Daily Digest December 29, 2008

The DAILY DIGEST: INFORMATION and OPINION from ST. JOHN'S to VICTORIA.
ARCHIVED at http://cdndailydigest.blogspot.com/

EDITORIAL PAGEs

CORNER BROOK WESTERN STAR -
High-flying resolutions Post a comment
http://www.thewesternstar.com/index.cfm?sid=204964&sc=30

CAPE BRETON POST -
Political dollars should buy more
http://www.capebretonpost.com/index.cfm?sid=204712&sc=151

HALIFAX CHRONICLE HERALD -
Androids in our future?
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Editorial/1098122.html

AMHERST DAILY NEWS -
The alternative just wouldn't do 
http://www.amherstdaily.com/index.cfm?sid=205185&sc=61

MONTREAL GAZETTE -
Government must end scandal of puppy-mills
http://www.montrealgazette.com/opinion/editorials/Government+must+scandal+puppy+mills/1121310/story.html
 
Anarchists of the world unite - in cyberspace
http://www.montrealgazette.com/opinion/editorials/Anarchists+world+unite+cyberspace/1121311/story.html

OTTAWA CITIZEN -
The art of the story
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/editorials/story/1121444/story.html

Speaking in character
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/editorials/Speaking+character/1121445/story.html

KINGSTON WHIG STANDARD-
A good year for free speech
http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1365362

BELLEVILLE INTELLIGENCER -
Unity needed to solve today's issues
http://www.intelligencer.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1365214

GLOBE & MAIL -
John Tory's difficult decision
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081229.wETory29/BNStory/specialComment/home

NATIONAL POST -
Hamas's suicide mission
http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/story.html?id=1121362

Holidays in Afghanistan
http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/story.html?id=1121363

HAMILTON SPECTATOR -
PM must prove he is a leader 
http://www.thespec.com/Opinions/article/488046

ST. CATHARINES STANDARD -
Ignatieff is too smart to lead a coalition
http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1365728

Senate stacking breeds cynicism about politics
http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1365741

NIAGARA FALLS REVIEW -
Canadians awaken from political snooze
http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1365407

K-W RECORD -
Time for a thaw in U.S.- Cuba relations  
http://news.therecord.com/Opinions/article/464542

WINDSOR STAR -
Internal trade
http://www.windsorstar.com/opinion/editorials/Internal+trade/1122448/story.html

SUDBURY STAR -
Afghan deaths a test of resolve
http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1365783

THUNDER BAY CHRONICLE JOURNAL -
Time to talk is beforehand
http://www.chroniclejournal.com/stories.php?id=154122

WINNIPEG SUN -
Cooling the warming hysteria
http://www.winnipegsun.com/comment/editorial/2008/12/29/7870961-sun.html

SASKATOON STARPHOENIX -
Uncharitable thoughts
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/forum/story.html?id=5001ab39-8ce8-4433-bc5a-ad6ee5f77d2b

REGINA LEADER-POST -
A stimulating prospect: What $30 billion can buy
http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/viewpoints/story.html?id=741bce49-2f11-4b46-9cc4-bd1fd09ffcc1

RED DEER ADVOCATE -
Flak won't end Harper's campaign 
http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradvocate/opinion/Flak_wont_end_Harpers_campaign.html

VANCOUVER SUN -
Harper makes headlines
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/editorial/story.html?id=b6c95100-c49b-41ca-b803-5e3ff6413ec0

VANCOUVER PROVINCE -
School buses need seatbelts
http://www.theprovince.com/opinion/editorials/School+buses+need+seatbelts/1121909/story.html

VICTORIA TIMES-COLONIST -
Let consumers, not government, drive the recovery
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/comment/story.html?id=e6c4a088-82a3-49a6-add0-4e65ca773c44


ISSUES

AFGHANISTAN -
The militia mistake
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/dec/29/afghanistan-middleeast

Winter offensive against the Taliban in Helmand leads to scores of British casualties
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/3966178/Winter-offensive-against-the-Taliban-in-Helmand-leads-to-scores-of-British-casualties.html

Building starts for extra US troops in Afghan south
http://www.reuters.com/article/asiaCrisis/idUSLS339199


CANADIAN FORCES
Number of wounded Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan on the rise
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/081228/national/afghan_cda_wounded

Canada's deadly December in Afghanistan just bad luck: military officials
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5iH_NDe9Cg8apnDk32O3PbNP917DA


ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
The hybrid wars heat up
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081226.whHybridHondaMain1226/BNStory/specialGlobeAuto


FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Israel vows to sweep Hamas from power
Times Online - 24 minutes ago
Israel vowed today to sweep Hamas from power in Gaza, pledging "all-out" war and promising to smash every building linked to the Islamist movement.
Video: White House Blames Hamas for New Violence Video: White House Blames Hamas for New Violence AssociatedPress
Israel says Gaza assault 'war to the bitter end' The Associated Press
AFP - International Herald Tribune - CBC.ca - ABC Online
all 19,197 news articles »

US in Vigorous Effort to Restore Gaza Cease-Fire
Voice of America - 2 hours ago
By David Gollust The Bush administration said Monday it is working vigorously to try to restore a durable and sustainable cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza strip.
Condoleezza Rice: "I'm Not A Type A" CBS News
Middle East peace doubtful, say IOL readers Independent Online
TIME - guardian.co.uk - GulfNews - Channel 4 News
all 277 news articles »  Langue : Français »

FEDERAL POLITICS
Ignatieff targets Quebec in bid to rebuild party
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/559014

Budget is Harper's 'last shot,' Ignatieff warns
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081228.wignatieff29/BNStory/politics/home

Next year in politics: A November crisis to be played out
http://www.vancouversun.com/columnists/Next+year+politics+November+crisis+played/1121981/story.html

Question Period: Political blunders
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081229.wvpolitical_blunders1229/VideoStory/VideoLineup/Pick

PROGRAMMES
Ottawa backtracks on penalties as maritime helicopter deadline missed
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=1120794

Mounties still have a long to-do list
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/558991

Court ruling makes suing Ottawa easier
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=1121514

Banning hakapik won't calm seal hunt critics: Sealer
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=1123363


OPINION AND INFORMATION
Canadians upbeat heading into 2009
http://www.torontosun.com/money/2008/12/29/7873361.html

Canadians should be 'realistic' about 2009: GG
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2008/12/29/7872511.html

Why Americans Should be Following Canadian Politics Right Now
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-garrity/why-americans-should-be-f_b_153975.html

The year of descent - and the great Canadian paradox
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081224.wcomartin29/BNStory/specialComment/home

2008: a bad year for the vain and venal
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Opinion/1098113.html

New challenges ahead in 2009
http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/opinion/article/523986

Pundits show lack of skill in predictions business
http://news.guelphmercury.com/Opinions/article/420886

Hard to be positive when officials ignore you
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Opinion/1098179.html

Remembering the Great Depression
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081224.wcocolbert29/BNStory/specialComment/home

2008:  The Year of the Bizarre
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/7198


INFOS 
Ottawa refuse de comparer les conflits afghan et irakien
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/dossiers/le-canada-en-afghanistan/200812/29/01-813765-ottawa-refuse-de-comparer-les-conflits-afghan-et-irakien.php

La coalition à Ottawa n'est pas en péril, selon la CSN
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200812/29/01-813738-la-coalition-a-ottawa-nest-pas-en-peril-selon-la-csn.php

Israël intensifie ses frappes
http://www.ledevoir.com/2008/12/29/225116.html

Ottawa - Le caucus parlementaire pro-vie veut rouvrir le débat sur l'avortement
http://www.ledevoir.com/2008/12/29/225083.html

Afghanistan - Week-end meurtrier pour les soldats canadiens et les civils afghans
http://www.ledevoir.com/2008/12/29/225094.html

Plainte à l'Assemblée nationale - Khadir défend son geste anti-Bush
http://www.ledevoir.com/2008/12/29/225093.html

Une majorité significative de Canadiens entrevoit 2009 avec optimisme
http://info.branchez-vous.com/graphics/textecomplet.gif

BELOW(30)(30)(30)(30)(30)30)(30)(30)(30)(30)(30)30)(30)(30)(30)(30)(30)30)(30)(30)(30)(30)(30)(30)(30)(30)30)(30)(30)(30)(30)

From: John Kruithof
Subject: "Nothing undemocratic about a coalition"

Joe,

Even worse than a potentially unstable coalition was PM Harper's insistence that such a venture was undemocratic, an untruth parroted by his underlings.  In contrast, The Ottawa Citizen, in its Saturday, December 27^th issue, carried a prominent article by Andrew Mayeda about academics being angered by this "huge disservice to Canadians".  It can be read at

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Nothing+undemocratic+about+coalition/1117311/story.html .  I suppose we should now expect Harper in retaliation to politically orchestrate a campaign against academics.

John Kruithof

Ottawa South

===================================
From: Larry Kazdan
To: torsun.editor@sunmedia.ca
Subject: Letter to Editor re: Federal pols completely out of touch, Editorial, December 2008

Re: Federal pols completely out of touch, Editorial, December 2008

http://www.torontosun.com/comment/editorial/2008/12/28/7864126-sun.html

According to your editorial, most Canadians "see themselves as falling somewhere within the mainstream of the Conservative and Liberal parties".  Another way of interpreting the data is that 62% of Canadians who voted do not want Conservative policies implemented.   If there is "an arrogance almost beyond measure" in believing they know better than the public what the public wants, the prize belongs to the Toronto Sun.

Larry Kazdan,

Vancouver, B.C.

===================================
From: "Rebecca Gingrich" <r.gingrich@sympatico.ca>
To: joe.hueglin@bellnet.ca
Subject: Gaza--no room in the morgue because of Israel's love?

 Joe--I sent this email to Cannon tonight after he stated that he supports israel's right to defend itself.
becky


Mr. Cannon--two days ago when Mr. Harper lit the menorrah in Calgary he stated that 'israel abhors hate and violence'!  What is Mr. Harper's and your description of hate and violence?  Bombing school children on their way home from school is done with love?  Starving a whole country of food, water, medicine and other necessities of life is not hate and violence? Imprisoning men, women and children in solitary for years with no trial is democratic?  That is what is happening to the Palesinians at the hands of the loving israeli government.
It was reported on Global News tonight that you stated israel has a right to defend itself from rocket fire by Hamas--a democratically elected government in Palestine who refuses to hand over their life and land to israel.  The rockets injure no one.  They do not even leave a crater.  I am wondering if the bombs used in the past two days were also signed by israeli children as have been previous bombs used by israel?
I am ashamed of my country and my government.  We are killing and being killed in Afghanistan to 'bring them democracy and to allow children to go to school' and yet we support the genocidal state of israel?  It is our country and our government(all parties) that are schizophrenic.  You and your government do not speak for me and many many of my friends.  We despise your weak-kneed response to the financial controllers of our country.
Enjoy  reading  the article below.  It should warm your israel-loving heart.  It may even melt the stone it is made of.  It reeks of the love israel shows to Gaza.

Rebecca Gingrich
11 Church Street
Princeton, Ontario
N0J1V0

        Christmas In Gaza : No More Room In The Morgue.

'Little Baghdad' in Gaza - Bombs, Fear and Rage

By Amira Hass, Haaretz Correspondent

December 28, 2008 "Haaretz" -- -There are many corpses and wounded, every moment another casualty is added to the list of the dead, and there is no more room in the morgue. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article21551.htm

===================================
From: "Paul Downie"
Subject: Straight No Chaser: The 12 Days of Christmas (2008 Version)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kYEK-pxs_A&NR= 1

(A remarkable performance)
===================================
From: "Orville Heschuk" <oheschuk@mts.net>
To: "Craig Oliver" <coliver@ctv.ca>
Cc: "Jason Kenney" <kenney.j@parl.gc.ca>
Subject: What is Ignatieff and Coalition position in regard to Israel- Hamas flare up?


Now that I hear Ignatieff tap dance around on all the issues, I am reminded, because of the recent flare up between Israel and Hamas , of his previous statements in regards to Israel.  Canadians would like to know what his coalition of Liberal -NDP - Bloc stand is in regard to this Israel - Hamas conflict because he proposes that this coalition is an alternative to the Harper government. Do the political pundits feel assured they know where Ignatieff stands?

Ignatieff's non-apology

Rochelle Wilner - 4/20/2008

Recently the Toronto Star reported on a speech given by Michael Ignatieff at Holy Blossom Temple. "Ignatieff Apologizes for Israeli War Crime Comment" screamed the headline in the Toronto Star's April 14, 2008 edition. Being keenly interested in these matters I scanned the article for the words, "I am sorry." Oddly enough the reporter did not quote them. I was more than intrigued and secured a copy of the speech in its entirety. After reading it several times I am compelled to respond.

I found Ignatieff's speech disturbing on a number of levels and it has done nothing to make me feel better about his comments last summer - actually, it reinforces to me that his comments were an accurate reflection of the way he feels but he regrets 'getting caught.'

He states he is grateful for the opportunity to 'clear up this misunderstanding' and then tries to establish credibility and good will toward Israel by describing his father's experience and participation hoping, I think, that this will put him in a better light - ridiculous to base his own credibility on the record of his father. Particularly distasteful is his comment, "I count Israelis among my dearest and truest friends" followed by claiming that Isaiah Berlin, a Jew, had an impact on him "deeper than anyone except for my father". I am not prepared to accuse him of being antisemitic because I don't know him personally but it is common habit for those who harbour such views to claim that 'some of my best friends are Jewish' and that these Jewish friends have had a disproportionate influence on them. A poor start to a speech - a forthright admission of error and an apology would have read and been received much better.

 .                         .                 .

The last few paragraphs of this speech are in direct contradiction to his sentiments expressed in the earlier part of his speech - either he recognizes that Israel is facing formidable enemies in the north, the south and the middle and has a right to self-defense despite the potential cost of lives or he supports the canard that Israel is guilty of war crimes and the use of disproportionate force (whatever that is). It's almost as if this speech was written by two different people and they failed to consult with one another. As for me I'll stick with the consistent, ethical, moral position of Stephen Harper - who says what he means and means what he says - no interpretation necessary!

Rochelle Wilner is a Past President of B'nai Brith Canada, a long-standing human rights activist and the Conservative Party of Canada's federal candidate in York Centre.
http://www.globalpolitician.com/24562-canada-israel

===================================
From: alan heisey <hize@earthlink.net>
To: "joe hueglin, daily digest" <joe.hueglin@bellnet.ca>
Subject: "earthworm" 08 12 28 sunday

Publisher is Alan Heisey, 38 Avoca Avenue, L.P.H #6, Toronto, ON, 
Canada, M4T 2B9
Phone 416 923 5381, <hize@earthlink.net> Emailed from Toronto.

Party website now details new Council + 4  pix of his nibs!

Your correspondent is pleased to report that some time in the last two 
weeks the Conservative Party of Canada website listed the following 
information about the makeup of the party's National Council. (along 
with the individual email addresses for each person, which I ommitted.)

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY OF CANADA
President:      Don Plett - (204) 346-4040
Vice President: Michael MacDonald
Secretary:      Victor Marciano
Regional Vice President (West): Menno Froese
Regional Vice President (Ontario):      Kara Johnson
Regional Vice President (Quebec):       Gilles Lavoie

Yukon: Michael Lauer; British Columbia: Menno Froese; Hamish Marshall; 
Alberta: Gord Elliott; Vitor Marciano; Saskatchewan: Sam Magnus; 
Manitoba:       Don Plett; Ontario:     Simon Chapelle;  Mark Dotzert; Kara 
Johnson;        
John Walsh;  Québec: Gilles Lavoie; Christian Prevost; Judith Seidman; 
New Brunswick:  Marie-Claude Blais;              
Nova Scotia:    Michael MacDonald; PEI: Cecil Taylor; Newfoundland and 
Labrador: Liam O'Brien;
Northwest Territories: David McPherson.

 I admit to wishing that in the scheme of things in our nation's 
capital it had been possible on the party's web site to provide a 
general description of how these citizen members of the party carry 
out their responsibilities and where they fit in with the electoral 
district associations in each province. I even would like to see small 
mug shots of each of them, since they were elected by a total of 
thousands of citizen delegates at the party's November 2008 meeting in 
Winnipeg.

I'll go further. I am one who thinks that those of us who spent a 
couple of thousand dollars getting to that wonderful meeting might 
have received an informational email the day after the new officers 
and directors were announced with that information. That could also 
have gone to all paid up members of the party from coast to coast. One 
also hopes that with a new national vice president (congrats by the 
way,) Senator Michael MacDonald, the council might push for some 
occasional party email updates to the laity.

As it is one of my wry friends pointed out that our email addresses 
are available as required for regular letters from (now, congrats, 
also by the way,) Senator Gerstein and others inviting us to support 
the party with regular cheques!  And I was pleased to get a personally 
emailed Christmas greetings from the prime minister and family.
The web site's front page also does have four photos of the prime 
minister, two with his attractive family, a much restrained montage 
from the 2008 calendar sent a year ago! There is also one photo of the 
leader of the opposition but no references to him not being a leader. 
I have a feeling we aren't going to see that kind of  comment anymore!

Still far from clear: how many new MPs for Ontario?

A breathless, recent statement from premier McGuinty as good as said 
that he has prime minister Harper agreeable to 21 new federal M.P.s 
after the next census. I quote: A lengthy and often bitter fight 
between Ontario and the federal government was quietly resolved last 
week when Prime Minister Stephen Harper agreed to give the province 21 
additional seats in the House of Commons, Premier Dalton McGuinty said 
Wednesday.
"Not so fast" is how I read comments from federal minister for 
democratic reform Stephen Fletcher the following day or two, with 
mutterings indicating additional seats to be somewhere in the mid teens.
The subject has long been of special interest to me since I see 
Ontario's muscular population about to be squeezed by a more vigorous 
senate. So I pulled out a table labeled:

Running a little arithmetic on some of the very basic numbers gets me 
to some perplexing facts:
1. Divide the population of the country by 308 current seats and get 
102,639 as the average electoral district population;
2. Divide the population of Ontario by 106 current seats and get 
114,720 as average Ontario seat population
3. Divide t.r.o.c. population, 19,452,615 by troc's 202 seats and get 
96,300, showing that ON's seats are on average 19% more populous than 
troc's! Q.E.D.!

Even less clear: where will those new seats be located?

I am totally suspicious of all politicians' motives when it comes to 
determining how X additional seats should be added to Ontario's 
present 106. Reason is that right now Kenora, the smallest population 
electoral district, has a population of only 64,291 and Brampton West, 
the largest, has a population of nearly three times that at 170,422.
For decades the federal and provincial politicians have bought into 
the idea that the poor northerners need much smaller populations and 
so the smallest ten districts are all in the north with an average 
population of 84,259! Adding insult to that injury the provincial 
Liberals promised to add back a seat which the re-districting 
commission took away from them, meaning that the Ontario legislature 
has an extra seat for the north, compared to the national parliament. 
The 96 districts in the province south of the top ten have average 
populations of 117,893, meaning the northerners average only 71.5% of 
the rest of the province and provincially only 90% of that low number!
Amazingly, John Tory could not persuade his Ontario caucus to fight 
the additional seat at all though all ten northern districts are 
solidly red or orange, but I have heard him mutter in favour of a 
total provincial redistribution!

Further south there is only one surprise: the city of Toronto council 
several years ago took a position that all districts' populations 
across the country should be within 5% plus or minus of the national 
average. The last redistricting commission, federally appointed as 
they all are, took that to apply to the city of toronto seats only. 
Thus the 23 seats almost entirely within the city's boundaries have an 
average population of 111,482, lower than  the provincial average!
However the 24 seats which I take to make up the balance of the 
Greater Toronto Area have an average population of 121,487, making it 
clear that the 905 area populations will need a big chunk of whatever 
additional seats. Don't count on McGuinty to pull for 905 with his 
record in the northern climes! (Trust me on the numbers, I have them.)

Expert on Senate planning attends 'policy lite' tomorrow!

Response to my Tri-Spa/St. Paul's invitation for tomorrow (Monday) 
evening's "policy lite soiree" has been likewise so we will be able to 
gather in my spacious living room, participants please leaving their 
overcoats and overshoes with the concierge's cupboard on the ground 
floor.

Tri-Spa president Doug Lowry will lead off discussion on item one, 
lessons from the Winnipeg meeting. Former Scarborough Southwest M.P. 
Reg Stackhouse will head up discussion of what mostly will turn on the 
Senate, for several reasons. First of all, it is all over the news and 
the question of an elected senate is surely a very live topic. We are 
favoured by the unexpected visit of Jon Watson, executive assistant to 
Senator Brown, who is heading up the planning toward an elected 
senate. Yours truly will convene the last segment, a 20-minute plus 
brainstorm on how to win more seats in 416. In that connection I 
append below a brainstorm on 416 communications for consideration, but 
will ensure other items get priority.

Our own Hansard reporter, Robert Aterman, can't be present so would 
welcome someone with a laptop prepared to take copious notes of the 
flow of conversation and hopefully three votes!

Could subway entrances be a key to promoting the CPC?

A recent, big, election win here in Ontario won very little media 
attention. That win was the defeat of the provincially introduced MMP 
referendum by a small band of all-party activists, who marshalled an 
impressive 63% opposition of all the voters across Ontario.

What fascinated me was the modest role of subway station 
pamphleteering whereby a general pamphlet was put right in the hands 
of thousands of Torontonians by simply stationing volunteers at 
assorted subway entrances.

This strikes me as a magic bullet to cover a majority of Toronto 
voters economically, regularly and personally at much less effort than 
knocking on their individual doors.

The subway entrances are all well known and used near-daily by most 
city residents.

I respectfully propose to the Conservative Party's Toronto 
constitutencies that they plan now a continuing series of monthly 
pamphlet distributions to hundreds of thousands of residents, as a 
uniquely big-city, major, between-elections information program.

To be effective the pamphlet series would have to promote the 23 
individual city ridings in every edition. I propose that one side of 
the folded, tabloid-sized newsletter should outline the boundaries and 
names of all 23 city ridings and pinpoint photos and some contact 
information for 2 or 3 senior officers of each cpc association!

The other face of the pamphlet series should feature newsy, colourful 
photos and text about the benefits of being a member and participant 
in one's local Conservative association and detail upcoming major 
events and some minor ones

It should be freshly written for each issue complete with a serrated, 
tear-out coupon which could be used to forward membership information 
and a cheque if the recipient wants to join, or discuss the idea, or 
ask a question.

My own view is that the content should be entirely about the party's 
local association activities within the 23 city ridings with scaled 
secondary attention to the federal ministers and ministries whose 
mandates are important to city-dwellers.

I think the pamphlets should be funded entirely by the 23 local 
federal Conservative associations from funds generated from their 
electoral counts in the last federal election and all 23 associations 
should enjoy similar coverage regardless of whether or not they 
participate substantially, partially, or not at all.

I love the concept of setting up a near-mass distribution so that all 
copies are delivered on the first working Monday of each month or 
somesuch, meaning that each station would need a squad of distributors 
for most of one 24 hour day. Depending on the number of stations in 
one district this could involve dozens of volunteers. This would be a 
major test of individual association's "field strength".

A much bigger problem in my opinion is putting personal faces and 
names on each district association. I think some party directors would 
prefer not to participate, whereas, hopefully, presidents and 
secretaries and past and future candidates might welcome the 
opportunity to be and stay in touch with future constituents. With 
current concerns about individual phone numbers and email addresses 
being published anywhere, associations might have to introduce neutral 
party addresses for any and all names and faces published. I think it 
crucial to have real people, active members of our local associations, 
handling enquiries,  though others might differ.

Creating a common editorial page across all 23 ridings would need a 
strong publishing committee with a contributor for each riding.

Operating any such program would surely bring the individual 
associations closer together to achieve a new level of voter 
relationships communications, impossible almost any other way.

Objective of this exercise is to gradually raise awareness of the 
party's history, current and future roles within the city of Toronto, 
build memberships and win at least half the seats!

Would welcome responses.

Tasha Woodcock confirms "earthworm" reaching h.q.

Some may recall my consternation when my "earthworm" emails addressed 
to assorted staffers at h.q., as in <conservative.ca>, were rejected 
rather uniformly. I phoned party president, Don Plett, and promptly 
thereafter got the following reassurances from his associate, Tasha 
Woodcock. (Only problem is that it shows I had not been editing my 
h.q. email addresses as well as I should have!)

Hello Mr. Heisey-

Don Plett asked me to e-mail you in reference to some e-mail problems 
you are having. I understand that your weekly message does not get 
through to some of the conservative.ca addresses you have on file.

I looked through your distribution list and noticed that many of the 
names you send it to do not work at the Party any longer, and in some 
circumstances haven't for years! As such, Mr. Plett asked me to send 
you this note.

I hope this assures you. Your message is getting through to the rest 
of us here at HQ.

All the very best,

Tasha Woodcock
Senior Political Operations Officer- Ontario
Conservative Party of Canada
tashawoodcock@conservative.ca

Peggy Merritt's John A. "do", as 416 January get together

The hell of getting old is not only friends pushing off for other 
points, it is seeing many of them so unwell they aren't throwing the 
great parties they used to throw! That is one personal reason why I 
really miss the Annual December Brunch which our city ridings convened 
for so many years at the airport convention centre.

Why I even think that the 416 ridings should be convening a subway 
series of light drink'emups at a different watering hole in a 
different part of town near a subway station once each month.
In this centralized vacuum I suggest that we should all get on board 
one riding event each month and give it a city-wide push. Without 
question the January event should be the Sir John A Macdonald nite, 
always convened by Scarborough Southwest, with Sir John's ghostly 
apparition almost always showing up!

Feisty Peggy writes:
"Our annual John A macdonald event will be held on Friday evening, 
January 9th starting at 7pm.  Location: Condo, 757 Victoria Park, 
party room.  We have a piper,  scottish dancers, birthday cake and 
champange and it is rumored that John A. will be in attendance.  Cost 
nominal just to cover expenses.  757 Victoria Park  Condo is located 
at Victoria Park and Denton Ave across from the Victoria Park subway 
station.  Ground level parking is available .

Thanks for your help on this Al and a Happy Christmas to you and 
yours, Sincerely Peggy Merritt"

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