On The Liberals.
Ignatieff has made much on the Detainee Issue despite the fact that like the Prorogation Issue, it is but a tempest in a teapot.
The simple fact is that other than for the left wing Media, Canadians do not give a Tinker's Damn about the so-called rights of Terrorists in far off countries. That is unless, as in the Shidane Arone tragedy, Canadian soldiers are directly implicated.
It only goes to show that the Opposition Parties have nothing of substance available to attack the Harper Government. This despite the fact that unemployment is historically high, and the economy is just now coming out of the most serious Recession in our history.
But as I said at the outset, the beleaguered Grits are now starting to lose control of the issue.
It is morphing into a Constitutional Issue as to whether or not the Government can keep classified documents from Parliament. There is no easy solution - the Opposition states that as Parliamentarians they have a right to see any and all documents pertaining to the Detainee Issue. The Government for its part truly believes that for matters of security this cannot be allowed.
The compromise proposed by Harper to have a former Justice of the Supreme Court review all the documents seems to me to be a fair and just one. The Liberals do not appear to be at all satisfied.
If it goes to its logical conclusion it could very well precipitate an Early Election. And no one - especially the Liberal Party wishes for that.
Personally, I do not see an Election being called on this issue but I do see Harper making it a matter of Confidence. What I expect to see is the Liberals blinking on the issue and standing down. Failing that, they will vote against the Government but only in such a small number to avoid election calamity.
As I see it...
"Galagher"
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Fowler's Follies
At this past weekend's Liberal Think Fest, Robert Fowler - a former Canadian Ambassador to the UN - lashed out at the Government for not sharing his vision of the world. Such arrogance.
Indeed, from my long time in Canada's Civil Service - his arrogance is consistent with those who spend time in the Foreign Affairs Department. Only the Immigration Department can rival DFAIT in this regard and it comes in at a poor second.
Fowler, you will recall, was recently held hostage by the Al Qaeda in Africa and it was the same Tory Government, he criticizes, that saved his sorry hide. Some gratitude.
Fowler was also the Deputy Minister when Canadian Forces Clayton Matchee and Kyle Brown tortured to death a young Somali, by the name of Shidane Arone, in 1992. There was definitely a cover-up and it was starting to unravel when the then Liberal Government shut down the Somali Inquiry established earlier to ferret out the facts. This has to rank as the most blatant interference on the part of a Canadian Government in living memory. And yet, there were probably more complaints earlier this year about Harper's prorogation of Parliament than there were complaints about the cancellation of the Inquiry in 1993.
Fowler was the Deputy Minister of Defence when the killing took place and the Inquiry Report concluded that the scandal stemmed from a distinct lack of leadership on the part of the Senior Officials at Defence. You don't get much more senior than the Deputy Minister.
Of note, Fowler was one of the next witnesses to be called when Chretien disbanded the Inquiry.
Flash ahead to 2010 and we find a new revitalized Fowler quick to give his comments when some 16 years earlier - when it counted - he was no where to be seen.
One particular comment from Fowler that I found particularly galling was his assertion Canada is too supportive of Israel. He suggested that this was caused by a blatant attempt by our politicians to woo the Jewish Vote when in actual fact their are more Muslims living in Canada than there are Jews.
And this despite the fact that none of the world's Terrorists are Jewish and the only truly democratic state in the middle east is Israel.
It is time that Fowler returned to his enforced silence.
As I see it...
"Galagher"
Indeed, from my long time in Canada's Civil Service - his arrogance is consistent with those who spend time in the Foreign Affairs Department. Only the Immigration Department can rival DFAIT in this regard and it comes in at a poor second.
Fowler, you will recall, was recently held hostage by the Al Qaeda in Africa and it was the same Tory Government, he criticizes, that saved his sorry hide. Some gratitude.
Fowler was also the Deputy Minister when Canadian Forces Clayton Matchee and Kyle Brown tortured to death a young Somali, by the name of Shidane Arone, in 1992. There was definitely a cover-up and it was starting to unravel when the then Liberal Government shut down the Somali Inquiry established earlier to ferret out the facts. This has to rank as the most blatant interference on the part of a Canadian Government in living memory. And yet, there were probably more complaints earlier this year about Harper's prorogation of Parliament than there were complaints about the cancellation of the Inquiry in 1993.
Fowler was the Deputy Minister of Defence when the killing took place and the Inquiry Report concluded that the scandal stemmed from a distinct lack of leadership on the part of the Senior Officials at Defence. You don't get much more senior than the Deputy Minister.
Of note, Fowler was one of the next witnesses to be called when Chretien disbanded the Inquiry.
Flash ahead to 2010 and we find a new revitalized Fowler quick to give his comments when some 16 years earlier - when it counted - he was no where to be seen.
One particular comment from Fowler that I found particularly galling was his assertion Canada is too supportive of Israel. He suggested that this was caused by a blatant attempt by our politicians to woo the Jewish Vote when in actual fact their are more Muslims living in Canada than there are Jews.
And this despite the fact that none of the world's Terrorists are Jewish and the only truly democratic state in the middle east is Israel.
It is time that Fowler returned to his enforced silence.
As I see it...
"Galagher"
I Like Ann Coulter...
Though I do not have much use for Ottawa U - so called 'Canada's University. (It is not by happenstance that the CBC calls upon the tenured left wing professors of Ottawa U to support its politically correct point of view)
And my above feelings long preceded Ms. Coulter's recent attempt to speak on its campus.
I have followed Ann Coulter over the course of the last couple of years and I must admit that initially I too found her to be a right wing loon. But as time went on, I realized that she was simply trying to be provocative - and in so doing to make points which needed to be made.
Permit me to give you a recent example.
Coulter has been accused of saying that Muslims should not be allowed to fly - I guess on the premise that not all Muslims are terrorists but nearly all terrorists are Muslim.
Well the fact is - Ann Coulter never made that statement - and as she herself has pointed out - this is consistent with most of the statements that she has alleged to have made. This is not surprising given the inherent bias of our left-wing media.
What she did say - and she admits to doing so, is that all Muslims who fly, should be profiled.
Even with that she has gone too far but the essence of what she is saying makes imminent sense.
Here we have democracies around the world suspecting everyone of being a terrorist with this leading to grandmothers, babies and the like from the general population being searched for bombs and weapons and indeed most recently being electronically stripped searched.
As I have pointed out in past Blogs, this state of affairs is utter nonsense.
Alas with current state of technology, Profiling is still the way to go.
But Profiling itself need not apply to the whole of the Muslim Community. It too can be targeted to those most likely to fit the description of a terrorist - e.g. young, not married. And it can be further supported by counter terrorist measures such as continued development of the no-fly lists.
Anyway, what I am trying to say, is that although Coulter exaggerates for effect, but the essence of her message is solid.
Political correctness and aversion to profiling are fall-outs from the transition in society which began in the 1960s and for which I am planning one day return to in greater depth.
Canada has sold out to such thinking - as has Europe. The United States is the only country remaining where the fight against it remains but even America is split right down the middle.
Like it or not, the Ann Coulters are part of this fight - from the right, and if they lose, all of us in the West will lose too.
As I see it...
"Galagher"
And my above feelings long preceded Ms. Coulter's recent attempt to speak on its campus.
I have followed Ann Coulter over the course of the last couple of years and I must admit that initially I too found her to be a right wing loon. But as time went on, I realized that she was simply trying to be provocative - and in so doing to make points which needed to be made.
Permit me to give you a recent example.
Coulter has been accused of saying that Muslims should not be allowed to fly - I guess on the premise that not all Muslims are terrorists but nearly all terrorists are Muslim.
Well the fact is - Ann Coulter never made that statement - and as she herself has pointed out - this is consistent with most of the statements that she has alleged to have made. This is not surprising given the inherent bias of our left-wing media.
What she did say - and she admits to doing so, is that all Muslims who fly, should be profiled.
Even with that she has gone too far but the essence of what she is saying makes imminent sense.
Here we have democracies around the world suspecting everyone of being a terrorist with this leading to grandmothers, babies and the like from the general population being searched for bombs and weapons and indeed most recently being electronically stripped searched.
As I have pointed out in past Blogs, this state of affairs is utter nonsense.
Alas with current state of technology, Profiling is still the way to go.
But Profiling itself need not apply to the whole of the Muslim Community. It too can be targeted to those most likely to fit the description of a terrorist - e.g. young, not married. And it can be further supported by counter terrorist measures such as continued development of the no-fly lists.
Anyway, what I am trying to say, is that although Coulter exaggerates for effect, but the essence of her message is solid.
Political correctness and aversion to profiling are fall-outs from the transition in society which began in the 1960s and for which I am planning one day return to in greater depth.
Canada has sold out to such thinking - as has Europe. The United States is the only country remaining where the fight against it remains but even America is split right down the middle.
Like it or not, the Ann Coulters are part of this fight - from the right, and if they lose, all of us in the West will lose too.
As I see it...
"Galagher"
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