Comments for Silver Donald on Sunday http://silverdonaldcameron.com/columns A view of the world from Nova Scotia Thu, 09 Sep 2010 06:30:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 Comment on The Ugly Government of Canada by sdc http://silverdonaldcameron.com/columns/?p=540&cpage=1#comment-437 sdc Sun, 05 Sep 2010 23:01:51 +0000 http://silverdonaldcameron.com/columns/?p=540#comment-437 I agree that the penalties for non-compliance need not have been so severe (though they were never invoked, so this is a largely theoretical issue.) But a survey -- and that's really what the census is -- is not an invasion of privacy if the results are not published in a way that can identify the respondent. And the census provides really vital information for understanding our community and shaping policies and programs to serve it, not just by the government, but by the schools, advertisers, marketers, planners and so forth. There's a public good being served here that far outweighs the inconvenience. I agree that the penalties for non-compliance need not have been so severe (though they were never invoked, so this is a largely theoretical issue.) But a survey — and that’s really what the census is — is not an invasion of privacy if the results are not published in a way that can identify the respondent. And the census provides really vital information for understanding our community and shaping policies and programs to serve it, not just by the government, but by the schools, advertisers, marketers, planners and so forth. There’s a public good being served here that far outweighs the inconvenience.

]]> Comment on The Ugly Government of Canada by Dan Colborne http://silverdonaldcameron.com/columns/?p=540&cpage=1#comment-409 Dan Colborne Fri, 20 Aug 2010 16:43:12 +0000 http://silverdonaldcameron.com/columns/?p=540#comment-409 Mr. Cameron, you're being silly and alarmist. I too have issues with the government, but the democratic process will deal with them adequately. And, on the long form census, they are absolutely right. The issue is not the long form per se, but the intimidation used to create compliance among vulnerable segments of the population, particularly the poor new Canadians and aboriginals. This is citizen abuse, and the fact that we’ve been doing it forever, or even that we really, really, really want the info, is no excuse. I was quite astonished when I reviewed the questions on the 2001 and 2006 forms. Asking people if they’re in a same-sex common-law relationship (in so many words), or which of the children in the household were born out of wedlock (not in so many words but implied), is an invasion of privacy. If the government needs to ask these sorts of questions fair enough, but people who feel they’re too intrusive need to be free to decline to answer without any fear of retaliation. Demanding to know these sorts of things seems almost... well...fascist. Mr. Cameron, you’re being silly and alarmist. I too have issues with the government, but the democratic process will deal with them adequately. And, on the long form census, they are absolutely right.

The issue is not the long form per se, but the intimidation used to create compliance among vulnerable segments of the population, particularly the poor new Canadians and aboriginals. This is citizen abuse, and the fact that we’ve been doing it forever, or even that we really, really, really want the info, is no excuse. I was quite astonished when I reviewed the questions on the 2001 and 2006 forms. Asking people if they’re in a same-sex common-law relationship (in so many words), or which of the children in the household were born out of wedlock (not in so many words but implied), is an invasion of privacy. If the government needs to ask these sorts of questions fair enough, but people who feel they’re too intrusive need to be free to decline to answer without any fear of retaliation. Demanding to know these sorts of things seems almost… well…fascist.

]]> Comment on The Ugly Government of Canada by Adam Bell http://silverdonaldcameron.com/columns/?p=540&cpage=1#comment-405 Adam Bell Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:15:17 +0000 http://silverdonaldcameron.com/columns/?p=540#comment-405 Now the long gun registry chief follows the veterans ombudsman. Now the long gun registry chief follows the veterans ombudsman.

]]> Comment on The Ugly Government of Canada by Tony Stephenson http://silverdonaldcameron.com/columns/?p=540&cpage=1#comment-404 Tony Stephenson Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:03:23 +0000 http://silverdonaldcameron.com/columns/?p=540#comment-404 I congratulate you on your column "So much for democracy (The Ugly Government of Canada) in the last Sunday Herald. I have signed the Voices petition. Your thoughts exactly echo what I have been increasingly thinking over the past year. Especially now with Harper's Census decision which, is, in my opinion, deliberately aimed at rendering prevuiously accurate science untrustworthy, so that no one can confidently counter any of his positions by referring to statistical figures on crime, climate change, etc. I might add two other signs that, rather disturbingly, seem to mirror what happened in Germany in the 1930s and 40s. Firstly, Harper's "War Roon, Information Centre, or what ever he chooses to call, it; which the Tories stated some time ago, if my memory serves me correctly, should be used by the media to filter all their news and opinions abouty the Federal Government. Think back to Goebbels' Ministry of Propaganda! Didn't that initially have exactly the same function? Secondly, the intention to build a great many new prisons. What did Hitler's henchmen build in various locations in Austria, Germany and Poland? Add to the above Dan Leger's Editorial in yesteday's Chronicle Herald about the shocking treatment a veteran yachtsman received at the hands of the Canadian Border Services (Border Bullies). I begin to get the distinct impression that the Nazification of Canada is well under way. I congratulate you on your column “So much for democracy (The Ugly Government of Canada) in the last Sunday Herald. I have signed the Voices petition.
Your thoughts exactly echo what I have been increasingly thinking over the past year. Especially now with Harper’s Census decision which, is, in my opinion, deliberately aimed at rendering prevuiously accurate science untrustworthy, so that no one can confidently counter any of his positions by referring to statistical figures on crime, climate change, etc.

I might add two other signs that, rather disturbingly, seem to mirror what happened in Germany in the 1930s and 40s. Firstly, Harper’s “War Roon, Information Centre, or what ever he chooses to call, it; which the Tories stated some time ago, if my memory serves me correctly, should be used by the media to filter all their news and opinions abouty the Federal Government. Think back to Goebbels’ Ministry of Propaganda! Didn’t that initially have exactly the same function? Secondly, the intention to build a great many new prisons. What did Hitler’s henchmen build in various locations in Austria, Germany and Poland?

Add to the above Dan Leger’s Editorial in yesteday’s Chronicle Herald about the shocking treatment a veteran yachtsman received at the hands of the Canadian Border Services (Border Bullies).

I begin to get the distinct impression that the Nazification of Canada is well under way.

]]> Comment on The Ugly Government of Canada by Scott Trenholm http://silverdonaldcameron.com/columns/?p=540&cpage=1#comment-403 Scott Trenholm Tue, 17 Aug 2010 01:40:10 +0000 http://silverdonaldcameron.com/columns/?p=540#comment-403 Mr. Cameron, I read with interest your article. I certainly agree that Stephen Harpur is not an incarnation of Adolph Hitler. Hitler was actually a little more transparent. He ran as a facist and made it clear that he would dismantle the Weimar Constitution at the first opportunity. In the last election he won an astounding majority and carried out his promises. Harpur is not so forthcoming. Indeed a better analogy might be St John the Baptist. He came to prepare the way for one who was greater. So too does Harpur. Not deliberately, but certainly his erosion of the countries democratic institutions, his contempt for liberal democratic principals of human rights and individual freedoms and his willingness to ignore the supreme court establish precedents which will be uselful to a future demagogue. Just as Harpur would not be possible without the shadow of George Bush and the spectre of 9/11. So to will his actions make it possible for more ruthless and more competent leaders to gather power unto themselves. This of course is only one of many possible futures. Sadly though there are other considerations. Climate change can no longer be ignored. We are now tasting the first bitter drops of a very full poisoned chalice which we continue to top off. As hunger and water shortages become the norm over much of the globe we will see greater political turmoil and warfare. At a time when we need to reinforce international institutions to deal with these problems and national ones to preserve the rights of our citizens in a fair and balanced way, we must ask ourselves can we afford Stephen Harpur and the damage he is doing. Mr. Cameron, I read with interest your article. I certainly agree that Stephen Harpur is not an incarnation of Adolph Hitler. Hitler was actually a little more transparent. He ran as a facist and made it clear that he would dismantle the Weimar Constitution at the first opportunity. In the last election he won an astounding majority and carried out his promises. Harpur is not so forthcoming. Indeed a better analogy might be St John the Baptist. He came to prepare the way for one who was greater. So too does Harpur. Not deliberately, but certainly his erosion of the countries democratic institutions, his contempt for liberal democratic principals of human rights and individual freedoms and his willingness to ignore the supreme court establish precedents which will be uselful to a future demagogue. Just as Harpur would not be possible without the shadow of George Bush and the spectre of 9/11. So to will his actions make it possible for more ruthless and more competent leaders to gather power unto themselves. This of course is only one of many possible futures. Sadly though there are other considerations. Climate change can no longer be ignored. We are now tasting the first bitter drops of a very full poisoned chalice which we continue to top off. As hunger and water shortages become the norm over much of the globe we will see greater political turmoil and warfare. At a time when we need to reinforce international institutions to deal with these problems and national ones to preserve the rights of our citizens in a fair and balanced way, we must ask ourselves can we afford Stephen Harpur and the damage he is doing.

]]> Comment on The Ugly Government of Canada by Eric http://silverdonaldcameron.com/columns/?p=540&cpage=1#comment-402 Eric Mon, 16 Aug 2010 23:48:07 +0000 http://silverdonaldcameron.com/columns/?p=540#comment-402 Adam, I am not sure how SDC's indirect comparison of our Prime Minister to Adolph Hitler is related to your linked column unless you were comparing the border guards to Nazi's. Granted the boarder guards work for the government but so does the RCMP officer who treated the sailor quite nicely in Canso. In any huge bureaucracy you are going to find people who overstep the bounds of courtesy and civility. That is one of the reasons we need to reduce the size of government as well as get more accountability into the system. I don't expect many Canadians whether they be on the right, centre or left of the political spectrum would countenance the activity of the border guards. I am not sure who you have found politically to make a contribution to if anyone, however, I wish you the best in your search. Adam,
I am not sure how SDC’s indirect comparison of our Prime Minister to Adolph Hitler is related to your linked column unless you were comparing the border guards to Nazi’s. Granted the boarder guards work for the government but so does the RCMP officer who treated the sailor quite nicely in Canso. In any huge bureaucracy you are going to find people who overstep the bounds of courtesy and civility. That is one of the reasons we need to reduce the size of government as well as get more accountability into the system. I don’t expect many Canadians whether they be on the right, centre or left of the political spectrum would countenance the activity of the border guards. I am not sure who you have found politically to make a contribution to if anyone, however, I wish you the best in your search.

]]> Comment on The Ugly Government of Canada by George Lowe http://silverdonaldcameron.com/columns/?p=540&cpage=1#comment-401 George Lowe Mon, 16 Aug 2010 22:26:14 +0000 http://silverdonaldcameron.com/columns/?p=540#comment-401 I could not agre more. We are in a sad state of affairs when we cannot trust one word that any of our Conservative members of parliament says. I have heard several commentors call our prime minister a liar. Could you ever imagine anyone saying this of Lester Pearso, Joe Clark, Paul Martin or Pierre Trudeau? (You might not have agreed with them, but you would at least be able to give them the credit for telling the truth.) Ken Dryden said it best: "I want my Canada back!". I could not agre more. We are in a sad state of affairs when we cannot trust one word that any of our Conservative members of parliament says.

I have heard several commentors call our prime minister a liar. Could you ever imagine anyone saying this of Lester Pearso, Joe Clark, Paul Martin or Pierre Trudeau? (You might not have agreed with them, but you would at least be able to give them the credit for telling the truth.)

Ken Dryden said it best: “I want my Canada back!”.

]]> Comment on The Ugly Government of Canada by Karen Sloan http://silverdonaldcameron.com/columns/?p=540&cpage=1#comment-400 Karen Sloan Mon, 16 Aug 2010 21:21:18 +0000 http://silverdonaldcameron.com/columns/?p=540#comment-400 Dear Mr. Cameron, You've certainly hit the nail on the head with your article. I started becoming concerned about Mr. Harper's agenda when he had the word "Equality" removed deliberately from the Canadian Status of Women's Act. This happened a few years ago with no fanfare or outcry from the media at all. Since then, I've been absolutely gobsmacked at what this minority government is getting away with, and the very obvious right wing agenda they are catering to. Even at the risk of friends labelling me as a left winged nut job, (I am a moderate), but have been stating for a couple of years my feelings, which are that Stephen Harper and his tightly controlled government officials are nothing more than a not so merry band of Fascists, a word I don't like to throw around casually either. One only has to read the 14 points towards Fascism to see the comparisons with Harper's government. Anyone can Google it to see for themselves. It's a slippery slope, and I'm hoping more Canadians will wake up from the antipathy that Mr. Harper has boldly stated he counts on. Dear Mr. Cameron,
You’ve certainly hit the nail on the head with your article.
I started becoming concerned about Mr. Harper’s agenda when he had the word “Equality” removed deliberately from the Canadian Status of Women’s Act. This happened a few years ago with no fanfare or outcry from the media at all.
Since then, I’ve been absolutely gobsmacked at what this minority government is getting away with, and the very obvious right wing agenda they are catering to.
Even at the risk of friends labelling me as a left winged nut job, (I am a moderate), but have been stating for a couple of years my feelings, which are that Stephen Harper and his tightly controlled government officials are nothing more than a not so merry band of Fascists, a word I don’t like to throw around casually either.
One only has to read the 14 points towards Fascism to see the comparisons with Harper’s government. Anyone can Google it to see for themselves.
It’s a slippery slope, and I’m hoping more Canadians will wake up from the antipathy that Mr. Harper has boldly stated he counts on.

]]> Comment on The Ugly Government of Canada by Adam Bell http://silverdonaldcameron.com/columns/?p=540&cpage=1#comment-399 Adam Bell Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:12:22 +0000 http://silverdonaldcameron.com/columns/?p=540#comment-399 Thanks for the article and for the link to Voices. I've signed. You (and they) have articulated quite precisely why I stopped donating to the Conservative party after the first prorogation, and I had been getting increasingly antsy before that without really putting it so succinctly. Read Daniel Leger's Column for more of the same, if you can: http://thechronicleherald.ca/Opinion/1197106.html Thanks for the article and for the link to Voices. I’ve signed. You (and they) have articulated quite precisely why I stopped donating to the Conservative party after the first prorogation, and I had been getting increasingly antsy before that without really putting it so succinctly.

Read Daniel Leger’s Column for more of the same, if you can: http://thechronicleherald.ca/Opinion/1197106.html

]]> Comment on Beyond the Teapot Theory by sdc http://silverdonaldcameron.com/columns/?p=523&cpage=1#comment-354 sdc Tue, 13 Jul 2010 03:03:31 +0000 http://silverdonaldcameron.com/columns/?p=523#comment-354 Thanks, Mark. One of the great joys of being a journalist is that you're licensed to be ignorant, and to ask all the dumb questions. "Sorry, I still don't understand, could we go over that again?" So you never get to be the expert, and you're always kept humble, and as a result you never -- if you're doing your work well -- get to suffer from petrification of the cranium. You can just keep on making mistakes -- and therefore learning. Thanks, Mark. One of the great joys of being a journalist is that you’re licensed to be ignorant, and to ask all the dumb questions. “Sorry, I still don’t understand, could we go over that again?” So you never get to be the expert, and you’re always kept humble, and as a result you never — if you’re doing your work well — get to suffer from petrification of the cranium. You can just keep on making mistakes — and therefore learning.

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