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What should Canada's role be in fighting terrorism and ISIS in Iraq and Syria? I suggest that Canada's role should not be a military one, and we need to think creatively about how to effect change in the middle east without contributing to the perpetual cycle of violence that military action invites and contributes to. I suggest Canada's role could be focused on fostering bottom-up internal change within those nations. One means to foster this sort of internal change is to advocate international oversight of judicial reforms that will help to stem the proliferation of local and regional violence. It is apparent that the justice system is broken in Iraq: https://www.hrw.org/ne…/2013/…/31/iraq-broken-justice-system and corrupt in Syria: http://www .daoonline.info/…/BACCI%20-%20The%20System%20Of%2… If we want to "fight ISIS" our efforts are better spent in bottom-up development of internal systems of justice. This is obviously a complex and expensive problem. However, given: 1. the billions that are allocated to bombing campaigns and military responses that seem only to generate more resentment and violence; and 2. the billions that are invested in humanitarian and medical aid that are obviously necessary, but yet short term with little affect on fundamental societal issues that include distrust and disaffection at many levels, I am suggesting a creative alternative with long term implications for change in the region. Let Canada be part of a dialogue on justice reforms in Syria and Iraq, and coordinate an international review of how justice reforms can be encouraged and in some cases imposed if necessary (rather than imposing bombs!). Canada can play a role in promoting international cooperation to improve systems of justice in those countries while reducing the need for direct military intervention.

Harper and the Conservatives have been responsible for so many negative, divisive and disgraceful actions that it's hard to keep track of all of them. So, I thought it would be helpful to have a thread to catalogue them. Here is an opening list: - Ran huge deficits caused by ill-advised and ineffective tax cuts - Politicized non-partisan institutions by using or squabbling with the incombents; including the GG, Elections Canada, the PBO, and the SCC - Dramatically increased the centralization of power in the PMO - Interfered in the internal workings of the Senate - Appointed the most partisan and corrupt senators - Gutted environmental rules and laws - Used the CRA to attack environmental groups and charities that disagreed with his policies - Gagged scientists to prevent information that would not support his pro-oil agenda from reaching the public - Defunded pure scientific research in favour of applied science that would help his industry friends - Destroyed scientific documents with no assurance that they were digitized first - After being elected on a platform of accountability, did everything possible to evade accountability - Was found in contempt of parliament - Systematically interfered in the ability of Parliament to perform its duties by withholding information, proroguing parliament and writing omnibus bills so massive they couldn't properly be debated - Undermined democracy by deliberately disenfranchising groups of voters that are not inclined to vote for him and by changing media rules to better allow for negative campaiging - Damaged our international reputation through one-sided support of Israel and against the Palesinians - Damaged our international reputation and climate change efforts by withdrawing from Kyoto. This list isn't even close to being complete. There is a website called shd.ca Note: if you want to debate the actions of Chretien, Wynne, Pierre Trudeau, or anyone else, you're welcome to open a different thread.