h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"Westbury Theatres" has a nice ring to it.

I just got a reply from Ms. Duncan, my MP:

'Thanks so much for your note. It has become evident that that Harper planned this all along. A good number of his truly regressive laws were tabled by Conservative back benchers as private members bills. The result is those bills survive. What is puzzling is that despite the fact his stated his rationale for proroguing is to focus on the economy and revamp his agenda, the majority of laws which are lost are his crime bills and free trade bills, including the free trade agreement with Columbia. So we shall wait with bated breath to see what his new agenda may bring.

Mr Harper’s second argument for proroguing is it was necessary to make additional appointments to the Senate. This is not true. He may make appointments at any time a vacancy arises. What is most hypocritical is the fact he ran on a platform promising an elected not appointed Senate.

As Environment Critic, I am particularly angered that the prorogation has severely interrupted and delayed the critical work of the Parliamentary Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development. This includes the overdue report and recommendations on: a strengthened federal role in regulating and enforcing environmental and health protection measures related to the oil sands operations; on a review of the federal Species and Risk Act; and other reviews required by law. I am similarly concerned with the effect on critical reviews before other Committees, some of which include action on Afghan detainee abuse, growing rates of poverty, and economic opportunities for First Nation peoples, all disbanded at prorogation.



I have attached a brief summary of the effect of his prorogation. I will do my best to keep folk informed on my actions and the New Democrats will pursue in response. We are considering the suggestion of returning to Parliament early but as it can have little constructive effect with the session not officially convened we may turn our attention to seeking agreement of all MPs on more constructive measures. The action back in the 17th Century was a response by all MPs to the action of the King locking them all out of Parliament. This is a quite different scenario. As well Canada now has its own procedural rules, but I can assure you we are considering seeking support for the major revisions of these rules to temper the unilateral powers of the Prime Minister so this cannot be repeated.

I encourage you to write directly to Harper at [email protected] to express your opposition. Thanks again for being engaged.

Linda Duncan M.P.

Edmonton Strathcona'




It's nice to get an actual personal message from one's elected representative, complete with typos and forgotten attachments.

Wrote the PM.

Subject: Work

'Get back to it!!'

Did you really send it?

Of course!

He iz sooo pawned!

I should be asking for my portion of his salary back.

*Dirty Rotten Scoundrels*
starring Stephen Harper and his Potted Plant Cabinet.

Whatever one thinks of the 'mission', :

'Roadside bombs have killed and maimed many Canadian soldiers, but they couldn't defeat Capt. Simon Milloux.

He is the first Canadian soldier to return to active duty in Afghanistan as an amputee. . .

. . . He said he came back to honour the lives of the two men under his command who died and to show the insurgents they didn't win. . .

. . . Milloux also came back to fulfill a promise he made to the Afghans.

"I told them we would do things for them — build a school, build a well and all that. I haven't finished that so coming back here, I want to finish what I said."'

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/01/12/milloux-soldier012.html

Perhaps this is only a ploy to try to get a reduced sentence, but Amara is right about this:

'Amara told the court he had been "naive and gullible" and had a simplistic way of viewing the world. He said that he was locked into an extremist position that caused him to isolate himself from the real world.'

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2010/01/14/amara-trial.html

Re: the *Get back to work* email to the PM-

*Please know that your e-mail message has been received in the Prime Minister's Office and that your comments have been noted. Our office always welcomes hearing from correspondents and being made aware of their views.

Thank you for writing.

Sachez que le Cabinet du Premier ministre a bien reçu votre courriel et que nous avons pris bonne note de vos commentaires. Nous aimons être bien informés de l'opinion des correspondants.

Je vous remercie d'avoir écrit au Premier ministre*

In a porker's ocular organ!

"In a porker's ocular organ!" [clzoomer]

How would you translate that into Porker Latin?

I got a response from Mr. Layton today:

'Thank you for your previous message about Stephen Harper`s decision to
close down Parliament. New Democrats also share the outrage and
disappointment that you and many other Canadians have expressed about
this suspension of Parliament.

I have called on Prime Minister Harper to re-convene Parliament on
January 25. If he agrees, our Party will accept the re-instatement of
all pending legislation before prorogation - a common practice used in
past Parliaments. That said, we would continue to vote for or against
these Bills, based on whether they are good for Canada and Canadians.

I have also been clear that the work of the NDP caucus will not stop as
a result of Mr. Harper`s decision. We are going ahead with our January
18 winter strategy meeting and New Democrat MPs will be:

- participating in the January 23 protest rallies organized by citizens
across Canada
- returning to Ottawa on January 25 to hold our regular Caucus meeting
- working on parliamentary reform proposals including measures to ensure
that prorogation cannot be misused again
- holding the government's feet to the fire on the economy, climate
change, the war in Afghanistan, retirement security, and consumer
protection

Parliament has vital work to do. Canadians can't prorogue their credit
card bills, their pension shortfalls, their unemployment, or their
worries about the future. We think MPs should be working on these issues
and representing the priorities of their constituents and communities in
the annual pre-budget work.

Again, I appreciate your desire to stand up for democracy. Feel free to
pass along my message to anyone who may be interested. All the best.

Sincerely,


Jack Layton, MP (Toronto-Danforth)
Leader, Canada's New Democrats'



actually, it seems like a pretty sensible solution.


But there's no way Harper will take the bait and risk looking like he's not in absolute control.

I forgot to mention x 50,000 or so

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/01/14/haiti-earthquake.html



and, of course, for the Canadian civilians confirmed lost so far,

and one for Sgt. Gallagher of the Mounties, the first Canadian police officer killed while on active duty on a peace-keeping mission.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/01/14/haiti-canadians.html

...

In other news:


New Canadian on HooToo. Spirea Yucca from Mississauga 14289406

oops. U14289406 for Spirea Yucca.

Hiya there!
Glad to be welcomed.

hello, again.

I expect others will drop by soon, although the thread does sometimes lie dormant for a few days at a time.

As often happens on forums! Especially on Friday nights. It's healthier for people be out and about. Except when out and about ends up as and then inevitably leads to . Not so healthy?

Ah I babble. And I've interrupted a political debate - mind filling me in?

I'm not sure that there's been a political debate. More like rants about the prorogation of Parliament.

and then the earthquake



I'm afraid I've got to run for a bit: Chardonnay to drink, beer to rack.

I'll check back a little later.

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