Email me your petition for consideration. Updates welcome. Debate brings clarity. I have an open mind, but I am biased against petitions that advocate Canadian government interference in another nation's internal affairs (sometimes just a lead-up to sanctions and war) and that call for government interventions in the market. But I am open to petitions that call for governments, businesses and other organizations to change their practices. I'm mainly interested in Canadian (all three levels of government) and also international/foreign policy issues, especially if they affect Canada.
--Alan Mercer
REFERENDUMS IN CANADA:
THE EFFECT OF POPULIST DECISION-MAKING ON REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY(pdf)
Some provincial governments allow for these. I believe we need to push the Canadian Parliament to allow binding referenda, so there should be an overwhelming petition to this effect directed towards parliament. I have a lot to say about direct democracy (using a majoritarian system towards libertarian ends) but basically it is more constructive if we adopted direct democracy 100%, hire temporary executives and let MPs retire. Majorities don't automatically legitimate legislation at all but I think it is likely a referendum is more legitimate in most cases. The fact is that parliament is surrendering its authority to the courts and to international bodies like the G8, UN, SPP, NAFTA, NATO, .... so the people have less and less representation through their Members of Parliament every day.
On a related subject, the rights of juries need to be enhanced also.
Others' Petitions - Read and sign the ones you agree with:
The following summary of the legislative requirements under the PCMLTFA applies to you if you are a money services business. A money services business means an individual or an entity that is engaged in the business of any of the following activities:
foreign exchange dealing;
remitting or transmitting funds by any means or through any individual, entity or electronic funds transfer network; or
issuing or redeeming money orders, traveller’s cheques or other similar negotiable instruments. This does not include redeeming cheques payable to a named individual or entity. In other words, cashing cheques made out to a particular individual or entity is not included.
Money services businesses include alternative money remittance systems (such as Hawala, Hundi or Chitti), etc.
For information about legislative requirements in effect before June 23, 2008, see the applicable guidelines published before 2008.
Reporting
Suspicious Transactions
Terrorist Property
Large Cash Transactions
Electronic Funds Transfers
Record Keeping
Ascertaining Identity
Politically Exposed Foreign Person
Third Party Determination
Compliance Regime
Note: Content in this section may require additional software to view. Consult our Help page.
View this information in .pdf format (69 kb)
Additional Information for Money Services Businesses
Suspicious Transactions
You must report where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that a transaction or an attempted transaction is related to the commission or attempted commission of a money laundering offence or a terrorist activity financing offence.
See Guideline 2 : Suspicious Transactions and Guideline 3 : Submitting Suspicious Transaction Reports to FINTRAC
Terrorist Property
You must report where you know that there is property in your possession or control that is owned or controlled by or on behalf of a terrorist or a terrorist group.
See Guideline 5 : Submitting Terrorist Property Reports to FINTRAC
Large Cash Transactions
You must report large cash transactions involving amounts of $10,000 or more received in cash.
See Guideline 7 : Submitting Large Cash Transaction Reports to FINTRAC
Electronic Funds Transfers
You must report international electronic funds transfers of $10,000 or more that you send or receive. These include the transmission of instructions at the request of a client through any electronic, magnetic or optical device, telephone instrument or computer. In the case of SWIFT messages, only SWIFT MT 103 messages are included.
See Guideline 8 : Submitting Electronic Funds Transfer Reports to FINTRAC
Record Keeping
You must keep the following records:
Large cash transaction records
Client information records for entities with which you have an ongoing service agreement
Foreign currency exchange transaction tickets
Client credit files
Internal memoranda about services to clients
Copies of official corporate records (binding provisions)
Records for the sale of travellers’ cheques, money orders or other similar instruments in the amount of $3,000 or more
Records for money orders cashed in the amount of $3,000 or more
Records about individuals who sign an ongoing service agreement on behalf of an entity
Lists of employees authorized to order transactions under ongoing service agreements
Copies of suspicious transaction reports
Records for the remittance or transmission of $1,000 or more and include information with certain transfers
Beneficial ownership records
See Guideline 6C : Record Keeping and Client Identification for Money Services Businesses
Ascertaining Identity
You must take specific measures to identify the following individuals or entities:
Any individual who conducts a large cash transaction
Any individual who conducts a transaction of $3,000 or more for the issuance or redemption of travellers’ cheques, money orders or other similar negotiable instruments
Any entity with which you have an ongoing business relationship
Any individual who conducts a foreign currency exchange transaction of $3,000 or more
Any entity for which you have to keep a client information record (including reasonable measures to obtain beneficial ownership information)
Any individual who conducts a transaction for the remittance or transmission of $1,000 or more by any means or through any individual or entity
Any individual for whom you have to send a suspicious transaction report (reasonable measures and exceptions apply)
See Guideline 6C : Record Keeping and Client Identification for Money Services Businesses
Politically Exposed Foreign Person
You have to take reasonable measures to determine whether you are dealing with a politically exposed foreign person for certain electronic funds transfers of $100,000 or more. You also have to keep records and take additional measures.
See Guideline 6C : Record Keeping and Client Identification for Money Services Businesses
Third Party Determination
Where a large cash transaction record is required, you must take reasonable measures to determine whether the individual is acting on behalf of a third party. When a client information record is created, you must take reasonable measures to determine whether the client is acting on behalf of a third party.
In cases where a third party is involved, you must obtain specific information about the third party and their relationship with the individual providing the cash or the client.
See Guideline 6C : Record Keeping and Client Identification for Money Services Businesses
Compliance Regime
The following five elements must be included in a compliance regime:
The appointment of a compliance officer
The development and application of written compliance policies and procedures
The assessment and documentation of risks of money laundering and terrorist financing, and measures to mitigate high risks
Implementation and documentation of an ongoing compliance training program
A documented review of the effectiveness of policies and procedures, training program and risk assessment
See Guideline 4 : Implementation of a Compliance Regime
FINTRAC Interpretation Notices
FINTRAC issues FINTRAC interpretation notices (FINs) to provide technical interpretations and positions regarding certain provisions contained in the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act and associated Regulations.
Criteria for “Engaged in a Money Services Business”
Large Cash Transaction and Electronic Funds Transfer Reporting Requirements: Two or More Transactions in a 24-Hour Period (The '24-Hour Rule')
For more information on your obligations and on FINTRAC, you can also consult our Frequently Asked Questions .
Compliance Questionnaire
Part of FINTRAC's mandate is to ensure compliance by financial intermediaries and other reporting entities with their
obligations under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act and regulations. To do this,
we can inquire into your business and examine records, including those relating to your compliance regime.
We have developed a money services business compliance questionnaire, for you to provide information concerning you or
your organization’s compliance regime. If you are required to complete this questionnaire, you will be advised in writing by FINTRAC.
View a list of the questions contained in the questionnaire.
For any questions, please contact us by e-mail at questionnaires@fintrac-canafe.gc.ca .
If you do so, be sure to indicate your company/organization name as well as your reporting entity sector.
Why this isn't "Freedom"
Basically, it is deputizing - coercively - money service businesses as spies for the Canadian government's "anti-terrorism" regime. Everybody is treated as a possible "terrorist". What people do with their money is potentially "money-laundering" from this mindless Orwellian point of view.
Now, I'm going to talk about morality, ideals and the rule of law, so I apologize if fascists in the public and government don't understand this, as it may seem like gibberish to you.
If the police and security agencies have a legitimate suspicion about someone being a "terrorist" (pretty rare so far in Canada), bring your evidence of reasonable cause to a judge to obtain a warrant. Use the warrant as a means to search the money business and ask questions.
Don't threaten anyone with their business being shut down. This is a form of coercion, comparable to torture. I realize that government officials threaten this all the time by creating legislation that does this. So this is actually a threat from "Members of Parliament" who don't know they are destroying what's good about Canada.
Let the business notify the customer that their privacy has been invaded using "due process". This is called "freedom of speech". It's also the responsibility of the business owner who is promising privacy to his/her customers.
If anyone think these practices represent a "free society" and they're protecting our "freedoms" with this, they are totally deluded. If they insist on carrying out their foreign wars, I guess we will have to expect more "security measures", meaning abuse from our government, because the fear of terrorism will continue. Yes, I am implying a cause and effect connection between foreign intervention and fear of terrorism along with abuse of civil liberties (which was caused by the drug war also). Also, just in general, take your secret trials, your secret detentions and your secret laws...away from Canadians. Stop abusing Canadians with your secrecy - and I'm talking about both major parties who have been in government in recent years - I'm talking about how the government operates regardless of party. Your practices are abusive and it's time people woke up to what you're doing. Yes, maybe we're better off than the U.S. for now... Better off than Uzbekistan too or North Korea for now. So what? It's not good enough. And notice how the G8 policies were adopted for Fintrac by these globalist governments we've had in Canada. Where is the accountability? When did Canadians elect the G8?
...All money services businesses will be required to register with FINTRAC by June 23, 2008. This registration requirement follows recent changes to the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act.
This new requirement is part of a larger package of regulatory changes announced in June 2007 by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty to strengthen Canada’s anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing regime (http://www.fin.gc.ca/news07/07-054e.html). The new regulations bring Canada’s anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing regime in line with the international standards set by the Financial Action Task Force, a G-8 created body. The amendments also follow recommendations made in the 2004 Auditor General’s Report and in a 2004 Treasury Board–mandated evaluation of the regime.
...
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, announced the publication of final regulations that ensure Canada continues to be a global leader in combatting organized crime and terrorist financing.
“Canada’s New Government will be relentless in its efforts to prevent money laundering and terrorist crimes,” Minister Flaherty said. “We are taking an international leadership role to combat money laundering and terrorist financing by devoting substantial new funding to bolster our analytic, investigative and prosecution resources.”
The new regulations bring Canada’s anti-money-laundering and anti-terrorist-financing regime in line with new Financial Action Task Force standards. They also follow recommendations made in the 2004 Auditor General’s Report and in a 2004 Treasury Board–mandated evaluation of the regime.
The regulations, which will be published on June 27 in Part II of the Canada Gazette, include:
Enhanced customer due diligence measures, such as new requirements to identify the beneficial owners of corporations and other entities.
Special due diligence measures including identification and monitoring of correspondent banking relationships and politically exposed persons.
A requirement to report attempted suspicious transactions.
Enhanced information sharing among the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), law enforcement and other domestic and international agencies.
The establishment of a registration regime for money service businesses.
These regulatory amendments implement new provisions of the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act, which were introduced by Bill C-25 and received Royal Assent in December 2006. They reflect the comments received from financial institutions and intermediaries following the pre-publication of the regulatory amendments on March 10, 2007, in Part I of the Canada Gazette.
To provide financial institutions and intermediaries with sufficient time to change their systems and train their employees, these regulations will come into effect on two separate dates. Most of the provisions will come into effect on June 23, 2008, while the remainder will be effective on June 30, 2007.
A second phase of proposed regulatory amendments will be pre-published shortly in Part I of the Canada Gazette for public comment.
June 22, 2008 - "Responsibility 911" and "Statue of Responsibility"
I've just heard about a soon to be released book called Responsibility 911. One of the Canadian contributors, Elliott Frankl, is featured in the Georgina Advocate, an Ontario newspaper. He is a distant relative of the famous Victor Frankl, whose writings are also featured.
As of today, it is still not listed at Amazon.com, but I want to respond pre-emptively to the message of this book:
" … At the heart of the book is the idea freedom cannot exist without citizens accepting responsibility for the society in which they live..."
The announcement by author Thomas Schaff from May about Responsibility 911 is available on YouTube. Thomas Schaff is also one of the trustees for the Statue of Responsibility project. Their video presentation is at www.sorfoundation.org. More information is available at the project's FAQ.
The video presents a consistent message: "Coming together... brotherhood ... in the same boat ...not just about self-interest ... the greater interest..."
Summaries of Responsibility 911 are available online (here and here).
Highlighting some of the chapters: “Everybody Matters” by George W. Bush, “Moral Courage” by Senator John McCain, “Lessons for Leaders” by Arnold Schwarzenegger, “Never Retreat” by Rudy Giuliani, “You Have a Role to Play” by Barack Obama and "Bill of Responsibilities", by Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. Pending articles for the new book include other establishment figures William Bennett and David Gergen.
Reading their “Bill of Responsibilities” will give you a flavour of what Freedom's Foundation is all about. On the home page, you can watch bi-partisan buddies, Senators Biden and Hatch present the "Freedom Isn't Free Campaign" video. The Advisory Council for the Statue of Responsibility project also includes the same Senator Hatch.
In my opinion, the number of political figures listed as contributors appears to discredit whatever value the book has as a collection of works on spiritual or self-help topics. Also, the presence of works by self-help authors, and the confusion caused by mixing political and psychological concepts could make this book an appealing and effective piece of propaganda.
The whole idea of the Statue of Responsibility is to “balance” the Statue of Liberty, in effect downplaying and cancelling out the value of seeking liberty, as if liberty and responsibility are opposite values. They define “freedom” as something superior to “liberty” because they say “freedom” also includes “responsibility” (whatever they mean by that).
Whatever freedom is (insert Orwellian term here), if you lose it, they say it’s your fault. You didn’t pay the price. You didn’t suffer enough or you didn't go along with the program and now it's time to really get started paying for that freedom! So you are going to sit and be lectured by the same people passing the legislation every day that destroys your real freedoms – instead of telling them to stop.
The themes of the book are very clear from the pre-release. In a pure self-help context they might be very positive, but mixed with politics, they convey a totalitarian warning: responsibility (shut up and get in line, it’s your fault, your selfishness and desire for liberty caused all these problems), leadership (we need new leaders like us to rule), accountability and social responsibility (watch out or you’re the next show trial victim like Martha Stewart), transparency (invasion of privacy and private property) and the "role" of the citizen (submission and sacrifice to the State, don't question the credibility of its institutions).
I can’t help interpreting this as a situation where the ideas of Victor Frankl and self-help authors are going to be twisted by the defenders of a corrupt political system who are given a platform by this book. Liberty means being free to do things with your life that you decide are constructive - and the right to be wrong about your choices - as long as you do not interfere with the rights of others. Liberty does not equate to irresponsibility at all. In fact, we need to exercise responsibility in order to promote liberty, preserve established freedoms and hold the power-abusers in government accountable.
June 20, 2008 - News Updates
MPs must speak freely on what are valid concernsOttawa Citizen, Jun 18 '08
Re: M.P. Pierre Poilievre's comments. "...demanding greater financial accountability from band councils."
Comment: The real problem is "we" should let aboriginal peoples govern themselves and be accountable to each other with their own form of government. The paternalism has to go. The same principle applies to non-aboriginal Canadians.
June 19, 2008 - Animations
Canada is addicted to Incarcerex. Amazing animation on the drug war.
The Philosophy of Liberty Animation. Or download from ISIL.
Dumping mining waste into water 'more responsible': fisheries minister
CBC News, Jun 17 '08 '
A CBC investigation revealed on Monday that 16 Canadian lakes, including prime wilderness fishing areas from B.C. to Newfoundland and Labrador, are slated to be officially but quietly "reclassified" as mining dump sites.
..."The reality is these Conservatives are giving those mining companies a huge subsidy by allowing them to use freshwater aquatic systems that are fish-bearing lakes as chief waste disposal sites," Nova Scotia MP Peter Stoffer said...'
NDP critic: B.C. neglects forest land as industry, government wait out downturn CP, Jun 17 '08 "...Simpson said it appears the forest resource is being neglected when it should be properly managed.
'The Crown owns that land. It's a public forest. It's British Columbia's No. 1 asset. We better be investing in it and according to what I see from the government's own documentation, we're not doing that.'" Of course public resources are neglected.
Ottawa man settles police suit canada.com, Jun 16 '08 "Ottawa man [David MacLaren] who sued police after being held in custody for 12 hours following his arrest during a G20 protest nearly seven years ago has received a 'significant" settlement'" (amount under a non-publication order)
..."I said 'this is my city, I think I have a right to stand on a sidewalk. I don't think you guys have the right to arrest me, I'm not going to move, you're going to have to arrest me.'"
Heavy security planned for Ottawa terror trial canada.com, Jun 16 '08 "[Momin] Khawaja, an Ottawa software developer, will go on trial [June 23] as the first accused under Canada's anti-terrorism laws. ...arrested by the Mounties four years ago and is alleged to have been part of a 2004 al-Qaida-inspired terrorist bomb plot in London along with six men now in prison in Britain." He has denied the charges.
Montreal Gazette, Jun 17 '08 Ottawa pitches in $17M for three R&D projects "Beneficiaries include CAE Inc., Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. and McGill University", according to Foreign Affairs Minister
www.theglobeandmail.com, Jun 17 '08 Ottawa to hunt for answers in Taliban jailbreak "...Minister asks why Canadian intelligence heard nothing before well-planned attack that freed 800 prisoners."
www.thestar.com, Jun 17 '08 McCain using Ottawa as a backdrop? "...he has a strong knowledge of border issues, some of it fostered during meetings with Liberal Senator Colin Kenny during visits by the Canadian's national security and defence committee."
Canwest, Jun 17 '08 Fallen soldier buried in Ottawa Snyder was the 85th Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan since 2002
BBC: June 12, 2008UK Shadow Home Secretary David Davis resigns to defend British liberties!
'"In truth, 42 days [detention without trial] is just one - perhaps the most salient example - of the insidious, surreptitious and relentless erosion of fundamental British freedoms."
'He listed the growth of the "database state," government "snooping" ID cards, the erosion of jury trials and other issues.
'"This cannot go on. It must be stopped and for that reason today I feel it is incumbent on me to make a stand," said Mr Davis.'
The name of my constituency is Haltemprice and Howden. The word Haltemprice is derived from the motto of a medieval priory, and in Old French it means "Noble Endeavour".
I had always viewed membership of this House as a noble endeavour, not least because we and our forebears have for centuries fiercely defended the fundamental freedoms of our citizens. Or we did, up until yesterday.
Up until yesterday, I took the view that what we did in the House of Commons representing our constituents was a noble endeavour because with centuries or forebears we defended the freedoms of the British people. Well we did up until yesterday.
This Sunday is the anniversary of Magna Carta - the document that guarantees that most fundamental of British freedoms - Habeus Corpus.
The right not to be imprisoned by the state without charge or reason. Yesterday this house decided to allow the state to lock up potentially innocent British citizens for up to six weeks without charge.
Now the counter terrorism bill will in all probability be rejected by the House of Lords very firmly. After all, what should they be there for if not to defend Magna Carta.
But because the impetus behind this is essentially political - not security - the government will be tempted to use the Parliament Act to over-rule the Lords. It has no democratic mandate to do this since 42 days was not in its manifesto.
Its legal basis is uncertain to say the least. But purely for political reasons, this government's going to do that. And because the generic security arguments relied on will never go away - technology, development and complexity and so on, we'll next see 56 days, 70 days, 90 days.
But in truth, 42 days is just one - perhaps the most salient example - of the insidious, surreptitious and relentless erosion of fundamental British freedoms.
And we will have shortly, the most intrusive identity card system in the world.
A CCTV camera for every 14 citiziens, a DNA database bigger than any dictatorship has, with 1000s of innocent children and a million innocent citizens on it.
We have witnessed an assault on jury trials - that balwark against bad law and its arbitrary use by the state. Short cuts with our justice system that make our system neither firm not fair.
And the creation of a database state opening up our private lives to the prying eyes of official snoopers and exposing our personal data to careless civil servants and criminal hackers.
The state has security powers to clamp down on peaceful protest and so-called hate laws that stifle legitimate debate - while those who incite violence get off Scot free.
This cannot go on, it must be stopped. And for that reason, I feel that today it's incumbent on me to take a stand.
I will be resigning my membership of the House and I intend to force a by-election in Haltemprice and Howden.
Now I'll not fight it on the government's general record - there's no point repeating Crewe and Nantwich. I won't fight it on my personal record. I am just a piece in this great chess game.
I will fight it, I will argue this by-election, against the slow strangulation of fundamental British freedoms by this government.
Now, that may mean I've made my last speech to the House - it's possible. And of course that would be a matter of deep regret to me. But at least my electorate, and the nation as a whole, would have had the opportunity to debate and consider one of the most fundamental issues of our day - the ever-intrusive power of the state into our lives, the loss of privacy, the loss of freedom and the steady attrition undermining the rule of law.
And if they do send me back here it will be with a single, simple message: that the monstrosity of a law that we passed yesterday will not stand.
"As a former worker and member of a Riding Board of Directors for the Conservative Party, I feel have to apologize to all Canadians.
"The new secret copyright deal clearly shows that this government does not care about personal privacy or about Canadians' right to debate and input their own laws. Instead they have cheerily given in to the unjustified demands of Hollywood and huge music companies.
"I will now be donating my time, money and effort to whichever political party speaks loudest against this proposed bill.
...
"As they often do, they are carrying out their planning in secret, in the knowledge that if more people knew of their activities they would not be allowed to get away with it.
"The US (surprise, surprise) has circulated a draft "Discussion Paper on a Possible Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement" (ACTA) for the next G8 meeting, in Tokyo in July. The full text of the document has been published on Wikileaks (wikileaks.org).
"If a treaty based on its provisions were adopted, it would enable any border guard, in any treaty country, to check any electronic device for any content that they suspect infringes copyright laws....
"It proposes a governing body for copyright protection that would operate outside organisations such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the UN. In short, it proposes a global police force, answerable to no one, with intrusive powers ...
"The first newspaper to break the story was Canada's The Ottawa Citizen, which in a story by Vito Pilieci on May 24 picked up on the Wikileaks posting...."
More coverage of ACTA and intellectual property issues at this site: IP Justice
"An international civil liberties organization promoting balanced intellectual property laws and free expression"
"So a week after U. S. and European central banks made it crystal clear they are on the inflation warpath, the Bank of Canada is poised to buck the trend and cut interest rates."
"Mr Bootle, how predictable. Its thought processes like yours which have got us into this mess in the first place.
The term "inflation" has many definitions but the most widely accepted is the increase in both FIAT money and credit. (This of course will lead to higher prices which is the measure most people think of as inflation.) By the "lowering of interest rates" you are advocating the printing of even more pound notes than Mr Brown has already printed in order to debase our currency. That is the true meaning of "lowering interest rates". However, no-one talks of the currency debasement because its not really a vote winner.
"The analogy between credit and heroin is almost perfect. You are advocating giving the consumer another (credit) fix just so you and your like don't have to go through "cold turkey". That is, and never will be, a long term solution...
"Farmers will receive C$150 million now and another C$150 million after they register herd data with a new livestock information database, the [Alberta] government said.
"The system will help trace animals during disease outbreaks and could be used for certifying consumer-driven products such as hormone-free, range-fed, grass-fed, humanely raised or naturally raised meats, the government said."
Albertan tax-payers get robbed in order to pay farmers. And in exchange, the farmers (or some? farmers if they have a choice) get to trade in their freedoms and property rights and help establish a mandated surveillance tracking system for livestock. Great deal all round for tyranny. Communism failed already so keep trying it again and again until you get it right.
"Albertans were furious enough, not as much about the size of the raises the Premier and his Cabinet handed themselves (ministers raised their salaries to $184,000), but about the furtive way it was handled, behind closed Cabinet doors, through a quietly issued order-in-council just a dozen weeks after winning an election."
"The T.T.C. [Toronto Transit Commission] is looking at implementing a policy of mandatory drug and alcohol testing for its employees following a couple of incidents involving workers being impaired on the job. The Amalgamated Transit Union calls it an invasion of privacy."
He's right; it's invasive. Hold individuals responsible for their actions instead of making our society a prison.
June 2, 2008 -
Canadian Freedom Watch - News and Opinions
Last month, Alberta's Minister of Health announced the creation of the Alberta Health Services Board, which is to replace the existing system of regional health authorities.
Ambulance workers will be given new powers to decide where patients should be treated in a sweeping reform that delivers control of local emergency medical services to the province.
Giving paramedics more choice - decentralizing - removing restrictions on them - is good. But this is lumped with centralizing control of EMS services, which is also supposed to be good?? Whatever... I guess we should expect doublethink.
A recent survey for Health Canada concludes that more than 1,500 Canadians are studying medicine outside of Canada and the United States. Most won't return home to practise, the data shows. It's paradoxical, given the perceived physician shortage in this country.
Shortages are a result of Canada's peculiarly communist health care system (extreme interference vs. the ideal of allowing a normal free market pricing system vs. European countries where there is more freedom). You can read up on these economic concepts at www.mises.org.
Canada turned down a United Nations request to take command of the peacekeeping mission in Congo and will instead devote its resources to Afghanistan.
...The Congo force, known by the acronym MONUC, has nearly 17,000 troops from more than a dozen countries and at a price tag exceeding $1 billion a year is the biggest UN mission ever.
...The Congo mission is huge but has been relatively ineffectual, the military insider said...
Rather than give Canadians back their taxes in a troubled economy, the Canadian government is devoting its resources to its own ineffectual duties of standing guard over chaos in Afghanistan, and has decided against helping the U.N. supervise chaos in Congo ("peace-keeping"). Although Western governments may have some good intentions, I don't believe Western intervention in these countries has done anything but contribute to the chaos - either directly by bombing in the case of Afghanistan or by preventing local people from solving their own problems independently. In any case, I deny that the Canadian government has any right to use our resources in this way.
