Xenophobia

The Cultural Dictionary (from dictionary.com) defines xenophobia as: "An unreasonable fear, distrust, or hatred of strangers, foreigners, or anything perceived as foreign or different."

Somehow though, I simply don't think that the word is strong enough to describe what the English minority in Quebec has to face when it comes to extremist separatist groups. The latest example of what I call uber-idiocy, a group that calls themselves Le Comité d’action politique pour l’Indépendance nationale, decided that it would be a good idea to protest the building of the
McGill University Health Center (MUHC) by planting 101 wooden crosses and a banner symbolically painted in red.

A statement sent to the press said: “This cemetery of crosses, in the image of cemeteries for soldiers fallen in the two Great Wars, represents the Québecois people who, after centuries of battle, are finally conceding to the English-speaking pressure on the continent. The cemetery is accompanied by a banner claiming high and loud the death of a people, signaling that the MUHC represents nothing less than the death of the Québécois people, and it expresses the people’s rejection of an assimilation like that which they have always resisted until now in a continuous, and perhaps perpetual, struggle.”

I resent the entirety of this statement, the separatists group have no right to even equate themselves to the brave young Canadians who fought in both Great Wars, as Canadians. The also have no right to protest the building of this hospital as there is also a super hospital being built for the Université de Montréal.

Once again, the extremists of this province have given my people a black eye on both the Canadian and the world stage.

To the rest of the country we're already strange enough and every week I talk to people in Toronto, 5 hours up the 401 highway and they have no idea that people in Montreal speak English as well as French.

If idiots like this group keep grabbing headlines, what hope does Quebec ever have of attracting foreign investments, preventing a brain drain and of being taken seriously on the national stage?

Just food for thought.

(quotes from Montreal Gazette)

Call To Release Iran's 'Blogfather' For Norouz

The mother of a controversial, well-known blogger, Hossein Derakhshan, who is often described as Iran's "blogfather" because he helped popularize blogging in Iran, has called on the head of Iran's judiciary to release her son for the Iranian New Year, or Norouz, marked on March 21.

Derakhshan, a dual Iranian-Canadian citizen, has been in jail in Iran since November 2008.

Derakhshan is reportedly facing security charges, including espionage. But his mother says in her open letter to the head of the judiciary that the family hasn't been informed of the official charges against him.

"Hossein has been in your prison for more than 500 days. And we have been waiting for him outside the prison every day," she writes.

Derakhshan's mother says that the judiciary should release Derakhshan for the New Year, as it has done in the case of a number of postelection detainees who have been allowed to go on prison leave.

"It's been eight months that you've said in all media that you have arrested those who were attempting to overthrow the establishment. On the eve of the New Year, you release all of those who had been described as the leaders of sedition. Why in your view doesn't Hossein deserve to be released?" she asked.

The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran has said that his case is "typical of the lack of justice and due process in Iran's judiciary."

(Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/Call_To_Release_Irans_Blogfather_For_Norouz/1987475.html)

"Going off the rails on the Crazy Train"

Originally I wanted to used this post to bitch and complain about Ann Coulter. Now I also have to use it to bitch at the people that staged a protest outside the university of Ottawa yesterday.

First let's start with Ann Coulter:
For those of you who don't know her, she's an author who is best known for her controversial comments. Here are some of the quote-worthy ones:
-

"They'd better hope the United States doesn't roll over one night and crush them. They are lucky we allow them to exist on the same continent," when talking about Canada.
-On the same show she was asked why she felt the need to make fun of Canadians and she answered: "because they speak French."
-After 9/11 she suggested all Muslims should be banned from airplanes and suggested they take Flying carpets.
-At her speaking engagement in London, On. a Muslim challenged the remark and Ms. Coulter suggested that instead of the flying carpet, she take a camel.

And the list goes on and on and on...

Now the University of Ottawa is no better... An email was sent to Ms. Coulter (which was leaked to the National Post) advising her to educate herself on Canada's hate speech laws. Because here it is a criminal offense to promote hate or violence against any specific identifiable group.

Ms Coulter, who lives off of comments like this, said the university of Ottawa was promoting hate and violence against her and as such she hired a lawyer to file a complaint with the Human Rights Commission.

The protesters who didn't want her speaking? Well, they're the idiots because that gave Ms Coulter an excuse to cancel the speech stating that she was afraid the protest would turn violent. So, in effect, the University of Ottawa is screwed because the protester just proved Ms Coulter's case...

While I firmly believe that Ms Coulter is an uber-bitch and is thoroughly ignorant in her remarks, I also believe that she is entitled to speak her mind. If she makes remarks that are considered to be promoting hatred and violence while in Canada we should have charged her accordingly, instead of letting her turn our own laws against us.

In conclusion:
-Thumbs down to Ms Coulter for giving Conservatives a bad name.
-Thumbs down to the University of Ottawa and its protesters for being idiots.

-Thumbs up to Ozzy Osbourne for providing me with such a catchy title.

UFO or Missile?

The video's not really important, but i decided to put it anyways just for kicks.
Here's the latest development: Defense Minister Peter MacKay said: "We [the Canadian government] will provide money to build a landing strip for UFOs at Harbour Mille."

Of course he was joking, but what's not a joke is that a bunch of residents saw 3 things that looked like missiles being launched from the ocean, that they took pictures of said missile shaped objects and that no one in the government or law enforcement has any sort of statement to give the public.

Now most people won't think it's aliens... I certainly don't. But what I do think is that this is most likely a missile or rocket of some kind.

I just want to the government to say: "We know what it was, you don't need to be worried, it's all good." Instead of patronizing frightened citizens and refusing to speak to the press.

UFOs over Canada

Darlene Stewart of Harbour Mille, Newfoundland was outside taking pictures of the sunset last Monday when she saw this flying through the sky:












She called some neighbors who also saw it. They reported it to the RCMP who asked them to phone Public Safety Canada who then referred her back to the RCMP.

Various statements were made about the nature of the object:
-RCMP says: "there is no debris or any other evidence that would allow the Mounties to investigate the matter."
-Public Safety Canada says: "that the federal government was aware of media reports of public sightings of unidentified objects off Newfoundland but said the RCMP was investigating."
-The Military says: "they were aware of the reports and have confirmed there have been no planned missile exercises off the seaboard."
-VOCM radio in St. John’s said: "that France had conducted a ballistic missile test in the Atlantic Ocean."
-The French Embassy said: "Nothing"
-The office of the Prime Minister of Canada said: "There is no indication that there was ever a rocket launch."
-In slight contradiction the PMO also said: "people on Newfoundland's south coast like to launch model rockets."
-Oh yeah and the military also added: "There's no threat to the security of Canada."

So it's not a Canadian missile, it's not a French missile... so far it's still unidentified. But there's no threat to the security of Canada? When something like this flies through our airspace the government can tell me with a straight face that everything is okay? This coming from a government that won't let me take carry-on luggage on a plane anymore because they're afraid that we're all terrorists? They get nervous about my laptop at the airport, but they don't get nervous about missile shaped objects flying through the sky?

Thank you PMO and all the other Canadian agencies involved in this for fueling conspiracy theories and fear. As a tax payer I really appreciate it.

News flash! I agree with Flaherty on Something.....

For the first time in recent memory I actually agree with Canada's finance minister Jim Flaherty. He is calling on Haiti's creditors to cancel their debt and forgive Haiti's outstanding balances.

“Haiti's future must be focused on the priorities of its people, not on the liabilities of its past.” Beautiful words I would never expect from the Conservative minister. I must say that they are music to my ears.

Canada has pledged to match all donations by all Canadians up until February 12th and so far Canadians have donated over 82million dollars. That is on top of Ottawa's pledge for 100million in grants for Haiti and on top of our emergency personal and equipment that is continuing to be distributed in Haiti.

Flaherty is calling specifically on two nations Taiwan and Venezuela. Incidentally Venezuela has been a huge critic (along with ALBA whatever that is) of the way other nations have tried to help Haiti. Meanwhile they plan on keeping Haiti in a financial choke-hold while the rest of the CAPITALIST world works together to help out those in need.

All that to say, I really want to shake Flaherty's hand right now and maybe (just maybe) he's not the asshole I always thought he was.

Enough of this shit...

So today I'm reading an article from Cubasi that talks about ALBA and its plans for recovery in Haiti. Where Hugo Chavez (surprise!) is saying that Venezuela's aid can't get in because the ports are "in the hands of the Yanks." Also at this "summit" they are to discuss the "Bolivarian counterattack against right wing actions on progressive movements in the region.”

Which right wing actions would those be? Would those be the sending of American troops to secure and stabilize a port and an airport to allow over 180 flights per day to come in and out of Haiti? Or the thousand of NGO volunteers from Europe, Canada, the US and the world that are present on the ground? Seriously!

This shit kills me! Today in Montreal there was a conference with 14 nations and many organizations (including the UN) to talk about help and reconstruction in Haiti. One of the key people at this conference was the Haitian prime minister... was he at the ALBA conference as well? I don't think so.

Where was Cuba that bitched so hard at the Americans for sending troops? Where was Venezuela and its accusatory finger pointing? They weren't here in my hometown. They were somewhere warm complaining about the Americans. I'm sure the Americans have a political agenda in Haiti, everyone does, even if it's something simple like boosting a country's image. But at least we here at our conference didn't talk of an attack on Bolivarian left wing initiatives in the region. I believe Chavez and his minions are the ones with the actual agenda here. Not the rest of us.

The only agenda we had was this comprehensive 6 point plan to help rebuild Haiti:

1. Ownership – Respect for Haitian sovereignty will see foreign aid aligned with the priorities of the government of Haiti.

2. Co-ordination – The United Nations will play a key co-ordinating role, under the leadership of the Haitian government. The UN will co-ordinate efforts with donor countries.

3. Sustainability – Donor countries will commit an initial 10-year reconstruction period.

4. Effectiveness – Recognized principles of aid effectiveness and humanitarian donorship will be followed.

5. Inclusiveness – The Haitian diaspora and the private sector will play a role in Haiti’s reconstruction, along with the government of Haiti, foreign governments, the UN, donor countries and non-governmental organizations.

6. Accountability – Mutual transparency and accountability on the part of the government and Haiti and the international community will see performance reviews become an ongoing joint effort.

Wow... this really sounds like "right wing actions on progressive movements in the region" and must be stopped this instant.

Once again, I am shocked that anyone would swallow Chavez's garbage and hate mongering.