Iffy Liberals trying to make hay out of the truth?

While I'm not a fan of his, shall we say, unParliamentary language, I feel it's important to come to the defense of Nova Scotia MP Gerald Keddy today, after his comment about "some" unemployed folks in Halifax.

Okay, firstly, his comment from the Halifax Chronicle Herald...

OTTAWA — If anyone ever stops Nova Scotia farmers from hiring migrant labourers to harvest their crops, they would destroy a lot of businesses because unemployed Nova Scotians don’t want those jobs, says Gerald Keddy, the Conservative MP for South Shore-St. Margarets.

"Nova Scotians won’t do it — all those no-good *&#^^#*^&# ["illigitimate children"] sitting on the sidewalk in Halifax that can’t get work," Mr. Keddy said Monday.

Okay, notice how SPECIFIC he is with that comment? He's very specifically talking about the guys who are "sitting on the sidewalk in Halifax that can’t get work". But what's the issue at hand that he's commenting on? He's commenting on the issue of Mexican migrant workers... who are coming into Nova Scotia to do the jobs that the guys "sitting on the sidewalk" are REFUSING TO DO! He's talking about the truly lazy folks, who are most likely sitting there, collecting change and government benefits, while there are perfectly good jobs available for them!

I see them downtown in my area all the time... kids who don't WANT to work, but moan and complain every time someone even remotely threatens a government program that they mooch off of. These kids seriously just sit there all day long, "hanging out", leeching off the system, rather than contributing to it. They're irresponsible, argumentative, and have a "woe is me" martyr's complex. I see them usually gathered in their "spots", and you'll see them there every day without fail. They know the system, they know where to be and when to get the free stuff, and most of them have cell phones and iPods to boot. You'll see them in every Canadian city, part of Trudeau's legacy to our nation. Believe me, it's a CHOICE they've made... which is exactly what Mr. Keddy is taking them to task for!

(for the record... I am NOT talking about those who have mental issues who have fallen through the cracks. I am FULL supportive of programs for them to get them back on their feet, and they certainly need MORE, not LESS, help from all of us!)

So why is the Opposition trying to turn this into political hay? Because that's what they do... they put all their energies into scoring political points, not actually addressing the root issues, like Mr. Keddy was trying to raise with his, shall we say, unfortunately worded comments.

Thoughts? Am I way off base here? Or do you agree with me and see this as a much larger issue that needs to be addressed? We DO have issues of poverty in this country, but I don't count the folks who are choosing to "sit on the sidewalk" and refuse legitimate work as being in need of our help... I want to make sure that the people who REALLY need our help are getting it when they need it! Maybe I'm just cyinical, after all my years working in "the system", and seeing the levels of abuse that are rife within it. We need a serious overhaul, but while the Liberals are still around, willing to turn every single little offhand comment into a huge political scandal, I don't see much hope for real change... do you?

How does Trudeau really feel about all this?

Either the living one, or the dead one... take your pick.

I don't see how Justin can possibly be comfortable with this deal with the seperatists. The legacy of his father's party, the party that supposedly was the federalist option in Quebec, is now in tatters... the Liberal Party of Canada was willing, solely in their bloodlust for power, to give life to what was a dying movement in Quebec.

I wonder how many Quebec federalists have decided in the last few days to find for themselves a home in the last real federalist party our country has?

UPDATE: Welcome to all the media outlets who are checking out this post. My hope is that you'll seriously consider this question, and pose it to young Mr. Trudeau on the behalf of Canadians.

Is there hope yet for the "Trudeau" name?

If you're a regular reader, you'll know that the more I learn about PET, the more I dislike him.

But after reading today's Globe & Mail article about Justin, I must say... if he sticks to the path he taking so far, there may yet be a positive legacy for the name "Trudeau".

"What Justin Trudeau is doing is taking much the opposite route of his legendary father, who was handed a safe riding in Montreal without having to worry about knocking on doors and then handed a cabinet position shortly after arriving in Ottawa. Pierre Trudeau never had to concern himself with grassroots stuff thereafter. Justin Trudeau wants to do it his own way, from the bottom up."

A little hard work at the grassroots level, rather than an ivory tower mentality of his father, might just be a positive thing for the country, down the road.

Some people just don't get it

Our friend, Garth Turner, loves to keep stirring the pot like no one else can. In his most recent post, (which I think is supposed to stand in for a sort-of apology) has this to say under the section entitled, "Things I've Learned"...

"that a bunch of people in the West can’t get over a 28-year-old policy and a dead prime minister. What a burden to carry around"

Well, as a Central Canadian who "gets it", I thought I'd take a stab at trying to explain it to my fellow Central Canadian...

Mr. Turner, when you've been forced to watch as a particular political party economicaly exploited your province in the name of political expediency, have been too long governed by this same party that obviously cares nothing about your economic well-being, and who while in Opposition are now once again proposing to devastate your local economy in the same way they did 28-years ago, you better believe that the folks "out West" would have a very long, and unforgiving, memory.

As George Santayana said, "Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it." Well, it looks like the folks "out West" have learned all to well from history... they've learned that the Liberal Party of Canada cannot be trusted to look out for their best interests, and that the Liberal Party of Canada is more than willing to sacrifice them economically at the drop of a hat if they think they can squeeze more votes out of Ontario and or Quebec. They've learned their lesson very well... and you bet they're going to do their best to ensure that Mr. Stephane Dion NEVER becomes Prime Minister.

Because they don't want to be forced to bear the additional burden of having their lives ruined AGAIN by a yet another Liberal Prime Minister's program.

Back from Algonquin

I'll let the photos do most of the talking...
Here's a Trudeau-esque panaramic canoe shot of me paddling my canoe... Algonquin really is a beautiful place.

The campsite.

We didn't spend as much time on the water as we'd hoped, but got a bunch of shots in while out there. My wife took this great shot of me, might use it for my new MSN/Facebook pic.

My wife took this great shot "accidentally"... it wasn't what we were going for, but it turned out really cool!

Beautiful shot of my wife out on the water in our canoe.

Another cool shot my wife took. (I'm typically critical of photos of myself, so I'm glad she got some good ones)

Some experimentation with colours, really brought out the wood... another ode to Trudeau. (he came here often, so I hear) It was a Trudeau themed week, as I was reading "Trudeau and our Times, Volume II: The Heroic Delusion"... finished the whole thing too, all 400+ pages.

As I said, Algonquin is a beautiful place. Here's the view from one of the trails off Highway 60.

Had a great week. Glad to be back though, will have some posts based on this weeks thoughts over the next little while. (nothing more today, I have a funeral to attend)

Liberal Idiocy

This is some of the most idiotic, partisan garbage I've seen in a long time... and I see lots of it on a regular basis.

The Liberals have complained that Mr. Harper, in his internations dealings, has damaged Canada's reputation in the world, damaged our relations with China, etc. How's this for a partisan shot... “Mr. Harper should give precedence to principle, rather than his Reform Party ideology, in Canada’s international policy.”

Give me a break. THIS is one of the many reasons why I never again want to see the Liberal Party of Canada returned to power.

In regards to China, Mr. Harper has done what the Liberals refused to do... call China on the carpet for their human rights abuses. In regards to Columbia, their human rights issues are nowhere near as bad as China's... and they're in the middle of an armed conflict, with leftist forces trying to pull a Hugo Chaves on the nation... of COURSE there's going to be issues with militias on both sides.

As for the accusation of Mr. Harper's lack of "consistency", I'll give that one to the Liberals... he's NOT consistant with the Liberal policy of ignoring violations of leftists, while screaming and shouting bloody murder when someone on the right steps even a little bit out of line.

Hypocrites. I'm 100% behind Mr. Harper and his international dealings.

And once again, the Liberals show their utter lack of respect for anyone and anything that does not promote the Liberal brand... trying to resurect the "scary Reform/Conservative Alliance" label once again. Garbage. Total and utter garbage. Disgusting. It's things like this that make me sick of them, and make me want even more to ensure that they never again govern this great nation.

So much for Liberals being "principled".

Finally Finished

It only took me three months... I finally finished, "Trudeau and Our Times, Volume 1: The Magnificant Obsession".

The volume covers Trudeau's years in pursuit of patriating the Constitution of Canada; looking at those years themselves, and some of the formative years in his life that developed his view on Constitutional affairs. Next up, Volume Two... which covers the infamous NEP era.

Man, even from beyond the grave, Trudeau is still costing me money... even with multiple renewals, I've still managed to generate about $4.00 worth of library fines with this book. ;-)

Dion - "Sure Justin, you can join your dad's Party..."

"... but we're gonna make you work for it."

Dion OKs Justin Trudeau to run in next election
Updated Thu. Feb. 1 2007 11:08 PM ET
Robert Fife, CTV News

OTTAWA -- Stephane Dion has given his stamp of approval for Justin Trudeau to run for the Liberals in the next election, says a senior Liberal insider.

The source said Trudeau, the oldest son of Margaret Trudeau and the late former prime minister, will run in his home province of Quebec, most likely in Montreal.

"He is going to run," said the insider.

The insider said a riding has not been selected but Dion does not want him to run in a safe Liberal riding such as the Outremont riding recent vacated by Jean Lapierre.

The insider said the party wants Trudeau to run in a Montreal-area riding now held by the Bloc Quebecois.

Discussions are underway to find an appropriate riding for Trudeau.