Wednesday, December 17, 2008

The Recession: An Apology

During the recent election campaign and parliamentary crisis over the fiscal update, we may have given the impression that Prime Minister Harper was evil and uncaring as he tried to remain positive and optimistic about Canada's economy. In contrast, M. Stephane Dion, Mr. John McCallum, et al were compassionate, truthful and sensible in predicting dire economic circumstances and a deep recession.

We now realize that Prime Minister Harper is in fact evil and uncaring for predicting worsening economic uncertainty in recent days, thus helping to create just that, while Mr. McCallum is in fact a hero for trying to remain optimistic.

We apologize for any confusion this may have caused. (c) All Media Outlets 2008.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Annals Of The Painfully Obvious, Chapter 38

Duh.

They could have replaced Dion with a lump of head cheese and they would still have got a favorable response from the public.

Consumer Advisory

Doggerel Security Labs has uncovered a potentially serious flaw in the flagship product of LibSoft. Despite a recently released patch designed to correct such vulnerabilities, it appears the latest version of Liberal Party is still not completely safe. Exploits known to exist in the wild include Coalition.Millstone, Layton.Mouth.Shoot.OFF, Bailout.Billion.$ and a particularly serious threat known as Bloc.Fragmenter, which carries a blackmail payload.

Under certain circumstances, Liberal Party can also be infected with the trojan WK.SponsorshipRequestor, which prompts the user to install the advertisement based software package Chuck. Although it appears innocuous, users who have installed Chuck report that some years later their finances have been compromised and their bank accounts have been funneled to an organized crime syndicate based in Montreal restaurants.

Users are advised not to run Liberal Party until further patches are released and instead should continue to run the far more reliable Conservative Party. *

Lookalike

Has anyone else noticed the resemblance between this picket line

and this one?


No. Me either. Another reason why Ottawa in the winter can really suck.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Which Leader Ignatieff Is That?

What a difference a week and a change of leader makes. Suddenly, the media is back to talking about the Liberals as just the Liberals. Well, let's back up shall we.

Michael Ignatieff is the new Liberal leader. But that makes him the Coalition Leader too. Until he actually says otherwise, he's bound by Dion's signature on the coalition agreement, and his own on the supporting letter to the Governor General. Don't let's forget that. We should be reminding everyone at every turn that Michael Ignatieff is the new Liberal-Bloc-NDP Coalition Leader. Don't call him the Liberal leader until the Coalition has dissolved. Until then, he should properly be referred to as Coalition leader Michael Ignatieff. Put it out there on the web as much as possible, and make sure you challenge MSM references that paint the Liberals as once again a stand-alone party. They are NOT a stand-alone party at this time, they are an inseperable part of the Coalition, and Ignatieff is the leader of that Coalition.

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Doggerel Party Labs Recall Notice

Doggerel Party Labs is recalling a batch of Party Leader Decision Tools. It has come to our attention that some of these may be defective, in that both sides of the coin bear the same image. If you have accidentally elected a moose as your party leader, please return your faulty Party Leader Decision Tool for a full refund.

New From Doggerel Party Labs

It's the Party Leader Decision Tool! This handy, pocket-sized marvel will help you with any leadership quandary. Simply flip, check, and flip again if you didn't get Iggy the result you wanted.Order now, and we'll send you a limited edition commemorative, "The Day Democracy Died". This special coin has three sides and two faces, and was only minted on one day in history - Monday, December 1st, 2008. A video infomercial will be available shortly. Do you think it's easy to make a video with paws?

Monday, December 08, 2008

A Prominent Liberal Resigns

A prominent member of the Liberal Party of Canada issued a statement today, in which he or she stated his or her intention to step aside. Who it is, we don't yet know. However, please feel free to fill the comment thread with tributes to the retiring Liberal, as without a doubt he or she was the greatest Prime Minister Canada never had.

Saturday, December 06, 2008

Ottawa Rally For Canada

Unfortunately, not all members of TDPC were able to make the rally today, as dogs aren't allowed on buses. However, I did make it to the hill. There was a very good crowd of about 4,000 and some very good speakers. Stephen Taylor was excellent at rousing the troops, and Pierre Polievre was his usual fiery self.

Media coverage is already downplaying the significance of the event, painting it as a CPC organized event (it wasn't) and minimizing the numbers. CBC described the CLC / PSAC organized protest on Thursday, which consisted of public servants crossing the street for a stroll on their lunchbreak as "2,500 demonstrators." Today's crowd is described at CBC.ca as "more than 2,000." Note the factual accuracy but highly torqued spin. Nice one, Coalition Broadcasting Corp.

However, of the motorists on Wellington Street, I'd say a good 50% at least, and probably more, hooted in sympathy. There was a lot of support out there for the concept of good old fashioned voting.

It's clear from today's coverage of the various rallies that the media focus is going to be on promoting the coalition and putting down the pro-democracy side. We're going to have an uphill battle.

Friday, December 05, 2008

Iggy's Christmas Shopping

TDPC spies caught Michael Ignatieff out Christmas shopping yesterday, and noticed he's made a very wise choice of gift for Bob Rae.

Thursday, December 04, 2008

Caution: Golf Course in Coquitlam Could Be Dangerous

From the comments at the Coalition Broadcasting Corporation's website, where someone rejoicing in the name 'Broomer' appears to be the anonymous employer who was on the radio this morning claiming he would be laying off employees if he wasn't stimulated immediately. Because I'm sure Broomer's little company is top of the list for Steffi et al. No, really. Forget GM. Stimulate Broomer.

Anyway, buried among Broomer's trolling is this gem:
"You can rest assured he's not my Stephan Harper and another thought came to me after. My golf club is about 75% left leaning"
Which would make his golf course a pretty dangerous place to hang out. Left... is that a hook or a slice? I don't remember, not being someone who Golfs.


Do They Have a Canadians Person?

From the NP:

Ivison: I'm baffled about the statement in the accord that the coalition government will be a partner with Canadians and Quebecers. Don't we consider Quebecers to be Canadians any more?

McCallum: Of course Quebecers are Canadians. Look, I have to go now.

Ivison: Well, how about the permanent consultation mechanism. How does that work?

McCallum: I have done my share. You'll have to try someone else. I'm the economics person.

Does the coalition have a Canadians person? A Quebecers person? A videotape person? An honesty person?


Wednesday, December 03, 2008

An Open Letter to The Governor General

Doggerel Party Headquarters Bunker,
Somewhere in Eastern Ontario.

Your Excellency,

We are sure you have received many letters and messages concerning the current political situation. Some will be urging you to install the proposed coalition government, some to let Mr. Harper continue in power, and some to call an election.

But only this letter can offer you the advice you really need.

In keeping with centuries of royal tradition, we are proud and pleased to offer you the services of not one, not two, but four of the most famous regal advisors of all. Corgis.

We would be pleased to wait on you at Rideau Hall at your convenience and look forward to offering you counsel through this difficult time.

Sincerely,

Angie, Deacon, Lucy and Sam
The Doggerel Party of Canada


Too Partisan or not to Partisan?

Well, now. After tonight's most delicious performance by Stephane Dion, what can we say? The Corgis have decided that at this point there is probably no good outcome here for the Liberal Party.

Watercooler conversation and Facebook numbers point to most ordinary Canadians not being too happy with the proposed Coalition of the Swilling, and Dion's performance tonight won't have done much to change that. It's no secret that many Liberals are unhappy about climbing into bed with Duceppe (who wouldn't be?) and indeed the first public defection has just occurred, with Guelph MP Frank Valeriote saying he would rather see cooperation with the government than coalition with the Bloc.

If they win power, those rumblings won't take long to turn into enough defections and unhappiness for them to lose it again, and we'd be back to the polls - either just before or just after a new Liberal leader arrives on the scene. That leader won't be able to put any distance between himself and the coalition, and will wear the public's reaction. The economy will be tanking, nothing will have been achieved and the resulting election will make the Liberals wish they'd held onto the seats they did win this time around.

They can't back down now without wearing the same 'no balls at all' kind of tag that lost Dion the election last time around.

And if they lose this bid for power, let's say by Harper suspending the House until next January and bringing in a budget that contains enough concessions to woo the wavering federalists in Liberal and NDP ranks, then they'll be wearing having put the country through this crisis for nothing.

I have to say, with a partisan hat on, I think they should be allowed to take power and destroy themselves at this point. That would be the worst outcome for the Liberals. Unfortunately they'd take Canada down the drain with them. So perhaps Dion has one thing right. Maybe this isn't the time for partisanship.

Monday, December 01, 2008

The Corgis' Crystal Ball Predicts...

Hansard, January 27, 2009:

The Honourable Stephen Harper, Leader of the Opposition: Can the Prime Minister explain to the House the logic of giving $30 billion in economic stimulus to failing auto manufacturers, while at the same time hitting Canadian business with $50 billion in corporate taxation they would have been spared under a Conservative government?

The Right Honourable Stephan Dion, Prime Minister: You mean, if I was Prime Minister since the last election, is that your question? Since when I would have been Prime Minister? Do you think it is easy to make priorities? Can we start again, please, because I have been slow to understand the economy.


That Coalition Economic Stimulus Package In Full...

1. Inject $30 billion into the economy.
2. Take $50 billion out.
3. Er.. that's it.

Friday, November 28, 2008

The Liberal Party School Of Gaining Political Power

Lesson 1 : The War Room

Lesson 2 : Invoke the spectre of religious and ethnic differences, sow fear and distrust between different communities and act innocent when someone notices a racist election campaign has just been fought.

Lesson 3 : See above: Act innocent when a party hack has been noticed defrauding the government and diverting the money to party coffers.

Lesson 4 : All that argument and debate can be very tiring. How about using government thought police to target your political opponents and just shut them up. Call it 'hate' and prosecute their asses.

Lesson 5 : Who needs elections anyway? Just take power already.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

A Suggestion For A Pledge By Aged Washed Up 1970s Lefty Hacks

We pledge to quit whining, stop requesting fraudsters be placed in charge of government sponsorship contracts and start fundraising.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Recession Bites Harder In Ottawa

As fears grow of a widening global recession, what of the people on the street, those ordinary working families so beloved of Jack Layton. What of the kitchen tables they will soon be burning to keep warm? It's not as if they'll need them anyway, there being no food to put on them.

TDPC recently caught up with one such ordinary Canadian, and asked him how he sees his future. We'll call him 'Richard'. Until recently, Richard has enjoyed a good standard of living with a stable and reliable stream of what he described as freelance cleaning jobs. Richard had found his niche as an online cleaner, removing dirt and filth from the Internet. He'd cleaned up all around, in fact, both literally and figuratively.

But now, Richard says, his major client and major source of income has been commissioning reports into the quality of his cleaning work, and those reports have cast into doubt on not only the standard of his work, but also the very need for it. Richard sees his income beginning to dry up.

What might someone like Richard need to do to ride out this next recession? Experts we spoke to suggested that there might really be only one option - emigrate to Zimbabwe, where people like Richard and his friend Warren are still in very high demand.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Immunity For All

In keeping with MAD's suggestion, we have revised the name of this blog to avoid Kinsella, Lucy, and Jenny Lynch-mob.

I seem to remember that not everyone likes doG (peace and blessings upon him) but we do. Immunity for Corgis!

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

And Now Unveiling...

... the corgis' greatest technical achievement. We told you it was coming, and here it is, publicly revealed for the first time: the cheese flavoured cat. H/t to Doggerelle.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

DogmaticTM Corporation Issues Statement Concerning Missing Felines

In response to media reports concerning a large number of missing cats in Stourbridge, England, The DogmaticTM Corporation (a division of Doggerel Party Labs) issued a statement today neither confirming nor denying that corgi operatives in England have been testing the company's cat sequestration technology.

"No comment," said Chief Operating Officer Angie. "Can I have my food now, please?"

Thursday, October 16, 2008

As Kinsella Steps Up Again

I can't help wondering, with WK announcing his return to the federal Liberal ranks, and suddenly being very visible indeed on all major media outlets...

What will be Dalton McGuinty's Eurosausage?



"I have no ambitions in that direction." "You do mean you."

Thursday, October 09, 2008

Here's The Question

we need to ask everyone we know over the next few days.

If the economy is a sick patient, who would you want treating it? The uncaring, antisocial Dr. Gregory House, or the slapstick Dr. Doolittle who understands squirrels better than people?

If you're on the operating table, do you want someone who cares? Or someone who knows what they're doing?

Dr. House's patients get better.

Thursday, October 02, 2008

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

And On That Note



*

Well They Are Actors, After All...

From the Globe and Mail:

The performers — including Colm Feore and Wendy Crewson — noted that the arts provide 1.1 million jobs within cultural industries and contribute $86-billion to the GDP.

They say the $45-million that the Conservative government cut from culture funding last summer could seriously damage their industry.

Yep. an $86 billion-dollar industry. A $45 million dollar, highly targeted cut (for those arties who aren't too strong on math and science, that's 0.05 %). Serious damage. And they said that with a straight face, too. Where else could a 0.05% cut in subsidies cause 'serious' damage?

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Ignorance Is Bliss

Scene: Kitchen at Doggerel Party HQ, early morning.
Doggerel Jr (age 22 months), holding out half-eaten and well mashed banana for parental inspection: "Dirty."

Doggerelle (sighing): "Well, what did you drop it in this time?"

Doggerel Jr: (beaming with pride): "Dog"

Monday, September 22, 2008

Just Fancy That!

One of these quotes is a disgraceful denigration of Canada's most populous province. And the other is a responsible comment from one of the greatest leaders and statesmen of our time (c) Kinsella, 2008.

No prizes for knowing which is which.

"Ontario Set to Become Have-not Province" - Jim Flaherty, Globe & Mail, March 19, 2008

"Ontario May Face Future as Have-not Province" - Dalton McGuinty, CBC News, September 22, 2008.

And this one might be just a teeny bit embarrassing:

"Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty is “absolutely wrong” in suggesting that Ontario is in jeopardy of becoming a “have-not” province under Confederation," - Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan.

Who Will Survive The Cache?

So, the NDP is losing candidates to their pot-laced past; the CBC is mounting insider hatchet jobs with Liberal operatives against Ritz; BCL has demolished another CPC candidate; Garth Turner is establishing a deathwatch on his opponent. The blogosphere seems to really be doing it's long-awaited magic this time around.

This endless loop of digging through Google cache, finding the bad stuff and killing off the candidate (sorry Garth, not literally) is all very well - perhaps in some cases a valuable contribution. But what will happen in 10 or 15 years time, when virtually everyone will have something online that they'd rather hadn't happened? Where will you find anyone who hasn't posted an angry thought they'd like to take back, or some ill-advised pictures from a drunken university party? Nearly everyone under 25 is on Facebook and most of them will mess up at some point in their lives.

If Canadians and their MSM continue to be as thin-skinned and twitchy about these kinds of things, it's hard to imagine how anyone of any stripe will be electable in the future.

Monday, September 15, 2008

TDPC Exclusive: The Definitive May Explanation

Lots of folks have noticed that there are at least two explanations being put forward by Elizabeth May and the Green Party for how she came to call Canadians 'stupid' on TVO's The Agenda With Steve Pakin. After giving two completely different stories to TVO and CTV, Ms. May agreed to an exclusive interview with Doggerel Party researchers, to set the record straight:

Agreeing To Disagree

I watched the Elizabeth May 'it depends what your definition of "say" is,' video over at TVO. She's adamant that she says 'disagree with that assessment' - which is clearly not the case. Pass the girl a bigger spade.

What hasn't been mentioned in any of the posts I've read is that her minion John Bennett actually contradicts Ms. May's version of events in the apology he sent to Leftdog. Bennett says:
In the TVO clip, Elizabeth May clearly says "they" think Canadians are stupid, referring to the opinions of some politicians. She then turns to the questioner and agrees with HIS assessment that a carbon tax is essential. No spin can change that.
When you're going to go on television and tell lies, you should let your staff know first, Liz.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Are You Smarter Than A Montreal Gazette Columnist?

Don Macpherson thinks that Stéphane Dion has 'outsmarted' Stephen Harper in the debate-about-the-debate, by backing the inclusion of Elizabeth May from the beginning.
I disagree. I think that on the contrary, the Tories played this one brilliantly. By initially threatening the PM's boycott of the debate, they laid the bait which was taken by the NDP and the Bloc. Jack Layton has been on the defensive ever since, and not just with the media, but within his own party. It had the so-called 'progressives' going at each other for a good 48 hours, and swayed them off-message nicely.

For Harper, the decision to oppose May's inclusion had little cost - Green supporters aren't likely to be swing voters the Conservatives could hope to win anyway. By the same token, he doesn't stand to lose many votes by her inclusion in the debate. Both by initially excluding May, and then by including her, the Tories have simply encouraged greater and deeper divisions in the 'progressive' vote. I suspect a brilliant mind may be behind this devious plan, and I love it. 

Monday, September 08, 2008

Three Way Lookalike

Has anyone noticed this photo on the Liberal Party website?

And has anyone noticed the striking resemblance between the man to the left of Dion, and the evil Mr. Victor Kennedy, whose alterego Absorbaloff is the bad guy in the Doctor Who episode Love and Monsters?

Sunday, September 07, 2008

And They're Off....

Into the election we go. Things have been quiet around here for a while, as I have been very busy at the day job of late and generally too tired at the end of the working day (1am-ish) to be blogging before the new one begins (generally around 7am). Still, an election is an election and so I'll try to get some stuff out there as we go along.

One thing I did come across was this gem from Lulu and CC. We really should have consulted Osama bin Laden and the Taliban before scheduling an election, eh? Given that we know how much CC loves and respects our troops.

You just know they're hoping against hope for that 100th death, salivating at the bogus political points they'll make with it. That's Canada's left-wing - chasing the medevac helicopters.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Just Fancy That

2005: Liberal types work themselves into a frenzy over unfounded allegations that the Blogging Tories are a CPC mouthpiece organization. (The Liberal Party's press release smearing the CPC and Stephen Harper with this non-scandal has been taken down).

2008: Self-described leading Liberal blogger, Dion lap-dog and cereal-box collector Jason Cherniak lauds His Leader for holding a conference call with Liberal bloggers.

How Liberals decide which of their two faces to check in the mirror each day is beyond me.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Monday, July 14, 2008

Freedom to Be An Ass

Some circles are abuzz with the 'Crackergate' scandal, in which militant atheist blogger PZ Myers is soliciting consecrated hosts from Catholic churches in order to perform a public desecration of the same.

Observing the similarities between this and the Danish Mohammed cartoons, I have to adopt a consistent position and fully support the associate professor's right to freedom of expression. Although, as a Catholic, I find his writing and this act to be deeply offensive, nonetheless I fully support his legal right to this form of expression. Further, in a brave move and one that deserves wider exposure, he has been entirely consistent and previously threatened to desecrate the Koran. He has integrity, even if he is a nasty piece of work. Feel free to pass that last link on to any Muslims you know, especially radical ones.

However, many of his supporters seem surprised and even upset that there have been numerous calls for his dismissal (sadly, unlikely, since he has tenure). But this is exactly what the whole free speech debate is about. There should be no government role in telling Mr. Myers what he can and can't say, but he should expect to be challenged and debated, and he should accept any consequences, whether professional or personal, that flow from what he does and says. Society will self-regulate hateful speech and hateful acts such as Mr. Myers'.

There are definitely grounds for concern in his professional life; clearly any students who are anything other than secular humanists could expect nothing short of ridicule, bullying, intimidation and low marks in one of Prof. Myers' classes.

There have also been more extreme reactions; obscenities and death threats. Those are to be condemned. It would be nice to see those on the Canadian left-o-sphere who have covered this story adopt a consistent position; they condemn Ezra Levant and yet celebrate PZ Myers. Instead, we should all be defending both men's legal rights to freedom of expression and defending society's freedom to respond appropriately.

Prepare To Be Outraged

As we await release of video of the Khadr interrogations, the whole nation prepares to be upset, embarrassed, outraged, distressed, disturbed, and otherwise generally emotionally messed with.

I'm sure they were much too nice to him.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Tempting, But...

I'm sure we'd all like to vote for option 3 on this poll but it wouldn't work for me.

My car needs premium fuel.

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Biggles Defies The Swastika

Following the story of the 7 year old snatched from her family home by child welfare operatives, because she showed up at school with a swastika on her arm, I notice that in amongst all the outrage, anger, brouhaha and general pissiness there is one perspective completely missing, and that is the perspective of the 7 year old. She drew the swastika in question herself - not one of her parents as some of the more hysterical commenters are wont to believe. So what of the child's view of the world?

By this, I don't mean the perspective that the protective Jonathan Rosenthal (aside: how did such a complete wanker get to be a lawyer in the first place?) takes it upon himself to have on her behalf. No, I mean nobody seems to be thinking back to their own childhood, to recover something of the real perspective and outlook on life of a 7 year old.

And so.... a confession. When I was that age, I drew swastikas too. I had no clue what they meant, no clue what they really stood for, except that they represented the bad guys. You see, I grew up as the last of six kids, with a diet of hand-me-down boys fiction from the 1950s and 1960s, among which was a large collection of Biggles books. I could read and enjoy these adventure stories long before I had any worldly wisdom or historical knowledge. I remember after reading the first two books (set in WW I with Biggles in the Royal Flying Corps) complaining bitterly to my mother that the place names were all French, and what was up with that?

So I happily doodled RAF roundels and Luftwaffe crosses and swastikas in the corners of books, blisfully unaware of the wider significance. Should I have been taken away? Seems like today, I'd be in serious danger of that. And yet my family wasn't racist, at least any more than the norm for middle class England of the day. And I turned out all right, even to the extent that I cringe at what some of those norms of middle class England were, and have left them far behind where they belong.

Sometimes adults need to remember that a child sees things just as they are, without the lens of history, perspective, meaning, significance, or interpretation. And in the end, when we introduce those adult prisms to the child's world we do far more harm than good. Because then we get guilt, fear, hang-ups, and in this extreme case the break-up of the family unit. Left to itself, this situation would most likely resolve naturally. And if not, then the time to deal with the child is when she's old enough to understand the meaning behind what she did.

Are the parents' beliefs odious in this case? No doubt. Is it tempting to punish them by taking the child away, as Rosenthal advocated in those glorious CTV moments? Sure.

But in the end it's the child who's been punished for something she did whose meaning she is likely completely unaware of and whose significance she could never grasp. The Rosenthal's of the world need to learn to stop, take a breath, take a step back and let nature take its course. And above all the left needs to take it's collective mitts off our children and let them be children again.

But to do that they'd have to step out of the pink glow of Warren's World, where all First Nations people are sober, upright citizens, with no social problems, and all lower-class white people are drunken, knuckle-dragging skinhead racist bastards. In short, they'd have to encounter reality, and if Rosenthal is typical of the breed, they're a long, long, long way from there right now.

UPDATE: I do stand corrected, by the left's own hate blogger CC, in as much as it seems the parents re-drew the offending emblem in marker after it was washed off. That does put a rather different complexion on things; however, my point still stands. From the girl's perspective, it's impossible for her to know the meaning behind and deeper associations of the swastika. This was a moment for intervention and education, not for snatching the child away and asking the deeper questions later.

Sunday, July 06, 2008

Our time will come...

Just hang on a few more months or (if necessary) years... and that dodgy heart of the world's most famous purveyor of golf-balls will give out...

Then it will be our turn.

Or I suppose you could argue we already had our turn, eh Pierre?

OK....

Now I am not at all sorry... she deserves everything she gets.

Monday, June 23, 2008

EXCLUSIVE: The Moon Report Obtained By TDPC

Doggerel Party Exclusive: OTTAWA, Monday June 23, 2008: TDPC has obtained an advance copy of the Moon Report on the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

The report, packaged in a glossy brochure picked out in tasteful shades of gray, introduces the concept of The Rights ShiftTM. The executive summary begins:

"We will raise the costs of the things we all want less of - Maclean's magazine, criticism of the HRCs, anyone to the right of Stephane Dion on the political spectrum, Americans, truth, freedom, natural justice and any challenge to the supremacy of the glorious junta who will in future be responsible for telling all Canadians their prescribed opinions.

We will lower the cost of the things we all want more of: Richard Warman, radical Islamists, bureaucrats, corruption, entrapment, raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens."

CHRC operatives will be tasked with identifying the major emitters of free speech, and pricing their emissions with an appropriate scale of fines. The report stresses that this is not going to be a fine on individual Canadians: "Canadians will still enjoy the freedom to speak at no cost, for example when ordering coffee in the morning. Only those Canadians who emit right-wing political discourse will notice an increase in their cost of living."

The report offers a number of examples of how the new regime might change the personal situation of individual Canadians:

"Mr. W. K., Toronto, Ontario

Mr K. is a friendly, right (not Right!!) thinking blogger and political activist. Under the new plan, his financial situation will remain unchanged, as he does not emit anything that would need to be fined and has not, as yet, needed to request credits from the HRCs for any impact from anyone else's emissions.

Mr. R.W., Ottawa, Ontario.

Mr. R.W. is a lawyer by day and a caped, crusading superhero by night (and by day as well, on occasions). He stands to benefit from the new regime, and will likely see his personal income rise by approximately $100,000 per year in HRC fines and penalties. And all of this tax free!

Mr E.L., Edmonton, Alberta.

Mr. E.L. is unworthy of description, but is likely to experience a significant drop in his personal income as the new regime will punish his temerity in airing opinion with a series of legal proceedings, lawyers' fees and fines.

Mrs. X., Ottawa, Ontario.

Mrs. X is a black, disabled, lesbian mother of six, who has been unemployed for eight years. Under the new plan, she will be better off, as she will immediately be hired as an emissions investigator by the CHRC and paid a substantial salary. She will also be given retraining in computer skills, especially in the areas of online identity theft, network hacking and how to write like a Nazi.

The Rights ShiftTM will be entirely revenue neutral, as everything we take from those nasty right-wing writers and their magazines will be given to Mr. R.W. of Ottawa, Ontario."

Friday, June 20, 2008

Liberals, Please Help With This Math

This is a serious question to any liberals who might be reading. I've gone through the Green Shift Handbook and looked at the figures and I have a problem. The Carbon Tax is going to be $40 per tonne of CO2, and the Liberals say they will collect $15,342,000,000 in year 4. That would correspond therefore to emissions of 383,550,000 tonnes of CO2.

Canada's 2004 emissions were 639,403 tonnes. I couldn't readily find more recent data but Liberals like to tell us it's rising, so let's use 2004 as a conservative (no pun intended) estimate.

That would mean the Carbon Tax as planned is expected to nearly halve emissions in just four years. Given that the trend might still be upward, how realistic is that? It's far more likely that emissions will remain close to their 2004 levels for several years, until industry makes the necessary long term and structural changes to make serious reductions. So far from collecting "only" $15bn, the Liberals will almost certainly take in closer to $30bn by year 4 of this new tax.

They give $15bn back to their favorite demographic groups (can you spell L-i-b-e-r-a-l V-o-t-e-r-s?) That leaves another $15bn they'll collect, and where will that go? What will the effect be of taking that additional $15bn out of the economy?

I'd like some Liberals to have a go at this. Explain the math. Explain how the expected reduction in emissions was calculated and explain why it's not a shell game. Explain where the missing billions will go (apart from the requisite few million that will be stolen and put into Liberal party coffers).

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

A Little Educashun, With Dr. Darren Lund

Ezra Levant has been doing an excellent job of tracking the Alberta Human Rights Commission's disposition of the case of the Rev. Stephen Boissoin, most recently in this post. As Ezra points out, the AHRC has ordered Boissoin to apologize to the complainant in the case, Dr. Darren Lund. Lund is quoted in the Red Deer Advocate as saying "I certainly didn’t request an apology, so that was a bit of a surprise. I don’t see the value in an insincere apology."

In common with other well known HRC complainants, it appears Dr. Lund has trouble with certain aspects of the truth, like telling it, for example. His original complaint expressly asks the AHRC to force Boissoin's apology. The complaint can be found here.

The scent of a rat always gets the corgis going, so they were off on the trail of Dr. Lund before you could say "identifiable group." So who is Dr. Darren Lund?

He's a former high-school teacher and now an assistant professor at the University of Calgary. His homepage can be found here, along with a fetching photograph. In the homepage summary, it states that "His research, activism and teaching focuses on social justice issues in schools and communities."

[Editorial note: I always thought universities were for primarily for education, but apparently that now falls second to 'activism' in order of importance.]

Go read it all... you'll soon figure the good Dr. out. It's the standard human rights industry CV. A couple of highlights stood out for me, however. In the summer 2006 edition of the Alberta Journal of Educational Research, Dr. Lund wrote an article in which the title describes Alberta as "the Heartland of Hate." So much for his 'activism' against sterotyping.

The rest of his work is devoted to encouraging his 'social-justice' agenda in the classrooms of Alberta and the nation. Dressed up in the usual diarrhea-like verbage of his trade, what he's really all about is small l-liberal political indoctrination in the classroom.

The mere fact of the existence of such programs signifies what's wrong with Canada's education systems - never mind the fact that students don't have enough textbooks, or have crumbling schools - the $128,000 that Dr. Lund alone has received for his research over the last three years will ensure that by Gaia, they have social justice and the bloated, bureaucratic, self-important, tin-pot dictators he's educating to enforce it.

Not that Dr. Lund is in favour of just anyone having access to the classrooms of the nation to spread their views, mind you. Diversity is one thing, but you can't let everyone in. He spent a lot of time and effort last year trying to kill the Operation Christmas Child fundraising efforts in Alberta's schools, because, spirit-creator-Allah-God-Jehovah-Gaia-Vishnu forbid, they have a Christian connection. And after the whole sorry Human Rights Commission fiasco we know how Dr. Lund feels about Christians.

Diversity for everyone! Muzzle the Christian!

Monday, June 16, 2008

Democracy Bites. Reality Stings.

The Ottawa Citizen reports the failure of an attempted coup d'etat at the Ottawa Humane Society by members of the grandly named campaign to Reform the Ottawa Humane Society.

This campaign which, as we have documented previously, is composed in equal measure of uneducated warm and fuzzy moonbats and professional rabble-rousers, failed in its bid to elect six new members to the board of the Humane Society.

This leaves the OHS in the capable hands of caring, compassionate, hard-working volunteers who, while they may love animals, also live in the real world. TDPC hopes that the Reform the OHS crowd might join the rest of us in that world now.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

In Praise Of The Pipe

Some readers will have spotted that here at TDPC we tend toward traditional views of many things. There's a reason for this, and it bears pointing out to those who so love to label themselves with that most misleading of political epithets: "Progressive". Far from considering "traditional" to be a pejorative, we at TDPC consider it a compliment, because things didn't get to be traditional unless they worked in some way, had something to offer, or were just... smart. New ideas get tested, the good ones are the ones that last. And we call this tradition.

Some of our traditions are under constant challenge; nothing wrong with that - if they are good enough, they will survive. Others are in danger of dying out not from challenge, but from neglect. These are of more concern. We like to do our bit here to keep these things going, and so I am pleased to announce that I have now taken up pipe smoking.

I became an occasional smoker at age 14, and it was my mother's doing. My father was a pipe smoker for most of his adult life, but on occasion would enjoy a good cigar, most notably at Christmas. The family tradition arose that the youngest child would buy Dad the Christmas cigar. That youngest child was me, after I arrived on the scene. The Christmas when I was 14, my father had died in the preceding October. Consider my surprise, therefore, when I was duly presented with the cigar on Christmas day, and told that, since the house would not be the same without the aroma of Dad's Christmas cigar, it would henceforth be my duty to smoke it.

From then on, I've always enjoyed the occasional cigar, and with much greater frequency than my old Dad. I'm not hooked, but I probably smoke one or two a month.

The trip to Turkey started me thinking back over the 20+ years since my Dad's death; Turkey is the source of meerschaum, the Holy Grail of tobacco pipe materials. The idea hatched that I should look for a real meerschaum pipe in Turkey, and so I did. I also picked up a pack of my old Dad's favourite tobacco, St. Bruno, at duty free in Heathrow.

Since then, I've learned to smoke the pipe properly; the art of packing, lighting, smoking, cleaning and enjoying a tobacco pipe is actually something it takes a while to learn. But it's a tradition that will die within a generation unless some people make an effort to keep it alive. When did you last see anyone under 60 smoke a pipe?

Why should this tradition not die? There are lots of reasons: smoking a pipe is the very best way to enjoy tobacco. A pipe smokes cool, allowing you to enjoy the flavour and aroma of tobacco unspoilt by burning, hot smoke. A pipe is an intensely personal possession, one that you will come to treasure over time, that becomes part of you. Pipes can be extinguished and relit at will - perfect for the modern, don't smoke here, don't smoke there, world. Fresh pipe smoke smells delicious.

Yes, I'm a contrary old bugger, and as Doggerelle would say, an old fart. But it's worth it, because I would like my children and grandchildren to remember the same visceral things as I remember from my Dad, taken away though he was far too soon. Smells, tastes, textures, these are things that lie deep in memory, and the whiff of St. Bruno does more than any photograph to resurrect the man.

Traditions are traditions for a reason, and we are poorer whenever we lose them. And now, I'm off to the front porch for a smoke. Happy Father's Day

Global Warming Kills Nestle Marketing Effort

Here at TDPC headquarters, we don't receive much mail in the old fashioned, Canada Post kind of way. This is partly because we're very hitech and have online billing for most services, online banking, paperless this and virtual that. It's also because rural mail carriers, and ours in particular, seem to be taking the law into their own hands when it comes to dealing with high gas prices and only dropping by on days they feel like it.

However, the planets and stars did align sufficiently one day last week, and we did receive a piece of mail, from Nestle Canada, assisted by Shoppers Drug Mart. This mailing is a slick, glossy marketing brochure for a new kind of Nestle chocolate: Nestle Noir. It's an attempt to cash in on the trend toward more premium chocolate products, with a 70% cocoa offering. Hershey is doing the same thing, although much too little and too late.

The fun part is that enclosed in the glossy mailer was a square of the new Nestle Noir 70% cocoa chocolate. Now, it was about 29 degrees Celsius here on the day the mailing arrived. Here's the instructions provided by Nestle for enjoying their chocolate. I'll leave it to you to decide how this might turn out in 29 degree weather:
  • With a square of the chocolate in hand, rub it between your fingers to release the oils and take in the intense cocoa aroma.
  • Take a bite and let the chocolate melt on your tongue for 20 seconds, allow it to cover your palate.
  • Let your senses savour the moment.
Somebody ought to connect Nestle marketing with a weather report and climate statistics for Eastern Ontario at this time of year.

Saturday, June 07, 2008

Just Because You Can't Prove It

You may not be able to prove someone's a complete moonbat, but it doesn't mean they're not.

60sAreOver

Introducing this summer's must-wear item for the younger followers of the Doggerel Party:


Doggerel Boy's attire supplied by DryGoods.com.

While on the subject, Doggerette (still not quite 4, but getting realllllly close... it's 9 more days, sweetie), commenting on the seemingly endless parade of whiny people that populate the CBC Ottawa morning show:

"Blah, blah, blah, blah, everything."

I think that covers it pretty well.

Thursday, June 05, 2008

McGuinty To Auto Workers: You Are Not Alone

Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty vows that the workers from GM's truck plant in Oshawa will not be abandoned should GM succeed in going ahead with plans to close the plant.

"Those workers should be assured that they will not be alone," says McGuinty. "My government is busy ensuring that they will be joined by thousands of others. We've already had 500 jobs go in Smiths Falls with the closure of the Hershey plant; we're losing jobs in the furniture industry, Chrysler is closing a plant in Windsor. My government is committed to ensuring that thousands of other workers will be standing by the GM employees as they register for EI."

Questioned about the success of his now five year old administration's economic policies, McGuinty claimed great success. "Our tax and spend plan is proving highly successful, and I am sure that we will soon be returning the province to the glory days of the Bob Rae administration."

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Mystery Illness Strikes Torontonians

Authorities are investigating a sudden outbreak of an acute respiratory disorder in the Beaches-East York area of Toronto last night. TDPC correspondents report that a large number of people in that area reported shortness of breath, coughing and choking sensations at around 8:45pm on Monday 2nd June.

Public health officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told TDPC they believe the outbreak may have been caused by a massive cloud of smug released in the area at around the same time.

One official told TDPC "This was a massive release. The level of hypocrisy reached dangerous levels almost instantly. It is not surprising that most ordinary people had their breath taken away."

This HRC Tidbit Smells Like a Rat

So, the corgis were following along the live-blogging of Andrew Coyne yesterday - and so much has already been said about the farce taking place in BC that really, what can we add? - but noticed this tempting tidbit from Tarek Fatah in the comments:
two of the Human Rights Commissioners who sat in on the Barabara Hall decsion to convict Macleans without a trial, were pals and associates of Elmasry, and had worked with the Canadain Islamic Congress at difefrent levels. One of them is a supporter of Ayatullah Khomeini, but managed to convince the mCguinty govt to appoint him on the commission.
Naturally, ears pricked up and whiskers began to twitch at that juicy little morsel.

One of the members of the OHRC is Ghulam Abbas Sajan. His biography on the OHRC site describes him as "An active member of the Shi’a Islamic Community [and a former] president of the Jaffari Islamic Centre." Is Sajan one of those Tarek Fatah is talking about? We don't know for sure.

However, a little sniffing around Google did yield the interesting factoid that Sajan is involved with another "Human Rights" organization, but one considerably less savoury than the OHRC, if you can bend your mind around that concept for one second.

The organization in question is the "Citizens Commission on Human Rights" which is an international body with local organizations in many countries. Sajan is a "Commissioner" which means he is a member of the Board of Advisors of the CCHR. The CCHR is, in its own words:
...a non-profit public benefit organization that investigates and exposes psychiatric violations of human rights.
Their site is devoted to anti-psychiatry propaganda. Some memory stirs... what other international organization is vehemently opposed to the profession of psychiatry, and devoted to debunking the use of pharmaceuticals to treat mental illness?

Dig a little deeper, and we find that the Board of Advisors contains many actors and other celebrities known to be members of a certain 'church'; dig further and we find that many of the international web addresses of the CCHR are co-hosted or share the same DNS registration of that absolute bastion of Human Rights, the Church of Scientology. Yes, the CCHR is a front organization of the Church of Scientology.

Now, either Sajan has some squaring to do, explaining his participation in a Scientology front organization in the context of Shi'a Islam, or he was duped.

Either way, I'm not feeling my confidence in the OHRC growing any right now.

Friday, May 30, 2008

Late Breaking Sports News

In today's results:

Vatican 1 - piece of shit from hell 0.

POSFH:
The real crime is stupidity like this. As a practicing Catholic, I say ordination of women must happen.

Not that they listen to me. Not that they ever did.
As an Anglican to Catholic convert, I say Amen.

And thank God they listen to Him and not Kinsella.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Lookalike

Sharp eyed corgis have noticed the uncanny resemblance between Richard Warman, maximum disruptor, and C. Montgomery Burns, proprietor of Springfield's nuclear power plant. Could they be related?TDPC researchers have investigated, and can report that no, they are not related. One is a megalomaniac bent on power, domination, harrassment of those less fortunate and money, while the other simply runs a power utility.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Obligatory Post Vacation Air Canada Rant

If you've flown Air Canada recently, skip this post, as doubtless you have experienced the joys of the world's worst international carrier first hand.

The majority of my previous Air Canada experience was a period of time when I was commuting between Ottawa and Toronto once or twice a week for about a year. Those kinds of flights are just non-events; no luggage, only an hour in the air, and you hardly notice anything after a while. Therefore, my first international Air Canada journey in years was something of a rude (literally) shock.

Doggerelle and the two small pups, (now 18 months and nearly 4) travelled alone on the opening leg of the great Doggerel Party trip. As such, it would have been nice if there had been someone around to help her with the stroller, the car seat, the luggage and the two kids, at least between the gate and immigration. We called twice to arrange this service at Heathrow for her, but it never materialised. On the plane, the flight attendants were swapping entrees over the heads of my wife and kids, and managed to drop the beef dinner into my wife's lap, scalding her legs. Thankfully nothing hit the children. They didn't even apologise.

When I called to book children's meals, the phone attendant keyed in the booking reference, found the file and then announced that since I booked through an agent, they would have to call and reserve the meals. He hung up on me.

Trying to organize help at the Ottawa end for her solo trip back, I was (finally) told that the Meet and Assist service no longer exists. Why was I not told this when I mistakenly thought I'd booked it on the outward flight? Nobody knows.

Flight back: no entertainment system. Everyone gets a compensation voucher. Go online to redeem.

So, back to Ottawa, again with a month's worth of luggage for the family, plus the car seat, stroller, etc. Only this time, they've broken the stroller; the catch that locks it in the unfolded position is missing. So, the trip from the gate gets interesting: 4 year old, toddler, car seat, useless stroller, three carry-on bags. Not bad for one woman to manage on her own eh? Help? No, no we don't do that at Air Canada. Bad for business.

[Contrast this with a similar experience on Varig at Sao Paulo... they lost our stroller, and wouldn't let us leave the aircraft door... the flight attendant got on the phone to the baggage guys on the tarmac; then the cabin director took over the phone. Off the aircraft came the first officer. Flight attendant tells him what's happened. He takes the phone. Stream of rude sounding Portuguese from first officer to baggage crew. Stroller restored.]

Off to the baggage counter. Air Canada Baggage Man inspects stroller, insists it's oversize and shouldn't have been carried. Notwithstanding it's just completed it's fifth flight of the trip. Finally he grudgingly types up a damage report. Call Air Canada claims, he tells her.

An aircraft tech standing nearby (God bless him) overhears and finally someone helps. "You can't leave her like that with no stroller,' he says and whips up a quick temporary repair with cable ties. Presumably he didn't work for Air Canada.

Call Air Canada Claims. "You should have left the stroller at the airport," we're told. "You're not supposed to remove damaged items from the airport." Why didn't Baggage Man mention this? "He must have been busy." Doggerelle was the only person there. What to do in the meantime, now that we have no stroller that can be safely used? Not Air Canada's problem.

So, either drive the stroller back to the Ottawa airport and wait for them to figure out what to do, or suck it up and buy a new one out of pocket. Not much of a choice, really.

What is new about all of this, is that there was nobody anywhere in Air Canada who cares. Normally you might find big corporations with lousy service, but the odd human being in there, who at least cares, who can at least on a personal level empathise with the passenger as they're screwing them. Who might take pity on a mother who is forced to move through the airport in relays, leaving one child standing as far ahead as sight permits, then returning to collect the other child and other things. Who might think offering amends for a scalding hot meal in the lap would be appropriate. Who might be pro-active enough to recognize leaving a mother without a stroller is simply not safe. But on the whole trip, across four Air Canada international flights, every single employee we encountered was uniformly surly, rude, aggressive and unhelpful. There's no good people left at Air Canada.

Final attempt: those vouchers. Good for 5% off a future flight. 5%? It's insulting.

Markets are based on choice, and for flying internationally from Ottawa Air Canada is the only convenient (direct) choice. But no matter whether I drive to Montreal or Toronto, or have to change planes twice in the US, my family will never, ever, fly Air Canada again. The choice might be inconvenient, but if we find a pleasant staff member with a helpful smile it will be worth it. Take your 5% and stick it up one of your employees.

UPDATE: The comments show these experiences are not unique. Forgot to mention another classic; my daughter (being under 4 'n all) had fallen asleep in an aisle seat and in the process dropped her pillow and magazine in the aisle. Flight attendant, sweeping along aisle on some unknown mission, sees pillow and magazine on floor. Flight attendant to 3 11/12 year old: "You'll have to pick that up as a beverage cart is coming through soon," Storms off. Uh huh, cos you know all 3 year olds should know better than to obstruct a beverage cart. Let's make flying a fun experience for our kids, shall we?

It's not the inconveniences themselves, it's the fact that the attitudes of the people make the whole thing completely soul-destroying on a personal level. It challenges the very heart of our humanity and our belief systems, that someone can be placed in the nearly impossible situations in which Doggerelle found herself on this trip, struggling with more than one person can humanly do or carry, and Air Canada people can stand by and watch, or even make things worse. On a basic level, people shouldn't be like this with one another. To experience it the whole way through a long international trip really is spirit-crushing.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Doggerel Meets Islam

Attentive readers will have noticed the complete lack of posting recently, which was due to that rarest of events at TDPC HQ, a vacation. The Corgis took their rest at a local boarding kennel, where it seems they ate well and played harder; they all came back tired and a little lighter - which is all to the good.

The remainder of the family headed off for Turkey, however. First time there, and what a place. We were staying with Doggerelle's family in a fishing village on the Mediterranean coast; mountains, sunshine, and that sea - the 'it can't really be that blue' Mediterranean. Yes, it really is that blue.

Now, I had just finished reading Steyn's America Alone when I headed to the first Muslim country I had ever visited; now I am trying to reconcile the two visions of Islam I have in my head. On the one hand, Steyn's apocalyptic vision of Eurabia, on the other the experience of Turkey.

Islam in the locale of Turkey where we visited reminded me most vividly of the Church of England. Everyone claims to belong, but nobody goes. Sure, the imams chanted their call to prayer over loudspeakers from the village mosques, but the locals grinned and said that pretty much it would be just the imam in attendance for most of those prayer times.

Now, Turkey might be considered a special case, being European, or at least Europhilic, but I have to say you'd be hard pressed to see anyone we met, or anything in that country as a threat. Such a friendly place, so easy going, relaxed and thoroughly enjoyable. We ate superb food, drank the only choice of local beer - Efes - met wonderful people who will be friends the next time we go back, and generally had the best time of recent years. We discovered that Doggerette and Doggerel Junior are both excellent sailors, as we took a traditional Turkish gulet out a couple of days. Doggerette was cackling with glee as we fought our way home one day against 4 or 5 foot swells; each time the bows crashed into a trough and she got soaked with salt water she was ever more delighted. Cue Buffett's Son of a Son of a Sailor...

The one clue that all might not be quite Euro-ready came on attempting to hit Youtube: the site is blocked due to two court decisions in Ankara. However, of course, in Turkey this has to do with protecting the memory of Kemal Ataturk, rather than Islamic objections to the decadent West.

I'm also reminded of the one Islamic wedding I attended here in Canada, which was so much not what I expected.. informal, fun, the imam cracking jokes throughout and everyone having a decidedly good (although dry) time.

So where is the threat? Where does America Alone come in?

The answer, of course, is within. The true threat is not the ordinary Muslim citizen of any country, be it Canada, Europe, Arabia or Turkey. The true threat is our own leadership, those loony-left leaders who's obsession with multi-culturalism leads them to surrender the Western way of life even before they are challenged to do so. The true threat, I am more and more convinced, is not from Islam per se, but from those non-Muslims who can't wait to hand our way of life over to Islam in the name of tolerance.

Warren Kinsella, Barbara Hall, Richard Warman, the Human Rights Commissions, the Liberal Party of Canada, these are greater threats to Western democracy than the most firy of imams. And certainly way more dangerous than any ordinary man-in-the-street Muslim in any country.

Friday, May 02, 2008

As The Old Proverb Says

Brer Fox wuz stannin' at de back do' wid one year at de cat-hole lissenin'. Eave-drappers don't hear no good er deyse'f, en de way Brer Fox was 'bused dat day wuz a caution.
[1881 J. C. Harris Uncle Remus x.]

Thursday, May 01, 2008

Roll Call

Mohammed El-Masry: Any Israeli citizen over the age of 18 is a legitimate target for Islamic terrorism.

Now let's check the roll of his supporters, shall we?

Warren Kinsella? check.
Big City Lib? check
The Ontario Human Rights Commission? check
Jack Layton's NDP? check

Because you know, if you're the right kind of anti-Semite, if you're our kind of anti-Semite, if you're not white.... then we'll stand with you.

And, you know, when one of us writes hateful things about Christians, well, they can just suck that right up, because you know, that's the right kind of hate.

It's not a Human Rights issue. It's a Right or Wrong issue. And they are all wrong; they are all censors and they are all really saying "you can say what you want as long as you agree with me." That's what their own latest posts and letters make clear.

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

For Kathy

In thanks for her highly entertaining account of the nonsensical press conference of El-Masry's children.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Nearly Two Years of Doggerel

And I've never asked for donations or indeed for any help. Along the way though, I know I've picked up a few regular readers and commenters, and some regular tipsters too.

Therefore, in the spirit of Warman Wednesday, an invitation. I'd like you to read around the blog for the next little while. Browse the Best Of TDPC links, read back in time. Remember such greats as the invention of cat sequestration, or the various Alternate Services books.

And then, if you've enjoyed anything you read, or raised a smile, or indeed, even if you haven't, please click the Paypal donation button on the right and give to the legal defense fund for the Canadian bloggers sued by Richard Warman.

All donations received will be split equally and passed on to the bloggers. If you don't trust me (and you know you can't trust the corgis with anything, although I don't think even they can eat Paypal) then go directly to Kate, Kathy, Ezra and Free Dominion and give directly. I won't be offended and neither will they.

Again... I've never asked for anything on this blog, but after two years I must have written something that's worthy of a donation. So even if you've given already, think about doing it again. For the corgis.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

A Statement By The Ontario Human Rights Commission... October 1940

Issued by Barbara Chamberlain Hall.

The Commission has long emphasized that forms of racism exist in all of society’s institutions. In order to effectively respond to racism, it is necessary to clearly acknowledge its existence.

Racism exists in the media and the media has a significant role to play in either combating societal racism or refraining from communicating and reproducing it. Germanophobia is a form of racism that includes stereotypes, bias or acts of hostility towards Germans, and the viewing of members of the Nazi party as a greater security threat on an institutional, systemic and societal level.

The Commission is concerned that since the September 1939 invasion of Poland, Germanophobic attitudes are becoming more prevalent in society and Nazis are increasingly the target of intolerance, including an unwillingness to consider accommodating some of their beliefs and practices.

Lewis Carroll on Barbara Hall

Fury said to a mouse,
That he met in the
house, 'Let us
both go to law:
I will prosecute
you.-- Come, I'll
take no denial;
We must have
a trial: For
really this
morning I've
nothing to do.'
Said the mouse
to the cur,
'Such a trial,
dear Sir, With
no jury or
judge, would
be wasting
our breath.'
'I'll be
judge, I'll
be jury,'
Said cunning
old Fury:

'I'll try
the whole
cause, and
condemn
you
to
death.'

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Flying..... High

Dr. David Salisbury, Ottawa's Chief Medical Officer of Health and vocal proponent of the free crack-pipe program in that city, has been appointed to Transport Canada as the Director of Civil Aviation Medicine, reports the Ottawa Citizen. Dr. Salisbury has graced the pages of TDPC before.
Dr. Salisbury, who is 53, said his new job will involve setting and maintaining standards for the medical fitness of pilots, flight engineers and air controllers for civil aviation, and ensuring that high standards are met internationally.
There is as yet no word on when Canadian air carriers will be forced to begin carrying crack pipes and exchange needles on domestic flights.

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Step Away From The Hedgehog

A man in New Zealand has been charged with assaulting a teenager using a hedgehog as a weapon, the NZ Herald reports.
"It hit the victim in the leg, causing a large, red welt and several puncture marks," said Senior Sergeant Bruce Jenkins, of Whakatane police. "He was arrested shortly afterwards for assault with a weapon, namely the hedgehog."
H/t Doggerelle.

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Life Imitates Art

Art.

Life.

Keeping The Flame Alive: Chinese Special Forces and the Olympic Spirit

Doggerelle spotted this piece in the Daily Mail today.
Referring to the Chinese security guards, who were in France yesterday with the torch on the next leg of its world tour, he [Lord Coe] said: "One thing in Paris is to get rid of those guys. They tried to push me out of the way three times. They are horrible. They did not speak English. They were thugs." Wearing blue tracksuits, the 14 minders surrounded the symbolic flame, pushing anyone who tried to get near, as it was relayed 31 miles across London.

...

Miss Huq, one of 80 torchbearers said: "The men in blue perplexed everyone. Nobody seemed to know who they were officially or what their title was. They were very robotic, very full on, and I noticed them having skirmishes with our own police and the Olympic authorities before our leg of the relay, which was confusing.

"They were barking orders at me, like 'Run! Stop!' and I was like, 'Oh my gosh, who are these people?'

...

It was reported the men have been recruited from Chinese special forces brigades. Some came from the feared Flying Dragons and the Sword of Flying Dragons counter-terror units.
What are Chinese special forces doing on the streets of Western capital cities? Why are foreign troops being allowed to stifle protest and dissent in these cities? Just what do special forces have to do with the Olympic ideal?

UPDATE: The Times has an in-depth look at the blue-suits, and the UK opposition are asking the same questions.

Liberal Infighting Caught on Camera

No doubt, the Liberal Party of Canada is anxious to keep their infighting over the leadership of Stéphane Dion from public view, as this article suggests. However, TDPC has obtained exclusive footage captured at a recent Liberal caucus meeting.

Sunday, April 06, 2008

You've Got Questions...

Today at our church was Big Question Sunday, when the children are encouraged to write down any questions and the rector does his best to answer them. One of the questions was about the liturgical colours and why certain colours are associated with particular seasons. The rector asked the children what they thought of when they saw the colour green.

Typical three year old: Leaves and grass.
Doggerette (also three): Slimy frogs.

Needless to say that brought the house down. Either we're doing something wrong, or very, very right. I'm not sure which.

Bias Begins At Home

Someone from the CBC in Toronto has been gracing TDPC with their presence, having arrived here after Googling 'cbc bias'. Here's a hint, people: Look closer to home...

TDPC Exclusive: New Warning Labels for Wireless Routers

In another corgi exclusive, TDPC has obtained artwork created by the government of Canada for warning labels that will shortly be required for all wireless routers, gateways and network appliances sold for use in Canada.


The labels will be required at the request of Ian Fine, Senior General Counsel of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, who in an interview with the National Post newspaper recently said that hijacking open wireless internet connections to post incriminating material was "an appropriate process," and that if consumers find their internet connection hijacked and their name dragged out in CHRT proceedings, that's their own fault for not securing their devices.

Friday, April 04, 2008

Curious Coincidence?

Another curious set of facts came to light when the corgis were sniffing out CHRC investigator Sandra Kozak. Googling Sandra Kozak brought up the website www.worldtravelplus.ca which appears to be a franchised independent travel agency operated by... Sandra Kozak.

The travel site gives a fax number which is in the Perth, Ontario area, but the telephone number given is a Rogers wireless number. The site notes that calls are accepted from 9am to 9pm on that wireless number, and talks about 'flexible working hours.' Some people might find it odd that a business would provide no landline telephone number on which they can be contacted.

The WHOIS information for that domain lists Sandra Kozak as the domain owner and gives both the same fax number and a Perth area landline telephone number.

The existence of this business, in the same area and operated by someone with the same name is not conclusive evidence of moonlighting. However it certainly seems a little odd. It's to be hoped there is an innocent explanation, because if not, that would only raise more questions about potential conflict of interest issues in CHRC investigations.

Everyone Says Things They Wish They Could Take Back...

Like this for example. h/t Doggerelle.

Thursday, April 03, 2008

Warren Kinsella

This post contains strong language and is not suitable for children. Viewer discretion is advised.

I have been banned from commenting at Kinsella's blog! So that leaves me no choice but to make the following observation in public.

Coming from England, I occasionally find people who are the perfect fit for the epithet 'wanker'. I don't use it lightly. However, in this latest case, I think Kinsella proves that he's not even a wanker - just the after-stain.

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Who Is Sandra Kozak?

Recent events have highlighted the antics of several of the Canadian Human Rights Commission's current and former investigators - Internet pseudonyms, wireless bandwidth theft, entrapment and so forth. All of which begs the question: How do these people get recruited, and aren't there any standards, checks or balances in the process?

To help answer this question, let's consider another of the CHRC's investigators. Sandra Kozak is the investigator assigned to perhaps the highest profile case du jour, that of the CIC's complaint against Macleans magazine. We know lots about Dean Steacy, and way more than we would wish to know about Richard Warman, but what of Sandra Kozak?

Rewind to April 1996, when Sandra Kozak was a constable with the Carleton Place Municipal Police Service. She was also in a relationship with a local man - we'll call him Mr. X. That April, X was arrested and charged with possession of stolen property and criminal harrassment. He already had other convictions for theft and assault. Following the arrest, Kozak's relationship with the criminal came to light.

An investigation ensued and Kozak was charged with discreditable conduct on Tuesday July 2nd, 1996. The charge alleged that between January 12 and June 12 of 1996, Kozak's relationship with X was likely to bring discredit to the force. Between April and August of 1996, X was additionally charged with four breaches of undertaking in relation to the original harrassment charge. Kozak continued her relationship with X throughout this time. On August 16, 1996. Kozak pleaded not guilty to the charge of discreditable conduct.

The hearing into the charges began on Monday January 20, 1997. The Ottawa Citizen ran an interview with X and Kozak the following day:
On Monday morning, [X] and Kozak talked as they waited for lawyers to return to the hearing. While he was being interviewed, she grasped [X]'s arm, saying "He's a good guy. Really."

[X], who works for a local car dealership, said he can't understand why his relationship with Kozak has become such a big deal. "Everyone's made mistakes," said [X], 27. "Sandra has helped straighten me out... (The Carleton Place police) should see this as a good thing." Neither Kozak nor any of the lawyers involved in the case would comment. - Ottawa Citizen, January 21, 1997 page C5
On January 30, 1997, Sandra Kozak resigned from the Carleton Place Police Service after reaching a financial settlement and an agreement for the discreditable conduct charge to be dropped. The next day, she was more talkative with the Ottawa Citizen:
One day after resigning from the Carleton Place police force under a cloud of scandal, Sandra Kozak will begin her quest to return to the law-enforcement ranks. "I'm going to be looking at any other policing opportunities," said Kozak, who hopes to remain in Eastern Ontario. "It's what I want to do and I'm not going to let this get in my way."
...
But it may be difficult for Kozak to catch on with another force. Applicants undergo an extensive background check and the charges of discreditable conduct would inevitably come up, even though they have been dismissed. "(The charge) is
definitely something we would consider when we assess a candidate's application," said Staff Sgt. Richard Murphy of the Ottawa-Carleton police.

Kozak says she will continue to live at her Perth area home and will continue her relationship with [X]. - Ottawa Citizen, Friday January 31, 1997, page D4
So Kozak may have found that those charges might have made a career in policing more difficult.

In fact, one would think that it would make any career in law enforcement more difficult - after all, surely even quasi-judicial agencies would be looking for sound judgement, not people who would place themselves in conflict of interest situations by becoming close to either complainants or the targets of their agency's investigations.

That this is not the case at the CHRC should come as no surprise in the light of what we have learned about that agency this year. They don't seem too fussy about what their people do on the job, never mind before they're even hired.

Ottawa Union Boss Kicks Dead Toddler

... metaphorically. Ottawa firefighters union baron Peter Kennedy lost no time in taking the body of a toddler who died in a house fire Monday in one of Ottawa's poorest social housing neighborhoods and turning it into a political football.

Even before the child is buried, Kennedy finds it appropriate to use the tragedy as a prop in his posturing and griping for more resources. Even if there is anything in what he has to say (which is doubtful, as it comes across as just traditional Big Labour rhetoric) it's despicable to use the death of a child in this way.

Monday, March 31, 2008

Montague By-Election Result

Congratulations to Bill Dobson, elected Deputy Reeve of Montague Township this evening. The result of the byelection matched pretty much what I would have expected. I think Bill will do a great job, and I hope that both Pat Dolan and Vince Carroll will continue to play an active part in township life and politics because they both have a lot to offer. All three have strong support in the township.

The best part of the result for me is the turnout - over 1,200 votes cast. Electronic voting seems to have really worked and it should give food for thought to Elections Ontario and Elections Canada. In rural areas such as ours, turnout in all elections would likely be dramtically improved through the option of internet and telephone voting. It would seem to be worth pursuing at all levels of government. It won't stop Liberals buying TV sets for native voters in Saskatchewan, of course, but no voting system is perfect.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Fitna Pulled: CHRC Investigates Successful Anti-Hate Tactics

As the Dutch film Fitna is pulled from Liveleak after staff received death threats, no doubt Warman, Kinsella, Steacy et al are carefully studying the anti-hate tactics used in this case to effect such a successful and speedy resolution. If only Canada had laws allowing people who publish controversial material that disagreed with Lucy Warman to be threatened with summary execution, how much better their world would be.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Investigation Begins Into Quebec Brawl

An investigation has been launched after a brawl in Quebec that left Liberal leader Stephane Dion seriously damaged. Chief Investigator Jason 'Clouseau' Cherniak alleges that while M. Dion was on a peaceful tour of the maritimes, members of the Quebec wing of the Liberal Party charged across the country and began punching M. Dion mercilessly. It is claimed that there may have also been some taunting involved.

"M. Dion was doing what he has done since he became Our Leader," said Clouseau. "Nothing at all. This was an entirely unprovoked attack."

Witnesses say that M. Dion did not fight back, but curled up in a ball while the attackers landed nearly a dozen press stories on him.

That Ontario Economic Policy In Full

Tax. Spend. Repeat.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Don't Be Fooled

As Jonathan Kay makes clear, opposing the thought-crimes provisions of Section 13, and the dirty tricks of the 'investigators' who prosecute them does not make one a Nazi.

On that same note, just because Cherniak looks like an idiot and writes like an idiot, don't be fooled. He actually is an idiot.

Monday, March 24, 2008

TDPC Corgis have a submission for the Guinness Book of Records

Rumour has it that Doggerel celebrates his 280th birthday today.
The corgis are most impressed...

Overfeeding The Troll

Apparently, while I was sleeping and preparing to wake up to another year of advancing age this morning, the world of the Blogging Tories was being rocked by controversy over a comment appearing on this very blog, which contained an off-colour joke about Warren Kinsella's father.

Since I am the custodian of the offending comment, let me make some remarks.

1. It's out of line, no question.
1a. My own father died (as I made inferentially clear in my original post) of colon cancer when I was 14. No, I don't want or need anyone's pity. But I do get why the comment is out of line. I get that at a very personal level.
2. I'm not going to censor it, because the marketplace of ideas is already dealing with it.
3. Nobody has complained to me about it.
4. Warren had not complained to anyone about it, doubtless recognizing it for what it was, and the author for who he is.
5. Those who started the complaint chorus are riding uninvited to the defence of Warren Kinsella, who is clearly more capable of defending himself than half the bloggers out there combined, and has his own blog and his own high profile in political circles with which to do so.
6. The ensuing controversy, wailing and gnashing of teeth is giving the commenter in question exactly what he wanted; in fact I would say it was force feeding the troll to the extent that he'll end up as foie gras before we're done.
7. Dignified silence, which is what Warren himself was observing, would have been by far the best and most effective response, as well as displaying the most character.

It's a stupid joke from a well known troll. Period. It doesn't say anything about 'the right'. It certainly doesn't say anything about the Conservative Party, and I don't even see it as saying anything about me.

I now return to my regularly scheduled birthday celebration commiseration.

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Enough Is Enough

Warren Kinsella has finally succeeded in provoking me. I know, I know, it's not usually worthwhile to feed the trolls. Up until now I have managed to avoid tackling any of his pro-CHRC, pro-Warman, pro-Steacy, pro-dirty investigative practices, pro-thought control screeds. But Mr. Kinsella has overstepped the mark today.

In a post about the rather sad 'march' by 25 (or thereabouts) white supremacists in Calgary today, Kinsella has the audacity, the gall, to tell me what my father fought for in the Second World War. According to Kinsella, my father didn't fight for freedom of speech, or freedom from state tyranny, or freedom from state control over every aspect of human existence. No, what he was actually fighting for was to stop those 25 sad muppets from marching in Calgary today.

How dare he tell me, and the millions of other children and grandchildren, what their forbears sacrifice was about? How dare he presume to set himself up as the arbiter of what such a momentous and complex event as the War was about? It's an insult and a slight on every single veteran and every single member of their families.

Now, since I knew my father in person, at least until I was 14, let me tell you what he fought for. He fought for the right to true freedom. Freedom of thought. Freedom of association. Freedom to question. Freedom to judge. Freedom to own and protect property. Freedom to create and publish. He fought for freedom from state control of thought, property, reproductive rights, political views and association.

Now, Kinsella always avoids dealing with the fundamental double standard he espouses. Those of us who recognise that freedom is indivisible, that your freedom is my freedom and vice versa are not debated by Kinsella, but simply labelled Nazis, because today's target of the HRCs and their supporters happens to be the neo-Nazis. It's convenient that an unpopular and undesirable group is under attack by the HRCs, but it is of no reassurance to any right thinking person. Because yesterday the HRC target was white supremacists. Today it's Macleans magazine and Ezra Levant. And tomorrow, well, tomorrow who knows?

My father didn't fight against Nazism just because it is an odious and repellant belief system, although it is. He fought against the tyranny that underpinned Nazi Germany at a deeper level too - that tyranny that exists anywhere a state controls the thoughts and actions and very beliefs of its citizens. It doesn't matter whether the code of belief was drawn up by Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Castro, Trudeau, Warman or Kinsella. State enforcement of a code of belief (or a code of non-belief) is tyranny, plain and simple, and it's the enemy of freedom. It was my father's enemy, and he saw it regaining the upper hand in the years before he died. Not long before then, he said to me that there is nobody less tolerant than a liberal, and what prophetic words those have turned out to be.

So don't you dare tell me that my father fought on your side of this issue, Kinsella. You're everything that's wrong with the Canadian political system. You're what Jason Cherniak wants to be when he grows up. You're all about winning and nothing about values. You're all about labels and nothing of substance. You're all about using the HRCs to silence people with whom you disagree. You're all about freedom for you and censorship for them. One rule for you and one rule for them. One rule for Liberals taking taxpayer dollars and another for those poor people who pay the taxes in the first place. You're just as elitist, just as tyrannical, and just as much a dictator as those you profess to despise.

As for those 25 idiots in Calgary today? I'm willing to bet the 200 counter demonstrators shouted them down pretty well, and that's what freedom is all about.