Librano$ – Page 3 – Ted Campbell's Point of View … an old soldier's thoughts on shoes and ships and sealing wax and many other things. I self describe as a classical liberal ~ which means, in 21st century Canada, that I’m a Conservative. I believe in four fundamental rights for each and every individual: Life, Liberty and Property, as described by John Locke in 17th century England, and Privacy, as defined by Brandeis and Warren in 19th century America. Your comments are welcome, but my views (and obvious biases) are pretty well established after 75+ years.

All hat, no cattle ~ All promise, no policy

Variations of the expression “all hat, no cattle” have been used since, at least, the middle of the 19th century. ”’fur coat and no knickers’ in early 20th century Britain and “all talk and no cider” in mid 19th century America, for example). It is a perfect description for prime Minister Justin Trudeau and hisContinue reading “All hat, no cattle ~ All promise, no policy”

More Librano$

There is a disturbing report in the Globe and Mail that suggests that the Liberals are up to their old, dirty, dishonest tricks. Remember the Librano$? That gang of (mostly) Quebecers surrounding Prime Minister Jean Chrétien who were shovelling our hard earned money into various Quebec Liberals’ hands in the name of “national unity?” There wereContinue reading “More Librano$”

Oh what a tangled web …

There is an interesting and insightful story in The New Yorker about President Trump’s populist guru and former White House chief political strategist Steve Bannon … it includes this gem: “One idea he has floated inside the White House is creating a new, higher tax rate, perhaps for income over a million dollars. He believesContinue reading “Oh what a tangled web …”

The numbers game

A few days ago I said “Many commentators, including some Liberal friendly ones, are noting that the Khadr payoff is being very poorly (even dishonestly) explained … and is not sitting at all well with many, many key Liberal supporters. It all looks a bit “shifty,” and it all ~ all that shiftiness ~ reflects,Continue reading “The numbers game”

Keeping it civil

I was impressed with the rhetoric of some veterans who, in Halifax, expressed their dismay at the fact that Omar Khadr was given a $10.5 Million payoff while, as one articulate veteran put it, many Canadian military vets are “trying to get a new wheelchair, or maybe a specialist to look at their back, orContinue reading “Keeping it civil”

It’s not just me …

A little more than a year ago I asked if it was just me, or had others detected that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his team seemed”tine deaf,” out of touch wth what really matters to Canadians? Now, as parliament rises for a summer recess, Campbell Clark, writing in the Globe and Mail, asks “WhatContinue reading “It’s not just me …”

Let the demonization continue

The campaign by the Laurentian Elites to demonize Conservatives, in general, and Stephen Harper in particular, continues with a report by federal Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson that finds that Nigel Wright “broke two sections of the Conflict of Interest Act when he personally gave Duffy $90,000 to repay the Senate for questionable living expense claims … [because]Continue reading “Let the demonization continue”

At last!

The Canadian Press is reporting that “An ex-Liberal organizer convicted of fraud-related charges in connection with the federal sponsorship scandal was given a four-year prison term Wednesday … Jacques Corriveau, who was previously described as the ”central figure” in the scandal, will also have 10 years to pay a fine of $1.4 million … [because] … A juryContinue reading “At last!”

Is it just me? (3)

Way back in May 2016 I asked “Is it just me? Or have the Liberals, suddenly, gone tone deaf?” By summer, after “scufflegate,” the PM and the Liberal Party seemed to get back on track and on message, until December and January when cash for access and winter vacations and ministerial ineptitude seemed to remind us thatContinue reading “Is it just me? (3)”

The year in review and the year ahead

The media is, of course, full of reports about what happened, for better or worse, in 2016 and what will likely matter in 2017. For example: a team of journalists including John Ivison and David Akin take a look back in the National Post, and on the CBC website the Power & Politics panel ruminateContinue reading “The year in review and the year ahead”