The Blog of Walker: March 2011

Walker Morrow · at 3:51 PM

Check it out:

Update: But wait, there's more!

Walker Morrow · at 3:48 PM

Turns out, a lot of those underage girls being sold into prostitution on sites like Craigslist and Backpage.com...aren't underage.

Whoops.

Walker Morrow · at 11:38 AM

Not only is she a libertarian ( i.e., smart ), she's got, er, personality.

H/t Cosh.

Walker Morrow · at 11:36 AM

This, on livestream here.

Walker Morrow · at 8:09 AM

As always, very much worth reading:

5. When the Conservatives recite the word “coalition”, over and over again, this is what they really intend to remind the public of—that the Liberals were ready to talk turkey with the Bloc and the NDP to impede a very popular measure that would compromise their partisan interest. Do my fellow pundits really think it is wrong to suggest that Dion and Ignatieff put their party’s budget a little bit ahead of its traditional national-unity principles for a few weeks there? That seems like a fairly flat factual description of what happened, and, at any rate, that is how many voters will remember it. Public financing of political parties is a lot less popular on the street than it is in the salons frequented by the slothful dilettantes of the press and electronic media. (We are, after all, indirect beneficiaries of that financing.)
5. What this does mean, of course, is that the Conservatives’ own indignation over deals with the Bloc and the NDP, as such, is insincere. They’re posing as opponents of coalitions of a certain procedural type, merely as a way to preserve the memory of a particular one. But if the punditariat is prepared to plunge the political context of the ’08 coalition into oblivion, it cannot very well blame the Conservatives for trying to talk past it.

Meanwhile, Andrew Coyne on coalition election strategy, and John Geddes on Stephen Harper's somewhat bizarre account of certain goings-on in 2004.

Walker Morrow · at 7:26 AM

Steve Lafleur writes:

One might expect that a billion dollar development for Olympic athletes would be pretty posh. Prices ranged from $530,900 for a 566 square foot studio, to $4.8 million for three bedroom units. Even in unaffordable Vancouver, you’d expect that to come with a bedroom big enough to fit a bed. According to tenants, they didn’t even get that. What they did get was bizarre leaks, cracking ceilings, and inadequate heating. The project sounds like something out of Arrested Development, or as the tenants’ legal counsel put it, “It’s like they were sold a BMW and they got a broken Toyota. And even if they manage to fix everything, it’s still a Toyota.” The units are far from the luxury accommodations buyers were lead to believe they were getting.

H/t to Andrew Phillips.

Walker Morrow · at 6:21 PM

Via the ol' inbox:

I’m sure you have already heard that yesterday, the Ignatieff-led Coalition with the NDP and Bloc Quebecois united to force Canadians into an unnecessary and unwanted election.

By forcing an unnecessary election in this time of fragile economic recovery – Canada’s fourth in seven years – Michael Ignatieff and his coalition partners are irresponsibly and recklessly putting at risk Canadians’ jobs, our economy and stable government.

The budget our Prime Minister tabled this week – the next phase of Canada’s Economic Action Plan – is critically important to complete our economic recovery. It is Stephen Harper’s low-tax plan for jobs and growth. It’s a balanced plan to strengthen the financial security of Canadian families, and protect and create jobs. The Coalition’s actions today make clear they don’t care about any of the practical initiatives in the budget. Or the fact that without it, Canada’s economic recovery will be put in jeopardy just as we enter the home stretch.

Simply put, in forcing this unnecessary election the Ignatieff-led Coalition has recklessly placed their own political ambitions ahead of Canadians’ financial security. Their self-interest ahead of Canada’s stability.

This campaign is a clear choice between principled leadership and a political opportunist; between a stable government and a reckless coalition. And between a low tax plan for jobs and growth and a high tax agenda that will stall our recovery, kill jobs and set families back.

The next five weeks will be a challenge as we face the Ignatieff-led Coalition. We need to fight back and train volunteers in every one of Canada’s 308 ridings. We also need to reach out to Canadians across our country through advertising. We will also need help in getting out our vote on Election Day.

All these campaign priorities cost money, which is why I am sending you this email today.

With your support, we are looking to elect a stable national government so we can complete the economic recovery and keep taxes low. A re-elected Harper Government will work to assure a strong economy, a secure country and the safety of Canadians through steady, responsible, and practical government.

We are asking all of our loyal supporters if they can contribute $200 or $100 so we can give this campaign a running start.Please, make a contribution of $200 or $100 right now by following this link and using our secure, online donation page.

Sincerely,
Dan Hilton
Executive Director, Conservative Party of Canada

P.S. – With Election Day a short five weeks away, your support is most urgent.Please send the most generous contribution you can today by following this link to our secure, online donation page.

Many thanks.

If memory serves, it's Irving Gerstein who usually affixes his name to fund-raising letters from the CPC. I wonder what-ever happened to hi-

Oh. Right.

Walker Morrow · at 3:25 PM

Iggy speaks.

Happy 41st election, comrades.

Walker Morrow · at 4:42 PM

From the Vancouver Sun:

Dale Saip, the newly-chosen Conservative candidate for Delta-Richmond East, stepped down Thursday afternoon in the wake of revelations that he'd twice sought creditor protection in B.C. Supreme Court's bankruptcy court, including a 1993 bankruptcy and a 2005 creditor proposal.

Saip said he stepped down after the Conservative Party called him to question about a Vancouver Sun story Wednesday that outlined his financial problems, problems he said he fully disclosed to the party before they accepted his nomination.

"My challenge in all this was I gave them all the information they needed. It was their job to do what you did yesterday and then come back to me and ask me questions or say "you're not the guy." Instead they let me go through this whole thing and I stand up on the stage with my kids and my family and now today I am going to walk away from it."

In theory, I get why the party decided to boot Dale Saip from his candidacy, but I'm not sure how much his financial history really matters in the end. Still, it's nice to know the CPC's back-ground checks work so effectively.

Update: More from the Globe and Mail: "Mr. Saip said he understood that politics is a blood sport. 'I just didn’t expect to get bloodied so quick.'"

Walker Morrow · at 4:32 PM

The Globe and Mail, August 21st 2010: "'Up until after the 2008 election was over, it had not even been on a list of priorities that the leader getting elected had any particular importance,' Ms. May said."

CTV News, March 24th 2011: "Green Party Leader Elizabeth May says her main focus during this spring's expected election will be winning her own riding, not leading a national campaign."

Just so we're clear. Maybe having to fight for the leadership of the Green Party has made Elizabeth May a little more certain of just how tenuous her grasp on the party leadership will be if she fails to see Green Party representation in Parliament three elections in a row.

Walker Morrow · at 1:31 PM

Check it out:

Walker Morrow · at 12:58 PM

Aaron Wherry writes:

When the government falls tomorrow afternoon and Parliament is subsequently dissolved, Peter Milliken‘s time as Speaker of the House of Commons will come to an end, Mr. Milliken having already decided that he will not seek reelection as the MP for Kingston and the Islands.

[...]

Amid much gnashing of teeth over the state of our parliamentary democracy, Mr. Milliken reasserted the power and preeminence of the House of Commons. As a legacy, a Speaker could not ask for much greater.

True that.

Walker Morrow · at 12:53 PM

Don Butler reports:

The federal public service’s oversight regime, including the Harper government’s signature Accountability Act, is so costly and complex that it may be doing more harm than good, says the prime minister’s own advisory committee on the public service.

Well, that's not good.

Meanwhile, via The Hook:

A Liberal confidence motion is destined to topple the minority Conservative regime on Friday.

It already cites the government for refusing to fully disclose the cost of its tough-on-crime agenda, corporate tax cuts and plans to purchase stealth fighter jets.

Now, Liberals are thinking of amending the motion to include reference to International Co-operation Minister Bev Oda being in contempt for misleading Parliament.

The plot thickens.

Walker Morrow · at 8:08 PM

Aaron Wherry writes:

Here the woman from the Prime Minister’s Office called out the name of the journalist assigned the first question, but the mob was unwilling to cooperate. Amid the shouting, she called out again, to no effect. The Prime Minister seemed at a loss, obviously unused to being treated like a common politician. Eventually, after a few uncomfortable seconds, he pointed in the direction of a TV newsman to his immediate right. After a perfunctory response, the shouting returned. Mr. Harper managed to point out a francophone voice in the crowd. Another question, another response and then he turned on his heels and took his leave.

Bonus points to Wherry for fantastic use of the word "raved."

Walker Morrow · at 7:49 PM

Check it out:

Walker Morrow · at 4:29 PM

I'm one of the Prince Arthur Herald's new bi-weekly columnists, and this is my very first piece for the paper: BC Has a New Premier… And a Smaller Government?

The new Clark cabinet can probably be considered at least a partial victory for small-government advocates. Gordon Campbell’s 2010 cabinet had twenty-four ministers, plus the premier. Christy Clark’s 2011 cabinet has seventeen ministers, not including the premier, although the number of parliamentary secretary positions, a slightly less dazzling reward for the enterprising politician, went up from nine to ten under Clark. However, as Les Leyne pointed out in the Victoria Times Colonist: “The government is the exact same size it was last week [...] cutting departments and programs is where the real savings are, but Clark won’t be able to do that without a firestorm.”

Check it out, eh?

Walker Morrow · at 8:00 PM

I've decided to discontinue the Defend Geert Wilders project. As I explain in a final update to the site:

However, every so often I would renew a promise to myself: that I would shut down this blog whenever the Wilders case came to a close. I was determined to follow this thing through. But the case never ended. It went on…and on. Then the trial collapsed in upon itself completely and a new trial sprang from its ashes…and is now itself dragging on. Perhaps this trial will collapse as well.

Meanwhile, I get busier and busier, I have less and less time to keep this site up-to-date, and my mind gets occupied with other projects. And I cannot help but feel that now is as good a time as any to put this particular project to an end. It’s been great. We had some fun, far too few laughs, and contributed to an important debate. But now it’s time to go.

I have no intention of pulling down the site. Defend Geert Wilders will stay up, its content archived for posterity. I’ll let the comments run for the rest of the week, and then those will be shut down so as to make things neat and tidy.

So, um, there. On to the next project, I guess.

Walker Morrow · at 7:23 PM

Check it out:

Walker Morrow · at 11:43 AM

Blazing Cat Fur chronicles day four of the Pin-Up Wars. As always, Jay Currie has a competitive advantage.

I make do with what I can:

Meanwhile, quite possibly the best thing I have ever read about breasts ( that I'm willing to link to on this site ).

Update: Welcome Blazing Cat Fur readers. Make yourselves at home.

While I'm at it, something with tattoos.

Walker Morrow · at 11:00 AM

Steynian 440th. Check it out.

Walker Morrow · at 10:58 AM

Aaron Wherry reports that the procedure and House affairs committee is going to be tabling a report after Question Period today recommending that the Tory government be found in contempt of Parliament.

Seems that tactic of not disclosing information related to various bills didn't work out in the government's favor after all - who would have thought?

Update: Iggy gets a killer line: "“When is the government going to show some respect for taxpayers and a little respect for democracy?”

Walker Morrow · at 2:36 PM

Check it out:

Walker Morrow · at 2:34 PM

Rob Shaw does some good work in the Times Colonist:

Criticism from the B.C. Supreme Court and a turf war among police chiefs scuttled a government plan to use sheriffs on traffic patrol, internal documents show.

But the criticism, contained in dozens of emails obtained by the Times Colonist through a freedom of information request, was not enough to stop the provincial government from spending $40,000 to train 14 sheriffs for a pilot project that was all but doomed.

Les Leyne comments.

Walker Morrow · at 10:34 PM

I know it's ten at night, but it's been a busy day. Here's the latest:

Walker Morrow · at 2:13 PM

You'll probably want to sue me too, while you're at it.

Walker Morrow · at 2:10 PM

Rob Shaw reports:

The auditor general's office confirmed Thursday that it has launched a wideranging probe into the quasi-independent coroners service.

"The audit will focus on the operations of the B.C. Coroners Service, and whether it is meeting its mandate in an efficient, effective, timely and independent manner," the auditor general's website said.

You can never have too many probes.

Walker Morrow · at 12:26 PM

1) The government's experiment in open government: data.gc.ca. Very sweet for nerds like me. David Eaves on what works about this and what doesn't; Michael Geist on why the government doesn't own this information to begin with.

2) More info on the F-35 purchase.

3) Father Raymond De Souza on Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page's tenacity in holding government numbers to account.

4) This government could be the first in Canadian history to be held in contempt of Parliament for refusing to disclose information on its crime and corporate tax cut bills.

Walker Morrow · at 1:55 PM

Earlier I talked a little about the federal government's appeal of Ontario Superior Court Justice Susan Himel's ruling striking down three Ontario laws governing prostitution - communicating for the purposes of prostitution, pimping and operating a common bawdy house - which would pretty much decriminalize the trade in Ontario.

The federal government doesn't want this to happen, are arguing that, basically, if women ( or men ) choose to ignore the laws that they've put in place the government has no obligation to protect those women ( or men ) - which presumably means that if a prostitute gets raped, beaten, and killed, the government's position is to just shrug its shoulders and say she got what was coming to her.

It's a completely nonsensical position: taking an activity which isn't illegal in the first place and making those who trade in it into criminals - and then blaming those people for not having the good sense to play along with the government's seemingly arbitrary decision to criminalize a perfectly legal behavior through means other than direct criminalization. Prostitution isn't a crime, so instead the federal government makes pretty much anything related to prostitution illegal instead, thereby going the backdoor route ( those with dirty minds will get the pun ) to criminalization.

Ridiculous.

Jane Sterk, the leader of the BC Green Party ( of all people ) seems to get the problem. In a recent post in her blog, she writes:

The government clearly misunderstands “choice” and is blind to its own culpability in the conditions that drive women to prostitution. Most women entering the sex trade are victims of sexual and physical abuse (often as a result of our child welfare interventions), poverty, addictions, and little or no education. A lack of job training makes for lousy job prospects. High-priced call girls “choosing” to have sex with multiple men for money is for the most part a romanticized male perception of a terrible reality.

She's exactly right, although, as Colby Cosh has ably pointed out, we shouldn't get too hung up on the idea of "choice" in this debate - most people don't choose to be where they are in life; not really. In the prostitution trade, this reality is only laid a little more starkly bare, taken a little more to the extreme.

The cynic in me came to the conclusion that the government doesn't care about our welfare a long time ago. Oh sure, those who comprise government - both the legislative and bureaucratic camps - undoubtedly do care, with some exceptions ( there are always exceptions ). But in the larger view, as an entity in and of itself, with its own vested interests and objectives in mind, the suffering of a few individuals - in this case, a group of women who badly need somebody in their corner - matters very little.

Update: Cross-posted to the Libertas Post blog.

Walker Morrow · at 1:49 PM

....not for everyone.

Walker Morrow · at 10:11 AM

Check it out:

Walker Morrow · at 7:54 AM

Kevin Libin walks us through the debate over property rights starting to make its way through the Alberta Progressive Conservatives in the wake of the Alberta Land Stewardship Act.

Walker Morrow · at 3:23 PM

Jacob Sullum writes:

If the "simulated salvia" turns out to be real salvia, Warner could face felony charges that carry a penalty of up to five years in prison for a first offense and up to 10 years for subsequent offenses. But even if she was selling nothing but oregano, she would still be subject to the simulated salvia charges, because the relevant statute (PDF) applies to anyone who sells "any substance, other than a controlled substance, with the representation or upon creation of an impression that the substance which is sold or transferred is a controlled substance."

Walker Morrow · at 3:20 PM

A few items.

First, the art of jury nullification activism.

Second, an end to libel tourism in the UK?

Third, a blogger in Minnesota has been successfully sued - not for libeling somebody, but because the blogger's accurate reporting got the recipient of his coverage fired from his job.

Walker Morrow · at 1:23 PM

Michael Mulligan writes:

As the changes to the civil and criminal justice system rules demonstrate, there is always room to improve our justice system. Some of the solutions are, indeed, simple. They include ensuring there are enough judges to hear trials in a timely fashion, and providing adequate legal aid funding so that the poor are not denied the help they need.

This blog has talked about both of these issues in the past: the Attorney General's office in British Columbia has neglected to keep up the efficiency of BC's court system, largely thanks to a shortage in judges. Meanwhile, the BC Legal Services Society needs more money - which could easily be provided by the Attorney General's office.

Barry Penner is now BC's Attorney General. I would suggest that these two issues should be of top priority to him in the future.

Walker Morrow · at 12:22 PM

Earlier we talked a little about social conservatism and libertarianism, and whether the two can ever mix.

Well, it's a somewhat different question, but in a talk to the Austrian Scholars Conference at the Mises Institute, Laurence M. Vance asks: Is Libertarianism Compatible with Religion?

Let me reiterate that what you or I personally believe about the Bible is irrelevant. At issue is simply this: If libertarianism is compatible with a Christianity grounded on the authority of the Bible, then we have many possible "converts" to the cause of liberty and a free society. But on the other hand, if libertarianism is not compatible with a Christianity grounded on the authority of the Bible, then many Christian Americans, if they take their religion seriously, will be forever hostile or indifferent to liberty and a free society since the primary objections to libertarianism are moral.

It'll take some time out of your day, but the whole presentation is well worth reading.

Walker Morrow · at 12:00 PM

Ah well - I didn't make it past my first round at the Pro-Israel Blog-Off. I was up against some pretty stiff competition, and the best entrant won.

Feel free to vote in the coming rounds, though.

Update: For those who didn't get the reference:

Walker Morrow · at 7:23 PM

Rachel Greenfeld won't be running for the Tories in the riding of Vancouver Centre in the next election - she was asked to resign after she wouldn't commit to being a candidate in two consecutive elections ( which is a pretty tasking requirement to ask of somebody ).

Not living in Vancouver Centre myself, this news in and of itself doesn't particularly matter to me. But I thought these comments by Greenfeld were quite interesting:

Ms. Greenfeld, who started up the trendy Campoverde Social Club in Vancouver and is now the head of a personal coaching firm, said she's put off by the treatment she got from party officials. She wasn't impressed when Jenni Byrne, the Conservative party's director of operations and national campaign manager, assigned an underling to deliver the ultimatum.
“She didn't have the respect for me to make the call herself. And I found that to be very unfortunate.
“They've got the right person in the right job for the way that they need to run their organization, it's just that there's no humanity, no soul, there's no kindness, there's no femininity – the things that give people the greatest pleasure in life are absent.
“Feeling acknowledged, feeling understood, feeling respect, they're just not there.”

No humanity. No soul. No kindness. If I were working on a Liberal campaign, I'd work that into my line of attack - and I'd be right to do so.

Update: Odd. Even though both the Globe and Mail story above and this Winnipeg Free Press story are copies of Jennifer Ditchburn's report for the Canadian Press, the Free Press version includes this little nugget of information that the Globe neglected to include:

The Tory source said the party found it easier to accept her resignation because of Greenfeld's demands for "special attention." The source said she had complained on various occasions that party policies had been developed without taking into account their potential impact in her riding.

I doubt this was intentional, but the Free Press version paints a somewhat less flattering version of Greenfeld. Make of that what you will.

Thanks to Anon in the comments for the tip on the Free Press story.

Update II: I still stand by my original analysis: if I were Hedy Fry, for instance, I would definitely use Greenfeld's departing words as a part of my campaign: No kindness. No Humanity. No Soul. If the NDP want to present themselves as the warm and fuzzy party in Vancouver Centre, this would be a natural line of attack.

Walker Morrow · at 6:50 PM

Lawrence Martin writes:

What’s notable about Mr. Day, Mr. Prentice, Mr. Hill and Mr. Strahl is that they were low key and reasonable, not inclined to engage in character assassination. They won admiration for their sense of decency, so it’s in this respect that their departures will hurt the government.

Martin also uses the word "poppycock" later on in the column, which is absolutely charming.

Walker Morrow · at 5:53 PM

Check it out:

Walker Morrow · at 8:27 AM

This.

Walker Morrow · at 6:13 PM

*Source.

As the cartel-related violence continues in Mexico this Spring, I thought it would be worthwhile to highlight a very important role that not only the United States but Canada can play to scale down the death and destruction down south.

Basically, it all comes down to the United States prohibition on drugs. As with most prohibited substances with a wide market, prohibition has done little to actually stop the consumption of drugs. Instead, it has simply given criminal organizations the means to sop up incredible amounts of money, and has made the consumption of drugs more dangerous over-all. In Mexico especially, this lucrative black-market trade has led to violence and bloodshed, and a less stable society over-all. Mexico is, quite literally, taking a bullet for United States domestic policy on drugs. To that end, Jacob Sullum writes:

Has Calderon taken a stand against a wave of violence, or has he precipitated it? Some 35,000 people have died in prohibition-related violence since his crackdown began in 2006. Just as Obama's secretary of state does not seem to understand that illegal drugs are expensive and sold by criminals because they're illegal, Obama does not seem to understand that the business is violent for the same reason. If he were serious about taking responsibility, he would reflect on the havoc caused by his government's arbitrary pharmacological dictates.

The United States shows no apparent signs of de-escalating its own involvement in the war on drug-related activity in Mexico - in fact, it seems likely that the Merida Initiative's efforts will only continue, much to Mexican tourists' dismay.

But, if the violence is going to end, it will probably be up to the United States to end it: it would certainly take a large bite out of the drug-related violence in Mexico if one of the largest drug markets north of the border were to legalize - or at the very least, decriminalize - drug use. This is not to mention that if the United States were to legalize - or decriminalize - drug use, Canada would probably soon follow.

As former Mexican president Vicente Fox has noted:

"Radical prohibition strategies have never worked. Legalizing in this sense does not mean drugs are good and don't harm those who consume them. Rather we should look at it as a strategy to strike at and break the economic structure that allows gangs to generate huge profits in their trade, which feeds corruption and increases their areas of power."

I realize that legalization or decriminalization of even mild drugs like marijuana in the United States ( or Canada ) is still a ways off. This won't happen over-night. But every so often it's worth reminding ourselves of the price of our drug prohibition: lives in Mexico are lost because of our moral stances on substance abuse. If that's considered a fitting price by some, fine, but it's a price that should always be factored into our considerations.

Walker Morrow · at 5:43 PM

Check it out, eh?

Meanwhile, at the Libertas Post blog: Maggie's wants in on the Ontario prostitution debate.

Walker Morrow · at 3:45 PM

Further to my post yesterday on the federal government's rather absurd approach to prostitution, a support group for prostitutes called Maggie's has applied for intervenor status in the upcoming court showdown on prostitution in Ontario. Linda Nguyen reports, via the Times Colonist:

The criminalization of the sex-trade industry violates Canada's guarantee of basic equality rights by discriminating against women by gender and occupation, Ontario's top court heard Friday.

Maggie's, a support group for prostitutes, argued that it should be granted official intervener status in an upcoming appeal case, one that could result in the legalization of sex work across the province, so it can fully address the claim.

"To close our eyes to this argument would risk an injustice," lawyer Michael Kotrly told Associate Chief Justice Dennis O'Connor of the Ontario Court of Appeal.

The Toronto-based group says that laws prohibiting sex work discriminate against prostitutes, the majority of whom are women, and go against section 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

This section outlines that all Canadians are equal and protected before and under the law despite race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.

According to the group, it's an issue that should be open for discussion when a five-judge panel convenes in mid-June to reconsider a decision last year that struck down three prostitution-related laws as unconstitutional.

The court will have to decide if it wants to add another constitutional challenge to the mandate in June, I suppose. A decision is expected on Monday.

Walker Morrow · at 3:06 PM

Check it out:

Meanwhile, at the Libertas Post: The Canadian government's absurd approach to prostitution.

Walker Morrow · at 3:04 PM

Conrad Black FTW in the Post:

The underlying suspicion of Stephen Harper’s government — which is that the bench is infested with softies and that it is right to punish crimes more severely than they have been in the past — is a reactionary and brutish reflex that is presumably aimed at a political constituency unlikely to stray into the arms of this government’s opponents anyway. Hand-cuffing the judges merely makes justice more unlikely. And simply raising the sentences for everyone, which is essentially what is recommended, is not justified by the recidivism rates in many categories of offence. It also would legitimize the repugnant concept that criminal penalties should exceed that which is necessary to expiate the past and discourage a return to crime.

Walker Morrow · at 9:10 PM

A while back, an enterprising Ontario Supreme Court Justice named Susan Himel struck down three Ontario laws governing prostitution - communicating for the purposes of prostitution, pimping and operating a common bawdy house - effectively decriminalizing the trade in that province.

This was good news for prostitutes, since this meant that they could operate more openly and safely, and it also meant that the law was going to treat them like actual human beings for a change.

Oh wait - then the feds stepped in. They didn't like these laws being struck down, and will be appealing Himel's decision in June:

TORONTO — Ontario's highest court has set aside four days in June to hear an appeal on the possible harms associated with legalizing prostitution, a move that could drastically change how sex-trade workers operate across the country.

In a lengthy factum filed this month with the Ontario Court of Appeal, the federal government argues that prostitutes should have no expectation of being safe when they choose to enter an illegal trade, one that is rife with crime, drugs and violence.

It is wrong to assume that "Parliament is obliged to minimize hindrances and maximize safety for those that do so contrary to the law," according to the 117-page legal brief.

"It is the practice of prostitution in any venue, exacerbated by efforts to avoid the law that is the source of the risk of harm to prostitutes," wrote Michael Morris, a federal lawyer representing Canada's attorney general. "The legislative provisions seek to deter individuals from choosing to engage in the practice of prostitution at all."

Furthermore, it argued, the dangerous conditions surrounding the underground industry are a result of sex-trade workers' efforts to evade the law, and should not immediately justify those laws being changed.

In other words, if a law put in place by the government puts people conducting perfectly legal activities in danger, the government can't be put at fault because those people conducting perfectly legal activities don't know what's good for them and won't go and work at a Denny's or something instead.

Prostitution is not a crime in Canada, nor should it be. Instead, the government has opted to make it near impossible to conduct the business of prostitution without breaking the law. This results in making prostitution a dangerous activity and - almost by definition - results in more criminal activity, and when faced with the absurdity of making the perfectly legal illegal, the government simply shrugs and says it's not their problem. You can almost hear the dismissive tone in their legal brief: those dumb whores got what was coming to them, after all.

Absolutely disgusting.

Walker Morrow · at 2:23 PM

The BC Legal Services Society is apparently in dire need of funding, as reported in the Times Colonist:

B.C.'s legal aid system is failing to meet even the most basic needs and should be fully funded as an essential public service, a public commission has concluded.

In a 67-page report released Tuesday, veteran Vancouver lawyer Leonard Doust said the province has fallen from being a leader in legal-aid services to seriously lagging behind other jurisdictions.

"We can no longer avoid the fact that we are failing the most disadvantaged members of our community," he said.
The problem is particularly acute outside of the Lower Mainland, and aboriginal people are especially vulnerable, he added.

More people, particularly the "working poor," should be eligible for help and more money must be made available, Doust insisted.

Mark Benton, executive director of the B.C. Legal Services Society, welcomed the report's thrust and hoped it would prompt improvements.

As I've noted briefly before, and as reported by Sean Holman at Public Eye Online, the outgoing head of the Legal Services Society board has previously noted the organization's ability to help low-income British Columbians with their time in court.

Speaking from some little experience, having a good lawyer can make all the difference. Legal troubles can be a devastating experience, and not having the Legal Services Society running at peak performance in this province is a severe disservice to BC's citizens.

Walker Morrow · at 2:15 PM

This made me laugh out loud this morning as I was skimming through the paper:

A member of the RCMP explosives disposal unit will testify as an expert witness at the trial of an American rocket scientist charged with attempted murder despite the officer's involvement in a practical joke involving an exploding Cabbage Patch doll that injured a colleague.

But then things take a dark turn:

"Clearly, our judgment was flawed," he said.

Blake and three other members of the unit were investigated by Calgary and Delta police. They were also the subject of an internal RCMP investigation. No criminal charges were laid, but Blake was found guilty of dishonourable conduct. He was admonished not to do it again and received a letter on his file.

"That's it?" asked Dieno.

"That's it," Blake replied.

"You know detonating an explosive and injuring someone is a criminal offence?" asked Dieno.

"Yes," Blake replied. Practical jokes involving squibs, once common on the unit, are now a thing of the past, he told the court.

Well, it's good to know the law only applies to us common folk.

Walker Morrow · at 12:38 PM

The House of Commons has passed another motion to condemn the Tory government's behavior in the past twelve-fifteen months or so. Ouch.

Meanwhile, Lorne Gunter points out why rulings like Peter Milliken's the other day simply don't happen in majority governments.

Update: the strange case of Art Eggleton.

Walker Morrow · at 8:07 AM

Deborah Gyapong makes the case for why social conservatives and libertarians should get along:

Pictures at Deborah's blog.

Walker Morrow · at 7:30 PM

First, a change that opens up more court files to journalists.

Then, David Hahn comes along and rains on the enterprising journalist's parade.

Walker Morrow · at 7:19 PM

Both of Peter Milliken's decisions yesterday on the questions of parliamentary privilege raised against the Harper Tories can be read here.

Short version: for not producing documents to the Standing Committee on Finance, and for the Oda Ado, Milliken found a prima facie question of privilege each, which bumps the Tories up to three strikes in twelve months.

On a related note, the House of Commons has decided that - in its opinion - the Tories' in-and-out financing plan constituted an act of electoral fraud. Lovely.

Aaron Wherry sums up the Harper Tories' strategy in response to these, and other obstacles:

Whenever in doubt, this government generally prefers to double down. Accused of not respecting democracy, it deems democracy a distraction.

Distracting it is. So very, very distracting.

Update: Some discussion from Andrew Coyne and Paul Wells.

Walker Morrow · at 12:55 PM

A few links.

First, Pennsylvania's Liquor Control Board struggles for life.

Second, more on the American government's monopoly on marijuana research.

Third, when drug czars let their hair down and crack wise.

Fourth, light cigarette fraud.

Fifth, drug sentencing reforms in Kentucky due to a growing prison population - who would have guessed?

Walker Morrow · at 8:43 AM

Jesse Brown notes:

The fact that Internet Service Providers feel comfortable calling their best customers “hogs” is a good indicator that something is not right with broadband service in Canada.

There are many things that are not right with broadband service in Canada. Viewing your own customers as the opposition to success, however, probably takes the cake.

Walker Morrow · at 3:08 PM

The Pro-Israel Blog-Off, Round 1, Match 7. Go.

Walker Morrow · at 7:20 AM

Check it out:

Walker Morrow · at 7:19 AM

I've had the pleasure of emailing back and forth with Susan Einarsson, who recently launched a public lobbying effort called On Guard For Me ( www.onguardforme.com ), and who is also available as a guest speaker. What follows is our conversation, very lightly edited.

This interview is also available at the Libertas Post.

*Picture source.
___________________________________________________________________

1) First off, I guess we should start with the basics. What is On Guard For Me in a nutshell?

On Guard For Me.com is the first ever registered public lobbyist firm in Canada. That means On Guard For Me represents the public who have become clients. Once a person has become a client (member) they fill out a survey and based on the majority results, I lobby government on that issue on their behalf. The main thrust of my lobbying activities will be to have the public consulted by their elected representatives before drafting policies. As it is, the public is not consulted on anything. Yes, they can vote but that means almost nothing these days because the influence of lobbyists on the small number of top government officials takes place after an election. In addition, the leader now has enormous power to punish and exclude any elected member of their party who does not go along with what the leader says. In addition, there is no practical recourse for broken election promises or the introduction of surprise new policies such as we have seen in BC with the HST.

That brought me to think about democracy. Can you have it without the involvement of the people?

2) What first got you interested in the idea of public lobbying? You say on your website that you were inspired in part by working for StatsCan in the last census, seeing so many people having become so disillusioned with government, and by the downsizing of media outlets across Canada. But had you considered the idea of being a lobbyist for the public before this?

No, I had never considered being a lobbyist. I began teaching media studies five years ago and took my Masters Degree three years ago. These two shifts away from doing day to day work as a journalist gave me a much broader understanding of what was going on with our governments. I really began to understand policy, how it governs our lives and the amount of influence on policy-making certain parties were having. The public NOT being one of those parties.

I would discuss events with my students and encourage them to take an action if they did not agree with what was happening. Then I started to see that it really did not matter if a person wrote a letter to their MP or MLA. No one ever knew about it and largely, individuals are ignored. I also saw special issue or interest groups springing up, organizing on an issue, trying to have their voice heard. However, it takes a lot of time, energy and resources to get the public informed about who you are, to get people together and to sustain let alone increase any pressure on government. Meanwhile corporations, having plenty of resources, are successfully influencing the top people in government who in turn set the policy and then apply pressure upon their members to support it.

3) You've had a pretty extensive background in media and journalism - how has the transition been to the field of lobbying?

I am still teaching media and getting On Guard For Me off the ground so the transition has really just begun. I do feel well prepared for the work though having a media background.

4) Did you find it difficult to register as a lobbyist, considering your rather unique clientele ( the public )?

In BC it was no problem. Federally however it was rather interesting. They didn't know quite what to make of me and we had to have several conference calls with the Registrar and their managers and legal people before it was sorted out.

5) I understand if you're uncomfortable with sharing this information, but I have to ask: how many members does On Guard For Me currently have? Have you noticed an increase in membership due to the recent political turmoil in BC?

Since I just formally launched Feb. 7th, not many people know about On Guard For Me yet and membership reflects that. This week, several wonderful volunteers from the political science program at SFU came on board and will be helping with social media and setting up talks with groups and I plan to go on a speaking tour in the early summer.

So, this is the ground floor!

6) On your site, you describe talking with Bill Vander Zalm and meeting with Chris Delaney to talk about their efforts with the anti-HST campaign last Summer. What was that like? Have you maintained any contact with Fight HST since then?

I spoke with Mr Vander Zalm once and met with Chris for lunch but the relationship was nothing more than that. I admire how much impact their campaign had and how successful they have been on getting government to at least agree to ask the people via a referendum, their opinion on the tax. Sadly, that vote will not happen for sometime. My observation is that they are protective of their Fight HST members which is understandable as new political futures may await them in terms of a new political party.

7) In your first member survey you list a wide range of options for your clients to choose yes or no on, such as "Do you believe your MLA or MP represents your best interests when voting on an issue?"; "Do you believe your elected representatives know what you, the voter, wants?"; etc., and getting more specific from there. As more people begin to participate in the public lobbying process, once they have given their input, where do you go from there? If, say, your members vote "no" overwhelmingly on the question of "Do you believe your MLA or MP represents your best interests when voting on an issue," what steps do you plan on taking on their behalf?

My ultimate goal is to have elected members consult with and actually represent their constituents. I can only communicate the voters' (members) message on that issue to those currently in office. How they respond will be reported back to the members. If it becomes obvious to voters that this request is being rejected or ignored and that voting the 'party line' remains, then perhaps voters will be more inclined to vote for an independent rather than someone affiliated with a particular party.

8) On Guard For Me presents its members with the option of giving input on both their federal and their provincial representation. Is there one particular level of government that you intend to favor more than the other? For instance, would you prefer to act on people's behalf in the BC political realm, as opposed to lobbying federal politicians? Or is about the same emphasis placed on both jurisdictions?

We live in a world impacted by policy on both the provincial and the federal level and so On Guard For Me will lobby to both levels of government.

9) Since you're based in New Westminster, BC, your provincial lobbying is obviously going to be in the realm of BC politics. But if On Guard For Me takes off, do you have any plans to expand your efforts to other provinces?

Of course, if and when there are enough members expansion is possible.

Walker Morrow · at 3:03 PM

A few quick links that I thought were worth sharing.

First, the government's pot monopoly.

Second, prescription drug monitoring databases don't seem to work.

Third, the six groups who benefit from the Drug War.

Fourth, Mitch Daniels' pot luck.

Fifth, the secret silencing of a pain treatment activist.

Enjoy.

Walker Morrow · at 2:09 PM

Check it out.

Walker Morrow · at 2:06 PM

Check it out:

Walker Morrow · at 12:16 PM

Here's my interview with Susan Einarsson, who recently launched a public lobbying effort called On Guard For Me:

On Guard For Me.com is the first ever registered public lobbyist firm in Canada. That means On Guard For Me represents the public who have become clients. Once a person has become a client (member) they fill out a survey and based on the majority results, I lobby government on that issue on their behalf. The main thrust of my lobbying activities will be to have the public consulted by their elected representatives before drafting policies.

Check it out, eh?

Walker Morrow · at 2:56 PM

Check it out:

Walker Morrow · at 2:54 PM

Sounds sinister.

Walker Morrow · at 11:24 AM

Via:

Walker Morrow · at 11:21 AM

It's time to save the children from the menace of imaginary food products:

In a letter to the committee, the Colorado Drug Investigators Association warned that marijuana munchies are being marketed to kids. The letter included pictures of "Pot Tarts" and "Cap'n Chronic Cereal." But according to the Cannabis Therapy Institute, "the 'Pot Tarts' photograph in the letter came from a DEA bust in California in 1986, and the 'Cap'n Chronic Cereal' photograph was only a T-shirt design and was never documented to be a real product by anyone....During a full hour and a half of testimony from law enforcement, no one could produce an actual medicated 'Pot Tart' or any medicated 'Cap'n Chronic Cereal.'" The Associated Press nevertheless reported that "lawmakers were shown pictures of edible marijuana packaged as 'Pot Tarts' similar to the breakfast pastries 'Pop Tarts,' and a product 'Captain Chronic' designed in a package to look like Cap'n Crunch cereal."

Hunh.

Also, fake pot.

Walker Morrow · at 9:52 AM

Seriously. It sounds like he could use one right now.

Walker Morrow · at 8:26 PM

Jason Kenney's reason for existence.

Update: An apology and a resignation. Also, Linda Duncan and John Duncan: separated at birth?

Walker Morrow · at 7:53 PM

Andrew Coyne and Paul Wells discuss the in-and-out scandal.

This is Doug Finley's kind of crowd, by the way.

Update: Gary Clement.

Update II: Greg Weston.

Update III: Also for the record, this blog is not friendly toward Irving Gerstein.

Update IV: Also see Gerry Nicholls and Glen McGregor.

Walker Morrow · at 6:20 PM

Let's just say she was not impressed.

Meanwhile: The Muslim Brotherhood and Gaddafi were partners not too long ago.

Update: Also, Steyn on Gaddafi, Narvey on Libya, and Jonas on democracy.

Walker Morrow · at 5:50 PM

Yep. That about says it.

Warning: dunno what you think about the JDL.

Update: A history of Israeli Apartheid Week.

Walker Morrow · at 12:34 PM

Here it is:

Tuesday, 29 March, 2011

Monday, 28 March, 2011

Friday, 25 March, 2011

Thursday, 24 March, 2011

Wednesday, 23 March, 2011

Tuesday, 22 March, 2011

Monday, 21 March, 2011

Saturday, 19 March, 2011

Friday, 18 March, 2011

Thursday, 17 March, 2011

Wednesday, 16 March, 2011

Tuesday, 15 March, 2011

Sunday, 13 March, 2011

Saturday, 12 March, 2011

Friday, 11 March, 2011

Thursday, 10 March, 2011

Monday, 7 March, 2011

Sunday, 6 March, 2011

Saturday, 5 March, 2011

Friday, 4 March, 2011

Thursday, 3 March, 2011