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Debates of March 20th, 2003
House of Commons Hansard #74 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was international.
- Business of the House
- Government Response to Petitions
- Canada Airports Act
- Committees of the House
- Special Economic Measures Act
- Nuclear Liability Act
- Petitions
- Questions on the Order Paper
- Question No. 125
- Supply
- CIS Hockey
- Iraq
- Democracy and Human Rights
- Pond Hockey
- Energy Innovation
- Terrorism
- Racial Discrimination
- International Day of La Francophonie
- Karine Dumouchel and Karine Vaudeville
- Member for Calgary Southwest
- Comité des jeunes de Rosemont
- International Day of La Francophonie
- War in Iraq
- International Day for the Elimination of Racism
- Canada-U.S. Relations
- Women of Distinction
- Prime Minister
- Iraq
- Canada-U.S. Relations
- Canada-U.S. Border
- The Environment
- Iraq
- National Defence
- Iraq
- National Defence
- Health
- Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
- Iraq
- International Day of La Francophonie
- Government Contracts
- International Cooperation
- Iraq
- National Defence
- Multiculturalism
- Presence in Gallery
- Business of the House
- Points of Order
- Citizenship Act
- Criminal Code
- Parliamentarians' Code of Conduct
- Criminal Code
- Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act
- Food and Drugs Act
- Privilege
- Committees of the House
- Business of the House
- Supply
- Canada Health Act
- Employment Insurance Act
Government Orders
1:45 p.m.
Steve Mahoney Mississauga West, ON
Mr. Speaker, I would not want the member to think I was smiling and nodding because I agreed with him. That would be a distortion that would get carried away.
Let me point out however, in reference to the member's first point about not criticizing the ambassador to the United Nations, I quite agree. I was not suggesting that. My point was this. Does the member think the ambassador was flying solo? That is exactly what I said. Does the hon. member think that our ambassador to the United Nations was not in touch with the Minister of Foreign Affairs on a regular basis, with the Prime Minister, and with officials in the government in an attempt to put together a compromise?
When it was not members here it was members of the fifth party who were actually saying that the Prime Minister did not contact the presidents of France or China or whatever. He does not know that. The appropriate channel for that kind of work to take place is at the United Nations. That is where we were working diligently and I believe we gained tremendous respect on the world stage because we made those efforts.
Let me address the other point which I am sure people would rather I did not address. For members to stand here and suggest that there are ministers, plural, and members, plural--it is a small minority who make unfortunate comments. Those comments, I quite agree, are inappropriate, but does anybody talk about the comments that are made on a regular basis, such as those that I have made here about the position that this country has with the United States, about the longstanding relationship this country has with the United States?
I stood in this place and even said "God bless America" because I was trying to counter those negative comments made by certain individuals. It is not the government or the Prime Minister or the Liberal Party. It is not, by any stretch of the imagination, more than a small minority making inappropriate comments, and I think the member should recognize that.
Government Orders
1:45 p.m.
Paul Bonwick Simcoe—Grey, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to address this critically important topic. I wish to thank my hon. colleague from Mississauga West for splitting his time with me. As I sat here and listened to his relevant remarks regarding this crisis situation we are facing internationally right now, I cannot help but take a certain amount of pride in many of the members who are sitting on this side of the House.
Many of these comments may be repetitive in nature, whether they are coming from this side or from some of the parties on the other side of the House, but the real issue here is that members like myself from Simcoe—Grey feel a responsibility to voice their support for the government and the Prime Minister's position. If that means repeating some of the facts that are out there, I think it does us well to do so.
I would like to take the time to congratulate the vast majority of my colleagues. The vast majority of my colleagues right up to the Prime Minister have taken a leadership role not only here in Canada, but a leadership role that is being recognized within the international community that is second to none.
We have a long history in this country of making our domestic and foreign policy decisions here in the House. We do not accept economic pressures or the perceived economic pressures to sway us one way or the other. We are a country that has a set of values. We are a society that believes in multiculturalism and multilateral support for various countries. That is exactly what we have been trying to do. I hear from some members on the opposite side as well as read in some of the stories in the media that there is flip-flopping and confusion. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Certainly, my constituents and I have had a clear understanding of where the government is coming from since last year. The Prime Minister could not have been more clear. He said that we want to work through the United Nations. He believes it is important as a representative body of the planet that we work through that organization, that we source out consensus, and that the number one priority must be to exhaust all possibilities prior to going to war.
Hans Blix and his inspection teams were in Afghanistan suggesting that they did not have the unfettered or unencumbered access that they should have had. They reported that back and there was increased pressure put on Iraq. Then they reported back again saying that Iraq was becoming more open and giving them less fettered access to the places that they wanted to go. They were saying to the Security Council and General Assembly that this might work, but to give them more time.
President Bush, and I certainly understand his position based on some of the absolute tragedies the Americans have had to face in the last couple of years, made a comment along the lines that it was difficult to ever secure success because there were small numbers of people inspecting a country about the size of the state of California. Why then did he support these inspection teams going into Iraq in the first place? The international community is thinking that it was window dressing.
What Canada and other members of the international community suggested was that if the inspection teams felt there was an opportunity for success, if they required more resources and we had to double, triple, quadruple whatever the number might be to get the arms inspectors on the ground to pursue that option of success, did we not have a responsibility as political leaders to pursue that avenue prior to war?
The Bloc brings forward a motion by way of opposition day asking that we as a Parliament say we will not engage in war in Iraq. The Prime Minister has said all along that until such time as we are a signatory member of the UN General Assembly we would back whatever the Security Council said. There is rhetoric coming from the other side about how this will have such a massive impact on our relationship, friendship and trade with the United States. That is hogwash.
Let us look at the history. Let us look back and truly appreciate the relationship Canada has with the United States. I must say that I have cousins, aunts and some great friends in the United States and certainly I am there to help them whenever they need that help, but it is not unconditional. Let us look back in time to September 11, when that terrible tragedy and heinous act took place by way of al-Qaeda attacking the United States and the twin towers. What country was there first? It was Canada. What country was recognized by the United States over and over again? Canada. In my own constituency we had a condolences book as well as donations coming in from all across the riding and, for that matter, from all across the country. We had emergency service personnel, fine Canadians who dedicate their lives to the safety of Canada, volunteering their time to go to New York and help their brothers and sisters south of the border.
It was appreciated. I was in Washington this past July. I met with several members of Congress in one on one meetings and had the opportunity to meet with a couple of senators as well. Let me say that Americans do appreciate the relationship that they have with Canada. They do know that we are there for them and they know we have been there for them in the past.
Then we listen to the rhetoric coming from the other side as to how this will have a longstanding impact and longstanding consequences for the Canadian people because we choose a direction on international policy that is different from what the United States chooses. Nothing could be a more foolish statement than that. The United States does not buy from us because we do or do not support their foreign policy. The United States buys from us because we are one of the best manufacturers and one of the best producers in the entire world. We have one of the most competitive workforces in the entire world. That is why they buy from us. That is why so much of our product goes south of the border. Certainly proximity plays a significant role, but we have one of the most competitive workforces in the entire world. That is why the American people buy our product over other products around the world.
If anything has taught us in the House about how small the planet is with regard to accessing products or information, it is the last five years. Why is Canada the single largest purchaser from the United States? Because in turn the Americans make great products. It is not because we consider ourselves a big family. It is not because we consider ourselves best friends. Those things may be true. The reality is that business operates on both sides of the border. We are each other's largest purchaser because it is best for business.
I will say this, having been to Washington and having met with members of Congress. If any members in this House believe that the United States, the executive branch, Senate or Congress, is going to do anything to further disrupt its economy because a country such as Canada has chosen a different direction, I would suggest that they go and spend some time with our friends south of the border, because that is simply not the case.
In closing, I will say that the men and women in our military are playing a role in Afghanistan, and there are few countries as committed to fighting terrorism as Canada, but we have to put things in perspective when we are talking about this war on terrorism.
I mentioned this to my colleagues in Congress when I was in Washington in July. When we announce $5 billion in homeland security spending, it does not necessarily resonate very well down there, but when we start talking about extrapolating that to the tenth, that is $50 billion in the United States by the size of their economy. That is a huge investment on behalf of the taxpayers of Canada to ensure that our country is as safe as it can possibly be.
No party, no government, has a bigger responsibility than the security of its citizens and I am here to tell hon. members that the government, the Prime Minister and my caucus take that very seriously. We have demonstrated it by the significant amount of tax dollars we have invested in homeland security. We have demonstrated it by tightening our ties with the United States to rationalize the services that we will be receiving.
Regardless of the rhetoric that is going to come across from the gun-toting Alliance, I am here to say that the Americans clearly believe we are their best friends.
CIS Hockey
Statements By Members
1:55 p.m.
Andy Scott Fredericton, NB
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to remind the House that the University of New Brunswick, Canada's oldest university, will be hosting the 2003 Canadian intercollegiate sport hockey championships this weekend in Fredericton. This is the first of two consecutive years in which UNB will host this prominent intercollegiate event, one of the biggest on the CIS calendar.
The tournament features the University of Alberta, York University, Université de Québec à Trois-Rivières, Lakehead University, St. Francis Xavier, and the host UNB Varsity Reds. The Varsity Reds are the Atlantic conference champions and are ranked third in the nation.
This event is made possible thanks in part to municipal, provincial and federal support, including $25,000 from the Government of Canada. I wish to express my thanks to the ministers of public works and sport.
I extend best wishes to the UNB Varsity Reds and wish good luck to all the teams in this event, which I am confident will be a national success and will leave a significant legacy of student scholarships.
Statements By Members
1:55 p.m.
Canadian Alliance
Jim Abbott Kootenay—Columbia, BC
Mr. Speaker, in these most serious of times, Canadians have no comfort in knowing that this Prime Minister cooks up foreign policy the same way one would flip a pancake.
In the January 31 edition of the Charlottetown Guardian , the Prime Minister said, "Resolution 1441 will authorize action" to disarm Saddam Hussein. On Monday of this week, he finally stood up and told the Canadian people that he wanted Canada to wimp out and not support our traditional allies.
Thank goodness he finally took a position on Iraq, but it was based on polls and going down the middle of the road, not on principles. Unbelievably, he made his statement only five hours before he knew that the President of the United States was going on the air, thereby undercutting the president and throwing up more obstacles for our allies. What is most shameful is that he made his statement without even having the common decency to inform the president of Canada's position.
This Prime Minister is leading Canada down a blind alley of mediocrity and irrelevance and I say shame on him.
Democracy and Human Rights
Statements By Members
2 p.m.
Irwin Cotler Mount Royal, QC
Mr. Speaker, while we are understandably occupied with the war in Iraq we might miss an inspiring and indeed historical development that has taken place in the Middle East.
I am referring to the judgment just handed down by Egypt's highest court, the Cour de Cassation, acquitting Professor Saad Eddin Ibrahim, the leading democracy activist in Egypt if not all of the Arab world, of a series of trumped up charges which were utterly devoid of any legal authority or evidence. Indeed, the whole prosecution was an attempt to quarantine Dr. Ibrahim and intimidate the fledgling Egyptian democracy movement.
As one who had the privilege of acting as Professor Ibrahim's international legal counsel, I regard this judgment as a landmark event. In the words of Professor Ibrahim upon hearing the judgment, "I am grateful and hope that no other intellectual will go to prison because of his opinions. It is a victory for democracy and human rights".
I would like to express my appreciation to the foreign affairs minister, the secretary of state for the Middle East and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade for their support and assistance in this case.
Pond Hockey
Statements By Members
2 p.m.
Andy Savoy Tobique—Mactaquac, NB
Mr. Speaker, the second World Pond Hockey Championships were recently held in Plaster Rock, New Brunswick, and what a success they were. I wish to congratulate the organizers on their tremendous efforts.
Drawing media attention and interest from hockey enthusiasts around the globe, this 64 team tournament raised $18,000 to help fund a new local arena. This is double the number of entrants from its inaugural year, and proceeds more than tripled.
Played on a postcard perfect lake and river, this puck party is pure Canadiana, recreating fond memories of open air matches from childhood. This tournament is a shining example of community spirit and Canada's passion for our national sport.
Again, I extend congratulations to everyone involved. The World Pond Hockey Championships have become an important annual tradition on the Tobique River and have put Plaster Rock, New Brunswick, on the map.
Energy Innovation
Statements By Members
2 p.m.
Judy Sgro York West, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to congratulate Norwest Precision Limited, a business in my riding of York West that has registered as an industrial energy innovator under Natural Resources Canada's program for energy conservation.
The president, Sam Falcitelli, has made a long term commitment for his company to be an energy innovator and to support Canada's goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through greater energy efficiency.
With the participation of Norwest Precision, the number of firms listed as industrial energy innovators has increased to 330.
Please join with me in applauding Norwest Precision Limited for its commitment and efforts to become part of the solution to address climate change. Its responsible contribution to support Canada's implementation of the Kyoto accord can only benefit the environment and all Canadians.
Statements By Members
2 p.m.
Canadian Alliance
Kevin Sorenson Crowfoot, AB
Mr. Speaker, security experts have been quick to point out that the Prime Minister's decision to break ranks with the United States will have a direct impact on Canada's intelligence gathering capabilities. Effectively, this country will be cut off from the world intelligence network we are so dependent on, given that CSIS has no power to operate abroad. Canada is the only G-8 country without a foreign spy agency.
Security experts are warning that without the United States to depend on, the likelihood of Canada being used as a staging ground for terrorist attacks against the United States increases.
Just this week, even one member from the backbench across the way recognized that there might be a growing United States reluctance to share information with us.
I therefore call upon the government to immediately seek to increase the power of CSIS to operate abroad to prevent terrorists from planning and launching their deadly attacks against our neighbours from Canada.
Racial Discrimination
Statements By Members
March 20th, 2003 / 2 p.m.
John Finlay Oxford, ON
Mr. Speaker, March 21 is International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. On this occasion we recognize the success Canadians have had in building an open and culturally diverse society based on tolerance and respect.
However we also know that too many of our fellow citizens still experience the sting of racism. That is why the Government of Canada sponsors initiatives designed to foster awareness and understanding of cultural diversity.
The "Racism. Stop it!" national video competition for students is one such initiative aimed at raising awareness about the harmful effects of racism in our society.
I am proud that of 10 teams from across Canada chosen as winners this year, one is from Norwich High School in my riding of Oxford.
I congratulate Jamie Jacques, Jeremy Gear, Adam Buck, Steve Wilkinson and their teacher, Mr. Jeff Overeem, on this special award. They are in the gallery and I welcome them.
International Day of La Francophonie
Statements By Members
2:05 p.m.
Benoît Sauvageau Repentigny, QC
Mr. Speaker, today, we are celebrating the Journée Internationale de la Francophonie. United by their shared desire to promote the development and expansion of French and continue the dialogue of cultures within the Francophonie, 56 states and governments are members of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie. They have adopted a shared policy framework aimed at establishing cooperation between member states.
On March 13, the Secretary General of the OIF described the Francophonie as a force for good.
Today, let us celebrate this and not lose sight of the urgency of showing the political will to use our solidarity as francophone states as a means of continuing the Francophonie's efforts to, among other things, defend human rights, oppose threats to democracy and ensure respect for cultural diversity.
Karine Dumouchel and Karine Vaudeville
Statements By Members
2:05 p.m.
Serge Marcil Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to welcome to Ottawa two young women from my riding of Beauharnois—Salaberry, Karine Dumouchel and Karine Vaudeville, of Louis-Cyr high school in Napierville, who won a contest organized by the Secretary of State (Latin America and Africa) (Francophonie).
This contest was aimed at French-speaking high school students in Quebec, including the ones in my riding, and its purpose was to promote the importance of French literary writing.
Today, as part of the Journée internationale de la Francophonie, these young women have been invited to take part in a ceremony highlighting the importance of French around the world.
I congratulate them on their participation and their desire to promote the beauty of the French language through writing.
Member for Calgary Southwest
Statements By Members
2:05 p.m.
Canadian Alliance
James Rajotte Edmonton Southwest, AB
Mr. Speaker, a year ago today the member for Calgary Southwest was elected leader of the Canadian Alliance.
As the year has unfolded we have discovered just some of the skills our leader possesses. He can multi-task; he is already dealing with his second prime minister and the first one has not even left office yet.
He loves media relations; just ask the press gallery.
He is known as serious, cerebral, a straight talker. On top of all that, he is a family man and a true blue Canadians. If we want to get him really excited, we should ask him how his son, Ben, is doing in hockey.
During the past year the member for Calgary Southwest has been the principled voice for Conservatives and Reformers across Canada.
He is the only leader to stand up against the Kyoto accord. He is the only leader to challenge the wheat board monopoly. He is the only leader who has called for an end to the firearms registry. Finally, he is the only leader willing to stand with our allies against the tyrant, Saddam Hussein.
Under our leader and with our team, the Canadian Alliance is strong, united, debt free and ready to provide the principled leadership Canadians so desperately need.
Comité des jeunes de Rosemont
Statements By Members
2:05 p.m.
Liza Frulla Verdun—Saint-Henri—Saint-Paul—Pointe Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, there is nothing fawning about my motion.
As the Liberal member responsible for the riding of Rosemont—Petite-Patrie, I am pleased today to highlight the 50th anniversary of the Comité des jeunes de Rosemont, a hockey organization that does exceptional work with young people.
For half a century, thousands of volunteers have allowed more than 15,000 young people to participate in their favourite sport. Indeed, these volunteers have allowed people to make their mark in national and international hockey. Pierre Lacroix, Michel Bergeron, Richard Sévigny, and even Caroline Ouellet, of the national women's hockey team, are but a few.
In closing, I cannot neglect to mention the involvement of the founding president, Mr. Jean Trottier, whose dedication has been an extraordinary source of inspiration for the next generation.
Thanks to all the volunteers, and long live the Comité des jeunes de Rosemont.
International Day of La Francophonie
Statements By Members
2:05 p.m.
Yvon Godin Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Mr. Speaker, today Canada is celebrating the Journée internationale de la Francophonie with 56 other states and governments that also use French.
I would like to welcome His Excellency Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the Secretary General of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, who is on Parliament hill for the Journée internationale de la Francophonie.
March 20 is a day to renew this pride in the French language as an element of identity and solidarity. Several Canadian provinces have used this day as an opportunity to declare their own Semaine de la Francophonie, punctuated with a number of activities to showcase this francophone pride, but also the francophone vitality that exists in our country.
I urge everyone to take part in the activities organized for the Journée internationale de la Francophonie. Get out and discover this rich and exciting world.
Happy Journée internationale de la Francophonie to francophones and francophiles everywhere.
War in Iraq
Statements By Members
2:10 p.m.
Monique Guay Laurentides, QC
Mr. Speaker, the stomp of blood-stained boots in the sand has drowned out the calls for peace. Why did the drums of war win out over the pleas of marchers around the world?
We cannot shape the world as we see fit. Shaping the world is supporting humanity in all of its beauty and fragility. Shaping the world requires us to temper our authority with generosity and openness, to promote our mutual desire for harmonious relations. It is a right we must earn.
There is a future for our world. This future belongs to children, the children of Iraq, the children of the United States of America, the children of Canada and Quebec, the children around the world that belong to us all.
To shape the world is to plant a garden of hope where we will allow our child at heart to lead the way.
Our prayers and tears are the reflection of our hope that love and peace will take root.


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This Sunday is the season. If we beat the 49ers, then we are well on our way to the post season. Lose and our only salvation will be in having a winning season and sweeping the Falcons!
Last edited by Franco; 11-21-2012 at 10:21 AM.
Anti-intellectualism and fascism go together like bacon and eggs.
Thy Saints.
Sorry fellas Saints lose the next two. Birds to the Bowl!!!
Franco.... you just got Kaepernicked!!!
"So what is big is not always the Trout nor the Deer but the chance, the being there. And what is full is not necessarily the creel nor the freezer, but the memory." ~ Aldo Leopold
"The Greatest Obstacle to Discovery is not Ignorance -- It is the Illusion of Knowledge" ~ Daniel Boorstin
Yeah, that was zebra whipped. Goodell & his cronies.
I don't think any team in the NFC can stop the 49ers from reaching the SB. Their D is just that good.
Last edited by Franco; 11-26-2012 at 09:36 AM.
Anti-intellectualism and fascism go together like bacon and eggs.
The 49ers are just better than the Saints right now. The injuries didn't help, but there's no doubt San Francisco is a force to be reckoned with.
NFC is wide open IMHO. Never pick a team with a QB controversy, and in the playoffs never pick a team that doesn't have a very good qb. There have been a couple of times that dominating defenses, 02 Ravens 85 Bears, have carried a team, don't see that type of defense this year.
Cowboys need a new GM regards,
AFC Iron Lines Sergeant Pepper "Pepper"
FC FTCH Westwood's Sunday Silence "Buck"
Sweet Swingin' Fred MH ***

subset: commoncrawl


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Medic no officer, police say
By ABBIE VANSICKLE
Published August 30, 2006
TAMPA - A Pinellas County paramedic with law enforcement training was arrested Monday, accused of trying to lure men into his car by pretending to be a police officer.
Police say 22-year-old Anthony Cusumano came up to two young men at Ballast Point Pier, telling them he was an undercover officer working sex crime cases. He flashed a badge and an identification card, the men told police.
The men doubted Cusumano's story, and police officers came to the pier to check it out, said police spokeswoman Andrea Davis.
Inside Cusumano's car, police found a Hillsborough County Sheriff's badge, a bullet-proof vest, a siren, red and white emergency lights in the front and back of the car, two sets of handcuffs, a .40-caliber handgun, two 9mm Glock magazines, two gun belts and a laminated card printed with Miranda warnings.
It wasn't clear how he got the Sheriff's Office badge, Davis said.
Cusumano was taken to the Hillsborough County jail on a charge of falsely impersonating a police officer. He posted $2,000 bail and was released, jail records show.
A phone message left at his home at 1404 E Chelsea St. was not returned.
On his arrest report, he listed his employer as Pinellas County EMS. Police confirmed that Cusumano worked as a paramedic and had graduated from the Police Academy at Hillsborough Community College.
Paramedics Plus, which provides paramedics for Pinellas County's ambulance service, suspended Cusumano Tuesday morning, a company official said.
He had worked for the company for two months.
Abbie VanSickle can be reached at 226-3373 or email@example.com.


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From i3Detroit
Hi, I'm Brad Tarratt. On Freenode irc, I go by n8vi, which is my amateur radio callsign (and a nod to Bill Joy's classic text editor).
I drop by the shop completely at random, often when noone's around. If I intend to stick around for any reasonable period of time, I'll flick the twitterbot on.
Hobby background:
- I think I've got digital electronics down; I'm now making my first foray into analog and RF.
- I like AVRs and am a fan of the arduino bootloader. I am not, however, a fan of the arduino board itself, I like to make projects on my own boards.
- I can write code in C, perl and php amoung others. I wrote the repeater recorder for the useca amateur radio club (which I need to get back running again).
- I'm a ham, as I mentioned, call sign N8VI.
- ptimmins and I have a fully-redundant home network architecture (we live 1200 feet apart, have highly sensitive 802.11 radios, and work for the same ISP).
- I've been using NetBSD for years, but am coming to be quite a fan of debian and ubuntu Linux.
- I seem to have inherited the [Toughbook Wiki].
- The 2-meter window antenna in the e-room DONE
- A 2-meter AVR-controlled double-conversion superhet receiver
Things I'd like to learn:
- analog and RF electronics design (we'll see how this superhet project goes)
Things I'd not mind teaching:
- Any of the non-boring things I claim to know (boring to be decided by me on a case-by-case basis)


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Skip to comments.Abortion increases risk of mental health problems, new research finds
Posted on 09/02/2011 5:45:51 PM PDT by neverdem
Women who have abortions are at risk of severe mental health problems, new research has found.
The study showed that those who undergo abortion face nearly double the risk of mental health difficulties compared with others and that one in ten of all mental health problems was a result of an abortion.
The findings come as Tory MP Nadine Dorries, backed by Labours Frank Field, has put down an amendment to a Health Bill which requires women seeking abortion to see an independent counsellor first.
Currently organisations which provide abortions offer counselling, but critics say the advice given can often be biased.
The latest research was carried out by American academic Priscilla Coleman and published in the British Journal of Psychiatry.
It adds to previous findings made public by the journal three years ago which first questioned the assumption of abortion campaigners that terminating a pregnancy reduces rather than increases the health risks to women.
Professor Colemans study was based on an analysis of 22 separate projects which analysed the experiences of a total of 877,000 women, of whom 163,831 had had an abortion.
It said: Results indicate quite consistently that abortion is associated with moderate to highly increased risks of psychological problems subsequent to the procedure.
Overall, the results revealed that women who had undergone an abortion experienced an 81 per cent increased risk of mental health problems, and nearly 10 per cent of the incidence of mental health problems were shown to be directly attributable to abortion.
The study said that abortion was linked with a 34 per cent greater chance of anxiety disorders, and 37 per cent higher possibility of depression, a more than double risk of alcohol abuse 110 per cent a three times greater risk of cannabis use at 220 per cent...
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Abortion and mental health: quantitative synthesis and analysis of research published 1995-2009.
Google News tried to obscure the stories. I had to click on the "all 221 news articles" for the Telegraph article.
Or maybe it's just that you have to be crazy to kill your own child.
Committing murder and risking hell will do that.
Maybe not crazy . . .
But young, stupid, and believing the lies of our deteriorating culture will work.
This is important research. Last night this thread ran,
but a study of this magnitude deserves another thread. Abortion hurts women, men, babies, and nations. There is absolutely nothing good that comes from killing innocent, defenseless babies.
Actually Dr Coleman has for years been doing the yeoman's effort in painstakingly documenting the obvious, a necessary process in building a body of research-based knowledge. She has found eg that the incidence of PTSD among aborted women is comparable to to that of combat veterans.
There is no such thing as risking hell. We all deserve hell. This is the third or fourth thread about this study and very few people have shown any compassion for these women who not only carry the guilt of what they've done but also as the article points out often live their lives in the torture of serious mental problems. Those who have since become saved deserve our understanding. Those who have not need our compassion. All need our prayers. God loves them as much as He loves us. It's like most FReepers have never read the New Testament.
Thanks for posting this. It really speaks to the idea that for all the rhetoric on either side of the debate, women of any political persuasion just know and cannot deny that they are `choosing` to destroy a human life. From that point on, they will never be free of the `What if...?` of how their life might be different if they didn`t destroy their child. I`ve had endless arguments over this, and when I say `So if it`s not a human what is it?` I watch the libs sputter and insult, but that`s the moment I know THEY know. That the very people who are screaming t hat patients should be given every test in the world on demand FIGHT telling pregnant women the truth and showing them images of their baby says it all—even the proabortionists KNOW, they just want to whistle past the graveyard on their way to selfish choices that result in a human death.
That was my thought. Or to get pregnant when you have no means to support your child might be another symptom of someone is emotionally stunted, or mentally unbalanced.
Stated beautifully.
As my Catholic friends would advise me. . ."Hate the sin, but love the sinner."
I have always suspected abortion had a role to play in it.
Personally, having done a few really bad things to other people and have come to really regret those things I think living with the idea of having murdered your off spring must be a heavy, heavy load to carry your entire life...
Just had a friend who had an abortion not too long ago. I think she was ready to have the child, but the boyfriend convinced her that it would bring the family too much shame ...so they got rid of it and then had a huge wedding to make everyone proud.
Pressure from the significant others also plays a huge role. If you have support, you might make it w/o the having the abortion ...if you don't, and you are a young impressionable woman, you are vulnerable to these people in your life.
And lying so-called physicians who tell them it's nothing but a blob of cells.
As a nurse, I see untold numbers of 50+ woman who are childless and who are complete basketcases. My story is also just anecdotal, but I dread taking care of these women. They are sad, demanding, self centered and pitiful. They have no children, so no one is there to visit, to take care of them. A lot of times the spouse has died or whatever ...and there is NO ONE else. They are most often depressed, at the minimum.
Women don't think ahead to these days ..what life is like w/o children to take care of you in your old age. It's really crucial, but people don't think ahead to this.
Good one. No one is beyond the redeeming grace of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
I've noted the same, but I suspect feminism is the real culprit. Feminism is really a form of female self-hate. All things male are good and feminine behaviors - wife, mother, etc. are weak and bad.
A friend is a college psychologist and nominal liberal. She's come round to the sexualization of women after treating coed after coed operating under 'friends with benefits' and expecting that after enough sex that he'll want me finally.
The sexual revolution, it's practitioners and it's heralds have destroyed womanhood. You want to destroy a family ruin mothers and then drive fathers out.
Guilt is a powerful thing.
Early feminism did help women win the right to vote and put pressure on our criminal justice system to get tough on rape. Since then, however, it has completely jumped the shark and brought us the sexual revolution, sex positivism, friends with benefits, and all sorts of cultural garbage.
I often like to think about Sarah Palin showing the more nutty feminists what it means to be a real woman.
Whether having an abortion tends to drive women crazy, or whether women with a bent to becoming crazy are more likely to have an abortion, isn't clear from this study. It couldn't be clear, without controlling for the abortion, which even the U.K. would probably deem unethical (here dear, you are in the group whose unborn baby you don't want will be killed, where there honey, the study randomizer says we will adopt out the baby you don't want as soon as it is born).
God created us in His image. We are imperfect beings compared to him. What you've just implied is that God created all of us to go to Hell. What kind of God would that be?
Sorry, but we all don't deserve eternal damnation. That is a ridiculous statement.
What you have just written goes against the very foundations of Christianity.
It's not a chicken and egg argument of which came first. Treat abortion like the Telegraph's headline does. It's a risk factor for mental illness, just like it's a risk factor for breast cancer.
BREAST CANCER RISK FACTORS with references starts on page 25. The importance of reproductive factors in affecting breast cancer risk has been known for a long time. Women who have never given birth (or had a full-term pregnancy) are at a higher risk for breast cancer compared to women who have carried a pregnancy to term.(Page 26)
Think of it like smoking or obesity. They are just risk factors for assorted diagnoses. It doesn't mean any person will get those diagnoses eventually.
Sounds like you don't believe "Hell" actually exists, Pan_Yan.
It does.
BTW, I have read both the Old and New Testaments of the King James English language translation version of the "Holy Bible".
You are aware there are other, older translations of texts dated in both BC and AC that were NOT included in the old King James version, right?
I have read numerous ancient writings and runes, supposedly representing various human interpretations of the literal "Holy words of God".
And I personally walked on the dark, evil side of spirituality, for a very short while.
God will indeed judge my soul, I have absolutely no doubt about that.
God will also judge YOUR soul, and IMHO, all your spiritual-lite friends.
Actions have real consequences in both the physical world, and the spiritual world.
Yeah, women who freely chose to murder their innocent babies in the womb, will suffer "mental health problems" in the physical realm, and other, often greater issues in the spiritual realm.
That said, what level of "compassion and understanding" do you extend to the pedophiles, rapists, adulterers, and generally immoral sexual deviants who impregnated the woman who had the abortion? God is not stupid, nor does he play political games.
Instant Karma?
BS. John 11:25. We don't deserve damnation. That's your interpretation of the Bible. Not mine. Your God sounds Old Testament, frankly. Obviously, you are welcome to it. Please feel free not to lecture me in the future.
You are absolutely right.
When counseling post-abortion women, they always broke down in tears and surprise when they were informed that remorse and regret, guilt and self hate are the NORMAL reactions of a mother who has killed one (or more) of her children. Lack of remorse/regret/guilt is an abnormal reaction.
When counseling pre-abortive women, those who were 'hell bent' to have an abortion were those who were being pushed by someone who wanted the abortion, more than she did.
Post abortive men felt helpless, and like failures in their roles as men, because they could not protect the most helpless of their offspring.
Men who paid for their women to abort, were every bit as disgusted with themselves as the ptsd inflicted women were, with themselves.
The OP article is a major break through!! Back in the early 90's, printed materials described ptsd type reactions in those who'd had miscarriages, but denied the feelings and reactions of post abortive women.
They went so far as to say that those who did have strong reactions were pre-disposed toward mental health issues.
But I know personally that counselors at abortion clinics told women they might get the 'blues' for a couple of weeks, but that it was just a hormonal adjustment because their bodies weren't pregnant anymore. When the adjustment phase passed, and the 'blues' were still there, women had NO place to turn.
That "tree" of the knowledge of good and evil is definitely one that's best not tasted. The fruit looks good to the eye, but it's bitter in the belly.
The two fall into vastly different spheres. Mental health is so tied to choices that it's commonly called behavioral health today. Whereas there's little that an unseen tendency to breast cancer could do to influence a woman to opt to abort her unborn child. Racial factors could tie into cultural factors to produce this sort of influence, but nobody has asserted this yet.
I'm not downplaying the seriousness of abortion itself (as far as I am concerned, it's a killing that skirts the current system of law) by asking for good logic in asserting likely causative links. "Risk factor" is an easy way of dodging the causation question and doesn't educate the prospective consumer of an abortion like a showing of causation would.
We are ALL sinners. The wages of sin is death. But not spiritual death, if you are covered by the Blood of the Lamb. Salvation through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
The Holy Bible is full of remarks about the way God feels about us. And yes, we were all condemmned to hell until Jesus our redeemer became a sacrifice for us.
Are you trying to say that God is going to punish a woman who's had an abortion in the afterlife???? I'm sorry friend but this is what the Book has to say:
John 3:16-18 For this is the way God loved the world: he gave his one and only Son that everyone who believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him. 18 The one who believes in Him is not condemned. The one who does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.
This means we must each come to God the same way: (1) as a sinner who recognizes his sinfulness, (2) realizes no human works can result in salvation, and (3) relies totally on Christ alone by faith alone for our salvation.
1Jn.1:9 If we confess our sins, He [will] forgive and cleanse us
We have an advocate...Jesus Christ. He is the propitiation for...the sins of the whole world
1Jn.1:7 The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin
I agree about Palin completely, but I don't think that the suffragists were feminists. For the most part they fought for the Natural Rights of women, but not the abolishment of the family or marriage. This is good and normal.
Feminists are part of the anti-family "Free Love" movement.
"In 1857, Francis Barry wrote that "marriage is a system of rape," stating that the woman is a victim where she can do nothing but be oppressed by her husband, as he tortures her in her home, which becomes a house of bondage.[6] In one of his articles, Barry wrote:
'The Object of this [womens emancipation] Society, according to Article 2 of its [free love] constitution, shall be to secure absolute freedom to woman, through the overthrow of the popular system of marriage.[7]"
Francis Barry, although a male, is a feminist. Men started the Free Love movement and, even today, are the main beneficiaries through no-ties sex. Margaret Sanger is a feminist.
"Gloria Steinem at one point stated, you became a semi-nonperson when you got married. She also famously coined the expression 'A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle...
...Another member of the circle was pioneering English feminist Mary Wollstonecraft. Wollstonecraft felt that women should not give up freedom and control of their sexuality, and thus didn't marry her partner, Gilbert Imlay, despite the two conceiving and having a child together in the midst of the Terror of the French Revolution. Though the relationship ended badly, due in part to the discovery of Imlay's infidelity... "
Feminists are simply an offshoot of utopians, radicals, communists, anarchists. They're for the destruction of Natural Law, not the enhancement of it. They see marriage and society in general as imposed and unnatural. Many are or were mentally ill.
They choose to follow their own will, which in some cases is admirable. But, in this case it is simply destructive. So I don't see "feminism" as a continuation of the suffragist movement or the women's rights movements. The hisories are parallel and some of the interests were mutual, but the goal of feminism is the same as all utopians - subjugation of society to their wills. Feminism is anti-women.
UNconfessed sin, however, festers like an untreated wound and produces many destructive effects in this life, most frequently mental, but sometimes physical as well.
Better reread 1 John 1:8-10.
glad you could find it on google, cuz you damn sure won't find it any textbook, ever.
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text:
Pay raise, contract extension
MARQUETTE – For the second time in just more than six months, the Marquette City Commission agreed on Monday to offer a raise and a contract extension to City Manager Bill Vajda.
Acting on a recommendation from a three-member city manager contract committee, the full commission voted 5-2 to increase Vajda's annual salary to $121,940 – effective Jan. 1 – and extend his contract 12 months, through Jan. 15, 2017.
At a meeting in July, the board voted to increase Vajda's salary to $116,133 and to extend the pact 18 months. The group also changed the date of his annual evaluation to January at that time.
Since prior to the July meeting, Vajda's salary has climbed from $113,300 to $121,940 – a shift that will eventually equate to a 7.63 percent increase.
During discussions of the manager review process last month, newly elected commissioners Sara Cambensy and Mike Coyne stated they were uncomfortable evaluating Vajda's performance, as they had spent only a few weeks on the commission.
The committee's recommendation to the full board Monday stated that the commission failed to set new goals and objectives for the manager during the July review, and noted that two commissioners were too new to render an evaluation.
"…thus, a formal evaluation was not completed at this time," the recommendation reads. "Although our timing for evaluation purposes did not work out, we felt that an adjustment to compensation and contract terms was appropriate."
Commissioners on Monday voiced strong approval for Vajda's job performance in his first few years as manager, a position he has held since May of 2010, but some took issue with the review process.
Cambensy said she was nervous about approving another contract extension and claimed the full board was not given clear justification for the committee's recommendation.
Commissioner Don Ryan shared her concerns.
"It seems like we just want to do this (review) in our spare time. To me this is one of the most important functions we have," he said. "Like Commissioner Cambensy, I'm concerned about adding another year to the contract. We're talking about a four-year contract. Nobody on this commission has a four-year contract.
"I think that's going too far. I don't care who the manager is."
If the board hadn't recently extended Vajda's contract, Ryan said, that would be a different story.
Commissioner Jason Schneider – who sat on the review committee, along with commissioners Robert Niemi and Fred Stonehouse – said the extension was a vote of confidence for Vajda.
"I think we're extremely fortunate to have Mr. Vajda as our city manager, and I am not uncomfortable with four years of a contract," he said. "It shows to him a willingness on our part to step forward and work with him for the extended future and it provides him security."
Stonehouse praised Vajda's "character, ability, foresight and leadership" and said he was also very comfortable with the recommendation.
Cambensy and Ryan cast the only dissenting votes.
"Take our current city manager out of the equation. These contracts are unheard of these days," Cambensy said. "I can't give (the community) a good answer why I would vote yes on this."
The motion also called for a special meeting, where the full commission will discuss the evaluation process – as well as 2013 goals – for both the city manager and the city attorney.
Kyle Whitney can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250.


text:
Breeding Planning
Ask TheHorse
So, You Want to Breed Your Mare!
Breeding a mare is exciting but not without challenges. Learn about stallion selection, breeding soundness, and more!
Photo by iStock
Before You Breed: Costs and Considerations
Ensure your decision to breed is the right one and that you're prepared to handle the costs and commitments involved.
Photo by iStock
Breeding the Newly Retired Stallion
Owners can take several steps to ensure a successful transition from athletic to breeding performance.
Photo by Anne M. Eberhardt/The Horse
Breeding the Older Mare
December 30, 2016
As a mare's fertility wanes, there are still steps--some simple, some cutting-edge--breeders can take to obtain a foal.... Read More
Before You Breed: Costs and Considerations
November 20, 2016
Ensure your decision to breed is the right one and that you're prepared to handle the costs and commitments involved.... Read More
Breeding the Newly Retired Stallion
November 18, 2016
Owners can take several steps to ensure a successful transition from athletic to breeding performance.... Read More
University of Maryland Equine Program Breeds Success
September 18, 2016
Learn about the university's Thoroughbred breeding program, a winning one-eyed gelding, and more.... Read More
Understanding the Mare's Transitional Period
April 05, 2016
Find out how light can impact a mares's ovulatory cycles. ... Read More
The Double-Duty Stallion
March 20, 2016
Is your stallion expected to perform in both the breeding shed and the arena? Here's what you need to know. ... Read More
Poll Recap: Spring Foalings
March 08, 2016
Of the 395 poll respondents, 286 (72%) said they aren't expecting a foal this spring. ... Read More
Minimizing Foal Stress Levels in the Breeding Shed
February 03, 2016
What would be the best plan for handling a foal whose dam is being covered by a stallion?... Read More
Recipient Mares Pass Some Traits on to Foals
January 13, 2016
One researcher describes what we know about the receiving mare's effect on the foal. ... Read More
Does Dam or Sire Age Affect Offspring Gender?
October 17, 2015
Researchers noted differences in the probability of producing a filly or colt based on the mares' and stallions' ages.... Read More
CEM: What Every Stallion Owner Should Know
September 18, 2015
Here are some steps breeders should take to help keep the United States free of contagious equine metritis (CEM). ... Read More
Responsible, Purposeful Horse Breeding
August 12, 2015
Are you considering breeding your mare? Do your homework ahead of time to ensure it's the right choice for you.... Read More
Thinking Outside the Breeding Shed
June 17, 2015
Infertile mare? Deceased stallion? No problem! Equine reproduction is now high-tech enough to overcome these hurdles.... Read More
The Equine DNA Roadmap
May 05, 2015
Find out what the equine genome can tell us about our horses and preventing genetic disease.... Read More
Why are Two Siblings Out of the Same Mare so Different?
April 30, 2015
An equine behavior expert addresses contradictory characteristics between foals out of one mare born different years.... Read More
How Your Horse Got His Color (And Why You Should Care)
April 28, 2015
A horse's coat color genetics are important not just for aesthetic reasons; they can also have health implications.... Read More
Pregnancy Failure in Horses: Why Things Go Wrong
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Pregnancy failure in mares is a very real risk; here's how to prevent or handle it.... Read More
Fertility Control Study in National Park Service Mares
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The National Park Service is studying the use of fertility control vaccines to control feral horse populations.... Read More
Embryo Transfer: From One Mare to Another
March 18, 2015
The technology behind equine embryo transfers means exciting assisted reproduction options are on the horizon.... Read More
Poll Recap: Breeding Plans for 2015
December 23, 2014
Of the 535 respondents, 401 (75%) said they do not plan to breed a mare in 2015.... Read More
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Could an increase in twin pregnancies be related to the number of mares receiving injections for ovulation?... Read More
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Veterinarians have many options by which to "tailor" a mare's reproductive cycle to meet her and your needs.... Read More
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The course will shed light on the science behind common horse management practices.... Read More
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text:
Local man forecasts dry spring
March 25, 2008
A local weather forecaster predicts this spring will be a little dryer than normal.
Joseph Weldon Crim is up early in the morning every year on March 22 to build a bonfire before sunrise. At sunrise, he looks to see which way the wind is blowing and uses this information to predict spring weather.
This year the wind was blowing from the northwest to the southeast, Crim said.
Crim, 71, has been predicting the weather based on a Native American technique since 1983. He learned the technique from his father, J.W. Crim, who learned it from his father, Taylor Crim.
"Chief" Crim, as many call him, says his grandfather learned how to predict spring weather from the Plains Indians. Taylor Crim married into the tribe around 1900, Crim said.
Crim's son is not interested in carrying on the tradition.
"When I'm gone, this goes into the history books," he said.
Crim now lives in Clovis but conducts his burning ceremony at his farm near Lazbuddie, Texas.
The Old Farmer's Almanac predicts that precipitation this spring will be a bit below normal, with temperatures a little higher than normal in April and May.
Crim claims an 80 percent accuracy rate.


text:
The name is Black, Speedport Black.
With the Speedport Black you can have it shaken or stirred, as this racquet comes with two different sets of Speedport Tuning systems to better suit your taste.
Prince's latest technology - the Speedport Tuning System - helps to better accommodate an individual's preference by simply changing the grommets.
One system, the String Port Insert, allows movement of the strings for a more dampened feel, while the other, the String Hole Insert, acts more traditionally, hindering string movement while offering more string feedback. Both sets allow for the player to benefit from the aerodynamic Speedports.
The Speedport technology is an already proven success with the introduction of the Speedport Red, Blue and Silver racquets. Prince has now upped the ante with the Speedport Tuning System, offering it in both the Speedport Black and Speedport Tour models.
We sent our testers out for a three-week field assignment to see if the Speedport Black had a license to win.
Our testers found a nice solid feel and lots of spin production from the baseline with the Speedport Black. However, several testers reported having trouble finding consistent depth on groundstrokes. Spencer was surprised by the amount of power he found hitting with the Speedport Black. "The Speedport Black was a solid feeling stick from the baseline. Maybe too solid. There were some issues with feel and touch shots. On a few occasions I would hit what felt like a deep penetrating stroke that felt like it would certainly be in, only to watch it sail just beyond the baseline. This racquet offers a lot of power, seemingly more than what the specs might indicate. Strung with a co-poly string, access to spin was excellent. Again, I liked the solid feel and large sweetspot, though I was not so excited with some of the inconsistencies of my game while using this racquet." Ryan S was in agreement. "The Speedport Black was a great racquet from the baseline. I liked the feel of the racquet in my hand. The spin I generated was more than generous, too. Depth was a bit of an issue, but not a huge one. Consistency was also a little bit harder to come by with this racquet, especially with soft, powerful strings. I liked having polyester in this one. With the Speedport Tuning system, I felt the racquet was very springy and almost too lively. With the String Hole Insert my groundstrokes felt easier to control."
Granville liked the feel but had to make some initial adjustments. "The Speedport Black lives up to its potential as a true player's stick. From the first strike I could feel the ball sinking into the stringbed and launching the ball... into the bottom of the net. It felt great. That's right, I was enjoying the sensation of these unforced errors. Hey, that's what a playtest is for! After some adjustments in targeting I re-acquired my precision and was driving the ball deep into the court with comfort and precision. After an hour or so I could rally from the baseline all day long, bread and butter, with confidence. With the String Port Inserts I sensed a slightly softer response, similar to adding a vibration dampener, though not as pronounced".
Chris liked the spin production, but was more comfortable hitting flat shots for more consistency. "This felt like a very fast racquet off the ground. I was able to generate a lot of spin - both when hitting topspin and when hitting slice. I had a little trouble gauging the depth of my shots when hitting with heavy topspin and actually preferred hitting flat or with slice. When hitting my topspin forehand I had a tendency to hit a little short and it took my full concentration to be consistent. As the test progressed I started to get a better feel for the racquet and enjoyed it a little more, but I never felt like I could relax much with this stick. I thought both tuning systems had positives to offer. The String Port Insert offered some nice dampening and felt very comfortable. With the String Hole Insert I found a tad more feel from the racquet." Jason enjoyed the spin this racquet produced. "A fairly powerful racquet from the baseline, especially for an 11+ ounce racquet that's 5 points head light. The word "penetrating" comes to mind. I like how much spin I can generate with this racquet, but even with the generous topspin a few shots were landing long. I felt a loss of control when I really wanted to go for the big shots. I really enjoyed hitting slices with this racquet because I could create a lot of action on the ball."
Offering a large sweetspot and a firm feel, the Speedport Black garnered plenty of positive feedback from our playtest team at net. Chris felt he could be aggressive and attack volleys with the Speedport Black. "My favorite shot with this stick was the volley. I liked the power level and maneuverability at net. I was able to hit my volley with some nice pop, enabling me to quickly end points. I was finding my targets with both tuning systems and really enjoyed the response from the racquet." Ryan S. felt the weight was perfect for volleying. "Volleying with this racquet was great. The weight of the racquet is pretty ideal for volleying, with just enough weight to keep it from twisting in my hand but not so much that there is no maneuverability whatsoever. Depth was easy to come by and punching volleys was very comfortable with great results. I liked volleying with this one."
Jason liked the combination of weight and string pattern for a more confident feel at net. "After hitting a few volleys with this racquet I could feel an improvement in my net game. It offered great comfort and maneuverability. The weight helped control the pace of the balls, while the open string pattern helped reduce the bounce on half volleys and pick up volleys." Spencer enjoyed the large sweetspot and maneuverability. "Volleying was one of the strong points for me with this racquet. A large sweetspot and nice stability made it rather easy to hit penetrating, fast paced shots at net. This racquet was easy to maneuver as well." Granville found the Speedport Black to fit all the requirements for net play. "This racquet was solid, firm and maneuverable, and it had a generous sweetspot. Not much to dislike here. The five points head light balance did not slow me down at the net (as I had anticipated), probably due to the lighter overall weight (11.3 ounces). The headsize is a generous midplus at 100 sq. inches. I was instantly comfortable with this racquet at net."
Serving with the Speedport Black proved to be impressive, with a noticeable increase in power and more than adequate spin being found by most of our team. Spencer was impressed with the variety of power and spin the racquet provided. "This was by far my favorite part of playing with the Speedport Black. There was plenty of power in this racquet, and unlike my groundstrokes, my serves were very consistent. Because of the tremendous spin that I was finding, I was able to hit more effective second serve kickers. With increased confidence, I was able to swing with more verve on second serves, which in turn added a more relaxed velocity to my first serve. Basically, I was much looser while serving, creating livelier, more consistent serves." Jason liked the power of the Speedport Black while serving. "Where I found too much power hitting groundstrokes, I really appreciated it on serves. My first serve was a bit inconsistent at times, but I could always rely on the nice second serve slice this racquet helped me produce."
Granville liked the controlled pace that the Speedport Black supplied. "This is probably the one shot that really got my attention. With the String Hole insert I felt like I was getting better "pop" on the ball. The ball seemed to jump off my racquet and my targeting was spot on. It seemed to be especially potent on the wide serve from the ad side. As with the String Port system, I really enjoyed serving with this racquet. I can only presume that it is the Speedport system that gives the sensation (real or perceived) of a bit more power and "pocketing", providing that extra bit of control."
Chris found success when serving up the "T". "As when hitting groundstrokes, it felt like I was generating a lot of racquet head speed with this stick. I liked the amount of pace and spin on my serves and was definitely enjoying plenty of zip. My favorite serves with this racquet was when going down the 'T' on both the ad and deuce courts. I was able to get a nice mix of pace and just enough spin for consistency."
Ryan S. had trouble finding consistency with the Speedport Black. "Serving was an interesting beast. I served well on a couple of days and not so well on others. However, spin was very good and comfort was very good, too. Pace was pretty good as well. Again, I just had problems with consistency, especially when switching between the two tuning systems. The String Holes insert felt much better for accuracy but pinged very loudly, which I found annoying. I was just all over the place with the String Port insert. Overall I found great spin and power from this racquet, but consistency was just difficult for me to find."
Our team felt a bit more heft might have added a bit more stability and consistency on returns. Ryan S. felt his returns would have been more successful with weight added to the racquet. "This is the only area that I thought a touch more weight would have been better. On harder serves, this racquet was not as solid through contact as I would have liked. Overall though, when returning serves this racquet did very well. I was able to swing and get pretty good control. I found better consistency when returning, strangely, than with the other aspects like groundies and serves."
After adjusting to the maneuverability of the racquet, Chris was aggressively confident when returning. "I liked the mobility of this racquet when returning. The first few swings I was ahead of the ball, as the racquet was coming around so quickly. I soon made the adjustment and returned well from then on. I was able to return with good angle and pace during doubles matches. I enjoyed hitting hard flat returns with this stick. There was some nice pop to help out on defensive returns, too. I was able to block the ball back deep, even when stretched wide. I had fun hitting returns with this stick no matter what the situation."
Jason liked this racquet for defensive returns, though he felt the Speedport Black didn't respond as well offensively. "I was torn on the service returns. I liked it for blocking back shots to the body, where I had no other option. But for serves where I felt I could take a rip, the racquet felt sluggish." To the contrary of Jason was Granville. "As always, the serve return is largely dependent on good stroke production, and the O3 Black is no exception. It is a bit lighter than I am accustomed to so my defensive "blocking" of the ball may have been slightly diminished with the ball falling a little shorter in the court. Offensively, it was a very capable racquet offering a good solid punch on either side. I was able to do just about anything I wanted with the Speedport Black. The only thing it lacked (for my game) is an extra ounce of mass. BUT - that can be overcome with some properly placed lead tape."
Spencer felt issues of consistency on return of serve. "It was very hit and miss when returning. At times, I could make aggressive returns effectively, while other times I couldn't keep the ball in the court. Of course, this is partly the player and not the equipment, but by the same token, I have had more consistency with other racquets. Suffice it to say, I had consistency issues when returning with the Speedport Black."
Jason preferred the feel of the String Hole Insert. "I liked the string hole grommet system better. It didn't feel the same as a racquet with traditional grommets, but it had similar characteristics. The feedback and response was much better than that of the String Port system."
Granville liked the response fo the String Port Insert. "I prefer the standard String Port insert, as it provides a bit crisper response. The difference between the two grommets seems most pronounced on the serve."
Chris found likeable attributes in both. "It was a tough call for me to pick between the two tuning systems. I liked the feedback from the String Hole inserts, but preferred the sound from the String Port inserts. In the end, I was able to get the sound I was looking for by adding a vibration dampener to the racquet with the String Hole insert, making it my preferred choice out of the two."
Spencer had issues with sound and feel. "I know the String Hole inserts are supposed to enhance feel and feedback, which would make sense for me to prefer because of my comments. However, during this playtest, I actually preferred the String Port insert. I would say for the most part, it was the pingy sound and feel of the String Hole insert that I didn't like. I felt it hurt my focus and concentration, thus hurting my play."
Ryan S. was on the fence. "Personally, the String Port Insert was a little harder to control. I disliked the pinging that resulted in the version with the String Hole Insert, however, this seemed easier to control consistently for me. But to disagree with myself and complicate it more, when I played with poly in the String Port Insert I was much more consistent than with the soft, powerful strings. It's close. I'll go with 55-45% in favor of the String Hole Insert."
When it came to hitting serves, volleys and returns, the Speedport Black was a hit with our team - and is probably why it is the racquet of choice for the world's #1 doubles team, Bob and Mike Bryan. From the baseline, a nice feel with inconsistent results seemed to be the consensus. Baseline rallying aside, a noticeable increase in power on serves with plenty of controlled punch at net made for a deadly doubles stick. When it comes to selecting which Speedport Tuning system to use, it all comes down to personal preferences for sound and feel - we suggest trying both before settling on one. Whichever grommet system is preferred, there is no doubt the increased swingspeed we found from the Speedport technology provides plenty of power to each stroke.
Granville "One feature of the Speedports came to light during this playtest, that being the response near the frame edge. With a standard racquet you will not get much response at or near the edge of the stringbed where it meets the frame. With the O3 racquet, you are going to get a bit more response at the perimeter of the stringbed due to the power holes extending the stringbed to the outside of the frame. A very solid racquet with all the technical elements to offer the serious player an opportunity to take their game to the next level."
Chris "To my surprise, I much preferred this stick strung with Prince Synthetic Gut Multi over any of my usual favorite co-poly strings. I liked the increased feel from the stringbed with the Prince string and I thought it was a really good match for this racquet."
Spencer "My expectations were pretty high coming into this playtest, as the Speedport Black's specs are right in line with my preferences. I like swinging it, and don't know that I've experienced a better serving racquet, but there's not enough consistency with the groundstrokes. I would certainly recommend it as a doubles stick. Great at net as well as the serve, it makes sense."
Ryan S. "Overall I really liked this racquet. It had good weight and a nice swing weight. Swinging was effortless. Good pace and depth with a nice bonus of good spin. Consistency though? Where was it? Especially the version without the regular grommet holes."
Jason "A good stick that worked for me best during doubles and serve and volley points. I found the racquet to be too erratic from the baseline, with shots spraying a bit and landing long. I anticipate a strong response from 4.0+ players that enjoy the dampened feel, because the Speedport holes provides a softer stringbed."
(Scores are determined by averaging individual play test scores)
Chris: 5.0 baseline player currently using the Babolat Pure Drive Roddick. Chris uses a full-western forehand grip, has a fast swing style and hits a two-handed and a one-handed backhand.
Granville: 5.5 all-court player currently using a Wilson K Factor Six-One Tour 95. Granville is an aggressive player who uses an eastern forehand grip and goes continental on everything else, hits with a flat swing and a one-handed backhand.
Jason: 4.0 baseliner currently using a Head Flexpoint Radical Midplus. Jason has a fairly aggressive semi-western topspin forehand and hits a one-handed backhand.
Ryan: 4.5 all court player currently using a Slazenger Pro Braided Henman racquet. Ryan uses a semi-western forehand grip, a one-handed backhand and has a long swing style.
Spencer:4.5 Baseline player currently using a Tecnifibre TFlash 310. Spencer uses a full-western forehand grip, and hits with a one-handed backhand.
Review date: August 2007. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us.
All content copyright 2007 Tennis Warehouse.


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Partner: UNT College of Visual Arts + Design
Country: Italy
Decade: 1940-1949
Year: 1945
Collection: Texas Fashion Collection
Date: 1945
Creator: Bailey, Jo
Description: Hat of gray felt. The cylindrical gray felt crown is very slightly domed, and is set off-center to the brim. The brim, of matching felt, turns up, forming a deep, steep-sided bowl around the crown. The edge of the brim turns in, and is sewn down forming a seam around the inside edge of the "bowl". At left front of the brim is a bow of matching felt. The hat is unlined, with an inner hatband of gray grosgrain ribbon around the inside base of the crown. Stamped inside the crown: "Body made in Italy". Maker's hand-sewn(?) label affixed to inner hatband: "Jo Bailey / Hats".
Contributing Partner: UNT College of Visual Arts + Design


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Article Header
USA routs Texas 21-0
AUSTIN, TX -- A homecoming for USA left-handed pitcher Cat Osterman (Houston, TX), the USA Softball Women's National team continued along its 'Aiming for Athens' tour posting a 21-0 win over the Texas Longhorns.
Currently taking an Olympic red-shirt year from Texas, the 6'2" hurler captured her sixth win of the tour pitching 3.2 innings in the mercy rule win. She allowed no runs, one hit and retired seven batters via strikeout. The fifth largest crowd in McCombs field history at 1,268, the victory pushed the U.S. team to a 17-0 record on the tour and continued the pre-Olympic tour win streak at 132.
"My heart was racing a little bit at the beginning," Osterman said. "I was so excited to be back at McCombs and finally I adjusted and things ended up going well. It was really fun tonight and I received a great welcome from the fans."
The U.S. offense was apparent in the victory as they combined for 21 runs with 23 hits, including 10 doubles. Turning on the power, they began in the top of the second where they scored 10 runs on eight hits. Catcher Jenny Topping (Whittier, CA) started with a single to left field followed by a walk to Lovieanne Jung (Fountain Valley, CA). A bunt single from Kelly Kretschman (Indian Harbour Beach, FL) advanced the runners before Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo, CA) connected on a towering sacrifice fly to centerfield for a 1-0 lead. And from there the Red, White and Blue never looked back. Speedster Natasha Watley (Irvine, CA) then connected on an RBI infield single to score Kretschman while Leah O'Brien-Amico added another run with a single up the middle. Batting leader Crystl Bustos (Canyon Country, CA) then drove the first of 10 doubles in the game down the left field line to plate Watley to give the U.S. a 4-0 advantage. Back-to-back walks then resulted in another run before Jung came to the plate for the second time in the inning. She blasted a three RBI double to left field to clear the bases before doubles from Krestchman and Mendoza completed the inning for a 10-0 lead.
A change of pitchers for the Longhorns didn't change much as the U.S. bats continued to dominate the field adding seven more runs in the top of the fourth. Led by a Topping double to right center and a Jung single to center field, the U.S. spree continued as Kretschman recorded her first of three doubles in the inning. Three base hits followed by another Topping double down the right field line lit the scoreboard to 17-0 through four and a half.
The U.S. would add four more runs in the top of the fifth highlighted by doubles from Kretschman, Flowers and singles from Amanda Freed (Cypress, CA), Bustos, and Lisa Fernandez (Long Beach, CA).
Leading the U.S. bats was Kretschman who finished 4-for-4 on the night with one single and three doubles. Watley, currently hitting .500 on the tour, finished 4-for-5 while Topping was 3-for-4.
The U.S. squad will continue its stay in the Lone Star State as they travel to Waco, TX on Thursday March 11 for a double-header against Baylor. Game are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. CST.
About ASA
The Amateur Softball Association, founded in 1933, is the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. The ASA has become one of the nation's largest sports organizations and now sanctions competition in every state through a network of 91 local associations. The ASA has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 240,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than three million. For more information on the ASA, visit www.asasoftball.com.
About USA Softball
USA Softball is the brand created, operated and owned by the ASA that links the USA Men's, Women's, Junior Boys' and Junior Girls' National Team programs together. USA Softball is responsible for training, equipping and promoting these four National Teams to compete in international and domestic competitions. The USA Softball Women's National Team is one of the only two women's sports involved in the Olympic movement to capture back-to-back gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1996. The U.S. women have also won seven World Championship titles including the last five consecutive.


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Could heavy trucks bout be heading for round two?
The Columbus Dispatch - March 15, 2013 02:49 PM
The fight over whether heavier vehicles should be allowed on state highways could be going to a second round.
Rep. Lynn Wachtmann said Friday that he is working on a new amendment that could be added to the state's transportation budget bill in a conference committee next week, but some opponents say they are digging in for the battle.
The original proposal was nixed from the bill last week. It would have raised the limit on trucks traveling along state highways from 80,000 pounds to 90,000 pounds. Wachtmann said his new amendment could contain a sharper increase – up to 97,000 pounds – but would require trucks to install a sixth axle.
County engineers are worried heavier trucks could do more damage to roads and bridges.
The County Engineers Association of Ohio said Friday that any increase to the weight allowed on state highways would force it to start over on a federally mandated effort to rate all of the state's bridges – at a cost of about $45 million.
Association President Fred Pausch said the federal government forced all counties to re-rate the loads that can be carried over bridges after a Minnesota bridge collapsed in 2007. Ohio engineers have rated more than 80 percent of the state's bridges and expect to be finished with the new ratings in October, Pausch said.
But the Federal Highway Administration has told the organization that an increase to the weight limits would force it to re-rate all of those bridges at heavy expense, Pausch said.
Wachtmann said adding the sixth axle will give trucks more braking power and distribute the added weight more efficiently, alleviating some safety and road degradation concerns.
And does the cost of re-rating the state's bridges give him any pause at about the amendment?
"Not at all because we're working through those things to make sure we don't conflict with federal law," said Wachtmann, a Republican from Napoleon.


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U.S. Suing S&P Smacks of Political Retribution
In 2011, S&P, Moody's and Fitch were accused by a Senate Committee of giving overly rosy ratings on mortgage-backed securities in the years prior to the financial meltdown of 2008, and then contributing to the severity of the crisis by hastily downgrading hundreds of securities after the housing bubble burst.
Notably, S&P, alone, in August of 2011 downgraded U.S. government bonds -- causing the president considerable embarrassment at a time when his reelection was far from certain. This downgrade will raise U.S. borrowing costs, and ultimately curtail federal spending and the president's progressive agenda, when the Federal Reserve deems appropriate to end quantitative easing, which is artificially depressing all interest rates.
Often, federal prosecutors, when several firms have engaged in unsuitable practices, will single out one to obtain damages and reforms, and then use that settlement to obtain concessions from the others; however, the selection of S&P certainly creates the appearance of sovereign and political abuse.
By any reasonable measure, U.S. debt and spending has reached an unsustainable level. Simply, the tax increases necessary to bring the federal deficit down to a level that would stabilize the national debt as a percentage of GDP, would certainly cause a deep recession, similar to conditions in Italy or Spain, and not yield the anticipated revenue. Hence, spending, in particular entitlement spending, must be cut; however, the president has neither admitted this situation nor shown any inclination toward real entitlement reform.
By not downgrading U.S. debt, Moody's and Fitch, have demonstrated the same neglect to investors that all three bond rating agencies practiced during the mid-2000s -- now, the Justice Department lets them pass by targeting S&P.
At the heart of the matter is the bond-rating agencies' business practice of charging fees to the firms, state and local governments who issue bonds, and financial houses that create derivatives. The resulting conflict of interest encourages overly rosy ratings that lag market assessments of company and government financial health.
The rating agencies have refused to return to change this business model --they find the present too lucrative to put their public responsibility above profits -- and this requires a legislative solution.
The bond-rating agencies have clung to a First Amendment defense, but that has terrible public policy foundations. No individual may rely on free speech to knowingly deceive another for the purpose of financial gain -- that is the textbook definition of fraud -- and no reasonable assessment of the public or investor interests can justify that defense.


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Debates of Oct. 8th, 2004
House of Commons Hansard #5 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was federal.
- Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply
- Children of Beslan
- Agriculture
- Mental Illness
- Labour Relations
- Paralympic Games
- General Amherst High School
- Tibetan Youth Day
- Nobel Peace Prize
- Algonquin College
- Agriculture
- Justice
- Elizabeth Weir
- Breast Cancer
- World Congress Against the Death Penalty
- Hmcs
- Internet Pharmacies
- Victor Boudreau
- Marriage
- National Defence
- Aerospace Industry
- National Defence
- Sponsorship Program
- National Defence
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police
- Government Appointments
- Canadian Heritage
- Access to Information
- National Defence
- Shipbuilding Industry
- Canadian Heritage
- Government Spending
- Textile Industry
- The Environment
- Aboriginal Affairs
- Social Development
- Fisheries
- Health
- The Environment
- Main Estimates, 2004-05
- Order in Council Appointments
- Criminal Code
- Canada Shipping Act
- International Interests in Mobile Equipment (aircraft equipment) Act
- Post-Secondary Education Savings Assistance Act
- Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Act
- Canadian Heritage Act
- Financial Administration Act
- Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec Act
- Criminal Code
- Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act
- Quarantine Act
- Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal Act
- Address by President of the United States of Mexico
- Petitions
- Questions on the Order Paper
- Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply
Tibetan Youth Day
Statements by Members
11 a.m.
Sarmite Bulte Parkdale—High Park, ON
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to inform the House of the Tibetan Youth Congress's 35th anniversary of the Tibetan Youth Day. The celebration is being held at the historic Palais Royale in my riding on Sunday, October 10.
The Tibetan Youth Congress was founded in India on October 7, 1970, and the Dalai Lama delivered its inaugural address. It is a non-profit organization with over 76 branches around the world whose main purpose is to promote Tibet's culture, traditions and religion under the guidance of the Dalai Lama.
The Toronto chapter of the Tibetan Youth Congress was established in 2002 and has grown quickly as increasing numbers of Tibetan Canadians have made the historic neighbourhood of Parkdale their home.
I salute the organizers and participants of this year's Tibetan Youth Congress event and I am delighted to be joining them this Sunday.
Nobel Peace Prize
Statements by Members
11 a.m.
Louise Thibault Rimouski—Témiscouata, QC
Mr. Speaker, Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan woman who has been telling people for the past quarter-century that every time we plant a tree we plant a seed for peace, has just been announced as the Nobel Peace Prize winner for 2004.
She is the twelfth woman to receive this honour since the inception of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1901, and the first African woman.
Kenyan's Deputy Minister of the Environment, Wangari Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement in 1977. Since its inception, this tree planting program has seen more than 30 million seeds for peace planted in Africa.
The purpose of this ecological project is to promote diversity, and it has created numerous jobs for women in decision-making positions while raising their position in society.
By growing trees for peace, she gives hope to humanity.
Algonquin College
Statements by Members
11:05 a.m.
Marlene Catterall Ottawa West—Nepean, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to congratulate Algonquin College in my riding on the official opening yesterday of its new transportation and technology centre.
For almost 40 years, Algonquin has trained skilled technicians in transportation. The new centre, with 31,500 square feet of space and the most up to date equipment, will expand the college's ability to train new technicians and to keep skills in this trade at the leading edge. This is important not only for the students but for an industry that is experiencing a shortage of skilled technicians.
I wish to extend congratulations to Algonquin and to its partners in industry, the province of Ontario and the sector councils. All have collaborated to bring this project to completion.
Statements by Members
11:05 a.m.
James Bezan Selkirk—Interlake, MB
Mr. Speaker, today I would like to address the devastation felt by ranchers and farmers across Canada.
BSE has negatively affected farm and ranch families and has impacted all the towns and small businesses in my riding of Selkirk--Interlake. Producers have not been able to keep up with bill payments since the BSE crisis began and many face bankruptcy if prices do not rise.
I would like to pay tribute to those trying to improve the situation. I would like to thank the Manitoba Cattle Producers Association for its work on the BSE file. I would especially like to thank the board of directors of Rancher's Choice Beef Co-op, which has worked diligently to establish a new beef packing plant in Manitoba.
Finally, I would like to thank the Leader of the Official Opposition for talking to agriculture lenders and urging them to have patience and understanding in this time of crisis on the farm.
Statements by Members
October 8th, 2004 / 11:05 a.m.
Tom Wappel Scarborough Southwest, ON
Mr. Speaker, on September 20 Salim Choueiri, a businessman and father, was convicted of obtaining the sexual services of minors on four occasions. The court imposed the lenient penalty of a six months suspended sentence, one year probation and a $500 fine.
Do the courts protect our children? The answer is sadly evident when we compare Choueiri's case to that of Chris Geoghegan's. Geoghegan was convicted of hitting Alberta Premier Ralph Klein in the face with a pie. Provincial Court Judge Terry Semenuk sentenced him to 30 days in jail, three months probation, 40 hours of community service and a $50 victim surcharge.
Had Geoghegan been given the choice, I am certain he would have been more inclined to choose the punishment granted to the child abuser over his own.
What kind of a society protects its children by giving a suspended sentence to a child abuser, yet gives jail time for throwing a pie?
This statement is the beginning of a series examining how courts are sentencing child abusers and pedophiles.
Elizabeth Weir
Statements by Members
11:05 a.m.
Jack Layton Toronto—Danforth, ON
Mr. Speaker, today New Democrats are celebrating the political career of an extraordinary woman. I would like to pay tribute to the fantastic contribution Elizabeth Weir has made to political life in New Brunswick and Canada.
Elizabeth Weir received her honours degree in sociology from the University of Waterloo and her law degree from the University of Western Ontario. In 1978 she was admitted to the Law Society of Upper Canada.
A former teacher at the University of New Brunswick, she went on to become the leader of the New Democratic Party in New Brunswick in 1988 and became the first woman to be chosen as leader of a political party in New Brunswick.
She was the first woman leader elected to the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly and the first elected leader of the provincial New Democratic Party. She was first elected to the legislative assembly in 1991, and was re-elected in 1995, 1999 and 2003.
We are very pleased to see that, even though she decided it was time to pass on the torch as leader, she will continue to serve the people of her riding of Saint John Harbour.
Breast Cancer
Statements by Members
11:05 a.m.
Betty Hinton Kamloops—Thompson, BC
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise today for the first time in the 38th Parliament on an issue that has affected myself and my family very personally.
Breast cancer is an insidious disease that claims the lives of many thousands of women every year. It is estimated that 21,200 women will develop breast cancer this year and of those, 5,200 will succumb to it.
My sister, Doreen Buss, dedicated her life to teaching children. Her legacy lives on in two generations of residents of Trail, B.C. who benefited from her talent.
In my riding of Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, women are given hope and research funds through the efforts of the Salituro family who organize the annual Pink Ribbon Ball, and to others, like Kathy Roberts, who dedicate their time to raising funds through fashion shows.
Finally I would like to pay special tribute to every Canadian woman who is now fighting, or has in the past fought, this disease. We will beat cancer.
World Congress Against the Death Penalty
Statements by Members
11:10 a.m.
Roger Clavet Louis-Hébert, QC
Mr. Speaker, from October 6 to 9, Montreal is hosting the 2nd annual World Congress Against the Death Penalty. The Bloc Quebecois wants to acknowledge the event and particularly to reiterate its full support for the abolishment of the death penalty.
This week, hundreds of people, activists, diplomats, academics, NGO officials, parliamentarians and celebrities descended on the city to debate strategies for encouraging more countries to remove the death penalty from their penal code. Numerous debates are on the program, as are artistic, cultural and educational events.
Even though the death penalty has been abolished in Canada since 1976, Amnesty International has made it clear that the global fight is far from over; it reported 1,146 executions in 2003.
The Bloc Quebecois wishes to add its voice to all the participants at the congress and calls upon the international community to say no to the death penalty.
We wish the congress much success and join with all those who oppose capital punishment.
Statements by Members
11:10 a.m.
Barry Devolin Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON
Mr. Speaker, earlier this week a tragic story jumped off the front pages of the national newspapers and into my constituency office in Lindsay, Ontario.
Yesterday I learned that Peter Bryan, brother-in-law to my executive assistant, Jamie Schmale, and older brother to his wife, Julia Bryan, is aboard HMCS Chicoutimi as its executive officer. Like so many other families, the Bryans have been awaiting word ever since that Peter is safe.
Last evening we were relieved to hear that HMCS Chicoutimi is being towed back to port and that the worst of this catastrophe may be behind us. Unfortunately this will be scant relief to the family of Lieutenant Chris Saunders who lost his life while serving his country.
This week's tragedy reminds us of the dangerous work that our armed forces perform daily on our behalf.
It should also remind the government of its solemn responsibility to provide our men and women in the armed forces with both modern and safe equipment.
Internet Pharmacies
Statements by Members
11:10 a.m.
Don Boudria Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
Mr. Speaker, last month first ministers met and developed a 10-year health plan for which congratulations are in order. However, one important issue was not addressed and that is the problem of Internet pharmacies.
People living in the United States can buy prescription drugs in Canada over the Internet. I believe this practice is unethical. First, it can deplete Canadian prescription drug supplies. Also, patients receiving the medication have never seen a Canadian doctor nor pharmacist, thus increasing the chance of misdiagnosis.
Media reports inform us that one practitioner alone signed tens of thousands of these forms over a six-month period at a considerable profit.
Finally, there is no way of accurately preventing that medication being prescribed has not been counterfeited.
I ask the Minister of Health, along with his provincial counterparts at their meeting very shortly, to be seized of this issue and to take the necessary measures to stop it.
Victor Boudreau
Statements by Members
11:10 a.m.
Dominic LeBlanc Beauséjour, NB
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the new provincial MLA for Shediac—Cap Pelé, Victor Boudreau.
Victor won a very important byelection in New Brunswick this week. The Liberal Party and its leader, Shawn Graham, prevailed despite the sustained efforts made by Conservative ministers and MLAs.
Victor Boudreau's strong victory shows that the people of Shediac--Cap Pelé recognize his energy, integrity and commitment to the citizens of this riding.
Victor will be an outstanding MLA and will represent Shediac--Cap Pelé in an exceptional way for many years. I congratulate Victor, his wife Michelle, and their daughters, Dominique and Gabrielle, as they begin their new life in provincial politics
Statements by Members
11:10 a.m.
Bill Siksay Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Mr. Speaker, the Supreme Court of Canada held its hearings this week on the government's reference on same sex marriage. The government argued in support of lesbian and gay marriage and the minister has said clearly there is no ambiguity, so why the reference?
It is time to quit stalling. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees equality to all Canadians. Denying lesbian and gay couples the equal right to marry is a denial of our full human rights.
At this moment 82% of Canadians live in jurisdictions with equal marriage. I urge the government to respect the right of loving, committed lesbian and gay couples to celebrate our relationships in marriage.
It is time for the government to respect the charter and change the law. The Minister of Justice must demonstrate the courage of his convictions and table legislation immediately.
National Defence
Oral Question Period
11:15 a.m.
Peter MacKay Central Nova, NS
Mr. Speaker, HMCS Chicoutimi is now being towed to port.
Can the Prime Minister update the House on the health of the 54 submariners and conditions on board? When can we expect the submarine to return to port and what is the condition of the injured crewmen?
National Defence
Oral Question Period
11:15 a.m.
Paul Martin Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member has just pointed out, the Chicoutimi is now being towed toward Scotland. We have been informed that although things on board are not very comfortable, all is well. I should also say that the two injured sailors in hospital are in stable condition. As the hon. member undoubtedly knows, one of them is in fairly serious condition.
I can also report that plans for returning Lieutenant Saunders' remains are being finalized. In accordance with his family's wishes, there will be a military funeral. We expect the body to arrive on Sunday.
National Defence
Oral Question Period
11:15 a.m.
Peter MacKay Central Nova, NS
Mr. Speaker, we appreciate the Prime Minister's updated information. My question is for the Minister of National Defence.
An internal review from his department of the submarine project noted that the purchase and reactivation was "wrongly" considered a "low risk". It goes on to state that the risks associated with this procurement have been underestimated.
The government has known this for over a year and the alarm bells were ringing, yet the government ignored those warnings. What was done to mitigate the risks before the HMCS Chicoutimi was cleared to leave port for Canada and cross the north Atlantic unescorted?