Does Anyone Else Wonder?

Greetings to followers of Desperate Times. This week we feature a guest blogger who poses the question: "Does anyone else wonder?"

Thank you, Don. Following the convoluted trail of our federal government, what is the average citizen to think? Does anyone else wonder why Stephen Harper's minority government vowed recently to build more prisons? Although, according to Statistics Canada, the crime rate in our country is falling. One Conservative member mused thoughtfully on a recent CBC news show, "How can we measure crime?" Not through Statistics Canada it seems, as its statistics will no longer be credible in years to come, if Harper's government has its way. The mandate of Statistics Canada was threatened by the Conservative minority government in July 2010. Their premise was that the long census form constitutes an "invasion of privacy". Really? We all know that by commanding the resources of Revenue Canada, Amazon.ca and Facebook, the knowledge of our income, charitable donations, spending habits, and social networks will be manifest to all.

Speaking of spending - the federal government has started, rather than ended the year 2011 by acting as Scrooge, urging Canadians to reduce their consumer debt. Hmm...we have to wonder...who was using taxpayers' money last summer to build a lake in Toronto for journalists from around the world? The Conservative minority government claimed this was an opportunity to promote Canada for tourism purposes. Do you know how many lakes we have? Still, we had to build one for foreign journalists. How authentic.

Of course the Harper minority government supports women - in other countries - as long as they do not wish to engage in family planning. They have also brought shame to our once-proud nation by neglecting the environment. And there is so much more - but we are running out of paper - and time. Literally.

Make Up Your Mind

The contentious issue obliging Muslim women to cover their faces is unending. However, there seems a logical way to resolve this enigmatic dilemma.

Canada has soldiers dying in Afghanistan, partly to allow women to have a choice. Must they wear the hijab, niqab, burqa, etc., if they choose not to? According to the Taliban - yes! Female newcomers to Canada should at least have a similar free choice not to wear these garments. May we assume, therefore, that parents and mullahs will honour that choice? The 2007 death of a 16-year-old Ontario girl (confessed to by her father) for ignoring this demand is not a part of Canadian culture. Nor should it ever become such.
TRIAL SET in PARVEZ KILLING

If immigrant women to Canada do not have this choice, they may as well remain where they are now!