I understand the political maneuver aspect/counter argument. You are showing your base "Yes we care about climate change! " and box in future governments. Still think it’s pretty crappy. In fact, that’s why it’s crappy.
Your MIT example illustrates it. Computer Science is clearly distinct from electrical engineering. Climate change is quite clearly well situated within “environment”. They were already charged with the mandate to " preserve and enhance the quality of the natural environment, including water, air, soil, flora and fauna". And now Climate too!
Also, the government was deleting archives of scientific data. It was very bad.
This is something that happens when a political faction in power finds their core beliefs being challenged by science and facts.
And let’s be clear: These problems went on for years. Even as the press was denouncing his reckless policies, Harper went from minority government to minority government to *majority *government. Finally, some of this is being undone.
If there is one thing that Governments the world over do not take into account it’s qualification for appointment. For hundreds and hundreds of years, it’s always been an old boys club, suitability be damned. It’s long past time for radical change, and form what I can see these new Ministers are more qualified than any I’ve seen during my whole life!
This. While it is nice to talk about the most qualified, no one before pointed out that you can assume (unless you have counter-evidence that I don’t think exists) that about 50% of the most qualified are likely to be women. And to have a minister of science who was actually a working scientist, that’s nirvana.
So far, I am optomistic, but the real tale is in the execution.
Notwithstanding the blanket gag order, was the Harper Government reluctant to let federal scientists speak about Canadian earthquakes because of fracking concerns?: http://www.usgs.gov/faq/categories/9833/3425
Pretty much whatever they wanted to say, had to go through the PMO. So, for immediately response after the event …nothing but (enforced) silence. And a clever news gatherer figured it must have registered across the river, let’s talk to them!
Actually pretty minor compaired with not allowing them to release findings to research the government ordered, and we paid for, because it did not produce the results they wanted to see!
More than just federal scientists - it was pretty much all federal civil servants. They were required to sign a piece of paper a couple of years ago if they wanted to keep their jobs.It outlined their “duty of loyalty” to The Harper Government, with penalties if they said anything against The Leader.
Yes, they had to sign a loyalty oath to Harper.
These moves were unprecedented in Canadian history, and were, quite frankly, very disturbing. They were signs that we had a megalomaniac as prime minister.
He seems very likable and he appeals to me, if I were Canadian instead of American, damn right he would have gotten my vote.
I found this part of the article covering his inauguration interesting:
"
Mr. Trudeau is the first child of a prime minister to become the head of government in Canada. Yet he and his family will not be moving immediately into his childhood home, the official prime minister’s residence overlooking the Ottawa River at 24 Sussex Drive.
The 34-room mansion, built in the 19th century for a lumber baron, fell into disrepair long ago. It is poorly cooled in the summer by window air-conditioners; its 50-year-old electrical wiring is strained to the limit; the plumbing is inadequate; and there is asbestos behind some walls and ceilings that needs to be removed.
A 2008 report by the Canadian auditor general called for immediate and extensive renovations, after finding that, except for the roof, the building was “in poor or critical condition.” Yet Mr. Harper, like several predecessors, refused to call in contractors, apparently concerned that the public would disapprove of spending millions of tax dollars on the mansion.
The work will now be undertaken but probably not completed for two years. In the meantime, Mr. Trudeau and his family will live in Rideau Cottage, a building on the grounds of Rideau Hall.
It also dates from the 19th century, but unlike 24 Sussex, it was recently modernized.
During his tenure, Mr. Harper tended to avoid public events and news conferences whenever he could, and he kept that up right to the end. "
Just goes to show you how the residence of the U.S president is far more better than that of other world leaders.
I doubt that Harper was all that concerned about the public’s approval – he certainly wasn’t concerned when he tarted up a general-purpose military transport aircraft in Conservative Party colours to be his own personal plane. I think he just didn’t want to move out of 24 Sussex. The renovations are now being planned and I don’t hear any taxpayer outcry. But it’s Trudeau that now has to stay out.
And I agree, this thing sounds like a national disgrace. I’ve also heard that there are proposals to tear the thing down and hold a competition for designs for a truly fitting executive mansion that would be a source of national pride, but I don’t know if that idea got any traction. Here the costs might genuinely become a political issue.
The White House has generally been kept in an immaculate state of repair in recent times as befits a historic national institution. But it wasn’t always that way …
When the Trumans moved into the Executive Mansion (as it was then called) in 1945, they found it badly in need of repair after twelve years of neglect during the Depression and war. In 1946 Congress authorized $780,000 for repairs. The mansion’s heaving floors and mysterious sounds had been known by staff and First Families for many years. For the first two years of his presidency, President Truman heard “ghosts” roaming the halls of the Second Floor residence. Government agencies had expressed concern about the condition of the building, including a 1941 report from the Army Corps of Engineers warning of failing wood structure, crumbling masonry, and major fire hazards. The report was dismissed by President Roosevelt.
In early 1946 during a formal reception in the Blue Room, the First Lady noticed the very large crystal chandelier overhead swaying and its crystals tinkling. The floor of the Oval Study above moved noticeably when walked on, and a valet was then attending the president while he was taking a bath. (Truman described a potential scenario of him in his bathtub falling through the floor into the midst of a Daughters of the American Revolution tea “wearing nothing more than his reading glasses.”). In early 1947, a “stretching” chandelier in the East Room and another swaying in the Oval Study caused further alarm. “Floors no longer merely creaked; they swayed."
Red, white, and blue on a Canadian government aircraft? The colours we inherited from Britain, and that flew on our flag for 98 years, under Liberal and Conservative governments, up until 1965? Those three colours still exist on the flags of BC, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Newfoundland. Quebec uses only blue and white (Quebec has blue on its flag? Holy Conservative Party, Batman!), Nova Scotia uses blue, white, red, and gold. If six out of ten provinces use red, white, and blue on their flags, and one more uses only blue and white, as they all have for years, I fail to see how a Canadian aircraft dressed in red, white, and blue livery is “Conservative party colours.”
I do agree that Canadian taxpayers might have complained loudly about how tax dollars were going into repairing/renovating 24 Sussex. But if the building is in as bad a shape as claimed, then I say that the government can use my tax dollars to help fix it.
We don’t need an “Executive Mansion,” as the Americans have at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. I like the idea that our head of government lives in a randomly-numbered house on an Ottawa street. Having walked down Sussex Drive myself, past number 24, without being trailed by RCMP bodyguards (at least, not that I know of), I wonder if the PM answers the door himself on Hallowe’en?
Hell, Frank, it’s damn near impossible here in the Canadian west too.
Three days after I moved to Alberta from Ontario, not having the kitchen set up in my house and still living in a motel, I went out to eat at a local restaurant. I ordered a burger and fries. They were promptly served up, but there was no vinegar for the fries, as there always was in Ontario.
I asked the waiter for vinegar for my fries. He looked at me strangely.
“You want vinegar–for your fries?”
“Yes, please.”
He came back a few minutes later, with a small bowl of white vinegar, and a spoon. I was a little taken aback that my request was unusual, but hey, I’d just moved 2500 miles and things were likely to be different here.
Folks, just in case you’re wondering, in Ontario, vinegar takes its place on the diner table with the salt and pepper and ketchup.
