the new King of Kensington

update... what almost two years later?

2009-09-01T20:36:00.003-06:00

What`s been going on? Plenty, I suppose. I have moved home from the Kensington neighbourhodd in Calgary, Alberta, to a home of my own in the Gloucester area of Ottawa. I'm quite a bit less into politics and quite a bit more into buying stuff to gradually make our house functional the way we want it, photography, and car travel around my region, something I don`t think I took enough time to appreciate in Ottawa, before I moved out to Calgary.

While still in Calgary, I added some other things into my life, and found there was less time remaining for the blog. And there was a Calgary Grit who had the market cornered anyway.

Out in Calgary, I worked at the National Energy Board. That`s a regulatory agency with an arms' length relationship from the federal government. That, and the location much further from Ottawa, and not exactly containing any federal swing ridings, gave me a bit of a comfort zone that a political blog would not be a big deal.

Now back in Ottawa, however, I now work in Communications for EC. As such, I refrain from any comment on federal politics and, it seems, have stayed away from provincial and municipal comments as well, though I still have many opinions on those... I hope whatever past federal comment legacy I may have left in this blog was not too harsh. My basic career goal as a bureaucrat is to work effectively with any Minister's office if needed, regardless of stripe.

What the heck got me on my blog today? Not too much: just watching the top stories in the news. Some of them make me want to comment, I guess.

I see federal election posturing by Michael Ignatieff, counter-posturing by the Prime Minister, and quotes attributed to the Deputy Leader of the NDP that they will want to negotiate to obtain something in return for supporting the Conservatives meaning the Liberals can't defeat the government. To me, none of this does much to constitute "news". Maybe my character has changed in recent years.

I also see a strange and tragic story of a now deceased cyclist, and what I can only suppose is an untold and incomplete story of how this could come to pass. I send sympathy to the family and friends of the cyclist, and to the family and friends, who are many as well, of the person charged, who himself is clearly deeply affected, both in his own psyche, and certainly in his future public career.

The topper, though, is s story from Winnipeg of a young woman smashing or scraping the face of her, or a, baby, a small child, on the sidewalk, at 4:30 in the morning. The sheer sickness of this story, most of it also still untold, teared me up.

The ever-looming menace of the H1N1 virus and apparent untested vaccines now being trialed, are also pervasive, almost every night on the news. But I don't get sick and so I won't be staying home any time soon. I have been sneezing into my sleeve for a long time, though, before it was a best practice...

In good news, it seems that Canada`s recession is technically over. Will this bring back jobs? Certainly not immediately. Our deficit is back and will have to be dealt with at some point as well, which will eventually result in a need for tough decisions and probably decreased spending on our national social priorities. That is generally unfortunate at any time.

What else? Swift and decisive action by Ontario`s government to clean house at the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) where it seems a few executives were much too comfortable and lacked judgment of the privilege it was to serve in such appointments.

Bon, Ok, I must go. I'll have to contemplate a new title for this blog, and whether I can re-register the fundamentals, such as its @blogspot name.

Political Science

2007-10-11T01:52:00.001-06:00

I am calling for some help from the blogosphere, especially Ontario Liberal watchers.

I would appreciate some help taking note of:

a) Seats Liberals lost (just name the defeated MPP and the riding)

examples:

Caroline di Cocco (Sarnia - )
Mario Racco (Thornhill)
Bill Mauro (Thunder Bay - Atikokan)

b) Seats Liberals gained and the name of the newly elected Liberal MPP.

example:

Barrie: Aileen Carroll
York South Weston: Lara Albanese

c) Seats Liberals held with a new MPP instead of the previous MPP. Please name the new MPP and then note who retired.

example: Ottawa Centre - Yasir Naqvi (and Congrats to you, sir!)replacing Richard Patten

* Some of my examples may have been based on 'leading' assumptions of several hours ago *

Goal: just want to figure out the basic math on where Libs lost, and where pickups occurred to replace those losses, and then get to know the new names long distance.
Cheers all, thanks bloggers...

Ontario Election 2007

2007-10-10T19:59:00.002-06:00

I miss it a lot as I watch from... Yellowknife Northwest Territories, where my job in Calgary Alberta has taken me this week.

So, how shall we do this?

1. Congratulations Premier McGuinty on your re-election as MPP for Ottawa South, as Premier of Ontario, and of the first consecutively-elected Liberal governments in Ontario in 70 years. That is significant. Even Allan Gregg just said it is significant.

9:15 PM (ET) CTV/Newsnet declares a Liberal victory but does not gues at majority or minority (even though that has looked obvious since polls about two weeks ago)
9:34 PM (ET) approx CTV/Newsnet declares a Liberal majority
9:39 PM (ET) approx CBC/Newsworld declares a Liberal majority

2. Reduction of Liberal vote percentage: it should concern or surprise nobody that the popular vote for the Ontario Liberal Party has slipped. They're the incumbent government. Swing voters who helped them in in 2003 probably went away, and much of the campaign was about Liberal broken promises. There's probably a perpetually grumpy vote that votes against _every_ single government.

2B. Looks like voter turnout is down to near 50%. What does this mean? For one thing, it may mean that the majority of Ontarians didn't feel motivated to get to the polls and make a great change in the province. Personally, I'm always a little bit disappointed when voter turnout is down.

3. Was it a one issue campaign? Clearly John Tory made an error with the concept of public funding to other faith-based schools. On pure logic it may have made sense as a policy, but it does not constitutionally. And, frankly, I would rather a great public education melting pot than elitism or separatism and fragmentation. It is fairly simple for me. Anyway, moving on, I don't think it was a one-issue election. I think there is an endorsement here of the successes and basic stability that the Ontario Liberal Party under Dalton McGuinty has delivered. The voters are never wrong and a clear strong majority of ridings, and a strong 40+ per cent of the total vote, have spoken.

4. Jai Aggarwal [Liberal] Nepean-Carleton; Yasir Naqvi [Liberal] Ottawa Centre; and Megan Cornell [Liberal] Carleton -- Mississippi Mills: Congratulations all on running. Nepean-Carleton is just not winnable for Liberals in its demographics: high end suburbs and rural. More or less a ditto for Lanark-Carleton. If it was just Kanata, we would have a shot, but...

5. Some results at 10:15 PM

Ottawa Centre: Yasir Naqvi (LIB) leads 1890 - 1633 [CBC] looking good there alongside a strong Liberal trend and majority

Ottawa West -- Nepean : Jim Watson (LIB) is pretty much doubling Mike Patton [CBC] (only the blindest of sheep are surprised) * by coincidence I flip to CPAC and see Jim's speech on there... where I was in 2003, a Ukrainian Banquet Hall.

Ottawa-Orleans: Phil McNeely (LIB) comfortably leading over Graham Fox (a guy I attended high school with) there was lots of early hype there

6. An hour and a half in, the trend is very strong and clear: Seat Count 71 Libs, 25 Conservatives, 11 Dippers. This makes the reduction in the popular vote almost an afterthought. This is a very successful re-election campaign of an incumbent government.

7. Oh God, Randy Hillier is coming, ahm, coming to Queen's Park. Thankfully, he is, ahm, the Conservative Party's internal challenge, and probably a reporter's dream. "Don Cherry in a flannel shirt and rubber boots" says CBC Ottawa's Lucy VanOldenBarnevold [yikes I must not attempt to type that name out ever again!]

8. Conservatives appear shutout in Toronto, though some of the poll counts are still a bit early. York South - Weston: Lara Albanese is winning in the general election (proving once again that by-elections are often anti-government protest votes.)

9. John Milloy re-elected in Kitchener, comfortably it looks. Way to go John. Sorry I could not donate this year (from Alberta!)

10. 10:45 PM (ET) Dalton McGuinty is on stage to make his speech. A good speech. Concise and effective. Forward-looking. Grateful. High Road. Generous in tone. Humble as well. Just right.

11. Awkward: CTV is interviewing Premier McGuinty live while John Tory is taking the stage at his HQ and mouthing the words thank you. CTV has also declared that Tory was defeated in the Don Valley West riding he chose to run in by incumbent Liberal dynamo Kathleen Wynne. CTV exited gracefully from Dalton and picked up on John Tory, who is conceding. I don't think personally that John Tory made a mistake in taking a harder route to try to get in to Queen's Park (not on safe Blue Tory Dufferin riding coattails but on his own merit) A stronger central Conservative campaign would have made a difference here. That did not come to pass. John Tory says it was his first campaign as a Party Leader and a learning experience. He will be back. (apparently not after losing a subsequent self-engineered by-election opportunity, ed.) To my own Liberal friends: do not rest on laurels and do not get complacent. John Tory is a smart guy and wwe've learned from Stephen Harper that a good "review and learn" can turn around a campaign for next time (especially if combined with some scandal...)

Liberal Majority. Stability. No chaos. Solid economy. More challenges ahead. A good man and team in charge, to take them on further.

Hear Hear!

DISCLAIMER about "King of Kensington" writing on electionprediction.org

2007-06-19T13:42:00.000-06:00

This King of Kensington must be an NDP party HQ type from Toronto, writing optimistically, of course.

This is not a posting from the New King of Kensington (out in Calgary) who actually knows a thing or two about Ottawa politics, including excellent knowlege of Ottawa Centre, and personal knowledge of the excellent nominated Liberal candidate, one Yasir Naqvi.

My prediction here on my own blog:

Liberals hold Ottawa Centre in provincial election, unless NDP somehow produces a superstar candidate. The margin will be reduced, naturally, because Richard Patten has departed, and Dalton McGuinty is now an incumbent government Premier (who has delivered an excellent overall package for Ontarians, by the way, despite the 'noise' out there about the health care levy)

Prediction: Liberal hold.

This prediction will be posted on the electionprediction site when time and technology properly permits.

The End.

07 05 13 King of Kensington
70.52.186.165
This urban seat chock-full of civil servants and creative class/intelligentsia seats is a top-tier pickup for the NDP. Paul Dewar won this seat federally even when many claimed the seat's NDP stature was entirely votes for Ed Broadbent.

It's been a little while but there's really truly only one thing to say for this weekend

2007-05-04T22:45:00.000-06:00

Go Sens Go!

I hope that all of Canada gets on board!

(Also, I respect the Devils too much to count them out already, so the Sens must continue to show an A-game, discipline, speed, skill and hunger. I think the hunger is there.)

A Good Night for Hockey (apologies to Bob Johnson, RIP)

2007-02-10T21:36:00.000-07:00

This blog entry is dedicated to Anne-Marie Erickson and David Walker, colleagues of mine at work. It is also happily dedicated to Stephane Thivierge and David Michaud. Good Habs fans.

1. Senators 5 Montreal Canadiens 3. Game summary The Senators and Canadiens have now eached played 56 games and the Senators are in 5th place. The Habs are one point behind and holding 6th place.

2. In even better news, (this one is for you, Anne-Marie and Dave) the young Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Leafs 6-5, in overtime. I love that Pittsburgh team... not just because they beat the Leafs, but because they are an emerging force. They could even remind one of the young Edmonton Oilers, if the NHL rules stay open and penalties keep getting called. The Penguins are currently holding 3rd place, and could hypothetically be in 3rd because they have games in hand.

And, so, the lowly "red hot" Leafs cling desperately to 9th place by their fingernails, like a turbot in the north Atlantic a la Brian Tobin. Poor, poor Leafs. If they scrape in, they'd meet Buffalo, who have their number and are far far far faster, younger, and better.

Here are the Eastern conference standings:

Good night, and Good Luck!
(Leafs Suck)

Recent NHL results

2006-12-05T22:16:00.000-07:00

Tonight was another good night in the NHL's Northeast division. First, the now chugging along smartly Ottawa Senators put a nice solid win on the board versus the New York Islanders, who are just a little above them in the Eastern Conference standings, around the 8th place playoff zone. The Senators are now more or less in a virtual tie with the Toronto MakeBelieves, who lost yet again tonight.

This must have been a painful reminder for the Maple Leafs of last Thursday's 5-0 humiliation at the hands of the same Atlanta Thrashers (powered by ex-Senator Marian Hossa.) Meanwhile, that same night, Ottawa, now storming along, whupped the Florida Panthers 6-0. I love scores like those on the same night ( I kinda lost the blog opportunity amid the lead-in hype to the Liberal convention )

The game recap, which I linked you to, contains a typical hockey quote from Dany Heatley:

"This is what we knew we were capable of," Heatley said. "We're a good team and we skate well. All we're doing is playing well as a team, which we weren't doing early on."

This is of course pretty much what I figured about the Senators' early difficulties: the composition of the team has changed, with the departure of Zdeno Chara from the Defence, and changes to the attack, too, with the departure of Martin Havlat. The Senators have taken some time to gel as a unit this fall. Looks to me like they have their unity and their systems up and running now. As I have noted, injuries to leader Wade Redden have not been helpful. Back to tonight, slight concern about Alfredsson's ankle, however, in the footage I saw, he skated off on his own power. So, rest him the rest of tonight, rest him tomorrow against the Washington Capitals, if necessary.

Sunday December 3rd - Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip "The Christmas Show"

2006-12-03T20:56:00.000-07:00

I won't put in any spoilers, because NBC actually airs the show on Monday nights. ButI get it on CTV in Canada and just finished watching it.

Anyway, while it is not up to the power of the West Wing Season I Christmas Episode (I don't know the title, but it was all built around a climax with 'the Little Drummer Boy') [and nothing can possibly top the magnificence of that particular episode] Studio 60's first go at it was pretty solid: with lots of romance, beautiful music with meaning, and an inspiring display of political free speech relevance from an unexpected source, it was a pretty good package. So I take it that was the end.

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It being December 3rd, and me being in town this weekend, I put up my little Christmas tree in my apartment. The red lights are new, just red, on green, in part because red and green are the class Christmas colours, but, also, symbolically, because red and green may well symbolize the new Liberal ethos under the guidance of Stephane Dion. Bonne chance, M. Dion.

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You'll also find a photo of Snoopy doing his figure skating in the Charlie Brown Christmas Special, the absolute best Christmas TV of all time, on the screen of my apartment television.

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Er, that's it. Gotta return to "work week" mode.

I have to pick on Vijay Sappani --- AGAIN

2006-12-02T14:58:00.000-07:00

RE:

More Support: Malhi, Brison. Sgro, Brison, Cauchon
December 2nd, 2006

Gurbax Malhi , Tony Valeri, Brison have moved in. I’m on the phone with some of my folks and it looks like we will have about 147 delegates moving in to Iggy now form the South Asian community!!!!

It looks like we are going to win!!!

Update: Sgro is in, Cauchon to Iggy

Posted in Politics | Comments Off

COMMENT I COULD NOT MAKE ON VIJAY's OWN SITE:

So desperate to spin, Vijay appears to have counted Scott Brison twice in the same headline. I have already commented for a long time that longtime dedication to the Liberal Party of Canada cause is a key with me. I have been consistent in saying for this reason, I was not supportive of a Scott Brison, of newly arrived Ignatieff, and that it was a factor in my not supporting Bob Rae directly other than applauding his strengths and applauding the fact he has come to our Party. Oh yeah, there's no way I would have supported Stronack either.

So there you go. It is fitting that Brison joins Iggy.

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This thing is over. If it is not, I would be shocked, and if it is not, Ignatieff's organizers would deserve to win.
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I have e-canvassed some swing voters, such as Richard Mahoney (see previous post) and the Dion consensus was very solid.

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I believe it to be over.

a moderate little scoop

2006-12-02T14:53:00.000-07:00

Rae supporter Richard Mahoney and key Paul Martin backer selected STEPHANE DION.

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Jean Chretien is now on stage -> he's looking great, and so are Party prospects.

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I think it's in the bag for Dion.

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Je lui souhaite la meilleure chance et j'ai hate de l'appuyer en attaque contre Stephen Harper.

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de retour a Jean Chretien sur le podium.

-fin-

Ignatieff update

2006-12-02T13:37:00.001-07:00

Ignatieff campaign circulating a compilation of public polling to voting candidates. Supposedly all the polls throughout the year say Ignatieff has the best chance against Stephen Harper.

I disagree. The Liberal Party of Canada is the best chance against Stephen Harper.

I also don't think circulating a bunch of non-election hypothetical polls outside of the Liberal voters at this convention matter much at all.

That seems to me to be another mistake. This is about the emotions of the most committed Liberal Party of Canada delegates, who are voting today. Inside a Liberal convention Hall.

CBC just reported that Martin Cauchon is about to endorse Ignatieff. I have a lot of respect for Martin Cauchon. I will respect this decision, too.

However, here are names that have moved to Dion in the last little while:

Ken Dryden
Martha Hall Findlay
Maurizio Bevilacqua
John Godfrey
Ralph Goodale

(and more)...

Now adding: Richard Mahoney

So, hopefully final results in about 1.5 hours.

Here is hopeing as well that a decisive victor emerges and that the Party can unite.

Let all Liberals get ready to fight Harper together!

waiting for the results of the third ballot

2006-12-02T11:38:00.000-07:00

First, a quick tribute to Saskboy and his Friday night perogy odyssey.

Next, a little view of my simplistic tracking system in my Calgary apartment TV war room (and yeah, it would be nice to be in Montreal...)

Finally, a look at most of the Liberal presence in my apartment out here: Ontario Premier and MPP for Ottawa South, Dalton McGuinty; Ontario public health Minister Jim Watson, MPP for Ottawa West -- Nepean; Hon. John Manley, P.C., former member of Parliament for Ottawa South, former Deputy Prime Minister, Finance Minister, Minister of public safety and Canada-USA relations; former Minister of Foreign Affairs; former Minister of Industry [and I may have missed some]; and finally, Richard Mahoney, Party insider, former President of the Ontario Liberal Party, and candidate in Ottawa Centre during Paul Martin's time as Leader. Missing from the wall is a David McGuinty sign, current MP for Ottawa South, fine thinker, up-and-comer, and Ignatieff endorser (I respectfully disagree.)

On we go to the main show.

It is down to three right now on the ballot, and after the ballot, someone must be eliminated. We can guess that Ignatieff will probably hold the lead and stay for the final ballot. Bob Rae or Stephane Dion will likely be eliminated.

So, I guess it is time for a quick comparison.

First, the common strengths of these three. All of them are fine intellects and capable academics. All of them are very capably bilingual.

Dion's relative strengths are the following:

The most experienced federal politician... about nine years as a federal Cabinet Minister with tough portfolios, intergovernmental affairs / unity Minister, and Minister of the Environment trying to shepherd Kyoto implementation and world negotiation. Dion has credibility from the Chretien days and, after briefly being shunned aside by Paul Martin, was later readopted with smart success. His campaign has also represented a good bridge, with leadership from Martin insider organizer loyalist Mark Marissen, and Chretien loyalist and former Cabinet Minister Don Boudria. Shepherded the Clarity Act, perhaps the best legacy of Jean Chretien.

* reporting from the floor seems to indicate Rae has been passed by Dion and will be knocked off *

Bob Rae's relative strengths are the following:

He is not an experienced federal politician, but he certainly is an experienced national figure. Bob Rae missed the Meech Lake warfare, but advocated passionately for Charlottetown as Ontario Premier in 1992. Later, he has served nationally on the Air India inquiry, and he served Ontario (a second time) on a significant review of the postsecondary education system in Canada's largest province, a review which Premier McGuinty is implementing right now. Rae speaks excellent French, which is, I think, better than Stephane Dion's English. And of course, from 1990 to 1995, Bob Rae was the Premier of Ontario as an NDP Leader. And mistakes were made and lessons were learned. Unlike my parents, who definitely and eagerly helped vote him out, my Dad because Rae broke signed collective agreements, and my Mom because Rae imposed unpaid days off on the entire Ontario public service (infamous Rae days) and she is an Ontario teacher. By 1995, I appreciated and respected his more pragmatic centre left approach in tandem with the strong federalism he exhibited in Charlottetown that I described already. I in fact gave the Ontario NDP a mercy vote in 1995 [and some Liberal friends have hectored me ever since I revealed this...] and that was _solely_ for Bob Rae. Later that fall, I admired his admonition of Jacques Parizeau on the night of the 1995 Quebec referendum, when Parizeau blamed l'argent et le vote ethnique for the referendum defeat [money and the ethnic vote]. Rae said 'That's the vodka talking' to his former Permier's table colleague. Good on that. And one year later I met Rae while I was working on an event on the launch of his excellent memoir, from Protest to Power, which is a good tome that ultimately exposed his eventual split from the NDP to becoma a centrist federal Liberal.

* CBC coverage, interview of Jean Lapierre. He will be on Panels to do analysis. Jean Lapierre is a jerk and a founder of the BQ. Ech. Get lost. And keep your neutrality. Though to me, of course, it would be obvious. I suspect Lapierre must have preferred Ignatieff on the ballot due to the 'Quebecois nation' position. He certainly would not have been for Dion [and the Clarity Bill]

Michael Ignatieff: his obvious strength is his intellectual ability, and his experience as a public author/thinker and fairly effective communicator. His weaknesses are the overbilling by his own campaign as the second coming of Pierre Trudeau, his complete lack of serious federal experience in government, let alone Cabinet, the fact he missed those major Canadian debates: referendum 1980, referendum 1995 [I believe he covered it as a UK correspondent exploring notions of nation], Meech 1990, Charlottetown 1992, the Clarity Bill, and, every Liberal election campaign after 1968 and before 2006. This in turn, I think, has brought about his gaffes and flip flops on major questions relating to Quebec, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Israel/Lebabnon. He seemed blissfully unaware of the modern media, political, and internet/blog environment, perhaps remembering how Trudeau was able to be a provocateur and be rewarded for it.

The Liberal Party likes a winner and Ignatieff lost his early momentum and sheen as these predictable weaknesses ultimately revealed themselves.

The other evident difference: I can comment on Bob Rae and Stephane Dion's political records in Canada. With Ignatieff, one cannot. The most I really know is he campaigned for a Toronto candidate in 1968 while he was a student leader in Toronto, and later was an active Young Liberal prior to and during the Trudeau convention of 1968.

12:25 (Calgary) RESULTS are COMING SOON

My rough estimates (time to press 'publish')

Ignatieff: 40%
Dion: 35%
Rae: 25%

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Let the chips fall where they may, and kudos to Gerard Kennedy for making a kingmaker move at the right time.

***

waiting for second ballot results, interesting strolls across the floor

2006-12-02T09:40:00.000-07:00

No commitments made, it seems, until we see the results, I am sure.

BUT: We just saw Gerard Kennedy and Stephane Dion do a meet&greet. This has been rumoured all week.

THEN:

We saw Bob Rae and Michael Ignatieff do the same. This, of course, was a longstanding old 'conspiracy' that one would throw support to the other.

[Of course, Allan Gregg is saying that the delegates of these two lifelong intellectual friends are much less likely to move smoothly to one another than the Dion-Kennedy supporters are]

And let us recall the contrasts between Rae and Ignatieff on questions such as Iraq, and 'nation' status for Quebec.

Ralph Goodale says No Rae decision has been made.

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All of it very exciting stuff. And it is definitely early.

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Bring on those results!

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Congratulations to Senator Marie Poulin on her election as President of the Liberal Party of Canada. Bonne chance a vous. a_s_cameron@hotmail.com

Message / Question to Libloggers and Blogger Room

2006-12-01T22:56:00.000-07:00

Is there an official breakdown of the ex-officio vote available somewhere?

I heard it evaluated on one of the TV shows, RDI I think... along the lines of

Iggy 256
Dion 180 (very happy)
Rae 160 (all I heard)

Please post, comment here, or email a_s_cameron@hotmail.com

Thanks!

Some new spins on the spins "Not much French in Bob Rae speech"

2006-12-01T21:09:00.000-07:00

So I thought I detected from the CBC 'Issues' Panel that Ignatieff spinners went on the offensive on Bob Rae's lack of French, after Bob Rae's quite strong and natural speech. I also saw Denis Coderre and newly added Ignatieff supporter Nick Discepola [a defeated MP who wanted to run again but was passed over by Paul Martin, whom Discepola supported ardently over the years, for a great Canadian (tm) Marc Garneau who left Carleton University but who also was defeated] They were playing it up on either CTV Newsnet or CPAC, I forget which.

So the attack line must have gone out on 'berries to key messengers and probably directly to key media pundits.

Meanwhile, as I watch some RDI analysis, which I don't do often enough out here in Calgary, I am hearing the Bob Rae speech excerpts about 'le succes du Quebec, du aux Quebecois' and, hearing it once again, I think the message was top quality (and Bob Rae's French has always been quite fine, from my recollections)

So I conclude that attempting to quantify the French is weak, fearful spin.

RE: RDI Analysis... Chantal Hebert deux fois consecutives (and she was also mocked on Air Farce! Maybe we should declare her the winner of the evening.)

Here are my comments about this. Please all take heed.

1. Rae and Ignatieff: These two good men are friends. Long friends. Getting them both into the Liberal Party of Canada tent will be a fine thing for the Party. I think maybe they have intellectual rivalry. If they get past that, they could form their own party, and I would probably respect it.

2. Ignatieff's camp, if going on offense in this way about something ultimately somewhat mundane, is afraid of something. Meanwhile, I don't personally believe Bob Rae needs to prove any French bona fides whatsoever. I mean, it would be more logical to question how little French was in Kennedy's speech (unless his French weakness and low Quebec organization are so obvious it's not worth mentioning anymore) But it is not that: it is more simple. Ignatieff's strategists and spinners appear to have chosen to attack the number two guy, the guy who has gained momentum, the guy who gave a pretty damn good speech, leaving Ignatieff's final speech in the dread 'tough act to follow' space.

3. I see Martin Cauchon currently defending Bob Rae and shrugging off this feeble attempt to start a 'Frenchgate.' I wrote some long time ago that Martin Cauchon was an intelligent and classy guy and would have been an asset in this Leadership race himself.

4. There is high risk, ultimately, in these type of tactics. The counter tactic may be a little more harsh. By the end of it, someone's delegates may end up yelling 'vendu' (or some similar personal insult) ... and the damage is tremendous. This is absolutely the type of thing the Liberal Party of Canada simply must not allow to be created right now.

5. Journalists, meanwhile, love it and eat it up, and continue their horserace journalism, talking of who scored points, who was cautious, who looked better, who performed or exceeded or underwhelmed. Not a one of them seems to go into policy.

6. The Party activists in all camps should not be enabling that style. Focus on the high minded forward issues as much as possible. Keep it on the high road. Keep it smart. Impress Canadians with vision.

7. I hope Ignatieff enjoys his glass of wine and dinner with his wife. That's a good thing. But if he thinks it's out of his hands right now...

NEW!

Chantal Hebert French analysis from RDI: Globe online says 'Volpe goes to Bob Rae after speeches' She correctly points out that Volpe and Rae in the same headline is barely helpful to Bob Rae. She says a better headline would have been "Strong speech from Bob Rae heats up convention going into Saturday." I agree with her on this one.

as you can see below, comments were 'off'

2006-12-01T20:19:00.000-07:00

Iggy Rocksssssssssssssss!!!!!
December 2nd, 2006

Iggy rocks! OMG what a speech. It got every nerve in my body twitching and raring, ready to go. This is the same Mike I have known from Harvard, A Mike who was always proud of being Canadians, a Mike who was always passionate, the Mike who is going to win the next election for us!!! Iggy rocksssssssssssssss!!!!!!

—————————–
Sent from my crackberry

Posted in Politics | Comments Off

COMMENT I COULD NOT POST TO Vijay Sappani's site:

Iggy zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....

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new stuff:

I agree with whassisname making live blog perogies in a Saskatchewan apartment: I just saw Liberal Idol on Air Farce, and it was pretty good. Would have liked to see more impersonations, though. Ah well.

live blogging - Ignatieff speech

2006-12-01T18:52:00.000-07:00

He's a smart man, he's a good man, he's a fine academic. His array of supporters in his video was impressive as well (shout-out to David McGuinty, MP) He is still a rookie politician, though, and his speech is falling flat through its staccato. Objectively compared to Rae before (who was fine, without podium or notes, by the way) and Kennedy before that, this speech is no better. I am hearing 'typical' Liberal stuff (from all three of them) ... the more above and beyond outside the box stuff, I thought, came in the Brison speech earlier.

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anglophones et francophones, 'tous ensemble?'
'tous ensemble' is a nice concept but this guy has recently put forward intellectual arguments that simply, and can only, ultimately, divide.

It seems funny to me that one group gets to be viewed as a 'nation' but we are still 'tous ensemble' and of course, I did read that John Ibbitson article about a new level of recognition for our first nations.

I have to say again, Bob Rae has already lived the debate about special status and constitutional powers... it was called Charlottetown, Rae was Premier of Canada's largest province, one that I have to say is the anchor of Confederation, and, a testament to Bob Rae's skills, Ontario voted _for_ Charlottetown. Meanwhile, where was Michael Ignatieff?

---

I like the group chanting of "Canada!" though (What Liberal doesn't?)

---

Pretty good speech finish, but I am not sure... I still just don't see it.

---

First punditry: L. Ian McDonald (possible spelling error there by me): speech a bit flat with good applause line, not convincing, does not outdo Rae and Kennedy; second pundit: it seemed unconvincing. Nik Nanos: Ignatieff was too measured, almost professorial. (I agree)

---

My verdict remains: he was too new to the Party, too new to modern Canadian politics, too untested, and, ultimately, too prone to dangerous gaffes on matters of substance.

---

But of course, now the funny _really_ begins.

---

A quick and friendly note to Cherniak. Bob Rae likely has a lot of tact, but has taken a different tack. Whether it was the best tactic is unknown.

---

CPAC corners Brison with a rumour he'll go to Ignatieff. Brison denies. That move would certainly out-do this Volpe to Rae move, while uniting the two more right-leaning (my opinion) Liberals. I don't buy it just yet.

---

One last thing for now: I sense growth for Ken Dryden as a 'second choice' type of guy.

---

Time to stop blogging and channel surf over to some CBC/Newman off of CPAC. But good on CPAC for being available on my computer today. I enjoyed that.

Why I supported Gerard Kennedy (and a few other notes)

2006-12-01T17:42:00.000-07:00

5:40 PM (MT) - Calgary
7:40 PM (ET) - Montreal / Liberal Leadership Convention at Palais des Congres.

Gerard Kennedy's podium speech is underway after a very slick video and nice intro by Justin Trudeau.

Now is a good time to reveal to anyone who cares that this is who I voted for back in September.

(I know there are about 10 of you kicking around out there)

I voted, in Calgary North Centre, for Gerard Kennedy, empowered a few of his noted delegates, and then distributed the rest of my delegate selections among various other camps to keep it interesting, including one for Ignatieff (who took time on a busy selection day to have a very good 10 minute conversation with me and showed me he was dedicated to his party and cause)

Kennedy gave Calgary got props in the speech.
I noticed Brison did it also.
Good for both Kennedy and Brison.

A bunch of good reasons to think of Kennedy:

1. credible Western roots, born in Manitoba, University in Alberta.

2. Acadian wife

3. 10 or so years of Ontario Liberal credibility and social activist credibility in Toronto.

4. Improving French

5. Tangible Charisma. Kennedy has always commanded loyalty.

6. Known Liberal Record (Ontario Liberal Party) 1996-2006. (That's more credible Liberal experience than Ignatieff and Bob Rae put together, though I am definitely not dismissing these two good men completely and randomly)

7. Cabinet Experience at Provincial level (that's more Cabinet experience than Michael Ignatieff)

8. Strong network in Ontario composed of his OLP Leadership supporters (1996) and an army of activist, passionate, ideological Teachers throughout Ontario and possibly beyond

9. Knows how to fight ideological neo-con knobs like John Baird, Jim Flaherty, and Tony Clement

10. Will easily win back Parkdale -- High Park from NDP MP Peggy Nash, which is a direct Liberal gain, as either Leader or very well-positioned federal Liberal who obviously will end up as Cabinet material regardless of whether he wins or loses the Liberal Leadership this weekend.

11. Excellent last name for progressive politics and inspiration

12. Interesting 'Jesus Jones' song selection... kinda cool 90s old school.

TEXT OF A NOTE I SENT TO ORGANIZERS OF A KENNEDY FUNDRAISER IN CALGARY
(one of just two in-person events I manged to attend out here)

[RECIPIENT NAME DELETED]

Hello. My name is Andrew Cameron. Quite new to
Calgary. Moved here last fall from Ottawa for [a good new job opportunity]

I was a very active Liberal in Ottawa for the Liberal Party of Canada and also for
the Ontario Liberal Party from 1996 [right up until] I left in mid-October 2005.

I campaigned extensively for LPC in 1997, 2000, and 2004 and for the Ontario Liberal Party in 1999 and 2003, and have participated as a delegate in many conventions and provincial council meetings, and involvement large and small in a few nomination campaigns. I even worked for a time at the LPC national office. I put Liberal signs in my apartment window in Calgary Centre North during the past campaign.

I paid ten dollars electronically for a 206 LPCA membership with the intention of at least voting for the next Leader, however, looking at my schedule, I am
likely to be in the Northwest Territories for the weekends of both delegate voting in late September and also in Inuvik during the actual Montreal Leadership
convention weekend. Unfortunate timing.

[It turns out I was able to vote at delegate selection, and I am in Calgary now, not Inuvik, but, it would have been impossible to organize and be able to get to Montreal for a full-scale convention participation. If I did, I would stop in at the Jello Bar.]

However, I am hopeful that I may be able to take the
opportunity to wish good candidates well and to listen
to them describing their ideas.

So, I am asking your permission to drop in on the
fundraising event in downtown Calgary on Monday.

However, I do not intend to donate to Gerard or to
other candidates. As noted, my own work schedule
makes it look like I won't even be voting for any one
candidate after all.

All that said, I would like to have the opportunity to
give Gerard Kennedy some good wishes of support in his
LPC Leadership effort. [cut]

My main riding of activity in Ottawa was Ottawa South.
That's the riding represented by Ontario Premier
Dalton McGuinty [who defeated Kennedy on the last
ballot to become OLP Leader in 1996]

That said, Gerard was an awesome team player in OLP and his move
to leave the Ontario Cabinet to throw into a wide-open
heavy field federal Liberal Leadership race, and to help represent
the west a little bit (as well as being another urban
Toronto candidate) is a bold one, potentially quite a
sacrifice.

Education, of course, was a huge battleground in Ontario and my Mom is an Ontario
public teacher; Gerard Kennedy has accomplished much to make things better for my Mom and for students and parents in Ontario. Good for him.

Gerard also worked hard to strengthen OLP after its 1999 defeat and help
McGuinty and team to victory in Ontario in 2003.

For all of these reasons, I certainly want to wish him
well in his bold federal move.

[cut]

Thank you for your attention and good luck to you and
your Calgary Kennedy campaign colleagues. Minimally,
if I can't drop in, please take a moment to print
these wishes out and forward them to Gerard Kennedy if
possible.

Thank you and kindest personal regards,

Andrew Cameron

[end of insert]

Other sidenotes: Kennedy's speech was excellent. I missed Dion's, it seems. (I had to walk home from work.) I heard most of Dryden's (and liked his video, too) I ignored Volpe's, but was pleased to learn how feeble his delegate turnout was.

I hugely enjoyed Jean Chretien's news scrum today and I am looking forward to seeing him on a podium at this convention. I miss da liddle guy and always believed in him.

New stuff: I am watching Bob Rae's intro video. I am indeed impressed by the array of endorsements around him, and his demonstration of Ontario capacity. Rae is the other event I attended out here. I even gave him a mercy vote in 1995. Maybe, just maybe, I was 11 years ahead of many Liberals on this man's pragmatic and progressive intellectual leadership. Sidenote two: Richard Mahoney was in there, and so was Mike Robinson. This is a strong tandem and complement to John Rae and Eddie Goldenberg, no? Impressive, and at least as good as Dion's Martin/Chretien bridge. Rae's ability to speak intelligently, seemingly without notes or anything, is most impressive.

END FOR NOW, surely more later.

And, while I am at it, I have to say, too, Stephane Dion almost got my vote, too, even though I didn't get a chance to see him in Calgary. (He was here, but I could not be) His class and federal Cabinet record are also very worthy.

Things bode well for the Liberal Party of Canada if these Leadership candidates and all Party members can pull together at the end of this thing. This team has experience and intellectual firepower like I have not seen yet in my time. And let's not forget fine ex-Ministers and intellects also in the wings, such as Bill Graham, Irwin Cotler, David McGuinty, and a fine roster of others.

This Calgary Liberal is excited about the renewal ahead.

Send some feedback in, I'll be watching and reading all weekend.

a_s_cameron@hotmail.com

self-explanatory photo

2006-11-23T17:25:00.000-07:00

A quick note from Inuvik, NWT where I am attending National Energy Board hearings into the proposed Mackenzie Gas Project. When I checked The Weather Network's site earlier today, the weather here was -19 degrees celsius, "feels like -28", and Calgary's was -12 degrees celsisu, "feels like -18." Meanwhile in Ottawa, I am sure things were a little hotter with discussion of the Quebecois nation within a strong and unified Canadian federation.

Cheers.

Sunday - Grey Cup Live Bloggin' and digiphoto goofin'

2006-11-19T16:39:00.000-07:00

BC 6
Montreal 0
---
BC is having its offense drives stopped, but appears early on to be toying with Montreal. Paul McCallum good for two of two field goals so far. But the main reason for this particular little blog bit is to mess with some digiphotos. Check the classic Starter hat from 1991 (when the Lions brought Doug Flutie into the CFL and added black/grey/silver into their orange and white colour scheme) Note also the patriotic CFL "eh?" that I painted onto the brim of the hat back in 1992.

See also my orange, grey and white Adidas toque.
---
A fumble by Montreal is recovered by BC, who march some more, but are again held by the Als in the strike zone and settle for another field goal.
BC 9
Montreal 0.
(that's the score after one quarter)
---
other photo: me and my man Dave Dickenson. Classy guy, plays hard every game. Full body commitment. No Damon Allen hookslide.
---
BC just rolled in for a _sweeeeet_ touchdown, by a lightning fast rookie, Ian Smart. Who, it seems, was cut by the Alouettes. Bummer for them.
Score:
BC 16
Montreal 0
---
Halftime
BC Lions 19
Montreal 3

Coming up: Nelly Furtado. Where is she from? Victoria, B.C. ! I am going to put in a beautiful photo of this beautiful, and talented, young woman. Here's to hoping nobody thinks I am a 'net perv. I think we should celebrate our own, and I think Nelly is an original talent put over the top lately by the skills of Timbaland. (Not Timberlake)

---
Start of third quarter. I decided to look something up at halftime after a funny mention in the first half. Who is Montreal's Offensive Co-ordinator? (Offensive coach?) I thought it was Marcel Bellefeuille, and I thought it was just him. It seems, though, that Marcel, a good guy and brother of an ex-blogger, is in fact the 'Running Backs and Receivers' coach. Then there's Andrew Garven, assistant coach, offence, Steve McAdoo (any relation to Derek McAdoo?) 'Co-offensive coordinator, running game' and Kevin Strasser, Co-offensive coordinator, passing game. If this sounds a tad unwieldy, and you don't believe me, have a look here. QUESTION:
How long must it take this committee of guys to come up with a play? QUESTION (2): Is this formation the result of Don Matthews' departure with some 4 games left in the regular season?
---
Good replay challenge by the Montreal Alouettes, who gain the ball on turnover, and BC is spared a touchdown down the field because the whistle was blown (probably a fair call from the referee's angle, and no different from a goal in hockey being denied because the whistle was blown or blowing) Fair enough, and it didn't take too long.
---
More photos: Doug Flutie for BC Lions
---
More photos: "Swervin'" Mervyn Fernandez for BC Lions, circa 1985. This was a hero of mine playing two on two street football (so, mostly running passing routes) in Prince George BC when I was little. Shout-outs to Marc Pastro, Kris Pastro, and George Gomes.
---
BC conceded two points. Score:
BC Lions 19
Montreal 5
---
I must put up a worthwhile photo of Geroy Simon!
---
Montreal has just mounted a very nice drive and ended it with a touchdown late in the 3rd quarter. You can feel a bit of a momentum shift at the moment. BC offence is back on, and Dave Dickenson is still running it hard.

Recall my earlier blog when I expected BC to win by about one touchdown, covering the spread. That is where things are now. The 4th should be good, just as I also called for: an entertaining CFL game.
---
Paul McCallum just hit another nice field goal for BC. But, Montreal had too many men on the field. So BC has a new first down instead. Dave Dickenson missed it though. 2nd and ten... and a missed screen pass, unfortunately, and this is from down low. So out will come Paul McCallum again. And McCallum hit the field goal. And so, we have:

BC Lions 22
Montreal Alouettes 12
---
Montreal has now just taken a major foul penalty for a chop block. That's not good.
---
BC had a drive stopped, and decided to kick a long field goal. 47 yards. He nailed it. Dead centre and just enough length. This tied him for a Grey Cup record of 6 field goals. Good for him.

BC Lions 25
Montreal 12
---
Alouettes at BC two yard line... BC stood it up and kept it outside the plane. They ran it hard again, but it was shut down hard again, with a fumble. BC recovers it! Awesome football stuff here! Woo! And, let us applaud the BC defence, which has of course been overshadowed this year by the awesome BC attack of Dickenson, Geroy Simon, Jason Clermont, Paris Jackson, Buck Pierce, etc. That was HUGE!
---
A challenge by the Alouettes, who succeeded on that in the first half. No, no challenge was done. Interesting. The reply is inconclusive. Looks to me like the ball was coming out at the same time as the knees were touching the ground. It would have been very hard to be conclusive about that one, so, I'd say, it is the ref who got off well.
---
Three Minute Warning.
---
Jason Kralt, ex Bosnia veteran, ex Carleton Raven, ex BC Lion, ex Ottawa Renegade, and ex Sega NHL player on Fulton Avenue (also, a classy fellow) is serving as one of two Honour Guards as the Grey Cup is brought out by the Mounties.
---
BC, after recovering the ball low, does not advance very far. They take a time out and choose to concede a safety to ensure safer field position and start Montreal on the Montreal 35.

BC Lions 25
Montreal 14

1:43 to go. Ball is almost picked off on a floaty first down throw by Calvillo. Second down, Calvillo throws it away safely out of bounds. 3rd down, he dodges a blitz, tosses one (crap) to Dave Stala, who pulls it in smartly and then lunges for an impressive first down. Not dead yet at all... but happily, time is ticking and it will take a TD with a two point convert AND a miraculous recovered kick and field goal just to tie. So we're winding down.
---
And BC brings it home.

-30-
---
And coming up soon, "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" over on CTV.

Blog Bits (3) Sunday 19 Nov 2006: my Auntie Jackie

2006-11-19T15:33:00.000-07:00

My Aunt, Jacqueline (Jackie) McIntyre (nee Cameron) is pictured in a nice slideshow video tribute to cancer survivors and victims and their families that the Globe and Mail has on its website. Plug in your audio for the musical accompaniment, and visit the slideshow site here. Auntie Jackie, who passed away late in June 2004, is pictured with a great big wide smile, wearing a blue and white sweater, roughly halfway through the slideshow. Best wishes to Uncle Reg McIntyre, too. Thinking of you also Uncle Reg.

Sunday Blog Bits (2) Ottawa Senators

2006-11-19T15:13:00.000-07:00

They're not looking consistent yet, I will admit that, but, I have to say, they are looking a lot better after two solid victories, one in Buffalo, and one in Ottawa, over the Buffalo Sabres, a high-flying, well-coached, disciplined, modern young NHL team if ever there was one (not sure about the new uniforms, but am enjoying the blue/yellow throwbacks) Both Sens wins were based on superior performance and hard play in the third period. This is what fans like to see.

In between those wins, though, there was a defeat at the hands of the New Jersey Devils. I also note again, though, while reading the game recap, that the Senators put up a very strong third period and showed some strength and character in breaking up yet another potential Martin Brodeur shutout. I wrote once before that the Devils are a painfully consistent, disciplined team, capable of tight checking and high speed performance in the new NHL. So long as they have Brodeur, they will continue to be a force. I figure the Devils were hungry to avenge an uncharacteristically bad drubbing at the hands of the Senators about one month ago.

I think it continues to be a challenge for the Senators to gel. While not pointing at the goalies directly (not my intent) there is still a different degree of comfort (lack thereof) with Martin Gerber and Ray Emery. It seems to me that the defense pairs are not all gelled yet either. It was inevitable that the Senators would feel the loss of big Zdeno Chara on 'D' and the injuries to Wade Redden have not helped either. It will come.

I don't mind if the Senators have to kick and claw their way back into the zone, into contention, and even into the playoffs. It will be good for them.

Go Sens Go.

In other good news, I would like to tip my hat to those New Jersey Devils for one other reason. Cheers, Devils.

Blog Bit (1) - Sunday 19 Nov 2:45 pm MT re: Grey Cup

2006-11-19T14:54:00.000-07:00

Well, I had a blog bits drafted earlier but a computer glitch lost it. So I am going to reproduce the stuff bit by bit as individual entries.

The Grey Cup kicks off in a little over an hour. I am going to have to go with my heart and my single most loyal team affinity, the BC Lions. [My suffering Ottawa Roughrider/Ottawa Renegades buddies will know this...] I heard on CBC radio that they are one touchdown (7 point) favourites. I think that is about right, and I think it is going to be a typically excellent, typically exciting CFL game. And, of course, I look forward to a lot of Superman poses in the end zone. Hey Gee-Roy! Bring it on down!

Short Track Speed Skating

2006-11-19T14:36:00.000-07:00

I went up to the Olympic Oval at the University of Calgary yesterday with a couple of friends, to watch some short track speed skating. This was awesome fun. Television does not do this sport justice. I have compiled a Yahoo! photo slideshow of my very amateurish Canon digital SLR photos. The speed of this sport is such that even the fast shutter sports setting and autofocus can't really catch everything. In some of the photos, though, you get three blurs and one figure in focus. Check it out (hope it works...) and, hopefully, enjoy. In a sidenote, we saw Olympic Champions Catriona Lemay-Doan, who seemed to be just hanging out with her children, and Clara Hughes, who is promoting Right To Play.

Blog Bits - Saturday 18 Nov 2006

2006-11-18T11:24:00.000-07:00

1. The Killers "Sam's Town" was released on October 3rd. I got in in the mail around October 23rd or 24th, after going into a store and giving it a headphone listen. This is a damn fine album: these guys are for real (even if their TV interviews seem a bit weak) their music does not. The track that sold me in the store was track 6 "Read My Mind" which is about 4 minutes and 10 seconds of pure joyous excellence. It's so good, it feels too short at its peak. The little sticker on my album shows this song as third single. This single could be MASSIVE. And I can just picture it lingering on with a long, magnificient bridge at a giant summer festival field somewhere. Quickly, let's also give some big props to track 12, exitlude, which is a beautiful little singalong ditty reminiscent, to me, of St. Peppers or something, track 4, Bling (Confessions of a King) which is a rocking driving song, track 7, Uncle Jonny, a rocking driving song about cocaine downfalls, and props to producers Flood and Alan Moulder. Then, of course, there is lead single "When You Were Young" which has not worn out on me yet despite saturation play out there in the world, and second single "Bones" which grew on me quickly.

2. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip: continues to do well. The Nevada Day two parter series was excellent. The character development has been tremendous. I am slightly concerned that the whole 'Hollywood vs. Religious Right' angle may just become a bit tedious, but, of course, I am not a television executive insider, and of course, the theme is also central to the romantic character development of between the Matthew Perry character (that's Matt, isn't it? YES IT IS Matt...) and Harriet. Ah well. Thumbs up from a Sorkin appreciator in Calgary.

3. Congratulations to my young friend Steve 'The Beaver' Blais, elected to be a Catholic School Board trustee on Monday November 13th. He'd be my little sister's Catholic School Board trustee, but, my sister and fiance voted for the French public Board. Ah well. Good for you Steve. Readers: when you click to the page, scroll about two thirds through and look for 'OCCSB Zone 3'.

4. Liberal Leadership Politics: not much today. I told you so [30 Jan 2006] re: Ignatieff and his inexperience:

"...next up is Michael Ignatieff. An established intellectual with awesome credentials. An expatriate Canadian, who has resided in London UK and Boston, Mass. while lecturing at Harvard. These are good things. But how much does he know and remember about on the ground Canadians? How much does he appreciate the range and diversity in Canada beyond Toronto (I am writing today from Inuvik, NWT, by the way) What is his basic Parliamentary mettle? How will he handle Ottawa? These all remain to be determined. There is much hope in him, however, we know about nothing of his ability to relate to the Liberal Party of Canada beyond his big speech at the 2005 Biennial Convention, and what I saw during his local campaign. The way in which he was nominated in Etobicoke-Lakeshore did not impress me, or some local grassroots Liberals. It was a backroom fix conducted out of LPC(O) likely with the tacit approval of PMO as well. I’m glad Ignatieff now joins our public discourse, and I am certain his will be a valuable voice contributing to rebuilding the Liberal Party of Canada’s ability to innovate and lead with great policy. His intellectual contribution should be tremendous. What will his political contribution be? Harder to say. Hopefully, it will be a benefit to the Party to find out."

I am not so sure.

By the way, if anyone is wondering, I have a _lot_ of friends who are supporting Ignatieff, in Ottawa, and in Toronto. However, the faux pas of the past 6 weeks or so, and the high risk of the 'nation' discussion, worries me a bit.

Now that I think about it

2006-10-26T22:30:00.000-06:00

I predict that this infamous lowbridge hit will eventually play out negatively in the Leafs' dressing room. I will side with Michael Peca, who, despite almost single-handedly shutting down the Senators (by way of shutting down Alexei Yashin [who was a dork anyway, pretty much after he reached the age of 22 or so] is a classy leader, a fine former Ottawa 67, and a National Olympic Champion. -ucker may have won a World Junior gold at some point.

Now if only I could get the photos to line up the way I wanted them to, I'd really be set with a nice short anti - ucker blog entry.

Memo to Leaf Nation, especially Scott Tribe @ Progressive Bloggers

2006-10-26T20:49:00.000-06:00

Hey there, Leafs fans, I hope that you and your homer media machine are over your hangovers after drowning your sorrows in your suds on Thursday night.

Let us examine the cumulative evidence: here, here, here, and here.

Games Played: 4
Record: Senators 3 Wins; Leafs 1 Win
same record in reverse: Leafs, 3 losses; Senators, 1 loss
Cumulative scoring: Senators 17, Leafs 11. Not as bad as last year (just yet) but probably headed in that general direction.

Brief Comments:

I didn't see Darcy -ucker droppin' 'em tonight against, er, anyone. I did see a whole lot of Senators dropping Darcy -ucker, 100% legally, especially when he took a moment to admire his drop pass around the blue line of the offensive zone. Ouch.

TOP 10 PROACTIVE COMEBACKS to extremely predictable Leaf Nation putdowns of Senators that will result from this blog entry:

10. At least the Senators were _in_ the Playoffs last year...

9. When the Senators make the Eastern Conference finals, they lose to the eventual dominant Stanley Cup Winner (New Jersey Devils, 2003)

8. When the Leafs hook, hack, rough, fight, whine, and ref-bait their way to the Eastern Conference finals, they lose to the team that loses to other conference in the Stanley Cup Final (Carolina Hurricanes, whupped by Detroit, 2002; Buffalo Sabres, defeated for Cup in OT by Dallas Stars, 1999; Los Angeles Kings, defeated for Cup by Patrick Roy Habs team and quite a lot of OT destiny, 1993.)

7. Senators just didn't have the playoff goalies in those losses to Leafs. Lalime could not cut it versus vets like Belfour or Cujo. Those were some of the better veteran goalies too much money could buy.

6. [Senators still didn't have a big time playoff goalie in 2006, either]

5. Last year's Sens Team would have whupped the lumbering Leafs in the "new NHL" playoffs provided the Toronto media machine, and quite possibly League offices in Toronto, did not intimidate the referees into putting the whistles in their pockets.

4. Ditto this year's Sens Team, although, Leaf trades may yet remedy this at some point. Too bad they can't just spend their way to competence anymore (with the likes of Belfour or Cujo) Kyle Wellwood is okay, but when you make him your saviour, you have a problem.

3. Despite all this trash talk, I am going to give some props here to Mats Sundin. I mean, who can't enjoy a 500th career goal that is a game winner, scored shorthanded, in overtime. It in fact reminded me of a goal he scored on Lalime in a playoff Game one. The Senators were at home, and that goal in OT hurt. Anyway, Sundin is a classy guy, an excellent warrior and Leader, a world class player, pretty tough, and he plays a balanced game of hard work and nice talent. He has not lead the Leafs to a Cup, but, then again, neither did Doug Gilmour, Wendel Clark, Rick Vaive, and whoever the Captain was when I was under ten years old, or between 1967 and 1974. Sundin also handles those softie questions from admiring Leaf Fans / Toronto sports journalists quite nicely, day after day after day after day. I doubt they are really all that aggressive, but I definitely know there's a lot of them.

2. Kudos here to Alfie, too. Especially since he cut the crazy hair. I recall when Alfredsson mocked Sundin having a brain fart and throwing his stick into the stands (I also recall the T.O. fan who caught the stick was pretty happy, too...) So while Leafs fans tried to turn it into the most egregious, horrendous insult ever, Sundin himself enjoyed the joke, too. Sorta like the fan who caught his stick. This, to me, is a good anecdote that symbolizes great differences between Leaf talk and basic strong performance playing a fine game on the ice. Leafs and their fans and their boosters are all talk, no walk. Ultimately, they just fall back on themselves and talk amongst themselves about themselves.

1. 1967.

Also, I think the Senators are probably finding their stride, their character, and their chemistry. It takes a while for gaps like Zdeno Chara and Martin Havlat to be filled up front and in the back. I notice Chara is wearing the "C" in Boston. I'll miss Big Z, so will the team, but maybe they are getting over it. Spezza and Heatley have clearly also found the groove. Stats tonight pretty much speak for themselves on that.

Just one other observation: isn't an 8-1 trouncing of the Devils almost as noteworthy (possibly more) than the Sabres 9-1 thrashing of the Flyers? The Flyers were on a dismal streak to start the whole season, the Devils are the competent and steady 'always at least .500' Devils. Talk amongst yourselves.

P.S. We should all be a bit concerned about the Sabres, though. Young, fast, explosive, built for this League's rules. Defeated the Senators in the playoffs last year a lot more efficiently and effectively than the Leafs ever did by really beating the Senators at the own game. I'm not sure even ol's spaghetti groins Hasek could have prevented it.

P.S.#2 I'm still calling for a Calgary Flames versus Ottawa Senators all-Canadian Stanley Cup Final in 2007. Just like last year!

P.S.#3 This one also goes out to Hon. George Smitherman. A good fella, loyal Torontonian and Deputy Premier. Big shout-outs to everyone in OLP at their AGM this weekend and the big countdown to October 4, 2007. Especially Dalton and the whole Ottawa South crew.

P.S. #4 It also goes out to Mike 'Murph' Murphy.

P.S. #5 I have attached a tremendous photo. It's not from tonight, but, the Phillips wallop on -ucker tonight was great, too.

P.S. #6 To my readers (I know there's, like, maybe three of you) if you are a Sens fan (I know lots of you are) then wade in on the comment board because the Leaf fans will come a snipin'.

Same great wide location, better photo

2006-10-05T18:42:00.000-06:00

There is no completely unrelated commentary on the NHL and Sens whupping the Leafs, though.

This photo has your intrepid NEB Communications Officer posed on the bank of the Mackenzie River. At the far right of the photo is a Raven. Whether it is a Carleton Raven is unknown.

NHL resumes once again

2006-10-04T21:08:00.000-06:00

And, regardless of what happens in the playoffs, I am pleased that the NHL regular season resumed with another sound Ottawa Senators win versus the Toronto Maple Leafs.

This posting comes to you from Fort Simpons, Northwest Territories. Today, I saw a community teacher wearing a Leafs t-shirt, and my sensible occasional northern buddy from INAC, wearing a Sens hat once again.

Veering off topic, here is a pretty nice fall photo of the Mackenzie River.
It is big. Yep. Big.

online donation links for kicks

2006-09-23T15:59:00.000-06:00

having some fun and in tribute to the Calgary Grit's work on Bob Rae donations, check out some other 2005 Ontario Liberal Party donations here

HINT: scroll to "Cameron"

While I am at it, best wishes to OLP for re-election in 2007. This time next year a tough campaign will be climaxing.

changes afoot in New Brunswick

2006-09-18T18:39:00.000-06:00

Reported on CTV Calgary at 6:30 PM MT:

Shawn Graham and the Liberals have defeated Bernard Lord's Tories in New Brunswick.

Congratulations to Shawn and also some big props to a an ex-pollster and a former National Public Relations staffer on their behind the scenes work.

Good luck and best wishes; it will be nice to have another new Liberal voice at the Premiers' table.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip - "Sunday"

2006-09-18T18:26:00.000-06:00

Thumbs up from Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

That said,

I hope NBC is not playing risk starting it in a 10 PM Eastern timeslot: I worry that
may be a little late for some viewers.

My Dad in Ottawa, Ontario called me, though, and he will be watching it on NBC tonight, so, I think, it is good to go.

Anyway: NBC, Sorkin, Schlamme: thumbs up - you guys are brilliant. Are you Danny and Marty? It doesn't matter.

More of this, good luck.

P.S. NBC : I look forward to the release of a West Wing whole series omnibus DVD compilation.

Random Rankings

2006-09-16T15:20:00.000-06:00

1. Dion
2. Rae
3. Ignatieff
4. Kennedy
5. Dryden
6. Hall Findlay
7. Brison
8/9 Volpe DROP OUT ALREADY
9/8 Fry DROP OUT ALREADY

I invite intelligent commmentary to a_s_cameron@hotmail.com

Cheers.

yep, Zindane F--ked up

2006-08-16T22:30:00.000-06:00

'Nuff said about that old topic

Zizou Zidane tarnishes great final tournament with stupid selfish move

2006-07-09T14:22:00.000-06:00

20-odd minutes into the overtime sequence, with penalty kicks approaching, and the "classy" Zinedine Zidane has just done something unthinkably stupid. A headbutt to the chest of an Italian player after some basic trash talk. A red card, for this fine, world-class player, about to retire, and he does that?

Was he frustrated by the great save that Buffon made on his header a few minutes prior? It was a great save...

Viva Italia, now or in penalty kicks.

Let us see what happens.

World Cup Soccer final

2006-07-09T11:50:00.000-06:00

Kickoff is coming up...

I think that, of the two pretty worthy and classy teams who have made it to the end, Italy and France, I will predict Italy, who I ranked third in my preferences in my last blog posting.

For France, Zinedine Zidane has been a complete and classy captain and champion once again, while thierry Henry is still a cool and classy striker, and I still like Arsenal.

For Italy, however, I think of Allessandro del Piero, who was crushed in 2000 at the Euro 2000 final, defeated by the same France. Del Piero had missed two crucial strike opportunities and was hard on himself in defeat. Other reasons? Italian drama. The scandal that affected Italian Serie A and Juventus. I even read somewhere that the economic stimulus caused by the good mood of a winning country would be most beneficial to the rest of the world if the winner is Italy.

So, that's it for now. Go Italy.

PANEL PICKS (not easy):

Italians
Italians
Italians

France (Vic Rauter)

Also, it appears that France is wearing their white (their team name is 'les Bleus') while Italy is wearing their blue (their team name is Azzurri)

Bodes well for Italy.

Out walk the players, up goes this post!

World Cup Preferences

2006-06-05T20:52:00.000-06:00

Quite arbitrary rankings of my World Cup Football preferences... & some hidden shoutouts to 5 teams not qualified in the tournament! Meanwhile, I seem to have left off one other team that actually qualified. If you can figure out who it is, email. Please! It would actually help.

Warning: by the time you get to ranking #12, my preferences are almost entirely arbitrary.

1. England : first major travel abroad that I did; Premiershi; Newcastle United Magpies Toon Army; Alan Shearer impressed me back then (but I miss him on England now)
2. Brazil: Perenial favourite, of course, didn't rise up my list until I had the pleasure of visiting there.
3. Italy: just for their sheer drama. Too bad about that Juventus scandal...
4. Cameroon: What? No Cameroon! Tragique!
5. Greece: didn't they win Euro 2004? Jeez, where are they?
6. Netherlands.
7. France. Because I like Zidane, Cisse, and Thierry Henry. These guys are classy.
8. Japan. Because.
9. Switzerland. Because.
10. Australia. Cheering for some other guys in the Commonwealth.
11. Spain. Always disappoints.
12. Portugal. Always disappoints.
13. Mexico.
14. USA. Lucky 13. Why not. Nah. Changed my mind. I'll put Mexico just them.
15. Scotland.
16. South Korea. Great big underdog run in 2002
17. Argentina. I don't like these guys... they messed up England in 1982 and 1998, both times with cheating, dodginess, acting, and bad refereeing.
18. Costa Rica. Because.
19. Croatia.
20. Czech Republic.
21. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. #1 in Oil. #21 in my World Cup Heart.
22. Iran. The bad guys of the day. And for my friend Farhad.
23. Trinidad and Tobago.
24. Ireland.
25. Serbia and Montenegro.
26. Togo.
27. Cote d'Ivoire.
28. Poland.
29. Sweden.
30. Ecuador.
31. Paraguay.
32. Ghana.
33. Angola.
34. Ukraine.
35. Tunisia. Tatooine desert scenes in Star Wars were filmed there.
36. Colombia. Killing a guy for an own goal. Ouch.

the end, for now

2006-05-21T22:48:00.000-06:00

For a variety of reasons, I think I will be officially suspending this blog and its tendency to comment on things relating to the Liberal Party of Canada. [Not that I was exactly keeping it up ambitiously at all...] For other reasons, I may comment on broader issues or films or music or life or whatever, from time to time, weekends, whatever. But, among other things, summer is coming and it's good to get out more, after work, of course. Cheers to all y'all, and best regards to a campaign of ideas and renewal.

And good luck to Mayor Bob Chiarelli and his crew in their Mayoral re-election in Ottawa.

The unthinkable has happened to Ralph Klein

2006-04-01T00:46:00.000-07:00

This tells me that they did, indeed, want to avoid the last Alberta late local news cycle, and, I wouldn't blame them. Ralph Klein: decent everyman, slayed a tough deficit in the 90s, gave Albertans their money back in the 000s, but clearly began to lack a plan to move forward with that prosperity, and also clearly began to wear out his welcome with late night visits to Edmonton homeless shelters, tossed documents in the Legislature, and, I wonder even, frayed relations with a new Prime Minister from the same side of the ideological spectrum and similar turf. 55%. Ouch. Almost as painful as that big, long, run-on sentence I just wrote. Ah well.

At the same time, let's give him his due (from a national perspective) as a straight-shooting, "what you see and hear is what you get" politician. In many ways, we still need more of those.

PS The visuals, and short clips, of the speech that I saw this evening were not very inspiring of loyalty.

2006-03-31T23:59:00.000-07:00

It seems that the Alberta PCs can't get the votes counted and audited in time for the 11 PM news cycle which is now ending... at midnight. The last claim is that the auditors hired by the Alberta PCs slowed down the process too much.

Here it comes... nope just a teaser again. "Join us at 8 AM for the latest" and... gone.

So instead, Global News Calgary filled these last precious moments of news time with a Guinness World Record of a guy doing consecutive squats standing on an exercise ball. An impressive feat... I likely could not do one. I missed the total number, too. Hooray for this important news.

I think it's time for a new conspiracy theory... the results number is not a good one for King Ralph and it required avoidance of the final news cycle and spin planning to go into the morning. We shall see. Time for me to begin an internet hunt.

Glad I didn't head around downtown to get a closer look and listen to the action and the parties. I have to be up at a decent hour to catch a mid-morning ride to Edmonton.

Happy 40th anniversary weekend to my Aunt and Uncle in Edmonton, Sally and Eldon Evenson. And thanks of course to the venerable Uncle Fred for setting me up once again with a nice place to sleep in Edmonton.

G'night.

Still another one bites the dust and takes a pass

2006-03-21T17:39:00.000-07:00

Canadian Press is reporting, less than one hour ago, that Martin Cauchon will announce that he will not seek the Leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada, which has the effect of further concentrating the Leadership race around GTA&Toronto types, and also reducing somewhat the "generation change" theory.

Whereas, Manley, Rock, Tobin, and McKenna are all, roughly, in their mid fifties, Cauchon is in his forties, like Bevilacqua, Stronach, and, I think, Brison.

That would also be a loss on the Quebec and Francophone front.

I haven't compiled a list lately. It grows and shrinks too quickly.

I see that the Dan McTeague fun of last Monday (March 13) Hill Times has not continued. Phew. No critical mass as he pondered his options, I guess.

Politics has lots of surprises, but the fourth estate rarely changes

2006-02-13T01:09:00.000-07:00

Er, I wrote:

"First of all: David Emerson. Good for him for recognizing that at 60 he is "too old" I am not taking the ageist perspective at all. I also remember that Mr. Emerson just arrived to politics in the 2004 election, though his private sector credentials are important. He will be an important backer in British Columbia for some candidate."

or not.

I guess this shows once again why politics is a bloodsport. A game where a week is a life. [insert your cliche here]

One thing that is not a cliche: the media will build you up and then gleefully tear you down if it makes a good story. Ask Paul Martin. Ask John Turner. Ask Kim Campbell. Now, ask Stephen Harper.

I'm not saying that after the Emerson/Fortier [and Gordon O'Connor] moves that Harper doesn't _deserve_ to be taken down quite a few pegs... I am saying that the media modus operandi is not likely to change much. In fact, it can always get worse.

Well, to my (very small) group of readers: have a great week.

Super Bowl Sunday

2006-02-05T12:55:00.000-07:00

I decided to put this on the record before game time... It is 12:520 PM Mountain Standard Time. I pick the Pittsburgh Steelers, but only by about one touchdown. This is not an easy pick for me, for a couple reasons. First of all, when I was little, in Prince George B.C., all of our American TV channels came out of Seattle. So I liked the Seahawks by osmosis. [The effect in Ottawa, watching Rochester channels, gave me a disgust and disdain for the Buffalo Bills] I just can't get behind Matt Hasselback, though. Who cares? Shaun Alexander was impressive, and I do like former Packers' coach Mike Holmgren at the helm for Seattle. I even like Seattle's owner, Paul Allen from Microsoft, but not an omnipresent figure like Bill Gates (gotta say I like Bill Gates now too)

Then there is the Steelers. I just like the working class teams (Packers, Steelers, Bears, Cleveland Browns... you know what I mean) and I certainly am impressed by young Roethlisberger at QB, in just his second year. Hard not to be. Also, I really like Jerome "the Bus" Bettis, out of Notre Dame. And a few years ago, I liked Kordell Stewart... even though I can't tell you what the heck happened to him. So there you have it.

Steelers by about one touchdown.

Another one bites the dust

2006-02-03T09:24:00.000-07:00

Sigh. This news does not actually surprise me:

Globe and Mail, Friday February 3rd, page A1:

"Canada's ambassador to the United Nations, Allan Rock, yesterday joined the parade of prominent Liberals rejecting a run for the party's leadership, ending conjecture that the Chrétian-era cabinet minister would return to federal politics.

"I know there has been speculation but I'm not going to be a candidate," Mr. Rock said in a brief telephone interview in New York.

"I've considered it and discussed it with my family, and we've decided that there are many ways to serve Canada and I am not going to take part in the leadership race."

Mr. Rock's decision follows a similar announcement by Frank McKenna, the departing ambassador to the United States, who had been viewed as the front-runner, and former cabinet ministers John Manley and Brian Tobin.

His move further highlights the trouble the Liberal Party is having in attracting star candidates from its recent past, although other would-be candidates have said the party would be better to look to its future in an effort to renew itself after its election loss last month. [cut further]"

This of course follows on Brian Tobin's announcement of earlier in the week that he won't re-emerge to seek the Liberal leadership, either. I haven't had a chance to comment on that yet.

Here's the thing: Manley, Rock and Tobin, all had good candidacies to offer circa 2001-2002-2003. Unfortunately, all three were pretty much shut down and practically run out of the Party by the Forces of the Juggernaut (TM) and have discovered that they also enjoy the contributions they make in post-political life. Mr. Rock is proving a strong success as Canadian Ambassador at the UN, not exactly a hardship posting, and a heck of a spot to exercise one's intellect. John Manley has returned to private Law practice, sits on many Boards, and is training/has trained in corporate governance. He is also working on NAFTA issues ten years after the NAFTA pact. Mr. Tobin is also involved in some business (I am not personally sure of the details) and has continued to serve as a political and business pundit, mainly with CTV and Bell Globemedia properties such as ROBTV.

McKenna, meanwhile, was viewed as the next major suspect to seek the job after Paul Martin. He was serving, very effectively, I will add, as Canada's Ambassador in Washington, DC. He resigned with the change of government because a "lame duck" Ambassador not perceived to be well-connected to the Prime Minister's Office in Canada is useless to Canada. In sum: the correct move. His decision to not seek the Leadership is disappointing, though.

The common denominator with all of these Liberals is that they are fifty-ish, and have served dutifully in the past in senior positions. Maybe leading the Opposition and rebuilding a (badly) broken party, reinjecting it with

Maybe they won't contrast all that well with Stephen Harper, a youngish new Prime Minister at 46, and his even more youthful caucus. [I note, though, that wisdom comes with age and experience - and I will be keeping a close eye on Harper's Cabinet for gaffes]

So maybe it is time for a next generation Leader for the Liberal Party of Canada. Here's the thing, though: I have already written about the fact that I don't feel a lot of connection and affinity for the arrivistes to LPC: Belinda Stronach and Scott Brison. As well, it has been pointed out to me that neither of these two are particularly bilingual. How on earth will LPC rebuild in Quebec with adult-immersion style French? Manley and Rock at least had strong "Ottawa style" bilingualism from their upbringings and university backgrounds. Tobin's improved along the way, and McKenna's was adequate. LPC and its Leader must represent the linguistic duality of the nation effectively.

So, when I next do my chart of possible candidates, probably over the weekend, I will be including their ages, and, I need to invite comment on each prospective candidate's French abilities as well. I invite those comments now, or, if anyone feels like helping me out and giving me a shortcut for each of their ages, please do:

a_s_cameron@hotmail.com

Conventional Wisdom about Leadership Conventions

2006-01-30T13:33:00.000-07:00

Is no longer to be trusted.

First of all, Prime Minister Martin resigned the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada sooner than expected. Then, two leading suspects to once again join the race to lead the Party also defied conventional expectation.

Hon. John Manley announced quickly, Wednesday evening January 25th, it seems, that he would not seek the Leadership. Then, rumours began that Frank McKenna would not seek it, either. He who was "expected to inherit the Martin machine" (my words.) Maybe Frank did not want to take the risk of becoming a magnet for that machine and that way of thinking. Maybe he also knows what might be better and healthier for the Liberal Party of Canada and, hopefully, Canada itself, in terms of its democracy and its challenge to the Conservative Party of Canada and whatever it comes up with.

Liberal Leadership speculation list: January 30th, 2006 [3:30 PM EST]

OUT: John Manley
OUT: Frank McKenna
OUT:David Emerson: declared himself to be wrong age

INTERIM LEADER SPECULATIONS WITH AN ANDREW CAMERON INTERPRETATION:

Ralph Goodale – another prospective interim Leader, in my book
Bill Graham – prospective interim Leader [Toronto]
Stephane Dion

LEADERSHIP SPECULATION, in descending order:

totally and completely arbitrary, of course, and with some humour too

Brian Tobin
Michael Ignatieff [Toronto]
Allan Rock [Toronto]
Martin Cauchon
Maurizio Bevilacqua
Scott Brison
Belinda Stronach
Ken Dryden [Toronto]
Joe Volpe [Toronto]
Denis Coderre
Anne McLellan – not elected anywhere
Ujjal Dosanjh
Bob Rae
Jean Chretien: comeback?
Sheila Copps
John Godfrey [just Andrew Cameron's own plug of a good thinker and veteran Lib MP]

Beryl Wajsman: should not be on this list at all, may have been “banished from Party”, but apparently wants to "give a good speech on a big platform" (paraphrase) -I'm almost okay with that, too...

Tom Wappel

- end -

The Liberals go to the wilderness and I am in... Inuvik

2006-01-30T01:07:00.000-07:00

This bit originated as a comment for an entry at aldege.blogspot.com from
26 January 2006 but grew longer, so I moved it to my own blog… why not?

Let's go first from the article that Aldge selected and highlighted, 26 January 2006 on canoe.ca / Sun Chain of newspapers:

First of all: David Emerson. Good for him for recognizing that at 60 he is "too old" I am not taking the ageist perspective at all. I also remember that Mr. Emerson just arrived to politics in the 2004 election, though his private sector credentials are important. He will be an important backer in British Columbia for some candidate.

Having commented that Mr. Emerson is too new to politics, I also must comment objectively that I feel deeply that Scott Brison and Belinda Stronach, younger, progressive, and dynamic though they may be (and that's a good thing) are too new to the Party [though Brison is not so much new to politics, having arrived as a Progressive Conservative MP almost ten years ago, in the class of ‘97] But even though they come from the Progressive Conservative wing of the PC Party of Canada, and have now both served in Liberal Cabinets, I remain a little bit wary of them. I expect Scott Brison, in particular, to serve the Liberals well in Opposition - he was a strong and challenging and eloquent thorn in the side of Liberals before he figured "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" anticipating Paul Martin's supposed juggernaut victory in 2004. Brison ran for the Leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party in, what, 2003? I just am not fully at ease with his conversion. Belinda Stronach, meanwhile, is also a dynamic young woman, from business, and attractive in all of the meanings of the word, political and beyond. But she is extremely new to politics and began by running for Leader of the new Conservative Party of Canada, early in 2004, before she had even run for MP. When she crossed the floor to the Liberals, I was pleased… this was a death blow to the Conservatives, though of course, as it played out, it was really only a short term setback. However, I was never fully at ease with the nature of her conversion, nor some folks she chose for staff as a Liberal Minister. And I certainly was not dancing on tables after she joined us (thereby prolonging the Martin government by a grand total of 7-8 months or so) I welcomed another progressive and young woman to the Liberal Party, but I had my doubts about the nature of the move. These two, to me, epitomize Liberals of convenience drawn, respectively, to the supposed easy victory of Paul Martin (in Brison’s case, as well as to the remaining progressive economically balanced party) and to pure opportunity (in Stronach’s case) as well as to the remaining progressive economically balanced party.)

I promise to welcome them proving me wrong, too.

Then there’s Ujjal Dosanjh. He’s not mentioned in the Canoe/Sun article, but Aldege references him in his blog entry, and Dossanjh was, I think, referenced during CBC coverage out west on election night. I don’t mean by my transition to compare him to Brison and Belinda Stronach, because of the transition in my paragraph. I think a bit more highly of Mr. Dosanjh and his achievements as a former Premier of B.C. A centrist NDPer from urban B.C., not beholden to hard left NDP union ideologies, etc., is just as credible to me as a progressive economic conservative, and Dosanjh has governed at a high level. Not only that, he is a nice guy and I have met him on a couple of occasions in his joining of the Liberal Party of Canada in 2004. Here is a former NDP Premier of British Columbia, a centrist NDP, who is at ease as a left-centre balanced Liberal. My problem here is, ultimately, Mr. Dosanjh disappointed me as Minister of Health on a couple of key occasions, and I remember that he inherited the Premiership in B.C. after a Glen Clark scandal, not an electoral victory. And his was another case of at best so-so staffing, with selected exceptions. Or maybe I am on a rant again – PMO may have selected many of his staff and/or interfered in the management of the whole Health file. I certainly view him as a strong regional participant, an important and significant leader in the Liberal Party from the perspective of new Canadians, and a good man with good values to help the Liberal Party of Canada define itself and strengthen its policy definition from a balanced left perspective. And I absolutely want to say again that he is a nice guy.

I think that about covers the arrivistes to the Liberal Party of Canada, those who have come to the Party recently from other Parties with their frustrated leadership and prime ministerial ambitions.

Wait a minute, next up is Michael Ignatieff. An established intellectual with awesome credentials. An expatriate Canadian, who has resided in London UK and Boston, Mass. while lecturing at Harvard. These are good things. But how much does he know and remember about on the ground Canadians? How much does he appreciate the range and diversity in Canada beyond Toronto (I am writing today from Inuvik, NWT, by the way) What is his basic Parliamentary mettle? How will he handle Ottawa? These all remain to be determined. There is much hope in him, however, we know about nothing of his ability to relate to the Liberal Party of Canada beyond his big speech at the 2005 Biennial Convention, and what I saw during his local campaign. The way in which he was nominated in Etobicoke-Lakeshore did not impress me, or some local grassroots Liberals. It was a backroom fix conducted out of LPC(O) likely with the tacit approval of PMO as well. I’m glad Ignatieff now joins our public discourse, and I am certain his will be a valuable voice contributing to rebuilding the Liberal Party of Canada’s ability to innovate and lead with great policy. His intellectual contribution should be tremendous. What will his political contribution be? Harder to say. Hopefully, it will be a benefit to the Party to find out.

Let's move along. Maurizio Bevilacqua: younger, bit of a modern generation thinker, represents newer Canada (Italian perspective) [NOTE ALSO: Belinda Stronach's constituency neighbour in the valuable "905" In fact, Maurizio probably represented some of Stronach's constituents when Vaughan-King-Aurora was the largest, most populated single riding in the country.] I like Bevilacqua because he has been around and his abilities were once rewarded by Jean Chretien despite Maurizio's well-known allegiances to Paul Martin (for doing this challenging balancing act, Maurizio appeared to me to be punished by the Paul Martin faction, and maybe by Martin himself... foolishly.) I wish him well and look forward to him defining himself on a larger platform.

Martin Cauchon. Another young gun, who worked closely with John Manley during Manley’s aborted Leadership bid, and who was Justice Minister for awhile, shepherding some progressive policies in the Chretien regime. Again, though, foolishly isolated and chased away by Paul Martin and team in order to free up Outremont for... Jean Lapierre. Most unfortunate. I wish Cauchon well and I look forward to him further defining himself as well. I suspect maybe that John Manley may be providing some moderate support for Cauchon, given that Manley himself will not race. Cauchon, though, needs to become a bit more than an empty vessel (to me anyway) who happened to shepherd the legalization of marijuana and same-sex marriage for awhile.

Ken Dryden: Like many I appreciate Ken Dryden’s presence on the Liberal front benches since 2004. I read "the Game" and "Home Game" when I was a teenager, and admired his intellectual quality as an author and Minister. I even admired his reasoned pace which is, on glossy high level, not very suitable to Ottawa soundbyte politics and flashy impacts. I have not interacted with Mr. Dryden much, but would like to do so more.

Joe Volpe is not leadership material and would not have come to exist as such without the promotions from Paul Martin. He's alright, but, I think, best to continue on in his "great organizer" persona that he always had. I cannot shake an impression I developed that Joe Volpe was also one of the leading disloyal backbenchers during the Chretien years. Sorry Joe. Prove me wrong. The advisors I have seen associated with Mr. Volpe are not the types I would see leading the whole party. In fact I would be concerned it would be a lot like we just saw or worse.

Denis Coderre should sort out the lawsuit by NHLer Shane Doan and finish his MBA, and then consider what's going on. Coderre to me has always been a bit too quick from the lip, an aggressive pitbull, and a known excellent organizer. These are good abilities for political trench warfare, maybe they are modelled on Jean Chretien, whose instincts and ability to rumble in the trenches I profess to admire, but Coderre, I think, lacks gravitas. I would value him as a Quebec lieutenant, and his Liberal loyalty credentials are hard to question. So good luck to him.

Frank McKenna has served well as Ambassador, and was a good Premier in New Brunswick. I have also enjoyed his presence at a campaign rally. There are some drawbacks on him, though. First of all, the frame, which exists in the Ottawa Sun article Aldege posted us to, that he has "inherited the Martin team" Well, right now, I would not touch that team with a ten foot pole. I have come across some other items that also must be considered. LPC needs to rebuild in Quebec, very much. McKenna was an early Meech Lake pessimist, and it is said that his French remains a bit suspect (I do not know myself) As well, he has somewhat of the "Darling of Bay Street" mantle about him, from his private sector career from 1997 - 2003/4. That's well and good, but I recall that John Turner, Michael Wilson, and, er, Paul Martin carried that banner as well. Look where it got them. The Liberal Party has to grow beyond the Toronto power nexus and mentality.

I would like to see Brian Tobin and Allan Rock back in the fray. Tobin in particular has proven his mettle at many levels, I think. Long time Liberal Opposition member, then Chretien-era Cabinet Minister, on to be Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, back to Ottawa (displacing Hon. John Manley from Industry over to Foreign Affairs) and then, into sudden retirement in January 2002, before the big race of 2003 even came to be. I have heard or read that Tobin is doing alright out in the private sector, and as a pundit, and is enjoying his family life. I think, though, that his time is right to take a shot at leading the Liberals, and he’d so so with more nobility than opportunism in this time of Opposition.

Ditto to Allan Rock. Here’s another guy, formerly representing the now busy Etobicoke area and with a strong base in Ottawa, who didn’t really actually ever get in the game in 2003, bowed down by the Martin juggernaut and increasingly restrictive LPC rules. I have heard that Rock embraced his new role as Ambassador to the United Nations with great vigour, perhaps resulting in part in Canada’s successes at the UN in the General Assembly last September. He has not offered up his resignation in anticipation that he is somehow a lame duck Ambassador while there is a Conservative government in Canada (which is the spin that McKenna has chosen to clear the path to his own Leadership effort.) I think Harper would be wise to leave Rock in New York at the UN, should Rock so choose. Remains to be seen, of course.

So I think that is all of the current suspects. I would like to see some others.

Aldege is right: such a full and impressive field, in tandem with a vigourous, effective, and intelligent debate instead of internecine destruction, would be very beneficial to the Liberal Party of Canada and give Harper and the Conservatives cause for pause. That is what the nation will need too. I like the new trend, too, calling for non-hyphenated Liberals. I have always considered myself one of those, and even tried to make it work during the Paul Martin era, but, apparently, it did not.

Such is life, I guess. I look forward to seeing that fixed.

Let a healthy debate begin, and watch out Harper et al. Enjoy it while you can. We will be beack.

Other matters:

1. I am not trying to spin down any of the above-listed candidates. I welcome those I have “put down” here to prove me wrong in a substantial way and make my decision easier.

2. The Convention should be a Leadership Biennial Policy Convention in about March or April 2007, on schedule. The time may be right to bring it out to Calgary again. 1990 may have been too soon, but Calgary’s time is now. Of course, Harper is dominant here. So, maybe Vancouver, or maybe over to Montreal to send a strong Quebec message. It can’t be Toronot – been there, done that, 2003, and Ottawa is too small for a great Convention. It must be a good one. The range of damage, long term and recent, to the Party actually makes spring 2007 a rather short timeline. Anyone who thinks it can all be fixed by this fall is foolish.

3. For God’s Sake, and that of the country, the Liberal Party of Canada must behave neutrally and effectively and equally towards all candidates, no matter who party executives and staff may happen to prefer. A high quality race for lots of Party executive positions must occur as well, rather than the acclamations (some by decree… or by disinterst, which is worse, and telling) that occurred at too many levels over the period of about 1998-2005.

4. Membership forms must be readily available. If someone walks in and says, “I’d like about 20 forms to sign up 20 people on my block” ask them for a $20 dollar fee, and then let that person have the damn forms. Then let them bring back 20 signed forms and pay $180.00 to the Party, considering the 20 bucks up front as a deposit. The Party needs new members and must not restrict this. Individuals must pay their own membership, but I am okay with the honours system as is.

4. I have a 2006 membership in Ottawa Centre, but I have moved to Calgary. I sent my new Calgary address in to LPC not long ago, and I hope they can get the Alberta arm to send me a membership form. I will pay my $10 once again, and I will be listening actively and with interest. I am eager to be courted personally and intellectually, and prepared to re-engage (more than the 2005-2006 campaign, for reasons personal, geographic, and circumstantial)

5. I urge would-be contenders to look me up in Calgary. I hope to meet with them for their individual attention or at least in small group settings. These should be after business hours, or a personal lunch I can look ahead to and plan into a work day.

6. Anne McLellan has no seat now. She could run from the outside, I suppose, and try to remain a leader for LPC in Alberta. Maybe take a run at a seat like Alexa Mcdonough’s in Halifax. In fact, I hope that's what she does. I don't think she's bound for the top, though.

7. Sorry Beryl Wajsman (sp.?) You’re not on, either. Please stay off a stage of serious candidates.

8. Sheila Copps is gone. I liked Sheila as a Liberal. But, I did not like her conspiratorial view of the world. She also could have taken Beth Phinney’s neighbouring seat. Nor am I endorsing what happened to her which was just disgusting. The re-jigging of the ridings was inevitable. The handling of that outcome was evitable. But I don’t think an elected comeback or leadership run is “on” for Sheila, either. However, I welcome her strong voice to the policy debate and to the direction debate for our Party. Sheila, you are a Liberal in my book.

9. I am disappointed that John Manley did not make the comeback, but I respect him for that decision as much as I admire and respect him for everything else.

10. To all contenders: be careful who you surround yourself with. Those first messages will matter a lot and could characterize my entire perception of you.

11. I think Ralph Goodale is an appropriate interim Leader for the Liberal Party of Canada. His constituents have absolved him, and I think the RCMP will too. Their news release said they have nothing on him, but they did it anyway. I still don’t quite get that.

12. Bill Graham – if it is you, remember you are leading the reconstruction of an institution. Do not be beholden to now failed LPC-O hacks. Utilize your intellect and decent judgment. I will follow your choices in the interim.

13. Deputy Leader to either of these guys? I think Stephane Dion for the Quebec federalist message, and credibility between two past factions (Martin and Chretien) The Canoe article refers to Dion as a darkhorse, and I think that is correct. Here is a guy whose intellect and approachability I truly admire (though, again, not too impressed with his most recent staff) and I hope he will maintain a prominent role going forward. He does not strike me as Leadership stuff, nor have I ever heard such rumblings until just now, (after Pettigrew, I guess.) As with all the others, I wish him well, regardless of the outcome.

-END-

Liberals LIST Jan 29 – 2006

John Manley: not in
Frank McKenna [Bay Street]
Allan Rock [Toronto]
Brian Tobin
Bill Graham – prospective interim Leader [Toronto]
Ralph Goodale – another prospective interim Leader, in my book
Ken Dryden [Toronto]
Anne McLellan – not elected anywhere
Michael Ignatieff [Toronto]
Martin Cauchon
Maurizio Bevilacqua
Stephane Dion
Ujjal Dosanjh
Joe Volpe [Toronto]
Denis Coderre
Scott Brison
Belinda Stronach
Sheila Copps
David Emerson: declared himself to be wrong age
Jean Chretien: comeback?
John Godfrey
Bob Rae? No way. [Toronto]
Beryl Wajsman: should not be on this list at all, may have been “banished from Party”

Toronto Maple Laffs

2006-01-21T23:09:00.000-07:00

It's getting almost funny. The Senators thrashed the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Corel Centre, pardon me, the Scotiabank Centre (or is it Place?) in Ottawa tonight.

The score was 7-0. In many ways, that's better than the 8-2 score of December 17th.

It would have been about 15-0 tonight without Ed Belfour. Leaf fans will probably whine along the lines that they were missing Eric Lindros, Bryan McCabe, etc. I saw Tie Domi was playing... was Darcy Tucker there? Who cares? Unless the Leafs are playing possum to lull the Senators into overconfidence for the playoffs, it will be absolutely no contest this year. That's If the Leafs make the playoffs at all, as they cling to 8th place in the Eastern Conference. I note also that there are various factors which remove some of the doubt. First of all, the Senators have a world class goalie now in Dominik Hasek. If Belfour is standing on his head to keep the Leafs going in the playoffs, Hasek will stand on his head AND flail his legs around to keep the puck out for the Senators. I never really like hasek, because, long ago, _he_ thwarted the Senators, as the Senators began to become a playoff team. Hasek and Mike Peca, who at least was an Ottawa 67s product. But I digress. New element one: world class playoff goalie. New element two: new NHL rules. If these rules are effectively sustained in the playoffs, and I believe that they will be, the Senators youth and speed and offensive talent will carry the day over the rickety old Leafs any day. New element three: different Senators chemistry. There is hunger and toughness, and the robotic discipline of Jacques Martin (who was a good coach, but not quite right for the offense of the Sens) is removed. Don't get me wrong, I loved Hossa, he was no Yashin, but Dany Heatley rocks. And I love those comeback stories. Wade Redden and Chris Phillips have matured now into great veteran defensemen in their late 20s, and Zdeno Chara is a true giant force. Jason Spezza is a tremendous young talent who dominated the AHL last year and is certainly showing a fine dominance this year, combining with Heatley and captain Daniel Alfredsson to form one of the finest lines in the league.

So all I can hope for out here is that the Calgary Flames emerge from the Western division, for a Senators vs. Flames Stanley Cup final. That would make me a happy Ottawan in Calgary. [I would also be okay with any of the Canucks, Oilers, or Red Wings matching up with the Ottawa Senators for the Cup, too]

Alright, gotta go. I have a lot to accomplish tomorrow before I travel up to Inuvik early Tuesday morning.

You can never read enough about the great man that is Bill Clinton

2006-01-08T14:51:00.000-07:00

This article is from Esquire, December 2005. It was quite inspiring in a lot of ways, and to me, nicely bookends some major news items of 2005: Live8, the G-8 in Gleneagles, Time Magazine's selection of Bono and Bill and Melinda Gates as newsmakers of the year. Bill Clinton (and credit where due, George H. W. Bush) have been involved in some significant and magnanimous efforts in 2005, and I applaud them both. But of course, I especially applaud President Clinton and urge you to read that article. Ah, my apologies: I guess you get a couple paragraphs of the article but are asked to pay $2.95 US to buy the rest. So, I guess I applaud Bill Clinton (and George H.W. Bush) but I have to say "Thumbs Down" to Esquire Magazine for not sharing last month's content. I doubt they are hurting for revenue over there.

U2

2005-12-31T13:21:00.000-07:00

You can all see from a photo posted earlier in December that I am a big U2 fan. But, when I try to list "U2" in my favourites list of music on the blogspot profile, no matter how I try to list it, it just seems to refuse to go up there. So, I am instead going to put up this direct link to U2.com right in the text here.

I do not really need to elaborate about U2, but, what the heck. U2 are a great band. The Joshua Tree (1987) is an extremely influential album, produced by Canadian Daniel Lanois, and winner of multiple Grammy awards. Huge singles from this influential album, such as "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and "With or Without You" were playing ad nauseum on every AM radio station that our car picked up as we drove across the Trans Canada highway moving from Prince George, B.C. to Ottawa in late July and early August of 1987. Something about those songs, while watching great Canadian landscapes go by through a car window, really etched those songs and that album into my psyche. I went on to develop an appreciation for U2's back catalogue and pretty much everything they have done since then. I have seen them perform three times: in 1997 I saw the PopMart tour from the floor of Wembley Stadium, London, UK; in 2001, I saw the Elevation Tour from the upper deck of the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton; and, most recently, I was right in the front row of general admission to see the Vertigo tour as it rolled into Ottawa. I actually came home to Ottawa from Calgary just for that. Had to. It was probably the biggest concert event in Ottawa since about 1985, when U2 played the Civic Centre. Or at least since the Rolling Stones played at the football stadium this past summer. The other thing I admire about U2 is their, primarily Bono's, sense of political activism and responsibility in the world. In 2005, Bono was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, and he was recently named one Time Magazine's persons of the year alongside Bill and Melinda Gates. That is an impressive achievement to me. I know that the old joke used to be "How many members of U2 does it take to screw in a lightbulb?" Answer: "One. Bono holds the lightbulb and the world revolves around him." But what differentiates him many years later is the maturity, vigour, and intelligence of his approach. For him, it is not a little hobby and a bit of PR. It is a real mission. I can only follow his example in the smallest of ways, but I am quite proud to do so. Coming back to music, what I love about U2: they rock. They put out relevant material, album after album, that is on such a better level than so much of the corporate product rock/rap/hip hop/bubble pop we are plagued with today. And, they have grown older, but remain so relevant. Rock on, U2!

Throw to some blogs I like

2005-12-30T15:40:00.000-07:00

Testing out the hyperlink function:

James 'Goulet' Bowie lives in the Glebe in Ottawa Centre, Ottawa, and attends Lakehead University up in Thunder Bay. He's got a decent blog goin' on with lots of links to other stuff of note:

JamesBowie

Aldege 'Al Duce' Bellefeuille lives in Orleans, making his riding Ottawa-Orleans. My man Al has a propensity for an incisive quip, and doesn't like to mince words. He's a proud father, patriot, and Liberal, and an increasingly active force in a different sphere: the concerned citizen interested in backyard issues for our good city. This will make municipal campaigns more interesting in 2006. Incumbents: be on guard, be prepared to step up your accountability a notch, and prepare to think intelligently outside the box. Or you may hear of it in many ways. Check it out by clicking on this link:

Aldege

Peace out, my homies.

Chinook!

2005-12-21T17:47:00.000-07:00

5 PM weather report at Calgary airport from Environment Canada:

9 degrees celsius. Wednesday night low to be -1 celsius.

From the Weather Network:

9 degrees celsius. Wednesday eve 5 degrees. Wednesday overnight + 1 degree celsius.

Remember, it is December 21st. Winter starts today.

Ottawa, its big pile of snow from last week, and whatever temperature I arrive to around midnight on Friday the 23rd... risks being shocking. But I will be toting my big industrial Northern pipeline NOMEX parka, with the fur zippered off the giant hood, so I will be okay. And amusing people with the size of the parka!

New shout outs: none.

Paul Martin definitely is not supportive of the separatists continuing to be elected in Quebec nor of a referendum process as a goal. What the heck is Harper drinking.

Actually I do have a shout out: Helene Scherrer, for speaking a hard truth around Quebec city. Good luck to you as a candidate again.

Kensington Shout Out

2005-12-20T18:28:00.000-07:00

Just as I am gradually recovering from an excessively political life in Ottawa by moving to Calgary and living in Kensington, it seems a friend of mine has done the same by shifting to culinary delights and homemaking in the Manor Park area of Ottawa.

Check out www.kenschelseamarkettimes.blogspot.com

Shout out to David Gourlay. A chef I don't want to see naked, but encourage to keep on cookin'.

"Cheers mate."

more shoutouts

2005-12-18T01:26:00.000-07:00

Crazy Melvin: Hah-Cha-Chah!
Derek Gowan & Jennifer Capiral
Ayrin
Marcelo Silva & Patricia
Olivia
Ron & Fiona
Kayleigh
Parnell and Sandberg and the Chronic"what?"cles of Narnia on a lazy Sunday
Marie-Anick and NGPS folk
Greedo
Uncle Jim
Uncle Reg
Aunty Sal
Aunty Marie
Glenn Murray
Joel Monfils
Homer
Troy McLure
Family Guy
American Dad
Spiderman
Wolverine
Cyclops
Hawkeye
Kathleen Edwards
Radiohead
Peter Gabriel
Arcade Fire
Saugeen Stripper
Barenaked Ladies
Wilco
Cracker
Pearl Jam
Beastie Boys
Pulp
Oasis
Crowded House
Neil Finn
Steve Martin
the Orb
the Killers
Pet Shop Boys
Jim Bryson
James
Massive Attack
Joel Plaskett
Nova Scotians
British Columbians
Ontarians
Quebeckers (especially Montrealers)
Albertans
Uncle Eldon
and all the other friends to the end

A great photo

2005-12-17T23:11:00.000-07:00

Here is a favourite photo of mine. I am posting it because the Ottawa Senators toyed with the Toronto Maple Leafs again... 7-2 (at last count?)

Liblogs - let's consider it a casual reference and not hard propaganda

2005-12-17T03:08:00.000-07:00

Whazzzaaap!

2005-12-17T02:03:00.000-07:00

Al Duce
Richard Mahoney
The Beaver
See-Monh
Marc-Andre
Mailman
Edwina
Leisure Class Loungers
Marc B
David McGuinty, MP
James "Goulet" Bowie
Warren Kinsella
Hon. Dalton McGuinty, MPP
Hon. John Manley, PC
Hon. Jim Watson, MPP
Matthew "Skinny Me" Eason
Chuck Collins
BBC
Giac Panico
David Nguyen
Dom Aquilina
Farhad
Denis Schryburt
Dr David Cashaback, PhD
Jenn & J-P
John & Yoko (?)
Allan Rock
BCF
Anybody Else in the FAC posse old and new : wish I'd been there longer
Ottawa Citizen Letters page
Murray Evenson
Hi Mom
Brianna
Dad
Bono
Ho's I Knows
Good Ones That Got Away
Lise
Chantale
Julie
Gavin
Henry Mooney
Jean-Luc 'Picard' Callahan
Liberals I like
Tories and Dippers I like too (I can be non-partisan because I'm more detached)
Mayor Bob
Terry Kilrea, Bayshore Shirley, and the CFRA Nation
God
Allah
Budha
Hunter S. Thompson [RIP]
Tom Wolfe
Nate Dog
MattMan
Jason Spezza
Dany Heatley
Chris Phillips
Wade Redden
Alfie
Havlat
Zdeno Chara's Ass (may it block more pucks next playoff)
Paul Martin
Dion Phaneuf
Roman Hamrlik, because we are the same age
Nat St Hilaire
Amy Carr
Pamela
Jai
Research
John Deere
Linda
K
James - you are indeed a lucky bastard
John Jr.
Stephanie
Junior
Emily
Frank McKenna
Iggy in Etobicoke - I still can't picture you shaking hands in Inuvik
Iggy in Calgary
Canadian Junior Hockey Team
Canadian Men's Olympic Hockey Team
Canadian Women's Hockey Team
Cassie Campbell - call me
Georgina
Matt Good
Edge
Larry
Adam
Players
Haters
Player Haters
Ottawa South L.As
Shauna
Kate
Jesus
Mohammed
Elvis
Ottawa Centre
milton@politician.com
Yoda
Han Solo
Marc
Andrea in London
Denise
Tim
Smedley - yer alright - may you keep yer sanity
Montreal
Smallegange
Gregor
'Cartney
Hutch
Carroll
Holly
Little ones
Ursula
Minister Dion
Bourque
Frank
Jocular Rabble Rousers
Politicos
Chetna
All These Things I've Done
Richell
Pietro
Uncle Fred
Uncle Matt
Belinda 'cause it's fun to say and probably gets a few hits
Maurizio 'cause it's also fun to say
Jean Chretien
Douglas Adams RIP
Charles Schulz RIP
Charlie Brown
Linus - he knows where it's at
Snoopy
Woodstock
Sheryl Crow
Maclean
J. Brown (where you at?)

I always wanted an opportunity to write liner notes and give shout outs.
2:20 AM in Calgary about a week before I go home for Christmas seems a good time.

2005-12-17T01:53:00.000-07:00

Hey! Will you look at that! That's a pretty damn decent photo of Bono snapped from a disposable Kodak! I was back in Ottawa Nov 25 (and 26th) mainly to see U2 at the Corel Centre [big ups to Matt Senft, Nathan Gordon, and Erin in Vancouver!] We were all in general admission, and, through a variety of efforts, we had great spots at the very top of the round circle ramp (but not inside the Bomb shelter, which just means I will have to try again sometime) All that said, it was the best view on U2 I have had so far in three concerts. Hope you dig the photo.

Long Time No Comment!

2005-12-17T01:35:00.000-07:00

What can I say? I launched the blog tool, found it a bit frustrating, set it aside. A little later I took a new job, which totally undercut my earning potential but could have been a good fit I could grow out of. It wasn't - because there was no room to grow and the capacity to grow and contribute was stifled, not encouraged. Most unfortunate. So that job reached a natural end much sooner than expected. Instead, I won a much better, permanent, far better paid job, moved partway across our big country, established myself in an apartment, and am adapting to new things.

But I got back on the blog and I am once again going to attempt to make good use of this fine outlet.

Now how do I connect to some friends? Inserting links into the text is also easy, and mastered.

How do I post photos? Well, that's mastered.

Onward, upward, westward ho.

Northward, too.

Saturday September 4th

2004-09-04T14:21:00.000-06:00

Here I come to try again. No URL connections for now. Just some more text for perusal. Let's see: I have definitely been enjoying the World Cup of Hockey this past week. Canada is going along well, however, the sudden death knockout games are about to begin, and the European division with the Finns and Swedes is far from weak. I think the final on September 14 will be spectacular, no matter who is in it. The Americans awakened vs. the Slovaks, too. Tonight Canada plays the Russians. The good ol' Russians put on a fine display of speed and firepwer and soundly defeated the USA 3-1 midweek. They are nothing to scoff at. Okay, gotta go. Evening approaches. Must pick up some beer. Viewing hockey on Saturday evening, even on Labour Day weekend in September, requires a few brews to be available.

Sharing some links!

2004-08-30T00:09:00.000-06:00

Bloggonit!

2004-08-29T23:46:00.000-06:00

Bloggonit!

So here we have it then... messing around and starting the effort. Will it be user friendly? Why won't "U2", the first name I mention in my music interests, show up in the listing? Life's mysteries, indeed.