The Times Advocate, 2008-08-27, Page 44
Times—Advocate
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
OC
=CNA T.
Editorial Opinion
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Doug Rowe -General Manager, Southwestern Ontario Division
EDITORIAL
Election call soon?
Recent reports out of Ottawa would suggest
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is itching
for an election.
And recent local goings-on by the federal Liberal
party seem to indicate the Grits are also ready and
Canadians could be heading to the polls this fall. The
Liberals have been busily traveling all over the country
explaining their policies, in particular leader Stephane
Dion's Green Shift plan, a proposal that would see a
Liberal government increase taxes on pollution, green-
houses gases and waste and decrease personal and
business taxes.
As part of the effort by the Liberals to explain their
message, Huron -Bruce has found itself hosting some
high profile members of the party, most notably Dion,
who visited Exeter in July, and former Liberal leader
candidate and current Dion advisor Gerard Kennedy,
who was here a few weeks ago. Last week the Liberal
caucus chairperson spent the week in the riding.
Surely all the threats by Harper and the activity by
the Liberal party means someone is finally ready to pull
the trigger and force a federal election. The Liberals
want to end Harper's minority government, which has
lasted far longer than anyone expected, while Harper
claims Parliament hasn't been getting anything done of
late and he wants another mandate. Trouble is, he's
not in a position to win a majority government and
Canada's next government, regardless of which side of
the political fence it sits on, will likely have minority
rule.
While many Canadians, even those who would nor-
mally support the Liberals, would probably admit
Harper's government hasn't done a bad job, it's a fail-
ing on Harper's part that he hasn't capitalized on
Dion's supposed leadership problems and been able to
move up in the polls.
Dion has been deservedly criticized for being a weak
Opposition leader and for taking too long to adapt to his
role, but he seems to be finding his way and recent
polls indicate an improving situation for the Liberals.
As was in evidence at Dion's talk at MacNaughton Park
in Exeter this summer, he is a more impressive com-
municator in person than he is on television. When he
has time to explain himself and his policies, he comes
off well - his manner of speaking and his thought
process don't seem well suited to the sound -bite men-
tality of television.
And Huron -Bruce Liberal candidate Greg McClinchey
may finally get the election he's been waiting for. It
seems like eons since longtime Huron -Bruce MP Paul
Steckle announced he would retire when the current
term ended. Both McClinchey and Steckle are no doubt
waiting for the election call. But are the voters ready?
IDON'TKMOW
ART, BUT I KNOW
WHAT I LIKE,,,
N
,11
1
Distributed by Canadian Artists Syndicate
Go big or go home
It's happened again.
Another Canadian journalist was taken
hostage last Saturday, this time in Somalia.
Amanda Lindhout, a freelance journalist and
television and print reporter from Red Deer,
Alta., was kidnapped while travelling to
Elasha, Somalia's war-torn capitol.
Lindhout, who was to do a story on war
refugees, was abducted with Australian
freelance photographer Nigel Brennan.
Two others were also taken hostage.
This story hit me hard. We hear often of
journalists being captured and killed, but
reading this story I see many similarities
between myself and Lindhout.
We are close in age, with Lindhout being
only a few years older. We're both jour-
nalists who feel the stories are with the
civilians, on the frontlines in war-torn
regions and we're both passionate and
gutsy and possibly a little stupid in the eyes of
some people.
For if I had that same opportunity to travel to
a war-torn country and report on the frontlines
— I would go in a heartbeat.
In fact, one day I'm hoping my dream
becomes a reality.
Yes, journalists like myself actually have these
dreams.
Many people I've told think I'm crazy. Maybe I
am. It definitely takes a certain person to take
on this job, a certain mentality and a certain
amount of nerves.
No guts, no glory!
According to Reporters Without
Borders, 47 journalists were killed in
Iraq in 2007, while eight were killed
in Somalia.
Apparently journalists and humani-
tarian workers are abducted fre-
quently for ransoms in Somalia, one
of the world's poorest and most vio-
lent countries.
Yes, the statistics are scary, but
many journalists have also returned
with compelling stories.
These are the stories that matter.
The stories that come from the front -
lines of war-torn countries. The stories that are
told by civilians living these wars everyday.
I'm hoping one day to travel to a war-torn
country, not because I have a death wish but
because to me, this is what matters in life.
Real stories and real people.
Go big or go home.
NINA
VAN
LIESHOUT
KICK THIS
AROUND
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