text:
Debates of May 12th, 2000
House of Commons Hansard #96 of the 36th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was natural.
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National Defence Act
Government Orders
10:05 a.m.
Elinor Caplan for the Solicitor General of Canada
moved that Bill S-10, an act to amend the National Defence Act, the DNA Identification Act and the criminal code, be read the second time and referred to a committee.
National Defence Act
Government Orders
10:05 a.m.
John Maloney Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to address the House today on second reading of Bill S-10, an act to amend the National Defence Act, the DNA Identification Act and the criminal code.
The bill follows up on an earlier piece of legislation, the DNA Identification Act, which received royal assent in December 1998. That act provides for the creation of a national DNA databank which will contain DNA profiles of convicted offenders and unsolved crime scenes.
As members of the House will recall, parliament endorsed a post-conviction scheme for the databank because it will ensure that all charter requirements are met. Bill S-10 does not change this important feature or the other key elements of the DNA Identification Act. It does fine-tune the legislation to create a more comprehensive and effective national DNA databank.
Bill S-10 also proposes some practical changes to ensure the smooth and effective implementation of the databank. The data bank is scheduled to be up and running by the end of June this year.
We therefore urge hon. members of the House to give Bill S-10 prompt consideration so that we can move quickly to introducing this powerful investigative tool to improve public safety for all Canadians.
I want to share with members how Bill S-10 was developed, how it will work, its benefits and how the bill was improved as a result of its passage through the Senate.
The bill addresses a number of proposals that were recommended by the Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs when it reviewed the original databank legislation. At that time the Senate committee proposed ways to better protect privacy interests and promote the databank's operations in an open and accountable manner.
Bill S-10 amends the National Defence Act, the DNA Identification Act to include the national DNA bank profiles from offenders who are subject to the military's code of service discipline and who are convicted of serious and violent offences. This amendment will ensure that we have a more complete databank that is not limited to civilian offenders.
For the purposes of the National Defence Act, a designated offence includes all the current criminal code designated offences as well as those service offences that are similar in nature to the criminal code offences.
Military judges will be authorized to impose databank orders on persons subject to the code of service discipline after they are convicted of a designated offence. The DNA profiles obtained from these offenders will then be entered into the databank's convicted offenders index.
The National Defence Act is also being amended to authorize military judges to issue DNA warrants for military police investigations of designated offences committed within or outside Canada by someone who is subject to the code of service discipline. This will assist military police in conducting more efficient and effective police investigations.
I want to emphasize that the proposed amendments to the National Defence Act mirror the current provisions in the criminal code. They include the same constitutional and privacy safeguards.
To enable parliament to monitor the ongoing operation of the databank, Bill S-10 includes new accountability measures. The RCMP commissioner will have to submit an annual report on the operations of the national DNA databank to the solicitor general. The solicitor general will then report to both Houses of parliament. Through this report, parliament will regularly receive valuable information about the databank's operations and will be able to assess whether it is meeting its intended objectives.
The parliamentary review provision in the DNA Identification Act has also been amended to give a Senate committee the same authority as a House of Commons committee to independently review the act.
The statement of principles in the DNA Identification Act is also being expanded to clarify that bodily samples and the resulting DNA profiles can only be used for law enforcement purposes. Bill S-10 makes it clear that such misuse is prohibited.
To ensure the smooth and effective implementation of the data bank, Bill S-10 also makes some practical changes to the criminal code. These changes were identified during recent consultations with the provinces and territories in planning for implementation of the databank.
Federal and provincial heads of prosecution noted that the current law is unclear as to when a court does not have to make a databank order. Therefore, the criminal code is being clarified. Bill S-10 will require that the only time the court is not required to make a databank order is if the prosecutor advises that the person's DNA profile is already in the data bank.
To deal with offenders who may be transferred out of a province before a databank order can be executed, provincial court judges will be able to endorse an order that was granted in another province.
Two criminal code provisions that have not yet been proclaimed are also being repealed. These provisions would require a peace officer to inform a person specified in a DNA warrant or data bank order that he or she may express a preference on what type of DNA sample to give, and for the peace officer to take that preference into account.
These provisions could cause uncertainty when a person's preference conflicts with a judge's discretion in the the DNA warrant or order. Uncertainty cannot be allowed to enter into this important process. Giving a person a choice on what type of sample to provide is also unnecessary in law.
The criminal code provision allowing a person to consent to the use of his or her existing DNA results for the databank is also being repealed. This is because Canadian forensic labs do not support sending to the databank bodily substances or DNA profiles obtained from the criminal investigations. Re-using an old DNA profile is not feasible because there is no way of verifying whether it actually belongs to the person specified in the databank order.
Bill S-10 contains another important change to the criminal code and the National Defence Act to promote the accuracy and integrity of the national DNA databank. Peace officers, or persons acting under their direction, will be required to take fingerprints at the same time that DNA samples are collected for the databank. This will enable the police to verify the identity of the person specified in the DNA databank order.
By comparing the person's fingerprints with those contained in the RCMP's automated fingerprint identification system, the police will know whether they are taking a sample from the right person. Fingerprints are also useful in verifying the identity of a person when a match occurs in the databank. Not only will this measure enhance the reliability of the databank but it will also protect a person who has the same name as an offender specified in the databank order. To ensure the complete privacy of fingerprints, the bill makes it clear that they may only be taken for databank purposes.
As a result of the improvements proposed in Bill S-10, Canada will have a more complete and effective databank that will better protect the public from repeat violent offenders. The legislation includes practical changes to ensure that the data bank can be successfully implemented and that parliament can oversee its operations over time.
All provinces and territories, the police, victims and the public are looking forward to the databank's timely implementation. It will be an important milestone and a long awaited tool to improve public safety.
I would therefore urge the hon. members of the House to support Bill S-10 so that we may proceed quickly in ensuring that its proposals are passed by the time the databank is implemented.
National Defence Act
Government Orders
10:10 a.m.
Chuck Cadman Surrey North, BC
Mr. Speaker, I will try to slow down. I think I see some smoke coming out of the translator's booth.
The opportunity to speak to this Senate bill, Bill S-10, an act to amend the National Defence Act, the DNA Identification Act and the Criminal Code, puts me in a bit of a quandary.
On one hand, I do not agree that we should be dealing with legislation that comes from the unelected and unaccountable other place. On the other hand, I have to agree with much of the intent of the legislation. It illustrates once again how the government has failed to do its job properly.
Just a couple of years ago we dealt with DNA legislation. In fact this is at least the third time we have dealt with DNA legislation in the past five years. I suppose the government was embarrassed about its previous failures to adequately address all that was necessary. That may explain why it brought Bill S-10 through the back door, so to speak, through the Senate once again instead of through the House of Commons. Surely the government will get it right one of these days.
In the meantime, while Canadians want legislation to address failings in our youth justice system, while Canadians are dying through failures in our health system through lack of funding and through the lack of a plan to address the failings of our national health program, and while victims of crime continue to wait for legislation from the solicitor general, we are forced to once again spend time in this place dealing with DNA.
Do not get me wrong. I believe DNA technology is one of the greatest tools for law enforcement and our justice system. All I am saying is that it is unfortunate that we have to take three or four kicks at the can just on DNA legislation when there are so many other issues of importance to our citizens. It is a travesty that the government wastes time and money trying again and again to get something right.
I remember the last time we discussed DNA legislation. When we were dealing with Bill C-3 just two years ago, the government played politics instead of sufficiently supporting our police officers.
When our police are asking for tools to help them solve hundreds of unsolved murders and rapes, the government goes only halfway. The government is more concerned with inconveniencing our criminals than it is with protecting our communities and ensuring that our more dangerous predators are removed from the streets.
Perhaps after a number of our incarcerated criminals succeed in getting back onto the streets, only to recommit additional crimes, will we then be able to obtain their DNA samples to help the police with past unsolved serious crimes. Maybe then we will once again be back in here dealing with yet another attempt to properly legislate on this issue of DNA and the DNA databank once and for all.
Bill S-10 amends the National Defence Act to authorize military judges to issue DNA warrants to assist in investigations of National Defence personnel. The bill also authorizes military judges to order military offenders convicted of a limited number of offences to provide samples of bodily substances for the purpose of the DNA databank. Essentially all this legislation is doing is including similar provisions for the national defence justice system that we provided under the criminal code through Bill C-104 in 1995 and Bill C-3 in 1998. As a side note, hon. members will also be aware that Bill C-3 was a prime example of just how little the government really considers its law enforcement officers and its citizens.
Bill C-3 was passed in September 1998 to set up the DNA databank so that evidence left at crime scenes for very limited types of offences could be compared to the DNA samples taken from some of our more dangerous criminals. I say some of our more dangerous criminals because the government decided to severely limit just who had to provide samples of saliva or blood.
For example, individuals who have only been convicted of one murder do not have to provide a DNA sample. Furthermore, Canadian citizens will be surprised to know that such a valuable and highly effective justice tool is not even in force yet. As I say, it was passed in September 1998. It will not be in effect until next month.
The RCMP have been quoted as saying:
—it's the single most important tool added to crime-fighting since discovery of fingerprint identification.
It has taken over a year and a half to come into being. Typically there are indications that it may take our correctional service another couple of years to fulfil its responsibilities under the legislation and to provide samples of those offenders presently incarcerated or serving sentences within the community. Should Bill S-10 pass this place I can only wonder how far down the road it will take before it too is actually in effect.
As I have previously stated in debate, it is most unfortunate that our DNA databank legislation is not much broader to include most, if not all, indictable offences. We all know that the vast majority of our more dangerous criminals start their life of crime with the lesser offences and move up to the more heinous criminal activity. Once a criminal commits an indictable offence that criminal should be included within the databank so that he will show up should he ever leave DNA evidence at the scene of a subsequent crime. The government seems to think that it should be a game between the criminal and our law enforcement personnel.
I keep hearing about the government's concern for balanced legislation. Seeing its legislation and seeing its political endeavours, I often wonder whether part of its aim toward balance is ensuring that our criminals have a fair chance against getting caught and receiving punishment for their crimes. It is often more concerned for the interest of the criminals than it is for the safety of our citizens and the efforts of our police officers.
Before the listener gets the impression that this DNA databank and DNA warrant process will only bring our criminals to justice, I should point out that it is most important to also prove the innocence of some accused. We are all familiar with how DNA evidence was used to exonerate Guy Paul Morin and David Milgaard. They provided bodily samples to prove that the evidence left at the scene of the crimes did not match their DNA, so this whole DNA revolution is probably more important or at least just as important to prove innocence as to prove guilt of an individual.
I have not said much about Bill S-10 specifically. As I have said, it brings to the military what we have done for our primary criminal justice process. It only makes sense that our military system operates on the same footing. Yes, it is an inadequate footing overall but at least it is a start.
I will be supporting the legislation. It is my hope that it will not take as long to come into force. For some reason the government does not seem to realize the importance of each day it delays the implementation of legislation such as this. It may result in another day that victims have to live with not knowing who was responsible for the crime. It may result in another day that an individual is falsely accused of a crime. It may result in a day that a criminal gets away with a crime, to say nothing of the added expense to the taxpayer of added investigation by our police and additional legal argument within our courts as both the innocent and the guilty make their appeals.
To sum up, DNA is a valuable tool to separate the guilty from the innocent. It will greatly assist the police. It will provide greater certainty to our justice system. It will protect our citizens. Some of us may question the necessity to separate our justice system from our military in this time of peace, but it only makes sense that we provide a similar regime for that process for the same reasons we have provided it within the civil justice system.
National Defence Act
Government Orders
10:15 a.m.
René Laurin Joliette, QC
Mr. Speaker, despite the terrible way I sound this morning, I would like to be able to give you my message to the end. I am counting on the co-operation and indulgence of yourself as well as my colleagues so that I may manage to do so properly.
Bill S-10, with which we are dealing today, addresses a most interesting and timely subject, DNA evidence.
DNA is located in the nucleus of human cells and contains each human being's genetic code. In fact, each of us has a personal genetic code, with the exception of identical twins. A person's DNA yields his or her genetic fingerprint. For law enforcement officers and lawyers, the advancement of science in the area of genetics is an indispensable tool for solving crimes, that is for finding the guilty parties and clearing innocent ones.
Before addressing the main thrust of Bill S-10, an act to amend the National Defence Act, the DNA Identification Act and the criminal code, I would like to provide a brief overview of Canadian legislation as it applies to the sampling of bodily substances.
Before 1995, the criminal code included no provisions allowing bodily substances to be sampled for genetic analysis on individuals suspected of a crime. Police officers did, nevertheless, collect bodily substances for genetic analysis purposes on accused individuals. This practice was challenged before the courts under the provision of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which provides protection against unreasonable search and seizure.
The decision in Borden by the Supreme Court of Canada in 1994 is an example of this. In this decision, the Supreme Court of Canada clearly says that the taking of bodily substances constitutes a search and seizure. Unless permitted under the law or unless the accused validly agrees to it, it is to be considered abuse. In this instance, hair and blood samples were taken from an accused in connection with an offence involving sexual assault. Since no legislative provision authorized this seizure and the agreement of the accused had not been obtained validly, the supreme court declared the seizure illegal.
This decision moved parliament to legislate in this area in order to respond to the constitutional requirements set by the Supreme Court of Canada. At the time, Bill C-104 added a section entitled Forensic DNA Analysis to the criminal code. These provisions have established the conditions and procedure to be followed for obtaining a warrant to entitle a Canadian peace officer to collect bodily substances for forensic analysis purposes from individuals suspected of having committed certain serious offences.
In 1997 the government decided to go further in the area of collecting bodily substances by introducing Bill C-3. The bill was passed by the House of Commons on September 19, 1998 and the new provisions contained in it are to come into effect in June 2000.
In the future, in addition to the taking of bodily substances when an individual is suspected of a crime, samples of bodily substances may be obtained from people already found guilty of designated offences in order to include them in the DNA data bank.
Indeed, Bill C-3, the DNA Identification Act, created a national DNA data bank administered by the RCMP. That bank will include a crime index containing genetic information collected at the scene of a crime.
It will also include an index containing the genetic identification profiles of adults and teenagers convicted of specific offences under the criminal code. This will help police compare DNA information found at a crime scene with the profiles of suspects and convicted offenders, the objective being to find the guilty party as quickly as possible, with the smallest possible margin for error.
Offences for which the taking of a sample may be authorized are called designated offences in the act. These offences are included in the criminal code and they are classified in the act as primary designated offences or secondary designated offences.
For example, for the purpose of the taking of a sample, murder, manslaughter and sexual assault are primary designated offences, while piracy, assault and dangerous driving are secondary designated offences.
When this bill comes into effect, the justice system will have an effective tool to solve crimes. Only one group had been left out in the previous legislation, namely the military.
Bill S-10, which is before us today, complements the legislation on the taking and the storing of DNA data. There were no reasons to exclude military personnel from the system established for civilians, and this is why the Bloc Quebecois supports Bill S-10.
I will now comment on the main amendments to Bill S-10. Bill S-10 essentially adds to the National Defence Act provisions that will authorize a military judge to issue a warrant authorizing the collection of bodily substances for DNA testing on military personnel who are suspected of having committed a designated offence, or who have been found guilty of such an offence.
First, the classification of offences for which a sample may be authorized is the same as in Bill C-3. It was quite rightly decided to include in this list certain offences specific to the military and covered under the National Defence Act, such as mutiny with violence, endangering a person on an aircraft, and negligence in the handling of dangerous substances.
A military judge may now issue a warrant authorizing the taking of a sample in a case where a member of the military is suspected of having committed a designated offence. The military judge will issue the warrant if there are reasonable grounds to believe that a designated offence has been committed and that a bodily substance has been found at the place where the offence was committed or on the body of the victim.
The results of forensic DNA analysis can be destroyed if the sample of the bodily substance taken does not match that obtained at the place where the offence was committed, if the person is acquitted of the offence, or if the charge is withdrawn.
In addition, when a member of the military is found guilty of a designated offence, the court martial may make an order for the taking of a sample in order to include the accused's DNA profile in the DNA data bank.
The distinction between primary and secondary offences is relevant here because it determines whether the taking of a sample will be ordered. When a member of the military is found guilty of a primary offence, the court martial must order the taking of a bodily substance sample. However, if he is found guilty of a secondary offence, the court martial is not required to make such an order.
In the latter case, a series of guidelines are given to assist the court martial in deciding whether or not to order a sample. The court martial must take into account the impact taking a sample would have on the privacy and security of the person. It can also take into consideration any previous convictions as well as the nature and circumstances under which the offence was committed.
Bill S-10 also contains the provision that, when samples of bodily substances are ordered, they shall be taken as soon as possible, even if there is an appeal. Results of the DNA analysis of bodily substances taken when a member of the Armed Forces is convicted of an office are transmitted to the Commissioner of the RCMP for entry in the convicted offenders index of the national DNA data bank.
Any portions of samples of bodily substances that are not used in forensic DNA analysis are also transmitted to the Commissioner.
Finally, I believe it is worth pointing out that the bodily substances which can be sampled are hair, saliva and blood. The foregoing were the main points of the new provisions to be added to the National Defence Act by Bill S-10 in order to allow the sampling of bodily substances for purposes of DNA analysis.
Bill S-10 goes still further, by also amending the Genetic Identification Act and the Criminal Code. I will therefore present the amendments to the act proposed by Bill S-10.
First of all, there is provision for the DNA profiles, as well as samples of bodily substances from which the profiles are derived, to be used only for law enforcement purposes in accordance with this Act, and not for any unauthorized purpose.
This addition provides additional protection to those who have had samples of bodily substances taken. In fact, these substances may in no case be used to develop a psychological profile or for medical research purposes. The DNA Identification Act will help solve crimes, convict the guilty and avoid legal errors.
We must remember however that every person has the right to privacy and must be assured that DNA information gathered will not be used for experimentation. The law provides penalties for those failing to meet these objectives.
Bill S-10 adds to the DNA Identification Act the requirement that the Commissioner of the RCMP responsible for administering the data bank report to the Solicitor General annually on the national DNA data bank.
Provision has already been made for a committee of the Senate or the House of Commons or a joint committee to examine the application of the law in the five years following its coming into effect. This is why this amendment does not seem crucial to me.
However, in the light of the financial problems the RCMP seems to be facing these days, this requirement may draw the attention of parliamentarians to the problems of implementing the law more quickly and, therefore, resolve them right away.
However, Bill S-10 also amends certain provisions of the Criminal Code concerning the collection of bodily substances. It involves permitting an order for sampling obtained following conviction to be executed in another province.
Let us take the example of an individual who is convicted and sentenced in Quebec of an offence for which the law permits a sample to be taken. The Quebec judge hands down a sentence and orders the taking of a blood sample, to include the DNA profile of the individual in the DNA data bank.
Under the new provision proposed in Bill S-10, if the individual is transferred to a penitentiary located in Ontario before the sample is collected, an Ontario judge can confirm the order issued in Quebec, thus making it possible to collect the sample in Ontario.
In other words, it would not be necessary for an Ontario judge to receive a new application and to issue a new order. This will help avoid having multiple and useless proceedings, thus allowing those who work in criminal law to save money and time.
The second change concerns a criminal code provision allowing the crown prosecutor to obtain the authorization to collect samples for a designated offence under the act on young offenders who are already serving a sentence when the act comes into effect.
These are ex parte applications, which means they are submitted without the offender being present. Under the current act, these applications must be accompanied by a certificate attesting that the offender is indeed serving a sentence for a designated offence, and a notice must be sent to the offender to inform him that the crown will submit the certificate. Since this is an ex parte application, the notice of filing is not necessary and Bill S-10 removes that obligation, which, in my opinion, is something quite acceptable.
A third amendment concerns a section in the criminal code dealing with the execution of the warrant. This section lists the formalities to be observed by a peace officer taking a sample of a bodily substance. One paragraph in this section requires the peace officer taking the sample to inform the offender that he or she may express a preference as to the substance to be sampled.
This requirement, if maintained, would place the peace officer taking the sample in a dilemma. If the judge ordered a sample of hair and the offender preferred to give a blood sample, the peace officer would be unable to enforce the judge's order. Bill S-10 repeals this requirement. I am sure this will avoid many impossible situations.
Under the fourth amendment, a peace officer taking a sample of a bodily substance in accordance with a court order may take fingerprints from the person at the same time. This is not stipulated in the legislation.
The purpose is to allow a comparison with fingerprints already taken at the time of arrest and to ensure solid identification of the offender. I am not convinced of the usefulness of such a procedure. It seems to me to hamper the process, when the fingerprints are already available, when the RCMP is overburdened and unable to keep up. Would this be another sign of a lack of communication between the various departments? Time will tell.
Finally, according to the present criminal code, the court does not have to issue a sampling order when this is not required for application of the law. This was unclear, and has been replaced in Bill S-10 by unequivocally stating that an order shall not be made if the national DNA data bank already contains a DNA profile of the person.
These then are the main changes to the DNA Identification Act and the criminal code by Bill S-10. I would like to close by reminding hon. members that the use of DNA has had spectacular effects on the lives of certain individuals.
We might refer to the case of David Milgaard, who spend 23 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit. In 1997, he was fully exonerated through DNA testing. The tests made it possible to charge a certain Larry Fisher, a repeat sex offender.
Then there was the high-profile case of Guy-Paul Morin, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1992 for a murder that he had not committed. Once again, DNA evidence came to the rescue and provided proof that he was not the murderer.
Undeniably, the use of DNA evidence can virtually work miracles. One cannot help but agree with the results. The sampling of bodily substances for forensic purposes, however, also raises some concerns. Some people fear that holding substances taken from individuals may result in the unjust marginalization and abuse of certain individuals. The profiles must absolutely not be used for such purposes.
This is why it is imperative for vigilance to be maintained in connection with this technology, which is invasive to say the least, and has the potential to allow countless information on an individual to be obtained.
Overall the Bloc Quebecois supports Bill S-10, with some reservations. It is pleased with the provision offering additional protection against the use of profiles obtained for purposes other than those allowed by the law.
National Defence Act
Government Orders
10:40 a.m.
Gordon Earle Halifax West, NS
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak to a bill that is very important for the concept of justice in our nation.
As has been said by other members of the House, I am very disappointed that the bill emanates from the other place and that the government has not seen fit to bring forth this legislation and move it forward through the proper channels, which would be through the House of Commons, so that the bill on this very important topic would originate here. At the same time, I commend the hon. senators of the other place who put their time and effort into working on this very important issue.
This enactment, as has been indicated, would amend the National Defence Act to authorize military judges to issue DNA warrants in the investigation of designated offences committed by a person who is subject to the code of service discipline. It also authorizes military judges to order military offenders convicted of a designated offence to provide samples of bodily substances for the purposes of the national DNA data bank. These authorities are similar to those that may be exercised by a provincial court judge under the criminal code.
This enactment would make related amendments to the DNA Identification Act and the criminal code. The DNA Identification Act amendments would allow bodily substances and the DNA profiles derived from them, which are taken as a result of an order or authorization by a military judge, to be included in the national DNA data bank.
The criminal code amendments extend the prohibition against unauthorized use of bodily substances and the results of forensic DNA analysis to include those obtained under the National Defence Act. In this bill there are other amendments to the criminal code which clarify and strengthen the existing regime concerning the taking of bodily substances for the purposes of forensic DNA analysis.
The important thing is that the legislation brings about consistency between the justice system for those who are in the national defence regime and those who are not. I have often spoken to members of our Canadian forces. I have been saddened to hear some of them tell me that quite often in the areas of health and justice they feel that they are second class citizens.
One young man talked to me in confidence about the fact that if he had a medical problem he did not feel he got the same kind of treatment as he would if he were on civvy street so to speak. The same sentiment was echoed with respect to the justice system. Quite often they saw the justice system as a kangaroo court. Because of the rank and file structure of national defence, they felt that they were not getting fair justice and that they were in a lot of cases facing a kangaroo court. These sentiments were expressed to me by members of the Canadian forces.
Any step that can be taken to make the justice system fair for all of our citizens is a very important step to take. Certainly this legislation moves in that direction by making sure that provisions for DNA collection and sampling are similar across the justice system. This is a very important aspect of the bill.
The bill touches on many topics and I will not get into all of them. It outlines the information that is required for taking the DNA warrant. It talks about the various investigative procedures, the contents of the information and how this information must be filed with the courts, the marshal administrator, certain formalities that are involved respecting the taking of warrants, the issue of the detention of people, privacy, transmission of results to a commissioner and the transmission of bodily substances. All these topics are dealt with in the bill, as is the role of the peace officer. These are all very important items.
The bill repeats a lot of things that were mentioned in previous legislation, Bill C-3. This bill has widespread support with the law enforcement agencies and the public. The concern of many people in the public is that our justice system bring about speedy and just results. They see the collection of DNA and the taking of samples and so forth as being one means to ensure that kind of justice.
I recall speaking with some law enforcement officers not that long ago who were very concerned about this issue. They wanted the support of the members to make sure that appropriate legislation was passed to facilitate them with their most difficult job of trying to handle the crimes that come before them. The bill is certainly a step in that direction.
The NDP supports the idea of the bill, the collection of DNA via warrants. It is important that due process be built in when this kind of system takes place.
While there is a great deal of support by police officers and members of the public, a number of people also have concerns about the bill. Many civil liberties groups have some concerns about it. We recognize that these are valid concerns. They range from economic concerns, the money that could be spent on other issues, to ethical concerns of DNA testing itself and the probability that the forcible taking of DNA samples may be challenged under the charter of rights.
A number of issues need to be addressed when this legislation goes to committee. Some of these are the indefinite period of keeping DNA on file; the inclusion of young offenders in the bill; and the issue of who has access to the DNA data bank and how the information may be used. The latter is very important because when we are talking about DNA we know that it is very peculiar to an individual. It is a part of the individual's identification, a part of that person. There has to be a certain amount of privacy and respect for privacy. We have to be careful as to how this information is used.
The fact that DNA may be taken even while a case is under appeal is another issue which should be discussed in committee and dealt with. The taking of DNA is mandatory upon conviction rather than at the discretion of the judiciary or upon request of the accused. That is an issue of concern to many people.
Finally, there is the fact that a person can be detained for what is defined as a reasonable amount of time for the taking of samples as opposed to setting a clearly defined period of time. What is reasonable in one person's eyes may not necessarily be reasonable in another person's eyes. There should be some kind of consideration given to specifying the amount of time involved when we are implementing that part of the legislation.
There are also the costs, maintenance and security of the DNA bank.
While we in the NDP support this legislation, we are supporting it cautiously with the caveat that the issues we have defined and talked about are extremely important and must be dealt with. They should be dealt with in a way that is going to make sure that we are improving the justice system and creating fairness and justice for all.
DNA is an extremely valuable and reliable tool for crime fighting. We support this legislation and urge that when the bill goes before committee that the very important issues I have talked about be discussed and dealt with.
National Defence Act
Government Orders
10:50 a.m.
Progressive Conservative
Bill Casey Cumberland—Colchester, NS
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak to Bill S-10. This is an important bill which amends the National Defence Act, the DNA Identification Act and the criminal code.
The purpose of the bill is to include in the DNA data bank created in December 1998 the genetic profiles of offenders convicted under the military justice system. At present the DNA Identification Act affects only offenders who are convicted by the civilian court system and not the military. It also makes a number of minor changes to the existing act.
For us it only makes sense that this happen. It brings the military rules more in line with civilian rules and the circumstances with which civilians must deal. It is somewhat in line with the recent court decision which determined that military officers have the right to refuse questionable medication in the same way that civilians do. The military is going to have to treat the DNA process the same way as civilians do and we certainly support that. We support the total merging of the two systems into one.
In recent years the courts have seen high profile convictions, such as that of Paul Bernardo, and eventual acquittals, such as that of Guy Paul Morin, due to the use of DNA evidence. It is but the latest tool for law enforcement to use in the protection of Canadian society.
Bill S-10 allows for a more broad, equal use of the DNA data bank while being careful not to trample on an individual's privacy rights. It is a good piece of legislation brought about by the hard work of the hon. senators. The PC Party would like to commend their efforts by stating that we will be supporting Bill S-10 when it comes to voting time.
The DNA tool is a powerful tool in conducting criminal investigations. It began as a result of the warrant for taking DNA samples, the 1995 criminal code amendment to allow for DNA samples to be taken under a warrant to facilitate the conduct of certain police investigations and identification of suspects. The second stage was Bill C-3, a 1997 bill on DNA identification which set the structure and administration for a national DNA data bank containing the DNA profiles of those convicted of serious criminal offences and of the DNA samples found at the scenes of unsolved crimes.
The data bank should be operational by June 2000 and will be administered by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police which at present administers six forensic laboratories in the country. We can only hope that the federal government will come through with adequate funding for the DNA data bank.
The solicitor general proudly stated recently that public safety would continue to be the Liberals' number one concern as he announced funding of $115 million for the data bank. Sadly, many RCMP experts who will have to use this technology stated they needed $280 million for the data bank to combat crime in the 21st century. Once again the Liberal actions were nowhere near the Liberal rhetoric and law enforcement has been given short shrift.
In 1998 during the Senate meetings dealing with Bill C-25, an act to amend the National Defence Act which was to reform the military justice system, the then defence minister and his staff were enlightened to the fact that members of the military who were charged or convicted under the new National Defence Act enforced by the military police would not be subject to the provisions of Bill C-3 because it was enforced by the RCMP. For cases of sex offences involving members of the military, the RCMP would not have the jurisdiction needed to do the job of taking and storing DNA samples. By law it was supposed to do so but in cases of offences only involving the military, it could not.
Along with this apparent problem, a 1998 Senate report concerning the DNA data bank said that such access might affect the privacy of Canadians in an unprecedented and unintentional way. In addition the committee believed that the nature of the information contained in the proposed data bank necessitated the strict monitoring of any process that would allow for the release of this information to governments or agencies outside Canada. The report recommended that the government strengthen the legislation concerning the administration of the DNA data bank and the security of the information in that bank.
To ensure the passage of Bill C-3 the solicitor general committed to draft a new bill which is the bill we are talking about today. The bill would allow for, first, the jurisdiction of the DNA data bank to be extended to offenders convicted in the military justice system.
Second, the commissioner of the RCMP would be required to report on the operation of the DNA data bank as part of his annual report to the minister and then it would be tabled in parliament.
Third, a provision would be included in the new bill for parliamentary review every five years to address the concerns of members of the committee about the highly sensitive nature of the information contained within the data bank and the rapidity of technological change in this field.
Fourth and finally, the Senate and the House of Commons committees would have the same power to do a five year review as provided for in the new bill.
The solicitor general then asked that the bill be introduced in the Senate before being tabled in the House of Commons so that the senators could ensure that all of the points of concern had been properly addressed.
The amendments proposed in Bill S-10 include under the National Defence Act that the DNA profiles of offenders subject to the code of service discipline who are convicted for serious and violent offences will be included in the DNA data bank for the first time. The code would apply to military personnel, the reserves and some civilians who accompany military personnel abroad. As in the case of the existing provisions of the DNA Identification Act, Bill S-10 provides that both samples and the results of analyses must be transmitted to the commissioner of the RCMP and stored in the data bank.
The new bill also provides that the provisions to be included in the National Defence Act concerning authorization for taking DNA samples, the handling and storage of samples, the results of the DNA analyses and the respective privacy will be identical to the provisions set out in Bill C-3.
National Defence Act
Government Orders
10:55 a.m.
The Deputy Speaker
I hesitate to interrupt the hon. member but I think it is time to move to statements by members. I can assure the hon. member that after routine proceedings he will have 14 minutes remaining in his allotted time.
Mother's Day
Statements By Members
10:55 a.m.
Rey D. Pagtakhan Winnipeg North—St. Paul, MB
Mr. Speaker, this Sunday is Mother's Day. Each of us in our unique way will pay special tribute to our own mother and greet other mothers as well. We do so to celebrate the beauty and heroism of motherhood.
Our mothers carried us in their wombs and brought us into this world. They laboured to instil creativity in our minds and kindness in our hearts.
Mothers are the fountain of their children's virtues, the pillar of strength when children are in sorrow and the wellspring of inspiration when sons and daughters share their joy and success. Mothers perpetuate humanity.
This Sunday, whether our mothers have gone to the great beyond and live on in our memories or whether our mothers are in our homes now, to them we say, "I love you, Mother. I love you very much".
Scott Islands
Statements By Members
11 a.m.
John Duncan Vancouver Island North, BC
Mr. Speaker, Cape Scott is a large provincial park at the north end of Vancouver Island. The park includes five islands at the northwest tip of Vancouver Island. These are Cox, Lanz, Beresford, Triangle and Sartine. So known as the Scott Islands, they contain the most important breeding colonies of seabirds on our west coast and it is ranked as a globally significant important bird area with over two million breeding birds. Over one half of the global population of Cassin's Auklet and significant percentages of the world's populations of some other seabirds reside there.
The Canadian Nature Federation is launching an important Simon Fraser University biological research project to study feeding patterns around the Scott Islands. This launch will coincide with International Migratory Bird Day, which is tomorrow, May 13.
This is an important project, in a special place, for a very good purpose.
Canada Post
Statements By Members
11 a.m.
Carolyn Parrish Mississauga Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, Canadians now have access to another innovative online service from Canada Post.
First there was ePost, then eParcel, and now PosteCS. With PosteCS Canadians can send documents of any size around the world instantly and securely. PosteCS is more secure than regular e-mail and it features delivery tracking and an electronic postmark. It is an affordable alternative to costly courier service.
PosteCS is further evidence that Canada Post is becoming a world leader in providing innovative, physical and electronic delivery solutions.
The government is determined to make Canada a world leader in the field of electronic commerce with innovative online products such as PosteCS.
Raglan Mining Company
Statements By Members
11 a.m.
Guy St-Julien Abitibi, QC
Mr. Speaker, since its establishment by Falconbridge Inc., the Raglan mining company has contributed to the economic development of two airports, one in Val-d'Or and one in Rouyn-Noranda, in the latter case through its chartered plane, which transports miners to the Raglan mine in Nunavik.
Lucien Bouchard's PQ government has put several million dollars into the construction of Raglan's building at the Rouyn-Noranda airport.
Now, the Government of Quebec and the City of Rouyn-Noranda want to extend the airport's runway by 1,000 feet at a cost of several millions of dollars so that they can stop contributing to the economic development of the Val-d'Or regional airport, which is located a mere 15 minutes away from the Rouyn-Noranda airport.
Once again, Quebec's PQ government, through its regional minister, Rémi Trudel of Rouyn-Noranda, is riding roughshod over the economy of the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region. It no longer wants the Raglan mining company to contribute to the economy of Val-d'Or.
Statements By Members
11 a.m.
Darrel Stinson Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
Mr. Speaker, we now have scanners that can detect the smallest amount of drugs. When I spotted a scanner at Joyceville Penitentiary I knew what it was. They told me it cost about $60,000, but I figured this was a good investment as we could confiscate the drugs. They told me "Oh, no, we do not confiscate the drugs. When we find somebody who brings drugs inside the prison we send them back home and then they can try again 24 hours later".
That is like someone getting caught while driving impaired and when they blow over the legal limit the RCMP tell them to turn their car around, go home and try again tomorrow.
They also told me there is another choice. The visitor carrying the drugs can still go on with the visit, but must be accompanied by a guard.
This week's lesson for the solicitor general is, we might reduce the drug problem in our prisons if the guards could at least confiscate the drugs. Then they could let the prisoners have plenty of time to visit with their buddies while their buddies are doing five years for illegal drug smuggling.
Samuel De Champlain
Statements By Members
11 a.m.
Hec Clouthier Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Mr. Speaker, nearly 400 years ago, in 1603, Samuel de Champlain began years of exploring and mapping eastern Canada from the St. Lawrence to the Great Lakes.
In 1613 Champlain lost one of his navigational instruments, an astrolabe, near Cobden in my great riding of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke. Over 200 years later that astrolabe was found by a local farm boy and is now on display at the Museum of Civilization across the river in Hull.
In 1632 Champlain published a detailed map of Canada as it was known at that day and it has been acknowledged as a masterwork of Canadian cartography.
He wrote:
The great love I have always had for making discoveries in New France made me more and more eager to travel this proud country so as to have a perfect knowledge of it.
Nearly 400 years later that spirit of discovery is with us today in the form of students who are visiting from Champlain Discovery School in Pembroke. I salute these young students who will be our celebrated cyberspace explorers in the 21st century.
Masoud Farzaneh
Statements By Members
May 12th, 2000 / 11:05 a.m.
Ghislain Fournier Manicouagan, QC
Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate Professor Masoud Farzaneh, an internationally renowned expert in atmospheric icing and high voltage. A professor at the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi and holder of the atmospheric icing chair, Mr. Farzaneh was recently made a member of the U.K.'s Institute of Electrical Engineers.
He is one of a very small group of researchers in Quebec to have achieved this distinction. He belongs to ten or so national and international professional associations and has more than 250 scientific publications to his credit.
Mr. Farzaneh is presently holder of the CIGELE chair, in which ten or so partners are involved, including Hydro-Québec.
Bravo to Professor Farzaneh for winning this honour. His achievement reflects on the entire academic community of Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean.
Canada Health Day
Statements By Members
11:05 a.m.
Marcel Proulx Hull—Aylmer, QC
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House and all Canadians that May 12 is Canada Health Day.
Canada Health Day is held each year on the anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale and is jointly sponsored by the Canadian Public Health Association and the Canadian Health Care Association.
To draw attention to the celebrations in 2000, a new theme has been developed for the campaign "Healthy Beginnings: Child Health in the New Millennium". This theme underscores the importance of the first five years of life in the development of healthy children.
Over the past decade, there has been an explosion of scientific information on what children need to get the best possible start in life. We now know that the first five years are crucial to the development of a child's ability to think, love, trust and develop a strong and positive self image.
Let us join together in wishing an excellent Canadian Health Day to the Canadian Public Health Association and the Canadian Healthcare Association.


text:
by Anton Shilov
Taiwan-based dynamic random access memory (DRAM) maker PowerChip Semiconductor Corp. on Friday officially submitted its restructuring plan to the Taiwanese government in a bid to receive state aid. The move happens just a week after the authorities formally proposed state bailout to the local DRAM industry.
A news-story by Reuters web-site claims that PSC wants to get NT$20 billion ($605.4 million) from the state in order to keep its business running. Other details are unknown. Earlier PowerChip Semiconductor reportedly confirmed intention to cooperate with its Japanese partner Elpida in presenting a concrete survival plan by year end.
According to some estimates, Taiwanese makers of memory have debts that amount NT$700 billion ($21.598 billion) amid global mainstream DRAM prices falling below their production costs in Taiwan.
The Taiwanese government has three major principles in dealing with the problem of the DRAM industry, including helping the industry establish its independent technology, helping it upgrade its international competitiveness, and assuring maximum efficiency of the investments. The deputy minister stressed that the government's ultimate goal is to see the industry realize horizontal integration domestically and vertical integration internationally, following the strategy of "joint investment and joint R&D", in the hope of facilitating the cooperation among Taiwan, the U.S., and Japan for the development of the industry.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
From our Madison correspondent Scott W, we have learned via a radio program that right now, Mike Nolan will be the new defensive coordinator and is in the process of assembling his staff.
Will update when more info available…
Sorry you didn't get the job Andy.
This is pretty interesting:
I really like the ending comment that Nolan could coach better blindfolded than Sanders.
Looking at the years Nolan was DC in the past (1993-2004 for Giants, Redskins, Jets, and Ravens) is at least moderately encouraging.
Those teams had 7 winning seasons (4 losing), and 4 playoff appearances (though none made it past the divisional round).
OTOH, the 49ers' were pretty bad the whole time he was HC…
Did he employ the 3-4 at all his previous teams? I wonder if he is a "3-4 or die" guy (as we don't presently have the right personel set for a 3-4) or if he has been effective with 4-3 sets as well.
Press-Gazette is saying the same thing.
Off topic – – Jags was fired by BC today. Anyone think he's calling MM about a job today?
Darn, that was my question as to how close Jags is to MM?


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For c. hart merriam, it all began one March day in 1899 when a brash fellow with a bushy mustache strode unannounced into his Washington, D.C. office. Merriam, a distinguished biologist and a founder of the National Geographic Society, was serving as the first chief of the Division of Biological Survey, the forerunner of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. His visitor identified himself as Edward Harriman. "He . . . told me in an unassuming, matter-offact way that he was planning a trip along the Alaskan coast," Merriam later recalled, "and desired to take along a party of scientific men." Harriman then asked Merriam to recruit those scientists for him—adding that he would, of course, pay everyone's expenses.
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When Merriam found out that Edward Harriman was the E. H. Harriman who chaired the board of the Union Pacific Railroad and was reputed to be the most powerful man in America, he began firing off telegrams to his many acquaintances in the scientific world: "Mr. Harriman requests me to ask you to join . . . and I earnestly trust you will do so. The opportunity is one in a lifetime."
He was right about that. Harriman was nothing if not ambitious: he wanted to catalog Alaska's flora and fauna from the lush southern panhandle north to Prince William Sound, then west along the Aleutian Chain and all the way up to the Pribilof Islands. His exhilarated corps of "scientific men," it turned out, discovered hundreds of new species, charted miles of little-visited territory and left such a vivid record of their findings that a century later a second expedition set out to assess the changes that have taken place along that same route. (On June 11, most PBS stations will broadcast a two-hour Florentine Films/Hott Productions documentary about both voyages.)
As it was in his own time, Harriman's 9,000-mile odyssey is still being hailed as a scientific milestone. "It was the last of the great Western explorations that began with Lewis and Clark," says William Cronon, professor of environmental studies at the University of Wisconsin. A contemporary parallel, says historian Kay Sloan, author with William Goetzmann of Looking Far North: The Harriman Expedition to Alaska, 1899, "would be Bill Gates leading a scientific expedition to the moon."
At least we can see the moon. Alaska at 19th century's end was the ultimate back of beyond as far as most Americans were concerned. After President Andrew Johnson's wily secretary of state William H. Seward—first appointed by Lincoln bought the territory in 1867 for $7.2 million, he was roundly thumped in the press. "Russia has sold us a sucked orange," groused one New York newspaper. Some orange—more than half a million square miles, an area twice the size of Texas, encompassing 39 mountain ranges, 3,000 rivers and upwards of 2,000 islands. Three decades after "Seward's Folly," Alaska remained one of the largest unexplored wildernesses on the continent.
It took Merriam only a few weeks to sign up 23 of the most esteemed scientists in their fields, plus a cadre of artists, photographers, poets and authors. Among them were nature writers John Burroughs and John Muir; George Bird Grinnell, the crusading editor of Forest and Stream and a founder of the Audubon Society; a young painter of birds, Louis Agassiz Fuertes, and an obscure society photographer named Edward Curtis. Not surprisingly, Merriam also decided to avail himself of Harriman's hospitality.
All in all, it was probably the most high-powered group ever assembled in the history of American exploration. But would so many big thinkers be able to get along? "Scientific explorers are not easily managed, and in large mixed lots are rather inflammable and explosive," Muir warned, "especially when compressed on a ship."
But, oh, what a ship. Harriman, it was clear, did not intend to rough it. He had refitted the 250-foot-long iron steamer George W. Elder with a stateroom for each expedition member. The crew alone numbered 65—not counting the ten other members of Harriman's family, their three maids, two stenographers, two doctors, a nurse, an excellent chef and a chaplain. "We take aboard eleven fat steers, a flock of sheep, chickens, and turkeys, a milch cow, and a span of horses," John Burroughs crowed. Other essential items included cases of champagne and cigars, an organ and piano, a 500-volume library and even an early gramophone.
On May 31, 1899, a cheering crowd gathered at the Seattle dock to watch the Elder steam away in slanting rain, and the departure made front-page news all over the world. But for any passenger who believed he or she was heading for a pristine Eden, some rude surprises were in store.
Six days out of Seattle in Skagway, a quagmire of flimsy hotels and saloons and a jumping-off point for the Yukon goldfields, the Harriman party confronted the gritty reality of the spreading Klondike gold rush. During an outing on the new White Pass Railroad, built to carry miners up into the mountains, the scientists saw carcasses of horses frozen on the rugged trail. Later, near Orca, "Miners were coming out destitute and without one cent's worth of gold," Burroughs wrote. "Scurvy had broken out among them. . . . Alaska is full of such adventurers, ransacking the land."


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About the Author: Suzanne Hall serves as the Public Diplomacy Advisor for Canada and Mexico in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs."Tech.del" to Mexico: Part 1 | "Tech.del" to Mexico: Part 2
On August 29, 2008, Elías Kuri was a hard-working Mexican businessman without a public profile, and not necessarily seeking one.
At the close of the day on August 30, 2008, Elías Kuri's successful efforts to encourage his fellow citizens to take to the street and call for an end to violence made him and the civic leaders who worked with him the talk of the town and all of Mexico.
Mr. Kuri was motivated to take action after learning of the kidnapping and murder of 14 year old Fernando Martí, son of famous Mexican businessman Alejandro Martí. He sent out an email to a group of friends and worked with local civil society leaders, such as Angel Corona of CONSEGU (the National Committee of Community Participation), Ana Franco of México Unido Contra la Delincuencia (Mexico United Against Crime), and others to call for a march. Following the advice of his young daughter, Mr. Kuri named the movement Iluminemos México (Let's Illuminate Mexico). This Sunday marks the first anniversary of an event that brought together the old and young, women and men, students and workers who chose to peacefully march on the streets of Mexico City in a collective call for an end to violence. Thousands of Mexican citizens walked Reforma Avenue, the capital's main boulevard, toward the Zócalo central square where they sang the national anthem and lit candles.
Tech.Del participants — including AT&T, MIT Media Lab, Microsoft, Facebook, Liberty Concepts, FastForward Group and the Adefro Group — had the opportunity to meet Mr. Kuri, Mr. Corona, and many other inspiring Mexicans working to find positive ways to work to overcome violence in their country. We spoke with representatives of Mexico United Against Crime, the National Committee of Community Participation and SOS — Sistema de Observación por la Seguridad Ciudadana (Observation System for Citizen Security). These initiatives seek to build secure communities through citizen participation. You'll find their sites include at least some interactive features, connecting with users, volunteers and the Mexican public.
We also spoke with representatives from Universidad de las Américas Puebla, Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, and Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico City campus) to discuss how they are engaging students — the innovators and future leaders — to understand their rights and realize their potential as agents of change. We met with representatives of the private sector, including TelMex, the Carlos Slim Education Foundation, Televisa and Fábrica Interactiva— Substance®. And finally, we met with representatives of the federal government, including the President's office, Secretaría de Gobernación and the Ministry of Foreign Relations, to discuss how President Felipe Calderon's administration is working to connect with civil society.
So where do we go from here?
The participants have come up with too many ideas to list (and keep coming up with more), but here are a few:
• develop a 2.0 space where the sophisticated efforts happening in the capital can be shared with regions, including Ciudad Juarez where we visited earlier in the week;
• motivate Mexican students, artists and non-governmental organizations to share their inspired grassroots efforts through i-reporting;
• investigate how Mexican NGOs can work with and through U.S.-based Latino NGOs, especially in cases where personal security is at risk;
• explore how to lower the cost of sending SMS texts to allow NGOs to more easily and cheaply reach the community; and
• examine how to improve encryption of text messages and emails so that Mexican citizens can trust the source of the incoming message.
Implementation will be a challenge but Illuminemos, Mexico United Against Crime, and other concerned organizations continue to lead the way.
On Sunday, August 30, Illuminemos will roll out a web-based project of incredible potential: an online map showing the location of where crimes have been committed. To address personal security concerns, Mexicans who choose to upload information to the map can opt whether to include their name, email or other identifying information. Through the launch event, Illuminemos will spread the word on this new tool through broadcast and print media, urging Mexican citizens to contribute to building an extensive crime reporting and pin-pointing mechanism.
Mexicans themselves continue to be the headline innovators when it comes to refocusing energies away from deadly headlines and toward positive, grassroots opportunities.


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©1963 Kurt Vonnegut, Jr; (P)2007 HarperCollins Publishers
"Great book, awful recording"
I was really excited to find Cat's Cradle, as I am a huge Vonnegut fan. But this recording is old and somewhat garbled, the narrator is dry, and does a poor job defining the characters so it is hard to follow. He really destroys the excitement and mystery of the story, which is too bad. Are there any better recordings out there for this book?
Hey Audible, don't raise prices and I promise to buy lots more books.
"KV at his best."
To say that I worship at the alter of Kurt Vonnegut would be more mawkish than overstated. He is and will probably always remain one of my all-time, favorite authors. When picking up a book, one can only hope that the author can write; the surprise comes when an author's contributions transcend what is on the printed page. Such is usually the case with KV. Not only can he write his butt off, he has the absolutely, incredible talent to hold up this mirror for all of us to see the travesty of so much we hold sacred in this American Experience and then laugh at the same time that we cry at our reflection.
About writing itself, KV once said in an interview, "Well, I've worried some about, you know, why write books ... why are we teaching people to write books when presidents and senators do not read them, and generals do not read them. And it's been the university experience that taught me that there is a very good reason, that you catch people before they become generals and presidents and so forth and you poison their minds with ... humanity, and however you want to poison their minds, it's presumably to encourage them to make a better world." Bottom line for me, that's what KV's writings are always about: Humanity.
In 1971 the University of Chicago awarded KV his Master's degree in anthropology for Cat's Cradle. While at first blush that might seem a bit over the top, after reading this treatise on such subjects as science and technology, religion and morality, ethics and law, it becomes quite clear about his critique, KV did his homework. And, the originality of his work is unmistakeable. There are folks out there today such as Al Franken and Jon Stewart for whom KV had to have been an influence. KV was one of the originators of the movement for modern, self-reflection at least in contemporary America. That being said, this is not an unapproachable work reserved for the academic elite. This book is for the entertainment and edification of anyone and everyone: the unread generals, unwashed presidents and your any, off-the-street, Joe Blow, the Plummer. I cannot imagine anyone with a scintilla of humanity not loving this book. You're not into social critique you say. Great, read it just for the fun of it. It is funnier than _ _ _ _, well, it's just plain fun.
The narration could have possibly been done differently and still worked. It's hard to believe that it could have been done better.
"Cat's cradle - Mega Mockery of our societies ..."
Kurt's Vonnegut "Cat's Cradle" is one of the most strange books I've ever read.
The plot starts quite innocently with the narrator presenting himself as a writer planning to write a book about the American nuclear bomb inventor. This goal has perfect sense and is aimed at showing how "normal" was the life of those who, by their activity, created means to kill masses of people. In his pursuit, the narrator makes friends within the family and co-workers of the bomb inventor. They may hid the great secret of late father of the bomb - the mysterious Ice-9.
At this stage of the narration a fictional religion of Bokononism is introduced, with is fundamental concept of karass - the group of people, who are working together to fulfil God's will.
The plots goes crazy when the narrator arrives to a fictional island of San Lorenzo. Here, the events spiral quite fast. Shortly after arrival he is offered to become the president of the nation of the island - and he accepts that post, being in love with the women who was destined to be the wife of the president. Just at the moment of his inauguration as the president, the small plane crashed at the rock on which presidential palace stood and that crash ignited the sequence of events ending in the ultimate cataclysm with almost all the population of the island gone and with all water transformed at room temperature into hard ice after the spillage of Ice-9 in the accident.
Through this crazy plot, Vonnegut tells the most ironic refutation of our society, military pursuit, political system, "forbidden fruit" man-made religions and cults. The most important of those is the mockery of man-made religions. Bokononism, invented for the purpose of the novel, reveals so close resamblance to some cults and sectarian groups that we can only marvel about Vonnegut's wit and Machiavellian wisdom...
I focus mainly on History, Endurance Sports and Science/Speculative Fiction books.
"One of the Best Performances on Audible"
I sure would, its a great book and a great performance by Tony Roberts.
I mean this book is hysterical, touching, thought provoking and well written. I would say Hazel encapsulated all elements of this for me, but every character is well done.
The Hoenicker's, who really have elements of the story line in their background and characterizations.I cannot say this enough, Tony Roberts does a great job. He is an actor here, not a narrator. His nuances bring out Vonnegut's writing in a terrific way. I think it is the narration I have heard on Audible.
Laugh is not the word. Hysterical, might be more accurate. This is funny and sad at the same time, which makes it so compelling.
Vonnegut is an important writer in American literature. This is one of his premier works and Audible does it justice. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
"Not for everyone ..."
This novel is typical Vonnegut and requires that you think ... but not too much throughout. If you over think it, you won't understand it ... but if you are expecting to be spoon fed a a story with all the plot lines hilighted for simplicity, then this is certainly not for you.
The narrator gives you the feeling of sitting down around a fire and listening to your grandfather tell a tale of days long past. I actually quite enjoyed it.
Tired teacher. That is, REtired teacher.
This book is hysterically funny, totally satirical, and one of the best books I've read recently. It is a clever comment on government, religion and personal relationships that seem to make no sense at all but when you step back and look at each episode through the eyes of history, it is easy to see that he is talking about us! I believe he is telling us to stop taking ourselves so seriously and enjoy life a little more. I'm going to think about this book a lot and will surely revisit it in the future.
The narrator, Tony Roberts, is outstanding! His characterizations are just incredible. Loved this whole book and highly recommend it.
My taste differs from kid books to gory horror books.
When I was in my twenties I read the hard copy. In my forties I listened on cassette and now in my fifties I downloaded it. I still don't like it.
If you are a Douglass Adams fan, you will probably like this. Now that I am older I do find that I understand more of it. I like books with plots and this plot is very thin. It is a thesis on War, Government and whatever else ticks off Kurt. There are some laugh out loud parts, but most of it is meandering POETIC CRAP.
The narrator is fantastic. He reads great and does outstanding characters. His timing in excellent, helping the listener to catch some of the jokes, he may not catch while reading.
Most people either love him or hate him. There is not much middle of the road. In my twenties I thought he was silly, in my forties I just did not find him funny. In my fifties, I need a plot.
"The other side of the coin... MUST READ"
A futuristic mind-opening analogy of the pathetic state of humanity in search of meaning through religion. A masterful work of literature from a man who has actually lived through the some of the worst things one can endure during a human experience. Highly recommend.
"narrator was awful"
Love Vonnegut but the narration is brutally bad -had to stop listening and was so bummed.
Loved Ethan Hawke doing Slaughterhouse, but run from this one and read the book.
He was awful.
"Really light and fun"
Fun, irreverent, intellectual
Bokonon, a central character, a cult figure that is seen directly only in the closing pages of the book, but is present via the descriptions of the other characters from the first chapter. "I would have been a Bokononist then, if there had been anyone to teach me the bittersweet lies of Bokonon."
Excellent narration without trying too hard at the various voices.
"Excellent introduction to the short american novel"
I don't have much exposure to American literature but this was the start of a love affair with the short novel. Vonnegut has a great way of getting to the point, making subtle points about human nature and he seems to be obsessed by fate. It seriously expanded my choice of books.
If you like your stories rooted in reality, then this one might not be for you but otherwise there's humanity in this story and a plot that holds you attention. A great book.
"Laughter and Despair"
Vonnegut makes me laugh. The world he creates is ridiculous, but equally it has all the foibles and cruelty of the real world. For fun, and to add to the despair there is the religion of Bokononism. A religion that is hypocritical, false and cruel. A religion that offers some sense of acceptance of life, but only if we accept that it's falseness is the only solution to the madness that men perpetrate. The Cat's Cradle is the metaphor for the world of the book; playful, complex; a trick.The reading of the audiobook is not too cynical and not too flat; just right.
"complex and informative"
a study in futility and psychology. vonnegut uses his wartime experience of destruction to imagine a world where science ultimately destroys the world
"I expected more"
it's a decent audiobook, narrator is decent but.
I compare the story with catch 22 hence a bit disappointed, the style is poorer but the book compensate with the absurdity of the story.
"Cat's Cradle - that pleasure is mine"
Having only read Breakfast of Champions previously I am a newcomer to Voneguts writing, but having had this book recommended from a number of quality sources I decided it was time to branch out!
A very satisfying rendition of a superb piece of writing.
I am considering converting to Bokononism, because the Bokononist foma is better than the foma of the other religions...
The short interview with Kurt Vonegut at the end is a nice way to cap off the experience too :)
A wonderful book brought to life by a fantastic narrator. A nice, concise read with so many layers to it. Highly recommend!
"A great story, well told"
Up there, probably top 5. Very easy to listen to. Very punchy and concise, and keeps you gripped. Also very clever and thought provoking.
"As many layers as an onion!"
I'm sure that there's still more layers to this novel that passed me by, but I enjoyed its wicked humour and sharp observations of human behaviour. The storyline is wonderfully outlandish and I would be interested to know if the science of Ice Nine is even feasible? However, it is the calypsos of the Bokononist faith that I think will be the most memorable for me. The astute comments on religion, power, learning and life are so true.
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Marni is such a capital-F Fashion Person brand that I can't help but love it. Unlike most of Marni's Italian compatriots, the brand's aesthetic isn't particularly sexy or even sleek; instead, designer Consuelo Castiglioni prefers an androgynous quirk heavy in retro-modern prints. The clothes are impeccably fashionable, but they do take some confidence to wear convincingly. Amateurs need not apply.
As with many brands, though, Marni gets at least one (and probably several) orders of magnitude more accessible when you turn to the brand's accessories. The Marni Resort 2013 handbags that are up for pre-order on Moda Operandi through July 20 are mostly of the sleek leather variety, solid-colored and clean-lined and ultimately, very functional. There's a beauty in the simplicity, though, which shows best in the slim leather pouches with matte gold hardware. Check out the selection after the jump or skip straight to shopping via Moda Operandi.


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I had drawn up a pattern for this Valentine shirt, but the original neckline was too small for her to slip over her head, and I wanted to make something a little more interesting anyway. So, I decided to figure out how to make a placket! I tried the real way, and while it turned out great, it was a lot of figuring out. I wanted to do it a bit simpler, so this is how I ended up doing it in the end. Again, not how the professionals do it, but how this sewing mom does it!
You need:
- Bodice piece
- Placket piece
- To figure the size for the placket piece, decide the width you want your finished placket to be. That is your center measurement. Then double that and add 1/4" for each side. A 1" placket would be: 1" (center) + 2 1/4" (right side) + 2 1/4" (left side) = 5 1/2". From the length you want your placket to be, add 1 1/2"-2". My placket here was 5 1/2"x7".
- Soluble marker or pencil
First, lay whatever bodice piece you are working with face down.
Next, lay the rectangle face down on the bodice, with the centers aligned.
Mark with disappearing ink or a pencil where your stitching lines will be down the center, aka the width and length of your placket. Stitch along the lines.
Cut the fabric between your stitched lines, and when you get to the end, cut a "Y" shape into the fabric close to the corners, but not through the stitching.
Trim the seam allowance to 1/4".
Iron the long outside edges of your rectangle with a 1/4" hem, and turn your bodice over, right side up. Iron the seam towards the placket fabric.
Fold one side of the placket fabric over so the folded hem covers the seam line, and pin.
Stitch close to the edge, enclosing the seam. Stop stitching where the placket opening ends. You will have to fold, tuck, and move your fabric near the bottom so it is easier to work with, and so it looks nice.
Take the other side of your placket and lay it open, covering the part of the placket you just sewed down. Iron the seam allowance towards the placket fabric.
Fold the placket over so the folded hem covers the seam line. Pin in place.
At the bottom, you will notice your placket is now a series of folds.
To eliminate the bulk, simply trim some of the bottom layers away.
Fold the remaining layers so the bottom of the placket comes to a nice, folded end and no raw edges are showing. Pin in place.
Top-stitch or hand-stitch along the edge of the placket, enclosing the seam line. Machine stitch the bottom of the placket down as well.
You can simply top-stitch around the bottom, or add decorating and stabilizing stitches like an "X".
You are done! By hand-stitching, you eliminate the little line of stitching you can see from the underside, but I don't think it is absolutely necessary.
Finish the bodice, and finish off the neckline with a collar, bias tape, or anything else. When I finished with the Valentine shirt, I added button holes and buttons to the placket.
The bottom of the placket doesn't have to be square- on this trial run, I made it come to a point. Very cute!
It was fun for me to figure out this new-to-me sewing technique. I hope you try it soon!Back to Blog


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Compare Dish Network TV Packages in La Puebla, NM to Find the Best Deals
The Dish Network is a satellite TV provider which offers service to in excess of 14 million people worldwide, including La Puebla. It provides hundreds of different channels to consumers and is available anywhere. The Dish Network satellites also can provide HDTV and high quality sound so you can get the most out of what you choose to watch.
Dish Network Satellite TV Services for La Puebla Subscribers
The Dish Network provides their La Puebla customers with the channels they want to see, access to thousands of movies and events, and the ability to enjoy it all from any place. Also most of the content on the Dish Network is available in HD and can be recorded on your DVR's hard drive. That's a deal that would entice anyone who enjoys watching TV.
HD TV from the Dish Network – High Definition in La Puebla Like Never Before
The vast majority of Dish Network's channels appear in HD, so you can take pleasure in the best picture television has to offer on your most watched stations. The Dish Network has become a leader in bringing HD technology into your home and it continues this tradition of leadership by offering many of the most expansive and affordable HD deals anywhere.
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Along with the standard subscription and HD channels, the Dish Network provides a wide selection of Pay-Per-View events and Videos on Demand. With this service you can watch a sporting event or new movie in 1080p true HD at the click of button.
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Fathead Notre Dame Fighting Irish Michael Floyd Wall Graphic
Product Information:
Bring the intensity of ND football into any room with the Fathead® Notre Dame Fighting Irish Michael Floyd Wall Graphic. This life-sized, high-definition action image is safe for any smooth wall and uses low-tack adhesive, so you can remove and reuse the graphic in another room. This Fathead® is made from thick, high-grade vinyl that is tear, rip, and fade-resistant, so it will last as long as your devotion to the Fighting Irish.
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish Michael Floyd wall graphic
- Includes main image and additional smaller images
- Life-sized, high-definition action image
- Safe for walls
- Removable and reusable low-tack adhesive
- Thick high-grade vinyl
- Resistant from tears, rips and fading
- Dimensions: 4' 11' x 5' 11''
- Officially licensed collegiate product
- Model: 12-20875
- Fathead
Country of Origin: United StatesWeb ID: 18691256


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These games teach valuable skills and have a high fun and educational rating.
Your child will listen a story about the beauty of all skin colors by Karen Katz as the illustrations are shown in the video. The narrator conveys respect and affection for the people in her life as she vividly describes their skin tones.
Your child improves social development by choosing proper face to the emotion.
Your child develops an understanding of emotions by creating a character.
Your child develops social skills by understanding that different faces convey different emotions.
Your child learns ways to be a good friend and names of different animals by watching this fun video about how animals are our friends too.
Your child gains a deeper understanding of social values by taking a train ride and interacting with different characters in need.
Your child learns about the benefits of volunteering by watching this video starring Elmo and Usher.
Your child develops sign language skills by watching Rachel sign the lyrics to this song.
Your child learns to write a thank you message to someone and show appreciation by watching this video.
Your child develops literacy skills by reading and/or listening to this story.
Zoodles 11.5.9 Copyright (c) 2014 Inquisitive Minds, Inc. All rights reserved.


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Support "Son of God" at box office
To the editor:
The United States was founded on Judeo/Christian ethical value principles. The framers valued our inalienable rights from God and our rights that our republic form of government would protect. Over the last 40 years or more, we have been "watching" the expression of Judeo/Christian beliefs erode through moral-less and violent portrayals, in Hollywood movies at our box offices. Once in a while, we get to "see" a push back on that type of expression, with more wholesome movies.
A ten-year study by Dr. Ted Baehr, Publisher of MOVIEGUIDE, pushes back on the notion that Hollywood salesmen and Madison Avenue advertisers would have us believe, that is, that sex and violence sells the best. Through their study, which was based on nearly 2,700 of the top movies from 1996 through 2005, it was discovered that Christian worldview movies "make two to seven times as much money as movies with explicit sex and nudity."
Dr. Baehr states "the vast majority of moviegoers, which includes the 141 million Americans who go to church every week, prefer positive Christian movies with moral uplifting content. If Hollywood executives and filmmakers want to make money at the box office, they should make more movies that reflect a very strong Christian worldview with very strong moral values."
One of the best ways to get Hollywood executives to produce more of these high moral valued movies, is to pay the ticket price at our local box office. This is our chance to use our freedom of expression which we still enjoy in USA, and invite Hollywood executives to produce more of these highly moral valued movies. Hollywood will get rich if they would give us more good and wholesome movies.
A movie that I feel meets these standards, which is now playing at our local New Ulm and surrounding communities' theaters is "Son of God". Let's get out there and have our voices heard now or in the future, whenever we hear of good and wholesome movies at our box offices. While you are voting in your local movie theater, enjoy the plot and pass the popcorn around.
Dennis Schwarz
New Ulm