Good News for Canada, Bad News for Iffy Liberals

Well is seems that our federal government will be able balance the books a year earlier than what was planned according the Conference Board of Canada.

OTTAWA — So long as the federal government keeps its pledge on curbing program  spending, Ottawa should return to a surplus position one year ahead of schedule based on how the economy is unfolding, the Conference Board of Canada said Thursday.

Mr. Iffy's Liberals and the Liberal cheerleader media won't be happy about this good news.   They have been talking down Canada from the beginning of the recession.  Iffy said from the get go he wanted nothing to do with it and that the PM would have to wear it. They offered no help.  The opposition and the media were bellyaching complaining the government was spending not enough then too much.  Then the howls of protest because the deficit was too high at the same time the coalition of the losers would have implemented national daycare, pharmacare, etc. which would would have put us in such a economic state we'd be going down the road of Greece.  It would have been spend, spend, spend and no way to get out. They can't have it both ways.

I believe the Libs and their media thought for sure this would bring the big bad Harper government down and it would be easy street for them to take back the keys to 24 Sussex.    It is not quite turning out like that to their dismay.  That's why all the outrage about things that really don't matter to the average Canadian like fake lakes, census etc.

I can't find any comments from Iffy or any of his cabal on this good news.  No comments either from any other of the opposition for that matter. Where's  Budget Officer, Kevin Page, what has he got to say about this?  It's news that should be shouted from the roof tops. 

It's obvious Canada is in good hands and another good reason why we need a Conservative majority to continue with the plan.   If you have any doubts, just look at other countries.  We have it good in comparison.

Harper Government Frees Teen Stuck in Cuba

Cody LeCompte, a teen who has been stuck in Communist Cuba since April will soon be coming home possibly next Tuesday.  He had gotten into an accident while driving a rental car and was never charged with anything and could face up to three years in jail but had to stay there.  Jailed in Cuba, how awful!

Thank God the Harper government has finally intervened and has an agreement with Cuban authority. Cody can come home providing he return for a possible trial (let's hope and pray that doesn't happen so he doesn't have to go back) and he pay for the repair of the other vehicle that was damaged.

In an exclusive interview with the Toronto Sun moments after a tentative deal was worked out with Cuban authorites, Cody was also emotional as he thought about the prospect of finally going home.“I am very surprised,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting this.”
The relieved teen thanked the Canadian government for getting involved in the case.
And Cody also expressed his gratitude to the thousands of Canadians across the country who have been “so supportive.”
“It’s nice to know that people care,” he said.
After 13-weeks of being trapped at a Cuban resort as police investigated a car crash, the teen’s family posted bail of $2,000 Cuban pesos (about $2,200) Wednesday that should allow him leave.
“In exchange for promising to appear at a future trial date if need be, they agreed release Cody,” his elated uncle, Gary Parmenter, said. “It’s obvious that some pressure was put on the Cuban and Canadian governments as a result of the articles the Sun ran.”
Parmenter said after weeks of nothing happening, things suddenly started to move Wednesday on the heels of the Canadian government issuing a news release indicating holding Cody any longer could affect tourism.
The deal to pay the bail was worked out in the town of Minas, about 30 minutes from the Gran Club resort in Santa Lucia, where Cody has been stranded.
“It’s a win-win for both governments.” said Parmenter “They both get to save face.”
The meeting came after comments made in Ottawa by Peter Kent, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas), who hinted holding a Canadian for this long could have repercussions on Canadians deciding on Cuba as a vacation destination.
Parmenter said Cuban officials have indicated they will now work with the family to get Cody on the plane Tuesday.
There is, however, one more hurdle to clear — the cost of repairing the damage to the truck that allegedly broadsided the Hyundai Accent Cody was driving.
Cuban officials want to check with the driver to see if he expects the family to cover the estimated $500 in repairs.
No problem, says the family: “It would cost us a lot more than that to keep Cody here so I don’t foresee it as an issue” said Parmenter.
Danette said although she wishes the federal government had stepped in sooner, she’s happy they finally “came through.”

 She’s not ready just yet to think about the possibility of Cody having to return to the communist country for a potential trial or about the $30,000 of debt she’s accumulated during this ordeal.

“I’m just focused on getting my son back on Canadian soil,” she said. “Nothing else matters right now.”

This is wonderful news.  Cody will soon be back home.  I say thank you too to Minister Peter Kent and PM Harper for finally coming to bat for this innocent young man who did nothing wrong.  This maybe is a lesson  for anyone else who travels to Cuba, don't drive in that country, you could end up in the same boat.
I wish Cody and his mom all the best.  I hope they can get their lives back in order soon!

Federal Liberal Candidate Won't Stepdown.

A federal Liberal candidate from Calgary, Jennifer Pollock won't quit for her racist remarks she made concerning the Calgary Police Service on a twitter post. 

CALGARY - Embattled federal Liberal candidate Jennifer Pollock won't resign after posting online remarks accusing some Calgary cops of being racist.

 The Calgary West candidate, who twice lost to Conservative MP Rob Anders, courted controversy over the weekend by suggesting on Twitter that while she isn't condemning the force, she still contends some city police are racist.

Responding to reports of a memo sent to Tory faithful Sunday evening calling for Liberal boss Michael Ignatieff to axe the veteran campaigner, Pollock said she has no intention of stepping down and the government is simply using the gaffe as a smokescreen.
"This is a common tactic - the Conservatives are trying to change the channel by talking about this," she said. "I think in a big force in a big complex city there are some police who are racist.
"But I'm saying these things because I care about the police."
Pollock received some Twitter backlash Sunday after publicly agreeing with another person's statement that Calgary cops display "blatant racism."
She went further, saying: "My statement is not condemning the Calgary Police Service - but admitting the need for change - yes (there are) some racist cops in (Calgary)."
Police union boss John Dooks said he was offended by the remark but he's not ready to back calls for her resignation.
"It's insulting and offensive that somebody would say that," he said.
"I don't necessarily think someone should be fired for (saying) that but I'd like to hear her respond to it - she owes it to the community."
Dooks said racism is not tolerated in the service and "the only intolerance officers have generally is that against anti-societal behaviour."
Pollock noted she called police Chief Rick Hanson on Sunday night, leaving a message inviting him to give her a call if he wants to discuss her comments.
The party is continuing to back Pollock, with press secretary Michel Liboiron saying her candidacy is safe and the party believes the Calgary force is top-notch.
"Our position on the Calgary police department is crystal clear: They are a fine and respected force, and we have the utmost confidence and respect in them and their work," he wrote in an email.
"Our candidate simply wants to ensure that the police service has the resources to do its job - including the training and community outreach that is now an essential part of any police force in a world-class city such as Calgary."

 Mr. Iffy obviously is not going to call for her head he and the party are standing behind her.   If they think they can unseat Rob Anders in Calgary West, they have another thing coming and this surely doesn't help.
You can bet your booty that  if this were a Conservative candidate, there would be demands for the person to stepdown and an apology from all quarters, Liberals and their cheerleader media, calling the CPC racist and all sorts of names.

Could it be that Liberals  actually support racism?   They support affirmative action which is blatantly racist.  You make the call.

Mr. Ziffy's Magical Bus Tour

Well two weeks into the Mr. Ziffy's magical bus tour making him into something he's not so he can connect with the regular lowly Joe and Mary sixpack is turning out to be not so magical as stated by the Sun's editorial board with David McGuinty griping about the Sun's reporting on the cabal.

McGuinty can mix apples and oranges all he wants -- prisons and schools, like corporate tax cuts and home care, do not belong in the same sentence -- but don't try to pass this nonsense off as if Ignatieff has answers.
He's making it up on the fly. There's no substance.
This six-week dupe show is all about Ignatieff's image being in the tank, and the Liberal Party plummeting in the polls.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Ask any journalist on the bus.

It seems like turnout for Mr. Ziffy's appearances are not that empressive either.  There is no Ziffymania and it's mainly Liberal friendly events he's attending.    Failed Lib Leader John Turner got bigger turnout and he was  a disaster as a  leader.  Even  Lib supporters aren't exactly getting excited about this man. 

 Former Perth-Wellington Liberal Riding Association president Adam Mair was disappointed by yesterday's turnout to a potential prime minister of Canada, however.
"I'm comparing to the same site when John Turner rolled in here, the very same spot and it was wall to wall to city hall with people," he said.

Meanwhile Liberal party president Alf Apps is still not  a happy camper telling Libs to take a valium and still blaming the media for his dear leader and his party tanking. As Paul Wells so aptly puts it:

 But Maclean's columnist Paul Wells, who has written about the media's treatment of the Liberal Party in the past, said that while Ottawa journalists are prone to "group think," the prevailing opinion that Mr. Ignatieff is politically inept did not develop out of nowhere.

But then goes on later to state that overall Mr. Ziffy has been getting positive press.

Mr. Wells also noted that the national coverage of the "Liberal Express" bus tour, in which Mr. Ignatieff is travelling around the country meeting with supporters, has been largely favourable.

Mr. Apps needs to look in the mirror it's his leader and his party and about what they do or do not stand for and their extremely partisan tactics.  Maybe it is he who should take the Valium.
His leader is an elite, arrogant, condesending and a flip flopper and just can't relate to us regular people. He is not PM material.
On the other hand PM Stephen Harper is a regular middle class Canadian who knows what it's like to work hard, and pay the bills.  That's why he can relate to many of us. Liberals just don't get it!

Liberals and NDP Are in Favor of Affirmitive Action

The government has ordered an affirmative action overhaul.

This is why.  When fellow BT blogger Sara Landriault who had applied for a job at Citizenship and Immigration  had her application blocked because she is white. Why, if Sarah is qualified for the job that she is discriminated from even applying? Doesn't make sense. The government has listened and is taking action rectify that problem . 

The Liberals and NDP are not happy though. They are belly aching. They seem to think that discriminating against someone applying for a government job based on race is quite fine.   Are the Liberals and NDP in favor of  racial discrimination?  I thought both those parties believed in equality. Go figure! 

Equality is equality. Whatever happened to being chosen for a position based on merit? Liberals and NDP mustn't think merit is important.  It shouldn't matter what race you are.  If you have the qualifications for a certain position,  no matter if you're black, white, red, yellow or pink with purple polka dots, you should be able to at least apply.

Good for Sarah for speaking out and good for the government for acting so quickly.

Remember this from a famous American civil rights leader:

 I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Sidenote: I wish Sarah the best on her job hunt and hope she lands one soon.  Go Sarah!

Liberals All Over the Map on New F-35 Fighter Jets

Liberals can't make up their minds where they stand on anything.  The latest is the  government's procurement of 65 new F-35 fighter jets.  First spaceman Marc Garneau came out with feigned outrage railing against the deal saying the Libs would cancel it.  The same Lib spaceman Garneau  then said they would put it hold and review the it to make sure Canadians got the best deal.

"We just spent $2.6 billion to upgrade our current fleet of CF-18 aircraft and the replacement date that's forecast for these aircraft is not until 2017," said Garneau. "We need to make sure that Canadians get the best possible deal in the circumstances," he said.

Ujjal Dosanjh has  asked budget officer Kevin Page to examine whether or not we got a good deal.

Liberal defence critic Ujjal Dosanjh asked Parliament's budget officer Kevin Page Wednesday to investigate the F-35 deal — comparing it to other countries that have purchased the fifth-generation jet — and see whether Canada got good value for money.

Now retired general, current Liberal Senator, Romeo Dallaire figures it's a great deal and that we should buy more.

Dallaire called its main rival — Boeing's F-18E Super Hornet — "old" and hailed the government's $9-billion military investment as “essential.
“It's an excellent plane that's built in North America," Dallaire said Wednesday, noting he does take issue with the sole source government contract. "We need more than that but we can only afford 65."

In the meantime so much for the feigned outrage over the  so called "the lack of a competive process."   It was a joint decision with our allies that was properly deliberated for years.
Former Quebec Liberal MP Jacques Saada  agreed with the government and commented on the issue. 

While Liberals have been decrying the sole-source deal, former Quebec Liberal MP Jacques Saada, now president of Quebec's aerospace association, agreed with the government earlier this week when he told QMI Agency there was a "very serious" competitive bid process in the late-90s.
Those deliberations, he said, last nearly five years and in the end the nine Joint Strike Fighter partners — including Canada, United States, Britain and Australia — all decided to buy the F-35.

Ralphy Goodale should know better. He was a part of that government that started this process.  He  has said they would "revisit it" if they formed the next government.

The Liberals have pledge to “revisit” the jet deal if they form the next government, “and would insist on a competitive process,” Goodale said.

So where exactly DO the Liberals stand on this?  Mr. Iffy needs to get his Libs together and decide where they stand.
They have flip, flopped and have been all over the map on this as they are on many other issues. The deal was originally started by them when they were still in office. The current government continued the process.
It just proves they don't have a coherent stand on anything and are not ready to govern.  Voters are not going to vote for a party that can't make up their mind who they are and what they stand for. 

End the Indian Act Says the Head of the Assembly of First Nations

Shawn Atleo, the head of the Assembly of First Nations, states  that the Indian Act should be scrapped within five years.

WINNIPEG—Aboriginals should get out “from under” the Indian Act within five years and build a new, more-independent relationship with the federal government, the head of the Assembly of First Nations said Tuesday.
“Is it time to boldly suggest that within two to five years, the Indian Act will no longer be part of our lives?” Shawn Atleo asked the AFN’s annual assembly.

I agree.  We pour billions of dollars each year into First Nations and it seems like things just don't get  any better for them.  There is no accountability as to where the money is being spent.  They live in third world conditions.  There's a lot of alcoholism, drug abuse, a high incarceration rate, low level of education, and the suicide rate is high among the aboriginal population.  There is no initiative to get ahead.

“Imagine a time ... when we give up all that the current system provides — the highest suicide rates, the highest rates of incarceration in the country, the lowest education rates, the lowest income rates.”

The Department of Indian Affairs just perpetuates the problem. There should be no difference between the rest of Canadians and our First Nations.  Everyone should be treated equally.  Equality is in our Charter isn't it?

“We will once and for all work to dismantle the unnecessary machinery of the Department of Indian Affairs, which only perpetuates our poverty.

The dismantlement of the Act allowing aboriginals independence and equal treatment would be better for them.  They would gain the initiative to better themselves thus some of those problems they face would not be as great. They would have greater self-esteem, be healthier, more productive and prosperous.
Plus it would save the federal taxpayer billions each year.   
Tom Flanagan earlier this year suggested something like that in  giving first nations property rights.

Restoring aboriginal property rights will enhance economic activity on reserves and create more jobs and business opportunities for first nations people

Minister  Strahl,  please listen to the Assembly of First Nations and Mr. Flanagan.  This is the way to go.  The current system is not working. Don't hold back our aboriginal people anymore.  They deserve to be independent, equal, healthy and prosperous like the rest of us.

Media Bias Against Mr. Z Fueled by a Left-and Rightwing Conspriacy?

Adrian McNair, says according to Liberal party president, Alfred Apps poor Mr. Z is victim of media bias. Oh, poor baby!  Apps claims the media is being aided by some in his own party but by Tory and NDP as well to feed them "propaganda."

 Michael Ignatieff is the victim of a persistent media bias, according to Liberal party president Alfred Apps. In an 18-page analysis obtained exclusively by Victoria freelance journalist, Sean Holman, Mr. Apps suggests the media “increasingly appears to have lost all perspective on reality” in coverage of the federal Liberal Party.
He suggests much of the media, aided from within the ranks of the Liberal Party itself, has bought into the narrative that Mr.Ignatieff and Liberal electoral prospects under the leadership have all the “marks of being Tory/NDP-inspired.”

Unbelievable! Then Apps has the audacity to criticize the media for seeing his great leader as arrogant, aloof and unable to connect with regular folk.

Mr. Apps also criticizes the “consensus” view from the Canadian press that Mr. Ignatieff is arrogant, aloof, and unable to connect with the ordinary Canadian. Liberal electoral fortunes slide every time the media propagates these untruths.

So media bias is the reason why Mr. Z and the Libs are not doing very well.  I think that's a stretch.  The media has done more to prop up and cover for the Liberal party and it's leaders including this one  more than any other party for years.  Mr. Apps fails to realize the reason why Mr. Z is not connecting is that he IS arrogant, aloof and condescending. Another reason Mr. Z cannot connect is  because he's been out of the country too long and  doesn't really know much about it.  He missed 34yrs and a lot has happened.  The country has changed.   That's why, Mr. Apps!  The media is not your problem!  Take a close look at your leader and your party for that matter!

Adrian goes on to sum it up quite nicely.

But the Liberal party’s problem is that it’s providing abundant material to validate the picture portrayed by the media. The media may build the fire, but it’s getting the wood from Alf Apps and his party.

Bingo!

A Cabinet Shuffle and Fall Election?

The Hill Times is musing today that PM Harper will have cabinet shuffle and then call and election this fall.
They go on speculating what was reported in Le Devoir that Minister Jim Flaherty will be shuffled out of Finance in which I truly find that hard to believe. Minister Flaherty has done a great job steering us through a very bad recession and is well liked and has been given kudos from the international world.  The PM has full confidence in his Minister, why would he want to suffle him now?  The economy is still recovering and is still very fragile.

Secondly they are speculating that PM Harper will go the GG before the House is scheduled to return on Sept. 20 for the fall sitting, and ask for an election depending on how Iffy's desperation bus tour goes.

The Le Devoir story raised discussion not only of the government's plans for the short term, but also of the odds Prime Minister Harper may decide to ask Governor General Michäelle Jean to dissolve Parliament before it reconvenes on Sept. 20, paving the way for an election in which he would hope to capitalize on rising support his party is experiencing in public opinion polls while the fortunes of the Liberal party and Leader Michael Ignatieff (Etobicoke-Lakeshore, Ont.) continue to decline in the opposition direction. 

Joanne at BLY pointed out a particular comment of  pollster Frank Graves  in this column on her blog.

Joanne says:

July 19, 2010 at 7:05 am

Rather surprising to hear Frank Graves say this:

Ekos pollster Frank Graves said Prime Minister Harper has already benefitted from his appearances this year with Queen Elizabeth, his leadership at the G8 and G20 summits, the Vancouver Olympics and his gradual ascension on the world stage over the past four years.
“I believe that what’s happened is that Stephen Harper has gradually and slowly, almost without anybody noticing, he becomes the proxy for national pride,” Mr. Graves told The Hill Times. “This has never happened [with Prime Minister Harper] before. I think it’s a new dynamic

Methinks it’s a trap.

I happen to agree.  Frank Graves should not be trusted since he has been advising the Liberal party.
Even though the temptation might be there, the PM should refrain from calling an election this fall instead as stated by Joanne from BLY to continue governing competently.

Frmgrl – I really hope PM Harper refrains from calling an election anytime soon – no matter how tempting. He should continue to do just what he’s doing – govern competently with a view to get us back on our feet economically. He’s doing a great job.

It would be a mistake to call one this fall for three main reasons.

 1. There are municipal elections both in Alberta and Ontario this fall.  It would result in lower voter turn out because election fatigue.  It's hard enough to GOTV in the municipal ones since the turn out  is usually very low.  Voters would not be happy campers to have two elections at the same time or just weeks apart.

2.  I believe PM Harper would be seen as opportunistic and it could backfire.  He could very likely be punished at the polls.

3.  There needs to be a very good reason to drag the public to the polls and I don't see one right now.

Anyway I don’t see a Jim Flaherty being shuffled out of his Finance Ministry portfolio nor do I see  federal election until at least next spring after the budget.  Let the  media speculate all they want.  Let the opposition parties defeat the government on a bill.  They can get the flak then for an unwanted election.

I do think all this  fall election talk by the MSM is because THEY are the ones that really want one in order to send "The Visiting Professor" back to academia  so  that their favorite party can anoint their next messiah in hopes that next one will  win the big prize.


 Note: Having problems with comment moderation. Please be patient. Hope to have it straightened out shortly!

Is the Media Turning On Iffy?

For the last week now the Liberal leader has been on a bus tour that he and his party hopes improves their numbers and possibly take them back to 24 Sussex.  Well how's it been workin' so far? The media hasn't been actually that kind to him this week for one thing.  Their reporting has been relatively critical. They have been reporting mostly the negatives. I must add he hasn't actually helped himself out here. It started even before Iffy boarded the Liberal Express. Last weekend at the Calgary Stampede, he channeled Hugo Chavez when he made a comment about "smelling sulfur" when referring to the PM.
Tuesday shortly after the bus was on the road, it broke down and "Harper Diesel" came to the rescue.That's what the story was for the day.

Yesterday he was on the defensive when Jim Travers from the Star reported that there was and exit strategy for Iffy should he lose the next election.  Iffy denied the report and dissed Travers at the same time. 

“Let’s put it this way. I was surprised,” he said. “Jim Travers is a good journalist, but he’s starting to write fiction here in his declining years. I really don’t know where he got it from.”

Oooh, that most likely didn't endear him to Travers and the Star.  When you're a politician you don't diss a journalist they can turn on you and become vicious.
Michael Den Tandt describes Iffy as vague and timid.  Calls his vision  nostalgic and could come back to hurt him.
Susan Riley is equally critical about Iffy. She is known to be more critical of Conservatives not Liberals.

The problem is not that Canadians don't know the Liberal leader, all these months later. The problem is that they know him too well.

and this zinger,

Trouble is, Canadians don't see a regular guy when they see Ignatieff, no matter what he wears. They see a man trying to be someone he isn't.

Michael Harris sums it up quite nicely.

When the guys who buy ink by the barrel turn against you, the bus ride is usually one way.

Ain't that the truth! There's still a lot of touring for Iffy left to do.  Will he be able to turn it around?  Who knows.  It's still early in his tour but he surely has an uphill battle to win hearts and minds of the public especially if he doesn't have the media on his side.  Without the liberal media on their side, Liberals have a really hard time.

Is Kelly McParland Right? Maybe Ignatieff just isn’t that smart

Kelly McParland stated this just a couple of days ago that Michael Ignatieff :

 Maybe Ignatieff just isn’t that smart.  It’s hard to figure this guy. He’s made mistake after mistake after mistake. He signs the coalition pact, insists he’s on side, then repudiates the whole thing later. He stokes a phony election threat, insists he means it despite all common sense, then retreats in embarrassment when it falls flat. He raises issue after issue as a line in the sand, then does nothing when the Tories step over the line and kick sand in his face to boot. His own caucus ignores him, his supposed pal Bob Rae embarrasses him, he fires his advisers to get better advice, and then makes the same dumb mistakes under the new advisers.
He doesn’t seem to learn. He spends a deeply uncomfortable week or two insisting he’s not interested in a coalition of opposition parties, then uses a trip to Britain to confer with the junior member of Britain’s coalition party. Great optics? Um…no. He knows he has to soften his image as a pointy-headed academic, so he does it by touring Canadian campuses and holding a “thinkers conference” in Montreal. Why not just move back to Harvard and run the party from there?

Well Mr. McParland just may be right.  We have this today from John Ibbitson.  Seems like Ignatieff has trouble with knowing about the different bills that are out there. 

 Kingston voters school Ignatieff on legislation that matters
KINGSTON, ONT. – Do you know what Bill C-6 is? Or Bill C-474? Don’t worry, it would seem Michael Ignatieff doesn’t either. 

As leader of the official opposition he should have a clue about these bills. Does he not read them? Is he not at least briefed on them?  Good grief! 
PM Harper would have known what these bills were about, each clause, each paragraph and able to explain them in detail.  So would NDP Leader Jack Layton.   Maybe Iffy should spend more time at work then maybe he'd have somewhat of a clue.  It just shows he's not ready for prime time.

Iffy Should Not Count on Alberta Provincial Cousins

Oooh, our Alberta provincial Liberal leader, David Swann is not exactly enamoured by his federal cousins.

“It helps us to define ourselves as quite separate from the federal Liberals, which in Alberta is not a bad thing,” Swann said Tuesday after issuing a statement criticizing the federal Liberals. “We are standing up for Alberta, and in this case, we are not in agreement with our federal Liberal party.”

Ouch! Who can blame the provincial Libs from wanting to separate themselves from their federal cousins?  They have a hard time the way it is to make any headway, nevermind associating themselves with the federal Libs.  We Albertans have not forgotten the  NEP that the federal Liberals imposed on us that was disastrous for businesses and individuals in the eighties.  We suffered through some tough times as a result. You got that  plus all that has occurred afterward within the federal Liberal party, (adscam, internal feuds, leader problems etc.)   you can see why they don't want to be linked to the federal party. Who would want to be associated with all that?
Smart move for Mr. Swann  for not wanting to be "kissin' cousins"  It would be poison if they were.

So Iffy, don't count on  your cousins in Alberta to help you out any time soon.  Just continue on with your Express bus tour and connect with the common people.

Iffy's Common Touch

So the leader of the Liberal party is on his bus tour across the county.  He wants to connect and "build a level of trust" among Canadians.

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff is embarking on a two-month tour to connect and "build a level of trust" with Canadians across the country.

Uh huh, good luck with that one because maybe you need to beware of Iffy's common touch.

As Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff embarks on his cross-Canada tour, vowing to shake every hand in the country, we offer this stock tip.
Buy Johnson & Johnson.
It's the maker of Purell.
In a last-ditch effort to reinvent himself yet again -- having failed at portraying himself as Philosopher King Redux, or as an aristocratic Tsarist whose lineage demands a return to rule, or through his supposedly incomparable intellectual prowess, Ignatieff now wants Canadians to believe he has the common touch.
So, in his words, he's going to shake every hand in every Tim Hortons in the country, and kiss every baby he can find.
Break out the hand sanitizer and hide your children.
Snake oil would be an easier sell for the Liberal Party than Ignatieff trying on yet another political disguise, especially one where he attempts to shift his image to one that mirrors the hoi polloi.
He's an elitist, pure and simple.

Wow, ouch!   Don't think he's going to connect with regular folk anytime soon. Yeah I know, the toughest job in politics is leader of the official opposition but  he is so out of place and out of touch.  He just looks so uncomfortable to me.  The more he's out and about, the more he goofs up with his gaffes and the more the public is turned off.  If he doesn't turn this thing around toot sweet, he's toast after the next election.

The Wildrose Stomp!

Ready for the Wildrose Stomp? Found this cute little video on youtube.  Enjoy!

A Little Skepticsism for the Liberal Bus Tour

Jeff Jedras,Liberal blogger seems a  little skeptical as far as the Liberal leader and the annual summer get to know ya tour goes.

This week, the (latest) make or break summer BBQ tour kicks off for a Liberal leader, where (once again) their future, and that off all Liberal-kind, will depend (again) on how well they do kissing babies, flipping burgers and, what do you do with corn, turn it? Turning corn?
Frankly though, I think in the four or so summers I’ve been a blogger, I’ve written at least that many blogs about how the leader really needs to have a really strong performance working hard on the BBQ circuit this summer to finally connect with Canadians, build momentum, develop a positive, substantive persona, and whatnot.
Rather than writing that blog again, I figured I’d just post links to the same blog when I wrote it every other summer and let you read those ones instead:
May 8, 2007: OK, now how do we grow?
June 25, 2007 : The quest for the holy BBQ tongs
May 5, 2008 : Summer tour a good idea
June 22, 2009 : We need to put some meat on the BBQ this summer

With the gaffes that his leader has made so far, the party tanking in the polls, I kinda see where he would be a little leery.
Joanne at BLY has a great summation of the gaffes so far in her post update.

 Update

It might not be a bad idea to start keeping track of Iggy’s gaffes on the Liberal “Off-the-Cuff”  Express.

Just from Shawn Logan’s Calgary Sun report alone there is a goldmine:

1. First of all there is the now infamous, “You know you smell the whiff of sulfur coming off the guy (Harper) — we know how right wing these guys really are.”

(So is he also saying that all Canadians on the right are like the devil?)

2. And Ignatieff took time to show off his Boulet cowboy boots to the crowd, saying, “These are the best cowboy boots in Canada and they’re made in Quebec.” – said in Calgary!!!

3. “I am much reproached for spending time outside of Canada — naughty me,” he said. “I don’t know what to do with my shame about that.” Well I do, but it isn’t fit for a family blog.

4. “Starting today we’re going to get on a bus and go to every province and territory between July and September, if it doesn’t kill me first.    Please Iggy, try to curb your enthusiasm at the prospect of meeting The Canadians.

Iffy sure hasn't started his tour well with his off the cuff remarks but maybe he'll catch on a bit after hand shaking, baby kissing and hanging with "the Canadians" in Tim Hortons across the country. Maybe we should give him a little slack, he's not used to cavorting with the peasants, you know.  Will it end up as a successful venture?  Time will tell.
Meanwhile we'll be mining gold in gaffes etc. for future reference to use in truth ads and blog topics.

Canada's Job Rate Down

Good news on the jobs front.  Our unemployment rate fell from 8.1 to 7.9 percent.  Canada added 93,000 new jobs last month.

The Canadian jobs machine kept powering ahead in June, as the economy created 93,000 new positions and unexpectedly pushed the unemployment rate below 8 per cent for the first time since January of 2009.

 Meanwhile, our friends and neighbors to the south's job rate hovers around 9.5 percent.  

Total nonfarm payroll employment declined by 125,000 in June, and the unemployment rate edged down to 9.5 percent.

 Some are even suggesting job seekers come to Canada to look for work.

 A popular U.S. website has a unique suggestion for Americans desperately seeking work.

The advice? Move to Canada.

There's a fluttering Maple Leaf on the homepage today of the Huffington Post, a site popular for its news and celebrity blogs.

The accompanying headline says: Need A Job? Try Canada, Where Hiring Is Booming And Home Prices Are Rising.

It indeed is good news.  Let's hope it will only get better from here.

Iffy's Magical Bus Tour

Mr. Iffy is about to embark on his magical bus tour to change his image in hopes that it will boost his and his party's fortunes. 

Get ready for Iggy unplugged. The bus tour to beat all bus tours. Or what one of Michael Ignatieff’s strategists is calling – we’re not kidding – “the biggest summer undertaking of any opposition leader ever!”
Starting next week, the Opposition Leader, tanking in the polls, will climb aboard the Liberal Express (as it’s being called) for a summer-long national tour featuring seven or eight events a day: town halls, round tables, barbecues, interviews, picnics, carnivals – everything, in fact, except trampoline acts.

This should be good.   Can't wait for all the gaffes.  Seeing how the latest numbers for the Iffy Liberals are real bad,  I don't see that this getting down and dirty with us "the Canadian people" is going to help him much.  He's a flip flopper and a gaffe machine much like US VP Joe Biden.  It will provide us conservative bloggers a treasure trove of stuff to post about though.  I got a feeling that by time this magical bus tour is over, instead of riding inside the bus, Iffy will be thrown under the bus. At least the party brass will feel like it.

Meanwhile, here are some tips from Patricia Dawn Robertson, Globe and Mail.  that she has for laying out the welcome mat for the visiting professor.  Hey,how about laying out that welcome mat when Iffy's bus pulls into a community near you.  Cheers!

What is Wrong with the GG's Husband?

Where does he get the nerve?  Governor General Michaelle Jean's husband 
Jean-Daniel Lafond had the audacity to suggest that the Queen shouldn't stay at Rideau Hall but should instead stay at hotel.  Was she supposed to find a room at the Travelodge or Super 8?

OTTAWA – Jean-Daniel Lafond didn’t want the Queen to bunk at Rideau Hall when the monarch visited the nation’s capital last week, QMI Agency has learned

 Her Majesty has stayed at Rideau Hall every time she has visited Ottawa ever since before she was Queen when she was still a princess.  

The Queen has bedded down at Rideau Hall any other time she’s ever visited Ottawa, beginning in 1951 when she was then Princess Elizabeth.

Mr. Lafond should have been honored to have the Queen stay at the residence that he was living at temporarily.  The residence does not belong to him. Obviously, he's not very gracious.
I'm glad Ms. Jean didn't have anything to do with this.

 Jean apparently had nothing to do with Lafond’s odd request.

 The arrogance of this man, who does he think he is?   The current GG's gig is up at the end of the summer. He'll have to find other digs.  I'll be sorry to see Michaelle Jean leave but not him.  She has done an excellent job in her term as GG and I thank her for her service.   Her husband, he seems to be a jerk!

Mr. Iffy the Apologist

Ezra calls out Iffy on his trip to China on the human rights issue.  Iffy was once  director of the Carr Center for Human Rights at Harvard University.

Ignatieff heaps false praise on China, saying its newfound prosperity -- for at least part of the country -- "has been one of the most significant advances in human rights for mankind ever." A higher standard of living is indeed a good thing. But what does that have to do with human rights like the freedom to criticize the government, or to organize a political rally, or to believe in a religion that doesn't have the Communist Party's approval? Is Ignatieff really comparing China's material wealth -- at $10/day, their per capita GDP is still quite modest by international levels -- to the freedoms protected in the Magna Carta or the American Revolution or the Enlightenment?
Ignatieff falsely disparaged Canada's human rights achievements. He falsely lauded China's human rights achievements. And then he falsely implied a moral equivalence between our two countries -- that we are moral equals, and can learn from each other about matters like justice.

The National Post talks about how Iffy is Bejing's Canadian Apologist.

If what we've seen so far -- simpering apologies and moral equivalence in the face of China's dictatorship--is indicative, we say, "No, thank you."

Iffy goes on to slam Canada. 

He even took some time out to slam Canada on foreign soil, declaring that a "gap" exists between Canada's ideals and "reality for some of my fellow citizens." Beijing propagandists were no doubt busily taking notes

Iffy  should know better but clearly is to cow towing to China.  Why?  Could it be Maurice Strong?

Btw. Having problems with comment moderation today.  Bear with me.  Hope it will be resolved in short order. Thanks for your patience!

Iffy Too Late to the Party

On the heels of the GG's visit to China and the G8/G20 meetings in which PM Harper made progress  promoting trade even signed a deal where China would once again accept our beef, Iffy is courting China. Wants to get closer saying there should be more trade. Gee, Iffy's a little late out of the gate. PM Harper is already getting those very things done with China. 

Two weeks ago, Prime Minister Stephen Harper promoted an enhanced trading partnership at a state dinner in Ottawa with Chinese President Hu Jintao. And this week, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff is touring China saying the ties between the two nations should be taken to a new level.

Chinese companies are about to invest billions in our oil and gas industry.

Chinese companies are set to spend billions more on Canadian oil and gas properties in coming years, as the resource-hungry nation scours the world for energy, the executive in charge of Canadian operations for one of China’s major state-owned oil firms says.

President Hu Jintao says China  also wants to double trade with Canada to the tune of $60 billion by 2015.

China, the world's biggest exporting nation, wants to double its trade with Canada to $60 billion by 2015, President Hu Jintao said on Thursday.

 

Hu made his remarks during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, whose Conservative government is trying hard to boost ties with Beijing.

"I have agreed with Prime Minister Harper that we should take active measures to make our countries' two-way trade volume reach a target of $60 billion by 2015," said Hu, who noted that bilateral trade last year totaled $29 billion.

They also opened up their border to Canadian beef again after the BSE crisis.

Agriculture - China has reopened its borders to Canadian beef, seven years after mad cow disease was found in an Alberta animal.

  One hopes Iffy doesn't ruin the progress that has been made by PM Harper's government and the GG. 
Meantime,  Quebec MP Denis Coderre wants to bring the World Cup to Canada. Good luck to him!

La Presse says it has learned that Mr. Coderre would like to revisit the concept once the current World Cup has ended

Canadians Have Reason To Brag and Celebrate!

As Canadians we should count our blessings each day for the great country we have. People around the world want to be Canadians.
Is  it perfect?   Heck no,we have our problems but if you look around, it sure is a lot better than other places in the world.  We live in a peaceful, prosperous, friendly nation.  We are being noticed by the world again, thanks to the best Prime Minister in my lifetime, PM Stephen Harper and his government who has been taking the lead on so many fronts.

Our athletes shine on the worlds stage, look at the resounding success that the Vancouver Olympics turned out to be hosting the world and  where we won an unprecedented number of gold medals for a host nation. We really did own the podium! 

Our men and women in uniform are some of the best in the world and are doing a spectacular job with their mission in Afghanistan. My utmost thanks goes to them.

Michael Den Tandt expresses that we should celebrate our country.  We have come a long way baby!
As is stated the column our economy is doing much better than others thanks to our present Conservative government.

We now have an economy that, thanks to some sensible management by the Conservatives (though with an opposition gun to their heads), is once again beginning to motor. Our national deficit is higher than it should be but, relative to other G8 countries, still relatively benign. Our banking system is the envy of the world.

Theo Caldwell states that we are the envy of others.

But within this maelstrom, Canada stands tall, distinguishing itself in military and moral conflict, maintaining an economy and financial markets that are the envy of all.

He then goes on talk about how we now have garnered the respect of other nations because of  our economy and how they want to replicate it.

Canada’s hosting of the recent G8 and G20 conferences, which came just as other parts of the world began to observe this country’s economic strength, may do something to scratch this itch.
Over so many years, in any photo of international heads of government, Canada’s prime ministers would wear hopeful smiles that invariably went unrecognized. They seemed like good-natured hangers-on, in the company of well-known statesmen from seemingly more important parts of the world.
Owing to reasons perfectly in keeping with the national character — caution and circumspection — Canada’s economy has finally brought the country the respect it craved.

So to all the naysayers and whiners, look around where would you rather live right now?  A country where they have  dire economic troubles like Greece for instance or another country where they have political turmoil?   God has truly blessed us, we have it good!  Never forget that.

Canada's 143rd, Happy Birthday Canada!

Today is July 1st, Canada's birthday.  As we celebrate with family and friends barbecuing, picnicking, festivals,and fireworks, we need to remember a little history. Canada Day what we call it now was originally called "Dominion Day."  Our Fathers of Confederation when drafting the British North America Act were deciding what to call the new union.  One of our founding Fathers,Sir Leonard Tilley had suggested it be named the "Dominion of Canada."  Here's a little back round of how he came up with it:

In December 1866, the Westminister Conference finalized the details of the British North America Act, which Tilley helped to write. Tilley’s best-known contribution, though, came when discussing a name for the new union. A letter written by Tilley’s son describes how the Dominion of Canada came into being:

When the fathers of Confederation were assembled discussing the terms and conditions of Confederation and the drafting of the British North America Act there had been considerable discussion the day before and many suggestions as to what the new United Canada should be called, and no conclusion had been reached. The discussion on the name stood over until the next day. The next morning, as was Sir Leonard’s custom, he read a chapter from the Bible, and that particular morning he read Psalm Seventy-two. When reading verse eight of the said Psalm—He shall have Dominion also from sea to sea—the thought occurred to him, what a splendid name to give Canada. When he went back to the sitting of the convention that morning he suggested the word “Dominion,” which was agreed to, and Canada was called the “Dominion of Canada.”

A letter signed by John A. MacDonald explained to Queen Victoria that the name was “a tribute to the principles they earnestly desired to uphold.”

The British North America Act came into force by royal proclamation on July 1, 1867.  From there on in you had the "Dominion of Canada" therefore every July 1 we celebrated "Dominion Day" until it was changed in 1982. How did the name get changed? Here is a  brief history.

At 4 p.m. on a Friday - July 9, 1982 -the House of Commons met with only one item on the agenda: Bill C-201, a private member's bill to change the name of the July 1 holiday from "Dominion Day" to "Canada Day."
About a dozen of the 282 members the House showed up for work, which presented a procedural problem: A quorum of at least 20 members is required to conduct business, so, officially, no bills could be passed. Nevertheless, Bill C-201 was given second and third reading. At 4:05 p.m., our hard-working representatives called it a day.

Some want to change it back to Dominion Day such as this Facebook group, even though I don't think there is much of an appetite.  I personally prefer Dominion Day over Canada Day because it's a remembrance and  celebration of our  history much like the Americans and their July 4, Independence Day, it's their  history.  It remembers and celebrates the day they gained their independence from England and became a republic. 
  Enough with the history lesson, in any case,what's most important, is that we live in the greatest country on the planet.  For that, let's count our blessings! 
God Bless our Prime Minister and God Bless Canada!  Happy Birthday Canada!

BTW. Bluelikeyou has the PM's annual Canada Day message, enjoy!