Dion Weakens a Nation

Stephane Dion: What were his real motives?


"All you did was weaken a country today, Kaffee. That's all you did. You put people's lives in danger. Sweet dreams, son." - Col. Jessep (Jack Nicholson, A Few Good Men)





When the House voted on the Conservative government's motion to extent some vital parts of the anti-terror legislation, this quote began repeating over and over in my head. Well, not exactly - 'Kaffee' was replaced by 'Dion' - but you get the idea. In a move so unbelievably political that even some well-respected members of his own Party can't wrap their heads around it, opposition Liberal leader Stephane Dion chose to crack the whip and make his M.P.s vote against the motion. Even more baffling is the reasoning they have given for this about-face: the provisions being voted on went too far and violated citizen's civil rights. Let me say this again so we are clear: the Liberals, who created the anti-terror law with these very same provisions in place, now think that they step on people's freedoms and therefore must be scrapped. So it's okay when it's a Liberal government, but it suddenly becomes a hideous law when the Tories are in power?

This flip-flop is just the latest in a series from the opposition party. Their position on the Afghanistan issue can't even be pinned down as it seems to jump from place to place on a daily basis. I understand that when a new leader takes control of a political party there is a period of adjustment. Time is needed for all of the ducks to get in a row behind the new head honcho. Dion has had that time, and how he's doing as a leader came through loud and clear today when a handful of his own M.P.s went against their leader's command and either abstained from the vote, or even sided with the government. Given that deputy leader Michael Ignatieff was firmly planted in his seat during the vote, wouldn't you love to be a fly on the wall during the next Liberal shadow cabinet meeting? I can almost hear it now - Dion's squeaky frenglish voice filling the air.....his loyal followers turning away in an attempt to hide their chuckles.....

The serious aspect of Dion's attempt to plant his leadership flag is what the result does to our safety. From the hindrance it creates in the attempt to finally get to the bottom of the decades-old Air India attack to the softening of our everyday national security, Stephane Dion has made the gamble of his young leadership. It is only natural, given that many of his fellow Liberals (including the Liberal-dominated Senate), would fall out of step with their leader on this issue. More than that, it makes you question just what his motives were. Why would Stephane Dion suddenly dig in so deep on this issue? What is his alterior motive? You can't help but wonder if there was something to that celebrated Vancouver Sun article.

This just might create deep divisions within the Liberal Party that could not only cost Dion the next federal election, but his own fledgling leadership as well.

Hugging a Tree Near You...

More Random Rants

With Harper's personal approval rating going up and up, could the image of Canada as a natural leftwing nation be changing?........The Liberal dominated Senate continues to stall on the question of reforming the Upper Chamber. Selfish politics at it's pettiest........Surprising potential allies in the Equalization fight: Alberta P.C. Premier Stelmach and Saskatchewan N.D.P. Premier Calvert........Something strange happens in the city of Edmonton: Moderate candidates become meddling leftwingers in the Mayor's chair. Mandel could be out soon........The most underrated member of the Conservative government is Edmonton Millwoods-Beaumont M.P. Mike Lake. He's young, intelligent, extremely hard-working, and is the kind of guy you trust. He is going to be a star in the near future.......With Trudeau: The Next Generation coming soon, we will be able to tell if voters put qualifications ahead of image when deciding their leaders. When Justin made his announcement that he will run in the next federal election, a collective chill ran through the entire province of Alberta........That being said, a future Leader of the Liberal Party Justin Trudeau would be the biggest gift Alberta separatists could ever ask for........Never mind what Stephen Harper might or might not have insinuated in the House of Commons. Liberal leader Stephane Dion's flip-flop on the anti-terror law, which amounts to a slap in the face to the families of the Air India victims, begs for an apology........They tell everyone that they are the party with a conscience. Now the perfect opportunity is there for the N.D.P. to prove it and vote to keep the anti-terror provisions as law........I've always supported NATO and what it stands for, but with the reluctance of many member nations to fulfill their obligations in Afghanistan the organization's credibility is suffering........I'll say it publicly: Stephen Harper's Conservative party will not only win the next election, but they will carry a slim majority........Alberta Liberal leader Kevin Taft outlined his party's platform last week. A well-written speech was delivered by a guy who is too little 'leader' and too much 'used-car salesman'. If Taft stops flogging his latest book in every interview and starts to act like the next premier, people just might start to listen........and finally, I close with Anna Nicole Smith and the circus that surrounds her death. Judging by the characters involved, from her wingnut mother to the slimy lawyer/boyfriend, I'd say that Anna is no doubt relieved to be away from these idiots.

Suzuki: Leftwing Mouthpiece

Scientists are strange animals. Stereotypically thought of as living in a black and white world where every question has an answer, they rarely stray from what is considered logical. Most keep their focus on their work, testing theories and searching for solutions to age-old problems. It isn't often that you hear of one stepping out of their comfort zone in an attempt to sway public opinion on an issue. Even less often could a 'logical-thinking' scientist be accused of trying to use their acumen and background to grab the public and media spotlight.

We have such a specimen in Canada. His name is David Suzuki.

For years, Suzuki has been a household name in this country. From hosting numerous television shows (usually on the C.B.C.) to filling the role of expert guest on others, Suzuki had built a reputation as the consummate intelligent and educated Canadian. He stuck to the science, and we always learned something new whenever we listened to him. Suzuki made the most mundane topics interesting, and for years made his show The Nature of Things one of the few programs on MotherCorp worth watching.

But something has changed with David Suzuki. With the collective conscience on all things environmental, he has lost his objectivity and become a caricature of himself. Starting around the time of the creation of Kyoto, he transformed from nice-guy t.v. host to leftwing (borderline communist?) radical who thinks that Big Business is the devil incarnate. Hearing Suzuki drone on about the horror of the Harper government makes you wonder if his fact-gathering Spidey sense has been turned off in favour of becoming nothing more than a mouthpiece for his political masters. Never admitting that the former Liberal government dropped the ball on the environment (13 years + 1 Kyoto commitment + absolutely no action = 35% higher pollution!), he instead repeatedly set the Conservative government in his sights with numerous public media attacks, while never admitting that the Conservative 'Clean Air Act' went where Kyoto dares not go: fighting actual pollution as well as greenhouse gas emissions.

Countless jibes at Stephen Harper notwithstanding, David Suzuki gives the impression that his perfect world would be truly Kyoto-based, with Canada handing over endless amount of cash in the ill-advised 'credit' system to third-world nations; a Canada with clear skies, no cars, and numbing unemployment. In other words, no rightwing thinkers and no Alberta. What makes Suzuki scary is the reputation that he still holds with many in our nation. Relying on his past, Suzuki now feels compelled to tell us all how we should live. Gone are the fact sheets and the logical thinking, replaced by unabashed devotion to all things Al Gore-ish. Never answering the tough questions such as how our economy could survive the Kyoto fallout, he blabs on about the evilness of Alberta's oil industry.

In time perhaps Canadians will see through Suzuki's rantings and see him for what he has become: a leftwing propaganda tool whose credibility sinks with each passing swipe at the government. Stick with teaching us about the life cycle of the fruit fly, David. Leave the environment issue to those who don't have a hidden political agenda.

Latest Threat Close to Home

I fear a future 'I told you so' moment forming. For a while now, myself and other like-minded writers have been warning that Canadians have been taking the threat of terrorism much too lightly. I have experienced examples of the liaise-fare attitude from our fair citizens as far back as the day after the 9/11 attacks, when I heard my first 'it's their problem' comment. When subsequent attacks happened in Britain and Spain, we took a passing glance then moved on. Even when some of our own citizens were arrested - an alleged homegrown pro-Islamic terrorist cell - in Ontario, we read the headlines with more amusement than concern.

In 2002, Osama bin Laden included Canada in a list of countries that al-Qaeda considered targets. Pro-American, pro-Israeli, free Western nations are a scourge to the Islamic murderers, and Canada falls into that category. But too many Canadians write-off any kind of threat as unthinkable, as if being a self-proclaimed 'multi-cultural' nation with a recent history of military neutrality makes us somehow immune. Tainted with their unabashed anti-American slant, many of our pseudo-intellectual elite go so far as to give blame to an attack that hasn't even happened yet: "...it's because we are in Afghanistan.", or: "....it's because we are too friendly with those bastard Americans."

This week a Saudi Arabian-based al-Qaeda website posted a fresh call to arms for Islamic militants around the world, calling on them to 'choke the American economy' by attacking suppliers of oil to the United States. Specifically, it names Canada, Mexico, and Venezuela as the three target nations to consider. An attack in Canada, by definition, means an attack in Alberta. Our energy sector experiencing the biggest boom in our history, and our oil output is skyrocketing. A terrorist strike here would have an effect on the American economy, but it would likely cripple the Canadian one. Given that Alberta is the driving force behind the national numbers, even a moderate strike could be potentially devastating.

Will we start taking the repeated threats seriously before or after the unthinkable happens on Alberta soil?

Licia Nails It

I like hearing my own big yap ranting on from topic to topic more than anyone I know, so it is rare that I try to bring attention to another writer's work (unless it is the usual leftwing nut blabbing on). After reading Licia Corbella's article in February 11ths Edmonton Sun, I felt compelled to share it with as many people as possible.

In the article titled: Cooking the books: Why aren't the media exposing this?, lovely Licia goes where few journalist dare go: questioning not only the current global warming hype, but those behind the movement as well.

Without giving too much away, I'll just let you know that there is some juicy information contained within that may come as a bit of a shock to you. (Clue: check out what former V.P. Al Gore came clean about!)

Read the column here:
http://www.edmontonsun.com/Comment/2007/02/11/3586990-sun.html

NEP II: A Scary Resurrection

Turner the Perfect Liberal

Halton, Ontario M.P. Garth Turner's announcement that he was joining the federal Liberal Party was about as surprising as the sun rising in the morning. The perpetual spotlight-seeking maverick has long had a history of making headlines, usually due to his penchant for spewing off controversial statements. Thrown out of the Conservative caucus last year, Turner has sat as an independent in the House of Commons for the past few months. The only question those few who were interested had was whether he would reveal himself as a true liberal (he still likes to refer to himself as a 'progressive'. Kinda scary when an elected official can't tell the difference between the two), or make a splash by joining with the fledgling Green Party. There was some speculation out of Ottawa that Turner might turn to the Greens, perhaps more for the free publicity than for their policies.

Given Turner's repeated claim to be the guy who puts his constituents wishes above that of any party he may belong to, I wondered how he was going to get around the whole floor crossing bi-election issue. Much was made out of the recent defections of a couple of Liberal members to the ruling Conservatives, with opposition M.P.s calling the moves 'undemocratic' and demanding that bi-elections be held so that the people could decide if they wanted to continue to support the members in question. My impression was that Garth Turner was one of those in favor of that idea. It wasn't until I read Turner's blog that it became clear.

According to Turner, he won't resign and run in a bi-election unless the other floor crossers (David Emerson and Wajid Khan) agree to do so as well. He then goes on to blame Prime Minister Stephen Harper for his about-face. In a grandiose blog post, Turner wrote:

"If I resign immediately, the prime minister can leave my voters held hostage for up to six months without a by-election and without an MP, which could well mean they’re not represented at all until after the next election. Excuse me if I do not trust Stephen Harper, but I don’t." So, in essence, Turner is saying that he has no choice but to speak out of the other side of his mouth because of that big, bad P.M.

So let's review: Garth Turner squabbles with his own party, gets kicked out, does everything he can to grab media attention, attempts to claim the high ground over others who have done the exact same deed, breaks his word, says one thing then does the opposite, insults the intelligence of the voting public, and blames Stephen Harper for the whole mess. It sounds to me like Garth Turner is the epitome of a classic Liberal.