COMMENT: ELECTION ISSUE: CANADIANS IDLE NO MORE- that are thousands of children and women being brutalized and harmed and murdered of First Peoples, Metis, Inuit and Non-Status Indians in our Canada... and it must be stopped.... in the year 2015 - SOCIAL SERVICES ACROSS CANADA... should not have to be the caregivers here.....
Canada- this is where the inquiry needs to be.... seriously...
am sick to death of seeing all these children and youth in
isolated places being abused, raped and murdered.... what is going on... this
is what the election should be about...imho
Dozens of Winnipeggers First
Nations rally against Child and Family
Services
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/winnipeggers-rally-against-child-family-161547482.html
---------------
OCTOBER 3, 2015: Jean Chretien was right to b impressed by Russia and say so out loud- u never ever ignore Russia and China.... seriously.... get these wars over.... please ...
ain't that
the damm truth.... QUOTE: If it had the wit, the Obama administration would be
not angered, but appropriately humiliated. President Obama has, once again,
been totally outmaneuvered by Vladimir Putin.
Good grief. Russia, with its inferior military and
hemorrhaging economy, had just eaten Carter’s lunch, seizing the initiative and
exposing American powerlessness — and the secretary of defense deplores what?
Russia’s lack of professional etiquette.
Makes you want to weep.
http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/charles-krauthammer-putin-seeks-to-exploit-u-s-weakness-before-end-of-obama-white-house
imho- UNITED NATIONS PLAYBOYS CLUB (as it has
been called for the last 6 years) is the
complete detriment of basic humanity that the United Nations was formed on (the
ashes of the horrific Jewish Holocaust 1945)- from humanity and compassion and
equality for women and children and education for all...it's now stealing
taxpayers $$$ for bank debts/greed and war and hatred and spoilt rich mans
wars...
IN THE MEANTIME.... how
interesting that PUTIN-Russia and XI JINPING-China have a grudging respect for
Canada's PM Stephen Harper (saying at least he's honest) over Obama, Kerry and the '5 NATIONS SO
CALLED NEW RULERS OF OUR PLANET'... interesting.
IDLE NO MORE /Victims over monsters
Canada- We need to fix what's broken in
our Canada along with maintain vigilence over the monsters trolling our planet
and the Gameboy killing machines who seek to wander among us.
Afghanistan rises us above
the ashes of hate and despair with courage, determination being a country of
honour- the diamond of the Middle East and Africas..... imho- and the pure evil
of Pakistan and Iran creeps that UN and USA hug....
--------------
---------------------
QUOTE: It’s about time. At least one major
international gathering should be. In pointing out that the G7 is no United
Nations, Harper is taking a shot at the moral relativism that so sadly
dominates the latter.
Furey: Harper’s stance on
Putin breaks new ground
By Anthony Furey, Postmedia
Network
Friday, June 12, 2015
4:57:38 EDT PM
The more he articulates it,
the more Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s position on Russian President Vladimir
Putin isn’t just sensible, it’s an argument to rethink the entire raison d’etre
of international gatherings.
In March 2014, the G8
assembly of countries became the G7 when they decided to boot Russia out for
its annexation of Crimea. Word on the street is Harper was instrumental in this
outcome.
Last November, the PM made
headlines for telling Putin to “get out of Ukraine” at a G20 meeting.
Then, last Monday Harper
further strengthened his argument against Putin while speaking at the G7 in
Germany. He explained that the annexation of Crimea wasn’t the start of the
problem but the final straw. He wanted Putin tossed from the meeting of major
economies long before.
“The G7 is not the United
Nations. The G7 is not even the G20 – the G7 is a group of countries who share
fundamental values and objectives in the world,” Harper said, as reported by
The Canadian Press.
He continued: “We also share
similar values – deep, progressive and aggressive commitments toward democracy,
freedom, human rights and the rules of law and of course we share security
interests … Mr. Putin fits none of these definitions,
none of them.”
It’s hard to argue with
that, given all we know about Russia’s track record on much of the above.
The G7 roster is Canada,
France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, the United States and the European Union
(and the suspended Russia).
Generally, what brings
countries together for these types of meetings is some sort of regional or
economic similarity. The G7 countries are the wealthiest developed economies in
the world.
In other words, membership
in these clubs is based on numbers or location. But Harper is redefining it as
values based.
It’s about time. At least
one major international gathering should be. In pointing out that the G7 is no
United Nations, Harper is taking a shot at the moral relativism that so sadly
dominates the latter.
A United Nations based on
principles and values wouldn’t let Saudi Arabia and China sit on the Human
Rights Council, as is currently the case.
In opposing Putin’s presence
on the basis of values, Harper is showing leadership in preventing the G7 from
descending into similar meaninglessness.
That’s also what his
seemingly simple “get out of Ukraine” statement accomplished. It showed that if
Canada is sitting at the table with people we consider unsavoury, we’re going
to speak up.
What a novel idea! People
standing up for what they believe in! It’s something Western countries don’t do
enough of at international gatherings.
This is another example of
Canada’s refusal to not “go along to get along,” to use a phrase often repeated
by Harper and former foreign affairs minister John Baird.
This is leadership and it
will be remembered. That conclusion will upset some Canadians who came of age
politically during the Chretien peacekeeping years and have strangely convinced
themselves that Harper is the opposite of cosmopolitan.
I’ve argued before that
Harper’s economic diplomacy – the pending deals with India, South Korea and the
European Union – will have a greater place in his legacy than domestic policy.
Now it’s clear the same goes
for crafting this values-based stance against Putin.
COMMENT:
Furey has a point, and it is
good to see Harper speaking against Putin and Russian actions. The problem,
however, is that we deal regularly with nations that have poor records for
human rights, democracy, etc. Short of leadership that is completely amoral,
there will always be some hypocrisy in foreign relations, so we need to decide
how to divide up the hypocrisy into acceptable and unacceptable. The upcoming election
will be a good time for the liberals and NDP to tell us where they stand.
--------------
While the world's democratic
owned media fawns over Obama and USA and the RICH MAN'S PLAYBOY CLUB CALLED
UNITED NATIONS.... a new world order has
arisen..... and the actual population of this world.... in the billions know
it..... and Canada... we need to be sharp and focused and stay strong....
because actually Russia and China's history speaks for itself.... and Europe is
in ashes.... and the USA political hatred is eating itself into a dead zone....
imho..
Russia, China and India building new multipolar world order
15.01.2015
--------
-----------------
6 Aug
2014 ... In discussing Obama's comments about China and Russia during The ... does
not respect Obama and his second term foreign policy team.”.
-------
russia-insider.com/...obama...russia-doesnt-respect.../ri10059 - Cached
2
hours ago ... Look Who's Talking: Obama Complains Russia Doesn't Respect
International Rules ... seven countries, chastised Russia and China for not abiding by
the rules of ... Yet Obama on Monday was blaming Russia and China for the mess ...
fancy surveillance that can find out almost any detail of your private
life ...
------------
Wesboro Baptist Church- the Jane Fonda and John Kerry of Vietnam
-----------------
---------------
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper pays his respects to
the victims of the 1932-1933 great famine during a visit to the Holodomor
memorial in Kiev on October 25, 2010. Harper is on a three-day official visit
to Ukraine. AFP PHOTO / GENYA SAVILOV
-----------------
May 20, 2015 12:20 pm
The Ottawa Life Magazine Canada-China Friendship series
will focus on the importance of the growing bilateral business relationship in
the areas of energy, transportation services, manufacturing, technology, real
estate, building and development. We will examine ties in education, culture,
global security, government and the Chinese Diaspora in Canada. Contributors to
the series will include Wang Yi, Chinese Foreign Minister, Luo Zhaohui,
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of P.R. China to Canada and the
Embassy of China, several Canadian MPs, Ministers, academics and business
leaders involved in Chinese-Canada enterprises. Here are some facts on the
Canada-China relationship.
China has the world’s second largest economy, representing
14.2 per cent of the world’s wealth in 2015. Canada represents 2.94 per cent of
the global economy. China is Canada’s second largest trading partner and
leading source of both imports and exports. The Chinese have invested $54
billion U.S. dollars into the Canadian economy, 90 per cent of which goes to
one per cent of bilateral trade in the energy sector. Chinese regulators have
approved an initial $8.2 billion U.S. dollar grant to Canadian financial
institutions under the Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor
program. This agreement will further help advance and simplify economic
relations between the Canadian and Chinese governments.
Canada currently ranks sixth on the world’s social
progress index, a system that measures national basic human needs
and foundations of well-being. China is much further down the list, but
improving annually.
In November 2014, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper
and Chinese Chairman Zhang Dejiang met and finalized a twenty-section agreement
to improve bilateral market access of agricultural products, air transport,
trade services, visa applications, economic and environmental sustainability.
The intent of the agreement is to enhance trade, growth in infrastructure, nuclear
energy strategies, environmental purification and to put a priority focus on
jointly fighting corruption. The long-term goal is to have a free trade
agreement between China and Canada. To highlight Canada’s commitment to China,
Prime Minister Harper announced the opening of new trade offices in Hangzhou,
Xi’an, Xiamen and Tianjin to attract investment for Chinese businesses in
Canada. These offices will help drive the export of Canadian machinery,
technology and other products and help maintain Canada as one of the largest
overseas investment destinations for China. The Harper government also supports
the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit goals which begin this year
that will see a bilateral currency swap agreement, an updated free-trade agreement
and the development of environmentally safe maritime energy corridors.
Unresolved issues involving human rights and consular
issues will continue to remain a challenge with the Chinese and Canadian
governments. It is hoped that progress on these fronts can be secured through
universal bilateral objectives. Another stumbling is Canada’s decision not to
sign on as a founding member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
(AIIB). The AIIB seeks to improve roads, railways, and transport opportunities
in China. Twenty one Asian countries and many western countries, including
England, Germany, France, Italy and Israel are signators. The NDP and the
Liberals support the idea of joining AIIB in order to further boost economic
ties. The Harper government is still reticent but has left the door open to
joining at a later date.
As the series opener, Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister Wang
Yi explains Chinese President Xi Jinping’s vision for China to pursue a new
type of international relations, “of win-win cooperation” which builds on the
purposes and principles of the UN Charter.
Written by: Candace
Amis on May 20, 2015.
---------------
CANADA'S AFGHANISTAN WAR MOVIE- HYENA ROAD- OCTOBER 2015- troops thank Paul Gross for doing justice to the troops and Afghanistan and Afghan people - dignity-honour courage....
--------------------
CANADA'S AFGHANISTAN WAR MOVIE- HYENA ROAD- OCTOBER 2015- troops thank Paul Gross for doing justice to the troops and Afghanistan and Afghan people - dignity-honour courage....
--------------------
Afghan forces retake Kunduz
October 1, 2015 8:16 pm
KABUL: Afghan forces retook control of the strategic northern city of
Kunduz on Thursday after a three-day Taliban occupation that dealt a stinging
blow to the country’s NATO-trained military.
The fall of the provincial capital, even temporarily, highlights the
stubborn insurgency’s potential to expand beyond its rural strongholds in the
south of the country.
Afghan forces, hindered by a slow arrival of reinforcements but backed
by limited US air support, struggled to regain control of the city after three
days of heavy fighting.
But on Thursday Afghan forces managed to reach the center of Kunduz
where the streets were littered with Taliban bodies, Kunduz residents told AFP,
adding that fighting was still ongoing in parts of the city.
“(Afghan) Special Forces now control Kunduz City, it is retaken and
being cleared (of) terrorists, heavy causality to the enemy,” interior ministry
spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said on Twitter.
Deputy Interior Minister Ayoub Salangi said the city had been
recaptured after a “special operation” overnight.
Local residents reported deafening overnight bombardments, adding that
the Taliban were still resisting Afghan forces in some parts of the city.
“Afghan soldiers took down the white-and-black Taliban flag in the city
square and hoisted the government flag,” Kunduz resident Abdul Rahman told AFP.
“The Taliban suffered heavy casualties last night. Dead bodies are
scattered on the streets, and their supporters are carrying them out of the
city wrapped in white cloths.”
Security officials said the militants had slowly infiltrated Kunduz
during the recent Eid festival, launching a Trojan horse attack that enabled
them to capture it within hours on Monday.
Marauding insurgents captured government buildings and freed hundreds
of prisoners, raising their trademark flag throughout the city.
The stunning fall of the city sent thousands of panicked residents
fleeing as insurgents erected checkpoints across the city and were seen racing
stolen police, UN and Red Cross vehicles.
The Taliban incursion into Kunduz, barely nine months after the NATO
combat mission concluded, raised troubling questions about the capabilities of
Afghan forces as they battle the militants largely on their own.
The Taliban’s recent gains in Kunduz and neighboring provinces
highlight that a large and strategic patch of northern Afghanistan is imperiled
by a rapidly expanding insurgency.
The fall of the city coincided with the first anniversary of Ashraf
Ghani’s national unity government.
It has renewed questions about Washington’s plan to withdraw most US
troops from Afghanistan next year.
Even after years of training and equipment purchases — on which
Washington spent $65 billion — Afghan forces have been unable to rein in the
ascendant insurgency.
The Islamist group has been largely absent from cities since being
driven from power by the United States and its allies, but has maintained often
brutal rule over swathes of the countryside.
The Taliban stepped up attacks during a summer offensive launched in
late April against the Western-backed government in Kabul.
After years of costly involvement, most NATO troops pulled back from
the front lines by the end of 2014, although a residual force of around 13,000
remains for training and counter-terrorism operations.
-----------
Afghan forces kill 150 Taliban militants
October 1, 2015 - 3:13 PM
Afghan officials say 150 Taliban militants have been killed and dozens
of others wounded in an operation aimed at retaking northern Kunduz Province’s
capital city.
Afghan officials say 150 Taliban militants have been killed and dozens
of others wounded in an operation aimed at retaking northern Kunduz Province’s
capital city.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement released on
Thursday that 90 militants had also been injured in the fight for the city of
Kunduz, which is located 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of the country’s capital,
Kabul.
According to the statement, there were no civilian casualties in the
operation.
Afghan Special Forces earlier said they had recaptured the city from
the militants.
Taliban militants seized Kunduz on September 28, taking over government
buildings, a hospital, and also releasing some 600 prisoners at a detention
center, including Taliban commanders.
The recapturing of the strategic city was significant for Afghan troops
as Kunduz Province lies on a crossroads that connects some key regions of the
country.
The city has been witnessing battles between security forces and
militants since April.
Ongoing violence in Afghanistan comes 14 years after the US and its
allies invaded the country as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror.
Although the Taliban were removed from power because of the invasion, many
areas in the country are still threatened by insecurity.
------------
F**KING PAKISTAN AND IRAN......trying to hijack our beloved
Afghanistan.....
Taliban shadow governor killed in Kunduz with senior Pakistani militant
Taliban group’s shadow governor for northern Kunduz province was killed
in an airstrike in northern Kunduz province of Afghanistan, the Afghan
intelligence said.
The National Directorate of Security (NDS) said the airstrike was
coordinated by the intelligence operatives while the militants were looking to
infiltrate the airport in Kunduz city.
NDS spokesman Haseeb Sediqi said Maulavi Salam was killed along with
his 15 fighters and a member of Lashkar-e-Taiba who was identified as Haris and
was hailing from Punjab province of Pakistan.
He said the airstrike was carried out in the vicinity of the airport
around 9:00 pm local time.
According to Sediqi the death of Maulavi Salam is a major to the
Taliban group as he was actively coordinating the attack in Kunduz city.
Heavy clashes were reported near the airport in Kunduz city earlier
tonight after the Taliban militants launched an attack to infiltrate inside the
airport.
The control of the airport is with the Afghan security forces despite
the city of Kunduz was seized by the Taliban militants last night following
heavy clashes.
By Khaama Press - Wed Sep 30 2015, 12:09 am
and...
QUOTE:
Al-Qaeda’s presence in Pakistan, where the bulk of the
group’s core leadership and many of its fighters fled from Afghanistan in 2001,
is even stronger. According to Zahid Hussain, one of Pakistan’s
most noted security specialists, drone strikes have killed many of its leaders,
but have had “little effect on the group’s operations.” Analysts have speculated (though never proven conclusively)
that al-Qaeda was behind three attacks on Pakistani nuclear facilities in 2007
and 2008, and that the group helped orchestrate a massive jail break last summer in northwestern Pakistan
that freed Taliban militants. Hussain also believes that the group has gained a
steady stream of new recruits from Pakistan’s urban middle class. This makes
sense, given two troubling discoveries allegedly made by Pakistani police last
year: one, an al-Qaeda cell at Punjab University in
Lahore, and the other, an al-Qaeda safe house in Islamabad
(admittedly, this latter discovery was not widely reported, suggesting it may
be a fabrication).
Additionally, even as al-Qaeda’s centers of gravity have
shifted to the Middle East and Africa, it has maintained—if not intensified—a
strikingly Pakistani identity. As Stephen Tankel pointed out in a War on the Rocks piece
last year, Urdu (a major language in Pakistan) has become the “predominant”
language of al-Qaeda propaganda material, and Pakistan is the subject of many
al-Qaeda videos.
Given this “Pakistanization” of al-Qaeda (the term is
Tankel’s), it’s wholly unsurprising that so many Pakistani and Afghan militant
groups have connections to the group. Lashkar-e-Taiba, the organization
responsible for the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, offers a case in point.
Documents found in Bin Laden’s Abbottabad compound reveal that Lashkar-e-Taiba leader Hafiz Saeed
enjoyed long-standing ties to Bin Laden—and that the latter even helped plan
the Mumbai attacks. When high-ranking al-Qaeda operative Abu Zubayda was
discovered in Pakistan in 2002, he was staying at a Lashkar-e-Taiba safehouse.
----------------
Afghan forces recapture Kunduz with help of foreign troops
By Najeebullah Hazem and Subel Bhandari
Kabul (dpa) - All government buildings captured in Kunduz by the
Taliban have been retaken by Afghan security forces following a joint
operation, officials said.
"We have recaptured Kunduz city," an official said, speaking
to dpa by phone from the governor's building previously under Taliban control.
"There is some sporadic firing in some areas of the city, because
some of the Taliban have hidden in civilian houses," he added.
The Taliban overran Kunduz, a city of 300,000 people, after a surprise
assault on Monday involving hundreds of fighters, pushing government forces
back to the local airport.
Most of the government forces and officials were besieged on the
airport's hill as the insurgents launched further assaults and ambushed
reinforcements sent from the capital.
Danishi says some 600-700 Afghan security forces participated in the
joint operation, killing 136 Taliban, among them two Pakistanis and 10 Arabs
and Chechens.
He also said foreign forces participated in the ground combat operation
and supported the Afghan troops with airstrikes.
"The foreign soldiers are still with us in the city," he
said.
He said he could not confirm the number of casualties on Afghan forces,
"but I am pretty sure it is in the low figures because it was a
well-planned and well-executed operation."
Essa Khan, a resident of Kunduz near the airport base, said he saw the
Americans leading the frontlines.
"They find the Taliban hideouts, and ask for an airstrike. The
Afghan ground forces are fighting alongside the US troops," Khan said.
He added that the city was calm in the afternoon but they could hear
some gunshots every now and then.
"The markets are still closed," Khan said.
Residents of Kunduz reported bodies of rebel fighters as well as
evidence of city-wide looting after the Taliban were pushed out by government
forces.
"There are bodies of the Taliban on the streets... All the
jewellery shops and banks are looted," Shokrullah, a carpet seller, said.
Farhad, a grocery shopkeeper, said he had gone back to his shop after a
four-day absence to find that insurgents had looted all of the goods inside.
"People have been harmed a lot," said Hashmatullah Rasikh, a
civil society activist in Kunduz. "Their homes were looted or burnt."
Rasikh added that many people were starting to emerge from their homes
after taking shelter from the violence for four days.
US special forces and NATO coalition advisors supported the Afghan
troops in the retaking of the city from the militants, an Afghan official said
Thursday on condition of anonymity.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the insurgents made a
tactical retreat from Kunduz because of the foreign involvement.
"Last night we retreated because the foreign forces engaged in the
fighting," Mujahid said. "We left the city for a few hours today ...
Now we have starting attacking the city again and will advance to the
airport."
In a live television conference, Afghan parliamentary speaker and
Kunduz native Abdul Rauf Ibrahmi said that the fighting was ongoing in parts of
the city.
"There is no water, no power, shops are all closed, hospitals are
not functioning," Ibrahmi said.
"We urge the president to continue the operation in villages and
districts of Kunduz so that the terrorists and Taliban are totally cleared from
there," said Ibrahimi.
Local television showed Afghans coming out to the streets, and the
Taliban white flag was replaced with the Afghan flag at the center of the city.
Kunduz was the first major city to be taken by the Taliban in the 14
years of conflict following their ouster in a 2001 US-led invasion. The city's
fall highlights the Islamist movement's ability to mount large operations away
from its rural strongholds.
---------------
NEW ZEALAND
Afghan troops have recaptured the Kunduz city centre from the Taliban
after three days of fighting. But fighting continues in other parts of the
city.
Source: Reuters
1 Oct 2015 - 8:24 PM UPDATED 2
HOURS AGO
Afghan troops recaptured the center of the strategic northern city of
Kunduz on Thursday after fierce clashes with Taliban militants, three days
after losing the provincial capital in a humbling defeat for Kabul and its U.S.
allies.
But fighting continued in other parts of the city, whose brief capture
represented a major victory for the insurgents and raised questions over
whether NATO-trained Afghan forces were ready to go it alone now that most
foreign combat troops have left.
Residents said soldiers were conducting house-to-house searches and had
removed the Taliban flag from the central square, replacing it with government
colors.
"There are military helicopters in the sky and government forces
everywhere," said Abdul Ahad, a doctor in the city. "Dead Taliban are
on the streets, but there are still (militants) in some government buildings
fighting Afghan forces."A Taliban spokesman denied the government had
retaken all of Kunduz and said insurgent fighters had withdrawn to the edges of
the city to avoid being encircled by Afghan and U.S. forces.
Smoke was billowing from buildings on the city's outskirts on Thursday
afternoon.
"The Taliban are still resisting in the city," resident Wali
Mohammed said.
Dawlat Waziri, spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, said the Taliban
had left Kunduz city and a clearance operation was underway. A ministry
statement said 150 Taliban had been killed and 90 wounded in the overnight
offensive.
At least 30 people, mostly civilians, had been killed in the fighting
as of Wednesday, according to a tweet from health ministry spokesman Wahidullah
Mayar. He also said hospitals in Kunduz had treated about 340 injured.
Residents still in hiding
Terrified residents said there was heavy fighting overnight as the
Afghan forces moved in.
"There were very heavy air strikes during the night. Those strikes
prompted the Taliban to escape," Kunduz resident Abdul Qadir Anwari said
on Thursday morning.
"Right now Afghan security forces are on the streets and fighting
with the Taliban in some areas outside the city. Shops are still closed and
people aren't leaving their houses."
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said fighting continued on
Thursday."It was our tactic to vacate the city to allow enemy troops enter
so we could encircle them," he said.
A spokesman for the Western coalition did not comment directly on what
role its troops played in the overnight offensive, if any, saying that they
were "involved in Kunduz" in an advisory role.
"Our service members retain the right to protect themselves, if
necessary, while performing their advise-and-assist mission," spokesman
Col. Brian Tribus added.
On Wednesday, a group of coalition special forces, including U.S.
troops, engaged the Taliban in a ground clash, Tribus had said earlier.
He confirmed there had been five U.S. air strikes against Taliban
positions near the city and airport since fighting broke out on Monday "to
eliminate threats to coalition and Afghan forces."
The Taliban, who ruled Afghanistan with a harsh interpretation of
Islamic law for five years, have been fighting to re-establish their Islamist
rule after being toppled from power by a U.S.-led intervention in 2001.
The once-quiet north of Afghanistan has seen escalating violence in
recent years as the insurgency sought to gain territory, and swathes of Kunduz
province have repeatedly come under siege this year.
Yet the Taliban's pre-dawn assault on Kunduz on Monday caught the
Afghan police and army by surprise, handing the group arguably its largest
victory in 14 years of war.
The three days it took to bring a major city back under government
control may have political consequences for President Ashraf Ghani, whose first
year in office has been clouded by infighting and escalating violence around
the country.
Fierce struggle
The city's capture by the Taliban was a blow to the narrative that the
NATO-trained Afghan police and army were steadily improving and able to prevent
the Taliban from taking over and holding significant territory.
Training the 350,000-strong Afghan National Security Forces has been
the heart of the U.S. plan to end involvement in its longest war. NATO forces
officially wound up their combat role last year, leaving behind a training and
advising force of several thousand.
Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah told Reuters on Wednesday that the
crisis in Kunduz demonstrated the need for foreign troops to stay in the
country.
"As far as I understand, the view of all those (U.S.) Army
generals and officers on the ground ... in Afghanistan, as well as our own
security and military leadership, is that maintaining a level of force beyond
2016 is necessary," he said in New York.
While Afghan forces celebrated, some warned that the Taliban's retreat
could be temporary, especially because the insurgents looted banks and seized
military equipment during their three-day occupation.
"There are huge amounts of cash floating around, weapons and
ammunition," said Ted Callahan, a Western security analyst. "They
have moved stockpiles (to outlying districts) because they knew they wouldn't
hold the city for long."
(Additional reporting by Mirwais
Harooni, Jessica Donati and Kay Johnson in Kabuland Jibran Ahmed in Peshawar,
Pakistan; Writing by Kay Johnson and Andrew MacAskill; Editing by Raju
Gopalakrishnan and Mike Collett-White)
-------------
ALL CANADA POLITICIANS , CANADIANS, AND FIRST PEOPLES ARE LETTING DOWN BELOVED families of the first peoples- who are Canada's royalty..... in Canada we understand the significance of our First Peoples and our First Immigrants who built this country from scratch..... it's time we do more...
IDLE NO MORE- Canada -MacLean's
A real nation would not let this happen
We care
more about postal service, child care and tax credits for the suburban middle
class than we do Aboriginal issues. What kind of a nation are we?
Scott Gilmore
September 30, 2015
As this goes to print, the election campaign has run for 60 days.
That’s eight weeks, four debates, dozens of rallies, hundreds of speeches, and
countless promises.
Politicians have run from coast to coast and back again, handing out
prizes to you and you and you. Stephen Harper has promised dairy farmers he
will maintain the supply management system, for the Northwest Territories it
was a paved highway, and for sports fishermen in British Columbia it was money
to protect salmon. In Newfoundland, Tom Mulcair vowed he would reopen a Coast
Guard centre, in Kamloops, B.C., it was money for community sports, in Niagara
Falls, Ont., it was support for the tourism industry. In Waterloo, Ont., Justin
Trudeau pledged $500 million for skills training, in Quebec it was to cut the
proposed toll on a bridge, and for teachers a $150 tax credit.
The full lists of promises made, money pledged, attention paid, runs
for many pages. Almost every special interest group, economic sector and
demographic has been showered with lavish praise and money. The middle class,
in particular, has done very well since the election began.
Meanwhile, for other Canadians, the last 60 days have been not quite as
fortunate. If it’s a typical eight weeks in Canada, then 1,425 Aboriginal kids
dropped out of school, a rate three times the national average. Since the
campaign began, 45 Aboriginal children died in infancy; they would have lived longer
if they’d been born in Sri Lanka. As Canadian politicians bickered on the
evening news, 1,074 Aboriginal children and 6,265 Aboriginal women were
sexually assaulted. Since the writ dropped, 33,534 Aboriginals were violently
victimized. Another 182 committed suicide, roughly eight times the national
rate. And, if the last two months were anything like the last decade, 11 were
murdered, at a rate almost seven times higher than the national average.
But sure, let’s talk about the niqab instead.
Politicians are pushing each other out of the way as they scramble to
give the hard-pressed suburban middle class the help they need. Meanwhile,
other Canadians living on reserves and in the inner city are disappearing,
assaulting and killing each other and themselves, at a rate typically only seen
in countries that have been torn apart by war.
MAC40_22
But these things are not what we talk about in an election. When we
measure our leaders, we weigh their views on postal delivery. We count their
tax credits. When we choose who governs us, the ballot question is not what can
they do for my country; it is what can they do for me, my wallet, my petty
fears.
Political advisers call this micro-targeting, the direct appeal to
specific, identifiable groups. As voter turnout rates continue to fall, this
strategy has proven very effective at motivating supporters off the couch and
into the voting booth. The stay-at-home mom in Halifax? She hates her rec room,
so you give her a home renovation credit. The bigot in Hamilton? He dislikes
Muslims, so you promise to limit refugees. The dock worker in Vancouver? She
needs a raise, so you pledge fealty to her union.
Related: A deafening silence on Aboriginal issues
The party leaders build their campaigns on these isolated, focused
announcements. Small promises for small men and women, them and us—because this
strategy only works if we respond. And we do.
We respond because we are nothing more than a collection of special
interest groups. We are dairy farmers or oil workers, urban or rural,
francophone or anglophone, Manitobans or Nova Scotians. But we are not a
people, not a nation, not really. If we were, we would not be able to ignore
each other, ignore other Canadians, the way we ignore the Aboriginal community.
We would not allow our politicians to reduce us to Pavlovian demographics,
salivating at the sight of a specially crafted handout. We would be unleashing
a full-throated cry of anger and dismay, that so many fellow Canadians are
growing up alone and lost, that so many of us are living in abject poverty and
then dying miserably.
We would shout down every stump speech about the “struggling” middle
class and demand more for the least fortunate among us. We would scream in
frustration as yet another young Aboriginal is found hanging, unnamed and
unmourned.
But we don’t. We just stand there, heads down, hands out.
I don’t know who to be more ashamed of, our politicians or us.
--------------
Canada’s Role and Influence Internationally
Allison Goody, James Lee
Debates about Canada’s role and relative influence in world affairs are
not new. These issues, however, are arguably more important – and complex –
today in light of global power shifts; intensified competition among states for
access, influence and prosperity; and the struggle of multilateral institutions
to both reflect and deal with these developments.
Understanding Canada’s role and place in the world today requires an
assessment of several dimensions and factors.
Traditional Dimensions
A country’s influence in world affairs has traditionally been gauged by
its economy, military, diplomacy and development assistance.
The Canadian economy is approximately the ninth largest in the world1
and has navigated the global financial and economic crisis that began in 2008
quite well. Like other advanced economies that benefit from trade and foreign
investment, and that are deeply integrated in the world economy, Canada must
ensure that the domestic conditions are in place to sustain its international
commercial competitiveness. The need to enhance two key areas – productivity
and innovation – is often cited in this regard.
Canada’s military, although relatively small at just over 68,000
regular personnel plus 24,000 reservists, is well respected among its allies.
In recent years, the Canadian Forces has made a significant contribution to the
international mission in Afghanistan, as well as operations in Haiti and Libya,
and the anti-piracy maritime efforts off the Horn of Africa. At the same time,
Canada’s deployments to United Nations peacekeeping missions have declined over
the decades, and the country is now ranked 51st among those contributing to
such missions.2
Diplomacy is the responsibility of the Department of Foreign Affairs
and International Trade (DFAIT), which for many years was at the centre of
defining and projecting Canada’s foreign policy. Given profound changes across
policy sectors in the context of globalization, more than 20 federal government
departments and agencies are now active internationally. Simultaneously,
central agencies are increasingly playing a more active role in coordinating
Canada’s international policies. Consequently, DFAIT’s external orientation has
increasingly given way to a focus on forging coherence across Canada’s diplomatic
efforts in different policy areas.
Canada’s development assistance budget is the eighth largest among
donor countries that provide such assistance, but 14th when the contributions
are taken as a percentage of gross national income.3 In the context of an
increasing international focus on aid effectiveness and long-standing concerns
about the ability of the Canadian International Development Agency to plan and
deliver development assistance effectively, several policy initiatives have
been undertaken to increase the efficiency and impact of Canadian aid. These
have included streamlining the number of aid recipients and priority sectors,
and untying aid, so that it need not be spent for the procurement of donor or
specified-country goods, services, or technical expertise.
While these traditional metrics are useful, understanding Canada’s role
and influence in world affairs necessitates broader consideration of other
factors. For instance, state power takes different forms and employs different
tools, each of whose effectiveness depends on the situation. Power can be based
on “hard” elements – the ability to compel and coerce – and “soft” elements –
the ability to persuade and attract. Other factors include the degree to which
states are linked with groupings of other governments, institutions, companies,
civil societies and diaspora.
Using these lenses, the importance of Canada in spheres not necessarily
considered part of “foreign policy” is amplified. The country is a world leader
in mining and the extractive industries. It is a significant agricultural
producer in a world facing food insecurity, and a leading exporter of energy in
a world thirsting for secure energy supplies.
To many, Canada serves as an institutional model, in light of its
federalist structure, public education system and merit-based public service.
It can also be considered a societal model of stability, encompassing two
official languages and a diverse citizenry.
All told, the extent of Canada’s role and relative influence will be
shaped by the issue at hand, the package of capabilities it can bring to bear,
relationships it has developed, and the attention it devotes to an issue. There
are situations where Canada’s expertise is noted, its input sought and its
commitments substantial, such as deliberations on banking regulations or the
reconstruction of Haiti. Canada is less present, however, in cases of global
decision-making where it has fewer international connections or potential
levers of influence, such as the management of nuclear ambitions in Iran and
North Korea, or currency policy in China.
Further Reading
Nye, Joseph S., Jr. “The
Future of American Power: Dominance and Decline in Perspective.” Foreign
Affairs, November/December 2010.
Open Canada: A Global Positioning
Strategy for a Networked Age. Report commissioned by the Canadian International
Council, 2010.
United States, National
Intelligence Council and Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Global Trends 2025: A Transformed World. November 2008.
Based on a 2010 calculation
of gross domestic product (GDP), constant US$. International Monetary Fund,
“World Economic and Financial Surveys,” World Economic Outlook Database, April
2011 (see the International Monetary Fund website).
United Nations, Ranking of
Military and Police Contributions to UN Operations, 31 March 2011.
Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development (OECD), “Table 1: Net Official Development
Assistance in 2010,” 6 April 2011.
--------------
BELOVED PRINCESS DI... would be so proud... how she loved people with
disabilities - she said they were the bravest and the best of humanity...
Prince Harry u make us so proud..... notice EU's Disabled marched today and the
horrific indifference and poverty should shame our civilized world in the year
2015. Our troops, our kids, our athletes and so many have taught Canada- that
disabilities are simply abilities in disguise and they can do anything ...and
often better...u raise us up.
Prince Harry Joins Injured Veterans On UK Trek
-----------
Some people are always listened to. What they say matter,
and everyone pays attention whenever they speak.
Why is that so? There’s an air of authority about their every words and actions, which helps them in getting their point across, when others would not even be heard.
In short, they are who you and I would call “Natural Leaders.”
I am not one of those people – I wasn’t born super-confident – so I took some time to study man and women who naturally command respect, in order to learn their secrets and get the results I wanted in my own life.
The experiment has worked well: today my behavior has changed - though I’m still me - and I have finally been offered the job I had been wanting for the last three years.
I should come clean with you – I haven’t discovered any secrets… – only well known habits which increase their effectiveness exponentially when applied all together.
If you are not a “Natural Leader”, the good news is that a confident behavior can be learned: read the tips below and start immediately to practice those which feel ok with you. Results will soon follow...
Posture
- Stand tall: keeping your shoulders pushed back will lend you an air of confidence.
- Spread your weight evenly on both feet instead of leaning only on one.
- Try standing with your arms crossed behind your back. Your shoulders will get pulled back automatically.
- Don’t stand with your hands on your hips if you don’t want to come across as confrontational.
- Don’t lean against walls or tables. You’ll appear tired and lazy.
What are you looking at?
- Look directly at the person you are talking to in order to exude confidence. If you turn away from the person you’re talking to in the middle of the conversation, you’ll show you’re not interested.
- Look straight in front of you: looking down might be interpreted as shyness, looking slightly upward could be perceived as arrogance. Finally, if you wear glasses, don’t look over the rim. It makes you look condescending.
- Don’t look at your watch unless you want to appear as if you’re in a rush.
- Don’t rub your eyes with your hands: it signals disbelief at the situation.
- Keeping your eyes on the door will show that you’re ready to leave the room.
When you are sitting…
- Sit straight so that your shoulders almost touch the back of your chair.
- Rest your hands on the arms of your chair, place them on your knees, or fold them on your lap so that they are not a distraction.
- Make sure your chair is positioned so you’re facing the person you’re talking to. This will show that you’re engaged in what they are saying.
- Lean slightly forward to appear interested in a conversation and stress what you’re saying.
- Don’t tilt your chair back so that it’s standing on two legs. This shows a very casual, laid back attitude and does not earn you respect. You also run the risk of looking silly when you accidentally fall backwards.
- Stretching your legs out shows you’re too relaxed and may also invade others’ personal space.
- Never put your feet up on the desk in front of you. You don’t want to come across as condescending.
Head and Face
- Tilting your head to one side during a conversation shows you’re interested and thinking about what’s being said.
- Be sure to nod your head so the person you’re speaking with knows you’re listening and interested.
- A blank face conveys either disinterest or a lack of understanding.
What are you doing with your hands?
- If seated, place your hands on armrest or on your laps ; if standing still, try holding your hands behind your back. Break such standard position whenever needed, and then return to it as soon as you can. - Open, face-up palms signal honesty and straightforwardness.
- Gesturing with your arms can help you making a point, but doing it excessively can became distracting.
- Make sure your palms are clean and dry. Sweaty palms indicate nervousness and are a turn off for most people.
- Never point at someone, be it the person talking to you or anyone else in the room. It’s rude.
- Don’t scratch your head. You’ll come across as being unsure of yourself.
- Don’t tap your fingers on a table or arms of a chair; you’ll seem anxious.
- Don’t run your fingers through your hair. It shows frustration.
- Never bite your nails. It will make you seem nervous.
- Don’t fidget with objects lying on the table in front of you.
- Don’t sit with your palms on your cheeks. It shows you’re deep in thought about something else.
- Do not wipe your palms on your clothing. Use a handkerchief instead.
- Don’t play or fidget with your mobile phone when someone’s talking to you. It shows avoidance and a lack of interest.
- Don’t touch your nose, play with your hair, or rub your eyes when you’re being asked for an honest answer. They’re all signs that say you’re lying.
- Keep your fingernails clean. Close cropped nails show you’re neat and orderly, but if you prefer to wear them long, make sure they’re groomed neatly.
Last but not Least…
- If the situation calls for paperwork, be sure to keep your papers in order with easy access to avoid looking disorganized.
- Removing your tie, top button, or jacket to indicate you’re getting comfortable in your surroundings.
- Open doors and allow others to walk before you.
- Cough and sneeze into your hands or a handkerchief, not into the face of the people around you.
- Additionally, try videotaping your actions so you can find out where you’re going wrong. I know, it sound weird, but it is amazingly effective.
- Look good. You don’t have to be conventionally handsome or beautiful; it’s enough to dress neatly in clothes that suit both you and the occasion.
- Smell good. Use deodorant and perfume, but go easy on it. You don’t want to overpower the room with your scent.
- Wear footwear that allows you to walk comfortably to avoid making a fool of yourself.
- Avoid revealing, dirty or wrinkled clothing.
- And finally, remember to smile. Smiles are contagious :-)
By Marco Adragna
Why is that so? There’s an air of authority about their every words and actions, which helps them in getting their point across, when others would not even be heard.
In short, they are who you and I would call “Natural Leaders.”
I am not one of those people – I wasn’t born super-confident – so I took some time to study man and women who naturally command respect, in order to learn their secrets and get the results I wanted in my own life.
The experiment has worked well: today my behavior has changed - though I’m still me - and I have finally been offered the job I had been wanting for the last three years.
I should come clean with you – I haven’t discovered any secrets… – only well known habits which increase their effectiveness exponentially when applied all together.
If you are not a “Natural Leader”, the good news is that a confident behavior can be learned: read the tips below and start immediately to practice those which feel ok with you. Results will soon follow...
Posture
- Stand tall: keeping your shoulders pushed back will lend you an air of confidence.
- Spread your weight evenly on both feet instead of leaning only on one.
- Try standing with your arms crossed behind your back. Your shoulders will get pulled back automatically.
- Don’t stand with your hands on your hips if you don’t want to come across as confrontational.
- Don’t lean against walls or tables. You’ll appear tired and lazy.
What are you looking at?
- Look directly at the person you are talking to in order to exude confidence. If you turn away from the person you’re talking to in the middle of the conversation, you’ll show you’re not interested.
- Look straight in front of you: looking down might be interpreted as shyness, looking slightly upward could be perceived as arrogance. Finally, if you wear glasses, don’t look over the rim. It makes you look condescending.
- Don’t look at your watch unless you want to appear as if you’re in a rush.
- Don’t rub your eyes with your hands: it signals disbelief at the situation.
- Keeping your eyes on the door will show that you’re ready to leave the room.
When you are sitting…
- Sit straight so that your shoulders almost touch the back of your chair.
- Rest your hands on the arms of your chair, place them on your knees, or fold them on your lap so that they are not a distraction.
- Make sure your chair is positioned so you’re facing the person you’re talking to. This will show that you’re engaged in what they are saying.
- Lean slightly forward to appear interested in a conversation and stress what you’re saying.
- Don’t tilt your chair back so that it’s standing on two legs. This shows a very casual, laid back attitude and does not earn you respect. You also run the risk of looking silly when you accidentally fall backwards.
- Stretching your legs out shows you’re too relaxed and may also invade others’ personal space.
- Never put your feet up on the desk in front of you. You don’t want to come across as condescending.
Head and Face
- Tilting your head to one side during a conversation shows you’re interested and thinking about what’s being said.
- Be sure to nod your head so the person you’re speaking with knows you’re listening and interested.
- A blank face conveys either disinterest or a lack of understanding.
What are you doing with your hands?
- If seated, place your hands on armrest or on your laps ; if standing still, try holding your hands behind your back. Break such standard position whenever needed, and then return to it as soon as you can. - Open, face-up palms signal honesty and straightforwardness.
- Gesturing with your arms can help you making a point, but doing it excessively can became distracting.
- Make sure your palms are clean and dry. Sweaty palms indicate nervousness and are a turn off for most people.
- Never point at someone, be it the person talking to you or anyone else in the room. It’s rude.
- Don’t scratch your head. You’ll come across as being unsure of yourself.
- Don’t tap your fingers on a table or arms of a chair; you’ll seem anxious.
- Don’t run your fingers through your hair. It shows frustration.
- Never bite your nails. It will make you seem nervous.
- Don’t fidget with objects lying on the table in front of you.
- Don’t sit with your palms on your cheeks. It shows you’re deep in thought about something else.
- Do not wipe your palms on your clothing. Use a handkerchief instead.
- Don’t play or fidget with your mobile phone when someone’s talking to you. It shows avoidance and a lack of interest.
- Don’t touch your nose, play with your hair, or rub your eyes when you’re being asked for an honest answer. They’re all signs that say you’re lying.
- Keep your fingernails clean. Close cropped nails show you’re neat and orderly, but if you prefer to wear them long, make sure they’re groomed neatly.
Last but not Least…
- If the situation calls for paperwork, be sure to keep your papers in order with easy access to avoid looking disorganized.
- Removing your tie, top button, or jacket to indicate you’re getting comfortable in your surroundings.
- Open doors and allow others to walk before you.
- Cough and sneeze into your hands or a handkerchief, not into the face of the people around you.
- Additionally, try videotaping your actions so you can find out where you’re going wrong. I know, it sound weird, but it is amazingly effective.
- Look good. You don’t have to be conventionally handsome or beautiful; it’s enough to dress neatly in clothes that suit both you and the occasion.
- Smell good. Use deodorant and perfume, but go easy on it. You don’t want to overpower the room with your scent.
- Wear footwear that allows you to walk comfortably to avoid making a fool of yourself.
- Avoid revealing, dirty or wrinkled clothing.
- And finally, remember to smile. Smiles are contagious :-)
By Marco Adragna
COMMENT:
Calvin: You raise an important point, which is left out on
purpose from the list: how we converse with people strongly influence their
perception of who we are. On the other hand, 90% of our communication is non
verbal, so if the body language is right, you've done most of the work...
John: Thanks John! In counseling - if the client agrees - we routinely videotape to check body language.
John: Thanks John! In counseling - if the client agrees - we routinely videotape to check body language.
-----
If you experience a loss, it's ok to feel sad:
you might need to spend some time by yourself before you can truly move on.
In fact, every emotion has its own place, and we all use feelings to constructively cope with life's events, unless we have been taught otherwise...
Child: "My dear pet rabbit is dead!"
Parent1: "I am very sorry, it was a good rabbit"
It's ok to feel Sad.
Parent2: "You should have taken better care of the rabbit!"
Don't feel sad, feel Guilty.
Parent3: "It's contagious! Let's get the doctor to visit you!"
Don't feel sad, feel Afraid.
Parent4: "Ooooh, it went to heaven, how lucky! We'll buy you a better one!"
Don't feel sad, feel Happy.
Parent5: "The pet store is a fraud! They said it was perfectly healthy!"
Don't feel sad, feel Angry.
Parent6: "Come on, it's only a rabbit"
Don't feel anything at all.
In fact, every emotion has its own place, and we all use feelings to constructively cope with life's events, unless we have been taught otherwise...
Child: "My dear pet rabbit is dead!"
Parent1: "I am very sorry, it was a good rabbit"
It's ok to feel Sad.
Parent2: "You should have taken better care of the rabbit!"
Don't feel sad, feel Guilty.
Parent3: "It's contagious! Let's get the doctor to visit you!"
Don't feel sad, feel Afraid.
Parent4: "Ooooh, it went to heaven, how lucky! We'll buy you a better one!"
Don't feel sad, feel Happy.
Parent5: "The pet store is a fraud! They said it was perfectly healthy!"
Don't feel sad, feel Angry.
Parent6: "Come on, it's only a rabbit"
Don't feel anything at all.
----------
BLOGSPOT
Mar 26, 2014 FROM CANADA WITH LOVE- Animals, Children and Watermelon Wine... and love 2 our troops-God bless our Canada..some tidbits-come visit Getcha Canada on folks - OUR NATION'S FLAG HISTORY
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BLOGSPOT
CANADA MILITARY NEWS: War Hero George S. McGovern opposed the Vietnam War- Castro Fixation and decried America's capacity for Nuclear 'overkill'-I'm fed up to the ears with old men dreaming up wars 4 young men 2 die in..../musings.... God bless our troops and yours /Hotel California/Honour our history- First Nations and Immigration movement- it's what built our nation of today eh... /PARAPAN AM GAMES 2015- Toronto...reflecting back 1976 Torontolympiad 38 nations... proving disabilities are abilities in disguise -all politics removed folks /Canada's sorry federal political choices.... same ole same ole O Canada
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