Little Stevie Harper's Follies

If this current Parliament wasn't such an irritating gong show, it would almost be funny. Harper's collection of neurosis seems to be in full bloom this past week - and Parliament's fall sitting hasn't even begun.

1. Election Dodging

Knowing that shutting down a program that works when you are a minority government is generally a bad idea, Tony Clement has announced that Vancouver's safe injection site will have a stay of execution until the end of 2007.

In a pathetic attempt to weasel out, we find Mr. Clement arguing:

Clement said in a statement that additional studies will be conducted into how supervised injection sites affect crime prevention and treatment before a decision is made.

"Do safe injection sites contribute to lowering drug use and fighting addiction? Right now the only thing the research to date has proven conclusively is drug addicts need more help to get off drugs," said Clement.

"Given the need for more facts, I am unable to approve the current request to extend the Vancouver site for another three and a half years."

How convenient, Mr. Weaselmouth. So the research results already in aren't good enough for you? - horsefeathers. You're looking for a way justify shutting something down because you can't get it through your pathetic ideologically addled brain cell that just maybe the evidence is already there.

This is nothing more than a pathetic attempt at dodging making a decision, likely because you know the decision that you want to make will be dreadfully unpopular.

2. Softwood Lumber Deals Indicating Soft Negotiators

As the stench from the rotting mass of pulp that is the softwood lumber "deal" that HarperCrit and David Emerson have been bragging about since this spring becomes more putrid, we find them going into defensive mode:

Emerson criticizes opposition parties as "anti-American". Jeepers, every time I hear that phrase I get mad. We're criticizing the "deal" you and Stevie boy made after fellating BushCo, you lying weasels. Asking you morons to stand up for Canada's best interests is what you haven't done. Making a $450 Million donation to BushCo is a criminal abuse of Canadian taxpayers and industry. Of course, to the current bunch of lying morons that call themselves "Conservatives" in this country, anything involving criticizing their dealings with the most dishonest government in the United States since Nixon is immediately "anti American".

Of course, their "good buddies" in Washington are up to their usual tricks, now cranking up the "inspections" that they subject Canadian people and goods crossing the border to, on the grounds that our agricultural products are apparently so infested with pestilence that they are all scared of us crossing their borders. I wonder what they really want this time - another $450 million dollar donation to pay for the Rethuglican election campaigns in 2008?

3. Little Stevie's Private Paramilitary

We can't possibly ignore Harper's announcement of $100 million to arm the Canadian Border Guards.

First of all, my basic comment is that unless the organization of the border guards is being radically changed, they should not be given firearms. These people are fundamentally civilians, just like most of us. Their jobs do not include the training and discipline that is necessary to ensure that firearms are only used when absolutely necessary, but also that there is a clear line of command and accountability for those situations where it is necessary.

If we are going to make the Border Guards an armed service, they should be placed under the wing of either the RCMP or Canadian Military - subject to the training, discipline and respect that those organizations bear. Both the RCMP and the Canadian military services drill into their people some very strict rules around the use of firearms, as well as a generally well enforced sense of respect for the unarmed civilian population that they deal with every day.

No less is required of our border guard, especially if we are going to provide them with firearms. Remember, the vast majority of people are neither armed criminals, nor bent on violence. We are talking about a tiny fraction of people that pose an actual threat.

4. Conservatives Eating Their Futures

Almost on the heels of Garth Turner's survival of an attempt to unseat him, we are treated to yet another insight into the squabbling inside the CPoC. My goodness, a failed candidate is "an embarrassment", yet it is "worthwhile" to protect an MP who called Nelson Mandela "a terrorist"? Not terribly brilliant boys.

Meanwhile, polls aren't painting CPoC in the happiest of lights for a newly minted government. In fact, they seem to be losing ground in key areas like Quebec for their stance on Israel's invasion of Lebanon.