I SIMPLY CANNOT VOTE FOR THAT PARTY !!

The Ontario Liberals have been in power since 2003...now going on 15 years and during their tenure have turned our once great Province into 'Have-not status'...once the Economic Engine of Canada, Ontario now is its Caboose, pretending for a moment that this relic of railroad history still exists.


It is not surprising then that 15 years ago, Ontario had North America's cheapest Hydro-Electric Rates, today those rates, thanks to the Liberal's Green Energy Fiasco, are the Continent's most expensive, all the while thousands upon thousands of manufacturing jobs have gone missing in action.  Who'd a thunk so much damage could be sustained in such a relatively short period of time?

The only sector to grow and flourish during their decade and a half in power is the public sector....police, fire, teachers, nurses, along with armies of other bureaucrats and government officials.  Public Service Unions, once the champions of coal miners, factory workers now shill for those on the public purse...the ones with best salaries, best pensions, best working conditions and best job security.  Their Unions have become so rich and powerful that they are the ones largely responsible for keeping the Liberals in power for these past decade and a half.

This may or may not be coming to an end since next year, June 7, 2018 to be exact, will see a General Election held here in our Province.

And with this in mind, I would like to itemize a number of specific policy initiatives that I simply will not be able to vote for:

Sex Education as early as grade 3;

A  32% increase in the Minimum Wage;

Carbon Tax and/ or any versions of the same;

Allowing Unrestricted Abortion up to and including the time of birth;

Removal of an Individual's Sex on the Provincial Birth Certificates;

Riding Nomination Meetings manipulated by HQ.


So Dear Reader, I am not going to Vote For That Party.  Full Stop.

"But Galagher, as a Life Long Conservative, you were not likely to have voted Liberal in any event".

Who said anything about voting Liberal?  The above policies are certainly those of the ruling Liberal Government but they have all been adopted holus-bolus by the Opposition Progressive Conservative Party.

"So which Party will you vote for Galagher?"

Good Question, ... More on that in my next Blog.


As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

OFF ON SABBATICAL

I HAVE DECIDED TO 'GO OFF ON SABBATICAL' IF FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN THE NEED TO RECHARGE MY BATTERIES.

JUST FOR THE RECORD, SINCE BEGINNING MY BLOGGING SEVERAL YEARS BACK, THE SITE HAS HAD A TOTAL OF 111,718 'PAGE VIEWS' AND I HAVE PUBLISHED 728 BLOGS, PLUS THIS ONE TODAY.

AND AS A REMINDER, MY PRIMARY AUDIENCE ARE MY THREE ADULT CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES.

MY HOPE IS THAT SOME DAY THEY WILL READ OVER MY BLOGS TO REKINDLE THE PATH LESS WALKED WHICH I HAVE ENJOYED TAKING IN LIFE AND HOPEFULLY WILL CONTINUE TO ENJOY FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.

IN THAT REGARD, IT IS MY HOPE TOO THAT ALTHOUGH I AM OFTEN (FREQUENTLY?) WRONG IN WHAT I HAVE TO SAY, IT WILL GIVE THEM AND HOPEFULLY YOU PAUSE TO CONSIDER LESS HEARD OPINIONS...ONES THAT ARE NOT SO LIKELY TO BE EXPRESSED IN THE DAY'S MEDIA.

MY GOAL IS TO HELP EDUCATE SINCE AN UNEDUCATED PERSON READS THE NEWS AND ACCEPTS IT AT FACE VALUE WHEREAS AN EDUCATED PERSON'S REACTION TO SOME NEW 'FACT OR OPINION' IS TO SAY "THAT'S INTERESTING...I NEED TO LOOK INTO THAT FURTHER".

CONTINUE TO BE A DOUBTING THOMAS.

FINALLY, ONE AREA THAT I HAVE DRIFTED AWAY FROM IN RECENT BLOGS IS MY BELIEF OUR SOCIETIES STARTING GOING OFF THE RAILS IN THE EARLY 1960s.   I AM IN MY 60s AND AM TOLD THAT MOST PEOPLE MY AGE LOOK BACK ON THEIR CHILDHOOD AND SAY...'BOY THOSE WERE THE DAYS, KIDS TODAY ARE LAZY NE'ER-DO-WELLS etc. etc'.

I QUITE LIKE THE 'KIDS OF TODAY' AND BELIEVE THE MAJORITY OF THEM TO BE NICE,HARDWORKING INDIVIDUALS...THIS DESPITE THAT WE BABY BOOMERS HAVE LEFT THEM IN A MESS.

BEFORE I SIGN-OFF THOUGH...TWO PREDICTIONS:

FIRST, DESPITE A COMFORTABLE LEAD IN THE POLLS, I BELIEVE ANGELA MERKEL WILL LOSE GERMANY'S GENERAL ELECTION TO BE HELD LATER THIS MONTH.

MY SECOND PREDICTION IS THAT NORTH KOREA'S YUNG-UN WILL BE DEAD BY CHRISTMAS AND THUS IN THE COMPANY OF HIS DECEASED UNCLE AND HALF BROTHER.  

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

ANOTHER DAY... ANOTHER LONDON SUBWAY BOMBING.

YESTERDAY SAW 29 BRITONS INJURED WHEN A BOMB WENT OFF IN THE LONDON SUBWAY.  FORTUNATELY, UNLIKE PREVIOUS TIMES, NO ONE WAS KILLED BUT THAT WAS DUE MORE TO GOOD FORTUNE SINCE THE BOMB ONLY PARTIALLY EXPLODED.  NONETHELESS, IN ADDITION TO THE INJURED, HUNDREDS WERE SCARED OUT OF THEIR WITS AS THEY TRIED TO FLEE FROM THE UNDERGROUND.

The one big problem remains is that no one seems to know who is behind these atrocities.

That said, London's Mayor, who is Muslim, was quick to label the attack as a "Terrorist" Attack.

The British Prime Minister quickly followed by narrowing down the list of suspects calling the Attack as one committed by "Cowardly Terrorists" and US President Donald Trump, usually one not to be afraid to call a spade a shovel, pronounced the bombing as the evil doings of "A Loser Terrorist".

So now we know ...the animal(s) behind yesterday's bombing is a 'Cowardly, Loser, Terrorist'.

Indeed British Authorities are asking its citizens to be on the lookout for these self-same creeps.

But just in case the Mayor's/Prime Minister's/President's descriptions of these evil doers falls short, I ...Dear Reader...am here to help out.

I think I know who is behind all of this....why it is Al Right Nazis. If, like me, you read the papers and watch the news you will know that everything that is wrong today is due to these reprehensible skin heads.

So if I was to advise a British Citizen on who to look out for, I would tell him or her to pay special attention to those giving the Heil Hitler Salute and brandishing a Tattoo on their upper shoulder with the numbers 88.

"But Galagher we are not aware of any Terrorist Attacks that have been committed by Neo-Nazis."

Good Point.

Oh and this just in...ISIS has just taken responsibility for  yesterday's Bombing.

Aren't they some sort of Islamic Extremists?

Who'd a Thunk?

As I see it....

'K.D. Galagher'

Ottawa Has Enough Money For A New Taj Mahal-Like Main Library ...

Well Truth Be Known, Our Country Canada Has Oodles Of Money For Whatever Comes Down The Pike....We are so blessed.  Even if that blessing does not extend to our Children and our Children's Children.

Since it is not like we pay our way, heck Canada and its 10 Provinces have accumulated the highest debt in our country's young history... some $1.5 Trillion Dollars or approx. $40,000 per man, woman and child.

Not bad for a Country with a population of only 35 million.

And that dear reader does not include the various pension shortfalls!

Galagher we thought today's Blog was about Ottawa's Main Library?

Oh right - I was simply setting the stage for why we in Canada continue to dig ourselves further and further into debt, and am using the construction of the Taj Mahal Library as an example of a needless expenditure.  Indeed, such edifices are a relic of the last century but plans continue to build one in downtown Ottawa.  The last estimate I could find was just shy of $170 Million which you and I know will exceed well over $200 Million by the time shovels break ground.

True many Baby Boomers still rely on hard-copy books but those coming after, have transferred en mass to electronic versions.  But for us Baby Boomers there is still a workable Library Infrastructure in place - why Ottawa alone has well in excess of 30 Branch Libraries.  They too can be expected to downsize and eventually disappear as the last of us Boomers go one to our rewards.

So why then the Taj Mahal...other than for the fact that money is never an object when it comes to government spending.

The best explanation was given by the City Councillor in charge of Libraries who readily admitted on radio that it was not needed for books anymore as they are becoming more and more passe.  Rather, it was because other major cities have Taj-Mahal like edifices housing their Central Libraries.  I guess that is the 'keeping up with the Jones argument'.  The other reason he gave was the need for such a building to accommodate the needs of refugees and immigrants...a meeting place if you like.  Silly me, I had thought that was one of the main purposes for Community Halls.

On the radio today a big discussion took place around another growing use for Libraries and that pertains to freely accessing porn...even young children are not prevented from viewing it.  It used to be the neighbourhood pervert skulked around to do his nefarious deeds, now he can go to the nearest Library and work his ill as a respected patron.  Unbelievable but True.  And you and I are paying for it.

So in the future when you see more money spent on initiatives such as the Paris Accord or on Green Energy fiascoes, think about our spanking new but totally unneeded Central Library.

And speaking of wasting money.

On the front page of one of Canada's national newspapers today is an article about a small tribe in Southern Ontario population 368... spending $546,000 Canadian Tax Dollars on a Pow Wow.  Included in the article was reference to the Chief contracting to have her son video the event in return for $190,000.  Not a bad pay day even for our Governments' low standards.

But I have to think that if I was native and had to sit through a Pow Wow I'd want ample liquid refreshment close at hand too. 

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

GUILTY AS CHARGED.

NOT BLOODY LIKELY.

OUR ESTEEMED PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT, THE PROVINCE'S WORST IN OUR 150 YEAR HISTORY, FINDS ITSELF IN COURT THIS WEEK AND NEXT ...IN FACT IN TWO SEPARATE COURTS... AS DEFENDANTS.

NEXT WEEK WILL SEE SENIOR FOLKS IN THE PREMIER'S OFFICE FACING CRIMINAL CHARGES FOR DESTROYING SENSITIVE EMAILS. I KNOW, I KNOW 'WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL, ISN'T THAT WHAT DEAR HILLARY DID WITH IMPUNITY?' 

BUT MORE ON THAT CASE LATER, TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO FOCUS ON THE CASE THAT BEGAN EARLIER THIS WEEK WHERE THE PREMIER'S FORMER DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF, PAT SORBARA, PLUS ANOTHER SENIOR PARTY OFFICIAL, ARE ACCUSED OF BRIBERY UNDER THE ELECTIONS ACT:

The Act's Bribery Section states that 'no person shall directly or indirectly give, procure or promise or agree to procure an office or employment to induce a person to become a candidate, refrain from becoming a candidate or withdraw his or her candidacy.'


'A conviction carries a penalty of up to $5,000 but if a judge finds it was broken "knowingly," the penalty is a fine of up to $25,000 and/or up to two years less a day in jail.'

HERE BRIEFLY ARE THE RELEVANT FACTS:

In the last general provincial election the Liberal Candidate, Andrew Olivier lost the Sudbury Riding to a Socialist Party Rival by a tad less than a thousand votes.  Up till then, the Liberals had held that seat for approx. 20 years.  In a bizarre move, the victorious socialist unexpectedly quit 5 months into his new gig citing the usual health and family reasons thereby opening the riding up for a by-election that Olivier naturally hoped he'd win. 

It soon though was made clear to Olivier that the Premier did not want him to run again and that they had another in mind to carry the Party's Banner.

But it was still left open that a nomination meeting might take place and Olivier naturally still harboured hope that he might eventually win out.

It was at this point that Sorbara et al offered jobs/positions to Olivier on condition that he walk silently away into the night. Olivier was astute enough to have taped these offers. 

This would accomplish two things, it would clear the way for the Premier's favourite and it would help heal any expected split with the Olivier supporters in the Riding should their guy be callously cast aside.

                                          ----------------

Seems like an open and shut case of Bribery to me...remember the words of the section:  No person shall directly or indirectly give, procure or promise or agree to procure an office or employment to induce a person to become a candidate, refrain from becoming a candidate ... 

And although the Premier has the power to hand-pick her candidate, she did not officially make that decision and until she did, any Riding Liberal - including Olivier could still expect to compete.  In fact, in his own testimony this week that is exactly what he testified to...that is to say, he was 'still hoping that the Premier would not designate her favourite and that he (Olivier) would still be given an opportunity to run'. 

The defendants lawyers ...no fools they argued that Olivier was never a candidate for the Byelection and that even Oliver knew that it was never likely he'd be given the Premier's preference.

I would not be the least surprised if the Court buys this defence since it certainly defied belief when it found The Duffy not guilty on over 30 criminal charges. See my recent Blog.

So you play Judge here, what would you decide???

As a post-script, as a long time politico I know full well that these types of negotiations go on as unseemly as it may seem to many of you.  What makes this case different is the fact that Andrew Olivier had the presence of mind to tape his conversations with the two defendants.

With the wide usage of IPHONES one can expect future such discussions will be much more cautiously delivered.

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

WE HAVE DECIDED TO SELL OUR CONDO

Condo living is all the rage of late and Anne and I got caught up in this growing trend but we kept our 1 1/2 Story Bungalow. So with 2 properties to manage ...double realty taxes, repairs and insurance and such it has gotten just too much for us so we have reluctantly but nonetheless quickly come to the conclusion that we best sell our beloved Condo.

It's a good size for a Condo - 1650 sq ft and is ground level so it has its own gardens, patio etc.  It also has new appliances, mostly new furnishings, as well as a year old heating and air-conditioning system.  We'll miss it but it will be a super buy for you since we are motivated.

If you get the chance, please drive by it and if you like it, be sure to quickly give us a call.

Hold on a minute, I have a call coming in:

"Boy your condo sounds great before we talk price the Mrs. and I would like to take a drive by it...Where exactly is it Galagher?"

Good question, 'Using the Sarasota / Bradenton Florida Airport as your reference point, drive 11.5 miles north toward Bradenton and turn left at ...'

'Hello, Hello, ...I guess he hung up'.

Any way don't you waste any time getting there it is not likely to last.

As we see it...


'K.D. Galagher'

THE PENNY DROPPED.

Which is now somewhat ironic since our country Canada no longer mints the tiny coin.

But back to the Dropped Penny analogy.  

Canada is a member of NATO but we are hardly a member in good standing since we contribute less than half of our annual allotment (less than 1% of GDP compared to the required 2%). Thus it is not surprising that our equipment for all our branches of the military are quickly becoming outdated.  For instance, we are still flying the woefully outdated Sea King Helicopters which past their best before date in the early 1980s.

But my story today involves our outdated CF18 Jet Fighters that date back to the 1970s and which too are in desperate need of replacement. NATO favours replacement by Lockheed Martin's F35 Joint Striker Jet and NATO countries, save for Canada, are following suit since military experts say the Joint Striker Jet is far superior to its competitors and due to the fact that it is critical for NATO pilots to operate from a comparable platform. 

So what is Canada going alone on and more to the point ..why?

Canada has decided to purchase between 25 and 30 Boeing F/A Super Hornets and is calling it an 'interim step' to give it more time to consider a permanent solution.

But our country has never adequately answered the Why in all of this.  Why purchase up to 30 jets, at a cost of over $2 Billion Dollars, even as an interim step, when it is not recommended by NATO?

It never made any sense to me until just the other day...when the proverbial penny fell.  I was reading an article that Boeing, the manufacturer of the Super Hornet, is in the process of bringing a trade dispute against Bombardier, Canada's golden hair Quebec Manufacturer of civilian aircraft and railway transportation products. 

Boeing was bringing action against Bombardier for unfair and aggressive trade practices and in particular for 'dumping' passenger jets in the United States below cost. 

Canada's Prime Minister, the one and only Justin Trudeau, struck back saying that in light of Boeing's action, "Canada is reviewing current military procurement that relates to Boeing".  In other words, Trudeau was threatening to withdraw from the agreement to purchase Boeing's Super Hornets. 

Could this be the answer why Canada was entering into its interim step to purchase Boeing's Jets in the first place? 

Moreover does it have something to do with Bombardier consistently coming out on top when it comes corporate welfare payments from Canada's Federal Government and from its home province of Quebec?

Indeed, over the years billions of taxpayers' money have been spent to support this poorly managed entity.  Earlier this year the Feds provided the company with and interest free loan in the sum of $283 million which followed a $1 Billion Dollar Bailout from the Province of Quebec.  

It appears that no cost is too great to support Bombardier, and I leave it to you to determine if that also includes the purchase of a bunch of unneeded Jets.   

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'