Blue Like You

Conservative musings - formerly Joanne’s Journey

Archive for October 24th, 2007

Head coverings for school bus drivers - Yay or nay?

Wednesday, October 24th, 2007

There are a number of issues here.

Should any kind of head covering be allowed for school bus drivers?

Should the media report when driver of a school bus involved in a fatal accident was wearing a head covering (scarf, hoodie, whatever)?

Should a newspaper who has allowed a columnist report the fact that the media isn’t reporting the head covering issue then go and remove the story when the heat gets turned up?

Is it racism if we discuss the issue at all?

Posted in Political correctness | 8 Comments » | Read more..

Scott Reid at it again?

Wednesday, October 24th, 2007

Scott Reid of Popcorn and Beer fame, was just on a special edition of MDL as we await the vote on the speech from the throne.

He was trying desperately to defend the Liberal’s position to support the government on this vote (by sitting out or whatever they chose to do) - to the absolute scorn and derision of the NDP.

His logic went somewhat along this line - Stephen Harper is in too solid a position right now. We don’t want to have an election and hand him a majority government.

Putting aside for a moment that this gives Harper a virtual majority government, if there were indeed an election and the CPC achieved a majority, wouldn’t that be the result of the will of the people?

Is Scott Reid trying to save Canadians from themselves? Do we not know what we are doing?

Thank heavens we have the LPC and Scott Reid to look out for us.

* * * *
Update: Throne speech passes, Liberals abstain from voting. Of course, it might have been a different story if the Liberals’ numbers were higher…

Thursday Update:

Casey votes for throne speech.

Tories rebuked on GST - Globe.

And yet, GST cut won’t trigger an election, Dion says.

Wow. What will it take, Stephane? Personally, I’m not that crazy about a further GST cut, because Dalton is likely going to use it to raise the PST, as Linda Leatherdale has already explained.

Liberals’ ‘whipped abstention’ preserves minority by the Globe’s Jane Taber:


Liberal MPs were ordered to show up in the House of Commons yesterday but remain in their seats to allow the passage of the Harper government’s Throne Speech and to ensure the survival of the minority government.

It was believed to be the first “whipped abstention” in parliamentary history. It is common for party officials to “whip,” or tell their caucus how to vote on an issue, but Liberal caucus whip Karen Redman went a step further yesterday by telling Liberal MPs to be present for the vote but not participate.

MPs were not told whether there would be repercussions for disobeying the order, although in the past, MPs of various parties have been denied parliamentary trips or have even been kicked out of their caucus for ignoring a whipped vote.

“I have never heard of it before,” said C.E.S. Franks, a professor emeritus of political science at Queen’s University, about a whipped abstention. “I think that it sets a precedent and it actually reflects the current state of the Liberal Party. They’ll attend, but they’ll sit on their hands.”

( . . . )

In the Liberal caucus yesterday, Ms. Redman told her colleagues: “We’ve got to stick together. This is a decision that we have made.”


Some good comments here at ASTTR.

Posted in Election fever, Federal politics, Liberal arrogance | 13 Comments » | Read more..

Enjoy the show - Updated

Wednesday, October 24th, 2007

Warren Kinsella sits back smugly and marvels at the fact that John Tory is even considering hanging on to the faith-based funding issue.


…John, who I like, has perhaps lost his marbles. He needs to get back to Florida for a really long vacation. That, or this is a cunning ploy to get the Ontario Conservative party to fire him so that he can go back to making money and having a life.

Either way, it’s time for Ontario Liberals to get out the healthy snacks, put up their feet, and watch the show. It’s going to be entertaining.


Well, at least they’ve given up on the popcorn & beer.

3:30 P.M. Update:

Sorry, Warren. The show’s over - Tory backs off from contentious funding policy.

Meanwhile, Christina Blizzard clues us in on the real upcoming entertainment in Ontario Legislature, whenever they finally get back to work - Randy Hillier vs. George Smitherman.

This is one pit-bull fight you won’t want to miss.

* * * *
Evening update: I think I might end up becoming a Liberal Lemming after all. Dalton is so cute you just want to follow him no matter how many promises he breaks.

Posted in Ontario Politics | 19 Comments » | Read more..