Yay, Canadian Politics!

[theweaselking]

Rick Mercer presents a brief cross-section of why I tend to refer to the CPC as our national socialist alternative in an only-mostly-joking manner.

Also,
Paul Martin has added a new promise: Repeal section 33 of the Canadian Charter Of Rights And Freedoms. Frankly, this is the best thing any Canadian government *could* do. This is the single most damaging piece of law ever passed in a civilised country[1].

Also,
Steven Harper promises that even though he wants to "revisit" the same-sex marriage laws, he will not use Section 33 to change them from their current status - despite any change being unconstitutional.

Also wading in: 133 law deans and professors sent an open letter to Harper saying there was no way he could honestly hope to change the definition of marriage without resorting to the notwithstanding clause. That's the opinion of the federal Department of Justice [http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/fs/ssm/] and, it appears, Vic Toews, Harper's justice critic. Two years ago, he called it the appropriate tool for reasserting the supremacy of Parliament when courts become pressured into fashionable issues like gay marriage.

While we're talking about Harper, last night he lied outright about Martin's proposed tax cuts affecting only the rich, and he lied outright about his proposed GST cut being "more fair" than an income tax cut. CBC's "reality check" covers the tax cut plans from the parties that matter, here. Unsurprisingly, the NDP want to cut taxes and increase spending to eradicate the budget surplus and go deeply back into debt.

Speaking of which, here's a breakdown of the current election promises, by party, date, and monetary cost to the voter. Just remember, they're bribing you with YOUR MONEY on this one.

And I haven't yet gotten a response back from my local Conservative candidate on how he can justify being pro-gay-marriage in a party that wants to ban it, knowing that by electing him we'd be supporting Harper's attempt to restrict the legal rights of Canadian citizens.

[1]:The Patriot Act does not qualify, for reasons that should be obvious - and not just the easy "the US isn't a civilised country" snipe, either.

Comments

[scifantasy.livejournal.com]

The Patriot Act does not qualify, for reasons that should be obvious - and not just the easy "the US isn't a civilised country" snipe, either.

Well, if it's not a swipe at the US for being uncivilized, why is the USAPA off-limits? Does it even have to be? (If that section says what I'm given to understand it says, then it could well be more potentially damaging than the USAPA.)

[theweaselking.livejournal.com]

It doesn't qualify because while it's a repugnant and unconstitutional piece of crap, AND the US is not a civilised country, it's a regular law, not a piece of your Constitution. It also allows limited, unreasonable-but-not-totally-insane searches, whereas section 33 allows entire laws to circumvent large portions of the Charter.

[scifantasy.livejournal.com]

It doesn't qualify because...it's a regular law, not a piece of your Constitution.

True, but that doesn't matter for the purposes of "most damaging piece of law ever passed," does it?

[theweaselking.livejournal.com]

Yes, but Section 33 is *more* annoying because it's part of the constitution, and harder to change than a normal law.

A normal law takes three readings and a vote in a session, in Canada.

[scifantasy.livejournal.com]

No question about that. I'm just saying, is all...

[cmseward.livejournal.com]

I've always admired the ideals of the NDP (aside from their stance on the military - I grew up in a military family while they were doing their best to gut it), if they could only find a way to pay for everything.

[theweaselking.livejournal.com]

The problem is that they can't pay for everything, but they'll be damned if they won't pay for it for as long s they can get away with it.

NDP government run huge deficits, leave massive debts, and fuck the economy. They are the second-worst kind of government, behind TheoCon "We'll spend huge amounts of money on taking away your rights and enriching ourselves FOR YOUR OWN GOOD" governments, which run huge deficits, leave massive debts, fuck the economy, AND have nothing to show for it.

[cmseward.livejournal.com]

Well, nothing to show for it for anyone other than those lining their pockets for your own good.

[nubule.livejournal.com]

Except in Manitoba.

[sivi-volk.livejournal.com]

Wow. If Martin actually kept that promise, it'd be awesome.

[rgovrebo.livejournal.com]

"The clause allows the federal government or a provincial legislature to enact legislation to override several sections of the charter that deal with fundamental freedoms, legal rights and equality rights."

Looks like an equivalent of the infamous enabling act of the Weimar Republic.