… hated-by-the-west National Energy Program (NEP) were gone by the end of 1986 under PM Brian Mulroney (who is, incidentally the last true Conservative PM… unless you count Liberal PM Paul Martin, but I digress…). Using my superior mathematical skills, that makes it 26 years since the NEP was around.

Twenty-six years.

And still some Westerners obsess about it.

I have a theory about this. It isn’t your average Albertan who is still oh-so obsessed and who decries any and all Liberals as the NEP Party: it’s really only those who have another agenda. An agenda not grounded in energy policy nor of a national vision. Nope. This hatred carries on because there are some in the West- especially in Alberta- who want to drive a wedge between the West and the RoC. They’d like nothing more than to rid themselves of the have-not provinces to the East and the dope-smokers of B.C.

And many of these folks are prominent in the Alberta CPC caucus and the far right Wild Rose Party.

Call me crazy but it is a possible explanation of the unabated huffing and puffing over a policy that hasn’t been around for a quarter century.

In the meantime, Albertans and other Westerners should pay heed that their energy wealth can end as quickly as it began. Energy efficient transportation and industrial production practices may one day drive prices down to a point where tar sand exploitation is no longer viable. And the oil will one day run out.

As well, the American economy will one day be once again robust. With that will come a rebirth and resurgence of Ontario and Quebec. Western provinces may one day be once again have-nots.

We Easterners will remember these days when Westerners called the political shots.

Oh yeah, we will not ever forget. (126)

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

… And I suppose he did the honourable thing by apologising for what was spun as an anti-
Alberta slur.

But he was utterly and unequivocally accurate in what he said.

Wasn’t he?

No, as an MP, he shouldn’t have said it.

But I can.

And to all of the CPC hypocrites who jumped all over this misstep: when was the last time a single one if you apologized for anything? ANYTHING?? Even after you have clearly f$$$ed up.

That’s right, you hypocrites.

I’ve been accused from time to time of playing “gotcha” politics. Well, I guess it’s OK when the Cons do it, eh? I don’t see a lot of dissent on Blogging Tories.

David should have chosen his words more carefully for sure but the CPC hypocrites could take lessons from him in honour and humility. (86)

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

Cuz Justin The T sure as hell has the sizzle.

His speech yesterday was what many of we progressives were waiting for. It was honest, open and positive. I really cannot picture The Robot or Mr. Angry saying those words because absent were the vindictive hateful diatribe.  Can you even picture either of those guys giving a speech of that length (or any length) without dissing the other parties and their leaders???

No way.

Good speech. Safe speech. I liked the positivity.

The best thing about JT entering the fray is that people will start to talk about the Liberals again – and in a good way. It’s already happening.

Now, do I support him? I would like to but am reserving judgement. Dude has the sizzle but does he have the substance? I can’t wait to see his first hour-long interview with a top-notch journo who will ask him about fiscal policy, monetary policy, international relations, etc. I will, of course, vote for him. But my level of engagement (e.g., whether I donate, volunteer, etc.) will depend largely on how he defines himself in terms of substance. (81)

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

… is happily dead.

203-91.

Happily.

Wait till the next one. It’ll happen.

Defenders of a woman’s right to choose. Be vigilant.

  (222)

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

…banner being flown over southeast Ottawa yesterday! It went by the school playground where I was picking up my kids.

I, of course, seized upon the occasion to give a quick lesson in politics and civil disobedience to my young ‘uns and some of their friends who were curious to know what the banner was all about.

Hee hee…

(104)

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

… do the next to impossible and beat President Obama, I will be curious to see the US to Canada emigration data about 12 months later.

I wonder if the Harperites have thought of this? Millions of Democrats and other progressives trying to escape an emerging theocracy… should they be granted political asylum? How about refugee status?

Food for thought.

But I still think Obama will kick ass. (301)

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

     Mr. Speaker, ’twas the week before Christmas and all over the Hill
The self-absorbed Tories were imposing their will
The stockings in Muskoka were stuffed to the brim
But life on first nations remained woefully grim.
And at the North Pole, Santa’s problems abound
There was much work to do, but no workers around.
How can we do Christmas with no reindeer or elves?
The sleigh is a wreck, there are no toys on the shelves.
Costs have just spiralled, the elves threaten strike
They won’t work this Christmas without a pay hike.
Federal money for deer feed and vets
Has just been reprofiled for big jails and jets.
Heartbroken children would spring from their beds
The first Christmas ever shut down by the feds.
No presents for Christmas, Tories felt the frustration
So they saddled the elves with back-to-work legislation.
No reindeer or sleigh can stop our roof-topper
Call Coast Guard and send in a Cormorant chopper.
The moral I share: Tories lack rhyme and reason
Nonetheless, all the best for a great Christmas season.

  (392)

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

Prepared for PM Harper and immediate staff attending APEC meeting in Hawaii

Re: November 13 meeting with President Obama.

1. Drawing on experience gained at first bilateral, the PM is reminded that the President does not appreciate being called “gangsta”.

2. Related to 1. above, the symbolic colours of the main political parties are the opposite to those in Canada. It is therefore advised that the PM wear a blue tie. But do not refer to it as “my gangsta colours” like the last time.

3. If Vic Toews is travelling with the PM, tell him that referring to The First Lady as “that hottie” when speaking to Ms. Clinton is not acceptable.

4. Please do not allow Mr. Polievre to speak to Ms. Clinton. At all. Our bilateral relations are still recovering from the last time.

5. Plead with the PM to not go on about the missed call by Kerry Fraser during the 1993 Leafs / Kings series. He won’t understand.

6. Pretend to understand basketball. It’s that sport played by very tall people who bounce an orange ball.

7. Don’t bring up Keystone. Really. He has heard enough.

8. Stay inside the beltway. Your security detail has been informed.

9. The President is not Martin Sheen. Never has been. Don’t listen to Baird.

10. You are not in charge here. Remember that. (128)

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

Before scripted responses in QP. Before “messaging”.  Before every utterance from a Minister’s mouth had to be cleared by the PMO, sitting MP’s actually communicated directly with their constituents and other members of the public. All by themselves.

Yes. They did. I’m not making this up.

I know that on all sides of the House, there are Members who do good riding work…. no doubt. But in these days of über controlled messaging, rare is the MP who will just thrown out an email or letter in response to questions. No way. What if they said something that was counter to party lines? What if they strayed from the key messages that the PMO (or party leadership in the case of Opposition parties) wishes to convey.

The Resident Love Goddess was rummaging through some old boxes in the crawl space yesterday when she came across this letter sent to her by Flora MacDonald who was then the MP for Kingston and the Islands. She asked for some information to help prepare for a school debate.

She wasn’t even the MP for my RLG’s riding!

Imagine. Asking a number of specific question about an MP’s stand on different issues – some quite divisive – and getting a clear and unambiguous response… not a form letter sent by a staffer based on a template approved by the PMO.

Imagine.

And that is how it should be. Any and all elected representatives have as one of their duties, the obligation to answer questions posed to them by the public. MPs, MPPs, City Councillors and even School Board Trustees are obliged to communicate with the folks who elected them. They have a duty to go to community functions like association AGMs and other major functions, openings of businesses, breaking ground for a new arena and even school barbeques. My MP does a lot of this “riding work” and does it well. He was at our Community Association’s AGM last week and, just like I and several of other parents, flipped burgers at our local school’s year-end BBQ. (Oh, and for the record, our School Board Trustee was nowhere to be seen.)

In any case, the days that saw speedy and complete responses from our MPs are largely over. Public Servants like Mrs. MacDonald would have had a difficult time functioning in this climate of muzzles and straight jackets.

And just to note, the Honourable Flora MacDonald just turned 85 and is involved with a number of volunteer organizations. (322)

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

Kinsella’s column in the Sun today pretty much sums up what I and other like-minded progressives have being saying since May 2.

You don’t like the fact that Harper thumbs his nose at Canadian voters in Newfoundland, Quebec who gave the boot to Smith, Manning and Verner? You don’t like what Clement is saying about program cuts after his boss emphatically stated during the election campaign that cuts to the PS would be achieved through attrition? Well:

You get what you pay for, folks. You get the government you vote for. Suck it up.

Gonna be a long four years. But, at the end of it, Harper will be gone and the Cons will be decimated. Canadians had a brain-fart this time. But they will have had a strong dose of antacid by the time 2015 rolls around. (1467)

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario