Well I'm happy to see that Great
Prime Minister Stephen Harper told his hushed caucus Wednesday morning he felt remorse for surreptitiously ducking into a closet during last week's assault on Parliament Hill, CBC News has learned.
But I see he's STILL insisting on calling it a terrorist attack, to try to make it sound bigger than it was, justify his decision to hide in a closet AND bomb Iraq. Use it as an excuse to ram through cyber-snooping bills that would turn us into a police state
And of course use that definition to attack the opposition as weaklings and terrorist stooges.
So I was really glad to see Tom Mulcair stick a spear in that Con narrative.
NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair says terrorism is not the right word to describe last week’s attack on Parliament Hill.
“Frankly the information that is now available to the public comforts me in my choice not to use the word terrorism in describing the act that took place here,” Mr. Mulcair told reporters following Wednesday’s meeting.
And leave Great Chicken flapping his wings pathetically.
“There’s no contradiction to individuals who may have a series of personal, financial and mental difficulties and also Mr. Speaker, be engaged in terrorist, jihadist activities as indeed Mr. Speaker the police have already said,” said Mr. Harper. “We don’t think it helps the Canadians to do anything but address these matters head on and face them for what they are.”
Claiming that a mentally ill person could be a jihadi, or whatever else the voices in his head commanded him to be.
And clearly trying to label the dead gunman as a terrorist, as Tim Harper points out, to advance his sinister security agenda.
How this craven killer is ultimately labelled will have an impact on Canadians far beyond last week’s twin killings of soldiers.
It appears in this national outpouring of grief and patriotism we don’t want to deal with the question of mental illness, and it is instructive how quickly and repeatedly Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney and Paulson have labelled this terror.
But if we were to characterize him and the man who killed Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent as mentally ill murderers, a government would not have licence to sharpen its rhetoric and move intrusively into the realm of civil liberties.
Even though his own hapless stooge Peter MacKay admits the police have all the tools they need to confront the terrorist threat.
As the federal government weighs changes to anti-terrorism laws in the wake of last week’s fatal attacks on two Canadian Forces personnel, Justice Minister Peter McKay acknowledges there are already “robust” laws on the books.
Can you believe that? Is the Con regime still a government or a fascist circus?
And the good news?
Despite all his attempts to try to scare people, and make the Great War on Crime and Terror the centrepiece of the next election campaign.
As this new EKOS poll shows, Canadians will not be swayed.
He's got his priorities wrong. He's flogging a dead horse.
Judging by the comments in the Globe story, Mulcair's refusal to declare the dead gunman a terrorist is a popular one:
I am a small c conservative and fully agree with Mulcair here. This was a troubled man who simply needed an excuse to commit an act of violence and thus used radical Islam as his excuse, it was not an organized terrorist attack with a political message. Off course I am sure Harper who sees things in black and white will attack Mulcair on this. Hopefully Canadians don't fall for it.
Mulcair is right. But Harper has been itching for an excuse to bring down some draconian laws like his hero GWB did after 911. Just keep the route to the closet clear in case of any trouble.
The desperate CPC are looking to turn these recent human tragedies into a fear mongering campaign that they can use to make political hay. 2 CPC seats in 2015 is too many.
So Great Chicken Leader is still heading for defeat.
Still on the way to get his feathers plucked.
And his latest political epitaph is definitely not flattering eh?
He tried to scare Canadians.
But it just didn't work...
Please click here to recommend this post at Progressive Bloggers.
And I think that the public better get wise to Trudeau's aping of harpie's fear-mongering bullshit rhetoric and see him for the harpie-wannabe clone he really is. He's riding harpie's rightwing agenda hoping that it will take him right into the white house, er, I mean the House of Commons. Many wise and intelligent men and women are commenting on Trudie's newfound parroting of con talking points and I think we really need to pay attention to that. Wynne is already shutting down any semblance of transparency here in Ontario so just think what will happen if the libs (a.k.a. con-lites) actually get to run the country. We could end up on the same trick bag like we have now all over again if we don't get our heads out of our collective asses.
ReplyDeleteThis wasn't an act of terrorism. It was an act of murder by a junkie who happens to be the son of a Canadian immigration boss of some kind according to the amerikans and if they can poke us in the eye with a sharp stick, they always will so I have a tendency to believe them on this point. I hope the shooter's daddy is happy with all the cuts to mental health help that was authored by his fucking amigos. They both got what they deserved.
The problem with Canada is that we have too many parties. Also, I would love to vote for Tom Mulcair but I can't because I will lose my vote because of the annoying voting system we have. In my ridings, the Liberals are very strong and that's not going to change.
DeleteA. 11:49, you never know. there some ridings which do change. I've always found it best to vote your values. If you win, you win. If you don't its called democracy. It is also important to work to ensure people know who and what they are voting for. The liberals maybe strong in your riding now, but politics is about life in the nano second. One really bad slip and they are gone.
Deletehi anon 8:01...yeah Justin Trudeau's position on whether or not it was a terrorist act is weak indeed. He says the RCMP have called it a terrorist act so it must be one. When in fact all the RCMP have so far to back up that claim is a video that they won't show us. But then thanks to Justin's other ill chosen comments on terrorism he probably has no choice now, or the Cons will use it against him. I haven't the slightest doubt that both the killers were mentally ill. But I also believe that in this point in our history that ANYONE is better than Harper. First defeat the Cons, then put pressure on Trudeau and Mulcair to take this country in a better direction...
Deletehi anon...11:49...I agree with you there are too many progressive parties in Canada. Ever since the Cons united it has placed us at a great disadvantage. I hope to live to see the day when the left is united...
DeleteI've never been afraid of terrorists here in Canada. I think we have some mentally ill people who would like to think they are terrorists, but there is a difference between talking about it and doing something. What we saw with the killing of two Armed Forces members was the actions of people who were mentally ill. The only real terror I ever feel is the acts the P.M. and his cons will perpetrate on Canadians when he tries to bring into legislation things which will enable him to spy on us and reduce our democratic rights. I feel terror when I hear the P.M. and his cons "audit" groups they don't agree with. I feel terror when a 71 yr. old female Canadian is taking pictures in Burnaby, B.C. and she gets a visit from the RCMP e-division surveillance unit. I feel terror when the P.M. and his cons want to use information against Canadians and they won't be able to confront their accuser. its a basic of right, you get to confront your accuser, but not with the changes harper and his cons want to make. That is pretty terrifying.
ReplyDeleteI feel terror when I remember there are 1,200 murdered First Nations women and the P.M. and his cons think its 'just a criminal matter'. No, if you are First Nations, or have First Nations women friends, its terror.
Terror comes in many forms. What harper and his cons are trying to peddle us is terrifying, but the circumstances they list as the 'rationale" for doing it, is not terrorism.
It is scarier to think harper and his cons are giving another big tax break to "his people" the two parent, one wage earner, group, than trying to give one to low income earners. Its scarier to think about growing old, not working and no pension and having to survive on what the government will throw at you. Terror is hearing and then seeing a Russian freighter off your coast, Salish Sea, B.C. without power and possibly spilling its oil and chemicals in our ocean. That was real terror.
The deaths were awful. However, people are murdered in Canada all the time. Not to diminish what happened but, the two Armed Forces men were murdered, by mentally ill people. To date we have had two members of the armed forces murdered and the P.M. and his cons want to implement legislation which will violate our Charter of Rights and Freedoms. A dozen Armed Forces members kill themselves in a year, well that's no problem for harper and his herd. You want to talk terror, that is what family members of Veterans feel when they can't get adequate medical care for their loved ones, after they have loyally served Canada and as a result have physical and mental challenges.
In my books, the person who invokes feelings of terror in me, is Stephen Harper and his caucus. Great warrior leader is a coward, who hide in a closet, when shots were fired. The Sergent at Arms and his staff ran towards the shots. The people at the monument who heard shots ran towards them to see if they could help. Our P.M. "lets go to war and kill'em all" harper, hid in a closet. The teacher in the State of Washington, ran towards them to help, at her school and disarmed the gunman.
Last year 81 people died in B.C. because of distracted driving and about the same number of drunken driving. Don't see harper and his herd doing much about that. Just ask yourself, what is harper and his cons real agenda?
Their agenda is OIL. That is why they have to play down the utter calamity of carcentric planning and its cortege of death and disability, as well as air pollution which also kills.
Deletehi e.a.f...I read the definition of terrorism in the criminal code and I don't agree with Tim Harper that it apples to either of the two killers. A mentally ill person may start raving about Allah or whatever, but it doesn't make them an Islamic terrorist. And like you I also consider Harper's plans to fight the threat of homegrown terrorism more dangerous than the problem itself, for which we have all the laws we need.
DeleteAnd yes, terror comes in many shapes and sizes....
hi lagatta...yup, it is all about oil and power, and using fear to try to stampede the population. I try to restrain myself from calling the Harperite cult fascists. But they are doing what fascists everywhere have always done. Use fear for their reactionary purposes...
DeleteI feel terror when my government signs agreements which allow foreign investors to challenge laws and policies made in our interest in Canada.
ReplyDeletehi Hugh...as you should. All these distractions are blinding people to the implications of all those sellout trade deals. We are surrendering our sovereignty all the way down to the municipal level, and for that alone the Cons deserve to be evicted...
DeleteThe shooter was trying to obtain a Passport. He was furious regarding Harper's foreign policies. First he was going to a mall to shoot as many as possible. From his ranting and raving and being a deranged drug addict, he went to the Parliament building instead of a mall. He went to the source, of his anger.
ReplyDeletehi anon...yes it's pretty clear that not having a passport drove him over the edge. I read that one of his friends said he wanted to go to Saudi Arabia to be treated for his drug problem. Which if true tells you all you need to know about his state of mind...
DeleteHis mother said that the shooter, her son was a drug addict and he had once asked the police to put him in jail. I feel terror seeing the con supporters turning a blind eye to the dictatorship of their dear leader and I also feel terror even thinking about him being voted in to be the P.M in 2015.
ReplyDeletehi anon...yes that incident is also very revealing. As is the time to he tried to rob a McDonalds by pointing a stick at the cashier. And yes it is frightening to see how easily emotion can sweep away reason....
Deletehttp://operationmaple.ca/leavesteve2015
ReplyDeleteOn October 19th, 2015, Canadians will have the opportunity, the duty, to rid ourselves of the curse that is Stephen Harper and his evidence denying cohort of MPs. What needs to happen in order to make that opportunity real is simple. An itemized list of what the Harper Government has done to ordinary Canadians will demonstrate that as a people, as a democracy, we truly have but a single choice. We need to throw the bums out.
In order to make the list as complete as possible, we need you to nominate, suggest and indicate the most grievous insults and slaps that the Government has inflicted on the citizens of this country. We want to insure that as best possible we capture the full sense of what the last 8 years has meant to ordinary people, what the last eight years has done to our sense of self, our sense of community, our sense of pride and hope. So take a moment, compile your list, and send it off to us. We can do this, we can take the next year and remind Canadians each and every day of why this man and his party have to go.
Use #LeaveSteve2015 when you Tweet or email us your reason to voices@operationmaple.com
hi David...thanks for that. Good for Operation Maple. Canadians do need to do something to fight the Con regime, so they don't feel so helpless. I'm working on short videos and would welcome any ideas in that regard. Four or five images, a clip or two, and a powerful slogan that sums up the evil of that regime, and can connect with Canadians. But there are other things that can also be done. Form a discussion group in your neighbourhood. Make simple posters and put them up all over the place. Sign up as a volunteer and support your progressive party. It will not only help create a sense of momentum and hopefully some kind of movement. It also makes you feel a whole lot better... ;)
Deletehttp://www.hilltimes.com/2014/10/30/hill-shooters-unreleased-video-could-be-key-to-defining-him-as-a-terrorist/40086
ReplyDeleteBy TIM NAUMETZ
Published: Thursday, 10/30/2014 10:41 am EDT
Last Updated: Thursday, 10/30/2014 12:28 pm EDT
Hill shooter’s unreleased video could be key to defining him as a ‘terrorist’
Video evidence that the RCMP has not made public appears to be a key to deciding whether Prime Minister Stephen Harper was justified on Wednesday to describe the shooting death of a National War Memorial honour guard and the killer’s subsequent attack on Parliament Hill as acts of terrorism.
[snip]
On Oct. 26, Mr. Paulson said RCMP investigators had “identified persuasive evidence” that Mr. Zehaf-Bibeau’s attack was driven by “ideological and political motives”—two of the key words included in the definitions of terrorist acts listed under the Criminal Code of Canada.
The terrorist acts are defined as being committed “in whole or in part for a political, religious or ideological purpose, object or cause” with the intention of “intimidating the public, or a segment of the public, with regard to its security, including its economic security, or compelling a person, a government or a domestic or an international organization to do or refrain from doing something” whether inside or outside of Canada.
The Criminal Code further defines terrorist acts as acts committed with the intent of causing death, bodily harm or endangering a person’s life, or with the intent of causing “serious risk” to public health or safety or causing “substantial property damage.”
Taking part in conspiracies or plans to commit the terrorist acts are also offences.
Mr. Paulson’s statement on Sunday went on to say the RCMP was analyzing the video for evidence and that it could not yet be made public.
“You must understand that we cannot release this video at this time and I would ask for your patience in this regard,” the statement said.
Asked after his weekly caucus meeting whether he would label the violent events at the War Memorial and on Parliament Hill on Wednesday, Oct. 22, as terrorism, Mr. Mulcair replied: “No.”
“I don’t think we have enough evidence to use that word,” Mr. Mulcair said when asked to elaborate. “I think that when you look at the history of the individual involved, that you see a criminal act, of course, you see something that was meant to provoke the type of reaction we had, but when you look at the history of the individual, attempts to get help, even to get imprisoned to get help, if that turns out to be the case.
“I think we’re not in the presence of a terrorist act in the sense that we would understand it, I think we have to be very careful with the use of the word terrorism, make sure that’s actually what we’re dealing with,” he said.
[snip]
hi David... I want to see that video, and I can't understand why the RCMP is holding it back. Because it not just what Bibeau said that counts, how he said it, or how he looks, can also tell you a lot about his state of mind...
DeleteHarper’s closet episode reminds me of the character of Greg Stillson (Martin Sheen) in the Dead Zone, actually he reminds me of that character from many angles…why PM Dearest didn't pull a page from his own shitkicker’s handbook when the bullets were flying that day makes one wonder…I saw his eyes and mannerisms when asked the question "why did you hide in the closet?" in that wussy interview with the schoolgirl Mansbridge a few weeks after the fact…I'll paraphrase his response... "security of the head of state is paramount, I'm trained to react like that"…right, the eyes don't lie Chico…why then, did you find it necessary to apologize to your caucus the following day if this is indeed the case? Mansbrige didn't grill him with that, oh no, he was already squirming enough…crapule…and here we are now with ready-made legislation in the guise of public safety being delivered up our collective boomers…the "terrorists" have already won...
ReplyDelete