Sunday Afternoon Links

An assortment of content to close out your weekend...

- In case the example of climate change left any doubt that the Cons will never admit that they're choosing not to act on an issue even when it's glaringly obvious, their latest stalling tactics on gun labelling should serve as conclusive proof.

- Angelo Persichilli is thoroughly frustrated with the federal money and effort that's gone into not procuring helicopters over the last 25 years. But the most important cautionary tale looks to involve the cost of a rash decision as to requirements combined with the usual realities of cost escalation and delivery delays:

The procurement process for 28 Cyclone CH-148 helicopters started in 2004 and the helicopters were supposed to be delivered in 2005 for the initial price of $1.8 billion. Delivery was delayed to 2008 and now, again, to 2012. The price has gone from $1.8 billion to $5.7 billion!

The defence department also started the process to buy 15 Chinooks for $1.2 billion plus another $2.2 for maintenance, for a total of $3.4 billion. We are now already up to $4.9 billion and “the first fully capable helicopter is scheduled for delivery in 2013, five years later than planned,” writes Fraser.
...
Writes Fraser: “After lengthy delays and significant cost increases, National Defence still has not completely estimated what it will cost to operate these helicopters” and “National Defence underestimated and understated the complexity and developmental nature of the helicopters that it intended to buy.”

In each case, writes Fraser, “significant modifications were made to the basic models. For the maritime helicopter, this will result in an aircraft that never existed before.” Basically, they bought something that didn’t exist!

Is it possible that after 25 years, the defence department still doesn’t know what kind of helicopter it needs?

- Now, you can generate your own U.S. political action committee - or at least name it. And all without the millions of dollars that go into propping up the real thing!

- I won't say that Bernie Sanders' message on the priorities of the U.S. Senate is exactly on point, since it seems to get bogged down in numbers somewhat before getting to the more important realities as to whose interests are being served. But it's still well worth a view:



- And closer to home, LRT's first-ever podcast interview featuring Palliser NDP candidate Noah Evanchuk is well worth a watch as well.

Sunday Afternoon Links

The links just keep on coming...

- My suspicion is that Skinny Dipper is absolutely right in his take on the Cons' parallel committee system:

I also wonder if this is a way to lessen any influence of parliamentary committees by having Conservative only consultative bodies which will probably be a one-way monologue from the Prime Minster to the cabinet ministers and then to the Conservative MPs and senators.

In effect the goal isn't to get input from outside Stephen Harper's bubble, but to give the false impression of fresh air by recirculating the same old stale spin. And while anybody paying attention should know better than to be fooled, Angelo Persichilli's column today is proof positive that there's plenty of ink being given to people who don't.

- Silver Donald Cameron wonders when we should reach the point of directly comparing the Harper Cons' "blend of political acuity, deceptiveness and cunning" to the start of fascist regimes in other democracies. But I'd think that there's another term missing from the description which actually provides the answer: "ruthlessness", which both goes to the heart of the Cons' attitude toward anybody who doesn't fit their ends and the level of determination required to stop them without matching their deception.

- Mike De Souza reports on the glaring need for Canada-wide investment in water and sewer systems. But unfortunately, while municipalities are pointing out their need for long-term funding that fits the bill of a "marathon" compared to the "sprint" pace of stimulus spending, the Cons are looking for ways to kick their feet up and declare that the federal government has decided not to run anymore.

- Finally, Deborah Behm's letter to the editor on the minimum wage deserves plenty of credit for its neat dissection of corporate complaints about wages in workplaces where tips form part of workers' income:

I read with interest Laurie Leigh's Aug. 7 letter in which Leigh details some of the hardships for small business owners which would be incurred if the Saskatchewan minimum wage is raised.

She notes that four of her nine staff "will regularly make between $20 to $50 per hour" as servers. These are impressively high hourly wages, especially in a small centre such as Maple Creek. Since gratuities are typically based on a percentage of the customer's bills, this indicates to me that Leigh's business is doing well, and that Leigh should be able to absorb any costs occurring from scheduled rises in the minimum wage.

(H/t to Kent Peterson.)

In solidarity

Angelo Persichilli's fact-free rant about unions positively cried out for a thorough debunking. And Dr. Dawg has delivered so the rest of us don't have to.

A needed introduction

Angelo Persichilli, meet Google News. I trust you'll take the time to get acquainted before writing another column which cites your own ignorance as evidence of your point.