Throne Speech: Stop Harper

A big respectful shoutout to Brigette DePape, who risked her position as page to the throne to make her voice be heard. It's too bad that she had to break her word to the queen and parliament to do so. Here's to hoping we can find alternate means to better representation in our fine country's governance.

This post is my response to Gloria galloway's article "Senate weighs security overhaul after page’s ‘Stop Harper’".

A quote from this article:

“I don’t have to tell you what would have happened if she had something else inside her jacket instead of a poster,” Mr. Tkachuk said.

The most important point to me, Mr. Tkachuk, is the fact that there was nothing other than a poster inside Ms. DePape's jacket. The fact that this young, politically active Canadian was prepared to sacrifice her position as page to the throne--not to mention her own reputation in future public endeavors--is a testament not only to the will of young Canadians today, but also a testament to the basic values today's young Canadians stand for. But most of all, the fact that she chose such a non-violent method of revolt is testament to the great hope we young Canadians have in continuing our national legacy of peace and liberty.

In the article:

Ms. DePape, who has been working as a page in the Senate for about a year and who was immediately fired from her job after being led out of the chamber by the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House of Commons, said she staged the protest because she believes democracy was not served by the recent election. Mr. Harper’s Conservatives won a majority with just 40 per cent of the popular vote.

Ms. Depape acted on an impulse felt by many after this election: something has gone horribly wrong with the democratic process that we have come to take for granted in our country. She had lost faith in the basic mechanisms we have set up in order to ensure our own fair representation in the governance of Canada. Let me be one of may to tell you: she is not alone in this impulse. Democratic reform was a major issue for many Canadians in the 2011 election. Many feel that the current voting system needs to be reformed, and that proportional representation needs to play a greater role in the outcome of future Canadian elections.

Ms.Depape sacrificed something to stand up for her values and for her country. I for one, will remember her actions as a highlight in the Canadian story of democracy.

It was a clear act of “contempt” for the Parliament that Ms. DePape had sworn to serve, he added.

Let us remember that it was contempt that brought us into the 2011 election in the first place. And let us note that our current leading party went directly from contempt to a majority government. Above all, let us be concerned... if not for who is leading us now, then at least for how we will be able to choose who leads us in the future.

I ask anyone who reads this to learn more about democratic reform, and get active by spreading the word, and contacting your MP about your concerns regarding representation and democratic reform. Tell them that the time for change is now.

Brigette DePape, a hero to some.

A protester holds a sign reading "Stop Harper" is lead from the room as Canada's Governor General David Johnston delivers the Speech from the Throne in the Senate chamber on Parliament Hill in Ottawa June 3, 2011. REUTERS/Chris Wattie

The Costs of War: A response to the recent Canadian Forces press release re: "Canadian warplanes drop 240 smart bombs on Libya"

This is my response to the CP article found here.


The article recaps the Armed Forces press briefing in which it is revealed that "Canadian warplanes have dropped 240 laser-guided bombs on Libyan targets since March 31". The article goes on to say that "Military officials won't discuss how much those smart bombs cost taxpayers, or how much the entire mission has cost to date."


So naturally I started wondering about this, and began to speculate. So I began looking into it.


The "227-kilogram, laser-guided bombs" to which the article refers are most likely none other than the Enhanced Paveway II 500-pound GBU-49, which the Canadian Forces began using in 2009. Refer to this Raytheon press release.


Now, I had trouble finding a price tag for these things... I'm not exactly experienced in seeking out the prices for weapons... but I was eager to get some idea of just how much those 240 bombs have cost us over the past 26 days.


I couldn't find an official press release stating the exact price, but with the little time I've set aside for this, I was able to find this Danish article, which states: "The Tactical Air Command reports that around half of the ammunition used so far is 500-pound bombs of the GBU-49 type, which cost 300,000 kroner each."


I went to www.xe.com to see what that equates to in CAD. According to Mid-market rates as of 2011-05-25 21:01 UTC, 300,000.00 DKK = 55,388.22 CAD.


So, to put an approximate price tag on these 240 bombs dropped in the past 26 days:

240 x 55,388.22 CAD = 13,293,172.80 CAD



I admit that I don't have an authoritative source on the exact price of these bombs, but I hope that nonetheless this little note will give you an idea of just how much money is spent "behind the curtain" of war.

Sublime - New Realization (Cover by JB)

I can't stop playing this song over the past few days... so I decided to upload it. I wish I could get better quality from my laptop microphone, but this is the best it could offer. Nonetheless... enjoy!