Gary McPherson, rumoured to be considering his own bid in the upcoming PC Leadership Race, seems to have stirred a bit of controversy over his suggestion in the Edmonton Journal (Monday, July 24, 2006) that people consider participating in the PC Leadership Race and not miss the opportunity to become involved in this particular exercise of our democratic process.
McPherson wrote "The way the Alberta Progressive Conservative Association conducts its leadership competition makes it one of the most democratic and participatory political processes available anywhere on Earth. It opens the door for all Albertans including those as young as 16 years of age to participate in the process, no matter what their specific interests or political leanings. The opportunity presented by the PC leadership race is ... an opportunity for Albertans of all political persuasions to participate in this important and historic leadership vote..."
McPherson’s letter seemed to create a "flurry" of objections, but as I know quite well all three of the people who responded in Letter’s to the Editor I don’t see this as being representative (or even anything resembling a coincidence) of any general opinion. But it is interesting the rhetoric that was employed.
My favourite was comments from our beloved Daveberta in the Edmonton Journal (Thursday, July 27, 2006) where he wrote "I am insulted by Gary McPherson's […] suggestion that the Alberta PC leadership race is just as important as an actual democratic election highlights the arrogance of the current governing party. I, for one, am going to keep my $5 and wait for the next election to vote for my choice."
I must admit I picked on Dave because I like him and I know he can take it. Dave, bless his heart, could not bring himself to be objective on this topic even if the lives of an entire litter of kittens depended on it (which thankfully, it doesn’t). Dave is not just a card carrying Liberal Party Member - he is a liberal activist, a liberal campaign worker, a past liberal constituency president and someone who lays awake at night plotting ways to sabotage the entire PC Party of Alberta so he can bring the Liberals and Kevin Taft to rule in Alberta. That's why we love him.
Today new blogger Ken Chapman (welcome to the Blogosphere Ken!) asks "Where is the Arrogance?"
I would have to agree with Ken - people like Dave are never going to consider this opportunity - but that doesn't mean it isn't there and available to them.
Caucus has decided to allow Tory leadership candidate Dr. Lyle Oberg back into the party fold, skeletons and all. Thoughts?
Today my baby boy, my first born, my little angel - turned 13 years old. Wesley has become a teenager right under my nose (whether I am ready for it or not, whether I am old enough to have a teenager or not, it has happened).
When Wesley was born he was the most determinedly ambitious little person I have ever met. He could not sit still and wait for himself to catch up to the world - he was sure that life was passing him by and he determined to get in on it! As he was my first baby I didn't realize that when he rolled over at a month and a half old that I was in for trouble; I didn't know that most babies slept for longer than four hours at a time; and I couldn't have guessed that when he pulled himself up at the coffee table at the ripe old age of three months old that I was in for 5 months of back breaking pain as he insisted that I walk around bent almost in half, holding his hands, as he tried to make his little body walk like everyone else. Turns out that, for all his determiniation, what was standing in his way was far more natural and beyond his control - the ability to actually gain balance (which he developed at 8.5 months old) was needed to start walking. And walk he did... soon he was running and by 9 months he was climbing and by 12 months he had abandoned his daily nap and, well, no wonder I was a wreck!
Wesley came into this life with his feet running as he hit the ground and he hasn't stopped yet. I know that the teen years will bring their own challenges for us all but I am proud of him and the man he is becoming. Happy 13th Birthday Wesley!
Oh, and for the record, I really am too young to have a teenager!
The belief that, when you die, your Soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.
As I write this I can still hear fireworks going off all through the neighbourhood we are staying in - it's July 4th in Washington DC! While we spent our day today in Arlington, Virgina, we had the very unique opportunity this evening of watching the July 4th fireworks from the roof of the Canadian Embassy in Washington. We were also guests at the Embassy for dinner, a wonderful array of Canadian food like Prawns and Caribou (yummy), served by the Embassy's head chef (who had many reasons to be proud of himself tonight). The fireworks themselves were very cool - I've never seen so many fireworks - Sadly my fireworks pics didn't work out but here are some other pics of the evening:
I have to say it, the Edmonton Oiler's were amazing this season. To fight to play in game seven of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is no small feat - and fight they did, every single game. While it is a little diappointing not to be welcoming home the Stanley Cup, Edmonton welcomes home it's heros who took our dreams and meshed them with their own. Good Job Oilers!
A short handed goal in Sudden Death Overtime!!! What an amazing game!
GAME SIX IN EDMONTON! Go OIL!!!
In the third period... three minutes to go... the Hurricanes on the verge of history and Stanley is in the building being "prepped."
Please Stanley, come home.
I've been thinking alot about photography. I can fit it into my consulting business and politics, I am sure!
So I'm talking with my best friend (on Vancouver Island) this evening when the conversation turns from her horse Levi to her 2 month old laying chickens, of whom she is very proud. She got them at Easter time and has been patiently tending to them - they won't be old enough to lay eggs until September.
This "matter of fact" part of the conversation made me laugh:
So I am just sitting here at home minding my own business and I see this bus pull up outside my house and park so the bus driver could get out and run across the road to the convenience store. There's no one else on the bus, the doors open and the engine is running.
I'm pretty sure I can drive a bus.
First I will sheepishly apologize to my Blog as the many things that have kept my attention this past little while have also kept me away from it. Of course I have relevant excuses, but they are just that - excuses. I will now try to make up for it.
My recent spoiling of Duncan may have contributed to his recent spate of romantic attention towards me; he bought me roses out of the blue, he purchased me a computer game so that I could play online with him (I must admit, even though I don't get a lot of time to play, I am enjoying it immensely!) and then this email appeared in my inbox the other day:
"Quick as a flash, she punctured my professorial balloon," he recalled, of her response to his argument that education was the key to alleviating oppression, an army of teachers and community workers preferable to an army of troops.
The captain had retorted: "You can't do that when the bad guys run things, Dad, they just shoot you. You have to have peace and good government in order for the rest to happen. I do what I do so you can do what you do."
Yesterday, the father conceded that the daughter knew best.
Rest In Peace, Captain Nichola Kathleen Sarah Goddard.
Cars and trucks are driving up and down my street honking - Edmonton is happy to be sitting one win away from the Stanley Cup finals. It's neat being here in Edmonton as the Oilers head into the Cup Finals. I must admit I am starting to get wrapped up in it, like a warm blanket the excitement is soothing - and the words Go Oilers Go don't seem so hard to say at all. I had a feeling it would be the Oilers and Buffalo fighting for the Stanley Cup (we'll see). I enjoyed Calgary in 2004 (my heart will always be with the Flames) and now I am looking forward to Edmonton in 2006.
Life has otherwise been busy - family life is seemingly returning to normal but work life (as always is on the campaign trial) is steadily picking up pace. For these, and many other reasons, I have been neglecting the blog... I apologize. One of my obsessions lately has been my Flickr page, it's been occupying my attention quite well, what with comments, new contacts and groups (I run a group now) and organizing the latest vacation pictures into sets and pools, it takes up alot more time then I originally thought. I have been inspired (photography has long been a hobby of mine) to become more creative with my pictures so look out for more on the way. I've got to do something in my spare time don't I?
I will try to come back to the blog soon.
I keep meaning to visit England, especially with how good the seat sales have been recently. However a trip like that is surprisingly easy to postpone, especially considering all of the other things a young family like mine wants to do.
I really can't have been half as bad a child as my mother likes to recall, and I like to think that it's my Mother's active imagination that provides so much colour to the stories she delights in telling about me - surely they must be embellished at least slightly for effect!
The story I hear most often is the story of my birth. You see, after what I "put my mother through" (DAYS of labour, apparently) she wants me to really appreciate the extra efforts she took not to leave me (screaming and stamping my feet) on a roadside somewhere in the remote interior of British Columbia ("No one would have blamed me" I can still hear her say).
All kidding aside, I will acknowledge that I probably was a pain in the ass to raise - as an independant thinker who always felt I could take care of myself; a risk taker with little worry for my mortality; a spontaneous spirit with no real sense of time relevance; a brave soul that would have me stand up to anyone; an enjoyment of fun (especially the malicious kind) and the fact that I sufferred EVERY distraction I came upon (can we say ADHD?) - I really was a going concern. The things I remember doing as a child pale my heart now when I try to imagine my own children in similiar situations... sometimes it's a wonder I survived at all (or a testament to my tenacity). And discipline was not something that registered easily with me, so after all actions and threats had been exhausted my mother liked to resort to cursing me with her favoured "I hope you have children JUST LIKE YOU!"
I have wonderful children - amazing in all ways. They are mature, precocious, intelligent, academically succesful, friendly and popular, self disciplined, philanthropic caring individuals who utilize a 
self actualized goals process and exhibit a tremendous amount of adability in their day to day worlds. They are perfect and yet they also manage to be children as well. They bring me joy - even on the hard days!
Obviously my Mother's curse worked... because I am perfect in everyway!
Happy Mother's Day, Mom. Thanks for everything you did and still do.
