Saturday, January 19, 2008

US on Canada's torture risk list....

Another time to bow our heads in shame and shed a single tear, as Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier apologizes for "wrongly" placing the USA and Israel on the list of countries where people risk facing torture.



Torture manual 'wrongly' lists allies: Bernier

DAVID LJUNGGREN Reuters - January 19, 2008 at 11:49 AM EST

It contains a list that wrongly includes some of our closest allies. I have directed that the manual be reviewed and rewritten," Mr. Bernier said in a statement.
...
Under "definition of torture" the document lists U.S. interrogation techniques such as forced nudity, isolation, sleep deprivation and blindfolding prisoners.

It also mentions the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, where Canadian Omar Khadr has been held five years. He is accused of killing a U.S. soldier during a clash in Afghanistan in 2002, when he was 15.

Other countries on the watch list include Syria, China, Iran, Afghanistan, Mexico and Saudi Arabia.

The foreign ministry launched the torture awareness course after Ottawa was rapped for the way it handled the case of Maher Arar, who was deported from the United States to Syria in 2002.

Contact or drop by and talk to the Minister!
The Honourable Maxime Bernier, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Foreign Affairs

Parliament Hill:
Telephone: (613) 992-8053
Fax: (613) 995-0687

Department:
Foreign Affairs
Lester B. Pearson Building, Tower "A", 10th Floor
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0G2
Telephone: (613) 995-1851
Fax: (613) 996-3443
E-Mail:

Monday, January 14, 2008

Big Plans for buses and trains

Wouldn't it be nice to take a train? Clean up the air on the way!

B.C. unveils huge transit plan
- thanks to The Globe and Mail -

DARREN YOURK Globe and Mail Update January 14, 2008 at 2:48 PM EST

The agreement is highlighted by $10.3-billion investment in four new rapid transit lines in Metro Vancouver — the Evergreen Line, the UBC Line, the upgraded Expo Line and the Canada Line. Another $1.2-billion has been earmarked for a new energy-efficient, high-capacity RapidBus BC service along nine major routes in Kelowna, Victoria and Metro Vancouver.

The plan, scheduled for completion in 2020, also includes a $1.6-billion investment in 1,500 new, clean energy buses and related maintenance infrastructure to provide communities with improved bus service.


The only question is where is the other ten billion going to come from?
The province has committed $4.75-billion toward the project, with the remainder coming from partners including the federal government, TransLink and local governments.


Meanwhile Toronto and Ottawa can't get organized or sufficient funding to even build a light rapid transit line, let alone 4!

TTC: Crisis and hope
Ottawa is stuck with cars and sprawl - Conservatives didn't want the LRT & Progressives couldn't agree on routes.

Thursday, January 03, 2008

Handy Manny

It will change your life. Design a toy for the ages.

http://atv.disney.go.com/playhouse/handymanny/activities/toyfactory/index.html

Visit me on a more serious note