The Conservative Scandal Won't Go Away

Try as he may, Stephen Harper can't make this baby go away. Do the Conservatives have any idea how many of their 2006 Campaign promises they've broken? I think this story falls somewhere under the category of accountability.

Did I Mention We're Having an Election?

Just in case.

Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts that you've sent over the past few hours. Very thoughful of you all.

It Could Have Been Your Mom

Let me just say off the hop that we all have a tendency to get caught up in the moment. We all wanna be that boy or girl in the sky that broke the story or made the difference or had the opinion that all of us might dream we predicted. I know. I've been on every side of the argument.

Tomorrow my mom decided to have a "little" surgery done. Little is good for a lot of people. And, normally I'm OK with minor surgery. There's only one tiny eensy weensy little problem. My mom has less than a little immunity left in her little body. So, as we all go, so shall she before us.

I love you all. I need you all. And, most of all, God bless each and every one of you.

Oh! We are Soooooo Having an Election!!!

Harper says yeterday:

“I think with the current political alignment — my election strategists won't like it — but with the current political alignment the possibility of a minority government .. .would loom very high,” he said.

MY ELECTION STRATEGISTS?????

Now who's sabre rattling???

Howard Hampton...A Man Protecting His Seat

Northern Ontario this, Northern Ontario that. Northern Ontario. Northern Ontario. Did I mention Northern Ontario?

Jeez. I thought the debate was enough. Whaddya figure the over/under was on the amount of times Howie would mention Northern Ontario? I counted at least 15. Good to know he's campaigning for re-election for his own Rainy River riding. I think he'll hold onto that seat.

Survey Says....The Conservatives Are Failing

That's no surprise to many of us. This new poll out is just proof that Canadians are paying attention. Most Canadians appear to want our Kyoto agreement to be enacted. Most also feel Harper's 2020 target is far too far away.

Thank goodness Mr. Harper is set to represent us on the world stage today. If Canadians don't believe him, I'm certain the rest of the world won't either. I'm also looking forward to the embarrassment of an Environment Minister, John Baird to speak later in the week.

Bring on the Throne Speech.

Canada is Failing in Afghanistan

We all called for the removal of Gordon O'Connor for his incredible incompetance on the Afghan detainee file(amongst a million other things he did wrong). But now Peter McKay is the new O'Connor and the Conswervative government just continues to go stale.

50 detainees appear to have gone missing. Not one or two, but, 50! Here is what one passerby on the CTV thread had to say about the story

"Let's get real here. This is just another attempt by media and those with anti-Canadian interests to undermine the fantastic work our Nation is doing in Afghanistan. Congratulations to the Taliban sympathizers!

How is what happens to prisoners that we hand over to Afghanistan Security Forces a Canadian problem? Our Charter does not extend to foreign nations."

I thought we were there to make a civil difference and restore democracy. Wouldn't protecting prisoners' rights be one of the democratic rights we must be fighting for? Just a question. And here is the response that was given to the press about the matter:"There are lots of possible explanations for how people get lost in the detention system," a Western official told the newspaper. "Some are benign, others much less so."

We're supposed to be there to make a difference. Losing prisoners, terrorists or not, is not helping to stabilize and bring peace to a country.

Perhaps Mr. Duceppe is right. Time to call Harper and his cronies on this.

And for all of you calling for the end of Mr. Dion and the death of the Liberal Party, I submit this as evidence that we are alive and well. Now let's bring on that Throne Speech.

More By-election Bull

So Dion's getting ripped all over the media for losing not one, but three by-elections in the Province of Quebec. As if, by some miracle, the son of Quebec was supposed to have won over the hearts and minds of Quebecers in a mere 9 months without having the luxury of buying their votes a la Mr. Harper. A vaunting task for almost anyone.

With the exception of Outremont - where they elected a Liberal anyway - the other ridings weren't exactly Liberal bastiens. In fact, those ridings have long since seen better days for Liberals. Yet, if you listen to the media reports, it was the Liberals and Dion that were crushed in all three ridings.

What about the Bloc? All but left on the streets of Outremont without a pulse to speak of. How about just barely holding on to St. Hyacinthe where they enjoyed 48% support? How about losing their other fortress in Roberval to the CONS? I'd have to say that of the four major parties, the Bloc suffered perhaps the most irreparable damage.

Now let's talk about Liberal fortunes. And, fortunes they will remain. When will Dion get to have his kick at the can with the call of by-elections in Willowdale and Toronto Centre? What's the matter Mr. Harper? Too afraid that he'll stick it right back at ya?

How about Steve Owen's BC riding? Afraid to call that one as well? I guess. And Gary Merasty's Liberal riding? What about that one?

Ever the strategist, governing by the polls, Mr. Harper wouldn't dare. Smart move by him. Wouldn't want the headlines saying "Conservatives devastated in by-elections. Leadership review imminent" or "NDP fail to break through. Mulcair challenges Layton over leadership". No. He wouldn't want that.

Nor would he enjoy the likes of Bob Rae taking him to task day after day in the House. Certainly Rae would be able to silence the likes of Mulcair and Layton. Afterall, he used to know something about the NDP.

So bring it on Mr. Harper. These apparently dead and/or dying Liberals would love to take you on with our beloved Leader Mr. Dion leading us into those 4 battles. Then let's see who the REAL leader is.

Pierre Trudeau was Prime Minister

Rene Levesque was just elected Premier, The Olympics were in Montreal and



This baby didn't exist yet


But that was the last time the Canadian dollar was at even par with this

An Evening with Justin Trudeau

Niagara Falls Federal Liberal Association
www.niagaraliberal.com
Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate publication

Justin Trudeau to speak in Niagara Falls - On November 5, 2007, Justin Trudeau will appear at Club Italia for a special one-night engagement. A riveting, passionate speaker known for his forward thinking views on our environment and the responsibilities of each Canadian to protect it. Mr. Trudeau includes an enjoyable and unique "question and answer" segment following his speech.

The event will be held at Club Italia, 2525 Montrose Road, in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Date: Monday, November 5th, 2007
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Open to the general public.

For ticket information go to www.niagaraliberal.com

For more information contact:
Mark Matthews
Executive Vice-President
Niagara Falls Federal Liberal Association
Home - 905-354-7364 - Please leave a message if necessary
Cell - 289-257-9854 - Please leave a message if necessary
E-mail at: cmatthews_68@sympatico.ca

JUSTIN P.J. TRUDEAU

On April 29, 2007, Justin Trudeau was elected liberal candidate to represent the riding of Papineau in the next federal election. Thousands of liberal supporters came out to choose their next liberal candidate. Mr. Trudeau was the riding’s choice by winning a strong majority after the first round.

He succeeds where most politicians fail – he gathers all young Canadians. Capturing the attention of students from elementary school through to university, he is championing liberal values. He uses these forums to defend the causes that are dear to his heart such as the environment and youth accountability.

Over the years, he has worked with several environmental groups destined to protect our Canadian heritage such as Nature Conservancy of Canada and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. He has given many speeches on this subject in collaboration with teachers from McGill University, an institution that is renowned in this area.

During the summer of 2006, he chaired the youth taskforce of the Liberal Party Renewal Commission whose mandate was to generate ideas and discussion among Liberals and Canadians.

Mr. Trudeau was Chair of Katimavik from 2002 to 2006, Canada's leading national youth volunteer-service program. Mr. Trudeau worked to increase the engagement of Canada's youth towards their country, their communities and their environment.

Avid defender of minority language rights in Canada, he has directly participated in this debate as a French teacher in Vancouver. His experience in this field for over five years was an instigator to reveal his desire to want to raise youth awareness to go above and beyond and become agents of change in our society.

Shortly after completing a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature at McGill University, Mr. Trudeau moved to Vancouver to earn a bachelor's of education degree from the University of British Columbia.

He is also involved with the Canadian Avalanche Foundation, promoting intelligent risk-taking and safety awareness to this nature phenomenon.

Eldest son of former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre E. Trudeau, Justin Trudeau was born on December 25, 1971. He is married to TV host Sophie Grégoire. The couple is expecting their first child this fall.



JUSTIN P.J. TRUDEAU


Le 29 avril 2007, Justin Trudeau a été élu candidat libéral pour représenter la circonscription de Papineau lors des prochaines élections fédérales. Plusieurs milliers de militants libéraux se sont mobilisés dans le but de choisir leur prochain candidat libéral. M. Trudeau fut le choix du comté en remportant une victoire décisive dès le premier tour.

Rassembleur auprès de tous les Canadiens et Canadiennes, il réussit où tant de politiciens échouent : auprès des jeunes. Captant l’attention d’étudiants du primaire à l’université, M. Trudeau se fait porte-étendard des valeurs libérales. Il utilise les tribunes qui lui sont offertes pour défendre des causes qui lui tiennent à cœur comme l’environnement et la responsabilisation des jeunes.

Au cours des années, il a œuvré auprès de multiples groupes environnementaux voués à la protection du patrimoine naturel canadien tels que Conservation de la nature Canada ainsi que la Société pour la nature et les parcs du Canada. Il a donné de nombreuses allocutions sur ce sujet qu’il a approfondi avec la collaboration de professeurs de l’Université McGill, institution reconnue en la matière.

À l'été 2006, il a présidé le groupe de travail sur la jeunesse dans le cadre de la Commission du renouveau du Parti libéral du Canada. Le mandat de cette Commission était d'encourager le développement de nouvelles idées et de discussions parmi les libéraux et les Canadiens et les Canadiennes.

Il été Président de Katimavik de 2002 à 2006, le principal programme national de service volontaire offert aux jeunes Canadiens et Canadiennes. Durant cette période, M. Trudeau s’est démarqué par sa contribution qui a permis aux jeunes Canadiens et Canadiennes d’accroître leurs engagements envers leur pays, leur communauté et leur environnement.

Fort défenseur des droits des minorités linguistiques au Canada, il a participé directement à ce débat en tant qu’enseignant francophone à Vancouver. Son expérience à ce titre pendant plus de cinq ans, a été révélateur dans son désir de vouloir sensibiliser les jeunes à l’importance de se dépasser et de devenir des agents de changement pour la société.

Titulaire d'un premier baccalauréat en littérature anglaise de l'Université McGill, M. Trudeau a poursuivi ses études à Vancouver où il compléta un deuxième baccalauréat, celui-ci en éducation à l'Université de la Colombie-Britannique.

M. Trudeau est également actif au sein de la Fondation canadienne des avalanches afin de sensibiliser la population aux risques et aux différentes pratiques sécuritaires en ce qui a trait à ce phénomène de la nature.

Fils aîné de l'ancien Premier ministre canadien Pierre E. Trudeau, Justin Trudeau est né le 25 décembre 1971. Il est marié à l'animatrice de télévision Sophie Grégoire. Le couple attend leur premier enfant cet automne.

The Eagle has Landed

I'm back from Outremont, where I ate a lot of this




Followed by a lot of this




Good thing there was a lot of this

Outremont is Beautiful Today

Lots and lots of sunshine. Perhaps the NDP will get their Bloc vote out...or not.

I'm in Outremont

Smells like Liberal victoy.

If you're here, or planning to be, drop me a line!

Gilles Duceppe...A Man Defeated

Gilles Duceppe has spent the last 19 months propping up a tired, stale Conservative government...and now he's paying for it. Harper bribed the Bloc just enough to get their support on just about every issue put to Parliament. Duceppe bit on that lure hard and often.

So what does the Bloc get in return? He's about to lose one of his strongholds, he's down 8% over the last election in another and he's disappeared off the face of the planet in Outremeont. Not only did he have to retract his intentions to run for leader of the PQ, but he just may have to think about his future with the Bloc. Certainly losing his hold in primarily popular Bloc ridings has to be a sign of the end of days for Mssr. Duceppe.

So, well Liza Frulla (not my kind of Liberal), Chantal Hebert and others are calling for the end of Stephane Dion, the Bloc quietly fades away into the abyss. Bye bye separatist movement.

La Presse Poll Reported Incorrectly...or, Spin it to suit yourself Chantal

So I downloaded the Unimarketing/La Presse poll that's run rampant all over the MSM today. Of course it's all being spun as the dismantling of Stephane Dion and the Liberal Party in Quebec.

But, let's have a look at the REAL story behind the numbers shall we. Then you can tell me who the REAL losers are in this by-election

ROBERVAL-LAC-STE.-JEAN

2006 Results

BQ 17,586/ 45.21%
Conswervatives 14,463/ 37.18%
Liberal 3,014/ 7.75%
Dips 2,151/ 5.53%
Green Wave 1,689/ 4.34%

La Presse Poll 2007

BQ 37%
Conswervatives 43%
Liberal 12%
Dips 4%
Green Wave 4%

So, you see, it would appear in this riding the big losers are the Bloc and the NDP. Both the Liberals and CONS are up in support in this riding. Take that Chantal!! Why aren't you telling us Duceppe is finished for good?

SAINT-HYACINTHE-BAGOT

2006 RESULTS

BQ 27,838/ 56.0%
Conswervatives 12,323/ 24.8%
Liberal 4,884/ 9.8%
Dips 2,723/ 5.5%
Green Wave 1,925/ 3.9%


La Presse Poll 2007

BQ 49%
Conswervatives 32%
Liberal 5%
NDP 7%
Green Wave 6%

So why isn't Chantal putting the death nail in the coffin of the BQ leader Gilles Duceppe? Duceppe gives up 7% in this riding. Liberals never ever had a sniff of hope here in elections past.


Now for the big one.

OUTREMONT

2006 RESULTS

Liberal 14,281 35.13%
BQ 11,714 28.81%
Dips 6,965 17.13%
Conswervatives 5,248 12.84%
Green Wave 1,948 4.79%

La Presse Poll 2007

Liberal 32%
BQ 14%
Dips 38%
Green Wave 8%
Conswervatives 7%


Again, who's the big loser. Duceppe of course. 14% loss from the last election. Not to mention the Conswervatives trailing the Green Party. But somehow Chantal Hebert and others have decided Stephane Dion and the Liberals are dead in the water if we lose Outremont. Read 'em weep everyone. The Liberal Party is alive and well in Quebec. Gotta be distressing for the Bloc though.

Chantal Hebert Loses More Credibility

You know, I used to enjoy watching Chantal on Thursday nights on CBC and read her columns fairly regularly. These days she's resembling some form of bitter old hack. Her obvious despise for Stephane Dion and the likes of Stephane Dion is becoming stale and tiresome.

Her column in today's Toronto Star is the epitome of outright disdain and borderline hatred of the leader of the Liberal Party. After all, she is the one hack that said time and time again Dion would not win the leadership of the Liberal Party. Why isn't this a test for any of the other leaders? Why is it just Dion she insists on being tested? Why does she make sound as though we're being ousted from all 3 ridings when two are held by the Bloc?

My suggestion to Ms. Hebert? GET OVER IT!!!

Conservative Sponsorship Scandal

It's there just waiting to happen. Dumb a@@es.

The Conservatives, fresh off their "Ad Scandal" have announced their version of the the sponsorship program. Aren't they just genius?

I think their intent was to interrupt the by-election efforts in Quebec. Can you say backfire? Canada was just waiting for another "sponsorship program". Poor Josee Verner.

Coulon Wins Outremont!!!

That's what the headlines should read on Monday morning in Montreal. As many of you know, I am heading to Montreal to help Jocelyn in any way I can this weekend.

It's all hands on deck there, so if anyone wants to join us in our cause, don't hesitate to drop me an email with your co-ordinates.

The NDP have been doing some serious talking over in Outremont, often times sounding as though they've won the riding. The fact is they have 7,300 votes to make up to beat the Liberals and 4,800 to beat the Bloc. Even a 20% swing doesn't get them there.

I'm Against MMP!!!

It took a while for me to even think about MMP. Hell, I still don't want to think about it.

The moral of the story is this: every radical wingnut political group that couldn't win a seat if they tried - and they have - is for it. Therefore, you know it ain't good.

I'm sorry but this isn't Europe or, for that matter, anywhere else that implements MMP. This is Canada. This is CANADA. We have a Parliamentary system. We've always had a Parliamentary system. Imagine our forefathers rolling over in their graves right now thinking: MMP? WTF?

Recently we had a meeting here in Niagara Falls organized the The Citizens for Democracy (as long as you agree with THEIR version of democracy). Their faithful leader, Mel Grunstein (lost in five elections for the Alliance, Reform and Conservative Parties)argued FOR MMP. In the end, nobody attended, and, most importantly, nobody understood it.

So, as a bell weather riding such as this, nobody cares and nobody wants to care. My analysis then leads me to believe that that would be the general consensus of the rest of the province.

I have a hard time understanding why anyone in the two major parties (no the NDP is not one of the two) would even consider supporting MMP. It's a bad idea. Moreover, I think it would lead to even less representation by the smaller parties.

So, in October, I fully anticipate the sound defeat of MMP. Keep in mind, I know nothing.

A 911 Poem

Towers of Life

They stood hushed and glimmering in the night,
Giants able to frame the moon,
Slumbering magnificently in their might.

Day breaks and the sun gently warms their skin,
Veins begin to pulse with life,
The sprit of a thousand of kin.


Evil tears towards them through the brilliant morning sky,
Propelled by the blackest of hate,
Guided by a lie.

Barely risen they stand with no defense,
Innocent and distracted they are not prepared,
The pain about to be inflicted intense.

Like a bolt of lighting that shatters the morn,
Evil crashes once then twice into their sides,
Their bodies are scorched and torn.

Horribly crippled they continue to stand,
Holding onto life until the last,
Orders are given, they take the command.

The battle is brief, the giants begin to yield,
Life drains from every artery,
Their fate is sealed.

Collapsing to zero,
First to one knee then to the next,
From their dust will emerge so many a hero.

The question is asked,
How can such evil exist.
JDK

Afghanistan Ambassador "Warns" Canada

Samad warns that if the international community ends its assistance to Afghanistan too quickly, the country will once again become a failed nation ruled by war lords, drug dealers and international terrorists.

Yep that's what he said. Aren't there war lords, drug dealers and international terrorists there now? Still? After six years of us being there? How long is "too quickly"? 10 years? 20? 50?

Trudeau and the High Road

I was too annoyed by Mulroney's comments to comment earlier. Anywho, one should not speak ill of the dead. Not to worry Mr. Mulroney, Trudeau the sequel is coming soon to a House of Commons near you.

Harper Set for November Election

Stevo, Stevo. Duffy thinks this is because Harpo doesn't want to "interfere with the Ontario election." Where else can you get a nice job for $200+K a year and decide to take 4 months off?

Well, a buddy of mine thought that there is the "potential" for a fall election. He might just be correct after all.

Well Mr. Harper, you've just proved to Canadians that you have absolutely no desire to make Government work. It's Government by the polls. Government with no agenda. Government with no "pressing" matters to deal with.

I guess the Kyoto implementation bill is out of the question.It's past its expiry date anyway.

The debate over Afghanistan can wait. No hurry. Hell. We're there until '09 anyway.

I'm certain Justice Minister Nicholson's crime bills that he claims are stalled aren't as important as he made them out to be all summer long.

The Conservatives have told us all year long that they just want to govern. Apparently their version of governing is quite different from what the Canadian people are used to seeing and are demanding. This "new government" is growing quite stale.