blatant image dump

From the Dept. of Dubious Claims...

"Swift has never condoned the employment of unauthorized workers, nor have we ever knowingly hired such individuals," Swift President and CEO Sam Rovit said in a statement.

This he said after a raid arrested more than 1,200 folks working for his company. But he's right, probably just a coincidence

(Actually, given the number of undocumented/illegal workers in the States, that might not be impossible).

Side note: I'm a little uncomfortable with the show-boat-edness of this. Policing shouldn't be political, period. And somebody pass that on to Mark "Perry Mason on steroids" Holland.

Someone's on the naughty list this year...

The CBC just spend God knows how many of our tax dollars filming and airing an interview in which a woman wishes there was no such thing as Christmas because she can't stand:

"The being in clothes, eating, and drinking."

Clothes and food. Gee woman, your life really does suck.

Maybe you could give some of that stuff to these folks.

From Garth.ca

A poster comments:

I have NEVER voted Conservative but if you were running in my riding, I
would vote for you. Well done. Please keep exposing the hypocrisy.
By Linda
Lowe on 02.11.06 1:51 pm

Great. Garth Turner, Conservative hero.

Speaking out is fine. Doing doggy tricks for the press just because you like feeling like a martyr is, well, less credible/mature/responsible than even certain student politicians I know.

Middle Class Fetishism: The Birth of an Interest Group

I was on board with the Tim Hortons vs Starbucks framing of the campaign. I am on board with the GST-reduction (and hopefully the eventual elimination), capital gains cut, income-splitting, childcare credit, give-the-folks-a-break tax relief agenda. I had a middle-class upbringing. I go to a good university and my 'rents live in Burlington, a bedroom-town par excellence. I like Garth Turner, I'm glad he won, I'm glad he spoke out about Emerson, and I'm happy he wants to hold the party to its promises. But seriously, check out his front page.

I thought he was the MP from Halton? Oh well...

He's doing great constituency work, even if he's a little unsure what he wants his constituency to be:

I spoke with Finance Minister Jim Flaherty yesterday, and he is now expecting a
report from Halton. Actually, I would like to make it a report from the Middle
class.

The "middle class" is a power political tool precisely because they don't ask for favours. They are "those who contribute every day to our country without so much as a tip from the hand of their government." I think that's great. But it seems Garth thinks it's a problem. And that's the thing - if you turn the middle-class into just another interest group, you lose it as a focus for appeals to the "common good" of some sort. Almost everyone thinks they are part of the middle class; that's precisely what makes it such a successful tool. But if you start introducing Middle Class Acts in parliament you shatter that image. Actual middle-classers go "Hey, I'm not really a big fan of capital gains reductions" or "Gee, the GST really encourages saving".

Anyway, this move to establish some sort of middle-class lobby is bound to fail. Coyne may think Garth's a "folk-hero". I think he might just be peddling folklore.

Harper, Emerson, and Responsibility

I've just finished writing an essay on this brilliant little piece by Professor Harvey Mansfield, and it suggests something about all this Emerson stuff.

In the present administration, we do not really need to know the sort of secrets we learn from reporters like Bob Woodward. We do not need to know, for example, how important Vice President Cheney is; we can praise or blame President Bush for choosing to be advised by him. With one person in charge we can have both secrecy and responsibility. Here we have the reason that American society, in imitation of American government, makes so much use of one-man rule. In all of its institutions--corporations, unions, sports teams, gangs, and universities--our republic likes to place power in the hands of one person, and then hold him responsible. That is our republican maxim, quite different from the traditional one that sees safety in numbers.

Of course, we can still attack Emerson's credibility (he was elected on false pretenses), but with respect to Harper we should probably content ourselves with asking whether or not the country is better served with Dr. Emerson in Cabinet or not. The answer to this question isn't obvious, but it certainly shouldn't lead us to unequivocally condemn Harper.

Congratulations

J-Mac buddy, I know you're out there.

Congrats. It feels good.

(see quote at top of page)

Correction

I wanted to add more Quebec seats for the CPC in and around the old city, but I can't be arsed. Oh well.

Prediction

Newfoundland and Labrador
Avalon - CPC

Bonavista—Exploits - CPC

Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte - Grit

Labrador - Grit

Random—Burin—St. George's - Grit

St. John's North - CPC

St. John's South - CPC

PEI
Cardigan - Grit

Charlottetown - Grit

Egmont - Grit

Malpeque - Grit

Nova Scotia

Cape Breton—Canso - Grit

Central Nova - CPC

Dartmouth—Cole Harbour - NDP

Halifax - NDP

Halifax West - Grit

Kings—Hants - CPC (Screw you Brison!)

North Nova - CPC

Sackville—Eastern Shore - NDP

South Shore—St. Margaret's - CPC

Sydney—Victoria - Liberal

West Nova - CPC

New Brunswick

Acadie—Bathurst - NDP

Beauséjour - Grit

Fredericton - CPC

Fundy - CPC

Madawaska—Restigouche - Grit

Miramichi - Grit (this one will be a recount)

Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe - Grit

St. Croix—Belleisle - CPC

Saint John - CPC

Tobique—Mactaquac - CPC


Quebec

Abitibi—Témiscamingue - Traitors

Ahuntsic - Traitors

Alfred-Pellan - Traitors

Argenteuil—Mirabel - Traitors

Beauce - CPC

Beauharnois—Salaberry - Traitors

Beauport - Traitors

Berthier—Maskinongé - Traitors

Bourassa - Grit

Brome—Missisquoi - Traitors

Brossard—La Prairie - Traitors (CLOSE!)

Chambly—Borduas - Traitors

Charlesbourg - Traitors

Charlevoix—Montmorency - Traitors

Châteauguay—Saint-Constant - Traitors

Chicoutimi—Le Fjord - Traitors

Compton—Stanstead - Traitors

Drummond - Traitors

Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine - Traitors

Gatineau -Traitors

Hochelaga - Traitors

Honoré-Mercier - Traitors

Hull—Aylmer - Grits

Jeanne-Le Ber - Traitors

Joliette - Traitors

Jonquière—Alma - Traitors

Lac-Saint-Louis - Grit

La Pointe-de-l'Île - Traitors

LaSalle—Émard - mmmm... it hurts to write it but, Grits (look for a "scare" early in the evening)

Laurentides—Labelle - Grit

Laurier - Traitors

Laval - Traitors

Laval—Les Îles - Grits

Lévis—Bellechasse - Traitors

Longueuil - Traitors

Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière - Traitors

Louis-Hébert - Traitors

Louis-Saint-Laurent - CPC

Manicouagan - Traitors

Marc-Aurèle-Fortin - Traitors

Matapédia—Matane - Traitors

Mégantic—L'Érable - Traitors

Montcalm - Traitors

Mount Royal - Grits

Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine - Grits

Nunavik—Eeyou - Traitors

Outremont - Grit

Papineau - Traitors

Pierrefonds—Dollard - Grit

Pontiac - CPC

Portneuf - Say wha!? Going independent.

Québec - Traitors

Repentigny - Traitors

Richelieu - Traitors

Richmond—Arthabaska - Traitors

Rimouski—Témiscouata - Traitors

Rivière-des-Mille-Îles - Traitors

Rivière-du-Loup—Montmagny - Traitors

Rivière-du-Nord - Traitors

Roberval - Traitors

Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie - Traitors

Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert - Traitors

Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot - Traitors

Saint-Jean - Traitors

Saint-Lambert - Traitors

Saint-Laurent—Cartierville - Grits

Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel - Grits

Saint-Maurice—Champlain - Traitors

Shefford - Traitors

Sherbrooke - Traitors

Terrebonne—Blainville - Traitors

Trois-Rivières - Traitors

Vaudreuil-Soulanges - Traitors

Verchères—Les Patriotes - Traitors

Westmount—Ville-Marie - Grits


Ontario


ON
Ajax—Pickering - Grits, but this is anm all-nighter

Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing - Dippers

Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale - CPC

Barrie - CPC

Beaches—East York - Dippers (this is perhaps my anti-Liberalism getting out of control)

Bramalea—Gore—Malton - Grits

Brampton—Springdale - Grits

Brampton West - CPC

Brant - CPC

Burlington - CPC (finally, bye bye Ms. Deville)

Cambridge - CPC

Carleton—Lanark - CPC

Chatham-Kent—Essex - CPC

Clarington—Scugog—Uxbridge - CPC

Davenport - Dipper (this riding is a test of who won the begging contest for progressive votes. I think Jack-O did, so Silva goes down thanks to a strong showing by Rodrigues, who is a decent candidate)

Don Valley East - Grit

Don Valley West - Grit

Dufferin—Caledon - CPC

Eglinton—Lawrence - Grit

Elgin—Middlesex—London - CPC

Essex - CPC

Etobicoke Centre - Grit (I wanted to give this one to the CPC but they've fallen off the radar in TO this week)

Etobicoke—Lakeshore - CPC (another one I don't really believe, but Cappy is a soldier and I really think Iggy is a wee bit arrogant)

Etobicoke North - Grit

Glengarry—Prescott—Russell - CPC

Grey—Bruce—Owen Sound - CPC

Guelph - CPC (this one's an all-nighter too, methinks; strong showing from the NDP will seal the deal for Barr)

Haldimand—Norfolk - CPC

Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock - CPC

Halton - CPC

Hamilton Centre - NDP

Hamilton East—Stoney Creek - NDP

Hamilton Mountain - Dippers, in another close one

Huron—Bruce - Grits

Kenora - CPC (this is aa MESSY one)

Kingston and the Islands - Grit (though by less than you think (cf "soldiers, in our cities..."))

Kitchener Centre - Grit

Kitchener—Conestoga - CPC

Kitchener—Waterloo - CPC, barely

Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington - CPC

Leeds—Grenville - CPc

London—Fanshawe - CPC in another all nighter (take into account the CPC "downmarket" branding this time)

London North Centre - Grit, again barely (London's a weird place politically... and in general)

London West - CPC

Markham—Unionville - Grit

Middlesex—Kent—Lambton - CPC

Mississauga—Brampton South - CPC

Mississauga East—Cooksville - CPC

Mississauga—Erindale - CPC... this is a huge take for the Tories and a perfect example of how to take difficult seats using a good candidate and a stellar local campaign.

Mississauga South - CPC, but this is tough to say with any certainty. It will come down to the polls along the water.

Mississauga—Streetsville - Grit

Nepean—Carleton - CPC

Newmarket—Aurora - CPC; Belinda "offers" to be a Senator. Harper tells her to shove it. Belinda cries. Frank buys her a title in some obscure plaaace. In twenty years Belinda is on a bad rearlity TV show sleeping with Ben Mulroney.

Niagara Falls - CPC

Niagara West—Glanbrook - CPC

Nickel Belt - NDP

Nipissing—Timiskaming - CPC

Northumberland—Quinte West - CPC

Oak Ridges—Markham - Grit

Oakville - Grit; everyone is astonished at how these well-off, educated folks just don't get it.

Oshawa - CPC, also an all nighter, but see "downmarket" bit again.

Ottawa Centre - NDP

Ottawa—Orléans - NDP, thanks to the Liberal meltdown.

Ottawa South - CPC

Ottawa—Vanier - Grit

Ottawa West—Nepean - CPC

Oxford - CPC

Parkdale—High Park - NDP; UC loses an alumnus.

Parry Sound—Muskoka - CPC; UC gets one back (people in this riding want a Minister to protect them)

Perth—Wellington - CPC

Peterborough - CPC

Pickering—Scarborough East - Grit

Prince Edward—Hastings - CPC

Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke - CPC

Richmond Hill - Grit

St. Catharines - CPC

St. Paul's - CPC

Sarnia—Lambton - CPC

Sault Ste. Marie - NDP (sorry, Gordie)

Scarborough—Agincourt - Grit

Scarborough Centre - Grit

Scarborough—Guildwood - Grit

Scarborough—Rouge River - Grit

Scarborough Southwest - Grit

Simcoe—Grey - CPC

Simcoe North - CPC

Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry - CPC

Sudbury - Grit

Thornhill - Grit (like Oakville, these folks just don't get it yet)

Thunder Bay—Rainy River d- CPC

Thunder Bay—Superior North - Grit

Timmins—James Bay - Dipper

Toronto Centre - Grit

Toronto—Danforth - NDP

Trinity—Spadina - NDP, but I'm less confident than I was. Saw Chow today and she looked WORRIED.

Vaughan - Grit

Welland - CPC. Buzz realizes he screwed up.

Wellington—Halton Hills - CPC

Whitby—Oshawa - CPC. Harris Tories rejoice. JF becomes one of the Ministry's stars.

Willowdale - Grit

Windsor—Tecumseh - Dipper. Buzz realizes he has no credibility whatsoever; cries.

Windsor West - Dipper. See above.

York Centre - Grit

York—Simcoe - CPC; PVL frozen out, wishes he wasn't so worried about knifing Harper last year.

York South—Weston - Grit

York West - Grit


Manitoba

Brandon—Souris - CPC

Charleswood—St. James - CPC

Churchill - NDP

Dauphin—Swan River - CPC

Elmwood—Transcona - Dipper

Kildonan—St. Paul - CPC

Portage—Lisgar - CPC

Provencher - CPC

Saint Boniface - CPC

Selkirk—Interlake - CPC

Winnipeg Centre - NDP

Winnipeg North - NDP

Winnipeg South - CPC; Reggie no longer responsible for defending Adscam

Winnipeg South Centre - NDP


Saskatchewan

Battlefords—Lloydminster - CPC

Blackstrap - CPC

Churchill River - CPC

Cypress Hills—Grasslands - CPC

Palliser - CPC

Prince Albert - CPC

Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre - CPC

Regina—Qu'Appelle - CPC

Saskatoon—Humboldt - CPC

Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar - CPC

Saskatoon—Wanuskewin - CPC

Souris—Moose Mountain - CPC

Wascana - CPC (Goodale might have been able to survive this Bay-street-insider-sleave, if he hadn't sold his soul to the Queen-street-elite over the budget. Proof of how far the Liberals have slid; Goodale bloews a 10 THOUSAND PLUS margin)

Yorkton—Melville - CPC... "as the white flags fell; banners, flags, and arsenal"


Alberta

In the interest of time, lets just say that Ragin' Annie Mac will be out of a job in Edmonton Centre. The west wants in.


BC

Abbotsford - CPC

Burnaby—Douglas - Dipper

Burnaby—New Westminster - NDP in another close one

Cariboo—Prince George - CPC

Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon - CPC

Delta—Richmond East - CPC

Dewdney—Alouette - CPC

Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca - NDP; Martin wishes he'd bailed to the NDP before the election; everyone confirms that he has in fact never believed in much of anything.

Fleetwood—Port Kells - CPC

Kamloops—Thompson - CPC

Kelowna - CPC

Kootenay—Columbia - CPC

Langley - CPC

Nanaimo—Alberni - CPC

Nanaimo—Cowichan - Dippers

Newton—North Delta - CPC; both the Grits and Dips pay for thinking that "ethnic" voters are so easily played.

New Westminster—Coquitlam - I almost can't call this one, but lets give it to the Dippers.

North Okanagan—Shuswap - CPC

North Vancouver - CPC

Okanagan—Coquihalla - CPC

Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam - CPC; 4 MOORE YEARS (groan)

Prince George—Peace River - CPC

Richmond - CPC. Perhaps ironically, Chan goes down to the head tax in one of the stranger local races in the country.

Saanich—Gulf Islands - CPC

Skeena—Bulkley Valley - CPC. Increasing aboriginal support for the CPC is a big factor in this one, which is going to be decided somewhere around 4am.

Southern Interior - CPC

South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale - CPC

Surrey North - CPC

Vancouver Centre - NDP

Vancouver East - NDP

Vancouver Island North - NDP

Vancouver Kingsway - Dip

Vancouver Quadra - Grit

Vancouver South - CPC. Ujjal got painted with Liberal sleaze so very quickly. Starts writing angry op-eds about how the Tories are dismantling public healthcare; nobody reads them.

Victoria - NDP

West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast - CPC


Way-way-upsville

Yukon - Grit

Western Arctic - Dipper

Nunavut - Grit