Another biased study used as justification

The debate over the long-gun registry is heating up, and oh, look – Conservative MP (and chief apple-polisher) Candice Hoeppner has come out with a study that shows that the rank-and-file police oppose the registry. Err, except that the study (by its own admission) isn’t a scientifically sound sampling. Rather, it’s a biased one.

Not that Hoeppner wants you to know that, or focus on it. Or Shelly Glover – Canada’s Most Intellectually Bankrupt MP – for that matter, as she accused Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair of making up facts to support the registry. Which is a rich accusation coming from Glover, who habitually makes up “facts” to support her the PMO’s spin. This on the day that the national chiefs of police voted unanimously to support the retention of the registry. But what burns me is the fact that CBC’s Evan Soloman was taking Hoeppner’s figures at face value, even after saying that they weren’t scientific. Since when is it the CBC’s job to churn out PMO spin as it were actually news?

Oh, and the police chiefs also said they’re in favour of keeping the long-form census for what it’s worth.

The Greens have now had their convention, Elizabeth May has secured her leadership, and apparently the party’s platform got a B+ from former TB Bank Chief Economist Don Drummond. May, understandably, is quite cuffed.

Apparently we Canadians – as well as the British – are angry that you can choose to play the Taliban in a new video game, according to Peter MacKay. Err, funny that this is the first I’ve heard of it. He suggests the video game trivialises the losses we’ve faced there. And his government’s particular “exit strategy” of a firm pullout date doesn’t?

On his annual summer tour of the North, Stephen Harper spoke about the long-term economic development of the region. But is he focusing on the “long-term” in order to mask the fact that he hasn’t fulfilled any of his promises to date?

And Her Excellency is on her farewell tour of the prairies, which included a visit to a downtown Saskatoon youth centre.

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