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Canadian Politics, US Blogosphere Credit for...

By The Armorer on January 24, 2006 | | Comments (12) | TrackBacks (2)

...not.

In my reading and email, the Canadian Blogosphere doesn't quite see Captain Ed as the Savior of All That Is Right And Good, as exemplified in this post by Austin Bay (I *do* share Bay's opinion of the 4th CMBG, however). Damian at Babbling Brooks covers that pretty well, I think.

Not that they don't appreciate Captain's Quarters efforts regarding Gomery. But they would suggest (with some, shall we say, *insider* perspective) that while Gomery was certainly a part of the environment that caused the election - the election was, in fact, more a result of bad political tactics in a parliamentary system rather than the prime result of the Gomery investigation. This in no way denigrates Captain Ed's showing we Americans (and Canadians) some of the quirks of the Canadian political and judicial systems.... Yet what seemed obvious to luminaries such as Reynolds in November must be viewed in the light of subsequent events.

Regardless, we American bloggers should, perhaps, not take *quite* so much credit for what is a vastly more complex drama than simply the corruption scandal (which goes to the heart of what I talked about regarding our problems here down south - too long in power, you're bound to have this problem, regardless of left or right. It's a genetic disease of political power).

But even I, sworn to the Annexation of Western Canada (snerk!) was a bit uncomfortable with all the praise heaped on Captain Ed, Caped Crusader for Canadian Justice. (That's not Captain Ed's schtick, that's me talkin').

It's a bit like me taking credit for bringing down the candidacy of the Prince of Darkness, General Clark... when, in fact, the Prince was his own worse enemy. I was just a tiny sliver of a mirror. Captain Ed is a much larger piece than I, to be sure - but he's not the single-handed Architect of Doom, as Damian Brooks (not to be confused with Damian Penny) points out in his piece linked above.

Just sayin', y'know? All y'all are going to ruin my plans for Annexation if you keep riling 'em up like this.

Stop it.

Perhaps some of the Castle's Canadian Readers (and they are legion!) will weigh in here. Denizen Alan is already rejoicing in Divided Government... a personal fave of mine.

That said...

The Conservatives win - with a minority. But they win, which is a change. They now have a chance to show they can do something. Such as come up with innovative ideas to help the Maritimes that don't just involve wealth transfers from healthier provinces to the weaker ones - unless it is (apt for the Maritimes) to help them to fish, rather than just giving them fish. Too often the Left is about taking my fish and giving it to the other guy, vice giving the other guy the tools and skills to fish - or some other useful skill so I'll happily *give* him a fish in exchange for something I need. Keep that in mind up there you guys. You can grow your party if you've got the skillz. But good luck with that whole Quebec thing.

Update: Quotulatiousness has a nice Canadian Blog Roundup.

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A note to some of our friends in the American blogosphere from Ghost of a flea on January 24, 2006 8:30 AM

Of the many silly things I expect to hear following the outcome of Canada's federal election there are few sillier than then notion Captain Ed had anything to do with the outcome. Damian Brooks explains. Then he gets testy. You... Read More

Who's saying what? from Quotulatiousness on January 24, 2006 10:37 AM

Here's a quick round-up of post-election posts on some of the blogs I regularly read: Ghost of a Flea: Nick agrees with Damian Brooks that "there are few sillier than then notion Captain Ed had anything to do with the... Read More

12 Comments

By Flea on January 24, 2006 7:31 AM
I have never understood the enthusiasm in the Canadian blogosphere for Captain Ed's intervention in the Gomery Commission investigations. Under Canadian law, courts have wide discretion to impose publication bans in order to protect the right to a fair trial of those giving testimony that might be construed to be incriminating. In the case of the Gomery Commission there was a small portion of the testimony of a small handful of the many people testifying that was subject to a temporary publication ban while Justice Gomery waited on the status of criminal prosecutions against these individuals being undertaken by other courts. Now, I know this seems a bit prosaic compared to the hyperventilating talk about "freedom of speech" and "censorship" and "Liberal cover-up", etc. and so forth but it remains the case that none of the rumours published by Captain Ed were ever going to be more than delayed in publication north of the border and that by a matter of weeks or months. It may also be the case that Canadian courts in general are much too prone to imposing publication bans or that Justice Gomery made too much testimony subject to such a (temporary) ban in this case. If so, we should change the law or rethink best practice. We we should not do as people respecting law and order, as many conservatives claim to do, is take the law into our own hands and potentially damage the likelihood of criminal convictions of the crooks we are supposedly out to get. Unless, that is, the real aim was to take short-term political advantage, do some rubber-necking or go fishing for blog traffic. Captain Ed is, of course, not subject to Canadian law and Justice Gomery's publication ban. I should add he is under no obligation to help ensure criminal charges meet with criminal convictions. In the unlikely event criminal charges do not meet with criminal convictions on the grounds his publication biases a fair trial I hope the same people slapping each other on the back now will notice though I think it is unlikely they will choose to accept responsibility for the result.
 
By donsurber on January 24, 2006 8:17 AM
No. 1: "temporary" ban? LOL You are in denial that Canada restricts free speech and a free press. It even goes so far as to say what records a DJ can play -- parceling out how many American records that can be played! In America we have "Congress shall make no law ..." Y'all might wanna try it. Sub Parliament for Congress.
 
By Flea on January 24, 2006 8:38 AM
donsurber: The publication ban was temporary. This is a matter of fact and, if you knew or cared what you are talking about, you could look it up. As far as I know, the publication ban is no longer in place on any testimony as the date of criminal proceedings will have long since been established. If I mistaken about the public availability of all testimony I would be happy if you could point to some that is currently subject to the ban. But that would require some effort or interest on your part. Yes, current regulations on "Canadian content" in broadcasting are in place - though I expect with the new Conservative government this may change - but such has nothing to do with the Gomery Commission or criminal proceedings against those whose testimony was subject to a publication ban. And as for Congress making no law you might ask Howard Stern what he has to say on the subject. You might find you learn something about the laws of your own country regarding the regulation of speech over the airwaves.
 
By John of Argghhh! on January 24, 2006 8:45 AM
Hmmmm. Sensitive subject with our friends up north, and I think Don perhaps fired without fully understanding his target (and I thought that before Nick responded), leading to Nick's heat. I refer all to the rules. Attack the message, not the messenger.
 
By Flea on January 24, 2006 9:13 AM
John: I assume you are referring to this fellow saying I am "in denial". My response was much less heated than I assure you it was felt.
 
By ry on January 24, 2006 9:21 AM
Lobbing suggestions for spelling corrections and then running: '...in fact, the Prince was his own WORSE enemy.' Does this go under silly occifer tricks? (goes running down the corridor giggling like a 6 year old).
 
By John of Argghhh! on January 24, 2006 10:01 AM
Nick - just being a pre-emptive tut-tut schoolmarmish kinda fella as it keeps the Moonbat population down, and keeps discussion focused. Ry: to paraphrase that smelly squid and Great American, Neptunus Lex: I raise a finger to you, not corresponding to that opposable digit which is the pride of our species.
 
By Damian on January 24, 2006 10:27 AM
There were reporters in the room when the Brault testimony was given. If Justice Gomery had wanted the information buried, he would have held those parts of the hearings in camera. This was always going to be a temporary ban, and to paint it otherwise ignores great swathes of evidence to the contrary.
 
By ry on January 24, 2006 9:38 PM
What did I do now? Well, at least you aren't threatening me with a privy burial plot.
 
By ry on January 24, 2006 9:46 PM
Having read The Flea's post on his own blog I think there is something to be learned here: It isn't fun when the shoe is on the other foot, and people don't like having their culture/legal system/gov't interpreted thru the lens of another country. Not that Flea or Mr Good Beer err in that too much, but now maybe they can understand some of their southern cousins schedenfreud in this. We've put up with Canadians calling us a-holes, morons, Fascists, and booing little kids who go up to the Great White North to play pee-wee hockey because some yahoo doesn't agree with the way our gov't decided/decides things because they interpret us through their much more political progessive lens. Compromise a beach, but so is payback and kharma it seems.
 
By John of Argghhh! on January 25, 2006 5:44 AM
My we were dense last evening... "What did I do now," the man-child asks, plaintively? Lobbing suggestions for spelling corrections and then running: '...in fact, the Prince was his own WORSE enemy.' Does this go under silly occifer tricks? (goes running down the corridor giggling like a 6 year old).
 
By ry on January 25, 2006 11:48 PM
Hey, considering that I've been taking a beating at home and at work lately I think a little erraticism on my part is understandable. Maybe it's time for the Hairy Eyeball to come out of cold storage?
 
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