He pretty much did say ‘Just visiting’:
From the Harvard Crimson;
Ignatieff’s future with the Kennedy School remains dependent on whether he is elected.
“If I am not elected, I imagine that I will ask Harvard to let me back,” Ignatieff said. “I love teaching here, and I hope I’ll be back in some shape or form.”
Canadian members of Parliament can serve for up to five years, but standard leaves of absence from the Kennedy School of Government (KSG) are limited to two years. Exceptions to the KSG policy may be made under “extenuating circumstances,” KSG communications director Melodie Jackson said in September.
“He is still affiliated with the Carr Center and will remain so,” said Executive Director Fernande Raine. “We hope he will come back at some point depending on how long this run in politics actually takes.”
(Thank you Bruce! And thanks to Sandy for reorganizing the Iggyisms so I could find that one.)
In any case, that sounds more like au revoir than adieu to me.
But CTV’s Tom Clark gets it wrong again – just like he gets his Conservative guest’s name wrong. (see update) Peter BRAID!!! Not Bain.
It’s a truth ad, Tommy. If the Conservatives had made fun of Iffy’s slithery tongue for example, that would be different.
But don’t let pesky facts get in your way.
* * * *
Thanks for that info. We knew it was out there, but will tommy pay attention.
How will the new/old/adscam team answer that.
And read the story at NNW and Bourque about how this team will now manage the message. Funny, for libs it is a smart move, for PMSH it is controlling.
Most Conservatives agree that the MSM is extremely biased against the current government in general and the PM in particular.
For a look at how the Indian media feel about the Canadian media coverage of the PM’s trip, check out David Akin’s report here.
Written by Sarabjit Jagirdar and distributed by the Indo-Asian News Service, the piece essentially criticises the Canadian media for trying to undermine what the Canadian PM is trying to achieve. It is particularly critical of John Ibbitson of the G & M “who is perhaps visiting India for the first time”, and Rick Westhead of the left-wing Toronto Star.
It’s refreshing to see how easily the Indian media seems to have taken the measure of the Canadian press.
The last sentence pretty well sums it up :”Not surprisingly, the current Canadian prime minister has always had prickly relations with his nation’s media.
Great find, Jad. Thanks.
Then Akin goes and supports Ibbitson anyway.
This bit grabbed my attention:
“At that press conference, the Canadian media were allowed to ask just one question and the Indian media were allowed to ask just one question. This was a big deal for the Indian media here for they almost never get to ask their prime minister any questions.”
The problem with Canadian media is that they have developed a sense of entitlement over the years and don’t know how truly great they have it.
The blogosphere not only keeps Libs in check,
their Luvin media as well.
Most likely to contradict himself: Don Martin
(all of his articles are neatly archived under his name, and easy, time consuming tho, to search)
He rails against the (Harper’s) deficit/debt now,
but back in Jan-Mar/09, he wrote numerous articles saying ‘Harper had no choice, Opps wanted more spending even before first stimulus buck was spent, need for infrastructure spending’…
Wilson, I saw that you nailed that on someone else’s blog today. Well done!
Tommy points out that Chretien had a .3 better number.
The contributing factors to Canada not being back up to 9 (remembering this is how ‘Canadians perceive’ their government, not an actual corruption analysis)
are Provincial issues, not the Conservative Government:
-McGuinty Liberal government and e-health scandal,
and the construction corruption scandals in Quebec.
Cheque-gate is not corruption, as the Lib panelist tries to smear the government.
Have to wonder how much time the media scribes and talking heads spend spinning and tilting the facts to manipulate opinion.
Akin and his confreres are blatantly anti-Conservative, anti Harper, their hatred is palpable, they couldn’t hide it if they tried. Every now and then they will be somewhat fair but that’s not where they reside most of the time. Being factual must have been a most important part of any course in journalism but their political bias is now trumping all. Calling them journalistas may seem extreme but they are using the modus operandi of banana republics.
It’s quite astounding to have the media in India picking up on it.
Thank God for the blogosphere where we can banter with ordinary folks who are taking the time to wade through the media spin to find the truth.
…….the piece essentially criticises the Canadian media for trying to undermine what the Canadian PM is trying to achieve.
I don’t think that the canadian press like the idea of being critize for their ignorance.
Thank you INDIA for setting the record straight. Please, feel free to continue, I don’t think the canadian press understand your meaning like most of us canadians do.
Heh, Raging Tory really took it to Martin!
Good job!
Our msm seem to think they are above being held to account…
The trouble with journalists like Don Martin trying to write pieces about economic issues is that they simply show how little they know about the subject.
Paul Wells found this piece by a blog called Worthwhile Canadian Initiative which puts the whole “Half-a-trillion dollar club” thingie in perspective, something Don Martin clearly lacks.
o/t Just wondering if kady at CBC is up in arms about a call for ‘tweets’ being banned in committee,
because that cuts off media access to helping their friends with questions… (ex:Pablo)?
http://www.cbc.ca/politics/insidepolitics/2009/11/note-to-charlie-angus-dont-blame-the-medium-for-the-message.html
The CBC is almost giddy with glee over the investigation into the torturing of Taliban detainees in Afghanistan. One reporter this morning actually grinned as she said that if the government knew about the torture then it was an illegal act under the Geneva Convention.
Graham Richardson complains about the tight control around the PM on the India visit yet his reports always seem to concentrate on the lateness of the visit and the desire of the Conservatives to win over the Indo-Canadian vote.
I would have liked him to file a story about the business leaders that the PM brought with him and the contacts they were making or maybe a story about Mrs. Harper and what she was up to on this trip.
I suppose it’s easier to gripe though you’d think that one of his bosses would be demanding a little more for the $7,000 they paid to send him on this trip.
Anyone care to bet that the first question the PM will be asked when he returns from India will be about Afghan detainees?
How about a poll asking us if we actually care that an Afghan detainee was whipped with an electric cord or made to stand for hours on end?
My wife used to work at a cabbage roll factory here in Niagara Falls and she stood for hours on end folding cabbage but that’s never been discussed in Parliament and if you don’t think that’s abusive punishment then you’ve never smelled a factory filled with boiled cabbage.
Ah well, what can you do when the opposition insists on playing ‘gotcha politics’ because they don’t have any policies worth mentioning.
BTW, Tom Clark has to learn that when you greet someone and welcome them to the show you should at least give them an opportunity to respond. How many of his interviews begin with him talking over his guests who are in the process of saying “you’re welcome” or are thanking him for his invitation to appear? Clark always stops, gives a little laugh and then barrels on. I wish he’d stop that.
I agree that the Canadian media have a sense of entitlement and Tom Clarke demonstrates many examples of this each and every day. Nary a positive word on Prime Minister’s trip to India from Tom Clark. His only interest is helping his friend Donolo get the Liberals back in Power.
Thankyou to David Akin for putting to print the criticisms of the canadian MSM by India’s MSM.
The criticism looks good on Jon Ibbitson, he really comes across as having a very high opinion of himself. Obviously the Indian press picked up on this also.
It is true that the Chretien government did have a better number back in 2002, but that was because they still had the Adscam scandal (which started in 1995) still being covered up as was still under wraps. If the truth would have been known in 2002 there would have been no way that the JC Gov’t would have received such an undeserved mark on the corruption scale.
I do not watch Tommy Clark’s show anymore or Evan Solomon’s either for that matter. I watch Glenn Beck on Fox instead. There I find common sense and actual information.
Tom’s show and the other one I found is all Liberal all the time. Both eager to criticize anything Conservative without checking facts, playing the gotcha game to help their favorite party.
I will not give them the time of day unless they become balanced in their approach. I won’t hold my breath for that one. I am amazed how well the Conservative government does even with all the biased MSM.
Some media pundits are simply pissed that they remain irrelevant in the greater scheme of Canadian politics and get it wrong so much of the time.
O/T – don’t you just love how the media are failing to take any responsibility whatsoever in playing on the hype and fears of Canadians re: the H1N1 issue? They can’t backtrack fast enough. Meanwhile we’ve not got hoards of vaccine and the line-ups miraculously thinned out in a matter of one week. That too is what the media gets for listening to leftist fear-mongers.
It’s one thing to educate and help people be aware of the illness but another thing entirely to send in on a whirlwind trip into the stratosphere of hysteria.
A steady, confident hand ruled, and continues to do so. Media doesn’t affect that much any more.
Canadians are much, MUCH smarter and most media outlets are fighting for their very existence.
They need to get good or get gone.
Yes another faux scandal by the opposition parties and their pom-pom waving media. How about a vision for the country? This is why people are turned off complete lack of confidence in from politics.
Rather than have an actual conversation about real and important subjects, they opposition would rather throw muck.
I think the code of conduct of MP’s needs to be updated along with civil service and Young Offenders act.
My comment was in response to Neil D’s update.
Would this be the very same Charlie Angus who went on Power Play and made snide jokes about the CPC suing the Canadian Olympic Committee over the very fake Olympic logo scandal?
I am sickened every time our brave soldiers are accused of being complicite in torturing prisoners being held in Afghan jails.
There were no guidelines for our military until the Harper government came into power.
I don’t remember (correct me if I am wrong)
Amnesty International attacking the Chretien/Martin Liberals non-stop, for having NO prisoner transfer guidelines.
Looks like the next big attempt to pin something on the Harper government is now at hand, the inquiry into abuse of Afghan detainees.
Guess our soldiers should have had a tent to put them in, guard them 24/7, and coddle them while our men were out fighting and being killed by UID’s set by their squad of terrorist cowards.
The people of this country know we do not condone torture,hell, we paid a guy over $10,000,000.00 when he claimed he was tortured in his homeland. There has to be some consideration for the nature of the Afghan mission, it’s a fight like none we’ve ever had to experience, it’s not a “traditional” combat war, we’re close to fighting the impossible fight.
Does anyone ever wonder if there are any other countries on this Afghan mission under NATO BESIDES Canada? To listen to the rantings of the Left in this country, one has to ask that question.
Re the ‘just visiting’ thing … about a year ago, I stumbled on an obscure blogger who claimed that Iggy is renting his house out, in Cambridge Mass. And that he still has all his furniture stored there.
Unfortunately I didn’t save the link, and I haven’t been able to find any corroborating evidence on google. That kind of stuff is damning because it is easily understood by the public (ala the brown envelopes stuffed with cash, left on restaurant tables). It would pretty well prove our point that Iggy is indeed just visiting.
You would think SOMEONE in the media would wonder … hey what did Iggy do with his house in Cambridge, when he moved to Canada ? And what about his furniture … it wouldn’t all fit in his TO condo. Did he sell it, store it, or what ?
“CRTC TOLD BROADCASTERS AT DEATH’S DOOR(sic)”
Bourque deadline.
Iffy, do you believe that the PET Cemetery has room for the Bwaaadcastors?
No snark/sneer/comments from SeeBeeSee.
What’s wrong with them?
…-
“Iqaluit to host G7 finance meeting
CBC News
The capital of Nunavut will host a major meeting of G7 finance ministers and central bank governors in February, federal officials announced Wednesday.
The Iqaluit meeting, slated for Feb. 5-6, will be the first of a series of important finance meetings to be held in Canada in 2010, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty told reporters in Ottawa.
It will be followed by the G8 and G20 leaders’ summits to be held in June.
Flaherty said the G7 colleagues he spoke to in Italy last summer all expressed interest in travelling to Canada’s Far North for the February meeting.
“We have to limit the size of the delegations so that we can use Iqaluit, but I’m really looking forward to showing my colleagues from around the world the beauty of the Canadian Arctic in February,” he said.”
Is this not Iggy’s old job? When he recently returned from a brief sojourn to the U.S. he told reporters “I guess your stuck with me”, so does the Carr Institute not want Iggiot back?
Here’s the job posting;
Executive Director, Carr Center for Human Rights Policy
Harvard University
Carr Center for Human Rights Policy
Duties And Responsibilities: The Executive Director manages the day-to-day operations of the Carr Center for Human RIghts Policy including human resources, development, finance and budgeting, events, communications, and publications. Reporting to the Center Director, the Executive Director has primary responsibility for strategic planning, fundraising (including relations with individual donors and foundations) and managing the growing Center’s administration and operations.
http://www.hercjobs.org/c/job.cfm?site_id=660&jb=5737112
I have not been watching PP when they could not find a quality replacement. I did not understand how biased or deep the new host has gone until I watched a few snippets.
I thought maybe a few bloggers were a bit thin-skinned about the new host.
Impressive. He cuts off the CPC, makes contradictory comments to weaken the CPC before and after, asks questions the Libs, NDP are not picking up on to the CPC guests.
Apparently he is not comfortable of happy with the ability of the Liberals or the NDP to challenge the current government and feels it is approprite to interrupt and introdue his own talking points.
Tommy Boy, is the Liberal’s 78th MP.
He’s a horribly obvious and bias, spin doctor and is not worth the hour out of my day to attempt the analysis that would be required to understand his purpose on CTV.
Other than to say, he resonates the pathetic smearing and adolescent behaviour that has become the climate in the HoC.
He’s a joke.
SeeBeeSee doesn’t let us down.
Here is the snark/sneer/comments from CBCGrenier.
…-
“I wonder if he’ll throw in some red Olympic mittens too.[?]”
http://www.cbc.ca/politics/insidepolitics/2009/11/would-flaherty-host-a-seal-feast.html
To me, the best indicator of how effective a Liberal attack will be, is whether Jack and/or Gilles join in. So far, from watching QP, Jack and Gilles are sounding off on their own pet peeves, leaving this Afghan prisoner thing alone.
Travers and Fife seem convinced that this will consume Parliament for the next month. But let’s see how this thing evolves. My sense is that any voter who genuinely cares about Taliban treatment, would never vote for Harper anyway.
Of course, the Libs can also over-play this, and create a backlash from those who think we should cut our officials some slack, as our soldiers do their best in a very difficult insurgent war, where the enemy does not wear a uniform.
Liberal leaders for sale or rent.
It’s evident that the Liberals have a dual-leadership.
How can Iffy’s Ego accept this?
Taber is slipping the knife into Iffy’s back again.
Ad$Cam Chretien’s Boy is the “Liberal leader”.
Iffy is going: the only questions are: when? How to save his face?
Taber’s fear/loathing is here in these few words: “He is on his way home now.”.
“Toronto Centre MP and Liberal foreign affairs critic Bob Rae led off the daily session, (Leader Michael Ignatieff was away again)”.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/bureau-blog/huffing-and-puffing-on-torture/article1368811/
On today’s PP, Tommy had on one segment Janet Ecker, former Ontario PC Finance Minister and Carol Taylor. Wonder what he expected to get from them that would feed his slagging the Harper government agenda?
Travers and Fife and Tommy are hoping this consumes the parliament until for a month. All of the national press Gallery working hard to help Donolo look good. What are friends for?
Yes, wilson, Raging Tory is really on-the-rampage for the Right, even engaging in a bit of sword play with our other friend The Iceman, in a bit of a cross-blogging cage-match re. how well Sarah Palin’s derriere would fit the Commander-In-Chief’s chair. It’s made for some entertaining pieces of dialogue and a bit of frustration eminating from both sides, but all in good “fun”… Yes, the Igneutered One should retire his smoldering practice pistol to the gun-rack before his membership to the Screen Actors Guild runs out.
Good job also in exposing Don Martin’s contradictory assault on PM Stephen Harper. It’s that sort of resourcefulness which helps keep the critics accountable and our representatives more airtight to the erosive MSM.
“My sense is that any voter who genuinely cares about Taliban treatment, would never vote for Harper anyway.”
There is also the group (law and order types) that will silently be cheering those that take the boots to Taliban terrorists.
Those same Taliban that proudly supported the actions of the 9/11 murderers.
Fife and Travers are seriously the most out of touch Canadian journalists that this country has been forced to endure.
They are more often wrong than they are right, imo.
It must be that Ottawa bubble thing?
Here’s a Canadian ‘Bubbles’ thing…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDRPtg0kmJU&feature=related
I was presently surprised with the CBC National tonight. They aired quite a large piece on why the prime Ministers trip to India was successful.Wendy Mesley and Ian Hammonasing interview many Indo Canadians who are very pleased with Stephen Harper’s trip to India. Even mentioned some of the prominent business men who accompanied the Prime Minister.
The Libs are very upset that the Conservatives have sent out a ten percenter that is critical of the implied support of Hamas by some Liberal members. Irwin Colter was livid on Power Play today.
I’m with the Liberals on this one. The Conservatives have no business bringing Israel into what is basically a domestic dispute. The Conservatives justified it by pointing out the ten percenters sent out by Bennett and Fry.
Give me a friggin’ break!!
We didn’t like those and we shouldn’t like this one either.
Every political body has extremes and the Liberal Party is no different and my concern is that we don’t acknowledge that extreme. I don’t believe for a millisecond that the Liberals would forsake Israel but I do acknowledge that some Liberal members might hold views that differ from party policy.
Isn’t that what debate is all about?
If this new argument is intended as a smoke screen to over-ride the Afghan detainee situation then it stinks to high heaven.
The Conservatives should apologize and move on.
I can’t help but feel a little disillusioned over the Conservative response to most any problem that comes along. They either deny, point the blame elsewhere or cite previous Liberal government policy. None are willing to stand up and be counted.
Either this government is with us (“us” being the general populace according to most polls) or they aren’t!
There’s a song http://www.mydfz.com/Paxton/lyrics/wasts.htm (We All Sound the Same) by Tom Paxton about politicians (one of many) where he sings of the politician leading us as soon as he knows where we’re going (“We’ll be out there leading, just two or three steps behind you”). This government knows where we’re going and it should start to show some backbone by leading us there.
If the Canadian people feel overwhelmingly that global warming is not a proven science then somebody from the government that represents them (us) should say so and argue their points. We talk about these points all the time amongst ourselves but our government says nary a word. There is a powerful UN lobby out there that is trying to convince us that if we don’t ship tons of money to Africa real soon then the City of New York will slip into the ocean and because of the effectiveness of their campaign many people believe them. Somebody has to stand up to these people and tell them that at the very least we need a debate about the science at hand.
If we don’t give a fiddlers f**k about two or three (or even a thousand) Afghan detainees being subjected to torture after our troops have caught them in the heat of battle or during a door to door search then our government should stand up and say so. Afghanistan is a country stuck in the middle ages and for them to consider torture as merely being made to stand all night then that is, quite frankly, a feather in their cap.
To be brutally honest, I don’t care if they were hung upside down for weeks on end and subjected to constant beatings.
I might feel a little differently if they fought like regular armies and were legitimate soldiers but these guys are mostly religious fanatics who live to kill Western soldiers. They don’t wear uniforms and they use the general Afghan population as shields. They use remote devices to kill our troops so that they can escape by blending easily into the background during the resulting confusion. Then they post the explosion on the internet for all to see and surf the Canadian media websites to gauge the reaction.
If such so-called torture gets even one iota of information that saves a life, be it Canadian or one of the other western nationalities currently serving in Afghanistan, then it will have not been in vain. Or, for that matter, if the information saves an Afghani life.
A Canadian soldier shoots and kills a mortally wounded Taliban fighter and is charged with murder while our government makes excuses. Maybe the Taliban fighter considered the shot that ultimately killed him a blessing. His pain and suffering ends and he gets to spend eternity with his seventy virgins while the Canadian soldier’s nightmare is just beginning, thanks largely to the left wing legal segment of our society.
For Jim Travers of the Toronto Star to say on Power Play this evening that the Conservative government (that would be me and you) is no better than the Taliban for condoning such torture is a travesty. For Bob Fife to be so outraged about the alledged cover-up is laughable considering his bias toward the Liberal Party but I also feel outraged that this problem might take hold for the next month while other more serious matters, like the economy (or global warming, or the HST, or the Afghan mission itself), are not being discussed.
The long gun registry is on the way out and a Conservative minister in besieged by reporters demanding to know why an RCMP report was suppressed for a couple of days until the vote had taken place in Parliament. He ducks, evades and gives non-answers.
Why doesn’t he stand tall and tell the reporters that the majority of Canadians don’t want the long gun registry and the RCMP report would have just added fuel to the fire.
Never mind that the fire created by the long gun registry was largely in the minds of the Parliamentary Press Gallery.
The majority of Canadians don’t want a long gun registry and I want my government to stand up and say so without making all kinds of excuses or providing non-answers.
I want my government to speak for me.
another Canadian whopper over a ten per center about the Ignatieff Liberals that tells the truth
fh
If Ignatieff is anxious to get back to Harvard, he might just pitch the green tax at this event on November 26.
Thx Tripper. Other than Coyne, I recall every journalist saying PMSH had no choice, it was the Coalition of Losers budget or get the boot, even Oliver said that.
And every ‘expert’ saying spend spend spend,
and a Global agreement to pump 2% of GDP into economies around the world.
So were no Afghan detainees abused or tortured between Jan 2002 and Dec 2005?
These are the dates of the first prisoners Cdn troops captured and date the Liberals finally got around to drafting a prisoner protection agreement, 3 yrs and 11 months!
Remeber Eggleton getting caught trying to conceal the captures from Parliament:
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1024895546199_20304746//
Who is the informer on the issue of Taliban detainees anyway? It might give some clearer perspective if we knew his background as well.
The Libs and Dips have been working themselves up over this issue for some time, now they will say they have the proof. In fact they’ve been more concerned about this than they are our own men and women dealing with the Taliban “scumbags” and being killed by them.
It may take over from the H1N1 file for them, like the Afghan detainee abuse story, who you gonna believe?
In a letter to the editor in today’s National Post, Bennett quotes an Edmonton Journal report that H1N1 cases are filling 1/4 to 1/3 of all ICU beds in Alberta. Is anyone else aware of this?
Wow. Neil D @ 10:12, that was awesome. Straight from the heart.
I hear you.
Stan said* re Sarah Palin:
“One point she makes is that the reason the left act so deranged and attack so visciously is because that’s all they can do, they can’t successfully debate ideas.”
In Canada’s left-liberal MSM, Susan Delacourt/TORedStar is a prime example, in addition to Diane Francis**.
Here is Delacourt with her fear/loathing.
Delacourt’s proof? “I am told”.
Headline:
“Another story from the PM’s India trip
Delacourt: I am told that refusing prasad and langar is somewhat like shoving a communion wafer in one’s pocket, but that’s another story.”
(nnw)
*SDA:
http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/mt/mt-comments.cgi
**Diane Francis’s mysogyny (hatred of women):
“Pretty as a beauty queen and just as stupid as many of them.
The best thing that ever happened to America is the ascension of Sarah Palin to star status. She is the reigning queen of the political freak show where candidates are invaded, ogled, sliced, diced and spliced by a public hungry for human train wrecks.”
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/francis/archive/2009/11/18/i-love-sarah-palin.aspx
That statement by Travers on PP is a travesty, it needs to be withdrawn. He needs to apologize for that one. He’s accusing our government of the people of being no better than terrorists. Pretty over-the-top stuff, even for him.
Like most Canadians, I find it hard to be concerned about Taliban detainees when we have men and women fighting a mission impossible and losing their lives, not in combat but by UID’s set by these horrible, pathetic examples of humanity.
It’s also time to stop sending out silly ten percenters, they provide fodder for the Opposition and fill the recycle bin.
the critical word to remember about detainees is allegations
let this one play out
fh
Good advice, Fh.
One thing though – These detainees are being painted as innocent little cherubs. I would like to know more about them. Why were they arrested? Were they caught setting up roadside bombs? Were any of them ever convicted of being responsible for the killing of our soldiers?
I think that we have to keep getting the message out that these prisoners were captured for a reason. How many of our troops had they killed with their bombs before being caught.
How many would they have killed if not captured.
As stated, they are not innocent little angels, regardless of what Fife/Travers/liberals try to paint them.
Look at the outrage in the US over bringing terrorists to a criminal trial in NYC.
Not a vote getter IMHO.
What do the opposition expect to gain from this farce.
Unless that witness can provide video of said torture, all he has got is, they told me this, they told me that. Do any of us really believe anything they would say.
Who is this witness, what connections does he have, or had, with any other organization.
I’m not a huge fan of 10%-ers either but let’s be fair here.
The “body bag” and “nap sack”, were sheer propaganda. They had not occurred and were speculative, mean spirited “guns in the streets” pieces of fear mongering.
As uncomfortable as the “anti semitic” piece is for some, it is still truthful examples of statements and actions by the Liberals.
The Liberals have played down and dirty since losing power and add to the mix, journalists such as Travers and Fife rubbing their hands in glee every time they assume something may stick and you have some difficult and muddy politics.
I agree with everything you said NeilD but when you are dealing with an unfriendly and abusive crowd, a 10 second sound bite and an editorialized version of an answer can become very dicey for the government.
And we all know, that is PRECISELY what would occur!
Before people get too upset over the whole anti-semitism thing, take a look at Chucker’s latest here for some perspective about the issue and who is actually calling whom anti-Jewish.
On the environment issue, I believe the PM used to say it was not a proven science, and that didn’t get him too far.
And much as some politicians may want to stand up and say they don’t care what happens to Afghan prisoners, there is no way that any one of them can. For a member of any government to do so would be equivalent to endorsing war crimes and any politician who did this would be equally culpable with the people doing the torture.
This issue has already been dealt with, back in 2007, and the reason this has come up right now is because of the PM’s trip to China in early December. The senior diplomat involved was David Mulroney, who is now our ambassador to China. Jane Taber spills the beans :
” “Diplomat: Canada handed over Afghans for torture” reads the online China Daily. It will be difficult for Mr. Harper to raise human rights issues, given this testimony. Mr. Harper needs to succeed on this visit in order to re-establish good relations for potential trade.
The reason the Media is now ‘blaming’ SH for the deficit is because they have seen that telling the voters that he had no choice in an effort to pin the success of the Coalition and the Libs in getting the stimulus package, did not work.
Time for plan B.
I have a sense that the Afghan detainee allegations will be toned down for one simple reason, the circus that the Obama administration has decided to bring to the town of New York City.
Add to that, the Ft Hood terrorist and jihadists, will be front and centre news that will indeed sift over the border to Canada.
We will be in the nose bleeds but witnessing the show, live.
I believe that, will turn the volume down on the detainee (poor, poor terrorists), big time!
two quick things
Calgary Junkie – don’t expect that the NDP will join in with the Liberals at the moment, as Layton’s numbers on an up-tick and the NDP is benefitting at the expense of the Liberals.
Also, the Liberals are moving up the pace of their scandals-of-the-week because 1)they have nothing else to offer Canadians, and b)it diverts attention away from their failing leader and failings of the LPOC.
Whether it’s torture of detainees, or 10%ers, they’re working to change the channel on Harper’s accomplishments, WHICH have been nicely added to after his visit to India, in an effort to continue to discredit him.
Only problem is the general public isn’t buying what the Liberals are selling any more.
Richard Colvin, now a Washington-based intelligence officer, told a House of Commons committee Wednesday that from 2006 to 2007, every single detainee was tortured when handed over to Afghan authorities.
Where is Colvin’s proof of his baseless allegation? He has none.
Washington-based intelligence officer?
Who is Colvin working for?
Is he working for the LPoC?
How is Colvin being paid?
Brown paper bags full of cash?
Is he being paid with some of the missing $43 Million Taxpayer Dollars that are still missing from ADSCAM?
Is it any wonder that Gomery called the LPoC “criinally organized”?
Here’s another ‘gotcha’ by liberals-must read Joanne.
Canadians handed over Afghan prisoners to be tortured: diplomat
Janice Tibbetts, Canwest News Service
Published: Wednesday, November 18, 2009
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/world/afghanistan/story.html?id=2238164
Here is a clip from the article:
‘He said he first learned of the abuse soon after arriving in Kandahar in the spring of 2006 and that he later saw evidence himself after visiting prisons and seeing torture marks on prisoners’.
Joanne, question is “If Mr. Colvin arrived in KANDAHAR in the spring of 2006, the conservative government assumed control probably March 2006 which they have not even got their feet wet. So, all these detainees abuses really occured UNDER THE LIBERAL WATCH.
How convienent that the Liberals are now leading the charge against CPC.
O/T – If you’ve caught any of the CRTC hearings and listend to the likes of the networks execs. I’m convinced that folks here wouldn’t be as worried about the media and their bias, as they are.
Quite the opposite in fact.
Confident that most will not agree but the bigger picture’s not a good one for networks in this country.
I wonder if the media will fact check the background of Colvin. They might be surprised at who he could be connected to or related to.
Hint, google shoe bomber.
was 2006 the first time prisoners were taken by the Canadian forces and handed over to the Afghans?
we have been there since 2002
what rules were put in place by the Liberal Paul Martin Government?
why stop at 2006?
fh
Afghan detainee, Yawn..
So whe are back to this again. The PPG are sure going into hyperdrive on this one. But it will fizzle just like in 2007 when the ops and PPG tried to smear the government on this.
Re Power Play, Jim Travers Bob Fife and Tommy make me want to stick a fork in my eye everytime they speak.
Amir Attaran, the so called Human Rights Lawyer/Professor from Toronto is all over the airwaves on this Afghan torture allegations story claiming that Canada should be called up for war crimes.
You know this guy – Ignatieff’s Harvard buddy, close personal friend and best friend of terrorist’s rights world wide. Ever since Ignatieff came to visit Canada has “somehow” become the darling talking head for CTV, CBC and the Toronto rags.
He also recently sued the Ontario government to provide funding for his wife’s fertility treatments because having a baby is a “human right” and the taxpayer must pay.
Google this guy and then ask yourself – just WHO is advising Ignatieff on this file.
We all knew the Libs and Dips along with their buddies in the media would hijack PM Harper’s accomplishments on this trip abroad.
I smell a rat with this Colvin dude, he looks more than a little uncomfortable in his seat at this latest “inquiry”, especially with Conservative questions. It’s timing is all too suspect. He cannot provide proof.
Do any of the Left really not know that the drill for these Taliban killers when caught is to claim torture? Betting they do but are ignoring it because it doesn’t fit their agenda.
Do any of the Left really care for, or appreciate the great democracy we have managed to sustain despite the fact so many of them are busy working to tear it down with their Socialist agenda and by ceding to such allegations without real proof?
It boggles the mind that we have come to this.
Bruce, the liberals care more for the taliban detainees who were abuse than they do for the afghan innocent women and girls who were abused,killed, stoned to death by the taliban in a bloodbath arena as a reminded to all afghans.
The taliban know very well who favours them more than their canadian troops the more the opposition parties express their concerns over the taliban abuses and not for the innocent send a deep message to the taliban. and make no mistake of this the liberals will become a pawn for the taliban to use as they wish.
The OPPOSITION PARTIES AND THEIR MEDIA are playing a very dangerous game.
PET Cemetery swallows Liberal Iffy’s puffin:
“The Charter of Rights, a landmark of Liberal iconography, has practically vanished from the government lexicon.”
…-
“A record of conservative achievement
Adam Daifallah, National Post
When the first history books are written about Stephen Harper’s time in power, they will likely focus on the reunification of the Canadian right, the ending of Liberal hegemony in Ottawa, and his stewardship of the economy following the 2008 financial meltdown.
Harper’s most important achievement, however, will take years, and possibly decades, to fully evaluate: the way in which he changed official Canadian discourse into one that is more politically conservative in nature.
Since taking power in 2006, Harper and key members of cabinet have made a number of quiet, deft moves that have removed the spotlight away from symbols and narratives associated with the Liberal Party specifically, and a liberal worldview more generally.
Under Harper, there has been a greater emphasis on the military, a shift in tone on foreign policy toward more support for democratic allies, and a new willingness to take principled actions at the United Nations, such as the Canadian-led walkout on Iranian tyrant Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s hate-filled harangue in September. The Charter of Rights, a landmark of Liberal iconography, has practically vanished from the government lexicon.
The latest example of this new approach is Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s revised guidebook for new Canadians.” (more)
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays-paper/story.html?id=2239843
How many of us in any organization would put second and third hand unsubstantiated allegations and rumours into official memos and copy everybody in like this Colvin guy did.
Instead, we would discreetly meet with someone in authority and pass on the information for further investigation. He admitted he had NO first hand evidence -just stories told to him.
He sounds very gullible to have believed the stories carte blanche and them wrote them out at “factual reports”.
Everybody knows that claiming torture is a page right out of the Taliban manual.
How does he know that behind the scenes actions were not taken – inquiries were not made and diplomatic moves were being made about this senstive issue.
He says he was so low on the totem pole that he could not go directly to the Generals or Ministers himself. So why would anybody tell him what remedies were being made on the off chance that killer thugs of women and children were not being coddled in Afghan jails.
I agree Lorraine on Amir Attaran, I remember that Iffy helped gain entry into Canada after he got into trouble in the US. What country is he originally a citizen from? Has he been in Canada long enough to have become a citizen?
he seems to be CTV’s favourite expert these days. When I watch him lecturing us on CTV, I am very upset and blame CTV for damaging the reputations of all Canadians. It is time for CTV to do its home work and operate responsibly.
The following is O/T; however it is of great importance that the public see/realize that the AGW fraud is a fraud.
Real science/scientists are now being heard above the schlock of the AGWarmists.
Not too soon.
Please forward this to PM Harper and Minister Prentice and all Conservative MPs.
…-
Commentary:
Der understatement from Der Spiegel: The AGW Mirror and mea culpa gulpa and the “stagnation”.
“Perhaps we suggested too strongly in the past that the development will continue going up along a simple, straight line. In reality, phases of stagnation or even cooling are completely normal,” says Latif.
But, Goreacle says don’t worry, here is our AGW out-clause:
“Even though the temperature standstill probably has no effect on the long-term warming trend,”.
Wait! There’s more: “it does raise doubts about the predictive value of climate models, and it is also a political issue.”
And: “This has prompted many a climatologist to treat the temperature data in public with a sense of shame, thereby damaging their own credibility.”
And: guess who is “gloating” all over the ‘net?
…-
The report from Germany:
“Stagnating Temperatures
Climatologists Baffled by Global Warming Time-Out
Global warming appears to have stalled. Climatologists are puzzled as to why average global temperatures have stopped rising over the last 10 years. Some attribute the trend to a lack of sunspots, while others explain it through ocean currents.
At least the weather in Copenhagen is likely to be cooperating. The Danish Meteorological Institute predicts that temperatures in December, when the city will host the United Nations Climate Change Conference, will be one degree above the long-term average.
Otherwise, however, not much is happening with global warming at the moment. The Earth’s average temperatures have stopped climbing since the beginning of the millennium, and it even looks as though global warming could come to a standstill this year.
Ironically, climate change appears to have stalled in the run-up to the upcoming world summit in the Danish capital, where thousands of politicians, bureaucrats, scientists, business leaders and environmental activists plan to negotiate a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Billions of euros are at stake in the negotiations.
Reached a Plateau
The planet’s temperature curve rose sharply for almost 30 years, as global temperatures increased by an average of 0.7 degrees Celsius (1.25 degrees Fahrenheit) from the 1970s to the late 1990s. “At present, however, the warming is taking a break,” confirms meteorologist Mojib Latif of the Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences in the northern German city of Kiel. Latif, one of Germany’s best-known climatologists, says that the temperature curve has reached a plateau. “There can be no argument about that,” he says. “We have to face that fact.”
Even though the temperature standstill probably has no effect on the long-term warming trend, it does raise doubts about the predictive value of climate models, and it is also a political issue. For months, climate change skeptics have been gloating over the findings on their Internet forums. This has prompted many a climatologist to treat the temperature data in public with a sense of shame, thereby damaging their own credibility.
“It cannot be denied that this is one of the hottest issues in the scientific community,” says Jochem Marotzke, director of the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology in Hamburg. “We don’t really know why this stagnation is taking place at this point.””
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,662092,00.html
CBC has a poll here on Richard Colvin’s testimony.
Needs some help !
O/T For those of you who are missing your Thursday EKOS fix
“EKOS will continue to report on the race between the federal parties on alternating weeks. Reporting bi-weekly on vote intention will allow EKOS to augment its sample sizes – already by far the largest of any regularly conducted poll in Canada – allowing even more robust regional samples.
I guess they just need a little longer to fix the numbers these days.
I highly recommend that folks here read Ezra’s latest and most imformative post re: the latest 10%er scandal/diversion Liberal attempt to discredit the PM. You’ll be glad to visited Ezra’s blog today!
Forget the CBC poll.
I thought Peter McKay did well in QP/Funny Farm today.
I also thought Cotler was way over-the-top, in his rant/question of privilege. He’s way too offended to be even considered credible.
How much longer can we the people tolerate the way the HOC is performing?
Is anyone else concerned about the feigned concern by the Liberals and Dippers over the alleged prisoner abuse in Afghanistan? It’s becoming obscene with the coverage it’s getting on shows like Tommy Tittlemouse’s PP. He just won’t take the word of Peter McKay over his CHOSEN guests and of course Colvin.
We all should be concerned about the fact OUR media is branding OUR country Canada and it’s military of knowingly allowing torture.
Gotta ask, whose side are these reprobates, s’cuse the term, I’m really angry, called journalists on. We must have reached the limit on what we should tolerate.
Lastly, are we the ONLY fighting force on that mission? Are our Forces, our government, the only ones they can accuse of allowing torture?
Here is good read on Colvin situation: What is Colvin smoking?
“The mere fact that Colvin says that all detainees have been tortured makes his claim less than credible – in fact, it puts it right into fantasyland territory and reveals that this diplomat may have some hidden agenda”
http://www.news-cruncher.com/2009/11/what-is-colvin-smoking.html
Canadians I have spoken with do not want a public enquiry they feel it would be a huge waste of money
they are satisfied that the Canadian Government has taken the proper steps to insure that the prisoners will not be tortured
they hope that parliament will get to work to ensure all Canadians can enjoy a happy holiday this year
H1N1 and the economy are of concern to Canadians not the past alleged torture of Afghan prisoners
they feel that the problem was treated seriously and properly dealt with in a timely manner
fh
Listening to Tommie boy on PP,and Mansbridge of the mother corp; makes one think of the newest banana republic in the world “Canada”. Hugo Chavez Bolivarian revolution would fit right in with the socialist dogma that these illustrious media personalities are spewing. They will not change until such time as the CPC forms a majority government and last as long as their one and only PET.
Jen, I’m sorry but I can’t allow your latest comment. I hear your anger and frustration but I have to protect myself in terms of legal issues. Thanks for your understanding.
Liberal McKenna says PM Harper and his government are “thugs”.
Quote Source link below*.
McKenna speaks: Quote:
“*As for the sort of adversaries the Liberals are up against in Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s tacticians, McKenna added, “They are dealing with thugs;”.
How low can Iffy and his Liberals go?
McKenna does not have Parliamentary immunity in re these words of his.
Is this criminal slander?
Slander defined:
“slander n. Law . Oral communication of false statements injurious to a person’s reputation. A false and malicious statement or report about someone.”
http://www.answers.com/topic/slander
…-
*Source:
“Iggy should toughen up: McKenna
The Liberals are ‘dealing with thugs,’ says Frank McKenna”
http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/11/19/iggy-should-toughen-up-mckenna/
The Liberals are ‘dealing with thugs,’ says Frank McKenna”
I used to have some respect for Frank McKenna. Pity.
Don’t forget folks, Frank McKenna is also a bigwig at TD.
Not a problem Joanne. I understand..
Peter Mackay with some other CPC mps were here in leduc on a charity event for the boys and girls club.
He later said at the charity dinner that there are more women in the afghan government than there are in the canadian government.
He also said that there are more farms growing wheat than poppies…..
When did any of us here this on CBC-never. Good news is not CBC style-bad news is.
Bourque headlines Liberal McKenna’s slander with a Truth ad:
“TD VICE-CHAIR BLASTS TORY “THUGS”(sic)”
http://www.bourque.org/
…-
Bourque’s link goes to:
“Iggy should toughen up: McKenna
The Liberals are ‘dealing with thugs,’ says Frank McKenna”
http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/11/19/iggy-should-toughen-up-mckenna/
From comments:
“Paul
I wish I had an account at the TD Bank—so I could cancel it. I think McKenna is losing it–insulting conservative voters is no way to win customers.”
(More)
A few things about the Afghan situation
First prisoners captured by Cdn troops, Jan 2002, handed over to US.
Eggleton was investigate in committee for untruths about the captures.
No protection agreement for detainees, handed over to the US
Amnesty Int’l was screaming, but failed, thru courts, to get the Cdn Afghan detainees in US custody, covered with Charter rights.
Liberals finally got around to a protection agreement for prisoners, Dec 2005
(3 years 11 months later)
General Hillier signed the 2005 agreement, not the Liberal government
(handwashing??)
But under the handover agreement, signed by Hillier in 2005, Canada has no jurisdiction to follow up on the condition of detainees once the handover is made.
Human Rights said in Nov 2006, that all NATO coutries release their Afghan prisoners to same Afghan authorites as Canada. Are all NATO countries complicte of war crimes…
After hearing allegations of abuse and torture from numerous sources, including Colvin (says he started warning in May 2006), the Harper government revised and improved the hand over agreement May 2007, also obtaining the right to free, unannounced vists of prisoners.
Colvin testified that he sent out 70+ letters/emails warning of abuse/torture,
but admits in face to face meetings with McKay and Hillier?, he did not raise the issue.
Why not if it was that important?
Colvin does not reveal his ‘source’ of allegations, does not table affidavits nor pictures.
Numerous journalists and Human Rights agencies have warned of abuse and torture in Afghan jails.
Are some of the charges of abuse/torture Taliban propaganda, yes,
are some of the charges true, likely.
Did the Harper government respond quickly enough?
Yes, less than a year compared to Liberals taking almost 4 years to put in place an agreement, and then it was inadequate at best, and inherited by the CPC.
After 4 years of ignoring the problem the Liberals still did not get it right,
and they pushed their accountability onto General Hillier.
2 1/2 years ago, the Harper government got it as good as it gets in Afghanistan.
Well, isn’t that a surprise, the esteemed Mr McKenna getting down and dirty! Guess he won’t mind if we say, Frankie Boy, you’ve taken yourself down a few levels from which you may have trouble rising from with that outlandish statement.
When Tom Clark demanded to know what proof the Defence Minister would be satisfied with his reply should have been “You know, da proof is da proof.”
If McKenna thinks Harper is a thug what does that make Chretien? What do you call a guy that was head of the Libranos that stole millions of taxpayers dollars…with $43 million still missing? In comparison Harper is an angel!
A while ago i cancelled my personal and company accounts with the TD because of that aZZhole Drummond…since McKenna is also with TD looks like my move is even more satisfying.
There’s one glaring fact about the media, especially a show like PP, they skim over anything positive and accentuate anything they think will be damaging to the PM and his governing Conservatives. There’s next to nothing in the daily rags,very few photos of this latest important trip the PM is on. They do it with sneers and glee, it’s their game, it’s called Gotcha and their teammates are the Liberals,including those who crawl out from the past as McKenna just did with calling the Harper Conservatives “thugs”.
Have some news for Frankie, some “thug” tossed millions of our dollars to the wind which enabled something called Adscam with merely a shrug and “what’s a few million”?
Maybe Frankie should stay with his Liberal buddies at TD and stop teasing his adoring Liberal fans, giving them the impression he’s there for them. That statement didn’t help their cause, it’s just so over-the-top.
There’s one Liberal who really could make a difference for them, his name is John Manley.We can only assume he’s staying away because he knows jumping into the cesspool would damage his reputation. They have nothing to offer but throwing muck and slander like the schoolyard brats of politics.
[...] (H/T Maz2) [...]
Tommy is not even acting like a host anymore, it appears that he is personally going to spin the detainee story. He seems very pleased that China is running the story that Canada’s human rights it not up to China’s standard. Why is Tommy trying to help out China? Shouldn’t his first allegiance be to Canada?
Fay@ 5:46 pm
Trust me, ‘Tommy’ and his team poll too to say nothing of the mail that they get from this crew alone.
It is abundantly clear to all of us junkies that PP has decided to cement their relationship with the 5 (sarc) Liberal viewers that they have kept.
Of the many people that I know that watched PP faithfully, NONE of them watch it any longer.
CTV, has LOST it’s Conservative loyalists including their prime time lineup.
They are not going to suck up to a non-existent Conservative audience but they will suck up to their ’5′ Liberal loyalists.
I believe this pundit partisanship, is entirely about the ratings.