Who the Torched MP's Office?

Yesterday someone tried to burn down Mississauga-Erindale Conservative MP Bob Deckert's constituency office. It has been deemed an arson by the police. Damages are estimated at around $5million.

Who could have done such a thing? Security cameras caught the image of someone with a canister and what looks like a barbecue lighter.



If this is person who set the fire, he's a sick, demented individual who I hope is caught and has the book thrown at him. Only someone filled with hate would attempt something so horrible. Thank God no one got seriously injured.

Update:



Police have ID the man and has issued a warrant out for his arrest. His name is Mikhail Khavkine,aged 42. I hope they catch this creep and he's put behind bars for a very long time.

What is Your MP Doing?

What have MPs been up to while Parliament is not sitting? Not much according to Kelly McParland. He even questions the value of question period. Shouldn't they not be busy at work in their constituencies tending to the concerns of their constituents? I'm sure some are. Not so sure others are though. We pay these clowns just to gripe and complain all the time? How about working together to make this country a better place for a change?

Some have given the impression that the PM and his caucus have been on vacation and the operations of government have stopped but that is not true of course, it keeps going. They have been very hard at work. Dealing with the Haiti crisis, planning for the up coming budget and the G8 and G20 summits this summer amongst other matters.

Freed from the need to present themselves on a daily basis in the House of Commons, Canada’s Members of Parliament have been busy catching up on ... nothing, apparently.

The Prime Minister has been active enough. Mr. Harper seems to have no end of duties to keep him occupied — directing Canada’s response to the devastation in Haiti; jetting off to Switzerland to commune with former U.S. president Bill Clinton and expound on the need for more effective assistance to women and children; stuffing the Senate with reliable Tories.

A few members of cabinet also seem able to keep themselves busy, especially those presented with new jobs in Mr. Harper’s recent shuffle, who now have to figure out how to avoid doing anything to upset the Prime Minister’s Office.

The remaining 300-or-so MPs seem to find themselves at loose ends. Ever since Mr. Harper told Parliament it could add four extra weeks to its Christmas break, opposition MPs in particular have been complaining about having nothing to do. Evidently, if the Prime Minister isn’t there to give them a target to aim insults at, they’re stuck for useful activities. (h/t) Kelly McParland, NP

Opposition MPs should have plenty to do in their ridings. It sounds like they want the PM to babysit them. Yet, while opposition gripes and complains about even the littlest things, the PM graciously takes a moment to wish Jack Layton who is battling prostate cancer, well wishes. Even though they're political rivals, it seems like they are good friends. Pretty classy of the PM to do that.

So I question, what has your MP been doing with themselves during this time away from parliament? Better check in and see what they're up to. We are their employers after all.

I know what my MP has been doing. My MP is Ted Menzies. He's the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance. He's been very busy juggling participating in round tables around the country working on the up coming budget and his duties in the constituency office. What is yours doing?

May God Be With You Jack

Jack Layton leader of the federal NDP party announced today he has prostate cancer but will stay on as leader and MP. Even though not all Canadians agree with his politics, I'm sure all will wish him well during this time. I know I do.

OTTAWA — NDP Leader Jack Layton has been diagnosed with a treatable form of prostate cancer.

Layton said Friday he will step away from an active political role for "several months" in order to undergo treatment, but will not step down as leader.


"I'm a fighter and I'm going to beat this," he told a Toronto press conference. (h/t) Ottawa Citizen

I pray that God would put His healing hand upon Jack and raise him up again to good health. I pray also that God would give Jack and his family the grace and the peace that passes all understanding through this this battle they have to fight. Jack, Olivia and family, may God richly bless you!

Breakthrough in the American Protectionism Issue

Good news! A deal has finally been struck in the American protectionism issue due to the hard work of PM Harper and his government to get the job done. A lot of people thought it was a lost cause. Of course the opposition are going find something to gripe about in this deal. Never mind them, this government deserves to be congratulated!

The American government deserves credit too. We can work together with our American cousins to get things done. The softwood lumber agreement, now this.

Way to go PM Harper, Minister Day, Van Loan,and Cannon!
Wonder how the Lame Stream Media is going to spin this,it's just too positive.

OTTAWA -- With official confirmation that Ottawa and Washington have struck a deal on Buy American provisions, Veso Sobot is letting out a major sigh of relief -- as well as a laugh or two. He can’t help but be a bit giddy.

“Oh my goodness, absolutely, we are very happy,” said Mr. Sobot, director of corporate affairs at IPEX Inc., a Toronto-based pipe manufacturer that gained notoriety after the introduction of Buy American rules for having its pipe fittings pulled out of the ground in California because they had the ‘Made in Canada’ designation on them.

“This will allow us to compete again. We are tickled pink and we are going to be aggressive about trying to compete for business in the Untied States, and I hope this can help bolster our 2010 and bring back jobs to Canada.”

International Trade Minister Peter Van Loan and Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon announced Friday morning that a deal had been struck.

"Preserving and creating jobs is the Canadian government's top priority," Mr. Van Loan said. "Our government stood up for Canadian businesses and workers in resolving this issue with our U.S. partners." (h/t) Vancouver Sun