Der Kommissar Stephen Harper

[marmar]

from NOW Toronto:



Waiving our rights
NGOs risk all in standoff with Harper over China-style civil society crackdown

By Alice Klein


You have to admire the political logic. If there is no data to research, there will be no facts to account for. How perfect the Tories’ ditching of the mandatory long-form census data collection is for themselves – and how dangerous for the rest of us.

This crazily arcane little issue is just the latest example of how the government is craftily tearing down the foundational infrastructure of democratic accountability.

After four years of the same, we’re close to a tipping point – at least that is what an unprecedented number of NGO watchdogs (aka civil society orgs) are risking their necks to tell us right now.

The first public call, hosted by the Voices coalition, a surprisingly inclusive conglomeration of 153 organizations, from Inter Pares to the Canadian Environmental Law Association to the National Association of Women and the Law, was held a few days before the G20 weekend. But by then the big-picture view of a federal government willing to invest more than $1 billion to arm itself against its citizens was already in focus.

Since the groups took the leap and signed on to a most unusual common declaration, we have all been inundated with fresh evidence of the scary problems it so presciently highlights.

“Since 2006 the Government of Canada has systematically undermined democratic institutions and practices, and has eroded the protection of free speech, and other fundamental human rights,” says the Voices statement. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.nowtoronto.com/news/story.cfm?content=176019

[annabanana]

1. It seems they've been taking lessons from OUR Plutocrats. ..

There are haunting similarities. .

[Canuckistanian]

2. The ditching of the "long form" census is now major news in Canada

Harper's got statisticians, economists, professors and now the opposition members now demandng that the long-form census be re-instated.

My wife works for Statistics Canada and her boss (the head of Statistics Canada) just resigned today.

God, I want Harper gone so much. Just give a time and place to vote against him.

[polly7]

4. Harper wants to be able to skew the numbers by abandoning the long-form.

What kind of an impact will this have on social programs?, he's such a sneak.

[Canuckistanian]

6. I don't think he's even that clever

He's just caving to RW nutjobs who don't like "gov't control".

That's how he governs, catering to that 3% of crazies who live in Alberta.

[polly7]

7. That's just frightening. nt,

[PDJane]

3. Yeah, that's our boy, allright.

And even Amnesty International wants an independent investigation into the 'security' around the G20.

They won't get it; he's got friends in the US, among other things.

I want him OUT.......I'm not going to get my wish either.

[Spazito]

5. The removal of the long-form census data collection was just the 'opening act'...

to this little 'goodie':

Tories want review of affirmative action hiring in public service

OTTAWA - The Harper government says race and ethnicity need not apply when it comes to landing a job in the public service.

The Conservatives have ordered a review of government hiring practices, which currently give priority to qualified applicants from minority groups.

The Tories say favouring applicants from one group or another isn't fair.

snip

The federal government relies on data from Statistics Canada to determine how many people from each group are in the country's workforce. That data tells the government how well each group is represented within the federal bureaucracy.

more, much more

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/breakingnews/tories-want-review-of-affirmative-action-hiring-in-public-service-99031834.html

The harper cabal is exposing their racist roots, the Reform party. They are giving the Opposition parties good ammunition to use, they better show a spine and do so.

[DonCoquixote]

8. We got rid of ours

You will get rid of him; just make sure your left does not start thinking they have to appeal to the "moderates" and make their own version of the DLC.