Canada General Discussion 1.5: The Countdown Begins

[King of Kensington]

Great article by David Akin: http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/david-akin-in-defence-of-sun-news/

Sad to see him without a job. Really surprised to see that Jack Layton approached him to be a candidate!

I despised Sun News and I certainly opposed their campaign for mandatory carriage.  As someone who is involved with the Roma refugee issue, it's hard for me to have a "neutral" opinion on Sun after Levant's appalling racist rant. 

But reading this, I do feel bad for Akin who is a very competent reporter and not at all a right-wing ideologue.  Unfortunately it was a hatemonger like Levant who was supposed to draw in the viewers, and it's not like Lilley or Coren were much better.  When you have Levant as your frontman, it greatly overshadows whatever was "good" about Sun News.

I wish Akin the best in finding new work.  Given his business reporting background, it would be nice to see him replace Amanda Lang.

[King of Kensington]

What I also find amusing is hearing Sun News supporters blaming "the left" (or Liberal bureaucrats at the CRTC or whatever) for the failure of Sun News.  It was available to 5 million households and had a viewership of 8,000.  Obviously Conservatives weren't watching it either. 

[MaxQue]

Another far-right social conservative in the Conservatives. Parm Gill (Brampton-Springdale) is opposed to sex ed in schools.

Why that riding only have terrible MPs? He replaced the even more awful Liberal Ruby Dhalla, which apparently mistreaded and withheld passports of the caregivers of her mother.

Again, no link since only French news are covering that. That pattern is worrying and shows than CBC and private media are plotting for Harper reelection.

[Hatman 🍁]

Suburban Toronto is generally a horrible place.

[Frodo]

Conservatives losing support among foreign-born Canadians: EKOS poll

By BJ Siekierski | Feb 20, 2015 6:44 pm

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[Frodo]

Also possibly related to the Conservative government's loss of support among immigrants (especially Muslim immigrants):

Conservative government’s terror bill increases spy agency powers

By: Alex Boutilier Staff Reporter, Bruce Campion-Smith Ottawa Bureau,
Published on Fri Jan 30 2015

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[Hatman 🍁]

Tory MPP says he doesn't believe in evolution: http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2015/02/25/tory-mpp-rick-nicholls-says-he-doesnt-believe-in-evolution.html

lolwut

I guess SW Ontario really is the "deep south" of Canada.

[Hash]

The Ontario PCs have gone totally bonkers, and it's lovely.

[MaxQue]

No wonder the Liberals seem to be there for a long time.

[King of Kensington]

Tory MPP says he doesn't believe in evolution: http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2015/02/25/tory-mpp-rick-nicholls-says-he-doesnt-believe-in-evolution.html

lolwut

I guess SW Ontario really is the "deep south" of Canada.

Rick Nicholls and leadership candidate Monte McNaughton come out of Ontario's Bible belt.

[Boston Bread]

Some not so veiled bigotry from the Bloc Quebecois.

https://www.facebook.com/blocquebecois/photos/a.565035510197157.1073741825.289645734402804/912716315429073/?type=1



The Bloc also accuses Mulcair of being a "fundamentalist multiculturalist".

[Hatman 🍁]

"fundamentalist multiculturalist".

lolololololol

[politicus]

"fundamentalist multiculturalist".

lolololololol

Why is that funny? Seems like an adequate description.

[MaxQue]

"fundamentalist multiculturalist".

lolololololol

Why is that funny? Seems like an adequate description.

I understand than white supremacy is the default position in Denmark (which have been often called in Quebec news, the most racist country in Western Europe), but Canada is multicultural. Made of French (1600), English (1700), Scottish (1700), Irish (1850), German (1900), Polish (1925), Italian, Black (1950) and now Arabs cultures.

There is no such things as "Canadian culture". Canada is a mix of different cultures who moved to Canada in various period. Than Bloc is using racism to gather votes isn't surprising, since they only care about French voters, a minority in the country. They don't like other minorities.

[DC Al Fine]

"fundamentalist multiculturalist".

lolololololol

Why is that funny? Seems like an adequate description.

I understand than white supremacy is the default position in Denmark (which have been often called in Quebec news, the most racist country in Western Europe), but Canada is multicultural. Made of French (1600), English (1700), Scottish (1700), Irish (1850), German (1900), Polish (1925), Italian, Black (1950) and now Arabs cultures.

Blacks started showing up in Nova Scotia around the same time the English did.

[Boston Bread]

Quebec separatists have evidently given up the idea of being a unifying force among Quebecers. While their new anti-minority campaign styles are unpopular with a large majority of Quebec, it lets them cling on a particular segment of voters which comprise about a quarter of Quebec's electorate, allowing them to remain on the very fringes of relevance.

And politicus: seriously?

[Hatman 🍁]

"fundamentalist multiculturalist".

lolololololol

Why is that funny? Seems like an adequate description.

The phrase just sounds particularly ridiculous. Perhaps because I don't live in Quebec, but multiculturalism is viewed by progressives in Canada as a huge part of our culture (if you can call it that) and is something that we take great pride in.

"fundamentalist multiculturalist".

lolololololol

Why is that funny? Seems like an adequate description.

I understand than white supremacy is the default position in Denmark (which have been often called in Quebec news, the most racist country in Western Europe), but Canada is multicultural. Made of French (1600), English (1700), Scottish (1700), Irish (1850), German (1900), Polish (1925), Italian, Black (1950) and now Arabs cultures.

Not to mention the Aboriginals who were here first, the Ukriainians and other Eastern Europeans in the early 1900s, Jews, Chinese (both to work on the railroads and after the head tax was repealed), South Asians, Vietnamese (after the war), Americans (e.g draft dodgers), etc, etc, etc. Arabs have also been in Canada for decades, at least in places like Ottawa and Halifax where they've contributed heavily to the local cuisines (think Halifax Donair or in Ottawa, you can't throw a rock without hitting a Shawarma restaurant) 

[anvi]

This story has come to the forefront of the news in the last several days.  A judge in Montreal refused to hear a Muslim woman's case about her car being impounded because the woman refused, on the judge's insistence, to remove her hijab in the courtroom. 

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-friday-edition-1.2975615/a-montreal-judge-refused-to-hear-a-muslim-woman-s-case-because-she-was-wearing-a-headscarf-1.2976498

If we're so concerned about the causes of radicalization, making people feel as little at home in a society as possible merely for wearing certain kinds of clothing should be on the radar screen.  This kind of thing is only counterproductive.

[DC Al Fine]

This story has come to the forefront of the news in the last several days.  A judge in Montreal refused to hear a Muslim woman's case about her car being impounded because the woman refused, on the judge's insistence, to remove her hijab in the courtroom. 

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-friday-edition-1.2975615/a-montreal-judge-refused-to-hear-a-muslim-woman-s-case-because-she-was-wearing-a-headscarf-1.2976498

If we're so concerned about the causes of radicalization, making people feel as little at home in a society as possible merely for wearing certain kinds of clothing should be on the radar screen.  This kind of thing is only counterproductive.

Has anyone noticed that an increasing number of stories coming out of Quebec resemble what you'd expect to come out of the Deep South?

[MaxQue]

This story has come to the forefront of the news in the last several days.  A judge in Montreal refused to hear a Muslim woman's case about her car being impounded because the woman refused, on the judge's insistence, to remove her hijab in the courtroom. 

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-friday-edition-1.2975615/a-montreal-judge-refused-to-hear-a-muslim-woman-s-case-because-she-was-wearing-a-headscarf-1.2976498

If we're so concerned about the causes of radicalization, making people feel as little at home in a society as possible merely for wearing certain kinds of clothing should be on the radar screen.  This kind of thing is only counterproductive.

Has anyone noticed that an increasing number of stories coming out of Quebec resemble what you'd expect to come out of the Deep South?

Don't blame the French nationalists for once, the judge is Italian (and Italians really don't go well with French nationalists).

[DC Al Fine]

This story has come to the forefront of the news in the last several days.  A judge in Montreal refused to hear a Muslim woman's case about her car being impounded because the woman refused, on the judge's insistence, to remove her hijab in the courtroom. 

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-friday-edition-1.2975615/a-montreal-judge-refused-to-hear-a-muslim-woman-s-case-because-she-was-wearing-a-headscarf-1.2976498

If we're so concerned about the causes of radicalization, making people feel as little at home in a society as possible merely for wearing certain kinds of clothing should be on the radar screen.  This kind of thing is only counterproductive.

Has anyone noticed that an increasing number of stories coming out of Quebec resemble what you'd expect to come out of the Deep South?

Don't blame the French nationalists for once, the judge is Italian (and Italians really don't go well with French nationalists).

Ah, but I'm being critical of Quebec not Quebec nationalists.

[Hatman 🍁]

That judge should be fired. Clearly contradicts the charter. 

[DC Al Fine]

That judge should be fired. Clearly contradicts the charter. 

Indeed. This laicite crap coming from (admittedly only some of) Quebec needs to stop.

[MaxQue]

That judge should be fired. Clearly contradicts the charter. 

Indeed. This laicite crap coming from (admittedly only some of) Quebec needs to stop.

Ironically, Bernard Drainville, the father of the Laïcité Charter is opposed to the judge ruling. He thinks laicity should apply to government workers, not to citizens using them.

[DC Al Fine]

Quarterly Atlantic Canada polls are out.

Nova Scotia
Lib: 58% (-6)
PC:  20% (+2)
NDP: 18% (+4)

New Brunswick
Lib: 54% (+2)
PC:  27% (+4)
NDP: 9% (-5)
Green: 9% (-1)

Newfoundland
Lib: 56% (-4)
PC:  31% (+2)
NDP: 13% (+3)

PEI
Lib: 58% (+8)
PC:  26% (+3)
NDP: 12% (-3)
Green: 4% (-7)

Of note:
1) The Liberal honeymoon in NS might finally be starting to ahead. However, they are still 13 points over what they got in the last election.

2) The NB NDP's horriawful result.