In Respect and Memoriam

A general show of disrespect is what it comes down to. Stephen Harper does not, and I am convinced of this now, respect the people who put him in power. He does not respect their wishes, or their beliefs, or their convictions. Just days ago, Captain Nichola Goddard’’s funeral was held in a Calgary church. Her father honored her daughter, paid tribute to the immense sacrifice that she has made in the line of duty, and said goodbye to his daughter.

Captain Goddard was killed fighting for a good and just cause. She deserved to be honored by her fellow Canadians, the people she died serving. Our Prime Minister did not let that happen. When the family wanted the repatriation of their wife and daughter’s body made public, their requests were ignored. The flag was not lowered. Questions regarding these questions were deflected. But that is not what this is about.

Captain Goddard died in our service. She laid down her life fighting for the freedom of the people of Afghanistan, and the safety of our nation. She has made the ultimate sacrifice, leaving behind grieving loved ones. We must always remember the price people pay fighting in our armed forces. Godspeed to Captain Nichola Goddard. May she rest in peace.

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Half Measures by Half Wits

I take pride in the initiatives and the programs that the Liberal government brought in. I’m pleased with the incredible amount of things that our party has accomplished. These were, generally, good programs, and while they were not without fault, these initiatives – child care, Kyoto, Kelowna, the long gun registry – were good programs that are being eviscerated for the purpose of destroying a legacy of good governance, only because we are Liberals and they are vindictive.

These are not the dismantling of programs to save costs, or eliminate waste. This is Tories being Tories. These people, the bright lights of Stephen Harper’s cabinet, the Jim Prentices and Rona Ambroses – they are black holes of innovation. God forbid a majority be won – they could very well destroy Canada.

Now, on the topic of Jim Prentice. As a person, I like this man. I appreciate that he had the courage to vote in the affirmative on Same Sex Marriage. However, he seems to be a woefully inadequate Minister of Indian Affairs. He has destroyed a monumental agreement – a new way of addressing age old problems, in favour of a system that is not working. Kelowna was a Liberal Legacy, so I suppose it had to go. Now, when confronted with a massive problem in Caledonia, one that is an issue between the Federal Government and the Six Nations, he has remained unacceptably silent. He needs to address the Caledonia confrontation, and he needs to reinstate the Kelowna Accord.

Regarding Rona – this is where the half measures come in. She scrapped the Kyoto Accord. We, as a nation, should have kept the goals in mind. She has at last done something good. Increasing the ethanol content of our gasoline is good for the environment, but this measure is meaningless if it is not done within the context of something larger. Yesterday, two reports were released that indicate that a seven degree rise in temperature could take place over the next fifty years, with catastrophic results. It addresses the cyclical nature of climate, and works humans into the equation. Climate change is a real issue, one of those Facts that the Conservatives seem to be so fond of, and it needs to be addressed. Perhaps Rona’s Made in Canada plan will work. I doubt it, but there needs to be a plan. Without it, these things are half meausres, the random contortions of a man in the last throes of life, grasping at a long past hope.

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On Ownership

Ownership. Some of my blogospheric colleagues was talking about the importance of Michael Ignatieff and Scott Brison taking ownership for their actions in the House of Commons last night. They are upset that these two MPs, and leadership candidates, voted to extend the Canadian mission in Afghanistan.

Before we go on, I have a bit of a confession to make. In my previous post, Irresponsibility, I initially accused both these men of being Irresponsible with their votes. About 3 minutes after posting, I went back and changed it because the statements I made just didn’t feel right. I didn’t actually think they were Irresponsible. Personally, I don’t know how I would have voted on this issue – I wasn’t in the house, and I didn’t hear the arguments, but I respect those that did. They made the right decision based on their conscience and their thoughts on what would be best for Canada.

Each MP is responsible for acting in the best interests of Canada, and doing so how they see fit. Yes, there will be some people who are anti-war regardless, and I respect their views, but we have the capability to do a lot of good in Afghanistan. In 2009, when we leave (potentially), Afghanistan could be a far better place than it is now (if only we could find something that grows as well as an opium poppy). Insurgencies have historically lasted an average of nine years, and I don’t see why this should be any different. My opposition was based on locking us into the commitment, but, frankly, I don’t have all the facts. I didn’t sit throughout the entire debate, and I didn’t have the questions I had answered. This will be a NATO mission, we will play a leadership role, and we can make a difference. If people can say that they listened to the entire five hour debate in the house on this subject, you are qualified to comment. If not, you are a ranting ideologue making a visceral decision. I ask those people to think of the good we will no doubt do.

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Irresponsible

There are people in our country who evidently do not care about the welfare of those around them. We, as Canadians, and as global citizens, have a responsibility to do what is best for Canada and the world. Like it or not, those in the public eye: the media and the politicians, should be held to a greater account. To not defend the interests of our nation, and our globe in general, is irresponsible.

Who, as of late, has been acting irresponsibly? This may seem like a question with innumerable answers, and this is probably true, but we can at the very least point out some key offenders. The offenders of which I speak are Stockwell Day, Rex Murphy and Jason Kenney.

When I level my barrels at Mr. Day, you can probably guess what ammunition I’m going to be using. This man is in charge of protecting the public safety of our citizens, yet today announced that he would be eviscerate the gun registry. What bothers me most is that this was done purely for political gain – the gun registry was unpopular, but important. It did cost money, but it was also working. Day has decided to do away with a system that police officers were using over 5000 times a day. Yesterday, on the National, a family of gun auctioneers was saying how they were selling less guns, which, while rather unfortunate for them, is kind of the point. I don’t mean to say that guns are bad, but paperwork and registration keeps guns out of the hands of those who would use them for less than noble purposes. This was a system that was working, was being used, and should have been sustained. Stockwell Day is being irresponsible.

We can’t go without mentioning Rex Murphy’s “Point of View” on this topic. His thoughts were less inappropriate when it comes to the gun registry (although all he did was rehash some tired old arguments against a system that worked), but were deeply misguided when he spoke on Kyoto (and I don’t mean Stephane Dion’s husky). He, in no uncertain terms, ignored Science. The temperature of the globe is increasing, and one can not dismiss the correlation and likely causation between greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Kyoto had a purpose, and a good one at that, and he dismissed it as hogwash. Rex Murphy is irresponsible.

Jason Kenney is not a good MP, or, for that matter, person. While there is no doubt that he, unlike his leader, is carbon based, he seems to be the exemplification of the statement “To err is human,” because Jason Kenney is sure erring a lot these days. I mention specifically his defense of the nomination of Gwyn Morgan to the office of Public Appointments Commissioner. Ironic that the man asked to clean up patronage is getting into office via (and yes I know the compensation was low) patronage. His comments on race and on immigrants were inappropriate, and he wasn’t the right man for the job. That’s not to say that the idea wasn’t good – but Jason Kenney defended Harper when he said, in effect “If I can’t have it my way, I’m not playing.” This just reinforces what we already knew – Jason Kenney is irresponsible.

It’s time for responsibility. Don’t posture. Don’t be irrational. Don’t ignore facts.

Don’t be irresponsible.

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Military Might… Military Maybe.

There is a genocide in Darfur. As a first world nation, Canada can not stand idly by, but we cannot afford another mission. Our military is stretched too thin, and while I view our presence in Darfur as essential, I do not think that we can sustain continued presence in Afghanistan simultaneously. I think that Canada needs to honor its commitments, militarily, or, as I have mentioned before, environmentally. Here, we have made a commitment to stay in Afghanistan. I think that a continued rotation of UN sponsored forces from different countries is the correct fashion in which to act. Whether the Conservatives get their way or not and keep us there longer, we are in Afghanistan at this moment, and cannot be anywhere else.

This is indicative of a larger issue. We, when addressing foreign policy, spread ourselves too thin, whether it be with foreign aid or with military deployment. We need to triage, and determine where we can most effectively have the greatest impact on the world. Where is our foreign aid going right now? Everywhere. Military too could be rendered as ineffective as our foreign aid by spreading it out. We should be focusing spending in places like Haiti, where we can have a massive impact, and plan our military commitments. We can and should be in Afghanistan, and take action in Darfur in a feasible manner that has the greatest ground impact. We can send tactical helicopters, intelligence units, surveillance units, and plan for a full mission, but that full mission cannot happen concurrently with another. We are strapped for cash and resources, and, by thinking clearly, can make a far greater difference than by spreading ourselves too thin.

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Rona Resign! Ambrose Abdicate!

For thirteen years, our party has endeavored to be a green party, a party that can balance the economic development of our nation with environmental sustainability. It was out party that signed the Kyoto accord. We were going to proudly lead our nation on the path towards greenhouse gas reductions, towards a state where all Canadians can live sustainably.

And now, after just over thirteen weeks of Conservative governance, it is all for naught.

All that our Liberal party has worked for is being dismantled by a partisan and vindictive Conservative Environment Minister. This oil patch MP, representing a city with vested interests in the oil sands and refining, was somehow seen as a balanced choice for the job. Rona Ambrose announced today that Canada would not be meeting its Kyoto Obligations. Rona Ambrose, in essence, announced that she had failed.

We, as a party, were ready and willing to take up the fight to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Our Environment Minister in the last government, Stéphane Dion, would have done what was necessary. His innovation, like changing how oil extraction is done, would have made it possible. I can only hope that he can become our next leader, of the party and the nation, and hastily repair what damage the Conservatives are able to perpetrate. Our current Environment Critic, Scott Brison, is right when he says that we would be able to meet our targets, but Conservatives do not typically listen to logic – it seems to be a foreign language to them (Not unlike French to the Minister for La Francaphonie). They think that in order to meet our targets, every car must be taken off the street, every train halted, every plane pulled from the sky, but this is simply not true. Of course, they seem to think that bus pass credits will solve the problem. There is some logical disconnect going on here.

Rona Ambrose has shown that her government is not willing to go the distance to save our environment, and has displayed a clear lack of logic and aptitude that borders on incompetence. She should resign, for she has, in trying to dismantle a Liberal legacy, failed our country.

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V is for the Vexing Vellacott and his Vocal Vendetta

Judges must defend our nation, but first it seems like they have to defend themselves from their own countries government. ‘‘Activist judges’ seem to be something that is very much on the mind of our current government. The thing that worries me most is the recent remarks by Saskatchewan MP Maurice Vellacott. He has said that he doesn’t like how judges take on almost mystical powers when they assume office. Now, aside from the fact that it worries me that members of our government are describing things in the same manner as fortune tellers or the writers for a children’s TV show, this belies a far greater problem. Canada is not a nation that is founded on checks and balances -– that’’s the US. We operate as a responsible government (the current administration notwithstanding). However, the Supreme Court is far less partisan than the US counterpart, and is therefore free to act in the interest of Canadians -– to do what is Constitutionally right.

Vellacott was commenting on remarks made by Chief Justice Beverly McLaughlin, in which she stated that she would throw out laws that violated constitutional norms and text. Now, quite frankly, I don’t understand what the fuss is about. This is really what we pay them to do -– to UPHOLD our constitution. Apparently, our Conservative government doesn’t like that (not suprising). It is this, and not the comments of our Chief Justice, that should worry everyone immensely. To have Vellacott, a committee chair known for making insensitive comments First Nations peoples, speaking against our judiciary, is a terrifying prospect.

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Hedy Fry and the Big Red Machine

A couple of blocks to the north-east of where I am currently living, Hedy Fry jumped off a ledge. From the balcony of the Vancouver Rowing Club, the Hon. Hedy Fry announced that she would seek the leadership of the Federal Liberal Party, my party, and the party of this nation. Now, the total number of people seeking the leadership is eleven, with three joke candidates on top of that, and one more person expected to declare in the coming days. Far be it from me to question the democratic processes of the Liberal Party, but this is getting kind of ridiculous. That said, the high number of candidates will result in increased political discourse and go a long way to the renewal of our party. Nobody is going to win this on the first ballot. Each camp needs to depend on the support of others to win. Upsets can happen, and as long as we don’t end up with Myron Wolfchild as our leader, then I will be content with this party and its choice.

Now, regarding Hedy. I frankly admire her courage, if not her common sense. She doesn’t seem to really have a chance at winning (I limit that group to Dion, Brison, Kennedy and Ignatieff), but stranger things have happened. After all, these people are all Liberals, and I’m not going to Judy LaMarche myself in front of the cameras or some other party members. Hedy may have ulterior reasons for running. She is a good speaker, but has had a rather low profile. If she is able to raise her profile, she may indeed be able to finally overcome the huge obstacle that has plagued her career, the Prince George – Burning Crosses Comment. Never before has someone been so maligned by one comment, which, while being inaccurate, was merely referring to the wrong town. She deserves to overcome that, and she also deserves a seat in the next cabinet, perhaps as Minister of Citizenship and Immigration – appropriate given her Vancouver riding.

What will come out of her running, a win? Unlikely, but it will help renew the party, and repair a reputation. After all, just like her slogan says, Hedy is True Grit.

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The Budget’s Impact…

Right in the side of the skull.

Ok, great, this had better be the last Conservative budget we see for the next thirteen years, because this one can reinforce every single fear we had about them. There seems to be some major problems in the Conservative camp. I hope they start to address these gaps soon: the wealth gap, the trade gap, and, apparently, the gap between Jim Flaherty’s ears.

I have several problems with this budget. The first is that they turned around and increased taxes for low income Canadians. Now, I tend to think that this is a terrible idea. It is so aggravating to see a government charged with the protection and promotion of the worst off among us just shovelling it on. There is no hiding this. This is a tax HIKE for the poorest Canadians. There is one word: NO!

It is monumentally frustrating to see these tax credits. The tax credit for textbooks: I don’t make enough to pay tax, so this will go to my parents, if anywhere. And, for college students, their parents are fairly well off. This equates to a tax cut for the highest income citizens of this country. The same goes for sports equipment. This is the worst part of conservatism embodied. Child Care just doesn’t make sense. There isn’t much to say about this. You cannot raise a child on less than five dollars a day. You just can’t. Relief for farmers and pandemic preparedness money were the only good things about this budget. They shone through like gems in a steaming pile of manure. Still, the thing that really gets my goat is that tax hike, and how it hurts the people that most need our help.

Flaherty wants “Stronger Canada, and a better life for all Canadians.” I guess we know he didn’t mean all in the literal sense.

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Does Kennedy make the cut?

Last night I went to a Gerard Kennedy event at a bistro in Downtown Vancouver. I know that so many people think that he’s just the cat’s pajamas, but really now, he spoke like my prof. The next leader of the Liberal Party, our nation’s natural governing party, cannot be less emphatic and charismatic than the man who taught me about Genetic Laws of Segregation.

This isn’t the only problem that I have with Mr. Kennedy. He, in his apparent wisdom, has decided that Canada needs some kind of electoral affirmative action. I heard this and let out some kind of Jon Stewart-esque “PHWAA???”. This man wants us to have minorities and women elected in, and I quote “exact proportions” to the population. There really isn’t much I can say to this except NO. This is a bad, bad idea, one which robs our nation of qualified people and institutes enforceable reverse discrimination. This is quite possibly one of the worst ideas for Canadian politics I’ve ever heard. This overly idealistic view of our country is not one I want to see in our leader. I should mention that the Biennial Convention voted against two similar ideas last year, one regarding women and the other minorities. This is not because we are bad, bigoted people (they wear blue), but because we are a MERITOCRACY.

Gerard Kennedy’s plan is not a feasible one. How could he possibly do this. Are seats going to be mandated to be for an Indo-Canadian, or Chinese-Canadian, or homosexual, or female. Would he be willing to kaibosh talented MP’s nominations in order to push this through. I wouldn’t, and, frankly, it violates our Charter guarantees against discrimination, even though it is reverse discrimination.

I want a leader who has ideas that, at the very LEAST, make sense. Until Gerard Kennedy can prove otherwise, he’ll sit near the bottom of my list.

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