Saskatchewan to elect senators

Yay! The Saskatchewan government is looking to hold elections for vacant senate seats. But note the typical comment from a Liberal senator:

However, there are many who believe Senate elections are a bad idea. Liberal Senator Pana Merchant says elections will politicize an institution that's supposed to be above that.

"The Senate now is a house of conversation, of serious second look at legislation that comes to us unencumbered by political restraints," she said. "Not quite as political, I would say, as the House of Commons."

"Not quite as political"? "Unencumbered"? You were appointed by Chretien in 2002! How's that not political? Insenaty now!

Stephane Dion -- To Carbon Tax or Not to Carbon Tax

Alberta Arvark points out a column by Edmonton Journal columnist, Lorne Gunter, on Liberal "leader" Stephane Dion being adamant about saying he wouldn't introduce a carbon tax if Prime Minister.

Well, I guess he was just blowing carbon up your ass.

Minimum Drink Prices

So the Stelmach Alberta government's solution to the two cops who were attacked over the weekend outside an Edmonton bar is to:

A) Hire more cops

B) Have better police training

C) Penalize the bar for poor security

D) Raise drink prices and limit happy hour for everyone

Well, if you said D, you are correct. Unfortunately.

This is a stupid, stupid idea. I've commented on this and raising the drinking age before. The government has no business in price regulation ... I know, I know.

But what happened to the $650,000 spent on the "Cage Your Rage" campaign. Remember that from back in June 2007? Ooh, wow, looks like it worked wonders!!!

Doesn't this government have better things to do?

I'll say it again ... I believe bars (any business for that matter) should be able to stay open whenever they want and set prices to whatever they want. Having more security and police in place, curbs anyone thinking of crossing the line. Think Vegas folks. Anyone unruly in Vegas, security is on you faster than you can imagine.

When police are unable to do their jobs, it's not the businesses' fault if operating legally. Instead of spending money on stupid laws and useless "awareness" campaigns, why not hire and train more police?

I've obviously got no problem with police enforcing the law. No one should. That's what they're there for! As a population grows, like in Edmonton, you're going to need more and more police.

So with higher and higher drink prices, does anyone really think anyone is going to drink less and prevent the odd idiot nimrod not be violent on the rare occasion? I don't think so.

I can't believe I'm even commenting on this. Premier Ed, sorry to say, but this is a really, really stupid idea and won't do a thing but hurt businesses trying to bring people into their establishments, make a buck and employ people.

107 year old veteran a Canadian again

Well, this is most certainly a noble announcement...

PRIME MINISTER HARPER ANNOUNCES CITIZENSHIP FOR CANADA’S LAST KNOWN SURVIVING VETERAN OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR

May 9, 2008
Ottawa, Ontario

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced that John Babcock, Canada’s last known surviving veteran of the First World War, is to be granted Canadian citizenship in recognition of his military service to Canada and his expressed desire, at age 107, to become a citizen of the country where he was born.

“We are proud to welcome Mr. Babcock back into the Canadian family and to honour the service he gave our country,” said Prime Minister Harper. “He symbolizes a generation of Canadians who, in many ways, were the authors of modern Canadian nationhood. When Canada went to war in 1914 we were widely perceived as a mere colony of Britain. By the end of the war, the world recognized Canada as a proud and independent country. Mr. Babcock and his fellow servicemen helped make possible Canada’s coming of age and I thank them from the bottom of my heart.”

John Babcock was born on July 23, 1900 on a farm near Kingston, Ontario. As a teenager, he joined a Canadian Army youth battalion and was sent overseas as part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force.

In the 1920s, Mr. Babcock moved to the United States. He became a U.S. citizen in 1946, and automatically lost his status as a British subject. The Canadian Citizenship Act, which legally established Canadian citizenship for the first time, only came into force in 1947.

Meetings with Veterans Affairs Minister Greg Thompson prompted the decision to grant Canadian citizenship to Mr. Babcock. “He told me he considers himself a Canadian at heart,” said Minister Thompson. Last month he presented Mr. Babcock with a Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation in recognition of his contributions to the care and well-being of Veterans and to the remembrance of their sacrifices and achievements.

On hearing of Mr. Babcock and his wish to obtain Canadian citizenship, the Prime Minister urged his minister to act as quickly as possible. ”Mr. Babcock will become a Canadian citizen as soon as he takes the oath of citizenship,” Prime Minister Harper said. “This means the last known soldier to serve Canada in the First World War will forever be a Canadian.”

More information on Mr. Babcock and the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation can be found on the Veterans Affairs Canada Web site www.vac-acc.gc.ca. A copy of Mr. Babcock’s letter to the Prime Minister is also available on the Prime Minister’s website at www.pm.gc.ca.

Minister Bernier and the biker chick

The Liberal and Bloc opposition are really reaching when they dig up the past life of a minister's ex-girlfriend. Pretty sad, actually.

Another sad thing is when Bloc leader, Gilles Duceppe, lambasts our Governor General for talking about francophones abroad in Canada to French President Sarkozy.

In other news, a friend of mine told me she's in love with Nova Scotia Conservative MP, Peter Mackay and the next time I see him, to mention that. Thing is, she's no conservative by any means. Mind you, neither was Belinda.

"It's Obama"

Former Clinton advisor, Dick Morris, talks about the Indiana and North Carolina primaries today, plus the result of the Clinton camp "secretly" trying to shore up the missing Florida and Michigan votes.

In summary, as I had said weeks ago, even before Pennsylvania, that Obama can't lose.

Morris goes into great detail on the Democratic Party process on what Hillary would have to do to win, and it's ugly.

Canada?

Anything significant happening in Canada on the political scene? Is the "In and Out Scandal" in and out of the public's head? I think so. Is Stephane Dion too chicken to force and election? Yep. The Liberals are broke and aren't raising any money. Will Liberal Deputy Leader Michael Ignatieff and newly elected MP Bob Rae continue to sneak behind the scenes and ensure they're ready when Dion loses the next election... badly? You bet your bollocks.

I've said it many times. The next federal election will be in October 2009, which is when, by law, the Conservative gov't set the date to start fixed election dates from here on in.