The Honourable John Reynolds is now a Honourable political whore. Once a political whore, always a political whore.

Looks like Haprer's Conservative government is going to be as corrupt or more, than the previous Liberal administration. Just a larger version of BC, where rich and powerful insiders get richer and more powerful, at the expence of the common man.

Whatever happened to the high ideals of the Conservative Party? Looks like the Reformers will have to split off yet again and form their own party. It's politics as usual for Harper and his cronies.

With Brian Mulroney ascending to new heights of Conservative Party advocacy, Rafe will have lots to write about. Brilliant piece of ironic bell-ringing, Rafe.

What about Brian Mulroney? Shouldn't The Government be doing something about the $2 million paid out to him as a result of his libel suit? when new information from Karlheinz Schreiber tells us that Brian did indeed accept big cash pay-outs?

Well, OK, maybe not a Conservative government. So shouldn't the Liberal Opposition be re-visiting this, as it looks as if Brian perjured himself in court, while testifying under oath that he'd never had any dealings with Karlheinz Schreiber "whatsoever" ... ?

The cons and libs remind me of the dems and repubs (or reThuglicans), not so much different as pretending to be. It seems like they all cover for each other and my faith that the "Jaw that walks like a man" (thanx to Foth) will ever have to return the ill gotten 2 mil to the Canadian taxpayers or do a day in jail is absolutely nil.

Now if I had perjured myself, I wouldn't have received 2 mil, and might yet still be incarcerated. I never thought he had a reputation that could be damaged any more than he damaged it by his actions, so I never agreed with the settlement. Indeed anyone who calls Mulroney a whore should get paid for positive public relations by the Jaw, and real working girls should sue for defamation.

I wanna see Mulroney in handcuffs. Ok, not as much as I see wanna see his son Ben thrown in the back of a paddy wagon but still...

HEY !

it's business as usual for these people !

THAT ANYONE THINK ANY DIFFERENT SHOWS NAIEVETE !!!

these people are OPPORTUNISTS of the worst kind !

did you really believe HARPER'S promises of bringing HONESTY and TRANSPARENCY to his term of office...his parties dealings with anything ???

that they use OLD WHORES to PIMP for them is as old as the hills...keeping it ...in the OLD BOYS CLUB is de riguer. this is to be EXPECTED from the GANGS that occupy the highest positions of power and deal in selling out our COUNTRY...SO THEY CAN LIVE IN COMFORT WHILE WE STRUGGLE...AND THE HOMELESS...THE DISENFRANCHISED...LOSE ALL HOPE...

you really think they use terms like enabling ?

I DON'T !...I THINK THEY SAY TO THEMSELVES...THANK GOD THE VOTERS ARE SO STUPID!

If this, Mr Reynolds appointment and subsequent 'hiring' by a law firm as a non-lobbyist, is not a clear indicator of Influence Peddling, I do not know what would qualify.

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

filthy garbage.
So he's not going to be "lobbying" eh?
What's his job description then? On what basis, exactly, was he hired? Was his job advertised in the local paper?
Who is his boss?

KtCE
KtRC

p.s.-after a hard days work selling us down the river(throw the river in too!)and three martini lunchs with the shrimp salad and steak tartar I wonder if ERCGOM will flip a dime to some starving kid on howe street? Nah he'll tell the kid to f off before he calls the new gitmo/abu-graib squad to administer a viscous, savage back-alley beating under the expanded rules of the safe-street/patriot act.

p2.s2- i want those fcuking indians OUT OF THE PARK!!!!!

Now now folks, we shouldn't be so hard on poor John Reynolds, ex socred,reform, alliance, conservative now honorable. His pensions alone would beat what most folks make by a whole bunch. he learned to play the political game as he shifted around the party names.

We can all call him a political whore and anyhting else we want to call him. he won'[t be listening. It's the bucks coming in that counts with that sort of a politician and it makes the other folks in politics look bad as well. He makes the word jerk fit him like a glove. Actually opportunist might fit better. Lying Brian should make ambassador to somewhere real soon, and the clown rehynolds will be a senator to help top up the wages a bit.

Nice piece of work, Rafe.

This sort of hair splitting was pioneered by Elizabeth Cull (http://www.mgcltd.ca/mgcltd/news/000627.pdf)who days after her electoral defeat in 1996 set up shop as a lobbyist, oops corporate advisor, despite the fact the BC members conflict of interest legislation specifically forbade such activity by a former minister of the crown doing this for two years. Bill Barlee by contrast waited the two full years.

How is this any different from Rafe becoming a "journlist" (using the term loosely) and criticizing the NDP or the Campbell Liberal government?

Reynolds is building on what he's done before; it's what we all do.

Perhaps he should become a chicken farmer, like Gerry St. Germaine?

Fugged about it. I don't want that many chicken farmers in West Vancouver.

Home grown Karl Hein Schrieber was the first thought that hit me.
Thanks Rafe for the heads up.
Eh! Wot! Privy Councilor you say!
No wonder Reynolds got the word, do not run again
in West Vancouver, John.
We have more lucrative plans for you.
Say Rafe, did any Privy Councilors end up in the Tower of London for embroiling the King in bribery scandals

Watching the Canadian Women's Hockey team get their GOLD MEDALS...

the hard work ethic and deserving play/tactics show that ...SOME CANADIANS DO DESERVE THEIR POSITIONS !!!

NEVER SEEN REYNOLDS DESERVING ANYTHING...BUT THE SCORN OF THE COMMON MAN/WOMAN !!!

unless there's a gold medal for ...WEASELING.

Why should this come to a saurprize to anyone? (sp) Once again, the changes that Harper spoke of before the election were to be changes for us. The only redeeming feature coming out of Harper's Crew I suspect will be the daily cleaning of egg from their faces.

For Darcy McGee ... the difference is pretty obvious, I should think. When I left government I tore up my Socred Membership. I have not asked for nor received a single benefit from any government. If you were to say I was easy on the Socreds I would be surprised ... as would Bill Bennett, Grace McCarythy and Bill Vander Zalm.
The fact is Darcy that I have never been a good party man but am an issues man. I give my opinions irrespective of what party is in power. In my 25 years broadcasting, every single Premier and every Prime Minister have, at one time or another, boycotted my show.

RM

Harper, and any conservative, stating that Emerson crossing the floor is different than the others (Stronach, Brison) is splitting hairs.

Reynolds stating that he is now not a lobbyist but working for a Legal Firm within the context of his relationship with the new Government of Canada is splitting hairs.

It all makes me, a former Canadian Alliance and Conservative member, spitting mad.

I simply cannot believe the audacity of these guys to look Conservative members in the face, not to mention the public they convinced to vote for them and give them a chance, and say that these events are somehow different than what the Liberals used to do.

The Conservative Party is quickly squandering any credibility they had as a party that would change the way government is run.

It makes me sick to my stomach. Now there is no one left to vote for but the NDP!

Actually, the deal masterminded by Reynolds in regards to Emerson crossing the floor is different as he only waited a number of hours before making the jump.

Well done Rafe. The HONERABLE John Reynolds, a Privy Councilor no less.
My Collins Canadian English Dictionary defines PRIVY; as, admitted to knowlege of secret--person having interest in an action, and most telling, toilet and/or OUTHOUSE. I always thought of the guy as a snake. Rafe will admit that this guy really knew how to run out the clock during an interview, and filling the airways with self-serving baffle-gab.

"Looks like Haprer's Conservative government is going to be as corrupt or more, than the previous Liberal administration. Just a larger version of BC, where rich and powerful insiders get richer and more powerful, at the expence of the common man." [B] Said Grumpy

What a load of hooey. Corrupt based on what? Getting a decent man to cross the floor? Does that compare to the theft of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars?

If what Harper has done on his few weeks on the job has deemed him to be "corrupt", God help us indeed.

Reynolds, like all other federal politicians ought to be barred on any dealings with subsequent governments for a minimum set time after leaving politics.

This is among the crudest type of pork-barelling I have ever seen. He can call himself what he wants, the only term that fits him is paid lobbiest and the last time I looked they are supposed to be registered as such.

I am simply amazed a law firm that claims to have an ounce of class would involve itself with such sleeze. Oh well, they likely represent Emerson too.

Who's spliting hairs over his title he or the buraeucrats employed to ensure whatever he does is categorized correct no matter what he claims?

You outdid yourself this time Rafe. Thank you for not dipping into your usual bag of old stand-bys. This is the meat readers want from an old codger like you.

It absolutely blew me away in the '80's when Mulroney was elected leader of the PC's and then went on to become PM. The lack of awareness on behalf of the Canadian public as to what that man was really about blew me away. He came across as evil personified and I could not believe others did not see that. To re-elect him made me question and still does to this day, the IQ of the average citizen of this country.

Now we have Harper who is just as sleezy as Mulroney. Where are the brains of this country? Canada is so screwed right now. I don't think we will be able to recover what we were and what we had, after Harper. It was a long haul getting back to stability after Mulroney but the world has changed and I really believe Canada is lost.

Reynold's has been my MP for twelve years and has always made my skin crawl. I thought the old goat was supposed to be retiring and was dismayed to see his face showing up everywhere since the election? He sits there like some predatory hawk and you just know that what is going on in his head is not the interests of Canadians but what he can get for himself, friends and family. He uses people for his own purposes and Harper is as dumb as a bag of rocks if he thinks Reynold's is on his side. Dishonourable would have Reynolds picture beside it in the dictionary.

I am seriously thinking of getting my British citizenship and taking up residence in a European country that is not headed down the road of destruction that the US is well along and Canada is goose stepping right behind it, at a fast and furious pace. It would be refreshing to not have to be so close to the US and watch this country fall to the born again wingnut/loonie tunes that are in power now in Ottawa and Washington. Surely to God there must be some place to go and get away from this madness.

aalborg
Why British? Seems to me Blair is as bad or worse than the gang we have here - at least for the moment. Not sure you can run away from madness, ever. You have to hang on and fight it, I'd say.

Jeeves, mayhap the irony of your phrase "decent man to cross the floor" escapes you - so I'll spell it out: a decent man wouldn't cross the floor nor would a decent man, who said he found such political soliciting distasteful for its crassness and fraudulent nature, ask him to. And don't bring God into this - I don't believe Emerson is a particularly religious man.
Interesting how Rafe spit out this little tidbit the same time that Haper "let-go" of his chief spin doctor, William Stairs, and hired a lobbyist who represented the likes of Coco-Cola, De Beers Canada, Rogers Wireless and Power Corporation to take his stead. No one is talking about the reason behind this new switcheroo 2 weeks into Harper's less-than-smooth entry into the hot seat. Apparently, he also recognizes the record blunders for such a short period in power. Maybe he should start believing in a higher power... or else we'll be at the polls in no time.

You know it, Avicenna: Harper does it again!!

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/02/21/harper-buckler060221.html

Jeeves: Yes. Harper and Emerson should make a wonderful team to implement the National Citizens Coalition agenda. Seeing as how Harper was president of this organization from 1997 to 2001 (which has been without a president since, he never stopped), by all means, check out their site, surf away, especially with "campaigns" and get back to us on how great Harper will be with stripping our countries very identity away for the good of U.S. integration and control with such "Honorable" men.

morefreedom.org

I'm sure you can expect all kinds of love from us for all the Harper supporters like yourself, there buddy. It might do you some good to find out what your team of Cons is really after.

I am not a "supporter" of the cons Brain. I had to choose between a proven corrupt pack of thieving bandits, and change. I picked change. Sue me.

Just because I don't live in the West End, am heterosexual, happily married and a father - doesn't make me a monster.

Harper has so far done nothing that remotely compares to shenanigans and skulduggery that the former Liberals did. Until he does, I think people should stop making up nonsense in the bitterness of defeat.

Open, transparent government, honesty to the highest standards, doesn't this sound like a number out of Gordo's playbook? These guys have no original thoughts, just rehash the same old promises, and the foolish electorate will swallow them up, ad infinitum.

I wrote John Reynolds a letter, asking him to help one of his constituents, Steve Kubby (who was not a citizen, no vote), when he was before the hearing about his plea for refugee status. Instead, the "Honorable" John Reynolds sics our favourite neocon, Randy White, to watch the proceedings, and then report to the media that we don't need folks of this ilk in Canada.

I was the conductor on the trial run of the Rocky Mountaineer Excursion train, from North Vancouver to Prince George. We were being put into a siding, to await the arrival of a freight train, a delay of over an hour's time. I spoke with a Canadian National Vice-President, who was also on this train (and numerous other dignitaries, including Reynolds), and when I turned to leave, I saw Mr. Wonderful sitting there. I mentioned to him that I had written him a letter, and had never received a reply, he asked what were the particulars, I told him it was about Steve Kubby, he mumbled something incoherent and turned away to speak to his seat mate. Arrogant ass of the highest order, and like the whores, the asses should sue for defamation

Mark my words, the Harperites will try to run a reasonably acceptable government, until they get caught up in something, then blame the other parties, when a vote of non-confidence is tabled, causing another election. It won't be their fault, it will be the other guys who don't want government to work, and the electorate may well give them a majority next time around, stranger things have happened. If they ever get a majority government, we, as a country, will suffer irreparable damage, same deal as the BC Fiberals.

Don F.

sleazebags harper, emerson and reynolds aside what the f@#k is the big deal about carol "trophy wife" taylor's fcuking shoes??!!
Enough already!!!!!!
Thanks corporate media for the relevant tip of profound importance.
The ultra sleazy board of trade put out their budget wish list last week. Number one on the list-that's right, tax cuts for the top two income brackets!! I guess increases in bribes haven't been keeping pace with the rising cost of prostitutes and cocaine.
I'd should phone *****-****** to ask them about prostitutes, bribes, influence peddling, institutionalized corruption and evading taxes.
I'm sure they must have glossy brochures on all of that stuff.

Me, I'm just waiting, with baited breath, for the extremely honorable announcement that the non-lobbyist, he of Olympian ethics, has been appointed to the VANOC Board by the man who was so honorably put in charge of the Federal File due to the actions of the most honorable non-lobbyist himself.

All in the name of doing what is right, honorable and ethical for all of the non-lobbyists.....errrr.... 'people' of British Columbia.

.

AMEN! Oh, shall we ALL hold our breath waiting for Harper to reform government!

NOT!!

So let's get this straight. Some old fart MLA, who's too important to retire himself in Hawaii, and campaigns against public health care, has a heart attack in the Legislature, survives, and is taken to a hospital where he receives immediate life saving procedures and in the process manages to blow enough holes in the "shabby public health care" theory to sink the ship once and for all, and no one NOTICES.

Eddy: which old fart would that have been?

BC Mary - I believe Eddy is talking about West Vancouver-Capilano MLA Ralph Sultan's "mild" cardiac arrest he had in legislature - maybe he just got wind of Emerson's defecation- I mean defection.

Jeeves:
Oh, I suppose I was a bit inflammatory, but with good reason. Mulroney was innocent once as well. No tarnished record. But people in the know could see it coming. It didn't have anything to do with who's party people voted for or against. It had nothing to do with this. It had everything to do with logic.

So while I'm actually somewhat apologetic in coming down hard on you, I suggest you take a good long look at the link provided so that if and when I'm right should the Cons ever get a majority, you won't be entirely surprised with what happens next. And if, of course, the NCC's agenda is what you want, well, we just aren't going to get along all that well. I'm not high on U.S. sellouts or anyone who supports them, naive, ignorant or otherwise. Check the link.

G West

British because I have access to citizenship through family members. I agree Britain is just as sad as the US in regards to politics. But the passport opens the door to the entire European Union. I can go and work or retire where I like.

I agree one can't escape the madness but possibly a new madness would be easier to tolerate! The fight is still within me, up the revolution and all that, but I think it will be all for nothing in the end.

The Harper, Bush, Blair teams are here to stay and destroy. That is the sole mission of these types and the path is charted and the ship is under sail. Nothing short of a revolution will stop it and I think the vast majority of the citizens of these countries don't have a clue, don't want a clue and don't have what it takes to fight the good fight even if they were hit upside the head with the clue stick. The leaders of these nations know that and that fact will leave those of us who are appalled and disgusted at the eroding of our societies by these types, just hanging in the wind. That is why a different madness would suit me. The Canada I loved and respected is gone and will not be replaced. If people are content with a not bad paycheque, beer and hockey on the weekend and don't care about their fellow citizens then what is worth fighting for? I really do want to find a country within the EU that is more akin to my belief system. Canada no longer fits that bill. Harper is one scary man, behind the blank gaze that looks into the camera. Bush is just the chimp who hams it up and Blair is the debonair, well spoken, cosmopolitan man who is just as evil underneath it all as Bush and Harper. He carries it better but there lurks just as much greed and the belief that those not in the inner circle are worth sacrificing and will be sacrificed no matter what.

I want out of here. Each day brings a new batch of problems and Harper has only been there for two weeks. I can't imagine what it will be like within 12-18 months. I've lost faith in the ability of the majority of Canadians to see the big picture. I don't think they have the intellectual ability.

I wonder how many Conservative supporters would have characterized Emerson as "decent" if he had stayed a Liberal.

aalborg

I understand where you're coming from. My grandfather was born in the UK so I reckon I could pull the same switch but I can't see any use of it. I spent some time in the 90s in Europe and in many ways those societies are as hopeless as ours are but in slightly different ways.

Maybe you know this of course but I was as disgusted with the way the Roma are treated in much of Continental Europe as I've ever been with the way we treat our First Nations.
And the status of Muslims - there they fulfill the same cheap migrant worker role that Mexicans do in the US and that didn't make me think I'd arrived at a place where I'd be any more comfortable than I was back here in Canada. It's easy to miss those things if you're just a tourist but if you stay for a while I, at least, soon found that Europe is no panacea.

Anyway, I agree with much of what you say, just not quite sure that moving on is any solution, alas - especially if you have a family and the kind of connections here that, when other things start to smell bad, you can still take some solace in. I hope you’ll decide to hang on and work for something better.
Cheers.

What's so surprising about Reynold's appointment ?

The whole goddamn Reform/PC/ CRAP/ Conservative/BCLiberal bunch is nothing more than a lobbyist system for big, especially multinational corporations under a variety of names, but all of them under Fraser and CD Howe instructions.

Just look where the donations to them are coming from and where the tax cuts are going to?

Ed Deak, Big Lake.

G West

As desperate as I am to get away from this country and our psycho neighbour due south, I will end up staying in Canada. I JUST want away from the craziness and some days are harder to get through than others. It is frustrating to the nth degree to know very few care and my personal efforts mean nothing at the end of the day. I write all levels of government but the pat answers I get back are an insult to my intelligence. I know the Premier and Harper etc. don't read the letters. It's some flunky who is going to tell me what I want to hear based on the content of my letter. So I write back and explain I won't be fobbed off that way and I want the truth from the great one himself and won't shut up until it is delivered. Reminding them that they are civil servants, paid for by me, does not feel good, but they have to be put in their place, dammit! Civility and respect is long gone and as I said I just keep hounding them. If the best I can be is an irritant, so be it. I am waiting for a revolutionary group to hit the streets and I will be so there!

Still getting my Brit passport and hedging my bets. Will take a few holidays after some research of various countries and go see what it would be like to be a citizen. Have a brother in Copenhagen and he still would not dream of coming back to Canada. The good outweights the bad he says in Denmark and his quality of life is better than most Canadians.

Anyways, to try and stay on topic, I would at least be spared looking at John Reynold's ugly mug and moronic utterances if I took off!

aalborg

I sympathize with what you're saying and I don't disagree with it either - as you must have gathered if you've read any of the stuff I've written to various posts on this site. Somehow though it's important not to give up, important to keep trying to make people see where you're coming from without escalating the debate to a level where everyone stops listening. One is frustrated a lot of the time but there are moments of mild satisfaction and accomplishment too and I am often surprised when I run into people who share many of the beliefs I have. Often they pop up in the strangest places: at work, in social settings - even in comment boards like this.

I dunno exactly how one moves forward from these experiences and casual meetings into something more significant and profound and effective - in terms of political action - but there must be a way. I hope there is.

Even this Emerson thing, for example, I understand that efforts to keep the issue in the public eye are continuing, despite the general disinterest in the media.

G West

I too am surprised at how many people share my views and are disgusted with the political scene. As you say, I find like-minded people standing even in the grocery line-ups! Maybe it's just the Canadian way and our basic civility stops us from taking it to the streets. At times I quite envy the news scenes where a whole country will rally and fill the streets, letting their voices be heard. It may do them no good in the end, but it must be personally satisfying. It shows the leaders the people care. Sitting in our cafes, work places, on the internet etc. talking amongst ourselves is not effective. The Ottawa group needs a public demo of huge proportions to shake them up a bit. Harper's arrogance and his sense that he's the chosen one to lead us into the light may make him incapable of understanding the mass message.

I email the various news outlets and ask them to keep on the story and don't drop it, but again it is much like writing government. I shudder at the thought of a Fox News Canadian style of broadcasting here. Although Harper, Reynolds et al would be right at home with those kind of people! Notice how they all look the same. I'm sure there is an underground lab in Nevada cloning these types!!

Up the revolution!

aalborg comments:

A person is smart, clever, witty and capable of making a decision and acting on it in a coherent fashion.

A group or populace can be unpredictable, stupid, crass incapable of taking a decision and finding every possible excuse to procrastinate in acting upon any decision.

This, in part, is why we collectively moved towards a representative democracy, so that a smaller group would be able to take decisions and to act responsibly upon them.

Now we see a system in its senile old age, where graft, corruption or outright theft from the public purse is seen as somehow excusable.

This is where the monarchy was when the Magna Carta was created and the power to spend was wrested from the crown. Now we have elected dictators that behave like to Popes of the late 1400's, so shall it be with these corrupt leaders as it was with the senile corrupt church of the early 1500's.

I agree and where do I sign on?

Murdock:
Before we man the barricades, why not try to vote for the only party that has not had its chance to show what it can do?
Are you worried about loosing your stock-options? or maybe about paying your fair share of taxes?
Try to visualize what would happen to you and your assets if an actual revolution was to happen!
While i am ready to revolt, somehow i think you are blowing gas about really wanting a change!
Talk is cheap!
For starters consider that NDP might just solve your problems without a streetfight!

Gloomy,

Without a streetfight?

The NDP has been very quiet while their UNION supporters go into overdrive, they never really calm anything down.

Putting that bunch of mixed nuts in charge would result in a picasso-esque, scrambled eggs laws that would bring REAL battles into the streets.

I should rather a calm, rational approach. Similar to the one put forward by Bouchard in his early terms as BQ leader and Premier of the Quebec National Assembly.

Otherwise lets skip the socialists approach and hand out the bayonettes...

You would choke under the red tape!
Obviously you want anything except a solution!
You asked where to sing on, but at the same time want to maintain your privileges!
If you want to overthrow the system be prepared that you may have to start from scrtcch all over

You brought a smile to my face, RossK having personally, witnessed this little circle operate for years - by George, YOU GET IT: There is a 'circle' of little buddies that is desperate to control anything of value for themselves vs the people of British Columbia. Their linkages are glued with greed. The only way they succeed is by sticking together, They need Emerson's linkages and Emerson forgot his backbone somewhere along his journey and bought into their exclusive 'game' where the circle makes their own rules. Emerson knew better than to sell out. It just makes decent people resonate with repulsion.

Ethics is not to be found in their gameplan which includes controlling the Olympics (anything but sportsmanship is on this circle's mind) and all of the corporate dollars fueling this malevolent 'movement' which should be put out of its misery; gambling etc. Surprise, surprise, JR is going to be dealing with 'gaming' issues in his new found prominent post at the firm.The likes of Furlong and Campbell are little puppets fronting for the 'circle' while they hide in the weeds and roll the dice, hoping that they will not be caught with their pants down.

Reynolds must have envied Kinsella's linkage in the circle, another nonlobbyist, another party leapfrogger (JR calls him his "best friend", while Kinsella, calls Chief Olympian Poole, his "best friend") and said: "I can do this too! Let me in."
They are blinded by their arrogance, but it will defeat them in the end.

Like so many of the posters above, I too, am relieved to hear the strong voices of the people finally saying ENOUGH, ALREADY! The power of decent people speaking out; saying that the citizens deserve better than this cancerous 'circle' is the only way to stop them from their dealing their stacked deck: It's time the dealer yelled: YOU'RE BUSTED!

Excellent discussion 'guys'. However, the reality is that the system SUCKS! It was developed and honed by the elite to serve only their kind. It is not about representing the people and doing what's best for us or the country (and it really never was!). The frustration comes from the fact that people, in general, are disenfranchised and the corporate media is right in line with supporting their agenda. Even with dozens of websites (like this superb one) and hundreds of blogs (search using google blogs or feedster.com), it is all by 'pull' and the average person is just too busy, harried, disillusioned and feeling impotent against the major forces trashing democracy. With all the respect in the world for what Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering through every day, I don't think they have a clue as to what this American version of 'democracy' that they're supposedly, joyfully heading towards (often at great personal cost) is really like.
Aalborg (named after Denmark's second largest city, I believe) - my parents left Denmark over 50 years ago because of the usurious taxation levels and the stifling of all personal initiative and, starting with Mr. Trudeau, we have now completed the achievement of same. Like you, I am seriously considering leaving this 'broken' place behind and moving to a country where corruption is low and freedom of the press is high - Finland and New Zealand constantly rate highly in both regards and I'm thinking that New Zeland is much, much warmer. Until then, let's fight the good fight - let's keep after the bastards!

Vigilantz...I was born in Aalborg, hence the name!

I am continually frustrated because there are no answers to solving the problems created by governments. Knowing that we, the taxpayers, don't even figure into the plans governments have for their citizens is beyond the pale to me.

America labours under the illusion they are free and democratic. It is the most repressed nation on earth in my estimation. Many Americans know this and write about it everywhere, but it won't change that fact. Canadians are now on the same road and our fight will be for nothing in the end. There is not a hope in hell for any of us with the likes of Harper and his ilk at the helm.

My desire to leave Canada is still with me, but realistically I know anywhere I go, I will encounter problems created by government and will be unable to effect any change. It is a sad reality.

Aren't the Finns known to be the most morose people on the planet?! I am morose enough all on my own and don't know that an entire nation of moroseness(?) would be good for my mental health! Then again, they could be ahead of us in accepting reality! The documentary I watched about Finland had a funny scene with the people doing the polka in a very morose kind of way!

Up the revolution.

You and me both brother!
Multinationals run the world, and there is no escaping them!
Once again i call for international political parties, so they cannot play us one against the other!
Divide and concour is still the motto!
They make money on either side as we fight