Not Entirely Dead Yet

Well, I haven't managed to kill this blog yet. :) As mentioned elsewhere, I expect regular blogging activities to resume in the New Year, if I don't get around to something sooner.

Not Entirely Dead Yet

Sorry for the non-existent blogging this holiday season. I expect regular blogging to resume in the New Year.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Enjoy the 12 Days of Christmas, as performed by Bob & Doug McKenzie.

Where's the Conservative BC Caucus?

Wow.

Tell me again why Garth Turner was turfed?

Tags: canada, conservative party, stockwell day

A Well Kept Secret Revealed!

John Tory, leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, may have been wealthy before coming into politics.

I know, I'm shocked too.

I had no idea.

I'm speechless.

Yawn.

I hope Ontario Liberal strategists are smarter than this [Orangeville Citizen, Taunts over Tory’s wealth may not work]:

Premier Dalton McGuinty’s Liberals are indicating they will try to label Progressive Conservative leader John Tory as rich in the 2007 election, hoping this will hurt him. But they should not bank on it.

Liberal strategists will revive a campaign they started the day the Conservatives chose Tory leader, when they distributed pamphlets calling him Richie Rich.”

After recently introducing legislation to raise the base pay for Members of the Provincial Parliament, in attempt to ensure that the best and brightest remain at Queen's Park, it would be unconscionable for the Ontario Liberals to revisit this tired strategy - to suggest that because someone was successful while in private life, they are unfit for public office or out of touch with Ontario.

Hopefully, Mr. Dowd is mistaken and way off here, and the Ontario Liberals aren't going anywhere near this.

Tags: canada, john tory, liberal party, ontario, progressive conservative party, politics

Québécois Who Live in the Québécois Territory, Part le Trois

Also, we need to tell the Prime Minister that the motion recognizing the Québécois as a nation within a united Canada, is just a motion and does not mean anything.

Perhaps we can draw him a map of the Québécois Territory.

That's after we figure how to explain it to people and politicians in this country, and the international community.

Tags: canada, politics, quebec

Diefenbaker Was Different ...

He didn't have history to learn from.

Call it a hunch, but after reading the reaction to this [CBC, Ottawa won't back Canadian-built Mars rover] ...

The federal government has turned down a request by Canada's space industry to support a contract that would have allowed the companies to build the European Space Agency's Mars surface rover, CBC News has learned.

The decision stunned the companies and has left the ESA scrambling to find a new partner, as no European firm is adequately prepared to match the technical abilities of Canadian firms to build its ExoMars rover.

... I suspect that there will be a "clarification of Canada's New Government's position and a restatement of Canada's committment to technological innovation" issued before the end of today.

Tags: canada, conservative party, politics, science, space

It's Funny Because It's True

Democracy summed up by Scott Adams [Dilbert.Blog]:

I’ve been involved in a number of job interviews for managers and chefs at my restaurants. I consider myself a reasonably good judge of character with lots of experience interviewing people. But when I compare the actual job performance of a person compared to what I predicted, there’s almost no correlation. Voting is the same way. We’re judging how a candidate will handle a nuclear crisis by how well his staff creates campaign ads. It’s a completely nonsensical process.

Tags: democracy, politics

Liberal Party Reserves Right to Protect / Appoint Candidates

Finally, one of the two big parties has come right out and said that they are going to ignore the local electoral district associations when finding candidates [Liberal Party Press Release, Liberal MPs Focused on Winning Election, not Fighting Nomination Battles]:

Under the leadership of Mr. Dion, incumbent MPs will continue to hold secure nominations while talented new candidates will be selected for unheld seats and ridings where the incumbent Liberal candidate does not seek re-election. Mr. Dion has pledged that over one-third of Liberal candidates in the next federal election will be women.

As I said previously, this isn't an affront to democracy. A political party is like a private club - it can set the rules for how it runs anyway it sees fit. The members within the party can choose to belong to a party where the central leadership picks candidates, or not. Ultimately, laying their trust with the people at the top to decide what's best for the local riding.

Admittedly, you can have some problems with local democracy - but, you can have problems with riding protection, too.

What I don't want to hear anymore, from Liberal supporters or Conservative supporters alike, is that somehow the other party lacks democratic processes when some candidate is parachuted in, or when some party leader hand picks the candidates.

Liberals have come clean on it. The Conservative Party should too.

Tags: canada, conservative party, liberal party, political parties, politics

Burn!

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal leader has a record on the environment that is no different than Alfonso Gagliano on accountability.

Come on, that's got to smart a little bit.

[H/T, CTV Politics Blog]

It Doesn't Get Much Better Than This

You know what's better than Christmas shopping?

Christmas shopping with a 2nd-degree hangover.

Best. ever.

Diana's Freudian Slip

I know a lot of my fellow Toronto bloggers are currently enjoying the Blogstravaganza downtown, so I think I may have been the only one to catch it.

Catch what?

During the CBC News at Six, Toronto edition, host Diana Swain referred to Queen's Park as "Queen's pork" - in the wrap-up to the piece about the financial impropriety and fall-out from the latest Ontario Auditor General's report.

If you go here quick, and click on Latest News at Six Toronto Broadcast, and go to about the 5:53 mark, you'll hear it clearly.

I love Diana. She says what we're all thinking.

Tags: canada, humour, ontario, politics

175 - 123

I didn't post about the vote on the motion to re-open the same-sex marriage legislation yesterday because there was already a lot of good commentary already going on (Clear Grit was on fire), but I'm pleased to see that the motion has been defeated, 175 - 123. I am also pleased to see that Prime Minister Stephen Harper will not re-open this debate again.

The matter is closed and equality under the law is preserved.

I am also pleased to see that Dr. Charles McVety may have become disillusioned with the Conservative Party. But, as BCer in Toronto points out, there is a light at the end of Charles' tunnel.

Tags: canada, politics, same sex marriage, social conservatism

Why Bother Hiding It?

It doesn't matter if Dianne Haskett was picked to run before the local electoral district association could "elect" a candidate.

Sure, it's more evidence the Conservative Party should just eliminate the pretense of the local electoral district association structure already, but we all know it's important to keep that structure around to at least maintain the illusion of listening to the hoi polloi.

Tags: canada, conservative party, politics

Blogs Helping Animals

Blogs are shown to be instrumental in tracking wildlife atrocities [National Geographic, Exposing Atrocities, Blogs Give Wildlife Warriors Instant SOS]:

News crews and other media are seldom on hand to spread the word of efforts to save endangered animals in remote tropical regions often ravaged by war, poverty, and disease.

Now conservationists are taking matters into their own hands, via their keyboards, in harnessing the power of the blog to attract headlines and much needed support.

One such blog, from central Africa, made the news last month.

In a posting on Congo Rangers—a blog for wildlife workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)—rangers alerted the world to the massacre of hundreds of hippos by armed militiamen in Virunga National Park.

I recommend reading the full National Geographic article and to have a read through of Congo Rangers - it's disheartening.

Tags: animals, blogs, conservation

National Day of Mourning : December 6th

[Cross posted from here]

YWCA Toronto will be holding a December 6th vigil to remember the victims of the Montreal Massacre.

Details from YWCA Toronto [PDF]:

On December 6, YWCA Toronto, will host an afternoon vigil with speakers Hayder Kadhim, Dawson College student, survivor of the September 2006 shooting spree in Montreal and recent activist for gun control, Paulette Senior, CEO, YWCA Canada, the nation’s largest single provider of shelter for women and Wendy Cukier, YWCA Woman of Distinction and Co Founder/President of the Coalition for Gun Control.

On the anniversary of the Montreal Massacre, three months after the shooting spree at Dawson College and in the shadow of the end of national gun registry the speakers will share their unique and personal perspective on the impact of guns on women’s lives.

What: December 6th Daytime Vigil
Where: Woodlawn Lounge, YWCA Toronto, 80 Woodlawn Ave. East (Yonge, south of St. Clair)
When: Wednesday December 6, 2006 2:00pm

• 1:00 Press Interviews with the speakers
• 2:00 Heather McGregor
• 2:05 Paulette Senior
• 2:13 Wendy Cukier
• 2:20 IANSA Clip on Gun Violence
• 2:22 Hayder Kadhim
• 2:36 Reading of the Names & Candle lighting

Why: YWCA will honour the 14 women murdered in Montreal on December 6th, 1989, as well as all women experiencing violence in their personal and public lives.

The call to action will be followed by a traditional candle light vigil and reading of the names on this national day of remembrance.

Map here.

Consider attending if you can. If you cannot, consider a donation to the YWCA Toronto when you're planning your next charitable donation.

Tags: women, white ribbon

National Day of Mourning : December 6th

YWCA Toronto will be holding a December 6th vigil to remember the victims of the Montreal Massacre.

Details from YWCA Toronto [PDF]:

On December 6, YWCA Toronto, will host an afternoon vigil with speakers Hayder Kadhim, Dawson College student, survivor of the September 2006 shooting spree in Montreal and recent activist for gun control, Paulette Senior, CEO, YWCA Canada, the nation’s largest single provider of shelter for women and Wendy Cukier, YWCA Woman of Distinction and Co Founder/President of the Coalition for Gun Control.

On the anniversary of the Montreal Massacre, three months after the shooting spree at Dawson College and in the shadow of the end of national gun registry the speakers will share their unique and personal perspective on the impact of guns on women’s lives.

What: December 6th Daytime Vigil
Where: Woodlawn Lounge, YWCA Toronto, 80 Woodlawn Ave. East (Yonge, south of St. Clair)
When: Wednesday December 6, 2006 2:00pm

• 1:00 Press Interviews with the speakers
• 2:00 Heather McGregor
• 2:05 Paulette Senior
• 2:13 Wendy Cukier
• 2:20 IANSA Clip on Gun Violence
• 2:22 Hayder Kadhim
• 2:36 Reading of the Names & Candle lighting

Why: YWCA will honour the 14 women murdered in Montreal on December 6th, 1989, as well as all women experiencing violence in their personal and public lives.

The call to action will be followed by a traditional candle light vigil and reading of the names on this national day of remembrance.

Map here.

Consider attending if you can. If you cannot, consider a donation to the YWCA Toronto when you're planning your next charitable donation.

Tags: women, white ribbon

Good Question

If you are a member of the Liberal Party, and you support the first-past-the-post electoral method, do you maintain that Michael Ignatieff is the new leader of the Liberal Party of Canada or do you have to concede there is a better way to elect somebody?

You have to admit, it's a good question [via Google].

Updated: Including the "via Google" link to the original question. Apologies for the subscription sign-in.

Tags: canada, democratic reform, politics

Torontoist : Fog in Toronto - Cooler

No, I lied. Head over to Torontoist to see a cooler picture of Toronto in fog.

Tags: toronto

Do You Want the Terrorists to Win?

I always knew I was an appeaser and an evil-doer.

Your 'Do You Want the Terrorists to Win' Score: 98%

You are a terrorist-loving, Bush-bashing, "blame America first"-crowd traitor. You are in league with evil-doers who hate our freedoms. By all counts you are a liberal, and as such cleary desire the terrorists to succeed and impose their harsh theocratic restrictions on us all. You are fit to be hung for treason! Luckily George Bush is tapping your internet connection and is now aware of your thought-crime. Have a nice day.... in Guantanamo!

Do You Want the Terrorists to Win?
Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Updated: I can't tell for sure, but I think this post is screwing up my blog in Firefox. Just checking if that's true.

Super Fast Updated: Yep. I've updated to make this a text-version of the results.

[H/T, Pharyngula]

Tags: humour, terrorism