Weekly Highlights from our Conservative Overlords

Weekly Highlights from our Conservative Overlords

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Poilievre as Performance Art - Week 221 - July 13-22

I have a new theory.  Pierre Poilievre is punking all of us.  It's performance art.  I mean...it can't be real.  Can it?

The National Post points out that he's waltzing around the country handing out cheques, while his website suggests Canada is not about "freebies".  Which is an excellent time to bring up the question - what is this child subsidy increase other than wealth redistribution?  Why are they so happy and bragging about something that they claim to actively despise?  How is taking taxpayer money from everybody and giving it to a select group of people good this time around, but awful every other time?

Not only that, but he showed up at a press conference wearing a Conservative logoed Golf shirt.  In what world is that "non partisan"?  Not to mention the hours of government time and resources we've pumped into this insane display by the Cons.

This article has an interesting take on things.  But...I mean...of course the benefits are largely going to the people that voted in the Conservatives in the ridings that voted for them.  That's the whole point.

Interest rates are dropping (even some Real Estate orgs think this is a bad idea).  The dollar is in the tank.  And our surplus has turned into a deficit?  Steady hand!  Steady hand!

Wai Young deserves to not be in a position of authority.  Re-writing the history of the Air India bombing is an insult to any family member of the victims.  Claiming that Jesus would support your Big Brother bill is just funny.  Lucky for us, her poll numbers are on the ropes.

Rona Ambrose is pumping more money into Reefer Madness ads.  Another $1.5 Million.  Let them eat advertisements!

I thought and East pipeline was Mulcair's fucking idea?  Now he's against it (maybe)?  Trudeau decides to sit on the fence for a bit as well.  Which is probably a good thing, seeing as there's a massive pipeline spill in Alberta right now.  But I thought these things were supposed to be safe?

Some companies have admitted to making illegal donations to Peter Penashue.  Of course, they'll receive no punishment.

Macleans digs into Insite and determines that it really is saving lives.  Psssh.  Science.

Ha ha ha ha.  Women don't get higher paying jobs?  Well, they're just choosing the wrong jobs!  They just all need to stopy being such low paid teachers, social workers, etc. and need to step up to become Engineers and CEO's.  Thanks for the advice, Conservative MP Joan Crockatt.

Joyce Murray will probably come out okay from her "Sobriety" gaffe.  Maybe all it takes is admitting some kind of responsibility and telling the truth about what happened?

Facebook did an analysis and concluded that Conservatives are terrible people.  Christian Rock?  Two and a Half Men?  Fast and the Furious?  Egads.

Speaking of ha ha ha ha.  A Conservative MP sent out a press release in draft form, highlighting how it's all just paint by numbers.  I mean, of course it is.  But funny.

The NDP released a new series of attack ads, highlighting law breaking Conservative politicians.  It's generated an interesting discussion.  What is an attack?  Is it still an attack if it is true?  What is a personal attack?  The National Post story isn't very even-handed in their analysis.

I feel like this has come up quite a few times.  The Cons have gerrymandered easy ridings and the incumbents are scrambling to get the nomination in what they view will be easier battles.  But they keep losing!

Monday, July 13, 2015

We'll show you - Week 220 - July 6-13

The military went out of their way to write to the parents of a soldier who committed suicide to let them know that he didn't deserve the medals he was awarded.  They're going to let them keep the medals though.  They've only taken away all the meaning behind them.  And no, it didn't have anything to do with the family embarrassing the military by loudly asking for things which they were owed.

Steve is getting the spin out on this "downturn".  Global trends!  Not even a steady hand on the tiller could fix this mess!  Until the election, of course.  I mean...somehow, we're the only G7 nation in recession...  Remember whe Joe Oliver claimed we'd only have one bad quarter.  Now he's claiming all will be well by years end.  Don't rock the boat!

Fine by me.  US threatens to keep Canada out of the TPP.

Another cluster with military procurement.  A radar procurement is abruptly cancelled.

Gatecrashers in the Canadian embassy during the Ukraine uprising?  A tale of two headlines:
CBC - Canadian embassy used as safe haven during Ukraine uprising, investigation finds
National Newswatch - Canada’s embassy in Ukraine used as pawn in 2014 uprising

I understand this argument - If we start charging for water, we open the door under NAFTA for all kinds of bullshit.  Still.  There has to be some way to structure this deal so that we get more than a few hundred dollars per year out of massive water users.  I mean...we'll lose all our water if we start charging for it so better give it away for free?

Christy inserted a nice poison pill into the Petronas LNG contract.  Compensation to Petronas if royalties or specific taxes go up in the next 25 years!  Holy fuck!  What a deal!  For Petronas.

Pierre Poilievre has somehow started to argue that Stephen Harper will prevent us from becoming Greece?  You may have to translate the link.  He also claims that the increased child tax benefit is going to be a huge boost to the economy.  What a wizard.

The Senate Security and Defence Committee wants to ban 'ideological radicals' from Canada.  Love to see who they think should create the list.

An interesting article on how Seattle is being ruined by the tech boom.  Vancouver is mentioned in the boingboing link.  Interesting that we have no corresponding boom to go along with the ruination of our City.  I also like this thought:
if a government presided over a doubling in the price of food, it would be viewed as monstrous. If it doubles the price of housing, it it lionized for “increasing property values.”
 
The new refugee health care programs are so convoluted, nobody is getting treatment.  And I'm pretty sure increased bureaucracy does nothing to drive down costs.
 
 
Over 2 days in June, the Cons made 70 appointments.  Not sure how this usually works. 

Monday, July 6, 2015

Summer Boredom, early this year - Week 219 - June 29 - July 6

The timing of the revelation that the Cons offered Tom Mulcair a job is interesting.  And weird.  Seeing as this story has been raised several times over the years.  And now, even the Cons are supporting what Mulcair has to say.

Christy Clark's team sent out a self-congratulatory e-mail after the referendum loss, celebrating their ability to keep a campaign promise.  Avoiding the topic of their chicken shit downloading of tough decisions to the citizens.  Who surprisingly don't vote for tax increases.

Almost every Manitoba Con MP broke the rules by sending out partisan mailouts to constituents not in their riding.  Sad that it would have been okay if they were in their riding.

CSIS and Border Services cooked up an information sharing deal, all on their own.  Should we admire the ambition and initiative, or be kind of scared?

The Cons claim front line services have not been affected by cuts in Veterans Services.  Apparently, even the minister know that is bullshit.

The RCMP have added a show of force to certain performances of the musical ride.  Horses, funny outfits and swat takedowns.  They claim they've been doing it for years, but who knows.

The American lawsuit against Omar Khadr for wrongful death was successful.  Uncontested.  But successful.

More dismal news for the F-35.  It sucks really, really badly in dogfights.  Not its key role, for sure.  But still...trounced by the plane it is replacing?  Yikes.  Note, I found a detailed blog about why this doesn't matter, but it was so fucking boring I couldn't link to it.