Liberal Party Neglecting Women

When Liberal leader Mike Ignatieff announced his new shadow cabinet shuffle last week, noticeably absent from the list of high profile promotions were women. I suppose it is simply a foregone conclusion in the land of Liberals that they will get the majority of female votes, and it is not necessary to promote them to their prominent front bench positions. Though I can't say that I disagree with Carolyn Bennett's demotion from the Health portfolio, even if she is more qualified for that position than her replacement, disgraced former NDP Premier Ujjal Dosangh.

Their moral compass on women's health is certainly skewed, promoting the idea that the best way to save lives of mothers and babies in Africa is to build more abortion clinics. Who cares that the primary causes of death in the 3rd world are starvation, contaminated drinking water, and disease; the maternal health debate was a great opportunity for the Liberals to re-open the abortion debate in Canada. If their motive was truly to save the lives of women, they should be focused on the factors that kill them. You could save tens of thousands more lives by building safe diarrhea clinics as opposed to safe abortion clinics.

9/11 Conspiracies

I just finished watching an excellent documentary on the History channel debunking the 9/11 conspiracy theories, and I have to tip my hat to the good people at Popular Mechanics for their fantastic technical analysis, especially Davin Coburn. It is one thing to believe that George Bush received information that there was a possible terrorist attack about to occur in the United States and failed to take necessary precautions; but to believe that W. and his people actually carried out the attack takes a special kind of mental disorder. Was 9/11 preventable? Absolutely. Did George Bush order the planes to be hijacked and flown into the World Trade Centers? Are you f#@king crazy???

Here is a part of the documentary. The rest of it is available on Youtube.

Arena-gate Compromise

According to Chantal Hebert, the Tories risk losing all their Quebec seats if they renege on this proposal to assist in the construction of a new arena in Quebec City; and according to Jane Taber, they risk a caucus revolt if they proceed with the initiative. Even though nothing has officially been done on this matter, the Conservatives are now allegedly damned if they do, damned if they don't. I think the best way to resolve this dispute is to put it to a free vote in Parliament whether or not stimulus money should go to the construction of new arenas, be it in Quebec or Saskatchewan. Make sure to word it so that it is not a confidence motion, and allow all MPs to vote their conscious on the issue. If it is defeated by a free vote by all parties, then you can't blame the Prime Minister for reneging support. If Maxime Bernier wants to vote against it, he can vote against it. I know that Denis Coderre supports it, and he's probably not the only Liberal who does. Make the Liberals say yes or no, don't just let them sit back and watch Conservatives argue amongst themselves.

It should be noted that Chantal Hebert is not always right about the pulse of the Quebecois. You might recall prior to the last election she predicted that the Tories would lose all their Quebec seats over arts funding-gate. Last time I checked, the Tories still have Quebec MPs. I for one would like to see the Quebec caucus expand, not retract.

Bell Buys CTV

Here is some good news; the Toronto Star is selling its ownership stake in CTV which is being bought by Bell Canada. The Financial post is reporting that the Globe and Mail newspaper is also being sold off to the holding company of the Thomson family. The Toronto Star has divested itself of its stake in both CTV and the Globe and Mail, which are not being split into two separate entities from CTV Globemedia. Will Jane Taber still be able to set the agenda at the Globe and CTV News channel? I don't know, but I hope that her television tenure will soon be at an end. She is always laughing even when discussing serious subjects. This week she had a guest who was alleging that NATO troops were hunting innocent civilians for sport, and she really seemed to be enjoying herself.

The Toronto Star owns fewer media outlets today than they did yesterday (though the deal must first be approved by the CRTC), and that makes today a good day. What's interesting is that CTV is worth roughly $1.5 billion dollars in equity with $1.7 billion dollars in debt. So if the number one television network in the country with 30 specialty channels and the CHUM radio network is worth $1.5 billion dollars, then how much could we get if we put the CBC up for auction? Guaranteed it would be less than the worth of CTV, where the CBC receives a billion dollars annually from parliamentary appropriations and CTV does not. The CBC does not generate enough revenue to cover its expenses, not by a long shot.

Arenas Generate Revenue And Jobs

I understand that Chantal Hebert, Andrew Coyne, Allan Gregg, and Don Martin among others are united in their opposition to funding the construction of arenas as a means of stimulating economic activity and that there is populist opposition to this proposition. The theory goes that we should not subsidize infrastructure for millionaire athletes or invest money in public buildings. As it so happens, I spent two years working in the catacombs of General Motors Place in Vancouver, and I can say with absolute certainty that the building generated millions of dollars in economic activity separate even from the NHL franchise. If a building cost 500 million dollars to build, at least half of that is going to the wages of the workers who are doing the building. That money gets filtered into numerous sectors of the economy. Local contractors and blue collar workers get paid to build it, and those people spend the money that they earn in local businesses.

Concerts, hockey games, and special events generate millions of dollars for a product that people want to pay to see. Hundreds of people are employed to work these events, and the money those people earn is spent in the local economy. A local arena may employ a dozen people. A pro sports caliber arena employs at least 500 people, if not more. If you oppose this project because you don't like hockey, fine. It is the most popular recreational sport in our culture, so should we completely dismiss how many people in our country love it? I can't say with certainty that such a project will generate a long term profit, but I can assure you that thousands of people will derive happiness from their experiences at the facility. What kind of price tag do you put on pleasure?

If you build it, they will come...

Does The NHL Belong In Quebec City?

Do you think that there should be an NHL franchise in Quebec City? Regardless of whether or not you think the government should make an investment in the building of a new arena, do you support the return of the Nordiques? I was sad when both the Winnipeg Jets and Quebec Nordiques move to the United States, and I would very much like to see them return. I strongly support the government offering financial assistance to build a new barn in QC, but I understand that this is not exactly a populist position. I love hockey and derive personal satisfaction from the success of the game in Canada, with the exception of Montreal and Toronto, two cities I enjoy watching fail.

I support any Canadian city's bid for a future Olympic Games. I support the building of as many sports venues as can be managed, and I support the federal government investing in our athletic infrastructure. I know that Don Martin (in big bold letters at the Post's website) thinks that the Prime Minister is just doing this to buy votes, and that he is probably not alone in this belief. Frankly I don't care if the Prime Minister is just doing this to buy votes in Quebec because I support the initiative regardless of motive. Vote Conservative in the next election and increase the likelihood that hockey grows in Canada...I like the sound of that.

I would even support putting a franchise in Whitehorse...hypothetically...

Ujjal Dosanjh New Liberal Health Critic

“Assigning Ujjal Dosanjh, a former health minister and former provincial premier, I think demonstrates our determination to have a very real focus on health issues,” Mr. Goodale said. Here we go again! Every so often the Liberal Party likes to boast about Ujjal Dosanjh's 15 month tenure as Premier of British Columbia, before leading the BC NDP from majority government to a disastrous 2 seats. I would insert a joke about a socialist version of Kim Campbell, but I feel conflicted. I think that Kim was a far more competent politician than Ujjal, but like Ujjal I don't hold her tenure in any high esteem (it should be noted that the same voters who sent Kim Campbell to Ottawa have elected Hedy Fry 6 times in almost 20 years).

Lest we forget, in the last federal election Ujjy barely won his own seat by 22 votes after a recount. For a former health minister and provincial premier, you would think that he would perform better in local elections, where the people know him the best. This man is not held in very high esteem by the people he represents or by the general population of the Province he once led for 15 months. He was never elected Premier. He worked with the RCMP to overthrow his boss and was brutally punished by voters when he ran in an election for a mandate as Premier. His greatest accomplishment as a politician is that he managed to be Premier longer than Kim Campbell or Joe Clark lasted as Prime Minister. 

Ralph, I'm not sure you want to be crossing the country bragging about this guy.  Maybe he sells east of the rockies, where the voting public did not experience life under Ujjal's rule.

"I think you will be happier very soon ... this week probably" - Scott Brison

The Liberal Party has a new Finance critic, as John McCallum (who can't remember what kind of car he drives) has been reassigned to Transport critic. If the irony of McCallum in Transport wasn't too much already, Ignatieff replaced him with former Public Works Minister Scott Brison; who famously e-mailed a contact at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce the day before newly appointed deputy leader (then Finance Minister) Ralph Goodale was set to announce new income trust/dividend policy "I think you will be happier very soon ... this week probably". The day after the e-mail was sent, the CBC reports "there are big jumps in trading activity in a number of income trusts and dividend-paying stocks, and prices move higher."

Scotty insists that he was commenting on the state of the market in general, not tipping his friends in the banking sector about an upcoming policy announcement by a fellow cabinet member.  The resulting flurry in stock market activity prior to the announcement prompted an investigation by the RCMP.

As the CBC reported:

Mar. 7, 2006:


Former public works minister Scott Brison responds to an article published in the Globe and Mail about the RCMP investigation. The article reveals that on Nov. 22, 2005, one day before Ralph Goodale revealed the new policy on income trust and dividends, Brison sent an e-mail to an acquaintance at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. In that e-mail Brison wrote, "I think you will be happier very soon ... this week probably." Brison said the e-mail contained no specifics about what Goodale would announce because Brison didn't know the details. He said the e-mail was a general response to the bank employee's complaints about the state of the stock market.


Brison says he discussed the e-mail with the RCMP on Jan. 18, 2006. He denies that he leaked anything.


Nov. 22, 2005:


Goodale tells reporters he may provide some direction on the income trust issue before the review period ends.


Nov. 23, 2005:


There are big jumps in trading activity in a number of income trusts and dividend-paying stocks, and prices move higher. By the close of trading at 4 p.m., rumours are widely circulating that some kind of trust announcement is imminent. Shortly after 5 p.m., the government releases the details: no new taxes on income trusts and more favourable tax treatment for stock dividends. Goodale tells a subsequent news conference the income trust review has ended.


Nov. 24, 2005:


With the new policy officially out, investors jump into trusts and dividend-paying blue chip stocks. The TSX gains 162 points and closes at a five-year high. The income trust sector gains 4.3 per cent that day; BCE climbs 6.5 per cent.


Nov. 25, 2005:


Some market watchers, citing the trading patterns on Nov. 23, publicly wonder if the details of the income trust announcement leaked out. Goodale denies any information slipped out early. "There was no leak," he says.

What Was Iggy's Dumbest Shadow Cabinet Appointment?

Today's poll question, what was Ignatieff's dumbest shadow cabinet appointment this week? While John McCallum will be sorely missed by Conservatives in the finance portfolio, you must appreciate the irony of an MP with a history of public intoxication who can't remember what kind of car he drives being assigned Transport critic. I'm not sure it is a smart move putting this guy in charge of planes, trains, and automobiles. Blowhard Gerard Kennedy seems well suited to the Environment, where blowhardiness is a common trait among environmental activists. Ralph Goodale becomes Iggy's first deputy leader, which feels like a shot across Bob Rae's bow. Was Tie Domi not available? Bobby is the next in line to the throne, but I don't know if Liberal rules allow deputies to supplant the leader before a leadership convention. God help us all if we ever put Justin Trudeau in charge of the real office of Citizenship and Immigration.

So what would you say was the worst pick?

Tom Clark's Power Play Replacement?

Can anyone confirm if CTV has chosen a replacement for Tom Clark, who is stepping aside of host of their daily politics information program? Jane Taber was hosting today, and I am curious to know if she is just standing in, or if she is the lead candidate to replace Clark. Neither Clark nor Taber (who does the Sunday show) were nominated in Evan Soloman's Gemini "Best Host of a News Information Program", which nominated entirely CBC hosts. Jane Taber is among the most biased editorialists in the Canadian media, and I have trouble believing that programming executives at CTV would see her as a viable long term option.

Is Jane Taber just a temporary host? Do we have any idea who is being considered for the job, or has it already been decided?