Monday, February 27, 2006, 03:26 PM - Justice
Today Marshall Rothstein will face a 3 hour hearing to determine if he is suitable to become a Supreme Court of Canada judge. Is this a positive move?
We’ve heard a lot about judicial activism over the last many years and we’ve all seen the changes brought about in this country by judicial activism. Will this really curb it?
I think the hearing is a step in the right direction by having all elected Parties part of the process, but it still leaves us open to judicial activism.
The CHP plan, having a Standing Committee on the Judiciary, protects the independence of the court in matters of law. This body would oversee the judiciary which is accountable to Parliament. Parliament, of course, is accountable to the voters.
This protects the democratic process by ensuring that our democratically elected leaders make our laws and our SCOC judges remain within their mandate of judging the law “as it is written”. Whether they are liberal minded or conservative minded should not affect the outcome. Does it comply with the laws of Canada is the question.
We’re looking at reforming our process of appointing SCOC judges. Let’s do the full job and ensure that we have neither liberal nor conservative judges. We need judges judging on the basis of the law, alone!
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Wednesday, February 22, 2006, 09:50 PM - Health Care
We saw the issue of euthanasia before Parliament last October. It passed the first reading but died with the 39th Federal Election.
Canadians need to take the example of what's happened in other countries and ensure that our government does not entertain such notions.
"A health official in the Netherlands [Marianne van den Anker] has called for a debate on the idea of forced abortion and contraception to deal with what she sees as a crisis of unwanted children.
The target groups for her program are Antillean teenage mothers; drug addicts and people with mental handicaps, she said, according to a report in Expatica."
source
Euthanasia is wrong! Abortion is wrong! Forced abortion and forced contraception are wrong! We can learn from the mistakes of other countries and avoid going down the same path.
We all need to be involved.
We need to return to immovable standards of right and wrong.
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Thursday, February 16, 2006, 01:04 AM - Miscellaneous
Leonard Tilley (1818-1896), inspired by reading Psalm 72, suggested the name "Dominion of Canada".
This letter written by his son explains.
“When the father of Confederation were assembled discussing the terms and conditions of Confederation and the drafting of the British North America Act there had been considerable discussion the day before and many suggestions as to what the new United Canada should be called, and no conclusion had been reached. The discussion on the name stood over until the next day. the next morning, as was Sir Leonard’s custom, he read a chapter from the Bible, and that particular morning, as was Sir Leonard’s custom, he read a chapter from the Bible, and that particular morning he read Psalm Seventy-two. When reading verse eight of the said Psalm, “He shall have Dominion also from sea to sea”, the thought occurred to him, what a splendid name to give Canada. When he went back to the sitting of the convention that morning he suggested the word “Dominion,” which was agreed to, and Canada was called the “Dominion of Canada”.”
A letter signed by John A. MacDonald explained to Queen Victoria that the name was “a tribute to the principles they earnestly desired to uphold.”
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Thursday, February 9, 2006, 01:53 PM - Environment
“The failure of governments to compile this data is "a real indictment of the lack of attention being paid to Great Lakes issues," said Rick Smith, executive director of Environmental Defence.” (Globe & Mail)
We have to take seriously all areas of pollution in this country. Kyoto deals strictly with greenhouse gases, there are more problems facing our planet than greenhouse gases. We cannot put all of our eggs in the one basket. Our planet is comprised of air, land and water... all of which need attention.
It’s time to make a comprehensive and balanced plan to protect our environment. When we make headway it’s necessary to follow up to ensure we don’t regress.
5.0.2. POLLUTION
Control of environmental pollution is an essential of good stewardship. Government has a duty to enact and enforce adequate legislation to safeguard against abuse of the nation's air, land, and water resources.
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Thursday, February 9, 2006, 11:13 AM - Miscellaneous
Peter Van Loan
York – Simcoe (Ontario)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
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Friday, February 3, 2006, 11:25 PM - Child Care
While both parents working is great for our GDP, universal daycare does not protect the families in our society.
It’s time our government recognised the foundation of Canada is the family and that children are the future of this country. We must ensure that they are given the supports necessary, during their childhood, to grow into productive, contributing members of Canada.
There is more value in society than a healthy GDP. There is the extreme value of mentally healthy citizens.
Children learning their ABC’s at earlier ages may benefit their future career plans but does not teach the children how to play and interact which is important for their healthy development.
The CHP “Family Friendly Tax Credit” has the benefits of children: being raised by their parents; being provided with continuous care by the same care giver which decreases attachment disorders; being supervised by adults that love them; along with many other benefits.
Isn’t it time we based the future of this country and its well-being ahead of our own self-fulfillment.
See the related link for results from the C.D. Howe Institute study on universal childcare.
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