Opposition All the Time Without Rhyme/Reason

The Liberal Party of Canada, along with the NDP appear to be stuck in a real rut; lacking imagination they continue to insist that the Conservative-led government is guilty of human-rights offences of the first order. That the government and its agencies deliberately placed the lives of apprehended Afghans in jeopardy by handing them over, in a theatre of war, to their own government. In fact, that Canada took ameliorative steps once authorities became aware of some incidences of abuse is handily overlooked.

This non-issue aside, both opposition parties, while preferring to insist they have the goods on the government and continue to try to put their feet to the fire, are more or less dropping the ball on other issues, more relevant to the country and certainly deserving of greater notice. But that's all right, since the government itself, through the Speech From The Throne and the following budget, has looked after all of that. Negligible little items like unemployment, the economy, that kind of stuff.

Not as interesting, though, as claiming the federal government had a sinister hand in ensuring that one of their ministers' close relatives escaped justice. That the prosecution of Rahim Jaffer was a provincial affair, and that he obtained preferential treatment because he could afford a clever lawyer also appears to have escaped their notice. Pity they couldn't content themselves with relishing the fact that the incident, without their absurd claims, represents a clear embarrassment to the Conservatives.

As for the ongoing brouhaha over the alleged insufficiency of French at the Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, give us a break, please do. The Parti Quebecois is deliriously happy to embrace any and all opportunities to express their grievous dissatisfaction with the federal government's ongoing assault on the dignity of Quebec and its rightful heritage. "Canadian federalism has nothing to offer Quebec", as claimed by Gilles Duceppe, resonates meaningfully with the rest of Canada.

It was interesting to note, irrespective of the hysteria emanating from the opposition, that Canada has now gained another 50,000 full-time permanent jobs according to the latest Statistics Canada report, allowing unemployment figures to drop slightly. And it is enlightening and indeed hopeful to read that Canada's presidents of our major universities have applauded in appreciative unison the government's commitment to higher education and advanced research.

"We therefore warmly welcome budget 2010's promise of a national review of public R&D spending and are keen to contribute to it." "For that vote of confidence in higher education and advanced research, we are indeed grateful to the government and to Canada's taxpayers."

So. There.