What stable economy?

Here in Stormont Dundas & Glengarry we are the first to feel the effects of a downturn in the economy and the last to benefit from a rebound. Today's announcement that Domtar will close remaining operations at their Cornwall plant means a total loss of 1000 jobs. Several other manufacturing plants have, or are set, to close their doors. We've lost not hundreds but thousands of jobs in the last 18 months.

Martin's platform on the economy is not going to pay out very well in this riding. The city of Cornwall is not just hurting ... it's bleeding out.

Off message on same sex marriage?

The pundits are wondering what the hell Stephen Harper was doing jumping right into the same-sex marriage debate on day one of the campaign.

But did he really vow to change the definition of marriage or did he vow to follow through on a long-held promise, that were he to become Prime Minister all social issues would be put to a free vote.

"It will be a genuine free vote when I'm prime minister," Harper said.

"I will not whip our cabinet," he added, referring to the process by which Paul Martin's ministers were forced last summer to support a bill that legalized gay weddings.

It's pretty obvious that in a minority Conservative government, a free vote on same- sex marriage would not pass the house. I'm not even sure a conservative majority could pass a free vote on the issue.

In the next few days I'm expecting gay conservative candidates and those who support same-sex marriage to be making it clear how they would vote. That should put the hidden agenda cliche to rest for the duration of the campaign.

And a free vote might just put an end to the whole issue of same-sex marriage. Forever.

Mrs. Harper didn't raise no dummy.

It's all about who you know

We don't have much call for lobbyists down here on the farm so I have limited knowledge of the inner workings of the profession. But I do know that lobbyist are politically savvy, often work for political parties and should know not only the right people but their way around government. That is the nature of the beast and corporations and special interest groups depend on them for just that reason. However, a couple of paragraphs in Jane Taber's Globe and Mail story about the tone of the next election did get my attention.

Charles Bird is a lobbyist for Bell Globemedia (owner of The Globe and Mail and CTV) and is the Ontario campaign chairman for the federal Liberals. He told Ontario MPs the electorate is "very volatile" and warned that "it's going to be a very negative campaign."

However, he vowed that Liberals will not be deterred.

"We will give as good as we get," he told MPs, according to an insider.

Whether or not a lobbyist for a major media outlet is in conflict of interest is discussed here at Political Staples.

Paul Tuns at the Shotgun sees it as a conflict for the right reasons.

I also find it curious that the Globe and Mail ran the story about the Liberals getting ready to go negative in the soon-to-be-called election campaign and quoting Bird as a source.

I found that curious myself. The question isn't, should lobbyists be politically partisan. The question is why does Bell Globemedia have on its payroll a lobbyist so politically astute as to be the Ontario campaign chairman. Democracy demands that an unbiased media not play by the same rules as other corporations, professional associations and special interest groups. The conflict is not Charles Bird's. The conflict is with Bell Globemedia.

Political Ambitions

Is Paul Wells suggesting that Bob Rae is set to run for the Federal Liberals? Second time I've that in the last week or so.

More on the big tent of conservatism

Burkean Canuck asks whom do you trust to cut spending and lower taxes in this post regarding the George F. Wills op-ed in the Washington Post. Hop over and have a look ... something for everyone, I promise.

. . . Whether or not they themselves were social conservatives, they believed that the Congressman most likely to follow through on commitments to reduce public spending and lower taxes was someone who had taken public stands on issues on the social conservative side.

hat tip the shotgun

Seat by seat

Greg at Political Staples speculates that the battle of Ontario will be fought not in the city of Toronto but in central and eastern Ontario. He is of course bang on. It was the 519, 705 and 613 that brought Mike Harris to power in 1995.

The consensus wisdom is that the next election will be won or lost in "seat-rich" Ontario. With 106 seats it is easy to see why the pack goes there. But if you dig a little deeper you can see that in reality the election will come down to a lot fewer seats than that. And contrary to what you might think, it is not 905 that will make the difference, it is 519, 705 and 613.

Politics Watch looks at seats in the heart of Toronto: Layton hopes to chip away at Liberals in T.O.

Red Ensign Standard XXXII

The Red Ensign Standard XXXII has risen at Gen X at 40. It's a big, beautiful edition and I'm not just saying that because Alan said some very nice things about me.

Difficult Choices

I have to say I was surprised, though not particularly offended, that at finding myself pregnant at age 38, the first order of business, medically speaking, was not what my choices might be - but what choice I had made. I can't be sure, but I think I detected relief, from more than one health provider, that not only had I already made a choice -admittedly not a difficult one - but the choice they were most comfortable with given the circumstances. Had I not been healthy, happily married and fast approaching excited at the prospect of another child I'm sure that the burden of those difficult decisions would have been shared by the doctors and nurses I encountered.

A squarely pro-choice Colby Cosh, in today's National Post talks about the issue no one wants to talk about in the only nation in the western world with no abortion law whatsoever. He cites a recent,though largely unreported, Environics poll.

As a whole, the poll paints a familiar picture of Canadian public opinion. Most of us don't like abortion and would prefer that the law reduce its incidence, or make it more difficult. Whatever your own view -- mine is squarely pro-choice -- this produces a conundrum.

I've heard it argued that, on the issue of abortion, there can be no grey areas. That you are either pro-choice or anti-abortion. That argument is itself the reason the issue is not discussed. Cosh calls this abortion anarchy a matter of basic civil conscience.

But in truth, I'm more cynical. I believe most of us lie to pollsters. I suspect that we are genuinely ashamed of our reproductive freedom, but that we secretly cherish it for our private purposes (or those of our wives, girlfriends, and daughters). And so we tell pollsters that we favour restrictions on abortion. But when a politician makes noises about doing something about it, we get scared.

It is about choice. But the nuances are far from subtle. No one appears willing to let legislators examine the grey areas, nor even try to determine if this abortion anarchy, is or is not, in our best interest. We've decided, it seems, to leave the question of abortion in the hands of doctors, nurses and pregnant women who are well versed on difficult decisions and the burden of choices.

hat tip Nealenews

Worth Repeating

I mentioned yesterday that I would crawl across broken glass to get to the polls. There has always been anecdotal evidence that inclement weather is good for the conservatives. Same could be said for advance poll turnout. Greg points to this Carolyn Parrish quote in the National Post. Read the whole post as there are other points to gladden the heart of a conservative

"“Liberal voters are sloppy voters. You have to work to pull them out to the ballot box, "” declares the 20-year Liberal party veteran. Not so the Conservatives. "“White-haired, middle-class voters will march through anything to the ballot box and they are mostly Tory voters,"” she says. Throw in whiteouts and black ice to endanger the voting process on election day and the Liberals'’ tepid support might well remain curled up by the fireplace while Tories storm the polling stations with throw-the-Grits-out fire in their belly.

Jack linked to this Leo Knight story yesterday. I'm surprised it isn't getting more mileage.

A police investigator involved in the money laundering investigation said later, "I don't know how to define Mr. Garneau's conduct in those circumstances," he said. "The money of the Mafia came in handy for the banks, and everybody closed their eyes. Even in front of the evidence."


On June 22, 2005, Mr. Justice Gomery announced he was establishing an Advisory Committee to assist him in making recommendations to government, based on the facts found in his original report, to ... "prevent mismanagement of sponsorship programs and advertising activities in the future." Garneau chairs that Advisory Committee.

Conservative member for Port Moody-Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam James Moore offers this quote from George F. Wills.

"“We have a big nation where our national parties are always coalitions, which makes them at times intellectually incoherent, but stable. The Republican party'’s coalition is a coalition of libertarian, limited government conservatives, with social conservatives. This coalition can hold together - up to the point at which the social conservatives decide that in their campaign to build character and save souls they are not content to concentrate on the institutions of civil society and want to enlist the government in their crusade. When that happens, the coalition flies apart and the party becomes un-electable."

My name is Joan and I am Canadian

My name is Joan and I am Canadian. Okay, it’s not, but for the sake of this screed, let’s all pretend that it’s Joan.

More specifically, I am a central Canadian - from Ontario. From eastern Ontario and no I don’t speak French. At least not well enough to get a job with a dental plan. I am Canadian and I am Conservative. Which also hasn’t helped me find a job with a dental plan.

No, I don’t drive an SUV. I drive a Beamer ... yep you heard me a BMW. It’s 13 years old, showing a bit of rust but gets better milage than the new hybrids.

I don’t work for the government. Did I mention I don’t speak French and that I’m a Conservative? I do have stock but it’s not in a portfolio. It’s carefully-balanced in the pasture and controlled by an electric fence

Pollsters know exactly who I am. I’m a conservative from eastern Ontario where we have actually elected Conservative MPs. The pollsters know that I would buck snow drifts and crawl over broken glass to get to the voting booth. Which explains why they never call me or my neighbours.

That’s right, friends and neighbours – I am a Conservative from Ontario and yes, the very thought of a looming election terrifies me. I fear the hypertension induced stroke from being held personally accountable for every damn thing that goes wrong. Held personally accountable not only for the nanny- state- coddled voter in Ontario’s golden triangle but those other conservatives who don’t know when to stop the debate on social issues that have denied Conservatives candidates from Ontario a seat in the house.

I am terrified but I am brave. My name is Joan and I am Canadian.

Letters Home

A genealogy list pointed me to the Canadian Letters and Images Project, an online archive which preserves Canada's wartime correspondence, photographs, and personal materials. The archive spans almost a century from the South African and Spanish American War to the poetry of Peacekeeper William Willbond

From the WWI archive, the John WalterEllis collection.

Saturday 14/4/17

My Own Darling Kitty,

Hear I am sitting in my dug out back of the line and have found a minute to write you a wee line, as I know how you'll be worrying & wondering how I'm keeping. Well darling no doubt the papers will be full of the great Canadian advance & I must say I'm truly thankful & the Almighty has spared me this far & I only trust He will bring me safely through & back to my loved ones. Our Company were lucky & we were a "carrying party", we had to bring up ammunition & supplies for the attacking party. We were sent up to hold the front line for a while after the advance was over, although since Fritz has retired further back. We had a few boys killed & wounded Poor George Mowforth was killed & a couple more Tillsonburg boys, Stuart & Bolgarters & Hearsy was wounded. I had several narrow escapes but thank God I'm yet safe & well. I do hope & pray it will soon be all over as I don't want to see anything like it again. Things certainly look better every day & I hope they'll continue.

Saturday 12/5/17

My Own Darling Kitty

I felt I must write you a wee line today as I know sweet one how you will worry all the time. Well my own pet I am getting along fine & am still at the Clearing Station.

I had an operation the other day & they took a piece of shrapnel out of my chest I can breath much easier now. That is why they have been keeping me here & now as soon as I get strong enough I'll be sent to the Base & then if the doctor at the Base decides to send me to England I'll soon be home to see you my darling & also my little babe.

May 14

5928 Pt. Ellis
2nd Canadians

It is with much sorrow I am writing to you to tell you of the death of your husband he was admitted her & 30 @ C/[?] very severely wounded in his chest - on 3 5-17 he died
6 45 pm 13 5-17 he at first did very well & we had great hopes of his recovery, he got suddenly very much worse, became unconscious & died shortly after. He was always talking about your & his little one & hoping to get home to you. We all feel so sorry for you hour husband was a great favourite with the interns & orderlies He will be buried at Aubigny & will lie with many other brave men who like him have give all for others. His grave will be marked by a cross with his name. Please accept my very deep sympathy in you great trouble

With much sympathy yours truly
Lt. [?]/C JR Harwill [?]

Lest We Forget ... down under

Interesting links here on why the New Zealand Poppy Appeal commemorates not Armistice Day but the anniversary of the landing of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps at Gallipoli in April 1915.

The reason is one of those quirks of history: the ship carrying the poppies from France arrived in New Zealand too late for the scheme to be properly publicised prior to Armistice Day, thereby forcing the Association to postpone its Poppy campaign until the day prior to ANZAC Day 1922.

The Ottawa Sun reports that this will be the first remembrance Day service without first world war vets. Six remain and their average age is 103. Lloyd Clemett and Clare Laking of Toronto, Dwight Wilson of Oshawa, Duke Procter of Enderby, B.C. and John Babcock of Spokane, Washington are Canada's last survivors of World War I.

When I was a young man I carried my pack
And I lived the free life of a rover
From the Murrays green basin to the dusty outback
I waltzed my Matilda all over
Then in nineteen fifteen my country said Son
It's time to stop rambling 'cause there's work to be done
So they gave me a tin hat and they gave me a gun
And they sent me away to the war
And the band played Waltzing Matilda
As we sailed away from the quay
And amidst all the tears and the shouts and the cheers
We sailed off to Gallipoli ......

......And now every April I sit on my porch
And I watch the parade pass before me
And I watch my old comrades, how proudly they march
Reliving old dreams of past glory
And the old men march slowly, all bent, stiff and sore
The forgotten heroes from a forgotten war
And the young people ask, "What are they marching for?"
And I ask myself the same question
And the band plays Waltzing Matilda
And the old men answer to the call
But year after year their numbers get fewer
Some day no one will march there at all

And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda - The Pogues

... a flame about this high

Of the several main points in Harper's Federal Accountability Act I think I like this one the best.

Give the Auditor General a mandate to conduct a complete review of the more than $30 billion in annual federal grants, contributions and contracts.

You know what really burns my ass? That the auditor general can't look at any damn thing she pleases.

Red Ensign Standard XXX1

Ruth at Rootleweb has raised the Red Ensign Standard.

Women who blog

Excellent post at Idealistic Pragmatist on why there are more roosters blogging.

The answer, of course, being who the hell knows.

hat tip CanConv

NCC 's not happy till Brison chokes on it.

Late last week Scott Brison did a bad thing. A counter spin to Stephen Harper's first piece of legislation as Prime Minister, the new Federal Accountability Act, didn't go as planned.

A clearly desperate Scott Brison decided he was going to smear the National Citizens Coalition and by extension, our former president Stephen Harper.

Speaking before the media, Brison declared the NCC had engaged in illegal lobbying activity, that we had been charged with breaking the Canada Elections Act six times and that we had been convicted of violating the Canada Election Action.

Brison ate crow but it looks like the NCC won't be happy till he chokes on it. They've rejected his apology.

We requested a public apology. By that we mean an apology that generates at least as much media attention as your slanderous comments did.

The other fiscal imbalance

There are people who would have you believe that us rural folk support the Conservatives Party because we're social conservatives. Nope, we're not. It's crap like this that makes us what we are.

Four Ottawa firefighters have quit volunteering at rural volunteer fire departments at the demands of their unions

This isn't the first time this issue has come up. The galling thing is we pay the same taxes as everybody else for few, if any, services. The rational, I can only guess, is union jobs .... well that's empty. Most of us will never, ever, have paid firefighters. But we will have fires.

hat tip Lunch Pale

Mulroney era scandals

For those of you convinced that one party is just as corrupt as another might want to have a look at the Lunch Pale's post on the Mulroney era scandals.

While reading this you might want to remember that patronage is one thing .... patronage and kick backs takes it up a notch.

The Gunpowder Plot

Having found several half finished posts in drafts I've decided to embraced the many distractions and share these early terrorism links.

The Gunpowder Plot

After Queen Elizabeth I died in 1603, English Catholics who had been persecuted under her rule had hoped that her successor, James I, would be more tolerant of their religion. James I had, after all, had a Catholic mother. Unfortunately, James did not turn out to be more tolerant than Elizabeth and a number of young men, 13 to be exact, decided that violent action was the answer.

A 400 year tradition continues.

The tradition of Guy Fawkes-related bonfires actually began the very same year as the failed coup. The Plot was foiled in the night between the 4th and 5th of November 1605. Already on the 5th, agitated Londoners who knew little more than that their King had been saved, joyfully lit bonfires in thanksgiving. As years progressed, however, the ritual became more elaborate.

Another account here

"according to the accounts of him, he is not to be regarded as a mercenary ruffian, ready for hire to do any deed of blood; but as a zealot, misled by misguided fanaticism, who was, however, by no means destitute of piety or humanity".

Recipes, including Treason Toffee here.