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#1

Off the Record / Re: [Canada] Canadian Politics...

Last post by Barrister - Today at 02:34:56 PM

Seems to me that several of the arrestees seem to be from the Sikh community, based on their names.

I wonder if they were people who had their own issues with Singh Nijjar within the community, whether they were gangsters doing it for the money, whether they are loyalist to Modi / the Indian state, or some other motive.

All valid possibilities.

Also though - if acting on behalf of India / Modi - you'd think the killers would have gotten the hell out of Canada afterwards.

I don't know even 1% of enough to form an opinion on this case, so I'm just going to observe with interest.

Although it's worth perhaps noting - the closest related case I can think of was the Air India bombing prosecution (although there Canada was prosecuting Sikh separatist terrorists, not the murder of alleged Sikh terrorists) and it collapsed in an entirely embarrassing way back then.

#2

Off the Record / Re: What does a BIDEN Presiden...

Last post by The Brain - Today at 02:33:24 PM

Not very expensive. Good to know.

#3

Off the Record / Re: 2024 US Presidential Elect...

Last post by Jacob - Today at 02:24:35 PM

I wonder if the person on the left considers themselves a "real man". They're wearing diapers after all.

#4

Off the Record / Re: What does a BIDEN Presiden...

Last post by Savonarola - Today at 02:23:36 PM

Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar and wife indicted in $600,000 foreign bribery scheme

Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar and wife indicted in $600,000 foreign bribery scheme
ASHINGTON — The Justice Department on Friday released an indictment against longtime Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, and his wife, Imelda, charging the pair with bribery and money laundering related to their ties with a bank in Mexico and an oil and gas company controlled by Azerbaijan.

NBC News was first to report that the charges were coming.

The Cuellars allegedly accepted roughly $600,000 in bribes from the two foreign entities in exchange for the congressman performing official acts, according to the indictment.

"The bribe payments were allegedly laundered, pursuant to sham consulting contracts, through a series of front companies and middlemen into shell companies owned by Imelda Cuellar, who performed little to no legitimate work under the contracts," the Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a statement.

"In exchange for the bribes paid by the Azerbaijani oil and gas company, Congressman Cuellar allegedly agreed to use his office to influence U.S. foreign policy in favor of Azerbaijan," DOJ continued. "In exchange for the bribes paid by the Mexican bank, Congressman Cuellar allegedly agreed to influence legislative activity and to advise and pressure high-ranking U.S. Executive Branch officials regarding measures beneficial to the bank."

No gold bars (as of yet) this time.

#5

Off the Record / Re: [Canada] Canadian Politics...

Last post by Jacob - Today at 02:22:01 PM

Seems to me that several of the arrestees seem to be from the Sikh community, based on their names.

I wonder if they were people who had their own issues with Singh Nijjar within the community, whether they were gangsters doing it for the money, whether they are loyalist to Modi / the Indian state, or some other motive.

#6

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by Barrister - Today at 02:06:43 PM

Under the Canadian Constitution immigration is expressly reserved for the federal government (well "Naturalization and Aliens"), but even more generally any power not expressly enumerated to the provinces will go to the Feds.  That's how the Feds have jurisdiction over such topics that were not even conceived of in 1867 like aeronautics or radio waves.

Is there a similar "reserve clause" in the US Constitution?

There is a reserve clause but it goes the opposite way!  The 10th amendment provides: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

As you indicate above, Chinese exclusion was passed about a century after the Constitution (and is hardly a shining moment for the American historical scrapbook).  The Supreme Court did cop out along the lines that Otto indicated, grasping at the straw of "inherent sovereign power" - a supposed authority that crops up from time to time whenever the executive does something blatantly unconstitutional but the Court finds it politically inconvenient to call them on it. The notion of inherent sovereign power is fundamentally at odds with the US constitutional design and both the text and purpose of the 10th Amendment; among other dubious features, the doctrine bases federal authority on international practice of other sovereigns, whether free or not (in the 18th century - mostly not).

The power could be based on the Commerce Clause as interpreted from 1941 to around the mid 90s, but historically was not for the obvious reasons, and probably couldn't now after the ACA case.

Just because this is more interesting then various anti-semitic or anti-muslim screeds...

It's interesting.  The phrase "inherent sovereign power" is meaningless in Canadian jurisprudence.  I even checked on CanLii, the free online database of Canadian judicial decisions.  "inherent sovereign power" comes up with 3 hits, none from cases and only academic articles - and all talking about First Nations.

I say it's interesting because we have an actual, you know, sovereign.  When I appear in court I appear so on behalf not of the sovereign directly, but on behalf of "The King in right of Alberta".

#7

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by Richard Hakluyt - Today at 01:47:59 PM

Lot of spoilt votes in Preston, up to 10% in areas where most of our Muslims live. I would imagine this is a good measure of disenchantment with Labour over Gaza.

#8

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by Sheilbh - Today at 01:35:52 PM

Incidentally really struck that Houchen and Street especially (https://x.com/andy4wm/status/1785744953923998079?s=46&t=o9GOIj6BKKcLcHiyQTlAoA) winning with messages around building things. Seems interesting given the extent to which the Tories nationally and in other areas have lashed themselves to the NIMBY mast (and not unlike Labour in Manchester).

I think there is a big potential there for Labour if they can deliver.

#9

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by Josquius - Today at 01:19:27 PM

When they come to power Labour really need to fix this transparent tory gerrymandering fptp crap in local elections at least.

#10

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by garbon - Today at 01:14:21 PM

Looks like Labour are worried about Khan in a way that goes beyond just expectations management.

Obviously voting system moved to FPTP this year. But the bigger concern seems to be that it looks like turnout is lower in Labour areas - add that to defections to the Greens (both probably because of Gaza) and it could be enough for Khan to lose.

Although I think Stephen Bush is probably right on his hunch of 38-35, Khan winning.

I'd add that this is the second election where Khan has fallen short of expectations. The only election he really trounced was his first - and I suspect part of this is because he is a pretty underwhelming mayor. Not helped by a Tory government that wants to make life difficult for him, but still. I feel like going for a third term was probably not a great idea and Labour would be better served by letting someone else have a crack in 2028.

Edit: Also looks like ULEZ has come up in motivating voters to turnout in Tory areas.

I made sure my husband got to the polls but yeah, after this definitely time for Sadiq to move on.