Chretien Attacks Martin in His Book

Posted on: Out of the Shadows
Former Prime Minister Jean Chretien has come out swinging at former Prime Minister Paul Martin in his newly released book, "My Years as Prime Minister". The two men at one time appeared to form a powerful pair in Ottawa during Chretien’s time in office. Martin as finance minister won international respect for making hard decisions which brought Canada’s soaring deficit under control and in recent years has produced surpluses. Chretien as Prime Minister backed his finance minister’s moves. -- read more

Harper Appoints Afghanistan Panel

Posted on: Out of the Shadows
In a shrewd, albeit calculating, move on Friday Harper appointed a five person panel to explore our future role in Afghanistan at the end of the current February 2009 mission mandate. The panel is to be headed up by John Manley, former deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs during Jean Chretien’s time in office. While not officially in political life anymore, Manley remains a staunch Liberal. -- read more

Ontario Elects Liberal Majority - MMP Defeated

Posted at: Out of the Shadows
Ontario has voted and returned the Liberals led by McGuinty to the Ontario Legislature. John Tory of the Conservatives went down to defeat not only from the position of Premier of the Province but failed to win in his own riding. One of the lowest voter turnout in Ontario’s history voted down the MMP referendum which I’m happy to see go down. I just wish that more Ontarians had felt the need to add their voice to the referendum. -- read more

Aid & Combat Interconnected in Afghanistan

Posted at: Out of the Shadows
In Afghanistan’s volatile south, where Canadian troops operate, aid and reconstruction can’t take place without the area being secured by troops who need to flush out and engage the Taliban. Ongoing security has to be provided before any aid groups can operate in these areas. The Taliban will infiltrate back to an area thought to be cleared and undertake a campaign of threats and harassment of aid workers, especially Afghani’s. -- read more

Afghanistan Debate

Posted at: Out of the Shadows
I’m going to say right at the outset here. I support our troops and their mission in Afghanistan. I grow weary and increasingly disgusted by the politicalization of the mission. Politicians hunting for votes and talking points to oppose another party rather than truly hunting down what is the right thing to do. -- read more

We Will Remember Him

They shall grow not old, as we who are left grow old
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning
We will remember them

In memory of our fallen Canadian:

Cpl. Nathan Hornburg -- Afghanistan September 25, 2007

Always Caring -- Always Canadian -- Never Defeated

Support Our Troops -- Wear Red on Fridays

Ontario’s Election is Rapidly Approaching

Posted at: Out of the Shadows
In roughly 10 days Ontario will vote. We’ll either retain McGuinty for the Liberals as Premier or give someone like Tory for the Progressive Conservatives or Hampton of the NDP a shot at the helm. The polls at this point seem to be unsure if we’re looking at a majority or minority government. -- read more

Crackdown in Burma

Posted on: Out of the Shadows
The world the last few days has been focusing some attention onto the protests going on in Burma (officially known as Myanmar). The protests started back in August after the military junta which rules the country excessively hiked gas prices. They gained momentum during the last two weeks as Buddhist monks have marched peacefully through the streets. The monks came out into the streets after security forces fired towards a group of monks and then refused to apologize.

As the monks turned out on the streets in growing numbers over several days civilians became emboldened and started to join them. The Economist has written an excellent backgrounder on the country and what has led up to the current situation. Inexplicably, security forces made no move in the early days of the monks marching to inhibit their movement. There is some speculation that parts of the military were sympathetic towards the monks. -- read more

Japanese Journalist’s Death in Burma

Swastika Like Barracks to Get Makeover - Video

Tory Getting Rough Ride on School Funding

Posted on: Out of the Shadows
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association is the latest group to come out against Provincial Conservative John Tory’s pledge to fully fund all religious schools if he is elected Premier on October 10th. The Association calls for an end to the funding of Catholic separate schools. The move, if any politician was brave enough to back it, would be gutsy but likely political suicide. -- read more

I Oppose Mixed Member Proportional Voting

Posted on: Out of the Shadows
On October 10th Ontarians will be asked not only to elect their government for the next four years but to vote on whether to change our current first past the post system of elections to one called mixed member proportional. We will have two votes that day, one for each.

I’ve spent some time reading a range of websites on the subject of the referendum. One of the frustrations I’ve had with the first past the post system has been that my one vote determines both local candidate and premier. In many cases the local is preferred but the leader isn’t or vice versa. Election day means determining which is my stronger preference. -- read more

French Soldier Killed in Afghanistan

Bin Laden Threatens Shiite Muslims

Questions Raised Over Northern Rock