Finally Home!

I was finaly able to leave the loneliness of my Edmonton apartment. Due to some 'creative' driving, I was able to make the drive from the provincial capital to Cardston in a little over 4 hours. It was there where I was reunited with my wife and son... it was wonderful. You don't fully realize just how much you miss some people until you're looking at them in the eye for the first time in what has seemed a very long time indeed.
The campaign has taken a bit of a break leaving regualr Canadians with the opportunity to prepare themselves for the fight to come. I haven't heard too much from any of the parties... just a little bit of chest thumping a la Jack Layton warning certain premiers that further exploration of private health care would bring about the end of the universe and all life as we know it. I'm sure Ralph Klein is just shaking in his boots what with this new assault from the NDP.
In any case, my blogging might be a little sporadic over the next week or so as I indulge in the many festive delights around me here in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Here's hoping that you and your loved ones have a very Merry Christmas.

The Challenge

It's been the second day without my wife and son around... I miss them terribly, which I'm know my wife loves to hear. I look forward to seeing them in a few days when I'm finished my business here in Edmonton.
It's late but I wanted to at least make some sort of entry, however irrelevant it might be. I've heard a lot of people talking about how they aren't really following the election. I can't say I blame them too much as it is Christmas and there are more important things for people to be focusing on. Even if they are the kind of folk who don't get too involved in the holiday festivities, it seems they have little desire to give too much attention to the issues of the day. It's kind of saddening but I think there's a real problem with people simply not caring. People feel like their vote is meaningless and that there's little, if anything, that they can do to affect real change. The challenge for each and every party is to restore some sense of trust in the system across Canada. Not that people are doubting the principles of democracy, but they just don't have faith in their politicians and in the process in and of itself. My personal conservative bias aside, I don't really see too much of an effort on the part of the other parties to fix the problems and irritations oft cited by the electorate today. The NDP has proposed little in the way of actual reforms, touting Ed Broadbent as some sort of political crusader from the left (just look how many times Jack Layton mentioned Mr. Broadbent in the English debates). As for the Libs, well..... I just don't trust them. You really don't have to look back too far to get a sense of how well they've been doing in terms of ethics and accountability. I think the Conservative Accountability Act has an incredible amount of potential to, if fully implemented, restore some decency to how the nation's business in Ottawa is run. Just ask yourself when you last saw such a comprehensive porposal to make government work again.
Only time will tell if the Conservatives can sell their idea to more Canadians, and more importantly, if the powers that be actually decide to listen.

Harper in Quebec

I have to tell you that my wife and our son took the Greyhound down to Calgary so that they can make it to a cousin's wedding. Our employers had graciously decided not to allow us to take as much time as we had hoped. So while my family is off to southern Alberta for a few days, I remain here in Edmonton with little but a few movies and my computer to keep me company.
Paul Martin has been crying bloody murder over Stephen Harper's pledge to allow greater autonomy for Quebec, and perhaps a greater presence on the world stage. What this means apart from greater domestic responsibilities, is perhaps a greater say for Quebec in a variety of issues of global importance. Paul Martin staunchly defends that Canada needs to speak with a single united voice. But in a nation of so many different voices, can we really accomplish anything by continuing to silence them?
I think it's important to understand a little bit more of the history of this kind of situation. It is my understanding that when Canada was founded, there was a division of responsibilities and jurisdictions between the federal and provincial governments. Let's not forget that the leaders of the days were still a little wary of democracy, often citing the American Civil War as a failure and as evidence for the need of a strong central government. When the separation of powers occurred, Canada was a young country and was still largely unsettled. Over the years, the costs for various social programs balooned and the provinces were overwhelmed with the enormous costs of providing the services expected of them, particularly in the have-not areas of the country. It was when they asked the federal government for much needed support that Ottawa started to get her hands dirty with provincial matters, so to speak. Nowadays, we live in a time where Ottawa is dictating policy in a number of policy areas and some of the provinces feel that they should be able to decide how to run their own house without Ottawa telling them what to do.
I'm not a fan of big government. I am immensely grateful for the services that they provide for me and for my loved ones, but I've become more concerned when governments seem to be increasingly concerned with creating larger bureaucracies instead of working toward solving the problems that often plague the system. We know, for instance, that the Health system needs fixing. I'm sorry, but simply throwing $41 Billion dollars at health-care isn't going to fix anything. I want to have access to health-care when I need it, or someone in my family, but I think the government needs to recognize that we might just have to accept that some big changes need to be made. I think that in a lot of ways, that involves allowing the provinces, whose responsibility health is, to decide how they want to go about running the show.
I think that for Quebec and for all provinces, Ottawa needs to sit back and let them choose. They understand their own needs better than the huge bureauracies in the capital .
I welcome Harper's proposal because I really believe that it will be good for Canada. It allows for greater opportunities to share ideas and discuss the challenges. Martin's 'united voice' will not be reached without accomodating the diversity of this country. And let's face it: a little less Ottawa in anyone's lives is never a bad idea.

Life in the Blogosphere

I haven't been blogging for long but I have to say that I really enjoy being able to share a litle bit about who I am and what I believe in. It's too bad that for too many of us we are either unable to take the actual opportunities given to us to speak up, or quite simply we are unwilling to do so.
I'm encouraged to see a few comments trickling in. I really do appreciate any feedback I can get. I'm not always right and I appreciate that information which can help me to better understand the issues. This blog gives me the chance to teach others, and ultimately, inform myself that much better.
I must give kudos to my cousin for his generous feedback. He apparently has given me some of the credit in reigniting the blogging fires from deep within his own soul. As one I consider to be very informed of the big picture, I think it's worth checking out his take on the world.
For now, thanks for visiting. A raging 2 month-old now requires my attention.

The Reason for the Season

Just got back from a wonderful church meeting. Attending worship services is something very important to my family and I. We are Mormons, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and we are grateful for the principles and lessons we have learned about how we can best lead our lives. Naturally with it being Christmas, the focus has been on the birth of Jesus Christ and on the gifts that He has given us. It's not always easy to focus on that all important message when you have the noise of parties, and the rampant commercialization all around us. When I do have quiet moments, I often reflect on what matter most to my life. Without a doubt, one of the greatest blessings in my life is my own family... I couldn't picture a life without them. They give me so much joy and I look forward to watching my family grow. To me, the Christmas message of peace, joy and goodwill to all men is a message for everyone in the human family. I think we'd all do well to remember that a little more in our own lives.

The Debate Continues

Despite the position that some of the leaders wanted to move on and get on with the real issues, opponents of Stephen Harper continue to hound him regarding his position on same-sex marriage. I'm of the opinion that the definition of marriage should remain that of a union between one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others. In my own view, I think Martin and the Libs took the easy way out, passed the issue to the SCC, and simply pushed the issue through the house without the meaningful debate that they promised.
I've thought about this issue a lot. I agree that all people, regardless of their sexual orientation, are entitled to certain rights and freedoms. However, I think Martin was a bit of a coward... this goes for many other politicians and leaders as well. As it became more and more apparent that the issue would need to be addressed, he passed the buck, likely fearing a potential backlash from opponents to gay marriage, and perhaps a dip in the polls. The court was given four questions. The ruling can be read here. The Supreme Court established the authority of Parliament to define what marriage is, but the Libs have never capitalized on that opportunity. They simply passed the law allowing same-sex marriage. I also don't believe that same-sex marriage is a Charter right as Mr. Martin continues to insist.
I am no expert on the issue and I merely write this as my own opinion. I lived for a number of years in San Francisco where I met many gays and lesbians, the majority of which were downright decent folk. I resent the suggestion that because I oppose same-sex marriage I am intolerant. The simple fact is that I do not agree with the idea of same sex marriage. You'd think a Prime Minister so concerned with seeing to it that all Canadians rights are respected, including the right to an opinion, would perhaps be a little more respectful to those who do not agree with him, instead of simply brushing it off as the continued stubborness of dirty old conservatives.

The Debate

Just watched the English debates on CTV. I thought that they were not bad, although I would have preferred for the format to allow for more exchanges between the various leaders. Maybe the powers that be will allow for a few last-minute changes before the next round begins.... but probably not.
I honestly don't see how Paul Martin can continue to insist that the vote on gay marriage was a true free vote. He had his cabinet ministers whipped into shape. Let's not forget that Jack Layton also drew the line on how his party should be voting. This is not democracy, this is towing the party line. Say what you will about Stephen Harper but I think he should get some credit for wanting to make the process work a little better for and in this country of ours.

The Forgotten Sensation of Warmth

We spent the night without heat and water. Definitely a fun time in the middle of a balmy, wintry, Edmonton evening. You know, everytime I experience a new calamity, be it a power outage, flood, or massive peanut-butter famine, I am reminded of just how vulnerable we can be without our modern inventions and advances. We've put people into space, made incredibly fast and powerful computers no bigger than a fingernail, and developed calorie free colas. And yet, when we find that the lights don't turn on when we flick the switch, we freak out and make for the nearest bomb shelter, armed with a fresh supply of adrenaline and a rolled up newspaper to fend off would-be looters. But I digress. I'm really just happy to be warm again. Both the boiler and furnace were recently turned on and precious heat began to flow through our little apartment building once again. About four days of work finished just in time for another string of -20 degree nights.
I grow increasingly anxious for the upcoming Christmas holiday. The lethal combination of final exams, managing, and far too much hot chocolate have taken a heavy toll on my already weakened frame. Luckily my remaining exam will be complete before long-term insanity claims yet another victim.

What's next?

Just got into our apartment after being forced to evacuate for a few hours. The building where we live has had some major plumbing woes over the last few days as there has been significant flooding in the boiler room. We've had some great workers come by regularly in an attempt to solve the problems and get everything back on track. No sooner though do they clear everything out that the room floods again and the process repeats itself. This evening I was showing a friend that problems we've been having and found the water creeping higher again... this was only about 4 hours after it has just been cleared out. I notifed our tenants that I would be shutting off the water and that they needed to set some aside for personal use for the next little while. When I returned to the boiler room, I saw the furnace in flames and I thought I smelled gas. I frantically tried to put out the fire but I only seemed to be making the flames get worse. I decided it wasn't worth the risk and called 911 and threw the fire alarm. While it was kind of exciting to pull an alarm (admit it, you've always wanted to since you were a kid) I started to fear the worst. Luckily, the fire department arrived shortly thereafter and made sure everything was safe again. The plumbing still needs to be worked out but everyone is safe. I am grateful that I had the sense to check things out, and that we have the means to deal with problems like this. My heartfelt thanks also go out to the Edmonton Fire Department for their swift response and overall effort in the matter. Overall, it's been an exciting day. Now all I have to worry about is my exam tomorrow morning. Piece of cake, right?

Zap!

It only lasted for an hour, but it felt like we had reverted back to the Dark Ages. Power was knocked out over a substantial area near the university here in Edmonton. Apparently, some dude in a crane knocked out some power lines and chaos ensued. I like to think that I kept a cool head, urging everyone in our apartment building where we manage to remain calm, that the situation was under control. Deep down, though, I was likely panicking, bracing myself for an inevitable death by ice cream. I know, I know..... it's too horrible to think about, but it was a sacrifice that I was willing to make. Fortunately, I would not be left to suffer with the horrors of a delicious undoing by said ice cream. No sooner was I about the take the plunge when the hum of power resonated throughout my apartment and I was saved! Now, I'll let the adrenaline wear off with a nice cold bowl of..... Doh!

We Stand on Guard

Clearly the American rebuke of Canada has become a bit of a hot topic lately. I won't dwell on this too much as I recently railed about how many people in the Great White North, including our politicians, criticize the US because its a popular thing to do. Martin's little cheapshots are laughable... here's the man who promised to patch things up with the Americans and instead he insists on talking tough over any and every little issue not because it gets results, but because it makes him look good in the eyes of the people. Sheesh...
Yesterday the Conservatives announced their defence policy which is aimed at increasing funding for greater trooop levels and a more total sense of sovereignty. One of the big planks is the acquisition of heavy air-lift capabilities so that Canadian soldiers no longer need to hitch a ride on American or Russian aircraft and can get there on their own schedule instead. I've long been a part of the camp that feels that our military has been gutted far too long, and largely by the Liberals. While I was happy to see recent increases in the defence budget, the greatest in decades, there is little emotional support for our soldiers and what they actually do.
Firstly, we've gotta get rid of this notion that we are primarily peacekeepers and nothing more. Peacekeeping was a Canadian invention and while we've had a proud history in many parts of the world, we hardly share our load of the burden. The most current numbers I've seen have ranked Canada's paritcipation as 32nd overall... that's behind such countries as Bangladesh (the largest contributor), Senegal and Kenya. Despite our success in this area and our vast resources, peacekeeping hardly seems to rank as a priority for our country anymore.
Many will say that we definitely need a military, but we just don't want them fighting. Why? Fighting is dangerous and people get hurt, and even killed. While it is deeply tragic when casualties do occur, I think it's insulting to our men and women in uniform when all some people want to do back at home is ensure that our forces serve where there's absolutely no risk, and at the first sign of trouble, get them out.
I, for one, am glad that there is debate on what we can do to update our military policy and capability. I am very pleased that there are people who want to make our Forces proud again. It will be interesting to see where the discussion goes in the coming weeks as more of the Conservative defence platform is unveiled.

Beer and Popcorn

I wrote a final exam this afternoon in Canadian history. I think it's fair to say that when most people are aked what they know about Canadian history, most will simply say something about natives and fur-trading. This course convered up until Confederation and I found it not only informative but also interesting. I'm glad I had this opportunity to learn more about my own country. I think it's a shame that more of us don't take that chance.
Lots of people have been talking about Scott Reid's recent comments about how parents would simply use the Conservative-proposed Child Care allowance on "beer and popcorn." I have a couple of problems with a comment like this, especially on this particular issue. My wife and I have naturally been somewhat interested in the various child care policies proposed by the various parties. Being a parent myself, I am thrilled with the Conservative idea to allow parents to have a greater ability to choose. I don't want anyone, especially the Liberal Party of Canada, telling me how I have to raise my kids.
The fact of the matter is that the Libs say that parents should be putting their children into institutionalized daycare. If you do that, you will be able to access the fruits of the billions of dollars they will pour into this remarkable program... bla bla bla. On the other hand, if you are in a situation where that simply isn't an option, or if you choose not to use the system, there is no support whatsoever for you. My wife wants to be a stay at home mom because SHE wants to be the one raising our kids, not some stranger. The Libs fail to recognize that regular 9 to 5 daycare won't work for everyone, and they make little efforts to even acknowledge the realities for stay-at-home parents, as well as other situations where families simply can't utilize these kinds of programs.
What people like Scott Reid and Paul Martin don't realize is that there are plenty of parents out there who, if given the chance, would do anything to be able to spend more time with their families. Of course, the reality is that more and more families have two incomes, but instead of offering something to perhaps help people change that, they simply say "It's our way, or the highway."
Once again the Liberals have shown just how arrogant they can be. In my mind, there is nothing wrong with allowing individuals the ability to choose. I've often been told that God knows how dumb we can be sometimes, and yet he allows us to make our own decisions. Choice empowers us and gives us a greater appreciation for what's available to us. Until the Libs understand that, just go back to your popcorn folks.

Busy Weekend

Not much to discuss politically at this point as it's been a relatively quiet weekend on the campaign. My weekend has been anything but quiet as my in-laws are up for the weekend from Calgary. They are heading to Thailand over the Christmas holidays and came up to Edmonton to spend some time with the family. Of course its noisy, as is many other family get-together. I do love them, though, and I'm glad to be able to take some time to spend it with the people who really matter. For me, Christmas isn't entirely about the gifts, the parties, the huge meals, etc. Christmas is all about family and about a love extended to us by God, who gave us the gift of His Son. Christians, and all people everywhere, should realize that there are more important things to life than our worldly cares and responsibilities. This is a time for men to put their differences aside and share in the joy of brotherhood and the gift of humanity.

The Wonderful World of Climate Change

Well, there's definitely been plenty of hot air over the past few days. Paul Martin, the poster boy of "Canadian values", decided to criticize the United States for failing to sign on to the Kyoto Protocol. Let me say first that I am no fan of this agreement and in fact, I think it's quite useless. Kyoto is a farce, allowing big time polluters (including Canada) to buy emissions credits just to make sure that they fall under the limits. Even more ridiculous is the idea that developing countries such as China don't really have to worry about their emissions at all. After all, we wouldn't want to jeopardize one's economy for the sake of the environment. Come on people.... use your heads!
There may be those who would wonder why Mr. Martin felt it was necessary to take this recent shot at the Bush administration. Probably for the same reason that a lot of other Canadians do: it's the popular thing to do. You don't just see this with the Libs, you see it everywhere. I spent the last two and a half years on campus at the U of A where there is no shortage of students who aren't afraid to tell you that they think the United States, and particularly George 'Dubya' Bush, is a waste of time and the source of all that is wrong with this world. I tend to disagree, usually putting me in the minority of my student peers.
I don't always agree with American actions but I do get a little fed up with all this whining about how bad they are and how good we are. Frankly, we have just as many things to be ashamed about here in Canada but no one really seems to care about that. While I'm on climate change, does any average Canadian really care that our emissions have skyrocketed in the past decade, or that we continue to be one of the largest consumers of non-renewable energy in the world? People go into a frenzy when they see rising gas costs but yet they have no problem driving their SUV, all by themselves, over to the next block to pick up their groceries. I think that too many of us fail to see that we're doing more than our share to be environmental slobs. Heck, half the students at the U of A can't even pick up their garbage after they leave their table or seat. Before we get all uppety about how bad the Americans are, we had better have the sense to look around at what we're doing right here.

Something is Rotten in the Dept. of Finance

Another interesting development in the whole income trust fiasco. There's been much talk about the possibility of a leak from the Finance Department. Apparently some people were able to make a lot of money on some advance knowledge concerning taxation of dividends... I won't even try to explain what all this means. Yesterday there was an interview on the news with an individual who admitted that his organization had been contacted and informed that there would be a nice announcement made. Today, well, he denied that this happened. Interestingly, he also admitted that he was contacted by one of Mr. Goodale's top advisors after the interview aired. What has followed has seemed quite sneaky to me. At this point I'm not particularly concerned that there's a lack of hard evidence of any kind of mistake. This has very much the appearance of yet another Liberal cover-up. I find it interesting that the Liberals are very quick to deny these sorts of problems. What's more interesting is how slow to act they are when they're caught. For the Libs, this can't be the most welcome of news. We'll see how it pans out over the next little while.

Yes, I'm a Blood Nerd...

I just got back from making my eigth blood donation at the nearby clinic. Despite the friendly name-calling I often endure (see title) it makes me feel good to know that I am doing something that can really help people who need it. Think about it, it's free, relatively quick (most appointments take no more than an hour), and there's all those free goodies when you're done. I probably outdid myself taking no less than four glasses of egg-nog, straight up. For those of you who can, roll up your sleeves and give something that can really make a difference.

Gun control.

It looks like I didn't have to wait too long before the next big policy announcement of the campaign. Paul Martin and the Liberal Party of Canada want to ban handguns. Normally, people see a headline like this and think this is good policy designed to crack down on one of society's big problems. I'm not convinced, though, that this is the way to go.
Gun crime in Canada has never been a huge factor like it is in the United States. Canada has significantly less gun crime and gun-related homicides than our neighbor to the south as well as other countries in the world. That's no small accomplishment and I believe that's something we can be proud of. Recent surges of gun-related deaths in Toronto seem to be one of the biggest motivators for this announcement. Ah, politics.
Don't get me wrong... I think it's a real tragedy when people decide that the only way they can settle their differences and solve problems is by killing someone else, whether it be with a gun or anything else. Call me a skeptic but I don't think that the outright banning of handguns is going to make a huge difference. More and more in Canada, weapons seized by the police are not even registered (a registry that has cost over $2 Billion dolars) and many of the offenders have no firearms license. If they broke the law before in order to get a firearm, what's going to stop them this time around? If we're going to really make a difference we're going to have to dig a little deeper and get to the root casues of these crimes: hopelessness, despair, loss, etc. I'm not saying that gun control is a bad idea but it is not the magic answer that some people think it will be.

Welcome to the Blog!

It seems everyone is jumping on the Blog bandwagon these days and maybe I was starting to feel a little left out. The truth is, I just have a head bursting with ideas and things to say and people are starting to get a little nervous when they see me frequently talking to myself. In any case, I'm looking forward to sharing a little bit more about me and the way I see things.
Just a little intro... I am living in good ol' Edmonton, Alberta while I finish my studies at the University of Alberta. I am halfway through my third year here at this noble institution and I will earn (a stretch I'm sure) my Bachelor's of Education degree at the end of the 2006/2007 school year. When I'm not being kept busy with school, you can find me with my family: my beautiful wife, Katey, and our new son, Ben. We have a lot of fun together and I apologize in advance for my inevitable indulgences talking about how big he's getting and other cutey-wutey things he's done.
I think I'll leave it at that for now. I hope to make this blog somewhat meaningful and talk about some of the issues I think are important not just in my life, but for the lives of everyone else in this wonderful country of Canada. Since we are in election mode, you can probably expect the occasional political commentary and other dribble... bla bla bla.
In any case, I hope I can have an impact on the two people who may read this blog... you gotta start somewhere, right?