Chantal Hebert Gets it Right on Quebec

Finally! Some good news for the Liberal Leader in his home province.

OBAMA/DION 2008

Tonight, the greatest moment in American history may just have happened as Barack Obama took that stage in Denver, Colorado. Tonight, 45 years after Martin Luther King's famous "I have a dream" speech.

And what was one of Barack's key points in his speech? THE ENVIRONMENT. YES, THE ENVIRONMENT! Barack demands the end of American reliance on foreign oil and fossil fuels within a 10 year window.

How does that bode for Stephane Dion? Well simple really, we will finally have a Can-American alliance on climate change and global warming. And how can we, as responsible Canadians, even think of re-electing a Prime Minister that refuses to believe global warming exists, refuses to enforce treaty agreements to end climate change and caters to big oil?

What if destroying the Liberal Party is not Harper's real objective?

What if his real objective was to destroy the environment as an important election policy issue for a generation?

Doesn't this objective seem to suit Harper's main financial supporters and his history with Alberta's big oil?

One only has to look at the positions he has taken on the environment since moving into 24 Sussex. With Harper's announcement yesterday to put over $100,000,000.00 into new arctic oil exploration how can anyone have any doubts?

By beating Dion and the Green Shift, even with a minority win, Harper will destroy the environment as a major policy issue and he will then have the mandate his big oil backers so desperately want him to have.

This is not about Liberal vs. Conservative campaign strategy.

In fact, this is an issue for a generation.

This is the one chance we will have for 15-20 years to put in place meaningful policies to decrease GHGs and reduce global warming.

It is also Harper's one chance to bury the environment for his big oil buddies.

No rhetoric here . . .

This election is about HARPER vs. THE ENVIRONMENT

Tonight a future president stood on stage and addressed a new nation in America. A nation full of hope and full of promise.

Surely if that nation embraces Barack Obama and his forward thinking on the environment, then our country, Canada, can embrace Stephane Dion and his vision for a Fairer, Richer, Greener Canada.

Ladies and Gentleman, the greatest environmental coalition in the history of this planet is about to unfold. I give you the Environmental Election Ticket Obama/Dion 2008.

Liberal Leadership and the Next Prime Minister of Canada

That's right!!! We're ready. Our leader is leading. To the ramparts! Stephane Dion, my friends, is a leader. Stephane Dion, my friends, will be the next Prime Minister of this great country, Canada.

Liberal party ready for election: Dion

Last Updated: Thursday, August 28, 2008
'We're ready. We're well-organized and we're determined to win this election,' Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion said Thursday. (CBC)The Liberal party is ready for an election if Prime Minister Stephen Harper calls one in the coming weeks, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion said Thursday.

"We're ready. We're well-organized and we're determined to win this election," Dion told reporters at a news conference in Montreal.

The prime minister has said he's considering whether an election needs to be called, a decision he expects to make in the next few weeks. He further hinted at an imminent election on Thursday while in Inuvik, N.W.T., saying, "all the signs indicate that this Parliament is at the end of its productiveness."

Senior Conservatives have suggested Harper could pull the plug on his government as early as Tuesday after the Labour Day weekend.

The Tories further fuelled election speculation on Thursday with the unveiling of a new series of television advertisements that will begin airing Friday.

The 30-second spots touch on a range of issues, including taxes, crime, the economy and the military. The ads play up Harper as a "family man" and attempt to depict him as a solid leader — in sharp contrast to a spate of Conservative commercials from earlier in the summer, which focused on attacking Dion and his proposal to tax carbon emissions.

Meetings 'a way of saving face': Dion
Harper has sought meetings with all three opposition leaders to see if they can agree on an agenda for the fall session of Parliament, scheduled to begin Sept. 15.

He will meet Saturday with NDP Leader Jack Layton, who told CBC News on Thursday that he'll hear what Harper has to say but expects little change to the prime minister's agenda.

Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe has indicated he won't be available until Sept. 5, though sources told the Canadian Press on Thursday the two are meeting Friday, and Dion has indicated he won't be available until Sept. 9.

Harper said he is unwilling to wait until Sept. 9 to discuss whether Parliament can continue as is.

The meeting would occur a day after three federal byelections in Quebec and Ontario; a fourth byelection is slated to take place in Ontario on Sept. 22.

"These meetings are a way of saving face," Dion said Thursday. "And he's breaking his word to voters not to have an election."

Election call set in motion?
On Tuesday, the Prime Minister's Office announced that Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean would cancel her trip to the Paralympic Games in Beijing, which begin Sept. 6, a move further suggesting he will pull the plug on his current minority government.

Harper has said he wouldn't be breaking his promise to Canadians if he called an election this fall, a year ahead of the fixed date set by his own government.

Harper said the goal of the fixed election date — the next one being Oct. 19, 2009 — is to provide Canadians with some sense of certainty. But he said fixed election dates do not apply to minority governments.

"I think we were right not to have an election before Canadians can find out more about what this government is about," said Dion. "We can see with these cuts what this government is about."

The government recently announced a $45 million cut in funding for arts and culture programs, which Dion said he'd restore if elected.

Reasonable Accommodation???

WTF does that mean? Your overwhelming confidence just oozes victory and inspires volunteers, I must say.

Here's a Surprise...Harper Announces Money to Find Oil

The real reason for Stephen Harper's northern exposure is finally exposed. $100 million for his oil buddies to go find some more oil. Are you shocked? Me neither! Sovereignty my ass.

Stephen Harper...A One Man Demolition Machine

At least that is what Tom Flanagan gives us today. The total desctruction of the Liberal Party is at hand. Run for the hills. To the bomb shelters!

Assassination Sensationalism

This arrest in Denver has led to the continued urban-legend hype surrounding the possibility of an assassination of Barack Obama. I think all of the MSM have a greater responsibility then to sensationalize stuff like this. It's utterly irresponsible to continue down this path.

The Barack/Barry Citizenship Fiasco

If you were The Fighting Dems, how would you counteract this ridiculous (or not) assertion by Mr. Berg that your POTUS nominee is less American than the average John Q. Public.

The brainless trust here at TWDIKG came up with one counter attack that might prove interesting (were it not so hypothetical and baseless). We might write something like:

Is McCain the Modern Manchurian Candidate???

The Republican obsession with putting Obama under the proverbial microscope, has distracted the American media and the public from picking up on a more important possible story revolving around the Republican candidate's imprisonment at the Hanoi Hilton during the Vietnam War.

Was McCain brainwashed while he was a POW and was he sent back to the U.S. as a psychological Trojan Horse, ready to be manipulated by his masters in Communist China?**

Numerous signs indicate that he might have been subjected to the kind of brainwashing or programming that was dramatized in the Frank Sinatra classic The Manchurian Candidate and the recent remake with Denzel Washington.

McCain has a history of erratic behaviour, which has been apologized for by his handlers under the now well-worn description of him as a "maverick". McCain's maverick behaviour is more possibly a result of his inner conflict caused by deep psychological programming that he may have been subjected to during his stay in Vietnam. The inner conflict causes him to fight against his own party and at times puts him at odds with his compatriots.

McCain's infamous temper and his notorious reputation for offensive language and verbal abuse are also possible signs of the induced psychological stress that he could have been subjected to during any induction and indoctrination process that could have happened during his stay at the Hanoi Hilton.

In addition to the above, American voters also ought to be concerned with McCain's history of legislation and voting in line with such commonist sympathizers as John Kerry, Russ Feingold, Ted Kennedy and Joe Lieberman.

The least the American public and media should do to assuage these concerns is call on John McCain to open his military medical records, including his psychological records to show that he is not the modern Manchurian candidate.

Given George Bush's alleged self-attempts at chemically induced brainwashing and the resulting problems Americans have experienced over the past seven and a half years, citizens ought to be confident that their leadership candidates are mentally, psychologically and intellectually fit to assume the highest offices in the land.



**It should go without saying that we fully disapprove of all of the Viet's tactics and torturous strategies leveled against Mr. McCain and other brave men and women that serve abroad in the name of freedom and democracy, and denounce fully the usage of such vile tactics.

In the Navy. In the Navy.

UPDATE: Welcome to all the fine readers of The Galloping Beaver.

How do you know when the Conservatives spent the cupboards dry? When they start pulling funding from their own programs. I thought the military was priority one for Harpo and the Harris boys. And yet another Friday night news release.

Here's a little tune to start your week on the RIGHT foot.

Layton Already Backing Down From an Election

What's the matter Jack? Down in the polls? Burned all your resources in the by-elections? I suspect so.

In the meantime, Dion is all about action, Jackson.

Conservative Election Scam Bigger Than We Thought

How else could you explain the sudden change of philosophy from the conservative government? It's simple really. The polls are getting worse for them by the day. So is the economy. Then there's this little battle with Elections Canada....

Ah yes. The lawsuit against the nation's electoral watchdog. The one they just learned they can't and won't win. Then the fallout that is going to come afterward. The fallout that sees the massive fines levied against the various segments of the Conservative Party of Canada, including official agents, candidates and the party itself.

Naturally Stephen Harper wants an election before the Canadian public becomes fully aware of his blatant attempt to claim $777,000 in taxpayer election rebates from an in and out scam that he claimed never happened.

Naturally Harper wants an election before opposition MPs get to grill him and the Harris boys over all of these issues starting September 15th. What choice does he have really? It's the difference between a Liberal minority or a Liberal majority.

Put your helmets on! It's election time! October 20 is the bet of the day!

BIDEN His Time

Our original thoughts a couple of days ago were correct. We brought you the BEST of BIDEN.

Jack Layton is Disturbed

So I read.

JOE BIDEN VP FOR BARACK OBAMA

IT COULD BE TRUE. So I give you the "Best of Biden".

Three More Brave Lads Perish

The Afghan mission is taking its toll fast and furious these days. What's worse is that there is no plan for success or for withdrawal. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the comrades and the families of the brave men that made the ultimate sacrifice yesterday.

It's time to discuss our exit strategy.

Eric Lamaze Makes the Ultimate Comeback

Sure, it would have been easy to give it all up in 2000. Sure one of the CBC hosts seemed fit to bring into the light his mistake of the past - much to my wonderment as the Canadian Team was about to go for a gold against the U.S. All that aside, the Eric Lamaze story culminated as it should of years ago, with a proud Canadian standing atop a podium adorned with a gold medal around his neck.

Congratulations Eric! We're all very proud of you!!

Dion Greeted by 1300 in Oakville

Tonight's Town Hall Meeting in Oakville, sponsored by Garth Turner, was an incredibly well-attended gathering. Stephane took unscripted questions from the floor and was masterful with his responses. Some snapshots for your viewing pleasure.

Jason Kenney Takes on Jean Chretien

Even at Jean's age, I'm certain he could choke-out Kenney with the greatest of ease. As usual, Kenney's the classless guttersnipe that he's always set out to be. Yes Jason, we remember your real thoughts on minority groups.

What did he Just Say?

Mr. Pinocchio, err, um Harper, said what?

the prime minister seemed to make a deliberate attempt to soften the Conservative image, noting his party appointed the first female cabinet member and first aboriginal senator, along with electing the first MPs from a long list of ethnic groups.

AND

"As a government, we inherited a country divided - east versus west, French versus English, aboriginal versus non-aboriginal . . . newcomers versus native born," he said. "That's what you get from decades of divide-and-conquer politics."

Oh yes Mr. PM. Yes. Your party is the poster party for minorities and their rights. Remember this? And this? How 'bout this?

Oh boy.

Silver for Whitfield!!!

Holy Cow. What a finish!!! Unbelievable.

Jack Layton Promises Unicorns

Seriously.I read it here.

Jean Chretien

How many times must I say this. The Greatest Prime Minister we've had. Take that Mr. Harper!

Ian Millar Medals!!! Long Long Overdue!

10 Olympics later (he qualified for Russia)...Ian Millar finally gets an Olympic Medal. The shorthanded equestrian team lost the gold to the U.S. in a jump off. Kudos to the whole team. Well done! Big Ben would be proud!

McVety Hits Alltime Low

UPDATERER: POGGE HAS SOME OPINION ON THE ISSUE.

UPDATER: PROLE, IN MODESTY, RECOMMENDS WE READ BUCKETS ABOUT THIS.

UPDATE: OUR FRIENDS AT A CREATIVE REVOLUTION HAVE MUCH TO CONTRIBUTE ON THE ISSUE.

It's a sad day in Canada when we start beating up on our own Supreme Court judges..especially when, by virtue of their postion, they are required to sit on certain committees.

Don Valley By-election Called for Sept 22!

Scheduled for 2 weeks after the other 3 by-elections. Dr. Rob will need your help to keep up our Liberal winning tradition in the riding. My guess is that we win in a romp.

Way to go Ryan!!!!

What an awesome performance by this young Victoria native for a bronze. What a swim!

Finally!!! Gold Silver Bronze

Woo Hoo! Yes! Congrats to our two female wrestlers and our Men's Pairs. And, Verbeek is from Niagara. All the better. Her coach Marty Calder was a wrestler for Brock U. a few years ago. Way to go guys!

MSM Catches Onto the David Orchard Nomination

From the CP-
Outspoken activist David Orchard to run for federal Liberals in Saskatchewan

OTTAWA — Once spurned by Liberal Leader Stephane Dion, outspoken activist David Orchard has now been embraced by party rank and file in a northern Saskatchewan riding.

The organic farmer and anti-free trade activist was elected late Thursday to be the Liberal candidate in Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River during the next federal election.

Orchard had hoped to run for the Liberals during a byelection in the predominantly aboriginal riding last March. But Dion short-circuited the democratic nomination process, appointing former NDP provincial cabinet minister Joan Beatty as the party's candidate.

Although Beatty herself is aboriginal, the move enraged some native leaders. They accused Dion of paternalism and even racism, imposing Beatty rather than trusting native residents to choose their own candidate.

Beatty lost the riding, which had narrowly elected a Liberal in the 2006 election, to the Conservatives. Many Liberals blamed Dion's heavy-handed treatment of Orchard, who had been instrumental in securing Dion's come-from-behind leadership victory, for the loss.

Beatty had wanted to run again in the upcoming general election but she got no help from Dion, who chose not to interfere this time in the open nomination contest. She was trounced by Orchard in Thursday's vote.

An insider said Orchard garnered more than twice as many votes as Beatty.

Orchard said Friday that the party had no choice but to "bow to the clearly expressed will of the people in the north to have democracy and fair play."

"Many of the people from the highest reaches of the party told me that they felt they'd made a mistake and they wanted to make it right. If they want to win the riding, I don't think they could've gone any other way," he said in an interview.

Orchard, an organic farmer who twice ran for the leadership of the now-defunct Progressive Conservatives, has long been an outspoken activist on environmental, free-trade, aboriginal and agriculture issues. He doesn't intend to pull his punches now just because he's a candidate.

"I think the essence of a vibrant, national party is you would have to encompass a wide range of views. Probably one of the worst things (is) a monolithic party where everybody stands up and nods at the same time and says the same things," he said.

Moreover, Orchard indicated that he intends to use his activist zeal to shake up the Liberal party.

"I strongly believe that we have to open up the party to the ordinary people, the grassroots, and we have to touch a chord if we're going to be effective as a national party."

In Saskatchewan in particular, Orchard said Liberals are "going to have to do something very different than the way it's been done if we're going to get beyond having a single member from this province."

That may put Orchard at odds with Liberal stalwart Ralph Goodale, the lone Liberal MP in Saskatchewan who has presided over party affairs in the province for decades. Some of Orchard's supporters blamed Goodale for persuading Dion to appoint Beatty in the byelection.

Goodale had no comment Friday. Dion's office said the leader had "a nice chat" with Orchard Friday morning and congratulated him on his nomination victory.

David Orchard wins Saskatchewan Liberal nomination
Canwest News Service
Published: Friday, August 15, 2008

REGINA - David Orchard has been named the Liberal party candidate in a
sprawling northern Saskatchewan riding after handily beating his rival
- a former NDP MLA who was appointed to run in a March byelection that
Orchard had sought to contend.

Orchard beat Joan Beatty Thursday night for the Liberal nomination in
the riding of Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River.

Liberal Leader Stephane Dion appointed Beatty as the candidate in the
March byelection, side-swiping Orchard's candidacy.


David Orchard won the Liberal nomination battle for the federal riding
of Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River in Saskatchewan.
Richard Marjan/Saskatoon StarPhoenix

Harper Pulls Another Pinocchio

What happened to the vaunted "fixed election date" and the PM and Jason Kenney's assertions that "we're getting things done" and the election will be in 2009. I'll tell ya what happened. The Conservatives are about to fade into the abyss with polls crashing down on them and the impending crushing defeat of their attempts to destroy every public watchdog organization in the country. That's what happened.

And, as for the readers from National Newswatch and Bourque? Thanks for coming out.

ORCHARD WINS NOMINATION - NEXT STOP OTTAWA

And all the doubts are put to sleep. In a fair nomination, David Orchard once again proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he has the ability to organize people better than most I know. Now to kick the pants out of some Conservative prairie dogs!!!

To My Dear Friends In Northern Saskatchewan

It's your turn to tell the rest of us who you want to represent the Liberal Party in Desnethe Missinippi Churchill River. Get out and vote early and vote often. Oh, and not that I'm trying to interfere or anything, but check off the box that says, ORCHARD, David.

I Warned the Dippers...

...they scorned me for it though. That's okay. The truth is the truth. Or, as my buddy's buddy used to say:



And this, my friends, is proof that nobody is listening to Jack pounding the Liberals and their Green Shift. And, that doesn't bode well for a certain NDP candidate in Westmount Ville Marie.

Wednesday Morning Sing Along!!!

Everybody sing along. In and out and in and out and in and out and in and out. Sing with me people!

Joan Beatty - David Orchard...Two Days Left

It's time.

Conservatives Develop Quebec Campaign Song

Apparently there will be a "regional media buy" to have the new song aired.

As an aside...I think Cher's hair looks awesome.

Like I Said...Jack Layton is Full of Sh#t!!!

Our good friends over at Politics is Local tipped the canoe that we were going to sink the Dippers in today over at their blog this morning. Yesterday I hinted that Jack was full of it.

Here's Local Grit's post. It's a beauty.

Layton Promises What Liberals Have Already Delivered

Jack Layton is trying to prove that his party's victory in Outremount wasn't the combination of random forces unlikely to repeat themselves. To this end, he is promising Montrealers cash for their transit system. One problem Jack. Liberal leaders have already done what you are promising to do. A Liberal Prime Minister already gave one cent of the gas tax to cities for transit. A commitment that would have been made permanent had Mr. Layton not brought down the Martin government in the fall of 2005. The rest of Jack's money is going to come from a cap and trade system set up by a pair of Liberal premiers. Tomorrow look for Jack Layton will promise to start the Canada Pension Plan, repatriate the Constitution and eliminate the deficit of the early 1990's.

As I've been saying over and over again, the Dippers continue to attack Liberals because they have no plan of their own that's worth a flying fiddle.

Why Does Stephen Harper Hate The Arts So Much?

Perhaps he was deprived from them as a child.

It's Easy to Promise the Moon When You'll Never Form Government

Just ask Jack Layton. Sure Jack.

Conservative Bloggers and Trolls Wrong as Usual

For months Liberal bloggers have been wrning of the impending doom and gloom of the Candian economy. And, for months we've been invaded by Conservative trolls telling us how great the economy is and how this is the lowest unemployment rate in 30 years....yadda yadda yadda.

Well the other shoe just dropped trolls. Of course you all remember the first shoe.

So it looks like the economy and the environment will be the hot items for this fall's election. The Liberals will be quite okay with that. We have a plan for the environment. The Conseratives don't. We have a history of sound surplus financing. The Conservatives don't.

The prediction...Stephane Dion is the next Prime Minister of Canada and it sure will be interesting to see who the next leader of the Conservative Party will be.

One Week Left to Saskatchewan Nomination

That's right folks. We have an open nomination for the riding of Desnethe Missinippi Churchill River. One that involves Joan Beatty and David Orchard. August 14th is the day of reckoning.

I shouldn't have to tell you how I stand on the matter but, just in case you forgot, I am all for David Orchard becoming the Liberal Party Candidate for DMCR. I've explained my reasons over and over again, but the main reason is that the Liberal Party has to do something different in the prairies and I believe David will act as a catalyst in that regard.

As all of you know, campaigns are an expensive proposition. So donate early and donate often. https://www.vttoth.com/ORCHARD/donation.html

Join the Facebook Group http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2383099601

Kids Need Schools

Big thanks to ST for writing this blog for me.


This is a picture of children from the Cree community of Appawapiskat. The community and these kids have been advocating to the federal government for years for funds to help build a new school to replace their old one, which has been declared condemned. They had received promises from both federal Liberal and Conservative Indian Affairs Ministers that the school would be built, but nothing has been done. Now, however, the ultra-compassionate (said with sarcasm) Chuck Strahl has point-blank said that the school wouldn’t be built. Not on the priority list, according to Chuck, even though these kids have been without a school for eight years.

In the meantime, one of the kids, Thirteen-year-old Shannen Koostachin, has been nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize for her efforts in getting the new school. That award is given out by the same folks who give out the Nobel Peace Prize. It would be a great honour for Shannen, and at the same time an extreme embarrassment to the Conservative government, if she were to win that award and the school had still been refused funding.

That isn’t the only action these kids have taken:

The youth have sent notice to the federal government, letting them know they intend to send a report to the UN detailing Indian and Northern Affairs’ failure to build a school. It will be addressed in the upcoming review of Canada’s obligations under the Conventions on the Rights of the Child. “We want what every other kid takes for granted, we want a new school,” said Shannen Koostachin, 14…The group would like to invite the UN to visit Attawapiskat and “walk a mile in our moccasins” to see what students are forced to live with every day — a request Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Minister Chuck Strahl denied when students visited Ottawa.

Of course Chuck would deny the UN the opportunity to visit the community - because it would guarantee international condemnation (which it still might anyhow). It would show the world that while the Conservatives may mouth apologies for past wrong deeds and speak nice words (which still get sneered at by the likes of Pierre Poilievre), it can’t act on current wrong deeds.

H/T to Cam for highlighting the plight of the kids and community of Attawapiskat.

I've linked to the sight on my sidebar.

The New Conservative Campaign Song

That's Right! 31 Summonses!!! I think that's a record!

Julie Couillard Stole Maxime's Briefs???

Really? That's what I'm reading between the lines with this report from the Department of Foreign Affairs. Maxime the victim. Poor Maxime.

And, Yes I DO Think Doug Ferguson Should Remain As President

Liberal party responds
National Post
Fri 01 Aug 2008
Page: A15
Section: Letters
Byline: Douglas Ferguson
Source: National Post

Re: Elections Canada's Double Standard, editorial, July 31.

This editorial incorrectly states that, "Under the Elections Act, these [outstanding leadership] obligations should have been paid in full by June 3 of this year." In fact, June 3 was not a "repayment" deadline. Rather, leadership campaigns were required to report the status of unpaid claims and loans on that date, which then allowed them to be subject to a "binding agreement to pay." All our leadership candidates complied fully with the statutory requirements.

I also take issue with the statement: "There is little chance the remaining millions will be paid by the end of Elections Canada's grace period." In the past four months, the former leadership candidates raised a total of $977,381.97. As was reported today in La Presse, Liberal leader Stephane Dion raised $331,110 between April and June, and is on track to pay off the remainder of his debt.

On the other hand, the Conservatives seem to merit the special attention of Elections Canada. Chief Electoral Officer Marc Mayrand, appointed to his post under the current Conservative government, has stated that the Conservative party is the only one to have participated in the "in-and-out" financing scheme in the last election. As a July 15 Canadian Press story notes: "Marc Mayrand indicated that the transactions may eventually put the Conservatives in violation of election spending limits by more than $1-million."

Douglas Ferguson, president, Liberal Party of Canada, Ottawa.