Well, 2007 has left us and 2008 is already under way. First off, the corgis wish all readers (if there are any left) a Happy New Year. Even those who disagree with them.
I'm not proposing to look back at 2007 here, except to note that it was a year of some personal upheaval and career change for me which is what caused TDPC to lapse for the last three months or so. Rather, I'm going to look forward to 2008 and some of the things I expect to be writing about.
First off, it looks as though we will likely be into a federal election sometime in 2008. I followed the last one through the pages of SDA, Stephen Taylor and others and this will be the first campaign where the corgis weigh in with their say. I think I am not giving too much away when I say that Angie will be pushing for the GST on dog treats to be completely eliminated.
Secondly, there will be a major focus in 2008 on issues surrounding free speech and censorship in Canada. The war between the Warman-HRC complex and supporters of free speech will come to a head in 2008, as the Macleans case makes the issue widely visible. TDPC will be committed to challenging censorship and restrictions on freedom of expression. Related, we will be following the libel case in which the operators of the Quebec puppy mill known as "Paws 'R' Us" are suing Lorie Gordon for forum postings she made about a sick dog they sold her. This is expected to go to trial in March.
Thirdly, issues of childcare and education will come to the fore at TDPC headquarters as we look at our first steps into the Ontario education system - or not, as the case may be. We have decisions to make about schooling and after the train wreck of the faith based schools debate in Ontario we'll be looking at education policy and the reality in the classrooms very closely.
But before all of those things happen, it's back to local politics again. The first real post of 2008 follows. Put on your hard hat, safety harness, body armour and flame proof suits - it's byelection time in Montague township.
Add in a regular dose of anything bizarre, fun, interesting or contraversial we come across and it should be an interesting year.
