Archive for December 31st, 2012

Full PMO statement on Idle No More

- December 31st, 2012

This is the statement the Prime Minister’s Office issued on Dec. 20 regarding the Idle No More movement and Attawapiskat First Nation Chief Theresa Spence. It was issued by Harper’s spokesman Carl Vallee and he says it still stands.

The Prime Minister hosted an historic gathering of the Crown and First Nations this past January. Since then, the Government has been working with First Nations leadership to make progress in several areas, most notably education and infrastructure on reserve. In fact, the Prime Minister met with National Chief Atleo on Nov 28 to review the progress to date and to discuss a range of issues.

The Government remains willing to work with Chief Spence, and all chiefs, to deliver better outcomes for First Nations communities.

Minister Duncan has offered to meet with Chief Spence but has not as yet received a response from her.

Parliamentary Secretary Rickford has also asked to visit Attawapiskat to see first-hand the improvements made on this particular reserve, including the construction of new modular homes.

Categories: General | 22 comments

Idle No More Grows

- December 31st, 2012

Categories: General | 2 comments

Milked

- December 31st, 2012

In its ongoing efforts to prove in colourful way that trusting government is not sensible, the American Congress may well manage not to pass legislation that would prevent a doubling of the price of milk in the United States.

Now I know what you’re thinking. How could not passing a bill double the price of milk? Answer: The U.S. hasn’t passed a permanent farm price bill since 1949 but have fudged and hedged and fiddled for 63 straight years, and since they couldn’t even get that right this time they’re looking at returning to the 1949 legislated “parity” price plus massive inflation adjustment which would apparently bring the cost of the cold white stuff to around $7.00 a gallon. I do not think parity means what they think it means.

Some zealots would regard this mess as proof that the price of milk is really an issue between farmers, merchants and customers. But they, of course, fail to understand the chaos that would result without wise and farsighted government improvisation.

 

Categories: Economy, Foreign affairs, Government, United States | Comments off

“A shocking irresponsibility to protect” Americans

- December 31st, 2012

This is the conclusion from the Senate report into the Benghazi debacle.

WASHINGTON—The State Department and Pentagon had no viable way to rescue Americans in Benghazi, Libya, falling short of their responsibility to develop plans to evacuate U.S. citizens, according to the first bipartisan congressional investigation of the Sept. 11 assault.

The Senate report, like a study by an independent review board in December, was harshly critical of the State Department for failing to recognize and respond to security risks before four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador, were killed. But the new Senate report also spreads the blame more widely, finding fault with the Pentagon and White House.

The report is due to be released on Monday by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. The Wall Street Journal reviewed a copy on Sunday.

But we sort of already knew that, didn’t we.

Categories: Foreign affairs | 1 comment