The Eyes Have It …

 

Or Maybe Not.

Who would have thought that the lowly niqab would become such of an election issue that it could very well decide the outcome of October’s election.

Mulcair, who just recently was cleaning up in the Quebec Polls recently came out to defend the use of the Niqab during Citizenship ceremonies – this despite the fact that over 80% of Canadians generally and over 90 percent of Quebecer’s are opposed.

Either Mulcair is the most principled politician to ever come down the pipe or he is the dumbest.  You decide but since his courageous stance his polling numbers in the Belle Province have tumbled.

Even Young Trudeau claims to have no difficulty with Muslim Women wearing the veil during the service.

As some of you may know – I have a theory about the Hand of God directing events unexpectedly and it seems to me that this issue has the potential to fall under that category.  I often refer to the Battle of Gettsburg where the great Southern General – Robert E. Lee inexplicably threw victory away guaranteeing the eventual loss of the War by the South as an example of His Hand directing events.

But let’s get back to the Niqab itself and our Citizenship ceremony.

Initially and consistent with my Libertarian beliefs, I was inclined to think that this was a very minor issue – so let the dear woman expose her face in private to a female official and then move on to the actual ceremony itself where she could appear with her Niqab intact.

But then I got thinking about this more.

By permitting a Muslim Women wear the veil during the Citizenship Ceremony sends the wrong message not only to the woman herself but to the World at large.  Woman here have fought for over 100 years for equality and sadly, still have a little ways to to go.  For women coming here from male dominated societies that demand of they women hide their face – among many other discriminatory practices it would be most wrong for Canada to permit a woman to start her life as a Canadian citizen as a subservient being whether she is aware of that or not.

Hopefully taking the oath without the Niqab will at least plant the seed in her mind that we here in Canada do not expect her to import discriminatory practices from her former homeland.

But regardless of whether or not the seed takes root – it at least sends a very strong message to the world – especially to those male dominated countries that we here in Canada do things differently and respect the Human Rights of all of our Citizens both new and old.

I get the feeling that grumpy Mulcair and Young Trudeau are stuck in the original thought that it was no big deal – which does not speak very strongly for either of them becoming our Prime Minister.

As I see it‘

'K.D. Galagher’

Signs of Fall …

 

And it has nothing to do with the changing colour of the leaves.

Rather it is the Election Signs sprouting up in advance of October 19th’s Federal Election.

Like me, do you happen to notice that one Party’s signs are consistently being ripped out – ripped up or taken away?

And if so, you will of course know the signs targeted are those of the Conservative Party of Canada.

Liberal and NDP signs seem to go untouched.

Which is somewhat strange given how the Left is constantly berating the Right for being mean spirited when it is mean spirited itself to stalk in the night destroying Tory lawn signs. 

These petty vandals with hat sizes larger than their IQs really tick me off and I would love to see them caught out punished … but it never seems to happen even in this day of ubiquitous camera equipped cell phones.

And this from amongst the ranks of the left who view the Conservative’s quest for profit obscene not thinking for a minute that it is these self same profits that pay for their airy fairy, expensive schemes and as often their public salaries. 

I started putting up Tory Election signs before I even reached my teens and although I cannot honestly recall ever tearing down an opponent’s sign – though I may have covered the odd one up – I soon grew to know that it this activity was wrong and quite juvenile.

And yet nothing – absolutely nothing in the Press or other media to condemn this one-sided practice.

These signs are not only expensive they use up the valuable time of volunteers who spend hours putting them up and having to replace them because bozos.

Now I have a confession to make. 

A number of years ago I did intentionally take down a few strategically placed election signs.

The Liberal Candidate for our riding was a personal friend of mine and on election day I received a frantic call from his wife -

“How dare you … you have placed Tory election signs in close proximity to the voting polls.”

I knew exactly of which signs she spoke and told her that they were carefully placed ensuring that they did not infringe the election law – that is to say – they were beyond the required setback.

Nora was not satisfied – “technically maybe but morally you guys are reprehensible”.

“Okay Nora, I will take them down” and with that I got in my car and in broad day light took down the offensive signs all the time thinking would it not be funny to get caught by the cops taking down our own signs.

I did not get caught and often think back to that time … to bad the pin heads out there do not have similar memories to temper their actions.

As I see it…

‘K.D. Galagher’

Move Over RCMP–Now It’s The OPP That…

 

Always Get Their Man !!

This week, the OPP laid charges against Sudbury Liberal Supporter – Gerry Lougheed - ostensibly because he offered a bribe to - then Liberal candidate Andrew Olivier - to drop out of the February 5th 2015 By-election in favour of a Queen’s Park anointed replacement.

Let you be the Judge as to whether or not they – the Ontario Provincial Police - have sufficient cause for their action:

In a telephone call recorded by Olivier, Lougheed said the following:

“We should have the broader discussion about what is it that you’d be most interested in doing and then decide what shape that could take whether it’s a full-time or a part-time job at a constituency office, whether it is appointments to boards or commissions, whether it is also going on the executive.”

Looks pretty conclusive to me – don’t you think.  They’ve got dear Mr. Lougheed ‘dead to rights’ !

But of course those quotes were not made by Gerry Lougheed – local Sudbury Grit – but rather by Wynne’s Deputy Chief of Staff – Patricia Sorbara.

Below is what Lougheed was actually caught on tape saying -

“The Premier wants to talk to you. We would like to present to you options in terms of appointments, jobs, whatever,” .

And I guess, by mere happenstance, shortly thereafter Premier Wynne did in fact call and speak with Olivier.  Quelle Surprise.

So why dear Reader was Lougheed charged by the OPP and Sorbara not?

Excellent question – could it be connected with the OPP’s Union …’forcefully’ .. so to speak – supporting Wynne during the last election?

Even Ontario’s Chief Electoral Office when referring both Sorbara and Lougheed to the police for investigation called their attempts at bribery “unprecedented”.

To conclude – the OPP certainly ‘Got Their Man’ in this case but just a certainly ‘Not Their Woman’ or more correctly – ‘Not Their Women’.

As I see it…

“K. D. Galagher’

Don’t Grow Old …

 

Since there’s no room in the Inn.

My Elderly Aunt – in her 92nd year – admonishes me ‘not grow old’ since she has found it to be not so much fun.

I tell my Aunt that I will do what I can to avoid it and we laugh.

But what many of you may not be aware of is the fact that when you do grow old and sick  – don’t count on Ms. Wynne or her Liberal Ontario Government to come to your rescue.  Hence the ‘no room in the Inn comment.  I guess they are just too busy jacking up Hydro Rates and building Windmills.

My Aunt was diagnosed many years ago with Alzheimer's disease but with modern drugs and although her short term memory is totally gone – she still recognizes and is able to communicate with my wife and me but that is all.

My Aunt lives in a Seniors’ Retirement Residence and for the privilege she pays nearly $6,000 per month.

About a year ago, it became obvious to us that her health needs were no longer being met by the Residence despite its horrendous cost so we placed her on the Province’s list for a Nursing Home via the Province’s Watch Dog - CCAC. 

Nursing Homes not only are a third of the cost of a Retirement Residence they also are equipped with more staff and the ability to provide greater care to folks like my Aunt.  The only problem, it is virtually impossible to gain admission to one.

In my Aunt’s case, in addition to her long time Alzheimer's diagnoses she has become so frail that she no longer participates in any of the the activities of life – she does not participate in any of the Home’s activities, she neither reads or watch television.  She told me recently that she just “cannot understand what is being said”.  This is partly due to her poor hearing and of course to her Alzheimer’s.

But dear Reader – if you can imagine – it gets worse.

For the last month or so my Aunt has even stopped eating or drinking for the most part.  You could always count on Aunt Joyce to wolf down a dish of ice-cream but even that decadence has been lost to her.

And more recently my Aunt has been complaining of great discomfort and pain. This has been met by the staff and residence’s doctor more or less with indifference more out of not being able to do much for her than neglect.

Given this, my wife and I decided to have her admitted to a local hospital’s emergency ward this past Saturday to see what was going on.

The Parameds who came for her – made it clear that they thought my wife and I were wasting everyone’s time.  I suspect they have heard the message from on high (i.e. Ms Wynne and company) ‘don’t clog the system with the elderly’.  We met with a similar reaction from the Emergency personnel.

We told them that we really did not care what they thought – our Aunt was in great pain and discomfort and we wanted to know why.

We spend nearly 10 hours with her – through many tests and finally the results came in confirming that my Aunt was suffering from heart difficulties and was experiencing minor heart attacks.

Attitudes of the hospital staff changed for the better.

Her hospital doctor recommended that my Aunt be admitted to a Nursing Home ASAP and I told her that I would get on the phone this past Monday to let CCAC know about the deterioration in my Aunt’s health.

Monday came and I called – I advised the nice woman on call about my Aunt’s health deterioration and although she sympathized with me – she made if very clear that the dramatic deterioration in my Aunt’s health meant nothing insofar-as gaining access to a Nursing Home Bed.

Not only that, she advised me that my Aunt’s place on the Nursing Home Waiting list had actually gone down.

I was astounded to some extent albeit my wife Anne works in the Seniors’ Home Care Health field and the horror stories she tells me about the sad condition of our Province’s health care would truly frighten you even more than my Aunt’s case.

So thank you Ms. Wynne – the next time you hear her or one of her entourage brag about the great state of Ontario’s health care – think of my Aunt and 1,000s like her here in Ottawa who are so sick and suffering and yet shut out from proper care.

I don’t think it is too much of an exaggeration to say that our Provincial Liberal Government not only wants the elderly to die awaiting proper care – but is also actively helping that to come about sooner than necessary.

As I see it…

‘K.D. Galagher’

They Treat Hardened Criminals With …

 

More Respect.

The ‘They’ in this case are the Airlines.

Take this past Thursday for instance:

But let me begin first by saying I hate flying- not out of fear – but about how one is treated …like criminals – like cattle.  I do not think I need to convince you of that but I now have an even greater example of this lack of respect and inhumane treatment.

Thursday past, at noon, I flew from Sarasota Florida to Chicago on route to Ottawa.  I got to Chicago at 1:30 pm central time and was scheduled for a flight out at 5 p.m. so I had lots of time to make my connection.

The Big Board said my flight was ‘on time’.

Great I thought – I would be in Ottawa by early evening.

But then the slippage started.  The Big Board, in hourly increments, set back departure timing claiming the delays on “awaiting an aircraft”.

After several of these hourly add on’s I was beginning to think that ‘They’ – in this case ‘United Airlines’, had more than enough time to drive the damn plane to our Gate.

At around 5 pm, with our departure now scheduled for 9 pm – the O’hare Airport was hit with a thunder and lightning storm – it was quite a display and went on for the best part of … one half hour - giving ‘Them’ another excuse – “weather” now added to “await aircraft” as reasons for the continuing delay.

We remained positive throughout given that we were still scheduled to fly out – albeit much later than we had planned.

At 10 pm a plane rolled up to our gate and it soon became common knowledge that yes indeed it was our long awaited – lost?- bird.  Problem though – it came without crew, but not to worry an announcement over the speaker indicated that a replacement crew was on route from Dallas Texas.

11 pm still no sign of the awaited crew so time of departure was once again set back … this time to midnight.

Midnight came and with it - our hopes were finally dashed – the flight “was cancelled”.  Throughout we had no personal contact from Airline staff and were offered not so much as a bottle of h2o.

A voice over encouraged us to head to ‘Their’ Customer Service Desk – so off we rushed where we found an existing line-up of more than an hour – our group added a second. I could still count so I figured it would take until 2 am before I got to speak with a live person. 

I then noticed a sign which offered help via ‘Their’ 1-800 number which I quickly dialled.

A nice ‘Lady’ answered and she advised me that ‘Their’ computer had already rearranged for my return to Ottawa by 1:30 pm – problem being – for Saturday and as you will recall, we were now in the early hours of Friday morning.

Not to worry ‘Nice Lady’ said – “we can do better” – a 6:15 am flight out of Chicago that very morning bound for Baltimore – then to Newark and finally to Ottawa.  In desperation I said I would take it.

All the while – we most unfortunate passengers were offered zilch – no meals, no drinks, no hotel, no compensation – zippo.

I was though offered a COT.

And with that Dear Reader the real fun began.

I had to walk miles to reach the COT Encampment – which when found consisted of hundreds of COTS – each about 6 inches shorter than my height.

It gets worse.

The COT area was lit up like the 4th of July.

And not only that – Public Service Announcements carried on – every 5 minutes; No Smoking, No Restricted Items Thru Security … and so on.

These announcements shook the Room.

My mind thought back to the movies where Spies were subjected to Sleep Depravation in an attempt to get them to break.  Our COT Area had been reduced to that.

It was now 1 am and I was given a blanket – thread thin with a pillow – 6 inches by 6 inches.  The former was problematic since the COT Room was kept at subarctic temperatures.   The latter was of little use.

So let’s recap – Flood Lights, Constant Noise, A COT too small, a blanket too thin – nighty night to one and all.

But Dear Reader there is more.

These 100’s of COTs were placed end to end – side by side – so that you were quite literally sleeping with the guy or girl next to you.

I remedied this somewhat by finding a COT Space – beside an aisle so I only had a COT beside me, above and below me.  I felt pretty smug.  That would soon disappear since the Aisle refuge turned out to be an artery to the main Bathrooms.

All night long; well really ‘not all night’ as I will  explain shortly – a constant stream of humanity passed by me on their way to and from the toilets. It felt like Time Square.

It was also like a gulag with some pretty strange characters cruising about.

To finish my inmate analysis – special security personnel, dressed in what would easily pass for jail guard uniforms – stalked the Halls of COT Area continuously.  They looked upon us as the enemy and we considered them … well like jail guards.

But the final insult was yet to come – at 4 am it as UP and At’em – Rise and Shine – and the Jailers did not take no for an answer.

COTS were literally pulled out from under tardy risers and that included the infirm as well as the healthy.

If you are counting – that is 3 hours sleep – bearing in mind of course that no one in their right mind could have slept in that din anyway.

Finally, I was given a tooth brush and tooth paste on my was out – the brush was less than 3 inches long and the tooth paste … well you get the idea.  I guess ‘They’ were afraid we would carve a larger one into some type of a weapon.

So no – I don’t like flying.  Maybe next time I will ask for a nice comfortable jail cell – Inmates have it better.

As I see it…

‘K.D. Galagher’

 

He Just Cannot Take ‘Yes’ For An Answer..

 

I am speaking of course about the former Prime Minister of Greece … Alexis Tsipras.

Tsipras, as you will recall, was elected P.M. earlier this year – January 25th to be precise.  He and his Party literally came out of nowhere – from left field as it were, to seize this coveted post.

We all know why – Greece was struggling under European sanctions designed to get Greece’s finances under control.  The average Greek did not like it and turned surprisingly to Tsipras and his left wing Party for relief.

So if anyone had a mandate to deal effectively with those mean spirted  Europeans – it was Tsipras.

But no – that was not good enough for Alexis.

He needed a Referendum to give him real authority and a concrete mandate to tell Europe to go to blazes.

The Referendum came and went and low and behold Tsipras got what he wanted – overwhelming support to take a tough stand with the EU.

Two strong ‘Yeses’ within months of one another.

So off to the EU within days of the Referendum and what does he do … why of course he capitulates – that is to say, he totally surrenders to Europe’s demands.

You may ask what was the purpose of the January Election and the follow-up Referendum?  And you’d be right.  What was their purpose.

It gets even more bizarre.

I said in an earlier Blog that we could now expect his party to revolt and kick their leader out for his outlandish betrayal.

And indeed, that is just what happened this week – Tsipras resigned after calling another election.

But surprise, surprise – he is not riding off into the sunset as he should – rather he is running for the Prime Ministership once again – within 8 months of being elected to the same post.

Incredible.

I cannot wait to see what happens.  Shoudl he wins – he calls another Referendum to be followed by another election.

He just gets too many Yeses – hopefully this time he will get his no and Greece can begin to move on and do what they need to do to get their house in order.

As I see it…

‘K.D. Galagher’

 

 

So It Was All About The Students’ …

 

Welfare …. AFTER ALL !!

Or… Maybe Not !!!

Two Big Ontario Teachers’ Unions – The Ontario High School Teachers Union and the English Catholic High School Teachers Union have tentatively settled with the Province pending approval with their respective memberships which is thought to be a mere formality.

This is indeed great news, since the benefits for our students must be most significant – after all, was it not the Unions and even their respective membership who said that the students’ welfare was paramount for them in the discussions with the Province?

But wait, what I have read so far in regard to the proposed settlement this week include bonuses, increased wages (apparently the current top level- after 10 years of teaching – of $95,000 was just not enough), another PD Day and no change in class size.

If you count another PD as a benefit for students – that is to say – another holiday for them (I know, I know) there really is zippo for our kids.

But lots for the Teachers.

Imagine !

In a blog last week on the subject of the bargaining I laid out as follows what I had been told the real issues of concern to the Teachers and their Unions:

• Class sizes are too high - 30+ class size cannot be properly managed;
• Classes include numerous ‘special needs students’ which often disrupt the class and always slow the learning process for the non-special needs children;
• The old core curriculum has been replaced by politically correct studies;  and,
• Students are not allowed to fail.

I could add to this list the inability to properly discipline and the need for more teacher assistants to help manage the huge class sizes and lack of effective training material such as computers.

As an aside dear Premier Wynne is quoted as saying while the teachers receive more under the agreement – they really didn’t because it comes out of the education envelope and it will not increase.

I guess translated this means the teachers are getting bonuses and wage hikes but the over all budget for things like teacher assistants and computers etc etc is reduced.  Seems hard to understand since these were included in the issues of concern to the Unionites.

But not too worry dear reader – the memberships of both Unions have yet to vote on these deals and of course they are most likely to turn the proposed settlements down given their sincere assurances that increased wages / bonuses / and more PD Days were the last thing they either wanted or expected.

Again, to translate this for you – ‘like a snowball’s chance in Hell’.

As I see it…

‘K.D. Galagher’