fellowtraveller

It is painfully obvious that the Ducks are the better team. Shrug, so it goes.

His actions prove otherwise. Like how his bus is left idling for 90 min outside his speaking engagements. My personal favorite was when ol' Dave spent a couple of months-in business class of course- flying around the world promoting his latest book. Was the book packed with inspiring tales of his fight against the evil polluters? A series of parables on the nasties of industrialization? A reasoned polemic on how Satan is another word for globalization? Nope to all of the above. The Greenhouse Gas Spewing book tour was a promo for his autobigraphy. Not just any old autobiography, but Volume two of the Dave Story.

I do not believe a single word printed by the Star , when the subject is Canadian politics. The Grope and Flail is marginally better. Let's see what sort of reception Dion gets in Calgary at the next election.

Frank passed on running for (and winning) the last Liberal leadership campaign. He is dragging out that old Liberal warhorse, anti-American sentiment. Sounds like he is starting the new campaign already. Does this mean the little background buzz about Dions unsuitability is more than rumour?

You sound like someone who looks at the US, sees a united country and then wonders why we can't have the same, smaller version in Canada.Well, Canada will never be like that. We will never be a homogeneous country. We'll always be, to use a now-dated word, dysfunctional. The word "Canada" must always be close to kitsch - a word devoid of any meaning and hence open to any interpretation. "Canada" is a geographic term, like the Arctic Circle. I have come to the conclusion that this fact disturbs many English Canadians who really want to have a country - a country where everyone works together and there isn't this constant sniping or talk of leaving. Well, Canada will never be such a country. (If that sounds frustrating, imagine for a moment the frustration of many in Quebec who have a country but lack the popular support to make it politically possible.) Canada is a federal regime for a reason. The federal Liberal Party under Chretien was disingenuous to imply otherwise. Trudeau at least had intellectual scruples on this point. He was a federalist with at worst, a penchant for the perfectibility of man. I'd agree that Canada will never be homogenous with Quebec creating political havoc in cyclic spasms. So my offer stands: take it or leave it, and I'm indifferent to your choice culturally. I am not indifferent economically, and the terms of either will be negotiated as would any merger or dissolution. Your 'frustration' theory is more fodder for the reality that Quebec holds itself in such high regard that they fall prey to the old maxim " You'd be less concerend about what others thought of you if you only knew how infrequently they did". Truly, your province was never the center of the Universe, and the slide to oblivion on the margins of even this backwater of a country is inevitable and gaining speed on the downhill slide. Quebec is threatened culturally and economically- time to make your choice. I suspect though that you have already made your choice. I wish you bon vovage and bonne chance. Don't forget to pay your bills though, they are very substantial and your creditors won't take a third party checque..

"There are Fed buildings all over the country , so lets strike that idea down." OK, let's strike it down. With the exception of Otawa and the province of Quebec, the feds have been downsizing real estate - office space in particular- for about 15 years. Many owned buildings have been sold. They own less and lease more, except in the National Capital Region. The NCC is an interesting concept, by the way. elswhere in Canada(Public Works for example) budgets are pared to the bone and beyond. The NCC essentially has no budget. With a Deputy Minister in every building, and an Asssitant DM on every floor - all with political not adminstrative mandates - money is not an issue when it comes to their real estate.

Hmm, in Harper's busy schedule, he has a enough time for the game and not enough time for the premiers. Nothing in the article suggests that it was Harper was unavailable. Regarding Hargrove and Suzuki, I wouldn't cross the street to meet either. It is a sign of the overwhelming ego of both that they feel Harper should make time for them.

If only the reality was so benign. The hoodwinking was done by the Canadian government to the Canadian people. Our government negotiated and agreed to Kyoto in the full knowledge and understanding that it would be completely impossible to meet the targets. So, it was signed purely for political gain...... and this is truly Chretiens legacy.

I'm not sure that the Tories really want Senate reform. It sounds well and good but is just as likely to tie up the House of Commons. Many of the people elected to that body if it ever came to be would likely not owe a thing to either the Liberals or Tories and would probably believe their legislative body to be more legitimate than the House of Commons. Harper has already appointed a Senator off the list elected by the provinces, and wants to continue with this- so his 'appointments' will be democratically defined. And of course existing appoiuntments will be grandfathered so it will take decades - not two terms- to really change the nature of the place. I reckon the Tories have missed the boat on Kyoto. They should have done exactly what the Liberals did: sign it in full and complete knowledge that the targets were completely impossible. The LIberals had no plan and no hope of meeting the targets, knew it, lied about it and their commitment to the environment was and is wholly spurious.

Reality check? Are you from here? High-risk always promises high-reward. It's the definition of Calgary. Individuals living here get their just reward, and we all realise we live a pretty fine balance between massive-160%-of-the-rest-of-Canada-each wealth and absolute Maritime style poverty, but it's a line we chose. After all, it's not like we can start building cars or smelting aluminium tomorrow. Yes, I am 'from here' and I have been paying attention. If you believe that Calagary has not received the lions share of provicnial capital money for the last 15 years, you are not paying attention. Check school boards, hospital , freeway money - all disproportionately in Calagrys hands. It is Edmontons fault really, they had a series of weak, lefty mayors and have not had a local Premier for decades. Thats why Bronco is so pissed - he now has to jump through some hoops that Lougheed/Klein waived for Calgary for decades in return for a whole pile of dead-certain Tory seats. Get used to it, Farmer Ned is The Boss now. He was elected because many Albertans said 'enough of this crap' and rejected both Calgary candidates. 'High risk, high reward my ass- Calagry has lived forever in the safest political environment imaginable for a long time. Welcome to reality, pilgrim.

Overall, the tax bill from Paris is over 50% and often 60% for middle class people. They also have such delightful wrinkles like the self-employed pay a lot into employment insurance, yet cannot collect.

I like politicians that make the tough decisions without caring too much about what everybody thinks. In this case, that is what Harper is doing, unlike the cut-and-run crew in the Opposition benches. The Opp has seriously miscalculated the tone of the nation if they bring Harper down for caring about some seriously oppressed folks on the other side of the world. Because he knows that to care about those people in Afghanistan, and to do something other than talk about it is exactly what many Canuckistanis are looking for in a leader. Walk the walk.

Does Doer have any plans to get the economy out of the tank, and somehow repatriate the tens of thousands of skilled workers, economic refugees who have fled in search of steady employment? Or is intending to smile and gladhand his way through that , too? Manitoba is looking like BC in the 90s, only worse.

You folks are being too petty and critical. Dion has led a privileged , sheltered life. That may have been the first hot dog that he had ever encountered and he may have mistaken it for some kind of cylindrical pate.

The Leafs haven't won a Cup since there were six teams in the league. Meditate on that a while. The Leafs also haven't been in a Cup final since 67 either, and every other Canadian team has been to a Cup final since 1993. The Sens have yet to encounter a team as large, tough, fast and skilled as Anaheim. Their defenceman are going to spend a lot of time smashed onto the glass, and Mr Emery will be sorely tested. Ducks in six.

That is incorrect. Not only do the French pay massive amounts via taxes for healthcare, they also pay directly to the physician. Or so my brother- who has lived there for many years - tells me. They pay 10 to 20 Euros per visit to a GP(about $15 to $30) and a bit more per visit to a specialist doctor. If you are demonstrably poor, that money is wholly or partially refunded by the state. Otherwise, user fees are the norm.

Hard to tell, after looking into the issue, I think Ed might have a point. That said, he's terribly untactful with the Calgary population. Hard to win votes when you are so dismissive. The Calgary perspective is unique, little doubt about that. They have enjoyed all the gravy, all the time, for many years. Maybe Ed is the reality check that is way overdue.

G & MAs often happens when someone has easy access to other people's money, this guy is building an empire. In this case however, the danger is greater. These employees are not just sitting in meetings all day and sending emails to each other. We have concentrated alot of power into a few people's hands. These bureaucrats will be picking winners - and bureaucrats are rarely good at doing that. This CPP monopoly should be broken up and individual Canadians given control over how their pension savings are invested. Concentrating power in the hands of a few has rarely lead to much good. Why can't we have it both ways? Why can't one citizen opt to have their pension account money handled by a central agency, and another opt to handle the investment options themselves, as is done with self-directed RRSPs now? The key thing is that CPP-style contributions remain mandatory, or very few people will choose the longterm, lifetime investment needed to not end up a ward of the state.

Interesting background on Ms Marois. I wish her well. However, I find myself increasingly in the "I don't care" camp. I grow weary of one province dominating the national political scene, and ultimately damaging our national ability to compete internationally en masse. I urge Quebec and Quebecois to unilaterally work out where they see themselves in Confederation, or how they see themselves outside our fragile union. Either way, come back with an estimate of costs and we'll talk either about terms of integration or terms of separation. Your choice, and I'm happy with either..

I would very much like to see the dynamic of First Nations changed on the political landscape, and changed immediately. That is why the Prime Minister should appoint the Minister of Indian Affairs from a shortlist nominated by the First Nations. Give them a seat at the big table, now. It is time for both sides in this morally destructive, endless cluster***k to put up or shut up. I often wonder why the governments of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, the two governments eminently able to implement proportional representation in their jurisdictions? This policy is a centerpiece of democratic reform by national and provincial NDP organizations everywhere else- but not in MB and SK. Pure coincidence no doubt.

They are looking at doing the same in Toronto. The UK can swallow the cost of this I believe and have the transit system to back it up. I don't think many Canadian cities can do the same thing. I have a solution. Let's lower gas taxes and build more road and subways to relieve traffic. And of course, there's one other MAJOR thing that we can do to reduce traffic... hmmm I wonder what that is.. The UK can swallow what cost? And their much vaunted transit system is as much myth as reality. It is expensive by any standard, some sectors like inter city train travle are grotesquely expensive. A weekly tube pass in London for a visitor runs around $100. The same pass in Montreal is about $20. Wages are not much different.

Sheila Copps gets my vote. Nice job of overlooking what that was actually all about: one of Jean Chretiens worst moments, which is saying a lot.

This is not progressive or responsible thinking at all. Who will speak for the Taliban if Jack got a new job?

Wasn't the guy arrested at the Environment office not charged? Apparently, he didn't break the law either. Maybe he was given a break? Just a slap on the wrist? I stole your wallet. You report it to the cops. The cops found out it was me who stole it....came and handcuffed me, and took me to the station. In the meantime, you decided not to file any charges. To just let it drop. What I did was still a crime, wasn't it? The decision to charge you does not normally rest with either you or the police, but with the Crown prosecutor. The police gather evidence, and make a recommendation to the Crown. In quickie cases, they'll just charge you anyway. But.... if you made it clear that you wouldn't identify the thief, wouldn't assist the police, they would likely drop it especially in such a minor matter.

Wilber, no. I hope Doan wins his lawsuit against the uber-smug Denis Coderre and cleans him out.