Saturday, September 20, 2008

Getting the word out

The Green Shift slid down the slope into the dung pile and it's all the Conservative's fault. Apparently, according to reliable sources -- get this: the Conservatives disagreed and therefore spoke out about it before the Liberals really got a chance to explain. From the Globe:
The Liberals still have to fight to explain their Green Shift plan because the Conservatives bombarded the airwaves with “propaganda” in an effort to kill it, Stéphane Dion says.
If the Conservatives had just kept their mouths shut . . . those poor Liberals have only had two months since they announced this plan to get the word out. During that whole time the Conservatives actually gave their opinion of it. How fair is that? Their rival actually commenting on their policies? Typical Conservatives. They've got opinions on EVERYTHING and most of the time, you can count on those opinions to be different from the Liberals and you know what? They actually feel free to talk about it in public.
He (Dion) added later: “We are starting to explain it after months, months of propaganda by the Conservatives. I'm sure you and many people thought it was a carbon tax. You didn't know it was a green shift. That we will tax less what we want more of, our income, and we'll shift it to pollution, something we don't want.”
So, there you have it. Now, don't blame Stéphane Dion if you don't get it. The Conservatives probably twisted his words or something because quite frankly, it just doesn't make much sense.

canadianna

Friday, September 19, 2008

Who would make a good citizen?

I have a friend who is a refugee from Iran. His family ran a book store and quietly spoke against the Ayatollah. This friend became an activist, working underground against the government. There came a point when his friends began to be rounded up and he and a couple of others managed to get out. Unfortunately, he arrived in Canada in the wake of 9/11. His claim has been rejected although he's made a last ditch appeal.

This man, my friend, is university educated in some sort of geology thing that lends itself to working in the oil & gas industry. He has learned English and speaks it fluently. He works at menial and low paying jobs -- all he's able to get considering his status, and he has worked consistently since coming to Canada. He has never received social assistance. He has no debt, has refused legal aid (although as a refugee, he was entitled). He refused to use being a Christian as a part of his refugee claim. In short, he's a good man.

Now, read Rosie DiManno about the American hiding out here to avoid facing a trial for desertion.
This toy soldier signed on for an education and a paycheque and bailed when he found out that he might actually have to live up to the job description. Bob Rae is reaching out to help him, speaking out for him? I wonder how our soldiers would feel about this?

canadianna

While we're at it . . .

Jack Layton wants inspectors in every meat plant.
While we're at it, why don't we put a driving coach in every car -- just in case? How about a doctor in every schoolyard -- or better yet, tear down the playground equipment -- that way no one can fall off. What about making a helmet law -- everyone who has to cross a street must wear government approved CAS helmets. And maybe all new babies could be put in a nice plastic bubble so they wouldn't have to breathe in polluted air or ever get a cut or bruise -- maybe we could grandfather it and everyone could be protected!!!

Life is full of risks. Avoiding them by adding more bureaucracy is just paying an extra person who will be able to say "sorry" when something goes wrong, and it will because . . . humans make mistakes. What a shock, eh?

canadianna

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Paranoid

There is no "I" in team. But you'll find D-I-O-N in paranoid.

Apparently, as he single-handedly 'did the Clarity Act' and 'saved the Kyoto Protocol', mild mannered, bookish, Stephane Dion, donned a cape and tights and became -- SUPER-DION -- a mild-mannered, bookish superhero who managed to thwart nefarious adversaries, repel all sorts of furtive enemies and some really mean anonymous guys-- all of whom were intent on destroying Canada and the world.
"When I did the Clarity Act, I had a lot of anonymous sources against me," Dion said. "When I saved the Kyoto protocol I had a lot of anonymous sources against me. A lot."
Dion's vocabulary is peppered with references to Harper and the pronoun "I". That's all he has. That, and an ego the size of France and enough paranoia to further deflate a flagging campaign.

M. Dion seems to be taking lessons from a certain Liberal-come-lately MP from just outside of T.O. and who shall remain nameless on this blog. Paranoia is not appealing in a leader and neither is overstating one's participation in events or self-aggrandizement. Maybe someone should tell Stephane. Better yet, maybe they should just let him keep talking-- after all, he knows everything.

canadianna