Tuesday 20 September 2011

Harper Keeps 1st Camaign Promise!

I, like most people in Canada, want tougher legislation for convicted criminals. I just hope that this legislation goes far enough to protect our people from repeat offenders. Longer sentencing is a must for any crime against children and we have to get rid of the law that also allows a convict to serve his sentencing at the same time. Two life sentences should mean just that, 25 years for the first and 25 for the second meaning that person will serve 50 years and not be on our streets to re-offend.

Harper government tables comprehensive crime bill

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Postmedia News Sep 20, 2011 – 11:44 AM ET | Last Updated: Sep 20, 2011 11:45 AM ET

By Tobi Cohen and Jason Fekete

OTTAWA — The Harper government tabled sweeping criminal-reform legislation Tuesday that it says will make Canadians streets safer.

The omnibus crime bill, dubbed the Safe Streets and Communities Act, comprises nine individual justice bills, many of which were introduced in the previous parliamentary session but which the then-minority Tory government could not push through.

Speaking in Brampton, Ont., on Tuesday accompanied by a number of representatives from victims-rights groups, Justice Minister Rob Nicholson said the new legislation will include measures to protect children from sexual offenders, will target organized drug crime and will crack down on young offenders.

The legislation will also take away the option of house arrest for those who have committed serious violent and property crimes such as sexual assault, human-trafficking, arson, break and enter, child-luring and kidnapping, he said.

“Since coming into office, our government has accomplished a great deal when it comes to cracking down on crime and better protecting Canadians,” he said.

“But we know more needs to be done. Canadians want and deserve to feel safe in their homes and their communities.”

The government has vowed to pass the bill within the first 100 sitting days of the new parliament, which began Monday.

While the opposition has promised to oppose it, citing Statistics Canada data that suggests crime is actually going down in this country, the Conservatives now have a majority in the House of Commons, and no longer need the opposition’s support.

Wednesday 14 September 2011

Republicans Win NY Race

Is this a sign of things to come in 2012? I am thinking it may be if, and I do mean if the GOP pick the right preson to run up against Obama. The results from two special elections last night makes it look like the people are really starting to tire of Obama's handling of the economy. The election is going to be about jobs and if the U.S. continues to tred water or even lose more jobs before now and then I think a one term president is what Obama will be. I believe I heard last night that this seat has been in Democrat hands since 1923, shows you what kind of shift is happening to the south of us.

Republican Wins House Race in New York, Seen as Obama Rebuke

Published September 14, 2011

| Associated Press

NEW YORK – Republicans have scored an upset victory in a House race that became a referendum on President Barack Obama's economic policies.

Retired media executive and political novice Bob Turner defeated Democratic state Assemblyman David Weprin in a special election Tuesday to succeed Rep. Anthony Weiner, a seven-term Democrat who resigned in June after a sexting scandal.

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With more than 80 percent of precincts reporting, Turner had 54 percent of the vote to Weprin's 46 percent in unofficial results.

"We've been asked by the people of this district to send a message to Washington," Turner told supporters after the landmark win. "I hope they hear it loud and clear. We've been told this is a referendum. Mr. President, we are on the wrong track. We have had it with an irresponsible fiscal policy which endangers the entire economy."

Weprin did not immediately concede.

The heavily Democratic district, which spans parts of Queens and Brooklyn, had never sent a Republican to the House. But frustration with the continued weak national economy gave Republicans the edge.

Turner has vowed to bring business practicality to Washington and push back on spending and taxes.

The race was supposed to be an easy win for Democrats, who have a 3-1 ratio registration advantage in the district.

Weprin, a 56-year-old Orthodox Jew and member of a prominent Queens political family, seemed a good fit for the largely white, working-class district, which is nearly 40 percent Jewish.

But voter frustration with Obama put Weprin in the unlikely spot of playing defense. A Siena Poll released Friday found just 43 percent of likely voters approved of the president's job performance, while 54 percent said they disapproved. Among independents, just 29 percent said they approved of Obama's job performance.

Turner, a 70-year-old Catholic, vowed to push back on Obama's policies if elected. He received help from prominent Republicans including former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, whose much-praised stewardship of the city after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks was recalled during the 10th anniversary of the attacks last weekend.

Weprin became embroiled in New York-centric disputes over Israel and gay marriage, which cost him some support among Jewish voters.

Orthodox Jews, who tend to be conservative on social issues, expressed anger over Weprin's vote in the Assembly to legalize gay marriage. In July, New York became one of six states to recognize same-sex nuptials.

Former Mayor Ed Koch, a Democrat, endorsed Turner in July as a way to "send a message" to Obama on his policies toward Israel. And Weprin was challenged on his support of a proposed Islamic center and mosque near the World Trade Center site, in lower Manhattan.

The Democratic Party enlisted two of its biggest guns, former President Bill Clinton and Gov. Andrew Cuomo, to record phone calls for Weprin. And Democrats relied on organized labor and other affiliated groups to bring voters to the polls.

The House seat opened up when Weiner was pushed by party leaders to resign after sending sexually provocative tweets and text messages to women he met online.

The trouble for Weiner, who served seven terms, began when a photo of a man's crotch surfaced on his Twitter feed. He initially denied the photo was of him but later admitted it was.

Weiner, who's married, resigned June 16 after two weeks of fighting off pressure to step aside. He apologized for "the embarrassment that I have caused" and said he hoped to continue to fight for the causes dear to his constituents.

In a special election in May, Democrat Kathy Hochul won a heavily Republican upstate district after pledging to protect Medicare, the popular government health care plan for seniors.

The state replaced outdated lever-operated voting machines last year in favor of paper ballots and optical scanners, which take more time to close and process. Polls closed at 9 p.m. Tuesday, and results trickled in slowly, but a Board of Elections spokeswoman said the vote-tallying system was running smoothly and there were no problems to report.

Friday 2 September 2011

FSIN - Guy Lonchild

Well, it never fails to amaze me how people with political ambitions can ruin something. You see Guy Lonechild, even with his few faults had done more for the FSIN than anyone in the past. Let's face it, in the past there were a long list of leaders within the FSIN with more of a checkered past than Guy ever had. He made a mistake and owned up to it, but that cannot overshadow all that he has accomplished can it? I think this was nothing more than someone else wanting his job and willing to do anything to force him out, time will tell if I am right but once this plays out I think we will see one of the chiefs that forced him out standing on the podium.

I have known Guy for many years, from his days down at the White Bear Indian Reserve, many days would be spent talking politics and you could see something like this was in his future. He had the ability to express his feelings on any situation and always seemed to have that calming influence on people that a leader really needs.

When it comes to Indian politics I think there is a lot that we don't understand, it is still something that is evolving and under Guy's leadership they made great strides in becoming a legit political force. It is just too bad that a few outspoken people had to get in the way, my only hope now is that this move doesn't set back the FSIN a generation by another round of leadership failures like they have had in the past.

Have we seen the last of Guy Lonechild in native politics? I hope not and many of the people that know him hope not as well. he has so much to offer and could have continued to do great things for his people. Maybe Guy just needs to step back for a few years before resurfacing a stronger and healthier leader and be able to prove all his naysayers wrong once and for all. There will be some who will say he got a great deal to walk away, anyone who knows Guy can without a doubt say that this is not what he wanted, he wanted to be able to lead his people and make a difference in the lives of everyone under the FSIN banner.

Guy Lonechild deserved better treatment from the Chiefs, and the people of the FSIN deserve better leadership from their Chiefs! Guy had them on the right track and now because of their political ambition they have sidetracked all of his great work. This was much more than a simple drunk driving charge, this was more about the usual FSIN politics than anything and they should not be holding their head high today.