I don't know how much attention has been paid to a daily feature in the local Ottawa newsrag. Each weekday the Citizen reports on the doings of our local MPs, those overworked and underappreciated keepers of democracy.
The main reason given by President Steve for the prorogation was to allow the government to "recalibrate", whatever to hell that means. Seems that to recalibrate means to do nothing.
But let's look a little closer at how the assembled brain trust on the government side is spending its recalibation period.
According to the Citizen today, Transport Minister "Screamer" Baird is meeting with a cabinet committee and a lobbyist and various photo-ops including a soiree to fete the newest entrant into the cell phone game. The Secretary to the PM, "Perfect PP" Poilievre has a couple of conference calls and a budget meeting with the PMO. My god, what a workload. No wonder they needed a break from the one hour per day that they play verbal dodge-ball commonly referred to as Question Period and those droning parliamentary committees who look into such mundane matters as government coverups with respect to the detainees issues.
Hypocrites, all.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Problems in the CAF
Sometimes an innocent story tells a glaring truth. And it is a truth that no one is allowed to discuss. At the risk of being labeled as one who does not support the Canadian military, which would be unadulterated crap, a recent Ottawa news rag ran a story on Captain Rob Warrington in the British Army.
In 2003, Warrington, a native of Calgary, tried to join the CAF. After long deliberation, which is common in the CAF, he was rejected. As was a common occurrence in both the World Wars, Canadians who were rejected by Canada went off to the UK to join up with the Brits. Warrington was accepted into the British Army and in a short period was commissioned to the officer corps. As an officer he applied again for acceptance in the CAF and was told that, because he did not have a university degree, he could only join at the rank of Private.
And there is the nub of the story. He was good enough to lead men in the British Army but not good enough to lead men in the Canadian Army! Why? He lacked a university degree.
During the World Wars, many Canadians were led by officers who bought their commissions and/or had buddies in the right spot to sponsor them. A degree in botany from a university does not include the knowledge that is needed to direct and protect soldiers in the field. It is a common saying in the army that officers run the army but sargents run the wars and grunts fight them. If I were on the ground in Khandahar, I would want a grizzled-old-high-school-drop-out with battle smarts to lead me rather than someone who could quote Keates at the drop of a hat.
Take note that in the Canadian Airforce the only persons who could become Generals had to be pilots. No flying? No Generalship.
Whenever you hear about an incident at the command level of the CAF, ask yourself a question. Was the officer involved the best person for the job that they were carrying out?
That is not to say that all within the officer corps of the CAF are worthless. But the 10% tarnish the 90%.
In 2003, Warrington, a native of Calgary, tried to join the CAF. After long deliberation, which is common in the CAF, he was rejected. As was a common occurrence in both the World Wars, Canadians who were rejected by Canada went off to the UK to join up with the Brits. Warrington was accepted into the British Army and in a short period was commissioned to the officer corps. As an officer he applied again for acceptance in the CAF and was told that, because he did not have a university degree, he could only join at the rank of Private.
And there is the nub of the story. He was good enough to lead men in the British Army but not good enough to lead men in the Canadian Army! Why? He lacked a university degree.
During the World Wars, many Canadians were led by officers who bought their commissions and/or had buddies in the right spot to sponsor them. A degree in botany from a university does not include the knowledge that is needed to direct and protect soldiers in the field. It is a common saying in the army that officers run the army but sargents run the wars and grunts fight them. If I were on the ground in Khandahar, I would want a grizzled-old-high-school-drop-out with battle smarts to lead me rather than someone who could quote Keates at the drop of a hat.
Take note that in the Canadian Airforce the only persons who could become Generals had to be pilots. No flying? No Generalship.
Whenever you hear about an incident at the command level of the CAF, ask yourself a question. Was the officer involved the best person for the job that they were carrying out?
That is not to say that all within the officer corps of the CAF are worthless. But the 10% tarnish the 90%.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
You have it wrong, Marilyn
Marilyn Baker writes today in the Winnipeg Free Press that the mainstream (and I have no idea how to define that) press is biased against President Steve because of their coverage of prorogation in 2009/10 is massively more than when Chretien did it in 2003.
Well, duh...
Let's compare the two events, shall we?
In 2009/10 Steve prorogued parliament for a month when the opposition demanded documentation about who knew what and when did they know it with respect to the Afghan detainee issue. Forget this spin about the upcoming budgets and such. Only brain dead Con loyalists fall for those lines.
In 2003, a retiring Chretien prorogued parliament for a month thus allowing Paul Martin to take over as PM and establish his new cabinet. Now that sounds like a correct use or prorogation.
Apples and oranges, Marilyn. Maybe a little research is in order.
But let's not lose sight of the real problem here - semantics aside. Harper floated into Ottawa with a mantra of accountability and transparency. His use of prorogation, thus stopping the work of a Commons committee, subverted accountability in the same way his refusal to turn over documents to the committee and the Commons subverted transparency.
Well, duh...
Let's compare the two events, shall we?
In 2009/10 Steve prorogued parliament for a month when the opposition demanded documentation about who knew what and when did they know it with respect to the Afghan detainee issue. Forget this spin about the upcoming budgets and such. Only brain dead Con loyalists fall for those lines.
In 2003, a retiring Chretien prorogued parliament for a month thus allowing Paul Martin to take over as PM and establish his new cabinet. Now that sounds like a correct use or prorogation.
Apples and oranges, Marilyn. Maybe a little research is in order.
But let's not lose sight of the real problem here - semantics aside. Harper floated into Ottawa with a mantra of accountability and transparency. His use of prorogation, thus stopping the work of a Commons committee, subverted accountability in the same way his refusal to turn over documents to the committee and the Commons subverted transparency.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
So NOW the Cons think that prorogue is a bad word?
Harper can prorogue Parliament in the middle of night on Christmas eve to escape Commons scrutiny and to stack the Senate and Cons think that the sun continues to shine? But let McGuinty give a weeks notice to prorogue for a whole week and the crap hits the rotating device!
And who is leading the vitriolic charge? None other than the MPP from Nepean Carleton, the often misunderstood but never missed in a crowd, L MacLeod.
By the way, has anyone even seen Lisa's federal buddy, the Perfect PP? For a guy who lives in the riding, we sure don't see him very often. I wonder if he still has place on the Market?
And who is leading the vitriolic charge? None other than the MPP from Nepean Carleton, the often misunderstood but never missed in a crowd, L MacLeod.
By the way, has anyone even seen Lisa's federal buddy, the Perfect PP? For a guy who lives in the riding, we sure don't see him very often. I wonder if he still has place on the Market?
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Palin oils up her guns
In her recent address to the Tea Party, a group of right-wing mad-hatters, Sarah Palin, the flash in the pan-handle of Alaska, said something the press seems to be ignoring but is the most important thing to remember as time moves forward to 2012 - and it is equally important to Canadians as it is to Americans.
Palin offered some political advice to President Obama. She told him that in the midst of this economic crisis and budget deficit; while engaged in two wars; and with looming deadlock in Congress and the Senate - if Obama wants to raise his popularity he should declare war on Iran.
If that doesn't qualify for the bone-head comment of the decade, I would hate to know what will.
Palin offered some political advice to President Obama. She told him that in the midst of this economic crisis and budget deficit; while engaged in two wars; and with looming deadlock in Congress and the Senate - if Obama wants to raise his popularity he should declare war on Iran.
If that doesn't qualify for the bone-head comment of the decade, I would hate to know what will.
"Steamroller" MacLeod strikes again
In case you missed it, there is going to be a by-election for the provincial seat vacated by Jim Watson. The Liberal candidate is none other than Bob Chiarelli, the former mayor and former Ottawa West MPP.
The Cons have been in a tough fight to nominate someone to come in third place and after much in fighting, gnashing of political teeth and back room maneuvering, they decided, by a whopping 3 vote margin, to serve up Beth Graham.
Graham's crowd out-finessed the crowd that was pushing Mike Patton. Patton was formerly a Larry O'Brien stalwart and presumably Larry and his minions were backing Mike. So who was the juggernaut that backed Graham?
Enter the ego that knows no bounds, Lisa MacLeod, MPP for Nepean Carleton, which is right next door to Ottawa West-Nepean. Lisa has been reading her own press and has determined that she is in line for a cabinet seat when (or if) the Cons ever regain power in Ontario. With her overblown view of herself (and one should note that her hubby, Joe Varner-MacLeod, is a very tested Con back-stabber), Lisa is pushing her weight around like it's a sale day at Baskins. But why Graham?
Well for one she ran the constituency office for MacLeod. Second, she is penis-deprived, which fits Lisa's goal of emasculating Queen's Park. Thirdly, Lisa thinks that she will be easier to control that Patton would ever have been.
But Lisa may have backed the wrong horse. Beth's resume is not as light as Lisa might think. In addition to being an EA to Federal Minister Leona A-glue-gun, she was also the president of the Leslie Park Community Association and the Nepean Federation of Community Associations. She has also chaired Nepean's environmental advisory committee, and served on committees of the Ontario Trillium Association and the Ottawa Special Olympic. While all of these are back room appointed positions, it means that Beth has more friends than Lisa.
Makes for fun television, don't it?
The Cons have been in a tough fight to nominate someone to come in third place and after much in fighting, gnashing of political teeth and back room maneuvering, they decided, by a whopping 3 vote margin, to serve up Beth Graham.
Graham's crowd out-finessed the crowd that was pushing Mike Patton. Patton was formerly a Larry O'Brien stalwart and presumably Larry and his minions were backing Mike. So who was the juggernaut that backed Graham?
Enter the ego that knows no bounds, Lisa MacLeod, MPP for Nepean Carleton, which is right next door to Ottawa West-Nepean. Lisa has been reading her own press and has determined that she is in line for a cabinet seat when (or if) the Cons ever regain power in Ontario. With her overblown view of herself (and one should note that her hubby, Joe Varner-MacLeod, is a very tested Con back-stabber), Lisa is pushing her weight around like it's a sale day at Baskins. But why Graham?
Well for one she ran the constituency office for MacLeod. Second, she is penis-deprived, which fits Lisa's goal of emasculating Queen's Park. Thirdly, Lisa thinks that she will be easier to control that Patton would ever have been.
But Lisa may have backed the wrong horse. Beth's resume is not as light as Lisa might think. In addition to being an EA to Federal Minister Leona A-glue-gun, she was also the president of the Leslie Park Community Association and the Nepean Federation of Community Associations. She has also chaired Nepean's environmental advisory committee, and served on committees of the Ontario Trillium Association and the Ottawa Special Olympic. While all of these are back room appointed positions, it means that Beth has more friends than Lisa.
Makes for fun television, don't it?
Friday, February 5, 2010
Tories are anti-Quebec?
The spinmiesters of the Tory party are digging themselves a hole so deep that they might find more votes in China than in Canada.
The collected Tory geniuses have declared that, since a former Finance DM gave some advice to Iggy, then everything that the former DM says or thinks must be Liberal policy. If you are confused, just Google for former DM Scott Clark.
I guess that means that anything a member of the Tory team says, whether it be an adviser like "Dimwit" Powers or maybe like a Cabinet Minister, is automatically Tory policy.
Following the Tory logic, then, it seems that Minister Prentice has decided that Quebec's new automobile emissions standards are "folly". My dictionary defines folly are foolishness. Therefore the Tories define Quebecers as fools!
Dig, Dig. Dig.
The collected Tory geniuses have declared that, since a former Finance DM gave some advice to Iggy, then everything that the former DM says or thinks must be Liberal policy. If you are confused, just Google for former DM Scott Clark.
Following the Tory logic, then, it seems that Minister Prentice has decided that Quebec's new automobile emissions standards are "folly". My dictionary defines folly are foolishness. Therefore the Tories define Quebecers as fools!
Dig, Dig. Dig.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
