WestCoastRunner

Not really. But I am an optimist so you never know!

I see no response from JBG with his cites.

Now, that's an intelligent response.

Even if you provided a link, it wouldn't be read.

What a wonderful way to treat new members. Some things don't change.

I absolutely agree.

What a messed up response!

Nice try. However, my post was to highlight the discrepancies between research dollars spent on ALS and Cancer Research, but of course you knew that. ALS has nothing to apologize for.

Much as you might like to believe, Canada is not above the scrutiny of organizations tasked with looking after the best interests of our planet.

We will see his platform soon enough. I just noticed your crossed out words

That is correct.

And I am sure you are nervous about what Leo will have to say about our beautiful northern Alberta province. Personally, I am looking forward to it.

There was very good!! But speaking JT's lightweight, value policies, this is nothing new in the run up to an election and everybody on this forum knows it! Opposition parties always tread carefully when laying out their platform. Consultants advise all politicians to consider the risks of having voters not know what you stand against having your policy stolen. This is precisely what JT is doing. And let's not forget that JT is not the official opposition so he has more flexibility in not responding to much of Harper's actions. Political communications consultant Marcel Wieder: "First, if you are behind, get your policy out there if your leader is unknown and untried," said Wieder, noting that former Ontario premier Mike Harris and the federal Liberals under Jean Chrétien took this approach. "Others prefer to release the platform close to the election to deprive their opponents the opportunity to train their guns on the perceived flaws that they will try and exploit. "In this case there is sound reasoning for Trudeau to hold off since Conservatives have significantly greater resources that they can use, as has been demonstrated with [former Liberal leaders Stéphane] Dion and [Michael] Ignatieff. The inability of Dion to properly explain his carbon tax doomed his chances early on and Ignatieff's inability to articulate the platform after being pilloried for 'just visiting' are examples of why Trudeau still remains cautious." In other words, don't expect to see a detailed 'Liberal government' road map anytime soon.

And now news that several dozen Yazidi women kidnapped have been forced to convert and sold into marriages in Syria. Human rights organization have confirmed 27 women have been sold for $1,000 while many, many are still unaccounted for.

It looks like good news for the town of Amerli. Iraqi security and volunteer forces have broken the siege there. It looks like there could have been an imminent massacre. The U.S. contributed with airstrikes and dropping humanitarian aid. This is good news!

Leonardo knows more about the environment than probably all of us combined on this board, although that would not be hard to achieve! Here are some recent philanthropic efforts from his foundation: Protecting Tigers from Extinction: a conservation effort in Nepal to protect critical tiger habitat led by World Wildlife Fund in collaboration with local communities, and the Nepali government Protecting Our Oceans: an international funders collaborative called “Oceans 5” dedicated to stopping overfishing and establishing marine reserves, the two highest ecological priorities identified by scientists Saving Sharks: a successful effort of six organizations from five different countries to secure international trade restrictions for five species of threatened sharks at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Protecting Antarctica: a grant for the Antarctic Ocean Alliance, a coalition of over a dozen organizations working on five continents to secure the largest network of marine reserves on the planet Providing Access to Clean Water: a grant to Concern Worldwide, providing 430,000 people in Tanzania, Mozambique, Sierra Leone and Darfur with sustainable access to clean water

Let's compare the 27% spent on ALS research to what is spent on cancer; Here’s How the American Cancer Society Spent the Donation Money Overall, 72% of the American Cancer Society resources go to cancer research, patient support, prevention information and education, and detection and treatment. The remaining 28% of resources are spent on management compensation and general infrastructure, and fundraising expenses. Resources allocated to Program Services include: • $160 million spent on cancer research • $304 million spent on patient support • $153 million spent on prevention information/education • $97 million spent on detection and treatment Resources allocated to Supporting Services include: • $59 million spent on Management and General Expenses • $218 million spent on Fundraising Expenses If we do the math, 16% is spent on cancer research compared to 27% for ALS.

You shouldn't just rely on wiki for your facts. Broaden your horizons. In the last several years, the average IQ of a person with Down syndrome has increased. In people with Down syndrome, 39.4% are in the mild intellectual disability range of 50-70, and 1% in the borderline intellectual function range of 70-80 (average IQ in the general population is 70-130). Some research shows that people with Down syndrome who have certain heart defects or childhood leukemia are more likely than their typical counterparts to recover or recover quickly. It is rare for a person with Down syndrome to have a solid tumor cancer or cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke. People with Down syndrome are no longer institutionalized, lifespan has more than doubled, and the mainstream population strongly believe in the human and civil rights for people with the condition. They also believe that people are all better off if they help people with Down syndrome. Medical communities (and Argus) have not caught up with society’s positive view about people with Down syndrome or the idea of "new" Down Syndrome. Recent surveys of parents, doctors, and medical students indicate that outdated and inaccurate information about Down syndrome is being provided to pregnant women who are prenatally diagnosed or at birth of their child. Despite 1980s legislation in the U.S. to the contrary, some doctors still believe lifesaving procedures should be denied a person with Down syndrome; in some countries individuals with Down syndrome are still institutionalized. There is a major lack of funding for research benefitting people with Down syndrome, even compared to other conditions and diseases. The funding for Down syndrome research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) started a continual and precipitous decline in the year 2001 – as a result today Down syndrome is the least-funded major genetic condition in the U.S.;

You have to hand it to Ford, he's no stuffy dude. https://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/toronto-mayor-rob-ford-dances-cares-away-final-141637417.html

Some facts about Down Syndrome to dispel some long lingering myths: Around 500 Down Syndrome babies are born in Canada annually Life expectancy has increased dramatically in recent years, with the average life expectancy approaching that of peers without Down syndrome Most people with Down syndrome have cognitive delays that are mild to moderate. Children fully participate in public and private educational programs. Educators and researchers are still discovering the full educational potential of people with Down syndrome They are active participants in the educational, vocational, social, and recreational activities of the community. They are integrated into the regular education system and take part in sports, camping, music, art programs and all the other activities of their communities.They are valued members of their families and their communities, contributing to society in a variety of ways They are included in regular academic classrooms in schools across the country. They are integrated into specific courses, while in other situations students are fully included in the regular classroom for all subjects. The current trend in education is for full inclusion in the social and educational life of the community. Increasingly, they graduate from high school with regular diplomas, participate in post-secondary academic and college experiences and, in some cases, receive college degrees. They are being employed by banks, corporations, nursing homes, hotels and restaurants. They work in the music and entertainment industry, in clerical positions, childcare, the sports field and in the computer industry to name a few. People with Down syndrome socialize and have meaningful friendships. Some choose to date, form ongoing relationships and marry Research is making great strides. Scientists now feel strongly that it will be possible to improve, correct or prevent many of the problems associated with Down syndrome in the future.

Sounds very hypocritical of your stance on abortion.

nice try.