tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-256785542024-03-07T03:18:24.765-05:00A View From the ParkA View From the Park is my melting pot--a place where I can speak freely of issues relating to politics, religion, current events with an occasion jab at our neighbours to the south. The opinions expressed herein are not meant to offend, rather they are meant to generate dialogue.Bishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16909096907582552844noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25678554.post-87574652721134913242010-04-15T16:38:00.015-04:002010-04-16T11:04:56.878-04:00Like a Phoenix...4 years ago I began a series of rants and somewhere between life and indifference I stopped.<br /><br />I no longer find myself straddling that divide.<br /><br />24 hours ago a dear friend sent me an email with a link to a story whose headline read <a href="http://network.nationalpost.com/NP/blogs/holy-post/archive/2010/04/13/vatican-cardinal-links-homosexuality-with-pedophilia-and-abuse-scandal.aspx">Vatican Cardinal links homosexuality with pedophilia and abuse scandal</a>.<br /><br />His email ended with the following eight words, <em><span style="color:#cc0000;">you believe in a church that says this?!?!?</span></em><br /><br />My post 4-year inaugural rant will not be a pedagogical essay about pedophilia and homosexuality -- I am not so naïve to think that I can eviscerate such nonsense with a few brief paragraphs. The following is my not-so-eloquent explanation as to how I can reconcile my religious briefs with my status as a member of the LGBTTIQ community; two seemingly opposing dynamics.<br /><br />First, as a member of the Catholic and the LGBTTIQ communities, this story affected me greatly. At the most fundamental level, pedophilia is a predatory behaviour. The dynamic is one of unequal power where an adult preys on a child and, with force, turns that dynamic into something sexual.<br /><br />A relationship between two same sex individuals is just that, a RELATIONSHIP. There is no power imbalance. There is no predatory component and what's more, should the relationship turn sexual, there is informed consent.<br /><br />To have such a senior ranking Cardinal make such a horrific comparison is irresponsible. And, while everyone is entitled to their opinion, caution must be exercised when making such polarizing statements because inevitably some will believe such statements to be factual, which they are not; they are subjective.<br /><br />I have reverence for my Pontiff, Pope Benedict XVI and the Vatican but, at times, I find myself doubting the congress of men who serve as administrators of the Catholic Church and the spiritual advisors tasked with preaching the word of God.<br /><br />For me, there are three components to my belief system:<br /><ul><li><strong>FAITH. </strong>It is the <em>most</em> personal. It is my unwavering belief in existance of God and my active life of obedience to Him.</li><li><strong>RELIGION. </strong>It is the practices related to communal faith and to group rituals and communication stemming from shared conviction.</li><li><strong>CATHOLIC CHURCH. </strong>It is both the physical structure and the term I use to collectively describe the clergy/the formal religious leadership.</li></ul>The Catholic Church is in crisis. The vile comments of an ignorant Cardinal won't shake my FAITH in God but the continual lack of action by Pope Benedict XVI and his congress will affect my relationship with the CATHOLIC CHURCH.Bishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16909096907582552844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25678554.post-1162667274713983932006-11-04T13:56:00.001-05:002010-04-15T14:05:11.065-04:00What in the name of????<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/1600/scottBrison.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/320/scottBrison.jpg" border="0" /></a>Good shot.<br /><br />Great cause.<br /><br />But with only a few weeks until our Party's Leadership convention, was this a smart move?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">**<em>Picture from "What Men Are Made of" calendar. The calendar was produced by the Nova Scotia theatre group Women of Wolfville with proceeds going to prostate and ovarian cancer research.</em></span>Bishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16909096907582552844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25678554.post-1154662036857175762006-08-03T20:36:00.002-04:002010-04-15T14:12:17.871-04:00For Only Love Can Conquer Hate.Well, George, it appears you were correct. There is no way I can refrain from blogging about this whole Mel Gibson "thing".<br /><br /><em>This is me uncensored...</em><br /><br />Those who know me know that I like to have an "occasional" drink or two or twenty. And, in those rare instances I find myself in public and sufficiently inebriated, I will admit, I have been known to say and do the stupidiest of things.<br /><br />For instance, I vaguely remember being on a stage at 5ive at some ungodly hour dancing like an idiot. Wanting to get off the stage, I boldy took a step forward, only to realize the ground was some 3 feet farther down than first thought. I landed, quite proudly I might add, on my knees instead of on my back with my feet in the air. Then there was the time I approached a certain provincially elected official (a person whom I have a sick child-like crush on) and told her that she had the best legs I have ever seen. Oh, and then there was the time I couldn't stop myself from telling a police officer that I would gladly let her take me home and handcuff me (that one almost got me arrested).<br /><br />Am I proud of my actions? Not really. But, they do represent the 'normal' actions of an inebriated person. Alcohol can and does lead to unlady-like/ungentleman-like behaviour. <br /><br />What's my point? Mr. Gibson was intoxicated. He is not refuting that--besides there are numerous pictures and videos to prove it. And, yes when he got pulled over his 'celebrity' went to his head and it appears he tried to intimidate his arresting officer. But what I don't get is how he made the leap from 'do you f**king know who I am? I am Mel Gibson' to those anti-Semitic remarks' --again something he is not denying. Intoxication is not to blame for such vial comments. There is no connecting link, well none that is readily apparent to me.<br /><br />In the end, sadness and disappointment trump my anger. I am saddened by the way the law seems to bend for someone who is rich and famous; I am saddened that a person, who until now, seemed like a tolerant man, may be quite the opposite; and I am greatly saddened by the way Hollywood has seemingly said 'it's okay...it was the alcohol speaking not good ol' Mel'.<br /><br />The average person who has had a parent, grandparent, uncle or aunt live through acts of racism will not easily forget. A person is never ever <em>only</em> Anti-Semitic, there is most always a hatred of other races and cultures just festering under the surface.<br /><br />Money and power affords a person may luxuries in life but, at the end of the day, when whichever God that person believes in calls them home, they will be judged by their words, their actions and most importantly their character.Bishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16909096907582552844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25678554.post-1154652093079836772006-08-03T20:36:00.000-04:002006-08-03T20:41:33.096-04:00The Audacity of Hope.Coming soon...Bishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16909096907582552844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25678554.post-1154299761216388402006-07-30T18:39:00.000-04:002006-07-30T21:02:08.276-04:00A Journey to Israel. One World. One Love. One Pride.<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/1600/untitled.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/320/untitled.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />In a few hours about a dozen or so of my closest friends and I will be heading to a pub for a send off party for our dear friend B.<br /><br />The poor misguided lad will be heading to Israel tomorrow to help organize World Pride in Jerusalem. For the better part of a month we have tried to convince him not to go.<br /><br />Each of us, in our own way, has tried to impart on him the gravity of the escalating violence in Israel and the real danger he will be in but because of some asinine sense of 'duty' he is determined to go. To his credit, his selflessness is commendable as much as it is ridiculous.<br /><br />I don't pretend to know all the issues surrounding the current Israel-Lebanon conflict (Operation Truthful Promise come Operation Just Reward come Operation Change of Direction) but from what I have heard both sides have their roots firmly planted and I fear many more will be injured or killed unless one side acquiesces (something that seems very unlikely).<br /><br />So far diplomatic talks have been ineffective and the UN imposed sanctions suggested by the Bush Administration (an Administration that not so long ago gave the UN a single finger salute before invading Iraq) is laughable at best.<br /><br />I am reminded of the saying 'anything worth having is worth fighting for'--I wonder if the person who said it had a rocket launcher parked in striking distance of their home.<br /><br />My heart weeps for those whose reality my friend will be stepping into for a few short weeks.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.worldpride.net/">Jerusalem World Pride 2006...Love without Borders</a>Bishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16909096907582552844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25678554.post-1148755321201334502006-05-27T12:28:00.002-04:002010-04-15T14:16:45.701-04:00The Gospel According to Mary Magdalene.Dan Brown’s <em>Da Vinci Code</em> begins with the murder of a curator by a monk who is sent to find the legendary Holy Grail, a fabled vessel often theorized to be the cup that Jesus drank from at the Last Supper. However, Brown puts a new spin on the Holy Grail--a mere cup it is not, rather a vile that contains the blood of Jesus. The importance, if not readily apparent, is that with a vile of blood, Jesus’ ancestry could be mapped--that is if testing of blood that is some 2000 years old could produce viable data. What's more, it could prove or disprove the theory that His bloodline still endures (it has been theorized that He had a child with Mary Magdalene)--a concept, if true, would have unsung ramifications in the Catholic church.<br /><br />So, who was Mary Magdalene and why is she so central to the story of Jesus Christ.<br /><br />Mary Magdalene was born in Magdala, a fishing village on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. She is believed to have had flaming red hair and, although never proven, she is said to have been a whore. Many have argued that such a label was given to her by the church to hide the true nature of her relationship with Jesus.<br /><br />What's more, scholars have long thought Mary Magdalene was defamed because of her threat to the male controlled church. The fact that she was the first to speak to the risen Christ and the fact that she was the one to inform the other male Apostles speaks volumes of her importance -- she was the Apostle to the Apostles. Moreover, she is thought to have had a better understanding of the teachings of Jesus and was seen as a rival to Apostle Peter for leadership of the early church.<br /><br />In his book, Brown suggests that she still had one more hold on Jesus--as his wife. A notion that some say is belittling to both Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Some argue that Jesus wasn’t conventional in any other sense, so why would he feel the need to be married? Others say that relegating Mary Magdalene to the role of wife and thereby reducing her only importance to a sexual connection with Jesus, is like saying Hillary Rodham Clinton is only important because she’s married to Bill Clinton. <strong>[I, for one, would never compare Jesus and Mary Magdalene to Bill and Hillary--doing so seems almost sacrilegious, no?]</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />For all the hoopla and conspiracy theories, this remains true of Mary Magdalene:<br /><br /><br /><ul><li>she did exist;</li><li>she was a follower of Jesus;</li><li>she was at His side when He was crucified; and</li><li>she has a <a href="http://www.gnostics.com/gmm.html">Gospel</a>.</li></ul>Bishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16909096907582552844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25678554.post-1147615925324563712006-05-14T10:03:00.000-04:002006-05-15T10:21:44.596-04:00For Love of the Game.Today, CTV will air the <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/arts/tv/westwing.html">Series Finale of the West Wing</a>.<br /><br />I must admit this show has been a bit of an addiction for me. Hardly a realistic portrayal of government and politics it nonetheless made me believe in the nobility of government and in the idea that those entering politics do so for love of country, not for love of the game.<br /><br />Naive? Maybe.<br /><br />Do I care? Not really.<br /><br />I guess I will have to focus my attention on something else. <a href="http://www.showcase.ca/microsites/billablehours/">Billable Hours</a> seems promising.Bishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16909096907582552844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25678554.post-1146583542537078272006-05-02T11:19:00.000-04:002006-05-02T18:26:30.420-04:00Daisy in Bloom. Congrat's Kinsella et al.It's about friggin' time, Warren!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.daisygroup.ca/">Daisy Consulting Group</a><br /><br />For those who don't know <a href="http://www.warrenkinsella.com/">Warren Kinsella</a> or what he brings to provincial and federal politics, I suggest you do some serious reading.<br /><br />He is a legend among us OYL and his taste in music ain't too shabby. Now, if only we could get him to run for office.<br /><br />**Thanks to those who pointed out that Warren ran in 1997 in North Vancouver and lost (to Ted White, I believe). My comment above was re: him running for leadership of the Fed. Liberals. HIGHLY unlikely, I know. But much like my insane belief that the Leafs will one day win the Stanley Cup again, I can't help but dream.**Bishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16909096907582552844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25678554.post-1145980737469753192006-04-25T11:51:00.001-04:002010-04-15T14:19:39.641-04:00The Trojan Horses of the Leadership Race.Yesterday, whilst speaking to a dear friend, B.S., the topic of the Liberal leadership race came up. To my astonishment and horror, he indicated that he would vote for a certain east coast candidate. When asked what this candidate had done to favour his vote, my dear friend said he could relate to this candidate's kick-off speech.<br /><br />Argh.<br /><br />Although confident in the fact that my friend knew (i) candidates don't write their own speeches, and (ii) speeches are written by communications experts whose job it is to know exactly how to "rope people in", I still proceeded to hammer these points home.<br /><br />Leadership candidates, I continued, must be judged on more than what they say, especially during a campaign--they must be judged by their previous actions, their previous opinions and, most importantly, their previous alliances/allegiances.<br /><br />There is something grossly inappropriate about former members of other parties seeking the leadership of the Federal Liberals.<br /><br />And, before all of you nay sayers jump in, let me clarify this statement.<br /><br />The idea that a person can adequately distance themselves from the ideology of their former party to the point where they can faithfully and without bias lead a national party of a different stripe is questionable at best. The fact there exists the possibility of a former NDP Premier or former PC elite leading a party borne on the backs of true Grits is incomprehensible.<br /><br />Many will argue that Brison and Rae have more than distanced themselves from their previous parties, Rae more so by his 2002 opinion paper <em>Parting Company with the NDP</em>, but for most Liberals this is simply not enough.<br /><br />Leadership candidates (those who have announced their candidacy and those who will be announcing their candidacy shortly).<br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolyn_Bennett">Carolyn Bennett</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurizio_Bevilacqua">Maurizio Bevilacqua</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Brison">Scott Brison</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephane_Dion">Stephane Dion</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_Hall_Findlay">Martha Hall Findlay</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Ignatieff">Michael Ignatieff</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerard_Kennedy">Gerard Kennedy</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Rae">Bob Rae</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Volpe">Joe Volpe</a>Bishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16909096907582552844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25678554.post-1145827510274571442006-04-23T16:25:00.006-04:002010-04-15T19:51:48.685-04:00Speeches 101. Sorry, this ain't no West WingDon't ask me how or why, but a few hours ago I found myself in the presence of some of Canada's most seasonsed communication experts.<br /><br />Men and woman who worked with former Premiers, Prime Ministers and one dude who even claimed to be a former assistant press secretary to a former US President were called together to help a particular leadership candidate.<br /><br />In all, fifteen people sat around the table feverishly trying to one-up each other while we, 6 of the most awestruck political wannabe's, hugged the wall.<br /><br />For the better part of 4 hours they spoke of the great orative powers of Trudeau, Levesque, Clinton, Regan and Hitler (yeah, the lady who brought up his name then spent several minutes speaking a-mile-a-minute justifying her use of Hilter's name in the same sentence as Trudeau's).<br /><br />A few laughs were had at the expense of President George W. Bush, naturally, and there was a surprisingly lengthy debate over including French text in speeches given by obviously non-French speaking individuals.<br /><br />Someone mentions John Tory. More laughter.<br /><br />Not realizing that I had gone from <em>thinking to myself</em> to <em>speaking to myself</em>, I was mortified when someone at the far end of the table asked me (in a very condensing like-you-know-anything-about-anything tone) to repeat myself.<br /><br />Feeling the pain of embarrassment, I stood.<br /><br />As I looked for the nearest exit (run, Run, RUN), I thought of how to apologize for my interruption without sounding like an idiot. My very dignity was at stake and I needed to escape with at least that--I was sure to be tossed by the increasingly red faced campaign manager seated a mere 5 feet of me.<br /><br />As I said a silent 'Hail Mary', I thought of the last political book I read <em>Fights of Our Lives: Elections, Leadership, and the Making of Canada</em> by John Duffy. The irony was not lost on me.<br /><br /><em></em>I listed a few well known speeches: Sir John A. MacDonald making a case for Confederation, while Joseph Howe heckled him; Louis Riel pleading his case to the Regina jury in 1885; Nellie McClung demanding the vote for women; the legendary face-off between Pierre Trudeau and Rene Levesque during the 1980 Quebec referendum; and (for the lone gentleman from the US) Barak Obama's address to the 2004 National Democratic Convention.<br /><br />As I turned to sit back down the I-am-a-former-assistant-press-secretary dude asked <em>what was so great about Obama's speech?</em><br /><br />Vile Republican, I thought.<br /><br />Although I couldn't remember most of his speech, I was able to paraphrase (quite horribly I must say) the following:<br /><br /><em>If there is a child on the south side of Chicago who can’t read, that matters to me, even if it’s not my child. If there is a senior citizen somewhere who can’t pay for their prescription drugs, and having to choose between medicine and the rent, that makes my life poorer, even if it’s not my grandparent. If there’s an Arab American family being rounded up without benefit of an attorney or due process, that threatens my civil liberties....</em><br /><br />Realizing that I would need more, I dug deep to remember the rest:<br /><br /><em>There is not a liberal America and a conservative America -- there is the United States of America. There is not a Black America and a White America and Latino America and Asian America -- there’s the United States of America.</em><br /><br /><em>The pundits, the pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States; Red States for Republicans, Blue States for Democrats. But I’ve got news for them, too. We worship an "awesome God" in the Blue States, and we don’t like federal agents poking around in our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States and yes, we’ve got some gay friends in the Red States. It is that fundamental belief -- It is that fundamental belief: I am my brother’s keeper. I am my sister’s keeper that makes this country work.</em><br /><br />He continued to stare at me but said nothing more. Fearing I would pass out, I returned to my seat.<br /><br />As I sat down, I looked at my fellow wall-huggers and thought, I am so fired.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/convention2004/barackobama2004dnc.htm">Barak Obama 2004 National Democratic Convention Speech.</a>Bishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16909096907582552844noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25678554.post-1145745793636647072006-04-22T18:22:00.001-04:002006-05-02T14:14:02.363-04:00In Service to our Country.With today's announcement of the deaths of four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan near Gumbad, I am reminded of a lady named Mary, an OIF widow, whose <a href="http://www.lifeafteriraq.blogspot.com/">blog site</a> I stumbled across a couple of weeks ago. There I read, with great sadness, her struggle to come to terms with the November 2005 death of her husband while on duty in the Middle East.<br /><br />My heart goes out to all those who have lost loved ones in combat.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/1600/160_cpl_matt_dinning_060422.0.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/200/160_cpl_matt_dinning_060422.0.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><strong>Cpl. Matthew Dinning</strong><br />(Ontario)</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/1600/160_cpl_matt_dinning_060422.0.jpg"></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/1600/1601_cpl_mansell_060422.0.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/200/1601_cpl_mansell_060422.0.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><strong>Bombardier Myles Mansell<br /></strong>(British Columbia)</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/1600/160_soldier_payne_060422.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/200/160_soldier_payne_060422.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><strong>Cpl. Randy Payne</strong></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:78%;">(Manitoba)</span><br /></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/1600/160_bill_turner_060422.0.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/200/160_bill_turner_060422.0.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/1600/160_cpl_matt_dinning_060422.1.jpg"></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><strong>Lieutenant William Turner<br /></strong>(Alberta)</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Render&c=Page&cid=1144231318397">Canadian Afghanistan Casualties</a><br /><br />May the life these Canadians gave in service to our Country be forever remembered, celebrated and cherish.Bishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16909096907582552844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25678554.post-1145552494527977492006-04-20T12:53:00.001-04:002010-04-15T14:30:34.794-04:00Craig Kielburger. Doing Canadians Proud.<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/1600/theteamintro_craig.2.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/400/theteamintro_craig.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Until recently this gentleman's name was unknown to me.<br /><br />I have since learnt that his achievements are many and his dedication to the project that he and his brother started some 11 years ago is steadfast. I must admit I have found myself asking, what have I done in my 26 years of life that comes even remotely close to what this young man has done in the past 11.<br /><br />Bravo. Bravo.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/04/18/kielburger-prize060418.ht">Young Canadian wins "Children's Nobel Prize"<br /></a><br /><a href="http://www.freethechildren.org/">Free the Children</a>Bishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16909096907582552844noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25678554.post-1145502138993351012006-04-19T22:18:00.001-04:002010-04-15T14:24:28.866-04:00Maurizio Bevilacqua. The Dreamer.<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/1600/060419_bevil_300.0.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/200/060419_bevil_300.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Come on! Come on!<br /><br />Who the hell is whispering sweet nothings into Mr. Bevilacqua's ear? Because, truthfully, they should be drawn and quartered.<br /><br />I will admit Mr. Bevilacqua has been a very good MP and a fiercely loyal Liberal but he has been given some really bad advice if he believes he stands a chance at winning the leadership.<br /><br />Moreover, leading off a candidacy by urging Party members not to "buy into the idea they need to unite the left in order to regain power" is a fantastically bad move. The Liberal Party has had enough politics of dividicism. We need to re-unite, re-juvenate and re-establish.<br /><br />And, for the record, the Conservatives did <strong>win</strong> the last election. The Liberal Party ran a "re-active" national campaign and based on that alone, they did't stand a chance at winning another mandate.<br /><br />Going for broke here... to say that the 2005/2006 Liberal national campaign was awful is a gross understatement. They did not look like leaders, they did not act like leaders and they did not have the confidence (not to be confused with arrogance) of a governing party. In my opinion, this made it very difficult for Canadians to re-elect them.<br /><br />A campaign cannot be successful when it's leader hides behind past mistakes. Humility must be an option when going into a campaign where ones ethics are in question. Mr. Martin should have come out of the gates swinging. Get rid of all the MPs whose mere presence casts a shadow of doubt on the Party. Nothing, and I mean nothing, not even friendship, should be above the integrity of a Party. And, I am mortified that some Party members think differently.<br /><br />Now, back to Mr. Bevilacqua, I am never one to judge a book by the cover, if you are the best person to lead this party so be it. Best of luck.Bishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16909096907582552844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25678554.post-1144807749961990552006-04-11T21:54:00.001-04:002010-04-15T14:24:00.044-04:00PM Harper's Anti-Corruption Bill.<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/1600/resampled_big_20060406-PhotoGallery-ReplytoSFT-3.0.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/200/resampled_big_20060406-PhotoGallery-ReplytoSFT-3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />In an attempt to be as honest as possible, I will freely admit I have a real disdain (and I use this word deliberately) for current Prime Minister Stephen Harper. I arbour his arrogance and his blatant disregard for process; case-in-point, the defection and subsequent ministerial appointment of former Liberal MP David Emerson immediately after the 2006 federal election and the Cabinet appointment of Michael Fortier, an unelected official. Both came on the heals of his diatribe about party loyalty and the inherent lack of morals of members of the Federal Liberal Party. And, let us not forget his venomous attacks on Belinda Stronach for her crossing of the floor in 2005.<br /><br />His hypocrisy is legendary.<br /><br />You must, therefore, appreciate how difficult it is for me to admit the following: I see promise in Prime Minister Harper's recently announced Anti-Corruption Bill. The Federal Accountability Act (tabled by, dare I say, my favourite Tory MP, John Baird) is far reaching and touches on dozens of federal statutes, including parts of the Access to Information Act and Elections Act. My favourite component of the proposed Bill is the provision that prevents political staffers and senior 'crats from lobbying government for a period of 5 years after their service, bravo!<br /><br />That said, I have learnt to keep my enthusiasm and expectations in check. I eagerly await the debate of this Bill in the House. Moreover, if implemented, I look forward to seeing how quickly a Party finds itself in breach and how government disciplines those in violation.<br /><br />Establishing a set of rules is easy. Having people (nee politicians) follow them, well, that is a whole other story.Bishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16909096907582552844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25678554.post-1144619163985557002006-04-09T17:45:00.001-04:002010-04-15T14:23:30.152-04:00Gay like me.I am sitting as many twenty-somethings do on a Sunday afternoon at the nearest Starbucks. A little mid-afternoon people watching never hurt anyone. I am always amused by the characters that stroll into the Starbucks at Yonge/Wellesley--the political staffers (easy to spot, just look for a crackberry), the fashionistas, last night club kids and the ever present wannabes.<br /><br />Wannabes?<br /><br />Call it a by-product of <em>Will and Grace</em>, <em>Queer as Folk</em>, <em>The L Word</em>...the list is endless.<br /><br />Wannabes are usually between the ages of 17 - 30, hangout at all the watering holes and desperately want to be part of "gay culture" so long as it is packaged in a loverly pink Holt Renfrew bag. Gone are the days where being gay is taboo.<br /><br />This is a good thing, right?<br /><br />The jury is still out.<br /><br />What does being gay really mean? What is it all about? By Hollywood standards, it means being hot, young, successful and a party whore. We are constantly bombarded with a sensationalized understanding of what coming out of the closet means.<br /><br />Admitting you are gay to your family, friends and colleagues can be traumatizing. The act of coming out is not the hardest part, rather its dealing with the reactions from others. All too often family members don't understand, friends turn the other way and suddenly colleagues go out of their way to not say anything "inappropriate". Everyone walks on eggshells. Mercifully, this is the good part. There are countless stories, like that of Brendan Tina, where internal struggle leads to external conflicts with sometimes tragic consequences.<br /><br />So, what is the point of this rant? Simply put, Hollywood must be very careful of how they portray gay culture. They have a duty to not sensationalize the hardships faced by those who have the strength to openly declare their sexuality.<br /><br />It's no picnic.Bishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16909096907582552844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25678554.post-1144539904300151592006-04-08T19:42:00.000-04:002006-04-09T12:01:32.760-04:00Madame President.<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/1600/160px-Hillary_Rodham_Clinton.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/200/160px-Hillary_Rodham_Clinton.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />There has been much debate surrounding whether or not the former first lady will mount a challenge to become the first female President of the United States of America.<br /><br />Anyone who has been following Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton's political career knows that she is testing the waters and amassing a sizable "war chest". But should she win, does she truly understand the state of the nation she will be inheriting. Fiscal mismanagement, a nation divided over a war that should never have started, an escalating unemployment rate, a battle over immigration, an increasing ethno-cultural rift, an all to present sense of fear of additional terrorist attacks, an increased hatred of Americans and a lack of respect on the international stage. <br /><br />There is little doubt that the next POTUS will have some major challenges. So naturally one must ask (and many do) can a woman realistically turn things around? <br /><br />Would a woman have the "balls" to go to war, if necessary? <br /><br />Would a woman be able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with world leaders who still believe women are second class citizens?<br /><br />The answer is a resounding YES and I would jump at the opportunity to say that I serve at the pleasure of President-elect, Hillary Rodham Clinton.Bishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16909096907582552844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25678554.post-1144539431504339572006-04-08T19:34:00.001-04:002010-04-15T14:22:08.466-04:00Quotes.Everyone now and again I come across a quote that makes me stop and take pause.<br /><br />Quotes of the day:<br /><br /><em>What is to give light must endure burning.</em><br /><br /><em>Life is a battle. Either you enter it armed or surrender immediately.</em><br /><br /><em>If looks could kill you'd be a murderer of maybe just a whore.</em>Bishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16909096907582552844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25678554.post-1144523553925220182006-04-08T15:12:00.002-04:002010-04-15T14:21:27.267-04:00Michael Ignatieff. Friend or Foe.<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/1600/180px-M_ignatieff_056.0.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7372/2686/200/180px-M_ignatieff_056.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Michael Ignatieff. The next would-be Prime Minister of Canada.<br /><br />Much has been said of Mr. Ignatieff since his recruitment to the Canadian Liberal Party in the late summer of 2005. Many view him as the savior of the Liberal Party while others view him as a dissident who knows little of the country he left some 20 years ago.<br /><br />So who is Michael Ignatieff?<br /><br />A brilliant academic educated at UofT and Harvard, Ignatieff has taught at UBC, Kings College, Cambridge and Harvard. He has written extensively on human rights and ethics and is considered an authority on international politics. The son of a Canadian diplomat and grandson of the Tsar's last Minister of Education, Ignatieff is no stranger to politics or controversies. In 2003, Ignatieff generated controversy by supporting the US-lead invasion of Iraq and suggesting that Canada consider the proposed Canada-US North American Missile Defence Shield. In 2004, he again found himself in the hot seat when he said he would be in favour of legislation that would permit coercive interrogation (torture) that did not result in lasting harm to mental or physical health. And, in November 2005, he found himself the object of a very heated debate regarding his nomination in the riding of Etobicoke-Lakeshore.<br /><br />So what does Michael Ignatieff bring to the Canadian Liberal Party? A fresh face. A bit of star power.<br /><br />Does this mean he is the right person for the job? Only time will tell. He has surrounded himself with the top echelon of political movers and shakers and to his credit he is well spoken and personable. What he may lack in "Canadian appeal" he more than makes up for in star power. With Belinda Stronach no longer in the race he is the frontrunner with no other formidable challengers in sight.<br /><br />What does this blogger think of Ignatieff's chances? It will depend heavily on the other candidates. Bob Rae (a close friend of Ignatieff) and Gerard Kennedy (if they announce their candidacy) will certainly give him stiff competition. Their face recognition and the fact that they have both been active in Canadian politics will give them an edge.<br /><br />Let the games begin.Bishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16909096907582552844noreply@blogger.com0