oreodontist

I'm just not fond of things named after people. Be it holidays, cities. mountains or whatever. I'd rather live in a town called 'Thunder Bay' than Victoria and go skiing at 'Kicking horse' than Lake Louise. It feels better camping at 'Glacier' national park than Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. Riel? Who knows and I can't say in 2008 that I care than much. We have a holiday called Victoria Day and she did exactly what? I'd rather name it after our hamster.

We had a 'family' Family Day. For the last decade or so we all keep our schedules clear and go skiing. We all went skiing and 'Grandma' prepared a big meal when we returned. It's fun having all the age groups together.

Clinton adds nothing to an Obama ticket. Plus she won't accept second banana. He goes with someone who can help win Ohio, Pennsylania, etc. Clinton, in contrast, will want and needs Obama on the ticket. It's in his interest to help her win and he is then the heir apparent in 2016. McCain is in a tougher spot. Picking a social conservative will help cede the middle to Obama or Clinton. He makes the whackos happy but loses the election.

All the MORE reason Obama will win. McCain has dug himself in a hole over the Iraq issue. Another potential 100 years becaue US forces have been stuck elsewhere for decades. Wow quite the vote getter. ...not. all he does is hold on to hard core support with such a policy and attracts zero new support from it. McCain has no base to draw upon to pick up more than 45%. Everytime he appeals to a fundy whacko he loses a moderate. If he appeals to moderates, he loses the energy from the fundy whackos. In contrast, Obama can appeal to moderates and independents and still keep everyone happy on the whacky left.

McCain has zero chance against Obama and is a 'possible' but unlikely winner against Hillary. The vote will something like 57 to 43 Demo if Obama vs McCain 53 to 47 for Hillary vs McCain. The polls are a bit closer but they don't reflect motivation. By this time next year there will be the beginning of the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and the resotration of sanity in US foreign policy.

Cripes, are you a negative nabob. Forget the Prozac today? Why not just shoot yourself? Then again, you'd start bitchin about the government not handing out free guns and having to pay for the bullet yourself. I apologize for my family and friends having a good life and not joining you in the crybaby game.

An 18year old doesn't need the presuure of buying a house. We didn't buy our first modest home until we were in our mid 20's. Our son and daughter in law saved $170,000 working 18 months in the oilpatch at Rainbow Lake. It's called makng the efort and setting a goal. Houses are built in record numbers. Who do you think are buying them? Alberta has the lowest average age of homeownership in the 10 provinces. Hint: the highest average age is where there is the least opportunity. The answer to being a loser is not starting to save the 50,000 and giving up. How did thousands of Albertans in their 20's buy a house last year? It seems every week in our company someone is announcing buying their home.

Not us. We're doing great. Never been better. My 18 year old nephew just arrived in alberta. no skills. He worked a 10 shift today at time and a half and earned just under $300. He pays the lowest provincial taxes in Canada and used today's gravy cheque to buy an electric guitar with no provincial sales tax. He's happy as a pig in mud compared to his prospects in the Maritimes. You need to get out of Alberta more and see the real world. hint: people are flocking to Alberta nad not the other way around. And yes, all those thousands of houses & condos being built are being bought by resourceful and hard working young couples. Do those folks have magical properties...nope, they aen't negative no-can-doers.

We're doing great as ouarer most of our friends. Never had it so good as the last decade or so. Why not start your own party and tell people that they should all be unhappy. Anyways, off to COP for a days skiing with thousands of other oppressed Albertans. Monday off to Nakiska to wallow among the forced laughter of other thousands spending their dough and not knowing they are actually miserable .

Never is too strong a word. The NDP is an irrelevent rump but the Liberals would have a chance if they started to listen to Joe Sixpack instead of getting themselves tied up in political correctness. Ralph klein could have been a PC or Liberal...folks liked the straight talk even if they didn't think much beyond that. Re the PCs and Social Credit. They were very much the same base in the 1960's. The Social Credit policies that made them 'social credit' had long been subdued before leaving power. They morphed into a small 'c' conservative party that was defeated because of staleness and not because of any great differences with the ideology of the conservatives. I can't recall an much difference as a kid and doubt if hardly anyone else did. Lougheed as an individual was more dynamic than Strom but Strom was always in the shadow of Manning. I don't think I ever met Premier Manning but until a couple years ago I would drive with my mother and one or two older ladies as they'd be invited to tea with the elderly Mrs Manning.

Wrong. Dead wrong. The Parliament of Caada can not impose anything concerning the rights of natives. Native groups themselves can decide to participate or not. There is not a hierarchy of power in Canada. The federal governmnet is not 'above' the provinces and not 'above' the aboriginal nations. Being a citizen of Canada does not negate provincial or aboriginal nation areas of jurisdiction. Even when these groups come together to change or add to the Constitution there is opting out which recognizs that ultimately Canada is a confederation and not a top down unitary state. The Parliament of Canada can no more pass legislation on the status of women on individual reserves than it can on language or education in Quebec. We have a Constituion and a court system to interpret legitimacy of legislation in accordance to that Constitution.

How could a Humans rights Act be imposed on native groups? Most natives see themselves as just that...nations. These nations are not subservient to Federal governmnet but an equal. They can't have their cultures mandated by an institution that does not have jurisdiction over them. The Federal governmnet can no more decide the 'human rights' of the Mohawk nation than the Mohawk nation can decide the human rights of folks living in Cornerbrook, Newfoundland. Native groups have struggled for centuries to get out from under the Father Know's Best of white man's burden. It's up to the Mohawk, Blood, Tsu'sina, and other nations to determine their own social standards. Their goal is not to be cookie cutter cultures reflecting Christian European sensibilities. Federal and provincial presence on their lands is at their discretion and invitation. They are not lesser entities within Canada.

(Skipping over 'Hysterical Drea') Agreed. Food banks in large cities have become institutions in themselves. There are costs involved beyond direct government dollars. Food vouchers put decisions in the hands of the user. Re self-supporting charities. they are usually a positive and do a lot of good for society. But, they cost all citizens. A hundred dollars donated to a non-profit organization is often a hundred dollars of income exempt from taxes. Someone donating a hundred dollars to a Ballet company, food bank, Red Cross, etc. may be saving $25 in taxes....taxes not available for schools, healthcare and so on. Usually the end use of donations is a positive that outweighs the exemption but it's not at no cost to taxpayers.

Unexpected deaths are no excuse to not being resposible today. Of course bad things happen. Deaths...job loss. What about TODAY? The difference between responsible individuals and the chronic victims is the former don't wait to be leaves blowing in the wind. Most land on their feet and it's not to do with lady luck or being dealt the right cards. It's undestanding that (especially when there are children) not to leave things to luck. Fools have the irresponsible attitude 'we'll manage somehow'. Folks with their act together prepare themselves for challenges. Millions of people came to Canada and millions have moved within Canada. Not surprising the #1 reason for the thousands of young people is change and 'to make money'. The #1 reason for people with children is 'better opportunity and a secure future for their children'. They don't wait to be victims.

Wrong. It's obvious you need to get off your ass moving. We raised 3 children and put two through university and one through trade school. We ourselves ate Kraft dinner and put ourselves through university. We also moved several times and took responsibility for ourselves. Hint: once you run out of excuses for failing to provide for your children, you may get your act together. Yes, you WILL lose your job and people do get ill. That's why you need to put a dollar in the cookie jar today. It's called being responsible and not going 'Boo! Hoo! Poor me ' when crap happens. Mills do close, mines close, companies shut there doors. Any decent parent plans for that now and doesn't not put their kids at the fate of others. Victimhood is a terrible example for your children. The overwhelming majority of Canadians have full bellies and provide for their children. Are they all more intelligent? all have better social skills? Why can they manage and you don't? Ask yourself why they can do it and what steps you can take to follow their example. Don't keep finding excuses to be a loser.

Vancouver? Why not move to a thousand other places. There are atlases you can borrow from the library. more likely you don't have the ambition to move your ass and get your act together. Please don't come to Alberta. We don't need negative no-can-do whiners. It's unfortunate some kids are stuck with parents who use victimhood as excuse for failure and perpetuate the poverty on to their families.

I don't mind Harper but I won't vote Conservative. I knew him a bit before he was high profile and he's a decent fellow. Dion is ok but a bit understated. Layton? Don't know if he's real behind the slick smile. Right now the balance is fine. A minority government with a responsible leader who doesn't have to pander to the right of the party because of the need for support of one of the parties to the left. Sure beats the situation under Chretien or Mul-crooky. All of Canada is more listened to in a minority government. wild bill: "Voters will have to decide if the fact that they aren't totally thrilled with Harper's policies re Afghanistan are enough to stomach having Dion as PM." The numbers weren't much different a year ago when the Afghan issue wasn't high profile. I don't know if Afghan policy breaks many voters one way or the other. Folks are always saying "I'll never vote for party 'x'" because of some issue. I do it myself a couple times a year and then get equally mad at the other party and say the same. Last year I said I won't vote Green because of an alliance with the Liberals, won't vote Liberal because of empty Kyoto whining, won't vote Con because of Afghanistan. I'll end up puting a sign on the lawn and voting for one of those three.

"Fast food is cheaper, thus poor people tend to go for the cost savings.' Not at all. Fast fod is cheaper only if you have poor eating habits and try to make the equivalent garbage. A hearty bowl of oatmeal with milk and brown sugar and a banana on the side is about 40 cents. Agreed.... you couldn't make an egg Mcclogg-artery-fat mcmuffin for 40 cents. "100 miles to the nearest bakery"....and you don't have sufficient income and use the food bank? Get off your ass and move to where you can provide for yourself and your family. Talk about shiftless and needing a kick in the ass. Boo! Hoo!

I'd bet against it. The demographics and 'change' has been in the air for decades. The PCs coming to power were just rejuvenated Social creditors.. Nothing has changed since long before WW2. I'd like to see a minority Con government but won't happen. Any party to challege the PCs would need to come from the right and that won't happen. Rural fundy whackos are a smaller and smaller niche of the population. 'If' Morton had wonthe con leadership the Liberals might have had a chance but never happened and won't happen. If it was a tradition to be bought with one's own tax dollars that actually determined election outcomes then the NDP would have been in power for the last 50 years provincially and federally. You might like to vote for the promises but most of my friends want less government and not more. Promises by the Libs and NDP are largely dismissed and tarnish those parties (over and over)

Dancer: Congrats on your ingenuity and adaptability. We buy almost no prepared food. It's less expensive (not an issue with us) but, more importantly, much healthier. My wife and I could eat quite nutritiously on $90 each a month. And certainly before we'd accept handouts. In fact, the bottle of wine usually costs more than our food. I often leave the grocery store with an overflowing bag of veggies for just a few dollars. Quality food has become less and less expensive as a % of income in our society while the irony is that many continue to spend more on poor nutritional choices. How often do we eat fast food? Never. Zilch. We still fill one thermos with coffee and another with homemade soup. So delicious with a loaf of crusty brad. A lowly apple and orange purchased for under a dollar still tastes better than chemical snacks. One might say the issue is educating those like Drea with poor consumer habits. But is it education? I was taught from grade one that an apple was healthier than a twinkie. They don't know that? 20 cents for a healthy banana or 50 cents plus tax for a chocolate bar? That's to do with education? Folks aren't that stupid as much as a lot of folks have no incentive as long as they can get into the handout lineup.

Peanut butter isn't expensive. $2.69 at Walmart for a litre jar. Day old bread at our bakery for 75 cents a loaf. Perhaps a bit of homework would help you aquire some positive consumer skills. Spend less time in the foodbank line up and more gathering cans or bottles and you could feed yourself no problem. Then again. No need to be self-sufficient when there are free handouts to perpetuate slothiness.

I doubt the NDP % will rise and if it rises certainly not because of anything they propose. They can promise anything but aren't taken as a serious contender for government. NDP fortunes outside of a niche in Edmonton are doomed by the rise of the Green Party. The Greens have done better in my riding than the dippers the last provincial and fed election. Any actual dividing issues in the province (none so far) will benefit the Liberals. Klein was that issue in the last election and he's gone. The debate about Stelmach is largely on the right and Morton whackos aren't going to vote Liberal or NDP. Wild Rosers are disenchanted Cons and may get a seat or two but that's dependent on the individual and not the party. Albertan are more intelligent than the Libs and NDP strategies. They don't bite at 'give me' promises. In fact I say it dooms the Libs to an image of big government that won't ever get them elected. Albertans will bite at lower taxes but not at more government offering a bigger free lunch. the Cons can get away wasting billions in revenues because there has not been a viable alternative wanting to close the vault. The Libs can't scream spend more on health, education, seniors and so on without the eyes rolling. The next Legislature will look more or less the same as this one...for 5 more years.

My wife's 17 year old nephew arrived here in Calgary from PEI on Jan 15th. He had 3 jobs lined up by the following Monday and started work at $18/hour. He also gets time and a half any Saturday or Sunday he wants to work. He had zero skills, is of average intelligence. Not a firebrand but has a decent work ethic. 'If' per chance he was to waste his money on $1 cups of coffee, take out pizza, etc. then the very best thing is for him to go hungry....real hungy. No foodbank..no handouts. Knocked on his ass. The best lesson in life and the next paycheck he'd be first buying a jar of peanut butter, a few loaves of bread and canned soup and a bunch of bananas. ...all for less cost than earned in an hour's work. Food Banks have their place. Unfortunately they've become enablers to perpetuate irresposibility. I've never accepted a penny of charity in my life. I could write the Kraft Dinner cookbook. No need for most to to be a bum or charity case. Knock on restaurant doors in Calgary and they all need help. The 3rd or 4th one you knocked on would provide a decent meal and some food to take home if you offered to do a few hours of work.

In 35 years of voting this is the lowest profile fed or provincial election I've experienced. We spent two days helping with the calving out at the homestead and there was zero talk of politics. No one is paying attention. I'm more inclined to see it as the nature of the media beast. None of our nephews, their friends, etc. under 25 or so could give a hoot. They all watch CNN, are on the Internet and follow the primaries in the USA. Everyone knows Clinton/Obana but few could recognize a photo of Stelmach and none could name another party leader. There's no issue that is catching on. No Klein to love or hate. No charisma from any leader. No anything other than the usual fringe groups chattering to themselves. The Libs were caught flat foot. the NDP are what? I don't know how any one can make a prediction of substance when there might as well not be a campaign of any sort. If I have to 'guess', I say the results will be more or less the same as today. Perhaps the Cons will take a couple more seas in the Edmonton area...the Libs perhaps another 1 in Calgary. No change in the rural areas. NDP the same or lose a seat. The Greens will pick up only 4%...they have no visible profile this election.

Agreed. I've voted Con 'forever' but wouldn't vote for Morton. I don't have a problem with him as much as his groupies. I probably won't vote Con this election. Probably Green to help raise the environmnetal issue. Stelmach is 'ok' so far but too big a majority leads to more arrogance. I'm in Calgary and am surprised how well the Cons seem to be doing. I thought there might have been more call for a house cleaning this time around even by traditional Con voters (like me)