Dell on McGuinty, The Boys Club & Sacrificial Lambs

Premier Dalton McGuinty, " I don't believe you."
When you tell the Canadian press:
"Some confusion arose, and in hindsight I think that we could have, and probably should have, done something to make it perfectly clear to people," or that your government could have "done a better job" of informing people about the temporary, powers-granting regulations you were part of orchestrating.
Using the Ontario Public Works Protection Act, you were in on this from the beginning and made not a single clarification following that secretly changed legislation, back on June 2, 2010: notably, not even as Canadian citizens' rights were violated hundreds of times over during the Summits.
This change to Ontario law, done in secrecy, to perpetrate a lie of the supposed granting of "powers of arrest" was done, the public were told, at the behest of Toronto Chief of Police Blair, who similarly did nothing to clarify the "confusion" until after the Summit, and then, when asked if there had in fact been law permitting the unlawful searches and arrests, smiled and said, "No, but I was trying to keep the criminals out."
Blair's smug smile and clear disdain for acting within the law said it all, Premier McGuinty: this was a planned and co-ordinated effort to circumvent the law.
Sgt. Burrows in charge of G8 and G20 security needs to be relieved from his position immediately. If he simply believed he had new, sweeping powers of arrest and did not ask to see a written copy of that same new law, he's incompetent. If, having seen the written copy of the actual law, he went ahead with illegal search, seizures and arrests, Sgt.Burrows broke the law and should be fired. It's a lose/lose situation.
Ontario's solicitor general, Liberal MPP, Minister of Public Safety and Correction, Rick Bartolucci, knew as well.[see my earlier posts].

Toronto Police Chief Blair's smug admission of complicity was the undoing of all of you. The boys club attitude that says we're just going to do this it this way and later say it was a matter of "confusion" and misunderstanding, isn't going to wash this time.
Do you think the public haven't guessed that since your solicitor general, Rick Burrows, knew all about this, that your next move will be have the Crown Attorney drop the false charges in order to prevent a court challenge that would surely expose what you and your boys club have been up to?

No, I think all four of you should be thrown out on your rear ends. If there is an inquiry, I'd put money on it that this goes right to the top. There are no party lines...Conservative...Liberal...when there's money to be made, as Richard Fadden, head of CSIS revealed. The loop-holes that need closing in Canada's laws, to enforce accountability, have been there for too long and abused by the Liberals, too. Wasn't it the Liberals who brought in the flawed Whistleblowers Act (PSDPA) that sounds good but in reality  provides no way to enforce accountability?
The only difference between the Liberals and Conservatives right now, is that Harper's government promised to close the loop-holes and end the gravy train with transparency in government affairs, but once elected, the Harper government bellied up to the trough, just as governments before have done.
The greed, deceit, arrogance and indifference of Harper's government is without precedent in this country, because they promised change and have sold out both Canada's security and future wealth, for the money they could make in the moment.
I am reminded of the Marcos regime of the Phillipines: and how many shoes does the lady have?
Premier McGuinty said he doesn't feel he owes the public an apology for the illegal actions of police and politicians during the G8 and G20 summits.
Save your apology, sir, I am offended enough already.
It would appear you four are to be sacrificial lambs on PM Harper's continuing altar of greed.
Honesty, Premier McGuinty, would have impressed me at this point: An apology? Not even close.

Dell on Using Your Brain

Shelley was here early this morning. My grand-daughter told me her visit was an opportunity to bring out the heavier stuff before Canada Day weekend, but when we sat down for a coffee on the deck, right off the git go she mentions an "unusual phenomenon", and I knew it wasn't about the lawn chairs and tables.
"Unusual phenomenon" is a term Shelley uses when she's talking about her online experiences [see Dell on Dating & Fishing]. Shelley's an IT wizard and finds her way into all sorts of places [legally, she assures me].
"Be specific, Shell," I said, wondering if she was about to say I had done something wrong on my blog.
What she told me was certainly food for thought. You see, Google Analytics, which has something to do with bounce rates [see Dell on Getting It: June 19th], is apparently so sophisticated, a blogger can check his analytics to learn which blogs were read, on which day, the depth of each visit and location by city, around the world.

Her unusual phenomenon was something she found out using Google Analytics for my blog. She said there had been an unusually high number of visits from Bracebridge and North Bay, Ontario, together with in-depth viewing and serious time spent reading my blog posts. I was all set to strut around the deck like a peacock when she stopped me cold with this:

"I queried Google using those two cities and the word "G20" and up comes a link to a page with the banner: G20 Security Guards - Private Investigations - North Bay Huntsville Bracebridge Orillia Gravenhurst."

"Back up," I said,"are you saying I do or I don't have a following in Bracebridge and North Bay?"
"Well, it is odd that this unusual phenomenon should occur within hours of your post on The Truth Behind Toronto's G20 Summit Costs, and only from those two cities. And remember that Anonymous email comment, Grampa?"
"I suppose now you're going to tell me my one and only comment isn't from a follower?"
"Well, I wouldn't go that far, but it is unusual that only that post has been commented on."
"Are you telling me that this anonymous person was sending me a comment in order to find out where I am actually located?"
"It's possible, Grampa, if you are something of an expert, to do just that, and to cover your trail," she went on,"In your case, I'd call tracking like that a form of covering your Canadian tail."
"C'mon, Shelley," I responded,"you sound as paranoid as Buzz, with his three plant grow-op."
"I am definitely not going to accuse this security service of anything," Shelley said,"but I will say this, I find it very interesting that your one comment drew an attack crying foul and innuendo. Using the facts at hand is exactly the sort of thing that Google Analytics is basically about: drawing conclusions based on the information provided. Not much point having analytics if you don't apply them."
"Rather like having a brain but refusing to form an opinion. But then accusing someone of innuendo is typical of the bully who will try to gag those who disagree with him. I saw it in action this week with the posts at CBC news' online. The comments sections, below the articles on the Toronto G20 and violations of citizens' rights, were peppered with individuals crying fascist at commenters who supported the Civil Liberties groups or were outraged at the treatment of Canadian citizens protesting peacefully," as an afterthought, I asked her," Am I going to live long enough to see the return of the Canada I remember?"
"I hope you don't mean that literally," Shelley replied.
"You've forgotten my post on Win/Win, already?" and we laughed, but not for long.

Dell on Harper & Watering the Maple

There is nothing like sitting down with a friend you have known for years. Ron and I have lived roughly the same history, seen the same movies, loaned each other books. We're of a similar mind, even if we don't always see eye to eye. Ron boated over yesterday on the windiest day we've had in a bit, then headed home just before dark under a sky thick with dark, thunderous clouds. I was relieved when he gave me a shout on the two-way radio: arrived in one piece.
To give you an idea of the how it is with us, I'd like to share with you the gist of our talk last night: the subject being my earlier posts about Harper and the show of police force at Toronto's G20 Summit.
Honest to God, Dell, I'm dancing in the dark on this one. I can see what you're getting at, but I can't put it together.
1986 with  Martha Henry or 1995 with Victoria Principal? I'm hurt...you've already forgotten my post on missing pieces?
As in Dancing in The Dark, 1995. Raped: as in seriously screwed. I've got all the pieces, Dell, it's the context I'm missing.
Be specific, Ron.
All right, let's talk specifics...is this a give the mouse a cookie situation?
Air Force One, and you've got part of it. Harper is the mouse. He's already got the cookie if no one opposes his abuse of civil liberties. Worse, Harper has used Canada's own police forces to enforce his abuse of power. Canadians should be concerned that if this mouse gets this cookie he's going to be able to demand, not ask, for his glass of milk. He'll point to the cookie and say, "Hey, you were okay with the cookie." Suppose Harper wants to screen The Deer Hunter instead of Coming Home, as he has promised Canadians?
Deer Hunter beat Coming Home at the Oscars after a timed film release for Oscar consideration. It wasn't screened in public theaters until after it had already received the Oscar nod. A risky move on the part of Universal..but the gambit worked. Does it make a difference if he's screening Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps?
Art imitating life. Nope. Doesn't matter. You were screwed when you gave the mouse the cookie.
Has Harper used "a sledgehammer to crack a peanut"? and if he has, where's the peanut?
Tommy Douglas, criticizing Trudeau's invoking the War Measures Act, perfect quote for an analogy. Harper has swung an unauthorized sledgehammer against a fake peanut labelled G20. Trudeau only pulled out the sledgehammer when there was an actual peanut.
And if Harper gets away with using his sledgehammer against the fake G20 peanut...
... we will have given Harper the power to swing that same sledgehammer against any future real peanuts of public dissent.
We're talking peanut butter. Do you think Canadians will screen The Trotsky?
More like Network.
Howard Beale, 1976, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore."
Maybe it'll be the first known instance of a Prime Minister ousted for lousy ratings.
Would you quit already! I gotta take a piss.
Wild at Heart, 1990.
I'm serious, Dell, I gotta take a leak.
All right, Ron. You go water the maple. I'll grab us a couple more cold ones.