Here's what's wrong with Dalton McGuinty's government...

An Ontario government agency that can't account for $700M of taxpayer's money is immune from disclosing its exec's salaries.

Ontario released its sunshine list of public sector employees who make more than $100,000 a year on Friday, and while the document is much longer than in past years, it also contains a few glaring omissions.

The top executives of scandal-plagued air ambulance service Ornge, including former chief executive Chris Mazza, are nowhere to be seen on the list. The Ministry of Health says it's because the private side-companies created by the top brass at Ornge shielded them from the Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act, and that it's working to compile a list regardless. 

"Ornge has agreed to reach out to all individuals who have made over $100,000 in 2011 to get their permission to post their salaries on Ornge's website and that work is ongoing," said Zita Astravas, press secretary for Health Minister Deb Matthews in an email on Friday. 

"Going forward, all employees at Ornge will be subject to the Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act and will appear on the Sunshine List." 

Mazza made $1.4 million before he was fired in January following a scandal at the air ambulance service. The organization's finances are being investigated by police for "irregularities," and the provincial government has promised to provide more transparency into Ornge's dealings in the future. 

In a report that came out earlier this week, the province's auditor general slammed the high salaries of the organization's former executives and directors. But they're not the only one making a decent wage at the air ambulance service. About 135 other staff at Ornge are on the list of over-$100,000 earners, including several paramedics. 

Ontario Power Generation CEO Tom Mitchell was once again the best-paid public employee in Ontario, making $1.8 million in 2011 including his salary and benefits. Mitchell's job includes overseeing 12,000 employees, two nuclear power plants and much of the electricity production and delivery in the province.
About 7,700 OPG workers earned more than $100,000 in 2011, making up the largest group of workers from a single organization on the sunshine list. 

Bonuses, pensions and other non-taxable benefits aren't included in the salaries on the list, meaning most of those listed get additional financial benefits that don't have to be reported. 

There are 78, 901 names on the 2011 list, about 7,300 more than the previous year, an increase of about 10 per cent. 

Others on the list include police officers, hospital employees, city workers and of course, direct government employees. 

Following the list's release, Conservative MPP Jim Wilson held a news conference urging the premier to freeze government workers' salaries immediately.

Source: CTV News http://news.sympatico.ctv.ca/home/ornge_execs_not_included_on_sunshine_list/65c14bab

Yet another McGuinty assault on seniors

 News item: "Ontario may crack down on drivers with dimentia" 

[see: http://autos.sympatico.ca/auto-news/13170/ontario-may-crack-down-on-drivers-with-dementia]


The following is a letter that I sent to an Ontario newspaper expressing my views. It needs no further explanation.

I swear that if Dalton McGuinty could he would confiscate all seniors’ money, use their properties as daycare centres for unwed mothers, and ship us (seniors) to Baffin Island.

The first thing he did when coming to office was to rescind Ernie Eves’ property tax rebate for seniors—legislation that had already been passed. The second thing was to remove the ceiling from hydro so that my energy costs are now almost equal to my mortgage payments.
Then he enacted a ‘health premium tax’ so that my generation of seniors became the first to pay for health services after sixty-five.

And now he is proposing a graduated driving license for seniors, claiming seniors are subject to dementia.

Whether or not this is true, all doctors in Ontario are required to recommend to the Ministry of Transportation that an individual’s license be revoked for medical reasons. This suggests there is a secondary reason behind such a heavy-handed proposal, and given McGuinty’s record I suspect it has a lot to do with all those administrative dollars it would generate.

Besides being an insidious erosion of civil liberties, there is also a question of priorities here. At a time when the major oil companies are poised to price some Ontarians out of their cars anyway, it appears the only concern Bob Chiarelli and Dalton McGuinty have is restricting seniors.

As a seventy-six year old writer working on my fourth novel, I am willing to test my mental capacity against McGuinty’s anytime, and if this proposed legislation passes I am going to prove my intelligence by removing myself and my money out of Orillia; out of Ontario; and out of Canada. Let McGuinty ponderously ponder that one.

Gerry Burnie,

Only you can end the senior menace

News item: The McGuinty Government may crack down on senior drivers in the Province of Ontario.

*sigh* Here we so again!

I swear that if Dalton McGuinty could afford to get rid of seniors, he’d turn our homes into day care centres for unwed mothers and ship us off to Baffin Island. Mind you, you’ll notice that this proposed crackdown comes in a non-election year.

The claim is that seniors may be suffering from dementia, so here’s a handy list of things to watch for. No: If you see any senior exhibiting the following symptoms, notify Dalton McGoony immediately.

• Died hair—especially orange, purple, lime green or puce.
• Body piercings—especially eyebrows, tongue or belly button.
• Driving erratically while talking on a cell phone or texting
• Listening to rap music in excess of 200 decibels, or that will shatter windows at 200 feet
• Mooning pedestrians on the sidewalk
• Driving while tending a kid in the back seat.

Remember: Only you can stamp out the senior menace!

I'm not the smartest guy in the world...

Not even close, but sometimes I feel pretty adequate compared to some of the other turkeys I hear or read about. Take this dumb-ass politician, MP Sana Hassainia, who is bent out of shape because she was asked to remove her kid from the House of Commons chamber during a session.

Now the rules of the House clearly state that no unelected person is allowed on the floor during a session, and a baby is clearly unelected, but this MP is obviously one of those people who think that having a kid not only gives them carte blanche over rules, but also other people’s rights–i.e. quiet enjoyment of a meal.

In fact, I can’t begin to count the number of meals I’ve had ruined–even in expensive restaurants–by someone’s obstreperousness kid screaming its lungs out or even playing tag while the parents looked on, admiringly of their little darling(s).

Equally culpable in my opinion are those types, generally women, who, upon see a sleeping baby have to “coochie-koo” it until they get it all hyper. Then, apparently satisfied, they go one chatting while the kid screams its lung out.

No, compared to insular thinking like that I fair fairly well in the IQ department–if only because I can think in two dimensions; what suits me and what suits others. It’s called enlightened self-interest. I can also manage 360-degree thinking at times, which is something that politicians like Sana Hassainia (et al) haven’t mastered yet.

As an example of modern parenting, however, Ms Hassainia is a sterling model (which is not a compliment).

Amzon: A good reason to keep Barnes and Noble as a viable alternative

You can generally tell when a company reaches monopoly status, or very near it, when it starts to loose contact with the people who helped carry it to the top—the suppliers and clients. Another indicator is when that company looses sight of its understood mandate (i.e. to serve the public—meaning all the public) and starts to act cavalierly. That, in my experience, describes Amazon.

My first experience came when I published my second novel, Journey to Big Sky, through CreateSpace (a subsidiary of Amazon Corp.). However, when it was listed on both Amazon.com and Amazon-Canada there was no product description—the kiss of death for any novel. I pointed this out to CreateSpace but got no where, and, of course, there is no way you can contact Amazon apart from their carefully controlled means (which doesn’t include complaints of this nature).

To be truthful I didn’t press it because I wasn’t really satisfied with the way I had written the story, and so I reworked it from beginning to end and published it as Nor All Thy Tears: Journey to Big Sky—once again through CreateSpace.

This time around it did get listed on Amazon.com with an all important product description, but Amazon-Canada listed it as “Unavailable,” which, if anything, is worse than no product description. Moreover, Amazon.com has yet to include it under “Canadian gay fiction,” even though it is about a Canadian politician set it Toronto and Ottawa. In other words, it couldn’t be more Canadian if it was wrapped in the flag and drizzled with maple syrup!

Meanwhile, it is rated #3 on Barnes and Noble`s “Romantic Fiction” list of approximately 64,000 titles—of all genres. I conclude therefore that the novel is not without merit.

Needless to say I’m biased in favour of Barnes and Noble as my book carrier of choice, but I believe it is in every writer’s interest to keep B&N as a viable alternative. Mine is not the only novel listed on Amazon without a product description. I’ve come across quite a number in my search for stories to review, and because of it the authors have lost the exposure I could have given his/her novel.

So, given that one can’t complain to Amazon, what can be done? Well, I’ve redirected all my “Go here to purchase” links to Barnes and Noble. Admittedly this isn’t going to drive Amazon into bankruptcy, but if everyone did the same it could make a difference in Amazon’s attitude—for the better one hopes.

Please think about it.

There are about 2,700 Landed Immigrants on Canada's "Most Wanted" list

These characters are accused of crimes against humanity in their home countries--i.e. muder, torture and rape, etc. [See 680 news item, "Ottawa expands Canadian Border Services Agency's fugitives list."]

Of course, the first question must be: How did they get into this country in the first place? Second, these are only the 2,700 we know of, so how many more are there out there?

A possible answer to the first question might be Canada's fixation with multiculturalism, to the point that it puts out the welcome mat for all and sundry with a foreign address. However, we are improving in that department because we at least know who these 2,700 goons are.

Mind you, that doesn't help so long as the prevailing practice is to leave the door open for more of these thugs to freely walk through it--collecting full social benefits along the way. It also doesn't help that the prevailing attitude about Canada is that, culturally speaking, it doesn't exist.

To end, let me make it clear that I believe qualified immigration is fine, I also believe multicuralism is fine--so long as it doesn't supplant those traditions which make this country uniquely Canadian--i.e. the RCMP's stetson-style hats, and respectfully removing one's hat in a Legion.

Otherwise, it must be seen as an insult to the pioneers who made this country great.

There's very little "Canada" left in "Canadian"

I first began to notice this with the so called “Canada Day” celebrations, this year. The airwaves were full of self-congratulating promoters touting the various multicultural events that were planned. However, there wasn’t even a single mention of our pioneer nation-builders who built this country with the sweat of their brows, and who lie forgotten in its soil. Indeed, from all the multicultural hype one would get the impression that Canada—at least culturally—began with the first plane load of immigrants to land at Pearson International Airport.

Nor did these Canada Day celebrations mention all the Canadian accomplishments for which we can be proudly Canadian. For example: The longest street in the world (Yonge Street, 1187.1 mi) was built between the 1790s &1812; the discovery of insulin was a Canadian accomplishment; the standardization of time was also a Canadian innovation; as was the game of basketball. The list goes on and on, of course, but the point is that things Canadian get swept under the carpet in favour of foreign imports, and this just isn’t right. In fact, it is downright shameful!

Multiculturalism is fine, but it isn’t Canadian. It is what it implies, i.e. an amalgam of various cultures that are being superimposed over an indigenous Canadian history and culture by a few effete, trend-setters, who view anything imported a being terruhbly chic. Meanwhile, Canadian history and traditions are being superseded in school curricula to the point where they will soon be forgotten altogether.

My personal gripe has to do with my latest novel, Nor All Thy Tears: Journey to Big Sky. It is a story set in the farming community of Pefferlaw, Ontario, as well as Toronto, Ottawa, and the ending includes Big Prairie Sky Country, Saskatchewan. In other words, it couldn’t be more Canadian if it was wrapped in the flag and drizzled with maple syrup. Yet, I had to go out of the country to have it published, and presently Amazon-Canada has it listed as “Currently unavailable.” [It’s available on Amazon.com].

I’m not arguing the merits of the story here—although it has received a five-star review—but at least offer it for sale in the author’s home country and let the readers decide.

If you are prompted to download Microsoft Internet Explorer 9, Don't!!

This supposed “upgrade” is about as helpful as a screen door on a submarine. It has literally taken over my machine, dictating what websites I can access or not, and many of these webs are ones I use in connection with my business–including my business stats. For example, if IE9 doesn’t like a website it simply shuts down, and then to add insult to injury it pops up with a message to say, “Internet Explorer has shut down.” No kidding! The other annoying quirk it has is to shut down in the middle of a cruicial function–like uploading files to my publisher.

Moreover, there is no way you can turn its so-called DEP (“Damage Protection”) off. Nor is there any way of contacting Microsoft about anything outside its own parameters–which do not include complaints of any kind. In fact, trying to contact Microsoft is like trying to e-mail the Queen or Barrack Obama, directly.

So it’s off to the IT guy to get rid of this accursed program–at my own expense of coursse–while Bill gates, behind his walled fortress, laughs all the way to the bank! May his name go down in infamy!

Addendum

While trying to post this blog, Microsoft arbitrary shut down. Is Big Brother watching?…

Ryan Field: Some of My Top Favorite Romance Review Web Sites

Ryan Field: Some of My Top Favorite Romance Review Web Sites

The overlooked side of multiculturalism

A very disturbing column recently appeared in the Sun Newspaper [Sunday, October 10th edition] under the heading “Gay-bashers thrive in modern-day Netherlands” by Ezra Levant. Levant attributes this as follows:
“Amsterdam isn’t gay. Now it’s Muslim, too. A million Moroccans and Turks have immigrated to the Netherlands, and sharia law rules the streets.”
He goes on to say:

“If you doubt it, then you haven’t been paying attention. Actually that’s not fair. Gay bashing is front-page news only when it’s committed by a straight, white male.

“The media is terribly uncomfortable writing about gay-bashing by minorities. It’s the same reason why Canadian feminists are so eerily quiet about honour killings of Muslim girls.”

According to an “offender study” by the University of Amsterdam, there were 201 reports of anti-gay violence in that city in 2007, but researchers believe that for every reported case there were 25 unreported ones. Moreover, Two thirds of the predators are Muslim youths.

In addition the violence is committed in the heart of the city, and often in broad daylight. “It’s a direct date to the Dutch government to show who rules the streets,” Levant writes.

“In 2008, 10 Muslim youths broke into a fashion show, dragged gay model Michael du Pree off the stage and beat him bloody. Last month, several lesbians were hit by beer bottle thrown at their heads as they marched in a parade to protest violence against gays."

Ten years ago Pim Fortuyn sounded an alarm bell when he said, “I don’t hate Islam. I consider it a backward culture.” In 2002 Fortuyn was assassinated.

Next, Theo Van Gogh, a descendant of artist Vincent Van Gogh, made a movie about Islam’s treatment of women. A 26-year-old Moroccan shot him eight times and left a dagger in his chest with a letter threatening Western governments and Jews.

To both Sociologists and Political Scientist it has been trite knowledge for as long as these disciplines have existed that immigrants bring with them their “cultural baggage,” for better or worse. It has also been trite knowledge that immigration moderates the labour supply and modifies wages; ergo it is good for business. It goes without mentioning, as well, that immigrants get to vote the minute their Canadian citizenship is declared, and politicians are well away of this ‘happenstance.’

However, as in the Amsterdam experience, these paltry benefits may come at a cost to even those who promote Canada’s Alice-in-Wonderland version of multiculturalism as being the “Kingdom of Caring” (á-la-The Care Bears).

Along the lines of ‘culture,’ hands-up all those who have heard of the “Avro Arrow;” Louis St. Laurent; D’arcy McGee; or Samuel Steele. Hmmm, so much for Canadian history.

It's confirmed: The Eagle of State is really a turkey

I admit that I don’t understand metric, and haven’t since Pierre Trudeau introduced it back in the 1970s. In my opinion it was merely an underhanded concession to the major oil companies so that we wouldn’t understand $5 dollar-a-gallon gasoline [at the time gasoline was around 34¢ per gallon].

Moreover, can you imagine the confusion this causes our American cousins south of the border. It can be 80 degrees Fahrenheit down there, and the minute they cross the international dividing line it drops 54 degrees to 26 degrees Celsius!

Oh, and there’s a deception regarding the weather, too. For example, the meteorologists are all saying that it is 20C out there today (68F), but with the wind it feels more like 15C (60F). My take on weather forecasting is this: 1) If they are forecasting good weather they’re generally wrong; 2) If they’re forecasting bad weather they’re generally right; 3) The good weather is always coming ‘tomorrow,’ and; 4) When it gets here it’s never what we expected [see above].

And speaking of ‘dumb’ things. Yet another politician has proven that the unemployment stats are short one otherwise unemployable. This jerk is proposing that it should be illegal for teenagers (under 19 years) to possess or light-up a cigarette—as if we need another stupid law or more regulation in our lives.

But seriously folks, has this myopic pipsqueak given any thought regarding enforcement? Already the majority of teens have said, “Good luck,” to it, and at that rate there aren’t enough jail cells in the entire system to accommodate them all—and at what cost? It is obvious therefore that 360-degree thinking is not big at Queen’s Park or on Parliament Hill.

Drop by my FaceBook page and leave a message on my wall. (I feel so ‘modern’ saying that!)

Oh dear! Another "Jones" nut case!

I refer of course to Henry(?) Jones, the religious nut case who is/was/is threatening to burn the Koran in Florida. This religious 'leader' is head of a congregation of 12 people--which proves, I suppose, that there are at least a dozen people who will follow anyone regardless of how demented they happen to be.

The name "Jones" rings a bell, however. Do you remember Jim Jones of the "Jonesville" infamy? For those that don't, he was the religious crackpot who was responsible for the death (suicide/muder) of over 900 people in Jonesville. Guyana. [November 18, 1978].

I presume it is just a coincidence, but it is no coincidence that religion is at the bottom of many violent acts throughout history--witch hunts, the inquisition, the so-called, "Holy Wars," etc.

Ironic, isn't it?

And speaking about publicity hounds...

That member of the Ontario Legislator who wants to double the fine for tossing cigarette butts to $1,500. I mean Really! Where is the perspective? This is not 'an eye for an eye,' it's an eye and an ear and a left knacker!

The only problem with democracy is that it provides jobs for some people who would be considered incompetent at anything else.

BTW, I wonder if he waded through the Tim Horton's empty coffee cups to make his observations?

Beam me up, Scotty!!