Canada and Columbia August 2011

August 10, 2011
Bogotá, Colombia

Prime Minister Stephen Harper along with President Juan Manuel Santos announced that the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement will come into force on August 15, 2011. The Prime Minister also announced increased assistance to strengthen human rights in Colombia. We are improving free trade and humand rights

Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement

The Government is committed to an ambitious free trade and investment agenda that will create new opportunities for Canadian businesses and workers.

Colombia is an established market for Canadian businesses, and the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will benefit a wide range of exporters and service providers, as well as promote a more stable and predictable climate for Canadian investment.

Canada ratified the FTA, and parallel agreements on labour cooperation and the environment on June 29, 2010. Once implemented, this FTA will benefit Canada’s producers and exporters, reduce or eliminate tariffs on nearly all current Canadian exports, and provide a more predictable, transparent and rules-based trading environment for Canadian investors.

The FTA includes a separate agreement that will call for Canada and Colombia to produce annual reports on the impacts of free trade on human rights in both countries. This agreement will also enter into force on August 15, 2011, and join a range of initiatives – including advocacy and bilateral and development cooperation – through which Canada supports Colombia’s ongoing efforts towards greater peace, security, prosperity and respect for human rights.

Colombia is a dynamic emerging market with 45.5 million people and an economy with high growth potential. An increasing number of Canadian investors and exporters are entering the Colombian market. In 2010, two-way merchandise trade between Canada and Colombia totalled more than $1.4 billion, with hundreds of Canadian companies doing business with Colombia. Colombia is also a strategic destination for Canadian direct investment, particularly in mining, oil exploration, printing and education. The total stock of Canadian direct investment in Colombia reached $824 million in 2010.

Over 70 Canadian companies have foreign direct investment in Colombia, concentrated in the oil and gas, mining, banking, wholesale distribution, education, footwear, paper and food processing sectors.

On June 29, 2010, legislation to implement Canada’s Free Trade Agreement with Colombia received Royal Assent. The agreement will reduce or eliminate tariffs, and provide a more predictable, transparent and rules-based trading environment for investors.

Canada signed a double taxation agreement with Colombia on November 21, 2008. Implementing legislation for this agreement received Royal Assent on December 15, 2010. Canada sent its notice of ratification to Colombia on December 20, 2010. The agreement, however, will not enter into force until Colombia sends its notice of ratification.

Improving Human Rights in Colombia

Prime Minister Harper also announced three projects that will support the Government of Colombia in its efforts to improve human rights in the country. These commitments, being delivered through the Canadian International Development Agency, along with multilateral partners, will help reduce inequality and poverty in the most vulnerable populations, with a special focus on children and youth.

Achieving the Rights of Children and Adolescents ($17,000,000)

In partnership with: UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) 2009-2014

This project:

Focuses on the most disadvantaged areas of the country and on vulnerable population groups (Afro-Colombians, indigenous peoples, internally displaced people, people affected by violence, and individuals living in rural or poor areas).

Prioritizes 11 departments in which key social development and child rights indicators are significantly below national averages and where violence has had a significant impact on children and their families.

Will support the implementation of a policy to guarantee early childhood education for 400,000 children under the age of five; will contribute to improving the quality of education for school children; and, will promote the active participation of adolescents and children in the development of education programs and government plans that promote and protect their rights.

At the national level, the project will support the government’s efforts in the implementation of the Colombian Child and Adolescent Code.


Sustainable Development for Youth in Rural Nariño ($10,000,000)

In partnership with: UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) 2010-2015

The project:


Supports vulnerable and at-risk youth in nine municipalities of the southern Department – or administrative divisions – of Nariño to help them generate, and benefit from, legal and sustainable economic initiatives to improve their quality of life.

Aims to increase the sustainable economic options for those youth and provides training and technical assistance to develop income-generating projects, to access markets, as well as to enhance production of agricultural and non-agricultural goods.

Further strengthens local government and civil society institutions in order for them to better support youth as agents of sustainable economic development and peace.


Human Rights Protection in Colombia ($8,000,000)

With: OHCHR (United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights) 2011-2015

Through this project, Canada is supporting the OHCHR in Colombia, whose activities include the fight against impunity, and the strengthening of the capacity of the Colombian government to investigate human rights violations and breaches of international humanitarian law. The Commissioner’s Office also works to ensure the protection of, and provision of assistance to, victims of armed conflicts, human rights defenders and members of the judiciary. Canada’s support helps ensure the continuation of the Commissioner’s Office’s efforts to fulfil its monitoring and reporting mandate in Colombia.
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The Prime Minister's Office - Communications

Brazil and the USA--Barack Obama and Dilma Rouseff

Dear President Obama,
And to President Dilma Rousseff,

I hate to say this but both you two Presidents have a problem that only increased taxation will solve.And the German PM ain't gonna tell you that. Firstly in Brazil they have two problems to deal with; one is inflation and the second is an over valued currency. By implementing a consumer tax on all goods and services sold you will fight inflation by removing money from the economy and this will not increase the value of your currency like interest rates increases would. So increased taxes solves both problems

In the USA they must increase taxes but the Republicans will stop any increase in income taxes as so they should. But consumer purchase taxes are a different animal. If the rich want to buy a $100,000 car then they are paying tax at 12% on that purchase. The lower income people can buy a nice car for 20,000 with less tax payable at 12%. Lets faceit, my dear American friends,  government revenues must go up. You can not saddle your grand kids with paying for the costs of your life style and your wars. The next Afghanistan (likely Pakistan) can be solved with one bomb much cheaper

2083 A European Declaration of Independance:::: Anders Behring Breivik

Most people are still terrified of nationalistic political doctrines thinking that if we ever embrace these principles again, new “Hitler’s” will suddenly pop up and initiate global Armageddon... Needless to say the growing numbers of nationalists in Europe are systematically being ridiculed, silenced and persecuted by the current cultural Marxist multicultural political establishments since 1945. This has been a continuous ongoing process which started in 1945.This nationalism has been proded by the USA in Ukraine and will lead to war unless they smarten up. Breivek was as some would argue crazy but is he?

This irrational fear of nationalistic doctrines is preventing us from stopping our own national/cultural suicide as the Islamic colonization is increasing annually. This book presents the only solutions to our current problems.
You cannot defeat Islamisation or halt/reverse the Islamic colonization of Western Europe without first removing the political doctrines manifested through multiculturalism/cultural
Marxism…"
Anders Breivek is the tip of the iceberg. Fascism is perking below the surface

OK Question? On what basis was he wrong about his theory?

Vancouver Riots and the Disappointing, Disgusting, Shameful NHL

The NHL hasn't learned a thing in 17 years. They are still fixing games. In 1994 they fixed it for New York This year they fixed it for another eastern team this time Boston. The media say it is disappointing that the riot happened in Vancouver. I say it s disappointing that the Stanley Cup is fixed; that teams can benefit from non calls and inconsistent  completely confusing reffing. If unnecessary roughness is an offence why doesn't OHallaran call it? If slashing is an offence why doesn't WAlkom call it? If interference is an offence why does OHallaran only call it against Vancouver? Why is it only Vancouver players that get 4 games suspensions when other players get one game suspensions for the same or worse offences in the same annual series?

The media say its disgusting the riot happened in Vancouver. I say it is disgusting that the NHL suspended Rome for four games for a basic body check while Chara got nothing for what he did in Montreal by deliberating driving that Montreal player's head into the rink post. I say it is disgusting that other players get one game for what Rome got 4 games for . These riots will go on until the NHL gets investigated for Fraud. The fact the NHL gets away with this fraud is disgusting. I say it is disgusting the way OHallaran and Walkom can not call Boston for two handed slashes against Kesler (just before Boston got their first goal), or pushing Luongo into the net for a goal.

The media say it's a  shame the way the riot happened in Vancouver. I say it is a shame the way the NHL says during the regular season that this year they will give speed and skill the priority and then give way to goon squads during the playoffs; with inconsistent reffing, with confusing reffing, with non calls and illogical suspensions.

 Why have rules if you don't call them? Not calling rule breakers is fraudulent and shameful. It can lead to riots where ordinary people lose their sense of right and wrong and become idiots but this idiocy is grounded in the inconsistent non-calls and fraud of the NHL. THAT IS WHAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN: NOTHING ELSE. Vancouver has shown with the Olympics and the Symphoney of Fire that crowds of over 100,000 people don't always lead to riots. Riots only happen after the NHL put their non calls  or inconsistent officiating on display where infractions dont get called and games are fixed. The NHL induces the idiocy we saw on the steeets of Vancouver. It is the NHL that must own up to their issues. Except the NHL governence people are in denial.

What we really need is a riot in the media about the NHL being a sham. ...and leading to riots

FRAUDULENT NHL REFEREEING NEEDS INVESTIGATION BY RCMP

This is a public complaint to the Vancouver City Police or the RCMP directed to the AG for the Province of British Columbia. The refereeing in game threeof the Stanley Cup final was atrocious.It was unprofessional

It was so bad that it resembled something fraudulent and deserving of an investigation for fraud by the police and I am publicly hereby making a compliant to the police to investigate the NHL for commercial fraud.

THere were at least 20 uncalled penalties that could have been made against Boston but were not. My heart goes out to Kesler who was slashed repeatedly and only after he retaliated were he and Chara both called for slashing. Or blind side fists to the head of Burrows that received no discipline. Chara could have been called at least a dozen times before for slashing Kesler alone. Kesler must have bruises up an down his leg from the slashes he suffered. Is the ref blind or biased? Is the game fixed? It is ok for Canucks to be slashed or charged or interfered with, or sticked with impunity.That makes the NHL refs blantantly fraudulent. Only after the Bruins were ahead by 4 goals that Walkom, the ref, starts to call Boston for penalities. The first three penalities were against the Canucks.

Rome gets suspended for 4 games by the NHL for interference. But Ference who tried to put an elbow throught Sedins head and seriously injure him with intent gets no punishment or suspension at all. He is still playing.The only reason Sedin didnt get hauled out on a stretcher was because he saw it coming and ducked partially anyway.

If the game had been properly reffed there would not have been any of that unprofessional garbage, especially for the Stanley Cup final, in the third period. It was not professionally or fairly or consistently reffed. It is obvious that the NHL CAN NOT govern themselves. You would have to as blind as the CBC to not see that lack of professionalism. It is time to have police involvement in the NHL officiating.

This has been obvious for years. Naslund was scarred by a non call that led to the Bertuzzi incident.

Or the 94 Stanley Cup series that was gifted to the NY Rangers by the biased, inconsistent fraudulent refereeing back then and now Game three in the 2011 series. Walkom did not do a good job last night at all and it deteriorated into the unprofessional garbage we saw in the third period. The NHL is not a professional league but a garbage league needing public investigation for FRAUD. It is time for the police to take a bite out of the NHL and with more then fingers but with charges for fraud. And please start with Mike Murphy who suspended Rome, one of the cleanest players in the NHL, for four games. Ference deserved more then four games for the elbow to Sedins head; an elbow intended to cause injury. Rome lacked any such intent. Or the uncalled blind side punch to Burrow's head which was intended to cause injury to Burrows. A Bertuzzi/Moore type punch that landed him in so much trouble but uncalled if it done to a Canuck.
The NHL is fixed.

Get a brain Murphy! You ruin peoples lives like Rome, a very clean player, while letting the NHL be fraudulent.You did what you did because you want Boston to win the cup Otherwise explain given what’s happened to Vancouver players in these playoffs — to Daniel Sedin, blasted into the boards from behind by San Jose’s Ben Eager, and to Aaron Rome, knocked out by a Jamie McGinn hit from behind the very next game — with no consequences to either of the aggressors, or the most recent elbow to Sedins head. If you are going to make calls , call them all consistently. This never happens when Vancouver is involved. Mr Barry Penner, the Attorney General,please listen. The NHL needs to be investigated for fraud. This NHL fraud will go on until Bettman is fired, there is some serious injury or blood or an investigation is conducted. This kind of reffing will obviously

lead to riots


Or better yet perhaps the Federal government should get the Senate to conduct a Royal Commission on the NHL: the lack of proper policing or governence in the NHL; i.e. they breach the Charter of Rights consistently, or they do not call all the penalties in a game. The reffing is inconsistent and confusing. Perhaps there should be some public controls on their inconsistent and biased "policing" of misconduct. How many crimes under the Criminal Code can we ignor? There have been four NHL suspensions this Stanley Cup series; three got one game; Rome got 4; Chara got none for the same offence??? That is not equal treatment under or before the law. That is a wrong that must be addressed publicly by a public body. The Canadian law must be upheld especially by a league that fixes games. I am tired of seeing the Canucks jobbed by the NHL
To the Honorable Barry Penner QC AG for BC barry.penner.mla@leg.bc.ca

Elizabeth May Won't

Listen up Canadians.
Elizabeth May

is a self centered ugly polititian elected by a weird constituency. This feat reflects the weirdness of the constituency nothing special about Elizabeth Might. So dont be disappointed because she won't do anything except get attention for herself.

On the Gulf Islands in BC there is the largest number of alternative cultures and lifestyles and ways of thinking about food, foresty, plants diets,and living anywhere in the world. Everything and I mean everything, is alternative. the food, the clothes, the way of life, the attitudes, even the horoscopes. When they filmed the Lotus Eaters on Galiano a film about a 60's teacher, they hired extras from the island. They all came dressed as they were and fit right into the 60's. Except this film was made in the 90's

On Salt Spring Island everyone smokes pot even those you think dont, do. On those islands Green has a different meaning. Elizabeth Wont will fit right in with her weirdness; no may about it. She will be surrounded by artsy fartsy types where making an income is only ok if it is alternative.

ON weekends the Islands show a double feature, "The Invasion of the Bicycle People" and "The Stoned Peddlers" or "It Came from Off Island" starring Elizabeth Might"


Saanich has finally been outed about its weirdness by electing someone that reflects the constituency's inherent nature being out of it. No body works. They even found a coffee industry to be unwelcome. Now Salt Spring Coffee is made on the Mainland where Conservatives and hard workers go to live. On the Islands there are white tribes and two groups tree huggers and tree cutters. The tree huggers work serving food the tree cutters cut trees to buy food.

Campbell's Gone: Now the Liberals Must Go

That is it. The resignation of Kash Heed was the last straw. The refusal of the Provincial Liberal Campbell government to charge the RCMP murderers with the murder of that Polish immigrant Dziekanski at the airport and other actions, such as the Pickton investigation, about policing in BC, by the Campbell government has so brought the administration of this Province into disrepute that I can no longer support this government: The NDP are the only alternative. My mind is made up. The Liberals must go.

The Liberals care about incompetent cops and more taxes. They do not have the balls to deal with issues that need to be dealt with including the overspending of tax payers money and a refusal to deal with the incompetent RCMP police force in this province. It was obvious by Campbells speech to the province that he doesn't get it; completely out of touch. Now the bad leadership from his appointed SG's and AG's, that brought the administration of this province into disrepute and  resulting in Campbell losing his credibility, want to replace his leadership and give us more of the same bad leadership. Talk about crazy. Nothing will change in this Province in terms of athmosphere or substance until the RCMP are gone.

The Liberals bungled the Pickton Inquiry after the bungled Pickton investigation by appointing the AG who ignored the bad policing of the RCMP for years before giving their responsibilty to the SG. Campbell just doesn't get it and has paid the price. His willingness to accept bad policing  as allowed by  his appointed Solicitor Generals and Attorney Generals (who ignored the incompetent police force in this province) has taken the administration of justice and therefore the Liberal administration of this Province into disrepute. Why would anyone believe any Liberal any more.  They dont care about citizens. We need a justice system that doesn't protect RCMP murderers. We need to replace the RCMP with a Provincial force. We need to replace the Liberals. Bill Bennett is right.

I have over 30 years of doing Criminal law as a lawyer in 15 different municipal jurisdictions in and around Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, in Kamloops and in Victoria, and I can say, without any reasonable doubt, that the best police force in British Columbia is the Vancouver City Police. The worst police forces in British Columbia, bar none, are the RCMP. The RCMP are incompetent, lazy and unproductive. The only reason many Cities use the RCMP is because in large measure the Federal government pays a part of the cost of policing to the municipality if they use the RCMP. If it were not for that fact, most City's would hire their own force. This Province needs a Provincial Police force (BCPolice)


The Taser killing by the lazy RCMP of Mr Dziekanski is criminal. Because the RCMP did not fire those bastards and because the Crown did not charge them with murder, the administration of this province has been so brought into disrepute, it is bankrupt. Quite frankly they should still be charged with murder and let a jury of their peers decide their guilt or innocence. The BC people don't need a study to figure that out as they have seen it with their eyes. (well everyone except Campbell and his apponted SG's and AG's) The only respect the RCMP have is the respect they earned a 100 years ago; certainly nothing earned currently. They think respect is deserved not earned.

The best thing that any City could do for their communities is to get rid of the RCMP. In fact if any of the BC Solicitor General's  had any balls he would lead the charge but they don't really care about the citizens of BC. They certainly care about the money (income) the RCMP can steal from speeders.

The only three things that the RCMP do well is fly planes, ride horses and wear a red tunic. That's it! If you want a police force that gets results, knows their city and does competent proactive , respectable police work, it is the Vancouver or Victoria City Police. I wish to God the Liberal S.G. had the balls to get rid of the RCMP and take a page out of Quebec's books. Get the Feds to send  the money and let us look after/hire our own Province wide unified ploice force. Tell the RCMP to go back to where ever they came from.

Victoria---The City of Correctors

Nothing like it exists anywhere in Canada. Victoria is the only one. A distinct society. A city of correctors. Nothing epitomizes this more then the hot issue at the University of Victoria over rabbits.

A few years ago when I smoked, I remember sitting on a bench relaxing. I got to watch two Victoria female motorists approach a four way stop intersection. The first to stop waved through the second to stop. But the second to stop was on the left intersection and waved the vehicle on the right to go ahead. Both vehicles refused to follow the others instructions. Before you know it, both drivers were out of their vehicle to correct the other. Both were wagging their fore finger using that Alanon handshake, "You're wrong",

Amazing! That's when I decided that Victoria was a City of mutual correctors.Everyone is always correcting everyone. In this City it is the norm and sort of like a catagious disease. They are shaking hands with their rights and shaking forefingers correcting with their lefts; very typical left wing.

The only people that always win that argument are the street people who have that "fuck you" attitude and dont care about any thing or anyone. They revel in being incorrect and that is so freeing.

Recently the University of Victoria has become over run with released pet rabbits that over the years have multiplied to the point of many thousands. And which rabbits eat the special flowers cultivated by the Horticultural Society. Back in the day when being practical ruled, we'd just shoot these pests and be done with it, but being Victoria, this issue brought out the various correctors.

The plant people wanted to do the correct thing and build more fences. UVic tried to convince the public to be correct and that rabbits are pets and should not be released on campus. Some wanted them removed.

The animal rights wanted them treated humanely and wanted them captured and sterilized before being relocated as the correct way to deal with them. But there were two groups of animal rights. One group were concerned about the rabbits emotionally and felt moving them would be traumatic and emotionally distubing.

The Provincial bureaucrats dictate that feral wildlife can not be moved more then one kilometer and ministerial permits and inspections are required for the transportation. This stopped any move.

Meanwhile 40 year old, two feet wide, Tulip Trees are being knawed and chewed down by bunnies like pine by beavers. Campus Lawns are full of bunny dung and rendered useless. More then $20,000 worth of special plants have disappeared, knawed to their roots. 500 bunnies have become 1000 which have become 2000 bunnies going on to 4000 bunnies...lol. The growing list of correctors continue the debate. The rabbits have spread to the neighbourhood,begonias,lilacs. Can the lush flowers of Oak Bay, not eaten by deer, be far away from thre bunny diet.

The City of Correctors has met its match. Its not street people. Its bunnies

I say bring out the guns and make money. Kill them all, cut off their paws and sell them as key chain good luck charms to cruising tourists. Be practical. Make money from dead rabbits. Make rabbit stew and feed the homeless. BE GREEN. Dont waste any parts.

I had to give up smoking because in Victoria it is only correct to smoke when it is raining and while standing outside and doing so in the middle of the street out where the cars move. The City of Correctos won out over my addiction. I needed to be correct.I should have emulated the street people or the bunnies

On downtown sidewalks I see many correctors correcting one another at the same time; fore fingers mutally wagging or middle fingers sticking up and upper. The sunshine really brings out the correcters and gives me new found respect for the steet people and the "fuck you" philosophy. I hate correctors as they bring everything to a standing still stalemate. Hughmongous efforts going nowhere as correctors scrabble to correct the not so correct and being corrected by the philosophically correct but stopped by the legally correct only to be critiqued by the editorially correct and redirected by the other correct groups, covens, cabals and covert operations of alternative special interests wanting to control. It is bridge without trump. Go bunnys go. Oak Bay is that way

Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Opening and GOLD

Golden moments.....Moir and Virtue. The reality of what one can achieve without using violence











Maelle Ricker so deserving












Fantastic Virtue and her man



Hey Im Canadian...and I won Alexandre Bilodeau














The unforgetable Christine Nesbitt



Beautiful


Incredible

Phenomenal.

The best show ever. Rick Hansen...the will to overcome all abstacles

Absolutely fantastic! The opening show at BC Place for the Vancouver Winter Olympics was the most incredible performance I have ever seen anywhere at any time. Sensational. Fantastic... Spectacular.... Awesome
Congratulations to the Olympic Committee. That show can not be surpassed.

Unreal.

The marriage of visual technologies like I have never seen.
The best entertainment I have ever seen.

Go Canada Go

The Spirit Bear that is BC Canada

Only kd lang can sing like that......... Hallaluya

Or Bryan Adams and Kelly Furtado

The California of Canada
....literally

Only Gretzky

The greatest could have done this

THE SPIRIT BEAR THAT IS BEAUTIFUL BC

ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE The opening show at BC Place for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics was the best show I have ever seen in my life anywhere at any time Sensational. Fantastic.

2010 Olympics Vancouver Coal Harbour

If a picture is timeless then this is it. The view of Vancouver January 2010

Dont let it be forgot that once there was a spot and it ain't in England