What if you had a government shutdown and no-one noticed?

We might be in that spot with the so-called government shutdown in the United States. Last Tuesday, Oct 1, the wheels of government were to have ground to a halt. News outlets trumpeted that doom and disaster waited if a deal was not made. President Obama admonished the Republicans in the House of Representatives to get on with a spending bill.  The Republicans said only “if Obamacare is removed.”

Now before we go too far into this let’s be very clear - I am not taking sides. Both the Republicans and the Democrats had political reasons to want to see a shutdown. Both sides see victory in the upcoming election in 2014 by blaming the other for the supposed mess. Based on that alone there was little real chance a deal could be brokered prior to the Oct 1 deadline.

So, last Tuesday the US government shutdown.  Well, sort of and there’s the rub. If either side is to gain victory from the shutdown it is necessary to have an angry population calling for the responsible parties figurative head on a pole. Then the other side can be blamed and elections won.

 But what if the population didn’t notice? What if the sky did not fall? What if life went on?  Then what?

We simply don’t know.  Despite all of the dire warnings of murder and mayhem in the street without a strong federal government Americans found that Tuesday looked pretty much like Monday and Wednesday was going to look a lot like Tuesday.

Yes, certain departments did shutdown but, in reality, most did not. Successive generations of American politicians, on both sides of the aisle, fearful of an angry electorate have quietly declared larger and larger parts of the government essential services and immune to shut down.

Out of the entire US government only 800,000 US federal workers were sent home. For most Americas it was a faceless 800,000. Civilian workers in the military were the largest single group sent home. The problem for both Democrats and Republicans  was that the public had very little contact with those military workers. Unless you were married to, or lived next door to a US military civilian employee it might be years before you realized they were not working.

Even this fell apart as the Pentagon realized that the President and Congress had recently signed a law into effect that declared  civilian workers were exempt from a shutdown. By today (Oct 7) 320,000 or so bodies were heading back to work.

The next group to be most impacted was the Internal Revenue Service, the tax people.  85,000 of them were sent home to watch bad daytime TV. If politicians were hoping people would notice that the IRS was closed and complain about it they will have a long wait. Most people would be happy if the IRS never, ever opened again.

 

Who were the last 350,000 or so US government workers not showing up on Tuesday? CNN developed what is probably the best resource of who is open and who is not. The majority of the 350,000 have a role in setting and enforcing rules and regulations. Like the IRS, is anyone really going to complain the dairy inspector is not coming around?

What is getting paid in the US is just about everything else. When an American goes to their mailbox to get their government cheque it will be there delivered by the US postal office. Want to talk to your Congressman – sure - because he/she is being paid. In almost every case the face to face contact with US citizens has been declared essential services so they just keep chugging on.

So where is the political risk? Well, perhaps it is in 350,000 angry federal employees not getting paid and extracting revenge at election time for one party or the other. Nope. Congress and President Obama have so far agreed on one thing and one thing only. Any federal employees who are not working will get full back pay when they return to work. In my books that is a paid holiday.

 Back to the original question. What if you had a government shutdown and no-one noticed? It might just last a very long time. Americans continue to go to work and will face inconveniences like not being able to get a passport but other than that…

In a vain effort to prove government is important the US is left with blocking veterans from visiting war monuments, shutting down the Amber alert systems and blocking people from taking pictures of Mt Rushmore – even at a distance.

This could go on for a long time – or until the US government hits the debt ceiling – whichever comes first.

From the Canadian Minister of Veterans Affairs

Dear Veteran / Cher(ère) vétéran,

 

(For your information / Pour information)

There exists a tangle of misinformation regarding how Canada treats its men and women who have served in uniform - as well as regarding the legislation known as the New Veterans Charter. Improvements made by our government, and validated by the latest Veterans Ombudsman report, indicate that while important gaps do need to be filled, a majority of Canada's veterans receive the support and care that they need.

Almost eight years ago, a unanimous Parliament endorsed wholesale change to veterans' support and services. Since implementing the New Veterans Charter in 2006, our government has invested almost $4.7-billion in new funding to enhance veterans benefits, programs and services. Today, seriously injured veterans receive significant financial support up front, and each month, in addition to having access to world-class treatment from some of the most experienced medical professionals in Canada.

As the Ombudsman notes in his recently released actuarial analysis, "the Enhanced [New Veterans] Charter is focused on wellness and rehabilitation, while the Pension Act focuses on compensation." Our approach is not to simply throw money at a problem or a person. We are focused on providing the best support and care for veterans and their families.

Canadians can and should be proud of the commitment they have shown through their parliamentarians to support Canadian veterans who are injured in the line of duty. According to the Veterans Ombudsman's report, the modern framework now in place to assist our former men and women in uniform "in lieu of a monthly pension cheque, [provides] a suite of benefits and services that encourages wellness and rehabilitation and is consistent with the principles of modern disability management."

The Ombudsman is also prudent enough to provide a caveat: "Frequently, comparisons are made only between the Pensions Act monthly disability pension and the New Veterans Charter lump sum disability award without taking into context the overall suite of monetary and non-monetary benefits provided under the New Veterans Charter. Such 'cherry picking' does not provide an objective view of how all the benefits come together to provide a particular effect."

Our government also introduced significant legislative improvements to the New Veterans Charter in 2011 that were praised in the Ombudsman's report as having "had a positive effect." We incorporated over 160 recommendations that were determined after wide consultation. In particular, we implemented enhancements to the New Veterans Charter that make it easier to qualify for the Permanent Impairment Allowance (PIA) and the Exceptional Incapacity Allowance, along with a series of other changes that boost the transition of a veteran to civilian life.

Furthermore, contrary to popular belief, the changes made by our government allow for a veteran to have increased choice. They can either receive a one-time lump-sum payment; an annual installment over the number of years of a veteran's choosing; or a combination of these two payment options.

Our government continues to take positive action on behalf of veterans. Last week, I announced that the government of Canada will support a comprehensive review of the New Veterans Charter, including all enhancements, with a special focus placed on the most seriously injured, support for families and the delivery of programs by Veterans Affairs Canada. I call on parliamentarians to focus on how we can better assist veterans. This parliamentary review, guided by representatives elected by the people of Canada, will provide an appropriate forum where all voices can be heard, including and especially those of veterans, their family members, other interested individuals and subject-matter experts. That is where we can work together to enact appropriate change for veterans and their families.
In truth, the very reason for the Ombudsman's work is to support just such a review, and not supersede it as a few critics have falsely claimed.

Our government is committed to the veteran who has sacrificed so much for their country. We will continue to work through Veterans Affairs Canada, with relevant stakeholders, community and families to ensure that we ably meet needs while also being mindful of our responsibility to the Canadian taxpayer.

Our veterans, and Canadians, deserve no less.

Sincerely / Cordialement,

Julian Fantino  PC, MP / CP, député
Minister of Veterans Affairs / Ministre des Anciens Combattants

Mount Rushmore blockage stirs anger in South Dakota

Apparently there are a few too many Federal workers still on the job in United States (at least in South Dakota) - Norman

 

Written by Jonathan Ellis for the Argus Leader

 Blocking access to trails and programs at South Dakota’s most popular attraction was one thing, but state officials didn’t expect Congress’ budget stalemate to shut down a view of Mount Rushmore.

The National Park Service placed cones along highway viewing areas outside Mount Rushmore this week, barring visitors from pulling over and taking pictures of the famed monument.

The cones first went up Oct. 1, said Dusty Johnson, Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s chief of staff. The state asked that they be taken down, and federal officials did so with some of them. The state was told the cones were a safety precaution to help channel cars into viewing areas rather than to bar their entrance.

“I think reasonable people can disagree about that,” Johnson said.

The cones were down again Friday as a blizzard hit the Black Hills and plows needed access to the roads, Johnson said. He said the state would be monitoring to see whether the cones are put back along viewing areas.

“Once the snow’s off the ground, we’re going to be keeping an eye on how the cones go up,” Johnson said.

The Buffalo News reported that a tour group of dozens of people from western New York was unable to take pictures of the monument because highway viewing areas were coned off.

“It’s all closed up,” the newspaper quoted North Collins, N.Y., resident Hilde Werneth as saying. “They won’t even let you stop and take a picture. You can only drive by.”

Jim Hagen, secretary of the South Dakota Department of Tourism, said the situation is hurting people from out-of-state and international visitors who are in South Dakota to visit the monument.
“They won’t even let you pull off on the side of the road,” Hagen said. “I just don’t know what they’re trying to accomplish.”

A spokeswoman for the National Park Service in Omaha confirmed that the monument is closed, but she said she didn’t have details about cones. A message left at Mount Rushmore was not returned.

 

The closure is part of a budget showdown between House Republicans who want to defund the Affordable Care Act and Democrats who want to preserve funding. Republicans have passed spending bills that would open the parks and restore services to other areas of the federal government, but Democrats say the Republicans should pass a spending that bill that funds the Affordable Care Act, too.

Perry Plumart, a spokesman for Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson, said closing Mount Rushmore hurts visitors, businesses and furloughed park rangers.
“The best way to restore access to all national parks, including Mount Rushmore, is for Speaker Boehner and the House to pass a clean continuing resolution and end the government shutdown,” Plumart said.

But Republicans said the administration is unnecessarily making the shutdown more painful than needed — including coning off viewing areas near Mount Rushmore.

“It disgusts me that taxpayer resources were used on this act of stupidity,” Rep. Kristi Noem said. “This is federal government arrogance at its worst.”

Sen. John Thune said he had seen photos of the coned-off viewing areas, and he said it’s “outrageous” if federal officials are barring people from pulling over and taking pictures from the highway.

“It seems to me, on a lot of levels — and we saw this out here with the World War II Memorial — the administration wants to make this as painful as possible,” Thune said, referring to barricades around the memorial.

Thune said the Senate could easily take up spending bills to fund parks and other specific items rather than an overall spending bill, but he said Democrats have refused. “They, obviously, prefer to have the issue and not the solution,” he said.

Daugaard offered to keep Mount Rushmore open using state resources, Dusty Johnson noted. The National Park Service declined.

“I can’t even believe we’re having this conversation,” he said.

And something for those who think the sky is falling...

Original From Gallup

 

October 1, 2013

History Suggests Shutdown Stakes May Not Be That High

1995 battle didn't affect views of Clinton, Gingrich, nor U.S. in the long term

by Elizabeth Mendes

WASHINGTON, DC -- As the federal government prepares to shut down for the first time since 1995/1996, historical Gallup data reveal that the repercussions of that past conflict ranged from none to short-lived, in terms of Americans' concerns about the U.S. and the political players involved. The 1995/1996 closure, which occurred when -- just like today -- Republican leaders in Congress and a Democratic president failed to agree on the budget, did little to impact Americans' views of President Bill Clinton, Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Congress itself, the U.S. economy, and the country in general in the months after the shutdown began.

Before the U.S. government shutdown on Nov. 14, 1995, President Clinton's job approval stood at 52%. It dipped to 42% in an early January Gallup survey, but bounced back up to 52% by mid-March. His favorable rating took even less of a hit, falling just five percentage points to 54% in mid-January 1996 -- after the second shutdown ended -- from 59% in early November. And, his favorability climbed back up to 58% in mid-March 1996.

Americans' views of the U.S. speaker of the House at the time, Newt Gingrich, are a bit more complicated. While Gingrich's job approval suffered some in the short term, his favorability rating actually ticked up slightly just after the shutdown ended. But by February and March of 1996, Americans' views of Gingrich were right back to where they were prior to the budget battle -- relatively low -- and stayed that way.

Similarly, Americans' satisfaction with the way things were going in the United States dropped slightly at the end of the government shutdown, but by March improved to higher than it was before the closure. And, their views of the U.S. economy were mostly stable before, during, and after the 1995/1996 government shutdown.

One thing, though, that is likely to change, at least in the short term, is Americans' perceptions of the most important problem facing the nation. The budget rose to the top of Americans' most important problem list in January 1996, overtaking crime, which had been the No. 1 problem throughout 1994 and 1995 and returned to the top of the list by May 1996, after the budget issues subsided.

Implications

The partial shutdown of the U.S. federal government -- the first one in 17 years -- took effect at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, because the Republican leaders in Congress and President Barack Obama have failed to agree on a budget to keep the government funded. Gallup's historical data surrounding a similar 1995/1996 government shutdown reveal that the current battle may have little impact on Americans' views of today's political leaders -- at least through the next several months.

Additionally, Americans already view Congress itself -- and the Republicans and Democrats who are part of it -- very poorly, meaning there is not much room for their perceptions of the legislative branch to worsen further.

President Obama may have more to lose, in a way. His approval rating has been somewhere in the 40% range throughout September and was 44% on Monday, according to Gallup Daily tracking conducted Sept. 27-29. But Americans are slightly more likely to see President Obama as acting more responsibly than the Republican leaders in Congress in handling the budget negotiations. Thus, Obama -- like Clinton -- may end up unscathed after the shutdown ends.

Speaker of the House John Boehner is in a potentially more precarious position. His favorable rating slid down to 31% in April, the last time Gallup asked about him. And Boehner is facing pressure not only from the left, but also from his own party on the right -- to not give in on addressing the healthcare law.

Beyond the politicians though, Americans' confidence in the economy is already floundering and their satisfaction with the way things are going in the U.S. remains in the low-20% range. If history is a guide, it is possible that their views of the situation in the country may worsen in the short term, which for an economy -- and job market -- still in recovery, is troublesome. But, long term, it is unclear whether a possibly short-lived government shutdown will ultimately negatively impact the economic situation in the U.S.

Pakistan frees top Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar

Original from BBC.com

 

 

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, co-founder of the Afghan Taliban, has been freed from jail in Pakistan.

The Afghan government welcomed the move, as it sees him as one of the few senior Taliban figures willing to negotiate a peace deal to end unrest.

Mullah Baradar is one of the four men who founded the Taliban movement in Afghanistan in 1994.

He became a linchpin of the insurgency after the Taliban was toppled by the US-led invasion in 2001.

He was captured in the Pakistani city of Karachi in 2010.

Mullah Baradar held several senior positions in the Taliban government before its fall in 2001. He then fled to Pakistan and for some years was the Taliban's military commander as they regrouped to fight a guerrilla war.

He was reportedly arrested in a secret raid by CIA and Pakistani agents.

The BBC's Aleem Maqbool in Islamabad says releasing one of the founders of the Taliban and a mastermind of the Afghan insurgency would seem a counter-productive step for the Kabul government and the US-led coalition.

But Mullah Baradar has been seen as one of the few senior Taliban figures who has shown a willingness to negotiate, our correspondent says.

The government in Kabul has been pressing for him to be free.

Afghan diplomats had suggested Pakistan was trying to hinder the reconciliation process by backing more hardline elements within the Taliban.

The Taliban opened a political office in Doha in June, but it was quickly closed after President Karzai complained that they had flown a flag and put up a plaque as if they were a government in exile.

Since then the US, UK, and Turkey have all attempted to mediate to reopen talks. President Karzai has appealed to the Taliban leadership to return home and negotiate openly, but has not offered guarantees of security.

Even if a political settlement is agreed, which will be hard, it may be difficult to deliver it, says the BBC's David Loyn.

The Taliban is no longer the monolithic structure it once was, and a new younger generation of insurgents - particularly those fighting in the allied Haqqani network - may not be willing to stop the war.

Some members of the former leadership, such as Mullah Zaeef, who had been living openly in Kabul, have faced harassment and raids on their homes.

There are also concerns among women's rights activists that the fragile gains made since 2001 could be jeopardised for a peace deal with the Taliban.

A prominent MP, Shukria Barakzai, told the BBC that the government's priority is to do a deal, "whatever the price." She is among those fighting in parliament to defend laws that protect women from violence, and believes that the government does not see this as a priority.

Mrs Barakzai said a deal with the Taliban would make victims of "the people of Afghanistan, and in particular the women of Afghanistan."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24185441#"

Egypt - Elections Do Not Equal Democracy

Did anyone really expect that ultimately we would see anything but the military taking over in Egypt? Really?

A year ago the world of theorists, academics and media commentators rejoiced that the “evil” dictator Hosni Mubarak had been overthrown in a popular revolution driven, as the world press was quick to point out, by Facebook and Twitter.

The Arab Spring, as the faux revolution was known, was supposed to herald a whole new era in both Egypt and the Middle East in general. Democracy, and by extension human rights, were breaking out everywhere and, if you listened to the pundits, it was only a matter of time until the entire Middle East would be democratic – war on terrorism over.

A year ago the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt backed its candidate in an internationally forced election that saw Mohammed Morsi become “the first elected president in 5000 years of Egyptian history.” For many in the world it was job done – move on, nothing to see here.

If there was one group in Egypt who understood its people better than any foreign pundit it was the military. When Mubarak’s almost 40 year reign of a secular Egypt was challenged by marches in the street the military stood down and allowed events to unfold.  The tanks stayed on the military bases. When the people demanded elections the military supported both the process and the result. Again the tanks stayed on the military bases.

Let us be really clear. The winner of last year’s election, the Muslim Brotherhood, is not a benevolent political party that we would recognize in the West. The Brotherhood is focused on bringing a Sharia based legal system to the most important economy in the Middle East. The Brotherhood’s political and social goals for Egypt 10 years from now? Think Iran.

Egypt proved the old maxim that “the first election in a country is easy – the second one is much more difficult.” The reality is that elections do not equal democracy. A functioning democracy is based on a fundamental belief in the very system itself. For a democracy to work the people must trust that the entire process is fair and will reflect the will of the people.  Democracies do not spring whole from the earth – they are grown and nurtured over 100’s of years.

So, was the Muslim Brotherhood building and nurturing a democracy? No, they were going in exactly the opposite direction. Christians and Jews living in Egypt were put on warning - they were not welcome in the new Egypt. Opposition parties were told the same thing. The real power was the Brotherhood –not democracy. Want a tangible example? There is a law in Egypt that it is illegal to make fun of the President. Morsi enforced the law more often in one year that Mubarak did in his entire time in power.

Finally, the Egyptian Army had had enough. This week, in support of millions of Egyptians again pouring into the streets, the army finally acted. However, what was lost in the caterwauling of the international media, was the fact that the Army acted in a deliberate and balanced manner.

 Before taking over the government it went to Morsi and gave him 72 hours to start to put in the reforms the people wanted and expected. Morsi told them he had no interest in changing, that the Brotherhood was the right track for Egypt.

In a bloodless transition of power the Army removed Morsi from power for failure to act in the interests of the majority of Egyptians. Continuing its efforts in support the Egyptian people the Army did no install on of its own as acting President – it named the head of the country’s Supreme Court to the Presidency.

There are two realities in what happened this week in Egypt.  1) Egypt is not a democracy and was not heading to become one and 2) what happened this week in Egypt was not a coup. It was a revolution.

Calgary flood was terrible, but it could have been worse

 

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By Norman Leach (Originally appeared in the Beacon - Independent Local News)

Calgary flood highlights lack of disaster preparedness

By now the scenes are familiar. Calgary and surrounding communities hit by the worst floods in Alberta history. Turn on any television, open any newspaper or listen to the radio in southern Alberta and it was wall to wall coverage 24 hours a day.

I knew how serious things were, despite the fact the water was nowhere near our house, when my mother-in-law called from Mexico worried about the safety of her grandchildren. Apparently, according to Mexican television, all of Calgary was under water and the entire city was being evacuated. After calming her down, my wife and I had the opportunity to reflect on what might have been.

As it was, approximately 100,000 Calgarians were living in or near the flood zones. Calgary flood water had pretty much completely inundated the downtown core, with the most spectacular site being the Saddledome filled with 30 million gallons of water.

Yet for all of that, the vast majority slept soundly through the Calgary flood crisis. For anyone not immediately involved you would hardly have known there was a disaster going on all. 900,000 plus continued to be served by clean water, sewer, electricity, and fire and police. In fact, Mayor Naheed Nenshi seem to spend most of his time telling Calgarians just how normal things were. (Okay, the traffic was a little bad but only by Alberta standards.)

The Calgary flood serves as a reminder for everyone that it doesn’t hurt to be prepared for the worst. Photo: calgaryisawesome.com

On the second day of the Calgary flood I went to a grocery store on the west side of town. There, parked among the BMWs and Mercedes, it became clear not everyone was listening to the mayor. In the store, there was no bottled water left to purchase (again, despite the fact there was clean water available at the tap at the kitchen sink at home) and people were purchasing canned goods as though preparing for a zombie apocalypse.

What would it have been like if it had been a real crisis? Don’t get me wrong, for those who were directly affected it was a real disaster – but it was only a real disaster for 10 per cent of the population – at most.

As far as disasters go we are pretty protected here in Canada. Yes, we get blizzards but I have lived in both Tokyo and Mexico City where earthquakes are a daily way of life. My best friend lives in hurricane alley in the U.S. People all over the world live one day away from disaster – every day.
The response to the Calgary flood was fairly typical. City police, fire and ambulance were able to hold the line on services for about three days – exactly what is expected of them. The army took about three days to arrive on scene – exactly what was expected of them. People held off on full-out panicking, though did get some practice in. All in all it turned out pretty well.

However, what Calgary received was only a small sample of what could have happened. If 20 per cent or more of the population have been affected or if critical services have been lost, the outcomes, and the Mayor’s speeches, would have been very different.

The city will argue it is ready for all eventualities. However, when a CP Rail train derailed due to a bridge weakened by the Calgary flood, Mayor Nenshi publicly stated that the overtaxed first responders did not need yet another crisis.

My argument is that we might not be so lucky the next time around. There are simply not enough first responders to handle a major crisis in Calgary, or anywhere else in the country. It is time we looked at programs from around the world that actively engage citizens in their own protection.

I would suggest the first place to look at our neighbors to the South who have put in place the Community Emergency Reaction Team (CERT) program. CERT “educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations.” As far as I can tell there is no equivalent program operational in Canada – certainly not on a widespread basis.

Trained and prepared civilians – directed by professional first responders – will increase the chances of any community surviving a disaster. The next time round it might be the only thing that does.

Supporting our troops overseas

Good Afternoon:

Funny – we are in July already – where did the time go?

I know many of you are supporting flood relief in southern Alberta and we are grateful you are.  However, this year I am again supporting our troops overseas by contributing to Operation Santa Claus and I need your help. The deadline for donations is August 30, 2013.

Whether they are serving in Afghanistan or on a peacekeeping mission or at a distant Arctic post we work to see that each and every service person (over 1600 of them) gets a present from Operation Santa Claus (an official part of the Canadian Armed Forces). These special packages bring a feeling of home to those serving in remote locations and overseas.

For many members of the Forces the Op Santa Claus gift is the only one they will receive on Christmas Day. For others, the treasures they find in the boxes will be given out to children on patrol routes and at orphanages and hospitals across the globe.

I am asking you to help by donating new personal items like tube socks (a particular favourite) or company branded items that are no longer current. (wondering what to do with the shirts from last year’s golf tournament? Now you know!) or items like playing cards and board games.

Items must be into Operation Santa Claus by August 30 so they can make the long trip to Afghanistan and other remote locations in time for December 25.

I am gathering up the donations here in Southern Alberta. Let me know what you might have and I will see it gets to our troops. If you are not from Southern Alberta I will put you in touch with the right people.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Edward Snowden is not a patriot but a criminal hiding out in Moscow

Edward Snowden is not a patriot but a criminal hiding out in Moscow

By Norman Leach (originally run in the The Beacon on-line newspaper

One of the downsides to writing a weekly column is that every once in a while you have to admit you are wrong – very publicly. The case of Edward Snowden is a case in point.

When I first heard that the 29-year-old National Security agency contractor had gone public with the U.S. government surveillance program that was clearly out of control, I was there cheering Snowden on. I might have even used the word patriot.

Let’s be very clear. The National Security Agency in the United States has a program called Prism. On the surface, the program appears to be justifiable. Large computers are used to track inbound and outbound telephone calls trying to connect when terrorists talk to confederates around the world. The idea is forewarned is forearmed.

So far so good. In fact, the program was set up under President George Bush in response to the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York and the Pentagon in Washington. The idea was to try to identify foreign terrorists planning evil in the United States or against Americans living abroad. Under Bush the program was restrained by both the courts and the limits of the technology of the day.
However, then senator Barack Obama thought even the Bush program was too far reaching without adequate oversight. Obama went on to vote against a Bush candidate for CIA director because the candidate supported the NSA surveillance programs.

Enter Edward Snowden. Hired by an outside contractor serving the National Security Agency , Snowden appeared to have the best interests of the United States and its citizens at heart when he went public with how much further the Obama regime had pushed the old Bush surveillance program.

Had Snowden stopped there I might still be calling him a patriot. His initial revelations were worrisome to anyone who takes privacy and independence seriously. He claimed that under the Obama rules Snowden was able, by his own authority, to listen in to any conversation he chose to without the nicety of a warrant.

To that point it sounded like an overreaching government in Washington focused much more on its own survival than the ideal of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Then Snowden not only crossed the line he left it well behind in the rear-view mirror. After sneaking off to Hong Kong (the territory has notoriously difficult extradition laws) Snowden met with the media and explained in great detail how the United States was spying on China and other friendly nations. Snowden had gone from being a hero to a criminal in one short media conference.
Snowden was soon on the way to Moscow heading to, depending on the media story, Cuba, Venezuela or Ecuador – all countries that are far from friendly with United States.

Then the other shoe dropped. Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks who is hiding at the Ecuadorean Embassy in London to avoid prosecution in his own messy case involving leaking US State secrets put his nose in. Now Assange is just a criminal – no different than the guy who robs a 7-11 except Assange uses a computer rather than a pistol or knife.

Hiding behind the rhetoric of freedom and openness Assange’s release of information put real human beings at risk – some at the risk of death. Not that he cared. His only interest was grabbing as much media as he could – and the donations that inevitably followed.

Snowden seemed different. That is, until he left Hong Kong for Moscow ducking the arrest warrant waiting for him in the US after advice from Assange lawyers. Were Snowden a real patriot he would have surrendered to US authorities relishing the chance to tell his story in front of the most aggressive media in the world. What better way to get the truth out?

Instead he is, tonight, hiding out in Moscow (or so we are told) waiting for an opportunity to head somewhere in Latin America. With both China and Moscow refusing to help arrest Snowden it will prove difficult to arrest and transport him to the United States. Justice could be a long way off.

In the end both Snowdenn and Assange are criminals who should be in a cage – if we could just get them out of the gilded Ecuadorian cage they are hiding in.

How Do You Celebrate World Trade Week?

 Original Article Posted on May 17, 2013 by Integration Point Global Trade News Team    

 

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May 19^th, marks the beginning of World Trade Week, officially proclaimed as a national observance by the US Government in 1935 by President Franklin Roosevelt. President Roosevelt selected the third week in May each year which includes May 22, National Maritime Day.

What is World Trade Week?

The concept of World Trade Week began in 1926 and was first observed in 1927 in Southern California as a means to promote the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, California. World Trade Week (WTW) has grown since then to a week set aside to pay tribute to the importance and benefits of global trade. This week dedicates itself to educating the public on the importance and benefits of global trade on local and national economies.

What is its significance?

International trade provides a multitude of benefits including job creation and growth, along with growing the prosperity of countries. International trade also provides a multi-lateral network for the movement of goods internationally...

How is it celebrated?

World Trade Week is celebrated across the US. (and around the world) States like New York, California and Michigan host events which bring in speakers from around the world...

Canadian Association of Veterans of UN Peacekeeping

Each day this week this blog - in honour of National Volunteer Week  - will feature non-profit organizations with which Norman Leach & Associates is proud to be associated.

 

Since 1947 United Nations Forces have performed peacekeeping duties worldwide. Canada has played an important role in those activities from the beginning and to date more than 100,000 Canadians have worn the blue beret. More than 100 have died "in the service of peace."

In January 1986, a group of Canadian UN Veterans met in Toronto to establish the Canadian Association of Veterans of UN Peacekeeping. By 1989 permission was granted to use both "United Nations" and "Canadian" along with the authority to use the UN emblem as part of the Association identifier on the  lapel pin, blazer crest, hat badge, membership card and stationery. Chapters have been formed in most regions of the country.

The Association takes a particular interest in the peacekeeping monument "Reconciliation" that was erected in Ottawa in 1992 as a tribute to peacekeepers after the award of the Nobel prize in 1988. The unveiling of the monument was marked by a national ceremony and a parade of more than 2,000 peacekeepers through the streets of the nation's capital.

Association members include serving and retired Canadian Military, RCMP and civilian veterans of United Nations Peacekeeping missions, other non-UN missions established under UN Resolutions and peacekeeping missions sanctioned by the Government of Canada.

Norman Leach is an Honourary Peacekeeper and an honorary member of CAVUNP.

 

Monarchist League of Canada

Each day this week this blog - in honour of National Volunteer Week - will feature a non-profit with which Norman Leach & Associates is proud to be associated.

The Monarchist League of Canada is a group of Canadians united in their interest in, and loyalty towards, Canada’s constitutional monarchy.

Since its inception in 1970, the League has gained a national reputation as the leading voice of intelligent monarchical opinion in Canada.

The organization`s overall task is to promote the full expression and a better understanding of the history and real benefits of a uniquely Canadian constitutional monarchy.  It also  presents the positive face of the Canadian Crown as an essential part of national identity, and as the central pillar of Canada`s  parliamentary democracy.

The League frequently works with MPs and members of provincial legislatures of all parties to further cement the role of the monarchy.

The League actively lobbies all levels of government for the visibility and full use of Royal symbols in everyday life. It also  keeps a watchful eye to correct any attempts to minimize the role of Canada’s constitutional monarchy or the prominence of its symbols. Finally, League interprets royal events for the public.

 Norman is the volunteer Director of Membership for the Monarchist League - Calgary Branch and writes for the Royal Central blog.

Winnipeg Press Club

Each day this week this blog - in honour of National Volunteer Week - is featuring a non profit with which Norman Leach and Associates is proud to be affiliated.

As the oldest press club in Canada and easily one of the oldest in the world - the Winnipeg Press Club celebrated its 125^th anniversary in 2012. 

The two questions everyone asks about the Press Club  are:  what is it and what does it do.

 

The days of a press club being a watering hole for road-weary journalists is long past.  As Bob Dylan said .. “ the times they are a changin’.”

Another challenge is trying to connect the new with the old.  The Club has speakers on the future of the news media and invited all the creative communication classes in Winnipeg to attend.

But the club also haven’t forgotten that it still needs to be a place of mentoring, fun , camaraderie – and storytelling – because after all  -- isn’t that what we are … storytellers. 

Norman Leach is the Ambassador at Large for the Winnipeg Press Club.

F-35 Webinar

Lockheed Martin will be hosting a webinar on the F-35 on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 1:00 pm Ottawa time.  It will feature presentations by Steve O’Bryan, Vice President of F-35 Program Integration and Business Development, and Billie Flynn, Senior F-35 Test Pilot and former Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 pilot.  It will also discuss the industrial participation of more than 50 Canadian companies. 

To register, follow this link:
https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=registration.jsp&eventid=606258&sessionid=1&key=B3BDB1977DF28382A1A9B00FA24A693E&sourcepage=register

Contact Orest Warchola, CTP
Senior Director, US Trade and Investment
International Relations Division
Province of Alberta

Operation Santa Claus

All this week - in honour of National Volunteer Week - this blog will feature some of the non-profit organizations with which Norman Leach & Associates is proud to be affiliated.

Since 1991, Canadians have been sending care packages to Canadian Forces troops deployed overseas while away from family and friends during the holiday season. Op Santa packages are typically filled with treats clothing and necessities that represent the support and goodwill of companies and individuals nationwide and beyond.

In essence, these packages are intended as a caring gesture; sending a message of gratitude to Canadian troops for their sacrifice, which even if for a moment brings our soldiers back home.  

This particular initiative was started by a group of Montreal housewives who prepared packages for their spouses on Peacekeeping missions. These packages included greeting cards from friends and family, as well as donated items from local businesses.

OP Santa Claus quickly gained popularity expanding all across Canada and today works with a wide range of benevolent Canadian organizations to deliver holiday packages to Canadian troops deployed worldwide. 

From March to August every year, Op Santa actively seeks and relies solely on donations from individuals and Corporate Canada to keep the Christmas spirit alive and supply packages to deployed troops over the holidays.

Again this year Norman Leach & Associates will be gathering Christmas presents for the troops in support of Operation Santa Claus.

 

Jeunesse Classique Ballet

All this week - in honour of National Volunteer Week - this blog will feature a few of the non-profit organizations Norman Leach & Associates supports.

 

Jeunesse Classique Ballet was founded in 1988 by Turkish ballerina Umran Sumen, its Artistic Director.  Her vision was to give all ballet students -- regardless of the Ballet school where they undertake their training -- the opportunity to complete their ballet education by performing in fully-staged classical ballets.

Over the succeeding 25 years,  Jeunesse Classique Ballet Company has produced 25 seasons of Nutcracker performances, with a spring performance each year including such Classics as Coppelia, Giselle, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Bayadere, and many others

The Jeunesse Classique Ballet Society was formed to provide fundraising and volunteer support for Jeunesse Classique Ballet Company, which continued to be operated as an independent non-profit private corporation.  .

 Jeunesse Classique Ballet Society is a registered non-profit society under the Alberta Societies act, and is a registered Charitable organization. This year Jeunesse Classique Ballet will perform the classic "Giselle." Tickets for the June 1 and 2nd shows are available at the MT Royal Theatre Website.

 

Norman Leach is the volunteer co-Director of Marketing for the Jeunesse Classique Ballet Society

 

Norman Leach & Associates Supports National Volunteer Week

Each day this week this blog will profile a non-profit group Norman Leach & Associates supports.

Below is a statement from National Volunteer Week

National Volunteer Week (NVW) is a time to recognize and celebrate the incredible efforts of our volunteers. It takes place April 21 to 27, 2013.

This year marks the 10^th year we’ve delivered the NVW campaign in partnership with Investors Group, a longstanding supporter of NVW and Canada’s corporate leader in volunteer recognition.

Volunteering is a part of who we are as Canadians. The Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, calls Canada “a smart and caring nation.” It’s our dedication to community involvement that has given us that reputation at home and around the globe.

Volunteers strengthen our communities and make our country vibrant. Today, volunteers are involved in more ways than ever before. They complete tasks from smartphones while waiting at the bus stop. They sign and share petitions. They govern organizations as board members. They lead rescue efforts when disasters strike. Every day, Canadians lend a hand to their neighbours and friends. And many of them don’t realize that in doing so they’re volunteering.

National Volunteer Week is a chance to thank volunteers for all they do for us at home and around the world. NVW is all about taking time to recognize the tremendous impact of our incredible volunteers. Come on, Canada! Let’s show them how much we appreciate their efforts.

Porter Airlines hopes to fly to Calgary

News for those who travel to or from Calgary International Airport Porter Airlines hopes to fly to Calgary

Mark Milke on Margaret Thatcher

How Thatcher restored capitalism's 'nervous system'

National Post
Tue Apr 9 2013
Page: FP11
Section: FP Comment
Byline: Mark Milke
Source: Financial Post

Throughout human history, men and women have struggled to tear themselves free from concentrated power and its ill effects. While many people in developed, democratic and capitalist countries often take their freedoms for granted, history is filled with tyrants and bullies who stand between citizens, their freedom and their prosperity.

Margaret Thatcher, Great Britain's Prime Minister between 1979 and 1990, and who recently died, understood-perhaps better than any other leader in the modern world, why governments ought not to have day-to-day control over the economic aspects of citizen's lives.

The reason for that limited approach to government is simple: governments already have 100 per cent of the political power. By necessity, a national government also has 100 per cent of a nation's military power. Thus, it is a grand mistake to also allow government involvement in the economic lives of citizens. Such involvement has often meant that citizens have nothing left-not only figuratively, but often literally.

In Thatcher's lifetime, the most extreme example of the concentration of political, military and economic power was the Soviet union. There, poverty was rampant and freedoms were non-existent.

In the West, less extreme forms of concentrated power existed, but they nevertheless also produced disastrous consequences.

For example, pre-Thatcher, the United Kingdom's Labour party had long advocated state ownership of "the commanding heights of the economy." That was a 1918 phrase and program of action from Vladimir Lenin; in Canada, it was adopted by the Waffle wing of the New democratic Party in the 1970s.

In practice in the United Kingdom, this meant government ownership of major sectors and industries: those in the production of coal, iron and steel and which ran the railroads, utilities, and international telecommunications.

In the 1970s, much of the British economy was tied to government and thus to the decisions of politicians. That, and laws that gave labour leaders extreme leverage over state companies, meant regular and sometimes lengthy strikes. Strikers included miners, train staff, hospital workers, garbage collectors, truck drivers and even gravediggers who refused to bury the dead.

The result was economic paralysis, stagnation and weakened prosperity. In 1976, the economy was so poor that Britain, once a world-spanning power, borrowed money from the International Monetary Fund to support the British pound.

Margaret Thatcher changed all that. After her 1979 election win, she set about freeing Britain's economy. That included an attack on inflation (reduced to 2.4 per cent by 1986 from 22 per cent six years before); getting public finances under control; and cuts to high marginal tax rates (down to 25 per cent from a pre-Thatcher high of 83 per cent).

The Iron Lady also promoted private enterprise. That meant privatizing state ownership of companies in the aerospace and shipbuilding sectors. It later included returning British Telecom, British Airways, Rolls-Royce, parts of British Steel, Leyland, the airports, and later, gas, water and electricity utilities to the private sector where they belonged.

Thatcher attacked over-regulation and labour agreements that dampened the creation of new businesses, more jobs and a wider prosperity. Trade union members were given more power over union leaders (thanks to the introduction of the secret ballot, among other reforms). The British Prime Minister also cut off taxpayer subsidies to failing industries such as money-losing coal mines; she sold government housing to the (often poor) inhabitants so they could finally have property of their own and a real stake in Britain's future.

All of it worked to restore Britain to prosperity. While Britain is currently in recession (as is much of Europe) it is better off relative to many European countries. This is so despite past attempts by the previous Labour government to undo some Thatcher policies on deficits and taxes.

Thatcher's influence was profound. It resulted from her clear understanding about what works in the real world. That understanding had its genesis in youthful observances of how her father ran his small grocery store.

As Lady Thatcher wrote in her 1993 book, The Downing Street Years, "I knew from my father's accounts that the free market system was like a vast sensitive nervous system." That system, wrote Thatcher, was able to respond to events and signals all over the world. Thus, the system could "meet the ever-changing needs of peoples in different countries, different classes, of different religions, with a kind of benign indifference to their status."

That open system, Thatcher rightly asserted, was much preferable to top-down attempts where "governments acted on a much smaller store of conscious information and, by contrast, were themselves 'blind forces' blundering about in the dark, and obstructing the operations of markets rather than improving them."

As Thatcher concluded, "the [negative] economic history of Britain for the next forty years confirmed and amplified almost every item of my father's practical economics."

Indeed- until Margaret Thatcher redirected and transformed Great Britain.

~

Mark Milke is a Senior Fellow with the Fraser Institute and author of Why Margaret Thatcher Mattered: The Iron Lady for a New Generation

Norman Writing New Column for OGM

Good Morning

Just wanted to let you know that I am now writing a monthly column for OGM magazine. The first article will be published May 1^st – check it out then at http://www.theogm.com/

The column focusses on the current issues facing the Oil and Gas Industry – with a hard look at international affairs.

Looking forward to connecting with you for story ideas – and feedback.

Cheers

Norman