A Summer 2009 Election Song

Roy Green was just discussing the possibility of Michael Ignatieff calling a summer election come Monday. This inspired me to write the starting lyrics for a song:

Iggy, Iggy, have you lost your mind?
You've now put us all in a terrible bind.
Are you sure you carefully did the math?
Cause now you're going to face our mighty wrath!

Away from our barbecues we're forced to go.
To the many beaches we will not show.
We're aware of our civic duty that we must do
But it surely will not be to vote for you!

Double Standards for Racism in Canada

This afternoon Roy Green interviewed the allegedly "racist" mother of an 8 year-old girl in Winnipeg. You can listen to it here at 34:00.

Here's the letter I sent to him afterwards:

Roy,

Great interview! It was very honest radio and I appreciate that. While that woman & I would probably never be close friends, I do believe she has a valid point regarding political correctness and double-standards aplenty.

Let me share a quick story with you: Three and a half years ago I founded a non-profit organization in Vancouver that refurbishes used computers and gives them for free to less fortunate families throughout British Columbia. In our first year of existence we had a young man join our team of volunteers. He was a high-school student. He and his family had moved to Canada from China about 10 years prior.

This young fellow was one of our techs, responsible for doing the actual refurbishing. Since he didn't drive, I had all sorts of other volunteers dropping off to his home computers needing work and picking up refurbished machines.

One day he called me up and had a very serious tone. I asked him what the matter was. He hesitated and then said, "I need for you to stop sending [a certain volunteer] over to my home any more. My parents insist upon it." The fellow he was referring to happened to be a dark-skinned man from Sri Lanka. I thought about it for a second and responded, "Is it just this particular fellow or all darker skinned people?" He quietly said, "All of them."

Roy, tell me honestly, do you think that any Child Service Agency in this country would ever dare to take away such a child from his Asian parents?

Robert W.

Be Skeptical of Global Warming Fearmongers

Dr. Roy Spencer is a climatologist and former NASA scientist. He's also very skeptical of global warming hysteria proffered by the likes of Al Gore and David Suzuki. Here's his website. And here you can listen to an interview of him by Roy Green.

Democracy Denied to Roy Green

Popular talk show host, Roy Green, had something very, very strange happen to him yesterday when he tried to vote in the Quebec provincial election. Will anything be done to resolve the outrageous behaviour of those he dealt with? I think not. Sigh.

The Coalition's Cap & Trade Plan

There's a critically important fact of the Coalition's plan that has gone under the radar. I first learned of it from Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall in an interview with him here. The interview starts at 8:35, but his pertinent comment starts at 9:50.

Premier Wall points out that the Coalition's Cap & Trade plan is to impose absolute limits on emissions, setting them at 1990 levels. He adds that Saskatchewan is about 60% above that now. One can reasonably assume that Alberta and B.C. are similarly way above those 1990 levels.

Do people fully understand what it will require to quickly remove 40% of our emissions? If anyone believes it can be done with "technology" then please:

1. Tell me precisely what technology.
2. How much this will cost each company and each individual.
   

To double check Premier Wall's statement I went right to the Coalition source: http://xfer.ndp.ca/coalition/2008-12-01-PolicyAccord_en.pdf It states:

We will work with our North American Partners to pursue a North American cap-and-trade market with absolute emission targets, using 1990 as the base year.

Why has this not been a headline news story? Why has there not been an investigative story by our mainstream media, showing what the repercussions of this policy would be?

Roy Green's Coverage of Canada's Constitutional Crisis

The Corus Network's Roy Green had 3 solid hours solely focused on the constitutional crisis ongoing in Ottawa these days. You can listen to it here:

• Hour 1: Yours truly and Libby Davies (he wouldn't put up with her B.S.)
  
  
• Hour 2: Bob Rae
  
  
• Hour 3: John Baird

Upcoming Radio Appearance

As I was traveling this past weekend, I wasn't able to join in on the political panel on Roy Green's show. You can listen to it here though. Just move the slider to 0:35.

This Sunday, October 5th I will be in Chicago but will be back on Roy's show. You can listen to it here at 1:05pm PDT / 4:05pm EDT.

Weekly Radio Appearance

I'll be appearing again on Roy Green's radio program. This time it'll be tomorrow (Saturday) at 1:30pm PDT (4:30pm EDT). I'll be one of 5 voters from across the country on Roy's political panel.

Topics will likely include:

• Spending promises
• Multiculturalism
• Comparisons with the U.S. election
  

You can listen to the show here.

Radio Appearance!

I've been invited to appear on-air on Roy Green's radio program, this Sunday at 11:30am PDT (2:30pm EDT). The subject is the likely upcoming Canadian election and there'll be a panel of voters from across the country.

As I've already told Mr. Green, my interest in my own country's election is pretty minimal at this time but that'll undoubtedly change once the writ is dropped. You can listen to the show here.

Roy Green: He's Back!

Roy Green, one of my favourite talk show hosts anywhere, returned to the airwaves today courtesy of the nationwide Corus network. The show airs between 2 - 5pm Eastern Time, though doesn't start on CKNW in Vancouver until 12 noon. Better an hour late than never but I want 3 concurrent hours!!!

Note: To hear the entire show you can listen in here.

P.S. I'm hoping that he will be able to fit in an interview with my friend, Rich Ralph, whose journey you know I'm tracking here.

Finally, A Smart Decision by Corus Radio

It was just announced that veteran radio broadcaster, Roy Green, will be taking over Peter Warren's old 11am - 2pm (PT) slot on the weekends on the Corus Network across Canada.

Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant Decision!

Now if they would just hire David Berner back for the slot immediately afterwards then they'd be back in my good books all around!

Update: Here's a really nice article about Roy.

Interesting Interview with Stephen Harper

Roy Green, in his very last show on CHML, just interviewed Canada's prime minister, Stephen Harper. This may very well be Green's last interview of Harper. Green said something very interesting about the prime minister [paraphrasing] : "Unlike most politicians, you've actually answered all of my questions, succinctly and completely. I could have 15 questions prepared and after 10 minutes I'd need to think up a 16th because you'd answered all the others. With most politicians, I can't even get through 3 questions and even those they never really answered."

This is one of the things I really admire about Stephen Harper. And while many on the left can't stand him and rarely agree with him, I'd like to hope that at least they respect this quality of his.

The Retirement of a Truly Great Canadian

Hamilton talkshow radio host, Roy Green, is retiring from regular Monday - Friday duty tomorrow. Via the Internet I've been listening to him since 2005. In his own words, he's a "Pragmatic Libertarian" but I just consider him a pillar of common sense and practical solutions to everyday problems.

Roy kindly let me call in to his program today to publicly wish him well in his retirement. Tomorrow at 8:30am on CHML he will announce what his plans are for retirement. If we are lucky then he will periodically still be heard on the airwaves of Canada. Best of luck in retirement, Roy!!!