Now that Canada’s foreign policy seems to be grabbing bigger headlines these days, it might be useful to check out a group called Canadian Coalition for Democracies.
The CCD is a non-partisan, multi-ethnic, multi-denominational organization of concerned Canadians dedicated to the protection and promotion of democracy at home and abroad.
And the main goal of CCD is to influence the Canadian political process and public opinion to achieve a more pro-democracy foreign policy.
That means urging Canada to support its democratic allies: such as the United States, Israel, India and Taiwan.
In this day and age, the forces of democracy need all the help they can get.
Friday, March 31, 2006
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Politics and Policy
Last night author and columnist David Frum gave a talk to the McGill Campus Conservative Club in Montreal.
Thanks to a kind invitation from Daniel King, I was lucky enough to be there.
What Frum told the standing-room only crowd was quite interesting.
First, he made no bones about the fact that U.S. President George Bush is in trouble right now – and not just because of the war in Iraq.
Frum’s point is that Bush’s brand of “compassionate conservatism” may have been good politics but what it lacked was sound policy.
Hence, today the Bush Administration lacks coherence on vital issues like taxes, government spending and immigration.
The lesson for the Canadian Conservative government, says Frum, is that “bad policy is bad politics”.
The Conservatives need to come up with principled policies on key issues if they are going to be successful.
Politics, after all, is more than just about winning elections – it’s about governing.
Thanks to a kind invitation from Daniel King, I was lucky enough to be there.
What Frum told the standing-room only crowd was quite interesting.
First, he made no bones about the fact that U.S. President George Bush is in trouble right now – and not just because of the war in Iraq.
Frum’s point is that Bush’s brand of “compassionate conservatism” may have been good politics but what it lacked was sound policy.
Hence, today the Bush Administration lacks coherence on vital issues like taxes, government spending and immigration.
The lesson for the Canadian Conservative government, says Frum, is that “bad policy is bad politics”.
The Conservatives need to come up with principled policies on key issues if they are going to be successful.
Politics, after all, is more than just about winning elections – it’s about governing.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Watch the Aussies
John O’Sullivan writing in the March 27 edition of National Review does a magnificent job of skewering the wishy-washy, Red Tory-style policies of the British Conservative Party under their new leader David Cameron.
Writes O’Sullivan: “The Tories are still a party in search of a political philosophy, an empty vessel that, these days, is making a little more noise.”
He then goes on to suggest American conservative politicians should not seek to emulate the British Tory model, suggesting they look instead down under.
"If the GOP is looking for an example of a conservative party that is robust philosophically and successful electorally, it need look no farther than John Howard’s Australian Liberal party. Howard has won four successive elections, introduced a series of major conservative economic reforms, presided over astonishing growth in the Australian economy, and won over sections of the electorate that until recently were wedded to the Labour party. There are many reasons for Howard’s success. Most frequently mentioned is his perseverance. But I will hazard one of my own: Howard would rather be right than nice.”
Good advice for American conservatives. Good advice for Canadian conservatives too.
Writes O’Sullivan: “The Tories are still a party in search of a political philosophy, an empty vessel that, these days, is making a little more noise.”
He then goes on to suggest American conservative politicians should not seek to emulate the British Tory model, suggesting they look instead down under.
"If the GOP is looking for an example of a conservative party that is robust philosophically and successful electorally, it need look no farther than John Howard’s Australian Liberal party. Howard has won four successive elections, introduced a series of major conservative economic reforms, presided over astonishing growth in the Australian economy, and won over sections of the electorate that until recently were wedded to the Labour party. There are many reasons for Howard’s success. Most frequently mentioned is his perseverance. But I will hazard one of my own: Howard would rather be right than nice.”
Good advice for American conservatives. Good advice for Canadian conservatives too.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Frum Speech in Montreal
Noted author David Frum is giving a speech tomorrow night in Montreal on the “Future of Canadian Conservatism.”
I will be in Montreal tomorrow and will be in attendance – watch this space on Thursday for my review.
The McGill Campus Conservative club is sponsoring the event and it’s open to the public.
Cost is free for students and $5.00 for non-students.
To learn more about this event contact Daniel King.
Hope to see you there.
I will be in Montreal tomorrow and will be in attendance – watch this space on Thursday for my review.
The McGill Campus Conservative club is sponsoring the event and it’s open to the public.
Cost is free for students and $5.00 for non-students.
To learn more about this event contact Daniel King.
Hope to see you there.
Monday, March 27, 2006
McGuinty vs. the Left
Left-wingers in Ontario are feeling mighty betrayed these days.
It seems Premier Dalton McGuinty isn’t exactly the “progressive” leader they were hoping he would be.
Just consider the Birkenstock brigades’ reaction to McGuinty’s latest budget.
Noted left-wing propagandist Linda McQuaig, for instance, complained in a recent column that the Liberal budget “came up with almost nothing for the poor.”
In fact, according to McQuaig, “McGuinty has actually made the plight of the poor worse.”
Not to be outdone, militant union boss Sid Ryan went so far as to suggest McGuinty was even worse than (horror of horrors) Mike Harris.
“The shocking reality,” wrote Ryan recently, “is that people on welfare and disability pensions were actually better off under the draconian Harris government.”
For a left-winger insults don’t get much worse than that.
But is McGuinty really all that bad? Or is spending more money on social programs really the way to help the poor.
No. See here for more on this angle.
It’s just that McGuinty is following the trail laid out by other left wing politicians like Tony Blair and Bill Clinton – forget about socialist dogma and make the Middle Class happy.
In short, the Liberals want Middle class votes more than they want the approval of anti-poverty advocates.
Sorry Linda, but your class warfare style politics are about as dated as mood rings and Nehru jackets.
It seems Premier Dalton McGuinty isn’t exactly the “progressive” leader they were hoping he would be.
Just consider the Birkenstock brigades’ reaction to McGuinty’s latest budget.
Noted left-wing propagandist Linda McQuaig, for instance, complained in a recent column that the Liberal budget “came up with almost nothing for the poor.”
In fact, according to McQuaig, “McGuinty has actually made the plight of the poor worse.”
Not to be outdone, militant union boss Sid Ryan went so far as to suggest McGuinty was even worse than (horror of horrors) Mike Harris.
“The shocking reality,” wrote Ryan recently, “is that people on welfare and disability pensions were actually better off under the draconian Harris government.”
For a left-winger insults don’t get much worse than that.
But is McGuinty really all that bad? Or is spending more money on social programs really the way to help the poor.
No. See here for more on this angle.
It’s just that McGuinty is following the trail laid out by other left wing politicians like Tony Blair and Bill Clinton – forget about socialist dogma and make the Middle Class happy.
In short, the Liberals want Middle class votes more than they want the approval of anti-poverty advocates.
Sorry Linda, but your class warfare style politics are about as dated as mood rings and Nehru jackets.
Friday, March 24, 2006
Investment On the Move
In yesterday’s provincial budget, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty announced the creation of a Move Ontario fund.
It’s all about spending tons of taxpayer dollars on things like subway extensions, on the TTC, on developing mass transit in places like Mississauga and Brampton and on road and bridge improvements in northern Ontario.
But as I was watching Finance Minister Dwight Duncan give the details yesterday, it occurred to me that the only thing this budget will move is investment right out of the province
After all, the budget did next to nothing about cutting Ontario’s high personal or corporate tax rates.
And until those taxes are cut, Ontario’s economic performance will suffer no matter how many subways and bridges McGuinty builds.
It’s all about spending tons of taxpayer dollars on things like subway extensions, on the TTC, on developing mass transit in places like Mississauga and Brampton and on road and bridge improvements in northern Ontario.
But as I was watching Finance Minister Dwight Duncan give the details yesterday, it occurred to me that the only thing this budget will move is investment right out of the province
After all, the budget did next to nothing about cutting Ontario’s high personal or corporate tax rates.
And until those taxes are cut, Ontario’s economic performance will suffer no matter how many subways and bridges McGuinty builds.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Corcoran On Budgets
Terence Corcoran, of the Financial Post, has a must-read column today on what he calls the balanced budget “hoax” provincial governments are pulling on taxpayers.
Writes Corcoran:
“If we needed conclusive evidence that the national fixation on balanced budgets and debt reduction has served no purpose except to lead Canadians into a government-spending free-for-all, this year's budget season should do the trick. Canadians have been hoodwinked by empty economic and political slogans about balanced budgets into a national spending extravaganza”.
Corcoran’s point is that governments across the country are awash in tax revenues and that makes it pretty easy for them to look fiscally responsible. In fact, they have so much money it takes some doing for them not to balance their budget. See Ontario for example.
And the problem is that all this news about balanced budgets and surpluses masks one important point: government are going on massive spending sprees.
Or as Corcoran puts it, “Fiscal responsibility acts and balanced-budget legislation are all the rage in political circles, a sort of joke on voters. Behind the facade of responsibility are spending rampages funded by rapidly rising government revenues.”
Sooner or later we are all going to have to pay for today’s reckless spending.
Writes Corcoran:
“If we needed conclusive evidence that the national fixation on balanced budgets and debt reduction has served no purpose except to lead Canadians into a government-spending free-for-all, this year's budget season should do the trick. Canadians have been hoodwinked by empty economic and political slogans about balanced budgets into a national spending extravaganza”.
Corcoran’s point is that governments across the country are awash in tax revenues and that makes it pretty easy for them to look fiscally responsible. In fact, they have so much money it takes some doing for them not to balance their budget. See Ontario for example.
And the problem is that all this news about balanced budgets and surpluses masks one important point: government are going on massive spending sprees.
Or as Corcoran puts it, “Fiscal responsibility acts and balanced-budget legislation are all the rage in political circles, a sort of joke on voters. Behind the facade of responsibility are spending rampages funded by rapidly rising government revenues.”
Sooner or later we are all going to have to pay for today’s reckless spending.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Fundraising Feudal Style
British Prime Minister Tony Blair is under investigation for allegedly selling seats in the House of Lords for secret loans to his Labour Party.
Don’t know if Blair is guilty or not, but just imagine how the Liberals here in Canada would have taken advantage of such a system.
Liberal bagmen would no doubt have handed out peerages like candy to their rich corporate buddies.
Of course, the rank would depend on the contribution with a scale like this:
Duke -- $10,000 contribution.
Viscount - $5,000 contribution
Earl - $2,000 contribution
Baron - $1,000 contribution
Knight - $500 contribution
In fact, this is such a lucrative concept the Liberals may just decide to make Canada a feudal system should they take power again.
But first they need to persuade us peasants to vote them in again.
Don’t know if Blair is guilty or not, but just imagine how the Liberals here in Canada would have taken advantage of such a system.
Liberal bagmen would no doubt have handed out peerages like candy to their rich corporate buddies.
Of course, the rank would depend on the contribution with a scale like this:
Duke -- $10,000 contribution.
Viscount - $5,000 contribution
Earl - $2,000 contribution
Baron - $1,000 contribution
Knight - $500 contribution
In fact, this is such a lucrative concept the Liberals may just decide to make Canada a feudal system should they take power again.
But first they need to persuade us peasants to vote them in again.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Sex and the Single Squirrel
Premier Dalton McGuinty has gone on record defending his government’s decision to spend $150,000 in taxpayer’s money to study the sex life of flying squirrels.
Clearly Dalton must be running out of ways to waste our money.
Either that or he has developed some sort of weird fascination with the intimate lives of forest creatures.
Who knows, before long we could see government programs set up to distribute condoms to otters and woodchucks, or perhaps we will have a study on plight of gay porcupines or on the love life of the moose.
Let’s hope the animal rights groups take a stand on all this. After all, surely the state has no place in the bedrooms of our furry friends.
Meanwhile, the Sex Professionals of Canada are talking about the sex life of a different kind of animal: our politicians.
See here for a trenchant analysis of these rankings.
Of course, the real authority on sex is Woody Allen who once said, “Sex between a man and a woman can be absolutely wonderful - provided you get between the right man and the right woman.”
Wonder if it’s the same for flying squirrels?
Clearly Dalton must be running out of ways to waste our money.
Either that or he has developed some sort of weird fascination with the intimate lives of forest creatures.
Who knows, before long we could see government programs set up to distribute condoms to otters and woodchucks, or perhaps we will have a study on plight of gay porcupines or on the love life of the moose.
Let’s hope the animal rights groups take a stand on all this. After all, surely the state has no place in the bedrooms of our furry friends.
Meanwhile, the Sex Professionals of Canada are talking about the sex life of a different kind of animal: our politicians.
See here for a trenchant analysis of these rankings.
Of course, the real authority on sex is Woody Allen who once said, “Sex between a man and a woman can be absolutely wonderful - provided you get between the right man and the right woman.”
Wonder if it’s the same for flying squirrels?
Monday, March 20, 2006
Promoting Freedom In Windsor
I know it’s a little late to be posting this, but I want to mention the Windsor Liberty Seminar which I spoke at on March 11.
Congratulations to Matt Bufton and Janet Neilson who organized this wonderful seminar in the heart of NDP/Liberal country.
My topic was “Promoting a Freedom Agenda”.
That's a picture of me at the seminar trying to look like I know what I am talking about.
California Dreaming
Well I’m back from my southern California vacation.
I already miss the palm trees, the freshly picked oranges, the sunshine and of course, Disneyland.
What I don’t miss are the freeways (shudder).
But don’t worry; now that I’m back in the Great White North, I am not going to let the laid-back California life style change my hard-hitting take on Canadian politics.
In fact, I am already catching up on what’s happened over the past week so that I can provide some tough commentary.
First, however, I need a café latte.
I already miss the palm trees, the freshly picked oranges, the sunshine and of course, Disneyland.
What I don’t miss are the freeways (shudder).
But don’t worry; now that I’m back in the Great White North, I am not going to let the laid-back California life style change my hard-hitting take on Canadian politics.
In fact, I am already catching up on what’s happened over the past week so that I can provide some tough commentary.
First, however, I need a café latte.
Friday, March 10, 2006
Short Break
The blogging around here will be quiet over the next week.
Tomorrow I will be giving a speech on “Promoting a Freedom” agenda at the Windsor Liberty Seminar.
Then I am off to California for a week.
In theory, I could keep blogging while I’m away.
But you and I both know that isn’t likely going to happen.
Tomorrow I will be giving a speech on “Promoting a Freedom” agenda at the Windsor Liberty Seminar.
Then I am off to California for a week.
In theory, I could keep blogging while I’m away.
But you and I both know that isn’t likely going to happen.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Gairdner Blog
William Gairdner has an interesting new blog.
In case you don’t know him, Gairdner, besides being a former National Citizens Coalition chairman, is a one-time Olympian, the best selling author of the book The Trouble With Canada, and a brilliant political philosopher to boot.
And if none of that makes you want to read his blog, consider this: His latest posting is called, “Brain Sex”.
Now that’s political philosophy.
In case you don’t know him, Gairdner, besides being a former National Citizens Coalition chairman, is a one-time Olympian, the best selling author of the book The Trouble With Canada, and a brilliant political philosopher to boot.
And if none of that makes you want to read his blog, consider this: His latest posting is called, “Brain Sex”.
Now that’s political philosophy.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Brison Blunders II
When public figures are accused of wrong-doing, what often brings them down is not the deed itself but the covering up of the deed.
That might be the fate for Liberal MP Scott Brison.
Brison sent an email to a Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce employee on the eve of a crucial government announcement on income trusts. The former cabinet minister told his friend to expect good news.
Brison insists he did nothing wrong. He says he had no inside information.
Maybe.
But when confronted by Globe and Mail reporters a few days ago about this affair, Brison claimed he couldn’t remember sending the email.
Yesterday, however, he changed his story.
Now he admits to sending the email and says his earlier denial was made because he feared any comment would impede the police probe.
Yeah right.
Clearly, Brison’s bumbling of this whole mess has undermined his credibility.
Not that this turncoat had much credibility in the first place.
That might be the fate for Liberal MP Scott Brison.
Brison sent an email to a Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce employee on the eve of a crucial government announcement on income trusts. The former cabinet minister told his friend to expect good news.
Brison insists he did nothing wrong. He says he had no inside information.
Maybe.
But when confronted by Globe and Mail reporters a few days ago about this affair, Brison claimed he couldn’t remember sending the email.
Yesterday, however, he changed his story.
Now he admits to sending the email and says his earlier denial was made because he feared any comment would impede the police probe.
Yeah right.
Clearly, Brison’s bumbling of this whole mess has undermined his credibility.
Not that this turncoat had much credibility in the first place.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Brison Blunders
Former Liberal cabinet Minister Scott Brison’s continues on his Kamikaze career course.
Brison, who last year had to issue a groveling apology to the National Citizens Coalition for smearing us, and who once told a Liberal camapign worker to "kiss my a**" during a dispute in a public restaurant, is now, according to the Globe and Mail, under RCMP investigation in connection with the income trust scandal.
The Globe story alleges Brison sent an email to a Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce employee the day before Ottawa announced its policy on income trusts telling the recipient he would likely be pleased with the decision.
Brison, of course, is considered a front-runner in the upcoming Liberal leadership race.
And if that doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about the state of the Liberal Party nothing will.
Brison, who last year had to issue a groveling apology to the National Citizens Coalition for smearing us, and who once told a Liberal camapign worker to "kiss my a**" during a dispute in a public restaurant, is now, according to the Globe and Mail, under RCMP investigation in connection with the income trust scandal.
The Globe story alleges Brison sent an email to a Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce employee the day before Ottawa announced its policy on income trusts telling the recipient he would likely be pleased with the decision.
Brison, of course, is considered a front-runner in the upcoming Liberal leadership race.
And if that doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about the state of the Liberal Party nothing will.
Monday, March 06, 2006
I'm Back
I had a great time at the Liberty Fund.
Had lots of deep discussions about capitalism and socialism and freedom.
Also met lots of great people – all of whom were smarter than me.
Only blogger I met, however, was Sonia Arrison, a Canadian who works for the Pacific Research Institute in San Francisco.
You can check her blog out here. She has an interesting posting on possible plans to tax the Internet.
Also here’s some good news. I should soon be able to cross-post over at the Shotgun blog.
Fortunately, all that intellectual stimulation from the Liberty Fund seminars will give me all sorts of smart things to say.
At least that’s the theory.
Had lots of deep discussions about capitalism and socialism and freedom.
Also met lots of great people – all of whom were smarter than me.
Only blogger I met, however, was Sonia Arrison, a Canadian who works for the Pacific Research Institute in San Francisco.
You can check her blog out here. She has an interesting posting on possible plans to tax the Internet.
Also here’s some good news. I should soon be able to cross-post over at the Shotgun blog.
Fortunately, all that intellectual stimulation from the Liberty Fund seminars will give me all sorts of smart things to say.
At least that’s the theory.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Off to Vancouver
Good readers of my blog I am about to embark upon a hazardous and technically unexplainable journey into the outer stratosphere – otherwise known as Vancouver -- to confer, converse, and otherwise hob-nob with my brother right-wingers at a special conference.
I hope to continue my blogging while away but can’t guarantee it.
In the meantime have a good weekend everybody.
I hope to continue my blogging while away but can’t guarantee it.
In the meantime have a good weekend everybody.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Compassion Liberal Style
It’s funny how words can mean different things to different people.
Take the word compassion.
To me compassion means feeling empathy for people who are enduring misery, or pain or suffering.
I, for instance, have great compassion for Toronto Maple Leaf fans.
For Ontario Liberals, however, compassion means something else.
Compassion for Ontario Health Minister George Smitherman means rejecting the lead of Alberta which is planning to give Albertans more choice when it comes to health care.
Compassion for Smitherman means patients suffering in pain must remain suffering in pain on long waiting lists.
Compassion for Smitherman means denying ailing Ontarians fast medical help, simply for the sake of socialist ideological purity.
In other words, Liberals are determined to be compassionate even if it kills us.
Take the word compassion.
To me compassion means feeling empathy for people who are enduring misery, or pain or suffering.
I, for instance, have great compassion for Toronto Maple Leaf fans.
For Ontario Liberals, however, compassion means something else.
Compassion for Ontario Health Minister George Smitherman means rejecting the lead of Alberta which is planning to give Albertans more choice when it comes to health care.
Compassion for Smitherman means patients suffering in pain must remain suffering in pain on long waiting lists.
Compassion for Smitherman means denying ailing Ontarians fast medical help, simply for the sake of socialist ideological purity.
In other words, Liberals are determined to be compassionate even if it kills us.
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