The story of arrogant Mike Duffy, a Canadian Senator, is fascinating to me. Here is a guy who made a living calling out politicians and their dishonest ways and now he’s at the top of the list being a politician operating in a shady manner. At issue is his claim that he’s got a primary residence in Prince Edward Island. Let’s not kid anyone. Duffy having a primary residence there is no different than me having a primary residence in New Brunswick. Duffy was born in PEI, I was born in New Brunswick. I haven’t lived in New Brunswick at all during my adult life. Duffy hasn’t lived in PEI as an adult. Other people who live in the area have never laid eyes on him, and trust me…he’s hard to miss. The bottom line is this: Duffy has been using an Ontario health card since he was appointed to the Senate in 2009. The Ontario Health Insurance Plan requires eligible card holders to have their primary residence in Ontario. The Senate requires members to live in the province they represent. This kind of abuse is never ever going to stop unless we make an example of a person like Duffy and throw him in jail, where he belongs.
There are further allegations of wrongdoing from fellow Senators Patrick Brazeau and Mac Harb. Brazeau claims his primary residence is with his dad in Maniwaki, Quebec; however it appears he actually lives in Gatineau (just a short drive from Parliament Hill). Do you know a federal politician who lives in mom’s basement? I don’t. And, Harb lives in two places in Ottawa. I mean it’s tough trying to make a life in just one home. These guys make over $130 000 a year and the Senate costs taxpayers in the neighborhood of $92-million a year. If someone can email me and let me know why we shouldn’t abolish the Senate, please do so and I’ll look into it. But to me, this should be abolished and there are no shortage of things we can put the $92-million into that would help Canadians a lot more. If found to be wrong; I would put Duffy, Brazeau, and Harb all in jail; even for a short term; just so that they have a criminal record. Brazeau may end up having a third residence (gray hotel) anyway as he’s under investigation for sexual assault. It never ends.
I got a pretty good kick out of watching sports announcers break down a fight between a Philadelphia Flyer named Zac Rinaldo and another guy I’ve never heard of who plays for Tampa Bay. Apparently, Rinaldo is taking some heat for punching the player after he was on his way down or was all the way down from a previous punch. The analysts get to watch this fight in slow motion, which makes Rinaldo look a lot worse than he really is. I would suggest watching it again at high speed and, perhaps, the experts don’t go nearly as hard on him. That’s the beauty of all sports plays, really. The analysts get to watch in slow motion and pick the athletes apart. You have to remember when going at high speed, it’s extremely difficult to hold up from that punch to the face, hit to head, tackle on the quarterback after he’s thrown, etc.
I have been in Regina a few times over the last number of weeks and I’ve heard a lot of complaints there about snow removal. Well, when you folks park on both sides of the street, it makes it pretty difficult for a plough to get through. Just saying.
I would also like to apologize to the inconsiderate people who just leave their vehicles in a random spot in the Gallagher Centre parking lot as those who visit Evraz Place in Regina are worse. However, someone pointed out that it’s likely Yorkton people visiting Regina who clog up the Evraz lot!
The new Tim Horton’s on Broadway/Bradbrooke is a godsend to those who don’t have jobs that allow them to sit in a drive-thru line for 45 minutes just to get a coffee. However, I do see some potential issues with regards to getting back out onto Broadway after being served. I have wondered about erecting traffic lights; but a few have pointed out that you can just shoot behind the building, through the Gallagher Centre lot, and then back out on to Broadway. Or, you can dip behind A&W and the SIGN building and get on one of those side streets and eventually to where you need to be. The fact that these alternate methods are already being used tells me that we need a more practical solution. The tough part is that it’s not really busy all day long. It is only like that during peak periods.
On the subject of traffic lights, I vote for the ones on Gladstone/Smith as the most frustrating set in the city. More than once I have sat there and noticed red lights in every possible direction. A few times late at night, I have gotten a green and it, literally, was only green long enough for me to get halfway through the intersection. It was less than five seconds. No exaggeration.
Nice person mentions to Darrell Halarewich, Jill Kirk, Tessa Krofchek, Dean Fyck, and Trevor & Lorena Watters.
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