statism watch

BBC News
October 1, 2008

A Canadian Conservative Party speech-writer has resigned after Prime Minister Stephen Harper was accused of plagiarism in a speech he made in 2003.

Owen Lippert admitted he had been “overzealous in copying segments” of a speech in support of the invasion of Iraq by then Australian PM John Howard.

Mr Lippert said neither his superiors nor Mr Harper, who was opposition leader at the time, had been aware.

The accusation comes half-way through a general election campaign.

Mr Harper, who has led a minority government since January 2006, called the snap election for 14 October last month, hoping to obtain a parliamentary majority, for which he needs to win 28 more seats.

(more…)

BBC News
October 1, 2008

The head of the new US military command for Africa (Africom) has told the BBC it has “no hidden agenda”.

General William Ward said the command would not be used to gain control of African natural resources such as oil.

He also dismissed fears that the US intended to build large military bases on the continent.

Only one country, Liberia, has offered to host Africom, which is coming into full operation at its headquarters in the German city of Stuttgart.

General Ward said the location of the headquarters, for its 1,300 military and civilian personnel, was less of a concern, given the size of the African continent.

The BBC’s Adam Mynott says the creation of Africom is a recognition by the US that Africa and security issues on the continent are now a priority.

(more…)

Kirk Makin, Globe and Mail
October 1, 2008

Controversial case of Calgary warrant based on search of garbage behind house one of several challenges before judges

The highlight of the Supreme Court’s fall term could well turn out to be garbage.

One of the most intriguing cases the court will hear revolves around the extent to which an individual can expect garbage to be private.

The case arose in Calgary when police successfully obtained a search warrant based on the contents of garbage from behind Russell Patrick’s home – including materials normally associated with home ecstasy labs.

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Looks like ’shaken baby syndrome’ is a fraud when applied in the absence of evidence.

Kirk Makin, Globe and Mail
October 1, 2008

A massive review of every case involving pathologist Charles Smith will take place in the wake of an inquiry report Wednesday that exposed a 12-year litany of errors in the Ontario Chief Coroner’s Office.

Ontario also promised to compensate Dr. Smith’s victims and ordered a probe of more than 200 so-called shaken-baby deaths dating back to 1981 out of concern that individuals may have been wrongly prosecuted or convicted.

The Goudge commission’s 1,000-page report condemns top officials for propping up their star pathologist, Dr. Smith, while he was precipitating a string of wrongful murder charges and convictions.

Mr. Justice Stephen Goudge described Dr. Smith as an arrogant, unqualified pathologist who delivered biased, inconsistent and unprofessional testimony in serious criminal cases. He said some of the doctor’s findings “defied logic,” others were “simply baffling.”

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This puts the Taser Death Watch at 24 now.

CBC News
October 1, 2008

A man suspected of armed robbery Tuesday morning died shortly after smashing through a window of a house and being jolted by a police Taser in Langley, B.C., RCMP said.

Langley RCMP said a man robbed a Royal Bank branch in the 4000 block of 200 Street shortly before 11 a.m. and then escaped to the surrounding residential area.

“The adult male suspect in his 40s brandished a firearm, acted in a violent manner and knocked over an elderly woman in the bank,” Lower Mainland RCMP spokesman Cpl. Peter Thiessen said.

“He got an undisclosed amount of money and had departed.”

A witness saw the suspect exit the bank, followed him to a residence in the 19900 block of 47A Avenue, and then called police, Thiessen said.

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