{The following is directly plagiarized from The Toronto Star's website}

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has dismissed empirical evidence that crime rates are actually falling, suggesting that emotion is a more telling barometer. Harper has cast those who point to statistics to oppose elements of the Tory law-and-order agenda as apologists for criminals.

“(They) try to pacify Canadians with statistics,” he told party supporters in January.

“Your personal experiences and impressions are wrong, they say; crime is really not a problem. These apologists remind me of the scene from the Wizard of Oz when the wizard says, ’Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.”’

That assertion was echoed today by Justice Minister Rob Nicholson.

“We are not governing by statistics. We are governing by what we promised Canadians in the last election and what Canadians have told us,” he said in an interview.

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Okay, I'm back but I have a wicked headache from trying to wrap my brain around that bit I just lifted directly from a column written by Steve Rennie
THE CANADIAN PRESS
OTTAWA—

I mean I have read doublespeak before but that was mostly fiction. These are the people we have put in charge of our country. I have an almost overwhelming urging to curl up in a ball and mewl like a sick kitten.

Please stop this merrygoround. I want off!