Senators Approve Anti-Spanking Bill

http://news.aol.ca/article/Senators-Approve-Anti-Spanking-Bill/261769/

The Canadian Election is on its way!

Election fever!!

The possibility of a federal election will be looming as MPs return to Ottawa on Monday after a week-long break.  When MPs left the House of Commons on April 18, debate was just beginning to swirl about news of an RCMP raid on Conservative Party headquarters and allegations that the Tories had exceeded their campaign spending limit by more than $1 million during the 2006 election.

Some insiders say the scandal could be the incentive the Opposition Liberals need to pull the plug on the minority Conservative government.  But on Sunday, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion disagreed with the notion that a spring election could be near, telling CTV News that he is not “clamouring for an election.”  

Not all in his party agree.  Garth Turner, a former Conservative who joined the Liberals in 2007, has said he will urge Dion to rethink his stance, given the election spending scandal.  “Clearly, we need an election,” Turner wrote on his website on Thursday. “I will tell Mr. Dion this upon my return Monday.”

Elections Canada asked the RCMP to execute a search warrant on April 15 at the Conservative Party’s Ottawa offices.  According to search warrants and a sworn affidavit, Elections Canada accuses the Conservatives of exceeding their campaign spending limit and making “false and misleading” statements in their financial returns.  Elections Canada alleges the Conservatives engaged in a so-called “in-and-out” scheme — directing money to local candidates, who then transferred the funds back to the party to spend on more advertising for the national campaign.  The elaborate plan involved the participation of 67 candidates, including four cabinet ministers, Elections Canada alleges.

None of the allegations has been proven in court and Prime Minister Stephen Harper has insisted his party followed the law in the last federal election.

Here is what the Conservaitve Party has to say to Mr. Dion:

“The former executive director of the Liberal Party’s Quebec wing, Benoit Corbeil, has been arrested and charged with fraud.  The serious criminal charges Mr. Corbeil faces are part of the fallout of the Sponsorship Scandal where, under the watch of the previous Liberal government, millions of taxpayer dollars disappeared, with much of this money later turning  up to fund the partisan activities of the Liberal Party itself.  Mr. Corbeil’s arrest is a reminder to Canadians that the Liberal Party continues to operate under a dark ethical cloud.   This does not stop the Liberal Party from chasing headlines and manufacturing outrage about the Conservative Government.  If the Stéphane Dion Liberals were serious about wanting clean government, they would turn their attention to their own ranks.  Mr. Dion has conceded that he is open to re-admitting key Sponsorship Scandal figure Marc-Yvan Côté into the Liberal Party.  And the Stéphane Dion Liberals refuse to open their books and come clean about the missing Sponsorship Scandal money.   The Stéphane Dion Liberals have no new ideas or policies, no plans for the future and no leadership.  Now it is clearer than ever that they have no interest in providing answers about what really happened during one of the darkest chapters in Canadian political history.  Stéphane Dion. Not a leader. Not worth the risk.“

Is Annexation of Canada, Part of Bush’s Agenda?

It would appear the Manifest Dentiny is not dead after all!.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO411C.html

Loonie surges to 2-month high

The Canadian dollar has jumped in value for the second straight day — reaching its highest level in two months.

The loonie was up 1.27 cents US Tuesday against its U.S. counterpart to $1.0175 US in afternoon trading. It gained 1.67 cents US on Monday.  That’s the Canadian currency’s highest level since Dec. 28, according to Bank of Canada figures.  Currency analysts said rising commodity prices were behind much of the loonie’s recent strength. Canada’s commodity wealth is widely seen as being a major factor in the value of its currency, so when commodity prices rise, the loonie usually follows.

Oil futures were back above $100 US a barrel in New York trading on Tuesday, natural gas prices were up, gold futures gained more than $4 US to $944.30 US an ounce and wheat traded above $12 US a bushel for the first time ever.  The loonie went as high as $1.10 US in early November, capping a spectacular climb from below 62 cents US in early 2002. It then slid back to around the 97-cent US level in January before beginning its most recent rise.

The Conservatives drop to Second Place

A new poll suggests the federal Liberals have edged back into the lead over the governing Conservatives.  The Canadian Press Harris-Decima survey indicated the Liberals were the choice of 32 per cent of respondents, compared with 29 for the Tories. The NDP stood at 16 per cent and the Green party at 12. The Bloc Quebecois was at nine per cent nationally but led the pack in Quebec with 37 per cent.  The Liberals and Conservatives have been see-sawing into and out of the national lead since mid-December. 

Canada’s Political Outlook for 2008

Canada’s Future… looking bright! 

• Three quarters (73%) believe that there is a good chance that there will be a federal election called in Canada in 2008, and two thirds (63%) believe that Stephen Harper will be re-elected. However, only 31% believe that he will get a majority government.

American’s Future… well, I’ll leave that up to you! 

• South of the border, it would appear that most (56%) Canadians are placing their bets that Americans will elect their first female President in Hillary Clinton compared with only four in 10 (39%) to believe that Americans will elect their first Black President, Barack Obama. Furthermore, only 37% of Canadians believe that Americans will elect a Republican president during the 2008 election.

(These opinions are strictly opinions of Canadians.  Canadian Perspective Inc. takes no responsibiltiy for the outcome of these predictions)

Conservatives drop 2 Points Behind the Liberals

Dion’s Liberals edged passed Harper’s Conservatives by two points.  The Federal Tories currently have 33% popularity in the polls, with the Liberals sitting at 35%.  Jack Layton’s New Democrats are sitting at 13%, with the Blocks and the Green both sitting at 9% respectively.  The Liberal’s are debating this week as they meet in Kitchener, of when exactly to bring down the Government.  Dion, believes that he has enough support to defeat the Prime Minister in a general election.  The Conservatives gained popularity in vote rich Ontario, with a rise to 37% (just four points behind the Liberals).  Great damage was done to the Conservatives national percentages, due to a decrease in Albertan support, from 66% to 43% (a decline of 23 points - mainly owing to the  provincial Conservative Stelmach led government).

NDP Leader Jack Layton, whose party is holding a caucus retreat in Montebello, Que., said it’s up to Dion to bring down the government.   Meanwhile, Duceppe has said he expects a federal election will be called in about a month after MPs vote on the government’s plan to help the forestry and manufacturing sectors.  (Opposition MPs are upset that the billion-dollar package to help the ailing sectors is contingent on the budget being passed).

The Strength of the Loonie!

With the Canadian dollar worth more than the U.S. dollar, why does it still cost more to buy items in Canada?  Why do books still cost 10-15 dollars more to buy it in Canada?  Finance Miniter Jim Flaherty announced it is up to Canadians to put the pressure on retailers to lower their prices.

“When the Canadian dollar was trading at 60 cents (U.S.) five years ago – or even 80 cents two years ago – consumers were willing to put up with a price gap.  But now that the loonie has soared to nearly $1.04 (U.S.), Canadians are demanding an explanation. And many are crossing the border to find better deals.” (Toronto Star)

New Holiday declared in Ontario

Premier Dalton McGuinty celebrated his election victory by giving everyone the day off – in February.  The Premier got down to work yesterday by declaring the third Monday in February a new annual “Family Day” statutory holiday.

“This is a small thing, but it’s an important and, I think, a powerful recognition of our priorities,” Premier McGuinty told reporters after a breakfast speech in his hometown of Ottawa.

“There is nothing more valuable to families than time together,” said the premier, who is married with four children and has nine brothers and sisters.

Promised in the run-up to the election campaign, Ontario’s ninth statutory holiday was approved with an order-in-council signed by cabinet yesterday and will be marked next Feb. 18.