It is slightly ironic that World Press Freedom Day falls the day after the federal election in Canada.
Right when freedom of the press in this country seems to be going MIA.
If one more article appears accusing the Liberals of proposing a "tax and spend" plan, without mentioning that the Liberal plan actually includes getting back out of a budget deficit position sooner than the Conservatives' plan does, it can be safely assumed that press freedom is no longer a fact of life in this country, as we once knew it.
Today's freedom of the press MIA exhibit: the Toronto Sun's Michael Den Tandt's column. It is basically just a re-conception of yesterday's Ibbitson piece in the Globe, but Den Tandt has to be credited for a very original and amusing revision of history, to the effect that the Conservative Party is "centre-right" and the Liberals "centre-left".
How about press freedom MIA day? And how about we celebrate by de-conglomerating all these papers, radio stations internet portals and TV networks?
Monday, April 4, 2011
Ignatieff Would Remove Oil Sands Tax Breaks
A Liberal government would immediately cancel the Accelerated Capital Cost Allowance for oil sands investment. This is expected to generate nearly $500 million in additional revenue for the federal government over the next two years.
In the platform released yesterday, the Liberals also announced a comprehensive package of other environmental initiatives, well summarized over at Environmental Defense.
Even Harper had intentions of eliminating the ACCA by 2015, as few people, even in Alberta, are clamouring for more tax breaks for the oil industry.
The Liberal green initiative to get the roughest ride from Conservatives and Albertans will no doubt be the cap and trade system announced yesterday by Ignatieff.
In the platform released yesterday, the Liberals also announced a comprehensive package of other environmental initiatives, well summarized over at Environmental Defense.
Even Harper had intentions of eliminating the ACCA by 2015, as few people, even in Alberta, are clamouring for more tax breaks for the oil industry.
The Liberal green initiative to get the roughest ride from Conservatives and Albertans will no doubt be the cap and trade system announced yesterday by Ignatieff.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Globe and Mail "Analysis" Misses the Mark By 180 Degrees
In this hatchet job by John Ibbitson.
Judging by the comments, 98% of the readers see through the sham.
CTV somewhat more objective but still very pro-Harper.
Besides dealing with a biased media, the challenge for Ignatieff now becomes to keep the campaign fresh after putting the entire platform out there at this early stage in the game.
Judging by the comments, 98% of the readers see through the sham.
CTV somewhat more objective but still very pro-Harper.
Besides dealing with a biased media, the challenge for Ignatieff now becomes to keep the campaign fresh after putting the entire platform out there at this early stage in the game.
AIDS-like HIV-Negative Disease Spreads in China, Baffles Experts
The claims about this disease are startling, even scary. They say it ravages the body, is highly contagious, passing from person to person in any bodily fluid, and does not result in a positive HIV test.
From the news stories out there, it seems that at least hundreds of people have been suffering from this disease for at least 2-3 years. Well if that's the case, then it couldn't be as "highly contagious" as claimed, or else there would be millions sick by now.
Then again, maybe there are many more carriers who do not exhibit symptoms. As of now, it looks like there could be any number of possible explanations. In an article in February, the BBC reports doctor speculation that the disease could be the result of a mental condition.
Or, who knows? Perhaps the disease will eventually be found to have a link to pollution or chemicals in the environment or the food chain.
Of course there may also be the Armageddon wishful thinkers out there. And there are definitely some trying to foment anxiety. One Christian news site published an article headlined that the disease had spread to the U.S. - but the link provided contained no such information.
Aside from the Epoch Times and BBC articles linked, news of this seems to be traveling mostly on the blogs.
Update
From the news stories out there, it seems that at least hundreds of people have been suffering from this disease for at least 2-3 years. Well if that's the case, then it couldn't be as "highly contagious" as claimed, or else there would be millions sick by now.
Then again, maybe there are many more carriers who do not exhibit symptoms. As of now, it looks like there could be any number of possible explanations. In an article in February, the BBC reports doctor speculation that the disease could be the result of a mental condition.
Or, who knows? Perhaps the disease will eventually be found to have a link to pollution or chemicals in the environment or the food chain.
Of course there may also be the Armageddon wishful thinkers out there. And there are definitely some trying to foment anxiety. One Christian news site published an article headlined that the disease had spread to the U.S. - but the link provided contained no such information.
Aside from the Epoch Times and BBC articles linked, news of this seems to be traveling mostly on the blogs.
Update
Saturday, April 2, 2011
GMOs Force Farmers into Pre-emptive Lawsuit vs Monsanto
Imagine you were a farmer. Then, one fine day in the country, some seeds or pollen blow in on the wind or fall in some bird poop and the genetic material from these seeds or pollen gets into your crops.
How would you like to get nailed with a big fat patent infringement lawsuit from Monsanto because of this?
A group of farmers, concerned that this is an imminent threat, have filed suit against Monsanto to "challenge the chemical giant's patents on genetically modified seed".
The results of this lawsuit will no doubt have implications for the CETA "free trade" negotiations with Europe.
from Grist.
How would you like to get nailed with a big fat patent infringement lawsuit from Monsanto because of this?
A group of farmers, concerned that this is an imminent threat, have filed suit against Monsanto to "challenge the chemical giant's patents on genetically modified seed".
The results of this lawsuit will no doubt have implications for the CETA "free trade" negotiations with Europe.
from Grist.
What's Up with Elections Canada Job Opportunities on Conservative Candidates' Websites?
Perhaps this is a common practice. Seems out of line to me.
If I lived in Oshawa I would want to know a little more about my MP than the fact they have lawn signs available and links to Elections Canada on their website. Looks like the candidate in question, CPC MP Colin Carrie is in for a stiff challenge from Liberal candidate, James Morton and the NDP challenger, Chris Buckley, who is President of CAW Local 222. It will be interesting to see which way the vote splits there.
April 4 - the links to Elections Canada employment opportunities have now been removed from the pages where they formerly appeared on Mr. Carrie's site.
If I lived in Oshawa I would want to know a little more about my MP than the fact they have lawn signs available and links to Elections Canada on their website. Looks like the candidate in question, CPC MP Colin Carrie is in for a stiff challenge from Liberal candidate, James Morton and the NDP challenger, Chris Buckley, who is President of CAW Local 222. It will be interesting to see which way the vote splits there.
April 4 - the links to Elections Canada employment opportunities have now been removed from the pages where they formerly appeared on Mr. Carrie's site.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Green Party Proposes High Speed Rail Corridors
This news from Mar. 29 took the milk run to get here but better late than never!
Even if lacking in detail, an excellent proposal from the Green Party of Canada. Leader Elizabeth May proposes high-speed rail links in four corridors across the country: Halifax - Sydney, Windsor-Quebec City, Regina-Saskatoon and Calgary-Edmonton.
The often-studied Quebec-Windsor route is obviously the most viable and would seem to be a no-brainer. But, for some reason, the political will to push it through has never existed.
Put it Right Across the Country
Frankly I would like to see them go one step further and put high-speed through right across the country.
Halifax-Sydney doesn't seem to make all that much sense. Halifax-Moncton... now that would make sense, especially if attached to Moncton-Quebec City. Vancouver-Calgary would be the tough part, just as it was for the original railway builders. But, look at it this way: installing high-speed rail from Vancouver to Calgary today has to be easier than laying the original railroad was in the 1800s.
Carbon consumption statistics for the various forms of transport are given in carbon per passenger km. What becomes evident is that, as electrical generation becomes cleaner, electric powered transportation methods will therefore be the cleanest. Presumably, the conversion of automobiles to electric will proceed in the coming years. Aircraft, however, will not be able to be converted to electric in the foreseeable future, therefore high-speed rail will be particularly competitive in green terms vs air travel. The ability to go coast to coast by HSR will be very important.
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