harper
Academics slam suspension of Parliament
MP Tony Clement says criticism from 'elites' doesn't reflect Canadians' viewsCBC News
A group of university professors is condemning the federal government's decision to suspend Parliament, but the ruling Conservatives appear unmoved by the latest criticism.
Over 100 professors have signed a letter written by University of Montreal philosophy Prof. Daniel Weinstock that accuses Prime Minister Stephen Harper of violating "the trust of the Canadian people [and] thus acting anti-democratically."
The letter, to be sent to major newspapers in Eastern Canada, is the latest criticism of Harper's decision to prorogue Parliament until March 3.
In proroguing Parliament, Harper accused of undermining democracy
By Andrew Mayeda, Canwest News ServiceOTTAWA — Last October, Justice Minister Rob Nicholson took the podium at the national press theatre in Ottawa and declared that, with the introduction of new legislation by the Conservative government, serial killers such as Robert Pickton and Clifford Olson would no longer get "volume discounts" on their parole terms.
The bill would have given judges the power to slap consecutive periods of parole ineligibility on multiple murderers. A murderer who killed four people, for example, would likely be ineligible for parole for 100 years, instead of the current standard of 25 years.
UPDATED - ProrogueWatch: PMO Talking Points Explain It All!
By Kady O'Malley, CBC.caHot off the Langevin listserv, it's a message from our ever-chipper robot friend, Alerte-Info-Alert! Today's message provides Conservative MPs and supporters with a thoughtful, logical explanation for today's snap prorogation.
Oh wait, sorry -- no, it doesn't. It explains why prorogation is necessary -- even routine! -- but not why it had to happen now, instead of closer to the date that Parliament was expected to return. It also doesn't use the word 'prorogation':
The Hill: Harper challenged as silence of the jurists ends
By: Richard Cleroux, Law TimesWatch out, Stephen Harper. Judges have started fighting back. For the past four years, the prime minister and his government have dumped on them, calling them biased, accusing them of “judicial activism,” and describing them as Liberal hacks.
Harper’s MPs have also accused judges of being soft on crime, pandering to criminals at the expense of victims, and not knowing much about sentencing.
Big-spender Harper true to his neoconservative roots
By. Eugene Lang, Toronto Star
A new conventional wisdom has emerged. The Harper government has been labelled moderate, centrist – even "liberal."
This characterization is due entirely to the large fiscal deficits that have emerged on the Harper watch – $56 billion next year alone – deficits the government admits with a shrug will extend for several years.
No self-respecting conservative government could tolerate such profligacy, or so goes the critique. The Harperites have lost their way, abandoned their guiding philosophy, sold out to those soft-headed, big government political parties for which deficits are regarded as a normal part of governing.
Fraser exposes Tories
Auditor general's report calls Conservatives' competence into question
Canadians who fear their hard-earned tax money is disappearing down a black hole will no doubt be relieved to learn they are actually investing in government mismanagement on a grand scale.
Auditor general Sheila Fraser's latest compendium of federal misdeeds calls into question the basic competence of a Conservative government already under fire over stimulus squander and the current flu-shot fiasco.
Surprising only to those awaking from a long coma, Fraser concluded that Stephen Harper's government of big cardboard cheques is far better at making announcements than actually implementing them.
Some of Fraser's findings would be worthy of a comedic spoof were the consequences not so dire.
Canada's red ink won't vanish
By GREG WESTON
As Stephen Harper leads the country toward a historic $55-billion deficit and beyond in the name of economic stimulus, recent polls show ordinary Canadians are starting to fret about leaving their kids drowning in a sea of red ink.
But not to worry. In the world according to federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, the national deficit will disappear when the Conservatives stop printing those big cardboard cheques for roads, sewers and new door knobs.
The finance minister's recent economic report went so far as to promise the country would "return to budgetary balance" without raising taxes, or cutting support to seniors or families.
Canada will be back in the black, Flaherty promised, without reducing employment insurance benefits or funding to the provinces for health care, social services or regional equalization.
Harper government to raise taxes by $12.9 Billion over 2 years
According to the Globe and Mail, Harper's Conservative government plans to raise EI taxes as a way to balance the books. Harper's government "will collect $12.9-billion more in EI premiums from employers and workers".
This is the why Stephen Harper wants a majority, to raise your taxes, cut your programs, take Canada back 50 years as a society, and to do so while being accountable to no one.
