Dije

A culture in decline thrashes haphazardly at minorities that compose them; rallying cries and scapegoats, fixing nothing but assured decline.

Instead of asking the important questions of why, conflict is formed against the who; denying the past, burying the present and obfuscating the future.

Denial and decline, the unwed brothers, imperially fighting African outposts, while Rome slowly burns.

All that I am is what he allowed me to be,
All that is left was by him for you to see,
Something lost and something else gained,
Something altogether new panging this pain.

Well, I'll quietly take my defeat and retire, once more, this journal.

1. Loonies do not fit all the way into the ticket slot for the new OC Transpo payment machines. Thankfully.
2. I need coffee BEFORE taking public transportation
3. Quarters, dimes and nickels would definately fit in the ticket slot (how effectively I am unsure)
4. I am becoming bus lazy again.

Your government has the solution! You can now use their party website to get all your rhetoric, send it to the media of your choice and sign your name to it! Democracy is now so easy, the Conservatives will do all the thinking for you!

It’s amazing!

Feeling depressed? It’s the Liberals fault!
Don’t like your job? It’s the separatist coalitions fault!
Don’t like the majority of Canadians having equal rights to a minority of Canadians? Then Stephen Harper is a strong leader.
Think that compassion for others is deeply wrong? Canadians clearly voted for Mr. Harper to battle all threats to our ‘democracy’.

I’m so glad that I no longer need to think about or analyze politics. I can now just have the Conservatives do it for me.

Some sample speaking points, should you find yourself uninformed or blind with rage that everyone isn’t the same as you;

- This fall, Canadians gave the Conservative government a clear mandate to continue taking action on the economy.
- During a global downturn, the last thing our country needs for Opposition politicians to claim entitlements for your tax dollars and ultimately, to take power without a mandate from the people.
- Under Stephen Harper's leadership, our government was ahead of the curve in anticipating the global economic slowdown. We are injecting billions in stimulus through tax cuts, investments in roads and bridges, and we are protecting the banking system.
Our focus is the economy, but Opposition parties have their own priorities. While all Canadians are tightening our belts, they feel entitled to make taxpayers pay for political party staff, polls and advertising. They want to replace the elected government, just to preserve $17 million worth of entitlements.
- This is clearly unacceptable for a modern democracy.
- The Speech from the Throne was passed by the House of Commons yesterday - after the details of the Economic and Fiscal Update were known.
- After approving the Speech from the Throne, the opposition now is trying to orchestrate a backroom deal to "take" power rather than "earn" it. It would be fundamentally anti-democratic for the Liberals - after their worst popular vote showing in history - to:
Offer up a surprise leader; Offer up a surprise coalition; and Have such a coalition backstopped by a party that wants to destroy the country.
- Furthermore, neither the Liberals nor the Bloc have any mandate to form a coalition as they explicitly campaigned against it:
- During the election the Liberals told voters they could not govern in coalition with the NDP because Layton "does not understand the economy".
- The Bloc also told voters during the campaign that they categorically rejected the possibility of forming a multi-party coalition to stop the Conservatives.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? - get engaged, spread a family members ashes, live with three cats

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? - never make any so none to keep

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? - nope

4. Did anyone close to you die? - yes

5. What countries did you visit? - stayed home

6. What would you like to have in 2009 which you lacked in 2008? - better running health and good study habits

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched in your memory, and why? November 20, when my grandmother died and December 8 when my Cools said yes when I asked her to marry me

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? - getting engaged, since i had been pessimistic for so long about finding someone so wonderful

9. What was your biggest failure? - not expressing my emotions well

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? - nothing major

11. What was the best thing you bought? - engagement ring

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? - my mother and the strength she showed during my grandmothers death

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? - no one personally.

14. Where did most of your money go? - mortgage

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? - being back in school, coming home to my fiancée

16. What song will always remind you of 2008? - hmm...

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: Happier or sadder? Thinner or fatter? Richer or poorer? Happier, thinner and poorer (only financially)

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? - traveling and socializing with friends

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? - being idle

20. How will you be spending New Year’s? - with the person I love the most in the world

21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with? - txt w É lolz je t'm!

22. Did you fall in love in 2008? - Successfully, every day since July 20, 2007.

23. How many one night stands in this last year? 0

24. What was your favorite TV program? - Six Feet Under and Tudors. Wait until season 4 of Weeds comes out!

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? - nope

26. What was the best book(s) you read? - hmm

27. What was your greatest musical discovery? - really like Ladytron

28. What did you want and get? - a ring on my lovers finger

29. What did you want and not get? - I have everything I need and don't track the wants too closely.

30. What was your favorite film of this year? Don't think I saw any Hollywood this year... Far Side of the Moon (Face cachée de la lune, La) was great!

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old did you turn? turned 28, spent the day with someone special

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? - within reality? Plenty of things...

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? - bought new jeans finally, so i would say utilitarian

34. What kept you sane? - my lover, less drinking and momentum forward in my life

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? - fancy? What are we, British?

36. What political issue stirred you the most? - the Prime Minister and members of the Privy Council intentionally lying to Canadians about how our democracy works. As if people aren't clueless enough already...

37. Whom did you miss? - my grandmother

38. Who was the best new person you met? - I'm not sure...

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. - Watch your tongue and bottle what you can't say. Also, time broadens prespective.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: - if one lyric could do that I would be very surprised. There have been many ups and many downs, but baby our love knows no bounds!

The digital camera in my office has the oringial price on it. It is 4.0 MP.

$599.99

While often being 20/20 in clarity, I wish some hindsight would quietly blur and dissolve altogether.

Wouldn't allow me to learn from mine and other's past mistakes, but it would take some edge off the random fucked up memories.

For example - if you are a young woman who won sole custody of your kid, don't do drugs, drink, go to the bar for a couple hours and leave intoxicated teenaged guys to look after your toddler.

There will be the two of us, past our symbolism, striving to achieve new heights.

Whenever one is ready?

Everyone has those pesky old habits. The problem with them is that they are familiar and provide us comfort. Quite often however, they can affect those around us or prevent us from moving on to and developing other habits more appropriate to constantly evolving lives. Addressing and understanding with an ultimate appreciation for them is warranted; their lingering is not.

Summoning the strength to remove and conquer the old habits can be difficult.

As I move forward and align my habits accordingly, my old habits, the bad ones, must be properly addressed and relegated to a role more appropriate; a memory. It can be hard to do, but the effort will pay off.

When the Government of Canada, through the elected Liberal government, accused former Prime Minister B. Mulroney of being a criminal, he sued successfully and was awarded millions of dollars in compensation.

Now, the Conservatives won't come straight out and accuse our elected opposition of treason, since they would be successfully sued. Instead, sloganeering is the new smear, since they are afraid to speak their minds clearly and commit slander and libel.

The talking points, to confuse and trick Canadians;

- The Liberal-Separatist Coalition — An Axis of Evil
- Layton-Dion: Guilty of Treason
- support the government that the Liberals and NDP are trying to steal
- unholy alliance
- Anyone who takes your rights away is evil
- a coalition of Liberals, New Democrats and the Bloc Quebecois (Bloc are not in the coalition)
- The socialist NDP running the economy
- Bloc Quebecois having a veto over all policies while they continue to destroy Canada
- any coalition will be an illegitimate regime without any mandate to govern
- Dion and Jack Layton have sold out their principles
- to get the weak, unstable and disoriented federal government

All of the above is spouted while taking every step possible to silence the House of Commons, where our Federal elected representatives sit; discussing and voting on legislation and policy matters concerning the nation.

Well, except when they are sent home early because of confidence votes. A vote that the Conservatives would lose.

Now, I can understand why the Conservatives and their supporters would need to rely on hyperbole; religious and otherwise. When you are trying to convince people that a minority of MPs MUST rule over the majority, against their will, you need hyperbole. When you are trying to deny democracy to the majority, you need hyperbole.

When you enlist the help of armed Canadians to 'refuse to recognize this proposed power grab as a bona fide government,' when it would be constitutional and democratic, in 'no uncertain terms' against a 'unholy alliance,' you wonder if/when the government is brought down if the resulting violence would really be unforeseen and unfermented.

The majority of Canadians, the ones who currently have their democracy delayed, are the ones who should be outraged. Our voices have been silenced so that others can have our say. For every conservative vote to have its voice, two other votes must be silenced.

When a government empowers a divided class system, let’s say Conservative vs. the rest, against the will of the people there is a special name for that type of government. If the government is defeated in January, and after every legal avenue is exhausted, if the Conservatives continue to try to stay in power against the will of the majority of Canadians and their Parliament, we will have entered Fascism if they are successful. And that would be no hyperbole.

But I doubt it will ever come to that.

Grab your guns, democracy is taking place

A quote;

"I implore you to become immediately involved by letting the coalition parties know that our massive constituency of gun owners in Canada will refuse to recognize this proposed power grab as a bona fide government...

We must tell coalition leaders in no uncertain terms that this unholy alliance is not acceptable to us as Canadians"

- Conservative MP Garry Breitkreutz, Yorkton-Melville

Is imploring armed Canadians to fight against a perfectly legal, legitimate and democratic 'unholy' coalition threatening to incite violence or proposing violence to commit treason?

Ironic that a coalition formed to represent the majority of Canadians would be labeled as traitors and alleged of treason. Also ironic that a party member of the Conservatives is encouraging supporters to bare arms to fight the 'unholy alliance.'

I'm glad I don't live somewhere that advocates guns as a political tool. Ohh wait...

Ed Schreyer, former Governor General of Canada

1. Prime Minister Harper believes no federalist party should work with the Bloc, except for the Conservatives.
2. Prime Minister Harper believes alienating Quebec further, and stoking the flames of separation which had mainly died off over the last five years is worth it to maintain minority rule.
3. Prime Minister Harper believes that the votes of a minority must override that of the majority.
4. Prime Minister Harper believes it is OK pitting region against region.
5. Prime Minister Harper believes that Bloc MPs must not be treated as equal to federalist MPs.
6. Prime Minister Harper believes the best way to address a coalition representing the majority of Canadians is to label them as traitors.
7. Prime Minister Harper believes the best way to address the desire of the majority of Canadians is to suspend parliament and deny the majority of Canadians the ability to express themselves.
8. Prime Minister Harper believes diversity of thought, politics and culture must be crushed and brought into alignment with Reformist thought, politics and culture.

I believe the Prime Minister is wrong on points 1-8.

A poll from right-wing radio;

The best advice I want to give the Governor General -

1. Unless she receives a petition signed by a majority of MPs, she must prorogue the House for a reasonable period when requested by the duly elected PM & allow the budget to be tabled in Jan & voted upon

87.9%

2. The letter signed by the leaders of the opposition parties is sufficient to indicate the PM has lost confidence of parliament; she must force him to face a confidence vote next week

6.90%

3. Other

5.12%

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A pretty common democratic slogan used throughout the world is "democracy delayed is democracy denied." There is a confidence motion Monday. Rather than suppressing democracy for over a month, why don't we let democracy work in this country? Why can't the majority rule? Should the minority continue to command the majority what to do?

Let us have the confidence vote on Monday, and let our elected representatives speak. The minor but consistent attacks on our democracy need to come to an end. Let the constitution allow the majority of the will of Canadians form the government and the charter will protect the minority rights of the Conservatives.

It's time to put democracy back in the word democracy.

Canadians DID NOT elect Stephen Harper as Prime Minister. The Governor General asked the leader of the party with the largest number of MPs to form our next government. He accepted, and as leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, became the Prime Minister.

What this coalition is addressing is the inability of the Conservatives to work with the opposition parties. No one is trying to 'overturn' the last election results. The opposition parties are organizing and represent a majority of MPs and those representatives constitute a majority of the popular vote as well.

The voice of the majority is no longer beholden to an ideologically driven party unwilling to cooperate with the elected opposition.

It is the responsibility therefore of the opposition parties to try and form a government. They cannot be blamed for the reckless and irresponsible manor in which the Conservatives have allowed themselves to be run.

I am not sure where all the confusion is coming from, but the fear mongering, hypocrisy and insults hurtled towards the majority of Canadians and their representatives is not only petty, but yet another example of the Conservative party putting ideology and lust for power before the best interests of the country.

Please let the majority speak, Mr. Harper. You can no longer silence them.

Is about to be reenacted I am sure. Now that the minority is not commanding the majority, the minority will be upset. Will it be time to take their ball, sulk, and go home?

That is the problem with democracy. Other people have a say as well. The ignored voice of 62 per cent of voters by the Conservatives will be coming to an end. Democracy is not a perfect system, especially ours, but thankfully we have a constitution that allows for politicians to have this maneuverability when a minority-elected party attempts to silence the elected representatives of the majority.

Mr. Harper has clearly, in extremely public and absolute terms, lost the confidence of the House of Commons. The Prime Minister who would be dictator picked an ill-advised and terribly timed fight with the majority of Canadians. This Prime Minister's inability to even try and work with the opposition has caused for these unusual measures to be taken.

It appears working together for the benefit of all is more popular than bullying through your agenda for the betterment of one. It is time for the Prime Minister to resign and ensure the transfer of power is quick and efficient. Anything less would be a further attack on Canadian democracy.

We look forward to hearing from you, Governor General.

An email (bolded)-

RADIO ADS.

Karine Leroux

Office of the Prime Minister / Cabinet du Premier ministre
Deputy Press Secretary / Attachée de presse adjointe
[contact info redacted]

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In case you were wondering, yes, this is partisan attack material produced by a political party, The Conservative Party of Canada, being sent through the official office of the Prime Minister of Canada.

So, the Conservative think it is OK to misuse your tax dollars to illegally attack the elected opposition parties.

Illegal and your tax dollars, keep up the good work Conservatives. I guess you don't mind cutting party funding if your party happens to be able to misuse the resources of the Government of Canada.

I think the Conservatives desperately releasing a privileged and illegal recording of an opposition parties meeting is indicative of the kind of parliament we have lived under the last few years. Morals, ethics, and the law all seem to have been pushed aside to attained and maintain the big prize: power. Once they got there, every promise made (except for the GST) was under delivered or scrapped altogether.

This is a party that heading into the last election, during a global financial meltdown, said there is nothing to worry about and wasn't even going to release a platform! They weren't going to share (their scarce) ideas with the plebs.

The most ironic part of all this is that the Bloc has done more to help Canada move forward than the Conservatives would have. It took a separatist group to see Canada stretches to three coasts... not just two provinces and a capital city.

I hope Mr. Harper enjoys his retirement and the next Conservative leader has more respect for parliament and Canadians than Mr. Harper has had in his candy store. The damage he has done will take years to fix.

If so many people thought the party I voted for is committing treason. Agree with them or not, the Bloc are important because they speak for millions of people who have determined they do not want to live in Canada. Do we want Canada to be an obligatory country, where everyone must be forced to comply with government dogma or one where people can practice FREE SPEECH? If you love seeing free speech in practice in Canada, look at the Bloc (and other regional parties, the Alberta/rural Conservative party or the Eastern/urban Liberals).

When democracy in action generates even more vitriol than usual coming from the Conservatives and the west either something really good has happened or something really bad has happened. But deciding if it is good or bad based on your views of one party, the only admittedly regional one, is not only a continued insult to Quebeckers and free speech, but too anyone who would defend the rights of Quebeckers and anyone wishing to engage in free speech.

If free speech can't be applied politically, what is the point?

Yes, the Bloc are separatists. Yes, relying on them to prop up a coalition is not comfortable. But it can ensure some stability over the next couple years, something the Conservatives clearly cannot do. All three parties have a huge interest in making the coalition work.

All the lying, deceiving and pending investigations and trials against the Conservatives should have been indication enough that they couldn't be trusted. Maybe I am just too naive, but I think Canada deserves some politicians that don't lie, deceive and break the law. Millions disagree with me, but as of yet, they can't use the government to stop me saying such things.

If every day my beliefs were attacked and ridiculed by the unwashed bigots and their blind partisans, I'd want to leave too. And when it is the separatists that have Canada’s best interest at heart, rather than the ruling party… makes one thankful for a constitution and free speech, doesn’t it.