Month: August 2005

Blogging Tory on CTV News tonight

Andrew at Bound by Gravity is making his network television debut tonight in a story about blogging and the shifting trend from advertising in the MSM to advertising online.

I tried catching him on CTV Newsnet at 10pm but either CTV or my cable company decided to go nuts and start playing commercials halfway through the report. I’ll try again at 11 on the main network.

The report is by Ottawa-based reporter David Akin who is a blogger in his own right. I forwarded Akin some election research that I had done earlier this year. He follows the blogs closely and if CTV ever does its own “Inside the Blogs” feature, I’d expect that he’d host it.

There should also be video available on the CTV website tomorrow so I’ll post it here when it becomes available.

UPDATE: Here is the video (Blogging Tories is shown for a split second, thanks for the thought Andrew)

Congratulations Andrew, you made the Blogging Tories, and the rest of the Canadian blogosphere, proud!

Crazy Canadians bills!

Since its summertime and Stephen Harper is flipping burgers in the 905 and most of us are stuck in our offices, I thought I’d kill some time by checking out some of the private members bills left in limbo over the summer. Don’t worry, I’ve picked out only the truly imaginative ones.

Like this one!

Bill C-419
“An Act to establish and maintain a national Breast Implant Registry”
by: Judy Wasylycia-Leis (NDP)

Summary: This enactment requires the Minister of Health to establish and maintain a national Breast Implant Registry. The Registry will contain information relating to persons who have undergone breast implant surgery, including surgery to explant a breast implant, along with a description of the implant and other prescribed information. The information in the Registry will be available only to the Registrar for the purpose of notifying those persons of a risk to their health.

I can see the rationale for this law, of course. Breast implants in the past have been hazardous and a registry is thought to help identify those at risk. However, it’s more than likely that breast implant recipients will have this data in their medical records. As we’ve learned too, national registries are also costly, a health registry would be touchy with provincial jurisdiction and there are other “products” out there that cause harm too. A friend of mine purchased a Ford Focus the first year that it was released. The modest car was recalled about four times that year. I don’t suppose that we should also have a Ford Focus national registry?

Verdict: This one is pure bureaucracy and would create yet another place for the government to lose a truckload of money.

Moving right along we come to perhaps our country’s number one national priority: beer.

Bill C-206
“An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (warning labels regarding the consumption of alcohol)”
by: Paul Szabo (Liberal)

Summary: The purpose of this enactment is to require alcoholic beverages to bear a warning regarding the effects of alcohol on the ability to operate vehicles and machinery and on the health of the consumer, and the possibility of birth defects when consumed during pregnancy.

Thankfully, we can rely on the Canadian government to protect us from ourselves. Although, I doubt anyone will learn about the hazards of alcohol from a beer bottle. Usually warning labels are put on products to protect the manufacturer from litigation in the event of stupidity (see: McDonalds coffee = hot). Government mandated labels though? We have them on cigarettes, why not beer? Then again, perhaps we should warn people that they might get fat if they eat potato chips. Perhaps I yearn for a common sense society…

Verdict: Not the best of ideas. Cigarettes perhaps have labels now because at one time they were considered to be healthy (it’s true). However, everyone knows that alcohol causes stupidity. I would support voluntary labelling but not government mandated labelling.

As a bonus, I’ve included quite a nutty bill that was just defeated this past May. It concerns patents on medicine

Bill C-274 (defeated)
“An Act to amend the Patent Act”
Brian Masse (NDP)

Summary: This enactment excludes medicines from the scope of the regulation-making power set out in subsection 55.2(4) of the Patent Act. It makes other amendments to that Act to reduce the extent of patent protection for medicines.

The rationale behind this bill is simple: drugs heal people but drugs are protected by patents. Patents make drugs too expensive so let’s get rid of patents on drugs!

NDP, you say? You’d be correct.

Drug companies invest $500 million to $1 Billion on each new product they develop from blackboard to clinical trials to putting it on the shelves at Shoppers Drug Mart. Why would a company spend so much money developing new drugs if a generic manufacturer could just rip-off their product? They certainly would not and they’d leave Canada tomorrow (with thousands of jobs too). Furthermore, all existing patents on medicines would be no more. The party of Tommy Douglas must be off their meds! This bill is quite ill-conceived.

Fiction Friday: The CBC’s secret GG training grounds

This week, Paul Martin appointed a new Governor General and thus ensured a stunning repeat for the CBC. Rob Johnston heads the CBC’s Cultural Installation Department: a little-known collective within the nation’s broadcaster that grooms, educates, and provides professional support for future Governor Generals. He was kind enough to provide a tour.

As we walk through the large atrium of CBC HQ on Front street in downtown Toronto, Rob motions towards the front desk and quips with a short smile, “It all begins there for the bright eyed graduates from Ryerson with the proper Cape Breton accents (called CBC English, as I’ve learned). But if you really want to get ahead here, you’ll have to learn how to talk the talk.” Interested, I encourage Rob to explain as we take the elevator up to the third floor. “Well, for example, when referring to Kansans who don’t believe in evolution, not only are they Christian but they are properly labelled ‘conservative’ Christians. Middle-Eastern Imams that encourage extremism are also called ‘conservative’, and any pro-American organization can also be referred to as ‘conservative’. Pretty much any political position that counters the CBC’s image for Canada is called ‘conservative’. It also has the effect of keeping our patrons in power and the cheques from bouncing. Neil McDonald is a master at ‘The Talk’. If you get a chance, speak with Neil.”

On the third floor, we enter another reception area where we both sign-in. After a pleasant nod from the receptionist, we exit the reception area and and walk down a large hallway. The hallway is lined with framed B&W photos of smiling alumni of the GG grooming program. Johnston remarks, “Of course not everyone makes it to the top, but we’re still proud of our many ‘graduates’.” Among the photos I notice Susan Murray, Carole Taylor, Romeo Leblanc and Adrienne Clarkson and of course Michaelle Jean. I stop before a portrait of a smiling, blond and attractive woman. “Is that Mitsou Gelinas?” I ask, somewhat surprised. Rob responds empathetically despondent, “Poor Mitsou was such a mess last week when she found out [about Michaelle Jean’s appointment]. She was the PMO’s other French-Canadian option and she took the news with much sadness. I comforted her, as I always comfort those who are passed-over by reminding them that there’s always the Senate…”

We come to a large set of double doors and my host unlatches a heavy latch, weathered by generations of patronage, and swings open the heavy doors. A large room opens before us and the current crop of vice-regal hopefuls is all there. I look around and see CBC personalities at desks writing an exam while a few staffers wait ready with imported bottled water.

To the left I see that Heather Hiscox is reciting a language lesson, “insurgent, extremist, gunman, militant, um, um… terrorist?” The instructor slams a ruler on her desk and exclaims emphatically, “WRONG! See me after class.” Over on the other side of the room, George Stroumboulopoulos is performing Queen Elizabeth’s trademark Royal Wave for himself in the mirror as he smirks with a sense of absurdity and humour. Johnston rolls his eyes and explains, “George, as you are likely aware, is a new recruit. He requires a bit of maturation, but I believe that he’ll make a great Governor General one day.”

As the tour of the facility ends and as we’re walking out the door, I spot Peter Mansbridge, in a tracksuit, doing side-bends, with an utter expression of futility on his face. Rob explains, “He’s been waiting for his phone call for ages. He even plays golf with the Paul Martin, but it seems to have no effect.”