One more sleep till Christmas

When is Female Equality really Equality for Women?

Stephane Dion has announced his pledge to field 103 female candidates in the next federal election. Everyone seems to be celebrating this promise; declaring that women finally are getting the equality in politics that has long been due to us.

However, I am left wondering what this ‘pledge’ really means. I acknowledge that women are underrepresented when it comes to sitting parliamentarians at both the provincial and federal levels; but when Dion states that he is willing to do whatever it takes to get 103 women as candidates for this party in the next election I can not help but feel slightly offended.

Why do women need this pledge to be declared equal to men? Are we incapable of becoming more politically involved and running for office without the party giving us special treatment? I am mortified to think that before this that we were unable to.

It is a huge, difficult decision to run for public office, one that has many consequences and demands once made. In my riding, I know of many women that are more then qualified to run and clean Nicholson’s clock. However, they have made the personal choice (one that I respect) to not run. Yet I know come election time they will be at the campaign office on the phone, organizing and dedicating countless hours towards defeating our Conservative Member of Parliament.

When somebody considers running for public office they think of the demands that it will place on their life, the time it will take away from family, and a slew of other things. Gender rarely factors into the equation of determining whether or not one will run.

Maybe, I am wrong. I don’t believe I am, but I feel that as women we do not need this special pledge to protect us and help us get elected. As a Liberal young woman I don’t particularly care whether or not our next candidate in Niagara Falls is a women or yet another man. I just want the person who stands the best chance of defeating Rob Nicholson when the election comes. Because I know that there will be an army of women and men behind them fighting to get that person elected!

CTV..how I love thee in the morning!

While reading the morning news:

Does this not sound familiar to this? Well, if that is the case then we know what we can look forward to!

Secondly, I must express my disappointment in Stephane Dion for this:

Updated Wed. Dec. 20 2006 11:04 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff

Dion has been setting up his leadership team in recent days, naming key rivals to top positions. Michael Ignatieff, the perceived frontrunner for most of the leadership campaign, has been named deputy party leader.

Former Ontario education minister Gerard Kennedy, whose support helped Dion establish a win, has been named to the newly created position of special advisor on election readiness and renewal.

Meanwhile Bob Rae, who finished in third place, and Scott Brison, who came in sixth, were given responsibility for the party's election platform.
Martha Hall Findley, the last place finisher and only female candidate in the race, was asked to head consultations for the election platform.

Rae only agreed to the responsibility after Dion personally convinced him he would have a key role in the party, he would have a safe riding to run in during the next election, and that there would be key roles for some members of Rae's leadership team, according to the report.

Rae's new position means a former New Democrat is heading the process to write the Liberal platform, though Dion is certain to manage the details.

The two remaining leadership candidates, Joe Volpe and Ken Dryden, have so far not been given jobs.

So much for the Liberal Dream team. Both Joe and Ken deserve to be involved; Joe for his organizational abilities and Ken for his policy concepts and his vision for the party and for Canada.

Hopefully, come an election this will not be the case.

So it begins...

"Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war!"

Meredith Caplan for MP?!?!?!

With the possiblity of a spring election the question on everyone's mind is who is going to run and who is going to run where?

Whispers of people approaching Meredith Caplan asking her to consider running in the next election as part of Dion's pledge to field more women candidates.

Meredith is no stranger to the political scene; being the daughter of an former MP and the sister of a current Provincial Cabinet Minister. In addition to her family, Meredith is Vice President of LPC(O) and Vice President of Federal Affairs for the OWLC.

I personally believe that Meredith would be an amazing candidate. She is intelligent, well spoken and has a great vision for this party.

It's a tree for Christ' sake!

Several things:

• This is just absurd! God forbid, somebody walks by a tree and feel offended. It could also be argued that having the tree there improves air quality in the building. It is a well known fact that trees absorb carbon dioxide in the air, and we all know that CO2 isn't the greatest thing for us to breathe! But then again we wouldn't want to offend anyone by a green thing decorated with shiny and blinking things.

• Kinsella meantioned this on November 27th. Funny, how we would have to reopen the Constitution to reform the Senate. I wonder what else could be done when Harper decides to launch into constitutional talks in Senate reform? Anyone else see a connection here? Just perhaps?

• Where else can you go to work and you and your colleagues vote yourself a raise? I just might try that today at work. Somehow I don't think I will be as successful! Dalton you were doing so well! Remember that embarrassing health care tax that hurt the federal Liberals? Yes, well this won't help you get re-elected this time around either!

Bush recommends Steve's Cabinet Replacements?!?!

With rumors circulating of a possible game of musical chair cabinet minister style; Bush couldn't help but pass along some recommendations for Steve to consider.

Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics

The Honourable David Emerson will be replaced by The Honourable Paris Hilton

She is no stranger to jet setting across the globe; also she, like Emerson, has no objections to switching sides to suit her personal goals.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

The Honourable Peter McKay will be replace by The Honourable Borat

With the amount of people and ethnic/social groups that Borat has managed to offend he should settle in nicely into Peter Mckay’s controversial shoes.

Minister of the Environment

The Honourable Rona Ambrose will be replaced by The Honourable Jessica Simpson

Apparently you have to be able to screw up one thing after another; a trait Jessica has in spades!

Minister of Health and the Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario

The Honourable Tony Clement will be replaced by The Honourable Oprah Winfrey

You get a new kidney, you get a new kidney, and you get a new kidney! Everyone in the hospital gets a free kidney for this month’s give away spectacular!


Minister of National Defence

The Honourable Gordon O’Connor will be replaced by The Honourable Steven Colbert

Steven Colbert has proven his strong leadership tactics and clearly has a better plan for our mission in Afghanistan. Why else would they give him his own television show?

(Tragically, they are all American or trying to past as American!)

To bring into being

The dictionary defines a beginning as "to set about the activity of" or "to bring into being". I have for quite some time now pondered beginning a blog. I was quick to dismiss the idea as folly; that I could never offer anything to the standard of those blog-gods Warren Kinsella, Cerberus, Jason Cherniak, and the Calgary Grit. However, I have always lectured others to take that terrifying first step and to stand up and be heard. Well, I am standing up; whether or not I will be heard is yet to be determined.

A good friend of mine recently decided to stop blogging. I found myself oddly saddened and disappointed by his choice. It was the symbolism of what a blog stand for, a voice. Why be silent? Here is an intelligent man with a seemingly endless amount to say and yet when he chose to not post; he was choosing to be silent.

I emailed him asking why he was silencing himself. Apparently he wants to focus on his ‘real life’. He asked if I had any suggestions for his last post ever. I suggested a reflection on the impact of blogging on not only yourself but others. How blogging is an amazing forum for free speech, and how it has forced the MSM to change and evolve.

It was that conversation that gave me the push I needed. It seems only fitting that with the end of his blog that I start a blog of my own; since it was he that first put the thought in my head. I decided to share the musings, that up until now where kept locked in my mind, with anyone that dares to read them. I have decided to use my voice; and it is my hope that one day soon he will chose to exercise his voice yet again.

In closing, please forgive me for not starting this blog with a political commentary or critique; that will come soon enough!