Post-script to Kicking Horse Tragedy

Yesterday's post engendered some interesting discussion regarding the balance of personal responsibility and the responsibility of the state in the tragic death of Marie-Josee Fortin who got lost with her husband after wandering out of bounds at Kicking Horse resort.

After complaining about the media yesterday, cudos to the Calgary Herald for their commentary today, as follows:

When slopes are closed off, it's for good reason.The snow is unstable, an avalanche or snow slide are possible, or the terrain is otherwise unsafe. Crossing into out-of-bound areas is not only illegal, it's dangerous and those who do it should not expect rescue.

Regardless of how one finds themselves skiing or riding where they should not be, Fortin's death reminds us that the potential consequences are the same. And they can be fatal, not just to the risk takers but those who must attempt their rescue. Skiers and boarders have a responsibility code that includes staying in control, yielding to others, and paying attention to things like the weather, ropes, avalanche warnings and other signs of danger.

Let this tragedy be another warning that prevents them from getting into trouble.

Tragedy at Kicking Horse - and the blame game begins

By now, every Canadian has read the news of the tragic death of Marie-Josee Fortin, who died after her and her husband became lost after skiing out of bounds at Kicking-Horse ski resort.

Sure enough, that grand piece of garbage, the Globe and Mail, is a work today throwing blame at the RCMP, "SOS is what it says".

And, most of the newspapers online over the last few days have similar comments, while the reality of the cause of Ms. Fortin's death is clear, obvious, yet oddly absent from comment in these journals.

I've been skiing for probably 30 years, and I've occasionally skied out of bounds, in younger years, when I was young and stupid, and more recently, in the company of ski patrol or guides. And, any skier can tell you this is an absolute fact - warnings to those skiing out of bounds are clear and obvious on every ski hill in North America, and they are definitely present at Kicking Horse ski hill.

So, why is Ms. Fortin deceased today? Because she and her husband decided to tempt fate, ignore warnings, over-estimate their own skill level, and got caught being stupid. That simple. Tragic, but simple.

Now - certainly, I'm sure her husband, deep down, understands his own error, and to his credit, he has not laid any blame on anyone - but the media is happy to do so - and in doing so, the media is sowing the seeds for more tragedy.

How? Well, the so-called caring small "l" liberals in society are preoccupied with perpetuating the myth that the government will always protect us from our own ignorance and stupidity. Look around.. run your autoplant into the ground - well, here's some money.. Have a bunch of kids you can't afford.. don't worry, Ken Dryden will have the government look after them when they're inconvenient.. over and over again, the government, urged on by the public themselves, and particularly our media, take it upon themselves to assure no one suffers from their own folly.

Well - you know what? There are consequences to the things we do - sometimes, tragic consequences. And rather than create the myth that we can be protected from ourelves, perhaps the time has come to send a different message - one of accountablity and personal responsibilty.

Life is dangerous and sometimes brutish. Be careful. Keep your wits about you. And, if you choose to be ignorant or stupid - well, be prepared to feel the consequences, which, as we've seen, can be tragic. This is life, and, sadly, sometimes, this is death.

Fair is Fair - Conservative Ideology v. Pragmatic Reality

Ok.. I've had enough fun the last couple of days poking at the fallacy of liberal idealism in the face of pragmatic reality - but truly, to be transformative, to work towards new paradigms where things can work in ways they've never worked before, well, we have to also look inward - towards the fallacies of conservative idealism in the face of pragmatic reality.

Dogmatism is the refuge of the simple, and leads, ultimately, to a destination of failure. To be dogmatic, is to be inflexible, to refuse to see the whole where it conflicts with our existing perceptions. We laugh and express derision over the Islamic threats upon Salman Rushdie and the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten - clearly, being motivated by unthinking dogmatism, accepting no challenge or question of their view of Islam.. and yet, are there times where we, as conservatives, are just as inflexible?

Are we so certain, for example, that our abject refusal to consider and understand the motivations and interests of Hamas can have no place in seeking a solution to what has, so far, been an unsolvable problem? That opposing terrorism must equate with unquestionable support of Israel? I would suggest that is no more the case than looking upon the tragedies in Ghaza as being an act of the Israelis, free of any contribution by those in Hamas and other Islamic extremists who pursue their own "Manifest Destiny" without regard to the harm they do to their own people.

Viewing BBC News this morning, I was fascinated by an interview with Aaron David Miller, a foreign policy advisor to the U.S. state department for the past 25 years, both Republicans and Democrats.. and a good reflection of the tenor of that interview is available in his Newsweek Article here.

Essentially, Miller suggests we need to change the way we address the problems in the middle east, stop worrying about appeasing the insecurities of Israel, and move forward in a constructive manner,which, in some respects, requires us to take Israel to task - particularly if the west is to have any legitimacy in the middle-east. In his interview with BBC today, he comments that we have to sit back and re-evaluate our position in Afghanistan, and look at the situation from the position as it is, not as we wish it were.

In Canada - rather than fall into the camps of "get out of Afghanistan now" or "pursue the establishment of a democratic Afghanistan state" - perhaps we need to do the same. Why are we there? And even if our goals are valid and laudable - are they realistic? I suggest they aren't - sadly, there is insufficient political will of the Afghan people themselves, insufficient support for the ideals of gender equality and free expression.. and as such, we need to see the world as it is, not as we wish it were.

Albert Einstein was, clearly, a genius. And part of his genius was taking a complex principle, and expressing it simply. E=MC2.

Albert Einstein distilled another concept quite simply - insanity. On that point, he defined insanity as:

doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Liberal Ideals v. Pragmatic Reality

My last post on the "mental illness" of liberalism was, obviously, a little tongue in cheek, but the underlying concerns of unrestrained liberalism are very real. As pointed out by the author, there is a certain disconnect between liberal ideals and the need to apply those ideas in the real world.

So - no suprise that we see the article in Reuters today:

US STOCKS-Market falls as Obama fails to deliver details

Now - don't get me wrong - I have a certain respect for Barack Obama, and believe he has somewhat of a fresh view on governing that go beyond partisan attacks to simply acquire power.

That being said, however, while small "c" conservative plans may not be perfect, they are, nonetheless, grounded generally upon concepts such as personal responsibility and fiscal reality.. meanwhile, President Obama, as part of his plan, advises that

We have launched a housing plan that will help responsible families facing the threat of foreclosure lower their monthly payments and re-finance their mortgages

We will act with the full force of the federal government to ensure that the major banks that Americans depend on have enough confidence and enough money to lend even in more difficult times. And when we learn that a major bank has serious problems, we will hold accountable those responsible, force the necessary adjustments, provide the support to clean up their balance sheets, and assure the continuity of a strong, viable institution that can serve our people and our economy

Sounds nice, doesn't it.. what is missing? Why is Wallstreet not suddenly full of optomism? Well, where are the details.. and how could this have been different? How about:

.

We will assure that people who borrowed beyond their needs and their abilities to pay will be left in the mess they created, without asking responsible Americans to pay for their own refusal to delay gratification.

We will not bail out banks and financial institutions who made asinine business decisions, and while the result will be painful, on all of us, it will send a loud message - that greed has a price, and that price will not be repaid by the taxpayer

North of the border, we have similar issues - but, thankfully, we have a Conservative government in power, and the Liberals and NDP are left to bark and complain, again, without substance or pragmatic solution.. theirs is but

a tale. Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.

Well that explains it.. Hard Core Liberalism is a Psychiatric Disorder.. Seriously.

You know how you sometimes get the feeling that someone you meet is mentally unbalanced, such as, oh, when you're reading about Ken Dryden's plan to put all our children in government care from the womb.. or Alan Rock wants to spend a billion dollars on a gun conrol program that won't control guns?

Well, your suspicions were apparently correct - true liberalism is apparently a psychological disorder. In his book, "The Liberal Mind: The Psychological Causes of Political Madness", Dr. Lyle Rossiter, Board Certified explains that "Like spoiled, angry children, they rebel against the normal responsibilities of adulthood and demand that a parental government meet their needs from cradle to grave."

Suddenly, "he who shall remain unnamed on this blog" becomes understandable.

Liberal Blogger Yappa Ding Ding Advocates Adoption of Chinese Response to Economic Downturn... ..could this be the Liberal "Secret Agenda?"

So - in her blog Saturday, Liberal blogger, "Yappa Ding Ding" posts on what she appears to see as the very positive Chinese efforts at answering the current economic downturn.

Seriously - I kid you not. China, apparently is a model government.. if only we could do it their way, our problems would be solved. Could this be the Liberal "secret agenda" finally coming to light?

As Yappa, well, yaps,

As a percentage of GDP, China enacted the biggest fiscal stimulus of any major economy, and it has already started to pay off

As Canada and the US got stuck in political ideology that led us to dick around with programs that are too slow and include too much non-stimulative tax cuts, the autocrats in China were able to act decisively and do exactly what needed to be done.

Well, I guess we should just hurry up and get on board shouldn't we.. or are there other factors that favor China's recovery?

As I posted on Yappa's blog:

Hmm.. interesting commentary.. I have some other interesting comments:

a) China currently uses capital punishment for an assortmen of crimes, from tax evasion and political corruption to racketeering and murder. China executed more people annually than any other nation; in 2007 it executed at least 50 percent more people than Iran, the country with the second-highest number of executions.

I'm not in favor of capital punishment myself, but, I'm certain it would certainly cut down on taxes wasted in the criminal justice system, and would certainly reduce offenses such as fraud and political corruption, all to the added benefit of our economy;

b)Somewhat related to the foregoing, in China, there is no freedom of expression, government dissidents are still subject to arrest and incarceration, or worse.. the judiciary is not at all independant, and is an arm of government will.. there continues to be abuse of women's rights, rights of children and visible minorities.. and there is no transparency or freedom of information regarding government conduct.

All in all, if we, in Canada, could do the same, imagine the reduced tax load on our government administration.. again, a boon to a difficult economy;

c) While Yappa complains of planned tax cuts, it should be noted hat China's corporate tax rate for companies incorporated before 2008 was 15% - though since, it has increased to 25%. Canada's corporate tax rate is 36.1%. If we would advocate a 14% cut in corporate taxes, I'm sure that would also be of assistance to restore corporate earnings;

d) Average wages in urban areas of China are $1,750 yuan per month ($320 Canadian). Looking at specific jobs, for a production labor, wages average $2,199 Can. per YEAR, and for an accountant, wages average $8,473.00 Can. per Year.. if we could reduce our wages to that level, I'm sure we would also see a significant boon to our economy;

e) Chinese environmental laws are weak, and enforcement is almost non-existent - in many cases, it is cheaper to pay fines, even in the infrequent event that they get levied, than to comply with the already weak regulations.. as a result, the damage to China's air and water is severe (and don't bother to even mention CO2 emissions).. again, if we were willing to ignore water and air polution concerns - I'm certain that would also help our immediate economy greatly. Really, it's just a twist on Keynesian economics - we'll borrow on our "environmental account" to supplement current economic needs, and repay it later;


All in all - if we were willing to accomodate these modest changes to our own political and social strutures, yes, I'm sure we would attain the recovery expected in China..

Is that the suggestion? Is that, perhaps, the true Liberal "Secret Agenda"?

Saskatoon Provincial Court Finds Ahenakew "Not Guilty" of hate crime.. and probably unintentionally does the right thing.

The Globe and Mail is reporting today that the Saskatchewan Provincial Court in Saskatoon has found David Ahenakew, a former senator with the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, not guilty of wilfully promoting hatred against Jewish people.

To be certain - Ahenakew's comments are ignorant and offensive. Of that there can be no doubt.

However - the Judge hearing the trial got it exactly right - there is no indication that his comments were "intended" to promote hatred of Jews.

Uh.. yeah, right. Ahenakew statements included comments suggesting that the Jewish people were a "disease" and that they were responsible for the second world war. I am certain that he didn't "intend" people to hate Jews by making those statements - in fact, I'm certain, really, his comments were meant in the warmest possible way about our Jewish brothers.

Sure.

However, while the suggestion that Aheanakew apparently "accidentally" made these offensive and ignorant statements is so much legal gobbeldygook, the outcome was correct.

If he wasn't seeking to actually induce violence or immanent harm to another group - in this case, Jewish people, he should have had the right to make whatever ignorant and asinine statement he wished.. letting the Canadian public and the free expression of thoughts bring to greater light the ignorance and stupidity of his utterances. To put on display (as here) for all to see just what a sad buffoon he really is - made all the more pathetic when one has regard to the fact that he is not only an aboriginal person himself, but was a representative of aboriginal persons - and as such, should have been more than a little aware of the sting and harm of ignorant and baseless stereotypes being employed against a people.

Of course - this being said - a Jewish person in Canada today might be foregiven for being a little suspicious of the current political winds regarding anti-Semitic stupidity, after hearing that CUPE is again going ahead with plans to ostracize Israeli academics based upon their findings, apparently, that Israel was clearly wrong, and Hamas terrorists were clearly right, regarding the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Oh.. and speaking of free speech and stupidity - I see in Ezra's blog that he-who's-name-will-not-be-spoken on this blog has filed papers seeking $5 million in damages for allegations that Ezra "defamed" him. (Same guy who suggested that Chinese restuarants were serving cats on their menu, and then became indignant when the Chinese became offended).

The moral of the story - I guess, is that it's ok to call Jewish people a disease, to pass formal CUPE union motions opposing Jewish academics, and make jokes about cat being served in Chinese restaurants, but god help you if you have the temerity to make a statement deemed offensive to a Liberal.

Is that the type of people we want to lead our country? Really?

Well, well, what's new.. Quebec has it's hand out, again.

Well - apparently it wasn't enough that the radical separatists in Quebec interrupted the re-enactment of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham - much to the economic loss of the local area, previously discussed in my blog, here.

Well - now, the PQ, in a move which is completely and utterly unheard of for la belle province, has asked Canada to give them something for nothing.

Yes - today, as reported in the Globe and Mail, Quebec sovereigntists want the federal government to hand over historic lands in Quebec City, including the site of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham.

Ok - I've got a plan. How about you pay for it if you want it - and stop with the persistent demands for handouts.

Following up on that, how about we even the playing field for the rest of Canada regarding equalization payments, and include all revenue in Quebec related to generation of hydro-electric power, including a notional inclusion of the full market cost of that power which other Canadians pay, but which the Quebec government refuses to sell at going market rates to its own citizens and businesses.

How about we also include revenue hidden in the Quebec Provincial Pension fund - which fund income isn't included in determining Quebec's income for transfer payment purposes.

You know what? Why not scrap the whole equalization payment fiasco in total - all it does is encourage Quebec to continue to be economically irresponsible, a form of provincial welfare, which the Province of Quebec has just worked into it's annual budget as if its some sort of guaranteed income - a complete disincentive for the Province to make economic decisions in the interests of it's citizens, as opposed to the monumentally stupid decisions they have made over the past few decades discouraging investment and immigration - virtually assuring the Province of "have-not" status for centuries to come.

Citizens of Quebec.. the loss by the French at the battle on the Plains of Abraham was but a small event, compared to the humiliating loss, year after year, of Provincial dignity, resulting from forced "beggar-status" instilled upon you by a vocal, but ignorant, minority of citizens who continue to complain of the rest of Canada, even as they put their hands out for more charity.

Quebec constitutes approximately 24% of the population of all of Canada - some 7.5 million citizens - yet, they remain unable to carry the load of their own care without sizable and never-ending handouts from the rest of Canada.

Have some pride, Quebec, stand up and tell the ignorant separatists, "merde, ça suffit".

Hi.. I'm Nate, and I'm Important. See me with the President?

Hi, my name is Nate. I am a man of significance - like Michael Ignatieff. See me with the President? Cool, eh? Well.. no, I don't actually have any power or authority.. but, hey, if I have my picture with Obama, doesn't that make me important by osmosis or something? Tomorrow I'm going to have my picture taken with Magnum P.I. and Captain Kirk.

Michael Ignatieff Embarasses Himself and the Liberal Party

Well. I'm scratching my head over this one. After this blog actually supported the Ignatieff leadership bid, seeing him as perhaps the only thinking, and somewhat sober, Liberal of the bunch, he goes and does this.




I have to say, as much as I have some respect for some of Michael Ignatieff's thoughts and opinions as expressed in his past writings, I am dumfounded with how, well, juvenile and to coin a phrase, "small town cheap" this act was.

It has to be said that getting some personalized golf-balls, and handing them about to associates and friends is much less crass than actually paying to put your face on a billboard at Times square.

I mean - what is the point, exactly? "Look at me, I have my picture with the President". Such a move only emphasizes the point that he wasn't, in fact, in any significant contact with the President, and, as well, suggests just how insecure Ignatieff truly is - seeking to vainly try and publish a brief moment between the two of them.

Prime Minister Harper meets with President Obama, fields questions and arrive at some common understandings about significant global and domestic issues, emerging from the event looking like the leader that he is.

Ignatieff pays to have his picture on a billboard, and comes off looking like a tourist.

As much as I believe it will assist the Conservatives, the move is an embarrasment to Canada, let alone the Liberal Party and Michael Ignatieff himself.

Oh.. in a related story, Floyd McMurtry, from Franklin County, Ohio, also has posted his picture with President Obama, here:

"Change We Can Believe In" - A Thoughtful Approach to Issues by Obama and Harper

Well, how about that. Canada's hard left newspaper, the Toronto Star, actually prints an article relatively complimentary about Stephen Harper, declaring:

The day was a triumph, too, for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who found his level with Obama in an expansive question-and-answer session with journalists, the only unscripted moment of a carefully scheduled day.

Despite big differences in philosophy and style, Obama and Harper presented a common front on issues as varied as the war in Afghanistan, reversing the recession and pushing back the hot-button issue of trade protectionism.

Together, they announced a "clean energy dialogue" aimed at finding technological answers to the twin environmental dilemmas of Alberta oil sands and American coal.

Certainly, it appears that some of the critical issues of the day will be addressed by two leaders in a pragmatic, thoughtful way - much, I am sure, to the dismay of the braying left who would otherwise criticize every move Harper makes, "just because". As alluded in my brief post yesterday, it will be very difficult for the left to be critical of Harper policy which arises out of any consensus with his U.S. counterpart.

Our U.S. visitors also appeared to have a positive reaction to their first interaction with our Prime Minister:

A White House aide, speaking on background to the Toronto Star, proclaimed the Obama visit "tremendously successful. We are leaving having achieved everything we set out to accomplish."

Harper and Obama, the aide said, found a connection based on their mutual ability to sort through policy detail. "Even on points where there wasn't total agreement, there was respect for the ability to talk policy at a very detailed level. Not every leader can do that. And they saw in each other a capability they like."

All partisan values aside, this bodes well for our Countries moving forward - forging a pragmatic and thoughtful approach to domestic and global issues - truly a change you can believe in.

Obama, Harper Announce Environmental Understanding

So - today the meeting of the Obamasia and PM Harper, and they conclude an agreement on environment.
So.. is Obama a turncoat, or is Harper suddenly a wise man?

Waiting for the left to make one call or the other, don't really care which.. or for their heads to explode. Whichever - it will all be entertaining.

Getting beyond blogger ego..

Let's be honest. Most blogs are an excuse to appease our own egos - let me tell the worlds readers (in my case, all 4 or 5 of them) of my thoughts, because I'm just so interesting.

Well.. today I read a couple of blogs that go well beyond that, and truly have something to say, and say it well.

Firstly, Ezra Levant's speech regarding the impact of political correctness on our museums and our perspectives of history is truly well done, and can be found here.

Secondly, the Alberta Ardvark has a great post on the perspective of Michael Ignatieff's absense from Canada for 27 years, and can be found here.

Well done both of you.

David Suzuki and Campaign Finance Questions - Politics does, indeed, create strange bedfellows

Well.. never one to leave a dead horse, well, unbeaten, I did some more looking into our new Davidian leader, David Suzuki and his little foundation.

According to the David Suzuki foundation annual report from 2006/2007, these contributors gave his foundation over $1 million:


Stephen R. Bronfman Foundation – heir to the Seagrams empire, and fundraiser for Stephane Dion – happens to give over $1 million through his foundation to David Suzuki, who, well, just happens to get on his bus, with a big logo saying, “If YOU were the Prime Minister” and then drives around Canada complaining about the Conservative governments, and, in the period leading to the election he just happens to, well, support the Liberals and slam the Conservatives and the NDP.

Power Corporation of Canada – as already discussed, the major financial service corporation in the Country, operating Canada Life, Great West Life, London Life, Investors’ Group, and, apparently, making a lot of money in China.. which economy will benefit greatly when western countries are pressed to adopt ridiculous environmental protocols while China ignores adopting any whatsoever.

Beyond that, well, could Power Corporation of Canada have ties to the Liberal Party as well.. hmm.. well, let’s see.

Former Prime Minister Paul Martin, was hired in the 1960s to work for Paul Desmarais, Sr. by Maurice Strong. Martin then became President of Canada Steamship Lines, a subsidiary of Power Corporation of Canada, until he made a very provident purchase, acquiring CSL in 1981 and making a fortune as an owner of CSL. I'm sure that he owed no thanks whatseover to Power Corporation of Canada.

Another former Liberal Prime Minister, Jean Chrétien sat on the board of Power Corporation of Canada subsidiary Consolidated Bathurst in the late 1980s before he became the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. Chrétien's daughter France is married to the son of Paul Desmarais, Sr., André. Also Chrétien's chief of staff Eddie Goldenberg worked in the past for Power Corporation of Canada.

So – again, a Corporation with a clear agenda to assist the Liberal Party of Canada just happens to give David Suzuki a million dollars, so he can drive around the Country complaining about Conservatives and supporting the Liberals.

Patrick and Barbara Keenan Foundation – who is Patrick Keenan, well, he is a director of Brascan Ltd., and who is Brascan, well, among other things, you might remember Brascan as the owner of Royal Lepage Relocation services, who was caught in the middle of a flap about Liberal business being given to their supporters (do you recall Adscam?). You see, as reported back in 2005 on CTV, the Liberal Party was called on the carpet for handing out a billion dollar contract to, well, Royal Lepage, who, in turn, was owned by Brascan, who, in turns out, donated more than $90,000.00 to the Liberal Party of Canada in the previous seven years. Indeed.


The Lefebvre Charitable Foundation – there is very little information on this organization, and you've got to do a little digging, but basically it appears this was set up by former lawyer, then internet finance mogul, then, well, convicted illegal gambling facilitator, John Lefebvre. In fairness, John doesn’t seem to be a Liberal supporter, per se, though in financing the webblog, “DeSmogblog.com”, certainly, he is no fan of the Conservatives and has in fact taken a few swipes at the NDP as well for undermining the Dion Carbon Tax.


So – anyway – this is about, oh, $4 million or more of money going to David Suzuki's foundation, and this is how, apparently, political support works in Canada. It is curious, no? You see, if you can’t have an individual give a million dollars to the Liberal Party of Canada, what you can do, apparently, is set up a foundation, and have that foundation give a million dollars to a professional loudmouth to attack the Conservatives and, directly and indirectly, support the Liberal party.

There is, in fact, a law about third party election promotion, and it requires parties who intend to advertise and support a party to register, and it limits their expenditures to $150,000.00. Problem is, the David Suzuki Foundation isn't registered in the last election, and, I'm just guessing, they spent a hell of a lot more than $150,000.00 in the year preceding the last election to basically trumpet a song that went, "Vote for Dion".

Interesting. And to think the Liberals were crying foul when Stephen Harper suggested they didn’t need to suck up tax payer dollars to fund their little party.

Indeed.

Suzuki and his "New Davidians"

So - today David Suzuki, suggests that Ed Stelmach is unfit to lead our Province because he refuses to cripple our economy to reach Koyoto targets. In the Calgary Herald today, he delivers more of his enviro-religious sermons.

David Suzuki, the David Koresch of the environmental movement, makes more noise, and the papers feel obligated to print his ramblings. Enough already. The last election sent a very clear message what average Canadians think of you and your fellow Davidians.

I'm not sure about the rest of you, but I've grown really tired of David Suzuki and his tirades. It's become more about keeping himself relevant than actually accomplishing anything - riding around on his rock star bus, on his "If You Were Prime Minister" tour. Uh.. message to Suzuki - you are not the Prime Minister, and your Green Party pals, well, they didn't get a single seat in government, and the only leader to actually suggest hard CO2 reductions got sent out of Parliament, and in fact his own party, on a rail. Get the message David - we're not buying your alarmist garbage.

Yes - the environment needs to be protected, but the chicken-little act has grown thin, as Global Warming morphs to Climate Change and as more information arises as more scientists dare to speak up and explain that the theory of global warming, while likely true, is much too primitive to make any accurate prediction of outcomes. In other words, yes, we are probably contributing to climate change, but we cannot with any degree of certainty say whether that will mean temperatures a decade or a century from now will be higher or colder. In the face of this, Suzuki suggests that taking away the ability of average Canadians to feed their families should be undertaken so that.. well, nothing might happen.

A good examination of the "Sad Legacy" of David Suzuki is written by Timothy Ball, I recommend giving it a read.

Here's another interesting piece of information about our Davidians. The David Suzuki Foundation received over $1 million from the Power Corporation - a financial services company who owns Great West Life, Canada Life, London Life.. a who's who of Canadian financial service corporations.. but in reviewing their last quarter financial statement, they remark that their earnings are down (not down enough to give $1 million of their investor's money to Suzuki) but that their earnings in the first three quarters of 2008 were due to

a lower level of income from investments compared with 2007 when the Corporation recorded substantial gains in its QFII operations in China.

Huh.. so, David Suzuki funds his rock tour, in a great part, based upon donations from PowerCorp, who, in turn, relies greatly on earnings from, yes, CHINA. You know, China, the most significant burgeoning economy in the World - an economy which, well, David Suzuki commented upon thusly:

China's economy is pushing the country to its ecological limits. According on a recent article in the journal Nature, the impacts of pollution, desertification, deforestation and other environmental problems are starting to become acute. For example, 75 per cent of China's urban citizens breathe air that does not meet the country's air-quality standards. It's estimated that every year more than 300,000 people in China die prematurely due to air pollution.

And, well, who stands to benefit the most from hard CO2 caps? Yes - the countries who ignore the issue completely, like China. So - cripple Canada's economy, to benefit, well, China, to benefit, well, the Davidians.

Does it matter, though, David? I mean, what's more important - funding your rock tour, or taking a principled position on the environment? Are you willing to return the million dollars you took from PowerCorp to stake your principals?

In Alberta - well, yes, our Premier is also balancing environmental concerns with economic reality - but then our reality is only concerned with keeping jobs for thousands of Albertans and their families.. David's reality, well, that's all about his rock tour, his homage to his own ego.

Yes - there is someone unfit to lead.. and it isn't Ed Stelmach.

Quebec Radicals Derail Re-enactment of Plains of Abraham Battle

Welcome to Narnia, la belle province.

Yes - those ignorant but vocal separatists who brought you the denial of free speech, based upon a fantasy that denying the right to express yourself in English will somehow support French culture, have a new fantasy - that denying a re-enactment of the Battle on the Plains of Abraham will avoid the reality that, yes, the French lost that battle. Best we pretend it didn't happen, I suppose.

As reported in the Gazette here, by using thuggery and threats, it appears a re-enactment event that promised to pump millions into the local economy, so much needed in this time of economic downturn, is going to be cancelled. Well played, mes amies.

Oddly enough, however, they have no difficulty perpetuating their defeat by continuing, year after year after year, to put their hands out like some sad band of homeless persons to the rest of Canada, entreating "charité s'il-vous-plaît".

Hmm. Seems that if you really wanted to show the rest of Canada, and turn the tide of a history premised upon defeat at the Plains of Abraham, you would eventually learn to stand on your own two feet, instead of shooting your own economy in the foot, over and over again to appease some naive separatist fantasy.

Isn't it ironic. Don't you think?

Bridget Denies "Affair" with the PC's

So, yesterday Calgary Herald reporter Don Braid asked Bridget Pastoor, point blank, if there is any truth to the rumour that she is seeking to cross the floor to join the PC Party, and Bridget responds, "I'm not ruling out anything".. and then coyly states that just because she was meeting with Ron Glenn and Randy Dawson doesn't "necessarily mean" she's crossing the floor.

Hmm.. doesn't take a brain surgeon to see what's going on there.

Today - however, no doubt after getting her ass chewed out by David Swann, Bridget does an about face, issuing a statement that:

"Having a conversation with an old friend from years gone by does not constitute a walk across the aisle."

Well.. I suppose we should give her the benefit of the doubt, I mean, if you found your wife in the company of another man, and asked her, "Are you having an affair?", and she responded.. "not necessarily".. but, "I'm not ruling anything out".. well, you would trust her, wouldn't you?

Please.

They can say whatever they want in public, but the marriage between Alberta Liberal Leader David Swann and at least one of his MLA's is not happy.. but then, I guess, after two months as leader, the honeymoon is over.

Indeed.

Liberal MLA Defecting to PC Party in Lethbridge East?

Well, imagine my surprise upon opening the Calgary Herald today and reading about local Liberal MLA Bridget Pastoor considering a cross to the PC Party - you can read the details here.

As some of you know - I'm the President of the Lethbridge East PC Association - the same constituency that Bridget is currently serving in, and so, obviously, this news is of some interest to me and our constituency.

I haven't personally had any contact with Bridget and don't know any more myself than what you can read in the Calgary Herald, and, to be honest, I'm not sure what to say. Clearly, the last election was hard-fought, and our candidate did his best to unseat Ms. Pastoor, so, in some respects, she would at least currently be "the enemy" so to speak. At the same time, she was a long-time Conservative supporter during the Peter Lougheed years, and so there is some pedigree to suggest that, like her predecessor, former Liberal leader Ken Nichol, her status as a Liberal would be closer to centre than to the far left of, say, David Swann. And perhaps that is a hint as to the motivation - who knows.

At a minimum, it would suggest that all is not peaches and sunshine in the David Swann group, and if you can't keep control of a group of only 8 other MLA's, well, how do you form a government?

For now, I guess I'll keep an open mind - make some inquiries and see what comes of it.

University of Calgary and its Student Union - The New Fascist State

Jeffrey Glenn Miller (March 28, 1950 – May 4, 1970)
Allison Krause (April 23, 1951 - May 4, 1970)
William Knox Schroeder (July 20, 1950 – May 4, 1970)
Sandra Lee Scheuer (August 11, 1949 - May 4, 1970)

These names probably don't mean much to you - but they were the four students at Kent State University who were killed on May 4, 1970, killed by their own government, shot down by the Ohio National Guard while they sought to express their opposition to war.

This photo of Mary Ann Vecchio, kneeling over the lifeless body of Jeffrey Miller, is an iconic reminder of the importance of free expression and the ugliness of coercive attempts to deny that expression.

How tragic, then, that our Universities and their student unions are no longer the defenders of that need for free thought - but have become an arm of oppression, have become their own fascist movement. Their actions are truly an insult to those who lost their lives at Kent State.

You may recall in November that the University of Calgary administration refused to allow a pro-life demonstration on campus, stating that "the Charter of Rights doesn't apply here". Well, today we read here that the so-called advocate of student freedom, the University of Calgary Student Union(administration boot-lickers that they are) has now revoked the club status of the Campus Pro-Life Club.

Just to make my own position clear - I am pro-choice. I believe what a woman decides to do with her body is her business, and certainly until the end of the second trimester, a fetus is, well, a fetus. Not a person, not an "unborn person" - a fetus. Personally, I find pro-life demonstrations offensive - but I will support their absolute right to continue to offend me until I die.

I cannot tolerate a society which refuses to allow free speech, and for Canadian Universities, who are supposed to be the incubator of free thought, to impose their own arbitrary standards on what speech is acceptable and what isn't - is a very, very sad development indeed.

The University culture in Canada has become fascist. There is no other apt description of what is going on.

Fascism is a form of government that forbids and suppresses all criticism and opposition to the government and the fascist movement. Fascist movements oppose any ideology or political system that gives direct political power to people as individuals rather than as a collective through the state.

This is the University of Calgary. This is the University of Calgary Student's Union. They are bodies who have decided what is "best" for the world, and they refuse to allow any expression of thought which gives the individual a right to express themselves in a manner that "they" consider inappropriate in the interests of the "collective".

Well.. I've said it before and today, I urge all Canadians - and in fact, all Albertans to boycott the University of Calgary. Refuse further alumni donations.. and, as a member of the PC Party in Alberta, and as a constituency President, while my voice is small, it will be articulated to those ears in government that I can bend, to look to other institutions in Alberta as more appropriate where discretionary funding of post-secondary programs is available. From those who lost their lives serving our Country to preserve freedom, to those students at Kent State University who also lost their lives in the fight for free expression - they all deserve better than the U of C and their Student Union lackeys. Shame on them, and for those who refuse to stand against them - shame on you.

The Knockaround Guys

Harper:

One thousand.

Ignatieff:

One thousand what, Harper?

Harper:

One thousand days...

That's the number I figured
when I got elected..

One thousand days in commons,
and you can consider yourseIf
a legitimate tough guy.

You need 'em for experience,
to deveop leather skin.

So I got started.
Of course, along the way...you stop thinkin'
about being tough and all that.

It stops bein' the point.

Get past the silliness
all.

But then...after.. you realize that's what you are.

I'll tell you, you learn a lotta things on the way to one thousand

"Conservative"?!? Stimulus promises are just a pleasant lie..

Well, if there was any doubt that we now have a formal coalition of the Conservatives and the Liberals.. guess you could call it a "Coniberal" government, those were erased with Flaherty's announcement that the government was prepared to spend more "stimulus" money to answer higher unemployment figures..

Canadians - if you're managing to keep your businesses profitable.. be ready for having to saddle that business with higher taxes and a rapidly increasing debt that will, ultimately, slow down recovery from the current recession. Does anyone seriously believe that the Canadian government can effect a positive result in the global recession?

Even domestically, stimulus packages are doomed to fail - as explained in Reason Online..

1. Stimulus packages frequently misdirect national resources

Stimulus spending draws economic activity to short-term projects (such as expanding a road or fixing a school roof) but as a result pulls resources away from investment in sustainable economic projects (based on what the market demands).

2. Stimulus packages don't increase aggregate consumption

In order to inject money into the economy, the government has to take money out of the economy. Whether by increasing taxes, national debt, or printing the money (growing inflation), the government has to damage long-term wealth in order to provide short-term economic activity.

3. Stimulus packages don't create sustainable jobs

Infrastructure projects create jobs because they require workers. You need construction workers to build a road, but once the project is complete, the jobs go away. The worker, while likely grateful for the short-term job, is still not sure if, or when, the next job will come. As a result, they will still likely limit their spending, thus reducing consumption and overall economic growth.


4. Stimulus packages increase national debt or cause rapid inflation

In order to pay for any stimulus—whether building roads or building schools—the government has to pass the cost on to future generations. In the U.S., the national debt more than doubled under New Deal spending during the Great Depression. While there may be some short-term economic activity, the weight of the national debt will limit economic growth in the future.

As Anthony Randazzo writes - "The nation needs fiscal responsibility from its government more than it needs a stimulus."

Sometimes, the government should tell us the tough truth, rather than the pleasant lie.

Time to Stand Up for Those Who Do the Right Thing..

Open the paper today.

Danny Williams wants more money - he isn't happy Newfoundland is only getting $1.5 billion when they are the second most affluent Province in Canada.

Quebec is upset - while they have a sweet deal and rake in, year after year, billions of dollars in transfer funds, they don't have to report hydroelectric income, continue to undercharge for their utilities, create archaic language laws that further diminish their potential economic success - and then, like Newfoundland, stand there with their handout and complain bitterly about those who put money in that hand.

While thousands of business suffer greatly, particularly small business - the government is going to single out a few businesses, most notably the auto industry, for special treatment, by giving them $4 billion to "reward" them and their workers for their failure to adapt to a changing world.

If the Liberals have their way - they are going to institute a "national daycare program", paying for every child in Canada to attend an "approved" daycare, assuring that no Canadian parent will have to actually raise their own child - regardless of their income.

In Vancouver, they've been giving away free heroin to addicts, and the BC Supreme Court has ruled that it's ok for those same addicts to plant tents in City parks for a place to live.

Our own, so-called "Conservative" government, is going to spend over $30 billion to "stimulate" the economy, throwing money around like a drunken sailor, mostly to just save their own jobs without any real evidence that such a move will have any lasting affect on economic growth.

What does all of this suggest? That our Government has become completely preoccupied with addressing the demands of those who least deserve it, at the ultimate expense of the massive majority of Canadians who work each day to get out of bed, to drive through the snow in winter, and put their 8 hours or more in to do their job.

I return to the credo of this blog, and can't state it better than Hunter Thompson,

..consider the paradox of a nation that has given so much to those who preach the glories of rugged individualism from the security of countless corporate sinecures, and so little to that diminishing band of yesterday's refugees who still practice it, day by day, in a tough, rootless and sometimes witless style that most of us have long since been weaned away from.

When will we understand that Government is not the solution - it is the problem. That Conservatives need to stop finding new and better ways of advancing the agenda of greedy and dishonest corporate agendas, and Liberals need to stop doing the same with greedy and dishonest individuals. New and better corporate and individual welfare programs are the problem - not the solution.

If we take away the need to be accountable, if we take away the sometimes tragic results of stupid and irresponsible behaviours, we simply are further encouraging more stupid and irresponsible behavior.

Will jobs be lost if the auto plants close? Yup. Will that significantly harm the broader society - probably - but if we prop up weak dinosaurs like GMC and Quebec we'll just perpetuate the species..

Time to start looking out for yesterday's refugees.. problem is, they are to busy eking out a living "day by day, in a tough, rootless and sometimes witless style that most of us have long since been weaned away from" to spend time forming slick lobby groups to get the attention of government and the mainstream media.

Indeed.

Quebec, "Hey Alberta, can you spare a dime?"

You know, over and over we hear other Canadians complain about the massive equalization payments to Quebec, but usually, without any real information to support those complaints - just a vague notion that we pay these huge amounts to help equalize the standard of living in Canada, yet receive the ongoing complaints of separatists that we fail to treat Quebec properly.

So - I thought, let me look into this a little closer..

Equalization payments are a scheme now included in our Constitution (the one Quebec hates) basically saying that we have a collective obligation “committed to the principle of making equalization payments to ensure that provincial governments have sufficient revenues to provide reasonably comparable levels of public services at reasonably comparable levels of taxation”

Ok - fine, we're a big family and family helps out family - no problem.

Here's the rub, however.

Firstly, 50% of non-renewable resource revenues are included in determining "fiscal capacity" (except in Newfoundland, where they are 100% exempt, where Danny Williams wines long and hard about how hard done by they are). Net result, BC and Alberta in particular, and now Saskatchewan have to use their non-renewable resource revenue to determine their "fiscal capacity" - no big deal I say, coming from Alberta, we aren't asking for any hand-outs.

Problem is, Quebec's hydro industry, a "sustainable" resource, theoretically there forever, is totally exempt. Yup - not a dime of their hydro revenue is brought in to consideration. And it's a big number, my friends, in the last three quarters of 2008, it amounted to $2.622 billion (yes, billion, as in a thousand million).

So - while Quebec pleads poverty, they collect, under the table, over $2.6 billion that doesn't factor into their fiscal capacity - we just pretend they don't get it. Nice.

But wait - it's even worse. You see, while Alberta struggles to expand and diversify it's economy (if you recall, we don't have the St. Lawrence Seaway and, oh about 50% of the population of the U.S. within throwing distance).. well, we have to compete with Quebec's intentional misuse of it's hydro capacity to lure business away from Alberta.

You see, Quebec charge approximately 1/2 of what Alberta has to charge for electricity, and they overtly market this fact when seeking to entice business to their Province. In a report in today's Globe and Mail, referencing a current study commissioned by the Montreal Economic Institute, it was stated that

Big industrial energy users in Quebec, such as aluminum smelters and paper mills, pay on average only half as much as factories operating in Ontario and a quarter of the amount that is charged in Boston or New York.

Critics say the pricing strategy encourages overconsumption - and hence, overbuilding - in Quebec and deprives the utility of billions in potential revenues.

Yes - think about that. Alberta gives money hand over fist to Quebec, so they can afford to undercut electricity costs, making it more difficult for Alberta to compete - already at a significant geographical disadvantage. Keep in mind as well that Quebec's hydro capacity isn't going anywhere, and if anything, is going to increase with the pressure to reduce CO2 - while Alberta is getting ready to get hammered with C02 reduction policies, and, beyond that, greatly relies on a depleting petroleum-based revenue stream - which Alberta has to account for in determining fiscal capacity.

Oh - and just wonder how much more productive the Quebec economy could be if they scrapped their openly and admitted laws prohibiting free expression - but hey, why be productive when you can just sit on the corner with your hand out, saying "Hey Alberta, can you spare a dime?"

Sorry, just can't resist..

I know I referenced "he who shall remain unnamed on this blog" on my site yesterday, and I'm just compelled to, unfortunately, reference him again.. No point in me trying to better Ezra, so just read about his most recent arrogance here.

Danny Boy, the flowers are dying..

In reviewing the current news, including papers in Newfoundland, it would appear that Danny Williams act has grown thin. In 2007, PM Harper set up a revision to the equalization formula, which under it's terms, provided a revised manner of calculating the interaction between resource revenues and Federal transfer payments.

At the time, true to form, Williams cried and moaned about the new deal, even though Harper allowed Newfoundland the option to retain the old scheme under the Liberals from 2005. Notwithstanding, like a baying hound, Williams continued with his one-trick pony, taking out newspaper ads suggesting that Harper broke promises made in the 2006 election. This is the same clown who took down Canadian flags in his Province when Martin sought to introduce changes to the Atlantic accord at that time. Under the accord, Newfoundland basically gets to pretend that they don't receive resource revenue.. and receive equalization payments based upon that illusion. Pretty sweet deal, actually.

Currently - Newfoundland is the second most affluent province in Canada on a per capita basis - and still be will receiving an equalization payment of 1.5 billion over the next three years.

Yes - read that again. Newfoundland is the second most affluent Province in Canada on a per capita basis, and they will still receive an equalization payment of $1.5 billion over the next three years.

Was the original formula richer? Yup - they would have received $2.5 billion - well, I say, tough. Canada is in a massive recession, we are running up a huge deficit to stimulate the economy (stupid an idea as that is) and tough times call for tough measures - so, sorry Danny, we're only going to give you $1.5 billion, you'll have to just make do.

Now - were the situation different, perhaps Harper wouldn't have chosen to make this change, but, well, the "anybody but Harper campaign" probably made that decision easier.. you like apples Danny? Well, how about them apples..

Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side
The summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying

..

Like your legacy Danny boy..

Why Didn't Iggy Contribute to the Liberals Last Year?

Giving credit to Alberta Aardvark, who in turn, in fairness, received a post pointing him to 1 Anxious Liberal, it appears that while the Liberal party was under massive financial strain during last year's election, their new leader, Michael Ignatieff, contributed the grand total of, well, nothing to his party.

Curious.

Could be he wanted Dion to fail.

Could be he preferred to put the money in his own pocket for his personal leadership bid.

Who knows - curious the MSM hasn't chosen to ask the questions though, don't you think? Perhaps someone might pose the question to his war room strategist, "he who shall remain unnamed on this blog"..

BC Labour Relations Board tells Teachers they have to do their job..

You may recall my blog last week about the BC Courts suggesting that telling vagrants they can't camp in city parks and playgrounds is "unconstitutional", continuing down the road of encouraging socially irresponsible life choices.

Fortunately, a BC tribunal recently made a positive step to encouraging success, when the BC Labour Relations Board yesterday ruled that BC teachers could no longer refuse to utilize achievement tests, as reported today in the Globe.

It seems BC Teachers, the hand that rocks the cradle of the minds of youth throughout the Province, were hell-bent on removing efforts to help youth succeed, and to, in their own little way, contribute to the rising homeless epidemic by refusing to implement achievement testing for children in Grades 4 and 7. As reported, "The B.C. Teachers Federation has campaigned to get rid of the test for years, asserting it makes students anxious and discouraged about learning."

Well.. I guess the question is, "how do you know they are learning anything if they aren't tested?" Beyond that, well, do we do a service to children if we don't teach them about the real world, where "testing" happens every single day.

I can tell you, in my business, we review our employees abilities daily, and many of them come up with failing grades.. the result being dismissal. Good thing for them that they didn't have "anxiety" when they were in school.. to bad they don't have a job to feed their family.

Do we really think that the BCTF was doing this for the children? No - the reality is that testing children, in a very direct way, also tests the skills of the teachers.. and I'm sure those results may well have made THEM "anxious and discouraged". Tough. Do your job.

Indeed.