Kingston Mills "honour killings"?

Police have arrested three family members of the four victims found in a submerged car at the Kingston Mills lock.

The Kingston Whig Standard has the full story.

[via Blazing Catfur and CanCrime]

Withering Red Toryism

I don’t think about it much these days but "progressive" conservatism and "Red Toryism" have always struck me as oxymoronic. Those that call themselves "Red Tories" always seem quite sincerely fanatical about their devotion to their cause but I’ve never been able to quite figure out what "cause" that is.

Today Publius’ at The Shotgun enlightens us in a post entitled "Wither Red Toryism". I don’t know if that title was a spelling error or a wish that Red-Toryism would just wither and die.

Anyway, Publius refers to an article in the Toronto Star that waxes nostalgic for has-been dweeb Joe Clark, progressive conservatism and Red Toryism. Apparently having a Blue Tory right wing representing the Canadian right is just too much - a left/lib "right" is needed:

We are all the losers as a result of this victory of the Reform party, its metamorphosis into a new Conservative party, and the new rigidity of the right.

Oh, really?! This is, of course, just one more confirmation that lefties, for all their blathering about the joys of diversity, really detest the diversity of ideas.

Publius nicely sets the record straight and in closing identifies Red Toryism with the "... homelessness of Liberals in Tory clothing".

Obama’s America 'going Canadian’ on hate crime

Sneaking it in under cover of a defense authorization bill with debate scheduled for the wee hours of the morning the Democrats succeeded in passing sweeping new federal hate crimes legislation.

Republican Senator Jim DeMint (South Carolina) gave an excellent speech opposing the legislation. Canadian "Human Rights" Commissions and the persecution of Rev Steven Boissoin figure in his speech:

Jennifer Lynch's lies and distortions

It seems CHRC Chief Commissioner Jennifer Lynch just can't get enough of Ezra Levant's public rebukes. She wrote another letter to the Post this week to which Ezra predictably responded calling her on each lie and distortion - full details here.

How much longer can Justice Minister Rob Nicholson stomach the embarrassment?

Legalize assisted suicide? Be careful what you wish for

Results from today’s Globe poll:












.
The Dutch and Belgian practises have become a horror story:

"Over the past two decades, the Netherlands has moved from assisted suicide to euthanasia, from euthanasia for the terminally ill to euthanasia for the chronically ill, from euthanasia for physical illness to euthanasia for psychological distress and from voluntary euthanasia to nonvoluntary and involuntary euthanasia." Herbert.Hendin MD

Some statistics from this report on the Netherlands:

2,300 people died as the result of doctors killing them upon request (active, voluntary euthanasia).
400 people died as a result of doctors providing them with the means to kill themselves (physician-assisted suicide).
1,040 people (an average of 3 per day) died from involuntary euthanasia, meaning that doctors actively killed these patients without the patients' knowledge or consent.
14% of these patients were fully competent.
72% had never given any indication that they would want their lives terminated.
In 8% of the cases, doctors performed involuntary euthanasia despite the fact that they believed alternative options were still possible.

In my opinion, if you want to kill yourself, go right ahead. But it should remain a crime for anyone to "assist". The state’s involvement (outside of criminalizing it) will eventually lead to legalized murder. The Dutch experience proves that. And in our country the medical system is a highly politicized state monopoly - a monopoly that is perpetually looking for ways to cut costs. Allowing the state the option of killing patients is highly dangerous. And I know, I know, this already happens in many (if not all) hospitals but let's not give them legal cover to expand the practice "Dutch style".

Chretien’s OM - a distinct flavour of hypocrisy

In today’s editorial the National Post ponders whether Jean Chrétien deserves his recent appointment by Queen Elizabeth to the Order of Merit, and makes this excellent point:

... perhaps one cannot quarrel too loudly with his appointment to the Order of Merit. But if one happened to be Lord Black of Crossharbour ... one might be sorely tempted to try. Hypocrisy played a large role in Mr. Chretien's particular genius, so should anyone be surprised that there is a certain distinct flavour of it haunting what may be the supreme moment of his life? Having lectured Lord Black and other Canadians on just how un-Canadian it is to accept distinctions from the fountain of honour, and having forced the man to choose between his citizenship and the House of Lords, Mr. Chretien now basks in the resounding knell of the gong to end all gongs. Let's not be afraid to roll our eyes just a little.

I’m looking forward to reading Conrad Black’s opinion on the matter.

Obama SC nominee Sotomayor - Part III

Confirmation hearings on Sonia ["wise Latina"] Sotomayor’s US Supreme Court nomination continue apace with, unlike SC appointments in Canuckistan, lots and lots of commentary from all quarters.

Why should Canadians care? Lorne Gunter:

... two reasons: First, American judicial trends -- especially the liberal ones -- have a way of creeping into our own legal system. An activist U. S. high court would encourage our own judges to be even more activist than they already are.

... mostly I think we should be fascinated with her confirmation for the insight it is providing into liberal legalthink [in particular liberal double standards] ... If Sonia Sotomayor were a conservative white male, she likely would not be confirmed as a justice on the U. S. Supreme Court ...

A liberal law professor:

I was completely disgusted by Judge Sotomayor's testimony today. If she was not perjuring herself, she is intellectually unqualified to be on the Supreme Court. If she was perjuring herself, she is morally unqualified.

Barack Obama’s email [Yes, I get email from POTUS]:

It's important for these hearings to be about Judge Sotomayor's own record and her capacity for the job — not any political back and forth that some in Washington may use to distract you.
[Translation: "Don’t listen to the critics." Actually, the nomination hearings involving "political back and forth" is the essence of the process, an intensely political one - hardly a mere "distraction".]

Update: Thomas Sowell.