(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

Bob Baker is in town. He is asking the Toronto zoo to shut down its Elephant Exhibit and ship the elephants down south. He has already been turned down with similar request by the Edmonton zoo.

Have no fear, Bob; we do have other elephants.

How about this big White Elephant of the Conservatives? It is a buddy of the US Republican elephant. Recently, it is getting too expensive and extravagant to keep. Over a single weekend, it spent 1.1 billion of our taxpayers’ money, to hold the G8/G20, with most dough went to the pork barrel of a single minister, camouflaged as funding from border and other infrastructure projects. They are also committed to spend multi-billion dollars on some fighter jets for years to come. We better let you ship this white elephant south before causing more permanent damage.

During the last few weeks, this political animal is turning into a Pink Elephant, with hallucination and paranoia; like a drunken sailor, or is it just showing signs of aging? It keeps repeating words like coalition, majority ….., as if these are something real. Now it is using the “s” word, crying wolf and spreading fear.

The pink elephant is losing touch of reality. During the Election Debates, it felt the debates were just bickering of the oppositions. To stop such bickering, we need a majority, we need to forgo of our democratic way, it said, and should be ruled with strong will and iron fists of an unapologetic leader.

The pink elephant is growing more paranoid. It will not and cannot trust us ordinary Canadian. It creeps around the Internet Facebook and Twitter, like the Internet police, looking for anybody with hints of opposing tie and view, and be excluded and escorted out of their gatherings, to pre-emptively suppressing any potential opposing view and trouble. It turns their public campaign meetings into exclusive club functions, by invitation only.

Bob, we have enough. These elephants are for you.

Good luck.

(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

Reported by Amber MacArthur of Globe and Mail

(http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/digital-culture/trending-tech/breaking-up-with-harper-on-youtube/article1987242/)

As part of the “It’s Over Steve” campaign on YouTube, moms, wives, and daughters are demanding better from this country’s leader. These women are also asking others across Canada to post their own Harper break-up videos, and they’re demanding that they make sure to vote in our upcoming federal election (against Harper).

In another headline news of today: Guergis accuses PMO of smear campaign; Harper stays unapologetic

A year ago, Ms. Guergis was tossed out of cabinet after allegations arose about possible criminal conduct and Mr. Harper sent the matter to the Mounties.

The RCMP cleared Ms. Guergis and her husband, Rahim Jaffer, but Ms. Guergis was never asked back into the Tory fold.

When asked Friday whether he owed Ms. Guergis an apology – after allegations of drug abuse, wild partying and attempts to secure illegal contracts all proved unfounded – Conservative Leader Stephen Harper was unrepentant.

As Ms. Guergis pointed out, this is also a gender issue, how she was treated differently than her male colleagues, all because of her husband’s problems.

The question is, will this individual (aka Guergis) fallout hurt the male chauvanist Tories? Will this lead to more women discontent and induce the rise of lady vote-mobs?

(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

世界是你们的，也是我们的，但是归根结底是你们的。你们青年人朝气蓬勃，正在兴旺时期，好像早晨八九点钟的太阳。希望寄托在你们身上

Reported by Sarah Millar of the Toronto Star.

On the March 29 season finale of the Rick Mercer Report, Rick Mercer issued a challenge to Canada’s youth: Vote

And across the country, youth vote mobs rise up and accept the challenge.

First it is the students of University of Guelph:

Then others follow.

University of Victoria :

Ottawa University:

McMaster University (as reported by The National):

And the University of Guelph even made a second video:

For more information, please visit the LeadNow website ( http://leadnow.ca/en/vote-mobs ) and the Star article on Youth Nation
(http://thestar.blogs.com/youth_nation/2011/04/video-vote-mobs-across-the-country.html)

(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

1. Can’t satisfy all. People complained when we did not screen the ex-PMO staffer, now people complained when we do screen

2. This is a staffer problem, not my problem, I only work here, I am the PM

3. I have called in the RCMP to investigate

4. So far, we have only kicked out the students, the vets and the homeless

5. RCMP: This is a private event. The organizers want you out

6. Organizers: The RCMP identified you, get out or they’ll take you out

7. There is not room for everyone at these events and that they have to manage how many people can attend, explained John Baird

8. These are local issues, no comment

9. Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil; stick to the script, smooth sailing to a majority

10. Learned from Charlie Sheen’s disastrous Detroit tour, had to have absolute control of the crowd

11. Don’t trust any ordinary Canadians

12. Do you know who I am?

13. Just normal security procedure for a PM

14. It’s all because of the Coalition

15. Be afraid, be very afraid. Next, there will be a knock on your door and you will be gone

16. “It’s better when you’re turning people away than when you can’t get people to come,” Harper said. Better for whom?

17. Are you on Facebook or Twitter? We are Facebook Creeping, swiping for any IED or potential Coalition danger

18. You haven’t earned the honour to be in this exclusive attendees club?

(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

Mr. Harper, has gone command-and-control in a big way. He’s taking only five questions a day from journalists. He’s avoiding unscripted encounters with members of the public. Unsurprisingly, he wants no part of the one-on-one debate for which Mr. Ignatieff is lobbying —– Adam Radwanski (G&M)

To limit how many questions journalists can put to Mr. Harper……… At just five questions a day, you can literally count on one hand how many questions Harper takes everyday. The obvious intent is to restrict the range of topics (coalition, not contempt), keep him from stumbling, and stay on message to get the talking points out. —– Peter Harris, Global National TV

And our top 15 reasons are

1. 講多錯多

2. Five questions a day, keep the Coalition away

3. The bottle genie grants only 3 wishes, and Mr. Harper already granted 5

4. Too risky, 5 is more than enough

5. KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid)

6. Ssshhh, keep quiet

7. Topic already covered. Next

8. Good question. Next

9. This counts as one, next question

10. T’s for your own good, more than you can handle

11. The answer is NO, what is the question?

12. Shut up, no more question, just listen

13. A majority, no question asked

14. No question please, we are Conservatives

15. Pre-emptive damage control

(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

1. One-on-one? You heard it wrong, buddy, I said: None

2. Sorry, too risky, stick with 5 questions a day

3. “Our first preference was a direct debate with the leader of the coalition.” No coalition, no debate

4. Ignatieff? Who?

5. I meant one-on-one with May

6. The consortium of broadcasters rejected that idea, not me

7. One-on-one or regular? With fries to go?

8. Iggy is greedy, he wanted a one-on-one debate and a regular leader’s debate, too

9. “I was hoping maybe I could have a one-on-one debate with Mr. Harper,” Mr. Layton said. See what you guys did. Now everybody wants me.

10. Well, you win some, you lose some

(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

Once upon a time there was a paranoid chicken named Chicken Little.

One day Chicken Little was pondering how to win the Great Canadian throw-down, when some thought hit him.

“Hey,” cried Chicken Little, “that’s it. The sky is falling. The Coalition is coming. I must go and tell everyone.”

So Chicken Little ran and ran, across and around the country, proclaiming, “The sky is falling, the Coalition is coming.”

Along the way to Little Italy, he met Henny Penny.

Henny Penny asked, “Where are you going, Chicken Little?”

“Oh, the sky is falling, the Coalition is coming!”

Henny Penny said, “How do you know?”

Chicken Little replied, “The end is near, either a majority for us or that Coalition. Keep it between ourselves; I almost form one myself in 2004.”

Henny Penny, “This is terrible, just terrible! We’d better hurry up.”

So they both ran away as fast as they could. Soon they met Ducky Lucky.

Ducky Lucky, “Where are you going, Chicken Little and Henny Penny?”

Chicken Little & Henny Penny, “The sky is falling! The Coalition is coming! We’re going to tell the people!”

Ducky Lucky, “Oh dear, oh dear! We’d better run!”

So they all ran down the road to Chinatown, as fast as they could. Soon they met Goosey Loosey walking down the roadside.

Goosey Loosey, “Hello there. Where are you all going in such a hurry?”

Chicken Little, “We’re running for our electoral lives!”

Henny Penny, “The sky is falling!”

Ducky Lucky, “And the Coalition is coming!”

Goosey Loosey, “Goodness! Then I’d better run with you.”

And they all ran in great fright across the country, spreading the rumour. Before long they met Turkey Lurkey strutting back and forth.

Turkey Lurkey, “Hello there, Chicken Little, Henny Penny, Ducky Lucky, and Goosey Loosey. Where are you all going in such a hurry?”

Chicken Little, “Big trouble!”

Henny Penny, “We’re running for our electoral lives!”

Ducky Lucky, “The sky is falling!”

Goosey Loosey, “The Coalition is coming!”

Turkey Lurkey, “Oh dear! I always suspected they would be coming someday. I’d better run with you.”

So they ran with all their might, until they reach the Voting Booth.

Chicken Little pointed at the booth, and told his followers, “Go quick, vote now, a majority.”

Then Chicken Little took off his costume, and revealed himself: Foxy Loxy.

(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

6. Contempt       an Act of Arrogance

Definition of Contempt

1. Contempt of Parliament , a Canadian first
2. With shrug of shoulders: Win some, lose some (a revealing utterance)
3. Train staff and ministers to hide information, evade questioning, and doctor documents

Origin of Contempt

Ruling by Speaker Peter Milliken, that the government has scorned Parliament, and shown a lack of respect to the people entrusted by Canadians to represent their interests, in refusing a committee’s request for detailed information on the costs of federal law-and-order legislation. Mr. Milliken’s ruling that the government “on its face” breached parliamentary privilege will now give rise to a vote on contempt.

7. Redaction       a Political Game

Definition of Redaction

1. Strokes of black magic marker
2. Political game of Hide and Seek
3. With-hold of information
4. Cover-up of information

Origin of Redaction

In March 2010, opposition MPs have accused the Conservative government of showing contempt for the authority of Parliament with its tabling of about 2,500 pages of heavily redacted documents related to the Afghan detainee controversy.

8. ^NOT       a Doctoring Tool

Definition of ^NOT

1. A new Conservative invention/intervention tool.
2. Simpler tool than the black marker
3. A negation to be inserted after document already signed
4. An untraceable act (no ‘initial here’ necessary if done by the government)

Origin of ^NOT

International Co-operation Minister Bev Oda rose in the House of Commons Monday to admit that it was on her order that the word “not” was inserted in a memo drafted by senior public servants recommending she approve new funding for the church-backed aid group Kairos.

9. “Win Some, Lose Some”       an Act of Arrogance

Definition of “Win Some, Lose Some”

1. WSLS, an abbreviation for “Arrogance”
2. Big deal, my way or the highway
3. Must be the work of the coalition
4. It’s just a political game

Origin of “Win Some, Lose Some”

House Speaker Peter Milliken ruled Wednesday there’s a case against the government for breach of privilege after it refused to hand over detailed cost estimates of its anti-crime agenda.

He also found a minister may have misled MPs, and the opposition was right to keep pursuing the issue. Both rulings reasserted Parliament’s authority in being able to call for documents and other information MPs feel they need to do their jobs.

“We have debates in Parliament all the time,” Harper said in Toronto. “The Speaker rules. You win some, you lose some.”

10. G8/G20       an Extravagance

Definition of G8/G20

1. $1.1-billion extravagance
2. Man made crisis
3. Avoidable situation simply by choosing a different location
4. Questionable decision
5. Police state

Origin of G8/G20

The 2010 G-8 took place in Huntsville, without trouble; but the G-20 summit was moved to downtown Toronto, with easy traffic access and vulnerable businesses and store-fronts. Definitely was a magnet to attract mass protests and open season for violent demonstrations. Beg for the question of WHY. Probably to justify showing off to the world, our enormously powerful police force, recruited all over Canada, to exert brutal suppressions and arrests, needlessly costing Canadian taxpayers $1.1 billion dollars and also the creation of a Police State

(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

1. UN Snub a Disgrace

Definition of UN Snub

1. Lose Face in the world
2. Misfortune bestowed upon oneself due to errant foreign policies

Origin of UN Snub

Canada lost the seat of the UN Security Council to Portugal under the Harper government

2. Minority as Majority an Act of Arrogance

Definition of Minority as Majority

1. Rule ruthlessly and un-democratically
2. My way or the highway

Origin of Minority as majority

During the last Parliament, Harper used all sort of tricks to stay in power, although only a minority government; basically he was making use of the weakness of the opposition parties

3. Coalition a Dirty Word

Definition of Coalition

1. A four letter word in the Harper lingo
2. Scare tactics frequently used in this election to divert attention from real issues
3. Allowable only if it is led by Harper et al

Origin of Coalition

Combine force of the opposition parties to fight Harper government that led to the prorogation of Parliament for 3 long months

4. Prorogation a Game Plan

Definition of Prorogation

1. When things are rough, time out or chicken out
2. Retreat and regroup
3. No fly zone
4. Hold your horses
5. Gone skiing, close for business, back in 3 months

Origin of Prorogation

Opposition parties finally united together that forced the Harper government to retreat to lick its wound and suspend parliament for 3 months

5. In and Out a Lucrative Trick

Definition of In and Out

1. Creative accounting of the Conservative election monetary finance
2. Money laundering
3. Quick money scheme
4. Abracadabra

Origin of In and Out

Four senior Tories were charged by Elections Canada with “willfully” exceeding spending limits in 2006, by depositing fund to individual Conservative candidate and re-deposited the fund back to the Conservative Party

(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

No thanks to Harper, the dream of us immigrants is still well and alive.

“Yes we can”, with these words Obama became the president of the United States, and showed the world, yes a black man can be the leader of a powerful nation.

But here in Canada, can we duplicate such a dream, a dream for us immigrants and our children.

“Yes we can”, but with many obstacles.

Ignatieff, leader of the opposition, came from an immigrant family. His father arrived from Russia and worked very hard, from scratch, to build a new life for his family. Now his son is the honourable leader of the opposition. This story should be an inspiring example for us all.

But what happened when Ignatieff tried to point this out, he was brutally attacked by his opponents, that his father was elite from Russia, not a poor peasant. As if we immigrants, when we came here, should be illiterate; should only be qualified to build the railroad, to work in mines and laundries and as cheap labour, but cannot be educated professionals, as many of us modern day Chinese Canadians (especially our readers here). This is the mentality that belongs to the 19th century, and quite a shock, coming from the governing party.

After so arrogantly stamped on, our dream and the dream for our children, this is a wake-up call.

A dream come true required hard work, understanding and patience. Now this election is a chance for us to show our colour.

Yes We Can!


Here is a more in-depth article on the same theme:

Are Ignatieff’s family ties a help or a hindrance?