After weeks of there being just a bit of a semblance that maybe the boys and girls on Parliament Hill were capable of playing nice and getting the business of government done — someone let the other Harper out of his cage. Mayhem threatens, again.

Is Harper completely clueless or does he just prefer to negotiate with a baseball bat? He gained the conditional support of the Liberals to get his budget through the House, a support that can be pulled at just about any time. One would think he’d move to show some respect for the Opposition and them doing their jobs by trying to reach out to get other things through.

He managed to do so when his government hung by a thread…. oh wait, first he ran to the Governor General to prorogue Parliament. The signs have been there in the last 2-3 weeks when his pet bulldog Flaherty was making demands of the Opposition to pass measures immediately, without further debate. The ‘tude showed up in all it’s glory yesterday when Harper demanded that MPs pass an interim supply bill which includes a $3billion fund to be passed out by departments as ’stimulous’ projects and bypass the usual approval process. Read the rest of this entry »

The government of Argentina has given Bishop Richard Williamson ten days to leave the country or face expulsion. Williamson has been at the centre of an international furor over his denial of the holocaust during WW2. Now he’s not alone in such denials but what has brought his particular hate message to world notice is that he is one of four bishops Pope Benedict has chosen to lift excommunication on.

Barracks in Auschwitz

Argentina accuses Williamson of having lied about his activities, specifically his employment while in the country. They have not shied away from also stating that Williamson’s views have influenced their decision to terminate his welcome in the country. With about 200,000 Jews living in Argentina, the largest Jewish population in Latin America, it is pretty understandable why he would be very unwelcome. Read the rest of this entry »

Barak Obama arrives in Ottawa today for his first foreign visit since taking office in January. Ottawa is the traditional stop for new presidents, although his predecessor chose to visit Mexico first. While the visit is for the most party barely registering on the American media, the Canadian media seems to be going gaga over the arrival.

Obama will be in the nation’s capital a mere 6 hours or so and is not expected to appear in public. Security will be massive, crowds are expected to be large on the hill as people gather in the hope of catching a glimpse of him.

He’ll be greeted at the airport by Governor-General Michaelle Jean with little pomp and ceremony. From there he’ll travel to the Hill for a private meeting with Harper, talks with various government officials, a working lunch in the Senate speakers suite before being returned to the airport where he’ll have a brief meeting with Ignatieff before boarding Air Force One to be back in Washington in time for supper with Michelle. Read the rest of this entry »

2009 marks the 250th anniversary of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham. This pivotal event ended France’s dominance in North America and set the stage for the strong English presence. The National Battlefield Commission had plans in place and preparations well underway for a re-enactment of the battle on the Plains of Abraham this coming summer.

Historical re-enactments are a wonderful way to bring history to life, not to mention a great tourism draw, something much needed in the current economy. Quebec city would take a step back in time in an effort to portray life as it was at the time of the historic battle.

It would have, except the Commission has beat a hasty retreat from moving forward with the plans in the face of thinly veiled threats of violence from a hardline separatist group, Le Reseau de Resistance du Quebecois, if the event went ahead. Read the rest of this entry »

Image via Wikipedia

Tom Zytaruk would like to sue the Conservatives for their continuing claims that the tape which launched the Chuck Cadman affair was doctored. The problem is that he would need a lawyer willing to work on a contingency basis or pro bono in order to afford it.

So the defamation of this author continues unless that happens.

The court has found the tape was not doctored. There was a break in the tape, Zytaruk turned it off when Harper walked away from the conversation and back on when he returned. Pretty normal move to make. The Conservatives continue to claim as fact that the tape was doctored. Sort of a tell the lie often enough and it might be seen as truth.

Most recently, the Parliamentary Secretary to Harper, Pierre Poilievre rose in the House in response to a question from NDP Bill Siksay to ask if Zytaruk would receive an apology for the false accusations against him. Poilievre responded that it was a fact that the tape was doctored and the lawsuit had been settled with both pleased with the settlement. Read the rest of this entry »

Everytime I see one of those press scrums were members of the media not only have their mics pressed just about into the person’s face but are often practically close enough to kiss them, I want to throw up a wall and push the beggars back. See, I’m one of those people who really prefers to have some personal space around her. I hate crowds and especially ones that you can barely move without coming into contact with someone close by.

So, when I read the piece in the Globe & Mail about Premier Dalton McGuinty asking reporters to stand back about five feet from him, I had some empathy. The piece points out that McGuinty has tried to move reporters out of his face in a good natured manner over the years without success. I can understand that.

Generally, I find people who don’t really find a need for personal space generally have a hard time understanding someone who does. In really bad cases, it generates a response of the other person deciding that they need to ‘cure’ you of your desire to have some open air around you. No, you don’t need to find the cure, just move the hell back! Read the rest of this entry »

Today’s post was originally going to be about the improvement the Liberals under Michael Ignatieff are enjoying in the public opinion polls. I’m happy to see that change but another item caught my attention. Without those who are part of this item and those who went before them, we would not have the democracy we have. Our opinions as citizens wouldn’t really matter.

I live on a section of the Trans Canada Highway 401 which has been officially renamed “the Highway of Heroes”. It is the section of highway stretching from Trenton (20 minutes east of me) to Toronto (90 minutes west of me) which every Canadian killed in service to Canada in Afghanistan has travelled with their families. It is along this stretch that thousands of Canadians turn out in the frigid cold of January, the searing heat of July and all the weather in between to salute our fallen Canadian and express our collective pain at their loss.

During the last year, I’ve been part of saluting two of those who are going to be among those receiving military decorations from the Governor-General (the Canadian Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces) at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. There will be 48 receiving decorations for valour and service to this country. They are among the thousands of Canadian service personnel who leave their families to serve Canada here and abroad. Read the rest of this entry »

Ignatieff went after the Prime Minister’s absence from both the House and the public scene when it comes to the economy and the value of the economic stimulus contained in the budget. I watched Obama’s press conference last night and found it refreshing to see a politician speaking very frankly about the state of the economy and how he wanted to see it dealt with.

Yes, I know, he was trying to sell a stimulus package which is receiving largely partisan opposition. It was refreshing to hear that opposition being framed not just as partisan game playing but asking the questions and laying out guidelines for what he sees as necessary for the good of the people and the economy and where there is room for bipartisan cooperation and what wont gain traction with him.

The major difference between the leadership of the two countries is that in the US, the leaders recognized and faced the fact that the economy was sliding towards and over the edge while in Canada, the Opposition parties were sounding the alarm while the government was busy telling us that if a recession was going to happen, it would have already taken place. Read the rest of this entry »