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It’s the LABEL, Stupid

Posted by Joanne on 7 September 2010, 9:07 am

The BC Wildlife Federation has issued a press release explaining why Jack Layton’s ‘compromise’ on the Long-Gun Registry impasse just won’t cut the mustard – BCWF says “No Thanks” to Layton’s Compromise on Long-Gun Registry.  They want the long-gun registry scrapped because no matter how you slice it, they would still be treated as ‘paper criminals’:

The BC Wildlife Federation says, “Thanks, but no thanks,” to Layton’s efforts. Not only is his proposed compromise virtually identical to the one floated by Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff this spring, it is also unconstitutional. How could it not be a crime to violate federal criminal law?
Layton’s compromise is to decriminalize any long-gun owner’s failure to register, but if Layton’s bill became law, anyone accepting to pay a “ticket” for an un-registered long gun would be automatically pleading guilty. This means they would most likely have to accept at least a 5-year ban on owning or acquiring a firearm.
“Canadian gun owners have not asked for an easier way to plead guilty, but to stop being treated as criminals.” says BC Wildlife Federation Firearms Committee Chair, Mike Fowler. “We support laws that protect Canadians from criminal behaviour; the long-gun registry fails this test. Criminals are not affected by gun laws; only law abiding citizens can meet the licensing requirements. No piece of paper placed beside a gun can improve public safety.”

Matt Gurney picks up on this theme in today’s column – Sorry, Jack. The gun registry can’t be saved:

It won’t work. Layton fundamentally misunderstands why the registry is so hated by millions of Canadians. It’s not about fees or paperwork. The problem is that the registry, from its very inception, has symbolized the political elite’s distrust of anyone so retrograde as to own a gun.

By the very rationale advanced by the Chretien Liberals that introduced it — making the public and police safer by collecting information on individuals and their property — the registry could only ever serve to alienate those that it targets. Any law-abiding citizen, if told they must submit private information to the government for the safety of society, cannot help but feel that that very same society considers them dangerous.

So this is the essence of the objection by law-abiding duck-hunters. They are tired of being used politically by left-leaning politicians and top-cop big brass.:

They want this symbol of unfairness, of the suspicion with which their government regards them, destroyed, so that they don’t have to feel like pariahs anymore. Everything that has happened since — the massive cost overruns, the bureaucratic nightmares, the lost documentation and constant data-entry errors, not to mention the Liberal flip-flop on their promise to never use the registry to try and ban guns — has merely added to the outrage.

Meanwhile, Police Chiefs are still waging their war of words and left-leaning newspapers like the Record are backing them up with excessively partisan rhetoric like this:

Locally, Waterloo Regional Police Chief Matt Torigian has made an exceptionally compelling case in favour of the registry. He offered his opinion in a column that appeared in The Record on Saturday. Torigian says the regional police used the registry 13,629 times in 2009 and 9,708 times so far during 2010. This is about 31 times a day. He adds that police use the register for a specific purpose. They do not make routine queries.

For example, police may want to know if guns of any kind exist in a home to which they have been called to investigate a report of domestic violence. Who can blame them? Would Hoeppner, the MP sponsoring the private member’s bill, or Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who has opposed the registry, want this information if they had to go into a home to investigate such a crime? Surely they would; or, rather, surely they should.

Good grief!!!

And what about Julian Fantino?  Why didn’t the Record include him on their naughty list? (H/T Shotgun)

Let’s expose the long-gun registry for what it really is: a political tool to keep the law-abiding Canadian citizens under the thumbs of Big Cities, Big Government, Big Law Enforcement and Big Bureaucracy.

Some pundits have expressed surprise that the tough-on-crime Conservative Party would be against the long-gun registry.  Well they are concerned about real criminals – not paper ones.  It seems that in the world of the Left that belief system is reversed.

This is the time to really pressure our MPs to side with the people who got them there in the first place – instead of voting to insult them.

Filed under Accountability, Arrogance, Big Bureaucracy, CPC majority solution, Coalition of the swilling, Coddling the real criminals, Flicking politicians, Follow the money, Incompetence, Jack Layton, Law & Justice, Liberal Party of Donolo, Liberal Party of Toronto, Liberal arrogance, Liberal entitlement, Liberal machine, MSM bias, Media Watch, Michael Ignatieff, Nanny State, Real criminals love Liberals, Sports, Too many Fools on the Hill, Too many pigs at the trough, Unions, Voter cynicism, Your tax-dollars, democracy, grassroots power.
73 Comments

Should Police Chiefs stay neutral in long-gun debate?

Posted by Joanne on 4 September 2010, 10:24 am

Many lefty elitists are voicing their opposition to Candice Hoeppner’s private member’s bill to eliminate the long-gun registry – namely Top Cop Brass, university profs and their koolaid-drunk ducklings, lefty pols, Big Government Bureaucrats and Public Sector Top Dogs.

But while some of those folks have a perfect right to express their political viewpoints, the Chiefs of Police are in the tricky situation of trying to stay apolitical because police are expected to uphold legislated laws – not set them or unduly lobby against elected Members of Parliament with whom they have a difference of opinion.

Even Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair expressed a desire “not to wade too far into political waters.”

And so I have some concern about a column in today’s Kitchener Record by Waterloo Regional Police Chief Matt Torigian stating the following:

…Each person charged with a criminal offence stemming from an incident involving domestic violence is checked to determine what, if any, firearms are registered to them. This search reveals both handguns and long-guns. The proposed legislation, supported by all local MPs, would see to it that police could no longer determine what, if any, long-guns are owned by an accused…

Our local MPs here happen to be Conservative, so this strikes me as somewhat unnecessarily political. Why would Matt Torigian say that except to stir the pot and build support for other parties that happen to agree with him?

While I could do another whole post on what’s wrong with the logic of his arguments in the article itself, this foray into the political spectrum is most disturbing aspect to me.

If he wants to run for political office, he should come right out and say so.

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Related

The purpose of the gun registry – Parts 1 and 2 by Mark Peters at The Politic, with a very interesting link to the NFA.


Gun owners target police chiefs – QMI:

Over 90% of cops who responded to a survey organized by Edmonton police Const. Randy Kuntz were in favour of getting rid of the registry. The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP), however, has been fighting to keep the registry, arguing it saves lives.

The Canadian Shooting Sports Association, based in Vaughan, Ont., wants to see the registry dismantled and the funding used to put more cops on the street, among other things.

“The burning question is this — since when do Canadians allow police chiefs to create the policies that should be made by our elected representatives?” association executive director Larry Whitmore said in a statement.

“How long will Canadians tolerate the tail wagging the dog?”

Ethics expert says police chiefs’ association has track record of “dodgy behaviour. – Larry Whitmore, Executive Director Canadian Shooting Sports Association (at Gun Owners’ Resource):

…The gun registry is not gun control. It merely lays a piece of paper beside a gun, which has no bearing on whether it will be used for good or evil. And, criminals don’t apply for that piece of paper because they want their firearms kept secret. At an estimated cost of $2 billion and growing daily, there are myriad compelling reasons to send the registry riding off into the sunset.

So, why do the politically motivated police associations lobby so breathlessly to keep the registry? The answer may have more to do with financial gain than social conscience…

(This is a MUST-READ)

Get tough on gun crime, not on farmers – Winnipeg Free Press

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Sunday Update

Welcome Jack’s Newswatch Readers! (H/T Mary T)

Filed under Accountability, Big Bureaucracy, Follow the money, Liberal machine, Nanny State, Unions, Your tax-dollars, democracy.
131 Comments

Can you follow the logic?

Posted by Joanne on 3 September 2010, 7:50 am

Today’s Star reports that according to 15 top health ‘experts’, scrapping the mandatory long-form census would put at risk the health of our most vulnerable citizens. (H/T NNW)

O.K. I was intrigued by this argument and read further:

Cherie Miller, director of community health at the Regent Park Community Health Centre, said their clients, many of whom live in extreme poverty, will not — and may not know how to — fill out a voluntary survey. The mandatory long-form census, she said, “actually gives our folks the chance to have a voice.”

So if the form is mandatory, then they’ll know how to fill it out?

Obviously I’m missing something here.

Filed under Big Bureaucracy, Canadian economy, Too many pigs at the trough, Unions, Your tax-dollars, health.
103 Comments

The Economy Premier?

Posted by Joanne on 2 September 2010, 1:25 pm

Not content to merely be known as the ‘Education Premier’, Dalton McGuinty has now taken to giving advice to the Bank of Canada – Ontario premier urges Bank of Canada not to hike interest rate.

He actually has the gall to talk about the need for ‘prudence’(!):

“It points to the need for continuing prudence,” he said.

“Try as we might, we cannot completely uncouple ourselves from the American economy. They’re our single largest trading partner and consumer confidence — American consumer confidence — is a powerful factor in determining the health and vitality of our own economy here.”

McGuinty made the remarks from a Toronto elementary school where he was promoting a new expense for Ontario: full-day kindergarten for four- and five-year-olds.

The self-described education premier announced plans last fall to forge ahead with the costly project despite the economic downturn and warnings of a record-setting deficit.

The program, which is expected to cost $1.5 billion a year once fully implemented, is being slowly phased in over five years, starting with 600 schools this fall.

Ontario is also seeing higher inflation than other provinces, largely due to the July 1 implementation of the new harmonized sales tax.

Consumer prices in Ontario rose 2.9 per cent in July — the largest year-over-year hike among the provinces — with the HST accounting for about 1.3 per cent of that increase. Canada’s annual inflation rate rose by eight-tenths of a point to 1.8 per cent, according to Statistics Canada…

Is it possible that Dalton McGuinty is finally beginning to wake up to the possible nightmarish consequences of his many disastrous policies?

Nah, he’s just hoping he can get away with it.

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Friday Update

Does Dalton have a backbone?: Sun Editorial

Filed under Arrogance, Big Green, Culture of Conceit, Dalton Days, Dalton McGuinty, Flicking politicians, Follow the money, HST, Hypocrisy, Incompetence, Just trust Dalton, Lemmings love Fiberals, Lemmings love taxes, Liberal arrogance, Ontario economy, Premier Hudak in 2011, Socialism, Unions, Your tax-dollars, eHealth, economy, education, scandals.
41 Comments

WE THE PEOPLE must take a stand

Posted by Joanne on 1 September 2010, 8:36 am

Mary T nailed it when she mused that it’s rather hypocritical of Iggy to say ‘we make the rules‘, and then force his democratically-elected caucus members to vote the way he wants, rather than according their constituents’ wishes on the subject of the Long-Gun Registry.

What with this and the Liberal obsession about the long-form census, they seem to be evolving into the Party of Bureaucratic Coercion and Enforcement.

I’m with Prairie Tory on this one, wondering what’s their game-plan?

This dog won’t hunt – except among Big City and Top-Cop elitists and irate public sector unions.

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Worth Reading:

More from Tom Brodbeck at Raise a Little Hell.

Why the Gun Registry Needs To Go – Garry Breitkreuz

Filed under CPC majority solution, Culture of Conceit, Entitlement, Follow the money, Harper best PM ever, Iffy, Iggo Waffles, Iggy, Iggyssiah, Incompetence, Liberal Party of Donolo, Liberal Party of Toronto, Liberal arrogance, Liberal entitlement, Liberal machine, Michael Ignatieff, Nanny State, Too many Fools on the Hill, Too many pigs at the trough, ToryBoy, Unions, grassroots power.
72 Comments

ABP gaining traction?

Posted by Joanne on 29 August 2010, 8:58 am

Is the ‘Anyone But’ Party going to be the big winner at the Ontario municipal and provincial level?  And if so, how would that impact the next Federal election?

While driving home yesterday afternoon we happened to tune into AM 640 and Arlene Bynon’s program was centering on these questions – especially the first.

Lorrie Goldstein was interviewed on the subject and has a column in this morning’s Sun outlining the effect of the arrogant lefties’ assaults on Rob Ford – it is causing support to increase for Ford’s more fiscally conservative stance.  The tax and spend mentality of the NDPers in Toronto may have finally hit the wall of voters’ tolerance, especially in the outlying ‘burbs.

Christina Blizzard picks up this theme and extrapolates it to the Ontario Liberal government which is now the status quo and becoming increasingly arrogant and out-of-touch with the taxpayer.  The 2011 election may see a backlash there.  In fact it has already started:

…For the first time since he was re-elected in 2007, Dalton McGuinty is trailing the PC leader in the polls.

Ipsos figures show the PCs at 36%, have a narrow lead over the Liberals, at 35%.

The NDP is at 18% and Greens are at 11%.

Sure, a slim 1% margin hardly makes Tory Tim Hudak a shoo-in for the premier, but it gives the Tories a needed boost.

That figure isn’t the most important one. On every question, the Tories were ahead. A whopping 64% of those polled want a change in government.

What’s most surprising about the figures is that Hudak is largely unknown. It’s not so much Hudak they’re voting for as it is McGuinty they’re voting against.

They want anyone but him…

So if voter intention is moving against the status quo in Toronto and Ontario, what about the federal scene? Are the incumbent Tories in trouble?

My guess is not, because of the minority situation where the Government’s hands are bound by the 3 opposition parties and the constant threat of an election. So federally the fact is that the status quo is still the tax & spend mentality because a more fiscally-responsible position would be trashed by the left.

Therefore I think that if the Harper Conservatives could put forth a vision of Canada that would safeguard our economy, our communities and our borders, and restore respect to the taxpayer, then a majority is a realistic possibility – especially if it builds on the anyone-but-lefties momentum.

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Related

Iggy to Harper: “We make the rules!” – David Akin (Great truth-ad fodder for the next election!)

And how about this from the same source?

The Conservatives, for the last three years, have raised twice as much money from twice as many people as all the other parties, including the Liberals, combined.

“Politics is not a spectator sport,” Ignatieff told the crowd here. “We need your help. We are up against the toughest political machine, the nastiest political machine in the history of Canadian politics.”

So any grass root supporters donating to the Conservative Party are enabling the nastiest political machine in the history of Canadian politics, according to Michael Ignatieff. Don’t you feel ashamed of yourselves?

I’m sure that Maria Augimeri would not be impressed with your progress on the ‘learning curve’ either.

Filed under Arrogance, CPC majority solution, Coalition of the swilling, Culture of Conceit, Dalton McGuinty, David Miller, Entitlement, Flicking politicians, Goldstein, Harper best PM ever, Lemmings love taxes, Liberal Party of Toronto, Liberal arrogance, Liberal entitlement, Michael Ignatieff, Only one tax-payer, Ontario Politics, Ontario government, Ours to Recover, Premier Hudak in 2011, Tim Hudak, Too many pigs at the trough, Toronto, Truth ads, Unions, Your tax-dollars, democracy, elections, grassroots power.
64 Comments

Sticking it to the taxpayer – over and over again

Posted by Joanne on 13 August 2010, 9:10 am

Here’s a local story that can serve as an illustration as to why it’s so important to become informed and vote in municipal elections: Parking payout a double perk: Local governments paid employees’ income tax for parking benefit — then paid tax on the tax (Record).

Apparently our generous city fathers have been giving employees a free ride concerning parking spaces and now it’s time to pay the piper – the latter being the federal taxman who wants his share of the perk. The local governments feel that it’s not really fair to have their employees pay the back taxes, so they’re sticking it to the local taxpayers.

That little gift triggered yet another federal income tax charge on the perk which the local taxpayers are having to pay again.

Finally each council took some definitive action:

- Regional government provided employees with temporary wage bumps worth $800,000. The federal tax collector took $319,000 to cover the additional benefit. This left employees with $481,000 to pay outstanding taxes on the parking benefit.

- The City of Kitchener paid the tax collector directly for $302,000 in outstanding taxes on the parking benefit. This payment triggered another benefit for which employees were further taxed for $105,000. The city also paid that bill. When that payment triggered yet another benefit, smaller still, employees paid those taxes, ending the spiral.

-  This summer, Waterloo council gave affected employees a wage bump worth $155,000. Federal taxes of $45,000 cover the additional benefit. Employees have what’s left to settle $110,000 in outstanding parking taxes.

The City of Kitchener has now ended its policy of free or discounted parking to employees not needing cars for work, but this has triggered a grievance!

The local city fathers and public employees obviously believe they are entitled to their entitlements.   They have no idea at all how hard it is for Mr. & Mrs. Senior to struggle  to stay in their own home while taxes and utilities (plus HST) are escalating beyond belief.

If you live in Ontario, please exercise your right to vote on October 25.

Fire. Them. All.

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Related

This isn’t the first time that Kitchener City Council has demonstrated a culture of Entitlement.

Filed under Arrogance, Election fever, Entitlement, Flicking politicians, Greed, Incompetence, Only one tax-payer, Ontario, Seniors, Too many pigs at the trough, Unions, Voter cynicism, Your tax-dollars.
32 Comments
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