Greg Weston reports this morning that the Mothercorps is asking taxpayers to dig deeper so we can treat ourselves to more of this kind of garbage.
In his column titled CBC Wants More, Weston asks why CBC should be sheltered from the economic storm that everyone else is having to suffer through?
While most Canadian media outlets are slashing jobs and other costs to stay afloat in a sea of bad economic news for the industry, the CBC is once again rattling its tin cup for more handouts from taxpayers.
The public broadcaster already covers its costs in large part by siphoning just over $1 billion a year from the public purse.
But apparently that won’t be nearly enough to pay the bills in the coming year.
Even before the economic crash last fall, government figures show the CBC had already rung up another $59 million in red ink for the year ending Aug. 31, 2008 — on top of its usual handout that was 8% higher last year than 2007.
Now the CBC is suffering a precipitous drop in ad revenues as traditional advertisers are themselves slammed by the widening economic crisis…
( . . . )
…But unlike private media companies that are having to cope with their own financial crises, the CBC brass evidently continues to operate on the assumption there isn’t much a government cheque can’t cure.
A draft memo from CBC president Hubert Lacroix, expected to be delivered to his 10,000-odd employees this week, warns: “The combination of a severe slump in our commercial revenues, coupled with rising costs of production, is a menacing test that will demand some tough choices on our part…”
Weston goes on to differentiate between CBC radio, which he feels still fills a vital role, and CBC TV of which he says, ” Too bad, so sad, but to paraphrase that old song, maybe it’s time to think the whole thing over”
Indeed.
CBC is a taxpayer-funded albatross of a bureaucracy that really needs a shakeup. Weston tells us that according to government figures, ” the CBC employs more people than all of the country’s private TV broadcasters combined.”
Personally, I think the CBC should be allowed to experience today’s economic realities and focus on massive cost-cutting measures. They should also take a critical look at their programming and ask themselves how relevant it really is.
What are the actual ratings for programs like “Little Mosque on the Prairie”? Is this a money-maker or merely a tax-payer funded tool to preach a particular leftist ideology?
And what about the political bias? Charles Adler weighed in with his thoughts about Susan Bonner’s questioning our Prime Minister’s love of Canada:
…And after reviewing that, I thought to myself, this is fascinating. Am I hearing Canadian reporters now pushing the idea that our Prime Minister doesn’t love our country, not like Obama does or that he simply has a hard time expressing love of country the way Obama does. What’s going on here?
Indeed. How does that even qualify as reporting?
This is what you pay for my friends. CBC is a National Embarrassment.
If you would like to express your feelings on the matter, please contact your local MP.
* * * *
[Please note that this post has been edited since it's original publication due to a technical inconsistency. Thanks to my pal Springer for pointing it out. And on a completely unrelated note, Charles Adler could really use some help making his blog easier to read. More white space, Charles! And if you delve into hypothetical scenarios, please use bold!!!]
As you were.
* * * *
Update: Stephen Taylor has more.
Also please check out Secrets of Vancouver – CBC Taxpayer Abuse. Excellent post.
Monday Update: CBC responds to Greg Weston’s article! H/T Phantom Observer who crunches the numbers.
Wednesday Update: Weston fires back! This is getting exciting.
No emergency loan for CBC:Tories – National Post.
I’ve said for years that the CBC should terminated.The hard assets should be sold off and pink slips delivered.The CBC should have never been allowed to take the controlling nterest in Sirius Satellite Radio Canada either. How many Lieberal hacks are employed at that company? Much of Sirius revenue is derived from where?Sirius does not have to report financials, because it is a private company.
Good for Weston(never thought I could say that!), and Adler!
Lorie Goldstein has been the one journo in the media who calls his peers out for their follies. Looks like the others are catching on.
I have said before our local CBC radio staion out of Sudbury is great. When they connect to Toronto is dives.
I watched the CPAC redo of the press conference. When the Prime Minister and President entered, half the media stood up out of respect. Easy to guess which ones sat.Embarrassing indeed!
And salt on the wound is that our taxes pay for these idiots!
Time for some e-mails and phone calls.
I’m not up on the government portfolio’s. Does anyone know which member of cabinet has CBC on their shelf?
As I wrote in my own post on this issue, time to get rid of the @%#$@# thing. There’s a lot better stuff on which we could be spending the $12 billion taxpayers would save over the next decade.
CBC has survived on Liberal largess for decades. It follows they are their toadies and defenders.
They can ask for more money but it’s not likely this Conservative government will give it to them when the people who pay them are having to tighten their belts.
Who funds CPAC? That’s a biased tribe as well. Little Marty Stringer? Dale Goldhawk and his so-called call-in which is more like a gab fest with his invited guests. On shows where there’s opportunity to show their bias, they do.
Don’t get too excited about Weston. Tomorrow he’ll be slagging the PM for something. He’s had a hate on for him since he wasn’t invited to a party at 24 Sussex.
Will Sirius in Canada survive if the US Sirius goes broke?
”NEW YORK — Sirius XM Radio Inc. has been working with its advisers to prepare for a possible bankruptcy filing, …..
Sirius Canada is 40 per cent owned by the CBC, 40 per cent held by Slaight Communications and 20 per cent held by the U.S. company.”
http://www.friends.ca/news-item/7754
If Canada had a legitimate, small-c fiscal conservative Prime Minister, he would eradicate the far-left bias CBC. If the PM eliminated this national embarrassment Canadians would see a billion dollars of otherwise squandered tax dollars materialize in their personal bank accounts annually.
In an age of numerous Canadian television and radio networks, satellite networks, and of course the internet, there is no longer any requisite for a government-owned, and tax payers paid for, TV and/or radio network; especially one ran by left-wing affirmative action bimbles and watched/ listened to mostly by the far-left, but paid for my people who actually work for a living and pay taxes.
from Weston’s article:
”Splitting almost $1 million of “performance bonuses” among a dozen senior execs,
for example, may be OK in private business, but is downright loopy in a public agency.”
$1M in performance BONUSs for CBC execs !!!!!
After raiding $77 M from its pension plan,
and $34 M from assets sales,
also spending all the rainy day money!!!!!.
OUTRAGEOUS
Yes, Joanne, I’ve always wondered about the ratings of Little Mosque as well. They practically proclaimed it a hit as soon as it was on air!!
I’ve always considered that show to be a slap in the face, considering all terrorist events since 9-11. I have never watched that show; in fact I refuse to watch it. Of course, the only thing that gets watched on CBC at our house is hockey, anyway. And that’s not me. Newsworld sometimes, for about 5 minutes until they pi** me off. They make me cringe at their “celebrate mediocrity” mentality and extreme bias, paying so much attention to idiots like Jack Layton, who at best should be ignored.
Even Petey Mansbridge is overpayed. As recently as the 2006 election he was still slagging Stockwell Day. As soon as it looked like the Conservatives would win, he said “What will Harper do with Stockwell Day? Of course,anybody would have a problem deciding what to do with someone like Stockwell Day”, or something to that effect, chuckling as he likely shook his head. Has he ever slagged Jacko like that??? Never.
No more taxpayer $$ for them, please!!
Ok, so now I understand why talking heads on the CBC have started to call Mr.Harper PM Harper lately.
My disgust with the cbc started back in the late 50s, with their program QUEST. Anyone remember that. What is scary is that many involved with that disaster are still working there. Then there was their love-in for PET, and again many are still there.
We should all write, call or e-mail every liberal MP, anchor, columnist and advertiser telling them enough is enough. Most are saying it is the economy that is the reason for declining ad revenue. I think it is because more of us are using our wallet to protest.
Has anyone read VanHuesons colum at NNW, it is sort of ok until the very last paragraph. Sick. Who is she to tell us who O would pick to be in a canoe without a paddle.
I have also noticed a slight improvement in Newman, has he realized his job could be on the line.
We need more conservative senators, (coming) and more conservatives in patronage positions, like the head of the cbc. I would love to see Monte take on that job.
The links to the CBC and Susan aren’t working for me.
Really good read,Norman Spector’s column in todays G&M:Why PMSH is heading to the UN. Pay close attention to what is written on the Khadr file,and the last paragraph.Scary indeed,and I hope those leftards are paying attention.BTW,I am NOT too computer literate..am an old self-taught Granny,so don’t know how to do those ‘linky’ thingy’s. Only reason i overcame my computer phobia,was blogs like this one,as I had an urgent,overwhelming hunger for some truth.I thank you all,for providing me some sanity…my Prozac expenses are way down since I found you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Monte needs more of a platform to get his message out. Talk show? Radio talk show?
Imagine, if you will, FoxNews Canada: Rutherford, followed by “The Adler Factor”, next up is “Monte”, and then the debut of “Deborah Grey On The Record”. Work in Preston Manning somewhere, give Ben Mulroney (he of the plastic hair) a fluffy show where he can bring in the old man once in a while. Of course, Joke Clark would be persona non grata.
Jack Layton, Igor et al would get real questions asked of them. And we could watch them squirm live. No whitewashing.
Now THAT would be a station worth watching. And they wouldn’t need handouts, either, lol!
Jo, check your email!
I detest the CBC for continuing to beat up on Mulroney. Let it go! I have seen no interest in digging for dirt on Adscam!! What’s the name of the fellow that works for CBC that has a full time job digging up dirt on Mulroney and lobbying for Schrieber.
BTW,there’s a link to the Spector thing at Nat.Newswatch
Fay,that would be ‘Blinky’ Harvey cashore…he would be one of the first on my list of turfees! I would also have to put Julie Van Dolt-en right up there as well..maybe with some time off she could get her hair fixed.Keith Boag is another one..he could use the time to get a high-colonic,as he seems to be in a constant state of severe constipation,at least from the look on his face when he has to report on some positive stuff re PMSH!Bonner should go after her latest fiasco,and what the hell are they paying Krista Erickson for?
Get rid of as well,the so-called pundits..do they get paid?..Travers,gone,Don Martin,gone,keep Russo,as he’s balanced…and PLEASE,Susan Riley should be on the trash heap.There’s a start! Any others?
We need to know the salaries that all those talking heads get. Remember the outrage when Don Cherry’s sidekick was being let go, or threatened to leave. What did he finally get to stay on to do his thing on Coaches Corner. Wasn’t it 500,000.00.
When all those experts show up on Newman, do they get paid/appearance. Do they get paid/question submitted and asked in the HofC, by a lib MP.
And did any cdn media pick up on O’s slip as to where he was happy to be. The US did. Imagine if Pres Bush had made that slip, or the PM.
It had been reported some time ago that PMSH was going to the UN to meet with the Chairman, so why the spin that he is taking advantage of the goodwill of the visit by O to go to NYC.
As a start, cut the amount of money for the next year by the amount the exec split as bonuses. They don’t need it if that is what they do with it.
Lots of spin out there that cdns are warming up to the idea of iggy for PM. They forget about the baggage he would have to bring to the HofC (Pablo, Holland, Goodale, Bisson, Fry and others) to attain that title.
We should all look at the defeated liberals in our ridings and think, for iggy to be PM those loser would have to be winners. Perish the thought.
Do you think that we, the taxpayers, should be subsidizing CTV/Global/Mcleans, etc.? Because we do.
MaryT, that’s absolutely right. All the Liberal Garbage that would have to be re-elected to make Igor PM makes it DEFINITELY NOT WORTH THE RISK. Imagining the smug looks on their faces would make me shoot the TV.
Joanne,
Friends of CBC, lefties from coast to coast, Libloggers.. must be hitting your blog hard, once again, traffic is too high for your set up (or what ever the correct term is)
‘m old enguh to remember much of the Ceeb. Before the advent of Canadian TV.
Somewhere along the way, raising a family, losing a wife, I musta blinked ’cause when I opened my eyes, the whole machine had become a super-nepotistic, highly-arrogant, Big-Brother-on-steroids, on a 24/7 loop, self-righteously pumping out the agitprop, for their political masters and friends, that world famous anti-american librano gang.
Navigating this narrow channel of our lives, the S.S. Cea Bee See is too big, too ponderous, too hide bound and too inflexible, with way too much mometum and reach, for anyone to be able to correct it’s course, let alone ‘turn this boat around.’
Their real estate and creative property holdings are vast. Their connections are far reaching and perhaps somewhat questionable. This boat needs to be slowed, then stopped. Investigations would not be out of order. Nor would forensic audits. Possible divestment of questionable holdings could be worthy of consideration.
The tin-cup routine, which the CBC seems prepared to unleash on a skeptical citizenry of tax payers, is a patently over-the top reach of “o woe, poor me, too” by fat cats, and comfy bureacrats looking to do that Naomi Klein-ish scammy sorta thingee :let’s call it something like Crisis Aftermath Leverage & Harvesting.
“Everyone is crying “poverty!” Why not us as well. We wouldn’t wan to be the *only* one’s looking flush, now, would we?”
Unleash the forensic auditors. Bring on the paring knives, unlock the boning knives.
Make way for a New and Improved leaner ‘n’ meaner, balanced and centered national broadcaster, committed to news that’s unbiased and unvarnished. Return to us our back-to-the-future, Canada centered, Canada-funded, Canada supporting and Canada-advancing, CANADIAN Broadcasting Corporation.
Do all this to embrace all CBC involvement in the spheres of Radio, TV, Internet, Muzak and all other entertainment and outreach communications which they control, all media herein identified or not.
Isn’t there some sort of Czar of Media? Should there be? Discuss…
And no, neither “michael,’ with or without his single signature white glove may apply. His yapping, rabid, foam at the mouth, lickspittle of a lawsuit-threatening, one, warrin’ dimfella, would obviously, on grounds of questionable inter-social skills should be prohibited as well.
So much more to say, so little time.
tj
t.e.& o.e.
traffic is too high for your set up (or what ever the correct term is)
Wilson, I think it was just a temporary server glitch.
Jo!!! Check your email!!!!!!!
Weston writes that the CBC’s usual taxpayer handout was 8% higher last year than in 2007.
Someone please tell me what justified their 8% increase in dole from tax-payers last year?
They receive over $1 billion in tax revenues every year, yet from Stephen Taylor’s blog if $55-65 million represents a shortfall of 17% of their budgeted advertising revenue, this means their advertising revenue expectations were only $323-$382 million. But of course, $1,000 million from the tax-payer every year should just about cover their costs. (Well, according to the CBC President and CEO Hubert T. Lacroix, not quite.)
The CBC’s mandate states that is should be “predominantly and distinctively Canadian”. Yet, looking at their evening TV schedule we see The Simpsons, Coronation Street, Disney, Wheel of Fortune, and Jeopardy. All they are doing is driving up programming costs for private networks by completing against them with a $1 billion annual taxpayer subsidy in their pocket.
Saturday nights are reserved for tax-payer funded Hockey broadcasts. And why exactly do we need a government crown corporation to broadcast our national sport, something that one of our private broadcast networks is perfectly capable of doing?
Why do Canadians continue to tolerate this chronic charity case? Perhaps because they don’t know how much it is costing us, and how little value we get in return for this inefficient, unnecessary, bloated octopus of self-entitlement.
Soccermom..careful with that ‘shoot the tv’ comment..it feeds into the Cons.with guns stereotype that the libs have of us! I’ll admit to doing some ‘neccesary’ shooting myself,with living alone so much,and having dogs and a periodic skunk problem.Proud to say I’m a pretty good shot!
Tango,you are a treasure! I love your commentary.You’ll never make it in msm tho,as you show too much common sense.I note you are ex-military.I happen to have some ‘Army-brat’ background as well having spent 16 yrs at a CFB..maybe that’s why I like your style so much!!!
Joanne, please read Neil’s article it is on the same page as Greg Weston’s article in the Edmonton Sun.
Note: Neil mentions Peter Mansbridge…
Neil WaughSun, February 22, 2009
Barry O is speaking Albertans’ language
By NEIL WAUGH, EDMONTON SUN
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Columnists/Waugh_Neil/2009/02/22/8482476-sun.html
Sammy @ 12:44 pm
You do GREAT! There are many things that I also cannot do on the computer but it is rewarding to try.
When we have a quiet day on the BLY site, we will give you a “post a link” lesson.
It is very empowering and we couldn’t find a better place to learn from each other. “Joanne’s team”, are some of the finest human beings, anywhere.
You come up with some amazing info. Kudos!
The 1991 Broadcasting Act states that…
“…the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, as the national public broadcaster, should provide radio and television services incorporating a wide range of programming that informs, enlightens and entertains;
…the programming provided by the Corporation should:
1. be predominantly and distinctively Canadian,
2. reflect Canada and its regions to national and regional audiences, while serving the special needs of those regions,
3. actively contribute to the flow and exchange of cultural expression,
4. be in English and in French, reflecting the different needs and circumstances of each official language community, including the particular needs and circumstances of English and French linguistic minorities,
5. strive to be of equivalent quality in English and French,
6. contribute to shared national consciousness and identity,
7. be made available throughout Canada by the most appropriate and efficient means and as resources become available for the purpose, and
8. reflect the multicultural and multiracial nature of Canada.”1
——————————————————–
I do not think it is controversial to say that the has CBC failed its mandate. It is rarely watched and caters to only a narrow political audience – the guilty white liberal.
Besides, given today’s technology (satellite TV & Radio, cable and internet) the mandate is hopelessly outdated. Canadians can get programming in any language and country they desire(even more if the CRTC was less restrictive).
Sell the assets and use the money to pay down the federal debt. Use the annual operating savings to produce one or two high quality documentaries about Canadians of the past, present and future. Distribute them to libraries, schools and private networks.
You can check out the ratings for the CBC shows at tv-eh.com
Needless to say, their ratings SUCK! Little Mosque gets under 500,000 which is to say the show should be canned. In comparison, every episode of Corner Gas has had over 1,000,000 viewers.
Hmm, do sex documentaries qualify as serving special needs of certain areas? Because besides Bush-bashing documentaries, sex is their number 1 type of documentary they show on Newsworld.
Completely agree with SoccerMom….Where are the ratings for Little Mosque?…Someone should be able to access that state secret.How totally irrelevant and unthinkable in these economic times for the CBC to beg for more tax dollars.The CBC had a role to play in years past to disseminate news to a sparsely distributed population….but now,in this age of satellite transmission,when canadians in Nunavut have more access to TV programming than I do,the CBC has outlived its’ purpose…And insofar as the case for canadian content..I say BULL…the CBC prides itself for offering Wheel of Fortune…Jeopardy…Coronation Street…ALL FOREIGN AND COSTLY PRODUCTIONS.They probably count Jeopardy as canadian content because Alex is/was canadian…What they produce in Canada is mostly crap…costly crap but crap just the same.Take away the imported programming and the cartoons and what are with….more insignificant crap including Suzuki
o/t todays QP is worth watching.
The Harper government seems to have a little fire in the belly.
Brilliant editing!
Thanks Springer! I owe you one, Buddy.
CBC Mansbrigde etc uses the CBC paid by all canadians to campaign for the liberals.
Apparently from what I gathered from CBC- “THE LIBERAL PARTY THAT STOLE FROM YOU(US)SUPPORT TERRORIST GROUPS can be trusted; yet
THE PRIME MINISTER STEPHEN HARPER WHO LOVES HIS COUNTRY GIVES BACK YOUR MONEY; LOWERS THE G.S.T and Respects our troops, flag and more, cannot be trusted.” the daily ritual and pray by the liberal MSM.
The bloggers have become NATIONAL FOREIGN news center to aid us from the darkness of liberals’ so-call CBC.
CBC BEWARE, BLOGGERS ARE HERE TO BROADCAST WHAT YOU FAILED TO DO.
Joanne – I’m still getting nothing when I select the options you provided in your post re: “Check out”.
Check out?
Springer, I added a little note at the end of this post.
The Liberal media better be careful about pushing the myth that our PM doesn’t love his country. That’s old and dead from the start.
How much can we believe the Times Square Poseur loves his country when he spent so much of his life elsewhere?
He should be asked if he’s more on the page of what his country can do for him rather than what he can do for the country. I’d say it’s all about him and his big Harvard arrogant ego. He’s offering his services for the top job and hasn’t done the grunt work to get experience in politics and leadership first.
That’s putting his own ambition ahead of Country.
It’s ok Joanne, I mistook your bold print for a link. They aren’t links right, just emphasis?
It’s hard to know where to begin with the CBC. I can only remember as far back as Friendly Giant, Mr. Dress-Up and Chez Helene, and Razzle Dazzle, The Forest Rangers and Reach For the Top.
It occurs to me that those who should have the most say in what happens to the CBC are those who pay for it.
Sandra reminds that we also kick in to some private broadcasters, but I’m sorry Sandra that sure doesn’t stack up to the colossal waste of the total funding of the CBC. Not even close.
What I find interesting in the letter that Stephen Taylor has on his blog, is that the CBC is going to use these tough economic times to do the tin cup routine and play on our sympathies as the only voice of Canada. Doesn’t that sound a lot like the Liberal myth of being Canada’s natural governing party?
I do believe that the people who fund the CBC can also use these tough economic times to decide if the CBC stays or goes altogether, which journalists stay and go, and to insist that if it continues to receive taxpayer funding then a better broadcasting deal needs to include a more balanced presentation in every way.
Scale back employees, but also replace the left with a those who can counter with a right perspective.
I’m almost certain that none of the opposition parties would agree to nixing the cbc….totally, but I’m also sure that the PM will not entertain the thought unless he and his caucus receives a deluge of public opinion stating so.
I truly believe that the fairest way to decide is for the people to decide.
That there was an 8% hike last year is unrealistic. It’s actually the amount universities are raising tuition by for next year.
re: “performance bonuses” – I’d sure like to know who the evaluators were of the job reviews and what criteria was used to decide that a good job was done.
Time to do some sleuthing.
Joanne…your blog rocks!!
) these discussions are keeping me sane.
Your quality has been right up there with Kate at SDA.
However, Kate has been away and the guest bloggers are possibly choosing to ignore the highlights of the last week WRT Obama, Iggy and now the CBC…
It is boring over there!
Thanks for the links, discussion, and never ending exposure of all things lefty and lib. Even tho for the most part we are preaching to the converted here (and irritating the lefties
Thank you!!
Speaking of great blogs…another favourite who is continually revealing the bias, laziness and immoral content of the CBC is Joel at proudtobecanadian.ca.
I’m sure he has a file on the waste of our taxes. And he keeps track of the ratings…the only CBC show to ever make the top 20 was HNIC with Don Cherry of course!
It’s ok Joanne, I mistook your bold print for a link. They aren’t links right, just emphasis?
CC, that’s right. The only font indicating a link is the blue script that changes your cursor to crosshairs when it is moved over the word.
However, Kate has been away and the guest bloggers are possibly choosing to ignore the highlights of the last week WRT Obama, Iggy and now the CBC…
It is boring over there!
Hey Bluetech, thanks. That could explain the rise in hits and comments this past week. I think one day I was up to 3,800 hits which is probably a daily record for this blog.
sex is their number 1 type of documentary they show on Newsworld. Yeah, over and over.
CBC’s documentary channel on digital has ‘Texas Waitresses’ and similar phlegm, over and over again.
The main channel shows ‘previously enjoyed’ bottom shelf rubbish on prime time. Where the hell do they spend a billion.
We have to flame CBC and the Liberal heritage critic.
A referendum for a mandate to rid the taxpayers of this arrogant money sucking network would be well worth the cost.
I didn’t leave CBC, they left me!
Hmm, do sex documentaries qualify as serving special needs of certain areas? Because besides Bush-bashing documentaries, sex is their number 1 type of documentary they show on Newsworld.
Yeah, I read somewhere a while back that they were deliberately trying to target ‘this area’ in order to increase their ratings and revenues.
Seems to me that if you have to resort to that kind of nonsense then you really have nothing there of any value anyway.
I like JLK AB’s idea to contact the Liberal heritage critic (perhaps with a copy to the Minister in charge.)
Sammy:
thnx.
Looks like you’ve spent “more time in” than I did.
Well done.
I got out when they started pushing unification. That was Paul Hellyer madness. Conservative who crossed the floor for a cabinet post.
I was RC Signals. Teletype & Cypher. My CFB postings in Canada included: Depot, 2BN QOR of C, Currie, and with Lord Strathconna Armoured bloody well stationed on Sarcee Reserv Land. Can you imagine? Straths, now probably Air Cav., and with RCAF Lincoln AFB, Calgary. Vimy School of Signals, Kingston various times for trad and upgrade. Petawawa, Jump School only, attached to R.C. Regiment. A couple postings at a few different Personnel Depots. #9, Regina. # 4 Montreal – a couple of times and in/out at Western Que. Signal Sqdn. Carp. The other, non-piscatorial variety.
Close friends and comrades-in-arms, did their own tours similar to all this, but also pulled arctic cirlce postings [bonus isolation pay a main reason] and Canadian missile launch sites, circa 1962 onward. They stayed in a fair bit longer than I.
My foreign theatres were Belgian Congo with UN Peace (?) Corps., Gaza, on a week pass-through, Cyprus, Soest Germany. Did The Nijmegen march, one year in Holland – where Canucks are truly loved and honoured. Families today continue to “adopt a grave of a fallen Canadian Soldier” and keep faithful and constant vigil and maintenance.
And speaking of the Dutch. Check out Goderich Ontario. Should you ever find yourself up in The Bruce, I’m told that this part of Ontario is not *really* part of THE Bruce Peninsula, but it *is* the West Coast of Ontario.
Find Goderich, [one-time home to the Grand-parents of a mouse-loving fellow called Walt Disney.] The huge downton round-about, oddly enough called The Courthouse Square, in 1947, served as Walt’s inspiration for a crazy dream he was hatching at the time. Round Courthouse Square eventually became Main Street U.S.A., in Disneyland.
The Dutch? Oh yes . . .
. . . As well, check out downtown Goderich, just off the wheel, right near the Tourist Kiosk and information office. Take time to examine the 2 monuments of thanks to Canada, compliments of a grateful Dutch Canadian community.
BTW. Going to Holland? Wear a maple leaf. Wea a couple. Behave yourself. Don’t litter. And “talk Canadian.”
About my posting at Curry Barracks. I understand that most of it is now all gone, turned into one massive housing tract know as Garrison Heights. While stationed there, a number of our combat instructors were 38 – 44 year old survivors, guys who had hit the D-day beaches as 16, 17, 18, and 20 year olds, and ‘lived’ to tell the tale. Their history can be read online. Google Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada. 2nd Batallion. Impressive outfit. Represented in it’s personnel, by members of just about any enthnic, religious, cultural, socio-economic and educational standing, extant in Canada, throughout our history.
Yet, at that time in the late 50′s -early 60′s under Liberal times, many of these foks, living in almost substandard TMQ’s and PMQ’s had to have their wives go into welfare offices of Calgary to obtain food stamps, because a Pearson government wasn’t paying these families a living wage. I don’t fault Pearson, for he himself was a vet. I certainly fault his party.
So, “men with guns in the streets of Canada;” Paul Martin announcing that he was going to Europe to commemorate the allied landings in Norway, another brain dead dud Minister of National Defence not knowing the important bluddy differences of the WWII era, could not seem, for the life of him, to realize the differenc between the Vichy quislings, Vichy waters, and Vimy battlefields. And there are so many other egregious instances of bumbling and arrogant stupidity by the party of entitlements.
So. Voila.
This, is me. And, in part, this is something of how I got here.
tj
Sorry about the length. And for the typos, which sem to disrupt reading of anything. Though I’e tried my best to edit and correct. this is what we’re left with.
t.e.&o.e.
Sorry abut any possible loss of cohesiveness and flow. Doing edits of my own work is difficult enough for me on a full page with enlarged font sizes – writing and managing layout etc. on someting not much more than a torn postage stamp, make this all that much more of a challeng. And doing it this way, slows me dow.
At home I’d Word process, copy and paste. I’m ot at home. And this ain’t Kansas, toto.
One more thing, and admittedly off-topic.
Seems that a certain Senor warrin’ dimfella is getting all heated up over some Hurry Curry or Curry in a Hurry coment made by a Conservative pol.
When I visited my kids at Wlfrid laurier U, and/or U of Waterloo, during the 90′s, one of their fave eating out places was a joint, situated between both schools.
The name of the place? I liked it like that – it was called Curry in a Hurry. A few years later, one of the U of W Fine Arts Masters Grads, qorking with his groupd, White Courtesy Phone, recorded a cut, also entitled Curry in a Hurry.
Seems to me, that warrin’ is leaning in taking a pitch to the volunteer head, for the sake of the team. Don’t get fooled. Keep pasting him. He’s earned our collective group loathe.
But do not let his tomfoolery deflect any attention away from his boss ‘Michael,’ The Other One ONE, who just yet, has not quite revealed to a waiting world, his solo white gloe gambit. Perhaps when he reverse moon-walks bac to the states? Back to the U.S.A. to a job at the Geroge W. Bush Memorial Library. Here Iggy could bre chief librarian. Didn’t the count brag about how “Obama said ” that he had read books written by ‘Michael.’
Surprise Iggy! Geroge Dubya apparently read much of your writing too, didn’t he? The legend is that much of your musings inspired Dubya to move on the Iraq invasion. Apparently your wise and sagacious insights also seemed to provide a rationale for the US military’s repoerted use of torture and the ever clever “special renditions.” In this scenario, the terrorist bad-guys get shipped off to a third party who is a sub-cotractor on the tortue and info-extraction file.
‘Michael’ might even be able to augment his income by signing specil adition copies of the pertinent writings.
this time, I really gotta get gone. Ciao! Maybe later. Maybe tomorrow.
tj
Wow , that was great tj! You remind us of all that we should be proud of and give us positive motivation to hold spinsella accountable. Thankyou!
Of the top 29 in Canada via http://www.bbm.ca for Feb2-8;
no. 11 H.N.I.C CBC
no. 13, 24, 28, CTV news
no. 23 Rick Mercer Report
no. 26 Corner Gas
no. 27 W-Five
The rest is American stuff on Canadian channels. Little Mosque and the National don’t even crack the top 30…I think we can take some comfort that no one really watches/cares. Except for the part where our tax dollars are going down the tube.
no. 1 ‘House’ (which I like to watch…)
MaryT: We should all look at the defeated liberals in our ridings and think, for iggy to be PM those loser would have to be winners. Perish the thought.
Mary, you seem like a nice lady; did you really have to ruin a great afternoon listening to Psychedelic Psunday (www.q107.com) by making me think about Garth?
The CBC must be VERY afraid of something as I got this letter in my email the other day (a continuation of a series of them I get since I replied to a request to send a “letter” to my MP to say don’t cut the CBC – (of course, I did send a letter, but it wasn’t probably what they wanted. I actually got a letter back as well.)
Anyhoooo – here is the letter from the “friends of the CBC” received Feb 10.
“Heritage Minister James Moore confirmed yesterday that his government would support placing ads on CBC Radio One and Two. Responding to a question from Charlie Angus, the NDP Heritage Critic, Moore confirmed a Conservative policy position that Stephen Harper has kept under wraps since 2004.
To hear the exchange between Moore and Angus at the Commons Heritage Committee, click the image to the right.
This confirms our long-standing and well-founded suspicions! The future of commercial-free CBC Radio is now on the line. All of us who care about Canadian public broadcasting need to act together, forcefully, now.
In defence of a commercial-free CBC Radio, please take a moment to send a message to Stephen Harper right now using FRIENDS’ on-line action centre. Your letter will be copied to James Moore and your Member of Parliament. If you wish, you can personalize your letter.
Thanks!
But ya gotta love Thhteefen and Chrithh
tj
Like the part you wrote about the Dutch. My brother in law did the Nijmegen march as well(reserve doctor). Both sides of my family were liberated by Canadian troops. Try telling that tho to CJunk – alas he despises them. He reminds me of Austen Powers father; ‘two things in life I hate; intolerant people and the Dutch’
Might I invite you and your readers to participate in some polls to decide which CBC services should be given the axe in the 2009-10 budget year? I’d like to send the MPs on the Heritage Committee the results, when the CBC comes up cap in hand to ask for more.
http://phantomobserver.com/blog/?p=1709
Richard, I am so sorry for bringing that man to you mind. In my own riding blood is definetly not thicker than water. To admit I have liberal relatives is horrible. He has been defeated 5 times, but will probably try again.
Agent Smith:
Your brother sounds great.
BTW. Where are your ancestors from?
My roots are in NW Ukraine. They enjoyed the double whmmy: after 25 brutal and hungry years of rapaccious Soviet[read Russian - Iggie's clan] occupation followed by mass deportations coupled with occupational brutality, just because ‘they’ could, constant see-saw battlez, soviet retreat+nazi invasion, nazi retreat+soviet pursuit. Any military transit movement (either force) brought with it rape, pillage and plunder leaving nothing behind them but death, destruction, tremendous grief and sorrow.
Retreating fores brought all this, PLUS a bonus, the added fillip of absolutely vast and wide-spread devestation of carrying out their own version, that year, of what they understood to be the latest interpretation of their readings in the latest published issue of War Attrocities Illustrated Monthly, Warfare Doctrine of Scorched Earthm Policies. But that’s another story in another medium, for another time.
I went through the march in ’62 when I was stationed in Germany as a lowly Signalman, Cipher Tech. The Dutch did not discrminate. A ‘private,’ I still got treated like royalty. My money was ‘no good.’
I met the most amazing survivors, countless people who had suffered all sorts of deprivation, brutality and hardships. Easily one third of the local people I met, had similar stories. Some family member randomly garrotted, by the Nazi occupiers, apparently for sport, in jest, because they could.
Most other fmiliea had at least one female relative, most often a young woman at the time of the war, who had been raped. Almost all families had tales of subsisting, for long periods of time, on the miracle of watery tulip bulb soup, and fried tulip & onion “stew” should they have been fortunate enough to scrounge up the basic ingredients, or suitable substitutes, to prepare the feast.
Your reference, one, CJunk. “He despises them…” Who does he despise? The Dutch? Canadian Troops?
I assume the “j” in his name is pronounced like a “j” and not the latino “y” or “h.”
If “j” we have traced him to be of the family Yarddog.
if “h” this is a member of the Stuffwehurl family.
You *will* get this one. Keep trying it and don’t forget to include the first letter, “C.”
Anyone from either of these clans, not worthy to lick the salt out the bottome of my jump boots and certainly not really worth anyone else getting drawn into time wastage and time suckage by an apparent fool such as this. My buddies have a saying about dolts like this. Not one of us would have stopped to pee on him if he were ablaze. He does have the right and the freedom to enjoy hating certain people, exactly because these certain people had the guts to do that which he hates. He hates them, and their actions because their courage, and his daily freedom are a costant reminder of his own cowardice.
Sounds a fair bit like a warrin’ dimfella.
’nuff said.
tj
t.e.&o.e.
Back home from work,and catching up with you kids..Whew,you’ve been busy beavers! had to share this tidbit,with my friends,because I found it rather encouraging.I was listening to Rex Murphy on the drive home,and of course,it was All Obama,all the time..he was asking what the trip meant to you.One caller,was a shaky-voiced,elderly lady from Toronto.She was impressed of course,but,best part,was this remark she made,’I am a Liberal,but I must say I was very impressed with PMSH,and how well he performed.I noticed the similarities between the two men,and I think,since Oct.Mr.Harper has ‘softened’ and become more flexible’..so,I was wondering how many other ‘old libs’ are thinking the same thing? This could be a big boon for PMSH,and I’m sure them msm are peeing their pants,over having to give PMSH such a positive face.
Alberta Girl,interesting,that you mention cbc and the advertising issue.Just last wk on cbc Wpg,during the ‘drive home’ show,the question of the day,was about just that issue.The host was wanting people to call in and voice their opinion,so maybe they are having to dig for revenue.I had noted awhile back,that there seems to be the same 2-3 commercials on cbc newsworld ch.,and I wondered if companies were’t doing ads on cbc,because of negative feedback?
Hey Tango..I’m not nearly as well travelled as you..I was just fortunate enough to have been a kid on base,and had a Dad that was civi,working for the military as an engineer.It was a good life,I got to ‘travel’ tho,by hanging out with kids that had been to Germany (mostly)and lots of ‘Newfies’..there seemed to be a great volume of military guys from the Maritimes.The last few yrs at the base (in Man) was when they started bringing the German soldiers over to train in the desert we have in Man.Needless to say,there was lot of us young teens swooning over the handsome lads from overseas!These German fella’s seemed to like the First Nation’s gals tho,and a LOT of them married,and took them back to Germany.They also loved the Native ‘culture’ and got very involved with traditional ways of the First Nations.I found that very interesting.
Sammy:
Sounds like you might have been at Shilo. The Germans came over for NATO tank training I think. Rivers had served, for a time, as a JumpSchool. Euro’s, especially Germans – really big on what we consider our Wild West History, real, imagined or Hollywood manufactured. The German lads and our First Nations’ lassies would be a natural fit for many, in many instances.
Newfs and maritimers? Sure. And guys from all sorts of small towns across the country. Economics. Used to be that if one had a list of regimental numbers,with accompanying dates of enlistment, when I was in, the two letter prefix indicated province or Personnel Depot one signed up at, the job of evaluating the regions of origin for the troops, would be a pretty good indicator of the nation’s economy. Some time shifting would have to apply. And a few other factors, as well.
Bad times in local economies meant more guys from this area would sign up. Steady work. Fair pay. Room [more often than notor it's the great outdoors in all sorts of weather,] Food [usually fair to good and decent. Certainly healthy,] Clothing [same-o, same-o,] Dental and Medical care [pre-medicaire,]
Thirty days annual leave, with pay. A career. And the challenge to test oneself daily. Sometimes, minute by minute.
In tough economic times, the Forces presnted a series of facts that made a compelling argument for enlistment.
I signed on in Regina. One of the other guys going through the three day testing process was a hulking prairie farm-boy. Strong as an ox. Afraid of nothing. Except heights. He couldn’t even sleep in an upper bunk. On base, or on a train. He was deemed to be most appropriately suited for the PPCLI at Edmonton’s Grisbach Barracks, and Wainright Alta. The Princess Patricia Canadian light Infantry, as you might be aware, and this is what make this anecdote just so much more delicious t tell, The Pats were, and still are, one of Canada’s premier Airborne Regiments.
The army, in it’s brilliant wisdom took a man with a paralysing fear of heights, and determined to make him a man who walks out of an airplane door, out into the icy blast, at tremendous altitude above the face of the earth, which, manages to close at an alarming speed one discovers, the few seconds after one has taken the step out, the static line releasing the silk, the descent under way, the rush of air buffetting one’s face, forcing itself up one’s nostrils.
he went to Edmonton, I to Calgary. Neverran into him, nor heard anything about him after that/ Hopefully he went back to the family’s Saskatchewan homestead and made a killing raising bumper crops. Crops of Marquis 10B, or the legendary Red Fife, believed to have been brought over from home by a Ukrainian peasant.
Canada’s # 1 Red germinated about two and a half weeks earleir than all other wheat. This virtually ensured an earlier harvest, a better chance of succeeding in an often brutal, constant contending with nature’s laws and elements.
tj
t.e& o.e.
You guessed right Tango! CFB Shilo it was.It was a good base,lots of great amenities even for the ’50′s..had a great Rec.Center,complete with huge indoor pool..I remember walking home from swimming in the dead of winter,reeking of chlorine,and frozen solid hair!
Do you remember anything of Camp Hughes..not too far from Shilo? There was quite a ‘bomb-bunker’ there.I have seen lots of photos of it.Funny too,that with all the commotion in Que.over the cancelled re-enactment,there was a photo in Sat.Wpg.Free Press of a beautiful antique table,that belonged to some dignitary involved in the original battle..I just don’t recall whose,but it now sits in the Officers Mess in Shilo!
It made me smile,when you mentioned the paratroopers as well,as I clearly remember going off the ‘jump tower’ in Shilo as a teen one Armed Forces Day.NEVER again! Also,my hubby who is a private pilot,always wonders why anyone would want to jump out of a perfectly good plane.I used to love to see the Hercs fly over..they had to land in Brandon tho.
I loved as well the pomp and circumstance of the parades,the young men in uniform in perfect step is thrilling to see. Remembrance Day is truly a deep and meaningful day for me..having been on a base for many ceremonies over the years,that day was sacred.Sad what it has become lately..I don’t feel it is respected as we did years ago. I’ve also had the honor of caring for many ‘vets’ while still in the Healthcare field,and was always interested in their stories.I had a great-uncle that went overseas and never came home..but so many families have that same story..too many really.I am so proud tho,of the new Highway of Heroes,tho I hope and pray,it isn’t needed anymore.
Lovely to ‘share’ and remember with you Tango!
I’ve officially complained to the CBC twice in the past 6 months. The first was about Heather Mallick. The second was about the highly biased coverage of Le Coalition.
I did get a formal response both times. Wrt Mallick the President of CBC News promised that changes would be made to the staff & structure of their organization to better reflect the differing opinions throughout Canada. NOT A THING HAS CHANGED!
Wrt Le Coalition, Cynthia Kinch, a Director at CBC Newsworld wrote me a fairly lengthy response. But of course, she disagreed entirely with my [accurate] assessment, telling me that the CBC’s coverage of the Coalition debacle was fair and balanced. SURRRRRE!
It might not surprise you to learn that I don’t bother complaining formally to the CBC anymore.
Sammy:
As Bob Hope was fond of singing, though I’ll just say it – thanks for the memories.
Ah yes. The ever-popular chlorine overloads. Perfectly in keeping with the military penchant for cleanliness and the eradication of bugs, disease, pestilence, poor marching, badly made bunks and weapons, for the use of – unclean or improperly secured. Camp Hughes is vague. As is another camp that had been a Flight Training School. Somewhere out near Dauphin I think.
On the Queen’s Own Rifles Base, the wek surrounding June 6 carried much emotion. On D-day. full ceremonial, march past of the double. Survivors reminiscing. Families of some of the dead Riflemen, NCO’s and Officers in attendance as well.
Must fly. Back somewhere else in a day or two.
tj
t.e.& o.e.
[...] on the CBC taxpayer abuse story [...]
Just heard on Global that PMSH says NO to topping up cbc funding do to shortfall in ad revenue. Three Cheers for PMSH.
Now watch for the cbc to get back to normal and quit pretending to be nice to us.
Anyone else have a link to that announcement.