Alberta Deja Vu

The tired old Tories in Alberta can only repeat one message and one message only since 1995 and that is restraint. Prepare to tighten your belts.

Having created the chimera of a mythical debt and deficit dragon that they so boldly slayed they now have nothing else to plan for. And so having failed to plan for the past decade they once again return to the tried and true.

I am having a Deja Vu flashback.

Alberta's education minister is warning the province's school boards not to expect large funding increases in the future.

Ron Liepert told a meeting of Alberta school board trustees in Edmonton Monday morning that the government needs to rein-in spending because Alberta's booming economic growth may start to slow down.

"I believe we have a potential revenue wall coming at us and it's not nearly as far out as some people think it is."

Alberta's Progressive Conservative government has decided to pump up the volume on this message, with Oberg appearing Tuesday on a radio talk show and Education Minister Ron Liepert telling a meeting of school board officials Monday that they should curb their funding expectations. Liepert says it's time for Albertans to face up to this reality as drilling is down 50 per cent from last year and corporate tax revenues are also expected to decline.

Calgary Mayor Dave Bronconnier keeps saying nasty things about the provincial government.

He's saying the Tories broke their word about stable funding for the future of this city which, in case nobody noticed, is the economic engine that makes the province run. Also, in case nobody noticed, it has started to come apart at the seams because of the boom that our provincial government, in its wisdom, apparently didn't see coming, and did not have a plan to deal with even after being roused from slumber.

Premier Ed, sounding somewhat steadier this day, responds to the cage-rattling of Ron Liepert, his tough-talking supremo of schools, who tells school boards Albertans shouldn't expect big dough from the province.

Ron warns the public coffers could lose a billion or more from the rising loonie. Oh my. A "potential revenue wall" is "coming at us." Ouch.

Big surpluses are done. Double ouch.

If the province doesn't hold tight to the purse strings we could one day end up in a deja vu disaster, like the early days of Ralph and his axe-swinging Ralpholution with all the cuts, to say nothing of all the nights of drinking to forget. Double vision ouch.

Seriously, Ron's Apocalypse Soon is hard to swallow.

A survey shows growing numbers of Calgarians already feel the quality of life is tanking and aren't hopeful of better things to come in the next five years.

The gong show of too many people and too little of everything is beyond rage. It is eroding psyches.

Despite this year's cash for construction from the province, including big bucks just to cover costs going through the roof because they are playing catchup at the height of the boom, there is still a huge backlog in building the province could have started on earlier by spending some windfall bucks of years past.

Alas, they didn't.

No, now is not the time to chatter about a scarcity of cash. People are not in the mood for a lecture on austerity, especially those of us who went through the '90s, paid the price, bought all the bull about sacrifice and are still waiting for the victory parade. Unfortunately, one reason you couldn't hold a parade is the streets are too clogged.

Of course, if the province wanted to give us a break and did think they'd run out of coin, Big Oil in the oilsands could pay more than a penny on the dollar in royalties.

Of course Ron could be just waving the red flag of lower expectations and budget doom and gloom to avoid paying the governments share of the Teachers Pension fund.

The task force will review options to address the teachers' portion of a pre-1992 unfunded pension liability. Since it started in the 1930s, the teachers' pension fund has been underfunded by both the government and the ATA. The liability currently totals $6.4 billion. Under a deal struck in 1992, the provincial government is responsible for two-thirds and teachers for the rest.

And while he cries the sky is falling the reality is; Centuries of oil left in Alberta



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State Sponsored Terrorism

Looks like one of those States that sponsors terrorism and gives succor to terrorists is none other than the good old U.S. of A.

Another case of do as I say not as I do.

Rainbow Warrior ringleader heads firm selling arms to US

The French intelligence officer who led the 1985 bombing of the Rainbow Warrior, the Greenpeace ship protesting against nuclear tests in the Pacific, now lives in America where he heads an arms firm selling weapons to the FBI, Pentagon, and the department of homeland security, the Guardian has learned.

The presence in America of Louis-Pierre Dillais and the sensitive nature of his dealings with the US government has led to calls from Greenpeace for his deportation.

But the Bush administration's record in enforcing its own regulations is inconsistent. Washington has consistently resisted demands from Venezuela for the extradition of Luis Posada, a Cuban exile who is accused of blowing up an airliner with 73 people on board. He denies the charge.

Documents show Luis Posada link to terrorism

A Venezuelan employee of Cuban exile and indicted terrorist Luis Posada Carriles conducted surveillance on targets "with a link to Cuba" for potential terrorist attacks throughout the Caribbean region in 1976, including Cubana Aviación flights in and out of Barbados, according to documents posted today by the National Security Archive.

Miami Herald Publishes Evidence Incriminating Terrorist Luis Posada Carriles

The Miami Herald published an article, just last Sunday, which commented on declassified FBI and CIA documents revealing the participation of the notorious terrorist in the plane sabotage.

Prison sentence cut for Cuban-American in illegal weapons case

A U.S. judge reduced the prison sentence Wednesday for a prominent Cuban-American businessman with connections to anti-Fidel Castro militant Luis Posada Carriles after an arsenal of weapons and high explosives was turned over to the U.S. government.

A U.S. District judge cut 16 months off the sentence of Santiago Alvarez, who pleaded guilty in September to a conspiracy charge after the FBI seized a cache of military arms, including a grenade launcher and machine guns. The judge also reduced by 13 months the sentence of Osvaldo Mitat, an Alvarez employee.

India: Lawmakers Urge Washington to Extradite Luis Posada Carriles

The lawmakers reminded Condoleezza Rice and Nancy Pelosi that Posada Carriles is a confessed criminal that masterminded plans which resulted in the murder of nationals of different countries. They recalled that he is being accused in Venezuela for several terrorist crimes, including the 1976 bombing in mid air of a Cubana jetliner off the coasts of Barbados, which killed 73 innocent lives.

The Indian parliamentarians expressed their deep concern for the release of Posada Carriles and they expressed their full support of the resolution signed by Non-Aligned member nations, which denounces the double standard of the George W. Bush administration in its proclaimed "war on terror."

See:

Venezuelan Contras

'El Comandante' Fidel Spoils Party

State Security Is A Secure State

Paranoia and the Security State


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Humpty Dumpty Conservatives

So who speaks for this Gnu Government. When statements are made in the house, do they really mean what is said.

39th PARLIAMENT, 1st SESSION
EDITED HANSARD • NUMBER 154

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Hon. Peter MacKay (Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, CPC):

Mr. Speaker, what I suspect Nova Scotia and Atlantic MPs will do is support the budget because it is good for Nova Scotia. It in fact allowed the government of Nova Scotia to balance its budget this year.

However, I can tell the member opposite what we will not do. We will not do what the Liberal leader did to the member for Thunder Bay—Superior North.

We will not throw a member out of caucus for voting his conscience.

There will be no whipping, flipping, hiring or firing on budget votes as we saw with the Liberal government.

Or like Humpty Dumpty in Alice in Wonderland do they merely mean what government means them to say to be popular from day to day.

“When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less.”

The Humpty Dumpty Government was on the hook yesterday for flip flopping on that promise.

Casey booted from Tory caucus

Ousted from Tory caucus, MP can't access computer files

Renegade Tory MP from NS says he's the victim of dirty tricks

And when caught out on a lie once again they acted like Humpty Dumpty. Of course after a year and a half in power we should realize that nothing a Minister in this Government says is worth anything unless it comes out of King Stephen's mouth.

Atlantic MPs target Tories over Casey ejection

The MPs said the removal from the Conservative caucus of Bill Casey went against a statement by Foreign Minister Peter MacKay, who had told the House of Commons that the Tories would not be "whipping, flipping, hiring, or firing" any of their members for opposing the bill.

"He stuck to that comment as well as he did the David Orchard agreement and the Atlantic Accord," Nova Scotia Liberal MP Scott Brison told reporters Wednesday.

39th PARLIAMENT, 1st SESSION
EDITED HANSARD • NUMBER 165
Wednesday, June 6, 2007

The Budget

Hon. Jack Layton (Toronto—Danforth, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, last month the minister responsible for Atlantic Canada through ACOA said:

We will not throw a member out of caucus for voting his conscience. There will be no...firing on budget votes as we saw with the Liberal government.

Not only does the government break its promises to the people of Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia, it breaks its promises to its own caucus members.

How can any Canadian have any faith or trust in the word of the government?

The member for Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley has it right, and he has been very dignified in expressing it. The government should apologize to the people of Atlantic Canada. When will that happen?

Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

The Speaker:

Order, please. The hon. government House leader.

Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

Hon. Dominic LeBlanc:

That's the wrong Peter.

Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

The Speaker:

Order, please. I know the hon. government House leader is tremendously popular with all hon. members but we must be able to hear the answer he is about to give. He has risen to answer and we will have a little order, please, so we can all hear the answer.

Hon. Peter Van Loan (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform, CPC):

Mr. Speaker, they have somebody by that name answering the question.

Canada's new government has kept its commitment to Atlantic Canada and Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador. They are getting 100% of what they were promised in the accord.

If the leader of the NDP believes in what was in the budget, if he believes it is important for us to have things like $225 million for the preservation of environmentally sensitive land, $1.5 billion for clean air and climate change to the provinces, $400 million for the Canada Health Infoway and $612 million to the provinces for the patient wait times guarantee, why did he vote against those last night and why is he against those things that Canadians want?

Ms. Alexa McDonough (Halifax, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, I want to hear an Atlantic minister, with a straight face, tell Atlantic Canadians that they are not getting a bad deal.

Last night's vote killed the Atlantic accord. Only one MP had the decency to vote against breaking the promise.

Is there one Atlantic minister with the guts to tell his constituents that he will do everything in his power to fix the mistake? Will the Minister of Foreign Affairs admit that last night his government broke a promise to Atlantic Canadians?

Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

The Speaker:

I know it is Wednesday but members would not want to waste time with excessive noise. The hon. government House leader has risen to answer what I believe was a question from the member for Halifax. I could hardly hear a word. We will now hear from the government House leader and will have a little order, please.

Hon. Peter Van Loan (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform, CPC):

Mr. Speaker, I will tell the member what the members from Atlantic Canada did. They fought hard for the best possible benefits for their province and the result was the following: For Nova Scotia, under the fiscal balance package, more than $2.4 billion and $1.3 billion for equalization; $130 million for offshore accord offsets; $639 million on the Canada health and social transfer; $277 million under the Canadian social transfer; $42.5 million for the environment; and there is more and more.

Those members are delivering for Nova Scotians and for Atlantic Canadians. They are standing up in the way the Liberal Party always refused to do.

Hon. Robert Thibault (West Nova, Lib.):

Mr. Speaker, when I first asked the member for Central Nova to honour the Atlantic accord he said that he would see the Province of Nova Scotia in court.

Last night one brave Conservative member voted in favour of Nova Scotia and was kicked out of that caucus.

On May 15, the minister said in the House:

We will not throw a member out of caucus.... There will be no whipping, flipping, hiring or firing on budget votes....

Is the minister from Nova Scotia misleading the House, or is he simply a buffoon or is he a misleading buffoon?

Hon. Jim Flaherty (Minister of Finance, CPC):

Mr. Speaker, that question comes from a member of a party, the leader of which says that fiscal imbalance is a myth. Therefore, whatever that party has to say about equalization does not really matter because the leader of the party himself says that there is no fiscal imbalance.

Hon. Ralph Goodale:

You broke your promise and you broke your word.

Hon. Jim Flaherty:

I know the member for Wascana wishes that his leader had not said that but he did say that. He said that the fiscal imbalance was a myth.

We are fixing the fiscal imbalance--

The Speaker:

Order, please. The hon. member for West Nova.

Hon. Robert Thibault (West Nova, Lib.):

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister broke his promise to Nova Scotians.

The so-called minister from Nova Scotia broke his word to a brave MP. The so-called minister from Nova Scotia values his cabinet seat more than his own province.

I would ask the hon. member for Central Nova what loyalty means. Were those not his words? Why can he not stand up for Nova Scotia? Is it because he cannot or because he will not? Will he resign as the minister irresponsible for Nova Scotia?

Hon. Jim Flaherty (Minister of Finance, CPC):

Mr. Speaker, personal attacks like that always say more about the person saying them than about the person receiving them. It is unattractive, I must say, to have those kinds of personal attacks here.

However, on equalization--

Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

Hon. Ralph Goodale:

Look in the mirror, Jim.

The Speaker:

Order, please. The Minister of Finance has the floor and we will have a little order, please.

Hon. Jim Flaherty:

Mr. Speaker, the Province of Nova Scotia has the option of electing the new system, the modified O'Brien system, this year or continuing with the Atlantic accords. The province has chosen, for this year at least, to elect the new modified O'Brien system.

What that means for the province in terms of transfers in budget 2007 is $256 million more than in the previous fiscal year. That is good for--

The Speaker:

The hon. member for Labrador.

* * *

Atlantic Accord

Mr. Todd Russell (Labrador, Lib.):

Mr. Speaker, the ranks of Atlantic Conservative dissenters keeps growing. First it was Progressive Conservative premiers, then a list of Conservative candidates condemned the attack on the Atlantic accords and then those Conservatives booted out one of their own after last night's vote.

Now John Crosbie, a Progressive Conservative, has been added to the growing list with a blistering memo proving that the finance minister betrayed my province and Atlantic Canada.

Those Conservatives are like jellyfish: totally spineless, no backbone and sting us when they can.

How can the former Progressive Conservative ministers continue to sit in that caucus and represent their provinces?

Hon. Jim Flaherty (Minister of Finance, CPC):

Mr. Speaker, it goes without saying that we have the greatest respect for Mr. Crosbie, who was a Progressive Conservative minister of finance in this place. I had the opportunity to speak with him about these issues during the course of the past several months and we value and respect his views.

However, in terms of Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia, which have accord agreements, the plain fact is that those accord agreements are the status quo agreements which they can choose to continue with or they can go with the modified O'Brien formula. However, no province will be worse off in Canada as a result of the new equalization scheme.

Mr. Todd Russell (Labrador, Lib.):

Mr. Speaker, last night, the newly independent member from Nova Scotia did the right thing and stood up for his province and his region. He voted with the Liberal Party and against the Atlantic accord betrayal. His five former colleagues from Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia fell in line with their bully boss, the Prime Minister, and voted, not just with their own party but with the separatists.

We had problems with harp seals and now we have problems with trained seals.

With one more vote to go, will Conservative ministers and members from Atlantic Canada finally stand up for their constituents and their province?

Hon. Loyola Hearn (Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, CPC):

Mr. Speaker, let me remind the hon. member and the House that it was a Tory government, a Conservative government, that gave us the original Atlantic accord. Let me remind him that it was a Tory opposition that forced the Liberals, including some of them sitting there, to get the second Atlantic accord. Let me also remind him that while they are sitting, sniping from the sidelines, like the Premier of Newfoundland, we are working to deliver to our provinces.

* * *

Mr. Bill Casey (Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, Ind.):

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Fisheries just said that they are trying to solve the problem. It is an easy problem to solve and I would like to make it easier for him. All he has to do is say that the Government of Canada will honour the contract signed by the Government of Canada.

It is a signed, sealed and delivered contract. It is a 12 year contract. We are two years into it. Consequential amendments to the budget by the Minister of Finance change the Atlantic accord.

Will the minister now just say, “It is all over. We will honour the signature of the Government of Canada. We will honour the Atlantic accord exactly the way it was written, no amendments. We will honour the work of John Hamm”.

Hon. Jim Flaherty (Minister of Finance, CPC):

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, he and I have had many discussions on this subject.

Budget 2007 provides Nova Scotia flexibility and more money, as well as respecting the Atlantic accords and giving the province of Nova Scotia the opportunity to make an election. In fact, the province was concerned initially, after March 19, that its budget was coming up that Friday and asked for more time to consider the matter, which we have done. The province has since elected to enter into the agreement for one year to have more opportunities to consider it.

These are worthwhile considerations and at the present benefit—

See:

Casey Up To Bat



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REIT Spells Rental Rip Off

There are renters in Alberta to be exploited yet through rent gouging.

Alberta's CEO Ed Stelmach refused to bring in rent controls as advocated by his appointed public committee on housing, because it might impact the 'free market'.

His in-action on the rental crisis in Alberta has influenced the market, in favour of the REIT's and against the interests of those he is elected by the worker/consumer/taxpayer/citizen.

GE snaps up Dundee's eastern properties

LORI McLEOD

Globe ad Mail, Print Edition 05/06/07 Page B4

Dundee Real Estate Investment Trust is selling two-thirds of its properties to a division of General Electric Co. for $1.5-billion, amid a wave of consolidation of Canadian real estate trusts and assets.

The trust decided to sell its Eastern Canadian assets in the belief that properties in Western cities such as Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver will continue to perform well. For example, Dundee expects to raise rents in Calgary by about 50 per cent when they expire, compared with 20 per cent for the current portfolio over all.

Dundee is the second largest REIT owning and profiting from apartment and real estate investment, behind Boardwalk. And like other REIT's they are busy transforming exiting apartments into Condo's they can sell off in the Alberta's hot market.

This is the Income Trust business transforming itself once again back into a private capital enterprise.

Income Trusts are a ponzi scheme where upon private capital moves into the public market, profits in barely legal schemes in that market, and then when it is no longer to their advantage they return again to the shadow world of private equity hedge funds.

Just how questionable these schemes are can be told in the Dundee offer which changed in the headlines in a few hours. Prior to the article above an earlier edition of the Globe and Mail carried this headline; GE buys properties from Dundee REIT for $2.4-billion

Which is a lot more than $1.5 Billion apparently finally settled on. Which may explain this;Investors question Dundee's asset sale

PROPERTY REPORT

REIT watch

June 4 close

Weekly change

Y-to-d total return

Dundee

$39.96

4.10%

5.80%

REITS success relies upon their making steady earnings distributions to their shareholders. Those earnings are made off the back of renters.

And it is clear that thanks to Ed Stelmach the Canadian REIT's look at Alberta as the sole base for their business in Canada. Which is scary for working families in Alberta as we have found out this past year.

The changes made by Stelmach in only allowing a rent increase once annually, with no cap on its size means that the REITs look forward to even bigger profits next year when they can charge 50% mark ups on their rent like they did this year.

The smart real estate money is heading West, which is not to say that GE fumbled the ball by snapping up Dundee REIT’s Central and Eastern Canadian investment properties for $2.4-billion, including debt, but rather Dundee’s decision to keep its bricks and mortar located primarily in Alberta.

For that reason, Desjardins Securities analyst Jeff Roberts is recommending Alberta-centric real estate stocks like Melcor Developments Ltd., Mainstreet Equity Corp., Genesis Land Development Corp. and Boardwalk REIT, all “top pick” rated.

For investors who like distributions and dividends, his “top picks” include Boardwalk REIT, with a 34 per cent total 12-month expected return; Calloway REIT, offering a 33 per cent total return; and First Capital Realty Inc., 26 per cent.

This is the so called free market, which you can regulate, the Alberta Government as usual just doesn't want to be bothered because after all they are partners with business. And business calls the shots in their partnership.

So no one should be surprised when Dundee REIT looks forward to raising rents 50% next year, thats the regulation the Ed Stelmach created for them.

See:

Income Trusts

Housing




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Conservatives Ban Mandela

Rob Anders of the Reform Alliance Conservative Party has always claimed Mandela was a communist and a terrorist.

Now he gets his wish as the Conservatives deny Winnie Mandela a visa and as usual give no reason for their actions.

Consider it payback, for when they were in Opposition and could not confront Nelson like Anders wanted them to.

Ironically he just as big a criminal as she is.

Canada Denies Visa to Winnie Mandela

Ottawa's decision to deny her entry brings Winnie Mandela to tears

Despite four consecutive election victories in the seemingly unassailable Tory stronghold, Anders has been at the centre of unwelcome attention for the Conservative party and its predecessors.

In 2001, he was the only MP to vote against making Nelson Mandela an honorary citizen of Canada and he defended his actions by calling Mandela a communist and a terrorist.

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Liberal Republicans

From last nights Republican Presidential Candidates debate there were detectable liberal tendencies.

This gives a new meaning to neo-liberal as Republican candidates move left. Making them sound like Canadian liberal social democrats.

Brownback Is Pro-Labor Union!!!! In Iran that is...

And Mike Hucakbee embraced the social gospel....from the right

"Many of us who are pro-life, quite frankly, I think, have made the mistake of giving people the impression that pro-life means we care intensely about people as long as that child is in the womb. But beyond the gestation period, we've not demonstrated as demonstrably as we should that we respect life at all levels, not just during pregnancy. We shouldn't allow a child to live under a bridge or in the back seat of a car. We shouldn't be satisfied that elderly people are being abused and neglected in nursing homes."

Ron Paul sounds like Jack Layton.....

TEXAS REP. RON PAUL called pre-emptive war the most pressing moral issue in the United States: "I do not believe that's part of the American tradition. We, in the past, have always declared war in defense of our liberties or go to aid somebody ... And now, tonight, we hear that we're not even willing to remove from the table a pre-emptive nuclear strike against a country that has done no harm to us directly and is no threat."

You can't tell the difference between the players without a program....

Obama, Brownback want Iran divestment

Congressman Duncan Hunter contested the myth that the reason to import foreign workers is because American workers don't want to do these menial jobs. He sounded like AFL-CIO President John Sweeney.

“If you had your way with immigration who would fill the jobs that no one wants?” asked Tom Fahey of the New Hampshire Union Leader. Hunter referred back to the employment “sweep” in a meat packing plant in Iowa. “There were American citizens lined up the next day to get their jobs back at $18 bucks an hour” said Hunter.

And of course Rudy Gulliani cannot hide his very Canadian view on abortion.

'My view on abortion is that it's wrong,' he said, 'but that ultimately government should not be enforcing that decision on a woman.'

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Ron Paul Quotes Ayn Rand

Ron Paul quotes Ayn Rand in the Republican Presidential Debate last night on the controversy of Gays and Lesbians in the Military.

Should gays and lesbians be allowed to serve openly in the U.S. military? The audience applauded Texas Rep. Ron Paul’s answer.

“We don’t get our rights because we’re gays or women or minorities. We get our rights from our creator as individuals. So every individual should be treated the same way,” Paul said.

“If there is homosexual behavior in the military that is disruptive, it should be dealt with. But if there’s heterosexual sexual behavior that is disruptive, it should be dealt with.

“So it isn’t the issue of homosexuality. It’s the concept and the understanding of individual rights,” he said.

Individual rights are not subject to a public vote;

a majority has no right to vote away the rights of a

minority; the political function of rights is

precisely to protect minorities from oppression by

majorities (and the smallest minority on earth is

the individual).

- Ayn Rand

Of course discrimination is never against an individual but against a social group the individual belongs to. Bigotry does not recognize the individual or their rights. Prejudice lumps people into categories of; them and us. Which is why it is discrimination.

See:

Ron Paul

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Rich Getting Richer

This is rich....with the full ironic meaning behind the word.

Much Too Golden Years
Elizabeth MacDonald
A growing number of chief executives, like AT&T's Ed Whitacre, are getting rich, lifetime compensation deals.

Fat cat chief executives are almost always used as Exhibit A in the national debate about the rich getting richer.

Bolstering that case is a growing body of evidence showing that a burgeoning cohort of chief execs are getting lush compensation deals that last long after they've driven out of the corporate parking lot.

Whitacre's golden parachute has quite the platinum lining. His pension package includes $4.5 million in annual payments for life, plus an $18.8 million lump sum. He'll also get $25,000 in country club fees, $6,500 in annual home security costs and access to the corporate jet for 10 hours a month. AT&T will also cover up to $19,000 in taxes for these benefits, except for use of the aircraft. Whitacre and his family will also receive free health insurance for life. Plus, he'll get just over $1 million a year for three years to work as a consultant to AT&T during his retirement.

• Gilded Greetings
• Special Report: CEO Compensation
• Complete Coverage: Leadership

See:

CEO Cream Sour Milk for Workers

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Casey Up To Bat

In a stunning move the longest serving Conservative MP in parliament; Bill Casey from Nova Scotia has announced he will vote against his Party and its Government over its budget, which he claims is a broken promise.

Flaherty repeated that Nova Scotia can't enjoy the benefits of a new equalization formula and its offshore accord at the same time.

This is the point that Danny Williams and Lorne Calvert have been making.

If only Alberta CEO Ed Stelmach and his PC crew could muster the indignation of betrayal that Casey has, and denounce this resource royalty grab, this unequal national transfer program, this new NEP, might well be dead.



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Not The Nations Team

Not after last nights loss. The Senators put it out there again but the problem is that they are not a 'Team'. There are a lot of 'i's on the ice but there ain't no 'i '
in Team.

It doesn't matter that by being in this years playoffs have been in more playoffs than the Leafs.

Well to the Leaf establishment and its fan base yes it does. They would like nothing better than 'that other Ontario' team to fall flat.

For example here is some so called analysis of the game. Do you detect a Leaf/Toronto bias?

History is against the Ottawa Senators in the Stanley Cup final

June 5, 2007

By: CHRIS JOHNSTON

OTTAWA (CP) - It might be time to turn out the lights on the Ottawa Senators' dream season. Only the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs have ever erased a 3-1 lead in the Stanley Cup final and these Senators don't have the look of a team about to join them in the history books. Ottawa thoroughly outplayed Anaheim in the first period of Game 4 on Monday night before going completely flat in a 3-2 loss. "It's hard to explain," said forward Mike Fisher. Indeed, none of the Senators seemed to have any explanation for what had just happened.

While ESPN, the Americans, report the same story like this;

The victory gives the Ducks a 3-1 series lead and the opportunity to win their first-ever Stanley Cup at home on Wednesday. Of the 28 teams that have taken a 3-1 series lead in the Stanley Cup final since 1939, only one has failed to win a championship and that was 65 years ago.

There is joy in Hogtown as the Senators appear to be flaming out. Our Nations team. NOT.

Which is unfortunate but exposes the Toronto domination of Canada's Sports media. After all its not called the Toronto Sports Network for nothing.

Toronto fans should embrace the Senators after all their team has not been in the playoffs since Canada's Centennial. Forty years. F O R T Y.

Despite all their wishful thinking, simulated video game victories, and Mike Meyers best efforts.






See:

Hockey

Shane Doan

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