Ex-Con Politics

Burnie Endorses Dion

2006-08-24T20:11:00.000-07:00

Ok so tonight I took a rare departure from my distance from RL politics and attended a leadership reception in conjunction with the National Caucus meeting in Vancouver. Let me tell you - going in I was largely undecided. By default I was probably in the Brison camp, if I voted based the largely arbitrary method of who I thought did the best outreach it would have been for Ken Dryden and if I voted on who would do best head to head against Harperbot it would have been Iggybot. Let me tell you what happened tonight.

Bob Rae served as the opening act, he warmed the crowd up with the typical shots at Harper being Bush's cabana boy. His speech was peppered with dumb jokes, jokes he knew were dumb and you can tell by the look on his face that all he was thinking was "I can't believe these people actually laugh at this crap?" When he talked about former party members the room laughed when he said something about former NDPers and when he talked about former PCers I shouted "Thanks Bob."

Bubba Rae was then followed by, as Blair Wilson put it, the Diva of Vancouver Centre. Hedy's speech was largely uneventful - basically the I know I'm not going to win but we're on my home turf so I'll get lots of cheers anyways.

After Hedy spoke for a couple minutes and managed to avoid accusing Prince George of burning crosses came a man I have a great deal of respect for and a man who will be Prime Minister someday. Scott Brison took the stage and began by regailing us about his first date with a woman in years. He apparently had dinner with Martha Hall Findley, and he made a dumb joke about how if he'd met her years earlier that "things might have been different." He made a few more gay jokes and the only profound statement of the evening was when he said that he wasn't born into the Liberal Party, he chose it.

Following Scott came 2 minutes that have had a greater political influence on my life than some years. We were treated to possibly the most inspired and inspiring speech anyone in that room has ever heard. We were given vision, we were given a promise and we were given our next leader and the next Prime Minister of Canada (providing that Harper doesn't get hit by a train before then.) Stephane Dion gave one of the best political speeches in the history of the world. The man talked about the things that are important to us as a party and a country - and he inspired the room. Granted his organization had already stacked the night, but folks there wasn't a still hand in the room when he was done. I met Canada's next Prime Minister tonight and his name is Stephane.

After Prime Minister Dion came Carolyn Bennett - in all honesty I missed most of her speech because I pushed my way through the crowd to shake Stephane Dion's hand, wish him luck and get my picture taken with him. Not a whole lot of people listened to her, there was a very audible hub-bub about what we'd just heard from Dion; this was somewhat unfair because Bennett is the only female candidate in this race who deserved our attention. What I did catch of her speech was good stuff and I hope she'll stick around.

Following Dr Bennett was the only other really inspiring speaker. Ken Dryden got up there and kicked some butt. He has all the right passion and if only he had deeper political roots this race would be between him and Dion. The man has the right vision and I hope he will be around for a very long time.

After Ken Dryden we had our comic relief for the evening. Scott Brison's date got up on the stage, handed him flowers (which were later spotted back in the hands of her staff) and talked about her big red bus. She has a bus, of course, because her campaign is a joke and it can't afford a plane. The ranting and raving that came from MHF's mouth was laughable and it looked like a confused Highschool Freshman getting flustered in her first public speaking class.

After the Big Red Bus moved onto it's next stop came the man that many perceive as the frontrunner. I have no idea why - Iggybot makes his cardboard cutout look interesting. The man had no passion, no emotion and no expression. Sure he's brilliant - but you aren't going to win Canadians over with brains alone. In his defence a very trustworthy source told me that he is sick, so that could account for a lack of expressivness; but I didn't see any hint of passion so I think the problem is deeper. That being said, the guy has the smarts, and let's face it Harper isn't exactly drippping with personality either so it wouldn't be a massive strike against him this time around; and Iggybot does have the smarts to take on a fellow academic policy wonk when it comes to debate time.

When I thought the evening couldn't get less inspiring - Gerard Kennedy took the stage. Someone please tell me what anyone sees in this guy! In all honesty there is nothing about his speech that has stuck with me. There was nothing memorable in it whatsoever, it made dull look interesting.

Joe Volpe was the closing act. I didn't listen to his speech - don't really care what he has to say so I made my way over to the Dion table to sign up. In place of commentary on the Volpe speech I give you a selection from Goodfellas

Quote:

Look at me! As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.To me being a gangster was better than being president of the United States. Even before I went to the cabstand for an after-school job I knew I wanted to be a part of them.

After this was all over Bill Graham got up and said a few words. He really should be in the race, I think he'd make one heck of a leader and I'd have a very hard time picking between him and Dion. When I talked to him after we said that he wasn't running because he was to old, I said he wasn't - then he told me the real reason; he's too smart.

You Were Right Mr. Emerson

2006-02-10T02:25:00.000-08:00

Apparently, David Emerson was right, but not quite in the fashion I think he expected to be. On election night he promised to be Stephen Harper's worst nightmare - I know I heard him. Now - thanks to this most unprincipled, very undemocratic and freaking hilarious debacle Mr Emerson (and some French guy too, can't forget about him) has made the new Prime Minister 0-3 when it comes to honesty, accountability and democracy.

I've talked to a few Tories, the few who still take my calls, and the general feeling is that the only reason all the Liberal outcry is getting coverage is because we have better media people. In the grass roots the Tories are actually even more pissed than we are. If you look at this morning's headlines I think it tells the story perfectly "Two Tories say Emerson should quit" from the Star "Tory revolt brews and Iceberg ahead" from the Calgary Sun and my personal favorite "Wake up Canada! We've been duped again" from the Hamilton Spectator. Frankly, this has been a great unifier in Canadian Politics. From coast to coast, red, blue or orange, Canadians are joining together in agreement over the fact that David Emerson is a douchebag and that Harper managed to strike out on day 1.

So in a totally unintended fashion David Emerson has become Stephen Harper's worst nightmare. On an unrelated note I hear that the PMO is announcing a billion dollars in research grants for anyone working on time machines.

p.s: I'm sorta back again :)

Warning, the Following Post Contains Sarcasm, Humour and Other Things the Media and NDP Find Offensive

2005-12-29T07:28:00.000-08:00

I don't mean to go off on a rant here, but what is with the obsession of the media and the opposition parties with this moral indignation, holier than thou crap lately? Guess what, people make jokes about other people especially public figures. It's never been a problem for Air Farce or 22 Minutes to make a joke about a politician, so why is it suddenly so terrible for a politician or his hack to do it? This latest one, http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20051227/ELXN_template_date/20051229?s_name=election2006&no_ads=, is possibly the dumbest thing I've heard since, the media told the same story about a different hack in another province doing the same thing.

Seriously, if the worst thing Jack Layton gets called is a dog then he should consider himself lucky. Personally I'd never use the term to describe him, having two dogs I think of myself as a dog person and I think that dogs are both better looking and I'd probably trust them with my country long before I would the NDP. That being said I can think of a few animal related names for Jack, most of them belong to the rodent family.

Well guess what, Liberals aren't the only ones who make these kind of jokes. I've seen on message boards where Conservative supporters have made fun of the weight of Liberal Candidates, we've got pretty much the entire Conservative blogging community – if not their whole party comparing the Liberal Party to organized crime and all of that seems to be acceptable within the realm of hyperbole, wit, sarcasm and general low-brow humour.

I should probably stop ranting now, because I'd hate to see my blog be the next one to end up on the news. Hopefully I'm unimportant enough that they'll keep ignoring me, but on the off chance that anyone I've potentially offended is reading I'll just apologize in advance to: Dennis Miller, The CBC, Politicians, Hacks, CTV, The Media, Dumb People, Jack Layton, Dogs, Rodents, Blogs, Organized Crime, Humour and everyone in Canada except the Conservatives, you guys don't deserve an apology for anything – you're just ugly and you smell bad.

Happy New Years

PS: Sorry to ugly and smelly people for comparing you to the Conservatives

PPS: Sorry to people for implying that Conservatives come from your species

PPPS: Sorry to anyone who doesn't have a soul and thereby a sense of humour everything other than the first and third paragraphs was a joke

PPPPS: Joke means "Something said or done to evoke laughter or amusement, especially an amusing story with a punch line"

Merry Christmas Y'All

2005-12-24T19:44:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone has a great Christmas or whatever other holiday you celebrate this time of year. My rantings will be back next week. And just incase you are feeling stupid and are going to drink and drive this video should scare you straight.

http://www.normandcompany.com/FUNNY_FLASH_CARTOONS/Funny_Flash_Cartoons_Bus_Song.html

The Problem With Gun Crime is Crime not Guns

2005-12-07T23:30:00.000-08:00

Ok Liberal friends, please don't disown me for this, but...

Whoever decided that banning handguns is going to reduce crime needs to give their head a shake. Come on people, do you really think that someone who has no qualms about committing murder, armed robbery or even carrying a concealed weapon will give a rat's butt that the gun itself is illegal? This just isn't smart policy, it's impractical and idiotic.

Now, this isn't nearly enough to change my mind on the over the general politics of this election. Don't get me wrong Paul Martin and the Liberals are still by far the best, and frankly only, option for overall government. The biggest problem I have with this particular proposal is that it reeks of yuppie college idealism as opposed to practical and realistic thinking.

For the most part, Prime Minister Martin does use common sense instead of ivory tower politicking, and that's what I like most about him. This time I don't know what he's thinking. Frankly, there's no way that this is going to lower gun crime, gun accidents maybe – but that's not why it's being proposed. Now I hate to do this, normally if I'm going to disagree with an idea I try to propose an alternative proposal. Now call me cynical or defeatist, but I don't think that there is a legislative answer to gun violence.

Violent criminals aren't like you and me, they don't consider the law as part of their decision making process. If a normal person has a problem with someone, or wants something someone from another person we have ways of getting it dealt with. If one of those people was in the same position, to them it's nothing to pull out a gun, or a knife or a pointy stick and assault and possibly kill the other person. They will do it, no matter what our laws are and what they have to do to carry it out. We make plenty of things illegal in this country and criminals still get their hands on them.

Which leads me to my next point, the problem we need to focus on, the real problem, is violence not gun violence – crime not gun crime. Even if we could effectively get handguns out of the hands of criminals are we really better off when the number of stabbing deaths goes up by the same number shooting deaths go down? A handgun isn't a more effective killing tool than a knife, a baseball bat or a rock.

It's a very commonly held misconception that handguns are super duper killing machines. In fact – a handgun is no more or less deadly than any other weapon because it's not so much what causes the trauma, but rather what trauma is caused. A stab wound to the throat, a blunt heavy object to the head or either one of those to a vital organ is just as deadly as a bullet. The only reason we demonise guns the way we do is because, unlike baseball bats, pool cues, beer bottles and knives, guns don't serve any other practical purpose but killing.

So instead of banning guns, I propose we ban criminals. Because frankly, as long as we have criminals we will have crime and even if banning guns did get them off the street, which it won't, they'd just use something else to rob or kill their victims with. Now don't get me wrong, I don't believe in a US style, arm everyone approach and I'm rather indifferent on guns in general. I just think that you're dealing with the wrong half of gun crime when you fight guns instead of fighting crime.

In The Movies

2005-12-05T23:12:00.000-08:00

Just a note, don't expect anything substantial from me until Wednesday, I'm currently benefiting from the booming Canadian Film Industry (thank you very much good Liberal Government policy) and working as an extra for 3 days in the movie Little Man, a hockey scene is being filmed in my little town. Who'da thunk they'd actually pay me to cheer at a hockey game?

The Rt. Hon. Kimmie Takes Her Shot at Harpo

2005-12-01T23:58:00.000-08:00

Now this is just too darn funny to not write about. Kim Campbell, that lovely woman who was Canada's last Tory and first woman Prime Minister, has come out saying that Harper won't win. I always knew there was an understated brilliance about her. But this just goes to show you that even the Centre-Right of Canadian politics doesn't take Harpo seriously, nor should they.

I think if I hadn't written off the Tories' chances already, I might after a day like today. First Harpo comes out with the promise he wants to make a campaign on and his own think tank (Fraser Institute) comes out and agrees with the Liberal Finance Minister that it's stupid economics. Oh and what a promise to make eh “I'll cut the GST” I bet most of the Canadian public thought “sure you will Stevo, and you'll replace it with Pixie Dust royalties right?” I don't mean to imply that we're all as bitter and cynical as me, but seriously – promising tax cuts during a Campaign does it get anymore cliché than that? Then before he can even get all his talking points out, Harper gets a firm kick in the party jewels from a former Leader and Prime Minister calling him unelectable.

Frankly, on the economy he's wrong, on social issues he's wrong and Canadians know this. On January 23rd Stephen Harper is wrong and simply put the voters are going to return a Liberal government, even if some of them are holding their noses while they are at it. Until there is a serious alternative Canada is a one-party state, and with joke-offs like Harper and Layton running around you may as well get comfy because it's going to be a long ride.

It's Stupid Economics Harper

2005-12-01T12:23:00.000-08:00

In 1992 in the US they had “It's the Economy Stupid.” Well here we are 13 years later and a little farther north and we're close, with stupid economics. I thought Stephen Harper was supposed to be an economist? Oh yeah, let's cut a consumption tax as opposed to letting people keep more of their money in the first place. A GST cut is going to disproportionately cut taxes for the rich, since they spend more than those of us who need every paycheque.

Now I'm not an economist, but I did pass high-school math. People who earn 6 or 7 figures spend a lot more money than ordinary people, so they stand to benefit a whole lot more than I would. Or – we could go with Goodale's proposal which would see personal income taxes cut which would leave more money in my pocket off the paycheque. Call me blindly partisan here, but I'd rather have more money every 2 weeks on my cheque than saving 3 cents every time I stop at Tim Horton's.

Most people I've talked to agree with me that it would be much better to have more money on every cheque than saving a few pennies every time they bought a cup of coffee or bought their groceries. This is just another swing and a miss from Harper. In his comments he said “all taxes are bad”. Funny I thought taxes are what paid for our healthcare, our national defence, our infrastructure and just about everything else we need to do collectively instead individually.

Oh well just another example of how George W Harper wants to turn us into the United States of Canada. Taxes are unpleasant, and they are a pain in the but to pay – but at worst they are a necessary evil. Then we have Harper and the GOP North, that's an evil that's totally unnecessary.

Slogans for Dummies

2005-11-29T18:46:00.000-08:00

What's the deal with Harper and backfiring slogans? I have to wonder if anyone in his upper echelons thinks about anything before saying them. Seriously, last year it was “Demand Better” which, of course, Canadians did by electing a Liberal government. This time around it's Stand Up for Canada, what the heck do you think we've been doing for the past 12 years there Stevo?

I mean sure, politics is politics, but give me a break here. The Liberals got rid of the $40 Billion deficits that the Tories ran up, we've got our economy on track, we've made more social progress than any other G8 country and we've done it all with Liberal governments. There's only one party that is standing up for Canada, and folks it aint the GOP North lead by Harper. A party that wants to gut public healthcare, sell off our resources and roll back human rights isn't standing up for Canada.

Dumb branding decisions like this, coupled with idiotic answers to questions like “do you love this country?” (seriously who ever told him to give any answer but “yes” is a moron) tells us that not only is Harper a very weak communicator but that he doesn't even surround himself with people who know what they are doing. I'm sorry if this seems a little petty, but if you can't do the simplest of political tasks what makes you think you can run our country from a political office?

The Axis of Ego

2005-11-29T16:07:00.000-08:00

So let's take a critical look at the timing of this election call. With parliament going down last night and the election called today we have a 56 day campaign resulting in a vote on January 23. Now let's say that the Axis of Ego had put aside their own personal desires for press and glory, even if only for a month and a bit. If Parliament had been allowed to wrap up the legislative session and pass the 30+ bills, get the billions of dollars of support for healthcare, education, military, farmers etc out of the way and then allowed the parliament to go down on the 2nd or 9th of January we could have had a normal 5 week campaign giving us an election on the 6th or 13th of February.

So ultimately, this exercise in auto-egotistic stimulation is about 14 days. The So-Con-Separatist-Socialist Alliance, who I have now dubbed the Axis of Ego have decided to drop a lump of ballots in our stockings, smear our holiday season with dirty politics and kick the whole shebang off with slanderous lies about the nature of the good people who make up the Liberal Party of Canada. Seriously, I can't think of anything so pressing that the election needs to be 2 weeks sooner than it would have been if George W Harper, Joke Layton and that separatist guy hadn't forced premature election on us all and waited until 2006 to force the 2006 election. Of course, nobody wants to talk about all the pressing business that has gone down the tubes because of it.

The Axis of Ego claims to be all things to all people, but let's take a look at everything that's been put on hold because of their impatience.

C-44, an Act to amend the Canada Transportation Act and the Railway Safety Act, to enact the VIA Rail Canada Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts

C-46, an Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and the Criminal Code

C-51, an Act to amend the Judges Act, the Federal Courts Act and other Acts

C-52, an Act to amend the Fisheries Act (terms and conditions of permissions, leases and licences)

C-59, an Act to amend the Investment Canada Act

C-60, an Act to amend the Copyright Act

C-61, an Act to amend the Canada Marine Act and other Acts

C-62, an Act to amend the Aeronautics Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts

C-67, an Act respecting the allocation of unanticipated surpluses and to amend the Income Tax Act

C-68, an Act to support development of Canada`s Pacific Gateway

C-69, an Act to amend the Agriculture Marketing Programs Act

C-70, an Act to amend the Criminal Code (conditional sentence of imprisonment)

C-73, an Act to amend the Telecommunications Act (No. 2)

C-74, an Act regulating telecommunications facilities to facilitate the lawful interception of information transmitted by means of those facilities and respecting the provision of
telecommunications subscriber information

C-75, an Act respecting the establishment of the Public Heath Agency of Canada and amending certain Acts

C-76, an Act to amend the Citizenship Act (adoption)

C-77, an Act to amend the Citizenship Act (prohibitions)

C-78, an Act to provide for emergency management and to amend and repeal certain Acts

C-17, an Act to amend the Contraventions Act and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts

C-19, an Act to amend the Competition Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts

C-21, an Act respecting not-for-profit corporation and other corporations without share capital

C-47, an Act to amend the Air Canada Public Participation Act

C-64, an Act to amend the Criminal Code (vehicle identification number)

C-65, an Act to amend the Criminal Code (street racing) and to make a consequential amendments to another Act

C-72, an Act to amend certain Acts in relation to DNA identification

C-16, an Act to amend the Criminal Code (impaired driving) and to make consequential amendments to other Acts

C-27, an Act to regulate and prohibit certain activities related to food and other products to which the Acts under the administration of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency apply and to provide for the administration and enforcement of those Acts and to amend other Acts in consequence

C-63, an Act to amend An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act and the Income Tax Act

C-25, an Act governing the operation of remote sensing space systems

C-28, an Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act

C-37, an Act to amend the Telecommunications Act

C-49, an Act to amend the Criminal Code (trafficking in persons)

$550 million over five years to extend Canada Access Grants to 55,000 students from low-income families in all years of undergraduate education.

$2.2 billion over five years to improve student financial assistance and help make post-secondary education more affordable for lower- and middle-income Canadians.

Close to $200 million over the next five years to provide up to 3,500 internships and up to 500 MBA scholarships for natural and health sciences and engineering graduates, and to support knowledge-based clusters to enhance the capability of firms to perform research and development, adopt new technologies and commercialize discoveries.

$3.5 billion over this year and the next five years to increase workplace-based training, and to enhance the participation of Aboriginal peoples, immigrants and persons with disabilities in the Canadian economy.

$1 billion in 2005-06 for provinces and territories for the Post-Secondary Education Innovation Fund, which helps Canada’s universities and colleges keep up with the demands of increasing enrolment, aging infrastructure, changing in learning technology and out-of-date equipment.

More than $2.1 billion in new funding in 2005-06 and over the next five years to sustain Canada’s leadership in university-based research.

Implement initiatives in Budget 2006 that will move the Government toward its goal of devoting five per cent of federal R&D to priorities of the developing world.

$265 million over five years to assist Canadians with disabilities in participating in the workforce.

$1.3 billion over five years to improve settlement and integration services for new immigrants

$485 million over five years to implement CAN-Trade, a new international commerce strategy that will better position up to 5,000 Canadian firms in priority markets, such as China and India.

$590 million over the next five years to support transportation infrastructure investments and other initiatives enhancing Canada’s Pacific Gateway.

$100 million over the next five years to continue supporting broadband deployment in rural, remote and First Nations communities.

The elimination of the federal capital tax as of 2006 – two years ahead of schedule.

The extension of the carry-forward periods for business losses and investment tax credits.

The acceleration of the capital cost allowance to encourage bioenergy in the pulp and paper sector.

$90 million over the next five years to reduce the administrative burden on small business and improve access to information on programs and services across all levels of government.

The expansion of the Renewable Power Production Incentive by $50 million to support thermal cogeneration projects.

$1.1 billion for the Department of National Defence to enhance operational sustainability which includes:

$418.6 million for repair to aging infrastructure, purchase of critical supplies, improving military health care and increase training for military readiness.

$278.3 million for the Canadian Forces leadership role in Afghanistan.

$71.9 million to increase the Canadian Forces by 5,000 regular force troops and 3,000 reservists.

$854.2 million in compensation adjustments to departments and agencies for the impact of signed collective bargaining agreements and other related adjustments to terms and conditions of service or employment made between August 1, 2004 and July 31, 2005.

$197.8 million for large-scale strategic infrastructure projects designed to improve the quality of life of Canadians and further economic growth in Canada, such as safe and efficient highways/rail; increased tourism; improved access to clean and safe water; increased online access to key services.

$163.0 million to strengthen Public security initiatives (National Security Policy) such as marine security, border security, international security, emergency preparedness and critical infrastructure protection, and refugee reform.

$148.4 million to support Government-On-Line which provides Canadians with enhanced access to improved citizen-centred, integrated services, anytime, anywhere and in the officials language of their choice.

$89.0 million for research and innovation (broken down this is $32 million is for NSERC, $31 million is for CIHR and $26 million is for SSHRC).

$85.2 million related to the assessment, management and remediation of federal contaminated sites, including Valcartier armed forces base, Giant Mine near Yellowknife and the Bushell Public Port Facility.

$66.4 million to support Canada’s hosting of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change.

$60.5 million to reduce the backlog of immigration and citizenship applications and to support a program for international students to work off campus.

$58.4 million to modernize human resources management in the Federal Public Service.

$140.0 million for the Beacon Project being undertaken by General Motors of Canada – a strategic investment in Canadian automotive engineering, research and development and manufacturing modernization under the Program for Strategic Industrial Projects.

$130.9 million to Foreign Affairs and International Trade to forgive the debt of six countries ( Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia).

$119.5 million to promote peace and stability in failed and fragile states such as Afghanistan, Haiti, and Sudan.

$86.0 million to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to strengthen English and French television, radio and new media programming.

$74.7 million to support implementation of the Agricultural Policy Framework to help Canadian agriculture maximize its opportunities in world markets. Agriculture and Agri-Food has signed Framework Agreements with all provinces and territories to deliver on the objectives of the framework.

$68.7 million to enhance Canadian sport development, excellence and participation through investments in such areas as sport science, equipment, research, professional development and training opportunities and by providing additional funding to target sports with the greatest potential to achieve international success.

$66.6 million to increase operational capacity to improve border security to Canada Border Services Agency, which includes:

$18.2 million to enhance capacity in border management to allow the efficient movement of people and goods to and from Canada while ensuring safety and economic prosperity of Canadians. This funding will be used to resource key border locations, airports and other program activities, and to respond more effectively to increasing volumes and complexity of border operations.

$21.0 million to implement recommendations of a Canada Revenue Agency commissioned job hazard analysis. The funding will be spent on reducing risks associated with officers working alone at ports of entry; on emergency preparedness; and on equipment such as protective vests and radios.

$18.3 million to improve infrastructure integrity within the agency to provide support for modern comptrollership and sound financial management functions. This funding will go to such areas as corporate finance, accounting, procurement, communications and asset management and is also necessary to support the organization in its transition to an agency status.

$9.1 million for the expansion of the airport facilities at the Pearson International Airport and the need to process higher volume of passengers through primary and secondary inspection lines while maintaining service standards.

$60.0 million to address shortfalls related to the costs of providing contract-policing services (Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)).

$60.0 million to Atomic Energy of Canada Limited to support research and product development, licensing expenses and facility management associated with the development of the Advanced CANDU Reactor (ACR).

$102.9 million to mitigate the impact of the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) crisis.

Oh well, at least we know where priorities lie eh?

Stephen Harper and November Snow Make me Cranky

2005-11-29T09:55:00.000-08:00

You know what really ticks me off? Stephen Harper saying that Liberals stole taxpayer's money.
I'm a Liberal – I didn't steal any money, no one I know in the party stole money. The people who stole the money aren't Liberals anymore, Martin kicked them out. Not only did he kick the culprits out, but he paid back any money that the Party might have gotten from it. But this just goes to show you that George W Harper and the Republicans North really have nothing to offer Canadians.

If the Conservatives had a damn thing to show for themselves, by way of philosophy or policy, people like me might still be supporters. But let's face it, they've got nothing to say that we haven't already said. We're right on the economy, we're right on healthcare, we're right on public safety and we're right on social progress; so I suppose they aren't saying the same as us everywhere.

The one issue where the Tories have decided to define themselves as different from the Grits is on social justice and human rights. Well no wonder that anyone who can even see the centre of the political spectrum isn't going to vote Tory. Frankly no matter what you think of same sex marriage; Canadians don't believe in rolling back rights – it's just not the way we work. But then again, being out of step with Canadian values isn't anything new for Harper.

So this is how it begins, Harper is lying with vigor about the Liberal Party, Layton is openly campaigning to hold the balance of power without being in government, Duceppe is trying to break up Canada and Paul Martin is the only one who has a message for Canadians about what he wants to do for our country. So here's your choice, you can vote for someone who's only goal is to slander good people, someone who wants to pull strings, someone who wants to destroy Canada or a Prime Minister who wants to get back to business. Oh and if I seem more cranky than usual today, it's 11 degrees out in Halifax and it's snowing here in Southwest BC, grrr.

Last Minute Addition To Grey Cup Halftime Show

2005-11-27T10:45:00.000-08:00

Ok, since it's Sunday I'm going to write a fluff piece, real stuff can wait for tomorrow. We all know what's coming tomorrow – Harper, Layton and Duceppe are going to form an alliance of So-Cons, Socialists and Separatists to bring down the government Canadian elected just over a year ago. That's right, 3 groups who have entirely different goals and objectives are going to put aside any principles they ever had in order to force Canadians into a Christmas Election.

Well, I've always been a fan of doing things on your own terms instead of on someone else's. I'm also a fan of making new traditions. Now in order to call an election the Prime Minister needs to go to the Governor General and ask for Parliament to be dissolved. For as long as Canada has been Canada this has happened at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. Well I say that it's time to end this bit of Western Alienation.

I think that Martin should reach out to Western Canadians and stick it to the Opposition all at once. Since both he and the GG are at the Grey Cup in Vancouver today, I think it's time to break the cycle of Ottawacentric election calls. Paul Martin and Michaelle Jean should go to the 55 Yard Line right before the Black Eyed Peas come on and dissolve Parliament right here from Vancouver.

Merry Christmas Canada - The CPC, NDP and Bloc have gotten together to give you a lump of coal

2005-11-25T14:15:00.000-08:00

Here we are in the last week of November and if you're anything like me you'd like to be thinking about excuses to put off – err – doing your Christmas Shopping, spending time with friends and family, planning a get away for the Christmas Season or just about anything other than who you want to vote for in a federal election. I'm all for doing my civic duty, don't get me wrong, but I think this is a little much right now to subject the already overloaded Canadian public to an election campaign. I mean, seriously folks, if the soldiers in the World Wars could put down their guns for Christmas why can't Harper, Layton and Duceppe put away their egos until after New Years?

I think it's probably a good thing that I'm keeping an eye on politics from the comfort of my own living room, if I were in Ottawa I think I'd get whiplash from all the flip-flopping. “We want answers,” “Don't wait – call an election now,” “Canadians want the government to make progress on X,Y&Z,” “Canadians want an election” WOULD YOU GUYS PLEASE MAKE UP YOUR MINDS. I've heard more consistency in arguments from my teenage brother. It seems like the 3 stooges change their minds on a daily basis about what they want to do next.

This brings me nicely into the choice of name for my new blog. Ex-Con is my political affiliation not my social standing. I'm a rehabilitated former Conservative, who left the party for many reasons – not the least of which being the total vacuum when it comes to leadership. You see – George W Harper is possibly a less effective leader than a cardboard box would be. The man has zero political ability, less personality and yet less credibility.

If it weren't for the fact that this were the Christmas Season and that there was so much important work about to get shuffled aside for 3 or more months I'd actually be pretty happy about an election right now. Except in Quebec the Liberals are being projected to gain, not lose, seats. But, unlike Harper I tend to think that my country is more important than my party. Right now over 30 bills and billions upon billions of dollars of funding stand to be put off until after the election, forcing people in every sector of Canadian society to wait at least 3 months more for the help they've already waited so long for.

I ran in a civic election recently, and one of our now re-elected councilors was always talking about how politicians need to always remember that the decisions they make every day may seem like simple decisions of policy, but they actually impact the lives of real people. Never has that been more true than here. Grinch Harper and his elves of evil from the NDP and Bloc are all too quick to bring down the government out of some misguided opinion that it will help their political fortunes – but what do they have for people who need a helping hand? Nothing except promises to do the things that the Liberals are trying to do right now, except 3-6 months down the road.

Harper, Layton and Duceppe should all be ashamed of how they are exploiting a parliamentary situation where parties were supposed to cooperate to try and further their own personal agendas. As far as I am concerned – they're all off the Christmas Card list, and I hope they all get a lump of coal on election day.