Brave New Math .... still

I've relaunched TDPC's sister project, a site devoted to the issue of the math curriculum in Ontario schools and the shortcomings of the "discovery" method for teaching math.

If this is of interest, then please check out mathrightontario.blogspot.ca. There is a link there to a petition to Education Minister Liz Sandals asking for math curriculum reform.

With Apologies to John Prine

Dear Abby, Dear Abby, I'm just Pierre's son,

I lead the third party and that's just no fun. 

I had to do something to be sure I don't fail,

So let's roll a big doobie, it's time to inhale. 

Signed, Justin Trudeau. 

Putting the Dog back in Doggerel

TDPC is pleased to announce that following an extensive leadership search, it has been agreed that Quincy, a 6 year old Pembroke Welsh Corgi, will assume the position of Supreme Leader, Doggerel Party of Canada later this year. This ends a nearly three year corgi free spell for the Party and will signal renewal, excitement, new policy directions and dried liver treats for all.

Lookalike

The UK has a law requiring student drivers ("learners") to affix L-plates to their car. This is to warn other drivers that they may not know what they're doing, will make mistakes and potentially veer off in all directions causing a mighty wreck.

The Liberal Party of Ontario has a new logo: 

This is to warn people that they may not know what they're doing, will make ....

You get the picture. 

RIP Margaret Thatcher

It's a very sad day for the entire world. 

So much will be written and said that it's hard to add to it, except to say that Margaret Thatcher was a very personal inspiration for an entire generation of us Britons. Love her or hate her, she engaged the people in the life of their nation in a way that we haven't seen since. Politics was about principle, character, tough choices and real life, not soundbites and hairstyles. She inherited a country in the doldrums, near bankrupt and paralyzed by militant trade unionists and she wrestled it into the modern world. She restored our faith in Britain and our faith in ourselves as individuals. She and Ronald Reagan defeated communism and brought democracy back to Eastern Europe. The Thatcher years were exciting years to live in Britain.

The entire world owes Margaret Thatcher a very great deal, and this blogger owes her even more. Rest in Peace.

New! From Doggerel Party Toys: The Folk Hero Series

Doggerel Party Toys (Shanghai) Inc. is proud to announce a new, exclusive line of action figures: The Canadian Folk Hero series. This new series of figures are carefully selected by Canadian icon Karren Winsella and lovingly rendered in Saudi sourced petrochemicals. The series begins with three characters, all of whom are indisputably Folk Heroes of Canada.

1. Warren Kinsella

Warren needs no introduction. The action figure comes with stuffed dinosaur accessory, a can of cat carefully labeled in Mandarin, and a free portrait of Marjory LeBreton knitting. Action features include a working libel suit launcher, a real swelling ego and an oversized wallet with real bragging motion.

2. Richard Warman

The Richard Warman figure comes complete with a free bonus stack of grievances and a pack of hurt feeling cards so you can play Human Rights Bingo. Download the free iPhone or Android app and you can assume up to five fictitious online identities. The app includes a special Richard! button, that will stop anyone in your household from saying anything.

3. Theresa Spence

The Chief Spence doll comes with a 12 pack of canned fish broth and a Cadillac Escalade. Action features on this figure include the "call police" feature. When activated, this will release the Attawapiskat police detachment who will then evict anyone heard asking you a question. The hunger strike action allows Chief Theresa to consume the fish broth¹. Chief Theresa talks too, with a selection of famous phrases: "My hands are tied." "There's no trust." "It's the government's fault."

¹ Weight loss simulated.

Watch toy stores and the left wing blogosphere for your chance to own this exclusive collection!!

Lookalike: The Two Faces of Warren Kinsella

Sharp eyed as ever, the corgis couldn't help but notice the strong resemblance between the two faces of Warren Kinsella: The one that wrote "As both a Catholic and an Ontario Liberal" when addressing an issue of interest to a Catholic audience, and the one who wrote "Look at me, folks. I am a latté-sipping, Kyoto-loving, One-World Government Secular Humanist." when addressing issues of interest to a Jewish audience. Could these faces be related?

Small boy under political fire

A small child today came under intense attack from candidates in the Calgary Centre by-election, after he claimed that the Most High Emperor Obama was not, in fact, clothed in threads of scarlet and finest gold but was rather not wearing any clothes at all.

Ontario to get a woman premier?

So Kathleen Wynne has thrown her hat into the ring to replace Dalton McShifty as chief architect of Ontario's economic ruin. Could she be Ontario's first female premier?

The corgis don't think so. In the words of Austin Powers... that's not a woman, it's a man, man.

Farewell, Dalton

Couldn't let the moment pass without chiming in, although most that can be said has already been said. From the Liberal side of the fence, we're hearing what a great man he was, and how Ontario is a better place after nine years of McGuinty-ism. And if you come from that perspective, why wouldn't you say this? He's been an absolute poster child for the nanny state. He garnered many many Liberal votes, and if you are a Liberal, then that's what matters. The price of those votes doesn't matter, because it's just taxpayer's money - not their own. They'll never have to pay.

And in the end, this is the McGuinty legacy in a nutshell. He's not changed too much on a practical day to day level, except to turn Ontario from a manufacturing province to a welfare one. But he has changed the culture of the province. Ontarians now expect their government to tell them what to do and what to think - and their government to pay for it as well - to a far greater extent than we did ten years ago. He's proved that promises count for nothing - first on taxes, then on Caledonia, and most recently by even turning his back on the Big Labour that brung him.

The tide of socialism has washed large over the province and it will take a very long time and a lot of hard work to reverse it.

Tim Hudak is emphatically not the man for that job. The Ontario PCs should take the chance they've now been offered to get a new leader, a new team, some new discipline, new policy and new message. There's a chance for the amateur hour to end now, and they should take it.