Derek 2.0

Thank you, yes we're all very proud, especially my 84 year old, former RN & RCN FAA pilot, father.

Do most understand that though? One would think if this was an actual problem, "most people" would have exacted political pressure to change this. Who investigates politicians again? Politicians have far more "direct power" over other peoples' liberty and life......the police are after all, just the long arm of the State.....not the head. So since charges were laid, you consider the riot a success? What of the thousands of police officers charged and convicted annually in the United States that don't require a riot prior? Are they not being held accountable? Per the Cato Institute, police guilty of misconduct are charged and convicted every year..... Serious repercussions to prevent misconduct? Clearly the Death Penalty doesn't prevent all murders.......so no, I don't think the small percent of police that break the law presently, or future police officers that will continue to do so, will put much thought to "serious repercussions"....... You're not making the distinction.....the peaceful Civil Rights marchers attacked by Bull Connor's goons were seen as victims by the silent majority.......punks robbing liquor stores.....not so much. Yet of the thousands of annual convictions of police officers guilty of misconduct within the United States, very few required a riot, nor media attention......

The cost of moving offices to another city is peanuts when compared to the losses associated with a 2% tax hike and in the case of energy related companies, the NDP's promised adjustment of royalties.......much like why many corporations left Montreal and Toronto for Calgary. Hopefully, for Alberta, cooler heads will prevail and the new NDP Government is quick to signal this to both corporations and investors......US fund mangers are already signalling caution with investing further money into Alberta, likewise keeping existing money there.

I don't think so, but then, I'm biased.......my own daughter will start basic flight with the RCAF next Summer........something her family is very proud of, likewise I'm sure Christine Mau's family is.

Likewise Lt.Col. Mau, based on her initial transition into the F-35 program, combat record and rank, will be an odds on favorite to command one of the first operational F-35 squadrons. Well done.

Right, but the NDP promised to alter the current royalty rate, in addition to raising corporate tax rates...............If they keep their promise and with the current volatility in the energy sector, smaller local companies will fold and the larger companies will divest investment capital in Alberta (say goodbye to marginal fields), choosing to invest in other markets..........its simple, the oil companies just close the gates on their leases and wait out the NDP as the Province will surely stagnate and the NDP Government (like those in other Provinces) will be four and out in 2019, after all lease holders are aloud 5 years of inactivity on held leases....... They threatened to do this when Stelmach toyed with screwing around with royalties in '07.......and he recanted in a healthy market.....just this morning, American investment houses are already warning off clients to Alberta oil........hence on a somewhat healthy day for energy across the board, Albertian companies were subject to a sharp sell-off....... To prevent this, the new NDP Government will have to recant on their election promises.........and fast, like within the next several months fast, or watch remaining investment flow into Northern BC shale and Saskatchewan oil sands.

Likewise, I'm to understand that Newfoundland will switch its capital city from Fort McMurray to Estevan

I'm not a loser.....I live in British Columbia.

Without a doubt, once the energy industry and corporate headquarters move to Regina and Vancouver, the markets will rebound

As did I when I got it as an attachment from my brother in Edmonton.........be it PC headquarters or the offices of any major corporation that moved to Alberta to take advantage of the lower tax rates found in the Kingdom of Ralph........I'm certain the soon to be recently vacated office towers in Calgary can be repurposed into mass homeless shelters for the influx of former energy sector workers

Inversely, the Real Estate markets in both British Columbia and Saskatchewan......

I think the solution for the new NDP government is simple.....to borrow from Bob Rae's Government, during the first caucus meeting, ask all those that own a suit to stand.......then swear in your cabinet -------- Meanwhile, in downtown Calgary: http://poorwilliam.net/pix/22gialongstreet.jpg

Sure, but for a revolution to occur there must be an abject motivation for the group of would be revolutionaries to exalt self sacrifice.......none is forth coming among these types, nor would their cause generate a groundswell of public support......but then why would the majority respect them, when they demonstrate little to no self-respect for themselves?

Right, but why would the pendulum swing back when only a very few are pushing it, with most indifferent or opposed to its so called revision. What disconnect though? I, like most, wouldn't burn down our own communities nor put ourselves in a position to interact with police, let alone, have our rights withheld by them.......seems rather simple.

Most people have either never had an experience with the police, and for those that have, not one that resulted in violence........ As to the "Blue Code", how is that different from any other collective organization of people? Are political parties, bankers/investors, farmers, public/private sector unions, the military, healthcare, organized crime, business both big and small etc any different, in that once faced with outside intervention or interaction, those of the like mind will circle the wagons to protect their own interests....... It very well could have, but is successful criminal prosecution of a police officer a result of a riot? Is that a fact? How many young black males are killed a year by police versus other young black males? Do you honestly think for one minute if policing, even bad policing, was pulled from such communities for just one week, that there would still be a community left standing? Again, how many cops are convicted every year in the United States, and of those convictions, are the direct result of a riot? Does the fear of public shaming prevent other crimes? Is so, it would seem, by simply posting a criminal's picture in the media we could reduce the instances of theft, rape, murder etc...... Again, where did MLK advocate violence and criminal behavior? Riots don't result in legislation gained from pressure by the silent majority....... As to your question, I have no idea, but I do know a riot is not the prerequisite for involvement in any investigation by County/State/Federal investigators......I would suggest that the vast majority of said investigations are started devoid of people trashing their own community.

No, I don't........when does the revolution start?

Bad news sells......... What I've always wondered, is to why the so called Ghetto Defendants that feel we live in a Fascist police state, controlled by the rich and powerful, that feel others rioting is justified, don't join their comrades and knock the whole thing down and replace it with something they deem better......at what point do they fish or cut bait? Until then, let them eat pot brownies.......

I'm not "middle class"......likewise "extrajudicial killings" would imply with State sanction, which is not the case. Where did I say that?

Without a doubt, but the Alberta NDP Government won't be able to destroy change the Province in just 6 months.....combined with the Wynne Government and Trudeau's "performance" I'm gaining further confidence that the Federal NDP will remain the Official Opposition this Fall

I tend to agree with Alberta proper, but this combined with Trudeau's falling numbers might lend plausibility to the Federal NDP in Western Canada (and rural Ontario) as being the true anti-Harper vote......displacing any notion of the Trudeau Liberals having even a sniff at forming Government.....unless junior partner to the NDP......which Trudeau has already quashed.

I think it will be gracious........If the NDP can win in conservative Alberta, why not the rest of Canada? Trudeau who?

The question in need of answering now; does the Federal NDP now get a bounce? On paper, though I disagree staunchly with his party, Mulcair has more credibility than Trudeau......will this translate into actually support nationally?

To an extent, but what sells more papers? Much like the media depicting rampant racism throughout the Forces over Somalia... I wouldn't paint all Canadians with the same brush, just certain elements, but as we've talked about before, support for the Forces is a mile wide, but an inch deep.

So you said, but I (and most of civil society) will tolerate isolated police misconduct, with the expectation that those involved will be punished when found guilty of committing crimes, versus widespread anarchy demonstrated by the rioters......frankly, I'd rather the "cultural problems" associated with the police, then the "cultural problems" associated with those that loot and burn down their own community. You bet if all other options are exhausted, but deciding what is "unjust" is subjective to ones own point of view. I get that, but I differentiate between what ones finds widespread and what one finds isolated. And what results did the Baltimore rioters achieve? I would say galvanize opinion of those that support or oppose their "plight".......but for most, I think the channel was just changed. Do you think anything will change and should they, the people of Baltimore, now feel justice was served? You mean pictures of peaceful protesters, not rioters, having their skulls thumped? Without a doubt......

Sure, if you threw rocks through my window, I wouldn't kick over my garden gnomes and torch my garden shed.