charter.rights

Regardless, there are treaties and agreements that must be upheld Canadian or not....including huge monetary ones....

Justice my friend, is that protests and occupations by native people over land claims IS legal....Robert Lovelace v. Ontario.... Nice attempt ad Hominem

I guess you don't read all the posts. I've been here all along posting and reading. But all this is beside the point. Just because a post follows yours does not mean it is all about you! I made a post on the relevancy of the petition for an inquiry, the fact that this has nothing to do with Caledonia and the fact that the rule of law IS (finally) being applied at Six Nations. All of it culminates in the idea that McHale is behind yet another attempt to get into the picture and to turn an otherwise calm and peaceful existence in Caledonia into another explosive controversy. He can't do it himself since he is banned from making or attending protests so he has enlisted his minions to do it for him. How you figured that was all about YOU is beyond me......

Ah, the lies and propaganda starts up again.... Ken Hewitt the author of the request for an inquiry is Gary McHale's pal. McHale has been trying all fall to bilk charity out of residents of Caledonia and the surrounding area for his perpetual upkeep. McHale doesn't work, and I hear his welfare was cut off so now he is trying with this new ruse to get people to support him while he sits at home and bangs away at his keyboard. There is no reason that Caledonia needs anyone's help. Nor is there any reason for an inquiry (nor will there ever be one). Fantino is the OPP boss and as a cop boss he can pretty much run the place the way he wants. McHale is just pissed that Fantino gave Clyde Powless, a Six Nation's protester a character reference in another trial, while Fantino continues to insist that McHale is a rabble rouser and a threat to community safety. Instead the law is being followed. Recently the Supreme Court of Canada in Robert Lovelace v. Ontario, that protesters have a democratic right to occupy and prevent development where the Crown has failed in its duty to consult and accommodate First Nations. On the other hand McHale was banned from Caledonia (which was relaxed by the Court for the holidays) for causing mischief and is presently before the courts fighting the charges. In essence, McHale no longer has the right to organize or participate in protests in Caledonia or Brantford, while Six Nations can stop development at will on any land claim or land interest in the entire Haldimand. While McHale will deny it, there is no doubt that this and his request for Fantino's inquiry is nothing more than an attempt to exert his racist tendencies on the people of Caledonia and others. The law is on the side of Six Nations and other First Nations. The need for consultation and accommodation can legally affect third party interests (such as mining prospectors and developers) where the Crown has failed its duty. People better get used to this kind of thing since every case that goes to higher level courts, increases the definition of aboriginal property and treaty rights under the Charter. We have to be prepared to negotiate and settle long standing issues in a fair and reasonable way.

If the Catholic Church could still get away with conducting their sermons in Latin, they would. The Catholic Church has always been about secrecy and obedience, not enlightenment. It is no wonder that priests were able to manipulate the masses, including getting away with into adultery and pedophilia over the centuries. No one could ever tell what was true and what was not with any priest. Up until about the 60's the Bible wasn't even read by most Catholics because the Church was the only one that could interpret it. Yet, I have survived that era and understand the Bible and the teaching of Jesus much better than most. That could only have come about through my own personal enlightenment, and faith in God, rejecting the Church for the heretic and devil it has turned out to be. I no longer consider myself Christian, but apply The Christ in everyday life.

However, they are not afforded the protection that banks are. They are not banks and therefore not protected against their foolish investment schemes. As well, they were heavily involved in the Fanny May Freddie Mack below prime lending schemes in the US and are at the brink of bankruptcy. There is no money in the pot for GMAC, so they must turn to their major shareholder - GM - to bail them out at GM's risk....but wait....we are on the hook for that because we bailed out GM and GM wasn't even in trouble....

You are incorrect. By November 27 GM had not approached the government to discuss any need for a bail-out. Flaherty was confident on his update that Canada was not going to be affected by the downturn. If there had been any government speculation that GM would be receiving a hand out, I'm sure it would have been included in his report. While there was lots of media speculation that GM Canada would need a hand out, it is still factually incorrect. GMAC requires the bail-out for getting caught dealing with below prime mortgages. GMC is in a stable position building and selling vehicles as usual.

Debating the existence of God is a non starter. You are attempting to refute a belief. If it isn't a belief then it would be false. As a belief it is true until something changes the belief. Reality is what it appears to be at any one time. A schizophrenic sees reality in what we would consider to be a bizarre way. Yet reason cannot change the belief, nor can someone exposing the errors in that belief, and often it will have the opposite effect by further entrenching the schizophrenic in that belief. However, our reality changes. We might start out with the day being sunny and then turning cloudy. We have different perceptions of a sunny day versus a cloudy one and so our reality changes accordingly. The only way for one to debate the existence of God would be to prove that the God concept is false with absolute proof. That can't be done any more than a person can irrefutably prove the existence of God. Both are based on beliefs and backed by enough proof to support the belief.

That's a load of bunk. No one knew at the time that Flaherty gave his economic update that GM and Chrysler were going to be asking for help. So in the mind of Flaherty and Harper there was no need to panic. Even when the coalition came to agreement, there was no certainty that the automakers would need help. There was lots of speculation that they would have been hurt by the economic downfall, but no one really knew too much. The reality is however, that GM is not in trouble. They are still selling vehicles and advertising, albeit there is a seasonal slump going on right now, and the slowing economy may have an effect. But the truth is that GMAC got pinched by dabbling in mortgages and since GM owns 49% of their stock, they will be on the hook....unless they just let GMAC crash and cut their losses. All this blaming of the workers and unions is a ruse to deflect from the reality that GMAC - not a bank - got caught in the same wave that took down Freddy Mack by giving out below prime mortgages and then having to pay it all back. But Harper could not have known this could he.....or COULD he.....The bail-out offered talks a lot about conditions for runnnign GM but it says nothing about GMAC. And since there really are no controls over what GM does with their share of the money, you can expect that GMAC will receive a winfall, and GM will carry on business as usual - of course long after they have bashed the unions and described what evil they are. This is about corporate greed and Harper is their front man for making as much in profits as they can. The downturn in the economy is an excuse for they to try to make more money for their investors at the expense of the workers. Where I work, we are hardly affected by the threat of the economic downturn. People are still spending money (months ahead of their projects). Harper says this will get as bad as 2003... Huh? 2003 was a good year as far as cars, construction and service industries go. Perhaps he was talking about the losses in the stock markets in 2003 where greed reigns and commodities are sold like BJs on Yonge Street. Perhaps the problem isn't with the economy after all. Perhaps Harper has too much invested in his conflicting interests? And the need for calm and slow reaction is just a way to protect those interests from further losses. Of course it is at all our expense....

Chretien got together with Martin and Broadbetn to force Harper to do something about the economy. That's why Parliament is prorogued right now, because Harper didn't have the guts to do something himself. And when he does come out with a budget at the end of January that aims to stimulate the economy by spending, you'll have Chretien, Martin and Broadbent to thank for it.

The Queen's Coronation is performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Church of England This means that the Monarchy and thus any political institution is first sanctioned by the Church.

Matthew 22:36-40 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Nope. Only two which all the law hangs on...... Romans 1 isn't the testament of Jesus and it does not condemn homosexuality. It condemns all lust as a perversion of faith.

First you might want to go back and read the Bible again. Secondly the 10 Commandments are not part of the Christian doctrine proposed by Jesus. Instead he replaced all 10 commandments in the Old Testament with only 2 in the New Testament. By definition in our society a fetus is not a human being. It is a woman's appendage. Lastly Jesus never took a stand on abortion, neither condemning it or approving it. Jesus promoted that free choice was the only way to get to Heaven. And it is just as likely that He would allow free choice - pro-choice - if He was cornered to come up with a position. You lose.

Kinda like GM trying to blame their workers for poor economic outlook?

Although this is slightly aside from the main theme, I listened as an economist talked about what will happen in the next couple of years. In the past the rising price of oil fed inflation. However, now that oil has dropped it is no longer the leading indicator of inflation. Food on the other hand went up 7.5% just this past year and it looks like it will be the new indicator of inflation. Imagine that in an economy where the poverty rate will grow at faster rates then we have seen since the great depression, food will cost more. I can imagine that since gas prices have dropped and government revenue will drop due to high unemployment and lower wages, the government will look at new ways to tax food to bolster its coffers. No doubt that since cheap fast food outlets do grow in hard economic times that the Conservatives will find a way to claw a tax to help offset the $30 billion deficit they are predicting. After all fast food is the crutch of low income people, and well the Conservatives wouldn;t want to tax the rich any more in hard economic times.....just in case they have to go to election....

A Christmas tree is a pagan symbol. It really has nothing to do with Christmas and so calling it a Holiday tree is perfectly acceptable.

As well, Christians have kill and continue to kill hundreds of thousands of people in the name of their saviour. There is nothing unique or secular about killing. It is an equally-religious attack.

Actually no one says that it isn't ok to have a Christmas tree. You just can't have it in MY workplace.

Another empty platitude. No doubt the next thing you will be doing is calling me a sinner. You do realize that Jesus did did not celebrate Christmas? So if you are trying to emulate Christ then I suggest you re-evaluate your pagan beliefs.

Empty platitudes. Which is the theme of Christmas.

Actually Angus it is you that doesn't seem to "get it". If you examine the pre-Christmas rituals that people go through (as I have) you will see disappointment, disillusion, depression, frustration, obligation, expectation, exasperation and a whole list of other negative emotions coming into play. Giving gifts with that much anger and negativity is actually a curse on people. Then on top of that we tell the kids lies about a fictitious character. Of course this is much different then telling stories and fairy tales because, well, the kids know they are not real and they learn very quickly not to take what is written in a book too seriously (as if kids were serious anyway). Yet their parents, caregivers and extended family members - the very people children should be able to trust - hit them with a lie about some fat guy bringing toys and candy. Is it any wonder that kids go off with strangers offering goodies and then get molested or worse? The in order to ease the guilt that sloth, covetousness, gluttony and greed brings at this time of year you shower junk toys and junk food on the less fortunate so that "their day" can somehow even come close to "your day". The rest of the year most people are deriding those who have little blaming them for their lot in life as if your Christmas charity authorizes you to act with a sense of superiority. Ah but then once the toys are unwrapped and the new and improved appliances replace the old ones, last years gifts become landfill or they are tossed at some charity organization that will make a few bucks of their resale. So the point is that Christmas is overblown and a delusion. People have bought the conditioning that giant toy corporations, manufacturers and retailers have subliminally conned you into believing. Charity is not real and empathy is false. What IS real is getting together with other people and sharing some of their time. Yet what happens the rest of the year? How often do we take time out of our busy lives to get people together off season to celebrate our humanity? Poverty has nothing to do with neediness. It has to do with an attitude that enslaves people to hopelessness and despair. It has to do with the loss of friendship and camaraderie, and the disinterest in another's social, and spiritual welfare. REAL poverty is about those who celebrate Christmas as a pathological consumer, eating up and sucking back and then throwing scraps at others to make up for their failure as human beings and adding insult to injury by puking red wine on their white carpets in an over zealous excuse for "having fun". If you really want to understand what Christmas is all about, try fasting for 24 hours while those around you feed their faces with turkey and trimmings. Then you might "get it". Reality sucks doesn't it.

In any discussion about any subject it is important that we have the terminology correct. Hence the question, "So what is it exactly....?

Perhaps you can explain what Christmas really is? It isn't Jesus' birthday since according to Biblical scholars, Jesus was born in June. Christmas trees come from pagan beliefs. So what is it exactly....except perhaps a season of lying to kids, pathetically stroking one's own ego by showering poor people with unwanted junk and an over abundance of crappy food (while ignoring their needs the rest of the year) and an excuse for people to go out and get drunk, puke on white carpets and then claim they are really enjoying the season.....?

Ah, but if the GG prefers letting the coalition govern then are you going to suck it up and stop whining?

Yeh? And Jesus was a Buddhist! So there! Nice try!