Hey, you, get off of my cloud.

Monday, October 30, 2006

Fraser Institute

On Saturday I attended the Fraser Institute's 2006 Student Seminar in Toronto. Depsite no longer being a student they keep letting my attend (and learn for free!). Despite a somewhat lower than normal turnout due to a competing OPCYA (PC Youth) Convention it was a great day.

Speakers included National Post columnist Peter Foster, Nippissing U Prof Chris Sarlo, the Fraser's own Brett Skinner, and the always entertaining publisher of the Western Standard Ezra Levant. Perhaps the most interesting speaker was June Arunga, co-founder of New Liberty Films LLC, who grew up in Kenya and summarized the big-government, Western aid workers with this poem...

        The Development Set
By Ross Coggins

Excuse me, friends, I must catch my jet-
I'm off to join the Development Set;
My bags are packed, and I've had all my shots,
I have travelers' checks, and pills for the trots

The Development Set is bright and noble,
Our thoughts are deep and our vision global;
Although we move with the better classes,
Our thoughts are always with the masses.

In Sheraton hotels in scattered nations,
We damn multinational corporations;
Injustice seems so easy to protest,
In such seething hotbeds of social rest.

We discuss malnutrition over steaks
And plan hunger talks during coffee breaks.
Whether Asian floods or African drought,
We face each issue with an open mouth.

We bring in consultants whose circumlocution
Raises difficulties for every solution-
Thus guaranteeing continued good eating
By showing the need for another meeting.

The language of the Development Set
Stretches the English alphabet;
We use swell words like 'epigenetic',
'Micro', 'Macro'. and 'logarithmetic'.

Development Set homes are extremely chic,
Full of carvings, curios and draped with batik.
Eye-level photographs subtly assure
That your host is at home with the rich and the poor.

Enough of these verses -- on with the mission!
Our task is as broad as the human condition!
Just parry to God the biblical promise is true:
The poor ye shall always have with you.

Friday, October 27, 2006

Internet Debates

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Let May In

So here's an idea so crazy it just might work...

Harper should meet with Bill Graham and Jack Layton and offer to let Liz May run unopposed in the London North By-Election.

Getting May into Parliament as Green Party leader would show openness to a (relitively) new political party and an interest in the environment. May could be offered a position of Special Advisor to the Environment Minister or something similar that would allow her to join cabinet meetings on environmental issues and help draft an improved Clean Air Act (the existing one isn't selling).

This would form a friendship with the Greens that could hopefully be sustained. There are quite a few members in the Green Party (including Jim Harris and David Chernushenko) who are fiscal conservatives with a high concern for the environment. With Parliament as it currently exists we could use a friendly party. And if things go bad and the Greens continue their left turn we'll just let them bleed votes from the NDP.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Blog Redux

This blog is dedicated to the memory of my first blog which lasted all of two weeks and saw two measly posts. I'll try to do better.