# The Canadope Café, 2014 Edition: In 3-D! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 1, 2014, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadope-cafe-2014-edition-in-3-d/677612 "2014-01-01T05:07:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 52
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2014, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadope-cafe-2014-edition-in-3-d/677612/1021 "2014-05-05T20:02:08Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > **I’m not convinced two endorsements** for a party running against extremely weak opponents constitutes a significant degree of “partisanship.” All newspapers make election endorsements and the Globe is willing to endorse the Liberals, as they did in 1997 and 2000. > > They aren’t remotely as partisan as the Toronto Star or the National Post, and partisanship is better demonstrated in the papers’ manner of covering and writing stories and columns. In that regard the Star is almost comically partisan, with the Post not far behind, while the Globe is as even handed as any newspaper. _(emphasis mine)_ So, you are convinced by the third endorsement of Harper? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2014, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadope-cafe-2014-edition-in-3-d/677612/1022 "2014-05-05T20:25:31Z")
> [@orcenio](#): > > So, you are convinced by the third endorsement of Harper? The one in 2008? No, it does not convince me the Globe is particularly partisan **by the standards of major newspapers.** Assuming you count the Toronto Sun as being a newspaper for grownups, there are four major dailies being published out of Toronto. The Globe and Mail is the LEAST partisan of the four. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2014, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadope-cafe-2014-edition-in-3-d/677612/1023 "2014-05-05T21:58:07Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Just to put the Bev-Steve spat in context, he’s lost five major cases in a month in the SCC, which could make anyone a tad tetchy: > [Harper v. the Supreme Court: Five recent losses for the PM - The Globe and Mail](http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/harper-v-the-supreme-court-five-recent-losses-for-the-pm/article18206422/?service=mobile) All Harper knows how to do is attack. Attack Trudeau. Is anyone else sick of attack ads on the third party leader when there is not even an election? Attack Scientists. They’re not giving him the data he wants, so they must be attacked. Attack Election officials. Tell experts that they don’t understand the reports THAT THEY WROTE THEMSELVES. Attack Environmental non-profits by specifically ordering audits on them. Attack Sheila Fraser, the former auditor general. Attack Wynne for daring to bring a pension discussion into the Ontario election Is it therefore surprising at all that he also attacks Supreme Court Chief Justice McLachlin? Attack is all he knows at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2014, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadope-cafe-2014-edition-in-3-d/677612/1024 "2014-05-05T21:59:26Z")
> [@orcenio](#): > > So, you are convinced by the third endorsement of Harper? Well, to be fair, maybe the Globe and Mail are not partisan; merely stupid or slow to learn. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2014, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadope-cafe-2014-edition-in-3-d/677612/1025 "2014-05-05T23:00:57Z")
> [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](#): > > Calgary snow update: The roads and sidewalks seem to be dry around our house, but the grass is mostly snow covered and I can see a few snowflakes still coming down. > > My baseball team had its first two games of the season snowed out this weekend and it doesn’t look good to start playing until at least next weekend when (hopefully) the fields are dried out again. We’re still alive! My plants, on the other hand…(well, I think they’re still alive, but after the -6 we’re supposed to get on Wednesday…) :mad: So, PM Harper, eh? I’ll have to read the thread and catch up. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2014, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadope-cafe-2014-edition-in-3-d/677612/1026 "2014-05-05T23:09:55Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > It appears Ontario’s headed for election. > > Every government, competent or incompetent, eventually reaches a point when it is tired and out of ideas and needs to be replaced. Never in my life have I seen a government more in need of replacing than the Ontario Liberals. The budget they’ve proposed is beyond bad and into laughable; you often hear of budgets being money-throwing in an effort to win votes but this one is the absolute apex of that. It’s just hysterically comical and, as others have point out, it quite literally, in many areas, spends millions upon millions of dollars on one thing and spends millions more on something else intended to have the opposite effect. > > Regrettably the other options are not super appealing but hopefully one of them runs a good campaign and wins, because we need, really badly, to change things up. Replace “Ontario Liberals” with “Alberta Conservatives,” and we’ve got the same damned thing going on here. > [@Gorsnak](#): > > **Rysto** is saying that Harper is attempting a character assassination on McLachlin, by stating/implying that the Chief Justice attempted to talk to him about a matter before the court. I confess I can’t see any other way to interpret the PMO’s press release myself, bizarre though it is to think Harper would do that. If it wasn’t for you and **Northern Piper** , I’d never know what the hell was going on. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadope-cafe-2014-edition-in-3-d/677612/1027 "2014-05-06T00:16:53Z")
A cruises-a-licious weekend of skiing. Life is good, despite Harper. Fuck him and the horse he rode in on for trying to smear McLachlin. The SCC is what protects us from the likes of him, and over the years McLachlin has proven herself to be unbiased, thoughtful and brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadope-cafe-2014-edition-in-3-d/677612/1028 "2014-05-06T04:56:39Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > The one in 2008? No, it does not convince me the Globe is particularly partisan **by the standards of major newspapers.** > > Assuming you count the Toronto Sun as being a newspaper for grownups, there are four major dailies being published out of Toronto. The Globe and Mail is the LEAST partisan of the four. I agree with **Rick**. The Globe tends to report fairly. If anything, it’s a little left on social issues, a little right on economic/business issues. But only a _very_ little in each case; and for the most part, I have found it to be a good go-to source for straight news, instead of a news-opinion mix. The Star is unabashedly left-of-centre, as its [Atkinson Principles](http://www.torstar.com/html/social-responsibility/Atkinson_Principles/index.cfm) indicate. The Sun was born out of the ashes of the Telegram–a respected, right-of-centre paper (much like the Star was left), but at some point, the Sun seems to have lost its way, and lurched further to the right than the Tely ever did; and dumbed things down, besides. And now that Izzy Asper’s gone, The National Post is still right-of-centre, but without “Israel Under Attack” news on every front page. And Christie Blatchford shuttles around between all four, as the wind takes her, it seems. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadope-cafe-2014-edition-in-3-d/677612/1029 "2014-05-06T13:30:48Z")
And all of the available former CBA Presidents have come out in defence of the Chief Justice: [Harper’s disrespect for the Supreme Court harms the workings of government](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/harpers-disrespect-for-the-supreme-court-harms-the-workings-of-government/article18478269/) > [@](#): > > _This statement is made by eleven former presidents of the Canadian Bar Association: L. Yves Fortier of Montreal; Thomas G. Heintzman of Toronto; Simon V. Potter of Montreal; Susan McGrath of Iroquois Falls; D. Kevin Carroll of Barrie; Bernard Amyot of Montreal; Paul Fraser of Victoria; Daphne Dumont of Charlottetown; Guy Joubert of Winnipeg; Rod Snow of Whitehorse; and William Johnson of Regina._ > > The recent comments by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, claiming that the Chief Justice of Canada attempted an inappropriate conversation with him, demonstrate a disrespect by the executive branch for the judicial branch of our constitutional democracy, and for the Chief Justice of Canada as the most senior member of the Canadian judiciary. This is so despite the fact that the discussion in question involved a possible new appointment to the Supreme Court of Canada, a topic well within guidelines for appropriate conversations between prime ministers and chief justices. > > … > The events in April to July 2013 demonstrate the usual and respectful relationship between the judicial branch and the other two branches of government. In April 2013, the Chief Justice, quite properly and according to long-standing tradition, provided her input to the appropriate parliamentary committee about proposed new appointments to the Supreme Court of Canada. In July, she provided her input to the Canadian government. These discussions occurred well before the nomination of Justice Marc Nadon. They were perfectly in line with the sort of courteous discussions which have historically occurred and which Canadians would expect to occur between the judiciary and the executive with respect to judicial appointments. > > … > > The Prime Minister’s statements were made only after the government had been a litigant in appeals before the Supreme Canada, leaving the impression that the statements were aimed at the Court as a reaction to the result of the decisions in those appeals – conduct in which no respectful private litigant should engage. > > As recent press reports demonstrate, these circumstances leave us concerned that the Prime Minister’s statements may intimidate or harm the ability of the Supreme Court of Canada to render justice objectively and fairly – even when the government of Canada chooses to be a litigant before it. This follows on an earlier comment from the current CBA President: [Nadon spat between Harper, chief justice McLachlin called ‘disturbing’ - Head of Canadian Bar Association hopes PR battle ‎a misunderstanding](http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/nadon-spat-between-harper-chief-justice-mclachlin-called-disturbing-1.2630896): > [@](#): > > The association that represents lawyers in Canada is calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to acknowledge that the chief justice of the Supreme Court has done nothing wrong. > > The Canadian Bar Association says it’s deeply concerned about the public spat between Harper and Beverley McLachlin. > > … > > Bar association president Fred Headon says he hopes this is a misunderstanding but is expressing concern that Harper’s comments on the disagreement, made on Friday, could erode public confidence in the Supreme Court. > > “Disagreement between PM & Chief Justice surprising & disturbing; hopefully a misunderstanding,” Headon wrote on Twitter. > > He says Harper should clarify publicly that McLachlin acted appropriately. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadope-cafe-2014-edition-in-3-d/677612/1030 "2014-05-06T13:42:57Z")
For shits and giggles, she should dissolve Parliament and take over as Commander in Chief the next time Johnston gets a head cold. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadope-cafe-2014-edition-in-3-d/677612/1031 "2014-05-06T13:59:43Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > If it wasn’t for you and **Northern Piper** , I’d never know what the hell was going on. 🙂 We aim to please! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadope-cafe-2014-edition-in-3-d/677612/1032 "2014-05-06T14:15:57Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > We had rain here today, but there was snow yesterday. I hope that was the last time I had to brush the snow off the car. (Fingers crossed.) Nope, I was wrong. Woke up to snow today. Guess I have to brush off the car again. This is getting ridiculous! ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadope-cafe-2014-edition-in-3-d/677612/1033 "2014-05-06T14:35:53Z")
So I have two bees in my bonnet at the moment. One is the fact that my bbq cover is under 5 cm of snow, again, this morning. The other has to do with the Alberta Gov’ts efforts to completely destroy the Alberta Teacher’s Association. I had the _pleasure_ of listening to Thomas Lukaszuk describe how the PCs will enable non certified teachers to teach and grant them teaching certificates during the ASET AGM. I’ve also seen how documents that show they want teachers not to have Ed degrees, but allow two year teaching college diplomas that will be just as good! Additionally, the PCs want them to have to recertify, not by the ATA but a gov’t board, every 5 years and maintain a dossier. Teachers already have an assessment and standard of practice in place, so why re-invent the wheel other than to union bust and get by with cheaper labour? Now I get the idea of maintaining currency as a professional but what other profession requires a recert every 5 years? Can you imagine the uproar if laywers had to re-write the bar every five years? Or doctors had to rewrite thier exams? I am sooo glad my kids are almost done with the public ed system in this province. You can expect things to get a lot worse. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadope-cafe-2014-edition-in-3-d/677612/1034 "2014-05-06T15:07:11Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Nope, I was wrong. Woke up to snow today. Guess I have to brush off the car again. > > This is getting ridiculous! We’re putting our house on the market in two weeks - it would be really great if the flower beds that I spent five years working on could be green and lush for the showings, rather than under a foot of snow (or dead from being frozen). :mad: As my brother-in-law so succinctly put it, why do we live in this fucking country? (I think I posted that before - I’m pretty sure I’ll post it again. 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadope-cafe-2014-edition-in-3-d/677612/1035 "2014-05-06T15:08:45Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > I The Star is unabashedly left-of-centre, as its [Atkinson Principles](http://www.torstar.com/html/social-responsibility/Atkinson_Principles/index.cfm) indicate. The Sun was born out of the ashes of the Telegram–a respected, right-of-centre paper (much like the Star was left), but at some point, the Sun seems to have lost its way, and lurched further to the right than the Tely ever did; and dumbed things down, besides. And now that Izzy Asper’s gone, The National Post is still right-of-centre, but without “Israel Under Attack” news on every front page. The National Post is right wing, but intelligently so. The Toronto Sun is right wing in a lowest-common-denominator, rabble-rousing, populist manner. To my eye, “partisanship” n a newspaper can take one of two forms; the paper can have clearly defined principles and an editorial viewpoint, as in fact the Star and Post do, and that’s fine. It can also twist the news and commentary and choose what stories to cover to suit that viewpoint, which is not fine. The Post used to do that but they’re not as bad as they used to be (MISSILE TRADE WAR? as a headline was not the paper’s shining moment) and the Star still does it, often to the extent of bordering on the deceptive. The Sun is so comically partisan it doesn’t really qualify as a newspaper for adults. The Globe And Mail is in the latter sense by far the least partisan; they seem to make an honest effort to deliver an even series of facts. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadope-cafe-2014-edition-in-3-d/677612/1036 "2014-05-06T15:11:12Z")
As to Stephen Harper, he’s been in office too long and no longer knows how he’s being perceived. Time for him to go. Hopefully, like I said about Ontario, someone will run a good campaign against him. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadope-cafe-2014-edition-in-3-d/677612/1037 "2014-05-07T02:27:46Z")
The ultimate Rob Ford pix: [http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/toronto-mayor-rob-ford-astonishing-new-video-leaked/](http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/toronto-mayor-rob-ford-astonishing-new-video-leaked/) ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadope-cafe-2014-edition-in-3-d/677612/1038 "2014-05-07T02:41:36Z")
Speechless. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadope-cafe-2014-edition-in-3-d/677612/1039 "2014-05-07T02:53:52Z")
Pretty sure that’s a parody news site. Really, really hoping that it is. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadope-cafe-2014-edition-in-3-d/677612/1040 "2014-05-07T03:37:40Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > Pretty sure that’s a parody news site. Really, really hoping that it is. Ah. Yes. Thankfully appears so. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadope-cafe-2014-edition-in-3-d/677612.md?page=51) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadope-cafe-2014-edition-in-3-d/677612.md?page=53)