Honour and Privilege

It was a difficult few minutes around 8:10 this morning when the Doc and Woody Show aired a montage of listener messages to our veterans on this solemn morning.

As we ran the underscore music and launched the 2 and a half minute tribute that Doc assembled (I had not heard this yet), it quickly became evident that this was not the hackneyed "thank a vet" posture but, rather, a more personal reflection.

Callers spoke of their fathers and grandfathers, children read poems and recited songs they had learned and young and old alike delivered their heartfelt appreciation for those who paid the ultimate price - who made the ultimate sacrifice for the ultimate purpose: Freedom and democracy. And to those that returned, the words were direct; thank you for your bravery, for your service... and for coming home.

Yesterday, Randall Moore made the trip to Alta Vista station with hundreds of other grateful Canadians to greet the Veteran's Train which made the trek from Halifax to participate in the national ceremonies this morning in Ottawa. Randall spoke of the pride and emotion experienced by everyone in attendance. Young children asked for autographs and adults fought back tears as they extended their arms to deliver one of the most grateful handshakes they would share in their lifetimes. And the veterans. In this, the year of the veteran, they marveled at and humbly accepted the outpouring of respect and appreciation. Respect and appreciation so richly deserved.

I will know that feeling Randall spoke of in a little more than an hour from now as I and Mrs. Woody attend the Centrepointe ceremonies where my wife will be laying the wreath on behalf of our riding association. Our president, Richard Fromm, would normally perform this duty but is out of town with the passing of his father-in-law. (Our deepest condolences to Karen and the entire family)

As Vice President, my lovely wife, is humbled by what we both regard as an honour and an esteemed privilege to step forward to pay our respects and express our thanks to our most cherished citizens: Our veterans.

Harper Lightens The Puck Up!

Stephen Harper appeared in the season premiere or Rick Mercer's Report on CBC last night. It was a parody of a recent Nike Ad with Harper firing hockey pucks at Mercer from a rooftop.

It's the kind of thing we've needed to see in Stephen. It looks good on him.

If you missed it, you can see the video at Rick Mercer's CBC page. You'll also want to watch Rick's rant. Vintage salient Mercer.

Stop The Presses! Something Else To Pin On Harper!

As innocuous as this story is, it's making the rounds. Even the Post and Sun Media picked it up from, who else, Canadian Press. I find the comments to the Globe and Mail particularly interesting and mildly entertaining.

Will this become the Conservatives' "Poppygate" or is it more Liberal "Poppyganda"? It's the burning issue of the day, folks. Drop everything and follow this one.

The Torture Never Stops - But, This Time, For Whom?

So here we are, not more than a week off the Gomery report and we hear of more of the Liberal culture trying to spread itself far and wide through surreptitious means. Had the leading polling indicators not woken me up (had I been a Liberal today), I'd sure as hell be wiping the cruts out of my right eye in time to greet my day with a reckoning fury over this one. My cry to the gods would be "Have they not learned their fucking lesson yet?"

Never mind the headline timeline, for surely the Sponsorship Scandal has had an anniversary or four, yet this sweeping culture of arrogance is driving the Liberal Party deeper and deeper into the hole that they've already dug so deep, they've had to abandon their shovels and scramble for fresh air to the surface with the desperate yelp of "every man for himself!"

Sometimes I hate to admit it, other times I'm proud to say: I used to be a Liberal. I believe that, at least for an occasional glimpse, one should look into all political persuasions to see which agrees with your consistency as a functioning creature in our society. For me, as a young person, Liberalism (or small L) made sense to me. I was idealistic yet pragmatic. Liberal made sense and, not just because my mother was deeply involved in the party. I honestly felt that the moderate approach was always the best approach - that one needed to understand both sides to each issue in order to fully address its causes and remedies. In some ways, I still may well be diagnosed a "small L' liberal and I'm well into my forties, now. But let's be sure of this: It's only my egalitarian nature that drives my bus down the middle of the road. It's my fear of head-on collisions that keeps me pulling the wheel to the right these days.

So with today's story out of the Vancouver Sun, while I wasn't surprised, I was further disappointed and disconcerted with the state of our government. This minority ruling party is grasping at even the shortest straw they can find.

As you read the story of how Liberal insiders wanted to thwart my friends John Baird and Jim Flaherty in their bids to campaign federally, make sure you understand that Elections Canada see no issue under the guidelines with them campaigning while they're still serving in the Ontario legislature. Prior to October, I saw John on a regular basis in my riding - at meetings and events, even grocery shopping. Since then, with Queen's Park in session again, I have seen him once. When these gentlemen campaign, it's on their own time and the party dime - meaning: whatever we can continue to raise with our supporters. It's all above board.

What saddens me is the crap we're put through as a country by the big Liberal spin machine which, in its desperation, is getting mighty sloppy and very embarrassing - even for its opponents. I feel wasted by countless volleys that we must entertain and, worse, I feel sympathy for the moderate, middle-of-the-road Canadian thinker that has, once again, been let down by what he/she thinks was their vision of a Canada they could endorse and be proud of. I can't even be partisan at this moment. It is just too fucking sad.

Good News Is The Best Tonic

There's nothing like good news to put a little spring into a man's step. On the morning of Stephen Harper's announcement of his new Federal Accountablity proposal, Ipsos-Reid released the first post-Gomery public opinion results showing the Liberal's in a tailspin and, for the first time in months, a surging support base for the Conservative Party.

Mrs. Woody and I, along with others, were invited to join Ottawa West-Nepean candidate John Baird to attend the announcement in the Railroad Room on Parliament Hill. Unfortunately, I had a little radio show to do and we couldn't make it. It was then we decided to make the hour-long drive out to Casselman to see Stephen speak to supporters in Glengarry-Prescott-Russell on Friday night.

Bouyed by the Ipsos results of Friday morning, Harper appeared refreshed and energized. I've always seen him to be calm and casual and, despite a majority media impression, comfortable around people. Let's face facts. He's always been a bit on the shy side. Mild-mannered and unassuming. Not very gregarious but not exactly a wall-flower. He's a polite and respectful man and attentive when greeting the public. But, on this night, there was just a little more zip in his delivery. Confidence is a wonderful thing and if I could notice a difference in Stephen Harper, the news had to be well received, despite his guarded tenor toward polls. Because, you see, this wasn't just any poll. This was Ipsos-Reid.

Ipsos-Reid: The firm that, not one week ago, showed the Liberals at 38 percent, a 12 point lead on the Conservatives. Ipso-Reid:. The firm that has not shown favourable Tory numbers since early May. Ipsos-Reid: The firm that, by comparison to other pollsters, has always turned out an ironically conservative Conservative result - almost begrudging a Conservative lead in support.

Ipsos-Reid. The mecca of media spin. When you have Ipsos, you have impetus.

Stephen Harper, as he did that morning on the hill, rolled out his Federal Accountability Act before a packed Casselview Golf and Country Club with GPR candidate Pierre Lemieux, Defense Critic Gordon O'Connor and Jason Kenney in attendance, among other local notables.

He listed the bullet points of his proposed first piece of legislation as Prime Minister. As he proceeded his delivery became stronger. It quickly crescendoed to a campaign style look and feel. His 'Stand Up For Canada' refrain to close the speech was the stuff great patriotic orations are made of. I wish I could remember his words but I got caught up in the moment. Yes, folks, the feeling was actually passionate.

After he spoke, he met with the jammed room of supporters, one by one, group by group, for what seemed to be another hour. Mrs. Woody and I had specific business regarding our own riding's newsletter with our printer, who was also in attendance. Once we had concluded, we were on our way back to Ottawa. Stephen was still greeting supporters and by, the looks of things, he was still going to be a while.

There is a trend working in the Conservative favour now. Yesterday, Strategic Counsel, revealed a three point Conservative lead in public opinion. It's the first time any pollster has published that kind of news since before June. What's more encouraging, and I've said this before, Conservative numbers have not only been more consistent, they've also translated to be more efficient for the party.

If the news gets any better, Stephen might just relax with the media a bit more. And that couldn't come at a better time. This country doesn't need charisma. Nor does it need Paul Martin style partisan rhetoric. It needs honest-to-goodness Leadership. It needs Stephen Harper. And the way to the voters is through those that write, report and editorialize. The more comfortable he is with the media, the more comfortable the media will be in writing positively about him. I know. I know messenging. I know the messages. I know the media.

I AM the media.

And I know Stephen Harper, Canada's Next Prime Minister. (Get used to it, Stephen. You WILL BE!) He was never in it for his ego. And that makes him the best candidate.

All Conservatives must now work hard enough to make Stephen Harper Canada's most reluctant Prime Minister. Maybe then, we'll see the attention average Canadians deserve from our government.

The best news to put a real spring in his step is the news that, on election night, he not only won the keys to 24 Sussex, but that he won a majority mandate to do the work Canadians have be denied for the past 15-plus years. For that to happen, it takes a team effort. We all must check our egos at the door. It's not fair to expect the work to be done at the top unless we're all about the same effort.

That's why I was at the GPR Harper rally. I didn't need Stephen's face time. I was there to support my neighboring riding. If my celebrity did something to help by being there, it was a mission accomplished. Stephen and I did not speak that night, although he was aware of my presence in the room. He had his job to do and I had mine.. like you have yours to do:

Let's make it a reality. Stand up for Canada. Stand United. Stand Strong. Stand for something...... or you'll fall for anything! That, at the grass roots level, should be our message.

Just one li'l boy's opinion.