Ottawa aims to put its stamp

[jdobbin]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto...PStory/National

"The Minister has recently confirmed with VANOC in writing that the Department of Canadian Heritage intends to invest $20-million toward the opening ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games in order to ensure that the event adequately reflects the priorities of the Government and helps to achieve its domestic and international branding goals," the memo says.

"The 2010 Federal Secretariat will be leading the effort to ensure that all of the conditions associated with the investment are incorporated into the contribution agreement. These conditions will ensure that the department has appropriate input and oversight into VANOC's ceremony planning."

I wonder if this means they have to be Conservative party members and if we are going to see some lip synching or some digital fireworks.

[Oleg Bach]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto...PStory/National

I wonder if this means they have to be Conservative party members and if we are going to see some lip synching or some digital fireworks.

The bank tower types highly prize the idea of branding...much like a cattle rancher - they brand the population as if they are cattle...and in effect OWN people via branding of product...for in the end the human is the wealth and the product.

[Argus]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto...PStory/National

I wonder if this means they have to be Conservative party members and if we are going to see some lip synching or some digital fireworks.

Typical: A story about nothing, written for the sole purpose of trying to make the tories look bad, all based on a memo from a bureaucrat which is probably duplicated by all the memos written by previous bureaucrats over previous government grants to previous Olympics and commonwealth sports ceremonies. This is the worst the Liberals can come up with? Jeez.

[jdobbin]

Typical: A story about nothing, written for the sole purpose of trying to make the tories look bad, all based on a memo from a bureaucrat which is probably duplicated by all the memos written by previous bureaucrats over previous government grants to previous Olympics and commonwealth sports ceremonies. This is the worst the Liberals can come up with? Jeez.

Which Liberals are you referring to? The criticism seems to come from people involved in the Games or who not identified as Liberals.

I thought it was interesting that while criticism was aimed at the Chinese for their opening ceremony, we can see how the government in Canada is also looking to puts its brand on the 2010 Winter Games.

Edited August 23, 2008 by jdobbin

[normanchateau]

I wonder if this means they have to be Conservative party members and if we are going to see some lip synching or some digital fireworks.

I think this means that Harper will attend the 2010 games unless of course he has a previous appointment.

[Fortunata]

He'll want to open the games and have us all stand there with our arms outstretched chanting, Heil Harper.

eta: Hopefully Harper will not be PM anymore by that time. Can you imagine him standing up before the world at either the opening and closing ceremonies uttering his usual, anti-Liberal diatribe - how the games wouldn't be great if the Libs were in power? I can see it.

Edited August 24, 2008 by Fortunata

[Wilber]

What an infantile thread. Hopefully we will have something other than the igloos and ice fishing preview that was put on at Turin. That went over like a lead balloon out here.

[HisSelf]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto...PStory/National

I wonder if this means they have to be Conservative party members and if we are going to see some lip synching or some digital fireworks.

I'm looking for Peter McKay to be shot out of the chicken cannon with a torch to light the olympic flame. Would certainly one-up the Spanish with their flaming arrow, no?

[M.Dancer]

I think this means that Harper will attend the 2010 games unless of course he has a previous appointment.

Okay....that's funny.....and good to know that Harper will still be leading in 2010

[Alta4ever]

I think this means that Harper will attend the 2010 games unless of course he has a previous appointment.

Did Jean Chretien attend any of the games while he kept the pms seat warm?

Those who live in glass houses........

[guyser]

Okay....that's funny.....and good to know that Harper will still be leading in 2010

Will Harper get a new fishing or leather vest for the function or just a new stetson?

[jdobbin]

Did Jean Chretien attend any of the games while he kept the pms seat warm?

Was Chretien boycotting certain nations in advance of their Olympics?

[Wilber]

Was Chretien boycotting certain nations in advance of their Olympics?

If not, why didn't he go?

[jdobbin]

If not, why didn't he go?

In terms of Salt Lake City, Chretien was overseas on government business. He called Gretsky to congratulate him for Canada's win shortly after stepping off the plane. And no, he wasn't on holiday at the time. That link has been posted already in these forums.

I have no answers for other games but I don't believe Chretien had a hostile relationship with Australia or Greece or Norway. Certainly none of those nations felt a snub like China did.

I suspect the Chinese would not have felt like there was a boycott if Harper had previously visited China on government business.

[Wilber]

So if Chretien had a hostile relationship with any of those countries, he should have gone but to show that he didn't have one, he stayed away. Got it.

[jdobbin]

So if Chretien had a hostile relationship with any of those countries, he should have gone but to show that he didn't have one, he stayed away. Got it.

Harper has a uniquely hostile relationship with the Chinese and the Chinese government knows it. For some reason, Harper believes this has some advantage to Canada but what that is only he can say.

I fully expect he will continue it if he is re-elected.

[Wilber]

Harper has a uniquely hostile relationship with the Chinese and the Chinese government knows it. For some reason, Harper believes this has some advantage to Canada but what that is only he can say.

I fully expect he will continue it if he is re-elected.

We can only assume he has no intention of pursuing personal business opportunities in China when he is no longer in politics.

[jdobbin]

We can only assume he has no intention of pursuing personal business opportunities in China when he is no longer in politics.

I don't see why not. He does one thing out of politics and another thing in politics. He was for more freedom for private campaign financing out of office and when in office, he supports taxpayer financed parties and further restrictions on the private sector.

If Harper lost, I expect he'll be consulting in China in the next days.

He can't even keep things straight on fixed election dates.

Edited August 26, 2008 by jdobbin

[Wilber]

I don't see why not. He does one thing out of politics and another thing in politics. He was for more freedom for private campaign financing out of office and when in office, he supports taxpayer financed parties and further restrictions on the private sector.

If Harper lost, I expect he'll be consulting in China in the next days.

He can't even keep things straight on fixed election dates.

You are assuming he will be out of politics if he loses? Guess that's why he's been sucking up to them so much.

[jdobbin]

You are assuming he will be out of politics if he loses? Guess that's why he's been sucking up to them so much.

I think I am on the record more than once that the Tories will win another election.

I am still waiting to hear why Harper has a more hostile relationship with China than Britain, the U.S. and the Japanese.

[AngusThermopyle]

I am still waiting to hear why Harper has a more hostile relationship with China than Britain, the U.S. and the Japanese.

Could it have something to do with the fact that they don't oppress their people in a totalitarian manner? Or perhaps its because they don't murder their baby girls? Or could it be because they don't deny their people of the freedom to practice the religion of their choice? Maybe because they have yet to crush some of their students under tanks?

You started this thread on a premise that is so very juvenile it defies belief. Many of the posts continued this trend. With the last one you clearly showed that this thread was designed solely to denigrate the Conservatives, no matter how absurd your behaviour has to be in order to do so. Either that or you honestly don't have a clue what you're talking about.

For myself I'd hazard a guess that its a combination of both.

[jdobbin]

Could it have something to do with the fact that they don't oppress their people in a totalitarian manner? Or perhaps its because they don't murder their baby girls? Or could it be because they don't deny their people of the freedom to practice the religion of their choice? Maybe because they have yet to crush some of their students under tanks?

And Canada takes a stronger stand on that than the Americans?

You started this thread on a premise that is so very juvenile it defies belief. Many of the posts continued this trend. With the last one you clearly showed that this thread was designed solely to denigrate the Conservatives, no matter how absurd your behaviour has to be in order to do so. Either that or you honestly don't have a clue what you're talking about.

And once again the right wing has to personalize and insult. Nothing seems to change and it seems a long list end up getting banned for it.

Edited August 26, 2008 by jdobbin

[M.Dancer]

And once again the right wing has to personalize and insult. Nothing seems to change and it seems a long list end up getting banned for it.

On person calls you a dog, ignore them. 20 people call you a dog, learn to roll over.

Fact is, every thread you start, it's a partisan hack job.

Now here's a bone, fetch.

[blueblood]

Hard to say Harper is some sort of totalitarian and is going to oppress everybody when he is a world leader who is taking China to task on it's abysmal record of human rights.

[jdobbin]

Hard to say Harper is some sort of totalitarian and is going to oppress everybody when he is a world leader who is taking China to task on it's abysmal record of human rights.

He doesn't speak about human rights with the U.S. even when it involves a Canadian citizen.