Thompson's Take

Metamorphosis

2007-04-04T06:47:00.000-06:00

A renewed interest in blogging, coupled with the desire to try and do something much more representative of me, is leaving me to the oh-so-painful decision to make Thompson's Take 2.0. More information to come when I actually have time to post later this evening.

Extremely Late Update: The new neglected blog is up at Jay Walking. Check it out if you're really that bored.

Good Intentions: the Sugar-Coating of the Masses

2007-01-27T10:45:00.000-07:00

This recent poll I saw via CTV might look good at first glance t some but it shouldn't really mean anything. It throws around a bunch of numbers talking about what some people are "willing" to do for the environment but that's pretty much it. No talk at all, with maybe one exception, about what real people are actually doing.

I guess knowing that people actually want to be more environmentally conscious should be noteworthy. The problem is that for far too many of us, it's all talk and not much else. It's kind of like Kyoto with a lot of fluff to make you feel good but when it comes down to it, you haven't really done anything.

Canadians need to wake up and start taking responsibility for their own actions. If we want to whine and complain about the apparent shortcomings in government policy, we'd better be more than just willing to make some needed changes in our own lives. If we want to make any meaningful impact on the environment, we have start making changes in our own lifestyles.

Perhaps what's more of an "inconvenient truth" is that too many of us just don't care enough yet.

Tainted by Association

2007-01-24T16:52:00.000-07:00

An American trade group that represents millions of restaurant and fast-food workers in the United States is offended by a yet-to-be released ad for Nationwide Insurance. Apparently the worker portrayed in the ad, played by none other than thespian Kevin Federline, imagines himself in a music video instead of attending to his burgerly duties. The National Restaurant Association claims that this is an insult to workers in the industry as the ad asserts that employment in the industry is "demeaning and unpleasant."

Or, maybe they just didn't want to be shown in the same light at K-Fed/Fed-Ex. I know I wouldn't.

Not just for Geeks Anymore

2007-01-24T10:34:00.000-07:00

Last night my wife and I went to see Video Games Live, a concert featuring music from a number of classic video games. I've long been a self-described geek, a fact graciously tolerated by my loving wife, and I purchased tickets to the event months ago. I wondered, though, in the days leading up to the show just how many people would show up.

As we made our way to the front of the Jubilee Auditorium, both of us were impressed to see a sell-out crowd of not just gamers, but also families and other adults eager to relive a little nostalgia. The music was provided by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and it sounded incredible.

As a gamer I was in heaven, but as a music lover, I have to say that it was perhaps one of the finest concerts I've ever attended. Anyone looking for an enjoyable night out should definitely look into this. Info can be found at the website linked above.

Working Too Hard

2007-01-23T14:31:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting piece from the Houston Chronicle talking about how some scientists are concerned that we may have been a little too eager to prove that climate change/global warming is the problem that many in society like to think it is. Don't get me wrong because I certainly don't deny the fact that our activities are certainly having an impact on the world and or that we could do for some positive change in our environmental habits. However, to attribute all our climate problems to greenhouse gases is a tad excessive in my book.

It kind of reminds me when I was in elementary school. Back then I was told with my fellow impressionable students that the "hole" in the Ozone layer was growing so fast that by the year 2000 we'd only be able to go outside if we were wearing fur coats or some variation of space suit. Well, we all know that that didn't really happen. Most people are fine with a little sunscreen and some common sense.

There's nothing wrong with drawing attention to growing problems. There is a huge problem when that message is blown out of proportion compelling so many to join in on the fun or risk the consequences.

New Year's Resolutions: Belated Edition

2007-01-19T08:08:00.000-07:00

It's been far too long since any sort of real update. I'll credit that to a busy few months at school coupled with some personal matters requiring my attention.

I've seldom taken the time to write down any kind of goal that I have set for myself. Perhaps, though, taking advantage of this space might just give my blogging a bit of a shot in the arm.

Here are a few blogolutions (ba dum bum tchhhh....) for the upcoming year.

1. Post more regularly. There's always plenty going on around the world and in our own country to talk about. Sometimes the best way to figure out what you really think about any topic is to take some time to write about it.

2. Comment more often on other blogs. Blogging can often be a great opportunity to engage in healthy discussion and debate. Plus, it's a lot more exciting to share your ideas with others whether they agree or not.

3. Write about more local content. Even though I have little desire to fully engage in true Edmontonianism, at least in this point in time, there are a number of increasingly important issues worthy of more discussion. I'll try not to limit that to the Oilers poor performance as of late. Yikes.

4. Use this as a medium to collect my thoughts on my upcoming teaching experiences. I'll be beginning my first student teaching earl next month teaching German out in Spruce Grove, a community just west of Edmonton. I'm really excited, if not a tad nervous, for the opportunity to teach a foreign language. I expect to learn a great deal about myself in the coming months... perhaps more than I could expect. Simply wunderbar!

5. No more procrastinating... starting tomorrow.

Let's move on, shall we?

2006-09-19T12:34:00.000-06:00

I was as shocked as most people were to hear about the tragedy in Montreal about a week ago. It was a tragedy and there's no denying that. Naturally, we want to know why these kinds of things happen so that we can try to prevent them from happening in the future. I wonder, though, if some of this discussion isn't getting a tad ridiculous.

Personally, I don't see what the big problem is with saying that our current gun laws don't work as well as they should. We have this registry and we spend millions upon millions of dollars on this very Canadian idea that we just don't have or need guns. This idea is right up there with the belief that our troops are not but humble peacekeepers and that 'Canadian' health care can never be private in any way, shape or form. But I digress.

I, for one, agree with the Prime Minister when he says that in some ways our current gun laws just don't go far enough. Is it really that much of a big deal to recognize that having the registry didn't stop the Dawson shooter from legally obtaining his weapons? Are we really so naive as a country that we honestly believe that having a registry is more than enough to keep us safe? If that's the case, and I think that too often it is, perhaps we shoulder some of the blame in these kinds of events, if only because we are collectively failing to get our hands dirty and make some real changes to the status quo.

Instead of arguing about what might have happened, why don't we all take a deep breath and accept that what's done is done. There's no going back. The only way to make amends is to start looking at what we need to do differently. If that involves scrapping the gun registry, fine. If there's another option out there, great, but let's start trying to figure out what that might be instead of dwelling on the past.

Playtime with Jack

2006-09-12T21:23:00.000-06:00

Admittedly the topic of Afghanistan is becoming a bit of the proverbial dead horse, but it continues to weigh heavily on my mind. This is probably because the position of Taliban Jack and his band of merry persons bothers me so. In short, I think he's a fool but at least I can rest assured knowing that the NDP will never come to power in this country.

Without getting into too much detail, I will make one quick observation about the whole inconsistency of what the NDP is proposing. I'm sure most political observers can remember how uppety the Dippers got when Stephen Harper said that they would have another vote on the issue of same-sex marriage. To this we heard much wailing and gnashing of teeth in the way of "we can't have another vote because it's already been decided! You have to respect the will of parliament!"

Now Jack has done the ol' switcheroo. Now he is the one asking, nay demanding, yet another debate and/or vote on whether we should remove our troops from Afghanistan. How convenient for him to ignore the fact that parliament voted to extend the mission into 2009. He's become, although not surprisingly, just another political hypocrite, which has been the very thing he has prided himself and his party on not being.

Granted, I believe that more could be done to clarify a few of the details. But at the same time, can you really plan to the letter just how a military mission will play out? Last I checked, war was unpredictable. Nothing ever goes exactly according to plan in battle simply because people are random. Sure, we have rules and strategies to help bring a little order into chaos but long-term success will come not only from having clear objectives, but by adapting to the continual changes and pressing forward.

It's one thing to raise questions about what we're doing. That's one of the beauties of democracy. But it is becoming increasingly apparent that Jack is doing all this for Jack. No one can argue that the Conservatives are taking their particular stand for a few easy political points. The Tories have taken a stand that they believe is right, something hard to do in many modern democracies. I applaud them for having the guts to stand their ground despite an increasingly frantic and illogical opposition.

Update: Just when I thought he couldn't get any nuttier, comes this little nugget from Layton Land, which I guess is really the happiest place on earth. Hat tip to Daimnation.

In the belly of the Beast

2006-09-07T16:23:00.000-06:00

Stephen Harper made a visit to a special Senate committee today: one that is examining recent Tory proposals to set term-limits for our noble Senators.

What impresses me most about this visit is that, for starters, he's actually addressing the issue outside of an election campaign, a point made by the PM. I've been following federal elections pretty closely since at least 1997 and it seems that the topic usually comes up in form or another only to be forgotten and put on the back-burner as the work of governing begins again and again. Stephen Harper kept his promise: he said he would begin to address Senate reform and he has, and more so than any leader in recent memory (I'm looking at you Jean and Paul).

I'll let the articles at CTV and CBC speak for itself. Enjoy!

Bill 208

2006-09-05T17:22:00.000-06:00

I've read a few editorials lately about the issue of same-sex marriage in Alberta. For those unfamiliar, Ted Morton, rookie MLA and PC leadership contender, had tabled a private members bill which was essentially designed to protect those civil servants and other public figures who objected to the principles of same-sex marriage. Due primarily to stalling techniques by the opposition parties, the bill was quietly killed.

In response to a column by Graham Thomson with the Edmonton Journal, Mr. Morton offers this response which appears in today's edition of the paper. Normally I try to avoid making lengthy posts, but I found the response intriguing to say the least.

=====

Same-sex marriage: a human right?

Thomson would have us believe that same-sex marriage is "a human right upheld by every court that has listened to arguments." That would be every Canadian court.

The English High Court refused to recognize the "made-in-Canada" marriage of two British women because to do so would violate "long-standing definition and acceptance . . . and fail to recognize physical reality." The High Court of New Zealand and courts in New York and Washington also ruled that this was not a human-rights issue.

These decisions reflect the common sense that informed Tony Blair's Labour government to grant civil unions, not marriage, to gay couples. It explains why Australia's Liberal government enacted a Defense of Marriage Act in 2004, defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

If Thomson were to look outside of Canada, he would see that Bill 208 and the majority of Albertans who support it are not the "homophobic knuckle-draggers," but are in the mainstream of other English speaking democracies.

If same-sex marriage were a basic human right, might we not expect to find it mentioned in basic human rights documents? It's not in Canada's charter of rights, the U.S Bill of Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights, nor the UN Declaration of Human Rights.

It's not in these documents because same-sex marriage is not a human right. It's a social experiment - one that only five countries have adopted. Surely Canadians have a right to discuss - and to disagree - about how far down the road of this social experiment we want to go. Bill 208 protects the freedom of speech, allowing that public debate.

Thomson claims Bill 208 is "unconstitutional." Indeed, the opposite is the case: a government's failure to accomodate religious conscience can be found to violate the religious freedom guarantee of the charter.

The Supreme Court has ruled that if a province chooses to have Sunday-closing laws, it must make an exception for non-Christians to accomodate their religious practices. Similarly, the RCMP has been told to change its dress codes to accomodate the religious beliefs of Sikhs and aboriginals with respect to beards, turbans and long hair. Surely Alberta marriage commisioners are entitled to a similar accomodation. Bill 208 would protect this right of conscience, while still ensuring that there are other commissioners who can and will perform same-sex marriages.

I don't give a damn about what consenting adults do in the privacy of their own homes. What I do object is having this conduct taught to our children. If some parents want their children taught that the marriage of one man to another man is the same as the marriage of one man and one woman, that's their choice and I repsect it.

But other parents don't want thier children taught this, and they have an equal right to have their wishes respected.

Thomson ends by urging us to "move on to more important things." I, too, would like to move on to dealing with the pressing issues facing Alberta.

But the gay-rights activists refuse to "move on." Each new issue is the staging ground for the next. First we were assured that this was just about discrimination. Then it was about equal benefits for gay couples, but not marriage. Next, it was marriage. And now it's public education and state-enforced punsihment of any criticism.

Albertans are tolerant. We agree to disagree on many issues. Alberta is a live-and-let-live society, and Bill 208 is intended to keep it that way.

Ted Morton, MLA, Foothills-Rocky View

Those Crazy Dippers

2006-09-04T20:09:00.000-06:00

I read some great posts on Wudrick Blog about good ol' Jack's claims for troop withdrawal and other gnashing of teeth from the left. He says it so well that I might as well just send y'all his way.

Go ahead and take a gander.

Straight from Lebanon

2006-08-21T21:30:00.000-06:00

So I read this morning in the news about some of our MPs and their fact-finding mission to Lebanon. Of course there was the usual and expected condemnation of war and those who allegedly support said wars. What shocked me most was the call by some to remove Hezbollah from Canada's list of terrorist groups.

The logic behind this, if you can call it that, is that by changing our designation of Hezbollah we can better position Canada to negotiatiate and work for peace. Wow. To me, that's kind of like someone in the medical community saying that we can better treat diseases like cancer if we just say they're not deadly. I can see it now. "Yes, Mr. Patterson, you have lung cancer. But we'll just call it the common cold so that we can all sleep a little easier at night." Brilliant, simply brilliant.

What makes this all the more interesting is finding that after eyebrows had been raised across the country, we have a denial that no such things were said. Misunderstanding or not, the very fact that there seems to be significant effort on the part of the Liberals to distance themselves from the very suggestion is enough for me to play the ol' BS card.

The problem for folks in the LPoC and the NDP is that they're trying far too hard to play both sides of the issue. When you can't even take a prinicipled stand without worrying about what others might think about you, you lose credibility. As unpopular as the decision has been, you have to give credit to Mr. Harper for taking a side and sticking with it, a move that is extremelely difficult, and nearly impossible, for anyone in politics to do.

Here's hoping that our three, wise fact-finders don't turn out anymore intellectual nuggets. Ideas like that, and especially the dumb ones, have a tendency to become a little contagious.

The Black Hole that is Summer Employment

2006-08-14T23:16:00.000-06:00

To the handful of people who might make some attempt to regularly visit my huymble blog, please accept my sincrest of apologies. I have spent much of the past two months working 50 to 60 hours a week landscaping. Needless to say, any spare time I do have is eagerly consumed spending time with my wife and son, who just recently took his first steps. Don't get me wrong, though, because I really do love the work. There's just something really neat about transforming piles of dirt and clay into something that looks truly remarkable. I'll even give my boss some free advertising. You can get an idea of the kind of work we do here.

Much has been happening in the world as of late. More Canadian soldiers have been killed in Afghansitan. Israel has been at war with Hezbollah. Edmonton mourns the dismal performance of their beloved Eskimos. All in all, it's been crazy just as anyone could expect it to be and I don't really have much to add that hasn't already been said. The price of being a lazy blogger I suppose.

I will say one thing about the conflict in the Middle East and the recent ceasefire introduced by the UN. To be honest, I don't have high expectations for any sort of lasting peace. After seeing how ridiculously one-sided Kofi and his merry band have been, it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. Hardly even a mention of Hezbollah. Wow... now that's an honest broker right there. Yep.

I am not an advocate for war. However, I do support the use of force where necessary because sometimes it is the only way to get things done, period. It's nice that people can be idealistic and hope that talking things through and getting in touch with one another's feelings will solve each and every world problem. Unfortunately, not everyone wants to be all warm and fuzzy, especially when it comes to those who are different.

Hezbollah advocates for the destruction of the state of Israel and the Jews. Not exactly the most lofty of ambitions. Maybe I'm in the minority on this one but I'd like to think that there wouldn't be too many people who would just sit back if your neighbors hated you and sought to find ways to kill you.

I admit that this is an extremely complicated issue that I cannot even begin to properly elaborate on. I do feel very strongly that Israel is doing something that needs to be done. This will be interesting to watch in the coming weeks.

Now, off to bed for me. I have a busy day ahead of me tweaking sprinkler systems. With the summer winding down I should hopefully be able to post more often to you, my loyal reader (Hi, Mom).

Well, It's About Time...

2006-05-31T06:25:00.000-06:00

In the brief time I have to glance at the paper or browse other news, I was excited to see talk about changing things up in Ottawa. I must say that it is certainly refreshing to see a discussion about fixed election dates and changes in the Senate.

I don't have much time to comment on them but my take is that these are good things. I think that having a vote every four years, of course barring confidence motions and that jazz, will renew some people's confidence in government. Elections in the past and particularly in recent years have been rightly criticized for being what they were: attempts to ride high public opinion and secure another mandate with little potential for negative fallout.

I really do see a fixed term as a way to level the playing field for the parties involved. It reduces the ability of the governing party to act according to the polls. Most importantly, I view this as a method of restoring Canadians' confidence in their system of government. It shows regular folks like me that more of our leaders will be able to act in a less selfish way.

I'd like to comment on the Senate soon when I have a decent break from my job. Things have picked up lately as the weather has been cooperating, thus allowing us to actually get some work done. Among my many new duties this year, I will be able to cut Jason Smith's lawn. Yes. That Jason Smith: Captain of the Edmonton Oilers. Should be fun!

The New Cold War

2006-05-27T19:51:00.000-06:00

Much has been written lately about the continuing spat between the Prime Minister and the Parliamentary Press Gallery. I'll admit that at times I've been concerned about the direction that this was going. However, the more I read and think about the issue the more ridiculous I realize this whole thing is. Since I couldn't really say it any better, be sure to check out The Black Rod for some nice comments on the whole situation. For some glimpses into how similar tactics have been employed by Prime Ministers past, check out Andrew Coyne.

I also read an interesting piece straight out of my hometown. (Sarcasm on) This demonstrates some truly enlightening reporting on the issue (sarcasm off).

If anything, we get an idea about just how divisive the issue has been... at least for the media. It must be disheartening for them, though, when they see that they're almost the only ones who even care.

Just Another Reason to Hate Environmentalists: They're Stinking Lazy!

2006-05-22T06:57:00.000-06:00

First off, haapy Memorial Day to all. No doubt most people have exciting things planned for the holiday. I, for one, intend to catch up on some sorely needed sleep. But Jason, you've had the whole weekend? Yes, indeed... although the Oilers won last night. A great thing to be sure but the victory celebrations on Whyte Ave are really starting to get to me.

I make deliveries for one of my jobs and on many a mailbox I see stickers boldly demanding to users of said mailbox "STOP KILLING OUR FORESTS," or something else of that nature. Maybe it's the early hour, or the fact that I have little else to do at that time but I've often thought about the implications of such a move.

To me, a sticker like this smacks of a lack of individual responsibility. These individuals, like many of us, have a problem with junkmail and they'd like to think that it's for environmental reasons. The problem with this is that it accomplishes absolutely nothing. Junk mail is still printed off using paper products, the trees are still cut down, etc. Instead of taking a little extra time and maybe, oh I don't know, recycling it by themselves, they slap a freaking sticker on their mailbox and ta-da... problem solved!

It's this mindset that I think characterizes too much of environmental thinking these days. Far too many people, how ever well intended they might be, expect magical solutions to the challenges they see the world over. Take Kyoto, for example. This is something I've written about before but it is an agreement which does absolutely nothing about alleged climate change. And yet people think that just because we've signed on the world will be safe from the evils of polluters and we can all hold hands and all that jazz. Puh-lease!!

We as a society cannot hope to make any real progress if you continue to pass the buck on things that must be done. I mean, look at the kinds of things we're dealing with. We complain about deforestation and global warming and yet how many people drive around those ridiculous SUVs and can't even pick up after themselves. In Canada we expect elaborate social programs to make sure that we're taken care of but at the same time we don't want to have to pay for them through higher taxes. Kind of a challenge when the costs certainly aren't going down. Face it, too many of us are lazy slobs who craze the easy way out. The less you have to do the better.

I guess that's one of my biggest problems with liberal/Liberal thinking. It promotes and encourages that very way of thinking. Don't worry, everyone... our big huge government will take care of you, so you just vote for us and you can sit back and relax and you'll get your Kyoto, your universal daycare, and your gun registry. Instead of having the bureaucracy micromanage so many aspects of my life, I have no problem with having a little more responsibility given in my direction. Having new responsibilities is one of the best ways for us to learn about what needs to be done. Above all, it can help us to, GASP!, learn a thing or two about being responsible! A shocker I know.

This applies very much to environmental issues. Some vague agreement or broad government policies are not the way to go about securing change. Real change will come when more and more people step up to the plate and start doing things a little differently at their own level. Just think about how different things would be if more people decided to drive a little less or carpool, or use public transit. Just think about how nice it would be if more people could simply throw their garbage away. Little things to be sure, but they make a huge impact as more people catch on to the idea and start doing it.

So to you, you lazy tree huggers, get off your "green" butt and quit waiting around for the results you want to see and start making them happen.

Let's Go Oilers, Let's Go!!

2006-05-17T21:47:00.000-06:00

My posts have been extremely rare in recent weeks. I am currently working two jobs, one of which is particularly taxing. I'll try to make more of an effort in the future to get my thoughts out there. There has been lots happening... too much to pass up.

In any case, Edmonton is awash in Oiler pride tonight as they have just won a hard fought series against San Jose. I'll admit, as dangerous as it is in this town, that I was not much of an Oilers fan when I first moved here for school. I was more of a playoff fan and I enjoyed watching the post-season when hockey really seemed to matter.

Seeing the enthusiasm and excitement from nearly the entire community has simply been amazing. While I have a bit of a hard time after any Oiler victory (my apartment is just off of Whyte Ave. and it gets a tad noisy) it has been really neat to see. I lived in San Francisco when the Giants were in the World Series a few years back and the feeling there in no way compares to the excitement found here in Edmonton. I've even gone out a few times to try and take at least a taste in... most times though, I'm content to be a spectator. I took one too mant high fives to the face on my last outing to convince me to stay out of harm's way.

I know it's early but I would love to see the Oilers bring home the Cup. It would be a truly remarkable experience to share with so many people all rallying behind the same cause. Bring it on, Anaheim... you've got a fight on your hands.

Murder In Medicine Hat

2006-04-26T20:36:00.000-06:00

I've spent much of my life content with the fact that many people have never really heard of my hometown, Medicine Hat. Oh sure, every now and then you'll hear a little something about that hockey team of theirs (Go Tigers, Go!!) but other than that most people in the city are happy enjoying life in our quiet corner of Alberta.

Much of that was shattered over the weekend with the tragic murder of a family by, of all people, their daughter. Events like this are definitely rare in most places, and especially in a city like Medicine Hat. A sad story to be sure and it does hit home when you come from a small community. I went to school with the elder of the accused. It just feels wierd.

I don't have much to add that hasn't already been said. Two concerns though: one, the Youth Criminal Justice Act is again proving to be ridiculous, and two, I hope these two get what they deserve.

I've never liked the YCJA. Yes, I understand that youth are not the same as adults but at the same time I really don't think it's in anyone's interests to hold the hands of the accused and guide them with as little impact as possible through the judicial system. While I appreciate that the act has become tougher than previous incarnations, it still needs more teeth.

We can't simply rely on the philosophy that youth criminals are victims. It is indeed true in some certain circumstances, but there are some rotten kids out there who do incredibly stupid things. Sometimes they best learn their lesson with effective punishment. I admit that these are complicated matters with all sorts of underlying concerns and influences but how do we help them by sheltering them from some of those elements which are sometimes essential in behavior correction and rehabilitation?

What these two did is unspeakable. More information is needed before final decisions can be made. When we are enlightened, though, we cannot shrink away from public responsiblities to fix the problem. There needs to be jail time, and enough to leave a mark. I don't want to see bail hearings in a few short years... it can send the wrong kind of message. This will be an interesting one to watch.

Flag Frenzy

2006-04-26T16:49:00.000-06:00

I do find it interesting what we as a society can manage to get so riled up over. Much of print and blog has been dedicated as of late to the whole issue surrounding whether or not the Canadian Flag should be lowered on the Peace Tower with each and every soldier's death. I think what's even more shameful is that we've even engaged in this debate as extensively as we have... to the point of overshadowing the actual deaths themselves. It doesn't matter what side of the fence you're on: you have to admit that the focus is probably not where it should be.

My own take on this whole flag flap, after reading numerous commentary on the subject, is that the Peace Tower should not lower the flag with each soldier's death. Let's not forget that flags are being lowered at their home bases, DND headquarters, as well as other locations. I think that the government decision to adhere to a more traditional policy has been overly sensationalized by the media to the point of insanity.

Personally, I enjoy and appreciate the annual ceremonies on Remembrance Day. They are wonderful opportunities to think and reflect on the scarifices made for past, present, and future generations. It really is a shame that more and more people look on the occasion as just another holiday.

People have disagreed with the position but I do believe that existing in a perpetual state of mourning runs a huge risk of cheapening the act of remembrance even further. Excessive repetition of flag-lowering, however well intended, makes the experience less significant in my mind.

Critics need to understand that for most supporters of the Tory decision, there is no disrespect intended for these brave men. There's no need to get all uppity over the location of the flag at one particular location. I don't see this as an attempt to hide the fact that people are dying. I see this move as a way to treat all soldiers who pay the ultimate with the respect that they all equally deserve. I would much rather see the Maple Leaf flying tall and proud more of the time than not... but that's just me.

Both sides have good solid points for their positions. Maybe it's time to dwell a little bit more on what sparked this whole controversy: the actual deaths of these four brave men. Let the media foam at the mouth over this and the other related issues. Real, meaningful mourning can happen, and is happening, deep in the hearts of many Canadians despite the placement of the flag or the ability to print a few choice pictures.

To those who say that we cannot honour our fallen comrades without a flag at half-mast, ask yourself if your intense scrutiny over such a trivial matter has really helped in that cause.

To Our Fallen Soldiers

2006-04-22T11:29:00.000-06:00

I've been busy with exams over the past few days and hope to get back to more regular updates soon.

In any case, I wanted to offer my condolences to the families and friends of those soldiers who recently gave the ultimate sacrifice while serving in Afghanistan. Surely the thoughts and prayers of many Canadians are with you now. These are difficult times but it is not a time to say that we should just leave. The work that so many brave men and women are doing overseas is nothing short of remarkable and they should be honored for that.

I do not doubt that more will fall in this conflict. I only hope that our resolve will hold, if not strengthen, in seeing this thing through to the end to make Afghanistan a better place for the people who live there.

Timber...

2006-04-06T23:40:00.000-06:00

Angry in the Great White North is posting some very interesting poll numbers. I know, polls are just polls and they reflect only a brief snapshot in the political landscape. Angry does note, though, how these new numbers from Environics seem to show a complete collapse of the Liberal Party across the country for a variety of reasons, no credible leader being one of the largest factor.

Hat tip to Angry for the poll. You probably wouldn't see this featured too much in the mainstream media I would imagine.

Belinda Gets Owned

2006-04-06T16:49:00.000-06:00

I just watched an interview with Bob Fife. You can view it here.

I'll let the video speak for itself. To sum up though, Fife calls it how he sees it. He says that Belinda isn't running because:

-She can't speak French
-She believes that the Libs are going to get slaughtered by Harper and the Tories come next election.
-Her organization wasn't up to par
-She has no ideas

The highlight for me was hearing Mr. Fife say that he hadn't seen her put forward any new ideas since entering political life. Pretty harsh, maybe, but I agree. She can go on pretending that she's this modern-political crusader fighting for the good of the Liberal Party, and ultimately, for Canada. I don't think she's having much success though in convincing others that she's right for the job.

Like I said, she's thinking long-term "What's good for Belinda?" right now. She knows that her best shot is going to be a few years from now. For now, we'll just have to content ourselves with the other stellar candidates coming forward in the 'red-hot' Liberal race. Yawn......

Belinda, Belinda... Wherefor Art Thou?

2006-04-06T09:38:00.001-06:00

Numerous reports are now suggesting that potential powerouse candidate Belinda Stronach will NOT be running for the op job of the LPoC. My intial reaction: Bwa ha ha ha ha ha... and so on and so forth. She naturally has her own reasons for making this decision, which was no doubt difficult to make. After all she had many who were willing to help in her campaign, and star-power to boot.

That being said, I didn't see any short-term success heading her way. I think there are too many people who still don't trust her. I find her to be a little too eager in her leadership aspirations. Goals are important yes, but I think hat through her political career she has demonstrated more often than not that she is doing this for Belinda. Naturally some will disagree with me. I feel though that her floor-crossing was motivated by greed and a lust for power. She saw that her goals would have to be put on hold within the Conservative Party. When she got the chance, she jumped ship... and right into a cabinet position.

I don't like her and in some ways I'm glad she's not getting her shot at the top. However, my own guess is that she'll stick around to keep learning the ropes. I think she'll be there come next Liberal leadership conference. She won't give up and I respect that quality in her. But that respect stops pretty much there. If she wants my trust, at least as much as I'm willing to give a Liberal, she'll have to show that she's thinking less about Belinda and more about the country that she wants to serve.

The Throne Speech

2006-04-04T18:35:00.000-06:00

I watched captivated in front of my TV while the GG read the anticipated speech from the Throne. It was, as many predicted, free of the frills that we have come to expect over the years. There are a few impressions though that I will briefly comment on.

I have a hard time understanding some of the critics. The few MPs I did see interviewed all said something along the lines of "it had good ideas but it was weak on substance." Superstar Scott Brison capped it all off with his "thin gruel" jab. Now, maybe I'm a little mistaken on this but my understanding was that the Throne Speech is supposed to be a braod statement. This is not a comprehensive document designed to spell out exactly how the government will achieve its objectives. Rather, it sets the tone for the next session of Parliament. You nay-saying MPs get to hammer out the finer details later because that's what you're elected to do. Priceless political posturing.

I also like how this was not some lengthy ordeal promising something for everyone. I vaguely remember the last Liberal Throne Speech but it was dreadfully boring. I do remember, though, a few choice images of Paul Martin looking very much like he was trying hard to stay awake. This time around they stuck to the basics and it worked. Heck, even Jack Layton seemed pretty supportive. He admitted that Mr. Harper has done some things that Paul Martin never did. He is listening and he knows he is in a minority situation.

The Conservatives stayed on track and I, a regular Joe Canada, liked that. We don't need to be boggled down with a million and one different policy proposals. This message was clear and focused. It says to me that they are indeed serious about achieving their key priorities. Naturally, there will be more issues to address: the country is just too complex to limit everything down to five specific areas. For now though, they project the image of a government intent on keeping its promises. It won't be perfect but all partisanship aside, I have not seen such determination in any government for as long as I have been following politics.

Say what you will about Harper and the Tories. I think we will see some interesting things in the next few weeks. On top of that, I think more people will be pleasantly surprised than they might have intended.

The Big 5

2006-04-03T21:11:00.000-06:00

I'm actually pretty excited to see Parliament in session again. It will be nice to see what this government can get done. And I do think that will be able to accomplish a lot of what they set out to do.

I don't have anything major to offer tonight. I would like to offer my brief take on the government's key priorities since everyone else seems to be making a big deal out of them.

The GST cut. As a student, I still fall into the category where I am not required to pay taxes. Any proposed cuts have no effect whatsoever upon my financial and well-being. I can see why personal cuts would be more beneficial in the long run but I can also see the reasoning behind this move. This really is a universal tax cut. Everyone pays it on practically everything. Savings might be small but they are there. My guess is that one will stay on the order paper.

Health-care Guarentee. Health-care is such a complicated issue I can't really hope to effectively sum up the issue in a few sentences. I really like the idea that if people need care, they should be able to get it. If that means that after a specified amount of time they are still unable to secure proper treatment within their region that they need to be mvoed elsewhere, so be it. I see not problem with this. I recently had eye surgery. Certainly not life threatening, but it took nearly seven years to finally get the problem fixed. That's a long wait and I think there's a real problem that needs to be fixed. I also think we need to be willing to look at other means of delivering the services we have come to epxect. If that means a measure of private care, so be it. Lots of debate on this for years to come. There is no quick fix.

Child-care. I am hugely supportive of the Conservative policy. My wife and I want to raise our own children with my wife staying in the home. How does an institutionalized program help us out? And why should my taxes pay for people to work? I'm sorry, but this is the only plan I've seen that is universal. All Canadian families will get the money. Also, it seems to be forgotten that money will be used to create more spaces, as well as incentives for businesses to set up day-care programs. I disagree with the belief that there is only one answer: government day-care. The Conservative plan will generate heated debate but I think it will pass in the end.

Crime. It's about time someone decided to get tough on crime. I'm of the firm opinion that we are a little too lenient on criminals. They are not all victims in need of love and support. Some people are dumb and deserve to be punished period. I think the government is right to want to focus more on tightening the rules as opposed to being so warm and fuzzy. We have jails for a reason. There's no need to fill them needlessly but certain people have earned the esteemed right to be locked away for a long time.

Accountability. No question with this one. Any party would be foolish to vote against many the measures contained in the proposed Accountability Act.

All in all, a pretty solid package. There will likely be few surprises in the Throne Speech but I am excited to see this new era in Canadian Politics.

Happy Ending?

2006-03-25T19:21:00.000-07:00

I haven't commented on this as of yet because I wanted to take a little while to let it sink in in spite of aggressive media saturation. Now that this whole incident in Iraq with the 3 now-freed hostages is mostly at an end, I offer my take on a few key points.

Firstly, it's always a good thing to see these kinds of endings. I can't even begin to imagine what must have been endured by the victims and their respective families. They credited their faith with giving them the courage to withstand these trials, and ultimately, for bringing this ordeal to an end. Here's though where it starts to get a little fuzzy.

I find it tremendously disappointing that Christian Peacemaker Teams refuses to acknowledge the efforts of the special forces who rescued them. I don't really care if you're staunch anti-war activists. You owe it to these organizations for the safety of your members. Your blatant ignorance in the face of such heroism is ridiculous and goes against the very principles of the movement you claim to represent. I don't doubt your sincerity... obviously you have people who are compelled to go into dangerous areas of the world to work for something good.

I know that God works in ways that we can't really understand, and often fail to appreciate. To the CPT I would ask if anyone in your group has even considered that perhaps God might have been working through various organizations (special forces included) in order to bring about the safe release of your workers? You may not wish to believe it but I don't think it would be wise to brush off these events as some random coincidence.

I'm happy you saw such a pleasant outcome but I think it's time to pull your head out of the sand and recognize some truly significant work instead of automatically avoiding it like you're trying to do.

UPDATE:
Heard a report on the CBC with some snippets from one of the victims as he returned to Canada. He was not so hesitant to thank the efforts of the government and the special forces who saved him. I should have mentioned earlier that much of my criticism was directed specifically at some of the leadership and PR of CPT, and not the victims. I should also note that I am not painting the whole group with the same brush. I don't know them well enough to give an entirely accurate take on their activities. What I did see and hear (or didn't in terms of a simple thank you) was what made me a little upset. Oh well. Nothing too get too worked up over.

Liberal Chest-Thumping

2006-03-22T16:22:00.000-07:00

So I read in the Post that the Libs are willing to topple this minority government if the Tories don't back down from their pledge to install their own program for Child-care as opposed to the Liberal proposals. I'm gonna call that bluff right now. I'd like to think that the Liberal Party of Canada isn't that stupid to think that this would be a smart move.

I support the initiative to give my family a little extra cash. My wife wants to be a stay-at-home. She is one of many Canadians who do not want an insitutional day care system. What the Libs are saying is that the only to raise children in this country is to let the government decide how and when it is to be done. What the Conservatives have said is that they'll give families a little more help so that they can make their own decisions.

The Libs are a bunch of freaking idiots!! Honestly, who are they to tell me and my wife how we have to raise our family? Do they not think that parents can be trusted to use the funds in a responsible manner (beer and popcorn, anyone?)? Do they think that it's much more important for both parents to be in the workforce, therefore further helping the economy to grow? Of course they do. Why? I have a number of theories on this one but you could sum it up and say that they're out of touch with reality.

The Libs need to remember that they lost the election and that the Tories have earned the right to implement their own agenda. The also need to remember that they have no leader, no money, and are rapidly losing any shred of credibility that they have left. I doubt they've seriously considered what the consequences would be for a swift end to this minority parliament, mostly because they don't have the guts to follow through on this pre-throne speech BS.

Activism Schmactivism

2006-03-21T10:35:00.000-07:00

Many people complain because of the horrible news stories they are constantly bombarded with when they turn on the TV or read the newspaper. Personally, I find there to be an even greater enemy on the general well-being of the species. Yes, I'm talking about activism and its often excessive incarnations.

As I've written before, I place great value on our ability to make our own choices. Most of us are intelligent enough to consider the impact of our actions and make those kinds of decisions that generally limit any negative impact upon ourselves and even others. I have a huge problem with some of the numerous groups seeking for attention today with their so-called 'causes.' I mean, think about how many there are: vegetarianism, environmentalism, save the ozone layer, ban trans-fats, no frankenfood, and numerous others. Frankly, too often they just bug me.

Now, I'm not saying that I don't necessarily like the message that they convey. For example, I think it's important to care for the environment. My family tries to cut down on garbage, drive less, and do what we can to be responsible in our own way. It's just one small example of people actually making real change. I actually know that I'm doing something as opposed to some nut who gets all worked up over depletion of the rainforests, or the seal hunt and does absolutely nothing.

When I don't agree, I have no problem with people going about their lives the way that they want to. If you want to eat only vegetables for the rest of your life, fine, more power to you. I'm going to keep eating the occasional steak because I happen to like it and you don't have the right to tell me what I should or shouldn't do. And before you counter with: What about the government? Yeah, I feel that it is more than reasonable to have limits placed upon society. I don't want some criminal being able to come and rob my home just because he feels like it. We have laws for a reason and it is our duty as responsible citizens to accept them, or work to improve what we can.

What bothers me about much of the activism I see today is just how much they flaunt it in our faces. They aren't content to just get the message out there. No, too often some movements rely on doing something crazy to get the attention they want. I'll point out PETA, as an example. One look at some of their TV ads and many will agree that they'll get their point across in a not so conventional manner. Unique, heck yes! Credible? Well... maybe not so much, especially when they use a skewed perspective and fail to acknowledge both sides of the issue.

You can't have an arsenal that is solely dependant on shock tactics and celebrity appeal. I think it's great that people care about... well.. what they care about. But I don't need the Paul McCartneys and the Pamela Andersons or some other activist to tell me that I'm some sort of inhumane dinosaur, a product of the system, and a bane upon this fragile world. You wanna get involved, fine, but you won't get any points in my book. Watch your own back and get off my case!!

Oh Good.... Just in time for Spring

2006-03-19T12:28:00.000-07:00

Edmonton got tons of snow over the weekend. I guess Mother Nature is trying to catch up for the 2 and half months she was gone.

I, for one, love the snow. It makes everything look so clean and fresh. Every time I see a major snowfall, I become more and more proud to be a Canadian. Vehicles will always get stuck and there will always be people who are willing to give them a hand. It makes me feel good when I see, and help where I can, in random acts of kindness.

Last Week In A Nutshell

2006-03-13T13:32:00.000-07:00

I've decided to take a bit of a break from writing my term paper to.... write in my blog. Wait a second...

In any case, I've had quite a bit on my mind looking back on the past week of happenings right here in Canada. There really isn't a good way to sum it all up so I'll just take a minute or two for some of the major issues that caught my eye.

First, I'm actually pretty happy to see that the PM made it out to Afghanistan as a show of support to the troops. I watched a little newscast on the CBC which in closing had the reporter saying that this probably wasn't one of the best times for this kind of visit. To that I would ask if in a country experiencing these kinds of challenges, is there really a good time to visit? I really believe that this visit marks a very big step for a Canadian PM. I see it as a very real sign that what our soldiers are doing really matters.

As for Mr. Shapiro, he may not have had the best week ever. I have to admit that I was disappointed with the initial reaction by the PMO saying that the PM "was loathe to cooperate with the Ethics Commisioner." This didn't really seem like something I would expect to hear from the party I had worked hard for and supported with my vote. This sounded very much like certain elements of previous Liberal governments in terms of sheer uninhibited arrogance. However, the more I've been bombarded with the story and taken the time to think about the issue, I've come to the conclusion that the PMO has a few very good points.

Mr. Shapiro was undeniably absent when both Scott Brison and Belinda Stronach crossed to floor to sit as Liberals, and as new cabinet ministers. I have heard no explanation for this lack of prudence on the part of the Ethics Commish... why? Although it has a somewhat negative appearance, I do think I can see why the PMO would say what was said. Also, I find the hypocrisy of the NDP is sickening. All but a few months ago they were calling for Mr. Shapiro to resign. Now, they've put on this ridiculous charade of pretending to be his biggest fan. I can't say I'm surprised though. I expect little more from a party that lacks any real vision for this country.

On a lighter and much less political note, I was privileged to be able to attend the wedding of my wife's cousin and his beautiful bride. It gave me the opportunity to really think about how I feel about my own marriage, which I might add is moving along well at a little more than a year and a half. A lot of my peers at the University think I'm a bit nuts to be married at only 23, and with a son on top of that. Sure it's tough but I wouldn't trade any of what I have now for anything else the world could offer me. I love my wife, my son, and I love the experiences that we are able to have together as a family.

Tim Hortons

2006-03-09T16:46:00.000-07:00

Anyone who's lived in Canada long enough is probably familiar with Tim Hortons' 'Roll Up the Rim to Win' contest. I myself have even managed to win a free hot chocolate or two in the course of my rolling up of said rim. Now we are privileged to see humanity at its finest now that at least two people are feuding over one lucky cup for a new SUV. Here's my take.

First off, I have to say that both fathers in this situation are being ridiculously hardheaded and greedy. I don't care what you say your reasons are. The way I see it, you have no excuse for your behavior and should really be ashamed of yourselves. This isn't about higher principles and failed chances... it's about not wanting to show any weakness, and ultimately, it's about getting as much as possible.

Two words: grow up.

Back Again?

2006-03-09T07:08:00.000-07:00

My posts have been somewhat.... nonexistent for the past little while. The little cold I caught on my return to Canada turned out to be a lot worse than I thought it would be. I've also been dealing with a few papers requiring attention.

My post today is somewhat short: I support our soldiers in Afghanistan. Sure it's tough and of course it has huge risks. Does it really come as a surprise? I hear a lot of people saying we should just pull out now before it gets worse and to that I say nonsense. We'd be cowards if we just turned tail and ran at the first sign of trouble. We've made a committment and we as Canadians should be willing and proud to support those who put their lives on the line as soldiers.

UPDATE:
While I'm not unsympathetic to the tragedy that some families deal with, I have to say that this kind of attitude really bothers me. A review: when people sign up to serve in the military there will be risks involved period. Don't be naive and expect that everything will always be fine and dandy. I would like to think that if my son were killed in action that, while I would struggle with the grief and loss, I would also be extremely proud of the service he had given. Again, saying we should pull out just because things get hot has more to do with cowardice than anything else. If you hate me for saying that, fine. Then get over it.

Aloha Indeed

2006-02-27T03:28:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a long day on the plane... a day made somewhat longer whilst in the care of a four month old. All in all I had a wonderful time with my family in Hawaii. We were sad to elave but we do look forward to making it back someday.

Just a few quick highlights as I should be off to bed and not blogging (priorities, right?).

The Olympics were by and large a success for Canada. We should be proud of our athletes. What's up with the men's hockey team though? Not easy to follow winter activities in a land of perpetual non-winterness so I'll have to see if I can find some explanations/defenses/excuses.

Looks like politics is heating up a bit. Now that the Tories are starting to get a handle on how things work hopefully we can start seeing them implement their promises and work with all parties to make this country even better. I do have some catching up to do though so forgive me if it takes while to get back into the groove.

Lastly, Canada needs a warm winter escape. I've heard rumblings about the Turks and Caicos down in the Carribean (I hope my geopgraphy is right on that one)... I say go for it! Waste no more time simply talking a commissioning studies and what have you. Millions of Canadians suffer needlessly during the totality of the harsh winter. Where's our paradise?

Now, to bed.

Almost There

2006-02-17T05:46:00.000-07:00

Small post for now as I'm finishing up a take home exam for Canadian History. I've long since reached the point of exam saturation where I stop caring much about the substance of the test and simply want to end my suffering and get it over with. Maybe not the best attitude for a student but ask yourself how many students you know who actually like taking exams.

Yesterday was freezing. I think it was somewhere around -30 degrees with the wind chill. It sure made the walk to campus enjoyable. I really liked going to my first class... a temperature difference of almost 50 degrees in the space of a few seconds. Only in Canada, right?

I suppose I should get back to the books. I will soon be free and then the posts will likely disappear for a while as I am heading to the beaches of Hawaii tomorrow morning.

Aloha, indeed.

Maybe Winter's Coming After All

2006-02-15T08:04:00.000-07:00

As balmy as Edmonton has been for the past little while, it looks like we are about to wake up to the hard reality that is a Canadian winter. Temperatures looks like they're dropping faster than Liberal support during the last election (sorry, had to try to be funny). Am I bothered? Not really, and for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, this is the time in any student's life where any concept of reality is skewed by mid-term examinations. I myself have 4 mid-terms and another test to deal with in the next 48 hours. Anyone who has gone through the process before understands fully well what the effect can be when you try to remember (i.e. cram) as much as you possibly can in a very short space of time.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel though. When all is said and done I will escape the dominion of the U of A, and an incoming winter's chill, for the island of Oahu. My folks had their 25th Anniversary last year and have kindly offered to fly the whole family off to Hawaii for a much needed reading week. Altogether there will be nine of us: my parents, my sister and her husband, my two younger brothers still at home, and rounding it off is my own little family of three.

In that way, I really don't mind if it gets terribly cold here in the Great White North. I know it's pretty evil for me to think that way, but I can't help it. I been to the island a few times already and I love it!

I'll try (cough, cough) to think of everyone I know at home. Maybe if you're lucky, I'll have some pineapple on your behalf.

Will We Ever Learn?

2006-02-13T21:36:00.000-07:00

Without getting into too much of a repeat of one of my last posts, let me say that I for one support the decision made by the Western Standard to publish the Prophet Cartoons. I think that choice of the mainstream media to continue to treat us as individuals incapable of forming our own opinions is a huge mistake.

As I said before I do not advocate the position that individuals can go around saying and doing whatsoever they choose. With our cherished rights comes a degree of responsibility. Too many of us are unwilling to accept responsibility for that which we do. Each of these individuals are lazy and completely ignorant of how the world works. In my view, a majority of the ills of society could be avoided if we stopped pointing fingers so much.

In regards to the cartoons, I don't think that the powers that be should decide what I can and cannot see. This is the twenty-first century people, not the Dark Ages! Quit boasting about how advanced we are as a civilization only to turn around and take a babysitter approach towards citizens.

Naturally, the publication of these cartoons is going to make a lot of people angry. I say good... go ahead and get as mad as you want. It's your right and you no one can stop you. Then when you're done, maybe we can start having intelligent and meaningful debate and discussion about the issues involved. Maybe then we can talk about how we should respect and revere our religious figures. Maybe then we can realize just how stupid this whole thing has become and move on with our lives.

I have met many different people from all different walks and colours of life. I consider myself a very tolerant person and I try my best to keep an open mind when confronted with these sorts of touchy issues. If there is disagreement, there's no problem: we can easily agree to disagree and that's that.

Academic Sheep

2006-02-10T09:04:00.000-07:00

My time in university has largely been a very positive experience. The U of A is one of the finest institutions in the country but I am often taken aback at just how dumb some people are. It's mindboggling that in an age that encourages independent thought there are still so many people who must be told exactly what to do.

Yesterday, I attended what was very likely the worst lecture I have ever had in my academic career, through no fault of the instructors. We spent over half of the time fielding questions about an upcoming midterm (multiple choice) and hardly even touched on any relevant material. My annoyance is aimed squarely at a large portion of the students.

The course, dealing with urban planning, has no text book but we are provided with relevant readings (2 so far this semester) and have watched a few videos. And yet many in the class have no idea what they should be studying. Despite several attempts by the instructor to explain that we should look at the readings, our notes, and remember general concepts in the videos, hands were still raised demanding to know exactly what they should know.

To these students all that matters is the grade. They have to know that they are doing better than everyone else and they have to know exactly how to get there so that they can regurgitate the required information. When presented with a slightly less structured approach to teaching, they panic like the Apocalypse is at hand.

Maybe it's just me but I happen to feel that if you've managed to make it to university, you should be capable of using what most would call common sense. This feigned gratitude and appreciation for independence collapses at the mere mention that they might just have to do some of these things on their own.

You're not kids anymore! Mom and Dad aren't around to make sure you do your homework and help you when you have questions. Everyone has questions and shouldn't be blamed if they don't understand an important concept. But for crying out loud, this is a university! It's time to take some responsibility.

What's Up With Those Cartoons?

2006-02-08T21:48:00.000-07:00

Not a day has gone by in recent memory without at least some sort of reference to the whole Muhammed caricature fiasco. To be frank, I consider much of the response to be complete and utter insanity. Here's my take.

Firstly, I have never been a fan in any way of political correctness. I can't stand it. In fact, I hate it with a passion. I find it absolutely ridiculous that there are some people who will stop at nothing to take offense at any word, phrase, or inclination so spoken or written by individuals and the public at large. Quite honestly I see nothing wrong with saying, "Oh, look... here comes the garbageman" or anything else to that effect. If someone wants to say I'm being gender exclusive, as an example, I don't really care. No harm is meant and none should be taken.

Of course, I'm not advocating or even suggesting that we can say or do whatever we want about other people. I think that a good majority of people on this planet have enough intelligence to be able to at least have some sort of respect for the differences around them. Free speech is a wonderful privilege and I try to make it a point not to go around calling people bad names. It's simply a common courtesy. We're all entitled to opinions and I would hope that most of us are mature and responsible enough to handle and appreciate open discussion when differences arise. To those who can't, really, you should try it sometime.

I find this whole issue involving these caricatures (which I haven't seen and have only read a few brief descriptions) is developing into something it should never have become. Being a religious person myself, I naturally hold my beliefs to be very important. They are the principles that guide my life and by and large, most people I run across respect who I am and the choices that I make. If I run into someone who says something negative about me or my faith, rest assured I won't be running off smashing any windows or burning embassies to the ground. I've learned to shrug it off and I try not to take it personally. I'm entitled to believe and feel what I so choose. Every living person around me is also entitled to the same privilege.

Those who are engaging in this reckless behavior we see on the news are following their passions and they are doing nothing to promote the kind of message they claim to be defending. It's plain and simple hypocrisy and shows an unwillingness to accept others around them. It was a cartoon, people! No one was brutally murdered in the streets, the rainforests weren't suddenly burned to the ground, and all cute kittens around the world were not tragically posioned. You wanna voice your discontent? Write a letter to the newspaper. Have a peaceful protest to voice your concerns. I really don't care what you do. Violence really isn't helping anything at all and only seems to be having the effect of further entrenching people in their already existing opinions.

Hopefully things will calm down over the next little while. If not, I will continue to shake my head... and no one can stop me.

Mix-Up

2006-02-07T09:55:00.000-07:00

Just to clarify. My last post was originally intended to be on another subject on another day (Feb 5, 2006). Instead of finishing it, I simply put in a new one. The dates look odd, but you'll just have to live with it.

New Cabinet

2006-02-05T08:36:00.000-07:00

The moment many of us were waiting for came with a few more surprises than I think any of us had intended. There's a lot of talk in the news and on blogs about what happened. Here's my take.

I think that overall Prime Minister Harper chose a well-balanced and very talented group of people who will take a central role in leading this country. Look who he has on his team... Solberg, Ambrose, Cannon, McKay, Strahl, Hearn, etc. Many of them, I believe, will do a fine job.

I was jsut as surprised as anyone else at the appointment of David Emerson, a former Liberal. Naturally, this move has been very controversial and I'm torn between two reactions: the desire to laugh ot loud at theLibs (how do you like it, huh?) and an acceptance that this does look somewhat contradictory to what had been promised by the Conservatives.

There have been lots of reasons given as to why this might have happened. I tend to think that there's something more to the picture that I don't really understand. I don't believe for a second that Stephen Harper would be so stupid as to go ahead and do something that runs completely contrary to what he promised to do. The same can be said about Fortier and his new position.

My own gut feeling is that Harper and other top dogs recognized that there was a need for representation from these major urban centres (Vancouver and Montreal). Couple that with his desire to get right to work and you have what we saw yesterday. It's not an excuse and I don't think I'm buying into the alleged lies of the Tory camp as other bloggers might suggest. I think there is a strategy to this... I just don't know what it means yet.

I admit that it would be much better for both of these appointments to be put to the ballot. My only nagging thought on that is that two new elections will cost money and take time... time that I don't think the Tories want to take at this time. They want to get on with governing and I respect that. I also want the CPC and our new PM to put in place thoe measures of clean and meaningful government that he promised to deliver.

For now, I'm going to wait on this and see what happens. If the anger continues, obviously there is going to have to be some explaining to do. My own hope is that we'll soon see the wisdom of these decisions.

All Moved

2006-02-05T00:10:00.000-07:00

Spent all day yesterday and most of today making the transition into our new apartment. It isn't very far from oour last place which made th whole process a lot easier. We like the new digs very, very much and I'm sure it will work out for our growing family.

I told myself that I needed to take it easy while in move-recovery. I reached that critical point where arms and legs become absolutely useless in terms of any sort of lifting. Typing a quick note on the blog is relatively painless so I should be okay.

Is This Winter?

2006-01-31T09:35:00.000-07:00

Life indeed rolls along. Things seem to have settled into their more organized chaos with me. School is picking up and I have plenty of readings to keep me busy. My eye is almost at 100% and getting better every day. My son is healthy, my wife is happy and in less than three weeks we will be basking in the tropical sun on the island of Oahu. Yes, life is wonderful.

Politically, there isn't much on the radar. No one has died of Harper-ism and Canada as we know it continues to exist. I'm looking forward to seeing the new cabinet. In my view, it will give everyone a very good idea about the kind of country that Stephen Harper wants to build. He has a lot of very talented people to work with and I know they'll do some great things for me and for all Canadians.

We continue to enjoy this 'heat wave' in Edmonton. Before I moved up here a few years ago for school I had the expectation that winters would be pretty intense in the City of Champions. My experience has thus far been a warmer winter each year. Temperatures have only recently begun dipping below zero and even then, it isn't by much. I haven't enjoyed a winter simliar to this since my time in northern California where it wasn't a whole lot warmer (maybe between 5 and 10 degrees celsius).

I'm not complaining and I don't pretend to know what's causing it. Global warming? Something in the water? Excessive burrito consumption? Who knows. But it's times like these when I get to thinking that maybe finding the thermometer a bit warmer than usual isn't such a bad things after all.

Street Racing

2006-01-26T14:18:00.000-07:00

I just watched a report about a street-race in Ontario that resulted in the death of an innocent man. It really is sad to see stuff like this happen.

My take is this. Firstly, I think it is unfair to say that these kinds of action are the direct result of playing a particular video game. This is the fault of two people who did something extremely stupid. The blame falls squarely on them in my view.

As somewhat of a gamer myself, I consider video games to be a harmless pursuit of enjoyment. A vast majority of people I know have more than enough intelligence to distinguish between what goes on in reality and something they see on the small-screen.

I sincerely hope that these young men get what they deserve. Barring the fact that the victim was about to become a Canadian citizen, it is still a needless tragedy that should not have happened. In my mind, jail time and plenty of it can help to set things right. Maybe I sound a tad harsh but I have very little, if any, patience for those who refuse to accept the consequences of their decisions.

Oh, Ontario

2006-01-24T09:35:00.000-07:00

Maybe I'll say this now that I've had the chance to sleep on it.

I'm an Albertan. I love my country and the many great things about it. I love traveling abroad and being able to bask in the warm, glowing, warming, glow that is a profound admiration for Canada. But after carefully observing three federal elections, I don't think I will ever understand Ontario voters.

Despite everything that happened and despite the promise of something with a real potential to provide desired change, you've stuck with the devil you know as opposed to the perceived unknown.

Maybe it's just the Alberta talking but I think that's crazy.

There... I've said it. Now, let's get back to business.

Congratulations, Stephen Harper... Prime Minister of Canada!

2006-01-23T23:57:00.000-07:00

What a night to remember! After a long day scrutineering in one of the closest races of Alberta (Edmonton Strathcona) I raced over to join my friends where we watched the election unfold on the big screen. Are the results disappointing? No. Conservatism has been given a real opportunity in this country and I know that Stephen Harper will do a great job as PM.

I have a few thoughts that I will briefly comment on. Firstly, I offer my heartfelt congratulations to the parties and their candidates. Campaigns have their moments when emotions rise and tempers can flare. However, running in an election and being willing to put your name on a ballot by standing up for what you believe in takes a lot of guts.

I believe that all of the leaders were gracious and showed true character in their addresses this evening. I respect Paul Martin more at the end of the day than I did at the beginning, and it's not because he said he would resign. I think he showed real class when he acknowledged the will of the voters and was willing to step aside for the benefit of a movement that he feels very strongly in. I do not always agree with Liberal policies but I do not doubt that Mr. Martin is a good man who cares about his country. The same can be said about the other leaders.

A word to NDP supporters, though. Jack Layton was dignified... too many of you were not when you booed Stephen Harper. As far as I can tell, you were the only ones who did so. Other camps politely applauded as a show of support and respect for the vote. In my mind, you do your party a great disservice by acting in such a way. Grow up!

As for Stephen Harper and the Tories, I admit that I am thrilled with the prospect of a Conservative government. I've long felt that it would be much better for the Tories and for Canada to have a minority. Harper will have challenges and making this parliament work will be difficult. I think he can do it, though. I really think he can.

I will continue to blog. To share what insight I can into how I view the political landscape. At times I will agree, and I'm positive that I will see things that I do not support. I'm not simply going to accept everything that this government does just because I happen to support them. Democracy allows for healthy debate and discussion. I would hope that parliamentarians and people take advantage of those chances to participate and share ideas. A willingness to work together and compromise wouldn't hurt either.

I will long remember this night. I have waited for it for some time. I'm excited for the possibilities that this government can make happen for me and for Canadians.

I look forward to seeing this new chapter unfold.

Happy Ballot Day

2006-01-23T07:50:00.000-07:00

Today is the day that many of us have been waiting for for a long time. Get out to vote and sit back and watch as history is made in this great country!

Boo!!

2006-01-22T10:49:00.000-07:00

I got a kick out of this recent post on the Liberal Party website. Out of curiosity, what kind of images are conjured in your mind when you first see the words "Under the cover of darkness..."

Are you scared yet?

Some Nearly Final Thoughts

2006-01-20T17:10:00.000-07:00

There are a few issues that continue to play over in my mind. The campaing is going right down to the wire and in less than 48 hours we will more or less have a pretty good idea about the direction that our country will be heading.

Mr. Martin continues to accuse Stephen Harper and other Conservatives of harboring some secret, ultra right-wing agenda. He proudly proclaims that it is only the Liberals who will defend progressive, Canadian values from an extremist Conservative regime. Mr. Martin says that those who oppose such things as same-sex marriage, and have reservations on issues such as abortion (including myself) just don't get it. I don't consider myself an extremist... in fact, I would count myself as a pretty laid-back and easy-going guy. That Mr. Martin can continue to discriminate against those people who for whatever reason oppose such social issues, shows just how sad of an excuse of a leader he can really be.

As for the Conservatives being somewhat cautious during the past little while and heading into the final days, I don't think there is anything wrong with that. As we have seen time and time again, we have people in the media, and very often a Prime Minister who will stop at nothing to attack anything they can in order to maintain their lead. I don't think the Conservatives are worried that some of their candidates will 'spill the beans' on their alleged hidden agenda. Rather, the Tories are worried that too many people like Paul Martin will twist the truth in an attempt to portray them as something they aren't. You wanna know what the Tories are all about, go read their policy platform. Don't listen to the regurgitated vomit that freely spews from spin-meisters and an increasingly irate (and soon to be out of power) PM.

That the Liberals are apparently 'surging' in the polls and have earned the endorsement of people like Jason Cherniak, means little in the long run. Most Canadians want real change... something that the Libs are incapable of delivering. Don't take my word on it though. I think they'll see for themselves come election day.

The Gap Narrows

2006-01-19T22:15:00.000-07:00

It seems the Libs have finally got into their groove. I will hand it to Martin, he has looked much more rejuvenated as of late. The only thing that would make him look even better was if he started talking about policy instead of of that "don't vote for anything else but me" garbage. Yes, it's an election and yes, you try to earn support. It's an insult to the intelligence and integrity of Canadians when the best you can do is scare people into not voting for your opponents.

Am I worried? No. Polls are snapshots and tells a brief story into this election. Yes they show that Martin is gaining some ground, albeit for the first time in weeks. However, it's embarassing that the leader of our country enjoys much of his success spreading lies and throwing crap at the fan.

He reminds me sometimes of Grand Moff Tarkin in Episode IV of Star Wars. Yes... Grand Moff Martin with his "Fear will keep the local [people] in line" schtick.

If this is really the best that he can do, if this is really how desperate he is to be Prime Minister for just a while longer, I only hope he gets what he deserves: a swift electoral boot to the rear!

How the Tables Have Turned

2006-01-19T10:05:00.000-07:00

Just read a little bit on how the mighty Liberals, defenders of the budgetary surplus, have posted a $3 Billion dollar deficit for the month of November. Pretty rich coming from a party that equates the very idea of a deficit with everything that is evil in this world.

Check out the article at: http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=1c878ef2-eda2-488f-b2cc-b11be5a04f9a.

Their man, Buzz

2006-01-19T09:31:00.000-07:00

You know, I have to say that the more I hear Buzz Hargrove 'get political' and wade into this election, the more I question his credibility. I've never known a president of a union to be so heavily involved before now and I don't think he's really helped the Martin camp all that much.

What is he thinking when he says that it would be better for Quebecers to vote for the Bloc in order to stop the Tories and put the Libs back in power? His suggestion is ludicrous and seems to have made for some pretty awkward Martin moments from what it looked like. In my opinion, if he has any shred of intelligence he'll keep his mouth shut until after election day.

There's a good deal of talk about whether the Tories have peaked. I think that the Liberals apocalyptic forecasts have had somewhat of an effect. Howver, I'm trying not to be overly concerned about this. I think Canadians are smart enough not to fall for Liberal desperation again. If anything, the variance among different polls shows that this will be an exciting race. What's more exciting for me is that fact that the Conservatives are maintaining their lead. I think that confirms what many people have been saying: the mood for change is real and it will very likely make a difference come election day.

Fundamental Flop

2006-01-16T21:59:00.000-07:00

Today has been a bit of a challenging day for me. I will say that the surgery went well and that there were no complications. My left eye is very, very tender and I 've had to learn how to go about my daily activities without such things as depth perception. It's a funny thing that depth perception... we don't realize how difficult things can be without it.

I just watched an interview with Paul Martin by CTV anchor, Lloyd Robertson. What a farce! There were about three phrases you could count on hearing him say, regardless of the given topic: fundamental(ly), values, and "I've gotta tell ya." In fact, you could probably apply these simple phrases to the entire Liberal platform and, that's right, talk like the Prime Minister. For example: "Now, I've gotta tell ya that fundamentally what we have got to do about (insert important election issue) as Canadians is fundamentally make a dinstinction about values." You get the idea.

I'm sure Paul Martin is a nice guy personally, but he's got to rely on more than just the play button in order to make a point. Fundamentally.

The Home Stretch

2006-01-15T23:20:00.000-07:00

Things continue to look good for the Tories. New polls show that the Conservatives have increased their lead since the releast of the Liberal attack ads. With a lead of 13 points (40 to the Libs 27) it would appear that change is coming, and coming quite quickly from what I can tell.

My wife and I have enjoyed delivering flyers around the area. We also had the privilege of scrutineering for advance polls open last night. Maybe it's just me, but I tend to enjoy anything where I have to take an oath of secrecy before I begin.

On an entirely non-political note, tomorrow I head to the Royal Alexandra Hospital for corrective eye-surgery. I had been diagnosed with cranial nerve IV palsy, a condition which gave my eyes the uncanny ability to look in different directions when I glanced to my right. We figured that before this messed with my mind too much, I would go ahead and get it fixed. At this point I still have a few questions but I'm only a little nervous about tomorrow. That's right, just a little.

Tory Platform

2006-01-13T13:22:00.000-07:00

The Conservatives (finally) unleashed their platform today. I glanced through the document and there are a lot of things I'm happy about such as the Accountability Act, increased defence spending, etc. I have to admit that it's been a tad surprising to see just how much spending there actually is. I'm no expert on fiscal policy but this is my own humble take on the situation.

I've skimmed through some of the other blogs and seen a variety of responses to the platform. Some have stated that it appears as if there's little to differentiate between Liberal and Tory policy. I tend to think that it's a bit more complicated.

Government looks like it just might remain somewhat large for the time being. However, I believe the Tories will make efforts to slowly reduce the size of the bureaucracy. The kinds of changes expected by the more conservative element within Tory supporters will take some time to implement. Canadians as a whole like big government... we like to know that we have a system in place to take care of our needs.

This is where politics comes in. Think of the outcry if Harper were to all of a sudden go on a slashing spree, cutting here and cutting there. In this country, it probably wouldn't fare too well among the general population, even though I happen to think that program cuts are not always a bad idea.

I'm not saying that the Conservative Party of Canada needs to sell-out to the socialist masses just to secure and maintain power. Let's just keep in mind that 13 years of rule by the Liberals have created certain expectations across the country. I say give the Tories some time to distance themselves from the previous regime. Before we start picking apart their platform, let's see what they can do about implementing it.

I Almost Feel Sorry

2006-01-12T22:08:00.000-07:00

Today was very busy on the campaign. This was probably the most true in the Liberal camp. With a full day of photo-ops and interviews, I'm sure Paul Martin hoped that he would be able to turn things around. He couldn't. The Conservatives went up in the polls to widen the lead to 12 points, and the 'Apocalypse Canada' ad dominated the agenda.

I also find it interesting that big Liberal events are not as well attended these days. And as for those who are there, well, they don't look too happy or enthusiastic. It's a pretty sharp contrast from the Liberal Party we saw back in November, almost rejoicing during the non-confidence motion.

Paul Martin is looking tired, and I think he's starting to face the facts that he will lost this campaign. In my view, it would take nothing short of a miracle to halt the Tory momentum and return Mr. Martin to power. There are still 10 days in this campaign, yes, but I just don't see how the Libs can do it this time.

I almost feel sorry... but I don't.

Our PM is a Moron

2006-01-12T14:51:00.000-07:00

The more I hear Paul Martin talk these days, the more I often have the urge to hit myself with blunt objects in the hopes that while unconscious none of his'intelligent' arguments will find their way into my fragile mind. Numerous blogs have talked now about how Mr. Martin personally approved each and every one of their new ads. By now, you're all familiar with the alleged happenings: the ad was made, then pulled, then the Libs claimed the as wasn't going to run, and that it wasn't an official ad... bla bla bla. Now we hear from his Deputy PM that all the ads were approved, except for that one (the military ad). Just makes you kind of wonder who really knows what they're talking about.

As for these new Conservative woes, I'm not overly concerned. While the Libs will do everything they can to blow these issues out of proportion I don't think it will work this time around. The Tories just have too much momentum and too much of a lead for some minor issues to throw them off of their game. I think the only thing that will work this time for Paul Martin is if Stephen Harper actually did those things he's been accused of.

I'm curious to see what the latest polling numbers will be. In my book, they will more or less show how well the Liberal ads worked, or much more likely, didn't at all.

Backlash

2006-01-11T12:44:00.000-07:00

Everybody I've talked to lately has had some pretty unfavorable attitudes towards the Libs latest ad campaign. For anyone who hasn't seen yet, Daimnation! has posted some alternate Lib attacks. Maybe these didn't make it to the cutting room floor either. We just don't know.

Debate en Francais

2006-01-10T20:59:00.000-07:00

I wanted to make it a point to check out tonight's debate as I expected there would be healthy discussion on just how ridiculous Martin's 'notwithstanding' pledge is. Not being a French speaker, it was a little challenging to get a feel for the debates... I couldn't sense the emotion and energy through the translators the way a native speaker could. I do think though that Stephen Harper did everything that he needed to. He kept his cool and laid out his policy priorities for Quebec and for Canada.

My favorite part of the evening came in the analysis after the debate. Mike Duffy was with his usual panel of party strategists, including the illustrious John Duffy with the Liberals. There was a lot of discussion about how negative the new Liberal ads are, particularly dealing with the spicy little piece on the military. I saw the ad myself... I thought it was one of the worst political advertsiements I've ever seen as long as I've been following politics. It gave me the impression that the Libs were trying to convince Canadians that the Tories would, with their new army, invade the country and establish a new radical right-wing regime. What a piece of advertising crap!

The Duff repeatedly questioned the Liberal strategist on why they would sink so low and use the Canadian Forces as a political pawn. I've noticed lately that when John Duffy would be asked these kind of pointed questions he would try and change the subject and accuse the media of doing little more than bring up the stuff that doesn't really matter. Tonight was no different. John Duffy got on his horse and answered, questioning once again why the Duff continues to focus on this alleged negativity. What happened next was simply magic... John Duffy was put in his place. Mike Duffy, probably one of the most easy-going political commentators in the Canadian media, went off on little John. He said that he brings up these issues because they do matter, and that it's a matter of integrity. The Duff also accused little John of trying to intimidate him during commercial breaks. Wow!! I have rarely seen such awesome moments during a Canadian election. John Duffy, once proud Liberal strategist, had been put in his place. He'd been called on his BS performance and had no alternative but to shut up. I loved it!

Liberal arrogance is betraying the very people that expected to secure another win at the polls. Harper and the Tories are well on the way to victory... Keep going, guys.

New Attack Ads

2006-01-10T15:11:00.000-07:00

Yikes! I just browsed through some of the new Liberal spots being released today. What some called Conservative attack ads don't even hold a candle when compared to these Martinite monstrosities. For me, this confirms just how desperate the Liberal camp is getting... they will stop at nothing to try and win. It's simply amazing just how much they can twist the truth in an attempt to scare people into voting for them. Yeah, seems like a real healthy democratic practice to me. Instead of raising debate and discussion to higher levels as he pleads in last night's event, Paul Martin and his team use intimidation and lies to garner support.

When Paul Martin first became leader of the Liberal party, I admit that I believed that he would do a much better job than his predecessor. When it became apparent that he was no improvement, and in fact was much worse, he became the mascot for Liberal corruption and arrogance.

Canadians know better than to trust this dribble and they deserve so much better than what Paul Martin and his team are offering. The election is less than 2 weeks away... in some ways it can't some soon enough.

The Debate, Round 2

2006-01-09T20:34:00.000-07:00

My wife and I went over to Rahim Jaffer's campign office to watch the debates with other volunteers and conservative-minded folk. I really enjoyed it and I really enjoyed the debate.

I've been anticipating these debates for some time now, especially considering the recent Conservative surges in the polls. Overall, I feel that Stephen Harper did the best job in showing Canada that he can be a leader. He stayed on topic, answered questions, and kept his cool. I can't say that about Paul Martin, who frequently dodged questions and jumped around to other issues. Once again the fear card comes out and rears its ugly head. It's a shame that there are still people who buy it.

One of the biggest surprises for me was hearing Paul Martin's pledge to get rid of the notwithstanding clause. Maybe it's just me but that seems like one of the worst ideas the Libs have had in their ever growing string of bad ideas. I think that it is an incredibly bad idea to leave the final say with the courts. They play an important role but I'm much happier knowing that elected officials are deciding the direction of this country, not appointed judges.

Helping Rahim

2006-01-06T13:07:00.000-07:00

Spent some time over the past few days delivering flyers for Rahim. My wife and I had talked for a while about getting more involved in the campaign and finally hopped on the good ship Jaffer. Our first assignment took us to a little place known at the campaign office as "Death Valley"... an area near the University of Alberta populated by more than their fair share of nurses and... students (shudder). We only got a few murderous glances in the course of our little stroll so we figure we were able to take on a bit more and picked up some more flyers this morning. It never hurts, I guess, when preparing for an upcoming door-knocking session with Rahim next Tuesday. Should be fun!

Gold for Canada, Less than Golden Behavior

2006-01-06T08:48:00.000-07:00

I didn't watch the game (even my peasant-vision doesn't always work) but I saw how Canada won a decisive victory over Russia in the World Junior Hockey Championship. I wasn't sure if they could do it with such a young team but they overcame expectations and won hearts with their spectacular performance. Congratulations! The only things that in my mind would have made the victory a little more wholesome was if Canadian fans had shown a lot more dignity during the Russia-USA match a few days previous. What, exactly, is the point of booing the United States at a hockey game, especially when the home team isn't even playing them? Once again, we self-righteously wear our prejudices and misunderstanding on our sleeves by conducting oursleves in that way. I'm really sure that those 18-year old have a lot to do with US government policy... if they really care much at all. Last I checked they came up there to play a little hockey and nothing more. These are the times when I sometimes feel a little ashamed to be a Canadian. I lived in the US for a couple of years and I was amazed at just how many Americans respected our country for the good work that it has done and does around the world. Those who notice this ridiculous anti-Americanism aren't exactly likely to maintain that opinion. You can't blame that on an unpopular administration... that fault lies squarely on the childish behavior of far too many a Canuck.

So here's to you, Mr. Robinson...

2006-01-05T18:59:00.000-07:00

I really can't tell you how much it angers me when any Liberal pundit or hack gets all self-righteous when anyone else comments on one of the many scandals that have plagued this government. I watched an interview today that involved Mike Robinson, one of Paul Martin's advisors. When asked about the Income Trust affair he brushed it off and essentially said this was a non-issue, saying that it was the press who kept wanting to bring this up. When attacked by Joy MacPhail (another voice I tire of hearing) and/or David Frum, he pulled the innocent card and very regally questioned how these people would dare question the integrity of the Prime Minister. Sorry, Mike.... I don't trust him and I know a lot of other Canadians who don't either. You just aren't in a position where you can say that Canadians don't want to talk about these issues. You and every other Liberal are the ones who don't want to discuss the fact that time and time again you have betrayed the trust of Canadians from across this country. Maybe you should start advising your boss to start taking more responsibility for what happens under his watch.

Good Read

2006-01-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

I just finished a new book that I got for Christmas. I don't get enough opportunity to read for leisure anymore... too much time is often consumed by textbooks and we all know how fun those can be. State of Fear by Michael Crichton turned out to be much more informative for me than I had originally expected.
I've long enjoyed Crichton's writing... he can go into incredible detail and still keep it entertaining. This particular work dealt with the idea of global warming. Admittedly, it is primarily a work of fiction but I have to say that I've had many misconceptions about global warming defused in the course of my reading. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in hearing something other than the doom-and-gloom messages we are so often bombarded with by sensationalist environmentalists through an all too willing media. I was simply reminded of the fact that we really don't have a clue when it comes to environmental preservation and control. There are just too many factors to consider and unfortunately, too much bias in the science we often see. I should state that neither myself or Mr. Crichton are staunchly opposed to those efforts that exist to give help to a world that in my mind desperately needs it. What I admire about this book was just how it was able to have open and frank discussion of the issues without all that unnecessary hysteria. It's highly refreshing.
It's also been a busy day on the campaign. I'll have to write more later after I've checked more of the news.

Let the Mayhem Begin

2006-01-03T22:21:00.000-07:00

I'm actually kind of glad to see things moving with the election again. Phase 2 of the campaign, as it's often been called, produced some very different starts among the various parties. From articles I've read and interviews I've watched, it seems much of the talk has been centered on how close this election is becoming. The Conservatives have the momentum right now and I think for very good reason. They've run a solid campaign so far and I really believe that more and more Canadians are starting to take a look at what the Tories are offering.
I had a good laugh when I heard some of Paul Martin's attacks. The Libs just can't resist pulling up the ghosts of the past. I mean, come on... "Don't vote for that other guy because he's different and a long time ago he said these nasty things." That's like me back in elementary school, pulling out the "you're not invited to my birthday party" card. In my opinion, it just doesn't show a great deal of vision. Let's talk about policy, guys. I'm sure Paul's said more than his share of dumb things in his day. The fact that the Liberals are relying on old sound bytes suggests to me that they're having a hard time coming up with things to criticize from today.
As for the new Conservative 'attack ads,' I happen to really, really like them. I like them far better than the first ads that were coming out. I think the new ad is quite unique, and catchy to boot. It uses words from the 'Honorable' Prime Minister, headlines from a national newspaper, and a report from a judge to get their point across. Let's not forget that a lot of Canadians have been upset by what the Libs have done. Frankly, I find it amazing that despite all that's happened there a still so many who are willing to support them. I think you'd be pretty hard pressed to find another devloped democracy that would permit the continued governance of such a corrupt entity.
I think the Libs are starting to scramble a little bit and rightly so. For the first time in more than a decade they are facing the very real prospect of losing and having to account for their actions while in power. The call for change is getting stronger and I look forward to seeing it happen.

Back to Edmonton

2006-01-02T15:30:00.000-07:00

It feels good to be back at my computer... how I've missed my little black box. In any case, it was a great holiday and I was glad to be able to spend some time with my family. Now that I'm home I can get back to blogging, apartment managing and dealing with that nice little repair bill for our car.
I don't have much to say at the moment about the campaign. I am encouraged by recent polls which show the Liberals and Conservatives in a virtual dead heat. Whatever the outcome it is going to be one exciting race. I'm sure that the next few weeks are going to be pretty intense... let's hope it doesn't get too nasty.

Finally Home!

2005-12-23T16:38:00.000-07:00

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

2005-12-21T01:33:00.000-07:00

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

2005-12-19T20:03:00.000-07:00

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

2005-12-18T22:20:00.000-07:00

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

2005-12-18T12:59:00.000-07:00

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

2005-12-18T00:53:00.000-07:00

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

2005-12-16T21:43:00.000-07:00

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

2005-12-15T18:29:00.000-07:00

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?

2005-12-15T00:10:00.000-07:00

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!

2005-12-14T15:05:00.000-07:00

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

2005-12-14T09:34:00.000-07:00

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

2005-12-12T22:50:00.000-07:00

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

2005-12-11T08:48:00.000-07:00

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

2005-12-09T22:24:00.000-07:00

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

2005-12-08T23:08:00.000-07:00

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...

2005-12-08T15:06:00.000-07:00

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.

2005-12-08T11:40:00.000-07:00

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!

2005-12-07T22:19:00.000-07:00

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?