Something Different

This different post for me. I got a a group of questions and statement I have in my mind. That need to be written down. Answer them if you you can for me.

1. Twitter being used to tell the story of Iran and there people.

2. How long can I hang in at work?

3. Is the Saskatchewan Liberals be a force again ? I think so it is going to be a long haul. But It has been fun to be on the ground floor.

4. When will the riders win a Grey Cup again ?

5. Saskatoon is growing will be the new Calgary to big to fast ?

6. Will the paladins win a championship again?

7. When will people of learn the CRTC rules and know that if you are in Market reseach you can call them.

8. When will we as planet learn to take care of Mother earth ? There is climate change happening.

9. When will Saskatoon drivers learn that those who walk cross across the street in the cross walks have the right way.

10. When will we as a planet learn that we have to take care of this earth?

Do we need a string around things?

Oops there goes another rubber tree plant:


June 9, 2009 by roto2027 Some times the staffer is only as good as the Member they serve. Something the member seems to be thick that is when the staffers have to better than the member. Expertly when you working for a cabinet minister. Please read this tell what you think?

Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt, left, and her former press secretary, Jasmine MacDonnell, are seen leaving a news conference in Ottawa last month. (Fred Chartrand/Canadian Press)

‘An unfortunate choice of wording,’ PM’s spokesman says of Raitt recording
Last Updated: Tuesday, June 9, 2009 |CBC NewsIt’s embarrassing that Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt referred to the medical isotope shortage as “sexy” in an audio recording, but the prime minister remains confident she can handle her duties, says Stephen Harper’s chief spokesman.

“It’s an unfortunate choice of wording in a recording — that is one word in 5½ hours of tape recording,” said Kory Teneycke. “I don’t think anybody would use a word like that to describe it in public. This was a private conversation.”

In an audio recording made public by the Halifax Chronicle-Herald, Raitt discusses the medical isotope shortage with her former head of communications, Jasmine MacDonnell, during a car ride the two shared in Victoria on Jan. 30.

In the recording, MacDonnell said the isotope issue is “confusing to a lot of people.”

“But it’s sexy,” Raitt said. “Radioactive leaks. Cancer.”

Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice Gerald Moir rejected an injunction application by MacDonnell on Monday that was aimed at blocking the newspaper from publishing a story about the recording, which was made inadvertently.

MacDonnell, who resigned as Raitt’s head of communications last week amid an uproar over lost documents, reportedly later left the recorder at an Ottawa media event and did not return calls aimed at trying to turn it.

Teneycke said the government did not participate in trying to block the release of the tape.

Moir ruled it was not a private conversation because of the people involved. He also said it was wrong to deprive the media of the information, given that the medical isotope shortage is a public-interest issue, and a matter of life and death for many cancer patients.

“No one in this government or in the Conservative party provided financial support … nor … would we ever advise someone to block this,” Teneycke said.

‘A very embarrassing situation’
Teneycke said Raitt’s comments about Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq will be resolved between the two privately.

“It’s a very embarrassing situation, clearly, to have a private conversation like this in the public realm,” he said.

On the recording, Raitt expressed doubts about the abilities of Aglukkaq, to handle “hot” issues, saying her staff “is trying to shield her.”

Raitt’s office issued a statement on Monday night saying the minister has personally called Aglukkaq to apologize.

Teneycke added Harper has confidence in both ministers and their ability to handle the isotope shortage issue. He said the prime minister has not spoken with Raitt since the recording was released, nor has she attempted to resign.

Raitt offered her resignation to Harper last week after it was revealed documents related to Canada’s nuclear industry were left behind at CTV’s Ottawa news bureau for almost a week without anyone in the government noticing.

Scarce supply of isotopes
Opposition parties have lambasted Raitt over her handling of the shutdown of the Crown company-operated nuclear reactor at Chalk River, Ont., which usually produces up to a third of the world’s medical isotopes.

The shutdown has left doctors and medical researchers scrambling for a scarce supply from the world’s four other isotope-producing reactors.

Medical isotopes — tiny radioactive particles that can be injected into the body — have become the standard treatment for some cancers and have brought medical imaging to new levels.

In the recording, Raitt said, “You know what solves this problem? Money. And if it’s just about money, we’ll figure it out. It’s not a moral issue.”

Teneycke said he disagreed that the problems at the aging nuclear reactor were just about money.

“If you had all the money in the world, you couldn’t build a new nuclear reactor in the kind of timelines that we’re dealing with to try to get isotope production up and running again,” he said

The Link is back: OMG it is back to the future!

Link takes NDP reins

Lingenfelter becomes leader on second ballot; Party tensions evident amongst convention-goers

By James Wood, The StarPhoenix, Angela Hall, Saskatchewan News Network, The StarPhoenix; Saskatchewan News NetworkJune 8, 2009 8:15 AMBe the first to post a comment

Dwain Lingenfelter speaks Saturday after winning the NDP leadership race
Photograph by: Troy Fleece, The Leader-Post, The StarPhoenix; Saskatchewan News NetworkNewly crowned NDP Leader Dwain Lingenfelter will begin to put his own stamp on the Opposition even as he works to unify a divided party after a sometimes-fractious leadership race and convention.

The former deputy premier won the party's leadership Saturday with 55 per cent of the vote on a second ballot showdown against Saskatoon doctor and political newcomer Ryan Meili.

Meili had picked up the support of the other two candidates in the race, Regina lawyer Yens Pedersen and Moose Jaw Wakamow MLA Deb Higgins, after the first ballot.

One day later, there were signs of some of the tensions that exist within the party, with Lingenfelter facing criticism from the convention floor from long-time stalwart of the NDP left Don Mitchell over whether he would respect the anti-nuclear position adopted by delegates.

And at one point, Lingenfelter could be seen heatedly talking to Meili about the actions of a Meili volunteer as the two rivals headed behind closed doors for a meeting.

Lingenfelter later downplayed the incident, saying it stemmed from some "strong words" between himself and the volunteer over the nuclear issue.

While there are always hard feelings after a campaign, said Lingenfelter, he was pleased with how quickly the party was coming together.

"I really believe this party is far bigger than Dwain Lingenfelter or the other three candidates. At the end of the day, you can hear and feel from this crowd, what they want is unity and they want unity so they can run against Brad Wall in the next election," he told reporters as the convention wrapped.

Lingenfelter, who had the backing of 11 members of the 20 MLA Opposition caucus, will meet today with the man he replaced, Lorne Calvert, about issues such as caucus organization and responsibilities.

An announcement could also come as soon as today about which Regina legislature seat will be vacated for Lingenfelter to contest. Speculation has focused especially on the Regina Douglas Park constituency held by long-time MLA Harry Van Mulligen, as well as Regina Coronation Park and Regina Dewdney. Regina Northeast MLA Ron Harper said Sunday he would not be stepping down.

Meili is also expected to announce today whether he will contest the nomination for the byelection in the Saskatoon Riversdale seat that will be exited by Calvert at the end of the month.

Meili, whose strong showing was the surprise of the race, said there is a breach in the NDP but involving members in setting party policy will be the key to healing its wounds.

"When you have 45 per cent voting ultimately for one candidate . . . and 55 per cent for the other, clearly there are some strong differences of opinion among the membership. So there's going to be a lot of work to do to try and find the balance among those differences of opinion. I'm going to be part of that process," he said in an interview Sunday.

MAJOR POLICY REVIEW

Lingenfelter said again Sunday he wants to see a major policy review beginning this fall and culminating in a convention next year as part of the party renewal process that must take place.

"Everybody's views are going to count," he said.

But Mitchell, who ran federally for the NDP in 2008, said he was concerned about comments made by Lingenfelter Friday over a resolution that had passed opposing construction of a reactor and favouring alternative energies.

Lingenfelter -- whose past support of nuclear development in Saskatchewan had been one of the major dividing lines in the campaign -- had said the policy forum would help further define the NDP's position on such matters prior to the next provincial election.

On Sunday, he said again that the party's policy on nuclear development will be set by members, whatever his personal views.

But nuclear power wasn't the biggest bump on the road for Lingenfelter as he attempted his political comeback.

The 60-year-old had served as a cabinet minister under both Allan Blakeney and Roy Romanow but had retired from politics to become an executive with energy company Nexen in Calgary in 2000.

While the first candidate in the race and the presumptive front-runner from the start, Lingenfelter took a hit from a controversy over 1,100 improper memberships purchased by his campaign on two Meadow Lake First Nations. Pedersen called for him to resign from the race over the membership imbroglio and Lingenfelter faced increasing fire from the other campaigns as the race continued.

By the time of Saturday's tally, the vast majority of votes -- 8,793 -- had been cast in advance by mail, telephone or Internet using preferential ballots. Including the number of NDP members who voted in real time on Saturday, there were 9,444 votes on the first ballot and 9,130 on the second. There were 13,051 eligible voters.

With Higgins, the only sitting MLA in the race, bumped as the last-place finisher on the first ballot and third-place finisher Pedersen withdrawing voluntarily, Meili's vote count jumped by just over 1,700 from the first to second ballots while Lingenfelter's increased by just over 600.

At the convention, Lingenfelter stressed, as he had done throughout the campaign, his battle-readiness for the 2011 provincial election.

But Saskatchewan Party Environment Minister Nancy Heppner told reporters Saturday that Lingenfelter, who was first elected in 1978, hearkens back to a past that provincial residents aren't looking to return to.

As well, there is a clear fissure in the NDP that the party has to address, she said.

"I think it's going to be an interesting campaign in 2011. Obviously we are not taking anything for granted; I don't think any party should. So we'll be working hard leading up to 2011 to have a good record to present to the people."

jwood@sp.canwest.com

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

Anyone who tells you we can't win an election with 20 excellent MLAs and a team that's fired up and a union movement that is committed to defeating a government . . . doesn't know what they're talking about.

"I want you to go back to your constituencies knowing victory is possible, but it's possible if we work. And believe me, we don't deserve to win unless we do the work that's needed . . .

"Together we can win and will win and must win in order to keep our tradition and the whole idea of socialist principles alive in this province. This next election is crucial and I ask you and beg you to do that work and we will be victorious."

--New NDP Leader Dwain Lingenfelter in his closing remarks to delegates Sunday

I've known Link for a very long time. He's been dedicated, he's compassionate, he's focused on getting the job done and I know he's going to provide very strong opposition to Premier Wall. I remember a meeting we had in my office. We talked about energy policy, how we can move towards a more sustainable energy future. He's got the experience, he's got a strong vision for Saskatchewan."

--Federal NDP Leader Jack Layton, in his speech to delegates Sunday, on Lingenfelter

Of course I'm disappointed, too. But some of you said you would be so disappointed that you'd go so far as to rip up your memberships. It's to those people in particular that I want to speak because I really don't want you to do that. I won't be doing that. We really are in this together and we need to stay in this together."

--Saskatoon doctor Ryan Meili to the crowd after his second-place finish was announced Saturday

Some believe we can make speeches about recruiting more trade unionists, more farmers and more women as candidates for our party but then are appalled if anyone who has worked with their hands or worked on their feet presumes to seek leadership."

--Moose Jaw Wakamow MLA Deb Higgins, a former grocery clerk and labour leader, addressing attacks on her candidacy in her final pitch to voters Saturday morning

Our members have great ideas but someone needs to listen to them. I have listened to them. People across this province have been talking about our values, our morality, our core beliefs that shape this party . . . our party has always been based on integrity and compassion and equality."

--Regina lawyer Yens Pedersen, calling for the party to rebuild under "democratic socialist" principles in his Saturday speech

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