Dion shows his true colors on CBC's 'The Hour'

[BubberMiley]

Many Liberals truly believe that Canada's Natural Governing Party tripe.

Not as many as Alberta conservatives who believe in their provincial, actually-based-in-reality version.

[blueblood]

Many Liberals truly believe that Canada's Natural Governing Party tripe.

Not as many as Alberta conservatives who believe in their provincial, actually-based-in-reality version.

Well what do you expect, the right wing way of doing things has proven successful for Alberta, why mess with a good thing? If the Libs want to get in in Alberta, they might have to accomodate the majority of Albertans needs, they have no one to blame but themselves.

[newbie]

Well what do you expect, the right wing way of doing things has proven successful for Alberta, why mess with a good thing?

But at what cost? Do you actually enjoy 4 hours in an emergency waiting room, ridiculous parking at Foothills in Calgary (thanks to 1 Hospital closure and 1 demolished), schools with leaking roofs, not to mention infrastructure nightmares? But hey, Ralphie saved the day.

[blueblood]

Well what do you expect, the right wing way of doing things has proven successful for Alberta, why mess with a good thing?

But at what cost? Do you actually enjoy 4 hours in an emergency waiting room, ridiculous parking at Foothills in Calgary (thanks to 1 Hospital closure and 1 demolished), schools with leaking roofs, not to mention infrastructure nightmares? But hey, Ralphie saved the day.

That happens all over Canada, I haven't seen anyone coming in on an ambulance being forced to wait 4 hours in an emergency room. The infrastructure problem is most likely due to people coming in at a faster rate than the province can naturally accomodate them. That's due to a very good economy. People in Alberta are much richer than other people in Canada, Ralphie did save the day.

[Michael Bluth]

Sure, there are always some who want to believe absurd claims to bolster their hate for the left.

Yup, Libs, lefties et al....rubbing their hands for more of our soldiers and innocents dieing...yup yup , thats what they do.

Yup, liberal party stalwarts are into puppy drownings , Halloween loot bag slashing.....should I name them all?

Uhhh, so you are saying that the Liberals would rather see a light, to casualty-free spring offensive if the alternative was their regaining Government?

The Liberals are just into misusing $1.14 million of taxpayer dollars to their supporters to keep/gain power but they draw the line at wishing ill of any kind on Canada's military...

How many student scholarships could that $1.14 million have funded? Daycare spaces? Maybe if the Liberals had done something good with that money they would still be in power!

[jbg]

I still can't get over the accusation in the last election that the Liberals were supportive of pedophiles.

Two elections ago, but who's counting. In any event, he was right that the Liberals are not willing to allow police input into the Judge selection process. That shows a certain bias towards predators, does it not?

[Figleaf]

Given that Harper hasn't gotten into majority territory in the poll so far, I'd say it would indeed be a surprise if he got a majority.

And as spring comes to Afghanistan, we might even see the polls notch downward.

Yeah, I can see a lot of Liberals rubbing their hands in anticipation and hopes of a heavy body count.

That's bitter, but very honest.

Does anybody doubt that the veracity of Argus' claim?

All Aboard! Train to Smearsville now loading! With stops at Falseford, Maliceton, and Slanderia Station.

Many Liberals truly believe that Canada's Natural Governing Party tripe.

The Liberals didn't make that up, the media did.

[Figleaf]

Well what do you expect, the right wing way of doing things has proven successful for Alberta,

!!! How do you figure that?!??

[Michael Bluth]

Many Liberals truly believe that Canada's Natural Governing Party tripe.

The Liberals didn't make that up, the media did.

So?

Many Liberals do believe it. And try to perpuate that myth....

[Figleaf]

Uhhh, so you are saying that the Liberals would rather see a light, to casualty-free spring offensive if the alternative was their regaining Government?

I will tell you that the Liberals are not monsters and don't wish for the deaths of our soldiers to chintz their way into government.

The Liberals are just into misusing $1.14 million of taxpayer dollars to their supporters to keep/gain power but they draw the line at wishing ill of any kind on Canada's military...

There it is, a Conservative can't believe anyone might see a moral difference between money and lives.

[Figleaf]

Many Liberals truly believe that Canada's Natural Governing Party tripe.

The Liberals didn't make that up, the media did.

So?

Many Liberals do believe it. And try to perpuate that myth....

I don't know what strange thing you think Liberals believe about it. It was an observation that noticed Canadians historically gravitate to Liberal governments. What is there to not believe about that observation?

[Figleaf]

I still can't get over the accusation in the last election that the Liberals were supportive of pedophiles.

Two elections ago, but who's counting. In any event, he was right that the Liberals are not willing to allow police input into the Judge selection process. That shows a certain bias towards predators, does it not?

No, it does not. Police input into selecting judges is ridiculous. Judges are there to make unbiased findings of law and fact between litigants. Satisfaction of police interests is contrary to that concept. It's horrifying to me how conservatives can't grasp the very simplest notion of how undue influence impairs impartiality. What is it about conservatives that wants to encourage more wrongful convictions? Is it just viciousness?

[newbie]

Well what do you expect, the right wing way of doing things has proven successful for Alberta, why mess with a good thing?

But at what cost? Do you actually enjoy 4 hours in an emergency waiting room, ridiculous parking at Foothills in Calgary (thanks to 1 Hospital closure and 1 demolished), schools with leaking roofs, not to mention infrastructure nightmares? But hey, Ralphie saved the day.

That happens all over Canada, I haven't seen anyone coming in on an ambulance being forced to wait 4 hours in an emergency room. The infrastructure problem is most likely due to people coming in at a faster rate than the province can naturally accomodate them. That's due to a very good economy. People in Alberta are much richer than other people in Canada, Ralphie did save the day.

You seem to forget that Calgary has had the infrastructure issue for many years prior to the "boom." And I wasn't talking about arriving in an ambulance into emergency, just a walk-in. Did you forget that Ralphie was part of the cabinet that built rural hospitals like crazy for political gains, and then closed them up later due to Doctor and nurse shortages when Ralphie was "balancing the budget." There are schools in my area that are in desperate need of renovation and restoration. Yeah, Ralphie saved the day for you alright - if you're rich and healthy.

[blueblood]

I still can't get over the accusation in the last election that the Liberals were supportive of pedophiles.

Two elections ago, but who's counting. In any event, he was right that the Liberals are not willing to allow police input into the Judge selection process. That shows a certain bias towards predators, does it not?

No, it does not. Police input into selecting judges is ridiculous. Judges are there to make unbiased findings of law and fact between litigants. Satisfaction of police interests is contrary to that concept. It's horrifying to me how conservatives can't grasp the very simplest notion of how undue influence impairs impartiality. What is it about conservatives that wants to encourage more wrongful convictions? Is it just viciousness?

????? Why the hell can't police decide judges? They're the ones who are on the front lines of criminal matters, they have every right to be on a selection committee. It's not like they have 100% input, they have a say. Who's to say that they don't deserve one. Maybe with police input, we might hire judges who might issue stiffer sentances to repeat offenders so that the police don't have to deal with those clowns more than once. You tell the forum who should pick judges, defense attorneys???

[Figleaf]

I still can't get over the accusation in the last election that the Liberals were supportive of pedophiles.

Two elections ago, but who's counting. In any event, he was right that the Liberals are not willing to allow police input into the Judge selection process. That shows a certain bias towards predators, does it not?

No, it does not. Police input into selecting judges is ridiculous. Judges are there to make unbiased findings of law and fact between litigants. Satisfaction of police interests is contrary to that concept. It's horrifying to me how conservatives can't grasp the very simplest notion of how undue influence impairs impartiality. What is it about conservatives that wants to encourage more wrongful convictions? Is it just viciousness?

????? Why the hell can't police decide judges?

Because the institutional arrangement of our legal system requires the judges to judge the police. It can't go both ways without corrupting the process.

They're the ones who are on the front lines of criminal matters,

Exactly. A front-line viewpoint is precisely what is NOT useful in determining guilt and innocence.

... they have every right to be on a selection committee.

They have absolutely NO 'right' to be on a selection committee. The inherent conflict of interest their presence creates should be prohibited.

Who's to say that they don't deserve one.

Like Clint says in 'Unforgiven': Deserve's got nothing to do with it.

Maybe with police input, we might hire judges who might issue stiffer sentances to repeat offenders so that the police don't have to deal with those clowns more than once.

If that were the objective, the legislature could simply pass legislation specifying longer sentence provisions.

You tell the forum who should pick judges, defense attorneys???

They'd be better than cops. At least they have no vested interest in having soft judges, whereas the cops have a vested interest in having tough judges.

[blueblood]

What's to say a defense attorney wouldn't corrupt the process? Is a attorney who represents organized crime on a regular basis more qualified than a police officer? This is outright scary. There has to be checks and balances on the judges and the police forces can provide one angle of doing it. The police officers are just picking judges, not judging cases themselves. There is stiff legislation passed, the vast majority of left minded judges don't choose to enact it. Good grief a left minded judge in Quebec REDUCED a pedophiles sentance claiming it was too harsh.

[Michael Bluth]

I don't know what strange thing you think Liberals believe about it. It was an observation that noticed Canadians historically gravitate to Liberal governments. What is there to not believe about that observation?

An observation about past behaviour and how that behaviour should 'naturally' continue into the future.

It had lead to a level of arrogance among some Liberal supporters that the country is better of with Liberal governments under any circumstances.

[geoffrey]

A majority of Canadians hasn't voted Liberal since the 30's and that win in itself needs an asterisk beside it. A majority of Canadians have voted Conservative twice since the 50's, most recently in 1984.

The Liberals may be the most common party by plurality in Canada, but it seems like far more people have the Conservatives as 'votable'.

At least historically.

[Michael Bluth]

A majority of Canadians hasn't voted Liberal since the 30's and that win in itself needs an asterisk beside it. A majority of Canadians have voted Conservative twice since the 50's, most recently in 1984.

The Liberals may be the most common party by plurality in Canada, but it seems like far more people have the Conservatives as 'votable'.

At least historically.

I think that is more evidence of Harper's strategic acumen.

Conservatives won those two big majorities for two reasons. Both times they were facing a non-Quebecois Liberal leader who was a poor campaigner. Even die-hard Liberals will admit that Pearson was very weak on that count. Including 1988 those are the only conditions under which the Conservatives have been able to win a majority in the past 75 years.

A Conservative majority in the next election would not be a huge shock. It may not be likely, but it is definitely in the realm of the possible at this point. It is only possible because Harper has moved the Conservatives to the party of the centre in this country. If he succeeds at winning a majority in the next election the Liberals will have some serious soul-searching to do. Either they can turn back to the right, or try and win as the party of the left. Not so likely and if they made that choice we could very well see the Conservatives being considered Canada's Natural Governing Party in a decade or so.

[hiti]

What's to say a defense attorney wouldn't corrupt the process? Is a attorney who represents organized crime on a regular basis more qualified than a police officer? This is outright scary. There has to be checks and balances on the judges and the police forces can provide one angle of doing it. The police officers are just picking judges, not judging cases themselves. There is stiff legislation passed, the vast majority of left minded judges don't choose to enact it. Good grief a left minded judge in Quebec REDUCED a pedophiles sentance claiming it was too harsh.

The sentence was not lowered from 15 years to 9 years because the sentence was too harsh. Quote-the Quebec Court of Appeal ruled in a 2-1 decision this wasn't among the worst sexual assaults that have ever been committed,... Instead, the Crown asked that the accused be declared a long-term offender, meaning he will be monitored for the maximum 10 years after his sentence has been served. -end quote

So the guy still gets 19 years in and out of jail.

[blueblood]

What's to say a defense attorney wouldn't corrupt the process? Is a attorney who represents organized crime on a regular basis more qualified than a police officer? This is outright scary. There has to be checks and balances on the judges and the police forces can provide one angle of doing it. The police officers are just picking judges, not judging cases themselves. There is stiff legislation passed, the vast majority of left minded judges don't choose to enact it. Good grief a left minded judge in Quebec REDUCED a pedophiles sentance claiming it was too harsh.

The sentence was not lowered from 15 years to 9 years because the sentence was too harsh. Quote-the Quebec Court of Appeal ruled in a 2-1 decision this wasn't among the worst sexual assaults that have ever been committed,... Instead, the Crown asked that the accused be declared a long-term offender, meaning he will be monitored for the maximum 10 years after his sentence has been served. -end quote

So the guy still gets 19 years in and out of jail.

cbc

link

Umm yes it was that's why it was reduced. 10 years of "monitoring" is a joke, it's not even house arrest, he's still in the community, how close is the monitoring?

[jbg]

No, it does not. Police input into selecting judges is ridiculous. Judges are there to make unbiased findings of law and fact between litigants. Satisfaction of police interests is contrary to that concept. It's horrifying to me how conservatives can't grasp the very simplest notion of how undue influence impairs impartiality. What is it about conservatives that wants to encourage more wrongful convictions? Is it just viciousness?

If Bar Associations, which from long experience lean left, have input, so should other forces.