The Council of Canadians
–Is PEI going to ban GE foods? Interesting.

in their own words
–Bush is systematically using fear as a weapon against the public to push his policies through. This is not the way that a democracy should be.

in their own words
–Addictions: managed badly? Rabble.ca

BBC NEWS | In Depth | Nobel winners rally behind Annan
–Some people in the know back Annan. I think that the world backs Annan and that should matter more.

Guardian Unlimited | Guardian daily comment | Can Straw tread softly while US turns its eye on Iran?
–The answer to the question above is: why should he have to? Iran is a bad place to focus military might at.

Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Buster the bunny pops on his backpack, visits lesbian family and starts row
–I will say it again. If anyone is to be tolerant it must be the appointed positions within the federal government.

Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | The world remembers
–Auschwitz. We try to remember but the current autrocities are getting in the way of the rhetoric “never again”. We must mean it and enact policy to make sure that we, as an international community, can respond to these crisies.

CBC News: Non-profit groups say Liberals picking favourites
–The constant changing of the rules to make sure that the process favours the people you like is not a fair process. It needs to be an open and fair process for funding these initiatives and everything should be done to keep them in the non-profit sector.

CBC News: BQ and NDP politicians on election alert
–The NDP and the Bloc need to hold Martin and his Liberal budget to account. There is no reason for such a difference in realities when you are talking about the public’s money.

CBC News: Same-sex legislation likely to be introduced Tuesday
–Will this mark the end of this “debate” against equal rights. It always amazes me that these things take as long as they do… In some ways I suppose it is what makes us a little more free…

CBC News: Procter & Gamble to buy Gillette
–Say good bye to choice.

Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Buster the bunny pops on his backpack, visits lesbian family and starts row
–Tolerance does not exist at many of the higher levels of the US state. The Education Secretary wants sensorship and “select” educational material. The idea is backwards.

Wednesday night about 40 people or so braved the cold for over an hour outside of the Delta Hotel to raise some noise in opposition to missile defence. The Liberals were holding a rather unappetizing “Traditional Maritime Kitchen Party” (vomit) at the Delta, which the public was allowed to attend to schmooze with the Liberals if they paid the elite sum of $75. I don’t think a lot of “traditional maritimers” could afford that for one meal, but I’m sure the Liberals weren’t worried. Poor, starving Liberals need money too…yeah
It wasn’t bad considering all things: the cold, short notice, distance from the downtown. The Raging Grannies came out and revved people up; they stayed the whole time. We also had a bunch of pamphlets that people were taking. We tried to stay inside the entrance way, but got ushered across the street, I think a couple of times. Bill Graham came out, crossed the street and grabbed my hand and started shaking it in front of the cameras–which didn’t come near us all that often. Bill was giving us his assurance that he was happy we were there and that it was an important issue that is being debated. I encouraged further debate, but was really as assertive as I should have been, but comrades filled in for that. Even more chilling than the weather was the fact that there seems to be zero media coverage of yesterday’s opposition.

There was also a protest by Kingsclear First Nation (about 20-min outside of Fredericton) over corruption by their band council. They were just adjacent to our group. We gave a shout of solidarity and I joined them with some drumming on and off, which was fun too. Vaughn gave them his contact info, offering to help out with their issue.

asaf

The uvScene: World Social Forum
–This is some press releases and information from the World Social Forum, for those that are interested.

UN urges global action on U.S. debt
–Anyone see anything wrong with this? This would be a good topic for the Citizen’s Press. It strikes me that the notion of free markets has been lost entirely and that the world is starting to realize that the reliance on the US to maintain the world economy is more belief than fact.

White House projecting record $427-billion deficit: officials
–427 Billion deficit. Tell me again who the group is that tax and spend? This money is going to have to come from somewhere.

Democrats call Rice a liar and a Bush apologist, but confirmation expected
–What I do not get about the Rice appointment is that if no one thinks that she is good for the job then why is it that the system can allow her to move through the ranks?

CBC News: Bush’s 1-day visit cost Ottawa $4M in security
–Do we really need this much security for one person? If no one likes the guy then how did he get elected? Are Canadians really all that scary?

CBC News: Lawyers challenge Harper’s same-sex position
–Some interesting challenges against Harper’s “position” on same sex marriage. I think that it is time for the Conservatives to tell the truth too…

CBC News: New funding policies jeopardizing social programs, critics say
–NDP are worried over changes in funding and our social programmes. It is destabilizing the non-profit sector in Canada.

Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Israel ready to expel BBC reporter
–Good old fashioned sensorship in Israel.

Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Black Americans suspect HIV plot
–This article is more about the disenfranchisement of blacks in the US with regards to schools and healthcare than it is about the “government” out to get them. What strikes me is the blatent racism in the policy of prevention within the US.