Ok, now this is scary. I must have lived in Alberta for 51 years too long. I find this makes sense. Scary, very scary.
"A ban. That's fine, you can say ban handguns. That's like saying ban sugar, ban coffee, ban cigarettes, ban anything. You can say 'ban it.' You can pass legislation to ban them. But it's not going to stop the bad guys from getting a hand-gun and shooting someone."
Friday, December 09, 2005
Harpers Russian Pension Plan
ThePolitic says that Harpers pension announcement is just what folks need. And then in fine old red baiting conservative tradition he uses Russia as an example of the success of free market pension reform. Yep I kid you not.
"If we are charitable to Harper and assume this is not just a campaign promise led by polls and pundits, he may be realising what it took the people of the USSR almost 75 years to find: private citizens can allocate resources for their own well-being far more efficiently than bureaucrats in some distant government office."
So I had to leave him a reply; "Thats why the Soviet Union became a basket case economy, with baba’s begging in the streets that they used to sweep for an assured income, benefits and housing…yep they sure did come a long way….."
"If we are charitable to Harper and assume this is not just a campaign promise led by polls and pundits, he may be realising what it took the people of the USSR almost 75 years to find: private citizens can allocate resources for their own well-being far more efficiently than bureaucrats in some distant government office."
So I had to leave him a reply; "Thats why the Soviet Union became a basket case economy, with baba’s begging in the streets that they used to sweep for an assured income, benefits and housing…yep they sure did come a long way….."
Klein Chokes
Well no sooner had the special privileges of the aristocracy around King Ralph been announced than the backlash swept over them. While the peasants must butt out in public the King and his clowns could smoke in their offices in their castle on the shores of the North Saskatchewan. But the public outcry was a little too much. Public butts in; MLAs butt out
King Ralph choked when he and his courtiers arrogance was shoved back in their faces.
Liberal Endorses Edmonton Strathcona NDP Candidate
In an Edmonton Journal article yesterday profiling Edmonton Strathcona NDP candidate Linda Duncan, was the following endorsement from a local Liberal;
As I have said Edmonton Strathcona this time around is a two way fight between the Conservatives and the NDP.
And congrats to the Duncan Team running their web site they have added 'Citizens Media', comments and links to the blogosphere on their 'In the News' page.
Take note Brad Lavigne.
Elly de Jongh, a long-time Liberal who also is helping McLellan in Edmonton Centre, has known Duncan since they worked together on saving river valley communities in the 1970s. "I think she would be a real asset for Ottawa," de Jongh said. "
I would be putting that quote out in the campaign literature and on the front of her web page.As I have said Edmonton Strathcona this time around is a two way fight between the Conservatives and the NDP.
And congrats to the Duncan Team running their web site they have added 'Citizens Media', comments and links to the blogosphere on their 'In the News' page.
Take note Brad Lavigne.
NDP Fights Back
With an attack TV ad that gives the Liberals the Xmas Boot....it's called The Gift very clever and very funny. Well done guys.
And their rapid response to the Liberals Gun Ban announcement was quotes from the community that the Liberals are supposedly speaking for, except nobody thinks the Liberals ban will work....The community is calling for more butter and less guns, but not a gun ban.
Attacking the Liberals is a good response to mitigate last weeks Buzz Factor.
And their rapid response to the Liberals Gun Ban announcement was quotes from the community that the Liberals are supposedly speaking for, except nobody thinks the Liberals ban will work....The community is calling for more butter and less guns, but not a gun ban.
Attacking the Liberals is a good response to mitigate last weeks Buzz Factor.
Redmonton Votes
Daaveberta my fellow Redmontonianblogger has provided us with the voting numbers from the 2004 Election. So I left this comment on his site:
The Edmonton Strathcona numbers are telling, while some would look at this as vote splitting between the NDP and Liberals, the NDP actually improved their numbers, far beyond what they had gotten in the last two Federal elections in the riding. Now they did have a high profile candidate, which is one reason. The other may have been the Liberals ran a hand picked Martinite, who had been a provincial MLA. Togther the NDP/Liberal numbers show that Rahim Jaffir gets in up the middle. But I see no urge to strategic voting here where it might actually make a difference. Though with a high profile NDP candidate this time, and a no name Liberal the numbers might change in favour of the NDP.
The other two ridings to watch are Edmonton East total opposition numbers could defeat Goldring And they may coalace around the high profile NDP candidate there since the Liberals last time ran a high profile candidate, but this time its no-name brand.
And Beaumont-Mill Woods could go strongly Liberal as they have the only Indo-Canadian candidate running, the Conservatives ran Uppal last time and seriously challenged Kilgour with the South Asian vote, this time the Conservatives are running a no name White Guy....big mistake.....
Yep four ridings to be watched in Redmonton this time around. Place your wagers gentlemen.
Also See Redmonton Not In The Bag for the Conservatives
The Edmonton Strathcona numbers are telling, while some would look at this as vote splitting between the NDP and Liberals, the NDP actually improved their numbers, far beyond what they had gotten in the last two Federal elections in the riding. Now they did have a high profile candidate, which is one reason. The other may have been the Liberals ran a hand picked Martinite, who had been a provincial MLA. Togther the NDP/Liberal numbers show that Rahim Jaffir gets in up the middle. But I see no urge to strategic voting here where it might actually make a difference. Though with a high profile NDP candidate this time, and a no name Liberal the numbers might change in favour of the NDP.
The other two ridings to watch are Edmonton East total opposition numbers could defeat Goldring And they may coalace around the high profile NDP candidate there since the Liberals last time ran a high profile candidate, but this time its no-name brand.
And Beaumont-Mill Woods could go strongly Liberal as they have the only Indo-Canadian candidate running, the Conservatives ran Uppal last time and seriously challenged Kilgour with the South Asian vote, this time the Conservatives are running a no name White Guy....big mistake.....
Yep four ridings to be watched in Redmonton this time around. Place your wagers gentlemen.
Also See Redmonton Not In The Bag for the Conservatives
CTV does it again
Cutting edge at CTV on their Election Blog page. They now have Blogging Banter
where you can leave your comments unmoderated and they appear instantly. Gee just like a real blog. And of course the usual suspects are there plugging errr blogging away.
Note to Brad Lavigne; we know you don't read blogs, but maybe you should check this one out.......it is after all MSM which we know is all you respect.
where you can leave your comments unmoderated and they appear instantly. Gee just like a real blog. And of course the usual suspects are there plugging errr blogging away.
Note to Brad Lavigne; we know you don't read blogs, but maybe you should check this one out.......it is after all MSM which we know is all you respect.
The Real Liberal Hand Gun Ban
The majority of hand guns on the streets are illegal, smuggled in from the U.S.A. And we don't have enough border patrols to actually reduce the influx of smuggled guns. Well the Liberals are already enforcing a hand gun ban in Canada. No, not the one that severely restricts the legal ownership of hand gunds. Rather they continue to ban handguns from use by the very folks who patrol the borders. They are overworked, understaffed and un-armed. They also have no powers to arrest anyone for bringing guns into Canada!
The real Liberal Hand Gun Ban has been in effect for years, on the border guards. See how effective that has been.
A note; I am opposed however to issuing border guards Tasers, they are an offensive weapon that kills instead of stunning. Guns are guns, you know they are lethal. Arming border guards is sufficient.
CANADA EMPLOYMENT AND IMMIGRATION UNION FEDERAL ELECTION 2006
December 6, 2005 06:45 Tasers and sidearms needed by Immigration Officers to enhance border security and own safety; union president urges federal party leaders to act OTTAWA, Dec. 6
The President of the Canada Employment and Immigration Union today called for heightened protection, up to and including the issuing of tasers and sidearms, for Immigration Officers of the Canada Border Services Agency. Jeannette Meunier-McKay said the CEIU would be contacting the campaigns of all major federal parties to seek their support for making higher levels of protective force for Immigration Officers a post-election priority. She also stressed that the union was representing the views and wishes of its Immigration Officer members. "A recent, internal union survey revealed that an overwhelming majority of Immigration Officers - 86.5% of Enforcement Officers and 74% of Port of Entry Officers - expressed a strong need for additional protective devices, including tasers and/or sidearms," she said. "Our members have spoken strongly with a united voice - that current force options are inadequate to ensure their security when carrying out their duties to protect the public by keeping high-risk criminals and terrorists out of Canada." Meunier-McKay also pointed to last June's interim report of the Senate Committee on National Security and Defence, which called for strengthened port of entry security and concrete measures to improve the safety of CBSA enforcement staff. "The Senate Committee was very clear in urging the Martin government to give CBSA workers the tools they need to carry out their important duties in a safe and secure work environment," Meunier-McKay noted. "Whatever the composition of the next Parliament, the federal government has a clear duty to ensure the highest level of protection for these frontline peace officers." The Canada Employment and Immigration Union represents more than 17,000 federal public service workers, including some 1,300 immigration staff at both ports of entry and at inland enforcement offices. : Jeannette Meun
The real Liberal Hand Gun Ban has been in effect for years, on the border guards. See how effective that has been.
A note; I am opposed however to issuing border guards Tasers, they are an offensive weapon that kills instead of stunning. Guns are guns, you know they are lethal. Arming border guards is sufficient.
CANADA EMPLOYMENT AND IMMIGRATION UNION FEDERAL ELECTION 2006
December 6, 2005 06:45 Tasers and sidearms needed by Immigration Officers to enhance border security and own safety; union president urges federal party leaders to act OTTAWA, Dec. 6
The President of the Canada Employment and Immigration Union today called for heightened protection, up to and including the issuing of tasers and sidearms, for Immigration Officers of the Canada Border Services Agency. Jeannette Meunier-McKay said the CEIU would be contacting the campaigns of all major federal parties to seek their support for making higher levels of protective force for Immigration Officers a post-election priority. She also stressed that the union was representing the views and wishes of its Immigration Officer members. "A recent, internal union survey revealed that an overwhelming majority of Immigration Officers - 86.5% of Enforcement Officers and 74% of Port of Entry Officers - expressed a strong need for additional protective devices, including tasers and/or sidearms," she said. "Our members have spoken strongly with a united voice - that current force options are inadequate to ensure their security when carrying out their duties to protect the public by keeping high-risk criminals and terrorists out of Canada." Meunier-McKay also pointed to last June's interim report of the Senate Committee on National Security and Defence, which called for strengthened port of entry security and concrete measures to improve the safety of CBSA enforcement staff. "The Senate Committee was very clear in urging the Martin government to give CBSA workers the tools they need to carry out their important duties in a safe and secure work environment," Meunier-McKay noted. "Whatever the composition of the next Parliament, the federal government has a clear duty to ensure the highest level of protection for these frontline peace officers." The Canada Employment and Immigration Union represents more than 17,000 federal public service workers, including some 1,300 immigration staff at both ports of entry and at inland enforcement offices. : Jeannette Meun
Why Jack Doesn't Blog
Many of us Dipper and progressive bloggers have wondered why the NDP is the only election site without a blog. And now we know. The PTB in the NDP war room have decided in their divine wisdom that blogs are not where its at. In fact they are so fixated on old media, that no less a high mucky muck than Communications/Media Director Brad Lavigne dismisses the importance of blogs.
In the NDP camp, insider Brad Lavigne says blogs have had a minimal impact so far on leader Jack Layton's campaign. The top priority is to track the other leaders' daily campaigns and mainstream news coverage."Our focus is established by our team,'' said Lavigne, the party's campaign communications director. "While from time to time it's interesting to see what these people are posting, they certainly don't drive our agenda.'' Election war rooms consider impact of blogs
Ah ha thats why the NDP is so behind on the communications eight ball, failing to take advantage of the blogosphere. Yep Lavigne is really old school, you can tell from his hair cut and their communications strategy so far.
Guess I will have to e-mail this little missive to the NDP cause they don't read blogs.
In the NDP camp, insider Brad Lavigne says blogs have had a minimal impact so far on leader Jack Layton's campaign. The top priority is to track the other leaders' daily campaigns and mainstream news coverage."Our focus is established by our team,'' said Lavigne, the party's campaign communications director. "While from time to time it's interesting to see what these people are posting, they certainly don't drive our agenda.'' Election war rooms consider impact of blogs
Ah ha thats why the NDP is so behind on the communications eight ball, failing to take advantage of the blogosphere. Yep Lavigne is really old school, you can tell from his hair cut and their communications strategy so far.
Guess I will have to e-mail this little missive to the NDP cause they don't read blogs.
Correcting Kinsella
Well its always a joy here in mudville to correct Warren Kinsella's jaundiced view of the blogosphere, which is always highly coloured by his own blog prescence and his belief that he plays a more important role than he does.
Warren Kinsella, an aide to former Liberal prime minister Jean Chretien, says his blog gets as many as 100,000 hits a day. He has traced some of the heaviest traffic to Prime Minister Paul Martin's most trusted advisors and says his sources of information include former and current cabinet ministers, party leaders and rank-and-file members.
Election war rooms consider impact of blogs
100,000 hits a day?! Methinks Warren doth exaggerate his popularity a wee bit. Oh by at least five zeros. (see comments)
On December 8 after this article came out on CP, he posted it on his blog, he writes his latest backhanded defence of the importance of blogs in this election. He says that so far the blogs have not found a scandal of equal importance as American blogs did in the 04 election.
"In this bizarre two-part election, no big political story has been unearthed by Canadian bloggers - at least not in the way the American blogs broke the Trent Lott or Dan Rather stories. But it's coming."
Well gee what would he call this? The undue influence of American right wing lobby groups with the Conservatives is a major scandal,that has not been covered in the MSM as well as it has in the blogosphere. And I would call that a scandal uncovered by the blogs. Just not by Warrens blog. Hmm do I detect a bit of jealousy in his comment?
For an updated page on this Scandal go here.
Warren Kinsella, an aide to former Liberal prime minister Jean Chretien, says his blog gets as many as 100,000 hits a day. He has traced some of the heaviest traffic to Prime Minister Paul Martin's most trusted advisors and says his sources of information include former and current cabinet ministers, party leaders and rank-and-file members.
Election war rooms consider impact of blogs
100,000 hits a day?! Methinks Warren doth exaggerate his popularity a wee bit. Oh by at least five zeros. (see comments)
On December 8 after this article came out on CP, he posted it on his blog, he writes his latest backhanded defence of the importance of blogs in this election. He says that so far the blogs have not found a scandal of equal importance as American blogs did in the 04 election.
"In this bizarre two-part election, no big political story has been unearthed by Canadian bloggers - at least not in the way the American blogs broke the Trent Lott or Dan Rather stories. But it's coming."
Well gee what would he call this? The undue influence of American right wing lobby groups with the Conservatives is a major scandal,that has not been covered in the MSM as well as it has in the blogosphere. And I would call that a scandal uncovered by the blogs. Just not by Warrens blog. Hmm do I detect a bit of jealousy in his comment?
For an updated page on this Scandal go here.
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