Of course Elizabeth May should be included in the debates.   In fact,  I would  say she was  the best performer during the 2008 debates.  Certainly the most honest.   There’s someting else they should  add, besides  the Green Party leader,….   a  REAL debate.    Scrap the current format and let them go toe-toe-toe.   Then maybe I’ll actually  watch.

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Rant Back

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Want to bid on some cool things for an amazing cause?   The ‘ things ‘ you can  find at  : ProSportsBlogging.com:     The ‘ cause ’ is for the Shahen family.      Mike and Tayna Shahen   were born and raised in Nepean.  Mike is a big sports guy.  Was a teacher  at Woodroffe,  Confederation,  J-S Woodsworth and Laurention.  Tayna also taught and both of them ending up  going overseas to teach.  While in  Doha, Qatar, Mike was diagnosed with ALS, also known  as Lou Gehrig’s  disease.  They moved  back to  Ottawa  in May, 2010.  They have two children…11 year old Spencer and  12 year old Mitchell.   Scholarships  have been  established  for both boys…and ALL proceeds raised from the aution items will benefit the Shahen family scholarship funds….again the site is…ProSportsBlogging.com ….. 

Prime Minister Harper must  really take us for a bunch of dummies.   His planned  tax break for  two-parent families.    It sounds good, allowing spouses with  children under  18 to split household  income up to  50 thousand dollars,  meaning one spouse could fall into a lower tax bracket, saving  on taxes.  Like I said,  sounds good.  But there’s a hitch, a big one.   The relief wouldn’t take effect until the projected  40 billion dollar  federal deficit is wiped out.   And the Conservatives have said    they don’t expect a budget surplus for at least four years.  Translation:    ain’t gonna happen.   In other words…more election rhetoric.

Now here’s  a strategy that kind of backfired….Harper going after Ignatief for  joining a coaliton with the Bloc and NDP.   Backfired?  Well,  yeah  -   there is no coalition!   Adding   insult to injury comes the revelation that it was Conservative Steve who made  coalition overtures to separatist leader Gilles Duceppe and NDP leader Jack Layton in 2004 to replace Paul Martin’s minority government.   Yes,  Steve Harper in bed with separatists!   I know, sounds crazy,  like   building a firewall around Alberta.  But you know what they say ….what goes around comes around.

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Rant Back

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Saturday  afternoon at Scotiabank Place.  What a treat.  Sitting in the stands with my youngest daughter watching playoff hockey.   15 goals.  Overtime. Too bad   the  67′s  ended up losing  though no one can say  they didn’t  get  their money’s worth, despite the overprized tickets.   And Sudbury’s Marcus Foligno.   He’s going to be better than his brother Nick.   Certainly a lot dirtier.   He and Dalton Smith will be going  toe-to-toe before  their series is over.   Also  a great game Saturday night over at the Bob.  Yes,  I was there too.   The old barn was,   as usual,  electric.  3-2, the Olympiques beat Rimouski in overtime.  Tye McGinn,  who also has a brother playing in the NHL,  is like a man playing  with boys.  A power forward with soft hands.   67′s should regret letting him go.  I mentioned overprized tickets.   25 bucks  I paid for my 67′s ticket,  plus  7 bucks for parking.   16 bucks I paid for the Olympiques’  tickets,     FREE parking.    And you get Montreal Forum-like dogs at the Bob!   Hey,  I encourage everyone to support the  67′s,  but if   there’s a disappointing  crowd Thursday  at Rona Centre  you know part of the reason why.  $$$.

The campaign has just  begun and I’m already sick of it.  So childish,  so petty.  Harper   says Iggy is a liar.  Duceppe says Harper is a liar.  Like,  how old are these people?   And that big, bad word ” coalition. “   Pretty soon they’ll be asking  to see Ignatieff’s birth certificate.    What IS  this election about anyway?   Trust?  Don’t make me laugh.    They, and I  mean the whole lot  of them,  don’t  know what the word means.     John Baird said Friday in the Commons that the Opposition is against  hard-working Canadians and their families. “  Does he  even think before he talks?  Spin away.  Say it enough times and  maybe it’ll stick.    I’m spinning myself.  The rhetoric.  The b-s.   Canadians,  I’m afraid,  are already tuning out.  And can you blame  em?!?!

A great event is taking place this Sunday,  March 27th,  at the Montgomery Legion on  Kent Street.    It’s in support of former Canadian soldier Steve Discher,  who is suffering from an   aggressive form of Alzheimer’s disease and has been given  about six years to live.   Because he’s  50,  Steve has been told he’s too young to enter a  promising drug study and Veteran’s Affairs hasn’t been much help either.  But there’s hope, a glimmer.  The results of  stem-cell treatment he underwent  in Mexico last spring   -  a treatment that isn’t covered in Canada  – were  very positive. It’s not a cure but it offers Steve and his family the gift of time.  But the procudure, along with flights,   accommodations and everything else cost money:   about ten grand.    When the Vets at the Montgomery Legion heard about Steve’s plight  they went into action.   Sunday’s fundraising jamboree hosted by Pam and Doug Champagne runs from 2 to  7.  Everyone is invited, both soldiers and civilians.   If you can,  your help would be greatly  appreciated.