My thoughts on the Economic Update and PM Harpers Lack of Respect

So, I'm guessing that most of you have heard by now that the federal government may be defeated on the first opposition day over the economic update. The Conservatives are busy spinning their spin, trying to convince anyone who will listen that the opposition parties are being undemocratic and that all this is a "power grab" by "backroom politicians".

For several reasons I believe that Harper and the Conservatives at the ones being undemocratic.

1) The Canadian voters gave the Conservatives a minority government. Not a majority. They need to stop ruling like they have a majority, and respect the fact that almost 2/3 of candians who voted did NOT vote for the conservatives and did not chose Harper to be the prime minister.
2) At the first sign that Harper did something wrong, what does he do? He cancels opposition day so that the opposition doesn't have the opportunity to get their message across. How is this democratic? Not letting the people voted in by Canadians have their turn to speak?
3) Canada is NOT a two party system. There are checks and balances like the one being saught by the Liberals and the NDP to make sure that Minority governments rule on behalf of the country, not out of self interest.
4) This is not unprecedented. The Liberals and NDP formed a coalition government in Ontario in the 1980s to defeat the minority conservatives. The coalition served for a year and then called an election at a specified date which the liberals went on to win and practically destroy the conservatives in Ontario. (Obviously in that case the Liberal and NDP coalition pleased the Ontario public).
5) This kind of thing happens pretty frequently in European countries that aren't two party systems, including: Norway, Sweeden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Turkey, and Israel.


Top this off with the fact that the Conservatives failed miserably to provide any much needed economic stimulus to help protect Canadian Jobs. I understand that they are saying "We don't know where to spend it yet, so wait until March". But is that realistic? If we wait until March the Auto industry in Canada could be virtually destroyed as the american package will come much quicker and you can be guaranteed that there will be clauses for job protection and creation in the US. What I believe Canada should have done (and likely will do with a Liberal/NDP coalition government) is annouce an $X billion stimulus package with the details to be worked out over the coming weeks.

As for the public funding of political parties - the issue the conservatives are trying to make this about - the issue that even after it was removed from the economic statement failed to turn around the momentum of the Liberals/NDP.

1) Obviously this wasn't the issue that upset the liberals and NDP the most since even after it was removed, they are still going full steam ahead.
2) In my opinion is a little undemocratic. Yes, taxpayers shouldn't have to pay party subsides, but to announce overnight that these subsidies are going to be removed without giving the parties that rely on them time to recover financially? It is a power grab, pure and simple. The conservatives have made it no secret that it is their ambition to ruin the Liberal Party.
3) I don't believe that this issue would have even ruined the liberals. I bet from that one day alone (after the economic update was released), the Liberals probably recieved upwards of half a million in political donations from Liberals (myself included) that got scared and figured that it was time to support their party more.

Happy Birthday to Me!

So, 28. I’m old ;) Funny, I don’t feel that old. It is actually comforting. My office hires almost exclusively people with masters degrees for the professional track, so even though I was so late starting work (26 versus 22 had I gone to a different university and not done my masters), I am still considered a youngin’ here, even compared to others at my same level.

So, it’s been a month since I last updated. Woopsies.

Brief run down. First weekend in Nov. A’s mum came down. We had a good visit with her. Following week I was up in Sarnia doing stuff at a refinery, next weekend we got our furniture so spent most of the day Saturday putting it all together. Following week mostly in the office with one long day up in Thornbury. I liked it up there. I would move there in a heart beat if I didn’t have to work for a living. Following weekend, Sound of Music! Amazing. On Sunday A left for a week in Victoria for work and my Aunt and Uncle came for dinner and stayed over night. We had a good visit and I got to use our new china for the first time! Last week was a short week for me. Three days of work, then off Thursday and Friday to babysit D’s kids and their 12 week old puppy. LOTS of work. I was happy to be back at work yesterday since it afforded me a chance to relax. Let me run Thursday by you as an example.

Wake up at 6:30, puppy is whining to go out to the bathroom, I take her outside. M is awake. She colours for about half an hour before K wakes up. I get them breakfast, L (puppy) has peed on the floor. I clean it up, while I’m cleaning up pee, L steels dirty diaper (#1 only thank god) from K’s room and proceeds to rip it up. Clean up mess. Get kids dressed, teeth brushed, and hair done. L has peed on the floor again. Turn the house upside down trying to find hats and mitts for the kids, can’t find M’s snow pants for school. Finally about 5 minutes late, I have kids in Car driving M to school and L is locked in her kennel.

After dropping M. at school, I take K to my dad’s house for a visit before he goes off on vacation for a week and a half. I had a meeting with my financial planer at 2 pm. At 1 pm – right before I wanted to leave so that I could run some errands first, I realize K has a smelly diaper. I take off her pants to change, and poop is everywhere, all over her pants. Eew! I changed her diaper, washed her pants, put them in the dryer. 30 minutes later, my meeting is supposed to be starting, K’s pants are *almost dry* so we head off into town. Meeting went well, got myself set up for RRSP contributions. Everyone at the office though K was adorable (which she is!). After meeting we picked Maddy up for school and go home.

L got out of her kennel. Peed and pooped of the floor, tore apart another diaper, my book, and one of the drawings Maddy had done that morning. Ugh. Clean it all up. M and K colouring and playing. Cook dinner, play hide and seek, bathe kids, get ready for bed, done. Wash, Rinse Repeat, 2.5 times.
So conclusions from my foray into parenting.

1) Puppies are cute but a lot of work
2) Kids are cute but a lot of work
3) I’m not ready to give up my life for Kids. I like being independent. Every minute of my day from the minute I woke up in the morning to when they fell asleep (on Friday that was 11 pm for K), my life was devoted to them.
4) I want a puppy  I wish my job allowed for that, but alas, it does not.
5) Getting a puppy while I’m on Mat leave (my original plan) is NOT a good idea!!!

Other than that, not much. I will be posting pictures from this weekend on facebook – probably Thursday? Today is my birthday. Kind of sucks to be at work. In grad school I could just stay home, and last year it was on a Sunday. I guess the last time I had to work on my birthday was in 2003 at club H. A and I are going out for dinner tonight. Not sure where, most of the restaurants in Woodstock are chains, which I kind of feel Meh about, I would much rather go to a family run independent place. That is one thing I miss about KW.