Libya: funny

Reactions of different group interestst to the Federal Budget Cuts in Canada

350 or burst:

Cameron Fenton  made a diagram which illustrate in this website what the cuts will entail and they denounced the waste that Harper's government are doing in other field such as national security and Canadian Border Services. And they use also video with the help of some humorists like Janeane Garafolo.

Council of Canadians:  

It is an environment website and a letter has been written to tell the Prime Minister and  Environment Minister Peter Kent that they are opposed to this decision. They made it avaible online and people can vote against this decision.

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives:

 The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives decides to denounce the fact that nowadays, Canadian military funding is at its highest level, thanks to sempiternal budget increases while the one for the environment is being cut.

US Federal government to cut environmental spending

The US government thinks that decreasing federal spending is no longer just a prudent choice; it is now an unavoidable necessity. Accordingly, President Obama has proposed to cut EPA’s annual budget nearly 13%.  But they carry on protecting those companies (coal companies, oil companies and so on- because they create job probably more than those "environmentally friendly" -) that "only" enhance  global warming.

By taking such a decision Obama's government should be aware of the consequences given that, according to the EPA:

"These cuts mean our drinking water has a far greater chance of contamination," We are facing touch economic times, but tough times call for intelligent decision-making and wisdom, not reckless cuts that will do more harm than good."

Federal government to cut environmental spending

The Harper government is projecting some major cuts over the next year to several of its environmental initiatives, including climate change and clean air, according to newly released federal estimates.

The numbers, released Tuesday by the Treasury Board Secretariat, show a 59 per cent cut in global-warming and air-pollution spending as part of more than $1.6 billion in annual, governmentwide reductions to environmental services across the different federal departments. The shift is the equivalent to a 14 per cent reduction in spending that also includes a $222-million or 20 per cent reduction in spending at Environment Canada.

Natural Resources Canada is estimating a $928-million (21 per cent) decrease in its spending for the next year, including a $390-million decrease in spending due to the end of a popular retrofit program that subsidized homeowners for renovations that reduce energy consumption and utility bills. Environment Minister Peter Kent suggested that some funds could reappear following the upcoming federal budget.

Other funding cuts at Environment Canada include a $19.5-million reduction related to the government winding down an action plan to deal with contaminated federal sites, as well as about $3 million (four per cent) in reductions for compliance promotion and enforcement for wildlife and pollution.

This is a disaster that the Harper’s government wants to reduce the budget. Mr Harper's government is doing this knowing that they want to be among the best when it comes to environment awareness and accountability. And especially that Canada has not respect the agreements of the Kyoto Protocol because its emissions of greenhouse gases are still very high.

It happens in Ivory Coast

Hundreds of marching women converged Tuesday near the bloodstained pavement where soldiers fatally shot seven unarmed female protesters last week in an attack that has prompted a wave of criticism from around the world. Many of the organizers of the deadly demonstration stayed home Tuesday fearing reprisal by security forces. But hundreds of others took to the streets in defiance on International Women's Day to express their disgust at the regime of strongman Laurent Gbagbo. Gbagbo has refused to cede power even though the country's election commission declared opposition leader Alassane Ouattara the winner of the Nov. 28 vote. Nearly 400 people have already been killed, most of them civilians who voted for Ouattara. But Thursday's violence against the all-women's march prompted an international outcry.

Libyan warplanes strike rebels at oil port

Libyan warplanes launched at least five new airstrikes Tuesday near rebel positions in the oil port of Ras Lanouf, keeping up a counteroffensive to prevent the opposition from advancing toward leader Moammar Gadhafi's stronghold in the capital Tripoli. There was no immediate word on casualties, and an Associated Press reporter who witnessed the strikes said they did not appear to hit any fighters. The latest airstrike hit a two-story house in a residential area, causing some damage but not hurting anyone.

Representatives of the opposition, which controls the eastern half of Libya, said they have received an offer to negotiate the terms of Gadhafi's departure. However, they could not confirm whether the envoy who made the offer was authorized by the regime to do so and said in any case, they would not negotiate with the government.

The rebels are fighting to oust Gadhafi from power after more than 41 years, a goal in common with the protesters who managed to topple authoritarian rulers in neighboring Tunisia and Egypt. However, the Libyan uprising has already proved much more violent, and could be much more drawn out.

G20 Protests in Toronto

Stores near King Station apply wooden boards to prevent vandalism from protests

The Toronto summit was the target of widespread protesting which occurred in Downtown Toronto during the week of the summit. The summit was peaceful but  few people got out of hand and began destroying properties and starting fires. This video shows how police went completely overboard with the brutality  on the people. A few people stated their stories of what happened to them at the summit on this program. Many were badly beaten and held in custody. I was disgusted watching this video when I saw what they did to a disable man. Police was set on fire and vehicles of media corporations were damaged. Nearby hospitals, shopping centres, and hotels were put in a lockdown mode while public transit services were diverted from Downtown to other locations. Individuals arrested during the protests condemned the treatment they received from police.

Demonstrators holding signs with slogans against the G-20

Security fencing erected along the middle of Wellington Street