The arrogance

It was breathtaking!  Watching Vassy Kapelos interview Tim Hodgson, minister of energy and natural resources, I was shocked -- but not surprised -- by his arrogance and rudeness!  He talked to her as if she were a child who needed scolding, saying at one point, "Let me educate you, Vassy."

He then launched into an obviously-rehearsed speech about how much Canada was diversifying its trade and investments outside the U.S.  After his fudged non-answer, Vassy said, "Thank you for the education, but you didn't answer my question."

He then went on to deny that Carney had said Canada's traditional relationship with the U.S. was over -- which Carney did say and which she quoted verbatim back to him.  He shrugged awkwardly and repeated his rehearsed drivel for the fifth time.

It almost looked as if he had been trained by my former colleague, Barry McLoughlin, who runs a very successful consulting business teaching politicians how to avoid answering questions.  Lesson learned, Mr. Hodgson.  Barry does his job brilliantly because Hodgson didn't answer a thing she asked him.

As I said, it was breathtaking, but Vassy got him.  It was stunning.

Captain Arrogance Tim Hodgson.

Words of wisdom

 

Useless expressions

Here's a list of pointless expressions:

• At the end of the day.........
• That being said.............
• All things considered.........
• All things being equal.........
• On the one hand..........
• On the other hand........
• When you really think about it.......
• Not to put too fine a point on it.........
• Conversely..........
• Without a doubt.........

They are really meaningless fillers and my late editor, Mrs. Portugal, would tolerate none.  They actually give the user the option of not committing to any position.  One of the worst master offenders of the device is Andrew Coyne, who uses them all with gay abandon, filling the inside front page of the 'Opinion' section of 'The Globe' every Saturday with columns and columns of drivel.

Right up there with Coyne is Allan Gregg, a Canadian pollster and self-described "pundit" who used to opine regularly on CBC.  His favourite expression was, "That being said.....", after which he would launch into the complete opposite of what he had just fervently espoused.  Cute trick because he never commits to any position on anything, but makes a ton of money doing it.  (Allegedly, reportedly, just my opinion, as the great Maureen Callahan always says adds after she excoriates a victim.)

The elusive Mr. Gregg.

So, next time you hear anyone using any of the above, take note: They're not saying anything.

    

Two expressions come to mind...

 "Waiting for Godot" and "The Emperor's New Clothes."  Both sum up what Mark Carney epitomizes.  

Canadians are waiting for something to happen and nothing has.  But too many are still giving him the benefit of dressing in fancy, new clothes, with action just around the corner.

Speaking of action and speed, yes he's doing things at breakneck speed -- if you count how fast the jet flies that he takes all over the world to get nothing done.  Ya, that's speed; his deals aren't.

Frankly, I think he allowed Doug Ford to run that ad so he could blame his own inaction on Trump's reaction.  "See, Trump was just about to sign on the dotted line, but Doug Ford kiboshed the whole deal.  It's all Ford's fault."  That's a cute trick. 

Carney is, so far, a disaster.  Instead of the savior and "Trump whisperer" he assured the electors he would be, he is the "nothing burger".  As I have said, he has gone to Europe eight times since being elected, but has yet to venture to Upper Rubber Boot, Saskatchewan, so to speak.  He also eschews Parliament, for good reason.  He doesn't respect our system of government and cannot face Pierre Poilievre's relentless scrutiny.  

I am very disappointed, but not surprised, that this globalist snob has let us down.  We're all still waiting for Godot.

Here we are, still waiting.

    

Next year??!!

Carney says he will finalize deals with ASEAN countries by next year.  Whaaaaat??!! Next year!!!??  January?  July?  November?  He's over there now doing, uh....doing, er.....what?  Photo ops for sure, but we don't know what'll happen next year and neither does he.  Nevertheless, next year for sure, something will be signed.  Or not.  And he will still be the prime minister.  Or not.

As the late British Prime Minister Harold MacMillan, when asked what was the most troubling problem of his job, said, "Events, my dear boy, events."   

And therein lies the rub.  Someone should tell our PM that the way it works is that officials do the ground work with their counterparts months, or even years, in advance on trade deals.  Then, the big boys go in and sign them off.  The big boys don't go in first and then promise a deal later or next year or in the next five.

I know, I worked on the original Canada U.S. Free Trade deal in 1987.  We toiled all year and then Brian Mulroney stepped in and signed it on January 2, 1988.  That Christmas, by the way, I got no holiday because we worked feverishly day and night to get it finalized.

Me and Free Trade.

So, Mr. Carney has it ass-backwards, just as he has a lot of things.  So far, he has done nothing except fly around, dragging that wife with him, making vague announcement after vague announcement -- all the while saying he's accomplishing generational deals that will make Canada a "super power".  In what, we don't know?

As I have said, he's pulled off the greatest bait-and-switch con in recent memory and sadly, people are still drinking the Koolaid.

Say what you like about Mulroney, but he got the Free Trade and GST deals accomplished in spite of huge opposition.  He was hated for it and punished at the polls, but he persevered.  And lucky me, I was a part of both task forces.  

INSANITY

FORD AIRS AN ATTACK AD ON TRUMP IN THE U.S. AND TRUMP TERMINATES ALL TARIFF AND TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JUST AS IT HAPPENS, CARNEY JUMPS ON A PLANE FOR A WEEK-LONG TRIP TO ASIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We're doomed!  And yes, those caps are intentional because I'm yelling here!

Incomprehensible

So, Mark Carney addressed Ottawa U students yesterday with a stunt speech to "explain" what his budget will contain.  This is some of what he said: 

"I will introduce a budget that will contain a climate competitiveness strategy, which will focus on results over objectives."

What does that even mean???  What's a "climate competitiveness strategy"?  Naturally, he didn't say.  Then he went on to say it will focus on "results over objectives".  What does that mean?  No objectives?  What results?  As measured by what?  By whom?  It's all so ludicrous.  His hubris is breathtaking!

He concluded by saying he will, "Double exports to non-U.S. markets over the next decade."  Since four percent of our exports go to Europe, doubling it will up it to a whopping eight percent.  Wow!  That'll make up for the 86 percent we currently do with the U.S.  Not.

Carney can't predict will happen in the next 10 minutes, let alone in another 10 years!  Then he justified the coming huge deficit by saying it will grow the economy, "Like it has never seen before."  Really?  What have you done so far?  Nothing.

He said all this standing at a lectern that made me despair.  It said, "Building Canada Strong".  Does that mean "Building Canada Strongly", or "Building a Strong Canada."???  Either way, it's incorrect and very annoying.  He needs to dump his communications staff.

Just another meaningless slogan.

So, if you're still enamored with Mr. Carney, give your head a shake and wake up!