test blog #10

From CBC's Heather Mallick. The bold, relentless, in-your-face-and up-your-nose, five-times-elected British MP George Galloway is a Scot. He was coming to Canada to make a speech. The Harper government will not let this Scot across the border. I never thought I would see the day when such a travesty would take place in a country as supposedly open as Canada. Have we forgotten also that this country was largely built by 19th century Scots, those champions of banking and public schools. I assume they were looking for a climate more challenging than the cold relentless sleet of their notoriously comfortable homeland, a landscape more alienating than the Hebrides, a cuisine more excruciating than toothsome haggis. If you've ever eaten moose meat, you'll know that the Scottish settlers found it a laudable meat. Sturdy food, that's what Scots like. These are people who toss cabers, trunks of small trees, for sport. There's no profit in it, no point. It's painful. That...

Do you have plans this evening? Here's something to do. George Galloway addresses Toronto , March 30, 2009 Many thanks to Rabble for making this available!

We got to the Metropolitan United Church , where Galloway was supposed to speak, just before the vote in the House of Commons was set to take place. We were hoping to watch CPAC on a laptop at War Resister Support Campaign information table, but the wireless connection had been shut off as the organizers prepared for the webcast. A Campaign friend stuck at work put her cell phone near her computer, and we gathered around another friend's cell on speakerphone. Four or five of us were huddled around the iPhone when someone ran over to tell us the vote was being projected on a big screen for the whole church! Just in time for the start of the vote, we ran in, and everyone who was early to the Galloway talk watched it together. I think most people didn't know what was being voted on and why we were watching. The vote was called, and the "yea"s came in. Everyone who was present from all three opposition parties stood. When the yes votes were finished, Allan said he had be...

A letter from today's Globe and Mail , by my partner Allan, who posts here as Redsock. So Immigration Minister Jason Kenney was successful in having British MP George Galloway banned from Canada because of Mr. Galloway's support of Hamas (British MP Loses Bid To Enter Canada - online, March 30). But in April, 2006, Mr. Kenney addressed a rally organized by the supporters of a banned terrorist organization, the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran. The group was placed on Canada's official terror list in May, 2005. In the interest of fairness, I ask that Mr. Kenney now ban himself from Canada. Allan Wood Mississauga, ON The title of this post is our rallying cry. Kenney Out! Galloway In! Kenney Out! Resisters In! It makes a great chant.

This was a long, nerve-wracking, joyous, frustrating, scary, uplifting evening. The motion in support of US Iraq War resisters was passed in the House of Commons by a vote of 129 - 125. We are thrilled and relieved. George Galloway addressed a packed house in Toronto via internet. He was incredible. I'll tell you more tomorrow.

A dark day for freedom of speech. Controversial British MP George Galloway's request for an injunction to enter Canada has been denied by a Federal Court judge. The decision prevents Galloway from appearing in person at an event in Toronto Monday evening, the first of three scheduled events in Canada. The federal government has told Galloway he could not enter Canada because he allegedly engaged in terrorist activities. In a letter to Galloway, the government says the MP delivered humanitarian goods to war-torn Gaza and gave $45,000 to Hamas, which is a banned terrorist organization in Canada. etc. etc.

Big day today! At 6:30 p.m., the House of Commons will vote - yet again - on a resolution to allow US Iraq War resisters to stay legally in Canada. This is the same motion that Parliament passed last June, which the Harper government has ignored. And while Harper can continue to ignore this motion, too, its passage in this Parliament will be a very important re-affirmation of the strong support for US war resisters throughout Canada. If your MP is Liberal, Bloc or NDP, please call her or him today. Remind your opposition MP that this issue is important to you, and important to Canada. Remind your MP that we want Canada to be a nation of peacemakers, a "refuge from militarism" (thank you, Monsieur Trudeau). Remind your MP to vote yes tonight. Then, at 7:00 p.m., George Galloway will address a crowd in Toronto on "Resisting War from Gaza to Kandahar". Depending on what the federal court decides , Galloway will either be in Toronto physically, or broadcast live via S...

The United Church of Canada issued a "Take Action" advisory on their website , asking members to call on the Canadian government to support US war resisters. So if you belong to United Church, do this now!

Our Fundable campaign to raise money for war resister legal defense ended on March 25. After all the pledges were sorted out and Fundable took its cut, the total was $4450. There were another $400 in cash donations from people who couldn't get the site to work, bringing the net to $4850. But that figure is in US funds. Converted to Canadian, it should be around $5900! It's so frustrating how quickly that money goes. Every cent of it is already accounted for. Campaigners are funding the campaign on their own credit cards, to be paid back slowly over time. We need a wealthy benefactor to bankroll the legal campaign until we can get a law passed for all the resisters to stay. But despite these frustrations, our online fundraising campaign was a huge success. I'll email each donor individually, but for now, on behalf of the War Resisters Support Campaign , please accept my most sincere thanks. You've made a real difference in people's lives. You've helped support ...

Oh man, I wish I could go to this! I can't, but maybe you can. I will definitely be at the Toronto Galloway event on Monday. In fact, I'll be watching the House of Commons vote on our motion from our table there. But if you're in the Toronto area and you don't work on Sunday like I do, here's news from the Toronto Coalition to Stop the War: Pack the court on Sunday! Federal Court hearing on ban on George Galloway George Galloway's Canadian legal team will be in federal court on Sunday to argue against Jason Kenney's ban preventing Galloway from entering Canada. The Defend Free Speech campaign is calling on all supporters to show up at the federal court to attend the hearing, which is open to the public. Help us pack out the court: the more people we have in attendance, the more clearly we show support for our case. Before the hearing begins, we will hold a Free Speech rally outside the court house, starting at 10:30 a.m. Please bring placards and banners to...

What I said last year. Good discussion in comments, too. Earth Hour

One more quickie and I'll call it a morning. From the Canada Meets George Orwell file. RCMP softened Taser-use restrictions In response to national anger at the death of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski in the Vancouver airport, the RCMP was urged to curb multiple Taser use by its officers — but instead deleted an existing restriction from its stun-gun policy. CBC News has learned that on Feb. 3, 2009, two sentences were erased from the main document that guides officers' actions — the first limiting Taser usage to one shot and no more than 20 seconds at a time, and the second requiring officers to warn suspects before deploying a stun gun. "They have in fact not placed stricter guidelines on the multiple usage of the Taser; they've in fact removed the ban on multiple use in their new guidelines," said Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh, who was a member of a parliamentary committee that reviewed RCMP Taser use. "And that is absolutely reprehensible, it's unacce...

You know, just because Obama won the election, doesn't mean the US voting system has been fixed. It just means no one will pay attention to the corrupt, broken system until 2012, when they have another opportunity to do nothing about it. More quickies, these from the Is The US A Democracy file. In California: Diebold Admits Audit Logs in ALL Versions of Their Software Fail to Record Ballot Deletions Startling admission made during public hearing in CA to consider decertification of the company's voting and tabulation software... Even the audit log system on current versions of Premier Election Solutions' (formerly Diebold's) electronic voting and tabulating systems --- used in some 34 states across the nation --- fail to record the wholesale deletion of ballots. Even when ballots are deleted on the same day as an election. That's the shocking admission heard today from Justin Bales, Premier's Western Region manager, at a State of California public hearing on t...

Continuing on my short-form link-o-rama... James sent me this nice graphic ages ago. We actually don't know if it's completely accurate, as the 27 million figure for the population of Canada is quite outdated. But there's no doubt it costs a lot of money to employ all those people whose job it is to deny coverage. Not to mention all that soft-focus advertising showing all the happy families enjoying their lives because of their wonderful HMOs. Chart was from this story.

I have a lot of links sitting around, too many to give them all serious attention, but too good to delete. So here they come, in short form. From the How the US Supports Its Troops file. In Miami, veterans get medical procedures with improperly sterilized equipment: A Veterans Affairs hospital here has notified thousands of patients that their colonoscopies were performed with improperly sterilized equipment , officials said Monday. The hospital urged about 3,260 patients who had colonoscopies between May 2004 and March 12 of this year to get tests for HIV, hepatitis and other diseases. The VA insisted the risk of infection was minimal, saying the tubing that was improperly cleaned didn't make contact with patients. It was the second recent announcement of errors during colonoscopies at VA facilities. . . . Last month, 6,378 patients at a clinic in Murfreesboro, Tenn., were told they may have been exposed to infectious body fluids during colonoscopies. The VA said 1,800 veterans t...

Does anyone know anyplace in the GTA that sells a ramp for an older dog to get into a car or up a few steps? Allan found a store in London, Ontario that sells one. And we used to shop from a great US catalog that carries a great selection of ramps and steps, but they don't ship to Canada. (I miss them!) We could ask someone in Buffalo to receive a package for us. But buying it the Toronto area would be a whole lot easier. I'd really like to take some strain off Cody's deteriorating hips, and she doesn't like being lifted.

I updated this post , but so it doesn't get lost: Antonia Z at Broadsides has more support for US war resisters in Canada . Don't forget to call or email your MP! The vote is Monday, and we need every opposition Member to show up!

Do you remember Eri Yoshida? I blogged about her back here. This time I'll let Allan tell the story. Go read. It's great.

From Media Style : So the CBC can’t secure government bridge finance to tell Canadian stories, but REPORT Magazine seems to be getting money? The Government of Canada Supports REPORT Magazine EDMONTON, March 27, 2009 - On behalf of the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Labour and Member of Parliament (Edmonton-Spruce Grove), today announced funding to support the creation of Canadian editorial content in REPORT Magazine. "The periodical industry is a vital cultural sector in Canada," said Minister Moore. "It is important to support public affairs magazines. With our new Canada Periodical Fund, we are contributing to the vitality and the initiative that make our publishing industry more competitive." . . . The Government of Canada has provided $27,124 in funding under the Support for Editorial Content component of the Canada Magazine Fund. And, what is REPORT Magazine you ask? Why ...

Yesterday's debate in the House of Commons on the fate of US war resisters in Canada was alternately uplifting and irritating, depending on who was speaking. The Conservatives tried to shut down the debate ( quelle surprise ), first running down the clock blathering about Jane Creba (young woman murdered in Toronto in 2005; relevance, your honour?), then moving to adjourn the debate entirely. The vote on adjournment squeaked by in our favour, 128-125. Too close for comfort, but it got things rolling. After Olivia Chow put forth the motion, our supporters in Parliament came out very strong. I had never heard Thierry St-Cyr, Bloc Immigration Critic, before, and he was excellent. Maurizio Bevilacqua, Liberal Immigration Critic, was also strong. Our friend Borys Wrzesnewskyj kicked ass, as did Gerard Kennedy. Bill Siksay, always in our corner, was terrific, and there was an unexpected assist from Megan Leslie (NDP, Halifax), among others. Their side had nothing. They spouted the usu...

From Toronto Coalition to Stop the War : Minister of Censorship Jason Kenney's decision to ban British MP George Galloway from speaking in Canada has ignited a firestorm of protest across the country. Kenney's office ­ and the entire Conservative caucus ­ has been bombarded with thousands of e-mails, phone calls and messages of protest. A legal challenge has been launched by Galloway's legal counsel in Canada, and the media is reporting new developments every day. The movement to reverse the ban on Galloway is big, and is growing by the minute. We can defeat Jason Kenney's ban, but we need your help over the next few days. Please read below and forward this message everywhere! Here's how you can help: 1. Promote the Defend Free Speech website: Defend Free Speech This site is the clearinghouse for all update about the campaign and includes documents from the legal challenge, breaking news, ticket information, and action items. Please upload a link of this site to you...

Many thanks to Ms Z for attending Stand With The Rivera Family on Wedsnesday night, and for this excellent column. War resisters deserve support March 27, 2009 Antonia Zerbisias Yes, technically Kimberly Rivera is a deserter. True, in other times, she might have been shot. But, when she signed on with the U.S. Army in 2006, she naively believed Iraq was all about rebuilding the country, creating democracy, keeping America safe from terrorists. And why wouldn't she? After all, the U.S. media were complicit in painting the false picture, never showing the death and destruction, rarely conveying the utter brutality of Baghdad and beyond, always broadcasting the White House spin about liberating Iraq. Not surprisingly, Rivera soon found out differently. So, while on leave in 2007, she quit Colorado for Canada with her husband and two children to seek refugee status. Now she has three kids, including baby Katie who was born in Toronto. They have been facing deportation for months. Yest...

Does anyone know (1) if today's House of Commons debate about the war resisters will be rebroadcast on CPAC later today, either on TV or online, and (2) when a transcript will be available online, how long that takes? I know I could figure this out for myself, but if you know offhand, you could save me a lot of time and effort. Thank you! If you watched the debate, as I did, let's hold off on discussion about it until I get a post up, OK? Thanks.

From Canadian Press: The first female U.S. soldier who fled to Canada to avoid fighting in Iraq has won more time in her fight to make a home here with her family. Kimberly Rivera, 26, celebrated an 11th hour stay from deportation Wednesday night flanked by a group of war resister supporters after she learned she'd won the reprieve. "This is a slight victory, because I don't have to go home (Thursday)," she told the group as she cradled her four-month old daughter. "So I am very, very excited. I don't have to be handed over to authorities, so it gives me another day to fight." ... The Federal Court of Canada granted Rivera the emergency stay, pending a decision on whether they'll review a decision by immigration officials that previously rejected her re-removal risk assessment. The decision means the Mesquite, Texas woman, who has a husband and three children, will avoid potential time behind bars for the moment. Had she been ordered out of the count...

[ Allan Guest Post ] Right now -- Parliament begins three hours of debate that will include debate on the motion to allow Iraq war resisters from the US (and their families) to remain in Canada and apply for permanent residence. The motion was originally passed in June 2008, but ignored by the minority Harper government in a flagrant disavowal of democracy. Olivia Chow of the NDP will read letters of support for war resisters, including a statement written by deported war resister Robin Long, now serving a 15-month sentence in a US military brig in San Diego. Tune in if you can. As Laura noted in her post earlier this morning, a vote on the motion will come as early as tomorrow, or possibly Tuesday. This will be a re-affirmation of the motion that passed in the House of Commons last June: ...that the government immediately implement a program to allow conscientious objectors and their immediate family members (partners and dependents), who have refused or left military service relate...

As we assembled last night, a few of us already knew that Kim had been granted an emergency stay. Kim was on her way back from Ottawa with Michelle Robidoux, the Campaign's principal coordinator, and Phil McDowell, another war resister, when Alyssa Manning called with the good news. Michelle relayed the news to a few people, but we were supposed to keep it quiet until Kim could make the announcement herself. Some people in the audience might have thought it strange that some Campaigners were laughing, joking and downright giddy! There was a very good turnout, a packed room, and when the meeting started, Kim, Michelle and Phil were still en route. The meeting opened with Mike Ferner, President of Veterans for Peace . Mike talked about being a young man on duty in Vietnam, how little he knew of what to expect, how quickly he learned the truth behind the lies that sent him to war. He drew parallels between the two invasions, Vietnam and Iraq, and he reminded us that the war resisters ...

Hooray! A terrible thing will not happen tomorrow. Kim Rivera and her family will not be deported from Canada. Kim was granted an emergency stay of removal. Federal Court Justice James Russell found, as lawyer Alyssa Manning argued, that the Pre-Removal Risk Assessment Officer who reviewed Kim's file did not take into account differential treatment being given to war resisters who speak out against the Iraq War. I've just returned from a wonderful celebratory public meeting. I'll blog all about it tomorrow. Tonight I just wanted to share this great news. Tonight we all breathe easier, knowing one more family is safe, at least for now. The fight continues. More tomorrow.

Today in Ottawa , there will be a press conference featuring Liberal MP Gerard Kennedy, Liberal Immigration Critic Maurizio Bevilacqua, NDP Immigration Critic Olivia Chow, Bloc Québécois Immigration Critic Thierry St-Cyr, war resister Kim Rivera, and war resister Phil McDowell. Gerard Kennedy will announce a private member's bill to stop all deportation proceedings against US war resisters in Canada, and to let them stay. All three opposition parties support the bill. We also expect to see the non-binding motion passed last year re-affirmed in the House of Commons, an important symbolic action while the private member's bill moves forward. At 3:00 this afternoon, lawyer Alyssa Manning will be in federal court, asking for an emergency stay of removal for Kimberly Rivera and her family. We might not hear the result until evening, so it's possible that we'll get word during tonight's public meeting. Our Fundable campaign for war resister legal defense ends tonigh...

Lawrence Martin, writing in the Metro papers: So much for free speech Lawrence Martin, for metro canada Whew! Lets breathe a sigh of relief now that British MP George Galloway has been barred from entering our country. Our children are safe. No telling what damage could have been rendered by this heinous threat to our national security. If reports are correct, Canada is the only country in the world that bars the sitting MP, who has been elected five times to the British parliament and has no criminal record. The Americans let him in. Even Israel, despite his pro-Hamas views, let him in. So what is the Harper government trying to do here? Ramp up its right-wing credentials to the point where Canada is seen as a denier of freedom of speech? Some of Galloway's views are wacko. We can disagree readily with his take on Israel, with his support for Hamas, but does that mean you gag him? Others, Canadians and Americans, have supplied aid to Hamas and controlled Gaza. Will that get them t...

Received this morning from the Toronto Coalition to Stop the War . **** Tell Jason Kenney: Defend free speech. Let George Galloway into Canada. Stop the attacks on civil liberties. Please contact immediately the offices of Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Jason Kenney to demand that he reverse his ban on British MP George Galloway. Jason Kenney must stop his attacks on civil liberties and support the right to free speech. Please also include the entire Conservative caucus in your e-mail (or as much of it as you can). Conservative MPs must take responsibility for their party's decision to attack free speech in Canada. Make sure they know that their position is indefensible, and that they must join the call to reverse the ban on George Galloway. E-mailing is the fastest and easiest way to contact Jason Kenney and Conservative MPs. Just follow these steps: Step 1 : Cut and paste Jason Kenney's e-mail addresses into your address line: KenneJ@parl.gc.ca; Kennej7@parl.gc.ca; m...

Toronto-area folks, please try to attend this Wednesday's emergency public meeting for war resister Kimberly Rivera and her family. If you have ever been involved with supporting war resisters - or ever thought of being involved - this is the meeting to attend. If you don't live in this area, please do what you can by phone and email. The Harper Government has given the Riveras a March 26 deportation date - that's this Thursday. They want to rid Canada of people who refuse to participate in the US's illegal, immoral occupation of Iraq. We want a Canada that welcomes people of peace and conscience. Last June, the majority of Parliament voted to Let Them Stay. We want a Canada run by democracy, not the ideology of a minority Conservative government bent on shutting down dissent. We will not give up. We will not go quietly. Emergency public meeting Wednesday, March 25 7:00 p.m. 25 Cecil Street, Toronto Phone calls Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Jason Kenney Minist...

Do you know the "Up" series of movies , made by Michael Apted? We saw 49 Up last week. In 1964, British film director Michael Apted was a researcher on "Seven Up!", a documentary directed by Paul Almond for a Granada Television series called World in Action. The movie interviewed two groups of English seven-year-olds, one from private schools for wealthy families and one from public schools. (In the UK, the expressions private school and public school mean the opposite of what they do in North America. I'm using the North American meanings.) The children were asked about their thoughts and dreams for the future. Apted helped choose the subjects, then went on to continue the project. The original intentions were twofold: to film the subjects every seven years, and to dissect and expose the British class system. Only half those plans came to reality. The movies aren't really a commentary on the class system. They simply follow the progress of some ordinary peo...

Greg Mitchell, the great anti-war writer of Editor and Publisher , reports on a story in Salon. The Senate Armed Services Committee hearings Wednesday on the rising suicide rate among U.S. ground troops in Iraq and Afghanistan revealed some frightening new data, but did little to investigate the underlying causes of what is emerging as one of the darkest, most disturbing legacies of the wars. Last year the Army had its highest suicide rate on record -- 140 soldiers. But new data from the Army on Wednesday showed the number jumping even higher. Forty-eight soldiers have already killed themselves so far this year. If that rate keeps up, nearly 225 Army soldiers will be dead by their own hand by the end of 2009. While we reflect on what demons these soldiers may have been fighting, note how the concept of the volunteer army becomes increasingly Orwellian. When the "Arctic Warriors" Stryker Brigade left for Iraq from nearby Fort Wainwright late last year, commanders told soldier...