ELECTED ON LIE$

The current Liberal governement was elected on a lie.

The $495 Million deficit they announced at election time was easily in the Billions.

They knew it and perhaps some of you knew it. Now we all now it.

But, as Gary Mason points out in his column today, nobody really cares.

"In the spring of this year, the Liberals campaigned on budget numbers that were complete fiction. And now we know that even they knew it.

Does any of this matter? Does anyone care, other than reporters and political junkies? I'm not sure. But I believe we all should care because it speaks to the integrity and honesty of our politicians. And the day we stop caring about whether they are being truthful and forthright with us is the day we take a huge step back as a society."

Corruption is in Column A

The biggest businesses in the world are Armaments, Oil, Illegal Drugs and Pharmaceuticals.

With that much cash flowing, there's bound to be skulduggery at every level.

Big Pharma, one of my favorite whipping posts, has been caught again. Good.

Pfizer Inc., the world's largest drug maker, will pay a record $2.3-billion (U.S.) civil and criminal penalty over unlawful prescription drug promotions, the U.S. Justice Department announced Wednesday. This is the largest criminal fine in American history.

No sweat.

This is the fourth such settlement with Pfizer in 10 years. Clearly the company simply views these inconveniences as a part of doing business.

The fines come from, among other detestable activities, providing doctors with free golf, massages and resort junkets. This is what we call bribes.

Know in the comfort of your barcolounger that your doctor has been giving you medicines based on how much he has enjoyed his recent escape to St. Lucia.

Play this story against the background of President Obama struggling to provide 50 million of his fellow citizens with health insurance that they don't have and that they will never have if the Republican scare-mongers and Fox News gets its way.

RACISM SPELLED OUT - Again

I have written several times in recent days about the racism apparent in the sleepy response by Canadian governments and police forces to the disappearance of over 500 aboriginal women nation-wide.

I have suggested several times that if 500 white women were similarly "disappeared," the country would be on permanent uproar mode.

Andre Picard, writing in this morning's Globe asks exactly the same questions I have asked, only better.

"Let's be blunt. The main reason an in-depth investigation is required is that the situation reeks of racism, stereotyping and discrimination. There seems to be a deadly double standard at play."

"The life expectancy of an aboriginal is a decade less than a non-aboriginal in Canada. The rate of infant mortality is three times higher. The suicide rate is six times higher. Aboriginal people have a rate of diabetes and heart disease three times the national average, and dramatically higher rates of infectious diseases like tuberculosis, HIV-AIDS and H1N1 influenza."

And very much more.

Please read the entire column.

It is a sad and honest revelation of the continuing inequities in our country.

The Arts Review

1. The BC government has reversed its dreadful decision to withhold monies already promised to arts groups. It will now fund the over 500 large and small organizations it already said it would. That's real nice of them to stick to their promises.

2. The Toronto International Film Festival runs something called a City to City program. This year they chose to focus - How dare they? Who do they think they are? - on Tel Aviv.

That would be your Tel Aviv by the sea in that "apartheid regime" known and hated around the world as Israel.

Among the many vocal protesters to this monstrosity are Naomi Klein, Jane Fonda, and Danny Glover.

These deep thinkers allege, in spite of all evidence to the contrary, that this is part of a Bran Israel propaganda machinery.

The ugly truth is that the protests are part of a Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.