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Debates of Feb. 28th, 2003
House of Commons Hansard #70 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was yukon.
- Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act
- Pharmacist Awareness Week
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- Falun Gong
Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act
Government Orders
10:05 a.m.
Don Boudria for the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
moved that Bill C-2, An Act to establish a process for assessing the environmental and socio-economic effects of certain activities in Yukon, be read the third time and passed.
Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act
Government Orders
10:05 a.m.
Larry Bagnell Yukon, YT
Mr. Speaker, in 1995 the Yukon first nations, the federal government and the Yukon government signed a great treaty.
Many people in Canada probably do not know that one of the interesting results is it created the potential for 16 different governments in the Yukon at the federal, territorial and first nations level.
The challenge was when it came to development assessment on a project, a first nations business, or a corporation, or a mining company that had interests across several boundaries of these many orders of government may have had to go through many different assessment processes, laws and regimes. There needed to be a one window process put in place.
The last time I debated the bill I spoke about how the law was created over a number of years, about how it would accomplish a one window approach and how some of the issues that came up during those many years of debate were dealt with in the proposal.
With all these orders of government managing various lands and resources, the Yukon could have found itself with 16 or more different ways for assessing projects throughout the territory. However, Bill C-2 will establish a single uniform process for assessing land projects in the Yukon.
Therefore, potential proponents will have to follow only one set of regulations for assessing the environmental and socio-economic effects of their projects in the Yukon. In order to promote responsible development activities, the assessment process must be uniform and predictable. The bill includes both these characteristics.
If responsible development in the Yukon is to include proper protection of the environment, certainty and timeliness are equally essential to the assessment process and are reflected in Bill C-2.
I committed at this stage to outline some of the ideas, concerns and suggestions that arose during the debate and the committee process on Bill C-2.
The Yukon organizations, Klondike Placer Miners' Association and the Chamber of Mines, have a number of suggestions. They want to ensure there is procedural fairness regarding a proponent's ability to respond and to appeal. They want to ensure that the proponent receives all the information pertaining to the application and is able to respond during the assessment phase prior to a recommendation being made.
They want to ensure that there is public input on the development of regulations and on the development of the Yukon environmental and socio-economic assessment board rules.
In this legislation there are very many important things, some of which were fought for by these groups.
The regulations define what a project would be, for instance. There are some other coordination issues in the regulations. This is a very significant factor in how this is going to work and what is defined as a project. It is very important that the public have input in this area. It is the same with the rules. Rules that will be developed by the board have some very instrumental elements that some of the Yukon groups asked for, for instance, time lines. It is very important that there be good public input into these major aspects of the bill.
The mining industry wants the bill to establish methods whereby the public will be consulted. Any legislation benefits from public input.
The assessments must have clear time lines in order to ensure a healthy economy. These processes should occur within the time lines. It provides certainty to those doing the development. For placer miners, even more so these days, well defined limits that are followed at every stage are a must for the stability of the industry.
A lot of these points are suggestions from the mining association. They also reflect what the chambers of commerce are interested in.
They would like to appeal to an elected official if there is a dispute with the board. They also suggested a scheduled review of the act because it is so important to ongoing protection of the environment and development in the Yukon.
Once the act is in place, they do not want existing projects to be reviewed unless the proponent requests a review. To ensure certainty, many of the miners told the committee that projects must only be reviewed if a proponent is requesting a change to that project. The ability to arbitrarily trigger a review is part of the legislation which has raised concerns in part of the mining community.
Assessments must also consider benefits to society. The purpose of the act should ensure that development as a public good is considered during socio-economic assessment. The economic factor is where there needs to be recognition of the good and the prosperity that the development brings so that Yukon families can support themselves and, through their taxes, fund the things that are important to governments.
They want to ensure that rules pertaining to designated offices will be reviewed. Designated offices should not be allowed to make their own rules to ensure that the rules are not different in different districts and a proponent is not treated differently in different districts. There are going to be six offices throughout the Yukon.
There was some suggestion that the scope of the act was so limited it could not catch some major projects that might have a negative socio-economic impact on communities and first nations such as the designation of parks or protected areas.
Again, in the assessment of cumulative impacts, they want to make sure that the board is empowered not only to consider the adverse impacts but the positive impacts of those developments. They also are wary of the possibility that certain mineral development could be imperiled where there are conflicts with the land use plans and this regime.
The Yukon Chamber of Commerce had similar concerns and suggestions.
Many of the intervenors were quite positive toward a five year review of the act and input into the regulations and the rules, all of which are so instrumental. In a pioneering piece of legislation that will have so much impact on the community and on the territory, it is important to incorporate these items.
Three first nations provided input, the Kwanlin Dun First Nation, the Kaska First Nation and the White River First Nation. They want to ensure that there is a five year review in place. They also want to ensure that the first nations are involved in the development of the regulations, which is a view consistent with that of other intervenors.
The Conservation Society also provided input throughout the process over the years and also represented the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. One of the major points, over and above the ones that I mentioned was that there should be enforcement legislation so that the results of this legislation would not be just recommendations, as they are now, but decisions. This would be regulatory legislation as opposed to advisory legislation. The five year review and involvement in the regulations were also mentioned.
The bill is complex because there is another land claim in the northern part of the Yukon which involves the Yukon North Slope. The Wildlife Management Advisory Council of the Inuvialuit expressed an interest that there not be duplication of the screening that comes under its processes related to its screening committee under that land claim, which would then overlap the assessment process in the Yukon system. There could possibly be two different results from the different assessment processes.
The Association of Yukon Communities was also an intervenor. It represents 100% of the municipalities in the Yukon and over 80% of the people in the Yukon.
It noted in its submission that it had been involved with the public consultation process from the beginning, since 1996. It met regularly and had input with groups, including the Council of Yukon First Nations, Yukon Chamber of Mines, the Klondike Placer Miners' Association, the Yukon Chamber of Commerce, the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, the Yukon Conservation Society.
The municipalities were concerned that because they were not recognized as an order of government in the bill, they may not have a right to appeal on every issue that occurred within municipal boundaries. They also suggested that it be mandatory on panels occurring within the municipal boundaries to have representation on the panel recommended by the municipalities.
In their reading, they thought it was unclear where CEAA and YESAA would cover a project and that there might be a dual assessment. The bill basically removes CEAA from the Yukon. Yukon will be one of only three parts of Canada that have their own assessment process. It will be designed by the local governments and people in the Yukon, for the Yukon.
It is exciting when people can work with the federal, first nations and territorial governments. It is a process that is unique to the country and to Yukon. They then do not have to follow the national legislation that may not be as sensitive to local concerns. The municipalities also thought that as other orders of government or decision bodies were in line within their jurisdiction, they should have the same provision in certain instances.
These were some of the ideas and suggestions that were raised during the debate. We have been processing this proposition created by three governments in Yukon for Yukoners. Whatever emerges from this Parliament will be unique to Yukon and to Canada. Perhaps it will contain elements of a model for the country for refinement and emulation.
Emerge it must. Our economy is at a low ebb and we need a regime to protect the environment while providing the certainty to entrepreneurs, corporations, first nations business persons and businesses so that we can all get on with building an economy so that Yukon families can survive and prosper in the beautiful country that has been given to us.
Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act
Government Orders
10:20 a.m.
Canadian Alliance
Gurmant Grewal Surrey Central, BC
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise this morning on behalf of the constituents of Surrey Central to participate in the debate on Bill C-2, an act to establish a process for assessing the environmental and socio-economic effects of certain activities in Yukon.
We heard from the hon. member for Yukon and I do appreciate his concern for the environment and the socio-economic development of Yukon. All members in this Chamber are concerned. However, I wish that the hon. member had some influence on his government and the minister to address the issues which I will be addressing.
Let us consider some important elements about rural Canada. Canada is the second largest country in the world with a huge wealth of natural resources. Though we are sparsely populated in Canada, more than 60% of our population lives in 10 or so of our southern most cities.
In the last decade of the Liberal government's rule, rural Canada has more or less been ignored by the government. Rural Canada suffers because of poor roads, poor rail links, and a lack of infrastructure development.
The interior of Canada depends on resource based industry, which is not supported by government programs, and is suffering badly from the plight of the Liberal government. The reasons are political more than anything else. It likes to focus on the voter rich areas, but it forgets about the concerns of rural Canadians.
The mismanagement of our natural resources by the Liberals is quite evident. Softwood lumber, mining, oil and gas and the fisheries are some of the examples of Liberal government mismanagement. If the weak Liberal government had a vision Canada would have been exporting more value added products rather than the natural resources like raw materials that we export.
If we were to go to the port in Vancouver we would see big heaps of sulfur or lumber. Why can we not add value to the products? It would not only create jobs but it would contribute to the economy. That is the unfortunate plight.
Rural Canada is suffering because of Liberal government mismanagement. The government's approach to dealing with the environment, Kyoto, endangered species and wildlife, or even the gun registry has not been fair to the rural communities in Canada.
Bill C-2 should have been in the House at least six years ago. Despite the lengthy development process the bill is significantly flawed. The Canadian Alliance is opposing the legislation, not because legislation in this area is not needed, but because this particular piece of legislation is not what is needed. Our main concern with the bill is that it does not do the very thing the minister says it does. The minister and his department claim that the bill would hand over to Yukoners the task of assessing development projects that have been proposed on federal, territorial and first nations lands.
The government says the bill is about devolution, about putting into local hands responsibility for making these assessments, but the truth is that the minister would retain for himself the power to control the process and to control who sits on the board that would be set up.
Once again the federal government cannot keep its hands off areas that should be under provincial and territorial jurisdiction. When it says that it is handing over powers to another level of government, it is doing nothing of the sort. There is no true handing over of power to Yukoners. The minister would retain the powers that he claims would be given to Yukoners.
I would like to focus on other concerns that we have with the bill. The minister would have too much authority over project assessment in Yukon. The bill was supposed to be about devolving to the people of Yukon authority for project assessments. The public relations material from the minister's department and the spokesman of the committee have sold this bill as a devolution of power, but the opposite is true. The minister would hold all the strings.
We find that in a number of places in the bill, the most important of which is the composition of the assessment board, which would be the main body established by the bill.
Let me mention some of the amendments the Canadian Alliance moved in committee. These amendments would have curbed the minister's power over the assessment process, but each amendment was voted down by the Liberals in committee.
First, the minister currently has the power under the bill to make an unlimited number of patronage appointments to the assessment board. Two different amendments were proposed that would have restricted the size of the board. We made those amendments on the recommendations of an MLA from Yukon. This would have limited the federal minister's ability to make patronage appointments to the board, but the amendment was not passed because the Liberal members voted against it.
Second, another amendment would have forced the minister to establish minimum qualifications and other criteria for the selection of board members. The bill in its current form makes no such requirements and therefore patronage appointments are easier to make. Our amendment would have made patronage appointments more difficult for the government and the minister. Again, the Liberals on the committee voted down this amendment.
Third, we also proposed amendments designed to strengthen the role of the Yukon government at the expense of the federal minister's role. The bill is supposed to hand to Yukoners control of the project assessment process, so one would have expected these amendments to pass because they are very natural amendments, but again the Liberals voted them down.
One such amendment would have strengthened the role of the territorial minister by enabling him to nominate one of the three executive committee members of the board; just one of the three. At present the minister must merely consult the territorial minister on one of those three appointments. Can you imagine, Mr. Speaker?
Another amendment would have strengthened the role of the territorial minister at the expense of the federal minister by enabling him to nominate two rather than only one of the four non-executive board members. Again, the Liberals voted this down, choosing instead to keep all of the strings in the federal minister's hands.
Another amendment would have limited the size of the board to a maximum of 13 members, but the Liberals on the committee voted against this. So now, the federal minister can make as many patronage appointments as he or she wants, up to 13 at least.
Another amendment would have changed the process of how the additional board members are chosen. Currently half of these members are nominated by the Council of Yukon First Nations. Under another amendment, the other half would be nominated by the territorial minister. That is fair enough. Half would be nominated by the minister and half by Yukon first nations through the council.
The handing of power from the federal minister to the territorial minister would make sense if, as the minister says, the bill is about handing to the people of Yukon powers that have until now been with the federal government. However again the minister is holding all of the power rather than giving it to the people of Yukon.
Clause 22 would give the federal minister authority to select the communities in which six assessment officers would be located, because the bill would establish six offices in various communities in Yukon. This would create the potential of political influence in the selection of the communities. We have moved an amendment that the authority be transferred from the minister to the board so that a board could make those decisions but again the Liberals on the committee rejected that amendment too.
A second major concern with the bill is that it is silent on the subject of timelines for the completion of assessments by the board. This is unacceptable given the problems that have existed in Yukon in this regard. Project assessments have taken far too long. Given this major problem, the bill should have addressed the matter of timelines right away. The bill has failed the people of Yukon on that issue again.
Let me describe the problem that has existed in Yukon, with project assessments dragging on for so long. Development and the economy of Yukon are hurting and the people of Yukon are suffering for that.
Currently, environmental and socio-economic assessments of proposed projects in Yukon are assessed under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. It is administered by the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. The department has failed to conduct a timely, efficient and cost effective assessments of the projects in Yukon under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.
These projects should be assessed in a timely, efficient and cost effective manner but the department has failed the people of Yukon. It is widely recognized. For example, in the mining industry, the recent annual survey of mining companies rated Yukon as having the second worst mining regulatory system in Canada. A survey was done by the Fraser Institute and it rated Yukon to be the second worst mining regulatory system in Canada. By the way, the first one was British Columbia.
As for hard data over the past 10 years, the length of time between the submission of an application and the delivery of a permit for a mining project has far exceeded what any reasonable person would consider acceptable. I did some research and have some examples.
Western Copper Holdings Ltd. made a submission in 1994 for an assessment. It is still not complete after 97 months. Imagine a business company applying for a licence and waiting for 97 months.
New Millennium Mining Corp. made a submission in 1996 for assessment. It is still not complete after 79 months.
I had an opportunity to visit the Cominco mine. Cominco Ltd. made a project assessment submission in 1996 and the permit was delivered in 2000, after 47 months, almost four years.
Minto Explorations Ltd. made a submission for assessment in 1994 and the permit was delivered in 1997 after 35 months, almost three years.
Viceroy Resources Ltd. made a submission in 1994 and the permit was delivered in 1996, after 23 months.
Most jurisdictions in Canada, at least for small mines, take six months to one year. Can members see the comparison? In the rest of Canada it takes just six months to one year. In Yukon it takes from 97 months. That is not acceptable. Globally it takes two years or less and that is the norm. The Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, has not come close to these Canadian norms of two years or less.
The failure of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development to conduct timely, efficient and cost effective assessments of projects in Yukon has contributed to the economic slowdown in Yukon and destroyed Yukon's reputation as a sound and stable jurisdiction in which to develop new mines. How can Yukon attract foreign investments or investors in the mining industry when the government's standard is letting those miners down?
For example, the shutdown of the mine at Faro in 1998, I am sure the member for Yukon knows, had disastrous economic consequences in the region. This could have been mitigated by timely approvals of other projects prior to the Faro shutdown. However those timely assessment projects by the government were not there. One company had to shut down. The other projects for the assessment were not completed for so long and the economy suffered.
The federal government has not been equal to the task. As a result, Yukon's economy is largely dependent on the net federal transfer payments to fuel economic activity, whereas Yukon could be self-sufficient. Development should have been taking place if the government's approach was right.
Given the failure of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development to conduct timely, efficient and cost effective assessments of projects in Yukon, we would expect the bill to correct these deficiencies so that worthwhile projects could proceed in a timely manner. However the bill does not do this nor even attempts to do this.
Instead the bill focuses on identifying and mitigating negative impacts of development. The bill shows little concern for development as something positive and desirable for the people of Yukon. It focuses on the negative impacts of development, including damage to lifestyles, heritage sites, the environment and community social systems. Therefore the bill is missing a needed balance between development and sustainability. It does not consider development as a public good which benefits communities.
The assessment board is therefore incapable of weighing costs and benefits in a balanced fashion since its only mandate is to safeguard against damage. Under the bill the board's preference when making assessments must always be to prohibit or limit development, even in cases when the benefits of a project would be great.
The only timeline that would come into play has yet to be determined, since it will be a part of regulations. That timeline does not relate to the assessment process. It relates to something that will follow the assessment process. Let me explain this, because it demonstrates just how much the bill fails to do what is needed.
Once a project has been assessed, the board, or one of the six offices in the communities that have conducted the assessment, will recommend to the responsible federal, territorial or first nations decision bodies whether the project should be allowed to proceed. These decision bodies, not the board or its six offices which are supposed to be listening to the people, have the final say. The board can only recommend. These decision bodies can accept, reject or vary the recommendation contained in the assessment.
The incredible thing about the bill is that timelines will be created under regulations for the decision bodies to issue their decisions. The bill specifies no timelines for the assessment board and its offices to deliver assessments to these decision bodies. That means the board can make its own decisions as to how long it wants to take to complete an assessment. People who do the labour of assessment get to decide how long they will take to finish their work, the while development will be held up.
I mentioned that the regulations will decide about the timelines and the fact that the regulations are not submitted along with the bill. Normally, the government submits the regulations after the bill is debated in the House. All members in the House passionately debate bills and passionately vote on bills, but without knowing the contents of a bill.
The government is in the habit of submitting the intent of the bill without any substance or subject matter. The subject matter and the substance comes through the back door by way of regulations. Why does the government not submit all regulations with the legislation when the legislation is tabled in the House so we can debate them and vote on them? We could then understand what the bill means. The government is not governing; it is ruling through the back door. Eighty per cent of the substance that we see in the law in Canada comes through the back door by way of regulations not debated in the House.
The Standing Joint Committee on Scrutiny of Regulations, which is supposed to scrutinize those regulations, has very limited powers. The committee cannot even scrutinize regulations made by the delegation of authority to various agencies and boards. The disallowance procedure is not on statutory footing, but I will talk about that another day.
This is a non-partisan issue. The House needs to have a disallowance procedure for those regulations which are submitted through the back door to be scrutinized properly. If committee members decide that those regulations are not fair enough, or they are not legal or they are not valid, then they should be disallowed. That procedure should be on statutory footing, but it is not.
Sixteen years ago a committee set up a temporary experimental procedure to see if the procedure would work. For 16 years we have been following that temporary procedure rather than putting the statutory disallowance procedure on statutory footing. However that is for another day.
The Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development has a history of foot dragging in completing assessments, and we have seen this in relation to the mining industry. Timelines should have been imposed on the board by the legislation itself, not by the regulations. The bill fails the people of Yukon in this important respect.
It is unfortunate that the bill fails to provide the people of Yukon with a true devolution of power as the minister has been touting. It also fails to provide a timely way to assess and approve projects so that they can get off the ground and development can begin in Yukon.
What is particularly shameful is the way in which the Liberals have concealed their failure to the people of Yukon by telling them the opposite of what the bill will do. The first thing mentioned in a Liberal press release was that the bill would hand over power to the people of Yukon. Once again we see the Liberals playing their power games with other levels of government. We are seeing again that confrontation between the provincial and territorial governments. The Liberals are hoping their public relations material will be slick enough that the public will not catch on.
We in the Canadian Alliance are opposed to the passage of this bill and will vote against it in the true interests of the people of Yukon. I am sure people of Yukon will understand. I wish the hon. member representing Yukon had some influence on the government in addressing these issues.
Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act
Government Orders
10:45 a.m.
Joe Comartin Windsor—St. Clair, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise and indicate on behalf of the New Democratic Party of Canada that we will be supporting Bill C-2. We are pleased at the progress this demonstrates in terms of transferring authority and control to the first nations.
We do not see the bill, assuming it will pass into law and eventually be the law, as a panacea for all of the problems that will be confronted by the Yukon government and the first nations in Yukon with regard to environmental assessments. There are problems with the bill. However, because we have waited so long, we are at that stage where the party feels we must move ahead.
We expect that over the next number of years some of the problems that have been identified and that I will make reference to today will come to the fore. They will require either amendments to the legislation or some very generous interpretations to broaden the scope of the legislation.
One of the concerns we have with the legislation is that it will supersede the Canadian environmental assessment legislation. As the party representative on the environment committee, I have just gone through the review of that legislation. That legislation and the amendments to it will be coming before the House sometime between now and the spring. I am concerned because some of the amendments we made to it are not necessarily reflected in this legislation.
Again, going back to our support of the legislation, we see this as an initial stage. I will not say that it is an experiment, as we are beyond that, but it is the initial stage of having the first nations of this country take greater control of the environmental assessment process. For that reason alone, in spite of our concern about potential conflicts between the Canadian environmental assessment legislation and this bill, the Yukon environmental and socio-economic assessment act, we believe that it should go ahead, and we should develop experience from it.
One of the other concerns we have is that the legislation is not clear enough, we believe, as to how assessments will be dealt with when they cross boundaries, whether it is dealing with Alaska or with other parts of Canada, with the territories or British Columbia. It is quite possible, and I think of the pipeline in particular with the potential for pipelines coming out of the north, that it will require a number of jurisdictions to have environmental assessments. How that will be resolved, how the assessment process will take place when we have multi-jurisdictions, is not at all resolved in the legislation. That is a problem that will have to be dealt with at some time in the future and potentially in the near future.
Perhaps I will digress for a moment, if I may. Anyone who has looked at the territories and the north generally recognizes that they are under tremendous pressure and will be even more so in the next number of years from major endeavours to develop, whether it be in the mining sector, and the diamond mines are probably the best example, or in oil and gas. There is going to be tremendous pressure put on the governments, both in the north and in the provinces immediately adjacent to the north, to deal with how or whether those projects should go ahead. I would suggest that this legislation is going to be tested very early on and probably repeatedly.
It has some very good points in it. I think the major one is that it is not strictly the traditional environmental assessment approach. It does take into account and in fact give priority to socio-economic issues. It does not ignore, as we have on a number of occasions with the existing environmental assessment legislation, historical and cultural issues and topics. In fact, it makes it mandatory that they be taken into account.
The first nations who were consulted extensively in this process insisted on that being in the legislation, and rightfully so. I believe it is going to give us an opportunity, perhaps for the first time on the globe, for those issues to be taken into account significantly. We can point to other examples around the globe where assessment legislation will sometimes look at those issues almost as the periphery of the environmental assessment hearings that go on, but in Yukon they will be front and centre.
I suggest that we will see situations, and I am going to use an example, where perhaps a significant mining development wanting to proceed, that being the proposal that is before the hearing, will be confronted with the reality that there is a regional fishery that is very fundamental to that community, that forms the basis of that community. The importance of that historical fishery will be given prominence and may in fact override the need to have that mine developed. Given the fragility that we find in our northern territories, it is important and crucial that in fact those considerations be taken into account.
The first nations have argued strenuously in a number of areas, and we were confronted with this in the species at risk legislation, that traditional knowledge be given equal weight with what I will call European science. It was accepted in that particular piece of legislation and it is incorporated into this one also. It recognizes that the scientific technology and techniques that we have developed are not perfect. They are at times certainly not the best method to assess the significance of developments on the natural environment. In fact, the traditional knowledge that comes out of the first nations will be at times, in some cases many times, a better technique to be used. Again, as I said, that traditional knowledge, that concept, that principle, is incorporated into this legislation. It is an important step forward to be doing that.
The structure of the board and the executive committee I believe calls for commentary as well, because it reflects the importance of the first nations and local communities being involved in the process. The board will be composed of members of the first nations. Also, they will have not a majority but a significant representation at the executive committee, which is a three member committee. It will have one member from the first nations and one appointed by the government and then those two people will choose the third person. The larger board is roughly equally balanced between the local communities and first nations and the appointments from the government.
Therefore, the needs, the desires and the decision making will be flowing from the local community, not from the south. These will be people who know their communities, know their regions and know their territory. They will know what is best for it, where they want it to go and where they want to take it, what they want to save and what they want to develop. This is built into the legislation and I believe it is one of the strong points of the legislation.
There has been some debate and some criticism of the legislation over what will be considered. There is what is being touted in the legislation, the project list regulator, which will be the body that will determine which activities are subject to assessment and which are not. The goal of that body is to catch those projects that pose a potential risk to the environment and/or that have socio-economic impacts. It will also take into account and ensure that activities which do not pose any risk, either to the natural environment or with socio-economic impacts, will be cleared quickly and will not be assessed because they do not need to be.
The other point I want to make, which is both a strength and I think also a weakness in that it does not go far enough, is that of the cumulative impact. This has been a real weakness in the Canadian environmental assessment legislation to this point. We have attempted to deal with it in amendments that will be coming before the House shortly. I do not think we did so successfully.
Equally so, I do not think that this legislation is broad enough. It is one of the areas where some very generous interpretation is going to have to occur in order to take into account fully the cumulative impact of a series of developments and those developments impacting on the natural environment. One small mine may not be a problem, but if it is the first of a chain of mines in that particular region it may in fact be a major problem. More of that work and the questioning of cumulative impact has to be taken into account at earlier stages than what we have traditionally done under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.
Pharmacist Awareness Week
Statements By Members
10:55 a.m.
Mac Harb Ottawa Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, March 3 to 9 is Pharmacist Awareness Week. Every day pharmacists make a significant difference in the lives of Canadians by providing expert information and advice on health and medication.
As the most accessible health care provider, pharmacists are always available to answer questions, give professional advice and ensure better health outcomes for all Canadians.
It is therefore no surprise that pharmacists were recently chosen as the most trusted professional by the public at large. As we undergo health care reform, Canadians will see the role of the pharmacist continue to expand.
In the future we will see greater participation by pharmacists in medication management programs, patient safety initiatives and full involvement in new primary health care teams.
I ask all Canadians to join us in celebrating and thanking Canadian pharmacists for a job well done.
Statements By Members
10:55 a.m.
Canadian Alliance
Deepak Obhrai Calgary East, AB
Mr. Speaker, I have reintroduced my private member's Bill C-393 now for the third time.
This private member's bill would amend the Criminal Code by providing for the imposition of a minimum mandatory period of imprisonment of two years upon a second or subsequent conviction for the offence of breaking and entering where the offence was committed in relation to a dwelling house.
A break and enter offence is much more than a property offence. It is a crime against the person. It is a crime that violates a person's home, often the only refuge of private ownership and privacy left for Canadians to enjoy. It also has the potential to be a violent crime because every break and enter is potentially a home invasion.
The Liberals have been making this bill non-votable despite Canada-wide support from police organizations. For a change, can the Liberals listen to Canadians and do something about the break and enter problem?
Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous Festival
Statements By Members
11 a.m.
Larry Bagnell Yukon, YT
Mr. Speaker, at this very moment the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous celebrations are occurring in Yukon's capital city. Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous is one of the top winter festivals in the nation.
We will be celebrating Yukon's lively and colourful past, so whether people are into dog sledding, chainsaw chucking, sourdough sam's, flour packing, watching can-can dancers, taking in the hairy leg contest or simply enjoying a get together with friends and family, everyone is guaranteed a great time during the festival.
The Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous is run entirely by volunteers and supported by corporate and government sponsors. It takes a lot of hard work and an unbelievable amount of energy to make this annual event such a success.
I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to all the people who work so tirelessly to achieve the great and successful festivals. I know the logistics may be challenging but I urge all members in the House today to cancel their weekend plans, hop on a plane, head up to the Klondike for one of the greatest winter festivals around.
Foreign Credentials
Statements By Members
11 a.m.
Gurbax Malhi Bramalea—Gore—Malton—Springdale, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased by the announcement in the budget 2003 of the government's commitment to improve foreign credential recognition so many skilled immigrants can participate in our growing economy.
The government announced in the budget $13 million over two years to work in partnership with the provincial and territorial governments to develop efficient and transparent foreign credential recognition methods. It is essential to work with our partners across the country to break down the barriers to the recognition of foreign credentials.
Many Canadians do not realize that the majority of newly arrived immigrants in Canada are highly educated professionals with specialized skills. Governments, employers and communities each have an important role to play in helping immigrants fully achieve their potential and make a full contribution to our country's social and economic life.
Josée Lavigueur
Statements By Members
11 a.m.
Yolande Thibeault Saint-Lambert, QC
Mr. Speaker, each year, the South Shore's chamber of commerce and industry celebrates International Women's Day by inviting a local celebrity to speak.
I am very pleased to see that, this year's guest of honour will be Josée Lavigueur, Quebec's current fitness guru.
Josée Lavigueur, from my riding, has made a name for herself in this industry. She is a popular aerobics star, mother of two young girls and a professor of physical education. She also hosts the show Tonus on TVA, has a column in La Presse and has produced many videotapes.
My hearty congratulations to the South Shore chamber of commerce and industry, which is promoting women in our society.
National Defence
Statements By Members
11 a.m.
Canadian Alliance
John Williams St. Albert, AB
Mr. Speaker, my St. Albert riding is home to many military personnel who are prepared to put their lives on the line to defend our country. It is therefore shocking that the government expects them to also put their lives on the line when using antiquated, outmoded equipment like the Sea King helicopters which are falling apart.
Yesterday a Sea King crashed on the deck of the HMCS Iroquois on the way to the war front, not because of the enemy but because the government treats the military like some kind of useless appendage to a state that prefers to distribute wealth rather than creating wealth.
This was a country that was strong and free but somewhere along the line the government lost the way.
Canadian Music Week
Statements By Members
February 28th, 2003 / 11 a.m.
John Harvard Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia, MB
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to ask all Canadians to join in the celebration of our Canadian music industry.
This is Canadian Music Week. Every year the creators, broadcasters and entrepreneurs involved get together to share a vision, celebrate successes and lay the groundwork for addressing the new challenges they face.
For many, names like Alanis Morissette, Barenaked Ladies, Avril Lavigne, Céline Dion, the Guess Who and other superstars define Canadian music. We can now add the name Painting Daisies to this list, an Edmonton based band that won the CBC's Great Canadian Music Dream on Wednesday night.
Indeed, Canadian music as a whole is a great success story with Canadian songwriters and musicians from all parts of the country playing an important role capturing and reflecting the diverse Canadian experience.
I ask all members to please join me in congratulating all of our Canadian talent and the many participants in Canadian Music Week who play a key role in supporting our music industry.
International Women's Day
Statements By Members
11:05 a.m.
Jocelyne Girard-Bujold Jonquière, QC
Mr. Speaker, March 8 is International Women's Day and the theme chosen this year by the Fédération des femmes du Québec is "women in solidarity for equality in the world".
I want to bring attention to the importance of the role of women and their solidarity to the advancement of our society. Over the last century, women have struggled and made immeasurable gains, but these gains are constantly threatened by the impact of globalization.
Globalization affects women particularly, through their working conditions, increasing poverty, health and education.
If they are to preserve their gains, women have to be alert to the negative effects of globalization and ensure that their voices are heard in the debate on this phenomenon.
Today, all the members of the Bloc Quebecois join me in paying tribute to the women who have helped build, and who continue to build Quebec each day.
I invite the women from organizations in my riding to join me for a brunch in their honour on March 9.
Women's solidarity is a means for improving the world of tomorrow.
International Women's Day
Statements By Members
11:05 a.m.
Aileen Carroll Barrie—Simcoe—Bradford, ON
Mr. Speaker, this year's International Women's Day theme in Canada is "World-Wide Women: Surfing the Digital Revolution!"
Technology is changing. Information and communications technologies, or ICTs, and the Internet are no exception. They have revolutionized the way we communicate, access information and create networks. The Internet, in particular, has opened up a number of resources to individuals or organizations across the world.
Online activism, for example, has generated worldwide support for important issues such as human rights violation, gender-based exploitation and violence against women.
The World March of Women 2000 and the situation of women in Afghanistan are just a couple of examples of how the Internet can be used with success to mobilize people around the world on women's issues.
The Internet and ICTs are tools that everyone should have access to. Canadians should take the opportunity to learn about the benefits that these technologies have to offer and to reflect on how they can continue to benefit women.
Liberal Party of Canada
Statements By Members
11:05 a.m.
Canadian Alliance
Deborah Grey Edmonton North, AB
Mr. Speaker, evidently today is international hypnosis day, which is as good a time as any to delve deep into the psyche of the members across the way. If they will just relax and follow the swing of the pendulum, I think they will find themselves growing sleepy, so sleepy.
Oh look, there is the promise to eliminate the GST. But wait, it is still in place. Surely they feel a little embarrassment about that one. And then there are those repressed feelings of guilt and remorse over cancelling the Sea King contract. They must just feel sick about that.
Oh, and here we see the billions of dollars of taxpayer money squandered on HRDC grants and contributions, the flawed gun registry boondoggle, and advertising scandals. They have even voted down their own promise for an ethics commissioner accountable to Parliament. It seems that is buried so deeply it has not even registered on their consciousness.
Well, it has been a full therapy session today. Looks like it is time for the Liberals to wake up.
Atlantic Canadian Artists
Statements By Members
11:05 a.m.
Dominic LeBlanc Beauséjour—Petitcodiac, NB
Mr. Speaker, Canadians do not always agree on every issue, but one thing on which I believe we can find common ground is that some of the most talented artists and performers in the world originate from Atlantic Canada.
Next week the National Arts Centre will unveil the artists line up of the Atlantic Scene/la Scène atlantique, a unique showcase of Atlantic Canadian artists who will hit the national capital region from April 22 to May 4. More than 400 Atlantic artists will perform in 85 venues for the 13 days of this festival.
I urge all Canadians to get out and participate in the Atlantic Scene when it comes to the capital. I commend the National Arts Centre for its vision in making the artists from Atlantic Canada a centrepiece of its programming.


text:
Comic Rodriguez stands up Pueblo
To the dismay of many, actor and comedian Paul Rodriguez didn't show up for his scheduled performance on Sunday night at Pueblo Memorial Hall.
Rodriguez's representatives called officials at Memorial Hall on Sunday afternoon and told them Rodriguez wouldn't be making it to the show but gave no reasoning, according to Joe Gonzales, director of marketing for Global Spectrum, which handles entertainment at Memorial Hall.
Fans were gathered in the lobby when it was announced prior to the show that Rodriguez wouldn't be coming and it would have to be canceled.
They then flooded out the doors and onto the streets around Memorial Hall in disappointment, looking for other activities to fill up their evening.
"This is a first for Memorial Hall," Gonzales said.
More than 600 tickets had been pre-sold for the show.
A final tally of number of tickets sold, which is reflected to include walk-up tickets, is usually done at the end of the evening but that tally wasn't available since the show was canceled.
Tickets cost $30 in advance and $45 extra for a backstage meet-and-greet with Rodriguez. It's unclear how many people purchased the meet-and-greet package.
Gonzales said people with tickets to the show have the option of getting a refund for their tickets or using them if the show is rescheduled.
Gonzales said it hasn't been determined when or if the show will be rescheduled. He said a meeting will be held today to discuss future plans.
Sisters Susie Duran and Terry Adame were walking dejectedly in the parking lot of Memorial Hall right after hearing the news.
Adame bought tickets and a meet-and-greet package for them both as a gift for Duran's birthday.
"We are big fans. We were excited all week to come see the show and now we have to find something else to do," Duran said. "It's disappointing, but I'm not going to let it ruin my birthday."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
911 millage, school bond vote Tuesday
IRON MOUNTAIN – Dickinson County residents will decide an E-911 millage proposal, and Iron Mountain School District voters will determine a bond proposal in Tuesday's election.
Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
Dickinson County is seeking 0.4 mills for three years to improve and operate the county's 911 system. If the millage passes, the county will replace the current system, which was purchased in 1991.
The cost to replace the 911 console equipment, which is six years beyond its design life, has been estimated at $360,000. A millage of levy of 0.4 mills would generate an estimated $375,000 in its first year.
The E-911 budget currently requires $300,000 annually from the county general fund, in addition to $288,000 generated from surcharges on telephone lines and cellular phones.
For taxpayers, a house with a market value of $150,000 will see a tax increase of $30 a year if the millage passes. For an $80,000 home with an equalized value of $40,000 the levy will amount to $16 annually.
Dickinson County E-911 Millage proposal reads, "Shall the voters of Dickinson County be assessed 0.4 mill ($.40 per $1,000.00 of Taxable Value) over and above the rate of taxation now in effect, to be levied for a period of three years, 2013 to 2015 inclusive, for the purpose of operating and equipping an Enhanced 911 system in Dickinson County and for no other purpose? The estimated amount of revenue that will be collected if approved and levied in the first calendar year is approximately $375,000."
Besides the 911 issue, the Iron Mountain School District is looking to borrow up to $9.5 million for 18 years for school improvements.
The funds would be used for:
– Remodeling, equipping, re-equipping, furnishing and re-furnishing the school buildings and other facilities.
– Preparing, developing and improving sites at the school buildings and other facilities.
– Equipping and re-equipping school buildings and other facilities for technology systems and equipment.
A previous bond issue put before voters in May 2012 asked for approval of $11 million for 20 years and was defeated by a total of 46 votes.
If the bond proposal passes, school officials said the increase to the average home owner will be about $71 per year throughout the length of the bond, if it is extended.
The School Improvement Bond Proposition reads: "Shall the School District of the City of Iron Mountain, County of Dickinson, State of Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed Nine Million Five Hundred Thousand and 00/100 ($9,500,000) Dollars and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds therefor, in one or more series, for the purpose of paying for the cost of the following:
– Remodeling, equipping, re-equipping, furnishing and re-furnishing school buildings and other facilities;
– Preparing, developing and improving sites at school buildings and other facilities; and
– Equipping and re-equipping school buildings and other facilities for technology systems and equipment?
"The estimated millage that will be levied to pay the proposed bonds in the first year is 2.27 mills ($2.27 per $1,000 of taxable value). The maximum number of years the proposed bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of refunding, is not more than eighteen (18) years; and the estimated simple average annual millage that will be required to retire the proposed bonds over eighteen (18) years is 3.80 mills annually ($3.80 per $1,000 of taxable value).
"If approved by the voters the bonds will be guaranteed by the State of Michigan under Section 16 of Article IX of the State Constitution of 1963, as amended. If the School District borrows from the State of Michigan to pay debt service on the bonds under the State of Michigan's guarantee the School District may be required to levy debt mills beyond the term of the bonds to repay the State of Michigan.
"(Pursuant to State law, expenditure of bond proceeds must be audited, and the proceeds cannot be used for teacher, administrator or employee salaries, repair or maintenance costs or other operating expenses.)"


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EDIT: Chonto tomatoes, and I believe plum tomatoes. Chonto's are less expensive though.
.50 a pound of any tomatoes. I just called to make sure.
If you have tomato paste available this might work to help stretch your volume.
Hold your horses there, Bob I can't speak for any other style, but, for NY, there's no greater sacrilege than paste (or any kind of cooking, including cooking individual ingredients).
Scott, them drug lords down there won't mind. They jus wanna slice...an they want it NOW!!
I'm cooking NY style pizza.
Jeeez....you could have told him anything but NY man!! Seriously though, why is it you say you needed the tomatoes to be real soft and therefore boiled them for 15 minutes? Thanks.
Hahah why? Easier to blend.
Take it easy, Bob- it's all good. If Auralnauts is happy with his sauce, that's all that matters.


text:
Washington Spending Battle Looms
In Washington, where there always seems to be a scary deadline looming, the next one is March 1st.
For now the battle is on for who gets blamed if there really are huge across-the-board cuts in defense spending known as "sequestration".
President Obama was in Annapolis, Maryland Wednesday rallying Democrats for the battle over defense cuts when house republicans sent him a message.
They passed a bill demanding Mr. Obama detail how he would cut the deficit to avoid the automatic spending cuts next month.
Without a budget deal on March 1st sequestration will force reductions in military training, cutbacks in operations, layoffs of civilian pentagon employees and layoff of civilians defense workers.
Deep cuts also loom in social services.
Some Senate Republicans are hoping to push the deadline back seven months, but House Speaker John Boehner said, in effect, he will not blink.
"At some point, Washington has to deal with the spending problem," Boehner said.
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Today's IHSA Board of Directors meeting had several interesting items come out of it beyond the state football finals being awarded to Northern Illinois University it odd-numbered years.
The board approved a recommendation to accept classification cutoff enrollments for the upcoming school year, which include moving to a straight 25 percent breakdown per class in all four-class sports (boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball and volleyball). Also, an exception will be made to maintain that the boys and girls programs at each school are in the same class for the following paired sports: boys and girls basketball, baseball and softball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls track and field.
Classifications for the school year will be posted on the IHSA website on Wednesday.
The board also approved an exception to the Pepsi Tournament schedule, allowing the tournament to last 15 days and for the tournament finals to be played at Wrigley Field.


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Skip to comments.Breaking: North Korean Photo Reveals U.S. Mainland Strike Plan
Posted on 03/28/2013 11:05:07 PM PDT by CMB_polarizationEdited on 03/28/2013 11:22:28 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
"In a photo published in the Korea Workers Party (KWP) paper the Rodong, plans for a strike on the U.S. mainland are clearly and therefore probably deliberately visible. The newspaper is widely distributed in cities, and often displayed in public places for easy viewing..."
More from the article:
UPDATE 1449KST: South Korean intelligence agencies have spotted increased activity on North Korean mid-t0-long range missile platforms, an unnamed official told Yonhap in Seoul: "We are closely watching for the possibility of a missile launch," the anonymous government source said.
SEOUL Kim Jong Un signed off on a plan to ready his forces to target the U.S. mainland and American bases in East Asia following yesterday's U.S.-led B2 strategic bomber runs, the KCNA reported after the North Korean military conveyed an "emergency meeting" in the early hours of this morning.
In a photo published in the Korea Worker's Party (KWP) paper the Rodong, plans for a strike on the U.S. mainland are clearly and therefore probably deliberately visible. The newspaper is widely distributed in cities, and often displayed in public places for easy viewing.
"He finally signed the plan on technical preparations of strategic rockets, ordering them to be on standby to fire so that they may strike any time the U.S. mainland, its military bases in the operational theaters in the Pacific, including Hawaii and Guam, and those in south Korea," a KCNA report in English said.
In the below photos, Kim Jong Un can be seen in what appears to be a military command room, signing the ready order.
In the version enlarged by NK NEWS (below), the text reads "U.S. Mainland Strike Plan" [미본토타격계획], and a larger map towards the back of the command centre appears to show the Western coast of the United States.
A composite overlay appears to show Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Hawaii and possibly Austin as being primary targets in a North Korean attack plan:
In a second picture Korean People's Air Force (KPAF) squadron numbers are visible, as is what appears to be a flight plans on the left side of the large map on the wall. A 21.5 inch aluminium unibody iMac is on Kim Jong Un's desk, confirming long-held rumors of the Kim family's passion for Apple Macs.
Given that the photo will have primarily been intended for a domestic audience, it will most likely have already served its purpose of demonstrating North Korean military capabilities internally. Most analysts agree North Korea would not be able to hit any U.S. mainland targets.
A composite of the two photos gives a better idea of the scene, although the different focal lengths distort the image slightly:
The development appears to be a tit-for-tat response to a U.S. stealth bomber training run Thursday that saw two B-2s fly from Misourri to drop ordinance on an island in the southern half of the Korean peninsula. U.S. officials said the flights were not designed to raise tensions, but reduce them by bolstering deterrence in face of North Koreas recent vitriolic provocations.
However, North Korea sees ongoing U.S. military drills as part of a plot to conduce a full-scale nuclear invasion of their country. This week, North Korea put its military on the highest level of alert possible and cut a second military hotline. A KCNA report published earlier today added to tensions by saying that the North Korean military was preparing to blow up the strongholds of aggression through precision strikes no matter where they are.
Observers worry that, with tensions running high and two new leaders in Pyongyang and Seoul, there is significant potential for escalation in the event of military confrontation. Both Kim Jong Un and Park Geun-hye are under domestic pressure to show strong and decisive leadership in the face of each others threats, and a lack of direct communication between the two sides is worrying for some.
has been replaced with the published title.
In order to reduce duplicate and pulled threads, we ask everyone to please only use published titles.
SSBN ping
Good luck with that Chubbster.
I know you think Obama is a puss but that don't make you da man.
DC?, hmmmmm.... LOL
Shouldn't it say Super Secret US Mainland Strike Plan?
If this is for domestic consumption, I think we're going to have to reexamine the popular wisdom that East Asians are smart.
Austin, as in Texas??Why would they want bomb an ally??
Maybe because, the Kim family, the *hereditary* 'leaders' of poor, backward, benighted North Korea, are crazy as loons, and none too bright, to boot?
the infowarrior
Remember, most Norks aren't well fed, except for Fat Boy. Starvation ain't good for brain development. Ever seen such an emaciated lot of military personnel ? A burp from their fearless leader could knock them over.
They don't like the competition from Austin, the Weird City. They want to be the weirdest on the planet.
LOL really? North Korea, EMP 4 targets okay.
you forgot a /s
I hate war but I almost wish he would do something more than blather and make threats. We should have knocked the North out in the 1950s. We are now having to pay for that weakness in character. Well, we need to modernize our cities here in California-—maybe this is the way. One boomer sub could take out all of North Korea. Still, something could happen and a limited war be fought—Obama, being a wuss, would go to the UN as our boys are slaughtered—maybe he would send some drones to help but that is it. South Korea were fools to trust the USA for their nuke shield .
Those guys got more fruit salad than Del Monte.
Yet they are mostly awards of the same few medals.
Snappy uniforms though. Snappy.
If it was reported that North Korea provided a few hundred thousand illegal votes for comrade obama in the November election, then I'd be a lot more convinced that they had gotten serious about destroying America.
That's a cute mini-electric organ. Think he can play his daddy's theme song of "I'm so ronery" on it ?
Take a swing.
Ya bring'n your own rice? Or some that USDA crap?
Most likely they really want to hit Fort Hood or maybe the Lockheed plant in Fort worth (Home of the F-22 and F-35). But what the hey, Texas is a big place and even they might be able to hit it, sure would hate it if they were to accidentally take out Neuwavo Laredo or Cuidad Juarez.
"what appears to be a flight plans on the left side of the large map on the wall."
Shouldn't flight plans follow a great circle route? These sure don't...
On April 3, my son-in-law is deploying to South Korea for 12 months.
I just incredulously had (my) post #25 removed???!! What's wrong with FR removing my comment about North Korea, their lack of capabilities, and the other open source information I just supplied about the DPRK. (Shaking head). -AmericanInTokyo
We had a complaint concerning the profanity used in your post. We cannot edit posts and are only able to edit within the body of a thread.
Free speech doesn't apply to the internet, that's why. Doncha know?
Just passing by on this thread...but even though Kim Un can't hit the US, he can certainly hit S. Korea's capital with Chemical Weapons that would kill thousands in a matter of minutes.
It's been said Kim has extra security (now) covering and protecting all the huge monuments honoring him and his father etc, ...because S.Korea has threatened if they get attacked they have targeted these, which to N.Koreans is a HUGE thing as they pay hommage to these statues and significant in their cult worship of Kim UN and his father.
But I wouldn't underestimate N.Korean leadership, even if Kimmy is simply a figurehead...those guys are old and not about ready to let this latest ban on luxuries affect their lifestyles...without a fight...one way or another...they have nothing to loose by doing so.
Seems like a great reason for a preemptive strike, those are ICBM flight paths.
I wasn't aware NK has chemical weapons.
No argument with that, the words I used to describe North Korea. Sorry (from this side).
Oh boy do they EVER have CHEMS (weapons). Lots and lots and lots of stockpiles.
"We can build nuclear weapons to strike U.S. but had to have our spies steal 1980's sixth grade classroom map."
When the DEFCON level is raised for US troops in Korea, (or a comparable raising for South Korean troops), and they start refamiliarization of chem and bio suits for troops and families or doing family and US civilian evacs, you will probably know something is up. I agree. Norks couldn't hit the continental USA if they tried, maybe Midway Island Atoll in the Pacific, I even doubt their accuracy, but they could wreak chem and bio havoc in Seoul over about 48 hours, nevertheless our B-2s and other assets would assassinate the entire leadership of North Korea in their bunkers, they would be fried to death down there, and we would also level all of their command and control AND statues of worship to the cult, in Pyongyang and other major cities. It would be a "failed state with nukes" an unsettling idea for a moment, for which the US has a plan jointly with Seoul, but China would really have to be watch... I imagine it would be a rush to get to and occupy smoldering Pyongyang first by the Chinese PLA coming blitzkreig style in from the north, and a joint US/South Korea crack force from the south.
I watch N.Korea because at some point things are going to pop....but I doubt from within, even if the people are starving, as history has already shown, they don't have the mindset to revolt.
How much info is actually getting thru to the N.Korean people now? I understand cell phones have increased considerably, (if they don't get caught). So are they at least becoming better informed of the outside world?
I don't think Kim Un has any significance other than a figurehead for the most part. It's the old geezers running the show.
I think they got that map from AAA, it's all in English.........
Jeepers, did you see the new toy land Kim built for himself..hum..the people...which none can afford to go to?
Poor Un has nothing to do put tour, and point at pictures or things, or look like he's signing things. So they built him a gigantic "Pleasure Land".....of course indicating this was for the people.
I know you think Obama is a puss but that dont make you da man>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The Norkies have that right. Obama is a puss. He thinks US power is a curse on the world, a late colonial power which
needs to be destroyed. If anything Obama is secretly helping the Norkies, just like he is helping drug cartels invade the American Southwest.
"On April 3, my son-in-law is deploying to South Korea for 12 months."
That calls for prayer:
"Lord, we ask for Your protection of Jemian's son-in-law as he goes to serve our country. Please keep him from harm, assign your angels to protect him, and let him come home safely to his family. Please also be with his wife and family while he is away, and let everyone know that You are watching over him. In Jesus' Name, amen."
Thank you, Pastor Books. I really appreciate your prayer. Although my SIL's MOS is a tank mechanic, his actual job is as a chaplain's assistant. He and my daughter walk with the Lord, as does my other son, his wife and their covenant daughter and my oldest daughter. I can praise God that my children are following Him.
Happy Easter! He IS risen!
You might be right. I traced out those lines on a graphics program and it looks like the one is heading either towards Dallas/Ft Worth or Atlanta. Or Oklahoma City? I can't tell.
For all we know someone just drew some lines on the map to look scary... but we don't know their thinking. They aren't rational.
Flight plan? The norks can fly?
Amazing. I thought the plan was to tunnel through the center of the Earth.
If this is for domestic consumption, I think we're going to have to reexamine the popular wisdom that East Asians are smart."
The mental capacity of the Far East Asians has nothing to do with "domestic consumption" of the newspaper propaganda. Make that domestic force feeding of "news."
You bring up a good point. Their missiles can't reach Austin or DC via ballistic targeting but they can launch small payloads into low earth orbit. This means their missiles aren't on ballistic paths but are using sub-orbital targeting. At the weight limit of their payloads for what they can put into orbit rules out atomic or nuclear warheads. So their missiles are likely armed with either HE or EMP warheads to be delivered via sub orbital paths.
I don't know about that. The second guy from the left appears to be struggling to avoid a burst of laughter. The first guy from the left looks like he may be thinking something that may not be so positive about Fat Boy's inexperience.
"A composite overlay appears to show Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Hawaii and possibly Austin as being primary targets in a North Korean attack plan:"
Well, if they nuke Austin, I will be pissed. And Texas alone will take out NK.
Those other cities? Please do us the favor. And add Chicago.
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By Clotilde Hryshko
Thanks and recognition goes to some of the friends of my daughter Marya – Ellie, Gabe, Kim, Marya and Nick – for their efforts on the wood stacking and garlic harvest. These jobs are perfect for the young teens – a chance for some money, camaraderie, and that critical opportunity to do a job and see its completion. I'm sure they won't remember them as the best days of their vacation but the other parents and I will continue to be smug about its importance.
My summer vacation is really more of a flip-flop. Jim took the girls away for 10 days. They traveled to Alaska where he has a brother and a sister. They camped and went salmon fishing, meeting up with more family. Marya caught 2 fish this year and the youngest, Yelena, caught one (fly-fishing).


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US luge team celebrates Thanksgiving abroad
WINTERBERG, Germany – Turkeys and touchdowns. A tradition every American knows too well.
Thanksgiving Day is one of the most anticipated American holidays. The United States virtually shuts down so folks can visit family and hunker down for a feast that would make the pilgrims proud, usually with Lions and Bears playing on a television set in the background, although this year, it's Lions and Packers.
More people travel for this holiday than Christmas, New Year's and Grandma's birthday, combined.
But lots of Americans don't get this experience, particularly winter sports athletes who, in some cases, will be worlds away on this Thanksgiving holiday. Such is the cost of traveling the road to Sochi.
"This will be Thanksgiving number 12 spent away, so it's kind of the norm now," said two-time USA Luge Olympian Erin Hamlin. "I still Skype into dinner at home, though, as long as they start eating early enough."
Training for the Winterberg World Cup races run from Wednesday through today, but for the U.S. team, there must be time for the great American eating pastime.
"We always have Thanksgiving," the Remsen racer said. "And we will have our third annual Turkey Bowl. The luge team has mad football skills."
One of the key figures behind the team's Thanksgiving-away-from-home concept is assistant coach Bill Tavares, a member of the U.S. Army.
"Bill actually stocked us up on some stuff from the U.S. base in Garmisch (Germany)," continued Hamlin. "So we will have a few familiar items this year. Tradition dictates that the youngest member of the team always gives the Thanksgiving speech, so Tucker (West) has been mentally preparing for his second one."
Once the Thanksgiving table is cleared, it'll be time to concentrate on the third weekend of racing. Nations Cup qualification today will lead into the World Cup action on Saturday and Sunday.
So far, 2010 Olympian Chris Mazdzer, of Saranac Lake is the lone U.S. luger to earn a nomination to the Sochi Olympic team. Hamlin, who satisfied the selection criteria last Saturday with her second top nine result in as many weeks, could join Mazdzer by verifying with a top five race this weekend.
The 10-member U.S. Olympic Luge Team will be nominated on Dec. 14 in Park City, Utah.


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Parks Canada
Home > National Parks of Canada > Glacier National Park > Visitor Information > Where to Stay > Backcountry Camping
Backcountry campsites are available on the following trails:
Each campsite has tent pads and food storage poles or lockers to place food out of reach of bears. Open fires are not permitted in the backcountry. Backcountry campers require a Wilderness Pass and a Park Pass. Both are available at the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre and at the Park Headquarters in Revelstoke. Please see our fees page for more information on Park Passes and Wilderness Passes.
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Ionesco, Eugène November
Eugène Ionesco November 26, 1909–March 28, 1994
Romanian-born French playwright, essayist, novelist, autobiographer, and critic.
For further information on Ionesco's life and works, see CLC, Volumes 1, 4, 6, 9, 11, 15, and 41.
A key innovator along with Samuel Beckett and Jean Genêt in creating the "Theater of the Absurd," Ionesco produced darkly comic portraits of the human condition by exploring such themes as alienation, the impossibility of communication between human beings, and the destructive forces of modern society. Born in Romania, he spent his first thirteen years in France, then lived in Romania for fourteen years before settling in Paris. Ionesco wrote primarily in French, and such critics as John Lahr contend that "[Ionesco's] estrangement from his native tongue gave him a feeling for the confusion created by language and its inadequacy to make sense of reality." The problematic nature of language and communication is a dominant theme in Ionesco's early works. In La cantatrice chauve (1950; The Bald Soprano), for instance, the dialogue among the characters disintegrates from clichés to meaningless sounds. To address the absurdity of life, alienation, and the loss of identity experienced by people in the twentieth century, Ionesco often employed the metaphor of multiplying objects; for example, in Les chaises (1952; The Chairs) an old man's desperate belief in reason and rationality is mocked by the play's setting—a room that becomes increasingly filled with empty chairs. Beginning in the late 1950s, he wrote four plays centering on Bérenger, a modern-day Everyman. In Rhinocéros (1959; Rhinoceros), in which everyone except Bérenger becomes a rhinoceros, Ionesco attacked mindless conformity and mob mentality. Death also became an overriding concern in many of Ionesco's later works. His last play, Voyages chez les morts (1980; Journeys among the Dead), for example, features protagonists that engage in conversations with the deceased. Ionesco quit writing plays in 1980 and subsequently devoted his time to painting and autobiography. Commenting on Ionesco's significance to contemporary theater and his innovative techniques, Edward Albee has argued that "we would diminish Ionesco … were we to suggest he was little more than a bag of tricks. His concerns with individual freedom, identity and rationalism place him higher than that. He was a major force in shaping nontraditional drama in the second half of the 20th century."
Principal Works
Non [Non] (criticism) 1934
La cantatrice chauve [The Bald Soprano] (drama) 1950
La leçon [The Lesson] (drama) 1951
Les chaises [The Chairs] (drama) 1952
Victimes du devoir [Victims of Duty] (drama) 1953
Amédée; ou, comment s'en débarrasser [Amédée; or, How to Get Rid of It] (drama) 1954
Jacques; ou, la soumission [Jack; or, The Submission] (drama) 1955
Le nouveau locataire [The New Tenant] (drama) 1957
Tueur sans gages [The Killer] (drama) 1958
Rhinocéros [Rhinoceros] (drama) 1959
Notes et contre-notes [Notes and Counter-notes] (essays, addresses, and lectures) 1962
Le piéton de l'air [A Stroll in the Air] (drama) 1962
Le roi se meurt [Exit the King] (drama) 1962
La soif et la faim [Hunger and Thirst] (drama) 1964
Présent passé, passé présent [Present Past, Past Present] (autobiography) 1968
Jeux de massacre [The Killing Game] (drama) 1970
Le solitaire [The Hermit] (novel) 1972
L'homme aux valises [Man with Bags] (drama) 1975
Voyages chex les morts: Thèmes et variations [Journeys among the Dead] (drama) 1980
La quête intermittente (autobiography) 1988
Théâtre complet (dramas) 1992
Obituaries And Tributes
Mel Gussow (obituary date 29 March 1994)
SOURCE: An obituary in The New York Times, March 29, 1994, pp. A1, D21.
[Gussow is an American editor, educator, biographer, and critic. In the following obituary, he provides an overview of Ionesco's life and works.]
Eugène Ionesco, whose wildly innovative plays, among them Rhinoceros, The Bald Soprano and The Chairs, overturned conventions of contemporary theater and had a profound effect on a new generation of playwrights, died yesterday in Paris, where he lived. He was 84.
His death was announced by the French Cultural Ministry. The cause was not reported.
Mr. Ionesco's "anti-plays" satirized modern society while discovering new uses of language and theatrical techniques. Inspired by silent film clowns and vaudeville, he was a playful playwright, clownish in his own personality as well as in his work onstage. With outrageous comedy, he attacked the most serious subjects: blind conformity and totalitarianism, despair and death. Repeatedly he challenged—and accosted—the audience and his critics. As he said, "The human drama is as absurd as it is painful."
Along with Samuel Beckett and Jean Genet, he was one of a trinity of pioneering experimental playwrights who lived and worked in Paris. Although there were thematic bridges among the three, Mr. Ionesco's distinction was in his fanciful surrealism and sense of Dada. Among the playwrights he influenced were Tom Stoppard, Fernando Arrabal, Edward Albee, Tina Howe and Christopher Durang. Mr. Ionesco was among the playwrights often grouped as practitioners of the Theater of the Absurd. He objected to the label, preferring, he said, the Theater of Derision.
In his work, he turned drawing-room comedy on its head (The Bald Soprano), had a stage filled with empty chairs (The Chairs) and transformed man into beast (Rhinoceros). Although his playwriting career did not begin until he was 40, he wrote 28 plays as well as several books of memoirs. The plays have been performed around the world in various languages, although in recent years his work has been neglected in the United States. Throughout his career, he was an imaginative iconoclast who could create the most bizarre imagery.
Rhinoceros, in its 1961 Broadway production, proved to be his breakthrough play, enriched by Zero Mostel's virtuosic performance, in which he transmogrified himself from man to rhinoceros without altering his makeup or costume. Roaring, bellowing, hilarious Mostel put the playwright on the international theatrical map, and Rhinoceros ran for 241 performances. But the play was only one of many that insured Mr. Ionesco's stature.
Despite his reputation for controversy, he saw himself as a preserver of theater, a classicist and "a supreme realist." He insisted that he wrote archetypes, not stereotypes. As he said in 1958, "I believe that the aim of the avant-garde should be to rediscover—not invent—in their purest state, the permanent forms and forgotten ideals of the theater." He added: "I make no claim to have succeeded in this. But others will succeed, and show that all truth and reality is classical and eternal."
He was "the Molière of the 20th century," said Rosette C. Lamont, the author of Ionesco's Imperatives: The Politics of Culture and an acknowledged authority on Ionesco's work. "Like Molière in his late plays," she continued, "In Ionesco's plays, there is a seamless amalgam of the comic and tragic." In her eyes, he was a master of the "metaphysical farce," an oxymoron that the playwright accepted as accurate.
Eugène Ionesco was born in Slatina, Romania, on Nov. 26, 1909, although he took three years off his age and claimed 1912 as his birth year, presumably because he wanted to have made his name before the age of 40. His father was Romanian, his mother French.
As a child, he lived in Paris. In an article titled "Experience in the Theater," he remembered his introduction to a world that would preoccupy him for a lifetime. The Punch and Judy show in the Luxembourg Gardens fascinated him as the puppets "talked, moved, clubbed each other." It was, he said, "the spectacle of the world itself … presented itself to me in an infinitely simplified and caricatured form, as if to underline its grotesque and brutal truth."
In 1922, he returned to Romania, where he went to high school and later studied at Bucharest University. At first he wrote poetry, not plays (except for a historical drama he wrote at 13). He married Rodica Burileanu in 1936; eight years later, their daughter, Marie-France, was born. Both his wife and daughter survive.
In 1939, Mr. Ionesco moved back to France and worked for a publisher. He became a French citizen and remained there for the rest of his life. During World War II, he and his wife were in hiding in the south of France.
The Bald Soprano (La Cantatrice Chauve) was inspired by his own attempts to learn English by using an English-French conversational manual. Copying out phrases, he realized he was relearning obvious truths, that there are seven days in a week and that the ceiling is above, the floor below. Carrying that premise to ridiculous, word-spinning heights, he wrote his first play—and no bald soprano appeared onstage. An actor improvised those words, and Mr. Ionesco seized upon them and changed the play's title from "English Made Easy."
The play was intended, he said, as "a parody of human behavior and therefore a parody of theater, too." Presented in 1950 at the tiny Théàtre des Noctambules in Paris, it received some initially hostile reviews but became the catapult for his career. More than 40 years later, the play is still running in another theater in Paris.
The Bald Soprano was quickly followed by The Lesson (1951), Jack or the Submission and The Chairs (1952) and Victims of Duty (1953), all of which certified his avantgarde credentials. In Amédée, or How to Get Rid of It (1954), a corpse grows larger and larger until it takes over the stage, and in The New Tenant (1956), a man rents a new apartment and the furniture takes over the stage. These and other works are filled with sight gags and silent comedy as well as intricate plays on words.
Rhinoceros brought him his widest public. Jean-Louis Barrault starred in the play in Paris and Laurence Olivier in London. But it was the Broadway production, directed by Joseph Anthony and starring Zero Mostel and Eli Wallach, that brought him his greatest celebrity. Mostel later starred in an unsuccessful film version of the play, directed by Tom O'Horgan. Rhinoceros and other plays charted the progress of Mr. Ionesco's Everyman, a character named Berenger.
In 1960, The Killer, a comedy about a serial killer in "the radiant city," had a brief run Off Broadway, and in 1968 Ellis Raab directed Exit the King on Broadway. From then on, Mr. Ionesco was often absent from the New York theater. Some of his plays were presented in regional theater,...
(The entire section is 2983 words.)
Reviews Of Ionesco's Recent Works
Virgil Nemoianu (review date 6 February 1987)
SOURCE: "Intuitions and Subversions," in The Times Literary Supplement, No. 4375, February 6, 1987, p. 141.
[Nemoianu is a Romanian-born American educator and critic. In the review below, he comments on Ionesco's concerns and literary method in Non.]
Those who have marvelled at Ionesco's radical experimentalism may not realize that his mature work was actually a toning-down of the much more ferocious radicalism of his youth. At twenty-two he was still in Bucharest. He had read widely, but unsystematically. His intuitions and emotions were surprisingly deep, varied and precise for such a young man,...
(The entire section is 7221 words.)


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Sony Computer Entertainment on Wednesday formally introduced its motion-sensing PlayStation Move complex of game controllers (previously known as Sony Arc). The new set of devices will redefine gaming on PlayStation 3 consoles and will offer experience akin to Nintendo Wii. Sony promises that PlayStation Move will be available this Fall with a lot of games both from Sony and third-party providers
The PlayStation Move platform includes the motion controller with a special light bulb, sub-controller, and PlayStation Eye camera. The combination of the PS3 system and PlayStation Eye camera detects the precise movement, angle, and absolute position in 3D space of PlayStation Move motion controller, allowing users to intuitively play the game as if they themselves are within the game. PlayStation Move motion controller sports three-axis gyroscope, a three-axis accelerometer, a terrestrial magnetic field sensor as well as a color-changing sphere that is tracked by PlayStation Eye camera to deliver very precise accuracy. The lighting sphere, however, requires the player to stand beside the PS Eye camera.
According to Sony, through PlayStation Move system, both fast and subtle motion can be detected, whether the user is swinging a tennis racket, or painting with a brush. With PlayStation Move motion controller, users can provide direct input through action buttons and an analog trigger, while receiving physical feedback from rumble functionality and visual feedback from the sphere's ability to display a variety of different colors. Furthermore, PlayStation Eye camera can capture the player's voice or image, enabling augmented reality experiences.
The newly announced PlayStation Move sub-controller – Sony's version of Wii Nunchuck – is a one-handed controller, developed to further expand the game play options that PlayStation Move games can offer. PlayStation Move sub-controller features a sleek curved design that pairs with the motion controller and comes with an analog stick and directional buttons that allow users to easily control the game when moving characters or choosing a direction. Like all other wireless controllers for the PS3 system, it comes with a built in lithium-ion rechargeable battery as well as Bluetooth technology. PlayStation Move motion controller and sub-controller will further broaden the gaming experience on the PS3 system for all genres, from games that use one motion controller to games that use both controllers.
The introduction of PlayStation Move controllers has been well received within the industry and now 36 third party developers and publishers have decided to support PlayStation Move platform. In fiscal year 2010, SCE Worldwide Studios will also release more than 20 games that are either dedicated to or supported with the PlayStation Move platform.
Pricing of PlayStation Move was not announced, however, considering the fact that the platform does not use its own processor, it will unlikely be truly high. On the other hand a three-piece set cannot be too affordable as well.
Tags: Sony, Playstation, PlayStation Move, Arc


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Ever wanted the comfort and performance of a Rio Roller skate but without all the vibrant colours? Well here it is… the Rio Roller Mayhem!
- Semi-soft quad skate. PVC leather construction.
- Velcro powerstrap.
- Vegan friendly.
- High quality heel support and anatomically correct insoles with additional cushioning.
- PU cast stopper with easily replaceable bolts.
- Nylon hi-impact chassis with aluminium trucks.
- ABEC 7 bearings.
- 82A Wheel durometer
- Embroidered loop tag. Printed wheels and side logos. Embossed print on tongue. Printed footbed.


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Aviation is not without risk. That's probably obvious to you at this point. But having risk doesn't mean aviation is unsafe. Far from it. And the best part of the equation is that the pilot has a disproportionate ability to control the risk.
Unlike driving a car, where our fellow citizens can easily ruin our day with one wrong move, the safety of flying is often directly related to the pilot. There are times when we experience mechanical problems, but these make up approximately 17 percent of total noncommercial fixed-wing accidents and only 10 percent of noncommercial fatal fixed-wing accidents. That leaves more than 80 percent of accidents that were either unknown or directly related to pilot error. And many of those can be avoided.
Obviously a large portion of our pilot training is directed toward learning how to avoid accidents. Practice emergency procedures, stall practice, go-arounds, and even takeoffs and landings are all drilled into us over and over again in the hopes that we will avoid problems with these phases of flight after we get a certificate. Clearly we're not terribly successful.
These are statistics, and you are an individual. Just because most accidents are directly attributed to the pilot doesn't mean you'll have an accident or hurt yourself. Our accident rate is somewhere between 4 and 5 per 100,000 flight hours. Those are pretty good odds. But you're trying not to become one of the four or five. There are just a few things that even low-time pilots can do to avoid their accident exposure.