The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Ken and Ralph and Jeremy and Gary There is no doubt that Ken Dryden was a great goaltender winning multiple Stanley Cups and many awards. There is however considerable doubt about whether he will survive as a politician or even want to remain as an MP. Dryden admits he hates question period, the time when opposition members can ask questions of government ministers, and criticize their policies. So far he has been unable to answer the simplest of questions in the short period of time allowed, and his fellow Liberals have had to come to his rescue. Apparently the old goalie needs a long time to expound on any topic. The jury is still out on how he has been doing in putting together a national child day-care plan, as all the provinces want the millions promised but some want no interference from the Feds on how to spend the money. During the budget crisis Dryden was jetting around the country giving away tax money and blaming the Conservatives for not wanting his plan (paid for by our money of course). Apparently he was responsible for convincing the Prime Minister to promise the Canadian people an election after the Gomery Inquiry reports. Don't be surprised if Ken Dryden returns to hockey where he has been much more successful. Ralph Goodale was Paul Martin's first choice for Finance Minister, but his first budget was scuttled by the deal with the NDP. His "Federal Budget Response." (Reminder, July 4/5) was self praising, the usual Liberal propaganda, with a rationale that is highly suspect. The Regina Wascana MP, the only Liberal elected in Saskatchewan, praises his party's responsible financial situation with eight years of budget surpluses, and blames the "NDP budget" on the Conservative's attempts to defeat the government even though Stephen Harper supported the original budget. He says nothing about the real reason Ñ the Adscam scam, and the desire to get rid of a corrupt government, and the fact that The Conservatives did support Mr. Goodale's original budget but not the deal with the NDP. He claims the extra $4.6 billion, which is for housing, education, the environment and foreign aid, is fiscally responsible and within the Liberal's spending priorities. Most economists do not agree with Ralph and predict a negative effect on the economy. What could we expect Goodale to say? He was sabotaged by the Martin-Layton deal and had to rationalize. Critics claim that the large budget surpluses, always underestimated by the Liberals, should be returned to the taxpayers and not used as a slush fund to bribe Canadians with their own money (the Liberal way). Will Ralph Goodale get re-elected in Saskatchewan? Don't bet too much money on it! Local Creighton and Denare Beach MP Jeremy Harrison has his teeth on another issue that the Liberals aren't talking about Ñ the plans to close 750 rural post offices in the country including the one at Denare Beach plus 15 others in his Churchill River constituency. Canada Post, who made $147 million profit last year, and with continuously increasing stamp prices, considers rural postal outlets a "heavy burden" according to Jeremy. In a three page letter to his constituents, Harrison noted that nine years ago the Liberal government promised to stop closing rural post offices, a promise they quickly broke. He rightly claims that postal services is critical in rural areas where distances are long, he spoke about it in the Commons, and sent a strongly worded letter to John McCallum the Minister responsible for Canada Post. His parting shot was: "and I serve notice that any attempt to close these post offices will be met with strong opposition from the affected communities, as well as from me." Jeremy Harrison is turning out to be a strong fighter for rural and northern Saskatchewan. One also knows that having a postal outlet in a store or other business is also a benefit and support for the business and community. Keep it up Jeremy! By the way, if any reader wishes to contact the young MP on this or any other issue you can reach him at Meadow Lake, toll free at 1-866-815-2334 or by e-mail: [email protected] What does Gary Doer have to do with the Federal Liberals? Manitoba's Premier always shows a "spirit of co-operation" with Paul Martin and Mr. Manitoba Liberal money, Reg Alcock. Doer, who like all premiers wants more and more federal money, is accused by his critics of being addicted to spending. He and Alcock promised aid to those ravaged by floods, although Gary was vague about how much the province would kick in. Manitoba's Agriculture Minister proudly announced that farmers would receive disaster payments this fall instead of next spring because of the disastrous farm situation, and federal Minister Andy Mitchell is trying to speed up payments under the hopelessly complicated Canadian Agriculture Income Stabilization Programme. The plan is so complicated that accountants are needed to help with applications, and is ignored by many farmers. In the much- written-about BSE crisis, Doer and the federal Liberals, along with their weak and ineffectual agricultural Ministers, did precious little to help the ranchers survive the crisis. Let's hope that "wild Liberal spending" actually gets to those farmers and residents ravaged by the floods.
