Harper getting ready to attack Ignatieff

As an average Canadian, living in an regular in a blue collar neighborhood I was feeling pretty good about the way our government had been conducting itself lately. I was happy to see that our two major parties, the Liberals and the Conservatives, seemed to be working if not hand in hand at least in tandem in this time of economic turmoil that has so many Canadians scared about the future. It was nice, for a change, to have a government that seemed to be focused on actually governing the country and doing what we elected them to do, instead of focusing on vilifying the opposition to solidify their grip on power.

All that is about to change... According to the Glove and Mail the Tories are getting ready to air attack adds against Michael Ignatieff. The are apparently going through every bit of paper, footage and literature that Mr. Ignatieff has written, been quoted or featured in with a fine toothed comb in order to find something embarrassing he may have said in order to brand him, the same way they did Dion.

“The failure to brand him in the way we did Stéphane Dion is actually worrying some people — that maybe we've missed our opportunity to brand him negatively in the eyes of Canadians, and that an impression of competence is now sticking.

“So the pendulum is shifting back — that we should attack a bit more.” (A government insider quoted on the G&M)

Why must politics always be about vilifying the other guy? Are the Tories going to complain about his time spent as a Harvard professor when he was at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy? Or when he was lecturing at Oxford and hosting shows for the BBC? Or his many books that demonstrate a deep understanding of how the world works? I'm not saying that Mr Ignatieff is flawless, I'm simply stating that trying to attack his intellect may very well backfire... because in the intellectual resume category he clearly has Harper beat.

Overall, I'm interested on seeing how the Tories will brand him, but what I'm even more interested in, is how the Liberals will counter these adds. Will they fight back in the same way or will they counter with messages putting a positive spin on Ignatieff's career? Will the negative adds hurt the Tories image more then it will hurt Ignatieff's numbers in the polls? All that remains to be seen.

If there is an election in the near future I'd like the challenge the candidates to run a campaign focused on the issues: on health, education, the environment and the economy. I don't want to see a campaign that is run on negative press and attempts to dismantle the credibility of the opposition. Sadly, I'm pretty sure that this challenge will go unanswered and that next time there is an election, like most Canadians, I will leave my polling station with am uneasy feeling in my stomach because so little time will have been spent talking actual issues during the campaign that I won't be exactly sure what I voted for.

Muchacho Enfermo

Interview with Claudia Cadelo

As some of you know, I try to contribute regularly to Ashin-Mettacara.com, a news website operated by Ashin Mettacara, a burmese monk whose blog I am a big fan of. Ashin is an advocate for freedom of thought, belief and expression so I thought it appropriate to post a couple of interviews with another person who fights for her freedom of thought and expression and whose blog I greatly enjoy, Claudia Cadelo.

This interview is the first in a series I called "The True Democracy of the Voteless" and I think it's a great read for anyone wanting to know a little bit more about Cuban bloggers or for anyone who already reads her and other blogs that originate from behind enemy lines.

I'd like to encourage all of you to read the interview by clicking HERE and since you can't comment on the other site feel free to comment here. For those of you who won't I'll post a very small portion of it here.


Muchacho Enfermo: In a recent blog post you spoke of the harassment of the State towards those they perceive as dissidents. Is that something that worries you?
Claudia Cadelo: It worries me, I worry about a lot of things, my family, my friends, myself. I know perfectly well that I upset the government, like all those who are different upset them and everyone who, in one way or another, denounces or simply abstain from participating in the political circus that Cuba has become. But that doesn’t mean that I will stop writing, or that I will stop offering my support to those they try to silence.

Muchacho Enfermo: Why do you think what you do is important?
Claudia Cadelo: The truth is that I don’t know if it is important or not, I don’t like thinking of my blog as important. It is simply something that I do because I want to and because it seems right to me. If it is important for someone, that is very good, but that’s not what compels me to write; the fact that some people like reading it is, for me, already slightly wonderful and unexpected, that is more then I hoped for. I don’t try to change anybody’s mentality, I only want to say what I have a right to say in a world where freedom of expression is an abstract concept, one might say that it’s a luxury that I afford myself: I have decided to be a free being.

Muchacho Enfermo: What would you like to say to those outside Cuba who agree with the system and that criticize your blog and other blogs from VocesCubanas.com?
Claudia Cadelo: I have nothing to say to people that use their freedom of expression, their civil rights, their economic freedoms and their political freedoms to defend this totalitarian system. I don’t believe that any system is perfect, but what I am sure of is that this system is not the right one: a better society cannot be constructed if the basis of it is oppression, fear, militarism, the absence of civil rights and the supreme unlimited power in the hands of only two or three people; and we can add to that that the social ills, the corruption and the poverty which are also a part of the status quo, which remains.

Muchacho Enfermo

How I blog...

Instead of my weekly "Where I blog" picture I'm posting today a how I blog picture. I was up until late last night posting a story on Ashin-Mettacara.com and I only slept a few hours before getting up and being on the go all day.

I looked at the news, I read my papers and still nothing came to me... I didn't know what to write about. There was either too many things to say or not enough. Sure I could complain about the separatists again, or about the Conservatives, I could talk about Obama's plan to pull out of Iraq or the economic meltdown, I could talk about a million things but still, nothing came to me.

Instead, I thought, why don't I make my self a pot of coffee, wake up a little bit and see what comes to mind. The first thing (actually the only thing) that came to mind was: take a picture of your old, dirty coffee machine. After all why not? I owe so much to this magical beverage and this little machine, most of my decent blog posts were written at 5:30am with a cup of coffee, or late at night when the only thing keeping me awake was the coffee, most of my friendships spawned around a cup of coffee, studying for exams or doing work from home is usually done with a cup of coffee in hand.

So here it is coffee, my tribute to you little battered coffee makers... you have been my faithful companion for many years. Sure, I have a 200$ espresso maker and nice stainless steel cups, but nothing can ever replace you, my old and dirty machine.

We've been through a lot of sleepless nights and exhausted mornings together... Here's to many more!

Muchacho Enfermo

Ottawa is delaying our right to access information

A tiny little article appeared in today's Globe and Mail, it was an article that talked about how "The Harper Conservatives now routinely delay requests for government documents – a right of Canadians under the law – well beyond the 30 days that the Access to Information Act requires." (a quote from the article)

I find this story somewhat alarming, as Canadians we have a right to hold our government accountable, we have a right to see what decisions are made on our behalf and we have a right to obtain this information within 30 days of having sent a request through registered mail.

Why aren't we obtaining our information and why people aren't speaking up about it just boggles my mind... I knew the previous Liberal government wasn't the greatest in this department, but they weren't staling, ignoring or delaying any requests beyond a reasonable period.

According to our Information Commissioner Robert Marleau speaking of a report he presented to parliament “I do believe that its results provide a grim picture of the federal government's access to information regime.”

Is this a sign of more to come under the current leadership?

Muchacho Enfermo

Happy New Year Tibet

Today is the new lunar year for Tibetans, it is called Losar and is a very important holiday for the people of this small mountainous country (or at least what used to be a country).

"A lot of people were killed on March 14 (last year). In our culture, we don't celebrate Losar if someone in your family died during the previous year," Said a monk that was speaking to Mark Mackinnon of the G&M. This monk also spoke of a text message he had received that said: "To commemorate Losar, we will not celebrate, we will not fire fireworks, we won't wear new clothes, we won't dance, we won't sing. We will protest silently and we will pray."

As well a know China claimed Tibet for its own forcing his Holiness the Dalai Lama into exile in India. Since then he has been a promoter of peace and goodwill throughout the world. He has also been the most vocal supporter of an independent Tibet. As it stands now, Tibetans are now a minority in certain parts of their own ancestral lands, the Chinese government has moved in many settlers to try and assimilate the silently dissident population of this peaceful land.

Much information is available through the Government in Exile's website, including more information on incentives for native Chinese to move to Tibet, the force sterilization of Tibetan women, commerce (or lack thereof) and human rights violations.

Last year, prior to the Beijing Olympics, we all remember seeing the silent protest being violently stopped by Chinese soldiers, dozens were killed and hundreds became prisoners of conscience in this country that has always believed in passive resistance and non-violence. "As Tibetans, we are like cows, animals that have no freedom. I am a monk who likes the Dalai Lama very much, but I only dare like him in my heart. If I say it out loud I could be arrested or even killed," another monk is quoted as saying in the G&M.

This may very well be a lost cause because China is definitely a giant compared to Tibet's small, poor and peaceful population... in the end though we know that David always beats Goliath.

Muchacho Enfemro

Which Jew Hater do I write about?

Well well well.... looks like anti-Semite feelings are making a global comeback. Between bishop Richard Williamson (who was booted out of Argentina! yay!!!)who has yet to apologize for his statements and David Ahenakew (who will seemingly never apologize for his) it seems that Jew hating has become a trend once again.

I for one, am disgusted at this whole business, especially the Ahenakew story and the judge finding him not guilty of promoting hatred against Jews.

So instead of posting a long winded angry comment I'll just let the quotes speak for themselves and let you all be the judge:

David Ahenakew:
"The Second World War was created by the Jews and the Third World War, whatever it is, right now that war ... that wages on Israel in the Arab countries."

"The Jews damn near owned all of Germany prior to the war. ... That's how Hitler came in. He was going to make damn sure that the Jews didn't take over Germany or Europe. That's why he fried six million of those guys, you know. Jews would have owned the goddamned world. And look what they're doing. They're killing people in Arab countries."

About the Holocaust:
"How do you get rid of a disease like that, that's going to take over, that's going to dominate?"

They “f---ing dominate everything”
They “own the goddamn world”
Hitler “cleaned up a hell of a lot of things, didn’t he?”

Does that sound to you like a man who isn't guilty of promoting hatred against Jews?

For a more in depth analysis of the verdict please visit my friend over at the Nexus of Assholery, as always it's worth the read!

Muchacho Enfermo

Marois: the little train that couldn't.

PQ leader Pauline Marois decided to use her opening speech at the Parti Québécois "National" council on Saturday to tell everyone present that Québec would be better off in this economic crisis without Ottawa... Isn't this the same person who complains that the money we get from Ottawa just isn't enough?

“Sovereignty is a pressing need” said Marois, saying that if Québec were independent of Canada it would have a seat at all the major international conferences and could push its own agenda.

I have a few words for Marois: nobody cares. Do you really think that if Quebec were a nation of maybe 6 million strong that it would be a part of the G8 or even the G20? Do you really think that with your broken English and your angry little fist pounding, anyone outside Saguenay would really give a damn? Do you think the world would just roll over and say "Wow.... Quebec is awesome, let's listen to what they have to say?"

Well my answer to all these questions is: no.

Outside Canada Quebec is insignificant at best. Economically Quebec would have nothing except hydro and lumber. The multinationals that employ hundreds of thousands would pick up and leave (just like in 1980 and 1995) and Quebec would be left alone, crippled, without Ottawa bailouts and money injections from big business.

It wouldn't be long before Marois would sell us out to the US and the precious "national identity" she so desperately pursues would be lost.

Muchacho Enfermo