I am so grateful for the ink residue left on my fingertips after I read the Saturday edition of the Globe and Mail. That we live in a country with (relatively) free press is a huge freedom for which we, as Canadians should be more acutely aware and grateful. The newspaper business is dying an agonal death. We’ve turned inward to our computers and hand held devices to take in the narrow band news that interests us personally. On the train, the subway, the bus, we plug in, and disconnect from the rest of the world. My thoughts are echoed by Stuart McLean and a great piece in his weekly CBC Vinyl Cafe stories. He weaves a great memoir about what we lose as a society, as individuals move away from the newsprinted page and disengage with one another debating the issues of the day.
I must confess, I generally read the paper section by section, and I look forward to the Globe Life Style section the most, with Lucy Waverman’s recipes inspiring me to cook and entertain. The rest of the paper inspires the conversation that seasons the food and wine at the table. What would Saturday morning be without the cantankerous, Don Cherry-like in icon status, Christie Blatchford? I mean really, the woman is unrepentant with well-thought out arguments. I don’t always agree, but I certainly admire her chutzpah (and the love she has for her pooch).
A lot of my friends and acquaintances nod their head in agreement when someone moans about depressing news stories, how sensationalized everything is, blah, blah, blah. Well, it’s true sometimes. But, and a big but it is, what the heck do we Canadians really have to report as traumatic, sensational, population-annihilating news? Usually what we count as real news; atrocious natural disasters with astronomical death tolls, and the injustice of corrupt governments don’t make our national news. I mean, come on people, we do a great job of covering up the pathetic nature of our federal government like a Baptist newlywed covers up her knees for goodness sake.
Page A5 of this Saturday’s Globe and Mail includes a quarter-page article by Gloria Galloway about the recent “Tequila Tantrum” had by our federal conservative Veteran’s Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn. What a joke. We call this government? We elected these people for a second time?! What the heck are we thinking about?! The whole government is a joke, a bunch of self-important idiots who have latched onto the teet of “almost” stardom and won’t let go. See the article next to this Tequila debacle about Ralph Klein becoming the star of a new game show, as evidence of this goofy politician cum pseudo star phenomenon.
Does it really matter whether your tie is red or blue, or even orange anymore? There seems to be a self indulgent pulse running through our political system, fuelled by bloated expense accounts, zero accountability, a not-so-much-as-apathetic-but-lazy public and a Prime Minister who has learned how to call time-out (recently we have been reminded of the definition of proroguing) whenever there may actually be an intelligent argument coming to light about what the hell is really going on with our U.S. worshipping boys in Ottawa. Really Mr. Harper, just because you have come to be known for crotch-scratching-hockey-game betting, calling national, political time outs is not really that cool.
So, Mr. Blackburn, who according to the article included a $68,000.00 receipt on his 2007 expense report for aircraft rentals, had a hissy fit for not being able to take a big ol’ bottle of booze on a flight. Classy. Mr. Blackburn, less than a year ago announced that our Canadian government was going to spend $358.7 million (MILLION) to tighten up Canadian airport security. Maybe if he weren’t so attached to his booze, he would remember that it’s been a few years since they’ve allowed any liquid over 100ml on board a plane. Oh. Well, my oversight. Not privately hired planes. That’s right, he’s had little experience flying commercial like us lowly, brainwashed Wal-Mart shoppers. Silly me, what was I thinking criticizing this inspiring Canadian (elected) leader?
After the ever present “they” confiscated his tequila, the Minister (OUR ELECTED minister) demanded that security empty the bottle in front of him. What’s wrong Mr. Blackburn? If you can’t party on Canada’s watch and dime, no one else can either? What was he planning, doing body shots off Her Excellency, the Right Honourable Michaelle Jean, Governor General during the next proroguation while she winks across the room at that bad boy Stevie Harper? I hope they confiscated the contraband lemons and salt from his carry on too. Ok, so now I'm getting silly, but it's a reflection of the language and behaviour that we have come to expect and (regretfully) accept from our elected leaders.
So people, as I am ever vigilant in voicing every time we have an election – think really darn hard about for whom you vote. Think about not the type of country you can settle for living in, but about the type of country you are proud to call home. Are we a nation who just votes “so the other party doesn’t get in”, or do we have the fortitude to vote for the change we really want to see? So far, we’ve remained the apathetic blue or red voters we have always historically been. Vote for what you believe in....VOTE – VOTE-VOTE, so we can come out from underneath all of this adolescent political cock rubbing ( see page A9 photo of our Prime Minister accepting a case of beer from the President of the grand old U.S. of A. In payment for a bet they made on a hockey game)that only results in an embarrassing exchange of personal insults across the floor of a very spoiled parliament.
On that note, don’t even get me started about the second article on page A11, “Anglicans accept Pope’s invitation to join Catholic church”, but do go out and buy a newspaper. Get your hands dirty, and engage someone in an intelligent conversation about what is going on in the world. Talk leads to action, and action to the change we want to see in the world.
Read, love, and scatter peace.
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