Defying the Powers the Be!
Michael Ignatieff, author of 16 books, deep thinker, teacher in an American college, was faxed to the riding of Etobicoke-Lakeshore as part of the process of getting him into Parliament, then into cabinet, and ultimately into 24 Sussex Drive and in charge of the country.
This is called democracy.
In a blow to democracy, a well-known resident of Etobicoke-Lakeshore has decided to follow his conscience:
In a last-minute blow to high-profile Liberal candidate Michael Ignatieff, the president of the party’s riding association in Etobicoke-Lakeshore swung his support today to Conservative rival John Capobianco in Monday’s federal election.
The controversial process by which Ignatieff was acclaimed the candidate over local hopefuls ruled ineligible by the party was a major factor in the decision, said Ron Chyczij, who had hoped to contest the nomination himself.
“I can no longer in good conscience support the Liberal candidate in this riding,” he said in a statement released this afternoon.
“After the nomination fiasco, I’ve purposely waited on the sidelines to see if Michael Ignatieff can in some way redeem himself as a credible Liberal candidate in this riding . . . this has not happened.”
Toronto-born Ignatieff left his job at Harvard University near Boston in mid-December to run in the election and teach at the University of Toronto after being out of the country for almost 30 years.
He bought a condominium near the university last year; he does not live in the riding.
Chyczij knows not the powers he defies at his peril.
The Liberal Party! Oooooo, scary-y-y-y.
On the other hand, maybe he does know, and maybe the Liberals just don't seem so intimidating anymore.
(via Bourque)
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Comments
And David slayed the Philistine Goliath.
And then Saul chased the remaining Philistines from the land of Israel.
Yes, I think thats how the 'SCARY' story ends.
This stuff just writes itself; who would believe this if a script writer had put together all the gaffes and pitfalls of the Liberal campaign?
Posted by: Hans Rupprecht at January 20, 2006 05:03 PM
(Can't resist.) Parsing/critical analysis/subtextual criticism/ annotating/ & "Q" sourcing is allowed, Professor. >
And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men. (KJV)
Posted by: maz2 at January 20, 2006 05:16 PM
Let here the libs why one of their MP's had to resign to make room for MI to parachute into yet a nother riding costing another $300,000+ for a bi-election. the grits may be messed up for longer than we even thought if MI goes down. Lets hope so.
You cannot buy this kind of comedy!!
Posted by: rob at January 20, 2006 05:18 PM
...wonder when the "made for TV" documentary will be out on the Liberal regime...
...speaking of scary, you outta see the wife's burnt offering of a roast we're having tonight...
...oh oh, here she comes...
>>>RUN>>>
Posted by: tomax7 at January 20, 2006 05:24 PM
As part of electoral reform, they should have residential restriction, on candidates...
IE: Candidates must live within x miles of the riding, for at least 6months(1 year or whatever) prior to the election being called...
I thought this was a big part of the democratic deficit that PMPM was supposed to fix.
And while on the topic of electoral reform... What do you think of the NDP's representational reform?
I dont like it, because the reforms would remove the MPs responsibility to represent their communities and would represent partisan interests instead. Not a recipe for constructive parliaments. Also this would give seats to the waco protest vote parties, the Marxists, the Pot heads, Rhino, Green... Anyone who can muster up 5% of the vote, may get a seat in parliament. It may make for interesting theater, but is highly unlikely to actually be constructive.
What I would like to see:
-Keep the most vote wins system
-add a fine for not voting
-since where forcing everyone to vote, add a 'none of the above' choice on the ballot.
-use the fines to finance the governements cost of elections - thus taxpayers arent (fully) on the hook, for unexpected elections should a minority government fall.
-if none of the above wins... all parties must pick new candidates, (independent runners get droped) and a by-election is held in 30 days...
I think this is simular to the reforms that australia (or new zealand)enacted a few years ago.
What do you think?
Posted by: Curtis at January 20, 2006 05:45 PM
Interesting news:
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Metro/478450.html
Article on the CSL lines getting rid of Canadian sailors for offshore specials...
Posted by: tomax at January 20, 2006 06:07 PM
I work with single mothers and Harpers’ plan for daycare is really worry too me and them. Will the private sector fill the gap and how much will it cost to send their children to daycare? I worked on a tax form today for one of the women and I can’t see how the lowering of the GST will help her at all. She barely makes enough to get a little over the minimum back in GST rebates, her savings doesn’t even cover the cost of bus fare. Speaking of bus fares since she doesn’t pay any income tax how does she get the credit? Seems to me that a lot goes to the upper middle income bracket and the amount goes down ending at nothing for the ones that need help the most. Good thing that he’s putting more police on the streets as the crime wave will grow because the poor have nowhere to turn.
Do we have a clear picture of what Harper's plans are to make sure we don’t run a deficit?
Posted by: sam at January 20, 2006 06:08 PM
sam, let me introduce you to a little thing I like to call "reality" since it appears you've lost touch with it.
I work for a living. So does my wife. The real estate market in Vancouver doesn't give us much choice. We have two kids; the nuclear family incarnate. Result: we needed daycare. The "private sector" as you put it took care of our requirements and we paid for that service.
The Liberals have been talking about daycare for decades but it never happened. Even if they had, in all likelihood, we wouldn't have qualified for spaces because we make too much money. Never mind that we spend that money on housing. In other words, we would have to pay for daycare even if the Liberals had kept their promise.
A reduction in GST? That will touch every citizen who wears clothes or buys school supplies or has a car or... well, the list could go on. Saying a reduction in GST only impacts the rich is plainly wrong and if you don't see that from your ivory tower, you have a problem.
Posted by: Mac at January 20, 2006 07:03 PM
what was the topic?
it's hard to stay on topic when everyone's all over the map.
we all know how the libelists run their political machinery. look how they dug trudeau out of retirement to front the backroom boys requirement to never need another election. one last hurrah eh? don't any of you libelists worry, we've got sacha, or justin, or maybe the drunkard margaret. they are going to have quite a time dropping anyone into any riding if the rules change. don't think we're not putting a committee together to implement ruining their day.
Posted by: Ottawa Core at January 20, 2006 07:14 PM
On Monday, January 23, 2006 will be just filled with surprising news for all Canadians; the news of loss of election for those, who call themsleves the Liberals, but they are commiting all sort of deception, lies and political shenanigan.
Earlier in the week, I had predicted the Liberals, who are responsible to the expansion of poverty, slums, gangs, slavery and lawlessness in Canada will not win this election.
This issue is too important, why Prime Minister Paul Martin and his Liberals are choosing demagogy and ostentation instead of being honest with people.
The academic immigrants in Canada are saying if Canada is a constitutional monarchy and a Commonwealth Realm with a federal system of parliamentary government, why Chairman of Canadian Steamship Lines, whose secrets for buying of CSL with over $ 160 millions loans from the Royal Bank of Canada are unknown, has been able with his formers employees like David Herle,Terrie O'Leary, Tim Murphy, Ruth Thorkelson and others violate the laws of this country?
What does it mean we say Canada has the strong democratic traditions, when Paul Martin and Liberals are sending thousands scientists and acadmic immigrants into the torture's chambers of GULAG of poverty, unemployment, slavery, humiliation and the gradual deaths?
The scientists from immigrants are emphasizing if many of the Canada's legislative practices derive from the unwritten practices of and precedents set by the United Kingdom's Westminster parliament, why in Canada we have a dictator like Paul Martin, who gives no values to MPs of the House of Commons; why he expects MPs must be the toiletpapers-servicemen in the washrooms of the PMO in the Wellington Street in Ottawa; why he expects Ministers must be the agents for his wills; why Paul Martin and the Liberals are buying some businessmen from every communities and ethnicities and give them some important jobs so that they can collet votes for the Liberals; why the most of the governmental jobs are given by the patronage system for their friends and loyalists and are deporting scientists to GULAG?
As a scientist with a PhD degree in the biomedical sciences from Germany, I would like to say if party discipline in Canada is strong and authorities are claiming even it is stronger than in the United Kingdom, why the Liberal party of Canada is the mother of all sorts of corruptions, ostenation, deception, demagogy and GULAG's character?
If the Liberal Party claims that more of the votes in the elections are considered confidence votes, why so many political games and accusations to other leaders from Paul Martin and his Liberals?
The academic immigrants know the political system under which Canada operates, is known as the Westminster system, was enshrined by the British Parliament in the Constitution Act, 1867 (also known as the British North America Act), but these academic immigrants don't understand what system is when the Liberal Party of Canada and Paul Martin have made the House of Commons as the place for gaining more shares from the national budget for their influenetial and friendly firms in Toronto's Bay Street and other major cities.
We as academic immigrants know that in 1931 the British Parliament passed the Statute of Westminster giving legal recognition to the autonomy of Canada and other dominions, but we don't know when the British Parliament has passed the GULAG's laws for the expansion of poverty, slavery, deprivation and the gradual deaths for the academic immigrants in Canada.
I know that Canada's constitution on that times required the approval of the British Parliament; my question is: Does Paul Martin and his Liberals got the apporoval of GULAG of poverty and discriminatory measures from the BRITISH Parliament? or they are expanding GULAG because of the profits of the big corporations in TORONTO's Bay Street?
As a scientist with a PhD degree in the biomedical sciences from Germany and the recognition in Canada, after more than 2 years and thousands applications for employment to all institutions, to MPs, To Ministers, to Public Service Commission, to PMO, I have been ignored.
Prime Minister Paul Martin and his Liberals as the officers of GULAG in Canada, have deported me into the tortures chambers of GULAG of unemployment, ignorings, poverty, humiliation, and the gradual deaths.
Are all these measures against the lives of scientists based on Westminister-style democracy?
Are the tortures of GULAG approved in the House of Commons?
Why terrors? Why ignoring? Why elimination of lives and hopes?
How long ignoring? Do you have another colour for your blood ?
I am very disappointed.
Yours Sincerely,
A. Diba, PhD
Posted by: Abbas Diba at January 20, 2006 10:00 PM
Great Steyn column on Ignatieff:
http://www.macleans.ca/culture/books/article.jsp?content=20060123_119725_119725
Hey! Steyn writing for MACLEANS ...!?! Who'd a thunk it
mhb23re
Posted by: MHB at January 20, 2006 10:45 PM
This is funny.
So I leave a post on Jason Cherniak's blog on how I believe Paul Martin was a bad (Canada's worst) Prime Minister because he is SELFISH and put his own interests before himself and that of his party.
Then I find a Toronto Star article that says the same thing an hour later:
"Voters accept that politicians will say almost anything to get elected. But prime ministers are diminished when they make national interests subservient to partisan advantage. That's now a recognizable Martin trait. Just as he sacrificed the party to capture its leadership, Martin twice made the country's priorities second to his own at critical times."
Then I leave another post on Gerry's blog about everyone and his dog knowing what the worst part of the Martin campaign was except that there are so many different opinions on this you can't keep them straight and a couple hours later, find another Toronto Star article today that opens like this:
"Everyone knows the moment when it went so wrong for Paul Martin. It's just that every moment is different."
This is just too funny. The Toronto Star is a right-wing rag, I tell you.
Posted by: Chris from Victoria, BC at January 21, 2006 05:15 AM
lol - Doh! Okay it isn't two different ones (it's late; I'm tired; it's all Jean Chretien's people's fault) the same beautiful article, 'Martin damaged beyond repair' by James Travers of the Toronto Star.
Night everyone. Have a great weekend and election!
Posted by: Chris from Victoria, BC at January 21, 2006 05:21 AM
 
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