"Let me give you the two bottom lines of this plan: there will be no carbon tax and the money will stay in Alberta," he told the crowd. "If there is a place in the world where there is much to gain in bringing the environment and the economy together, it is Alberta."
While the Liberal environment policy would penalize industries that don't reduce emissions, the money would remain in the province to pay for research, he explained.
"High calibre research institutions like the University of Alberta and the Edmonton Research Park have the potential to become ground zero for a revolution in environmental innovation."
Alberta companies and universities could also make money by creating new ways to reduce emissions, he said.
"If we make Fort McMurray sustainable, we can export that know-how to the world, and by cutting megatonnes of emissions, we are going to make megatonnes of money."
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5gy1WcOdHbkuISh22im7JHtHJ524A
I have always found the Liberals carbon fee plan politically clever. It also has the potential to be pretty good policy. I think they could do without the “megatonnes” of money line though.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Liberals roll out substantive Afghan Talking points.
"I think we can't succeed in Afghanistan if NATO is not working," he said. "It can't be the burden of a few countries if you have a coalition of 27 countries," he said.
Dion said that every month Canada delays is a mistake that makes it more difficult for NATO to find a replacement for the Canadian mission.
Extending the mission indefinitely also threatens the future of NATO because other members will hestitate to participate in missions if they see that a country accepts a two-year mission and ends up staying forever, he said."
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=e7815bd0-e5ac-4755-874c-d7467897e079&k=8910
Wow at long last substantive talking points. The childish and silly “its their turn” has morphed into something much more weighty. It has become the following: If other NATO countries are unwilling to share the economic, political, and military costs of deploying in the South, the mission is doomed. Either way, Canada should leave the south. Either because someone else has assumed the burden or no one has and the mission is doomed to fail.
Dion said that every month Canada delays is a mistake that makes it more difficult for NATO to find a replacement for the Canadian mission.
Extending the mission indefinitely also threatens the future of NATO because other members will hestitate to participate in missions if they see that a country accepts a two-year mission and ends up staying forever, he said."
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=e7815bd0-e5ac-4755-874c-d7467897e079&k=8910
Wow at long last substantive talking points. The childish and silly “its their turn” has morphed into something much more weighty. It has become the following: If other NATO countries are unwilling to share the economic, political, and military costs of deploying in the South, the mission is doomed. Either way, Canada should leave the south. Either because someone else has assumed the burden or no one has and the mission is doomed to fail.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Conservatives at 40 Liberals at 28.
According to Don Martin a new poll due out tomorrow will show the Conservatives at 40% Liberals at 28. What this means is that Dion would be crazy to vote against the throne speech next week and yet further proof that the Liberals have to move beyond the same old same old and propose bold new policy.
Bravo Premier Calvert
“Premier Lorne Calvert headed straight to health matters in the heartland of medicare yesterday when he promised a new universal drug plan, saying people shouldn't have to choose between paying rent and getting medication.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20071012.SASK12/TPStory/National
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20071012.SASK12/TPStory/National
“Deep” Corporate Tax Cuts: Bad Policy
The last thing Canada needs is “deep” corporate tax cuts. http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20071012/corporate_taxes_071012/20071012?hub=QPeriod
A small reduction, such as the one the Conservatives are suggesting, will do just fine thank you very much. The Canadian corporate earnings are higher than pretty much everywhere and cost of doing business in Canada is cheaper than in Britain, the US, Italy, Germany, Japan, France.
Even the timing of the announcement sucks. The lead Story tonight is bound to be Al Gore’s sharing the Nobel Price followed by the announcement of the Afghan advisory group.
A small reduction, such as the one the Conservatives are suggesting, will do just fine thank you very much. The Canadian corporate earnings are higher than pretty much everywhere and cost of doing business in Canada is cheaper than in Britain, the US, Italy, Germany, Japan, France.
Even the timing of the announcement sucks. The lead Story tonight is bound to be Al Gore’s sharing the Nobel Price followed by the announcement of the Afghan advisory group.
To the Liberals: Go Big
According to a new Angus Reid poll neither Canadians, nor Liberals give Dion much of a chance in any future if an election were called today and such pessimism is not confined solely to the here and now. Only 9% of Canadians and 18% of Liberals think Dion will eventually become PM. http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/28574/canadians_liberals_assess_dions_chances Who can blame them? The Liberals are in disarray and the Liberals lack any kind of overarching vision. Canadians have no idea what it means to be Liberal anymore and until they do they are unlikely to return Liberals to power anytime soon.
There is no time for such soul searching now though. The Liberals will hav to define themselves by the choices they make. They will have no choice but to develop bold new policy and take that existential leap by presenting it to the public.
There is no time for such soul searching now though. The Liberals will hav to define themselves by the choices they make. They will have no choice but to develop bold new policy and take that existential leap by presenting it to the public.
The Conservatives are Going to Hoist the Liberals by Their Own Kyoto Petard
Canada is not going to meet its 2012 Kyoto targets without purchasing a lot carbon credits and I have a feeling that most Canadians are about as enthusiastic as I am about that, i.e., not at all. The Conservatives are going to call the Liberals on this on Tuesday.
Dion should have made the Conservatives intellectually dishonest and completely useless intensity based plan the issue, but alas. Instead he made Kyoto issue. As a result, past Liberal failings are in play and so too is the aforementioned unpalatable solution.
Dion should have made the Conservatives intellectually dishonest and completely useless intensity based plan the issue, but alas. Instead he made Kyoto issue. As a result, past Liberal failings are in play and so too is the aforementioned unpalatable solution.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Green Party of Canada Wants Marijuana to Be Legalized
"Jared Giesbrecht, Justice Critic for the Green Party, added that the 2002 Senate Special Committee on Drugs and examples from European countries have led the Green Party to the conclusion that it is time to legalize the adult use of marijuana, developing a taxation rate for the substance similar to that of tobacco."
http://www.greenparty.ca/en/releases/11.10.2007
http://www.greenparty.ca/en/releases/11.10.2007
Monday, October 08, 2007
Who is paying for the Blogging Tory ads and why?
Ads on election prediction project link to the Blogging Tories website. http://www.electionprediction.org/2007_on/r_9.html Click on "Dion of the Dead" and you are directed to http://www.bloggingtories.ca/ That begs the question; who is paying for these ads and why?
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=0eaa136e-6faf-4245-ac4a-6fd84cf8f174
The ad reads in full “Dion of the Dead Conservative majority? A New and improved Canada ”
I do not know where the title comes from but this seems to be candidate
http://www.macleans.ca/canada/features/article.jsp?content=20071001_110045_110045
By the way, are they charged by the hit.
Update: The "Dion of the dead" ad is still there. For example: http://www.electionprediction.org/2007_on/r_sw.html However, I now find a second ad linking to the Blogging Tories. This one is one is upfront though. The ad reads in full "The Blogging Tories proudly Canadian proudly conservative bloggingtories.ca." For example: http://www.electionprediction.org/2007_on/riding/024.php Finally, ads are found on other websites such as Calgary Grit http://www.calgarygrit.blogspot.com/ When you are over at Grit's site be sure to hit on the link.
"Outspoken blogger received Tory contract The Harper government gave a
contract for communications consulting on Parliament Hill, worth up to $20,000,
to an outspoken Conservative Internet blogger.Privy Council Office records show Joan Tintor, author of a popular weblog or "blog," in June received the one-year contract for "communications professional services not elsewhere specified."
....
“In his new book, Harper's Team: Behind the Scenes in the Conservative Rise to Power, party strategist Tom Flanagan notes the Tories' innovative use of blogs in the 2006 election campaign.
He cites in particular two members of the Blogging Tories, Steve Jank and Stephen Taylor, who write highly partisan blogs on federal politics.
Mr. Flanagan writes that campaign manager Doug Finley "appointed people to monitor the blogosphere and to get out stories that were not quite ready for the mainstream media."
These bloggers "amplify and diversify our message," he wrote.”
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=0eaa136e-6faf-4245-ac4a-6fd84cf8f174
The ad reads in full “Dion of the Dead Conservative majority? A New and improved Canada ”
I do not know where the title comes from but this seems to be candidate
“Dion of the Living Dead
The Liberal leader is fighting against new worries that he's not up to the job
JOHN GEDDES October 1, 2007
http://www.macleans.ca/canada/features/article.jsp?content=20071001_110045_110045
By the way, are they charged by the hit.
Update: The "Dion of the dead" ad is still there. For example: http://www.electionprediction.org/2007_on/r_sw.html However, I now find a second ad linking to the Blogging Tories. This one is one is upfront though. The ad reads in full "The Blogging Tories proudly Canadian proudly conservative bloggingtories.ca." For example: http://www.electionprediction.org/2007_on/riding/024.php Finally, ads are found on other websites such as Calgary Grit http://www.calgarygrit.blogspot.com/ When you are over at Grit's site be sure to hit on the link.
Bernier is no JFK
He later made an awkward attempt to adapt one of the most famous lines of former U.S. president John F. Kennedy. "Today I am asking Canadians: Don't ask what Afghanistan can do for you, but what we Canadians can do for the Afghan people," Bernier said. "What we can do for them is to help rebuild the country."
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/politics/story.html?id=ce74ffb8-b19e-4c70-9011-d8094568ddf6&k=6578
You sir are no JFK.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/politics/story.html?id=ce74ffb8-b19e-4c70-9011-d8094568ddf6&k=6578
You sir are no JFK.
Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier Ready for Duty Sir
Maxime, “real positive momentum”, Bernier says this is not a photo op. No sir.
ht Far and wide
Is Bernier a Liar or is he just Grossly Uninformed?
THE AFGHAN MISSION
Upbeat Bernier contradicts UN reports
Foreign Affairs Minister declares Kandahar more secure despite statistics that say situation is worsening
GRAEME SMITH
October 8, 2007
KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN -- Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier contradicted all publicly available assessments of security in southern Afghanistan yesterday with a bold claim that insurgent attacks have decreased in Kandahar, leaving the province more secure for humanitarian work.
"The territory is more secure now today, here in Kandahar than it was a year ago," Mr. Bernier said. "Look just a year ago what happened, there were many attacks, and the attacks have diminished."
Canadian officials have often pointed to hopeful developments in southern Afghanistan, but they rarely challenge the statistics cited by the United Nations and private security analysts that suggest an overall worsening trend.
"The security situation in Afghanistan is assessed by most analysts as having deteriorated at a constant rate through 2007," said a paper by the UN Department of Safety and Security in August. That report showed violent incidents increased almost 25 per cent this year, although the authors noted that the figure may be conservative.
Kandahar was among only three provinces listed in the United Nations report as places where the security situation has fallen into its worst category - "Extreme Risk/Hostile Environment" - across most of the province. This rating causes less accessibility to UN programs, the report notes.
These statistics fit with those collected by other analysts. The respected security firm Vigilant Strategic Services Afghanistan found that Kandahar suffered more anti-government attacks than any other province, in a tally of incidents from the beginning of the year to Sept. 30.
....
He also claimed that it's getting easier for aid workers to travel the province.
"We have improvement because our civilians, our humanitarian workers are able to go out there and do their work," Mr. Bernier said.
In fact, the growing risk of kidnapping among aid workers has prompted the UN to develop a new map assessing the likelihood of capture by insurgents in districts across the country. Almost the entire province of Kandahar is shown as "high abduction risk."
In a survey this year, Afghan government employees said they have limited ability to visit the majority of Kandahar's districts without armed escort; across the south, local officials said their access was decreasing because of the rising insecurity.
Another measure of aid workers' ability to work is the UN's internal security map.
This summer the map showed about one-third Afghanistan in the highest-risk category for travel, representing a deterioration from the summer of 2006, when only 15 per cent of the country earned the same rating.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20071008.AFGHAN08/TPStory/TPInternational/Asia/
The Canadian Press also makes note of this.
"The territory is more secure today here in Kandahar than it was a year ago," he said.
Last year there were many attacks, he added.
"Those attacks have diminished," Bernier said. "It's still difficult. I saw that it's still difficult. But the situation has greatly improved."
A recent review by the UN Department of Safety and Security described the situation in Kandahar as "volatile."
Across the country, 2007 has been the bloodiest year since the Taliban was ousted from power in a U.S. invasion six years ago.
So far this year, there have been an average of 525 violent incidents a month, compared with 425 last year.
http://www.thestar.com/News/article/264483
The fact this is the most violent year since Afghanistan was invaded is evidence according to Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier of “real positive momentum”
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20071007/coderre_afghanistan_071007/20071007?hub=World
Upbeat Bernier contradicts UN reports
Foreign Affairs Minister declares Kandahar more secure despite statistics that say situation is worsening
GRAEME SMITH
October 8, 2007
KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN -- Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier contradicted all publicly available assessments of security in southern Afghanistan yesterday with a bold claim that insurgent attacks have decreased in Kandahar, leaving the province more secure for humanitarian work.
"The territory is more secure now today, here in Kandahar than it was a year ago," Mr. Bernier said. "Look just a year ago what happened, there were many attacks, and the attacks have diminished."
Canadian officials have often pointed to hopeful developments in southern Afghanistan, but they rarely challenge the statistics cited by the United Nations and private security analysts that suggest an overall worsening trend.
"The security situation in Afghanistan is assessed by most analysts as having deteriorated at a constant rate through 2007," said a paper by the UN Department of Safety and Security in August. That report showed violent incidents increased almost 25 per cent this year, although the authors noted that the figure may be conservative.
Kandahar was among only three provinces listed in the United Nations report as places where the security situation has fallen into its worst category - "Extreme Risk/Hostile Environment" - across most of the province. This rating causes less accessibility to UN programs, the report notes.
These statistics fit with those collected by other analysts. The respected security firm Vigilant Strategic Services Afghanistan found that Kandahar suffered more anti-government attacks than any other province, in a tally of incidents from the beginning of the year to Sept. 30.
....
He also claimed that it's getting easier for aid workers to travel the province.
"We have improvement because our civilians, our humanitarian workers are able to go out there and do their work," Mr. Bernier said.
In fact, the growing risk of kidnapping among aid workers has prompted the UN to develop a new map assessing the likelihood of capture by insurgents in districts across the country. Almost the entire province of Kandahar is shown as "high abduction risk."
In a survey this year, Afghan government employees said they have limited ability to visit the majority of Kandahar's districts without armed escort; across the south, local officials said their access was decreasing because of the rising insecurity.
Another measure of aid workers' ability to work is the UN's internal security map.
This summer the map showed about one-third Afghanistan in the highest-risk category for travel, representing a deterioration from the summer of 2006, when only 15 per cent of the country earned the same rating.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20071008.AFGHAN08/TPStory/TPInternational/Asia/
The Canadian Press also makes note of this.
"The territory is more secure today here in Kandahar than it was a year ago," he said.
Last year there were many attacks, he added.
"Those attacks have diminished," Bernier said. "It's still difficult. I saw that it's still difficult. But the situation has greatly improved."
A recent review by the UN Department of Safety and Security described the situation in Kandahar as "volatile."
Across the country, 2007 has been the bloodiest year since the Taliban was ousted from power in a U.S. invasion six years ago.
So far this year, there have been an average of 525 violent incidents a month, compared with 425 last year.
http://www.thestar.com/News/article/264483
The fact this is the most violent year since Afghanistan was invaded is evidence according to Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier of “real positive momentum”
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20071007/coderre_afghanistan_071007/20071007?hub=World
Saturday, October 06, 2007
Liberals Need to Again Become the Party of Generational Change
Part of what made for Trudeaumania was Trudeau's Omnibus Bill. http://archives.cbc.ca/IDD-1-73-538/politics_economy/omnibus/ It proved that he was in tune with the times if not slightly ahead of them, history on horse back as Hegel would say. The bill formed the backbone of Trudeau’s advant guard image. The population wanted change and everything about the bill spoke to Trudeau’s willingness to provide just that.
Now to be sure, Dion is no Trudeau. However, the Liberals badly need to reestablish their bona fides as champions of generational change. They need to propose something akin to Trudeau’s Omnibus Bill.
Indeed, the Liberals are not going to build any kind of grass roots movement unless they are willing to step on some toes the way Trudeau did in 1968. They are not going to attract anyone by trying to be all things to all people. Canadians feel no loyalty to the party anymore and quite frankly the Liberals bore most of them silly. The Liberals must seek out controversy rather than run from it. They must propose readily understandable policies that cut to heart of various hot button issues and they can not wait for an election to do so. They must trot out these policies as soon as possible. They can not afford to slave away in obscurity while the Conservatives dominant the headlines. They can not afford to be merely reactive. They must seize the initiative. They must adopt the motto Trudeau adopted in 1968. “If you are on the Liberal side, you should take risks on the side of progress. If you are going to be beaten, you should be beaten because you have been too progressive. Rather then take risks on not moving and be beaten because you have not moved fast enough.”
Now to be sure, Dion is no Trudeau. However, the Liberals badly need to reestablish their bona fides as champions of generational change. They need to propose something akin to Trudeau’s Omnibus Bill.
Indeed, the Liberals are not going to build any kind of grass roots movement unless they are willing to step on some toes the way Trudeau did in 1968. They are not going to attract anyone by trying to be all things to all people. Canadians feel no loyalty to the party anymore and quite frankly the Liberals bore most of them silly. The Liberals must seek out controversy rather than run from it. They must propose readily understandable policies that cut to heart of various hot button issues and they can not wait for an election to do so. They must trot out these policies as soon as possible. They can not afford to slave away in obscurity while the Conservatives dominant the headlines. They can not afford to be merely reactive. They must seize the initiative. They must adopt the motto Trudeau adopted in 1968. “If you are on the Liberal side, you should take risks on the side of progress. If you are going to be beaten, you should be beaten because you have been too progressive. Rather then take risks on not moving and be beaten because you have not moved fast enough.”
Friday, October 05, 2007
The Liberals Should Use The Perception of a Divided Caucus and Party to Unleash Policy Trail Balloons
The Liberals should take advantage of a spilt in their ranks to send up policy trail balloons. Have the “rebels” send up trail balloons disguised as criticism. Naturally I think one of those trail balloons should be a suggestion to legalize marijuana.
Psychology of a Drug Warrior explained
"The defining characteristic of the drug war is that it enable[s] people to form a self-concept, based not on the quality of their character, but through disparaging the morality of others."
Vancouver police member Gil Puder
HT: Un femme verte http://femmeverte.blogspot.com/2007/10/phishing-expedition.html
Vancouver police member Gil Puder
HT: Un femme verte http://femmeverte.blogspot.com/2007/10/phishing-expedition.html
The New Conservative Drug Policy Will Achieve Just What It is Designed to Achieve
The new Tory plan to target marijuana is aimed squarely at suburbanites, particularly, in Vancouver in the 905 belt and in the outer suburbs of Montreal and unless the Liberals do an about face on the issue it is going to work to the Conservatives advantage. The Liberals current policy of decriminalization plays right into the Conservative hands.
The problem is this. The Liberals have long maintained that Canadians should not be saddled with a criminal record for consuming something that is, after all, less harmful than alcohol. It is this light that Chrétien famously joked about having a joint in one hand and the money to pay for the fine of having it in the other. “I will have my money for my fine and a joint in my other hand.” At the same time as they have downplayed the affects of smoking marijuana they have stressed the importance of stiff penalties for trafficking. Taken in isolation such bipolar position has a certain superficial appeal. However, the Liberal policy of decriminalization is inherently incoherent; it is political position; it is an attempt to appeal to both sides of the political divide at the same time and it will not take too much time and effort to show how conflicted the Liberal position is. Indeed, image how ridiculous it would have sounded if this is what Chrétien said? “I will have my money for my fine and a joint in my other hand. Having paid my fine I would hope the cops find the person who sold it to me and put him in jail for a very long time.” This is essentially the Liberal’s current position. The problem is if it not already obvious by now that if the act of consumption is not deemed overly ruinous then the whole punitive rationale for trafficking comes crashing down. Add to the mix an acknowledgment that marijuana can serve a medical purpose and you have a conceptual train wreck as a policy.
All of this plays right into the Conservatives hands. The public is concerned about the growing number of grow ups and wants something down about it. The Conservatives not only promise action, but are going to blame the Liberals for the increase in grow ups. They are going to say that the Liberals have long sent out mixed messages about marijuana. This has led to increased demand for the product and as a consequence an increased number of grow ups to meet the demand. In order to boaster their case the Conservatives are going to force feed the Liberals their own words. One can count on them repeatedly bringing up the Chrétien quote and probably the 2002 senate report will be referred to but not quoted. Incidentally, I do not know if it matters to Harper and crew that such go hard approach will prove disastrous for the country. The Conservative position is first and foremost about politics.
Now, back in July Ontario’s marijuana possession laws were struck down by Judge Borenstein. Should the Ontario government loose its appeal and or the other similar discussions follow, the Conservatives will also launch new campaign a new campaign against “activist judges”. Such a campaign will not be aimed so much at suburbanites as the Conservatives social conservative base. Where he can, Harper will get his digs in about the Liberal senate and the 2002 report that recommened legalization.
The Liberals have only one effective counter. They can propose to legalize marijuana. They would then be in a position to actually use the senate report rather than having to look downward at the floor whenever the Conservatives mention it. I consider it very unlikely that the Liberals would be so bold though. I hope they prove me wrong.
The problem is this. The Liberals have long maintained that Canadians should not be saddled with a criminal record for consuming something that is, after all, less harmful than alcohol. It is this light that Chrétien famously joked about having a joint in one hand and the money to pay for the fine of having it in the other. “I will have my money for my fine and a joint in my other hand.” At the same time as they have downplayed the affects of smoking marijuana they have stressed the importance of stiff penalties for trafficking. Taken in isolation such bipolar position has a certain superficial appeal. However, the Liberal policy of decriminalization is inherently incoherent; it is political position; it is an attempt to appeal to both sides of the political divide at the same time and it will not take too much time and effort to show how conflicted the Liberal position is. Indeed, image how ridiculous it would have sounded if this is what Chrétien said? “I will have my money for my fine and a joint in my other hand. Having paid my fine I would hope the cops find the person who sold it to me and put him in jail for a very long time.” This is essentially the Liberal’s current position. The problem is if it not already obvious by now that if the act of consumption is not deemed overly ruinous then the whole punitive rationale for trafficking comes crashing down. Add to the mix an acknowledgment that marijuana can serve a medical purpose and you have a conceptual train wreck as a policy.
All of this plays right into the Conservatives hands. The public is concerned about the growing number of grow ups and wants something down about it. The Conservatives not only promise action, but are going to blame the Liberals for the increase in grow ups. They are going to say that the Liberals have long sent out mixed messages about marijuana. This has led to increased demand for the product and as a consequence an increased number of grow ups to meet the demand. In order to boaster their case the Conservatives are going to force feed the Liberals their own words. One can count on them repeatedly bringing up the Chrétien quote and probably the 2002 senate report will be referred to but not quoted. Incidentally, I do not know if it matters to Harper and crew that such go hard approach will prove disastrous for the country. The Conservative position is first and foremost about politics.
Now, back in July Ontario’s marijuana possession laws were struck down by Judge Borenstein. Should the Ontario government loose its appeal and or the other similar discussions follow, the Conservatives will also launch new campaign a new campaign against “activist judges”. Such a campaign will not be aimed so much at suburbanites as the Conservatives social conservative base. Where he can, Harper will get his digs in about the Liberal senate and the 2002 report that recommened legalization.
The Liberals have only one effective counter. They can propose to legalize marijuana. They would then be in a position to actually use the senate report rather than having to look downward at the floor whenever the Conservatives mention it. I consider it very unlikely that the Liberals would be so bold though. I hope they prove me wrong.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Conservatives and Liberals both turn to the Beatles
I have heard through the grape vine that the Liberals, in order to encourage party unity, are going to use the Beatles With a Little Help From My Friends as their theme song during the next election
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends
Meanwhile, The Conservatives are claiming, based on the Liberals' choice of songs, that the Liberals will propose that marijuana be legalized. http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hUvLbSdjOyIsYKd90lMb5EPMonrQ According the Conservatives, “their motto for the upcoming campaign is ‘a friend with weed is a friend indeed.’”
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends
Meanwhile, The Conservatives are claiming, based on the Liberals' choice of songs, that the Liberals will propose that marijuana be legalized. http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hUvLbSdjOyIsYKd90lMb5EPMonrQ According the Conservatives, “their motto for the upcoming campaign is ‘a friend with weed is a friend indeed.’”
Marcy Emery is a Double Edged Sword
I am of two minds about Marc Emery. On the one hand, his theatrics’ draw attention to the issue. On the other hand, it is talk like this that keeps it a fringe issue. Marc Emery:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2007/10/04/drug-strategy.html
The advocates of legalization have made great strides over the years and according to an Angus Reid poll released in June 55% of Canadians favor legalization. http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/16300 The next step for such advocates is to convince one or more of Canada's major political parties that it is in their political interest to pursue legalization.
"Marijuana won't kill you and we love marijuana. The five million Canadians who use marijuana cherish it like Christians cherish their religion, or a gourmand cherishes good food.”
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2007/10/04/drug-strategy.html
The advocates of legalization have made great strides over the years and according to an Angus Reid poll released in June 55% of Canadians favor legalization. http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/16300 The next step for such advocates is to convince one or more of Canada's major political parties that it is in their political interest to pursue legalization.
The Liberal Plan to Decriminalize Marijuana is Conceptually Confused
Legalization is sexy and headline grabbing which is the whole point of my last post. Decriminalization is not sexy and it forces the Liberals to talk out of both sides of their mouths. On the one hand the Liberals have long maintained that Canadians should not be saddled with a criminal record for consuming something that is, after all, less harmful than alcohol. It is this light that Chrétien famously joked about having a joint in one hand and the money to pay for the fine of having it in the other. “I will have my money for my fine and a joint in my other hand.” On the other hand just as they are downplaying the affects of smoking marijuana they have stressed the importance of stiff penalties for trafficking. In other words, the Liberal policy of decriminalization is inherently incoherent; it is political position; it is an attempt to appeal to both sides of the political divide at the same time. One can not argue for tougher penalties for trafficking, which will inevitably lead one to reference the evils of marijuana, while at the same time arguing for the elimination of possession which will inevitably lead one to reference who harmless marijuana is in the greater scheme of things. Indeed, can you image how ridiculous it would have sounded if this is what Chrétien said? “I will have my money for my fine and a joint in my other hand. Having paid my fine I would hope the cops find the person who sold it to me in put him in jail for a very long time.” This is essentially the Liberal’s current position. The problem is that if the act of consumption is not deemed overly ruinous then the whole punitive rationale, not just part, comes crashing down. Add to the mix an acknowledgment that marijuana can serve a medical purpose and you have a conceptual train wreck as a policy.
The only good thing to be said about Liberal’s decriminalization policy politically or otherwise is that it could serve as a Trojan horse. Robbed of the ability to charge traffickers with the lesser charge of possession, police may not be able to keep up with the huge number of growers coming onto the market and the whole rotten prohibition edifice may come crashing down. Marc Emery may get his wish. The producers might over grow the system.
Needless to day, the Liberal approach plays right into the Conservatives hands. The Conservatives will argue, checked that they already have argued, that Liberal mixed messaging has real consequences and will repeatedly reference the recent UN report on marijuana use.
The only good thing to be said about Liberal’s decriminalization policy politically or otherwise is that it could serve as a Trojan horse. Robbed of the ability to charge traffickers with the lesser charge of possession, police may not be able to keep up with the huge number of growers coming onto the market and the whole rotten prohibition edifice may come crashing down. Marc Emery may get his wish. The producers might over grow the system.
Needless to day, the Liberal approach plays right into the Conservatives hands. The Conservatives will argue, checked that they already have argued, that Liberal mixed messaging has real consequences and will repeatedly reference the recent UN report on marijuana use.
Sheila Copps' "Tory an inspiration for Dion"
Shelia Copps wrote recently that John Tory’s promise to fund religious schools is proof that policy can engage Canadians and so there is still hope for Dion yet. http://www.torontosun.com/News/Columnists/Copps_Sheila/2007/10/03/4545774.php
I agree with you and I think if the Liberals would promise to legalize marijuana, they would have their issue. Harper has been trying to create distance between himself and his social conservative base and the Bush administration ever since he become Prime Minster. If the Liberals promised to legalize marijuana, not only would Harper find himself in lock step with Campaign for Life and Real Women, but Dick Cheney, George Bush, John Walters, Fox news, the Washington Times, James Dobson, Pat Robinson and the faculty at Bob Jones University will line up behind him. The Liberals could play the nationalist card and social conservative card all at once. The thought of being able to strike a fatal blow the US ’s war on drugs will make Canadians giddy with excitement. If that was not enough, on the flip side of things, a legion of rock stars, intellectuals, movie stars, and high brow magazines, such as the New Yorker and Harper’s will line up behind the Liberals. Imagine a hundred and fifty thousand people or more at a pro legalization concert in Vancouver in the midst of an election campaign. Seattle ’s Hempfest regularly draws over a 100,000 and in terms of significance such a concert would, how should I put this, smokes it. It would not be possible to organize anything now, but should the Liberals announce such a policy now and stave off an election for say another 6 months it is possible. Dion would certainly not lack for name recognition anymore. Overnight he would become a household name, not just in Canada but abroad as well. Continuing on, such a promise would tear the Right apart. Libertarians and social conservatives would be at each other’s throats and the National, Post and great swaths of the Sun Media chain will side with the Liberals on this one! Last but not least the Conservatives would left defending a bunch of talking points that are so discredited they are considered a form of “madness”, “reefer madness”.
I responded to Copps thus;“So what happened? Contrary to the usual post-modern, leader-driven campaign, an idea took centre stage.
An idea that could cost Tory his own seat.
In an ironic twist, he is facing down the education minister in a quasi-referendum on public education versus faith-based funding.
Was Tory on the wrong side of this one!
The last thing the public wants is a fragmentation of a functioning education system into multiple religious schools.
Tory's own base is eroding so fast that he was forced into a Hail Mary pass this week to save a campaign run aground.
What does all this have to do with Dion?
Well, when superficialities are scraped away, it proves the public can be engaged in more than the colour of the candidate's eyes.
When a powerful idea dominates the debate, Canadians demand more than simple leadership politics.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper thinks he can win a majority government because Dion is dead man walking.”
I agree with you and I think if the Liberals would promise to legalize marijuana, they would have their issue. Harper has been trying to create distance between himself and his social conservative base and the Bush administration ever since he become Prime Minster. If the Liberals promised to legalize marijuana, not only would Harper find himself in lock step with Campaign for Life and Real Women, but Dick Cheney, George Bush, John Walters, Fox news, the Washington Times, James Dobson, Pat Robinson and the faculty at Bob Jones University will line up behind him. The Liberals could play the nationalist card and social conservative card all at once. The thought of being able to strike a fatal blow the US ’s war on drugs will make Canadians giddy with excitement. If that was not enough, on the flip side of things, a legion of rock stars, intellectuals, movie stars, and high brow magazines, such as the New Yorker and Harper’s will line up behind the Liberals. Imagine a hundred and fifty thousand people or more at a pro legalization concert in Vancouver in the midst of an election campaign. Seattle ’s Hempfest regularly draws over a 100,000 and in terms of significance such a concert would, how should I put this, smokes it. It would not be possible to organize anything now, but should the Liberals announce such a policy now and stave off an election for say another 6 months it is possible. Dion would certainly not lack for name recognition anymore. Overnight he would become a household name, not just in Canada but abroad as well. Continuing on, such a promise would tear the Right apart. Libertarians and social conservatives would be at each other’s throats and the National, Post and great swaths of the Sun Media chain will side with the Liberals on this one! Last but not least the Conservatives would left defending a bunch of talking points that are so discredited they are considered a form of “madness”, “reefer madness”.
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