Good Will Hunting

I know the title's been used before, but I must confess that it seemed appropriate for this little item on National Newswatch. US actor Will Smith has stunned fans by reportedly declaring that Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler was essentially a "good" person. "Even Hitler didn't wake up going, 'Let me do the most evil thing I can do today," Smith told the newspaper in a wide-ranging interview. Maybe it's just the influence of the season, but I have to agree with Mr. Smith's hunt to find something good in everyone. It may be considered the "Norm" to jump all over Will Smith for his statements regarding Adolph Hitler, but he wasn't entirely wrong. We all know that Hitler was personally responsible for deaths of millions of people of the Jewish faith, but does anyone know Hitler for his unwillingness to allow his troops to use poison gas on Allied soldiers during World War II? Will Smith wasn't defending the actions of a psychotic, it seemed more like he was merely expressing his belief that maybe Jesus Christ knew something that we forgot: we're all born in sin. It's what we do from then on that makes us who we are. I like Will Smith, and can't really think of anything good about Hitler, so I'll just skip to the reason of this post: Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah and Al-salaamu Aleikum.

"Iraq has been taken over by the imperial powers of Kentucky Fried Chicken and Starbucks."

Michael Totten has a new article over at Commentary. I just returned home from a trip to Fallujah, where I was the only reporter embedded with the United States military. There was, however, an unembedded reporter in the city at the same time. Normally it would be useful to compare what I saw and heard while traveling and working with the Marines with what a colleague saw and heard while working solo. Unfortunately, the other Fallujah reporter was Ali al-Fadhily from Inter Press Services. You can read "The other Fallujah Reporter" here.

The Unseen Angle

American - Canadian Acid Rain Agreement. Support for Nelson Mandela to end Apartheid in South Africa. The reunification of East and West Germany. The introduction of televised Question Period in the House Of Commons. Helping to stop the genocide of innocent Muslims at the hands of the Bosnian Serbs. The liberation of Kuwait. These are just six of the accomplishments of the Progressive Conservative government of Brian Mulroney. Of all the things that we are expected to believe of Karlheinz Schreiber's testimony in front of the ethics committee, it is perhaps easiest to understand why he felt it was important for the Progressive Conservative's to regain the trust of Canadians and once again lead this great nation. Apparently, the governments of Germany and France felt the same way. After reading and watching just about every news item dealing with this topic, the one question that hasn't been asked about this whole affair is: "What if Schreiber's telling the truth?" Whatever trail you choose to follow regarding how Mulroney got $300,000.00 from Mr. Schreiber, none has yet to prove that any law was broken. That's a lot of bones, but it doesn't make a graveyard. So why didn't Mulroney admit that he got $300,000.00 from Schreiber? The answer is so obvious that everyone's missing it. Mulroney wasn't asked if he received any money from Schreiber for future consulting work. He was asked if he was paid any money for kickbacks from Airbus. In the legal world, wouldn't those be two completely different things? The proper answers, based on the sworn testimony of Schreiber and statements from Mulroney, are respectfully "yes" and "no". So if Mulroney was asked if he accepted any Airbus kickbacks, why would he mention transactions that weren't related? Why would anybody? Which leads to today's testimony. If Schreiber is being sincere, then there is definately the possibility that a conspiracy existed to remove Schreiber from his position of influence of politicians in both Canada and Europe. Who would have to gain from his removal? For starters, those companies that lost out to Airbus. If Canadian, German and French officials could be bought, why couldn't it happen again from politicians that had something to gain by the fallout? Just something to think about for the sake of excersizing your brain.

The Things We Take For Granted

Between all the commotion of Karlheinz Schreiber, and the sagging fortunes of the Liberal Party of Canada, it's sometimes all too easy to overlook the things that matter most. Such is the case this week of the loss of a family member. In the room next to me is a greiving 18 year old girl, who has cried herself to sleep the last two nights. (Now I know that you're probably thinking about the joke about the blond girl, you know: I woke up 4 AM this morning and there was a beautiful blonde pounding at the front door;.....So I let her out!!)

Sadly, our companion of 18 years has left and not returned. After 54 birthdays, 18 Christmas seasons, 18 Easter Bunnies, quite a few marital disagreements, a couple of power outages, three graduations, good times and bad times; the one sane creature in our house has disappeared.

It's hard to say goodbye to a pet. I'm not sure I'm ready to yet.

Please come home.

It's Important To Have A Sense Of Humour

Here's a headline from National Newswatch that caught my eye: Rarely used warrant sought to ensure Schreiber testifies Here's the first paragraph in the Globe & Mail story: "The federal New Democratic Party says it will table a motion today to use the little-known power of a Speaker's warrant to force Karlheinz Schreiber to testify in front of a parliamentary committee and block his extradition to Germany." Swallow whatever your drinking or eating, and then think about the above paragraph for a minute or two. Done yet? Okay, my query is this: If the NDP, proud supporters of our Armed Forces that they are, are so against sending Afghan terrorists (who kill and maim Afghans and United Nations peacekeepers) to Afghan jails; then what in tarnation (That's a cartoon word) do they think would possibly make Mr. Schreiber say anything that would benefit them? I think we all know that torture is out of the question. So just how can we be sure that he'll tell them anything? We can't. That's why it's important to have a sense of humour.

Schreiber: Not Leaving Without A Bang

It's interesting to view the controversy surrounding the dealings that Brian Mulroney may or not have had with Karlheinz Schreiber. In the latest story from CTV, we learn that now Mulroney himself is calling for a public inquiry. Considering the mountain of material that Mr. Schreiber claims to have available, it appears that Mr. Schreiber came to a decision over a decade ago that if his dealings ever raised suspicion in Germany, he wouldn't go back there without a fight. We don't know all the facts yet, but we are privy to some of the opening arguments: Mr. Mulroney accepted payment for professional services after he left office. This alone begs the question: Do the public hate Brian Mulroney so much that they would attach what happened in 1994 to the government of today, and moreso to a current Prime Minister who left politics when Brian Mulroney was still in office? It's definately a great magic trick when an alleged criminal can bring down a democratically elected government because he knows how to con the voter as well as his fellow Germans claim that he conned them. It's a great side show, but it doesn't belong in the House of Commons, it belongs in the justice system. Let's hope that government lawyers don't spend as much of our money getting to the truth of this as they spent investigating the Somalia affair or Peppergate. It would be a travesty of justice if this is the only thing that could get an elected Liberal member of Parlaiment out of his seat to actually vote on something.

Subliminal Warfare Or Just Plain Stupidity?

From CTV: Tory 'mini budget' passes with Liberal abstention It's a story that any Canadian would want to hear. Lower taxes. Unfortunately, the writer has subliminally slipped in a message of tax INCREASE that shouldn't be there. Is it more of the mainstream media attack that we've grown accustomed to seeing against this current government, or is it just grammatical masturbation? Here's what caught my eye: "(Dion) on Monday drew a line in his sandbox," said Harper. "The line was he would never tolerate an increase in the GST, and today he is going to let one pass." Nice screw up CTV. In case you thought that we wouldn't notice, the GST wasn't increased, it was decreased, by 16.67%. You'll have to be more subliminal to pull the wool over my eyes.

Dr Who And The War On Terror

Remember the predictions of flying cars that we were all supposed to be using at the start of this century? Meal in a pill? How about personal robotic maids that every family would have? Sure, these are all things that may someday come to pass. To date, the predictions made in such eminent magazines and newspapers such as Popular Science and The New York Times haven't been very accurate. Sure, maybe there has been a flourishing civilization on the Moon since 1990, but neither you or I have been shown any such evidence of it. So what's the point of this particular blog entry? From a link in National Newswatch: Tories accused of lying about time needed to stabilize Afghanistan OTTAWA - The Conservative government was accused Thursday of painting a misleadingly rosy portrait of the situation in Afghanistan that contradicts the view of its own military experts. The Tories say Afghanistan should be stable enough to handle its own security by 2011 - a view reiterated late Thursday by a spokeswoman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper. But opposition parties pounced on far less cheerful assessments of the situation from two leading authorities: Canada's top soldier and the head of NATO. Gen. Rick Hillier declared it will probably take "10 years or so" for the Afghan army to meet its security demands - and NATO's secretary-general suggested it could take far longer than that. The opposition accused Harper of ignoring his own military experts and allies because the truth makes him politically uncomfortable. Liberal defence critic Denis Coderre said: "Mr. Hillier is the expert and he knows better. Someone lied there." On Afghanistan, the throne speech said Canadian troops should remain deployed for four more years - and then, by 2011, Afghan forces should be able to defend their own sovereignty. But the NDP wanted to know whether Hillier or Harper was telling the truth. "This is a very serious matter and I think the Prime Minister needs to respond," NDP Leader Jack Layton said afterwards. "We got glib responses . . . This is an enormous discrepancy and it does come down to who's telling the truth about this war." Now for my point. For years we have been treated to various experts, psychics and seers telling us the future. We don't need politicians doing it. If politicians could successfully see the future results of war then Adolph Hitler probably wouldn't have invaded Poland. Saddam Hussein probably wouldn't have violated 17 U.N. Resolutions. To hear Jack Layton paint a point of view or an opinion on something that may or may not happen as a lie is ludicrous. To take him seriously is even moreso. It was Winston Churchill who once said "We will never surrender". I don't recall him ever saying in 1941 that "We'll win by May 8th of 1945; news at 11." It's time we stopped making ridiculous demands of our leaders as to when the wars in Aghanistan or Iraq will be over. Just because we live in a microwave world doesn't mean the rest of the world does. UPDATE: CTV gazes into their crystal ball, determined that either the Prime Minister or the Chief of Defence is a liar. "Now we've got a situation where the chief of defence staff is saying one thing. The prime minister and his spinmeisters are saying another. It raises serious questions about whether we have adequate civilian control of this mission, Deputy Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said Friday after question period. "The soldiers deserve better. They deserve effective leadership by the civilian elected government of this country and they are not getting it." The only lie being told in this story is that either the military or the government aren't telling the truth. I don't see anything conclusive offered by the media to suggest that both couldn't be right. Perhaps both are wrong. Perhaps it'll take seven years, instead of four or ten. Only time will tell.

Mike Duffy Live: The Progressives get Regressive

If you're not watching Mike Duffy Live on CTV this Throne Speech night, you should at least take a peek when it's rerun later tonight. The show's only been on for minutes, and I was already treated to the perfect example of why one should be cautious about voting Liberal or NDP should an election arise. Here's the link here.

The Six Million Dollar Man

Thank you fellow Islanders for voting in a Liberal government here on Prince Edward Island. It's been so long since we've last had a deficit in the area of the $42-million just announced in today's provincial budget. I know, it's not like the last liberal budget deficit of $71.4-million that we had back in 1993, but at least they're making the effort. Of special interest is the $4.4 cents per litre I save every time I put gas in the car, and all you fellow Islanders that have never even driven a car get to pay for it, to the tune of $6 million this year. Plus interest. Here's the details on CBC's website. The deficit tops any brought in during the Progressive Conservatives' 10 years in power — with a peak of $39.5 million in 2004 — but it is not the largest budget deficit ever on P.E.I. In 1993, Liberal Premier Catherine Callbeck brought down a deficit of $71.4 million.

Two Good Reasons To Read Azure

This is the first. This is the second. See if you can find more reasons.

Throne Speech Eve Prediction

Will Stephan Dion be the next Canadian Prime Minister?

Controlling The Message

This story from CTV has to be one of the most ironic I've seen yet. The Prime Minister's Office has no plans to build a government-controlled briefing room, which would supplant the current National Press Theatre. A news report on Monday said a plan, with an estimated cost of $2 million, has been in the works since at least last year. The Privy Council Office and the PMO have been working on the "special project for the PM, otherwise reffered (sic) as the Shoe Store Project," said the documents obtained by the Toronto Star under the Access to Information Act. The Toronto Star's Tonda MacCharles, who first reported the story said she requested the documents about a year ago and received them late Thursday night. "There was nothing in there that indicated that the project was not going to go ahead and ... today the Prime Minister's Office is saying they're not pursuing it," MacCharles told CTV Newsnet's Mike Duffy Live. I urge you to read the comments section that CTV's website has on this article. They're still looking for commenters, but if you put anything of any truth there to set people straight, they're not likely to post it. I've tried. I've given up. Same thing at the Globe & Mail. Could it be that the media has become what the mental midgets commenting on this article claim that Stephen Harper has become? Could it be that the media is taking a fascist position and filling our minds with liberal propaganda? Nah. But as Little Johnny once said, "I like the way you're thinking". Another point of view here, here, here and here.

Once Again, The Critics Are Full Of B.S.

From the Ottawa Citizen: Throne speech timing will cut off critics, opposition says. Opposition MPs are accusing Prime Minister Stephen Harper of manipulating Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean and her speech from the throne next week to maximize government control over news at the expense of opposition parties. But the Proclamation Summoning Parliament to Meet reveals Mr. Harper has broken longstanding convention by scheduling the speech to be delivered at 6:35 p.m., at least three hours later than the tradition. Liberal leader Stéphane Dion may have the most to lose because the late start means his Commons response to the outline of government intentions for the new session will be pushed into the evening. More important, his divided party may have difficulty hammering out a clear and prompt response in time for nightly television broadcasting and newspaper publication cycles, says the NDP. "It's all about spin," said Liberal House leader Ralph Goodale. "It's all about trying to enhance the government's message by focusing on prime time and then minimizing the opportunity for response and reaction. It's bending parliamentary convention and protocol to suit the government's convenience." It's not easy at first glance to see who's more upset at this after-supper delight; the opposition parties or the media. The media tells us what the response from the politicians is. In the case of the Throne speech, it's the media that are going to have to stay up late(r) to present to us the various responses to the speech. This begs the question: If 9/11 had occured at 6:35 PM, would there not have been enough reporters around to give us the story? It still happened, just as this Throne Speech will happen. If it's so important that the critics have a chance to pour their opinions on us, they'll just have to do what most Canadians in other fields of work have had to experience: work overtime. The funny thing about this speech from the Throne is that everything points to it being a positive speech that will be acceptible by the majority of Canadians. If you can't attack the message, and you haven't been able to put a dent in the messenger, what else is left to attack but the delivery of the message? H/T National Newswatch. Update: I'm not the only one with this opinion.

"I think he's just out to get the Jewish vote."

From the "Ya Think?" Department: ( Michelle ) Kofman was one of several Jewish people who have expressed discomfort with the colourful greeting card sent out by the Prime Minister's Office to celebrate the religious new year holiday. She feels the Rosh Hashanah card is an attempt to exploit her religion for political gain. "I think he's just out to get the Jewish vote." Actually, this story is from The Gazette. Read the whole story and then ask yourself this question: Is Michelle really concerned about the fact that the government could obtain her name and address from any number of publicly available resources, or is it just that she's reinforcing a dislike for Stephen Harper and doesn't know quite how to admit it? Let's be realistic, Michelle. ALL politicians want your vote. It's how they survive. If you don't like the card, send it back. H/T National Newswatch

If you have tears, prepare to shed them now …

Christopher Hitchens has an excellent soul-searing story in this months Vanity Fair. The title, A Death In The Family, says it all.

Any Chance We Could Hire Gen David Patreus?

Gen Rick Hillier is being replaced, according to this story from CTV. I thought that he would have been kept on as Chief Of Defence Staff, but somebody high up apparently knows something I don't. Whatever it is, I hope they keep it to themselves. This man has served his country and continues to do so. The only ones who should celebrate the news of his departure I think would be the Taliban.

Mulroney: The Not So Great Debate.

Over at Calgary Grit, there's a bit of a debate over the legacy of Brian Mulroney. CG's certainly willing to expand his horizons, but not everybody in the comments section is. Anybody wanna help? With all the talent at Blogging Tories, surely somebody will take a stab.

The Difference Between NDP Surrender & Afghanistan Democracy

Jack Layton says we have to leave Afghanistan now. Right now. Yesterday even. President Karzai says he's open to dialogue with the Taliban, even offering them a place at the government table, providing that they accept that the United Nations and NATO will remain to provide assistance to the impoverished people of Afghanistan. One says "Let's get the hell out of there." The other says "Please don't leave, we need you." Both say negotiations with the Taliban are encouraged. Which brings to attention this article from the Globe And Mail. Defence Minister Peter MacKay says the Taliban will have to renounce violence and accept the NATO mission in Afghanistan if it wants to work with the Afghan government. Afghan President Hamid Karzai renewed his call Saturday for talks with the Taliban after a deadly suicide bombing in Kabul. Mr. Karzai said he wants to meet with Taliban leader Mullah Omar for peace talks and is willing to consider giving the militants a position in government. Speaking at an enrolment ceremony for new military personnel in Halifax, Mr. MacKay says any co-operation must include the preconditions that Mr. Karzai has laid out. Those include the Taliban's renunciation of violence and acceptance of the fact that NATO forces aren't leaving the country any time soon. If you haven't yet read the article, I suggest you do so. I must warn you though that you may suffer significant blood loss from the tongue if you choose to read the comments. Read cautiously, and remember that the people who commented aren't necessarily idiots, it's possible that they just haven't acknowledged the truth yet.

Jack Bauer: Keeping America Safe ( Except On Weekends )

Yeah, yeah. I know, you're probably sick of hearing about the plight of over-paid actors who make the same stupid mistake that any of us could and then it becomes a big news item. Honestly, I've learned to ignore the O.J. - Britney - Paris - Etc garbage that the media thinks our life revolves around. I just couldn't ignore this one. My favorite television actor, Keifer Sutherland, got busted again for DUI. Him getting busted isn't the problem. The problem is my first reaction, which is "Damn. There goes another good show." Kinda selfish, isn't it? H/T: The missus, and National Newswatch.

Federal Election?

As hard as it may be for the Conservative Party of Canada to avoid a Fall election, it must be even moreso for the Liberal Party of Canada. I must admit that I recognize that Mr. Dion is a very intelligent man but this didn't help him in Quebec. The unfortunate aspect of this is that with such a dismal performance, the eager beavers ( or is it puffins?) lining up behind him with knives up their shirtsleeves may decide that it's better to get rid of him sooner rather than later so that they may take another shot at fullfilling their own leadership campaigns. It's doubtful that the Bloc Quebecois will support another Throne speech, they've got to show that they have a backbone. The NDP have good reason to feel a little cocky right about now, considering their success in Outremont. This leaves Dion at the mercy of the party apparatus. I may be wrong about the prospect of a Fall election, but since I'm gambling here I may as well go out on a limb and suggest that if the Liberals do force a Fall election, Quebec is likely to pull over the car and tell the Libs to get out and walk.

There Goes The Neighborhood

From FOXNews.com: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Arrives in NYC for Controversial Visit Ahmadinejad, who has called the Holocaust "a myth," encouraged the destruction of Israel and supported terrorists in Iraq, will address the United Nations General Assembly and a Columbia University forum but will not be allowed to tour Ground Zero. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammed Alie Hosseini appeared dismayed that Ahmadinejad's request to visit the site of the World Trade Center attacks was rejected. According to all the so-called experts that I've seen on t.v. today, the purpose of the Iranian President's visit to Columbia and his initial plan to visit the WTC site was to reject America's threats against Iran and to offer us capitalist infidels information that he feels is vital to our understanding of his society. I think the experts are missing the point. In much the same way that the 911 terrorists distracted us from the plans of Bin Laden, I believe that this too is designed with the same purpose in mind. That is to say that while America's liberals are debating about what to do about this poor, misunderstood soul, his country will be able to pursue its nuclear strategy unhindered. Those of us who can see the truth for what it is won't be fooled. Those looking to win elections despite the blood, sweat and tears of our brave militaries will.

Ice-Age Hits Anbar

Apparently, sometime between February and August of 2007, Hell has frozen over. Bumps in the road are now officially seen as more hazardous than insurgents and terrorists in Ramadi. (There is a lot of hard metal inside a Humvee that you can bang your head up against.) I have my doubts about the relative dangers of each in the real world. Ramadi isn’t totally safe yet. But this kind of juxtaposition is absurdly unthinkable in Baghdad. Read Part 1 and Part 2 of Anbar Awakens. You won't find anything like it on CNN.

Upset in Outremont

It's kinda funny. The Liberal's chastized the Conservatives for their previous selection of Gordon O'Connor for Defence, but yet their own all-star goaltender couldn't keep the NDP from scoring in Outremont. It must feel awkward for Ken Dryden to be on the losing side of a shut-out. That's all; go read something intelligent now.

The Worst Since 9/11

Michael Totten has a new post up at Contentions. The Yezidis have never declared war on anyone. They are the closest thing Iraq has to Quakers. Perhaps al Qaeda massacred the Yezidi refugees because they were a soft target, and because terrorists need body counts to be credible. Perhaps the Yezidis were killed because they are “infidels.” But does it even matter? Al Qaeda has no alleged grievances against the Yezidis, who have no political power and no militia, and who do not participate in sectarian Muslim rivalry. Even Saddam Hussein left them alone. Perhaps you haven't heard of the recent death of 500 Yezidis at the hands of Al-Qaeda. I quess what happens in Iraq stays in Iraq. Check out the comments too, Patrick Laswell joins in.

Minister Of National Secrets

After all the hooplah about the recent Cabinet shuffle, I'm suprised that our honourable Prime Minister forgot to change the Minister Of National Secrets. Apparently, the one he had isn't doing his or her job. Canada is in secret talks with the United States that could lead to the bulk export of water south of the border, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion charges. "The pressure coming from our American friends to remove Canadian water to help their problems with the shortage of fresh water is very strong," Dion told a news conference yesterday. "There is a strong lobby for that. We should be strong to resist that." Dion rejected the denials of senior government officials and insisted yesterday that he has inside knowledge that "negotiations" are underway. The Liberal leader suggested that Canadian water exports will be on the table when Harper hosts U.S. President George W. Bush and Mexican President Felipe Calderon for a North American leaders' summit in Montebello, Que., next week. "I don't believe the government. I believe there are secret negotiations. We want to an end to these negotiations," he said. "We have information that these discussions are going on," he said, refusing to make public his sources. Dion cited it as one example of how meetings between Harper and Bush next week – done under the Security and Prosperity Partnership process launched by former prime minister Paul Martin in 2005 – are undermining Canadian sovereignty. And Dion accused the Prime Minister of being too cozy with the White House. "Americans for us are friends and allies but not a model," Dion said. "Since Mr. Harper became Prime Minister and his government took power, the distinction between a model and a friend has been lost. "It seems that increasingly the partnership is catering to the Bush administration's interests and Canadian interests are being ignored." In the interest of Canadians, wouldn't it be better for Mr. Stephane Dion to focus on being the leader of an alternative government so that Canadians have a safe second choice to guide our wondrous country in this new millennia? For a guy who acheived nothing in the fight against global warming, can you trust him in a fight that is merely continental? How many of his Liberal associates does he consider friends and allies, but not good models? I'm just asking. It's my right, my privelege and my duty.

Beirut: One Year Later

Over at On The Face, Lisa Goldman has an article translated to English regarding the headline. You can read it on her blog here, or read the pdf. file here. It'll take some time to read through it all, but it's time well spent.

3 Feet Short Of A Yard

If you're not aware of the latest attempt at left wing lunacy, take a gander at the current headline at Small Dead Animals.

In a feeble attempt to attack Kate McMillan, Lisa (900 ft Jesus) of In The House & Senate claims to sift through bad rhetoric to find the truth.

We can clearly see some readily identifiable truths as soon as the web page loads.

Lisa claims to be someone who "actually studied evolution, genetics, physics, climatology, and those of us who read in-depth on these issues, analyse and compare reports, and apply logic rather than the teachings of a religious text."

A whole lot much more famouser? Perhaps she should have studied grammar, as far as I know it's still taught in all public schools. If not there's always hooked-on-phonics.

As far as "outdoing" SDA, I don't think that is Kate's primary concern in life. It's far better to have one person read something intelligent than have thousands read something like the opening comments as shown in the screenshot above.

Never mind the pornography. There's enough evidence of the last two steps in the how-to list to get you your traffic.

What A Strange Time For Iggy To Change His Mind

After reading this article in the National Post, I wondered if Iggy read this article from Michael Totten or this article from Michael Yon. Maybe he should be told the rule. What's truly amazing is how both Michael Yon and Michael Totten will put themselves in harms way to bring us the truth, and yet our mainstream media is more concerned with the fact that our own General Hillier and our Minister of Defense Gordon O'Connor aren't clones. (That kinda blows their theory that everybody's a Harper clone.) Maybe this guy should refresh Iggy's memory as to why he originally felt that we had the same moral obligation as the U.S. to free the world of another psychotic despot. *hat tip to whoever posted the Youtube link on BT earlier, I coudn't find it in the aggregator so feel free to drop by and announce yourself. It was a good find!

So Many Liberals Here That Even The Soil Is Red...

...Until tonight. I was kept busy this evening driving carloads of Conservative MP's, staffers and reporters to their hotels as they arrived here in Charlottetown. As one reporter remarked, Stephen Harper is either brave or bold. I believe brilliant would be a better choice of words. Considering that support may be waning in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland & Labrador, what better place to expand? With no Conservatives elected here since the Mulroney days, it's not like they could lose anything by coming here. If anything, the province could use some exposure to our governing members. Considering that the difference in the popular vote here is about ten percent, it may make a difference. People here might learn that James Moore, Maxime Bernier and John Baird aren't evil knuckledraggers. Not even Jay Hill. I knew that already, but meeting them in person reaffirmed that belief. I hope that by putting their heads together they can deliver the message that they offer a choice for better government. Even if it's one cab driver at a time.

Understanding Angus

What a headline grabber: Harper Falls to 29%, Dion at 14% in Canada According to the latest Angus Reid poll, only 29% of Canadians approve of the performance of the Prime Minister. Oddly enough, his disapproval rating hasn't gone up, there's just more people trying to make up their mind. Reading the headline, you would think that Mr. Harper is in a bad spot. Read past it, and you will find that Stephane Dion's performance as leader of the opposition suffers even more negative public opinion. Absent in the poll results is any explanation for the presumed failings of either leader. I expect to see more of the anti-Bush theme coming from Mr. Dion as his advisers seem to believe that this will earn him points. He needs wiser counsel; George W Bush's time is coming to an end as his term will soon be up. When the next leader is elected to the top job South of the border, their own citizens may wise up. They may realize that the so-called "invasion" of Iraq wasn't an invasion, it was a resumption of war due to Iraq's failure to abide by the stipulations of the cease-fire signed by Saddam's General's in 1991. The Canadian electorate will never be perfectly happy with a Conservative government. Unless they find an intelligent reason to vote for a Liberal Party still recoiling from years of corruption and internal strife they'll most likely stick with what they perceive to be their least-hated Prime Minister. The odds look good that Stephen Harper will be around longer than George W Bush, which reminds me of an Alan Jackson song: Too Much Of A Good Thing Is A Good Thing.

Boycott CC?

Why boycott CC? Don't boycott, just quit. If you're tired of reading crap that would make a sailor blush, read something intelligent. Hell, read Warren Kinsella (check out one of the two July 18th entries) or Calgary Grit. You may not agree with them, but at least they'll consider that there are other opinions that make as much sense as theirs, even if they don't agree with them. When it comes to CC, just opening his page long enought to copy and paste the URL felt like a waste of time.

I. Believe. Him.

Sadly., I. think. he's. serious.

Atlantic Accords: Local Definition

Dan Leger has listed some pretty interesting facts about the accords that seem to have been overlooked by the general populace. It's worth a read. If you haven't got the time to read it all, I'll put it in the local lingo: Newfoundland And Labrador & Nova Scotia want the high-paying government job complete with pension plan and medical plan. They also want to draw pogey at the same time. Sounds fair, doesn't it?

Whatever Happened To The Final Frontier?

According to James Hansen, the role of NASA is to investigate climate change. Funny, I always thought that those were the people that were responsible for national aeronotics space administration, not global warming administration. Perhaps they should change their name to NGWA (National Global Warming Administration). Here's a tidbit of what NASA administrator Michael Griffin had to say : "I have no doubt that a trend of global warming exists," Griffin told Inskeep. "I am not sure that it is fair to say that it is a problem we must wrestle with." "To assume that it is a problem is to assume that the state of Earth's climate today is the optimal climate, the best climate that we could have or ever have had and that we need to take steps to make sure that it doesn't change," Griffin said. "I guess I would ask which human beings — where and when — are to be accorded the privilege of deciding that this particular climate that we have right here today, right now is the best climate for all other human beings. I think that's a rather arrogant position for people to take." [...] "NASA is the world's preeminent organization in the study of Earth and the conditions that contribute to climate change and global warming," Griffin said in a statement. "The agency is responsible for collecting data that is used by the science community and policy makers as part of an ongoing discussion regarding our planet's evolving systems. It is NASA's responsibility to collect, analyze and release information. It is not NASA's mission to make policy regarding possible climate change mitigation strategies. As I stated in the NPR interview, we are proud of our role and I believe we do it well." Apparently, James wasn't aware of NASA's mandate when he was hired on. Those space shuttles burning all that fuel must really piss him off. Here's the full article. H/T National Newswatch.

Putting Islanders First...For A Change

I haven't yet commented on the election campaign that is underway here in Prince Edward Island but today I stumbled upon something that I couldn't help but mention. According to a recent poll in The Guardian, the Liberal Party of PEI is expected to win with 49% of the vote to 42% for the Progressive Conservative Party of PEI. Although some voters may be turned off by the negative radio ads put out by the Ghiz Liberals, negative advertising does work when properly executed. Fair enough. This may explain the rise that the Liberals are experiencing in recent telephone polling. What I do find distasteful is coming out of a church after attending a funeral to see a long procession of cars with election literature littering their front windshields. I will point out that the Liberal candidate of that riding, Allan Campbell of Souris-Elmira District 1 had the decency to apologize, however there were a lot of people that were utterly incensed at this last minute attempt to garner further support. In future campaigns, it would be a wise practice for political activists to really put all Islanders first by not bothering those that are grieving over the loss of a loved one.

Remember Me?

See the hottest thing on the internet today, courtesy of 15 year-old Lizzie Palmer. Remember Me?

Harper's Legacy

Sounds like a premature title considering the fact that the Conservative Government of Stephen Harper has only been in power for a year and a few months. Despite the recent polling numbers from Nik Nanos, all is not lost. Quite the contrary. Brian Mulroney had a legacy for bringing us the NAFTA, for the acid-rain agreement, and for reversing Canada's direction toward continued deficits. Jean Chretien had a legacy for killing the Conservative Party of Canada. Now, Mr. Harper had succesfully reunited conservatives while at the same time giving separatists a pummelling. Just ask Andre Boisclair. Now the choice is clear. We can vote for a federalist party that supports foreign democracies in their infancies, one that supports them as long as it doesn't cost us anything and doesn't offend those fighting against freedom and human rights, and one that supports democracy except when they're losing non-confidence votes. Additionally, we have a fourth national alternative in the Green Party, although this would perhaps be better lumped in with the Liberal Party of Canada since being taken over by Elizabeth May. Not bad for one year in power.

Warren Must've Given A Bad Movie Review...

...Because it sounds like he's got Borat after him. That's just wrong. h/t National newswatch

Just When You Think You've Heard It All...

Aside from my 9-5 job, I also own and operate a taxi. It's amazing what you see on a Saturday night. This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to drive a customer to the sanctity of her porcelein god after a night of revelling. (translation: She was hammered, I drove her home). To the amusement of myself and the others sharing the ride, she stated rather factually that a "vote for a Liberal is a step in the right direction". Now I know you're all shaking your heads from left to right and back again at reading this, but upon further consideration I think you'll agree that she's right. We live in a democratic society that is free to choose a political party that will hopefully allow us to follow a path that we have chosen to follow without coercion or threat. We're very fortunate to be living in a country such as Canada. This is just my opinion, but this is the best country in the world to live. As for voting Liberal? Well, I'd have to say that a vote for a Liberal is as much a step in the right direction as is boarding a crop-duster is a step in the right direction when flying to Mars. I'm grateful to live in country such as Canada. Should I ever choose to go to Mars though, I think I'll take the Space Shuttle. And that's why I vote Conservative. (no anti-NEOcons were harmed in the making of this post. All Kool-Aid used was sugar-free. No heavy breathing was caused from typing at a rapid pace so as to reduce CO2 emissions).

***NEWSFLASH***

Apparently, an anonymous Stephen Harper supporter has passed this on to an anonymous reporter who in turn passed it on to Garth Turner himself: "First, the Tory bloggers, or blogging Tories, as they officially group themselves on the world wide web. Seriously – have you looked at the hateful spite spewing out of these internet sites? It’s like graffiti you’d find in the washroom of a home for angry old men. They hate everyone. They loathe any woman on television. They detest people who live in cities, perhaps even anyone with indoor plumbing. They scream at anyone who doesn’t think like they do. Do yourself a favour, Mr. Harper: never look at the Small Dead Animals site. Stephen King should be suing these folks for plagiarism. They talk like the evil townsfolk in his horror novels." The only way you could appreciate the irony in this being printed on Garth's site would be to read the comments on his site. At which point you have to ask yourself: "Where's the Love?"

Stupidest Statement Of The Day Award

This award would have to go to Scott Reid, spokesidiot for the Liberal Party of Canada. From CTV News: "They've changed the mission, they've made it Bush-like, they've made it more war-like, they've refused to do right by the detainees, comply with the Geneva Convention....blah blah blah......." What the hell is a war supposed to be like? More bake-sale like? Perhaps more picnic in the park like? It's no wonder the Liberals were given the boot in the last election.

Get-Into-Canada-Free Pass

There's something very odd about this story from CTV. What's that, you ask? It's this little tidbit: "Liberal Leader Stephane Dion at one point suggested bringing detainees to Canada, but then reconsidered the idea as unrealistic." Unrealistic? How about utterly retarded? These terrorists (freedom fighters? No way-they're killing more fellow civilian citizens than foreign soldiers) are responsible for the deaths of 55 Canadians, not including the deaths of those caused due to their sponshorship of terrorism. The mere thought that the leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition would even entertain the notion of bringing these bastards into our country to partake of our prison system is cause for concern. What a great reward for Canada to give these murdering scumbags; three square meals a day and Nintendo to boot. It's enough to make you laugh if it wasn't so sad. Update: I'm not the only one who thinks somebody got hit by the stupid-stick today.

The following is a headline from the Toronto Star; the question posed is by Jim Travers. What can we achieve? This is rapidly becoming Stephen Harper's war and the Prime Minister must start explaining why we are still in Afghanistan here's a taste of the article: Politically, Afghanistan has been Harper's war since he hustled there soon after winning the 2006 election. Using language that drew instant comparisons with President George W. Bush, the Prime Minister promised the troops that a Canada under his command would never "cut and run." His visit was well received and wasn't just about boosting morale. It was part of a carefully crafted effort to define Harper as a leader domestically and to begin reshaping Canada's international image from peacekeeping do-gooder to Washington's aye-aye ally. Mr. Travers, where do I begin? Let's see. You're a journalist. I know that any decent journalist should have the intelligence to use the resources available to him. Maybe you haven't figured out the internet, in that case there are these places called libraries. They have these things in them called books. Some of them even have history in them. You should refresh your memory sometime and perhaps read our history during WWI and WWII. This war is no more political than any other war, "politically speaking"; this is "freedoms" war. The freedom to live, to vote, to get an education, to be able to receive medical attention, to be allowed to receive medical attention and an education. You say that our Prime Minister has some 'splainin' to do. Why are we still there in Afghanistan you ask. Just like any other serious engagement involving our Armed Forces I think the answer is probably similar: we didn't start this war but we'll damn well finish it. The instant comparisons to George W. Bush were immediately drawn alright, but only by those without the energy or ambition to think for themselves. The language you refer to must be English, as I doubt that G W B understands French. Speaking of languages, inscribed on the Vimy Memorial in both languages is the following:

To the valour of their countrymen in the Great War

and in memory of their sixty thousand dead this monument is

raised by the people of Canada.

There's nothing dastardly wrong about questioning the missions that we send our men and women on. I just wish that the questions didn't seem to be so stupid just because the government changed seats in the House of Commons.

Why They Do What They Do

The following is from CBC.ca, and I felt that it was worth another read. If you don't want to read the whole thing, fine. I just put it here because I wanted to read it. Click on the CBC link if you want to read some of the other entries written by Cpl. Sanders. Pin it on my chest Sept. 19, 2006 This morning was one of the few days different from the others. Careful, detailed attention was given to my uniform before it was put on this morning. Threads were burnt off, pants were properly bloused, and boots were properly laced. I shaved extra close, and even got a haircut the day before. Today is a special day, and I wanted to ensure that I looked good. Two hours later the sun beat down on me and 45 other soldiers, standing perfectly still at attention. The jagged rocks under my blistered, sweaty feet send a spike of pain up my back, causing the muscles in my legs to cramp. Nothing would feel better than to just sit down, but I remain still. My chest is pressed out a little farther today. My arms are straight down either side of my body, my hands clenched, thumbs out. Eyes are forward, feet are heeled together. Neither the blistering heat, nor the trickle of sweat running down my brow can make me move an inch. Days like today are one of the very few times when a soldier can openly show how proud he or she is. In front of us stands our leader, the colonel of our battle group. He offers praise to each of us standing at attention. He recounts many missions where we have fought, shed tears, and blood. His words of encouragement unearth my personal accounts here in Afghanistan. His praise is echoed through the words of the brigade sergeant major, who calls us to stand at ease. Both of them approach the ranks to see us face to face. Our leader will personally recognize each one of us today. I snap to attention when the colonel approaches me. He reaches out and shakes my hand. "Congratulations, you’ve earned the right to wear this." He proudly pulled out my medal, and pinned it to my chest. The feeling of having it placed is indescribable. Another handshake, followed by "well done," and our leader moved on to the next soldier. The hardest part is not being able to look down at the medal while standing at ease. Everyone else must receive their medal, and our discipline tells us not to move until the end of the parade. Now, while everyone else receives a medal, I must let you know that there is a lot of controversy among the troops about whom should get the same medal we wear. A lot of soldiers don’t believe that troops working in an office at the airfield should wear the same medal as another who went head to head in gunfights against the Taliban. South West Asia Service Medal (SWASM) The description of the medal is pretty bland. The SWASM is awarded to those employed in direct support of the operations against terrorism in southwest Asia, and a bar is added for those deployed into the theatre of operation. Blah. Blah. Blah. The actual medal itself, however, looks pretty cool. It’s silver, with the Queen on the front and something called a Hydra on the back. The Hydra, a many-headed serpent, represents evil in various forms. A Canadian sword transfixes the Hydra, and over the design is the Latin phrase "ADVERSUS MALUM PUGNAMUS" (We are fighting evil). Each colour of the ribbon represents something as well. Sand colour on the outside represents the challenges in the theatre of operation, while the red represents the blood spilled on Sept. 11, and the ensuing campaign that followed. Black represents the mourning of victims of the terrorist attack, while the white represents the peace that we are all fighting for over here. I thought the same way as others about the right to wear the medal — until about two weeks ago. While I was sitting in the smoking area, trying to quit smoking, I lit a cigarette and brought the medal issue up with the sergeant major. He and I were together during the last "big op." He was able to change my mind with his words that day. "Every soldier in Afghanistan has helped fight the Taliban in their own certain way. The postal clerk, for instance. It is because of him that you can find out how your loved ones are doing, and about little Johnny and how big he’s getting. "He allows us the opportunity to let our stress levels to come down, and forget about the hell we are dealing with here because we can read a letter from home; therefore, helping us fight the Taliban with renewed strength. Your medal, quite simply, is only as good as the story behind it." Those words changed the ideas I had held for 12 years about the issuing of medals. I can recall talking to veterans of wars past and them saying: "I got this medal fighting through the trenches in Italy, where I lost several of my friends by a German grenade." Whenever I talked to a veteran about his medals it was always the story behind them that surfaced, and it wasn’t until today that it finally made sense. It is what makes each individual's medal unique. The story behind this medal My medal signifies the 63 casualties that needed my crew’s ambulance for life-saving treatment. It recounts the 16 intense firefights my crew suffered through together. It remembers the more than 10,000 miles of arm-busting terrain I drove through. My medal can also talk about my church, which was able to help a young boy and girl here in Afghanistan receive life-saving emergency medical treatment, in turn changing hearts and minds of thousands of families that live here. Finally, my medal remembers the 20 soldiers in my seven months here that gave the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom for our country. Three of them were brought off the battlefield by my ambulance. My medal is more than just a fancy coin hanging from a ribbon. It’s more than just something that says I have been to Afghanistan. Just like the medals worn by my ancestors, my medal is a memory, it's a feeling, it's a tribute and it's a story. It's not just a thing, it's a living story of why our country is strong and free today. I will always remember that when I see our veterans on Remembrance Day. I will look at their chest and I will ask, "What’s your story?" The parade draws to a close with final remarks from our leader. "Don’t forget. The tour is not over yet. It’s not over until you are back in Canada, safe at home." Personally, I hope I don’t have to add to the story of my medal. The last chapter of my story will involve repatriation to Canada. I will leave that to my next entry though.

Blogger Of The Year

Read anything at this guy's site and you'll know why he was announced by The Week as blogger of the year.

Congratulations, Mike. You deserve it.

Adios

Browsing over the most recent posts on the Blogging Tories aggregator, I can't help but form the opinion that most conservative bloggers are happy to see Belinda Stronach quit the Liberal Party. Instead of the name calling, I'll just remember the affection we all had for her when she was first elected and wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

Mitch Murphy Is My Favorite Islander Today

Provincial Treasurer Mitch Murphy brought in the new Prince Edward Island budget with the promise of tax cuts and more funding for health care and education, and he did it without running a national crying campaign against the federal government. Kudos for Mitch for bringing in a good budget without putting us back in deficit.

Oh, Danny Boy....

Somebody had better hurry up and send Mr. Williams a block of cheese to go with the whine.

Just Because Iran, Doesn't Mean I Was Russian

Michael Totten sits down for tea and conversation with members of the Kurdish Organization of the Iranian Communist Party. They were supposed to be social democrats, the people Patrick Lasswell and I met yesterday in a compound outside the city of Suleimaniya, the cultural capital of Northern Iraqi Kurdistan. We had it all set up. We were to meet Abu Bakr Mudarisy and his associates for lunch at 11:00 A.M. and learn what we could about the anti-government resistance a few miles away in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Our driver Yusef misunderstood and took us to the wrong place. He did drop us off where we met left-wing dissidents from Iran. But these weren’t the moderate English-speaking leftist intellectuals we were looking for. Instead we found ourselves in an armed camp of the military wing of the Iranian Communist Party. Another fascinating story from a place that most of us wouldn't dare to go. ('specially this week!)

Conflict Of Interest

I could have sworn that I just saw MP Bains vote against renewing today's ATA legislation. Looks like the Liberal Party has just earned the support of terrorists worldwide. Hope I'm not around when they receive their thanks. UPDATE: upon reflection, I have to give Michael Ignatieff & Irwin Cotler some credit. It almost appeared as if Iggy had some reservations (perhaps "Principles") about the vote tonight. I'm not entirely convinced that it was Dion (whaddya mean "free vote"?) pulling his strings; it looked more like Jim Henson.

Do Liberals Have Life Insurance?

In hearing the arguments against renewing the ATA, a couple of questions popped into mind. 1) Do Liberals have life insurance? If they do, why? I mean, it's not like they've used it yet. 2) Why is Stephan Dion now stating that he cannot support passing this legislation now and worrying about it tomorrow? Has he lost any sleep having voted for the legislation the first time?

You'll Be Sorry For Reading This

I don't get it. Maybe I'm a little slow because it's Friday. It seems like the planet has lost track of the issues facing the House of Commons these days. In all the uproar, why hasn't one opposition member pointed out the obvious, which is that the Prime Minister hadn't actually accused Navdeep Bains of being guilty of anything? According to a story in the National Post, Mr. Bains is reported as asking "Yesterday the prime minister in the House of Commons attacked my integrity and the integrity of my family. Now that he's had time to think, would the prime minister simply retract his remarks?" asked Navdeep Bains, the Liberal MP at the centre of the controversy that erupted Wednesday. He's no more guilty of attacking you or your family's character because he read a newspaper article than I am of sinking the Titanic because I watched the movie and then told someone how the story went. Only a mental midget would suggest that Mr. Bains, nine years old at the time of the Air India tragedy, would have anything to do with terrorism. The sad irony here is that if we lived in a dictatorship, that article would never have been published, and yet there are those on the opposition benches that are claiming that that is exactly what this Conservative Government has created. I guess it's only freedom of speech when it's a Liberal doing the speaking, otherwise it's character assassination.

The Story That Might As Well Be On CTV

Canadian Government to put colony on Mars by 2012. Bill C-Through Rose Colored Glasses, the Colonial Space protocol implementation act, passed in the House by a 161 to 113 vote with the backing of the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois. The private members' bill was introduced last May by Liberal MP Pablo Rodriguez, and passed its second reading in October. The bill also calls on the government to outline, within 60 days, how it intends to meet the Colonial Space targets. Earlier, the Conservative government lost a last-ditch effort to kill the opposition bill. The Tories appealed to the Speaker of the House of Commons to declare it invalid, arguing that it would illegitimately force the government to spend money against its will. However, Speaker Peter Milliken cited two previous rulings that the bill contains no government spending measures. In addition, he can't speculate on what impact the bill could potentially have. Again citing past rulings, Milliken said the Commons can vote later on any money-related provisions as they come up. Parliamentary procedures specifically prohibit such appeals. Under CSA (the Colonial Space Accord), Canada agreed to colonize Mars by 2012. Canada ratified the Colonial Space Accord in 2002 under the former Liberal government. Conservatives and a number of astrophysicists have said the targets would be impossible to reach by the deadline. Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and Minister of Planetary Transport John "Bulldog" Baird said achieving the targets would cause substantial damage to Canada's economy -- a charge denied by Colonial Space supporters. Ahead of the vote, Baird suggested the government will simply ignore the bill if it becomes law. "How do you implement a bill with no money and no regulatory powers?" he told CTV News. "So it's a bit of a joke. Even Yoda couldn't get this X-Wing off the ground." "It's just a mischief bill," Mark Warawa, parliamentary secretary to the planetary transport minister, told CP. "It shows what the Liberals have always done: just empty rhetoric, empty bills that won't actually achieve anything." A 'serious bill' Constitutional experts, however, have said the government must respect laws passed by Parliament. University of Ottawa legal expert Errol Mendes said the bill contains "specific obligations" in certain sections which could lead to "serious legal consequences" if the government chooses to ignore it. For example, Mendes said the opposition could launch a court challenge demanding the government fulfill obligations outlined in the bill's section 5 -- which requires from the government a detailed colonization plan after 60 days of the bill passing Senate and becoming law. "There is another section, section 7, which requires an even more extensive system to be put in place by the cabinet," Mendes told Mike Duffy Live. "So this is a very serious bill. Get your ass to Jupiter or else." But Tory MP Jason Kenney called the legislation a "bad political joke" concocted by the Liberals, who he accused of playing "political football" with an issue as important as space exploration. Kenney said the Liberals, after signing on to the international protocol in 1997 and ratifying it in 2002, failed to implement any changes under the "legally binding" interstellar pact -- which was opposed at the time by the Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative parties, along with Vulcans and the United Federation of Planets. "In the interim seven, eight years, not only have the opposition opposed space exploration, they've gutted all of our space and aeronautics programs to pay for items such as Adscam," Kenney told Mike Duffy Live. "Hell, we couldn't even get 50 EH-101 helicopters in the air." "They completely failed and now at the 11th hour they say 'oh, we're going to make another gimmick' -- that they have no plan to execute." The Conservatives have promised to increase funding for space exploration with the hope of eventually landing a probe on the moon, but since George W Bush is President of the United States of America, all plans had to be put on hold until sometime between 2020 and 2025 so as not to enrage the anti-Bush Liberal Party of Canada. The Tories also announced recently a series of space travel initiatives, including a $1.5-billion fund to help provinces promote government sponsored research and $36 million in funding to urge industry to make more space-friendly passenger jets. Liberal leader Stephan Dion was walking his dog Pluto and could not be reached for comment. And here's the story that actually was on CTV.

Looks Like Global Warming Is Taking Over Headlines

According to the latest SES poll, the Conservatives and Liberals are in a dead heat. I think I trust Nik's numbers more than any others. It looks as though the Conservative Party still has some work cut out for them in Atlantic Canada, but it's good to see that they've managed to hold their own in Ontario and improve their level of support in Quebec. I expected the results to be worse for the CPC, considering all the press that the LPC has been getting on the environment file.

Neo-Conservatives Fail To Find Cadbury Secret

They also haven't stopped global warming in one year. On the other hand, despite Emerson and the Income Trust Lie (sorry, fellow BT'ers, but that one kinda gets me only because it was a lie) the Conservative Party of Canada has done a remarkable job holding down the fort. Let's take a look (at the PM's speech today): Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen. Thank you very much for your warm welcome, and thank you Carole Chouinard for that kind introduction.Exactly one year ago today, I and the 26 other men and women in my Cabinet were sworn in as Canada’s New Government.Perhaps it was the excitement of the day, or the scope of the challenge before us, but I didn’t sleep much that night.Well, here we are 12 months later, and I have to say – I’m sleeping better these days!Because we have achieved a lot of things over the past year that have benefited Canadians - we can take pride in the fact that we have kept our word and delivered the goods.We started rebuilding public trust in the national government with the Federal Accountability Act.We focussed spending, made a huge payment on the national debt and passed a budget that provided 20 billion dollars in tax relief.We have provided real, tangible tax benefits and tax breaks for hard-working middle-class families and senior citizens, many of which are just starting to kick in.We offered choice in childcare to the people who know what’s best for kids – their mothers and fathers – with the universal child care benefit.We introduced legislation to reverse the criminals’ rights juggernaut and keep dangerous, violent offenders off our streets.We started the long-overdue task of rebuilding the Canadian Forces and we began to restore Canada’s role as a principled leader on the world stage.We have taken the first steps to reduce patient wait times, and we began laying out a comprehensive, realistic plan to protect and improve our precious environment.In short, we have honoured our commitments to Canadians.But there is more to leadership than making and keeping promises.It is also about responding to events and doing the right thing when you have to.As we did on income trusts, the evolving situation in Afghanistan, and our motion recognizing the Québécoises and Québécois as a nation within a united Canada. Everything we do is rooted in the values and aspirations of Canadians.Everything we do is designed to deliver practical, tangible benefits to Canadians.And everything we do serves our ultimate goal: a stronger, safer, better Canada.A Canada that serves the interests of all who call it home.Today I want to give you a detailed overview of where our government hopes to move forward on during the winter and spring year that lies ahead.First, on a stronger Canada.To meet the challenges of the 21st century, Canada must be strengthened in four key areas. We must have: stronger democratic institutions. a stronger federation. a stronger economy, and a stronger role in the world.Canada’s commitment to democracy is the wellspring of our success as a country. But Canadians’ faith in our democracy has been shaken by the political scandals of recent years.Public apathy and cynicism should recede along with the memory of those scandals, and I feel that the Federal Accountability Act has already gone a long way toward restoring public trust in Canada’s government. But we must do more, and there’s no better place to start than with our antiquated Senate.We must modernize the Upper House by finally setting fixed terms for Senators, and we should democratize it, by passing our Senate Elections Bill, so Canadians will finally have a say in who represents them in the Red Chamber. Democratizing the Senate is simply part of our plan to strengthen the federation.In the late 20th century, a succession of federal governments dramatically expanded Ottawa’s fiscal and jurisdictional reach. This imposed dangerous strains on national unity and weakened our country. We have adopted a more open style of federalism. And it was in the spirit of this open federalism, for example, that we invited Quebec to participate fully in the UNESCO proceedings.In our upcoming budget, we will finally take action to restore fiscal balance in Canada, so the provinces and territories have the resources they need to meet their obligations to Canadians.The budget will put fiscal relations between governments back on a principled basis by providing long-term, predictable, federal transfers and support.We’ll respect their jurisdictions, focus on core federal responsibilities, and ensure federal programs treat Canadians fairly regardless where they live. But the strength of a country depends not only on the strength of its political institutions and arrangements: a strong economy is also essential.Last November, Finance Minister Flaherty unveiled a plan to make our economy stronger and more competitive. Called advantage Canada, the plan will constrain the growth of government, while giving individuals and businesses the freedom they need to flourish in today’s economy.At the core of this plan is our commitment to continue cutting taxes, controlling spending and paying down debt.Let me be clear that, with the budget, we will undertake historic action on this front.Specifically, in the next budget we will also put into law our “tax back guarantee”. In the future, as the federal government pays down our national debt, it will be required to use the interest savings to cut personal taxes. But a stronger economy won’t be built on tax cuts alone.The international investment community already recognizes Canada as a storehouse of vital resources and an emerging energy superpower.We will be making targeted investments in other key areas of our economy: to help make Canada a world leader in research and development; to equip Canadians with the post-secondary education and training they need to succeed; and, to build modern infrastructure and transportation gateways.Let me just say a word on the importance the government attaches to this. With additional investments our government will be embarking on Canada’s longest period of guaranteed infrastructure and gateway commitments in over a half century.We will also continue to defend the interests of Canadian agriculture and forestry, and work with producers to achieve long-term competitiveness and sustainability.Farmers can look forward to additional measures in the development of the government’s new income support programs, particularly in dealing with the issue of cost of production.We will eliminate the red tape plaguing businesses, cut back on pointless regulations and stimulate competition in the Canadian market.And we will undertake new strategies to encourage foreign investment and help Canadian entrepreneurs and products gain better access to markets around the world.The fourth element of our strategy for a stronger Canada is the restoration of an assertive foreign policy that serves Canadian values and interests.The escalation of regional conflicts and terrorism in the 1990s, culminating with the 9-11 attacks in New York and Washington, awoke Canadians and the world to new dangers.Canada needs a stronger military and a stronger role in the world to protect our people at home and our interests abroad.That’s why we’re going to continue rebuilding the Canadian Forces, continue the fight against the Taliban, and continue our reconstruction efforts for the people of Afghanistan.In the coming weeks we will table a report in Parliament summarizing the progress and challenges of our mission, and we will be making a significant announcement about the next steps we will be taking in that war-ravaged country.In Afghanistan and elsewhere, we will continue working with the United Nations and our allies to strengthen international stability and security, and we will continue speaking clearly and openly on the international scene to uphold the fundamental values of the Canadian people and of all civilized peoples: freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.We have also started restoring healthy relations with the United States.Our goal is a relationship based on mutual respect.We have our interests. So do the Americans. Usually they coincide. But sometimes they conflict. One of my predecessors likened Canada’s relationship with the US to a mouse sleeping with an elephant.I always felt that comparison sold Canada short.A more fitting metaphor might involve a grizzly bear and a wolverine. We may be smaller, but we’re no less fierce about protecting our territory.Our new approach has been paying off.We finally achieved a softwood lumber agreement that returned over $5 billion to Canadian producers and ended a costly trade dispute that threatened a vital sector of our economy.On a whole range of issues, I think officially Washington now has a much clearer picture of what Canada wants and stands for.But our neighbourhood doesn’t end at the 49th parallel – and neither do our interests. That’s why we will seek to re-engage relationships throughout the Americas, with our partners in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.Canadians no longer have to apologize for their government. As a result, we are all looking better these days on the international scene and playing a true leadership role. And we’ll continue playing a stronger role in international affairs and making a positive difference in the lives of impoverished and oppressed people around the world. In many ways, making Canada stronger will serve our second major goal, which is to make Canada safer.When I was a boy growing up in Toronto, safe streets and safe neighbourhoods for our children were a given. Canada was known far and wide as the peaceable kingdom; crime rarely touched the lives of most people.But, sadly, this has been changing.In recent years, for example, the homicide rate – often associated with gangs, guns and drugs – has spiked upwards.To make Canada safer, our government has introduced legislation to get violent, dangerous criminals off our streets.We want people who commit serious crime to do serious time. We want to crack down on sexual predators, street racers, impaired drivers, and those who use guns to commit crimes.We’ve given the police more tools and more resources to combat crime and we’re moving to arm Canada’s border guards.We’ve taken a lead role in the international fight against money laundering by organized crime and terrorist groups.And we’ve started working with community groups in Canadian cities to help prevent crime and help young people find positive alternatives to crime and drugs. In the months ahead we will continue building a safer Canada by providing more support for victims of crime.But we will also be pressing parliamentarians to take their responsibilities to tackle crime seriously.During last year’s election campaign the opposition parties claimed to support mandatory prison sentences for gun crimes, reverse onus on bail applications involving gun crime, and a crackdown on violent, dangerous offenders.So did we. That’s why we brought in legislation on all three.The public supports us. Police and public officials – including people as philosophically distant from us as the Premier of Ontario and the Mayor of Toronto – also back these reforms. Yet the bills are still stuck in Parliament, bogged down by opposition obstructionism. Mark my words, if an election does come before these bills pass, the opposition will have a lot of explaining to do.Making Canada stronger and safer will lead us to our third major goal, a better Canada.We have already taken action to improve public health with initiatives like our new Canadian partnership against cancer, support for the Rick Hansen Foundation for Spinal Cord Injury Research, and new measures on patient wait times, especially for children and Aboriginals.More actions, particularly on patient wait times, will be announced in the months to come.We will also move forward with new legislation, the Canadians with Disabilities Act, and on the creation of child care spaces. But Canadians have made it clear they want us to put one task ahead of all others: protecting and improving our environment.Ladies and Gentlemen, the fundamental challenge of our time is to make real progress on environmental protection while preserving jobs and standards of living.Finding that balance will require sound science, rational debate and political will. Our government understands that global warming is a serious threat to the health and well-being of Canadians.The just-released report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has sounded the alarm yet again. Rising levels of greenhouses gases in the atmosphere are projected to exacerbate climate changes that could be devastating for many parts of our planet.My children, your children and all children deserve to grow up in a world where they have clean air to breathe and clean water to drink. They deserve well-tended land that will sustain healthy crops and livestock.And they deserve large tracts of unspoiled wilderness, sanctuaries that not only preserve our precious flora and fauna, but also provide opportunities for increasingly urbanized human beings to connect with the natural world. But in order to bequeath this future to our children, we have to have a realistic plan, not just empty rhetoric.Our government supports a concerted global effort to deal with climate change – and such an effort must include the major emitters, including the United States and China.But we cannot ask others to act unless we are prepared to start at home, with real action on greenhouse gases and air pollution. After more than a decade of inaction on air quality and greenhouse gasses, Canada has one of the worst records in the developed world.The previous government committed to ambitious greenhouse gas targets, and then presided over a 27% increase.The result is increased smog in our cities and rising rates of asthma and other ailments.That is why our government is charting a dynamic new path. Our program to regulate air quality represents a radical departure from the missed opportunities of past years.In the weeks ahead, for the first time ever, Canada’s New Government will move to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from major industrial sectors.For the first time ever, we will also move to regulate air pollution from major industry sectors.For the first time ever, we will regulate the fuel efficiency of motor vehicles, beginning with the 2011 model year.And for the first time ever, we will set out enforceable regulatory targets for the short, medium and long term. The era of voluntary compliance is over.In our environmental plan, Canadians will also see our new eco-energy programs that support energy efficiency and stimulate the production of renewable power.They will see regulations mandating greater use of ethanol and other green fuels. They will see measures to make energy efficient vehicles more affordable.They will see better protection from hazardous chemicals through our new Chemicals Management Plan. And they will see support for wilderness preservation initiatives such as B.C.’s Great Bear Rainforest conservation project.Budget 2006 allowed the banking of environmentally sensitive land tax free, and we will be following this in the next few weeks with major conservation initiatives that harness the private sector.In a nutshell, Canadians will enjoy a cleaner, greener and healthier country – a better Canada. As we roll out our agenda over the next few months, Canadians will see that Canada’s New Government represents a fundamental break with the kind of government they’ve known for most of the last half century.They will recognize that they have clear choices to make on the most important issues facing our country.A clear choice to make between decisive action that is building a stronger economy, a cleaner government and a record of results, and going back to drift, scandal and empty rhetoric.A clear choice between a foreign policy that actively stands up for our national interests and values, versus a “soft power” approach that relegates Canada to the sidelines of the international arena.A clear choice between a country where Ottawa practises open federalism, where the roles and responsibilities of the various levels of government are logically defined and respectfully applied, and a country where Ottawa practises a centralist brand of federalism, where Ottawa and the provinces are constantly at loggerheads over questions of money and power.A clear choice between a country where individuals are free to make the best of their choices and the most of their opportunities, versus a country where the State presumes to know best how to spend your money and raise your family.A clear choice between a country that values safe streets and safe communities, versus a country where the streets are ruled by guns, gangs and drugs. And a clear choice between a country that takes practical, realistic action to protect the environment, versus a country that sets unrealistic targets and then does absolutely nothing to achieve them.As these choices become ever clearer to Canadians, I believe they will choose to continue building a stronger, safer and better Canada for all of us.Thank you.And I look forward to seeing you again soon. Not to damn shabby, and if you've read this far, it's because you ARE asking me.

So Much For Wanting To Be An Astronaut If I Grow Up!

'Been wondering about this. ORLANDO, Fla. — She was the Robochick. He was Billy-O. According to police, her obsession with him led her to drive 900 miles from Houston to Orlando, bringing with her a trenchcoat and wig, armed with a BB gun and pepper spray, and wearing a diaper to avoid bathroom breaks on the arduous drive. Once in Florida, Lisa "Robochick" Nowak apparently confronted the woman she believed was her rival for the affections of William "Billy-O" Oefelein. And this tawdry love triangle has one more twist — it involves two astronauts. Nowak, 43, a married mother of three who flew on a space shuttle in July, was charged with attempted murder, accused of hatching an extraordinary plot to kidnap Colleen Shipman, who she believed was romantically involved with Oefelein, a space shuttle pilot. If she's found guilty, will they make her walk the space-plank??

My Favorite Song Today

1)Garth Turner has gone over to the Dark Side. To find out what others are saying, or if anyone really cares, you've come to the wrong site! 2)Heard an excellent song today, by Marty Stuart and Travis Tritt. "This One's Gonna Hurt You (For A Long, Long Time)" It just reminded me of something.

It's OKAY To Be A Kyoto-Denier

So. The head honcho doesn't particularly like the contents of the Kyoto Accord. He's also revealed that he's not too trusting of the claims made by those supporting the theory of global warming. He's not alone. What's the big deal then? I think that if you asked him, he'd probably confirm that he thinks the anus is strictly an exit. It hasn't stopped him from allowing a free vote on the issue of same-sex marriage though. Perhaps it's time to end the partisan bickering over who said or wrote what, and concentrate on what Conservatives do best: Getting the job done. What we've witnessed (and allowed to happen) over the last thirteen years is akin to listening to your favorite race-car driver boast that he or she is going to win the Indy 500, and then watching them drive the wrong way around the track. I'd rather a Prime Minister that will move forward an agenda of public choosing even though he dislikes it then what we've witnessed during the Old Government of Canada's thirteen year reign.

Right From The Horse's Mouth

Or was it the other end? Alexa's on one of her rampages. (h/t Nationalnewswatch) Speaking of something that really stinks, get a load of this: London Prison Changes Direction of Toilets in Respect to Islamic Law According to Foxnews, "Toilets in one London prison are getting a face-lift — or rather, a change in direction — to accommodate Muslim inmates who can't use them while facing Mecca, a British newspaper reported." If they're such good Muslims, then what the hell are they doing in prison?

Odds & Ends

1)Didn't make this list. Or this one. Good. 2)There's something about the new Liberal leadership re-runs being shown that caught my attention: It's not that Dion is being attacked by other Liberals. It's not that his achievements as an MP are less than flattering (although they're a hell of a lot better than mine). It's that the guy loses his cool way too easy for someone wanting to do something that is way too demanding. Not what you want from a Prime Minister in times of calamity. He's "nice", but that doesn't get things done. At least it hasn't according to Ignatieff. 3)More fauxtography from Lebanon.

Hamas Not Coming Over For Dinner

From the Globe & Mail: GAZA CITY — Canada risks making itself an enemy of the Palestinian people and of the broader Islamist movement by boycotting Hamas and openly siding with Israel, Palestinian foreign minister Mahmoud Zahar said Sunday after he was shunned by visiting Foreign Minister Peter MacKay.

When told that Mr. MacKay would likely have responded to his questions by insisting that Hamas still needs to meet the three conditions of the international community — denouncing violence, recognizing Israel and respecting the agreements signed by the previous Palestinian government — the 62-year-old former surgeon turned hostile.

Later in the interview, he suggested that there should be a single Islamic state stretching across the Middle East, adding that there was plenty of space in Canada to establish a Jewish homeland.

I just feel so awful. How will I ever sleep tonight knowing that the Palestinian foreign minister, Mahmoud Zahar, hates Canadians because we won't finance his government's agenda?

Then I think of his threat against our citizens: Canadians have to change their extremist government, or else they're going to lose their credibility as a neutral state,” he warned. “You cannot create a new enemy without a price.”

Maybe this guy could take a lesson or two from Hussein Naboulsi. We all know what happens when a terrorist organization has too much money on their hands, and time to kill.



Mr. Zahar can say what he wants to about Peter MacKay, but nobody can say that Peter doesn't have his hand on the pulse of the people of Israel.

What Happens In Mexico Stays In Mexico

Mexican authorities claim that Canadian was the victim of a hit-and-run. By what? An airplane? (note: the story originally pointed out that the victim suffered no injuries below his neck - another cover-up?)

Monty Python - New Communications Director For Liberal Party Of Canada?

This is a tough year for the Liberal Party of Canada. First, Wahid Khan defects to the governing Conservative Party of Canada. The next defection comes from Mark Persaud. Add to that the resignation of Jean Lapierre - so far this year the LPC has lost two MP's (Edit: and another Big Liberal - updated from comments section), and it's not even the middle of January yet! Does anybody else see the comparison between the current situation that Dion is facing with the "It's only a flesh-wound" scene from Monty Python and The Holy Grail?

Sunni Weather Ahead

“Since 1975 we have been fighting for the free world,” Said said. “We are on the front lines. Why doesn’t the West understand this? America can withdraw from Iraq, you can go back to Oregon, but we are stuck here. We have to stay and live with what happens.” Read the full story on Michael J Totten's blog. For those of you with the opinion that the Western nations should do more to assist the Lebanese government, you may rejoice at this: The Central Intelligence Agency has been authorised to take covert action against Hizbollah as part of a secret plan by President George W. Bush to help the Lebanese government prevent the spread of Iranian influence. Full story here. (so much for the "secret")

Snakes On A Plane

Just finished watching Snakes On A Plane. Wasn't as bad as watching Danny Williams during the last federal election. Update: I see a sequel in the works! (h/t Nationalnewswatch)

Another New Year

Decided to pull a Kinsella and clean off all the old crap. (okay, I left one old post there, but I kinda liked that one!) Just read the Hill Times "10th Annual All-Politics Poll". Congrats to Prime Minister Stephen Harper for being voted this year's MVP. It's a well deserved recognition. Also, congrats to local MP Shawn Murphy. The House Public Accounts Committee, led by Grit MP Shawn Murphy, won No. 1 status as the best Commons committee in 2006 with 15 per cent of the vote. I don't always agree with the way he votes, him being a Liberal and all, but he does put the hours in.