Monday, January 26, 2009

Daily Digest January 26, 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 -
The future is uncertain
http://www.thewesternstar.com/index.cfm?sid=214956&sc=30

CHARLOTTETOWN GUARDIAN -
Will there be a different mood on the Hill?
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=215036&sc=103

CAPE BRETON POST -
Keep it simple in rights defence
http://www.capebretonpost.com/index.cfm?sid=214766&sc=151

HALIFAX CHRONICLE HERALD -
The future of energy is diversified
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Editorial/1102855.html

AMHERST DAILY NEWS -
Happy again in the glen
http://www.capebretonpost.com/index.cfm?sid=214766&sc=151

SAINT JOHN TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL -
Obama and the just society
http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/opinion/article/551080

Invest in the right stimulus: energy independence
http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/opinion/article/551078

Society is aging - so deal with it
http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/opinion/article/551079

OTTAWA CITIZEN -
Fatal food
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/editorials/Fatal+food/1217652/story.html
 
Genocidal intent
  http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/editorials/Genocidal+intent/1217653/story.html

Letters to johns should end
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/editorials/Letters+johns+should/1217664/story.html

Our infrastructure deficit is a national liability
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/op-ed/infrastructure+deficit+national+liability/1217656/story.html

KINGSTON WHIG STANDARD-
Budget must help taxpayers
http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1404325

Closing Guantanamo must be only a first step
http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1404329

Ignatieff sets 'three simple tests' for Conservative budget
http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1404312

BELLEVILLE INTELLIGENCER -
Canada is not in economic crisis but has problem of leadership
http://www.intelligencer.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1404127like

Literacy more important than ever
http://www.intelligencer.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1404133

TORONTO STAR -
Bring in a budget we can support
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/576500

Shift on climate change
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/577097

GLOBE & MAIL -
No stigma against the oil sands
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090125.weIgnatieff26/BNStory/specialComment/home

Risking life for school
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090125.weAfghan26/BNStory/specialComment/home

NATIONAL POST -
No need for a big stimulus
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/01/26/national-post-editorial-board-no-need-for-a-big-stimulus.aspx

HAMILTON SPECTATOR -
Parliament's back and the games begin
http://www.thespec.com/Opinions/article/501874

K-W RECORD -
OK Parliament -- work together!
http://news.therecord.com/Opinions/article/477181

Honour our anthem
http://news.therecord.com/Opinions/article/477187

WINDSOR STAR -
Budget hopes
http://www.windsorstar.com/opinion/editorials/Budget+hopes/1218147/story.html
 
Billion-dollar bankers
http://www.windsorstar.com/opinion/editorials/Billion+dollar+bankers/1218148/story.html

SUDBURY STAR -
On budgets and sausages
http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1404745

Time to get ruthless on gun culture
http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1404738

THUNDER BAY CHRONICLE JOURNAL -
Harmonize Ont. sales tax, GST
http://www.chroniclejournal.com/stories.php?id=160597

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS -
Some stimulus prevention is in order
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/westview/some_stimulus_prevention_is_in_order38315534.html

Iraqis battling -- for ballots
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/westview/iraqis_battling_--_for_ballots38315609.html

WINNIPEG SUN -
A nod and a wink to Obama
http://www.winnipegsun.com/comment/columnists/monte_solberg/2009/01/23/8118211-sun.html

SASKATOON STARPHOENIX -
Right balance for times
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/forum/story.html?id=4633c80b-c172-490d-b8da-79e149bc8c41

To ban smoking in housing units unrealistic idea
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/forum/story.html?id=81a4b184-fa0a-450f-9da8-32106ed545ab

REGINA LEADER-POST -
Essential legislation for public health, safety
http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/viewpoints/story.html?id=3675b2ca-4f5a-4df5-b809-e56200ecc0da

Conservatives bet the bank on recession-busting deficit
http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/viewpoints/story.html?id=5f860346-2fc6-460e-9923-4a85016a8313

CALGARY HERALD -
And they call this science?
http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/theeditorialpage/story.html?id=8de472d1-5fb2-4d7d-8513-0a5a9048ecab

GRANDE PRAIRIE DAILY HERALD TRIBUNE -
A scandal in the making? Tories' spend-free budget doesn't bode well for us
http://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1405011

Tories' information sharing panned
http://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1405009

RED DEER ADVOCATE -
Ontario experiencing serious labour pains
http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradvocate/opinion/Ontario_experiencing_serious_labour_pains.html

VANCOUVER SUN -
A recession is the right time to address productivity
http://www.vancouversun.com/opinion/recession+right+time+address+productivity/1210158/story.html

VICTORIA TIMES-COLONIST -
Fish habitat lost to shoddy roads
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/comment/story.html?id=95d54c52-f064-47e1-9be4-fb8379a8d3c5


ISSUES
 Tories regroup ahead of pivotal budget
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090126.wbudgetharper26/BNStory/budget2009/home

'Unprecedented,' 'historic' interest in Flaherty's federal budget, say Conservatives
http://www.thehilltimes.ca/html/cover_index.php?display=story&full_path=/2009/january/26/legislation/&c=1

Ottawa to pour $7 billion into infrastructure
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090126/national/fedbudget_infrastructure

Feds to pump $7 billion into infrastructure
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090126/national/fedbuget_infrastructure

Tories promise job training cash, ready to move on infrastructure
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090126/national/fedbudget_jobs

Flaherty makes a $35-billion about- face between November and January
http://www.thehilltimes.ca/html/cover_index.php?display=story&full_path=/2009/january/26/flaherty/&c=1

The Globe's economics reporter joined a discussion about the government's options on the budget & economy
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090123.wscoffielddiscussion0125/BNStory/budget2009/home Infrastructure preferred way to create jobs: CIBC
http://business.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090126.winfrajobs26/BNStory/Business/home

Tories pledge over $2B to help unemployed
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/577191

Budget boondoggle?
Harper's stimulus package is designed to jump start the economy, but it comes at a steep price
http://www.torontosun.com/comment/2009/01/26/8146886.html#/comment/2009/01/26/pf-8145596.html


ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS -          
Native suicides linked to federal payments
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=1217433

An endeless repetition of the same mistakes
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/01/26/lorne-gunter-an-endeless-repetition-of-the-same-mistakes.aspx


AFGHANISTAN -
Afghan mission is becoming more and more a U.S. affair
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Opinion/1102877.html

Afghans seek change they can believe in
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/60727.html

Surging into a perfect storm?
http://warincontext.org/2009/01/25/guest-contributor-john-robertson-surging-into-a-perfect-storm/

Russia stops US on road to Afghanistan
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KA27Df01.html

Taliban turning to more 'complex' attacks
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090126.wafghan26/BNStory/Afghanistan/home

More Israeli Rent-a-Drones Over Afghanistan?
http://blog.wired.com/defense/agony_of_astan/index.html

Karzai Warns the US ,Lack of Support May Bring New Patron
http://quqnoos.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2460&Itemid=48

Bringing Afghanistan to Europe
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jan/26/afghanistan-europe-aid-development

Taliban shape an opium economy 
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KA27Df03.html


CANUSA/USACAN -
Auto productivity gives Canada edge
http://www.wheels.ca/reviews/article/499395

Shady Bush deal could see light of day
THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION'S new, let-the-sun-shine-in freedom of information policy has both sides buzzing in a major lawsuit over a controversial Bush administration lumber deal. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/connelly/397426_joel26.html?source=mypi

BC measures inflame US timber industry
http://www.ttjonline.com/story.asp?sectioncode=17&storycode=58265&c=2

Coalition for Fair Lumber Imports Concerned that $1.15 Billion in New Canadian Tax Payers
Funded Aid for Forestry Undermines U.S. Jobs and the Softwood Lumber Agreement http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/01-26-2009/0004960239&EDATE =

Canada's 'been in quite intimate contact' with Obama administration
http://www.thehilltimes.ca/html/cover_index.php?display=story&full_path=/2009/january/26/obama/&c=1

Canada delusional about oil
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/576480


FOREIGN AFFAIRS -
Mexico's drug problem will soon hit closer to home
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090123.wcomexico26/BNStory/specialComment/home

IRAQ: Power struggle as election day nears
http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090126/FOREIGN/813218588/-1/SPORT

Hamas overthrow wishful thinking
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1217549


HEALTH CARE RELATED -
Medical outsourcing trend hits health care
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1217434

The paradox of Canadian health rationing
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/01/26/brian-day-the-paradox-of-canadian-health-rationing.aspx

Canada issues warning on peanut snacks after U.S. salmonella outbreak
http://www.thestar.com/HealthZone/Diet&Fitness/article/577142

More than just hairballs can cause a cat to vomit
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Health/More+than+just+hairballs+cause+vomit/1217659/story.html


JUSTICE SYSTEM -
Justice demands that we now repatriate Omar Khadr
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090123.wcokhadr26/BNStory/specialComment/home


MIGRATION -
Complex laws anger adoptive parents
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090126.wadoption26/BNStory/National/home


FEDERAL POLITICS -
Text of the throne speech
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2009/01/26/8153081.html

Brief throne speech outlines stimulus plan
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/577473

Throne speech calls for 'greater solidarity'
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2009/01/26/8154301.html

Muted Throne Speech focuses on ailing economy
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090126.wPOLthrone0126/BNStory/politics/home

Brief throne speech outlines stimulus plan
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/577473

Liberals' budget decision set for Wednesday
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=1220034

Ignatieff surrounds himself with seasoned advisers
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200901/26/01-820813-ignatieff-sentoure-de-conseillers-francophones-aguerris.php

 http://66.102.1.102/translate_c?hl=en&sl=fr&tl=en&u=http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200901/26/01-820813-ignatieff-sentoure-de-conseillers-francophones-aguerris.php&usg=ALkJrhjcc0Ud2TewVYVckd-ksUkRc4og9A

18 new senators sworn in
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/577443

Ignatieff quickly became just another Liberal politician
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/comment/story.html?id=fc435f53-d3cd-44d4-bad2-22ec5fe7f9a8

PM's future on the line
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/577190

Lobbyists to descend on Parliament Hill on budget day
http://www.thehilltimes.ca/html/cover_index.php?display=story&full_path=/2009/january/26/lobbying/&c=1

Liberals: As House opens, spotlight is on Ignatieff
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090126.wliberals26/BNStory/budget2009/home

Prime Minister needs to build confidence
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090126.wbudgetstimulus26/BNStory/budget2009/home

Coalition still lurks on Parliament Hill 
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/577189

Harper accused of ditching principles
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/577188

Harper sees government surviving budget vote
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/090126/canada/canada_us_budget_harper_ca

Harper accused of ditching principles to keep power
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/577188

Harper government down to its last few principles
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/01/26/blogpost5.aspx

What the #!%*?: The Conservatives love infrastructure
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/posted/archive/2009/01/26/the-conservatives-love-infrastructure-what-the.aspx


PROGRAMMES -
PBO pushes battle for clear independence, Tory says Page 'crossed line'
http://www.thehilltimes.ca/html/index.php?display=story&full_path=2009/january/26/civcirc/&c=2

Canada Post plays Grinch in censorship row
http://www.thestar.com/sciencetech/article/577112

Border agency misses target on firearm records: Audit
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/577068

Canada's cult of secrecy
Harder than ever to get information from the federal government
http://www.torontosun.com/news/columnists/peter_worthington/2009/01/26/8145731-sun.html


PRESSURE POINTS -
Peak oil demand theory in vogue
http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/story.html?id=31d0b51d-bc70-4944-9075-d41630cda771

Global warming kills old-growth forests at stunning rate
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090122.wtrees0122/BNStory/Science/home

Chasing fossil-fuel 'fugitive' in climate change fight
http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/577109

World warned of 'food crunch' threat
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/a3efea7e-eafc-11dd-bb6e-0000779fd2ac,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2Fa3efea7e-eafc-11dd-bb6e-0000779fd2ac.html%3Fnclick_check%3D1&_i_referer=&nclick_check=1


OPINION AND INFORMATION -
Who will make the case for a better Canada?
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Opinion/1102915.html

Jim Flaherty: Harper's scrappy fiscal fighter
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090122/Jim_Flaherty_090122/20090125?hub=QPeriod

Flaherty's tumultuous tenure leads to historic budget
http://www.nationalpost.com/most_popular/story.html?id=1216870

Hast Iggy slain the Harperwock? Apparently not
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/01/24/chris-selley-hast-iggy-slain-the-harperwock-nay.aspx

Chris Selley's Full Pundit: Notes on a $34-billion non-crisis
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/01/26/chris-selley-s-full-pundit-notes-on-a-34-billion-non-crisis.aspx

A mandate to scare the bejeesus out of excitable editors
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/01/22/colby-column-on-cbo.aspx

And the future is: coalition
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090123.wcocoalition26/BNStory/specialComment/home

Politicians warned to heed 'moral values' 
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/577206

On the Eve of the Budget: The Conservatives Haven't a Clue
http://www.jameslaxer.com/2009/01/on-eve-of-budget-conservatives-havent.html


INFOS -
Discours du Trône: priorité à la relance de l'économie
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200901/26/01-821033-discours-du-trone-priorite-a-la-relance-de-leconomie.php

Des dépenses de 7 milliards $ en infrastructures
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200901/26/01-820950-des-depenses-de-7-milliards-en-infrastructures.php

La rentrée de tous les dangers
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200901/26/01-820814-la-rentree-de-tous-les-dangers.php

Ignatieff s'entoure de conseillers francophones aguerris
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200901/26/01-820813-ignatieff-sentoure-de-conseillers-francophones-aguerris.php

Budget: Harper joue ses atouts
http://www.ledevoir.com/2009/01/26/229423.html

L'opposition attend le budget
http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/Budget/2009/01/26/003-trone-opp-reax.shtml

Le chef du Bloc québécois, Gilles Duceppe, réagit au discours du Trône.
http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/Budget/2009/01/26/003-trone-opp-reax.shtml

Le chef du Parti libéral, Michael Ignatieff, réagit au discours du Trône.
http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/Budget/2009/01/26/003-trone-opp-reax.shtml

Changement de ton
http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/Politique/2009/01/26/002-DiscoursduTrone.shtml


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)

Could someone please suggest why this article was written?

 Nothing thrills like a narrow escape, which is why it is so exhilarating to be a Canadian right now.

Canadians live daily on the razor's edge knowing that we could at any moment be swallowed whole by the great aggressor nation to the south, and the danger has never been more acute than it is today.

Like the rest of Canada I am grateful that President Barack Obama's long and seductive shadow has not fallen so completely across our border that it has obscured what is really important, Canadianism.

What a shame and scandal if the president's soaring rhetoric and enchanting appeal to the better angels of our nature had taken root in the generous soil of Canadian hearts, the first step to our becoming the 51st state.

It's bad enough that Mr. Obama is an American, but he is also an American who carries with him all their usual anti-intellectual superstitions layered on their insufferable arrogance.

This is a man who quoted from the Bible in his inaugural address, giving us an insight into his otherwise hidden and dangerous fundamentalist agenda.

He goes to church.

He advocates expanding the war in Afghanistan against a group of people whose only crime is having a different worldview than ours.

He accepted tens of millions of dollars in donations from Wall Street fat cats, and their transnational companies.

Hollywood

He accepts support from super rich Hollywood celebrities whose movies and TV programs unfairly compete against Canadian TV and movies by using entertaining stories, great writing and terrific acting.

He selected extremist pastor Rick Warren to give the invocation at the inauguration, and we all know what Warren believes. He believes we should have a Purpose Driven Life.

Like that could work!

We must fight Obama's influence at every step lest American imperialism sweeps north and we become just one more client state of that military industrial complex that parades as a nation.

Like the NDP, half the Liberal Party and the Council of Concerned Canadians, I actually do expect the world to end tomorrow because of any number of environmental outrages, but nothing tortures my mind so completely as the fear of losing my Canadian identity to the war mongers to the south.

We never had to fear this with the laughable president George W. Bush. With his ridiculous accent and with the way he mangled his sentences it was obvious to all that he wasn't fit to govern. If only the Americans had a leader more like Jean Chretien.

Not surprisingly President Obama and his collaborator, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, have conspired to make Canada his first international visit where he will surely propose erasing the 49th parallel, expropriating our water, and giving us American-style health care.

This is not just some dark imagining.

If we're not careful it's quite possible that one day we will see private MRI clinics even in progressive provinces such as Quebec.

Yes, we must watch Obama lest one day we awake to find that the selfish Americans are our biggest customers, that we idolize superficial American celebrities, and that we winter on their blood-soaked, but pleasantly warm and sandy, soil.

Trust me. It could happen.

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Coming event: St. Paul's Post-Budget Pub Night
       
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Special invitation from St. Paul's Conservative EDA

St. Paul's Conservative EDA invites you to a post-budget pub night.  Join us for a fun gathering of fellow Conservative Party supporters.

This is a great opportunity to beat the winter blahs, reconnect with fellow campaign volunteers, meet new friends, and discuss the budget.

Location:
The Fox and Fiddle
1535 Yonge Street (east side, just north of St. Clair)
We have reserved the upstairs section.

Time:
5:30 - 8:00 PM

Cost: Free - we'll provide the snacks!

Should you wish to renew your Conservative Party membership for 2009, or would like to learn more about becoming a member; we will have applications and information available at the event.

__________________________________
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.


Publisher comments                

How should St. Paul’s CPC board react to Grit M.P.’s letter?
Media serving “too much baseball”, or not enough?                                                                                
Vancouver Sun, Calgary Herald, Ottawa Citizen and Montreal Gazette quote Heisey on convention enthusings!     
BC gives “no” forces on May referendum plenty $
Flaherty/Harper overwhelmed by lefties and press
Joe Oliver’s fundraiser was not given enough notice
Coming event: St. Paulâ's Post-Budget Pub Night
To be removed from this mailing list

Publisher comments                

How should St. Paul's CPC board react to Grit M.P.'s letter?
    
A handsome, full colour seasonal newsletter wafted into our mailbox recently from St. Paul’s Liberal M.P.,  Dr. Carolyn Bennett. I expect a similar, if less substantial newsletter from the St. Paul’s Conservative Association tied into the forthcoming 2009 Annual Meeting and Election of Officers. Major difference between the two mailing pieces is that the taxpayer pays the ding for the Liberal item which will have been delivered to every residence in the electoral district. A second major difference is that the Tory piece, when it comes, will be mailed selectively to members and supporters of the local party and not, o no, not at all, to the general public.
This activist thinks the Tory local board should think long and hard about creating a  timely promotion piece which could be mailed to our faithful ones and then delivered by hand to a significant fraction of the riding residents.
Presumably an important fraction of the Tory e.d.a. polling areas have local canvassers still identified who could blanket a good part of the district with a brochure designed for the St. Paul’s general public.
Such a brochure could contain a cheery summary of the  campaign efforts in the last election, a report with lots of photos of members at next Tuesday’s upcoming social nite - see coming events item - and an appropriate balance of material about our government’s legislation and plans in Ottawa plus a schedule of association events over the next three months.
Somehow or other we have persuaded ourselves that our party’s annual meetings must be closed tight from outside eyes, meaning there will be no way of inviting local residents to come and sit in a visitors’s gallery, watch the proceedings and just possibly buy a party card on the spot.
We have also persuaded ourselves that chatty information about how such a brochure would be printed and distributed could not be published on our web site or in a next mailing to the riding. I would like to see “mentions in despatches” for those sluggers who deliver X hundred brochures in their neighbourhood and opportunities to see that the “peacetime” St. Paul’s association recognizes the faithful ones who help keep us ready for the next balloon to go up!

Media publishing “too much baseball”, or not enough?

A Toronto newspaper pro quite shook me up recently when he reacted to my comments about the thin coverage currently being given to our party in our town by describing the drearyness of “too much baseball”. I took this to mean that his team considers the minutiae of amateur party politics just plain of little interest to his readership!
This prevailing mentality needs to be challenged. Farm teams in professional sports get far more attention in the sports pages than “farm teams”of amateurs, messing with our party professionals in those few events which would be open to the press. The way it works now is that would-be future “pros” in national political parties will generate far more personal ink by performance in municipal or provincial politics than they will by functioning in the bit parts in their national parties.
The national level of “amateur” participation in our own party are the battles for provincial positions on our national council. Seems to me that the professionals in our party like it just fine when those participants are not even identified in the national party’s web site until almost a month after their election. Electing the four present Ontario councillors “at large” helps ensure none of them gets too usefully identified with a given region of our huge province, blurring even further their identities and roles in the life of the party.

Vancouver Sun, Calgary Herald, Ottawa Citizen and Montreal Gazette quote Heisey “gushing” on the  convention!

At the November convention your “earthworm” reporter had a long and thoughtful interview with a Canwest reporter, Richard Foot from Halifax. Turns out my cheery comments on the convention were largely an opening “hook” for a five part article series on the decline of our political parties which the above major newspapers of the Canwest group have published recently, Toronto’s National Post not included so far. ( http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=1160173)
I spare my readers the series which seemed to me a wide-ranging, rare look at the way our parties and parliament function today, supposedly a little less well that heretofore.
I found the most interesting part of the series the widespread comments regreting the shrinking role of party members in policy, although I think it much too soon to be sure that the PMO is usurping policy evolution, particularly since only a small period of time has passed since our own convention in November. Mr. Foot considers more initiatives from that meeting should have shown a month later in the throne speech or economic statement.
The wide ranging quotes of professors and other add to a pattern of disquiet that the parties are functioning less well than formerly. For my tase no newspaper survey can do more than set out some areas for attention by elements within the party. From my (dis)advantage point on a backstreet in Toronto I sense the vitality of the individual constituency association continues to lose clout to the professionals in the caucus and prime minister’s office. I think they only way to fight that is to plain wrest initiatives on processes, like much more regional conferencing, without waiting for approval from hq. One of my Toronto spies shares my view that Stephen Harper intimidates our party! It might be an idea to keep interested newspeople informed, if you dare!

 BC govt. gives “no” forces on May referendum, plenty $
               
The proposed British Columbia variant on proportional representation, STV,  came very close to generating the called for level of majority support when last presented to their electorate. It is presented again, in connection with the scheduled May 2009 general election, with the major difference that both the pro and the anti forces are being given a half million dollars each to promote their points of view.
As one on the fringes of the NOMMP central committee in Ontario last time I note that Ontarions turned back the changes by a 63% majority but with a total campaign fund of somewhere near only $25,000! Michael Ufford, who headed up the No forces in Ontario sent the following recently:  

For those who are still interested in this topic, the following link will be of interest.

The PR question will be part of the May 12 BC general election, and the BC government has changed the ballot wording to the Ontario wording.

The no side has changed its name to one that more closely resembles NOMMP, and they have some powerful supporters ... including some former members of the BC Citizens Assembly that recommended PR  in the first place.

They also have up to $500,000 in government funding!  All the best,  Mike
http://knowstv.ca/Voting system: Change or status quo?
 
 And Brian Marlatt, White Rock, was quoted in the VANCOUVER SUN,  JANUARY 14, 2009, thusly:
 
 If you don't like democracy, support STV. Like all forms of proportional representation, STV is about voting by party. The party machine and party bosses make the decisions; candidates and voters become afterthoughts. Parties are empowered, candidates are accountable to the party and party discipline becomes absolute. After an election, the parties do what they want, generally as coalitions, brokering deals among themselves in their own interests. Voter interest isn't even an afterthought.

The usual suspects support STV/PR: Gordon Gibson, who never saw a bad idea he didn't like; Fair Vote BC, who think you are wasting your vote if you vote for the best candidate instead of by party, and commentators who think of politics as a horse race and forget that democracy is about the demos, the people.

Simple, clear, democratic and well understood, the status quo is best.

David Schrek of Vancouver <Schreck@StrategicThoughts.com> is an officer of the NOSTV committee whose letter recently in the Globe led me to his web site http://www.StrategicThoughts.com and some interesting info.

Flaherty/Harper overwhelmed by lefties and press
    
Hand one to the left wing of Canadian public affairs: The Flaherty/Harper view that Canada is not in anything as bad shape as our American neighbours has been quite overwhelmed by the endless flood of dreadful news from the south and the conviction that we have to spend as aggressively as they do to escape the vortex.
Your correspondent reminds any who are interested that all agree that our banking system is much more solidly based than theirs and our mortgages likewise. Inarguable that auto workers in Canada are going to go through the wringer, but fascinating comments of individuals everywhere that the CAW members are doing so very much better than most other Canadians it is hard to feel too sorry for them.
Only consolation to me is the dawning recognition from some Canadian authorities and media that just possibly we are not going to be underwater for anything like as long as the U.S.

Joe Oliver’s fundraiser was not given enough notice

Last Thursday evening a fundraiser was held for Joe Oliver, our candidate with the highest percentage of votes in Eglinton-Lawrence of any 416 riding. I heard about it two days in advance from Arnold Kwok who is quick to pass on such important information, but not enough time for me to get there, and $250 per seat is a fair ding so soon after the last go round.
I repeat my advice to all event organizers in the federal and provincial parties in Ontario: Joe Hueglin, former P-C M.P. and renegade founder of a splinter political party, “The Progressive Canadians Dance Band”, does one thing very well! He mails his Daily Digest to some 4,000+ Tories and near Tories every damn day! Send him your event announcements in a plain envelope so no one will know where it came from. Consider trying to maintain your own mailing list of a couple of thousand and begin to understand how much work it is!

We look forward to seeing you there.  Friends and family are welcome. 
    
To be removed from this mailing list You may unsubscribe at any time by clicking "Reply" and writing "unsubscribe" or “disconnect” or even “git” on the subject line of this note.  Next issue from Naples, FL. cordially, hize.

Appendix: revise, svp, aged gta cpc boards’ spreadsheet
This spread sheet neglected recently. Please advise numerous changes needed!

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