After six weeks of mounting garbage, union-boss bullying and cancelled events, Toronto Mayor David Miller caved in and gave striking city workers just about everything they wanted.
And make no mistake, Commissar Miller folded like a cheap tent. The union wanted a pay raise; they got it. The union wanted to keep a benefit plan which awarded workers 18 sick days a year (they could also accumulate these “sick days” for a payout when they retire) he let them keep it, though it will be gradually phased out.
It seems there is no recession in Toronto Public Workers Land.
Mind you, no one should be surprised by Miller’s surrender. After all, he has always cared more about appeasing unions than representing the interests of Toronto taxpayers. It’s like Howard Levitt wrote in the National Post, “expecting Mayor David Miller to deal effectively with the unions was always the equivalent of expecting a fox to responsibly administer a henhouse.”
A union victory, in other words, was preordained. That's why it actually would have better had Miller sold out taxpayers at the beginning of the bargaining process as this would have at least spared the city the anguish and inconvenience of the strike.
And of course, it’s taxpayers who will end up paying for this sweet deal. So hang onto your wallets Torontonians, Miller’s socialist revolution is only getting started.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Motorhome Diaries speak out
A couple of postings ago, I noted that American libertarians Jason Talley and Pete Eyre of Motorhome Diaries were not permitted into Canada to speak at the Liberty Summer Seminar.
Thanks to the miracle of modern technology, however, they were able to make a broadcast to the Seminar.
Here's the video.
Thanks to the miracle of modern technology, however, they were able to make a broadcast to the Seminar.
Here's the video.
Media Alert
I am scheduled to be a guest on Michael Harris Live (CFRA Ottawa) this afternoon at approximately 2:45 PM to talk about the Liberty Summer Seminar.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
A song for freedom
Shakedown, Ezra Levant's impassioned take on how Human Rights Commissions are underming our individual rights, has inspired lots of people.
And one such person is a young performer named Lindy Vopnfjord who wrote a song to honour Ezra and his battle.
Here is Lindy singing it at the recent Liberty Summer Seminar.
And one such person is a young performer named Lindy Vopnfjord who wrote a song to honour Ezra and his battle.
Here is Lindy singing it at the recent Liberty Summer Seminar.
Free Advice for the Tories
Kory Teneycke stepped down as Director of Communications for Prime Minister Harper today.
So over at the Women's Post, I posted some free advice for his replacement.
Needless to say, I don't think I'm in the running for the job.
So over at the Women's Post, I posted some free advice for his replacement.
Needless to say, I don't think I'm in the running for the job.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Can libertarians and liberals get along?
One of the speakers at this year's Liberty Summer Seminar was the Cato Institute's Will Wilkinson, who made an intriguing argument.
Libertarians he said should seek to align themselves with left-wing-liberals.
He says such an alliance would create a new political force he calls "liberaltarianism” or “progressive fusionism."
On the surface that sounds pretty strange, but in some ways his vision makes sense.
Certainly, for instance, on some social issues and foreign policy matters, liberals and libertarians do share common philosophic ground.
Plus once upon a time, back in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, libertarians were liberals, so there is also a common historic bond.
And finally, so-called conservatives in both the Republican and Conservative Parties have not shown themselves to be all that reliable as friends to those of us who cherish smaller government and free enterprise.
In fact, Prime Minister Stephen Harper essentially turfed libertarians from his party.
So in a sense libertarians in both Canada and the United States are political refugees looking for a new home. So why not try and hook up with liberals?
But can pro-big government liberals and anti-government libertarians really get along?
Yes, says Wilkinson.
But both sides would need to compromise.
Libertarians, he says, would have to accept the value of and need for the welfare state while liberals would need to concede that only unfettered free markets can produce the wealth necessary to fund things like the welfare state.
Like I said, it's an intriguing idea, but let's face it "progressive fusionism" has about as much chance as happening as Rush Limbaugh has of being named Moveon.org's "Man of the Year".
Besides the fact that liberals just don't like capitalism, there are other cultural issues which divide the two groups such as gun rights.
Yet, I don't want to be too dismissive of Wilkinson's plan.
For instance, I fully support the idea of libertarians infiltrating the Liberal Party to push it in the right direction. (The best way to convince the Liberals to adopt a pro-freedom agenda, is to suggest it will help them win an election.)
At the same time, libertarians should not give up on the Tories, the more natural allies of freedom.
Indeed, in the best of all worlds, libertarian philosophy would be an influence in both parties, and we would see the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition battling each other as to who would cut taxes the most.
Hey, it could happen.
Libertarians he said should seek to align themselves with left-wing-liberals.
He says such an alliance would create a new political force he calls "liberaltarianism” or “progressive fusionism."
On the surface that sounds pretty strange, but in some ways his vision makes sense.
Certainly, for instance, on some social issues and foreign policy matters, liberals and libertarians do share common philosophic ground.
Plus once upon a time, back in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, libertarians were liberals, so there is also a common historic bond.
And finally, so-called conservatives in both the Republican and Conservative Parties have not shown themselves to be all that reliable as friends to those of us who cherish smaller government and free enterprise.
In fact, Prime Minister Stephen Harper essentially turfed libertarians from his party.
So in a sense libertarians in both Canada and the United States are political refugees looking for a new home. So why not try and hook up with liberals?
But can pro-big government liberals and anti-government libertarians really get along?
Yes, says Wilkinson.
But both sides would need to compromise.
Libertarians, he says, would have to accept the value of and need for the welfare state while liberals would need to concede that only unfettered free markets can produce the wealth necessary to fund things like the welfare state.
Like I said, it's an intriguing idea, but let's face it "progressive fusionism" has about as much chance as happening as Rush Limbaugh has of being named Moveon.org's "Man of the Year".
Besides the fact that liberals just don't like capitalism, there are other cultural issues which divide the two groups such as gun rights.
Yet, I don't want to be too dismissive of Wilkinson's plan.
For instance, I fully support the idea of libertarians infiltrating the Liberal Party to push it in the right direction. (The best way to convince the Liberals to adopt a pro-freedom agenda, is to suggest it will help them win an election.)
At the same time, libertarians should not give up on the Tories, the more natural allies of freedom.
Indeed, in the best of all worlds, libertarian philosophy would be an influence in both parties, and we would see the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition battling each other as to who would cut taxes the most.
Hey, it could happen.
Stopping freedom at the border
One interesting sidebar to the Liberty Summer Seminar this year was that a couple of scheduled speakers were denied entry at the Canadian/American border.
That would be Jason Talley and Pete Eyre of Motorhome Diaries.
What's Motorhome Diaries?
Well Talley and Eyre -- a couple of hard core libertarians -- are travelling across America in an RV "searching for freedom" and videotaping as they go.
They were supposed to make an appearance at the LSS, but alas overzealous Canadian border guards stopped their RV, searched their vehicle for "heinous propaganda" and ultimately told them to head back south.
Kady O'Malley has the whole story.
It's pretty sad when people talking about "freedom" aren't allowed in the country.
That would be Jason Talley and Pete Eyre of Motorhome Diaries.
What's Motorhome Diaries?
Well Talley and Eyre -- a couple of hard core libertarians -- are travelling across America in an RV "searching for freedom" and videotaping as they go.
They were supposed to make an appearance at the LSS, but alas overzealous Canadian border guards stopped their RV, searched their vehicle for "heinous propaganda" and ultimately told them to head back south.
Kady O'Malley has the whole story.
It's pretty sad when people talking about "freedom" aren't allowed in the country.
Liberty in the summer
Had a great time at the Liberty Summer Seminar.
Yes enough rain fell during the weekend to encourage talk of building an ark, but that didn't dampen our spirits.
The best thing about the seminar, besides the great speakers and the wonderul meals is the people you get to meet.
I had chance to meet bloggers Dr. Roy and Hugh MacIntyre and Conservative MP Scott Reid and Ontario MPP Randy Hillier, plus a bunch of other great folks.
I am already looking forward to next year's event.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Bloc-ing the Liberals
CFRB talk show host John Moore has an interesting column in the National Post today suggesting the Conservative Party is essentially implementing a "scorched earth" policy in Quebec.
That is the Tories, who are done like in dinner in Quebec, are deliberating making moves designed to drive voters into the Bloc Quebecois camp, as this will block any Liberal resurgence in the province.
If that's indeed what the Conservatives are doing, than it's a good strategy, a strategy which would ensure the Conservatives maintain a minority government.
In fact, I suggested they do something similar nearly four years ago.
That is the Tories, who are done like in dinner in Quebec, are deliberating making moves designed to drive voters into the Bloc Quebecois camp, as this will block any Liberal resurgence in the province.
If that's indeed what the Conservatives are doing, than it's a good strategy, a strategy which would ensure the Conservatives maintain a minority government.
In fact, I suggested they do something similar nearly four years ago.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Cat Attack
Rondi Adamson has an idea for an attack ad which is sure to scratch and claw away at the credibility of Liberal leader Michael "The Russian" Ignatieff.
Roughing it for freedom
Here's my latest column in the Sun Media chain.
It's about how I found freedom in the wilderness, or at least what I consider to be wilderness.
It's about how I found freedom in the wilderness, or at least what I consider to be wilderness.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Fiscal conservatives MIA
Kevin Gaudet of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation has a great column in the National Post today, asking the key question: Where did all the fiscal conservatives go?
I am not sure where they are, but I sure hope they return soon.
Canada needs them!
I am not sure where they are, but I sure hope they return soon.
Canada needs them!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Posting at the Post
FYI -- The National Post will now be posting stuff from my blog over at its online Full Comment section.
The final frontier
As we all know, this year marks the 40th anniversary of one of the most incredible achievements in human history.
But I don't want to write about the '69 New York Mets winning the World Series.
I want to talk about outer space.
After all, it was on this date 40 years ago that Neil Armstrong found a giant monolith on the moon, which caused his computer to go crazy and a giant baby to float in space.
Wait, that was 2001 Space Odyssey.
Which leads me to another question: Why is it in the year 2009 - a full eight years after 2001 -- we don't have lunar colonies or massive hotel-like space stations that emit Beethoven symphonies?
Instead all we have is the Space Shuttle, basically a glorified space taxi, except real taxis probably have a better safety record.
What's wrong? Why are we not going bolder where no man has gone before?
Maybe the problem is that our space efforts are a government operation.
In my younger more naive days, I belonged to a group called the L5 Society, which pushed the idea of private sector space colonization.
But I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon.
That's why these days I am much less of a space enthusiast. Seems to me the idea of travelling to other planets is nothing but a pipe dream, that's not really worth the expense of tax dollars.
On the bright side, I understand aliens with futuristic space technology have landed which may enable us to travel faster than the speed of light.
Wait, that was the plot of Star Trek: First Contact.
But I don't want to write about the '69 New York Mets winning the World Series.
I want to talk about outer space.
After all, it was on this date 40 years ago that Neil Armstrong found a giant monolith on the moon, which caused his computer to go crazy and a giant baby to float in space.
Wait, that was 2001 Space Odyssey.
Which leads me to another question: Why is it in the year 2009 - a full eight years after 2001 -- we don't have lunar colonies or massive hotel-like space stations that emit Beethoven symphonies?
Instead all we have is the Space Shuttle, basically a glorified space taxi, except real taxis probably have a better safety record.
What's wrong? Why are we not going bolder where no man has gone before?
Maybe the problem is that our space efforts are a government operation.
In my younger more naive days, I belonged to a group called the L5 Society, which pushed the idea of private sector space colonization.
But I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon.
That's why these days I am much less of a space enthusiast. Seems to me the idea of travelling to other planets is nothing but a pipe dream, that's not really worth the expense of tax dollars.
On the bright side, I understand aliens with futuristic space technology have landed which may enable us to travel faster than the speed of light.
Wait, that was the plot of Star Trek: First Contact.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Is big government progressive?
A couple of days ago the Toronto Star ran a column by Professor Arthur Haberman who was lamenting the decline of "progressive" conservatism.
I responded with a letter to the editor, which the Star published today:
In his opinion piece, Arthur Haberman suggested bigger and more costly government is "progressive."
But if by "progressive" he means moving the country forward or bettering the condition of Canadians, he's wrong.
Big government, after all, means high taxes, burdensome regulations and bureaucrats meddling in the private sector, all of which hamper productivity, retard economic growth and undermine our standard of living.
True progress only comes when government is small and when it respects the freedom of entrepreneurs to innovate and create wealth.
I responded with a letter to the editor, which the Star published today:
In his opinion piece, Arthur Haberman suggested bigger and more costly government is "progressive."
But if by "progressive" he means moving the country forward or bettering the condition of Canadians, he's wrong.
Big government, after all, means high taxes, burdensome regulations and bureaucrats meddling in the private sector, all of which hamper productivity, retard economic growth and undermine our standard of living.
True progress only comes when government is small and when it respects the freedom of entrepreneurs to innovate and create wealth.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Politics of Civility
Recently, Professor Geoffrey Stevens wrote a column in the Guelph Mercury which went after Prime Minister Harper for his lack of "civility".
I responded with a letter to the editor, which the Mercury has yet to publish.
So I will reprint it here:
In the column “What we know about Harper isn’t nice,” July 13, Geoffrey Stevens complains the “loss of civility in the politics of the Harper era is startling.”
And one of the things which startles Stevens is the Conservative Party’s use of “attack ads.”
Yet the Conservatives are not the first party to use such ads to score points against political opponents.
The Liberal Party of Canada, for instance, ran vicious attack ads in the 2004 federal election designed to make Conservative leader Stephen Harper look like a war-mongering, woman-hating, gun-loving, clone of Satan.
I wonder if Stevens condemned those ads as uncivil, or is it only when Liberals are attacked that he takes offence?
The fact is, uncivil or not, attack ads work.
That's why both the Liberal and Conservatives have used them in the past; it's why they will both use them in the future.
I responded with a letter to the editor, which the Mercury has yet to publish.
So I will reprint it here:
In the column “What we know about Harper isn’t nice,” July 13, Geoffrey Stevens complains the “loss of civility in the politics of the Harper era is startling.”
And one of the things which startles Stevens is the Conservative Party’s use of “attack ads.”
Yet the Conservatives are not the first party to use such ads to score points against political opponents.
The Liberal Party of Canada, for instance, ran vicious attack ads in the 2004 federal election designed to make Conservative leader Stephen Harper look like a war-mongering, woman-hating, gun-loving, clone of Satan.
I wonder if Stevens condemned those ads as uncivil, or is it only when Liberals are attacked that he takes offence?
The fact is, uncivil or not, attack ads work.
That's why both the Liberal and Conservatives have used them in the past; it's why they will both use them in the future.
Dissecting a political video
Some guy (gal?) who calls himself (herself) "Tory Boy" has produced a little video to defend the Conservative government.
It's a nice little try, but as a political ad it has a few problems.
First, the ad leads off telling us how the Conservative government's "economic action plan" is "protecting jobs."
Let's just ignore the ideological issue as to how someone who calls himself/herself a Conservative could possibly think massive deficits somehow protects jobs.
The more practical problem is the ad is supposed to be an attack on the Liberals; more specifically it's supposed to be an attack on how the Liberal "war room" manufactures issues.
So if you are going to attack, just keep the ad an attack -- don't mix in a positive message.
Secondly and more seriously, the spot asks viewers to relive the "wafer" incident and the "showing up late for the G8 photo-op summit" fiasco. And yes, I know the ad's purpose is to refute the idea that these are real news stories, but all you are doing is reminding people of Harper's screw ups.
As a Tory partisan you want people to forget that stuff.
And that stuff about Patrick Brown is just confusing.
The only effective part of the ad comes at the end when it blasts Liberal Leader Micheal Ignatieff for having "no policies."
That should have been the focus of the whole spot.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Helping so-cons win
The Canadian Centre for Policy Studies has organized an event called "Campaign Essentials for Social Conservatives".
Scheduled to take place on July 27th in Ottawa, the conference is designed to help social conservatives learn the tricks of the trade when it comes to running for public office.
The conference includes sessions on: "Reaching the Young", "Communication Essentials" and "How to be a Catalyst for Change."
What's interesting about this event is its flexibility: You can participate in one, several, or all sessions in any combination. Pay only for what you attend.
Learn more here.
Scheduled to take place on July 27th in Ottawa, the conference is designed to help social conservatives learn the tricks of the trade when it comes to running for public office.
The conference includes sessions on: "Reaching the Young", "Communication Essentials" and "How to be a Catalyst for Change."
What's interesting about this event is its flexibility: You can participate in one, several, or all sessions in any combination. Pay only for what you attend.
Learn more here.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
My China syndrome
The Sing Tao Daily, a Chinese language newspaper recently wrote a story on me, which you can read here -- if you can read Chinese.
I can't, but luckily the story also includes some English words such as "hard core conservative ideologue."
That's how I know it's about me.
I can't, but luckily the story also includes some English words such as "hard core conservative ideologue."
That's how I know it's about me.
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