The Harper government is signalling its intention to use hate crime laws against Canadian advocacy groups that encourage boycotts of Israel, Neil Macdonald reports. Such a move could target a range of civil organizations, from churches to labour unions.
"uwish" said this is more than a bit silly, it's down right ignorant.
It's possibly unconstitutional. It's my right to not patronize institutions that I see as morally wrong. It's also my right to utter my reasons for doing so.
But somehow it makes a difference if I feel I don't need to buy a particular product because it comes from a dictatorial regime, or uses child labour, or comes from a particular country?
Whether you support Israel or not, this should be offensive to any Canadian. The government has no right to apply these laws in this manner.
"DrCaleb" said It used to be my right to not patronize institutions that I see as morally wrong. It also used to be my right to utter my reasons for doing so.
Stupid....If people were saying that they are boycotting Israeli products because they are made by dirty Jews they might gave a leg to stand in. Boycotting a product from a country because you disagree with its government policies is an acceptable form of protest. It's been used before against other nations.
"Zipperfish" said It used to be my right to not patronize institutions that I see as morally wrong. It also used to be my right to utter my reasons for doing so.
FTFY.
Nope. Until I'm dragged off to Chairman Harpers' political rehabilitation camp and fishing lodge, I will continue to have those rights. I only have the rights I fight to keep, no one gives them to me.
"ShepherdsDog" said Stupid....If people were saying that they are boycotting Israeli products because they are made by dirty Jews they might gave a leg to stand in. Boycotting a product from a country because you disagree with its government policies is an acceptable form of protest. It's been used before against other nations.
Imagine if being against 'buying cheap Asian sweatshop made crap' was racist and a hate crime.
Holy fark. The Reformacons are out of control. Another law that will be struck down by the Supremes. But who cares, it feeds red meat to the base about activist judges. Two birds with one stone. If Canadians continue to elect these yo yos, they really had better look in the mirror.
"ShepherdsDog" said Stupid....If people were saying that they are boycotting Israeli products because they are made by dirty Jews they might gave a leg to stand in. Boycotting a product from a country because you disagree with its government policies is an acceptable form of protest. It's been used before against other nations.
If someone wants to boycott Jewish products then why not?
I only ask that they be consistent and boycott Jewish improvement and innovation in medicine, technology, entertainment, finance, travel, communications, physics, science, agriculture, and etc.
"DrCaleb" said If Canadians continue to elect these yo yos, they really had better look in the mirror.
I heard that somewhere before. Hmmm.
I don't live in Alberta, so I don't know all the context, but I agreed with Prentice - if you keep electing the same government for 40 years, surely voters bear responsibility for what that government got up to. And same with the feds, if we're willing to sit by while the Reformacons destroy democracy, because they gave us a tax break or two, well then we're just doing it to ourselves.
"andyt" said If Canadians continue to elect these yo yos, they really had better look in the mirror.
I heard that somewhere before. Hmmm.
I don't live in Alberta, so I don't know all the context, but I agreed with Prentice - if you keep electing the same government for 40 years, surely voters bear responsibility for what that government got up to. And same with the feds, if we're willing to sit by while the Reformacons destroy democracy, because they gave us a tax break or two, well then we're just doing it to ourselves.
And Albertans recently showed Prentice exactly what happens when the Government does the exact opposite of what the people elected them to do. Harper forgets what province elected him and many of his cabinet.
And Albertans recently showed Prentice exactly what happens when the Government does the exact opposite of what the people elected them to do. Harper forgets what province elected him and many of his cabinet.
Guess we'll get spanked for going off topic, but: What I meant about not knowing the context is that I don't understand what got Albertans so riled up about somebody speaking the truth. I know it's dirty pool for a politician to do so, but we all say it's what we want. As I said, keep electing the same government, it means you agree with their policies. The ones that got you into the mess in the first place.
Not sure what Albertans elected him to do that he didn't, or not do that he did. Either way it was going to be a brutal budget, with lots of pain. Notley will have to do same unless she's willing to run a huge deficit - then people will say they didn't elect her to do that, while gladly taking the goodies that the deficit brings. Alberta isn't any different than voters in other provinces here, just a more extreme example.
In fact the designation of hate crimes as silly in general would apply IMHO.
Sounds more like people in the media and government just playing politics at present though.
There's been no actual charges.
this is more than a bit silly, it's down right ignorant.
It's possibly unconstitutional. It's my right to not patronize institutions that I see as morally wrong. It's also my right to utter my reasons for doing so.
But somehow it makes a difference if I feel I don't need to buy a particular product because it comes from a dictatorial regime, or uses child labour, or comes from a particular country?
Whether you support Israel or not, this should be offensive to any Canadian. The government has no right to apply these laws in this manner.
this is more than a bit silly, it's down right ignorant.
I support Israel and I think this is an insult to liberty.
But once you let a government start deciding for you what you can and can't say then this is what happens.
It used to be my right to not patronize institutions that I see as morally wrong. It also used to be my right to utter my reasons for doing so.
FTFY.
It used to be my right to not patronize institutions that I see as morally wrong. It also used to be my right to utter my reasons for doing so.
FTFY.
Nope. Until I'm dragged off to Chairman Harpers' political rehabilitation camp and fishing lodge, I will continue to have those rights. I only have the rights I fight to keep, no one gives them to me.
Stupid....If people were saying that they are boycotting Israeli products because they are made by dirty Jews they might gave a leg to stand in. Boycotting a product from a country because you disagree with its government policies is an acceptable form of protest. It's been used before against other nations.
Imagine if being against 'buying cheap Asian sweatshop made crap' was racist and a hate crime.
Stupid....If people were saying that they are boycotting Israeli products because they are made by dirty Jews they might gave a leg to stand in. Boycotting a product from a country because you disagree with its government policies is an acceptable form of protest. It's been used before against other nations.
If someone wants to boycott Jewish products then why not?
I only ask that they be consistent and boycott Jewish improvement and innovation in medicine, technology, entertainment, finance, travel, communications, physics, science, agriculture, and etc.
I hope they enjoy living in the dark.
If Canadians continue to elect these yo yos, they really had better look in the mirror.
I heard that somewhere before. Hmmm.
If Canadians continue to elect these yo yos, they really had better look in the mirror.
I heard that somewhere before. Hmmm.
I don't live in Alberta, so I don't know all the context, but I agreed with Prentice - if you keep electing the same government for 40 years, surely voters bear responsibility for what that government got up to. And same with the feds, if we're willing to sit by while the Reformacons destroy democracy, because they gave us a tax break or two, well then we're just doing it to ourselves.
If Canadians continue to elect these yo yos, they really had better look in the mirror.
I heard that somewhere before. Hmmm.
I don't live in Alberta, so I don't know all the context, but I agreed with Prentice - if you keep electing the same government for 40 years, surely voters bear responsibility for what that government got up to. And same with the feds, if we're willing to sit by while the Reformacons destroy democracy, because they gave us a tax break or two, well then we're just doing it to ourselves.
You don't know the context?
viewtopic.php?t=111851
And Albertans recently showed Prentice exactly what happens when the Government does the exact opposite of what the people elected them to do. Harper forgets what province elected him and many of his cabinet.
The buses were found on fire in the early hours of Friday morning in Copenhagen. Another was found covered in anti-Israeli graffiti.
Last week, the city's transit authority ordered the removal of advertisements by a pro-Palestinian group calling for a boycott of Israeli goods.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32664678
Criminalizing boycott speech didn't do much good there.
You don't know the context?
viewtopic.php?t=111851
And Albertans recently showed Prentice exactly what happens when the Government does the exact opposite of what the people elected them to do. Harper forgets what province elected him and many of his cabinet.
Guess we'll get spanked for going off topic, but: What I meant about not knowing the context is that I don't understand what got Albertans so riled up about somebody speaking the truth. I know it's dirty pool for a politician to do so, but we all say it's what we want. As I said, keep electing the same government, it means you agree with their policies. The ones that got you into the mess in the first place.
Not sure what Albertans elected him to do that he didn't, or not do that he did. Either way it was going to be a brutal budget, with lots of pain. Notley will have to do same unless she's willing to run a huge deficit - then people will say they didn't elect her to do that, while gladly taking the goodies that the deficit brings. Alberta isn't any different than voters in other provinces here, just a more extreme example.