No Means No
As far as I recall, when my mother said “no”, she never once changed her answer to “yes”. It may have been the style of parenting at the time (although, we didn’t technically have parenting in those days, did we), it may have been her widow-with-four-young-children thing, I don’t know. But no amount of reasoning or crying could get her to change her mind. “No” was the end of the conversation, such as it was.
I was reminded of the “no” days of my youth when I read that Stephen Harper had said “no” to the scattering of First Nations politicians he met with on Friday with regard to a discussion about the Omnibus legislation that is at the root of IdleNoMore.
Canadian Politics 100 question: Why do we have a Governor General if he’s neither the Queen’s representative when he’s asked to be, nor the people’s representative when he’s asked to be?
Instead of a figurative Governor General, why not have a literal Crown Clown. David Johnson would look quite cute in a polka dot jumpsuit pulling flowers out of his butt to present to children on Canada Day.
Andrew Coyne has simplified a supposed split in the IdleNoMore movement into the Fundamentalists vs the Moderates. (Terry Glavin says it’s not a movement at all, but he should shut up and go away because in every broadcast I see of IdleNoMore, protestors aren’t just moving, they’re moving to a drum beat. And unlike Occupy, they started their movement in winter. Camping out is only going to get easier.)
I’m not a professional wordsmith, but I play one on the internet, and I’d say Andrew Coyne has it backwards as to who’s who. He thinks the Moderates are the political officials, mostly men, sitting around a meeting room and trying to negotiate with Stephen Harper, whereas the Fundamentalists are the people outside the meeting room taking back control of their lives.
Does Andrew Coyne honestly believe that a person is being reasonable, rational, dare I say, sane, if he is living in Canada in 2013 and claiming to 34 million people that by decreasing environmental protection he can increase economic prosperity?
Are people who think they can negotiate with such a person, a person who says “no”, Moderate? Or are they Deluded?
Meanwhile, one of my Facebook friends, is keeping his eye on the failure of the media to differentiate between Inuit, First Nations, and Metis.
Really, modern political life must be irritating for some people, eh? Good luck with all that, as they used to say on Seinfeld.
I read recently that Scott Anderson is going to be a speech writer for Stephen Harper. He’s joining a team of three to make four, if you can believe it. I mean, where is Stephen Harper making all these speeches? And to whom? But I can’t complain about Scott Anderson too much because he was the editor of the Ottawa Citizen when I did my best to make a bit of money by penning right of center op/ed pieces that I knew would appeal to his sensibilities.
I will venture a guess, though, that he couldn’t pen left of center op/ed pieces that would appeal to mine.
Alas, I didn’t see the posting for a speech writer for Stephen Harper on Job Bank. Of course, government is a notoriously closed workshop.
It’s always perplexed me why some Quebeckers would want to separate from Canada when most French-speaking inhabitants have been here longer than anyone except Inuit, First Nations, and Metis. And I believe the French voyageurs are responsible for the Metis, are they not?
With a fair bit of work, I could probably trace some relatives back to the Isle of Skye, but I doubt I could trace anybody back to Amsterdam. But the French Canadians I know have been here long enough that they seem to have less of a connection to France than I do to Scotland. And I have no connection to Scotland.
Somebody put it well the other day, what it’s like to descend from the people who were always here, and have to fight for your sovereignty, fight to protect your environment, fight to protect your health, from people who came later, a people who elect governments that act against the future, that seem to live in denial that the future will ever come.
Now I’m trying to imagine what it’s like to hear “no” from a relative newcomer who claims he can increase your economic prosperity by decreasing your environmental protection.
And then to find out you’re a Moderate if you think you can negotiate with such a person, but a Fundamentalist if you actually want to make your country a better place in which to live.
Watching Stephen Harper manage this whole shitstorm is interesting. He’s in way over his head, but he has no clue that that is so. This movement isn’t going away, despite what he hopes. Also too, the role of the GG has been revealed to be nothing more than that of a second rate taxi driver in a one taxi town. BTW, nice to see you on FB
Indeed. And you inspired my next post. I actually enjoy watching Stephen Harper try to manage this whole shitstorm. But I’m a bad person, very un-Christian, so I would, wouldn’t I.
Harper’s omnibull bill gives Communist China the right to sue, any Canadians getting in China’s way. China sued in BC to take the mining jobs. While other country’s are kicking China out of their territories, Harper brings that country, right onto our Canadian soil.
Harper’s omnibull bill gave himself the right to invade on, waterways, fish and F.N. hunting grounds. Harper can force his way, to destroy any part of Canada’s eco-systems he chooses to. I read sometime back, China will own the Enbridge pipeline. China said, they could build the Enbridge pipeline, very quickly, very cheaply. If F.N. try and block the Enbridge pipeline, China will sue. Harper lies, deceives, thieves, is corrupt, uses dirty tactics, dirty politics and he cheats to win.
Harper has had over a year, to address some of the F.N. issues. He has done nothing. Harper said, he is doing things in small increments for the F.N. Harper forgot to say, what century those issues will be completed. Harper is a snake in the grass. He has taken away the F.N rights, including the rights of all the Canadians in the 99%.
Rumor has it. Harper is planning for China, taking the rich High Arctic resources.
Our Canadian Democracy is vanishing. Our Civil Rights and Liberties have been taken from us. Our Freedom of Speech, is under attack. Our Human Rights are being eroded.
We went to war so we wouldn’t have a monster, such as Harper running this country. We fought against Fascism, Communism and Dictatorship. To me, Harper is a Traitor to Canada. Selling our country out to Communist China, is a crime of Treason.
The China deal denies all that we know. It’s craziness. Harper behaves like a man with no choice, not a prime minister with a majority.