Sibbling Comes Calling

Officials in Quebec City are hoping [Calgary, ] their oil-rich sister city will make a cash donation to planned 400th anniversary celebrations.

I wonder how many more sister cities will come out of the woodwork.

Crossposted from Civitatensis.caÂ?

EGALE Takes Aim at Ted Morton

Equality for Gays and Lesbian Everywhere (EGALE), a rights lobby group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-identified people, is taking aim at Alberta MLA Ted Morton. Morton is a candidate for the provincial Tory leadership. The cheap shots come courtesy of Gilles Marchild, EGALE’s Executive Director.

Suggesting that Alberta Bill 208, a private member’s bill introduced by Morton, was designed to silence teachers, Marchild writes:

The original Bill 208 also included provisions to allow teachers to not [sic] talk about same-sex marriage and other issues contrary to religious beliefs. In other words, it would have allowed them to stick their heads in the sand, pretending they could hide from the outside world and its realities… just like the ostrich.

Clearly, Marchild has not read the proposed bill, for it does no such thing. The portion of the bill which Marchild maligns simply proposed that parents be notified and allowed to withdraw pupils from a classroom when the topic of homosexual marriage would arise. Hardly the gay-hating attitude that EGALE would love to see.

Morton’s Bill 208 related posts here, here and here.

Crossposted to Civitatensis.ca

Russian Surprise

This is pretty funny. Funny not in the sense that people were beaten up, which is not good. Funny considering the number of French and German gay tourists who travelled to Moscow expecting to party and get laid, but who were instead subjected to cross-wielding orthodox priests, screaming old babushkas, and violent mobs of young men dressed like Cossacks shouting, “Glory to Russia!” Safe to assume that that wasn’t what they had in mind.

Philosopher (Not) Wanted

Norwegians have hired a philosopher to help them figure out what to do with the billions and billions that they are raking in from oil production.

The government has even appointed a philosopher to help decide how to spend the rest of the money.

Having someone else tell them how to spend their money? Now, the philosopher will not be spending their money. He will just suggest what to do with it. Still, Albertans would never go for that kind of nonsense. We think we can make those decisions ourselves. But we shouldn’t dismiss the idea outright: a sober philosopher making suggestions might be far more desirable than a provincial premier spending like a drunken sailor.

Then there is the other side. I hope that Michael Ignatieff does not see this piece. With his self-perception as the re-incarnation of a philosopher-king from long ago, he may just decide to tell Albertans what to do with their money, should he become leader of his party. The last time one of the Enlightened Eastern Liberals had a similar idea, he gave birth to something called the National Energy Programme.

Crossposted from Civitatensis.ca

Venezuela’s Influence in Bolivia Keeps Expanding

Slowly but steadily, Hugo Chavez continues to exert his power and to tighten his control of the Bolivian economy. In the name of saving “the world from American imperialism” Chavez expansion into Bolivia now extends to broadcasting, agriculture, education, transport infrastructure, reforestation, mining, banking and the crucial energy sector.

Chavez increased incursion into Bolivia’s energy sectors risks cutting Brazil out of greater market opportunities. Brazilian president Lula was once fairly close to Chavez, but lately has since taken some distance from the unstable Venezuelan leader.

Evo Morales, the Bolivian president, seems all too eager to hand control of his country’s economy to Chavez. Blinded by his own anti-Americanism, Morales is under the illusion that Chavez’ intentions are to help Bolivian extract itself out of US influence. Bolivia is one of the poorest countries in the hemisphere, and Morales lacks the knowledge and skills to run the economic complexities of a modern state. Morales was a small coca grower before becoming president.

The United States remains Bolivia’s main economic and social benefactor.
AP, Reuters, Bloomberg, Pravda

Crossposted from Civitatensis.ca

Top 50 Conservative Rock Songs

Here it is. But where’s 2112?

Galloway’s Respect

An AP report has the volatile British MP George Galloway claiming that the assassination of British Prime Minister Tony Blair would be morally justified –though he is said to have been temperate enough not to be calling for such an action. Galloway made the supposed statement in a GQ magazine interview.

Galloway is presently in Cuba. But following the AP report he has released this statement on the website of his Respect Party:

“Like the Prime Minister’s wife commenting on suicide bombings in Israel I understand why such desperate acts take place and why those involved might believe such actions are morally justifiable.

“From the point of view of someone who has seen their country invaded and their family blown apart it’s possible, of course, for them to construct a moral justification. But I’ve made my position clear. I would not support anyone seeking to assassinate the Prime Minister. That’s why I said in the interview I would report to the authorities any such plot that I knew of.”

“What I did make abundantly clear to Piers Morgan in the GQ interview is that I would like to see Tony Blair in front of a war crimes tribunal for sending this country to war illegally and for the appalling human consequences which resulted. That’s what I will continue to press for�.

In spite of his often treasonous views, none of his opponents really expect to put Galloway on trial. And that is the difference between Galloway and his opponents.

Crossposted from Civitatensis.

Will Caledonia lead to another Oka?

An unscientific poll, taken while the Caledonia conflict was at its height:

Suprising? Yes and no.

See Lesson #6: McGuinty, through his cowardice on this file, has given every native band in Canada pursuing a land claim an incentive to set up a roadblock this summer. At precisely the same time, Canadians are becoming less tolerant of native lawlessness and more willing to accept the use of force to address this lawlessness.

Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me. Can anyone else discern another Oka on the horizon?

Six Nations desecrate the Maple Leaf

Oh my:

Won’t this cause a bit of a problem for the Canadian left-nationalists that are lining up to support the “peaceful” and “respectful” native protesters.

Update: More respectful sentiment:

“i hope they know they can wipe their asses with that ripped up flag and finally put the fucking thing to good use”

RCMP Tackling the Big Issues

This is an absolute outrage:

May 12, Wells RCMP raided the Balls’ Crown Grant 5-F property near Wells.

They confiscated close to 300 marijuana plants, four grocery-style bags of dried herb, growing equipment and several firearms.

Charges of production and possession of a controlled substance are pending against the couple…

This dangerous 65-year old drug producer had a government exemption for 60 plants, but was growing 300. But the light he was using to grow the plants was too weak for them to have grown full size. This was intentional: “I thought we’d go with the smaller plants because you don’t have the pain in the neck and you don’t have to trim all those dinky ass buds”

Shocking. But not as shocking as the condition of his wife, for whom he was growing the weed:

A decade-long battle with two herniated discs and a spur-ridden vertebrae in her lower back and neck have left Jayne slightly hunched over.

The spurs are an endless catalyst for pain, Jayne said, as they pinch nerves and send waves of unease throughout her body.

“It’s like somebody is ripping my skin off,� she said wincing at the thought of it, holding the back of her neck with a cupped left hand.

And in addition to making sure that this woman is unable to sip a little weed once a day, the RCMP also engaged in some of the cop-media bullshitting that our national police force is becoming so well known for:

“It [the grow op] was getting ready for a significant expansion, according to RCMP.”

snip

“This was the expansion they were talking about,� Bert said pointing to a roughly four-foot by four-foot storage space.

Un-fucking-believable. When will the insanity end?

h/t: Hunter Shack

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