Leafless

newbie You wrote- " Hey pal your views are called racist, not merely opinions" You make a point newbie that Blacks are good at basketball and music and also football and other athletic events. But if that's the case why is North America not primarily Black? Why are Blacks not a forerunner in establishing a dominating successful society? They were first to evolve wern't they? Or why did some other race not suceed in establishing that successful society that leads the world? So you must admit there must be other qualities or an area of thought or whatever you want to call it for basically what we refer to as the White race in establishing a dominant White led society. You also have some reservations as to why I quoted who the KKK are from a klan site. When you want to know some politcal question concerning say the Liberals policy concerning an election issue, you go to their web site, right. I am not saying I agree with the Klan but then again were not really in the same position as they were and maybe don't fully understand the problems they encountered before and after their civil war. Racism is a loose loaded word and I don't really know of any race that is not racist in some way towards another group. Do you? BTW- An opinion is a belief or assessment based on grounds SHORT of PROOF. So if you have proof to call me a racist ...Let's hear it!

Sparhawk You wrote- " So what. The fact that some drugs are illegal yet others are legal are irrelevant to the question of how to best deal with crimes committed by addicts." Thats just like saying society is responsible to the perpetrator of a crime for any illegal act committed by that person. So, why have jails. Let's just have one big re-hab centre for everyone! Free t.v., free lectures, free councilling, free room and board, free drugs, free booze etc. etc....In that case maybe we should all be criminals. Are you Liberal?

Sparhawk You wrote- " In fact nicotine is more addictive than heroin and much harder to quit. There is no difference between the mental state of a drug addict who refuses to quit and a smoker who refuses to quit. If smoking was illegal you would probably see smokers committing crimes to get their 'fix'." Most smokers can perform normally, hold a job, raise a family etc., unlike a heroin or other drug dependent addict who probably started just because they like to feel high for many reasons or is just plain irresponsible. I smoked for many years myself and quit cold turkey and like many others I talked to endured the only real symptom which seems to be higher degree of hyperactivity (temporary) which is the real reason many smokers smoke to keep themselves feeling subdued thinking you are more relaxed. But anytime I felt the need for another cigarette I just thought of all that tax money I was generating and that really killed the urge. I have read articles where smokers killed over a package of cigarettes so I imagine many do commit crime to obtain cigarettes just like some people do to in a state of hunger to obtain food. But the controversy in this issue focuses on the 'the legality of the action' one is legal and the other is not. There is no way you can justify an addiction when it comes down to abusing an illegal and banned substance and no way can this justify criminal activity.

Sparhawk You wrote- " The only thing that separated drug addiction from other diseases is the fact many addicts refuse to accept the advice of doctors once they have been diagnosed (just like a heart attack patient who keeps smoking or does not change their diet.)" I cannot not believe anyone could make a comparison with consuming a mind altering banned substance and someone who smokes after heart surgery. There is no comparison as you are breaking the law initially by consuming a banned illegal substance and then further committing crime probably to support that drug addiction or to support their lifestyle whatever that might include.

That link does not appear to be working... See story at http://www.ctv.ca

PMO Communication Director Sandra Bullock said concerning Bernard Shapiro .."He's actually a Liberal appointee who has a certain pattern of attacking Conservative MP's. We find it very troubling which is why we think we should have a non-partisan ethics commissioner who reports to parliament." Shall we say 'Goodbye Mr. Shapiro' it's been not been to nice knowing you! http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories

stignasty It will be interesting to see how Mr.Harper will react to all of this. I can't help but wonder if the the reaction from our business elite would be the same if Mr. Martin was still captain? I suspect there would be no media outcry and the Gommery commissions recommendations would quite rapidly and quietly disappear. Certain people appear to be worried!

theloniusfleabag You wrote- " The police have actually admitted their hands are tied, and are unable to do anything that would actually produce resuls." It's buck passing from police departments to politicians on this issue. If you ask me it's a slow slide into complete chaos without anyone assuming any responsiability concerning anyone's else's actions for the deteriating conditons relating to law and order. Concerning your interest in the Angels, I also have not heard any progress concerning their movement outside of the rather stale links that I provided. Hopefully something will develop.

geoffrey You wrote- " What do the police think about these guys." The two links I provided in the opening post gives some of that info. Toronto police Chief Blair said " The issue is are the Angels committed to public safety" and there was concern that their presence could incite further violence. I find this quite unusual as that with the increase of violence in larger cities like Toronto a group like the Angels with a proven track record in cities like New York would be a welcome addition. But lack of interest in this topic indicates otherwise. Maybe some Canadians are just slow at recognizing uncontrolled crime and try to avoid the issue completely.

geoffrey You wrote- " The Charter plays a role but it's status is pretty much untouchable. Iam not saying it's like vigilantism, I'm saying there should be no need if we took our public safety seriously." To hire more police with our present Charter intact would probably mean more backed up courts with more cases being thrown out due to technicalities and undue delay along with the initial problem of acquiring sufficient evidence to prosecute initally due to the Charter. The Guardian Angels could deal with this more or less at a street level bypassing the problems associated with regular police enforcement. I am not saying this is the total solution but could be a positive alternative with it's outcome judged by performance and results.

geoffrey You Wrote- " The problem with the Angels is that it is citizen's taking the law into their own hands." According to information the Angels goal is to bring all members of a community together especially those who are oppressed, disenfranchised, migrant, destitute and discriminated against. This does not sound like vigilantism to me. You also wrote- " Let's hire more cops, invest more in security measures, and then we'll be safer." Really. I thought it was the 'Charter ' that is one of the main factors not allowing and hampering police to conduct lengthly investigations to produce more evidence to properly convict.

stignasty This is more serious than I thought. Out of 900 hundred people 855 are el-whacko Liberals who think they have copyright protection and legal ownership concerning the life of Mr. Emerson.

theloniusfleabag You wrote- " Sometimes the 'choice' is fighting and losing (dying), simply to gain a choice you and I take for granted. with dominance comes oppression, lest your dominance be challanged." In North America we all are oppressed to a certain degree. What group could you possibly talking about that 'dying' is a better alternative than to be dominated to the degree that would cause this conditon???

Sparhawk You wrote- " If European had respected the values they would allow all land to be shared by everyone according to Native tradition." If you can not defend your land then it is up for grabs by any country that wants it. Although in modern society this is a liitle harder to accomplish but still exist in third world countries where sometimes genocide is the rule fo thumb to eliminate 'an in the way' population. When it comes to war there are no rights only the fight to eliminate the oppositon in some cases any way possible. Canada has always been self-rightous concerning a sense of fairness simply because of the ideologies of a federal government that include members of the original defeated country that continue to this day to manipulate the federal government in it's quest for power.

geoffrey The infancy death rate is a lot higher in Iraq then modern countries. I think you would have to pick apart the death rate to see what people actually die from before you can actually lay claim that Western societies are inferior when it comes down to boasting about a lower death rate in these sub-standard countries.

BubberMiley You wrote- " don't tell me these Christmas crap is hard to find" In our part of the country, yes these cards are hard to find. We are really off topic as the purpose of this topic is to contest the position of government as we are beingrun by the ideologies ofminorities enforced by government who adheres to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to establish a sense of equality. I think the purpose of government is to promote multiculturalism without destroying the cultural identity and traditions ofWhite, English speaking, Christian Canadians in the process.

I think guardian angels in big cities like Toronto and other Canadian cities would be advantageous to combat crime. They appear to act as an extra level of security between police and regular security guards and provide a 'presence' that regular police and regular security services cannot offer. In Toronto though there is already some controversy by Toronto police as to how guardian angels are picked and trained and to whom the patrol would be accountable to blah, blah, blah. We already know the angels have had considerable success in cities like New York and have been a deterent to crime. Do you think Charter rights in this country could be very detrimental to this group to act with any sense of authority as already Charter rights make it very difficult in many cases for police to prosecute? http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2006/01...1392930-cp.html http://www.guardianangels.org/pdf/1195.pdf

BubberMiley You wrote- " Really? So the ones I received for Xmas were contraband? Is there a fine for possession? How much do they go for on the black market?" The federal government has developed a politcal correctness policy that most buisness adheres to in order to fully capitilize on sales of all types by not offending anyone. At least this is the way I understand it talking to various buisness owners. We found our 'Merry Christmas' and 'Happy New Years' cards but had a difficult time. But now that you mentioned it the majority of the ones I received DID NOT state 'Merry Christmas' or 'Happy New Years' but only reflected the 'holiday season'. In other words we are being federally dictated to as to how to celebrate our traditional celebrations. I wouldn't be surprised to see a 'xxx' rating on boxes of Christmas cards.

August1991 You wrote- " The problem with that argument is that if the Europeans who first came adapted to the customs of the people living here at the time, where would we all be now? Where? I think we are talking about a modern established society that already has a claim to ownership and is not the vacant land of plenty like many new immigrants think it is. This is a problem though for our federal government that in order to establish Charter freedoms and rights they must destroy the fought for and worked for established freedoms and genuine rights of other groups. In other words in some aspects Charter Rights when enforced can be just as destructive to the rights of others as a country ruled by communism which in turn also destroys personal initiative. This is why official multiculturalism in my opinion will fail in time.

The SCC as we already know has allowed Sikh's to wear a ceremonial sword the kirpan including in our public schools not Sikh's schools but public schools and is associated with their religious beliefs along with other items of clothing signifying in to-days society an abnormal attachment to ones religon in a Western country. Many Canadians find this offensive and potential dangerous as the kirpan defined literally means a weapon of defense as opposed to the talwar weapon of offense. Homosexuals have belittled Christianity and anyone who believe's in God in order to extract the definiton of marriage to include homosexuals. Muslims have complained that the Christian Lord's Prayer is offensive and not associated with their Islamic religion and was therefore discontinued as was Christmas school play's and even had an impact at banning Christmas cards with the wording Merry Christmas. These people come from a country where there is no civilized society but one ruled entirely by their Islamic religious beliefs which have also been the root caused creating havoc and death around the world. What is happening to Canadian heritage, traditon and majority Christian religion when attacked this way? Even the majority English language is under attack in order to force it to become a second rate language to accomodate a useless minority language outside of Quebec. And some people actually wonder why groups sit around a table wondering what to do about this type of situation as well as being labelled White supremacist. Please give me a break! This country is not la-la land. Or is it?

cybercoma You wrote- " Has anyone ever been attacked with a kirpan?" Be my guest --Search the tens of thousands of knive related attacks from the files of various police forces to see if any can be identified as a kirpan. I am sure it has ...As the old saying goes 'anything you can think of has already been done many times before.'

geoffrey You wrote- " True, doesn't change the fact Quebec has commercial power though" Do you have a link to your claim? It is a self serving nationalistic province that utilizes it's own manufactured products as much as possible without resorting to Canadian imports from other provinces but has no problem importing goods from France. Just a few days ago it was found Quebec was importing ducks and eggs from France possibly infected with the H5n1 bird flu virus. I mean is there not enough chickens ducks etc. in Canada and the U.S. without resorting to importing questionable foreign poultry especially when Europe is having a problem in this area. Where is Health Canada? Quebec is heavily reliant on federal resources to fund even giant companies like Bombardier and provided major funding towards projects like the James Bay hydro electrical producing facilities. I said originally the language French is not commercially viable outside of Quebec and has no commerical impact or value in the ROC or the U.S.

geoffrey You wrote- " True, doesn't change the fact Quebec has commercial power though" Do you have a link to your claim? It is a self serving nationalistic province that utilizes it's own manufactured products as much as possible without resorting to Canadian imports from other provinces but has no problem importing goods from France. Just a few days ago it was found Quebec was importing ducks and eggs from France possibly infected with the H5n1 bird flu virus. I mean is there not enough chickens ducks etc. in Canada and the U.S. without resorting to importing questionable foreign poultry especially when Europe is having a problem in this area. Where is Health Canada? Quebec is heavily reliant on federal resources to fund even giant companies like Bombardier and provided major funding towards projects like the James Bay hydro electrical producing facilities. I said originally the language French is not commercially viable outside of Quebec and has no commerical impact or value in the ROC or the U.S.

gerryhatrick You wrote- " For racist anti-immigrant folk they're a godsend. They're loving the oppurtunity to insult Muslims." What makes you think these cartoons are limited to "racist anti-immigrant folk? These cartoons reflect the actions of extremist Muslims dictated by a religion with political leanings that extend well beyond the scope of a domesticated religion. These cartoons are supported by many people around the world who feel terrorist who kill under the flag of Islam have no right to do this. Terrorist actions are represented by more than a "few" and more than a "few" who protested violently and more than a "few" who protested in support of condemnation of these cartoons in countries around the world. If Muzlims don't appreciate being criticized from events being directly spawned from their religion, then simply KEEP THEIR RELIGION TO THEMSLVES and don't engulf the world with their aggressive beliefs.

August1991 You wrote- " If Canada is to function as a "country" (however that word is defined), then the people in different parts of this country should ideally be able to communicate more or less with one another." You make Canada sound like some kind of 'Europe' when actually viewed from a practical geographical perspective consist of two countries Canada and the U.S. both commerically and residentially English with the exception of the province of Quebec which can be viewed as residentially French. Quebec cannot be viewed as commercially French as it has no real commercial impact outside of the province of Quebec. Quebec is the only province in Canada to label itself an official status "French" but this is only really accomplished with the help of the federal government and tax payers of Canada. To suggest in Canada especially when a large percentage of French speaking Quebecers speak French and English and cannot communicate with each other is I think rather misleading.