Later this weekend, I will respond to the guts of C-61, the government’s new copyright bill. But on the process of the thing, let me tell you this: Industry minister Jim Prentice unveiled the act in the foyer of the House of Commons on Thursday. Of course, he could have had a media conference in one of the two fully-equipped facilities there in Centre Block or across the street in the National Press Building. That would have cost the taxpayers nothing.
Instead, minister Prentice’s department cordoned off a section of the foyer, stuffed one end with Canadian flags duct-taped at the back so they plumped in the front, then brought in a media production company. They erected lights. They wired for sound. They installed mixers and a laptop editing facility, while providing camera operators, sound guys and, of course, a semi-truck load of equipment.
And while they were setting up, a camera crew from the CBC watched in amazement since they had every doohickey necessary to do the event already there – also at no more cost to taxpayers. The estimated tab for the ministerial shoot, which attracted a gaggle of reporters, is in the range of $50,000.
Just walking around money for a minister and a federal department, I know. But, man, you’d think the Jim Prentice Leadership Campaign could have paid for its own damn B-roll.
120 comments ↓
Garth,
If the CBC had done it, it would have cost taxpayer’s money…they don’t work for free, regardless…the taxpayers pay for it.
Now, you could have had your MPTv crew do it as well. LOL
Hey, Who got the contract? Another CRAP scandal perhaps?
Let’s label this one Hallscam, eh.
Jealousy is just not becoming.
You’re right. It will be his downfall, I fear. — Garth
Come on you jest Garth, you of anybody should know that $50,000 is pocketchange when sucking on the public tax teat. Money is no object to get the photo-op just right. After all how can you trust those MSM boys to say the right thing. Didn’t you know that all the media is left leaning?
Seriously, stupidity like this should come out of party pockets not mine!!!!
Today is tax freedom day. This is the day the majority start to make money for thmeselves after working for the last 5 1/2 months for various governments. I would like to ask all who comment on this blog, do you feel you get value for the money spent on various governments? If not how do we go about changing the system in this so called democracy?
Didn’t matter, though, did it? PP sucked the oxygen out of everything.
Garth:
How many sitting Conservative MPs do you suppose there will be when Prentice becomes Harper’s successor in the next two years?
My guess is just shy of 50.
Hey, GArth … perception is reality … like Dion and his Tax on Everything … LOL
Maybe the Liberal party should back their leader’s Green Plan and spend a bundle touting it on tv, radio, magazines, internet, billboards, bus graphics .. the full monty … after all, the fate of the Liberal party and it’s leader hang on a thread .. a Green Thread …!!!
I played a small part in working on a campaign for a guy who ran against Prentice in the last election and one thing we know about Jim, his MEDIA is his Message. He was very carefully managed and only attended certain campaign functions where he could control the outcome much like his boss Harpo.
This organized media event is TOTALLY in keeping with how he operates. Jim to me is a career politician with leadership aspirations. When Harpo fails to get his majority and the knives come out look for Jim and watch him working the Conservative/Reform room.
This technique of using the cutaway is common to hide zooms in documentary films: the visuals may cut away to B roll footage of what the person is talking …
I AM PISSED! Just got my 7th 10%er.
6 from James Lummy and one other.
Do they not realize that it is costing US? AND WE KNOW IT!
Do they think that we don’t care?
My local Neo-Con candidate IS NOT going to gain from this blatant waste of OUR money.
I told him so to his face.
Neo-Con jerks.
Garth,
I’ve heard a lot of good things about Jim Prentice. I like the fact that he is not afraid to act.
Still, I think the best thing he has going for him is that, he looks particularly competent in a extremely weak cabinet.
Does he speak french? Maybe he’ll be the next CPC leader.
Daryn
Bill C-61, the bill that makes every Canadian a criminal!
Look forward to your analysis and also would like to hear when the Liberals will repeal the Bill since you are probably not going to vote against it in sufficient numbers to defeat it, if the vote is in the next week and its a confidence motion (which I don’t know).
In fact, I’d like to see the Liberals post a list of all the bills that they’ve let pass and a timeline for after the election for when you will be repealing each piece of legislation.
Seriously, this bill is extremely dangerous when combined with ACTA. It seems that all the CDs that I own and am working at putting on my MP3 player will make me a criminal. Sure, Jimmy boy pats me patronizingly on the head and says no, no I’m protecting the consumers. Well, when you read the fine print it says that you can only transfer the CDs to your computer or your MP3 player if you can do it directly and not have to unlock them. Since every CD that’s produced by record labels has a lock on it, I am now a criminal subject to a fine of $500 each.
IF the Liberals let this one pass, then I want to know the exact wording of what your legislation will say on the day you are elected.
I paid for those CDs and now I want to listen to them on my MP3 player. To do so makes me a criminal under this legislation.
Will you, Garth, my Facebook friend, be there for me when they take me off to jail?
“And while they were setting up, a camera crew from the CBC watched in amazement since they had every doohickey necessary to do the event already there – also at no cost to taxpayers. ”
No cost to the taxpayer? righhhhhtttt. Garth, you do know that we, the taxpayers, fund the CBC.
Another 50,000 bucks out the window—ain`t that just wonderful!!!!
Do these guys have no common sense at all or do they really just think that this is found money that fell off of a tree somewhere.
Canadians are not an endless money pit—we have to earn this stuff by working our asses off–we scrimp & save just to get by from day to day while some bozo like Prentice just pisses it away.
I have had just about enough of this government–first they stole my hard earned savings with their so-called Tax fairness Plan that taxed income trust investors to the hilt—now CRAP like this.
My local hospital is about to close it`s Physiotherapy department because of a lack of funding–people go without medication because they cannot afford it—nearly a million children go to school each day without a decent breakfast.
Yet a guy like Prentice has $50,000 to blow.
Certainly is mind-numbing to say the least.
Hopefully , by the time this guy gets control of this party it will be of no consequence.
Peter McKay , I want my party back.
Dr Mike Popovich–former life-long Conservative.
For what t is worth (50K)it is now yesterdays news by what’s his name, just another Jim who likes to spend cash. Our children like a few other billion will download stuff until the cows come home….ipods are in until the next generation hits the markets.
When Mr. Harper promised in the election run up that his party would be different than those “thieving Liberals”, never did we expect a government that would fleece the taxpayers, break the rules, distort the truth, outright lie, hide and cover up the actions of some party members and a 24/7 campaign against the opposition.
Now I know the CPC supporters will bring up all the Liberal misdeeds to counter my post, or ignore it because it is truthful. If the benchmark for the Harper government’s actions are the misdeeds of the past of any party, then I suggest he shouldn’t have lied during the camapign about his party being transparent, honest, ethical and different. That in itself was the biggest lie of all.
William Dahl & Garth,
The CBC’s reputation for having a far left wing bias, hmmmm…..probably wouldn’t be considered an option to the Conservatives.
Bernier, Oda, these people over-spend by thousands of dollars upgrading their transportation, from mini-vans to limos and economy class flights to first class. Oda, it has been alleged; that she uses government limos for personal use.
If a Liberal government had done the same thing, Albertans and other Reformers would be protesting in the streets.
I agree with Garth, cheaper options were available to Prentice, he should have used them. Until the Conservatives start behaving like adults, they will be painted as poor at managing public money.
Daryn
Hey Liberals, why not investigate Paul Desmarais Jr ? Double standard?
The Liberals want Ottawa’s lobbyist watchdog to investigate Couillard for trying to influence government officials without registering as a lobbyist. Talk about a double standard. What about the unregistered lobbying activities of Paul Desmarais. Couillard wasn’t successful, whereas Desmarais was. Couillard didn’t inflict $35 billion in lost savings on Canadians saving for retirement, whereas Desmarais’ actions ultimately did.
Liberals: Please investigate the following lobbying of Paul Desmarais Jr. He is clearly not registered, since that fact is available on the website of the Registrar of Lobbyists:
Globe and Mail
November 2, 2006:
Income-trust crackdown: The inside story
High-profile directors and CEOs, meanwhile, had approached Mr. Flaherty personally to express their concerns: Many felt they were being pressed into trusts because of their duty to maximize shareholder value, despite their misgivings about the structure. Paul Desmarais Jr., the well-connected chairman of Power Corp. of Canada, even railed against trusts in a conversation with Prime Minister Stephen Harper during a trip to Mexico, and told him he should act quickly to stop the raft of conversions, according to sources.
Liberals want lobbyist watchdog to investigate Couillard
Elizabeth Thompson , Canwest News Service
Published: Friday, June 13, 2008
OTTAWA – Opposition MPs are calling for the federal government’s lobbyist watchdog to launch an investigation into whether Julie Couillard violated government regulations by trying to influence government officials without registering as a lobbyist.
Liberal Bob Rae and Bloc Quebecois MP Pierre Paquette both said they think Canada’s Registrar of Lobbyists should look into whether Couillard broke the rules when she reportedly tried to first influence Bernard Cote, a senior adviser to Public Works Minister Micha
Well – a new project. Let’s keep track and add up the press/advertising costs to Canadians for this constant show and tell that costing the “taxpayers” for Harper’s ongoing campaigning.
I’m sick of it. Sick of being treated like a fool – being manipulated and announcements like a push for new soap suds. Soap suds marketing on the taxpayer dime.
By the way, on Thursday I got another BS mailout from my Tory MP.
LMAO….. just another day on the hill! I think your inference is real Garth… when Herr Harper loses the next election the knives will be out so fast it will make people’s head spin. Prentice would present a more moderate face to the public… I’d still be worried about the obvious bigots and racists behind him.
A sampling from the many articles in the media on the Copyright Legislation:
The analysis is still ongoing on the new Copyright legislation, but initial review highlights problems on several fronts:
http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/3025/125/
Of particular interest to me are the clauses that would make it a criminal act to tamper with the digital locks. A person should not get into trouble for using an unlocked cellphone that allows communications while travelling internationally without being bound to the cellphone provider back home, through purchase of a local SIM card; it’s pretty much the norm in Europe and Asia. Currently such phones can be legally purchased in Canada through legitmate vendors. A consumer should not have to worry about a manufacturer infecting his or her computer with a hidden protective mechanism that invades privacy and opens a potential security breach for hackers. And as someone who was directly affected by Sony’s stealthy locking mechanism placed on certain of its CDs, I should not be punished for using virus-scanning software that has identified the software as a security risk to my PC and proceeds to remove it.
I am not against a company protecting its intellectual property, but I think there needs to be reasonable accommodation. When a person buys a CD and plays it in her beauty salon, she shouldn’t have to pay royalties for having done so: it’s not a discoteque, customers go there for a trim, not for the entertainment. If a person purchases a legitimate copy of music, he or she should be able to keep the original media as a master and make back-up copies to take in the car or to the beach where hot sun and sand may cause damage, or make a mixed CD of favourite tunes, or copy songs on his or her MP3 player to listen to while jogging. He or she should not have to worry about hefty fines and criminal charges because a couple of songs were used as background music on the DVD slideshow made of the kids / grandkids, or for the Christmas songs placed on a home video of a family gathering. While the legislation seems to say that’s okay, the digital locks render it meaningless.
The concurrent ACTA negotiations are also worrisome, with their border confiscations, are an issue. I use my MP3 player to listen to the radio, but I have music files on it that came with the product: how will border guards be able to distinguish those from the “illegal” ones? I have SD cards in my digital camera: how will I prove to border guards that I took the pictures on that card and that their not copyrighted images? There is nothing inherent about the file types that make it possible to distinguish between legally and illegally obtained versions. In such benefit-of-the-doubt situations, whose word is the final one? Will it be necessary to keep and carry all receipts for all media with you while travelling?
My understanding, too, about ACTA is that is that like regulations that went into NAFTA, it can be negotiated and implemented without passing through the Parliamentary approval process. Recall NAFTA included some nasty surprises like “proportional sharing” that guarantees the US a large percentage of Canadian petroleum production, even to our own detriment at times of need:
I had first-hand experience with the aforementioned Sony subterfuge through purchase of a legitimate CD that installed the rootkit operating-system-and-privacy security breach on my PC simpy by playing it while I worked, I support the above. Sony had no right to open up my PC to potential hackers and to silently gather information to report back to headquarters. The end result was a Class Action lawsuit filed against Sony wherein each affected purchaser was reimbursed with a “clean” version of the CD, software to remove the rootkit virus (it couldn’t even be removed by regular antivirus software), and a download of any 2 CDs from a selection in Sony’s catalog. The irony of that last bit was by virtue of its downloaded format, it was necessary to copy the music to a home-burned CD, and that format would put the owner in potential violation of the ACTA or DCMA restrictions.
Other Issues
DCMA has had some other offshoot issues eminating in the “sue, sue and sue some more” protective environment offered through litigation-chill. We may very well see the same type of protectionist shenanigans that one witnesses in the States that go well beyond the spirit of what such regulations should reasonably do.
For example, a copyrighted product usually becomes public domain 50 years after its initial release. In the case of music, record companies in the US are now bending those rules — particularly for the music written in the 60s and 70s that’s approaching its © expiry date yet is still exhibiting a tenacious longevity (the baby-boomer-bias in me speaking, but my peers, the considerable force that they are, are looking back nostalgically and keeping that music quite alive [not to mention a certain 12 year old I know whose tastes for classic rock exceed those for its contemporary counterparts; one day he'll like the jazz of the era too]). They do this by taking say an old Rolling Stones album, originally released in analogue format, digitize it, then claim that the digital-equivalent released on CD constitutes “new” work. Hence, they move the copyright date forward to say 2003 from its original 1967, giving it an extended lease on life, simply because it’s a digital remaster: same artist, same music, same lyrics, same recording date. Only the media differs. The same thing is happening with books, where a copyright symbol appears adjacent to the latest publishing date. A change of format, from hardcover to trade paperback, or even some special or commemorative edition released concurrent to the release of a movie based on the book, do not constitute a new work of authorship.
This type of mindset is just an extension of that which gives rise to things such as pharmaceutical companies patenting DNA sequences (imagine, you could theoretically owe royalties to those companies by carrying the sequence in your body without permission). And you can’t nowadays even reference “Lucy Maud Montgomery™” in a published piece of work without permission (it’s owned by the Province of PEI, I believe).
… Moving along, we find Apple being recently granted a trademark [which unlike copyright, has no expiry date] on the rectangular box shape used to represent its IPOD (as though that shape does not look like every other MP3 player on the market):
http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/05/apple-trademark.html
http://marketdrivengrowth.blogspot.com/
… And T-Mobile laying claim to the colour pink:
http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/04/deutshe-telekom.html
Now if one considers how technology is in a constant state of flux — first VHS, then VCD, then DVD, then HD-DVD / BluRay, then … — one can see that a company could continually shift the copyright date for the same piece of work, extending protection in perpetuity. Obsolescence of technology occurs at a faster rate than 50-year public domain rules.
every doohickey necessary to do the event already there – also at no cost to taxpayers ~ Garth
So those ‘doohickeys’ and the CBC work for free? No cost to the tax payers? When did that happen?
Were is MPTV?
Leasa
No cost to the taxpayer? righhhhhtttt. Garth, you do know that we, the taxpayers, fund the CBC.
By Catherine on 06.14.08 4:36 am
So those ‘doohickeys’ and the CBC work for free? No cost to the tax payers? When did that happen?
Were is MPTV?
Leasa
By Leasa on 06.14.08 7:40 am
Well, in that case why pay twice if it’s already covered by taxpayers – this is double-dipping.
slg (otherwise known as slug by CPC trolls who thinks it’s oh so clever to call me slug – impressive isn’t it).
Speaking of the nic-name slug – I was called “Slugger” as a kid – I was a good softball player and could “slug” the ball really well…..
If not how do we go about changing the system in this so called democracy?
By Marc on 06.13.08 10:30 pm
Here is the plan…Independents only
1. Each Province and/or Territory is allotted one member of parliament based on their percentage of the population of Canada. For example if Alberta has say 18 % of the population, they get 18 seats. (There will be possibly a few more than 100 seats to accommodate those provinces who have .5 % or more or who might have less than 1% of the population)
Each Province or Territory must have at least one seat.
2. Within each Provincial caucus, the members slated to be in the cabinet will be voted in by the elected members.
3. Each Province and Territory will have one member in Cabinet, the four largest Provinces in population two. (Total 16 members)
4. The Prime Minister will be elected by the 16 members of Cabinet and approved by the Parliament as a whole.
5. Funding for elections will be provided by the federal government and will be limited to the minimal amount necessary. (the amount to be determined by Elections Canada)
No individual or corporate donations will be accepted, the penalty for accepting them will be dismissal from Parliament and a by election will be held in that riding within 60 days.
6. Recall from cabinet can be effected by a vote of 75% of Parliament.
7. Recall from Parliament can be effected by a 60% participation in the form of a petition of the MPs riding.
Maybe the Liberal party should back their leader’s Green Plan and spend a bundle touting it on tv, radio, magazines, internet, billboards, bus graphics .. the full monty … after all, the fate of the Liberal party and it’s leader hang on a thread .. a Green Thread …!!!
By Harry S on 06.13.08 10:47 pm
Can you imagine Harper in the next campaign telling folks he is going to stand up for Canada and all the giggling that will go on….
Maybe he will try to fool folks again with his honesty pitch…that will have them rolling on the floor!
Off topic
Has anyone else read the article in National Newswatch on using bacteria to make oil? Or the article in the National Post on the car in India that runs on water (not a fuel cell)?
My gut feeling has always been that in 20 years oil will drop below 70 dollars a barrel perminantly thus making tar sands oil obsolite. Now after reading these and several other articles I change my guess to 10 years and hold the option on 5 years because it is obvious that the world is set on replacing oil and nothing can stop the incredable change to life as we knew it.
Only two questions remain. Is Canada going to be a leader and reap the benefits of research and development? Is Alberta prepared to pay the clean up costs for the oilsands when the big companies walk away in the forseeable future?
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/story.html?id=e1a44ba2-3bb8-472e-a60b-c38e247f1049
Things like this happen when you provide sanctuary for the Taliban & Bin Laden and his boys….
I wonder what the AG Shiela Fraser will have to say about value for money regarding the two press centres not being used, and the Government wasting our money just so they can control the message?
For you Cons. this is a rethorical question. So much for being fiscally Conservative and good stewards of the taxpayer dollar.
As for bill C-61, I hope PMSH and Jim P. have blacked out the name of the authors… George W…. it sounds as though its another suck up to the administration to the south.
Maybe some form of copyright legislation is needed in the digital age, but hopefully, Mr. Dion will pull the plug and this piece of CRAP legislation will die on the order table.
For those of you who are complaining that the CBC is paid by the taxpayer you are missing the point – they were onsite, on the job and if available they had the equipment. They had already been paid for the day. Nothing extra was coming out of our pockets.
So if the Reform party wants to hire it’s own media and put their spin on it then they should be paying for it out of their own coffers. If I were a donor to a party I don’t think I would be amused by such an expenditure.
“He never realized he left the documents there until she sent them back,” the source said.”He doesn’t remember forgetting them, that’s the question,” one source said. “He doesn’t know if he forgot them or if it’s her who would have taken them. That’s why he doesn’t want to say anything and he’s waiting for the review to do its work.
The source spin doctors at work.Nice try.
“http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080614.BERNIERDOCUMENTS14/TPStory/TPNational/Politics/
Isn’t that the whole point.And who is this source?
It seems to me the media,generally,is going after Ms.Couillard.They often refer to Bernier as single or a batchelor.Legally he is a divorced father of two children.
I’m more interested in knowing what the buisness issue was all about when according to Ms.Couillard, Bernier wanted only a one year relationship.Next thing they’ll be asking us to believe is she was responsible for the big prison breakout in Kandahar yesterday.
Garth your post from yesterday on PP was kind compared to this editorial in todays Chronicle Herald.
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Opinion/1062032.html
Question for you.
A former Liberal MP once told me that in Newfoundland when they perogued the House the members got a double salary for that year.Does the same thing happen if the House is perogued in Ottawa?
Catherine:
Would it be smart to go out and buy a new can opener for use in the dining room when you already have 2 in the kitchen drawer?
Perhaps Garth should have said “at no additional cost to the taxpayer…sheesh, y’all know what he meant. Grow up.
Trying again to buy vyes by looking all impressive and republican. Besides the waste of money, really so what the message falls flat as most Canadians just don’t care. This plays well with hard core Cons and thats it, it dos nothing to reach the 67 percent of other Canadians that didn’t vote for them.
To A.R. Wainwright — What I do with this junk is write a note on it reminding them that Harpers lies cost me $8500. in lost income trust investment & I will never vote for them. Then I suggest they pay for their own junk mail not the taxpayer & mail it back to them.
For you Cons. this is a rethorical question. So much for being fiscally Conservative and good stewards of the taxpayer dollar.
By James- Chatham on 06.14.08 8:32 am
Remember that Harper is not a fiscal conservative and his coalition never promised to include fiscal conservatives. He is an economic conservative which is something quite different and is defined as “a political position favoring state action that enhances the ability of capitalists to make maximum profit from their economic activities.”
Many people seem to inaccurately equate economic and fiscal conservatism. Fiscal conservatism involves achieving a balance between taxation and government spending. The Bush Administration is a of economic conservatism as opposed to fiscal conservatism.
By don m on 06.14.08 9:04 am
The income trust fiasco keeps coming back over and again and you have every right to vote against Harper. What my question is what will the Liberals do if they achieve power? Get Garth to clarify if it will be brought back as it was or exactly what they will do. If he needs support, the Calgary oil patch will give him gobs of money to promote it if he will take up the cause. They want it back so bad they can taste it.
So, the CBC bias prevented Prentice from using their on-site facilities?
What was he afraid of?That the cameraman would zoom in on a zit or something.
From what I heard of his responses he had very little in the way of detail on how this new proposal would be monitored/enforced. He fumbled a lot.
I think he would have preferred the zit shot.
Good news this morning to cheer my Canadian heart. No, it’s not another photo op for Steve and his band of merry neoCons:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080614.macgregor14/BNStory/National/
And on his own dime! No empty rhetoric here, just action where it counts.
For what t is worth (50K)it is now yesterdays news by what’s his name, just another Jim who likes to spend cash. Our children like a few other billion will download stuff until the cows come home….ipods are in until the next generation hits the markets.
By David Bakody on 06.14.08 5:29 am
So you are teaching your kids to steal. What a great role model your are. Not!
Hey Liberals, why not investigate Paul Desmarais Jr ? Double standard?
The Liberals want Ottawa’s lobbyist watchdog to investigate Couillard for trying to influence government officials without registering as a lobbyist. Talk about a double standard. What about the unregistered lobbying activities of Paul Desmarais. Couillard wasn’t successful, whereas Desmarais was. Couillard didn’t inflict $35 billion in lost savings on Canadians saving for retirement, whereas Desmarais’ actions ultimately did.
Liberals: Please investigate the following lobbying of Paul Desmarais Jr. He is clearly not registered, since that fact is available on the website of the Registrar of Lobbyists:
By Brent Fullard on 06.14.08 6:44 am
And guess which Liberal is well connected to Power Corp and Desmarais? Why it’s Bob Rae (through his brother John Rae – a life long Liberal).
By TS on 06.14.08 7:02 am
LMAO….. just another day on the hill! I think your inference is real Garth… when Herr Harper loses the next election the knives will be out so fast it will make people’s head spin. Prentice would present a more moderate face to the public… I’d still be worried about the obvious bigots and racists behind him.
…………………………………
Keep on L-ing through your A until it falls O, you leftist, nazifying pos .. because come the next election, Canadians will most certainly elect a majority Harper Conservative government to ensure that your Liberal taxation crooks don’t get their hands on the public treasury and are denied the power to impose more taxes on everything..!!!
Isn’t that the whole point.And who is this source?
It seems to me the media,generally,is going after Ms.Couillard.
By Ted Browne on 06.14.08 8:49 am
One point is definately Bernier’s incompetence. The other point involves the judgement of the Prime Minister in not only protecting Bernier for long when it was clear that Bernier was not up to the job but also in the Prime Minister’s problem in understanding that the private relationships of influential people are not by definition irrelevant to their positions.
The Couillard issue is important in that it underlies the potential hazards of the kind of attitude exhibited by the Prime Minister and the Conservative in general.
It is evident that many in the Ottawa media ignore the kind of private lobbying that takes place with a nudge-nudge-wink-wink attitude. It is evident that certain MPs have gained their positions largely with the support of special interests. I believe it was Sheila Copps that said that some Liberal Cabinet ministers acted like lobbyists for specific interests.
Every time Harper selects a private sector policy advisory group he is giving certain interests special influence over public policy (e.g. The members of the North American Competitiveness Council, the Manley Commission, etc.) In most cases, the members of these committees have conflicts of interest as lobbyists for or executive of major corporations.
This underlines my point about economic conservatism. The purpose behind these appointments is to enhance “the ability of capitalists to make maximum profit from their economic activities.”
What happens in practice is that the government ends up setting priorities as to which economic activities will be allowed to maximize profits. In the end it results in crony capitalism in which a hierarchy of economic interests develops (e.g. large food importers gain precedence over small domestic producers.) With this particular government private sector energy producers have priority over other forms of production because of the government policy to make Canada an energy superpower.
Hey – why are you keeping quiet on the environment. Cat got your tongue?
Anyone sent their cheque into the Liberal Party of Canada, yet? Douglas Ferguson, your national president, is looking for you!
By James- Chatham on 06.14.08 8:32 am
By C. B. Innes on 06.14.08 9:05 am
…………………………………
Oh .. don’t you morons know what Harper is doing “fiscally” or “economically”?
He’s awash in tax surplus, so he just out-Liberalizing the Liberals by bribing greedy, left-leaning Canadians with their own money … just like Chretien and Martin did, except that Harper is delivering on his promises while Liberals just made promises and then reneged on them. Doofus Canadians didn’t mind Liberal lies because they were besotted with their Canadian-like-me Liberals … until the Sponsorship criminality and that bent(but not break) the last straw. Imagine, 30% of doofus Canadians still don’t mine being lied to and kicked in the teeth by their beloved Liberal crooks … and even re-taxed on everything …!!!!
Harper will continue to spend, spend, spend to win over doofus Canadians, and then when he has his majority government you won’t recognize Canada within 2 years. The only thing that can stop Harper is the unelected Liberal-controlled Senate … and then the fireworks will start …!!!
Meanwhile you neoDeviate Dippers who infest this forum, and the few rich retirees gored on ITs, can keep on caterwauling to no avail … Canada is going Harper Conservative and you know it … because Dion is not a palatable choice with his Tax on Everything …LOL
slg (otherwise known as slug by CPC trolls who thinks it’s oh so clever to call me slug – impressive isn’t it).
Speaking of the nic-name slug – I was called “Slugger” as a kid – I was a good softball player and could “slug” the ball really well…..
By slg on 06.14.08 7:53 am
I will stop calling you “slug” when you start your childish name calling when speaking about our Prime Minister of Canada. I think it is only fair. You choose to name call and smear and therefore you will receive the very same treatment. Fair?
To A.R. Wainwright — What I do with this junk is write a note on it reminding them that Harpers lies cost me $8500. in lost income trust investment & I will never vote for them. Then I suggest they pay for their own junk mail not the taxpayer & mail it back to them.
By don m on 06.14.08 9:04 am
So Don, will Stephane Dion reverse the income trust decision? You may want to that of your next Liberal candidate!
The estimated tab for the ministerial shoot, which attracted a gaggle of reporters, is in the range of $50,000.
According to who?
I’m always amazed at how credulous people can be. Source your number, Garth, I think it’s ridiculous.
I have a background in TV production. And you? — Garth
Harry S(06.14.08 10:05 am),
Poor Harry. You sound terrified that Canadians are going to wake-up to the new Conservatives agenda. In fact, you appear terribly confused and angry this morning.
I have a background in TV production. And you? — Garth
I have a bit of common sense and a healthy level of skepticism about people who throw around ridiculous numbers.
And guess which Liberal is well connected to Power Corp and Desmarais? Why it’s Bob Rae (through his brother John Rae – a life long Liberal).
By Catherine on 06.14.08 9:50 am
And there’s more.
John Rae was the leading strategist for Jean Chretien’s election campaign. He was formerly the Executive vice-president of Power Corp. He is the brother of Bob Rae, the former NDP premier of Ontario
Jean Chretien’s daughter France is married to Andre Desmarais, the son of Paul Desmarais, of Power Corporation. Andre is on the board of multinational communications conglomerate Vivendi.
Garth.I asked if MP’s get a double salary when the House is perogued?If you would be so kind.
Yes or No?
The topic of Garths piece is simple and begs to ask the question: Why blow $50 grand worth of the tax payers money when it wasn’t needed?
Answers: (its never just one answer is it?) Because the Harper party is wasteful, and because the Harper party wants to control the message and thats exactly what they did. Control. By hosting their own conference, the Harper party kept reporters not of their choosing and therefore, kept undesirable Q & A and journalist’s stories away from the media not desired. (I’m assuming this now, so) Had the press release been held in the center block and Press release building across the street, the Harper party would have lost more control over the message.
Why is it so important for the Harper party to waste $50 grand worth of our money on message control? Dube answers it best. The copyright bill is fundamentally flawed. Thats right, more stinker policies from the Harper party. (that, and PP’s mouth the other day likely bred a newer version of MP muzzles given out by Harper party hacks and this is Harper’s best way of controlling it)
Just another of an incredibly long list of a complete lack of transparency.
Thanks for the heads up on the upcoming copyright bill, Dube. From everything that you’ve posted, the bill needs to be voted down or go through major fundamental changes. Thanks again!
Then I suggest they pay for their own junk mail not the taxpayer & mail it back to them.
By don m on 06.14.08 9:04 am
So you put a stamp on the 10% when you mail it back so it is no cost to the taxpayer due to the postage paid when mailing to a M.P.?
Soooo Garth … this Wednesday is going to be the big day when Dion reveals his much awaited-for Green Shift Plan.
Will it be a tax on GHG emitters who actually generate the CO2, like the oil sands and Nanticoke .. or will it be a “HydroCarbon Tax” on oil and gas coming out of the ground but not yet converted into a GHG …??!!!
Will the Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland oil & gas producers be spared Dion’s Carbon Tax … or will it be a blatant NEP-style tax grab on everything …???!!!!!
Keep on L-ing through your A until it falls O, you leftist, nazifying pos .. because come the next election, Canadians will most certainly elect a majority Harper Conservative government to ensure that your Liberal taxation crooks don’t get their hands on the public treasury and are denied the power to impose more taxes on everything..!!!
By Harry S on 06.14.08 9:53 am
Thought you had verbotten all references to Nazi’s etc ?
This asshole is continuously referencing the Third Reich .
Why the double standard ?
Is he special ?
I am very glad that Prentice finally delivered C-61. It’s unlikely to pass regardless of what the opposition does, but it means we’re finally going to get a coherent Liberal position on the subject. Right?
I have a background in TV production. And you? — Garth
By Lawrence on 06.14.08 10:32 am
A background in cartoon production .
And it’s about time.
The Quebec government has introduced a bill to prevent big companies from filing anti- SLAPP law suits to prevent the general public from being bled dry with costs to take on these companies concerning environmental and other issues.
Almost similar to what the Con-Reform is doing in Ottawa to shut the Liberals up over Cadman.Almost similar to what Mulroney did to Robert Thibault.No that’s very similar.
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=b1b092c8-4b5b-418d-a23b-21166d0dd4ad
catherine,yes i have sent three, one to my candidate in Nunavut, Dion’s campaign and to Garth Turner’s for a total of $400.00,
Meanwhile you neoDeviate Dippers who infest this forum, and the few rich retirees gored on ITs, can keep on caterwauling to no avail … Canada is going Harper Conservative and you know it … because Dion is not a palatable choice with his Tax on Everything …LOL
By Harry S on 06.14.08 10:05 am
LMAO….
I can hardly write I am laughing so hard, I suppose you really believe this crap you write…well Harry, get a load of this…people now are very aware that the leader calls all the shots now thanks to Harper…so they are going to ask themselves, do I want a leader that is going to let me keep more of my income than I am going to have to spend on a carbon tax or do I want a leader who has already proven himself to be a liar, has embarassed Canada by trying to interfere in the U.S election, has embarrassed Canada by appointing a foreign minister who was uniquely unqualified for the job so Harper could score points in Quebec. Now that Harper has made it clear that the party leader calls the shots, he has excused Dion from any culpability on any file, for if the leader calls all the shots, he was carrying out the leader’s instruction just like all the bobble heads in the CPC. So the question basically for people will be, do we want a proven liar as PM, or do we take a chance on Dion being an honest man….that being said, you are dead in the water Harry because Harper has convicted himself on his very words. “we will be different, accountable, ethical & honest and the public now knows is was all a lie…that is why Harper can’t move up in the polls….done like dinner!
You better move over into the Independent movement Harry!
Garth.I asked if MP’s get a double salary when the House is perogued?If you would be so kind.
Yes or No?
By Ted Browne on 06.14.08 11:05 am
Yea, and a thousand dollar a day per diem .
New Copyright Law…yeah, well just try and enforce it you Conservative jerks! Teenagers with iPods, movies from Torrent…the list is so long that it would take an army of enforcement agents to collect any monies.
Prentice is another of the clowns…spends taxpayer’s money like it is water…speaking of water that’s becoming a precious commodity. Guess which party wants to privatize ownership of taxpayer’s water? Did you say Conservative? Reward that person a Kewpie doll!
Hoping there’s an election in the fall, so this Conservative party rooted in Reformers, who believe that mankind walked amongst dinosaurs, will be voted out of office!
By Marc on 06.13.08 10:30 pm
“I would like to ask all who comment on this blog, do you feel you get value for the money spent on various governments? If not how do we go about changing the system in this so called democracy?” – Marc
An excellent question, Marc. Municipally, I do believe most people paying municipal taxes get bang for their buck. Some don’t naturally, there are always those who act within their own self interests and it takes talent to do the job as it does with any government big or small and voters tend to get caught up in voting for personality over character sometimes (so the accountability in a democracy reaches us all) but in the main, I think the large majority of municipalities are doing their job. Can they do better? Absolutely!
Whether we know it or not, infrastructure is largely dependent on Municipalities. Good city planners are somewhat priceless with this in mind as good planners must think decades ahead of everyone else and if they do, what is realized is that transportation infrastructure must accomodate both growth and energy efficiency and if it does not, future development ends up as the inefficient sprawls we see happening today. Debt is also a big issue, but this post will become too long as it is.
The provinces… some are doing better than others and leaders, never mind their supporters, keep coming to mind as to why that is.
Often, new governments become too complacent with the system governments they’ve inherited and by that, I mean budget transparency. Taxpayers don’t expect every expense to be itemized, but they do expect expenses to be justified and the transparency, say in health costs as a good example, simply aren’t there. The reason is seen as easily as federal budgets are seen in transfer costs without the provinces having to “prove up” spending. T
he risk with costs in healthcare not being transparent or open enough for example creates two problems. The first is that voters, journalists and other policy makers can’t see where savings or waste is occuring. The second is that expenses justify future budgets and no govy wants their budgets to shrink when it comes to free money from the feds, so… things have to change tremendously on the provincial level in terms of the provinces being accountable for their spending.
And it hasn’t been mentioned, but FN’s should be treated moreso as municipalities are in relation to their royalty/property rights and with respect to their governments not so much so in structure, but by the rest of the citizens of Canada. With treaty negotiations, FN’s need seed money to develop what we take for granted and when one looks at the Harper parties platform, in this respect, its shameful. In essence, municipalites… thats a similar model to what FN’s chiefs and band councils are as there are many similarities concerning how bands/reserves and municipalities run themselves. Nevertheless, Phil Fontaine has his work to do in ensuring that models similar if not identical to municipalities are implimented but its a two way street. Help from the Harper party to solve native issues simply are not there.
And finally, the Feds. For all democracies to work, the feds must be accountable for their own spending and thats not transparent like it should be. Sadly, with the Harper government, its gotten worse. FOI has taken major blows. Budgets are not given to the public in any major detail and this is major cause for concern as the lawmakers of this nation do much more than pass bills. MP’s make day to day choices in constituencies and implement policies in ministerial positions, as well as sit on committees and I believe this is where Harpers government fails most as the agenda was already predecided before committee findings are heard. Over and over, we see evidence of this. And their introduced bills leave much to be desired as Dube for example explains with the latest copyright bill introduced by Prentice.
But its more than this. Its the Harper parties personal conduct, the way they percieve themselves as above this nations laws personally and as a party. Just as an offered example do we want an MP like Pierre running native affairs? (and some wonder why the Phil Fontaines of the world are angry with this government) Do we believe that someone with these kinds of values is willing to fight for equality within minorities in general?
We ask why womens rights are worth protecting for example, when it wasn’t so long ago that they weren’t allowed to vote. Wage disparency? A matter of record and in some professions, still exists, sadly. Same goes with access to affordable daycare, also a female issue more than it is male.
Ah, I’m going on here, getting carried away with the failings of this government, but the big point I’m trying to make at least federally, is that the current government we have now has an agenda that has made house committee’s in effect, a waste of time as Harpers intentions were unwaivering in spite of facts that become uncovered in committees that oppose his agenda. Too americanized, too pro corporate, too monopoly U.S. multinational pro corporate, I might add. CBI spells it out. No openness. No real debate or meaningful discussions, its just not there.
So what needs to be done? Opposition parties need to reveal themselves as a government waiting in the wings, with an agenda of their own and the one I believe most Canadians want to see is the opposite of what we’ve had for the last 2.5 years. WE WANT TO SEE OPENESS AND TRANSPARENCY from the way money is spent, the allocation of resources, to the way decisions are made in this nation. We want to see openness and transparency on all levels but most specifically, its top down, and begins with the feds for the feds are the lawmakers that govern the laws everyone has to follow and Garths piece is just another dot to connect as to why that is.
By the way, I also received my 7th piece of toilet wipe that taxpayers fund, from the Conservative MP that was elected in my riding! I trust that MP is enjoying his SHORT stay in Ottawa and his ability to dip into taxpayer’s funds! For a party that believes in less government, about all they’re managing to do is overspend.
Tax “Freedom Day ” is a sick,pernicious,incoherent concept created by and Foisted onto Canadians by the Can’t- think -tank Fraser Institute .
Any one who believes this myth is naive in the extreme .
http://tinyurl.com/73nxj
Since we’re short on facts on aboriginal affairs, out of breath on PP, and waiting for another shoe to drop in Couillard, anyone interested in the fact that the Competition Bureau has finally found some evidence of gasoline price fixing?
Lucky that it seems to have happened only in four minor cities in one province, and only at the local retailer level. People might get upset if they thought the Great God Marketplace could be – and is – manipulated for fun and profit.
By C. B. Innes on 06.14.08 9:05 am
I stand corrected.
Harper never told anyone whether he would be fiscally conservative. He did however, critise the Liberals in a manner that would lead one to assume that a fiscal conservative is what he would be.
Yes, assume is the correct word, because on this issue, Harper has made an ASS out of U and ME and the rest of Canada.
You’re fussing over $50,000.
What about $1B HRDC, $1B gun registry, $40M stolen in adscam?
Garthy, the libs are still the reigning champs at corruption, mismanagement, and waste. Not to worry, Garth, their record will be safe for some generations to come.
So, this is okay with you? — Garth
Can’t wait for June 20 when the Conservatives main man in Washington–the bid daddy Republican John McCain comes a-callling. Or should I saw he requested an invitation to address the Economic Club.
Think he’ll tout the wonders of Free Trade and diss Obama? Think he tout the wonders of Harper and his Americanization plans?
Do you think the Con adulators will dare attend???
Catherine: I was happy to send my contribution to the Liberal Party of Canada and to the Member from Halton.
The impetus was smirking Jim, empathy-lacking Steve and “just plain nuts Pierre”.
Garth.I asked if MP’s get a double salary when the House is perogued?If you would be so kind.
Yes or No?
By Ted Browne on 06.14.08 11:05 am
Yea, and a thousand dollar a day per diem .
By Men With Hats on 06.14.08 12:13 pm
My question was to Garth.Are you his spokesperson?
It was a simple question.
Here’s the way I heard it.When the house is adjourned this doesn,t apply.It applies only when the word “Perogued” is used.The MP, now a Senator, gave me this info way back when it was happening in the Newfoundland Legislature.All I wanted to know is does it also apply in federal politics..
No. MPs have an annual salary payable in equal monthly installments from the time of election until defeat. — Garth
Will the Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland oil & gas producers be spared Dion’s Carbon Tax … or will it be a blatant NEP-style tax grab on everything …???!!!!!
By Harry S on 06.14.08 11:19 am
No Harry, they are going to give all us good folks a real tax break and gouge the hell out of suckers like you!
Thought you had verbotten all references to Nazi’s etc ?
This asshole is continuously referencing the Third Reich .
Why the double standard ?
Is he special ?
By Men With Hats on 06.14.08 11:25 am
Not special, just your ordinary CPC supporter, don’t they all feel the same way? Seems so lately!
Just reading some stuff of Canadian prime ministers and this perked my interest – you know, dull people, dogs, etc…..
He was a dry speaker, an uninspiring parliamentarian, an ordinary-looking man. His closest friend was his dog. He revered his mother. When his diaries were published, years after his death, it turned out that William Lyon Mackenzie King was a more intriguing man than Canadians had known. He was also, in the opinion of many historians, Canada’s greatest prime minister.
So Dion and Kyoto – don’t worry.
Garthy, the libs are still the reigning champs at corruption, mismanagement, and waste. Not to worry, Garth, their record will be safe for some generations to come.
By Janice on 06.14.08 1:35 pm
I knew that was the standard the CPC were trying to achieve, they have done all that and more…they carry the mean spirit…LMAO…
The one fact most of you are missing on the CPC side is that the majority of Canadians are interested in the environment and their children and grandchildren….that will translate into votes ABC….
Oh by the way, Dion was not the party leader when all those events you mentioned took place…it would be like blaming Chuck Stahl for Naftagate, Bernier etc….when we all know it was Harper….Fact: Harper is a liar…Dion yet to be tested….Harper is dishonest….Dion yet to be tested….
You really expect people to vote for a proven liar and dishonest PM…..
Think again!
I think the biggest issue with regard to this copyright law is citizen privacy.
No. MPs have an annual salary payable in equal monthly installments from the time of election until defeat. — Garth
Thank You.
Garth.I asked if MP’s get a double salary when the House is perogued?If you would be so kind.
Yes or No?
By Ted Browne on 06.14.08 11:05 am
Yea, and a thousand dollar a day per diem .
By Men With Hats on 06.14.08 12:13 pm
My question was to Garth.Are you his spokesperson?
It was a simple question.
Yea, and you could have found the answer yourself,in two minutes, instead of wasting time and bandwidth .
Prorogue : Adjourn Parliament . Discontinue session when your team has run out of ideas,is knee deep in scandals and has no idea on how to continue bull shitting the electorate .
See also “Harpo’s Game”
Not special, just your ordinary CPC supporter, don’t they all feel the same way? Seems so lately!
By jwp on 06.14.08 2:03 pm
Brain damaged ?
So, this is okay with you? — Garth
Garth, come on..you’ve been in the game long enough to know that $50K for governments isn’t worth the effort to even say ‘fifty-thousand dollars’.
I know of one government in power now provincially that has spent about $200K and counting just so they don’t have to say ‘we’re sorry’ and ‘we’ll make it right’. Governments will spend millions just to save themselves from embarrassment over a few hundred K. It’s what they do. They can hardly ever say ‘yes, we did wrong, and we are responsible’. They will do what ever it takes to avoid that, because admitting mistakes can cost votes.
$50K…pfffft…ain’t nothin. And…it matters not one wit, if we are not ‘okay with that’. It matters little who’s in power. You KNOW Garth that if the LP were reelected, it would be only a matter of months and the people that pull the strings would be mired back into it up to their chins.
The real fallacy here is making people think that with an election anything will change. Hasn’t changed in decades.
Leasa
Thanks for clarifying that. You don’t care. — Garth
Part One — The Beginning . . .
****************************************
SIMPLE MATH
“To My Dear Wife,
“You will surely understand that I have certain needs that you, being 54 years old, can no longer satisfy.
“I am very happy with you and I value you as a good wife. Therefore, after reading this letter I hope you will not wrongly interpret the fact that I will be spending the evening with my 18 year old secretary at the Comfort Inn Hotel.
“Please don’t be upset, I shall be back before midnight.”
When the man came home late that night he found the following letter on the dining room table:
“To My Dear Husband,
“I received your letter and thank you for your honesty about my being 54 years old. I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that you are also 54 years old.
“As you know, I am a math teacher at our local college. I would like to inform you that while you read this, I will be at the Hotel Fiesta with Michael, one of my students, who is also the assistant tennis coach.
“He is young, virile, and like your secretary is 18 years old. As a successful businessman with an excellent knowledge of math you will understand that we are in the same situation, although with one small difference; 18 goes into 54 a lot more times than 54 goes into 18.
Therefore I will not be home until sometime tomorrow.”
The husband fainted.
****************************************
. . . do you feel you get value for the money spent on various governments? . . .
Marc, 10:30 pm
Good question, Marc and one that all honest politicians should ask their constituents from time to time.
My own POV is that, with both of us retired, having saved sufficiently to live reasonably well on a small income, yes, we do get good value for money.
Personally, I would have much preferred to see income tax rates lowered and, combined with a raise in the GST (one balances out the other, but lower income taxes would have put more after-tax income in our pockets), there would have been extra for us to either save or spend.
****************************************
In The Okanagan Saturday today, a report from CP in a lower right hand page, under the heading “Expert admits checking Harper-Cadman tape”.
The person named was Stevan Pausak, one of Canada’s top audio experts, but won’t say who hired him (hmmmm — why?).
“He also refused to discuss when he did the work, saying only that it was ‘a long time ago’.
“Pausak, an experienced forensic scientist who holds a doctorate from MIT, declined all further comments . . .
Further,
“The revelation adds a mysterious plot twist to the already murky and convoluted story of the Cadman affair and its controversial tape.
“The Tories have not questioned the accuracy of that key quote (re: financial considerations).
“However, the PMO — citing the analysis of two top audio experts that the Conservative party hired, neither of them Pausak — alleges the tape was tampered with to make it seem like Harper was talking about an insurance policy when he was actually talking about election expenses.”
So — CRAP hired “two top experts”, neither of which was Pausak; both said the tape WAS tampered with but Pausak hasn’t, and clearly, the “two experts” will speak in favor of harpo and CRAP. Question: Who hired Pausak and what are his results?
If Pausak is ever forced to testify, it may well be one more nail in harpo’s coffin.
****************************************
Re: the Irish vote yesterday (voters said no, and scuppered what the EU wanted) — seems that it doesn’t matter who votes for what anymore.
http://tinyurl.com/5hn7xx
****************************************
Thanks for the posts and links, Dube.
Kind of what I said a few days back — Bills C-51, C-52 and C-61 blend together, with the feds. quietly hiring snoops, or ‘inspectors’ to look at what we’re doing, whether we like it — or know it — or not.
The UK already has a similar system in place, with all their above-ground cameras, eavesdropping techniques and general ‘quiet’ interference in people’s lives.
Most folk have now become so accustomed to this sort of lifestyle, they have inadvertently become sheeple.
That’s wot govts. want, isn’t it? Sheeple for citizens, eatinng grass and keeping quiet.
Yea, and you could have found the answer yourself,in two minutes, instead of wasting time and bandwidth .
By Men With Hats on 06.14.08 3:23 pm
My time to waste.Seems your pretty good at that and bandwidth yourself.Have a good one…
I will stop calling you “slug” when you start your childish name calling when speaking about our Prime Minister of Canada. I think it is only fair. You choose to name call and smear and therefore you will receive the very same treatment. Fair?
By Catherine on 06.14.08 10:15 am
Actually, Catty – call me anything you want if that’s what gives you your jollies – enjoy.
About calling Harper names – I haven’t done much of that, but you know, it’s tempting because there’s plenty I could call him.
LOL – the CPC trolls are getting extremely restless here – a sign of frustration because they can’t and/or won’t accept the failings of our PM…sad isn’t it.
The real fallacy here is making people think that with an election anything will change. Hasn’t changed in decades.
Leasa
Leasa – I think you’re starting to get it – Harper’s promise of accountability and transparancy and the ever so pure government is a hoax. Welcome to the club who realize it. Good for you.
Harry S, Catherine/Janice (same person?) et al
A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject.
- Winston Churchill
Harry S, Catherine/Janice (same person?) et al
…this one is so true – so very true:
Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.
I am compelled to make a correction here. I know “Billion Dollar Boondoggle” rolls off the tongue nicely and is an easy slogan to implant, a musical set-and-forget figure that one does not need to worry about being followed up upon later, as the new rolls on.
For those who don’t pay attention and follow through on the final accounting, I believe the decimal place needs to be moved over at least 5 decimal places to the right, to a value of 0.0085% of the initial gross estimates. In fact, while I can’t find the link, I thought I read somewhere that at last tally the outstanding figure owing was even smaller, less than $1000 or even $100 dollars. Not bad when considered within the grand scale of things, especially when compared to say a single media event.
In January 2000, an internal audit showed sloppy paperwork and poor accounting in a number of project files and when auditors extrapolated their findings to the 460 files to the entire program, the extrapolation yielded a potential figure of up to $1 billion. But forensic auditing is not the art of estimates, it is the science of the exact (where possible). So when the fine-toothed combs were pulled out during later audits, it was determined that problems only existed in a small number of files:
Certainly, $85000 is not chump change, at least not in my wallet, but “85000 Dollar Boondoggle” is just so thick under the tongue and unattractive that it doesn’t have staying power. Sort of like fussing over $50000, no?
Garth
I really have no sage words on Jim Prentice and the copyright bill except to say he’s probably the smartest and most moderate Minister in the Privy Council.
But there seems to be a blackout right now and all is quiet on the western front. I guess there will be a cabinet shuffle soon.
There was one curious thing, Doris, I mean, Stockwell delayed the RCMP Taser report. It was supposed to be quietly brought out on Friday but Stock wanted a meeting with the Commissioner.
The inquiry in BC has already determined that the multiple taser shocks contributed to Mr. Dziekanski’s death in Vancouver‘s International airport last fall.
Any thoughts?
To WILLIAM DAHL
THIS IS NOTHING THIS 50 GRAND COMPARRED TO THE 10%ERS MAIL OUTS NEVER MIND TH IN AND OUT HERE IS A LIST OF THE PLAYERS ON THAT
Riding Candidate Official Agent Listed
advertising
expenses
Transfer from
Conservative
Party
Percentage
of campaign
expenses
designated
for
advertising
British Columbia
1 Burnaby– Douglas George Drazenovic Gregory Z Drazenovic $ 19,999.80 $ 19,997.50 37.13%
2 Burnaby– New Westminster Marc Dalton Gary Spence $ 19,999.80 $ 19,999.80 27.45%
3 Cariboo— Prince George Dick Harris* Ken Brownridge $ 29,999.95 $ 29,999.95 35.78%
4 Esquimalt– Juan de Fuca Troy DeSouza Alan Winston Creech $ 9,999.15 $ 9,996.85 11.43%
5 Kelowna— Lake Country Ron Cannan* Michael Gilmore $ 14,999.97 $ 14,999.97 19.09%
6 Kootenay– Columbia Jim Abbott* Harvey E Venier $ 9,999.98 $ 9,999.98 13.04%
7 Nanaimo— Cowichan Norm Sowden Barry David James Snider $ 8,091.80 $ 8,086.90 9.59%
8 Okanagan– Coquihalla Stockwell Day* Neil Jamieson $ 9,999.98 $ 9,989.98 22.93%
9 Okanagan— Shuswap Colin Mayes* Barry L. Gordon $ 9,999.98 $ 9,989.98 13.17%
10 Prince George– Peace River Jay Hill* Cecil C Cranston $ 14,999.97 $ 14,999.97 25.77%
11 Vancouver East Elizabeth M. Pagtakhan Denny- Constantine Pagtakhan $ 29,999.70 $ 29,999.70 41.58%
12 Vancouver Kingsway Kanman Wong Edith Wong $ 29,999.70 $ 29,991.70 38.97%
Saskatchewan
13 Cypress Hills– Grasslands David Anderson* Alice Wall $ 3,295.60 $ 3,295.60 7.87%
14 Desnethé– Missinippi– Churchill River Jeremy Harrison Pike Dustin $ 3,595.20 $ 3,595.20 4.65%
Manitoba
15 Winnipeg Centre Helen Sterzer Leigh Coleman Taylor $ 10,833.75 $ 10,830.46 29.11%
Ontario
16 Algoma– Manitoulin– Kapuskasing Ian West Joyce Foster $ 19,999.73 $ 19,999.73 30.42%
17 Davenport Theresa Rodrigues Tabitha Fellman $ 49,999.88 $ 49,994.88 72.58%
18 Kitchener Centre Steven Cage Mike Howanyk $ 9,999.15 $ 9,994.15 14.96%
19 London– Fanshawe Dan Mailer David J Pallett $ 9,999.15 $ 9,999.15 15.91%
20 Parkdale- High Park Jurij Klufas Danylo J Klufas $ 9,999.98 $ 9,999.98 13.89%
21 Sarnia— Lambton Patricia Davidson* Joan McLay $ 12,149.85 $ 12,139.95 17.40%.22 Scarborough Centre Roxanne James Ava M Johnson $ 19,999.95 $ 19,989.95 30.60%
23 Thunder Bay– Rainy River David Leskowski Harvey Loewen $ 9,999.86 $ 9,989.86 20.97%
24 Timmins- James Bay Ken Graham Traci D McWhirter $ 9,999.15 $ 9,999.15 38.60%
25 Toronto Danforth Kren Clausen John Richardson $ 29,999.93 $ 29,989.93 93.34%
26 Trinity- Spadina Sam Goldstein Douglas K Lowry $ 49,999.88 $ 49,989.88 68.90%
27 Vaughan Richard Majkot Ted Majkot $ 19,999.95 $ 19,989.95 33.01%
28 Windsor West Al Teshuba Richard A Lloyd $ 19,999.37 $ 19,999.37 27.36%
29 York- South Weston Steve Halicki Barbro Soderberg $ 39,999.91 $ 39,999.91 64.22%
Quebec
30 Argenteuil— Papineau– Mirabel Suzanne Courville Maryse Allaire $ 30,705.88 $ 34,680.88 74.69%
31 Beauce Maxime Bernier* Aline Drouin $ 5,000.00 $ 5,000.00 6.30%
32 Beauport– Limoilou Sylvie Boucher* Heidy Cornejo $ 37,454.69 $ 43,174.69 81.35%
33 Bas- Richelieu– Nicolet– Bécancour Marie- Ève Hélie-
Lambert
Eric St- Pierre $ 24,641.34 $ 28,616.34 82.01%
34 Charlesbourg– Haute- Saint- Charles Daniel Petit* Henri Gagnon $ 37,454.69 $ 43,174.69 69.73%
35 Compton- Stanstead Gary Caldwell Réjean Fauteux $ 33,253.17 $ 37,238.17 74.17%
36 Drummond Jean- Marie Pineault Jean- Paul Désilets $ 41,422.89 $ 45,397.89 79.95%
37 Gatineau Patrick Robert Don W. Farley $ 44,573.55 $ 48,558.55 69.96%
38 Hull– Aylmer Gilles Poirier Don W Farley $ 44,573.55 $ 48,558.55 77.65%
30 Lac- Saint- Louis Andrea Paine Matthew Campbell $ 19,787.68 $ 23,762.68 26.00%
40 Laurentides– Labelle Jean- Serge
Beauregard
Maryse Allaire $ 30,705.88 $ 34,680.88 66.45%
41 Lévis— Bellechasse Steven Blaney* René Gagnon $ 24,641.34 $ 28,616.34 41.52%
42 Lotbinière– Chutes- de- la- Chaudière Jacques Gourde* Jean Lecours $ 24, 641.34 $ 28,611.34 53.60%
43 Louis- Hébert Luc Harvey* Marc Duval $ 37,454.69 $ 43,174.69 58.79%
44 Louis- Saint- Laurent Josée Verner* André D Laurin $ 9,363.67 $ 13,348.67 12.56%
45 Mégantic— L’Érable Christian Paradis* Manon Blanchette $ 20,000.00 $ 33,970.00 28.05%
46 Montmorency– Charlevoix Yves Laberge Henri Gagnon $ 24,641.34 $ 28,611.34 78.63%
47 Mount Royal Neil Martin Drabkin Emile Barakat $ 19,787.68 $23,762.68 47.18%
48 Notre- Dame- de- Grâce– Lachine Allen F. Mackenzie Jonathan Roy $ 19,787.68 $23,762.68 67.81%
49 Pierrefonds— Dollard Don Rae David Bernstein $ 19,787.68 $23,762.68 41.52%
50 Pontiac Lawrence Cannon* Marc Lafreniere $ 6,141.18 $ 10,126.18 8.51%
51 Portneuf– Jacques- Cartier Howard M. Bruce Anita Trépanier $ 37,454.69 $ 43,179.69 62.12%
52 Québec Frédérik Boisvert Jonathan Ovanésian $ 37,454.69 $ 43,174.69 53.31%
53 Richmond– Arthabaska Jean Landry Lise Vallières $ 26,039.15 $ 30,009.15 46.92%.54 Saint- Laurent– Cartierville Ishrat Alam Shahab Uddin $ 19,787.68 $ 34,507.68 31.23%
55 Shefford Jean Lambert Jean- Yves Picard $ 33,253.17 $ 37,228.17 62.84%
56 Sherbrooke Marc Nadeau Audrey Pinsonneault- Grenier $ 51,566.46 $ 55,631.46 70.49%
New Brunswick
57 Beauséjour Omer Leger Adrien Leger $ 15,034.48 $ 14,958.59 27.25%
58 Moncton– Riverview– Dieppe Charles Doucet Robert Cooling $ 7,484.29 $ 7,479.29 10.28%
Nova Scotia
59 Dartmouth– Cole Harbour Robert A. Campbell Gerry L Callaghan $ 3,947.07 $ 3,947.07 9.71%
60 Halifax Andrew House Robert JM Jeffery $ 4,736.48 $ 4,733.48 6.42%
61 Halifax West Rakesh Khosla Jim E Melvin $ 11,841.20 $ 11,841.20 25.59%
Prince Edward Island
62 Malpeque George Noble Leonard B Russell $ 7,902.49 $ 7,897.49 15.20%
Newfoundland and Labrador
63 Bonavista– Gander– Grand Falls- -
Windsor
Aaron Hynes Albert L O’Rielly $ 7,712.92 $ 7,712.92 11.35%
64 Humber– St. Barbe– Baie Verte Cyril Pelley, Jr. Brian Vincent $ 7,712.92 $ 7,712.92 18.95%
65 Labrador Joe Goudie Gordon A Barnes $ 2,097.20 $ 2,097.20 5.84%
66 Random– Burin– St. George’s Cynthia Downey Darren Roberts $ 7,712.92 $ 7,712.92 29.96%
Sources: Elections Canada, Political Financing, Audit and Corporate Services Branch, filed with the Federal Court of Canada, June 21, 2007
(Court file number T- 838- 07); and Elections Canada, Candidate’s Electoral Campaign Returns, 2006.
* Denotes Sitting MP
Now if I belived in AGW this would concern me:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/13/business/emit.php
China has now clearly overtaken the United States as the world’s leading emitter of climate-warming gases, a new study has found. The increasing emissions from China – up 8 percent in the past year – accounted for two-thirds of the growth in global greenhouse gas emissions in 2007, the study found.
Will Dion’s carbon tax be able to save the world or will China just keep sucking up all the money collected.
Gord.
This may be related to an earlier link, in which Sarkozy said with Brown that the Irish vote on the EU was going to be ignored anyway, whatever the outcome was.
All of them are REAL terrorists, as they accomplish everything while wearing smart suits, appearing to be smart and all-world knowing types; yet, they cause far greater trouble here than anywhere else.
These wanna-be “power-trippers”, at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., 10 Downing Street, 24 Sussex Drive, France, Germany and elsewhere are nothing short of ultra right-wing neocon nutbars, who don’t serve humanity in any way, shape or form at all.
They serve THEIR masters — the NWO, themselves and their special clique groups only, while leaving us in Shit Street (at least for the time being).
http://tinyurl.com/53y2w9
Garthy, the libs are still the reigning champs at corruption, mismanagement, and waste. Not to worry, Garth, their record will be safe for some generations to come.
So, this is okay with you? — Garth
By Janice on 06.14.08 1:35 pm
No Garth, its not. The liberals were so corrupt when governing that it was sickening just to here that reference, “Liberals.”
The problem is, most are still in your caucus. Thats scary if they were to ever regain power. They know all the mafia money laundering strategies.
But back to Prentice. Show us an invoice for $50,000 and maybe someone other than your minions might believe what you say.
Garth. There is at least one brave US Congressman, Dennis Kucinich, willing to demand an investigation. Canada needs a similar leader.
http://kucinich.house.gov/News/DocumentPrint.aspx?DocumentID=93581
By Janice on 06.14.08 6:46 pm
No, Janice prefers a lying, deceitful PM like Harper….who attempts to buy vote in Quebec just before the provincial election…who trys to interfere in the U.S. election, who tries to steal from the taxpayer with the in & out scam.
That’s okay, she already established earlier today she votes without caring where Harper stands on the issues…she likes to point out the past Liberal misdeeds, it justifies her present position…LMAO
Me thinks she is just here to goad, like her hero Harry!
I have a background in TV production. And you? — Garth
So whats your point. What criteria did you use to come to your estimate conclusion or did you pull the figure out of your hat? Come clean Garth. Back up your allegations with facts for a change.
Oh Janice, you give the Liberals far too much credit – actually the most corrupt government Canada has ever had was that of Sir John A. MacDonald – and that’s a fact. Sorry, my dear, the Liberals are not the best at this.
Boy, Janice/Catherine (one in the same?) is really bent out of shape over Harper’s pitiful government – she’s distraught and can’t face it…poor dear thing.
So watch out folks, Janice/Catherine are going to troll and troll and troll to try the gotcha thing….doesn’t seem to be hitting any nerves but her own.
‘Jim to me is a career politician with leadership aspirations. When Harpo fails to get his majority and the knives come out look for Jim and watch him working the Conservative/Reform room.’
Jimbo ‘praying to get elected again’ Prentice will always have aspirations as does the majority of the Conservatives fortunately many of those aspirations will never be fulfilled.
Made in Canada copyright legislation? Like product labeling it was assembled here but none of the contents are ‘Canadian’.
Tim Pellett-5:41pm
DEFINATELY those expenses should come out of party funds instead of our pockets. The qestion is whether any party is willing to change the rules making these sort of things party matters rather than public ones. If the Conservatives had cleaned up this sort of nonsense they could have financed the war in Afganistan with the savings.
O.K. Janice: So what did it cost for Prentice to hire technicians etc for his skimpy on details announcement?
If you use Flaherty’s accounting methods it probably didn’t cost anything and we now have a surplus.
I hope those of you who are worried over the $50,000 are as fighting mad to recover the $40 MILLION the LIBS stole through ADSCAM.
Oh Janice, you give the Liberals far too much credit – actually the most corrupt government Canada has ever had was that of Sir John A. MacDonald – and that’s a fact. Sorry, my dear, the Liberals are not the best at this.
Boy, Janice/Catherine (one in the same?) is really bent out of shape over Harper’s pitiful government – she’s distraught and can’t face it…poor dear thing.
So watch out folks, Janice/Catherine are going to troll and troll and troll to try the gotcha thing….doesn’t seem to be hitting any nerves but her own.
By slg on 06.14.08 8:30 pm
I always find it amusing when the new Conservatives and the Liberals start arguing over which party is the most corrupt. It all depends on your definition of corruption.
I don’t see the Liberals as any less corrupt than the Conservatives or vice versa. I don’t see Sir John A. Macdonald as any more or less corrupt than Jean Chretien, for example. The only difference was that the kind of soliciting of funds for which the Macdonald government was condemned was eventually legalized.
Janice
You’re fussing over $50,000.
What about $1B HRDC, $1B gun registry, $40M stolen in adscam?
Garthy, the libs are still the reigning champs at corruption, mismanagement, and waste. Not to worry, Garth, their record will be safe for some generations to come.
So, this is okay with you? — Garth
By Janice on 06.14.08 1:35 pm
It still holds tru with e CONs : as long as you keep repeating the lie it will stick.
HRDC ended with $ 47,000 unaccounted for and the $ 40 are a pure figment of the CONs imagination. As ususl.
Canadian voters are simply not buying your BS. Pass it on to CRAP HQ.
Best Line Of The Night:
My worry about Bill C-61 is that it’ll limit our freedom of expression and freedom of press/media, something that is guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Canada currently is a leader when it comes to freedom of press…we rank much higher than our neighbours to the south. Our ranking would definitely fall if Bill C-61 is made into law. We could very well become CHINA.
Marc: 06.13.08 10:30 p.m.
Every time I hear jubilant tax-cut extremists crow, “today we start making money for ourselves, not the government”, I am amazed that people should think the services (of which there are a valid many), they expect and demand, should be free!
Are there no government services you would miss if they were not provided?
From roads, bridges, sewers and water protection to baby bottles and toys to food –canned, frozen, packaged and or imported, to senior care, education at many levels, to building codes, plumbing and electrical safety to health care, hospitals and more, most of us depend on government to provide structure and fairness to our every-day lives.
Don’t people think these things are worth paying for? Do they think, “well, if I need it, then I’ll buy it for myself?” Well, good luck!
I can’t believe how many in the MSM think this is a clever observation when it’s just another spin.
We need due diligence to be paid to our expenditures but don’t criticize government for providing services unless you’re a narrow-visioned neo-con. If enough of us want a strong, public health care system, for example, this is our democratic right to have our money go to support it! This is real grass-roots democracy!
How would you describe this neo-con government that charges us $50,000.of our own money to give them a partisan backdrop to their bill? Or, how would you describe a party which spends half a billion dollars to the Association of Defence Contractors to be boosters for neo-con government defence policies when they say they can’t afford to build a school for native Canadians who are expected to make do with the health hazard they are now using? Does this really satisfy their higher morality?
So, they claim we got a few days more to line our own pockets. Well, my moral compass does not point to these hypocritical neo-con elites!
–More points on Daryn’s post too.
Garth should give you folks some forum software. I notice comments rarely have anything to do with the post.
Thanks for clarifying that. You don’t care. — Garth
You know what Garth…I’m tired of caring. I’ve seen first hand how much people care once they have the grand prize of power. My dear friends are being evicted off of their generational family farm this week, solely due to a gov. ****-up. THAT’S how much governments care. They only care when they are in opposition and need public support. After that…they quickly forget how ‘important’ that little guy was. THAT IS THE FACT GARTH. You KNOW what I’m talking about, please have enough respect for me the ‘little guy’ and not pretend otherwise.
Leasa
I still care. — Garth
Every administration in the history of Canada (and every other nation) has wasted and misappropriated public funds as CB Innes pointed out – no party has been immune to this.
Some admininstrations have shown some shame when called out on a particular piece of malfeasance. The trouble with the present one is that it campaigned on being competent and upright, it has proven in very short order to be cut from the same cloth as all previous ones, and it shows no shame when it is called out.
This level of hypocrisy has been seen before – everyone I am sure remembers watching Brian Mulroney project his own personality onto John Turner on television, saying “There’s no whore like an old whore”. The present administration uses slightly more elegant turns of phrase in public, but that is the only ethical difference.
On this note, I hope that Mr. Dion will show some shame when the inevitable occurs and his administration is called out on a misappropriation.
Harry S, Catherine, Janice – the benefits of robbing the public purse are so great, and the penalties so light, that even archangels would be tempted – John A knew that, and had the good grace to show shame when he was called out.
Thanks Dube for the IMPORTANT info at 7:18am yesterday. Another piece is almost in place for the Americanization of our three coast’s and border. After the illegal and unsanctioned invasion and occupation of Iraq by the neo-Con planner’s, there were and are any number of signs that our sovereignty was/is being GIVEN away to U.S./Israeli forces. This bill seems to another. Charles Oxley, in the face of the neo-Con/NWO/???- does anything we do have ANY effect? Or are we just unimportant spectators? Thank you, I appreciate your opinions.
Garth, please have a close look at the American DMCA and some of the ways it has been abused. Bill C-61 is not defensible, no matter whether you espouse free market views or not. I think that fact has been obscured by the reality that the most vocal criticism is coming from the left.
Chilling Effects is a great resource on the anti-circumvention provisions in the DMCA (which, as Professor Geist points out is actually less restrictive than the proposed Canadian bill, because it has a long list of exceptions to try to protect a limited subset of the consumer rights it takes away).
Once again, thanks to the posters here who help us keep us with things. Sometimes I can’t get through the comments and try to get back to them later and know I have missed some good ones.
A few days ago, there was one by Charles Oxley which was remarked upon and I am going to try to find it.
Brain, Dube and others have put some very interesting stuff on here today and I’ll pass the new downloading law etc. on to my son who has his own computer consulting bus. and has customers in the U.S. and gives seminars down there. It is hard for him to keep up with everything, so this should be of interest to him. Thanks.
Liberals have a choice is either to support the Cons/Big Business or will they support the consumer/Canadians!
Many young Canadians have become more vocal aganist this bill and if the Liberals vote with/abstain with/for the Cons these Young Canadians (20-30yr old group) will more likely vote Green or NDP in the next election and will view Liberals as American puppets like the Cons. Liberals have an opportunity to regain popular support.
Groups that oppose the bill Canadian Library Association, Canadian Music Creators Coalition, Documentary Organization of Canada, CIPPIC, Appropriation Art. Why are these groups are still aganist this copyright bill after revision if it was so good for them??
Canadian Music Creators Coalition:
Membership rolls boast dozens of household names including Avril Lavigne, Sarah McLachlan, Broken Social Scene, Matthew Good, Metric, Randy Bachman, Billy Talent, Sloan, Chantal Kreviazuk, Sum 41, Stars, Raine Maida (Our Lady Peace), The New Pornographers, Bill Henderson (Chilliwack), Ronnie King (The Stampeders), Dave Bidini (Rheostatics), Billy Talent, John K. Samson (Weakerthans), Three Days Grace, Andrew Cash, Bare Naked Ladies, Marc Jordan and Sam Roberts. Musicians are the people who actually create Canadian music not the recording Industry.
The CMCC grew out of our common desire to speak out in Canadian copyright and cultural policy debates. The CMCC is united under three key principles:
*Suing Our Fans is Destructive and Hypocritical *
Artists do not want to sue music fans. The labels have been suing our fans against artists’ will, and laws enabling these suits cannot be justified in artists’ names.
*Digital Locks are Risky and Counterproductive *
Artists do not support using digital locks to increase the labels’ control over the distribution, use and enjoyment of music or laws that prohibit circumvention of such technological measures. Consumers should be able to transfer the music they buy to other formats under a right of fair use, without having to pay twice.
*Cultural Policy Should Support Actual Canadian Artists *
The vast majority of new Canadian music is not promoted by major labels, which focus mostly on foreign artists. The government should use other policy tools to support actual Canadian artists and a thriving musical and cultural scene.
All the artists believe in fair copyright.
While Prentice has given a handful of new rights to Canadian consumers, each is subject to many limitations and undermined by the digital locks provisions that may effectively render the new rights meaningless.
Liberal Party must vote aganist this Jim prentice American DMCA copyright bill and the liberal Party should then ask Copyright Prof Professor Michael Geist to write a new copyright bill for the Liberal Party .
I hope those of you who are worried over the $50,000 are as fighting mad to recover the $40 MILLION the LIBS stole through ADSCAM.
By Barb on 06.14.08 9:53 pm
And what about the Cons stealing 30 billion from average Canadian savings when they legislated aganist Income trusts? Even though Income trusts was a major platform for the Con Party of their last election– Harper ” The Conservative Party will never tax Income trusts if elected “
I’d imagine none of our political parties would come out particularly well if a microscope is taken to some of their spending indulgences; certainly there are all sorts of ways of embellishing how money is spent to give it a sort of dubious legitimacy.
By Marc on 06.13.08 10:30 pm
Decreasing the tax burden is key. We pay more tax than people in France or Italy.
If we shift the tax burden and force ourselves to cut the fat, I think we’d be a lot better off.
Indeed, Scotty. I have been pushing for a comprehensive Digital Strategy as component of a robust Liberal platform. This is the 21st century, after all.
I’d really like it if you would address this issue, Garth. I’m worried.