2006-12-07

What a difference a year makes -- Jamaicans and Dion

Remember when I said I was bringing in a new regular feature? No? Well, scratch the "regular" from that, since this is a post from September that I'm following up. Anyways, with my one year anniversary fast approaching, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at what another blog had to say a year ago. Let's try something about new Liberal leader Stephane Dion.

For this we find of all things an American blog. Presenting Juliana - Socialist Canada:

Toronto has its own problems though. With so many immigrants from other countries (including china of course), the government is not doing a superb job providing working opportunities for them. On a personal level, immigrants find it hard to form a sense of belonging in the new nation. Despite all the incentive to be lazy and enjoy life, people lack the social life (work being a bulk part) might tend to lose the perspective of life. Many people could not stand the life being so easy and laid back. On the national level, these valuable 'human capital' are being idle and wasted in time. Canada might want to do something to address the problem. Whoever does this might win favor of the immigrants in the coming election.
Yeah, that was the big problem with Toronto's immigrants over this past year. Their lazy enjoying of life. Valuable human capital? Hard to form a sense of belonging? Deport them! Shoot them! Shoot them, then deport them!

The 2nd day after this vote, we had the opportunity to meet with the Environment Minister Stephane Dion. A very gentle person, with a very strong accent in his English, Mr Dion gave us a rather realistic view of the issue of climate change in Canada. I did not expect him talking about the tarsand at all; however indeed he is an environmental minister who also keeps the economy in mind. People might say his talk is disapointing- he did not seem to be taking a strong stand on many issue- and seemed rather optimistic about the outcome of the COP11/MOP1.(Conference of Parties 11 for United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change/ Meeting of Parties 1 for Kyoto Protocol). But I think I like him.
So how did that COP-11 meeting go? The U.N. calls it "an historic event" because "The United Nations Climate Change Conference was the largest intergovernmental climate conference since the Kyoto Protocol was adopted in 1997. Some 10,000 participants attended" and also because "the conference attracted unprecedented business interest as a result of two operation trading systems: the pan-European emissions trading scheme and the Clean Development Mechanism, a tool to promote sustainable development and combat climate change". Yes, that's right, because a way to get juicy government money under the guise of climate change was developed, it attracted unprecidented business interest. Hell, telemarking senior citizens attracted unprecidented business interest from driveway pavers and eaves cleanings. Doesn't make it a good thing. (The COP-11 press release contains more of these jems, such as "key decisions were made that outline the path to future international action on climate change. Under the Kyoto Protocol, the process for future commitments beyond 2012 got underway. A new working group was established to discuss future commitments for developed countries for the period after 2012. It will start work in May next year.") As for Juliana's observation that "I did not expect him talking about the tarsand at all; however indeed he is an environmental minister who also keeps the economy in mind," we'll remember that in light of his lines during the leadership debate.

Montreal is a very attractive little city.
Ha! Just wait until another million anglos and their wallets move out!