Next week Albertans could be witness to the most glaring of many examples of leadership failures by our own premier, Ed Stelmach.

Hollywood director James 'Avatar(d)' Cameron is scheduled to make a visit to our vitally important (and equally vilified) oil sands operations.

Cameron, who previously referred to our oil sands as '...a black eye for Canada', then followed up with the admission that he didn't really know anything about the subject, received a letter from Premier Stelmach inviting him to tour northern Alberta.

The Hollywood director has taken up the offer - but on his schedule.  Now we see the so-called 'leader' of the province doing his best impression of a jellyfish by kowtowing to the self-proclaimed 'king of the world'.

Stelmach will be hundreds of miles away, attending the Economic Edge Summit 2010 in Gatineau, Quebec but will drop everything for the meeting - most likely at our expense.

What makes matters worse is that the meeting was set on Cameron's schedule.  Apparently, 'his people' have more pull then 'Stelmach's people'.

The only issue is that there is going to be a meeting at all.

If this is strictly a public relations move on the part of our government, then it is apparent they haven't grown any more intelligent since they purchased a half-page ad in a Washington, D.C. paper a few months back with the intention of promoting the oil sands industry.

Is there really any chance that Cameron, a native Canadian who has become the epitome of a 'limosine liberal', will suddenly do an about-face and become a vigilant supporter of our oil industry?


Not if he wants to stay on the Hollywood party list.

I wonder how James Cameron intends to make the trip.  Surely, such a staunch Earth-lover will drive a Prius to Alberta, then climb onto a bicycle for the tour, right?  Not likely.
 
Perhaps there are better ways to counter the negative image our oil sands industry has been given by groups like Greenpeace and the liberal Hollywood set.
 
Instead of having to experience the shame of watching our lame-duck leader grovel to a film maker, how about we just send James Cameron a copy of Ezra Levant's latest book 'Ethical Oil: The Case for Canada's Oil Sands', and tell him to stay the hell home.
 
That, plus replacing the Ed Stelmach government with one that would actually defend our province's interests would do more for the oil sands industry than any two-bit tour by an overblown cartoon maker.
 
 
 

My opposition the planned Cordoba house/Ground Zero/Victory Mosque/Park 51/Screw you, America mosque in New York is no secret. 

Neither is the main stream media's complicity in helping those plans along by utilizing such high journalistic examples as vilifying the 70% of Americans who oppose the mosque (racists!), reporting a purposefully-deflated number of protesters at the SIOA anti-mosque rally this past September 11th, giving soft-headed Bill Maher airtime (notice how he refuses to participate in any actual on-camera debates after being schooled the last time around?), etc.

Even a certain current president weighed in on the issue before doing his now-signature backtrack.  Must have been a faulty teleprompter.

It should come as no shock that these birds of a feather heap nothing but praise on the man behind the mosque, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf.

So, who is this character? 

It seems that when the Imam isn't spending his time in courtrooms defending himself against charges of being a slum-lord, he has found time to spew out some sound bites which speak volumes about who he is and what he really means by 'building bridges'.

Thanks to Humanevents.com, here's the top 10 radical positions taken by Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf:

1. In a “60 Minutes” interview on Sept. 30, 2001, Rauf called the United States an accessory to the 9/11 attacks.

2. During a 2005 lecture at the Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre in Australia, Rauf accused the U.S. of having more innocent blood on its hands than al Qaeda.

3. In the same 2005 lecture, Rauf pointed to the West as being responsible for much of the injustice in the Muslim world.

4. In a radio interview with Aaron Klein on 77WABC, Rauf skirted around the issue of Hamas, refusing to call it a terrorist organization.

5. The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Rauf in March 2004 saying that Christians have been more deadly than Muslims: “The Islamic method of waging war is not to kill innocent civilians. But it was Christians in World War II who bombed civilians in Dresden and Hiroshima, neither of which were military targets.”

6. During an overseas lecture, Rauf pointed to what he saw as the reasonableness of a one-state solution to the Israeli-Palestine conflict, claiming that it is, “more coherent than a two-state solution.”

7. Rauf claimed in the 2001 “60 Minutes” interview that Osama Bin Laden is a product of the United States and its policies.

8. At a pro-Palestinian conference in early 2010, Rauf said there was strong evidence supporting the claim that the 9/11 attacks were staged.

9. At the same conference, Rauf states that the Jews survived the Holocaust to be a source of even greater problems for the world.

10. While in Australia, Rauf spoke of the 72 virgins awaiting suicide bombers, and said paradise is a place of “sexual companionship to your heart's content.”

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=39041

Dear God,

You created me as a straight-talking free thinker, and it is in this manner that I pray.

As mankind marks another solemn anniversary of that dark day, I find myself an observer to troubling circumstances which I fear will continue the current dangerous path Your creation has chosen.

I pray that those who are fortunate enough to live in the free nations of the world, yet have allowed themselves to be swayed into the belief of appeasement and the blinds of denial, come to understand the truth. The enemy has long maintained that the United States would be destroyed ‘from the inside’, not necessarily through violence but through naivety and gullibility.

Today we see millions of Americans who have purposely blinded themselves to the reality of the current danger to our way of life. Political correctness, leaders who choose to promote trendy concepts and flavor-of-the-month public opinions, the naïve culture of unquestioned acceptance, the loss of morality – all have resulted in a complacent and endangered Free World.

Lord, I pray that next year there are more documentaries about the truth of radical Islam and the events of 9/11, and fewer ‘documentaries’ which create mind-poisoning conspiracy theories and untruths for entertainment. It is the ultimate insult to the survivors and to the families of the victims of that day.

I pray for the millions of Muslims who now find themselves in a divided religion; those of strong faith and do not support the ones who perpetrate acts of mass murder in the name of Allah. They know the terrorists are not true Muslims; they know that those who dare to proclaim the killing of innocent men, women, and children as a ‘Holy act’ are liars.

May they find the strength and the courage to overcome their understandable fear of reprisal and rise up against those who continue to desecrate their religion.

Lord, I pray for those followers of Islam who have been duped into believing lies. I pray for those who would commit acts of terror; those who have been convinced of the false belief that a true God would ask His children to devalue their lives so as to see their bodies as nothing more than vessels to be destroyed in the hopes of ending the lives of others.

“Convert or die” is their mantra. How deliciously ironic it would be for Your love to find its way into their hearts.

I ask that your Hand be upon those who continue to defend us from the threat. I pray for the safety of the many men and women from Canada, the United States, and the other nations of the Coalition in places like Afghanistan. Please watch over these brave soldiers as they continue to fight a war which has the possibility, thanks in part to the mistakes, selfishness, and ill-conceived decisions by our leaders, of lasting far longer and causing a much larger loss of live than absolutely necessary.

Finally, my Lord, I pray for the souls of those who came home on September 11, 2001: The innocent civilians in the Twin Towers; the emergency responders who courageously ran towards the danger and sacrificed their lives in the attempt of saving others; the passengers on the planes that were morphed into flying missiles; the heroes of Flight 93 who thwarted the plans of the terrorist hijackers. May their sacrifice be remembered.

After nine years may we finally learn the lesson of 9/11.

Amen.

In memory of those who fought the first battles in the War on Terror on this ninth anniversary of a lesson that has yet to be learned.

Random thoughts and observations as I settle in for another day of watching Edmonton Eskimo fans lose their heads wondering what's wrong with their beloved team.....

.....Calgary has outscored the Eskimos 108-20 over the past two head-to-head battles, and it doesn't get any better for them as the two teams meet again this Friday.  At the half-way mark in the season the Esks hold a record of 2-7.  When you add this to the recent fortunes of their NHL Oilers, can anyone drive by the 'City of Champions' highway signs without snickering?

......saw local Global news reader Shaye (curmudgeon) Ganam quip about America's Fox News this morning, astonished that a national network can be, in his opinion, totally onside with one political party.  I've got three letters for Shaye: C.B.C.

......Ezra Levant presents the backstory of one George Soros.  Canadians should take note - this unethical billionaire has set his sights on Canada, working to prevent the launch of the new SunTV network.  Amazing how liberals of all nations will stop at nothing to silence opposing views.

......fresh from his 'stimulus package' flop, President B. Hussein Obama has done it again with a new $50 billion plan for 'infrastructure', proving there isn't a tax dollar he isn't willing to waste.  Which will end first: his presidency or the American economy?

......I would give almost anything to be at the 'No Mosque' rally that will be held in New York on September 11th.  I'd even bring my own American flag.

......Alberta's self-described 'conservative' government approves and funds (with taxpayer dollars) an anti-oilsands smear movie, then feigns outrage.  Their defense is that they didn't want to be 'censors'.  I can count on approval for any anti-radical Islam movies that may cross their desk then?

......why won't the pro-bilingual forces in Canada be honest about their intent?  I know first-hand their concept of 'french emersion' isn't about promoting the french language, it's about promoting the French Canadian culture throughout the country, with the end goal being the creation of millions of pseudo-french.  Folks, if your culture is worth preserving, it will survive without a government mandate.  If it isn't, then it won't.

......Canada's Green Party leader Elizabeth May is predicting big gains for her party in the next federal election, and I certainly hope she's right.  The more the political left splits the vote, the better the chances for Prime Minister Stephen Harper to finally achieve his dream of a majority Conservative government. 

......What a quandary the enviroNazis must be in.  Voting in Canada is done my marking paper ballots, thereby making federal elections environmentally unfriendly.  By participating, they are killing trees.  I dig the irony.

......The group Stop Islamization of America (SIOA) could very well be the most important organization in America right now.  They face media and leftwing opposition at every turn, with cries of 'bigots' and 'racists' thrown at them on a regular basis, yet they continue to hold their ground and speak for the majority of Americans and other freedom-loving citizens throughout the free world.  It's good to know some people learned what 9/11 means.

......Come back, Dubya.  All is forgiven.

More than a decade and a half has passed since I made the decision to move away Calgary, the city in which I grew up. Being only a few hours away has made it possible to keep up to date on the buzz, issues, and B.S. about the city that I will always consider my home.

So, in response to the “who do you hope wins?” questions that have been filling my inbox, I once again saddle up my high horse and throw out the names of a few of the candidates who I’d like to see the people of Cowtown vote – and not vote for:


Ward 1

Experience matters, and that’s what Dale Hodges offers. His campaign touts his record of fiscal responsibility, and with good reason.

http://www.dalehodges.com/



Ward 4

Hands down, my choice is Jane Morgan. I’ve had the opportunity to see Jane’s work first hand, and have shared many conversations both in person and online. Calgarians would be hard-pressed to find a candidate in any race that will represent their voters with more fervor and determination. I’d like to see her eventually take a shot at the Mayor’s chair.

http://www.jane4ward4.com/



Ward 7

Anyone but Druh Farrell. Two words: Peace Bridge. Yep, we’ve heard about this idiotic thing even way up here in the Capital region. Being the driving force behind a needless expenditure of $18 million says it all. She thumbed her nose at the voters; they should return the gesture with a thumbs-down of their own.



Ward 13

Anyone but Diane ‘Bro’s (party colleagues) before Ho’s (constituents)’ Colley-Urquhart. I wonder if she’s still stinging from her embarrassing Calgary-Glenmore provincial election loss to Wildrose Alliance’s Paul Hinman? It isn’t everyday that a P.C. candidate manages to fumble a decades-long hold on a ‘safe seat’ in what has become thought of as the unofficial beginning of her party's end. Now she wants to bring that level of competence to the civic level. Um, okay. Did I mention she used to work at the HRC? Thought I’d add another nail to the coffin…



Ward 14

This one is perhaps the toughest choice of them all. There are two more-than-worthy candidates in the running. Both Peter Demong and Richard Dur would make excellent representatives for their constituents at City Hall. The fear is that the smart vote will be split between the two, allowing a less-qualified (read: liberal) candidate to go up the middle. Choose wisely. My vote would go to Richard Dur.

http://www.peterdemong.ca/
http://www.richarddur.ca/



Mayor

Barb Higgins. Kidding!! You just have to look to the current U.S. president to see what happens when the people elect ‘leadership by teleprompter’. Sorry, Barb. I loved you on CFCN, but the next Ralph Klein you ain’t. No, the choice here is between Jon Lord and Ric McIver. Lord has a sound platform and lots of political experience behind him, being both a former provincial MLA and city Alderman. McIver is leaving his role as incumbent Ward 12 Alderman for a shot at the top. Neither would be a wrong choice. Only one can win. By a very small margin, the next mayor of Calgary should be: Ric McIver.

http://www.jonlord.ca/
http://www.ricmciver.ca/

"...the trouble with our liberal friends is not that they are ignorant, but that they know so much that isn’t so."  - Ronald Reagan October 27, 1964

The above comment famously spoken by the Gipper all those years ago could easily be expanded to include this generation's environmentalists, especially when it comes to the topic of Alberta's oil sands.

Common sense tells us that we are not going to wake up tomorrow morning and, in some magical way, lose our dependency on oil.  To the chagrin of the granola-crunching masses, the watercar is eons away; granola-powered flight may never happen.

Using large birds instead of gas-guzzling 747's to travel the globe is out - PETA would see to that.

The indisputable truth is that we, today and for the foreseeable future, must use oil.  Our lives depend on it.

Therefore, the question that the softheads in the green movement must face is, whose oil do we use?

And that brings us to the knowing-so-much-that-isn't-so part.  The vilification of Alberta's 'dirty oil' continues, with the latest being yet another anti-oil sands film.

(Albertans are enraged that our own self-described 'conservative' provincial government actually helped to fund the film.  Luckily, it features Neve Campbell, which all but guarantees a minuscule audience.)

Companies like Bed, Bath, & Beyond, eager to give the impression that they actually 'care' about the environment, announce boycotts of our oil sands yet don't seem to have a problem taking that same oil-money at their cash registers from Albertan consumers.

The enviroNazis don't bother with the truth - that just gets in the way of feel-good P.R. spin.  The truth being, of course, that less than one-tenth of one percent of global emissions are a result of the oil sands.

The worst of the worst are some Albertans themselves.  They reap the benefits that come from living in an petroleum-based economy, from their income to their lifestyle, yet condemn the very source of their good fortune by falling for the misinformation and hype hook, line, and sinker.

Biting the hand that feeds 101.

So then, what is the alternative?  Oil is going to be used - that is a given.  If not from our oil sands, then from where?

The answer is the Middle East.  The alternative to Alberta's black gold is crude from such environmentally responsible nations as Saudi Arabia, Iran, etc.

Nations that have low or no human rights.  Nations which are terrorist or sponsor terrorism.  Nations where women are thought of at the same level as any other household possession.

The choice for enviroNazis is clear: oil from a free, democratic Canadian province with environmental regulations, or from unstable dictatorships whose profits will go to into the pockets of oppressive regimes and are used to fund terrorism around the world.

It really shouldn't be a choice at all.

Stelmach: to shoot oneself in the foot; to make repeated blunders.  "The government stelmached by funding the anti-oilsands film."

Wildrose: the heir to power; to ascend to the top; the next in line to lead.  "She is the wildrose of her company."

Barack: the act of promising false hope while implementing unwanted change; deception.  "He baracked the people into believing him while secretly implementing a hidden agenda."

Dubya: something that was once considered wrong which has since been proven correct.  "They once thought the world was flat, but have dubyaed that the world is, in fact, round."

Ignatieff: an outsider who pretends to be part of the community.  "Although the people knew otherwise, he ignatieffed that this was his home."

Layton: an attention addict; one whose self-interest supercede all other matters.  "He constantly laytoned for the camera."

Clinton: insatiable sexual appetite; similar to nymphomania.  "No matter how much he tried, he couldn't help but clinton every woman he met."

Beck:  to be ridiculed for emotionally presenting an opinion.  "He was constantly becked by opponents for passionately speaking his mind."

Harper:  to pull out early; to withdraw before completion.  "He harpered the coffee pot before the brewing had finished, creating a mess."

Bloc: a useless, annoying item; something without purpose. "She underwent a minor procedure to remove the bloc, and now she is healthy." 

Palin: the act of mocking a threat; unwarranted destruction of one's reputation. "Although she was the best person for the job, her competitors engaged in a campaign of lies in an attempt to palin her."