Moderate Centrist

Hello legamus,, I've never heard of Moore but will check him out. I haven't read Chompsky but have seen him interviewed several times. His professional training is as a linguist but he has also written widely on American Foreign policy and mass media. Much of what he says is thought provoking however he tends to be rather Anti-American. This puts into question the validity of some of his views. Consider this: Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noam_Chomsky#Criticism

Hi Sarah, In the western world religion has pretty much been eliminated as a controlling factor in peoples's lives. In developing countries it is still very much active. Without religion we would still have wars. Humans will always find something to fight about so the absense of religion won't mean the absense of war. Communist regimes were extremely brutal and also athesitic. The key factor in preventing large scale conflicts will be the development of democratic institutions in developing nations which are accountable to the people. This takes time to acheive. As nations modernize the influence of religion will decline. This will happen in developing countries as well. But remember, no religion doesn't mean no war.

WillyAny party can "believe" in something when they're in opposition. The farther away they are from forming a government the more they can "believe" in. Any tie to the old reform movement is exactly what will keep the "new" conservative party out of power. They really have very little to do with the kind of conservative party most Canadians are familiar with.

You're right, my comments really have nothing to do with Employment Equity and perhaps belong elsewhere. Getting back to the point I don't really agree with afirmative action programs as they don't really help with long term problems minority communities might have. However they really don't affect my job prospects so I'm not overly concerned about them either. Alliance, perhaps you could enlighten us with some information on the hiring practices of the RCMP.

I don't recall any Liberal or NDP politicians showing up at homeless shelters at 1:00 in the morning throwing around money and insults. That may explain part of the big deal.

Alliance FanaticThis is incorrect for a number of reasons. Namely because much of what is considered current right wing thinking begins with Barry Goldwater’s run for president and book the Conscience of a Conservative. He was later followed by Regan and Thatcher. King, St. Laurent, Deifenbaker and Person do not even remotely fit any definition of right wing as I’m aware of it. Focusing strictly on the Chief – he had a personal feud with JFK and dislike of American dominance in general. He even refused for some time to put Canadian forces on high alert during the Cuban missile crisis. The Chief was also an adamant death penalty opponent. Are you also suggesting that the Eisenhower and JFK administrations were left wing? Perhaps you’re joking here?

For reasons I’ve highlighted elsewhere I’m not an Alliance supporter. As it stands now that’s pretty much what we’re saddled with in the new conservative party. They’ll have to prove they’re otherwise and I don’t believe they are up to it. As for the high expectations – that’s the best way to be disappointed in politics. I don’t see anything in this new party which suggests they’ll form the next government. Anyone who believes corruption and scandal is going to be swept away and sanctity and purity reign surpreme is living a pipe dream.

Falling leaf, The bulk of prisoners are not eligible for capital punishment. That was the point of my previous figure. By the time to factor in the legal costs and time involved to execute someone you've cost the system a lot more money for little or no gains. Common sense plays a huge party in protecting yourself from violent crime as almost anyone in law enforcement or criminology will tell you. Examples: For women - avoiding dangerous parts of town, not walking home alone, not drinking to much when the go out and/or avoiding the use of recreational drugs. Tell someone where you're going and when you'll be back. Make sure people you may associate with know this. Basic home safety - keep doors and windows locked when not at home, have neighbors check up on your property when you're on vacation. Don't involve yourself directly in physical confrontations you may witness in public - call the police or have someone else deal with it. Stay away from bars or night clubs which are know trouble spots. Avoid abusing drugs and alcohol. Stay away from people who do. Don't get involved with people who sell drugs - even small amounts of dope. Always be aware of your surroundings when you travel or go out at night. Contact the police if someone is stalking, making threats, misusing firearms. Follow their advice or the advice of a lawyer in these situations - specifically here - the unpleasant end of a relationship. These are some basic tips which anyone interested in crime prevention is sure to have heard. Now admittedly there is also a "wrong place wrong time" element to violent crime. However in the case of rape, sexual assault and child molestation this is rarely the norm as it happens mostly within families and close social groups. Most victims are intimately known to their assailants. The problems here are much more complex - in many cases involving broken homes, alcohol, drug and domestic abuse. As I've stated before - there are plenty of laws which can punish crime but fewer that can prevent it 100%. Falling leaf - your points on this matter have largely consisted of rants which perhaps demonstrate a genuine concern about crime but little else. I've asked you for sources to back up your claims and you haven't provided them. Your only point is that the law needs to change. I see no reason for this and still don't. My position is not illegitimate or unreasonable. You haven't made your case to me so I'll stick with my current opinion.

The vast majority of Canadian prisoners are not eligible for capital punishment and wouldn't be in any civilized society. For those who wish to "save tax payers" dollars ask yourselves: Are you willing to execute the almost 11,000 prisoners who are imprisoned for non-capital crimes? As of April 29th, 2001 there were 12,815 prisoners in Federal or provincial institutions. Of these only 647 or 5% were serving time for first degree murder. Source: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/faits/facts0...ent05_e.shtml#2 In almost every conversation I've ever had regarding crime the participants were reacting to newspaper stories and not federal statistics, police information or any credible research. Newspapers offer an exagerated picture of crime. In part due to long term coverage of solitary crime stories which have a high degree of public interest. The public ends up with the perception that society has gone to hell because the Paul Bernardos and Robert Pickton's are in the news for months if not years on end. Crime(and we're largely speaking of violent crime here) affects a minority of Canadians. There is little or no condolence that can be offered to victims of violent crime especially in the case of violent rape or murder. The system we have now is about the best in the world. Perhaps we haven't got it exactly right but nobody else has either. Child abduction, abuse, sexual assault, rape, and murder mostly occur within families or close social groups. The "stranger" lurking in the dark waiting to attack and victimize the innocent has little to do with reality. Just because the newspapers mention a story in which the accused seems to be handed a light sentence - this doesn't mean all judges are lenient or all criminals are running free. Many newspaper stories may lead with a headline claiming a lenient sentence. Read further into many columns and you often find additional information clarifying the sentence and even contradicting the story's own headline. I won't point fingers but some posters on this site have posted inaccurate information on sentencing when discussing crime stories. Using basic common sense greatly diminishes the chances you'll ever be victimized by violent crime. If things were really as bad as some members of the public and our ever opportunist politicians would have us believe we wouldn't have society we'd have anarchy.

I'm going to have to back Michael here. Aside from the fact that I think Harper is not PM material this party has a long way to go before they'll ever form a government. The Canadian public will have to see them in action behind the "new" leader. They'll have to prove they're not just the Alliance under another name yet at the same time not abandon their core support. Some of the poster's here seem to think we're in store for a revolution. Let me remind you the new party is a party of politicians so you'd better check your idealism at the door. I don't believe the new party will form the next government and may possibly be in worse shape after the next election. At best they may get a minority in which any changes they attempt to make will be difficult in deed. I'd like to see a change to a more conservative government for a while in Canada but there is very little in this party which inspires me. We'll see how Harper performs over the next few months. I doubt it'll be much different from his previous performance as Alliance leader( which many would argue is the exact same position he holds now).

Racism is practiced to a fine art the world over. Canada, America, and some of the western nations are about the only places that have laws in place and education programs to combat it. So we're way ahead of many places in the world. I can not speak about the Canadian Race Relations Foundation as I know almost nothing about them but will study up. As to the roots of racism it stems back to people judging others as inferior for no other reason than a different skin colour and in the case of the jewish people the traditional animosity between Christianity and the Jewish faith (although this more religious predjudice than racism). There is no doubt there is an element of anti-racist groups which play the victim card. However, the majority of animosity comes from a real lack of progress in improving peoples lives. It is beyond dispute that Canada has had an extremely racist past - treatment of Chinese, Japanese, blacks and native Canadians have proven that. Some of us whites think it's easy to say, "ah well it wasn't that bad, get over it". This is easy to say if you're not on the receiving end of the treatment minority groups have received over the years. There is animosity, rightly justified towards racist treatment, mostly in the past, but paritally in the present. It's a difficult issue to tackle as both fact and perception mingle often to present a clouded picture.

Hello All, I don't believe in sacred cows and I think anything should be open for comment. However Harpers wording and lack of personality is what really turns people off. A better politician could easily have said the same things and not pissed off anybody. WillyI should have been more clear. I was referring to Stockwell Day's proposal that the best way to fight crime was to build more prisons at enourmous expense to the public. The prison system plays an essential part of our criminal justice system. However it is only a PART of the system. Add to this the Alliance party seems to have a morbid fascination with crime and trying to suggest our laws are inadequate. "If Harper said, build a firewall around the Atlantic fisheries to protect it from federal mismanagement, he would be a hero out there. Because he said it about Alberta, he is a goat, I don't think so."

Falling LeafWhat is this based on? Can you source this? I have been able to obtain the following information: corrections Canada website.The average annual cost to incarcerate someone was as follows: source:http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/faits/facts07-content03_e.shtmlPrisoners have the following services available to them: Source: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/faits/facts0...ntent06_e.shtml source:http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/faits/facts07-content06_e.shtmlI was not able to find any information suggesting prisoners have the right to free porn and free phone sex. Please provide a source to verify this claim.

GoldieCraig Chandler (PC/Alliance) during Tory leadership debate last year in which I attended: "We must bring back the death penalty" During the same debate he referred to Quebec separatists as "traitors". He was booed by many in the audience. Stephen Harper http://www.cbc.ca/checkup/archive/2002/intro020324.html Source http://www.aims.ca/Media/2002/prsep2002.htmI'll leave it at this for now. Regardless of weather Harper's comments are right or wrong if he wants to lead the country he hasn't done enough to build bridges. He belongs in provincial politics.

GoldieShy and introverted don't get you very far in politics. Intelligent? I think Harper is an intelligent man but it doesn't really shine through in any of the interviews I've seen. For example the recent war in Iraq. He suggested we follow American policy for no other reason than to follow American policy - even with the majority of the country and the world against it. Harper comes across more as backroom accountant than a true manager. "I guess no leader from the west is worthy of being in federal politics because Ontario will surely find fault some how. You won't hear the actual reason of dislike just some vague excuse, pro-this, anti-that, hidden agenda. " "It would be refreshing if you just came out of the closet and admitted to being prejudiced towards the west."

Falling leafIf it's not broke, don't fix it. That's my view of the criminal justice system. The country is being protected. I'm not sure about your personal experiences with crime or missing children but perhaps they have influenced your judgement. I see no reason to change current laws. And I still do not understand your arguement. You seem to be surprised that crime exists. Just read any of a variety of newspapers across the country and you'll get a large sampling of opinion consistent with yours. Try Alberta's premier tabloid the Calgary Sun - they are obsessed with crime stories. Falling leafI have never been in this situation so neither one of us can say what I'd do. I would expect the police and the court system to provide justice and restitution to my family. I'll take this one step further - not only would I not change the current laws I would oppose any such changes. All the more so when they're based on passion rather than reason.

I oppose the Death Penalty for starters. Falling leafWell for starters because it's cheaper than trying to execute them. Also, people who argue for the Death Penalty to save taxes are really arguing for mass execution. Check out corrections Canada and have a look at crime statistics. Very few people are in Canadian prisons for capital offenses. So again whay you're really advocating is the death penalty for common assault, robbery, theft, fraud, drug dealing, domestic abuse and a host of other crimes in which such a punishment would be overkill. Falling leafOur laws and justice system are currently doing all that can reasonably be done. Such events are the execption rather than the rule. Falling leafPlease give us a run down of the current laws and how they are failing us in this respect. Can you also provide some data on how often this happens? "How would you go about bringing in the right laws in to protect Canadian children? "

Loose Canon is not really the right term for Harper as it suggests someone who is unpredictable. Harper has no business in federal politics. He belongs strictly in the relm of provincial politics which unfortunately for him is dominated by Klein. The man has zero personality and history of anti-Canadian sentiment. Harper is not so much pro-western as pro-Albertan and he certainly doesn't speak for all Albertans. As I've stated in other threads the Alliance party in all its' guises is a doomed project. It will never form a federal government in this county as it's goals are strictly in the interests of right wing thinking. The new conservative party has nothing to do with the roots of the old Tory party. The Liberals have the middle. No matter how sick people get of them they're not going to vote them out for a one track party like the Alliance/Conservatives. One track - namely that Canada is bad Alberta is good. I would go one step beyond Harper - the other potential leaders are even worse. I think we'll see the fortunes of the "new" Conservative party sink even further in the next election. These guys have been at it now for over 15 years and have peaked. The Reform and Alliance parties have been consistently rejected as the governing party. Names changes do not a party make.

You are still not providing any solutions to this problem. What laws would you change specfically and how would they prevent rape murder and child abduction? In the case of missing children how are current laws inadequate since most missing children are runaways. If Rape ,murder, drive by shootings, abuse of children , and women are your criteria for judging a nation peaceful then consider this: There has never been and is not now a peaceful nation on the face of the Earth. Furthermore, by your criteria there never will be. You seem to be making an observation rather than offering any concrete solutions. I'm sure your concern is genuine but perhaps your outlook is a bit unrealistic.

Falling Leaf, I don't follow your train of thought here. What do you suggest is the solution. I take it your original point is that the laws must be changed. I ask why and I say no. Crime has been with us since the dawn of time and will always be with us. All societies have crime and always will. Missing Children are a serious issue in Canada. My point was it has little to do with existing laws as the statistics I provided prove - namely that most missing children are runaways. Again on the original story here: However it was also later mentioned that, source:http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2004/03/17/canada/vojkovic040317Reason, not passion must dictate the development of public policy in Canadian law.

LegamusPlease forgive me if I protest changing the laws based on "general impressions" and "reading articles" I suggest you check out the sites I've mentioned. Study up on the prison system and corrections Canada. Get some information, see what you can find out. Remember that newspaper articles and media reports offered a poor representation of the overall picture of crime in Canada.

Falling leaf, This topic is already being addressed in another post - So What Does Canada Do With This Guy? This crime has no bearing on Canada’s status as a peaceful nation. The story I read suggested that the youth would be eligible for parole in seven years but that seemed unlikely. Can you state which laws you would change and why? Crimes of this sort are they exception not the rule. In short – the sky is not falling. This is a failing of human nature – not the law. As for judges’ accountability in this case – we don’t know when or if this person will be released so let’s hold our condemnation until then. As for missing children – consider the following: Source: http://www.mcsc.ca/search/statistics.asp For additional information on missing children in Canada check out the RCMP Missing Children site at: http://www.ourmissingchildren.ca/en/sitemap.html This is a problem which is taken very seriously by those involved. Please notice the small number of abductions conducted by strangers. Calls to change laws or add more usually come as a reaction to newspaper stories like this. As unpleasant as it is people do bad things and we must try to stop it where we can, punish it when it happens and accept it as a part of life. Despite what people think Canada’s prison’s are not a vacation (I know some people who work as prison guards and they paint a slightly different picture). Source: http://www.cbc.ca/prison/letters2.htmlFor some information on the Canadian prison system check out this site by CBC: http://www.cbc.ca/prison/docs.html#overview You Can also have a look at corrections Canada: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/home_e.shtml In summation: We have not gone mad.

SirRiffExactly what was done in this case: Source:http://vancouver.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View?filename=bc_sentencetwo20040316Also from the story,

The full story can be read here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4485399/ Some quotes from the defense: Source provided above.From the Prosecution: source above.The judge has ordered that Muhammad be executed on October 14th, 2004. The appeals process has already begun. Rather than throwing the man in jail and letting it rest at that the tax payer and the court system will expend millions of dollars and many hours trying to get this man executed or not. A complete waste of resources I say with no impact on crime rates to boot. Of course terrorism had to come into play in this case. I want to know if you believe Muhammad should have been charged under the new anti-terrorism laws in the States. I say no.

Duplicate - see other