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PM's inability to stifle dissent over abortion signals internal party problems.

by Samantha Bayard

OTTAWA , March 28, 2013 (Straight Goods News) – Stephen Harper's right flank is revolting, with Conservative caucus members openly challenging the PM over right-wing hot button issues like abortion.

Mark Warawa (Langley),  has appealed the Speaker's decision that  his motion on sex-selective abortion not suitable for a vote. Today, the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, which is controlled by Harper, decided to reject Warawa’s appeal on the votability of Motion 408.  

Warawa let his feelings be known:  “I have three options. I can accept the decision of PROC, appeal to the House, or introduce another motion or bill,” he said. “I want to make sure that I take time to consider what is best for the issue of discrimination against women and girls. I need time to consider how best to move this issue forward,” said Warawa. He plans on making a decision when the house sits again on April 15, and must make his decision before times runs out on April 19.

Conservative MP Mark Warawa is frustrated at being muzzled.

NDP house leader Nathan Cullen said Warawa's outburst indicates Harper has bigger caucus troubles. “There’s a lot going on in Parliament and very little of it to the Prime Minister’s pleasure, which is nice for a change. Certainly Mr. Warawa's frustration with Mr. Harper’s control over his every utterance and word in the House of Commons is not unique to him.”

Nathan Cullen says a Conservative caucus revolt is brewing.

Keith Ashfield misspeaks at Frederiction photo-op to support federal budget.

by Samantha Bayard

OTTAWA , March 26, 2013 (Straight Goods News) — Fisheries and Oceans Minister Keith Ashfield faces unrelenting fury and contempt over sexist comments made to a New Brunswick high school student.

In support of the federal Budget, Ashfield visited the home of a Fredericton family, where he told high school student leader Grace Moreno: “Grace, you’re a great cook. You’re going to make a wonderful wife for somebody.”

When asked to apologize for comments most observers felt were patronizing and sexist, he said he was taken out of context.

“He should have apologized by now," said the NDP's Megan Leslie (Halifax). "This is very characteristic of the Conservatives, of the folks they have on their benches. I think that his statement really does belie their views on where women belong and where we fit in their Economic Action Plan.

"But come on, this should be over. This shouldn’t still be a story several days later. Why can’t he just apologize? It’s not rocket science. Just say yeah, I misspoke, sorry. But he insists that it was taken out of context. What kind of context could he possibly have been waiting for? It doesn’t make any sense,”

Megan Leslie says Ashfield's comment indicates where Conservatives believe women belong.

Cree youth refuel Idle No More, calling for end to intolerable conditions for Aboriginal people.

by Samantha Bayard

OTTAWA , March 25, 2013 (Straight Goods News) — The Aboriginal rights movement got a boost when six aboriginal youth, who left their community on Hudson Bay January 16 to walk 1600 kilometres to Ottawa arrived on Parliament Hill today. The Nishiyuu Walkers, as they have become known, were accompanied by hundreds of others who joined along the way.

The original group from of Whapmagoostui, Quebec included six youth: Stanley George Jr, Johnny Abreaham, David Kawapit, Raymond Kawapit, Geordie Rupert and Travis George, as well as their guide Isaac Kawapit. They called the trek on foot and snowshoe "Journey of Nishiyuu," which means journey of the people in Cree. They were later joined by hundreds of others along the way before reaching their goal, where they were joined by a crowd of thousands.

"Canada has what they regard as a great group of artists they call the group of seven" said Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo told the gathering. "Today the indigenous nations have their group of seven that have lifted us all up! Walkers, you have etched your names into Canadian history but you have threaded your name into the hearts of indigenous people from coast to coast to coast."

Atleo urged first nations communities represented to work together with parliamentarians, suggesting if they don’t their struggles will not improve. "The other choice in this country is where we choose not to work together, that is the more difficult path. That’s the path that leads to more conflict, that’s the path where our people don’t have proper housing, where our kids don’t have proper schools, where we don’t have clean drinking water."

Indigenous nations have their own Group of Seven – Shawn Atleo.

NDP MP Romeo Saganash, himself a James Bay Cree, welcomed the walkers and their supporters to the House of Commons, his teepee, as he called it.

Romeo Saganash and Tom Mulcair welcome the Nishiyuu Walkers.

NDP leader Tom Muclair repeated, for the rally, what he had just asked in the House. "How is acceptable that there isnothing in your budget to correct the situation that sees Aboriginal children received 30 percent less for their education than other Canadian children? It's totally unaccepable."

"One of those young walkers said when they came to people's houses, they opened their doors to them as if they were their own children," Mulcair said. Romeo and I want to open the doors here and welcome all Canadian children with equal rights, that’s our goal."

David Kawapit of Whapmagoostui First Nation, one of the original seven, said he endured temperatures a low as -50º on his trek. "This is not the end, we will continue. We started with a walk," said Kawapit.

"You have achieved your goals the Cree way, the Aboriginal way, with determiniation, with focus, and holding true to the values of our culture, which are sharing and respect," Matthew Coon-Come, Cree Grand Council Grand Chief, told the walkers. "Your journey has shown us strength and the aboriginal youth of this country can use their energies for positive goals and in inspiring ways. You have inspired not only Aboriginal youth but so many Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

"We need to have the rights of Aboriginal peoples recognized." – Matthew Coon-Come

"You began your walk as an expression of sympathy to bring attention of Canadians the unacceptable living conditions in far too many our our first nations across this country. With your walk, you've also done something else. You've sent a message. You've sent out a loud and clear call for unity among all Aboriginal people."
 

Canadian producers would get $30-40 less per barrel if Keystone goes ahead.

by Samantha Bayard

Fresh from last week's trip to Washington and New York, NDP leader Tom Mulcair offered his most direct criticism to date of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline that would transport Alberta bitumen — tar sands — to refineries in Texas.

Although Heritage Minister James Moore upbraided him in the House for going on a trip on which he "Attack[ed] Canadian jobs and attacks Canadian exports," Mulcair responded that his concerns are based on possible job loss and the failure of Conservatives to enforce environmental laws.

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Systematic discrimination has made aboriginals 23 percent of prison population.

by Samantha Bayard

OTTAWA, March 7, 2013, (Straight Goods News) ­ A report tabled today by Correctional Investigator Howard Sapers critiques the government for its treatment of aboriginals in prison and for not dealing with the disproportionate number of incarcerated aboriginals.

"No new significant investments at the community level for federal aboriginal initiatives, no deputy commissioner dedicated solely to and responsible for aboriginal programs, planning, implementation and results," Howard Sapers told a news conference. "And worst of all, no progress in closing the large gaps in correctional outcomes between aboriginal and non-aboriginal inmates."

NDP aboriginal affairs critic Jean Crowder (Nanaimo-Cowichan) said in the House: "The government is simply failing aboriginal men and women who are in disproportionate and growing numbers behind bars. It has become such a crisis that under the Conservatives, the Correctional Investigator had to resort for only the second time in his history to table a special report directly to Parliament. "

"Why is the Prime Minister not taking this first nations crisis more seriously?," NDP leader Tom Mulcair asked in the House.

Stephen Harper replied dismissively and then moved into predictable tough- on-crime rhetoric. "It is important to note that prisoners are people who have been found guilty of criminal offences by independent courts," he said. "The reality is that, unfortunately, aboriginal people are more likely to be the victims of violent crime than other Canadians. That is why we are taking our responsibility to protect Canadian society seriously, and looking at other measures."

Liberal critic for aborignal affairs Carolyn Bennett followed up, saying there are many reasons for the increase in Canada's aboriginal population in jail. "Instead of housing, education and mental health for first peoples in Canada, Conservatives choose jails."

Later, Mulcair called the government response, "One of the most disappointing things I’ve ever heard from Stephen Harper. It’s as if he’s saying that some people are just born to be in prison, instead of realizing that there’s an endemic problem that requires innovation solutions. No one’s saying that the law doesn’t apply the same to everyone but what we are saying is when you have such a disproportionate number of people from one community in jail, you have to start going to the source of the problem instead of just saying, well, that’s the way it is and we’re not going to do anything about it."

Mulcair says innovative solutions are needed to get the source of the problems of aboriginal people  and the criminal justice system.

The NDP leader critiqued Harper for not acting sooner. "Stephen Harper had his opportunity a year ago. He sat down very formally with First Nations, said he was going to start working towards solutions. The Stephen Harper we had here today, that was the Stephen Harper of the Reform Party. That was the Stephen Harper of the past telling us that this is the way it is and it’s going to continue that way and it’s all right. It’s not all right in a free and democratic society to have that sort of disproportionate number of people from one community in prison. We’ve got to start taking care of the source of that problem. That’s going to require a little bit of understanding and some empathy, something sorely lacking from Stephen Harper’s answers in the House today."

Section 81 and 84 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act were put in place 20 years ago to prevent this sort of trend from occurring, Howard Sapers said, but he pointed to, "Serious gaps between the laws and practice." One missed opportunity, he said, has been healing lodges, where services and programs align more with aboriginal people’s tradition and beliefs. The concept was introduced five years ago but many are under-funded and under-utilitized. Sapers said they can only serve two percent of the aboriginal population in prison.

He called on Correctional Service Canada to implement a long-term strategy to increase opportunities for the care and custody of aboriginal offenders by aboriginal communities, and the immediate hiring of more aboriginal community development officers as first steps to making a significant change.