betsy

On what research do you base this statement? I'm high right now, but I'm not blasted. What substance are you on?

Then it's obvious that you'll always find fault with Harper and the CPC. Your topic and reasoning clearly reflects the way you feel.

Iran said Israel is like a disease...and Israel answered that Iran president will go the same way as Saddam. Things are heating up. I think war is inevitable with Iran.

Btw, how does this cop address the following situations as a result of his brilliant idea? Who takes care of the children of stoned parents? Who takes care of the families of stoned bread-winner who had lost a job...or decided not to bother with a job? Eventually, an addict will lose inclination to get up to work...so eventually, all drug addicts will found their way towards more social assistance. Is welfare enough? Enough to cover the endless supply of this addiction? And you know what they say, a child who grows up in this environment is most likely to end up the same.... So what happens if a good chunk of society (and steadily increasing) is not productive? How can we possibly afford all these? Just curious, is this cop a democrat???

The way I see it, drug dealers are the worse for they destroy lives en masse. It places a huge burden on everyone, including those who are not addicted. Think of the youth whose life is destroyed before it even got started. Think of the families having to deal with an addict in their midst. Normalcy is gone. Everything under lock and key...and usually that doesn't deter the addict either who's desperate to turn anything into cash. Think of society victimized by these addicts. The beaten up elderlies, the murdered cab driver etc.., Without drug pushers, there wouldn't be easy access to these drugs. ANY DRUGS that causes such kinds of powerful addiction that causes one to commit crime. Drug dealing deserves death penalty. And for once I would even go as far as recommending it be through "barbaric" means and made public....good old-fashion hanging or chair....whichever cost less for the tax-payers.

The war on murder, fraud and gun crimes aren't working either. Lets legalise it, and tax it! You forgot to add rape.

"A heroin addict needs his or her heroin and I think it's cruel to deprive them from that heroin ... it's like depriving a diabetic of insulin," said Stamper, who argued a regulated-government model of drug production and distribution with "hard-to-get and easy-to-lose permits" is a "just, reasonable and compassionate solution to the drug problem." "The beautiful thing about Canada is that people are talking about it and saying the decades-old way of doing things isn't working.” http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/2006/04/12/1530775-sun.html Is this guy on heroin or what? He's talking about turning us into a society of lotus-eaters. "Hard-to-get-and-easy-to-lose-permits" my foot. Haven't you heard of blackmarkets? Wel, what about coke? Isn't it cruel to deprive crack addicts of their fix? ow would you like a surgeon to snort or shoot up just before doing a bypass? Or a nurse fixing herself a cocktail just before doing her rounds of administering medications to patients? An accountant doing your taxes? Or your lawyer trying to get you off the hook? Or an armed cop cruising the streets? If someone over-dosed, or the brains get fried...does the government get sued???? So what else is next on the agenda after this ridiculous bright idea gets approved? Cruel to deprive pedophiles access to their sexual preference? Does the government gets into regulated child porn and child prostitution? With hard to get and easy to lose permits? Get these kids in group homes to work for their keep? Why oh why do we (Canadians) have this reputation that all anyone have to do is keep whacking and we'll eventually capitulate? We should watch other countries on how they deal with drug problems. Singapore, for example. Those with harsh punishments seem to have it under control. I say, concentrate on the dealers...whether they be small-time dealers or big-time.

Kinda makes the self-entitled press gallery look like a bunch of spoiled whining brats. Good! They need to be put in their places.

Unless he has something new or of compelling interest to say all he's doing is wasting taxpyer time and money. I'd rather see the press' collective panties in a knot than to have him up there answering questions all day long. I think the leader of a country has more important things to do. I agree. And a lot shares the same sentiment, Hicksey. "CFRA radio morning man Steve Madely noted that a lot of his listeners have sent him emails complaining that the reporters are expecting too much from the Prime Minister. On the air last week, Mr. Madely said many listeners were upset with reporters for not realizing that Mr. Harper has more important things to do rather than be constantly available to answer questions. The Prime Minister stressed that point to reporters last week when asked about his lack of availability, when CBC TV Hill reporter Julie Van Dusen asked him bluntly about his lack of access. "I will be available whenever I have something to announce," Mr. Harper said flatly." http://www.thehilltimes.ca/html/index.php?...ary/27/pmo/&c=1

The almighty press gallery feels entitled to the royal treatment. I bet since it's well-known that Harper is not a favorite of the privileged press gallery, they have this attitude and haughty expectation that Harper will "suck-up" and try to win them over. Who would've thought that Harper is not of the same jello mold the Liberals are made of?

Scwarzennegger! Only him can tell the whiners to "grow up you girly men!" with a straight face.

That day...and several days or perhaps weeks after, how many news channel restrained themselves from repeatedly showing the horrific scene on WTC? And apparently, a dvd is out there for quite a while now (a compilation of 11 short movies from different countries) called September 11...., including Egypt, Chile and Sean Penn's entries. Reviews are mixed. It is said to be a thinly disguised US bashing, trivializing the loss of lives on that day. Of all the entries, only one was lauded: No sound except the falling bodies from the tower.

Some people interviewed on CTV newsnet (who were actually involved somehow during 9'11) talked of the accuracy of the movie. That's usually the flaw of historical or true events movies....the way they are made to fit the hollywood mold. I remember tearing up when I first heard in the news what happened in Flight 93. My emotions were so mixed....but the most dominating was the feeling of admiration and pride over this group. For me, it was a strong reminder that good guys are still out there. Some may view it as exploitation....but if done accurately, the positives will far outweigh whatever negatives others may think. I don't mind film-makers making money in return....as long as they do justice to the story of the brave folks who refused to die in vain that day. If movies by pseudo-heroes make millions in the tills, why shouldn't true heroism make as much...or more? This is inspiring! And it's real.

I am anxious to see this movie. I have not heard the tape of calls...but from what I've read about the passengers of this plane, they are true heroes. Apparently, some relatives of the passengers do not approve of this film....but others support it. A mother who had lost a son calls it a "beautiful movie." True stories of heroism like this ought to be made into movies!

Faced with this evidence that Paul Martin had lied repeatedly in saying that Dingwall resigned, the Liberal strategist glibly tried to deflect the criticism by switching to the classic slick mode Liberals are famous for. His reply was ..."well, you wanted him fired!"

So, despite Martin and his ministers' insistence that Dingwall resigned (thereby he is entitled to the $400+ payed to him by the government, plus all his legal expenses) , it has now been reported that Dingwall was actually fired. If he was fired, is he still supposed to get that kind of pay-off?

Yep. Including Advertising contracts. MDuffy announced this today....and that it will all wrap up in 6 months. Timely, Duffy says, with the Liberal Convention. Duffy hinted that this is a planned strategy. A conservative strategist sez that they (the Conservatives) were heatedly arguing with the Liberals to include this in the Gomery Inquiry...but Paul Martin wouldn't budge. A journalist says that this Poll contract was included in the recommendation by the Auditor general...and "if it just so happens that it will be good for the Consevatives to have it timely during the Liberal Convention, good for them", he quipped.

So, they said Harper was trying to avoid the question of a CBC reporter (who had worked herself towards the front) during a brief scrum. Mike Duffy is still noticeably irate about the "ban" of the press in certain areas in Parliament hill, and the press gallery are grumbling. However, it also revealed that apparently Harper is cooperating with various local news agencies. That explains why La Presse journalist was baffled by the complaint regarding the unavailability and "inaccesibility" of Harper..to which he said he'd had no problem at all. Mind you, when Harper went to Afghanistan....the privileged press gallery had more news about his increasing waistline. And when he met with Bush and Fox, all they talked about was his jacket. So Harper is now giving the small local guys the opportunity this small privileged bunch have had all along... Well, this press gallery had been spoilt by the previous government. And they had acquired the same culture of entitlement. That disease is quite contagious I suppose. A representative of the press is hoping that Harper and his ministers will have a "cooling off" period. She sounded ready to meet the new admin half-way....and work out a way with them.

Harper should suddenly scrap the Gun registry without any by-your-leave...and immediately call for an inquiry why it cost so much! That should keep the Liberals busily scrambling running for cover and distracted. And their flapping lips corked. That should give Harper the time to just quickly implement his own policy.

The Liberal criticisms of Harper's throne speech and plicy is laughable. They harped on about needing to fix a lot of things NOW...when they'd had 13 solid years and had done practically nothing on what they're suddenly urgently fighting for now. Suddenly, there's an overwhelming urgency. Goodale keeps reminding people that "there's a lot of money in Ottawa there's no reason why Harper can't do his own promise and at the same time fulfill the Liberals' last-minute vote-buying promises." If that's the case we've got so much money...why are the provinces complaining and some seriously in debt...and some social programs cut back...and GST promise by Liberals unfulfilled...and healthcare in such a mess etc..,?

Michael Ignatieff's "vision speech" to the U of O students on Thursday should convert many a nonbeliever. GO MICHAEL GO !!! I am also hoping for Ignatieff, although I hope he does become more flexible and open to the public, as opposed to being a hard-ass professor type. I also find it amusing, as August posted above, that Hargrove sees hope in Stronach. I was a fan of hers until I read this, and now I realize there truly is no hidden mind working in her, and that she merely is a pretty face to be used. On a side note, has anybody here joined the Liberal party to vote in the convention? I am hoping for Ignatieff too....not because I wish to cross the floor....but simply because among all Liberals, he is the closest to the center right. His unwillingness to apologise for supporting the Iraq war is admirable, imv, for it suggests a strong character.

One thing about Dion: he can't speak good English! He's worse than Chretien.

Just saw the candidates speaking in Alberta yesterday...some not officially named yet but already pitching. Hedy Fry with her "dream and visions"....sounding like Martin Luther's "I have a dream." Could almost see Tim Powers joking over that as to..."yeah right, visions of burning crosses all over Canada. It was not a dream she had. It was a nightmare." Then there was Fontano with his comic relief about a bull and 10 cows he'd herded as a first job when he was kid. McCallum with his tirade about bringing down Harper, that the CPC had to change names three times to fool the public....but the next speaker (Bob Rae?), torpedoed that speech when he promised that he will not say a negative word against the other parties (gaining an applause). It was only Ignatieff who has the magnetism and confidence to run as leader whom I think can be taken seriously. The others are all transparently being the typical Liberal politicians that they are: all talk and just delivering what people want to hear.

And besides, Ethics Commission ruled CPC did nothing wrong. Anyway, there was no new official policy on accountability at the time....therfore, Harper can do like any PM can do. It was the other parties who tried to make a big deal out of it...dragging it out as much as they can stretch it, even when the rest of Canada had already moved on. This new poll probably suggests that the public is on to this campaign-mode tactics by the NDP and Liberals, and tired over it.

Madame LeBreton pulled no punches in her comment regarding Belinda. She called her "devious" on MDuffy Live. Belinda's own biographer, Don Martin, do not seem to have a high opinion of her.