More To The Story

A New Project

2007-05-23T21:40:00.000-04:00

I've been away from this site for a while now and just don't have time to devote to it and make it what I would want it to be.

But I still have a need to comment on the world around me and have a bit of fun at the same time. To fulfill that need I've started another blog - Copperhead.

So why Copperhead ? From Wikipedia

"During the American Civil War (1861-1865), the Copperheads nominally favored the Union but strongly opposed the war, for which they blamed abolitionists, and they demanded immediate peace and resisted draft laws. They wanted Lincoln and the Republicans ousted from power, seeing the president as a tyrant who was destroying American republican values with his despotic and arbitrary actions."

"Some Copperheads tried to persuade Union soldiers to desert. They talked of helping Confederate prisoners of war seize their camps and escape. They sometimes met with Confederate agents and took money. The Confederacy encouraged their activities whenever possible."

Sound familiar? At least it shows that the "we support the troops but pull out now" faction in both Canada and the US have a historical precedent.

So check out Copperhead at http://copperheadblog.blogspot.com/ and send your suggestions for the Link Of The Day Award.

Bloggers Poker Tournament

2006-06-01T08:17:00.000-04:00

I have registered to play in the
PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit
Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.

Registration code: 9681832

Hit the link above to join the battle

ON HIATUS

2006-03-07T08:07:00.000-05:00

Taking a break, but will return when I get angry enough.

More On Cartoon Capers

2006-02-14T09:28:00.000-05:00

I watched the CTV clips of Ezra Levant defending his decision to reprint the cartoons in the Western Standard and thought he did a credible job. You can view the clips here and here. Tarek Fatah from the Canadian Muslim Congress debates him in the second clip but really has nothing to say. He admitted that the Standard had every right to publish the pictures but claimed that unless it also published a biography of the prophet it wasn't balanced journalism.

Meanwhile Indigo Books & Music (Chapters, Coles) and McNally Robinson Booksellers are refusing to carry this issue of the Standard. So to them and all the Canadian media that have elected to self censor on this issue, here's another quote from Ayaan Hirsi Ali.

Shame on those papers and TV channels who lacked the courage to show their readers the caricatures in The Cartoon Affair. These intellectuals live off free speech but they accept censorship. They hide their mediocrity of mind behind noble-sounding terms such as "responsibility" and "sensitivity".

Shame on those politicians who stated that publishing and re-publishing the drawings was "unnecessary", "insensitive", "disrespectful" and "wrong". I am of the opinion that Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen of Denmark acted correctly when he refused to meet with representatives of tyrannical regimes who demanded from him that he limit the powers of the press. Today we should stand by him morally and materially. He is an example to all other European leaders. I wish my prime minister had Rasmussen's guts.

More On The Cartoon Jihad

2006-02-12T14:46:00.000-05:00

How do you have a debate about the cartoons without letting anyone see them? Why do we accept the "spontaneous" eruptions of protest and violence in the middle east as if these actions were even remotely legitiment? Why are is the Canadian press censoring itself? Is it because of their "respect" for Muslim feelings? Or is it because they expect Muslims to behave like ignorant savages and they are afraid?

Whatever the reasons, the Canadian media has elected to dance around the issue. No problem with rabble.ca depiction of the pope (hell, I'm not even Catholic and I found it offensive), the Virgin Mary constructed of dung, etc. Nope, no free speech/sensibility problems there. I guess your sensibilities only count if you have a history of killing those that give you offence.

Whatever the reason, here's a quote from a Muslim woman who has more balls that the entire Canadian press corps combined. From Ayaan Hirsi Ali in Berlin on Feb 9/06.

Today, the open society is challenged by Islamism, ascribed to a man named Muhammad Abdullah who lived in the seventh century, and who is regarded as a prophet. Many Muslims are peaceful people; not all are fanatics. As far as I am concerned they have every right to be faithful to their convictions. But within Islam exists a hard-line Islamist movement that rejects democratic freedoms and wants to destroy them. These Islamists seek to convince other Muslims that their way of life is the best. But when opponents of Islamism try to expose the fallacies in the teachings of Muhammad then they are accused of being offensive, blasphemous, socially irresponsible - even Islamophobic or racist.

The issue is not about race, colour or heritage. It is a conflict of ideas, which transcend borders and races.
(....)
I do not seek to offend religious sentiment, but I will not submit to tyranny. Demanding that people who do not accept Muhammad's teachings should refrain from drawing him is not a request for respect but a demand for submission.

Oh I forgot. We can't really participate in the debate because we have been shielded from these horrible images.

Garth Turner On CTV

2006-02-12T12:32:00.000-05:00

I just finished watching Craig Oliver's panel segment on CTV. Garth Turner was on and made a couple of interesting points:

- in spite of the NDP and Liberal rhetoric, this is not an ethics issue it is a democratic process issue.

- he continues to support the CPC and it's leader

- he was elected as a Conservative and remains a Conservative

- we wants to remain in caucus as long as they will have him

So much for the all the hoo-haa about Garth quitting the CPC or being booted from caucus.

With regards to the first point I agree with Garth (although he has been a publicity hound on this). There is not a whiff of a breach of ethics. Harper has never advocated restrictions on crossing the floor and Emerson did not seek the position.

There is every indication that the entire appointment is about salvaging the softwood deal that the Liberals sat on in order to make bashing the US part of their election platform. That said, it wouldn't surprise me if Emerson retires from politics once the deal is signed. I just wish the impact on softwood was a bigger part of the story.

But right now I can't decide what's more fun - watching Liberals try to explain why this time it's different or watching Oliver and Taber trying to nail the Tories without hitting the Liberals at the same time.

The NDP Boots Buzz

2006-02-12T10:08:00.000-05:00

When I read this I laughed so hard that coffee came out my nose. From the Toronto Star:

The NDP has expelled Buzz Hargrove, the country's most prominent labour leader, for actively promoting strategic voting and Liberal candidates in last month's federal election.

Not to mention hitting the party in the pocketbook as Bill C-24 funds the parties based on the popular vote.

The Ontario NDP provincial executive voted yesterday to pull the membership of Hargrove, president of the Canadian Auto Workers, for violating the party's constitution regarding provisions against endorsing other candidates. It also automatically revokes his membership in the federal party.

He backed strategic voting in Ontario in 1999 which ended with a Tory majority and the NDP being reduced to 9 seats. The Ontario NDP attempted to expel him then and failed.

Hargrove has probably the worst instincts of anyone involved in national politics and a history of picking losers. His endorsement appears to be the kiss of death for those with political aspirations.

In 2006 he endorsed Sid Ryan in Oshawa - Ryan lost, he endorsed Paul Martin - Martin lost. He endorsed the Bloc and the Tories made completely unexpected gains in Quebec. One of his few winners was Belinda Stronach doesn't really have CAW friendly credentials - Tory leadership contender and past president of the traditionally anti-union Magna International where Mike Harris sits on the board.

With friends like Buzz the NDP doesn't need enemies, but with him gone I expect them to increase their popular vote by at least 10% next time around.

Childcare Lunacy

2006-02-12T09:29:00.000-05:00

According to Julie Mason in the Ottawa Citizen (via Norman's Spectator) Harper's move to extract Ottawa from the daycare plans that Martin inked with the provinces about 5 minutes before the election, is causing chaos in Ontario where the province is "ramping up with building renovations, construction and training for early childhood educators. Municipalities were rolling out spaces." If this is true it is the fastest implementation of a program in the history of Canadian politics.

"Harper gave the requisite one-year's notice; now provinces must decide whether to abandon their badly needed plans or get stuck with an ongoing bill they can't afford."

WAKE UP! Notwithstanding that the agreements didn't really require the money be actually spent on childcare, the structure of Liberal plan is exactly like national healthcare. A federal initiative with a limited funding commitment so that once it becomes firmly entrenched as the publics only alternative they can walk away and leave the provinces holding the bag. Eventually sticking the provinces with the ongoing bill is the whole idea.

"Harper must bring in a budget to pay for his $1,200 stipend. By then, all opposition parties must decide if child care - and our children's future - is important enough to trigger another election."

Because the future of Canada's children depends on a national childcare bureaucracy that at best might serve 20% of the nations preschoolers.

Open Letter To CTV re: Government Travel Story

2006-02-10T14:46:00.000-05:00

As many are aware, Craig Smith at Conservative Life broke a story in early January about the government booking luxury hotels in Cancun, Barbados, etc. He also was contacted by CTV about the story well in advance of the January 23 election. Still CTV elected to sit on the story until last night. Given the story would have had some impact on the sitting government and Scott Brison in particular, I questioned CTV decision as follows:

To Whom It May Concern;

Last night I watched your coverage of the above noted story although I have been aware of the content since early January. I am also aware that you had been in receipt if the information from Craig Smith well in advance of the election. Your handling of the story raises a number of questions:

1. Why, when confirmation of the story is as simple as visiting the government websites provided by Mr. Smith, did you choose to sit on the story until after the election?

2. Why would you try to question the incoming Public Works minister about the issue when he's been in the job for less than a week? (Unless you think this file is of such importance that it should have been one of his first briefings - if so see question # 1 )

3. Why was there no mention of any attempt to question Scott Brison on the issue when, as outgoing Public Works Minister, the bookings occurred under his watch?

Or is this simply a case of blatant political partisanship?

One Fake Cartoon Exposed

2006-02-07T16:06:00.000-05:00

As everyone is aware by now, not only were the "offensive" Danish cartoons circulated throughout the middle east by Danish Imam Ahmad Abu Ladan, leader of The Islamic Society of Denmark, but three far more offensive pictures were included that hadn't been published.

Turns out that one of the three additional pictures didn't have anything to do with Islam, it was a photo of a contestant in a pig squealing contest in France.

Neandernews breaks the story with the original photo here.

Another Busy Day For the Religion Of Peace

2006-02-06T12:59:00.000-05:00

More rioting, bloodshed and threats from the religion of peace. A few european papers reprint the cartoons in support of free speech. A cleric calls for cartonists to be executed. Can a Rushdie type fatwa be far behind.

The reaction from the Canadian press:

.....(sound of crickets)........

So what's their reason - Don't want to be intolerant OR just afraid of Islamic retribution.

The New Cabinet Members

2006-02-06T11:44:00.000-05:00

Here's the list in no particular order:

Jim Flaherty - Finance
Bev Oda - Heritage
Peter MacKay - Foreign Affairs
Chuck Strahl - Agriculture
Rona Ambrose - Environment
Jim Prentice - Indian Affairs
Vic Toews - Justice
Tony Clement - Health
Gordon O'Connor - National Defence
Loyola Hearn - Fisheries
David Emerson - International Trade
Tony Clement - Health
Maxime Bernier - Industry
Monte Solberg - Citizenship and Immigration
John Baird - Treasury Board
Rob Nicholson - Democratic Reform
Lawrence Cannon, Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
Stockwell Day, Public Safety
Diane Finley, Human Resources and Social Development
Gary Lunn, Resources
Josée Verner, International Co-operation
Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Labour and Housing
David Emerson, International trade
Carol Skelton, National Revenue and Minister of Western Economic Diversification
Gregory Thompson, Veterans Affairs —
Michael Fortier, Public Works and Government Services
Michael Chong, President of the Queen's Privy Council and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister for Sport
Marjory LeBreton, Leader of the Government in the Senate

Well I Told You So....

2006-02-01T17:45:00.000-05:00

I just didn't think they'd consider scrapping it altogether.

From The Toronto Star: Subtract calculus from high school?

From More To The Story: Ontario Liberals To Solve Calculus Problem

The Liberal Leadership Solution

2006-02-01T13:10:00.000-05:00

Although some think that the run of leadership refusniks is because they don't want to be in opposition, I personally think it's because they don't want to carry the can when the chickens come home to roost.

At any rate, with the Liberal old guard unwilling to take on the Sisyphus like task of restoring credibility and integrity to the Liberal party, we're left with the current list of frontrunners: Michael Ignatieff, Belinda Stronach and Scott Brison plus designated import, former NDP Ontario Premier Bob Rae.

But wait a minute. If the US can turn entertainers into politicos (Ronald Reagan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sonny Bono, Gopher from Loveboat), why can't we? I say the Liberals should draft this guy.

More To The Story Changes Direction

2006-01-31T08:20:00.000-05:00

Now that the election is over I've been thinking of what to do with this blog and have decided to change the focus a bit. While I will still be commenting on federal politics I will be turning more of my attention to the provincial scene in Ontario and the upcoming municipal races in Toronto and Hamilton. Add to that whatever other odds and ends I find interesting (middle east, religion, culture, etc) and I should end up with either something for everyone and/or an unfocused mess of disconnected ramblings. You'll have to decide.

Remembering Old Times

2006-01-31T07:21:00.000-05:00

"Remember when I bitchslapped you in the debate?"
"Yep, that was a good one"

A Dilemma For Hamas

2006-01-26T17:41:00.001-05:00

Now that Hamas has won a decisive victory to become the government of the Palestinian Authority, they find themselves in a precarious position. Fatah could always disavow rocket attacks on Israel by claiming it couldn't control the Hamas militants. Now that Hamas will form the government with a significant majority, will rocket attacks by it's militia members be taken as a declaration of war by Israel. Could be dicey.

Emanuele Ottolenghi in the National Review Online expands on this;

There will be no excuses or ambiguities when Hamas fires rockets on Israel and launches suicide attacks against civilian targets. Until Tuesday, the PA could hide behind the excuse that they were not directly responsible and they could not rein in the "militants." Now the "militants" are the militia of the ruling party. They are one and the same with the Palestinian Authority. If they bomb Israel from Gaza ( not under occupation anymore, and is therefore, technically, part of the Palestinian state the PLO proclaimed in Algiers in 1988, but never bothered to take responsibility for) that is an act of war, which can be responded to in kind, under the full cover of the internationally recognized right of self-defense. No more excuses that the Palestinians live under occupation, that the PA is too weak to disarm Hamas, that violence is not the policy of the PA. Hamas and the PA will be the same: What Hamas does is what the PA will stand for.
(....)
.....unless Hamas reneges on its ideology and endorses a new course, then IsraelÂs claim that there is no Palestinian partner is vindicated. The resulting Israeli policy of unilateralism is vindicated. Israel''s argument that the Palestinians do not want peace is vindicated. Israel's argument that Islamists' nuances and differences of opinion are just tactical, not strategic, is also vindicated. And the prospects of a Palestinian state will become even more remote.

Monte Opens My Eyes

2006-01-26T11:49:00.000-05:00

Now I understand the thinking in Toronto - we don't need CPC representation because after 12 years of Liberal rule there's no problems left. It took Monte Solberg to let me see the light:

Sure its nice to win seats in places like Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg or Quebec City. Its even okay I guess to win every seat in Alberta, but if you aren't in TO and Van and Montreal what's the point?

But then it occured to me. We don't have to do anything for the big three. You see they have had ALL Liberal representation for the last twelve years so they don't have any problems.

I haven't asked lately but I'm sure that Toronto waterfront thing is coming along great. I mean they announced it so many years ago now, and it was a Liberal government and it was all Liberal MPs in Toronto so therefore it must be a huge success. I mean that's how you get things done for TO!

I can hardly wait to jump on that high speed train that must now go from Pearson to downtown and then stay at one of those glorious new hotels on the beautiful boardwalk that almost certainly now skirts Lake Ontario. I saw the artists conceptions. Wow. That must be cool to have all that new infrastructure because of all of those Liberal government MPs.

Okay. Let me be straight with you. Just now I was being sarcastic. No, I'm not proud of that.

You see there is no new waterfront development eventhough Toronto has about 50 Liberal MPs per square inch. There is also no new infrastructure. There is no new train. There is no new anything.

Apparently however it is a disaster if these big cities don't have government MPs because then they won't get their problems addressed. Oh...right...okay. Gotcha. Now that's a compelling argument.

Anywho. Eventhough our election win is the worst electoral loss in Canadian history because of the big city thing we will try to carry our heads high. We may even try in our own bumpkin way to help the big cities. Certainly we could never hope to replicate the sophisticated, subtle and imperceptible way that all of those hip city Liberals MPs have propelled Toronto forward with that stunningly beautiful and imaginary waterfront project.

I mean considering that we lost the election how can we help? But we will help eventhough we technically can't help because of the overwhelming Liberal victory. That's the way we are though. Always sticking our yokel noses in city business, even though Prime Minister Ignatieff won that crushing victory yesterday.

Misc Items

2006-01-26T11:34:00.000-05:00

This and that

Carolyn Parrish runs for municipal council.

Parrish filed papers at Mississauga city hall yesterday to run in the new Ward 6, which will be split in two for this fall's municipal election. Longtime political ally George Carlson, who holds the seat now, will run in the other half.

H/T to Kinny's Comments for a link to a nice all-inclusive big tent Liberal's blog.

Thanks America

According to the Canadian Defence Department, after the suicide bomb went off, all the casualties were first transported out by a military ambulance. Soon after, they were picked up by a U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter, which flew the wounded soldiers to the American military field hospital in Kandahar for immediate medical attention.

After that, our soldiers were taken to an American military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, a top-notch medical facility that is the largest American hospital not located in the United States. Our soldiers received excellent care there until returning to their home here in Edmonton this week.

In short, then, one of the primary reasons our soldiers are in as good of shape as they are is because the American military went to the aid of an allied country fighting for freedom in Afghanistan.

Our Liberal politicians won't say it. Many Canadians won't say it.

But we'll say it: Thanks to the American soldiers, pilots, and medical personnel who helped save our soldiers' lives. They are all heroes, too.

Oh Please .....

2006-01-26T11:24:00.000-05:00

From the G&M;

There is no shortage of possible Liberal leadership candidates.

They include Frank McKenna, the former New Brunswick premier who is now ambassador in Washington; former Harvard professor Michael Ignatieff who won a seat in a Toronto riding Monday; former cabinet minister Martin Cauchon from Quebec and Ontario MP Maurizio Bevilacqua.

Other possibles are former deputy prime minister John Manley, former Newfoundland premier Brian Tobin, and Liberal MPs Joe Volpe, Scott Brison, and Belinda Stronach, who once ran for the Conservative leadership.

I'm truly amazed that anyone imagine a reptile like Joe Volpe as Liberal leader. Scott Brison - get real. Belinda - you can't be serious.

Note: Manley has already dropped out and he's head and shoulders better than these three.

The Corruption Of Paul Martin

2006-01-24T13:39:00.000-05:00

Excellent piece by Father Raymond J. De Souza in the National Post:

Martin and his advisors failed to grasp that there are two types of corruption in politics. They were so busy distancing themselves from the first type that they did not realize that they were immersed in the second.
(.....)
There is, though, another type of corruption. It's not so vulgar, but more subtle and more soul-destroying. It is not about using political office for one's own gain. It is about compromising oneself to grasp and retain political office. It is about power for power's sake. And it is this corruption which consumed Paul Martin.

If getting power meant undermining his predecessor, he would do it. If heading off Adscam meant throwing his predecessor's allies overboard, he would do it. If winning the 2004 election meant trashing Stephen Harper in hysterical terms, he would do it. If keeping power meant allowing the NDP to rewrite the budget, he would do it.

If it meant embarrassing himself with petty outbursts against the Americans, even after promising to improve Canada-U.S. relations, he would do it. If it meant allowing his chief of staff to negotiate tawdry deals to induce opposition MPs to cross the floor, he would do it. If it meant trafficking Cabinet seats to win a non-confidence vote, he would do it. If it meant engaging in a pre-election spending spree completely contrary to his well-earned reputation as a fiscal manager, he would do it. And finally, if it meant conducting a near-maniacal election campaign -- disgorging smears, proposing constitutional amendments on the fly, playing fast and loose with national unity, and descending into a caricature of the man who will say anything to win a vote -- then he would do it in spades, and have the chutzpah to declare that this election was about his values.

In Need Of Reform - Elections Canada

2006-01-24T11:55:00.000-05:00

Given the seemingly endless reports of problems and incompetence, Elections Canada needs a major overhaul. Here's just a few of the problems that came to light during this trip to the polls:

- reports of widespread issuance of voter information cards to non-citizens. This wouldn't be a problem except for numerous reports of locations where the cards was used in place of proper identification.

- reports of registration of dead people or people who hadn't lived at the "residence" for many years.

- reports of people registering at commercial locations in order to vote in a riding other than where they live (or possibly voting in multiple locations).

- reports of issuing real ballots prior to the election for use in schools without proper safeguards to ensure the ballots were destroyed.

- people being directed to distant (wrong) polling stations

What's Next For The Liberals

2006-01-24T11:33:00.000-05:00

I hate to say it but in all likelihood we are looking at about 15 months before the next election.

I expect the Liberals to drag out their leadership selection process so that they can piggyback their election push on the interest generated by their leadership race. So look for a leadership convention that falls just before '07 budget with the Libs trying to orchestrate the fall of the government on the budget bill.

A Little Brainwashing In The Schools

2006-01-24T11:05:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine told me her ten year old came home and said he hoped Stephen Harper wouldn't get in "because if he does he will attack womens' rights".

Nice to see the indoctrination is well underway by grade five.