Fuhrer Doug Ford shows true colours

I recall Doug Ford promoting himself as an everyman populist in his early political career. That was quite a long time ago. Alas, as he clawed his way up the greasy pole of power, his populism morphed into something else by the time he arrived at the top. We've had one dubious shenanigan after another where friends of Douggie, a crowd that includes every billionaire real estate developer Toronto has produced in the last 50 years, would make out like bandits at the expense of that quaint relic "the common good." Ontario Place, the Science Centre, that Greenbelt razzle-dazzle that would have added a few more billions to the accounts of a handful of real estate billionaires... oh Douggie, what have you become? I think the answer is clear. With his drive to exempt himself and his cabinet from Freedom of Information requests, he's become a full-fledged tyrant. If he can pull this off, democracy will be safe from prying pinkos who are forever trying to trip up good, or in the case of Fuhrer Ford, stupendously fabulous, responsible, and ethical governance.

Canada cracks down on imaginary terror threats

Here's  what the law and order crowd think Canada is up against in the way of terror threats.

Freeman of the Land. Yup. Read the story. These guys carry guns to the grocery store and drive their vehicles without license plates.

I should point out at this juncture that PostMedia and The Vancouver Sun are generally considered serious news outlets.

So how they can justify publishing sensationalist fantasy like this is a bit of a puzzle. Perhaps because this is "insider" info that required a freedom of information request to get access to they think it has some legitimacy.

Let me assure the international reader that no one in Canada drives their vehicle without license plates, because everyone knows you will drive only so long as the first patrol car notices that you are driving without them, and then they will take your vehicle and, assuming that was your only transgression, you will be walking home.

If, on the other hand, you were driving your unregistered vehicle to the grocery store whilst wearing your unregistered handgun on your hip, you would be going straight to jail in any province or territory in Canada.

This tale of imaginary threats comes from CSIS, Canada's spy agency. They obviously have a vested interest in overstating exponentially any threats to law and order in the country, because that is what will ensure their budget next year and the year after.

And that plays straight into the hands of the Fantinos and the Toews and the rest of the out of touch ward-heelers that make up the Harper cabinet.

The reality is that Canada is by far one of the most peaceable nations on the planet. Even our most oppressed minority with by far the most grievances  (that would be the First Nations) refrain from picking up arms against the state.

As for the rest of their terror list; a smear job from beginning to end, and the only purpose in lumping the racist extremists in with the anti-globalists and the environmentalists is to expand the pool of potential terror threats.

The vast majority of Canadians can readily see through this facile nonsense.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure the same can be said for the Harper cabinet.