Watching hockey tonight, I couldn't help but laugh how TSN waded into the so-called Shane Doan "controversy", if you can call it that. The whole TSN panel absolutely ridiculed Jack Layton, and more importantly defended Shane Doan (former Winnipeg Jet). The highlight of the segment was when Jeremy Roenick (an American) called Jack Layton was "an idiot".

Also TSN keeps bringing up the idea of 4-on-4 in overtime. Bad idea. The playoffs is all about endurance, and if you can't handle a few quadruple overtime games on the way to the holy grail, then you just don't cut it.

Jagr had one of his best games of the playoffs tonight. Jagr is remarkably a changed man since putting the 'C' on his sweater. He's (finally) learning to use his skill to make the guys around him better.

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The Canucks were so close tonight. But why oh why do they have to get all spastic when the pressure's on? And more importantly why can't we score on the mother (explicative deleted) god (explicative deleted) son of a (explicative deleted) unholy (explicative deleted) eating POWERPLAY? The Canucks are 4-58 on the PP in the playoffs, and I believe 1-25 in this series against the Ducks.

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The Canucks lost, but the AHL affiliate Manitoba Moose came up big with a 4-1 win in game 7 against the Grand Rapids Griffins. The Moose went up in the first, followed by a scoreless second period. The Griffins tied it up midway through the 3rd. The Moose went ahead with two goals late in the 3rd, and cemented it with an empty-netter to win 4-1. Bring on the Hamilton Bulldogs!

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The Toronto Raptors pulled out a nice win tonight. They dominated the first three quarters of the game, but let it slide in the 4th and ended up winning in a close one. They got into a lot of foul trouble, and from what I saw the refs were calling the game real tight.

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The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have chosen the Asper stadium plan. Damn good thing too. The St. Boniface idea would have been a bust simply because the neighborhood has a serious odor problem. Seriously, it stinks. And the idea of having it at The Downs was even worse. I drink far too heavily at football games to make that trek safely. The current location is pretty excellent. If it sees some development, especially with the old arena space available, it could be turned into something quite fantastic.

Labels: Jack Bin Layton, Manitoba, NBA, NDP, NHL, sports, Winnipeg Jets

Deputy Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff doesn't like the way that the NDP and Tories are getting along right now.

"There's something nauseating going on which Canadians have to notice," Ignatieff told the Star. "Layton gets up and pretends to oppose a government that he's propping up. He's got to decide what the hell he's doing here."

I don't think that Michael Ignatieff understands a minority government yet. What Layton is doing, is working with governmenet to further his parties agenda. It's why we elect the people we do. It's their job. The fact that he's working with the government only gives him more influence in parliament, which I would imagine most Dippers would like.

In fact, I'm not sure the Liberal party as a whole understands minority parliaments yet. Jack Layton and the NDP propped up the previous Liberal government for months as well, and again managed to punch above his weight in parliament because of it.

The Liberals during their 429 days as a minority government accomplished next to nothing. The Sponsorship Scandal was a major priority for the party at the time, and the only meaningful legislation passed by the Liberals was the Gay Marriage legislation. Their only budget also had given many concessions to the NDP, who supported the budget, and saving the government in the process.

In comparison, Stephen Harper has already had 378 days in government. During this period he has already passed the Accountability Act, recognized the Quebecois as a distinct nation, has dropped the GST by one percent, and has made gains in priority surgeries. Also expected to pass is Harpers Clean Air Act, and the 2007 budget. Both of these pieces of legislation will have Jack Layton's greasy finger prints all over it.

So rather than ragging on Jack Layton and the NDP for getting things done, I'd say Ignatieff and his Liberals should instead try to get in the game.

Labels: Jack Bin Layton, Liberal Party, Michael Ignatieff, NDP, Stephane Dion

Video of Jack Layton talking about cows with SARS (h/t SDA.

Labels: Jack Bin Layton, NDP

UPDATE: Video Can Be Viewed Here.

Jack Laytons ignorance knows no bounds (#), but at least we can all get a good laugh out of him:

The federal NDP leader left agricultural producers at Manitoba Ag Days in Brandon looking at each other in wide-eyed wonder Wednesday morning after a speech about farm issues in which he repeatedly referred to the "SARS" crisis that affected the Manitoba cattle industry.

"Another important issue is SARS. I was just talking to a cattle producer today who said the situation is worse now than when we were in the middle of SARS," Layton said.

Of course what Jack was referring to was BSE, not SARS. Maybe Jack's handlers shouldn't let him use such confusing acronyms.

Next thing you know, Jack'll be spinning a tale about how the Rolling Stones came and saved Toronto by opening the border to BSE infected Canadians. What a Schmuck!
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UPDATE: Ol' Taliban Jack will be speaking at the University of Alberta tomorrow, and I suspect a few Alberta farmers may have some questions for him:

Mr Layton will be discussing tuition and housing issues with student representatives on Friday afternoon. Following this meeting, he will be giving a 10–15 minute talk as well as participating in a question and answer period that is open to the general public-not just University of Alberta students and faculty. Attendees are encouraged to bring up any topics of concern that may be on their mind.

"The intention of this event is not for [Mr Layton] to bring issues to us, but for youth to bring issues to him," Hay added.

The session is being hosted by the U of A NDP Campus Club and will take place at 4:30pm in the Alumni Room on the main floor Students' Union Building.

Labels: Funny, Jack Bin Layton, Manitoba, NDP

Proof that pollution isn't just Greenhouse Gases:

The group Environmental Defence did laboratory testing on Environment Minister Rona Ambrose, NDP Leader Jack Layton, Health Minister Tony Clement and Liberal environment critic John Godfrey.

The study found that Ambrose had fewer flame-retardants in her blood than Layton, but had a higher level of arsenic than the New Democrat leader.

Clement's blood, meanwhile, contains polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, despite the fact they have been banned for years. But Clement's blood was lower in neurotoxic mercury than Godfrey's.

The results released Wednesday are part of the report Toxic Nation on Parliament Hill: A Report on Pollution in Four Canadian Politicians, which is intended to serve as a wake-up call for leaders about the state of pollution in Canada.

Godfrey, the report found, had the highest number of pollutants in his blood at 55.

Clement and Layton followed with 45 toxic contaminants each and Ambrose had the cleanest blood with 49 contaminants.

Of the 103 pollutants tested for, 61 were detected in the four politicians.

Combined, their blood contained a chilling mix of nasty substances, including 54 carcinogens, 37 hormone disruptors, 16 respiratory toxins, 54 reproductive or developmental toxins and 33 neurotoxins.

It kinda makes you wonder how many of us will be around to see the world melt. But hopefully the report helps the general public, and the Kyoto cheerleaders, wrap their minds around the fact that pollution isn't just "greenhouse gases".

Now, where are my cigarettes?

Labels: Environment, Jack Bin Layton, politics

I would bet that this guy is a card carrying NDP member. Jack bin Layton would be proud:

Several members of the 1st Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment's Charles Company told The Globe and Mail they were abandoned while pinned down by heavy Taliban fire on Sept. 3. Four Canadians soldiers died that day in fierce battles with insurgents.

One soldier told the Globe in an interview in southern Afghanistan that his superior left him there to die. The unidentified NCO was later returned home and is now out of the army. There is no information on whether he was investigated or charged.
(snip)
Master Cpl. Ward Engley of Charles's 8 platoon told the Globe that the NCO "left me there to die." He said the officer was "hiding behind a wall" and wouldn't come out long enough to give him the radio when he asked for it.

"Our grenades were duds," Engley explained, "and we were running low on ammo, but he couldn't even hand me the radio."

Thank God that the rest of our boys are made of better stuff.

Labels: Afghanistan, Jack Bin Layton, NDP, Treason