April Reign

Speak your mind even if your voice shakes

Politics

“We’re in safe hands with Stephen Harper” and other Conservative lies

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Since Canada’s Conservative Government took power in 2006, significant budget cuts have been made to Canadian gender equality, political justice, social policy and research programs including the virtual elimination of a Canadian government department devoted to Women’s equality and women’s issues.

    2011 Federal Conservative Government Cuts (to date)

    Canadian Teachers’ Federation’s International Programs – FUNDING ELIMINATED

    2007-10 Federal Conservative Government Cuts

    KAIROS – working for 30 years with Women in Dev Countries – FUNDING ELIMINATED

    Alberta Network of Immigrant Women

    Association féminine d’éducation et d’action sociale (AFEAS)

    Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (CRIAW)

    Centre de documentation sur l’éducation des adultes et la condition feminine

    Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (CERA)

    Conseil d’intervention pour l’accès des femmes au travail (CIAFT)

    Feminists for Just and Equitable Public Policy (FemJEPP) in Nova Scotia

    Gay pride parades

    International Planned Parenthood Federation – 31 million women & children helped each year.

    Maternal health agency, Marie Stopes International – which has received only a promise of “conditional funding IF it avoids any & all connection with Abortion.

    MATCH International

    National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL)

    New Brunswick Pay Equity Coalition

    Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses (OAITH)

    Réseau des Tables régionales de groupes de femmes du Québec

    Womenspace Resource Centre – Lethbridge, AB

    Women’s Innovative Justice Initiative – Nova Scota

    2006 Federal Conservative Government Cuts (November 2006)

    Canada Policy Research Networks – ELIMINATED

    Canada School of Public Service – FUNDING REDUCTION

    Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation – FUNDING REDUCTION

    Canada Revenue Agency Visitor Rebate Program – ELIMINATED

    Canadian Heritage Centre for Research and Information on Canada – FUNDING ELIMINATED

    Canadian Heritage Support to Canadian Volunteerism Initiative – ELIMINATED

    Canadian Labour Business Centre – ELIMINATED

    Canadian Policy Research Networks – FUNDING ELIMINATED

    Canadian Volunteerism Initiative – ELIMINATED

    Community Access Program, internet access for communities at libraries, post offices, community centers – ELIMINATED

    Court Challenges Program – ELIMINATED

    Court Commission of Canada – ELIMINATED

    Environment: Youth International Internship Program – ELIMINATED

    First Nations and Inuit Tobacco Control Program – ELIMINATED

    Foreign Affairs and Public Diplomacy Program – ELIMINATED

    Foreign Affairs Youth International Internship Program – ELIMINATED

    Health Canada – $28.1 MILLION REDUCTION

    Health Canada Policy Research Program – ELIMINATED

    Health Canada Medical Marijuana Research Program – ELIMINATED

    Human Resources and Skills Development – SIGNIFICANT FUNDING REDUCTIONS

    HRD Adult Learning and Literacy programs – REDUCED AND ELIMINATED

    HRD Youth Employment Programs – REDUCED AND ELIMINATED

    Indian and Northern Affairs Canada – FUNDING REDUCTION

    Industry Canada Programs including Technology Partnerships Canada – FUNDING REDUCTION

    Industry Industrial Programs including Technology Partnerships Canada – FUNDING REDUCTION

    LAW Commission of Canada – ELIMINATED

    Mountain Pine Beetle Initiative – ELIMINATED

    Museum Assistance Program – FUNDING REDUCTION

    National Defence High-Frequency Surface Wave Radar Project – ELIMINATED

    Natural Resources and Environment Climate Change Programs, including the One Tonne Challenge, 40 public information offices across the country, and several scientific and research programs on climate change – 40% BUDGET CUT

    Natural Resources Programs for Studying Concrete and Other Materials – ELIMINATED

    Public Works and Government Services Canadian Identity Grant and Contribution Program ELIMINATED

    Royal Canadian Mounted Police Drug Impaired Driving Program Training Budget – ELIMINATED

    Statistics Canada – SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS

    Status of Women Canada, SIGNIFICANT BUDGET CUT

    Status of Women Canada mandate CHANGED; EXCLUDES “gender equality and political justice”

    Status of Women, advocating, policy research and lobbying – TOTALLY BANNED

    Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada – FUNDING REDUCTION

    Workplace Equity/Employment Equity Program – SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION

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Harper V CRTC

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On the face of it Harpers’ decision to interfer with the CRTC’s decision on UBB may seem like a cause for celebration, after all even a stopped clock is right twice a day. However, let us be mindful that this is a man who does nothing that does not benefit himself. So in what way does this benefit Harper?

First despite claims to the contrary Harper et al have been campaigning for months now yet he has not found that one thing that will bring him the populist vote. This may be the dam that stems the tide of minority governments.

Second this sets a precedent for future involvement in CRTC don’t like CanCon, don’t like the ban of faux journalism, don’t like programming that doesn’t suit your side? Well there is a precedent for that!

Harper is a Canadian and hockey fan, if there is one thing every Canadian hockey fan can appreciate it is the execution of a good deke and it is a skill at which Harper excels.

So let’s not forget that beneath Harper’s velvet glove lies an iron fist.

The Koch Brothers Billionaires Club

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Isn’t it great when a few friends can gather together for a couple of beers, shoot the shit, bitch about class warfare and control an entire country?

the two-day event is not just “fun in the sun”. This will be a meeting of “doers”, men and women willing to fight the Obama administration and its perceived attack on US free enterprise and unfettered wealth.

As the invitation says: “Our goal must be to beat back the unrelenting attacks and hold elected leaders accountable.”

The reference to the accountability of America’s elected leaders is ironic, bearing in mind that the gathering has been convened by two brothers who have never been elected to public office and are among the most unaccountable and secretive political players in the country.

David and Charles Koch enjoy a combined fortune of $35bn (£22bn), run the second largest private company in the US, Koch Industries, and are increasingly using their fabulous riches to push their special interests within America’s political process. Nobody knows precisely how much they spend on influencing elections and lobbying Congress, but it is thought to be scores of millions of dollars.

By similar vein, the guestlist for their gathering on Sunday is unknown. Past attendees at the twice-yearly event include supreme court judges, rightwing media celebrities such as Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, prominent governors of southern states such as Bobby Jindal (Louisiana) and Haley Barbour (Mississippi), as well as leading figures from Wall Street and energy companies, and titans of industry.

But you can be sure there won’t be any of them there elites in attendance! Just us regular folk nothing to see here..

A Musical Memorial for the Arizona Shooting Victims

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Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik speaking about the shooting of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and those who had come to see her who were wounded or killed;

When you look at unbalanced people, how they respond to the vitriol that comes out of certain mouths about tearing down the government,’

‘The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous.

‘And, unfortunately, Arizona I think has become sort of the capital. We have become the Mecca for prejudice and bigotry.’

‘That may be free speech. But it’s not without consequence.’

All the Lurkers Love Me!

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Tony Clement says government won’t budge despite criticism from radicals like statisticians, religious groups, governments……

Ever since the move was announced in late June, statisticians, researchers, academics, municipalities, religious groups and others have decried the move, arguing it will result in skewed and unreliable data.

In an interview with CBC Radio’s The House, Clement says that despite the criticism, coming during the summer when many people are not paying attention to politics, he is not going to take another look at the issue.

“No, we’re not,” he said. “We’ve heard from Canadians from all walks of life who are quite relieved that we’re taking this position as well.”

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2010/07/16/clement-house-census.html#ixzz0u2UYPNTP

Randy Hillier on the G20 – And I Find Myself Cheering..

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We may be in the midst of a heat wave here in Ontario, but hell may have frozen over nonetheless. I find myself cheering at an article by Randy Hillier…

Both the provincial and federal governments now attempt to shirk responsibility for their actions by shifting blame to one another and to the police, who were acting under political orders. McGuinty refuses to apologize or call for an independent public inquiry. Harper hides behind the provincial jurisdiction of policing, even though it was his government that contracted their services on behalf of all Canadians.

They both use the common theme that upholding law and order required usurping our civil liberties. Any elementary school student knows these are not mutually exclusive — in fact, they are wholly interdependent. As numerous failed dictatorships have proven, you cannot have law and order without civil liberties.


Read the full article at The Star

h/t toedancer@breadnroses.ca