GM Defunds Heartland Institute

General Motors, the world's largest carmaker, has confirmed that it is pulling funding from the Heartland Institute, an ultra-conservative thinktank known for its scepticism about climate change.

This is a result of the efforts of the much maligned Peter Gleick, who several months back conned Heartland out of some of their budget documents. And you know, I am all for measuring a person's contribution to the culture wars in strict $ terms. So I can fairly say that I have cost evil people $1,000s of Cdn $ for one reason or another. Mr. Gleick has single-handedly cost the Heartland Institute $15,000 directly and who knows how much more indirectly. Can any of those in the climate science community who have condemned him boast of doing more?

What Will Replace Section 13 Of The Canadian Human Rights Act

Rob Nicholson responds to my email.  Comments below:

Correspondence from the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada‏

Thank you for your correspondence concerning the Government’s proposed amendments to strengthen the hate crimes provisions of the Criminal Code. I regret the delay in responding.

As you are aware, on September 30, 2011, Conservative Member of Parliament Mr. Brian Storseth introduced Private Member’s Bill C-304, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting freedom), into the House of Commons. The Bill proposes to repeal section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act, which empowers the Canadian Human Rights Commission to deal with complaints regarding the communication of hate messages by telephone or on the Internet.


Our government supports the repeal of section 13 as it has been found to be subjective and unnecessarily vague when it comes to informing Canadians about what can and cannot be said on the Internet. We firmly believe that the Criminal Code is the best vehicle for combating hate propaganda and we remain committed to the promotion and protection of free speech by all Canadians.

To that end, on February 14, 2012, the Government tabled in the House of Commons Bill C-30, the Protecting Children from Internet Predators Act. Among other things, the Bill proposes to expand the definition of “identifiable group” for the crimes of inciting hatred in a public place likely to lead to a breach of the peace and the wilful promotion of hatred, which are found in section 319 of the Criminal Code. The criteria of national origin, age, sex, and mental or physical disability would be added to the current definition of “identifiable group” for these two offences. In addition, the criterion of national origin would be added to the definition of “identifiable group” for the offence of advocating or promoting genocide, contained in subsection 318(1) of the Criminal Code.


Thank you again for writing.
Yours truly,
The Honourable Rob Nicholson

If this is all they plan to do, some obvious problems:

1) The requirement that the AG must approve hate speech charges would appear to remain, which in practice means that such charges will be almost impossible to lay.  There were rumors going about that this requirement might be removed, but apparently no such luck.

2) Any expansion of the criterion can trigger a legal challenge to the criminal code provisions, which might mean section 319 falls and  the country's winds up being without any hate speech legislation.

3) The bill containing these new provisions is the infamous C-30, which the government appears to have already given up on.

So, not a very impressive response.

War Has Begun

B.C. First Nations are reacting with anger to the government's decision to retroactively shorten the regulatory review for the Northern Gateway pipeline project in British Columbia.

"This incredibly stupid move on the part of the Harper government will only serve to expedite the battle in the courtrooms and on the land itself," said Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs. He described the situation between B.C. aboriginals and the federal and provincial governments as "volatile."

This "pipeline is going to traverse the territories of literally dozens and dozens of First Nations. And all of them have said very clearly that they do not support the Northern Gateway project and that they will do everything that they can to stop this project," added Phillip.

Smug pricks like Paul Wells really don't understand what they are serving as the pathetic enablers of.  It will be B.C., which has never really considered itself part of "The West", vs. Alberta--hippies, rural eccentrics and natives vs. loud-mouthed cowboys in gold-plated  ten gallon hats. Wells thinks he can just sit this one out  whilst snapping his fingers to shitty jazz music.  He doesn't really understand that a federal government that says Canada when it really means Calgary is a threat to national unity.

One good thing, though, about the government's new position is that, depending on the timing, B.C. Lib Leader Christy Clark might get smoked out and have to reveal her real position re Northern Gateway.  Before, the decision's timing  was sure to land on the other side of the next provincial election.  Now, who knows?  I would love to see Ms. Clark run on the platform of despoiling B.C. for the benefit of Alberta.

The Budget And The Environment: The Deniers Liked It

 A statement from the ICSC:

Canadian federal Budget a step forward on climate change

Ottawa, Canada, March 29, 2012: “The International Climate Science Coalition (ICSC) congratulates the Government of Canada for removing from the federal Budget the misleading language of previous Budgets concerning clean air and climate change,” said Tom Harris, executive director ICSC which is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada. “In past years, this serious science mistake, appearing repeatedly in such an important document, contributed to public confusion about the distinctly different approaches needed to address these two issues.

Meanwhile, what the budget means for the future of the Northern Gateway Pipeline:

The Northern Gateway pipeline project could make B.C.’s famous battles over clear-cut logging of the 1980s and 1990s look like a university residence food-fight. While we have been given plenty of advance warning of this coming reckoning, today’s budget appears to me to be a declaration of political war on the natural resources-environmentalist front.   

I don't think the federal government knows what its got itself into here, but if its a war they want...

Although that said, when you read this bit from APTN re the streamlining of approvals processes for projects like Northern Gateway:

What specific, detailed changes the overhaul will bring remains to be revealed, but federal officials speaking on background, said all projects currently awaiting approval will be reviewed during a so-called “transition period.”

...its hard to imagine too much time being cut from the 18 months set aside to review it.

Stéphane Gendron In Dutch With CBSC

While trolling the The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council for other reasons I noticed this special announcement:

A Note Concerning the March 22, 2012 broadcast of Face à Face

The CBSC has received a large number of very similar complaints concerning the March 22, 2012 broadcast at 10 AM of Face à face on V, exceeding the CBSC’s technical processing capacities. Accordingly, while the CBSC will be dealing with this broadcast under its normal process, it is not able to accept any further complaints. The results of the CBSC’s investigation will be made public in due course


Face à face is Stéphane Gendron's show.  Gendron is a small time shock-jock best known for the fact that he can get elected mayor in rural Quebec while engaging in some pretty extreme tirades about folks he doesn't like, in particular Israeli folks.

This time, as far as I can tell, he's in trouble for an interview he did with Quebec student leader  Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois of CLASSE, a student union behind the recent anti-tuition hike protests in that province.  Probably called Nadeau a hippy or something.  In any case, the kids seem to be fighting back.  Good on them. 

Rob Anders Does More Than Just Sleep

 He thinks deep deep thoughts.  From FreeD:

I got a letter from my MP Rob Anders and he mentioned that it would be nice to eliminate the GST before the next election.

I can't see them ditching it.  But still, I can see them lowering it as part of some "starve the beast" strategy.  And  with a new budget due, the timing of this little trial balloon is interesting.

Ezra Levant And The "Actual Facts"

 From a CBSC (Canadian Broadcast Standards Council) complaint I hadn't even heard about:

The CBSC has traditionally recognized that hosts of public affairs programs are entitled to hold and express their opinions on the topics discussed during those programs, even when those opinions are controversial, unpopular or provocative. ¹ While Clause 7 of the CAB Code of Ethics provides that broadcasters must present all sides of a public issue and treat all subjects of a controversial nature fairly as part of balanced programming, the CBSC has also recognized that broadcasters are not required to bring to light all the divergent views on such topics within a single program. ²

These opinions must, however, be founded on actual facts, and the host cannot base his or her opinion on unproven information. ³ 

Yet, host Ezra Levant maintained several times throughout the entire program that Arts Habitat offered free housing to artists, when it was in fact a provincially and municipally (Edmonton) subsidized housing/studio program that is offered to eligible artists who are required to pay rent. His guest mentioned on one occasion that the housing in question is “free”, but otherwise referred to it as “subsidized”.

After watching the program and examining all the related documents, the Panel adjudicators unanimously determined that Sun News did not breach the provisions of Clause 7 of the CAB Code of Ethics as both guest and host were entitled to question the relevancy of taxpayer subsidized programs for artists. The Panel did, however, also rule unanimously that Sun News Network and its host Ezra Levant violated Clause 6 of that Code because the opinion broadcast was based on an erroneous premise.

Ezra gets in so much trouble with this whole "truth telling" stuff that its hard to keep up.  Here's my favorite bit from the decision:

On July 6, two days after the program at issue containing his assertions had aired, host Ezra Levant read an e-mail on the air that faulted him for not having verified the accuracy of his information, and pointed out, among other things, that the Arts Habitat program is a subsidized housing and studio program and not a free housing program. The host admitted his error, adding that his opinion remained unchanged with respect to public funding of subsidies for artists.

That's our Ezra; no matter what the facts are, his opinion doesn't change.

T.O. Sun Sacks Another

 Connie Woodcock says she has been axed after 18 years as an op-ed Toronto Sun columnist.

Posted at Toronto Sun Family Blog, who are usually pretty reliable.

Sounds Yummy

The Barrie Examiner has a real weeper about the fate of the Ontario horse-racing industry if the McGuinty Gov.  eliminates the slots-at-tracks agreement.  It ends with:

“It is a grim situation. If these horses aren’t making the owners money, they’ll have to sell them,” he [Essa Township horseman Stephen Byron] said. “What are we going to do with these horses? It could snowball and in the worst-case scenario, they could go to slaughter.”

If they go to slaughter, Mr. Byron, I'll be happy to eat 'em.  One of my favorite youthful memories is of chowing down on horse steaks in France.  Very lean, very rare...you can almost hear them neigh.  But if we must talk compromise, I would be OK if the McGuinty Libs just reduced the government handout to Ontario racetracks rather than killing them entirely.  The rural types that depend on such government largess should be eased off their entitlements rather than being forced to go cold pony... I mean turkey.  Bah Hah!

Daniel Everett And The Pirahã

 A bit too pooped to write anything serious this morning, so here's a nice interview with linguist Daniel Everett re The Pirahã tribe of the Amazon Basin:

All languages have unique characteristics, but the Pirahã just seems to have so many unique characteristics. Things that we didn't expect. I mean the absence of numbers, the absence of counting and colours, the absence of creation myths, and the refusal to talk about the distant past or the distant future. A number of things like this, including, the special characteristic of recursion, the ability to keep a process going in the syntax forever.

Actually, a number of Australian languages are also mathematically impoverished in the same fashion as Pirahã.

In any case, my point here is not the particulars of Everett's argument, but just that he seems to me to be one helluva guy.  I argued philosophy of language with him via email some years back,  and he was happy to share a few unpublished notes with me.  For my part, I told him his view was quite Wittgensteinian and he should read the PI or Blue and Brown Books.  I don't know if he ever did.

OK, I'm Out

Attending NDP conventions isn't supposed to be my full time job.  Rumour has it they're handing out sleeping bags and we're all supposed to sleep on the floor.  Not happening.  Mulclair will eventually win and give his speech to a convention center full of sleepy, disgruntled socialists sometime Sunday morning.  He'll be up against Return of The Swamp Monster on the sci-fi Network, so he should kill in that time slot.  I'm not sticking around for it.

Rumour is he'll be "conciliatory", and then tomorrow the purges begin.

Update: Yeah, its Mulclair.  They just announced and are now playing victory theme.  More drums.

Third Ballot; Bottom Line

Fuck me, I think we're off to a 4th ballot unless Topp backs down.

Its Descended Into CHAOS!

The computers have crashed and the vote was going to be delayed!  Then the announcement announcing the delay was delayed!  Now they have successfully announced the delayed announcement!  The delay is officially in effect, until 5:40 when things are supposed to get back on track.  I'm getting flashbacks to the Democratic Convention of Chicago, '68.

The NDP official position is that its all a DOS attack.  On the other hand, I suspect Kinsella peed on a server.  But if he threatens to sue I will retract that statement. 

And its as though the whole city has decided to join in the convention spirit.  A chunk of glass fell from the Trump Tower and the cops have sealed off Bay & Adelaide.  I think that's Stephen Taylor's fault.  He's been lurking about the place something fierce.  But, again, first time a lawyer calls this statement goes bye bye.

As for me, I'm waiting patiently for goddamn history to happen.  Its happening awefully slow.

2nd Round; Bottom Line

-- Total vote count went down.  The rumoured B.C. surge (late waking B.C. voters casting on-line ballots) did NOT occur.  LPoC should take note; on-line attendance will disappoint you.
--Peggy Nash drops out.  Where does she go?  Apparently she has released her people.
--Cullen didn't pick up much steam at all.  He will not be the guy.
--Topp has a long way to go.  Mulcair will probably grind this one out.

First Results; Bottom Line

Mulclair comes in at the low end of predictipns;Topp exceeds expectations.  Dewar drops out.   Nash disappoints.  Will she drop out?  This may go a little longer than some folks thought.  Also turnout about half expected.

NDP Convention: Day 2

Others have given a better sum up of yesterday's events than I could, so I won't bother.  Beyond some erratic speechifying, the Dippers pulled off a pretty solid day 1. 

However, while nothing is certain, there seems to be a distinct worry among NDP insiders that this thing could all end too quickly, without having generated a sufficient degree of drama and excitement.  My understanding is that live tv coverage of the proceedings will not begin until 1:00 pm.  Given that round one results will be available at 10, and that organizers think they can get things ready for the 2nd go-round in less than two hours, the contest has to run at least three votes if people at home are going to see the big wind-up in real time.  There is a small but definite possibility that when the big media players swing their cameras towards the convention floor they find people mopping up and going home after an overwhelming Thomas Mulcair victory.

Meanwhile here's some video of yesterday's real WTF moment--NDP MP Charlie Angus doing a rap duet with some guy I've never heard of.

Peggy Nash Survives Major Teleprompter Malfunction

pSuddenly, the text started zipping up the screen then it stopped, wound back, and then started zipping by again.  Peggy stumbled a bit, improvised re her collective bargaining victories, and the wind-up music kicked.  Peggy was ill-served on this one.  And the two municipal pols she brought in flubbed their lines.

My favorite so far is still Cullen, who went entirely lo tech ; Mulcair wailed through his text too fast, but has a nice voice.

Update: it appears that Nash went off-script and the techie was scrolling back and forth to figure out where she was supposed to be.   Finally, they brought in the music and killed her mic. And Mulcair's army of live drummers impeded his advance to the stage such that when he finally arrived he had burnt though half of his speech time.

Paul Dewar Is Apparently Going To Rap His Convention Speech

And he is not even slightly funky.

Cullen was quite eloquent re Northern Gateway.  Horwath got in a good line about Bob Rae knowing how to do what's right by Bob Rae.  That got a roar out of some of the Libloggerspresent.  Dewar's skillz, however, are truely inadequate.

Update:  Dewar actually spoke in the end.  His speech didn't impress me much but it made me notice how little french Cullen's presentation contained.  Hmm.  Wonder what this signifiies.

Another update:  The soundtrack to Mulcair's video lead in is mostly white noise, something that sounds like a jack-hammer, and drums.  It is starting to make me angry, which may be the point.

You Know The NDP Is In Town

..the TTC operators are extra surly.

On my way to the convention center, a senior got on the bus in front of me with a couple of obsolete tokens.  He told the driver that was all he had, and several other people on board offered to cover.  Naturally, a standoff ensued, with the driver calling both TTC security and police.  When my bus pulled up and a load of disgruntled passengers got aboard, two cop cars had blocked another lane of traffic.  I think the senior got away clean.

Later, these passengers just WOULD NOT move back no matter how much the driver swore, although little old ladies were accommodated.

And so the TTC Staff vs passenger cold war continues apace.  Why cant we all just get along? Anyway, things are taking off down on the convention floor. A welcoming prayer...

Fox News North Gets Sued!

Sources tell me that Ottawa human rights lawyer Richard Warman has launched a defamation suit against Sun TV. His suit pertains to an episode of Michael Coren's The Arena on which fellow Sun TV employee Ezra Levant guested. I have also learned that Kathy Shaidle of Five Feet of Fury has been served as well; I believe this is for hosting the episode in question on her blog.

This may be history in the making. Unfortunately, George Soros abandoned his suit after Fox News North issued a grovelling apology, so this will almost certainly count as the first one to go forward against the struggling network.

Note: I should note that Soros actually threatened to sue the T.O. Sun for a column Ezra wrote; he did not sue Sun TV.