Canada - Next Federal Gov't?

[Nigel Hanrahan]

Re: Harper: resign or be pushed? Who cares?

What did you think was happening with all that information?

One thing I did not think was happening was the stalking of women by intelligence officers with access to all this information. That's stalking of people who are not suspected of having violated any law; they're simply of interest to the particular intelligence officer. This practice is so common it has it's own name: LOVEINT. This is just one of many misuses of the collection of all this information.

Go ahead and try to defend such practices. I'm sure someone will agree with you.

Another example is the prohibition of entry to the US by a Canadian lady whose health records were accessed by US border authorities and who, based on her past mental health issues, decided that she could be a danger to herself or others.

What reason did the US government have for spying on German PM Angela Merkel? Is she a terrorist as well? How about the Israeli President? Another terrorist? It's just a despicable pack of lies. They spy on everyone, all the time, and it needs to stop.

On and on it goes. Indiscriminate collection of information about the citizenry, stored forever, is an inherent danger to privacy and thereby to democracy.

Privacy is also an essential element in what makes everyone unique. If we wanted a nation of identical thoughtless zombies, then continuing down this Orwellian road would be the way to go.

OTOH, certain political parties probably want that ...

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Harper: resign or be pushed? Who cares?

Go ahead and try to defend such practices. I'm sure someone will agree with you.

Slow down. I didn't say I agreed with it.

It's like me saying I know VBulletin 4.2 is easy to hack. You can google it and get instruction on how to do it if you can't figure it out yourself. It doesn't mean I agree with it hacking it. But I know it can be done.

[Vlad Drkulec]

Re: Harper: resign or be pushed? Who cares?

I'm watching the expedition in Antarctica, where it is their summer, and a bunch of "scientists" were trying to retrace some explorers path to see how the ice would make it easier because of melting and climate change. That's the ways I understand it. Their ship is stuck in an ice pack as is an ice breaker which tried to break them free. The Americans have sent an ice breaker which should get there in a week depending on weather conditions to try to break them free. The "scientists" have been taken off their ship by helicopter and I suppose they have abandoned their mission.

The salvage costs will be high but my understanding is the cost can't exceed the value of the ship they salvage plus the cargo.

So I have to ask what climate change is it to which you refer.

There is a God and he likes to play practical jokes on people who think that the science is settled.

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: Harper: resign or be pushed? Who cares?

There is a God and he likes to play practical jokes on people who think that the science is settled.

I think He may like to play practical jokes on people who think ANY science is settled.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Canada - Next Federal Gov't?

If those ships are still there in a couple of months when their weather starts turning cold, they will likely have their hulls crushed by the ice. That's if it doesn't happen sooner.

[Vlad Drkulec]

Re: Canada - Next Federal Gov't?

If those ships are still there in a couple of months when their weather starts turning cold, they will likely have their hulls crushed by the ice. That's if it doesn't happen sooner.

I think they will have a harder time funding such junkets to publicize the dangers of global warming in the future with those ships at the bottom of the ocean. An inconvenient truth indeed.

[Nigel Hanrahan]

Why this new spying is different

Slow down. I didn't say I agreed with it.

Your relevant quote is as follows: "Spying has been going on forever. I liked the time when Gouzenko gave it all up. Defected to Canada. I guess you're trying to tell us nobody has ever spied on us."

Nope, that's not what I'm claiming. Try re-reading the litany of violations I've spent some time enumerating for your benefit. These show how things are different now, that the quantity and quality of spying is at unheard of levels, and that it is a real danger to society.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Why this new spying is different

Do you think things are different now because the technology is different or because the intentions were purer back then?

Do you think McCarthyism wasn't a real danger to society?

[Paul Bonham]

Re: Harper: resign or be pushed? Who cares?

None of that stuff was really presented as proper evidence, subject to challenge, at the time. The Kellock–Taschereau Commission was a bit of a travesty, with witnesses being browbeat into confessions of one kind or another. Think: Diplock Courts.

Anyway, that's neither here nor there. The kind of spying that Snowden et al have revealed is of a gigantic order of magnitude worse than George Orwell imagined. Every e mail, tweet, text, post on a Discussion Board (like this one), etc., is being stored and saved, including confidential personal data (the Canadian lady who was banned from the USA for once having been depressed is a case in point) without any proper oversight whatsoever. These are police state tactics. They undermine and destroy democracy. The "5 Eyes" (USA, UK, Australia, NZ and Canada), given the evidence, make the former Stazi of East Germany seen like amateurs in comparison.

Furthermore, spying for private corporate benefit (Brazil, eg, or providing "intelligence" at taxpayer expense on environmental organizations and activists for the oil and gas industry) is not in the public interest; it's a private interest by definition. Why should my tax dollars subsidize Enbridge black ops?

You, sir, who if only you could would gladly be judge, jury and executioner of one Borislav Ivanov, are in no position to speak of presenting proper evidence or to rail against police state tactics. You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time.

[Bob Armstrong]

NDP's Leader: Mulcair: NDP Federal Gov't Next?

Poll suggests Tories and NDP currently in statistical tie: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/...d.html?cmp=rss

I know you don't believe in polls, Gary, but they do often have currency. I knew you'd want to know about this one - will stir your commitment to get that $ 20 saved up in advance!!

Bob A, NDP supporter

NDP Leader, MP, Thomas Mulcair - momentum : http://bit.ly/1iwVP7a .

Bob A, NDP Supporter

[Gary Ruben]

Re: NDP's Leader: Mulcair: NDP Federal Gov't Next?

NDP Leader, MP, Thomas Mulcair - momentum : http://bit.ly/1iwVP7a .

Bob A, NDP Supporter

I wouldn't get too excited. There are still a couple of years till the next election and new riding boundaries. Quebec will have a smaller proportion of influence than they do now with more new ridings in other provinces.

Lots of job losses in Ontario last month so I'd expect people to vote for whatever is best for their jobs.

I was reading Quebec migration figures.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montre...cade-1.2489009

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: Canada - Next Federal Gov't?

Poll suggests Tories and NDP currently in statistical tie: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/...d.html?cmp=rss

I know you don't believe in polls, Gary, but they do often have currency. I knew you'd want to know about this one - will stir your commitment to get that $ 20 saved up in advance!!

Bob A, NDP supporter

The federal NDP are now campaigning to become the NEXT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF CANADA! : http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/campa...cair-1.1643771

Bob A

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Canada - Next Federal Gov't?

The federal NDP are now campaigning to become the NEXT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF CANADA!

Bob A

If they have realistic chances why would Chow be considering contesting the Toronto Mayor election. A high profile federal cabinet post has to be better.

Looking at the Toronto mayor election, Ford should get his 30 to 35 % Ford nation vote plus whatever he picked up during the ice storm. Toronto was lucky to have him and his laid back daily news conferences. Tory, if he runs could get around 20%. Stintz, if she runs, along with Minnon Wong and Soknacki should total around 15 to 20 % of the vote combined. That leaves Chow with about the same as Ford and a tight race.

If Ford can keep up his attacks on the provincial government and the shabby treatment of Toronto it will likely be in his favour and pick up votes. Particularly if the provincial government leaves Toronto to pick up the storm damage mainly on their own.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Canada - Next Ontario Gov't?

Bob, How did you like the results of last nights "buy" elections? It didn't work.

It didn't surprise me much.

Probably you know I want to vote for the conservatives. Unfortunately, and probably to your surprise, I can't support the right to work legislation the provincial Cons are proposing. For me it's a deal breaker. I really hope the NDP puts a candidate in this riding whom I can support.

Federally, I'm hoping the Cons drop their plans to stop home mail delivery. It's not that great for seniors who don't get out much. If Trudeau promises to continue mail delivery he will get my vote. I'll reluctantly vote for him.

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: Canada - Next Federal Gov't?

Liberal lead jumps to 8 points; Canadians shrug off budget: poll

Read more: http://www.cp24.com/news/liberal-lea...#ixzz2tpk1IhrL

Well Gary, I'm not yet getting my $ 20 ready for a move....in politics, 2015 is a very, very long way off. Anything can yet happen, especially if Trudeau makes a bad misstep, and people are tired of the Harper corruption and being in bed with everyone despicable.

Bob A