You remember, right?

I didn’t just imagine it, did I?

Q. When did Question Period become Non-Answer Period?

A. On February 6, 2006 when Stephen Harper and his first cabinet were sworn in by Governor General Michaëlle Jean.

The Royal Canadian Mint, however, did not give Canadian cities official notice of when the new coins would be distributed.

Canada’s new loonies and toonies are costing Canadian cities, as well as retailers and other coin-operated businesses a lot of cash to convert and re-calibrate coin-accepting machines, i.e. parking meters, laundry machines, etc.

Seems Canada’s new loonies and toonies have been causing headaches from coast to coast to coast…

In the end, the new coins are more secure, longer lasting, and more cost effective — and that is all that really matters, eh?

8.5 years later and anything remotely progressive has ceased to exist in the Conservative Party of Canada.

We are going backwards, not forwards — undoing everything good and great that once was about Canada.

The Conservative Party of Canada has truly become the most regressive political party in the history of Canada.

The malignant majority of CPC MPs seek to malign the things that united us and the things that make us whole.

Pitting Canadians against each other… building the case for separation and laying the foundation for secession.

East versus West, English versus French, men versus women, old versus young, left versus right, etc.

No consensus.

No compromise.

No centre.

Just the ideologically retarded…

Love the penny. Hate the penny.

Regardless of your feelings on the penny… sure, the penny’s days were numbered, but now that the penny is on its way out, I have a few questions and comments.

What of caSh only businesses? What of consumers? And, what of this rounding bullshit?

I foresee many ca$h only businesses forced to set up merchant accounts to process debit/credit transactions.

Truly, this sounds like gouging to me — for businesses and consumers alike.

Factor in the cost of equipment and bringing that equipment online, etc., there will be additional charges for businesses — and, you know, those additional charges must be off-set with… price increases!

I expect shop signs: “INTERAC ONLY” or “DEBIT/CREDIT ONLY”.

BTW, that means, increases to transaction fees on debit/credit cards, etc. — you know, user fees!

We will be rounding ca$h transactions.

I refuse to believe that we will be rounding down to the nearest nickel. No, we will be rounding up to the nearest nickel — you know, price increases!

Remember to pay attention to things like gas prices for increases *cough* and rounding, too.

Really?

I say, “Stephen Harper is an opportunist whose tax agenda, blind ambition and divisive personality would put Canadian families and their jobs at risk.”

See what I did there, eh?

And with that, Stephen Harper and his Conservative Cabinet were found to be in contempt of parliament — an unprecedented finding in Canadian and Commonwealth parliamentary history.

How to celebrate:

Would you like a Royal Commission to investigate the Robocalls Scandal?

Would you like to know how you can make that happen, Canada?

Contact the Governor General and demand a Royal Commission!

*Refresh to see results from Elections Canada.

Drag through the courts — on the Canadian taxpayers’ dime — for 5.5 years!

And then…

The Conservative Party of Canada admitted to illegal campaign advertising tactics.

The Conservative Party of Canada plead guilty to Elections Canada Act violations.

Watching the Robocon Scandal unfold…

I can tell you this much: there is a pattern here, Canada!

I maintain that if even one voter in these ridings was intimidated/misdirected/misinformed by these robocalls — that’s one too many!

These robocalls are grounds “for a f*cking huge investigation”!

The Robocon Scandal is more widespread than previously thought…

New phone records show that robocalls targeted voters in ridings all across Ontario — not just Guelph.

Chief Electoral Officer Marc Mayrand announced today that he now has over 700 Canadians from across the country who allege specific circumstances of fraudulent or improper calls.

I have to ask, is the gun smoking yet?

How about now?

Now?

An issue-based call, setting out where [Conservative candidate Marty Burke] stood on the issue — of Abortion — is not remotely the same as a voter suppression call where voters were targeted, with calls claiming to be from Elections Canada, stating specific polling stations had been moved.

REPEAT AFTER ME: An issue-based call is not a voter suppression call.

FACT: The Conservative Party of Canada was named in the search warrant which compelled RackNine to turn over documents pertaining to robocalls made in the riding of Guelph.

FACT: The Conservative Party of Canada reviewed the tapes of every call made by the Responsive Marketing Group call centre in Thunder Bay, Ontario… before Elections Canada.

FACT: The Conservative Party of Canada refused to publicly release phone records related to their telemarketing in the last election.

FACT: The Conservative Party of Canada is the only party in Canada’s history to be charged and convicted of Canada Elections Act violations.

Former Conservative Party of Canada/Harper government staffer, Michael Sona, has broken his silence and is denying any involvement in the robocalls that misdirected/misinformed voters in the Ontario riding of Guelph during the 2011 Canadian federal election.

Michael Sona is also urging the guilty party to step forward and acknowledge his or her role in the Robocon Scandal.

Now, it seems that there were thousands of robocalls and/or live calls designed to misinform/misdirect/insult/intimidate, etc. certain Canadian voters and these robocalls and/or live calls were made to specific ridings.

It started off with just a few ridings…

At last count, it seems that there were at least 40 ridings may or may not be affected by the Robocon Scandal.

And, it seems that there were only certain people to benefit from these robocalls and/or live calls.

What We Know

• Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party of Canada have denied any knowledge or involvement.
• Elections Canada traced the calls to RackNine, an Edmonton-based firm connected with the Conservative Party of Canada.
• A Conservative Party of Canada campaigner/Harper government staffer resigned shortly after the scandal was reported.

What We Do Not Know

• Who is involved?
• Will there be a public inquiry?
• Will there be by-elections?

PART 20 of the Canada Elections Act discusses Contested Elections:

Means of contestation

522. (1) The validity of the election of a candidate may not be contested otherwise than in accordance with this Part.

No effect on rights and obligations

(2) The making of an application to contest an election does not affect any right or obligation of a candidate in that election.

Nul and void election

523. The election of a person is nul and void if, under section 65, the person was not eligible to be a candidate.

Contestation of election

524. (1) Any elector who was eligible to vote in an electoral district, and any candidate in an electoral district, may, by application to a competent court, contest the election in that electoral district on the grounds that

(a) under section 65 the elected candidate was not eligible to be a candidate; or

(b) there were irregularities, fraud or corrupt or illegal practices that affected the result of the election.

Exception

(2) An application may not be made on the grounds for which a recount may be requested under subsection 301(2).

301(2) Grounds for recount

The judge shall fix a date for a recount if it appears, on the affidavit of a credible witness, that

(a) a deputy returning officer has incorrectly counted or rejected any ballots, or has written an incorrect number on the statement of the vote for the votes cast for a candidate; or

(b) the returning officer has incorrectly added up the results set out in the statements of the vote.

Competent courts

525. (1) The following courts are competent courts for the purposes of this Part:

(a) a court listed in subsection (2) that has jurisdiction in all or part of the electoral district in question; and

(b) the Federal Court.

Courts

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(a), the courts are

(a) in the Province of Ontario, the Superior Court of Justice;

(b) in the Province of Quebec, the Superior Court;

(c) in the Provinces of Nova Scotia and British Columbia, Yukon and the Northwest Territories, the Supreme Court;

(d) in the Provinces of New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, the Court of Queen’s Bench;

(e) in the Provinces of Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland, the Trial Division of the Supreme Court; and

(f) in Nunavut, the Nunavut Court of Justice.

Rules of procedure

(3) An application shall be dealt with without delay and in a summary way. The court may, however, allow oral evidence to be given at the hearing of the application in specific circumstances.

S.C. 2002, c. 7, s. 94; S.C. 2002, c. 8, s. 117.

Security, service of application

526. (1) An application must be accompanied by security for costs in the amount of $1,000, and must be served on the Attorney General of Canada, the Chief Electoral Officer, the returning officer of the electoral district in question and all the candidates in that electoral district.

Increase of security

(2) The court may, if it considers it just, increase the amount of the security.

Time limit

527. An application based on a ground set out in paragraph 524(1)(b) must be filed within 30 days after the later of

(a) the day on which the result of the contested election is published in the Canada Gazette, and

(b) the day on which the applicant first knew or should have known of the occurrence of the alleged irregularity, fraud, corrupt practice or illegal practice.

Withdrawal of application

528. An application may not be withdrawn without leave of the court.

Notice of appearance

529. Any person referred to in subsection 526(1) may, within 15 days after being served with the application, file with the court a notice of appearance if he or she wishes to take part in the proceedings.

Evidence

530. In a proceeding in relation to an application, the written statement of the returning officer is, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, sufficient evidence of the holding of the election and of any person named in the certificate having been a candidate.

Dismissal of application

531. (1) The court may at any time dismiss an application if it considers it to be vexatious, frivolous or not made in good faith.

Court’s decision

(2) After hearing the application, the court may dismiss it if the grounds referred to in paragraph 524(1)(a) or (b), as the case may be, are not established and, where they are established, shall declare the election null and void or may annul the election, respectively.

Duties of court clerk

(3) The clerk of the court shall

(a) send copies of the decision to the persons mentioned in subsection 526(1), to any intervenor and to the Speaker of the House of Commons; and

(b) inform the Speaker of the House of Commons as to whether or not an appeal has been filed under subsection 532(1).

Informing House of Commons

(4) Except when an appeal is filed under subsection 532(1), the Speaker of the House of Commons shall communicate the decision to the House of Commons without delay.

Appeal

532. (1) An appeal from a decision made under subsection 531(2) lies to the Supreme Court of Canada on any question of law or fact, and must be filed within eight days after the decision was given.

Procedure

(2) The Supreme Court shall hear the appeal without delay and in a summary manner.

Copies of decision

(3) The registrar of the Supreme Court shall send copies of the decision to the persons mentioned in subsection 526(1), to any intervenor and to the Speaker of the House of Commons.

Informing House of Commons

(4) The Speaker of the House of Commons shall communicate the decision to the House of Commons without delay.

A pre-recorded message with a female voice, in both French and English, claimed to be calling on behalf of Elections Canada.

This message directed voters in ridings across the country to the wrong polling stations.

RackNine Inc. — used by many Conservative Party of Canada candidates — has confirmed its automated dialling service was used to deliver the phoney messages.

Elections Canada and the RCMP are investigating.

Denials

   Stephen Harper says…

“I have absolutely no knowledge on anything about these calls, but obviously if there is anyone who’s done anything wrong, we will expect that they will face the full consequences of the law.”

“In this case, our party has no knowledge of these calls.”

   The Conservative Party of Canada says…

“We are conducting their own internal probe.”

Resignations

   In the meantime…

Conservative Party of Canada staffer, Michael Sona has resigned.

   Are more resignations forthcoming?

Elections Canada Act violations

     Below are the sections of the Elections Canada Act which may have been breached:

• 43(a) and 43(b): the wilful obstruction and impersonation of the duties of an election officer
• 56(e): the misuse of information obtained from the Register of Elections
• 281(g): the wilful endeavour to prevent and elector from voting
• 480(1): the intent of delaying or obstructing the electoral process
• 482(b): to induce a person to refrain from voting

Canadians can stop Bill C-10.

Watch this:

Then, contact your Canadian Senator and/or tell the Canadian Senate: Do not to rubber stamp the Omnibus Crime legislation.

Once again, the Harper government’s PR machine is revving up to defend another idiotic piece of proposed legislation — and when I say idiotic, I mean pathologically idiotic!

There is absolutely nothing lawful about the access Bill C-30 will give the Harper government and those it designates to implement it.

How can Canadians stop this legislation from being rammed through the House of Commons?

Contact your MP right now and send Bill C-30 back to the drawing board.

We have a problem and its name is the Conservative Party of Canada.

Sovereignty not the boogeyman it once was. Really, it’s not. If you think it is, then you don’t understand what happened during the last election and why Québec voted the way it did.

You want to know who the boogeyman is, Canada? The boogeyman is the one sitting in the Prime Minister’s chair right now!

Conservative values are not Canada’s values.

How many other Canadians share this sentiment? 61% of Canadians share this sentiment.

This sentiment was both quantified and qualified February 14, 2012 outside the House of Commons by Justin Trudeau.

Read the full text of Justin Trudeau’s statement below.

The question is not why does Justin Trudeau suddenly not love his country because the question is ridiculous. I live this country in my bones, every breath I take. And I’m not going to stand here and somehow defend that I actually do love Canada because we know I love Canada.

The question is what’s happening to our country? Why do millions of Quebecers not see themselves in this government? Why do millions of women not recognize this country? Why do millions of people disconnect from our politics, from our world? Because they do not like, they do not see the Canada that we built over decades reflected not in the policies of this government but in the values that this government’s putting forward.

This country is a country of openness, of respect, of compassion, of the rule of law, of the rights of the individual, of freedom… freedom from fear, freedom from crime, freedom to love who you want and not be judged for it, freedom to do what you want with your body. These freedoms are the very things that Stephen Harper and his government are trying to take away.

So ask me if I’m upset at the direction he’s taking this government and this country. It’s not about policies.

On a un Canada qui devient mesquin, qui devient petit d’esprit, qui devient fermé, qui est anti intellectuel, qui commence à prôner la division et s’ingérer dans les vies privées des gens. Excusez-moi, mais je reconnais pas ce pays. Et c’est des millions de Canadiens qui non plus ne reconnaissent pas ce pays.

Questionnez-moi pas sur mes valeurs en tant que Canadien, en tant que Québécois, en tant que très fier de l’être. La direction dans laquelle amène ce gouvernement n’est pas la direction de la plupart des Canadiens. On n’a rien que regarder les sondages, même les résultats électoraux.

La réalité c’est que ce Canada il va falloir se réveiller pour se battre contre M. Harper. Il va falloir qu’on y soit.

And, again on CBC’s Power & Politics February 14, 2012:

Repeat: The boogeyman is the one sitting in the Prime Minister’s chair right now! Repeat: The boogeyman is the one sitting in the Prime Minister’s chair right now! Repeat: The boogeyman is the one sitting in the Prime Minister’s chair right now!

Canada, I have the solution… well, I have a solution.

***C-word alert***

How about cooperation?

In the last election, 61% voted for change, but the vote split and our broken electoral system gave Stephen Harper, what I like to call, a faux majority of seats in the House of Commons.

Cooperate for Canada.

]]> http://www.somecanuckchick.com/canada-we-have-a-problem/feed/ 0 http://www.somecanuckchick.com/say-no-to-c-11-now/ http://www.somecanuckchick.com/say-no-to-c-11-now/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:46:14 +0000 somecanuckchick http://www.somecanuckchick.com/?p=940 The Harper government re-introduced the Copyright Modernization Act, Bill C-11 in September 2011.

Wonder about where the coverage is on Bill C-11?

Me, too.

SOPA + PIPA may be dead — or shelved — but Bill C-11 is alive and well and set to pass ASAP in 2012.

The Harper government approach to copyright is copy-wrong!

Remember Maria Aragon?

Bill C-10 will also make covers like Maria Aragon‘s illegal…

You can say “NO!” to Bill C-11!

Email your MP. Email the PM.

Say something — anything — via Twitter, Facebook, etc. against Bill C-11!

Say “NO!” to Bill C-11 now!

Visit Michael Geist’s website [ michaelgeist.ca ] for more information.

I’m the Prime Minister I am,
The Prime Minister I am, I am,
I have a strong, stable, national Conservative majority government;
Do as I say and not as I do.
You voted for me and not a platform,
And Canadian values are conservative values.
I’m the Prime Minister,
the Prime Minister I am!

Second verse, same as the first!

The 1st session of the 41st Parliament resumed today.

*cue more of the same*

This is what a strong, stable, national Conservative majority government means: NO CONSULTATION. NO COOPERATION. NO COMPROMISE.

Federalism will not survive under Stephen Harper.

*end rant*

Why NO SOPA?

In case you missed it, somecanuckchick dot com went dark — along with thousands of others — on January 18, 2012 to protest SOPA and PIPA.

I believe that SOPA and PIPA would have reached beyond the borders of the United States of America and required internet service providers [ISPs] to take down any website [Canadian, or otherwise!] accused of posting, or linking to, copyrighted content.

I also believe that SOPA and PIPA would have had privacy implications for Canadians, with ISPs performing law enforcement functions that involve invading the privacy of Canadian internet users and Canadian website visitors.

SOPA and PIPA have since been shelved.

Canadian internet users, however, are still under threat from the Harper government, formerly known as the Government of Canada.

Remember Stephen Harper’s lawful access legislation?

Do you think any amount of protest (with a majority in the House of Commons and a majority in the Senate!) will be able to stop the Harper government from ramming through its lawful access legislation?

The same lawful access legislation which featured new information disclosure requirements for ISPs, mandated surveillance technology installation, the creation of new police powers, etc., etc., etc.

FYI the Harper government’s lawful access legislation has many of the same disturbing elements of SOPA and PIPA…

What can Canadians do while waiting for the Harper government to re-introduce its lawful access legislation?

Visit Michael Geist’s website: michaelgeist.ca

And, check out [Un]lawful Access!

After all, it has been approximately 240 days since Bob Rae became the interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada… and the Liberals are up in the polls.

Coincidence?