Who IS in charge of Canadian Airport Security?

With the latest bombing attempts, in the United States, and the sudden beefing up of Airport Security everywhere, I wonder, just who is in charge of our safety when travelling by air?

I suppose I am naive, because until I read todays article, I always assumed that it was the RCMP, the national police force, that was in charge of Airport Security. I really did, because after all, isn’t that what a national police force does? Offer security to the citizens? I guess I was wrong, and after reading more about the story, I am even more confused than ever.

Seems that the RCMP & Local Law Enforcement Agencies will be allowed to HELP the existing security forces, in screening and other procedures, to protect passengers. We even have a agency, just like Big Brother in the States, but I wonder, who runs that agency?

Transport Canada has said it authorized the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) to use RCMP and local police officers to assist with some procedures specific to the screening process “to alleviate the immediate pressures at the security checkpoint.” ( source – CBC News )

So is CATSA run by the Government or is it another Private Firm / Organization that has been hired to protect us from the nasty terrorists? And is the people hired by CATSA government trained, or are they private firms hired to provide the necessary personnel? If the latter, what training are they given, if any?

I know in the United States everything is PRIVATELY RUN. A government agency oversees it, but then the US Military even uses PRIVATE FIRMS for security of its Generals in Iraq, so I wonder, why do they even have a military?  Why is there an FBI or an RCMP, if a Private Firm is so much better at providing security. Why not hire them to do law enforcement too. After all, they are supposed to be better trained, equipped, and no Government Union to demand unreasonable wages.

Privatization can be good, in certain areas. HOWEVER, the Conservative push to make EVERYTHING RUN UNDER PRIVATE OWNERSHIP IS WRONG & DANGEROUS. I mean just look at how well it worked in the United Statesl. It was PASSENGERS who managed to subdue a would be bomber, and NOT THE SECURITY PERSONNEL WHO STOPPED HIM FROM GETTING ABOARD.

AND YET ISN’T THAT WHAT THEIR JOB IS SUPPOSED TO BE?  PREVENTION?

Seems to me, that across the world, Government has been pushed to opt out of its responsibilities to its citizens. One of the worst legacies of the Bush Era is that drive to privatization, at any costs. The result has been an endless war in Iraq and Afghanistan. A drive that helped turn the world’s economy into a shambles, as it gave business supreme power, ignoring any regulations to keep them honest.  And now security of nations, is at risk, because it is more important to keep costs down, and use Private Firms to keep the Airports & Airplanes safe.

Yet, all that time, money, has accomplished nothing, but increase the risk to the citizen. Don’t get me wrong, because in some instances Privately run organizations can do an amazing bit of good. The problem isn’t that, but in that it requires proper Government Oversight. And with the drive to privatization, Conservatives are forgetting that important aspect. IF you want a private firm to take over, it still needs to be MONITORED.

Like Self Regulation DOES NOT WORK.  Prime examples are todays Food Recalls, Product Recalls, that are a DIRECT RESULT OF SELF REGULATION FAILING THE CONSUMER. The same holds true for SECURITY, and in other areas of our society.

The whole matter of our diplomat, Richard Colvin, and his testimony before Parliament makes me wonder at our education system, and how conditioned we are, by the media, by the attack philosophy of Mr. Harper & his party. I mean come on people, we are talking about a country, that was under Taliban rule for a long time. A country rooted in a culture, where torture is not exactly foreign to them.

I mean too, we have to understand, that this nation, Afghanistan, was, and is not, a Western Democracy. It has been invaded, conquored many times, and ruled by a lot of people, who were basically dictators. So if we are willing to assume that people like the Taliban tortured their own citizens, that Hugo Chavez does that, why are we so quick to assume that the current regime there isn’t?

In a different time and place, we were no different. I mean look at the Inquisition and how torture was used, all in the name of GOD, and so we are surprised that it is still being used in nations like Afghanistan? Get real folk, and stop hiding your heads in the sand.

Colvin told a Commons committee in November that all detainees transferred by Canadians to Afghan prisons were likely tortured by Afghan officials. He also said that his concerns were ignored by top government officials. ( source – CBC News )

For anyone to not believe that, is like saying Hitler was a nice guy, except for when he tried to rule the world. I mean really, torture is something that does really happen in this world. It isn’t that far away, as even the United States admits to using torture, even if they call it something else. Hell, we don’t have to go back too many decades to see how law enforcement used torture tactics with alleged criminals. I mean the story of rubber hoses, isn’t exactly new, now is it?

IF, we truly believe in our Democracy, in the principles of it, we should abhor torture, and the use of it. Yet, we make excuses daily, for allowing some form of torture, as a means to protect our society. That is the reality, and here in Canada, we are seeing a Government hell bend on protecting us, at the risk of our humanity, and of our principles. To attack a man, for telling what WE SHOULD KNOW ALREADY, is just plain wrong.

Richard Colvin merely told us, what we should know, what we are refusing to acknowledge. Torture is rampant in that part of the country, so why would anyone expect that a nation at war, would suddenly change its philosophy, simply because it has our support? That doesn’t make it suddenly reject all of its past, just as our own culture is rooted in the past.

What is really happening with this entire affair, is that Mr. Harper doesn’t want us to face the truth, of the reality of fighting terrorists. He doesn’t want to admit, that our hands are as dirty as those we are fighting, and that our allies, are anything less than spic and span clean. Truth is, we have lost our way, have disregarded our own principles, because people like George Bush, Stephen Harper, Tony Blair, have made us afraid.

It is no different than the Spanish Inquisition, that made us fear those who are different, and who used, & justified, inhumane acts, all in the name of preserving the faith.  We really haven’t advanced that much, have we?

Just like Stephen Harper never got the letters from Schreiber about Mulroney and the bribes, Peter McKay says he never saw the memos about people our troops turned over to the Afghans.

“I have not seen those reports in either my capacity as minister of National Defence or previously as minister of Foreign Affairs,” MacKay told The Canadian Press in a telephone interview from Halifax ( CBC News )

It is typical of the Harper Regime to hide the truth, or so it seems. Three letters never made it to the Prime Minister, because his staff vetted them, or so he says, and so he was in the dark about the bribe allegations to Brian Mulroney. NOW we have Peter McKay, the one who sold out the Conservative Party to Mr. Harper & the Alliance party, claiming he never saw any of the SEVENTEEN OR SO MEMOS, detailing the abuse.

It would seem to me, that (A), if he didn’t see those memos, then someone needs to be fired from their position, in his staff. How do you NOT show those type of memos to your political master?  (B), if he did see them, and do nothing, then he should be FIRED FROM GOVERNMENT. After all, how do you sanction TORTURE?

Oh wait, I know, you claim it is done safely.

A lot of people are making a big deal about the Canadian Delegation walking out, on the speech at the United Nations, by the Iranian President. Some are even saying that Stephen Harper is acting more like a Prime Minister than they expected, because of his supposed stand against the Iranian leader.

Frankly, I find his solution to be nothing more than a sop, to appease the Jewish Community, and to try and take a high road, that is best left for real men, not puppets like Stephen Harper.

Anti Sematism is nothing new, is has been around as long as the Jews have been in existence. From the ancient Egyptians, to the Nazis, to the Skinheads, to some in the Arab world, like President Amadinejad of Iran. It is still prevalent in the Harper Alliance Party, now called the Conservatives.  Stockwell Day has said how Jews will wander for all eternity, because they killed Jesus, so really, it is nothing new.

The simple reality is that the world likes to beat up on Jews, when they can’t beat up on anyone else. Iran isn’t able to beat on the USA, so it picks on Israel, hoping to draw blood, without having to pay for it.

The lies told by the Iranian President should never be left unchallenged. NO LIES that perpetuate hatred, racism, should ever be left unchallenged. You cannot defeat evil, by turning your back on it, by walking out on it. There is truth, in that Israeli troops did go too far, as did Hamas, something many forget when they talk about it. The difference is, that in Israel, and nations like Canada & the USA, we have laws that insure that those who go too far, are brought to justice.

Least, that is how it was, until people like George Bush, Stephen Harper, Tony Blair, came to power, and began to mirror those we are fighting. It is our RULE OF LAW, OUR ACCOUNTABILITY, that makes us difference to those who are evil, like Osama, like Amadinejad. OUR LEADERS ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, at least they were, until Bush and his followers became too afraid, and turned away from the very principles that have survived for thousands of years.

YES there was excesses by the Allies in WWII, but not on the scope of the Nazi’s or the Japanese, but the difference was, and is today, that those who did go too far, were held accountable. It wasn’t swept under the carpet, or excused.

As long as people turn their backs on those who would corrupt, who would circumvent the truth, for their own purposes, then evil will continue to win, continue to grow. You cannot turn your back on them, but instead must confront them, must set the truth into the record, not give them free reign.

ALL WE DID AT THE UNITED NATIONS WAS TURN TALE, AND RUN.  THAT ISN’T BEING RESPONSIBLE, THAT ISN’T BEING DIPLOMATIC, THAT ISN’T BEING PRIME MINISTERIAL.

THAT IS BEING A COWARD.

Just what is the issue that so many have, with the provision put in place by the American Congress, that directs companies being bailed out, by taxpayers, to look first to the domestic market for it’s supplies?  Seriously, what is the problem, and why isn’t our own Government following suit, with a Buy Canadian provision, for companies we are bailing out?

After all, IT IS OUR MONEY BEING USED, ISN’T IT?

“We are seeing the expansion of these domestic preferences around the world,” Harper said. “China announced a ‘Buy China’ plan as part of its own stimulus package [and] these things, if they multiply around the world, could become extremely problematic in terms of recovery.” ( CBC News )

This whole globalization mantra, free trade, etc. has allowed major business interests to shift its focus, from one country to another. In other words, to whichever country will give them the cheapest labor and breaks, to produce their goods. It doesn’t insure that there are any real standards, in regards to safety, or quality, and as a result, the consumer suffers,but then, so does the various nations.

Think about it, if all the high paying jobs are moving from country to country, who is going to be able to afford the high priced items?

Consider how Microsoft is trying to farm its work abroad, but has their product dropped in price? NO IT HASN’T and nor has any item, that used to be produced here, now made elsewhere, come down in price. And if you doubt that, just check the archives of the number of recalls made over the last few years.

Since Mr. Harper seized power, the number of recalls in Canada has risen dramatically, and the goods recalled, are generally made everywhere but in Canada. Our Standards are not theirs, which is fine, but when goods come into our country, surely they should meet our standards, not some third world power?  That is just common sense, but not under Harpernomics, or Bushnomics.

While ‘protectionism‘ seems a nasty word, the truth is, this globalization has merely moved an economic downturn in one country, to being world wide. The failure of the USA Government to regulate its financial sector, such as we have, has resulted in an economic melt down. It has given Oil Companies carte blanche to raise prices, that have impacted every economy, which has really caused this economic depression. To say otherwise, is simply naive.

And since when should MY taxpayer money, my future debt load, be about aiding industries in the United States, Mexico, China, or elsewhere?  When did we suddenly become fiscally liable to prop up businesses, that are failing, in other countries? If business is incapable of surviving, is it simply because people aren’t buying, or is it that they are producing goods no one wants? Is it then our obligation to put ourselves into debt, and future generations, to bail them out, when they aren’t even in our country?