Is It Just Me, Or Do You Too Believe …

 

That Canada has a Big ‘P’ on its forehead for ‘Patsy’.

In Today’s Liberal Organ, a.k.a. The Ottawa Citizen, Hugh Adami writes a column entitled ‘Canada Shrugs As Immigration Rulings Fracture A Family’.

Sounds awful … doesn’t it, but let’s dig a little deeper into the facts:

Mrs. age 69, was born and raised in the Soviet Union; Mr. age 70, in Cuba.  They subsequently married and lived together in Cuba.

Last year, they made application to Canada’s Refugee Board both claiming Refugee Status and both were rightfully turned down.

Before I go further, you need to understand what is entailed in a Refugee Claim.  Most immigrants coming to Canada come via the standard immigration application, that is to say, they apply in their home country to move and live in Canada for numerous reasons – to be with family, to better themselves economically etc. 

But there is a tiny exception to the rule; a person who has a genuine fear of Persecution in their Home Country can apply within other Countries for Protection under the United Nations Convention for Refugees – that is to say, they can prove they will be Persecuted for Reasons of Race, Religion, Political Opinion and so on. Surprisingly, about 40,000 people per year make such a claim within Canada’s borders.

I worked for the Refugee Board and I suspect less than only 5% of claimants have a genuine claim – it is probably closer to 1 or 2%.  The remainder are ‘cue jumpers’ – rather than apply the normal way to become an immigrant to Canada, they use the short-circuited route of making up false claims for Refugee Status. 

This is what Mrs. and Mr. did in the case at hand.  The Refugee Board correctly dismissed their claims and ordered them both deported – Mrs. to Russia since that is the citizenship she holds and Mr. back to Cuba – he being a citizen of that country.

Now the bleeding hearts.

Cuba arbitrarily refused to take Mr. back so we in Canada are stuck with him.  If I were Harper, I would say to the Brothers Castro – you take back your life long citizen or we in Canada cease playing tourist on your beaches.  I suspect that they would have him back on the next plane out.

But the Adami Article article really focuses on the Mrs. – the Russian Citizen.  Russia will take her back but according to the family she no longer has any ties in that country.  I wonder if that statement could withstand scrutiny but say it is true – so what?  He is Cuban and she is Russian and neither are entitled Refugee Status.  To compound the issue is the fact that Mrs. is in poor health and I need not point out to you that our Health System is now collapsing under its own weight.

The Bottom-line here is why is it Canada’s responsibility to step forward and be the boy scout in this sad but all too frequent a situation?

We always seem to be cast as such.

In the Mahar case, the United States sent him to Syria where he was allegedly tortured but Canada coughed up a cool $10 million dollars for his pain and suffering.

In the current Kahdr case, he cowardly killed a US Medic who left behind a widow and 2 orphans.  And yet, it is Canada he sues and if history repeats itself, he too will likely hit the $million dollar Canadian Jackpot.

So dear reader, I leave it to you to decide what is the right thing to do in regard to Mrs. Russia and Mr. Cuba.

As for me, I would probably reluctantly give in and let them both stay here. But it does make you, as a Canadian, feel used.

I would also like to think that some of our left wing papers would at least be a little more balanced when reporting on such cases – they treat each case like it was the only one – i.e. no big deal – but it is a big deal since, as I said in the beginning, 10s of thousands are making similar requests yearly without the facts to support their claims. The columnists should drop their inflammatory words and admit that the issue is not so cut and dry.

In the end, if we say let them all stay regardless of the facts – then at least shut down the Refugee Board to save a few quid. We’ll need the money.

As I see it…

‘K.D. Galagher’

The Great Presidential Debates …

 

Have Begun.

I have been saying that the upcoming US Election is one of the most important in the history of the United States and indeed in the history of the West and permit me to briefly recap why:

• America’s Debt now exceeds its entire annual GDP – $16 Trillion and counting;
• It’s true Unemployment Rate is above 40% (that is to say, the percentage of those of working age who do not have a job);
• 50 Million – 1 in 6, are on food stamps;
• 100 Million – 1 in 3, are on government assistance;
• The Fed is printing money like its confetti;
• Europe is floundering, riots are occurring daily and the EU may well disintegrate;
• The Middle East in on fire and is ready to explode;
• Iran has the Bomb and is now perfecting its delivery capability;
• Israel is its nearby target whom the Islamists have declared to drive out into the sea;
• China has begun to flex its military might against Japan.

So unless things turn around dramatically, the United States will collapse in on its own weight at a time when the world is in great need of its leadership.

Obama has contributed mightily to this sad state of affairs.  His domestic policies have not staunched the red ink – they have greatly added to the flow.  His foreign policies have not brought about greater stability – just opposite.  And yet…

With an Election but a month away – he should be down in the single digits of support.  He is not –most polls (all?) up to last night’s debate, show him holding a lead over his Republican Rival.

(Even here in Ontario, at least the electorate has finally awoken and now places McGuinty and Company in the low 20s in support – but not so the electorate south of the border).

And there is a lot more at stake there, than here.

So back to last evening. Romney out shone Obama 2:1.  Thank Heavens.

And this being the first of three debates, I believe it to have been the most important one.  Within a few days I predict the polls will reflect better for the Republicans.  Not dramatically, because America is split right down the centre as Romney so aptly put it: ‘47%, the takers, are going to support Obama regardless of his disastrous policies’.  But my friends, the needle is about to move in Romney’s favour.

I have said from the very beginning that Romney will win on November 6th and I am standing by that.  Not just because I am conservative in my philosophy but because we collectively are not strong enough to endure another 4 years of a President who does not have a sweet clue as to the damage he is doing to us all.

 As I see it…

‘K.D. Galagher’

 

 

Part 3 … A Retraction.

 

Post Script Note:  I am going to keep track, under this note, of the other costs that come to light in view of Dalton McGuinty’s Liberal cancellation of the 2 Power Plants days before the recent Provincial Election – included will be costs related to their misguided Green Energy Program:

• While this is heating up, our esteemed leader is heading out on a trade mission to China;  i.e. leaving his Energy Minister Chris Bentley to Twist in the Wind.  Some Leader.  Would you do that knowing Bentley was covering up on your order to do so?
• first, I should have mentioned below that the Province of Ontario – although paying up to 82 cents per kwh – to Solar producers – it must sell “surplus” power each year to other jurisdictions such as New York ‘for a penny or two per kwh or often for free’  In 2011 this cost Ontario $420 Million Dollars.
• $200 Million for constructing power lines from Napanee back to Mississauga where the genuine need for power existed before the Election and exists to this very day.
• $210 Million being the cost of the Province’s purchase of one of the Contractors gas turbines.  Likely the result of the Province buying off a law suit for wrongful cancellation of the pre election contract.
• $167 Million is what TransCanada Power will be paid annually – for 20 years - for operating the new Power Plant at Napanee even if it produces not one kwh of power over those 2 decades.  It is becoming more apparent that a host of other Power Plants – up to 19 throughout the Province – are in receipt of the same deal.

---------

The numbers are beginning to clarify in regard to the McGuinty Liberals’ cancellation of the two Power Plants in Oakville and Mississauga days before the recent Provincial Election.

In my first part, I had indicated that the cost of these cancellations was $1.5 Billion Dollars despite the fact that McGuinty pegged them at only $40 million.  

Now I find out that the $1.5 Billion figure I used was incorrect and now must retract that figure.

You may have already guessed it– the cost is actually much higher…more than $4 Billion Dollars to be more precise.  And I expect before the dust settles on all of this – it will go even higher – much higher.

Let’s recap:

• McGuinty offered the first Contractor – TransCanada Power, in writing, about $750 Million Dollars if it would refrain from suing for breach of Contract;
• In lieu of this payment,TransCanada was given a new Contract, this one in regard to the Construction of a new Power Plant in Napanee Ontario.  The new plant is to be located directly beside an existing Power Plant which has more or less been shuddered for lack of need – i.e. it produces only 1 to 2 % of its generating ability per annum.  (presumably the $750 million payout will be recouped by TransCanada as part of the construction cost;
• Added to that, the Province entered into a 20 year Contract with TransCanada to operate the new unneeded facility guaranteeing TransCanada some $3.3 Billion Dollars over  the 20 years irrespective of whether or not the new Plant generates even 1 kwh of power.
• The Second Contractor, an American Hedge Fund group by the name of EIG Management was in turn offered by McGuinty $82.3 Million Dollars but it turned him down and is now suing the Province for $300 Million for its losses incurred due to the hasty and unexpected cancellation of their contract.
• And added to all this is the fact that in total some 19 new Power Plants have been built by the McGuinty Government – most (all) operating well below capacity and most (all) likely protected by the 20 year sweet heart deal enjoyed by TransCanada. When more details are released with respect to this I will let you know but this is where the numbers can climb much higher.

Our Liberal Paper – the Ottawa Citizen finally deigned to give some coverage to this important issue in today’s paper – it allowed that the Government’s Officially stated cost of $40 million dollars may be somewhat understated and suggested that $240 Million would be more i keeping with reality.  As if.

So we have today the Minister of Energy, Chris Bentley, being censured by the Legislature for Contempt – the first time this has occurred in the history of Ontario.  Bentley – dear reader – could end up in jail while McGuinty is in full backpedal mode.

And speaking of McGuinty – I believe it is now apparent to all and sundry that he will never again lead the Liberal Party of Ontario in another General Election.  As you know, I am saddened by this since this one person has single headedly ruined our once great Province.

In his 9 years in power he has brought Ontario to its knees fiscally speaking – mainly because of his disastrous Green Energy Program.

And with his 20 year contracts noted above and similar ones given to generators of Wind and Solar – the damage will keep on building for two decades to come.

I can’t help but feel that this is so unfair; i.e. that McGuinty will walk away away from the mess and damage he has created, with a very large Public Pension to boot.  

Those who come in behind him, will be stuck with an unmanageable situation as well as stuck with the Lion’s Share of the Blame. 

As I see it…

‘K. D. Galagher’

 

McGinty …Part 2

I would like to begin this second segment by recalling McGuinty’s first major lie prior to his being elected Premier in 2003.

No …not his promise to not raise taxes – that was his Second Major Lie.

The Lie I am writing about is his promise to Parents with Autistic Children to provide funding for IBI – Intensive Behavioural Intervention - for their Children over 6 years of age.

During the Election Campaign of 2003, Dalton McGuinty wrote to their parents and confirmed that one of the first things his Government would do – if Elected – was extend funding to their children over 6 years of age and at that time he noted, most sympathetically, that autism was on the rise and that “it is affecting the lives of an increasing number of Ontario Families.” 

He went on to say that the failure of past governments to grant funding for IBI for those over 6 years – was both “unfair and discriminatory”.

Once Elected, one of the first things his new Government did was to fight these same parents in the Courts to deny them his promised extended IBI coverage.  What a man.

It is in that context then that I would like to review some of his most egregious wastes of money – your tax dollars and mine down the drain:

1. First, let’s start with Dalton’s Green Energy Plan – the plan is approaching a cost to Ontarians of over $8 Billion dollars, according to the independent Auditor General.

• The AG also notes that for every job created in the green energy field – 2 to 4 jobs are lost in the private sector.  And accordingly, the Province is headed into “Bankruptcy”.
• Solar suppliers paid up to 82 cents per kwh while the cost of producing power from conventional sources averages but 6 cents.

2.  Next, the $1.5 Billion wasted on the cancellation of two power plants to Save Two Ridings for the Grits in the recent Election.

3.  Then there was Orange, another $Billion dollars wasted for the benefit of Grit Cronies – Helicopters purchased that could not hold stretchers, the President’s Ski Instructor hired to become a V.P. etc. 

4.  Plus don’t forget E-Health – another $Billion more or less.

5.  And the Health Premium he snuck in right after his first election where he promised in writing not to raise taxes.  That was nearly 10 years ago and we are still paying it. 

I checked on line before starting this Blog and discovered over 30 such examples of his duplicity but the above are what I believe to be the most outrageous examples.

Now think what could usefully be done with that wasted money?

Certainly a small portion of it could be used to address the very real concerns of parents trying to cope with raising an autistic child.

In the area of Health, we would have MRIs galore and Class Sizes , in our schools, could really become manageable.

And there would still be lots left over to reduce the growing Debt / Deficit which if left unchecked, will be our undoing.

In summing up, I could forgive McGuinty for breaking his initial promise Not To Raise Taxes – he is after all a Politician – but to have turned his back on Autistic Children – goes beyond the Pale.

As I see it …

‘K. D. Galagher’

   

McGuinty …. I lied.

 

The “I” here is me – Galagher.

In an earlier Blog, I promised not to write any more about our Premier – but I just can’t help myself though.  I feel a bit like Ebenezer Scrooge when he realized he had not missed Christmas Day.

What fun watching and writing about dear Dalton.

He, the champion of the Teachers and Ontario’s Civil Service …and now their whipping boy.  Indeed, he owes his job to the Teacher’s Union which spent $millions of dollars in the recent Election ensuring the defeat of Hudak and his fellow Tories.

And now, to see him force contracts on the Former and Wage Freezes on the Latter.  It doesn’t get much better than this.  Word is even starting to spread that some Grits have had enough of their Top Dog and hope soon to dump him, but I truly hope that this does not turn out to be the case; I, as you know, want McGuinty to face the music for what he has done to this once proud Province.

His Green Energy Plan alone has reduced us to Have-Not Status.  If I was Premier, I’d tell the Feds to keep their Transfer Handouts – ‘we’ll get by on our own, as we did for the first 140 years of Confederation’ …but I digress.

But permit me to digress a little bit further: speaking of Teaching, the Esteemed Toronto Board of Education has mandated that its students be taught about twisted sex suggesting that the kids give all forms of sex a try before settling on one or more type(s).  This education includes how to safely shove things up one’s anus.  All without the knowledge nor approval of the parents.  I would like to see something sharp shoved up the collective anus of the Toronto Board.

Okay, enough digressing; let me now get to the reason for today’s Blog. As you know, days prior to the last Election, McGuinty saw fit to cancel ongoing construction of two Power Plants in the Toronto Region.  He cancelled them, not because they were not needed – they most certainly were, but because they were not popular in the two ridings they were being placed in and he desperately wanted to keep those two ridings in the Grit Win Column.

After the Election, McGuinty allowed that the cost to the Taxpayer for shutting down construction totalled a measly $40 million dollars. The Opposition Parties have been fighting ever since for documentary proof of the Premier’s low estimate having to go so far as to charge the Minister of Energy, Chris Bentley with contempt of the Legislature in order to force the release of this information.

This information has finally been disclosed and it shows that the true cost of the cancellations was a whopping $1.5 Billion Dollars – some $750 million for each salvaged Riding.

Why that is more than enough money to have kept the Teachers and Bureaucrats onside for a few more years.  Maybe even until the next election, if one was not worried about the growing Provincial Debt / Deficit and things called Credit Agencies.

But the story gets even better – get your blood pressure pills out.

McGuinty is going to build these two plants elsewhere – one in this area – at Napanee – right beside a current plant that has been shut down for lack of need.  That Plant has been kept operable – all one need do is turn on the switch and there is power galore.  But to save face, McGuinty is building a redundant plant right beside it.  Does the man have no conscience?  Is there not a Taxpayer Dollar that he would refrain from spending!   

So dear Reader – another Day another $Billion Dollar Boondoggle.

Part 2 to follow.

As I see it…

‘K. D. Galagher’

No Place For The Mob…

 

Government Has Come To Town; they are now in the business of establishing Gambling Casinos – Big Time. 

The Mob been pushed aside.

This development is a relatively recent one since not that long ago gambling was a highly illegal activity. And, this recent trend does not limit itself to Ontario but it is here that I would like to direct my focus.

Our Provincial Government is in the process of shuddering Para Mutual Horse Racing and replacing it with Big Casinos – slots, tables and all. 

There is big money in it, as the Mob can attest.

I personally find government’s action repulsive since it plays on one of man’s many addictions; it leaves many gamblers broken, families destitute and too often, leads to suicide.  All for the almighty dollar.

Simply stated, Government has no business raising money on the backs of human frailty.  Full Stop.

And this dear reader applies to the excessive taxes on things like alcohol and cigarettes.

Government is for all the people and all the people should contribute equally from the same income sources - to the best of their financial ability.  That is to say, from income tax, value added tax, capital gains and the like.  Just because one likes oranges and another apples – is no excuse for the government to tax oranges higher than apples.  It is simply discriminatory and in the case of gambling, it is also amoral.

As for alcohol and cigarettes, the Government plays Big Brother by saying it is taxing these items so high in order to decrease demand.  Well quite frankly, Government has no business doing this – it is up to the individual (or should be up to the individual) to make up his or her own mind on what they will / will not consume.

But what is true in all these activities is the fact that Government has invaded these fields to raise money – too often to spend on frivolities – for example; green energy that creates neither sufficient energy or nor jobs. (You might well ask here – ‘why does government never find ways to reduce its spending, rather than ways to always increase it?’  - Good question.)

But it is with respect to Gambling that I have an especial distaste for government involvement.

“So Galagher, you would ban all Casinos?”

‘Well actually no, the horse is out of the barn – so to speak.’

I was listening to a call-in show the other day and the Casino issue was being discussed.  Most of the callers – 80%+ were older women who just love to gamble – for the social, for the good food, for the entertainment, and yes, for the gambling.  To ban casino gambling now would be most unfair to such a distinguished group of citizens and to others who can gamble without becoming addicted. So no, I would not ban them – but I would get Government out of the business. 

I would treat Casinos as I would a Pizzeria – both would pay realty taxes to the City and Corporate Taxes to the Provinces and Feds etc. – but Government would no longer get a piece (%) of the action.

I would also regulate Casinos to ensure that the odds of winning tilted more in the gambler’s favour – e.g.  49% for the gambler //  51% in favour of the Casino.

I would hold Casinos responsible for reimbursing Addicted Gamblers for their losses.

Permit me to provide you with an example:

A woman friend of ours had a gambling problem – she and her husband have 2 children and he makes less than $25k per year.  She is a stay at home mother.  At one point she used their joint credit card to rack up over $13,000 in gambling debts. It took her poor husband over five years to pay off the debt and to do that, the kids often had to go without.

I would hold the Casino responsible for her debt – i.e. and have this lady send her chargex bill directly to the Casino at issue and demand that it pay the full amount plus outstanding interest.  I would then demand that the Casino ban this addict for life from their premises.

You would not have to do that too many times before you got the attention of the gambling establishment.  The Casino would soon add this cost to their overall cost of doing business.  Addicts would be banned, and regular folks who could gamble and control their impulses, would be welcome.

Government – other than for regulations – would be entirely out of the picture.

As I see it….

‘K. D. Galagher’ 

 

Embassies, the new Group Homes

 

Lots in the Press of late concerning Canada’s and the UK’s agreement to share Embassy Buildings in some countries as a cost saving initiative.

I like the idea of saving costs but I do not like the appearance of what is happening here; sort of in the vane of Justice must not only be done, but must be seen to be done.

So too, Canada’s diplomatic independence must not only happen, it must be seen to happen. Unless of course that no longer becomes our objective.

Ergo, I am not too keen about our Government’s recent decision.

It also provides Quebec’s Separatists with a stick to hit Federalist over the head with; i.e. Canada is still tied to England’s apron strings.  Not true, but quite convenient for the PQ to use against us. 

Not that I care a twiddle about the PQ – I am just stating the fact that this will be used by them in their ongoing attempt to undermine Confederation.

That said, I am not opposed to co-located embassies, indeed and as you know, I would like to see a Coalition of Democratic States established (CDS) and would readily approve of CDS co-locating in Embassies across the world.  It would show unification of spirit and would send a strong message to those who may wish to harm us.  And by the bye it would also save money.

The trouble with sharing a building with another nation (England) or a handful of other nations – e.g. the Commonwealth, for the sole purpose of saving money is that it lends itself to the suggestion that our dependence has been compromised without the benefit of obtaining a truly strategic alliance.

So through the CDS approach, we would be declaring, in fact, to all and sundry that our independence has been compromised and that we, as Canadians, are fully supportive of that given its benefits to all fair minded peoples.

As I see it…

‘K.D. Galagher’