Quebec: Results of the 2007 Provincial Election
2007-03-28 10:59:00
All right, ladies and gentlemen from Quebec
and the rest of Canada, here are the results of this very exciting election campaign that took an end on March 26. Quick analysis: separatism in Quebec currently looks like a lion that roars. However, that lion has become quite easy to knock out mostly because of its lack of credibility in Quebec and in Canda (speaking about the Bloc Québécois)... In the following days, I'll write three pieces about what I think about these elections.Results of the 2007 provincial election in QuebecPolitical partiesNumber of seatsNumber of votes% of the votesLiberal Party of Quebec (LPQ)481 313 82133,09%Action Démocratique du Québec (ADQ)411 223 50730,81%Parti Québécois (PQ)361 125 05228,34%Green Party of Quebec (GPQ)0154 3673,9%Québec Solidaire (QS)0145 0523,65%Independent candidates04 7550,11%Marxist-Leninist Party of Quebec020950,04%Bloc Pot017560,06%Total1253 970 405100%Notes:1.Required number of seats to form a majority government: 632. Requireme
Read more: Election
Jean Charest Tries to Look Good!
2007-03-24 10:15:00
Jean Charest
, the leader of the Liberal Party of Quebec (LPQ), calls himself as the new Canadian federalism’s builder. If it weren’t for his efforts, Quebec would apparently not receive the money from the equalization formula, according to him. Needless to say that he tries to write History just to look good during this exciting election campaign that is taking place in la Belle Province.Now, take this for an axiom: back in 2004, thanks to Jean Charest, Quebec wasn’t subjugated to the federal spending power after receiving transfer payments from Ottawa for the management of the provincial health-care system. Unlike the other nine provinces, Quebec could handle that money on its own without being told by the federal government how to spill and waste it.Obviously, the role of the LPQ’s leader must be replaced in its context. When former journalist Christine St-Pierre officially announced her involvement in the LPQ, she expressed her positive sentiments about the current applicati
The Separatist Shepherd and his Sheeps
2007-03-17 07:10:00
André Boisclair, the leader of the Parti Québécois (PQ)Usually perceived as a coward and bland politician, the leader of the Parti Québécois (PQ) André Boisclair, on the night of the leaders’ debate, surprisingly crushed a plethora of prejudices that still sullies his reputation. Strange though it might sound, we saw for once in André Boisclair a man who can express clear messages devoid of pitiable embellishments of style. He really brought few changes in his personal image despite the fact that he talks like a robot. Even though we might not agree with his ideas (what ideas?), Boisclair still succeeded into criticizing the stances of his two opponents by pointing out good remarks and asking good questions. However, the sky is the limit.Anyone who saw the debate could tell that Boisclair wasn’t dreaming at all about sitting on Quebec’s highest seat. That’s why he didn’t propose any solutions to improve the quality of life in Quebec. In fact, Bernard Landry’s success
Read more: Shepherd
Le combat des coqs à Québec
2007-03-14 17:18:00
Incroyable mais vrai, l'un des plus grands détracteurs montréalais de Mario Dumont, en l'occurence du chroniqueur politique Michel C. Auger a dû admettre dans un billet que le chef de l'Action Démocratique du Québec (ADQ) a gagné le débat des chefs qui s'est tenu hier à Québec. Qu'on se le tienne pour dit: il n'y a pas eu de K.-O. dans ce débat d'une qualité relevant de l'olympisme.Connu pour sa couardise et son vocabulaire de technocrate, le chef du Parti Québécois (PQ) André Boisclair a su renverser une panoplie de préjugés à son sujet. Il nous a finalement donné l'image d'un homme sachant communiquer dans un style clair et dépourvu de fioritures. Toutefois, malgré sa volonté de chauffer la plus haute chaise du Québec, le chef du PQ s'apparentait plus à quelqu'un qui tentait de sauver les meubles si on pense aux multiples gaffes qui souillent son image.D'ailleurs, Boisclair n'avait ultimement rien à gagner dans ce combat
de coqs. Il devait s'év
White Lies on Fiscal Imbalance
2007-03-11 12:51:00
On the 2th of March, Quebec’s outgoing Premier Jean Charest did a speech in Montreal before 850 people invited by the Italian Chamber of Commerce of Canada, including Montreal’s mayor Gérald Tremblay. The leader of the Liberal Party of Quebec (LPQ) averred that his party is the only federalist party in Quebec that can solve that ridiculous national problem of fiscal imbalance.Many people will easily accuse me of being someone who is not interested to see Quebec get federal transfer payments. Come on, do think again! Since the concept of federalism is based on a partnership between two levels of governments, some fiscal transfers must be made in order to make sure that provincial governments can give services that they ought to give.Obviously, the equalization program is not a viable option for Quebec’s economic development. What I’m trying to say is that Quebec’s government 1) don’t take any measures to create wealth; 2) can’t actually find a way to recuperate money that
Read more: White
, Imbalance
Time to Raise Quebec's University Tuition Fees
2007-03-02 22:50:00
Last week, Quebec
’s outgoing Premier Jean Charest declared that if elected, he would raise our provincial tuition fees from $100 per year during a mandate of five years. After a calculation, these tuition fees would merely reach a sum of $2400 after five years. Obviously, students who are members of the Fédération des Étudiants Universitaires et Collégiaux du Québec (FEUCQ) demonstrated and most of them showed their support to the Parti Québécois (PQ) led by André Boisclair.Without a doubt, it’s definitely Jean Charest, the leader of the Liberal Party of Quebec (LPQ), and Mario Dumont (who didn’t specify any numbers), the leader of the Action Démocratique du Québec (ADQ), who showed realism. While he knows that he’s dragging the image of a politician who is disconnected from most of us, André Boisclair nicely tried to entice people by taking a rhetoric shortcut.Average tuition fees in Canada (2005-2006)ProvincesTuition
fee ($)Newfoundland and Labrador2606Prince Edwar
Read more: University
Pauline Marois: Another Façade for the PQ
2007-06-27 22:40:00
On March 20, 2006, we thought that Pauline
Marois left politics for good. Yesterday at 5:00 PM, Pauline Marois was elected by acclamation as the new leader of the Parti Québécois (PQ). Many people would say that Quebeckers should give her a chance to show her ideas. Nonetheless, it's hard to see what was the point of electing Pauline Marois without pressing her to clearly explain her ideas.In the interview that she gave to journalist Bernard Derome yesterday, Marois was asked if she would rather prefer to have an opponent in the leadership race. She looked really elated while saying that during the leadership race, no one else threw their candidacy in the ring. That rather looks like arrogance. Thanks to former leadership candidate Gilles Duceppe, Marois didn't really fight during the leadership race.Apparently, she met 4000 members of the PQ and that they "know what [she has] in store [and] in [her] heart." Does it suggest that there weren't much talks about her ideas? So far, sh
The Problem with the USA's CDC
2007-07-03 22:44:00
According to a news report shown yesterday on CBS Evening News, the American Senate's Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, which is led by Tom Coburn, published a report on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). This agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is obviously supposed to "prevent and control infectious and chronic diseases, injuries, workplace hazards, disabilities and environmental health threats."In Coburn's report called CDC Off Center, we can learn that the CDC's budget was worth $9.89 billion in the fiscal year of 2007. However, as he wrote it, "hundreds of millions of tax dollars are used for questionable purposes with often unknown or immeasurable results." In the statement that it issued, the CDC affirmed that Tom Coburn's report doesn't take heed of its "excellent public health work."Of course, the CDC has certainly given good services to Americans over the past years. What must be brought to light is the fact that the CDC walked away
Read more: Problem
Happy Birthday Canada!
2007-07-01 22:35:00
Ok, I really don't know what to write today, so I'll just make it quick. Today, Canada
is going through its 140th birthday. Let's hope that better days await this country so that our children can have a better future. So, I'll leave you with some suggestions on books and movies (all made in Canada!) along with a quiz on Canadian History. Enjoy, because there are just a few simple questions!Suggested books:1. The Whirlpool, by Jane Urquhart2. Anne of Green Gables, by Lucy Maud Montgomery3. Bonheur d'occasion (The Tin Flute), by Gabrielle Roy4. The English Patient, by Michael Ondaatje5. Les sept jours du talion, by Patrick SenécalSuggested movies1. Where the Truth Lies, directed by Atom Egoyan2. eXistenZ, directed by David Cronenberg3. C.R.A.Z.Y., directed by Jean-Marc Vallée4. Felicia's Journey, directed by Atom Egoyan5. Les ordres, directed by Michel BreaultAnd now, get ready for the quiz on Canadian History! Ready or not, here it comes! Just post your answers in your comment.
Read more: Happy
, Birthday
, Happy Birthday
Canada's Ambition for Beijing 2008: Who Cares?
2007-07-06 22:35:00
To reach the 15th place in the medal table of the Olympic Games of Beijing
, the Canadian Olympic Committee's (COC) summer sports division deemed that the federal government must pour $58.8 million. However, during the previous summer Olympic Games of Athens in 2004, Canada
got 12 medals.Now, guess what? The COC's objective ranged from 18 to 20 medals! No surprise here. In the last federal budget, Finance minister Jim Flaherty decided that the COC's summer sports division won't get a penny!Moreover, the COC's program called Own the podium 2010 will receive $22 million on a yearly basis. The Canadian government's refusal to financially back Canadian athletes' ambition up for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing probably means something: money won't help Canada to buy a place in the top 10 of the medal table in 2008.After all, who cares a fig about our country's objective for the next summer Olympic Games? It's true that our athletes can win medals in diving, canoe and rowing. Henc
Read more: Ambition
, Cares
Moderate British Muslims Must Speak Up
2007-07-11 16:15:00
If most British
Muslims
decry Islamic terrorism, why, oh why, don't they speak up while everybody is listening? Unfortunately, debating about Islam is still a taboo and moderate Muslims are badly represented.Recently, whether we like to hear it or not, some bombing attempts were perpetrated by some British Muslims. Secondly, Ayman al-Zawahiri, Al-Qaida's deputy leader, threatened to attack the UK "in retaliation for the knighthood given to the novelist Salman Rushdie", according to The Guardian.Still, while these barbarian acts were done in the name of Allah, it appears for most of us that most Muslims didn't want to publicly condemn them. Does this mean that most British Muslims support jihadists?According to the Daily Telegraph, while the percentage of "British Muslims accepting suicide attacks on the West" is at 13%, the percentage of those "admiring organisations like al-Qaeda" is at 16%. Besides, 37% of "young British Muslims would accept to live under sharia law rather than Br
Read more: Moderate
Sheldon Souray: Not in the Habs' Plan
2007-07-14 08:57:00
No matter how impressive Sheldon
Souray's offencive stats from the previous season are, Bob Gainey left him with the feeling that he no longer had his place in Montreal.It's official now. Sheldon Souray is now a former player of the Montreal Canadiens. This defence man just got traded to the Edmonton Oilers and he signed a $27 million contract of 5 years.Souray will earn $6.5 million for the first two years of the contract, which include a bonus of $1.5 million per season, according to the Journal de Montréal's edition of yesterday. In addition to that, he'll earn $5.5 million in the third year and $4.5 million for the last two seasons spent with the Oilers.During all the time, we could almost tell that the Montreal Canadiens, through its general manager Bob Gainey, didn't show any interest for Sheldon Souray. In fact, if the Habs was so interested to keep him, wouldn't it be logical if they've made an offer earlier? In fact, Gainey did a four years offer worth $22 million to S
Happy Birthday to My Blog!
2007-07-19 12:36:00
Hello everybody! This blog started to be the new place where I put all my political thoughts just one year ago.Of course, it was quite a moment to start things over again! Indeed, the first thing I posted was about the war in Lebanon and Canada's foreign policy. As I was developing this blog, most of you have always had the pleasure (or the displeasure) to see my opinion on various issues.Whether it was about defending a flexible approach to federalism in Canada, being against excessive state intervention in the economy, advocating the European concept of a mixed health care system, laughing at the ridiculous concept of multiculturalism, being strongly against religious accommodations, talking about movies, learning new things or talking about History, my goal has always been that simple: offering an alternative to mainstream media when it comes to discussing about politics.Again, I'm not pretending that I can do better than the mainstream media; it's just pitiable that some columni
Read more: Happy
, Birthday
, Happy Birthday
Ethnic Bashing in France?
2007-07-18 11:00:00
Is it me or are white Western politicians too afraid to admit that there is a presence of ethnic nationalism in Western countries? Can France
's president Nicolas Sarkozy remind some stupid French people that France was built on republican values that DO NOT take in consideration everybody's ethnic, religious and racial background?© Il faut sauver le soldat DatiLE MONDE | 18.07.07Nathalie Guibert et Patrick RogerÀ l'Elysée, au gouvernement, dans la majorité, la ligne de riposte est arrêtée. Il n'y a pas de problème au ministère de la justice. Simplement une "campagne" visant à "salir" Rachida Dati. Mardi 17 juillet, elle défendait devant les députés le projet de loi sur la récidive promis par le président de la République, Nicolas Sarkozy. Mais tel n'était pas le vrai sujet du jour. Avant la séance, le président de l'Assemblée nationale, Bernard Accoyer, a demandé que "cessent les attaques inqualifiables" qui atteignent la nouvelle garde des sceaux depuis quelq
Harper versus Socialist Demagoguery
2007-07-18 09:15:00
The visit of Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper
to some countries of South America clearly shows that he's not as stuck as some of us want to believe on American economical policies.Yesterday, Stephen Harper made a visit to some South American countries such as Chile, Peru and Colombia. Many of us would have expected him to act like George W. Bush's puppet by advocating an American-style hardcore capitalism. Hopefully, he didn't do it.The visit of Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper to some countries of South America clearly shows that he's not as stuck as some of us want to believe on American economical policies. He proved that the existence of Canada proves that there are other choices apart from American-style hardcore capitalism and Venezuelan radical socialism.This should rather be a good lesson to Hugo Chavez, the president of Venezuela.Just like most populists that we've seen in South America, Chavez just got elected because he seems so close to the population. St
Read more: versus
, Socialist
Sheldon Souray: Not in the Habs' Plan
2007-07-14 08:57:00
No matter how impressive Sheldon
Souray's offencive stats from the previous season are, Bob Gainey left him with the feeling that he no longer had his place in Montreal.It's official now. Sheldon Souray is now a former player of the Montreal Canadiens. This defence man just got traded to the Edmonton Oilers and he signed a $27 million contract of 5 years.Souray will earn $6.5 million for the first two years of the contract, which include a bonus of $1.5 million per season, according to the Journal de Montréal's edition of yesterday. In addition to that, he'll earn $5.5 million in the third year and $4.5 million for the last two seasons spent with the Oilers.During all the time, we could almost tell that the Montreal Canadiens, through its general manager Bob Gainey, didn't show any interest for Sheldon Souray. In fact, if the Habs was so interested to keep him, wouldn't it be logical if they've made an offer earlier? In fact, Gainey did a four years offer worth $22 million to S
Moderate British Muslims Must Speak Up
2007-07-11 16:15:00
If most British
Muslims
decry Islamic terrorism, why, oh why, don't they speak up while everybody is listening? Unfortunately, debating about Islam is still a taboo and moderate Muslims are badly represented.Recently, whether we like to hear it or not, some bombing attempts were perpetrated by some British Muslims. Secondly, Ayman al-Zawahiri, Al-Qaida's deputy leader, threatened to attack the UK "in retaliation for the knighthood given to the novelist Salman Rushdie", according to The Guardian.Still, while these barbarian acts were done in the name of Allah, it appears for most of us that most Muslims didn't want to publicly condemn them. Does this mean that most British Muslims support jihadists?According to the Daily Telegraph, while the percentage of "British Muslims accepting suicide attacks on the West" is at 13%, the percentage of those "admiring organisations like al-Qaeda" is at 16%. Besides, 37% of "young British Muslims would accept to live under sharia law rather than Br
Read more: Moderate
Canada's Ambition for Beijing 2008: Who Cares?
2007-07-06 22:35:00
To reach the 15th place in the medal table of the Olympic Games of Beijing
, the Canadian Olympic Committee's (COC) summer sports division deemed that the federal government must pour $58.8 million. However, during the previous summer Olympic Games of Athens in 2004, Canada
got 12 medals.Now, guess what? The COC's objective ranged from 18 to 20 medals! No surprise here. In the last federal budget, Finance minister Jim Flaherty decided that the COC's summer sports division won't get a penny!Moreover, the COC's program called Own the podium 2010 will receive $22 million on a yearly basis. The Canadian government's refusal to financially back Canadian athletes' ambition up for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing probably means something: money won't help Canada to buy a place in the top 10 of the medal table in 2008.After all, who cares a fig about our country's objective for the next summer Olympic Games? It's true that our athletes can win medals in diving, canoe and rowing. Henc
Read more: Ambition
, Cares
The Problem with the USA's CDC
2007-07-03 22:44:00
According to a news report shown yesterday on CBS Evening News, the American Senate's Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, which is led by Tom Coburn, published a report on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). This agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is obviously supposed to "prevent and control infectious and chronic diseases, injuries, workplace hazards, disabilities and environmental health threats."In Coburn's report called CDC Off Center, we can learn that the CDC's budget was worth $9.89 billion in the fiscal year of 2007. However, as he wrote it, "hundreds of millions of tax dollars are used for questionable purposes with often unknown or immeasurable results." In the statement that it issued, the CDC affirmed that Tom Coburn's report doesn't take heed of its "excellent public health work."Of course, the CDC has certainly given good services to Americans over the past years. What must be brought to light is the fact that the CDC walked away
Read more: Problem
Happy Birthday Canada!
2007-07-01 22:35:00
Ok, I really don't know what to write today, so I'll just make it quick. Today, Canada
is going through its 140th birthday. Let's hope that better days await this country so that our children can have a better future. So, I'll leave you with some suggestions on books and movies (all made in Canada!) along with a quiz on Canadian History. Enjoy, because there are just a few simple questions!Suggested books:1. The Whirlpool, by Jane Urquhart2. Anne of Green Gables, by Lucy Maud Montgomery3. Bonheur d'occasion (The Tin Flute), by Gabrielle Roy4. The English Patient, by Michael Ondaatje5. Les sept jours du talion, by Patrick SenécalSuggested movies1. Where the Truth Lies, directed by Atom Egoyan2. eXistenZ, directed by David Cronenberg3. C.R.A.Z.Y., directed by Jean-Marc Vallée4. Felicia's Journey, directed by Atom Egoyan5. Les ordres, directed by Michel BreaultAnd now, get ready for the quiz on Canadian History! Ready or not, here it comes! Just post your answers in your comment.
Read more: Happy
, Birthday
, Happy Birthday
Pauline Marois: Another Façade for the PQ
2007-06-27 22:40:00
On March 20, 2006, we thought that Pauline
Marois left politics for good. Yesterday at 5:00 PM, Pauline Marois was elected by acclamation as the new leader of the Parti Québécois (PQ). Many people would say that Quebeckers should give her a chance to show her ideas. Nonetheless, it's hard to see what was the point of electing Pauline Marois without pressing her to clearly explain her ideas.In the interview that she gave to journalist Bernard Derome yesterday, Marois was asked if she would rather prefer to have an opponent in the leadership race. She looked really elated while saying that during the leadership race, no one else threw their candidacy in the ring. That rather looks like arrogance. Thanks to former leadership candidate Gilles Duceppe, Marois didn't really fight during the leadership race.Apparently, she met 4000 members of the PQ and that they "know what [she has] in store [and] in [her] heart." Does it suggest that there weren't much talks about her ideas? So far, sh
Quebeckers' Incomprehension on Afghanistan
2007-06-23 14:55:00
Yesterday, a military parade was held in Quebec City. It was formed of 2000 soldiers who are part of the 5th Mechanized Brigade and the Royal 22nd Regiment, which will be sent in Afghanistan
in July and August for 6 months. Apparently, 70% of Quebeckers are against the mission. No surprise here. Quebec has always had a mainstream tradition of being opposed to Canada's military commitments oversea.However, this opposition to this country's presence in Afghanistan can hypothetically be due to most Quebeckers' lack of information on the mission itself, according to Jocelyn Coulon, the director of the University of Montreal's Francophone Research Network on Peace Operations.According to many anti-war protesters who talked yesterday, Canada is taking part to an "imperialist" adventure. In a poll conducted by Léger Marketing, 62% of Quebeckers believed that Canadian troops are in Afghanistan so that Canada can be in good terms with the USA rather than participating to the restoration of
Italian Neo-Realism and Iraq
2007-06-22 12:25:00
With my daily visit on the web meant to feed me in terms of news, I saw a very interesting thing on the web site of Radio-Canada. Today, journalist Sophie-Hélène Leboeuf shares with us a very interesting news on Iraq
. If you look at what she said, she was talking about a new way to write History. From what I know, in the previous centuries, people used to write what they felt in their memoirs or even a notebook.When the camera was invented, many people started to make on their own their movies even though they knew it sucks like hell. Now, with the quick development of Internet, it is now possible to become known around the world. Why is that so? Well, you don't need the budget of a James Bond movie to promote your art work and be part of the marketing process.An American company called Chat the planet was part of a web project called Hometown Bagdad. Since March, this web project is actually part of a vlog (meaning video blog for the ignorant people out there :-P) that shows you 38
Read more: Italian
, Realism
Quebec's Educational Conundrum
2007-06-20 20:39:00
Quebec is currently facing a shortage of teachers. For instance, a science teacher in High school can hardly be found that Quebeckers schools hired 142 teachers last year. These 142 science teachers didn't even have a teaching licence.Talk about so much open-mindedness from Quebec's educational system! If you're not qualified to teach any given subject, maybe you'll be hired if you studied in a Quebecker university. Unfortunately, many people don't notice Quebec's lack of open-mindedness towards qualified immigrants when it comes to granting teaching licence.For instance, this is what Bernard Tremblay, the director of working relations from the Fédération des commissions scolaires du Québec (FCSQ) said:"I've always had the feeling that [Quebec's] ministry of Education had an approach that is opened enough. We don't believe that the ministry of Education's attitude restrict the access to teaching for qualified people."Despite the few improvement that we've seen in the past
Read more: Quebec
, Educational
, Conundrum
French Election, Nicolas Sarkozy and J.R.R. Tolkien
2007-06-15 08:20:00
In two days, the second round of the French
legislative election will be held. Apparently, Nicolas
Sarkozy
's own political party is seen as the leading party to the point that some French people actually fear the upcoming political context in France. In fact, that fear can be seen in this video that I found on the blog Place de la République and there are also other things that will be shared. So watch the video and tell me what you think about it.Besides, have a look at the image that you can find on the web site Vivre avec Sarkozy, an anti-Sarkozy web site.
Read more: Election
, Tolkien
American Military Money in Iraq
2007-06-12 22:20:00
Yesterday, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) announced the release of its annual yearbook on armaments, disarmament and international security. According to the SIPRI's report, “world military expenditure in 2006 was [worth] $1204 billion in current dollars, [which means a 3.5%] increase since 2005.” Obviously, the USA outranks every countries with its military spending of $528.7 billion meant for the war in Iraq
and Afghanistan.During the press conference, one interesting statement was made.“It is worth asking how cost-effective military expenditure is as a way of increasing the security of human lives, if we talk about avoiding premature deaths and disability due to current dangers[,]” said Elisabeth Sköns, the SIPRI Military
Expenditure and Arms Production Programme Leader.Of course, the statement of Sköns can be applied for the context in Iraq. Therefore, is the American
government's financial management of the war in Iraq effective as a way t
Read more: Money
Environmentalists' Smallness of Thoughts
2007-06-08 16:48:00
According to environmentalists and politicians of opposition parties, John Baird, Canada's Environment minister, must resign, because he didn't bother to respect the Kyoto Protocol in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. What if Stephen Harper was right about the very usefulness of these people's sacred cow? Respecting the Kyoto Protocol by the book won't be of any help to Canada.The Kyoto Protocol's weakness lies in its denial of any given country's own domestic particularities. In fact, France, Germany and Great Britain can reduce their emissions of greenhouse gas more easily than Canada because their economy is not mostly built on the exploitation of natural resources (ex: oil and natural gas). In fact, think about the pollution created by the exploitation of oil sands in Alberta.Do people know what are the protocol's objectives? Apparently not in some cases. Nevertheless, far from me be it to state that climate change is a nonsensical theory! Canada must do everything t
Read more: Environmentalists
Climate Change: Canadian Arrogance on the Agenda
2007-06-04 16:55:00
On Wednesday, Canada's Prime Minister will take part to the G8 summit in Heilingendamm, a city in the North of Germany. Moreover, climate change will be on the agenda. Angela Merkel, Germany's chancellor, affirmed that members of the G8 are to reduce 50% of their greenhouse gas levels by 2050 while using 1990 as the baseline. Before he said that Canada is not in a good position to suscribe to Merkel's vision, Stephen Harper admitted that Canada can be a role model for countries like India, China and the USA.Harper spent his time blaming the Liberals for not doing anything while it was them who signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol! After all, the leader of the Conservative Party is not necessarily wrong when he blames the Liberal Party of Canada (LPC). Nonetheless, that doesn't give a reason for Harper to take people for idiots. He also has his share of responsibility in the pollution of Canada. In short, Canada has no lessons to give to other countries in environment.While the Ky
Read more: Climate
, Change
, Canadian
Hugo Chavez's Crusade
2007-05-29 20:55:00
On Sunday, Venezuela's socialist president Hugo Chavez
was at the centre of an international crisis. At midnight, he decided not to renew the license of TV channel Radio Caracas Television (RCTV). Before that, on Friday, the Venezuelan army received an order from the Supreme Court to seize the TV channel's broadcast equipment and to occupy its head office. Chavez's critics are not necessarily wrong when they uphold that his regime starts to look like Cuban president Fidel Castro's regime.Actually, there's one difference with Chavez and Castro. In fact, Venezuela's current president got "democratically" elected with 62.87% of the votes during the election of December 4, 2006 despite the low participation rate. Nonetheless, Chavez is not really convincing as a democrat. Evidently, his country got ranked 115th in the press freedom index of Reporters without Borders last year.When RCTV was closed, it was replaced by a state-run channel called TVes. This new channel will be used by Hu
Read more: Crusade
, Hugo Chavez
Who Runs Quebec?
2007-05-24 09:25:00
Since Tuesday, employees of Montreal's public transit network (who are part of a trade union) asked for a salary raise of 2% per year in a contract of 3 years. With a basic salary of $42,972 per year (including social benefits), these people don't have any reason to complain. Indeed, this basic salary almost corresponds to what a Quebec
ker teacher will earn after five years, starting with a salary of $36,196! Besides, since the maximum salary is $54,870, most people working in Montreal's public transit network earn $53,435. When Montreal's mayor Gérald Tremblay said that there will be no salary raise, the leader of the Action Démocratique du Québec (ADQ) Mario Dumont supported him. Moreover, Dumont didn't hide his thoughts about the possibility to promulgate at the National Assembly a "special law" that can break strikes from employees of public transit networks in Quebec."The real question is: who speaks for the average people. Who defend the average people in Quebec?" This wa
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