Hey lookee!... no tax increases for the next four years!
Big Steve just hit the sweet spot!
But why could he not go all the way? Ban all tax increases in perpetuity!
Even better... why not just OUTLAW ALL TAXES!!!
Ya, that would be a vote-getter!
I sense he's hedging his bets... some small fringe of the Harper base may be aware that they might have to raise taxes to put more cops on the streets and more Indians in jail.
Showing posts with label Stephen Harper and native rights in Canada. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stephen Harper and native rights in Canada. Show all posts
Friday, September 25, 2015
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Big Steve and the Missus; Canada's first family of animal welfare
Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen are without a doubt the most critter-friendly Canadian power couple to ever inhabit 24 Sussex Drive.
The minor imbroglio the other day when a heckler interupted Laureen's presentation at a cat-video conference to enquire about missing aboriginal women is a case in point. The Laureen-bashers think she should be ashamed of the fact that she tried to brush off a question about missing and murdered native women because she had more important business to attend to at the moment; a fund-raiser for homeless cats.
On the other hand, Laureen's champions think she done good to put one of those pesky activist types in their proper place; to wit, hold your tongue about missing and murdered native women until Missing and Murdered Native Women's Day comes round, and not befoul Homeless Cat Day with awkward questions in the meantime.
Big Steve has shown a similar commitment to egregious insensitivity, or disciplined focus, depending on your point of view. Last year a contingent of Cree youth, along with a few elders, made a 1,000 mile protest march from their homes in Northern Quebec to Ottawa to draw attention to a host of issues destroying native society. Did they at least get a welcome from the Prime Minister?
Nope.
Big Steve was busy the day they arrived in Ottawa. He had to be in Toronto to greet a couple of Chinese Pandas on loan to a Canadian zoo.
That's a critical skill for a world leader to have, that ability to keep your eye on the ball...
The minor imbroglio the other day when a heckler interupted Laureen's presentation at a cat-video conference to enquire about missing aboriginal women is a case in point. The Laureen-bashers think she should be ashamed of the fact that she tried to brush off a question about missing and murdered native women because she had more important business to attend to at the moment; a fund-raiser for homeless cats.
On the other hand, Laureen's champions think she done good to put one of those pesky activist types in their proper place; to wit, hold your tongue about missing and murdered native women until Missing and Murdered Native Women's Day comes round, and not befoul Homeless Cat Day with awkward questions in the meantime.
Big Steve has shown a similar commitment to egregious insensitivity, or disciplined focus, depending on your point of view. Last year a contingent of Cree youth, along with a few elders, made a 1,000 mile protest march from their homes in Northern Quebec to Ottawa to draw attention to a host of issues destroying native society. Did they at least get a welcome from the Prime Minister?
Nope.
Big Steve was busy the day they arrived in Ottawa. He had to be in Toronto to greet a couple of Chinese Pandas on loan to a Canadian zoo.
That's a critical skill for a world leader to have, that ability to keep your eye on the ball...
Monday, March 10, 2014
Canada to fight sexual violence against women - in Libya
On 7th March Al Jazeera featured a story about violence against aboriginal women in Canada. The article points out that the Native Women's Association of Canada has documented more than 600 cases of murdered or missing aboriginal women up until 2010, whereafter the Conservative government stopped funding their database.
The article also mentions that calls for a public inquiry into the matter have been routinely rejected by that same Conservative government.
On the same day the Hon. Lynne Yelich, Minister in that Conservative government, released a statement at the Department of Foreign Affairs website, which included the following;
The article also mentions that calls for a public inquiry into the matter have been routinely rejected by that same Conservative government.
On the same day the Hon. Lynne Yelich, Minister in that Conservative government, released a statement at the Department of Foreign Affairs website, which included the following;
Canada commends the Government of Libya’s recent decree to recognize and compensate victims of sexual violence perpetrated during and following the revolution. We hope that this decree is swiftly entered into law and implemented.
“Sexual violence is a vicious attack on human dignity. It has a debilitating effect on the victims, their families and their communities, and undermines Libya’s transition to democracy and security. Canada is actively supporting efforts to strengthen local leadership to defend women’s rights and combat sexual violence in Libya.
“Canada stands by the Libyan people as they strive toward a future founded on freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.”
As admirable as it may be to advocate for Libyan women, could not the government of Canada also stand by the First Nations women of Canada as they strive toward a future free of sexual violence?
Sunday, October 6, 2013
What to expect from James Anaya's visit to First Nations in Canada
James Anaya, UN Special Rapporteur for indigenous rights, begins his long-anticipated investigation into the living conditions and human rights situation for First Nations tomorrow.
Anaya, an American Indian, is no stranger to Canada. He has served several stints as a visiting scholar at the University of Toronto. If his past record is any indication, what we can expect from Mr. Araya is that at the conclusion of his mission he will tell it like it is.
On a similar tour of his own country, Anaya raised more than a few eyebrows in Washington by stating that the government should give back land stolen from the native people.
That's the good news.
The bad news is what we can expect from the Harper government in response.
In his generally dismissive view of the UN Stephen Harper follows in the footsteps of the two countries with which he has allied himself most closely, Israel and the US. The lesson he has learned from his mentors there is that the UN can be ignored, slandered, and pilloried with impunity.
The American government hasn't given back any stolen land. In Israel the (Jewish) UN Special Rapporteur for Palestinians was subjected to a vitriolic campaign of hate speech accusing him of antisemitism.
So don't get your hopes up.
At the same time, every scrap of attention focused on Canada's shameful treatment of its native population is a step in the right direction.
Anaya, an American Indian, is no stranger to Canada. He has served several stints as a visiting scholar at the University of Toronto. If his past record is any indication, what we can expect from Mr. Araya is that at the conclusion of his mission he will tell it like it is.
On a similar tour of his own country, Anaya raised more than a few eyebrows in Washington by stating that the government should give back land stolen from the native people.
That's the good news.
The bad news is what we can expect from the Harper government in response.
In his generally dismissive view of the UN Stephen Harper follows in the footsteps of the two countries with which he has allied himself most closely, Israel and the US. The lesson he has learned from his mentors there is that the UN can be ignored, slandered, and pilloried with impunity.
The American government hasn't given back any stolen land. In Israel the (Jewish) UN Special Rapporteur for Palestinians was subjected to a vitriolic campaign of hate speech accusing him of antisemitism.
So don't get your hopes up.
At the same time, every scrap of attention focused on Canada's shameful treatment of its native population is a step in the right direction.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
The Global Dialogue on the Future of Iran
This grandiose-sounding bit of unctuous flim-flammery is brought to you courtesy of the Canadian tax-payer.
Not that the Canadian tax-payers have been consulted.
In fact, the Canadian brand of democracy could use a little tweaking itself, were the Canadians as eager to remedy their own political ills as they are to remedy those of the Islamic Republic. After all, the Harper gang won their "majority" with the support of a mere five million out of twenty-four million eligible voters.
Canada faces many issues far more pressing than political reform in Iran.
How about a Global Dialogue on the Future of First Nations?
Not that the Canadian tax-payers have been consulted.
In fact, the Canadian brand of democracy could use a little tweaking itself, were the Canadians as eager to remedy their own political ills as they are to remedy those of the Islamic Republic. After all, the Harper gang won their "majority" with the support of a mere five million out of twenty-four million eligible voters.
Canada faces many issues far more pressing than political reform in Iran.
How about a Global Dialogue on the Future of First Nations?
Monday, March 25, 2013
As Cree youth complete 1000 mile protest trek to Ottawa, PM Harper is in Toronto to greet... pandas!
Shows the man's priorities.
Why bother greeting a bunch of pain-in-the-ass natives when you can enjoy a photo-op with cuddly pandas from China instead?
Alas, we already know that in ten years those cuddly panda bears will be going home to China. They are strictly loaner-pandas.
The Cree are still going to be here ten years from now, twenty years from now, 100 years from now, demanding their rightful place in Canadian society.
Why bother greeting a bunch of pain-in-the-ass natives when you can enjoy a photo-op with cuddly pandas from China instead?
Alas, we already know that in ten years those cuddly panda bears will be going home to China. They are strictly loaner-pandas.
The Cree are still going to be here ten years from now, twenty years from now, 100 years from now, demanding their rightful place in Canadian society.
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