Oil, and sex, and Trojan horse ooze

Conservatives attempt to change channel on omnibus budget bill outcry.

by Ish Theilheimer

and Samatha Bayard, with YouTube video

One of Canada's best-funded lobbyists came to town promoting low-cost, so-called "ethical oil." Jamie Ellerton, Executive Director of Ethicaloil.org showed off radio ads his corporate-funded pressure group is running across Ontario to encourage public and political support for the reversing of the pipeline known as Line 9, which is owned by Enbridge and currently flows from Montreal to Sarnia, ON, to bring West Coast oil to Ontario.

Ellerton promised cheaper Ontario gas prices and more refinery jobs in the East. "No longer will we have to buy oil from OPEC's tyrants who abuse human rights and discriminate against women, gays and lesbians and religious minorities. Choosing to ship Canadian Ethical Oil east for Canadians to use just makes sense. It cheaper than the world market oil price, the pipeline is already built, no new land is required and there will be no additional impact on the environment. This decision should be a no-brainer."

Despite repeated questions, Ellerton would not reveal who funds Ethicaloil.org and seemed hard presssed to put forward evidence to support his claims.

Jamie Ellerton thinks ethical oil is a no-brainer

Meanwhile, Conservatives and Liberals attacked NDP leaders Tom Mulcair repeatedly for saying oil sands development must be done according to law and that an overheated oil industry is driving up the Canadian dollar. "We have a vision of sustainable development that opposes their vision of unbridled development with no polluter pay. Polluter pay is the essential principle that is being avoided right now by those companies. We want to have this debate on sustainable development."

Thomas Mulcair the "polluter pay" principle should apply to all industries, including oil.

Controversy continued over the budget omnibus bill. This week, much of the debate centred around changes to Employment Insurance buried within the bill that will force unemployed workers to take any job, anywhere, that is deemed "suitable." Jim Flaherty ignited debate last week with his "There are no bad jobs" comment. This week, Cabinet colleagues tried to smooth over the outrage. Mulcair said, "They're trying to hide the reality of that budget." He added. "When you hear the answers we got today, that a disabled person should be required to work more, that nurses and teachers should go work as taxi drivers if they don't have a job. That's the fundamental philosophy of this Conservative Government, Canadians should be aware of it."

Tom Mulcair says the Conservatives are trying to hide the reality of the budget bill.

Green Party leader Elizabeth May has been an outspoken critic of the bill as well. "The Omnibus Budget Bill is a violation of parliamentary privilege," she said. "It is violation of the rules of Parliament."

Elizabeth May speaks on the budget omnibus bill.

Services for veterans were again in the news this week. Dennis Manuge — the representative plaintiff for the long term disability class action law suit that recently won its case against the federal government— wants the government to accept the results and not try to appeal. The deadline for an appeal is May 31st so Manuge came to Ottawa to put a human face to the cause. "We have several Veterans out there that are 100 percent disabled that are receiving zero long term disability. The government has a moral, ethical and now legal obligation to end this. The only purpose served by an appeal is to prolong the agony of one of Canada's most disadvantaged but yet deserving groups — the people who choose to wear the uniform of Canada."

Veterans' advocate Dennis Manuge wants no appeal in veterans disability case.

Reports that a Veteran's Affairs staffer went to visit his wife in England using public funds while veterans were being denied benefits outraged the NDP's Peter Stoffer. "I'm going to put it to you very simply. Any veteran looking at this right now who's been denied benefits, and sees the head of the Veterans Appeal Board travel oversees on the taxpayers money is going to be severely pissed off at the minister and this board. "

Peter Stoffer is not happy over perks for appeal board staff and cuts for veterans.

And yes, sex made an appearance on the Hill this week when heritage minister James Moore panned an educational exhibit on the subject at Ottawa's Canada Science and Technology Museum. "Sex: A Tell-all Exhibition" is a traveling exhibition that had previously been displayed, without complaint, in Montreal and Regina. It teach teens about reproduction, contraception and sexuality. Moore said that the show's "content cannot be defended, and is insulting to taxpayers." NDP culture critic Andrew Cash said Moore's outrage is an attempt by a government awash in scandal to change the channel. "This isn't the role for the Heritage Minister to weigh in on this sort of thing. I think it sends the wrong message."

Andrew Cash thinks James Moore should keep his thoughts to himself on the sex exhibit.

 

© Copyright 2012 Ish Theilheimer and Samantha Bayard, All rights Reserved. Written For: StraightGoods.ca