Red Chamber Rules

Its all just a game anyway, Isn't it?

When the call comes, I think I'd like to sit as a Senator from Quebec. After all, I probably spend as much time in Montreal as Mike "The Puffster" Duffy does in PEI or that Pamela Wallin does in Saskatchewan.

I was born in Quebec and we own a summer place in les Laurentides. Well it is more like a log cabin but, who is quibbling.

I've certainly never seen Wallin here on the Prairies. It was just another Stephen Harper, wink, wink nod, nod, here are your new senators. Everyone knew it was a joke when these two were appointed. No one raised a fuss. Who cared that they don't actually live here. Saskatchewan is one of those places that you have to leave to get any credibility anyway.

It has been reported that they both vote in Ontario, have Ontario health cards, their drivers licence are from Ontario and they pay taxes in Ontario although Duffy was apparently trying to get fast tracked to get a PEI health card when the new of an investigation leaked out.

The real question is why did it take so long for someone to have a look at what we all figured was a scam from day one.

I don't know, perhaps it is all OK  If it is, you can bet I will be lobbying for Patrick Braseau's spot when the finally turf him from the Red Chamber.

I know my French is barely passable but, Mike Duffy doesn't grow potatoes and he qualified.

Was Phyllis Perogie Behind All This?

Doesn't this erode Saskatchewan values?

It always bothers me when I have to read about how utterly stupid the Harper Saskatchewan team sounds when confronted with a problem, in newspapers from Eastern Canada rather that in our own Leader Post. Mind you, the Post Media products these days are mostly wire copy anyway, mixed up with a bit of Brad Wall boosterism and a few, what we, back in my television days, used to call , bobbing for apples stories, mindless drivel about one community event of another.

The Globe & Mail's Tabatha Southey tells us that when asked about the latest robocall scandal the Conservatives find themselves neck deep in, backbencher Brad Trost from Saskatoon said "I don't think there was anything wrong with the robocall. I think it was good and accurate information and we should stand behind it."

Then he stuck the other foot in saying..."I didn't hear it. I don't know the script. I don't know anything...One of my colleagues had it at her residence and her husband got it and he said it was fine. I'll take his word for it."

Now poor Brad was just trying, unsuccessfully to support the Prime minister who is quite confused about the matter. Harper claims "hundreds and hundreds" of people opposed proposed changes to the Saskatchewan electoral boundaries. In fact the Saskatchewan Boundaries Commission received a couple of hundred written submissions about the changes, many of which of which were negative. They also received about 3,000 emails, postcards and petitions they say were "Clearly ..inspired by the encouragement of members of Parliament opposed to the abolition of rural-urban hybrid districts."

Gerry, the Ritz Cracker also waded in to the debate claiming that "Three-quarters of the people of Saskatchewan are upset with the way the maps are drawn."

That would be about 750,000 people which seems very unlikely. My straw poll tells me that 100% of the people questions support the changes. Of course my estimate is probable about as accurate as Gerry's.

At least this time the Conservatives admitted they did it and didn't try to pin it all on Phyllis Perogie or some one like her.

Lukiwski Plays Pinocchio

My MP, Tom Lukiwski, who supposedly represents the residents of Regina-Lumsden-Lake Centre doesn't like the new proposed changes to the Saskatchewan Electoral Boundaries. I understand why. The existing boundaries carve up Regina and Saskatoon into a bit of a pie adding to them, huge rural components. The rural voters have guaranteed that guys like Tom get elected.

Lukiwski and his Saskatchewan colleagues have been trying to say that unlike Canada's other 25  significant cities, Saskatchewan cities should not have urban ridings. They have mounted a bit of a campaign.

A few evenings ago we got an automated robocall call from a group that claimed to be Chase Research. It was a "push poll" of the worst kind.  My son took the call and then we called the number identified in the call to complain, we were so annoyed. Then when we discovered we could not find any Canadian firm called Chase Research on the Internet we started to get suspicious.

Our reaction was to say, "This has to be a Conservative poll."

Oh, no no says our friend Tom. Quoted in the Star Phoenix he said,    "Certainly, polling is not something I'm doing and ... I'm pretty sure I'd know if any one of my colleagues was doing something like that, and I haven't heard a thing."  Lukiwski just happens to be on the Procedure and House Affairs Committee that will consider the boundaries commission's final report.

So, late yesterday the truth, or something that resembles it, came out. This was a Conservative initiated push poll delivered to us by the firm RackNine Inc. That, for those of you with short memories, is the same firm that, on the behest of Stephen Harper's Conservatives, sent people they suspected would vote for the opposition, to the wrong polling stations during the last election. How could we forget Pierre Poutine?

I don't know about you but I don't think liars and cheats deserve to be Members of Parliament.

 

When Union Membership drops - So do Wages

Canadian Figures Would Tell the Same Story

I was thinking the other day about Organized Labour's inability to capture the hearts and minds of younger workers.

I don't understand the "I'm alright Jack" mentality when so many of them aren't. A very high percentage of young workers are either un or under-employed and frustrated. When they do have jobs they often are not working for much more than minimum wage.

It is so far from what they were promised.

It must be infuriating listening to the Brad Walls of the world blather on about our boom economy.

I came across a graphic the other day which might be food for thought when thinking about the role of trade unions in keeping wages high.

Kevin Page - Our Hero

Tough as Nails

Some of my friends say, Kevin Page, the outgoing Parliamentary Budget Officer is their hero. Others say he should be Prime Minister which might be pushing it a bit but...he is one of the good guys and that is for sure.

When his term is up later this year, Harper and his gang will take their time in filling the position. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to see them do away with the position.

Government in Canada has become more secretive than any of us can remember, and I have been around longer than I'd like to think. Auditor General reports have always been entertaining but as the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Page brought it to a whole new level.

The Conservatives hated him. Finance Minister Jim Flaherty once described him as "unbelievable, unreliable and incredible" The truth hurt Jim.and chipped away at their bunker mentality.

On his way out, Page sent the CBC's As It Happens a list of key skills and characteristics needed when applying to be his replacement. To do the job, the next Parliamentary Budget Officer should have a knowledge of:

• early childhood development
• the art of magic
• smoke and mirrors
• numeracy
• primary education level

The successful candidate should also have a good background such as:

• decades of experience toiling away under senior public service and cabinet ministers in finance or treasury departments whose primary interest is to advance their personal careers at the expense of the democratic and financial health of the country

Page also suggested that anyone taking the job "should be ready for retirement because the successful candidate will be unemployable after one mandate."

* Thanks to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, used  without their permission 

Mali, The Unanswered Question is "Why"

What do you suppose Canada is doing in Mali?

When France decided to make its push into the area, Stephen Harper decided that Canada would help them out with one aircraft for one week. We all knew that one week was a phony timeline and of course the time is being extended.

The real question is...Did France really need one extra aircraft? And, if they did, why couldn't they get one from a neighbour?

There is more to this than meets the eye I am sure. Questions are not being asked by the media and Canadians, once again are being committed to join in a shooting war in an international hotspot without any Parliamentary consultation.

Not that we expected more from the PM.

Elizabeth May Right on Point

I generally like what Elizabeth May has to say on issues. This article is no exception.

The Attawapiskat audit: Distracting us from a legacy of failure

The tensions surrounding First Nations and the federal government are, perhaps, at an all-time high.

I had hoped the Prime Minister’s decision to meet with First Nations leadership this Friday was a hopeful sign of a new beginning in building nation to nation respectful relationships. Perhaps it could finally be the beginning of implementing the 1996 Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples.

Unfortunately, there is an ugly tone in the air as Conservative spokespeople, such as Senator Patrick Brazeau, line up in the media to take pot shots at Chief Theresa Spence. Although the Attawapiskat audit covers 2005-2011, Theresa Spence was only elected chief in 2010.

The release of the audit of Attawapiskat band finances is heralded by some as evidence of – what exactly? – that the housing crisis in First Nations communities is the fault of their leadership? The audit is not evidence of fraud, but shows an unacceptable level of expenditures for which proper documentation was not provided. It does not suggest the money was spent improperly. We simply do not know. Finger pointing and attacks will not help build a relationship based on respect for treaty and inherent indigenous rights.

So let’s just step back for a moment and admit what everyone knows. Millions of dollars in federal funding for indigenous peoples goes to non-indigenous consultants and lawyers and the bureaucracy supposedly at the service of First Nations communities. Many First Nations communities could benefit from better book keeping and financial controls, but so too could the federal government as the Auditor General has frequently reported. There is a reason that former Auditor General Sheila Fraser dedicated so much of her final report to the unacceptable multiple failures of the federal government in delivering on goals in meeting minimum obligations to First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples. In 2005 and again in 2011, the Auditor General set out a litany of abuse. In a report prepared by Sheila Fraser and released by her successor, she noted, “I am profoundly disappointed to note … that despite federal action in response to our recommendations over the years, a disproportionate number of First Nations people still lack the most basic services that other Canadians take for granted.” She did not point fingers at the individual communities, but rather at the Department of Aboriginal Affairs for relying on vague policy rather than the kind of clear legislation found at the provincial level to meet non-indigenous needs for health, housing, water and education.

So, just as the Idle No More movement was not an off-shoot of Chief Spence’s hunger strike, neither is the audit of Attawapiskat’s finances a relevant response to the litany of undeniable and shameful neglect of the treaty obligations of the nation of Canada to the people on whose land we live and whose resources make us wealthy.

Numerous Supreme Court decisions make it clear that the federal government, as well as private sector corporations with an eye of First Nations’ lands and resources, have a duty to consult. Yet, numerous legislative changes made by the Harper Conservatives over the last year had no advance consultation, despite significant impact on First Nations. Both Omnibus bills, C-38 and C-45, had significant impacts on First Nations, without consultation. The Canada-China Investment Treaty, signed by the Prime Minister in early September and not yet ratified, could also have huge impacts on First Nations, yet there was no consultation. From neglect, we seem to have moved seamlessly to an assault on First Nations, as though we could erase Constitutionally-enshrined rights should they stand in the way of mines, dams and pipelines. The issue of non-consultation should be addressed immediately.

The abandonment of the 2005 Kelowna Accord was the beginning of numerous blows, including cutting the following programmes aimed at redressing the scandalous disparity in health outcomes between indigenous and non-indigenous Canadians: health awareness programmes curbing tobacco addiction, Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative, the Aboriginal Health Human Resources Initiative, the Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy, the Aboriginal Health Transition Fund, the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Program, the Maternal and Child Health Program, and the Blood Borne Diseases and Sexually Transmitted Infections/HIV/AIDS Program. As well, institutions to assist in understanding the disparities, such as the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) and First Nations Statistical Institute (FNSI), have been axed. As well, the high cost of food and fuel in the North is a serious problem and remains unaddressed.

Despite all the evidence, we owe it to the embryonic potential of Idle No More to hope that all leaders present will rise to a new level of decency and respect – towards each other and towards the peoples and lands they represent. As the first indigenous leader of Bolivia has done, could we not begin to discuss the constitutional protection of nature itself? Could we not start designing a path to replace the Indian Act, establish a set of meaningful goals to ensure that all children on this piece of Turtle Island, indigenous and non-indigenous, have equal access to proper education, safe drinking water, decent health care and safe housing? Could we not live up to our promises of treaties past and lay the groundwork to a future premised on the respectful sharing of this land? I believe we can. In fact, we must.

Elizabeth May is the Member of Parliament for Saanich-Gulf Islands and Leader of the Green Party of Canada.

Hunger Strikes, Idle No More, First nations Leadership and Stephen Harper

Who hasn't been watching the growing Idle No More movement and the stand-off between Chief Spence, now in the twenty some day of her hunger strike and the bully who calls himself our Prime Minister.

There is some very interesting stuff unfolding there. It could be the beginning of significant change in the way First Nations deal with government and vice versa.

On the other hand, after almost letting this issue get away from him, our illustrious PM just may have found a way to get things back, right where he wants them.

The really interesting thing is the First Nations' complicity in helping that happen.

First let's take a look at Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence and Saskatchewan's Emil Bell who joined her in a hunger strike to try and force Stephen Harper to take First nations' issues seriously. 

A year ago Canadians, joined by people around the world were shocked by conditions on Chief Spence's reserve. People were in danger of freezing to death in their inadequate housing, the school was a delapitated shack and the community was rife with addiction. The government's first step was to blame the community leadership but eventually they were embarrassed into taking action.

A year later, seeing little change in her community Chief Spence took the drasitc action of embarking on a hunger strike. Hunger strikes are a great was to get attention to your cause, particularly if they last a while. After all, no group likes a death watch like the National media.

The problem with them is, unless you are prepared to go all the way, they lose their impact.

The First Nations' leadership's response to the hunger strike was telling. If they really were the group of activists they claim to be, scores of first Nations' leaders would have joined Spence by taking actions of their own. In their own communities and across the country. As far as I could see, they did bugger all.

Chief Spence first demanded a talk with Stephen Harper and the Governor General, refusing to talk to the Aboriginal Affairs Minister. A good move in some ways since the PM is a micro-manager and talking to the minions is a waste of time. 

On the other hand Harper is as stubborn as they come.

Then Spence eventually softened her stand. She said it was ok if Harper at the very least set up a meaningful discussion. If I recall she wanted a couple of weeks of dialogue. We all knew that wasn't going to happen.

Meanwhile, the Idle No More movement has been growing and gaining momentum across Canada and internationally. Rail lines have been blocked, traffic slowed on highways and stopped on bridges and flash mobs have popped up in every major city in the country.

First Nations people and supporter were standing up in significant numbers demanding to be heard for the first time in years. A spontaneous non-hierarchical movement Idle No More was catching everyone's attention.

That was a problem for Harper and for the First Nation's Leadership. The chiefs, comfortable in their role around the big table began to see their authority being usurped by a rag tag group of grassroots protesters with a large and complex agenda and the PM who knew full well that it is much easier to bamboozle a group of leaders with low expectations, knew that finally something had to be done.

Harper agreed to a meeting.

The media characterize it as a win for Chief Spence. I don't agree. Harper won this round.

I simply cannot believe that anyone has any real expectations that any significant results will come from the Harper meeting. Knowing his past performance, the chiefs with be lucky to get two hours of face time with the PM.

Our Prime Minister is the king of empty promises.

No one should forget Stephen Harper's great "apology" to our First Nations for their treatment in the residential schools system. He said in part:

The government recognizes that the absence of an apology has been an impediment to healing and reconciliation. Therefore, on behalf of the Government of Canada and all Canadians, I stand before you, in this Chamber so central to our life as a country, to apologize to Aboriginal peoples for Canada's role in the Indian Residential Schools system.

He went on to say:

A cornerstone of the Settlement Agreement is the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission. This Commission presents a unique opportunity to educate all Canadians on the Indian Residential Schools system. It will be a positive step in forging a new relationship between Aboriginal peoples and other Canadians, a relationship based on the knowledge of our shared history, a respect for each other and a desire to move forward together with a renewed understanding that strong families, strong communities and vibrant cultures and traditions will contribute to a stronger Canada for all of us.

The media fawned all over the PM for his courage. First Nations leaders praised his leadership and humanity.

The reality of his promise rings hollow a few years later as his government has refused to provide needed documentation to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to complete their task.The group has recently had to go to court in an effort to get the Harper government to comply with their obligations.

From my perspective the "apology" was little more that a deflection from Harper's scrapping of the Kelowna Accord crafted by former PM Paul Martin.

The accord was a result of 18 months of round table discussions between the government and First Nations leaders. The chiefs saw the accord as a step major forward. It was the result of a process of cooperation and consultation that brought all parties to the table.

The proposed education investment was to ensure that the high school graduation rate of aboriginal Canadians matched the rest of the population. The money was also aimed at cutting in half the gap in rates of post-secondary graduations.

In the area of health, targets were established to reduce infant mortality, youth suicide, childhood obesity and diabetes by 20 per cent in five years, and 50 per cent in 10 years. They also promised to double the number of health professionals in 10 years.

The plan included

• $1.8 billion for education, to create school systems, train more aboriginal teachers and identify children with special needs. 

• $1.6 billion for housing, including $400 million to address the need for clean water in many remote communities. 

• $1.3 billion for health services. 

• $200 million for economic development.

Harper scrapped the deal. His Conservative government has not engaged in consultations with First Nations in any meaningful way since.

So what should we expect.

• The chiefs and Harper will have a little face time. 
• Chief Spence will go back to her impoverished community. 
• Idle no More will peter out. 
• Harper will continue to ignore his responsibilities to the First Nations. 

Back to the status quo. What more could Harper want.

I hope I am wrong

Any Other Government Would Have Sent Gerry Ritz Packing

Gerry the Ritz Cracker

I got an e-mail yesterday from the official opposition saying that that a leaked memo confirms that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency ordered meat inspectors to not enforce health standards to the same standards for meat going to Canadian consumers as they would for meet was destined for export.

The memo says in part:

“Our number 1 priority is to ensure this standard is met with Japan-eligible carcasses. Ensure that non-Japan-eligible carcasses are not inspected for spinal cord/dura-mater, OCD (other carcass defects) and minor ingesta … Ignore them.”

This double-standard directive was issued in 2008, and then again in 2010 and 2011.

What it seems to say is that the Canada Food Inspection Agency, Gerry Ritz and the rest of the Harper Conservatives have been mismanaging food safety for years, endangering the safety of food that Canadians put on their dinner table every day.

Today the spin doctors at the Food Inspection Agency were hard at work trying to assure Canadians that despite other problems at XL Foods, they have always made sure that Canadian beef bound for domestic markets was fully inspected.

Our old friend Gerry Ritz also issues a release saying "The CIFA continues to ensure that meat processed in Canada meets our high food safety standards."

Sure Gerry Sure. We know we can depend on you.

Why?

How well do you sleep at night Tom?

My Member of Parliament Tom Lukiwski, has once again let his constituents down. Yesterday all except for seven members of the Harper Conservative Government,  Tom included, voted to defeat private member's bill C-398.

The only Saskatchewan MP who votes "yes" was Maurice Vellacott.

The bill, brought to the House by New Democrat Helene Laverdiere who said in part as she introduced her bill,  "Mr. Speaker, today, I am proud to introduce my bill entitled An Act to amend the Patent Act.

This bill will modify the provisions of the current access to medicines regime, which allows Canada to export generic versions of drugs for HIV-AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other illnesses to developing countries, and it will make the regime easier to use.

This will enable Canadian manufacturers to send potentially life-saving medicines to those who desperately need them.

This bill is an improved version of Bill C-393, which the House passed by a comfortable margin last March but which, unfortunately, died on the order paper in the Senate.

When drafting this bill, I worked closely with the Grandmothers Advocacy Network and the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network"

The bill was championed by the Grandmothers Advocacy Network and thousands of Canadians signed petitions in support of this bill.

When the original bill passed the big drug manufacturers opposed it. This time around withdrew any opposition to the bill being passed.

In advance of the vote former Member of Parliament Gerald Caplin said “If you had the opportunity to save hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of AIDS sufferers in Africa and other poor countries, what would you do? A complete no-brainer, right? Why in the world is it even a question?” 

Why indeed. 

Why did the Conservatives change their minds and defeat this bill?

Why did the Harper Government mount a campaign of misinformation in a push to assure the bill was defeated?

Why won't any predominant cabinet ministers comment on the decision to defeat the bill?

Disappointment in the Harper Government was expressed widely by those working on the front lines internationally was widespread.

UNICEF for example released a statement saying in part "We are highly disappointed with the result of tonight's vote. This Bill would have helped get life-saving medicine to the world's most vulnerable children without any additional costs to the government or Canadians. This is a missed opportunity and it is children who will suffer most," says UNICEF Canada's President and CEO David Morley.

Currently only 42 per cent of the estimated 1.5 million infants born worldwide to mothers with HIV receive the antiretroviral (ARV) treatments needed to prevent transmission of the disease.

If passed, Bill C-398 would have strengthened Canada's position as a true global leader on newborn, child and maternal health. The Bill proposed critical amendments to CAMR removing the unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles that have made the process impossible to use.

How many children will die before a bill like this is finally passed?

Stephen Harper should be ashamed

Why Didn't They Bother to Report this in October?

I am sometimes amazed at the state of journalism in this country.

Yesterday we were treated to an "economic update" from the Finance Minister, Jim Flaherty  It was big news on the CBC yesterday and in this mornings papers. The deficit is up. The Globe & Mail shouts "Surprise $7- Billion Deficit Surge" on the top of the front page. The Regina Leader Post puts a bigger headline on the front page of the business section.

Holy smoke. it all seems to say. "Boy, were we taken by surprise."

Sure Jim, Sure

If you scroll down this blog, to a posting about a month ago, there it is. At that point it had surges to over $6-billion and climbing.

The spin now put on the story is that commodity prices are to blame. No mention of those corporate tax cuts.

The Globe & Mail quotes one unnamed bank economist as saying the government's financial credibility could now be in jeopardy.

Only now? These guys' credibility period, is  already shot.  Jim Flaherty is one of the old Mike Harris mafia and the Prime Minister, Stephen Harper already is the least trusted leader in the Western Hemisphere.

Flaherty says   "You can be assured, we have contingency plans."

Sure Jim, sure.

I Think They Have Lost Their Minds

Here in Saskatchewan it wasn't First Nations unemployment, the lack of adequate housing, sky rocketing rental costs, or the economic disparity many of us see in this new "boom economy" that was the hot button issue. The thing that captured the hearts and minds of delegates at the governing party's Convention was lowering the drinking age from 19 to 18.

I have to ask myself, what person, over the age of 19 or 20, think this is a good idea?

I figure two groups.

First the slightly older guys whose friends are not yet 19 think it would make it a lot easier to get them drunk if they could all go to the bar.

And secondly, bar owners who see lowering the drinking age to 18, as a cash grab. Great for business. Cooler sales shoot through the roof.

The Sask Party Government loves small business so will most likely back this initiative. We have heard the "What is good for business is good for Saskatchewan." mantra all too often

Tourism Saskatchewan will most likely jump on the bandwagon too selling this initiative as a way to increase tourism. Lets' attract under aged American drinkers to small Saskatchewan border town bars. Yet another  wayto stimulate the rural Saskatchewan economy.

Why Would we Believe Anything they Say?

The immigration minister Jason Kenney is hell bent for leather to deport a couple of Nigerian, University of Regina students. Victoria Ordu and Ihuoma Amadi made an honest mistake and worked for a couple of weeks at a Walmart store in violation of their student visas.

Many people are outraged by the actions of Canadian Immigration Services. Kenny and Cabinet puppet Vic Toews both have lied to the public about the matter saying the students were not actually enrolled in university. Something the U of R refutes. Both have been enrolled since 2009.

Both students, here on scholarships, have had to take refuge in a church to keep from being forcibly being put onto an airplane back to Africa.

Not surprisingly, there is no indication that any managers of the huge America company that hired them have had to take refuge in a church or anywhere else, to avoid deportation for hiring illegal aliens.

As often happens with Harper and his gang of thugs, we are getting mixed signals from this Government. At the same time he is trying to deport these young women the Minister is trying to amend legislation to make it easier for foreign students to stay here in Canada after they complete their studies. To be able to apply to immigrate from right here in Canada instead of having to first, return home.

Canada recruits foreign students. They pay a great deal more that Canadians students do for tuition. In many ways, a foreign student is basically, a cash cow for universities.

It is worth noting that many, many of these students the minister is trying to entice are here on scholarships paid by their home countries, often developing nations, that cannot afford to lose their best and brightest.

At the same time, Canada is continuing to under fund the education system in our own country. As an example, it is cheaper to steal doctors from developing nations than it is to provide more spaces for Canadian students in medical school.

How do you like those corporate tax cuts so far, Jim?

Stephen Harper and his blue meanies tell us they have the economy in hand. Don't forget, Canada's Action Plan saved us from the kind of problems experienced by Greece and Spain. Stephen reminds us that we are really lucky that socialist Tom Mulcair isn't running things .

Our Prime Minister is so proud of his record he took it upon himself to lecture other world leaders about the strength of his economic policies. Praise the Lord, Harper has saved us all from a fate worse than death.

At least that is what the Conservatives like to tell us.

That is why I am simply amazed that this story, I found tucked away on the back pages of the Regina Leader Post, isn't front page news. How could it not be?

Ottawa's deficit for the current fiscal year is now $6.2 billion. I guess that in and of itself, really doesn't grab people's attention. We are getting used to surging deficits despite the soothing tone of political leaders who tell us "We are fine."

The real story is that $6.2 billion is pretty much double what it was at the end of the previous month.

The Finance Department quietly announced recently that the August deficit was $3.2 billion, slightly more than the $3.1 billion recorded in the same month of 2011 but, corporate tax revenues fell by 13.5 per cent decline compared with August 2011 and a 16 per cent decline from $2.1 billion in July of this year.

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, who said recently he may need to revise downward growth projections for the rest of the year, is due to issue a midterm report card on the government's books in a few weeks.

How are those corporate tax cuts working out for out so far Jim? I can just hear him saying, "Oh don't worry, the middle class will pick up the slack"

Oh by the way, personal income tax receipts are up 3.8 per cent for the year so far.

What about an Order of Canada

Another story that grabbed my attention because of the outrage expressed by the media. Saskatchewan Conservative MP Maurice Vellacott, generously gave Queen's Diamond Jubilee medals to two anti-abortion activists who have been jailed repeatedly.

One of the 30 medals Vellacott was allotted to give away as a Conservative backbencher, one went to someone called Mary Wagner, whose actions at abortion clinics have landed her behind bars time and time again. He also gave one to Linda Gibbons,who is currently in jail in Toronto awaiting trial after she attempted to force her way into a Toronto clinic’s private treatment area.

Should we be giving these things to criminals? Do we care? What if the shoe was on the other foot?

Although I have never been convicted of a crime I have had my share of confrontations with police and have been arrested, and jailed as a result of my actions on picket lines. Should I now be disqualified?

Thinking of the issue in that light I am not so sure. I have been an activist too.

* Just a quick note to my MP Tom Lukiwski: I am still waiting for my medal in recognition of a lifetime working in the trenches fighting for the rights of working peoples.
OK Tom,  you were probably right in not offering me that one. A medal from the Queen wouldn't really be appropriate for me but, all things considered, I would accept an Order of Canada.
And after all if Conrad Black still has his and...never mind, I feel a rant coming on. I should just quit.

Letters to the editor

I wouldn't want anyone to think that this blog is in any way shape or form acting as a letters to the editor aggregator but from time to time, I think it is fun to pass on a couple of things that have caught my eye and that you might have missed. I like the letters from readers. They often oick up points that the papers' editor's miss.

First a couple of gems from Globe & Mail readers:

• Cathleen Kneen writes that she noted that there have been suggestions that \canada should irradiate meat coming from places like XL Foods that way any plants, fecal matter or other contaminants that made their way into our meat wouldn't be harmful to consumers. Ms Kneen certainly echos my feelings when she says, "Sorry, I don't want to eat poop, even if it is irradiated Why not just set up smaller plants where workers have enough time to ensure the the meat stays clean in the first place?" 
• Also in the G&M a reader from Winnipeg, Burton Ayles notes the difference between attitudes in Italy as compared with Canada. In Italy they recently convicted and jailed a group of scientists who failed to predict a fatal earthquake. Admittedly an impossible task. He compared it to Canada under Stephen Harper where "...government scientists repeatedly warned about environmental issues - acid rain, contaminants etc..." and when they do happen, the scientists get laid off and the programs get axed. 

Keep those letters coming

Gerry Ritz is predictable in nothing else. Known for making it up as he goes along and never accepting responsibility for anything unless it makes him look good, has done it again.

The Regina Leader Post reports the former ostrich farmer turned Agriculture Minister who, should by rights have resigned over the XL Foods tainted meat scandal, is now blaming the Federal inspectors at XL for being "too nice" Not tough enough?

No mention from Gerry that, under his watch, the number of inspector on the floor in meat packing plants was substantially cut. The message from the Harper Conservatives has always been clear, "Things work better when industry polices itself."  Under the guise of "cutting red tape" these guys put Canadians at risk daily.

Who has the guts or the time to be "tough enough" under Gerry's watch. Conscientious inspectors very likely would be accused with threatening meat packers' profits.

So no word that Gerry Ritz has learned any lessons from all this;

• No promise to get more inspectors on the floor, 
• no word that Gerry has listened to the workers on the floor who complain that the speeded productions  lines are a risk, 
• no sign that Gerry who visited the plant soon after the American inspectors found the problem his department had missed, ever visited the citizens who were made sick by his incompetence, 
• and actually no word that Gerry gives a fiddlers fart about anything but his own survival.

Get used to it folks. There are years to go before we gt another kick at the cat.

Election Night in Regina

We had an election in our town last night. In fact most, if not all people in Saskatchewan municipalities went to the polls yesterday to elect their civic leadership.

In Regina nine candidates ran for outgoing mayor Pat Fiacco's soon to be vacant spot. It was a bit of a dog's breakfast to be honest. A lot of people were obviously very unhappy with the current administration and it was nice to see so many throw their hats into the ring to attempt at least to draw attention to the shortcomings of those running our city.

Problem is of course, the die was cast for the one status quo candidate. He must have been ecstatic. And why not. It worked wonders for him.  As a bonus, we the voters got a real chance to see our flawed democracy at work. You would think that those in opposition to the way things were being run, would have thought of what would happen as they split the vote.

. Those opposition candidates got 58% of the vote.Instead all nine stayed in the race and the vote was split every which way. Had the only two credible candidates in opposition got together and run one candidate, that person most likely would be mayor today. The second and third candidates combined,earned more votes than the winner who was elected with 42% of ballots cast.

So in the end Regina's new mayor is Michael Fougere elected with about 21,000 votes in a city with a population of close to 210,000.

Democracy at work.

Not something I'd crow about.

American Leadership Debate

I try not to pay attention to American politics. God knows I have enough trouble keeping my blood pressure in check just dealing with Stephen Harper but, I am not sure the world can survive Mitt. Romney. So I tuned in.

Did anyone else who watched the debate last night wonder at the lack of response from the studio audience purported to be filled with undecided voters. It isn't unusual for the TV producers to warn the crown not to get overly animated in events like this. They don't want anything to take away from the "stars" of the show.

This crowd however was either drugged before hand or they were actually zombies. I believe they were undecided, they didn't look capable of making up their minds.

Toews fails Canadians Again

If you like Gerry Ritz, you'll love Vic Teows. They are pretty much peas in a pod sitting in the front benches along with the rest of Steven Harper's brain trust. Teows who worked hard to trash the gun registry is another of those Conservative bully boys who walks over anyone who disagrees with him or his ideas.

A sulking, smirking Toews has reluctantly announced that Effective Dec. 1, rules which the Harper Conservatives have delayed almost eight years, rules which will requiring serial numbers on gun will come into force.

In effect, serial numbers on rifles will work like a licence plate or VIN number. Now, investigators will be able to determine where and when the gun was made, and when it was imported to Canada, but not much more.

The rules, which the government says will "contribute to public safety, by facilitating law enforcement investigations when the markings can be linked to information on the last legal owner of the firearm."

I am not so sure, last June, the Tories also introduced legislation to ensure gun dealers don't have to keep records identifying buyers of non-restricted weapons and unfortunately, unlike the original 2004 regulations which were been postponed several times by this Conservative government, these rules will not be enforced and there are no penalties for non-complience.

How cynical can you get. What contempt for international protocols these guys have.