A stark contrast in styles

14th February 2019

 

I never cease to be amazed at the perfidy of our elected so-called representatives.

I am not going to go into the present controversy concerning Jody Wilson-Raybould, nor am I laying blame as I really do not know what happened.  A reporter for one of our wonderful newspapers quoting unknown sources claimed wrongdoing by the PM, PMO, PRO or others concerning the SC Lavalin case and this has been accepted as gospel by the opposition.

My problem here is the absolute hypocrisy concerning committees.

Does anyone remember how Brad Butt (CPC) lied not once but twice on the same day during the debate on the UNFAIR ELECTIONS ACT? (Hansard: 6th Feb 2014 at 1620, and again at 1720)

He would have got away with it because his word was taken as true by unsuspecting MPs, but I suspect that Elections Canada called on him to explain why he had not reported this to them and he had to make a very insincere apology to the House –(Hansard 1140 29th Feb 2014)   This resulted naturally in a call on the Speaker of the House (Sheer) to make a ruling as to whether Butt should be obliged to appear before the House Committee on Internal Affairs to explain himself.  To give him credit the Speaker ruled that he should which prompted an opposition motion to that effect which the Government House leader of the time (Van Loan) vigorously rejected and indeed the motion was defeated by a Conservative vote.  What appalled me at the time was that Speaker Sheer was not even in the chair to hear the result of the vote but left it one of his minions, and so no committee meeting was called to examine this total breach of House rules, and a Speaker’s ruling was rejected out of hand.

Contrast this to the demand for a committee hearing on the Wilson-Raybould affair, where a committee was called into an emergency meeting over the matter.  The actual performance of the opening meeting was not very conducive to a nonpartisan discussion and indeed was very partisan indeed and many derogatory remarks were made concerning the witnesses called prior to that meeting.  It was clear to me that the list could and would be expanded but, led by that somewhat odious MP Cooper, there were open accusations of a cover-up.

What the outcome will be is anyone’s guess but the contrast in agreeing to a committee meeting right away and completely denying the same on a Speaker’s ruling is very stark. I give the government kudos for calling the meeting and I trust that something will come of it, but at least they responded.

It is also worth noting what the Speaker had to say prior to Oral Questions on 7th February this year:

From Hansard:

The Speaker

Before we proceed to oral questions, I want to make a statement on what I have observed in recent days.

As members know, question period is an opportunity to hold the government accountable for its administrative policies and for the conduct of ministers in their official capacities.

[English]

I have listened carefully and patiently, perhaps too patiently, to questions put forward this week, some of which clearly fell outside the scope of permissible questions, since they had little to do with the administrative responsibility of the government. In addition, some of these questions were couched in language that amounted to a personal attack. This is also not permitted. I would caution members now, before we begin, that to maintain the dignity of this House, I will not allow such questions or such personal attacks. I will interrupt any member who asks a question that raises a matter that does not properly deal with public policy.

The hon. member for Banff—Airdrie will come to order.

[Translation]

There are other ways to ask questions so they fall within the administrative responsibility of the government. I am confident that members know how to formulate legitimate questions. If they cannot, I will give the floor to another member.

[English]

I am sure that all hon. members want to have a question period in which issues are dealt with with seriousness, rigour, and yes, intensity. It also needs to be respectful. I hope this will be the case today in going forward.

Order. The hon. member for St. Albert—Edmonton will also come to order.

[Translation]

Thank you in advance for your co-operation.

 

While I not a fan of the current “sunny ways” – as I sit watching snow fall yet again in the Banana belt of southern Vancouver Island – I cringe at the thought of a cowardly ex-Speaker leading this incredible country called Canada into hateful, two-faced Conservative ways again.

 

Clearly what we need is many small party or independent MPs who will swear allegiance to the people of Canada rather than the Crown, and who will hold any minority government to account, and not be accountable to corporate pressures.

 

I can dream, can’t I?

 

Jeremy

What the heck is going on?

February 7th 2019

 

From: Rule of law, to breaking UN declaration, to recognizing a rebel as an interim president to giving $53 million to that same country.

“Regardless of what goes on in other countries, Canada is — and will always remain — a country of the rule of law,” Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa on Wednesday.

 No State or group of States has the right to intervene or interfere in any form or for any reason whatsoever in the internal and external affairs of other States. … The right and duties set out in this Declaration are interrelated and are in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.Dec 9, 1981

From the PM’s official website:

News

  1. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with Juan Guaidó, Interim President of Venezuela

Ottawa, Ontario – February 3, 2019

Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with the Interim President of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó. The two leaders discussed the importance of the international community sending a clear message regarding the illegitimacy of the Maduro regime and the need to respect the Venezuelan Constitution. Both underscored the importance that free and fair Presidential elections be held.

The Prime Minister commended Juan Guaidó for his courage and leadership in helping to return democracy to Venezuela and offered Canada’s continued support.  The Prime Minister noted that the Lima Group meeting in Ottawa tomorrow will consider how the international community can further support the people of Venezuela, including through immediate humanitarian assistance.

Juan Guaidó conveyed his commitment to a peaceful transition to democracy, in line with the Venezuelan Constitution, and thanked the Prime Minister for Canada’s role in helping lead the international response to the crisis in Venezuela.

 

CPAC

HEADLINE POLITICS

Canada Pledges $53M in Humanitarian Aid for Venezuela

 

 

I could fully understand this behaviour from Donald Trump who probably wants to build a Trump Tower or Golf Course there and to whom the relevance of truth or consequences has no meaning, but to come from Canada?  

Where is the mandate from the people of Canada for this serial interference in defiance of the UN declaration?  Do we not matter when we are supposed to pay for this instead of real-time problems here at home?  

 Rule of law only applies when it is convenient maybe?

Of course how silly of me….it’s simply an extension of the Bev Oda / Stephen Harper bribery in South America on behalf of Canadian Mining Corporations.   See the “Ugly Canadian” by Yves Engler for full details on that corruption and how much it cost us. Remember that “Surprise” cartoon of Harper removing a Trudeau mask to reveal himself? 

$53 million would supply a lot of mobile homes to Cat Lake or any other reservation with housing mould problems.   It would create jobs for Canadian manufacturers – if there are any still in Canada, I think one somewhere in Ontario may still be building I am not sure or maybe Ford has closed them down by now.  But safe warm houses for our original people is not a priority whereas the future gross profit, at local inhabitants’ loss of rights and homes even their lives, for some Canadian mining corporations is.  

Sounds about right for a crown/corporation owned and run colony.

So what do we do about it?

Our taxes pay for those who make these very poor judgements so maybe we should refuse to pay for MPs who put corporate greed and profit over Canadian wellbeing – and I mean ALL Canadians which includes the First Nations, Inuit and Metis.   Tax time is coming so claim your refunds but if you owe do not submit one penny (?) extra until you get an accounting in writing from your MP as to why he/she should be paid by you and not the crown to whom they swore allegiance.

I hear you say that they will come after you for sure and yes they will, but if 20 million of us do it that would be a rather daunting task and would certainly make a strong point. After all, they like to get paid just as do you even if their $167,000 per year plus expenses (for a backbencher) is three or four times what you make.

When the election is finally called this fall, remember to vote for someone new with small party or independent status and get rid of these crown/corporation owned puppets.  Maybe even run yourself and help bring some semblance of reality to Canada.

 

Jeremy

Canada is back ?????

Sent to Prime Minister Trudeau and other political misfits listed below

Unist’ot’en, Cat Lake and Venezuela

I am very upset and frustrated at the actions taken by the RCMP on behalf of a corporation which has not and obviously does not feel the need to get agreement from all levels of aboriginal leadership before it destroys the livelihood and, eventually I am sure, the homes of those Canadians – the people of Unist’ot’en. What is happening in northern BC is indeed an insult to not only the people who live there, but also to all Canadians.

Even Lord Dufferin stated back in the 1800s that there was “an initial error” in the way BC dealt with the “Indian title” issue. In the talk he went on and said that in Canada, “Before we touch a single acre, we make a treaty with the chief representing the bands we are dealing with, and having agreed up and paid the stipulated price….we enter into possession, but not until then do we consider that we are entitled to deal with a single acre”.

We do understand that in swearing allegiance to the Crown (sic. corporate power and profit) and not to the Canadian people you have in fact abandoned all the Canadian people to please that Crown. Now you are going to ask us to vote you back in again so that you can swear allegiance to a foreign entity again and ignore us until 2023. No wonder you didn’t want anything but FPTP voting.

I cannot understand how thick skinned you must be to state over and over again that your priority is to establish a good relationship with our First Nations, Inuit and Metis, and yet here you are using a national rent-a-cop paramilitary force to stop them from accessing their homes and trap lines. At the same time, that force is protecting and even promoting the illegal actions of Coastal GasLink and their contractors. Clearly, you have no shame, no humility, no understanding of anything but bowing down to the corporate profit which guides what you do.

What is truly sickening is that any alternative government will do exactly the same as both those other parties are as controlled by the Crown and corporate wellbeing as are you. Even a minority government will no longer be a viable alternative, as all members will swear allegiance not to the Canadian people who vote for you and pay for you but to the Crown.

How many times do you have to be reminded that each time you refer to Canada as a democracy in our House of Commons you are showing us your ignorance at what a democracy is or should be, and you are at the same time misleading the House which is supposed to be against the House rules. Canada has never been a democracy and never will be under the present governmental stewardship. We have a parliamentary system that is indifferent to the people which is the exact opposite of a democracy.

Combined that with your acceptance of an upstart as the new president of Venezuela you have demonstrated again to the Canadian people that you are out of touch with us, that you are out of touch with what Canada should and could be, or is this what you really meant by: “Canada is back”..

No State or group of States has the right to intervene or interfere in any form or for any reason whatsoever in the internal and external affairs of other States. … The right and duties set out in this Declaration are interrelated and are in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.Dec 9, 1981

What right, I ask you, do you have to complain about another country’s government and its perceived bad treatment of it’s people when here at home in Canada we have deliberately kept our First Nations, Inuit and Métis people in poverty and squalour on reservations not of their choosing, living without drinkable water and in moldy houses as now is shown to be the case in yet another reservation – Cat Lake. Instead, you self-righteously take your orders from foreigners and their corporations before you deal with the problems we have right here in Canada.

Did you not learn anything by our actions in that disastrous and horrendous war on the people of Libya on behalf of the IMF? American military intervention means bombing what they consider to be an offending country into rubble and oblivion without regard for the civilians killed as happened in Libya. Do you want to take us there again?

All your grand words and talk of perceived atrocities in another country means nothing when you treat our original inhabitants of this fantastic land like vermin, to be pushed aside and extinguished all for the sake of a few worthless pieces of paper.

Yes, I am angry and absolutely disgusted.

I am too old to assist physically but I have and will again donate to and support the Unist’ot’en cause and their right to live unmolested on their un-ceded traditional territories which, up until the European settlers came with gold lust and power in their hearts, have supported their way of life for millennium.

Jeremy Arney

 

“Trudeau, Justin” <justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca>,
“Goodale, Ralph” <ralph.goodale@parl.gc.ca>,
“Wilson-Raybould, Jody” <jody.wilson-raybould@parl.gc.ca>,
“Bennett, Carolyn” <carolyn.bennett@parl.gc.ca>,
“LeBlanc, Dominic” <dominic.leblanc@parl.gc.ca>,
“Freeland, Chrystia” <chrystia.freeland@international.gc.ca>,
“Sajjan, Harjit” <DND_MND@forces.gc.ca>,
“Sohi, Amarjeet” <amarjeet.sohi@parl.gc.ca>,
“O’Regan, Seamus” <seamus.ORegan@parl.gc.ca>,
“Rodriguez, Pablo” <pablo.rodriguez@parl.gc.ca>,
“Lametti, David” <david.lametti@parl.gc.ca>,
“Horgan, John” <Premier@gov.bc.ca>,
“Eby, David” <AG.Minister@gov.bc.ca>,
“Mungall, Michelle” <michelle.mungall.mla@leg.bc.ca>,
“Donaldson, Doug” <doug.donaldson.mla@leg.bc.ca>,
“Fraser, Scott” <IRR.Minister@gov.bc.ca>,
“Farnworth, Mike” <pssg.minister@gov.bc.ca>,
“Scheer, Andrew” <andrew.scheer@parl.gc.ca>,
“Bergen, Candice” <candice.bergen@parl.gc.ca>,
“Cullen, Nathan” <nathan.cullen@parl.gc.ca>,
“Angus, Charlie” <charlie.angus@parl.gc.ca>,
“Ashton, Niki” <niki.ashton@parl.gc.ca>,
“McLeod, Cathy” <cathy.mcleod@parl.gc.ca>,
“O’Toole, Erin” <erin.OToole@parl.gc.ca>,
“Bezan, James” <james.bezan@parl.gc.ca>,
“The Tyee.ca” <editor@thetyee.ca>,
The Hill Times <news@hilltimes.com>,
News CBC <yournews@cbc.ca>,
CBC <national@cbc.ca>,
ctv <news@ctv.ca>,
Globe & Mail <letters@globeandmail.ca>,
Toronto Star <city@thestar.ca>