PM Harper At War With Supreme Court?

[bush_cheney2004]

Well in that case he is apologizing for something that he or his current government was not responsible for.

I disagree...he was apologizing for the government of Canada:

"Today, we recognize that this policy of assimilation was wrong, has caused great harm and has no place in our country," says Harper. "The government of Canada sincerely apologizes and asks the forgiveness of the aboriginal peoples of this country for failing them so profoundly. We are sorry."

[On Guard for Thee]

I disagree...he was apologizing for the government of Canada:

"Today, we recognize that this policy of assimilation was wrong, has caused great harm and has no place in our country," says Harper. "The government of Canada sincerely apologizes and asks the forgiveness of the aboriginal peoples of this country for failing them so profoundly. We are sorry."

Has the American government ever officially said sorry about slavery?

[bush_cheney2004]

Has the American government ever officially said sorry about slavery?

Off topic - has the Canadian/British government ever officially said sorry about slavery in Canada ?

[On Guard for Thee]

Off topic - has the Canadian/British government ever officially said sorry about slavery in Canada ?

All your slaves came to Canada after the law said you had to release them. Maybe not all, but a lot. Most headed north. Ever heard of hwy. 61?

Edited May 16, 2014 by On Guard for Thee

[bush_cheney2004]

All your slaves came to Canada after the law said you had to release them. Maybe not all, but a lot. Most headed north. Ever heard of hwy. 61?

Off topic...I never had any slaves. PM Harper was not a slave.

[Smallc]

Off topic...I never had any slaves.

[On Guard for Thee]

Talk about off topic!

[cybercoma]

Sure is - he officially apologized for all of Canada for its treatment of "aboriginals" in residential schools.

He also apologized for the 1914 Komagata Maru incident.

[cybercoma]

All your slaves came to Canada after the law said you had to release them. Maybe not all, but a lot. Most headed north. Ever heard of hwy. 61?

Canada was hardly the saving grace of slaves. We have our own history of black slavery, but also aboriginal slavery in the form of panis.

[Keepitsimple]

Canada was hardly the saving grace of slaves. We have our own history of black slavery, but also aboriginal slavery in the form of panis.

Big, fat thread drift but it is an interesting fact: slavery did exist in Canada - but the vast majority of what little slavery there was occurred when First Nations fought among themselves. The victors would enslave some of the vanquished. There was a limited market for slaves because we had no plantations - but nonetheless, some First Nations traded their slaves with the early French. Putting aside that early aberration, Canada of course was the promised land for many slaves and former slaves.

[Smallc]

It's a thing liberals do now - attempting to paint Canada's past as being just as evil as everywhere else. The less liberal I become, the more I notice it.

[cybercoma]

It's a thing liberals do now - attempting to paint Canada's past as being just as evil as everywhere else. The less liberal I become, the more I notice it.

it's a statement of fact. No one is saying Canada was just as bad as the US. There weren't massive plantation operations requiring the size of slave market they had in the South and other colonies. However, French colonials did have house hands and slaves to work their fields. Even during the time of the Underground Railroad, black people weren't exactly accepted with open arms. They were free, but that meant free to starve to death and be shunned by the towns they moved to. All I'm saying is that Canada's past is not nearly as pristine when it comes to the treatment of blacks as people like to believe. Was it as bad as the US? Absolutely not.

[Smallc]

I retract that then. Still, there are so many attempts at a false equivalency (I'm not talking about you).

[cybercoma]

You're right. I probably shouldn't say no one is saying because there's some posts I can't see unless they're quoted.

[Smallc]

You're right. I probably shouldn't say no one is saying because there's some posts I can't see unless they're quoted.

I didn't mean people here necessarily...

[Big Guy]

A reporter for the Globe and Mail has just uncovered some very interesting information about a "Short list" that Harper had prepared. It seems that the Chief Justice was commenting on more than the individual that Harper had proposed but at the attempt to sneak unqualified federal judges of the Conservative ilk into the court. A few on Harpers short list have very questionable credentials;

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/the-secret-short-list-that-caused-a-rift-between-chief-justice-and-pmo/article18823392/

The PM has the opportunity and responsibility to fill vacancies on the Supreme Court when they come up. Harper has every right to try to get people in there who support the Conservative policies. But to pull the wool over the publics eyes by pretending that the Chief Justice is creating the problems is just wrong!!

Why does he not just come out and say - "I won. It is my bat and ball and I can appoint anybody who I want! So there!!" At least he would be honest and transparent in what he is doing.

And BTW - Another "Quebec" judge just announced that he was through. Now Harper has to find another two.

I wonder what advice the Chief Justice has for him? I wonder if he is going to ask her?

Edited May 24, 2014 by Big Guy

[cybercoma]

Seems the Harper Government has yet to begin consultations on the replacement for Louis Lebel in the fall. Are we going to have a Nadon part 2?

[On Guard for Thee]

According to Harper's responses to Mulcair in QP today, he is going to abide by the spirit of SCC decision on Nadon. Maybe he will attempt an amendment to the SC Act prior to naming his nominations rather than trying to do it after this time. Stay tuned I guess.

[cybercoma]

Abide by the "spirit" is a nice way of saying he's not going to abide by the decision at all and we'll end up being down 2 justices on the SCC thanks to Harper's ineptitude when it comes to appointments.