Weekend news is hassling my mind this morning. Parliament opens today, with promises of Harper government bills to be tables that bode ill for many of us. Top of the list: cutting back ("reforming") financila arrangements for the seniors population. OAS to be cut until 67; CPP to be "reformed" later. All this at a time when for an older person to get a job is very difficult, and no real financial support till 67. What? Welfare?The pundits tell us that if the Harp had not reduced the GST by two points, finances for the elderly would not be a problem.
This seems to be the strategy: give money to a wide spectrum of the population, the claw it back from the viulnerable and passive elders. Good old Herr Harper, our own advocate for the Christian Right strikes again.
Putting this news together with the leaked report that tells of Harper and his minions threatening to cut off funding to environmentalist groups or removing their "charitable organization" status because their opposition to the Northern Pipeline is "anti-Canadian." Makes me wonder how much farther freedom of speech will be eroded by the Great Plastic Hair Man? The way he controls who speaks for the government makes you wonder when it will stop.
The other upsetting rumor I've picked up has to do with the CBC budget. Word is that $100 million will be cut - enough to gut the mothercorp. I wrote to him about this. Wate of time. I'm sure he never eyeballs such mail. Some minion send me back a mimeographed handout with BS about even handed budget cuts. At some point, the Herr/Hair promised to RAISE CBC funding. Joke. A man not to be trusted in my opinion. Now that he has a majority, he acts like a potentate. And the democratic process takes a hiding along the way. My feeling is that if Canadians are stupid enough to give him a second majority, by the time he's finished, we'll look like a carbon copy of Texas, death penalty and all!
My evil thoughts run deep. As a student of history, I remember how reasonable and orderly the National Socialist government of Germany appeared in their early years. As a relative of my spouse said, "When Hitler was in power, the trains were always on time." Sounds like the kind of mindless bumph I hear from my Conservative acquaintances here in Ponoka, usually about punishment for criminals or gun legislation. The devil, indeed, is in the details.
Makes me wonder about the "Occupy…" movement. Pretty tame protest. I wonder hoiw much farther our situation must deteriorate before someone begins to mutter about revolution? (I may end up on a CSIS watch list for this! In good company, however: Tommy Douglas.)
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