Poilievre, The New Screamer, screws up another attack

Pierre Poilievre, the MP for Nepean-Carleton, is getting to be more and more of an embarrassment for Canada and Canadians. He skips in the Commons and cusses like a sailor; but he does it in a tailored suit so that no-one will possibly notice.

He acts like a jack-ass with an IQ of a dung-beetle.

On the day that the Ontario government released its latest budget, the "Perfect PP" travelled to Toronto to be the mouthpiece of Harpers latest slagging of the Ontario government. I guess that "Pretty-boy" Flaherty, the federal Minister of Money, who got the ball started on this slag-fest, decided that maybe he was hurting his image in Ontario (as he tries to wrest the provincial Tory leadership from John Tory) so Harper assigned a disposable Ontario MP, Perfect PP, to carry on the attacks.

So Perfect PP gets to Toronto and offers to be 12 lines above the fold to any journalist he could find.

McGuinty is a dope, Perfect PP yells. Ontario is the last place in Canada anyone would want to invest, he screams. God will smite the non-Conservatives in this province of heathens. He finishes with, That's just my personal opinion, of course.

He then strays a bit from the PMO-prepared script and, boy, is he in trouble now!

In a post-budget press conference McGuinty was asked about the Federal Immigration proposal currently being force-fed in Ottawa. A descendant of Irish famine-era immigrants, his response was that, "...we were [unskilled but] looking for opportunity and we brought with us a solid work ethic."

The door was open for Perfect PP to pounce and he jumped in with all five appendages but... unfortunately his brain was not in sync with his mouth.

"The Premier had no business commenting on immigration," blurts Perfect PP. He went on to describe immigration as an exclusively federal jurisdiction. Guess he didn't fully read his illustrated copy of the Constitution Act of 1867 that states that immigration is a federal responsibility but also states that provinces can set immigration policy. In fact Quebec has a major say in immigration and other provinces are trying to get the same concession from Ottawa.

What was his come-back to this mis-speak... Aahhh, what time does my government jet leave for Ottawa?

Where, you might ask, was the other major CON from Ottawa and why was he not volunteered to go to Toronto instead of the PP? Well, it seems that John "the Screamer" Baird was busy setting up a date to a dog show or something with the PM's missus.

Tories Con us again

I wonder when the the electorate of this country will wake up and realize that the Conservative government are playing us like a fiddle and are making a mockery of Parliament?

They have taken a budget bill and made it a confidence motion. That is fair enough. It is a money bill and that does involve confidence. The bill is not too bad on its own so it would probably pass the House. But that is NOT WHAT THE CONS WANT!!!!!!

They are attaching, American-style, a couple of Immigration clauses to the bill; clauses which are not confidence matters and are sure to raise the ire of the opposition. So now this innocuous budget bill is an omnibus (American-terminology) and is still a matter of confidence.

The only confidence in this bill is the confidence-men behind it. This is government for the sewers and one more reason that I believe that Harper is the worst, and most dishonest. PM we have ever had.

Time for another prediction.

A weekend newspaper article leads me to this latest set of predictions.

Prediction One is that MDA and RADARSAT2 will not be sold to an American firm - at least not yet. And Prediction Two is that the Chuck Cadman bribery allegations will die out soon.

These two prediction have one thing in common. What is that, you may ask? The answer is Art Hanger, the lovable muppet-like MP from Alberta.

Art is the chairman of the justice committee that wants to study the Cadman misunderstanding. The Cons did nothing wrong and the PM of Canada's Greatest Government (TM), often referred to as CGG, is so lilly white that its crap don't stink, so every time the opposition on the justice committee even mentions Cadman under their breath, Art runs from the committee meeting like his hair is on fire, thus thwarting the actions of the committee. This tactic is on page 17 of the PM's booklet on ways to screw up parliamentary committees.

But what does Art have to do with the sale of MDA and RADARSAT2? On Friday, Art let loose with an opinion that CGG is making a mistake to sell MDA. Since we know that Cons in parliament are not allowed to utter a word unless the PMO vets it, then Art must to doing the bidding of the PM.

So if Art leads the charge to cancel or postpone the sale of MDA, then the pressure will come off him with the justice committee.

Smart guy this Art Hanger?

Bye, buy, MDA

The 2008 principles of the Conservative party, Canada's Greatest Government(TM), the party of Sir John Eh?, the party of openness and accountability (even though the PM is the only one who is allowed to be open and accountability amounts to blaming everything on past governments), are up on their web site. (see http://www.conservative.ca/EN/2692/41593). It is a long document and mostly fatuous, but I direct you to one section in particular.

Section V (that's "5" for those who missed the lectures on Roman Numerals) concerns:

NATIONAL DEFENCE AND SECURITY

Subsection 109 concerns Canada First Defence Policy

Item viii) (8) states that "The Conservative Party believes that a viable Canadian Defence Industry contributes to our national security and our industrial productivity, through such sectors as shipbuilding, aerospace, electronics, and land systems among others. Defence procurement will, subject to availability, quality and cost, support Canadian industry that can meet military requirements."

Now let's try to square this statement of principles with the government's resounding endorsement of the sell off of MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) to an American firm. MDA has benefited from millions, if not billions, of Canadian taxpayers dollars in the development of such assets as Canadarm, Canadarm2 and RADARSAT-2. These Canadian innovations are state-of-the-art, cream-of-the-crop, and numero uno in the aerospace industry. They were paid for by Canadians and will now belong to Americans.

According to MDA web site for RADARSAT2: "RADARSAT-2 is the product of a unique partnership between the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA)."

I think that the key word is "partnership" with Canadian Space Agency. What is the nature of that "partnership"? Does the CSA have any ownership rights to RADARSAT-2? If so, what do they get from the sell off? If nothing, why not?

And what of our arm-out-the-window into space. Every (OK, most) Canadian knows about the Canadarm that is an integral part of the Space Shuttle. We see our name and flag enblazened on the arm. Now that Canadarm is American, I guess the flag will be removed and the arm will be referred to as the remote manipulator device. What the heck, the Americans call it that now, anyway.

And what of Canadarm2, a truly amazing device that was just launched to the International Space Station (ISS). Remote Manipulator Device 2, I guess.

And what of Canada's involvement with the ISS? Are we left to supplying experiments to see if rats can copulate in space or the effects of weightlessness on spider webs?

And what of the federally-owned David Florida Laboratory in Ottawa? The Canadarm and RADARSAT were developed there. The Florida Lab has had a tenuous future ever since the CSA was moved to Montreal a bunch of years ago. Are we seeing the end of the Florida Lab? (Can you say AVRO Arrow?)

If I were a Conservative MP or a potential Con election candidate, I would be asking PM Harper for some talking points on this topic. A warning to them, though; don't make up comments of your own. Leave the content of your comments to the open PMO and make sure that you make past governments accountable for whatever happens.

Ottawa Citizen goes native

You could have knocked me over with a feather this morning. The local news rag, the Ottawa Citizen, has an editorial telling us that they back the right of persons to break the law in the name of religion.

At issue is the running battle between a Sikh motorcycle rider and the province of Ontario. The province has a law that mandates motorcycle riders to wear helmets. "I don't want to wear a helmet," says the Sikh. "It clashes with my turban, which my religion demands that I always wear."

The Ottawa Citizen's take? "A helmet-less Sikh motorcyclist should be a symbol of a society whose flexibility makes it stronger."

CRAP!

A helmet-less Sikh motorcyclist is a symbol of preferential treatment under the law (some might even call it pandering). Welcome to Canada's version of the caste system, wherein certain elements of a society are treated better or worse than other elements. It is another word for discrimination.

If Mr. Sikh-with-no-helmet has an accident with his motorcycle and bangs his head, is OHIP required to pay for his treatment? Is it discriminatory if Mr. Sikh-without-a-helmet's insurance company cancels his policy because of increased risk of serious injury or death?

Why can't you wear a helmet over top of a turban or vice versa?

So what's next on the appeasement file? If I create a organization (let's call it a religion) whose rules say I "must not pay unto Caesar", then am I permitted to not pay taxes, at any level? Think that the government would allow that to stand?

How about a religion that states that I must read the Ottawa Citizen (punishment I am sure) but not pay for it. Would it be discriminatory for the Citizen not to deliver a free paper to me?

Time to grow up, Canada!

Mea Culpa (J. Baird)?

I am confused. Canada's Greatest Government (TM) has maintained that CO2 is our friend. We have nothing to fear from CO2. CO2 and so-called Greeen House Gases (GHG) do not contribute to climate change. In fact climate change is a natural situation.

So why them does John (The Screamer) Baird, Minister of Green Stuff, propose to force the Oil Sands folks to control their CO2 and GHGs?

Could it be that he is hedging his bets... just in case he is wrong?

Ottawa - closing in on oblivion

When will Ottawa get its act together?

Garbage is mounting up all over the place. According to the Ottawa Citizen this morning, the Carp Mountain is being fitted with extractors to convert the odour of rotting garbage into electricity. This is not news. It has been talked about for the past two years. The news is that they are talking about it again.. ad nauseum.

On the garbage front what's the current situation with Plasco? You remember them. They convert garbage into electricity by blasting waste into atoms. The city has been running a pilot for the past few years and I thought that the kinks had been worked out.. Why isn't the city having Rod Bryden built a bunch of these plants around the city. If it works - get on with it. The cost per tonne is more than a landfill but with Plasco you don't have to worry about space requirement and lingering odour.

The Concert Hall issue is dead - apparently. Rumour is that the city might be trying to tie up the fed and provincial monies that were earmarked for the Concert Hall to something called a Cultural Centre. Sounds like the Concert Hall incognito. If there was not enough support for the Concert Hall - what chance is there for support of a Cultural Centre?

Canadians have it rough?

I am not usually drawn to pity but I can't stop thinking about my recent two weeks in Dominican Republic. The average wage is $150/month and gas is almost $2.00 per litre. But, man, can they dance. Unemployment is in excess of 30% and many of those who do work are low paid service people. Crime is high in the cities and the country; almost all houses have bars on first t0 third storey windows and doors.

They have beautiful monuments, government buildings and parks but there is so much garbage strewn across the landscape that the beauty rapidly disappears.

Boil water advisories are a day by day reality. They routinely get hammered by hurricanes and other bad weather.

And we think that Canadians have it rough?

Linda Keen... Yippee!

You go girl.

Linda Keen, deposed President of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, is suing the Federal Government to get her job back.

While she is at it, she should sue Gary Lunn for being stupid, PM Harper for being arrogant and the rest of Canada's Greatest Government (TM) for just being.

Customs/Border Services is a joke

I need to send a piece of equipment to the US for fixing. I just past my fourth hour of trying to figure out the frigging documentation needed to get it there. Customs Services, my cat's butt. There are no services there, just people with nice uniforms to match their stunned looks when you ask them a question. What, am I speaking a foreign language? Last time I looked English was a language used in Canada. Why the stunned look?

Free Trade - my mother's fanny. The paperwork is stupid... the charges ridiculous and the service is virtually non-existent.

You know what its all about, don't you? It is all about the shipper who are also brokers. Brokerage is a licence to print money and legal extortion. If they opened up the border for the free movement of goods, especially stuff that is coming back after being fixed, the brokers would be the losers. And we can't have that, now can we?

The custom documents should read:

Who's sending it?
Who's getting it?
What is it?
Where did it originate?
What is it worth?
Is it a one way transit or is it being returned?

With that information of precious Customs Services people can either stamp it cleared or open it up to check for smuggled fruit.

Ottawa City Councillor John Baird, MP PC

Separated at birth

Someone on the hill just noticed that John "the screamer" Baird, Federal Minister of All Things that Glow Green, may have interfered in a process at Ottawa City Council in 2006; to whit, he suspended federal funding of a municipal project that he was told not to like. And he did this during the municipal election campaign. Not only that but he freely distributed the contents of a confidential agreement between the city and a private vendor.

We are, of course, talking about the North-South Light Rail project.

Let's get a few things straight. The decision on Light Rail was a municipal one. The federal funding of the project had already been approved, as was provincial funding. Baird had no say in the project.

Let's also understand that the project was the pet child of the then-mayor Chiarreli, who was a former Liberal MPP; and that he was being challenged by a Conservative Party member O'Brien. O'Brien won the race and now the vendor (Seimans) is suing the city for its first born for cancelling the contract and possibly breaking the confidentiality of the contract.

It was O'Brien who asked Baird to review the contract. This is the same Mayor O'Brien that has been charged with influence peddling during the same election; a charge that also has a Baird involvement.

One more example of the transparency and public discourse from Canada's Greatest Government(TM).

Did Lewis make a mistake?

Say it isn't so. Lewis MacKenzie, General to the stars and a man who have never met a microphone he didn't want to drone into, made a mistake by suggesting that 10,000 more NATO troops are needed in Kandahar, Afghanistan?

He stated this in a interview with the precious CFRA tyke, Michael Harris., last week. He then sent Mikey a memo the next day correcting himself by saying that the 10,000 was for all of Afghanistan. Only 3,000 more are needed in Kandahar, where all the real fighting is.

Two problems, Lew. Why do you need 7,000 more in the relatively tranquil north? Also, if you send 3,000 more troops in to help out the Canadians in the already target rich south, what would you do with them that you cannot do with the current contingent?

I suggest, General Lew, that you read the book, Utility of Force, written by your British peer, General Rupert Smith. Smith talks about war amongst the people, as he describes Afghanistan and Iraq. He maintains that, when you fight a war amongst the people, rather than an industrial war, the key is not bulk; the key is intelligence and stealth. Rather than 3,000 more troops, let's send in 3,000 sneaks and spooks to infiltrate the local population and ferret out where the insurgents are and what they are doing.

Also, with respect to rigid withdrawal time frames as advocated by the NDP and the Bloc, I urge the Liberals to back a continuation of the mission, for now, with the proviso that Harper, MacKay and Hillier read Smith's book. The Taliwackers in Afghanistan are in no hurry to conclude the strife. To pull out before we make some real progress would be an error.