THE CONSERVATIVE HIPSTERS

I have decided to do my part to stimulate the economy given that we might be heading to a slow down in 2007.

I am also going to do it in a way that doesn't cost me anything (in my mind).

I have decided to spend all the pennies I have accumulated over the years. I have a penny jar. It contains almost 5000 pennies (yes it is a big jar).

By hoarding this money over the past 5 years, I have inadvertently reduced the overall money supply, and contributed to a reduction in the amount of available funds.

Now many may say, so what, it is only $50. But I read that there are several hundred million dollars out there in unspent change.

So come on Canada, let's stimulate the economy and spend those pennies.

Q

...is not shaken.

Those who read my blog somewhat regularly will know that I am a faithful church-goer.

Those who read between the lines on my blog, know full well I only go to make my wife happy.

I don't like to follow any doctrine religiously (sorry, couldn't resist) and I think that those who profess to follow Jesus' teachings haven't actually read them.

As far as my limited experience with the teachings of Christ (be him the son of god or just a really nice guy) lead me to believe essentially "live and let live." A sensible doctrine that most of us (especially those of us in politics) tend to forget.

If it turns out that the guy really didn't exist, it doesn't make his message of "do unto one another as you would have them do onto you" any less relevant.

Q

PS Just out of curiousity, do you think there would be a different response if these same "scholars" decided to get together to ask if Mohammed existed? Just wondering..

About time.

I don't think our system is perfect. I am not enamoured with the fact that a minority of votes can control a majority in parliament. However, I hope we take this slowly and don't try to rush through change.

BC tried and failed. Ontario is trying and will most likely fail. For no other reason than things are being rushed through and 103 people of "all walks of life" are being asked to decide things that they probably never gave any consideration to before.

Let's get real reform underway and done right.

Q

This is huge.

Well done Team Tory.

Q

Doing my weekly blog round up, I found this little tidbit on WK's Jan 5 posting:

John Tory on Global TV last night: "I don't think winning is everything."
I’ll bet his campaign team was delighted by that.

I read Warren regularly and I guess this sort of candor from a political leader would be surprising for someone who has been ingrained in the Liberal mantra of "win at all costs, say anything you need to get elected, and when you are proven to be a big fat liar, say it takes real leadership to make those sort of decisions."

Q

So after three and a half hours in the ER, the doctor (who couldn't have been friendlier) spent a total of five minutes with us and prescribed anti-biotics, which I could have told you would have happened. If it is not viral, an infection has to be fought with antibiotics.

We filled the prescription in the next 15 minutes and I am happy to say our boy is on the way to full recovery today.

All in all, a three hour wait for something even the triage nurse could have told us to do. It is time to get more nurse practioners out there. Especially during flu season.

Q

While many people complain about the system, I wanted to share my most recent experience (both positive and negative).

First, our little boy developed a runny nose on Boxing Day. Nothing new there. He was exposed to his cousin who was a wee bit sick. He didn't require any real medication, jhust needed his nose wiped.

On New Year's Eve, he developed a rather high temperature. To the point where he was so hot, it actually scared us, but after administering a little children's Tylenol, it came down and he was running around.

The fever was on and off all week until Thursday we called Telehealth, the free advice/triage service provided by the Ministry of Health.

This is the positive part. The nurse at telehealth (Leanne) was super helpful, told me to check for other symptoms and basically allayed a lot of our fears. I love this service. We have used it three times since our first child was born, and every time it has been a first class experience. I am looking forward to the day when they use computer cameras to help with diagnosis. :-)

Now the negative: Telehealth told us that since the fever had lasted so long, we should see a doctor if the fever hadn't broke by today. This morning came and the fever was pretty bad.

So we called our family doctor's ofice and was told in no uncertain terms that the best they could do ws next Tues and if we were really worried we could go to our local emergency room (our town doesn't have a walk in clinic).

We arrived at the ER at 11:45, we were triaged right away, with vitals being taken and we were asked to wait, and wait and wait. It is now 1:45 and we have yet to see a doctor.

Now I am the first to rail against thoise who clog up the ER for the common cold, but we were instructed to come here AND the kicker is, there are very few patients in the ER. Something is really wrong with this system.

Unfortunately, I don't know what the answer is?!? More money now won't get us more doctors. Is our ER staff just on lunch? Is this a work to rule thing for a labour dispute I am unaware of, or is it just this difficult to see more than one patient an hour.

I would be more than willing to pay extra to have someone look at my sick child right away.

Q

Tomorrow... the outcome.

...I approve of the new cabinet.

It is a shame that Rona had to go. I don't think the environmental policy was her baby. She was asked to sell something no one had really thought through. And with all the big hoopla over Green Plan II, it was disappointing all around.

I hope Rusty will be able to fix both the perception problem and the real "lack of real policy" problem.

Q

This is certainly an interesting twist.

I am not certain that this is just a same-sex marriage thing.

What is the difference between a guardian and a parent? What happens with step-fathers and step-mothers? Whose rights supercede whose?

This could lead to some odd legal developments.

Q

Like my first commentator for 2007, I was frustrated by John Tory's support for the pay raise at Queen's Park.

However, I don't begrudge the raise to the MPPs. I think that Mike Harris made a huge mistake making the MPP salary and pension and issue in 1995. We were all frustrated back then that despite record deficits and massive tax increases, the politicians of all stripes were able to pass themselves huge raises.

If they had decided on an annual raise that keeps up with the cost of living and a little bit more, I think we could have all swallowed it. Or alternatively, let the rage increase be in line with whatever the government of the day allows the civil service.


I don't know how much the raise will turn off people from voting for Tory, but we certainly did not endear ourselves to many people.

Q

I don't make New Year's Resolutions because I am notoriously poor in following through.

However, this year I resolve to do everything I can to make John Tory Premier of Ontario and everything I can to make sure Stephen Harper remains Prime Minister.

Have a Healthy, Happy, Prosperous 2007 everyone.

Q