The Comment Tree is a weekly collection of posts and commentary from social and mainstream media sources – keeping up to date with the topics of interest in the current news cycle, international and domestic.
Random Thoughts
We cannot allow valid concerns about environmental protection to be used as an
excuse to trap worthwhile projects in reviews-without-end. What matters is that the relevant facts are fully considered. That need not take yea
-Stephen Harper
This morning I realized that we are all in trouble—“we” being those of us, just a shade shy of
a supermajority, who stand opposed to the Harper government, its misuse of power, its corruption, its
philistine vandalism, and every slimy value that drives it
-Dr.Dawg
There’s nothing like going down in history for being the first active PM charged with a
crime to get us rid of them. I keep praying this happens.
-Douglas Connors
It’s time to free ourselves of the chains and fear…and clear our way to our own new
paradigm of understanding and responses. Live WISE~
-Gail Blackman
While the Bush administration treated whistleblowers unmercifully, the Obama
administration has been far worse. It is actually prosecuting them, and doing so under the Espionage
Act — one of the most serious charges that can be leveled against an American. The Espionage Act is an
archaic World War I-era law meant to go after spies, not whistleblowers.
-Andrew Conte
How many killings are acceptable to the U.S. govt.? 30 Colombian unionists & 49 human
rights defenders were murdered last year. Very few perpetrators have been punished.
– John Walsh
Canada’s Budget Reactions
When they cut settlement services in Ontario and Quebec, Kenney said they were
shifting resources to accommodate the Prairie provinces…I guess the Prairies begin and end in Calgary.
Figures.
-Geoff Krauter
The stark reality of CBC cuts unfolding now. Connect at NN and Dispatches at Radio –
two smart news shows with dedicated staff, cancelled.
-Peter Mansbridge
Remind us again how Canada has billions for new fighter jets when we’re not at war,
but that CBC and cultural cuts are “necessary.”
-Michael Rowe
After Canada experienced zero job growth during the last six months, we expected this budget to have one focus – jobs.
-Bob Rae
The government should be congratulated for introducing a number of good measures to
improve Canadian innovation and focus research and development resources.
-Joy Thomas
Liberal Party of Canada
It’s not that we were fighting among ourselves. That was utterly inconsequential. It’s that
we’re all trapped in a web of mutual understandings that no longer apply to the world we live in.
-Dr.Dawg
They could work on effective grass roots building of their core values and brand
themselves as the “only big tent” party. To me, the Liberal Party should stand for the great social values
of our nation [health care, education etc] but tempered with fiscal responsibility and the ability to
compromise for the greater good.
-Randy Pare
The Liberals are the only alternative to the conservatives. I highly doubt someone
who voted for Harper last election will pick up his vote and move over to the NDP. Rae will be wise to
keep the middle, and attract the right.
-Ehsan Monfared
I have enormous respect for Bob Rae. He’s one of the best parliamentarians of his
generation, bar none. And to his enduring credit, he has given the LPC a lifeline like no other. He’s an
absolutely amazing guy and a cut above the rest.
-Dan Veniez
Thomas Mulcair’s leadership victory was — by far — the worst possible outcome for
the struggling Liberals…
-Chantal Hebert
Summit of the Americas
Saturday’s focus on Cuba and drug enforcement policy clashed with Harper’s agenda at the
summit, which was to sell Canada as an attractive destination to do business.
-CBC News
We don’t have an embargo against Cuba and we don’t support the compete isolation of the people. We believe that engaging Cuba is one of the tools by which we can hope to move it towards democracy and towards greater human rights.
-Stephen Harper
The declaration from the Minister’s office that Cuba “doesn’t comply with democratic conditions” is not only a slander against Cuba, but reeks of the discredited colonialist mentality and practice of foisting on independent countries imperial arrangements that they do notwant or accept.
-The Canadian Network on Cuba
The long-standing policy toward Cuba (has) become unacceptable. The isolation,
the embargo, the indifference, looking the other way, has been ineffective. In today’s world, there is no
justification for this anachronism. It’s an anachronism that keeps us anchored in a Cold War era that was
overcome decades ago.
-Juan Manuel Santos
I’m not sure the next summit will even be possible.
-Carlos Gaviria
Up until now, it has been heresy for anyone to challenge blanket global drug
prohibition.
-Donald MacPherson
The economic power and firepower of the criminal organizations operating in Mexico
and Latin America come from this endless demand for drugs in the United States.
-Felipe Calderon
As long as they figure they can gull the public into believing that getting tough on
drugs is the right thing to do, they get elected on those things.
-Eugene Oscapella
Someone who’s charged with looking after the security of the most important president
in the world cannot commit the mistake of getting mixed up with a prostitute. This has damaged the
image of the Secret Service, not Colombia.
-Rodolfo Galvis
If you have a comment or suggestion for what will be top in the news cycle next week –
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