Liberals Deja Vu: Will They Ever Learn?

I was just scanning the Blogging Tories to see if anyone recently posted anything about the 20th anniversary of the Polytechnique massacre. They haven't. They're getting awfully predictable for the most part: most posting about their new favourite subject: Climate change, or as they like to call it: Climategate.  However, I came across something different at Unambiguously Ambidextrous. His posting not only caught my eye because it didn't discuss Climate change (climategate); but he discussed something that was questioned this morning on Question Period: Where is Iggy? No one is really hearing from him these days but Bob Rae is certainly making quite a bit of noise these days. Oh this is disconcerting: can anyone say: "Deja-Vu"?


I found the article that blogger refers to in the Toronto Star. Oh yes! This is Deja-Vu and it looks like Iggy is being pushed out the door and that he is pretty much alone in supporting the HST in Ontario and B.C.. Sound familiar? It should...it's exactly how the Liberals treated Stephane Dion. Dion had no support and then was kicked to the curb.


It's about time Iggy left. He pulled this shit with Dion; this would be Karma. Besides that and more importantly, he will never improve his numbers for the Liberals. He was never a suitable leader and certainly, not quite PM material.  


Stevie and Harpercon  scandals, like checquegate/logogate and torturegate: Unpopular measures like the HST and their blatant lack of interest in the environment as well as failures like the unrolling of the H1N1 vaccine should not only have sent their numbers plummeting, but should have raised the Liberals' numbers. While the NDP made some gains, they certainly weren't significant enough to lower Harpercon numbers to well below majority territory. 


Had the Liberals had a stronger, more suitable leader Harpercon numbers would most definitely have plummeted and the N.D.P. numbers would have remained more or less the same.


Angelo Persichilli, the author of the above mentioned Toronto Star article even predicts that we will be hearing about Iggy resigning before the year is out. Already, Iggy has been incognito as of late. However, it seems that yet again, the Liberals are going to select another former runner up of 2006, simply because he's there. Although, to hear some party members tell it, they seem to honestly believe Rae is the only one they can trust in that party. Oh boy, this is not going to turn out well for them; in fact, it would be suicide. No, they should take the time to find someone suitable; someone who can beat actually beat Stevie but actually get a majority; with or without the popularity of the Bloc Quebecois.


If Bob Rae were to lead, he wouldn't be able to win Quebec or Ontario outside of Toronto; two provinces that actually make governments. Steve has proven to be quite effective with the art of attack ads against Dion and Iggy. The ad against Rae would be something along the lines of "Don't let him do to Canada what he did to Ontario" and other ads to remind Canadians of Rae's baggage.


This would most certainly let Stevie loose with a majority.


I saw that Persichilli also hints at other potential leaders like David McGinty and Justin Trudeau. If Rae, McGinty and Trudeau would be our only choices to lead the party and potentially become prime minister, I would pick Trudeau, simply because he would be lesser of the evils; the only one who could potentially send Stevie packing. 


 I had reservations about Justin Trudeau leading the Liberals and I still do,  but I have to hand it to him: he did something most of us in Quebec never believed he would be able to do: unseat Vivienne Barbeau, the  popular Bloc MP in Papineau riding,  a riding made up of folks who either haven't a clue as to who his father was or those who still hate his father. My reservation is that he still hasn't passed enough tests and he still needs more political experience, but who knows? Maybe if the Liberals can unite and stand behind him, it might work. Unless he really screws up big time; worse than Iggy even, Trudeau would already be a step up.


Also, if we were to follow Liberal tradition,  they should pick someone who is French speaking from Quebec. Excluding Dion, this has proven to be a formula that worked for the Liberals in the past, like Louis St-Laurent,  PE Trudeau and Jean Chretien. Hell, it even worked for stint under the former Progressive Conservatives with Brian Mulroney. Say what you will about him and yes, he was not a great PM but he was the most successful Tory PM for Quebec. Even Liberal PM, LB Pearson could only garner minority governments.


I had read in the past various musings about Martin Cauchon potentially taking over.  Someone with more experience than Justin Trudeau. He was justice minister and was instrumental in putting forward legislation legalizing same-sex marriage; something that should appeal to progressives. However, I can see two potential roadblocks: that Denis Coderre temper tantrum awhile back and he doesn't hold a seat yet and wouldn't be able to do so until the next general election. 


Forget Denis Coderre, his temper tantrum proved he didn't put the interests of his party first.


I don't think the Liberals should shop for any outsiders at this time: no time for political experiments here. 


I only hope they do the right thing and there is competition to go up against Rae. 


Liberals, choose wisely this time: you can't afford another dud for a leader. Do this before Stevie and the Harpercons turn us into Bush era America.

Two Anniversaries Never to be Forgotten

Stevie Begged the GG to Close Up the Shop

It had been a year ago yesterday,  the governor general allowed Stevie to close up the shop.  Boy, was he afraid of the big bad coalition of 'socialists', separatists and the Liberals under Stephane Dion. An earlier indication of Stevie's running away when the going gets tough.


I wonder if anybody dared to wonder what we would be looking at had the Governor General said no to closing up the shop. Would we have still been governed by this coalition led by Stephane Dion? Would Iggy have been long since gone from the picture?


I realize that a lot of Canadians didn't like the idea of this coalition, but I tend to wonder if we weren't better off with them? 

Between Stevie running away from a crisis to be at some insipid event like Timmy's or gallivanting with the Royals to clearing a room at climate change talks to getting lambasted by Ban Ki Moon, secretary general of the United Nations and the Chinese Premier, he has got to be the most embarrassing Prime Minister Canada ever had.  

I dare say, it must be embarrassing telling someone who lives overseas that we're Canadian.


Twenty Years Tomorrow Marc Lepine Shot up the Polytechnique


Yes, twenty years ago tomorrow, on December 6, 1989 was when Marc Lepine went and shot up the Ecole Polytechnique, the engineering school of Universite de Montreal.


Here is an article written by three former Polytechnique students; two of whom were shooting victims of Marc Lepine that fateful day.


This anniversary should be a reminder as to why the Long Gun Registry should not be scrapped.   Marc Lepine used a ruger mini 14, one such gun that would be on the list of rifles and shotguns to need not be registered if this registry is scrapped. The police used the registry every day to do their work.


Here is the podcast where Daisy Kler of Rape Relief talks about where we're at today with regards to feminism, the attitudes toward feminism and violence.


Have we really moved forward? 


Certainly not with regards to gun control if the long gun registry is scrapped. We will be headed to a society where citizens will be walking the streets with guns just like in the U S or A. 


Some may argue that only law abiding citizens register their guns. True perhaps, but we've seen too often law abiding citizens turn violent, go crazy, become mentally ill or start living a life of crime.


We have to register our dogs with the city, but not guns which kill people?


One of the famous arguments in favour of scrapping the long gun registry is the costs. Harpercons and their groupies say it costs way to much to keep. Well, Heidi Rathjen, one of the survivors of the Polytechnique massacres, gun control activist and co-author of yesterday's  Rabble article  about the reflections of the 20th anniversary of the massacre disagrees: 


"Well, it's true that it cost a billion dollars over ten years to implement, but not the registry. The billion dollars applies to the possession permits, which is what gun owners need to own guns. They had to screen two million gun owners."


She also goes on to say that the registry actually costs Canadians nine cents per year to keep it going.  It is indeed a small price to pay to keep us safe.


Funny how the Harpercons talk of gettin' tough on crime, but they are willing to take away a crucial tool the police used everyday. I wonder how they can spin this one?

Online Petition to Demand Harpercons To Investigate Torturegate

I just found this over at Thwap's Schoolyard. Here is the link for the online petition for Inquiry into Torture. It would appear that a whopping 94% of Canadians believe the testimony of Richard Colvin. 


Just because Stevie is going to Copenhagen to pretend to be interested in climate change doesn't mean he shouldn't face the music over torturegate. Enough already! 


I think most Canadians are tired of looking more and more like a disgrace on the world stage.

Do the Federal Liberals Even Have a Future?

To read how Janine Krieber views the Liberals these days would certainly imply that they don't have much of a future. However, just like those pundits from Question Period this morning, she, unfortunately comes off as someone with a case of sour grapes. Perhaps that's even a part of it. However, she is on to something. She must be: that infamous Facebook posting was quickly taken down. If this was simply a case of bitterness, why the urgency to take down the posting? Perhaps she should have used a nom de plume; perhaps it could be taken more seriously and would look less like a wife with sour grapes. She does express probably what a lot of folks are thinking these days, including Liberal MPs and other party insiders themselves.


Either way, the fact that she took down the posting doesn't erase it. Journalists and pundits are covering it. Folks are paying attention.


Krieber even hints at throwing her support behind another party. Who would that be though? The N.D.P.? No matter what party; this would be problematic  given her husband is still a Liberal M.P. representing St-Laurent as he has for many years. Yes, there was a hint from Iggy way back when about replacing him with some female 'star' a la Nathalie Le Prohon, but we didn't hear anything more about that.  I'm sure party insiders pointed out that that would be an error given Dion has represented St-Laurent for many years. If the good folks of St-Laurent keep voting him in, they must have confidence in him to represent their interests. Is Dion still being pushed out the door? Would Peter Donolo and the new staff be pushing for that?


According to the latest Ipsos Reid Poll, The N.D.P. have jumped 6 points to 19% support nationally. The Liberals are at 24% and The Harpercons are at 37%: well within grasp of a majority (After all, Chretien had won a majority with only 37% of the vote). The Bloc and The Greens have 9% and 10% respectively.


What could that mean?  Patrick R  wrote about this with, what I observed to be a certain amount of enthusiasm. Hmm, Patrick, enthusiastic about the N.D.P. numbers; this can't be good. Then, of course this would make Patrick and other like-minded folks happy. This would split the left and the Harpercons get their majority, coming up the middle. Whether that would entail an N.D.P. or Liberal official opposition, it wouldn't matter. Stevie would be unleashed with a majority and thus his true Reform, NCC , Ultra-right wing conservatism would come shining through. It would be Bush-era U.S.A. mimicked.


I found what she says below of particular interest: 


"The Liberal party is in a free fall, and it won't recover. Like all the liberal parties in Europe, it will become a poor little thing at the mercy of ephemeral coalitions. For having refused the historic coalition that could have placed it at the head of the left, it will be punished by history."


Does she mean what a lot of folks are thinking? Should the Liberals and the N.D.P. take a page from the Harpercon playbook and merge? It's something I've been saying for a long time. Something a lot of folks, even those left of center can't seem to agree on and don't really talk about it.


A lot of folks may not have liked the idea of that proposed coalition last year. This is why it is important that they merge before the next general election.


In spite of the best of intentions, the hiring of Peter Donolo and the new staff may well be too little too late. Iggy must go. However, this will probably only happen later rather than sooner.


I found this article from the Canadian Press today regarding what Peter Donolo's intentions may be.  Interesting this would be released just after Janine Krieber's Facebook postings. 


While Donolo is not revealing all of his secrets, I'm wondering if replacing Iggy down the road is a possibility in his mind as well?


He's closed the Liberal election war room for the immediate future. There will be no talk of an election for at least seven months, maybe even a year, according to the Canadian Press. Other than turning his academic resume into a positive and to be more on the offensive Donolo also says that he is pretty much going to have Iggy 'be himself'; to 'unpackage him' rather than to package him. What could this mean? Does he simply want to observe Iggy to see if he can be salvaged or not?


Even though, the campaign mode is turned off, The Liberals will be 'more aggressive and focussed' during question period and they will be countering Harpercon's vicious attack ads head-on. That's good. It's about time.

Whatever the case, I intrepret today's piece from Canadian Press to hint that this is Iggy's last chance to appeal to Canadian voters.  I dare say that if Iggy doesn't improve his numbers in seven months like that article suggested, I think Donolo will recommend a changing of the guard. Maybe even a merger or at least some kind of agreement with  the N.D.P.

This is all well and good to turn off the campaign mode, close the election war room and no election talk for a minimum of seven months, but what if Stevie decides to provoke one sooner? He is well within majority range. He must realize that if the N.D.P.'s numbers hold or go up slightly, he wouldn't need that magic 40% to come up the middle with a majority. As I've pointed out in my posting from last night, more and more Canadians are supporting Stevie and in spite of their "I don't want an election" whining last September, they do want an election yesterday if it can ensure Harpercon majority. 


I'm wondering if Donolo has a plan for that potential scenario? 


I don't doubt Donolo's capabilities given his resume, but I think Iggy must go now, because of the above mentioned scenario.  A new leader must be selected ASAP. And no, NOT Bob Rae. I know, he's there. But no; that would just be another disaster. Do the research. If one has to be plucked out of retirement, so be it. What's more, it's time for a merger of  the N.D.P. and the Liberals.


Do the Federal Liberals have a future? Not without a lot of help. Not with Iggy at the helm. They will be needing some kind of collaboration, if not a merger with the N.D.P.


Side note: something else of interest: Neither the Harpercons, nor the opposition parties have succeeded in eliminating the raison d'etre for the Bloc Quebecois. Why would this be, considering sovereignty is on the back burner and has been for some time now. Gilles Duceppe didn't even promote separation in the last federal election campaign. A lot of Quebec federalists be they Francophone or Anglophone: rural or urban still vote for the Bloc. This is something all these parties should think about.

More Outrage and Lies: H1N1 Vaccination Market Scheme: FAIL!

Well, well, well, let the lies continue. Stevie continues his disappearing acts. This time, I believe he's the lead of Bollywood's version of "Dancing with the Stars"


Remember how Butler-Jones and Agluquack promised, even when fumbling on "Question Period" over two weeks ago, that there would be enough vaccine to cover every Canadian by Christmas? Well, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop on that one and now, it has. It appears there won't be enough to vaccinate all Canadians before the year is out.


Well, let the outrage and panic and paranoia begin. Rightfully so, given our government has screwed this crisis up royally. Nobody learned from the SARS crisis in 2003 on how to better prepare for pandemics. They went about it all wrong and there is incompetence at every level.


Bottom line. They took the cheapest way out; let's do a mass vaccination, never mind the testing protocols. To make sure it won't cost them down the road, GSK and Harpercons are not implementing a no fault compensation for those injured as a result of the vaccine. Typical Harpercons!


Why should we be surprised? As Rick Salutin from the Globe and Mail pointed out: Steve will never own this pandemic crisis; they never even owned health care; he has no empathy. No shit! After the way his Harpercons heckled Carolyn Bennett during Question Period while she was airing her concerns over vaccine safety for pregnant women--- the fact that he goes off gallivanting with Prince Charles and Camilla rather than show leadership during the first weeks of screw ups;  and now doing Bollywood instead of being here where a PM should be during a crisis, is this any surprise? In reality, he doesn't care. After all, Canada as it is, is nothing more than a "second tier socialistic country" in the world according to Stevie.


This crisis could have been handled much differently. 


By all means, develop a vaccine for H1N1; but take the necessary time to implement all testing procedures. Don't rush it out without knowing not only the potential short term side effects but also the potential  long term consequences. Most importantly, don't count on one supplier only. Hell, Craig Oliver pointed out the stupidity of that strategy when interviewing Agluquack at the beginning of the month. She even had the nerve to blame the Liberals for signing some exclusive deal. Well, Leona, I thought this was a crisis situation? Who's in charge, anyway? Certainly not the Liberals. 


She continued (and still does to this day) to blame everyone else but herself (remind you of anyone, a certain writer of fiction, also from the north?) and her master. Instead of skulking around and trying to spin her way out of this crisis, a good health minister should come up with contingency plans. 


A few examples of contingency plans would be: 

• Quarantine (Yah, I know, takes away freedoms, but it is a crisis or supposed to be anyway and if it is crisis, certain concessions must made). Find where the largest concentration of H1N1 cases and implement strict quarantine rules: comings and goings extremely limited. Unfortunately, one of  the  best ways to control a communicable disease is to contain it.
• I'm not sure about the rest of Canada, but in Quebec, we have a few designated flu clinics so as not to congest walk-in clinics and hospital ERs: only the most serious cases would go to the hospitals.
• A lot more money to our health care system to handle the crisis (not likely to happen: I wouldn't put this past Stevie to use this crisis to further his agenda of bringing the American Health care system here)
• (More on provincial or municipal levels) Cancel sporting events, concerts anywhere there is the public all crowded together. Those events are a breeding ground for germs. Once again, fall under expensive as special provisions would have to be made for employees at such events such as concessions stands, maintenance, etc. while out of work.
• They could have cancelled the Olympics
• Have employers stagger the hours of their employees so public transit won't be so crowded.

Now with this vaccine shortage, I'm wondering if everybody will stop and think? Not only Agluquack and Butler-Jones with contingency plans to combat the crisis, but Canadian citizens as a whole too. Before running off half baked and cut your neighbours off at the pass rushing to a vaccine line-up nearest you, there are some things to consider. 


Health care professionals can't agree on the benefits or risks of this vaccine. at the clinic where I received my intervention, about half the nurses admitted to not getting vaccinated because they weren't confidant in the testing of it.


A friend of mine who has heart trouble told me his cardiologist recommended that he not get the vaccine; the doctor wasn't sure how his heart would withstand the vaccine.


I have heard of certain doctors preaching the sanctity of the vaccine in the media but I happen to know of at least one such doctor who, in private, wasn't nearly as gung-ho about the vaccine when a friend of mine consulted with him.


The southern hemisphere already passed their winter flu season. Australia's H1N1  fatalities were relatively low compared to regular flu in that country annually. This was not due to mass immunization.  They didn't have the vaccine up until September.  What was their secret? Was there any secret? Or this crisis didn't nearly prove the tragedy some predicted? 


It hasn't been a month yet and 36 cases of alleged (in all fairness, they have to perform tests)  reactions to the vaccine. Butler-Jones says this is less than the reactions to regular flu shot, but Butler-Jones, the season is still early. I have funny feeling more will be coming and it will be a lot harder to get the truth. 


An example of a potential cover up from hospital officials is happening in Virginia. A 14 year old boy came down with Guillain Barre's Syndrome not even 24 hours after receiving his H1N1 vaccine. Yah, I know what they say, rare case. Probably won't happen again.  The CDC alleges that this boy's case is probably just coincidental. In the words of the blogger from Facing Autism in New Brunswick: 'yeah, sure'. Assuming that this was a coincidence, why are officials at the hospital where this young man is being treated are not being so forthcoming with the information? This boy's parents already gave their permission to release their son's info.


Some things to think about before you inject. Remember, we shouldn't submit to being guinea pigs for big Pharma or any government. Remember, big pharma only cares about its' profit margins and governments (particulary Harpercons) will take the cheapest way out of a crisis. Remember, you get what you pay for.


Also, be careful. Use common sense. We'll have to rely on ourselves here. 

• Stay away from crowded places as much as possible
• Eat and drink healthy
• Eat at home
• Don't leave home unless absolutely necessary, like work or errands

Another thing to remember is the first wave from last May. There was no vaccine and no sign of one coming out. The media had a much different mood as did public health officials. They underlined the deaths of H1N1 victims that occurred were in those with underlying conditions which compromised their immune systems. They gave usual advice: wash your hands, drink fluids and stay home if you're sick. Sure enough, that news died down as quickly. 


If they are really short of vaccine, I'm sure that Public health and the Media will take the same tone they did last May.


After this debacle, the Harpercons certainly won't learn any lessons, neither will any of the public health agencies. There won't even be regrets. They are just going to continue running away from the whole thing.


There is one way of putting this; if the Harpercons cared and they stood behind their vaccine; their logo would be stamped all over it, no doubt.

Where Canada Would Go After a Harpercon Majority

And there wouldn't be enough for that matching partisan toilet paper!

The Perfect Citizen According to Jason Kenney

It's too bad ol' Kenney, Stevie and the rest of the Harpercons can't even live up to most of Kenney's guidelines in his new handbook.

Posted at The Galloping Beaver by Alison and at My Blahg


Actually, it's titled:

And here's what every new immigrant should look at before signing on to be a citizen: 






Design by Pale Cold from A Creative Revolution


Basically, it's high on promoting the military big time and of course, next to nothing regarding arts and culture.


Advice to Potential New Citizens


"(There's) a growing consensus that we need to recover a sense of civic memory, civic literacy about our democratic institutions and the history in which they are rooted," Kenney said.


Hmmm, with the events of late such as scrapping the Long Gun Registry, thus, beginning the journey toward No Gun Control, the move toward the U.S. health care system, a very pro-military stance in this new document of Kenney's, 


THINK AMERICA under Georgie Bush and Dickie Cheney.


About that pro-military stance of Kenney's which new immigrants must aspire to: while he says it isn't compulsory, one must read between the lines here: 


a "noble way to contribute to Canada and an excellent career choice."


Well, boys and girls, just think, if it were soooo noble and such a great career choice, how come Steve, Kenney or most of the Harpercons never enlisted? Also remember, the military seems to have a shortage in personnel and most who are natural born citizens just don't want to join it these days.


Oh yeah! It also tells you it's your duty to vote; just one snag though; they mean, vote for them.


It also talks about volunteering. Remember, these folks never volunteer for anything.


In discussing gender equality, in this guide. Congratz, ladies! You've simply moved to the status of left winged fringe.


Oh, just because there is not much indicated about arts and culture, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. It simply means it's not important to the Harpercons.


And so, boys and girls, remember, it's not hard to be smarter than most Harpercons: Apparently things like University education is optional to be a Harpercon and to be a Harpercon senator, literacy is also optional.


You can get the translate version of  Kenney's guide here.


The booklet will also be made available to schools, to give all Canadians a better sense of common values.


Common, of course, means Conservative. Good luck Future Conservatives oops! I meant Canadians! (Or is that American Rednecks?)

Downhill for Stevie and the Harpercons in Quebec without the A.D.Q.?

I can only hope? The party was on life support and now, Gilles Taillon, may well be the one to pull the plug once and for all after just 23 days leading the party. I ordinarily wouldn't give something like this a second thought, let alone write about  it. Taillon is undergoing treatments for prostate cancer and he didn't even have a seat in the National Assembly. Two of its' MNAs have resigned to sit as independents as of Friday. At last count, It no longer seems the A.D.Q. has enough seats in the National Assembly for official party status. Its' brain child has long since left politics, or has he?


Since Super Mario's departure from politics, we don't hear from him anymore, except for maybe his new career as a TV star. We hadn't seen him really crawling out of the wood work to even comment about Monday's bi-election in Montmagny-L'Islet-Kamouraska-Riviere du Loup, let alone to campaign for Genereux of the Harpercons. 


Yet, according to Taillon, the ghost of Super Mario is still very much around. Taillon blames him as well as other party members and the Harpercons for the internal fighting inside the A.D.Q. 


It was no secret that Mario Dumont was one of Steve's best buddies here in Quebec. Steve had a neo-con to help him make in-roads. According to the CBC, the party was funded largely in part by Conservative Senator, Leo Housakos up until last December, right at the time the ADQ was decimated and Mario ran away. Well, certainly explains that weird relationship between an on again/off again separatist and  Stevie doesn't it?


Gilles Taillon, on the other hand, wanted to break ties with the Harpercons. He basically no longer wanted any ties with any political party; provincial or federal. Ok, sounds ambitious, even admirable.


"I understand today from the public comments made by the former 'owners' of the party, Mario Dumont first among them, that my election as leader of the ADQ signified for these people, the end of an untouchable alliance,"


Untouchable Alliance? It was almost incestuous, if you ask me. Steve and Mario were so joined at the hip, it sent Premier Jean Charest, a former Tory MP and Federalist to campaign for the Bloc Quebecois during the last Federal election. There were, of course other reasons for Charest to have done that, but I digress.


Super Mario appeared yesterday on his TV show, V calling for MNA Gerard Deltell to be leader. Wow! Whatever happened to remaining out of the political arena, Mario? TV show not having hot ratings lately?


It would also seem that co-founder of the A.D.Q., Jean Allaire is also backing Deltell for leader. 


Trouble is, does Deltell even want it? 

"I take note of the fact that many people want a leader who has consensus, and I see that many people think that I am the man for the job," said Deltell.

"[There is] a lot of pressure. But you know, that is part of the job. You don't do politics for the fun of it — you do politics because you are involved."

At this time, Eric Caire, a former contender for A.D.Q. leadership who resigned on Friday to sit as an independent no longer has any interest to lead this party.

Next question, should we even care? Whether Deltell takes it or not certainly won't help his career. This political experiment of reviving Day's past of the Maurice Duplessis era is done.

I wonder if Stevie still cares? After all, he gained a seat in the lower St-Lawrence in Monday's bi-election without the A.D.Q. However, he probably wouldn't have without Genereux or that 242 M bribe last Friday.


The trouble with that is, Stevie can't realistically bribe all or even half of Quebec ridings. Where would the money come from, for starters?


Also, how many Native Quebecois 'stars' can Steve recruit for Quebec ridings?


Some suggest that Stevie try to make nice with Jean Charest, but it may not even be in Charest's own political interests to entertain the idea of making nice with Stevie. As mentioned in a previous post, Charest could well be eye-balling Stevie's job. Unlike Stevie, Charest could potentially lead the Tories to a majority with greater ease.


Taillon is also alleging financial irregularities within the party for several years now and has already notified the Surete de Quebec. That too, more than likely  would be a reason for Gerard Deltell to be on the fence regarding the party's leadership and for those like Eric Caire to no longer be interested.


Whatever the case, I venture to guess that the life support of the A.D.Q. has just had its' plug pulled. 


Perhaps this is wishful thinking on my part. Although, the A.D.Q. will never have enough clout to help Steve make further inroads in Quebec.


I also venture to guess that Super Mario may get an invite from Steve to the senate should his TV show flop.

Disappointing Although Not Surprising

Today is indeed a dark day. Waking up to find that race between the Bloc`s Nancy Gagnon and Harpercon Star, Bernard Genereux was won by the latter. He did it without the help of Jean Charest no less. This was one race our premier chose not to involve himself with. True, Genereux was the popular mayor of  one of the village in a collection of villages known as Montmagny-L'Islet-Kamouraska-Riviere du Loup. Yes, like so many rural regions of Quebec, they are generally conservative thinkers who actually would cheer for the abolition of the Long Gun Registry and would be turned off at Gilles Duceppe`s proposal of coming up with a similar registry for Quebec. Also like most rural regions of Quebec, the Catholic Church still has an influence over village life. However, it was a Bloc strong hold for a long time and given that these folks are also uni-lingual French and separatist for the most part and their native son, Mario has left politics entirely in favour for a career in TV, I thought Gagnon would squeak through. The pundits like Jean Lapierre on CTV's Question Period even predicted that. Hell, even Mario Dumont was nowhere near this campaign. All looked good for The Bloc to maintain Montmagny-L'Islet-Kamouraska-Riviere du Loup even if only by a margin.

It was not to be.  Indeed a dark day.

Gilles Duceppe is wondering if the riding was punishing Paul Crete, the Bloc MP for resigning so soon into his mandate to run provincially. I don't think that's it, Gilles, I think it's more like 242 Million Clam bribery scheme for the riding last Friday.

Of course, simply because the Harpercons don't know the meaning of the words gracious and humble, they had to rub salt in the wound:

“Mr. Duceppe, the population also sent you a clear message; the Bloc does not have the monopoly on Quebec values.”

No, Dimitri Soudas and the other Harpercons: the good folks of Montmagny-l'Islet-Kamouraska-Riviere du Loup just know a good deal when they have it dangling in front of their noses. If not for that, I'm sure the riding would have remained in the hands of the Bloc. Pundits predicted as much in spite of the popularity of Genereux as Mayor of La Pocatiere.

Also, Mr. Soudas, you may have Quebec City and that disgraced clown in the Beauce and that hill billy up north in Roberval, but that doesn't mean you understand Quebec values as well as the Bloc Quebecois. Mr. Soudas, your boss only has appeal to hillbillies, church folks and farmers in some of the regions of Quebec. Try to make a dent in the Greater Montreal Area now.

I also think that the passing of the private members' bill, scrapping the long gun registry and the fact that Duceppe is proposing to create one for Quebec had something to with it.  I have noticed alot of news pages and bloggers saying that all of Quebec support the Long Gun Registry. That's ok, It wouldn't be the first time those outside of Quebec misunderstood Quebecers. If truth be told, one would be hard pressed to find a Quebecer outside the Greater Montreal Area who supported the Long Gun Registry or supports gun control for that matter.

What does this result and the results from the other three ridings mean? 

Hochelaga is a non-issue; as mentioned previously, a chimpanzee can win in Hochelaga if it were Bloc. 

The other two ridings were predictable. Although, I have to wonder how the folks of  Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley would vote for Harper's Neo-cons given their poor treatment toward those people.

I find it strange that bloggers and journalists call this Iggy's test or Iggy's loss. Those ridings were never his to lose in the first place. Yes, had the Liberals been able to steal one of those four ridings, it would be the shocking booster the party needed, but nobody believed that would happen. I don't even think Iggy believed it. Otherwise, why didn't he run so-called 'stars' in any of those four ridings? I don't think anybody really knew who the four Liberal candidates were.

My fear is: given the Harpercon wins in Nova Scotia and the collection of villages down river in Quebec;  does this pave the way to a sure Harpercon majority come this spring when a general federal election would be surely held??

The only warning I would have for Stevie is: they voted for your guy: make good on your bribe now, or else, if you don't, I venture to guess that if a general election were held this spring, Montmagny-L'Islet-Kamouraska-Riviere du Loup will go back to the Bloc and I think this time, it won't be Nancy Gagnon; he will more than likely find an old Parti Quebecois Star to run against the good former mayor of La Pocatiere.  I think we can now put this collection of villages in the Lower St-Lawrence in the category of bellwether ridings. 

While I don't like to see promises from politician's broken. I will make an exception and I do hope that Stevie doesn't deliver the goods to the good folks of Montmagny-L'Islet-Kamouraska-Riviere du Loup.

Nicotine Deprived Blogging - Week in Review

I don't recommend it!  I haven't had a cigarette all day today, got through that without telling my husband because he would go all cheerleader on me and when I start smoking again (Yes, when; not if), it will be an argument I really don't want to have. Right now, I'm trying to keep my distance from the population at large, because everybody is just so damned annoying to me right now; besides, it's better flu prevention than sticking yourself with an untested vaccine. This leads to my reasoning for my cigarette withdrawal: cigarettes are an irritant for the lungs among other organs, so if I do get this or any other bug, I will be able to fight it off easier. That is how today worked anyway. Tomorrow is another day: I might well be lighting up as I'm going to be stuck being with people at some function. YIKES!! Socializing without the benefit of cigarettes, not recommended for me. I would call myself Anti-Social Socialist, but I think there's a blogger out there using that handle. Too bad, because that nick name suits me well.


Funny, I guess my last two entries have been more of a personal nature. I promise, I will try to stay away from that as much as possible and will go back to venting about Politics here in Canada and the U.S., and other current events. Right now, I don't have the patience to even read the news paper or a news site or sit through a news or political show on the boob tube. I don't have the patience to think of any witty commentary about the news in politics.




Week in Review


Gotta say though, I have known the senate serves absolutely no purpose ever since Steve appointed a functionally illiterate hockey coach, showing us that knowing how to read and write is not a requirement for this 'job'? After watching Mike Puffy Duffy on TV and his mouth on steroids going off attempting to defend ...spending 44k after 3 months?? A lot of folks would take two years to earn that while working blood hard. 


Imagine a world without the senate? Imagine how their salaries and expenditures could help say, improve our single payer health care system?? 


Once in awhile, the Globe and Mail does actually run something insteresting:
Yes, I have to thank one of my Facebook friends for actually posting this. Some opinion writer, from a Harpercon-friendly  paper no less, finally came out and explained exactly how Steve doesn't care about our health care system, given his 'second tiered' minister, Agluquack. 


Rick Salutin, the writer of this piece speaking not only of Steve's lack of commitment toward health care or the flu crisis, but also of the Harpercon "Get tough on Crime" thing. Tougher punishments and a measure eliminating gun control. Sound familiar? Anyone who thought I was crazy for saying Steve was more like an American than Iggy would be hard pressed to argue that now.


After writing that, I wonder if Salutin will get fired?? I hope not, we need more writers to write and publish such things in newspapers. However, like the G & M, he doesn't often write anything that interesting neither.


However, when I sometimes get hope for the Globe and Mail, I get disappointed all over again with drivel like this.  According to Erin Anderssen, we are embracing the more American style combative military. Gone are the days of peace loving for us it would seem in her world.


That is my commentary for this week in Canada in short order.  


Right now, I must go somewhere, preferably where there is no one. Writing without cigarette just isn't working for me right now. I don't even feel like me without the smokes. Yah, I know they're bad, but they were a part of who I am...was?? Not sure anymore.


I may not be blogging for awhile until this nicotine thing somehow resolves itself, even if it means I start smoking again.

I Almost Drank the Kool-Aid

Yep, I did indeed. I was lucky though, somebody intervened. 


I wasn't going to get the H1N1 shot. I'm not convinced it was tested enough. Evil things like Guillain Barre or other equally or worse diseases and ailments can take place only years after the vaccine. For those who claim that it is safe, how do you know? I find the business practises of Pharma companies irreprehensible for the most part, but I also know that they spend more than 5 months testing a drug and a government agency to give the ok before unleashing it to the population at large. 


Another reason I was not going to get it was because I was (still am) terrified of how I will react to it. Yah! Yah! Yah! Chances are minute; maybe a sore arm for a few days and a little fever, blah! Blah! Blah! The problem is, it's not reassuring to me. When it comes to many types of pharmaceuticals, especially the injected kind, I have always been part of that minority who will have worse side-effects. It will take me longer to recuperate from them than most. I never get the regular flu shot because I don't want to be down with yet another side-effect and  I believe one's anti-bodies need to be given chance to boost themselves naturally.


I also know what happened in 1976 when that H1N1 was pushed on to the American public so quickly following an epidemic at Fort Dix, New Jersey (I posted a brief synopsis of my research).  I wonder if we learned our lessons from that time in history? 


I work in health & social services for the Quebec Government, so I fell onto the early schedule and tomorrow is the last day for such employees. However, my job is not with the public. I have zero contact with clients. I work in an IT and Telecom department in my own private office.  Most of my job related communications are done through email and the telephone. My biggest contact with the population at large is the commute to and from work. I don't have a choice, I don't drive. However, I am careful these days to try not to get on a bus or a metro car that is crowded like a can of sardines.


I have had flu when I was a kid, but not that often. I catch colds and sometimes some doozies where it would take me a week to get rid of the worst of it. I haven't had flu during my adult life. I never worried about dying from the flu or even about H1N1 this year.


Not long ago,  a lot of Canadians were not going to get the H1N1 vaccine for pretty much the same reasons I wasn't: never get the flu shot, allow our anti-bodies to work, afraid of the side-effects, etc. etc. The only deaths we heard about were those who had underlying conditions.


Let fear mongering begin!  The media sensationalizes even further and scares more people to the unknown.  Disorganization at every level. Conflicting views from the Harpercons, GSK, Public Health and the provinces to some degree. Carolyn Bennett, a doctor herself expresses concerns about the safety of the vaccine for pregnant women during question period and gets heckled by the Harpercons (video is here).  A federal health minister who seems to know absolutely nothing except to blame the provinces and GSK and can't answer reporter's questions. 


At a time of National crisis, where is Stevie again? Oh yeah! He's gallavanting with Prince Charles and his 'wife'. Why should any of us be surprised really? He fucks off UN climate talks in favour of din-din with Mayor Bloomberg, He fucks off Pres. Obama's speech at UN in favour of donuts at Timmy's! Why should this be any different? 


I hate that this insanity has caused otherwise sane and rational people who normally wouldn't buy a car without test driving it first but will play guinea pig and have a largely untested vaccine injected into their system without thinking of the long term consequences. Hell, I almost did it tonight!


I know we are not obligated to get vaccinated and legally, no one can force us to. Even the notices at work specified that vaccination was voluntary. However, as usual, I always read between the lines, I analyze and yes, I do think outside the box. I can't help but get the feeling that we will be judged as very irresponsible callous people if we don't get vaccinated. This is the feeling I get from most people I know, be it friends; be it co workers. I made the mistake of airing my concerns about the safety of the vaccine solely because I don't want to see anyone getting hurt, especially by rushing into something without giving it much thought or research. Clever ain't it? GSK can't stand by it's product, so then they flog the story of young Evan Frustaglio.  That don't work, its' market by guilt and depending who you talk to: coercion.


The most common remark I got hardly makes any sense at all, when I mention I don't want to get the vaccine: 'when (not if) you get sick, stay away from me!' It's like some foregone conclusion I will get sick automatically.  What's even less logical about that statement is if they're so sure that vaccine is going to protect them, why should they worry about me going near them if I get sick?


I think I've been having a psychosomatic cold this week. I don't have fever, sinus issue, cough and the usual, but I feel not quite myself since Monday when the vaccination schedule began. I had been wondering if the fact I hadn't been 100% could exempt me from the shot.  I was going to wait to make a decision after the appointment with the neurologist today.  I finally caved in, in spite of not feeling all that well, due to peer pressure and those who originally told me they were not going to get the shot finally caved in and did.


I had my husband accompany me to the clinic to get my shot. I felt like I was walking into the unknown; that there would be no turning back. They called my number, I filled out the form. Then, last stop, the table with the nurses. I was trembling like a leaf. I sat in the chair and had a panic attack. I had difficulty talking to the nurses.  They saw that I was a wreck. They asked me about my history of drug reactions and I told them each reaction to each drug. They asked me if I want to be vaccinated. I told them to hurry it up. They decided not to vaccinate me and either way, the other folks waiting after me would have a longer wait: they had run out of vaccine and were waiting for a delivery of more from another clinic. They reassured me that I could get vaccinated anytime with the rest of the population until mid-December should I change my mind. I had even heard whisperings around the clinic of some nurses not getting the shot. Maybe I will get it on a Friday when I know the next two days my husband isn't working. Maybe not. 


As for the world condemning folks like myself for not getting the shot. I am not being irresponsible or wreckless. I am going to do what I always do: take cod liver oil, up the vitamin D and C consumptions as well as oregano oil. I believe that will be fine. I will continue to stay away from crowded places. Should I catch a cold, I will stay home from work or anyplace else, something I never used to do; neither did the rest of the world before the pandemonium began.


Yes, I admit, I have been sniffing around the kool-aid due to the sensationalist media hype. H1N1 does make me nervous. However, the vaccine makes me more nervous. I will observe those folks I know who got the shot and see how they are. Maybe some folks are just saying they they got the shot to get folks off their backs when in reality, they didn't. I will never know. No one can.


It is each individual's decision whether or not to get vaccinated and no one: not the media, not any public health organization, not your employer, not your coworkers can or should decide for you. No one should pressure you or try to guilt you into it. It is only you and your family doctor who knows your medical history. Only you can weigh the chances of flu  vs side effects from this vaccine. Only you can decide what you're prepared to live with. I only hope that before you drink that kool-aid, as hard as it may be, research 1976 yourselves. Do more research. Don't just read what the media spoon feeds you. Research more obscure sources. Think outside the box.


I almost drank the kool-aid, now I hope that public health, Steve, Agluquack and the rest of the Harpercons choke on it. Who knows? I may become thirsty again a few weeks from now. 

Two-Tiered H1N1 Vaccines?

Never mind that we've been lied to by the Federal Government as to whether or not there would be enough vaccines for all Canadians. Never mind that Agluquack and Butler-Jones have proven themselves incompetent when it comes to communication and the roll-out of the vaccines. Never mind that the only honorable thing for those two to do is resign.

Folks who are healthy and not in the high risk category are showing up and taking the place of someone who is high risk and on schedule for their vaccine. Pandemonium and disorganization everywhere.  Funny how folks rush in a panic to inject something untested into them and will wait in a crowded line not realizing they could catch this flu just by being in such cramped quarters for a long period of time.

One example of this disorganization was an elderly disabled man called the Tommy Schnurmacher show on CJAD last week saying the folks at the clinic suggested he buy a chair or get a walker with a bench so he could sit down in line.

Remember how he always dreamed of the American Health care system in Canada? Also remember how he said once upon a time: 

"I know this is a dangerous subject. My advisors say don't talk about it, but the fact is sometimes provinces have allowed in the past few years, they've brought in private services covered by public health insurance... Why do I care and why do we care as a federal government how they're managed? What we care about is whether people can access them. This is just an ideological agenda."

He pretty much repeated reiterated the above statement on the ABC's Jake Tapper show, when mentioning that he leaves health care to provinces to take care of. More like passing the buck as we watch Stelmach and Duckett turn Alberta's health care system into the American system by slashing all kinds of health care services. 

After watching Agluquack  being interviewed by Craig Oliver on Question Period this morning, regarding what has been going wrong with the roll-out of the H1N1 vaccine,  she parroted Master Stevie's old line; distribution is a provincial responsibility. It was uncanny, no matter what Oliver asked or how would phrase the same question in more than one way, she gave that same response, including when he asked her if she thought it was fair for Med-Can, a private for profit Toronto clinic where one pays 2000$ to become a member. A clinic where only Toronto and surrounding area's most affluent can go. She really seemed callous about that. Master Stevie would be proud.

Even Jane "Harper can do no wrong" Taber told Butler-Jones that it was not fair for Med-Can or any other private clinic for that matter to be issuing the vaccine and he, of course, passed the buck onto the provinces.

Why should we care about this? Well, high risk folks who can't afford the hefty membership dues suffer due to the affluence of those  who are low risk to jump the queue.  Smacks like the beginnings of the American Health care system sneaking through here; priorities given based on socio-economic class rather than urgency and/or level of risk.  Medcan is the only private clinic I can find that has been doing this. Canada does have other private for profit clinics. Are they giving out the vaccine to those who wish to jump the queue for a price?

We should care because this is not fair. 

In spite of what the Harpercons said about having enough vaccine for all Canadians, we know this is not true. Clinics have closed. People are turned away. Announcements of a shortage this week. Agluquack, still not taking responsibility, blames the needs for pregnant women to have the unadjuvented vaccine as well as blaming GKS. It looks more and more like there will not be enough vaccine for all Canadians after all. It must be taken into account that there are many Canadians like myself who are opting to not get the vaccine and yet, still shortages? 

This makes me wonder if the vaccines are being rationed for more  lucrative purposes.

Also, what's next? Could this be the push of the American private for profit type of health care system to expand? 

Today's Toronto Star now says that Medcan is now going to start vaccinating non-members of their clinic. No doubt due to the bad publicity. However, the fact that they were giving the vaccine to its' rich well-healed members the vaccine first (with no line-up and even valet parking to boot!) place is not sitting well with Counsellor and member of the Board of Health, Janet Davis. 

"I don't believe you should be able to get greater access to the vaccine because you can afford to be a member of a private health clinic," Davis said. "It's a kind of two-tier medical service most Canadians just don't accept. Personally, I would have preferred the vaccine was given out by public health."

Deb Matthews, the Ontario Health Minister says that the decision to supply private clinics will be under review after the pandemic passes. Cold comfort. Why not do something about it now? The health of all Ontarians, not just the rich,  is her responsibility.

Agluquack and Butler-Jones should have set better guidelines to the provinces in how the vaccine should be distributed. To not distribute to private for profit clinics unless they follow the same rules as the public system.