dizzy

It doesn't matter what Morgentaler's perceived or actual intentions were. He is important because he was a facilitator, not because he was a catalyst. He built a business within an unfulfilled market and fought all opposition toward his personal success. In many ways, he is that rugged individualist you desire. That he also happens to be an important player in the rights for women over their own bodies is almost a byproduct. But I'm glad for that. Sexual liberation has freed half of the population to participate in the race for greatness. If you are truly concerned about our future thinkers and innovators, I'd focus more on the growth of ADHD diagnoses. It's in our public schools that demands are placed on people to fall in line or risk clinical imprisonment.

Before this threads fades away, I just wanted to give CTV credit for the absolutely amazing coverage that they provided. The breadth and depth of coverage was phenomenal... and this is coming from one of the early cynics.

Second place in a competition of two (like hockey) vs. a group final (like short track skating) are two different experiences. Gold is the dream in both, but only in the former do you have to be the definitive loser of the match to pick up the silver. At least in the bronze match you get to win to earn your medal. In terms of hockey, both the US and Canada showed up for the final. It really could have gone either way. Miller was nearly impenetrable. He was the player of the series. For both the men and the women, the appearance of Canada and the US in the finals shows the high quality of the hockey programs in both countries. fwiw, here's a fairly decent photo essay on the agony of being second place.

I hadn't given the NHL much notice since leaving toronto (back in the days of doug gilmour and wendy clark). But what I got to witness watching the canadians and americans (and in the canada v. slovakia game before) is that the boyhood fever is still alive in hockey, despite their fancy paycheques. It was a great Olympics! I'm happy to see the grand performance of canadians with their historic golds and my neighbours on the overall count. And let's not forget those germans, sandwiched in between, with a noble 30 medals. We claim ownership of these medals based on nationality but I know that I wasn't there at the ice rink or hill every morning at 5:30am, spending countless hours from childhood onward, to build to this moment. These medals belong to the amazing athletes who showed us that excellence is still possible and to their parents who pushed, paid and sacrificed so that their kids could pursue their dreams.

Wow, BC, Bravo Zulu! And here I thought that your warrior ability was limited just to keyboarding.

All this "we" talk. BC, I had no idea you were involved in the space program. I thought you were navy...

The negative reaction I was referring to is with respect to media attention - in canada towards Danny and in the US toward the Canadian model. I live about 30 mins from Ottawa and I have a well equipped rural hospital (probably because there are four ski hills within 20 minutes). But you're absolutely right, if my little guy needs emergency care, I'll cross the border for CHEO.

This has definitely provided for a lot of negative coverage about the canadian health care system and given fodder to reformists in canada and anti-reformists in the US. For my part, I think any attention is good attention on the Canadian front, as some is needed to put healthcare reform back onto the public agenda. Still, people should feel encouraged with the response from heart specialists, who have made clear that this service is available at no cost and within a reasonable time only a short drive from most Canadian's homes. I suspect this is the real issue at play. The Miami option gave him a chance to get the service done at a reputable clinic, away from the cameras and near to his secondary home. In the florida sun, no less. Only when a doctor is concerned that the required service cannot be provided in-province within a reasonable time AND the provincial insurer has consented to travel abroad to an approved facility (the latter usually done on standing offer). I wonder if Danny's ducks are lined up on this one. If they're not and he wants to go 'Shona Holmes' on the system, I'll watch with an open mind and a bowl of (low sodium) popcorn.

They're not connected. The federal PC party fell apart in the lead up to the 93 election, largely do to a populist swing against Mulroney. The PC party is still the conservative choice in most provinces.

Florida is Canada from November to March.

You're right.

Just a couple of points of clarification: Danny Williams is the head of the Progressive Conservative Party so, not a representative of Canada's left. Jack Layton went to a privately-run, non-profit hospital that serves all Canadians under OHIP and other provincial insurance programs, except for semi-private room fees, just like all hospitals... http://www.shouldice.com/admin.htm no issue there.

So, by utilizing a well-established domestic capacity, we can easily and at low cost increase 1st/2nd language comprehension for fans and athletes from just around 39% to over 55%. Let's also mention the wonderful gesture it is for the 43 athletes from Québec.

Just saying that they are useful in contexts other than invasion. If you have a problem with the CF's expeditionary duties, then you have a bigger issue than just funding levels. You want to change Canada's place in the world.

Are you realy talking about preparing for an american invasion? Not going to happen. Our military is no longer about WWII-type conflicts. We are talking asymmetric warfare here.

The C-17s have been very active in the Haiti response. In fact, our C-17 primary mission was to support Jamaican aid efforts after hurricane dean.

I think we need more army. The deployment tempo has been too much and, while we may shrink our commitments in afghanistan in the next couple of years, the next big cause is just around the corner. We could stand to automate the defence of the borders more. I know we are losing our auroras in favour of UAVs. More armed UAVs and stationary monitoring equipment in exchange for less navy and manned air force (excluding strategic lift capacity) would be a good thing. Question: Does anyone know what our commitments to the Joint Strike Fighter program entail?

We don't live with the same imposing threats that much of the world lives with. NATO is a better comparison base because our primary expeditionary duties lie here. Our domestic responsibilities are varied and will be higher this year (olympics, G8/G20) but are generally not extreme when compared with what a country like Israel, Greece, Spain or India might have to deal with. All in, I think the current funding level at 1.3% of GDP is almost enough, if new equipment is excluded. Where I do agree with the conservatives is the need to strengthen our presence in the north but, again, we are not talking about a huge shift in resources to do so. What we should commit to is maintaining the money we are spending in afghanistan if/when we draw down our forces, and invest it in other needed areas. Right now, we could be spending more on family, casualty and veteran supports. We've damaged much more than just a bunch of LAVs over the past few years...

We can't let the military fall to tatters as we did before the bosnia intervention. I would expect that we reach for a national defence funding envelope that keeps us in line with the average NATO member's spending as a percentage of GDP.

I do agree that there are unfair access restrictions for some quebec residents to english schools. Still, there are english schools in the small town where I live. There are english schools in Montreal and in many places, both urban and rural, across the province. Care to do a count on how many french schools (not french immersion) there are in toronto? Find me french schools outside of the eastern and north eastern ontario regions. And, within those ontario regions where french schools exist, try to register a child who is not already french-speaking. At least the bill 104 restrictions are on paper, so that they can be challenged.

LOL! I do agree that there is a disquieting chauvinism that comes from the second team in any country. I have a lot of 'roll my eyes' moments here in la belle province. Likewise, I think that a lot of white americans are tired of being reminded by black americans that they aren't black. but 400 yrs of slavery and a 100 yrs of segregation will do that to a person. While, I don't think that the plight of the french canadian was quite that ugly, I also don't think it was something particularly honourable. Franco society is very old and established in Canada but, in some ways, I think it is very new. They have only in the last generation learned to appreciate their own voice (quite literally, retiring the desire to sound France French). A little didacticism is understandable, for now...

Not true. Bilingualism is much more promininent in Quebec than in the rest of Canada. In Quebec we had the option of placing our son in a french or english school system. In Ontario I had the option of enrolling in a public or catholic system. Francophones do much more to accommodate anglos than you think.

I suspect that you're smart enough to know the many benefits of growing with more than one language. The pains of linguistics politics are a distant matter when compared with the benefits of living in a multilingual society.

I'm not sure how attuned you are to the new revolution taking place in quebec but let me assure you that, while the official and 'real' canadas are still in constant collision, neither is growing irrelevant. I am a 1st generation south asian now living in quebec with a toronto-born son of mixed race from an 'anglo' mother who was raised near guelph. He goes to school in french and, by many definitions, is a francophone. I am one of many immigrants and their children who have bought into both the canadian and quebec dreams. The next generation will be the most exciting in canadian history and, I can assure you, it will include a strong place for the french language and francophone culture. This should not become a conversation about the death of french. By all accounts the french language is a growing reality across Canada despite the shrinking 'pure laine' francophone population.

We are the most successful multicultural, multilingual country in the world. I grew up in toronto schools where the mother tongues of students numbered in the 100 range. I love it. I realize that vancouver is pretty far from french canada and I do generally support a more regional approach to languages. Thing is, french is both an official language for this country and the IOC. It is also a courtesy to the many francophone athletes from Quebec (like our first gold-bringer on home soil, M. Bilodeau) and other regions that we include their first language in the coverage and commentary.