Featured:
Thursday, July 9, 2009 02:06 PM
The No. 1 place not to visit
Robert Silver
As just seen on seen on CNN, David Miller's socialist paradise was ranked in the San Francisco Chronicle's World Travel Watch this week as the No. 1 destination in the world to avoid. That places us just behind (or ahead of, depending on your perspective) noted travel destinations Honduras, Mexico and North Africa.
Let that sink in: a reputable newspaper and now the most viewed TV news network in the world thinks you are better off travelling to Algeria right now than Toronto.
I can't overstate how damaging to Toronto's reputation this coverage on CNN and elsewhere is. As someone who cares deeply for the city, this is truly devastating and it just didn't need to be this way.
And yes, I am biased and yes, the blame can be shared equally between CUPE and David Miller but at this point, they are both causing devastating damage to our city and both of them will pay a high price for their irresponsible actions.
Link to this postThursday, July 9, 2009 12:56 PM
Pressing issues of the nation
Tim Powers
To hell, and this will become an important reference point later, with climate change, global economic growth and international aide. Here according to different bits of news consumption I have done this morning appear to be the vital stories of July 9th, 2009:
1) The almost missed photo-op. Egads The Prime Minister was apparently late for a leaders group photo. Clearly it must mean something monumental. Say something about his leadership. Best we set up a Royal Commission to get the bottom of this burdensome issue.
2) The communion that wasn't. There is no video evidence of consumption. One person complains the PM didn’t consume the holy offering. The RCMP has spoken to the FBI. A group from their X-Files unit have been seconded to our men in red to get to the bottom of this mystery.
3) Take pride in your contribution.The government of Canada gives money to Toronto’s Pride Festival. Yes gives money not takes it away. One MP expresses his frustration. A minister keeps her job. Scandalous A nation must know.
This post Michael Jackson world is a rough one
Tuesday, July 7, 2009 12:19 PM
Rugby does not kill
Tim Powers
This story has gotten much coverage over the last while. It is the headline that comes with this tragic tale that always drives me batty. More often than not, Manny Castillo’s tragic loss of life is described as a “rugby death” as is the case here by many in the mainstream media. While it is true Manny Castillo died on a rugby field he did not die because of rugby. He was killed in a senseless act of violence committed by a person not a sport. An act described in this report as a “pile-driver,” which is totally illegal in rugby and would have merited the player being kicked off the field, and suspended, had it occurred during the regular course of play. But as described in the story the heinous act of violence happened “as the game ended.”
Falsely implying this young man died because of rugby is not going to bring Manny back. While my heart goes out to the Castillo family for their unspeakable loss of a son, having certain news media suggest that rugby is somehow unduly violent by constantly playing a game of word association between rugby and death is odious. Trying to undermine a game played by millions of people around the world which provides an outlet for healthy physical activity serves no constructive purpose. “Rugby made me do it” might read well, attract attention and sell a few papers but it casts a needless pale over a variety of competitive sports that have helped positively shape the character of many Canadians.
Having read what I have about Manny Castillo I am not sure his memory would be well-served by careless public characterizations of the pursuits that made him happy.
Monday, July 6, 2009 05:14 PM
An important moment after a sad ending
Tim Powers
Last week, like many others, I shared my thoughts about Dave Batters and his tragic battle with mental illness. This morning I read excerpts of the Prime Minister’s eulogy for Dave that he delivered this past Saturday. It is a must view, not for partisan reasons, but because of the significance of the leader of this country talking so openly about one of the major health issues of our times that still to this day causes discomfort in some parts of the public realm.
Former Liberal senator Michael Kirby, now Chair of the Canadian Mental Health Commission, and a number his colleagues produced an excellent report on mental health needs and challenges a few years ago. That document entitled, “Out of the Shadows at Last ,” helped focus federal health care policy in this area. My hope is the Prime Minister’s tribute to Dave has moved the yards sticks a little further.
Monday, July 6, 2009 12:36 PM
The not-so-surprising prevalence of Canadian culture
Tim Powers
On my last day in Portugal, on this American Independence Day, I woke up to a stream of Canadian cultural products.
Within five minutes I saw a story on the French network TV5 about the tiff between the Conservatives and Bloc over political literature and who stands where on crime. Moments later, flicking through the channels, I came upon ESPN America, only to see a classic hockey game between the Canadiens and the Leafs featuring Dicky Duff, Boom Boom Gefferion, Maurice Richard with commentary by Foster Hewitt. The only think missing was the Don Cherry commercial for "Rock-em Sock-em Hockey."
Yesterday, a portion of London's Daily Telegraph dealt with the work of a Canadian rugby official, Alan Hudson, in South Africa. Mr. Hudson, you see, was chosen to play a key officiating role in an important international match between the British Lions and South Africa. That is effectively rugby's equivalent of Wimbledon. Hudson ruled a key South African player had eye-gouged a Lion (the rugby-playing variety), and of course this got many in a lather.
All these bits of Canadiana thousands of miles from home reminded me of something a former boss of mine, John Crosbie, once remarked. He said he never understood why during the free trades debates of the '80s and early '90s why Canadians were so worried about their identity being subsumed by bigger partners. He believed Canada had some outstanding cultural artifacts and the world would eat them up.
From what I can see from my experiences today, he was largely right. Of course, some will bemoan the fact that I have selected sport and politics as present examples. But on a day when European outlets are focussing on Obama's visit to Russia, Michael Jackson's memorial service and all other manner of things non-Canadian, I'll take victories where they appear.
Thursday, July 2, 2009 12:43 PM
I miss Algonquin Park, too
Tim Powers
As a Canadian visiting Europe, I have been struck by some of the debate coming out of Britain. Many of the key policy exchanges filling the British papers could have been ripped from colonial broad sheets - with some certain twists and a few footnotes:
1) Truth in Forecasting and Budgets. The governing Labour Party is getting pounded by the opposition Conservatives to come clean on how much service cutting will be necessary. Of course, no one is talking tax hikes. The Conservative leader went so far as to say there would be riots in the street if people didn't get the truth.
2) Pounding on the Public Broadcaster. The Conservative Party says the head of the BBC makes too much money and resources could be allocated elsewhere. Heard that one before?
3) Immigration. In the UK, the dialogue - and it is heated - is not about more efficient processing and getting people into the workforce. No, it is about a recent study that suggested many of the jobs created by the Labour Party have disproportionately been dispersed to new immigrants as opposed to long-standing Britons. In many quarters that has gone over like a led balloon, and some are looking to exploit it.
4) Cultural Change. Despite the ever-changing faces of England and the growing populations of Muslims, Russians and Poles (to name but a few significant groups), things in Jolly Old England don't turn around overnight. However, over the last fortnight you'd swear Mother Britain had changed forever. Why? Because the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, home of Wimbledon, has a roof on centre court. With a Scot, Andy Murray, pushing for a place in the final and one of his monumental victories taking place under the closed roof with the lights on, commentators here are trying to determine if the fabric of Britain has been permanently altered.
Despite these wonderful societal skirmishes that almost compel one to convert citizenships so as to become a participant, I remain but a Canadian observer visiting Europe.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009 04:36 PM
The Black Dog strikes again
Tim Powers
Winston Churchill, among others, used the term Black Dog to describe the depression he used to suffer from. Depression can be a horrific illness and today it claimed a young former Saskatchewan Conservative MP named Dave Batters.
Dave didn't run in the last election because he was trying to beat this beast back. At 39 he lost a tough fight to a force far stronger than any partisan opponent.
I got to know Dave a little when he was an MP. He was a warm, energetic and well-meaning fellow. Two years ago I had the pleasure of spending time with him and his family at the 2007 Juno Awards in Saskatoon. Like many sufferers of mental illness he appeared healthy on the surface and showed great exuberance at having a terrific national event in his beloved home province.
On this tough day, after what has no doubt been a rocky road, the Batters' family has shown tremendous courage in sharing Dave's battle with the rest of the country. One hopes your guts will continue to advance the war against the Black Dog and lessen his bite.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, in a statement just released about Dave's tragic death, said this:
"Dave ultimately lost his struggle with severe depression, but we should use his loss as a reminder that mental health illnesses affect Canadians in every walk of life. Too often Canadians, such as Dave, suffer in silence out of fear of being stigmatized for their illness."
Good also for the Prime Minister in picking up the baton handed to him by the Batters family and speaking directly to all those Canadians, and their families, who have walked and continue to walk in Dave's shoes.
Dave Batter's may have been a Tory MP but we can all best serve his memory by being mindful that more public policy work and front line medical help for unseen mental illness is something that knows no partisan line and must happen.
Today though we all mourn a young man who left us far too early.
Monday, June 29, 2009 08:31 PM
Don't ever say Harper doesn't have a plan
Robert Silver
The last paragraph from Paul Wells's must-read account of how we got ourselves a shiny Blue Ribbon EI panel:
"Whenever the election does come, Harper has one plan in mind for afterward: the elimination of public funding to political parties. A punishing blow to his opponents. Sure, the idea caused a showdown last autumn, the adviser said. 'But in retrospect, we should have stuck to our guns. It was strategically smart. It's still strategically smart. We're going to run again on it. And we're going to do it, if we win the next election. It's coming.'"
Taking the paragraph literally:
1. Harper has "one plan" - implying this is biggest priority a re-elected Harper government will have for his third term. Nothing bigger - this is his one plan.
2. Is that really what Harper wants to run on?
3. Really?
4. "In retrospect, we should have stuck to our guns." What does that mean? Harper should have allowed the coalition to take over in December rather than prorogue? Harper should have come back in January, reintroduced the Fall Update unchanged and dared Michael Ignatieff to either defeat the government or bring in the coalition? Seriously, of all the possible moves available to the PM back in the winter, was there any scenario where he stuck to his guns and remained as PM?
5. But the money shot: "It was strategically smart." Repeat again "it was strategically smart" just to emphasise just how smart it was. I have an autographed Silver-Powers T-Shirt (Martian edition) for any Registered Conservative Strategist - and yes, that includes Tim - who is willing to go on the record, with their name and all, and explain to the world why in fact the fall economic update was a stroke of strategic brilliance and the ONLY mistake the PM made was being weak and backing off the proposal.
6. Yes, I know dangling this out there via Wells was likely another strategic move, intended for Liberals to overreact and go all silly. Given how well the last strategic move involving eliminating public funding to political parties worked out, why wouldn't you double down on it again rather than move on and find a new plan that addresses something that, oh, I don't know, matters?
Monday, June 29, 2009 02:03 PM
The light of Lisbon
Tim Powers
This morning I find myself sitting in a frighteningly empty airport in Lisbon, Portugal, listening to the Tragically Hip awaiting a connecting flight to Faro. If the vacant terminal is any indication the global recession still has some teeth.
Flipping through my news clips while managing through an Air Canada-like delay I caught up on Brian Laghi and Kevin Carmichael's story from last week concerning our Prime Minister's call for a coordinated exit strategy from some of the programs established to combat the financial crisis. Good Canadian leadership
The PM often gets unfairly criticized by the Opposition for not having a plan to get Canada through the recession and on the path to recovery. Look, I'll freely admit some of the criticism that gets thrown at the government is legitimate but not this stuff about being at sea in this tsunami. Numbers and dates might alter slightly based on what is happening in other jurisdictions or truly unforeseen circumstances alter realities, yet Harper has been solid in combatting this economic hell. Even the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, who had been critical of the speed of the government's infrastructure spending, now says in this week's Hill Times more money is flowing .
I suspect at next week's G8 we will hear more about both a global and Canadian exit strategy.
It is not even worth building up the energy to slap Iggy around on his lack of a plan. That is better saved for pouring a glass of port. Iggy is as lost as my luggage when it comes to finding his own way forward here.
Monday, June 29, 2009 01:29 PM
Hudak's big job ahead
Robert Silver
Like Tim, I also want to congratulate Mark Spiro and the other smart people on the Hudak campaign for running a cagey, under the radar front-runner campaign. Despite some of the media spin, this was one of the best planned front-runner campaigns in recent memory and Hudak and his team deserve some accolades.
Now Hudak's real job begins.
While Tim calls the McGuinty government a "tired and spent" third-term government, I see a second-term Premier (one election at a time, Tim - though I appreciate your faith in the Premier to win the next election) who is dealing with tough times with the same sense of conviction, values and balance he has brought to the job since his election in 2003.
Premier McGuinty understands Ontario and where the province needs to be led and the people are embracing him in the polls as never before.
From a political perspective, McGuinty owns the political centre and Hudak will have no choice but to swing hard-right to find political oxygen. Luckily for him, Hudak seems more than comfortable in that territory. Unfortunately for him, that's not where many voters reside.
Hudak's pledge to abolish the Human Rights Tribunal is a classic leadership dog-whistle policy - it played great to the base but as Christine Elliott and Frank Klees so helpfully pointed out during the leadership, has the potential to become a general election albatross. Yes, Hudak may very well be subject to Dion-like "you didn't get it done" ads at some point which is of course, more than fair game when your own caucus is going so hard after your leader's main policy plank.
In order to avoid that fate, Hudak will need to develop an agenda that goes beyond boiler plate language and odes to the Harris era. To date, Hudak has put little of substance on the table. Without a clear agenda and plan for the province, Hudak is in real danger of being branded as "not upto the job" heading into 2011.
In other words, the easy part for Hudak ended Saturday and the tough task ahead starts today.
Silver-Powers Contributors
Robert Silver
Robert Silver is a Toronto-based energy lawyer, entrepreneur and consultant. He currently advises energy companies looking to build clean electricity projects in Ontario. He has been involved in projects that have brought more 3,000 megawatts of clean and renewable energy to Ontario. Robert has also been involved in a number of innovative conservation and energy efficiency projects. He is a highly sought after speaker on energy, infrastructure and environment issues.
An active federal and provincial Liberal, Robert was Gerard Kennedy's National Policy Director during the 2006 Liberal Leadership Campaign. Prior to returning to the private sector, he worked for Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty as a special policy advisor. He received his law degree from the University of Western Ontario, where he won two North American and two Canadian National Debating Championships.
Tim Powers
Tim Powers is Vice-President of Summa Communications based in Ottawa.
Originally from St. John's, Tim began his career as an assistant and advisor to the Honourable John C. Crosbie, then Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. Thereafter, he acted as advisor to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. He also served as the Director of Policy and Research to the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. Generally, he has been involved with federal election campaigns in one way or another since the great Free Trade debate of 1988. From handing out leaflets to knocking on doors to TV talking (thankfully his time as a bouncer helped with that) he has had the good fortune of doing a bit of everything.
Tim has a Master of Sciences degree (Media and Communications) from the London School of Economics and has studied Public Sector Management at Harvard University. Currently, he serves as a lecturer in the Faculty of Communications at the University of Ottawa.