Birdy

Yes, as noted in Bradm's link.

As is any tax.

He's a little pompous. But if you're running a column in a national paper and act as a political commentator on national radio and tv, you surely have a pretty strong opinion on subjects. It sells you. I thought Rex was pretty nice to Danny Williams in this article though considering the subject manner. If anyone is to receive the pompous insult, it should be Mr. Williams.

The US VP Nominee debate is on October 2nd as well.

I don't think they ever even understood the question.

Too bad that sentiment isn't carried on throughout the country. Palin bumped McCain in the polls big time. The whole I'm a working mother with five kids (one with disability, one a teen pregnancy) who shoots and skins caribou, married my high school sweetheart and now am VP running mate to the national Republican party speaks volumes to the general voter and women everywhere. I wouldn't be surprised if she's the deal sealer here. I read somewhere that when factoring in McCain's age, there's a 15% chance she will be president by 2011. Sweet!

[color:purple]YAY STRATEGIC VOTING!

Rex Murphy is no more pompous than any other national columner out there. That's what makes him great.

No, i'm a little weary of his shoot'em from the hip or fuck'em style of politics, mostly in terms of equalization and the burden on other provinces and his own to deal with what his hot topic of today is. His answer to his provinces health care crises back in August was to airlift 1200+ cancer patients out of Newfoundland rather than pay and supply his specialists with what they require to ease their frustrations. Cool, in all of it's purpleness. I'm sure surrounding Maritime provinces health care systems aren't over burdened enough than to take on any and all Newfoundlanders with cancer. I suppose though when you're using tax payer money to advertise your on-going ridiculous school yard wars with the Prime Minister in local newspapers, there's really not enough money left alone for those provincial burden constituents known as cancer patients.

I like Rex Murphy. I personally find Danny Williams a bit of a street fighter when it comes to politics. Sure an escape from the polite backroom handshakes is always welcomed, but realistically, I don't know how much bullying for your province is going to work. I'd be a little afraid if Stephane Dion were the one dealing with Danny's demands.

The gun registry is still costing tax payers in upwards of $100 million dollars per year.

If you have voted in a past federal election and haven't moved, you should get your registered voter card in the mail. If you've moved and/or haven't voted, you can either pre-register as a voter in your riding, or you can do it on election day by bringing in official government issued ID and a piece of mail from a utility company with your current address on it. If you want to pre-register, go here: http://canadaonline.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=canadaonline&cdn=newsissues&tm=21&gps=453_513_1396_897&f=10&su=p649.3.336.ip_&tt=2&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.elections.ca/scripts/pss/FindED.aspx%3FL%3De and look up your returning officer.

Intended use or not...

The point is the intended use of the gun registry as a method to control crime by making guns traceable is not working. Guns remain untraceable, yet two billion dollars are forked into the program, for what? To prosecute those who don't register their guns? I just don't think that's worthy of two billion dollars. I understand the argument against increased police force; however, stats can claims 2007 saw Canada's national crime rate drop for the third straight year in a row, mostly due to decreased vehicle thefts, house break-ins and armed robberies, all which I think an increased police force contribute to. I also think it's not the federal government's mandate as to where Toronto police force extend their presence to. That's a municipal and/or provincial affair.

I can't say I agree this is no longer a hangover economy. This isn't meant as a finger point, but all economies of today exist because of the economies of yesterday. But you're right, it is our responsibility now. I have a few problems with the gun registry. First, what was expected to cost around $100 million ended up costing a billion dollars and now is estimated around 2 billion dollars. A pretty expensive little program. A program that promotes a black market like gun industry in which guns are swapped on the streets instead of sold legally. I get that tracking and knowing whose got guns out there looks good on paper, but what self-respecting criminal is going to fess up and tell the authorities what he's packing? I wouldn't. Then you get all the old boy club types with a collection of 75 rifles kept in their smoking rooms in their fancy mansions. They, for the sake of being all Charleton Heston like aren't going to register their guns either... and really don't have to worry about it. They're not going to be in a position any time soon where they'll get ratted out. So then here we have this two billion dollar government funded program that's kinda only tracking the middle ground of responsible gun owners out there. The criminals are selling the shit on the street and the rich are hiding it in their dens. I personally think that 2 billion dollars could be much better spent.

I think the far right are on crack myself. And think that even if they'd welcome Sarah Palin with open arms out in Alberta, I don't think they would in Ottawa. The CPC (at least to me), isn't the Reform even though with Stephen Harper at the helm and campaign politics people are inclined to think so. I also think over the last six months considerable pressure has been put on the cons and pretty much everyone to do something for manufacturing. The economy six months ago was instable, today it's looking more and more like a recession.

Just saying I agree.

lol... skank! This bitch is crazy. Although, i do think creationism should be taught in schools. Not as a viable alternative, but as a this is what the religious folk think course. Her stance on abortion makes me sick.

admirable pt, but productive? i don't really find anything on here overly productive. i've never seen an open, honest talk comparing policies in my three year existence of running around the same circle. the general consensus in here is harper sucks, conservatives are evil and that's that. so please forgive me when i throw out the dig every once in a while. trust me, far, far, far more digs are thrown out in the other direction. yet, i get the 'oh birdys'. truth be told, i don't mind the liberals and liked Paul Martin. there's just a few key policy moves the Cons make that i like, that the libs don't. Cutting diesel tax - Libs think it's a waste. Yet how many trucks are rolling down the 401 and the trans Canada everyday carrying billions of dollars of Canadian goods? A shit load. Manufacturing's on the brink of full out disaster and with rising fuel prices can barely even afford to move their goods. While I agree that cutting diesel tax does little to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels, realistically these goods need to be moved as jobs and livelihood depend on it. What takes precedence? Jobs or the environment? For me (and i know my place here) it's jobs. That doesn't mean that I don't care about the environment, I just view the Cons environmental approach a little more realistic when you factor in what kind of negative impact it potentially will have on business (ie, Libs taxing pollutants, noble, yes, what will it do to places like chemical valley in Sarnia? shut down city). The Libs approach comes by way of rebates and incentives (where the Cons do the same for us regular gas users), but the problem for these trucks is now, the money is needed now, not at some point down the road when a rebate gets mailed.

I hope you don't forget the sponsorship scandal and the back-patting of loyal liberal supporters on the tax payer's coin... i won't. haha i love this shit.

I agree with you! If crime policy were at the top of my voting priorities, or at least near it, I would vote differently. But nothing is perfect in politics. I'm really looking forward to this election though... seems like with week one done, things have been pretty interesting in a Canadian hoser-like way. I think it's a given Harper's in... but i look more forward to seeing what happens with the Greens and the NDPs and consequently with the Liberals-- they seem pretty vulnerable on all sides right now and could stand to lose a wholllllle lot. I hope all the lefties don't forget the last budget proposed by the Paul Martin liberals with $12.7 billion going to national defence and increased corporate tax cuts now that the ugliness of campaigning days have come upon us.

Yes, I especially loved her belief in God's plan for the world.

?? First five words. I didn't mention murder again, i mentioned 'shot'. Even if it was just an armed robbery, should it only be about the money? Have you ever been robbed?

I don't like that article. I think it a little shallow of the Green Party to call an approach to crime control wrongheaded based upon the difference between economic loss of the victim and how much a government forks out towards it's crime policy. Say if my brother owned a convenience store, was held up at gunpoint, shot and robbed of $1200. The last thing on my mind would be the $1200. My brother was shot. I'm not all for the Cons crime policy though. Is 'national security' the armed forces? If so, that's cool... i just wish they wouldn't call it 'national security' as I find it a little creepy. And the war on drugs approach isn't winning any favours in my books either, mostly in terms of marijuana users/growers. Going after these guys is a waste of time.

I agree with you that a lot of crime is poverty-related but it doesn't deter from the fact that it's still crime... does it? My dad recently defended a dude who killed his wife with a hammer and buried her body in a marsh about four kilometres from where I'm typing this right now. He got the sentence reduced to manslaughter, buddy was given 7 years, and after serving two is in a half-way house as we debate whether it's fair to tax payers to cover increased sentence periods. I'd prefer this guy still be in jail myself. He bludgeoned his wife to death with a hammer. Mind you, i'm all about rehabilitation and forgiveness, but two years? Puhleeze.