A hunger for the good old days

A day late but I've been distracted ... the Red Ensign has been raised at Quotulatiousness.

The land the Maple Leaf first flew over was, in many ways, a much freer and more democratic society than the Canada of today. Canadians in those days did not automatically turn to the government to solve problems in every sphere of life. Government had its place, and that place was generally agreed to be the defence of the realm, maintaining the peace, running the judicial system, and international affairs.

What's trump and who's got the bowers?

It was a gamble but this isn't poker.

Yesterday the question was - will Toronto Star columnist Jim Travers' editorial/column/news story be enough to take the heat off Paul Martin? Well one of the questions anyway. Some were also asking just how cosy Travers is with Martin.

The Toronto Star piece, which contained no attribution or source, claimed Gomery's AdScam report will target the actions of Chretien insiders - "a small group driven by Liberal interests and personal greed almost effortlessly breached walls built to separate politicians from the treasury."

But the headlines today suggest the heat is on.

From the Montreal Gazette - Gambling on Gomery pays off for Martin: Report said to blame admen, Chretien loyalists

The much-anticipated Gomery report won't be out for another two weeks, but early indications are that Prime Minister Paul Martin's gamble in calling a full-dress public inquiry into the sponsorship scandal will pay off with at least a personal exoneration.

From the Globe and Mail - Opposition won't let PM off the hook for ad scandal. Whatever Gomery concludes, Bloc, NDP say Martin bears some responsibility

"It could be true that he did not know, because sometimes it can happen that one does not know when one does not want to know," Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe said. "Because he was in a position to know, being number two in the government, minister of finance, and vice-president of the Treasury Board."

He said that the Bloc started asking questions about the companies involved in the scandal as far back as 2000, and Mr. Martin should have been asking questions.

From the Winnipeg Sun - Opponents say PM isn't home free

The Conservatives have broadened their agenda in recent days to include a spending scandal in the Fisheries Department that saw two civil servants fired.

They have also been hammering the Liberals over a consulting contract at Indian Affairs that was issued on condition the contractor leave no paper trail.

And they continue to press the case against David Dingwall, who quit as president of the Royal Canadian Mint amid questions about his expense account and his past lobbying activities.

Angry in the Great White North has the big picture with two posts mined directly from Hansard. Liberal scandals addressed in the House of Commons on October 7 are here. Liberal scandals addressed in the house on October 17 are here.

He's calling it Scandal- Paloozza and reminds us that these allegations came up in a single day in the house.

Of course, Kate gets the last word.

And as you listen to the chattering classes debate the findings, remember that we would have remained forever in the dark about Gagliano and Guite and envelopes stuffed with cash, had not Public Works employee Alan Cutler blown the whistle - on Paul Martin's desire to place his own personal Liberal party leadership team on the public payroll.

Martin may have reneged on Adscam but the game isn't over. The media shook the bush and out fell David Dingwall. The Oposition knows what's in the kitty and that now isn't the time to send a boy. So, is it possible that the Liberals are now left bare and just might be Euchred this time?

Pass the peas

From this National Post story

The latest studies -- one from from Harvard Medical School, the other from Columbia University -- cite the family-dinner deficit as a contributing factor in childhood obesity, teen substance abuse, poor academic performance and increased household stress.

This story reminded me of a conversation I had with Chef Keitha at a Donna Messer seminar this weekend. Keitha, who is a personal chef and prepares family meals, says it's surprising how many homes don't have a kitchen table. Nor a dining room table for that matter. Pizza in front of the TV on a Friday night is one thing but dang how do you live without a table?

The seminar by the way was great. If I can retain even 30% of the insights provided I will have benefited greatly. Donna is amazing. I could gush but I won't.

So, you want to be a writer ....

Reading the job postings today I find the Ottawa Citizen looking for editorial writers. Someone committed to the principles of small government and individual freedom. Of course, the compromise and consensus bit tells me they clearly want someone just slightly right of centre. I hope I'm not too late to send my resume off. My French is weak and my clips stale but hell ... I qualify.

The successful applicant should be an elegant writer with a commitment to the principles of small government and individual freedom. They must work co-operatively with an editorial board in which compromise and consensus are required. Journalism experience and a strong background in national or municipal affairs, economics, business, technology or science will be assets, along with knowledge of French.

On the other hand, if I were really eager for a byline and a fresh clip to put in my old green binder I could enter the Western Standard Writing contest. I could, but I'm not. The $50 entry fee is a bit of a deterrent - even if it does include a one year subscription valued at $75 dollars.
I got an email reminding me of the approaching deadline, so, if you're thinking of entering there are some pointers worth looking at over at Grandinite.

Which brings me round to Antonia Zerbisias, who likes the Accordion Guys writing tips. I'm giving her a nesting box in the hen house. Sure, she suffers from an uptown naivete but she's tougher then nails and does a damn good job mixing with the denim set.

Women's Work

This Rita Verdonk is one tough chick. Holland's Integration Minister, who recently cancelled a meeting with Muslim leaders because they refused to shake her hand, proposes banning the burka.

Mrs Verdonk admitted that a complete ban on the garment would be legally tricky because of freedom of religion legislation. However, she said that she would prohibit the garments "“in specific situations"” on grounds of public safety. The ban is likely to be enforced in shops, public buildings, cinemas, train and bus stations and airports, as well as on trains and buses.

Damian's uncomfortable with the state telling people what they can and cannot wear.

Ya, stuff like that makes me uncomfortable too. But not near as uncomfortable as looking into the face of oppression. Or should I say the eyes of oppression threw a thin strip of gauze.

Sure, it's all being done for the sake of security but at the risk of sounding like a misandrist, there are some things that women just do better. And Rita Verdonk at least seems well suited to staring down oppression.

hat tip:Nealenews

Red Ensign XXIX

Robot Guy raises the Red Ensign Standard XXIX. There are ... go ahead and count em... 217 links
here. And very nicely packaged too!

Rural Revolution plays cat and mouse

The battle against the Leeds Grenville and Lanark Health unit continued with farmers and rural landowners setting up a pre-Thanksgiving farmers market in front of the health unit offices in Brockville.

In this Agrinews story

LLA president Randy Hillier said he's tired of playing cat-and-mouse with health unit inspectors who've threatened all summer to crack down on Saturday farmers' market vendors in Perth and Carleton Place who, they feel, don'’t meet food safety regulations.

A bit of hissing ensues.

Health unit spokeswoman Susan Healey said that following consultation with police, the agency won't allow access to the parking lot.

"The corporation has an obligation to manage the use of the parking lot based on decisions related to the safety of staff, clients and tenants," Healey said. "We intend to operate all services."

The Brockville Recorder and Times reports that civility prevailed.

Jacqueline Fennell, president of the Leeds and Grenville Landowners, was awaiting official word from the health unit Tuesday but is pleased the market will be allowed nearby.

"We had a long, thorough discussion with (Gardner) and we did some negotiating," she said.

"He's committed to giving us a letter (supporting the temporary market) and we received assurances it will be allowed but we haven't exactly determined where we're going to be."

Fennell said she understands concerns about protecting the ability of people and clients to use the parking lot and to move without interference to the health unit building, which also houses the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville social services offices.

"We are reasonable people as well. We would never block the parking lot (or) discourage anybody from going in and out of the building."

Photos of the protest market here.

There is a marked difference between how the landowers and other farm organizations like the OFA and Christian Farmers affect change and represent farmers. Randy Hillier himself is one reason for the difference but numbers alone come into play. Farmers make up at best 2% of the population. Their voices are but a whisper. With their rural neighbours now involved they make a bigger noise.

Apple pie without cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze

Ice cream is nice but nothing beats a warm slice of apple pie with a slab of fresh cheese. And the secret to my friend Robin's out of this world mac and cheese? Crumbly, tangy bits of three- year- old cheedar.

We'll be launching my Mom's new book Of Curds and Whey, A History of Cheese Making in Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry later this month.

There was a time when concession roads in SD&G were dotted with cheese factories - when the cheese makers and the cheddar they produced were celebrated around the world.

From as early as the 1800's, when Glengarry'’s David Macpherson, Canada'’s Cheese King, controlled one-eighth of the nation'’s cheese production until Stormont'’s Irving Cutt became World Champion Cheesemaker in 1964, this industry was first and foremost in the three United Counties.

Of Curds And Whey is the story of how the sweet, green grass of Stormont Dundas and Glengarry came to produce some of the very best cheddar cheese in the world.

You're welcome to join us. Refreshment and fond memories provided. The launch party and book signing will be held Saturday, October, 22, 2005 at the South Stormont Seniors'’ Support Centre, Ingleside between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.

And yes, we will have a couple bowls of curd to nibble.

Pussies and hush money

This Maisonneuve story asks why Canadian bloggers have yet to uncover a major political scandal.

"It's not that we're pussies or afraid," says Catherine McMillan, the Saskatchewan-based author of the Canadian political blog Small Dead Animals. "The key difference, I think, is that our traffic levels need to build and the network itself has to build. But it's growing, it's coming."

Don at All Things Canadian, who has a history of talking into the great Canadian blog void not surprisingly points to this hush money post at mkbraaten.

The following are notes that Warren Kinsella wrote down about the Earnscliffe/Martin affair in the mid nineties. He presented these notes to the Public Accounts committee last spring.

"DCD [David Dingwall] calls on cell later - says he told Martin to fuck off and that he knew that Martin had illegally fed contracts to Earnscliffe."

So, heeding Kate's observation that we need to build the network, I'm also linking to one more Dingwall post at Bound by Gravity and the Kinsella files mentioned in the mkbraaten post.

Update: More hush money posts here and here. And here. And here

Pay attention boys and girls there is work to be done. We all like to provide fresh posts and new perspectives but when it comes to dirty deeds we really do have to keep flogging. The horse isn't really dead ... just sleeping.

Ya, what they said ....

From the "can they try any harder to piss off the Albertans" file. Candace on the federal surplus cheques.

From day one I was convinced that Peter C. Newman was counting on Brian Mulroney's demise.

I was one of those people who thought the age of consent was 16 years old. Even accounting for puppy love my sixteen year old son thought this was way stupid. Darcey's take on prostitution and protecting children.

See Kateland for links on porcine correctness gone a muck.

Anyone else think the Dingwall severence package is hush money? Read Andrew's post and get back to me will ya.

In the mean time ....

I'm not letting this crick/creek thing go regardless of your apparent disinterest. I came across the word crick in a Diana Gabaldon novel set in pre-revolutionary war North Carolina.

Then this from poet James Whitcomb Riley who wrote in a Hosier dialect

Oh! the old swimmin'-hole! whare the crick so still and deep
Looked like a baby-river that was laying half asleep,
And the gurgle of the worter round the drift jest below
Sounded like the laugh of something we onc't ust to know
Before we could remember anything but the eyes
Of the angels lookin' out as we left Paradise;
But the merry days of youth is beyond our controle,
And it's hard to part ferever with the old swimmin'-hole.

So, while I'm wasting time go ahead and play with this for a while. Surprising how many Glendas are dogs and academics.