Jason's

Misguided

Blog: April 2005

Blog:

• Apr 29: Hyperbole Alert! Future political footnote Stephen Harper just doesn't get it, and shows a complete lack of class or statesmanship.

He portrays the Agreement in Principle between Martin and Layton as, "a deal with the devil."

That phrase is used by Global Television to describe the deal Karla Homolka received for testimony against her husband and accomplice, and by Romeo Dallaire in his best-selling book. I wonder if Harper is trying to link them together?

"It's the most disgraceful thing I've seen in all my years on Parliament Hill. This is not how Parliament should work..."

Actually, Parliamentary democracy works best through compromise and negotiation. Harper should try it sometime, especially without all the empty grandstanding.

"This is obviously not a budget we can support. I think this is a sign that this Parliament is seriously off the rails. This is fiscally irresponsible, and indefensible. I'm flabbergasted by the amount of taxpayers' money these guys are prepared to throw around to keep themselves in office."

Harper supported the budget when it had corporate tax cuts, which in theory help people. The difference now: these policies affect ordinary Canadians directly, like education and training, environmental protection, affordable housing, pensions, child care, and increased sharing of the gas tax. The budget remains balanced, and after years of cutbacks and fiscal restraint, social program reinvestment will alleviate poverty and promote a better sense of community.

He mocked Layton, likening him to Lady Astor when asked by Winston Churchill "Would you sleep with me if I paid you a million pounds?"

Grow up. Such childish and immature remarks only prove you're not ready for the big chair.

"The NDP says they will not vote against corruption or scandal as long as their spending priorities go ahead. So what exactly did they get to buy their silence?"

Wrong. According to Layton's Statement, "the NDP's in no rush to judge the scandal... There should be an election about Liberal corruption and broken promises and there will be." He's also on record saying the NDP will support the Liberals until the new budget passes royal assent. Following that, all bets are off.

"Tommy Douglas must be rolling over in his grave when the NDP abandoned this country's farmers."

So now Conservatives are accusing the NDP of not doing enough? Harper, please don't utter the Greatest Canadian's name; your party's values are an affront to everything he stood for, and cheapen his legacy.

• Apr 24: It's hard to imagine with all the troubles Toronto has had that some, including Mayor David Miller, believe mega projects and international events could solve everything. After two failed summer Olympic bids, a stalled waterfront revitalization plan, Ontario Place redevelopment, the island airport expansion and cross-lake ferry fiascoes, there are politicians seeking the 2015 World Expo. Why now? The amount of money wasted just debating and preparing a bid should be funneled into far more important social programs that desperately need attention from city council. Considering we barely averted a transit strike recently, getting that system running as it did during the early nineties is a priority for many residents. However, not everyone sees it that way; some argue public transit is not an essential service. According to Toronto Star columnist Christopher Hume:

  That attitude was expressed by former Conservative transportation minister, Tony Clement, who during a TTC strike in 1999, admonished Torontonians for being "too reliant" on public transit. Such breathtaking stupidity [emphasis mine] is rare even for a Tory politician, but Clement, who mercifully has vanished from Ontario politics, spoke for any number of people who live in a province where the car is king.

  Unfortunately for us, three-time election [including party leadership] loser Clement and other former Harris/Eves cronies are making a comeback as public opinion seems to shift in their favour. Moreover, if Harper somehow wins an upcoming federal election, expect the Liberal's commitment to cities quickly replaced by socially damaging tax cuts and increased security spending.

  During times of austerity, mega projects funded by various government levels instead of private donations should be scrutinized more closely. The memorandum of understanding that would have moved the Argos to York University was a deal not in the public interest. Skydome was a white elephant, but has a long lifespan, and although sterile and unlikable by many, is the best place to play professional football. Sometimes, thinking small and getting things done is better than ribbon-cutting ceremonies and creating buzz. Offering well-funded and dignified social programs is more valuable than corporate box seats and grand, unrealistic visions for a city that needs to refocus its priorities.

• Apr 21: Political implosions are rare in Canadian history. The Liberals split over conscription during the First World War, and the Conservatives did it in 1993 resulting from poor leadership and corruption inside the party. There is a crisis within the Liberals that again threatens to tear them apart and bring down a fragile minority government. And it was started by former Prime Minister Jean Chretien. Never mind the details, which are readily available elsewhere, I believe the current PM was set up for a spectacular fall after forcing Chretien and his loyalists out of office. Despite vainly trying to protect his legacy, Chretien is probably laughing his French ass off at the sight of Martin squirming before Parliament, the media, and an angry, disillusioned public. Apparently, Martin's ambition and hard-ball politics blinded him to reality and the amount of money being wasted under his watch as finance minister. It's ironic that after kissing up to the Conservatives for budget support, the NDP is in a stronger position to influence policy and keep the government alive. Meanwhile, the thought of Harper becoming PM should still scare people into voting against him. An opportunist and fear-monger, like many Republicans, his party would sell Canada out to the Americans and corporations to appease both allies and those seeking privatized health care and tighter immigration standards, among other cherished ideals Tory rule endangers.

• Apr 11: My lovely better half and I celebrated our three year anniversary on Saturday. Dinner at Piero's On Adelaide, drinks from Smokeless Joe, and a less than glamourous coffee shop dessert capped off a cool, but romantic evening. The entertainment district we strolled through was mausoleum-quiet at the start of the night as the clubs hadn't opened yet. That quickly changed after we left the bar and found ourselves surrounded by the usual mix of people who make this enclave their home on weekends. Many of the party-goers are anything but normal looking, which adds to the almost circus-like atmosphere of the district, and gives it a special appeal for us in particular.

  I returned the following night to see my Webstandards.to social group and a VIP: Dave Shea. He was in town to present, "The 5 Myths of CSS design" at the 2005 FITC, the Design and Technology Festival. Like many of our meetings, very little time was spent discussing web standards or design, but that's why there are mailing lists and forums. For nearly five hours, we picked Dave's brain about life in Vancouver, traveling the West coast, cooking, and some of the more prominent members of our community and their conflicting personas, especially when meeting them for the first time at conferences. We only showed him a small slice of Queen Street West, but I hope Dave was able to experience Toronto at its best.

  Coincidently, Sandra and I met shortly after the inaugural FlashintheCan 2002 event where I volunteered. I fooled her into thinking it was about raving exhibitionists and amateur filmmakers, but she soon realized I was joking. A twisted sense of humour indeed!

Web Design:

• Juicy Studio
• Access Matters
• Devil's Details
• Color Combos
• The Form Assembly

Politics:

• Neutrality on Genocide
• Darfur: A Genocide We can Stop
• In Rwanda, he saved lives
• Rwanda genocide: Ten years on
• Hate Radio: Rwanda
• Ehud Barak: Trust Is Built on Realities
• Liberal Parliamentarians for Israel

Documentaries / Arts:

• Wall: This film was supposedly offering a balanced view of the security fence between Israel and the Palestinian Territories. To a degree it was, showing both Jews and Arabs who hated the wall, which separates people from their land, and from each other. However, the filmmaker neglected to interview anyone, other than a defense ministry spokesman, that supported the barrier's construction. There was talk about what the mega project has meant to people from different communities, the physical and philosophical fences placed between them, but no discussion about why it was necessary. There weren't overt plans to steal land and cause undue hardships for no reason; the goals were to stop suicide bombings and protect Israelis. Although most of those interviewed were thoughtful and even poetic, the film was biased and provoked anger at the government. By some estimates, terrorist attacks are down by 90% in areas where the wall has been built, but you wouldn't know that from the documentary. Add the terrible editing, the directors and audience's disdain for pro-Israeli questions and comments, and this experience becomes forgettable. Worse, I missed the Toronto Rock's semi-final lacrosse game to see it.
• Gunner Palace
• Left of the Dial
• The Take
• Getting the Last Laugh
• PUBLICity

Of Interest:

• Viewing platforms installed at LA gated communities
• Executive Paywatch
• Adbusters' fat chance
• Acres for Wal-Mart
• Wal-Mart's Wily Ways
• Automaker vs. the People
• Let's fix the TTC
• m@b: Hummer

Projects:

• Next month I'll begin volunteering at Mount Sinai Hospital by assisting with site maintenance and redesign. This is an exciting opportunity to work on a large-scale project.

 

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