We did it! WPBS will stay on the air in Ottawa!

Congratulations, fellow Ottawans! We did it!! I received the following e-mail from WPBS this morning:

July 31, 2009

Dear Friends of WPBS-TV:

CONGRATULATIONS! WPBS-TV and Rogers Cable have worked together to ensure a more reliable fiber connection, and WPBS-TV is able to continue serving the Ottawa Community! This news from Rogers could not have come at a better time. WPBS-TV and Rogers have created a more reliable feed source of our signal that is a win-win situation for both parties. In all sincerity Rogers has been kind and cooperative in the discussions with WPBS-TV over the past 48 hours.

Words alone can never describe how much the overwhelming outpour of support from our friends in the Ottawa area has meant to “the little station that could” over the past weeks. Special thanks go to the City of Ottawa Councillor Rick Chiarelli for his unwavering support, time and energy on behalf of the City of Ottawa and WPBS-TV; Gord McDougall, CFRA News Reporter & TV Commentator for his encouragement and friendship; and, the countless members, viewers, supporters & friends of WPBS-TV who refused to give up and remained committed to the end. We could name many, but without their permission we will wait to ‘brag them up.’

How does an organization go about thanking everyone for their character, depth of emotion and heart-felt hard work? We’re not quite sure just yet. But, believe us Ottawa, WPBS-TV will not let you down!

In the coming days, WPBS-TV will be creating on-air spots and making additional announcements with our on-line community of supporters. Please call us with any questions or concerns you may have. Or, just congratulate yourself on a job well done!

As always, we remain,

Tom Hanley, Lynn Brown & Staff

A big "thank you" and virtual hug to all the people who bombarded Rogers, the CRTC, Ottawa city councillors, and local newspapers with your protests against dropping WPBS! Good on ya, Ottawa.

Don't forget to tip your waitress - I'll be writing a thank you letter to the individuals mentioned above and the Ottawa city councillors, as well as Rogers and the CRTC, for their efforts in making this happen.

Now if you'll excuse me, I suspect there's something good on channel 64 right about now...

Save WPBS TV in Ottawa! - Update

So far, Rogers continues to insist on dropping WPBS. In the beginning they stated that the decision was "final." But recent correspondence suggests that they're getting the message and their resistance may be softening. I received the following message this morning from Rogers' Office of the President (emphasis mine). Note the absence of the word "final," instead being replaced with "at this time":

Dear {name},

Thank you for sending your complaint to the Office of the President regarding the channel realignment that will be taking place in August.  We understand that this is disruptive to some viewers and this is why we rarely make this kind of change. It has been with extensive analysis and viewer feedback that we have made this decision to acquire PBS Detroit.  PBS Detroit offers higher quality reception and signal reliability. We are aware that the local programming you have enjoyed will no longer be available as a result, but have been advised that there will be similar programming available. We have received complaints pertaining to this decision, but at this time, the realignment will still take place as scheduled. 

We do not take these complaints lightly, and have noted this accordingly. Your  feedback in regards to this channel lineup change is taken very seriously and will be voiced. We apologize for any inconvenience that this change may cause you. Thank you for being a loyal customer to Rogers during this time period of adjustment.

Sincerely,

{name} | Rogers Communications Inc. | Advisor | Office of the
President |

Now is the time to keep up the pressure. I have been advised by one city councillor that it will help build support in city council if we contact all of the councillors.

Here is a list for your convenience:

Doug.Thompson@ottawa.ca
Eli.El-Chantiry@ottawa.ca
Rick.Chiarelli@ottawa.ca
Peggy.Feltmate@ottawa.ca
Diane.Holmes@ottawa.ca
Peter.Hume@ottawa.ca
Gord.Hunter@ottawa.ca
Rob.Jellett@ottawa.ca
Jacques.Legendre@ottawa.ca
Maria.McRae@ottawa.ca
Bob.Monette@ottawa.ca
Shad.Qadri@ottawa.ca
Marianne.Wilkinson@ottawa.ca
Jan.harder@ottawa.ca
christine.leadman@ottawa.ca
Larry.OBrien@ottawa.ca
Michel.Bellemare@ottawa.ca
Georges.Bedard@ottawa.ca
Rainer.Bloess@ottawa.ca
Glenn.Brooks@ottawa.ca
Alex.Cullen@ottawa.ca
Clive.Doucet@ottawa.ca
Steve.Desroches@ottawa.ca
Diane.Deans@ottawa.ca

Please take a few minutes and let them know how you feel about this. There is a link to a petition and more people to contact, such as Rogers managers and government officials, in my previous post.

I am also sending this information to WPBS so they can help spread the word.

Save WPBS TV in Ottawa!

Rogers has decided to drop WPBS Watertown (channel 64) from its Ottawa cable lineup, despite what appears to be a sizable protest from its customers.

It is replacing it with Detroit PBS, which is 4 times farther away, which means there will no longer be PBS coverage of local events in our shared area, as there is now with Watertown PBS. We will also have less of a voice about our PBS programming, since we'll now have to compete with all of Detroit to get heard. In addition, WPBS may lose more than $300,000 in revenues from this decision since, as a border town, 70% of their audience is Canadian. Rogers claims this lineup change is at the request of its viewers, which is an insult to our intelligence considering the volume of protest against it.

WPBS is one of the few remaining channels that doesn't satisfy itself with airing a constant stream of brainless rubbish. It airs intelligent, educational, entertaining programs that serve the public good and Ottawans in particular. Thus, WPBS is one of the few reasons I still bother with Rogers Cable. Rogers' senseless decision to drop WPBS after decades of symbiotic relationship with Ottawan viewers is infuriating. It has prompted me to start researching UHF antennas in anticipation of their bullish insistence on ignoring their customers' wishes. I've put up with many other annoyances from them which have put me off, but if they remove their top channel too, that'll be the last straw.

The link above will bring you to a detailed description, along with a convenient list of phone numbers and e-mail addresses of officials you can contact to register your complaint. Please contact them and let them know how you feel. There is also a survey and petition you can sign here.

Are Canadians just unbelievably selfish?

Right now, people are being killed in Iran for protesting the fact that their voices aren't being heard. In Canada, we whine and stomp our feet because making our voices heard might bite into our vacation time. I have also heard Canadians whine about not having an election in winter because, horror of horrors, we might have to put our boots and coats on to go vote.

So, if not winter or summer, exactly when is the right time to fight for what's right?

Most of the people who don't qualify for EI are going to have trouble keeping their mortgages and bills paid. Helping them avoid foreclosure and/or welfare would be one of the most effective ways to combat this economic slump. But the Conservatives won't have it and the Liberals obviously don't have the balls to call an election over it, so these unemployed will twist in the wind while a "committee" argues over the same points that have already been argued in Question Period for weeks on end.

So why the hell aren't we helping people? Why aren't we demanding that help, bad election timing be damned? Is it because those who are employed don't want to give up their precious vacations so we can vote out the guy who won't help the less fortunate?

I want a leader who will stand up and ask these questions, and is willing to demand answers to those questions and immediate solutions. But apparently that's not going to happen anytime soon. Given the events in the last couple of days, I doubt Iggy's going to grow a pair by tomorrow.

And Parliament can sit all summer, as far as I'm concerned. They were paid by us the public for a full session, and only sat for a fraction of it, so I have no qualms about demanding that they continue to sit until an EI solution is put in place for the summer. All the more motivation for the Conservatives to stop putting obstacles in the way and take action now - they wouldn't want to miss their cushy summer vacations, after all.

Which brings me to the second point I touched on earlier. Is that shrinking group of Canadians who still hold jobs, so incredibly selfish, that they simply cannot bear to spend a little of their vacation time to vote out the guy who won't help those less fortunate than themselves? On they go, whining about how rough the winter was and about not wanting to cancel their reservations, and on and on. What the hell is wrong with people?

As a long-time American resident and citizen, I got to vote for the leader of the country once every 4 years, no matter how urgently we needed to kick out the current one. George W. Bush was only one especially obvious example. I treasured the opportunity to make my voice heard as often as possible because it wasn't heard nearly often enough. I've learned to value that opportunity and I'm eager to take advantage of it whenever it is offered. (I voted in every general election since I turned 18.) And let's face it: we already know what each party's platform is, and those platforms shape their policies in mostly predictable ways - so is it really that arduous a process to decide whom to vote for?

Canadians who think they have it so hard should try American voting, where you vote for several political candidates at federal, state, county, and municipal levels; plus judges, school district, water and other special districts; plus 10 or 15 state propositions and local measures, written in legalese, to read through and vote on at the same time. Take a look at the 2008 directory of contests and ballot for my former riding if you don't believe me. The 2008 Voter Information Guide was 144 pages plus a 16-page supplemental guide, just for the federal and state levels - the county and municipal stuff comes in another booklet. They also send you a sample ballot so you can mark it with your choices, since there's too much for most people to remember. Then when you're done with all that, you bring your sample ballot and go vote with a ballot card that slides into a slot behind the ballot pages, and then you go through each page and copy from your sample ballot using a special marker or stylus to mark or poke a hole in the card to indicate all your choices. Here in Canada, we get to concentrate on voting for just one seat - our Member of Parliament. We get to do some research and mull it over, then walk into the polling station, make one "X" and we're done. What's the big deal?

Weather is the last reason I'd expect for delaying an election. I lived in Los Angeles for many years so I am not accustomed to these Canadian winters; but I have now been here through 2 of the longest, harshest winters in recent memory and still would not hesitate to take the time and effort to do my research and brave the weather to go vote. I did it last October and I'd do it again in January, July, or anytime. Canadians' apparent aversion to voting, and for such petty and selfish reasons, is something I find both astonishing and disheartening - especially since voting is so simple and easy here. I love Canada and my fellow Canadians, and that is precisely why I think we can do better than attitudes like this.

No to C-15 and a U.S.-style 'war on drugs!'

Prime Minister Harper is pushing a bill for mandatory sentences for drug crime. It has unfortunately passed in the House of Commons and is currently in the Senate. More here and here.

I lived in Los Angeles, the gang capital of the world, for many years and can personally attest that the largest single contributor to the gang problems is the illicit drug trade. They make big money from the sales of illicit drugs and use it to fund their other illegal endeavours. Mandatory minimum sentences and the "war on drugs" have not abated the gang problems in L.A. - instead, these problems have worsened dramatically over recent years, as anyone who follows L.A. news can plainly see. These are failed, expensive policies that Canadians can ill afford to adopt. I would love to put an end to drug-related crime, but I assure you C-15 will only exacerbate the problem. Please write your senator and ask him or her not to subject Canadians to this legislation, which experience tells us is doomed to fail.

Support David Chen

Petition backs store owner charged after thief tied up

This is an outrage. If the police must exercise "triage," as they put it, to such an extent that criminals are allowed to victimize local businesses on a regular ongoing basis, then obviously there are not enough police on the force or else they aren't doing their jobs. Citizens trying to make an honest living are thus left with no other recourse than to perform a citizen's arrest. If this right is removed as well, criminals will rule the streets!

I know about neighbourhood blight from personal experience. I lived in Southern California (including Los Angeles) for many years, and most of the entire region has descended into gangland central over time. The first step necessary for this nasty downward spiral to occur in an area is for police to be too understaffed and/or apathetic to perform proper neighbourhood patrols when local crime is on the rise. The second is for its citizens to fail to take action against it, either due to not realizing the severity of the problem in time, ignorance of their rights (such as citizen's arrest), being stripped of their rights (as in this case), or later, hopelessness and/or fear of retribution from the criminals. This is how it starts. And frankly, I have found it impossible to explain to Canadians who have lived in Canada all their lives, just how truly bad it can get.

If you're not shocked and dismayed by this recent turn of events with Mr. Chen, you should be. His stripped rights are your stripped rights should you ever be victimized by crime. Even an effective, well-staffed police force can't have an officer on every corner - so if victim's rights are taken away, and the police continue to be ineffective, that's the beginning of the end for your neighbourhood. Take it from someone who knows.

God help us all if we're going to be expected to stand idly by while we or other law-abiding citizens are being victimized.

If you haven't yet signed the online petition, I encourage you to do so. It calls for a clearer definition of citizen's arrest, defence of victims' rights, and for the charges against Mr. Chen to be dropped, amongst other things.

We are not the U.S.' clean-up crew - part 2

My other half said some things about the previous post which are worth sharing; I've paraphrased them here.

Send the detainees to George W. Bush's big ranch in Texas, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld's mansions, and John McCain's eight houses. There's plenty of room.

They created the problem; surely they won't mind being part of the solution.

Besides, Bush told President Obama "if you need anything I'll be right here." Looks like it's time to make that phone call, Mr. President.

We are not the U.S.' clean-up crew

Canada refuses U.S. request to accept Chinese Muslims from Guantanamo

Once in a great while, Harper actually does the right thing.

These Guantanamo Bay prisoners, who have been found innocent, cannot go home (for reasons I will expound on in a moment) but the U.S. doesn't want them either. So, Obama requested that Canada take them... but Harper refused to help the U.S. dump its self-created Gitmo problem on someone else, and for this I have to applaud him.

Some Canadians have a "send 'em back!" attitude toward these prisoners. But this problem is not as not that simple for a number of reasons... not the least of which is that many of these prisoners would be wrongfully persecuted a second time if they were sent back to their country of origin. In addition, many of them weren't in their home country at the time of arrest precisely because they were trying to escape wrongful persecution there.

This is a problem of the U.S.' own creation so the solution needs to come from them too. If these prisoners have been found innocent, then the U.S. needs to take them in, compensate them for the atrocities committed against them, give them counselling to help them overcome the trauma they endured, and provide full services to help them integrate into American society. Expensive? Yes! Messy? Yes! But it is the right thing to do for anyone who is wrongly convicted and brutalized. And it will teach American politicians and voters to think twice about this idea that it's okay to flout U.S. and international laws and run roughshod over human rights as long as you feel justified in doing so. This lesson is long overdue. I lived in the U.S. for many years - so I know from whence I speak. I have many American loved ones, don't get me wrong... but a lot of Americans need to smarten up.

You don't create a disaster of this magnitude and then dump it on someone else's doorstep. You made your bed, now sleep in it.

And don't think we missed the irony that a mere 2 weeks ago the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security was wrongfully accusing Canada of letting the 9/11 terrorists into America, and now here's the U.S. President asking us to take people they deem unfit to stay on their soil. Unbelievable.

Good on ya Harper, for telling them where to stick it.

Watch out, Cheerios are a "drug"!!

Popular cereal is a drug, US food watchdog says

Gee... Maybe instead of wasting time on insipid crap like this, the FDA should concern itself with why drugs like Phen-Fen and Vioxx get expedited through their approval system, despite evidence of their dangerous side effects and permanent organ damage... while drugs that have been used safely in Europe for many years are still awaiting approval. But it won't, because the pharmaceutical companies have plenty of $$$ to keep the FDA in their back pockets for years to come. Expect to hear about more "drugs" in your groceries as the FDA tries to look like it's actually doing its job.

I know Obama has his hands full with the many disasters at hand, but I sincerely hope he gets his hands on the FDA sometime during his tenure. The whole thing needs to be torn down and rebuilt from scratch, with full transparency and independent review of their decision-making process.

Republicans becoming a 'regional party'

Apparently, the Republicans are petering out in all but the Deep South. This is fantastic news! And we have Rush Limbaugh - and other loudmouthed right-wing asshats like him - to thank for accelerating the demise of their party.

After all, Rush Limbaugh et al are doing us all a favour. They are coming out and showing the ugly undercurrents so often thinly veiled by the Republican party - contempt for non-whites, women, non-Christians, environmentalists, and the poor, for starters. It's always been covert, of course, almost never being spoken but seen very clearly in the policies it implements. For once, with Rush and his ilk at the helm, the Republican party's actions actually match its words.

It's my fondest hope that, faced with the threat of extinction, the Republican party will be dragged - kicking and screaming, no doubt - into the 21st century. And with it, the Reform Alliance -- oops I mean Conservative Party of Canada. It's time to dump racist, sexist, classist, xenophobic notions and get with the program.

Silly pervert, tits are for kids

Woman inundated with hate mail over poolside breastfeeding

It seems there is no shortage of right-wing whackjobs who don't get the concept that the first and primary purpose of breasts is NOT sex, but rather, feeding one's young.

Humans are mammals. That starts with m-a-m-m-a, as in...

...aw gee what's that word again??...

...oh yes... MAMMARY.

That means "boobies," for those of you who missed Biology 101. That's right, just like every other mammal we are equipped with these for the purpose of feeding our babies.

If you have, in your mind, sexualized breasts to such an extent that you have lost sight of their entire reason for existing in the first place, there is something seriously wrong with your mindset. It takes a pervert in the extreme, to see a breastfeeding mother and think "pedophile." Just what do these folks think people did to feed their infants before artificial baby formula came along? They do realize they probably nursed at their own mothers' breasts at one time themselves... don't they?

But then, it's easy to confirm such perversion, since such individuals have taken to sending this woman hate mail calling her a pedophile and specifying the obscene acts they would perform on her. These people need counselling, and fast. Even for the ones who didn't threaten her with such acts, their sexual mindset is obviously so twisted that we can no doubt expect a high percentage of sexual offenders in this group. I hope this woman presses charges against each and every one so we can get them off the street.

I personally think it's a beautiful thing when a mother does not resort to allowing her baby to go hungry, or feeding it artificial baby formula, out of fear of offending some ignorant twisted pervert. First and foremost, boobs = baby food. And it's the best baby food, above and beyond any substitute humankind can concoct. So perverts, get over yourselves. Boobs were not made for you.

Same-sex marriage and ignoring Canada, in America

Gay marriage supporters watch historic vote in Vt

Great! Now the Republicans won't have to bitch about "activist judges" any more. It's been through the legislature. One long-time tactic by the social conservatives when things don't go their way is to say judges shouldn't have a say in such matters (never mind that the courts are precisely where civil rights matters should be decided, both in principle and by precedent). Then they fight to have the legislature decide. If that doesn't go their way either, they say that was never the right way to begin with and it should be voted on by the people. Or they will skip the legislature and take it to the voters (such as has been done in California), and if that doesn't go their way, they'll say it should have gone to the legislature. It seems they're running out of excuses and options, which is good news because their legal shell games are getting downright boring.

It's very disappointing, however, that the writers of the AP article mentioned above left something out of their list of countries allowing same-sex marriage. Hell-l-ooo-oo-o.... Canada?? No wonder most Americans don't know anything about Canada! Once again, Canada has been ignored in American media.

No, I'm not an American-hater. See this post - I spent most of my life in the States so I know what I'm talking about. Americans routinely ignore Canada in the media and this is just the latest blatant example. It's become even more readily apparent to me upon moving to Canada, just how consistent and thorough this ignorance really is. One needn't wonder why American media pisses Canadians off.

I've written a sternly worded message to the writers of the article, both for their lack of research integrity and for the systematic ignorance of Canada in U.S. media. I'll report back with the results, but to be honest I'm not getting my hopes up.

Sometimes I'm ashamed to be American

Many of my fellow Canadians are hopping mad. And who can blame them? Basically, some late night attention-whore on Fox News gathered a panel of like-minded ignoramuses and they all started insulting and making light of Canada, its mission in Afghanistan, and the RCMP.



There's an article about the host's so-called "apology," which by the way essentially amounts to, "I said what I said, and if you're offended you must have misunderstood me. I'm sorry you misunderstood." Gee, it's hard not to forgive this guy, with such a heartfelt outpouring of remorse and all.

Mind you, Canadians have been fighting in the most dangerous areas of Afghanistan, which is why Canadian troops have been dying at roughly twice the rate of American troops. Look at sheer percentages and you'll see this is right. Canada has been doing the bulk of the dirtiest and hardest work while other NATO nations hesitate to get involved - despite their pledges to do so. As if these conditions alone aren't sufficient cause for outrage, this pack of slovenly closed-minded mouth-breathers, in their stupefying ignorance, now have the gall to minimize and make light of these efforts and sacrifices.

They laughed about how it would be a perfect time to invade Canada while our military is out "getting manicures and pedicures," and waxed on about how we don't need a military anyway since we just piggyback our national security on the U.S. military. They claimed not to even know Canadian troops were in Afghanistan, basically saying you wouldn't know it because they're not accomplishing anything. They talked about how the missions last too long because we're too soft and not focused enough on the task at hand. The insults flowed fast and furious with blissfully clueless disregard for reality or facts.

Then they went on to make light of the RCMP, not realizing of course that their references to Canadian law enforcement being performed while riding horses and wearing red jackets as proof that "this is not a smart culture," ironically only serve to showcase their own culture of ignorance.

I really do mean that last phrase exactly the way it sounds. I can state with confidence, from personal experience, that yes indeed - there IS a culture of ignorance in the States. While no country is completely devoid of ignorant people, there is a dramatic difference in the frequency and severity of ignorance between the U.S. and Canada, enough to cause us to experience significant culture shock. There is a minimal education level here, even among the supposedly "uneducated," that still enables them to speak with an eloquence and depth of understanding simply not seen among their American counterparts. I'm not being an ass - I'm speaking of the cataclysmic failure of the U.S. public school system, which I have had the misfortune of experiencing for myself. Were it not for my own thirst for knowledge, and continual lifelong self-education through library books and the internet, I wouldn't have nearly the level of awareness and understanding that I do today. Yes, I have a college education too, and that certainly helps. But before you dismiss all this as anti-American propaganda, take a look at the rates of postsecondary education in the States vs. Canada. You will see that I'm not just blowing smoke up your butt when I say that Americans on average are less educated. Since less of them attend college or university, it follows that more of them rely on the increasingly inadequate public school system for their base of knowledge, and on mass media for supplementing that base.

Which brings me to the abysmal failure of the media to help educate Americans about the U.S.' role in world affairs. News in the U.S. is covered as though the U.S. is the centre of the universe and the American perspective is the only valid one. Yes, world issues and events are covered in world news... but usually in a cursory manner, with little background as to why these things are occurring or discussion of the cultural norms that must be taken into consideration to put them in perspective. The sovereignty of other countries, and the differences of other cultures, are regularly dismissed out of hand or even treated with open contempt. Canada (much less its substantial contributions to the American economy or NATO operations) is hardly mentioned at all, and when it is, it's generally to make fun of it as the 51st state, a lesser imitation of U.S. proper, a land of nothing but frozen tundra and igloos and primitive life, a place and people that just don't matter, and someone to blame whenever there is a lapse in U.S. Homeland Security. So as much as I'd love to claim this latest display of bad taste, ignorance, and contemptuous disrespect is an isolated incident, it's not even close. It's embarrassingly typical. Only now, this outrage is also being directed at those who risk life and limb in service of our country - our troops and our law enforcement. And it's part of a rapidly growing culture of ignorance perpetuated by a failing school system and a mass media that thinks covering the latest Britney Spears escapade is more important than fostering good citizenship or diplomacy and cultural awareness in world affairs.

Sometimes I'm ashamed to be American.

It's official: the Catholic Church has lost its mind

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/03/07/catholic-abortion.html

What in the world is the Church thinking? They're going to excommunicate the mother and doctors for saving this girl's life, but NOT the disgusting pig step-father for victimizing her and creating this whole difficult situation in the first place? I just can't understand the Church's take on child molestation. And yet, according to them I'm a 'pervert' worthy of excommunication because I'm in a consensual relationship with an adult of the same gender. More proof that the Catholic Church not only doesn't condemn child molestation, but actually condones and protects it. So glad I look to God and NOT the Catholic Church for my moral compass!

"Buy Canadian?" How about "SUPPORT Canadian?"

Unions call for 'Buy Canadian' policy

Note that it's the Canadian Auto Workers pushing for this policy. How exactly are we to support their industry? As far as I know, their bread and butter is American car companies. Shall we support their industry by buying American and Japanese cars built in Canada? Are they serious?

Let's not kid ourselves. These aren't "Canadian car companies," they are American companies whose actions are dictated by American interests, and Japanese companies dictated by Japanese interests. They will use us as long as they need us and then bam, out on our collective ear. One need only look at the impending closure of the Oshawa GM plant to see that this is true. There was much pleading and protesting about it, to no avail. And GM has already exported huge chunks of its manufacturing labour to Mexico. Mexico recently surpassed Canada in auto manufacturing. Coincidence? No. It's all about financial advantage. GM is not a Canadian company, it's not based in Canada, and it couldn't care less about Canadian jobs. The sooner we get that through our heads, the better.

I know of two Canadian car companies - Zenn and Dynasty... and neither of them ever got proper support from any level of government.

Compounding this tragedy is the environmental impact of such governmental mismanagement. Both of these are 100% electric cars. They are classified as LSV (Low Speed Vehicles) and are ideal for the type of short distances typical for city dwellers for getting to work, the grocery store, and miscellaneous errands. Since, at last count in 2006, 80% of all Canadians lived in an area classified as urban, a whole lot of people could be using these. Alas, the federal government dragged its heels on making provisions for putting these cars on our roads. Once it finally did, it fell to the provinces, and all but two - BC and Québec - have dragged their heels as well. So, where are these cars getting sold? In the 47 U.S. states that allow them, amongst other places. I've said it before - it's a travesty.

And now that the U.S. economy is tanking fast, and with it their rate of new vehicle purchases, how do you suppose these Canadian car companies are faring? Did the government offer to bail them out or help them along? No! Millions in bailout dollars are instead going to GM and Chrysler, with a line of credit extended to Ford... all American companies.

If the government was really serious about Canadian jobs, the Canadian economy, and the environment, they would give proper support to Canadian-based companies. Why are we giving billions of dollars - that's "billions" with a "b" - to GM, an American company that is already closing down at least one of their Canadian plants? What would happen if we took the money designated for American car companies and put it into Zenn and Dynasty and Canadian startups who want to make cars here? There would still be plenty left over to go into public transportation and infrastructure. Why would we insist on spending big bucks to (1) ensure that our businesses are at a disadvantage and (2) ensure that large segments of our economy and jobs remain at the mercy of foreign interests?

What a crock.

OC Transpo strike - penny wise and pound foolish

Strike cost city $13.4M - so far

Hope it was worth it to save $3M or so on scheduling inefficiencies!

Mayor O'Brien is an arrogant, pigheaded moron. Alain Mercier is similarly muleheaded and couldn't negotiate his way out of a paper bag. The city councillors, by and large, stood by with their thumbs up their butts. And the ATU needs to get a grip - this is a recession; world economies are tanking; tens of thousands of jobs are being lost in this country; maybe just maybe instead of wreaking hardship on those less fortunate than themselves, they could have just been thankful to have a damn job and helped out their fellow citizens in a jam. And talk about shooting yourself in the foot - they had to know this would result in transit cutbacks and therefore potential layoffs in the future. Certainly having no job results in even more family time than the scheduling they're fighting for.

The city councillors are promising never to "let this happen again." That's not good enough. It never should have happened a first time. They don't deserve another chance. I hope those who voted for them and for this Conservative union-busting mayor are appropriately disgusted with themselves.

I, for one, will not forget this at voting time.

And if we do not continue to push for CIRB to change their definition of what constitutes a threat to public safety, push for public transportation to be declared an essential service, and push for alternate modes of transportation such as a driverless light rail and more cycling lanes, we will still not be assured that a set of fresh political faces will not thrust us back into this same exact situation each and every time an ATU contract expires. We cannot afford to let anyone off the hook. The well-being of our poorest and most disadvantaged citizens, our businesses, our economy, and our environment depend on it.

"The best job in the world," and other exploits

There is a contest where people are trying to audition for "the best job in the world." The position is called Caretaker of the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef and is a publicity gimmick by Tourism Queensland Australia. You get paid to live on one of the beautiful islands, snorkel, check out luxury spas and local events, etc., take videos and pictures of it all, and blog about it at least once a week. Rough stuff, I know. Naturally, LOTS of people are applying.

In order to get selected, you have to get the most votes for your audition video. This one's from a guy up here in the Yukon. Too damn funny.



Which got me thinking about the "Polar Bear Dips":





...and the "snow baths" (at about 5:24):





What is it about Canadians and doing insane things in ice and snow? Things that make you wonder just how many marbles they are missing?

That's awesome!

I'm still pretty sick this time around but I hope to join my fellow citizens next year. :-P

Tasers and minors

Ontario rejects call for banning taser use on minors

Sound decision.

Mind you, I understand the outrage over the tasering of a non-aggressive FAS-afflicted 14-year-old girl. I don't know all the facts, and perhaps none of us ever will, for a variety of reasons - not the least of which being the protection of her identity. The article itself states that none of the allegations has been proven in court, but that there is a tape recording of the incident which the Ontario children's advocate has seen and verified. I can only assume this means the tape is probably legitimate, but has not been presented formally as court evidence just yet. At first blush, this certainly seems to be an unnecessary and appalling (ab)use of police force. If this is indeed the case, the officers should be prosecuted to the maximum extent possible.

That said, an age restriction on tasers stating that someone's life must be "clearly at risk" might sound great on the surface when one is justifiably outraged about police abuse, but it would be neither practical nor properly enforceable. Violent situations can turn life-threatening in the blink of an eye. Do we want officers hesitating in such situations? Are we saying that, in the heat of a volatile situation, faced with what may quickly become a life-threatening situation at the hands of an young attacker, an officer should stop and question the subject to determine age eligibility for taser use? Because honestly, how else are the police expected to know? Maybe the violent suspect is 19... or maybe s/he is 17½.

And what exactly constitutes "a life clearly at risk?" If a youth pulls a knife, but hasn't attacked anyone with it (yet), does this fit the description? What about a youth sitting on top of someone and repeatedly punching him/her in the head? What about a youth who is verbally threatening to kill someone, but hasn't physically done anything (yet)? Two youths fist-fighting? A youth who appears to be reaching for a gun? In each of these cases it could be argued by a lawyer that a life wasn't "clearly at risk" - even if the danger was real and/or injury had already occurred.

Enacting such a narrow requirement would put police in an untenable situation when faced with potential danger to the public or themselves - what are they supposed to do? Should they taser, billy club, shoot, risk life and limb, or hesitate? Every option could potentially generate a lawsuit. If your child or other family member was permanently maimed by a young aggressor because police hesitated to taser him/her according to the requirement, would you sue? Or if the police went ahead and tased the aggressor before s/he had a chance to attack your loved one, would you want that aggressor's family to be able to sue and get big bucks because police guessed wrong and s/he was 17?

Unless you've been living in a cave for the last several decades, you also know that the vast majority of gang members are minors and young adults. I lived in L.A., the undisputed gang capital of America, for more than 30 years (before finally having the good sense to leave). Gang activities such as shootouts, drive-by shootings, and jumpings (surrounding and attacking a victim) were far and away the number one threat to citizens' everyday safety. One of the biggest problems we had is that minors knew they could get away with a lot more than adults could, and they used it strategically to their advantage. One mustn't forget this group of very dangerous young individuals that police must deal with - in some areas more often than others.

According to Statistics Canada, 33% of 2007 murder suspects were under the age of 25. That means minors and people who could be mistaken for minors made up fully 1/3 of all murder suspects. From this statistic alone, one can safely deduce that if the taser age restriction were to pass, police officers would face far too many volatile situations where they must choose between hesitating and risking the aggressor killing/injuring someone in the meantime, unnecessarily risking life and limb, or using other weapons such as a billy club or gun to stop the aggressor. Like it or not, the risk of permanent damage or death from a taser is still lower than it is for either of the other two weapons used to incapacitate an aggressor. Why would we force police to use the more damaging and risky weapons on youths? This makes no sense and in effect achieves the exact opposite of what is intended by potentially increasing the risk that young offenders will be permanently maimed or killed during violent conflicts with police.

No, this restriction is too narrow. It all looks good on paper at first blush... but life just doesn't work that way, so it all breaks down from there. Officers should not be forced to wait until someone's life is clearly at stake, regardless of the age of the aggressor. And there is no time in these situations to be guessing someone's age. It's so easy to judge the police and play Monday morning quarterback if you've never been in such a volatile situation yourself. I have - many times, unfortunately. Those situations are not nearly as easy to accurately assess in the heat of the moment as one might think. (And no I'm not in law enforcement, I'm a computer geek - but I've experienced all of the craziness L.A. has to offer, so I know what I'm talking about.) It is extremely difficult to predict whether an agitated and violent person is going to suddenly turn on someone and cause injury or death.

That said, tasers should only be used in those situations where there is (1) risk of injury and (2) a risk that officers could lose control of the situation if they don't use it. Acceptable: a single officer is trying to apprehend a suspect who is attacking and violently resisting arrest. Not acceptable: officers have already disarmed and subdued a suspect but taser anyway because s/he has pissed them off.

The particular situation of this 14-year-old, with the facts as presented so far, should never have happened. Not by virtue of her age, mind you, since 14-year-olds are certainly capable of assaulting and murdering people... but rather because she was (1) not threatening or attacking anyone and (2) already in a controlled situation by virtue of being unarmed and behind bars. As it stands, this looks like an alarming example of unwarranted police brutality on an unarmed, unthreatening, mentally disabled aboriginal child. Yes, we should be outraged - but just as important is that we are outraged for the right reasons.

O Canada - no, it's not up for debate

N.B. anthem dispute opened divisions in community: parent

Why this has become such an issue completely baffles me. I just don't get why 2 families should get to dictate the protocol for an entire school... especially since that protocol involves removing something as integral as the national anthem. Maybe it's just my American upbringing (ironically), but I happen to believe that you must integrate to a certain extent in your country of residence - because no matter how much your beliefs may differ, some things are not negotiable. Yes, by all means write letters to your politicians, protest, and get involved to change things for the better when people are being wronged and victimized. But removing a key part of the national identity from an entire school just because you don't want to hear it is destructive, unfair, arrogant, and more than a little contemptuous - even more so in a country such as ours, where we are sleeping next to the elephant and our struggle for national identity is intensified.

There is a very simple solution: if you don't want to hear a country's national anthem, leave. But be forewarned: no matter where you go you're going to have to hear somebody's national anthem - and most places wouldn't entertain your sentiments anywhere nearly as long as they have here. They sure as hell wouldn't in the States. They'd kick you in the pants and tell you to put up or get out.

And so help me, I agree.

No country is ever perfect. You may not like its government, prevailing attitudes, climate, culture, religion, foreign policy, crime rate, geography, or any number of other things... but whatever it is, if it bothers you that much you're free to go somewhere else that fits you better. I did. So this isn't just hypothetical rhetoric - the very fact that I've moved back to Canada for good shows that I'm willing to put my money where my mouth is. And if The Star Spangled Banner had bothered me the same ridiculous way O Canada bothers these 2 families, I could take solace in the fact that I only have to hear it during the hockey games.

Ugh - say it isn't so

Liberal MP David McGuinty (Ottawa South) cynically credited President Barack Obama's visit to Ottawa on Feb. 19 as the reason why Labour Minister Rona Ambrose moved to end the strike.

"Ultimately, because (Prime Minister) Stephen Harper was worried about Barack Obama's mobility in this city for his photo-ops," said McGuinty. "I believe that was a contributing factor of solving this strike. Honestly." (full article)

Somebody please tell me that's not the real reason. Granted, it would have been highly embarrassing to have the U.S. President here in a gesture of international partnership, while getting stuck in extra traffic and driving past yelling ATU picketers and yelling anti-strike protesters. Obviously, if we cannot resolve municipal issues in our own capital city then it doesn't really bode well for our capability for international partnership, now does it?

Despite the TTC strike having been ended within 3 days, ours was allowed to drag on for nearly 2 months - maddening and grossly unfair in itself. Given the proximity of Premier McGuinty's very public demands for federal action, citing these facts, and the sudden reversal by Rona Ambrose a few hours later, I admit I assumed a direct correlation between these two events. This situation alone would be an outrage and a disgrace, since it should not require public humiliation plastered all over the mass media to force the government to take care of business - especially given the near-immediate resolution of such a matter in Toronto. But honestly, if the Tories' only motivation to alleviate Ottawans' suffering is potential embarrassment at the impending visit of a foreign leader, and not the embarrassing outcry at home, then they're even worse low-lifes than I originally thought. And that's saying something.

Ontario fairness

It appears that Premier Dalton McGuinty has made some gains for Ontarians (1, 2 in funding for health care, education, infrastructure, and a number of other fronts. His Ontario Fairness website has been up for some time, it seems, as part of a lengthy battle to get federal representation and funding that is actually proportional to our population.

Congratulations, McGuinty, on your successes in this regard.

I think this is especially commendable because, surprisingly, Ontarians don't seem to be clamouring on the Parliament front lawn demanding it. I've known of McGuinty's cause (from his website) since before we immigrated, yet this is the first time I've heard anything about it in the media or anywhere other than his website. Do people just not know about it, or feel like it doesn't affect them, or don't think it does any good to make a stink over it? Maybe they do, and I just haven't been hanging with the right crowd.

Rick Mercer's "Photo Challenge"

The original:




Adaptation:

Thank you, Dalton McGuinty

This is my thank you letter to Premier Dalton McGuinty. Much of it is a repeat of things I've said in various places on this blog, but I've included it here for your convenience. Feel free to use any or all of it for your own letter.

Dear Premier McGuinty,

I am writing to thank you for your recent action on the OC Transpo strike that has paralyzed our city for nearly two months.

The ATU's selfishness was unconscionable, and Mayor O'Brien's grandstanding and union-busting games have also contributed greatly to this impasse that has caused so much suffering. The two sides weren't going to budge and if anything had gotten more entrenched over the last few days. And because the feds were far more worried about staying in power than anything else, they left Ottawans literally in the cold. It struck me as more than a little unfair that TTC was legislated back within 3 days but Ottawans have been allowed to suffer through almost 2 months of winter without transit, and with no relief in sight.

MP Rona Ambrose said only 4 days ago that she had no intention of doing anything about this. MP John Baird promised at least several more weeks of red tape. By speaking out as you did, you held their feet to the fire and publicly shamed them until they acted in the best interest of the public. Now they can't stop talking about how they couldn't bear to let the suffering continue and had to act. Their hearts weren't bleeding for us 4 days ago, so I have no illusions where this came from. Therefore, I am writing to the proper person to express my gratitude. You were the only one from higher government demanding a solution and demanding it _now_.

So thank you again, Mr. Dalton - for acting in the best interest of our most vulnerable citizens, even when others cannot be troubled to do so except under fire. Rest assured that I will remember this at the polls.

Warm Regards,

EEP

The transit strike is over - but don't fall asleep!

At long last, thank God, the transit strike is over.

There - was that so hard, you jerks?

It disgusts me that they could only agree to such a simple solution - that is, binding arbitration without preconditions - when they finally knew they were backed into a corner by the feds and going to have to do it anyway. The feds in question being Rona Ambrose and John Baird, who weren't going to do anything either but were publicly shamed and backed into a corner by Premier Dalton McGuinty. The feds who would have been positioned to do something in Parliament sooner had it not been for their leader, who put everybody on a time-out after being backed into a corner himself for not taking proper action on the economy, among other things.

Is anybody else as thoroughly disgusted as I am?

And does anyone notice that at every step in this process it was the Conservatives that needed to be cornered like a rat and forced to take proper action? From Conservative Mayor O'Brien to Conservative MP's Rona Ambrose and John Baird, to Conservative PM Stephen Harper - how such people get voted in is beyond me.

In any case, the end result of the labour board's decision that transit is not an essential service, according to its ridiculously narrow definition, is that the ATU will be able to strike again in the future. Baird has said (after the aforementioned cornering) that this definition can be reviewed. But if we are going to be smart about this, we cannot allow all of this to fade into the background now that the buses will be back on the road. As long as transit is not an "essential service," we know the possibility of a strike always looms at the end of every contract.

We must keep the pressure on Baird to pursue this and we must pressure the Mayor and Councillors to get some decent alternative transportation in place.

There is no way our entire city should be brought to a grinding halt, and our most vulnerable citizens victimized, every time the ATU decides it doesn't like something. The light rail nightmare O'Brien helped create needs to be sorted out and fixed. We need to get that thing going. We need to look into the feasibility of a driverless system like Vancouver's Skytrain. We need to press for more bike lanes. I've said it before and I'll say it again... we can live with this hanging over our heads for decades to come, or we can start mitigating the situation now so this never happens again. But if this situation has shown us anything, it's that we cannot rely on our public officials to take the initiative. We must call them and write letters to them, especially our Mayor and Councillors, demanding continued action. If we do not, we will only have ourselves to blame the next time we are left in the lurch for transportation.

Voices of reason on the OC Transpo strike

Finally... it's so refreshing to hear from politicians who get it and are willing to do something about this:

[Ottawa Centre New Democrat MP Paul Dewar:] If the two sides can’t agree on arbitration, it will be ordered by Parliament with his support, he said.

“This is not an inconvenience. We’ve got a full-blown crisis.”

...

Ottawa South Liberal MP David McGuinty called on Labour Minister Rona Ambrose to introduce the legislation as soon as possible.

“I hope it comes as soon as possible — yesterday. This should have been dealt with three weeks ago,” he said.

Mr. McGuinty said it was unfair that the Ontario government legislated an end to a strike by Toronto Transit Commission operators within 72 hours, while the federal government treats people in the national capital region like “second-class citizens.”

“The well-being of the citizens, in my view, have to take precedence over the right to collective bargaining,” Mr. McGuinty said. He said both sides in the labour dispute have lost perspective and it’s time for the federal government to intervene.

“There is just too much suffering and too much cost. We have got to get these buses rolling.”

See, some of our MP's get it. It is a full-blown crisis and should have been treated as such weeks ago. The two sides aren't going to budge and if anything have gotten more entrenched over the last couple of days. It's ridiculous. And because the feds were far more worried about staying in power than anything else, they left Ottawans literally in the cold. Yes, it struck me as more than a little unfair that TTC was legislated back within 3 days but Ottawans have been allowed to suffer through almost 2 months of winter without transit, and with no relief in sight until Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty cranked up the pressure on the feds. Is it that we're just not as important as Torontonians? Just a few days ago, Rona Ambrose was saying she had no intention of getting involved and John Baird was promising us a minimum of several weeks of red tape. Suddenly these two have reversed themselves and are talking about how too many people are suffering and they couldn't let it go on. Their hearts weren't bleeding for us 3 days ago - Premier McGuinty made a public stink about it and held their feet to the fire. Ottawans would do well to remember this at voting time. I know I will.

In case I wasn't direct enough before, I'd like to extend a big thank you to the Premier for forcing the feds' hand on this, since they were stubbornly unwilling to do anything and both sides of this debate are obviously so pigheaded we'd be fighting to keep this from ruining another Christmas if somebody didn't do something. I'll be sure to write him a nice thank you letter.

Oh and don't worry, Mayor O'Brien, I won't forget you at the polls either. Your insistence on making this a public referendum on union-busting, and your stupid union-busting games, have contributed greatly to this impasse that has caused so much suffering. Make no mistake about it - the ATU does need a swift kick in the rear, but so do you. And I hope Ottawans give it to you but good.

And another voice of reason

Russia halts missile plans in nod to Obama: report

How about that? Amazing what less combativeness and warmongering, and a little more goodwill can do.

It all depends where your priorities lie, doesn't it? If you are more interested in lining the pockets of your buddies in oil, military equipment, contracting, pharmaceuticals, etc., you end up with the mess we have now. If you actually care about the country and are willing to exercise some prudence, smarts, and tact, you get developments like the one today.

Congratulations, Obama! Keep up the good work.

At last, a voice of reason

Legislate OC Transpo back to work, McGuinty tells feds

Excerpt:

“I think it’s gone on for too long,” Mr. McGuinty told reporters at Queen’s Park. “It affects our most vulnerable citizens. It’s dramatically affecting our economy at a time when we can’t afford to have these kind of things get in the way. So my advice to the federal government is you’re going to have to come to grips with this.”

...

"It's the responsibility and the obligation of both these parties to get back to the table and come up with a negotiated settlement as quickly as possible that's in the best interests of the citizens of Ottawa," Ms. Ambrose said last Thursday. "It's in (the city's and the union's) hands to solve."

Mr. McGuinty said that response demonstrated “a lack of leadership.”

“I think the public interest has been compromised,” he said Wednesday.

Wow... could it be that someone is exercising some good sense on this issue? The City and ATU remain pigheaded on this and don't want transit declared an essential service. The labour board has decided it isn't going to be of any help.

And this just in, literally in the middle of my post...

It appears now that the Cons' crisis is over and the pressure is on, lo and behold there may be federal action on this after all:

House of Commons to hold emergency meeting on transit strike

Excerpt:

[Rona Ambrose:] "As of last night, the talks have stalled and they are at a stalemate and it is my belief that when the government sees a situation where there is clearly no compromise or no flexibility being shown by either side to reach an agreement, it is our obligation to act," she told reporters on Parliament Hill. "I'm prepared to act at this time, I'm prepared to introduce back to work legislation."

Funny, she wasn't three days ago. It's amazing how many times this government can flip-flop. You could get whiplash from the blinding 180-degree turns. But there are occasions such as this (and the budget) when it badly needed to happen. Finally, maybe we can get some kind of expedient solution to this.

Put your foot in your mouth and "swallow hard"

So Ignatieff is going to "swallow hard" and support the Cons.

Well, Chantal Hébert called it, I'm sorry to say... but also provided some interesting and enjoyably scathing commentary. Don't misunderstand, I think she's great... I just wish she'd been wrong about this.

Now, I understand the need for expediency in taking action on the economy, but obviously Harper does not since he was willing to prorogue Parliament in order to run away from a confidence vote. How many more chances do we need to give him before realizing that he can't be trusted to do what needs to be done? It's like trying to reason with a pathological liar and hoping that maybe, just maybe, he'll tell you the truth this time. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

I still don't fully understand Ignatieff's reasoning for "swallowing hard" and accepting this. Getting the quickest possible action on the economy? Wouldn't that be hard to do with a PM who was willing to put such an urgent matter on ice for 6 weeks for personal political gain? After such a stunt, how can we expect him to act with any urgency on this matter? If he doesn't, and what sane person would expect him to given his recent behaviour, wouldn't taking a "wait and see" attitude postpone proper action even further?

Or is it, as Peter Mansbridge asked him, a way to leave the impending deficit and economic pain on the heads of the Cons then have the Libs swoop in later when things are looking up again? That would be just as dirty, partisan, and selfish a trick as Harper's vote-ducking last month.

Most infuriating of all: Ignatieff's support now means that Harper's dirty little trick worked and he will be able to remain PM. How many similar stunts will we see in the future now that everybody gets to see you can get away with this?

Mr. Ignatieff needs to lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way. Otherwise described in my childhood household as "sh*t or get off the pot."

And I agree with many of Jack Layton's points today (as you can see above) but his repeated commentary about a "new coalition between Harper and Ignatieff" is just childish and inflammatory. Yes I'm angry too, but such rhetoric is not helping.

I have an idea: we'll put Harper in teamwork training, Ignatieff in assertiveness training, and Layton in finishing school.

Rick Mercer's "Photo Challenge"

The original, posted at Rick's Photo Challenge page:



...and with a few minor adjustments.

The Tories have a coming-to-Jesus moment

...or at least, they'd like you to think so. Here's the full text of what the media is hilariously calling the Pamphlet from the Throne.

But here are a few interesting phrases from it (emphasis mine):

we strive for greater solidarity

Our Government approached the dialogue in a spirit of open and non-partisan cooperation. There is no monopoly on good ideas because we face this crisis together. There can be no pride of authorship –only the satisfaction of identifying solutions that will work for all Canadians.

unity, determination and constancy of purpose.

As you unite in common effort and in common cause,

"There can be no pride of authorship" - translation: We have no qualms about continuing to steal other parties' ideas, reached through their research, at their expense, and presenting them as our own. Here we have the most truthful statement in the whole speech.

As for the rest... bovine excrement about the Cons holding hands and singing kumbaya with the other parties. I imagine the GG had to pop a Gravol before reading this one.

And is it just my imagination, or was the GG seething mad when she read it? She looked like she was extraordinarily pissed off and trying hard to hide it... a pleasant smile with flared nostrils and eyes that could cut through steel. And who could blame her if she was? She's already been put on the spot in one untenable situation by this PM, with possibly more to follow, by his idiotic games. And it's anybody's guess what they talked about for 2 hours before she granted him prorogation. I'm still convinced she attached some conditions we don't know about.

Letter to my councillor

I wrote the following letter to my city councillor today. A bit late, I admit, since they are meeting with the ATU today, but I have little faith that they will come to agreement today anyway. I recently sent an e-mail of outrage, carbon-copied to my city councillor, Mayor O'Brien, and the ATU. My councillor answered stating that they voted to add another $500,000 to assist low income and vulnerable people who are affected by this strike. I replied with the following. Please feel free to use any or all of this to write to the Mayor, your City Councillor, or any other government official if you are so inclined.

Dear {name},

Thank you for your efforts to provide assistance for our city's disadvantaged. It's not that these efforts go unappreciated; it's just that the need is so great and the extra help has not been nearly sufficient or fast enough. As you can see, public protests have begun today because citizens have had enough of these hardships.

I don't know if you will reach an agreement today, and I'm sure you are overwhelmed with letters and e-mails on this. But I have a few of suggestions, for what they're worth.

1) Compromise more with the union on scheduling to get the buses back on the road - just bite the bullet - BUT.....

for their UNCONSCIONABLE selfishness and willingness to impose extreme hardship on our citizens, and to protect us in the future:

2) Use future transit funding to implement an automated, driverless system such as Vancouver's Skytrain, and

3) Do whatever it takes to get the light rail system going in our city.

I am normally pro-union in my views, but this abuse of the public by the ATU has caused me to rethink my position. This is the capital of a G8 country and there is no reason why a group of bus drivers should be able to bring this entire city to its knees every 3 years if we can not or will not cater to their every wish. Something needs to be done, and if we have alternate transit options in place they won't be able to repeat this nightmare year after year. Knowing the possibility of a similar crisis always exists, it would be extremely irresponsible not to make other provisions. Granted, these are not short-term solutions - but we can live with this hanging over our heads for the next few years while we take steps to mitigate it, or we can live with it for decades to come.

Thank you for your time. Please feel free to share this letter with the mayor or other councillors as appropriate.

EEP

The loudmouth speaks, after all

...and basically says, no help here - figure it out for yourselves.

Mind you, Baird didn't bring up the strike himself but was questioned on it by reporters... at which time he essentially promised to relegate the work-rest requirement question to several months of red tape (or several weeks if expedited - notice the "if") and left us on our own for the rest. He would have continued as though the strike wasn't happening at all, if he hadn't been cornered like a rat. Just like Harper and his treatment of the recession... repeated denial of its very existence and refusing to act on it (after all, it doesn't exist!) until cornered like a rat by the coalition.

Colour me surprised.

Incidentally, here is the media's version of the Harper personality transplant I proposed here and here.

Prime Minister needs to build confidence

Good luck with that. Once a gutless liar, always a gutless liar. Here's hoping the Liberals reject the budget.

Found this on the web today

'Nuff said.

Ottawans take to the streets, Baird crawls in a hole

There will be three rallies tomorrow calling on the City and ATU to restore service while they hammer out a workable agreement:

City, Transit Union head back to the table

Ottawans are sick and tired enough to take to the streets. I think it's fantastic because the media blackout has helped to cover up and minimize just how deep and profound the suffering is from this thing. Maybe, just maybe, seeing the faces and hearing the stories from the most downtrodden of Ottawans as they endure these hardships will prick the consciences of City and ATU alike and cause them to realize what jerks they're being. Here's hoping. I only wish I could be there tomorrow, but I've been suffering with a nasty flu for several weeks now and can't seem to shake it. So I just don't have the energy to go, but I will be there in spirit, rooting for these people and praying that they get heard.

Ironically - the loudmouthed, yelling, pointing, shrieking John Baird has suddenly clammed up tight and is strangely silent during all of this. I'd normally be rejoicing that we finally found a way to get this guy to shut up... but this is the worst possible time for him to do so. Meh, what does he care? He, Rona Ambrose, and Stephen Harper have one single-minded mission right now, and that is blowing enough smoke up everyone's butt on Tuesday to avoid being kicked out on their collective ear. They couldn't care less about this strike, but will do the bare minimum required to make it appear like they do (such as force a vote they knew was going to fail, then wash their hands of the whole thing - see, there, we did something about it, now leave us alone).

For one thing, even if the federal Cons had time for us right now (which they don't), they still don't have the inclination. Conservatives are about big business, and as such, they tend to prefer union-busting to negotiation... arguably a major reason behind this ridiculous 48-day showdown between Conservative Mayor O'Brien and the ATU in the first place. Not even mentioned yet, but just as pertinent, is the fact that parties - and conservative parties in particular - are loathe to break ranks by questioning the decisions of one of their own. All this means don't go getting your hopes up for any of these clowns to swoop in and save the day. They'd starve out every union in existence if they could, and more importantly, they've got bigger fish to fry right now. If there's one thing you can say for the Tories, they're at least consistent... they will happily flip-flop 180 degrees on any policy, throw anybody under the bus, lie through their teeth no matter how preposterous, or ignore any issue no matter how pressing, as long as it's self-serving in some way.

One thing this means for me, as a recent export from the States, is I can pretty much predict the Tories' every move. The Republicans have turned deception into an art form, fuelled by the neo-con agenda that has permeated their ranks. Apparently inspired by this, The Tories copy all the old tricks, unaltered, from the Republicans' playbook. So it's child's play to know what the Cons are up to... I've seen this all before. It would be laughable if it wasn't so sad.

Wake up Canadians! Or we'll have a mess just like the States. I have no interest whatsoever in watching another country I love go down the tubes.

Obama brings transparency, we get... ?

U.S. news:

Obama administration to swear by "transparency"

On day one, Obama demands open government

vs. Canadian news:

Judge asked to unseal documents tied to election spending controversy

Elections Canada investigators "stymied" by Tory privilege claim

Apparently there is no end to the Cons' lies and treachery. Steel your stomach, much much more to come next week.

Reading the news today made me just a liiiittle envious of Americans in the States. Mind you, there's so much to love here I'd never dream of moving back... but I find myself earnestly wishing for an Obama-style revolution over here. Harper's much-needed personality transplant could come from someone with so much to spare. I sincerely hope that Obama raises such a high level of transparency and integrity that Canadians will be outraged and demand the same from our own government. Here, as there, it's long overdue.

Paper clips, rubber bands and scotch tape for the economy

Despite warnings, PM touts fixes for short term

So typical of the Cons. Try to look busy, like you're actually doing something useful - while rushing into wasteful harebrained schemes, benefiting the rich and big business, and leaving the poor twisting in the wind. Oh, and ignoring the environment while missing the opportunity to create green jobs and develop alternative energy. And do it all against all better judgement.

You know, the exact opposite of all the stuff Obama is going to be doing.

Please, Canadians, get rid of Harper and his ilk. They're an embarrassment and liability to this country.

Ecology Ottawa petition on the transit strike

Ecology Ottawa has a petition you can sign, which I found out about here:

Dear City Councillors,

Enough is enough! Public transit is an essential part of a productive, healthy and environmentally sustainable city. We need all parties to sit down at the negotiating table and produce a fair deal that will end the transit strike and get our city moving again.

Over 2700 people have signed. The hope is that enough of a united public outcry will pressure the City and ATU to hurry up and put an end to this. At this point, I'm willing to try anything. I've already written to Mayor O'Brien, my city councillor, and the ATU to send them a similar message directly.

Let them eat cake - and walk in the cold

Demand for help soaring during Ottawa transit strike - [EDIT: CBC changed the title and some of the content shortly after I published this post, grr]

This is precisely what I've been talking about. The working poor, disabled, elderly, shut-ins, and parents with small children, amongst others, are all suffering needlessly and the recession is hitting Ottawans extra hard because the City and ATU refuse to get it together. Furthermore, the ATU has even threatened to picket some of the extra Para Transpo buses the City has provided because the temporary drivers aren't unionized. The selfishness of the ATU is positively astounding. The union-busting games and ploddingly slow, inadequate aid from the City are deplorable. And the effect of all this drawn-out, pigheaded posturing has been catastrophic for the disadvantaged in this city.

And why have the Feds refused to do anything?

Shame on all of you! Every single last one of you.

Obama - issues and great expectations

Don't get me wrong - I am thrilled that Obama is the new president, for a wide variety of reasons. I watched the inauguration ceremony with hope and pride. But I have a couple of nagging concerns.

Now, trust me when I say I understand the enormity of his election. He is the first African-American to be elected president, something I thought would never, ever happen in my lifetime. It's huge! I'm a biracial person with a biracial partner and a lifetime full of friends of varied heritage... so I get race issues, I do. And I still can scarcely believe it's happened. Some part of me keeps thinking I'll wake up and it was all a dream, just wishful thinking of my subconscious mind for a more egalitarian world. That said, what bothers me the most is that his race seems to be the main aspect people are focused on. No news coverage and no commentary anywhere gets by without stressing the fact that he's black, he's black, he's black. Or at least, half so.

But that's only one aspect of this. What about the fact that he ran a positive campaign, even despite a sickening amount of negative attacks and mudslinging on the part of his opponent? The fact that he has mobilized the country's youth and gotten them engaged for the first time since... gee, I dunno, the sixties? His unprecedented efforts to reach out to everyday Americans to get their input on a continuing basis? His call for transparency and ethics in government? His emphasis on peaceful relations with other countries, discussing and negotiating through problems with military action reserved as a last resort? What about his focus on the poor and disadvantaged? Or his heavy emphasis on respect for diversity? His sensitivity to women's issues, non-Christian religions and atheism, and rights and accommodations for the disabled? His promise to get rid of "don't ask, don't tell" and further the rights of gays and lesbians? His promise to look at getting rid of Guantanamo Bay? His being tech-savvy and the tech developments he's vowed to bring to the country? His understanding of the importance of education and scientific research, and pledge of proper financial support? His bipartisan approach to try to eradicate the divisiveness that runs so deep between Democrats and Republicans, and the culture wars existing between various groups? And on and on. The election of a black president is historic and groundbreaking and long overdue, no doubt about it, but there's such a thing as focusing too much on his race, while glossing over his ideas. It's as if the main important fact is that he is black and everything else is falling by the wayside.

The second disquieting fact is that, over the last several months but especially between the campaign win and now, people's hopes for him have been spiralling higher and higher. They are increasingly idolizing him as the best thing that's ever happened to the U.S., and he hasn't even "happened" until today. I fear the expectations are so high that they are expecting Christlike miracles from this guy. Yes, he's an eloquent, fresh, intelligent, groundbreaking, inspiring, remarkable man, full of great innovative ideas. But he is still just a man. There is a lot of vague Obama worshipping, and Obama commemorative coins and pins and posters and so on, all in anticipation of what a great president he is going to be since, until today, he hadn't even started yet. And there is one hell of a massive bloody mess to clean up, which is going to take some difficult and unpopular decisions no matter how you slice it. This mess is unlikely to be cleaned up in two presidential terms, much less one. Yet people seem to be pinning their hopes on Obama for nothing short of world peace, eradication of racism, end of the culture wars, full-fledged infrastructure overhaul, a national health care program, and so on, despite the deplorable state of the economy and country to which he has now been handed the reins.

We haven't even seen the start of this, and for all we know, at the end of 4 years you may want to chuck that commemorative coin right at his commemorative head. Granted, given his modus operandi thus far, that's not likely. But living with American politics most of my life has perhaps made me a cynic. I'm hopeful, yes, but I'm also a "wait and see" kind of gal. As joyous an occasion as this is in so many regards, especially given the progressive changes we expect in contrast to Bush policy, we would be wise to remain realistic in our expectations. God knows we all need something to hope for, but this is not the Second Coming.

Maybe we'll have buses in time for Easter - or not

(19 Jan 2009, CBC News) Amalgamated Transit Union Local 279, which represents around 2,300 striking transit drivers, dispatchers and maintenance staff for OC Transpo, proposed Friday that its members could be back on the job Monday if the city agreed to set aside the controversial issue of worker scheduling for later and send the rest of the contract to binding arbitration. The union also agreed to the city's proposal to hire an independent fact finder to look into the issues surrounding scheduling.

Over the weekend, city council unanimously voted to reject the offer and issue a counter-offer to send the entire collective agreement to binding arbitration, with the conditions that the resulting contract does not cost more than the city's last offer and "respects national safety and work-rest standards" for commercial vehicle operators.

On Saturday, ATU 279 president Andre Cornellier issued a statement saying the union itself was disappointed in the city's response.

Cornellier said the arbitration process "would not be neutral under their conditions." (full article)

The City's 3 conditions for arbitration are spelled out in more detail here, where they are described as follows:

• The final agreement respects national safety and work-rest standards for commercial vehicle operators
• It does not cost more than the City’s last offer, and
• The union agrees the labour disruption is ended if the Union accepts this offer.

Cornellier is right about one thing. Saying, "okay I'll submit to binding arbitration, as long as they incorporate points A, B, and C as part of their decision" is meaningless. Either you agree to arbitration and stick to the decisions made, or you don't! But the ATU is just as guilty in this regard. More on this in a minute.

Binding arbitration requires a certain amount of faith in the chosen neutral party. While I understand the City's desire to have the above conditions met, one can only assume that a reasonable arbitrator would, after thorough review of circumstances, come to conclusions #1 and #3 on its own. After all, federal labour standards are in place for a reason, and the obvious point of getting this whole thing resolved is to get the buses back on the road (duh). In addition, any arbitrator worth their salt is going to look at transit deals in other Canadian cities as a guideline for solutions here. If the two sides are actually being reasonable in their requests and not grandstanding, neither of them should mind this because agreements elsewhere should bear out their points. As for condition #2, given the hundreds of millions of dollars all of this is already costing our local economy and our citizens, isn't this a rather moot and exceedingly stupid point?

In my mind, this is yet another example of the City's role in turning this into a pissing match instead of trying to resolve the problem. We could have had buses today had the City had simply allowed this sticking point of scheduling to go to arbitration. And the City's counteroffer contains a poison pill that's dragging this on needlessly.

The ATU is far from blameless in this, and the interview with a worker from the garage in the excerpted article above bears that out. However, the City is playing no small role in this unnecessary showdown where the public pays the price.

As for the ATU... no specific issue was mentioned with the City's 3 conditions for arbitration. I can see why they might have an issue with #2 of the City's 3 conditions for arbitration (the limit on cost), if for no other reason than the fact that placing a predetermined monetary limit on an arbitrator's decision is counter to the spirit of arbitration itself. But what is the issue with #1 and #3? They don't want to be subject to national standards for safety and work-rest? They don't want to end the labour disruption? I find both of those hard to believe. Again, no specific issue was mentioned by Cornellier, just a reference to "those conditions," plural, which implies that at least one of conditions #1 and #3 was also objectionable. Something here doesn't add up.

At the same time, we have the ATU demanding binding arbitration on the outstanding issues of wages, contracting out, and sick days, and putting the main issue of scheduling, route assignment and working conditions into non-binding mediation. Again, either you submit to binding arbitration or you don't! Cherry-picking issues to be arbitrated is meaningless - you said it yourself, Mr. Cornellier!

Now for just one more example of just how selfish the ATU is being... this document from the ATU website. An excerpt:

Cornellier noted that the City has a binding contact with ATU Local 279 that mandates that all Para Transpo drivers belong to the Union.

“We have indicated to the Employer that our Para Transpo members will provide any increased service needed to transport the elderly and disabled members of this community in accordance with the terms of our contract with the City.”

The Union has given the City until Monday to back away from its plans to hire replacement workers or else face the prospect that the Para Transpo service could be picketed by Union members. (emphasis mine)

Yes, I understand that the City is playing games with them by hiring non-unionized temporary workers to expand Para Transpo service for the elderly and disabled, thus violating the terms of their contract while daring them to protest something so universally supported by the public as extra transportation for the disabled, elderly, and vulnerable. It's a filthy game; I get it. And no, I'm not thrilled about it. But at some point you also have to make some damn concessions because the disabled, elderly and vulnerable are needier than you and nobody cares if the help they get is unionized or not because those people need whatever help they can get. If you interfere with this by picketing, you will be yet again displaying the selfishness I first described here... and you will get the public disapproval you so richly deserve.

It takes two to tango, and so far neither side cares enough to put a stop to this insanity. That much has become obvious.

From the CBC article cited above:

Meanwhile, the City of Ottawa announced over the weekend that after the strike ends, it could take up to 14 weeks for full service to resume. However, 70 per cent of transit service could be back within three weeks.

Translation: don't even think about having proper transit this winter. And don't go getting your hopes up for Easter, either.