No coalition for me thanks.

This Liberal-NDP Coalition is a betrayal. A betrayal to those who voted Liberal because they were too right for the NDP, but too left for the Conservatives. This coalition is essentially a slap in the face for the centrist Canadian.

This is also a slap in the face for the average Canadian, who didn’t vote for a Liberal-NDP coalition, they voted for one or the other not both. This is an attempt to enter 24 Sussex through the backdoor, a move that a majority of Canadians do not want. While most Canadians do want a coalition government, they don’t want Stephane Dion as Prime Minister, nor Jack Layton in Government. Both Jack Layton and Stephane Dion seeked PMship during the election and Canadians shut the door in their faces.

This coalition was not created for the benefit of the Canadian people, but for a few. Nor is it for the sake of the economy. It is essentially a power grab.

If they really wanted to make a change, they would wait for the government to introduce a budget, and include an amendment that includes a stimulus package.

I can only say one thing to these opposition conspirators: Shame.

No federal funding for political parties

In a recent economic update, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced that Federal political parties will no longer receive the $2 per vote funding. While this seems to be a tactic to weaken the opposition parties, and it may be, it is a responsible fiscal action by the Conservative Government. Yes, the Liberals, NDP, and Bloc could complain that it is a so call trampling on democracy, but I say, why should my hard earned tax dollars go to parties I don’t support? Clearly, it shouldn’t.

If political parties need the money, then they should go to their grassroots, to their supporters, and to corporations that share their ideals and ask them for money. Simple as that. If the Government is brought down and even if there is no election, it would still cost the taxpayers for the change in “management”. I say that we keep this government alive until 2012 when their term expires or before that if the economy recuperates.

Who will win: Obama/Biden or McCain/Palin?

The 2008 “sprint” for the Presidency in the United States has begun. Well kind of… The only major candidate that hasn’t been officially nominated yet is Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona.

Anyways, the question on everyone’s mind is: Will Obama or will McCain win the election?

In my opinion, John McCain will win.

The main rationale for my choice is not due to my membership in the Ontario PC Party, or the fact that I support the federal Conservatives. Instead, my choice is based on a few things that I have seen from the McCain Campaign and from John McCain himself.

If you have been following McCain’s recent political career, he has been normally perceived as an underdog, the one not favoured to win. And yet, he often overcomes the odds. Exemples of such is the 2008 Republican Primary season. McCain actually started out at the bottom and his campaign was seen as “dead in the water” early on in the race to become the Republican Nominee. Now look where he is now: the Presumptive Nominee of the Republican Party for the President of the United States.

The style in which McCain speaks to the people is also a factor in why if I could vote in an American election I would vote for him.

McCain, although a bit slow compared to Obama, is good at giving straight forward and concise answers and statements, when taking about his positions, his policies, and his platform. He also knows how to connect with the people through his stories and his experiences. This was shown during his conversation with Pastor Rick Warren on the Saddleback Civil Forum.

McCain has also proved himself to be a leader in bi-partisan political collaboration. He has worked with many Democrat/Independent Democrat-caucusing senators on different legislations throughout his senate career, and has sometimes vote against party lines. As a result, he is known to have an “Independent-streak” and nicknamed by others as the “Maverick Republican Senator from Arizona”.

The leadership in bi-partisan political collaboration will allow a McCain Administration to be an effective presidency.

Another factor in why I made my choice and why McCain will win is due to the fact that he chose Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska as his running mate.

So who is Gov. Sarah Palin? And how is she going to help McCain win the presidency:

1. She is a woman (obviously). A brillant tactic by McCain, in an attampt to woo any anti-Obama Hillary Dems out there. (Last I heard it was somewhere between 15% to 25% of the dems, I could be wrong on the figures though).
2. In Alaska (according to CTV, and possibly McCain), Palin is known as a corruption fighter, and known to stand up to powerful oil interests. This will give the message that a McCain Administration will clean up the corruption in Government and that his decisions will not influenced by big oil companies such as ExxonMobile.
3. In Alaska, she has an 80% approval rating.

And that is why, I predict that McCain will win the 2008 United States Presidential Election.

on the Gardiner Expressway

The Toronto City Council voted on July 14, 2008 to approve an environmental assessment in regards to a proposal to take down a part of the Gardiner Expressway, from the Don Valley Parkway to Jarvis.

Any proposal to take down the Gardiner Expressway is a bad and stupid idea.

What the mayor and the anti-Gardiner councillors doesn’t realize is that we are built as an auto city. As a North American city, it was expected that each city across this continent become an auto city.

I understand why the mayor and several councillors wish for this city to become a “Transit City” and why they wish to promote alternative modes of transportation, however, the massive and quick changes proposed by this group of people will hurt the city economically and environmentally.

Why would taking down the Gardiner hurt the city?

By taking down the section between the DVP and Jarvis, they are essentially removing the busiest part of the entire expressway. On a average workday (i.e. the weekdays), thousands upon thousands of vehicles are travelling on the Gardiner. During rush hour, traffic jams are a “natural” occurrence. This goes for the same section on Lakeshore Blvd, which is essentially the same road, but runs directly underneath the elevated expressway. Now wonder if both traffics are combined. The magnitude of such a traffic jam would be great, and vehicles would be stuck there longer than if both the Gardiner and Lakeshore were operational. The longer vehicles are suck in one place, the more idling there will be, and the more pollution and greenhouse gases there will be. As such, this will hurt the environment and reduce the air quality in Toronto and cause more smog.

Businesses, small and large, in the downtown area will also lose out if the Gardiner is taken down. As stated before, it would take people longer to get to work due to the possible and most probable massive traffic congestion. This will result in a later start in the work day, and as most offices close at 4-5, a short work day, and therefore, a loss in revenue. As such, removing the Gardiner will hurt the City’s economy.