The Calvinball Diaries

Looks like we can afford those tax cuts...

2007-09-27T18:50:00.000-04:00

Well, well, it looks like we ended up with about $14 billion in loose change behind the sofa cushions for the last fiscal year. By my reckoning we could have afforded that second GST reduction, a return to the lower incomes tax rates enacted in 2005 and a business tax cut too.

I guess the real question is whether we'll share in that $30-40 tax brak evenly, or if it will be handed out as yet another spending program in tax cut clothing.

Illegal Trade?

2007-09-20T18:14:00.000-04:00

The Liberty Dollar may get some national (or even international attention) as a couple in Wisconsin have been charged with offering a $20 medallion in exchange for goods. Read the full story here.

While I'm not a money crank I certainly see no reason for any government to get involved in the free exchange of goods. The way the US dollar has been going lately, I think many people might be happy to take silver in place of legal tender.

It's not a surplus...

2007-09-06T21:54:00.000-04:00

...it's an overtaxation!

Politics is as much about winning the war of semantics as fighting on the actual issues, how successful would the pro-choice movement be if their opponents had been successful in labeling them the pro-baby killers?

So as our federal government announces its tenth (give or take) annual surplus I call on everybody out there to start calling it what it is, an overtaxation.

A Brand New Day?

2007-08-28T08:04:00.000-04:00

(Please excuse the pun, a friend of mine had a bunch left over from Stockwell's 2000 leadership and I got a great deal.)

One of the best healthcare developments in a long time is the election of Dr. Brian Day as the head of the Canadian Medical Association. Dr. Day laid out a series of goals that respect universal healthcare access while attacking the state's dangerous monopoly. You can read more here, but the key message for Canadians is this "“No one wants to adopt a so-called American-style health system … there are systems with universal coverage and no wait lists. They do deliver better care at less cost than here in Canada.”

If Dr. Day can sell that message we might actually start to make some progress.

Lindy Live at the LSS

2007-08-22T23:20:00.001-04:00

Just in case you missed it here's a small taste of the biggest and best Liberty Summer Seminar yet...

More video to come soon!

Nothing Special

2007-08-16T00:25:00.001-04:00

In honour of the upcoming Liberty Summer Seminar I'd like to send this one out to the Nanny State. See you there!

The CMA Gets it Right

2007-07-31T07:56:00.000-04:00

Here, here.

The goal of all Canadian governments should be to see that everyone has access to health care; this can be achieved by paying for the care of those who can't afford it. Owning hospitals, employing doctors and nurses, banning health insurance and preventing doctors from working both publicly and privately are all measures that are not only unrelated to this goal, they seem to be preventing us from reaching it.

On Income Trusts and Corporate Taxes

2007-05-31T08:14:00.000-04:00

Turns out there are still a few writers over at the Mop & Pail with their heads screwed on right. In fact, Derek Decloet not only writes a good article, he also manages to offer up the kind of bold policy Canada's new government should be pushing in just one sentence:

"Then let's cut the corporate rate to 10 per cent, and watch as Toronto becomes a magnet for head offices."

How about it guys? It's just a teeny, tiny tax cut?

Canadians Overpaid the Taxman by $9,700,000,000

2007-05-26T08:56:00.001-04:00

It seems that Canadian taxpayers sent the federal government almost $10 billion more than it needed in 2006/07. That means there's room the next GST cut or a nice healthy broad-based cut to income tax.

Brother, Can You Spare 100 Dimes?

2007-05-06T10:04:00.000-04:00

The Liberty Summer Seminar has always been lucky to have a few people step up and pay more (in some cases a LOT more) than the required registration fee. This not only means there is more money available to make a successful event, it also means the registration fee stays low enough to be affordable to students.

Now that the Liberty Summer Seminar is part of the Institute for Liberal Studies we're cranking up the online aspect of the event in a big way. The latest addition is a cool little tool called Chip In. We set a fundraising goal, and Chip In works through PayPal to help us get there, with a whole bunch of donations of varying sizes.

So if you're reading this, and you think we could all use a little more freedom I'm asking you to click below and donate $10 to help us put on the best Liberty Summer Seminar ever.

Thanks in advance to all who give!

Windsor Liberty Seminar Video

2007-04-25T18:19:00.000-04:00

Pop in to the Institute for Liberal Studies blog to check out video of Fred Miller, Malkin Dare, Jim Watkin and Brett Skinner.

And while we're talking about the Institute, think about trying out our new online donations through PayPal.

Letter to the Editor

2007-04-19T22:25:00.000-04:00

Here's my letter which appeared in today's Windsor Star:

Meaghan Martinho's letter comparing the U.S. and Canadian health-care systems is just one more example of how this issue has become one of politics, patriotism and ideology -- all of which are now placed above the actual delivery of health care. If we were to address the issue of how to give Canadians universal access to quality health care, the debate would not centre on whose system is the most flawed. That question is as irrelevant as it is debatable, since only a tiny minority advocates a move to "American-style health care."

If we look to the rest of the developed world, we see that both Canada and the United States are oddballs. In Canada, it's because of our refusal to acknowledge the role of the private sector in delivery of medical services; in the U.S., it's because there is no attempt to provide universal care.

Every other developed nation -- including countries with entrenched social democratic values such as Sweden, France and Germany -- has placed delivery of services above political rhetoric and used private medical care as part of the system that provides quality, universally accessible care to all members of society. In Switzerland, medical insurance is a requirement for all citizens, with government assistance for those who could not otherwise afford it. Both the insurance and the medical care are delivered by the private sector, while the government simply ensures universal access.

As a society, we strive to provide quality medical care for all. But so long as we continue to accept this false choice and fail to look beyond our immediate neighbour, we will fail to achieve that goal.

Your Tax Dollars at Work

2007-04-16T20:42:00.000-04:00

Having spent $48 million, no $58 million, wait that should read $68 million on an arena, $75 million to stop the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel falling into private (read evil capitalist pig) hands the city has no turned its attention to the next pressing issue - taxis!

And thank God the city is there to limit the number of providers, what they charge, how old the cars are and what shape the air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror can be. Who knows what might happen if the industry were to provide service based on supply, demand and consumer preference.

What do Ted Byfield and Gerry Nicholls have in common?

2007-04-08T10:56:00.000-04:00

Usually not too much, but this weekend they've both written articles I agree with. Now it's no surprise that I would agree with Gerry, although it is somewhat unusual that he's giving advice to the Liberal Party. Unfortunately for Canada, but fortunately for the Conservative Party, it's not likely the Liberals will take the course Gerry plots out for them.

As for Byfield he chips in with an interesting article in the Calgary Sun about how churches should be trying to increase their membership. I'm a card carrying member of Ted's 75%, but even I might be tempted to attend a sermon of the type he proposes.

What is the Institute for Liberal Studies?

2007-03-31T12:03:00.000-04:00

Peter Jaworski, Executive Director of the Institute for Liberal Studies, sits down with Windsor blogger Paul Synott to explain what the Institute is all about.

2007-03-29T00:36:00.000-04:00

The U of T Laissez-Faire Club, founded by 2006 Windsor Liberty Seminar participant Seyitbek Usmanov, will be hosting a talk by Tom Palmer of the Cato Institute this coming Monday. Cato is a public policy think tank based in Washington, DC with a reputation for producing some great work.

I hope you can attend, but even if you can't please help Seyitbek out by spreading word about this excellent event by email, blog or any other means.

Details as follows:

Dr. Tom Palmer, Senior Fellow of the Cato Institute
"The Morality of Globalization: the Faster the Better"
Monday, April 2nd at 4:00pm
University of Toronto, Mississauga, North Building 134

(x-posted to the Institute for Liberal Studies)

What's a libertarian to drink?

2007-03-27T21:46:00.000-04:00

I'd suggest one of these tasty beverages.

Sadly, if you live in Ontario you'll still have to purchase them from the Statist Liquor Depot (Limiting Consumer Beverage Options since 1927).

Windsor Liberty Seminar

2007-03-25T22:32:00.000-04:00

Thanks again to all those who came out to yesterday's Windsor Liberty Seminar. It was a great success because of you. Thanks also go out to speakers Brett Skinner (pictured), Malkin Dare, Jim Watkin and Fred Miller as well as discussion leaders Peter Jaworski and Jamie Tronnes and co-host (and videographer) Janet Neilson.

For those of you who missed it the event (shame!) we had about 40 people from all areas of the province (Ottawa, Sudbury, Toronto, Waterloo and more) and some friends from north of the border courtesy of the Mackinac Institute.

I know first-hand that all of the speakers were great and, although I was't able to see much of the discussion groups, from what I'm told the level of conversation in the breakout groups was excellent.

As for the after party, huge thanks to Lindy (awesome as always) and to Phog Lounge who hosted an incredible evening and poured some delicious beer.

(x-posted to The Institute for Liberal Studies)

Mixed Messaging

2007-03-23T09:54:00.000-04:00

From the Conservative Party ads featuring Stephane Dion"

"That is not fair!"

From an anonymous comment responding to Andrew Coyne's blog criticizing the budget:

"I don't think it's that fair criticizing a minority government's budget."

Memo to Conservative party supporters, bloggers and spinners when the party spends millions of dollars to brand the leader of the opposition in a certain way, don't try to claim that land for the party.

A Good Day for Liberty

2007-03-22T23:38:00.000-04:00

And boy did we ever need it. But if you want details you'll have to head on over to the new Institute for Liberal Studies blog.

Don't be afraid, we're liberals of the classical variety.

Time to Cut the GST Again

2007-03-18T22:50:00.000-04:00

In honour of tomorrow's budget speech I broke out one of my most-prized political possessions today. A sign from last year's election complete with the autograph of Prime Minister Stephen Harper. A feature that I like to think makes this sign a legally binding contract.

While the GST cut has been widely panned as inefficient, it's also the only tax cut so far that reaches all Canadians (and also the only one to benefit me!).

Here's hoping that Stephen and Jim pull a surprise out tomorrow and chop another point off the GST.

Killing the Capitol

2007-03-09T18:25:00.000-05:00

Much to the dismay of many locals Windsor's Capitol Theatre looks to be heading into bankruptcy. It took a mere 9 months for the Smoke Free Ontario Act to kill this local landmark that many have struggled to resurrect. What makes this even more disappointing is that many seem to think the only way to save it is by using taxes to force people to support the Capitol.

Offering a product that meets market demands? Turning the 75+ protestors into a lean, mean ticket selling machine? Initiatives like these are oddly absent from the debate. In fact, one employee used the forum offered by state television to describe the disdain with which she greats first time visitors ("...and how long have you lived here?"). A tactic that may explain the lack of return visitors.

Peter Jaworski Blogs on the Windsor Liberty Seminar

2007-03-04T12:15:00.001-05:00

Institute for Liberal Studies Executive Director Peter Jaworski joins a growing crowd with this entry. So if a Canadian liberty guru like Peter will be there, shouldn't you? blog on the Windsor Liberty Seminar.

What do you call a French libertarian?

2007-03-03T14:22:00.000-05:00

If I ever meet one, I'll ask! Hi-yo!

But seriously, despite their 20th century socialist ways the French have a gread tradition of liberty including their eponymous revolution and economist Frederic Bastiat. So it's encouraging to read news of a libertarian(ish) candidate moving up in the French Presidential Election polls.

Now I doubt that M. Bayrou is what anyone would call a hardcore libertarian, but anyone standing for public office whose "policies are fiscally conservative but socially liberal" my kind of person.

Best of luck to the sexy centrists.

Ian Scott Blogs on the Windsor Liberty Seminar

2007-03-03T14:18:00.000-05:00

Ian gives the seminar a plug and reassures anyone with concerns over what exactly the Institute for Liberal Studies is all about.

Thanks Ian! See you on the 24th.

Janet Neilson Blogs the Windsor Liberty Seminar

2007-03-01T08:21:00.000-05:00

Fellow Institute for Liberal Studies Director (and hot libertarian woman!) Janet blogs with enthusiasm on the upcoming Windsor Liberty Seminar and gets the chance to break the news that our unofficially official after party at Phog Lounge will feature libertarian folk-rocker Lindy.

I'm even told that there's a seminar-based Facebook group for those of you young enough to be into that sort of thing (whippersnappers!).

Keep those registrations coming!

Liam O'Brien Blogs on the Windsor Liberty Seminar

2007-02-28T10:33:00.000-05:00

Liam at the Responsible Government League has added his name to those blogging about the Windsor Liberty Seminar. While Liam himself won't be at the seminar (I live in Newfoundland, it's too far, blah, blah, blah) we'll try to make him proud with a couple topics (education and healthcare) rooted in the concepts of free markets and competition.

Gerry Nicholls Blogs on the Windsor Liberty Seminar

2007-02-27T14:50:00.000-05:00

Gerry Nicholls, Vice-President of the National Citizens Coalition, has this to say about the Windsor Liberty Seminar:

"a wonderful event that helps to promote my favourite cause: individual freedom."

You can read the full post here.

Windsor Liberty Seminar 2007

2007-02-26T23:16:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again. Time to seek shelter from the cold of winter and oppressive government regulation by basking in the warming glow of liberty in Canada's most southerly city!

The 2007 Windsor Liberty Seminar (our second annual) will be held on Saturday, March 24 at the University of Windsor. Speakers will include Brett Skinner of the Fraser Institute, Malkin Dare of the Society for Quality Eduction, Jim Watkin of LEAP and a super-secret yet to be announced presenter.

And what, you may ask, is the cost of this priceless opportunity? Well, if you're a student it really is priceless and the entire day (including lunch) will run you a cool $0. Not a student? Not a problem! We still want to see you there and ask only for a mere $10 to cover the cost of lunch.

To check out the agenda, speaker bios, pictures of last year's event and to register just drop by the Institute for Liberal Studies website.

Dear Lost

2007-02-21T23:10:00.000-05:00

To the Producers of Lost:

You owe me one hour of my life. Since you're obviously not spending much time on your television show I expect to receive the aforementioned compensation post-haste.

Sincerely,

Matt

The Problem with Rail

2007-02-19T17:29:00.000-05:00

I pretty frequently hear arguements that we need to make greater use of railways for our transportation needs. The arguements usually sound pretty reasonable - greater efficiency, less polution, and so on. At the end of the day I don't support government intervention in how people and companies move their goods from Point A to Point B, but today's Globe and Mail provides a good example of why so many companies choose to move their goods by road.

Free Kareem

2007-02-15T23:14:00.000-05:00

As some of you may or may not know an Egyptian blogger who goes by the name of Kareem Amer is currently in custody in Egypt, awaiting a decision on whether he will serve up to 11 years in prison for criticism the government on his blog.

The decision will be handed down on February 22nd and while many bloggers and some politicians have asked Egypt to take a stand for free speech I think it's time that Canada spoke up on this important issue.

I've created this online petition with the goal of getting 1,000 signatures by midnight on Sunday in the hope that it will encourage the Canadian government to ask Egypt to make the right call on this one.

So sign the petition and tell a friend!

Ooops!

2007-02-13T23:20:00.000-05:00

During my seasonal check on my Cogeco email account I came across something other than the usual newsletters from Airmiles and the Liberal Party of Ontario (both contain about the same amount of useful information) - an email forwarded by Cogeco from BayTSP Inc., acting on behalf of Paramount Pictures Corporation. Apparently in the process of conducting the necessary research for my blog on An Incovenient Truth I got on the wrong side of a few international copyright laws. I would like to make the following statements:

Note to Paramount Pictures Corporation: Please accept my sincere apologies, since I'm pretty sure you hold the edge in the legal department (Lawyers retained by Paramount: >1, Lawyers Retained by Me: <1) I will endeavour to be more respectful of your intellectual property.

Note to Al Gore: Apologies to you as well. I should, however, point out the considerable irony given the outrage that followed after you were not allowed to show people this movie for free. But I'm taking the high road and won't even point out that you seem to be hoisted by your own petard.

Note to S.C. (co-worker who insisted I watch the aforementioned movie): This is entirely your fault.

Just Say No To Income Splitting

2007-02-12T17:45:00.000-05:00

Today's Globe and Mail gives us the good news the Finance Minister Jim Flaherty (the best premier Ontario never had) is holding the line on tax relief, unfortunately it appears the proposal to cut taxes only for married couples is still on the table.

Fortunately Jim is a veteran of the Common Sense Revolution and knows that while broad-based tax relief leads to two majority governments the path to targeted tax cuts is paved with 25 seats (remember mortgage tax deductibility?).

Give'er Jim!

The Threat of Global Cooling

2007-02-06T18:21:00.000-05:00

"It is a cold fact: the Global Cooling presents humankind with the most important social, political, and adaptive challenge we have had to deal with for ten thousand years. Your stake in the decisions we make concerning it is of ultimate importance; the survival of ourselves, our children, our species," wrote Lowell Ponte in 1976...

...quotes Dr. Tim Ball as he takes the unpopular side in the climate change debate (slogan: dissenters will be shot). Worth a read, whatever your views on the latest environmental crisis.

Fighting for the People

2007-02-02T23:31:00.000-05:00

Windsor city councillor Alan Halberstadt takes a lot of heat in some quarters for consistently standing up against the status quo, and the way the status quo likes to spend I say that's a good thing. Full disclosure, I was Alan's campaign manager in last fall's election, so it's no surprise that I like him, but it's good to see the Windsor Star's Roseann Danese standing up for Alan in her February 2nd blog.

Alan does sometimes take stances that make him unpopular with his fellow councillors, but even his fiercest critics will admit that he plays an important role on council. Spending cuts are always controversial, but all too often projects which boost spending are universally lauded.

Now it's obvious that the government needs to spend money, but shouldn't we scruitinize new and increased spending in the same way we look at cuts. After all, every dollar in tax revenue means less money for the taxpayers.

Keep up the good work Alan!

Lindy

2007-01-29T18:23:00.000-05:00

Lindy loves freedom, and Lindy makes great music.

Do you need any other reasons to be at Phog Lounge on February 24?

(If you do, come for the beer.)

The Horror, The Horror

2007-01-27T00:15:00.000-05:00

Being left-brain impaired I have a tendency to go into the fetal position at the sight of long division. But somehow I managed to make it through this video (H/T: Society for Quality Education) makes the case for a return to traditional math learning.

Which method is best? Well, I'm the last person who should be giving anyone advice how to learn math, but why not encourage competition and let the results speak for themselves?

Happy Anniversary!

2007-01-24T01:10:00.000-05:00

Despite Andrew Coyne's pessimistic writings there's some good news from the Hill one year (and on hour) after the glorious revolution.

Repeat after me; broad-based tax relief...

The Beer Keg Registry

2007-01-10T22:34:00.000-05:00

Every now and then I see a news story which that just has to be joke. Sadly, when it comes to government control over our lives it never is.

That's exactly what I thought when I heard about a movement start up a registry for beer kegs. I guess they figured a party registry would be too hard to keep track of.

I'm really sure what's more disturbing: the idea of armed officers of the state making a pre-emptive visit to my house, or the fact that of 5 people quoted 4 are in favour and none make the obvious point that this is just a dumb idea.

Why not a banana over Texas?

2007-01-09T17:37:00.000-05:00

Good question. Why not indeed. After all a giant floating banana is just the kind of artistic whimsy that brings a smile to people's faces. The gesture free of the complications of everyday life like lawyers, engineers, scientists, mathmeticians, and so forth.

Surprise! Floating a banana balloon over Texas requires all those people and about a $1-million.

Well, I guess that makes it kinda weird, but if he wants to spend his million dollars that way...

Err, not quite! It seems Cesar Saez doesn't really have a million to spare, so he wants to spend your million dollars that way.

Hah! Tough luck buddy. There's a new sherrif in town. Our government isn't just gonna fork over our hard-earned money for this hare-brained scheme.

Umm, the Canada Council for the Arts and the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec kinda had some money sitting around so they told Cesar he could use that.

But without the arts our society is diminished!

I agree. And when the statist elites determine the public can't be trusted to decide what artistic endeavours to support our society is equally diminished.

Al Gore Doesn't Exhale or: How The Elitists Should Stop Worrying and Be the Change

2007-01-05T22:51:00.000-05:00

So, as promised to a co-worker I watched An Inconvenient Truth tonight (what a way to spend a Friday night!). Since I didn't feel like paying for the priviledge I managed to optain a copy of Al Gore's movie thanks to another one of Al Gore's creations - the Interweb!

Because this ended up being a long blog I'm putting my feeling on climate change at the top rather than buried at the back. I'm skeptical about global warming, which doesn't mean I deny it exists, it means I'm a skeptic. Both about the consequences and the solutions. The earth is heating up and, for the most part, has been for thousands of years. Is this a result of greenhoue gases? I'm waiting to be convinced. Are we facing an armageddon than requires trillions of (tax) dollars to fix? I think not. My main objection is that most people who profess to be deeply concerned by global warming suggest solutions involving a high degree of central planning. Should we reduce our emissions, not just of CO2, but of everything? Yes, and we are in terms of using more efficient applicances, driving more efficient cars, and generaly polluting less. All without any help from the government. If you think the 1 Tonne Challenge is the reason I bought a Civic instead of a Malibu think again, it was the $1,000 a year in gas money I saved.

And in case you're wondering about the title of this post, just watch the credits of the movie. Apparently, you can decrease your CO2 emissions to 0. Personally, I'm not holding breath.

And so, largely because I want to have notes for the Monday morning water cooler conversation, here are my thoughts:

- Around the 20 min mark Gore presents a graph comparing CO2 and global temperature over the last 650,000 years. The two lines follow each other for most of that time, then the CO2 emissions jump dramatically so naturally the temperature... actually, he never shows what happened to temperature at the time the CO2 content jumped. Probably an editing error.

- Around 54 mins in Gore lists diseases which are increasing, suggesting this is a result of climate change. Among those listed, Multi-drug Resistant TB. Huh. All this time I thought drug resistant diseases were caused by diseases adapting to the drugs we used to fight them. He also mentions the rapid spread of West Nile. A disease the seems to be causing about 100 deaths annually in the US. Pretty close to the number of people killed by lightning in the US each year. Surely there's a better example of our imminent doom out there.

- Many people who argue the threat of climate change respond to my point that earth has been warming since the last ice age with "it's never happened this fast before." Gore helps me out here by pointing out that when an inland glacial sea spilled into the Atlantic the earth went from present day temperatures to an ice age in ten years. I owe you one Al.

- Gore also brings up many times when the scientific models predicting effects of climate change turned out to be wrong. His examples are always of underestimation. But if the scientists are wrong so often, how do we know which parts they're right about?

- Gore also tells the story of a scientist that NASA tried to silence about global warming. I guess big brother doesn't always know best.

- Gore tells a lot of stories about areas that will be flooded, animals that will be killed by rising sea leves. Where's the law of averages here? What about the deserts that will become arable? The species that will flourish. My point is that significant change will have negative and positive consequences, who are we to dictate that things should never change.

- At another point Gore mentions that out of 900+ scientific articles on global warming not a single one disputes it. First of all, this seems pretty fishy, surely there's someone out there with a dissenting opinion. If I asked 900 peole if they liked chocolate I doubt everyone would be on the same page. My suspicion is that included in the 900+ are those who said "Yes, the earth is warming up, but..." And, to quote Dennis Miller, dissent is good the last time 60 million people were all on the same page was Germany in 1935 and the results weren't pretty."

- Finally, the movie waits right until the end and uses the credits to offer a few suggestions. According to ClimateChange.net my carbon footprint is average, according to the Competitive Entreprise Institute my friend Al's carbon footprint is about 180 times mine.

Maybe if he chose to set an example instead of pumping out more CO2 in a year than I will in my life I'd take Al Gore more serially. Until then, I'll be busy keeping a watch out for Manbearpig!

Scotch, Scotch, Scotch

2006-12-27T23:35:00.000-05:00

In the immortal words of Ron Burgandy I love scotch. Okay, love is pretty strong, but I do enjoy a nice glass of scotch from time to time. So here is installment one in a-perhaps-never-to-be-continued series of reviews.

As a Christmas present from my girlfriend's dad I received a bottle of The Peat Monster (if you need a gift for a guy named Pete just stop reading and buy him this). According to its makers "The Peat Monster combines extremely smoky malt whisky from Islay with medium-peated Highland whiskies to create a balanced and approachable monster..." which is absolutely right. If you love smokey scotch this is for you. If you don't really like scotch then you should keep your distance.

My personal recommendation would be to use The Peat Monster as to follow other scotches, as it's strong taste may be a bit much for the first drink of the night, but it's got a great flavour that really sets it apart.

The Peat Monster is a creation of Compass Box Whisky and I'm anxious to try some of their other products; especially Asyla.

Beware of Spinning Liberals

2006-12-13T18:20:00.000-05:00

Whenever I think the CPC messaging could use improvement I take heart by checking out what's going on over in the Liberal Camp.

Senator Art Eggleton spent 5 minutes on CTV Newsnet today arguing against electing senators. His two main reasons? 1) That's how the Americans do it. 2) It could create legislative gridlock.

Memo to Art: The bi-cameral system is designed to create gridlock, so that the end result will be consensus. The only real question is whether you believe that we need appointed elites to save the commoners from themselves, or two sets of elected officials to save the citizens from their government. I know where I stand, and I'm glad to say I know where the new Conservative government stands.

Anyone else smell a majority?

Dear Vic...

2006-12-06T14:40:00.000-05:00

Justice Minister Vic Toews told The Globe and Mail in early October that, while his department was preparing measures to introduce should the motion [to open the debate on same-sex marriage] pass, he was also working on policy options to bring in if the motion fails.

You don't bring any motions forward Vic, that's what we said during the last campaign. This is soon to be dead, dead, dead. Please, let it die with dignity. If our government is pre-occupied with this issue we will lose, and we will deserve to lose. Not because we are anti-SSM, but because there are so many issues that need to be addressed. Broadbased tax-relief, the hopelessly outdated CRTC, the Wheatboard and a little train wreck we like to call the Canadian Healthcare system come to mind.

Help me get published on McSweeney's...

2006-12-06T11:00:00.000-05:00

A co-worker and I are attempting to get a list published on McSweeney's Internet Tendency. Help us pick the best one by going to the The Bolg, reading our 4 candidates and voting for the one that makes you giggle!

What Kind of Read Are You?

2006-12-04T22:34:00.000-05:00

What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Literate Good Citizen You read to inform or entertain yourself, but you're not nerdy about it. You've read most major classics (in school) and you have a favorite genre or two.
Book Snob
Dedicated Reader
Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm
Fad Reader
Non-Reader
What Kind of Reader Are You? Create Your Own Quiz

5 Thoughts on the Liberal Leadership

2006-12-03T11:20:00.000-05:00

1) Dion's choice to "go green" on Saturday morning was brilliant. In an early interview one of his organizers explained that green represented growth (on the ballot) and added it was also representative of Dion's environmental priorities. That was the last I heard of the growth explanation, it was quickly picked up by the media as a purely environmental symbol - the Dion camp was right to go with this.

Also, if I ever have the chance I'll be stealing the idea of a new colour scheme on voting day. Tip o' the hat Dion's organizers.

2) A surging Green Party and a Liberal Party with a bigger focus on the environment. Vote splitting is our friend.

3) Dion is not popular in Quebec, neither was Chretien but he still won a lot of seats. It's too soon to say if Dion will help or hinder the LPC in Quebec.

4) Another francophone Quebec Liberal leader will turn off some voters - mainly voters in the West or in rural Ontario which already. This will not be a big factor.

5) Dion has a lot in common with Harper. He's decisive (read stubborn if you're not a supporter) and something of a reluctant politician. Both men tend more toward policy wonk than leader. Is this a new trend in Canadian politics? Unlikely. Will it make for an interesting election? Undoubtedly.

Note: My prediction of a Kennedy victory made back in the summer was incorrect, but the way in which I said Kennedy would win is the way Dion did win. A half-point for me.

Human Develpment & Freedom

2006-11-24T11:34:00.000-05:00

Here's the world as depicted by the Human Development Index (published by the United Nations). Green is high development, yellow is medium and red is low.

Here's the world as depicted by degree of freedom (determined by Freedom House). Green is free, pink is somewhat free, red is not free.

Notice any trends?

So It Goes

2006-11-16T14:12:00.000-05:00

We lost one of our best today. Milton Friedman (1912-2006) has passed away. Wherever he is now, I hope Adam Smith was there to greet him.

Hard to Spell Candidate Names

2006-11-10T13:36:00.000-05:00

A lot of candidates face the challenge of a hard-to-spell name. My own candidate for City Council - Alan Halberstadt - tackled this obstacle by using www.VoteAlan2006.com. So it's no wonder that London Mayoral candidate Anne Marie DeCicco-Best picked the URL www.votedeciccobest.com - after all Anne Marie is hard name to spell.

Spread the Net

2006-11-10T09:11:00.000-05:00

Rick Mercer and Belinda Stronach are teaming with a campaign to Spread the Net and purchase 500,000 mosquito proof bed nets to reduce malaria in Africa.

The good news is that this is certainly a worthwhile goal, and one that has ranked highly on both the 2004 and 2006 editions of the Copenhagen Consensus.

The bad news is, as Chris Edey dicusses in this excellent blog, that programs of this type are prone to failure. Notably because when something is free people tend to think of all kinds of ingenious uses for them (in the case of bed nets apparently the make good fishing nets and wedding dresses).

Here's hoping the Stronach/Mercer team are able to come up with an innovation to make this program more successful, rather than merely joining the ranks of the development set.

In other news, I'm disappointed that trade liberalization slipped in the rankings for the '06 Copenhagen Consensus - but it's still the only significant thing we can do to help the third world at no cost. An excellent value for money if you ask me.

Phogged in with Lindy

2006-11-08T09:37:00.000-05:00

Last night we paid a visit to Phog to catch a show by Canada's premiere libertarian recording artist Lindy while enjoying a few pints of delicious Wellington beer. If you were there good work. If you missed it I hope you have a good excuse.

Oh, and Papermoon was also really good as the opening act. If you like clapping, this is the band for you.

David Suzuki Fact Check

2006-11-05T23:14:00.000-05:00

According to David Suzuki (The Hour, CBC, November 3, 2006) he met with Stephen Harper when he was a Reform MP and Harper expressed his disagreement with the Kyoto Protocol.

What's wrong with this? Well, Stephen Harper resigned as a Reform MP on January 14, 1997 while the Kyoto Protocol didn't exist until December 1997.

To be fair, it's a minor memory flaw for Suzuki but it does seem representative of the way the doom and gloomers take liberties with the facts. If only they would express concern for global warming (stil a hotly contested theory) rather than harping on our impending global doom.

For a classic example check out some doom and gloom government propaganda from 1976. Looks like global warming wasn't an issue then, mostly because the armageddon du jour was that we'd be out of oil by 1986 (thus reducing emissions to near zero!).

We Need Broad Based Tax Relief

2006-11-03T12:04:00.000-05:00

Despire the headline of this National Post article Jim Flaherty seems to be downplaying the idea of a spring GST cut. While also talking about the fiscal "balance" (I guess imbalance polled badly) and capital gains taxes.

So far the new Conservative government's fiscal record is disappointing to say the least. The first GST cut was good, but it was accompanied by an income tax hike, redistribution of wealth from those without young kids to those with young kids, and now wiping out billions of dollars of investments (with a compensating tax cut only to those who are over 65). Personally speaking the new Conservative government has been a big negative to my finances. I'm sure a lot of other people are in my situation.

While I'm completely supportive of a capital gains tax reduction the benefit is skewed towards certain segments of society. The new Conservative government's focus should be on broad based tax relief like the GST and personal and corporate tax cuts.

Our EDA has a couple hundred "Cut the GST" lawn signs in storage, maybe it's time to break them out.

I Demand An Apology

2006-11-01T09:32:00.000-05:00

More righteous indignation from BCs Chief Justice because the BC Minister of Justice suggested there are improvements to be made in the court system. Meanwhile Norman Spector is getting the desired publicity for his comments about Belinda Stronach. The Ontario minister for Aboriginal Affairs has his nose out of joint over a cancelled meeting with Jim Prentice - a political response to a political action by McGuinty.

The link between all of the above? They're examples of how i) politicians can't make the kind of common sense statements that regular people make all the time, ii) the kind of jibes regular people make in real life become an offense to (insert group here) everywhere, when everyone knows they're not and iii) political factors cause far more time and money to be spent on some issues, while others are neglected.

Who's to blame? Well the politicians are just playing the game that's laid out for them, and it's hard to blame them for it. Until voters demand our politicos shape up it's going to be more of the same.

Fraser Institute

2006-10-30T09:43:00.000-05:00

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.

Internet Debates

2006-10-27T08:06:00.000-04:00

Let May In

2006-10-26T11:41:00.000-04:00

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.

Blog Redux

2006-10-25T11:40:00.000-04:00

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.