Canadian Politics: Orange is the new government

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > C-SPAM > Canadian Politics: Orange is the new government

Lain Iwakura: Aug 5, 2004; The body exists only to verify one's own existence.; Taco Defender

colonel_korn posted:

So how bout those open nominations, guys

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/b-c-sikhs-quit-liberals-to-protest-justin-trudeau-s-star-candidate-1.2866343

This is more likely to do with tables and chairs over anything else--as in nothing new in the Sikh community.

# ? Dec 10, 2014 01:01

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# ? May 15, 2024 10:56

Kafka Esq.: Jan 1, 2005; "If you ever even think about calling me anything but 'The Crab' I will go so fucking crab on your ass you won't even see what crab'd your crab" -The Crab(TM)

The Conservatives couldn't care less about governing.

# ? Dec 10, 2014 01:03

infernal machines: Oct 11, 2012; we monitor many frequencies. we listen always. came a voice, out of the babel of tongues, speaking to us. it played us a mighty dub.

Kafka Esq. posted:

The Conservatives couldn't care less about governing.

Well if anyone else cared about governing they'd be delighted, they'd be right there with them.

# ? Dec 10, 2014 01:34

Furnaceface: Oct 21, 2004

Kafka Esq. posted:

The Conservatives couldn't care less about Canada.

Fixed for the sad, sad truth.

I know we all like to bang our provincial superiority drums, but the vast majority of people in this country (even Albertans with quad cabs and truck nuts) are good people and dont deserve this kind of abuse. Id love to see Harper's "legacy" end the same way Mulroney's did; have his grand party reduced to 2 seats and a wet fart.

# ? Dec 10, 2014 01:34

Jordan7hm: Feb 17, 2011; Lipstick Apathy

Furnaceface posted:

Fixed for the sad, sad truth.

I know we all like to bang our provincial superiority drums, but the vast majority of people in this country (even Albertans with quad cabs and truck nuts) are good people and dont deserve this kind of abuse. Id love to see Harper's "legacy" end the same way Mulroney's did; have his grand party reduced to 2 seats and a wet fart.

Harper's legacy will be the erosion of the public safety net and a reframing of the conversation to take a much more conservative tone. In that sense he's been one of the most effective leaders a political party has ever had.

# ? Dec 10, 2014 01:37

HackensackBackpack: Aug 20, 2007; Who needs a house out in Hackensack? Is that all you get for your money?

bunnyofdoom posted:

gently caress the beer store

"Typical Toronto Star, blaming Mike Harris for everything." :downs:

But seriously, gently caress the beer store. #FTBS.

Also, gently caress smart meters. This never would have happened under a Hudak government! :unsmigghh:

(I don't actually believe that, I'm just being a contrarian today.)

But yeah, Ontario is dumb sometimes.

# ? Dec 10, 2014 01:53

Heavy neutrino: Sep 16, 2007; You made a fine post for yourself. ...For a casualry, I suppose.

Leofish posted:

"Typical Toronto Star, blaming Mike Harris for everything."

But seriously, gently caress the beer store. #FTBS.

Also, gently caress smart meters. This never would have happened under a Hudak government! (I don't actually believe that, I'm just being a contrarian today.)

But yeah, Ontario is dumb sometimes.

quote:

In her analysis of the smart meter program, Lysyk found the extra electricity charge, known as global adjustment, has increased by 1,200 per cent between 2006 and 2013 -- meanwhile, the average electricity market price has dropped by 46 per cent.

Wow... uh, forgive the crudeness but you guys are getting hosed.

# ? Dec 10, 2014 02:01

infernal machines: Oct 11, 2012; we monitor many frequencies. we listen always. came a voice, out of the babel of tongues, speaking to us. it played us a mighty dub.

Heavy neutrino posted:

Wow... uh, forgive the crudeness but you guys are getting hosed.

Yes, we are. This is what Ikantski is always on about and one of the reasons he doesn't trust the Liberals (provincial) at all.

He is not wrong.

# ? Dec 10, 2014 02:07

HackensackBackpack: Aug 20, 2007; Who needs a house out in Hackensack? Is that all you get for your money?

Heavy neutrino posted:

Wow... uh, forgive the crudeness but you guys are getting hosed.

Oh yeah, it's a load of horseshit. But the Liberals keep getting elected because everyone else is terrible. The PCs have had the last two elections for sure handed to them on a loving platter, possibly even the last three, but they keep appointing idiots to lead them, and the NDP had its head so far up its own rear end the last election, Andrea Horwath was looking at the backs of her own teeth.

So the question now remains- what happens? Clearly it's a majority Liberal government. We're not going to the polls again for four years. Do we sue our own government, drain the coffers, and force deep cuts to public services that we voted to keep? Do we just sit on our hands and wait until 2018? Torches and pitchforks outside Queen's Park?

# ? Dec 10, 2014 02:09

Heavy neutrino: Sep 16, 2007; You made a fine post for yourself. ...For a casualry, I suppose.

No I mean I literally can't believe that your government is keeping a policy whereby markets are distorted to prevent consumers from benefiting from drops in price and ensure that rich people keep lavish profits.

It's usually not so blatant

# ? Dec 10, 2014 02:17

Kafka Esq.: Jan 1, 2005; "If you ever even think about calling me anything but 'The Crab' I will go so fucking crab on your ass you won't even see what crab'd your crab" -The Crab(TM)

Let me tell you about protesting outside Queen's Park - doesn't end well.

(I watched the two insane SOAR guys who were on a variety of drugs get pretty nicely knuckled into the ground after they split off from the main Occupy camp. Was walking home from class)

# ? Dec 10, 2014 02:18

Franks Happy Place: Mar 15, 2011; It is by weed alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the dank of Sapho that thoughts acquire speed, the lips acquire stains, stains become a warning. It is by weed alone I set my mind in motion.

That's not about smart meters (which are good), that's about Ontario having bitch rear end utility regulators. If I told you my professional opinion of those folks it would read like a Herbert Kornfeld article.

# ? Dec 10, 2014 02:22

infernal machines: Oct 11, 2012; we monitor many frequencies. we listen always. came a voice, out of the babel of tongues, speaking to us. it played us a mighty dub.

Heavy neutrino posted:

No I mean I literally can't believe that your government is keeping a policy whereby markets are distorted to prevent consumers from benefiting from drops in price and ensure that rich people keep lavish profits.

It's usually not so blatant

Amongst other reasons, they were and still are heavily lobbied by companies such as Samsung Renewable Energy to make and keep these policies.

infernal machines has issued a correction as of 02:48 on Dec 10, 2014

# ? Dec 10, 2014 02:29

Daynab: Aug 5, 2008

I don't know much about this subject, so what's the schism with the World Sikh Organisation, and what does extremist Sikhism even look like?

# ? Dec 10, 2014 02:33

The Dark One: Aug 19, 2005; I'm your friend and I'm not going to just stand by and let you do this!

Daynab posted:

I don't know much about this subject, so what's the schism with the World Sikh Organisation, and what does extremist Sikhism even look like?

The worst example of terrorism in Canada's history?

# ? Dec 10, 2014 02:34

Daynab: Aug 5, 2008

I don't know how I forgot about that. Though I admittedly didn't know much about it, and it was before I was born. But looking up the WSO they don't seem to be particularly extremist?

# ? Dec 10, 2014 02:46

colonel_korn: May 16, 2003

I'm no expert on the subject but some of the stuff cited in the CBC article is pretty wacky.

quote:

Founded in 1984 to fight for a Sikh state, the World Sikh Organization continues to defend that cause and has tried to distance Khalistani extremists from involvement in the 1985 Air India bombing, which killed 331 people.

A Khalistani militant from Duncan, B.C., Inderjit Singh Reyat, was convicted in the case and remains in prison.

The WSO says it's a human rights organization that does not advocate violence. But over its 30-year history, and into this century, it has been controversial because of extremist positions taken by some of its leaders and supporters. That includes the glorification of terrorists, such as the assassins of Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi, and casting doubt on the proven role of Sikh separatists in the Air India bombing. One WSO leader said, in 1991, that Air India bomb-maker Inderjit Reyat was a good friend.

Despite the three convictions of Inderjit Reyat, the WSO told the Air India Inquiry in 2008 that the inquiry failed to take seriously the possibility that the Indian government was to blame for blowing up its own plane.

"It is the WSO�s position that inadequate attention was paid to the question of whether the Indian Government was, itself, involved in the bombing of Air India Flight 182," the WSO's submission said.

"Numerous credible individuals outside of this Inquiry, have suggested that Indian officials may have been involved in the bombing and that the threat of Sikh terrorism may have been a manufactured, and manipulated, threat fabricated by the Indian Government for its own political gains."

RCMP witnesses told the inquiry that there was no credible evidence of any Indian involvement. The four-year Air India trial heard no such evidence, either.

Former Liberal MP and BC Premier Ujjal Dosanjh had a lot of run-ins with Sikh extremists (including nearly getting beaten to death back in the 80s) and was apparently backing the guy who dropped out as well.

# ? Dec 10, 2014 02:58

Precambrian Video Games: Aug 19, 2002

This my favourite part of the Ontario AG report:

quote:

Infrastructure Ontario loans also came under the auditor general's microscope and she found that for 74 public-private projects the tangible costs -- construction, finance and professional services -- were about $8 billion higher than if they had been delivered by the public sector.

Infrastructure Ontario said that the cost difference was "more than offset by the risk of potential cost overruns" if the construction and, in some cases, maintenance of the 74 facilities was done by the public sector.

Yes, you read that right. The justification for PPPs costing billions more than public financing is that the cost overruns could maybe have been even worse otherwise!

I mean even if we take that argument at face value, it's a glaring admission of extreme incompetence.

# ? Dec 10, 2014 03:00

Jordan7hm: Feb 17, 2011; Lipstick Apathy

eXXon posted:

This my favourite part of the Ontario AG report:

Yes, you read that right. The justification for PPPs costing billions more than public financing is that the cost overruns could maybe have been even worse otherwise!

I mean even if we take that argument at face value, it's a glaring admission of extreme incompetence.

Its a realistic appraisal of how inaccurate cost estimates can be, especially in areas that are heavily influenced by politics. (Say it'll cost whatever will get it approved, ask for more money when you're already so far in you can't back out.)

# ? Dec 10, 2014 03:09

Daynab: Aug 5, 2008

colonel_korn posted:

I'm no expert on the subject but some of the stuff cited in the CBC article is pretty wacky.

Former Liberal MP and BC Premier Ujjal Dosanjh had a lot of run-ins with Sikh extremists (including nearly getting beaten to death back in the 80s) and was apparently backing the guy who dropped out as well.

Interesting. Yeah I guess all of that together is pretty suspicious.

# ? Dec 10, 2014 03:10

Helsing: Aug 23, 2003; DON'T POST IN THE ELECTION THREAD UNLESS YOU JOE BIDEN

Privatization is mostly about busting public sector unions and having a way to reward your campaign contributors by doling out hefty government contracts for newly privatized services. Of course there is the occasional useful idiot out there who actually believes privatization is going to make things significantly more efficient but if privatization was actually empirically superior in the way its advocates claim then we wouldn't keep hearing about incidents like the one that the auditor general's report turned up.

Unfortunately the nature of our money driven political system is such that once you privatize something it can be very hard to reverse that decision since you've just created a new interest group in favour of maintaining the new status quo.

# ? Dec 10, 2014 03:12

Kafka Esq.: Jan 1, 2005; "If you ever even think about calling me anything but 'The Crab' I will go so fucking crab on your ass you won't even see what crab'd your crab" -The Crab(TM)

Jordan7hm posted:

(Say it'll cost whatever will get it approved, ask for more money when you're already so far in you can't back out.)

That sounds suspiciously like the private sector to me.

# ? Dec 10, 2014 03:42

Jordan7hm: Feb 17, 2011; Lipstick Apathy

Kafka Esq. posted:

That sounds suspiciously like the private sector to me.

It's what anyone who has to ask for money does, unless they know the well truly is not bottomless.

Also, I think that privatization is a natural thought for anyone who has to deal with government bureaucracy, because jesus christ someone must be able to do it better, no?

(Turns out that too often the answer is no, but by the time we figure it out it's too late.)

e: I think the biggest issue with a lot of the "privatization" type stuff we see is that it's all about rewarding political allies. One real advantage of privation (shifting risk) isn't even a real advantage because as soon as the private sector gets in trouble the government is expected to bail them out anyway.

Jordan7hm has issued a correction as of 03:48 on Dec 10, 2014

# ? Dec 10, 2014 03:45

egg tats: Apr 3, 2010

Jordan7hm posted:

e: I think the biggest issue with a lot of the "privatization" type stuff we see is that it's all about rewarding political allies. One real advantage of privation (shifting risk) isn't even a real advantage because as soon as the private sector gets in trouble the government is expected to bail them out anyway.

And even then, in my experience almost all government inefficiency can be traced to treating workers like humans, and ensuring there's some degree of accountability.

# ? Dec 10, 2014 04:08

Kafka Esq.: Jan 1, 2005; "If you ever even think about calling me anything but 'The Crab' I will go so fucking crab on your ass you won't even see what crab'd your crab" -The Crab(TM)

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion: We tortured some folks > Canadian Politics: You tortured some folks. We watched.

edit:

Kafka Esq. has issued a correction as of 04:20 on Dec 10, 2014

# ? Dec 10, 2014 04:18

Jordan7hm: Feb 17, 2011; Lipstick Apathy

senae posted:

And even then, in my experience almost all government inefficiency can be traced to treating workers like humans, and ensuring there's some degree of accountability.

There are some really systemic issues with public sector inefficiency that won't go away by treating workers like humans.

# ? Dec 10, 2014 04:32

Heavy neutrino: Sep 16, 2007; You made a fine post for yourself. ...For a casualry, I suppose.

Kafka Esq. posted:

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion: We tortured some folks > Canadian Politics: You tortured some folks. We watched.

edit:

In the case of Maher Arar wasn't it more like "we gave the NSA bad information and they kidnapped the guy, then sent him to be tortured in Syria"? That's a lot heavier than the word "watched" implies.

# ? Dec 10, 2014 04:50

infernal machines: Oct 11, 2012; we monitor many frequencies. we listen always. came a voice, out of the babel of tongues, speaking to us. it played us a mighty dub.

Jordan7hm posted:

There are some really systemic issues with public sector inefficiency that won't go away by treating workers like humans.

I believe he was saying the systemic issues are caused by treating people like humans, and also the usual kind of CYA triplicate paperwork used to ensure accountability.

# ? Dec 10, 2014 04:52

Kafka Esq.: Jan 1, 2005; "If you ever even think about calling me anything but 'The Crab' I will go so fucking crab on your ass you won't even see what crab'd your crab" -The Crab(TM)

Heavy neutrino posted:

In the case of Maher Arar wasn't it more like "we gave the NSA bad information and they kidnapped the guy, then sent him to be tortured in Syria"? That's a lot heavier than the word "watched" implies.

I like the prurient effect of watched.

Also, gag.

Kafka Esq. has issued a correction as of 05:01 on Dec 10, 2014

# ? Dec 10, 2014 04:56

Count Canuckula: Oct 22, 2014

They couldn't just leave out the part about our economy? They had to include that as well?

# ? Dec 10, 2014 05:09

Grey Fox V2: Nov 14, 2008; Augmented Balls of Titanium!

GDP figures are what plants crave. They've got electrolytes.

# ? Dec 10, 2014 05:18

Count Canuckula: Oct 22, 2014

We should invest our in greenhouse gas stocks now that they're cheap.

Count Canuckula has issued a correction as of 05:43 on Dec 10, 2014

# ? Dec 10, 2014 05:39

Tochiazuma: Feb 16, 2007

Climate is only affected by carbon dioxide emissions when they're done in an economically irresponsible way

# ? Dec 10, 2014 06:09

tagesschau: Sep 1, 2006; Guten Abend, meine Damen und Herren.

Kafka Esq. posted:

Let me tell you about protesting outside Queen's Park - doesn't end well.

Seemed to work out OK for the tow trucks today.

# ? Dec 10, 2014 06:47

less than three: Aug 9, 2007; Fallen Rib

Watching the Daily Show tonight I see CTV Toronto is airing a PSA during commercial break ~Think Of The Businesses Struggling To Hang On Thanks to LRT Construction~

Have we slid that far down the slippery slope where now it's now kosher for the news to "buy" ad time on their network to condemn things corporate doesn't like.

Mostly I'm surprised it was Bell to venture into this. I would expected Quebecor to do it first. Though I guess they don't own any high viewership properties who may be swayed.

# ? Dec 10, 2014 07:24

infernal machines: Oct 11, 2012; we monitor many frequencies. we listen always. came a voice, out of the babel of tongues, speaking to us. it played us a mighty dub.

less than three posted:

Watching the Daily Show tonight I see CTV Toronto is airing a PSA during commercial break ~Think Of The Businesses Struggling To Hang On Thanks to LRT Construction~

Have we slid that far down the slippery slope where now it's now kosher for the news to "buy" ad time on their network to condemn things corporate doesn't like.

Mostly I'm surprised it was Bell to venture into this. I would expected Quebecor to do it first. Though I guess they don't own any high viewership properties who may be swayed.

Are you sure it wasn't bought by one of the BIAs in an affected area? The Roncessvalles BIA did a big "buy local" push towards the end of the two year rolling shutdown of the street during the streetcar construction. I don't know if they had TV ads but there were print and TTC/transit stop signage.

# ? Dec 10, 2014 07:44

Helsing: Aug 23, 2003; DON'T POST IN THE ELECTION THREAD UNLESS YOU JOE BIDEN

less than three posted:

Watching the Daily Show tonight I see CTV Toronto is airing a PSA during commercial break ~Think Of The Businesses Struggling To Hang On Thanks to LRT Construction~

Have we slid that far down the slippery slope where now it's now kosher for the news to "buy" ad time on their network to condemn things corporate doesn't like.

Mostly I'm surprised it was Bell to venture into this. I would expected Quebecor to do it first. Though I guess they don't own any high viewership properties who may be swayed.

Are you really surprised? The media in this country is shameless when it comes to plugging a political agenda. They might not be as blatant about it as some American media but overall Canada has a media environment that is actually worse than Americas.

Most newspapers in this country are unprofitable and only actually exist to act as mouthpieces for their wealthy owners. During the latest Ontario election the editorial board of the Globe and Mail unanimously agreed to endorse the Liberals but they were unilaterally over ruled by Editor-in-Chief David Walmsley, who, at the behest of publisher Philip Crawley and the Thomson family (i.e. the people who own the Globe) forced them to instead write an endorsement of Tim Hudak's conservative.

Not that long ago newspapers were generally expected to have opinions that were broadly similar to the opinions of their readers. Yet in the latest Ontario election three of Toronto's four newspapers endorsed a political party that [i]has only won a single seat in Toronto in the last 15 years.[i] These papers no longer have any particular connection with their readership, they merely exist to service the vanities or economic interests of their owners.

Or there's this darkly comic memo from the Globe that was recently leaked where we found out that Globe writers are now expected to help generate "branded content" for advertisers.

And all this is without me even having talked about Quebecor or the Irvings. When it comes to media our country is a bad joke in search of a punchline.

# ? Dec 10, 2014 08:46

less than three: Aug 9, 2007; Fallen Rib

Helsing posted:

Are you really surprised? The media in this country is shameless when it comes to plugging a political agenda. They might not be as blatant about it as some American media but overall Canada has a media environment that is actually worse than Americas.

Most newspapers in this country are unprofitable and only actually exist to act as mouthpieces for their wealthy owners. During the latest Ontario election the editorial board of the Globe and Mail unanimously agreed to endorse the Liberals but they were unilaterally over ruled by Editor-in-Chief David Walmsley, who, at the behest of publisher Philip Crawley and the Thomson family (i.e. the people who own the Globe) forced them to instead write an endorsement of Tim Hudak's conservative.

Not that long ago newspapers were generally expected to have opinions that were broadly similar to the opinions of their readers. Yet in the latest Ontario election three of Toronto's four newspapers endorsed a political party that [i]has only won a single seat in Toronto in the last 15 years.[i] These papers no longer have any particular connection with their readership, they merely exist to service the vanities or economic interests of their owners.

Or there's this darkly comic memo from the Globe that was recently leaked where we found out that Globe writers are now expected to help generate "branded content" for advertisers.

And all this is without me even having talked about Quebecor or the Irvings. When it comes to media our country is a bad joke in search of a punchline.

I've acknowledged for a long time the print media is poo poo, I was just caught off guard to suddenly have it show up on prime-time TV. At least with CAPP or Government Of Canada adverts you can reasonably assume an agenda, I guess I was naively hoping our TV news wouldn't end up in the same sorry state, considering how much they can influence peoples' opinion.

infernal machines posted:

Are you sure it wasn't bought by one of the BIAs in an affected area? The Roncessvalles BIA did a big "buy local" push towards the end of the two year rolling shutdown of the street during the streetcar construction. I don't know if they had TV ads but there were print and TTC/transit stop signage.

No, it's a CTV News spot. "Sticking up for the public, we're only asking questions!"

less than three has issued a correction as of 09:09 on Dec 10, 2014

# ? Dec 10, 2014 09:07

Kafka Esq.: Jan 1, 2005; "If you ever even think about calling me anything but 'The Crab' I will go so fucking crab on your ass you won't even see what crab'd your crab" -The Crab(TM)

quote:

Good Wednesday morning to you.

It�s one step forward, two steps back on climate change regulations, as environment ministers from B.C., Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec signed a compact yesterday with a dozen other sub-national governments, pledging to reduce GHG emissions by 80 per cent by 2050. With the four signatory provinces representing 80 per cent of Canada�s population, that�s a big step forward in curbing Canada�s contribution to global emissions and climate change.

But then there�s the oil industry. After seven years of failing to implement any type of regulation on the sector � the number one emitter of greenhouse gases � Prime Minister Stephen Harper said yesterday that to roll out regulations for the oil and gas sector now would be �crazy economic policy.� Confirming that Canada is not going to be a groundbreaker where emissions are concerned, Harper also pointed out that �nobody in the world is regulating their oil and gas sector. I�d be delighted if they did. Canada will be there with them.� In fact, the United States placed what Environment Canada has called �significant� limits on its oil and gas sector in 2012.

What is inarguably not crazy is Harper headlining the annual Conservative Christmas party last night, channeling Axl Rose to round out the night with �Sweet Child O� Mine.� Harper even took off his glasses for the occasion, because everybody knows rock stars don�t wear glasses.

Getting back to that gleefully unregulated oil sector� Alberta�s premier, Jim Prentice, has warned that no Albertan will be spared the pain of the gaping hole taking form in the provincial budget thanks to falling oil prices. The cost of oil was around US$100 per barrel in the summer but now hovers around US$60. With the province so dependent on the success of the oil sector, if prices continue to flounder Alberta could be looking at a $6-billion to $7-billion gap in its $40-billion budget. Yikes.

The veterans charter that, in April 2006, Stephen Harper pointed to as �one example of our government�s commitment� to the troops, suddenly became �Liberal policy� during question period yesterday, as Harper stood to defend Veterans Affairs Minister Julian Fantino and distance the Tories from the class-action lawsuit underway in B.C. that argues that the charter is both unconstitutional and discriminatory against modern vets. While the charter was drafted by Paul Martin�s Liberals, it was championed and put into force by Harper�s Conservatives.

Harper also claimed that while his government continues to pledge more and more funding to veterans, the Liberals continuously oppose it. The problem is that it looks like a lot of funds that were meant to go to veterans' programs like death and disability benefits went unspent, while the budget for internal services like communications was surpassed by spending. Fantino�s department let $82.3 million go unspent on health-care programs and re-establishment services, according to analysis by the Globe and Mail, and let another $67.6 million lapse that should have gone toward disability and death compensation. On the other hand, the department overspent by roughly $12.5 million on management, communications, legal services, and HR.

The obscure private member's bill that sought to recognize April 30 as a national day to commemorate the exodus of Vietnamese refugees and their acceptance in Canada after the 1975 fall of Saigon, has been passed in the Senate, infuriating Vietnamese officials. Vietnam�s ambassador to Canada had spoken out against the bill, saying that it was offensive to his government, and promised that passing it would lead to strained ties between the two countries.

The Liberal party�s selection of Harjit Singh Sajjan as their candidate in Vancouver South has spurred a walkout of many B.C. Sikhs from the Liberal party. Sajjan is backed by the World Sikh Organization, which some are calling an extremist and fundamental group. He is also a decorated veteran of the Canadian military in Bosnia and Afghanistan, and was the first Sikh to command a Canadian army regiment.

A national chief will be elected for the Assembly of First Nations in Winnipeg today. Following the resignation of former national chief Shawn Atleo in the spring, the election involves 639 chiefs voting on three candidates: Perry Bellegarde, chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations; Leon Jourdain, chief of Lac La Croix First Nation in northwestern Ontario; and Ghislain Picard, AFN regional chief for First Nations in Quebec and Labrador. This vote comes at a critical time for the AFN, and the CBC has a rundown of everything you should know about it.

Here and there:

A funeral will be held at 2 p.m. for Montreal Canadiens legend Jean Beliveau.
Statistics Canada releases the Canadian Income Survey 2012 and a study on life satisfaction among recent immigrants in Canada: Comparisons with source-country populations and the Canadian-born.
Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird and Heritage Minister Shelly Glover announce a new infrastructure project.
Bloc MPs Louis Plamondon and Mario Beaulieu hold a press conference to discuss the Fall 2014 parliamentary session.
The Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies hosts a press conference to discuss the urgent need for action to address the circumstances of those who are criminalized and imprisoned because of disabling mental health issues.
Three organizations who have been digging into 9/11 evidence for many years hold a press conference.
The Bank of Canada releases the December issue of the Financial System Review.
The Assembly of First Nations holds a Special Chiefs Assembly in Winnipeg to elect a new leader.

The UNHCR is looking to Canada to help in resettling more than 100,000 Syrian refugees over the next two years. At meetings in Geneva yesterday the group made a plea for countries to resettle the refugees by 2016. Though 25 countries pledges to open more space for the displace Syrians, Canada did not.

In the U.S., a Senate panel has issued a scathing report on the CIA�s operations during the Bush era. The report details the capture, secret detention, and routine torture of suspected terrorists and concludes that the program was cruel, ineffective, and incompetently managed. Alexander Panetta has outlined 20 key findings from the report. Right advocates are saying that the details emerging from this indictment should be sufficient to reopen criminal investigations against those involved and are pushing for the attorney general to appoint an independent prosecutor to the case.

Still stateside, the U.S. has unanimously approved a new ambassador to India. Richard Verma is the first Indian-American to rise to the role. He has worked previously as a security adviser in the Senate.

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists disclosed a cache of documents yesterday revealing how many multinational companies funnelled profit through the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to potentially avoid taxation in other jurisdictions.

In Featured Opinion:

Canada's young people seem to be abandoning the political field altogether. Maybe that's because they don't want to play a game they see as rigged in favour of their parents and grandparents, says pollster Frank Graves. He uses several years of EKOS polling to argue that young people aren't tuning out of federal elections out of laziness or indifference: They're expressing contempt for a political system that short-changes them at every turn. The irony, of course, is that nothing can change until they start voting in large numbers.
L. Ian MacDonald was among the mourners at the Bell Centre paying tribute to hockey legend Jean B�liveau. He shares his memories of the man and the country he changed for the better � merely by being a magnificent athlete who knew how to bring Canadians together even as politics was pulling us apart.
Devon Black says the Harper government's new prostitution law is what you get when people blinded by ideology � and the need to mollify a party base � take on a complex social issue without actually talking to the people affected.
And Matt Horne of the Pembina Institute brings us a piece on the biggest long-term challenge facing the Canadian economy: getting ready for a future when fossil fuels are no longer the dominant energy source.

Finally, 'tis the season for year-end lists. Here are the top 10 most tweeted news stories of 2014, assuming nothing major breaks in the coming weeks.

Have a happy hump day!
_____________________

International

Kerry urges flexibility in U.S. war powers against Islamic State (Reuters)
CIA tortured, misled, U.S. report finds, drawing calls for action (Reuters)

National

Steven Fletcher: Assisted suicide does not include newborn euthanasia (iPolitics)
Prime Minister Harper rocks out at Conservative Christmas party (The Canadian Press)
Internal costs at Veterans Affairs jump while death, disability funding unspent (The Globe and Mail)
Harper dismisses calls to regulate oil sector amid price drop as �crazy economic policy� (The Canadian Press)
Ritz aims to tighten rules for grain industry, expand grain commission powers (iPolitics)
Senate passes bill that infuriates Vietnam, sparking trade warnings (The Canadian Press)
Harper partially disowns veterans charter amid more calls for Fantino�s ouster (The Canadian Press)
Election law changes could boost Conservative MPs' campaign tools (CBC News)
Elections Canada planning to be ready for federal vote any time after March 1, 2015 (Ottawa Citizen)
Rinelle Harper calls for inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women (The Canadian Press)
CIA torture report renews attention on Canadian connection (iPolitics)
Assembly of First Nations calls on chiefs to �rise up� against transparency act (The Canadian Press)

Atlantic

Liberal MHA kicked out of legislature for 'corruption' comments (CBC News)
N.L. premier threatens to withdraw support for Canada-EU trade deal (The Canadian Press)

Quebec

Quebec population growth slows due to fewer immigrants (CBC News)

Ontario

Polls show Justin Trudeau, Stephen Harper in tight Ontario race (CBC News)
Ontario auditor general sounds alarm over soaring provincial debt (The Canadian Press)
LCBO, Beer Store deal limits competition in beer sales: report (CBC News)
NDP to introduce bill to make OHIP billings public (Toronto Star)

Prairies

Assembly of First Nations election: 5 issues to watch (CBC News)
NDP not forthcoming on Conawapa costs: PCs (Winnipeg Free Press)
Manitoba Tory leader worried about election, not rebellion (CBC News)
Premier Selinger�s power grip on Manitoba becoming a stranglehold (Globe and Mail)

Alberta

Alberta premier says oil slump could leave $6B hole in provincial budget (The Canadian Press)
Alberta NDP leader calls Jim Prentice�s reform bill �all hat, no cattle� (The Canadian Press)

British Columbia

B.C. Sikhs quit Liberals to protest Justin Trudeau's 'star' candidate (CBC News)
B.C.'s mental health patients need a spectrum of services, officials say (Vancouver Sun)

# ? Dec 10, 2014 12:35

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# ? May 15, 2024 10:56

vyelkin: Jan 2, 2011

Helsing posted:

Are you really surprised? The media in this country is shameless when it comes to plugging a political agenda. They might not be as blatant about it as some American media but overall Canada has a media environment that is actually worse than Americas.

Most newspapers in this country are unprofitable and only actually exist to act as mouthpieces for their wealthy owners. During the latest Ontario election the editorial board of the Globe and Mail unanimously agreed to endorse the Liberals but they were unilaterally over ruled by Editor-in-Chief David Walmsley, who, at the behest of publisher Philip Crawley and the Thomson family (i.e. the people who own the Globe) forced them to instead write an endorsement of Tim Hudak's conservative.

Not that long ago newspapers were generally expected to have opinions that were broadly similar to the opinions of their readers. Yet in the latest Ontario election three of Toronto's four newspapers endorsed a political party that [i]has only won a single seat in Toronto in the last 15 years.[i] These papers no longer have any particular connection with their readership, they merely exist to service the vanities or economic interests of their owners.

Or there's this darkly comic memo from the Globe that was recently leaked where we found out that Globe writers are now expected to help generate "branded content" for advertisers.

And all this is without me even having talked about Quebecor or the Irvings. When it comes to media our country is a bad joke in search of a punchline.