[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[Malthus]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/thomas-dang-20-youngest-ndp-mla-to-win-seat-in-alberta-1.3065249

My MLA.

Hmm.  I just learned that my MLA, 20 year old Thomas Dang, is a member of Delta Upsilon (which, for those keeping track, is my fraternity).

So its all good then

I wouldn't go that far.  The problem is that he is an active undergraduate member of DU.

Can't you give him the super-secret handshake, and then he's obliged to foster your career or something? 

[Barrister]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/thomas-dang-20-youngest-ndp-mla-to-win-seat-in-alberta-1.3065249

My MLA.

Hmm.  I just learned that my MLA, 20 year old Thomas Dang, is a member of Delta Upsilon (which, for those keeping track, is my fraternity).

So its all good then

I wouldn't go that far.  The problem is that he is an active undergraduate member of DU.

Can't you give him the super-secret handshake, and then he's obliged to foster your career or something? 

It's a non-secret fraternity.  We don't have a super-secret anything, never mind a handshake.   

Besides, if anything, I should be obliged to help him with his career.

[crazy canuck]

Besides, if anything, I should be obliged to help him with his career.

Exactly.  You have been awfully unfraternal   

[Josephus]

Though shalt not speak out against Harper's gov't:

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2015/05/11/the-high-price-of-speaking-out-in-ottawa-editorial.html

[Malthus]

It's a non-secret fraternity.  We don't have a super-secret anything, never mind a handshake.   

Heh, I bet denying the super-secret handshake is the first rule of the fraternity. 

Besides, if anything, I should be obliged to help him with his career.

And you didn't vote for him? Tisk.

[Barrister]

It's a non-secret fraternity.  We don't have a super-secret anything, never mind a handshake.   

Heh, I bet denying the super-secret handshake is the first rule of the fraternity. 

WE HAVE NO SECRETS!   Go ahead, ask me anything.

Besides, if anything, I should be obliged to help him with his career.

And you didn't vote for him? Tisk.

Well if he would have run on a pro-Delta Upsilon platform, that would have been different...

[crazy canuck]

Though shalt not speak out against Harper's gov't:

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2015/05/11/the-high-price-of-speaking-out-in-ottawa-editorial.html

I have to say, I find this troubling.

[Malthus]

WE HAVE NO SECRETS!   Go ahead, ask me anything.

Okay ... what's the super-secret handshake?

[ducks, runs ]

Well if he would have run on a pro-Delta Upsilon platform, that would have been different...

He can't. The goals of such a platform would all be secret.

[ducks, runs ]

[Malthus]

Though shalt not speak out against Harper's gov't:

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2015/05/11/the-high-price-of-speaking-out-in-ottawa-editorial.html

I have to say, I find this troubling.

It's echoed in today's editorial in the Globe, though on different issues - interference withnthe Duffy audit.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/if-integrity-is-the-issue-the-tories-are-finished/article24388470/

[crazy canuck]

Though shalt not speak out against Harper's gov't:

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2015/05/11/the-high-price-of-speaking-out-in-ottawa-editorial.html

I have to say, I find this troubling.

It's echoed in today's editorial in the Globe, though on different issues - interference withnthe Duffy audit.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/if-integrity-is-the-issue-the-tories-are-finished/article24388470/

I also find that to be the most troubling thing about the Duffy mess. 

[Grey Fox]

Why are you surprise? That's how Conservative act + fall out of the Commandite Scandal.

[crazy canuck]

If I understand you correctly, aren't you mixing in a Liberal scandal?

[Grey Fox]

Yes but the scandal isn't the issue. The fallout is.

We found out about that scandal because someone talked. For the government, no matter is creed, that is unacceptable.

[crazy canuck]

Two pieces of news today that make me wonder whether there is a Federal political party for me.

Item 1:  The conservatives are trying to pass legislation before the election that will make more insite type clinics impossible to open despite all the evidence that those clinics reduce crime and increase health outcomes including helping people to seek treatment for their addictions.  It appears to be yet another ideological policy decision rather than one based on the evidence which has been studied over the last decade the clinic has been in operation.

Item 2: Justin was interviewed on the Vancouver CBC morning show regarding his support for Bill C-51.  He justified voting for the Bill by saying there were parts that protected Canadians and he would fix the other parts once elected.  When asked what needed fixing he responded that there were parts that were, in his view, contrary to the Charter.  When asked why he supported legislation he believed violated the Charter he said quite bluntly it was more important to protect the safety of Canadian citizens.  So much for the Rule of Law.  At least the Conservatives claim the Bill complies with the Charter.

As much as I dislike the ideologically driven policies of the present government, years of living in this province make me wary of the ideology of the NDP.  I recognize that the NDP here are probably the most ideologically driven of all the Provincial NDP parties but there is a significant chance that some of those old time socialists will be able to influence a Prime Minister Mulcair.

[Grey Fox]

Can they really when the vast majority of his MPs are going to be from Ontario & Quebec?