Like I blogged about yesterday, Sarah Palin is getting dragged through the mud a wee bit about her statement in Calgary that her family hustled across the border to Whitehorse to receive medical treatment.
No mention of this over at Fox “News”, though… now THAT’S a surprise!
But what is most amazing about her interview was that she used the word “ironic” in a correct way! You betcha, Sarah!
Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario
Mr. Day is scheduled today to unveil a government initiative aimed at increasing the efficiency of the federal departments – which manage activities ranging from the war in Afghanistan and relief in Haiti, to income-tax collection, employment insurance and old-age security claims.
Huh, I didn’t realise we were inefficient? Haven’t all of the efficiency programs that we have been subjected to almost each and every year counted for anything or resulted in these cherished “efficiencies”?
Are we still that inefficient? After Blue Ribbon Panels? Streamlining? Corporate Business Architecture?
Man, we in the PS MUST be sooooooo incompetent! You’d think that we would by now be the smoothest and most efficient public service in the freakin’ GALAXY!
And so iut begins – Day has announced the first round of cuts by reducing the number of Governor in Council appointments by 245.
It is interesting to see where these cuts have been made.
Yes, they are patronage appointments and yes, many of these seats were already vacant, but I think this spells out the shape of things to come..
March 8, 2010
Reduction of Governor in Council Positions
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Current
number GiC
Department/ of GiC positions
Agency Organization positions reduced
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Agriculture and Canadian Grain Commission 9 6
Agri-Food Canada -----------------------------------------------------
National Farm Products Council 9 2
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Canadian Heritage Canadian Council on the Status
of the Artist 12 12
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Canadian Radio-television and
Telecommunications Commission 19 6
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Citizenship and Canadian Race Relations Foundation
Immigration Canada and Investment Committee 24 11
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Environment Canada Historic Sites and Monuments
Board of Canada 15 2
-----------------------------------------------------
National Round Table on the
Environment and the Economy 26 8
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Department of Canada Development Investment
Finance Canada Corporation 20 9
-----------------------------------------------------
Canadian International Trade
Tribunal 9 2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fisheries and Freshwater Fish Marketing
Oceans Canada Corporation - Advisory Committee 15 15
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Foreign Affairs Asia-Pacific Foundation of Canada 7 2
-----------------------------------------------------
International Boundary Commission 1 1
-----------------------------------------------------
International Development Research
Centre 21 3
-----------------------------------------------------
Roosevelt Campobello International
Park Commission 3 1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Health Canada Assisted Human Reproduction Agency
of Canada 13 1
-----------------------------------------------------
Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse 7 1
-----------------------------------------------------
Canadian Institutes of Health
Research 19 2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Human Resources Canada Employment Insurance
and Skills Commission 4 2
Development Canada -----------------------------------------------------
Canada Mortgage and Housing
Corporation 13 3
-----------------------------------------------------
Canada Pension Plan/Old Age
Security: Review Tribunals 400 40
-----------------------------------------------------
Canada Pension Plan: Pensions
Appeals Board 12 2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indian and First Nations Financial
Northern Affairs Management Board 12 2
Canada -----------------------------------------------------
First Nations Statistical Institute 15 2
-----------------------------------------------------
National Aboriginal Economic
Development Board 20 7
-----------------------------------------------------
Northern Flood Agreement 1 1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Industry Canada Business Development Bank of Canada 15 2
-----------------------------------------------------
Canada Foundation for Innovation 7 1
-----------------------------------------------------
Canadian Space Agency 2 1
-----------------------------------------------------
Canadian Tourism Commission 25 14
-----------------------------------------------------
National Research Council of Canada 22 3
-----------------------------------------------------
Natural Sciences and Engineering
Research Council 22 3
-----------------------------------------------------
Social Sciences and Humanities
Research Council 22 3
-----------------------------------------------------
Space Advisory Board 19 19
-----------------------------------------------------
Standards Council of Canada 13 2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Trade Export Development Canada 15 2
-----------------------------------------------------
NAFTA Secretariat, Canadian Section 1 1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Labour Canadian Centre for Occupational
Health and Safety 41 18
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
National Defence Military Police Complaints
Commission 7 2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Natural Resources Alberta - British Columbia Boundary
Canada Commission 1 1
-----------------------------------------------------
Alberta - Northwest Territories
Boundary Commission 1 1
-----------------------------------------------------
British Columbia - Yukon -
Northwest Territories Boundary
Commission 1 1
-----------------------------------------------------
Cape Breton Development Corporation 7 7
-----------------------------------------------------
Energy Supplies Allocation Board 1 1
-----------------------------------------------------
Manitoba - Saskatchewan Boundary
Commission 1 1
-----------------------------------------------------
Saskatchewan - Northwest Territories
Boundary Commission 1 1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transport, Intercolonial and P.E.I. Railways
Infrastructure Employees Provident Fund 1 1
and Communities -----------------------------------------------------
Marine Atlantic Inc. 15 5
-----------------------------------------------------
Parc Downsview Park Inc. 13 4
-----------------------------------------------------
Via Rail Canada Inc. 17 4
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Treasury Board Canada School of Public Service 15 3
of Canada -----------------------------------------------------
Secretariat Public Sector Pension Investment
Board 12 1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
1) I always thought “unveiling” was a term better used for art shows, new models of cars or a line of clothing… but this?
Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario
NOT ONLY THAT, but she received this distinction by:
She drew applause from the crowd when she said those who advocate sound science, not “snake-oil science” in discussions about climate change will win the debate. “What’s going on right now is vindication for us that we’re dealing with sound science, not politics,” she said. “People’s eyes and ears are open.”
Seriously, if she had the gall to be booked for a gig in T.O., Vancouver or Montreal, I’m pretty sure the reception wouldn’t have been as friendly.
If the Americans ever elect this buffoon into a position of power – like President – I am moving very, very, very far away!
Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario
Yesterday’s Speech from the Throne laid the groundwork for this afternoon’s Budget blah-blah. No one should expect anything bright or innovative from the ReformCons…
Senior’s day? Really? Man, I am SO discriminated against! Like, why NOT a Bald, Bearded, White, Middle aged, Guy Day!!
And if course we’ll get some more of the sordid details on how the government is going to fight the deficit on the backs of the Public Service. Yes, it’s only a salary freeze so far but I would be shocked if there were not some mention of PS pension plan changes or reviews or renewals or some other weasel phraseology.
Naw.
And it looks like the Olympic “bump” ain’t gonna happen! But polling results are all over the map these days. Voters are a little volatile right now. And as much as I would like to see an election at the earliest possible opportunity, now would not be the right moment for anyone to call or force one.
….based on a survey Feb. 24 to March 2 of 2,796 Canadians aged 18 or over. The margin of error associated with a poll of this size is plus or minus 1.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario
for all of the forward thinking broad brushstrokes that were uttered the afternoon!
Senior’s Day?
Rewording O’Canada?
Continued renewal of the Public Service (uh, by freezing our salaries?)?
“…launch an independent investigation of this summer’s listeria outbreak” We’re expecting another one?
And of course, this old refrain: “Gun laws will be focused on ending smuggling and stronger penalties for gun crimes, not at criminalizing law-abiding firearms owners.” Yawn…
And to conclude the Speech:
“Honourable Members of the Senate and Commons, yours is a most important task. May Divine Providence guide you in your deliberations.” I guess atheists should be guided by their own judgment?
Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario
Jason Kenney, who has fervently opposed same-sex marriage when it was debated in Parliament (I remember this clearly) has personally nixed the idea of having a text box in the study guide that includes a bullet on ‘equality rights’ under list of rights. His departmental officials had noted earlier that this bullet should be reinserted into the list as a means of noting the equality of all based on race, gender, sexual orientation etc.
The huge problem I have with this interference is that the government of the day has a duty to promote and support the laws of the land – even if they personally do not agree with them. ESPECIALLY in this case where new immigrants are being educated about Canadian values.
Equal rights regardless of sexual orientation is one of these values.
Such decisions should not have been placed in the hands of the Minister and should have remained the decision of his unbiased staff in CIC – decisions to be made on the basis of sound policy principles and strategic and operational considerations.
Mr. Kenney should resign.
I wonder what his colleague John Baird had to say about this.
Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario
Maxime Bernier reported missing!
PMO claims that there is no link between the two!
Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario
Budget next Thursday. I wonder if anyone on the Opposition side will munch on a Jos Louis while Flaherty delivers it?
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I hate this time of the year. It’s not really winter nor spring. More like sprinter. Of course the city is trying to save few bucks on snowplowing and sidewalk snow removal, so the warm temps combined with the wet snow has made for quicksand like conditions… nice bit of cardio getting to the bus though.
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Again, Max Bernier. Gotta love him. But what has amazed me the most is this statement by Jim Prentice:
While Bernier was applauded in the right-wing blogosphere, Prentice was left to distance himself, and the prime minister, from what they know are politically explosive claims. Said Prentice: “The views Maxime has put forward are his personal views. They are not the government’s views. I don’t specifically share them.”
Huh!? But, but, Mr. Prentice. He is in your caucus. He was a member of Cabinet. And the PMO has a stranglehold on the message, doesn’t it? Please. Of course they are the government’s views. Those types of views that Harper et al have done a very good job disguising. And now you have a loose cannon… what are ya gonna do about it, eh?
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The OC Transpo debate going on in XUPs hood makes for great reading. A bus driver plopped himself into the discussion this week, defending against many of the accusations that have been levelled against OC Transpo in the blog and elsewhere). This is akin to dropping Alex Ovechkin into a den of Canadian hockey players; he never had a chance. Some of his or her points have some validity, such as the need for public pressure to bring about change to our inefficient transit system. But the bottom line is that by and large, service sucks and many riders are tired of paying rate increase after rate increase for a crappy product.
Yet once in a blue moon, something shines through that fog of driver rudeness and route inefficiency.
I was taking the 86 yesterday when, on Russell Road, one of the passengers forgot to ring the bell in time and the bus cruised by his stop. This younger guy wasn’t familiar with the route and went to the front to ask the driver to let him off at the next stop, about 400 metres further. To which the driver said that the passenger should just stay on the bus as the 86 looped back just a little ways further. Now, it was a crappy sprinter day – cold and very wet – the passenger would have been soaked to the bone in those 400 metres. The driver could have simply stopped at the next stop and let the passenger walk a considerably longer distance without saying a word; but instead he thought of the passenger as something more than a nuisance.
Nice. And yeah, I did let OC Transpo know about it. And I also noted that this was a guy, not a cute co-ed.
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The Canadian women kicked some Yankee ass last night and won the hockey gold! Congrats ladies! It is indeed the fairer sex that is carrying the weight for our Olympic team. Now, you buncha professional, overpaid louts of men… I hope you learned something… now go out and kick some Slovakian ass tonight and some of the American/Finnish variety on Sunday!
UPDATE ON THIS FINAL POINT:
I don’t believe it. The Canuck girls decided to go out on the ice after everyone had left and have a little celebration.. with some beer, champagne and cigars. And someone took a photo of this. And one of the girls is 18 and a WHOLE MONTH away from legally drinking in B.C.!
BIG FREAKING DEAL!
Can ANY parent out there tell me that they are offended by this? They just on a gold medal for frick sake! So what if the kid was just shy of 19! It’s this blind and strict adherence to “rules” like these that make me wonder how the human race has survived this long! What are we? A world of hall monitors?
And the IOC is going to investigate… sigh…
Steve Keogh, a spokesman for the COC, said the organization had not provided the alcohol or initiated the party.
“In terms of the actual celebration, it’s not exactly something uncommon in Canada,” he said. “If these athletes were of legal age, then it’s not something that’s against the law. We can understand there’s a lot of sensitivity around celebrations.
Don’t worry girls, 99.999% of the country was out on the ice with you in spirit!
Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario
This article flew a little under the radar, but in it, ReformCon Minister Maxime Bernier states that the cautious approach to climate change has been exactly what Canadians have needed since:
the debate on the scientific basis of climate, stifled for years by political correctness, finally broke out openly in the media
and that:
De très sérieux scientifiques croient toutefois qu’on sous-estime l’influence du soleil et d’autres facteurs qui n’ont rien à voir avec le CO2 dans l’étude des changements climatiques.
which, translated, says – more or less that there are some very serious scientists who think that the influence of the sun and other factors that have nothing to do with CO2 are underestimated in climate change studies.
Good thing they are serious scientists…
Over at bloggingtories.ca, M. Bernier is being hailed as a hero! As the second coming of Jim Prentice! As a brave soul who is breaking away from the Mamby-pambyness of the Harperites and saying it like it is!
Here are some of the reactions:
My Friend Maxime Bernier is a… – “The reaction from the chicken littles has been of course hysteria. Keep up the good work Maxime. One day you will be HM PM.”
Thank you Maxime Bernier for being the first politician to have the courage to publicly acknowledge what we all have been aware of for the last several months – that the so-called ’settled science’ is unraveling and the alarmists’ hysteria is a crock as Lorrie Goldstein points out today – Mad Max makes sense.
Yikes! They are all a-twitter! NeoCons are excited! Look out!!!! Madness will ensue!
But seriously, this is a problems for this guy:
Harper relies on strict and unwavering adherence to the message. And Max has broken this sacrament. He may have a real internal problem on his hands and the opposition parties will undoubtedly point to this in the coming months.
Of course, the distancing has begun:
Federal Environment Minister Jim Prentice’s office was quick to distance itself from Bernier’s letter.
It will be amusing to see how this plays out… hee-hee…
Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario
I thought I’d share few thoughts about the latest polling results released yesterday by Nanos Research – a firm that I consider to be second to none in Canadian political public opinion research.
Respondents were read a list of the “institutions of democracy” and asked to rate the degree of power that each of them had. The results were not all that surprising with the PMO being rated as the institution pointed to having too much power.
Not surprising because I am quite certain that respondents were hearing “PM” instead of the PMO as a whole.
But what I did find surprising were the choices that were read to the respondents:
The PMO, The House of Commons, The Federal Cabinet, The Senate, The Supreme Court, The Federal Civil Service
Institutions two through four are undoubtedly institutions of our Canadian democracy. Their existence is enshrined in the Constitution. Canadians know them and trust them to be the prime decision makers at the federal level.
But the PMO and the Public Service?I don’t really consider them to be “institutions of our democracy”. They are very important components of it – but not institutions in the Constitutional sense.
I wonder why Nanos included them? I can only suspect that the reason for doing so was to gauge the feeling about the relative power of the PMO and the PS to the HoC, Supreme Court, etc. It is true that there has been a lot of (justifiable) media attention about the amount of power that is wielded by the PMO. And in the past there have been questions about how much power should be granted to the PS.
In any case, the results are interesting and pretty much confirm what Canadians have thought about Harper and his autocratic rule – too much power for Harpy and not enough in the House. And Cauncks are pretty sure of themselves as only 8.7% of respondents indicated that they were unsure about the appropriateness of the degree of power used by the PMO – the lowest rate of “unsureness” among all of the listed institutions.
Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario
Some bald guy from the nation's capital.
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