God bless Canada !

Happy Canada Day.
On this very special day as we celebrate how wonderful our country really is I am sure you would agree with me when I say:
God bless Canada !

Conservative Cabinet meets in Quebec City

In a bid to increase Conservative support in Quebec, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his cabinet met in Quebec City on Friday for a summer retreat.

Speaking today at a meeting of the federal Cabinet in Québec City, Prime Minister Stephen Harper listed the Government’s accomplishments, noting that great progress has been made on the issues that matter to Canadians.
In just under five months in office, Canada’s New Government has:
• Passed the Federal Accountability Act – the most sweeping anti-corruption legislation in Canada’s history;
• Lowered taxes for all Canadians;
• Introduced legislation to crack down on street-racing and gun, gang, and drug crime;
• Introduced the Universal Child Care Program, which will provide direct financial assistance to all Canadian families, as well as create real child care spaces;
• Enhanced Canada’s leadership role on the international stage by extending the mission in Afghanistan; and
• Ushered in a new era of open federalism, as evidenced by the recent agreement between the Government and Quebec that established a formal role for the province at UNESCO.

“In just a matter of months, we’ve made significant progress in addressing the priorities of Canadians,” the Prime Minister stated.

“While we’ve accomplished much, there’s still more to do.“We need to continue moving forward on delivering results for ordinary Canadians,” the Prime Minister concluded. “In doing so, we will build a better Canada for all of us.”


Michael McCafferty comments:

I very much admire Prime Minister Stephen Harper and am very proud of the remarkable and positive accomplishments of the Conservative Government.

Prime Minister Harper defends Canada's multicultural diversity.

Harper defends Canadian diversity
PM rejects calls to curb immigration, calls open society 'our greatest strength'

VANCOUVER -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a ringing defence of cultural diversity yesterday, rejecting calls for Canada to be less open to immigration as a way of curbing terrorism.

"I believe, actually, the opposite is true," Mr. Harper told the opening session of the United Nations' World Urban Forum here.

"Canada's diversity, properly nurtured, is our greatest strength."

Click here for complete TORONTO GLOBE AND MAIL article.

MICHAEL McCAFFERTY COMMENTS:

Prime Minister Harper is a genuine Canadian patriot and he makes me proud of Canada and what it means to be a Canadian.

Conservatives to abolish long gun registry.

 

Conservative government to abolish long gun registry

CTV NEWS

The Conservative justice minister believes Tory legislation to abolish the long gun registry -- set to be introduced as early as Monday -- will pass when it is voted on in the fall, though it may come down to a margin of just a few votes.

MPs won't be able to vote on the bill until the fall, when the House of Commons resumes from its summer break.

"We need about 30 to 35 votes and I think we can piece together a working majority to get that legislation through," Justice Minister Vic Toews told CTV's Question Period on Sunday.

MICHAEL McCAFFERTY COMMENTS:

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservative Government made a pledge and commitment to abolish the long gun registry. I respect and admire the fact that the Conservative Government is true tots word.

President Clinton praises evangelical Christians

 

© 2006 The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Former President Bill Clinton praised evangelical Christians on Thursday for their recent efforts on global warming and debt relief for poor nations and said he sees growing understanding between people of different faith.

Clinton made the remarks while accepting an award from the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding. He said that as president he had "a consuming interest in the intersection of religion and politics."

He said evangelicals, few of whom voted for him, "were instrumental in the biggest debt relief initiative in history in my last year as president because they believed in the admonition of the Scripture to alleviate the burdens of the poor."

Clinton also noted the publication earlier this year of "Climate Change: An Evangelical Call to Action," which was signed by many leading conservative Christians and which frames environmental protection as a Christian imperative.

The mission of the New York-based Tanenbaum Center is to defuse physical violence perpetrated in the name of religion worldwide.

Clinton, speaking at the group's awards luncheon, said religion is a problem for both liberals and conservatives in the United States.

"For people in America who are a part of my political tradition, our great sin has often been ignoring religion or denying its power or refusing to engage it because it seemed hostile to us," he said. "For ... the so-called Christian right and its allies, their great sin has been believing they were in full possession of the truth."

Clinton, a Southern Baptist, noted that there was once a resolution at his denomination's convention to expel his church because of his positions in favor of abortion rights and gay rights. It failed.

MICHAEL McCAFFERTY COMMENTS:
I really believe President Clinton is truly a good and decent man with deep Christian values. Regardless of what may have happened in his past I believe he has repented of the past and now has heartfelt Christian values. For that I admire and respect President Clinton.

Karl Rove has been vidicated !

 

WASHINGTON - President Bush made it clear Wednesday: His top political strategist, Karl Rove, is staying at his side in the White House.

Special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald had taken a "hard look" at Rove's role in the CIA leak case, Bush noted, and declined to seek federal criminal charges.
The decision "speaks for itself," the president told reporters during a White House news conference.

"I trust Karl Rove," he said. "He's an integral part of my team."

On Tuesday, Rove's attorney, Robert Luskin, announced that Fitzgerald had advised Rove, a deputy White House chief of staff, that he didn't expect to seek charges against him.

MICHAEL McCAFFERTY COMMENTS:

The left wing liberal media in the USA had branded Karl Rove 'guilty' and they were looking for blood. The media owes an apology to Karl Rove -- after all one is innocent until proven guilty.

Karl Rove has been my friend for over 30 years and I very much admire Karl Rove. Karl Rove is one of the finest and most remarkable people to ever serve a President of the USA. I am happy that he has been vindicated.

President Bush makes surprise visit to Iraq

 

President Bush makes surprise visit to Iraq

US President George W Bush is returning home after a surprise trip to Baghdad - his first since November 2003.

Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri Maliki was only given a five-minute warning before meeting the guest for talks at the US embassy in the fortified Green Zone.

"Iraq's future is in your hands," Mr Bush told the Iraqi prime minister.

Click here for entire BBC NEWS aricle.

MICHAEL McCAFFERTY COMMENTS:

I admire President Bush for making this histotic visit to Iraq. The tide is going to turn in Iraq.

The moral values of Canadians

Canadian Press
Updated: Sun. Jun. 11 2006

MONTREAL — Sixty-five per cent of Canadians seem to agree with the Conservative government's belief that sex under age 16 is wrong, a new poll indicates.

Sex before 16 ranked fifth on a recent Leger Marketing survey of behaviour that Canadians consider immoral.

That belief was strongest in British Columbia, where 71 per cent of respondents said it was immoral, and weakest in Quebec, where 51 per cent agreed.
Support was also stronger among women, at 68 per cent, than men, at 61 per cent, according to the poll provided to The Canadian Press.

The Harper government has said it will raise the age of consent from 14 to 16.
Critics say the proposed change could make criminals out of consenting teenage lovers, but the government is said to be considering a "close in age'' exemption.

Not surprisingly, pedophilia was ranked the most unforgiveable behaviour, considered immoral by 81 per cent of respodents.

Extra-marital sex was second, condemned by 74 per cent of respondents in the telephone survey.

However, women were more outraged than men about adultery, with 81 per cent declaring it taboo, compared to 68 per cent of men.

Prostitution was third on the list, considered immoral by 68 per cent of the 1,508 adults polled between April 17 and April 23.

Again, more women than men condemned prostitution, at 76 per cent compared to 59 per cent of men.

"We found that men are much more tolerant than women on most of these issues, except for abortion,'' said Christian Bourque, of Leger Marketing.

Thirty-four per cent of respondents disapproved of abortion -- men at 35 per cent and women at 33.

"(Women) see clearer rules about things and a more defined way of behaving in society,'' he said.

The gap between the sexes was greatest on the issue of pornographic films, which 68 per cent of women considered wrong but only 46 per cent of men.
However, one expert warned against assuming the results are proof of a gender gap.

"It's a stereotype,'' said Chantal Maille, who teaches a course in feminist ethics at Concordia University in Montreal.

Maille said a closer examination of the respondents would likely reveal a better explanation.

"You have conservative women, just as you have conservative men,'' she said.
Alcohol abuse, pornographic films, and blasphemy were condemned by more than 50 per cent of respondents.

Those were followed by abortion, which 34 per cent felt was immoral, and divorce, at 17 per cent.

Bourque said he was surprised that 31 per cent of respondents considered homosexuality immoral.

"That's a third of Canadians,'' he said. "This is one issue where still we haven't resolved our views collectively regarding homosexuality. We probably tolerate it much better now that we used to, but still I don't think we've resolved this issue in the country.''

Contraception was last on the list, considered immoral by just eight per cent of those polled.

The poll results have margin of error of plus of minus 2.6 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

The Atlantic provinces were most conservative, with the highest percentages of respondents who considered prostitution, alcohol abuse, pornographic films, blasphemy, abortion, homosexuality, divorce and contraception immoral.
Respondents in Quebec and Alberta were the most tolerant of the behaviours put to them by pollsters.

Albertans had the lowest percentages when it came to prostitution, alcohol abuse, porn and contraception. Quebecers were the most tolerant of adultery, sex before 16, blasphemy, abortion and homosexuality.

© Copyright 2002-2006 Bell Globemedia Inc

MICHAEL MCCAFFERTY COMMENTS:

As a Canadian I am most interested in the moral values of my fellow Canadians. This poll had some very interesting and fascinating results. Canada is basically small 'c' conservative.

Prime Minister Harper speaks out on terrorist arrests

 

Prime Minister Harper speaks out on terrorist arrests

Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued the following statement in relation to the recent arrests made in Toronto: “This morning, Canadians awoke to the news that our law enforcement and national security agencies have arrested 17 individuals for terrorism related offences.

“These individuals were allegedly intent on committing acts of terrorism against their own country and their own people. “As we have said on many occasions, Canada is not immune to the threat of terrorism.

Through the work and cooperation of the RCMP, CSIS, local law enforcement and Toronto’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET), acts of violence by extremist groups may have been prevented.

“Today, Canada’s security and intelligence measures worked. Canada’s new Government will pursue its efforts to ensure the national security of all Canadians.”

MICHAEL McCAFFERTY COMMENTS:

I am especially proud of Canada's Government, the prime Minister and the RCMP and CSIS.

National Security Minister Stockwell Day

 

Terrorism comes to Canada

BRAMPTON, Ont — A 25-year-old restaurant worker is accused of planning to storm Parliament Hill, behead Prime Minister Stephen Harper, take hostages and behead them unless the group’s demands were met, accoridng to his lawyer.

Click here for entire CanWest News Service article.

Michael McCafferty Comments:

I literally 'thank God' the RCMP and The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) have exposed and apprehended these terrorists living in Canada. Canada is too good of a nation to tolerate the evil and danger of fantatic terrorism. I respect and admire our national security forces for an excellent job.

Senator Dellaire speaks out about his depresssion

Senator Romeo Dallaire speaks out about his depression

MONTREAL — Retired lieutenant-general Romeo Dallaire says he fears his own suicidal impulses may one day take him over the edge.“You never know when a smell, a sudden noise, or a conversation will take you back. It’s not like having a memory. You are reliving the moment,” Dallaire told an international conference on suicide Friday.

Dallaire, who takes medications and receivies psychological and psychiatric help, is now a Liberal senator.He slid into depression and suicide following the 1994 Rwandan genocide of 800,000 people.As commander of the United Nations Force in Rwanda, Dallaire blamed himself for failing to stop the genocide.

Diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, Dallaire said he’s still haunted by brutal images.He recalls wandering through Rwanda’s danger zones “trying to get killed.”When he returned home, he almost slipped into a coma after taking a mixture of alcohol and anti-depressants.

He credited the intervention of others for saving him. Today, he takes seven pills including anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medication, and gets regular treatment from a psychiatrist and a psychologist.“

But still...driving by the bridge, I don’t know when I’ll feel like putting (the car) over the edge,” he said.Dallaire has been speaking publically about post-traumatic stress since 1997. He says mental suffering should be considered on par with physical illness.“Like having a broken arm.

So I have to build myself a prosthesis,” said Dallaire, who received a standing ovation from the 400 delegates at the conference.


© CanWest News Service 2006

MICHAEL McCAFFERTY COMMENTS:

As one who has a mental illness -- manic-depression -- I have heartfelt empathy for Senator Dallaire. I admire his courage in fighting his demons. I know what depression can do to a person -- and I salute Senator Dallaire for having the courage to talk about his depression.

Parliament to have free vote on future of same sex marriage in Canada

 

Canadian Parliament to have free vote on same sex marriage

Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Friday that his government intends to fulfill an early campaign commitment by holding a free vote on same-sex marriage in the fall.

"It will be a free vote and the vote will be in the autumn," Harper told reporters in Montreal.

The Conservatives, who won the Jan. 23 vote, campaigned on a pledge to allow a vote on whether to reopen the divisive same-sex marriage law. That came in response to complaints that the Liberals rushed it the law through last summer.

If MPs approve the idea of addressing same-sex unions, the government would then introduce legislation changing the definition of marriage back to that of a union between a man and a woman.

MICHAEL McCAFFERTY COMMENTS:

The Prime Minister made a commitment to have a free vote on the same sex marriage law and I commend him for being true to his word.

It will be a highly controversial and close vote.