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Monday September 3, 2007

- 8 Newly appointed Canadian Defence Minister, Peter MacKay, believes that the Government needs to better explain the mission in Afghanistan. During the two minutes a day where the troops are not avoiding being killed, MacKay explains that they have made immense progress. For instance, since the hunt for bin Laden ended, Canadian and NATO troops have been able to focus their efforts on liberating Afghani women. They have been so liberated in fact, that “they can even sit in the government,” MacKay says. Unfortunately for MacKay, the women our troops have allegedly liberated are so outspoken that they are challenging his rhetoric and describing a country that has very little in common with the one our government is describing.

Malalai Joya is a female, Afghani MP and director of OPAWC, a women’s support NGO. Unless things have changed drastically in the last 3 months, read/listen to this interview Malalai did with Democracy Now! in June where she describes the social and political climate of Afghanistan. It’s slightly more informed than the discharge you’ll receive from Peter Mackay.

+8 On another note, the government has decided to withdraw Canada’s military presence in the Kandahar province of Afghanistan by February ’09.

- 2 Another Chinese-made product is recalled. Pencil crayons with dangerous levels of lead are being torn from the hands of children excited to go back to school and show off their “Unicorn Magic”, “Shimmering Butterfly”, or “Keep on Truckin” pencil set.

+10 The BC Non-Profit Housing Association and BC government will be giving out starter kits for new low-income residence. The kits worth $570 include such items as toiletries, bedding, cutlery, a tool kit, and first aid. Now if living conditions of the buildings can be improved residence will have both feet out of the squalor.

0 North Korea’s nuclear program dies and is resurrected as an Iranian.

Today: +8 This Year: +19