Renegade Tory

Update

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 02:56:00 +0000

I have been recently approached to write a weekly column for the Prince Arthur Herald. I look forward to contributing my opinions on various political topics.

Seems we've encountered issues with our Internet service provider so I may not be posting until after October 1st when we've moved to our new place. May I suggest to NEVER get your phone or internet with Techsavvy, ever.

Lessons Learned from My Premier Daddy Dalton

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 15:45:00 +0000

Since moving here to Ontario in 2006, these are some of the things that Premier Daddy Dalton has taught me:

Never tell the truth. Only tell people what they want to hear, things that sound nice and warm and fuzzy.
Never take responsibility for your actions. Blame it on someone else.
Never stand up for what is right. It's far better to be soft and gooey so you can move easily where the political popularity tide takes you.
Put your fingers in your ears and yell "la la la la, I can't hear you!" When someone asks you to defend your decisions to others.
Always be willing to compromise, no matter what. When someone asks you for something, no matter how expensive, always give it to them without question. Better to appease than to annoy.
Always do what is best only for the people that vote for you and dish out money to get you elected.
Never do what you say and never say what you mean.
Always so things in a such a way to avoid unnecessary criticism and debate.
It's perfectly acceptable to insult and degrade others who do not share your point of view or support what you want to do.
Facts are really just opinions that can be manipulated to work to your advantage.
The answer to everything is always to spend more money.
It's your money, not their money.
Never plan for the future, live in the here and now.
Let someone else clean up your mess, why should you have to worry about it?
There's no such thing as a boondoggle and scandals do not exist, therefore there is no reason to worry.
It really is possible to get blood from a stone. The same can be said for taxpayers.
D-words like deficit and debt are like flies. All they need is a swat or two in their direction and they go away on on their own.
Do whatever it takes to stay in power. Everything you do or say to this effect are therefore perfectly justifiable.

Charles Adler on Dalton McGuinty's anti-Canadian platform

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:13:00 +0000

Hudak too soft, fire needs to be lit under his arse

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:42:00 +0000

That's the sentiment of Ontario PC supporters calling in to the Lowell Green show today on CFRA news talk radio.

Lisa McLeod has a fire lit under her arse, but Hudak (according to the callers) isn't getting fired up enough, he's playing it safe and not wanting to risk offending anyone. Lowell states that its pretty darn hard to build up a constituency that way.

The PC party is not getting personal when they should be. Example, the dietary allowance that Dalton cut from MS sufferers such as Brandon McCarthy who weighs 67 pounds. Liberal MPP Madeleine Meilleur appeared on CFRA as a result of this funding cut and her response was she doesn't give a damn. Hudak is letting things like this slide when its issues like these that reach people and get them fired up, according to Lowell.

Should we be worried about the polls? Older folks are calling in the radio station saying they have no idea who their candidate is... Lisa McLeod is desperately trying to get people out there in the ridings, but unless you have the Internet, you may have a heck of a time knowing where to go and who to help.

Dalton doesn't seem to care if he offends people, perhaps Hudak should follow suit, at least he will have galvanized his core supporters.

Do you think Hudak is too soft? Think he needs a fire lit under his arse? Send him the message via twitter

Did Hudak bring enough change to the Ontario PC Party to win this election?

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:31:00 +0000

Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press Source: The Canadian Press

You might be thinking, what a strange question to ask. Your next question would most likely be, what does change in the Ontario PC Party have to do with this election? The answer? A lot more than you think.

If you haven't visited the Ontario PC Party website, I'll spoil the surprise and tell you that the focus is on change for this election. The party's platform is called the "Change Book." In it you will find various promises to bring about the change that Ontario needs to get back on track, starting with a change of government of course. But what about the Ontario PC Party itself? Since becoming leader of the party in 2009, have the necessary changes happened within the party that will bring about a win in this election?

PC supporters and McGuinty haters alike have been very vocal lately, complaining that Tim Hudak has not been visible enough before and during this election campaign. Where's Hudak? It's like playing the Where's Waldo game, only our search takes place amidst the Ontario political landscape instead of the children's book.

Liberal biased media aside, if he's not being criticized for being invisible, he's being equally criticized for not being aggressive enough in going after McGuinty and his government's scandals, tax grabs and boondoggles. While Hudak is the face and voice of the Ontario PC Party in this election, he is not the only candidate running in this election or we certainly stand no chance of winning.

To his credit, Hudak has done an excellent job of re-invigorating the Ontario PC Party. Many party supporters looked the other way and distanced themselves when leader John Tory took the reigns in 2004. Financial support dwindled to a trickle and along with it the grassroots support it desperately needed to get back on it's feet again. Party headquarters consisted of 2 people, severe lack of funds meant the party could not even afford to issue out physical membership cards, which in turn, turned off even more supporters.

In the last provincial election, the financial and personal support by volunteers and staff was about as none-existent as it was pre-election. The federal Conservative Party of Canada stepped in to help with many staffers working long hours. The thank you from John Tory after the election to the brave few who helped out? Nothing. A no-show to personally thank many who didn't have to help but did out of loyalty for the conservative movement and principles in which they believed in.

It's been 4 years since the last provincial election and the Ontario PC Party has been much more diligent about keeping on top of its supporters, keeping them in the loop via email and constantly pushing for much needed financial support. The website is much improved and the party has worked hard on developing Tim Hudak's leadership presence here in Ontario. There have been good people (some of whom I know) that have worked long and hard to have the residents of Ontario better acquainted with the new leader so people would stop asking, who-dat Hudak?

Despite all the positive changes that have taken place within the Ontario PC Party, one very important one has not taken place. The local riding associations for one reason or another are virtually non-existent, at least in many ridings, not all. Prior to this election, finding any information on a riding association was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Countless emails were sent requesting such info but I never got a response from head office. This makes it very difficult to recruit volunteers, solicit and collect donations.

The media may hype all they want to about what leader said what, and what they are wearing and where they are but politics is local. This is true for any election, provincial or federal. If you don't have a good team behind you reaching out in your riding/community, you're not going to do very well. Who's going to donate to their riding association if they don't even know who's running? Yes, the website does have the pictures and information on all the candidates in this election, but is that sufficient? The more feet on the ground, the better the chances of success. It may appear in the media that it's all up to the leaders of the parties to win elections, but it's not. Leaders without a firm foundation of supporters, volunteers and donations behind them and each of their candidates have a tough time winning any election. Don't believe me? Read the book Politics is Local by R. Kenneth Carty and Munroe Eagles or do some research and you will see that I'm right.

To be fair, it's not Hudak's fault and I'm not sure that he had enough time or manpower to fully turn things around, with regard to the riding associations.

If Hudak and the Ontario PC Party manage to win this election, even with a minority, it will be a huge success, and one that can dramatically help the party continue to build support, funds and lists upon lists of volunteers. While having a strong, visible leader is essential for any political party, having robust riding associations is equally as important. I'm just not sure that Hudak has made enough changes to the Ontario PC Party to ensure a victory this election.

My Memory of 9/11

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 21:00:00 +0000

I remember that day vividly. I was at home with my daughter when I got a call from my mom telling me to turn on the television and watch the news. She said that a small plane of some sort has hit one of the world trade center towers.

I thought it strange, a plane hitting a building? My first thoughts were pilot error, and I had no idea that it was a 747 until later into the news broadcast. I think I kept flipping back and forth from CBC to CTV hoping that one of them would have video coverage of that plane hitting the first tower. It wasn't long after I tuned in that reports of a second plane coming towards the towers was announced. Minutes later I watched on live TV as that second plane came closer and closer and then flew right into the second tower. I was dumb founded. At that moment it became so clear that the first plane was no random accident or pilot error, it was deliberate.

Shortly after the coverage switched to the pentagon where another plane had hit. Its foggy to me, the exact timeline in my memory, but I knew that whatever was happening was big. But when I watched as that first tower disappeared in a huge grey cloud and no longer existed all I could feel was disbelief. It didn't seem real. It was as if I was watching a scene from a movie, but I had to keep telling myself that this was real, not a movie. When the second tower fell, all I could think about were those poor people who were trapped in those buildings and never had the chance to get out.

I remember feeling anxious, what was the situation here in Canada? Were we going to be attacked as well? It was the most unsettling feeling I have ever experienced. I no longer felt safe.

In some ways it reminded me of when I turned on the news and watched live as they reported Princess Diana being in a horrific car accident. It just didn't seem real. The Princess in a car accident, impossible! Later when the news came that she had passed away I was utterly shocked. It didn't seem real. No more Diana? My brain could not get around that thought. My mind had as much, if not more difficulty fully understanding what was truly happening on 9/11.

9/11 was the day I finally came to realize that we in the western world were not immune from the realities that rest of the world experiences. We are so fortunate, but we are not invincible.

5 Reasons Dalton McGuinty May Not Be Human

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 16:02:00 +0000

5 Reasons Dalton McGuinty May Not Be Human

1) He appears to lack the capacity to have any kind of debate on many of his government's legislation. Debate? Error! Error!

The list includes but is not limited to:

2) He spews out money like an ATM machine. Just don't ask where you insert your card.

Increased government spending by 70% since coming into office in 2003
Every HOUR the McGuinty government spends $2.2 million more than it collects in revenue
Ontario's deficit is greater than every other province & territory combined

That's just the tip of the iceberg... for more insane spending check out wastewatchers.ca

3) He never questions unions, he just gives them what they want. Its possible he is an android created by the unions for the unions.

"Mr. McGuinty abhors confrontation, and would always rather give in — at the expense of the public purse — than face a dispute. Knowing this, he has been held up by one union after another, in the certainty he will eventually cave. No wonder union leaders are among his biggest supporters.
Even while requesting a freeze in public service wages, Mr. McGuinty’s government quietly approved deals raising pay while using accounting tricks and secret side-agreements to disguise his work."- Kelly McParland, National Post

Union Woes

4) If I only had a heart...

Special Diet Allowance cut for Muscular Dystrophy suffers and many others who barely get by.

High school students kicked out of rally at local high school, called tea-party anarchists

5) He lacks a moral compass. "Lies? What are lies?"

HST
Won't raise taxes
16,000 Green Energy Jobs created
44 promises broken as of 2003
Broken promises since 2007

Denied: Province Cuts Off Muscular Dystrophy Sufferer From a Special Diet Allowance

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 15:30:00 +0000

"Brandon McCarthy, 21, has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and weighs only 67 pounds. He was recently cut off from $250 his mother, Liliane, receives to provide him with a special diet. One of his doctors wrote the ministry of community and social services to protest, but the ministry still cut him off...He weighs all of 30 kilograms and requires a special diet, high in nutrition and one that permits him to swallow without choking. He cannot afford to lose weight. His diet, much of it prepared by his mother, Liliane Robinson, keeps that in check."

Accessibility News

Ottawa Citizen

It's Time for Hudak to Change Campaign Tactics

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:30:00 +0000

It would appear that Dalton McGuinty's tax grabs, lying, pie-in-the-sky promises, scandals, and the ever-growing provincial debt no longer has the same effect it once had on the taxpayers of Ontario.

Perhaps we've all become Dalton-de-sensitized. After seeing scandal after scandal and broken promise after broken promise, ranting about yet another scandal, tax grab or broken promise has lost it's initial shock value on Ontarians.

This doesn't mean Hudak should stop pointing them out, not at all. But now that the campaign has officially begun, there needs to be a radical shift in focus. Now it needs to be what the Ontario PC Party and Tim Hudak will do for Ontario to get it back on track.

We've already witnessed the Liberal platform in recent days; buy-votes, make ridiculous promises and call PC party supporters tea-party anarchists. Their strategy? Fling mud in every possible direction.

Hudak, while not as engaging according to the amount of media coverage he gets compared to McGuinty, needs to push hard his party's platform and perhaps the sheer difference in fiscal responsibility between the two party's platforms will wake-up Ontarians from their McGuinty-induced coma.

Great article if you are interested in making money with a blog

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 16:48:00 +0000

Courtesy of Ambro

Blogging doesn't just have to be a hobby, you can make money doing it too... I have a lot to learn in this area, but there is a really cool article loaded with info to help get you started and point you in the right direction. I have this article bookmarked on my own computer. It's essentially 10 articles in 1, and covers what you need to know about making money from your blog.

How to Make Money with a Blog from the Christian Personal Finance website.

Enjoy!

McGuinty Tax Grab deja vu all over again...

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 16:26:00 +0000

Photo credit: OntarioPC.com

Just when you think you've seen the last of McGuinty tax grabs....guess again!!

Fresh from the Canadian Free Press website:

"A review of the 2010 Ontario Public Accounts reveals that McGuinty’s Minister of Energy has quietly approved charging Ontario families a new “smart meter service fee”. This new tax is being charged to cover the costs of the “Smart Metering Entity” that runs the smart meters which themselves are nothing more than government-sponsored tax machines."

This will be on top of the current costs of the the smart meter scheme, costing taxpayers in Ontario an additional $132 million dollars over four years.

Also from the article: Some quick facts:

•Buried on a footnote on page 1-102, of volume 2a of the 2010 Ontario Public Accounts is a revelation that Dalton McGuinty’s Minister of Energy quietly approved a request from the Independent Electricity Systems Operator to apply to the Ontario Energy Board for a new tax called Smart Meter Service Fees.

•Page 13 of the Independent Electricity System Operator’s 2011-2013 Business Plan confirms that the Dalton McGuinty Liberals are already budgeting to collect $33 million per year in Smart Meter Service Fees beginning in 2012. Over the next four years, this would cost Ontario families $132 million to run the smart meter super computer.

•This new Smart Meter Tax will be applied to smart meter hydro bills above and beyond the higher costs of ‘time of use pricing’. Already under Dalton McGuinty, hydro rates have gone up 84 percent and 150 percent for homes with a smart meter, not to mention the $1 billion ($200 per household) price tag that came with installing smart meters.

RIP Keynesianism

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 18:06:00 +0000

"In government, there is a long-run tendency to keep trying the same thing again and again, no matter how often or how badly it fails. Keynesianism is, after all, as Joseph Salerno points out, the "economics of state power." And that guides us to the foundational problem: the monopoly entity that rules and devastates society for its own benefit."

- The Many Collapses of Keynesianism by Llewellyn H. Rockwell Jr.

My Name is McGuinty and I have a Spending Problem

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 14:18:00 +0000

According to Derek Fildebrandt, Ontario Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Association, “the McGuinty government has ramped up spending at an incredible pace year-after-year, leaving Ontario broke and with a record $220 billion debt.” He also states, “touting $1.5 billion in savings over three years is a pittance to the mammoth $16.3 billion deficit projected for this year alone.”

Hello. My name is Dalton McGuinty and I have a spending problem.

In eight years since McGuinty came into power Ontario's deficit has shot up to $110 billion. By December 2012 Dalton will have successfully doubled Ontario's debt. Way to go Dalton!

Ontario's interest payments alone are expected to go up to $10.3 billion this year. How big is that? According to the Canadian Taxpayers Association, that's "nearly four times Ontario's entire transportation budget. It's more than Ontario's entire budget for training, colleges, and universities."

What's really hilarious is this line from the 2011 Ontario budget: The Open Ontario plan, along with the government’s continuing approach to prudent fiscal management, provides a solid foundation for supporting the economic recovery and ensuring long-term prosperity for the province. That's rich. The Ontario Liberals wouldn't know prudent fiscal management if it bit them in the ass.

In a Fraser Institute article titled, Ontario's Budget Lacks a Credible Plan, it states, "the Ontario government proposes to rack up another $67.5 billion in debt due to deficits from the current fiscal year through to 2017/18. With this plan, the provincial debt will swell to 40.6% of GDP in 2014/15 from 29.0% in 2008/09. The continued deficits stem from the McGuinty government’s unwillingness to address its spending problem."

As Kelly McParland puts it,

"If there is anything that defines McGuintyism, it’s an inability to control its compulsion to spend. Spending has risen an average of 7% every year of his mandate. Nothing slows it: decreased revenue, collapsing tax intake, battered manufacturing, increased joblessness. Mr. McGuinty and his senior ministers assure voters they’re aware of the difficulties and pledge to do better; then they call a photo op for the next day and unveil some new billion-dollar pledge."

Nobody else made orange look so good

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 15:02:00 +0000

I just want to say that Jack Layton will be missed. He contributed greatly to Canadian politics and although I am obviously not a supporter, I still appreciate all he has contributed over his life.

I greatly admire the determination and drive he had for politics and for Canada.

Question Period will never be the same.

My heartfelt condolences to his wife Olivia and the rest of his family and supporters.

9G4YWW3MP8W3

All in a day's work here in Ottawa

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 17:17:00 +0000

First there was that Press Conference I held on Parliament Hill in Centre Block... then I had some important matters to take of in the Prime Minister's office and then it was off to the BBQ at 24 Sussex...

Ok, the first two pics of me was actually part of a special tour of Parliament Hill and as for the BBQ, I was one of many PMO, CPC and CRG staff members with their guests. But I always look forward to the summer BBQ at Sussex. This year my husband and I passed on the photo with the PM, we had ours taken last year. The food was great, and it was nice seeing many familiar faces I worked with at CPC headquarters here in Ottawa.

Three-Decade long Liberal Experiement Destroys British Social Values

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 13:18:00 +0000

As British author Melanie Phillips states on her blog (read by Charles Adler, among other conservatives), "The married two-parent family, educational meritocracy, punishment of criminals, national identity, enforcement of the drugs laws and many more fundamental conventions were all smashed by a liberal intelligentsia hell-bent on a revolutionary transformation of society."

She also points out, "Welfare dependency further created the entitlement culture that the looters so egregiously display. It taught them that the world owed them a living. It taught them that their actions had no consequences. And it taught them that the world revolved around themselves."

"The result of this toxic combination of welfare and non-judgmentalism was an explosion of elective lone parenthood and dysfunctional behaviour transmitted down through the generations at the very bottom of the social heap — creating, in effect, a class apart."

It seems that for every 5 British households, they support 1 household so that household does not have to work. Just ask the unwed mother of 10 who feels her state wage of 30,000 Euros is not enough to get by on.

Here is the link of Stephen Taylor commenting on the situation in Britain on Charles Adler in case you missed it: Stephen Taylor on SUN TV with Charles Adler. PM David Cameron is quoted asking, "Do we have the determination to confront the slow-motion moral collapse that has taken place in parts of our country these past few generations?"

Has this slow-motion moral collapse only taken place in the UK? It would appear our own western society is continuing to morally collapse as well.

As Tasha Kheiriddin pointed out in her article in the National Post Aug, 9th, titled Creating a smash-and-grab society, "Over the long term, such actions (creating a large, unsustainable welfare state) not only create actual dependency, on government programs and handouts, but also teach citizens that the government holds the key to their security. They engender an entitlement mentality that erodes the notion of personal responsibility..."

It seems the liberal agenda to ensure society does not have to take responsibility for their actions, to assume that state benefits are a right, and perpetuate the idea that morality no longer exists is now being proven how utterly destructive this agenda is to people's lives and the lives of other law-abiding, moral citizens.

How to Get a Job in a Minister's Office

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 14:52:00 +0000

Here is my latest article on HubPages... enjoy!

How to get a Job in a Minister's Office on Parliament Hill in Ottawa

Getting Things Done for Aboriginal Canadians Part 5: The Mulroney Years

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 18:39:00 +0000

Part 5 of my series of major historical accomplishments for Aboriginal Canadians under previous Conservative Governments. All quotations are taken directly out of Hansard.

The Mulroney Years

September 1984- June 1993

May 10, 1985-Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney :

"Recognition in the Constitution of the principle of governmental autonomy would seem to be a primary objective, because it constitutes the most solemn manifestation of the establishing of an indissoluble link, a social contract, between Native peoples and governments."

Mr. Jim Sinclair, Representative of the Metis People of Canada (in response to the Prime Minister's commitment): "This is truly a historical event when a commitment is made for the first time for the Constitutional recognition of the Indian people's right to self-government."

-1983-

August- Gerry St. Germain (Metis) Conservative elected to the House of Commons for Mission-Port Moody riding in British Columbia.

September- Thomas Suluk (Inuit) Conservative elected to the House of Commons for the riding of Nunatsiag, NWT.

-1985-

April 2-3- Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney at First Ministers' Conference on the Rights of Aboriginal Peoples:

"The Canada we are building for the twenty-first century must have room for self-governing aboriginal peoples. Where our on-going arrangements have failed to leave room for aboriginal peoples to control their own affairs, we must find room. Canada is big enough for us all. We need to rethink our understanding of Canada, so that the aboriginal peoples too will have their own space in our own time."

May 10- Hon. Marcel Masse, Minister of Communications:

"The Government of Canada agrees with the native representatives that self-government will help native groups to have more effective control over everything that concerns and affects them.

Mr. David Edward Crombie, Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs, May 10:

"The first principle is that the special relationship between Canada and the Aboriginal peoples will be strengthened. The Prime Minister said that the second principle was that the Aboriginal rights and especially the right of self-government shall have constitutional protection... all of these policies are dedicated to enhancing the ability and power of Aboriginal communities to control their own affairs."

September 29- Hon. David Crombie appointed a three Member committee to make recommendations for the establishment of a National Polar Institute of Canada.

April 17- Bill C-31, enacted to bring provisions of the Indian Act into line with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, by eliminating discriminatory provisions, restoring Indian status and Band membership to those who were denied Indian status. 16,000 Indian women, who lost their Indian Status and band membership because they married non-Indians, regained their status.

-1986-

December 18- Hon. Bill McKnight, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, regarding comprehensive land claims:

"Mr. Speaker, today I have the pleasure to announce the culmination of one of the critical initiatives undertaken by my Ministry- a comprehensive native land claims policy. I believe it represents yet another milestone in the evolving relationship between the Government and Canada's native people. From the beginning of our mandate we recognized the vital role which Canada's native people play. Our commitment to the establishment of a relationship built upon mutual trust and confidence remains strong. Our achievements over the past 2.5 years have been many... A new feature of the claims policy is the provision for the enhancement of economic development and self-government- two of the Government's cornerstones in its relationship with native people... As we all know, the test for any self-government arrangement is its appropriateness in meeting the needs of native communities and its capacity to enhance the quality of life of individual members of the communities."

-1987-

January- Frobisher Bay, N.W.T. is officially changed to Iqualuit; meaning where the fish are, in the Inuktitut language.

March 1- Hon. David Crombie, Minister of Indian Affairs (speaking on Bill C-31):

This legislation "ill eliminate two historic wrongs in Canada's legislation regarding Indian people. these wrongs are discriminatory treatment based on sex and the control by Government of membership in Indian communities."

"The legislation is based on certain principles, which are the cornerstones that John Diefenbaker identified."

Rt. Hon. Joe Clark, Secretary of State for External Affairs (speaking on Bill C-31):

"Indeed, this is one of the few pieces of legislation to come before this House which can genuinely be described as being historic."

March 11- Mrs. Monique Tardif (Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Health):

"One of this Government's main objectives, Mr. Speaker, is to make sure that Indians have as much control over their daily activities as non-native Canadians."

June 28- Bill C-31 received Royal Assent and contained some of the most important amendments made to the Indian Act regime in its 100+ years of existence. They have affected and continue to affect the lives of Indian and Metis people everywhere in Canada.

-1988-

March 17- The Government introduced Bill C-115, legislation to give bands taxing powers on conditionally surrendered reserve lands. They could now mortgage long-term leases on designated reserve lands. This was Indian-led legislation by Chief Clarence Jules of the Kamloops Band who initiated the process.

March 17, 1988- Hon. Bernard Valcourt, Minister of State (Small Business) and Minister of State (Indian Affairs and Northern Development):
"When we reflect on today's debate and on the question of native people, no one has pointed out the fact that unlike the previous (Liberal) Government, when this Government took office it listened to native people across Canada. As a priority we adopted the pursuance of self-government. As the previous Government tried to do, we have not attempted to impose anything upon our native people, upon Indians. They will develop at their own pace. They do not want any Government to come in and impose anything on them."

November- Wilton (Willie) Littlechild (First Nations) Conservative elected to the House of Commons for the riding of Wetskiwin, Alberta.

-1989-

April 24, 1989- Hon. Kim Campbell, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development:

"The right to self-government is part of every Canadian's birthright, and Aboriginal Canadians are no exception."

"So let us not insult Aboriginal Canadians by portraying them as passive wards of the state. That era of total dependence is thankfully passing into history. Nevertheless, the fact remains that Government has an important supporting role to play in native development."

April- Minister Pierre Cadieux signed a land-claim deal with the Tungavik Federation of Nunavut which allocated them 260,000 sq. km of land in the Northwest Territories. Final agreement was signed in December, 1990.

June- Canadian Economic Aboriginal Development Program came into effect with $874 million allocated over 5 years. this was to provide stable annual funding to First Nations as an initial step toward institutional development, rather than exclusively project-based funding.

October- A comprehensive self-government framework agreement with the Sawridge Indian Band in northern Alberta was signed by Minister Pierre Cadieux and ratified by Cabinet, handing the band government more powers than had ever been devolved in any previous self-government agreement.

-1990-

June 20- Prime Minister Brian Mulroney proposed the establishment of a Royal Commission on native affairs. The terms of reference were developed following consultations conducted by former Chief Justice Brian Dickson. Four of the seven commissioners appointed were Aboriginal people; one of the two co-chairs was George Erasmus, a former national chief of the Assembly of First Nations. other members included: Viola Robinson, former president of the Native Council of Canada; Mary Sillet, former president of the National Inuit Women's Association; Paul Chartrand, a Metis lawyer and head of the department of Native Studies at the University of Manitoba.

September 25- Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney:

"Canada's original peoples deserve a special place in this country as our first citizens based on the aboriginal and treaty rights recognized in the Constitution. Those realities have often been denied over decades and centuries in Canada and it is time that we began the process of making up this injustice."

"What the Native peoples want most of all and what I am committed to working towards is dignity for the Native peoples of Canada."

Ms. Dorothy Dobbie, Parliamentary Secretary for Indian Affairs and Northern Development:

"There are Native bands all across this land that have benefited from the policies of this government since 1984. We did not make promises. We went out there and we did the things the Liberals never even thought of doing until we came into government and started getting them actually into action."

"What I see is a people who are struggling to take hold, to gain control, to provide their children with a new sense of tomorrow. I see success everywhere I go because now people have what they lacked in the past. They finally have some hope."

Bill Kempling, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Employment and Immigration:

"Given the importance of the Aboriginal culture, both to the Aboriginal people and the richness of the fabric of Canada, it is important that Aboriginal youth are afforded every opportunity to support and to further their unique cultural heritage."

September 27- Walter Patrick Twinn (First Nations) Conservative from Alberta appointed to the Senate.

October- Prime Minister Brian Mulroney attended the First Nations "Summit" in British Columbia with the BC Aboriginal leaders for the first time since 1910.

November 1- Prominent Aboriginal leader Carol Corcoran appointed by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney as commissioner to the Citizens Forum on the Future of Canada. The Forum was to get Canadians talking about vital issues such as Quebec's desire for a new relationship with the rest of Canada, Aboriginal grievances, official languages, ethnic and cultural diversity, the economy and Canada's place in our changing world.

December- Tripartite British Columbia Land Claims Task Force established. In 1991, the new provincial BC government endorsed the recommendations of the Task Force and generally recognized aboriginal title and the right to self-governance.

-1991-

February 1- Bill C-72, The Canadian Polar Commission Act received Royal Assent.

May 15- Prime Minister Brian Mulroney announced that a joint Indian government working group was to be established to address unresolved Specific Claims and public policy issues. Pre-Confederation land claims would be accepted for the first time ever.

-1992-

The Gwich'in Agreement was signed, providing the Gwich'in with approximately 24,000 sq. km of land in the North-Western portion of the Northwest Territories and 1,554 sq. km of land in the Yukon. In addition to these lands they will receive a non-taxable payment of $75 million to be paid over 15 years, a share of resource royalties from the Mackenzie Valley, subsurface rights, hunting rights, and a greater role in the management of wildlife, land and the environment.

Agreement signed by Minister Tom Siddon to give Aboriginals in Ontario full control over reserve policing.

September- An agreement was struck among Canada, British Columbia and the First Nations Summit to establish the BC Treaty Commission as the independent keeper of the BC treaty process. In 1993 the Treaty Commission officially opened for business. The Treaty Commission's primary role was to oversee the negotiation process to make sure the parties were being effective and making progress in negotiations. In carrying out the recommendations of the BC Claims Task Force, the Treaty Commission had three roles; facilitation, funding, public information and education.

-1993-

March 10, Hon. Thomas Siddon, Minister of Indian Affairs:
"The federal government has always wished to provide a proper recognition of the Metis people. They are in a category different from those of other than North American aboriginal descent and those who are full aboriginal. They are unique."

"We are trying to turn a new direction and establish a new relationship where we can make adequate funds available within the usual budgetary limits, but the difficult decisions and choices in the future will increasingly be made by First Nations leadership."

Hon. Thomas Siddon (on Bill C-132) June 4th:
"The legislation before us today will literally redraw the map of northern Canada. As well, this Bill will provide for a new and improved political and economic future for the Inuit of the eastern Arctic."

May 29- After nearly 22 years of negotiations, the Council for Yukon Indians (now known as the Council of Yukon First Nations (CYFN)), the Government of Yukon and the Government of Canada signed the Council for Yukon Indians Umbrella Final Agreement (UFA) and accompanying Implementation Plan. For the first time in Canada, comprehensive land claims and self-government agreements were jointly concluded.

June 10- Bill C-133, Nunavut Land Claims Agreement received Royal Assent. this was one of the largest claims in Canadian history. It encompassed one-fifth of the entire Canadian land mass (2 million sq. km) and was 17 years in the making. Bill C-132, an Act to establish territory known as Nunavut also received Royal assent.

June 23- Gerry St. Germain (Metis) Conservative for British Columbia appointed to the Senate.

Royal Commission integrated research plan released. The 5-volume report that followed was released on November 21, 1996 at a special ceremony in Hull, Quebec. The report included:
Volume 1: Looking Forward, Looking Back

Volume 2: Restructuring the Relationship (2 parts)

Volume 3: Gathering Strength

Volume 4: Perspective and Realities

Volume 5: Renewal: A Twenty-Year Commitment.

Getting Things Done for Aboriginal Canadians Part 4: The Clark Year

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 17:47:00 +0000

Part 4 of my series of major historical accomplishments for Aboriginal Canadians under previous Conservative Governments. All quotations are taken directly out of Hansard.

The Clark Year

June 1979- March 1980

Hon. Joe Clark (In Opposition), April 11, 1973:
"There is a need to establish Aboriginal rights under a national policy which recognizes the elementary principle that Aboriginal rights exists."

"If we believe in any sort of justice in society, we must recognize our obligation to Canada's native people."

-1979-

November 5- Rt. Hon. Joe Clark:
"One of the views which the Indian leadership and I share is that an important step will be to place much more authority, responsibility and control over spending in the hands of local band councils. That is the direction in which the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development is taking this government... a reform and a change from past practices."

August 18- The Dempster Highway, Canada's first all-weather road to cross the Artci Circle was officially opened at Flat Creek, Yukon. This was a project under the "Roads to Resources" program first introduced by the Diefenbaker Conservative Government in 1958.

Hon. Jake Epp, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development,
November 23, 1979:

"The government is committed to transferring responsibility for the day to day affairs to the cheif and council because legally they are the legislated bodies in charge of the Indian people. That is a policy that has been slated quite clearly by myself. It is a policy that the department holds in hand, and the departmental changes are to be based on the fact that the department is to become a facilitator and a co-operator with the Indian leadership, rather than the top-down management as has been the case before."

The Conservative Government restructured the federal Indian Health policy which established the need for increased active participation of Indian and Inuit communities in issues and programs affecting their health and well-being.

(As referred to in Hansard, March 17, 1988 by Hon. Jake Epp, Minister of Health and Welfare): "In 1979 the Conservative Government withdrew the restrictive 1978 guidelines which had governed the provision of non-insured health benefits and made medical transportation, prescription drugs, glasses, dental care, and other items not covered by our national health insurance policy available to all Indian and Inuit who required them."

Getting Things Done for Aboriginal Canadians Part 3: The Diefenbaker Years

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 17:26:00 +0000

Part 3 of my series of major historical accomplishments for Aboriginal Canadians under previous Conservative Governments. All quotations are taken directly out of Hansard.

The Diefenbaker Years

June 1957- April 1963

Rt. Hon. John Diefenbaker, October 29, 1957:
"Over the years I have believed that the Indian population of Canada deserves representation in the Parliament of Canada. There are some 200,000 Indians; and while the time may come when one or more might be elected to the House of Commons, that time is still far distant. I want to see an appointment made at the earliest possible date of a native Indian so that representation in Parliament may be provided for these, our very first citizens."

-1958-

Under the "Roads to Resources" program announced during the Conservative election campaign, the government made the historic decision to build a 671 km (417 mile) road through the Artic wilderness from Dawson City to Inuvik. The road was billed as the first-ever overland supply link to southern Canada, where business and political circles buzzed with talk of an oil pipeline that would run parallel to the road. The two would ultimately connect with another proposed pipeline along the Alaska Highway.

January 31- James Gladstone (from Alberta), first Aboriginal appointed to the Senate by the Rt. Hon. John Diefenbaker, 2 years before Aboriginals received the right to vote. Gladstone accepted the appointment, and was sworn in on May 12, 1958. He sat on the 1959 joint committee to investigate Aboriginal affairs.

August 28- Hon. Mrs. Ellen L. Fairclough, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration first announced 14 scholarships for Aboriginal students on the basis of outstanding scholastic ability in addition to the tuition grant given to students. 15 more were announced on March 12, 1959 amounting to $8,920.00

-1959-

Royal Commission to investigate the unfulfilled provisions of treaties 8 & 11 as they apply to the Indians of the Mackenzie District.

January 15- Rt. Hon. John Diefenbaker, Speech from the Throne:
"My government will put forward a resolution to establish a joint committee of both Houses to review the Indian Act and the administration of Indian Affairs."

April 29- Mrs. Fairclough brought forward the motion for an appointment of a joint committee to examine and consider the Indian Act and amendments.

-1960-

March 31- Bill C-2 given Royal assent. This gave native Indians the Right to Vote in federal elections without any infringement on their hereditary or Aboriginal rights.

-1962-

Febraury 6- The first draft of legislation was previously written to establish an Indian Claims Commission in Canada within the Indian branch of Citizenship and Immigration, and then modified. A memorandum was signed by Mrs. Ellen Fairclough, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and E.D. Fulton, Minister of Justice. The government was defeated in the House before legislation could be introduced.

April 2- Bill C-19 introduced to put into effect the unanimous recommendation of the joint committee to establish a court of claims to deal specifically with the British Columbia Indian land question and the Oka land question in Quebec plus other matters. Second reading took place on November 16, 1962.

September 27- Rt. Hon. John Diefenbaker, Speech from the Throne:
"A measure will be placed before you to establish an Indian claims commission to investigate claims on the part of various tribes and bands that certian of their rights have been restricted or abrogated, to make recommendations for the equitable and final settlement of such claims."

October 18- Motion passed to set up the Claims Commission in the House.

-1963-

April- Eugene (Gene) Rheaume (Metis) Conservative elected to the House of Commons for the Northwest Territories.

McGuinty's Liberal Henchmen Misleading Ontario Voters

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 16:27:00 +0000

Not that this is much of a headline, let's face it, nothing new there.

I've been back from Calgary for a week now and low and behold with regard to McGuinty's so-called green job creation, seems his henchmen are pulling numbers and figures out of the air that are in no way accurate. The sad part is that the media seems quite content to not bother and check these numbers.

Case in point: on Tuesday's Lunch Bunch (July 26) on 580 CFRA Yasir Naqvi was a guest and apparently began throwing out numbers such as 200 people are supposedly employed at the solar farm in Dunrobin. Truth is there are 2 people currently working there as reported by neighbours in the community (not the media).

As for the wind-turbine factory in Tilsonburg and Windsor he also claimed to not only be up and running, but also employing 16,00 people, the truth is they are not operational yet and there certainly isn't 16,000 people working in these factories.

Siemens stated in their press release back in December 2010 that the wind-turbine facility in Tilsonburg will only employ 300 people. Quote: "The manufacturing, service operations and associated back-office activities are expected to create up to 300 jobs. An additional 600 related jobs for the construction and commissioning is expected to be created during the build-out of the wind farms under agreement with Samsung and Pattern." Renovations to the existing facility won't be completed until October 2011.

The same can be said for the wind-turbine plant to be operating in Windsor by Samsung. At the most 700 jobs are to be created. It will not be operational until September, 2011.

Seems yet again the McGuinty government seems to get their facts from outer space and is completely distorted.

Getting Things Done for Aboriginal Canadians Part 2: The Borden Years

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 15:15:00 +0000

Part 2 of my series of major historical accomplishments for Aboriginal Canadians under previous Conservative Governments. All quotations are taken directly out of Hansard.

The Borden Years

September 1911- July 1920

Hon. Robert Borden, April 26, 1911 (as Opposition Leader):

(Regarding Bill C-177, an Act to Amend the Indian Act)
"May I ask whether this Bill will be in conflict with any contract made between the Crown and the Indians, or in conflict with any treaty rights secured to the Indians during the period since this country was first settled?"

Response from the Government- (Mr. Frank Oliver- Liberal MP):
"It has been an established principle that, in the case of a railways, as the public interest is supposed to demand its construction, private rights must give way to public interest. And it has been held- and is a matter of law and administration that the Indian right stands in the same position as a private right of other parties and must give way to the public interest..."

Hon. Robert Borden's response to Mr. Oliver:
"The Indians in Canada have certain rights granted to them by treaties, and, heretofore, these treaties have never been departed from except with the consent of the Indians themselves. You treat Indians as not being capable of dealing with their own affairs, you treat them as wards of the government, and you who are their guardians propose to judge for yourselves and through your own courts as to whether or not treaties made with the Indians shall be departed from, and you do not purpose that that proposal shall come before the parliament of the nation every time a treaty is to be violated. On the contrary, your purpose is to create a procedure and a practice by which every one of these treaties can, without the future sanction of Parliament, be departed from without any effective means being afforded the Indians to oppose the carrying out of any particular project in any particular instance."

-1912-

Mr. William James Roche, Minister of Indian Affairs (1912-1917)

Authorized Royal Commission to Investigate Lands, Rights and all questions at issue between the Dominion and Provincial Governments and the Indians in respect thereto.

British Columbia Royal Commission set up to investigate reserves in British Columbia. Involved the visitation of between 1100 to 1200 reserves in the province. J.A.J. McKenna conducted the commission which was completed in 1916.

-1915-

March 22- Mr. George Ewan McCraney (Liberal):

"The Sioux Indians are not an indigenous tribe to this country. They had no land to surrender. I understand that there are some Sioux reserves. They cannot be in receipt of any treaty money."

Response- Mr. Roche, Minister of Indian Affairs:

The Sioux Indians are not treaty Indians; but when they came into this country the Government treated them in the same way we treat other Indians" (relief money was given to Sioux agencies to help the Sioux).

World War 1:

Aboriginal Canadians were allowed to enlist and accepted into a 114th battalion as well as others. In total, about 3,500 Aboriginal Canadians would serve with the Canadian Forces.

-1917-

May 31-Hon. Mr. Roche:

"The Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Frank Oliver- Liberal) knows that the question of Indian reserves in British Columbia has been a great bone of contention between the Indians, the provincial government, and the Dominion Government for many years past, and this commission was appointed with a view to clearing up all these difficulties."

Getting Things Done for Aboriginal Canadians Part 1: The Macdonald Years

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 14:44:00 +0000

Part 1 of my series of major historical accomplishments for Aboriginal Canadians under previous Conservative Governments. All quotations are taken directly out of Hansard.

The Macdonald Years
July 1867-Nov. 1873
October 1878- June 1891

Rt. Hon. John A. Macdonald, May 5, 1880:

"But we must remember that they (Indians) are the original owners of the soil, of which they have been dispossessed by the covetousness or ambition of our ancestors... At all events, the Indians have been great sufferers by the discovery of America, and the transfer to it of a large white population. We are bound to protect them."

"The general rule is that you cannot make the Indian a white man."

-1870-

February- Winnipeg: Lord Strathcona (Donald Alexander Smith) invites several Metis to accompany him to Ottawa to present the government with a list of Metis rights to be considered.

-1871-

Treaty No. 1 & No. 2. The first post-Confederate treaty, Treaty One is concluded in August 1871 and covers Manitoba as it existed then. Treaty Two is concluded a few weeks later and covers areas needed for expansion and settlement in the west and north of the province. British Columbia enters Confederation on the understanding that construction of the east-west railway will begin in two years and will be completed in ten.

March- Angus McKay (Marquette-Manitoba riding) (Metis) and Pierre Delorme (Provencher-Manitoba riding) (Metis) elected into the House of Commons as Conservatives.

-1873-

Treaty No. 3. After three years of negotiations, the Dominion of Canada and the Saulteaux tribe of Ojibway Indians entered into treaty at the North-West Angle of the Lake of the Woods. With the Saulteaux surrendering title to an area of 14,245,000 hectares, Canada acquired land for agriculture, settlement and mineral discovery. More importantly, Canada secured communications with the North-West Territories, including the route of the future Canadian Pacific Railway.

-1888-

Richard Charles (Metis) Conservative member for the riding of Northwest Territories appointed to the Senate.

-1889-

Treaty No. 6. Adhesion (Montreal Lake). Addition to Ontario (Kenora District).

How to Successfully Develop your Career with a Degree in Political Science in Canada

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 13:44:00 +0000

Here is the link to my latest publication on the Internet for anyone with a political science degree or anyone working on their degree here in Canada:

http://hubpages.com/_3dl3wnpjumhx6/hub/How-to-Successfully-Develop-your-Career-with-a-Degree-in-Political-Science-in-Canada

Thank you!

OHIP fraud requires greater attention from residents of Ontario

noreply@blogger.com (renegade tory) — Tue, 31 May 2011 16:49:00 +0000

Photo: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/programs/ohip/

Ontario PC leader Tim Hudak vows to finally tackle OHIP fraud;

"Ontario eagerly welcomes visitors and tourists," Hudak said. "But if you are coming to Ontario to help yourself to free health care with a fake or forged or stolen ID — as far as I'm concerned, the only part of Ontario you should see is the inside of a prison cell. We will require that everyone present photo ID if they have the old red-and-white health card."

In case you were thinking that OHIP fraud is a nothing issue, you may want to think again.
According to Ontario Health, the plastic red and white health cards that do not have photo ID were issued in 1990 (see page 4). Tell that to the thousands of callers on CFRA radio that have been calling in the last few days saying they have had their card much earlier than that.

But it gets better...

Seems back in 2007, good ol Dalton McGuinty was made more than aware of the problem of fraud with the old health cards but never did anything about it:

CBC news reported "Critics say the Ontario Liberal government is turning a blind eye to health-care fraud by not quickly phasing out millions of old health cards following a recommendation from the province's auditor general months ago.

There are still 5.7 million old red-and-white cards in circulation, and the auditor estimated last December there are 300,000 more cards than there should be."

Mismanagement in health care administration in this province is nothing new, despite the recent scandals. As far back as 1987, the provincial auditor criticized the health ministry for dispensing more than 25 million active OHIP numbers in a province with only 9 million residents.
The 1992 auditor's report noted that, despite all the expense and effort ($40 million dollars spent by the Liberal government in 1990 to issue those red and white plastic cards), the number of health cards in circulation still exceeded the Ontario population by more than 300 000 six years later.
While the Ontario government has claimed that it is trying to phase out the old cards, many card holders received notices in the mail regarding a new health card around 1995, but that was the extent of the governments efforts to get residents to switch to the new green cards.

It certainly doesn't help matters when physicians themselves were given instruction to allow patients to continue to use their red and white health cards. (see page 12).

Tourists, illegal immigrants, etc., if they can get a hold of one of these cards and claim to be the person whose name appears on the card can receive healthcare services at the taxpayers expense, not theirs. Provide further ID? Oh no, that would be accessing personal information, something that cannot be done right now, but Hudak hope to change that.

It's not just the patients that commit fraud in within the Ontario health care system, but Dentists, Doctors and Pharmacists have been known to bill patients for services unrendered, even to deceased persons. According to an article back in 2005 in the National Post:

"From doctors who bill for non-existent appointments to dentists who perform major restorative work on healthy teeth and organized rings that recruit every sort of health professional, economic crime saps billions of dollars a year, by some accounts, from the over-burdened health system...

With about $40-billion of Canada's $130-billion in annual health care spending paid out by public and private insurers for billed services or products -- and thus susceptible to abuse -- the total fraud could range from $2-billion to almost $8-billion, although no one really knows the extent of the phenomenon."

Clearly, this issue requires greater attention in both the media and from Ontario residents than what has been given up until now. It's been 16 years since the new green health cards were issued. I think it's about time something was done to prevent further fraud from both patients and care givers in the provinical health system.