Quote of the day

"The real shock of the whole Canadian Government laundering scandal is the revelation that somewhere in the world there is actually a liberal government in power"

-Jon Stewart, from last nights episode of The Daily Show

The Canadian election made late night American pseudo-news last night when Jon Stewart mentioned the fall of the government. Check out the entire segment at http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_daily_show/videos/headlines/index.jhtml
and click on the "hosed" icon on the page. Quite amusing.

Sidenote: nice to see that Canadians aren't the only ones who like to make obvious jokes about our close neighbours.

Frosty, the reception

Many people seem to be angry at the timing of this Federal election, i've seen many cross-country interviews of citizens who don't plan to vote because they don't want another election, ah the joys of democracy! In fact, this issue is becoming large enough that it is turning into an election issue itself, with the Liberals blaming the opposition for the election, and so apparently thats a reason to vote Liberal. weird.

But, fear not dear friends, I am hear to cheer you up this holiday season. For I present to you reasons that a federal election campaign is a great idea this holiday season!

1. Just wait to shovel your driveway until you see a candidate come to knock on your door, at that precise moment, go outside to shovel it, and I guarantee you will not have to do the task alone!

2. The guilt trips and sob stories that you hear from the NDP candidates will make you realize that you really don't have it so bad.

3. Watching a Liberal lose is alot more joyful than getting a new pair of socks for christmas!

4. Encouraging a candidate that you don't intend to vote for to help you put up your christmas lights and wrap presents for your family is a great use of both your time, and theirs.

5. Political advertising on TV, and in Newspapers will make it harder for businesses to try to convince us how a gym membership and other useless items are actually decent christmas presents.

So cheer up Canada, vote, don't vote, its your right. But lets ensure complaining doesn't become another Canadian tradition at Christmas.

Anyone else have some good reasons for why a christmas/winter election could be fun?

Quote of the Week

"Fine. But don't ask me the question if you don't want the answer."

-Premier Klein's response to the Peter MacKay suggestion that duct tape be used to keep him quiet.

I love it. In this one simple line, the Premier manages to tone down a verbal disupute with the Federal Conservatives (you can imagine how the federal media would have loved Ralph to take a shot back at MacKay) but he also takes a swipe at the media who love to create their own issues. And to top it off, he does it with humour.

Say what you want about the guy, but there are times where his political brilliance is unmatched.

A Shrug of the Shoulders

Ok, so I am not a happy camper today. Today a vote of non-confidence is before the federal House and should be put to a vote. If it is supported the federal Liberals should fall.

But as I was listening to some of the debate today I heard one of the Liberal cabinet Ministers, I can’t remember who, stand up and say that this motion was because the Conservatives are in bed with the separatists, have been from day one, and want to rip this country apart with their right wing agenda.

Are you freaken kidding me? Who believes this garbage? Who in their right mind is going to believe that statement? And furthermore, who is responsible for the ripping apart of this country? If you guessed the federal Liberals then you hit the nail on the head, oh and it is because of their left wing agenda.

The Bloc in Quebec are more popular now because of the Feds and this should make every single citizen of this country more angry than they have ever been. Quebec nationalists are talking about separation again because their province has been embarrassed by a joke of a federal government and they are looking at this fervor throughout the province and are trying to capitalize. And if we re-elect a Liberal government, whether minority or majority, I think that will rip the country apart.

I cannot believe that there are people in this country who are so ridiculous that they would vote for a federal party who steals, lies, and cheats the Canadian people. Where are Canadians? When something like this happens in another country you get protests and mass civil disobedience! What do you get here? A shrug of the shoulders and this is why our Canadian society is the absolute laughing stock of the entire world.

Why is this motion coming forward today? It is coming forward because the Liberals waste our tax money, they steal our tax money, and then they lie about what they have done with said tax money. Everything they have done has had disgusting results. They are now trying to show their fiscal responsibility by spending money, OUR MONEY, on things that are not even their responsibility for the most part! They are continually wasting our tax dollars.

And have you listened to Scott Brison in the last little while? I mean read this. Brison spreads untruths about Stephen Harper and then stands to “clarify his remarks?” Give me a break! He outright lied about the activities of Stephen Harper by saying that his “past is littered with questionable if not illegal behaviour.” What? Prove it! Brison can’t because he is making it up. He is saying something that is untrue. That is lying. I know you are not supposed to accuse someone of lying but this seems like a pretty good slam dunk!

Canadians, don’t be daft, vote for somebody other than the Liberals. I don’t care who, just don’t make the same mistake again.

Attention 101

Quick lecture on how anyone who would like attention, can make sure they are given it.

1. Find an issue, any issue will do, but the more attractive and attention-grabbing the better.
2. No matter what, take the exact opposite opinion of that issue. You will get even more attention if you come up with your own suggested course of action that is the polar-opposite of the one taken in said issue.
3. It helps to have a title, any title will do, if one is not already available to you, create one. Start by coming up with an organization that sounds impressive, like say "Ethical Politics Now" or EPN for short (the media loves acronyms!) Then, install yourself as director, that way when the headline is written, it can say something like "Director of EPN says...."
4. Humour tends to be the best format for what you have to say, the funnier you sound, the more you will be quoted, and should another person or group also be commenting on this same issue, be sure to be more clever than they are, that way you will get ahead of them in your quote. In fact, humour is more important than fact, remember that.
5. Find your nearest reporter, doesn't matter what type of media really, for if you get on TV, newspaper will likely follow, and vice versa.

There you have it! Enjoy your 15 minutes of fame. If that isn't enough for you, repeat steps 1 through 5. Don't worry if you contradict yourself by saying something that might be different to what you may have said in the past, the media has a brilliant way of looking the other way when facts get in the way of a good story!

Enjoy!

Now, any story can easily go along with this easy 5 step program. Particularly those featuring opposition parties all across the country. However, I particularly like this one. No, Premier Klein wasn't "asked" to consider something, he wasn't even "encouraged", nope, he was "told!"

Please pass more laws?

Does anyone else see the humour in how the opposition parties, and certain Edmonton Journal columnists continue to complain at how the Alberta Legislature sits the fewest number of days out of all Legislatures in Canada?

Let me see if this makes sense, when a Legislature sits, they make laws, the longer they sit, the more laws they make. Now, I am not arguing that there isn't a need for certain new laws, however, once that needed legislation is passed, what further need is there for the Legislature to sit? The fact that the Alberta Legislature is only expected to sit 5o days this year should be seen as a success story. Its a GOOD NEWS story for the government.

Looks like once again the opposition has missed the point, this is beginning to be routine for them.

Forgetting to Remember

Three years after Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae penned the famed poem In Flanders Fields, which immortalized the scarlet poppy as the symbol of soldiers who died in battle, an American, Moina Michael wore a poppy in memory of those soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice. Then, during a 1920 visit to the United States a French woman, Madame Guerin, learned of the custom. Upon her return to France she decided to use handmade poppies to raise money for the destitute children in war-torn areas of the country. This is the history of the poppy, a tradition born in America and one which continues to be embraced here in Canada.

I was channel surfing the other night and caught the tail end of a news program, they were answering a viewers email question. The question was – Can you please tell me why Americans don't wear poppies as a symbol of Remembrance Day like we do here in Canada? You can watch a video which answers that question here.

I came across another news story on the topic of poppies, you can read it here.

With these stories in mind I think it’s more important than ever that each of us make certain that at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month we reflect on everything we have – our freedoms, our safety, our family, our friends and we take that moment to remember those who sacrificed their freedoms, their safety, their families and their friends so that we wouldn’t have to. We need to remember before we all forget what it is we are suppose to remembering.

In Flanders Fields
by John McCrae
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Time and a place

The most overused joke this week has to be the "google" reference that seems to turn up in every single article about the AON contract recently announced by Alberta Health and Wellness. Okay, we might admit that the comment by the opposition that all you had to do was search for the company on the internet and you would find out this information was mildy clever, however is it news? I mean, why is a joke about a serious matter news? Why has every journalist taken that one-liner and made it a part of their story? is "google" the real story here? Do people even remember what the real story is anymore? I could give you links to all the stories that reference "google" and the AON story but there would not be enough space on this site for it. Have we let humour become a part of every news story now?

I'm sorry, I cannot stand it anymore. Making a joke isn't being a reponsible opposition, its trying to get your name in the paper. I'm tired of it, and I hope others are too. There's a time and a place for humour, but it shouldn't be part of our daily news. In fact, what happens to kids in school known as the "class clown?" They end up in detention. Everyone knows that humour is a way of getting attention. So well done opposition parties! You got some much needed attention. Now can we please get back to the real story?

The Institution is Overwhelmed

Well, I got to reading an article and I would like you to read it as well. It is a bit of a long read, but as you read through it, think about as it would apply to your local, provincial and federal government. The article is http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/?id=110007460 there...check it out.

So as I was reading this, it struck me how this can apply to every government at seemingly every level. Government is continuing to grow at a very quick rate. Each level, or order, of government are trying to deal with issues that are not their own. Each is trying to leave their mark or do their best to be everything to everybody from local couselors to the Prime Minister. My worry is that this is creating a society whose expectations will prove to be unsustainable in the long run. For instance, let's look at our Canadian federal government, or as I like to call them...the dumb dumbs.

The question we must ask is, what are the priorities of our federal government and do they line up with their proper role? We can talk about things like the gun registry and ad scam; but instead of their bogus spending/extra-responsibilities bringing them down, the NDP say it is because they will not protect public health care, a roll that the Feds inserted themselves into 30 years ago. My question is, why should they protect public health care? It is not even their responsibility. The problem is that society has to come expect so much for so little that there is no way that any government can do what is expected of them.

How can a province, like Newfoundland and Labrador for example, be expected to curb their spending to get themselves out of debt when the people of this province, and all provinces for that matter, expect quick and instant access to the health care system? People are increasingly turning to the government to fix their problems and they are consistently disappointed when those problems go unsolved.

As Ms. Noonan states, it is not the individuals in government that are overwhelmed, but the institutions. The institutions have taken on so much that they are crumbling under their own weight. The question now that is posed is, what do you do to fix it? Or better, is it possible to fix the system without radical change?

One of the ways to start change is in the next federal election. What will you do when this vote comes? Will vote for a party that is so hell bent on keeping power they neglect their responsibilities in their quest to hold that power? Or do you vote for a party that is so intent on enacting their agenda that they uphold a government which is morally corrupt and who they can blackmail? Or do you vote for a party who takes a stand against all of this and tries to do what they feel is best for a country as a whole and not delve into every single, solitary problem? Why wouldn’t you vote for a party that takes a stand against lofty expectations? Are Canadians scared of a government being run responsibly?

The difference between the conservatives and liberals (right vs. left) is that conservatives seem to have the courage of their convictions and are willing to shift responsibility back to the individual, from the institution. That is the only way that a government can survive. By allowing the individual to be what it is, an individual and providing every opportunity for that individual to succeed. It is not equality of outcomes but rather equality of opportunity that is important. Our problems in this country cannot be fixed over night, or even in a four year term, but why would you allow the same problem to continue? Why wouldn’t you take a chance on a new direction? I think Abba wrote a gooder about that…

Or maybe I’m just off my rocker…