in diesem, extra für Angie eingerichteten Blog , wird sie uns hoffentlich regelmäßig über ihre Erlebnisse in dem weit entfernten Kanada berichten. Über zahlreiche Bilder, die wir hier hoffentlich auch schön darstellen können , würden wir uns natürlich auch sehr freuen.
Bleibt nur noch dir viel Glück und getreu dem kanadischen Sprichwort “The devil places a pillow for a drunken man to fall upon” (Einem Betrunkenen legt der Teufel auch noch das Kopfkissen zum Drauffallen hin) auch sehr viel Spaß zu wünschen !
Of course, my question echoes the sad passing of Senator Ted Kennedy, who had come to be known as the “Liberal Lion” of the Senate. But the question still sounds unusual– Canada is, after all, supposedly more liberal than the U.S. So why would it be so hard to find a “liberal lion” in Canada?
Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. Kennedy earned that particular title for not just for his outspoken liberalism, but also for his hard work and ability to work with those on the other side of the political divide– including breaking with the party line — to get things done. Thus Kennedy had a great legislative output, despite strong liberal beliefs that may not have been shared by many of his Senate colleagues.
What about Canada? We are, as noted, the more liberal country, so surely we can find many outspoken Parliamentarians with strong liberal and progressive credentials, whether among the Liberals, NDP, the Bloc and even the Conservatives (I am thinking of “Red” Tories of the Joe Clarke/Diefenbaker variety).
Well, probably. But I find it much, much harder to think of a particular legislator who has shown a willingness to consistently break with party discipline in order to get legislation passed; and also, to build coalitions for legislation among members of different parties, rather than within a party.
That may be a product of our brand of parliamentarianism: strong party discipline with few private member bills ever seeing the light of day. But even these things are not written in stong: that is, if there were legislators willing to break with party discipline, cross political aisles to steer bills through the precarious legislative process, and build intra as well as inter party coalitions, then maybe we could easily name Canada’s very own Liberal Lion.
I was watching Dr. Robert Ouellet, the President of the Canadian Medical Association, on C-Span’s Morning Edition as he took calls and questions on Canada’s single-payer system. The most important thing he did was blow holes in the myths which are being actively promoted by the Right-wing health opponents. I wish everyone could be watching or listening to this and, if as is the case on Sundays, C-Span reruns this morning’s program on C-Span 3 in the afternoon, then it would be worth catching it and listening.
In connection with this program, I would refer you to a long article I read last night on Truthout, titled “Don’t Get Sick.” by Gail Pellet, a Canadian living in the United States, who makes a detailed defense of Canada’s system and part of the history of how it came about as a result of the work of T. C. (Tommy) Douglas, a Baptist minister turned politician in Saskatchewan (and, interestingly enough, the grandfather of Kiefer Sutherland.)
This from the article:
In 2004, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation conducted a poll to determine whom Canadians thought was the greatest Canadian of all time. It was not Pierre Trudeau, Joni Mitchell, Dan Aykroyd, Leonard Cohen, Margaret Atwood, Lorne Michaels, Oscar Peterson, Peter Jennings, Celine Dion, Neil Young, Keanu Reeves, nor Wayne Gretzky. It wasn’t even Keifer Sutherland or his dad, Donald. No, it was Keifer Sutherland’s grandfather, Tommy Douglas, who is credited with making sure that Canadians would have universal, government-funded health care. When Canadians are periodically polled and asked what they are most proud of, in addition to peacekeeping, it is their national health care system.
The Canadian system is single-payer, however YOU select your doctor (sounds a little like what Obama keeps saying and the Repiglicans keep denying). Ouellet, who is the outgoing President of the CMA, originally spent a great deal of effort to get the Canadian system privatized, until a polling of the country revealed that 85% of the population wanted to improve the public system and had no interest in privatization. He then worked to strengthen the one area that has been called up as weak and that is waiting periods for some procedures in some parts of the country. He points out that these are not that great and in the last couple of years since the 2004 poll have been greatly reduced. It should be noted that NONE of the complaints about waiting periods apply to emergencies or necessary needs of major diseases. As one person on the phone with Ouellet on C-Span said: “If you have cancer, Canada is the best place to be.”
It is problematic that we, as Americans, don’t like to listen to other countries and their successes. We have had the same response to systems in Great Britain and France that we have had to Canada, that is, we are unique, and special, etc.etc. etc…. meanwhile our lives are shorter in length and we are further down on the scale (37th exactly) when compared to the Health Care programs in other countries. This is our peculiar problem, and we suffer for it.
By the way, if you are interested in how Tommy Douglas got Saskatchewan and then the whole country to move toward the program they have now, then you might be interested in a speech he is famous for when he founded the New Democratic Party. It’s called “Mouseland” and this animated video is introduced by Kiefer Sutherland HERE Note… this is not about Health Care, but about political change and, glory be, it applies to us as well.
From left to right; George Brown (nearly assassinated!), Alexander Campbell (kind of boring actually) and Charles Tupper who looks exceedingly grumpy in every picture I’ve seen of him. His enemy Joseph Howe called him “The Wicked Wasp of Cumberland.”
What is a muttonchop, you ask? Well it should be evident from the picture above but if you need more clarification click here.
Of course they would probably never join a secret society revolving around their shared style of facial hair. They probably would have just hated each other.
I guess they kind of missed the trend, but there were no examples that I can find of a CCF/Labour/Progressive/Ginger/United Farmer with muttonchops. They were around at the turn of the century, but either A) at that point it was no longer chique or B) muttonchops are for the rich. I wanted to have a representative of the farther-left to complete the trifecta but none was to be had.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has appointed former president of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, John Williamson, as director of public communications to replace Kory Teneycke. The move seems very odd superficially, given Mr.Williamson’s long history of criticizing the government for their costly moves to the Canadian taxpayer. Just as with the U.S. white house spokesperson, the job is stressful and difficult, as the person chosen has to deal with the media and remain consistently on message with the party. This is the fourth person to fill this position since the government was elected in 2006.
The quotable quotes from Mr.Williamson are seemingly at odds with his decision to climb on board the Tory train:
“It is no contest between the Harper government’s spending and that of [former prime minister Jean] Chretien’s government; the Grits exercised greater fiscal discipline.” – National Post, July, 2008.
“Conservative partisans will insist these funding announcements were made adhering to all the proper rules and guidelines. Of course, these would be the very same oversight measures they loudly protested in opposition when the then-governing Liberals of Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin spent wildly, hoping to buy votes.” – Caledon Citizen, August, 2008.
“I would think as an economist, and as a fiscal conservative, the prime minister would recognize that if, in fact, we’re moving in to a slow-down period, this is the time to cut taxes — to lower the cost of doing business or to take some pressure off family budgets.” – CNEWS, December, 2007
So do John Williamson’s earlier statements and criticisms of the government mean that the man has had a change of heart? Or was he not sincere in his positions before? Well, it is possible to be truthful in criticism, whilst retaining an appreciation for the political party that holds closest to one’s ideals. It’s a similar position I find myself in.
Or to think of it another way, it is the critics who drive a political party forward, not backward, since they hold the movement to account of it’s purposes and principles. Die-hard partisans who follow regardless of policy may not see any inherent weaknesses in the party, but then they probably never understand why they lose elections either.
Another point in favour of John Williamson’s selection is his unique point of view from the ordinary taxpayer. If you think of his former position as that of an advocate, or a lawyer, it was Mr.Williamson’s job to find the maximum benefit or advantage for taxpayers, and point out the greatest disadvantage in Tory policies. Lawyers aren’t necessarily advocating the greatest benefit for all involved when they evaluate what their clients need. Similarly, the taxpayer’s federation makes arguments which it believes will facilitate the least burden on the individual taxpayer. That responsibility requires harsh criticism of progressive tax systems with high marginal rates, which is what Canada has.
Back in March of 2008, Tory adviser Tom Flanagan said that people like John Williamson and dissident Gerry Nicholls serve an important part of the overall Conservative strategy anyway:
Flanagan insists the last three Conservative budgets have left the Liberals cornered. And he isn’t bothered by those on the political right, like Nicholls, who criticize the prime minister for not being drastic enough.
“Part of the execution of the plan was that there would be conservatives attacking him — like John Williamson (of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation), Gerry Nicholls,” Flanagan said.
“That’s extremely useful, to have that kind of pressure there, berating the prime minister for not doing enough.”
Bonne nouvelle: un nouveau projet pilote de “train-vélo” vient d’être lancé entre Montréal et Toronto. C’est-à-dire qu’à certaines heures, jusqu’au 8 octobre, vous pouvez prendre le train entre ces destinations sans être obligé de mettre votre vélo dans une boîte. Une bénédiction quand on connaît les désagréments que cela peut parfois entraîner…
Plus de détails dans mon article à ce sujet publié dans La Presse d’aujourd’hui, section Voyage :
Mon guidon, ma brosse à dents
On rêve parfois d’une escapade à vélo d’une fin de semaine. Mais quand on veut sortir de la région de Montréal, sans voiture, c’est compliqué!
Il faut démonter partiellement sa bicyclette pour la mettre dans une grande boîte et la transporter à bord du train ou de l’autocar. Pas évident, pour un simple week-end!
C’est ce qui a inspiré à un organisme ontarien l’idée du train-vélo, maintenant offert entre Montréal et Toronto aux cyclistes qui veulent passer une fin de semaine à pédaler dans la Ville reine sans tracas.
Avec le train-vélo, pas besoin d’outils pour enlever les pédales et tourner le guidon: on monte votre bécane à bord telle quelle, et on l’insère dans des supports installés dans un compartiment à bagages, tout simplement! L’arrivée se fait au centre-ville, à Union Station.
Ce nouveau service lancé le 24 août propose deux départs par jour, sept jours sur sept, et fonctionnera jusqu’au 8 octobre. Un départ a lieu le matin à 6h30 et un autre à 17h.
Toutefois, comme il s’agit d’un projet pilote, seulement six places sont offertes dans chaque train. Il faut donc acheter les billets au moins trois jours à l’avance, au coût de 218$ aller-retour pour un adulte, taxes incluses. On doit acheter ses billets directement sur le site du train-vélo, sans passer par VIA Rail, partenaire du projet. Si l’axe Montréal-Toronto a du succès, Transportation Options, l’organisme à but non lucratif qui a lancé le projet, compte étendre l’expérience en offrant plus de places dans l’avenir, et ajouter de nouvelles destinations, indique Justin Lafontaine, directeur du train-vélo.
Un autre circuit, baptisé le Greenbelt Express, relie Toronto à Niagara Falls durant les week-ends et remporte un grand succès, selon M. Lafontaine. Il dispose de 60 places.
À Toronto et à Niagara
La ville de Toronto possède un circuit cyclable de 1000 km, dont certaines pistes sont très populaires. C’est le cas de la Waterfront Trail, qui longe le lac Ontario sur 780 km, allant du Québec jusqu’à Niagara et traversant 41 municipalités.
On peut aussi explorer le Toronto Island Park, un parc-archipel de 230 hectares relié à la ville par un traversier plusieurs fois par jour, ainsi que de nombreux autres parcs.
Pour s’aventurer du côté de Niagara, il faut compter environ deux heures de train supplémentaires. Sur place, on découvrira notamment la Niagara River Recreation Trail, une piste cyclable pavée de 56 km.
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