It's a Tsunami!

[Argus]

Well, tens of thousands might be dead and dying, but hey, that's no reason to interupt a holiday in sunny Morocco! But now Paul is back, and in his usual ham fisted way, he's determined to be seen as doing something (note the difference betwen ACTUALLY doing something).

First, he's doubled Canada's commitment of funds - hey, it's only play money anyway, it's not like HE donated anything. Second, although it's eight full days after the disaster, he's now despatched three cabinet ministers to be seen as doing something. What the three are going to do given none of them has the slightest experience or knowledge of disaster relief is kind of in question, though. Most interesting, the dapper Pierre Pettigrew will get to Thailand, known for its brothels with underage girls - and boys (cough-cough), who cater to middle aged western men. Ujjal Dosanjh will go to India - which has refused any foreign aid, so I presume he'll be looking for ways to recruit more Indian voters. That is his principal job with the Liberal Party, after all. Paul got to practice his "stern and caring" face for the TV cameras. It doesn't really differ much from his "stern and disapproving" face, but he's working on it, and the voice is at least different. There was no mention of the "matching funds" program announced earlier; a "new" program where the government pledged to match the donations of private Canadians up to $25m, the funds for which, it was later forced to admit, was coming out of its existing pledge anyway.

Meanwhile, after scrambling desperately to find a way to get them overseas, the government has pledged to send its infamous DART people to help. Of course, the DART people are at less than half strength, so the military has been raiding to grab up doctors and corpsmen, to say nothing of anyone who knows anything about water purification, from all over the CAF.

They've been trying to line up someone other than the Americans to transport them. It seems we've been using the mighty (mighty inexpensive) Ukrainian air force, but they have been among the first to pledge actual, hands on help and their air force is already busy flying in relief supplies. We, of course, have no air force, no long range transport aircraft anyway, no heavy helicopter transports, and no sealift capacity whatsoever, and you can't just whistle up a couple of commercial freighters on a days notice. There are no plans, btw, to remedy any of this.

This is a government which continues to deeply value style and appearance over substance. It is almost eerily similar to the Chretien government; a PM who loves jetting around the world looking important, while doing almost nothing about almost everything. A little tinkering, here and there, and efforts to look good, and that's it. Problems? What problems? Didn't you know Health Care was fixed for a generation?

[caesar]

mORE WHINING AND CRYING aRGUS. oUR GOVERNMENT NEVER DOES ENOUGH EH

We should not have to supply everything for everyone ourselves. That is why we join UN We have joined the USA led disaster team to coordinate disaster relief. We have donated a very generous amount of money into the effort and have sent several transport loads overseas.

We are doing our part; we don't have to save the world single handed. We are only a large country in size. As a taxpayer; I want our money to serve Canadians first; then to help others as we can afford. Give it a rest. Do you really think Money hungry Harper would be doing as much??? If so, It would only be to suck up to the USA.

[Argus]

mORE WHINING AND CRYING aRGUS.  oUR GOVERNMENT NEVER DOES ENOUGH EH

Now I know what flatulence looks like in writing.

[Guest LLL]

mORE WHINING AND CRYING aRGUS.  oUR GOVERNMENT NEVER DOES ENOUGH EH

Now I know what flatulence looks like in writing.

What it looks like to me is that he's got another job besides working for MLWBN.

[caesar]

whining whining all day long

made me sing this little song.

nothing's ever good enough

Seems you have no self love

[I miss Reagan]

Grow up caesar.

Is it any surprise that canada refuses to lead, but rather is led by public opinion. They'll do as much as is required to keep themselves in power. Shameful.

[Shakeyhands]

ok, what kind of response would have ben appropriate then?

[caesar]

Is it any surprise that canada refuses to lead, but rather is led by public opinion

That is how a DEMOCRACY should work; following the wishes of the people. Democracy is not supposed to be one day every 4 years.

You grow up IMR. Learn to read and listen and accept the sad truths of life. We cannot save everyone. Bush is an ignorant shoot em up cowboy and life ain't always fair.

[caesar]

ok, what kind of response would have ben appropriate then?

For many Conservatives; the Liberals are wrong no matter what they do. What do they think Harper would have done????? Harper doesn't even want to help poor Canadians nor provide all Canadians with affordable Health care. I suppose Harper would do whatever Bush told him instead of what the Canadian taxpaying citizens demanded.

[I miss Reagan]

That is how a DEMOCRACY should work; following the wishes of the people. Democracy is not supposed to be one day every 4 years.

Good, in that case I asume you're supporting a referendum on gay marriage.

Bush is an ignorant shoot em up cowboy [so there].

That's your attempt at insulting me personally. Maybe you should be more like MS and slander Reagan. Either that or grow up.

[Pateris]

caesar,

If Harper were Prime Minister we wouldn't have to RENT old Russian aircraft to get out DART team to the disaster zone... We could have sent it promptly in our own C-17s...

[Argus]

ok, what kind of response would have ben appropriate then?

An intelligent one. I suspect, however, that is well beyond her means.

[Guest eureka]

Isn't it rather pathetic that some would attempt to make a political game out of a disaster.

Canada's response. proportionately, is one of the world's largest: something to be proud of so far as pride can enter into necessity. The criticisms are unwarranted.

How many of the critics were on the phone making donations within hours of the uncertain news?

[Stoker]

How many of the critics were on the phone making donations within hours of the uncertain news?

A better question would be, how many of the critics and the critics of the critics give year round? Not just when a major diaster happens?

I personaly give blood twice a year, and money to both the Red Cross and to charities through my Church every year........

[Shakeyhands]

Although this topic is posted under Canadian Fed. Politics I find the followign observance from http://www.crooksandliars.com/ very very interesting? Where have all the people gone? Where is his BASE now? Are they stepping up to help?

Where are the Evangelicals?

President Bush enlisted two former presidents for an ambitious private fund-raising drive for victims of the deadly tsunami on Monday, asking Americans to open their wallets to help the millions left homeless, hungry and injured.

He spoke about the generosity of the American people that have pledeged millions to help the cause. He singled out:

A coffee roaster, a tax preparer, a Buddhist Temple, people selling items on the internet, and corporate donations as some examples of American generosity. What I find interesting is not a word mentioned about his fellow Evangelical Christians who espouse the moral majority on the land. Where are they hiding? Americablog surveyed their websites and found them barren from almost any mention of this tragedy. Are they too busy collecting money to intimidate Democrats in the Senate? Are they too busy working on voter drives that they haven't the time to be involved in the relief effort? With not a peep about them out of their biggest supporter's mouth today, will they finally be embarrassed enough to join in?

[Guest eureka]

It is not a better question, Stoker. In fact, I don't see any relevance at all in the question.

Are you simply avoiding my comment which does bear on the relief effort?

[Stoker]

It is not a better question, Stoker. In fact, I don't see any relevance at all in the question.

I'll type slowly for you than........

You question the time in which donations where made for the disaster relief:

How many of the critics were on the phone making donations within hours of the uncertain news?

I repond by questioning how many millions of Canadians only donate to an Aid organization after a major disaster occurs instead of donating "just because" year round :

A better question would be, how many of the critics and the critics of the critics give year round? Not just when a major diaster happens?

Your defensive responce lends me to beleive that you have a guilty conscience in terms of your charity to others........

Are you simply avoiding my comment which does bear on the relief effort?

Which comment?

First off, on the political side of it, if we had a Conservative government in power now, and Harper had of dragged his feet like Martin, you wouldn't be calling for his head? I'm sure Maplesyrup would some how find a connection between the Earthquake, Bush, Star Wars, haliburtion, and Iraq, and how Harper was nothing more than a Boot strap for the "transnationals"..........

Come off it now, be honest.

As for taking any amount of "pride" in helping the Asian people affected by this disaster, I find that notion disgusting........I think if Canadians feel "pride" by sending a few blankets, bottles of water and a few bucks per capita to these people, it shows how lacking we are as a people in self-esteem and self-respect.

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear Stoker,

personaly give blood twice a year, and money to both the Red Cross and to charities through my Church every year........

Commendable, but it's not for me. I hate needles and only give blood to the fickle Shinny Hockey Gods.

I don't believe this thread can be equated to 'Who gives what to Whom' but rather 'what are the values of humanity', and moreso, 'where is that being led'?

[Guest eureka]

Why would you quote yourself and call it a defensive response from me? Are you so mentally starved of material for argument?

As for your question, it is downright silly in the context not just irrelevant.

[Stoker]

Fair enough fleabag, obviously all people can't give an equal amount, nor should they be expected to.

But taking pride in helping your fellow man does equate into a lack of ones moral values.......

Also, I think the reaction time of the Martin (and Bush) government is disgusting.

I would find it intresting to see if the deployment of the DART team to Sir Lanka is not out of need, but out of the need to shore-up and/or gain a seat in a contested riding that has a large Sir Lankin population.........

[Stoker]

Why would you quote yourself and call it a defensive response from me? Are you so mentally starved of material for argument?

In actual fact, I repeated myself for your benifit not mine.

As for your question, it is downright silly in the context not just irrelevant.

Thats an intresting persepctive you have......I never looked at giving aid to people without the benifit of 24 hr news paying attention to them "silly".

[Argus]

Isn't it rather pathetic that some would attempt to make a political game out of a disaster.

Yes, I think so. Which is why it's disgusting to see Martin doing so, suddenly seeing the light about how terrible things are ( the light being the phone calls from the Tamil community which donated so much to his election campaign). He clearly didn't think this was any big deal. I don't think he still thinks it's as important as, say, whether his shoes are nicely shined. But he's putting on a big show for the media - and of course, the Asian ethnic communities.

Canada's response. proportionately, is one of the world's largest: something to be proud of so far as pride can enter into necessity. The criticisms are unwarranted.

Says who? Our response was 4 million. That was it until the Liberals saw this as something political which might damage them. Then they started to up the ante and cry crockodile tears.

[Argus]

I would find it intresting to see if the deployment of the DART team to Sir Lanka is not out of need, but out of the need to shore-up and/or gain a seat in a contested riding that has a large Sir Lankin population........

Well, it's not like it's going to cost them any money. Yes, the costs of putting together the DART group (they are not exactly a team in practice, and do not train together) the cost of moving them and the cost of their operations are going to come out of the money the government has already pledged.

Not something they're playing up much.

[Guest eureka]

The estimated cost of $20 million has been announced and should be common knowledge to any who want to comment on it.

Of course it is part of the aid pledged. Why would it not be?

[August1991]

I just saw the following article on Google News:

CBC: Toronto couple donates $5-million to tsunami relief

In the article, I read the following:

"We're getting older," he told reporters "we can't take it with us."

"You can't take it with you."

This has got to be one of the most confused ideas of humanity. I suspect the Egyptian pharoahs were not the first to have wondered about how "to take it with you". They were certainly not the last.

The fact of the matter is that while you can't take it with you, the debt collectors won't be bothering you either. Death is rather final.

Does this mean that your debts disappear when you die? Well, no more than your assets disappear - the stuff people presumably would like to take with them to the afterlife. IOW, nothing disappears for the rest of us when someone dies, except well, the person whom we lose. (People who worry about government debt should think about these ideas.)

I wonder whether this couple has children, or whether other potential charities were in line for the dough. Which brings me to the next quote:

The Pindoffs say the timing of their donation was inspired by Ottawa's offer to match individual donations made to aid agencies by Jan. 11. So, in effect, the couple's charitable donation adds up to $10-million.

Now, this matter concerns me personally. An elected government has handed off my wallet to anyone who wants to spend money. How strange.

What right does this couple have to spend my money? It is one thing to appear charitable by choosing one recipient over another for your largesse. It is quite another to appear charitable by spending other people's money.

There is much poverty in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and south India, as there is elsewhere in the world. I guess watching the hand of fate intervene makes people pause. I have nothing against charity but I long ago realized that we choose our charities in remarkably individual ways.