frandroid

Tories 'not prepared' to meet with Tamil Tigers

One Tamil protester told The Canadian Press the government is trying to use the flag to distract the public from their inaction towards the crisis in Sri Lanka.

"We can see that they are using the flag kind of like a shield to kind of divert any bad situation," said Siva Vimal, 20.

The red flags in questions feature a tiger jumping through a ring of fire under two crossed rifles. Vimal said the flags are a symbol of the Tamil Eelam movement, not the Tamil Tigers.

He said the writing on the flag that linked the flag to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was removed in 1990 when it came to represent the Tamil Eelam.

Tamil supporters in Canada have told the media repeatedly that they will not stop their protests until the government speaks out against the civil war in Sri Lanka that has killed thousands of Tamil civilians.

Interesting nuance...

Oda told Canada AM that the Conservatives have taken "significant steps" by calling for a ceasefire for months.

She said she is sympathetic to Tamil Canadians and their fears they have for their families and friends who live in the conflict zone back in their homeland.

"I think the international community all face the same frustrations," she said. "We don't have the ability to get accurate information or numbers. It's so frustrating because journalists and humanitarian workers are all being prevented from entering the conflict zone."

"We need unhindered access to provide humanitarian workers into those camps to help those victims," she said.

Why don't do press harder to achieve just that, Oda? Where is your United Nations motion? Where is your lobbying of the Security Council, of the United States?

Source: Article about the Tories trying to kill the Liberals' RESP tax-deduction private member's bill.

Flaherty railed against the "American-style tactic" of Liberals allowing his budget to pass last week but, on the very next day, approving a bill that "subverts" the integrity of the budget's fiscal plan.

Really??? American-style tactics? You don't say, Jim.

Flaherty also said McTeague's [RESP tax-deductability bill] would benefit primarily rich parents.

No shit Jim!! Kinda* like your Tax-Free Savings Account you introduced in this very budget!!

*: Okay, that you can't deduct TFSA deposits, but that's another fucking tax-saving scheme that will mostly benefit the rich, particularly older people who have had tons of time to accumulate money during their life, and that would have had enough money to max out their RRSP before putting money in their TFSA. Gee whiz.

Les conservateurs amassent des millions [cyberpresse.ca, will post English version when someone publishes it.]

So far this year, the Conservatives have raised $13,3 million, the Liberals $4,1 million and the NDP $2,8 million. The Conservatives, like the NDP, have good experience raising multiple small contributions, whereas the Liberals were more reliant on fewer, larger donations. I don't know if Liberal leadership donations are counted in the Liberal total or not, but whichever way, the total annual limit a contributor is allowed to give a party includes leadership race donations, so people who have donated the maximum contribution to a leadership candidate this year cannot give to the party as well. I *hope* for the Liberals that that explains a part of the lopsided income, compared to the Conservatives.

The parties also rely for their income on $1,75 per year per vote gathered in the last election.

(Sorry for the multiple postings today, there's just a lot of stuff to talk about...)