From Cork to Toronto

Phew! For a while the separatists had me worried that they might have a clue. For the most part, Duceppe's federal campaign was worryingly professional. The hairnet consigned to history, ethnic candidates attempting to reverse the image of the nationalists as " pur laine ", sensible on religion . Fortunately, we can rely on some within the separatist cohort to rage against Canada in a way that reminds Quebecers and other canadians of what life would be like "en Québec libre". The Quebec Sovereignty Council, a tax exempt organisation funded by the Parti and the Bloc, has published a teachers manual for sovereigntist educational activities . The provincial Liberal government has declared that it will not be taught - as indeed do the opposition Péquistes and the teachers unions - but it is clear based on the reaction of current and former Quebecers that both the main school system and the services for new immigrants contain people who deliver education not merely...

A Florida school, during a holocaust day, stuck yellow stars on certain pupils . They made the "Jews" go to the back of lunch queues and prevented them from using water fountains. All I can say is: I wonder how they chose the "Jews". I doubt they picked from the popular kids, more likely the kids already having a hard time. Please tell me someone's keeping these teachers away from shoe polish next Black History Month or MLK day. Hat-tip to The Green Knight for this one.

It's tax season here. The end of year is Dec 31 (pension year end is Feb 28) so people are getting down to it. However, the Tory Federal Budget is on the way and the talk is that Jim Flaherty will be keeping the campaign promise of rolling back the Liberal income tax cut in favour of GST cuts and childcare allowances. Flaherty should learn from Toronto and Ontario, both of whom have encountered money they didn't expect and are showing an unwillingness to reduce unpopular planned TTC hikes in the case of Toronto or reducing the province's deficit in the case of Ontario. Ontario is stashing money for the subway from York to nowhere rather than reducing the regressive health tax. If there really is $1.6 billion beyond previous revenue estimates for 2005 and $3 billion this year, it would be utter foolishness to roll back the Liberal cut unless the Tories see themselves going to the country before July 1st, when the clawback is expected to begin. Any strategist who thin...

The City of Toronto is debating the City Budget, live on the local cable channel. Jane Pitfield says the $200m the province gave the city for "transit funding" (sounds better than "bailout") should defer the TTC price hike - where oh where are the transit lefties? Where is the braying of Moscoe defending his riders? Nope, Hizzoner says no fare hold, no property tax freeze - not with the province's money or last year's $80m surplus. Instead we must replenish "reserve funds". I hear about those every year, the hidden piggy banks Toronto raids. Personally I can't understand how there are several of these funds, instead of one overarching one as the Feds seem to use for contingency. Watching 45 minutes of the debate was painful. Toronto Councillors, most of them with years, even decades in post, are dreadful public speakers in a chamber whose standing orders are ridiculous (and which invariably involves hours of debating points of order over n...

In the Blog O'Sphere, blankpaige and Omaniblog have posted on the plan to sell part of the Government stake in Aer Lingus. The Irish Independent (rego req.) also published a recent sceptical article (a letter to the editor identifies it as by Martina Devlin). Damien Kiberd takes a different view in the Sunday Times which I share. To wrap Aer Lingus in the national flag and pretend the aviation market will be thwarted is to guarantee its end. The example of bankrupted airlines like Sabena and Swissair, the continuing basket-case status of Olympic and Alitalia and the dubious policies at South African should be loud warnings to those like me who actually wish to see Aer Lingus succeed while remaining an Irish airline. What are the factors which have hindered Aer Lingus to date? 1. Government regulation means that investment in Aer Lingus will only occur when the national finances permit it. Private airlines like Ryanair can raise finance whenever they have a commercial need ...

What the hell is going on in the peabrains at Queen's Park? The transit community consensus appears to be that the 670 million Ontario is putting in a "trust fund" will be conditional on the Spadina extension going beyond the planned terminus at Steeles Avenue to Highway 7 since no mechanism to draw down the funds for a "partial" extension has been declared. Now, Vaughan may have big plans for a city centre effort in that area, but surely this is overkill when the rest of the city (where there are passengers already) needs additional transit provision - Kipling extension to Square One/Mississauga boundary, Sheppard extension to Downsview and Scarborough, the SRT replacement project and the provision of modern LRT in downtown and along Eglinton. Vaughan has only just got into the high end bus transit market and now feels they are ready for a subway? Furthermore, will this now be held up pending an Environmental Assessment when the one for the Downsview-Steele...

A Toronto taxi driver was killed by street racers, and some people felt his family should be brought to Canada . I suppose that would be nice for them but this is a city of immigrants and I have no doubt that illegals killed on building sites leave desperate family situations back in the homes they left too, but they can't be used to berate the morals of the yoof of today and their video games. Speaking of illegal brickies, they're looking for an amnesty when the developers who exploited them cry that the city can't survive without them (strange how that doesn't seem to be the way it works in Fort McMurray, Newfound... er... Alberta where they seem to be able to fill the jobs with Canadian residents.) An Afghan man runs a Canadian checkpoint in Kandahar and is shot - his widow wants 30 grand in US dollars (amazing how the lucre of the great Satan is acceptable everywhere) and maybe Canadian residency too. The Peacemaker hostages are rescued and they and their mates...