Liberals and NDP Are in Favor of Affirmitive Action

The government has ordered an affirmative action overhaul.

This is why.  When fellow BT blogger Sara Landriault who had applied for a job at Citizenship and Immigration  had her application blocked because she is white. Why, if Sarah is qualified for the job that she is discriminated from even applying? Doesn't make sense. The government has listened and is taking action rectify that problem . 

The Liberals and NDP are not happy though. They are belly aching. They seem to think that discriminating against someone applying for a government job based on race is quite fine.   Are the Liberals and NDP in favor of  racial discrimination?  I thought both those parties believed in equality. Go figure! 

Equality is equality. Whatever happened to being chosen for a position based on merit? Liberals and NDP mustn't think merit is important.  It shouldn't matter what race you are.  If you have the qualifications for a certain position,  no matter if you're black, white, red, yellow or pink with purple polka dots, you should be able to at least apply.

Good for Sarah for speaking out and good for the government for acting so quickly.

Remember this from a famous American civil rights leader:

 I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Sidenote: I wish Sarah the best on her job hunt and hope she lands one soon.  Go Sarah!

Liberals All Over the Map on New F-35 Fighter Jets

Liberals can't make up their minds where they stand on anything.  The latest is the  government's procurement of 65 new F-35 fighter jets.  First spaceman Marc Garneau came out with feigned outrage railing against the deal saying the Libs would cancel it.  The same Lib spaceman Garneau  then said they would put it hold and review the it to make sure Canadians got the best deal.

"We just spent $2.6 billion to upgrade our current fleet of CF-18 aircraft and the replacement date that's forecast for these aircraft is not until 2017," said Garneau. "We need to make sure that Canadians get the best possible deal in the circumstances," he said.

Ujjal Dosanjh has  asked budget officer Kevin Page to examine whether or not we got a good deal.

Liberal defence critic Ujjal Dosanjh asked Parliament's budget officer Kevin Page Wednesday to investigate the F-35 deal — comparing it to other countries that have purchased the fifth-generation jet — and see whether Canada got good value for money.

Now retired general, current Liberal Senator, Romeo Dallaire figures it's a great deal and that we should buy more.

Dallaire called its main rival — Boeing's F-18E Super Hornet — "old" and hailed the government's $9-billion military investment as “essential.
“It's an excellent plane that's built in North America," Dallaire said Wednesday, noting he does take issue with the sole source government contract. "We need more than that but we can only afford 65."

In the meantime so much for the feigned outrage over the  so called "the lack of a competive process."   It was a joint decision with our allies that was properly deliberated for years.
Former Quebec Liberal MP Jacques Saada  agreed with the government and commented on the issue. 

While Liberals have been decrying the sole-source deal, former Quebec Liberal MP Jacques Saada, now president of Quebec's aerospace association, agreed with the government earlier this week when he told QMI Agency there was a "very serious" competitive bid process in the late-90s.
Those deliberations, he said, last nearly five years and in the end the nine Joint Strike Fighter partners — including Canada, United States, Britain and Australia — all decided to buy the F-35.

Ralphy Goodale should know better. He was a part of that government that started this process.  He  has said they would "revisit it" if they formed the next government.

The Liberals have pledge to “revisit” the jet deal if they form the next government, “and would insist on a competitive process,” Goodale said.

So where exactly DO the Liberals stand on this?  Mr. Iffy needs to get his Libs together and decide where they stand.
They have flip, flopped and have been all over the map on this as they are on many other issues. The deal was originally started by them when they were still in office. The current government continued the process.
It just proves they don't have a coherent stand on anything and are not ready to govern.  Voters are not going to vote for a party that can't make up their mind who they are and what they stand for. 

End the Indian Act Says the Head of the Assembly of First Nations

Shawn Atleo, the head of the Assembly of First Nations, states  that the Indian Act should be scrapped within five years.

WINNIPEG—Aboriginals should get out “from under” the Indian Act within five years and build a new, more-independent relationship with the federal government, the head of the Assembly of First Nations said Tuesday.
“Is it time to boldly suggest that within two to five years, the Indian Act will no longer be part of our lives?” Shawn Atleo asked the AFN’s annual assembly.

I agree.  We pour billions of dollars each year into First Nations and it seems like things just don't get  any better for them.  There is no accountability as to where the money is being spent.  They live in third world conditions.  There's a lot of alcoholism, drug abuse, a high incarceration rate, low level of education, and the suicide rate is high among the aboriginal population.  There is no initiative to get ahead.

“Imagine a time ... when we give up all that the current system provides — the highest suicide rates, the highest rates of incarceration in the country, the lowest education rates, the lowest income rates.”

The Department of Indian Affairs just perpetuates the problem. There should be no difference between the rest of Canadians and our First Nations.  Everyone should be treated equally.  Equality is in our Charter isn't it?

“We will once and for all work to dismantle the unnecessary machinery of the Department of Indian Affairs, which only perpetuates our poverty.

The dismantlement of the Act allowing aboriginals independence and equal treatment would be better for them.  They would gain the initiative to better themselves thus some of those problems they face would not be as great. They would have greater self-esteem, be healthier, more productive and prosperous.
Plus it would save the federal taxpayer billions each year.   
Tom Flanagan earlier this year suggested something like that in  giving first nations property rights.

Restoring aboriginal property rights will enhance economic activity on reserves and create more jobs and business opportunities for first nations people

Minister  Strahl,  please listen to the Assembly of First Nations and Mr. Flanagan.  This is the way to go.  The current system is not working. Don't hold back our aboriginal people anymore.  They deserve to be independent, equal, healthy and prosperous like the rest of us.

Media Bias Against Mr. Z Fueled by a Left-and Rightwing Conspriacy?

Adrian McNair, says according to Liberal party president, Alfred Apps poor Mr. Z is victim of media bias. Oh, poor baby!  Apps claims the media is being aided by some in his own party but by Tory and NDP as well to feed them "propaganda."

 Michael Ignatieff is the victim of a persistent media bias, according to Liberal party president Alfred Apps. In an 18-page analysis obtained exclusively by Victoria freelance journalist, Sean Holman, Mr. Apps suggests the media “increasingly appears to have lost all perspective on reality” in coverage of the federal Liberal Party.
He suggests much of the media, aided from within the ranks of the Liberal Party itself, has bought into the narrative that Mr.Ignatieff and Liberal electoral prospects under the leadership have all the “marks of being Tory/NDP-inspired.”

Unbelievable! Then Apps has the audacity to criticize the media for seeing his great leader as arrogant, aloof and unable to connect with regular folk.

Mr. Apps also criticizes the “consensus” view from the Canadian press that Mr. Ignatieff is arrogant, aloof, and unable to connect with the ordinary Canadian. Liberal electoral fortunes slide every time the media propagates these untruths.

So media bias is the reason why Mr. Z and the Libs are not doing very well.  I think that's a stretch.  The media has done more to prop up and cover for the Liberal party and it's leaders including this one  more than any other party for years.  Mr. Apps fails to realize the reason why Mr. Z is not connecting is that he IS arrogant, aloof and condescending. Another reason Mr. Z cannot connect is  because he's been out of the country too long and  doesn't really know much about it.  He missed 34yrs and a lot has happened.  The country has changed.   That's why, Mr. Apps!  The media is not your problem!  Take a close look at your leader and your party for that matter!

Adrian goes on to sum it up quite nicely.

But the Liberal party’s problem is that it’s providing abundant material to validate the picture portrayed by the media. The media may build the fire, but it’s getting the wood from Alf Apps and his party.

Bingo!

A Cabinet Shuffle and Fall Election?

The Hill Times is musing today that PM Harper will have cabinet shuffle and then call and election this fall.
They go on speculating what was reported in Le Devoir that Minister Jim Flaherty will be shuffled out of Finance in which I truly find that hard to believe. Minister Flaherty has done a great job steering us through a very bad recession and is well liked and has been given kudos from the international world.  The PM has full confidence in his Minister, why would he want to suffle him now?  The economy is still recovering and is still very fragile.

Secondly they are speculating that PM Harper will go the GG before the House is scheduled to return on Sept. 20 for the fall sitting, and ask for an election depending on how Iffy's desperation bus tour goes.

The Le Devoir story raised discussion not only of the government's plans for the short term, but also of the odds Prime Minister Harper may decide to ask Governor General Michäelle Jean to dissolve Parliament before it reconvenes on Sept. 20, paving the way for an election in which he would hope to capitalize on rising support his party is experiencing in public opinion polls while the fortunes of the Liberal party and Leader Michael Ignatieff (Etobicoke-Lakeshore, Ont.) continue to decline in the opposition direction. 

Joanne at BLY pointed out a particular comment of  pollster Frank Graves  in this column on her blog.

Joanne says:

July 19, 2010 at 7:05 am

Rather surprising to hear Frank Graves say this:

Ekos pollster Frank Graves said Prime Minister Harper has already benefitted from his appearances this year with Queen Elizabeth, his leadership at the G8 and G20 summits, the Vancouver Olympics and his gradual ascension on the world stage over the past four years.
“I believe that what’s happened is that Stephen Harper has gradually and slowly, almost without anybody noticing, he becomes the proxy for national pride,” Mr. Graves told The Hill Times. “This has never happened [with Prime Minister Harper] before. I think it’s a new dynamic

Methinks it’s a trap.

I happen to agree.  Frank Graves should not be trusted since he has been advising the Liberal party.
Even though the temptation might be there, the PM should refrain from calling an election this fall instead as stated by Joanne from BLY to continue governing competently.

Frmgrl – I really hope PM Harper refrains from calling an election anytime soon – no matter how tempting. He should continue to do just what he’s doing – govern competently with a view to get us back on our feet economically. He’s doing a great job.

It would be a mistake to call one this fall for three main reasons.

 1. There are municipal elections both in Alberta and Ontario this fall.  It would result in lower voter turn out because election fatigue.  It's hard enough to GOTV in the municipal ones since the turn out  is usually very low.  Voters would not be happy campers to have two elections at the same time or just weeks apart.

2.  I believe PM Harper would be seen as opportunistic and it could backfire.  He could very likely be punished at the polls.

3.  There needs to be a very good reason to drag the public to the polls and I don't see one right now.

Anyway I don’t see a Jim Flaherty being shuffled out of his Finance Ministry portfolio nor do I see  federal election until at least next spring after the budget.  Let the  media speculate all they want.  Let the opposition parties defeat the government on a bill.  They can get the flak then for an unwanted election.

I do think all this  fall election talk by the MSM is because THEY are the ones that really want one in order to send "The Visiting Professor" back to academia  so  that their favorite party can anoint their next messiah in hopes that next one will  win the big prize.


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