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!