Magic Statistics

Russian President Vladimir Putin intimidated and manipulated leaders of seven of the world’s largest and most economically advanced democracies into silence about his country’s increasingly repressive and authoritarian political climate.  But Tony Blair’s wife Cherie put one over on Mr Putin.

Cherie Blair goaded the Kremlin yesterday when she volunteered legal assistance to Russian campaigners seeking to challenge a law that imposes strict controls on activists.

The Prime Minister's wife was hailed as a heroine by Russia's browbeaten human rights community when she slipped away from the G8 summit in St Petersburg to meet some of the Kremlin's fiercest critics.

She was the only leader's spouse to break away from the official summit, leaving her colleagues as they toured a handicraft exhibition.

Mrs Blair, a lawyer specializing in human rights, offered her assistance in challenging a Russian law empowering officials to shut down groups critical of the government.

“She asked whether we intended to challenge the law at the European Court of Human Rights,” Yuri Vdovin, the host of the meeting and deputy head of an NGO called Citizens’ Watch, said.

“She mentioned that the chambers where she works could help us if we don’t have the resources,” he said. “I think it’s going to be free . . . she knows she earns more than we do.”

The meeting between Mrs Blair and 19 Russian rights activists was held with the full knowledge and approval of Mr Blair.  Mr Putin was reportedly infuriated, especially since British ambassador Anthony Brenton last week defied Kremlin directives by speaking to an opposition forum in Moscow.

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• Democracy not on the agenda at meeting of world’s largest democracies
• We’re democratic—just leave us alone, and no criticism allowed
• Europe beholden to Russian energy supplies

Bishop Peter Nemapare, president of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC), was voted out of office on 5 July after being accused of colluding with Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party.  The decision was taken at ZCC’s bi-annual assembly attended by 55 bishops and other denominational representatives.

The delegates were particularly annoyed that Bishop Nemapare and ZCC secretary general Denson Mafinyane were captured on television making statements declaring their support for the ruling Zanu-PF party.

They were also seen laughing at derogatory comments made by Mugabe about the Catholic Archbishop of Bulawayo, Pius Ncube, who has criticised Church collaboration with the governing regime.

The ZCC action is seen as a serious defeat to Mugabe’s efforts to control Zimbabwe’s churches.

Nempare is the bishop of the African Methodist Church in Bulawayo.

Previous related posts:

• Primate shielding Mugabe’s bishop getting jammed up
• Mugabe prays out of both sides of his mouth
• Mugabe’s day of prayer like asking Satan to preach at Easter

British teachers are worried that some primary school children are getting out of line with flirtatious and other sexually improper behaviour.  So, what to do?  Sit down with parents to discuss the problem and possible solutions?  Apparently not.

Birmingham council's inappropriate sexual behaviour unit has set up eight teams of experts that are being dispatched to schools across the city.

Stephane Breton, a social worker at the unit, said an increasing number of primary and secondary schools believed that they had a problem. He said: "Sometimes you have a whole school where all the kids are very flirty.

"They are seven and eight and they are flirtatious. We go with them and address the issue to make sure they know what they are talking about.

"We have been to at least eight schools. That is on request from the schools. At the end of the session there is an evaluation."

A Birmingham ”sexual health charity” (whatever that is) has also thrown in its two cents’ worth.  Says chief executive Penny Barber,

"Both young men and women are subject to enormous pressure to be sexually attractive early on.

"They are bombarded with images when they're young. What they don't have is a counterbalance to that which is access to information and confidential advice.

Seven- and eight-year-old children don’t have ”access to information and confidential advice”?  Where are their parents?  Why are these kids allowed apparently unfettered access to adult media in the first place?  Mom and Dad need to wake up and do their jobs.

Previous related posts:

• British parents wants schools to take over child-rearing tasks
• Killing children with kindness

Chuck Kremer and his family operate one of the best restaurants and campgrounds in Yukon—Mukluk Annie’s, by the shores of Teslin Lake, a few miles west of Teslin on the Alaska Highway.  Chuck and Annie Kremer and their children have run the place for decades.  Over the front door is a banner saying "Jesus is Lord".

Mukluk Annie’s is known throughout Yukon and beyond for its unsurpassed salmon bake dinners.  They also serve ribs and steak for supper.  Breakfast is superb, too.  When my family and I drive south, as we usually do for our summer vacation, we always stop there for a great all-you-can-eat breakfast.  The drive from Whitehorse takes about two hours and by then we’re good and hungry.

The Yukon News has just interviewed him and published his story.

When Chuck and Annie first came to Yukon 39 years ago on their honeymoon, he was running a strip joint back home in Minnesota.

They fell in love with the territory, but couldn’t stay.

“Back then I was running a night club in St. Paul, (Minnesota) — it had live, nude dancing,” said Kremer.

“I was making money hand over fist, but I was going straight to hell.”

Then Kremer was saved.

“I went to visit my brother, who was a dope addict, and he was all cleaned up,” said Kremer.

“I asked him what happened, and he said he turned his life over to Jesus Christ, and was praying for me.”

Within two months, Kremer turned his life around, applied to be a Canadian citizen, and moved north.

He and Annie had seven children before they started a doughnut shop, which has since grown into today’s restaurant and campground. 

Annie’s paintings and souvenirs still fill the walls of the restaurant and shop, the salmon’s hand-cut, the buns are soft and fresh and “Jesus is Lord” still hangs above the entrance.

“I’m a Jesus fanatic,” said Kremer.

“I put Jesus is Lord on all our menus, I didn’t do it to attract Christians, but I do attract them.”

Kremer walks to the front of the houseboat.

“I always have a lifeguard onboard,” he said with a smile, pointing toward a Jesus placard above the sliding glass door.

He and Annie have been hard at work for many years and he wonders if it’s time to retire.  But they plan to stay in Teslin for the rest of their earthly lives.

Visitors to Yukon should plan to drop by this wonderfully unique spot.  Be aware, however, that it’s only open for the tourist season—late May until late August.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper firmly backs Israel in its conflict with Hamas and Hezbollah.  Reuters runs a story suggesting that position will cost his party votes in the next federal election.

Harper is widely expected to call an election in the first half of next year but to win a majority he will need to start winning seats in major cities like Toronto and Montreal, both of which have large ethnic Arab populations.

"A lot of Lebanese voted Conservative (in the last election) because they were tired of the Liberals," said Mazen Chouaib, executive director of the National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

"Those who would have been swayed to vote Conservative will not do so (next) time," he told Reuters.

Maybe, maybe not.  CBC commentator Larry Zolf thinks Stephen Harper could win big among Jewish voters, most of whom have hitherto been very reluctant to vote Conservative.

Harper understands that the Tories have received little of the Jewish vote, perhaps because they are a bit too socially conservative and right of centre for the traditionally small 'l' liberal Jewish vote.

Normally one would have to say Canadian Jewry would be a tough group for Harper's Tories to win over.

But that is exactly what Harper has done. Harper's stand on Israel could get Harper his majority government, even if he does not break through in Quebec.

Mr Zolf makes the important observation that Mr Harper’s stance in the current war is not determined by partisan political considerations: Harper’s support for Israel is personal and sincere.

Harper is not just playing politics in the Mideast. Harper does believe that Hamas and Hezbollah are terrorist groups in cahoots with Iran. Harper has condemned Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran for not abandoning terror and for refusing to recognize Israel.

Harper is a genuine fan of Israel and Canadian Jewry. Harper's love of Israel makes him even more of a supporter of Israel than Brian Mulroney.

Good for Stephen Harper.

Link to Reuters via Covenant Zone.

On his recent visit to Nunavut, Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor confirmed the Conservative government's election promise to build a deep-sea port in Canada's North.  Such an undertaking will bring tremendous economic benefits to the chosen location.  So, not unexpectedly, the competition has begun.

N.W.T. Premier Joe Handley wants Ottawa to build its new deep sea port at the northern coastal community of Tuktoyaktuk instead of somewhere in Nunavut.

During the election campaign, the Conservative government promised to build a port in Nunavut to increase the military's presence in the North. It is considering seven possible locations, including Iqaluit.

As the story says, Tuktoyaktuk is in Northwest Territories, not Nunavut.  In Tuk's favour is the fact that the community of 1,000 is actually located on the Northwest Passage, the focus of immediate concern with regard to Canada's claims to sovereignty over northern waters.  Other possible sites, including Iqaluit, are not.

As retired Col. Pierre Leblanc, former commander of the Canadian Forces in the North, points out, however, Tuktoyaktuk has a decisive disadvantage.

"One of the concerns with Tuk is that it's built on permafrost and it's melting away," said Leblanc.  "They would have to do appropriate studies to find a place that is secure enough to build that port so that it doesn't disappear in five years."

Col Leblanc recommends Resolute Bay, located on Cornwallis Island almost 1,600 kilometres north of Iqaluit.  That’s the same place where Mr O’Connor said he wants to build a northern military training centre.

It is hoped that a decision will be announced by the end of this year.

Previous related posts:

• Defence Minister prefers not to wait for a threat
• If we wait for an “immediate” threat, it’ll be too late