One of these things does not belong ...

Harper, Obama talk plans for perimeter security

Manley, CEOs, propose details on perimeter security

CATSA airport security screening measures tightened

Government of Canada enhances aviation security

CATSA lays off 15 to 20% of airport security screeners

The Cons have directed every airport in Canada to reduce its security screeners by 15-20%

Vancouver International Airport - 120 screening officers laid off May 16th

Greater Toronto Airports Authority - 400 laid off

Montreal Pierre-Elliott Trudeau airport - 80 laid off

Ottawa International Airport - 11 laid off

Calgary and Edmonton - 15% reduction in screening staff

Hey, I'll bet the screening staff reductions are because they'll be using those new full-body scanners instead ...

Chair of the BC Association of Aerospace Workers :

"newly purchased multi-million dollar full body scanners will be left unmanned and unused ... because there is just not enough staff to operate them."

And you just know that even if we all consented to having Trusted Traveller barcodes tattooed on our foreheads, you still wouldn't be allowed to board if you're packing Astroglide, although apparently handcuffs are still ok.

My people. My enemy.

The latest installment of the Harper party "Father Knows Best" endless onslaught to pull the chain on the rights guaranteed with Canadian citizenship.

The Harper government is bracing for a backlash over a border security agreement it is negotiating with the United States, anticipating it will spark worries about eroding sovereignty and privacy rights, a document obtained by The Globe and Mail shows.

Yes, and here's a little kicker.

“The Canadian public may underestimate the security threat to Canada,” the communication plan says.

On the other hand (that is "economist-speak") the threat to the United States is a dilemma of that country's own making. Not necessarily something any other country would be wise to buy into.

Of course, it would be really handy if the Harper hillbillies in Ottawa would take the time to articulate their assessment, real or imagined, of the "security threat" we are all supposedly underestimating. So far all we've ever seen or heard from the mandarins of the security establishment is paranoid musings of how grassroots defence of personal freedom gets in the way of creating a more powerful security establishment.

Actually, I got ahead of myself. They have clearly identified the threats to their security.

The communication strategy labels [federal privacy commissioner] Ms. [Jennifer] Stoddart as a “high risk” stakeholder who will “raise concerns re: information sharing and protecting private information.” It also anticipates criticism from civil rights groups and others such as Council of Canadians chairwoman Maude Barlow.

Got that? High risk. An officer of parliament.
Salient point:

The Canadian government is refusing to discuss the negotiations ...

You may begin to understand the problem. There is a threat, but they won't tell you what it is, except to tell you that the people appointed to protect the rights and privacy of citizens are a part of that threat. OK. Let's discuss it for them. In keeping with the spirit of the approaching season.
Greg has more.

Harper : $1.1 billion for maternal healthcare

$1.3 billion to deliver it . (h/t Antonia Z)

Liveblogging the demos : Torontoist and The Star

Yo! Opposition parties! This is what an election issue looks like

Globe and Mail online poll G8/G20 May 29, 2010

Security for the billion-dollar boondoggle is being managed by ex-CSIS director Ward Elcock, who also just spent another billion on the Vancouver Olympics security.

Asked why the London G20 expenses clocked in at $30-million last year by comparison, Alcock answered, "Bookkeeping."

I wonder if we could possibly get some of that.