tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99378862011-12-13T20:56:26.032-07:00Eclectic commentary about random political and social issues, primarily on federal and provincial politics in Canada, from an Albertan’s point of view.kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1331100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-33551044779139094382010-12-21T10:08:00.005-07:002010-12-21T19:37:13.547-07:00

Some months ago, I became very busy trying to finish a big project and I stopped blogging at civitatensis.ca, the site to which I had moved after starting to blog here in January of 2005.I was so busy that I even missed the date for renewing the web registration. Since then, a couple of some ones took over the name. There is nothing wrong with that. It is a free country and a free web, but

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110777572221176612005-03-27T20:50:00.000-07:002005-08-11T11:49:28.943-06:00

Starting immediately,our new home is www.civitatensis.ca

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1111769772298258682005-03-25T09:32:00.000-07:002005-03-25T10:28:59.040-07:00

After Dithering for more than a year regarding Senate appointments, Paul Martin claims that his newly announced choices " reflect the choice of outstanding Canadians with a record of accomplishments." But it is hard to think of one thing that Grant Mitchell ever achieved in public life. Conversely, last fall, Albertans elected four outstanding Canadians to represent them in the Senate. Yet, Mr.

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1111767306145985382005-03-25T09:14:00.000-07:002005-03-25T10:21:27.560-07:00

Commenting on Ralph Klein's position regarding homosexual marriage, The Toronto Star (registration required, no subscription) hints at a conspiracy (Imagine that!). It is predicated on the manipulation of the Albertan public, for as long as it remains, the Star says, "ignorant.""It's bad to be on the wrong side of the law on an issue of human rights. It's almost as bad to cynically grandstand, to

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1111708149867452432005-03-24T16:07:00.000-07:002005-03-24T16:49:09.870-07:00

A couple of years ago, someone confessed to me that he had selected a particular post-secondary institution because, in his words, "the girls are hot" in that school. Naturally, boys want to be among girls (and vice versa), but not all the time.Here is a story, from Memorial University, of a bunch of boys who like girls but value living among boys. Manly men know the difference. They live in the

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1111612133929346392005-03-23T11:23:00.000-07:002005-03-23T18:20:05.533-07:00

"Democracy is hypocrisy" was the (in)famous line by Malcom X. I received a comment about yesterday's post from fellow blogger The Shotgun Solution. I am grateful for her/his visit. Her/his words reminded me of what Malcom X said. S/he accuses my suggestions of hypocrisy. I'll make a couple of comments about her/his reply, but first here is what s/he said:Politically, the Conservatives can't do

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1111529856119379372005-03-23T10:50:00.000-07:002005-03-23T11:12:04.226-07:00

This is the fourth and final posting on this question, I am hoping. In my first post I wondered if it was true that Honey Houston was Miss Nude Canada 2005 as it was being claimed in the newspapers and blogs. Poking around, but apparently not enough, I was led to conclude that it was untrue for reasons that I mentioned here.Three days ago, I got a copy of an e-mail from Chris Landale, the owner

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1111384203638098952005-03-21T21:35:00.000-07:002005-03-21T23:31:55.343-07:00

Yesterday, a reader left the following commentary on a posting from last month regarding Tory MP Jim Prentice's opportunistic volte face on the question of homosexual marriage. It has prompted me to remember some of the history of the riding in which I lived for a few years, and to ponder some of the avenues open to Prentice, and to those who oppose his about face.As a resident of Prentice's

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1111389014359328442005-03-21T12:07:00.000-07:002005-03-23T11:01:44.510-07:00

A CBC radio personality and a Toronto blogger are going at it. My money is on the blogger, for the record.CBC's Andy Barry sent a terse reply to Angry in the Great White North blogger, after the latter requested an explanation regarding public funding and the ideological preferences of a CBC's broadcast. Barry replied:I've got a way for you not to pay for the CBC. Leave Canada.Worked for me. I

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1111345609672626132005-03-20T12:06:00.000-07:002005-03-20T17:00:22.510-07:00

VDH laments the propagation in the readily use of Hitler analogies.So what gives with this crazy popular analogy --one that on a typical Internet Google search of "Bush" + "Hitler" yields about 1,350,000 matches?These betray enormous ignorance of the conditions under which Hitler rose and thrived; ignorance of the beliefs that fuelled his policies and actions, and the results that they produced.

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1111274944250153792005-03-20T09:07:00.000-07:002005-03-20T13:22:48.130-07:00

In spite of the openess and availibility of blogs, they tend to be populated by whites males, some have remarked --and it has led to some bemoaning. I wonder what Harvard president Larry Summers will have to say about this.One out of two ain't bad for me.

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1111266147449029992005-03-19T14:00:00.000-07:002005-03-19T17:28:27.773-07:00

1. Public Opinions polls increasingly reflect that the Canadian public wishes to have an input into the decision to grant homosexual marriages to some Canadians.Public opinion appears divided on how to grant legal status for gay and lesbian unions. 36 per cent of respondents believe lawmakers should keep the existing legal definition of marriage and set up a separate legal category that includes

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1111249561525828222005-03-19T08:22:00.000-07:002005-03-19T13:41:00.643-07:00

Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan has become the target of defenders of traditional marriage in a fullpage newspaper ad (see below) this weekend.Most embarrassing for McClellan is a video that was placed on the web. The former minister of justice, in her trademark Preston Manning voice and in her typical anticlimactic delivery, declares herself in support of the traditional definition of

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1111216150817386942005-03-19T00:11:00.000-07:002005-03-20T13:23:58.210-07:00

Babalu exhibits a few pictures of one of Cuba's health facilities.

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1111212530345710662005-03-18T23:55:00.000-07:002005-03-19T10:47:35.566-07:00

The two Gaunlet editors at the University of Calgary, who allowed the nude picture of philosophy student Honey Houston (stage name) to be printed, were suspended without pay, one for two weeks and the other for three.I noticed that published media stories are still affirming that Houston is the winner of Miss Nude Canada 2005. No evidence to that effect exists (See Sex Awareness 2). Houston

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1111210755442904762005-03-18T22:34:00.000-07:002005-03-18T22:41:53.413-07:00

Courtesy of the NYT, deserting, or refusing to serve one's country, now has a new designation. It is called un-volunteering. Orwell would be proud!And why is it that they have to come to "un-volunteer" to this country? The weather in south eastern Cuba is lovely this time of year.(hat tip: Michelle Malkin)

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1111118195714130582005-03-18T08:30:00.000-07:002005-03-18T08:28:52.206-07:00

The price of oil hit a record $57.50 US yesterday, and experts predict a potential rise to about $60 per barrel in the near future. The CSM explains that the hikes are in part due to seasonal winter demand but the lion's share is caused by the growth in Chinese demand.The main forecasters continue to predict that China will represent a third of growth in demand. Some of the Chinese appetite comes

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1111119351800699092005-03-17T23:15:00.000-07:002005-03-19T14:24:48.280-07:00

Bernard Thiboutot testified today that during the 2000 federal election he made payments to list of liberal organisers in Quebec, some of which are connected to Paul Martin, the Prime Minister, Radio-Canada reported. Writing cheques from his own company, Commando Communication Marketing, at the request of Jean Brault from the ad agency Groupaction, Thibotout redirected $57 000 to Liberal workers.

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1111033258695559652005-03-17T05:05:00.000-07:002005-03-17T06:03:44.603-07:00

A group of Latin American intellectuals are petitioning the UN not to condemn Cuba for violations of human rights. Their petition takes place as Castro further tightens its grip on the country. The group makes moral equivalences, linking the US treatment of al-Qaeda operatives in Guantamo with the Cuban persecution of peaceful dissidents in Cuba. In essence, the argument turns to saying that if

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110891347967531412005-03-15T05:04:00.000-07:002005-03-15T07:43:05.073-07:00

Our tax dollars at work in the Canadian Forces. Read Musings of a Navy Wannabe.I hope he was not booked with Jetsgone for the return trip to civilization. Hey, and those folks that can't locate a file, fly planes and stuff. Ay, caramba!

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110890356027457292005-03-15T05:01:00.000-07:002005-03-15T05:47:42.086-07:00

A friend of mine who was born and grew up in the Soviet Union told me the story of how the Encyclopedia Sovietica would regularly send a kit of illustrated instructions to its subscribers, scalpel and glue included, on how to extract specified pages from it and replace them with the ones in the kit. References to a purged apparatchik were ordered removed, and an article about Siberian fauna, for

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110861086997224182005-03-15T04:14:00.000-07:002005-03-15T04:09:30.110-07:00

US war deserter, now a hero of Canadian and European peaceniks is, ironically, a deadbeat dad. Hisdesertion is only another chapter in "a long history of running from commitment." Anderson became a father as a junior at Bryan Station High School in Lexington.Pulliam says Anderson spent little time with his daughter for almost three years after he left Lexington in 2001. Contrary to Anderson's

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110860178140617402005-03-14T21:02:00.000-07:002005-03-14T21:25:16.843-07:00

Lougheed's Conservatives win a landslide victory in Alberta electionNational PostMarch 14, 2005March 14, 1979: Peter Lougheed led his Progressive Conservative Party to a landslide provincial election victory, winning 74 of 79 seats in the Alberta legislature. Mr. Lougheed was instrumental in the negotiations that led to the Constitution Act (1982) and was a driving force behind the amending

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110775583066231422005-03-14T00:18:00.000-07:002005-03-19T10:38:53.916-07:00

In a follow up piece, The Calgary Herald agreed not to reveal the real name of Honey Houston (see Sex Awareness), but published that she was the Reigning (2005) Queen of Miss Nude Canada (MNC). At the MNC site, we read:Congratulations to DAMANDA MOORE for winning the title Miss Nude Canada 2004/05 at the National Finals held in CALGARY, ALBERTA November 29 to December 04 at THE SPEAKEASY. The

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110742947668142822005-03-13T15:01:00.000-07:002005-03-13T21:18:22.163-07:00

Sex Awareness!! I often wonder why a twenty-something university student needs to be made aware of sex?This year, "Sex Awareness Week" at the University of Calgary has brought plenty of self-awareness to a female student in the Department of Philosophy. She goes by the stage name of Honey Houston; she also happens to have been a contestant in (and some say this year's winner of) the Miss Nude

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110686771964659422005-03-12T21:00:00.000-07:002005-03-13T11:07:04.326-07:00

Fidel Castro's most recent plans to move into full state centralization were propelled, in part, by the economic hopes that the discovery of oil offshore brought him. Ironically, Castro's plans are about to be helped by another valuable liquid, water. In this instance, however, it may be the lack of water that speeds Castro's designs. Cuba is experiencing one of its worst droughts in years. It is

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110652590200119002005-03-12T11:34:00.001-07:002005-03-12T11:37:24.460-07:00

Sheila Copps started a blog with some "associates" just this March.Here is a jewel from her first and only posting so far: "I have always believed that politics and policy are intertwined." Well, with wisdom like that, no wonder she was chosen Deputy Prime Minister.

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110602364227477392005-03-11T21:14:00.000-07:002005-03-12T11:42:51.166-07:00

On the anniversary of the Madrid bombings (11 March) that killed 191 people, El pais of Spain announced that Omar Mahmud Othman, aka Abu Qutada, has been released by British authorities. He is said to be out on bail.Spain's most famous prosecutor, Judge Garzon, considers Qutada or Qatada to be the mastermind of the Madrid attacks ayear ago. Qutada had been in detention since 2002. He is believed

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110571248781167172005-03-11T12:56:00.000-07:002005-03-19T00:47:27.753-07:00

The federal government has hired a special prosecutor to try to recover the monies "defrauded" through Adscam. A law suit was introduced in a Quebec court naming several ad agencies and individuals, among whom figures Charles Guit� --the Public Works bureaucrat that reported to Alfonso Gagliano (Gagliano is not named in the suit). Gagliano was one of Jean Chr�tien's lieutenants in Quebec.Prime

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110520689200020052005-03-10T22:30:00.000-07:002005-03-10T22:59:22.223-07:00

Mark Juergensmeyer from the University of California speaks of the "incubator effect." "One has to examine the penal system's role in creating more terrorism," Juergensmeyer said. He means to criticize the United States for producing terrorism behind the wires at Guantanamo.Are there more or less terrorists now? Newsflash! And if terrorists are spawned in detention centres like that in Cuba,

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110518596434732642005-03-10T21:46:00.000-07:002005-03-10T22:32:08.563-07:00

The main objection of critics to the privatized pension plan in Chile is that some people either cannot afford to set aside 10% of their income to make contributions to their personal fund, or are not disciplined enough to do it when they are self-employed.I am not sure that having no income is much of a barrier to establishing the plan, however. No income for an entire life? One can conceive of

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110516264153182302005-03-10T21:13:00.000-07:002005-03-10T21:44:24.156-07:00

The Union/Wal-Mart saga in Quebec continues to grab attention. The "economic terrorist" appellation was not enough. "A Quebec television broadcaster compared Wal-Mart to Nazism, but later apologized," reports the NYT (registration required but no subscription). And not surprisingly, "Bernard Landry, the leader of the separatist Parti Qu�b�cois and a former premier of the province, has announced

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110476038045113622005-03-10T10:24:00.000-07:002005-03-10T10:36:02.086-07:00

Ethanol is a powerful political lubricant. It has long contributed to the shaping of our political realm: Van Horne, Macdonald, Klein, Campbell, just to name a few. Gordon Campbell, of course, got into trouble with the law in Hawaii not long ago, pounding back martinis and then getting behind the wheel of a car. Although he only had two!Campbell and Pierre Pettigrew, apparently, have more in

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110428958193961612005-03-09T21:21:00.000-07:002005-03-09T21:29:18.196-07:00

On the International Day of Women, and speaking to an audience of Cuban female leaders, Fidel Castro announced that his government will make available to Cuban households 100,000 pressure cookers a month. The measure is intended to correct "the errors, deviations and confusions" of the few liberalizing measures introduced into the Cuban economy in the recent past.Optimistic about newly formed

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110260718855230572005-03-07T22:22:00.000-07:002005-03-07T22:54:47.283-07:00

Al-Qaeda had plans to kidnap Russell Crowe as part of a master plan to destabilize American culture. The FBI tip came before Crowe won an Oscar for the movie Gladiator.Living in a cave must not be easy; Osama may be confusing gladiators with crusaders. Following the trend of confusion, one can expect that when Jacques Chirac finally sees Master and Commander, his government will likely put out a

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110257228709500252005-03-07T21:35:00.000-07:002005-03-07T21:48:43.023-07:00

David Akins tells the cute story of a radio station in Ottawa being renamed after Paul Martin, the Prime Minister. At issue is a promise that Jack FM made to the PM. If Martin could get Bono and U2 to come to Ottawa for a show, they would rename the station Paul FM for a day. And they have, given that U2's recently-announced tour includes a stop in Ottawa.Two things that we may not have known

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110175108413922932005-03-06T22:48:00.000-07:002005-03-06T23:08:52.843-07:00

Some are concerned by the possibility that bloggers may be silenced during future US elections. Today, the NYT writes about "the first blogger in the short history of the medium [who was] granted a daily White House pass for the specific purpose of writing a blog, or Web log." In essence, this elevates segments of the world of blogging and brings them closer to recognition as "journalists" --a

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110152589842389972005-03-06T16:39:00.000-07:002005-03-06T16:43:09.843-07:00

Studies of finger length ratio reported to signify levels of aggression among males are also being used to explore sexual orientation among lesbians.

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110151944831057182005-03-06T16:31:00.000-07:002005-03-06T16:55:07.440-07:00

When someone pointed out to the Liberals that they had voted in favor of the traditional definition of marriage (as a union between one man and one woman to the exclusion of any other) less than two years earlier, Jean Chretien, Paul Martin, and Martin Cauchon jumped up to say that things had changed, that societies evolve. With evolution, they imply, things change for the better.What is more,

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110091265829977282005-03-06T00:01:00.000-07:002005-03-06T09:47:03.596-07:00

Pierre Pettigrew, the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, wants to give the country renewed "international influence." Normally, one does not think of Canada and international influence in the same sentence: not since the Suez Crisis, perhaps; not for a generation. So what might be the impetus of his foreign policy that will, as he claims, restore Canada's influence?"Our foreign policy," he

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110034553242567772005-03-05T07:41:00.000-07:002005-03-05T08:13:48.796-07:00

The word militant sounds ominous. It is, after all, related to the word military. Le Devoir reports how militants in the Liberal Party of Canada ran over Cabinet Ministers on missile defense, among whom our Minister of Defense, Bill Graham. Graham has even admitted to losing "the war."But militants in the Liberal Party of Canada are not what the militants in Mao's Communist Party were during the

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1110000492173027562005-03-04T21:54:00.000-07:002005-03-04T22:42:20.923-07:00

Get your measuring tapes out, everyone! Edmonton researchers say that the relative length of fingers in males is linked to male aggression.The researchers found that shorter second-to-fourth finger ratios predicted proneness to physical aggression, but not other types of aggression, and only in men, not in women.Because mothers are always to blame for this sort of thing, the differences are

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109873036086015852005-03-03T13:23:00.000-07:002005-03-03T13:43:26.860-07:00

Omerta! That seems to be the binding thread in the testimony of Jean Lafleur in front of the Gomery Commission for the last two days. Omerta is the Italian expression that signifies the vow of silence taken among Sicilian mafiosi. Transgression of the omerta leads to vendetta, and to guaranteed loss of life.Lafleur does not remember the time his income increased nearly 22 times (from $108,000 to

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109828392867095302005-03-02T21:37:00.000-07:002005-03-02T22:45:55.680-07:00

The ditherings and the Ditherites in the PMO simply miscalculated the public reaction on Martin's flip-flopping on Missile Defense. Polls in Canada reveal that the population in the RoC may be more agreeable to MD. If the PMO is representative of the Canadian population, perhaps they too have the occasional but influential moron who thinks that we would be spending tons of money "joining."But the

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109698912549931992005-03-01T10:37:00.000-07:002005-03-01T10:51:38.386-07:00

The testimony of Jean Lafleur further confirms what we already knew or suspected, but nothing earth-shattering so far. The Globe writes:Documents tabled yesterday show one $300,000 invoice from February, 1999, charged $90 for each of a dozen RCMP souvenir knives, $95 for each of 36 cosmetic bags, $158 for each of 144 windbreakers and $78 to $175 for each of 720 polo shirts.The inquiry will ask in

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109698485451627772005-03-01T10:25:00.000-07:002005-03-02T19:20:21.386-07:00

Ernst Z�ndel was finally deported to Germany today after he was held in solitary confinement in Canada for two years on the basis of a security certificate. No one wants to take up the issue for fear of being branded some sort of Nazi sympathizer --which is understandable to some extent.But the importance of the principles that have been trampled just to get rid of his unpalatable ideas is

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109663880595125822005-03-01T00:39:00.000-07:002005-03-01T10:36:49.036-07:00

The opening of Cuba to greater tourism, greater and freer circulation of foreign currency (US dollars, Euros) decentralization of some commercial and agricultural activity, relaxation of property rules and the opening of the island to foreign investment has helped the crumbling Cuban economy since the collapse of the Soviet Union.But Castro is no Deng Xiaoping. He has learned nothing, it seems,

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109606634927149812005-02-28T10:20:00.000-07:002005-02-28T10:16:03.620-07:00

Here is a "totally radical" thought. Maybe we are about to stop being the parasitic kingdom when it comes to national defense. Maybe.It may well be that the logic of opposing Missile Defense in Canada (in the Rest of Canada -RoC) will bring us back to the realization that we need to defend ourselves. No, I am not saying that this is what the Liberals were themselves thinking, nor am I saying that

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109561977857933672005-02-28T00:03:00.000-07:002005-02-28T06:06:23.766-07:00

Mark Steyn, about whom yesterday morning's post "An Irrelevant Backwater," has entered into a lively discussion with Austin Bay about the future of the West. Austin Bay wrote a blog commentary to Steyn's piece, disputing the notion that Europe will whither. Bay is optimistic that Europe can renew itself. Bay's retort to Steyn has prompted Steyn to reply to Bay's Blog. Steyn further clarifies his

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109548844832218072005-02-27T16:49:00.000-07:002005-02-27T17:03:30.076-07:00

On two separate ocassions, we have written here in the past month or so about the mounting inconsistencies of our Prime Minister regarding human rights. John Crosbie also takes on Martin for the same reason.

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109545859655035952005-02-27T16:09:00.000-07:002005-02-27T16:12:00.480-07:00

DART is back.

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109545794545110972005-02-27T16:06:00.000-07:002005-02-27T17:09:18.383-07:00

- Ooo?- Jean Lafleur! Eric Lafleur!- Connais pas! Est-ce que c'est les gars qui ont invent� les Michigans?!If you never have heard of Jean and Eric Lafleur, you will tomorrow and thereafter. Jean is scheduled to appear before the Gomery Commission tomorrow.The Globe reminds us that "The inquiry has already heard about the vast business dealings between Mr. [Jean] Lafleur and the federal

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109543916684929932005-02-27T15:29:00.000-07:002005-02-27T15:55:09.366-07:00

In Alberta, and in most other places, we might call it Black Gold but in Venezuela, some call it The Devil's Excrement. This is quite the expression. There even is a blog that bears the name. Here is the description:Observations focused on the problems of an underdeveloped country, Venezuela, with some serendipity about the world (orchids, techs, science, investments, politics) at large. A famous

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109527716837482452005-02-27T11:07:00.000-07:002005-02-27T11:08:36.836-07:00

BBC just announced that Saddam's half brother has been caught.

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109521511292764112005-02-27T09:19:00.000-07:002005-02-27T09:29:53.010-07:00

Mark Steyn's column today in The Chicago Sun-Times analyzes the Bush Tour in Europe as a visit to an old folks home (no disrespect to the elderly intended). He figures that "there's no point picking fights with the terminally ill."Here is a jewel from it:The new EU ''constitution,'' for example, would be unrecognizable as such to any American. I had the opportunity to talk with former French

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109444498721635962005-02-26T12:00:00.000-07:002005-02-28T13:06:03.353-07:00

Indeed, if we are to apply Mr. Pettigrew's formulation that foreign policy "expresses the personality of a country," then Canada might well be described as a braggart who is all talk, no action. Consider this past week's grandiose promise by the Prime Minister to do "whatever is required" to end the humanitarian crisis in Darfur -- as if Canada had the capacity to do even a small fraction of what

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109441863474993092005-02-26T11:13:00.000-07:002005-02-26T12:09:50.560-07:00

If, and it is a big if, the Liberals were going to do something about their commitment to the bogus claims of Kyoto, they will have to eviscerate jobs in the Canadian auto industry. And that may be okay, since Buzz and all those guys vote for the NDP anyway.Cars and trucks on Canadian roads account for 26% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the country, compared with 19% from the electricity

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109429668588709492005-02-26T07:50:00.000-07:002005-02-26T07:54:28.590-07:00

I wrote yesterday about Mr. Dither's laughable but potentially dangerous musings. Paul Wells is still calling to attention the chaotic nature of how decisions are being made in Ottawa (or Europe, or Morocco, or wherever).

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109359383548203842005-02-25T12:04:00.000-07:002005-02-25T12:23:03.550-07:00

Castro has outlawed gratuities in Cuba, the major source of income for people who work in the tourist industry. When in Cuba, you will be often served by doctors and engineers; people who cannot make enough to feed their families doing what Cuban training centers (one should not call those institutions universities) have given them. So, they resort to pouring drinks, driving tourist buses,

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109353404683026502005-02-25T09:51:00.000-07:002005-02-26T09:00:25.913-07:00

Prime Minister Paul Martin has resorted to tough talk, emboldened, it seems, by his announced 13 billion on future military expenditures. There even seems to be a veiled threat to the US in reply to American comments about our relinquishing of sovereignty. He has been quoted as saying:This is our airspace, we're a sovereign nation and you don't intrude on a sovereign nation's airspace without

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109308274156444792005-02-24T22:08:00.000-07:002005-02-24T22:21:37.243-07:00

When it comes to Missile Defense, Paul Martin was outted by Frank McKenna this week, and Martin then ran back in. Or did he run back in before he was even out? To read about Mr. Dither's defiance of the space-time continuum in the outting and reentry (or was it reentry and then outting?), read Paul Wells irreverent humor.

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109307777824447722005-02-24T21:57:00.000-07:002005-02-24T22:14:42.966-07:00

A National Post article today brings us breaking news: "Canada has given up control of its airspace: U.S. ambassador."Hellooooooo, Your Excellency!! How long have you been in Ottawa? We did that a long time ago. John Diefenbaker was in power when we started to do that. Please, tell us something we don't know.

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109301072246718472005-02-24T19:54:00.000-07:002005-03-13T10:58:53.660-07:00

John Ibbitson writes this morning in the G&M (subscription required):There's help for farmers, help for the textile industry, help for geologists, help for the very poor, help for the disabled, help for immigrants ? help for any citizen who might otherwise be tempted to vote for the NDP. The overall political strategy appears to be to do nothing actively to anger the West, pour billions into

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109235437564681282005-02-24T09:52:00.000-07:002005-02-24T13:43:16.646-07:00

I am officially surprised. When I looked at the election results back in June 2004, I figured that the Liberals would have to follow the desires of the Bloc Quebecois in order to avoid Joe Clark's end. Most people, journalist and pundits included (for they are people too), were betting on the NDP to fill that role. Joe might have been too. That Paul Martin would choose to depend on the man who

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109212165243204592005-02-23T19:03:00.000-07:002005-02-23T20:50:06.286-07:00

I switched to the Mozilla Firefox web browser weeks ago, and I have not looked back since. Don't get me wrong. I am not a Bill Gates hater. I have nothing against Bill Gates just because he is Bill Gates or because how successful he has been. I simply tried Firefox out, and it worked much better. Faster loading and better security were the best selling points for me.Firefox also offers better

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109198686726083622005-02-23T15:51:00.000-07:002005-02-23T15:47:13.800-07:00

Just ran into this one as I was posting "Biting the Hands that Feed Him." No credit for Castro. Sales are cash and carry, so to speak.U.S. Clarifies Rules on Agricultural Sales to Cuba 02/23/05 15:00 (Farm Page) OMAHA (DTN) -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ruled February 22 that U.S. agricultural and medical exports to Cuba must be paid for in cash

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109197694816949402005-02-23T15:50:00.000-07:002005-02-23T15:36:32.136-07:00

Fidel Castro's verbal attacks against the United States have slowed down commercial exchanges and Cuban imports of US products in the last three months. But in spite of that, and in spite of Cuba switching to the Euro instead of the US Dollar, Cuba has become a major importer of US agricultural goods.Fidel has used very tough talk, launching many insults against president Bush. He has called GWB

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1109137098601012622005-02-22T22:14:00.000-07:002005-02-22T23:21:34.036-07:00

I just got back from British Columbia, where I spent two days visiting an old high school friend who works with the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (RCHA). There is a small group of RCHAs stationed at the "Summit" on Roger's pass, half way between Golden and Revelstoke on the Trans-Canada Highway. Their job? To shoot artillery rounds at the side of mountains when there is danger of avalanches. In

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108966205579634122005-02-21T08:05:00.000-07:002005-02-21T08:24:41.900-07:00

No one would have thought possible for me to dislike Maoists any more than I do now, but I just found another reason in Nepal. Messing with people's beers? Jebus!Oh, and the blog where I found that gem is my new favourite one. Mmmmm. Beer.

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108922801597853402005-02-20T11:05:00.000-07:002005-02-20T11:06:41.596-07:00

Here it is. I should have googled it before I wrote the piece on Podcasts: Radio Free Nepal!

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108918298279454992005-02-20T09:49:00.000-07:002005-02-20T10:28:14.246-07:00

Stronach seems to be the new darling of the department of foreign affairs, Paul Wells writes. Good for Belinda. Any bets on where this is going?

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108877823610734032005-02-20T00:35:00.000-07:002005-02-20T08:51:40.680-07:00

My friend Neil Wilson, a thoughtful and patriotic Western Canadian send me this analysis of our national anthem. I asked him if I could post it here, and to my delight, he has agreed.Thanks, Neil.+++++++++++A friend and I were discussing various documents that contribute to the structure of any given society, i.e. constitutions, written law, philosophic essays, The Bible, religious documents

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108863405888371392005-02-20T00:33:00.000-07:002005-02-20T09:52:31.346-07:00

A friend asked me what a blog was. I was explaining it to her when she seized on the fullness of the medium's capability in mid flight and she interrupted me by saying: "The democratic potential for this is enormous!" Yes, she had it.Today, I came across a burgeoning blog network of political dissidents, and it is a wonderful thing, truly a thing to behold. Anyone with access to a keyboard and a

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108883877972813552005-02-20T00:17:00.000-07:002005-02-20T00:28:53.553-07:00

Today is my mother's birthday.Here she is, groovy hair and all, at the tender age of 30.

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108881586109413472005-02-19T23:25:00.000-07:002005-02-19T23:43:43.386-07:00

Months ago, during the US Election, some Toronto guy in the Globe and Mail made the asinine argument that Canadians should have a vote in the US election because what they do affects us here in Canada. It's an idiotic idea, I wrote to the Globe in the always unpublished letter to the editor, for more than one reason. First, the argument of affecting others would qualify the entire world, even the

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108848782345191332005-02-19T10:07:00.000-07:002005-02-19T17:31:45.833-07:00

Last week, it was reported that the NHL season had been cancelled. For a moment, I imagined that there had to have been a season for it to be cancelled, but I guess that a show can be cancelled before it even starts. So, hockey is cancelled (though I read in this morning's paper that more talks are going on). Yawn!The truth is that the news of its cancellation does not much matter to me. I

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108788664692955492005-02-19T09:58:00.000-07:002005-02-19T12:15:18.650-07:00

Dave Miller, a guidance counselor with the Calgary Catholic School District, says Alberta Education marks Grade 12 achievement tests so that only a certain percentage of students get above 80 per cent."And so now we are faced with a situation where a student works very hard, gets a mark in Alberta, it's not the same as the one in British Columbia," Miller said. "Therefore, they don't get into a

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108715185461130622005-02-18T19:40:00.000-07:002005-02-18T19:45:53.283-07:00

A report about the pioneering Alberta program aiming at taking child prostitututes out of circulation from the streets says that in some circumstances, it has had upsetting unintended consequences.The report also points to a disturbing side-effect of safe houses - some younger clients are learning the wrong things. "It has definitely happened that girls are being recruited, because they pass on

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108781029614459362005-02-18T19:15:00.000-07:002005-02-18T19:53:23.703-07:00

Cubans are slowly losing their fear of the Castro regime. Convalescing with a multiply-fractured knee, the bearded elderly man in olive green uniform can still stand and deliver a "speech" for five hours in the scorching heat of Havana. Still, Cubans are quietly (but not silently) beginning to defy him more and more.For more than a year, a group of women whose husbands have been sent to prison

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108692547798461312005-02-18T00:49:00.000-07:002005-02-18T01:09:49.026-07:00

The great Cuban poet Jos� Mart� (1853-1895) wrote this poem called Una rosa blanca (A White Rose). It is my favourite of his poems. It also happens to be his best known. He lived most of his life in exile, and here he shows that he also knew a thing or two about forgiveness.Cultivo una rosa blanca / I cultivate a white roseEn julio como en enero / In July as in JanuaryPara el amigo sincero / For

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108698383235627622005-02-18T00:44:00.000-07:002005-02-18T00:58:11.676-07:00

My buddy Tom writes on Wolfowitz at The Politic.

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108688144165662282005-02-17T17:53:00.000-07:002005-02-18T01:34:33.350-07:00

Reality has caught up with medicare rhetoric, says The Gazette

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108681707995964282005-02-17T15:55:00.000-07:002005-02-17T17:47:43.180-07:00

I am pleased to see that Adrianne Clarkson has corrected the situation with the young boy who got evicted from Rideau Hall for asking a question. To my knowledge, she never has apologised to the disappointed children at the Museum of the Regiments in Calgary.But it is Lent, and if WK can forgive, so can I. I am now amazed that the principal at John Dryden School was already willing to hand a

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108607529475411492005-02-16T19:31:00.000-07:002005-02-17T17:46:01.833-07:00

It was nice to see that WK tucked his tail between his legs and moved on after his tantrum against Andrew Coyne. WK may dress his courageous withdrawal up as Lenten magnanimity (As if...!), but everyone who can read understands that he got his rear end seriously kicked here.

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108606160113244132005-02-16T18:32:00.000-07:002005-02-16T19:13:04.080-07:00

On the heels of her appointment as Governor General in the Fall of 1999, Adrianne Clarkson went to the Museum of the Regiments in Calgary. There were lots of people at hand to meet and greet the new GG. The Museum has long been a favourite of many children, and some brought their children with them.I am told that Her Excellency Clarkson refused to shake hands with the children because it was "flu

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108603089999104662005-02-16T18:13:00.000-07:002005-02-16T18:18:10.000-07:00

Aaron Derfel at the Montreal Gazette continues his series on the seemingly peculiar and not so peculiar cases of Quebec clinics and hospitals. One piece on cataract operations and another on medical imaging appeared today.

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108499223650385482005-02-15T13:23:00.000-07:002005-02-15T17:34:56.713-07:00

It has been declared that today is Flag Day. So, here we go.I salute the Red Ensign, my flag (and I don't beat up on welfare recipients while doing it, Jean!).God save the Queen!

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108432453788364312005-02-14T18:48:00.000-07:002005-02-14T18:54:13.790-07:00

Derfel continues to write his series in the Montreal Gazette on the peculiar nature of private clinics and hospitals in Quebec.

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108397319051045012005-02-14T09:07:00.000-07:002005-02-14T09:08:39.053-07:00

Greetings and Salutations to all of you on the day that we celebrate romance and friendship. One of these is overrated.

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108318095547830612005-02-13T11:08:00.000-07:002005-02-13T12:02:37.120-07:00

Third Quebec Wal-Mart receives bomb threatThe unions and union sympathizers in Quebec will not likely rest until they force Wal-Mart to leave the province. Then, they will heap scorn on them for leaving, of course.Even Le Devoir, once upon a time temperate voice in Quebec, entitled Gil Courtemanche's piece on the weekend edition "Le terrorisme capitaliste." Courtemanche's pen is poisonous (if it

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108183280072475212005-02-13T09:41:00.000-07:002005-02-13T09:40:11.916-07:00

Ontario is complaining about being shortchanged by the deals that Ottawa is cutting with different provinces regarding variations on transfer payments. McGuinty is speaking about anger and battle with Ottawa. He's a lion!He is also a master of logic, if you ask Paul Wells.Alberta is okay with the whole thing, for now. But when Alberta has complained about such things, the retort has been that

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108277928728460052005-02-13T09:39:00.000-07:002005-02-13T09:41:31.240-07:00

A rather fiery exchange began yesterday afternoon in the blogosphere as a spillover from the Gomery Commission. Norman Spector's column in the Globe and Mail brought Warren Kinsella's name (mentioned here last week regarding his undermining campaign against the Commission) to the fore. "It was Mr. Kinsella who wrote the letter to the deputy minister that landed Chuck Guite his job, an act that

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108276090764840362005-02-13T09:28:00.000-07:002005-02-13T09:41:50.843-07:00

Alberta's Minister of Health Iris Evans wants to make Albertans healthier while reducing healthcare costs. She has been "thinking outside the box," Premier Klein said. The effort to cull new ideas should be commended. She reckons that a population with healthier living habits will cost less in the long run because fit people will visit doctors and hospitals less.Generally speaking, it makes sense

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108240355032070652005-02-12T13:32:00.000-07:002005-02-12T21:24:32.913-07:00

Aaron Derfel's story in The Gazette shows Montreal to be the country's "mecca of private health." It confirms what many suspected, and Ottawa has refused to recognise. During the last election, Paul Martin declared himself the defender of medicare against the brutes from Alberta (Harper and Klein). Even "Landslide Annie" got into the fight. Ralph Klein was threatened with the withholding of

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108233462173837622005-02-12T11:37:00.000-07:002005-02-14T18:18:00.806-07:00

There are four major articles on homosexual marriage on the Globe and Mail's website today. There may be more on the printed version. Three of them have Stephen Harper's name in the title. The fourth one is by Roy McGregor, who writes from the Texas Lounge in Calgary. If you believe McGregor, there is some sort of civil war going in Alberta between the cities and the rural communities. It's very

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108194294708038782005-02-12T00:38:00.000-07:002005-02-12T08:51:14.456-07:00

Talk of balls continues in Canadian politics as the National Citizen's Coalition spoofs JC with their own volley of balls

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108193207586694532005-02-12T00:20:00.000-07:002005-02-12T00:51:35.086-07:00

This paragraph from Colby Cosh really needs no commentary.My brain is drowning in WTFs here. Bernard Landry, for instance, offered this pearl of wisdom: "Quebec is an advanced and progressive society [you can tell by its 1960s labour legislation -ed.] and when you invest here you must obey our laws and the spirit of those laws. Anti-union attitudes are not welcomed here." So what am I missing?

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108149787727813842005-02-12T00:04:00.000-07:002005-02-12T00:59:56.156-07:00

If polls are any indication, a significant number of Canadians want child care. And as product of their political ignorance, they expect the federal government to deliver it. These might be the same people who phone MPs offices complaining that the lighting on their street is not working, or that they need their sidewalk repaired. The federal government has become the level of government expected

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108019330785538332005-02-11T21:08:00.000-07:002005-02-11T21:34:51.316-07:00

Last Tuesday, February 8, Premier Ralph Klein announced new plans to invest in students and in post-secondary education in Alberta. This is welcome news for Albertans and for Alberta, even if the premier's plan does not have many details. The details of the plan will be presented in Bill 1 on March 1, the day that the Assembly will open its new session in Edmonton. But the fact that it will be

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9937886.post-1108105993213745992005-02-10T23:21:00.000-07:002005-02-11T00:23:38.030-07:00

Oh! Another Gomery commentary. In my defense, when a (former) prime minister appears before a commission of inquiry for the first time in more than a century, it commands attention, even mine. To say nothing of a sitting PM.Small acts are often more defining about the character of a man. "Sometimes a matter of less moment, an expression or a jest, informs us better of [men's] characters and

kaqchikelnoreply@blogger.com0