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.
The media loves sensational stories. And what could be more sensational than the economic collapse in the US and elsewhere? Financial problems are almost gleefully reported, and in the opinion of many have helped the downturn as people felt they should stop spending. This has caused a lack of demand for raw materials, hurting the mining and forestry industries, and has been a disaster for places like Australia, whose exports to places like China have dried up. The so-called swine flu epidemic has been overplayed as well, with Mexico's huge tourist industry taking a major hit. Although the flu is worldwide, it does not seem to be as much of a disaster as first reported. One health commentator noted that there are normally more deaths from the flu each winter than have happened, but in any case, don't forget to get a flu shot this year. There are a number of other sensational stories, with most of them being about politicians. The Mulroney inquiry, dealing with things that happened many years ago, dominated the news in mid-May and was duly (some would say dully) reported live. Mulroney gave his carefully rehearsed testimony. He tried to convince the public that taking envelopes full of cash was an okay thing to do, but did say he was sorry he didn't ask for a cheque. The expensive inquiry, funded of course by the Canadian taxpayer, is really a "he said, he said" case and really unnecessary from a taxpayer's point of view. Who really cares if Mulroney's reputation is restored? Remember, he's the guy who gave us the GST, two failed proposals on national unity, a huge debt, and the virtual destruction of the federal PC Party. Stephen Harper should be congratulated for cutting Mulroney off from the Conservative Party. What reputation!? Mulroney will be remembered for the Mulroney-Schreiber affair, as Napoleon was remembered for his disaster at Waterloo. What about "Parachute" Ruby Dhalla, the Liberal MP now known as "I Ruby" from her vicious testimony before the parliamentary committee? Readers will remember her as the rich Winnipegger who was parachuted into a safe Ontario riding by Paul Martin over the wishes of the riding's executive. Now she is accused by immigrant caregivers of bad mistreatment. Of course she denies it and blames Immigration Minister Jason Kenney for a conspiracy against her, because he was seen at a function with her Conservative opponent. Leaks from the Liberal caucus say that the Liberal Ontario MPs are enjoying her agony and would dearly love to get rid of her. Goodbye, I Ruby! Another so-called sensational story was the Toronto/Ottawa demonstrations by Tamil-Canadians in favour of the Tamil Tigers in Sri-Lanka, who are in imminent danger of being routed by the government's army. What they want is the Canadian government to work towards a ceasefire in that country to ostensibly protect the innocent minority Tamils who they claim are being slaughtered in the fighting. They are are demanding that Harper invoke sanctions on the country to stop the fighting. The Conservatives will not do this and have little use for the vicious Tamil Tigers, who are branded as a terrorist organization. They have killed thousands of innocent people and have extorted money from Tamils in other countries to keep their war going. Sri-Lankan leaders claim the Tigers are hiding behind innocent hostages and if there is a ceasefire, will simply rearm and continue the insurrection. Apparently there are 200,000 Tamils in the Toronto area, and most are law abiding citizens but have been taken advantage of by the radicals. The demonstration on Parliament Hill attracted little notice and no support, but the use of children and tying up traffic in Toronto attracted plenty of attention and a lot of hostility from Toronto people. Jack Layton's call for the government to try to stop the fighting received little support from an enraged population who rightly point out that these types of demonstrations are not the Canadian way. Many are calling for the police to arrest and charge the leaders. By the way, the government is in favour of aid and protection of the innocent, but after 30 years of terror, the Tigers deserve their fate. Roger's Right Corner runs Wednesdays.
