Letter to Braemar #4

My walk yesterday triggered fond memories of Railroad Chicken Wrestling:
Snow Edition & Snow Joust: Road Edition.

Happy Holidays to my partner in ridiculous full-contact platonic fun :)

Spage is...

...wading through crotch-deep snow like some frakking regular Canadian.
Snow confuses and enrages Vancouverites. I am no exception.

Spage is...

...checking out her across the street neighbour's pretty holiday lights.

Spage is...

...at Margaret's retirement party. She has been a Federal Public Servant
for 33 years!

President-elect Steve Harper

Our Prime Minister has it in for Canada and our political institutions. He never respected those institutions and now he's moving to disassemble them because they are roadblocks on his path to becoming the head of state for Canada. Is this alarmist? Hardly. In this editorial by Rick Mercer, who should be The Official Opposition of the House, around the recent coalition/prorogue mess he points out that the Conservatives are publicly alluding to these plans. And this is not news if you take into consideration many of the smaller actions Harper has taken to subtly move Canada into step with America. Remember fixed election dates? Harper insisting on being the mouthpiece of the government even though it is made up of 308 elected Members of Parliament? That he's evangelical? Declining to name a Deputy PM? His desire to make judges and Senators elected? His instance that it is his right to choose who asks questions at press conferences? Refusing to participate in media scrums outside of the Commons? Taking a motorcade from his front door to the Governor Generals house - across the street? It all sounds very Bushy in nature.

There is one good thing about Harper; in hockey he has a preference for an overtime period in lieu of a shoot-out. Who could disagree with that?

Brabe Says

"Hey Brabe, remember earlier, when you were asking me about how to affect
change? Well..."

"Don't tempt me with terrorism, Spage!"

Spage is...

...out and about downtown enjoying this warm and sunny December day. I do
adore this corner of Canada!

"A mean little man obsessed with revenge"

Wookiee sent me this link to a wonderful little column that Rick Mercer submitted to the Globe and Mail. It's a criticism of Harper's plan to stem the current economic crisis by attacking our democracy. I will copy it below.

Yesterday Harper actually tried to claim that his plan to financially cripple his political opponents would be helpful to Canadians. If he means it will help us reduce our political options, eliminate different voices and viewpoints, and force us into an American-style system where you can choose between the conservative guy or the really conservative guy, then yes, he'll be helping us.


Like a trip to Baskin Robbins
RICK MERCER
Globe and Mail Update
November 28, 2008 at 3:09 PM EST


Okay we just might as well admit it and get it over with. Stephen Harper is a genius.

Here we are faced with a global economic crisis. Nations all over the world are struggling to figure out how to protect their citizens — who are terrified. We've seen unheard of cooperation between political rivals all over the industrialized world.

But not in Canada. Not with Stephen Harper. Not on his watch. No my friends, he has one goal and one goal only and it has nothing to do with governing: how can he use this crisis to destroy the opposition?

And wouldn't you know, he almost did it.

Stephen Harper decided Canada doesn't need a stimulus package; all we needed to do was cancel the subsidy that political parties get.

Which would have saved the government about $26-million. That's about the same amount Harper spends on bodyguards every year when he visits danger zones like Thunder Bay or Nunavut.

But the real upside for Harper, of course, is that the entire opposition would have been crippled or destroyed. It gives me great faith to know that as our economy crumbles Harper is on the case trying to come up with new an innovative ways to cutback the Green Party's office budget and bankrupt the Liberals. And then the world will be a better place.

Maybe he has a point. Maybe that's why Canada keeps refusing to give the man a majority. It's not because he's a mean little man obsessed with revenge, but because we just have too many choices. We go to the voting booth and get confused. Like that first trip to Baskin Robbins.

Maybe we'd all just be better off if Conservative was the only flavour on the menu.

Well we almost found out. Because if Stephen Harper got his way on this, democracy would have changed forever. And not a single citizen will have gotten to vote on the matter.

Spage is...

...waiting at the snowed-in airport because her flight home was delayed
again. Earlier today, Spage enjoyed the Farmer's Market next door to the
hotel in Halifax.

Spage is...

...at McKelvie's in Halifax, ready to dig into her steak and lobster,
having already enjoyed a wonderful crab bisque.

Spage is...

...extremely impressed with Rachel's ability to rip apples in half with her
bare hands. Look how perfect it is!

Spage is...

...watching my friend rock the stage.

Spage is...

...watching/listening to a band in an underground bar in Halifax.

Spage is...

...eating a wicked seafood platter of fish, clams, scallops, and shrimp at
Jean's Home Cooked Meals & Seafood in Moncton, NB.

Furthering Confusion

This sign is on the main doors of the airport.