[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[Barrister]

There has been extensive coverage in the media which is why I wondered what you meant

But no one here talked about it, and I was wondering what you all thought.

Man... residential schools.

BAck in the 1990s in law school I worked with a law firm that was doing residential school lawsuits.  It was very interesting.  I met with at least a dozen former residential school students.  I went through the Manitoba archives and looked at hundreds of microfiche documents

It's a complex story, a perfect example of the hell of "good intentions".

Now let me say that I'm not defending residential schools, but they were not universally unambiguously evil.  I talked with one man.  His parents wanted him to do to residential school to get an education.  And he did, went on to have a successful career as an educator and administrator.  He was also sexually molested at that school by some of the other boys.

For some students they described some horrific physical and sexual abuse.  Some only described physical abuse.  Some only complained about the loss of their culture and language.

The whole system though was so ill-conceived in hindsight.  The entire plan was to "kill the indian" inside of them.  Trouble was, on the outside they were still indians.  They were subject to tremendous discrimination if they tried to live in the white world, but felt like they didn't belong when they went back to their reserves.

So I don't know.  Part of me is surprised we're STILL talking about this as an issue.  Depending on who you talk to, the residential schools closed in the 70s or the 90s.  There have been countless lawsuits, culminating in a national settlement.  I did all of my work on residential schools almost 20 years ago.

[crazy canuck]

So I don't know.  Part of me is surprised we're STILL talking about this as an issue.  Depending on who you talk to, the residential schools closed in the 70s or the 90s.  There have been countless lawsuits, culminating in a national settlement.  I did all of my work on residential schools almost 20 years ago.

The main reason this is a topic now is that the Truth and Reconciliation process was part of the terms of the settlement of the class action lawsuit.  It took many years to complete the truth part of the process and as you know the report was just released.  The other reason we are still talking about it is that it will be about another year or so before the payment mechanism under the settlement is completed.

It will be talked about for several more years since the reconciliation phase of the Truth and Reconciliation process is really just beginning.

[Grallon]

I prefer cultural holocaust.

Nice ring to it.  And the overuse of the label genocide is tiresome.



G.

[PRC]

This should make Ed Anger happy.  Evan Solomon has been fired by the CBC.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/evan-solomon-fired-by-cbc-news-in-wake-of-alleged-secret-art-deals-1.3106983

Evan Solomon fired by CBC News in wake of alleged secret art deals
'I did not view the art business as a conflict with my political journalism at the CBC,' Solomon says
CBC News Posted: Jun 09, 2015 8:49 PM ET Last Updated: Jun 10, 2015 7:26 AM ET

CBC News has "ended its relationship" with Power & Politics host Evan Solomon, CBC editor in chief Jennifer McGuire said in a note to staff.

The note came after the Toronto Star published a report claiming that Solomon had brokered art deals involving people whom he also dealt with as a journalist.

Solomon, who came to CBC as a host in 1994, also hosted the radio show The House, which looks at political issues of the week.

"We will be making announcements about the interim hosting of these programs in the next few days," the note said.

Carmel Smyth, national president of the Canadian Media Guild, could not offer specifics, but said, "We are working with Mr. Solomon as he considers his options." Smyth said CBC's collective agreement provides people the "right to work outside of the CBC and to be paid for it, and many people do."

'Deeply sorry,' Solomon says

Solomon, in a statement late Tuesday, said he formed a private business partnership in 2013 to broker Canadian art and that he disclosed the business to CBC earlier this year. 

"I did not view the art business as a conflict with my political journalism at the CBC and never intentionally used my position at the CBC to promote the business.

"I am deeply sorry for the damage that my activities have done to the trust that the CBC and its viewers and listeners have put in me. I have the utmost respect for the CBC and what it stands for."

The report from journalist Kevin Donovan alleges that Solomon brokered the sale of paintings belonging to art collector Bruce Bailey to BlackBerry founder Jim Balsillie and former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.

Solomon, in his statement, said the art business involved only two clients.

The Star refers to email exchanges reportedly between Solomon and Bailey about art sales and alleges that Solomon received secret commissions on the sales.

CBC spokesman Chuck Thompson told reporter Ioanna Roumeliotis that based on information that came to the broadcaster's attention on Monday, CBC determined that some of Solomon's activities were inconsistent with the organization's conflict of interest and ethics policy, as well as journalistic standards and practices.

The decision to end Solomon's employment was based on the findings of an internal review conducted over the last two days, he said.

Thompson said that Solomon had told senior management in April that he and his wife had become involved in a business partnership with Bailey, and that Solomon said at the time that he wasn't active in the partnership. Thompson said CBC management at that time told Solomon the partnership could not interfere with his work as a journalist or cross any ethical or conflict of interest lines.

The CBC code of conduct says employees "must not use their positions to further their personal interests" and CBC News recently tightened rules around paid speaking engagements by on-air employees after questions about paid engagements by CBC journalists.

A spokesperson for the Bank of England issued a statement early Wednesday on behalf of Carney saying the governor "has no enduring professional relationship with" Solomon and that he "never comments on matters relating to his personal life."

[crazy canuck]

This should make Ed Anger happy. 

We know too much about eachother, when I heard the news this morning that is the first thing I thought.

[crazy canuck]

As predicted some time ago, the SCC unanimously dismissed the Federal Government's appeal of the lower court decisions which struck down the regulation that medical marijuana must be smoked rather than ingested.

What bothers me most about the position the Fed's took is that it was so painfully obvious that it had no legal merit. 

In other news reports the NDP continue to surge in popularity at the expense of the Liberals, particularly in Quebec and Atlantic Canada.  The Conservatives are down to their base with very little room to grow - not entirely surprising.

[viper37]

Duceppe is back as leader of the Bloc.  Imho, it won't change much.  The Bloc will still fall behind the NDP.  Maybe they'll get 4-5 MPs, maybe they will become extremely lucky and end up with 10-15 MPs, but I doubt it will make much of a difference. 

The Bloc had a decent leader, but after a little fight, it went from 4 to 3 MPs.  Then he had to quit for health reasons.  And the new leader decided it was a good thing to do away with the past.  Apparently, Duceppe was cowering and hiding and not talking about the Bloc's real raison d'être: to prepare Quebec for independance.  Lots of Bloc fans applauded.  They saw him as a savior.  Their one last chance to bring back past glory, or go down in a blaze of fire.  It failed miserably, as I predicted, but no one ever listens to me, of course
And now, they bring back their old leader, the one who was too shy about sovereignty, it's their last, best chance to bring back past glory...
And they wonder why I don't rejoin the movement.

[Ed Anger]

This should make Ed Anger happy. 

We know too much about eachother, when I heard the news this morning that is the first thing I thought.

He should have been fired after his bullshit comments after Columbia burned up.

[crazy canuck]

New polling data is out which confirms the view that the Liberals are dropping like a stone and the Conservatives have nowhere to grow their support.

36 per cent support the NDP, 33 per cent support the Conservatives and 23 per cent support the Liberals.

The polling firm notes that 23 per cent said the NDP would be their second choice, while 21 per cent would choose the Liberals. Conservatives are the second choice of just 7 per cent of decided likely voters.

[Barrister]

Hold me, I'm afraid.

[crazy canuck]

Hold me, I'm afraid.

I am very interested to hear what the NDP has in mind related to tax policy.  I don't mind paying more tax but I think we need to adopt a model that has more levels of progressive tax rather than the current three tiered approach.  I am not sure what the thresholds should be but I don't think it makes much sense to treat someone making 100-200k the same as someone earning 500k-1M in annual income.

They have said they will raise corporate income tax rates but they have not provided details on that either other than saying taxation rates would remain competitive with other G7 countries.  I would like to see some detail about that as well.

[viper37]

Hold me, I'm afraid.

The Cons have themselves to blame for being so stupid.  They brought us there, to the brink of the Abyss.

[Malthus]

Hold me, I'm afraid.

The Cons have themselves to blame for being so stupid.  They brought us there, to the brink of the Abyss.

I think it makes more sense to blame the Liberals. No Canadian political party can maintain itself indefinitely in power (though they can and do last a long time) - they get tired, they get complacent, they get corrupt and dictatorial. However, in the past at least, it could be assumed that the Libs and Cons would replace each other - after the previous loser has served its necessary time in the wilderness, recharging its energies, purging itself, etc.

The problem here is that the Libs have failed to come through on this agenda - they have been in the wilderness and, intead of gaining wisdom and energy, they have allowed themselves to be distracted by their endless inability to discover a credible leader.

Thus, when the Cons collapse on cue - tired, worn out, corrupt and dictatorial like all Canadian political parties who have been too long in power - voters find they have no choice but to vote NDP. 

[crazy canuck]

Hold me, I'm afraid.

The Cons have themselves to blame for being so stupid.  They brought us there, to the brink of the Abyss.

I think it makes more sense to blame the Liberals. No Canadian political party can maintain itself indefinitely in power (though they can and do last a long time) - they get tired, they get complacent, they get corrupt and dictatorial. However, in the past at least, it could be assumed that the Libs and Cons would replace each other - after the previous loser has served its necessary time in the wilderness, recharging its energies, purging itself, etc.

The problem here is that the Libs have failed to come through on this agenda - they have been in the wilderness and, intead of gaining wisdom and energy, they have allowed themselves to be distracted by their endless inability to discover a credible leader.

Thus, when the Cons collapse on cue - tired, worn out, corrupt and dictatorial like all Canadian political parties who have been too long in power - voters find they have no choice but to vote NDP.

I agree

[Grey Fox]

and it's wonderfull