scribblet

Imistakes we wish we could take back. Lets make sure this forum isn't defined by those mistakes. And finally, if you want this forum to be successful, and I can assume most of you do, then take pride in the forum and in yourself. Many of you have expelled an exceptional amount of energy contributing some incredibly insightful comments and it would be a shame if those comments got lost in the sea of drivel that so often permeates partisan bickering and trolling. If the quality of the discussions have gone down due to my lack of moderation then I apologize - I will be placing a greater emphasis over the next few months on correcting this mistake. However, this is a two way street - I'm going to do my part to make this forum better, are all of you willing to do that same? Indeed, I agree, I like this forum because of the generally respectful discussion. However, in keeping with the complaint, I notice there has been an influx of left wing trolls, the problem being, not a difference of opinion, but the 'trashy' post titles which do not reflect the post, and are generally simply malicious Harper bashing. I seem to remember reading in the rules about thread titles etc. reflecting actual content ? thanks

Why, it was harmless, except it gives the leftwingers more ammunition for their BDS.

After years of wilful neglect of the military Harper's decision to devote his first international trip as prime minister to showing solidarity with our troops was a powerful statement. And it was no quick photo-op he was there overnight and a full day. The prevous gov't should also be given credit for increasing the committment to Afghanistan.

I doubt that you do either. If all you see is another 'clone of George Bush' then you need new glasses. Or another explanation is that you too are suffering from Harper Derangement Syndrome and Bush Derangement Syndrome. Both cloud the vision, which is usually tunnel vision at best. I guess I am also suffering from HDS, because even with my glasses, I don't see Harper as the next Mesiah. Fortunately, it is not terminal and I am being treated with an MG (Minority Government). Neither do I, but because you or others hate Bush, and project those hates onto Harper who wants to improve relations with the U.S. , doesn't mean he's a clone of anything. So please, let us hear exactly what Canadian rights are being taken away and when was or when is the debate on this. Is this before the Supreme Court now or what. Will parliament be debating this when it resumes. Lets stick to facts and actual issues.

The common sense revolution was led by Mike Harris it was his common sense revolution that slashed health care, welfare and education not Bob Rae. Actually it was the CSR that brought some common sense to budgeting as it was the Liberals who slashed the transfer payments, in case you forgot. Bob Rae had the same problem and had allready cut nursing staff and hospital beds, and set up a committee to look into additional hospital cuts. Provinces can't continue to run the same staffing etc. if the feds yank away their payments.

kids under 6 aren't in school. after that you get free daycare, called public education. lol.... good one. So if you're 7, you can just roam free before school, after school, PA days, March Break, Summer Holidays?? I think that's called child neglect, which would result in a 'public' trial. Only if you have irresponsible parents who don't give a care anyway and wouldn't have had kids they couldn't afford if they really cared about them (kids). Either way its not up to the government or the taxpayers to provide 24/7 day care.

The freedoms that the US lost are far too many to list here (see the Patriot Act) , How about just a few then? The Chretien government chose to send troops to afghanistan, negotiated their role, and had a debate in parliament. Nothning has changed since then. Try again. Right on, the only rights we have lost are those made up as they type. BTW, how about sticking to thread titles that properly reflect the content, and not malicious smears.

I doubt that you do either. If all you see is another 'clone of George Bush' then you need new glasses. Or another explanation is that you too are suffering from Harper Derangement Syndrome and Bush Derangement Syndrome. Both cloud the vision, which is usually tunnel vision at best.

I am aware of that, so for all you white males out there, it is legal to discriminate against you.

Who looks after your kids then. The parents themselves should be raising their own children. No wonder children today are growing up with no values or morals, and our politicians are foisting their brand of social engineering on the people of this country in many ways, the least of which is the refinition of marriage. I guess having Canadian values means having no values at all. That part about Canadian's having no values at all comes from an article I read on the Canadian Free Press. Exactly and not the State, its called choice, and having no values at all or guidelines within which to raise your kids, is part of the religion of secular humanism. And, the religion of secular humanism is being foisted on everyone, and here I thought there was separation between church and state.

Excellent article here by Ezra Levant Freedom to oppress Bullying power of state used in clash over cartoons By Ezra Levant Calgary Sun Monday, March 13, 2006 One of the strategies of radical Islam is to use the tools of the liberal West against itself -- to use freedom to undermine freedom. It's a paradox, in the same way Adolf Hitler's first steps towards fascism were through a democratic election. That's the modus operandi of today's Islamic fascists, too. The 9/11 hijackers used Western freedoms such as mobility, lax security and Western technology. Al-Qaida despises the softness of our culture, but it is willing to use our softness against us. I have noticed a similar streak in my own little battle: Namely, the response to the reprinting of the Danish cartoons in the Western Standard, the magazine I publish. I debated various Islamic leaders. That's the court of public opinion -- a Western, liberal concept that values diversity of opinion, and the cut-and-thrust of the clash of ideas. One of my debate opponents wasn't satisfied. Syed Soharwardy, a Calgary imam I debated on CBC radio, thought he'd "appeal" our debate to the government. Soharwardy went to the police and asked them to arrest me. The police politely threw him out of their offices. Peacefully disagreeing about contentious matters such as politics and religion is not a crime in Canada. So then Soharwardy went to a less liberal institution: The Alberta Human Rights Commission. Unlike real courts, the human rights commission doesn't follow rules of evidence. Unlike real courts, it is often packed with activists, not neutral judges. And the government pays for the inquisition -- unlike civil courts, where a complainant has to pay for his own lawyer. Human rights commissions were created to help people denied an apartment because of their race, or fired from a job because of their religion. Today they're about political correctness and ideological engineering.[/b[ Of course, Soharwardy was attracted to them. -snip - Fine. I, in turn, will use the commission as a forum, to remind Soharwardy and the rest of the press that Canadian values include diversity of opinion, freedom of speech and the right of a secular magazine not to be subjected to a bullying imam's religious edicts.

I guess Harper took a page from the handbook of George W. Bush - When things get too hot to handle, go for the photo-op. You know he almost had me until he claimed that part of the mission was to enforce women's rights. He might as well have promised the Afghan people affordable daycare, same-sex marriage and publicly funded healthcare. It was all just blowing smoke. Get a life! This has nothing to do with Bush but everything to do with supporting our troops, troops I might add that the Liberal government under Chretien sent there under the NATO banner and the corrupt United Nations. How can these scumbags now align themselves with the NDP and now ask for a debate in the House of Commons. What a bunch of hypocrits! Get a life is right - just more knee jerk anti Americanism. http://www.torontosun.com/News/Canada/2006...488976-sun.html SORROW AND SUPPORT Since Paul Davis' death, his father has felt the sorrow and support of countless Canadians -- including four new immigrants. At a service for Paul, a family, who recently emigrated from Afghanistan, approached to shake his hand. "I was so (dazed), I'm not sure they spoke English, but I know the message was clear -- it was thanks," he recalls. "We can't turn and run. If our enemies see (dissension) about the mission here in Canada, it will make it even more dangerous for our troops. "We are at war."

Its about time Canada has a leader with can be proud of, who is willing to put his a.s on the line to support our troops. S. Harper has distinguished himself. The Right Honourable Stephen Harper CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY Introduction Thank you for your warm welcome. I want to begin by telling you how proud I am of the work you're doing. You have put yourself on the line to: a.. Defend our national interests; a.. Protect Canada and the world from terror; a.. Help the people of Afghanistan rebuild their country. I thank you. Canadians thank you. And I know that the Afghan people thank you.

Good move on Canada's part, finally some common sense and decency. http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/ed...55-06b2196c698b Voting with Israel Published: Wednesday, March 15, 2006 Last week witnessed a proud moment for our country at the United Nations. On Friday, Canada voted against a resolution before the UN Economic and Social Council urging recognition of the "right" of millions of Palestinians to return to their pre-1948 homes -- a migration that would destroy Israel's Jewish character. Admittedly, it's a minor step. The vote was not taken in the General Assembly or Security Council, but, in essence, at a committee meeting. And the results were non-binding. Still, it marks a break from the UN votes cast by the Liberals, which typically were either pro-Palestinian or abstentions. Each year, Muslim states introduce the same 17 or 18 resolutions condemning Israel, blaming it for every problem in the Middle East, demanding it be censured and effectively calling for its elimination. Scores of similar motions are approved at smaller councils and committees, such as last Friday's. Of the 71 such votes held in the General Assembly in the past four years, Canada has voted with Israel six times, opposed it 49 times and abstained 16 times. Under the Liberals' direction, our UN delegation voted to declare Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Golan Heights as "illegal, and therefore null and void and [having] no validity whatsoever." We have sided with those who blame the second intifada on "the provocation" carried out by Ariel Sharon when, as opposition leader, he visited the site of the Temple Mount in 2000. We have sat idly by, too, while Israel was declared an "occupying power" and while the UN's World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa, in 2001, permitted Arab nations to spread Nazi-style hate speech against Jews and their nation. Apologists for the Liberals' approach might argue that such votes as Friday's are merely symbolic. That's true. But by paying lip service to the Arab world's hysterical, decades-long diplomatic offensive, Western nations have helped isolate Israel on the world stage. A more principled position would be that Israel -- as the one true democracy in the Middle East -- should be the one nation we take pains to support. And that is exactly the position Stephen Harper's government appears to have taken. Bravo for doing so.

I don't believe that, back up please. Palestine has a choice, they can choose to accept Israel's right to exist and can choose peace. They can choose to love their children more than they hate Israel, and can choose to build up their country and infrastructure as Israel (PLO ) do not want peace, they want Israel gone. Back in 1960 at the U.N. Golda Meir challenged Arab leaders to meet with P.M. David Ben-Gurion to negotiate a peace settlement. Nasser answered on October 15, saying that Israel was trying to deceive world opinion, and reiterateed that his country would never recognize the Jewish State..... and on it goes. As long as the PLO continues terrorism and uses their kids as human bombs there will never be peace.

I am not trying to justify the invasion of Iraq. For about the tenth time I will repeat, We Are Not In Iraq. The US was attacked by a group based in Afghanistan and supported by its government. That's good enough for me, regardless of what party is in power in Washington or whether I like them or not. They are our allies. They have every right to elect the government they chose and my approval of that government they has nothing to do with keeping our treaty commitments. I find it strange that you don't see supporting your neighbor who shares most of the same values, language, and law as you and is a free democratic society, as being in your interest. Supporting such a country that has been attacked, where it's citizens are free to chose the government of their choice regardless of whether I approve of it, is in my interest. Particularly if that country happens to be my next door neighbor. But what the hey, if Americans get attacked, it must be their own fault right. Good post, we do share the same values for the most part, except I think for the right to bear arms. Sometimes BDS gets in the way of reason (Bush derangement syndrome)

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/fraserinstitute/ http://www.fraserinstitute.ca/ you can read their website if you like, I know it was founded by Michael Walker. Its a think tank which publishes opionion etc. so read what they have to say and accept it or not. As to who all funds it, I'm sure they produce a financial report, but who cares, there are lots of organizations and institutes producing papers and giving opinions - if you don't like it, go elsewhere and donate to the think tank of your choice. Its a free country.

Anyone who says that needs to have their head examined. Why would someone need their head examined for saying that, could you elaborate on that and why you think the U.S., would not protect us. I highly doubt that the U.S. would sit back and watch as Canada is attacked, we sure don't have the capability of defending ourselves. Thank goodness the U.S. is our neighbour, but maybe you'd rather have Iran as a neighbour.,

Whoooo sounds like this forum is in for a bit of Bush bashing and conspiracy theories, better get our tin foil hats out LOL Someone else suffering from BDS (Bush derangement syndrom) and HDS The Yanks are coming, the Yanks are coming, lock up your wife and kids LOL

I have spent some time researching the fat cats behind Stephen Harper's rise to power and many have an association to the Fraser Institute (which has an association to the National Citizens' Coalition, our new PM's old digs), so I can only assume they mean Canadian Values according to Mr. Harper and the NCC. Please define 'fat cats' and provide a source for your statements. The people running the organizations you mention are not wildly wealthy. Canada's values are tolerance and freedom of speech among other things.

And since you haven't given any proof what-so-ever for either of your claims, I suppose we'll just have to take your word for it? I'm still waiting for a response to this. I love it when people talk out their @$$ and get called on it. Can you say Halliburton? Harper has also cashed in through a Canadian subsidiary. Their CEO added $5,100.00 to his coffers on July 22, 2005. He just didn't cover his tracks vry well. Could you please clarify that and provide some backup/source.

Could this be the start of a 'unite the left' movement, and would it it drive some of the small c liberals over to the CPC....food for thought. Bob Rae was always NDP, unfortunately for him, he was too smart for the NDP, he recognized the fact that you cannot spend what you don't have. He knew there was no money and did what he thought was a fair way to cut expenses...

Conservatives have never supported Canada's social safety net -- yet now, the Harper gov't is giving $1200 a year in welfare just to "encourage" parents to stay home. I don't get it -- Maybe you could provide some backup for that statement. Conservatives do support a social safety net, what they do not support is welfare for life, or welfare without any kind of accountability or committment to finding employment. The best form of welfare is a good economy which provides jobs. As far as I'm concerned the CPC is giving the money to individuals to assist them in making their own choices, to decide what they want for their children, as opposed to a state run collective.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-2081496,00.html Maybe they should be shown a cartoon of Mohammed with rockets coming out of his head and see what the reaction would be. Or how about a reaction to seal clubbing or show a rock star masterbating in front of an audience. WTF is this all about, trying to get reations from immigrants? How is that a test for immigrants? It would show that they are willing to live peacefully in a country which has values and some lifestyles that are against the potential immigrant's beliefs. We should also make sure any questions include asking if they believe in full equality for women . As speaker said: I hereby swear to have tolerance for all cultures, religions, political leanings," and even those I disagree with.

I think it could happen if AQ or others decide to widen their agression against the West in general.