Politics in 2018

[Rifleman62]

From the G & M Evening Update newsletter

Judge strikes down mandatory minimum sentence for Indigenous woman in drug trafficking case

An Ontario judge has ruled that the two-year mandatory minimum sentence would be cruel and unusual punishment in the circumstances of an Indigenous woman who brought $128,000 in cocaine to Canada. Cheyenne Sharma, who is from a background of extreme poverty, faced a minimum of two years, but her lawyers used the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to challenge the legality of the minimum sentences. They said the mandatory sentence has a disproportionate effect on individuals with Indigenous backgrounds. Ms. Sharma was sentenced to 17 months in custody.

The ruling comes shortly after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould decried unfairness in the justice system following the acquittal of a white farmer, Gerald Stanley, in the shooting death of an Indigenous man, Colten Boushie.

 

[Lumber]

Can someone explain why 2 years in jail for trafficking drugs is unfair to an indigenous person but not to say, me?

 

[Jarnhamar]

LoL

 

[FJAG]

Can someone explain why 2 years in jail for trafficking drugs is unfair to an indigenous person but not to say, me?

No.

:cheers:

 

[Lumber]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/patrick-brown-accused-of-dirty-politics-1.4543691

They REALLY don't want Patrick Brown around.

 

[pbi]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/patrick-brown-accused-of-dirty-politics-1.4543691

They REALLY don't want Patrick Brown around.

Randy Hillier's broadside into Brown is interesting, coming from such a stalwart PC figure: I think it raises again the question of why the Party really dumped Brown so fast: was the sex scandal just a useful thing that came along at the right moment?

It also blows up the tin-foil hatter idea that the move to dump Brown was a Liberal covert op: the last think you could ever, ever accuse Randy Hillier of is being a tool of the Liberals.  He has been described as "Don Cherry with rubber boots and plaid", and is all about defending farmers and their property rights.

His accusations in front of the cameras are pretty blunt: he is either very sure of himself or he hasn't heard about libel laws.

 

[suffolkowner]

If Brown is allowed to run again I can see him winning. What I find interesting is that people in Ontario are so sick of the Wynne-Liberals that it doesn't matter who leads the PC's or what there policies are

 

[pbi]

If Brown is allowed to run again I can see him winning. What I find interesting is that people in Ontario are so sick of the Wynne-Liberals that it doesn't matter who leads the PC's or what there policies are

I hope not. I am ready to vote PC if I see an intelligent, moderate, fiscally sound and pro-economy platform that appeals to me as a Red Tory. If I see a ranting,  populist appeal to anger, stupidity and bigotry, I don't know what I will do.  :

 

[suffolkowner]

Brown's platform was a little too heavy on vote buying for my take but I was in favour of swapping the cap and trade for the carbon tax the others don't even seem like they have a plan

 

[Remius]

I hope not. I am ready to vote PC if I see an intelligent, moderate, fiscally sound and pro-economy platform that appeals to me as a Red Tory. If I see a ranting,  populist appeal to anger, stupidity and bigotry, I don't know what I will do.  :

:nod:  Me too.

 

[dapaterson]

I hope not. I am ready to vote PC if I see an intelligent, moderate, fiscally sound and pro-economy platform that appeals to me as a Red Tory. If I see a ranting,  populist appeal to anger, stupidity and bigotry, I don't know what I will do.  :

Bloc Quebecois?


(Yes, I know.  Federal, not provincial, and not in Ontario...)

 

[Lumber]

Bloc Quebecois?


(Yes, I know.  Federal, not provincial, and not in Ontario...)

Honestly, compared to what's out there in the world, not the worst option in my eyes right now. At least they have a good reason for their ethno-nationalism.

 

[Rifleman62]

Quote from: pbi on Today at 07:19:17

I hope not. I am ready to vote PC if I see an intelligent, moderate, fiscally sound and pro-economy platform that appeals to me as a Red Tory. If I see a ranting,  populist appeal to anger, stupidity and bigotry, I don't know what I will do

If you are a masochist, vote for Kathleen or the NDP to allow her to form another government. Soon she will have enough people in her pocket, paid by the taxpayer (in ON and Canada) to be in power forever.

 

[pbi]

Quote from: pbi on Today at 07:19:17
If you are a masochist, vote for Kathleen or the NDP to allow her to form another government. Soon she will have enough people in her pocket, paid by the taxpayer (in ON and Canada) to be in power forever.

I don't think I will ever vote NDP.  We had that here once, and it didn't go well. Even some of the unions ended up PO'd. The Liberals have reached (passed...) the stage of what I call "second-term-itis".

 

[mariomike]

I don't think I will ever vote NDP.  We had that here once, and it didn't go well. Even some of the unions ended up PO'd.

I remember the Social Contract aka Rae Days. ( Twelve days of forced unpaid leave. )

A crew Scheduler would force you to take an unpaid Rae Day.

But, in the next breath, schedule you, at time-and-a-half, to replace a co-worker on their  Rae Day .

ie:  You lost 144 hours pay at straight time. But, gained 144 hours overtime at time-and-a-half.

 

[Remius]

Quote from: pbi on Today at 07:19:17
If you are a masochist, vote for Kathleen or the NDP to allow her to form another government. Soon she will have enough people in her pocket, paid by the taxpayer (in ON and Canada) to be in power forever.

The problem being the leadership contest where the candidates have to cater to the extreme right of the party to get votes. if they go too far right they may not have time during the campaign to get those centrists in the province to vote for them.  Two of those candidates, should they win will all but ensure that those votes go elsewhere. 

 

[pbi]

The problem being the leadership contest where the candidates have to cater to the extreme right of the party to get votes. if they go too far right they may not have time during the campaign to get those centrists in the province to vote for them.  Two of those candidates, should they win will all but ensure that those votes go elsewhere.

This seems to be a constant problem for what I like to call "moderate conservatism" (or maybe Red Toryism  ;D ) in the last few years. There appears to be an almost irresistible temptation to begin drifting towards the right wing and angry populism. Populism can be exploited by parties on either end of the spectrum (I never heard of a "centrist populist movement") but I'm not talking about the  "left" end right now. We saw some of this in the US, when the Republicans found themselves in uncomfortably close quarters with some fairly far-right  elements who are not even what I would call "conservatives": more like fascists and other trash. This must have been very uneasy for a number of Republicans: I have a US friend who has been a Republican all his life and would not vote Dem,  but was seriously worried about the apparent drift of the party.

To me, being a moderate conservative does not automatically imply being a racist, bigot, homophobe, misogynist, anti-environment or closet neo-Nazi. It means avoiding mad, ill-informed rushes to social change without thought and evidence; not succumbing instantly to silly political correctness or the Victim Industry; supporting business and industry (which are the engines of everything, BTW); and having a realistic view on defence and security issues.  To me, being a principled conservative should not mean that you can never change your mind: " a foolish consistency is the mark of a small mind", or never act for the public good or for the true welfare of others. It means that you conserve what is good and foundational and common sense, while making changes in an intelligent and measured way

 

[Loachman]

There is a high probability that this area will see more violence, and more deaths, in the future:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/gunshot-trespass-report-battleford-farm-1.4541625

RCMP searching for suspect after attempted break-in, gunshot on farm west of North Battleford

Seniors who own the farm say they have never experienced such an incident in 40 years on property

By Cory Coleman, CBC News  Posted: Feb 19, 2018 12:19 AM CT| Last Updated: Feb 19, 2018 3:08 AM CT

"Kathy Smith said it was about eight inches above where her husband was standing.

"If he had been 5-10 [in height], he would have got a bullet in the brain," she said.

"The incident has left the couple, both 79, shocked and wondering what could have happened if they weren't alerted by the alarm.

"It just scares me to think, what if he broke a window and came in with a gun," she said.

"It seems to be a sad world when you can't even live in your own place without some idiot thinking he can take what we have."

"The couple have lived on their farm for 40 years and said they have never experienced an incident like this.

"RCMP say they dispatched police dog services and believe the suspect had fled on foot into a waiting vehicle."

 

[Colin Parkinson]

When you start looking at that Reserve, you can see the problems run deep, it will likely take a generation to fix. The loss of the accountability Act won’t help, but the ability for off reserve members to vote will help in the long run.

 

[FJAG]

This seems to be a constant problem for what I like to call "moderate conservatism" (or maybe Red Toryism  ;D ) in the last few years. There appears to be an almost irresistible temptation to begin drifting towards the right wing and angry populism. Populism can be exploited by parties on either end of the spectrum (I never heard of a "centrist populist movement") but I'm not talking about the  "left" end right now. We saw some of this in the US, when the Republicans found themselves in uncomfortably close quarters with some fairly far-right  elements who are not even what I would call "conservatives": more like fascists and other trash. This must have been very uneasy for a number of Republicans: I have a US friend who has been a Republican all his life and would not vote Dem,  but was seriously worried about the apparent drift of the party.

To me, being a moderate conservative does not automatically imply being a racist, bigot, homophobe, misogynist, anti-environment or closet neo-Nazi. It means avoiding mad, ill-informed rushes to social change without thought and evidence; not succumbing instantly to silly political correctness or the Victim Industry; supporting business and industry (which are the engines of everything, BTW); and having a realistic view on defence and security issues.  To me, being a principled conservative should not mean that you can never change your mind: " a foolish consistency is the mark of a small mind", or never act for the public good or for the true welfare of others. It means that you conserve what is good and foundational and common sense, while making changes in an intelligent and measured way

Exactly right and very much my way of thinking.

You don't have to look as far as the US however to see the issue. We had our own "divide/reunite" the right period with the Reform party. (which I do not put in the same category as the Tea Party, Alt-Right etc.). The trouble is that conservatism is a numbers game and one constantly has to enter into unholy alliances. The best thing would be if the more conservative Liberals and the more liberal Conservatives could create a true centrist party and leave the NDP and the more extreme right to the fringes where they belong.

op: