at Layton as well.

There are some great lines here:

...But why is it the first instinct of most liberal-left politicians to go after the property of law-abiding citizens when the problem is so obviously the actions of criminals? Confiscating the former will have no impact on the latter..


...Rather than holding the United States up as a bogeyman, Mr. McGuinty and his ministers might want to look at what American authorities are doing well and apply it to the growing crime and violence problem in their own backyard...


...NDP leader Jack Layton, too, railed "We don't want to be hearing more about young people losing their lives to guns in our cities. So let's call on governments to pass the laws to stop the guns from coming across the borders."
But, Mr. Layton, gun smuggling is already illegal. Guns are crossing our borders because criminals are prepared to pay a premium for the tools of their trade, not because of some loophole in the criminal code....



...If Messrs. McGuinty and Layton really want to reduce handgun deaths in Canada, the Premier will pressure his Liberal cousins in Parliament to support the Tories' crime bills, which raise sentences for violent offences. And Mr. Layton will get back to Ottawa and encourage his caucus to do the same.


Indeed. But that would require common sense.



* * * *

Update: More great articles at Daimnation! The "pigs" are the real enemy.

Summer election?

The Atlantic 'Discord' is proving to be a wedge issue even in the Cabinet!

CTV has an exclusive report stating that Peter MacKay was asked to sign the infamous letter stating no side-deals, but that he refused and so Jim Flaherty did so instead.

The Liberals must be smelling blood now:

Liberal senators, who hold a majority, say they might even take up MacDonald's call to defeat the budget.

"If Mr. Harper wants this budget, Mr. Harper is going to have to change this budget," said Liberal Sen. Terry Mercer of Nova Scotia.

Having the Senate vote down the budget would be a vote of non-confidence in the government and an election could result.

"It would be totally irresponsible and it would be unprecedented for the unelected Senate to defeat a budget bill," said Conservative Sen. Marjory LeBreton, the party's house leader.


So, if the unelected, lottery-for-life Liberal and Atlantic Senators vote down this budget, we could be facing a summer election. Mike Duffy was discussing that option last night, and he sure didn't look enthused. I can't see Harper backing down in this game of chicken though.

Should be interesting to see how it all plays out.

* * * *

Update: Well if this doesn't entice the Liberals to try to force an election, nothing will!

Evening Update: Budget passes! Now it's in the gritty hands of the Senate.

A note for the raucous left

It seems that some from the left are quite indignant that I removed the post, "Another Inconvenient Truth", which is still available as a cached version for those who are interested (remember that whatever you write on the internet is there forever).

The reason I did this was simply because I was tired of deleting comments from trolls. Holsinger's work has been discredited by many on the left, and Lifesite is regularly discredited as a reliable resource by many 'progressive' bloggers.

I stand by the post in terms of the view that sexual freedom may have consequences, and society largely has to bear the financial burden of those choices (re: abortion, disease, etc.). In fact, in most cases it is demanded.

Many from the left attempt to vilify any reference to this possibility and denounce it as bigotry of some kind.

I encourage debate and respectful criticism. I expect that some progressive bloggers, to whom I won't link, think that using personal insults is a very clever way of winning an argument.

There are others for whom I previously had some kind of respect, but now he seems to be following the path of insults too. Too bad. I expected more from him. (Warning - visit Red's site at your own risk).

If there's one thing I've learned from blogging, it's that when you stoop to the level of name-calling, you lose your credibility.


* * * *

Speaking of name-calling - CBS News Anchor Bryant Gumbel Says He Was Right to Call Pro-Family Advocate a F***ing Idiot. Of course, that article was from Lifesite, folks, so it is likely not true, right?

That reminds me of when Garth Turner called PMSH a "politicial whore". I asked him if he was planning to apologize. I recall him saying that he wouldn't, because it was true.

Some people go a bit further than name-calling though. (Another Lifesite article so don't bother reading it.) All in the name of tolerance.

Monday, June 11, 2007

A Must Read

Please read this article. It comes from a link off the Macleans site where Stephen Taylor has posted a response to the G8 aid criticism emanating from the rich mouths of Bono, Geldoff and others (H/T to Springer at Chucker's site).

Shikwati: If they really want to fight poverty, they should completely halt development aid and give Africa the opportunity to ensure its own survival. Currently, Africa is like a child that immediately cries for its babysitter when something goes wrong. Africa should stand on its own two feet.

Funny. I can think of a few Canadian provinces that would fit that description.

Message from Harper

Go ahead... Make my day!


* * * *

O.K. Folks. My counter tells me there are 39 people reading this post right now. It's not a long post. What do you think? Is Harper on the right track here? You don't have to have anything earth-shatteringly pithy to say. Just leave a comment please.


* * * *

And here's the latest political gossip hot off the National Newswatch presses! Will Keddy pick his boss or his partner? Or are they one and the same?


This is interesting. Nova Scotia Premier Rodney MacDonald tries to explain his position:

"Suppose you are an employee in a company and you achieve a bonus from your boss. You take that bonus and put all of it against your mortgage. Two years later the company is doing better so the boss gives everyone a raise. But he gives you a choice between your old salary with the bonus you got two years ago or the raise. But the catch is that if you take the raise you have to pay back the bonus you got. Is that fair?"

Do you buy that argument?

* * * *

Update: More at Daimnation! Great comments follow.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Things even I wouldn't dare to say

Paul Jackson sure doesn't mince words in his opinion of the OLO. (H/T National Newswatch)


Update: Sandy has a much more mature POV.

O.K. It seems that according to some of my Conservative friends, Paul Jackson is in the wrong here. Mr. Jackson, please describe the actions and not the person. I'd love to be able to read his email today though.


* * * *

Monday Update: Susan Riley of the Ottawa Citizen compares Peter MacKay to a 'cockroach'.:

Accosted by reporters, he scurried away like a cockroach when the lights go on.


Nice.

Tuesday Update: According to the Star, Harper is a poodle. Well, that's better than a cockroach.

Ontario Report Card

Christina Blizzard has graciously provided us with a copy of her MPP Report Card, in this morning's Toronto Sun.

Curiously missing though, is a grade for PC Deputy Leader Elizabeth Witmer. I would have given her an A with only a tiny suggestion for improvement - More fire in the belly! But she's too much of a classy lady for that.

What do you think of Blizzard's ratings?

Saturday, June 09, 2007

Overheard at the store

I love people watching; especially parents with small kids. You just never know what's going pop out of their precious little mouths next.

This morning I was in the bathing suit section of a local department store. It was one of those frenetic "half-price sale until 11 a.m." deals where everyone runs around like crazy gathering up as many garments as possible to try on and then do your best to get into the line in time to pay before the time is up.

Anyway, I was busy checking out various suits that might possibly disguise my *ahem* barely noticeable amount of excess natural padding in all the wrong places, when I happened to see a late thirties-looking Mom and her daughter of around five or so.

Mom was checking out a gorgeous red two-piece with the plunging neckline; the kind of thing I never consider, even though she wasn't far behind me in the weight department.

As I reached for a tummy tamer one-piece, I heard the little girl yell, "Mommy, that bathing suit is not for your age!"

Quiet chuckles could be heard all around.

Tory Trouble

I see some of my fellow Blogging Tories are not overly impressed with John Tory's idea to provide public funds for faith-based schools.

At first I thought it was a great move, but now I'm not so sure. Andrew at Christian Conservative points out that if the school boards are able to exert too much control over the faith-based schools, then it might have the effect of causing these religious groups not to vote PC.

Yet others like Frank Dimant of B'nai Brith think this control is important so that tolerance is taught in all schools.

Public boards are railing against any special funding for faith-based schools; including the Catholic ones.

O.K. If I can't vote for McGuinty, the reasons of which fall under the category res ipsa loquitur, and I can't vote for Tory, because of this mess and the fact that he really isn't a Tory, what's left? The NDP? I don't think so. (Memories of Rae)

Stay home? I can't do that.

Spoil my ballot?

Looks like the system did that to me already.

* * * *

Update: U.A. - John Tory the best candidate by default? (And that, my friends is probably the honest truth. It's a sad day for Ontario.)


Friday, June 08, 2007

It's not fair; er right!

Paris Hilton ordered back to jail:

"Mom, Mom, Mom." Hilton was also heard saying "It's not right."


Poor baby.

If you're a political junkie...

Warning: Don't bother reading this post if you hate politics. On the other hand, why would you ever read this blog if you hated politics?

Anyway, John Robson of the Ottawa Citizen gets into the nuts and bolts of prorogation (boy, that's a word to make your eyes glaze over!) - If you want to play politics, learn the rules.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Oops, sorry. If I interpret this correctly, Robson is chastising the Three Activist Musketeers for not getting the facts straight before going to the press with their fear-mongering that all will be lost if Parliament is prorogued.

Still with me? Good. According to Robson's brilliant but nameless source, "the standing orders of Parliament were changed so that prorogation no longer kills private members' bills. Ten years ago."

"Everybody says they want to give backbenchers more power, especially everybody in opposition. Astoundingly, someone actually did it. In November 1998, the standing orders were changed so that private members' bills, unlike government bills, no longer die if Parliament is prorogued. They stay right where they are."

I didn't know that. I certainly should have, given what I do for a living. My friend, who does not seek the limelight so I name no names, saved me from much worse embarrassment by spotting the error.

But what is the excuse of Mr. Fontaine, Mr. Barr and Mr. Suzuki? I do not normally find myself in solidarity with them, but I try to be fair about public matters, and when I thought they were morally right I was prepared to deliver myself of a strongly worded opinion to that effect. Instead, I find that they were factually wrong.

They said proroguing would necessarily mean that these bills would either be lost or badly delayed, and that's not true.

Well, I didn't know that either.


Here's another quote that I think warrants some thought:

On which grounds the inability of the Tories to stop bills C-288, C-292 and C-293 raises serious questions about whether they really are "the government." I think it is wrong for the Tories to cling to the shadow of power without its substance, and equally wrong for the Liberals, NDP and Bloc to seek the fun of legislating without accepting the responsibilities of governing.

There is a lot to ponder here. First of all, as Chantel Hebert notes, this Parliament has some big problems. One of the most obvious is that the Liberals have forgotten that they're in the opposition, and vice-versa. If you saw QP yesterday, you know what I mean. Peter Van Loan was answering questions with questions.

But the most serious problem is the ability of the three opposition parties to introduce private member bills that are antithetical to the government's position; especially in the area of Kyoto compliance for example. Of course, they don't have to deal with the consequences of their la-la land bills, right? That's for the grownups to handle. I want a new bike. Right now! I don't care that you can't afford it. That's your problem.

The bills end up being stalled in the Senate by various tactics employed by Conservative Senators, as their only ammunition against the Liberal-dominated Lifetime-endowed Chamber of Senile Second Thought.

This is a mess. I have no answers.


I mean if David Suzuki can't even get it right, what hope is there for the rest of us mere mortals?

Gotta love these headlines

This is what a Blogging Tory lives for:

Harper shines at G-8.

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Interesting Wording

From the G8 Summit:

Breakthrough on climate protection!

The leading industrialised nations (G8) aim to at least halve global CO2 emissions by 2050. The Heads of State and Government agreed at Heiligendamm to achieve this goal together as part of a UN process. The big emerging economies are also to be incorporated in the process.
The German Chancellor and G8 President was convinced and visibly pleased that this was "the most important decision for the coming two years." Many participants had moved their positions quite considerably. The agreement that binding goals on reducing emissions were necessary was "an important signal", said Angela Merkel.

The resolutions adopted by the EU, Japan and Canada form the basis of the agreement reached on climate protection at Heiligendamm. The approach suggested by the United States was added to this, namely of incorporating the biggest greenhouse gas emitters outside the United States, especially China and India.


This is not a good news day for Stephane Dion.


* * * *

Update: A Voice of Sanity in the Wilderness: (Harper; not CBC):


"We committed to targets without thinking those targets through 10 years ago and then we were unable to reach them," he said.

"When others [G8 leaders] say we want a full discussion before we determine what reasonable targets are, I think that's something we have to be flexible on."



Is McGuinty in trouble?

You only need to have a quick glance at the front page of today's Record, to see that if the McGuinty Fiberals are planning to use their own record as their election platform, they'd better ramp up that spin cycle big time.

Medical wait times and education are supposed to be two areas of great accomplishment, and yet we see articles about "Totally unacceptable" MRI wait times, and charges of the government turning a blind eye to unfair tuition fees (Ontario colleges facing lawsuit over fees).

But the biggest sign of all that the Premier might be in trouble is this.

(H/T National Newswatch).


* * * *

Friday Update: Mr. McGuinty's Gall.

From Ditherer to Duffer

If you're wondering what the Honourable member from LaSalle—Émard has been up to lately, wonder no more. The Post informs us he is in the process of building a golf course in his backyad::

By Mr. Martin's own admission, a little practice would not be amiss. While he lists golf as his favourite sport to play, he said through an aide yesterday that his handicap is "21 and getting worse."

Some people have gazebos or waterfalls in their backyards, but what the heck. A golf course sounds like fun, doesn't it? And he assures us he is meeting all the environmental concerns. A good green golfer is our Paulie. We can feel proud.


Apparently there are other notables with this hobby:

Mr. Martin, who resigned as Liberal leader following the party's 2006 election defeat but remains MP for the Montreal riding of LaSalle-Emard, will enter illustrious company once his course is ready, expected to be next summer.

Mr. Martin's former boss at Power Corp., Paul Desmarais, recently built a complete golf course on his property in Quebec's Charlevoix region. Tim Hortons' co-founder Ron Joyce built himself an 18-hole course along the Northumberland Strait in Nova Scotia.

The budget for Mr. Martin's project is not known, but golf architects say building a single hole can cost $100,000.

(Of course those guys aren't still sucking at the government teat.)


Yep. Good old Paul Martin. Just your regular Tim Horton's kind of guy.

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Open season on name-calling

I've been trying so hard lately to refrain from calling politicians names, because I feel that it detracts from the argument but gosh darn, Christina Blizzard shot down all my resolve with today's column, "The coward's way out".

Sneaky, slithering Dalton McWimpy has been exposed for the shifty cut-and-run con artist that he really is. I've noticed that the Sun links tend to die after a while, so I'll post the highlights here:

That's how the 38th Parliament ends, then.

Not with a bang, but a wimp-out. Funny, isn't it, that when politicians want to hike their pay by 25%, they are happy to work an extra few days -- as they did just before Christmas. But when they're under fire in the Legislature over scandal upon scandal and there's an election round the corner, they cut and run like scared rabbits...

...They left by the back door -- leaving on the order table scores of private member's bills. It is painfully obvious why Premier Dalton McGuinty and his Liberals took the coward's way out of this particular session.

The last two months have been the most damaging in the almost four years the Liberals have been in power. First, they were battered over the lottery scandal. Then they were bruised by the so-called Colle-gate scandal, where Citizenship Minister Mike Colle was on his feet every day in the House explaining how millions of dollars in grants to ethnic community groups went out the door with no accountability and no follow-up as to how the money was spent.


Well, Blizzard omitted a few things, but never mind - The Star (oddly enough) comes to the rescue by quoting Howard Hampton who charges that:

...McGuinty cut the Legislature short because he's "desperate" to avoid criticism over thousands of lost manufacturing jobs as the Canadian dollar continues rising, and over Citizenship and Immigration Minister Mike Colle's scheduled appearance before a legislative committee, where he would have faced tough questions over the so-called "slush fund" scandal.


In fact, the Globe reminds us Colle was scheduled to appear today:

Citizenship and Immigration Minister Mike Colle was to appear before the standing committee on estimates today.

With the legislature shutting down, Mr. Colle will no longer have to answer for the "slush fund" he has been running out of his ministry, said Progressive Conservative House Leader Bob Runciman. "It's clear that that's the real reason Dalton McGuinty is running out the door."

New Democratic Party Leader Howard Hampton said the McGuinty government decided to "cut and run" because it is "desperate" to avoid having Mr. Colle answer questions about the grants handed out by his ministry.

How convenient. And of course, with a majority government, McSlimy can do anything he wants - get a big pay hike, start summer break early, obfuscate and obstruct democracy...

But the Post's Andrew Coyne probably had the best column this morning -Policy is the best honesty:


Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty promised yesterday that he would not raise taxes if he is re-elected this fall and insisted he means it this time. -- National Post, June 4.

You really can't do anything with this. Satire is impossible. The one thing one felt could be said with certainty in this universe is that, having issued more than 200 promises in the last election and broken nearly as many, the last thing Mr. McGuinty would do this time out is make any promises --least of all on taxes, the ne plus ultra of McGuinty whoppers...


Coyne catches McLiar red-handed with his little fib about not being aware of the fiscal state of the province when he promised not to raise taxes:

Indeed, everyone knew Ontario was headed for a deficit in 2003, and a large one. The Fraser Institute issued a report, mid-campaign, predicting the deficit was on course to hit $4.5-billion. At the time, Mr. McGuinty would not say precisely how he would adjust his plans in that event, other than to suggest he might delay some of his spending proposals. But there would be no tax increase: on that he was clear.

So he knew there were problems, but he said in effect, 'Read my lips - No tax increase!

Coyne goes on to explain how this "serial mendacity" (isn't that a great phrase?) hurts all politicians and he suggests that there should be some kind of legal liability or consequence when a politician breaks a promise.

I recently read an editorial in the Record (which I can't locate at the moment) that recommended politicians refrain from making any promises at all - Better to talk in terms of 'objectives' or 'goals' or 'targets'.

Personally, I think elections should be approached like a job interview: "Here's how my skills and the skills of my team can help you!"

And maybe they should have a three month probation period too.


Once thing is clear - The gloves are off now, Premier McSwarmy.


* * * *

Update: To get a sneak preview of the upcoming Dalton spin cycle, check out Warren Kinsella, June 5. Sandy has started fisking it here.

And speaking of spin, the Star's Ian Urquhart does not seem very impressed (Dalton dizzy over no-win spin).


Tuesday, June 05, 2007

And they're off and running

The Promise-Breakers plod out of the starting gate.

It's going to be a long summer.

Oh, and how convenient. Minister Colle will now not have to face the Estimates Committee. Don't you just love democracy?

Lights! Camera! Political Posturing!

Lorne Gunter nails it this morning with his editorial "Live from Germany, it's Kyoto theatre".

Canada is being cast as one of the villains in this global charade, with the EU playing the hero. But the object of the Kyoto unreality show is for each leader to appear to be acting for altruistic purposes all the while safeguarding each country's own political and economic interests. Being politicians, they are thusly well-equipped to play the role. Gunter explains:

At a pre-summit get-together with Stephen Harper on Monday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, in the politest terms possible, told our Prime Minister that his goal to reduce Canadian emissions by 60%-70% by 2050, using 2006 as a base year, was good, but not good enough. Germany and the EU backed a reduction of 60%-80% by mid-century using the lower benchmark of 1990 as starting point. (In order to match Germany's and the EU's proposed cuts, Canada would have to reduce its emissions by 80%-85% from current levels, rather than the 60%-70% proposed by the Harper government.)
These numbers, though, (ours as well as theirs) are completely meaningless. They are politically driven one-upmanship: We care more 'cause we can promise to cut more.


Gunter then goes on to explain how some European countries such as Britain, Germany and the EU in general be able to meet their targets with a little "accounting trickery":

The EU as a whole might also slip in under the wire for its Kyoto targets, not because its industry is growing greener all the time, but because it has expanded its membership this decade to include a lot of old Eastern Bloc countries that, like East Germany, have shuttered all sorts of ancient, dirty plants since 1990. The entire EU gets to claim credits for the CO2 those plants have not generated since.
In other words, the bankruptcy of state planning might help Europe meet its Kyoto targets, not European moral superiority or greater concern for the environment.

The Star's Richard Gwyn has reviewed this farce as well, and is unimpressed with the performance of any of the actors:
..Nice, sensitive Europeans, therefore, while everyone else is unimaginative, narrow-minded, greedy.

If you believe all of that, you should take up counting flying pigs for a hobby.

Thus, if the Europeans are really so worked up about global warming, how come they signed an "Open Skies" agreement with the United States that, by increasing the number of transatlantic flights, will dump another 3.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year?

The Europeans do care about fighting global warming. A major reason, though, is that they will come out of the fight as winners.

The EU itself desperately needs some grand self-justifying cause after having had its proposed new constitution rejected by its own citizens.

Also, the trade bloc's new Eastern European members, all upgrading their old, energy-guzzling, Soviet-style industries, can easily make a lot of money out of Kyoto's carbon credits market...

Actually, I'm quite impressed with the objectivity and non-partisanship of Gwyn's review. He pans everyone with equal contempt.

The countries that are dragging their heels are those with red-hot economies: Canada, China, Japan, Australia and the U.S.

China in particular is looking for a pass on emission responsibilities all the while sucking up manufacturing jobs from Canada and flooding our markets with cheap, unregulated goods with suspect additives.

I admire Stephen Harper for telling it like it is. We have to protect our economy, but we can certainly make a concerted effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution.

However, we need everyone on board to make a difference from a global perspective.

Enough with the fiction. Let's get real.


* * * *

More here from TD Bank vice-president Don Drummond: "...I thought the whole debate is just one giant semantic trap." (H/T Jack's Newswatch).

BTW, which is the bigger threat - Global warming or a Nuclear Winter?

And here's a rare moment when Red Tory and I are on the same page. We're both global warming agnostics.


Monday, June 04, 2007

Tired, old union tactics in the New Global Economy

Yeah, here's the way to convince those beleaguered manufacturing companies to stay in Canada, right Buzz?

That's for sure. Threaten them with a nationwide strike.

Yeah, that'll keep those jobs in Canada boy.


Just brilliant.


* * * *

Opening the proverbial can of worms

In a case of tit for tat (sorry couldn't resist), a Montreal gay man is now launching a Human Rights complaint against Curves, following the complaint of a 20 year old woman filing against a gay bar for humiliation when they refused to serve her due to lack of male genitalia.

I've always wondered how women-only clubs can prevent men from joining. When I called and asked one recently, they told me it was largely due to the Muslim women who can not be seen by males without their appropriate coverings.

And so the battle of the minorities continues.


* * * *
Update: Rootleweb - Making Mischief.