Monday, May 23, 2005

Partisan Politics makes Belinda Sad :-(

Apparently, Belinda was hurt by all the mean things that were said about her last week when she decided to get in bed with the Liberals (condoms boys!) .... I mean sold herself for a cabinet position... I mean showed herself to be a political whore... I mean realised that her politics were more adequately reflected by the party that is all about staying in power and not having any principles... I mean.... all of those things.

Anyway, she thinks that the reason that Canadians are tuned out of politics is how partisan it has become. In this regard I have to respect her for standing up for what she believes in: she realises that politics can't be partisan if all the politicians belong to the same party.

Whining in an interview yesterday Belinda had this to say about the response to her decision last week: "There were a lot of negative comments made, and I find that disgraceful, quite frankly." I have to say, given the audacity of this woman -- she abandoned her (supposed) principle's in return for a cushy cabinet position and she is telling people off -- she really is wasted in Paul Martin's cabinet. Surely Robert Mugabe has a job for her!

Frankly I'm rather sick of all the reaction about how we've been mean and sexist to poor Belinda. To begin with, calling someone a whore is not sexist. As a woman, I have never really identified strongly with the term 'whore' and if you do (regardless of your sex), perhaps you have some soul searching to do. And it was Belinda that decided to play dirty politics, she can't now turn around and ask that people treat her with the utmost civility. It's all very nice for Belinda that none of this really matters to her and that daddy's got her job waiting when she's bored of this politics thing, but some people actually care. And when you do the dirty on people, they tend to get upset and say mean things that make you sad. So if you can't play the game.... I don't know, you finish the sports metaphor... I'm just a girl.

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Why don't we all join up?

As if allowing Peter McKay to put his penis inside her wasn't disgusting enough, Belinda has decided to go down yet another level and has joined the Liberals.

I say everyone join the Liberals and make this a one party state. Nobody cares anyway, why delay the inevitable?

Saturday, May 14, 2005

How about we don't play politics with human tragedy. Deal?

On Thursday King Paul promised to send 500 troops to Sudan in order to buy David Kilgour's vote of confidence in the House of Commons. You have to love a man who suddenly cares about genocide when his job is on the line. Oh, the compassion! Unfortunately, it seems buying votes isn't as easy when you're dealing with the slaughter of innocents as when you're paying Canadians off with their own cash. It turns out Sudan doesn't want Canadian peacekeepers trying to stop them from raping and murdering their own citizens, Omar Hassan al-Bashir having less interest in seeing King Paul stay in power than, say, Dalton McGuinty.

And if we thought it would be that easy all along, just sending a few troops over to help the African Union, why didn't we do it a long time ago. I'm sure HRH King Paul I will pretend that he is surprised by this turn of events. He has tried his best to help the people of Darfur, but the mean Sudanese aren't having it. You can't blame him. But the government had to know all along that Sudan wouldn't be welcoming the Canadian military with open arms. Now Paul can say he tried his very best, but things didn't work out. This was dirty politicking from day one.

Every day I think they have sunk about as low as they can go. But using the misery and despair of Africa to help you stay in power Paul. I have to say "Bravo", because you have surprised even jaded Bitter Lemon with the depths to which you will sink. I'm starting to agree with the rest of Canada. You might just deserve the position of PM because you clearly want it so badly.

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Election Fraud in Britain?

Zimbabwe TV is accusing the British government of voter fraud in last week's election.

Sure, Zimbabwe might be spiraling out of control, but you have to give Mugabe credit for keeping us constantly entertained.

Monday, May 09, 2005

Do you think there's an election coming?

In the past two weeks I have received two pieces of mail from my MP Tony Ianno (addressed directly to "the Varley household" which makes me want to either change my name or move...). So if there was any doubt that there was an election coming....

The first piece of mail included a copy of Tony's speech in parliament, perhaps offered as evidence that he showed up to work one day? (if you haven't witnessed Tony explain that it is not really necessary, you won't know what a special event this is).

Today's piece of mail documents how the Liberals are using my money to buy my vote. First of all my money is to be spent looking after other people's children, because financing megahomes and SUVs leaves little money over for childcare. Raise your own damn kids!

$171 million will be spent over the "next five years to celebrate Canada and help Canadian diversity find its voice in communities across the country".... think the sponsorship scandal only spread out over all 10 provinces.

But amidst the $60 million each being given to fight the evil Sea Lamprey and keep quality CBC documentaries that teach me about the evils of the nation to the south of us on the air (you just know the Sea Lamprey is American!), the $688 million being given to the Tommorow Starts Today (no, it doesn't) art and cultural package (it's probably best I don't know what this is), the $2.1 billion on health care that they will be spending to "reduce waiting times" in Ontario (which should not be confused with the $194 million on medical equipment ... forgive me but aren't the two related?... are they double counting? I guess I just don't really get how they specifically direct funds to reducing waiting times, isn't it related to other things?) , the best is the $100 million being given to Ford of Canada and the $207 "investment" in Pratt and Whitney, because of all the welfares, corporate is my favourite. Aren't you glad that you work hard every day to give your money to the poor folk at Ford? Doesn't it make you want to vote Liberal?

Is someone really reading this and thinking it is a program they want to get behind? Really? Personally, I think Tony ('Yanno' if you're in the know 'Eye-anno' to the rest of us) would do himself a lot more good if he just sent around a mailing saying "I've been doing this for so long that I have no marketable skills. If I don't get re-elected I'll be unemployed". Go for the sympathy vote!

At last!

Do you feel like certain voices aren't being represented by the mainstream media? Do you feel like the New York Times, the Washington Post and CNN show only one perspective on the world? Well, today all of that is over because Arianna Huffington's group blog "The Huffington Report" has begun. Finally, all of Arianna's big name Hollywood friends will have a forum for their voice. Hopefully this will just be the start of the trend and someone will find Bono a bully pulpit for his views on AIDS and Third World Debt Relief or Tom Cruise/John Travolta on their beliefs on Scientology. Maybe one day Michael Moore may even find a place for his opinion. But for today you will have to settle for such silenced voices as Laurie David (Larry's annoying wife), Julia-Louis Dreyfuss and her husband Brad Hall (what, no Jerry Seinfeld?!), Mike Nichols, John Cusack, Ellen Degeneres and Davids Mamet and Frum. Finally their opinions will be heard!

It's not that I object to Arianna starting a megablog and inviting all her big name friends to join in. After all, what is America about if not self-promotion? It's that she actually pretends this thing is going to offer a new perspective.

"The Huffington Post is going to be two things. Its really taking the two things that worked great on the Internet—which is news and the blogosphere—and combining them, bringing to the Internet voices that haven’t been there, as well as voices that are there. I’ve believed for a while now that some of the most interesting things are happening online and yet many of the very interesting people haven’t been a part of the online conversation."

Warren Beatty and Gwyneth Paltrow have been left out of the discussion for too long. Thank you Arianna!

Sunday, May 08, 2005

Thank you

Thousands of people turned out in the Netherlands today to honour the Canadian troops who freed their country from the Nazis 60 years ago. It is at times like this that we are reminded that the freedom we take for granted was not won easily. The Canadian military played an important role in fighting fascism in Europe.

As much as people like to talk these days about Canada's role in the world as peacekeepers, our soldiers earned a reputation as brave fighters during the wars of the 20th Century. We should not forget this side of our history. While not dismissing the work that soldiers have done as peacekeepers throughout the world, it is important to acknowledge that Canada has not traditionally been a pacifist nation and did not shy away from a fight when it was necessary.

Many thousands of Canadians gave their lives defeating the forces of tyranny. We all -- not just Europeans -- owe them our thanks.