tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194012222011-09-17T09:47:52.088-04:00Now posting at pdo2.blogspot.comPeter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.comBlogger3791100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-8954231321531631042007-09-27T11:07:00.000-04:002007-09-28T14:48:34.024-04:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that starting next week Paper Dynamite Online will have a new URL: pdo2.blogspot.com.I'd been thinking about creating a new site for a while, mainly to take advantage of some of the new features offered by Blogger but that I could not use with my old template, when a couple weeks ago my hand was forced. It seems Blogger no longer supported my old template and

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-72931185189417984092007-09-06T09:44:00.000-04:002007-09-06T16:34:53.212-04:00

From today's Globe and Mail:In the interview (with CTV News), Mr. Mulroney resurrects Mr. Trudeau's adamant opposition to conscription during the Second World War, when the latter was in his early 20s.Asked by CTV News anchor Lloyd Robertson whether Mr. Trudeau's opposition might be seen as a product of the times in Quebec, Mr. Mulroney said Mr. Trudeau wasn't alone in his opposition."But they

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-8081054590164290852007-04-13T14:19:00.000-04:002007-04-14T15:59:27.412-04:00

Being A Liberal Is Still An Exercise In Frustration.Okay, someone needs to explain this to me because I don't get it at all! How exactly does the quid pro quo worked out between Stephane Dion and Elizabeth May, not to run in each others riding, benefit the Liberal Party of Canada in the next election?Look, I've been in favour of Liberal-Green alliance on the environment since Tom Axworthy first

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-31468817518228661222007-03-06T10:30:00.000-05:002008-12-12T23:24:22.366-05:00

Last April in post titled "The Way Forward" I wrote the following:"The first passed the post (FPTP) system has served Canada well, but it's a relic and it's time for a more democratic method of electing members of parliament."Proportional representation (PR) will help the Liberal Party in the next election on the issue of the democratic deficit. But there's another benefit that may be equally if

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-16145549886732372382007-02-27T16:30:00.000-05:002007-02-27T16:46:00.086-05:00

So I head over to Daily Canuck this morning to peruse the headlines and I see this: "Canadians Chide Harper for Commons Uproar". "Great!", I said to myself, "Finally some good news for the good guys! The people are with us!"According to Angus Reid 57% of Canadians disapprove of Stephen Harper relying "on a newspaper article to link the relative of a Liberal Member of Parliament to the ongoing

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-60048890704967488012007-02-25T09:00:00.000-05:002007-03-11T18:14:14.778-04:00

It's "Meet The Press For Idiots".-----

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-39525888941898861802007-02-23T13:30:00.000-05:002007-05-03T18:28:02.791-04:00

***SPECULATIVE ANALYSIS ALERT***In recent years, the Conservatives have borrowed a number of strategies, tactics, and techniques from the Republican Party. But as far as I could tell, placing subliminal messages in their political advertising wasn't one of them. That is, perhaps, until now.You may remember that during the 2000 presidential campaign, there was a bit of controversy over a Bush

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-46880437310283915002007-02-22T18:07:00.000-05:002007-02-23T18:19:15.631-05:00

The ducks are lining up in a row for a national security election.Top court poised to rule on key anti-terror toolsBy JIM BROWNOTTAWA (CP) - The Supreme Court of Canada steps into a political minefield Friday with a decision on whether Ottawa can keep using secret court hearings, indefinite imprisonment, and summary deportations as part of the fight against global terrorism.The judgment will come

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-19818701287546612352007-02-22T14:30:00.000-05:002007-03-11T13:46:30.022-04:00

During Question Period, Stephen Harper said that his government "will undertake, any action necessary" to make sure the police have all the powers they need to go forward with the Air India Task Force investigation."Any action necessary"! That sounds like code for the possibility of fighting an election on the Anti-Terrorism Act.In July, I argued (here) that Harper would like nothing more than

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-17999785475830757992007-02-22T08:15:00.000-05:002007-02-22T13:17:09.657-05:00

Then: Paul Martin supports child pornography.Now: Stephane Dion coddles terrorists.Forget about dual loyalty, our very own "Coulter of the Commons" is accusing Stephane Dion of having no loyalty whatsoever, to his fellow citizens or to his country.Garth, Olaf and Red Tory explain. Relevant portions from Hansard here. Video here.

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-23539559707145448402007-02-20T14:29:00.000-05:002007-02-21T16:42:40.760-05:00

On Friday, February 2nd, Stephane Dion sat down for an interview with the Ottawa Citizen editorial board. By that Sunday, the Citizen's city editor Randall Denley had penned a column so replete with anti-leadership buzz words that there's a good chance it could cause Frank Luntz to have a spontaneous emission.According to Denley, Stephane Dion is frightening, alarming, soft, verbose, shaky, unfit

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1171126473923578782007-02-19T11:15:00.000-05:002008-12-12T23:24:22.621-05:00

After a three month hiatus, I'm pleased to announce thatP.D.O. will be returning to the blogosphere tomorrow, Tuesday, February 20th.For those interested, you can now receive P.D.O. updates via email. Just scroll down the sidebar and you'll find the subscription box.

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1164913954188536952006-11-30T16:18:00.000-05:002006-12-09T09:32:50.720-05:00

I have to say it was astonishing to see the Conservatives tripping over their tongues trying to define what is a "Quebecois" on Monday. For Stephen Harper and his Government, who pride themselves on message discipline, it was a serious breakdown in communications that left Cabinet members twisting in the wind, as they struggled to come up with a widely acceptable definition.Watching the coverage

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1164761206080178702006-11-28T19:20:00.000-05:002006-11-30T07:00:30.226-05:00

Since I argued against the LPC-Q Quebec Nation resolution over and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over again: and predicted its demise last week; the withdrawal of the resolution today, came as very gratifying news.Kudos to everyone who fought the good fight.

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1164720863038722002006-11-28T13:01:00.000-05:002006-12-01T14:12:46.263-05:00

There's no question that the "Quebecois nation" resolution passed in the House of Commons last night suffered from a lack of clarity. But the question I have is: Did the mainstream media news outlets further complicate or clarify what was being proposed, for Canadians? And as a secondary question: Was the analysis regarding the impact of the resolution on the Liberal leadership campaign accurate?

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1164652983567974032006-11-27T13:37:00.000-05:002006-11-27T14:19:27.063-05:00

Here is a small portion of Stephane Dion's remarks in the House of Commons, during the debate on the "Quebecois form a nation within a united Canada" motion.In the sociological sense, we Quebecois are a nation because within Canada we represent a large group, about a quatre of the population, we have the awareness of our unity, and the willingness to live together. And therefore, we could say

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1164589683813729862006-11-26T20:10:00.000-05:002006-11-27T01:16:04.646-05:00

The ResolutionThat this House recognize that the Quebecois form a nation within a united Canada.Let me begin by simply saying, the only legal jurisdiction that qualifies as a nation in the current resolution before the House of Commons, is Canada. This resolution does not make the Province of Quebec -- in any way, shape or form -- into a nation.The resolution recognizes that there are people who

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1164467968913251742006-11-25T10:15:00.000-05:002006-11-25T11:51:09.856-05:00

This is pretty strange folks.On October 27th, I wrote a post titled "Why Don't We Just Go With Something Like This". In it, I reworked a provision of the 1995 Distinct Society resolution, and this is what I came with:The House recognize that Quebec is a sociological nation within Canada.Which is remakably similar to the Harper motion.That this House recognize that the Quebecois form a nation

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1164381279622778992006-11-24T13:50:00.000-05:002006-11-26T14:06:13.946-05:00

"It was the best of times, it was the blurst of times." -- Mr Burns, from: Last Exit To Springfield.Early Wednesday afternoon, I published a post titled "The Bloc Motion, Quebec's Right Of Self-DetermiNATION And The Clarity Act", in which I argued that the Liberal Caucus should vote against the Bloc motion which states that Quebecers form a nation, but without providing a political context. It

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1164339216479010042006-11-23T22:17:00.000-05:002006-11-24T16:33:03.580-05:00

The Distinct Society ResolutionWhereas the People of Quebec have expressed their desire for recognition of Quebec’s distinct society;1) the House recognize that Quebec is a distinct society within Canada;2) The House recognize that Quebec’s distinct society includes its French-speaking majority, unique culture and civil law tradition;3) the House undertake to be guided by this reality;4) the

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1164304677585756362006-11-23T13:57:00.000-05:002007-02-19T20:46:41.553-05:00

Yesterday afternoon, I wrote that "Harper has essentially adopted Dion's position". And apparently my initial evaluation was correct.Canadian Press reported that,Harper’s proposal also won the approval of Stephane Dion, the lone Quebec contender who has fiercely criticized the Liberal approach on the issue. He said Harper’s motion is “very close” to a compromise he’s been floating among Liberal

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1164254247020183012006-11-22T22:47:00.000-05:002006-11-23T02:06:26.503-05:00

It would be very helpful -- not to mention more accurate -- if you stopped reporting this story with phrases like this:- Harper wants to recognize Quebec as nation within a united Canada- PM sees Quebec as 'nation'Here's one from the CBC that's better:- Quebecers form a nation within Canada: PMHowever, even when writing in English you should use the word "Quebecois". Stephen Harper used "

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1164245088020998092006-11-22T20:25:00.000-05:002006-11-23T01:57:50.563-05:00

(Originally posted on July 5, 2006) Reporters: Mr. Wrightwater! Mr. Wrightwater!Wrightwater Aid: Stephen Harper from The Toronto Star.Harper: Mr. Wrightwater, there's been some controversy lately regarding calling Quebec a "nation". As a candidate for the Liberal leadership, what's your view on the subject?Wrightwater: As far as describing the population of Quebec, I'd say yes -- it's accurate

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1164235739399291612006-11-22T17:37:00.000-05:002006-11-22T20:51:27.913-05:00

On November 10th Labour Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn, said Quebec was a nation in the sociolological sense of the word.From CTV News:Blackburn added Friday that his view has nothing to do with sovereigntists' desire to create a separate country, but refers to sociological identity."Our (concept of) nation does not mean wanting to separate. It is within the context of all the nations that

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1164228339787608972006-11-22T15:40:00.000-05:002006-11-22T21:26:34.143-05:00

(Not to mention my previous post, sort of: In his speech Harper defined Quebecois as a sociological nation.)Federal motion to recognize Quebec as nationWed. Nov. 22 2006 3:26 PM ET CTV NewsThe federal Conservative government will introduce a motion recognizing that Quebecers constitute a nation within a united Canada, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Wednesday."Do Quebecers form a nation

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1164220224584535712006-11-22T13:25:00.000-05:002006-11-23T20:51:24.436-05:00

In 1998, the Chretien Government submitted three questions to the Supreme Court of Canada on the subject of Quebec secession. The reference was deemed necessary, not only because of the narrow victory of the "No" forces during the 1995 referendum, but because the question posed, at that time, essentially anticipated a unilateral declaration of independence by Quebec should the "Yes" side

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1164171124691153402006-11-21T23:48:00.000-05:002006-11-21T23:52:51.510-05:00

MONTREAL (CP) - Liberal leadership hopeful Ken Dryden says his party should set aside its resolution recognizing Quebec as a nation.While he didn't offer any concrete measures to address the constitutional question, the former Liberal cabinet minister said Tuesday his party should focus on the future and not the past. Perceived leadership front-runner Michael Ignatieff has said Quebec is a nation

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1164093850516705742006-11-21T09:59:00.000-05:002006-11-21T17:26:57.670-05:00

On CBC News Sunday Michael Ignatieff said,"Point number two. Don’t assume that anybody as prudent as I am, and I am a prudent man, I’m a responsible man in politics, wants to lead us into a constitutional morass. This country has a disagreement about what the word “nation” and nation means. It means one thing in French, it means another in English. Until we have common understandings, we can’t do

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1164074826859321302006-11-20T23:05:00.000-05:002006-11-21T09:01:50.656-05:00

If his recent interviews are any indication, it looks as though Michael Ignatieff is shying away from some of the language that dominated his earlier pronouncements regarding Quebec.During interviews with Don Newman, Evan Solomon and Simon Doyle, Ignatieff made no direct reference to the Province of Quebec as a "nation". Instead, he used the phrase, "a people".(1) From Politics with Don Newman (

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1163425828758940352006-11-17T19:00:00.000-05:002006-11-20T10:05:49.633-05:00

Last week Michael Ignatieff wrote an op-ed for the Globe and Mail on the Quebec nation resolution. For the most part it's a rehash of the flawed arguments he's made in the past (here and here). But in the second half of his commentary Ignatieff employs some stunningly deceptive rhetoric. So let's take closer look at some of what he had to say.Ignatieff writes:At the upcoming Liberal Convention,

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1163635712389482592006-11-15T19:04:00.000-05:002006-11-16T14:20:19.366-05:00

The following is the transcript of a story that appeared on yesterday's news broadcast of the Montreal CTV affiliate.17 YEAR OLD FARAKH ASHGAR CAME TO MONTREAL FROM PAKISTAN FOUR YEARS AGO. AFTER ONE YEAR HIS FAMILY MOVED TO CORNWALL WHERE FARAKH'S FATHER HAD FOUND A BETTER JOB. THEY REMAINED THERE UNTIL LAST AUGUST.[SUPER=102-FARAKH ASGHAR/Son][09:40:05] my mom became sick suddenly he couldn't

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1163528797260042582006-11-14T17:00:00.001-05:002011-06-16T18:41:08.630-04:00

aIt's amazing what people can do when they have history and facts on their side, and marry it to reason and logic. Case in point, the essay Débat au Parti libéral - Le Québec nation? Il y a, c'est certain, une meilleure avenue! /It's not what the Fathers wanted, which recently appeared in Le Devoir and The Globe and Mail. (French version here.) In 1900, at the International World Fair in Paris,

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1162675716112915892006-11-04T16:23:00.000-05:002006-11-04T17:15:04.806-05:00

In case you can't make it to the theatre this weekend to see "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan", here's a half hour of "Borat's Guide To Britain".-----

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1162519415984743372006-11-02T21:00:00.000-05:002006-11-03T14:46:35.150-05:00

Well, comments actually, not letters.I had a very interesting exchange today, in the comments section of my last post, with a gentleman by the name of Yvan St-Pierre. I encourage you to read the entire exchange.His last comment was uniquely sincere: It reflects the hope, ambivalence and frustration that, I believe, is behind much of the support for the "nation resolution" in Quebec. Yvan's

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1162410571751501202006-11-01T20:00:00.000-05:002006-11-01T17:39:47.536-05:00

Chantal Hebert has a very interesting column today on the politics of the "Quebec nation" resolution. As has been the case with most of the commentary since its passage a week and a half ago, Hebert focuses on the resolution's provisions that (1) concludes Quebec is a nation, and that (2) instructs the next leader of the Liberal Party to form a taskforce to look at non-constitutional(?) means to

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1162342039503700322006-10-31T20:00:00.000-05:002006-11-02T00:04:52.750-05:00

Without further comment ... (But maybe a question.)In the past Michael Ignatieff said,"I don't want a community of communities. I don't want tribalism. I want a kind of moral individualism."- UK interview"Canadians want a country. They don't want a community of communities,' Ignatieff said. 'I'm committed to the national unity of the country.’"- AP (h/t Steel City Grit)From an interview with Anna

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1162308798833071052006-10-31T14:00:00.000-05:002006-10-31T16:15:41.326-05:00

In case there was any doubt, yesterday Ted (Cerberus) took it upon himself to remind Liberals that Pierre Trudeau is dead. But not satisfied with reminding us of this unfortunate fact, Ted went a step a further and proclaimed,"Trudeau federalism", whatever that really means when you separate mythmaking from reality, died in 1995-1997 when, at the hands of the the Liberal Party, the Government of

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1162230246210872802006-10-30T13:00:00.000-05:002006-10-30T13:01:11.756-05:00

For His Use Of The Pronoun "We" While In The U.S.Without further comment ...From Q&A with Liberal leadership contender Michael Ignatieff by Peter C. Newman, Macleans April 6, 2006:PCN: Somebody said that the Americans are our best friends whether we like it or not, but you went beyond friendship in the New York Times when you wrote, "We don't seek an empire, our nation is committed to freedom...,

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1161955517494156222006-10-27T17:00:00.000-04:002006-10-27T19:19:07.210-04:00

Whereas the People of Quebec have expressed their desire for recognition of Quebec society as a nation;1) The House recognize that Quebec is a sociological nation within Canada;2) The House recognize that the Quebec sociological nation includes its French-speaking majority, unique culture and civil law tradition;3) the House undertake to be guided by this reality;4) the House encourage all

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1161951959516935922006-10-27T15:00:00.000-04:002006-10-27T16:30:51.896-04:00

The context? You'll have to see it to believe it! LOL!

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1161958669214725352006-10-27T11:00:00.000-04:002006-10-27T10:40:44.006-04:00

Feminism taught me ...that love is not a victory march;that guys can never really know what it's like for a girl;that it's important to stand-up for what you believe;and that although this is very, very funny, it's probably just misogyny mascarading as physical comedy.The reason I'm only doing four things is because the most important thing feminism has taught me is that you don't have to follow

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1161889900956469212006-10-26T15:10:00.000-04:002006-10-26T15:13:35.320-04:00

Mr. Wells.

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1161840410344747472006-10-26T13:00:00.000-04:002006-10-28T22:11:08.916-04:00

Michael Ignatieff's leadership campaign continues to spin a web of deception. It's Qana with a constutional twist!Let's begin by looking at the changes to the resolution regarding the Quebec nation. Originally the resolution read,(A) BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a new Liberal Government will explore ways and subsequently take the necessary steps to formalize this recognition.This past weekend,

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1161814790123971462006-10-25T19:00:00.000-04:002006-10-28T22:03:16.863-04:00

(UPDATED: The final version of the resolution. One provision changed.)What follows is the text and my initial reading of the resolution passed by the LPC-Q regarding ...The Quebec Nation (unanalyzed text here)(1) WHEREAS history recognizes the three founding peoples of Canada, Aboriginal, French and English;a) This clause alludes to the colonial origins of Canada.(2) WHEREAS Quebec is a

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1161784887527878292006-10-25T14:00:00.000-04:002006-10-25T20:50:08.086-04:00

(UPDATED: The final version of the resolution. One provision changed)What follows is the text and my initial reading of the resolution passed by the LPC-Q regarding ...The Quebec Nation (unanalyzed text here)(1) WHEREAS history recognizes the three founding peoples of Canada, Aboriginal, French and English;a) This clause alludes to the colonial origins of Canada.(2) WHEREAS Quebec is a

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1161698077859501362006-10-24T11:00:00.000-04:002006-10-24T21:11:03.136-04:00

Macleans columnist, and all around astute observer of Canadian politics, Paul Wells, stopped by Paper Dynamite and left the following comment,"Wells here. Very thorough work. I'd missed that quote from Senator Smith. So, apparently, had my colleagues in Quebec newspapers. Wonder how happy they'll be when Andre Pratte's "revolution in the federalist philosophy of Pierre Trudeau's heirs" turns out

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1161653811958475972006-10-23T23:00:00.000-04:002006-10-24T09:32:53.566-04:00

You'll need a stiff shot of Victory Gin after you watch this.-----

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1161631041682909792006-10-23T18:00:00.000-04:002006-10-26T04:22:35.220-04:00

When it was clear Michael Ignatieff was going to run for the leadership, many Liberals (including myself) were excited by the prospect of having a world renowned foreign policy and human rights expert, in the race. We'd all be treated to a worldclass education on international and military affairs, I thought.My hopes was short lived.Things started out well enough. When Ignatieff stood in the

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1161554054189879592006-10-22T17:41:00.000-04:002006-10-24T21:09:58.436-04:00

If you love classic Hollywood movies and cutting edge (but not computer generated) animation, you're going to love this ...Fast Film (14min)And if you're into semiotics, you're brain may explode!---------- A Question: Does anyone know what the problem is at the new Liblogs site?

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1161450083273113912006-10-21T13:00:00.000-04:002006-10-24T09:55:09.800-04:00

Yesterday, Paul Wells told the readers of his blog that he intended to do a detailed analysis of Michael Ignatieff's proposal to recognize Quebec as a "civic nation" in the Constitution. As it turned out he was too busy. So I decided I would take up the challenge.The quotes that follow are from an extended excerpt of Michael Ignatieff's "Agenda For Nation Building: Liberal Leadership For The

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1161355711054325202006-10-20T14:00:00.000-04:002006-10-24T21:09:29.336-04:00

Press play and enjoy!-----

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1161347450244056412006-10-20T09:00:00.000-04:002006-10-20T16:21:41.366-04:00

A few years from now, we may be looking back on the Harper government's environmental machinations as a watershed in the history of Canadian politics.Yesterday, the Conservative's unveiled their Clean-air Bill to widespread condemnation. Rather than adhering to the goals of the Kyoto Treaty to reduce greenhouse emissions, the Tories have decided to renege on Canada's international obligations and

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1161265860808767882006-10-19T11:00:00.000-04:002006-10-19T20:32:50.943-04:00

(UPDATED) On the heels of his controversial interview with George Stroumboulopoulos on The Hour, Michael Ignatieff sat down for a chat with Globe and Mail columnist Lawrence Martin. When Martin asked what this last "miserable week" had taught him, Ignatieff replied, “What I've learned is the importance of words. Getting them right.”Are we supposed to take this seriously? How stupid does he

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1161198020490970222006-10-18T22:00:00.000-04:002006-10-19T08:25:37.516-04:00

Well, I didn't get too many kicks at the can, so to speak, but here are the answers.The first quote (see below), which points out that concessions to the province of Quebec have only fueled separatism is from Stephen Harper's speech to the American Council for National Policy.The second quote, which argues that Quebec nationalists and the Quebec government have always demanded more powers and

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1161137571428100992006-10-17T23:00:00.000-04:002006-10-18T00:48:16.456-04:00

Click here.

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1161093065497296902006-10-17T14:00:00.000-04:002006-10-18T16:20:37.150-04:00

During an interview on The Hour last night, Michael Ignatieff seemed say that he did not intend to lay blame at Israel's doorstep when he said, "What happened at Qana was a war crime". From The Hour:George Stroumboulopoulos: But then when you went on to apologies (for the "not losing sleep over that" remark), or clarify the second time, you got in trouble again, which ... the interesting part was

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1161054255176216392006-10-16T23:00:00.000-04:002006-10-17T00:41:02.500-04:00

"From The Teleprompter Of Michael Ignatieff" -- it's a must read. (h/t Laurette at Progressive Bloggers)

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1161011040268587812006-10-16T13:00:00.000-04:002006-10-18T14:03:44.583-04:00

Not that he can't defend himself, but I believe Jason Cherniak is being unfairly criticized for his letter to the editor that appears in today's Globe and Mail.In the letter Cherniak argues that Michael Ignatieff was being inofficious when he accused "an ally (Israel) of committing war crimes." Cherniak claims that this was not behaviour becoming of a potential Liberal leader or potential prime

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1160920726625033182006-10-15T21:00:00.000-04:002006-10-15T20:17:56.853-04:00

Who Killed The Electric Car? (1hr 33min) Or you can download it by clicking here.

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1160850995756413752006-10-14T16:00:00.000-04:002006-10-14T19:55:20.483-04:00

(EXPANDED) I wrote a post yesterday in which I accused Michael Ignatieff of flipflopping because of his failure to standby his charge (i.e. repeat it) that Israel committed a "war crime" at Qana, and stating that it was up to "international bodies to determine". I was wrong.In an article in today's Toronto Star Ignatieff is reported as telling journalist on Friday that both the Israeli Defense

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1160774641852553642006-10-13T18:00:00.000-04:002006-10-13T18:54:54.413-04:00

During his speech at the University of Toronto today, Michael Ignatieff stated, "As I said earlier this week, whether war crimes were committed in the attack on Qana is for international bodies to determine."When earlier this week? Sunday or Wednesday? To paraphrase Richard Nixon's press secretary Ron Ziegler -- Which is the "operative statement"?I thought Ignatieff had already determined that "

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1160082663841549562006-10-05T20:00:00.000-04:002006-10-13T16:02:35.713-04:00

So I'm sitting here listening to Bill Clinton on C-SPAN 3, trying to enjoy a week off from blogging, when I happen upon a post and a series of comments on recognizing Quebec as "nation" in the constitution. And now I feel compelled, yet again, to disabuse some people of their fantasies.In his essay "New Treason of the Intellectuals" Pierre Trudeau wrote "It is not the idea of nation that is

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1159481239682295522006-09-28T20:30:00.000-04:002006-10-13T16:01:50.726-04:00

If You Know How To Read!Reading today's posts in the Liberal blogosphere on the leaked Tory memo, I was filled with sense of deja vu. Specifically, I felt like I was reliving that day in late May when supporters and detractors of Michael Ignatieff were saying, in no uncertain terms, that David Frum had endorsed Ignatieff for leader of the Liberal Party.Frum spent the majority of his piece titled

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1159374787367480642006-09-27T15:00:00.000-04:002006-09-27T22:17:54.963-04:00

Condoleezza Rice has responded to accusations made by former President Bill Clinton. Well, some of them at least.Rice was interviewed by the editorial board of The New York Post and asked to respond to charges made by Clinton on FOX News Sunday. But the Post's editors never asked Rice why the Bush administration didn't retaliate for the bombing of the USS Cole.President Bush has used the Cole

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1159222131842869512006-09-25T21:00:00.000-04:002006-09-26T23:01:35.993-04:00

South of the border the mainstream media, the blogosphere, Democrats and Republicans are all abuzz over former President Bill Clinton's strong defense of his anti-terrorism program and his attack on his conservative detractors, including their cable news mouthpiece FOX News. (video)Appearing on FOX News Sunday, Mr. Clinton challenged host Chris Wallace and broke a longstanding silence, by

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1159129268634284782006-09-24T18:00:00.000-04:002006-09-24T18:03:29.053-04:00

I would be remiss if I let the week pass by without commenting on the perilously flawed analysis proffered by Ann Wong regarding the the shootings at Dawson College on September 13th.The controversy centers around a special feature for the Globe and Mail titled "Get Under The Desk", in which Ms. Wong attempted to situate the Dawson shootings within a larger cultural context:"A lot of people are

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1158945978426062982006-09-22T16:00:00.000-04:002006-09-22T19:18:27.083-04:00

Liberal Party Cleavages: Appearing on Politics with Don Newman this Thursday, former Trudeau press secretary Patrick Gossage commented on the policy divisions that have emerged in the Liberal leadership race: Foreign Affairs (military intervention) and the constitution; with Michael Ignatieff's more robust positions on these issues on one side of the divide, and the other top tier candidates

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1158886757952273572006-09-21T23:00:00.000-04:002006-09-22T12:32:37.416-04:00

I have to say I always enjoy it when Ted from Cerberus drops by to leave a comment. They're always thought provoking -- post provoking, in fact -- and he often leaves suggestions on how I should tackle issues in a fair manner. (This post for example was the result of a comment Ted left here.)So I thought I'd open up a thread and see if anybody's interested in discussing an issue that was raised

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1158860560503009942006-09-21T15:00:00.000-04:002006-09-21T18:41:51.993-04:00

What is it about the issue of Quebec that compels so many Liberal leadership candidates to commit intellectual treason ?Is it a sincere yet misguided belief that Canada's constitutional business was left woefully unfinished in 1982? The belief that a new constitutional package, putting Quebec in it's special place, will stave off the lingering threat of separation?Or perhaps the motivations are

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1158737212694324562006-09-20T12:00:00.000-04:002006-09-20T19:41:57.283-04:00

After the leadership debate Paul Wells posted the following on his blog:Inflatable Kurds"I visited the Kurds in 1992 and saw what was going on there. Fifteen years ago, I decided to stand with the Kurdish people, and I've stood with them ever since."— Michael Ignatieff, explaining his support for the Iraq regime change, yesterday in VancouverHere's a 7,000-word article by Michael Ignatieff,

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1158703564519949352006-09-19T20:00:00.000-04:002006-09-20T00:40:25.376-04:00

Anybody who follows American politics will know that the Republicans have sought to frame just about every policy issue in such a way as to render it immune from attack -- validity, veracity and consistency be damned.There are numerous examples that will be familiar to keen watchers of U.S. politics: The Death Tax -- who could be in favour of taxing dead people? Tax Relief -- who could be against

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1158607335055196692006-09-18T18:00:00.000-04:002006-09-19T08:49:41.760-04:00

I have to say it's amusing to see some of the supporters of Michael Ignatieff desperately trying to change the topic and rewrite the lead story (here and here) to come out of last night's leadership debate. But their haphazard spin of Bob Rae's closing comments is more like a sad sign of desperation than anything else.Here's the sentence that is causing them so much consternation:"What you all

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1158532216533005192006-09-17T20:00:00.000-04:002006-09-20T19:44:57.806-04:00

"You're putting words in my mouth": Michael Ignatieff after Stephane Dion quoted a passage from Ignatieff's essay in the New York Times Magazine, "American Empire (Get Used to It)".Here's a longer portion of the article that surrounds what Dion quoted during the debate (in bold type). You be the judge: Was Dion putting words in his mouth when he said Ignatieff had other reasons than his loyalty

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1158526668768571592006-09-17T17:00:00.000-04:002006-09-17T17:41:26.323-04:00

I had another one of those dreams last night, wherein I solve a festering political problem in under 15 minutes.Let me set the stage for you: It's the Paul Sauve Arena, I have just been installed as Prime Minister of Canada despite having missed out on a lot of Canada's recent history and I've asked all of Quebec's most important elites -- politicians, academics and journalists -- to gather

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1158428045077025662006-09-16T14:00:00.000-04:002006-09-16T17:52:54.420-04:00

Campaigning in British Columbia yesterday Michael Ignatieff played down the likelihood of constitutional negotiations to entrench Quebec as "nation" within the constitution.One of those in attendance at the "meet and greet"/Q&A in West Vancouver reported that Ignatieff "made it very clear that he was not promoting re-opening constitutional talks, so much as saying he would be available and

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1158272974698797152006-09-14T21:00:00.000-04:002006-09-15T11:41:05.096-04:00

Some Should Be More Equal Than Others: "Fisking" Quebec Columnist Michel C. AugerEarlier today people that enjoy forums such as this one, were fortunate to have an opportunity to see Quebec's myth-making machinery in action. It came to us as a column from le Journal de Montreal by Quebec political analyst Michel C. Auger. So I thought: What better opportunity to demonstrate to Liberals across the

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1158169416300632272006-09-13T14:39:00.000-04:002006-09-13T18:20:10.020-04:00

There are reports of multiple casualties. You can listen to this unfolding story here or here.The Montreal GazetteLa Presse

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1158110245559701972006-09-13T13:00:00.000-04:002006-09-14T09:19:13.620-04:00

(UPDATED) Whether or not the man, "whose name I do not want to recall", wins the leadership race, and whether or not the Liberals win the next election, his pronouncements on "the nation of Quebec" and the Constitution will be damaging to the Liberal Party and to Canadian unity.Should Michael Ignatieff win and become prime minister, Canada will embark on a fool's errand doomed to failure that

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1158007892927241302006-09-11T17:00:00.000-04:002006-09-11T16:58:17.793-04:00

If you have about 30 minutes between Prime Minister Harper's speech and President Bush's speech, I'd like to recommend that you watch this interview with playwright and actor, Wallace Shawn. Think of it as precautionary measure to preserve your sanity and protect your television from bullet wounds.Until then, here's a portion of the interview between Shawn and NOW's David Brancaccio:DAVID

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1157986660158978232006-09-11T13:00:00.000-04:002006-09-11T14:08:59.003-04:00

There's a chill in the morning air these days. Autumn is rapidly approaching. Soon all manner of geese and ducks will take flight. They'll be heading south for warmer climes and a more abundant food supply.But for critics of President Bush the need to migrate never presents itself. The pick'n's are never slim, as long as they're in earshot of the administration's Orwellian cackling and honking.

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1157903999333211412006-09-10T12:00:00.000-04:002006-09-10T12:43:11.566-04:00

Before you click on the play icon, I just want to say this: I played guitar with Pete Seeger, I knew Pete Seeger, Pete Seeger was a hero of mine, Mr. Layton, you're no Pete Seeger. And for the record, Afghanistan is no Vietnam. Nonetheless, I think you'll enjoy this ....Pete Seeger: Bring Them HomeAlso for the record, I never played guitar with Mr. Seeger, unless you count playing along with his

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1157813679667411322006-09-09T18:00:00.000-04:002006-09-10T14:32:27.043-04:00

If you've ever been to Disney World, along with all the fun, and excitement, and wonder, you may have felt a little bit taller. There's a good reason for that: All the buildings on Main Street U.S.A. are built to 7/8ths scale. At the heart of "the Disney experience" is a subtly imposed lie.Walt Disney himself, envisaged his family friendly theme park as a refuge from the rapidly changing

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1157740481641038522006-09-08T19:00:00.000-04:002006-09-09T09:52:01.486-04:00

(Updated) When a hawkish right-wing defense minister agrees with a pacificist left-wing historian that military action in Afghanistan can't defeat the Taliban, it's either time to prepare for the Rapture, or time to rethink the nature of the mission itself.Yesterday, in a stunning admission Defense Minister Gordon O'Connor said, "We cannot eliminate the Taliban, not militarily anyway."Just three

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1157651421972198162006-09-07T17:00:00.000-04:002006-09-08T23:32:30.793-04:00

With Congressional off-year elections two months away, President Bush delivered a series of speeches this week outlining the stakes in America's global war on terror. As Teddy Roosevelt opined, the greatest asset of the presidency is the "bully pulpit", but never before has the phrase fragment "bully" been so apt than in describing the efforts of this Teutonic Toastmaster-in-Chief. The speeches

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1156350665702099642006-08-25T19:00:00.000-04:002006-08-25T23:46:10.730-04:00

- Twice this week (here and here) columnists have drawn attention to the difficulty some people seem to have understanding Stephane Dion when he speaks English. In Montreal, we're used to hearing both Official Languages accompanied by mangling accents on a regular basis, so I don't tend to notice it all that much. (Or should I say, we're used to listening and decoding imperfections at the same

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1156432793138020862006-08-24T13:57:00.000-04:002007-02-09T10:57:30.373-05:00

I share this poem without comment, except to say, it's subject matter is timely and to offer my apologies for any affront to your aesthetic sensibilities. Be kind ....Dissimulating Truth by Peter WrightwaterYou and Icling to certainties:They nurse and caress usthrough the indifferent maelstroms,that threaten to take our lives,with elemental exposure,and without discrimination.But what lies you

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1156178322298185722006-08-23T14:42:00.000-04:002006-08-23T18:10:08.026-04:00

UPDATE: (CBC Newsworld) Bill Graham has announced that Borys Wrzesnewskyj has resigned as associate foreign affairs critic. According to Mr. Graham, Mr. Wrzesnewskyj is going to make himself available to reporters later this afternoon. (Canada,com has the story here, and Macleans has it here.)---------- There's been some controversy in the past few days over what Borys Wrzesnewskyj said about

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1156280584008866822006-08-22T16:57:00.000-04:002006-08-22T20:21:45.946-04:00

Despite being busy the past few days, I've followed the Israel/Hezbollah debate and I'd like to briefly add my two cents.Let's look at the viability of opening up a dialogue with Hezbollah from two foreign policy perspectives -- idealist and realist.The idealist position would preclude such an overture because Hezbollah has been deemed a terrorist organization. Any dialogue is forbidden until it

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1156003239588846782006-08-19T11:49:00.000-04:002006-08-21T11:15:19.293-04:00

(UPDATED) With the announcement by the Quebec Forestry Industry Council that "There is a wide-ranging consensus in favour [of the deal]," it appears likely the money bill portions of the Softwood Lumber Agreement will sail through Parliament this Fall with the support of the Bloc Quebecois. (I think I remember reading that somewhere before.)While Quebec industry support comes in the wake of

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1155851037206526062006-08-18T16:43:00.000-04:002006-08-19T00:53:53.746-04:00

Scheduling conflict, hard heartedness, general stupidity, each has been offered as possible explanation for Stephen Harper's absence from this week's International AIDS Conference (IAC) in Toronto. And sure, Mr. Harper managed to avoid being heckled by some of the more vocal activists in attendance who are displeased with the lack of government action on the AIDS file. But is there a method to

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1155740023975947992006-08-15T12:52:00.001-04:002006-08-16T10:53:43.986-04:00

Today marks a turning point in the life of P.D.O.. So I want to formally announce that I am quitting two bad habits.First, I've decided to quit smoking. I've been addicted to the demon weed tobacco long enough and it's time to stop.I have to admit the recent changes to Quebec's indoor smoking laws have played a significant role in my decision. The ban on smoking in restaurants has turned what

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1155228389378467722006-08-14T16:15:00.000-04:002006-08-15T12:40:38.916-04:00

On July 17th Warren Kinsella informed the readers of his blog that he had sent an email to all the candidates running for the Liberal leadership. The email read, in part,"I am the media columnist for the National Post. I am writing to each of the Liberal leadership candidates to seek their views about the escalating conflict in the Middle East. I intend to argue in the column that the candidates'

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1155304934632907552006-08-11T10:54:00.000-04:002006-08-12T13:12:03.740-04:00

This morning a supporter Michael Ignatieff is praising him for admitting that he made a mistake when he said, "I'm not losing sleep about that", in reference to the deaths of civilians at Qana.TDH claims, "This kind of honesty is the future of politics", and declares emphatically , "Bottom line? People are tired of spin."I wonder if TDH thinks people are tired of glaring contradictions as well?

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1155229691573325532006-08-10T13:09:00.000-04:002006-08-11T10:17:42.050-04:00

In his National Post column today, Warren Kinsella writes;"The full statement -- provided by the Ignatieff campaign -- has him saying that a family member is in 'chronic' bad health and 'he wanted to spend time with her.'"Does anyone have the full quote and/or a link to this statement, and/or, know the date it was issued.

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1155070790117915622006-08-08T20:57:00.000-04:002006-08-09T12:18:34.443-04:00

"... what happened once might as well have never happened at all." -- Milan KunderaWhat happened once, is this: "Prime Minister Mulroney appointed a ministerial committee, headed by Robert de Cotret, to consider ways of fostering growth in the Montreal region. The pending contract to maintain 138 CF-18 jet fighters, which had been purchased from the United States in 1980, became for de Cotret a

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1154962252096622012006-08-07T19:00:00.000-04:002006-08-12T13:10:57.026-04:00

(UPDATE) When I first read Michael Ignatieff's statement on the Middle East crisis, my immediate reaction was that it seemed a bit draconian. In fact, his advocacy of a plan that called for an international interdiction force to take control of Lebanon's border security, would essentially turn Lebanon into a quasi U.N. protectorate.Here is the relevant portion of the policy Mr. Ignatieff

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1154874882101726662006-08-06T10:53:00.000-04:002006-08-06T10:49:01.140-04:00

Although I probaby would have toned down the volume just a bit.Howard Beale's (Peter Finch) prophetic views on the MSM and corporate takeovers from "Network".The Little Tramp finally has his say, in "The Great Dictator".

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1154793951022464432006-08-05T12:13:00.000-04:002006-08-05T20:33:38.713-04:00

Some readers of P.D.O. may recall that a couple of weeks ago I recommended the anti-war film Fobidden Games. It's the story of 8 year old girl, Pauline, whose parents are killed in air raid during World War Two in France. Pauline is taken in by an eccentric farming family. As she settles in to her new life, she develops a peculiar obsession. Pauline, along with the family's 13 year old son,

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1154730141503041262006-08-04T18:53:00.000-04:002006-08-04T23:12:40.260-04:00

(Must see video link within) There was a lot of talk today (RT, Liberal Pebbles, Behind the Headlines) about Stephen Harper's campaign-style speech last night in Cornwall. My sense is the Conservatives are getting ready to run the 2004 U.S. presidential election all over again. All the Republican attack themes are there.Harper on a potential Liberal leader:"I understand that not everyone is lucky

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19401222.post-1154701506450270552006-08-04T10:45:00.000-04:002006-08-04T17:14:30.086-04:00

Yesterday, I was told that if I disagreed with Michael Ignatieff's statement on the Middle East, it was incumbent upon me to come up with my own plan.So following in the great tradition of Montreal peace initiatives, here's mine, written on the back of a placemat at my local Tex-Mex watering hole.Predicated on a cease-fire.1- Buffer Zone: Introduction of a multi-national military force (MMF) to

Peter Wrightwaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09224448978718686097noreply@blogger.com8