Goofball Of The Month: Stephen Harper

This month's goofball is none other then Canada's new Prime Minister Stephen Harper. For his goof when he, and his government, were sworn in on February 6th, 2006. First, he gets liberal David Emerson to cross the floor to become a conservative. Of which Emerson's given a nice cabinet position for his troubles. Second, he "appoints" Michael Fortier to his cabinet. Even though Mr. Fortier didn't run in the last election. Plus he also selected some controversial MP's to several cabinet positions.
When the Liberals did something like this, ie. Belinda Stronach. The tories were up in arms complaining. I can't remeber what Stevie's reaction was, but his party was upset. Now he goes ahead and pulls these same shenanigans and not too much was said. Although there were a handful of tories which were fuming about Stevie's choices. The majority of them were biting their tongues, putting faith into Stephen Harper and his choices. How long that lasts, only time will tell.
Take a bow Stephen. You're the goofball of the month for February 2006!

Dinos new football coach

A new era began yesterday for the University of Calgary Dinos football program. Blake Nill was officially announced as Calgary's new head coach and the former Dinos player made it clear he plans on taking the school back to its Vanier Cup-winning hey-day of the 1980s and early '90s.
"I want to make this program a national contender year after year ... but it's a long process and it'll take some time," said the hulking 44-year-old from Hanna, who becomes the fifth football coach in school history. "The number one thing we've got to do is stop our blue-chip athletes from leaving and going to some other conference rival."
Nill is well aware of the talent pool in Alberta but he's not afraid to recruit from coast-to-coast or south of the border. "I'm used to recruiting a kid here, a kid there, throughout Canada and the U.S. I've never had a pool of talent like the Alberta pool," said Nill, who resigned Monday as St. Mary's head coach after winning two Vanier Cups with the Huskies in eight years. So Nill, who played with the Dinos from 1980-83 before turning pro in the CFL, knows there's talent to be found as he takes over a floundering program that hasn't won a playoff game since capturing the Vanier Cup in 1995.
When Nill joined the Huskies in 1998, he inherited a 1-7 team and went 4-4 that year, then had his squad in the Vanier Cup the following season. The players are looking forward to the change after Tony Fasano was fired in January following a 2-6 campaign in 2005 -- the worst in school history.
"I know a lot of the guys are excited and we've actually got a couple of guys on the team that played for him before," said veteran offensive lineman Evan Haney. "We're all excited to see what he brings to the table and we know he's a demanding coach." Nill has no problem saying that's exactly the case. "I'm demanding with the players but I think I'm an intelligent coach and I don't over-do it," said Nill, adding he plans on working closely with the Calgary Colts junior team and the local high schools. "I require a lot from my players the moment they decide they want to come here. I want this to be their number one priority, just below their academics."

-CES test-

This is a test of The Clawmonkey Emergency System. This is only a test. BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP......
If this had been a real emergency you'd be laughing your ass off at the utter retardedness of such a system. This was only a test. We now return you to the regular shitty posts!
HA!

Viva Las Vegas

This afternoon I'll be heading down to Las Vegas, Nevada for some warm weather, gambling and good times. Of course there's lots of other things to do besides gambling. There are lots of 'theme' hotels and casinos. Each with something different to offer. The strip (picture to the left) is one of the places to see. Of course there is lots of walking, as each of these massive hotels and casinos take up huge lots. So even if the next hotel is only a block away. It's a pretty big block.

My other favourite place is Fremont Street (top of post). This street is completely covered to allow people to walk from casino to casino. Yes, you can take your drink with you from place to place. Only on Fremont Street though, not on the strip. Also at night there's a few different light shows that are shown on the covered walkway. As you can see from the picture. So I got to finish my packing and I'll post when I get back.

CYA

Stephen Harper sworn in as Canada's 22nd Prime Minister

Stephen Harper shrugged off voters' failure to deliver big-city cabinet talent to the Tories by conventional means and opted for the spectacular Monday by luring a Vancouver Liberal star as his trade minister and an unelected Montreal businessman to head public works.
David Emerson - who was elected as a Liberal just two weeks ago - drew gasps as he arrived completely unexpectedly at Rideau Hall to be sworn in as the Conservative minister of international trade. He took the oath while still in possession of a Liberal party card.

Harper's penchant for the unforeseen was underscored by his parachuting of former Progressive Conservative party president Michael Fortier into the public works portfolio.
The Montreal businessman was the Conservatives' election campaign co-chair but did not run for Parliament. He has agreed to run in the next election and will hold a temporary Senate seat until then.
The absolute necessity of representing Canada's second-and third-largest cities in cabinet forced Harper to catapult Fortier into his inner circle via the Senate.
Harper introduced his 26-member cabinet as the Conservatives officially took power Monday for the first time since November 1993.

The new prime minister, who once campaigned on the slogan The West Wants In, made up the bulk of his cabinet with ministers from Ontario and Quebec. Those two provinces will take up 14 seats around the cabinet table. Six new ministers are from the Prairie provinces and four are from British Columbia.
The cabinet is one-third smaller than the Liberals' 39-member ministry but Harper said it manages to reflect the entire country. "Our team is talented and diverse - reflecting all of Canada," Harper, 46, said outside Rideau Hall after being sworn in as the country's 22nd prime minister.

Harper arrived at Rideau Hall less than an hour after Paul Martin resigned, marking the end of a troubled two-year tenure that saw the scandal-plagued Liberals humbled.
Emerson's defection is the second surprise floor-crossing in less than 12 months. Belinda Stronach joined the Liberals earlier this year, prompting howls of outrage from the Tories.
This time it was the Liberals crying foul. "The prime minister - even before he was named prime minister - entered into negotiations with him to get him to come over," said interim Liberal leader Bill Graham. "I know of no historic examples . . . where it has been done immediately upon an election."

The move could have a major impact on the balance of power in the 308-seat House of Commons. By raising the Conservative seat count to 125, it potentially gives the 29-member NDP caucus the ability play kingmaker - provided the Speaker, who votes only in a tie, is a Liberal. Emerson joined the Martin government in 2004 after a long career as a business executive and public servant, and said he always considered himself a "small-c Liberal."

He said he was flattered when Harper called to offer him a cabinet role. Emerson said he took the job because that would be his best way to contribute. "The fact that Mr. Harper has reached out to someone like me is an indication that they are becoming a middle-of-the-road party. I think I can be helpful moving in that direction," he said. "It's not a matter of being in cabinet. It's a matter of, if I'm going to dedicate another two years to public service, how can I have the most impact? And I feel I could have the most impact by being in cabinet."

Harper vowed to move swiftly on his campaign promise to clean up government. "We will improve Canadians' faith in public institutions by making government more accountable and effective." Harper also reaffirmed his commitment to cut the GST, crack down on crime, establish medical wait-time guarantees, and provide money to parents to help care for young children.

Top cabinet ministers include:
-Jim Flaherty, a former Ontario finance minister, at finance.
-Peter MacKay, co-founder of the new Conservative party, at foreign affairs.
-Vic Toews, an ex-Manitoba justice minister, at justice.
-Gordon O'Connor, a former army general, at defence.
-Tony Clement, a one-time Ontario health minister, at health.
-Maxime Bernier, a Quebec MP, at industry.
-John Baird, former Ontario cabinet minister, at Treasury Board.
-Rob Nicholson, a former federal cabinet minister, is House leader and democratic reform minister.
-Chuck Strahl, who is battling cancer, at agriculture.
-Rona Ambrose, from Alberta, at environment.

Three high-profile MPs who were touted for cabinet spots were notably absent: Diane Ablonczy, Jason Kenney and James Moore. Flaherty, a former Ontario finance minister, was a longtime lawyer with a practice on Toronto's Bay Street, giving him the kind of connections that should help reassure the barons of Canada's financial capital. MacKay's assignment to the foreign affairs portfolio follows something of a tradition in Canadian politics that has seen party leaders giving the post to their formal rivals for the leadership. Jean Chretien was given the job after he lost the Liberal leadership to John Turner in 1984. Joe Clark was made minister of foreign affairs by Brian Mulroney.

Marjory LeBreton's appointment as leader of the government in the Senate is sure to be popular among Conservatives. LeBreton has served every Conservative leader since John Diefenbaker.
LeBreton had a distant relationship with Harper for years. His move toward the political centre coincided with Harper's reaching out to more moderate conservatives such as LeBreton.