11.18.2015 07:27 PM

Another reason I love Barack Obama

  

66 Comments

  1. Matt says:

    Somewhat different situation down in the U.S. where, at last count, 31 Governor’s (most if not all Republican) are saying they don’t want ANY refugees from Syria brought into the country.

    Haven’t seen anyone here say that. Just raising concerns over the timeline.

    I mean the Liberals have said nothing other they will stick to the deadline. Where are the refugees going to be housed until the checks are completed? Are they going to be put in tents on military bases across Canada until housing can be arranged? Kids in tents during a Canadian winter? Is that a responsible thing to do?

    Or would the more responsible thig to do be bring in 5,000, get them checked out – security, health ect – let the agencies responsible for resettling refugees do their thing, then when the first wave is settled, bring in the next 5,000. Seems like a lot less stress and strain for both the system and the refugees.

    • DougM says:

      “Seems like a lot less stress and strain for both the system and the refugees.”

      This is it right here. Security aside, the experts are saying it is not just too ambitious a plan, but potentially harmful to the refugees themselves. They aren’t going to be in tents, but they will be in whatever military accommodations are available on Eastern bases. In some cases that may be dorm-like rooms with communal washrooms etc, other cases it may be quonset huts (not warm). As the process of screening and placement will take a long time I figure they will be on these bases for a couple months, then out into the various communities in the heart of winter.

      I think most Canadians do indeed want to help refugees (women and children, young families etc) but while we want a faster pace than the previous government was doing, we still want it done right not rushed.

  2. Curt says:

    Hi Matt,
    You make a lot of sence. I think that when JT gets back to Canada, and he discerns the situation here he will come to the same conclusion. We are not in an election campaign, and what worked last month might need to be refined. If it isn’t, there could be serious long term ramifications.

  3. Curt says:

    Friggin auto correct. Sence should be sense.

  4. SG says:

    Christians in Syria are more at risk because they are singled out for particularly gruesome treatment. That is why they are more “worthy” of protection at this point in time, why any refugee intake should be from the Christian and Yazidi communities.

    If an extremist Christian group in Syria were to target Muslims in a similar manner, the opposite would be true.

  5. smelter rat says:

    If we can’t resettle a paltry 25,000 people in a country this size and with our resources, what the hell would we do in a real Canadian based emergency? Get it done, and bring in 25,000 more.

    • DougM says:

      Well our bureaucrats (Immigration and Citizenship) are saying it can’t be done as are the UNHCR and NGO groups who will be doing the “settling”. It is the timeline that is the issue, not the end amount. We don’t have the infrastructure for this and are improvising. Sure we can physically get them here in chartered planes and put them in cold and communal military barracks. Then what?

    • nobonus4nonis says:

      we could give them new Brunswick.

  6. RogerX says:

    Donald Trump blasts Obama for letting in Syrian refugees

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBOtfcSpa1M

    Will this attack on Obama gain popularity for the Donald Doofus?

  7. Jean A Paterson says:

    Thanks to WK for quoting Obama here. The late news in Canada only showed him saying the last line or two, but this longer quote is clear as to his message, and it is a good one.
    As for the large number of refugees Canada plans to accept, my understanding is that each province (except Sask) has agreed to take a number in the 2000 to 4000 range. Manitoba has excellent agencies for resettlement, and our churches and synagogues are raising funds for the newcomers too. Dividing the total number among the provinces and territories will help with logistics.
    I agree that the short timeline seems ambitious, but as long as the process is started for the refugees as quickly as safety allows, I think it is a goal worth seeking.

  8. Ian Turnbull says:

    I don’t get it. Turning the security question regarding vetting refugees into a flippant comment about “widows and orphans” may make for a great quote but what is the difference between that and the way people like Ann Couter and Rush Limbaugh behave.

    He is the President of the United States and in many people’s mind the leader of the free world. We have a serious global security issue where innocent people around the world are being killed, raped, enslaved and terrorized. Rise above that bullshit, grow the fuck up and act like a leader. We have enough idiots on both sides of the spectrum who can dish out irrelevant soundbites. If there is ever an issue that should rise above political posturing this is it.

    • Of course. Good for you for making that point on this blog. It’s a disgraceful and presidential statement, helpful to nothing, damaging in all directions, pure personal nastiness, and in a foreign country to boot. I’m still looking to find a more disgraceful statement by any previous POTUS. Anyone who says they “love” a President who embarrasses his office and his country like that doesn’t comprehend leadership or much of anything else.

  9. Ted H says:

    I hope people in America will take note that the complete roster of potential Republican candidates are nihilistic, hypocritical idiots with not one word of common sense between them. They play to the very worst sentiments in people. Obama doesn’t have to run again, he should start calling them what they are loudly and publicly. Maybe start with “F***HEADS”.

  10. Maps Onburt says:

    The whole reason ISIS exists is that Obama declared unilaterally that the US was getting out of Iraq on a time table he made public and they left before the Iraqi army was ready. They’ve been playing catch up ever since. You never fight a war by telling your enemies you intend to cut and run by such and such a date. It’s always about Obama. Bush got them into that war, Bush was unprepared for occupation duties but Obama made things infinitely worse once he told Iraq they were going to be on their own. ISIS stepped into the void. How did his Arab Spring work out? Or his apologies to Muslims for perceived US wrongs? Things haven’t got better since GW Bush. He’s made them significantly worse.

  11. Ian Turnbull says:

    Sorry for the tirade. Its just that whether or not the US accepts 10K Syrian refugees is meaningless (its less than 1percent) and in my opinion its just Obama changing the channel. There was one person and one country who had the capability to prevent the entire mess in the first place and that was the President of the United States. His Syrian policy has been an utter disaster from day 1. The US had the capability to prevent or at a minimum protect the millions of innocent people in Syria. As President he decided and continues to decide not to. In stead he wants to turn the debate into a bunch of red neck’s opinions on accepting a few widows and orphans into the US.

    The impact of the Syrian crises around the globe is comparable to the mess Bush created in Iraq. Is there a difference between causing a mess by doing something versus causing a mess by doing nothing?

  12. dean sherratt says:

    President Obama is a very eloquent man who is entirely excellent in miss-describing his political opponents. That is high political craft and I suppose I should delight in the language regardless of whose ideological side from which it comes.

  13. Matt says:

    Story in the Toronto Sun this morning:

    DND has confirmed they are readying military bases to house the refugees.

    Several problems:

    1) The housing on some of the bases is not adequate for cold weather living and “needs to be winterized” No indication how long that will take.

    2) They need to find other accomomodations for military personal currently using some of those bases for training.

    3) Some military members may be taken off the bases and put up in hotels while their barracks are used to house refugees.

    But the biggest problem – The government hasn’t given them any information. How many refugees will each base receive? When will they start arriving? “At this point, there are absolutely no details” is the quote from the story.

  14. Matt says:

    First poll released on Trudeau’s plans to end bombing mission/accept 25,000 refugees by December 31st.

    http://www.mainstreetresearch.ca/canadians-prefve-of-training/

    Plan to bring 25,000 refugees here by December 31st
    Approve 42%
    Disapprove 53%

    Continuing Canadian airstrikes against ISIL
    Approve 60%
    Disapprove 30%

    Continuing the training mission
    Approve 70%
    Disapprove 30%

    But, when asked to choose a preference between the bombing and the training mission
    Bombing 38%
    Training 28%
    Unsure/something else 34%

    • nobonus4nonis says:

      please give me one sane reason why you and the al guy have to post three consecutive posts about bullshit you read in the conservative press like the sun or the post. you guys have really jumped the shark.

      here’s why i keep tweaking your rage

      I’ve learned you can conquer them. By attacking them individually. By hitting them where they live. Criticizing their little lives, getting personal. They don’t like the light shined upon them. If you make it about them, as opposed to the content, they freak. – See more at: http://warrenkinsella.com/2015/11/another-reason-i-love-barack-obama/#comments

      • Matt says:

        And you wonder why people are always attacking you. I pity you. Going through life so angry, only able to counter opinions that differ from yours with pathetic, immature personal insults.

        Must drive you nuts you can’t shut me down. Only one person here can, and that’s Mr. Kinsella, so suck it up buttercup.

        PS – This polling company, Mainstreet Research is owned and operated by Liberals and this company, in a poll paid for by that Conservative newspaper, was the first to predict a Liberal majority government.

        But since you don’t agree with their results you attack them.

      • Maps Onburt says:

        You need to get out of your Mom’s basement. Posting 2500 word diatribes isn’t a productive use of any of our time. Just because Taylor Swift said something doesn’t make you seem smarter for quoting it. You won’t shut down those of us whose opinion you don’t agree with. We will just ignore you. No need to respond, I’m not reading it.

        • nobonus4nonis says:

          thank you so much. you have no idea how much material you are giving the three of us.
          happy festervus.

          • Matt says:

            Since you keep claiming conservative posters on this site are dealing only with news outlets that confirm our bais, despite the fact it is you who calls everything that doesn’t conform to your bias “bullshit” like the above poll simply because it appeared in the National Post, try this:

            http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/grenier-pollcast-kurl-1.3326253

            “When it comes to what to do about the mission,” says Kurl, “two-thirds are actually opting for choices or answers that are not in line with the Trudeau government’s plan to continue training but end the bombing missions.” 

            The polls suggest that a majority oppose the government’s plan to resettle 25,000 refugees by Jan. 1 by a margin of 54 to 42 per cent, while 62 per cent of Canadians think that Canada should continue its current bombing mission of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, or even increase its scope.”

            Or are you going to claim the CBC has a pro Conservative bias?

    • Tim Sullivan says:

      First poll was Oct. 19. Only poll that counts, really.

  15. Al in Cranbrook says:

    Absolutely the worst president in living memory, bar none…even Carter.

    http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/michael-goodwin-mr-president-lead-us-or-quit

    Frankly, the vacuum of leadership among western nations right now is the most frightening aspect of this entire fiasco.

    …and Canadians just dumped the best of the lot of ’em.

    • Al in Cranbrook says:

      http://news.nationalpost.com/news/as-france-continues-airstrikes-on-raqqa-isil-reportedly-moves-fighters-outside-of-self-declared-capital

      And why has the coalition not made more progress over the last year? Because of asinine crap like this thanks to rules of engagement imposed by Obama, to quote from the article…

      Quote: “On Monday, US jets attacked hundreds of oil smuggling trucks in Deir Ezzor that ISIL had been using to smuggle the crude oil it has been producing.

      Estimates by local traders and engineers put crude production in ISIL-held territory at about 34,000-40,000 barrels-per-day, bringing in a profit believed to be around pounds 1million a day.

      Although the US-led coalition has often bombed oil production sites, it had previously refrained from striking tankers due to internal disputes over whether their drivers should be classed as civilians.”

      And how many thousands have been butchered by well financed terrorist thugs because of this???

      Idiots!!!

      • Al in Cranbrook says:

        Over the last several days I have listened to former commanders of the US military just about come unglued on national television with this president and the rules of engagement he has imposed on the coalition. Livid hardly describes their demeanor.

        Now I understand why…and it’s far worse than I’d previously imagined possible.

        This guy’s stunning incompetency and bullheaded adherence to narrow ideology is going to lead into a third world war before he is done with.

        • Ted H says:

          Sorry Al, it was the actual worst president in history, Dubya, who invaded Iraq for no good reason, no WMD, absolutely no connection to 9/11, which blew apart the state and infrastructure and took no account of local rivalries eg Shia and Sunni. With no plan for the day after the US created the power vacuum which led to the rise of ISIS eventually. The US armed the guys in Afghanistan who eventually became Al Quaeda and disbanded the Iraqi army providing a whole bunch of unemployed angry skilled army veterans who morphed into parts of ISIS. The US armed some Syrian rebel groups who eventually morphed into ISIS. So many of the problems have been caused by the US running around the world with a hard on. I think Obama is learning these lessons. Like Johnny Depp says, the US has acted like a big stupid powerful puppy with very sharp teeth.

          • Al in Cranbrook says:

            Well, not quite that simple, Ted. It’s popular to hang all this on G. Bush, no doubt. But he didn’t create Saddam Hussein. Which is to say, the roots of this go all the way back to British, French, and Italian imperialism.

            It got ever more complicated during the Cold War, when the Soviet Union looked to inflict its own brand of control over the region. Then for America and it’s CW allies it became about containment, generally through arming one country so it could protect itself against another that was being armed to the teeth.

            Then stir into this unholy brew all the (religious) wars between factions in the region, which spawns the likes of opportunists such as Hussein, Qaddafi, and others history has already forgotten about…not to mention the ruling council of Mullahs in Iran.

            Which is to say that it’s been an ongoing problem that get passed on from one president to the next, each of whom has to deal with it…and America had virtually nothing to do with what started it, but inherits the mess nonetheless because of its leadership role post WW2 amongst western democracies, faced with the real threat of burgeoning communism from the Soviet Bloc and Mao’s China.

            Underscoring all this is a lesson hard learned by America regarding isolationism, (see: Pearl Harbor) which boils down to in essence: It doesn’t work. 9/11 drove home the point yet again.

            It’s worth noting that the principle reason both Germany and Japan are great nations today is because the allied powers imposed rule over them, and helped them rebuild, both their civilizations and their governmental frameworks. Indeed, Japan’s constitution was written by America. We didn’t just walk away and let them rot. There’s a lesson in this, too.

            The bottom line today is that all of that, at least on one level…and the one that counts…is beside the point. The point being that it’s in our face, and it isn’t going to go away just because we will it to, or by merely ignoring it. In the same respect that Hitler, Tojo, Mussolini, or Stalin weren’t going to go away…regardless of how or why any of them came into being in the first place.

            Short version is: We have to deal with it. In doing so, we should draw upon all the hard lessons we’ve learned to date.

            Or this world of ours is going to go to hell in a basket, end of story, full stop.

          • Joe says:

            When the Yanks voted for Bush I thought they were close to being the stupidest people on earth. Then they voted in Obama and that confirmed it. Then we Canadians voted for a part time substitute drama teacher…..

    • Ian Turnbull says:

      France and the rest of Europe are now looking to Putin and Russia to solve the problem versus the United States. Never thought I would see that in my lifetime. Says alot about our great leader down south.

    • Terence Quinn says:

      We dumped the worst PM in living memory. I never liked tin pot dictators and still don’t.

  16. Kelly says:

    The problem Conservatives and conservatives have on this file is that nobody believes them they say they want refugees but at a slower pace. They spent the whole campaign engaged in vulgar race baiting — including by some existing MPs who want to lead the party but now pretend they didn’t agree with Harper’s approach.

    So forgive us us when we see conservatives saying, ” Nobody is saying don’t bring in refugees, just do it more slowly…” And it reminds us of conservatives preceding a racist joke with, “I have lots of black friends, but…” Yeah, sure you do.

    • DougM says:

      Thing is Kelly, it is a broad cross-section of Canadians who are saying bring them in slower. According to MainStreet 53% disapprove of the timeline. http://www.mainstreetresearch.ca/canadians-prefve-of-training/

      • Kelly says:

        That may be, but it doesn’t get rid of the perception. Canadians have been fed a lot of misinformation on this file by the Postmedia papers and the Corus radio network talk show hosts.

        Fact is, most of the refugees are already screened for security by UNHCR and we can easily handle 25,000 refugees. They may not all arrive by years end, but so what. We start. Sweden has been taking 10,000 refugees per WEEK for a year and they only have a third of our population.

        I think resistance to refugees is born out of ignorance, mostly. My guess is a lot of people pretending to want to help refugees, just more slowly, are really saying slow things down so much we don’t take any.

        Just my opinion based on evesdropping at the water cooler.

        • Matt says:

          UNHCR spokesperson confirmed yesterday they only do initial screening.

          It is up to the resettlement nation to conduct the in-depth security screening.

        • DougM says:

          Well there certainly are those who don’t want any and may be saying slow down for appearances sake. I’m not one of them. But the UNHCR is saying slow down as are the Canadian charity groups that do the resettling as did Citizenship and Immigration (over a week ago now if I recall). And none of those I just mentioned are saying slow down for security reasons, they are saying slow down for logistical reasons.

          As for the papers and radio, all media outlets have bias. But I think you will find that most conservatives (at least the type you find here) read multiple sources of news and get a very broad perspective. Speaking for myself, I read far more left-bias media than I do right.

  17. Joseph says:

    http://ethicsalarms.com/2015/11/19/when-a-presidents-words-are-so-unethical-there-is-an-obligation-to-condemn-them-and-him/ I generally like this guys take on things political.Plenty of food for thought that’s for sure. I think Obama should have waited.

  18. billg says:

    Syria’s population before the civil war was approx. 24 million.
    Approx. estimates now are half that, 12 million, making it close to 12million displaced people.
    And the political fight in the US and Canada is how to take in 195,000 refugee’s over the next 3 years.
    For every 10,000 refugee’s Canada and the US will graciously take in 90.
    Better then none I guess, but, man, how we contort then pat ourselves on the back for this is insane.
    Wouldn’t want the job of deciding who is worthy and who isn’t.

  19. Stephanie Powers says:

    But Obama’s being disingenuous here – multiple assessments of Syrian refugees are that more than 60% are male, between ages of 14-40. That’s not exactly “widows and orphans”. Or is he saying that the US is only going to be letting in women and children… in which case, sure let’s do it. I’d be all for that if our Prime Minister said he’s was going to only let in 25,000 women and children. Even better, no need to screen at all if he said he’ll let in 25,000 Syrian CHRISTIAN women and children, that’d practically guarantee no security threats. But nope, that wouldn’t be politically correct.

  20. Matt says:

    http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-city-military-valcartier-syrian-refugees-1.3326088

    Radio-Canada obtained a Department of National Defence email that confirms rooms in certain housing units on the Valcartier base must be vacated as soon as possible – although it doesn’t explicitly state that they will be needed for refugees.

    However, an official source has confirmed to Radio-Canada that the first arrivals are expected by Dec.1.

    The call for tenders for the winterization of the cadet housing invited contractors who want to bid on the $1.5-million project to visit the site this morning.  The deadline for bids is Nov. 24, and the work must be finished by Dec. 30, 2015.

    The project includes installing heating and ventilation, insulating floors and ceilings, and building new exterior walls.

    • Matt says:

      The Liberals are dreaming.

      Depending on the size of the building, most HVAC equipment above a household level has a six to eight week lead time before it arrives on site, never mind getting it all installed and insulating the building. And they expect it to be finished in 6 weeks while the site is fully populated with refugees?

      • RogerX says:

        Just a loose thought…. why not leave the Syrians in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, where they are currently located…. and send construction camp buildings and aid to them there thus allowing them to return to their Syrian homeland when the civil conflict is stopped? France, Russia, USA, Britain and now unified and resolved to stop the Syrian civil war so only temporary shelter is needed for the 25,000. Why must they come to Canada when we have difficulty housing our homeless and even aboriginals?

        If we bring them to Canada and the Syrian war ceased many will want to return to their homeland and families in Syria and Iraq too. Surely it makes more sense to help them where they are instead of uprooting them and bringing them half way around the world to Canada. Only those with relatives in Canada should be considered for immigration, because most of the 25,000 will be living on social welfare for many years. Anybody ever think of that?

  21. RogerX says:

    Speaking of ‘love’ it seems our PMJT scores with girls worldwide!

    Looks like our PM Justin has ‘biebered’ the Trudeaumaniacal girls in Manila at the APEC conference.

    Google ‘Justin’ and what comes up? Justin Bieber, Justin Trudeau, Justin Timberlake ….!!!!
    Google ‘Donald’ and what comes up? Donald Trump, Donaldson – Josh Donaldson of the Blue Jays …!!!

    Canada scores big on Google search !!!!

    • Maps Onburt says:

      Google knows you are Canadian (and you likely followed articles on the Blue Jays and Justin Trudeau). Clear your cookies and come in from a US IP address and you’d get much different results (although I can’t think of any other Famous Justin’s off hand) n

  22. JH says:

    I thought we were supposed to have a review, consultations and wide discussions across the country before we signed TPP? I see Obama announced today that Trudeau will sign it. What’s up with that?
    And I realize that for some on here, I’m not supposed to ask those kinds of questions.

  23. Matt says:

    Well, so much for Trudeau’s promise to not waste tax payer money on government advertising.

    http://www.nationalpost.com/m/wp/news/blog.html?b=news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/500k-federal-ad-campaign-to-tout-refugee-plan-as-a-national-project-document-reveals&pubdate=2015-11-19

    OTTAWA — The Liberal government, elected on platform that pledged to ban partisan advertising, is set to launch a $500,000 digital ad campaign to boost public support for its plan to bring in 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of the year, according to a strategic plan document obtained by the National Post.

    The “Operation Syrian Refugees” plan says the campaign will “demonstrate Canada’s compassionate values and re-affirm our global leading role in refugee resettlement.”

    ‘‘This appears to be an early stage working document,’’ a senior official source said Thursday.

  24. JohnB says:

    Warren,

    Why you really love Barack Obama:

    1. You like Obama’s socially liberal policy achievements
    2. You like Obama’s speaking ability
    3. You like Obama’s speech writer
    4. You like that he seems to be a nice guy

    I like Obama too for many of the same qualities, but I also think he has missed the mark sometimes.

    So I will say that I like him, mostly. But he could do better.

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