OPPOSE BILL 22

The B.C. Liberal government is using legislation to circumvent collective bargaining. That’s the manner by which this purportedly democratic party, this avowedly pro-family premier and her ministers are dealing with the impasse in negotiations with B.C. teachers. It is by the way, an impasse generated by an outlandishly wrong-headed handling of educators, offering no increases of any kind and numerous other demands for concessions by teachers. There are matters of great importance to teachers, such as class sizes and staffing levels which are being disregarded; and matters that are important to boards of education, such as teachers’ evaluations and management control of the workforce are receiving attention through Bill 22. One would be right to say Bill 22 is a subversion of a bargaining process.

All of us who believe that education of our children and grandchildren is of paramount importance and who also believe that educators are valued members of our society and who make invaluable contributions to our families and our society need to do what we can to encourage our government to seek a resolution to this bargaining impasse, a resolution that respects free collective bargaining and addresses the range of issues that teachers and boards of education are passionate to discuss.

The solution is certainly not one by which the government dictates the outcomes. Resentment is the only resultant outcome of such action.

I believe that the public have to be more than merely listeners to news but proactively telling our government to get it right. Deal fairly and equitably with the teachers who daily invest their lives in the betterment of our families.

Canadian Federal Administration Dismays Me

A NEW LEARNING
I have too much unfocused time and use a great deal of it to reflect on details of life that I ignored before I retired. I have harangued about this before but it irks me still. Obama’s White House government website is impressively classy, regal, and so very user friendly and informative and Obama is front and centre. Our Canadian Parliament site is tightly packed, minimalist and visually challenging and Harper is just a name, no visuals. I wrote a polite note to the Parliament website managers with some suggestions and detected in the following days that someone in the Parliament building had looked at my blog and art sites trying to know who I was. I received no acknowledgment of my note even though suggestions are welcomed. Maybe that was one of the jobs cut in this downturn.

I know that our Prime Minister is subject to parliamentary confidence while the US President is independent of the legislature. Stephen Harper is viewed as one of the many elected officers. Obama is viewed as the Chief as in "Hail to the Chief." Harper fits within Canada’s constitutional monarchical form of government while Obama operates within the American federal constitutional republic. In some ways that seems more pluralistic and democratic. I wish that we could accord to our prime ministerial leader a greater dignity and distinction than we do.

Stephen Harper gets a good deal of negative press. He has brought some of it upon himself. He and his inner circle goofed before Christmas. It is also directed at him because that is how we treat politicians in Canada – badly. He has shown some executive weaknesses as well as many strengths. By the skin of his prorogued teeth Harper is still on the same side of the House. We are moving forward with the Conservative plan for economic recovery but Harper’s hold on power is tenuous.He will stay there as long as the opposition parties (Liberals are key) allow him. I voted for him. I am trusting that his plan will work. But I am concerned.

Harper is almost invisible to the average Canadian. When did you last see Harper before the camera, talking to the press, taking time to talk to a city of people about the economic recovery strategy and listening to their stories. News networks profile every other piece of news, even the token animal story before I see Harper. How can I help but to contrast Canadian leadership with American leadership. I watch Obama almost daily with some clip of him in some American city or at this week’s second weekly Presidential Press Conference. I watch him because I can. He is news. He makes news. He speaks and it becomes news. Harper is unavailable. He is almost silent. He is closeted somewhere. Oh, I forgot. He was in our House of Commons where daily he must compete to talk more commandingly than the opposition amid catcalls and hissing. And you can watch this circus in action if you choose to do so. It’s no wonder Canadians turn to Jeopardy and American Idol.

See Obama's Feb 14 and 2nd press conference at the White House site (4:45 min)

Harper has not addressed the Press since November 8. Oh yes, and back to websites. The Conservative Party site which is colourful and is easily navigable merely leads you to outdated documents. Press the large photo on the first page of the site and you get a November 2008 statement about the economic action plan. I can’t tell you how this dismays me. This is our governing federal party. I can keep things more current than this. The True North Strong and Free is the Party’s 2008 plan presented before the last election. OK! Enuf already, I agree.

THE ECONOMY AND THE RETIRED PERSON

A NEW LEARNING
The House of Commons (Chambre des communes), our democratically elected body that consists of 308 members divided among the primary four parties in such a way that we have a minority government went back to business yesterday. Yesterday the Speech from the Throne by our Governor General contained the predictable recitation of realities.

Today the first order of business is the 2009 Budget. Today the first order of business is the 2009 Budget. I repeat myself because I am so concerned for the sake of our country, for the sake of parliament and for my own sake as a retiree.CBC provides live coverage at 4PM ET.

Life is Changing

Life is changing and I struggle to adjust to what I’m feeling.
Too much time to think about the low cards life is dealing.
I’m not ancient but I’m ageing and I think of what will be,
Not a good approach to living to reflect on what I see.
The world’s economy is tanking and the globe is in recession.
Federal bailouts of big business try to keep us from Depression.
Haven’t worried for a long time what might occur tomorrow.
Since my children became adults, I haven’t felt the need to borrow.
I’m not working. I’m not earning and the prices spiral higher.
Didn’t care much what the cost was, now I am a careful buyer.
Have a feeling that our savings may not be enough to make it
And the feeling’s getting stronger with no way for me to shake it.
‘Take no thought about tomorrow nor the clothes that you shall wear,’
Is the counsel I’ve given others when I had so much to share.
‘Don’t be anxious but in all things with thanksgiving tell the Lord’
Believing that your next need will be one you can afford.
I have no reason yet to panic though investments took a hit
They say recovery’s round the corner and will claw back bit by bit.
Haven’t got so long to wait until the market turns around
Want to travel while our bodies are still reasonably sound.
Coffee mug in hand we ponder what our next move ought to be
Should I find work and end my life as a retiree?
It’s a toss up when you consider that the government will take
Some of what they give me when they don’t give me a break.


© Ron Unruh January 26, 2009

Websites - I am Voting for the Bloc

A NEW LEARNING
Compare them yourself. Here is the new Government of USA website entitled ‘Welcome to the White House”, and here is the existing Canadian Parliament Website. Which impresses you? makes you want to read further and to explore? Now here is the official Government of Canada site, a very comprehensive information vehicle. So kudos for content on this one.

I would describe the Canadian Parliament site as unimpressive. But it is more than that. It gives the appearance of an early entrance into the internet website era, even a reluctant admission that this is the most comprehensive form of communication today. In contrast the USA government site was newly installed on January 20 2009, Inauguration Day and carries the same look and colours of Barak Obama’s presidential campaign site. It is designed to engage people in government and to increase the information flow in both directions. Our Canadian site currently is configured with small font, jammed with information on presenting pages and not at all stimulating to explore unless in serious need of information. (Did you notice how my visual images contrast the scale of my impressions of each?)

So I decided to write to the Canadian Parliament website at their invitation to say the following:
“This is not a criticism but a suggestion. Having just viewed comparatively the new web site of the USA government and our own Canadian government site, perhaps a refreshment of our Canadian site design with use-friendliness, colour, and larger font would increase user volume and ease of use. Since timing of USA's new site was January 20th 2009 might it not be timely to affect this redesign for January 26 2009 start of the next session? Thanks for reading.
http://ronunruhgallery.webs.com/ Ron”

Yes you can see that I even threw my art website at them in a brazen self promotion.



I would love to see a Canadian government website of which I can be as proud as I am of my country.

1. Conservative Party website is attractive, easily navigable, informative but not current and still contains the old fighting anti NDP and Liberal rhetoric.
2. The Liberal Party site is cast in red & white, plainly and simply, easily navigated but disappointingly uninformative about major issues and policies and agenda.
3. The NDP site is shockingly and tastelessly orange as in construction coveralls, but it's well designed and provides good visuals.
4. The Bloc Quebecois Party website has the mandatory English option, good visuals and colours and is very informative.
5. The Rhinocerus Party is designed in simple red and white with the goofy rhino logo, looks like a cartoon and does not work well.
5. The Green Party site is... green, well laid out, is easily understood, has very good issues and solutions lists. I am impressed.

Of the Canadian collection in terms of design and useful information I would shortlist the Conservative, Green and Bloc sites and my vote goes to the Bloc.