SCC… Welcome To The World Of …

 

Krytocracy.

That is to say, the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision yesterday disallowing Canada’s laws against prostitution, is another step along the road to Government by the Judiciary aka Krytocracy.

With its decision the Supreme Court continues its tradition of making laws rather than interpreting them, the latter being its true function in a democratic state.  In other words – laws should be made by the people through their elected representatives. Period Full Stop

But, as you and I know, the really big issues affecting society today – are made by courts and not by you or I; whether we are talking about what constitutes marriage, common law unions, rights or more appropriately non rights of the unborn; rights of gays, environmental issues, native issues etc etc – and now – the rights of prostitutes to carry on their trade without interference, have all been defined by the Court and, accordingly, Society will never again be the same.

You may argue that is a good thing – ie that societal changes in these areas are good and maybe so – but I believe that these are decisions for the population as a whole and not to be left to the determination of a few – too often – left leaning judges.

That said, it would certainly be cheaper to move entirely to Krytocracy – dismantling Parliament and scrapping elections would save us billions.

And dear reader – sadly not all that much would be lost since our Democratic Leaders continue to get bogged down with the minutia and are very much complicit with the Courts in letting them do the heavy lifting.

Pathetic … but that is where things have come to.

So what to do about yesterday’s decision?

If I was Harper I would tell the Court to take a flying leap and would do so by injecting the Notwithstanding Clause.

Either Prostitution is inherently wrong … or it is not.  And most of you out there, like me, believe the former.

So make it all illegal instead of the current state (at least for the next year) where prostitution itself is legal but all activities surrounding it are not. It is to laugh.

This case has all the hallmarks of the Morgentaler Abortion Case.  There the Court struck down Canada’s abortion law and gave the Government time to draft a new one.  Nothing was done so abortion on demand was no longer illegal.  It did not, as some believe, and too often say “unresticted abortion is the law” since the fact is, there is no law applying to abortion.

That could happen here as well. The SCC has given Harper and company 1 year to draft a new law dealing with the issue of prostitution.  He could let the time go by and the current law would simply die by default.  Or he could impose the notwithstanding clause as I recommended above.

What I think he will do is move on new anti prostitution legislation if for no other reason than his base would support that and again on this issue the majority of Canadians would support him.

Moreover it would provide him with an excellent wedge issue to favourably distinguish his party from both the NDP and the Liberals.

The sad thing is this is that should Harper move on new legislation it would be politically motivated rather than an attempt to retake Parliament’s rightful for role from the Courts.

As I see it…

‘K.D. Galagher’

will happen here.  That is to say, the Court there too gave Government time to amend its legislation which it did not and abortion on demand came about by default.

 

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’

 

The Draft Reform Act

 

Conservative M.P. Michael Chong, as we know, is about to table his draft Bill which if passed, will change forever the workings of Parliament.

I support it … subject to amendment.

Chong as you may also remember resigned from Cabinet in 2006 on a matter of principle – he was opposed to Prime Minister Harper and his fellow cabinet colleagues recognizing Quebec as a distinct State.

In this Chong, is the only member that I can recall in recent Parliamentary history to resign on a matter of principle.

He is therefore is most unique and someone who I believe is deserving of our respect.

Now back to his draft Bill:

• it would enable 15% of a Party’s ‘MP Caucus’ to call a leadership vote which oblige all Caucus MPs to vote and if a simple majority – that is to say, 50% plus 1 vote for a change in leadership – the Leader is history.  We saw such take place with the late Margaret Thatcher.
• it would return the power to select candidates for election to the individual riding associations instead of the current system where the candidate is required to obtain the Party Leader’s authorization. finally,
• it would allow the caucus to determine chairmanship for the various House Committees.

A general comment first.

The late Prime Minister Trudeau once famously said, that “MPs are nobodies when they are 50 yards from Parliament Hill”.

He was correct but since then even more power has devolved to the Prime Minister’s Office so an updated version of Trudeau’s statement would classify MPs as nobodies even when they are on Parliament Hill.

From my perspective, anything that can be done to return power to the Member of Parliament is well worth doing and is democracy in action.

Some argue though it is the reverse … that it would be undemocratic to have a relatively small and select group – i.e. the Party’s MPs - decide whom their Leader should be, in the place of the Party’s general membership.

I take the attitude that life is a trade off and better to give the ordinary MP more power than see it reside in the PMO.  After all, the MPs are elected in theory to do their constituents'’ bidding. 

So bring it on.

That said, some amendments are in desperate need.

First off – the 15% requirement for a leadership vote needs to be increased – I would increase it to 50% of all Party MPs outside of Cabinet.  I would then increase the vote needed to vote out a sitting Leader to two thirds and it would be by secret ballot.

The 50% numbers would rule out a cadre of rogue MPs who are simply just trying to cause trouble / disruption. The two third vote needed to change leadership would ensure that sitting Leaders are only replaced in exceptional circumstances; otherwise the system would apt to bog down in chaos.

Finally I would add provisions to the clause that would allow caucus to nominate and appoint their own Committee Chairs.  A mechanism is needed to see that the Committee deliberations and recommendations can go forward and be voted on in the House of Commons.  That is to say, they could bypass Cabinet indorsation.

This latter amendment would require thought and thus I would suspect it should await further study. Perhaps it could go to the Committee on Parliamentary Procedure for consideration?

As I see it…

‘K.D. Galagher’

We Just Cannot Take Much More Of This …

 

Good News.

Ontario’s Minister of Energy … the Honourable Robert (Bob) Chiarelli stood up at Queen’s Park yesterday and laid out his Liberal Government’s long term plan for energy usage.

It consisted of one good news item after another:

1. Although energy costs will rise 43% over the course of the next five (5) years … “it could have been worse”.
2. One of the reasons Ontario has a surplus of power generation is thanks to the reduction of ‘old style manufacturing’.
3. Ontario has saved its taxpayers billions of dollars due to the Liberal Government’s decision to cancel plans to build new Nuclear facilities.  It will though continue with the building of windmills and solar. finally,
4. We in Ontario are raking in millions of dollars through the sale of our excess power to neighbouring provinces and states.

Does it get any better?  I ask you.

Let’s take these good newsies one by one:

1. Energy costs will only rise by 43% over the next five years.  We already pay two to three times more than most other jurisdictions in North America.  Another 43% rise will add another $100 per month to the median monthly electric bill.  Not chump change.
2. We have surplus power generation thanks in part to the reduction in old style manufacturing – eg stelco, car manufacturing, canning factories, refineries etc etc.

     See my Blog of October 31/13 where I point out that it is these old fashion manufacturers that hire thousands of workers and pay fair wages.  Ontario’s manufacturing base is being hollowed out and Chiarelli finds this to be all for the good.

          Moreover, we are paying electrical generation facilities to stand idle – the annual costs for same total in the multi billions per annum.  Chiarelli does not even bat an eye.

3.  Nuclear is producing nearly 50% of all Ontario power and is the most efficient / economical.  Given our vast generation capacity, new nuclear plants are not needed – but for the Liberals to continue with their green energy program – and costly inefficient wind and solar power construction is simply criminal.  and,  

 4.  “Ontario makes millions selling our excess power” is the biggest whopper of them all.  Just today it was announced that in the first 10 months of this year – Ontario lost 1.2 Billion Dollars by having to sell its excess power way below cost.  So Chiarelli says we make millions on the sale – whereas in truth we lose billions as per the report of the Province’s Auditor General.

The Grit Green Energy Program has to go down in the annals of government history as the biggest scam ever played on the hapless Ontarian. And this said about a Government that wastes billions of dollars with everything it touches.

Front men like Chiarelli would have made Nazi Propaganda Minister Goebbels proud.

As I see it…

‘K.D. Galagher’