Are the Liberals cowards?

Of course, the Liberals wait until now, when there's no chance of an election being forced, to bring about their "Green Shaft" plan. Why, I wonder, didn't they do it when there was a possibilty of facing the people at the ballot box?

This little video is just a reminder that when the heat is on, their backbone seems to melt away. Thought it was appropriate to remind everyone of what the Liberals have been up to until just recently... when there WAS the possibility of an election.

Even Liberals oppose the "Green Shaft"

How's this for a Liberal of Liberals? Former interim Liberal Leader Bill Graham asked one simple question the other day, which exposes the main problem with Dion's new carbon tax plan... "What does revenue-neutral mean? It sounds nice when you say it, but it will create winners and losers. Who's going to win, who's going to lose and who's going to pay?"

Will you be a winner? Or will you be a loser? One thing that I read yesterday, that no one seems to be making any hay about, is the fact that costs to produce electricity here in Ontario stand to increase by up to 20%... 20%!!!

So who will that impact the most? The poor, who typically are forced to live in older rental units, which are often than not heated with electric baseboard heating. Or who have older non-energy efficient appliances, and who don't have the money to upgrade them. It's the poor who will likely end up paying through the nose with this plan. Sure, Mr. Dion says they'll be given breaks at tax time, but how's that supposed to help them pay the bills through the rest of the year?

Clearly, this was not a well thought out plan. Sure, it tickles the ears of the young and well off "MTV" crowd, (in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver) who say that we need to adopt this plan to "protect the planet"... when they stand to lose the least from this awful "Green Shaft".

But what about everyone else, people like you and me? Mr. Dion says that there will be incentives for rural Canadians, so they won't feel as much pain as the rest of us. But who's going to feel the pinch? I'll tell you who... homeowners in the 519 and the 905, and the southern reigions of the 705, for a start. People who are trying to keep up with their mortgages, who have two cars so they can both get to work, who married later in life so they only have one or two children (and thus fewer tax breaks), and loads of student debt they're still trying to pay off. Suburbia will be the ones to feel the pain, because it's almost every facet of their lifestyle that this plan is targeting.

But you know what? That's just fine by me... a few more seats for us in the 905 will ensure that this plan doesn't ever see the light of day in the House.

Liberal "Green Shift" SNAFU Update

Not a good day in Liberal land... because here come the lawyers. Toronto firm Green Shift, who have used that name for nearly 10 years, has sent an official "cease and desist" letter to the Liberal Party of Canada, asking them to stop using the name "Green Shift" for their new Carbon Tax plan.

Toronto firm taking legal action to stop Liberal use of Green Shift
Last Updated: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 | 5:14 AM ET
The Canadian Press

An environmental consulting and supply company in Toronto is firing off a legal "cease and desist" order to stop the Liberal party from using the firm's trademark name — Green Shift — for its new carbon-tax plan.

In what could become an embarrassing confrontation for Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion, the owner of Green Shift says she is taking the legal step after earlier attempts failed to get the Liberals to drop the name from their environmental plan.

Environmental consultant Jennifer Wright, who has owned Green Shift since 1999 and registered the company name in 2001, said Monday she and a handful of other dedicated environmentalists who work with the firm can't afford to have its identity associated with any political party.

But efforts that began last week, when Dion unveiled the Liberal party's so-called Green Shift, have yielded no results. Wright said legal action may be the only recourse.

"We're just trying to ask them politely to do the right thing," she said in an interview. "We have asked them to stop using the name and we've asked them for a full public apology."

Since it looks like they're going to need one, and since I'm a nice guy, I thought I'd open the floor for suggestions for a new name for their Carbon Tax plan. Here are a couple of options I've come up with:

"Shifty Green Tax"
"Dion's Carbon Tax on Everything"
"The Green SHAFT"

Feel free to leave your own suggestions...

The Liberal "Green Shift" SNAFU...

(and for those wondering, I prefer to use the term "Fouled Up" in that little acronym...)

Loads of other bloggers have jumped on this one already, where it looks like the Federal Liberals may be in some trouble for trademark and/or copyright infringement for their use of the title "Green Shift" for their new carbon tax platform... because it's the name of an already well established Canadian company.

Just thought I'd add my two cents on the matter, and point out one more detail... the simple fact that the Liberal Party of Canada MUST have known that they were about to massively infringe on this company's name.  Just think about it for a second... why on earth wouldn't the Liberal Party, in announcing this massive new carbon tax plan, have registered the domain name, www.greenshift.ca?

I mean, come on guys... there's NO WAY that they didn't know they'd be stepping on these guys toes by using that as their plan's title.  There's NO WAY they didn't at least go and check to see if the domain name was available... when launching a new initiative, who DOESN'T check the domain availability?

Therefore... it stands to reason that the Liberal Party of Canada knew full well that they were shamelessly ripping the name "Green Shift" from this small Canadian company... and as such, they deserve to get their butts sued for it.

(that, and the fact that guys like me are looking forward to sitting back and enjoying the show...)

UPDATE: Looks like the first shot has been fired across the bow... from the CBC: "Toronto firm taking legal action to stop Liberal use of Green Shift"

Cito Gaston is BACK!!!

WOO HOO, FORMER JAYS MANAGER CITO GASTON IS BACK!!! Ever since he left the manager's spot, I stopped watching the Jays. Now that they've got him back, is this a signal that they want to get serious about rebuilding the team, and rebuilding a contender?

Guelph Liberal Frank against Dion's "Green Shift"?

Ouch, this doesn't look good, not even a day after Dion's splashy announcement... looks like Dion's Guelph Liberal candidate Frank Valeriote's got some splainin' to do... does he support, or oppose, this "bold vision" from his "leader"?

Liberal candidate Frank Valeriote against carbon tax and the funding of green industries

Now that Liberal Party leader Stephane Dion has unveiled his carbon tax, it might be interesting to gauge reaction from his own people.

If Guelph Liberal Party candidate Frank Valeriote remains consistent with his previously stated positions, he won't like it.

The Liberal candidate for Guelph, Frank Valeriote, is on the record as opposing many elements of Stephane Dion's carbon tax plan.

Of course, that was before Stephane Dion decided that he himself was for a carbon tax after he was against a carbon tax. Perhaps Frank Valeriote will find himself making a sudden conversion (at least until Stephane Dion changes his mind again).

But until that happens, what we do have is a Liberal candidate who thinks a carbon tax is a mistake.

h/t to Janke

Dion's Tax Shift - Ripped from Britian?

This is interesting... tried to find the rumoured new Liberal ads on their "Green Shift". But you search for "Liberal Green Shift" on YouTube, and what do you find?

A promo video from Britian's Liberal Democrats... with some eerily familiar sounding tidbits.


"The plan calls for a huge shift in the burden of taxation from work to pollution". No, that's not Mr. Dion... that's Newcastle Liberal Democrat Councillor Wendy Taylor, from over two years ago.

Of course, the Bible says "There is nothing new under the sun", and most "new" ideas are indeed just a repeat of old ideas from somewhere else. But to hear Mr. Dion touting this as a "bold new plan for Canada", when it really just looks like a rehash of an idea from Britian, takes a little bit away from the shine of today's announcement, don't you think?

(WARNING: Only intelligent comments will be published on this post...)

UPDATE: If you think about it, they really can't call this "The Green Shift", they should be calling it "The Green Shift II".

Why GS-2? Beacause they already had "The Green Shift"... when they "shifted" a Green Party candidate in place of the Liberal Party candidate in Central-Nova!

Dion's Carbon Tax WILL impact gasoline

Even a cursory glance at the numbers shows that the Liberals are indeed being a little "shifty" with their "tax shift". When they said that their plan would not impact the price at the pump, I think they knowingly told Canadians a bold-faced lie.

Where? Right in their own plan, on Page 29, in their own numbers:

ITEM - - UNIT - - Year 1 - Year 4
Diesel - - ¢/Litre - - 0.0 - - 7.0

Do you see what I see? Yep, you got it, a 7.0 cent per litre tax on diesel by Year 4 of the plan.

But you say, "Diesel is not gas!" Very true, but here's a very simple question for you... How do you think that your gasoline gets to the pump?

That's right, the 7.0 cent/litre carbon tax on diesel means that it's going to cost more to get the gas to your local gas station. And when the costs for the provider go up, who do you think will be forced to pay for that additional cost?

That's right... YOU WILL. And how will they pass on that higher cost? AT THE PUMPS.

So here's the question... did the Liberals deliberately try to hide that fact from Canadians, or did they simply not think this plan all the way through?

Let's face it... if I can clue into that shifty little "tax shift" this quickly, then either they trying to lie to you, or they're not smart enough to be running this country.

Liberals attacking Mom and Dad, yet again

Bet you the Liberal Red Chamber wanted to keep this one quiet... the Liberal Party of Canada is once again attacking parents, by quietly passing a bill to ban spanking. According to the CBC report, Dion is expected to support the legislation when it reaches the House of Commons. (h/t to Warren)

Once again, the Liberal Party of Canada says that parents simply can't be trusted. We already have appropriate child abuse laws in this country, that effectively deal with those parents who go beyond what is reasonable when punishing their children. From the CBC:

"Routine discipline and using spanking as premeditated punishment wouldn't be allowed.

"No corporal punishment would be allowed, either by an educator, the mother, the father or someone acting for them," Hervieux-Payette said."

Spanking, when done in an appropriate fashon, is NOT child abuse. It can be a very effective tool in the proper raising of a child, when done correctly and in a spirit of love for your child. I too was spanked when I was a kid, but only when I deserved it... and my parents NEVER ONCE left a mark. All through those years, never ONCE, not even for a moment, did I even consider that my parents didn't love me when they did so.

I will say this though, regarding spanking... when things get out of hand, then I fully agree that charges ought to be laid against the parents. However, our child abuse laws already cover those instances quite effectively, in my opinion.

One thing I'll say though... this will be yet another Liberal gift to motivate conservatives to vote, to make sure the Statist and interventionist Liberals don't return to 24 Sussex anytime soon.

Dion's "Tax Shift" - A hole big enough...

...to drive a Prius through.

Garth shared some thoughts this morning on Dion's soon to be announced "Tax Trick"... but if you stop and think about it for even a second, it contains a fatal flaw.

"But as the Lib leader will confirm soon, the Green Shift is exactly as we suggested. A total of $15.5 billion in personal, family and business taxation will be wiped out, replaced with an equal amount of tax on the emitters of pollution. The new price on carbon will make fossil fuels (but not gasoline) more expensive, and raise other consumer prices a modest amount over four years. This is for the goal of cleaning up our environment and finally addressing climate change."

Here's the question... [drumroll please...]

What happens when emitters start reducing their emissions? Amm, the amount of taxation that Ottawa takes in will begin to drop. Of course, then the carbon taxes will go up, which will make things more expensive for businesses, which will drive further reductions, which will further decrease revenues.

Eventually, they're going to reach a critical mass, where they can't increase the carbon tax any further, but will be faced with dropping revenues. So the question is, what do they do then? Well, the only means they'll have will be to re-increase personal income taxes.

Now that will be an interesting little tax trick...

Dion doesn't even trust his own MP's

I mean why would he, when he can hear all those knives being sharpened?

Mr. Dion has moved the Liberal's weekly caucus meeting to tomorrow. Why? Because he's afraid his own people will leak the plan in advance of his announcement tomorrow.

"Yesterday, Liberal caucus members were told that their weekly Wednesday caucus meeting had been rescheduled to tomorrow. The source said the change was made to prevent leaks to the media before Mr. Dion announces his plan."

Now there's Party unity for you... boy am I glad they're not running the country.

What's your vision of Canada?

Lots of people seem to get offended when I post anything remotely negative of anyone or anything, (I for one don't think warning others when I perceive danger is "unChristian", but I digress) so I figured I'd change tack today.

So what's your vision for Canada?

I mean big picture, whole package, no pot-shots at other people or parties here today. What do you look for in a leader?

For me, there's many things I look for. When I'm looking at the parties and their platforms, I want someone who makes logical sense, someone who's going to foster an environment where jobs can be created, where fewer people need to rely on our social safety net. As for our social safety net, I want increased benefits for those who really need it, but not for the thieves who chose to steal from the real poor by working the system.

I'm looking for someone who will deal with people who think crime is a legitimate way of life, and who foster an environment where fewer people have to even think of turning to crime to survive.

I'm looking for someone who will protect the freedoms we have, especially the freedom of religion. I'm looking for someone who will stop the government interference in matters of faith and morality, and will allow everyone to practice their faiths in freedom... no matter how much I may disagree with them.

I want someone who recognizes that "Statism" and that simply throwing more money at problems is not always the solution to our problems... while recognizing that in certain circumstances, more money may indeed be required in a solution. In many cases, getting value for our money may actually lead to real answers to real problems.

I'd like to have an environment in our country where a party and its leader have the freedom to speak their mind, and not have to watch their every word and move for fear that the media or the Opposition will mercilessly attack them for being completely honest.

I'm looking for a leader that will help me, and as many of my fellow Canadians as possible, to get ahead for once, instead of burdening us with more red tape, taxes, and useless programs.

What about you? What are you looking for? Is there anything here that I've listed that you disagree with? If so, why? Is there anything here you actually agree with, but disagree with how it's presently handled?

In the USA, they're talking a lot about "Hope"... though I happen to think that the one with whom they associate "Hope" is going to let them down in a big way. I also happen to think that we have good reason to have real "Hope" here in Canada, with the man who's presently running our great country... Mr. Stephen Harper.

While he's no charismatic iconic figure, I think he's a brilliant guy, who could actually solve a lot of our problems if he had the ability to act, instead of having to worry about how the Opposition is going to seek to eat him alive today. (not that I'm saying he needs a majority, I think he just needs an honest and genuine Opposition that judges proposed legislation on its merits, instead of trying to score partisan political points and wrest the reigns of power with their every waking breath)

I know a lot of my readers hate him... my question is, why? Certainly he's not perfect... I don't expect that from my leaders, just their best effort. But why is it that many people, mostly on the left, so viciously hate a man that most of them have never even met? It's a concept I simply don't understand. While I may dislike the way someone deals with an issue, I most certianly don't desire any ill to befall them, unlike so many people who seem to run blogs these days.

Of course, my personal preference is for a theocracy, with the Lord Jesus Christ running the show for 1000 years from Jerusalem... but I'll have to wait on His timetable for that one.

In the meantime, that's my two cents for the day. Looking forward to some postive response.

The Left and their Iconic Leaders

Interesting, how the Obama posters look so much like others we've seen throughout history...


At least the Obama supporters in Houston are honest, they don't even try to hide it...

h/t to Right Hand Man

UPDATE: Just to clarify for some folks who think I'm attacking Mr. Obama here... this post is refering to Obama's SUPPORTERS, not Mr. Obama himself. I could go on about Mr. Obama, but that's not the thrust of this post... it's an examination of the throngs of the "Obama Nation", and how they're idolizing their presumptive nominee in a similar fashion to how the left has always iconized their leaders.

CPC interns and NDP MP's decend on Guelph

Looks like there's going to be a lot of activity over in Guelph this weekend... yesterday, the NDP announced that five MP's will be heading to Guelph for their official campaign launch. (one commenter joked "looks like their entire caucus" was showing up... LOL)

And today, the Conservatives just confirmed that a busload of interns, decked out in the now famous yellow t-shirts, will be working the town for their candidate, Gloria Kovach.

I'll ask again, is this a pre-cursor of things soon to come?

Guelph by-election imminent?

Put all these significant events together, and it could be the signal that the writ is about to be dropped in Guelph (and the other three vacant ridings)...

1) The NDP (not that they'd have the inside scoop, unless of course they've been tipped off?) will be sending five MP's to Guelph this evening for the Grand Opening of the Guelph NDP candidate Tom King's campaign office... MPs David Christopherson, Chris Charlton, Irene Mathyssen, Peggy Nash, and Paul Dewar. Here's my thoughts... with the newer rules on Election spending since the last election, why would you begin to incur writ period reportable expenses unless you're confident the writ is about to be dropped? (you now apparently have to claim your campaign office set-up expenses from the time you "open" your office... so the NDP are basically "punching the clock" on their campaign expenses as of this weekend)

2) The Conservatives in Guelph will be holding a fundraising BBQ for their candidate, Gloria Kovach, with another load of MP's, Senators, and Cabinet Ministers... John Baird (Environment), Diane Finley (Citizenship and Immigration), The Hon. Consiglio Di Nino (Senator for Ontario), Michael Chong, Gary Goodyear, Bev Shipley, Dave Van Kesteren, and Jeff Watson.

One thing to note though is the wording of their invite... "Meet special guests, including Ministers, Senators, MPs, and a few surprises". Just what does "surprises" entail? I've heard one thought on that one from a friend of mine... perhaps an "important person", who's maybe just arrived from a visit to the GG? (just total speculation folks, haven't heard anything concrete on that one... anyone know the PM's announced schedule for this weekend?)

3) This one may be the kicker though... I hear that there may be some yellow shirted interns showing up in Guelph this weekend to work the riding...

Stay tuned! Fortunately, I've got sources in all three of the major campaigns in Guelph, so I'm hearing bits and pieces of what's going on. Will fill you in as my sources confirmed or deny the info here.

UPDATE: The rumour is confirmed, some 40 (!!!) interns will be showing up in Guelph this weekend.

Jack and the NDP won't be tricked

LOL! You gotta love this pic from Stephen Taylor...


"Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack won’t fall for Dion’s tax trick!"
Only thing better would be to get an NDPer holding, or even WEARING, one of those shirts!!!

Obama: "I won't be ready for 2008"

Ouch... I hadn't seen this one before... and from his own mouth no less.



h/t to Barrel Strength's Arran Gold, via Gateway Pundit

Harper: "We are sorry"

It's about time... yet another reason that I'm glad Mr. Harper is our Prime Minister.

Native leaders praise apology
'We are sorry,' PM says in five languages

Juliet O'Neill And Tobin Dalrymple, Canwest News Service
Published: Thursday, June 12, 2008
Chris Wattie/Reuters

OTTAWA -- Aboriginal leaders hailed the Prime Minister's apology for the residential school system yesterday as a turning point in the history of relations between natives and other Canadians.

Making parliamentary history by speaking on the floor of the House of Commons, representatives of First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples welcomed the apology, in which Stephen Harper recounted the legacy of the century-long assimilation policy that took 150,000 aboriginal children from their parents and forced them to live in schools where their language and culture were banned and where many were abused physically and sexually.

"The government of Canada sincerely apologizes and asks the forgiveness of the aboriginal peoples of this country for failing them so profoundly," Mr. Harper said. He used five languages -- Ojibwa, Cree, Inuktutuk, French and English-- to tell the estimated 87,000 living survivors of the school system and their families and communities that "we are sorry."

Assembly of First Nations Chief Phil Fontaine, who personally suffered abuse at a residential school and was one of the first to go public about it years ago, said the apology marked "a new dawn" in race relations. "I reach out to all Canadians today in a spirit of reconciliation," he declared, provoking thunderous applause and pounding drums.

Inuit leader Mary Simon also said she believed "a new day has dawned" and, like Metis leader Clement Chartier, told the survivors, MPs and others in the packed galleries of the Commons that she considered the apology a sincere one, not just theatrics.

Some politics were injected into the events when Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe and NDP leader Jack Layton said the apology should be followed by Canada's endorsement of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. The Harper government is one of only four that have refused to sign the treaty that the previous Liberal government said it was prepared to support.

One man who immediately accepted Mr. Harper's apology was Willie Blackwater, a 53-year-old who wept through much of the 10-minute speech.

"If I am able to forgive my perpetrator, I can forgive Canada," Mr. Blackwater said after the apology, which he called sincere and very moving.

It's been more than a decade since Mr. Blackwater forgave the teacher who, for three years, regularly beat and raped him, starting when he was 10 years old, at a residential school in Port Alberni, B. C.

Mr. Blackwater was the lead plaintiff in two court cases that helped put the teacher, Arthur Plint, in prison for eight years for assaulting 31 boys and led to the Supreme Court ruling that the federal government was directly responsible for abuses at the church-run schools. A number of such court cases eventually led to a $2-billion residential school settlement, providing cash compensation to victims and a truth and reconciliation commission to record the history.

Hundreds of people watched the apology in an overflow room on Parliament Hill and on a giant television screen outdoors under the Peace Tower.

"I was greatly relieved to witness the government coming forward after many years. It's a very historical moment and I hope it's the start of a new relationship, " said Peter Garrow, director of education for the Assembly of First Nations. "It's a long time coming."

Percy Casper, 60, of the Shuswap Nation in Kamloops, B. C., said the apology was overdue.

"I'm of the third generation [of survivors] and I'm 60 years young. I only wish that my parents were around to hear this apology," Mr. Casper said. "And I only hope and pray that this man is not speaking with a forked tongue and we can work together in the future with humanity."

"An apology is a very high-level political recognition," Shawn Atleo, B. C. Assembly of First Nations regional chief, said in an interview. "We're grabbing onto some hope that it will be a moment that will lead to a better tomorrow, that the general populace is finally going to be made aware of those severely disruptive policies over generations."

Mr. Atleo said he was thankful his grandmother and father were in Ottawa "to bear witness personally."

"This is the permanent record," he said. "This is what will be told 100 years from now."

When the speeches were finished, Mr. Harper and Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl took part in a smudging ceremony alongside some elders. As a smouldering dish was brought before the Prime Minister, and an elder swished the smoke toward him with a feather, Mr. Harper fanned the smoke over his head, his face and his chest, as if washing with water, and finally rested his hand on his heart.

Copyright © 2007 CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest MediaWorks Publications, Inc.. All rights reserved.

Something tells me...

...that the Chamber of "Sober Second Thought" oughta take some time to give this one yet a further rethink. (a Sober Third Thought, if you will)

h/t to Warren.

"Dion's tax on Everything" ads spotted in "the wild"

David Akin is reporting on his blog that the first of the Dion Carbon tax ads was broadcast in the Guelph/KW area this morning on Magic 106.1. (on of my co-workers can can manage to pick it up here at work, so I'll ask her if she heard it) He speculates that it could even be a pre-cursor to calling the by-election.

In other news, in speaking of Guelph, I got this mass e-mail the other day... I'm buying my ticket tonight! Looks like it's gonna be a blast, perhaps even the political event in SW Ontario of the summer!

Be there and hang will all the cool kids!

Join us for a STEAK BBQ AND FUNDRAISER
Help Guelph send a Conservative M.P. to Ottawa!

Meet Gloria Kovach, candidate for Guelph

Meet special guests, including Ministers, Senators, MPs, and a few surprises, including:

The Hon. John Baird, Minister of the Environment
The Hon. Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
The Hon. Consiglio Di Nino, Senator for Ontario
The Hon Michael Chong, P.C., M.P. for Wellington-Halton Hills
Gary Goodyear, P.C., M.P. for Cambridge
Bev Shipley, P.C., M.P. for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex
Dave Van Kesteren , P.C., M.P. for Chatham-Kent-Essex
Jeff Watson, P.C., M.P. for Essex

Meet the campaign team, mix and mingle with friends, and Enjoy!

Saturday, June 21, 2008
2:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Exhibition Park, Guelph
More information
View a map

$50 per person

For tickets:
Call: 519-830-8683
E-mail: operations@gloriakovach.com
For credit card or PayPal payments, click here

"NObama"... ouch!

Hey folks, that's not a quote from me... that's from Democrats in the States.

There's a bunch of groups within the Democratic circles popping up, all with one purpose... to voice their opposition to Obama taking the Democratic nomination.

Here's just a few of the logos, t-shirts, and bumperstickers I've seen thus far...





Looks like Obama's in for a rough ride...

CTV Steals Hockey Night in Canada Theme

Notice I didn't use the words "Buys", or "Aquires", or some other neutral term for what CTV did today.  No, I specifically chose to use a negative term, "Steals"... as in "Theft".

CTV gleefully announced that they managed to swipe the "Hockey Night In Canada (On CBC)" theme from the CBC today.  While CBC never actually owned it, I think today's announcement is another ugly example of corporate greed... at the expense of Canadians, and one of our Canadian institutions.

The "Hockey Night in Canada (on CBC)" theme is a Canadian icon, and one that has been solely that of the CBC for many generations... for 40 years.  By waltzing in and swiping it from the CBC, they've in essence taken something that Canadians felt was their own, in that it was used by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation... the network owned by the taxpayers.

While I'm no fan of the leftists who run the CBC, I still recognize that it's a Canadian icon, and think that it should remain at least partially owned and funded by us, the people.  (on that note, I think that we, the people, ought to get more of a say in OUR network... not just the special interest groups who are currently running the shows)

The folks at CTV are trying to pass this off saying that they've "saved a Canadian icon", because the CBC wasn't going to pay the $3,000,000 the copyright owners wanted for the theme.  That demand in and of itself was highway robbery, and I'm glad the CBC stuck to their guns in protecting the taxpayers dollars.  And I think it's shameful that the execs at CTV took advantage of the situation, and stole a Canadian icon from us through a corporate buyout.  (ironically, the very next story on the news tonight was about the iconic golden works of art that were stolen, and recently recovered, out in BC... two theft stories, back to back...)

If the folks at CTV are serious in their claim that they've "saved a Canadian icon", then here's a challenge for you suits... grant the CBC the perpetual rights to continue to use the "Hockey Night In Canada (on CBC)" theme during hockey season.

Either that, or allow them to use it for a REASONABLE fee... because don't forget, for every dollar you charge them to use it, YOU'RE TAKING FROM THE CANADIAN PEOPLE.

I think this is a shameful little fiasco.  I say we stick it to the suits at CTV, and tell them that Canadians don't want these American style corporate buyouts of what are Canadian institutions.  Send e-mails, make phone calls, and keep pressing the issue until they respect this Canadian icon, and the Canadian people, with a reasonable arrangement.

So, on that note... before CTV starts to enforce their "rights" to this great Canadian icon...

My sis hangin with Gen. Hiller

So I get an excited text today from my little sister, pretty much in ALL CAPS... she's a military wife out in NB.

She tells me that the outgoing head of the Canadian Forces, General Rick Hillier, kissed her on the cheek just moments ago... no, seriously folks, he really did. So of course she had to tell her political big brother.

So, of course I told her I was going to blog this ASAP... what else are big brothers for? ;-)

UPDATE: Turns out there's even more to this story... so she and her husband are standing along the parade route, and she starts looking around at the folks standing around her. She noticed a solid gold bar on the cuff of the gentleman standing behind her, so she looked up at him, then glanced down to his name tag...
NATYNCZYK.

Yes, as in General Natynczyk.

So she turns around and says "Hi", and starts chatting away with him. Her husband starts to wonder to himself who on earth she could possibly know in this crowd, so half turns and glances over his shoulder.

My sister said she's never seen him snap to attention that quickly before...

Time to remind our Liberal friends...

...that you can't have it both ways.

Remember this one, boys and girls?


Remember last time? When we're the ones who had "the tape", you shot it down because it had been altered.

This time, you have "the tape"... and we've proven that it's been altered, with opinions and documents solid enough to submit in a court of law.

So, maybe we should start asking some questions of the Liberals on the Grewal tapes... How about we start with, "EXPLAIN THE TAPES"? They never did give a soild answer on what exactly their current MP, Ujjal Dosanjh, was doing there in that meeting.

So, I'll ask again... is an "altered" tape useable in the court of public opinion?

Looking forward to the chorus of Libloggers disowning the Cadman tape.

[cue the crickets]

UPDATE: Well, so much for having what I thought was an original thought... looks like Steve Taylor beat me to this one yesterday. (I've been busy, so haven't been reading much...)

The Globe misses the point

An interesting article in today's Globe & Mail, recommending that the best course of action for Mr. Harper regarding the Cadman lawsuit against the Liberals would be to simply drop it. In their view, the author thinks that Mr. Harper can get more mileage, and look better in the public's eye, by withdrawing his case, and slamming the Liberals on the issue in the House, not the courts.

However, the author misses one thing that makes the lawsuit far more important than public opinion... the bankrupting of the Liberal Party of Canada.

So far, we've managed to pressure them to give back $1.14 million dollars of the multiple millions they received from the Sponsorship Scandal. Their corporate funding has been cut off thanks to Mr. Chreiten, and their current fundrasing levels are dismal... with a couple million in leadership race debt still to be paid off.

This is just another Liberal provided opportunity for us to do what's in the best interest of the nation... riding it of the Liberal Party of Canada.

Now, I'm not saying we should get rid of Liberalism as a whole... just it's current and corrupt incarnation of it. I still think that this country would be best served by having the leftists in the Liberal Party form up with a more centre-left NDP (or newly merged entity), a solid but mid-sized and truly centrist party, and a solid centre-right party.

I personally think that would be much better for Canada... it would provide reasonable ebbs and flows in governing for all the various voices in Canada. It may even keep us in the realm of minority government for some time, but it would have the advantage of making the party in power work with the other parties to move their agenda forward. It may even lead to the rise of other smaller parties, like the Green Party, and allow them to finally get some seats, and allow for their supporters voices to finally be heard.

So you see, I'm not some partisan jerk... I just hate the Liberal Party, and how it stands in the way of real democratic progress in this nation.

My newest discovery... JUNKYARDS

My A/C died on my VW Golf, so I decided to take a look under the hood today to see if I could see anything obvious... a disconnected cable, etc.  Well, I found a completely different problem instead... a broken air breather hose.  (my engine has hesitated a couple times recently, I thought it was just time for some new plugs and a tune-up)

Anyway, went over to my local dealer for the part, figured I'd be $20 or something.  WRONG... try $66, plus tax.  And that's just for the part.

Checked a couple local after-market parts stores, best price was $50, with delivery tomorrow.  Decided to check with a local old-timer garage, who's got a solid reputation with VW's.  Anyway, he suggests an auto-wrecker just outside of town.  So, I called into work, told them I was taking the rest of the day off, and went for a drive.

Walked into your stereotypical junkyard office, with a dozen or so car radios stacked on a shelf to my left, with various and sundry parts laying all over the place.  A funny sign hung behind the desk... "Prices subject to change based on customers attitude".  Made me smile.  Anyway, they had me sign in, told me that they had a couple of my make and model, and where to find them.

Took a while, but found them... two Golf's, one with my engine, and various Jetta's.  And not only did I find my part, but it looks like the guy (or gal) had it replaced not long before they junked the car.  So, I got my hose, plus an ashtray that I lost eons ago, and the passenger seat adjuster knob that broke three years ago.  And newish rear wiper to boot.

The cost?  Ten bucks for the whole lot... plus tax.  $11.30 and a little elbow grease (and engine grease) later, and I'm all ship shape.

Think I'm heading back there soon, I saw some nice and new looking premium spark plug cables... and I forgot to swipe a new radio knob.

Clinton still hanging in there?

And still seeking to sign up supporters, it seems... go to HillaryClinton.com, and you're confronted with a splash page, asking you to show your support for her by signing up.

Interesting...

It's over... Obama's gets the nod

CNN projects that Obama has hit the magic number of 2118.

Like I said, I think she just hung in there to force the VP issue. If he doesn't give it to her, there will be an outcry.

I still say that there's no way he can afford to even think twice about it.

The Clinton Theory

Just throwing this out there... perhaps Hillary knows she can't win the nomination... and maybe she's just sticking in there to make sure Obama HAS to offer her the VP spot on the ticket?

As I've said before, Obama better not even think twice about that option...

"Another one bites the dust"

This time, it's long-serving MP, and former leader of the New Democrats, Alexa McDonough.

Retiring MP's list updated.