THE GREATEST CANADIAN PAST AND FUTURE
Mood:  irritated
Now Playing: The Greatest Canadian
Topic: Politics
Recently we conducted a national poll to find the Greatest Canadian, who won but a man who was premier of Saskatchewan by the name of Tommy Douglas... WHO WAS HE A GREAT MANY SHOUTED and a history lesson was learned, so the effort was two fold. The best Canadian was found and we all learned who he was. Not bad, we even found out what he did and as it turned out it was no small feat. HE CREATED MEDICARE, THE PRIDE OF OUR NATION. Also something that turns the heads of our Cousins to the south. It will be hard to find many Americans that would not enjoy such a system even with the troubles it has today, certainly they all know what living without is like.

AND NOW ON TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN.

From Tommy Douglas a truly great man to premier Ralph Klein leader of the Progressive Conservative party of Alberta... personally I have never been able to find just cause for the word "progressive", and now after this last election we will see just how fast Mr Klein will be able to dance.

Prior to the outcome of this small victory for the opposition and the great shout of the 210,000 voices that chose to not caste a ballot, Mr Klein was making a lot of quacking noises about the future of medicine in our province. '"USER FEES", "TWO TIER MEDICINE" and other such brilliant utterances.

The concept of "universiality" and the money given to this province by the Federal Government not withstanding Mr Klien strode forth with ideas of making Albertans pay for their healthcare. However we spoke up, and maybe we bit him hard enough to realize that. Even this arrogant man is only as good as the people that put him in power.

With all the BILLIONS, yes BILLIONS of extra dollars in the provincial coffers and a government that has publically stated that "WE HAVE NO DEBT"..How about giving back some of the things that you took from us in the mid eighties Ralph, you destroyed the nursing profession, then you turned your eyes to education now you have created classes of over 30 students and chopped teachers by the hundreds, have you ever speculated on the average age of the teachers that are left Ralph. Most are not spring chickens any more, they wait only for their pensions, THEN WHAT ???

Its hard to train good nurses when the education system is in ruins. YOU CREATED THIS MESS IN ORDER TO SAVE MONEY, NOW YOUR BUILDING A BIGGER BEUROCRACY TO OVERSEE WHAT EXACTLY? Instead of wasting tax payers money on bigger government lets improve our standard of health. We have the money to make Alberta the envy of Canada and maybe the world RALPH, maybe you could unseat Tommy Douglas if you works real hard for the last 3 and a half years of your reign.

PLATOALBERTA

Bush graces Canada
Mood:  irritated
Now Playing: Political Commentary
Topic: Politics
So on the eve of the Mr Bush's visit to Canada many Albertans feel he comes with a golden pen to help us with our cattle crisis. A crisis of HIS CREATION, and one that has been shown to be a pan border epidemic. Meaning that the U.S has just as much B.S.E if not more than Canada. Then why the closed border we ask?? Answer, a very large cattle lobby in America, who suffers from such isolationist practices THE PEOPLE on both sides of the border. YES AMERICANS AS WELL AS CANADIAN.Those Cattlemen wont give their meat away when there is less of it will they???

Actually i believe that in the end the American people suffer more, historically America has been an isolationist nation going back to before the First World War. The economics of 1914 wont work so well anymore Canadian producers are beginning to find alternate methods and markets for their cattle.

Lets continue that thought, Softwood Lumber is another thorn in our Canadian backside. The Strong American Lobby for Lumber has been hard at work in Washington for many years keeping tariffs high and pressure on to keep Canadian lumber out. HOW MUCH LUMBER DOES America HAVE LEFT. The
World Trade Organization proclaimed that the tariffs were illegal and that the proceeds were to be handed back to Canadian producers. NOT ONE PENNY HAS PASSED HANDS, AND YES, THE tariffs STAND.lets face it at some point you in the south will look north and wish mightily for that wood.Will it be there or will we be selling it to Japan and Europe for better prices?

Your Salmon is gone, so is your water,You cant live without water. Mr Bush has already made speeches about how the water is YOURS ??? IT ORIGINATES IN OUR ROCKY MOUNTAINS !!! He wants to pump it through unused gas pipelines to the U.S. ITS THE WRONG TYPE OF PIPE !!!!!

So many of the raw materials that make your country run come from Outside your borders yet you continue to slap us Canadians in the face when it suits you and claim it is in the name of protection of trade. YOU SIGNED A FREE TRADE AGREEMENT but it seems it is only free as long as it suits America.

These are the feelings north of the border, and a great many of the isolationist activities are not lost on the average Canadian. We are a highly educated people who watch south of the border with an eagle eye. All we ask is for an even playing field, and a set of rules that EVERYONE plays by. It is not a lot to ask to be treated like the developed nation that we are.

To conclude in these days when America is wondering why international perception is so bad and why it is so dangerous for Americans to travel to a great many places in this world, think about what actions like these do.

PLATOALBERTA