Christy Clark seeks a magical mystery tour

The decision from Premier Clark to scupper a fall session is not gaining universal acclaim, the choice to take to the byways of the province to meet with the people and get away from the "sick culture" of Victoria has been getting less than rave reviews and not just for her dismissal of Victoria as some kind of home of  political flotsam.

As seems to be the case with Liberals, the need for a fall session is one of those superfluous moments of Democracy, seemingly spending the spring on governance is all that is required, this despite the introduction of a new cabinet (those not taking to the parachutes, meet the new gang, same as the old gang) who now will not be able to showcase their skills in any form of accountable session of the Legislature.

Clark of course is not the first Premier to shut the doors to the Legislature, the approach was a favourite of her predecessor, though if you're trying to portray yourself as NOT the same old, same old, then uh, er, doing the same old, same old isn't exactly the winning strategy.

Clark also seems to be suffering from a bit of Romneyitis of late, offering up comments for public consumption that seem to cause more problems than they solve, case in point her thinking out loud on the whims and ways of life in Victoria, while she apparently meant the political Victoria, her words in effect seem to have painted the entire capital region as some kind of bubble zone where reality is but a faint notion.

A walk around any number of Victoria neighbourhoods out of the shadow of the Legislature  could convince her otherwise, parts of a city that have just as many concerns as any other part of the province, neighbourhoods where Government decisions have real impacts on the day to day life.

Then again, the Premier herself has said that she doesn't particularly like to spend much time in the Capital, a strange declaration for someone who is governing the province. Indeed, if one wanted to change any kind of culture, the best way would be through actions not through endless road trips and sound bites.

While her thoughts may resonate off beyond Greater Victoria and with her political base, she does a dis-service to the backbone of the province with her curt dismissal of its civil service and the elected officials that the voters send to Victoria on our behalf.

In effect, by shutting down the Legislature she's telling us that our votes don't really count, don't really matter, there being no work for MLA's to do, their opinions seemingly not convenient to the goal of governing.

Perhaps buoyed by recent polling numbers that have at least ended the Liberal slide, Madam Clark believes that her travels to and fro across the province will boost her profile for the good.

Maybe yes, maybe no, but by shutting down debate, by leaving the governance of the province to cabinet memos and press releases the concept of accountable democracy seems lost.

The Premier may think that Victoria as a concept is out of touch with the average British Columbian, but by changing the dynamic of the government away from the Legislature and towards this ongoing style of edicts issued by office, without debate or contemplation leaves one wondering if the Premier is perhaps a little out of touch herself on the concept of elected and representative office.

We're not sure what to make of her plan for a provincial tour until the Spring, it may in her mind be the preamble to a victory lap, or perhaps if you ask an NDP supporter, a farewell tour, the final verdict on that comes in May.

Regardless if you want to find the Premier she won't be at the Legislature.

Perhaps you can find her in a riding near you, if so maybe ask her some questions about governing, better yet, give her some suggestions, like representation by population means that our elected representatives should have the opportunity to discuss, debate and vote on the government plans.

Otherwise, why even bother with elections.

Her planned tour and the closing of the day to day business of the Legislature has made for much in the way of comment, some of the highlights can be found below.

Globe and Mail-- Christy Clark to avoid legislature, tour province in lead up to B. C. election
Globe and Mail-- Evan Solomon to B. C.'s Clark: Where's the democracy?
Globe and Mail-- B. C. Government should hold a fall session
National Post-- Christy Clark's 'sick culture' comments were not lost in translation
Vancouver Province-- Dix secretly pleased Clark nixed fall sitting
Vancouver Sun-- Christy Clark's change of heart rides shifting Liberal tides
CBC-- An Open letter to B. C. Premier Christy Clark

Keep your powder dry...

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The best laid plans can be revealed at the most untimely moments, case in point, the daily briefing at the US State Department today which briefly veered into interesting terrain.

Well interesting if you're a suspicious Canadian always on the look for American intent to march north.

A signing ceremony between US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her Mexican counterpart Patricia Espinosa was apparently held behind closed doors, something that caught the attention of the press corps at the State Department, which of course inquired as to the closely kept discussions and if perhaps a secret invasion of Canada was on the agenda.

Much merriment followed among the press pool, all while the State Department categorically denied that any such invasion was on the drawing board (see official transcript).

Though if you think it out a bit and  considering the importance that the Conservatives have placed on the War of 1812, a 200 year bit of payback from the US side could be just the distraction that a troubled US economy could use, or maybe President Obama is just plain tired of hearing about all those commemorative vignettes airing above the 49th...
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At any rate, a nation unprepared is ripe for invasion, so we stand at defcon five, eagle eyed for any pending movements from the south (or the north if you hang around Alaska much)

For a sign perhaps, we await the non stop airing of South Park's Blame Canada and a weeks worth of Canadian Bacon as the call to action from the south.

Just sayin' that perhaps it wise to keep your powder dry along Lundy's Lane and other pivotal points, and if a gal named Laura comes by with the word, heed her call to arms.

The Huffington Post has made much hay with the developments of the day, their article and video presentation can be found here.

The daily diversion from the world's pressing problems managed to find some space around the media circuit today.

NBC News-- State Department: No secret plan to invade Canada
Politico-- Obama administration denies plan to invade Canada
New York Post-- It's Offical: The U. S. is not conspiring with Mexico to invade Canada

Pauline Marois strikes the Maple Leaf on the first day

“We haven’t made a final decision. But keep in mind that in the past, whenever we had control over these decisions, the Canadian flag was always removed,” -- PQ spokesperson Eric Gamache, perhaps providing the heads up for tomorrow's headline.

We're not sure what games Pauline Marois enjoyed as a child, but we're beginning to think that the newly elected Premier of Quebec clearly had a passion for capture the flag, though in her case, it would seem she would probably added on the idea of hiding the thing in a closet.

With the Parti Quebecois back in power (all be it with the slimmest of margins) the PQ it seems is returning to some of the childish, petulant moves of its past to blaze the glorious new future that Madam Marois will bring.

The first casualty it seems of the new regime, will be the cloth symbol of les autres, the Canadian flag, which seemingly is to be banished from view with the official swearing in of the Marois cabinet on Wednesday.

Such is the nature of the PQ, to find any possible excuse to banish any representation of a larger nation outside of those parochial borders.

The move no doubt will earn a backlash from beyond Quebec (which is perhaps just what the PQ would intend), where more than a few Canadians who might be attached to the Maple Leaf might wonder just how tedious the discourse is going to get now that the separatists are back in the saddle.

Of course some might even wonder just how much hubris that the PQ has to go around, banning any and all Canadian symbols while gladly cashing those transfer payment cheques from the Federal Treasury, the largest of amounts which are destined to the province on a year after year basis.

In fact, it some might even suggest that the best way to solve that particular sore point might be simply to make sure that the transfer payment paperwork request features a rather large Maple Leaf in the upper corner, surely the PQ wouldn't process such an offensive thing would they?

Globe and Mail-- Canadian flag back in Quebec assembly - for now
Globe and Mail-- Maple Leaf flag back in storage as Parti Quebecois era begins
National Post-- Canadian flag returned to Quebec Legislature... but maybe not for long
National Post-- Canadian flag taken down, replaced with Fleur-d-lis, at Quebec legislature
CBC-- Quebec's flag flap: back to the future?
CTV News-- Canadian flag removed from Quebec National Assembly
Huffington Post-- PQ Take Down Canadian Flag as Pauline Marois Takes Oath...

When Political season collides with television season

It's the most wonderful time of the year, for Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show, Colbert Report, late night talk show hosts and any other satirical show currently in your television universe.

The two political campaigns are providing for much int he way of comedic gold for any and all writers, though only the truly gifted ones will be able to deliver the comedy goods on a frequent basis.

With the countdown to the US Election Day now on, every single moment of a politicians day is up for potential mirth, the folks at Saturday Night Live seem to have put down their comedic line in the sand over the weekend with their season debut.

In the cold opening to the show, Jay Pharoah took sceptre of mimicry from Fred Armisen, taking on the role of Barack Obama as his own, a perhaps long overdue switch, though Armisen's Obama was fairly good over the last few years, one always wondered when Pharoah would get the chance to channel his inner Barry O.

We wonder no more, as the Pharaoh era began in a pretty successful debut, his frequent cut ins to the Romney campaign providing for a  cutting review or is that revue (?),  of the Republican Governor's campaign thus far.

Jason Sudekis, seems destined to be the hardest working guy on the show for the next few months, already known for his biting Joe Biden impersonation, Sudekis now has the dual challenge of divining the best of Romney, the best at least for comedic potential.

One night into the season, he and Pharoah both seem up for the job, all that remains to be seen, is which one still has the SNL heavy lifting once November passes us all by.

You can review the debut of political season on SNL, from the Global website which offers up a number of clips from Saturday's debut.

SNL Cold Opening

Mitt Romney Ad

Clint Eastwood's talking chair tour

Alberta mourns the passing of its guiding hand

The passing of Peter Lougheed , former Premier of Alberta is resonating far beyond the borders of the Western Canadian province, a shared sadness that one of the giants of the last century is no longer part of our political dialogue

His passing at age 84, is a loss to a province that has came into its own in Confederation during his terms of office, Lougheed bringing Alberta into the forefront of the Canadian debate, with equal amounts of Alberta pride, while always steeped in what he felt was best for Canada as a whole.

It was an approach that left him at logger heads at times with the federal government of the day in Ottawa, yet the success of Alberta  and its place in the fabric of the nation never became more enshrined than when Lougheed was defending its interests.

It is perhaps that passion he had for his province and the nation that leaves Canadians a little saddened at his passing, while he had been out of the public debate for a number of years now his shadow was still large enough to provide for impact in Albert and thus, on the country as a whole.

A nod in one direction or another could still set a bit of policy in Alberta, as the Alberta Conservatives learned in the recent electoral battle with the upstart Wild Rose Party.

We wonder what Lougheed would have thought of the current inter provincial spitting match between British Columbia and Alberta, something we can't fathom taking place during his steady hold on the political tiller.

Not that there weren't fireworks during that time, it's just, during the Lougheed years, you had a sense that he was fully in control of his agenda, equal to the positions of those that perhaps thought otherwise, but surrendering no ground all while still placing himself firmly in a federalist camp.

While there are a few bright lights in the political ranks across the nation, none at the moment would seem to be approaching his standard for governance  and his ability to defend his province while still looking at the larger national picture.

His penchant for strong debate and positions, but with a civil tongue, seemingly long lost in the political climate of the day. A sample of his statesmanship on display in the conversation with Alan Gregg that follows.



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Perhaps, that is why the nation pauses to reflect on his time in office, which provided a seminar on how to govern. His participation in the process part of the timeline of a newly confident Alberta in Canada  ushering  in an era of the rise in that province and the west in general in the federation.

It's a political course that many of our current crop of elected officials could use as a blue print for what is best for those that elected them to office.

Rex Murphy of the CBC captured the essence of the man quite nicely with this tribute and reflection on his career in politics and the impact he had on politics long after his retirement.

Some more of the coverage of his passing can be found below.

Edmonton Journal-- Lougheed Legacy 1928-2012
Calgary Herald--  Peter Lougheed's Life and Legacy

CBC-- Albertan's pay respects to former premier Lougheed
CBC-- Peter Lougheed's death stirs emotions of Canadians
CBC-- Peter Lougheed: Life in politics
Globe and Mail-- Two flags drape Peter Lougheed's coffin as mourners pay respects
Globe and Mail-- Remembering Lougheed: Chretien, Mulroney and Manning among peers to pay tribute
Globe and Mail-- Joe Clark: Lougheed built Canada by looking to Alberta's future
Globe and Mail-- Peter Lougheed, Mr. Alberta, helped the province come of age
National Post-- Two flags are better than one: Peter Lougheed's casked draped...
National Post-- Celebrating a "blue eyed sheik"
Maclean's-- Two flags drape Lougheeds coffin as mourners pay respects
Winnipeg Free Press--- Lougheed helped save Canada's democracy
The Tyee-- Peter Lougheed's Radical Legacy