January 27, 2006

Gerard Kennedy


I would be curious to see how Ontario grapples with having a Western based Ontarian vs an Ontario based Westerner to vote for in the next election, Perplexing indeed.

Could be the biggest gains in NDP history in that province. Bring it on!

Quick hit on Harper.


I bought a house and I'm just finishing up the moving. I think I'll do a post on Zen and the art of packing. Can I get that 1% discount on the GST, huh, even on the lawyers fees.

For now I only have time to note that the first three days has been very good for Prime Minister Dilbert. He has rattled the Americans by standing up for Arctic sovereignty and shown why he has personal reasons for ensuring clean air, regardless of treaties signed. Who better to mind the environment than an asthma suferer.

Quick, somebody check a poll, are they in majority territory yet?

January 25, 2006

New Artist from Kelowna!


This is my Good Buddy, give a listen to Josh's song Sunday Papers

He would like to know what you think so leave a comment.

January 24, 2006

SES gets it right again. Almost exactly!

I would say that SES gets a gold star for the most accurate poll. Just like I said here. Gregg and Bricker where off in 2004. I don't know why SES gets it right but they do.

January 23, 2006

Election day notes, quotes, and nothings.

What a beautiful day in Kelowna, +6 degrees blue sky with a gentle breeze blowing across the shimmering lake. A day not too uncommon here in the heart of BC, a Province the media and pollsters say will decide this election.

On my way to the church to cast my ballot, I stopped into the new Starbucks for a tall Americano long shot. Seems to me everyone else wanted to see the new Starbucks, cause the line was easily 20 deep. I waited a little and asked the guy and gal at the end of the line if they've been here long. They both rolled there eyes and indicated that it seemed like 20 mins already. Really? I said in disbelief. I grumbled that I didn't think anyone should wait that long to pay $2.50 for a cup of coffee and that I was heading to Tim Horton's for an extra large double-double. The frustrated coffee couple agreed and added that it would only cost a buck fifty. As the newly converted coffee couple followed me out of the door I asked, "Did you vote yet", they said, " right after our double -double." Ah well, I chuckled to myself, if only Stephen Harper had it so easy.

Just listening to conversations in Tim Horton's you'd think that the NDP would have a very strong showing in this riding of Kelowna-Lake Country. I imagine what goes on is that people think it trendy to say they'll vote NDP and never actually put the X beside the name. Even in the heart of Conservative country I haven't heard anyone say outright that they are a Conservative. They usually stutter something like," well, I just don't want the Liberals anymore and I like the NDP but they can't do much, maybe I'll go Green". This is probably more pronounced in Ontario and Quebec. So the unofficial Tim's poll is NDP 6, LIB 2, Tory 8 with said disclaimer attached.

I thought this was interesting, on my drive to the polling station, unsure of where the church was, I observed the first direction marker at the corner of Martin St. The very next street that had a direction marker was Stockwell St. That's very odd I thought, did they rename the streets after failed leaders? As I pulled into the parking lot of the place with pictures of dead Popes on the wall I noticed that the church was located at the corner of Gordon and Wilson, See link for those who aren't familiar with BC politics.
It is kinda creepy with the ghosts of failed leaders and dead Popes watching you vote but it got me thinking, instead of hanging Paul Martin's portrait in parliament, why not put up Ed Broadbent's picture?


That was my election day so far and the best part is yet to come. I have one more big decision to make today, who's coverage should I watch? The CTV has had the best coverage of the campaign but I'd love to see the CBC spin wildly like Dan Rather did down south two years ago, that was priceless. Maybe Kevin Newman?

January 20, 2006

A victory for integrity.

I think it is safe to say that Stephen Harper will be the Prime Minister in a safe, workable minority government after all is counted. He will have three new seats in Quebec and greater representation in Ontario. The Conservatives will have prevented the Bloq of Quebec from taking a majority in popular percentages. Duceppe and Martin will talk of seats and the Conservatives and NDP will talk of POP vote increases. Everybody wins!

If I could speak to the the voters in Ontario I would say, " the West is in and so is Quebec, what are you waiting for?" I think it will now be more acceptable to refer to the Rest Of Canada to the exclusion of Ontario. That's right, opposition Ontario, or more precisely, opposition Toronto. The opposition will be filled with those that responded to fear, sovereigns, and socialists. The extreme elements in Canadian society.

I'm glad that Canadians overcame fear and replaced it with integrity. If one could develope a scale of values based on that which is good for society versus that which is bad or destructive. Love for fellow citizens would rate at 500 while murder or war would rate at 0. Integrity would fall at about 200 and fear at 70. This was the great failing of the Liberal Party, they didn't understand that fear , being destructive is ultimately destroyed by that which is progressive. The Universes natural selection for ensuring there is continued progress.

Integrity is a good place to start, but it is just a start. Canada can move forward to trust, hope and greater harmony within our country. Wouldn't that be real progress?

January 19, 2006

Polls

warning: we do not consider a single night of tracking to be scientically conclusive. These nightly releases are intended to respond to curiosity about day to day movements. Their true statistical significance will become clearer when analysed as part of a larger weekly sample.

I'm just saying.

I guess on Monday we'll know for sure. I will say that in 2004 SES was the closest at 34 - 32

January 16, 2006

Layton's bad pick-up lines.

I didn't realize that Jack Layton was the kind of guy that would use a line like he did in this news release. "C'mon baby, just this once", sounds really creepy coming from a middle aged bald man with a tickler mustache. I guess Jack is trying to appeal to the female vote with this line but let me offer some free advice. Lines like that almost never work, at least not since high school. If Jack is trying to appeal to the young female swing vote, great but I don't think there are enough to make a difference in this election. Maybe Jack should shoot for the Desperate Housewife demographic and utter something like, "C'mon baby, vote NDP, no one will find out".

The leader of the NDP has gone from looking and sounding like an infomercial during the debates to some creepy little porn star from the 80's. I wonder how Jack would look in an orange leisure suit and gold chains.

Stephen Harper sounding off in Ontario with the old Liberal Mantra, " a vote for the Conservatives is a vote for national unity", made me cringe. Look, I didn't like it when Liberals said it and I don't like it going the other way. That phrase wreaks of arrogance, the fact that Canadians are free to vote from coast to coast to coast on January 23 speaks to our national unity and no single national party can claim a monopoly on it. To make any one feel they are not for Canadian unity because they vote for another party does nothing for national unity and would not stand up to logic. As if 60% of voters are against national unity, such a position is moronic.

I understand that you need to speak about the unity of the Canadian family. For some reason Ontario needs Quebec consent before accepting the Conservatives. A poll rise in Quebec means a rise in Ontario, the so called echo effect.

This would be like having your sister check out your boyfriend to see if he can stand up to the scrutiny before meeting Mom and Dad. I always believed that what the Liberals did in the name of national unity was to slap Quebec across the face in the form of adscam. They slapped Ontario's sister and it was just a matter of time before they dumped the Liberals.

The last thing the Conservatives need to do is alienate her and possibly set her up for another slap. Conservatives need to offer substance and not phony rhetoric for the sister's in confederation.

January 15, 2006

Officially Screwed!

Officially Screwed has a very good blog that should be on the Blogging Tories Blogroll.
I will add my voice to his request to join.

I know the administrators are busy so I will add this site to my blogroll and encourage others to do the same.

January 13, 2006

Conservative Cabinet

Rick Mercer

Minister responsible for scaring homosexuals with scary clips of Christians.

I know it isn't funny but neither is Rick Mercer, lately.

Hey Rick, 36 Liberals voted against or abstained on c-38.

If the Conservatives pick up 25 more seats from Ontario and some in Quebec I'm sure they will balance out those scary Liberals that might still be around after Jan.23.

I look forward to a free vote that doesn't require the cabinet to be whipped. I wouldn't want another's will imposed on anyone.

The British model for resolving this question seems to have worked out just fine. A position very similiar to Mr. Harper's

Une fleur pour la belle dame.

January 11, 2006

Another advertising scandal for Liberals.

scan·dal
1. A publicized incident that brings about disgrace or offends the moral sensibilities of society: a drug scandal that forced the mayor's resignation.
2. A person, thing, or circumstance that causes or ought to cause disgrace or outrage: a politician whose dishonesty is a scandal; considered the housing shortage a scandal.
3. Damage to reputation or character caused by public disclosure of immoral or grossly improper behavior; disgrace.
4. Talk that is damaging to one's character; malicious gossip.

I would suggest that the definition of scandal describes exactly what happened when the Liberals released their negative advertising campaign. What is the opposite of the Midas touch?

I leave you today with this little gem from John Duffy's book "Fights Of Our Lives" pg.194 John commenting on the Tories chances in 1957.

The Tories long-shot wager was simple: put all your money on the leader, as in a Marlboro print ad with 250 square inches of cowboy and three square inches of logo. It was Diefenbaker's only hope. His Party was locked at 30% voter support, barely alive in Quebec and caught out West in endless three way struggles for the anti-Liberal vote.


The Tories went on to shock the Liberals by forming a minority. A year later, that minority went on to form the biggest majority in Canada's history.

John,I know it is not 1957 but clearly there are parallels and you being aware of the result in 1957 why would you let Harper Define himself for a month before attacking him? Why did you let the Prime Minister down? Do you think you should resign or be fired?

Never mind that you attempted interfere with journalistic integrity and got caught on national TV. You now have an advertising scandal of your own and have failed the Prime Minister of Canada. Shouldn't you resign?

January 10, 2006

The Harper Speech

Harper to the Americans
Let's start up with a compliment. You're here from the second greatest nation on earth. But seriously, your country, and particularly your conservative movement, is a light and an inspiration to people in this country and across the world.
Now, having given you a compliment, let me also give you an insult. I was asked to speak about Canadian politics. It may not be true, but it's legendary that if you're like all Americans, you know almost nothing except for your own country.


It's called a warm up joke. Self depreciating humor from Mr. Harper about Canada as a Canadian and using the stereotypes they have about us and we have about them.

First, facts about Canada. Canada is a Northern European welfare state in the worst sense of the term, and very proud of it. Canadians make no connection between the fact that they are a Northern European welfare state and the fact that we have very low economic growth, a standard of living substantially lower than yours, a massive brain drain of young professionals to your country, and double the unemployment rate of the United States.


Canadians leaving for greener pastures in the U.S. is very frustrating. Using harsh terms, Mr. Harper expresses his dismay that young professionals are leaving Canada. Very much like the backlash that occurred in Edmonton and all across Canada when Wayne Gretzsky was traded to L.A.

Another joke by Harper in the same speech.
It's about a constitutional lawyer who dies and goes to heaven. There, he meets God and gets his questions answered about life. One of his questions is, "God, will this problem between Quebec and the rest of Canada ever be resolved?'' And God thinks very deeply about this, as God is wont to do. God replies, "Yes, but not in my lifetime.''
I'm glad to see you weren't offended by that. I've had the odd religious person who's been offended. I always tell them, "Don't be offended. The joke can't be taken seriously theologically. It is, after all, about a lawyer who goes to heaven.''


I would encourage everyone to read the speech from Citizen Harper. It is brilliant and shows his biting, self depreciating personality and deep understanding of the problems facing Canada, now and into the future. It also shows how he has grown into a more politically sensitive leader, unfortunately.

If Mr.Martin, who spent his entire life wanting to be Prime Minister, can change his position on the use of the notwithstanding clause in a matter of weeks. Imagine what eight years can do to a guy that never wanted to be Prime Minister.

January 09, 2006

Lets be clear on who the tax cutters are. From the CBC

Reality Check

Taxes: whose cuts are the deepest? By Ira Basen,CBC.ca Reality Check Team | Jan. 9, 2006 | More Reality Check

Ever since CBC Reality Check reported on Friday that a Conservative government plans to rescind income tax cuts that have been in effect since Jan. 1, there has been much back and forth on the campaign trail about which party truly has taxpayers’ interests at heart. The Conservatives issued a press release calling our report "misleading" and "false," but agreed that the Liberal cuts to personal income tax would indeed be rolled back by 2007.

On the other hand, our Reality Check promises chart confirms that the Conservatives are correct when they assert that Canadians will be paying less tax under a government led by Stephen Harper. In fact, it’s not even close. As of Friday, Jan. 6, the Conservatives have promised $58.4 billion in tax cuts spread over the next five years, compared to $40.8 billion for the NDP and $33.4 billion for the Liberals


The Liberals and Paul Martin continue to lie to Canadians.

Mercer is back!

Well I'm glad to see Rick Mercer is back posting again.

We hard core Conservatives have missed his funny pokes at Harper and company and that post defending beer over kids was pure genius.

The latest post has him predicting a Conservative cabinet and some of the things they have uttered in the past that may give reasons as to why they probably won't be in a cabinet. Rick should caution about over-confidence, there is two weeks left and pundits don't usually predict a cabinet until after the election results are in. Oh well, seems he is yet another Liberal that has no faith in Paul Martin.

I guess Rick and the rest of the Blogosphere know that Liberals have never uttered anything that sounds as bad as these guys and gal have.

I'll have a look around, in the mean time, I get to use my picture again and relieve some of the pent up frustration Conservatives might have over these hilarious posts.

January 08, 2006

Paul Martin's children.

This is great, After slamming the Star for it's pathetic headline on the musings of Harper, I found the above article that says a lot about the root cause of violence.

"The depth of poverty has increased over the last 10 years, United Way reports have shown," he says. "Poverty combined with income inequality, combined with racism. ... People can barely get by, though their parents are working. Throw in intolerance, they pick up gansta rap, you literally force them into adopting an alternative identity, because they are living under severe material deprivation."

None of this excuses people handling guns, says Michael Mendelson, a senior scholar for the Caledon Institute on Social Policy.

"The (violent teen criminals) have to be found accountable," he says, "but they are also human beings acting as a result of the forces they are subject to."

When it comes to politicians, Marvyn Novick of Ryerson University says if Harris is to blame, then so is Prime Minister Paul Martin. As Jean Chretien's finance minister, he cut the Canada Assistance Plan, under which Ottawa once paid the provinces 50 per cent of social assistance.

"It's unfair to call them Mr. Harris's children," says Novick. "I'm not a fan, but they're also Mr. Martin's children."


Now put that on the front page

The swingers

The Toronto Star's feeble attempt to move the Ontario NDP vote towards the Liberals will hopefully fail this time.

More Bullshit from the Toronto Sun

Both stories have no credibility.

"I don't think we know that yet," Harper said.
"Polls will keep changing. As I said from the beginning, we'll know the result on Election Day. Nobody's voted yet," he said at a campaign event near Kitchener yesterday morning after some 2,000 people attended a London rally Friday.
"Any range of outcomes is possible, so I keep telling our people — stop these games of talking about minorities or majorities.
"It would be crazy for anyone to speculate on any particular outcome. The numbers don't show that," the Tory leader said.
"If you look at all the data that's out there, the best read is that it's a statistical dead heat.""We're nowhere near that yet. We've got ... a little over two weeks left. A lot can change; I suspect a lot will change between now and then.


Where does Stephen Harper muse about a majority? He has simply not ruled out any outcome. The headline could just as well be, Harper muses about having fewer seats than Liberals. Or, Harper muses about a minority. Really now, should Harper come out and say, No thanks, I'll take a minority please? What leader would rule out a majority? A leader that has poor judgment.

Paul Martin said the same thing a few weeks back, almost verbatim. The headline wasn't Martin muses about majority, just that he'd be willing to work with other parties to make parliament work.

As far as I'm concerned, if this kind of crap works on supporters of the NDP in Ontario, or anywhere else for that matter, they should just stay home and hide under their bed and let the grown-ups decide for them.

If a leader, that has united a party with factions as diverse as any, has reached out twice to the leader of the NDP, that is now being accepted in the most socially sensitive region of Canada, if that guy scares you, Just stay home! The scary wolves might get you on the way to the ballot box. Little green men lurk behind every corner.

After the election please do get help for your condition. I have taken the time to provide a link for you.

A phobia, (from Greek φόβος "fear"), is an abnormal, persistent fear of situations, objects, activities, or persons. The main symptom of this disorder is the excessive, unreasonable desire to avoid the feared subject.

January 07, 2006

Your TV guide to the election.

All In The Family
In yet more controversy on the Quebec front, Environment Minister Stephane Dion seemed to suggest it would be okay to vote Conservative or NDP.

"The key point is vote for candidates who believe in Canada to not vote for the Bloc," he said.

Mama knows best
In Vancouver, an old woman berated NDP Leader Jack Layton, saying: "You stop telling people to not vote Conservative, because they are going to form the next government and beat out the Liberals. Don't do that anymore."

Sanford and Son
Canada's auditor-general did not make much headway in the case. Neither did Quebec's chief electoral officer.

But the secret of how a shadowy federalist group, Option Canada, spent $4.8 million in the lead-up to the 1995 referendum might lie in a box of documents found near a Dumpster at a suburban shopping mall in the fall.

Law & Order
Martin's daily news conference was dominated by questions about a published report that the RCMP is looking into a controversial grant.
Last month, police interviewed two officials at the Department of Canadian Heritage about the expenditure, which went out to a little-known group called Option Canada, which has since disbanded.
The questions were focused on the distribution of about $300,000 of the total grant.
Martin, who was finance minister at the time, said he believed the accounting was done properly as he defended the Liberal commitment to national unity during a tense, high-stakes period in Canadian history.
"Absolutely I'll insist that the rules be followed, but nobody will stop me from defending the unity of my country," Martin said.

The Apprentice
"We have a tax reduction plan, the Liberals have a tax reduction plan," Harper said during a campaign stop in New Hamburg, Ont. to roll out a tax promise involving charities.
"We'll be doing our plan, not their plan."

January 06, 2006

Toronto Sucks! < hidden link for politics


As a displaced Winnipegger living in BC, I feel I can shout this loudly!

Go MOOSE!

January 05, 2006

East - West Election Challenge 2006


I thought I would pick up where the CBC lead and invite readers to submit an e-mail or comment. Below is an e-mail that seems to be more of a chain letter. I don't know if Alan Robberstad exists but that is not relevant as I am interested in the fact that it captures the sentiment of the Conservative western voter.

I would like to invite an Ontario resident that plans to vote Liberal to submit similar points in support of that decision.

I hope to have many responses from Liberals and those Conservatives from the West can add to Alans list, make corrections,ect.

In the spirit of the grey cup, let the East VS West Election Challenge begin.

Hello.

My name is Alan Robberstad I am a Canadian. One voter out of millions of Canadian voters.
Paul Martin is no friend of mine. Liberal governments have not made my life any better. Liberal governments have made the future worse for my children.

Jean Chretien and the Liberal Party became Prime Minister many years ago. Guess who was the Liberal Finance Minister.....Paul Martin...LEST WE FORGET

Since 1993:
(1) My taxes have increased.
(2) My family's share of the national debt has increased.
(3) My personal expenses have increased.
(4) My waiting time to see a doctor has increased.
(5) My concerns for my family's safety have increased.
(6) My costs to educate my children have increased.
(7) Government interference in my life has increased.
(8) My personal debt has increased.
(9) My income has stayed more or less the same.
(10) My savings have decreased.
(11) The buying power of my dollar, in Canada, has decreased.
(12) The value of my dollar, in the U.S., has decreased.
(13) My trust of elected officials has decreased.
(14) My trust in the justice system has decreased.
(15 )My trust in the immigration system has decreased.
(16) My hope that a Liberal won't waste my tax dollars has decreased.
(17 )My dreams for a better future for my kids, in Canada, have disappeared.

That is my story since the Liberals came to power.

I am not voting for Paul Martin's Liberals. I am voting against Paul Martin and his Liberal Party in January.
I am voting for Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party.
Do I like the Conservatives? Not particularly......I don't really like Politics. I am not political by nature. I am not passionate about politics. I am a middle age guy (48). I live in a small house on a fairly quiet street in Edmonton. I have a wife, Kathy, and two children (ages 19 and 17). I have no pets. I am a middle class man. I don't usually say too much.

Until now.

Now I am going to say something!

In 35 of the past 37 years, Canada has been ruled by:
(1) Pierre Trudeau - a multi-millionaire lawyer from Quebec.
(2) Brian Mulroney - a multi-millionaire lawyer from Quebec.
(3) Jean Chretien - a multi-millionaire lawyer from Quebec.
(4) And now we are going to vote for Paul Martin???? - a multi-millionaire lawyer from Quebec???

The leader of the Conservative party, Stephen Harper, is:
(1) Not a lawyer.
(2) Not a multi-millionaire.
(3) Not from Quebec.

Stephen Harper says that the Conservative party will:
(1) Reduce my taxes.
(2) Pay off the national debt as fast as they can.
(3) Shrink the size and influence of the federal government.

That's good enough for me. I'm going to give the Conservative party a chance with my vote.

But wait! Paul Martinis now saying the same thing. My mother told me forty years ago: "Fool me once - shame on you. Fool me twice - shame on me!"

The Liberals have had 34 years to be financially responsible. Remember, Jean Chretien was Trudeau's Finance Minister. Remember also, Paul Martin was Jean Chretien's Finance Minister These people have been raising my taxes for thirty four years. They have been mis-spending my tax dollars for 34 years.

34 years!

And now Paul Martin says he'll stop taxing and spending. No way.
Thank you for reading my story so far!

Why am I telling my story to you?

Although I feel alone, I know that I am not alone. Your story may be similar to mine. And you may also feel alone. One small voter in the midst of millions of voters.

What can you and I do together to change things?

Here is my idea: Lets you and I join up together. Just you and I. Together. As a small team of two.

How can you and I fight a huge political machine?

You and I have two things that we can use:
(1) Our individual personal connections.
(2) The Internet.

The Internet is supposed to be this globalization tool, right? Let's put it to use.

I have 27 Canadians in my personal e-mail address book. I am sending this e-mail to each of them.

I'm asking you to do two things:
(1) Forward this e-mail to every Canadian in your own address book.
(2) Vote against Paul Martin and the Liberal Party in January of next year.

Vote for the Conservative candidate in your riding.

I have probably written this e-mail too late. As I said I am not politically adroit. I feel like Peter Finch, in the 1976 movie "Network", when he shouted: "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!"

Please, forward the e-mail RIGHT NOW!!

I hope the Internet is as fast as some people claim it is.

This may not work. This e-mail may "fizzle out" and go nowhere. But you and I will have tried, won't we have?

My best wishes to you. My best wishes to Canadians everywhere.

My thanks to David Stokes from Toronto He actually wrote this just (5) days before the last federal election. Fool me once - shame on you. Fool me twice - shame on me!"

Alan Robberstad Edmonton, Alberta.

Harper writes Liberals platform.


Governing party void of ideas

Harper promises guaranteed wait times for health services
02 December 2005


CBC News on-line

**Excerpt**

A Conservative government would establish and enforce guaranteed wait times for health-care services, Stephen Harper said on Friday.

He also moved to counter his critics by denying he intends to damage public medicare.

"There will be no private, parallel system," Harper told a campaign rally in Winnipeg.

The provinces and the federal government would gather to establish waiting times for various services, and would guarantee that they will be adhered to.

"We will reduce waiting times; we will hold governments accountable," he said.

A cancer patient, for example, should start radiation treatments no more than 10 working days after seeing a cancer specialist, Harper said. Patients should not wait more than 10 months for non-urgent hip and knee replacements.

A group of medical organizations called the Wait Times Alliance, suggested those as medically acceptable targets.

Harper's plan would allow patients to go to other provinces to get services their own province can't provide within the time limits.

This type of guarantee, Harper said, is "the only way that government can preserve the principles of the Canada Health Act and respect requirements of the Charter of Rights."

In September 2004, Prime Minister Paul Martin signed a $41-billion agreement with the provinces, which the Liberals touted as a fix for a generation.

"I will not call our approach a quick fix," Harper said. "It is a call to action. We are going to reduce wait times, we are going to hold governments accountable for their commitments, we are going to do what it takes to protect the public health-care system and respect the charter."

Harper said his party would work with the provinces to set other priorities for health care, including getting more doctors into the system by expanding educational programs.


Supporting Canadian Families: The Canada Health Guarantee
January 04, 2006


Supporting Canadian Families: The Canada Health GuaranteePrime Minister Paul Martin today set out the next steps in the Liberal government’s plan to support Canadian families with a bold new health platform, including a Canada Health Care Guarantee; 1,000 new family doctors; a new National Cancer Strategy; and a Canadian Mental Health Commission.

“Canadian families have a right to a health care system that puts their needs first. They have a right to quality care in a timely manner by ensuring that critical wait times are reduced. They have a right to a health care system that is accountable to them. Above all, they have a right to care based on need not ability to pay,” Prime Minister Martin said.

That’s exactly the kind of health care system that the Liberal government will deliver.

Building on our strong record of getting results for Canadian families through collaboration with the provinces and territories, we will ensure Canadian families have access to the quality health care they need, when they need it.

The Canada Health Care Guarantee

Working with patients, health care providers and governments, a new Liberal government will act to ensure Canadians get the care they need, where they live, within medically-accepted timeframes.

An additional $300 million will further increase capacity in Canadian teaching hospitals to reduce wait times, and a $50 million investment in the Canada Health Infoway will accelerate the development of registries, booking systems and electronic health records to aid in wait list management. A further $10 million invested through the Canadian Institutes for Health Research will develop a national research agenda for the development of future wait-times benchmarks.

As well, an investment of $10 million will help foster patient-management training programs for health professionals, particularly physicians, aimed at wait list management and helping patients navigate the health system.

We will also invest $75 million to create a Health Care Guarantee Fund to assist patients and a family member with travel and accommodation costs to receive treatment in a public facility in another province in order for them to obtain timely care.

An NDP budget? Now a Conservative plan for health care? This is what happens when you don't have a vision for Canada. Hey Dithers, it is supposed to be fiscally conservative and socially progressive, not the other way around.

January 04, 2006

Harper shows no Mercer.


The gloves are off and Harper is finally taking it to the Liberals.

Feel free to add any more sports metaphors as you see fit.

January 02, 2006

Condition Red, or is that Blue?

The Liberals have raised the threat level.









A funny little button from Liberal for life.
Too bad he is lacking integrity!

Income Trust Scandal. Goodbye Goodale!

Ralph, when did the Prime Minister know about the decision on income trusts?


"And my last conversation with him (before the announcement), we were not at a final decision-making point," Goodale explained.
"And his comment to me was, `You're the minister of finance, you make the decision and I'll support your decision whatever it may turn out to be.'"And I made the decision personally after that conversation," Goodale said.


Ralph seems to suggest that the Prime Minister wasn't one of the "need to knows". Shame that they can't get their story straight in the middle of a campaign.

Goodbye Goodale, This would suggest your done.