In Theory

I heard Dwight Duncan on the CBC this morning (the second anti-reform story this week on the CBC) saying that in theory a Premier could refuse to run for a constituency seat under MMP. This is quite true. Did you also know that in theory the Queen can disallow any act of Parliament within two years of its passage (BNA Act Section 56)? Did you know that in theory, the Queen is the commander in chief of the army (Section 15)? Did you know that in theory the Queen can decide to move the capital of the country at her pleasure (Section 16)? As we all know, the reality in all of these cases is different than the theory. Ask yourself what the reaction of the public would be if a leader of a party refused to run for a constituency, in reality? Exactly.

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Christ On A Crutch

It's not as if I didn't suspect all of this stuff. And still, no one in our security services has been touched by this disgrace. Imagine, the Harper government fought to save the reputation of the CIA. It makes me weep.

Update: Here is the addendum to the Arar Report with the previously blacked out portions in bold.

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Get Some Perspective

I am starting to get the feeling that people on the nets are projecting too many hopes and dreams onto the MMP debate. MMP is not going to stop global warming, or end world hunger. Nor will it turn politicians into angels. It is what it is -- an electoral system that will more clearly reflect the voters' intentions. If you project more onto it than that, you will set yourself up for disappointment. It will also make the opponents of any reform much stronger because they can cynically point out that the proposed system will fail because it won't turn politicians into angels. Everybody, take a deep breath and look at the proposal. It isn't perfect, but it is an improvement over what we currently have because we will no longer have minority government vested with majority power. That's all.

As usual, the Simpsons shows us what can happen when expectations outstrip reality.

As we all know, this ends badly for Homer (as his schemes always do). That's what happens when expectations do not match reality.

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Peace In Our Time Watch

Just 10 months into the softwood lumber deal that saw Canada cave on everything, the Americans are coming back to gnaw on the bones. I wonder if our psychotic majesty will give away Vancouver this time.

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What's That Sound?

Why I do believe it is the sound of chickens coming home to roost.

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Condemned To Minorities

I heard the No MMP campaign on the CBC this morning (I expect we will have a Yes MMP piece on any day now, right CBC?). The main thrust of the "message" is that Ontario will be condemned to minority governments. Let me just say that we have always had minority governments in Ontario. We call them majority governments and vest them with absolute power, but there has not been a government with a majority of voter support, since WWII. As for suffering, I will define suffering for you. For Conservatives and Liberals, it was seeing Bob Rae given absolute control of this province with less that 40% of the vote and for the NDP. For NDP supporters, it was seeing Mike Harris strip mining this province when he never had much more than 40% support. The problem the "No MMP" campaign is worried about is not minority government, it is sharing power.

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Stephen Harper Can't Possibly Get It

Everyone knows that I think Stephen Harper is a psychopath, who seems to think that the state exists only as an extension of his will. While others won't go that far, the realization that Harper believes that all state apparatus should follow his script, without question (even to the point of breaking the law), is starting to dawn on the MSM.

Harper seems to be saying the law is an ass and we're going to get the wheat board out of barley marketing by hook or by crook. This shows Harper's clear contempt for the law, if the law doesn't happen to conform to his world-view.

Guys like Harper are poison in any organization. Sane Tories had better get rid of this guy, before he destroys their party.

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