Thursday, January 20, 2011

Transparency and Hard Ball Immigrant Services Games

       Harper's Conservatives are out to gut community organizations helping to integrate immigrants into Canadian life. 

http://www.thestar.com/iphone/news/investigations/immigration/article/923349--settlement-agencies-shocked-by-gag-order?bn=1

        The logic of such a move leaves much to be desired: why say Canada "welcomes" immigrants and then kill the grassroots organizations which are so efficient in carrying out that work? Don't make sense to me..

        But there's worse - as there usually is:

"Immigrant service agencies were horrified when they got a government email last week banning them from discussing recent federal funding cuts that may kill some of them"

           Thus while preaching a platform of "transparency", "grassroots values", and "responsible government", the Feds cut funding to those who were actually actively engaged in the grassroots integration (="responsibilisation") of new Canadians.  Further, the Feds even want to muzzle discussion about the cuts...

           I'm flabbergastered. I admit I don't get it.. What happened to the promised "transparency", "grassroots values" and "responsibility". We are simply at a loss for words before such blatant hypocrisy (?cynicism?), of the consistent failure of this government to put in practice the platitudinous, populist values they preach. Instead, they descend to the level of American style attack ads on their opponents - a sure sign that your government is playing dirty! They want to divert your attention from real problems, solutions and choices to strawmen set up for the mob to attack.We're in big trouble folks. Just look what's happening south of the border to see where we're going.