Too Young To Die …

 

The papers have been full lately of efforts by various governments to introduce or extend euthanasia.

Belgium’s Senate just passed a Bill that would extend the procedure to children by a vote of 50 to 7 and it now goes to their House for final vote.

Quebec has its Bill 52 which is intended to just kill adults but it is recognized that the Belgium experience plays heavily in Quebec so children will no doubt be added to the list of the doomed in due course.

Quebec always seems to lead the Rest of Canada in such things and for that we can be thankful – thankful that most of us do not live there.

Euthanasia is just another word for cheap – it makes life cheaper.  And don’t think governments will not jump at the chance of easy outs – so to speak – with an ever growing aged population.

There are stories on both sides – those wishing to be prematurely set free from life and those that treasure life and are in no hurry to die.  I am especially moved when I read the stories of the disabled – those who are so vulnerable, worrying that someone will come along and pull the plug on them without their consent.

Sadly they have good cause to worry.

A mother once mentioned to me that she had a girl baby that was seriously disabled and spent all her life in an institution.  She could only communicate with her eyes and one day her mother mentioned to her grown up daughter by then – that it would probably have been best had she not been born.  The daughter made it known to her mum that she was horrified at the thought and it reduced our friend to tears.

A few years later my wife and I attended the daughter’s funeral and it was a celebration of her life.  Many of the staff and residents gave witness of how full their lives had become because of knowing this young woman.

One of the biggest complaints given by those proclaiming for euthanasia is that they fear the pain that comes from the latter stages of dying.

They need not – our family has been heavily involved in Hospice and Palliative Care for many years and advances in medicine in these important areas have brought pain, as well as other discomforts, fully under control. 

So let the euthanasia debate begin.

Fortunately the issues are simple and clear forward -

Either life is sacred or it is not. 

If the former wins out – it is euthanasia that should die.

Should the latter prove victorious – bring it on but life will never be the same.

As I see it…

‘K.D. Galagher’

 

 

 

JAKE EPP

 

Say it isn’t so Jake !!

Christina Blizzard, Queen’s Park columnist, interviewed the Honourable Jake Epp, Chairman of Ontario Power Generation and provided the following account of their meeting:

Blizzard – “First off, what amounts to an outrageous abuse of ratepayers and taxpayers did he want to apologize them at a time when people can barely pay their bills.”

Epp – “I think first of all you should define ‘outrageous’ and I would be glad to answer it.”

Blizzard said she was gobsmacked by his cavalier reply.

I was even more so.

Epp, I thought was a quintessential Tory.

He was a minister in Joe Clark’s ill fated government in 1979 and served as Minister in Mulroney’s Governments from 1984 to 2003.

As such, he is entitled to use the pre-fix Honourable.

But little honour can be found in his response to Blizzard.

I am embarrassed to say that it was only with last week’s release of the Ontario Auditor General’s Report that I discovered Epp was the Chairman of the Board and moreover, has held that post since 2004 having been appointed by the infamous Dalton McGuinty.

Had anyone informally told me that Epp was Chair – I would have thought them wrong since I would  have trouble envisaging someone with Epp’s credentials and reputation within the Tory Party – taking on such a corrupt mess.

Had I been aware from the start – i.e. back in 2004 that he was Chair – I would have still been surprised but would have given him the benefit of the doubt thinking that he had taken the job on to clean things up.

But 10 years have gone by under his stewardship and things have only gotten worse.

I used to work for a chap who later became Epp’s Chief of Staff and he waxed eloquent on many occasions about what a great guy Jake Epp was. A True Conservative, who despised waste and big government.

If an honourable man like Jake Epp can get wrapped up in such a mess … I guess anyone can.

Pity.

As I see it …

‘K.D. Galagher’

 

Breaking Scandal…

 

Two more Tory Cabinet Ministers have been found ordering gold embossed business cards.

This follows earlier disclosure that Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird had done the same – all three cases dating back to the Spring of 2011 but the two recent cases were just discovered through the industrious efforts of the Canadian Press via Access to Information.

This past Sunday the Toronto Star breathlessly reported the following:

“At least two more key Conservatives got gold-embossed business cards contrary to long standing government rules against fancy stationary”.

I guess one could argue whether business cards fall under the category of “stationary” but what cannot be argued is the scale of this transgression.

When Baird was caught out he indicated the cost of the enhanced cards was some $$424.88 whereas standard issue was but $197.75.  So the additional cost was over twice the going rate.  Outrageous.

I can just imagine the press conference the Leader of Her Official Opposition will have:

• We on this side of the House are simply livid with such arrogance…where will it end?  I am calling for both Ministers to resign forthwith.
• Question follows from the reporter representing the Gopher Tribune from Puddle Jump Saskatchewan --- ‘is it not true sir that these transgressions, serious as they are, took place some 3 years ago’?
• Your point? 
• ‘Well I was just wondering how something that occurred 3 years ago can be considered breaking news, especially since this issue has already been thoroughly dealt with in the case of Minister Baird’?
• Arrogance is arrogance and waste is waste whenever it happens.
• ‘And my understanding is that these two Ministers long ago repaid the cost of these cards from there own pocket’.
• Well that technically is true but it leads us to conclude a Duffyesque cover-up is afoot.  How else can you explain politicians repaying the taxpayer from their own pocket.  It simply is not done.
• ‘And now you want both Ministers to resign.  Wouldn’t that result in new business cards having to be ordered and paid for’.
•  
• Chump change in the scheme of things.
• ‘And is it not true sir that the cost to the taxpayer for Canadian Press’ Access to Information Request far exceeded the cost of the gold embossed in the first place’?
• Wrongs should not be discouraged simply because there is a cost attached.
• ‘And just one final question sir, what is wrong with Canadian Minister’s having gold embossed cards’?
• At last a sensible question from you.  We in Canada are known throughout the world as being bland… just think what type of message gold embossed cards will give.  We simply cannot have it.
• Now let’s get a question from someone else – yes you there from Canadian Press.

As I see it…

‘K.D. Galagher’

The Usual Suspects …

 

I attended yesterday’s rally called in protest of the Ontario Government’s wildly expensive green energy program.

The rally took place outside of the Liberal Energy Minister’s Bob Chiarelli’s Constituency Office here in Ottawa and about 250 souls braved the cold to hear a number of speakers dis the high cost of electricity brought to you by the current Government and Ontario Power

I did a recent blog on this so I do not see the need in rehashing here how Ontario consumers – i.e. all of us – are paying through the nose for our lights and heat – some 4x more than our neighbours across the river in Quebec.

These costs have a knock on effect since businesses pass on their extra costs to us or they simply move out of Province.

The situation is reaching critical status – but enough about that…  I want to deal today instead with yesterday’s Rally.

I entitled this piece ‘ the usual suspects’ since the ‘crowd’ consisted of the usual complainers – the Johns and Marys; the Jims and Joans who regularly attend such rallies.  I do not for a minute want to demean their efforts since I consider myself amongst their numbers – indeed, there is lots to protest about this current government … indeed, it is the worst government I can ever recall.

But it is always the same people here in Ottawa who turn out for these protests – be it the Ornge fiasco, the gas plant debacle …what have you.

I was expecting lots more – 500 to a 1,000 given the importance of the issue.  New faces and a greater determination to see these rascals at Queen’s Park called to account.

But alas it was not to be.

Same old – despite their just complaint.

No wonder voting numbers are in serious decline. We seem to be living in a state of apathy.

I did though take away a few things yesterday – mostly issues of concern.

First, while I was there, there were no MPPs in attendance.  Unbelievable.  (Update: apparently Lisa MacLeod – the Conservative’s Energy Critic spoke before I arrived)

On a postive note, in a backhand way, Tom Black spoke – Black is the head of the Ontario Landowners Association and his message to the group was to caution them not to trust any politician regardless of Party.  Perhaps surprisingly, this comment drew loud applause from the mostly card carrying Conservative crowd.

They are obviously disappointed in their own leadership … as I am.  (As an aside, I have come to the conclusion that Tim Hudak needs to go but I realize this will only happen in the most unlikely event that Hudak himself comes to the realization that he is not the man to become Premier.  He needs to do this soon if a leadership change at this point has any chance of succeeding. I won’t hold my breath).

And to prove the point – a Tory Candidate in waiting – namely Randall Denley did speak and when asked what the Conservative Plan is when it comes to Power – he said it is with “Nuclear … they would be building new nuclear facilities.”

I was dumbfounded – I too am a proponent of Nuclear Power but it has its time and place and right now and for the distant future, Ontario does not need more power…nuclear or otherwise.

We suffer from too much power – so much that even at half capacity we have to sell power at a steep loss – some $1.2 Billion over the last 10 months alone.  Chiarelli calls it the cost of a cup of coffee per Ontarian – I would hate to buy my coffee where he does.

So here we have the McGuinty and Wynne Liberals having wasted $billions and $billions on nonsensical green energy and if what Denley says is true – the Ontario Tory’s want to come into power and spend $billions more on nuclear development for power we do not need.  Is this not Alice in Wonderland?

No wonder Black warned the rally not to trust politicians of any stripe.

Heaven Help Ontario…its politicians do not seemed inclined to.

As I see it…

‘K.D. Galagher’