The latest word on Parliament Hill is that the three contenders for the leadership of the Canadian Alliance are Larry, Curly and Moe. Sources say that if there’s a tie vote, the party’s position on populist decision-making may have to move to a new level. If not, the best reports indicate that the losers will then enter the leadership race for the federal Liberals.
Due to the incessant campaign against the Liberals in recent years for being increasingly demagogic, word has it that Moe, if he wins, will push for a name change to the party. He wants to incorporate the term “democratic” into the new identifier. As a result, they will probably have to go to court against the Canadian Alliance dissidents over their name – unless they can convince the Tories and the “Democratic Representatives” to join up with them in a three-party caucus – but only for the purpose of House of Commons antics. Nothing would be surprising in today’s world of Canadian politics as principle takes a back seat to politicking, pragmatism, and partying.
The seers say that the next party to rise out of this murky mess to try to infuse principles again into the Canadian Parliament will be called the Reform Party. As long as it’s not an amalgamation of the Christian Heritage Party, the Greens, the Libertarians and the Marxist-Leninists, it may just work.
Are you a terrorist?Don’t answer too quickly. You might be, if you’re pro-life. In 1998, Dr. G. Davidson Smith, a counter-terrorism specialist with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, wrote a report about “extremist militancy.” At one point he wrote: “For the most part, legitimate organizations disown the violent fringe. Some, however – notably in the context of the environmental and abortion issues – actively support the militants, or do so tacitly by failing to condemn extremist activities. At least one legitimate activist condoned a sniper’s wounding of a prominent Vancouver gynecologist in November 1994, calling the incident a good shooting, and musing that it would not have happened had the doctor not been performing abortions.”
Numerous columnists have raised concerns in recent weeks about the definition the Liberal government is using for a terrorist in its anti-terrorist legislation, Bill C-36. Most of them are not championing the pro-life cause, but the same arguments they use regarding union protests and anti-free trade rallies are applicable to us.
The feds may be sincere when they say today that they have no desire to squelch political dissent in Canada. But there is no guarantee that this or a future government will not exploit the anti-terrorism legislation to the max. I can’t uncover a single reason to be afraid enough to give the feds this opportunity to take away even more of our hard-won freedoms. Contact your MP and let him know that you want the legislation amended in whatever way is necessary to prevent pro-lifers and other legitimate protesters from being ensnared by it. While you’re talking with him, also recommend a sunset clause.
DefundingSome people are raising the possibility that Alberta may be ready again for a debate over taxpayer funding of abortion. The reason is monetary: the province apparently wants to look at health care spending as it plans how to keep overall spending in check. It may de-list some insured services. Alberta is not the only province struggling to keep its finances in order. This would be a great time to organize a defunding campaign across the country.
