The Jordan Glass Times

Remembrance Day

2007-11-11T17:49:00.000-06:00

There is nothing more can say regarding Rembrance Day. I will have some things to say in days to come that disturbed me regarding my local service. But on today -- Remembrance Day I just want to wish everyone a solemn and dignified Remembrance Day.

Harper and Layton call to abolish Senate of Canada

2007-11-06T10:05:00.000-06:00

So it looks like Harper and Layton are coming together again -- this time to call for the abolition of Canada's Senate.

This is not a new idea. But it does signal something. It means that by the next election Canada will be going to referendum on the subject of the Senate -- yay or nay. But that question is far too over simplified, isn't it? Many of us accept that the Senate need reform, but that doesn't mean it is time to get rid of it. The heart of the problem lies in its representative issues. There needs to be a new formula made to bring an equal form of representation to Western Canada and the North. But this cannot happen if we simply get rid of it. Hopefully this will merely raise the question and not simply abolish our sober second thought.

Authoritarian Harper Dumps Tory Candidate in Toronto Centre

2007-10-31T19:54:00.000-05:00

The following is taken directy off BobRae.ca. Enjoy.

The treatment of my Conservative opponent Mark Warner by the Harper Conservatives is a national disgrace.
Mr Warner was the duly nominated candidate in Toronto Centre, and in that role I came to know him as a thoughtful and hardworking person whose differences with me did not prevent us from establishing a sense of mutual respect. For him to have been summarily removed speaks to a dangerous controlling and authoritarian streak that runs right through Stephen Harper’s Conservative Party.

The citizens of Toronto Centre now know that someone who speaks out on social issues has no place in the Harper Conservatives. It is truly disgraceful to see a hardworking and honest candidate treated this way.

TTC suspects province is plotting a takeover

2007-10-24T12:01:00.000-05:00

http://www.thestar.com/News/Ontario/article/269896

An interesting article from the Toronto Star. Personally, I'm not sure where I stand on this. If Toronto can't handle their transit system than someone needs to deliver it to Canada's most populated city. But what kind of president would this set? Is Montreal in the same category? Or Vancouver? Or Ottawa?

Liberals Ask: Where’s the Accountability?

2007-10-23T20:12:00.000-05:00

When it comes to accountability, the Conservative minority government is all talk and no action, the Liberal Mark Holland challenged today.

Mr. Holland was attacked to recent news reports indicating the department of Public Works, responsible for procurement for the entire federal government, has washed its hands of the oversight of government contracts.

Michael Ignatieff later pointed out that Public Works has quietly deleted all references to accountability from its supply manual which spells out lines of responsibility for government procurement.

Considering the Conservative Party promised an open and transparent government during the last election, it’s clear that this government doesn’t practice what it preaches. It is time for Stephen Harper to do the right thing and be honest with Canadians about his government’s hypocritical conduct.

Harper Must Come Clean on Deceptive Financing

2007-10-20T19:59:00.000-05:00

Harper has been playing politics and come clean on his alleged involvement in deceptive financing practices during the 2006 parliamentary election, the Liberals demanded today.

Stephane Dion challenge Harper the other day during question period regarding to subject, resulting in no answer.

Despite several opportunities to absolve himself of any implication in the scandal, Harper refused to answer the Liberals' questions, choosing instead to hide behind Conservative House Leader Peter Van Loan.

The Conservatives are currently being investigated by Elections Canada for allegedly breaking campaign spending laws during the 2006 general election by funneling national advertising costs to regional candidates, who were then able to apply for taxpayer-funded rebates.

For a party that boasts accountability, the Conservatives’ own practices seem nothing short of hypocritical. It is time for Harper and his party to start telling the truth. Canadians deserve an honest and accountable government.

Speech from the Throne

2007-10-16T19:13:00.000-05:00

This speech went no where. It must be the most vague speech from the throne I have ever seen. All I know is that he has a far too slim goal on the environment (seriously 20% by 2020?), that he has copped out on federal-provincial transfers by cutting funds going to the provinces, and wishes to extend the mission in Afghanistan. I'm shocked.

Abu Mazen aid: Kotel is ours

2007-10-15T19:42:00.000-05:00

An adviser to Palestinian Authority President Abu Mazen -- known on this side of the world as Mahmoud Abbas -- said the Kotel (also known as the Western Wall) should be under Palestinian control.

Adnan Husseini, aide to the Palestinian Authority president, said Thursday that Palestinian demands for Israel to cede eastern Jerusalem under any peace accord also includes the Western Wall.

"This is part of Islamic heritage that cannot be given up, and it must be under Muslim control," Husseini told Israel's NRG Web site, adding that all of Jerusalem's Old City should be part of a future Palestinian state. He made similar comments in an interview with Israel Radio.

The Kotel is a last vestige of the Second Temple, which was razed by the Romans in 70 CE. Today it abuts the Temple Mount, which houses Islam's third-holiest shrine. Muslims refer to the wall as Al-Burak, a reference to the Prophet Mohammed's horse, which he is said to have tethered at the site.

Abu Mazen had no immediate comment on Husseini's statements, which appeared to contradict several past land-for-peace proposals that had won international consensus and called for Israel to retain control of the Western Wall and Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem's Old City.

Husseni's assertions caused uproar in Israel's right-wing opposition, which accused the Olmert government of escalating the Palestinian Authority's territorial demands by proposing a division of Jerusalem into two capitals for two peoples.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said a future peace accord with the Palestinians would require Israel to give up on some of its long-standing national claims but did not specify a plan for Jerusalem.

This speaks badly for the possibility of peace and further proves that Israel lacks a partner in its quest for peace.

PM wasting tax dollars

2007-10-15T10:05:00.000-05:00

The Toronto Star reported here that Prime Minister Harper is planning a $2 million personal media studio. Now one might think this is an instant waste of cash, however, let us remember he has only ever used the National Press Gallery once during his tenure as Prime Minister. Obviously, the existing studio isn't up to snuff and we need to start from scratch. And let us not forget the Liberal bias in the media. This will keep those media circuits that unfairly and unabashadly support the Liberal Party of Canada away from him.

...or he's just being partisan and wasting our money...

Eelction Victory

2007-10-11T12:05:00.001-05:00

Just wanting to send a big congradulations to all my friends across the province the worked so hard to do that amazing job they did. Well done every body!

Ontario Election Outcome?

2007-10-10T06:49:00.000-05:00

Alright folks, we know Newfoundland's Tory Government of Danny Williams ran away with that election yesterday taking 43 of the 47 seats in the House. And while I do expect a majority today, I do not expect something anywhere in the neighbourhood of such a landslide. So without further ado here is my political childishness as I predict all 107 ridings and the referendum.

CENTRAL ONTARIO
Ajax-Pickering -- Kevin Ashe, PC
Barrie -- Joe Tascona, PC
Bramalea-Gore-Malton -- Kuldip Kular, LIB
Brampton-Springdale -- Linda Jeffrey, LIB
Brampton West -- Mark Beckles, PC
Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound – Bill Murdoch, PC
Burlington - Joyce Savoline, PC
Dufferin-Caledon -- Sylvia Jones, PC
Durham - John O'Toole, PC
Haliburton-Kwartha Lakes-Brock -- Laurie Scott, PC
Markham-Unionville -- Michael Chan, LIB
Mississauga-Brampton South -- Amrit Mangat, LIB
Mississauga East-Cooksville -- Zoran Churchin, PC
Mississauga-Erindale -- David Brown, PC
Mississauga South -- Tim Peterson, PC
Mississauga-Streetsville -- Bob Delaney, LIB
Newmarket-Aurora -- Frank Klees, PC
Northumberland-Quite West -- Lou Rinaldi, LIB
Oak Ridges-Markham -- Helena Jaczek, LIB
Oakville -- Kevin Flynn, LIB
Oshawa -- Jerry Ouellette, PC
Parry Sound-Muskoka -- Norm Miller, PC
Peterborough -- Jeff Leal, LIB
Richmond Hill -- Reza Moridi, LIB
Simcoe-Grey -- Jim Wilson, LIB
Simcoe North -- Garfield Dunlop, PC
Thornhill -- Peter Shurman, PC
Vaughn -- Greg Sorbara, LIB
Whitby-Oshawa -- Christine Elliott, PC
York-Simcoe -- Julia Munro, PC

EASTERN
Carleton-Mississipi Mills -- Norm Sterling, PC
Glengarry-Prescott-Russell -- Jean-Marc Lalonde, LIB
Kingston and the Islands -- John Gerretsen, LIB
Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington -- Randy Hillier, PC
Leeds-Grenville -- Bob Runciman, LIB
Nepean-Carleton -- Lisa MacLeod, PC
Northumberland-Quinte West – Lou Rinaldi, LIB
Ottawa Centre -- Yasir Naqvi, LIB
Ottawa Orleans -- Phil McNeely, LIB
Ottawa South -- Dalton McGuinty, LIB
Ottawa-Vanier -- Madeleine Meilleur, LIB
Ottawa West-Nepean -- Jim Watson, LIB
Prince Edward-Hastings -- Leona Dombrowsky, PC
Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke -- John Yakabuski, PC
Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry -- Jim Brownell, LIB

SOUTH CENTRAL
Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale -- Ted McMeekin, LIB
Brant -- Dave Levac, LIB
Cambridge -- Gerry Martiniuk, PC
Guelph -- Liz Sandals, LIB
Haldimand-Norfolk -- Toby Barrett, PC
Halton - Ted Chudleigh, PC
Hamilton Centre -- Andrea Horwath, NDP
Hamilton East-Stoney Creek -- Paul Miller, NDP
Hamilton Mountain -- Bryan Adamczyk, NDP
Huron-Bruce -- Rob Morley, PC
Kitchener Centre -- John Milloy, LIB
Kitchener-Conestoga -- Michael Harris, PC
Kitchener-Waterloo -- Elizabeth Witmer, PC
Niagara Falls -- Kim Craitor, LIB
Niagara West-Glanbrook -- Tim Hudak, PC
Oxford -- Ernie Hardeman, PC
Perth-Wellington -- John Wilkinson, LIB
St. Catharines -- Jim Bradley, LIB
Welland -- Peter Kormos, NDP
Wellington-Halton Hills -- Ted Arnott, PC

SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO
Chatham-Kent-Essex -- Pat Hoy, LIB
Elgin-Middlesex-London -- Steve Peters, LIB
Essex -- Bruce Crozier, LIB
Lambton-Kent-Middlesex -- Maria Van Bommel, LIB
London North Centre -- Deb Matthews, LIB
London-Fanshawe -- Khalil Ramal, LIB
London West -- Chris Bentley, LIB
Sarnia Lambton -- Caroline Di Cocco, LIB
Windsor-Tecumseh -- Dwight Duncan, LIB
Windsor West -- Sandra Pupatello, LIB

NORTHERN ONTARIO
Algoma-Manitoulin -- Mike Brown, LIB
Kenora-Rainy River -- Howard Hampton, NDP
Nickel Belt -- Ron Dupuis, LIB
Nipissing -- Monique Smith, LIB
Sault Ste. Marie -- David Orazietti, LIB
Thunder Bay-Atikokan -- Bill Mauro, LIB
Thunder Bay-Superior North -- Michael Gravelle, LIB
Timiskaming-Cochrane -- David Ramsay, LIB
Timmins-James Bay -- Gilles Bisson, NDP

TORONTO
Beaches-East York -- Michael Prue, NDP
Davenport -- Tony Ruprecht, LIB
Don Valley East -- David Caplan, LIB
Don Valley West -- Kathleen Wynne, LIB
Eglinton-Lawrence -- Bernie Tanz, PC
Etobicoke Centre -- Donna Cansfield, LIB
Etobicoke-Lakeshore -- Laurel Broten, LIB
Etobicoke North -- Shafiq Qaadri, LIB
Parkdale-High Park -- Cheri DiNovo, NDP
Pickering-Scarborough East – Diana Hall, PC
Scarborough-Agincourt -- Gerry Phillips, LIB
Scarborough Centre -- Brad Duguid, LIB
Scarborough-Guildwood -- Gary Grant, PC
Scarborough-Rouge River -- Bas Balkissoon, LIB
Scarborough Southwest -- Lorenzo Berardinetti, LIB
St. Paul's -- Michael Bryant, LIB
Toronto Centre -- George Smitherman, LIB
Toronto Danforth -- Peter Tabuns
Trinity-Spadina -- Rosario Marchese
Willowdale -- David Shiner, PC
York Centre -- Monte Kwinter, PC
York South-Weston -- Paul Ferreira, NDP
York West -- Mario Sergio, LIB

LIBERAL PARTY: 62
PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE PARTY: 35
NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY: 10

Referendum
As much as I want this to pass, I suspect it will not. In fact, I expect the Yes side to receive somewhere in the neighbourhood of 55% of the vote and about 60 (of the needed 64) ridings.

Election Day in Newfoundland

2007-10-09T08:31:00.000-05:00

I have no doubt that Danny Williams will return as Premier of Newfoundland today - potentially with an enlarged majority. But all the same I wish Gerry Reid and his candidates a good showing.

Poll says most North Americans support free trade

2007-10-01T09:08:00.000-05:00

Let's kick it off by talking about this idea that most Canadians support free trade. Fantastic! (Now some Liberals can come at me on this one.)

Twenty years after Canada and the United States negotiated the FTA, most North Americans believe the deal fueled economic growth, according to a new poll.

Finalized in October of 1987, the FTA was finalized was designed to erase trade restrictions between the two countries. Critics worried it would erode Canada's sovereignty.

But 77 percent of Americans and 73 per cent of Canadians now believe free trade is crucial to North America's continued prosperity, according to an exclusive poll for Policy Options magazine that was provided to CTV News.

Among Canadians, 57 per cent of respondents said their country would be worse off without free trade. For Americans, it was 55.6 per cent.

By contrast, exactly one quarter of Canadians said their country would be better off without free trade, while 19.1 per cent of Americans said the same.

The FTA was superseded by the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994, which brought in Mexico as another major trade partner.

When respondents were asked if they supported strengthening economic integration between Canada and the U.S., 67 per cent of Canadians said yes.

The poll also covered another sovereignty issue: the movement of people between Canada and the U.S. Despite heightened concerns about terrorism since the attacks of 9/11, the survey found that 58 per cent of Americans supported the free movement of people across the border -- although 29.8 per cent only "somewhat supported" the idea. For Canadians, it was a total of 64 per cent.

So what am I saying? Only what I've always been saying. NAFTA works. Its good for our economy. Its good for the American economy. And its good for the Mexican economy. NAFTA has stimulated job growth and increased value of currency in Canada and Mexico. Job growth. Economic growth. That was the purpose of free trade when Sir Wilfred Laurier supported it nearly 100 years ago. And that was the purpose of free trade when it was impliment nearly 15 years ago. And that is the effect of it today.

I'm Back!

2007-10-01T09:07:00.000-05:00

Alright folks, let's get started...

Liberals deliver a stronger, safer Toronto

2007-05-16T13:56:00.001-05:00

Toronto Liberals met with transit commuters today at stops throughout
the city to discus their public safety strategy that is delivering
stronger and safer communities. The theme of the day's event was
"getting tough on crime, getting tough on the causes of crime."

The safety of our communities is a high priority for the Liberals.
"We are working hard with police and local communities to develop
solutions and support that make Toronto a safe place to live and raise
a family," said George Smitherman, MPP for Toronto-Centre. "By working
together, we are reducing crime and we will continue to see progress
on the streets and neighbourhoods of Toronto."

The McGuinty government has a strategy in place that is delivering a
stronger and safer City of Toronto, and includes:

• The creation of the Guns and Gangs Task Force for tougher
prosecution of gang crimes, and to allow for a crack down on marijuana
grow-ops and crystal meth labs
• 250 new police officers on the streets of Toronto
• Help for at-risk neighbourhoods through initiatives like the Youth
Challenge Fund, an investment of up to $45 million in programs,
training and jobs for youth.

"The Guns and Gangs Task Force is allowing for a transformation in the
prosecution of gang crimes in Toronto," said Kathleen Wynne, MPP for
Don Valley West. "We have already seen great success in this area and
we will continue to strengthen the ability of law enforcement and
local communities to keep our streets safe." Several marijuana
grow-ops and crystal methamphetamine labs have already been shut down
to keep our streets safe.

Liberals are helping children in need living in at-risk
neighbourhoods. At the Flemingdon Resource Centre in Don Valley West,
$3.5 million was provided last December to the United Way through the
Youth Challenge Fund to help local youth. Another $28 million was
provided to the Malvern community in Scarborough.

"Across our city, our young people are looking for opportunities to
learn and succeed," said Bas Balkissoon, MPP for Scarborough-Rouge
River. "Projects sponsored through the Youth Challenge Fund will
connect youth to services and programs in the community to help them
reach their fullest potential."

The role of our law enforcement officers in keeping us all safe is
also celebrated by Liberals. "The McGuinty Liberals support our
partners in law enforcement in their efforts to keep Toronto's streets
safe," said David Zimmer, MPP for Willowdale. "More police officers
mean that Toronto is a stronger, safer place to live and raise a
family."

We now have 250 new police officers on the streets of our city. Half
of these will focus on the community directly through street patrols,
school visits, and improved traffic enforcement, while the remaining
officers will address organized crime, guns and gangs, youth crime,
dangerous offenders, domestic violence, and protecting children from
dangers on the Internet.

For more information on how the McGuinty Liberals are delivering a
stronger, safer Toronto, visit www.ontarioliberal.ca

-30-
Contact:
Harpreet Hansra
647-801-4740

My absence...

2007-05-07T09:44:00.000-05:00

I must apologize for my absence from blogging over the last number of weeks. I have both been involved in wrapping up the school year and moving from Sudbury to Toronto for the summer and dealing with some personal family issues. However, I can assure in due time I will be back up and blogging, and taking you complaints about my opinions on the Middle East. (Of course, I kid... ;)

What did John Reynolds just say?

2007-04-19T19:47:00.000-05:00

John Reynolds, former British Columbia Conservative/Canadian Alliance MP and current National Co-Chair of the Conservative re-election campaign just made a comment on Mike Duffy Live that I imagine will go rather unnoticed by most media outlets.

When discussing with Joy McPhail (NDP strategist and fomer BC NDP Minister of Health) and Martha Hall Findlay (future MP in Willowdale) tonights vote on the Liberal motion to guarantee a pull out of all Canadian troop frm Afghanistan by February of 2009, the comment made by Minister O'Connor was raised. For those who do not remember, he said on Mike Duffy Live yesterday that Canada will be at war for at least ten years. Mike Duffy clarified that he was not just referring to Afganistan but other missions such as Darfur. Obviously both Ms. Hall Findlay and Ms. McPhail raised concern because Darfur has never been talked about with anyone. This is where Mr. Reynolds made the comment that everyone should be aware of.

When given the opportunity to rebutle, Mr. Reynolds made the statement, and I am quoting here, "We don't know what will happen in Iran or Iraq."

Now, I'm no political expert, but this sounds to me like a thinly vailed implicated that Canada may potentially send troops to either or even both Iran or Iraq. I imagine luckily for the Conservative Party, Mike Duffy cut off any response an ended the segment. But perhaps someone could shed some light on this for me. Because I remember rather recently Harper saying Canada will never send troops to the Iraq. Well, here is one of his right hand men not ruling it out.

On a side note, I wish Peter Mackay good luck in his effort to free Huseiyn Celil from his Chinese prison cell. Perhaps he can do something right during his term as Minister.

Abbas: Israeli soldier to be freed

2007-04-08T00:21:00.000-05:00

PARIS, France (Reuters) -- Cpl. Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier held by militants in Gaza, will be released soon, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said in a television interview on Friday.

"We are undertaking efforts to free Shalit and these efforts will soon come to fruition," Abbas told France 24 television.

Shalit was seized last June in a cross-border raid from Gaza into southern Israel.

"We are optimistic. He will be freed soon," Abbas said.

However, he gave no specifics and previous comments by him about Shalit have not been followed by the soldier's release.

Abbas said there were also 9,500 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel who should be released too, although he said the two issues were not related.

[courtesy CNN.com]

It truly is a shame that Abu Mazen feels he needs to negotiate with the Israeli government on the release of prisons. This is just further proof that Israel does not have a partner for peace.

But the good news is that Cpl. Shalit will finally be released -- hopefully alive and well.

Pesach greeting from the Honourable Stephane Dion

2007-04-02T16:44:00.000-05:00

Date: April 2, 2007

For Release: Immediate

Statement from the Honourable Stéphane Dion, Leader of the Official Opposition, on the Celebration of Passover.

On behalf of the Liberal Party of Canada, I am delighted to extend my warmest wishes to all those celebrating Passover, one of the most important Jewish holidays.

Passover, a celebration of freedom, is a time for people of the Jewish faith around the world to celebrate the biblical liberation of the Jewish people. As families and friends gather for this week-long tradition, we are all reminded of the message of hope and salvation that it brings.

May the joy of Passover and what it represents fill our hearts and inspire us to lead lives of compassion and goodwill towards our fellow citizens.

Chag sameach.

-30-

Contact:Press Office

Office of the Leader of the Opposition

(613) 995-5904

----

Le 2 avril 2007

Pour diffusion immédiate

Déclaration de l’honorable Stéphane Dion, chef de l’opposition officielle, à l’occasion de Pessah

Au nom du Parti libéral du Canada, il me fait plaisir de souhaiter à tous ceux qui le célèbrent un joyeux Pessah, l’une des plus importantes fêtes juives.

Pessah, la célébration de la liberté, est une occasion pour les gens de confession juive, partout au monde, de célébrer la libération biblique du peuple juif. Famille et amis se réunissent pour cette tradition qui dure une semaine et qui nous rappelle à tous son message d’espoir et de libération.

Puissent la joie de Pessah et tout ce que cette fête représente emplir notre cœur et nous inspirer compassion et bonne volonté les uns envers les autres.

Chag sameach.

- 30 -

Renseignements : Service de presse

Cabinet du chef de l’opposition

613-995-5904

The Tim Peterson Story...

2007-03-29T20:43:00.000-05:00

How does the youngest son of one of the most capital-L Liberal families in Canada go from member of the McGuinty Government to floor crosser?

Peterson claims it was a combination of energy policy and recognition of Mississauga. Quite frankly, I'm at a loss of understanding. Let's look at the facts.

“The Tories left a lot of debt with (energy) rates that were too low.”- Tim Peterson, Mississauga News, March 31, 2004

“Our government’s plan is working for Mississauga. We’re making our communities stronger through new proposed investments, such as funding for improving public transit and affordable housing projects. I am especially pleased that our government will be ending GTA pooling, which will save GTA taxpayers over $200 million.”- Tim Peterson press release, March 22, 2007

“The McGuinty government’s plan is working for Ontarians. Jobs are up, the deficit is gone, class sizes are smaller, wait times are shorter for key health procedures, and postsecondary education is becoming more accessible and affordable.”- Tim Peterson press release, March 22, 2007

You can see that two of these statements only date back a week. That said I lack an understanding as to how Mr. Peterson can possibly run against a Liberal candidate when barely a week ago he felt Premier McGuinty was leader of one of the best governments of record in Ontario.

The fact is, Peterson feels he was neglected over being passed over for Minister of Transportation. The further fact is Peterson does not have the talent to hold a cabinet post. He has gotten as far as he has because of his name. That name is not of relevance in the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party. Peterson's career is over. We will see to it that he does not come out victorious in the next election. This will be an unfortunate end to the legacy created by his older brothers.

Quebec...the day after...

2007-03-27T17:17:00.000-05:00

Prior to beginning this post, I would just like to say good luck to Bob Rae in Toronto Centre. Last night he won the nomination to replace Bill Graham as the Member of Parliament for the area. I have no doubt he'll be victorious.

Now, to the big story today. Jean Charest is the Premier in a Quebec minority government. No real surprise there. The big surprise, however, is Mario Dumont surge to the Leader of the Official Opposition. This can be looked at two ways: (1) the Prime Minister's popularity is growing in Quebec and as such Quebeckers decided to vote for the right leaning option; and (2) the ADQ simply represents a middle ground between the PQ and the Quebec Liberal on the sovereigntist debate. I suspect it is the latter. And I think it is good news. I don't always agree with the Prime Minister (although some may say I do), but he was absolutely correct when he said for the first time in 40 years Quebec's government and official opposition don't want a referndum. And that is good news. So I wish M. Charest luck in working with M. Dumont and M. Boislcair in the coming term. And I wish him luck in the next election. Hopefully he can hang on for a good 2 years.

That is it for Quebec though, and I turn my sight to Saskatchewan as the (potentially) next sight of a provincial election in this country. We'll see if David Karwacki can pick up a seat or two for the Liberals and if Brad Wall can remove Lorne Calvert's government. (Here's hoping yes.)

Quebec Election tomorrow

2007-03-25T20:59:00.000-05:00

Never really been a huge follower of Quebec politics, but I have to say I am hoping to see Charest pull out a majority tomorrow. All the numbers we're hearing seem to have a Charest or Boisclair minority. But it seems to me that the Federation is too fragile (thank you Mr. Harper) to have a Parti Quebecois government in Quebec. So I say good luck to M. Charest and the folks that we've got working out there on his re-election. We may not always agree, but we do agree that this man is the best man to lead Quebec.

Happy Green Day!

2007-03-17T22:22:00.000-05:00

The CBC stated today on St. Patrick's Day that Green (get it?) Party Leader Elizabeth May will be running in the Nova Scotia riding of Central Nova currently held by Foreign Affairs Minister Peter Mackay. I have a few thoughts on this circumstance.

I think this shows that Ms. May has set her sights on a realistic goal. That being an attempt to support a Dion-led Government. One would assume this is why she chose not to run in her home riding of Cape Breton-Canso; currently held by Liberal Rodger Cuzner. Also why she has been talking to local Liberals regarding an unseating of the Conservative Government. I will say this to her. It certainly is ballsy. She obviously feels she can take this riding from Mackay. However, I am not 100% certain how likely this goal is. The last time around the Liberal and Greens together only got 11020 votes in the riding, while the NDP got 13861 and Macky got 17134. Presuming the Liberals do not run a candidate here (an action that I have mixed feelings on) May would have to a strong amount of votes from the NDP and Conservatives to just pull ahead of Mackay.

But should she loose to Mackay (who undoubtedly has a race ahead of him) this will give her an extremely high profile and may in fact get her into the leaders' debates. (Although, I'm not too sure how strong her french is.)

So I say good luck to her. And hopefully she can assist us in replacing the current Prime Minister.

"What kind of hero are you now?"

2007-03-13T22:05:00.000-05:00

Those were the words reportedly spoken by one of four men who beat a Canadian Master Corporal who had achieved the Medal of Valour.

The story is here.

So here's the story...

Master Corporal Collin Fitzgerald returned to his hometown bar greeted as a hero by many of his childhood friends. These friends were thrilled to see him walk through the door of the bar. Because he wasn't the same man they had grown up with. He was a hero now. A hero in the truest sense of the word. But in that moment four men made a decision -- a decision I hope everyone in this country disagrees with.

"WHAT KIND OF HERO ARE YOU?"

Master Corporal Fitzgerald was beaten with an unknown object by four men to the point of a broken news, two black eyes, ten stitches and a broken foot.

This man returned from Afghanistan a real full-blooded hero without a scratch on him. Upon his return he was beaten because he dared return home.

Who did it?

Travis Baldwin. Remember that name. Because it is this 21-year old that will appear in a Morrisburg court on May 1, charged with aggravated assault. However, that is not enough. What this man did is inexcusible. He, without any shadow of a doubt should be sitting in a court room on trial for treason. Maybe these people who dare to call themselves Canadian would than learn what our men and women overseas do for them.

What is Liberalism?

2007-03-11T20:15:00.000-05:00

Notwithstandin the recent Conservapedia definition of "liberal," I am forced to ask what is a liberal? Am I one? I am a member of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Ontario Liberal Party. But I have been told by a number of posters on my blog that I, in fact, am not (or should not be) a Liberal. So is liberalism something you believe? Or is it something you do? For four years I have dedicated myself to Liberalism in Canada. I have volunteered and been employed by Liberal members (including two leaderships). I have fought for a number of different issues from universality in healthcare to equality in marriage. However, some do not consider me to be a liberal. So, again I ask, what makes someone a liberal/Liberal?

In defense of Cherniak

2007-03-10T16:23:00.000-06:00

I do my best to avoid blogging about bloggers, but I feel it necessary to come to the defense a friend and our head of Liblogs.

Every statement Jason made was entirely correct. I will first address Fuddle Duddle attack on Cherniak's statement, "as a Jew, I have a better understanding of anti-Semitism than others." Fuddle Duddle responded by asking, "Oh really Jason, does being Jewish give you some secret insight that myself or catnip or other bloggers simply don’t have?" The to such a question is, "YES!" Of course, Jews have a better understand of antisemitism. Just as those in the gay community better understand homophobia and women better understand sexism. So yes, as Jews, both I and Cherniak have a better understanding of antisemitism. And as I have stated in the past, masking antisemitism as anti-Zionism is a lie to the world. They are one in the same. The comments made by McClennand are antisemitic. Even the comment made by Progressive Bloggers regarding his removal was antisemitic.

Warren Kinsella once wrote an article about how the political nature of antisemitism began as a right wing notion and has since moved to the left. This is entirely true. The left has given up on the Jewish race and denied the right of Israel to exist altogether; many going as far as to deny the Holocaust. This was blatantly evidenced during the recent war with the Hizbollah.

Those who deny their antisemitic views as simple anti-Zionism are masking the true point. This is racism. The sooner the world realizes this, the sooner we might reach some manner of peace.

ADQ candidate makes light of Dec. 6

2007-03-08T20:20:00.000-06:00

I was shocked to find that a person in this great country of our's would still have such a closed mind about such issues. But here we are, the ADQ have a candidate -- Claude Roy -- that makes light of the situation at the Universite Polytechnique in Montreal in 1989. I cannot describe how disgusting these comments are. The ADQ further express they are merely a provincial wing of the Federal Conservatives with such comments.

I would like to state, however, that it does not mention in this story that the candidate has since removed himself from the provincial election. I will commend Mario Dumont for disciplining his candidate to such an extent as to remove him from an election where the ADQ may very well be on the verge of holding the balance of power in a minority legislature. However, this does not remove the fact that much like the Federal Conservatives, the ADQ are riddled with candidates with a far right agenda that does not represent the views of the average Canadian (or Quebecor).

Thank you Jim Peterson

2007-03-07T23:06:00.000-06:00

I would like to take this time to thank Jim Peterson for providing 23 years to the country as a Liberal. Tomorrow Mr. Peterson will announce he will not be running in the coming election in the Toronto riding of Willowdale. As such, we can expect Martha Hall Findlay will move in. Ms. Hall Findlay will have big shoes to fill in this riding. And I have no doubt that she has the political ability to do it.

Statement by the Honourable Bob Rae

2007-03-06T22:33:00.001-06:00

Wednesday, March 7, 2007 – “This morning at 11 a.m. I shall be filing my nomination papers at 10 St Mary Street at the Ontario headquarters of the Liberal Party of Canada. I am hoping to be the Liberal candidate in the riding of Toronto Centre and to join Stéphane Dion and my Liberal Party colleagues in Ottawa. I said during the leadership race that I would be standing for election in the next general election, and with Bill Graham's announcement of his retirement I am ready for the challenge of succeeding Bill, who has served the riding and Canada with distinction. Toronto Centre is a wonderfully diverse community at the heart of a city I have called home for a very long time, and it would be an honour to serve the people of Toronto Centre in the Parliament of Canada.”

-30 –

For media inquiries:

alexander.swann@sympatico.ca

Saskatchewan Party wins in by-election

2007-03-06T21:57:00.000-06:00

I'm rarely one to speak my opinion about other provincial elections. However, I do have something of an interest in Western politics and I would like express my delight at the victory of the Saskatchewan Party's Nancy Heppner in the Martensville by-election. I would have liked to see a better showing by the Liberal Party here, however, their 344 is not at all to be unexpected. Some might even call it a great showing. Besides that, though, I would consider this a sign of momentum for the Saskatchewn Party. Hopefully this will lead to an eventual unseating of Lorne Calvert's NDP. Perhaps even a seat for the Liberals in the coming election.(Perhaps later this year?)

Canada's Anne Coulter?

2007-03-05T13:49:00.000-06:00

On the same day the Anne Coulter story broke, Canadians have their own homophobe making a bad name for us. Here he is. And I would like to seriously say how much I respect Jean Charest for his decision to condemn Louis Champagne for his comments.

Anne Coulter makes anti-gay remark

2007-03-05T09:28:00.000-06:00

Anne Coulter made some comments at the American Conservative Political Action Conference that are, quite frankly, just indefensible (as members of both the Republicans and Democrats have put it).

For those who missed this story on CTV News last night, the information is all in the link I provided. Usually, unless I am in a hurry I post a full stream of comments, but I just refuse to use the same word that she did. However, despite the fact that this is Anne Coulter and pretty much expected, what disgusts is how flippant she responded to the comment about John Edwards -- "C'mon, it was a joke. I would never insult gays by suggesting that they are like John Edwards. That would be mean." Anne Coulter has bothered me before, but this is beyond belief.

I'll let you read and come to your own conclusions.

OYL AGM begins today

2007-03-02T01:08:00.000-06:00

To those that read my blog, I hope to see many of you at the OYL AGM in Kingston this weekend. Good luck to all those that are running! I will be back with more news upon my return to my cozy home in Sudbury.

M. Coderre should be ejected from caucus

2007-03-01T16:13:00.000-06:00

Check it out here.

The position M. Coderre has decided to take it disgusting. Between this and the Hizbollah situation he has not place calling himself a Liberal. Its time M. Dion showed that he can lead a party and remove M. Coderre from caucus. To refer to Gen. Hillier as prop is simply insulting to all of our men and women in uniform. Go ahead. Call me a Conservative if you want. But our nation's top soldier deserves more respect than this. And if we want to be Government again its top we started showing Gen. Hiller and the rest of the Canadian Armed Forces the respect they deserve.

CJC says security of Canadians eroded by abolition of anti-terror measures

2007-02-28T14:50:00.000-06:00

TORONTO - Canadian Jewish Congress expressed disappointment with the outcome of yesterday'sparliamentary vote abolishing two key measures from the Anti-terrorism Act (ATA).

"While we recognize that these sections of the ATA had specific impact on civil rightsin Canada, we believed that that the powers of preventive arrests and investigativehearings were critical elements of Canada's anti-terrorism regime. These powers maybe gone, but Canadians should not be lulled into a false sense of security - thethreat these provisions were intended to combat is most assuredly still with us,"said CJC President Ed Morgan.

"It was a decided strength of the Anti-Terrorism Act that it set its primary sightson the prevention of terrorist acts. Yesterday's vote weakens this capacity, andall Canadians should be concerned that our safety and security from both internationaland domestic terrorist attacks has been significantly eroded," Morgan added.

"What is also disturbing is the negative effect this decision will have on the AirIndia case and the families of the victims. This vote limits the ability of investigatorsto obtain what they believe to be relevant testimony which up to now has not beenforthcoming," he said.

"Going forward, we call on our elected officials to work cooperatively to formulatenew legislation to replace the two measures in order to effectively protect the securityof Canada. By doing so, they will show true leadership on the fundamental matterof combating terrorism, an issue which concerns all Canadians," Morgan noted.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-30-

Contact:Wendy Lampert

National Director of Communications

Canadian Jewish Congress

159 - 124

2007-02-27T20:37:00.000-06:00

That will be the score of the next federal election. Stephane Dion lost the election today. This was not a sign of leadership by any means. M. Dion played politics with the safety of Canadians. It is unfortunate. The next election will be about leadership. M. Dion will not pass the test of Canadians. As much as 65% of Canadians wanted these provisions renewed. M. Dion did not want to throw the Conservative Government a bone. This blatant partisanship is a shame. And it could very well lead to the death of our party.

To that end, the Government has lost to many votes. The Prime Minister has a responsibility to call an election now. The House obviously has no confidence in him. I just wish I could say he wouldn't undoubtedly win.

I will note though that not all Liberals voted with M. Dion on this. Those 4 MPs are as follows:
1) Irwin Cotler (MP for Mount Royal and former Attorney General) was absent
2) Bill Graham (MP for Toronto Centre and former Interim Liberal Leader) was absent
3) Paul Martin (MP for Lasalle-Emard and former Prime Minister of Canada) was absent
4) Tom Wappel (MP for Scarborough Southwest and associate member of the committe for Public Safety and National Security) voted for the provisions

Think about the importance of a few of those name choosing not to vote with our leader on this one. I would say it sends a very important message to the rest of the party that the party elite may very well not be behind M. Dion.

Canadian filmmaker to unveil 'lost tomb of Jesus'

2007-02-26T21:53:00.000-06:00

I think this is just an interesting story.

CJC urges Parliament to take up Supreme Court challenge for effective, Charter-proofsecurity legislation

2007-02-25T14:20:00.000-06:00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

February 23, 2007

TORONTO - Canadian Jewish Congress urges Parliament to take up today's Supreme Courtchallenge and pass new legislation within one year that replaces current securitycertificates with new law mirroring these provisions, while protecting the rightsof the accused under the Charter.

Recognizing that terrorism remains a clear and present threat to Canadian security,the Court has determined that the status quo with respect to the certificates prevailsin the interim.

"Security certificates have been vigorously defended by the previous Liberal governmentas well as the current Conservative government. What Canada needs most, in keepingwith the Charter, is an overall security régime whose first and best lineof defence against terrorism remains effective, timely surveillance and intelligenceto stop attacks before they happen," said Canadian Jewish Congress National PresidentEd Morgan.

"In the wake of today's decision, we urge the Parliament of Canada to pass new legislationto ensure that the state retains the necessary powers to deal with the security threatsthat certificates addressed while satisfying the Court's Charter of Rights concerns,"he added.

"As part of this process, we suggest that Parliament explore the United Kingdom'sapproach both to hearing procedures and rules of evidence in security cases as wellas to 'measures of control' such as house arrest and monitoring devices to avoidprolonged incarceration," Morgan said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-30-

Contact:Wendy Lampert

National Director of Communications

Canadian Jewish Congress

CJC urges Parliament to take up Supreme Court challenge for effective, Charter-proof security legislation

2007-02-24T23:52:00.000-06:00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

February 23, 2007

CJC urges Parliament to take up Supreme Court challenge for effective, Charter-proof
security legislation

TORONTO - Canadian Jewish Congress urges Parliament to take up today's Supreme Court
challenge and pass new legislation within one year that replaces current security
certificates with new law mirroring these provisions, while protecting the rights
of the accused under the Charter.

Recognizing that terrorism remains a clear and present threat to Canadian security,
the Court has determined that the status quo with respect to the certificates prevails
in the interim.

"Security certificates have been vigorously defended by the previous Liberal government
as well as the current Conservative government. What Canada needs most, in keeping
with the Charter, is an overall security régime whose first and best line
of defence against terrorism remains effective, timely surveillance and intelligence
to stop attacks before they happen," said Canadian Jewish Congress National President
Ed Morgan.

"In the wake of today's decision, we urge the Parliament of Canada to pass new legislation
to ensure that the state retains the necessary powers to deal with the security threats
that certificates addressed while satisfying the Court's Charter of Rights concerns,"
he added.

"As part of this process, we suggest that Parliament explore the United Kingdom's
approach both to hearing procedures and rules of evidence in security cases as well
as to 'measures of control' such as house arrest and monitoring devices to avoid
prolonged incarceration," Morgan said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-30-

Contact:

Wendy Lampert

National Director of Communications

Canadian Jewish Congress

wlampert@on.cjc.ca

www.cjc.ca

Civil Liberty vs. Civil Security

2007-02-21T19:40:00.000-06:00

We seem to have come to a very important moment in this minority parliament. That, of course, is the very recent discussion we have been having with regards to a pair of public safety provisions that M. Dion wishes to remove from the Criminal Code. Those being (1) an allowance of police to arrest a person they suspect is about to engage in terrorist activity, and (2) an allowance to close investigative hearings into possible or past terrorist attacks. This subject, much like the last debate that split the Liberal Party into factions -- same-sex marriage -- has forced all of Liberals to take sides. Unfortunately those sides are that of the left and right flanks of the party. However, that cannot be the case this time around.

I am going to be branded as right wing for what I am about to say. But I can assure you, that is certainly not the case. And those that know me know this to be true.

We cannot afford to side against the Prime Minister. And, as I have stated in past, we as Canadians (not as Liberals) can afford to ignore the issue of our security. This cannot be about liberty vs. security. That isn't because we are forced to chose, but because we can have both. We saw that during the Chretien-Martin years following 9-11. To allow police to have these provisions at their finger tips allows them to better secure our liberty. And that is what we have to do. We have to not chose between them, but to chose both of them. And that is exactly what we do by keeping these provisions.

Liberals Split on Terrorism

2007-02-19T20:52:00.000-06:00

As seen here we Liberals appear to be spit yet again. But this admittedly is an area I find confusing. Now, I waited a few days to think this one over as I wasn't quite sure how to take it. Our new leader seems to think that we shouldn't be worrying about terrorism. Both of these provisions are important and necessary. It doesn't matter that they have never been used. It matters that in situations that they need to be used they are in existence. This is why Conservatives call us soft terrorism. And quite frankly, we are. This is not a joke. This is not a political issue. It is a matter of Canadian security. It seems for now only Bob Rae, Herb Dhaliwal, and a few others are aware of this. I hope M. Dion will wake up and soon join them.

Dion's speech to the Canada-Israel Committee

2007-02-13T18:59:00.000-06:00

February 6, 2007

Remarks by the Honourable Stéphane Dion

Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy Dinner

I’m very happy to be here tonight, as the new leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Official Opposition, to toast the Canadian Jewish community and the friendship between Israel and Canada.

I, with all Canadians, would be much happier if the aspirations of Israelis – to find peace and security in a world of differences and conflict – were realized.

Here in Canada, when the United Talmud Torah school is attacked in my riding of St. Laurent-Cartierville in Montreal – its windows broken, its library burned – it is an attack on the values of every Canadian. When even one Canadian child is threatened because of her religion, we all feel the cold breath of intimidation. We can only imagine the insecurity that Israelis feel day after day.

By that same token, when Israel’s right to exist is threatened, it is an attack on the values of every democracy. In this way, Israel’s fight for existence is our fight; her struggle for peace and security is our struggle. The concept of "Tzedek, Tzedek Tirdof" – justice, justice shall you pursue – resonates in every culture.

That's why the Liberal policy on Israel and the Middle East is based on seven core principles.

We will continue to proudly support, as a cornerstone of our foreign policy, the right of Israel to exist in peace and security. Because any attempt to question that right is inexcusable.

We will continue to call, as a second cornerstone of our foreign policy, for a two-state solution, and negotiations to that effect. Because peace calls for an independent, democratic and secure Palestine beside an independent, democratic and secure Israel.

We will continue to support United Nations Resolution 242, which asserts the right of states to be free from threats or acts of force. When the current Iranian government threatens to "wipe Israel off the map," we can have no illusions about the seriousness of that threat, and the need to confront it.

We will continue to condemn terrorism – from whatever source, for whatever purpose, in whatever form. Because we must never be blind to the difference between right and wrong.

We will continue to support the push for democracy, human rights, good governance and the rule of law throughout the Middle East. Because Canada can and must use its influence to play a positive role in the world.

We will continue to push for fairness in the United Nations General Assembly, including our support for a single omnibus resolution on the peace process. Because one-sided resolutions serve the peace and security of no nation.

And finally, we will continue to combat racism, anti-Semitism, hatred and intolerance. I know the pain of learning that another school in my riding has been attacked, as was the case last month with the Muslim École JMC. Every Canadian, regardless of faith, deserves the right to send his or her child to school in safety.

These are the policies of the Liberal Party of Canada. And I commit to you tonight that these will be the policies of a Dion government.

I want to thank Irwin Cotler, and all the members of the Liberal Parliamentarians for Israel, for being such a force in expressing and advocating these policies.

Last year, this group, chaired by Anita Neville and Senator David Smith, and including in its ranks Susan Kadis and Raymonde Folco, called on the Government of Canada to establish a fund that would help at-risk communities cover the costs of security in their places of worship.

I am proud to be here as leader of the party that has a human-rights champion like Irwin Cotler in its caucus. The party that created the Canada-Israel Friendship Group; that was so lucky to have Herb Gray as our Deputy Prime Minister; that put Hamas and Hezbollah on the terrorist watch list; that pushed for fairness at the United Nations.

Supporting the right of Israel to exist in a secure and peaceful Middle East is not a Liberal cause or a Conservative cause; it is not, and it must never be. It is a Canadian cause; it is the common cause of every democracy.

That’s why I am so proud to be here tonight, not just as a Liberal but as a Canadian, to toast Israel and Canada's partnership with her.

Thank you so much.

Apartheid Analogy Fails for West Bank and Gaza

2007-02-12T19:50:00.000-06:00

Neither does the apartheid analogy hold water in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, despite the undoubted hardships which Palestinians face in their day-to-day lives. Given the sizeable number of Israelis who support a withdrawal from some or all of these areas, as well as former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s decision to disengage from all settlements in Gaza and parts of the West Bank, it is abundantly clear that Israel does not want to indefinitely rule over the Palestinian population of these territories. Israel’s stance in that regard was confirmed by its decision to sign the Oslo Accords, which created the Palestinian Authority, and in its peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan.

- In South Africa, around 12 million disenfranchised Blacks were crammed into Bantustans (impoverished autonomous homelands whose borders were designed to exclude economically viable land) to be used as a reservoir of cheap labor. Four of the 10 Bantustans were proclaimed ‘independent’ – meaning that residents lost even the handful of limited rights they had in South Africa – but were not recognized as such by foreign governments.

- Israel could not be further from imposing a Bantustan solution on the Palestinians. Not only has the Israeli government and the majority of the Israeli public accepted the idea of a Palestinian State but – as Israel has made clear in the past – genuine guarantees of security will result in important territorial concessions. Israel’s goal is to achieve both its own security and Palestinian self-determination. In direct contrast to the Bantustans, which were frozen in a legal no-man’s land, a Palestinian state will enjoy both international recognition and generous aid: recent pledges include $3 billion from the World Bank alone. Rather than being ruled by a puppet leadership appointed by Israel, the Palestinians elect their own leaders. Finally, it should be recalled that apartheid South Africa intended to deport all of its Black citizens into the Bantustans; in the case of Israel’s Arab citizens, such an idea is abhorrent to the vast majority of Israelis.

- The importance of Israel’s security was noted by Nelson Mandela, the symbol of the struggle against apartheid, who remarked, in 1999, that he could not conceive of Israeli withdrawal ‘if Arab states do not recognize Israel within secure borders.

The world is rightly concerned about the humanitarian impact of checkpoints and curfews on the Palestinians. Such measures are driven not by a racist ideology, but, in the main, by legitimate security concerns on Israel’s part. These measures, along with the security fence, are the consequence of a campaign of terror by Palestinian groups such as Hamas and the Al Aksa Martyrs Brigade, which, in deliberately targeting civilians, have claimed over 1,000 innocent Israeli lives.

Some analysts argue that Israeli policy is also informed by its need to secure a Jewish majority within defined borders. It is perhaps more accurate to say that Israel wishes to safeguard its democratic character and its status as a haven for the Jewish people. Permanent occupation of another people who wish to rule themselves is, therefore, not an option, which is why Israel has committed itself to disengagement and future negotiations.

Behind the Green Line

2007-02-11T01:09:00.000-06:00

This is being posted after a couple moderately large events in Canadian politics. So before I begin, let me just congradulate those that were elected in the recent Ontario by-elections -- specifically Michael Chan, the newest Liberal MPP in Markham. Now, let us go behind the Green Line.

In 1948, just as the white regime in South Africa was creating the legal framework for apartheid, Israel’s leaders, having survived a war of extermination waged by the Arab countries, anchored the new Jewish State in the principles of democracy. The Declaration of Independence stated: ‘The State of Israel… will promote the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; will be based upon the precepts of liberty, justice and peace taught by the Hebrew prophets; will uphold the full social and political equality of all its citizens, without distinction of race, creed or sex; will guarantee full freedom of conscience, worship, education and culture; will safeguard the sanctity and inviolability of the shrines and Holy Places of all religions; and will dedicate itself to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.’

Of course, that doesn’t mean that no national or ethnic group in Israel has suffered from discrimination. Many Arab citizens of Israel complain, often with justification, about unequal allocation of resources; about the fact that 13 percent of land in Israel is administered by the Jewish National Fund (JNF) and cannot be leased to Arabs under that body’s covenant (neither Jews nor Arabs may buy JNF land); about their exclusion from the military service required of Jews and members of the Druze minority, which they argue means they can never be regarded as full citizens; about the impact of the security fence on the Palestinian population, particularly in and around Jerusalem.

Jewish communities, too, have claimed discrimination in Israel. Many Jews from Arab countries or from Ethiopia have said that they do not receive the same educational or career opportunities afforded to Jews of European origin; some representatives of these communities also say that their native cultures and traditions are not respected.

None of this makes Israel unique. In fact, the reverse is true – all democracies have faced claims of discrimination at one time or another. One thinks of African-Americans in the U.S. or, more recently, Roma gypsies in the newly emerged democracies of Eastern Europe. Moreover, any assessment of Israel’s record on discrimination needs to recognize the following points:

- Israel’s citizens enjoy full equality before the law. This includes not only Jews from a vast array of ethnic and racial backgrounds – including many who would have been the victims of apartheid had they lived in South Africa – but the Muslim and Christian Arabs who make up one-fifth of the population.

- Unlike Blacks in apartheid South Africa, Arab citizens of Israel have full political rights. They vote and participate in the political process, with Arab Knesset representatives across the spectrum, from the Communist and Arab nationalist parties through to the Likud. Salim Jubran, an Israeli Arab, is a judge on Israel’s Supreme Court.

- In Jerusalem, the 120,000 Arab residents of the city are entitled to Israeli citizenship, but the vast majority have retained their pre-1967 Jordanian passports and therefore remain in Israel on the basis of permanent resident ID cards. In both 1996 and 2005, Arab Jerusalemites were permitted to vote in elections to the Palestinian Authority. The extraordinarily low turnout on both occasions was duly noted by observers. In the case of the post-Arafat elections in 2005, disillusionment with PA corruption, as well as the decision of the Palestinian Election Commission that all but 6,000 of the voters had to cast their ballots outside of Jerusalem, were the main reasons cited for the turnout.

- Israel is one of the few countries in the Middle East and wider Islamic region where Christians, as well as Muslims and Jews, can freely worship. This stands in contrast with Saudi Arabia, where Islam is the only religion permitted, and with Iraq and Pakistan, where Christians have faced attack from Islamist terror groups.

- Arab students and professors study, research, teach and – above all – argue and debate on all of Israel’s university campuses. At Haifa University, selected for a boycott by Britain’s Association of University Teachers (AUT), some 20 percent of the student body is Arab.

No reasonable person would dispute that discrimination is not a problem in Israel. But the nature and scale of the discrimination is not exceptional. And discrimination is not the same thing as apartheid.

Further Pre-Emption for Garth Turner

2007-02-07T18:53:00.000-06:00

Of course I'd like to continue the posts on Israel, but I feel I have to weigh in on the biggest issue in Canadian politics today. So, Garth Turner is now a Liberal. Let me just say that I have nothing against floor-crossing. It is a part of politics and Garth Turner, Wajid Khan, and David Emerson all have the right to do what they did (even if Emerson's was slightly more underhanded in method Turner's was slightly less). However, I must go against the Liberal grain on this one. Garth Turner becoming a Liberal makes little to no sense policy-wise. The man is pretty much a libertarian, except for the fact that he is massive environmentalist. More to that, he has expressed symptoms of social conservatism as well. We can pull out the "big tent" slogan if we like, but including Garth is a pretty wide tent. That said, I am more than happy to see the Liberal ranks grow. Its simple politics. More people = more votes. And that is what this is about from the Liberal point of view. What is it about from the Garth point of view? More money for an election? I don't buy it. Had he joined the Green Party, I'm sure they would have jumped at the opportunity to fund their best chance at victory. The only thing Garth gets out of being a Liberal is sitting on committee and potentially sitting in Government again. Of course, everyone wants to sit in Government. Its been said that for a political party, the worst day in Government is still better than the best day in Opposition. But I believe this is more about the committees. Garth said from the day he left the Conservative Party that what he will miss most of all will be sitting on the finance committee. This is a way back on for him. If he had joined the Greens, he could not have done that. They would have need 15 (I believe) seats to get the ability to assign committee members. That is unlikely to happen while Garth is still in the House. What this comes down to is just unfortunate. I've always been a supporter of independents. I think it takes balls to sit outside a party banner. But Garth's decision shows that the restriction put on independents in the House can prove to be too much for some of them, thus forcing them to latch on to the closest party available to them. For Garth that was the Liberal Party.

Having said all that, I welcome the Liberal Party of Canada's newest Member of Parliament, Garth Turner.

Pre-Empted for the Day of Action

2007-02-05T20:04:00.000-06:00

While I would like to finish my recent posts regarding Israel, I am afraid that will have to wait a day as it occurs to me that tomorrow is the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) Local Day of Action. With that in mind, todays post will be about that.

The CFS argues that a moderate increase in post-secondary tuition fees has limited the ability for Ontario students to attend university and college. However, what they neglect to mention to students is that since the election of the Dalton McGuinty Liberal Government it has become easier than ever for students to attend Postsecondary Education. Moreover, they neglect the McGuinty Government gaurantee that no qualified Ontario student will be denied entrace to a College or University due to lack of financial resourses.

Here's why...

Improvements to upfront grants and student aid
- $1.5 billion of the McGuinty's Government's $6.2 billion Reaching Higher plan is being invested into improvements in student aid.
- The Government has reintroduced upfront assistance into OSAP. Grant assistance is being extended to students who come from families with incomes up to $75,000, helping out around 60,000 first and second year student from low and middle income families.
- The threshold for interest relief has been increased by 5%, helping an addition 6,000 students per year.
- Student debt has been limited to a maximum of $7,000 per year.
- A $500 annual allowance has been intorduced to compensate for computer and computer-related costs.
- Students have also seen an increase of 27% in their weekly student allowance, translating into $75 per week.
- Recognition of the additional needs of students -- changes to OSAP's books and supplies allowance -- almost doubling in some areas. Such a change will benefit an estimated 145,000 students.
- The Ontario Trust for Student Support has made $50 million available every year to match private and corporate cash donations to college and university endowment funds to make additional grants and bursaries available.

Tuition Framework
- The current tuition model is a regulated framework with capped tuition rates.
- No institution will be able to increase tuition fees without signing on to the Student Access Guarantee and must show a direct correlation with an improvement in the quality of education.

3 to 1 Comparisons
- For every $3 the McGuinty Government is investing in the Reaching Higher Plan, student are only asked to invest $1.
- The PC Government (1995-2003) took away 15 cents for every dollar invested by students.

Improving Quality and Access
- The McGuinty Government has established the Higher Education Quality Council to monitor and ensure improvement to both quality and access to all of Ontario's post-secondary institutions.
- For the time, the McGuinty Government is providing a three-year funding allocation to colleges and universities, with an historic investment of $4 billion the year, rising to $4.3 billion by 2008-2009 to help Ontario post-secondary insititions.
- The Government is investing $1 million this year and $2 million each subsequent year from its Reaching Higher plan to celebrate excellence in teaching at post-secondary insititution. Up to 100 of Ontario's best faculty will be honoured each year with the Leadership in Faculty Teaching Awards. Winners will receive a total of $20,000 over two years to encourage continued excellece in the classroom setting.
- The McGuinty Government has met and greatly surpassed it target of 50,000 but creating 86,000 new in post-secondary institutions in the past three years.
- The McGuinty Government has begun establishing scholarships that will help Ontario's college and university students broaden their learning experience by completing a portion of their studies abroad. In 2006-2007, more than 150 of the new Ontario International Education Opportunity Scholarships will be available to eligible students valued at up to $2,500 each.
- The McGuinty Government is investing $65.3 million in 2006-2007 -- an increase of $20 million since 2004-2005 -- to help small, northern and rural colleges provide high quality programs in their communities.
- The McGuinty Government invested $15 million in 2006-2007 to help post-secondary institutions deliver programs that improve access to post-secondary opportunity for francophones, aboriginals, persons with disabilities and those who would be the first in their families to attend college or university. The amount will increase $55 million 2009-2010.

Most of all, the McGuinty Government's $6.2 billion infusion into postsecondary education is the single largest investment in this sector in over 40 years, with over $1.5 billion more for student aid, and 86,000 new space since 2002-2003. Looks like the CFS wasn't paying attention.

Why there's no comparison with Israel

2007-02-04T20:34:00.000-06:00

Apartheid was a unique system. Those who lived under apartheid rule were governed by its rules and conventions every minute of every day. In Israel and the territories, there are tensions and divisions over citizenship, ownership of land and human rights – basic elements which one recognizes in the apartheid model. But to turn such recognition into affirmation that Israel practices apartheid defies logic and poses a basic question: Why, out of all the countries in the world in which national, religious or ethnic minorities claim discrimination, is Israel selected for the apartheid label?

There are two components to the accusation that Israel is an apartheid state: historical and legal. The Palestinian version of the 1948 war provides the historical justification for apartheid analogy. According to this narrative, Jewish settlers with a grand colonial purpose grabbed the territory of the indigenous Arab population, expelling the majority and marginalizing the minority which remained. Since that time, the State of Israel is accused of having practiced systematic discrimination against its Arab citizens and of ruling mercilessly over those Arabs living in the territories captured during the 1967 war.

In legal terms, the argument continues, Israel bears a striking resemblance to apartheid South Africa. Therefore, the argument concludes, Israel is a paradox: it claims to be both a Jewish state and a democratic state, but does not accept that one precludes the other. By entrenching and reinforcing its Jewish majority through a combination of legal, political and military measures, Israel is said to have imposed an apartheid system upon its non-Jewish population.

The argument is a dramatic one. To many people in the human rights community, it is seductive as well. It is also wholly false. I will explain why tomorrow in part three of this series I appear to be doing.

Apartheid: What was it?

2007-02-02T20:05:00.000-06:00

In 1994, one of the modern era’s most heinous forms of social organization came to a peaceful end. In the new South Africa, apartheid was no more. Black and white South Africans, along with the outside world, celebrated the demise of a system which, in the Afrikaans language, means “separateness” and “apartness.” The racial separation and discrimination inherent in the principle of apartheid was enshrined in 1948, when South Africa’s National Party came to power. Convinced of their racial and moral superiority, the white architects of apartheid imposed what former President F.W. de Klerk, looking back on apartheid, called a “manifest injustice” on the Black population.

That injustice was not confined to just denying the vote to Black South Africans. It was rooted in law. Dozens of laws were enacted by the apartheid regime to enforce segregation, among them:

The Group Areas Act – Passed in 1950, this enforced physical segregation by creating different residential areas for whites, blacks and other racial groups, such as Asians and those of mixed race (known as “coloreds”).

Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act – Passed in 1949, this forbade individuals from different racial backgrounds from marrying each other. Through this law, and through the Immorality Amendment Act of 1950, which prohibited sexual relations between whites and blacks, the apartheid regime echoed the infamous Nuremburg Laws of Nazi Germany, which discriminated between Jews and those of “pure” German origin.

Bantu Education Act – Passed in 1953, this law stunted the intellectual and creative development of Black children by gearing their education to reinforce their subservient social position (Hendrik Verwoerd, later to become South Africa’s Prime Minister, used the phrase “in accordance with their opportunities in life”). An extension to University Education Act in 1959 banned Black students from attending white universities and created separate higher education institutes for Blacks, whites, Asians and “coloreds.”

Reservation of Separate Amenities Act – Passed in 1953, this law provided the icons of the apartheid regime: signs on public buildings, transport and other amenities which declared ‘Europeans Only’ or ‘non-Europeans Only’. The law specified that public facilities had to separated on racial grounds and did not require these facilities to be of equal standards.

Suppression of Communism Act – Passed in 1950, this law used such a wide-ranging definition of “communism” that any meaningful act of opposition to apartheid was banned.

Through these and a host of other laws, apartheid South Africa was able to tightly regulate, and therefore discriminate against, its Black population: where they lived, with whom they could engage in social contact, what they were permitted to study, what they were allowed to say.

Students take over the House

2007-01-30T01:56:00.000-06:00

This is a recent article of Maclean's Magazine. (You will have to scroll down until after the story about Borys W.'s wedding.)

Tell me... what exactly is this?

I have a number of complaints with this article. So let's take it from the top.

1) Queen's University takes their model parliament more seriously than Laurentian University's.
This statement is factually untrue. Laurentian University after only 15 years of model parliament, has always taken it seriously -- a fact that can be (and has been) echoed by House of Commons employees. Moreoever, Laurentian University's model parliamentarians were not allowed juice into the House, merely in the anti-chambers; I'm a sure a practice condoned by Queen's as well.

2) The Queen's First Aid Team
Why does a magazine known for writing on the subject of politic spend most of an article on model parliament discussing the humour of a first aid team at model parliament? And again, how does this imply a greater degree of seriousness?

3) Mockery of the Laurentian NDP
The small paragraph given to the Laurentian NDP mocks the concept of legalization of sexual trade -- a bill they chose not to do anyway. It also chooses to ignore an interview with the actual leader of the NDP.

4) Finally, and I'm sure even not Liberals can agree the most disturbing -- NO MENTION OF LIBERALS
Now, I assure you this is not just myself getting angry as the Leader of the Liberal Party at Laurentian's model parliament. But someone, please tell me how can anyone write an article on model parliaments without mentioning Liberal Party participation once. The only references were that of a student being employed by Ray Bonin and a professor supporting Bob Rae. Even the paragraph referencing the alumni model parliament does not mention the leader of the Liberal government that day. Does this make sense to anyone?

I ask these questions in hope that someone can give me some sort of response. Perhaps a participant of Queen's model parliament? Perhaps a regular reader of Maclean's? Anybody at all?

And finally, a special mention does go out to two people who were not mentioned in this article and very much should have been -- Laurentian University Political Science Association president Kevin Roche and NDP Leader Tess Curie; both of whom put a lot of personal time into this project.

Knesset approves Majadele's appointment as gov't minister

2007-01-29T17:50:00.000-06:00

Taking my que from friend and fellow blogger Michelle Oliel, I thought I'd post this great story. Israel is not Aparthied. And this is further evidence as to why.

Update...

2007-01-25T20:06:00.000-06:00

Its been more than a week, so it just seems time to put another post out there.

All I have to say is that the world continues to be screwed up. But in all that I came to a realization. Over the last weekend in Toronto at Ontario Model Parliament it occurred to me. The Liberal Party of Canada is (or is becoming) anti-Israel. There isn't really any point here. Its just a fact of the matter. We still have a few Irwin Cotlers or Susan Kadis' or Scott Brisons or Bob Raes, but for the most part this party speaks out against the rights of Israel and by extension its Jewish constituency. This party has to wake up, and yesterday, before it loses all of us.

Ontario Model Parliament on its way!

2007-01-17T21:01:00.000-06:00

Just wanting to say enjoy OMP to all the participants this weekend. I'll hope to see all of my Liberal friends this weekend for a very unique and enjoyable event -- one that I'm sure we look forward to every year. See ya all there!

I'm Back!

2007-01-08T20:30:00.000-06:00

Alright, so I'm back in Canada, and seems just at the right time. So, I will say one thing about the Wajid Khan situation. I understand it. His views are not views he shares with the Liberal Party any longer. I supported Keith Martin, Scott Brison, and Belinda Stronach when they came to the Liberals. I will support Wajid Khan when he goes the other way. I wish him luck in Mississauga--Streetsville, but I assure you all, that riding will remain Liberal. Just like Vancouver Centre, we are waiting to show candidates that these are Liberal ridings and they are not going to swing Conservative this easily.

Happy Channukah!

2006-12-15T19:37:00.000-06:00

December 15, 2006
On behalf of the Liberal Party of Canada, I am delighted to extend my warmest wishes to all those celebrating Chanukah, the Jewish festival of lights.

Chanukah is a time for people of the Jewish faith around the world to celebrate the power of faith to accomplish miracles and bring light from the darkness. As families and friends gather each night to light the menorah and share in the festive traditions of Chanukah, we remember the message of hope and of peace during this holiday season.

May the joy of Chanukah and the peace and goodwill of the season fill our hearts and inspire us to lead lives of compassion and goodwill towards our fellow citizens.

Have a blessed and Happy Chanukah.

Chag Samech.

[courtesy Liberal.ca]

That was M. Dion's wording. I'd just like to wish everyone a Happy Channukah, Chag Sameach, Merry Christmas, Seasons Greetings, Happy Holidays, or whatever else you little hearts desire.

As for me, I will be spending Channukah in Israel. Consider this my official notice of hiatus. I will see everyone in 2007.

Harper on the Environment

2006-12-14T23:26:00.000-06:00

In his final press conference of the year, the Prime Minister made reference to the "so called greenhouse gasses." Quite frankly, this is a big screw up. We all know Harper is smarter than this. Whether he agrees with the idea of greenhouse gas or not -- by the way, how can you not? -- he is smart enough to know not to mention it. This is something all parties should use. The fact is, this is just further evidence that the Harper Government can't hold its weight on environmental issues. If people out there care about the environment, they will vote Dion -- a man who has pledged his political career to the environment and the only man you can replace Steven Harper as Prime Minister.

St. Francis Xavier Prof. Returns

2006-12-14T10:25:00.000-06:00

I wanted to avoid posting anything about what is currently occuring in Tehran in an effort to avoid giving it power. However, this is something that made me smile.

"It is a brutal shock to be associated in any way to that conference or to be lending it credibility."

That was a statement made by St. FX President Sean Riley upon the realization of St. FX political science Prof. Shiraz Dossa's attendance in Tehran. (The only Canadian delegate in attendance by the way.)

Yvon Grenier, chair of the political science department has gone on to condemn Dossa's actions, refering to him as and a "hack and lunatic."

Frankly -- a personal opinion -- this kind of person does not belong in Canada. He wasn't born here. Use this as precedent to have him deported. Call that "unliberal" is you like. But I simply will not stand for hate in my country -- our country.

Mulroney urges PM to focus on environment

2006-12-13T17:58:00.000-06:00

I never thought I would agree with Brian Mulroney, but here we are. In a interview with CBC Radio in Montreal, Mulroney encouraged Harper to move on environmental issues. Of course, he did this while taken a jab at the Liberal record on the environment -- which admittedly is not as great as we make it out to be, however, we did ratify Kyoto.

Mulroney stated that in addition to tax cuts, "This [the environment] resonates, particularly well with the highly independent voting block in Canada. If you want their support -- and believe me, you can't get elected very often without it -- then you've got to be sensitive to questions about the environment."

What can I say, I agree. Its been said that Mulroney was Canada's "greenist" Prime Minister. Perhaps those who said this, weren't mistaken?

Same-Sex Vote

2006-12-09T15:48:00.000-06:00

After thinking it over for a couple days I decided to make a post on the subject. You see, in the past I have made somewhat extreme statements on the subject -- in favour of. So I will leave it at a thank you to the 175 MPs who listened to Canada and voted to close this issue. As for the 123 who voted in favour of re-opening the issue of marriage, I say shame, shame on them for letting their personal feelings get in the way of what is best for Canadians and what Canadians want.

That is all I will say. Hopefully I will not have to address equal marriage in the Canadian context again.

Statement from Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion Regarding the Anti-Semitic Comments Made Against Bob Rae and Arlene Perly Rae

2006-12-08T18:22:00.000-06:00

December 8, 2006
The hateful comments made against Liberal leadership candidate Bob Rae and his wife Arlene Perly Rae at the Liberal leadership convention in Montreal are reprehensible and will not be tolerated within the Liberal Party of Canada.

Canada is a nation founded on diversity and tolerance for people of all faiths and ethnic backgrounds. The Liberal Party of Canada celebrates and promotes this diversity and tolerance.

There is no room for abhorrent comments such as these within our Party. The individuals who made these despicable and prejudiced comments are condemned by myself and Liberals throughout Canada.

I would like to commend Stephane Dion for taken the initiative and condemning the awful anti-semitic, rascist comments made about Bob Rae. As a candidate in the coming election, M. Dion has a responsibility to defend those on his team. And it shows a lot about the man that he can come to Bob's aide despite being former opponents. Thank you M. Dion. Everyday you give me more reason to follow you into the next election and beyond.

A 'French' Prime Minister?

2006-12-07T09:25:00.000-06:00

Too many things to talk about these days, but we can save the equal marriage talk for after the vote. The question at hand here is should Stephane Dion renounce his French citizenship. Quite frankly, I hate to be the only Liberal on this one but, yes. Now let me be clear, he shouldn't do this because Canada simply can't have a Prime Minister with dual citizenship. We have already in the past. He shouldn't do it out of some kind of show of Canadiana. Canada is better than that. He shouldn't do it because it divides his loyalties and questions his dedication to this country he wishes to lead. I have total faith that he is a dedicated this country and that he wants to make it the best nation on the face of this planet. He should do it because the Canadian electorate as a whole will simply not understand it. It looks bad optically. I don't care that its occurred in the past, even recently with John Turner. It looks bad. For the sake of his career -- for the sake of the Liberal party -- for the sake of bettering this country he will renounce his French citizenship for no other reason than it just looks better. This is not about xenophobia or anything else of that nature. It is simply about electability. And as our leader (and hopefully future Prime Minister) Stephane Dion must understand that.

CJC condemns vile flyer attacking Bob Rae during leadership race

2006-12-06T20:31:00.000-06:00

Now that leadership has passed, I don't want to dwell on it all that much. So when I talk about Bob Rae here, consider him a Liberal candidate in the coming election and not the third place finisher in quite possibly the most entertaining leadership race since Trudeau took it.

This was a flyer released by the Canadian Arab Federation during this past week's leadership convention. Quite frankly, I don't even know where to begin. There is nothing rational about the statements made here. First attacking Bob Rae for undering the truth about the Israeli-Palestinian situation, than bringing his wife into the mix for being a sitting member of the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC), and finally so callously tossing around the word 'aparteid.' What I have to say will not be nearly as level headed as the CJC, so I will let them talk it from here.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

December 6, 2006

For immediate release

CJC condemns vile flyer attacking Bob Rae during Liberal leadership convention.

TORONTO ? Canadian Jewish Congress strongly condemned a flyer (click here to view flyer) (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=ovkct9bab.0.5icct9bab.aiqaz8aab.5238&ts=S0218&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cjc.ca%2Fdocs%2FRD%2F191_rae%2520flyer.doc) distributed at the recent Federal Liberal Leadership Convention and which was widely emailed by the current president of the Canadian Arab Federation (CAF) and others. The flyer was sent to Liberal parliamentarians, the large Equity and Accountability GTA Yahoo email list and, according to reports, Muslim delegates to the convention.

?The flyer attacks Bob Rae by repeatedly and derogatorily labeling him as an apartheid supporter,? said CJC National President Ed Morgan. ?It also tars him by association with Jewish community organizations disparaged with ill-willed and inflammatory accusations. The flyer sinks to an even greater low by drawing Mr. Rae?s wife, Arlene Perly-Rae, into this exercise in vilification, gratuitously identifying her as a Canadian Jewish Congress vice president. This is little more than a thinly disguised reference to her being Jewish, an irrelevant criterion unless one is attempting to awaken the basest of prejudices,? Morgan added.

Morgan noted that CJC and past presidents of CAF have shared with other ethnocultural and faith communities a commitment not to allow passionate differences over conflicts overseas to result in uncivil discourse and communal antagonisms.

?It is unfortunate and reprehensible that the message of this flyer cast aside Canadian values and engaged instead in fostering group divisions of the worst kind,? he said.

-30-

Contact:

Wendy Lampert

National Director of Communications

Canadian Jewish Congress

wlampert@on.cjc.ca (mailto:wlampert@on.cjc.ca)

Leadership Wrap-up

2006-12-03T21:44:00.000-06:00

Alright folks, I messed up. My BlackBerry failed me. But I have my wrap-up right now. And I'll go through it candidate by candidate.

Martha Hall Finlay
Smart and energetic woman. She did better than anyone expected of her. And that was proven when she made her way to Dion; taking almost all her delegates (of the numbers there certainly could not be call negligable). I commend her. I hope they find a riding for her soon. Toronto Centre perhaps? Bill Graham's speech on the opening night did seem like he was announcing his retirement to me. Although, I have heard just the opposite reaction as well.

Joe Volpe
He made it to the floor. I congradulate him for that. We all gave him a difficult time this campaign, but I firmly believe this man loves this country and he cares about those that come here. I would love to see him continue on as a Minister of Immigration.

Scott Brison
Loved to see him come over to the Rae team after the first ballot. He was, after all, my actual second choice. (Of course, I knew that would never come to pass though.) Dion said it himself -- Scott Brison truly does have an innovative view of this economy. And we are very lucky to have him as a member of our party. I see him as a future Minister of Finance or Minister of the Environment.

Ken Dryden
That man had some dedicated delegate. You could tell that prior to the first ballot they felt he had a shot to still win thing. However, that was never meant to be. Using only a skeleton staff for the entire run of this campaign he proved himself to be the conscience of the Liberal Party. As Liberals we got cocky. Ken Dryden helped pull us all back from that.

Gerard Kennedy
Came out as kingmaker as I've always said. Granted that wasn't the most original of predictions. But it was one none the less, and that is how it happened. But with out a doubt this weekend was one thing for Gerard. It was that he might have had the most dedicated delegates there -- which is a great sign for the party. It wasn't the addition of the tamborine to the convention repatoire -- fantastic addition by the way. It was about Gerard Kennedy's ambition. He still wants to be Prime Minister. And I can guarantee he will run at the very next opportunity he gets. In fact, it was high ranking Dion youth organizer who said to me that has positioned himself as the next leader of this party and that she will be with him when that happens. Of course, I still hope Bob Rae can see it in himself to run again.

Bob Rae
My guy. I'm very disappointed. I truly do believe this man is the best person to be the Prime Minister of this great nation (I'm referring to Canada by the way). He presented a view of Canada that was incredibly optomistic and made many of us proud to be Canadian. He made me proud to be a Liberal, and he made me proud to follow his vision. The party as a whole may not agree with me, but I still believe he is the best man for the job. I hope he runs for leadership again. I hope to be there when he does. And for the record, I'm confident he is running in the next election. I'm thinking his old riding of Parkdale-High Park would be a nice fit. Rumour has it Gerard is going to Edmonton Centre.

Michael Ignatieff
Fine campaign. However, I have very little to say about him as a politician. I don't believe he is a good one. And personally, I just disagree with him on a number of policy points. But I will say this for him, despite the results, I still believe he has a better chance at beating Steven Harper than Stephane Dion does. I do hope I'm wrong though.

Stephane Dion
This man deserves to be leader. He earned the support of a majority of the party and earned his experience in the House of Commons. I congradulate him. I hope he can come out victorious against the current Prime Minister. He has a progressive concept of policy and he something of a quiet charisma. People said we couldn't win with Cretien either, and we managed three straight majorities. I will be there to support him.

So there it is. The leadership race breakdown. I may not be completely confortable with the outcome, but one thing is for sure -- this party is stronger than it has ever been. We are all on the same side again, and we -- the grassroots -- are reader to take on Steven Harper.

Bad BlackBerry

2006-12-01T14:55:00.000-06:00

My BlackBerry seems to be having difficulty transmitting to my blog from inside the Palais de Congress. So let me apologize to any readers I have (assuming this makes it through). I'll be posting a full report when I get home.
/jordan

Just got reception back

2006-11-30T11:52:00.000-06:00

Sorry folks, I lost reception there for a while. It has led me to right in haste. More from me later though.
/jordan

Day 2

2006-11-30T09:12:00.000-06:00

Sitting at the YLC leadership panel...

Day 1 wrap-up
Dean was okay. Bob is still looking good. That's pretty much it.

Oddly enough Martha is the only one to receive support from all candidates supportes. She earned it. That's it for now.
/jordan

Pre-Dean

2006-11-29T18:34:00.000-06:00

Got into Montreal just in time for the Dean of Howard. Officially coming out as one of those Liberals not a fan of an American being our keynote speaker.
/jordan

Hon. Ralph Goodale endorses Rae

2006-11-28T14:24:00.000-06:00

November 28, 2006 - Ottawa - Bob Rae today welcomed the endorsement of Ralph Goodale, MP for Wascana and former federal cabinet minister, in his campaign for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada.

"Bob Rae has demonstrated throughout his career a commitment to finding the right public policy solutions to the priority issues we face as a country," said Mr. Goodale. "He brings experience, an ability to bring people together for the common good and is committed to seeing an inclusive, united Liberal party. Bob has also demonstrated a concern for issues of importance to Western Canadians. Whether it is trade, agriculture, transportation or innovation and skills training, Bob brings expertise, insight and a desire to work with Canadians to ensure all provinces can reach their potential, in partnership with the federal government."

"I am honoured to have Ralph Goodale's support," said Bob Rae. "He has served as a Cabinet minister and Member of Parliament with distinction and dedication on behalf of his constituents and all Canadians. He has a powerful reputation for integrity and for fiscal responsibility. Ralph and I both believe in a party that is united, and that unified we can and will defeat Stephen Harper. I am pleased that we will be working together to that end."

Ralph Goodale was born in Regina and obtained a law degree from the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. He was first elected to the House of Commons in 1974, serving until 1979. In 1981 he became leader of the Liberal Party of Saskatchewan. In 1993 he was elected again to the House of Commons, this time serving as Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Natural Resources and Minister of Public Works and Government Services in the government of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. In December 2003, Prime Minister Paul Martin named him Minister of Finance. He is currently the Liberal House Leader.

[Courtesy of BobRae.ca]

This is a happy day for me. My final post before heading out to leadership, and its to announce a brand spanking new endorsement. I've said many times I was disappointed Ralph Goodale never chose to run for leadership himself, and here he is endorsing my guy. The endorsement of a former finance minister who once balanced the budget should finally end the idea of Bob Rae as a bad fiscal manager. Things are looking good.

Olmert reaches out for peace

2006-11-27T11:02:00.000-06:00

I am proud to say Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is still reaching out for peace even after the Palestinians broke a cease fire.

In a historic policy speech, Olmert stated the Palestinian people were at a historic crossroad in which they much choose peace or violence. He promised that should they choose peace he would ease checkpoints and release frozen funds to the Palestinian Authority -- truly an incredible promise, as the Palestinian Parliament is still in the power of a terrorist organization.

I can only hope that they Palestinian people and their Parliament take this opportunity to choose peace. It is will be a great step in the right direction for people all over the Middle East and their families abroad.

Palestinians brake cease fire

2006-11-26T21:42:00.000-06:00

Merely a day have a cease fire had been reached between the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority rockets were fired from Gaza into three Israeli towns. Luckily no one had been injured. But I say this, it is time the Palestinian Authority give up it up. Let me pose the question, has Israel ever broken a cease fire or peace treaty? Go on. Ask Egypt and Jordan. Simply put the answer is no. I've had enough. Its time this came to an end. People are dying. Its time the Palestinian Authority gave up its futile fight to end the life of an independant democratic nation.

Palestinians agree to cease fire

2006-11-25T19:44:00.000-06:00

Today a spokesperson for Israeli PM Ehud Olmert announced that the Palestinian Authority has agree to end it five-month offensive against Israel.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas asked in return that Israel pull back out of Gaza. By 6:00am local time, the Israeli and Palestinian peoples had reached a cease fire.

Further to that, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas has agreed to endorse the cease fire signed in Cairo in 2005.

Hopefully this will bring the beginning of some sort of peace in an area that has seen more than 400 people killed in last five months.

So is Quebec a nation?

2006-11-23T20:33:00.000-06:00

The answer is no. Quebec is no more a nation than (and I hate to quote Jimmy K) than the Greek community, or the Chinese community, or the Italian community. Quebec is a province. Difference in language does not a nation make. Quebeckers can consider themselves special all they want, but they are not. Canada is a federation. After nearly 140 years its time we started acting like one.

The Next VP Finance of the YLC

2006-11-22T20:35:00.000-06:00

Here is a man that has earned my friendship and my endorsement. Visit his website. Vote for him in Montreal (assuming you'll be there). Ladies and gentlemen -- Brian Clow.

Lebanese Leader Murdered

2006-11-22T09:52:00.000-06:00

I know I'm a day late on this, but I've been criticized for my approach to the Middle East in the past and figured this would be an issue to mull prior to posting.

I am deeply saddened by the murder of Lebanese cabinet minister Pierre Gemayal. This man had the potential to be the future of a peaceful Lebanon. His anti-Syrian attitute was never hidden from the world and his want for peace with the United States and Israel was truly one of his greatest qualities. He will undoubtedly be missed among those advocating for peace in the Middle East.

Ghetto?

2006-11-16T11:41:00.000-06:00

So Michael Ignatieff is throwing around the word "ghetto" as if it was nothing at all. I'm not at a computer at the moment, but I can assure you thddd will be more by the time I get home. Stay tuned.
/jordan

Two and a half weeks without a post and all I need is three sentences to get piss people off. I'm flattered. So here's the story as it stands...

"What Liberals need is someone who can run down the middle with a progressive message, and leave the NDP in their own particular ghetto."

Moving on.

The use of the word "ghetto" is such a context is deplorable. This is not a word to be thrown around in such away. Ghetto is better left an ancient term that is simply a remnant of one of the most deplorable moments of human history.

This further proves that Iggy is not ready to be leader of this country. Its time he walked away and protected Canadians from such a risk.

Belinda Stronach

2006-10-31T19:38:00.000-06:00

First it was Peter Mackay. Now political pundunt and for Mulroney staffer Norman Spector has joined the mix.

Mr. Spector is on record as referring to Belinda Stronach as "bitch" for breaking up Tie Domi and his wife and continuing that he "isn't suprised there was so much coverage of the 'dog comment' becuase there are so many female reporters on Parliament Hill."

I have nothing to say except that this is absolutely reprehensible. Since the day Ms. Stronach crossed the floor she has been subject to this kind of treatment. Its time all you Conservative partisans get over yourselves and understand that sometimes these things happen. We left David Emerson behind a long time ago. Stop treating Ms. Stronach like she is the reason the Tories lack any sort of respect from the people. You manage to do that just fine on your own.

Ignatieff on Bush

2006-10-19T15:21:00.000-05:00

Michael Ignatieff has attacked the Bush Presidency calling it a disaster, specifically attacking the handling of Iraq. First off, I couldn't agree more. However, it seems to me this is a simple case of damage control. Iggy makes inflamatory statements about Israel, so his team scatters to find something big to talk about that Canadians of come to a consensus on -- we don't like George W. So here we are. Tell me, does the Ignatieff team really think Liberals and Canadians are just going to forget how sad a politician Iggy is with a single statement?

Ontario Liberals top poll

2006-10-19T13:52:00.000-05:00

The Star story shown here that the Ontario Liberals have topped an EKOS poll and have a comfortable 6 point lead on John Tory's Tories. Much of this may have to do with Mr. Tory having no real policy other than to challenge the Liberal Party. Someone tell me, other than opposing the new Trillium logo, what does John Tory actually stand for?

Taiwan is part of China?

2006-10-19T13:18:00.000-05:00

I'd like to thank Cherniak for bringing this all to our attention.

I've always been one to say that Taiwan is the real China (not official Liberal policy, I know) and this statement from the Prime Minister is just riduculous.

Garth to the Greens?

2006-10-19T00:11:00.000-05:00

Rumour has it Garth Turner will likely join the Green Party. Time will tell.

Turner Out

2006-10-18T21:15:00.000-05:00

Garth Turner, MP has been kicked out indeffinately from the Conservative Party caucus. From what I can see, for speaking his mind. That, of course, is a mind that has endorsed the Green Party's environmental platform above the Conservatives.

Now, would a Liberal Government do the same? Probably. We saw it with Carolyn Parrish. However, that is not the point. Harper has always critized Liberal Government MPs for being trained seals. So tell me, why is it so different when its one of his own? Is it a simple case of that was than, this is now?

By the way, check out the blog for Independant MP Garth Turner.

Bob Rae's original statement on the Middle East

2006-10-13T23:14:00.000-05:00

Ottawa (July 17, 2006) – Speaking today to a gathering of Liberal Party members in Trois Rivières, Liberal Leadership Candidate Bob Rae said that: "All Canadians share a sense of deep loss with the tragic deaths in Lebanon, Israel, and Gaza of innocent civilians. This is a time for all of us to express our strongest desire for peace and stability in a part of the world that is dear to Canada and Canadians."

"But we also expect our government to go beyond words. The Canadian government must respond to the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon."

"Canada must live up to the spirit of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Lester B Pearson, who used his experience and understanding to defuse a crisis."

"Canada should have used the last 72 hours to make the case for UN peacekeepers on the border between Lebanon and Israel, accompanied by a firm timetable for a ceasefire and disengagement. The G8 proposals provide a good framework."

"The issue is not simply Israel's right to defend itself - it is how to police a border, how to reduce tension, how to create the preconditions for dialogue. Israel has a right to live in peace within secure, internationally recognized borders. At the moment this clearly requires the presence of peace monitors. Lebanon cannot and will not do it and has called for a UN presence on its soil to assist in this. The UN must respond."

"Canada's further efforts need to focus on the refusal of both Hezbollah and Hamas to recognize Israel's right to exist. These radical groups, clearly fuelled by money and other assistance from Iran and Syria, point to the biggest obstacle to peace: an inability to accept Israel as a legitimate country in the region. Ideologies that cannot accept the presence of other people, with different religions, languages, and loyalties, are a profound threat to the peace of the world."

Helena Geuergis lack of knowledge

2006-10-13T19:38:00.000-05:00

At this very moment I am witnessing Ms. Geuergis ask the question, "Where were Bob Rae and Gerrard Kennedy when other Liberal leadership candidates attacked Israel?"

To that I say I don't know where GK was. Defending Borys W.s of the world I suppose. However, Bob Rae was right there giving the clearest and most balanced statement on the Middle East. And to clarify that expect a copy of it here ASAP.

Response to Iggy from the CIC

2006-10-11T21:34:00.000-05:00

Open letter to Mr. Ignatieff is right here.

Corey Lidle, 1972-2006

2006-10-11T21:18:00.000-05:00

In situations such as this there is very little anyone can say. So all I will say is that I wish his family and friends well, and thank G-d that there weren't more hurt or killed.

Kadis leaves Iggy

2006-10-11T16:52:00.000-05:00

I want to thank Cherniak for bringing this to our attention. I'm a little disappointed she didn't do it earlier, but commend Susan for standing up for her beliefs. Well done Ms. Kadis.

Ignatieff: Remarks made on Quebec television

2006-10-11T14:32:00.000-05:00

Israel's attack on Qana a 'war crime.' That was the statement echoed by Mr. Ignatieff yesterday on the Quebec Radio-Canada program, Tout le monde en parle. Rash statements such as this do not help Mr. Ignatieff's campaign. More importantly, they do not help the Liberal Party of Canada. The situation that occurred in Qana has yet to be declared a war crime by any reputable international organization. Mr. Ignatieff should not jump to any conclusions. He has done that here.

With the investigation still ongoing, Mr. Ignatieff, as a Prime Ministerial hopeful should simply keep his mouth shut on the issue. As a former professor human rights and international law he knows this. Moreover, as a high profile Liberal he has a responsibility to the entire Liberal Party of Canada to further add to the anti-semitism that currently runs ramped in our party.

Not that my tiny little blog has any effect, but I demand that Mr. Ignatieff rescind such statements. They will not help anyone.

And on a personal note, stop listening to M. Corderre and M. Rodriguez. The last thing you need is to pay any attention to terrorist sympathizers such as them.

Happy Thanksgiving

2006-10-09T13:32:00.000-05:00

Just a Happy Thanksgiving to those that celebrate it. Its not reall my thing, but I did enjoy my traditional Thankgiving Chinese food dinner last night. So to those having turkey, enjoy that too.

Canada's position at the Recent Francophonie Summit

2006-10-05T14:35:00.000-05:00

Last week, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper made international news by insisting that both Israeli and Lebanese civilian deaths be acknowledged in a resolution adopted by the leaders of Francophone nations (Organisation internationale de la Francophonie). The language in the original draft of that resolution, as submitted by Egypt, would have taken into account only Lebanese casualties. Canada threatened to vote against this resolution unless it was modified to include recognition of deaths on both sides.

Both the Bloc Quebecois and the Liberals went on record supporting Prime Minister Harper's position.

[courtesy CJPAC.ca]

I am proud to see that Liberals (and Bloc too) have rounded behind support of the Prime Minister when he manages to do something right. At least he has his head on straight with respect to the Middle East.

More of that Hidden Agenda

2006-10-04T10:11:00.000-05:00

More that hidden agenda at work here folks. Now the Prime Minister is legalizing hate speech against members of the LGBT community. I believe in religious freedom. And as such I have accepted the idea that you cannot force religious officials to marry any couple for any reason. However, to voice their "criticism" is simply hate speech. We say the same when the do it with regards to other groups of people. This is no different.

And to the issue of justices of the peace...do your job! Sometimes people have to do something at work they don't like. So marry whoever walks up to your door or quit.

So what's next for the Tories? Perhaps criminalizing inter-racial marriage?

Rona Ambrose new Cheif

2006-10-03T20:07:00.000-05:00

So no one else is talking about it, so why don't I just bring it up.

It seems that most Liberals are too busy paying attention to leadership to such an extent that only our interim leader Bill Graham noticed enough to make a fuss about it. It seems Rona Ambrose has named former Conservative candidate in Richmond and president of Focus on the Family, Darrel Reid her new Cheif of Staff.

Now for those that forget Mr. Reid was the man who once challenged Muslims to prove that their religion was one of peace and compared Ottawa to Nazi Germany for holding a vote on equal marriage. Now correct me if I'm wrong (and perhaps the Tories out there can respond to this) but isn't the Conservative Party supposed to be moderating? Or is this just some more of that hidden agenda I smell?

Congrats to delegates

2006-10-02T00:38:00.000-05:00

I want to take a out a special congradulations to all those who were elected as delegates, including my good friend John Lennard. Enjoy your time in Montreal everyone!

Super Weekend!

2006-09-30T11:24:00.001-05:00

Just saying good luck to all my friends. Hope to see you all come Montreal!

Super Weekend!

2006-09-30T11:24:00.000-05:00

Just saying good luck to all my friends. Hope to see you all come Montreal!

Joe Volpe...

2006-09-25T19:13:00.000-05:00

I pride myself on not blogging anything negative. But I just have to say it is time for Mr. Volpe to walk. Show is over. Enough said.

Hedy backs Bob

2006-09-25T16:46:00.000-05:00

With one camp falling another has the momentum of damn runaway freight train. Hedy Fry, a fantastic MP from BC. Its all right here on BobRae.ca

Let me just welcome this fantastic woman to the Bob Rae camp. She will be a fantastic addition. She has a fresh outlook on this party.

Bob visits Sudbury

2006-09-25T16:00:00.000-05:00

I won't spend a lot of time today on this, as everyone knows there is plenty of news. So I'll just throw this out there. This is from the Northern Life.

And I will say this. He is dead on about the Middle East.

Liberal leadership hopeful Bob Rae visits Sudbury

BY JASON THOMPSON

Federal Liberal Party leadership candidate Bob Rae said the last federal election was about protest and punishment.

His Liberal Party, regardless of who is at the helm, best reflects the thoughts and attitudes of the majority of Canadians, he said.

Rae was in Greater Sudbury over the weekend and spoke about his campaign at a function held Sept. 24 at Sudbury MP Diane Marleau's residence. Marleau, a former federal minister of health, has come out in support of Rae because his stand on protecting universal medicare is the same as hers, she says.

Rae said he was excited about the prospect of becoming the next Liberal leader and then achieving his ultimate goal of becoming Canada's next Prime Minister.

He added he doesn't want Stephen Harper to do to Canada what former premier Mike Harris did to Ontario.

The former NDP premier of Ontario, Rae said he running he is now a Liberal because somethings have changed in politics, namely the re-alignment of the right-wing.

Rae expressed concern that the Canadian Conservative Party was no longer progressive and was becoming too much like American Republicans, especially in their foreign policy and their views on the mission in Afghanistan.

Rae said he was troubled by a speech Harper made before the United Nations when he spend about 90 percent of his time talking about Afghanistan when there are so many other foreign policy issues, such as the AIDS crisis in Africa and the conflict in Darfur, that Canada should also have a role in.

Rae said he believes Canada's presence in the Middle East will be a critical issue in the next election.

The leadership convention will be held in December.

Happy 5767!

2006-09-23T20:57:00.000-05:00

Very little today as I've been celebrating the new year. So let me just say a very peaceful Shana Tova to all.

Liberals oust Tories in New Brunswick vote

2006-09-18T19:26:00.000-05:00

Here it is. NB Libs tooks out Lord's Tories. I always said he should've gotten out of provincial politics years ago. Oh well, Shawn Graham will make an excellent Premier. Perhaps this is just forshadowing a federal Liberal victory? (and under Bob Rae?)

Carolyn Bennet throws her support behind Bob Rae

2006-09-16T14:22:00.000-05:00

Vancouver - September 15, 2006 - At a press conference today in Vancouver, the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, federal Liberal leadership candidate, medical doctor and former Minister of State for Public Health and medical doctor, announced her support for Bob Rae.

“I have decided to support Bob Rae’s candidacy because of his progressive vision for the country. Bob and I both recognize the urgent need for practical reforms to health and health care as well as for our party and our Parliament. Bob has also championed an independent Canadian foreign policy, and a progressive, fiscally prudent economic and social agenda, both of which I strongly support. His values, priorities and vision best correspond to those I laid out in my campaign, and I enthusiastically throw my support behind him”, said Dr. Bennett.

Dr. Bennett has run a strong, ideas-based campaign, focused on democratic renewal and the broad range of issues related to public health. She has been a consistent and strong advocate for women’s issues throughout her Parliamentary career and in this campaign.

“Carolyn has set an important agenda in this leadership, grounded in core Liberal values. She understands the challenges of Canada’s health care system and has advocated sensible, thoughtful, ideas to improve the system. I am honoured and deeply pleased she has decided to support my candidacy. And I will continue to champion the issues and reform ideas Carolyn has put on the table”, said Bob Rae.

In closing Dr. Bennett said: “Bob is by far the most experienced candidate in this race. He is passionate, articulate and energetic. He has the best sense of the country and its complexities, which he gained the hard way-- through 30 years of public life at both the federal and provincial levels. Over the course of this leadership campaign he has earned the respect of Liberals at the grassroots level. I am confident he is ready to lead this party and fight the retrograde policies of the Harper government in the next election. Bob will make an excellent Prime Minister of Canada”.

Dr. Bennett has represented the riding of St. Paul's in Toronto since 1997. She joins Maurizio Bevilacqua as the second leadership candidate to endorse Bob Rae’s campaign.

[That message courtesy of BobRae.ca]

I know this is late, but I was out last night at the Pub when I got this news.

Let's be honest folks, you can throw out all the accusations you want, but the number speak. So far every leadership candidate to drop out has thrown their support behind Bob. You can give me all you want about Rae Days, but it doesn't matter. Experienced, intelligent people are backing Bob. And I am proud to count Ms. Bennet among those.

In fact I see no problem in now admitting that I had considered her as a second choice. (Although, I was very certain that she would never make it that far.) In all my time speaking with Carolyn she has astounded me. Her constant defense of universal healthcare (an issue close to me) has always made me proud to be Canadian. I usually say that you should not make a former doctor a Minister of Health, because they always come into the job with their own predetermined interests. But in this case, I would be proud to see Carolyn as our next Federal Minister of Health. She is truly and intelligent woman.

Moreover, I want to state that I am proud of her defense of the state of Israel. From visiting there and being a constant strong voice in the name of their world renouned trauma centres to her release just recently calling for the resignation of Borys W. She will make an excellent addition to Team Rae and an excellent Minister in the future Rae Government.

Welcome aboard Carolyn!

Dispicable.

2006-09-13T22:58:00.000-05:00

And here I thought I was going to have a single post about how great a job the Ontario Liberals are doing for Northern Ontario, but I was wrong. More courtesy of Vital Perspective.

New Poll Shows Naivete in Canada: 31 Percent Blame Israel for 9/11 Attacks

According to a poll by the Montreal-based Association for Canadian Studies (ACS), 38 percent of Quebecers think 9/11 was at least partly the result of Israel’s actions in the Middle East, the highest of any region of Canada. Overall, 31 percent of all Canadians hold the same opinion. When Quebec responses are deducted from the national total, about 27 percent of the rest of Canada think Israel's actions in the Middle East were a "primary cause" of 9/11.

In addition, the great majority of Quebecers, more than three-quarters – well above the Canadian average of 63 percent – believe the 9/11 attacks were also at least in part caused by U.S. foreign policy. An equal proportion of Quebecers and Canadians as a whole, about two-thirds, said a primary cause of 9/11 was a reaction of Islamic fundamentalism against the West.

"I was astonished by the results," said ACS director Jack Jedwab. "I knew there was a lot of naivete out there, but not this much."

Quebecers also think relations between Jews and Christians and between Jews and Muslims in Canada have deteriorated since the war in Lebanon. There was no change in attitudes to Muslims, who are viewed in a positive light by just over half of those polled. Sixty-nine percent of Quebecers have a positive opinion of Jews, down five percent from a similar survey taken July 11 to 16, when the war was just beginning. Jews are most highly regarded by the young, ages 18 to 24 (81 percent), and those whose annual household income is between $40,000 and $60,000 (76 percent). The groups with the least favorable opinion of Jews are between the ages of 55 and 64 (56 percent).