Hold this thought.

Tar Ponds = bury them Tar sands = exhume them.

Number 29 forever.

Ken Dryden received a wonderful living eulogy from our Leader Stephane Dion in the House of Commons today.

It was noted by Don Newman and Sandra Bonner that it was a first for such a tribute to a sitting Member of Parliament, as all others have been in sickness or Memorium.

I thought it was poignant as it was the first thing shown after the Conservative attack Ads which showed both Michael Ignatieff and Ken Dryden going after Dion during the Leadership debates. More importantly, during Question period with Dion & Ignatieff seated together and their "if you did not understand the question in French, I will repeat it in English" directed to PMSH. To watch them united and going after the Government. Canadians will see a new face on the Liberal benches while the Conservatives run with the NDP selling their souls trying to ignore the Polls.

A Little known fact;

Elizabeth May Leader of the Green Party has a seat in the House of Commons. Well not actually on the Floor of the House of Commons.

After the Byelection where Elizabeth May came in 2nd last fall, the Greens went to Peter Milliken, Speaker of the House of Commons, and asked if he could find a seat for their Leader. The Greens are players in the Canadian Political scene, with 600,000 votes they will be getting money from Elections Canada soooo....... Milliken agreed and for the first time in Canadian History there is a seat in the Diplomats section for Elizabeth May, where she can attend & observe the goings on.

Will the Green party be included in the next Leaders Debates during the Federal Election sometime soon?

I detect some subtle reforms happening .

Shin splints and stress fractures.

No it isn't from door to door or any electioneering,

it is @#$% Ouch painfull and brings out

the Bitch in me.

It has forced me into a recluse reclining with icepacks for relief.I've found much entertainment reading the Globe & Mail, there is to much pain to focus on a full book but the easy to digest is best.

Flipping through TV channels I've discovered one called Encore Avenue which shows uninterrupted movies.

"In a Moment" filmed in 1993 stars Russell Crowe and Peter Outerbridge as young Pilots in Training with the British CommonWealth training Plan somewhere near Brandon Manitoba. A National Film Board, Telefilm Canada and a Manitoba production.

My father was R.C.A.F. Flight Instructor with the British Commonwealth training Plan in Penhold Alberta (sometime after the last Ice Age but well before this modern era of Global Warming). It was the face of a very young Russell Crowe playing an Austrailian LAC who had travelled the Pacific, the Panama Canal and the Atlantic to Montreal and then a train across the Canadian outback to learn to fly, then go off to WAR.

A fun sunday afternoon, an interesting romantic story and a 'star' that is easy on the eyes.

I feel better already. Another Canadian Flick I recommend to those who haven't yet seen it.
BON COP/BAD COP

Maxines advice to the New Canadian Government.

As seen on Rick Mercer Report.

My Chuckle came from the answer Chuck Strahl, the NEW Minister of Agriculture gave to Rick Mercer his (one time only) driver for the day.

Question RM to CS:

When are you Conservatives going to stop blaming the Liberals for everything, and when will you stop calling yourselves the NEW government of Canada?

Answer CS to RM:

When we become the old government.



Mercer is terrific at delivering the lines but needs to focus on reading the signs.


I won't hold my breath waiting for the PMO Press release that states this" Old" Canadian Government.

Nothing NEW here.

This arrived in my inbox part of the routine propaganda from the PMO..... the one thing I find amusing in all this is the turn of phrase 'Canada's new government' .

How many 1 year olds are referred to as new babies?

January 24, 2007

Ottawa, OntarioPrime Minister Stephen Harper announced today that two Parliamentary Secretaries have received new assignments.Ted Menzies, Member of Parliament for the Alberta riding of Macleod and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation, assumes the additional responsibility of Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade.Jacques Gourde, Member of Parliament for the Quebec riding of Lotbinière-Chutes-de-la-Chaudière and former Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board, becomes Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources.In announcing the changes, Prime Minister Harper said they were designed to improve the overall efficiency of Canada’s New Government by ensuring the skills and interests of all Parliamentary Secretaries are matched as closely as possible with their ministerial assignments.“Mr. Gourde and Mr. Menzies are talented, hard-working parliamentarians,” the Prime Minister said. “Today’s assignments recognize the effort and expertise they have displayed during our first year in office.”The new assignments were approved by Order in Council at today’s meeting of the Cabinet.

Ghost of promises past .

"The most complete book in the field" runs the headline across the top .

Advertising * Plus Mulroney's future plan to unite the Provinces and Lower Taxes.

By Professor Bernard Gatt
Canada's Foremost Economist.

This Blue Book is full of unlined, blank pages. Now being recycled by PMSH to save Canada's Environment.

Happy New Year really does mean Renewal.

I am truly looking forward to the year 2007. There seems to be renewal everywhere and it isn't spring yet. I am very impressed with Stephane Dion, he is the right person at the right time and I do beleive he will give PM SH the fight of his lifetime in the anticipated election we all expect sometime in the next 12 months.

There was a news story on CBC of which I caught a snippet when driving home from my aging mothers this afternoon.

Countries that border on the Arctic Circle are holding an Arctic Conference to discuss the loss of Ice flows and the future impact of climate change seeking solutions to slow down the warming. Followed by a story about putting up umbrellas to shield the earth from the sun, imagine 16 billion umbrellas needed to encompass the planet. It was explained by the scientist who propose's such a solution that it would take a total of 10 years to rocket umbrellas into the atmosphere at 1 million per trip... just getting a wee bit of information is very scary, it can be interperted in oh, so many different ways.

The most important thing here is that everyone is now talking about Climate Change, Global Warming, Greenhouse gases and our Environment all of which is a great way to start renewal.

Small wonders and a reversal of words. .

Posting on this little blog of mine has been low on my list of priorities the past 2 months, for which I can only make a simple comment with another 4 letter word. "busy" "work" or "time" it comes down to 1) to much to do 2) not enough time to do.

A few comments from long time political allies, some who have been on the long hard campaign trails tell me that I am neither 'little' or 'old' and were horrified with the pink stationery that I chose initially...... hence the new creation which shows youth and energy overcoming the old and treacherous. Actually I was looking for a design done by a person of my gender but there just weren't any so I chose the Rose.

Christmas Day we took the BC Ferry (10 minute ) ride to Quadra Island, where we were met by friends who we would be feasting with that day. One of several topics around that feasting table was the upcoming Quadra Island, Climate Change Conference scheduled for January 20th with the Lead off Film of Al Gore and "The Inconvenient Truth". It just happend to be one of the films my husband and I watched during the week leading up to Christmas. So when I surfed tthrough some of my quick read news sites and saw that the President of the U.S.ofA said The US accepts threat to Polar Bears I thought that I had misread it and had to emblazon the words in my brain, let it digest in the mind, and then think what will that ultimately do to help the global warming we are experiencing across our Earth?

Al Gore gave the most articulate and calm presentations of facts on the topic, convincing without hysterics.Although we can't stop it, we can globally change our habits of consumption and slow the process down. Saving the threatened species of Polar Bears is a small step in the cycle. If it takes a village to raise a child then it will take nations to raise awareness to provide a future for those children we all must save the planet on which we live.

It is a double edged sword, as I sit in a room with two lights on, the signals bouncing around cyberspace as I peck at the keyboard putting these thoughts out there I realize that this is the ultimate abuse of power when billions of humans do not even have one light and if they did it would be a kerosene lantern and not because they had another power out. It would be the way it is .

This musing is to be continued at another time and date....................................

There are limits to what you can give.

As of January 1, 2007, only individuals can make federal political donations.

For more details on this

and many other important changes

to the Canada Elections Act,

click on the Federal Accountability Act box

http://www.elections.ca

T'is the Season.

Off to "the Palace"

The Palace Theatre is showing the film The Queen this weekend and so after having Chinese Buffet at the Golden Carriage we did the 1 block walk about to see the flik.

The Palace Theatre is one where there is an air of tiredness and decay, many rows have seats removed and so to find 4 seats together is a challenge. The Palace is know as the ghetto to some of the locals who treat it like a slum popcorn all over the floor and empty cups, bags littering an entire row.

If it weren't for "The Queen" we wouldn't have gone. Helen Mirren, no doubt the best actress alive; was excellent playing Her Majesty called "mam like ham".
Having watched the 4 hour mini series Elizabeth I over the past few days and then seeing this movie , she is truly a brilliant actor.

"The Queen" is a story the world needs to see.

Tourism includes visitors from other countries.

ACTION ALERT!

Make Some Noise!COTA and the Tourism Industry Association of Canada are calling on operators across Canada to unite in petitioning the government to reinstate the GST Visitor Rebate program. To read COTA's business case in support of maintaining the rebate, and for a copy of COTA's letter to the Canadian Finance Minister, click here (http://www.cotabc.com/news/#News649).

Just because I decide to clean out the mail box, I find a few gems tucked away in the most unexpected places. Another little item on the federal government attack list. What we don't know won't hurt us.

You're always welcome, please come back.

Women? Do we matter?

The spectrum of Women, as portrayed on film is a brushstroke from zero to 10 in light and shadow. Anyone from the artist world of pallette filled with colour will understand of what I speak for those of you uncertain to my meaning.... Zero is the fine edge of light with 10 the darkside of shadow. Black to white with all the shades of the rainbow in between.

Why Film? Film on dvd vhs or on the big screen at a theatre near you has been projecting some very interesting and even educational stories about Women. I had heard about the Deepa Mehta trilogy: Earth, Fire & Water over the past few months with mixed reviews. Now that I have seen "Water" takes place in 1938 it is in Hindi with english subtitles and delivered a very profound message.It is called telling the TRUTH
.http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/28/water.html

HOPE for the future. The future is now, 2006 and the woman of the Indian (not to be mistaken as our FN) community of the lower mainland are making public their unspoken secrets. Their story is not a film, it is in real time and I truly wish them and their daughters every HOPE for the future.

This weekend it is off to "The Palace" I go to see "The Queen".

HOPE: the 1st Sunday of Advent is about Hope.

7:00am - 15:30pm Saturday December 2;

I was glued to the TV coverage of all the channels I could flip through. Not only was it great TV it was also why I did not put myself up as a Delegate. I know the emotions that run through the heart and the soul of being committed to a Leadership campaign. This is one where I was still in grief over the way Paul Martin ended his short term as Prime Minister and had great difficulty switching my allegence.When the invitation came to attend the Tribute, I sent my regrets.

The past few days was the best reality TV has to offer.So much better than being on the Floor of the convention where all the rumours run rampant and I notice several bloggers who were delegates are still digesting the events before they comment.

Dion's speech ( from my perspective) was excellent and I found myself standing and applauding him throughout.

When the vintage Chretien speech (where he finally acknowledged the attributes of both his competitors ) was finished that was the moment for me where the burden of being a Turner/ Martin Liberal lifted and I feel great about the decision made by the delegates on our behalf as Liberals. I do believe that Stephane Dion will grow into and well beyond all our expectations.

Hope is in the air.

and in the House today the Conservatives are setting the tone

Rona Ambrose presented her committment to flesh out the "Clean Air Act" with public /private and substance by the Spring of 2007.

The campaign is on.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he will introduce a motion in

Just back from 10 days of heat down Mexico way. The heating up of who's in charge Mexico City is in the Canadian Press but to be on the beach of the sleepy little fishing village where we stayed no one talks politics just about the sunsets and Sergio the hurricane that went west instead of touching land.all the Canadians we met along the way are more concerned about their FM3 ( dual citizenship) than what is happening north of the 49th.It just means they can leave a car there without hassle although they do have to pay annually for that priviledge which is a hassle.

I am very fascinated with the fixation of the word "Nation" in regards to Quebec and curious to hear how our First Nations will welcome that same debate.Isn't it interesting PMSH is introducing a motion on this in the House of Commons. Wow,now that I'm back I will have to pay attention to this issue. I will not be in Montreal therefore I will be relying on all you bloggers who do attend the Leadership convention to post as objectively as possible. In the meantime tonights news will be a priority.

I love this country, it is so cool! Rain, hail, snow & sleet....bring it on!

Wrap your mind around it, scratch your head, think about it or is it just words.

Last night while watching the US mid term election returns.... I heard this comment from one of the politico pundits.It has been replaying through my mind over and over all day, I found it quite amusing.

On why did she think the Democrats were looking like winners if "politics are local" when in fact the roust was a national one. Iraq is the first off the lips but hang on.... when she said "the republican wing of the republican party" I really had to wrap my mind around that....... then she said " they are very upset with the social conservatives in the republican party and the financial spending that has gone on". Not red conservatives or red tory's as we would refer to the Reform/Alliance wing of the Conservative party.

We all knew there would be a resignation not a "YOU"RE SO FIRED Rummy!"

Just a little more interesting is the recognition that the USofA got out of Afghanistan to soon. We won't be surprised when we hear more of this ....we were wrong to go into Iraq before we finished what we started in Afghanistan.

Stay tuned. I expect the new Pentagon will start deploying more troups into the UN sanctioned forces.

Lest we forget.

http://www.legion.ca/asp/docs/rempoppy/allabout_e.asp

Today's Editorial cartoon CV Echo

Words of endearment, Trusts, Private Medical Clinics.

I have spent the past few days tending to the needs of my son who had surgery Monday in a Private Medical Clinic . The entire 7th Floor for Ambulatory care at Burrard and Davie.

Once the sports medicine Doctor said he wanted to operate it was less than 2 weeks and Wow, without being flashy or ostentatious, the clinic was very comfortable, excellent staff, I can only see the benefits of these specialized clinics not because of my son's injury but all these many years there has been an Every Womens Health Clinic ....

There will be NO SKIING this winter. Say no more.

You just gotta love that A BCer in TO, always the wit behind the writing. To me the issue is that none of it is an issue, all it does is keep the person who said it in the spotlight which in turn improves their ratings, it keeps it all simple. Love me or Hate me, who cares as along as you keep reading me. Literally!

Trusts

This from a friend who is an Investment Finance guy, he shared it and so shall I.

Here is a link to an article written by Harper last year. I guess he forgot he wrote it. Here is part of it in case you don't have time to read the entire article.

"As my party's finance critic, Monte Solberg, says, the success of income trusts represents a rare triumph for investors over the tax man. Let's not be so naive as to assume that the Liberals will do the right thing to protect taxpayers. We'll need to fight hard to keep what we have, and even harder to gain ground."


http://politicsblog.ctv.ca/blog/_archives/2006/11/1/2465438.html