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Blog of Adam Daifallah -- author, journalist, law student. Lover of politics, writing, golf, curling, fitness, fashion, bacon and maple products -- not necessarily (but probably) in that order. Partisan of the Anglosphere. Contact me via email at adam@daifallah.com.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Steyn and his accusers
I finally got around to watching the Mark Steyn vs. the Muslim law students debate on The Agenda with Steve Paikin. Anyone who hasn't seen this must take the time to watch and in particular, the last third of the show, when the two sides finally came to blows. Steve Paikin, likely the nicest and best broadcast journalist in Canada today, certainly had his hands full.
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 10:18 PM
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Bernier blowback
Today's news about the resignation of foreign affairs minister Maxime Bernier is truly unfortunate, and for so many reasons. While we can debate Bernier's judgement (or lack thereof) until we are blue in the face, the bottom line is that this is a tragic downfall that is sad to watch. This is a very talented man who was probably in over his head at foreign affairs. He is an economics guy, and putting him there in the first place was probably a msitake. The media is having a field day ( National Post headline this morning: "Bumbling Bernier Quits") and most media attention is being paid to the interview given by his ex-girlfriend about this supposedly secret document he accidentally left at her house. However, David Mader is one of the few picking up on the other significance of this resignation: Bernier's fall is a blow to the Canadian conservative movement; here was a supremely promising MP, a committed and thoughtful conservative, telegenic and with a safe Quebec seat. Perhaps Foreign Affairs was too much responsibility too soon; perhaps he would never have been up to the job; perhaps he's simply the victim of a parliament without discernible purpose. I leave it to others to explain his failures. But his resignation should be a wake-up call to Canadian conservatives and a catalyst to renewed efforts to create a comprehensive counter-establishment dedicated to the spread of conservative principles.Indeed, the loss of Bernier from cabinet is a painful blow to the conservative wing of the Conservative Party. Bernier was a different kind of Quebec politician, the likes of which we haven't seen for a long time. He was cut from a different cloth than Verner, Cannon and Fortier. To call him a breath of fresh air is not only clichéd but an understatement: He was not one to toe the "Quebec line" of ceaselessly defending special treatment, government subsidies and more equalization for Quebec. This isn't just conservative, its tremendously courageous. He didn't buy into the tribal attitude that we see from so many status quo Quebec politicians -- he was and is a true believer. I saw him as a future leadership contender. Someday, once this storm has blown over, Bernier might be able to make a comeback. Other talented people have clawed their way back from worse. Count me among those hoping he does. UPDATE: Read this.
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 11:45 PM
Monday, May 26, 2008
Who wrote this?
Newfoundland and Saskatchewan are now becoming prosperous, and the entire vast, amorphous, federal money-transferring apparatus has become an elephantine anachronism. It is also an unjust taxation on Ontario, which as the only province that was ever a real success at manufacturing, is paying a heavy price for the rise of the Canadian dollar and the migration of secondary industry to cheap-labour countries.
Dalton McGuinty is right. And to the limited extent that regional economic inequalities should be addressed other than by market forces, it should be from the general revenues of the federal government. Some provinces should not have to pay Danegeld to others, with Ottawa, collecting, redistributing and taking perennial credit for national self-preservation.
Everyone's favourite "Guest of the great American people." Bang on!
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 12:00 AM
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The Energizer Bunny is out of steam
Hillary Clinton's decisive victory tonight in Kentucky is again proof of the resilience of her campaign and that Barack Obama is simply not connecting with certain segments of the U.S. population. However, it is pretty clear that there is no plausible scenario in which Hillary can emerge as the nominee in 2008. They have both run formidable campaigns, but the numbers don't add up for her.
An Obama staffer I met with recently told me she has three choices:
1. Drop out in early June -- in good faith -- and swing behind Obama;
2. Use the leverage she has to force him to put her in the VP spot; or
3. Stay in the race even longer (possibly until just before the convention) to weaken him as much as possible and improve his chances of losing, thus setting her up for 2012.
The first scenario is the most likely. The Clintons are no dummies. The second option would not work (the Obama people are afraid and dreading the thought of it, though). Could you imagine Bill Clinton in the V-P's office? He would be constantly seen as undermining and scheming. The third is also a remote possibility; Clinton knows that any semblance of disloyalty on that scale would doom any future chance she would have.
While this whole thing has been great to watch, it is time for the Democratic race to end.
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 12:39 AM
Monday, May 19, 2008
Sarko Jr
While in Paris last week I happened to attend this event, a political café organized by Jean Sarkozy, the French president's son and now an elected official himself:
He launched the first in a series of meetings called “jeudis jeunes” - “young Thursdays” - in a cafe where young conservatives were invited to question prominent government members and other celebrity guests. “The idea is to show young people that you can get involved in politics,” said Jean, 21, referring to youths who did not feel attracted to the left. “It irritates me that when you are young it’s always easier to carry the banner of the left or the extreme left. But it is possible for young people to have other convictions.” With his family connections, Jean, one of two sons from Sarkozy’s first marriage to Marie-Dominique Culioli, the daughter of a Corsican chemist, need only click his fingers to summon a star speaker. The first on his list was Rama Yade, the undersecretary for human rights and, at 31, the youngest minister in Sarkozy’s “rainbow government”. “Thank you for coming in such numbers,” he told the adoring student audience. “I know it’s for Rama, not for me,” he added, drawing a laugh from the crowd, “and it’s a terrible blow to my ego.” Indeed, a lot of the people there did come for Jean but left mesmerized by Rama, an immigrant from Senegal, who, at age 31, is France's youngest cabinet minister. The speech she gave about her own life story and her political views was tremendously impressive. She reminded me of a conservative Michaëlle Jean, with impeccable speech delivery, urbane looks and a generally sunny disposition. She is a conservative of whom we can be proud. Believe me, this is a woman to watch. I wish there were more like her.
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 11:24 AM
Sunday, May 11, 2008
In Paris
My apologies for the lack of posts, but I am currently in France without my laptop. Internet cafes here are expensive and I am having trouble adjusting to the European keyboards. The a and m and a whole bunch of other keys are in different places. Will write a long post about the trip once I get back next week.
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 5:39 AM
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