Harper's Constitutional Crisis, day 2

I assume that most of you will have been following this on the news. What happened Stevie, did you forget that you have a minority government again? Or did you just honestly think that you could just bulldoze whatever you wanted through, based on the Liberal disjointedness and the recent election?

I really liked what Rick Mercer had to say on this, so much so that I will reproduce it:

Like a trip to Baskin Robbins

RICK MERCER

Globe and Mail Update

November 28, 2008 at 3:09 PM EST

Okay we just might as well admit it and get it over with. Stephen Harper is a genius.

Here we are faced with a global economic crisis. Nations all over the world are struggling to figure out how to protect their citizens — who are terrified. We've seen unheard of cooperation between political rivals all over the industrialized world.

But not in Canada. Not with Stephen Harper. Not on his watch. No my friends, he has one goal and one goal only and it has nothing to do with governing: how can he use this crisis to destroy the opposition?

And wouldn't you know, he almost did it.

Enlarge Image

Rick Mercer (Image courtesy of CBC)

Stephen Harper decided Canada doesn't need a stimulus package; all we needed to do was cancel the subsidy that political parties get.

Which would have saved the government about $26-million. That's about the same amount Harper spends on bodyguards every year when he visits danger zones like Thunder Bay or Nunavut.

But the real upside for Harper, of course, is that the entire opposition would have been crippled or destroyed. It gives me great faith to know that as our economy crumbles Harper is on the case trying to come up with new an innovative ways to cutback the Green Party's office budget and bankrupt the Liberals. And then the world will be a better place.

Maybe he has a point. Maybe that's why Canada keeps refusing to give the man a majority. It's not because he's a mean little man obsessed with revenge, but because we just have too many choices. We go to the voting booth and get confused. Like that first trip to Baskin Robbins.

Maybe we'd all just be better off if Conservative was the only flavour on the menu.

Well we almost found out. Because if Stephen Harper got his way on this, democracy would have changed forever. And not a single citizen will have gotten to vote on the matter.

Special to The Globe and Mail

I really need to get a thank you card for Stephen Harper though. After what I imagine was quite the crazy morning at the PMO yesterday, he postponed the opposition vote to my birthday. You know, to "let Canadians voice their opinions". Is that Harperspeak for "scramble together a real economic plan prior to the vote"?

Watching this Conservative government crumble in an unprecedented coup of a two party coalition supported stategically by a third, well my friends, that would be a better 30th birthday present than I could ever have asked for.

Things DO get better with age....

I have often heard people say that their 30s are the best years of their lives because they've figured themselves out and made their mistakes during their 20s. I always sort of thought my 20s were pretty good so I wrote that off as something that happens to other people.

I was thinking about it though and I really have learned a lot. I know how to take care of myself a hell of a lot better and certainly live more comfortably than I did at 20 (or 19.75, as the case may be). 10 years ago, I lived in a basement apartment with 2 roommates - it was a very nice apartment mind you, and I only paid $175/month. Ah, St. Catharines.

But I digress. I guess I was thinking about this because I am turning 30 next month which is a pretty big milestone. Your whole life you think back to certain times - 18, 21, 25, 30... I am pretty okay with it though. It's not like I have a screaming 20's club-goer lifestyle or anything. I expect that a month from now will be exactly like today.

I must admit though, the idea of being less than 10 years from 40 kind of makes me

New hair! And other exciting news...

I scored tickets to the Leafs game, and I also just picked up tickets to the Nutcracker Ballet in Toronto. Sweet! The hockey tickets are nosebleeds but there were really cheap so I'm happy with that. And I've never been to the ballet or the new Opera House so that should be cool, and help me get in the Christmas spirit since I won't be decorating at all this year due to my travels.

Oh, and I got my hair done today

What do you think?

Calgarian Culture

I couldn't help but notice this advertisement on the events list on the right of the page.

That's right folks, Viagara Falls. And a mere $89.



Also on deck for the next week is the only Flames vs. Leafs game in Calgary this year. I wouldn't mind going actually, I've never been to a NHL game and why not see the Leafs lose in person for once?

All kidding aside, it's been sold out for ages so it probably won't happen. Tickets for this game are not cheap either - I've seen up to $700/ticket for prime seats. There are so many things I would do with $1400 before that. (Like pay the mortgage maybe?)

Or possibly: