In the end it was not a conspiring media or vengeful political opponents who brought down Mike Duffy. The only person to blame for the Senator’s downfall is the Old Duff himself.

Duffy’s spectacular flameout from Conservative insider, cherished by Harperites for his acidic attacks and fundraising prowess, now finds himself a political pariah, responsible for taking the prime minister’s chief of staff down with him and punching a potentially fatal hole in the public’s perception of the Harper government.

It is rare to find public unanimity in politics, but Mike Duffy’s abuse of the public trust and repeated attempts to mislead has infuriated Tories, Liberals, NDP and ordinary folk from coast to coast.

In the end it was not a conspiring media or vengeful political opponents who brought down Mike Duffy. The only person to blame for the Senator’s downfall is the Old Duff himself.
Duffy’s spectacular flameout from Conservative insider, cherished by Harperites for his acidic attacks and fundraising prowess, now finds himself a political pariah, responsible for taking the prime minister’s chief of staff down with him and punching a potentially fatal hole in the public’s perception of the Harper government.
It is rare to find public unanimity in politics, but Mike Duffy’s abuse of the public trust and repeated attempts to mislead has infuriated Tories, Liberals, NDP and ordinary folk from coast to coast.

If integrity is the mark of the man, Senator Mike Duffy should get out of his Ottawa home and travel to any Island wharf. There he will find the true meaning of putting action to words.

When not scurrying through kitchens to avoid reporters, the Good Senator reminds us he is a man of his word, of accountability and yes, integrity. The Harper patronage appointee insists there is nothing amiss with his expense account and would have us believe he paid back $90,000 plus to Canadian taxpayers out of the goodness of his heart. Maybe the RCMP will buy that line as the national police force begins a review of the Senate expense scandal that has embarrassed the Senator, the Senate, the prime minister and ordinary Islanders.

National columnist Chantal Hebert wrote a striking column last week speculating that the legacy of Prime Minister Stephen Harper will not be policy related, but a lingering image of nastiness.

It was a typically thoughtful and insightful piece. Harper has few ‘big idea’ achievements, other than pandering to his Conservative base. It can be argued his government is the anti-bunch; it’s anti-immigrant, anti-gay, anti-small town, anti-government oversight, and anti-seasonal worker.

And that’s just to name a few.

National columnist Chantal Hebert wrote a striking column last week speculating that the legacy of Prime Minister Stephen Harper will not be policy related, but a lingering image of nastiness.
It was a typically thoughtful and insightful piece. Harper has few ‘big idea’ achievements, other than pandering to his Conservative base. It can be argued his government is the anti-bunch; it’s anti-immigrant, anti-gay, anti-small town, anti-government oversight, and anti-seasonal worker.
And that’s just to name a few.

Back in the day, non-academic lessons of life were learned in arcades and pool halls. Now the pool hall is a recognized component of the PEI high school curriculum, yet another example of just how broken our education system is.

I kid you not. For years, as part of the accepted provincial curriculum it is OK for students to be trotted off to the local pool hall where they stand around waiting for their next shot. It is part of what passes for a component of physical education, or as the brain trust in the PEI Department of Education like to call it ‘Low Organized Games Unit.’

For crying out loud, the kids could get more exercise lifting a large fries and energy drink over lunch at the corner store while searching for the insulin pump to control their diabetes.
As a parent I’m gobsmacked.

For a government that promised consultation, Doug Currie’s health reform roadshow is anything but.

Give the minister credit. For the first time since being elected in 2007 a Health Minister has the courage to sit in front of Islanders on their home turf. While there are solid components to the provincial plan, there are also significant flaws. And despite an educated chorus of opposition that has erupted across the Island, neither the minister nor his bureaucrats is listening.

Rather Currie, Ghiz and any other government operative handed speaking notes to parrot, invariably leads off with ‘health care is an emotional issue.’ This is nothing but a condescending, arrogant attempt to lump everyone who opposes the government plan as irrational.

Health care reform is not irrational.

It is about respect.

It is about honesty.

It is about transparency.

It is about equality.

For a government that promised consultation, Doug Currie’s health reform roadshow is anything but.
Give the minister credit. For the first time since being elected in 2007 a Health Minister has the courage to sit in front of Islanders on their home turf. While there are solid components to the provincial plan, there are also significant flaws. And despite an educated chorus of opposition that has erupted across the Island, neither the minister nor his bureaucrats is listening.
Rather Currie, Ghiz and any other government operative handed speaking notes to parrot, invariably leads off with ‘health care is an emotional issue.’ This is nothing but a condescending, arrogant attempt to lump everyone who opposes the government plan as irrational.
Health care reform is not irrational.
It is about respect.
It is about honesty.
It is about transparency.
It is about equality.

George Webster’s point was simple: Taxpayers’ money is better spent on health care for living Islanders than dead animals. The Agriculture Minister was attempting to justify cutting $340,000 in funding to diagnostic lab services at Atlantic Veterinary College, until this year an uninterrupted 30-year funding tradition.

If the minister’s logic weren’t so flawed he might have a point.

The cut is part of the department’s requirement to slash almost $1 million in programming. The minister claims cuts to diagnostic testing will have little impact on farmers. He believes there may be private sector alternatives.

There is little to support the minister’s optimism that farmers will simply kowtow to what is in effect a significant fee increase.

Diagnostic testing on dead animals is not frivolous, but rather a cost effective program with a significant public health component.

George Webster’s point was simple: Taxpayers’ money is better spent on health care for living Islanders than dead animals. The Agriculture Minister was attempting to justify cutting $340,000 in funding to diagnostic lab services at Atlantic Veterinary College, until this year an uninterrupted 30-year funding tradition.
If the minister’s logic weren’t so flawed he might have a point.
The cut is part of the department’s requirement to slash almost $1 million in programming. The minister claims cuts to diagnostic testing will have little impact on farmers. He believes there may be private sector alternatives.