Posts tagged: harper
In the new budget, Harper and the Conservatives have brought on some pretty troubling changes that affect the autonomy of CBC/Radio-Canada. The changes let the government directly interfere with the daily activities of the CBC/Radio-Canada.
One of the most important changes is the direct involvement of the government in collective bargaining with CBC/Radio-Canada employees, any and all agreements must now be approved by the Canadian government.
The CBC/Radio-Canada has been mostly autonomous from the government since its founding 80 years ago.
http://www.cmg.ca/en/2013/04/30/harper-government-sets-out-plans-to-run-canadas-public-broadcaster/
Harper and the Conservative Party of Canada are about to pass a new “anti-terrorism” bill, which gives new powers to law enforcement, and courts to place legal restrictions and/or jail, innocent people who have any ties whatsoever (family, friend, co-worker, neighbor, etc.) to someone who is simply suspected of wanting to commit “terrorism”, all without a warrant.
NDP’s Sullivan summed up how the bill could work in the House debate on Monday:
“I like to refer to good old Uncle Albert … whose nephew for whatever reason is suspected of some kind of terrorist act. Because they can’t find the nephew, the police come to Uncle Albert’s door and put him in jail, for a day.”
“Then [they] take him before a judge and argue that Uncle Albert might know where the nephew is so we can’t let Uncle Albert have any more guns. We can’t let Uncle Albert leave the country because we have to be able to interrogate [him] … The police don’t suspect him of any terrorism. He just happens to be the uncle of the nephew whom they do suspect.”
Harper and the Conservative government are forcing municipalities to pay for the cost of new water standards themselves. The Tories have set the new water standards but are investing almost nothing for upgrading infrastructure. The less then adequate investments are more than likely to be P3 public-private partnerships (or more like Private profit and Public Pain partnerships)
This means some municipalities will have to rely on private, for profit companies to meet the new standards, or raise taxes. In Halifax, the publically owned 1 Halifax Water will be raising the water tax by 30% to be able to upgrade their infrastructure.
At the same, they are giving $220 billion dollar tax cuts for corporations and high income earners, while the infrastructure deficit is estimated at $145 billion dollars.
Minister of Immigration Jason Kennedy just revealed the new half a million dollar immigrant guide! 150 pages were added to the guide which used to have 50. Here are some of the new mentions in the guide!
Welcome to CONada!
Along with the USA, New Zealand and Australia. Human rights and native groups claim the Harper Government launched a “well-financed” campaign to derail the and undermine the process.
Despite this, the declaration passed at the UN.
Harper and the Conservative cabinet have ordered to pull out of a United Nations convention that fights droughts in Africa and elsewhere, which makes Canada the only country in the world outside the agreement.
The order to pull out was done last week, and was unannounced to the public.
Source: CBC
Librarians and archivists working for on the federal level now need political clearance to talk to any public groups because of a “duty of loyalty” to the Harper government.
Edit: Got a request for a source, here is an article on techdirt with a link the the new LAC Conde of Conduct:
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130319/09485522378/canadian-librarians-owe-duty-loyalty-to-government-must-self-censor-opinions-even-private.shtml
Although the NDP’s private member Transgender Rights Bill that makes it illegal to discriminate against transgender Canadians passed 149-137 in the House of Commons, 137 Conservatives MP voted against the bill citing such reasons as it would “protect pedophiles” by letting them lurk in public bathrooms.
18 Conservative MPs voted in favor of the bill, all opposition and other party MPs voted in favor.
Conservatives just voted against the following NDP motion by Kennedy Stewart:
That, in the opinion of the House, a) public science, basic research, and the free and open exchange of scientific information are essential to evidence-based policy-making; b) federal government scientists must be enabled to discuss openly their findings with their colleagues and the public; c) the government should maintain support for its basic scientific capacity across Canada, including immediately extending funding, until a new operator is found, to the world-renowned Experimental Lakes Area Research Facility to pursue its unique research program.
A letter obtained through access of information laws shows that the Energy Industry requested a series of changes to 6 environmental laws to advance “both economic growth and environmental performance.”
Within 10 months, Harper and the Conservatives gave the industry pretty much everything they wanted. Changes affect the the following:
Source:http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2013/01/09/pol-oil-gas-industry-letter-to-government-on-environmental-laws.html
The new planned bridge Windor, Ontario to Detroit, Michigan and its construction will be exempt from pretty much any environmental impact assessment including the Environmental Assessment Act, Fisheries Act, Navigable Waters Protection Act (which is being amended too, see older posts), and the Species at Risk Act.
Harper and the Conservatives continue to eliminate bodies they deem no longer useful with their authority and power being transferred to to specific Cabinet Ministers.
Canada Employment Insurance Financing Board - Sets EI premium rates and supervises EI funds. Continuing the transfer of control over EI to cabinet ministers.
Hazardous Materials Information Review Commission - Authority transferred to the health minister.
Merchant Seamen Compensation Board - Transferred to the labour minister.
Autonomous bodies like these ensure transparency and objective, non-partisan handling of issues. With these powers transfers, Cabinet Ministers can do as they please for lobbyist or for votes for example.
