Why Has Our Atomic Energy Been Sold to a War Profiteer?

SNC Lavelin is in the news a lot.

As one of the primo war profiteers, they are often the object of protests. They have been involved in scandal and yet have been granted contracts to help rebuild and provide private security in Afghanistan.

They have been tainting our water and further destroying our reputation abroad.

They built the notorious fence at the G-20 in Toronto, going way over budget.

And while much of the developed world has been critical of Libya's detention centres, SNC Lavelin is building them.

So why were they just gifted our atomic energy for a mere $15 million?

And they are going to apply their wonderful "business ethics" to turn Canada's nuclear energy into a profit making machine.

Forget that there are 800 jobs at risk. Good paying union jobs, that are the backbone of our economy.

And forget that this sale and new goal to make money, will no doubt increase our energy costs.

Isn't it all about making the wealthy wealthier?

I imagine SNC Lavelin is browsing the Harper Garage sale, as we speak, where everything not nailed down (and even stuff bolted to the floor) will be on the market. Cheap. Real cheap.

I mean Tony Clement sold them a highway when he was with the Mike Harris government.

Lock up your daughters and hide your sons, folks, or they'll slap a sticker on them.

Nothing is sacred in Harperland.

I Stand Corrected on Tony Clement

I'm still unable to leave comments on my blog, or even respond to them, but several of my readers provided some vital insight into Clement's spending orgy.

One dealt with bicycle racks, which are indeed part of infrastructure spending. However, they should have been receipted as such, not funded from a border security/congestion, G-8 summit account. And of course, they should have been "receipted".

Another legitimate dispute was my comment that Clement's riding is one of the richest in the country. I was basing that on the resorts and the cottages of the rich and famous. But Sara said: "Parry Sound-Muskoka is actually one of the poorest ridings in the country. When you look at the people who live here year round (like me) 40% of the families here earn less than $30,000 per year."

Just imagine how $50 million could have helped those people. But now Clement has "used up" all federal funding, putting them at the back of the line ... again!

A third comment that needs is addressing, is my suggestion that if this happened in the in the private sector, Clement could be facing jail time for embezzlement.

But Leslie reminded me of something I should have known, because I've written on it before.

A friend suggested that I read the book Swindlers: Cons and Cheats and How to Protect Your Investments From Them, By Al Rosen and Mark Rosen.

So I did, and what an eye opener.

Something that is getting little (as in NO) media coverage is the fact that Jim Flaherty and Stephen Harper have signed onto a new set of accounting rules, known as the International Financial Reporting Standards, which according to Al Rosen, a forensic accountant who, for 15 years acted as a technical advisor to three Auditor's General of Canada, allows corporations to legally misrepresent their financial picture, to lure unsuspecting investors.

A recent survey revealed that just 42% of Canadian portfolio managers know that Canada is preparing to switch to International Financial Reporting Standards starting in 2011. It’s a good bet that even fewer retail investors are aware of the change, despite the significant impact it will have on investment values. The transition to IFRS represents the biggest upheaval in financial reporting the country has ever seen ....

And for those who feel that this will only affect those with money to invest in stocks, guess again.

This could mean your pension funds being invested in corporations who can now legally lie about the state of their finances and potential growth.

So Leslie is right. Clement would not be facing jail time, because his cohorts have made lying and cheating legal. Just don't lie while holding a single marijuana plant. That will put you behind bars.

I'm doing a separate posting on France's hosting of the summit, another important point.

Thanks guys. My readers are so smart.

Conservative John Duncan Decries Corruption on Reserves -- I mean Duncan Involved in Corruption on Reserves

Murray Dobbin has an excellent piece on Rabble: John Duncan: Another Conservative hypocrite

In it he reminds us that in 1995, then a Reformer, Duncan raised holy hell because of an incident on a Metis reserve, he claimed was supported by the Liberals, despite the fact that they had already dealt with four years prior.

Duncan denounced the Metis group as "a haven for patronage, cronyism and grossly irresponsible spending."

Now Duncan is front and centre in the Bruce Carson scandal, that involves "patronage, cronyism and grossly irresponsible spending". Do as we say not as we do.

Harper refused to discuss Carson during the debates, and I can see why.

Rhona Ambrose to Appear on Yuks Yuks. Glad She's Got a Fallback Career

If you missed her performance, or lack thereof, when she was the 'minister of spending money to take our minds of their lack of environmental policies', you can make up for it with Ambrose's new comedy act.

Her best punchline: "our government’s commitment to openness, transparency and accountability.” Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha ....

She cracks me up.

Yep. With all the bluster she could muster, she's called in the RCMP. Not to investigate forged receipts to get money her party wasn't entitled to, or the 50 alleged frauds that the former, half million dollar richer, ethics czar swept under the rug.

No. It's to investigate a former staffer for secrecy.

In other words for doing his job, because we know that anyone in the 'Harper' government who speaks, is sent to the gallows.

Keep 'em comin' Rhona. I need a good laugh.

But maybe you could explain why your open and transparent government is raising the fee for access to information requests from $ 5.00 to $ 25.00, simply because too many people were unravelling your secrets.

What a farce. Why would any newspaper print this drivel?

Stephen Harper Trying to Buy the Election With OUR Money

After spending millions and millions and millions and millions, of tax dollars for self-promotion ads, the 'Harper' government has decided that they may be able to squeeze a few more dollars from the public purse, to buy an election.

And if that means giving exorbitant amounts to snowmobile clubs, as a good use of your money, then so be it.

The federal government handed out yet another cheque Monday to a Quebec snowmobiling club, the latest in more than $6 million of federal funding announcements that have gone to snowmobile clubs in that province since the last
federal election. Natural Resources Minister Christian Paradis presented a cheque for $70,000 Monday to the Club motoneige Beauce-Frontenac -- located in his riding -- for the purchase of a new snowmobile trail-grooming machine. The same club got $90,000 last year from Paradis for a trail-grooming machine.

Not a dime to fight poverty, or create decent jobs. But thousands for a snow making, "trail-grooming" machine.

Still not convinced that this government has to go?

Montreal Simon gives us plenty of reason.