Month: February 2006

I Failed Cabinet Making 101!! But not by much

Mulder

Well here is how I did in Cabinet Making.

Paul Martin had 37 spots which I had to work with. I added one correctly and subtracted many correctly and nailed 11 positions right so I got a total score of 17/37 by my math, which was convoluted by the merged/added/dropped posts.

Ones I got correct.

-Leader of Senate – LeBreton
-ACOA – McKay
-Heritage – Oda
-Fisheries – Hearn
-Health – Clement
-Indian Affairs – Prentice
-Industry – Bernier
-Justice – Toews
-La Francophonie – Verner
-Official Languages – Verner
-Defence – O’Connor
-Democratic Reform was added (but I got the Minister wrong)
-I also predicted correctly that State(public health), State(multiculturalism), State(familes/caregivers), Canadian Wheat Board, State (Human Resources), and State(norther development) would be canned.

They threw a curveball at us with Emerson but, despite what the MSM may say in the next few days, this was a good move. It brings in an experienced person from the Vancouver area which needs to be represented and will take little from the Liberals as the Conservative free vote philosophy will let Emerson vote his own way in the house.

The second curveball was the appointment of Michael Fortier to the Public Works portfolio. Not an elected official, Harper will get flack for putting a non elected Senator in the Cabinet against his feelings on unelected officials. It might be the accountability he presents when Fortier is elected and his Senatorship is put on the election block to usher in a new era of elected Senators. Yes, my prediction is this is a well orchestrated chess move thinking two years down the road.

The long and short of it is that Harper has a good, solid, intelligent Cabinet with experience and youth reaching every part of Canada except PEI, which will be covered by Peter McKay.

I think he is off on the right foot.

Paul Martin Wants To Leave Liberal Party Debt Free By Leadership Convention

Mulder

The Hill Times is reporting that PM PM wants to eliminate the $4 to $5 Million dollar debt by the time the Liberals choose their next leader.

Liberal Party Leader Paul Martin will try to shed the party of its $4-million to $5-million debt before a new party leader is chosen next year, say Liberals who are soul-searching these days now that they’re out of national political power after nearly 13 years in office.

“It is Paul Martin’s intention to hand over the party to the next leader debt free,” Marc Roy, former associate director of communications to Mr. Martin, told The Hill Times last week.

Mr. Roy declined to give specifics, but said Mr. Martin “will work very hard between now and the leadership convention to deliver a party that is debt free to the next leader.”

Steven MacKinnon, national director of the Liberal Party, confirmed on Friday that the party’s debt is between $4-million and $5-million.

But I distinctly remember this article by Sheila Copps, which gleaned the following info from the Elections Canada website not two months ago.

According to Elections Canada, in their last annual filing, the Liberal Party of Canada was $34,818,257.32 in debt, by way of 13 bank loans. The Bloc Quebecois has more than $10 million in outstanding loans, mostly from the Caisse Desjardins. The NDP has several modest loans outstanding, totalling a little more than $3 million. The Conservatives are debt-free.

That gives us a $30 Million dollar discrepancy. Knowing what the Liberals are like with numbers one has to wonder where all the money is coming from?

I have an idea that we might find out.

The Pen Truly Is Mightier Than The Sword AND The Torch

Mulder

Here we go again. This is one of the reactions that just doesn’t help the situation.

But it will probably make the growing Wikipedia listing on the subject.

Actually, I give a hat tip to Jack’s Newswatch for the Wiki link. It is very thorough and indicates this has been brewing for over three months and is hitting a head now in early February.

The call to action by Muslims is turning peaceful Muslims into terrorists. Yes, I said it. When people start burning down embassies and calling for death and violence in order to make governments go against the freedoms instilled in their constitutions, they are, in effect, using terror to accomplish their task. This makes them terrorists.

The truth in this matter is that free speech will reign strong when all is said and done. It might be one hell of a battle in the streets and over the web and news channels before it’s over. But, once again, the pen will triumph over the sword.

Liberal Party Deception Before Election Now Revealed In Dingwall's Scandalous Buyout

Mulder

Something for the elephants to file away for next election.

OTTAWA—David Dingwall, former head of the Royal Canadian Mint, has received $417,780 in his now-famous “entitlements,” as one of the last acts of Prime Minister Paul Martin’s departing Liberal government.

So one of Paul Martin’s last acts of parliament was to pay off a friend almost half a million dollars so that Pauly boy could look good before an election by showing some ‘accountability’.

Stephen Harper, who takes the prime minister’s oath tomorrow morning, said yesterday the Liberals had misled the public where Dingwall was concerned.

“After months of evasive answers in the House of Commons, we have now learned that David Dingwall’s departure from the Royal Canadian Mint was involuntary,” Harper said in a statement. “This is contrary to the information given by the Liberal government. I am very disappointed that Parliament was misled on this matter.”

William Stairs, Harper’s director of communications, said he did not think the new government would contest the arbitrator’s decision.

“I don’t think we can. It was a legal arbitration between two parties.”

We all kind of knew we were going to get stuck with this one. All the preliminary indications were that Dingwall was being forced out. The question still remains… How many more seats would the Liberals have lost if they had come clean and told everyone that they were firing Dingwall?

Once again, we get officially screwed.

Was The Privy Council Trying To Hide Dingwall's Severance Payment?

Mulder

I am just flabbergasted. I know the Dingwall severance issue is being watched by many, but for the Privy Council Office to release the statement on a Saturday is just astounding, let alone on a Saturday amid such huge distractions. Let me explain…

1) it was released two days before the new Privy Council is sworn in
2) it was released when the Muslim caricature violence is the highlight of every news agency. (nice distraction huh?)
3) it was released one day before the Superbowl (even nicer distraction huh?)
4) it was released on a Saturday. When was the last time you saw government work done on a Saturday?
5) it was released when political buzzers are focusing their antennae on Harper’s Cabinet.

But worst of all,

6) it was for a whopping $417,780! (subject to Revenue Canada, or course)

This is officially screwed up.

Settlement between the Government of Canada and the Former Master of the Royal Canadian Mint

OTTAWA, February 4, 2006 – The Government of Canada today announced that, following binding arbitration, it has paid a compensation package to Mr. David Dingwall, former Master of the Royal Canadian Mint.

The Government stated in October that it would pay Mr. Dingwall only that which is legally owed him. Since that amount could not be agreed to during negotiations, the Government agreed to submit the question of its legal obligations to an independent third party, in the interests of saving the time and money that legal proceedings could have entailed.

The issue was placed before a highly respected independent arbitrator for determination. The Honourable George Adams was asked by both parties to rule on the following questions:

1. Was Mr. Dingwall’s resignation voluntary or involuntary, having regard to all of the circumstances?
2. If the resignation was involuntary, what is the compensation, damages or terms of departure owing to Mr. Dingwall by Canada, having regard to all of the circumstances?

Mr. Adams has concluded that Mr. Dingwall’s departure was involuntary and the Government has a legal obligation to pay him $417,780, as well as associated pension benefits. The binding award of the arbitrator has the force of a court order, and the Government has respected the decision. This amount is subject to the provisions of the Income Tax Act.

For information:
Privy Council Office
957-5168

It Took Harper Exactly One Second To Start Saving Taxpayers Money

Mulder

Stephen Harper started saving Canadians money the second he was sworn in today. It’s actually pretty simple math.

Paul Martin had 37 Cabinet Ministers. The bonus to salary for being a Minister is ~$70,000. Harper’s trimmed down cabinet saves us roughly 3/4 of a Million dollars each and every year. You might think this is mice nuts in the grand scheme of things. And maybe it is. But when you have a government buildings infested with them, it doesn’t take long before the nuts add up to a nice little nest egg that hatches into an MRI machine, or money for Fabrayze patients, or a tax cut.

Give the man a single second in the PM chair and he’s already thinking of us, the taxpayers.

Prediction Time – Cabinet and Superbowl

Mulder

Just for the fun of it, here are my predictions for Cabinet. I took all of Martin’s positions and eliminated or merged those I think Harper may do to trim down the size.

(click to enlarge)

Total Ministers (not including Prime Minister): 29
Male/Female Ratio: 22/7
By Province:
Ontario: 10
Alberta: 6
Quebec: 3
British Columbia: 5
Manitoba: 2
Saskatchewan: 1
Newfoundland: 1
Nova Scotia: 1
New Brunswick: 0
PEI: 0
Territories: 0

Believe me, I tried to be more fair, but with so many new MPs and some provinces electing so few Conservatives, it was tough.

Points to note: I chose Gordon O’Connor for Defence/Vet Affairs because of his experience. People who feel his background as a lobbyist prohibit him, should remember that the Accountability Act is there to prevent senior public servants from going into lobbying, not the other way around.

I gave Peter McKay both the ACOA portfolio and HRDC for a couple of reasons. A big part of what Alberta wants is to let Eastern Canada know that there is lots of money and jobs in Alberta. HRDC ties in well with ACOA to help get Canada on track as far as unemployment goes. A good east coast boy like McKay should be able to really help pull the east out of the funk and help tie Alberta oil knowledge to that of the East Coast drilling programs. It would also be really cool to see McKay get ex-sweetheart Belinda’s job.

I have the Ministers of Internal and International Trade as Rona Ambrose and Russ Hiebert for a reason. They may be interchangeable as Russ has international trade experience and Rona speaks three languages and has a prominent role. I wouldn’t even be surprised to see the two positions/two Ministers merged in a way to better promote our regional specialties at a global level.

Helena Guergis’ background with women’s issues and assistance programs would make her ideal for Social Development. She lives close enough to Toronto to be familiar with the big city environment where much of this program operates but she is far enough away to understand the rural/aboriginal concerns with this portfolio. (I am not sure but by her name I am guessing Miss Guergis is of Greek descent which is a plus on the minority side. As some of you know, I have a soft spot for Greeks, being one myself).

Agriculture was a toughie. But to get another Manitoban in, I chose Inky Mark who has agri-experience. The common choice out there for other predictions is Diane Finley, but Diane has such experience that she would be great at tying various departments together. Being close to Harper she would be instrumental in making issues get resolved across Ministries to Harper’s desire.

I was going to drop the Democratic Renewal portfolio, but with so many issues coming up with regard to this subject, I think Harper is going to leave it as a standalone for now under the watchful eye of Scott Reid.

Finance. What do do about Finance? Many believe Monte doesn’t have the background to qualify him for this key post. I have a short list of reasons that I think he is.
a) He is not working alone. The man has a staff who did a darned good job in opposition going through the books to keep the Liberals on their toes. Advisers with lots of letters behind their names will be standing there with him.

b) He has shown he understand the portfolio enough to bounce second questions at Ministers in QP. With his quick thinking, sharp mind, and wit, the Finance Minister better be swift or a smooth opposition can make them look bad on a daily basis. Monte is superior to almost every other MP in this regard. (James Moore and Pierre Poilievre being two other Tories to watch in QP)

c) He looks so smart in those glasses.

Now, the prediction you have all been waiting for.

Seattle 27, Pittsburgh 19

I also predict Shawn Alexander will have 140 yards rushing, 2 TDs.

Feel free to comment on either prediction.

Officially Screwed Site Statistics – January 2006

Mulder

Well after one full calendar month of site stats, I have pulled the following data together for January 2006

Total Sessions 13,346.00
Total Pageviews 29,829.00
Total Hits 189,876.00
Total Bytes Transferred 1.77 GB
Average Sessions Per Day 430.52
Average Pageviews Per Day 962.23
Average Hits Per Day 6,125.03
Average Bytes Transferred Per Day 58.52 MB
Average Pageviews Per Session 2.24
Average Hits Per Session 14.23
Average Bytes Per Session 139.19 KB
Average Length of Session 00:05:14

For posterity, here is the daily graph indicating sessions, pageviews and MBytes transferred.

I separated hits out because adding this graph minimizes what information you can get from the above one.

In case you are wondering what caused the spike, it was primarily driven by our posts here and here and here and here about the Vellacott-Axworthy sexual assault accusation.

Thanks for your continued visits and support of our site. Clicking ads, or purchasing OfficiallyScrewed merchandise, helps keep the site operational.

Vancouver Games Heading Down The Path Of Montreal Games

Mulder

Here we go again. Vancouver Olympic costs are skyrocketing. Not a week from the start of the Winter Games in Italy, our 2010 version is coming out with cost expectations and it isn’t looking good.

In 2002, the bid was expected to cost $470 Million. Due to a booming Vancouver and global growth, the cost of materials and skilled labour have pushed that cost up to $580 Million. Calgary in 1988 was a profitable Olympics, but it took Montreal 30 years to pay off the debt from the 1976 summer games.

I am all for sport, but when costs go up 23% over the approved budget, bells should be going off for an audit or investigation on the costs.

Officially Screwed Taxpayers……again.

Is Ignatieff The Next To Fall?

Mulder

How do you upstage this…..

or how about this?

Well it appears that Michael Ignatieff has somehow managed to officially screw himself and upstage all the other goofy photos, including that one of Chretien with pie on his face. This photo of Ignatieff was in the Toronto Star is from a few days ago and slipped under the radar but I just caught a glimpse of it and died laughing. It has him shaking the hand of a supporter outside a subway stop while a man is draining his snake not three meters away. Now THAT’s Officially Screwed!!!

I wonder… will this be un-prime ministerial enough to have him bow out with the other big names? Or will this be his way to raise his profile?

I still think, tongue-in-cheek, that this will open the door for David Orchard!!!