Canadians Deserve Better

Canadians Deserve Better

London, Ontario - Wednesday, March 20, 2002 - by: Chris Blackman

who
cares
This week the results of the Reform-Alliance leadership race are to be announced. Many are asking, "Who will win?" But the smart question is, "Who cares?" And the question of signifigance for the country is, "Who suffers?"

protest
party
The truth is the Reform-Alliance can never hope to represent anything more than a protest party, and it just doesnt matter a hill of beans who the leader is. They could elect God to lead the party into the next election, and you'd still have a Western based far right protest party with sixty some elected members, at best. After careful consideration are there many differences between the goals of the Bloc, and those of the Reform-Alliance?

nothing
to offer
The reality is, the voters in the prized politcal landscape of Canadian federal politics that is Ontario, and Quebec just aren't buying what the Reformers out of the West are selling.

grassroots
Isn't it deliciously ironic when the party that claims to be the champion of the grassroots member has failed to make sure each of its members will have a ballot in order to cast a vote in their leadership election?

free
ride
This has been a failed experiment in government forming. And while all this ill advised political posturing is taking place on the Right, the Jean Chretien Grits are basically enjoying a free ride in Ottawa. The Grits have an endless supply of 'get out of jail free' cards' supplied by an Official Opposition too busy trying to redifine itself, and without time to hold the Liberals to account.

Canadians
suffer
This means Canadians are the ones who suffer. Canadians on the Left, Right, from the Centre, and those who just don't care about politics.

concerns
At a time when there is no shortage of areas of concern.

airlift
lacking
Canada lacks the airlift capability to move members of our Armed Forces to locations around the world. That’s dangerous for a nation like Canada that plays an active role in the defense of human rights on the world stage. Canada’s Prime Minister seems content to rent equipment we do not have in our own Armed Forces from time to time as needs arise. That’s fine and seems to make sense when everything is going smoothly — but this equipment and these capabilities are needed by brave Canadian troops risking their lives in often-hostile environments in foreign theatres. Has the Prime Minister considered the possibility we may need to evacuate our troops — people who are his constituents, and whose lives he is responsible for — out of a hostile and dangerous situation, and may not have the luxury of making an appointment with our British and American Allies?

unfair
Is it fair to place our troops, and our Allies in such a position?

Denmark
It’s a shame all of our foreign engagements do not take place in Denmark. We know this government has no trouble in sending people off to Denmark. In what surely must be considered a slap in the face to the professional and skilled members serving in Canada’s diplomatic core, the Prime Minister shipped off a disgraced Minister from his Cabinet when he appointed Alfonso Gagliano to Denmark to act as Canadian Ambassador. Begs the question, what did Denmark do to the Prime Minister?

out of
order
Before the foreign affairs committee recently, the Liberal dominated group ruled that no questions pertaining to Mr. Gagliano’s twenty-five year political career would be allowed, and all such questions were subsequently ruled ‘out of order’. This is the kind of politics that only makes sense to Grits. These Liberals should be ashamed for making a farce out of the process.

legacy
Wonder what Lester Pearson would think of Jean Chretien’s show of contempt for Canada’s foreign service? The Prime Minister loves to name drop, and refer to the Canadian famous for winning the Nobel Prize, and resolving Suez Crisis, simply as ‘Mike’. Wonder what Lester ‘Mike’ Pearson thinks of his prodigy now?

excuse
The Grits paid $550,000 for a report they first couldn’t find. Sounds like the “dog ate my homework” excuse offered by a young student. We do not accept such excuses from young people, and we shouldn’t accept them from our government either.

identical
reports
Conjuring up images of a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat, the Grits announced with great pride the much talked about report had miraculously appeared. All seemed to be forgotten, until the Rt. Hon. Joe Clark pointed out in the House of Commons, the new draft of the report was virtually identical to a report these same Liberals had previously paid the same Grit friendly firm $500,000 to produce.

"its not
my money"
To be fair, $500,000 for a photocopy seems an excessive amount of public money to spend even for the Grits — until one considers the remarks of Prime Minister Jean Chretien recently when asked about the massive costs of renting planes with the ability to airlift Canadian troops, equipment and supplies, “It’s not my money.”

mismanaged
Canadian waters are currently being over-fished by foreign vessels, and as a result Canadians in the industry are finding it difficult to make a living. Foreign government subsidies of the agricultural industry seriously threaten the family farm in Canada. Trade issues with the Americans surrounding PEI potatoes, and softwood lumber negatively affect tens of thousands of Canadians. All of these issues are being seriously mismanaged by the Grits — but our PM does currently have the lowest handicap of any Canadian Prime Minister in the history of the nation. Sadly, Prime Minister Chretien seems more interested in golf, than in tackling serious issues facing the country.

constitutional
guarantees
All of this without the mention of the Canadian Prime Minister's "Where's Waldo?" approach to dealing with serious issues like health care, and education. These areas are the jurisdiction of the provinces only to the extent that weak kneed politicians in Ottawa choose to let them be - for the Constitution guarantees Canadians receive good government, and its the prerogative of the Federal Government to make sure they receive it.

movement
or
party
Stock Day wins tonight on the first ballot. Congrats to the Reformers for re-electing a tremendous leader for a political movement, but someone who clearly lacks the ability to appeal to a broadly based coalition of Canadians necessary to form a national government. There is after-all, a very important distinction to be made between a political 'movement', and a political 'party'.

meaningless
While they are popping champaigne at the Day H.Q., and celebrating the meaningless victory, they will be derelict in their duties to hold the government of the day responsible for its actions. As a result, Canadians will continue to suffer.

Canadians deserve better.

Chris Blackman



Canadians Deserve Better

London, Ontario - Wednesday, March 20, 2002 - by: Chris Blackman

who cares	This week the results of the Reform-Alliance leadership race are to be announced. Many are asking, "Who will win?" But the smart question is, "Who cares?" And the question of signifigance for the country is, "Who suffers?"

protest party	The truth is the Reform-Alliance can never hope to represent anything more than a protest party, and it just doesnt matter a hill of beans who the leader is. They could elect God to lead the party into the next election, and you'd still have a Western based far right protest party with sixty some elected members, at best. After careful consideration are there many differences between the goals of the Bloc, and those of the Reform-Alliance?

nothing to offer	The reality is, the voters in the prized politcal landscape of Canadian federal politics that is Ontario, and Quebec just aren't buying what the Reformers out of the West are selling.

grassroots	Isn't it deliciously ironic when the party that claims to be the champion of the grassroots member has failed to make sure each of its members will have a ballot in order to cast a vote in their leadership election?

free ride	This has been a failed experiment in government forming. And while all this ill advised political posturing is taking place on the Right, the Jean Chretien Grits are basically enjoying a free ride in Ottawa. The Grits have an endless supply of 'get out of jail free' cards' supplied by an Official Opposition too busy trying to redifine itself, and without time to hold the Liberals to account.

Canadians suffer	This means Canadians are the ones who suffer. Canadians on the Left, Right, from the Centre, and those who just don't care about politics.

concerns	At a time when there is no shortage of areas of concern.

airlift lacking	Canada lacks the airlift capability to move members of our Armed Forces to locations around the world. That’s dangerous for a nation like Canada that plays an active role in the defense of human rights on the world stage. Canada’s Prime Minister seems content to rent equipment we do not have in our own Armed Forces from time to time as needs arise. That’s fine and seems to make sense when everything is going smoothly — but this equipment and these capabilities are needed by brave Canadian troops risking their lives in often-hostile environments in foreign theatres. Has the Prime Minister considered the possibility we may need to evacuate our troops — people who are his constituents, and whose lives he is responsible for — out of a hostile and dangerous situation, and may not have the luxury of making an appointment with our British and American Allies?

unfair	Is it fair to place our troops, and our Allies in such a position?

Denmark	It’s a shame all of our foreign engagements do not take place in Denmark. We know this government has no trouble in sending people off to Denmark. In what surely must be considered a slap in the face to the professional and skilled members serving in Canada’s diplomatic core, the Prime Minister shipped off a disgraced Minister from his Cabinet when he appointed Alfonso Gagliano to Denmark to act as Canadian Ambassador. Begs the question, what did Denmark do to the Prime Minister?

out of order	Before the foreign affairs committee recently, the Liberal dominated group ruled that no questions pertaining to Mr. Gagliano’s twenty-five year political career would be allowed, and all such questions were subsequently ruled ‘out of order’. This is the kind of politics that only makes sense to Grits. These Liberals should be ashamed for making a farce out of the process.

legacy	Wonder what Lester Pearson would think of Jean Chretien’s show of contempt for Canada’s foreign service? The Prime Minister loves to name drop, and refer to the Canadian famous for winning the Nobel Prize, and resolving Suez Crisis, simply as ‘Mike’. Wonder what Lester ‘Mike’ Pearson thinks of his prodigy now?

excuse	The Grits paid $550,000 for a report they first couldn’t find. Sounds like the “dog ate my homework” excuse offered by a young student. We do not accept such excuses from young people, and we shouldn’t accept them from our government either.

identical reports	Conjuring up images of a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat, the Grits announced with great pride the much talked about report had miraculously appeared. All seemed to be forgotten, until the Rt. Hon. Joe Clark pointed out in the House of Commons, the new draft of the report was virtually identical to a report these same Liberals had previously paid the same Grit friendly firm $500,000 to produce.

"its not my money"	To be fair, $500,000 for a photocopy seems an excessive amount of public money to spend even for the Grits — until one considers the remarks of Prime Minister Jean Chretien recently when asked about the massive costs of renting planes with the ability to airlift Canadian troops, equipment and supplies, “It’s not my money.”

mismanaged	Canadian waters are currently being over-fished by foreign vessels, and as a result Canadians in the industry are finding it difficult to make a living. Foreign government subsidies of the agricultural industry seriously threaten the family farm in Canada. Trade issues with the Americans surrounding PEI potatoes, and softwood lumber negatively affect tens of thousands of Canadians. All of these issues are being seriously mismanaged by the Grits — but our PM does currently have the lowest handicap of any Canadian Prime Minister in the history of the nation. Sadly, Prime Minister Chretien seems more interested in golf, than in tackling serious issues facing the country.

constitutional guarantees	All of this without the mention of the Canadian Prime Minister's "Where's Waldo?" approach to dealing with serious issues like health care, and education. These areas are the jurisdiction of the provinces only to the extent that weak kneed politicians in Ottawa choose to let them be - for the Constitution guarantees Canadians receive good government, and its the prerogative of the Federal Government to make sure they receive it.

movement or party	Stock Day wins tonight on the first ballot. Congrats to the Reformers for re-electing a tremendous leader for a political movement, but someone who clearly lacks the ability to appeal to a broadly based coalition of Canadians necessary to form a national government. There is after-all, a very important distinction to be made between a political 'movement', and a political 'party'.

meaningless	While they are popping champaigne at the Day H.Q., and celebrating the meaningless victory, they will be derelict in their duties to hold the government of the day responsible for its actions. As a result, Canadians will continue to suffer.

	Canadians deserve better.

Chris Blackman