Thursday, July 30, 2015

Could the hacker group Anonymous take down the upcoming federal election?

Good Day Readers:

The hacker group Anonymous has shown time and time again it can take down websites with Denial of Service attacks. The RCMP, CSIS, the Prime Minister's Office, federal Department of Justice - the list goes on and on. This is largely due to the government failing to spend the money to adequately secure these sites.

You already know Anonymous dislikes the Harper government largely because of the anti-terrorist legislation Bill C-51 but there has been other laws passed with which it strongly disagrees. Imagine this as a scenario. The federal election gets well under way and down goes the Elections Canada site, or those of Conservative candidates in key Ontario and Quebec ridings. Oh for sure Denial of Service attacks are an inconvenience and pain in the ass and sites can be restored but if this is done multiple times what will be the impact on the electoral process? Plus, let us not forget there is a legion of non-affiliated Anonymous hackers with the know how to do the same.

Doubt Anonymous do we? Just look at the number it did on Vic Toews while he was Public Safety Minister via a series of 6-YouTube videos that remain in the internet to this day.
Will the hacking of election related websites be a major issue? Given the increased reliance by political parties on the social media to get their message out CyberSmokeBlog thinks so.

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk
Anonymous threatens to reveal text messages from John Baird that allegedly reveal 'real reason' he left politics

Adrian Humphreys
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Former federal cabinet minister John Baird.

Hackers with Anonymous — who last week leaked a seemingly legitimate secret document on cyber-security at Canada’s spy agency — threatened Wednesday to release decrypted text messages from former Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird allegedly showing the “real reason” why he abruptly left politics.
The warning was made in social media from an account the National Post confirms is one that has been operated by activists responsible for the CSIS leak.

No evidence was presented by the hacktivists to support the claim.

When reached by the National Post, Baird declined to comment on the warning. Requests for comment to the Department of Foreign Affairs went unanswered.

Baird, who was one of the highest-profile members of Stephen Harper’s cabinet, quit suddenly in February to join the private sector.

Announcing his resignation with optimism for “the next chapter in my life,” his friends suggested he was heading to Bay Street and he found himself in demand.

The month after leaving he was hired as an International Advisor to Barrick Gold Corp and nominated to the Board of Directors of Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. In May he joined law firm Bennett Jones LLP as a Senior Adviser among others. At the time, when opposition critics questioned his quick moves, he said he consulted the Ethics Commissioner before accepting his new roles and “got the green light.”

The Twitter account @OpAnonDown — named in honour of its claimed mission of seeking justice for an Anonymous protester shot and killed by the RCMP during a confrontation in Dawson Creek, British Columbia — said text messages and a video are pending for release on this subject.

No timeline was given for any such release.

“#Breaking: we’ve decrypted text messages w/ real reason @Baird quit #cdnpoli abruptly. Video too. Stay tuned. #CCLeaks #AnonDown #OpAnonDown,” the tweet reads.

The hackers behind that account earlier leaked a document marked with a security classification of secret purporting to be from the Treasury Board of Canada and revealing previously unknown details of the foreign stations of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS).

The government has not debunked the CSIS information as bogus. The National Post has not been able to independently verify it is a legitimate document.

“We do not comment on leaked documents and we continue to monitor this situation closely,”

Jeremy Laurin, a Spokesman for the Public Safety Minister Steve Blaney, said Monday evening about the earlier leak.

Secrets about the foreign activities of Canada’s spy agency — including the size of its network of foreign stations, the volume of sensitive communications they handle and their deeply antiquated system of information sharing — are revealed in what is purported to be a sensitive government document hacked by Anonymous and released Monday in a vendetta against Canadian authorities.

“We are now privy to many of Stephen Harper’s most cherished secrets,” said a spokesman for the Anonymous hacktivists involved in the leak operation. “We will be releasing stunning secrets at irregular intervals.”

At an event in Taylor, British Columbia, Wednesday, Tony Clement, President of the Treasury Board of Canada, was asked by the Alaska Highway News about the leaks.

“I don’t comment on the veracity of leaked documents,” the newspaper quotes him saying. “Let me just say this… we treat any and all breaches very seriously. While this Anonymous group has kind of a clownish way of going about its advocacy and business, these are very serious issues.”

In response, a spokesperson for the hackers told the Post: “We are filled with all kinds of pleasures that Tony Clement blocked us on Twitter then called us ‘clownish.’

“Court jesters, clowns and political comedians have always been able to tell truths where others cannot.”

The CBC reported that the leak is now subject to a criminal probe by the RCMP and an investigation by the Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSE).

Neither agency would confirm this.

It would be inappropriate for the RCMP to comment on documents that are leaked and/or that do not originate from our organization

“Only in the event that an investigation results in the laying of criminal charges, would the RCMP confirm its investigation,” said Sergeant Harold Pfleiderer, a spokesman for the RCMP’s national headquarters.

“Also, it would be inappropriate for the RCMP to comment on documents that are leaked and/or that do not originate from our organization.”

The CSE referred calls to Public Safety, which in turn had no information it would impart.

The Post has been in contact with a spokesperson for the Anonymous team claiming responsibility for the hacks and leak, who demanded anonymity, unsurprisingly.

Baird had a successful political life spanning two decades where he became known for his tremendous energy, partisanship and quick tongue as he defended his government. He was foreign minister for more than three years prior to his resignation.

National Post

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Hillary Clinton versus The Donald ..... battle of the coiffures!

Good Day Readers:

It's at times like this you're reminded to never trust politicians and take them with a grain of salt.

There you have Hillary with scandal plagued, womanizing husband Bill in tow criss-crossing the country telling anyone who'll listen they're just common folks like everyone else. Then you read how she "slinked" in the back door of a high end coiffure to get a $600 haircut.

Meanwhile, there's Donald Trump on the hustings insulting all the other presidential candidates. Wonder how much he pays to get his wig hair cut.

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk
Hillary Clinton's $600 haircut

By Emily Smith
Sunday, July 28, 2015
Photo: Zuma Press

Hillary Clinton put part of Bergdorf Goodman on lockdown on Friday to get a $600 haircut at the swanky John Barrett Salon.

Clinton, with a huge entourage in tow, was spotted being ushered through a side entrance of the Fifth Avenue store on Friday.

A source said, “Staff closed off one side of Bergdorf’s so Hillary could come in privately to get her hair done. An elevator bank was shut down so she could ride up alone, and then she was styled in a private area of the salon. Other customers didn’t get a glimpse. Hillary was later seen with a new feathered hairdo.”

Clinton regularly sees salon owner John Barrett, who charges regular mortals $600 for a cut and blow-dry. Hair color can cost an extra $600.

It is not known how much, or if, Clinton paid for the haircut, and her reps didn’t respond to requests for comment. But Clinton’s attachment to her hairstylists is well documented.

The “Santa” recently referenced in her emails is Santa Nikkels, the proprietor of Santa’s Salon in Chappaqua.

And let’s not forget that her husband, Bill Clinton, was famously caught up in a 1993 controversy known as “Hairgate” when he got a $200 haircut on Air Force One as it was idling for an hour at LAX, shutting down two runways and diverting numerous flights.

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

"WTF ..... WTF?"

Young people have theirs, now Seniors have their own texting codes:

* ATD - At the Doctor's

* BFF - Best Friends Funeral

* BTW - Bring the Wheelchair

* BYOT - Bring Your Own Teeth

* CBM - Covered by Medicare

* CUATSC  - See You at the Senior Center

* DWI - Driving While Incontinent

* FWIW - Forgot Where I Was

* GGPBL - Gotta Go, Pacemaker Battery Low

* GHA - Got Heartburn Again

* HGBM - Had Good Bowel Movement

* LMDO - Laughing My Dentures Off

* LOL - Living on Lipitor

* OMSG - Oh My! Sorry, Gas

* TOT- Texting on Toilet

* WAITT - Who Am I Talking To?

* WTF - When's The Funeral?

Hope these help. GGLKI (Gotta Go, Laxative Kicking in!)

Monday, July 27, 2015

A serial rapist by any other name .....

Bill Cosby accusers sit united on New York magazine cover

'Unwelcome sisterhood' of 35 alleged Bill Cosby sexual victims photographed and interviewed for New York magazine.



As Bill Cosby continues to remain silent his supposed victims are speaking out, 35 women who claimed the actor drugged and or sexually assaulted them are telling their stories.
By David Bateman/Staff Reporter
Monday, July 27, 2015

New York magazine has published an instantly iconic front cover featuring interviews and photographs from 35 women who claim actor and comedian Bill Cosby sexually assaulted them between 1960 and 1996.
The cover also features a vacant chair, intended to represent other women who cannot speak up, either through personal choice or a non-disclosure agreement.
On Twitter, TheEmptyChair hashtag trended globally Monday and the article itself was tweeted tens of thousands of times.
Social media users voiced a mix of emotional admissions that they were victims of sexual assault and/or support for those who had not yet felt comfortable enough to speak publicly of their ordeal.
CEO Elon James White, CEO of independent digital platform This Week in Blackness anonymously published direct messages he received documenting experiences of rape.
In the article, the alleged victims, an “unwelcome sisterhood,” document their attacks in 35 interviews and six audio and video excerpts that the magazine says were all conducted separately.
“I felt like a prisoner,” one of the accusers, Barbara Bowman, told New York magazine. “I felt like I was kidnapped and hiding in plain sight. I could have walked down any street of Manhattan at any time and said, ‘I’m being raped and drugged by Bill Cosby,’ but who the hell would have believed me? Nobody, nobody.”
Another accuser, Chelan Lasha, said: “I’m no longer afraid. I feel more powerful than him.”
Cover of New York magazine showing the women accusing comedian Bill Cosby.

After the article was published, the New York magazine’s website went down for several hours. It was not clear if the crash was a result of a substantial increase in web traffic, or a distributed denial of service (DDOS) attack. One hacker claimed to be responsible, but The Star could not verify if that was true. A tweet from the media outlet said: “Our site is experiencing technical difficulties. We are aware of the issue, and working on a fix.”
The project, which the magazine says was “six months in the making,” follows years of sexual assault accusations and months of increased media and public scrutiny of the veteran performer and star of The Cosby Show.
Stand-up tour dates were cancelled at the end of 2014 following public outcry over the increasing number of accusations, some from well-known public figures. Despite protests outside the venues, several Cosby gigs in Ontario went ahead in January.
The Associated Press recently fought to publish documents related to a 2005 court hearing, in which Cosby admitted obtaining the sedative drug Quaaludes with the intent of giving them to young women prior to sexual intercourse.
His lawyers defended the actions, arguing in a letter that he “admitted to nothing more than being one of the many people who introduced Quaaludes into their consensual sex life in the 1970s.”
Cosby’s wife, Camille, has stood by her husband publicly.
Hear Janice Dickinson tell her story about Bill Cosby on our @instagram: http://nym.ag/1U2pckq  

Oy vey, here come the creative little buggers!

Dear CyberSmokeBlog:

https://youtu.bc/FI--wFfiPrA

This is one more thing to be afraid of.

On the plus side it's nice to see the creativity of the younger generation.

Anonymous



Dear Anonymous:

Thank you for this. It's getting scary what will the little creative buggers think of next? Drones that come with explosive packages or biological weapons? Oy vey!

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

"Thank you very much now please eff off!

'Dream come true': Ex-Waterloo Regional Police officer mockingly thanks force for paid suspension

By Victor Ferriera
Tuesday, July 14, 2015

A former Waterloo police officer who was suspended with pay for three years sent an email to police mocking them for paying him while he golfed, travelled and took a course that would allow him to pursue a career as a firefighter.

Craig Markham, 37, sent the email on March 27, 2015 and thanked the Waterloo Regional Police Service for a “nice gift.”

“I was able to sit home, take courses, travel, and play lots of golf and get paid a first class pay check, receive full benefits, and a full pension for the last three years,” Markham wrote in the email.

Waterloo Region Police Chief Bryan Larkin released the email at a police services board meeting last week and called Markham’s situation an abuse of the system.
Craig Markham wrote an email to Waterloo Police thanking them for paying him while he was suspended. (Waterloo Regional Police Services)

Markham closes the email by saying he’s “down south until the end of April playing golf and hanging out on the beach using some of that WRPS sick bank payout.”

He also thanked Waterloo police for having “opened up other doors” and paying him to “sit back and watch.”

Markham, who worked for 11 years as an officer, pleaded guilty to breach of trust and was given a conditional discharge in October 2012.

I was able to sit home, take courses, travel, and play lots of golf and get paid a first class pay check, receive full benefits and a full pension for the past three years

While working at the front desk in 2011, an acquaintance texted him to say her boyfriend was in custody. Markham pulled up the man’s file and spoke to him in his holding cell. The man was suspected to have ties with the Hells Angels, though they were never proven.

Markham then copied confidential information into an email and sent it to another acquaintance.

Police suspended Markham with pay in February 2012 and he amassed nearly $350,000 in salary. Markham, a former constable, was forced to resign after a formal hearing in 2014. He appealed the process and continued to receive his salary until the case was dismissed by a civilian commission. Markham quit on February 18 of this year.

I am down south until the end of April playing golf and hanging out on the beach using some of that WRPS sick bank payout until I start my new career May 1st

Ontario is the only province where officers who are facing charges still receive their pay.

Larkin said the email will be sent to politicians in an effort to gain traction to have the policy changed.

Pam Machado, a counsel for the York Regional Police Association, represented Markham through 2014. Machado wrote in an emailed statement that suspension with pay exists to ensure the presumption of innocence. She said 97 per cent of complaints against officers in Ontario are later dismissed as unsubstantiated.

Machado said the debate shouldn’t be focused around cost as “there is nothing preventing police services from keeping the officers at work and in use (administratively).

Suspending officers without pay, Machado said, “will only lead to an increase in the already grim reality that first responders are faced with.”

“At the end of the day, this debate should not center around one email that was clearly sent in a moment of frustration,” Machado said. “The debate is about how best to support our officers who have been “damaged” by their experiences on the job.”

Why you should never .... off a cat!


Tuesday, July 21, 2015

You want be loser ..... eh?


Two lawyers in your pocket at the same time!

Good Day Readers:

Ever wonder when a Winnipeg police officer pulls someone over for a "routine" traffic stop whether that individual is being carded without their knowledge? Oh for sure when they tell the driver to stay in their car for officer safety is there possibly another reason? Besides running the driver's licence and proof of registration through their on board computer, does it also have another program that cards you by recording the time of day, reason for stop, location and names of any passengers in the vehicle?

You're "good to go" but have been carded and don't even know it.

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk
Lawyer-in-your-pocket app helps during carding

Legalswipe has become so popular since its launch last week, its servers crashed under the demand.

Marco Chown Oved/Star Staff Reporter
Thursday, July 2, 2015


A new smartphone app created by Christien Levien, Legalswipe, seeks to educate people about their rights before and during encounters with police. (Carlos Osorio/Toronto Star)

For aspiring lawyer Christien Levien, police carding isn’t an abstract legal battle; as a racialized person of Caribbean descent, it’s something he’s had to deal with his whole life.
So instead of selling his services as a criminal defence lawyer, he’s giving them away free in the form of a smartphone app that informs people of their rights during an encounter with police.
“I’ve experienced being walked up to by cops, being questioned for no reason,” said the Brampton native. “I’m definitely not the first, it happens all the time.”
When Levien graduated from the University of Ottawa’s law school last year, he decided to combine his legal education and understanding of technology to create an app that acts like a legal adviser in your pocket.
“I think officers take advantage of people’s ignorance,” he said. “It would have assisted me many times in being confident and stating what my rights were.”
Last week, Legalswipe was released for both iPhone and Android. Drawing from the Canadian Civil Liberties Association’s “know your rights” handbook, the app guides people through police encounters with taps and swipes.
Depending on whether the police officer is asking for your ID, wanting to search you or simply making conversation, the app refers to specific laws and sections of the Charter and suggests exact wording for responses.
A screenshot from Legalswipe app.

The app also offers video-recording and emergency-message functions that can be sent to selected contacts when activated.

It’s designed to be fast and simple, so that it can be used in real time during a police encounter, but Levien says the app’s real value comes before any tense situation.
“This is a primarily tool for legal education. I hope that people are educating themselves prior to any given interaction, so they know what their rights are,” Levien said. “But I do believe that during an interaction, it is possible to tell an officer: ‘This is being recorded, so I expect that my rights will be respected.’ ”
Unlike similar apps, such as CopWatch, which films interactions with police and automatically uploads the video to YouTube, Legalswipe’s video function sends the video to the user’s own Dropbox account and will email select emergency contacts when that happens, “so you can chose to share it or not,” he said.
Officially, the police are for the use of this app, saying anything that informs people of their rights is a good thing.
“It’s not going to change the way we operate,” said Toronto Police Services spokesperson Constable Victor Kwong. “We’re doing the same thing right back.”
Cameras in squad-car interiors and on their dash boards have been in place for years, and a recent pilot project has 100 officers wearing body cameras around the city.
People, however, should use their judgment when employing the app, especially in “fluid” situations, Kwong said. “If we’re investigating a gun call, this would not be an opportune time to pull out a phone,” he said.
The app has been endorsed by former Queen’s Park speaker Alvin Curling and activist/journalist Desmond Cole, who had long fought for an end to carding.
After launching last week, Legalswipe received lots of attention from across Canada and the United States and has started trending on the Apple App Store. Its servers have become overwhelmed by the unexpected volume of downloads, prompting Levien to launch a crowdfunding campaign to get them up again and at some point expand the app to include other languages and maybe other fields, such as employment or tenant law.
Correction – July 3, 2015: This article was edited from a previous version that misspelled Christien Levien’s surname.

Monday, July 20, 2015

Right out of Michael Moore's playbook!



Good Day Readers:

Beautiful! Beautiful! Beautiful! This is something you would have expected from American documentary filmmaker Michael Moore. Instead it was a British comedian. It's surprising greedy, creepy FIFA President Sepp Blatter wasn't on his hands and knees scrambling to scoop up the money.

With an as yet undeclared federal election underway here in Canada we need one of these. Imagine this scene. Stephen Harper, along with some of his senior cabinet ministers (that is, those who haven't yet jumped ship), are holding a press conference (in, of course, a controlled environment) extolling the virtues of the Conservative Party for accountability, transparency and openness when someone suddenly jumps in front of the cameras to shower them with money!

Love it! Love it! Love it!

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk

"On your mark ... get set ... go!" The Harper government's patronage race is on!

"All aboard the Stephen Harper gravy train!" 
The Gargoyle - Tories unleash torrent of patronage

Glen McGregor
Tuesday, July 7, 2015

At least two failed Conservative candidates number among those receiving government jobs.

On June 18 and 19, cabinet approved the long list of appointees to bodies such as the Immigration and Refugee Board, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the National Capital Commission and the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

It also made 40 judicial appointments, elevating some sitting judges and adding new names to the bench at various levels of courts. Among them was Winnipeg lawyer Regan Thatcher, the son of former Saskatchewan Progressive Conservative cabinet minister Colin Thatcher, who was convicted of killing his wife in 1983.

Gary Meschinshnick, the president of the conservative Saskatchewan Party, was named to the Queen’s Bench in the province.

Denise Ghanam, who ran and lost for the federal Tories against New Democrat Joe Comartin in 2008, was named to the Windsor, Ontario port authority.

Troy DeSouza, a Victoria lawyer who thrice ran unsuccessfully for the Conservatives, in 2006, 2008 and 2011, was named a part-time member of the Military Police Complaints Commission.

A former colleague of Finance Minister Joe Oliver, investment banker Michael Mackasey, was named chairman of the Canada Development Investment Corporation.

Former British Columbia cabinet minister, Olga Ilich, a member of the B.C. Liberal Party, was named chair of the Canadian Tourism Commission.

The blizzard of appointments will, no doubt, have some recalling the preamble to the 1984 election campaign, when Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau approved a similar orgy of patronage of mostly Liberal supporters.

Left to pick up the mess after Trudeau resigned, Prime Minister John Turner claimed during the televised leaders debate that he had no option when he sat at the cabinet table when the appointments rubber stamped.

Brian Mulroney shot back, “You had an option, sir. You could have said, ‘I am not going to do it. This is wrong for Canada, ‘” scoring a decisive blow in the debate.

The list of recent appointments include five new members added to the National Capital Commission board shortly before a key meeting on the contentious memorial to the Victims of Communism, planned for a space near the Supreme Court of Canada.

Cabinet also made eight appointments to the Payments in Lieu of Taxes Dispute Advisory Panel, an obscure body that rules on the amount of money the federal government pays municipal governments in place of property taxes for government buildings.

The appointments made by cabinet on June 18 and 19:
  • Appointment of JOHANNE BÉLISLE of Montréal, Quebec, to be Commissioner of Patents, to hold office during pleasure for a term of five years; and appointment of JOHANNE BÉLISLE to be Registrar of Trade-marks, to hold office during pleasure for a term of five years, effective September 8, 2015.
  • Appointment of DAVID KRITTERDLIK of Whale Cove, Nunavut, to be a member of the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, to hold office during good behaviour for a term of four years.
  • Appointment of MICHAEL NEYELLE of Deline, Northwest Territories, to be chairperson of the Sahtu Renewable Resources Board, for a term of five years.
  • Appointment of LEONARD KENNY of Deline, Northwest Territories, to be a member of the Sahtu Renewable Resources Board, for a term of five years.
  • Appointment of JEFF WALKER of Norman Wells, Northwest Territories, to be a member of the Sahtu Renewable Resources Board, for a term of five years.
  • Appointment of Janet E. King of Ottawa, Ontario, to be a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian High Arctic Research Station, to hold office during pleasure for a term of five years.
  • Appointment of JEAN-ROBERT BERNIER of Ottawa, Ontario, to be a member of the Governing Council of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, to hold office during pleasure for a term of three years.
  • Appointment of TODD J. MCCARTHY of Whitby, Ontario, to be a director of the Board of Management of the Canada Revenue Agency, to hold office during pleasure for a term of three years.
  • Appointment of PAUL ROBERT YOUNG of Halifax, Nova Scotia, to be a member of the Payments in Lieu of Taxes Dispute Advisory Panel to hold office during good behaviour for a term of three years.
  • Appointment of NORMAN MAY, Q.C., of Toronto, Ontario, to be a director of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to hold office during good behaviour for a term of five years.
  • Appointment of MARIE-LINDA LORD of Dieppe, New Brunswick, to be a member of Telefilm Canada to hold office during pleasure for a term of five years.
  • Appointment of the HONOURABLE YVES de MONTIGNY, to be a Judge of the Federal Court of Appeal, and a member ex officio of the Federal Court.
  • Appointment of the MARIE-JOSÉE HOGUE, to be a Puisne Judge of the Court of Appeal of the Province of Quebec, with residence in the territory of Ville de Montréal or in the immediate vicinity thereof.
  • Appointment of the HONOURABLE ROBIN B. CAMP, to be a Judge of the Federal Court, and a member ex officio of the Federal Court of Appeal.
  • Approval of the appointment by the Minister of Employment and Social Development of VICTOR BRUNETTE of Gatineau, Quebec, to be a member of the Board of Directors of the National Capital Commission, to hold office during pleasure for a term of four years, in the place of Richard Paul Jennings.
  • Approval of the appointment by the Minister of Employment and Social Development of BRIAN COBURN of Ottawa, Ontario, to be a member of the Board of Directors of the National Capital Commission, to hold office during pleasure for a term of four years, in the place of Jacquelin Holzman.
  • Approval of the appointment by the Minister of Employment and Social Development of LISA MACDONALD of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, to be a member of the Board of Directors of the National Capital Commission, to hold office during pleasure for a term of four years, in the place of Jason Michael Sordi, effective July 1, 2015.
  • Approval of the appointment by the Minister of Employment and Social Development of BASIL STEWART of Summerside, Prince Edward Island, to be a member of the Board of Directors of the National Capital Commission, to hold office during pleasure for a term of four years.
  • Appointment of JUDE PIERRE SAMSON of Montréal, Quebec, to be a full-time member of the Social Security Tribunal for the Income Security Section, to hold office during good behaviour for a term of two years, effective August 10, 2015.
  • Appointment of JAIME LYNNE MELLOTT of Pender Island, British Columbia, to be a full-time member of the Social Security Tribunal for the Income Security Section, to hold office during good behaviour for a term of two years, effective July 6, 2015.
  • Appointment of TERESA JANINA MAZIARZ of Heidelberg, Ontario, to be a part-time member of the Social Security Tribunal for the Income Security Section, to hold office during good behaviour for a term of two years.
  • Appointment of MARGARET GAILY of Vancouver, British Columbia, to be a part-time member of the Social Security Tribunal for the Income Security Section, to hold office during good behaviour for a term of two years.
  • Appointment of JATINDER BHULLAR of Mississauga, Ontario, to be a part-time member of the Social Security Tribunal for the Income Security Section, to hold office during good behaviour for a term of two years.
  • Appointment of URIEL ROSENTHAL of Rotterdam, Netherlands, to be a Governor of the Board of Governors of the International Development Research Centre, to hold office during pleasure for a term of three years.
  • Appointment of SHAINOOR KHOJA of Vancouver, British Columbia, to be a Canadian Governor of the Board of Governors of the International Development Research Centre, to hold office during pleasure for a term of three years.
  • Approval of the appointment by the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans of KRISTA L. BORYSKAVICH of Winnipeg, Manitoba, to be a director of the Board of Directors of the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation to hold office during pleasure for a term of three years.
  • Appointment of MICHAEL MACKASEY of Mississauga, Ontario, to be the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Canada Development Investment Corporation, to hold office during pleasure for a term of four years, effective July 1, 2015.
  • Approval of the appointment by the Minister of Finance of SANDRA ROSCH of Toronto, Ontario, to be a director of the Board of Directors of the Canada Development Investment Corporation to hold office during pleasure for a term of four years, in the place of Mary Beth Montcalm, effective July 1, 2015.
  • Approval of the appointment by the Minister of Finance of JENNIFER REYNOLDS of Toronto, Ontario, to be a director of the Board of Directors of the Canada Development Investment Corporation to hold office during pleasure for a term of four years, in the place of John Hillyard, effective July 1, 2015.
  • Approval of the appointment by the Minister of Finance of WILLIAM C. ROSS of Toronto, Ontario, to be a director of the Board of Directors of the Royal Canadian Mint to hold office during pleasure for a term of four years, effective July 1, 2015.
  • Approval of the appointment by the Minister of Employment and Social Development of CAROL LOUGHREY, O.C., of Fredericton, New Brunswick, to be a member of the Board of Directors of the National Capital Commission, to hold office during pleasure for a term of four years, in the place of Eric D. MacKenzie, effective July 1, 2015.
  • Appointment of SUZANNE ALARY of Montréal, Quebec, to be a full-time member of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Montréal Regional Office), to hold office during good behaviour for a term of three years, effective September 8, 2015.
  • Approval of the appointment by the President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada of DOMINIQUE BOUCHARD of Saguenay, Quebec, to be a director of the Board of Directors of The Jacques-Cartier and Champlain Bridges Inc., to hold office during pleasure for a term of four years.
  • Appointment of PEGGY WAROLIN of Témiscaming, Quebec, to be a part-time member of the Canadian Human Rights Commission to hold office during good behaviour for a term of three years.
  • Appointment of ALEX G. PANNU of North Vancouver, British Columbia, to be a part-time member of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal to hold office during good behaviour for a term of five years.
  • Appointment of MICHAEL DENHAM of Montréal, Quebec, to be President of the Business Development Bank of Canada to hold office during good behaviour for a term of five years, effective August 10, 2015.
  • Appointment of CHRISTIAN LEUPRECHT of Kingston, Ontario, to be a member of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, to hold office during pleasure for a term of three years.
  • Appointment of OLGA ILICH of Richmond, British Columbia, to be Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Tourism Commission, to hold office during pleasure for a term of five years.
  • Appointment of LYNDA BROWN of North Vancouver, British Columbia, to be a director of the board of directors of the Canada Foundation for Innovation, to hold office during pleasure for a term of three years, in the place of John Weissenberger.
  • Appointment of PREM P. SINGHMAR of Sherwood Park, Alberta, to be a director of the board of directors of the Canada Foundation for Innovation, to hold office during pleasure for a term of three years.
  • Appointment of DARLENE BERNARD, O.P.E.I., of Lennox Island First Nation, Prince Edward Island, to be a member of the National Aboriginal Economic Development Board, to hold office during pleasure for a term of three years.
  • Appointment of ANN MARIE MCDONALD, to be a Judge of the Federal Court, and a member ex officio of the Federal Court of Appeal, effective September 1, 2015.
  • Appointment of ANNALISA S. RASAIAH, of the City of Sault Ste Marie, in the Province of Ontario, to be a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice in and for the Province of Ontario, and a Judge ex officio of the Court of Appeal for Ontario, effective July 7, 2015.
  • Appointment of BABAK BARIN, of the City of Montréal, in the Province of Quebec, to be a Puisne Judge of the Superior Court for the district of Montréal, in the Province of Quebec, with residence in the territory of Ville de Montréal or in the immediate vicinity thereof, effective July 10, 2015.
  • Appointment of BARBARA M. YOUNG, of the City of Kelowna, in the Province of British Columbia, to be a Judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia.
  • Appointment of BERNARD TREMBLAY, of the City of Lac-Beauport in the Province of Quebec, to be a Puisne Judge of the Superior Court for the district of Québec, in the Province of Quebec, with residence in the territory of Ville de Québec or in the immediate vicinity thereof, effective June 30, 2015.
  • Appointment of CHANTAL CHATELAIN, of the City of Montréal, in the Province of Quebec, to be a Puisne Judge of the Superior Court for the district of Montréal, in the Province of Quebec, with residence in the territory of Ville de Montréal or in the immediate vicinity thereof, effective June 30, 2015.
  • Appointment of CLAUDE VILLENEUVE, to be a Puisne Judge of the Superior Court for the districts of Saint-François and Bedford, in the Province of Quebec, with residence at Cowansville or in the immediate vicinity thereof.
  • Appointment of DANYE DAIGLE of the City of Victoriaville in the Province of Quebec, to be a Puisne Judge of the Superior Court for the district of Trois-Rivières, in the Province of Quebec, with residence in the territory of Ville de Trois-Rivières or in the immediate vicinity thereof.
  • Appointment of E. SUSAN ELLIOTT, to be a Judge of the Federal Court, and a member ex officio of the Federal Court of Appeal.
  • Appointment of ELIZABETH C. SHEARD, of the City of Hamilton, in the Province of Ontario, to be a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice in and for the Province of Ontario, and a Judge ex officio of the Court of Appeal for Ontario.
  • Appointment of FLORENCE LUCAS, of the City of Montréal, in the Province of Quebec, to be a Puisne Judge of the Superior Court for the district of Montréal, in the Province of Quebec, with residence in the territory of Ville de Montréal or in the immediate vicinity thereof.
  • Appointment of GARY MESCHISHNICK, to be a Judge of Her Majesty’s Court of Queen’s Bench for Saskatchewan.
  • Appointment of GUY R. SMITH, of the City of Ottawa, in the Province of Ontario, to be a Judge of the Tax Court of Canada.
  • Appointment of J. SCOTT MCLEOD, to be a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice in and for the Province of Ontario, a member of the Family Court and a Judge ex officio of the Court of Appeal for Ontario.
  • Appointment of JOHN W. HOPKINS, of the City of Rocky Mountain House, in the Province of Alberta, to be a Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta, and a member ex officio of the Court of Appeal of Alberta.
  • Appointment of OLIVIA BUTTI of Edmonton, Alberta, to be a member of the National Seniors Council, to hold office during pleasure for a term of two years.
  • Appointment of PAMELA L. HEBNER, of the City of Guelph, in the Province of Ontario, to be a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice in and for the Province of Ontario, and a Judge ex officio of the Court of Appeal for Ontario.
  • Appointment of PATRICIA SPADAFORA of Oakville, Ontario, to be a member of the National Seniors Council, to hold office during pleasure for a term of three years.
  • Appointment of PAUL BYCHOK, to be a Judge of the Nunavut Court of Justice, Judge of the Court of Appeal of Nunavut, Judge of the Court of Appeal for the Northwest Territories, and Judge of the Court of Appeal of Yukon, during his tenure of office as a Judge of the Nunavut Court of Justice.
  • Appointment of PIERRE E. ROGER, of the City of Ottawa, in the Province of Ontario, to be a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice in and for the Province of Ontario, and a Judge ex officio of the Court of Appeal for Ontario.
  • Appointment of REGAN THATCHER, of the City of Winnipeg, in the Province of Manitoba, to be a Judge of Her Majesty’s Court of Queen’s Bench for Manitoba (Family Division).
  • Appointment of RICHARD A. NEUFELD, of the City of Calgary, in the Province of Alberta, to be a Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta, and a member ex officio of the Court of Appeal of Alberta.
  • Appointment of ROBERT M. GREGAN, of the City of Amherst, in the Province of Nova Scotia, to be a Judge of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia (Family Division), and a Judge ex officio of the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal, effective June 19, 2015.
  • Appointment of SILVANA CONTE, of the City of Montréal, in the Province of Quebec, to be a Puisne Judge of the Superior Court for the district of Montréal, in the Province of Quebec, with residence in the territory of Ville de Montréal or in the immediate vicinity thereof, effective July 5, 2015.
  • Appointment of SUZANNE GAGNÉ, of the City of Québec in the Province of Quebec, to be a Puisne Judge of the Superior Court for the district of Québec, in the Province of Quebec, with residence in the territory of Ville de Québec or in the immediate vicinity thereof.
  • Appointment of SYLVAIN PROVENCHER, to be a Puisne Judge of the Superior Court for the districts of Saint-François and Bedford, in the Province of Quebec, with residence at Cowansville or in the immediate vicinity thereof.
  • Appointment of SYLVIE E. ROUSSEL, to be a Judge of the Federal Court, and a member ex officio of the Federal Court of Appeal, effective June 20, 2015.
  • Appointment of the ANNE JACOB, to be a Puisne Judge of the Superior Court for the district of Longueuil, in the Province of Quebec, with residence in the territory of Ville de Longueuil or in the immediate vicinity thereof, effective July 20, 2015.
  • Appointment of the HONOURABLE BRADLEY W. MILLER, to be a Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal for Ontario, and a Judge ex officio of the Superior Court of Justice in and for the Province of Ontario.
  • Appointment of the HONOURABLE DARYL E. LABACH, to be a Judge of Her Majesty’s Court of Queen’s Bench for Saskatchewan.
  • Appointment of the HONOURABLE EVA PETRAS, to be a ssociate Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Quebec, effective June 30, 2015.
  • Appointment of the HONOURABLE FREDERICA L. SCHUTZ, to be a Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal of Alberta, and a member ex officio of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta, effective August 14, 2015; and a Judge of the Court of Appeal for the Northwest Territories and a Judge of the Court of Appeal of Nunavut.
  • Appointment of the HONOURABLE JACQUES ROBERT FOURNIER, to be Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Quebec, effective June 30, 2015.
  • Appointment of the HONOURABLE JANICE LEMAISTRE, to be a Judge of Appeal of the Court of Appeal for Manitoba, and a Judge ex officio of Her Majesty’s Court of Queen’s Bench for Manitoba.
  • Appointment of the HONOURABLE JENNIFER ANN PFUETZNER, to be a Judge of Appeal of the Court of Appeal for Manitoba, and a Judge ex officio of Her Majesty’s Court of Queen’s Bench for Manitoba.
  • Appointment of the HONOURABLE LAURI ANN FENLON, to be a Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal for British Columbia; and a Judge of the Court of Appeal of Yukon during her tenure of office as a Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal for British Columbia.
  • Appointment of the HONOURABLE MARGARET MCSORLEY, to be a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice in and for the Province of Ontario, a member of the Family Court and a Judge ex officio of the Court of Appeal for Ontario, effective July 6, 2015.
  • Appointment of the HONOURABLE MARIE-JOSÉE BÉDARD, to be a Puisne Judge of the Superior Court for the Districts of Gatineau, Pontiac and Labelle, in the Province of Quebec, with residence in the territory of Ville de Gatineau or in the immediate vicinity thereof, effective June 20, 2015.
  • Appointment of the HONOURABLE MARY J.L. GLEASON, to be a Judge of the Federal Court of Appeal, and a member ex officio of the Federal Court.
  • Appointment of HILARY McCORMACK of Ottawa, Ontario, to be full-time Chairperson of the Military Police Complaints Commission, to hold office during good behaviour for a term of five years, effective October 5, 2015.
  • Appointment of TROY DESOUZA of Victoria, British Columbia, who is not an officer or non-commissioned member of the Canadian Forces, nor an employee of the Department of National Defence, to be a part-time member of the Military Police Complaints Commission to hold office during good behaviour for a term of four years.
  • Appointment of HÉLÈNE GOSSELIN of Ottawa, Ontario, to be a part-time member of the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board, to hold office during good behaviour for a term of four years.
  • Appointment of CHANTAL HOMIER-NEHMÉ of Ottawa, Ontario, to be a full-time member of the Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board, to hold office during good behaviour for a term of five years, effective September 8, 2015.
  • Appointment of MARIE-CLAIRE PERRAULT of Ottawa, Ontario, to be a full-time member of the Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board, to hold office during good behaviour for a term of five years, effective July 13, 2015.
  • Appointment of MARK DAVID CHERNIN of Montréal, Quebec, to be a full-time member of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Montréal Regional Office), to hold office during good behaviour for a term of three years, effective September 8, 2015.
  • Appointment of JOCELYN F. RANCOURT, of the City of Québec, in the Province of Quebec, to be a Puisne Judge of the Superior Court for the district of Québec, in the Province of Quebec, with residence in the territory of Ville de Québec or in the immediate vicinity thereof, effective June 20, 2015.
  • Appointment of KAYE E. DUNLOP, of the City of Winnipeg, in the Province of Manitoba, to be a Judge of Her Majesty’s Court of Queen’s Bench for Manitoba (Family Division).
  • Appointment of the HONOURABLE BRIAN W. ABRAMS, to be a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice in and for the Province of Ontario, and a Judge ex officio of the Court of Appeal for Ontario, effective July 6, 2015.
  • Appointment of the HONOURABLE ÉTIENNE PARENT, to be a Puisne Judge of the Court of Appeal of the Province of Quebec, with residence in the territory of Ville de Québec or in the immediate vicinity thereof, effective June 30, 2015.
  • Appointment of DEV A. CHANKASINGH of Edmonton, Alberta, to be a part-time member of the Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board, to hold office during good behaviour for a term of three years.
  • Appointment of DEBBIE FISCHER of Toronto, Ontario, to be a member of the Governing Council of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, to hold office during pleasure for a term of three years.
  • Approval of the appointment by the Minister of Transport of MICHÈLE DESJARDINS of Montréal, Quebec, to be a director of the Board of Directors of the Canada Post Corporation, to hold office during pleasure for a term of three years.
  • Appointment of RAFIK SOUCCAR of Ottawa, Ontario, to be a director of the board of directors of the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, to hold office during pleasure for a term of three years.
  • Appointment of DENISE CLAIR GHANAM of Windsor, Ontario, to be a director of the Windsor Port Authority to hold office for a term of two years, in the place of Al Santing, effective June 27, 2015.
  • Appointment of THOMAS ROBERT PORTER of Windsor, Ontario, to be a director of the Windsor Port Authority, to hold office for a term of two years, in the place of Charles S. Pingle, effective July 7, 2015.
  • Appointment of ROBERT PAUL SAVAGE of Hamilton, Ontario, to be a director of the Hamilton Port Authority, to hold office for a term of three years, in the place of Lloyd Allen Root.
  • Appointment of KATHLEEN MARGARET WATTS of Hamilton, Ontario, to be a director of the Hamilton Port Authority, to hold office for a term of three years, in the place of Daniel R. McKinnon.

Sunday, July 19, 2015

The chocolate bar!

Good Day Readers:

Had the following e-mail from a veteran CyberSmokeBlog researcher/reader and senior. You have to wonder how much Members of Parliament and Senators have helped themselves to the public largess lately to raise their salaries and benefit packages.

To seniors CSB says don't get ....ed off, rather, use your "windfall" to buy a chewy Snickers to calm down and vote the Conservative bums out of office come October.

Sincerely.
Clare L. Pieuk

Dear CyberSmokeBkog:

Just checked here

http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/services/pensions/

oas/payments/index.shtml

And Old Age Security payment is going up for July to September by 0.2% ... that is an increase of $1.13 per month. Yahoo. Another chocolate bar.


Saturday, July 18, 2015

OMG WTF you did what Royals?

The Guardian: Royals told open archives on family ties to Nazi regime

Historian urges that secret correspondence be made public to reveal the truth after Queen's Nazi salute footage released

Jamie Doward and Tracy McVeigh
Saturday, July 18, 2015
The Duke and Dutchess of Windsor meet with Hitler in Munich in 1937. (Photograph: PA)

Buckingham Palace has been urged to disclose documents that would finally reveal the truth about the relationship between the royal family and the Nazi regime of the 1930s.

The Sun’s decision to publish footage of the Queen at six or seven years old performing a Nazi salute, held in the royal archives and hitherto unavailable for public viewing, has triggered concerns that the palace has for years sought to suppress the release of damaging material confirming the links between leading royals and the Third Reich.

Unlike the National Archives, the royal archives, which are known to contain large volumes of correspondence between members of the royal family and Nazi politicians and aristocrats, are not compelled to release material on a regular basis. Now, as that relationship becomes the subject of global debate, historians and MPs have called foMany expressed incredulity that the paper had published the actions of a child. But the managing editor, Stig Abell, defended publication. “It is an important and interesting issue, the extent to which the British aristocracy – notably Edward VIII, in this case – in the 1930s, were sympathetic towards fascism,” he said. The paper declined to comment on how it acquired the footage. Legal experts suggested a police investigation was unlikely, especially given the collapse of recent cases in which Sun reporters walked free after being accused of paying public officials for information.r the archives to be opened up so that the correspondence can be put into context.

“The royal family can’t suppress their own history for ever,” said Karina Urbach of the Institute of Historical Research at the University of London. “This is censorship. Censorship is not a democratic value. They have to face their past. I’m coming from a country, Germany, where we all have to face our past.”

The Sun was subjected to a backlash on social media, after publishing 80-year-old home movie footage from the grounds of Balmoral Castle, in which a laughing Elizabeth, her mother, Prince Edward (later Edward VIII) and Princess Margaret, were shown making Nazi salutes. Barbara Keeley, Labour MP for Worsley and Eccles South, retweeted a message that read: “Hey @TheSun, if you want to stir up some moral outrage about a misjudgement in history, look a bit closer to home.”

Many expressed incredulity that the paper had published the actions of a child. But the managing editor, Stig Abell, defended publication. “It is an important and interesting issue, the extent to which the British aristocracy – notably Edward VIII, in this case – in the 1930s, were sympathetic towards fascism,” he said. The paper declined to comment on how it acquired the footage. Legal experts suggested a police investigation was unlikely, especially given the collapse of recent cases in which Sun reporters walked free after being accused of paying public officials for information.

“On the face of it, this information has been obtained legitimately and used in accordance with what the newspaper feels is appropriate interest,” said John Cooper, QC.

“It’s really a question not so much on the law but whether it’s in the public interest for this material to find its way into a newspaper. The public interest in this document being produced is nothing to do with the royal family but how startling it is that in 1933 people were so naive about the evils of Nazism.”

Urbach, author of Go-Betweens for Hitler, a new book about the relationship between the royals and the Nazis, has spent years trying to gain access to documents relating to Nazi Germany held in the royal archives. She described the archives, in Windsor Castle’s Round Tower, as “a beautiful place to work but not if you want to work on 20th-century material … you don’t get any access to anything political after 1918”.

She described seeing shelves of boxes containing material relating to the 1930s that no one is allowed to research. She suggested that much of the archives’ interwar material no longer existed.

“We know that after ’45 there was a big cleanup operation,” Urbach said. “The royals were very worried about correspondence resurfacing and so it was destroyed.”

Helen McCarthy, a historian of modern Britain at Queen Mary University of London, echoed Urbach’s comments, tweeting that “if Royal Archives were more accessible & welcoming to researchers, ‘shock’ discoveries like Sun’s front page could be put in better context”.

Historian Alex von Tunzelmann suggested on Twitter that the lack of access to the royal archives for historians and the public “is profoundly undemocratic. We need much greater access. We need to be grown up about it. The history of this country belongs to the public”.

Paul Flynn, Labour MP for Newport West, a member of parliament’s influential political and constitutional reform committee and a prominent supporter of the recent release of Prince Charles’s confidential memos to politicians, said the royal family needed to allow full access to its archives, including those relating to Germany in the 1930s.

“It was a very interesting part of our history, when we had a future king who was flirting with the Nazis and the Blackshirts, and we need to know the truth of it,” Flynn said. “We need more openness. The royals have great influence still. Charles is still the most important lobbyist in the land.”

The Sun’s decision to publish the 17 seconds of footage, thought to have been shot in 1933 or 1934, has served as an unwelcome reminder for the royal family of its past links to the Nazis. The Queen, then aged six or seven, joins her mother, then Duchess of York, and her uncle Edward, the Prince of Wales, in raising an arm in salute as she plays alongside her younger sister, Princess Margaret. Her mother then raises her arm in the style of a Nazi salute and, after glancing towards her mother, the Queen copies the gesture. Prince Edward is also seen raising his arm.

Edward, who abdicated to marry the American socialite Wallis Simpson, faced numerous accusations of being a Nazi sympathiser. The couple were photographed meeting Hitler in Munich in October 1937.

A palace spokesman said: “It is disappointing that film, shot eight decades ago and apparently from Her Majesty’s personal family archive, has been obtained and exploited in this manner.”

Jezus, we already knew Harry was an aspiring Nazi but OMG the Queen?

Queen's Nazi salute is matter of historical significance, says the Sun

The managing editor, Sig Abell, says reason for releasing leaked footage, apparently shot in 1933 or 1934 is to provide context for attitudes before WW2

Jamie Grierson
Saturday, July 18, 2015


Sig Abell, managing editor of the Sun, has defended the move to publish the black-and-white footage.

The managing editor of the Sun has defended his newspaper’s decision to release leaked footage, apparently shot in 1933 or 1934, showing the Queen perform a Nazi salute as a matter of historical significance.
The Sun front page showing a still of footage showing a young Queen performing a Nazi salute with her family at Balmoral. (Photograph: The Sun/Twitter/PA)

The black-and-white footage shows the Queen, then aged six or seven, and her sister Margaret, around three, joining the Queen Mother and her uncle, Prince Edward, the Prince of Wales, in raising an arm in the signature style of the German fascists.

Edward, who later became King Edward VIII and abdicated to marry the American socialite Wallis Simpson, faced numerous accusations of being a Nazi sympathiser. The couple were photographed meeting Hitler in Munich in October 1937, less than two years before the second world war broke out.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement that it was disappointing the film – shot eight decades ago – had been exploited, while questions have been raised over how the newspaper obtained the clip, which is apparently from the monarch’s personal family archive.

But speaking to the BBC, Stig Abell, managing editor of the Sun, defended the move. He said: “I think the justification is relatively evident - it’s a matter of national historical significance to explore what was going on in the ’30s ahead of the second world war publish scoop of the Queen giving a Nazi salute

“We’re very clear we’re not, of course, suggesting anything improper on the part of the Queen or indeed the Queen Mum.

“It’s very clear Edward VIII, who became a Nazi sympathiser, in ’36 after he abdicated he headed off to Germany briefly.

“In ’37 [to] 1939, he was talking about his sympathy for Hitler and Germany, even before his death in 1970 he was saying Hitler was not a bad man.

“I think this is a matter of historical significance, I think this is footage that should be shown providing the context is very clear.

“We’ve taken a great amount of trouble and care to demonstrate that context at great length in thThe Queen Mother repeats the salute, joined by Edward, and Margaret raises her left hand before the two children continue dancing and playing on the grass.

A Palace source said: “Most people will see these pictures in their proper context and time. This is a family playing and momentarily referencing a gesture many would have seen from contemporary news reels.

The Queen Mother repeats the salute, joined by Edward, and Margaret raises her left hand before the two children continue dancing and playing on the grass.

A Palace source said: “Most people will see these pictures in their proper context and time. This is a family playing and momentarily referencing a gesture many would have seen from contemporary news reels.

“No one at that time had any sense how it would evolve. To imply anything else is misleading and dishonest. The Queen is around six years of age at the time and entirely innocent of attaching any meaning to these gestures.

“The Queen and her family’s service and dedication to the welfare of this nation during the war, and the 63 years the Queen has spent building relations between nations and peoples speaks for itself.”

“No one at that time had any sense how it would evolve. To imply anything else is misleading and dishonest. The Queen is around six years of age at the time and entirely innocent of attaching any meaning to these gestures.

“The Queen and her family’s service and dedication to the welfare of this nation during the war, and the 63 years the Queen has spent building relations between nations and peoples speaks for itself.”e paper today. This is a matter of historical significance from which we shouldn’t shy away.”

The grainy clip, which lasts around 17 seconds, shows the Queen playing with a dog on the lawn in the gardens of Balmoral, the Sun claims, before she raises an arm to wave to the camera with Margaret.

The Queen Mother then makes a Nazi salute, and, after glancing towards her mother, the Queen mimics the gesture.

The footage is thought to have been shot in 1933 or 1934, when Hitler was rising to prominence in Germany.

In its leader column, the Sun said its focus was not on the young child who would become queen, but on her uncle, who was then heir to the throne.

The Queen’s former press secretary Dickie Arbiter said there would be great interest in royal circles in finding out how the footage was made public.

“They’ll be wondering whether it was in fact something that was held in the Royal Archives at Windsor, or whether it was being held by the Duke of Windsor’s estate,” he told the BBC news.

“And if it was the Duke of Windsor’s estate, then somebody has clearly taken it from the estate and here it is, 82 years later. But a lot of questions have got to be asked and a lot of questions got to be answered.”


Friday, July 17, 2015

Is there a parallel between Atticus Finch and Guido Amsel's difficulty finding a lawyer?

Good Day Readers:

This interesting comparison was drawn recently by a veteran CyberSmokeBlog reader/researcher but first a delightful video that explains To Kill A Mockingbird starring Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch



In the movie Atticus Finch a lawyer in a predominately white small southern American town defends a black man in a case he knew he'd surely lose.

There has been a lot of talk about Guido's Amsel's difficulty finding local representation so much so there's speculation he will have to go out of province. So much remains unknown. Rumour has it he's been approached by local counsel but turned them down in favour of an out of province attorney?

The best update available to date comes from the Winnipeg Sun's Dean Pritchard who was able to identify "a friend of the court" who spoke on behalf of Mr. Amsel but refused to self-identify and, in fact, was seen running from reporters after court.

BTW, to add to the intrigue, Harper Lee who wrote TKAM in 1961 with sales of over 40 million has written a sequel. Irony of ironies, To Set A Watchman was written more than 20-years ago. Needlessly to say copies are flying off the shelves.
Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk
Legal representation still a question in Winnipeg law office bombing

Dean Pritchard
Friday,July 17, 2015
Guido Amsel, 49 appeared briefly in court on Thursday. (Winnipeg Police Service Handout)

Accused letter bomber Guido Amsel is seeking a lawyer from another province.

Amsel, 49, appeared in Winnipeg court Thursday via video link.

Lawyer Steven Keesic, acting as a "friend of the court," said he has spoken to a number of out of province lawyers about taking the case. Keesic said none of the lawyers wished to be identified until a decision is made to go on record for the accused.

"I will be monitoring the situation and once counsel of record from another province, whoever that might be, decides to go on the record, I will come in and advise court of that ... if he or she chooses," Keesic said.

Amsel was arrested two weeks ago after explosives were sent to his ex-wife's workplace and two law firms connected to legal battles between the former couple. Two bombs were detonated safely, but one exploded and caused severe injuries to lawyer Maria Mitousis.

Amsel has been charged with two counts of attempted murder, one count of aggravated assault, and several explosives offences.

Amsel may be having a tough time finding a local lawyer to take his case for a few reasons, said Jay Prober, one of Winnipeg's most high-profile criminal lawyers. Many lawyers would have a conflict of interest, Prober said, if they had worked with Mitousis, or are friends with her, or have helped a fundraising campaign that has raised $81,000 for her recovery. Some lawyers may also be concerned about personal safety, he said, but a more widespread feeling is that the crimes Amsel is accused of are an attack on the legal system. "It's a colleague," Prober said Thursday. "And to me, and perhaps most criminal defence lawyers, that is a roadblock." Keesic said Amsel has been provided with a police disclosure package and has reviewed it.

"He is aware of some of the allegations at this point in time and the full series of charges that is before the courts," Keesic said.

In an unusual move that appeared to highlight safety concerns arising from the bombing, Keesic requested Judge Brent Stewart impose a publication ban on the hearing, arguing it was justified in cases that could put the accused, a witness, or a justice system participant at risk.

Stewart rejected the request, saying it would be more appropriate at a bail application where sensitive information is before the court.

"I think it's really premature at this stage," Stewart said. "We're not doing anything more than putting this into a holding pattern ... I can't see any prejudice to yourself or anyone else in the justice system assisting this gentleman getting counsel."

Amsel's next court date is July 31.

With Canadian Press files