"Hey, this is some good reefer. I just saw the future. It's just like the 30's in Canada only worse!" Harper tells them to buzz off. He is determined to send Canada back a century, if not the middle ages. But the Harper government remains unswayed. In a statement Tuesday, a spokeswoman for . . . → Read More: American law enforcement officials: “U.S. is becoming ‘more progressive’ than Canada” …
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Sister Sage's Musings: American law enforcement officials: “U.S. is becoming ‘more progressive’ than Canada”
February 22, 2012 by
Sister Sage's Musings: What a Republican panel of witnesses on contraception looks like
February 16, 2012 by
That’s right, no women. The only woman, a minority one at that, suggested to appear was refused by the committee chairman Darrell Issa. What is it about contraception that precludes women from the discussion? UPDATE: Dammit Janet! is on the . . . → Read More: What a Republican panel of witnesses on contraception looks like …
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Sister Sage's Musings: US cable and the contraception debate. Male guests dominate the airwaves 2 to 1 over females.
February 12, 2012 by
Last week, at the height of the kerfuffle over Obama’s regulation to include free birth control in health insurance plans, cable news networks featured an overwhelming number of males. Out of a total of 146 guests who discussed contraception, the cables invited 91 men compared to 55 women as commentators. In other . . . → Read More: US cable and the contraception debate. Male guests dominate the airwaves 2 to 1 over females. …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Flat Earthers, here’s an event you don’t want to miss. Breakfast with Rex Murphy.
February 10, 2012 by
You have to wonder about these big-time charitable foundations. Last week we discovered that the much-heralded Susan G. Komen Foundation was nothing but a front for rabid right wingers and Republican henchmen. Now I see the Heart & Stroke Foundation here in Vancouver is hosting abreakfast with Rex “Never Had a Heart and Never . . . → Read More: Flat Earthers, here’s an event you don’t want to miss. Breakfast with Rex Murphy. …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Conservative Senator Irving Gerstein removes Liberal and only woman Vice-Chair since Confederation, 17-year member Céline Hervieux-Payette
February 10, 2012 by
Shocking is right. But par for the course when it comes to heavy-handed Conservatives. I love the part how Gerstein blacked out “his motion, the debates and the vote”. Transparency? Free society? Guess again. Ottawa, February 9, 2012 – Yesterday, Senator Irving Gerstein, the new Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Banking, . . . → Read More: Conservative Senator Irving Gerstein removes Liberal and only woman Vice-Chair since Confederation, 17-year member Céline Hervieux-Payette …
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Sister Sage's Musings: To all those who celebrate Anne-France Goldwater’s assaults on Marina Nemat and Carmen Aguirre, think again
February 10, 2012 by
Winners Free speech is only defensible when it is not libel, defamation or injurious to another human being. Goldwater’s attack was a baseless assault on other humans already called indefensible names and tortured enough. Goldwater deserves all the derision and scorn we can throw at her. That is real free speech. Sometimes the last laugh is . . . → Read More: To all those who celebrate Anne-France Goldwater’s assaults on Marina Nemat and Carmen Aguirre, think again …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Fallout from the Komen disaster. New-found power for pro-choice voices.
February 4, 2012 by
Sitting back after the dust has settled on Susan G. Komen’s awkward about-face (which is actually no about-face at all but a bit of temporary cover), one thing has become clear. Komen has given a renewed voice back to the pro-choice movement, too long drowned out by the money and loud talking . . . → Read More: Fallout from the Komen disaster. New-found power for pro-choice voices. …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Susan G. Walther-Komen soft on guns. Hard on women.
February 3, 2012 by
It's OK. It's pink! I felt a little bad feeling so much animosity towards a person, but Nancy Brinker’s reaction to her disengagement from Planned Parenthood has quickly become the stuff of history. Not the good kind mind you, but the wrong-side kind. Now I find her organization is soft on guns, . . . → Read More: Susan G. Walther-Komen soft on guns. Hard on women. …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Planned Parenthood gains back the $ it lost to ideology-driven Susan G. Komen turnabout
February 2, 2012 by
From Dammit Janet! While the the big news, and the ultimately sad news, is that the Susan G. Komen foundation has allowed far-right evangelical ideology to interfere with its formerly well-respected humanitarian work, the news that Planned Parenthood has replaced the $650K it lost from Komen so quickly is good news, indeed. . . . → Read More: Planned Parenthood gains back the $ it lost to ideology-driven Susan G. Komen turnabout …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Sun News Network + Jason Kenney = frothy mixture
February 2, 2012 by
If you ever wanted to combine the worst of Conservatism – that frothy mixture of deceit, barely-veiled racism and amoral opportunism – look no further than the perfect marriage of the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism and Fox News North. Six federal bureaucrats were drafted to pose as new Canadians for a citizenship reaffirmation ceremony broadcast . . . → Read More: Sun News Network + Jason Kenney = frothy mixture …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Vic Danger – Third Eye. Toews doesn’t know ‘statistics’. But he sure knows fear.
February 2, 2012 by
Vic Toews doesn’t let reality get in the way of a good ideology (emphasis mine). “I don’t know if the statistics demonstrate that crime is down,” he said. “I’m focused on danger.” Toews said his concern is that the public is in danger as long as criminals walk the streets. The government’s crime . . . → Read More: Vic Danger – Third Eye. Toews doesn’t know ‘statistics’. But he sure knows fear. …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Vancouver Observer: Canada’s right-wing media monopolies move further right
February 1, 2012 by
I’ve made the domination of Canada’s right-wing media the centrepiece of this blog. Sometimes I wonder why. Those posts are the least travelled, the least linked of any on this blog. I guess the blogging community has other things to talk about. As for the media, it certainly doesn’t want to spoil its . . . → Read More: Vancouver Observer: Canada’s right-wing media monopolies move further right …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Today’s Conservative: afraid of debate, emboldened by a docile media
January 31, 2012 by
For the 13th time in nine months, the Conservatives have stifled debate on an issue important to Canadians, especially those approaching old age. "Enthusiastic support", indeed. When the public is shut out from discussion, of whose support is Van Loan speaking? Mr. Van Loan made the accusations of delay in spite of . . . → Read More: Today’s Conservative: afraid of debate, emboldened by a docile media …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Scene from Syria, Saturday January 28, 2012. Rodney Kirkland Sr. edition.
January 29, 2012 by
Oops. Turns out that was Oakland last night. UPDATE: Dr. Dawg has the goods on an Oakland cop, annual salary $202K and unbelievably works for the Youth and Family Services agency, who apparently beat a pregnant woman leukemia sufferer off her bicycle and allegedly beat her as she was being carried away on a stretcher. Luckily, Anonymous (I’m . . . → Read More: Scene from Syria, Saturday January 28, 2012. Rodney Kirkland Sr. edition. …
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Sister Sage's Musings: The Pension Plan fiasco. Who cares? There are few jobs for someone 60, let alone 65 or 67.
January 28, 2012 by
I've been watching bemusedly - and with no little horror - the arguments waged between elite media types, celebrated authors and lowly bloggers over Stephen Harper's hint about raising the qualification for old age pension from 65 to 67. It's all academic, literally. What's not being considered in these finely-wrought debates . . . → Read More: The Pension Plan fiasco. Who cares? There are few jobs for someone 60, let alone 65 or 67. …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Harper vs. Harper: Elijah tackles Stephen’s Daddy State
January 28, 2012 by
Truer words have rarely been spoken. First Nation chief from Manitoba Elijah Harper says what needed to be said, that 'the federal Indian Act treats aboriginals like children and chains them to the government for their entire lives'. Asked about his seminal moment in history, Harper said he opposed the Meech Lake . . . → Read More: Harper vs. Harper: Elijah tackles Stephen’s Daddy State …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Gerry Nicholls snaps the ball. NCC prez Peter Coleman punts. Hilarity ensues. UPDATED
January 25, 2012 by
(Scroll down for scrumptious update.) Here’s the first assignment for the Globe & Mail’s new Public Editor Sylvia Stead. Explain to non-partisan Canadian citizens why the venerable grey lady is publishing a Conservative loyalist like Gerry Nicholls who regularly spreads his right-wing propaganda in rags like the Sun empire, National Post and the Frum/Worthington Huffington Post Canada? Stead, tell us . . . → Read More: Gerry Nicholls snaps the ball. NCC prez Peter Coleman punts. Hilarity ensues. UPDATED …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Will Globe & Mail’s first Public Editor (aka Ombudsman) make a difference? The question of Sylvia Stead.
January 25, 2012 by
Public Editors, or Ombudsmen as they are more often known, can be iffy things. Defined loosely as “one that investigates, reports on, and helps settle complaints”, the role can be broadly defined. The New York Times is probably the best example of an effective Public Editor, where its ‘Ombudsman’ researches complaints of bias . . . → Read More: Will Globe & Mail’s first Public Editor (aka Ombudsman) make a difference? The question of Sylvia Stead. …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Media’s anti-Occupy stance revealed. More than half of Canadians support the movement.
January 20, 2012 by
By reading 90% of the Canadian media, you’d have thought the people who Occupied cities across Canada and the world were unemployable dirty fucking hippies intent on violence and rape. Seems a majority of Canadians - and most of the world - still do not share the media’s jaundiced view of the mostly young people who pitched tents . . . → Read More: Media’s anti-Occupy stance revealed. More than half of Canadians support the movement. …
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Sister Sage's Musings: A right-wing blogger’s take on feminism
January 19, 2012 by
Slithering through the right-wing blogosphere – from Vox Populi via Instapundit to Canada’s proud wingnut Canadian Cincinnatus – is this revealing but puzzling comment about feminism, using the tragedy of the Costa Concordia as an excuse for a lame joke: Those big, burly crewmen shoving aside women as they prioritized their own . . . → Read More: A right-wing blogger’s take on feminism …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Huffington Post’s Kathryn Marshall has meltdown on Power & Politics. Goes viral. UPDATED
January 14, 2012 by
When I looked yesterday afternoon at the now famous Kathryn Marshall Ethical Oil freakout on youtube, the hits were just 6,000. It’s now well over 26,000 and quickly rising. Word has been blazing around the web, snaking its way into the States where amused commenters are comparing Marshall’s clueless and belligerent approach to that of . . . → Read More: Huffington Post’s Kathryn Marshall has meltdown on Power & Politics. Goes viral. UPDATED …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Christy, what are you thinking? BC Liberals hire Harper aide and Enbridge lobbyist Ken Boessenkool as chief of staff.
January 13, 2012 by
If you ever wanted to know which side of the political spectrum the BC ‘Liberals’ fall, it’s pretty obvious by now it’s neither centre nor left. When a supposed centre-left political party hires a lobbyist whose previous tenure involved working as senior policy advisor and strategist to Stephen Harper and lobbying for Enbridge and Suncor, . . . → Read More: Christy, what are you thinking? BC Liberals hire Harper aide and Enbridge lobbyist Ken Boessenkool as chief of staff. …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Drip. Drip. Drip. Conservatives chip away at our freedoms.
January 12, 2012 by
Jean Chretien has a point about the role the Liberals need to play in the age of a Harper majority – be bold. With the Conservatives chiselling away at the personal freedoms formerly enjoyed by Canadians – and non-Canadians - this country needs strong opposition to counter the upcoming tsunami of . . . → Read More: Drip. Drip. Drip. Conservatives chip away at our freedoms. …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Why is Ethical Oil too terrified to confirm if it is funded by Enbridge or not? UPDATED with video.
January 12, 2012 by
"Don't ask me hard questions. I'm a student!" Wow. Just wow. Yesterday, I watched Power & Politics with Huffington Post’s Kathryn Marshall debating the Northern Gateway hearings with a representative from the Sierra Club. What was so amazing is that every time host Evan Solomon correctly asked if Enbridge was funding Ethical Oil, . . . → Read More: Why is Ethical Oil too terrified to confirm if it is funded by Enbridge or not? UPDATED with video. …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Conservative solution to bad service: break the server’s finger
January 11, 2012 by
You Schmuck! Times are tough for the 1% these days. What with Occupiers, the press, even the government hounding them, the rich are getting edgy. The poor just don’t appreciate the sacrifices they have made. But what really pisses off the rich is that the fucking poor don’t even know how . . . → Read More: Conservative solution to bad service: break the server’s finger …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Next time some ‘Ethical Oil’ salesperson gives you the ‘foreign influence’ bunk on the pipeline hearings, mention Alison’s post on the subject at Creekside
January 9, 2012 by
I watched in mild horror ’Question Period’ yesterday. Horror, not because CTV is too cheap to broadcast the show in HD, but because of the nonsense delivered on behalf of Alberta’s ‘Ethical Oil’ lobby by Huffington Post’s Kathryn Marshall. Her spiel was more about trying to trap Eric Swanson of Dogwood Initiative with circuitous and unrelated arguments rather . . . → Read More: Next time some ‘Ethical Oil’ salesperson gives you the ‘foreign influence’ bunk on the pipeline hearings, mention Alison’s post on the …
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Sister Sage's Musings: I see the BC Liberals have learned from Harper’s Ignatieff attack ads
January 5, 2012 by
Watching the Canucks. Ad comes on real slick-like. I mean Conservative slick. It’s a BC Liberals ad attacking NDP’s Adrian Dix. I swear the ad could’ve been made by the Cons. It looks and sounds exactly like any of the many Ignatieff attack ads. Oh, here it comes again. And again. Mmm. . . . → Read More: I see the BC Liberals have learned from Harper’s Ignatieff attack ads …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Welcome to Canada’s new world of Haves and (mostly) Have Nots
January 5, 2012 by
Another generation's dirty effing hippie Stephen Douglas captures Harper’s new world order as it applies to Canada with a scalpel-like efficiency. Harper and his cadre of conservative ideologues share this collective denial. In these hard economic times where concern is growing about the disparity of wealth, when one in nine Canadian children live . . . → Read More: Welcome to Canada’s new world of Haves and (mostly) Have Nots …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Operation Maple takes on Globe & Mail. Number 6 in Gang of Seven.
January 4, 2012 by
Operation Maple has been doing a yeoman’s job in pointing out the main pillars of Canada’s Conservative media monopoly. So far OM has grappled with the following behemoths of industry: Sun Media Corporation Bell Canada Enterprises The Rogers Dynasty Irving Media Shaw Media And now at number 6, OM tackles . . . → Read More: Operation Maple takes on Globe & Mail. Number 6 in Gang of Seven. …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Scott Stinson’s alternate universe. “Stephen Harper said voters didn’t care about partisan tactics. He was right”.
January 1, 2012 by
Stinson neglects to mention all those negative ads from the Cons broadcast for months personally attacking Michael Ignatieff and his family, part of a message machine which almost single-handedly conned the Canadian public into voting a Harper majority. Does he mention 90 percent of our media went after ‘Iggy’ on behalf of . . . → Read More: Scott Stinson’s alternate universe. “Stephen Harper said voters didn’t care about partisan tactics. He was right”. …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Exclusive! Brian Lilley’s audition reel for Sun TV News.
January 1, 2012 by
X-posted at Let Freedom Rain …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Jymn’s half-assed Predictions for 2012
January 1, 2012 by
Occupy will stay underground and grow its infrastructure and goals. More and more organizations and individuals will pledge allegiance to the movement. The media will interpret this lack of visibility to the failure of Occupy and continue to treat supporters as dirty fucking hippies. The year of Occupy will have to wait until . . . → Read More: Jymn’s half-assed Predictions for 2012 …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Rob Ford’s 911 problem
December 30, 2011 by
Classy! (Photo from Dammit Janet.) There’s something wrong with Rob Ford. We all know he’s trash. But there’s an undercurrent of rage surrounding the man that’s almost Alec Baldwinish. Marg Delahunty is one thing; drunken threats another. On Christmas, Ford’s mother-in-law called police between 4 and 5 a.m. to report that the mayor had been drinking . . . → Read More: Rob Ford’s 911 problem …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Globe & Mail editors pick Harper majority as story of the year
December 27, 2011 by
Globe editors relax in Florida for prescribed vacay following another Con victory party To celebrate, Globe editors put aside their crutches and patronizing air to low five each other over cocktails and wienies. No report on the obligatory congratulatory call from Stephen Harper although rumours of an army of nurses in attendance have . . . → Read More: Globe & Mail editors pick Harper majority as story of the year …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Text of 1997 speech by Stephen Harper to US right-wing think tank
December 24, 2011 by
For anyone surprised by Harper’s moves and plans now that he has a majority, it is enlightening to read this speech our current PM made when he was VP of the ‘United Citizens Coalition’ to the Council for National Policy. Ladies and gentlemen, let me begin by giving you a big welcome to . . . → Read More: Text of 1997 speech by Stephen Harper to US right-wing think tank …
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Sister Sage's Musings: The Magnificent Seven: Stephen Harper’s seven new Senators leaked
December 24, 2011 by
STARRING: Shotgun * Blogging T * * Ezzy * Huffer * Wenthataway * The Poet * Blatched The Conservatives’ new best friend, the Canadian wing of the Huffington Post, has a take on who will be Harper’s new Senators come January. LFR has its own sources. Funnily enough, the new Senators are almost . . . → Read More: The Magnificent Seven: Stephen Harper’s seven new Senators leaked …
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Sister Sage's Musings: My five minutes watching Sun News Network. Plus, what does it take to be an SNN host?
December 23, 2011 by
Apparently, this. C'mon Sun Newsfan, you know you want it Jacqui’s television credits include co- hosting “Argos Access” with Michael “Pinball” Clemons, hosting “Dancing at the Palais” on Women’s Television Network, host/reporter on Sportsnet Ontario, co-hosting a late night talk show on Toronto One and until recently she anchored the daily Current . . . → Read More: My five minutes watching Sun News Network. Plus, what does it take to be an SNN host? …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Mark Steyn brings out the best in the wingnut. Brent Bozell: Obama is a “skinny, Ghetto crackhead”.
December 23, 2011 by
C'mon Bozey, say something outrageous. This is Fox News! Half-assed Canuck Mark Steyn is a lovely person. He attracts same. While on Fox News, filling in for some host or something, Steyn managed to cajole the following statement from the very religious, very wingnutty head of the Media Research Centre, Brent Bozell . . . → Read More: Mark Steyn brings out the best in the wingnut. Brent Bozell: Obama is a “skinny, Ghetto crackhead”. …
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Sister Sage's Musings: Sue Helena Sue!
December 22, 2011 by
I love this. Not that the suit will amount to anything. But the girl’s got moxie. Former MP Helena Guergis is suing Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Conservative MPs Shelly Glover and Lisa Raitt, the Conservative Party of Canada and a number of other individuals for defamation and other claims. Kady’s reaction is . . . → Read More: Sue Helena Sue! …
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Sister Sage's Musings: MacKay being used as scapegoat to clear path for Jason Kenney as next Conservative leader?
December 18, 2011 by
Interesting article in the Straight about Kenney’s ascension in the Conservative ranks. The writer Charlie Smith feels that Kenney is the logical successor to Harper, with the scandals plaguing former favourite Peter MacKay all but eliminating the very elite Minister of National Defence from contention. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has revealed that . . . → Read More: MacKay being used as scapegoat to clear path for Jason Kenney as next Conservative leader? …
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