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Day 49 highlights - Friday, December 28, 2012 by VendeeGlobeTV

Parliamentary Democracy Strikes Back

Powering up the Speaker of the House
Former MPs, law clerk have a plan to bring decorum to Parliament
By Leslie MacKinnon CBC News Posted: Dec 28, 2012 6:34 AM ET

Two former Liberal MPs and a former law clerk of the House of Commons, weary of what they see as a dysfunctional House of Commons, are working on a proposal to give more power to the Speaker.

Former MPs Paul Szabo and Derek Lee, along with Rob Walsh, the recently retired law clerk, have been brainstorming about how to fix Parliament, and are quietly lobbying for change.

 ***

Walsh suggests changing the rules to give the Speaker more power.

"Put something in the Standing Orders (written rules of the House of Commons) that recognizes the well-established traditions of parliamentary practices and call upon the Speaker to see that those practices are respected and not in some manner abused."

As examples of abuse, Walsh cited omnibus bills that amend dozens of acts, or the constant moving of committee business behind closed doors.

"We're talking about obstruction by majorities, using the majority position to suppress the opposition."

*** 

 Canadians who despair of the cacophony in question period might be heartened by what goes on in the British House of Commons, where the Speaker has the power to evict members, cut off speeches and adjourn the legislature if things get too rowdy.

In a video on the website of the British newspaper the Telegraph, Speaker John Bercow is shown yelling full bore at MPs, ordering them to sit down and be quiet or risk being kicked out. He admonishes one MP for a "bogus point of order" and tells another "to act like an adult."

Bercow has even publicly blasted his own party leader, Prime Minister David Cameron, for refusing to answer questions about the phone-hacking scandal.

 ***

Exasperated question period junkies in Canada might look to the Australian House of Commons [should be "House of Representatives" - DC], where there is a penalty box, or "sin bin," that the Speaker can employ for an hour to hold errant MPs.

"I was in Australia with [former Speaker] Peter Milliken," said Szabo, "and we went to QP, and there were actually two or three people put in the penalty box while we were there, for good reason."

RON MACLEAN

Welcome to a very delayed House of Commons Night in Canada, the first for the 2012-2013 season.  I'm Ron MacLean here with Don Cherry.  Grapes, we've neglected the House of Commons what with the NHL lockout keeping us spinning our wheels, so let's catch up. 

DON CHERRY

Yeah, well I think the most important thing in the new season is intercourse in the House...

RON MACLEAN

I think you mean "discourse"...

DON CHERRY

No, "dyscourse" is what we've got now - everybody talking and nobody listening.  Question Period is totally psycho - the Opposition asks a question and somebody from the Government side gives an answer that is from outer space and the exact same as all of the the other government answers on the same day that are all useless.

RON MACLEAN

So from your point of view, what would be ideal intercourse in the House of Commons?

DON CHERRY

Well as the Australians say, now you're asking me a question.  In my opinion - and this is only my opinion...

RON MACLEAN

Yeah sure, your opinion's like a Papal Bull...

DON CHERRY

Why are you bringing Belleville into this?

RON MACLEAN

They have an Olympic size rink.

DON CHERRY

You've managed to confuse me.

RON MACLEAN

Just ignore me.

DON CHERRY

What should happen is if you're asked a straight question you give a straight answer.  Everybody can agree to disagree afterwards but at least the whole thing gets aired in public, which I thought was the whole idea. Anyway, the good news is that Rob Walsh is on the case...you remember Walsh?

RON MACLEAN

Of course, from the Battle of the Robs.  Former Clerk of the House of Commons - their lawyer.

DON CHERRY

Go to the head of the class.

RON MACLEAN

I'm more a back of the bus person...

DON CHERRY

I'm going to have a heart attack from not surprise.  Anyway, Rob and Peter Milliken - the last Speaker of the House, a guy I've got a lot of time for...

RON MACLEAN

Of course there's a lot of time on our hands during the lockout...

DON CHERRY

I'm starting to think you're a part of the problem, not the solution.  Anyway, Rob and Peter and some other guys who care about Parliamentary Democracy are about to campaign for more power and independence for the Speaker...

RON MACLEAN

I thought you're idea of refereeing was to just let 'em play...

DON CHERRY

You haven't been paying attention.  The idea of refereeing is not to get in the way of the game, but making sure that cheap shots, diving, and all the other dishonourable crap get penalized.  There's always The Code, but you need somebody to call the rest or it would be anarchy out there.  And you can't have everybody discussing every off-side.

RON MACLEAN

So what does that look like?

DON CHERRY

Well, you'll find a good summary on the CBC, even though the CBC is mostly latte drinking Volvo drivers.  

RON MACLEAN

I think those people have moved on to Chai tea and the Prius.

DON CHERRY

What's a Prius?

RON MACLEAN

A hybrid.

DON CHERRY

Is it a car?

RON MACLEAN

Sure.

DON CHERRY

Anyway, these guys in the Speaker lobby have looked at other methods of making Question Period work.  In Britain, the current Speaker is John Bercow...

RON MACLEAN

...who we featured a year ago..

DON CHERRY

... and I've got a lot of time for this guy,too.  He tells people to shut up and sit down, and throws people out if they don't answer questions or show proper respect for the game.

RON MACLEAN

And they also looked at the Australian system, where the Speaker has an actual penalty box. The analogies with hockey get more similar, what with bench clearing brawls in Westminster...

DON CHERRY

Exactly.  You know, the beauty of parliamentary democracy is that it evolves.

.RON MACLEAN
..like eliminating the red line?

DON CHERRY
Sure, but I think Winston Churchill said it best as usual:

"Thus we arrive, by our ancient constitutional methods at practical working arrangements which show that Parliamentary democracy can adapt itself to all situations and can go out in all weathers."

RON MACLEAN

You never cease to surprise me.  Well, we've got a lot to look forward to in the coming season, even if for now Question Period is an Orwellian grope* through the government's propaganda.

DON CHERRY

Sometimes you surprise me.

RON MACLEAN

I got that line from a book.  Anyway, I've evolved along with your suits.

DON CHERRY

Clothes make the man.

RON MACLEAN

Have you considered running for Parliament?

DON CHERRY

Come on!  I barely got used to Twitter.

RON MACLEAN

Pat Martin never got used to Twitter.

DON CHERRY

He didn't have the right clothes.

RON MACLEAN

Until 2013, that's it for House of Commons Night in Canada.

DON CHERRY

I'd like to see what happens if van Loan gets in a brawl with Trudeau...

* Dispatches
   by Michael Herr
   Page 99

Santa by Stealth

How NORAD blew it.

24 DEC 02 NORADCANSUBPACARCTICMONKEYDNDWETDREAMF35TURKEY

NORADSANTA
Ahhh, CF18 Santa Flight this is Winnipeg Centre.

CFCOLDLAKELDR
Roger.

NORADSANTA
We have you at Vector 91 closing on target SC2012 500 knots. 

CFCOLDLAKELDR
Sure.

NORADSANTA
Say again?

CFCOLDLAKELDR
Whatever. We're up here doing our thing. It's a nice night.

NORADSANTA
[garbled]

CFCOLDLAKELDR
Negative. We do not have radar or visual contact. We have faith in you. It's Christmas. 

NORADSANTA
Santa Flight, we have lost contact with target. Please stand by. 

CFCOLDLAKELDR
At 500 knots?

NORADSANTA
Roger that.

CFCOLDLAKELDR
You know the combat radius of an F18, right?

NORADSANTA
Santa Flight, please maintain radio discipline.

CFCOLDLAKELDR
[hums "Let It Snow"]

NORADSANTA
Santa Flight. Mission is nominal. Return to base.

CFCOLDLAKELDR
[garbled]

Associated Press 25 December 2012
Polio vaccine in candy canes delivered to Pakistan overnight.

Smoke on the water...

Just wait out the ads. Trust me.
 
Smoke on the water by VendeeGlobeTV

Freedom of the Press Foundation

Introducing the Freedom of the Press Foundation, which will crowd-fund for transparency journalism—including WikiLeaks pressfreedomfoundation.org

— Freedom of the Press (@FreedomofPress) December 16, 2012

Obama's crocodile tears

As Glenn Greenwald said about "Zero Dark Thirty," this is Hollywood schlock. Hundreds of children have been killed by the United States in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, and Yemen. Obama is personally responsible for many of them. Maybe if we had pictures there might be some semblance of decency.

FOREIGNERS DO NOT HAVE KIDS, @iwelsh AT BEST THEY HAVE, 'CHILDREN WITH HOSTILE INTENT'. twitter.com/iwelsh/status/… VS guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec…

— The Republican Dalek (@RepublicanDalek) December 15, 2012

Three years ago today, 14 women & 21 children were killed in a US cruise missile attack in al Majala, Yemen.

— jeremy scahill (@jeremyscahill) December 17, 2012

Time to put heat on the Stanley Cup Trust

First of all, it isn't called the Stanley Cup, it's the Dominion Challenge Cup.

Second, the Cup isn't owned by the NHL.  They have a trademark, which is the actual Cup glued on to this wedding cake base.  Whatever these guys hold over their heads after winning, only the wedding cake is the property of the NHL.

Third, it's not clear why American teams are involved in this at all.  If they are, then other countries could just as easily participate:  Russia, Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia...

Fourth, if the NHL are going to be incompetent and destroy themselves, there is absolutely no need to include the Dominion Challenge Cup in this disgrace.  It's above all this.  If the Trustees can't figure this out, they should be sued and replaced by more worthy Trustees.

Peter Mackay for NATO Secretary General

Pete has run his course as Canada's Minister of National Defence.  He was a stalwart - telling outrageous lies with a straight face.  There's no price too high for this sort of chutzpah.

Now, the F35 boondoggle is going to get him, there's no avoiding it. The time has come to promote him - like Zaccardelli - to a ceremonial post in Europe.  There was loose talk about this when The Fog (Anders Fogh Rasmussen) was appointed, but even Rasmussen doesn't have the smooth bare-faced lying talents of Mackay, and now Pete's time has come.

There will be awkward questions about stupidity.  In fact, stupidity is a treasured talent at NATO, difficult as that idea might seem to those of us who know less.  If you're stupid, you can stand up and tell lies in a sincere way, like Colin Powell.  Or Adlai Stevenson.

And what's the lesson we learned this week.Never underestimate the extroardinary power of stupidity.

— Lewis Black (@TheLewisBlack) December 23, 2012

See? Norway was right, Fantino out to lunch.

original post April 12, 2012

Fantino: Don't compare Norway, Canada's F-35 costs

F-35A base aircraft price

Norway's price:  $770 million

Canada's price:   $249.99 million

+ Canadian optional requirements:

• undercarriage
• tires for undercarriage
• hydraulics to raise and lower undercarriage
• hubcaps
• ejector seat
• A/C
• radio that works
• winterizing
• satnav
• custom paint job
• astrolabe
• sextant
• Head Up Display
• instruments to connect to HUD
• wires to connect instruments to HUD
• wings (2)
• gun racks (wings)
• gun rack (cockpit)
• rear vertical fins (2)
• elevons (2)
• navigation lights
• landing lights
• spare bulbs
• AAA batteries 

(to be continued)

Fabulosity of the rule of law

"In power politics there are no crimes, because there are no laws." 

George Orwell
Who are the war criminals?
Tribune, October 22, 1943

Marine Corps Brig, Quantico is a Level 1 facility military prison operated at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Quantico, Virginia. By definition, this means that it can house relatively few inmates (at the time of writing, about 45) and is not equipped for sentences over 90 days.

News flash for Kathryn Bigelow

Bin Laden won!

With a very minimal investment, Osama bin Laden (allegedly but without any admissible evidence) inflicted a narcissistic wound on the United States of America that resulted in narcissistic rage that led to American military adventures in Asia and Africa that have bankrupted the USA and enraged 1.2 billion Muslims.  What's not to like?

Douglas Haig on the future of jet fighters

As late as 1926, as the nation mourned the death of nearly 1 million men, Haig would write on the future of war, 

"I believe that the value of the horse and the opportunity of the horse in the future are likely to be as great as ever. Aeroplanes and tanks are only accessories to the men and I am sure as time goes on you will find just as much use for the horse - the well-bred horse - as you have ever done in the past."

- Wade Davis

Into the Silence

Page 15

As far as I know, nobody has yet explained clearly what jet fighters are supposed to do or why Canada needs them.