Some of these pictures are of artworks by artists whose names are lost to me at the moment and will require digging to figure out. If you know of them, please share in the comments and I'll be happy to edit their names into the post, thanks!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
50 Days of Illegitimacy - 50 Jours illégitimes
Many people have read this blog in the last 50 days. They know. They should stop being cowards, intellectually, morally, & politically, and speak out: the Harper Govt is illegitimate. Or shall we wait another 50, & another 50, & another & another....?Plusieurs ont lu ce blogue au cours des 50 derniers jours. Ils comprennent. Ils devraient mettre fin à leur lâcheté, intellectuelle, morale, et politique, et s'élever leurs voix : le gouvernement Harper est illégitime. Ou attendrons-nous encore 50 jours, et encore 50, et encore 50, et encore et encore...?
Friday, January 29, 2010
"AT THIS POINT" - SCC 2 Exec: Last Chance
Having read the Khadr decision it's clear that the Court is asking the Govt to seek appropriate remedy, quickly, or the next application it hears, re. Govt's non-compliance, will force it to do something it doesn't want, and order executive to repatriate. They have been as restrained as they can be, far too much, in my view: should have required immediate repatriation. Still, the message is, either you negotiate Khadr a fair hearing in a respectable court in USA [EFL noted implication: where we all know the treatment he's suffered means the case against him will be dismissed, & he'll be coming home, just later], or you bring him home now-ish, so he can receive justice from, and be under the protection of, Canadian courts, if necessary. But he's in the right, you're in the wrong, you know it, we've confirmed it, so live up to your obligations, or we will have to act, and we'd rather not mess with what we view as Executive prerogative [EFL disagrees: it's not a foreign policy matter, however much smoke & mirrors, it's simple straightforward human rights question, but anyway, judges eh?, whattya gonna do?]
These days, given Harper's conduct, all questions are ending up Executive vs. The World, or Executive Sticks. If buddy would just follow laws, conventions, rules, guidelines, precedents, principles & common sense, eh? But buddy won't, he just won't. So, all together: Harper Must Go!
Noted, 45-47
"We do not know what negotiations may have taken place, or will take place, between the U.S. and Canadian governments over the fate of Mr. Khadr." (...)
(...)
"his legal predicament continues to evolve."
(...)
"During the hearing of this appeal, we were advised by counsel that the U.S. Department of Justice had decided that Mr. Khadr will continue to face trial by military commission, though other Guantanamo detainees will now be tried in a federal court in New York (EFL underlining). How this latest development will affect Mr. Khadr’s situation and any ongoing negotiations between the United States and Canada over his possible repatriation is unknown. But it signals caution in the exercise of the Court’s remedial jurisdiction."
"the proper remedy is declaratory relief"
"The prudent course at this point, respectful of the responsibilities of the executive and the courts, is for this Court to allow Mr. Khadr’s application for judicial review in part and to grant him a declaration advising the government of its opinion on the records before it which, in turn, will provide the legal framework for the executive to exercise its functions and to consider what actions to take in respect of Mr. Khadr, in conformity with the Charter."
These days, given Harper's conduct, all questions are ending up Executive vs. The World, or Executive Sticks. If buddy would just follow laws, conventions, rules, guidelines, precedents, principles & common sense, eh? But buddy won't, he just won't. So, all together: Harper Must Go!
Noted, 45-47
"We do not know what negotiations may have taken place, or will take place, between the U.S. and Canadian governments over the fate of Mr. Khadr." (...)
(...)
"his legal predicament continues to evolve."
(...)
"During the hearing of this appeal, we were advised by counsel that the U.S. Department of Justice had decided that Mr. Khadr will continue to face trial by military commission, though other Guantanamo detainees will now be tried in a federal court in New York (EFL underlining). How this latest development will affect Mr. Khadr’s situation and any ongoing negotiations between the United States and Canada over his possible repatriation is unknown. But it signals caution in the exercise of the Court’s remedial jurisdiction."
"the proper remedy is declaratory relief"
"The prudent course at this point, respectful of the responsibilities of the executive and the courts, is for this Court to allow Mr. Khadr’s application for judicial review in part and to grant him a declaration advising the government of its opinion on the records before it which, in turn, will provide the legal framework for the executive to exercise its functions and to consider what actions to take in respect of Mr. Khadr, in conformity with the Charter."
Gerard Kennedy Is My Kind Of Guy
One should always, ALWAYS, applaud honesty, integrity & coherence in politics. Or else it's all meaningless. And then, Harper is right, prorogation means nothing, overthrowing parliament means nothing, climate change doesn't exist, no-one cares, shut up, stay home, and have another beer while watching Cherry on TV...No! NON! Life does have meaning, politics are meaningful, & we can make the world a better place. If we want a better politics, a better Canada, a better world, it starts with us, the citizenry, and our willingness & responsibility to approve truth & goodness, & condemn lies, superficiality & evil. If we want a better politics, we must encourage our politicians to act like Kennedy, & be honest. This goes for people of all political persuasions, conservative, socialist, whatever, your representatives should be idealists who speak the truth as they they see it, you should require it of them, both their ideals & their honesty. Otherwise we will never have healthy mature debate, because cheating & lying makes it impossible, and just one cheater means everyone else has to as well, or abandon all hope of winning/policy change.
I completely agree with Kennedy's specific point, and a larger one can and should be made: what kind of Canada do we want? Therefore, what is the best way to pay for it? What mix of taxation, set at what rates, is fairest & most efficient to achieve our goals? I think no Canadian should ever live in fear for their material well-being. Anxiety, that is inevitable. But from birth till death, every Canadian should be given the opportunity to make the most of his life, and the courage to do so, knowing that there's a real, working safety net there to catch him if he fails, keep him in good shape, and help him get back up on his feet. This allows every Canadian to maximise their "value-added" in economic terms (no-one should feel they have to trade down because of fear of short-term, bad for them, bad for all of us: less happy, less productive, less revenue increasing situation)
"Danish Solution", though caricature, is right. The market is given all the freedom to follow its natural inclinations, and the State makes sure all are well and confident enough of material circumstances at all times to try to improve themselves and achieve their greatest happiness, at all times. Render unto the Market what is the Market's, and render unto the Public Sector what is Public.
But right now, maybe best to keep focus on democracy, eh? First things first. First, reestablish Democracy, pre-condition to all else, then fix Mixed Economy.
I completely agree with Kennedy's specific point, and a larger one can and should be made: what kind of Canada do we want? Therefore, what is the best way to pay for it? What mix of taxation, set at what rates, is fairest & most efficient to achieve our goals? I think no Canadian should ever live in fear for their material well-being. Anxiety, that is inevitable. But from birth till death, every Canadian should be given the opportunity to make the most of his life, and the courage to do so, knowing that there's a real, working safety net there to catch him if he fails, keep him in good shape, and help him get back up on his feet. This allows every Canadian to maximise their "value-added" in economic terms (no-one should feel they have to trade down because of fear of short-term, bad for them, bad for all of us: less happy, less productive, less revenue increasing situation)
"Danish Solution", though caricature, is right. The market is given all the freedom to follow its natural inclinations, and the State makes sure all are well and confident enough of material circumstances at all times to try to improve themselves and achieve their greatest happiness, at all times. Render unto the Market what is the Market's, and render unto the Public Sector what is Public.
But right now, maybe best to keep focus on democracy, eh? First things first. First, reestablish Democracy, pre-condition to all else, then fix Mixed Economy.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
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