Harper hands off to MacKay

As a political junkie and an active citizen - I always like to review the term/s of any Prime Minister or Premier.

Usually there are good and bad policies in all governments regardless of stripe. Then again - usually in Canada the mainstream parties Progressive Conservative, Liberal, or New Democrat are just left or right of center. They are not right or left wing zealots attempting to change the very soul of the Country.

Then came Stephen Harper - one half of a deceitful duo - with Peter MacKay. These two politicians were supposed to "unite the right". In truth - it was the Reforms effort to mask itself enough and form government and for Peter MacKay it was a lazy and selfish way to bring his Progressive Conservatives back from near extinction.

For PC's like David Orchard and Joe Clark the merger represented the greatest act of treachery in the party's history.

The right wing extremist Harper and the self-centered MacKay had no problem moving on - each with their own agenda. Harper is not a stupid man and understood immediately that he was smarter than the lazy selfish MacKay. As long as Harper kept MacKay happy - Harper could keep the ideologically fractured caucus in check.

Satisfying Peter meant just that - satisfying Peter. He could have the portfolios he desired, the travel he desired, and the prominence he desired. Little by little Harper changed our Country - right under the nose of MacKay who give in little by little on ideology if it meant progressive improvement for himself.

MacKay did not care if the Country was being stripped of democratic principles, stripped of judicial values, stripped of its Constitution as long as he - Peter MacKay - was upwardly mobile. Mackay became more and more arrogant - more and more aloof - more and more deceitful.

The Harper era was - I believe - based on an agreement. That is to say - he and his political partner - set rules for each other and more importantly time-frames. I have no doubt that the merger of the parties came with an opportunity for both to lead it.

The red-carpet send off for MacKay by the Prime Minister was unprecedented and quite unusual. The political love-in was scripted by both and in my opinion written a decade earlier. All of this was pulled off because an ever weakening media answered the call. Sure MacKay leaving was a story - but that news was not important enough for live coverage of every word.

Shifting away from the extreme right will be the reason to elect MacKay sometime in late 2016 or early 2017 - it will be determined as "necessary" to lure the public back with moderate social policy.

Peter in the meanwhile will be a free agent - but very accessible to an adoring press. He's already begun playing them like a fiddle.

Harper did considerable damage to the "free" press - they became the propaganda delivery team - trained like a circus animal - through continued punish and learn exercises. The odd journalist that delivered news had to do so very carefully or with the blessing of a boss through commentary.

There were media rules and deals that we the public did not see during the election - we seen the result but not backroom agreements.

Have you ever watched a flock of hungry starlings upon the discovery of food? If not - all you had to do was watch our national media question the hours old Cabinet - to envision what the starlings are like.

As many of you know - I - as one citizen - insist on freedom of the press. I am unforgiving as a voter to a leader or MP who demands full control of media. I did not expect or need particulars about what the Ministers were going to do in their new portfolios on day one. I would expect them to tell me their priorities and any urgent and immediate changes within a week or two. The "Hill" reporters were savages on Wednesday - they even giggled  - (watch the video) if there is one. Justin Trudeau said they were important and should be able to ask tough questions - and as if Trudeau was Pavlov - he rang a bell.

For the past five years at least - they were obedient - if they complained it must have been at a virtual kitchen table - we never heard it.

They have become so irrelevant that when Trudeau opened the access and advised them they were important again - they fed like piranha.

Let me be clear dear media - before you increase your dislike of me - you demonstrated it again in spades when you "interviewed" Ms. Ambrose. You were respectful of the rules Harper put in place for you.

Without considerable determination of journalists - the next couple of years will be high-energy focus on keeping Trudeau "accountable" while allowing MacKay and Ambrose to play by Harper media rules. Peter will become the heir apparent and will demand of the media - respect and boundaries that will be set by him.

The media continues to let Harper off the accountability hook and unless this changes - Trudeau's commitment to revitalize the CBC will only mean a license for journalists to investigate and report on Liberals - while letting MacKay and the CPC go unchecked into the next election.

Ready - set - go....

Rona Ambrose - will not dare offend Quebec

Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs Rona Ambrose needs more staff to help her read correspondence.

Here is a copy of a letter I sent to Ambrose July 20 - 07

Dear Minister,

I am writing to you as a citizen of Canada and of Newfoundland and Labrador. It has come to my attention now on many occasions that official maps of the Government of Quebec represent a false border between Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec. These maps are being widely distributed by the Tourism Quebec - Natural Resources Quebec - Transport Quebec - Elections Quebec - and even by Hydro-Quebec a Crown Corporation.

Could you please investigate why this is occurring as the borders between the two provinces were established in 1927 by the Privy Council and accepted by Canada - and further acknowledged at the time of Newfoundland and Labrador's entry into Canada in 1949.

If one lives in Quebec or in Newfoundland and Labrador they should be able to view maps of provinces and of the country that represent proper borders. Further I have noticed documents filed by Hydro-Quebec with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans that ignore the correct boundaries of the provinces.
What can the Federal Government do to correct this situation?
I look forward to your earliest reply.

After 2 months the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs answers with this:

Dear Ms. Kelland-Dyer:

Thank you for your e-mail of July 23, 2007, regarding the border between Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador.

As you point out, the border between Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador was determined in 1927 by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and confirmed in 1949 when the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed the British North American Act, 1949, which made Newfoundland, as it was then known, a Canadian province and confirmed that Newfoundlands border was the one delimited by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (the British North America Act, was renamed the Newfoundland Act in 1982). All maps issued and used by the Government of Canada show the border based on the 1927 determination by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and confirmed in the Newfoundland Act.

Thank you for sharing your views on this matter. I trust that you will find this information useful.

Well that's useful the Minister of INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS managed to tell me what I told her - but will not - as the Minister responsible - delve into the falsified maps of Quebec. Further she will not even deal with that jurisdiction when they submit these same incorrect maps to a federal government department. Can't touch Quebec - good thing the border problem did not exist between let's say Alberta and Saskatchewan. We are only Newfoundland and Labrador - only 7 seats - right Minister Ambrose - right Prime Minister Harper?

And any Canadian is supposed to believe that this government will protect our borders north - the Northwest Passage? That means Harper has to take on the USA - sure - they can't even control the nonsense out of one province.

Maybe the Privy Council should just acknowledge and respond to my Email

What is that below?
It is a record of Canada's Privy Council Office visiting the site. Now they do that periodically especially if there is any talk about separation - but this time it's different. This time they are up reviewing the MAP FLAP story.

The reason I am posting this is because I emailed Rona Ambrose last Friday. Ambrose is the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the Privy Council. My correspondence related to the fraudulent maps being distributed by the Government of Quebec. Please read a copy of the letter at the end of this post.
Problem is - Ambrose has not responded to the email and her office will not even provide me with acknowledgement of receipt. What's the big deal Minister? Simply answer the question I posed. Currently I am a citizen of Canada.


Domain Name gc.ca ? (Canada)
IP Address 198.103.111.# (Privy Council Office)
ISP GTIS
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Continent : North America
Country : Canada (Facts)
State/Region : Ontario
City : Ottawa
Lat/Long : 45.4167, -75.7 (Map)
Language English (U.S.)
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Browser Internet Explorer 6.0
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Resolution : 1024 x 768
Color Depth : 32 bits
Time of Visit Jul 25 2007 9:23:24 am
Last Page View Jul 25 2007 9:27:08 am
Visit Length 3 minutes 44 seconds
Page Views 6
Referring URL
Visit Entry Page http://nlpost.blogspot.com/
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____________________________________________________________________________________

Here's the letter:

July 20 - 07

Rona Ambrose
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
President of the Privy Council
Government Of Canada

Dear Minister,
I am writing to you as a citizen of Canada and of Newfoundland and Labrador. It has come to my attention now on many occasions that official maps of the Government of Quebec represent a false border between Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec. These maps are being widely distributed by the Tourism Quebec - Natural Resources Quebec - Transport Quebec - Elections Quebec - and even by Hydro-Quebec a Crown Corporation.
Could you please investigate why this is occurring as the borders between the two provinces were established in 1927 by the Privy Council and accepted by Canada - and further acknowledged at the time of Newfoundland and Labrador's entry into Canada in 1949.
If one lives in Quebec or in Newfoundland and Labrador they should be able to view maps of provinces and of the country that represent proper borders. Further I have noticed documents filed by Hydro-Quebec with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans that ignore the correct boundaries of the provinces.
What can the Federal Government do to correct this situation?
I look forward to your earliest reply.

Best Regards,
Sue Kelland-Dyer