TWO FOR THE PRICE OF ONE

 TWO BLOGS THAT IS...

PART ONE:

Yesterday, saw the verdict come down for Derek Chauvin who was convicted of the murder of George Floyd which took place a year ago in May.

Chauvin received 22.5 years.

Which was far too high.

First off, he was not guilty of murder but rather manslaughter.  And even in the inflated sentences handed down by American Courts he should have received no more than 7 to 8 years.

So why manslaughter and not murder?  Despite how reckless Chauvin acted, it happened when he was engaged in his duties.  Floyd was accused of trying to pass counterfeit money.  And, I cannot believe he intended to kill Floyd but he certainly showed reckless regard for life and hence my full support of the lesser conviction.

So why do I think the Judge imposed such a harsh sentence?  The answer is quite simple - the Judge  gave into society's rage.  In a normal case, the Defence would ask for a Neutral Setting to ensure an impartial venue but, of course, in this particular case no such setting existed throughout the entire United States.

I spoke about America being too tough on crime - here in Canada... it is just the opposite.  Judges here tend to deliver much lighter sentences.  As an example, a friend, I used to work with, brother was murdered here in Ottawa a number of years ago. The brother was celebrating an income tax return at a local bar and came upon two characters who soon took advantage of his generosity.  At 'last call' one of these thugs asked the brother for another drink to which he replied by saying he was tired and wanted to leave.

In their car they all hopped and just a few miles down the road - the  thug in the passenger seat in front reached under the seat and pulled out a gun - turned and shot to death the brother who was seated in the back.  The killer then turned to the thug driver and announced "that will teach the SOB for not buying me another beer".

So what did his sentence consist of?  Life?  25 years? Or even 10 years?  No remember we are speaking about the Canadian Criminal Judiciary;  four (4) years behind bars seemed adequate punishment for out and murder to our Progressive Judge.

Part Two:

This week too saw Jody Wilson-Raybould write to our Prime Minister urging him to focus on the needs of Canada's Native Population rather than preoccupy himself with planning for an Election pundits expect to occur late this Summer.  J W-R request came in light of nearly 1,000 native children bodies being discovered recently in unmarked graves on the grounds of two former Indian Residential Schools located in Western Canada.   The M.P herself is aboriginal and recently held the very prestigious position of  Justice Minister of Canada. As you can tell, I have much respect for this most honourable person. 

Enter Carolyn Bennett, our country's Minister in charge of Crown-Indigenous Relations, who fires off a reply back to J W-R  containing but one word ..."Pension".

For anyone reading this from outside of Canada ...a little background:

    Our Members of Parliament must serve for a minimum of 6 years before they qualify for a life-time pension.  Many current Members - including J W-R, will not qualify for the pension until this coming October.  So what Bennett was suggesting in her one word reply was that Wilson-Raybould was not concerned at all about the plight of our natives but rather her main and only concern was to see an Election delayed until the October Pension Deadline had passed.

Hogwash of course and even though I have little regard to Bennett the reaction by our Left Wing Press, the Progressives and of course the Native Spokes-People has been over the top.  Here is a sample of  what they are saying as a result of Bennett's one word reply:

    "With the one word reply you not only decided to perpetuate a damaging racial stereotype that Indigenous peoples are lazy and only financially motivated ..."

Where did that come from ? - To read that into Bennett's one word reply is certainly stretching it.  Again, that is not to say I support in any way what she wrote and put it down to shear stupidity.  For me, what Bennett was suggesting is that Wilson-Raybould was putting her financial situation ahead of her duty as one of Canada's premier politicians.  In fact, there are more than a few who are in it for just that but not J W-R.  

It was a wrong thing and Bennett did the right thing by correctly apologizing.  But to suggest it was other than a crass comment on her part is another sign of weird times we are living in.

As I See It...

K.D. Galagher

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

 I DO NOT USUALLY BLOG ABOUT CITY COUNCILS BUT AM DOING SO TODAY.

And it concerns my own Ottawa City Council.

Just this week, the Chair of the so-called "powerful" City Planning Board was forced to resign for a Conflict of Interest...she was found to have too close a relationship with one of the City's Developers.

When I say 'found' to be in a conflict of interest position it was the City's Ethics Commissioner - Robert Marleau, who concluded thus in his 101 page Report.  He recommended that the councilor be fired from the Board, be docked pay, and that she repay the city for hiring the developer's daughter.

Several years ago, I was on a multi day / night management course with Robert Marleau (Bob) and found him to be a pretty good guy.  He was then Head Clerk of Parliament.  (Later, he would be a positive factor in my being able to return to Ottawa from PEI...it had to do with his arranging a reservation for me in the famous Parliamentary Restaurant which came under his authority).  

In regard to his Report, the Mayor and his cronies voted against docking her pay and requiring the repayment but Council's Left Wing Progressives voted for it and screeched favouritism from the highest rafters.

The Mayor in casting his vote, noted that nowhere in Marleau's long report was there even 1 example of where the Councilor had favoured the Developer in any of her votes.  So I agree with the position the Mayor took.  But as 'they' correctly say, even the appearance of Conflict of Interest is sufficient reason for one to recuse oneself.  So yes, her decision to resign was the correct and just thing to do.

But it got me to thinking....

Are not the five Progressive Councilors in a Conflict of Interest* too?   

    Note my Title today refers to the plural of Conflict of Interest.

For example, it has been reported that there are some 35 non-profit groups in existence to assist the meagre number of Ottawa's homeless.  All supported by the generosity of our municipal taxpayers.  As an aside, I have often wondered if it would not be of greater benefit to our homeless if we dismantled these 35 organizations and gave their tax-dollars directly to them? 

In the Councilor's case, Marleau found that the Developer had donated money to her election campaigns.  I would not be surprised if many of the above-noted non-profiters likewise donated to the Progressive 5.  And, as mentioned ...the Developer's daughter worked in the Councilor's office.  I wonder how many connected to the 35 are also employed in some capacity by the 5 and are therefore on the City's employment rolls.

I cannot prove any of this but I am highly suspicious.  But the underlying issue remains; If it is wrong for a Developer to have a relationship with a Councilor why would it not also be wrong for Non-Profits to have relationships with the Progressive 5.  In fact, the latter may be even worse, since those relationships would exclusively involve Tax-Payer Money.  

Something to think about.

As I See It...

K.D. Galagher

THE APPLE DOES NOT FALL FAR FROM THE TREE

 THE APPLE BEING JUSTIN TRUDEAU AND THE TREE OF COURSE.. HIS FATHER, THE LATE PIERRE ELLIOT.

This is the Blog even I have been waiting for. 

For me - in my time, the worst Prime Minister Canada has experienced was the Father.  I have a long list of reasons for saying this but suffice to focus on the one that was a reason in my selling my law practice and moving here to Ottawa in early 1982.

Interest rates then exceeded 20% as dear Pierre was traipsing across the West telling farmers "why should I sell your wheat" and all the while I had clients going bankrupt and losing their homes.  All that Trudeau Sr. was really interested in was repatriating the Constitution from Great Britain.  A Trust Fund Baby like the Justin of today, he could not possibly realize what life was like for real folks, in the real economy. 

I too have a long list of other reasons why Trudeau the Younger mimics his Father but you know those as well as I do.  There is though an interesting parallel today to yesterday's Interest Rate / Repatriation Debacle. While Rome Burned with Covid 19, Justin put his entire faith in Communist China and as a result not only did it cause bankruptcies here at home but also resulted in the unnecessary loss of life. And while Justin is quick off the mark to apologize for every supposed Canadian fault under the sun - dating back eons, you and I know that it will be a frosty Friday in July when he apologizes for that.  In other words... 'Never'.

And the sad fact is, that come this Fall's Election, he will most likely win and by way of a healthy majority.  And, this brings to mind one of my favourite expressions...'never over-estimate the intelligence of the average voter'. And I say this having greater respect for the average voter than I do for politicians - i.e. those who you always know are lying as soon as 'their lips move'.

One more thing before I finish.

When Justin Trudeau was first elected he promised Open, Responsive and Inclusive Government but as time has shown this was just another of his long list of his empty promises.  This is most evident recently when he accepted to his Party - with arms wide open - the disgruntled former member of the Green Party. You know the one who left her Party because it was not sufficiently Anti- Jewish enough. So I guess he fulfills his one promise somewhat of being 'inclusive' however in this case it pertains to welcoming a bigot into his Caucus.  And yet, if you are Pro-Life as many Liberal MPs privately are, if any were to publicly voice their support for the unborn, they would be bounced out of the Liberal Party quicker than one could say Jackie Robinson. 

So I have experienced both Trudeaus and as I stated at the beginning I believe the Father was worse than the son.  And that brings to mind another favourite expression I have ...Justin Trudeau inherited the good looks of his mother as well as her brains.  I do qualify that somewhat, he did inherit his Dad's arrogance and deviousness.

As I See It...

K.D. Galagher 

 

IF IT DID NOT EXIST...

JULY 5TH  UPDATE:   ONE DOWN AND NOW THE OTHER THREE HAVE JOINED THEM... ALL 4 OTTAWA SCHOOLD BOARDS NOW NO LONGER PERMIT COMMUNITY POLICE RESOURCE OFFICERS IN THEIR SCHOOLS.  BUT...THIS, UNLIKE THE OTTAWA-CARLETON PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD ...DID NOT COME ABOUT BECAUSE OF A DECISION OF THE OTHER BOARDS THEMSELVES, THIS WAS DECIDED BY THE OTTAWA POLICE SERVICE ON ITS OWN.  IN PARTICULAR, THIS WAS THE DECISION OF OUR POLICE CHIEF PETER SLOLY...WHO HIMSELF IS BLACK AND WHO WAS ON RECORD AS SAYING THE PROGRAM WAS 'THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIP THAT (HIS) SERVICE HAS IN CIVIL SOCIETY'.  SO WE HAVE A CHIEF OF POLICE WHO BELIEVES IN THIS PROGRAM, COMPOUNDING THE DAMAGE BY CANCELLING IT IN ALL OTTAWA SCHOOLS.  

 HOW TO MAKE A BAD SITUATION EVEN WORSE CHIEF SLOLY !!

YOU'D HAVE TO INVENT IT...

BUT THE OTTAWA SCHOOL BOARD DECIDED, IN IT'S GOOD WISDOM, TO DEEP SIX IT.

JUST THIS PAST WEEK, The Ottawa-Carleton Public School Board decided to end their Police School Resource Officer Program effective immediately. And, not only that...

In keeping with the current Progressive Environment, they will also "formally apologize to the students and the communities who have been harmed by the presence of police" in their schools...and "will participate in anti-racist and decolonization training".

Be still my heart.  What utter hog-wash !!

It has been shown time and time again that the best policing takes place closest to the people.  That is why Community Policing - that is to say - police walking the beats of our towns and cities, provides the best results for society. 

And that is why I began today's Blog with the admonition that if the Police Resource Officer Program did not exist in (insert any school board's name here) one would soon be devised.  Why so, because it too works !!

The main reason educators give these days for dropping the in-school program is that the presence of police frightens minority groups such as immigrants - ergo, get the cops out of their sight.

But the main reason minority groups themselves do not trust the police to come into their neighbourhoods is because they do not trust the police either.  

So what better way to keep these self-same neighbourhoods permanently ghettoized than to return to the practice of not letting their new generations come to know the police and by so doing no longer fear them?  

When I was a young kid I remember too fearing the police.  I even remember one occasion when a policeman approached a group of us playing together and we ran off - only to quickly return when he called out asking why we were afraid?  We all felt pretty silly.  In retrospect, I believe we would have all benefited from their presence in our schools.

Later in life as a lawyer I became well acquainted with the police and found them to be all human-beings like the rest of us - just trying to do the best job possible.

But I can hear you ...'what is the big deal ?...you are white like the rest of us'.

So true, but my reply to you is that it is therefore even more important to have minority children brought up from a young age not to fear the police and what better way to do it that than via a School's Police Resource Program?  The fact is there is not. 

Plus having police on hand can come in handy as you Natalie well know.  

Anyway to go back to my initial thesis - if the Police Resource Service did not exist ...it should soon exist because it works and is the right thing to do. But ours is a Progressive Society where all that is lacking is Common Sense.

As I See It...

K.D. Galagher

It Has Been A While....

 It has been over a year since I composed my last Blog ...Covid 19 was just building up steam and I was finding it more and more difficult to write about politics and current events since I found them becoming ever so depressing.

Today, I am starting back*...surprisingly, because I find things Today even bleaker...much bleaker in fact and it has nothing to do with Covid and its various variants.

You will see below that I am once again changing my audience focus, actually I am returning to my original focus. When I first started Blogging, way back when, my target audience was my children and grandchildren.  I then refocused to include anyone who might share my interest in world events.  Today, I am returning to my original target audience but all others are more than welcome to listen in.

As I reminder...even to myself, that I am a both a Social and a Fiscal Conservative. (Those who say they are one and not the other are and claim to be a Conservative are simply not being honest with themselves.)  As a Social Conservative I am proudly and unabashedly values based and confident in the knowledge that the cornerstone of society has always been and will always continue to be The Family.  As a Social Conservative, I also believe in helping my fellow man who finds him / herself in difficult circumstances. As a Fiscal Conservative I naturally believe in small government - in balanced budgets and minimal taxation.  Money left in our pockets beats government taxation all the time.  I also believe in maximum freedom, that is to say, governments' involvement in our daily lives should be kept to a minimum. At heart, I am a Libertarian... that is to say,  adults should be free to do what they want as long as their actions do not injure others.  For instance and although I would not recommend it, if someone wants to jump off a cliff, without a parachute, I'd expect that person to take care not to land on some innocent when he hits the ground. 

Okay we know your political beliefs Dad / Grandpa  'but what exactly has worsened over the course of the last year'?

So Glad You Asked !!

First, the World is now a more dangerous place than it was even 12 short months ago.  Wars, Rebellions, Civil Unrest and Terrorist Attacks plague many parts of the World.  China and Russia are both on an aggressive military footing, while their vassal states of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, North Korea keep the caldron  pot of social unrest well and truly stirred. 

Their Armies continue to grow bigger and stronger; while NATO Countries are not keeping up and our own armed forces here in Canada is simply a running joke.  We cannot even procure bubble gum without great delays, steep cost overruns, with zip to show for it in the end. It all reminds me of the run-up to World War II with Winston Churchill crying out in the Wilderness in a futile bid to warn of Hitler's rise.

So what then preoccupies the West? Well Climate Change of course.  It started with the Ozone Scare, morphed into Climate Cooling, then Heating, and finally Climate Change. To their credit, the Progressives finally got it right but no great accomplishment when one considers Climate is always changing.  As you know, once upon a time we had Rain Forests with Dinosaurs roaming freely in our northerly homeland.  Our Climate must have changed !

China and Russia cannot believe their good fortune:  while they continue to pollute and build their forces, we in the West beggar ourselves chasing meaningless carbon reduction goals all the while hamstringing our respective Economies. Alice in Wonderland unchained. 

This would in and of itself be disastrous but there is more...in fact, much more.  Your Democracy is being frittered away. Representatives no longer represent the people; rather they represent Elites and Special Interest Groups.  Government For and By The People has long since gone the way of the Dodo Bird.  And what is left over is decided by an Unelected Judiciary.  Scott (our son) rightfully recently said that "this has come about due to our lack of understanding of our own history and as a result of a general apathy which together represent two massive risks to our collective futures".  Not surprising, since your School Systems did not teach you basic Civics and the fact that Democracy is fragile and can be lost from under use. And now things have become so bizarre that educators are place more emphasis on young children's' sexual identity.  A suggestion for them - let our children be children for Heaven's sake. 

To add insult to injury we are now all classified as Racists...indeed "Systemic Racism" is stated to be rampant throughout all Western Societies (that is to say, White Societies).  It of course utter nonsense but that is the spin advanced by the ever more numerous Progressives. Several Folks I have spoken to of late have bought into this nonsense so my reply to them has been as follows:  So you are a Racist?...their answer Of Course Not ....my next question ...so your family is Racist?...No Not In The Least...they reply - so I guess it is your friends?  No None of My Friends are Racist either.  Well someone must be racist to have our societies called 'Systemic' - so it must therefore be your neighbours?  No, I cannot think of any of them as being  Racist.  At that point they begin to look quite Sheepish.  The fact is, most people... and that most certainly includes all of you, are too busy earning a living, raising a family and worried about how to make your mortgage / rent payments to even have the time or inclination to be Racist.  Plus the fact that even if you were not preoccupied with such, you would not be racist.  Full Stop.  More on this another time.

And that brings me to the last point...Government Debt.  It is out of control. Government Spending was out of control long before Covid but with its advent - the checks and balances on spending have been thrown out the window.  As we all know, Governments today have mortgaged your future and your mum and I will likely be long gone before governments are forced by Credit Agencies to get their financial houses in order.  In fact, Inflation is even now beginning to raise its ugly head and with it will come higher interest rates.  Indeed, as young parents - your mum and I can vividly recall interests rate reaching a spectacular level of 21 and 22 % and we were delighted to secure a mortgage on our home at that time of the unbelievable low rate of only 15%. It is not Covid that is the driving cause of this - it is the Progressives with their hands out like little David Copperfield's please give me more.  I am proud to say that none of you have fallen into that trap...you have worked hard to get where you are and have not relied upon handouts to do it.  That is not to say that many during this Covid Invasion have needed governments' help and rightfully so - but the trend over these past many years have been toward greater deficits and debt.  

Enough Gloom and Doom... for now. 

I intended my next Blog to be about our Esteemed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau...He who lusts for an Election which polls currently indicate that sadly he will win.  However another issue has cropped up in the meantime involving our public school system and it has nothing to do with Gay Flags. Stay Tuned. 

As I See It....

K.D. Galagher  (aka - your father, father-in-law, and grandchildren)