Tag: Canada

What pipe dream vexes North America

Posted by bigM on January 23, 2012 | No comments

Very revealing article in The Tyee here.

“(…) (For the record, the oil industry is not a jobs machine. It is the world’s most capital-intensive industry and earns more than 10 per cent of the world’s GDP. But it only employs less than one tenth of one per cent of the world’s workers. In Canada it accounts for but 1.8 per cent of the workforce.)

No matter. TransCanada’s immodest economic models, for example, piped out job estimates 13 times greater (199,000) than those done by U.S. State Department (5,000 to 8,000) over a three- year period.

A 2011 Cornell University Global Labor Institute report crunched the numbers too and revealed that the project’s construction would inject no more than $4-billion into the U.S. economy and only create between 2,500 and 4,650 jobs. (…)”

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Gas prices will go up with new Keystone Pipeline

Posted by bigM on January 8, 2012 | No comments

Update 12 JAN: Hervorragende Richtigstellung in “The Ottawa Citizen“, numbers and all:

“If there were a global competition for the most brazen and preposterously transparent attempt by a ruling political party to change a necessary subject of national debate with alarmist distractions and hubbub, the Conservative escapade engineered in Ottawa these past few days really deserves some kind of grand prize.”

Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/real+foreign+interests+oilsands/5981230/story.html#ixzz1jJFgpKPa

Update 11 JAN: The Toronto Star calls a Cabinet Minister using that rhetoric “nuts”. This passage contains a more realistic assessment: “The parody lies with the fact that Canada’s oil industry is dominated by multinationals. That means there will indeed be a lot of big-money foreign interests pushing the three-person federal review panel to okay a pipeline from Alberta’s oilsands to a tanker port at Kitimat on the British Columbia coast.

Haisla First Nation Hereditary Chiefs Clifford Smith, left, Rod Bolton, centre, and Sam Robinson address a review panel during the opening day of hearings for the Enbridge Northern Gateway Project in Kitimaat Village, B.C., on Tuesday.

Haisla First Nation Hereditary Chiefs Clifford Smith, left, Rod Bolton, centre, and Sam Robinson address a review panel during the opening day of hearings for the Enbridge Northern Gateway Project in Kitimaat Village, B.C., on Tuesday.

America’s Exxon Mobil, Britain’s BP, France’s Total E&P, China’s SinoCanada Petroleum Corp. and Japan Canada Oil Sands Ltd. have all asked for intervenor status at the hearings. So has the South Korean conglomerate Daewoo.

But foreigners who support the pipeline aren’t the outsiders that Prime Minister Stephen Harper claims to be worried about. As Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver explained to CBC television on Monday, these are the good foreign interests.”

Update 10 JAN: As It Happens (CBC) hat ein sehr informatives Stück anlässlich der Anschuldigungen des kanadischen Ministers für Natürliche Ressourcen, Joe Oliver genau hier.
Update JAN 9: A reaction from Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party of Canada and MP for Saanich-Gulf-Islands in British Columbia, to Joe Oliver, Canada’s Minister For Natural Resources, a response to his open letter, ranting in never known ways and demeaning First Nations and other critics of the pipeline, as well as the democratic environmental assessment as a whole required in the process.

“Most fundamentally, shipping unprocessed bitumen crude out of Canada has been attacked by the biggest of Canada’s energy labour unions, the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, as a bad idea. The CEP estimates it means exporting 40,000 jobs out of Canada (figure based on jobs lost through the Keystone Pipeline). They prefer refining the crude here in Canada. (The CEP is also not a group to which your allegation that opponents of Gateway also oppose all forestry, mining, oil, gas, etc is anything but absurd.)”

Temporary jobs, not more than 4000 over the course of two years, and gas is expected to be more expensive, as dirty Canadian tarsands oil will go toward EXPORT. Check out what is really going to happen, coz the oil barons scheming this up will tell you anything but this:

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Really Canada: Don’t attack other countries.

Posted by bigM on January 7, 2012 | No comments

IRAN – a beautiful, ancient culture with many uprisings of educated young citizens claiming their rights – where were u then with your soldiers? These sprouts of Eden have been Spring Snowflakes breaking through an ideological dark in what is now the melting slosh of the former ice ages of the Middle East and the US. They need and deserve our support.

Some backround now? Here is a democracyNow.org segment about the CIA’s 1953 coup of a democratically elected government in IRAN (Uploaded on Oct 2, 2007).

This is what I heard on CFRA 2day. It was host Michael Harris more or less, original wording may vary, assessing Canada’s PM’s earlier claim, IRAN “wants” to use nuclear bombs.

Quote start
That Irak supposingly had “weapons of mass destruction” is the BIGGEST LIE of the past decade.
Stephen Harper needs to be challenged, because he stepped over the line, claiming on a program where he knew he wouldn’t be, that Iran “wants” to use a nuclear bomb, to herd Canadians into the acceptance of a pre-emptive strike against Iran. Just like British PM Tony Blair and US president George W Bush at the time, today’s leaders again need something to change public opinion to favor war.

How is it believable, that Iran will use a nuclear bomb, when that will inevitably result in their regional suicide? It is not believable.

They don’t want to be invaded, that is why they want nuclear weapons, you can’t have only one power in a region have those weapons, that just doesn’t work, besides all international efforts examining Iran, just like in the case of Irak, NEVER found any traces of such weapons and saw Iran comply with the norms set by the international community, meanwhile they had their scientists assassinated. If Barack Obama thinks he can go in there and do this, or have the Israelis do it for him, he is crazy.

Quote end

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The return of Helena Guergis – das Aufräumen nach der Dreckschlacht der Cowboy-Party part II

Posted by bigM on December 23, 2011 | No comments

The former Minister for the Status of Women launches a 1.3 million dollar law suit against the Canadian Prime Minister Steven Harper, Labour Minister Lisa Raitt and more under allegations of conspiracy and defamation.

Way to go Helena Guergis.

31 pages on how Prime Minister Steven Harper, some assistants and entourage bullied the promising Minister for the Status of Women outta there. I’m getting the popcorn ready. Looks like a can of bad assets rebuttal. Just hoping the Crown’s gonna get a handle on the documentation before the Cons delete it all. They do seem to be able to press buttons …

I would wish some judicial consequences, for a head of government, but also for everybody else who was not hesitant to throw a lot of dirt on a public servant. Her reputation was trashed on accusations (delivered 2 Stevie from a bankrupt private investigator owing two million dollars in taxes who now testified he had no proof of wrongdoing whatsoever) that would have no public interest (where I would be willing 2 discuss the mind altering effects of cocaine) if this country was to apply some science on the law-making and governing. The only thing of public interest here is, what the federal Ethics Commissioner found.

Wikipedia
states:
“On May 20, 2010 Federal Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson fined Guergis $100 for failing to report details of a $800,000 mortgage liability within the 30 day time limit. Guergis had purchased the Ottawa house with her husband Rahim Jaffer in November 2009. Guergis said “I simply forgot and I accept responsibility for this oversight, I have already made arrangements to pay the fine — within the 30 days I was provided to do so.”[45][46]

In July 2011 Mary Dawson further found Guergis contravened 2 sections of the MP conflict of interest code by writing a letter of support for a company to a local municipal politician. Rahim Jaffer, Guergis’s husband was seeking lobbying business from the same company at the time.[47] >> (please see sources on Wikipedia page)

The lobbying commissioner ruled the pair violated the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct. Check this article on iPolitics.ca for more info:

“In a 53-page report, Karen Shepherd found that even though Jaffer and Glémaud failed to obtain the $178 million in federal funding they were seeking, they should have registered as lobbyists. Shepherd ruled they also had to register even if they weren’t explicitly hired as lobbyists.
Shepherd investigated 10 allegations against Jaffer and Glémaud and concluded that five breached the lobbyists code.”

Oh and just btw, Jaffer’s company was developing a photovoltaic power plant for Brockville as well as a device called a BioDryer waste disposal system, a waterless garbage processor. Totally unrelated? You tell me.

And:

The RCMP (!) called in on Harper’s own request, cleared Helena Guergis of all the other charges. She was never sentenced or found guilty in any court of law. Her husband, Rahim Jaffer, pleaded guilty to careless driving, charges against him for drunk driving and cocaine possession did not hold up and were dropped as well.

Why did the gang around Harpo bully and publicly discredit her? Well, looking @ her style or some unfortunate, perfectly legal events in her entourage, she seems to have a tendency to rock the boat here and there, but Conservatives are not exactly known for any particular elegance around here.

Thinking about it, consider a renaming into the “Cowboy Party of Canada” – oil is civilization for us.

This I can only hold up while apologizing to all brave cattle herds out there with big shoulders and long … legs who are embarrassed that Harpo is also from Alberta.

What I find remarkable is, that Helena Guirgis was anything but on partyline in her political career, and seemed very dedicated to her constituents. Again I quote from Wikipedia

<< When running for provincial office in 2003 in the socially liberal riding of Trinity-Spadina, Guergis said that she would vote in favour of same-sex marriage if given the opportunity. Responding to a question on same-sex marriage at an all-candidates debate, she said, "I believe in the right to choose, so I would be voting in favour of it."[8]

Campaigning the following year in the socially conservative riding of Simcoe-Grey, Guergis said that she would vote against the federal government's proposed legalization of same-sex marriage. She argued that the majority of her constituents opposed the initiative, and that she was committed to supporting their views. Guergis did in fact vote against Bill C-38, which granted legal sanction to same-sex marriage, in 2005. In the same year, she tabled a private member's bill restricting MPs from crossing parties after their election.[9]

Guergis was re-elected with 49.8% of the vote in the 2006 election, substantially increasing her margin of victory as the Conservatives won a minority government nationally. On February 7, 2006, she was named by Prime Minister Stephen Harper as parliamentary secretary to David Emerson, the Minister of International Trade and the Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics.

Guergis's appointment was somewhat controversial, in that Emerson had crossed the floor from the Liberal Party on the same day that he received his cabinet position. One day prior to her appointment, Guergis informed the media that she would issue a press release indicating her continued support for anti-floor crossing legislation. The release never appeared.[10] >> (please see Wikipedia entry for sources)

Let me wage a guess: that was a little bit too grass roots for your taste?

Now we gonna see the tables turned. I doubt we will see all the evidence, but it will certainly be entertaining.

Wait, what was the word you campaigned on? right. ACCOUNTABILITY.

It’s comin’ your way, Mr. Prime Minister.

CBC news file DEC 22, 4:19 PM ET
Toronto Star article

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BarKanada wieder auf Sendung am kommenden Samstag!

Posted by bigM on December 6, 2011 | No comments

Update DEC 6 2011: Mit Richard Carr habe ich auf’m St-Laurent in Montréal Cappuccinos geschlürft – am Samstag werde ich einen Titel von seiner neuen Scheibe spielen! Hier ist ein Artikel mit Hinweis auf eine Blues-Radio-Sendung, der den Montréaler Blues-Musiker auch erwähnt. Bis denne!

2nite on “The National“, income gap in Canada interestingly illustrated, nice choice of voices, but super funny from 9.06 on – they call’em Mr. and Mrs Marcozy – ahahahaha! and that’s not all: very informative overview on reserve life-style all over C (why that would fair behind a Euro-story, even if somewhat epic, 4 a Canadian broadcaster, kinda concerns me a bit) with the corniest Mansbridge in a long time in the end – nothing like the CBC, aeh?

A-and:
Keppler 22b, here I come. I did it once, I can do it again. Love this article: “Personally, I am faintly tired of people just like us. I would dearly love to communicate and commune with entities that have 10 limbs, 15 methods of sound and vision, and no such thing as hockey. ”

Not 2 mention sum more delicate body parts, me thinx, can’t help watching my thoughts go 4 a space walk … :P

In the meantime, on a planet of weirdos in your home galaxy, instead of assuming responsibility 4 a decade of bureaucratic delays and broken promises failing Canada’s most vulnerable inhabitants, Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan put the Attawapiskat reserve under third party management in form of a banker, who was kicked off reserve promptly upon his arrival this morning.

Ich dachte, dieses alles könnte Euch informieren und diesen sonst zu Trostlosigkeit neigenden Dezember Dienstag etwas aufheitern.

Samstag sind wir wieder auf Sendung. 11 AM EST/17h MEZ EINSCHALTEN!

ON THIRD-PARTY MANAGEMENT:
Duncan: “Last week, I announced plans to put in place a third-party manager to address the urgent needs of the community and to ensure the funding provided to this community is being spent effectively. Today, the chosen third party manager, Jacques Marion from BDO Canada LLP, is on the ground with [Aboriginal Affairs] officials. It is important to remember that the community’s Chief and Council will continue to be in place.”
Spence: “This rationale has been used by the Department to silence us…. It is incredible that the Harper Government’s decision is that instead of offering aid and assistance to Canada’s First Peoples, their solution is to blame the victim, and that the community is guilty, and deserving of their fate.”

Update 10 JAN 2012: And it’s not that they haven’t tried 2 get the government’s attention:

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Anti crime bill (C10) protest in Ottawa

Posted by bigM on December 2, 2011 | No comments

Update DEC 5h 2011: The “ominous” bill C10 just passed the first vote in Canada’s House of Commons.

Anti Crime Bill (C10) protesters in front of Canada's Supreme Court with the West Wing of Parliament in the back in Ottawa SAT 26NOV2011

I heard the demonstrators were 2 meet at Confederation Park @ NOON and then march to Parliament 2 protest the Omnibus Crime Bill C-10. Info here. I caught up on the hill and started taping when some of the protesters stopped on the Western leading 2 lanes of Wellington @ Kent Street. My estimate: there must have been around a 1000 people protesting Saturday, 26th of November 2011. Traffic was passing @ all times, even with some sitting down on that Northern half of the street. Although traffic had 2 slow down 2 pass the protesters, there was a rather supportive reaction from most of the drivers, some of which were sounding their horns and waving their hands. Please press play 2 see 4 yourself.

A number of interesting speakers on the steps of Canada’s highest court of appeal are next, the speeches are all complete, my edits aim 2 make my crappy recordings a little more bearable in a number of ways. In the order of their appearance:



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Konzerttip September 2010

Posted by bigM on September 9, 2010 | No comments

Dan Mangan spiele ich am Samstag, hier ist eine akustische Version des Titels “Basket”.

Dan Mangan, ein Name wie ein Spurenelement, die Musik nicht weniger bedeutungsvoll. Für die Sendung habe ich den Titel “Sold” ausgewählt, von der in 2009 erschienen CD “Nice, Nice, Very Nice”, nominiert für den Polaris Preis. Ich habe mehrere seiner Titel auf Myspace angehört, wo auch Mangan flüssig und mit viel Gefühl über den Weg mit den Worten tanzt. Falls Ihr das live erleben wollt, na da habt Ihr Glück, denn Dan Mangan spielt am 24. September auf dem Reeperbahnfest in Hamburg, tags zuvor ist er im niederländischen Eindhoven gebucht, am 25. September gastiert er im Leipziger Paris Syndrom, am 26. und 27. in den Schweizer Städten Fribourg und in Basel im Parterre. Im Stuttgarter Café Galao kann man Dan Mangan am 29. September sehen, in der Sparte 4 in Saarbrücken am 30. und dann geht’s für fünf weitere Konzerte noch nach England.

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Playlist barKanada 10. April 10th

Posted by bigM on April 14, 2010 | No comments

Shake It Upside Down (excerpt) Steve Marriner Going Up 2007
One Great City The Weakerthans
Into The Flame Danny Michel Live in Winnipeg 2010
L.Y.G Jaffa Road Sunplace/Makom Shemesh 2009
Whiskey Breath Lucie Idlout Swagger 2009
The Tonto Project Wayne Lavallee Trail Of Tears 2010
Long Night Lis Soderberg unreleased
Lonely Old Town Peggy White Falling 2009
Fairie Dance Plants And Animals Lalaland 2010
If I Had Possession Of Judgement Day Pat Johnson Hard Pushin’ Papa 2009
The Deep End Hannah Georgas The Quarter EP 2009
Albatross The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night 2010
Oh My My Jill Barber Chances 2009

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Olympische Reisen

Posted by bigM on February 11, 2010 | No comments

Fast wie die olympische Flamme reiste auch Musiker Toronto-Resident Liam Titcomb nach Westen: Er konnte 50 000 Dollar zusammenbringen, indem er alle seine Konzerteinkünfte und Spenden während seiner Ost-nach-West-Tour von Krieg betroffenen Kindern zukommen lieβ - das Ergebnis: 100 Konzerte in zwei Monaten.

Kurz vor Weihnachten nahm Titcomb ausserdem einen Titel mit Chantal Kreviazuk, Shiloh and Lucas Silveira of The Cliks auf, “People Have The Power”, der auf der zehnten Kompilation War Child 10 zu hören ist. Falls Ihr auch spenden wollt oder Euch für seine Musik interessiert, klickt auf das “Donate”-Symbol auf Liam’s homepage. Ein Video des Songs kann man hier finden.

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Canadian Blues award-winning in Memphis

Posted by bigM on January 25, 2010 | No comments

Looks like Canadians did it again at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis: Just like Steve Marriner and Monkey Junk last year impressing everybody coming in third of representing bands from a hundred blues societies, this year it’s Nova Scotia’s Matt Andersen who blew everybody away. He received an award in the following category:

Solo/duo winner: Matt Andersen, sponsored by Harvest Jazz and Blues from Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada

I’m gonna have to play one of his songs in the next barKanada – das wollte ich ja ohnehin schon lange mal getan haben, seit ich ihn vor’nem guten Jahr zum ersten Mal live gesehen habe…

This is an informative article about the IGS 2010

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