Peter MacKay is in the news. Again. This time some big deal about a hotel bill in Munich, apparently his room was about 8 times as expensive as other rooms in other hotels nearby occupied by some of his staff.
I have a feeling we are making too much of this,we probably (media) should pick a few other targets. That's the trouble with a nonexistent or poorly defined opposition, we zero in on a few visible interesting individuals until other newsworthy moments show up.
As if the free helicopter rides by rescue training service members was not enough, we now scrutinise some old hotel bills, big deal indeed.
I would be much more concerned with the stupid and almost idiotic duplication of sending three (yes 3) government jets, with three officials to some function recently, all three originating in Ottawa to the same destination, Toronto I believe. A bit of co-operation and co-ordination could have saved some expensive jet fuel which in the form of heating oil could have been routed to one of our needy Indian or Native population villages.
But, back to Peter for a minute.
A Star guy with an obvious rug on the tube the other night referred to Peter as a lightweight,the Priminister likes him to be there when the ships come home. Funny .He's good looking, well I'm not sure about that comment.
If I have one complaint about Peter the munitions minister it would be, that:
A while back MrMacKay had a meeting with Arnold of California, the former governator and interestingly enough, during the conversation....on TV, Peter commented on having a common border with California. Bad.South of BC the US State is Washington state,with Microsoft, Boing close enough for Vancouverites to go shopping there.Then there's another state south of it...you look it up. And only then to the south there is California with it's population somewhat larger than that of Canada. Peter should indeed brush up on his geography.And interestingly enough Arnold Schwarzenegger did not even flinch when he heard that comment.
One more thing about Peter MacKay. He is probably the reason the Conservatives are the conservatives at all and in power at the moment. Why you ask? After two majority elections some years ago won by Mr.Malroney the party was almost totally wiped out at the end of the second term. Two seats were the resuls of this horrendous contest, the Liberals won and stayed in power for a long time.You may recall that the only re-elected PC at that time was the fellow who turned Liberal and eventually ended up running Quebec as it's premier. The other seat was won by a popular former Halifax lady mayor. The point is that the party was totally wiped out and at the end of the slow rebuilding process young Mr.MacKay was the leader, but still with only a handful, of elected MP's.
A mister Manning started the new reform party in Alberta I believe and eventually reform and it's members,doctrine, aims and aspirations merged with the lonely handful of rebuilding PS's and the Progressive Party, eventually with it's new emerging leader Mr.Harper was re-born.
9.12.11
The difference between liberals and conservatives
The question is
is it possible to give a nice, neat
explanation of where liberals and conservatives (the ideologies, the "left" and
the "right" )
fundamentally differ?
As we all know in this country, the recent federal election has finally given the PC's Federal Progressive Conservative party the numbers needed to rule for a while. Good? Bad? it's hard to tell. There will be four years of conservative rule, the man at the top, Mr. Steven Harper.This is the party to the right..generally that is supposed to mean less government than the more socialistic leaning parties.. to the left.Liberals to the left, New Democratic Party (NDP) to the more far left..sort of.
In the process; the last opposition( Liberals) has been banished to number three. Their leader,a well educated and intelligent fellow could not even manage to get a seat and after the election promptly resigned.( Michael Ignatiev)..They say he's been out of the country too long qualify for the job. Teaching political science at Harvard I believe...for 25 years or so. Somehow or other, their last leader in power ( Paul Martin) managed to alienate the left wing of the party (Miss Cobbs group).
As well, during the last election the once popular Bloc Party in Quebec which was established solely to take the province out of Canada ( Separatist Party) has been all but wiped out.
And in the process of realignment and Quebec making peace with the rest of the country, more or less the NDP with their cancer stricken leader, Mr.Jack Layton (who shortly after the election passed away) managed to become the official opposition. Imagine, the opposition party without a leader.
And so today we have the Progressive Conservative Party in power. ( Sort of PC, more on this later)
And the New Democratic Party, NDP without a leader in opposition.
The Liberal Party as the third party in numbers with an ex NDP fellow washed up Bob Rae, acting like the opposition.
The Bloc reduced to 3 seats in Quebec. And finally one seat for the green party their leader finally managing to get elected. (Miss Elisabeth May I believe).
As we all know in this country, the recent federal election has finally given the PC's Federal Progressive Conservative party the numbers needed to rule for a while. Good? Bad? it's hard to tell. There will be four years of conservative rule, the man at the top, Mr. Steven Harper.This is the party to the right..generally that is supposed to mean less government than the more socialistic leaning parties.. to the left.Liberals to the left, New Democratic Party (NDP) to the more far left..sort of.
In the process; the last opposition( Liberals) has been banished to number three. Their leader,a well educated and intelligent fellow could not even manage to get a seat and after the election promptly resigned.( Michael Ignatiev)..They say he's been out of the country too long qualify for the job. Teaching political science at Harvard I believe...for 25 years or so. Somehow or other, their last leader in power ( Paul Martin) managed to alienate the left wing of the party (Miss Cobbs group).
As well, during the last election the once popular Bloc Party in Quebec which was established solely to take the province out of Canada ( Separatist Party) has been all but wiped out.
And in the process of realignment and Quebec making peace with the rest of the country, more or less the NDP with their cancer stricken leader, Mr.Jack Layton (who shortly after the election passed away) managed to become the official opposition. Imagine, the opposition party without a leader.
And so today we have the Progressive Conservative Party in power. ( Sort of PC, more on this later)
And the New Democratic Party, NDP without a leader in opposition.
The Liberal Party as the third party in numbers with an ex NDP fellow washed up Bob Rae, acting like the opposition.
The Bloc reduced to 3 seats in Quebec. And finally one seat for the green party their leader finally managing to get elected. (Miss Elisabeth May I believe).
Canada, politics my views;
I've been asked..why not write more about Canada, the Canadian scene, the political situation, interaction with our people, that sort of subject subject. Pollution, ownership of our resources, industry,oilsands - fertilizer concerns and related topics need looking at I am told.
Explore and write about this they tell me, rather than question the Americans or America. Oh well.
I promise to try a bit of this, Canada from the inside...instead of looking outside the country at the USA and other parts of the world.
Politics
Frankly, our political situation at the moment is extremely weird to say the least. The PC's ( Progressive Conservative federal party) have a majority and for the foreseeable future ( 4 years until a new election is legally required) they are in charge of the country.Separation by Quebec appears to be not much of an effort by the folks of that wonderful province, during the last election they pretty well blew away the previously popular separation party The Bloc, and elected a group of NDP members making the NDP the official opposition.
The once mighty and powerful Liberal party is reduced to 3rd. party status although listening to their current temporary leader ( ex NDP Bob Ray...after a 10 year break) you would never know it.
Imagine, the NDP, being the official opposition. Their wonderful and unbelievable energetic leader Jack Leyton died of cancer shortly after being elected and the is presently operating without a new person to lead the opposition charges.
Explore and write about this they tell me, rather than question the Americans or America. Oh well.
I promise to try a bit of this, Canada from the inside...instead of looking outside the country at the USA and other parts of the world.
Politics
Frankly, our political situation at the moment is extremely weird to say the least. The PC's ( Progressive Conservative federal party) have a majority and for the foreseeable future ( 4 years until a new election is legally required) they are in charge of the country.Separation by Quebec appears to be not much of an effort by the folks of that wonderful province, during the last election they pretty well blew away the previously popular separation party The Bloc, and elected a group of NDP members making the NDP the official opposition.
The once mighty and powerful Liberal party is reduced to 3rd. party status although listening to their current temporary leader ( ex NDP Bob Ray...after a 10 year break) you would never know it.
Imagine, the NDP, being the official opposition. Their wonderful and unbelievable energetic leader Jack Leyton died of cancer shortly after being elected and the is presently operating without a new person to lead the opposition charges.
7.12.11
America...what's in the name?
America; the name... a german connection
A work of art the above map was originally produced by a German Artist, a painter and mapmaker.It should be one of the most important pieces of art in North and or South America.
The obscure map is based on the travels and explorations of an Italian monk, his name was Amerigo Vespucci. The artist put the monk-explorer-travelers name somewhere on the American map in the area which is now known a Paraguay.(1500 about, and only a few years after Columbus/ Colon discovered what he believed to be India).
The work of art clearly depicts India on the left side as being totally separate from the newly found continent. This was first time ever that the American continent, in this case mostly south America was shown as a distinctly separate continent, of course the great distance to Asia ( Indian ocean) was not known at that time.
The obscure map is based on the travels and explorations of an Italian monk, his name was Amerigo Vespucci. The artist put the monk-explorer-travelers name somewhere on the American map in the area which is now known a Paraguay.(1500 about, and only a few years after Columbus/ Colon discovered what he believed to be India).
The work of art clearly depicts India on the left side as being totally separate from the newly found continent. This was first time ever that the American continent, in this case mostly south America was shown as a distinctly separate continent, of course the great distance to Asia ( Indian ocean) was not known at that time.
11.6.11
Labour troubles & Canadapost
The new PC government is up and running. Summer recess soon. Postal strike, guess this crown corporation thing with the postal service is just another joke.
Unions are outdated, outmoded and yet a better system for labour relations has not been found. But service disruptions and even more loss of respect for our postal system is not the answer.
Unions are outdated, outmoded and yet a better system for labour relations has not been found. But service disruptions and even more loss of respect for our postal system is not the answer.
13.1.11
American wars.....
American Revolution (1775–1783) Great Britain forced its 13 American colonies to pay taxes but did not give them representation in the British Parliament. This and other injustices led the colonies to declare independence on July 4, 1776. Independence was achieved in 1783, when the Treaty of Paris was signed with Britain.
War of 1812 (1812–1815) British interference with American trade, impressment of American seamen, and “war hawks” in Congress calling for western expansion into British territory led to war. At the war's conclusion, trade issues remained unresolved, but Britain gave up some of its territorial claims on the continent.Ontario, now Canada was involved.
Mexican War (1846–1848) The U.S. annexation of Texas, and its stated desire to acquire California and other Mexican territory, precipitated this war. Mexico was forced to give up two-fifths of its territory. This land eventually became the states of California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.
Civil War (1861–1865) Economic and political rivalry between an agrarian South and an industrial North grew into a civil war fought over slavery and states' rights. Eleven states seceded from the Union to form the Confederate States of America. The Union victory led to the reunification of the country and ended slavery.
Indian Wars (colonial era to 1890) U.S. expansionism led to numerous military conflicts with the indigenous inhabitants of North America, forcing them to give up their land. The massacre at Wounded Knee, S.D., in 1890 is generally considered the last of these conflicts.
Spanish American War (1898) The U.S. supported Cuba's desire for independence from Spanish rule, and seized the opportunity to expand U.S. powers in other parts of the world. At the end of the brief conflict, Cuba gained its independence, and the U.S. gained several former Spanish territories: Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.USA built extensive road network in Cuba 1912.
World War I (1914–1918) Rivalries over power, territory, and wealth led to the “Great War.” In 1917, the U.S. joined the Allies (Britain, France, Russia, Italy, and Japan), who were at war with the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey), after German submarines began sinking unarmed ships.Outbreak of the influenca probably stopped this mad war.
World War II (1939–1945) The Axis powers—Germany, Italy, and Japan—attempted to dominate the world. The Allies (U.S., Britain, France, USSR, and others) fought to stop them. The United States entered the war in 1941, after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. Germany surrendered in 1945, and Japan surrendered later that same year, after the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Korean War (1950–1953) Communist North Korea, supported by China, invaded non-communist South Korea. UN forces, principally made up of U.S. troops, fought successfully to protect South Korea. The Korean War was the first armed conflict in the global struggle between democracy and communism, called the cold war.
Bay of Pigs (1961) The U.S. orchestrated the invasion, an unsuccessful attempt by Cuban exiles to overthrow Fidel Castro's communist regime in Cuba.President Kennedy took full responsibility for this.Miniature conflict not a war. But here it is as a point of interest.
Vietnam (1961–1973) In 1955, communist North Vietnam invaded non-communist South Vietnam in an attempt to unify the country and impose communist rule. The United States joined the war on the side of South Vietnam in 1961, but withdrew combat troops in 1973. In 1975 North Vietnam succeeded in taking control of South Vietnam.The USA inherited this mess from France; Indochina.
Dominican Republic (1965) President Lyndon Johnson sent marines and troops to quash a leftist uprising in the Dominican Republic, fearing the island nation would follow in the footsteps of Cuba and turn communist.
Lebanon (1982–1984) U.S. troops formed part of a multinational peacekeeping force to help the fragile Lebanese government maintain power.
Grenada (1983) President Reagan invaded the Caribbean nation of Grenada to overthrow its socialist government, which had close ties with Cuba.
Panama (1989) President George H.W. Bush invaded Panama and overthrew Panamanian dictator and drug-smuggler Manuel Noriega.
Gulf (1991) Iraq invaded Kuwait, and a U.S.-led multinational force came to Kuwait's aid and expelled Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's forces.
Somalia (1993) A U.S.-led multinational force attempted to restore order to war-torn Somalia so that food could be delivered and distributed within the famine-stricken country.
Bosnia (1994–1995) During the Bosnian civil war, which began shortly after the country declared independence in 1992, the U.S. launched air strikes on Bosnia to prevent “ethnic cleansing,” primarily by Serbs against Bosnians. The U.S. became a part of NATO's peacekeeping force in the region.
Kosovo (1999) Yugoslavia's province of Kosovo erupted into violence in the spring of 1999. A U.S.-led NATO force intervened with air strikes after Slobodan Milosevic's Serbian forces uprooted the population and embarked on the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo's ethnic Albanian population.
Afghanistan (2001) The Taliban government harbored Osama bin Laden and the al-Qaeda terrorist group, responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. After Afghanistan refused to turn over Bin Laden, the U.S. and UN coalition forces invaded. The Taliban government was ousted and many terrorist camps in Afghanistan were destroyed. U.S. and NATO troops remain in Afghanistan to support its fragile new government.
Iraq (2003– ) The U.S. and Great Britain invaded and toppled the government of dictator Saddam Hussein. Troops remain in Iraq to combat the insurgency that formed after Hussein's defeat.
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