Politics in Canada

[Baron Von PWN]

Last week Rob Ford's spokesman said, since he only has ceremonial powers left, he is spending 2 hours each day working out. Now today, this ...

A trainer who consulted with Rob Ford as recently as Tuesday night on a health “game plan” was convicted in the U.S. for steroid trafficking and is currently in the midst of a 12-year ban from coaching in Canada for administering steroids.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/11/20 ... in-canada/

lol

[BigBallinStalin]

Last week Rob Ford's spokesman said, since he only has ceremonial powers left, he is spending 2 hours each day working out. Now today, this ...

A trainer who consulted with Rob Ford as recently as Tuesday night on a health “game plan” was convicted in the U.S. for steroid trafficking and is currently in the midst of a 12-year ban from coaching in Canada for administering steroids.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/11/20 ... in-canada/

Can he still coach Rob Ford? I hope so! We wouldn't want our politicians outta shape.

[mrswdk]

So a crack-addled maniac gets paid to lead the city while other people do all the work on his behalf, leaving him to his leisure pursuits?

[GeneralMao]

Why is it so hard to get rid of this moron?

I will assume you mean rob ford.

City council doesn't have the power to depose a sitting mayor. Only the Ontario legislature can do so. Currently the Ontario legislature has a minority government which means they could be defeated and face an election on any one issue. The Premier(Governor basically) of Ontario has said they would only do so if Toronto city council could no longer function and if they could get unanimous support from the other parties. Toronoto city council has passed a number of bills with huge majorities which have striped Ford of his Mayoral powers. He's basically mayor in name only and the deputy mayor is the de facto mayor. These measures will be reversed after the next election which presumably will see Ford crushed(Ford is crazy enough to not resign, and is crazy enough to run again).

Yes, I meant Rob Ford. Thanks for the explanation.

[Baron Von PWN]

[quote="mrswdk"]So a crack-addled maniac gets paid to lead the city while other people do all the work on his behalf, leaving him to his leisure pursuits?[/quote

Well he has none of the powers of a Mayor and has the budget of a city councilor (his budget was reduced) but yes as they can't legally get rid of him.

[DoomYoshi]

right now, the worst mayor in canada is the winnipeg jets;
http://jets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=692448

[saxitoxin]

right now, the worst mayor in canada is the winnipeg jets;
http://jets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=692448

LMAO

The best part about the guy who took the helmet was how he was so totally non-chalant about it. He just calmly reached down and took it off Pardy's head like that was an opportunity that had presented itself before, and would likely present itself again.

[notyou2]

right now, the worst mayor in canada is the winnipeg jets;
http://jets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=692448

LMAO

The best part about the guy who took the helmet was how he was so totally non-chalant about it. He just calmly reached down and took it off Pardy's head like that was an opportunity that had presented itself before, and would likely present itself again.

He looked to be drunk. Or do all people in Chicago appear to be drunk?

[khazalid]

it is very windy there..

[saxitoxin]

Bradford County, Florida Sheriff Gordon Smith announced the arrest of Hampton Mayor Barry Layne Moore on drug charges late Monday with a none-too-subtle nod to Toronto’s ongoing crack scandal — Ford has admitted to smoking crack and buying illegal drugs but has not been charged with a crime and has refused calls to resign.

“This isn’t Toronto,” Smith said late Monday in a statement. “We will not tolerate illegal drug activity, in my jurisdiction, by anyone (including) our elected officials.”

http://www.torontosun.com/2013/11/26/sh ... nt-toronto

[muy_thaiguy]

2 party system of Canada;

The Lumberjacks
The Mounties


Minor Parties

Maple Syrup
Hockey
"Eh" Party

[2dimes]

The guy on the radio yesterday claimed two separate companies have approached Mayor Ford about appearing in an Adult Video.

[Dukasaur]

The guy on the radio yesterday claimed two separate companies have approached Mayor Ford about appearing in an Adult Video.

He has plenty to eat at home.

[notyou2]

The guy on the radio yesterday claimed two separate companies have approached Mayor Ford about appearing in an Adult Video.

He has plenty to eat at home.

Friday is all you can eat fish day.

[saxitoxin]

Rob Ford was Grand Marshal of the Etobicoke Santa Claus Parade!



Take that, Ford haters!

[Ray Rider]

Back to a more serious note, I think our Canadian government made the right choice regarding the US-Iran nuclear deal. The independent journalist Michael Totten summed it up with two quotes as follows:

I’m wrapping up a long piece about Cuba which I’ll publish later tonight, so I’m going to outsource my reaction to the US-Iran “deal” first to Mike Doran at the Brookings Institution and second to the Canadian government.

You should definitely read Doran’s entire analysis, but here’s the bottom line:

"The nuclear deal will further subject the Arab world to the tender mercies of the Revolutionary Guards. Iran will now have more money — our money — to channel to proxies such as Hezbollah. Washington cannot expose the mailed fist of the Qods Force without endangering the nuclear rapprochement, so it has a positive incentive to ignore all Iranian subversion and intimidation in the region.

Whether he realizes it, Obama has now announced that the United States cannot be relied upon to stand up to Iran. Therefore, Israel and our Arab allies will be forced to live by their wits. Some actors, like the Saudis, will prosecute their proxy war with Iran with renewed vehemence. Others will simply hedge. They will make a beeline to Tehran, just as many regional actors began showing up in Moscow after the Syrian chemical weapons deal. American influence will further deteriorate.

That, in sum, is the true price that we just paid for six months of seeming quiet on the nuclear front. It is price in prestige, which most Americans will not notice. It is also a price in blood. But it is not our blood, so Americans will also fail to make the connection between the violence and the nuclear deal. It is important to note, however, that this is just the initial price. Six months from now, when the interim agreement expires, another payment to Ayatollah Khamenei will come due. If Obama doesn’t pony up, he will have to admit then that he cut a bad deal now. So he we will indeed pay — through the nose."

America’s Arab and Israeli allies aren’t the only ones who refuse to go along with this. Canada is taking a hard line, as well.

The Canadian government released the following statement: “Canada has long held the view that every diplomatic measure should be taken to ensure Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon. We appreciate the earnest efforts of the P5+1.

“Effective sanctions have brought the regime to present a more moderate front and open the door to negotiations. Today's deal cannot be abused or undermined by deception. The Iranian people deserve the freedom and prosperity that they have been denied for too long by the regime's nuclear ambitions. Until then, Canadian sanctions will remain tough, and in full force.”

Ottawa’s Foreign Affairs minister John Baird added that “past actions best predict future actions, and Iran has defied the United Nation Security Council and defied International Atomic Energy Agency. Simply put, Iran has not earned the right to have the benefit of the doubt.”

[notyou2]

right now, the worst mayor in canada is the winnipeg jets;
http://jets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=692448

LMAO

The best part about the guy who took the helmet was how he was so totally non-chalant about it. He just calmly reached down and took it off Pardy's head like that was an opportunity that had presented itself before, and would likely present itself again.

He looked to be drunk. Or do all people in Chicago appear to be drunk?

I am in Chicago right now and everyone appears to be drunk, and it's windy too.

[saxitoxin]

Back to a more serious note, I think our Canadian government made the right choice regarding the US-Iran nuclear deal. The independent journalist Michael Totten summed it up with two quotes as follows:

I’m wrapping up a long piece about Cuba which I’ll publish later tonight, so I’m going to outsource my reaction to the US-Iran “deal” first to Mike Doran at the Brookings Institution and second to the Canadian government.

You should definitely read Doran’s entire analysis, but here’s the bottom line:

"The nuclear deal will further subject the Arab world to the tender mercies of the Revolutionary Guards. Iran will now have more money — our money — to channel to proxies such as Hezbollah. Washington cannot expose the mailed fist of the Qods Force without endangering the nuclear rapprochement, so it has a positive incentive to ignore all Iranian subversion and intimidation in the region.

Whether he realizes it, Obama has now announced that the United States cannot be relied upon to stand up to Iran. Therefore, Israel and our Arab allies will be forced to live by their wits. Some actors, like the Saudis, will prosecute their proxy war with Iran with renewed vehemence. Others will simply hedge. They will make a beeline to Tehran, just as many regional actors began showing up in Moscow after the Syrian chemical weapons deal. American influence will further deteriorate.

That, in sum, is the true price that we just paid for six months of seeming quiet on the nuclear front. It is price in prestige, which most Americans will not notice. It is also a price in blood. But it is not our blood, so Americans will also fail to make the connection between the violence and the nuclear deal. It is important to note, however, that this is just the initial price. Six months from now, when the interim agreement expires, another payment to Ayatollah Khamenei will come due. If Obama doesn’t pony up, he will have to admit then that he cut a bad deal now. So he we will indeed pay — through the nose."

America’s Arab and Israeli allies aren’t the only ones who refuse to go along with this. Canada is taking a hard line, as well.

The Canadian government released the following statement: “Canada has long held the view that every diplomatic measure should be taken to ensure Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon. We appreciate the earnest efforts of the P5+1.

“Effective sanctions have brought the regime to present a more moderate front and open the door to negotiations. Today's deal cannot be abused or undermined by deception. The Iranian people deserve the freedom and prosperity that they have been denied for too long by the regime's nuclear ambitions. Until then, Canadian sanctions will remain tough, and in full force.”

Ottawa’s Foreign Affairs minister John Baird added that “past actions best predict future actions, and Iran has defied the United Nation Security Council and defied International Atomic Energy Agency. Simply put, Iran has not earned the right to have the benefit of the doubt.”

While I disagree with Canada's opposition to the Iran deal, I am glad Canada is steering an independent course with respect to foreign policy. So this is a "+ / -" position for me.

It's passed relatively without notice but the U.S. Senate is pushing for construction on 4 armed heavy icebreakers, which would effectively triple its heavy ice fleet (it only has 2 right now). Ships like that have only one purpose in one tiny part of the globe and it's not to rescue stranded whales. The only thing that seems to be holding back construction is turf-wars between the Navy and the Coast Guard. To my amazement, it seems like Harper is the only one willing to prepare Canada for the possibility of a post-alliance future. Trudeau would be busy brushing his hair right now.

[2dimes]

right now, the worst mayor in canada is the winnipeg jets;
http://jets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=692448

LMAO

The best part about the guy who took the helmet was how he was so totally non-chalant about it. He just calmly reached down and took it off Pardy's head like that was an opportunity that had presented itself before, and would likely present itself again.

He looked to be drunk. Or do all people in Chicago appear to be drunk?

I am in Chicago right now and everyone appears to be drunk, and it's windy too.

I had a pizza and a hot dog at the airport. One was good and the other was not I don't remember which was which.

[notyou2]

right now, the worst mayor in canada is the winnipeg jets;
http://jets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=692448

LMAO

The best part about the guy who took the helmet was how he was so totally non-chalant about it. He just calmly reached down and took it off Pardy's head like that was an opportunity that had presented itself before, and would likely present itself again.

He looked to be drunk. Or do all people in Chicago appear to be drunk?

I am in Chicago right now and everyone appears to be drunk, and it's windy too.

I had a pizza and a hot dog at the airport. One was good and the other was not I don't remember which was which.

But I'm supposed to be in Baltimore. How's the food there?

[2dimes]

Never been. If you're into burgers and don't want to take a chance go to a Five Guys the worst location I've been to was pretty good. ~peanut allergy allert~

Other wise let us know how the food is there.

[KoolBak]

I love Canada ;o)

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/11/27 ... 50768.html

[mrswdk]

post-alliance future

Europe seems to be old news in the White House, and from this thread it sounds like Canada isn't exactly feeling the love either. The role of the US is increasingly one of grandstanding in the face of China and decreasingly one of engaging with its allies. How often does Obama go to Europe? Or even Biden? And yet they both have plenty of time to roll around Asia, kicking sand at China. Shows what really matters to them.

Maybe this should been obvious before. Europe was something to support while Am*rica was facing off with the USSR. Now that game's over, so screw it. Time to go wave our dicks at China instead. They get caught spying on Angela Merkel's personal phone and all they have to say is 'well we won't do it again'? Could they give any less of a f*ck?

It's no wonder the Germans and British are currently gearing up their sucking of China's cock (especially the British PM last week). It doesn't really matter if they make a new friend. Not much will change if they do.

[2dimes]

I don't know those guys but know guys like those guys eh.

[saxitoxin]

Europe seems to be old news in the White House

Obama did declare the period 2011-2111 "America's Pacific Century," (following the Europe Century and the Western Century). Everything is now geared toward addressing the Pacific; the U.S. military is in the middle of a 10-year redeployment from the Atlantic to the Pacific and American universities are cutting their ties to European institutions. Now that the pacification of Europe is complete, Canada should be able to leverage its unique geography as a two-ocean nation, provided IMO it pursues an independent course from the U.S. So kudos to Harper for steering a less dependent policy.