So, Rob Ford is an example of a gene pool gone wrong terribly … right? We can agree on this, correct?

If you doubt that at all, then look no further than his Councillor brother… supposedly the smarter of the two. Dougie has decided to take on Margaret Atwood over comments she has made about the City considering the closure of some library branches.

If things were not bad enough for the mayor’s camp, his brother, Councillor Doug “The Smart One” Ford, poured oil on the book pile by declaring he would close at least one Etobicoke library in a “heartbeat.” Reminded that novelist Margaret Atwood had joined a save-the-libraries campaign, he declared that “she could walk by me, I wouldn’t have a clue who she is.” It did not help that he has the habit of dropping one of the R’s when he says “libraries,” pronouncing it “lie-berries.”

The next day, he tried to explain himself to Global News. “What I was saying is, everyone knows who Margaret Atwood is. But if she were to come up to 98 per cent of the people, they wouldn’t know who she was. But I think she’s a great writer and I look forward to her input.” Ms. Atwood must be grateful for the endorsement.

No, Dougie. You are wrong. Ninety-eight per cent of the people wouldn’t have a clue who you are outside your those on your own street!And they probably think you’re a jerk too!

And if you have ever picked up and read any of her works, I’ll buy myself a membership to the CPC!

Furthermore, he stated that Ms. Atwood has no right to criticise the closings because she wasn’t elected to Council.

“She’s not down here. She’s not dealing with the problem,” he went on to say. “Tell her to go run in the next election and get democratically elected.”

So Councillor, non-elected taxpaying citizens don’t have a right to stand up against policies that are not agreeable to them???

Whatta joke these guys are… do I hear the words – “one term Mayor”??

Rob and Doug - having a "moment"...

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

1. The budget was pretty much as I expected. Governments like to fight their fiscal problems on the backs of the bureaucracy.  Martin did it and Flaherty has followed. CBA increases will be respected for this year,but after that; nada for two years. Pensions weren’t touched for now but expect something to come up in the coming months, if the Reformatories are still hanging on.

But it’s not only salaries that are taking a hit. Those planned salary increases (1.5% in June) that are normally funded by the central agencies are instead going to be covered by the Departments themselves; the ones who have had their own operating budgets frozen. What this means, of course, is that Departments will need to cut programs to meet the increased salary obligations. Some of the increases will be handled by not replacing some of the tens of thousands of workers who will retire over the next few years. But there will have to be some program and services cuts.

Get ready to be inconvenienced, Canada! The average Canuck will be impacted by some of these cuts!

But the Harperites don’t really care. They wanted a pre-election budget that portrays them as deficit-fighting, business-friendly, soccer moms. And who gives a shit about the Public Service, so screw ‘em!

Oh, and yeah, so much for the environment…

2. Speaking of the environment, this can’t be good.

3. Check out the Squid’s latest posting on the need for electoral reform. He explains the issue very well and, if we are ever fortunate to be able to vote on such reform, then this post should be required reading.

4. The weather, at least in my part of the country, has been awesome!!! So for all of my winter-loving friends, all I can say is: Na-Na-Na-Naaaaa-Na!!!!

5. The Oscars are this weekend. Big whoop. Though Steve Martin as the co-host might provide a laugh or two. And according to the Huffington Post,  Sarah Palin was quite greedy at the annual  gift orgy.

…Palin was supposed to donate $1,700 along with all of her gift items to the Red Cross, which is currently helping with relief efforts in Haiti and Chile.

But E! Online insists, “we can assure you she did not give up any of her swag.” They quote an unnamed vendor who claims that upwards of 20 people from the Palin camp swarmed the event. “They were like locusts,” he told the entertainment news outlet.

6. A good friend got engaged last weekend. Congratulations, A!

7.  A US first grade teacher explained to her class that she is an American. She asked her students to raise their hands if they are American too.
Not really knowing why but wanting to be like their teacher, their hands went up.There is, however, one exception. A girl named Kristen has not gone along with the class.
The teacher asked her why she has decided to be different. “Because I am not an American.”
“Then”, asks the teacher, “What are you?”.
“I’m a proud Canadian,” boasted the little girl.
The teacher asked Kristen why she is a Canadian.
“Well, my mom and dad are Canadians, so I’m a Canadian too.
“The teacher replied,” Well, you could have been born in the US !” she said loudly. Not using good logic the teacher said  “What if your mom was not a good hockey player, and your dad was not a good  hockey player? Would that mean that you are not a good hockey player too?”
A pause, and a smile.  Kristen replied, “Nope! That’d mean I’m an American!”

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

Canada’s health care system has been under a barrage of attacks both in the blogosphere and in the MSM lately – not to mention the mass idiocy that is taking place at those so-called “Town Hall Meetings”. What a crock. Here’s an excerpt:

In one particularly heated exchange, Craig Anthony Miller, 59, stood inches from Mr Specter’s face screaming at him and waving a copy of the US Constitution.

“You are trampling our Constitution,” Mr Miller yelled while police officers hovered nervously around him. “One day, God is going to stand before you, and He is going to judge you and the rest of your damn cronies [in the Congress], and then you will get your just deserts,” he ranted to loud applause before storming out of the room.

Seriously. How do these morons summon up the brain capacity to breathe and talk at the same time?

These attacks have been well-coordinated and organized by the usual right-wing nut groups whose alleged motivation is the preservation of good health care and free enterprise but whose real impetus is the protection of their own collective ass.

I haven’t said much about this whole health care thing – and I have been saving a sort of “omnibus” entry about our system for a later date. Yet, what I do see at the moment is a perfect chance for Iggy and Grits to define themselves as the defenders of the faith – if you will.

What a great issue to latch on to and gain exposure from!

What a high profile and attack-ad proof way to define the leader’s persona and purpose than to vigorously defend an institution that most Canadians identify as being a hallmark of our society!

Yes, most of us realize that it has its blemishes and warts and I don’t differ from this view. It is indeed a system that is in need of a new focus and new thinking. But that being said, it is a fair and modern system of which we should be conditionally proud. And from coast to coast, I would guess that this would be the consensus opinion.

But will Ignatieff step up to the plate? The Harperites are, of course, silent on this. They know that by defending a system that their core supporters (the religious right and the ultra right wingnuts) view with suspicion, they are opening themselves up to internal dissent. And we all know that the ReformCons go tut-tut at any type of dissent.

How about it Grits? Here is a tailor-made, made-in-Canada, attack-ad-proof issue for you to grab and run with? Are you going to take it?

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario