The post in which I give Liberals and the Liberal party my 2 cents worth of free advice. What can I say? I’m a giver, besides - the Liberals have been foiled in their most recent efforts in taking over the country so I can afford to be a little generous. I’ll sum it up this way: Don’t Dump Dion.
The biggest political plunder you can make is to attempt to replace Stephane Dion in the next 18-24 months. Leaving him exactly where he is as leader of the opposition and the Liberal party of Canada is your best option. In case you haven’t noticed, the Liberals are in no position to remain as a viable party unless the financial bottom-line changes immediately and significantly – as in winning the 649 Lottery kind of way.
Otherwise you risk being the first major party in the history of this country to have to declare bankruptcy. The last leadership debts of the last Liberal leadership race have yet to be paid off – let’s not even talk about current campaign debts. There is no significant money coming in and now that the ‘natural’ governing party no longer has unfretted access to the public purse, you need to raise significant grassroots funding.
Dion is your man to turn it around, although not necessarily the man to turn your electoral fortunes around but the man who has the most ability to rebuild your grassroots base and get the cheapskate liberal base to open their wallets because he’s ordinary and hokey. Dion has grassroots appeal and his nutty green side appeals to not only a significant portion of your base but the Green and Dipper base as well. Forget the Conservative base, you haven’t a hope but you do need to bleed off or poach as much support from both the Green and Dipper camps as you can.
Dion can do you no harm and is uniquely positioned to do the Liberal party a great deal of good. And why should Dion stay on? He is probably the last liberal standing who still sees the Liberal party as a party of ideals rather than of patronage and graft. Quite frankly, he is far more loyal to the Liberal party than the Liberal party is to him. He might be academic clueless but it’s in a bumbling and charming kind of way rather than the elitist off-putting ways of an Iggy. As a Conservative I would love nothing better to see a bankrupt Liberal party campaign run against the pro-neo-con policy papers of Iggy. Talk about turn around being fair play. Oh the joy.
Think of the brand you have in Dion. It takes a leader of integrity to stick to his principles in direct defiance of all common political sense a la Green Shaft. It takes a great deal of courage and perseverance to walk into a room in Alberta and insist on giving a speech whose substance preaches a direct decline in the quality of life for most Albertans. Give Dion credit for that and he didn’t even flinch while doing it - neither Turncoat Bob nor Iggy ventured in those waters. In fact, I distinctly recall both Turncoat Bob and Iggy suggesting that due to the current economic downturn, the Green Shaft would be suspended, in direct contradiction to message of Dion stumping on the campaign trail. Let him be your designated whipping boy for the next 18-24 months as you attempt to re-build your base and party finances. Then replace him.
Of course, I don’t expect any liberal to take anything I have to say seriously, which is why I don’t feel the slightest bit squeamish in saying it. And I will enjoy saying, “I told you so”. Believe me, being right never gets old.
Showing posts with label Obligatory Canadian Election Circa 2008. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Obligatory Canadian Election Circa 2008. Show all posts
Friday, October 17, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
A sucker is born, again.
Okay, so I did it even though I kept swearing to myself I would not vote again until I could actually vote for a political party without holding my nose while I mark my ‘X’ on a ballot.
It is not like my vote carries much weight in my riding because all the little peons won’t turf Turncoat Bob. There is an irony in Turncoat Bob running in Toronto-Centre which is this - all those same little peons who think nothing for voting for Bob today, were more or less the very same peons, who ran Bob Rae out of politics after a disastrous term as premier of the province. They might not remember Bob Rae Days but I have never forgotten his mismanagement of the provincial economy. I fully expect, come tomorrow morning, Bob Rae will carry Toronto Centre by a wide margin and you cannot make me care as he won’t be my MP by July 1st.
In return for my ‘hold my nose and vote CPC in Toronto-Centre’ all I ask of Stephen Harper is that he works to repel the abomination of an election law which grants a $1.83 of the public purse to every political party for each vote cast their way. It’s bad enough I get stiffed with the bill of supporting these jokers in Parliament but to make me contribute to their election war chests is simply beyond the pale.
One more thing, there is an election blog burst going on. Apparently I am to quote the words of a former prime minister. It runs like this:
While that might have been true in 1960, but today is 2008, and the cold reality is I am far less free than at any other period in Canadian history.
It is not like my vote carries much weight in my riding because all the little peons won’t turf Turncoat Bob. There is an irony in Turncoat Bob running in Toronto-Centre which is this - all those same little peons who think nothing for voting for Bob today, were more or less the very same peons, who ran Bob Rae out of politics after a disastrous term as premier of the province. They might not remember Bob Rae Days but I have never forgotten his mismanagement of the provincial economy. I fully expect, come tomorrow morning, Bob Rae will carry Toronto Centre by a wide margin and you cannot make me care as he won’t be my MP by July 1st.
In return for my ‘hold my nose and vote CPC in Toronto-Centre’ all I ask of Stephen Harper is that he works to repel the abomination of an election law which grants a $1.83 of the public purse to every political party for each vote cast their way. It’s bad enough I get stiffed with the bill of supporting these jokers in Parliament but to make me contribute to their election war chests is simply beyond the pale.
One more thing, there is an election blog burst going on. Apparently I am to quote the words of a former prime minister. It runs like this:
"I am a Canadian, a free Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship God in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and for all mankind." John Diefenbaker, circa 1960.
While that might have been true in 1960, but today is 2008, and the cold reality is I am far less free than at any other period in Canadian history.
Friday, October 03, 2008
Home remedies can so rock
After work last night I paid a visit to the Butcher of Prague (aka my dentist) and despite my cruel moniker, he is a charming urban man in a true old world eastern European mode. Since entering my 40’s, I have been plagued with tooth trouble for the first time in my life. Luckily for me he is also highly skilled professional. I had steeled myself for a root canal but he says no, and managed to just fill the cavity. Although, I have to say, every time the freezing wears off after a visit, my mouth hurts for a few days, hence, the moniker.
I had been dealing with the pain by sucking back great quantities of Advil every few hours for the last two weeks so I could function as a barely rabid human being until the Butcher finished his vacation frolic. By Sunday afternoon, I was not sure if I could last until his return to business as usual, so in desperation, I decided to give my grandmother’s cure all for toothache pain a shot. Unlike many of her home remedies, this one wasn’t a pain based cure. Trust me, sticking garlic cloves up one’s nose for a cold and stuffy nose is not a singularly pleasant experience. I spent most of my childhood colds around her trying to deny I was sick rather than risk the garlic cure and endure the garlic burning in my nostrils.
Forty-eight hours after taking her cure I was pain free and I cannot believe it actually worked. The cure – Cognac, good quality, premium Cognac, as when in pain, the cheap is not the way to go. Two good stiff shots of premium Cognac sipped slowly and savoured in one’s mouth for a 20 second count before swallowing. Now I am rather a small at woman at 5’1”; so larger people may need to double the dose. By Tuesday morning, I woke up completely pain free. Cognac killed the pain completely while Advil only took part of the edge off.
I have always loved Cognac but I had given up drinking it because of its distressing effects on me and my body. If I consume too much of it I get far too hot for clothes and contribute the consumption of Cognac as the direct cause for all of my birth control methods failing which resulted in three pregnancies within a four year span. In fact, when I was pregnant with the Last Amazon, I really wanted to name her Remy-Marie after my favourite Cognac but I got shouted and hissed down from everyone on that score.
Anyway, I was feeling far too fragile after my visit to the Butcher’s to watch either the English language Canadian debates or the US Vice Presidential debates on television, and so, I took to my bed with the Remy-Martin placed strategically on my nightstand. I don’t expect I missed much – although I suppose I could be wrong…but I somehow doubt it.
I had been dealing with the pain by sucking back great quantities of Advil every few hours for the last two weeks so I could function as a barely rabid human being until the Butcher finished his vacation frolic. By Sunday afternoon, I was not sure if I could last until his return to business as usual, so in desperation, I decided to give my grandmother’s cure all for toothache pain a shot. Unlike many of her home remedies, this one wasn’t a pain based cure. Trust me, sticking garlic cloves up one’s nose for a cold and stuffy nose is not a singularly pleasant experience. I spent most of my childhood colds around her trying to deny I was sick rather than risk the garlic cure and endure the garlic burning in my nostrils.
Forty-eight hours after taking her cure I was pain free and I cannot believe it actually worked. The cure – Cognac, good quality, premium Cognac, as when in pain, the cheap is not the way to go. Two good stiff shots of premium Cognac sipped slowly and savoured in one’s mouth for a 20 second count before swallowing. Now I am rather a small at woman at 5’1”; so larger people may need to double the dose. By Tuesday morning, I woke up completely pain free. Cognac killed the pain completely while Advil only took part of the edge off.
I have always loved Cognac but I had given up drinking it because of its distressing effects on me and my body. If I consume too much of it I get far too hot for clothes and contribute the consumption of Cognac as the direct cause for all of my birth control methods failing which resulted in three pregnancies within a four year span. In fact, when I was pregnant with the Last Amazon, I really wanted to name her Remy-Marie after my favourite Cognac but I got shouted and hissed down from everyone on that score.
Anyway, I was feeling far too fragile after my visit to the Butcher’s to watch either the English language Canadian debates or the US Vice Presidential debates on television, and so, I took to my bed with the Remy-Martin placed strategically on my nightstand. I don’t expect I missed much – although I suppose I could be wrong…but I somehow doubt it.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
The French Debate
I did not watch the French language debates. Here is what I expect to have happened.
Jack Layton was his oily used car salesman self and played with his moustache a lot after saying, ‘Bad Harper, bad Bush, or US style/American’ whatevers. Elizabeth May played the petulant child being seated at the grown-up table and the only representative of a one issue candidate.
Stephane Dion looked lost and not ready for prime time. Canadians everywhere, who watched the debates and wished Duceppe was running a Canadian Bloc rather than a Quebec Bloc - so they could vote for him. Stephen Harper looked like a prime minister but used that awkward and vaguely disturbing Cheshire cat grin a lot.
Maybe I am wrong, maybe Americans, US style, Bush, Neocon never came up once but I doubt it. The overall winner - Harper, and not because I particularly like Harper, but let us face facts, the opposition is so not ready for prime time and for Harper to lose - requires the other potentials being able to manage to upstage him. The only candidate with the potential to unhinge Harper’s mantle is strictly a regional one – a one note Charlie who will not resonate with the rest of the country. Harper wins by default.
One final note, I have watched the support for the NDP grow in this election but I do not believe it necessarily signals any lasting or significant change in the NDP fortunes in this country. A strong liberal leader leading with a practical vision which can be named and branded without infringing on a copyrighted name will effectively bled off the current levels of NDP support.
Jack Layton was his oily used car salesman self and played with his moustache a lot after saying, ‘Bad Harper, bad Bush, or US style/American’ whatevers. Elizabeth May played the petulant child being seated at the grown-up table and the only representative of a one issue candidate.
Stephane Dion looked lost and not ready for prime time. Canadians everywhere, who watched the debates and wished Duceppe was running a Canadian Bloc rather than a Quebec Bloc - so they could vote for him. Stephen Harper looked like a prime minister but used that awkward and vaguely disturbing Cheshire cat grin a lot.
Maybe I am wrong, maybe Americans, US style, Bush, Neocon never came up once but I doubt it. The overall winner - Harper, and not because I particularly like Harper, but let us face facts, the opposition is so not ready for prime time and for Harper to lose - requires the other potentials being able to manage to upstage him. The only candidate with the potential to unhinge Harper’s mantle is strictly a regional one – a one note Charlie who will not resonate with the rest of the country. Harper wins by default.
One final note, I have watched the support for the NDP grow in this election but I do not believe it necessarily signals any lasting or significant change in the NDP fortunes in this country. A strong liberal leader leading with a practical vision which can be named and branded without infringing on a copyrighted name will effectively bled off the current levels of NDP support.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Liberal War Room - punching way above their pay grade
This is what the famous "liberal' political war room is now reduced to producing under Stéphane Dion's leadership:
I'm conflicted, I cannot figure out which is worse – that this is the best dirt the Liberal party could come up with or the fact it took the Liberals half a decade to come up with this. And isn't it a good thing the Liberals choose Bob Rae to present this particularly damning evidence - otherwise, we might all be thinking Dion suggested the government immediately pull Canadian troops out of Iraq as in "RIGHT NOW!"
I cannot wait to learn what the Liberal party war room has cooked up for tomorrow. May be we will be treated to the number of classes Stephen Harper missed in secondary school or how many detentions he managed to score in his early academic years. At this rate, who can tell? There might even be pictures of Stephen Harper kissing a woman who most definitely not his wife - circa 1980.
Update:
A speech writer has been forced to resign and is now out of a job. Way to go Bob! Only another 33,390,140 million more Canadians to render jobless.
OTTAWA — Nearly half of Conservative Leader Stephen Harper's 2003 speech urging Canada to send troops into Iraq was copied word-for-word from then Australian prime minister John Howard, Liberal MP Bob Rae charged this morning.
Mr. Rae said the copied speech is damning evidence of the fact Canada is losing its own voice in foreign policy under a Conservative government. The country has become a parrot of right-wing interests from the U.S. and other foreign countries under Harper's Conservatives, Mr. Rae said.
I'm conflicted, I cannot figure out which is worse – that this is the best dirt the Liberal party could come up with or the fact it took the Liberals half a decade to come up with this. And isn't it a good thing the Liberals choose Bob Rae to present this particularly damning evidence - otherwise, we might all be thinking Dion suggested the government immediately pull Canadian troops out of Iraq as in "RIGHT NOW!"
I cannot wait to learn what the Liberal party war room has cooked up for tomorrow. May be we will be treated to the number of classes Stephen Harper missed in secondary school or how many detentions he managed to score in his early academic years. At this rate, who can tell? There might even be pictures of Stephen Harper kissing a woman who most definitely not his wife - circa 1980.
Update:
A speech writer has been forced to resign and is now out of a job. Way to go Bob! Only another 33,390,140 million more Canadians to render jobless.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
The government purse is a finite resource.
Harper’s right. Almost all of what passes for ‘art’ in Canada today most ordinary Canadians do not give two hoots about nor are Canadians prepared to pull out their wallets and pay for it – otherwise the artistic community in this country would not have to rely on the governmental largess for its daily bread.
In any given time, in any given culture, if patrons cannot be found who are freely willing to pay for the fare which is offered by the artistic community, is says something substantial about the fare which is offered, but apparently, not in Canada.
The government purse is not a finite resource. The purse is only filled by sweat of the brow of the taxpayers via the coercive arm of Revenue Canada. Life is about choices and so is government. The government cannot go on funding indefinitely and without concern to the cost of each program which it currently funds.
There is a health care crisis in this country and thousands of Canadians are left without family physicians for their daily health care. It takes money, a great deal of money, spent over a rather long time to train a medical student to be a doctor. It takes money, and a great deal of money to buy an MRI, it takes money and time to train a technician to operate said machine, which correctly operated, does save lives. Not to mention the money which is needed to be invested to set up a university or college program and pay the staff to be prepared to accept to train said medical student or future MRI technician.
Trade skills training in this country is woefully inadequate and chronically under funded. So inadequate, in fact, that our business leaders tell us we need to import skilled tradesmen from other countries to meet the basic demands of industry at any given time.
Basic infrastructure in our cities is crumbling around us and provincial governments pay more attention to financing risky artistic ventures (think Bored of the Rings) than work with municipalities under their domain to keep the roads from sinking, the water drinkable and food for sale safe for human consumption. Instead our municipal mayors go cap in hand to the federal government demanding a bail-out while never trimming the fat from their own dubious budgets. I mean really, do we really need to give out 9% salary increases, free TTC passes, golf club passes, lunches, zoo passes, box tickets to games, play etc for municipal councillors or penalize the poor from scrounging in garbage cans?
And yet, the truly odd thing about the arts funding debate is those who have rallied to the cause of the ‘artistic community’ are the same people who demand we do not institute a 2-tier health care system and let those pay for health services who can afford to pay, and pret on endlessly about the shortfalls in education spending. Go fracking figure.
Given a choice between giving a government grant to film productions – like say, Young People Fucking or improving the health care or educational system; I am betting the overwhelming majority of Canadian would opt for health care and education funding every single time.
We are told by the artistic community that there is a net benefit to the entertainment industry in this country and it brings in a net financial return, but my question is; if so, why does it need government largess to continue to prop up the industry? It wouldn’t unless, it is wholly the product of a governmentally created, and therefore, artificial industry in the first place. And before anyone gets on their high aesthetic horse, I am against funding athletes, sports ventures or corporate bailouts. Imagine, Maple Leaf Gardens was built in the midst of the Great Depression and did not receive a penny of venture financing needed to build it from the government of the day.
Apparently, artists are tired of being treated as tenants and demand to be landlords in Canadian culture, but this is where I say - being a tenant would be a definite step up from sucking off the public teat. At the least, a tenant has to pay rent. There is a definitive reason why most Canadians do not watch the Canadian produced artistic fare in any significant numbers on the CBC, and once given a choice between the internet, cable or satellite television Canadians tune out from the CBC in significant numbers.
I am told Canadian artists are the creators and guardians of our culture, their work inspires and uplifts our souls but I would say - most of us are so deeply unimpressed which is why you need the government largess in the first place. The last thing Canada needs is more artists making bad art which no one wants to freely pay for. Frankly, this is one Canadian who is deeply tired of having her paycheque regularly extorted by the arts community in this country. If cutting $45 million from an overall budget of $3 billion gets the arts community into such a hissy fit - you should all be so lucky it is Stephen Harper, and not me, taking the sissors to the overall budget.
In any given time, in any given culture, if patrons cannot be found who are freely willing to pay for the fare which is offered by the artistic community, is says something substantial about the fare which is offered, but apparently, not in Canada.
The government purse is not a finite resource. The purse is only filled by sweat of the brow of the taxpayers via the coercive arm of Revenue Canada. Life is about choices and so is government. The government cannot go on funding indefinitely and without concern to the cost of each program which it currently funds.
There is a health care crisis in this country and thousands of Canadians are left without family physicians for their daily health care. It takes money, a great deal of money, spent over a rather long time to train a medical student to be a doctor. It takes money, and a great deal of money to buy an MRI, it takes money and time to train a technician to operate said machine, which correctly operated, does save lives. Not to mention the money which is needed to be invested to set up a university or college program and pay the staff to be prepared to accept to train said medical student or future MRI technician.
Trade skills training in this country is woefully inadequate and chronically under funded. So inadequate, in fact, that our business leaders tell us we need to import skilled tradesmen from other countries to meet the basic demands of industry at any given time.
Basic infrastructure in our cities is crumbling around us and provincial governments pay more attention to financing risky artistic ventures (think Bored of the Rings) than work with municipalities under their domain to keep the roads from sinking, the water drinkable and food for sale safe for human consumption. Instead our municipal mayors go cap in hand to the federal government demanding a bail-out while never trimming the fat from their own dubious budgets. I mean really, do we really need to give out 9% salary increases, free TTC passes, golf club passes, lunches, zoo passes, box tickets to games, play etc for municipal councillors or penalize the poor from scrounging in garbage cans?
And yet, the truly odd thing about the arts funding debate is those who have rallied to the cause of the ‘artistic community’ are the same people who demand we do not institute a 2-tier health care system and let those pay for health services who can afford to pay, and pret on endlessly about the shortfalls in education spending. Go fracking figure.
Given a choice between giving a government grant to film productions – like say, Young People Fucking or improving the health care or educational system; I am betting the overwhelming majority of Canadian would opt for health care and education funding every single time.
We are told by the artistic community that there is a net benefit to the entertainment industry in this country and it brings in a net financial return, but my question is; if so, why does it need government largess to continue to prop up the industry? It wouldn’t unless, it is wholly the product of a governmentally created, and therefore, artificial industry in the first place. And before anyone gets on their high aesthetic horse, I am against funding athletes, sports ventures or corporate bailouts. Imagine, Maple Leaf Gardens was built in the midst of the Great Depression and did not receive a penny of venture financing needed to build it from the government of the day.
Apparently, artists are tired of being treated as tenants and demand to be landlords in Canadian culture, but this is where I say - being a tenant would be a definite step up from sucking off the public teat. At the least, a tenant has to pay rent. There is a definitive reason why most Canadians do not watch the Canadian produced artistic fare in any significant numbers on the CBC, and once given a choice between the internet, cable or satellite television Canadians tune out from the CBC in significant numbers.
I am told Canadian artists are the creators and guardians of our culture, their work inspires and uplifts our souls but I would say - most of us are so deeply unimpressed which is why you need the government largess in the first place. The last thing Canada needs is more artists making bad art which no one wants to freely pay for. Frankly, this is one Canadian who is deeply tired of having her paycheque regularly extorted by the arts community in this country. If cutting $45 million from an overall budget of $3 billion gets the arts community into such a hissy fit - you should all be so lucky it is Stephen Harper, and not me, taking the sissors to the overall budget.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Obligatory election post xx
I missed most of the political hoopla over Chris Reid, the Conservative candidate for Toronto-Centre (my home riding) over the weekend. Apparently, Reid was blogging allegedly intemperate and conservatively (party) embarrassing things like this:
Then, there was this:
The fundamental difference between Reid and myself is this. I will not condemn the bus passengers or driver for their first response/actions as I believe it is the logical consequences - given most Canadians have been so intellectually disarmed of any notion of self-defense or concept of self-sacrifice so they are no longer capable of acting without a commission or petty bureaucrat directing. When you consign your safety and security to the government - you effectively become a bystander in your own fate.
While I really did not credit Chris Reid’s chances any better than dismal against Bob Rae, current Liberal incumbent and former NDP turncoat, every day there just seems more and more reasons to keep my $1.75 in my own pocket.
"A man with a knife was able to go on a murderous rampage decapitating a fellow human being. The rest of the bus was unarmed and helpless. What was the generous Canadian thing to do? Help a fellow human being? No. Flee in terror. Passengers and the bus driver stood by and watched another person being butchered, and couldn't muster up any courage or self sacrifice to intervene. This is where socialism as gotten us folks, a castrated effeminate population. This is a perfect example of why we need concealed-carry handgun legislation in this country, so we can defend one another and deter horrible events such as this. But what are our politicians talking about? More government regulation and security."
Then, there was this:
"Allow law abiding citizens who are qualified and trained to carry concealed handguns for personal protection. It's the only proven way to reduce violent crime and murder. If women and gays really wanted to stop being victims of hate crimes, they'd be in support of this, but judging from discussions, they'd rather be helpless and rely on government."
The fundamental difference between Reid and myself is this. I will not condemn the bus passengers or driver for their first response/actions as I believe it is the logical consequences - given most Canadians have been so intellectually disarmed of any notion of self-defense or concept of self-sacrifice so they are no longer capable of acting without a commission or petty bureaucrat directing. When you consign your safety and security to the government - you effectively become a bystander in your own fate.
While I really did not credit Chris Reid’s chances any better than dismal against Bob Rae, current Liberal incumbent and former NDP turncoat, every day there just seems more and more reasons to keep my $1.75 in my own pocket.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Obligatory Election Post Day Whatever
Well, well, the polls are certainly looking promising for Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Say what you want about Pooh-gate but I did warn the visuals wouldn’t work for Dion.
Say what you want about Pooh-gate but I did warn the visuals wouldn’t work for Dion.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Pooh-Gate or How Dion Got the Puffin Sh**t
I have two pieces of advice. The first for Stephane Dion – Dude, it's seriously time to man up and grow a set of balls. No one wants a whiny wimp for a prime minister. No matter what you personally think of former Prime Minister Jean Chretien's character - no one could accuse the little scrapper from Shawinigan as lacking a set and he knew how to take a punch and return it. Think golf balls and small town cheap. Brush it off and move on. Show you can take punch without the whine.
For the Liberals in general - can the faux outrage. The only thing all the howling has got you is a larger audience watching the birdie pooh all over Dion. The ad has now gone viral with double duty media coverage. This is so not the mental image you want in people's heads when they think Dion –need I remind you – a picture is worth a thousand words.
Besides, your chateau-boy started it by getting out of the gate and calling the current Prime Minister a liar. There was absolutely nothing 'parliamentarian' in Dion's choice of words or attack. Faking outrage just looks like a case of terminal sour grapes. The best thing Dion could do is turn the joke around by giving a speech or two with a stuffed bird on his shoulder and showing he is the better man…on second thought maybe skip the bird perched on the shoulder speech…
the visuals just don’t ever work for your guy.
For the Liberals in general - can the faux outrage. The only thing all the howling has got you is a larger audience watching the birdie pooh all over Dion. The ad has now gone viral with double duty media coverage. This is so not the mental image you want in people's heads when they think Dion –need I remind you – a picture is worth a thousand words.
Besides, your chateau-boy started it by getting out of the gate and calling the current Prime Minister a liar. There was absolutely nothing 'parliamentarian' in Dion's choice of words or attack. Faking outrage just looks like a case of terminal sour grapes. The best thing Dion could do is turn the joke around by giving a speech or two with a stuffed bird on his shoulder and showing he is the better man…on second thought maybe skip the bird perched on the shoulder speech…
the visuals just don’t ever work for your guy.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Obligatory Election Post – Sept 9th.
I am just not feeling the outrage that Green party leader Elizabeth May has been excluded from the televised leadership debates.
If anything, I feel relief, as those debates are going to be mind numbingly boring as it is, and including the leader of a fringe party for the sake of ‘fairness’ just ups the boring factor exponentially. Yes, any political party which can only garner 664,000 votes in a country of 36 million is fringe. For all you fairness fanatics, why stop at May’s inclusion? Why not include the leader of the Marijuana Party? If May is included, there simply is no reason to exclude the Communists, Marxist-Leninist or Libertarian party either.
But for heaven’s sake, can someone convince Tin Ear Dion to speak French in the English language debates. He may have a tin ear for English but his ability to communicate in French is more than a little passable and not half as tortuous.
If anything, I feel relief, as those debates are going to be mind numbingly boring as it is, and including the leader of a fringe party for the sake of ‘fairness’ just ups the boring factor exponentially. Yes, any political party which can only garner 664,000 votes in a country of 36 million is fringe. For all you fairness fanatics, why stop at May’s inclusion? Why not include the leader of the Marijuana Party? If May is included, there simply is no reason to exclude the Communists, Marxist-Leninist or Libertarian party either.
But for heaven’s sake, can someone convince Tin Ear Dion to speak French in the English language debates. He may have a tin ear for English but his ability to communicate in French is more than a little passable and not half as tortuous.
Monday, September 08, 2008
Obligatory Canada Election Post
Canadians are to go to the polls on October 14th, and frankly, my biggest worry is staying awake long enough to vote. I freely admit to a general apathy with the whole process this time round so I really don’t know any of the issues – burning or otherwise. If there really are any pressing issues outside of the Conservatives grabbing the brass ring it escapes me. I suspect the timing of the election represents the best chance for Harper’s conservatives to make some serious in-roads into La Belle Province. Once again, Quebec’s distinctness, trumps all else – well, la de dah. And no, getting the Green Shaft does not rank in my book with an issue – rather it’s a non-issue as in thanks but no thanks.
Since I live in Toronto-Centre aka Bob Rae country, I doubt there will be any serious challenge so my vote will simply represent another $1.75 to add to the lucky party’s coffers. I really wish we could take a page out of the old days when Canadian politicians used to buy your vote with drinks come Election Day. Some how it just seems so much more honest and democratic than today and at least you could count on getting your money’s worth providing you were up to the challenge.
Since I live in Toronto-Centre aka Bob Rae country, I doubt there will be any serious challenge so my vote will simply represent another $1.75 to add to the lucky party’s coffers. I really wish we could take a page out of the old days when Canadian politicians used to buy your vote with drinks come Election Day. Some how it just seems so much more honest and democratic than today and at least you could count on getting your money’s worth providing you were up to the challenge.
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