Pacific Free Press was launched in March 2007 by Dutch-Canadian Richard
Kastelein of V.O.F. Expathos, in the Netherlands along with Chris Cook- CFUV radio journalist and Editor in Chief of Pacific Free Press. Cook is based in , Victoria, British Columbia.
The mission of Pacific Free Press is simple: to dig out nuggets of truth from
the slag-heap of lies, ignorance and witless diversion that has buried
public discourse today. Pacific Free Press provides a new venue for
disseminating hard news and insightful, fact-based analysis of the
harsh realities too often ignored or distorted by the mainstream press.
Number Two: Stephen Harper's Second Speech from the Throne
by C. L. Cook That great whooshing sound you hear is Canada as we know it being flushed finally down the crapper.
Prior to the minority government's Tuesday statement of principles, Harper, in stentorian style, promised this Speech from the Throne would be a de facto vote of confidence. He is, in effect, drawing the line in the sand for the Loyal Opposition Liberals to either put up or shut up.
Or, as his friend and political inspiration, George W. Bush might say, and as the prime minister himself actually did say last week, "Time to fish, or cut bait."
It's an apt saw; most pundits agree, Harper is gambling he can
win a majority if an election were called for the Autumn. So, Harper
can afford to play his Throne speech card large, betting the Liberals
will back down.
His belief is based in part, (though I doubt
Harper would admit it) on opinion polls giving his reconstituted
Conservative party an 11 point lead over the Liberal opposition; it's not
enough for a clear majority, but close enough, given the unpredictable
events attending any election, to hold some promise of the so far
elusive popular mandate.
So far absent from State media reports on the
reaction to Harper's speech, and the possibility it will
trigger an election, is the tacit understanding: The Liberals not only
do not oppose the core policies of the Tories, but initiated many of
them.
This was made clear in the after-speech clutch
interviews with opposition parties: Bloc Quebecois leader, Gilles Duceppe
was quick to declare his party would vote against adopting Harper's
course of action saying, of the five concerns the Bloc had brought
forward to the government, not one had been adequately addressed.
New
Democrat number one, Jack Layton said the NDP too would give a thumbs
down, based on the Tory determination to lengthen Canada's involvement
in Afghanistan, and reverse on Kyoto. Layton said his party will oppose
the government on all bills they feel are not in the best interest of
Canadians.
And, Liberal leader Stephane Dion? Dion after a
brief salve to the effect of Canadians not wanting a third election in just three and
a half years, gave over the party's reaction to erstwhile leadership
competitor, and current deputy leader, Michael Ignatieff.
The
pro-Afghanistan Ignatieff voiced what he says he believes to be the
intense desire of Canadians to rather hold their collective nose and
suffer the war policies of Stephen Harper than be inconvenienced by a
Fall election.
Where and how the patrician Harvard educator reached
this illumination was left unsaid, but Ignatieff's conviction, (later
expressed with a passion this reporter found unnerving) simply stated, was that he
believed Canadians were "election-ed out."
What Ignatieff's
ken of the "Canadian Mind" means, if indicative of party sentiment, is:
He and the party will not oppose Harper's extremist policies, policies
already deeply unpopular in the country, for Canadians' sake.
In
essence; because the Liberal party would hate to impel the electorate
endure the weary duty of determining how the country will proceed into
an increasingly uncertain future, Stephen Harper will be allowed, with
a minority government and meagre public support, to take the country
further down the Republican path, whilst Liberals huff and puff and
fail to oppose, Democrat-style.
And, the American parallels don't end there.
Post-speech
commentary supplied by the State broadcaster, Canadian Broadcast
Corporation (CBC) emphasized the Liberal leader's "challenges" within
the party, noting the general media sentiment of a Liberal party in
"disarray."
Beneath a graphic of the Liberal party logo sitting at the
bottom of a playground slide, newsreaders reiterated the corporate
media-framing spun around the Throne Speech, depicting it as merely a
matter of political horse racing, replete with soap operatic infighting
and intrigues, rather than an issue of the future of Canada's
democracy.
Slogans and stratagem it seems will be the scope
of future State media coverage. That's bad news for the Liberals, as
the CBC practically penned Stephane Dion's political epitaph tonight.
It's little wonder Dion high-tailed, leaving to the Cheshire-like
grinning Michael Ignatieff a one-on-one interview with The National
anchor, Peter Mansbridge.
Respected political
reporter, Don Newman also revealed an embarrassing Dion political faux
pas within the party's Quebec wing that saw two MP's refuse the
leader's offer of the prestigious Quebec Lieutenancy in the wake of a
pair of resignations.
Canada's corporate press makes clear, it will
hardly be kinder to the physically awkward, and linguistically
challenged Dion during an election campaign.
Speaking on a
special sitting of Mansbridge's weekly At Issue panel program, arch
conservative National Post columnist, and panel regular, Andrew Coyne
asserted an election depended more on "internal liberal party dynamics"
than the content of the Throne Speech.
Harper couldn't hope for better
support coming from the mouth of CanWest Global, the country's largest
media producer, unless their message could be delivered coast to coast
to coast by the public broadcaster, gratis.
As with George W. Bush's
mysterious mastery of the famously "liberal media" in the United
States, Harper's policies in Canada too seem to have mesmerized, eluding serious examination by the press.
Most
contentious of the policies announced Tuesday should be Harper's so-called "omnibus
crime bill." Harper, who has already proposed judicial measures
familiar in the United States, like "mandatory minimum" sentences in
violent cases, and proposed "harder" penalties for drugs and
marijuana transgressions, (both cornerstones of the burgeoning prison
populations in that country) has also denounced some of Canada's
judiciary establishment as "activist judges," a well-worn
Republican campaign refrain.
But, with the Liberal party playing patsy
to Harper, the omnibus, a compendium of dramatic legal alterations,
many already passed in the House, will go through.
There will also be
bills pushing more stringent elements be added to terrorism laws already on the
books. Wrapped in anti-violence, motherhood language, Harper is betting with proper media magnification and incessant repetition, these too will become
politically unassailable.
More war abroad, increased law and
order measures at home, and a determined, and militant attitude to governance; Stephen Harper's Speech from the Throne tonight was
a declaration in defiance of the majority will of the people, as often
expressed on issues like the war in Afghanistan, environmental
policies, international diplomacy, and those other attributes once
recognized as hallmarks of the country's character.
And, unless there's
is a quick infusion of guts into the Liberal party, Stephen Harper will
succeed where past attempts have failed to make of Canada an entity
completely "harmonious" with and indistinguishable from the United
States.
The question remaining not addressed, like the elephant in
the middle of the nation's Parliament, is:
"Why, considering the
disaster the policies of George W. Bush have been for America, (not
mentioning of course the millions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and those populating the dark holes around the world housing "enemies of the state") would
anyone in their right mind wish to emulate that program?"
It's a
question so far not asked by the Canadian Broadcast Corporation, and
unlikely to be by their corporate colleagues, but if future Canadians
wishing to remember the final gasp of the nation, (failing a sudden Liberal
party determination to halt Stephen Harper's progress) October 16, 2007 is as
fitting a date as any to chisel onto the country's tomb.
So, there really are no good choices written by a guest,
October 17, 2007
So, there really are no good choices. The Liberal's are disorganized and in disarray, the BQ may or may not be the party of choice in Quebec; Harper's power base is the "religious right" and the NDP can't figure out if the dog wags the tail or if the tail wags the dog.
Men and women of principle and intelligence are scorned and quite justifiably don't want anything to do with politics and it's associated unprincipled "deal making".
The 'war on terror' (and talk about an oxymoron that only a "moron" could make up) is a "war of terror". As far as the Bush administration is concerned it is a "special" war and not subject to the Geneva Conventions or the U.S. Constitution. And Harper is the opportunist of the moment.
If 'evil' ever needed speaking out against it is now. But how? When not even the press is rational or objective i.e. mesmerized as noted above?
And all of the parties involved are all tarred together by the same brush and all that is really evident is the appalling hypocrisy of "political expediency" and deal-making to get/stay in power rather than "serving" the people.
All I can see are poor to bad choices/decisions coming out of this. It is almost like the Loyal Opposition is being blackmailed: "put up, or shut up".
Maybe that is just politics, but it is a very dangerous game, nevertheless. "the lie" has become "truth" and 'power over others' is the game and the payoff.
Personally I share the concerns of the author of this article.
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Stephen Harper's Second Speech from the Throne written by a guest,
October 17, 2007
All hope is not lost! I believe in the power of democracy. Canadians have the intelligence to see beyond the spin of the power brokers...to look beyond the words uttered and the real intention meant...Look in Ontario and John Tory's faith based school debacle. Voters know that the Conservatives are constantly looking for ways to undermine the public system. They are relentless in their pursuit of finding ways to dismantle public education, health care and finding ways to siphon public money to their friends via the military. Look at Blackwater in the U.S.A.! Unfortunately, at the present moment, the Liberal party and Dion haven't found themselves yet. Dion needs to have a serious thought about his future. He needs to have a couple dozen of expressos and seriously get angry and show some emotion. I'd like to say he needs to show some testicles. Chretien has more authority and stamina from his recovery room than Stephan. Dion has to become a rough and tough bodychecker if he wants to wake up the Canadian public. I'm sure he's responsible and hardworking and all, but his media image is very weak. Harper is playing the tough guy...(think Ronald Reagan) and Dion is playing the nice guy (think Carter). He and his strategists have to get Dion angry, outraged and in control, ready for action. (maybe we should call out Stockwell Day's water vessel) The liberals also need to get out their platform and decide if it's worth selling. We need to see a bit of passion from the party...still we are only getting our political titilation from 70 year old heart patients...What a shame...are there no sexy younger liberals! anyway, enough of my rantings...have a great day!
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... written by Sammy,
September 03, 2008
How ever way you put it, the Cons are going to win again and unfortunatetly with a majority this time. Just look at the polls people prefer Harper as their leader, not Dion
Writings 
That great whooshing sound you hear is Canada as we know it being flushed finally down the crapper. 
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Men and women of principle and intelligence are scorned and quite justifiably don't want anything to do with politics and it's associated unprincipled "deal making".
The 'war on terror' (and talk about an oxymoron that only a "moron" could make up) is a "war of terror". As far as the Bush administration is concerned it is a "special" war and not subject to the Geneva Conventions or the U.S. Constitution. And Harper is the opportunist of the moment.
If 'evil' ever needed speaking out against it is now. But how? When not even the press is rational or objective i.e. mesmerized as noted above?
And all of the parties involved are all tarred together by the same brush and all that is really evident is the appalling hypocrisy of "political expediency" and deal-making to get/stay in power rather than "serving" the people.
All I can see are poor to bad choices/decisions coming out of this. It is almost like the Loyal Opposition is being blackmailed: "put up, or shut up".
Maybe that is just politics, but it is a very dangerous game, nevertheless. "the lie" has become "truth" and 'power over others' is the game and the payoff.
Personally I share the concerns of the author of this article.