What I Did On My Long Weekend

...I lobbied LPC/OLP potentials for a post-2015 Senate appointment.  First up was Saturday night's confab at the Pauper's Pub, organized by the venerable Jeff Jedras and some guy named Ed Blake, who didn't bother showing up.  There I met longtime gal-pal Nancy LeBlanc:

Nancy wants to represent the OLP against Cheri DiNovo down in Parkdale-High Park.  Though she's the only one running for the nomination, the deal still hasn't yet been sealed, for some unknown  reason.  Hopefully, the OLP isn't up to some kind of parachute candidate jiggery-pokery.  Because you couldn't ask for a better person to represent our values. Dedicated, sincere--the works.  Here's Nancy's web-page, and here's a clip of her door-knocking:

When we met on Saturday I pitched my idea of an Ontario Provincial Senate, to which I could be appointed when Hudak had been thoroughly whupped  and we were set to rule forever.  I was about four pints in at the time, but I think I convinced her, because as you can see she's smiling.

Then on Sunday, I attended blogger and lawyer James Morton's campaign launch for his run at the federal seat in Thornhill.  Here's a shot of me and Bernie Farber at that event:

Later I approached Mr. Morton, another Liblogger, and suggested that post 2015 I could make a good Senator.  I also registered my displeasure at Justin Trudeau's new proposals for that August body, because if they are going to make appointments according to merit than I would be pretty much excluded from consideration.  James shook my hand, said "Thanks for coming out!" and moved on.  So I think I'm set!

Its worth noting that in both pictures I am modelling the "Irish Laborers Jacket" that I received for Xmas, and which I am quite proud of and feel I look extraordinarily sexy in.  As a Senator, I would of course want to polish my salt-of-the-Earth type creds, even if the whole point was to book in and sleep late for the next 25 years.  A jacket like that will surely help.

And, as I  like to point out, I am and will always be a friend of a friend of the working class.

Harper Vs. Caligula

When I think of those new Senate appointments, I am reminded of I Claudius. In that book, the Roman elite were allowed to sodomize and assassinate one another and sleep with animals and, frankly, the people didn't care. In fact, they didn't even care when the Emperor Caligula appointed a horse to the Senate, so clearly, Harper has a fair bit of leeway. Unless he's done that already. I don't remember.

Anyway, it was only when the finances of the Empire got so screwed up that Caligula was forced to raise taxes that people got ugly.

Make of it what you will.

Tories On Senate Reform

Stockwell Day on Senate Reform, August 31st, 2009:

To deal with the problem of it being a life-long position the Prime Minister takes an innovative approach. Whomever the Prime Minister appoints must vow to step down after 8 years, no exceptions, no excuses. So each person he recently appointed, along with the ones he appointed earlier, will be done in 8 years. That's a major change.

Newly minted Tory Senator Jacques Demers, September 19th, 2009:

Demers expects to spend the next 10 years in the Senate, and wants to learn from his colleagues while keeping his own opinions.

Either Mr. Demers has already broken his vow, or was exempted from it. Or the very existence of the "vow" is a bunch of hoo-hah meant to con Tory supporters who care about this kind of stuff.

Stockwell Day on Senate Reform, August 31st, 2009:

One more thing about the latest round of Senate appointees, each one has agreed to work hard from inside the Senate to push for reform. That means when the next federal election is called we may see senators stepping down from the Red Chamber and running for office.

Newly minted Tory Senator Jacque Demers, September 19th, 2009:

"I just did not see myself going in different places shaking hands. I am not a politician." That's why, Demers said, he won't run for office if senators are elected.

Senate Reform--a poor joke at best.

All Hail The New King

...of patronage appointments.

Although I must admit to being a fan of Jacque Demers. If you're old enough to remember what he accomplished with all those crap 80's teams in the Snorris division, you would be too. They said he was doing it "with mirrors" (little pun on his name there).

Here's our boy in action from the 1987-88 season. I'm betting he could kick Mike Duffy's ass anytime.


Note the guy on audio. Don Cherry has always been a huge fan

On The Other Hand, Who's Gonna Be Santa At The CTV Xmas Party?

....by making these appointments, Mr. Harper is acknowledging that he will not be able to achieve a Triple-E senate - Alberta's constitutional hobby horse for more than two decades. Another piece of Reform Party baggage bites the dust. For Canada, that's excellent news.

The CPoC continues its crawl towards the Canadian mainstream, by becoming as "seamy" as the LPoC.

How shall they claim moral superiority now?

Stephen Taylor On Possible Senate Appointments

Because he's probably got as much insight as anyone (and of course we shall soon see):

Nancy Greene
Chief Clarence Louie
James Lee

And why not?