The state of science in Canada

CBC reported on the lack of science funding in the latest Canadian federal budget (announced on January 27, 2009). This also included a lack of new funding to Genome Canada (a not-for-profit). As a result, many of our brightest and best medical researchers will leave us and make their wonderful discoveries elsewhere! We need our best scientists to stay in Canada. And we also need to attract world-wide scientists to come to Canada to part-take in our research industries!

CBC also covered the call of scientists to end the politicization of science. They pointed to many dangerous political decisions made "including the closure of the office of the National Science Adviser, the firing of the head of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and what it calls "political appointments" to the board of Assisted Human Reproduction Canada."

When will Harper get it, that funding science is vital to the success of our nation? This should NOT be a partisan issue! Every political party should understand the importance of science!

Now...

Now on CNN, still with 100% precincts reporting, it looks like Franken lost the Minnesota Senate seat to Coleman by 465 votes.

Looks like Al Franken lost by 572 votes

On CNN, with 100% precincts reporting, it looks like Franken lost the Minnesota Senate seat to Coleman by 572 votes. I wonder how the recount will go.

BBC Announces Election Results: Obama wins!

Thank you America for making the right choice. Obama wins as the BBC calls the election for Barack Obama! Time to celebrate. Yay!

John Baird is a liar

The CBC reports on one of the many conservative lies caused of course by conservative incompetence:

"Last August, a 131-page document in an envelope marked "Protected B" was found by a passerby on a street in Ottawa's Kanata area and given to the CBC.

The papers provide a risk assessment of an Environment Canada enforcement database that tracks polluters and law-breakers and the steps taken to enforce environmental and wildlife-protection legislation.

At the time, Baird brushed off the lost document saying, "it's neither classified nor secret, and it'll be something that could be available under access to information."

But a CBC request under the Access to Information Act for a copy of the same document found the content heavily redacted.

Ninety-seven of 131 pages had parts deleted that related to the security of the environment database, including its failings and vulnerabilities...

..."Obviously, the minister was downplaying the significance of that document," said Christian Rouillard, an expert on public administration and an associate professor at the University of Ottawa's school of political studies.

"This document is much more valuable or has much greater significance than was suggested by Mr. Baird a few months ago.""

John Baird, the new conservative Minister of Transport, Infrastructure, and Communities (former Environment Minister), definitely lied as the access to information copy of the document had many pages missing and many parts deleted from it. The conservatives need to (1) learn to take care of their documents, (2) admit that they have made errors and make changes when they are caught making mistakes, and (3) they need to find more honest and competent MPs. The incompetence in the Conservative Party of Canada is scary. It's no wonder that Harper wants to muzzle his MPs and be a one-man show!

It's funny that Palin had to be finally told it's a prank!

Here's the full version of the radio conversation where the Masked Avengers prank Sarah Palin:



Here is Montreal's own Masked Avengers being interviewed on The Early Show in America:

Tasers = Deaths

Why are Canadian police services always defending tasers? Are they influenced by heavy lobbying by Taser International? Are they influenced by Taser International sponsoring police functions? Or is this just an ideological stance that the right-wing police services are taking that the accused have enough rights and the police doesn't need to be too concerned about the rights of the people they are arresting?

The latest incident involved the Calgary police tasering an unarmed B.C man to death over the November 1st/2nd weekend.

Here's what it says about tasers on CBC News - In Depth - Tasers - Taser FAQs:

"Amnesty International says more than 290 people in North America have died after Taser shocks since 2001. In November 2007, the UN Committee Against Torture released a statement saying "use of TaserX26 weapons, provoking extreme pain, constituted a form of torture, and that in certain cases it could also cause death.""

At the very least, TASERS SHOULD NOT BE USED ON UNARMED INDIVIDUALS! Take tasers seriously! Tasers kill people! I believe the police should stop using tasers altogether. But at the very least, two police officers should be able to arrest any single unarmed individual without the use of tasers or they should think hard about a career change!