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Summary of Stephen Harper’s YouTube Interview on TalkCanada

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 07:20:12 +0000

Over the past couple weeks, Canadians had the opportunity to submit questions via text or video format for Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper through a Harper-Google joint media campaign. Netizens could then vote on these questions and a selection of the top-tiered ones were posed to Prime Minister Stephen Harper to which he responded in an interview yesterday.

The entire clip was 40 minutes and 31 seconds long. Since your time is precious, we hereby, summarized the interview. Not only does it save you time, it shaves much of the candy coating and bologna, cutting straight to the point. Being a centrist, we found some of his answers sorely lacking while others reasonable. Without further ado…

Question#1: Deficit reached $56 billion. Parliamentary Budget Officer, Kevin Page called it a structural deficit. What the flip?

End of 2008 marked the beginning of a global economic crisis. Canada remained in better position than majority of the countries. The government is running economic stimulus programs and has established a goal to complete these programs by March 21, 2011. The government will ensure expenditures will grow slowly. Taking those two steps can avoid long-term deficit. It will also avoid tax increase. And, this is NOT a structural deficit. (Kevin was on crack.)

Question#2: Continue $2.1 billion/year aid to Africa beyond 2010? Pursue trade legislation like US’s African Growth and Opportunities Act?

First part, yes. In fact, we will up the foreign aid expense by 8% over the next year then flat-line after that. And I forgot to answer the second part.

Question#3: Senators are unelected! What the flip?

Yes, I agree it sucks. I’ve been asking for a senate reform. I’ve had an open invitation to Parliament, and to the provinces and territories to allow for elections, but only Alberta took up the offer. I’ll continue to invite the Parliament and provinces to give us elected senators. Until then, I’ll keep appointing them.

Question#4: Why is the government not more open about the Afghan detainee issue?

There are no evidence that Canadian soldiers or officials have done anything wrong. Wha are you talking about? There are classified documents that we can’t release for security reasons, and I can tell you there are no evidence there either. I repeat, no evidence!

Question#5: How will Canada deal with climate change?

1) International treaty that covers all emissions
2) continental efforts. i.e. joint effort with the United States. and
3) national effort – invest in R&D of clean energy.

Question#6: Terminate commercial seal hunt?

No. Seal hunting is scientifically-based to make sure it is ecologically sustainable. There are plenty of seals and they are killed humanely.

Question#7: How will you protect Canadians’ pension funds from employers going bankrupt.

This is a provincial issue, but we are working with provinces. Several examples of improvements: free savings account, pension-income splitting between spouses and others (which I cannot specify).

Question#8: Why mandatory minimum sentencing?

Because crime deterrence only works if punishment is certain and we are tough on crimes!

Question#9: Why not invest in a national childcare program?

Every family has different childcare needs. We try to support them individually. Example: tax deductions for childcare expenses, per-child tax credit, childcare payments. Furthermore, it’s a provincial issue.

Question#10: More assistance with student loans, please?

No, but we introduced things like the Pathyways program expansion, federal hiring of summer students, and we talk to student organizations to continually work on these issues.

Question#11: Referendum on Quebec’s sovereignty, please?

No. I’m a Federalist, you goof! Unity, pluralism are important…yadi yada.

Question#12: Legalize Marijuana! (Question with Most Votes)

No. Drugs are bad! When you buy drugs, you are supporting the illegal international cartels founded on unimaginable violence and conflict. (Wait, that actually counters my point.) My point is, drugs are bad! Even if you legalize it, the business will be operated by sketchy people. Look at South America, look how drugs have screwed them: violence, destruction of social systems, families, governmental institutions and police corruption.

[End of Interview]

There it is. Harper’s 40 minute interview summarized. Although the answers were abridged, the base of the answers were unaltered.

Here is the interview if you have 40 minutes and 31 seconds to spare:

Thailand’s Bloody Protest

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:46:32 +0000

The Thailand red-shirted protesters (so named because they wear red shirts) are protesting for the dissolution of the Thailand government by throwing blood at government offices; a common transmitter for things like hepatitis, HIV, and Ebola virus.

The protest drew over 100,000 protesters to amass a 1000 liters of blood – approximately 1000 standard-sized bottles.

Some protesters say the blood throwing is a ritual curse on the leadership, while other protesters say the blood is symbolic for sacrifices they make for the love of their nation. I say, it’s just really kind of gross. On the bright side, it’s probably the best choice out of all other bodily fluids.

The Red-Shirted Protesters are claiming that the government led by Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva (pronounced Ah-pit-sit Wher-cha-shi-wa) is illegitimate and should step down. There is much truth in that claim since the current government was not elected, but was installed as a coalition government after the previous government was toppled from pressure through successive protests very much like this one, except the protesters wore yellow shirts and were called the Yellow-Shirted protesters.

"Don't worry, it's just the protesters..."

So it seems the population of Thailand is divided into two groups, much like the United States, but instead of two camps divided by ideologies: Liberalism and Neo-conservativism, Thais are divided by the sincerity of the leaderships. The previous government, Thaksin-allied, collapsed because two of their Prime Ministers were ousted for corruption charges. The government before that, led by Thaksin was ousted by a military coup and is still, after five years now, fleeing from country to country to avoid extradition for corruption charges. The red-shirted protesters are supporters of Thaksin and want him back in power.

It appears Thai politics is caught in a vicious cycle. Putting Thaksin back in power doesn’t really solve the problem and would simply set the whole cycle in motion again, putting the Yellow-Shirted protesters back on the street to protest its illegitimacy.

And if the red-shirted protesters are throwing blood around, God knows what the yellow-shirted protesters are going to toss around….

Damn you, Sarkozy…

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:30:36 +0000

No related posts.

At Least 500 Dead in Nigeria Religious Attack

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:13:24 +0000

Nigerian officials say close to 500 people may have been killed in weekend sectarian violence near the central city of Jos, not the 200 first reported.

Witnesses said gangs armed with guns and machetes rampaged through three mostly Christian villages, firing shots to draw people from their homes and then running them down and killing them.

Yemi Kosoko, a reporter with the independent Nigerian news network Channels, told The Associated Press most of the bodies appeared to be women and children killed by blows from machetes.

Plateau state spokesman Gregory Yenlong told the New York Times the number of dead was about 500, while Shehu Sani, president of the Civil Rights Congress, told the Bloomberg new agency that 492 people died.

One aid worker said Monday it was difficult to tell how many people had been killed because some bodies were charred beyond recognition.

[View Source]

The Axe Effect – Clinton Version

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 01:47:49 +0000

Racist Shock-Jock is FBI Paid Provocateur

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 23:02:33 +0000

Here is another piece of news that makes you question whether free-press actually has the degree of freedom that it claims.

Hal Turner, a notorious shock-jock Internet radio talk-show host was arrested in June of 2009 for issuing speech advocating the death of three Federal Court judges on his blog.

He wrote, “Let me be the first to say this plainly: These judges deserve to be killed. Their blood will replenish the tree of liberty. A small price to pay to assure freedom for millions.”

The incredible Hollywood twist, however, came during the trial when evidence emerged that Hal Turner was in fact, paid by the FBI to incite hatred in order to gain access to networks of extremist and radical groups and individuals, which he would subsequently report to the FBI. The words used on his blog that ultimately got him arrested were, in fact, sanctioned by the FBI.

Here is an FBI Payment Memo used as court evidence: [Source]

He is a so-called ‘right-wing gate-keeper’.

Other Right Wing Gate-Keepers? I'm just asking...

Not that there is any problem with entrapping right-winged extremists, but this technique makes us question the validity of the mainstream media, a supposed public sphere for political discussion that is free from political influence.

It is extremely troubling that the government would incite racism and xenophobia amongst its own people. (Haters, don’t you feel stupid now?) Sure, the FBI could justify the use of the provocateurs for the eradication of extremism in the country. However, without these prominent media clowns stirring hatred in the first place, would the radicalism be so prevalent in the nation? – classic chicken-egg paradox.

Others may even theorize that it is not so much about eradicating extremism than a population control strategy by keeping the population divisive and focused on a dummy enemy, while implementing the most invasive legislation in American history.

Returning to the news, Hal Turner’s trial is ongoing. If convicted, he would face 10 years in prison. However, if released, Turner may live the rest of his life in fugitive from some of the most radical extremists that he raised and pulled under the bus. But then again, having the blessings of the FBI probably helps.

According to a Family of Hal Turner blog, CBS tried to set up an interview with Hal Turner but was denied by the presiding judge. Aside from that, the mainstream media (CNN, Fox, NBC) have all been completely silent in these shocking revelations, relying once again on the alternative media to fill in the blanks. And thank god for the Associated Press and the Internet.

Some clips of his impressive FBI work:

Interesting Links:
Family of Hal Turner

Wired.com