Can a hollow throne support our weight?
My quick impression of the throne speech (the text of which can be found here):
I agree whole heartedly with the words used. I, nay, we want politicians and the community to work together, not just to solve this “struggling economy”, but also in general. We elect a group to represent us and solve these kinds of issues.
But there is something hollow about the language used. The speech presents the idea of working together as if it is a new thing – a tool that has not been available to us in the past months or years. Has this not been an option previously? Has it not been a potential solution to “uncertainty” all this time? Why was this tool not used before?
It gets me thinking about the stereotypical Stephen Harper left-leaning politicians and comedians alike love to put forward and abuse – the secretive Harper that holds few press conferences and ‘muzzles’ his MPs. Doesn’t the language in the throne speech fly in the face of what has come before? Who is this speech aimed at? The writer? It all just seems… false, somehow.
Whether you agree or disagree with the Coalition between the Liberals and the NDP, with the support of the Bloq, it is hard to argue this is the kind of cooperation the throne speech calls for.
“Our Government approached the dialogue in a spirit of open and non-partisan cooperation.” Why the change of heart from the government? Time will tell if this is really the dawn of a new era in Parliament, or just another political empty promise that we’ve become so used to over 142 years.
A simple marketing tip: you can’t just say you are some thing, that won’t fool anyone. To get your customers to believe you, you have to actually be that. Do this and you’ll save a lot of heartache and money in the long run.
"I would certainly not like to find myself governing this economy today."
There’s a clip from last night’s This Hour has 22 Minutes episode that caught my eye. It shows the PM misspeaking a little in the House. He was having difficulty remembering who he was talking to. It made me laugh because apparently he doesn’t even know who is or wants to be the Prime Minister any longer!
I’m joking of course, but the second half of the sentence he delivered does give me pause and caused me some confusion:
“I can just tell you Mr. Prime Minister I will… or Mr. President… I would… I can just tell you I just tell you Mr. Speaker I would certainly not like to find myself governing this economy today.”
I don’t think Liberals, NDP or Bloc would like to find you governing this economy today either. That’s kind of what has us in this whole mess. If you agree, you’re welcome to step aside and we can just avoid the whole hullabaloo that is coming…
(I couldn’t find a direct link to the video – stupid Flash players – but here is how to find it: click here, then on the right hand side – under Latest – find the clip called “From the Newsdesk”. Currently it is on the second page. The comment is found at 2:10 into the clip.)
Happy anniversary you Party animals!
Happy first anniversary to Ed Stelmach and Stephane Dion. (Today marks one year since both were elected to lead their parties – as everybody’s second choice.) So far boys, it looks like you are living up to absolutely everyone’s expectations. Keep up the… good (?)… work (?).
Did Bronco suddenly go insane while I was tying my shoes?
I guess I blinked or something because $1.3 billion was just spent by the City of Calgary in one day. And at the very first council meeting! And with four alderman who have only had their jobs for three weeks!
Well, it seems that while I was in the bathroom Bronconnier quickly fulfilled the lion’s share of his campaign promises. Wowie-zowie, talk about fast. All I knew was that he wanted to extend the LRT to the west and build three new recreation centres. Well, that’s about as much as the alderman know too apparently. Even after the pile of money was carted off to Calgary Transit in wheelbarrows that’s still about as much as anyone seems to know.
I can’t help but think we’re a little short on the details here. How does something that just three weeks ago that was merely a campaign promise turn into sound legislation so quickly? (Hell, the federal Liberals promised to scrap the GST in 1993 before being voted in and we’re still waiting for that promise to be fulfilled.)
Should that large an amount of money be spent with so little public input? Where will the rec centres go exactly? Seriously, shouldn’t we actually at least talk about the possibility of the West LRT going to Mount Royal and the Currie Barracks (with their soon to be ridiculously – by Calgary standards – high density)? I didn’t even have enough time to walk to city hall let alone talk to my alderman about the options before the mayor signed a giant novelty cheque.
Maybe its just me, but I’m starting to think Bronconnier might be certifiably insane. And the aldermen are just frightened schoolgirls when he ‘gets that crazy look in his eyes’. I like Bronco, don’t get me wrong. I think a little bit of crazy is a good thing. But it seems like very little due diligence was done here. And for something Bronco himself calls “a tipping point in city history” none-the-less. I have to agree with Naheed Nenshi on this one: WTF Mr. Mayor?
PS – Can anybody tell me if there is enough money left over in this infrastructure funding to fix the pothole in the alley out back of my place? If you pay for the dirt and can lend me a shovel I’m happy to do it myself. No? No more money? Okay, umm… thanks anyway.
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