jbg

Since when, other than in "Trumpville" is violence against a Parliamentarian an accepted part of governing?

What are the Arabs' intentions with the terror tunnels? Will transponders from Ontario 417 work in these tunnels? See As Hamas Tunnels Back Into Israel, Palestinians Are Afraid, Too.

Another hate-Israel thread. What a surprise. And what about the Arabs' real problems. See As Hamas Tunnels Back Into Israel, Palestinians Are Afraid, Too.

Perfect. Rae the monarchist?

That ship sailed last October, when the Canadian people elected a pandering PMwho prefers the smiles and back-slaps at the U.N. to governing Canada effectively. We've had that same problem, since January 21, 2009.

It’s easier to solve problems of the past than real problems of the present. Goes hand in the attempted pardon of Louis Riel. Similar to our President, who has utter contempt for the law when it doesn’t suit his agenda. How many ridings would that swing? Unless he plans to go to proportional representation, which despite the noise I don’t think he’ll do. He’s not likely to be that generous to the NDP.

What makes those territories "occupied"? They were inside armistice lines which the Palestinians have never, and will never, recognize as borders. The Arabs had plenty of opportunities to negotiate. They refused to. And may well get squeezed out. What are your views on the expulsion by every Arab country of their Jewish populations?

Unless they can rejigger the voting system so the Conservatives can never win.

How strong are gay and women rights likely to be in an independent "Palestine"?

You don't know me.

So you're for another craven abandonment by the West of a country that shares Western values in favor of a Stone Age system of morality?

Killing oneself when severely compromised may be easier said than done. I have posted earlier as to why I favor limited, protected assisted suicide. Let's just say, in summation, we treat our dogs better than we treat our people.

I think any changes in systems of voting should be put to either a super-majority (as in the U.S. where 2/3 of both houses of Congress and 75% of states have to agreed, but Senate conditions may not be amendable at all) or in Canada a referendum. The reason for requiring a referendum in Canada is that whipped voting makes super-majority provisions almost meaningless.

Economists call it "psychic income."

Certain things aren't really news. Others are.

Getting back to the thread topic, moderators and people such as CA or Greg are volunteers. They're not making any money to run these forums. For people like myself, I'm also a volunteer. No one is paying me to post, or for my writing. I have posted less here partially because of a significant number of suspensions and warnings. I consider CA, MH and Greg to be dedicated people who have created something of value. I thus have not stomped off in anger or said "I'm not posting here." But my posting volume here is about 10% of what it once was and for the reasons I gave above, as well as having serious posts responded to be ad hominem insults. These are my cheery words for today.

Canada is not Europe. Britain made the mistake of joining Euroe and is now looking for a way out. Why should Canada leap from the frying pan into the fire?

For once I take your side; when I joined the board in 2006 Greg sent me a few curt messages telling me to quote only the relevant part of messages. On the other hand, some other posters way overquote, and the multiquoting looks more like a puzzle than a board post. No naming names though.

The simple answer is the double standard. We are watching Syria tear itself apart, and the U.S. President is agitating for Israel to give the Golan back to Syria, before it's evenclear to whom it's being returned. I have posted endlessly on the double-standard before. There is little or no pressure on Russia to stand down from its occupation of the Crimea or invasion of Ukraine. There is little pressure on Russia to return the Kurile Islands to Japan or for China to give Tibetans self-determination. Israel was established in 1948 and the surrounding countries attacked immediately. Once Israel was no longer reeling and counterattacked, guess who got stopped from further advances. Israel was penned within an indefensibly narrow area. So when the 1967 War was provoked by the Arabs, were they really going to cede back territory in the absence of peace? Hint, they returned territory to Egypt when peace was offered. The double standard is amazing.

A simple answer to the premise of the thread title: It seems that people favor "self-determination" for just about every description of peoples, from First Nations to South Ossetians (in the new Republic of Georgia). There is one thundering exception; the Jews and the State of Israel. It seems that their desire to exercise self-determination runs into a bullet-hale of condemnation. Before I hear anyone say "occupied territories" keep this in mind; those territories were occupied after three attempts were made by war to prevent Israel's formation or to "drive Israel into the sea." And most settlement activity actually came after the 1973 War, an unprovoked war started on the Jews' holiest day.

You nailed it.

Intriguing and likely true. I am aware of the preamble to the Charter of No Rights and Special Pleadings, though I am quite definitely not a Canadian. In fact I know almost nothing else about Canada. I support Cruz for his secular beliefs, qualities and intentions. We are not electing a theologian in chief.

Better than Trump's. And he has not said that science is coextensive with the Bible.

You know darn well I didn't say that and don't believe that. Stop with the personal attacks.

And that's supposed to mean what? Are you saying those explosions didn't happen?