An Early Christmas Gift !?!

Think it through. Choose wisely. Pick the man with the dog!
Wag on,
Dudley.

National Executive Elections: Consider Marc Lavigne!

We will not only be choosing a new Leader this weekend. Numerous executive positions are up for grabs as well. Marc Lavigne is running for Chair, Standing Committee Organization. Marc has been working his tail off for many-many years now. He deserves our vote!

En plus de choisir un nouveau chef, nous devons dans les prochains jours élire plusieurs membres de l’exécutif national du Parti. Marc Lavigne est candidat au poste de Président de la Commission permanente, organisation. Marc est un militant de longue date. Il n’a jamais compté ses heures. Il mérite notre appui!

D&J

La Devoir endorses Iggy! Oops...

Le Devoir endorses Michael Ignatieff. The endorsement of a separatist paper such as Le Devoir, hum! Is that really the kind of support a Liberal needs?

As you were,

Dudley.

The Paw to Victory!

L'effet Kyoto Effect, courtesy of Mtl Downtown.

Dogs everywhere: Unite!
Wag on and bark it up,
Dudley.

In Praise of Louise Arbour

It never ceases to amaze me how some people can lose all sense of objectivity when dealing with the Middle-East mess. In Today’s National Post, one Jonathan Kay tries to take Louise Arbour to the cleaner for stating the following:

"In [the case of Hezbollah] you could have, for instance, a very objectionable intent -- the intent to harm civilians, which is very bad -- but effectively not a lot of harm is actually achieved," she said. "[But] how can you compare that with [Israel,] where you may not have an intent but you have recklessness [in which] civilian casualties are foreseeable? The culpability or the intent may not sound as severe, but the actual harm is catastrophic."

The self-proclaimed learned columnist then goes on:

"Like terrorist armies in Iraq and Afghanistan, Hezbollah soldiers deliberately take cover in villages and cities, exploiting their enemy's reluctance to recklessly endanger unarmed civilians. The laws of war are quite clear about what happens when these tactics result in civilian casualties: It is the terrorists, not their enemies, who are guilty of the war crime."

So Jonathan Kay takes it upon himself to teach Louise Arbour a thing or two about the Laws of War?

Well, Mr. Kay, I don’t know your credentials. But if you really think that Madame Louise Arbour needs a lecture from you on Humanitarian Law and the Laws of War, you are sadly mistaking, or worse. The woman knows her stuff. I'm a retired lawyer, and I could not hold a candle to her. Can you?

Whatever your position on the Middle-East situation may be, I’m quite sure that Madame Justice Arbour, a world-renowned jurist, a pillar of Canada’s legal community, knows a lot more about the Laws of War than Mr. Kay. Zip it up, Mr. Post columnist.

Tails up for Louise Arbour,

Dudley.

Front-Page Dog

Lib Blogger Mtl Downtown beat us to it, but we’ll still post this beautiful picture of Kyoto and that other guy. Front page of the Sunday Montréal Gazette.

After all, dogs of a litter wag together,

Dudley.

The Dion Momentum

Thanks to Hammering Jow (sorry, no link) for pointing out this latest CTV story. According to the latest Strategic Counsel poll, Stéphane Dion seems poised to become the favourite "second choice" for delegates to the Liberal leadership convention. The sample is impressive: 1,622 delegates.

Read the whole story here . Here’s an extract:

"As the top second choice, it's former cabinet minister Dion who is showing the most momentum going into this week's convention.
Dion, a Quebec MP, has a substantial lead in that area over the other candidates, finds the poll of 1,622 delegates.
Here are the rankings of the four top candidates on the second choice question (the percentage point change from a September poll of 1,000 Liberal party members is in brackets):

• Dion: 23 per cent (+10)
• Gerard Kennedy: 13 per cent (+5)
• Bob Rae: 10 per cent (-13)
• Michael Ignatieff: 6 per cent (-6)"

This could a long Saturday...this could be a great day...

Wag on,

Dudley

Dion: Still the One

I know exactly where I stand on that whole nation issue. I have known where I stand for about twenty years. But I’m still working on the exact wording – It’s not always easy being a French-Canadian-Federalist-Québécois (you can call me Quebecer, I won’t mind) – but I’ll get to it soon enough. For now, I can tell you that the whole "Nation thing" is a bloody mess. And yes, I do blame Mr. Ignatieff for initiating that mess.

In the meantime, here’s my favourite quote of the day, courtesy of The Toronto Star:

Bonnie Brown (Oakville) is backing Dion, saying she likes his "rigorous intellectual discipline."
"I think we're going to need that in the next election to make sure the team moves forward together," Brown said. "I like to know that my leader is the leader and is not dithering.
"I think he's the one who can unite the party. ... He's very good at pulling people together, at finding consensus and compromise," Brown said.

In other words, whatever my position on the Nation motion, I will still support Stéphane Dion. A leader must be a leader, not a one-issue wonder.

Dudley.

Conservative Minister Michael Chong Quits Harper Cabinet

This just in: Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Michael Chong quits cabinet. He declared in his press conference that he just can’t vote in favour of the Québécois Nation motion. He won’t accept the concept of ethnic nationalism. Says he’ll stay in Tory caucus. To be continued.

Dudley.

Welcome to Montréal Part 1: Where to Eat!

Dear fellow grits,

So, you’re coming to our fair city for the Montréal Liberal Leadership Convention? There are literally thousands of great restaurants. You can of course spend hundreds of dollars on "Fine-Cuisine". But if you really want a taste of real Montréal food, at an affordable price, here are a few classics, as recommended by the Alter Boys:

Best Smoke Meat in town: Reuben’s.

Best Hamburger in town, hands down: La Paryse .

You’re in the mood for great coffee and a huge tuna sandwich? Run to the Café Santropol.

A must for Vegetarians: Le Commensal .

Except for the Santropol, all locations are within walking distance from the Palais des Congrès. Just follow the links for addresses, phone numbers and a detailed map on how to get there!

Food: It's good for you; always have enough!

Wag on, eat on!
Dudley

Kyoto Superstar

Here is your Friday night smile. After six months of campaigning on behalf of his favourite human candidate, Kyoto Dion finally made his first appearance on national television on Thursday night. Watch it here.

Unfortunately, our beloved Husky was unable to land a delegate spot for the upcoming Montréal Convention – apparently, only two-legged units were eligible. Go figure!

Not to worry: sources tell us that Kyoto has found a very vocal way to make his presence felt at the Leadership Convention. Keep your ears wide open!

Wag on, Bark on,

Dudley

That Nation Notion: Harper Sticks it to Duceppe

I am not a big Steve Harper fan. But I will always give credit when credit is due. Furthermore, I will applaud anytime a federalist proves he's smarter than a separatist. So here goes:

As expected, Gilles “The-man-with-the-great-pension-plan” Duceppe rose in the Commons Today and moved that “This House recognize Québec as a nation”. PM Steve then moved that “Québec forms a nation within a united Canada”. Looks like all three federalist parties in the House will actually vote in favour of this amendment.

What will the Bloc do? How could they not see this curve-ball coming? Are they going to oppose the amendment, by the same token rejecting the Nation recognition because Canada, to them, is a dirty four-letter word?

Duceppe thought he could set a trap for everyone to fall in. Look who’s got his finger in the mouse-trap now.

As much as I hate to say it: kudos to Stephen Harper.

PS: I still disagree with the nation thing. Québec is a territory, not a people. And keep in mind that I’m a Québec French Canadian. But I know a great political play when I see one!

Now, can we please get back to important issues? Economy, health care, environment...

Wag on,

Dudley

Vive le Canada français!

Le gouvernement du Québec a diffusé ce matin un communiqué qui passera probablement inaperçu au milieu de la tourmente médiatique causée par la spectaculaire opération policière qui s'est déroulée à Montréal. Je trouve tout de même la nouvelle importante et c'est pourquoi je me permet de vous en reproduire un court extrait :

LE MINISTRE BENOIT PELLETIER HEUREUX DE SA VISITE A SUDBURY

QUÉBEC, le 22 nov. /CNW Telbec/ - Le ministre responsable des Affaires intergouvernementales canadiennes et de la Francophonie canadienne, M. Benoît Pelletier, était de passage à Sudbury, les 20 et 21 novembre. Il s'agissait d'un premier séjour pour le ministre dans une communauté francophone à la suite du lancement de la nouvelle Politique du Québec en matière de francophonie canadienne et l'annonce de la création du Centre de la francophonie des Amériques, respectivement les 7 et 16 novembre derniers.

Au cours de la première partie de sa visite à Sudbury, M. Pelletier a été accueilli par les membres du club Richelieu, à qui il a pu souligner à quel point, à travers les causes qui les animent, leur organisme et le Québec partagent une vision commune et dynamique de l'avenir des francophones en terre d'Amérique.

C'est rafraîchissant de voir le gouvernement québécois reprendre son rôle de leader de la francophonie canadienne. Il n'y a pas si longtemps qu'on essayait de nous faire croire que les francos hors-Québec constituaient une espèce en voie d'extinction. C'était bien commode pour certains représentants de notre classe politique et, surtout, ça permettait de donner bonne conscience à ceux qui voulaient les laisser tomber en se séparant du Canada.

C'est un sujet dont je reparlerai certainement très bientôt.

J.

Ignatieff interview on Radio-Canada: Whatever!

In the first of a series of reports on the four main candidates in the Liberal leadership race, Michael Ignatieff was on Radio-Canada tonight, interviewed by Patrice Roy. Here are a few kibbles and bits.

On Lebanon: Asked how he could declare one day that he “wasn’t losing sleep over Qana” and then state, shortly after, that what took place in Qana was a “War Crime”, Iggy answered that three weeks had elapsed between those two declarations. “I learned a lot of things during those three weeks; you have to understand how politics work.”

If Iggy actually needs to “learn his trade” to know where he stands on issues such as the Qana bombings, I’m not impressed.

On the Afghanistan question: Iggy justified his vote in favour of extending our mission until 2009 this way: “Our brave men and women need to know that we are behind them.” In other words, if you’re against our mission in Afghanistan, you’re not supporting the troops. Sounds like Bush-talk to me.

On the nation notion: we were shown an extract from Iggy’s 1993 “Blood and Belonging” documentary. Referring to a French Canadian hockey player named (I think) Denis Rousseau, here’s what Iggy had to say: “Rousseau and I have a lot of things in common. But we don’t share the same nation, because I am English and he is French. Because we don’t share the same nation, we can’t love the same state.”

What does that mean exactly? I’m a born and bred Montreal French Canadian, and I love Canada as much as the next guy, whether he lives in Toronto or Caraquet. However, Michael Ignatieff now contends that Québec itself is a nation. So, is it a language thing, or a territorial thing? Is my Anglophone next-door neighbour part of the nation? Did Mr. Ignatieff just change his mind? Did his years abroad blur his mind? Does he actually know what he’s talking about?

Finally, without being asked, Mr. Ignatieff states that “I say what I mean: I’m no adventurer in politics!” I’m sorry, but the more I hear him talk, the more I believe that politics is indeed just another adventure in Iggy’s life. And frankly, I don’t know what he means or thinks.

Two Tails down,

Dudley

Steve and Human Rights

Dear Mr. Harper,

I hope you’re having a nice time in East Asia. I hear you have been pretty busy discussing and promoting Human Rights. Could you please show the same resolve when you come back home. It’s quite simple: forget about reopening the same-sex marriage file. Equality is, after all, a basic Human Right. Isn’t it?

I understand that you have to make good on your promise. I realise that you must keep your right-wing base happy. But surely, Human Rights should be respected here as well as in Vietnam. Don’t you think?

Here’s a thought: how about discussing and promoting Human Rights with your very own conservative supporters? Just tell them about section 15 of the Charter. Isn’t that simple enough? That will be cheaper than a round-trip to Hanoi.

Ps: While you're at it, please tell Rona Ambrose to shut up.

Wag on,

Dudley

Un pas dans la bonne direction?

Enfin une bonne nouvelle. La BBC rapporte qu’une entente serait intervenue entre l’ONU et le gouvernement soudanais quant à la présence de Peacekeepers pour appuyer les forces de l’Union africaine. Ce n’est qu’un début, j’en conviens, mais les millions de réfugiés entassés dans des camps sur le territoire soudanais et autour de la frontière avec le Tchad attendent cette aide avec impatience.

À suivre…

J.

Iggy to NDPers: Leave your Ghetto!

I am not an expert in diplomacy, but I am quite convinced that statements like these are not the best way to encourage NDPers to vote Liberal:

"What Liberals need is someone who can run down the middle with a progressive message, and leave the NDP in their own particular ghetto."

Note to Mr. Ignatieff: belittling your opponent seldom works up here, in Canada.

This is just the latest offering from the man who already brought us gems such as: “Kyoto is a liability”, “I don’t know if I’ll run, depends on who’s the leader” and this timeless hit: “I’m not losing sleep over Qana!”

This is getting tiresome.

Tails down,

Dudley

« Cheap Politics »

Je crois n’avoir jamais été aussi embarrassé qu’aujourd’hui, quand j'ai entendu Rona Ambrose, la ministre canadienne de l'environnement, affirmer sans rire que c'était la faute aux libéraux si le Canada ne respectait pas ses engagements de Kyoto! Passe encore si elle avait été à la Période de questions, ou sur la route en campagne électorale. Mais en tant que représentante du Canada, lors d’une conférence des Nations Unies!?!? Quelle humiliation…

Le grand « Puppet Master » Stephen Harper était probablement trop loin, à Moscou, pour pouvoir la téléguider convenablement et nous apprendrons sans doute demain que les paroles de Miss A. ont certainement dépassé la pensée de son Premier ministre.
WhatEver!!

J.

Justin Trudeau: Iggy all over the place!

In an interview to air - or aired, depending on when you read this - tonight around 7:30 pm on RDI (Le Réseau de l’Information), Justin Trudeau calls Mr. Ignatieff’s positions "all over the place" (éparpillé is the word he used in French). "One thing is for sure, says Mr. Trudeau, whether you agreed with him or not, you always knew where my father stood".

Well, we agree. Mr. Ignatieff’s intellectual gymnastics (read flexibility) doesn’t sit well with us pups either. What we need, you guessed it, is Clarity.

From the looks of it, Trudeau does not seem to be very enthusiastic about Mr. Rae’s candidacy either. While he hasn’t made up his mind yet, he invites delegates to take a close look at Gerard Kennedy and Stéphane Dion.

Wag on,
Dudley

Non au conservatisme

Les États-Uniens ont parlé clairement hier. Ils en ont assez de la gestion partisane des Républicains de George W. Bush. Ils sont fatigués de la façon dont la guerre en Iraq est menée. Ils ne veulent plus voir leur pays régit par la droite religieuse. C’est un message clair au Républicain. Reste à savoir si le Parti démocrate tirera avantage de sa nouvelle position de pouvoir car ce vote est d’abord et avant tout un de rejet des conservateurs. Ce n’est pas un vote de confiance envers les libéraux ni une volonté de revenir à des politiques de gauche. Les deux prochaines années seront cruciales pour le Parti démocrate car il devra faire la preuve, non seulement qu’il peut gouverner efficacement, mais également qu’il a quelque chose de concret à proposer à la population − quelque chose qui lui convienne.

Ce résultat constitue aussi un avertissement pour les Conservateurs de chez nous. Si nos voisins du Sud, pour qui les valeurs conservatrices sont toujours bien vivantes, mettent les Républicains dehors, que feront les Canadiens d’un parti qui tenterait de leur imposer des politiques un peu trop à droite?

J.

Halloween - Or Why Dogs Sometimes Hate Humans

There you have it, folks: Charlie and Lester, winners of our dogs-only Halloween costume contest party, held last night in our crib. We had about 30 participants, including Peter MacKay, who, sadly, was wearing the same costume he had on 2 weeks ago! Needless to say, he was disqualified!

Wag on, Dog lovers,
Dudley.