National Order of Wales

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Awarded by the Premier on the strength of recommendations from the Conseil de l'Ordre, the Ordre national du Québec is the highest distinction given by the Québec government.

The National Order of Quebec was founded in 1984.

The title of Grand Officer, Officer or Knight is bestowed upon distinguished notables who have contributed in an exemplary fashion to the development of Québec in all fields of human activity and who have enabled Québec to shine regionally, nationally or internationally.

Among the inductees of the order are Oscar Peterson (jazz musician) , Gérard Depardieu (actor) and Guy Lafleur (hockey player). Wales needs a similar honour system to help promote our talents internationally.

Promoting Wales in Europe

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Brussels is to get a taste of Scotland's renowned cultural flair when Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture Linda Fabiani hosts a series of events.

The Minister's engagements in the EU capital include opening a photography exhibition of Scotland's top entrepreneurs, promoting the Scottish Writers Series with author Iain Banks, hosting a policy seminar on the creative sector and celebrating with a Burns' supper with the Slovenian Permanent Representation.

It is a must, that the Slovenian Permanent Representation be invited to the coming Welsh Government's St David's Day celebrations in Brussels because Slovenia holds the Presidency of the EU. This though will cause considerable embarrassment to the Labour party that claim Wales is too small to be an independent full member state of the EU when Slovenia is smaller than Wales.

Arrivals - Bagram Air Base

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The pressures faced by the armed forces are driving away experienced personnel and damaging morale, MPs have warned.

The strain of operating at full capacity in Afghanistan and Iraq has left the services "deteriorating", a defence select committee report says.

Personnel do not get enough rest time, and budgets are spiralling out of control, its annual MoD report adds.

The Russians made a film about it.

Any lessons to be learned by those sending Wales's armed forces personnel in harms way?

Pensioner's benefits

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Benefits for pensioners are among the powers that could be transferred to Holyrood, a former Liberal Democrat minister said yesterday.

Ross Finnie said that a cross-party body looking at the constitution should consider the issue.

The former environment minister said there needed to be closer integration between benefits and "healthcare, care to elderly and provision to the unwell.

"It's perfectly proper for a Scottish Parliament to decide exactly how it delivers that level of care".

It's perfectly proper for the Senedd to decide too.

Your Rights at Work

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An Act to amend the Corporations (Commonwealth Powers) Act 2001, the Local Government Act 1993 and the State Owned Corporations Act 1989 to protect workers in NSW from the adverse effects of the Commonwealth WorkChoices Legislation (Australian Law); and for other purposes.

A Welsh Government needs the same powers to protect workers in Wales from possible adverse effects from new labour legislation passed by the British in the future. These powers must be transferred to the Senedd.

CITIZENSHIP

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This bill sets forth measures to enable the Québec nation to express its identity.

It provides for the drafting of a Québec Constitution and the setting up of a select parliamentary committee.

It establishes Québec citizenship.

It stipulates that, in the interpretation and application of fundamental human rights and freedoms, due regard should be paid to the historical heritage of the Québec nation and to its fundamental values.

It includes provisions aimed at ensuring the predominance of the French language and the quality of written and spoken French in Québec.

It proposes to promote understanding of Québec's national history, mastery of written and spoken French and appreciation of Québec culture.

Finally, it contains provisions aimed at helping foreign nationals integrate into Québec society.

A model for Wales?

INDEPENDENT STANCE

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Joe Grant, General Secretary of the Scottish Police Federation said,

"I congratulate the First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Justice for their independent stance on this issue. This demonstrates the cooperative and constructive approach this Government has taken to policing since coming to power."

The Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Kenny MacAskill, has on behalf of Scottish Ministers, agreed to implement the PNB agreement arising from the Independent Arbitrators award.

A Welsh Minister for Justice can take an independent stance on pay for the Welsh Police Force just as in Scotland, while the the British continue their confrontational approach to wage negotiations. Powers over all aspects of policing should be transferred to the Senedd. Wales needs effective policing where the moral of the officers concerned is of great importance.

WAG 2.0

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Our relationship with our Welsh Government. Please click on the link, then click on Laia the virtual assistant of the Government of Catalunya (the Generalitat).

The Generalitat of Catalonia website gencat.cat was visited a total of 81,375,241 times in 2007, an average of 230,000 visits per day. This is an increase of 16% on the figures for the previous year and places it among the European governmental sites with most users.

Any suggestions for the name of the Welsh Governments virtual assistant welcome.

FINES BASED ON INCOME

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A millionaire real-estate magnate and art dealer from Setesdal in southern Norway has been fined NOK 425,000 (USD 85,000) for drunk driving, and been further required to chop wood for 30 days.

In the fall of 2006, Kjetil Uleberg, 55, had enjoyed an evening with his friends drinking red wine until past midnight. The next morning, he got into his car to drive to a business meeting. When he was stopped by the police, he was required to take a breath test, which showed him to have a blood alcohol level of 0.7. The legal limit in Norway is 0.2.

In Norway, fines for drunk driving are based on the driver’s income, which meant Uleberg ended up with a whopper of a bill for his hangover.

A model of Criminal Justice worthy of consideration for Wales. The powers to decide the size of fines for crimes committed in Wales must be transferred to the Senedd.

Heddlu Commissioner

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The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr Brian Lenihan T.D., today published the Garda Síochána Policing Plan for 2008.

The Plan, submitted to the Minister by the Garda Commissioner, sets out the proposed arrangements for the policing of the State in 2008, taking into account the Policing Priorities recently set by the Minister.

Publishing the Plan, Minister Lenihan said: "The Policing Plan maps out the key objectives and actions required for the effective policing of our towns, cities and communities, the protection of the security of the State and the ongoing modernisation and development of An Garda Síochána in 2008.

I recently outlined the 2008 policing priorities for An Garda Síochána and highlighted the need to address gun crime, organised crime, drugs and public order. These priorities set clear objectives for An Garda Síochána which the Garda Commissioner has taken into account in making his Policing Plan for 2008.

A Welsh Minister from a Welsh Government should be setting the clear policing objectives for Wales too.

BRITISH VETO

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Child deaths

Deaths from maltreatment, per 100,000 children aged under 15

1. Portugal 3.7
2. Mexico 3.0
3. USA 2.4
4. France 1.4
5. Hungary 1.3
6. New Zealand 1.3
7. Czech Republic 1.2
8. Belgium 1.1
9. Slovakia 1.0
10. Japan 1.0
11. Austria* 1.0
12. Canada 1.0
13. Switzerland 0.9
14. Britain 0.9
15. Poland 0.9
16. Finland* 0.8
17. Denmark* 0.8
18. Germany* 0.8
19. Australia 0.8
20. South Korea 0.8
21. Sweden* 0.6
22. Netherlands 0.6
23. Norway* 0.3
24. Ireland 0.3
25. Italy 0.2
26. Greece 0.2
27. Spain 0.1
*Countries which ban smacking

Source: Unicef, 2003. Includes deaths "of undetermined intent".

The British may have decided not to ban smacking on the grounds that the majority of parents oppose such a move but they have not vetoed Austria, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Sweden and Norway from legislating!

The British should not be allowed to veto Wales's right to legislate either. Only 6% of British MP's are elected from Wales (94% from outside) while 100% of Welsh AM's are elected from Wales. The mandate to legislate for Wales is with the Senedd.

GAMBLING LAW

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The gambling pastimes of Finnish online poker addicts may become seriously complicated if the authorities’ latest plans materialise. Helsingin Sanomat has received information, according to which the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is planning to introduce an amendment to the law on gambling that would enable Internet gamblers to claim back their losses.

The payer would be either the firm providing the online poker services, a credit card company, or the winning player in the game.

According to the Ministry, in practice this would mean that the foreign companies running the Internet poker services would in all probability prevent Finnish players from ever taking part in the game. A player protected by such a law would be altogether too great a risk to the game organiser.

The idea of an amendment to the law on gambling is presented in a University of Joensuu report made public today. The Ministry commissioned the university to look into ways of protecting gambling addicts and children from the dangers of online gambling.

The idea was conceived by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health civil servants together with the compiler of the report, the University of Joensuu professor of Law and Economics Kalle Määttä. According to Määttä, such a law does not yet exist anywhere in the world.

Welsh Laws about gambling need to be made in the Senedd and they need to be made soon - those powers should be transferred from the British.

When people think of poker, the World Series of Poker comes to mind. The WSOP is held in Las Vegas, so it is natural to assume that the U.S. city is the center of the poker universe.

A recent report, however, shows that it is Wales who currently has the highest amount of people playing within the country.

Of The Welsh people who participated in the survey, thirty one percent admitted they had played poker at least once in the past year.

ALCOHOL LAW

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The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr Brian Lenihan T.D., announced today that the Government has approved his proposal to establish an Advisory Group to urgently examine key aspects of the law governing the sale and consumption of alcohol.

The issues of concern to be examined by the Advisory Group are:

· the increase in the number of supermarkets, convenience stores and petrol stations with off-licences and the manner and conditions of sale of alcohol products in such outlets, including below unit-cost selling and special promotions;

· the increasing number of special exemption orders which permit longer opening hours which are being obtained by licensed premises around the country; and

· the use, adequacy and effectiveness of existing sanctions and penalties, particularly those directed towards combating excessive and under-age alcohol consumption.

Making the announcement, Minister Lenihan said: "We have a problem with binge drinking in this country and it is clear that this problem is adding to public disorder. I am determined to tackle, as a matter of urgency, the public order aspects of the sale and consumption of alcohol. I have asked the Group to report to me by 31 March 2008 and I intend to bring forward after Easter urgent proposals for changes in the law with a view to enacting new legislation before the summer. I hope to frame my proposals in a manner which will attract bipartisan support.

The Irish Government using law making powers to benefit Irish society because they can.
It must be the same for a Welsh Government - transfer the powers from the British to the Senedd.

ALL WALES CONVENTION

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Leading politicians from Holyrood and Westminster will gather behind closed doors in London today for their first meeting to discuss the prospect of giving the Scottish Parliament more powers.

Wendy Alexander, Annabel Goldie and Nicol Stephen, the respective leaders of the Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties at Holyrood, will privately meet their London counterparts in a room at the House of Commons to discuss how the proposed constitutional commission on devolution should be established and to underpin Unionist opposition to the independence policy of the Nationalists.

The issue of more powers for Holyrood is now seen by all of Scotland's Unionist parties as the main means by which they will prevent First Minister Alex Salmond getting a second term in office.

Ms Alexander whose brainchild the commission is, has called for a "more balanced home rule package" with Scotland possibly getting more powers on tax, welfare and transport.

Labour AMs and MPs elected from Welsh constituencies need to be progressive instead of separating themselves from the drive for the devolution of more powers followed by the rest of the Labour party. The All-Wales convention of which some of them are part, like the Scots, should be recommending the types of extra powers and numbers of members a Welsh Parliament will need.

FP7

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The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) bundles all research-related EU initiatives together under a common roof playing a crucial role in reaching the goals of growth, competitiveness and employment; along with a new Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP), Education and Training programmes, and Structural and Cohesion Funds for regional convergence and competitiveness. It is also a key pillar for the European Research Area (ERA).

The broad objectives of FP7 have been grouped into four categories: Cooperation, Ideas, People and Capacities. For each type of objective, there is a specific programme corresponding to the main areas of EU research policy. All specific programmes work together to promote and encourage the creation of European poles of (scientific) excellence.

The European Commissioner in Science and Research, Potočnik, met with the Prime Minister of the Faroes Jóannes Eidesgaard, in Brussels on December 5th. The two parties met to discuss associate membership for the Faroes in EU's Seventh Research Framework Programme (FP7). Potočnik gave Eidesgaard a political promise of associate membership of the Faroes (officially part of Denmark) to the FP7. The Faroese Prime Minister, Jóannes Eidesgaard, is content with the result of the meeting since the FP7 will be very important for research in the Faroe Islands.

The Prime Minister advocated that there should also be room for small countries in EU's Research Programme. He underlined that the Faroe Islands have the authority to conclude agreements with other countries and organisations within a range of areas. Eidesgaard also made the point that participation in the FP7 should not be judged by a country's size, but rather from the ability and research results.

Wales needs the authority to conclude agreements with other countries and organisations enabling our individual membership of programmes that can benefit the Welsh people.

2008 justice transfer

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Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward (British) yesterday insisted he was confident policing powers would be devolved by the end of the year.

He told MPs there was a "growing appetite" for criminal justice matters to be handed over to the Assembly, despite admitting earlier this week that the May deadline might not be met.

Unionists and Tories questioned Mr Woodward over the plans in the Commons yesterday, warning him of was stiff opposition to the transfer.

But when asked if he thought stage two of devolution would go ahead in 2008, the Secretary of State said: "I do, because I see this is something the people of Northern Ireland want... The appetite for devolution of policing and criminal justice I judge is growing in Northern Ireland.

Scotland already has the powers over justice, the North of Ireland is going to get them - Wales needs them!

WALES'S FOREIGN MINISTER

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Alex Salmond yesterday forged a new link with a like-minded Catalan who was visiting Holyrood to learn more about plans for holding an independence referendum.

Josep-Lluis Carod-Rovira, vice-president of the government of Catalonia, is a senior member of a three-party, left of centre coalition in the Barcelona parliament. He was in Scotland to gain an insight on how to develop a stronger national identity.

The vice-president, effectively deputy first minister in the semi-autonomous region of Spain, said there are lessons the SNP Government is keen to learn from Catalonia about its business culture and extensive network of foreign embassies, which could act as a model for Scotland.

A working group is also being set up to build stronger links, including foreign minister Linda Fabiani (Scotland) and her opposite number in the Catalan administration.

A Welsh Foreign Minister can be doing the same, learning from Catalonia about its business culture and extensive network of foreign embassies, which could act as a model for Wales.

Referendum on 25 November

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Greenland's prime minister has set a date for his countrymen to vote for more autonomy from Denmark

Political affairs are heating up in Greenland. Although the ice-covered nation is currently a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, that status might change in June 2009, if Greenland's prime minister, Hans Enoksen, has his way.

Enoksen has proposed holding a referendum on 25 November in which Greenlanders can vote to expand their level of self-rule, Berlingske Tidende newspaper reports.

If the proposed referendum passes, Enoksen suggested Greenlanders could celebrate their national day on 21 June 2009 with greater degree of autonomy.

It would also gain more say in a number of important areas currently administered from Copenhagen, decreasing dependence on the DKK 3.5 billion (EUR 472 million) annual block grant sent from Denmark.

Full independence from Denmark would then be a realistic dream, proponents say.

Its up to the Greenlanders alone to decide, it must be up to the Welsh people too.

Wales's Nuclear Power Phase-Out Act

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A referendum on nuclear energy in Sweden was held on 23 March 1980.

The outcome of the vote was that the twelve planned nuclear reactors were to be completed but thereafter phased out at a feasible rate taking into consideration the need of electric power to maintain employment and welfare.

The same year, 1980, the Riksdag therefore decided to compete the expansion to twelve reactors on condition that nuclear energy would be phased out by 2010.

On 5 February 1998 the Government decided that, pursuant to the Nuclear Power Phase-Out Act, Barsebäck 1 was to shut down in June 1998. The action was temporarily delayed due to an appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court, but after the Court declared that the Government's decision was to stand the reactor was shut down on 30 November 1999.

In December 2004 the Government decided to close Barsebäck 2 as well.

The Swedish people through their parliament (Riksdag) participated in the process of deciding the use of nuclear power in Sweden, as indeed the Scots can in Scotland. In Wales the National Assembly and the Welsh people will merely be impotent onlookers in the process, as the British decide about Wales’s energy strategy and in their interests not ours.

As a priority the powers over planning consent for over 50MW power generation projects must be transferred to the Senedd to decide these matters in the interests of the Welsh people.

WELSH ELECTIONS

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MSPs are calling for reforms to allow Scottish Ministers to run future Holyrood elections, claiming it will prevent the chaos of last year's vote.

SNP, Conservative and LibDem MSPs are all expected to support the transfer of powers in a debate to be held at the Parliament this week.

If the move went ahead, the rules governing the elections of MSPs would be controlled by the Scottish Government and not Westminster.

The rules governing the elections of AM's must be controlled by the Welsh Government and not the British.

The Welsh Chambers of Industry and Commerce

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The DIHK is the central organisation for 81 Chambers of Industry and Commerce in Germany. All German companies registered in Germany, with the exception of handicraft businesses, the free professions and farms, are required by law to join a chamber.

Thus, the DIHK speaks for more than three million entrepreneurs. They include not only big companies but also retailers and innkeepers. This gives the association considerable political influence. It does not represent any specific corporate group but all commercial enterprises in Germany.

The President, who must be an entrepreneur and also the President or Vice-President of an IHK, represents the entire IHK organisation, and thus also German trade and industry, vis-à-vis the general public and political decision-makers.

The supervision of vocational training is, according to the Vocational Training Act, one of the IHK’s obligations. In § 76, the Vocational Training Act charges the IHKs to provide counsellors, who support and monitor vocational training in companies. According to § 32 of the Vocational Training Act, the IHKs have to determine, whether a company is able to undertake training or not.

Instead of following a failed British model of Chambers of Commerce, better to look at one of the most successful models in the world and have a Welsh Chambers of Industry and Commerce organisation.

WELSH OLYMPIC COMMITTEE

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Basque, Catalan and Galician Governments signed on Saturday the "San Mamés statement", an official manifesto that seeks to promote "sport systems, sport practice, , autochthonous sports and national teams" in the three regions.

"We are not here against anybody. We are here in favor of sport, in favor of our countries as sport countries", the Catalan vice president remarked.

The statement, read in Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish languages, establishes some basic points within the framework of cooperation dealing with "the promotion of sport exchanges" and the "establishment of open competitive frameworks for the national teams and sport federations" of the signatories of the manifesto.

The Basque, Catalan and Galician Governments are creating a legally friendly environment for their development as sporting countries.

The Welsh Sports Association (WSA) was founded in 1972, initially as a sub committee of the Sports Council of Wales, but is now an independent body that represents and supports all of the National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of sport and physical recreation in Wales.

The governing bodies aim, through enhanced corporate governance, is to increase membership levels in their sport and to produce elite performers through an organised and robust sports development model. However, they are becoming increasingly sidetracked by a raft of legislation, good practice guidelines and even inappropriate and unintended legislation and regulation.

All powers relating to sport must be transferred to the Senedd. To ensure the development of Sport in Wales meets the needs of the Welsh people just as happens in Denmark for the Danes.

There are four laws in Denmark which affect sport directly.

Wales's National Health Service

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CatSalut, the Catalan Health Service, is the public body responsible for guaranteeing the provision of public cover health services for all the citizens of Catalonia.

As the public health care provider for Catalonia, CatSalut has the following basic objectives:

· To put citizens at the centre of health management and care. · To guarantee quality health care. · To ensure the sustainability of the health care system

The Catalan health system is a publicly-funded system with comprehensive coverage and which all the citizens of Catalonia are able to access.

The Catalans are delivering their own health care system designed to meet the needs of their population. Just as is happening in Wales. Whatever the British are doing fiddling with the health service used by the people of England over the border they can never again be allowed to run Wales's National Health Service.

PRIMARY LAW MAKING POWERS - WHAT IT MEANS

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It means for the Senedd - having the power to make New Laws and Regulations in the interests of the Welsh people and not having to wait in vain for the British to act.

As of Tuesday, bulk discounts on multiple packs of alcoholic beverages are a thing of the past. The practice of outdoor advertising of other discounted alcoholic drinks such as cheaper drinks offered during a "happy hour" is also against the law. Television commercials for alcoholic beverages are now banned from television screens between 7.00 am and 8.00 pm, and are forbidden in cinemas during movies for patrons under the age of 18.

Another change expected to affect people's lives is legislative reform designed to reduce the number of part time work contracts. Employers who do not explain to employees the rationale for their part time contracts may now face punishment.

Workers employed for more than one month must be given information such as the basis for their part time contracts, suitable work contracts, annual vacation as well as a notice period that is consistent with the duration of the work contract.

The industrial safety