A Senate Page ...

And Her Sign.

This Young Lady deserves the 'Book' thrown at her.

The nerve.

Here she is, holding down a very prestigious position as Senate Page and she abuses the Trust bestowed upon her.

What was she thinking?

Now she has established a trust fund for donations and in her Web Site, bemoans the fact that she was "fired" from her Senate Post.

Reality Check - the position of Page is a Volunteer one - albeit highly sought after - it is not though a paid position.

Bottom line - she is not out of pocket, and moreover as a result of her high-jinx, her economic future is now much brighter.

But it is not for her juvenile antics that I want the Book Thrown at this Young Lady.

Rather it is because the Sign she held up, in all her obnoxious fervor, was in English Only.

Does the Woman not realize that this Country is a Bilingual One?

A Unilingual Sign - and English to boot - in Canada's Highest Institution is nothing less than Sacrilege.

Even as a lowly Page, this Lady would know the Slight caused by this.

Where is Jack Layton and his Kindergarten Caucus when you need them?

That said, let me be clear - when I say throw the book at Ms. Muffet, I am not suggesting for a minute that she do hard time in a federal prision, - rather two years less a day in a provincial facility would suffice.

And with that, she might even qualify for a Hudak Chain Gang and be able to pick litter - possibly even some discarded signs.

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

What To Do About The Senate.....

Deep Six It.

Lots in the news these days about what to do with the Senate - the answer - and only answer is to Disband It.

When I was a first years student studying Political Science I wrote an Essay on the Senate which called for its retention as an "August Body of Sober Second Thought".

I was young and naive and hadn't yet realized that finding a "sober" Senator was in itself a Feat.

In truth - the current Senate is an Undemocratic Body filled by burned out Politicians and Aged Bag Men (aka political fundraisers). It is very much Welfare for Has-Beens.

Maybe a little strong but not that far off.

Okay then - why not reform it - Make It Elected?

And what would we have then - a Second Elected Body doing the same work as the First (i.e. the House of Commons).

Redundant Bureaucracy at its Best.

Couldn't the Senate be Elected to Represent the Provinces as it is in the good ole US of A?

Yes it could, but it would be unwise to do so.

Our system of Confederation differs from that of America's. We have a very specific differentiation of Powers in Canada between Federal and Provincial This division is setout in Sections 91 (Fed Powers) and 92 (Provincial Powers) of the BNA Act - e.g. The National Government is responsible for Canada's Armed Forces and the Provinces are responsible for Health and Education.

In sum, the Provinces have lots do within their own realm of responsibilities and collectively can take care of themselves.

But the Senate does good work via its Committees - Does it Not?

Not Really.

Yes they are always meeting about one thing or the other and some good work gets done - but given their irrelevance - that work is more oft ignored. Call it busy work.

That said, there is certainly a glaring lack of meaningful and probing committee work on the Hill. It is in desperate need of being done and the people to do it are our Members of Parliament. These current No-bodies when they leave the Hill.

This is an area where we could mirror what goes on in Politics to our South. They have very Strong Committees and Strong Committee Memberships - it would not only give useful and meaningful work to non-Cabinet Ministers but would instill needed vibrancy to our Democratic Process.

The monies saved from disbanding the Senate could be applied to establishing these needed House of Common's Committees - e.g. more research staff. More funds than that will be required but at least it would be a start.

In closing permit me to go back to the Sober Second Thought basis for the Senate that is oft used in wishing its retention.

Give me one example of where the Senate used Sober Second Thought rather than Petty Politics in its deliberations?

I cannot think of any.

Rather, if the Tories control the House and the Grits control the Senate - the Grits will do their best to defeat the Tory Agenda - and this applies in reverse.

I would love to be able to redo my first year paper.

As I See It....

K.D. Galagher

MY Father Wrote His Own Eulogy...

It has been nearly three years since my father past away at the local nursing home in Brighton and I still very much miss him.

He had a bad heart for a number of years and knew that his death was only a matter of time. One day he asked me to give his Eulogy when the time came. I told him that I was not looking forward to it, but if that is what he wanted, I would do my best. He promised to send me some notes I could use.

And, in a way he did.

The "notes" he promised, turned out to be Actual Drafts - in all, at least 10. I read them - at least the earlier ones - thinking that I could do better.

A week before my father died, I visited him at which time he told me that the end was near. We said our goodbyes - I told him that he was the best father ever and that I loved him. (Easy to write, but hard to say). He responded by saying that he had done his best. There were tears on my part.

Anyway, as I was about to leave, he handed me his final Draft - I pocketed it and returned home.

I didn't read it, but rather over the following week went to work on my own version.

When I received word of his death, I completed the final touches.

On the day of his funeral, I took my completed effort - along with his final version which I had still not read. I thought to myself that I would read it on route to Brighton simply to add any key points that I might have missed in my own.

His Final Draft Was Great - in the end Dad had written something beyond my poor ability.

I put my version away.

In the Receiving Line at our Olde Family Church, many of the mourners stopped to say how much they had enjoyed my Dad's Eulogy. How so, I had yet to give it?

Apparently, over the preceding weeks when anyone had gone to visit Dad - he had them read his Auto-Eulogy.

I chuckled.

Later, as I stood before the gathering, I acknowledged that Dad had indeed written his own Eulogy, that I was about to read and that, thanks to Dad, many there were privy to its contents.

"For those few who were not" - I commenced.

I won't go into the content, other than to deal with his Opening and Closing - since I believe those two sentences speak to the Man, My Father Was.

He Opened By Thanking Everyone For Coming To His Service.

And He Closed, By Telling Them That They Live In The Best Country In All The World - Canada.

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher

Hudak's Election Platform...

Mainly Winners.

First the Winners -

• End the Green Energy Scam


• Cut Provincial Income Tax by 5%


• Allow for Spousal Income Splitting


• Corporate Tax Cut 1.5%


• Remove HST from Heating Oil and Electricity


• End Time of Use Electricity Pricing


• Reduce Public Sector Wages


• More Funding for Education


• Provide Teachers with more Class Room Flexibility e.g. allow to Fail


• Scrap $30 million in annual Foreign Student Funding and direct that $ to Ontario Students

Now the Losers -

• Increase Health Funding (if $ was the key factor in Health Care - Ontario would have one of the best systems in the world. The fact is - we don't. We need to move to a partnership between private and public health care delivery and save $ in the process.)


• Close the remaining Coal Fire Generating Plants (these plants should remain open until Ontario has a secure and financially viable alternative system(s). Plus new technology has rendered Coal Plants much cleaner - they no longer are to be feared).

The In-betweens -

• Welfare Recipients need to establish 1 year residency before collecting welfare (what are they expected to do in the interim - rob banks?)


• Lifetime Ban on worst repeaters of welfare fraud (seems harsh)


• The Mandatory Chain Gang (should be made voluntary - you would still have lots of inmates coming forward and time on the line should be compensated with time off from their initial sentence).

Missing -

• Amend the HST so that it applies only to those items taxed by the PST and/or GST prior to their merger (e.g. in some cases items are now subject to the combined tax that previously were subject to only 1).


• Eliminate Ontario's Human Rights Commission


• Reduce Provincial Taxes on Gasoline


• Reign in the Ministry of the Environment

By in Large, I support Their Plan - but you can expect Liberals to come out and be highly critical of the Tory Plan by way of mean spirited Negative Ads.

When watching / listening to those ads simply keep in mind the following:

1. For the First Time, Ontario has descended into Have Not Status

2. Hydro Rates have doubled and tripled and are projected to double and triple again under Liberal Rule

3. Green Energy has been a fiasco

4. Health Care continues to deteriorate

5. E-health - a billion here and billion there

6. Students Rule the Classroom

7. Unions Rule the Public Service - wage increases far and exceed those in the private sector

8. The List Goes On and On...

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

The Hand that held the dagger….

Has Struck It In The Back Of Its Neighbour. (apologies to FDR)

The Hand belongs to Barack Obama.

The Back belongs to Israel.

This past week, Obama in a major speech, announced that the USA would demand that Israel return to its pre 1967 borders in any negotiations with Palestine.

This, despite the fact, that such borders today are indefensible. And this, despite the fact, that a written promise to the contrary, was given to Israel in 2004 by then President Bush.

And this, despite the fact, that the Middle East is now in Total Chaos - with the only common thread being Anti Semitism.

The loss of Mubarak in Egypt is of particular concern since his Administration and Anwar Sadat's before him, recognized Israel's right to exist and provided needed stability in that part of the world.

That Stability Is Now Gone.

So now we have Obama destabilizing things even further, at a time when Middle Eastern Nations are looking for signs that US / Israeli bonds are fraying.

Some friend.

And of course, we still have Iran beavering away on its Nuclear Bomb Program. Why that has not been addressed by force, by either America or Israel, remains a mystery to me.

It turns out that the Israeli Prime Minister was not even warned about Obama's change of face - Ironically, he was on route to America when the infamous speech was delivered.

On a positive note, when Netanyahu spoke to a Joint Session of Congress the very next day, he was met with virtually unanimous support from Congressmen and Senators alike - both Republican and Democrat.

But it is Obama who singularly commands the World's largest and best Military. And it is Obama whom Israel must depend upon should overwhelming forces be directed against it.

Since its birth in 1948, Israel has felt ever more isolated usually only being able to count on the US to come to its defence. And as time has gone on - their reliance on such support has increased proportionately.

Last Week's Presidential Speech has given them real cause to doubt the depth and sincerity of that Support.

Pity.

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

A Lot Of Huffing & Puffing

Over Harper’s 3 Appointments to the Senate.

In a few days time this will be history but I personally view these appointments to be a hopeful sign.

First, it sets the stage in the Senate for some Real Reform. Harper will most certainly introduce term limits for the Upper House and he needs to be sure that he has enough votes in that Chamber to see it through.

As an aside, I get quite a kick out of Layton’s frothing that the appointments of these three unsuccessful Tory Candidates “is a slap in the face to Canadians and is most undemocratic”.

Earth to Jack – the Senate itself is Most Undemocratic.

My Second reason for optimism is that I see these appointments as a sign that the Tories are planning to ‘hit the ground running’ once the Throne Speech has been delivered.

Harper, with his Minority Status, has suffered at the Hands of The Opposition for the last 5 years. Now he has a chance to break the deadlock and really get on with business.

The controversial stuff will have to get done in the first year or two and these three Appointments cannot but help speedy passage of such Legislation.

So ever the optimist – I am hopeful that Harper will use his Parliamentary Majorities to his best advantage.

The first signal of that will be what is in next month’s Throne Speech.

More on that – then.

As I see it….

‘K.D. Galagher’

Brian Tobin’s Son Jack…

 

Has just pleaded guilty to driving drunk resulting in the death of his best friend.

Sentencing to take place later next month.

In a Radio Call-in Show yesterday – the vast majority of callers were demanding serious jail time for this young (24) offender.

Some even suggesting that a life sentence (25 years) would be appropriate.

Most seemed to think that at least 5 years would suffice.

I was shocked.

Where is their humanity?

The Young Tobin did a stupid thing – most of us did stupid things when younger – albeit in Tobin’s case it cost the life of another young person.

But how is imprisonment going to benefit the situation?

All it will do is probably break this individual or harden him in the prison school of hard knocks.

So Society pays for his care for say 5 years and he comes out a true bad guy.

Some result.

Tobin himself took full responsibility for his actions from the moment the police came on the scene – and then he pled guilty at the earliest possible opportunity despite his lawyer’s advice not too.

In earlier Blogs I have argued that jail be used only for those who are violent. 

Other sanctions need be found for those who are not so classed.

In the Tobin case – suspension of his licence and / or prohibition from drinking and/or community service and/or house arrest….

The list goes on and on.

What he did was wrong – but he most certainly did not plan to kill his closest and best friend.

He will have to live with that the rest of his life and, sadly, that is the best punishment possible.

As I see it…

‘K.D. Galagher’