Control Freak PM Steve dumps moderate Con candidate

PM Steve is starting to crack. He has not been able to bully the Liberals and force an election he so desperately wants. As with the Mulroney story below, and yesterday's Auditor General report, Steve's plan was to control the news for 2 weeks and head to the polls. Let's see if he wants to go to the polls on this:

Mark Warner, Conservative candidate in Toronto-Centre was removed because he tried to "strengthen the urban voice that has been regrettably absent from our current national government." Warner's news release says it best, "I joined the Party when Brian Mulroney was the strongest voice for Nelson Mandela's freedom. Unfortunately, I have found that the ConservativeParty today, by its actions, is not the inclusive Party that I once believedin. The Conservative Party today cynically pays "lip service" to diversity andoutreach to minority communities in Canada."

See Bob Rae's take on this here.

In similar news, Guelph area Conservative candidate Brent Barr was dropped and said the party brass told him he was being dropped because he wasn't campaigning hard enough to build up the party locally, despite his holding four community events a week and inviting potential voters into his home for coffee chats.
"That's a completely false statement," he said of the charge of lax campaigning. "If I had actually done anything the embarrass or denigrate the party, I would sit down right and accept it. But I didn't."
Barr said he suspected the party has pushed him aside in favour of a star candidate, something Prime Minister Stephen Harper has blasted Liberals for doing while campaigning for the 2004 federal election.

Of Gucci shoes and envelopes of cash...

The headline on the CBC website, Mulroney tried to cover up cash payments he received in hotel rooms is causing PM Steve to crap his pants as the governing Tories will face quite the attack over this scandal involving Lord Vader and Karlheinz Schreiber. This is not the first time that this corner has raised questions about Muldoon's adversity to coming clean with canadians. I just want to know when control freak PM Steve ordered the Department of Justice to shut down its investigation into this whole unsavoury affair.

UPDATE: My friend Tail provides excellent insight on this story here.

Proud to be Canadian

Canadians are proud and sometimes a little smug. I don't often post chain letters, but this one gave me that warm buttery feeling inside.

An Australian Definition of a Canadian
-Written by an Australian Dentist

Pakistan Newspaper Ad - Reward for killing a Canadian
You probably missed it in the local news, but there was a report that someone in Pakistan had advertised in a newspaper an offer of a reward to anyone who killed a Canadian - any Canadian.

An Australian dentist wrote the following editorial to help define what a Canadian is, so they would know one when they found one.

A Canadian can be English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian, Ukranian or Greek. A Canadian can be Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, Arab, Pakistani or Afghan.

A Canadian may also be a Cree, Métis, Mohawk, Blackfoot, Sioux, or one of the many other tribes known as native Canadians. A Canadian's religious beliefs range from Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu or none. In fact, there are more Muslims in Canada than in Afghanistan. The key difference is that in Canada they are free to worship as each of them chooses. Whether they have a religion or no religion, each Canadian ultimately answers only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.

A Canadian lives in one of the most prosperous lands in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms which recognize the right of each person to the pursuit of happiness.

A Canadian is generous and Canadians have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return. Canadians welcome the best of everything, the best products, the best books, the best music, the best food, the best services and the best minds. But they also welcome the least - the oppressed, the outcast and the rejected.

These are the people who built Canada. You can try to kill a Canadian if you must as other blood-thirsty tyrants in the world have tried but in doing so you could just be killing a relative or a neighbour. This is because Canadians are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, can be a Сanadian.

Karwacki wins Sask Leaders debate hands down

Well, the news reports are in and the clear winner in last night's Saskatchewan Leader's debate is Liberal leader David Karwacki. There is coverage here, here and here.

Here's a sample:

"So while both the Sask. Party and NDP seemed to be fighting with one hand tied behind their backs, Karwacki came out swinging with both fists. And on several occasions, he connected.
"I bet you guys didn't fight like this when you went behind closed doors and negotiated your gold-plated health plan," Karwacki quipped during one of the few meaningful exchanges between Wall and Calvert on the health plan.
Besides being one of a couple memorable zinger lines that the Liberal leader delivered, it perfectly illustrated how Karwacki threw caution to the wind and got in the middle of almost every exchange."

Murray Mandryk, The Leader-Post, Wednesday, October 31, 2007

"Karwacki, whose party won no seats in the 2003 campaign, used the debate to audition for a role as opposition in the legislature. "Thankfully I'm going to be holding Mr. Wall accountable on this particular issue because I don't believe that you're going to form the next government," Karwacki told Calvert as the leaders talked about combating crime. "

James Wood and Angela Hall, Saskatchewan News Network, Wednesday, October 31, 2007

"Karwacki, whose party didn't elect any MLAs in 2003, attacked both Calvert and Wall after their MLAs adopted what he called a "gold-plated" health-care plan. "We need to have Liberals in the legislature," he said.
The Liberal leader also aimed some sharp jabs at Calvert, turning his back on him at one point after saying, "I don't believe you're going to form the next government."

Later, Karwacki referred to Calvert's promise to put a $15 cap on the price of prescription drugs for another dig at the NDP leader, saying Calvert should get a $15 prescription for "truth serum."

CBC.ca story, Oct. 30, 2007

It looks like Karwacki got just the boost he needed to achieve the balance of power, if not official opposition status after the November 7 election.

Mulroney scandal threatens to derail Tories

Lyin Brian has got some exlaining to do. The Fifth Estate is broadcating yet another documentary on these strange "cash payments" and the tax filings made much, much later.

Barack's Double standard

I was surprised that the Obama campaign refused the endorsement of actor Brad Pitt. Without getting into all of the details, it is silly that the Senator from Illinois with much more experience than Hilary make a rookie mistake and would refuse an offer of assistance from Brad Pitt, while accepting one from Oprah Winfrey. I guess the handlers were worried about Obama getting "out-hunked" or something.

Week off to a bad start

Well, the Liberal Caucus is one person smaller following the resignation of BC Liberal MP Blair Wilson.

Liberal Leader Stephane Dion just issued the following statement:
I learned of the allegations of improper campaign spending against West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast MP Blair Wilson today. They are serious allegations, which raise questions that Mr. Wilson must address without delay.
As such, I have accepted Mr. Wilson's resignation from his position as National Revenue critic, and as a member of our national caucus, effective immediately.
I am particularly concerned about allegations of Elections Act violations by Mr. Wilson's campaign. I am pleased that Mr. Wilson has called on Elections Canada to launch a formal review of the matter. I trust Elections Canada will deal with this matter expeditiously.

Damage controlled? We'll see...

Stay indoors this weekend

CAUTION — Cheney going hunting this weekend.

The Poughkeepsie Journal in New York reports that “Vice President Dick Cheney is coming to Dutchess County again to go hunting” On Monday, Cheney is “expected to leave Poughkeepsie and head to the Clove Valley Rod & Gun Club.”

No word on whether the Vice President will be drinking beforehand this time.

Ugly Russian Chauvinism

The Ukrainian government has quite properly reuinstated entry bans on 2 Russian Nationals.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has again imposed an entry ban on Eurasian Youth Union head Pavel Zarifulin and International Eurasian Movement leader Aleksandr Dugin, both from Russia. Earlier this month, three representatives of the Eurasian Youth Union, which is banned in Ukraine, attempted to destroy the national symbols of Ukraine positioned on Hoverla peak in Ukraine's Carpathian Mountains. They shot a video of their attempt and posted it on the Internet.

SBU Chairman Nalyvaychenko said last week that the SBU has established the identity of the vandals. They are Eurasian Youth Union members Leonid Saviv, a Ukrainian citizen currently residing in Moscow, and Aleksandr Bovdunov and Valeriy Mantrov, both Russians.

Nalyvaychenko said Zarifulin and Dugin planned the destruction of the symbols. Zarifulin and Dugin were barred from entering Ukraine in mid-2006, but the ban was lifted earlier this year under a Ukrainian-Russian agreement on eliminating entry bans placed on nationals of both countries.

For more on this ethnic nationalism and chauvinism, please see this post from Ukrainiana.

Musta been the Turks

Remember a few year's ago when along with the bogus weapons of Mass destruction theory, Americans and others in the coalition of the willing pointed out that Sadam's treatment of the Kurds created a moral obligation to intervene.

Now, US ally Turkey has attacked the Kurds. What exactly does this create, other than a dilemma?

De Palma and Coppola

Interesting that 2 of my favorite directors are in the news today.

Brian De Palma is upset that his studio has censored his new film on Iraq, ironically entitled "Redacted" here, while Francis Ford Coppola is in this months GQ stating that Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson and Robert DeNiro have gone soft here.

The only way to solve this is through a celebrity death match and we all know that the Godfather will beat Untouchables...discuss.

Guess who has thrown his hat into the Presidential race?

Colbert announces on Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

Canada's Speech from the Throne - The shizzle

As imagined by pumpernickel

Honourable playa of tha hizouse of commons,lizzles n gentlemen,i would like ta address tha first words in this poser ta tha memba of tha canadian forces, some of whom is present here today. they commitment n courage in tha name of justice, equality n freedom—whose benefits aint accorded ta all peoples in tha world—are worthy of our utmost respect . Aint no stoppin' this shit nigga. the speech frizzay tha throne is an important moment in our country’s democrizzles life , niggaz, better recognize. through tha speech friznom tha throne, tha government shares its vision wit canadians . Fo'-fo' desert eagle to your motherfuckin' dome. n it is thus tizzle we open tha second session of tha thirty ninth parliament today.fifty years ago, on nigga 14, 1957, dur'n her fizzay visit ta canada as its sovereign, n fo` tha first time in canadian history, her majesty queen elizabeth ii opened tha first session of tha twenty-third parliament.

A different shade of Orange

Orange Revolution allies The Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc and the Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense bloc yesterday initialed an accord on forming a parliamentary coalition and a new government. The former Orange Revolution allies jointly control a narrow majority of 228 votes in the 450-seat Verkhovna Rada -- just two votes above the number needed to pass most legislation. The accord is to be finalized on the first day of the inaugural session of the Verkhovna Rada, which has not yet been scheduled.
Yulia Tymoshenko commented on the power sharing deal by stating,"Let me just say clearly that the election has led to a change in parliament. Power has changed hands in Ukraine and we have achieved the result we had hoped for. The parliament is new, those in power are new, and the democratic teams have grounds to reform all sectors of life so that people feel tangible changes in the country," she added.

According to media reports, Tymoshenko is to be nominated as prime minister by President Viktor Yushchenko, while cabinet portfolios are to be distributed on a 50-50 basis between the two blocs. The Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc is to take charge of the cabinet's economic portfolios, while the Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense bloc will run the ministries dealing with defense, security, and culture.

The Central Election Commission (TsVK) also yesterday announced the official results of the September 30 parliamentary elections. The Party of Regions won 34.37 percent of the vote (175 seats), the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc 30.71 percent (156 seats), the Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense bloc 14.15 percent (72 seats), the Communist Party 5.39 percent (27 seats), and the Lytvyn Bloc 3.96 percent (20 seats). Out of nearly 39 million eligible voters, 23.3 million people took part in the ballot (62 percent).

Central Election Committee Deputy Chairwoman Zhanna Usenko-Chorna told journalists that "there are no legal grounds" to doubt the official election results. Meanwhile, Socialist Party lawmaker Yevhen Filindash told Interfax-Ukraine that some 3.5 million Ukrainians residing abroad were included on the voter lists, significantly influencing the final vote count. The Socialist Party complained about this to the Higher Administrative Court last week, but the court rejected the complaint, reportedly arguing that it does not consider election violations committed before the voting day.

Pumpernickel Recipe 21 - Turkey Club on toasted pumpernickel

In the post-Canadian Thanksgiving leftover tradition, and in solidarity with Mind the Gap's Kyiv difficulties getting a proper toasted sandwich in Kyiv, here is a great, quick and delicious sandwich recipe that helps to get through the turkey leftovers.

Ingredients:

3 leaves lettuce, washed
1 ripe, fresh (Canadian) tomato, sliced
3 slices pumpernickel (well toasted)
3 slices crisp bacon
2.5 oz. turkey
2 slices cheddar cheese
1 tbsp mayonnaise

Directions:

Fry bacon until crisp - if pressed for time microwave - though this will reduce "Bacony goodness" quality. Toast bread well, but not burnt.

On bottom slice of bread add turkey, cheese and mayo. Add middle slice of pumpernickel. Place bacon on middle slice and top with tomato and lettuce. More mayo can be added on top slice if desired.

Insert 4 toothpicks and slice in 4 diaganally.

Could it just be...?

Could it be that there might still be an Obama-Richardson (or Richardson-Obama) ticket for the democrats in nest year's election? Check out the photo essay in today's NYT.

4 more years and No MMP

Ontarians are smart, having returned Dalton McGuinty's Liberals to office with another large majority government.

At the same time, two-thirds of Ontarians rejected the ham-fisted MMP proposal in the referendum.

The voters are always right, and oh yeah, chalk another one up for my New years' prognostications.

Danny Williams wins a landslide in Newfoundland

With almost 70% of the popular vote, Newfoundland Premier and Steve Harper foe Danny Williams won one of the largest electoral victories in Newfoundland and Labrador's history. Congratulations Mr. Williams.

With the voters of Ontario going to the polls today and appearing set to re-elect Dalton McGuinty's Liberals, I thought it might be appropriate to trot out my fearless new year's predictions. Charest - check, democratic forces in Ukraine - check. You will no doubt note that I was far more accurate in predicting electoral results than sporting events. :)

The results are in - let's wait and see

Let's see who forms government.

Si les tendences se maintiennent...

With 99 percent of the ballots counted, the Yulia Tymoshenko/Our Ukraine has 45% of the vote compared to 39.5% for the combined Yanukovych/Communist coalition. This really increases the importance of the 3.95% for the Lytvyn bloc.

As Jean Chretien said in 1993,"fasten your seat belts it's gonna be one hell of a ride."

Dion Shakeup

Liberal Leader Stephane Dion has replaced his previous principal secretary, the Hon. Marcel Masse, with Johanne Senecal, a former chief of staff to Dion and senior Chretien PMO staffer. Johanne is smart and experienced and will provide some much needed direction in Masse's absence.

In another move (that is either wrong or too late), Dion has accepted the resignation of Jamie Carroll as National Director of the Liberal Party of Canada. The difficulty that I have with this decision is that in politics either you hunker down and ride something out, or you take decisive action immediately. Here, Dion has defended Mr. Carroll's comments (as recently as in the weekend media) and has now accepted his resignation. Ditheringly decisive.

Finally, word on the street is that former Deputy Director of the LPC Marc Lavigne, who left a month ago will be replacing Carroll. Marc is a solid guy and will do an excellent job.

The question that remains is: whither OLO chief of Staff Andrew Bevan? A smart, likable guy who never really seemed to have full control over the various forces in Dion's operation. I believe that these moves shore up the team and hope that they re-enforce Andrew's ability to do what he is really good at: strategy, policy and politics.

It's almost official

Y
U
L
I
A

W
I
N
S!




Ukrainians decided not to reward a poisoning, twice convicted felon and it looks like Yulia Tymoshenko will be the next Prime Minister.