By the age of five almost every child knows the Christmas story of the baby in the manger. Many people from devout Christians to Agnostics celebrate Christmas with the understanding that December 25th is set aside to hail the birth of Jesus. We know Him to be the saviour of mankind, and for those who earnestly seek an understanding of the Christ Child, we accept the gift that God has freely given as our Saviour with the clear understanding that Christmas Day harkened the arrival of forgiveness of not only our sins but of our sinful nature.
This message is for many the hardest pill to swallow, in light of the fact that the world we know is and always has been in a state of sinful chaos as far back as man has recorded history.
The month of December has seen thus far four more Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan as a result of a war started in 2001 when a group of terrorists attacked an internationally occupied structure we knew as the twin towers. For at least 103 Canadian families this Christmas will be a bitter celebration as they look across the table and see an empty plate set for their fallen loved one. Many Canadians see their sacrifice for nothing, with no benefit for Canada as a nation or any individual Canadian. The fact is that no Canadian, politician, soldier or mother wants to see even one soldier die in action for no just cause. For many including myself, 2011 cannot come any sooner. We will breathe a sigh of relief the day our troops withdraw from that war torn country.
But are Canadian soldiers dying for nothing? Jesus’ birth was foreseen by the Hebrew’s 800 years before Jesus was born. In Isaiah 9:6 we read “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
The middle east has always been in some form of conflict. Their history shows that oppression has always held the peace loving people of the east in either terror or fatal conflict. Almost every army has had a piece of the region. Interesting how Isaiah, a Hebrew prophet would describe the messiah as a “Prince of Peace,” a phrase we today use in describing Jesus. The fact is that as far back as history records, the people in the middle east looked for a saviour from death, oppression, occupation and war They are still looking today.
But Jesus did not grow up to be the war General many wanted him to be. Over thirty years later, when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a burro, people once again hailed Him as the Messiah expecting Him to raise a powerful army and drive the Romans out of the region and take the seat power from the corrupt King Harod. But instead, Christ taught peace, tolerance and salvation.
The same people that hailed Him as the messiah one day, turned on Him the next and called for his blood. His arrest, torture and execution is a matter of history. At that time His followers did not fully understand why he died. To many, his death was senseless and all for nothing. People did not see the direct benefit of Christ’s death on the cross for their nation, their family or themselves.
That was just the point. Christ died for what appeared to many to be a worthless cause. He died for people that did not know Him. He died for a war that was started by others. He died for actions that were so unforgivable that no man, king or army could turn the other cheek. He died for the shame that each person heaps on their soul. A shame that eats away at the very fabric of man and changes people in ways that hurt others. He died so that this life here on earth has true meaning. He died to save and give people hope.
For those 103 Canadian soldiers who fought and died and to those who will die, they do so for people that do not know them They do that for people they owe nothing to. They died to free those people who carry shame, who live in despair, who turn against them in actions that are truly unforgivable by man. They died to save and give those people hope.
This Christmas when we remember the birth of our Saviour Jesus, we remember that the baby wrapped in swaddling would one day die for the sinful actions of others. He frees the burdens for those would seek an understanding of Him and see who He really is. To sacrifice is not only brave but demonstrates love beyond simple understanding. This Christmas set out an empty plate for a soldier who through the love for mankind has died so others can live.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Armchair Accountability
The public has come accustomed to lip service by the people we pay to do a job. You hear it daily on radio and read it in newsprint. Lip service by definition is just that, phrases used by public servants to give the public the false impression that they are getting their money’s worth. Years ago when I was a police officer we had another phrase for it. It was ‘BBB’ or “bullshit baffles brains!”
A great example of this was reported in the December 1st issue of the Edmonton Journal. The story titled “Cease Fire Eyed for Hobbema” featured the RCMP’s plan to initiate a crime prevention program originally developed in Chicago IL, to fight gang related crime. The RCMP, in recognizing the increase of violent gun crime caused by gang activity on the First Nations Reserves, have looked into bringing “Operation Cease Fire” to Hobbema.
The First Nations Bands of Samson, Erminskin, Louis Bull and Montana have reported gun related crimes at an alarming rate over the past three years. To the RCMP’s credit, they recognize that they need a method of dealing with the victims, the public and offenders of these crimes. In response to this initiative, Kim Misik, a spokeswoman for Alberta Justice was reported as saying “If they come up with an idea for crime prevention, then we’re more than happy to hear about it.” The story concluded with that statement. To the casual reader the story showed that the police are doing their jobs and the government has responded.
All is well, right?
I say nay, nay! Hats off to the RCMP but ‘poo-poo’ to the Solicitor General’s Public Security Division. The simple fact that the P.S.D. appears to just sit around and wait for the police to offer up to the cop-gods solutions to serious short comings in the safety of the public is in direct conflict with the Police Act. Under the Police Act the Solicitor General responsibilities and accountably to the public is clear. According to the Solicitor General’s own website, “In Alberta, the provincial Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security ensures safe communities. Under the Police Act the minister must maintain adequate and effective policing services.”
The Police Act places a statutory obligation on the Solicitor General to ensure that there is adequate and effective policing and that standards are met. This would, by definition, include examination and the study of the violent crime out in Hobbema. It would include a pro-active role in developing or even finding crime prevention programs to assist the RCMP in meeting policing standards in any given community. This would not allow for the Solicitor General to issue a statement of “If they come up with an idea for crime prevention, then we’re more than happy to hear about it.”
You better be more than happy to hear about it! Perhaps we should be giving the salaries of the Public Security Division over to Hobbema RCMP detachment. They appear to be doing the P.S.D.’s job! The situation in Hobbema is clearly the P.S.D.’s responsibility to study, investigate, analyse and to develop, implement and carry out a solution to correct the problem. It is the responsibility of the P.S.D. to, through pro-active solutions, restore good order in the community. Anything less amounts to a failure to carry out the statutory obligation imposed by the Police Act and by the Constitution in placing the administration of justice with the Province, as it addresses the division of powers. I truly hope that the Solicitor General is not satisfied with the level of performance we now see in the Public Security Division.
This level of performance by the P.S.D. has also been demonstrated in the past two years as we witnessed small communities entering in appended agreements with the RCMP under the title of ‘Enhanced Policing’. One example was the Town of Millet funneling tax dollars to the RCMP for an additional Constable to patrol the streets. Like many communities, Millet has a concern regarding preventative patrols and response to several issues arising in their community.
To combat this, last year the Millet Town Council had entered in a three year agreement with the RCMP to provide an additional police officer for public safety. This should have at least raised the hackles of the towns folk, but since the Solicitor General’s Public Security Division had no issue with it, why not?
Once again I say nay nay. Why should the Town of Millet be put into a position of paying additional tax dollars for policing? Section 4(1)(b) of the Police Act states “As part of providing provincial policing services generally, every town, village and summer village that has a population that is not greater than 5000, shall, receive general policing services provided by the provincial police service at no direct cost to the town, village, summer village, municipal district or Métis settlement” Does the term ‘general policing services’ imply inadequate or ineffective? Thankfully, the Town of Millet approved to withdraw from this agreement in their last council meeting.
The tax payers of Alberta has been for too long allowing our public servants like the Solicitor General’s Public Security Division to function at a level that does not prevent victims, over-burdens law enforcers, and cost tax dollars that by law should not be required. It’s time the Solicitor General put people in position that have the abilities to carry out their duties and an understanding of their responsibilities to the citizens of Alberta.
A great example of this was reported in the December 1st issue of the Edmonton Journal. The story titled “Cease Fire Eyed for Hobbema” featured the RCMP’s plan to initiate a crime prevention program originally developed in Chicago IL, to fight gang related crime. The RCMP, in recognizing the increase of violent gun crime caused by gang activity on the First Nations Reserves, have looked into bringing “Operation Cease Fire” to Hobbema.
The First Nations Bands of Samson, Erminskin, Louis Bull and Montana have reported gun related crimes at an alarming rate over the past three years. To the RCMP’s credit, they recognize that they need a method of dealing with the victims, the public and offenders of these crimes. In response to this initiative, Kim Misik, a spokeswoman for Alberta Justice was reported as saying “If they come up with an idea for crime prevention, then we’re more than happy to hear about it.” The story concluded with that statement. To the casual reader the story showed that the police are doing their jobs and the government has responded.
All is well, right?
I say nay, nay! Hats off to the RCMP but ‘poo-poo’ to the Solicitor General’s Public Security Division. The simple fact that the P.S.D. appears to just sit around and wait for the police to offer up to the cop-gods solutions to serious short comings in the safety of the public is in direct conflict with the Police Act. Under the Police Act the Solicitor General responsibilities and accountably to the public is clear. According to the Solicitor General’s own website, “In Alberta, the provincial Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security ensures safe communities. Under the Police Act the minister must maintain adequate and effective policing services.”
The Police Act places a statutory obligation on the Solicitor General to ensure that there is adequate and effective policing and that standards are met. This would, by definition, include examination and the study of the violent crime out in Hobbema. It would include a pro-active role in developing or even finding crime prevention programs to assist the RCMP in meeting policing standards in any given community. This would not allow for the Solicitor General to issue a statement of “If they come up with an idea for crime prevention, then we’re more than happy to hear about it.”
You better be more than happy to hear about it! Perhaps we should be giving the salaries of the Public Security Division over to Hobbema RCMP detachment. They appear to be doing the P.S.D.’s job! The situation in Hobbema is clearly the P.S.D.’s responsibility to study, investigate, analyse and to develop, implement and carry out a solution to correct the problem. It is the responsibility of the P.S.D. to, through pro-active solutions, restore good order in the community. Anything less amounts to a failure to carry out the statutory obligation imposed by the Police Act and by the Constitution in placing the administration of justice with the Province, as it addresses the division of powers. I truly hope that the Solicitor General is not satisfied with the level of performance we now see in the Public Security Division.
This level of performance by the P.S.D. has also been demonstrated in the past two years as we witnessed small communities entering in appended agreements with the RCMP under the title of ‘Enhanced Policing’. One example was the Town of Millet funneling tax dollars to the RCMP for an additional Constable to patrol the streets. Like many communities, Millet has a concern regarding preventative patrols and response to several issues arising in their community.
To combat this, last year the Millet Town Council had entered in a three year agreement with the RCMP to provide an additional police officer for public safety. This should have at least raised the hackles of the towns folk, but since the Solicitor General’s Public Security Division had no issue with it, why not?
Once again I say nay nay. Why should the Town of Millet be put into a position of paying additional tax dollars for policing? Section 4(1)(b) of the Police Act states “As part of providing provincial policing services generally, every town, village and summer village that has a population that is not greater than 5000, shall, receive general policing services provided by the provincial police service at no direct cost to the town, village, summer village, municipal district or Métis settlement” Does the term ‘general policing services’ imply inadequate or ineffective? Thankfully, the Town of Millet approved to withdraw from this agreement in their last council meeting.
The tax payers of Alberta has been for too long allowing our public servants like the Solicitor General’s Public Security Division to function at a level that does not prevent victims, over-burdens law enforcers, and cost tax dollars that by law should not be required. It’s time the Solicitor General put people in position that have the abilities to carry out their duties and an understanding of their responsibilities to the citizens of Alberta.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
A Beer Hall Putsch
“History is being made,” is a point made by one blogger. The NDP and Liberals have agreed to form a coalition government that will include the Bloc in order to take over the reigns of government from the ‘evil’ hands of Stephan Harper. It has only been a month since the election, which gave the conservative government 19 additional seats. The left-winger is cringing their hands in anticipation of their favourite people Stephan Dion and Jack Layton spooning their way into power. Knowing full well that the country does not endorse Dion, they opened the political crypt and dusted off Ed Broadbent and John Chrétien to show the people they have leadership.
The average Canadian is watching in disbelief as the coalition of losers has plotted to overthrow the government. What is taking place is by definition a Coup d’etat, “a sudden and decisive change of government illegally or by force.” The rest of the world, if they are watching, is seeing political instability in Canada that will affect foreign investment, a move that is at best ill advised in the light of global financial instability. Canada, until the lefties started to plan this putsch, has the strongest economy of all the G7 nations.
How does Harper get such a bad reputation in the east?
The liberal media, so prevalent in the east, rarely gives a right-wing government room to grow. One of the best examples is a Globe and Mail piece written last week by columnist Scott Reid. In his editorial he refers to Harper as, “Stephen Harper is the most dangerous animal lurking in the jungles of Parliament. He doesn’t play to win. He plays to conquer. Under his guidance, the public interest is always subjugated to his personal political advancement. And he poisons Parliament with an extreme, bare-fanged breed of partisanship that has no hope of repair until he is banished.” Reid goes onto addressing the upcoming coalition directing them to. “Their imperative could not be clearer: kill him. Kill him dead. Do not, whatever you do, provide him with an opportunity to extend his hold on power. Because you can be damn certain he will never again be so reckless as to give you a chance to finish him off.”
These are direct quotes from an editorial entitled, “Why the opposition can’t back down now” The real scary thing is that Mr. Reid is typical of liberal minded folks of the east. Bloggers, chat rooms and the like are chock full of liberals using similar language when expressing their view of the conservative government.
But lets us call the coalition what it is. This is a selfish move to grab power. It is a slap in the face of the democratic procedure of elections. It is a way for the leaders of the NDP and Liberals to set aside the wishes of Canadians and exchange that for the power ambitions of both Layton and Dion.
If this coalition succeeds in taking power we will have Dion as the Prime Minister, Layton as the Minister of Finance with the likes of Broadbent and Chrétien as advisors. The NDP have never held power, in Canada because the people do not want the socialist policies of that party. The Liberals lost the confidence of the people in the last election because they proved that they do not have the leadership to steer the country. The generous increase of electoral seats for the Conservatives was a tip-of-the-hat to Harper and the Conservatives that Canadians are showing more confidence in a leader that has not spoken from both sides of his mouth.
Some nay sayers will point out that the coalition came about as a lack of confidence in Harper as a result of him abandoning a proposal to end public subsidies to political parties, a subsidy that is only designed to pad a political parties ability to sway the masses using tax dollars.
The CBC reported on the night of the election when it became obvious that the Conservatives would be forming another minority government, that the NDP and Liberals will be forming a coalition. This showed that the ambitions of Dion and Layton are put ahead of the interest of our country. It is obvious to the clear thinker that the Liberals take the title, “Naturally Governing Party,” to heart as this Coup d’etat was planned from the offset and they were only looking for an opening.
The Globe and Mail columnist Scott Reid was the former communications director for liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin. His editorial is a window into the mind of the coalition. He stated, “The coalition must be ruthless. Be quick to signal that if Mr. Dion can’t win the confidence of his own party, or the country, an alternative will be identified before the vote in the House. This is a rare moment in political history. A prime minister has been foolish enough to sacrifice control over his destiny to others.”
That type of language was heard in 1923, “You can see that what motivates us is neither self-conceit or self-interest, but only a burning desire to join the battle in this grave eleventh hour for our German Fatherland ... One last thing I can tell you. Either the German revolution begins tonight and the morrow will find us in Germany a true nationalist government, or it will find us dead by dawn!” (Adolf Hitler, The Beer Hall Putsch.)
Harpers only fault in this debacle is giving the opposition as much rope as they need.
The average Canadian is watching in disbelief as the coalition of losers has plotted to overthrow the government. What is taking place is by definition a Coup d’etat, “a sudden and decisive change of government illegally or by force.” The rest of the world, if they are watching, is seeing political instability in Canada that will affect foreign investment, a move that is at best ill advised in the light of global financial instability. Canada, until the lefties started to plan this putsch, has the strongest economy of all the G7 nations.
How does Harper get such a bad reputation in the east?
The liberal media, so prevalent in the east, rarely gives a right-wing government room to grow. One of the best examples is a Globe and Mail piece written last week by columnist Scott Reid. In his editorial he refers to Harper as, “Stephen Harper is the most dangerous animal lurking in the jungles of Parliament. He doesn’t play to win. He plays to conquer. Under his guidance, the public interest is always subjugated to his personal political advancement. And he poisons Parliament with an extreme, bare-fanged breed of partisanship that has no hope of repair until he is banished.” Reid goes onto addressing the upcoming coalition directing them to. “Their imperative could not be clearer: kill him. Kill him dead. Do not, whatever you do, provide him with an opportunity to extend his hold on power. Because you can be damn certain he will never again be so reckless as to give you a chance to finish him off.”
These are direct quotes from an editorial entitled, “Why the opposition can’t back down now” The real scary thing is that Mr. Reid is typical of liberal minded folks of the east. Bloggers, chat rooms and the like are chock full of liberals using similar language when expressing their view of the conservative government.
But lets us call the coalition what it is. This is a selfish move to grab power. It is a slap in the face of the democratic procedure of elections. It is a way for the leaders of the NDP and Liberals to set aside the wishes of Canadians and exchange that for the power ambitions of both Layton and Dion.
If this coalition succeeds in taking power we will have Dion as the Prime Minister, Layton as the Minister of Finance with the likes of Broadbent and Chrétien as advisors. The NDP have never held power, in Canada because the people do not want the socialist policies of that party. The Liberals lost the confidence of the people in the last election because they proved that they do not have the leadership to steer the country. The generous increase of electoral seats for the Conservatives was a tip-of-the-hat to Harper and the Conservatives that Canadians are showing more confidence in a leader that has not spoken from both sides of his mouth.
Some nay sayers will point out that the coalition came about as a lack of confidence in Harper as a result of him abandoning a proposal to end public subsidies to political parties, a subsidy that is only designed to pad a political parties ability to sway the masses using tax dollars.
The CBC reported on the night of the election when it became obvious that the Conservatives would be forming another minority government, that the NDP and Liberals will be forming a coalition. This showed that the ambitions of Dion and Layton are put ahead of the interest of our country. It is obvious to the clear thinker that the Liberals take the title, “Naturally Governing Party,” to heart as this Coup d’etat was planned from the offset and they were only looking for an opening.
The Globe and Mail columnist Scott Reid was the former communications director for liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin. His editorial is a window into the mind of the coalition. He stated, “The coalition must be ruthless. Be quick to signal that if Mr. Dion can’t win the confidence of his own party, or the country, an alternative will be identified before the vote in the House. This is a rare moment in political history. A prime minister has been foolish enough to sacrifice control over his destiny to others.”
That type of language was heard in 1923, “You can see that what motivates us is neither self-conceit or self-interest, but only a burning desire to join the battle in this grave eleventh hour for our German Fatherland ... One last thing I can tell you. Either the German revolution begins tonight and the morrow will find us in Germany a true nationalist government, or it will find us dead by dawn!” (Adolf Hitler, The Beer Hall Putsch.)
Harpers only fault in this debacle is giving the opposition as much rope as they need.
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