My weekend observations on international affairs

A very brief post on three countries. If you are the ruler of the your country, rest assured that your incumbency--you being there, sitting on the throne--helps you hang on to power. If your are a critic of your country's ruler, you better find safety by your independent means. President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda was reelected after twenty years in his job. President Museveni enjoyed international praise in the past for increasing economic growth and getting a handle on fighting AIDS in Uganda. However, there were recent criticisms that Uganda invaded Congo during Congo's civil war and that the president reneged on his promise to retire in 2001. His government had jailed his main challenger, Kizza Besigye, on rape, treason and terrorism charges in the middle of the campaign. Associated Press reported that a European Union observers' mission criticized Museveni for using all the resources of the government to win and said that the vote -- although an improvement on past ballots -- was marred by serious problems. President Gloria Arroyo of the Philippines declared emergency rule on Friday and banned rallies marking the 20th anniversary of the fall of Ferdinand Marcos, the former dictator, saying that the Philippine government had foiled a military coup attempt and still faced the threat of violent overthrow. It also warned the news media not to "recklessly" publish rebel statements. The government said it had arrested an army general, the commander of the elite Scout Rangers unit, and 14 junior officers it said were involved in a plot to use the rallies to incite an armed rebellion. Finally, Pope Benedict XVI appointed as cardinal Bishop Joseph Zen Ze-kiun of Hong Kong, a move to open diplomatic relations between China and the Vatican. The former Bishop, now Cardinal Zen was a critic of religious suppression in China and a particpant in the democracy movement in Hong Kong. Incidentally, Cardinal Zen is about the only important person in Hong Kong or China to be considered able to criticize China without personal loss. Foreign countries and corporations, local business leaders and politicians, and lonely academic leaders, students and writers oppose China at their own peril. A religious figure with independent backing from the Vatican State, operating by diplomatic protocol, is probably safe from jail if he acts on his conscience.

More weekend observations on Canadian politics

The Canadian news media were almost unanimous in their criticism of Prime Minister Harper's government after he made two bold appointments to the federal cabinet. There were persistent calls or descriptions that the new government would enjoy the shortest "honeymoon" possible after winning the election a month ago. Well, I disagree. I have already commented on international affairs in my last post and on cabinet appointments previously. Now, late February, we see that it is the media who cried foul when reporters did not get "the scoop" on the controversial ministers from Vancouver and Montreal. If one looks at how provincial premiers and ministers, the City of Toronto and foreign countries reacted, it is clear that the Harper government is enjoying a "honeymoon" or "grace period." Yesterday Friday night was the first time almost all provincial premiers sat down for dinner with Prime Minister Stephen Harper. All news reports so far had premiers and provincial ministers recognizing the mandate the new government won on its declared five priorities. GST cut to 6%, $1200/year child care supplement on any family with children age six and under, hospital wait time guarantee, tougher measures on crime, and finally, the first piece of legislation to be introduced will be a Federal Accountability Act. Premier Charest of Quebec is on side on federal changes in child care funding and in wait time guarantees. Premiers McGuinty and Doer of Ontario and Manitoba, the only two provincial governments to sign federal-provincial funding agreements on child care, made conciliatory statements because they recognized the Harper mandate won in January 2006 and they knew that the funding agreements contained abrogation clauses allowing the federal government to cancel them with proper notice. Even the City of Toronto has remained subdued. Mayor Miller is unhappy with the anticipated loss of funding of child care spaces before he met Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, also responsible for the Greater Toronto Area. News reports so far all quoted Flaherty and nothing from Miller; Minister Flaherty recognized that vibrancy in Toronto was important and that the GTA needs federal funding to repair infrastructure such as roads and highways. All in all, Prime Minister Harper is having his honeymoon, has withstood media criticism on his cabinet appointments and is governing in such a successful way that the provinces and the City of Toronto are willing to wait for further proceeding instead of antagonizing the new government.

My weekend observations on Canadian politics

The Canadian news media lamented that foreign or international affairs did not surface as election campaign issues during the 2006 General Elections. So, it is all the more illustrative of the new government of Prime Minister Harper when foreign issues are raised. The Prime Minister is saying all the right things. In his first press conference late January, he wished Chinese Canadians a happy Chinese new year and recognized grievances brought by Chinese Canadians against decades-old Government of Canada policies and apologized. In addition, he emphasized in the press conference Canada's sovereignty in the Arctic islands by saying Canadians would defend Canadian borders and waters and would not need American help. Since then, Prime Minister Harper hinted he wanted to visit Afghanistan where the most Canadian troops were currently stationed overseas as part of Canada's participation in NATO efforts to stabilize the south Asian country. The prime minister also spoke to Canadian election monitors in Haiti and congratulated the winning candidate in the Haitian presidential election; Canada has a substantial number of Haitian-Canadians and Haitian nationals. Finally, Prime Minister Harper appointed David Emerson as Canada's international trade minister and Michael Wilson as Canada's ambassador to the United States. In both appointments, the prime minister reiterated the importance of bringing a resolution to the Canada-US dispute on Canadian exports in lumber and processed wood. The contrast between Prime Minister Harper and the last government is that this new prime minister talked very little in public and so was able to project his priorities when he did speak or act whereas the last prime minister was characterized by the British weekly newspaper The Economist as "Mr. Dithers."

Reality checks on the outrage over Prime Minister Harper's appointments

To the Liberals and NDPers who now demand Minister Emerson to resign and run again in another election, does it mean that the Liberal Party and the NDP favour "recalling" Members of Parliament which was a previous policy of the now-no-more Reform Party. To the Liberals who "wanted their money back" to the amount of over $90 000 spent on Minister Emerson's Liberal reelection campaign, the Liberal district association will get refunds from Elections Canada. Any candidate who achieve ten or more percent of the total vote in a district will get refunds. To the Liberals who criticized Minister Fortier's appointment to the Senate, well, Prime Minister Trudeau appointed western Senators to be cabinet ministers, too, as sports minister, agriculture minister, etc. Oh, by the way, reactions from the Quebec press and Montreal's business community were positive. To commentators who criticized Minister O'Connor's appointment to head the Defence Department, it's the cabinet which decides on purchases of capital equipment, and really, the defence bureaucracy is the one which make the rules on procurement. Granted, a person does not need a salary, stocks or compensation to have material gain. But, come on, the man deceased to be a lobbyist when he was elected to Parliament two years ago.

On the Liberal race to replace Paul Martin Junior

There is no race--because there are not any candidates! Manley, McKenna, Tobin and Rock took themselves out of contention. McKenna and Rock are happy to stay as Canada's ambassadors to the USA and the UN until Prime Minister Harper replaces them. Manley and Tobin have projects on the go in the private sector and are too busy for politics. Who does that leave? I prefer much a race among former Ontario Premier Bob Rae, former Toronto Maple Leaf executive Ken Dryden, former Harvard Professor Michael Ignatieff and former University of Montreal Professor Stephane Dion than a race among Liberal political operatives Bevilacqua, Cauchon, Coderre and Volpe, than a race between two Conservatives who switched to the Liberal Party, Brison and Stronach. Don't be surprised if Karen Redman and Dr. Carolyn Bennett join the race. Problem: Rae, Dryden and Ignatieff are all from Toronto. Even so, Dion, Dryden, Ignatieff and Rae are all thoughtful people; three of whom have published academically or commercially. The Liberal Party need to rejuvenate and will be served well if all four people run. Problem for Brison: He burned his bridge to Bay Street when he switched parties. Problem for Stronach: Up until she switched, she hanged out with the Toronto conservatives Bill Davis and Mike Harris and not the Liberal establishment. Her last campaign manager, John Laschinger, has taken on the job to manage Toronto Mayor David Miller's reelection. So, she has to pay top dollars to get Warren Kinsella or any other Liberal campaign workers. Seriously, all the remaining Liberals in and out of the House of Commons caucus have to wait for Parliament to start meeting in April. Not until then will they get any free national media exposure. Yes, the Liberals will hold annual meetings in the many electoral districts but even Liberal partisans are dejected and fatigued. I hope Liberal donors have not already "max'd out" of the limit on political donations in 2006. We need a rubber chicken dinner circuit for leadership candidates to attend.

Enough blogging on Conservatives. Let's talk about the Liberals.

Before I get to the Liberal race to replace Paul Martin Junior, two things: Martin and Dingwall. Paul Martin remains Liberal Party Leader and Bill Graham is the interim leader. There is only one recent example on a two-headed party leadership--in Germany. Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder resigned his leadership of the Social Democratic Party in favour of Franz Muntefering who became leader. The difference is that Paul Martin is keeping his title and position but not doing any work. I wonder if the Liberal Party pays Paul Martin a salary for keeping the chair warm? Onto David Dingwall who testified in parliamentary committee and on national television that he resigned his post of president of the Royal Canadian Mint. To paraphrase blogger Colby Cosh, why would the Government of Canada go into arbitration to decide whether David Dingwall quit his job when he, the minister responsible for the Mint and the prime minister all said Dingwall himself had quit? To arbitration they went, now Canadian taxpayers had to foot Dingwall's severance.

It's my anniversary with Bibiana today

A year ago we had our first date. A month ago we were married. Wow! What a happy feeling! I can't express it in words. Now I can't live without Bibiana. Happy Anniversary, honey :-) I love you :-) Wintertime will be pleasurable times from now on. Having moved to Toronto three years ago, I gained a new family here when I married Bibiana. So, December we will have Christmas Eve dinners and Christmas and New Year's Eve parties. January will always have our wedding anniversaries. And the plan is to celebrate the next two on a cruise ship going to where it is warm, like the eastern Carribbean and the Mexican west coast, if we can afford it. February will have our dating anniversaries and Valentine's Days. Between January and February we will visit relatives for Chinese New Year. March will have Bibiana's birthday and Clara's birthday. Something to celebrate in the cold days of winter. Some day Bibiana will visit Ottawa and experience Winterlude or perhaps go to Niagara-on-the-Lake to join in the Ice Wine Festival. So many winters ahead. So many fun things to do. Happy happy. See you at lunchtime, honey :-) I love you, Bibiana :-)

Prime Minister Harper's Toronto Minister

Watching CPAC replays of Prime Minister Harper's two press conferences at Rideau Hall and in Parliament outside the Prime Minister's Office. The minister responsible for the Greater Toronto Area is Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty. Wow! Two big portfolios handled by one man. Now, truth be told. Mr. Flaherty is very capable--Princeton grad, paid for law school by driving a cab, Ontario barrister, ministers of several Ontario Government ministries. So, onto the Throne Speech and the first Harper Government Budget in April 2006, and Child Care Credit in July 2006. On the Gas Tax, watch for how Minister Flaherty reacts to Mayor Miller's request of money for the Toronto Transit Commission. On Fiscal Imbalance and Ontario's Fair Share, watch for how Intergovernmental Affairs Minsiter Michael Chong reacts to Premier McGuinty. Watching Canadian politics is interesting.

On Prime Minister Harper's Ministry

The list of cabinet appointments is out. The only Conservative M.P. representing Metro Vancouver, Vancouver-Kingsway David Emerson, is trade minister also responsible for the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics. Montréal gets a senator in the cabinet--Mont-Royal resident, Senator Michael Fortier is government services minister responsible for the implementation of the Federal Accountability Act. Both Emerson and Fortier were businessmen active in Vancouver and Montréal; Emerson was CEO of Canfor and Fortier worked in the Montreal office of TD Securities. What does Toronto get? One has to stretch the GTA boundaries pretty wide to account for any Conservative ministers from Toronto. Durham Region is blessed with two ministers with full departments: Whitby-Ajax M.P. Jim Flaherty takes Finance, Clarington-Scugog-Uxbridge M.P. Bev Oda takes Canadian Heritage. The other minister with a 905 area code is Niagara Falls M.P. Rob Nicholson, government leader in the House of Commons. In 905/519 is Wellington-Halton Hills M.P. Michael Chong who takes Sports. From 705, Parry Sound-Muskoka M.P. and Health Minister Tony Clement has a second home in the GTA. You wonder who is responsible for the Cities file? It goes to a Quebecer. Pontiac M.P. Lawrence Cannon is Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. Prior to his election, Cannon was president of the Société de transport de l’Outaouais in 2002, was president of the Association du transport urbain du Québec in 2004, and city councillor in Gatineau from 2001 to 2005. Toronto Mayor David Miller will have to deal with Mr. Cannon. Otherwise, Mayor Miller has to contend with ministers from suburban GTA. Pontiac is on the Quebec side of the Ottawa Valley. On the Ontario side, the City of Ottawa gets three ministers: Ottawa West-Nepean M.P. John Baird gets Treasury Board, Carleton-Mississippi Mills M.P. and retired Brigadier-General Gordon O'Connor gets National Defence, and Senator Majory LeBreton is government leader in the Senate. Elsewhere, MPs representing Québec City, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Calgary, suburban Victoria, St. John's, Jonquière and Medicine Hat all received cabinet appointments. If Toronto wants a federal cabinet minister, voters here will have to elect a Conservative.

Prime Minister Harper and his ministers were sworn in this morning

So, they did it this morning. Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his ministers swore oaths to serve the Queen and Canada. Here are some interesting observations. With the addition of David Emerson, former Liberal M.P., into the Conservative caucus and cabinet, the Conservative Party has 125 MPs in the House of Commons (versus 102 Liberals). Mr. Emerson (MP, Vancouver-Kingsway, B.C.), who is married to a Chinese-Canadian, is the new minister of trade, minister for the Vancouver Olympics and minister for the Pacific Gateway. His appointment highlights Prime Minister Harper's emphasis of "the West is in." Vancouver gets a cabinet minister and Canada gets a trade minister with additional duties in foreign relations with Pacific Rim countries. Michael Chong (MP, Wellington-Halton Hills, Ontario) is the new minister of intergovernmental affairs and minister for sport. Son of a Canadian doctor of Chinese origin and a Dutch-Canadian, Mr. Chong represents the suburban county surrounding Guelph, and used to work the National Hockey League Players' Association. Bev Oda (MP, Clarington-Scugog-Uxbridge, Ontario) is Canada's first Japanese-Canadian to serve as a federal cabinet minister. Having worked in TVOntario, Rogers Communications, CITY-TV, Global Television Network, Harold Greenberg Fund and CTV and served as a commissioner in the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommuication Commission, Ms. Oda is the new minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women.

Observations on Muslim protests over caricatures

Remember any of the comments and critiques from the European media about American mistreatment and insensitivity toward Muslims or Arabic enemy combatants? The most memorable Muslim protest over American insensitivity was a protest in Afghanistan over rumours of a Koran having been flushed down the latrine. The rumour has since been denied as untruth by Newsweek where the rumour was first published. Turning the table, it appears European newspapers are more insensitive. One can argue that Muslim protests across the world are incited by imams and opinion leaders. Then, I can argue that European caricatures of Muhammed generated more protests than any American actions.