Canadian Thinker by Freddie P.

Despicable

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:02:53 -0400

There are three things that make my blood boil. Wife beaters, animal abusers and forced marriages - in no particular order I might add, it all depends on the situation. I got up Saturday morning and went through the various e-papers and happened upon an article in the Toronto Star about forced marriages and it made me shake by head - and of course, made my blood boil. Talk about infuriating, and from so many angles. In its purest form, a forced marriage is not only archaic and selfish and silly, in most cases it's racist. Imagine your average white Canadian man refusing to let his daughter marry someone because of their colour or religion? He immediately would be labeled an intolerant, trailer park Archie Bunker asshole. But for some reason, when it happens within the South Asian community, where it's most prominent, there's an air of understanding or tolerance. Like most things that deal with race and religion in our confused little country, there's always politically correct attempt to understand it as long as it doesn't involve the white guy. It's culture they say. It's tradition. It's the way it's always been done. Cool, and I'll accept all that if it doesn't happen on Canadian soil. It doesn't make it right that they're still living in the dark ages in India, but there are enough things in Canada to fix without having to worry about a third world country with something as oppressive as a caste system. In Canada, forced marriages should be declared illegal. Any attempt by parents to force their child to marry someone against their wishes should be reported to authorities and be dealt with severely. This is no better than the slave trade or human trading that every decent society has worked so hard to prevent or snuff out. Maybe I'm too rational, or I've always been too distanced from religion, but as the human species evolves I can't help but think that rationality should take over in many instances. In the year 2009, regardless of race or religion or status, the idea of one person forcing another to marry someone against their wishes is simply not acceptable. There is no excuse for it, there is reason for it and there should be zero tolerance for it. It is wrong. The stories referred to in the Star article are shocking and we should all take notice because it's happening all around us. Cultural strength within some communities has reduced some children to objects, objects to offer someone else to keep a culture or a race intact, objects to satisfy prehistoric beliefs. And this should be far reaching. If parents coerce their children out of the country and force the marriage of a Canadian child on foreign soil they should be charged immediately upon their return and the marriage should not be recognized and any documentation initiated to bring the "new husband" to Canada should be dumped into the garbage. That's another motive of these forced marriages, easy access to Canada. And let's not try to play games through this. In the Star article the point is made that this problem is a cross-cultural and cross-racial issue. If you want to beat the bushes long enough you can find examples of forced marriage within every race, religion and culture including the polygamists out in BC who are conveniently referred to in the Star. Of course this is an attempt to draw white boy into the fray, but make no mistake about it, this is decidedly a South Asian practice. The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in BC is a cult and can't be compared to the systemic practices of the South Asian community. Neither is right, but one vastly differs from the other. And I have to laugh at the headline of the Star article. "Forced to wed: 'They think they're doing what's best for the child." .... To my mind just another politically correct attempt to justify this on some level. Anyone with half a brain in their head knows this is wrong and no level of rationale can justify it. Don't kid yourself, these parents do it for themselves because they're very selfish, extremely intolerant but mostly racist.

Today With Neil Morrison

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:32:11 -0400

Pan Am Games, the Royals and Ugly Brits.

Captain Phil Back In The Game

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:08:29 -0400

Hey Freddie "You try to get out - but they pull you right back in - I just took the gig as Promo Director at Jack FM and News 1130 in Vancouver. At least I won't have to live in a cardboard box." Phil (Phil in an obviously happy moment with Strombo)

Today With Craig And Matt

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:46:48 -0400

The Royal Family and Remembrance Day.

Today With Bruce Barker

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:31:46 -0400

Toronto and football and comfort food.

Canadian Thinker Survey

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:35:06 -0400

If you are against the Pan American Games coming to Southern Ontario, and would like to see them cancelled, click on the discuss button and leave your feelings. The 1976 Winter Olympics were originally awarded to Denver in May 1970, but a 300 percent rise in costs led to Colorado voters' rejection on November 7, 1972 of a $5 million bond issue to finance the games with public funds. Denver officially withdrew on November 15 and the games were awarded to Innsbruck.

Today With Jeff McArthur

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:34:59 -0400

Pan American Games rant.

Tory Blown To Smitherines

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:34:41 -0400

John Tory will have his new career as a radio star solidified today when George Smitherman announces his plans to run for Mayor of Toronto. With Smitherman in the race, Tory doesn't stand a chance. Let's see, given the recent voting history of the city of Toronto, who stands the better chance of becoming Mayor, a gay Liberal or a Conservative businessman? You get the idea. John Tory would be a great Mayor for Toronto. He'd be the right guy at the right time but his big business profile is too repulsive to far too many. He'd be the best man to clean up the mess created by David Miller, but that won't be an issue in good old T.O. The gay Liberal thing will carry too much weight. The only thing that could be better in Toronto would be gay and NDP. Qualifier - CanadianThinker.com has no problem with a gay Mayor what so ever so if you're getting all revved up and anxious to call me something that deals with a trailer park, relax. George Smitherman may turn out to be the best mayor the city of Toronto has ever had, or he may turn out to be the second worst, but it will have nothing to do with his sexual preference. However his sexual preference will definitely play a part in the minds of some voters and the Liberal part won't hurt either. It's almost a Barack Obama scenario. Regardless of his platform, experience, history or the campaign he runs, Smitherman will get thousands of votes based solely on what he represents non politcally and there will be a legion of people working for him from that angle. I'm willing to bet this election will set a record for voter turnout. This is where I'm supposed to say "not that there's anything wrong with that." but I just can't. It's not right. Ultimately whoever becomes Mayor should be elected on merit. The saving grace - Smitherman can't help but do a better job than David Miller

Reunion / Audition

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:52:51 -0400

It was with mixed emotions that I received word that Jesse and Gene will reunite on CFRB this week. They'll fill in for Ryan Doyle during the 7-10 pm shift on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The mixture of emotions has one part happiness and one part jealousy. I'm happy because it will be good to hear Jesse and Gene back on the Toronto airwaves after an absence that I would guess is going on fifteen years now. They were significant players in Toronto radio through parts of the 80's and 90's and to hear them back together again, even for just three nights, will bring back a lot of good memories for someone like me, who was a direct competitor. From 1989 until 1996 it was Jesse and Gene or Humble and Fred if you were into "fun' Toronto radio. Howard and I enjoyed a little more stability that Jesse and Gene as they were hired and fired and worked for four different radio stations during that time including Q-107 twice. Humble and Fred remained at CFNY from 1989 until 2001. I might add that The Humble and Fred Show was a consistent ratings winner over Jesse and Gene during that time as well, but who's counting and who'd believe it. I feel good for these guys because I know they'll have a lot of fun this week but I'm also jealous of them for the same reason. Hell, just doing a few podcasts with Humble over the past couple of years was a hoot. I really don't know what the motive is for the reunion but I do know one thing, if it's an audition CFRB is on the right track. Of course talk radio should inform but it should also entertain and Jesse and Gene will probably do that over the next few days by pushing the envelope a few times. I feel jealous again. You can deal with the issues and still have fun. You can talk about just about anything with a certain degree of irreverence and still connect with an audience. You can shed the authoritative talk show serious guy image and still make your point. You can show a humorous side and still get serious at times. You can talk to your listeners like they would talk to each other and still gain respect. (I think I just described John Oakley and Mike Stafford) You can be Jesse and Gene and fit nicely at CFRB. Hats off to new CFRB Program Director Mike Bendixen for having the balls to put this thing together and to think outside the box. . I'm sincerely happy for Jesse and Gene and I hope they do well this week even if it does make me jealous. I'll be listening.

Leafs / Habs Watch

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:08:42 -0400

Leafs 5 Detroit 1 Lightning 3 Habs 1 Leafs trail Montreal by five points with two games in hand. The Leafs could over-take Montreal faster than I thought.

All For One And One For One

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:46:21 -0400

My complete feelings on Southern Ontario acquiring the 2015 Pan American Games are in a posting from yesterday, but today I just had to add this. Yesterday's celebration in Guadalajara, Mexico and a so-called victory party in Toronto were nothing more than shameless displays of self- interest. There is absolutely nothing for the average citizen of this province to be excited about. The Pan American Games are second rate at best and will do nothing but end up costing the taxpayers of this province tens of millions of dollars, if not hundreds. Any infrastructure benefits to our community will most assuredly come at a staggering price. We don't have the proper government officials in place at this time to pull this off, and given the voting habits of Torontonians that's not about to change any time soon. And you watch, the unions are going to have a field day with this. Deadlines mean threats, so expect them to fly. Cost over-runs will be the legacy of these games and the people responsible for them will walk away clean, which brings me back to my original point. Dalton McGuinty and David Miller will not be around when the games happen, but given their dismal popularity they went after these games to establish a short term legacy and take attention away from the horrific damage they have done to both Toronto and Ontario. They used these Games, and will use your tax dollars to prop themselves up over the remaining months of their respective regimes and then hope they've been forgotten when the depth of the damage becomes known. As for anyone else who was hootin' and hollerin' yesterday, you can bet they too have a self interest in the Pan American Games coming to Toronto, be it through cushy jobs or inside contracts. Those not attached to the games represent a completely different story. Not only do the vast majority have no idea what the Pan American Games are, they don't care about them and probably can't figure out what the hoopla is about. They don't have a legacy to create or their hands in somebody else's pocket. They're just going to be left with the bills. I defy anyone who reads this blog, without googling it, to name one great moment from the Pan American Games. Give me a freakin' break. Personally, I'm disgusted by it all.

The Province Pays

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:20:16 -0400

It couldn't be more perfect. The city of Toronto took a giant step towards the toilet today and leading the charge was David Miller and Dalton McGuinty. That just about says it all. Arguably the two worst politicians in the history of their jurisdictions are front and centre as Toronto gets sucked into hosting something called the Pan American Games. I challenge every reader of this blog to do something this weekend. When you're out and about, ask your friends and acquaintances what the Pan American Games are and I bet the vast majority will have no idea. This is so sad it's almost funny and it will provide great fodder for those who look upon Toronto as loserville. The city has lost two Olympic bids (thank goodness) but now we're supposed to get a warm one over winning the Pan American Games? Are you kidding me? The competition was Bogotá, Columbia and Lima, Peru. If anything, the organizers of this farce are probably chuckling behind closed doors laughing at the suckers from the Great White North who took the bait hook line and sinker. We've heard the usual bullshit through this. It will create jobs, improve the infrastructure of Southern Ontario and put the spotlight on Toronto for two weeks in the summer of 2015, but the most important detail of today's announcement was this - The province of Ontario will cover any deficits. The games are still six years away and already provisions are being made to cover deficits, and you can bet your ass there will be a deep one. They're having trouble selling tickets for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver from cryin' out loud, what makes anyone think they'll be able to sell tickets to the Pan American Games in Toronto. This is going to be ugly people and the most nauseating part is that both Miller and McGuinty will be long gone long after the citizens of Ontario will be paying for this grotesque waste of time. There they were in Guadalajara, Mexico today with big smiles on their faces, hands raised in the air desperately hoping that the flashing cameras would somehow make them look like heroes in the eyes of those who elected them but you know they were also comfortable in the fact that they'll never have to deal with the dire consequences of today's decision. They will be long gone. David Miller has done a remarkably rotten job of running the city of Toronto and he'll leave as Mayor next year with the city having barely a pot to piss in, while McGuinty has plunged the province into dizzying heights of debt - and these are the two guys that thought this would be a good idea. It stinks from one end to the other and highlights the need for the people of Toronto and Ontario to wake up and correct the mistakes they've made in the last few elections. They've put their faith in a socialist Mayor and bold faced liar Premier and look where it's gotten them. Paying for the Pan American Games. And of course I have to address the absence of the Prime Minister at today's announcment in Mexico, he was the only head of state not to be there. Good for him. The rational man probably knows this is a big mistake and he had better things to do than be part of a predictable disaster so he sent Sports Minister Gary Lunn. Second hand representation for a second rate event.

The Brother Barfs Big

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:29:06 -0400

Neil Morrison aka Brother Bill from his CFNY / Edge days sent me this e-mail yesterday. Neil does afternoon drive at CFOX in Vancouver and H1N1 has kicked him in the nuts. Look what it's done to his hair! Freddie - I have been away all week after contracting the H1N1 virus. Buddy, it's NOT FUN! NM p.s this is the note on my webpage at cfox.com Update: Thursday November 5, 2009 Greetings. As you may know, I have been away for the past week. Last Friday night I arrived home and started feeling, 'pressure' on my chest. I thought I was perhaps coming down with a cold. I couldn't be any further from the truth. By Halloween night I was SICK. Very Sick. For the next three days, it was impossible to get out of bed. Hell, it was impossible to do anything! For two days I lay in bed and struggled to breathe. Very close to going to hospital but thanks to a fantastic new wife...(...in sickness and in health!) managed to keep breathing despite a fever of over 102f. Nurse practitioner Sue diagnosed me with H1N1 on Monday. ( She will be on the show Friday if I'm in ) After another couple days, I managed to walk up and down my stairs more than once without almost passing out. As of today - Thursday November 5 - I can breathe and am 99% better. I hope to be back at work tomorrow but that decision is not up to me. Let me just say this. If you are thinking that H1N1 cannot get you... and/or you believe the H1N1 Shot, 'Ain't for you'...you are insane. Get your shot. Shame on the people responsible for its production and distribution and shame on those who believe professional sport means more than pregnancy and people who work in the medical fields. Talk soon,

Safe Bet

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:28:40 -0400

Today With Craig And Matt

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:16:04 -0400

Sayin' bitch on the radio, H1N1 and Kessell.