Conservatives Stand up for Democracy

The Harper Conservatives sought to regain the moral high ground today, with a stunning series of announcements intended to burnish the government's democratic and human rights credentials.

The day began with a morning press conference by the Prime Minister himself, where Stephen Harper sharply criticized Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for suspending the Majlis (parliament). Harper called for the immediate re-opening of the Majlis. He asserted, "You can't just shut down Parliament whenever it suits you. It goes against my deepest values to deny the Iranian people the right to have their voices heard."

Shortly after Harper's press conference, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon, defending the government's three-year extension of Canada's military mission in Afghanistan, attacked the Taliban as, "a bunch of fundamentalist know-nothings, who trample on women's rights and would drag their nation back to the Middle Ages based on their narrow religious views."

Industry Minister Tony Clement was quick to chime in, "It's vital that Canada stay in Afghanistan until we teach the Afghans that official corruption is wrong. It's not OK to waste public money by funnelling it into projects in your own tribal area."

Later, during question period, Defence Minister Peter McKay issued a stern warning to Cuba, after that island nation was reported to have mobilized hundreds of soldiers to assist with relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Paula. "What the government of Canada objects to is that these troops are being sent into the disaster area without a vote in the National Assembly. Of course, no vote would be required if the relief efforts could be carried out behind secure fences, but these troops are filling sandbags right out in the open."

Michael Ignatieff was quick to condemn McKay's remarks, but then changed his mind and agreed with him.

The day concluded with Public Safety Minister Vic Toews condemning China's recent crackdown on human rights activists in that country. "You can't just allow police to beat innocent people in the streets and then round them up by the hundreds and jail them without charge. Canadians would never stand for such actions. I'm calling on the United Nations and Amnesty International to conduct a full investigation."

Media reaction was overwhelmingly positive. CTV (owned by Bell), Citytv (owned by Rogers), and Global (owned by Shaw) all applauded the government's tough stance, saying Harper has made Canada an example for the world when it comes to defending democratic freedoms and human rights. The CBC also characterized the government's moves as "courageous", after receiving a phone call from John Baird. If the NDP or Bloc said anything, it wasn't reported.

Don’t be Alarmed

Judging by the response to my post of October 16, many of you are concerned that you might be turning into Conservatives. As I pointed out, this is a potentially serious condition that can result in hardening of the arteries leading to the brain, so you shouldn't ignore the warning signs. But neither do I want you to become unnecessarily alarmed: after all, if you're reading this blog, you've already taken the first step on the road to good mental health.

But just in case you require more reassurance, I thought I'd provide the answers to some frequently asked questions sent to me by faithful blog readers.

Q: My forehead is getting bigger. Is that a sign I'm turning into a Conservative?

A: That depends. You might be thinking more, resulting in your brain growing larger. In which case, you're fine. But if your forehead is swollen because you keep smacking it and saying, "D'oh!" you might be turning into a Conservative.

Q: I'm planning a European vacation for next summer and don't want people to mistake me for an American. What should I do?

A: Sew a Portuguese flag patch on your backpack.

Q: I like to watch Hockey Night in Canada. I take all the usual precautions during Coach's Corner: I mute the volume and wear welder's goggles, but still I'm worried I might turn into a Conservative.

A: If you're watching the Leafs, I can't help you.

Q: The Conservatives say they'll cut taxes, but not services, and eliminate the deficit too. This sounds pretty good to me.

A: Run, don't walk, to your nearest elementary school and enrol in a remedial Grade 1 arithmetic class.

Q: Tim Hudak was for the HST before Dalton McGuinty enacted it. Now he's against it, but won't scrap it if he becomes premier. I'm confused.

A: So is Tim Hudak.

Q: I don't see what's so bad about shutting down Parliament, or using the unelected Senate to override decisions of elected MP's. Does that make me a Conservative?

A: Either a Conservative or an ayatollah.

Q: Thank you Mr. 5oo Words for helping keep us safe from creeping Conservatism.

A: No need to thank me; I'm merely performing a public service.

Pre-dinner Cocktails

With the arrival of colder weather in these parts comes the shift to more substantial foods at dinner time: roasts, stews, casseroles and the like. So, too, we put away the lighter, refreshing cocktails of summer in favour of drinks that also have a bit more heft. These tend to rely on herbs and other botanicals infused in wine and spirits, all intended to sharpen the appetite for heartier fare. Another plus: they're very simple to prepare.

Campari is a bitter Italian aperitif, usually served mixed with soda in that country. American tourists preferred a sweeter drink and so the Americano was born. Combine 1 ounce of Campari and 1½ ounces of sweet red vermouth in an old fashioned glass over ice. Stir and enjoy. What could be easier?

Just as easy is the Dubonnet Cocktail. A flavoured French red wine, Dubonnet rouge makes a fine sipper on the rocks with a twist of lemon. To make a Dubonnet Cocktail, mix 1 ounce Dubonnet rouge and 1 ounce gin over ice in an old fashioned glass.

The Negroni is only slightly more difficult to make. To an old fashioned glass containing a few ice cubes, add 1 ounce each Campari, sweet red vermouth, and gin. Stir and sip contentedly while you wait for the oven (or microwave) timer to sound.

Years ago, sherry was a popular before dinner drink, and it plays a role in the following cocktail. We discovered this one at the restaurant of the Westin Harbour Castle hotel in Toronto about a year ago, and it instantly became one of my wife's favourites. It's not difficult to make, but as you'll see, it makes sense to mix a double or triple batch in a measuring cup. You'll need 1 ounce of gin, ½ ounce each of sherry, Dubonnet rouge, and dry white vermouth, and 1 teaspoon of Grand Marnier. Stir all the ingredients together in an old fashioned glass over ice and garnish with a maraschino cherry. Adding a dash of the cherry juice won't hurt. As I mentioned, doubling or tripling the recipe makes it easier to measure the ingredients and more congenial for sharing. The drink is called the European.

So there you are, some classic pre-dinner cocktails ideally suited to cold-weather, early nightfall, and comfort food. Cheers!

I’m Back

Just got back from a few weeks in California. We were there for a family wedding, some visiting, and a little R&R.

Our trip coincided with the mid-term elections there. Now it's tempting for a Canadian (especially one as wise and all-knowing as I) to comment on the state of American politics, but I'm going to (mostly) refrain. America's problems are deeply enmeshed in its social conditions, history, and political traditions: any solutions have to come out of that context, not from the glib prescriptions of outsiders. The issues confronting Americans, and Californians specifically, are so complex, that, frankly, I rarely could think of anything useful to say. And besides, I'm not sure our own politics could withstand close scrutiny any better.

Another thing my brief visit taught me is that Americans are far more diverse than Canadians generally assume. So, mostly, I listened. And while I heard partisans and politicians on both sides purport to have all the answers (well, the victorious Republicans anyway. The Democrats looked liked the dazed survivors of a car wreck), ordinary folk were more ambivalent. While I didn't detect a consensus on any issues, most people I spoke to expressed a simple desire that all sides could work together to find common ground to address the challenges facing their state and nation.

So enough of the serious stuff. What did I do that was fun?

We concluded our trip with a five-day visit to Palm Springs, a part of California we hadn't been to before. It's in the desert about a two hour drive southeast of Los Angeles, nestled in the Coachella Valley, surrounded by mountains, the highest of which reaches nearly 3,300 metres. They block out clouds that would bring rain, making the climate dry, hot, and sunny. While we were there, temperatures ranged from 28C-38C, with humidity of about 25% and plenty of sunshine. In fact, the area boasts 354 days of sun a year. Since temperatures average over 40C for several months in the summer, winter is the peak tourist season.

That makes it popular with retirees, and golf courses and snowbirds abound. Much of the surrounding, and actually interspersed, land belongs to the Agua Caliente Cahuilla Native Americans. They operate various enterprises, including casinos and resorts, but also have preserved ancestral areas for hiking and archaeological investigation.

Palm Springs itself has about 45,000 permanent residents and there are several other contiguous towns and cities, each with its own character. Palm Springs seems the most diverse, with a large artistic and gay/lesbian population. Palm Desert is more upscale, with a shopping street, the Paseo, reminiscent of a mini-Rodeo Drive. Cathedral City seems like the poorer cousin, while we stayed in a hotel and golf/spa resort that was actually in Rancho Mirage, which seemed to be composed largely of golf courses and gated communities.

Gated communities appear to be the dominant residential pattern and that was a bit disconcerting to us. Driving past kilometre after kilometre of wall with only the occasional entrance and gatehouse created a sense that there was no "there" there in some places.

We liked the Palm Springs area: the spectacular mountain scenery, the warmth and sunshine. But if we return we'd probably choose to stay in Palm Springs proper, as there's more to see and do within walking or short-driving distance.

Points follow-up

Since the series of posts on points and miles wrapped up, a couple of items of interest have come my way.

A loyal blog follower informs me that there is an AirMiles app for your smart phone. Put in your location and it will show you the nearest AirMiles partners. Text "AirMiles App" to 26898 to go straight to the download page on your iPhone or BlackBerry.

Until November 4, CHOICEprivileges, the loyalty program of Choice Hotels (Comfort, Quality, Clarion, etc.), is offering a free night when you stay two nights. You can join the program here. Further down the page, you'll also see a link to apply for the affiliated MBNA MasterCard to earn points for all your credit card spending. If you do a lot of road trips and are looking to earn free nights at a budget hotel chain, this could be a good program for you.

Something I did not discuss in my series of posts about point programs, is that for the majority of airline and hotel programs, you may purchase points, either for yourself, or as a gift for others. The problem is that the cost is usually more that the points are worth (i.e.: you could book a flight or room directly for less money), but under certain conditions, buying points does make sense. And occasionally, points do go "on sale".

For example, until December 31, Starwood Preferred Guest is selling points for 20% less -- $14 for 500 instead of the usual $17.50. If you need only a few points to get to a reward level, or if you are close to the 20K threshold for earning the 5K bonus for converting to airline miles, this can make sense. SPG allows you to buy up to 20K points in a calendar year and the points appear in your account within 24 hours.

In some cases, you could even save money on a holiday. That's because when redeeming SPG points for a five-night stay, the fifth night is free, so five nights at a category 3 hotel requires 4x7K=28K points. If you purchase 20K points for $560 before December 31, and another 8K for $280 (at the regular rate of $17.50 per 500) in January, that works out to $168 per night for a five-night stay. For January 20-25, the Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel is $190 per night. The Westin Fort Lauderdale is $229. I chose these hotels and dates at random. Depending on your choice of date and location, you, too, can find values like this. All you have to do is belong to the Starwood Preferred Guest program and buy points through this link. There's a fuller description of the program in the post dated October 4.

And finally, here's an update to the Aeroplan/BMO Club Sobeys MasterCard snafu (see post dated October 7). I received a letter on October 8, dated October 5, confirming what the Club Sobeys CSR had told me over the phone. But since the change did not take effect until October 15, the Club Sobeys points I received for keeping the credit card when Bank of Montreal took over from Citi were autoconverted. So, props to Sobeys, BMO, and Aeroplan for living up to their end of the (original) bargain. I still plan to cancel the card, since I don't have any need for another MasterCard if it doesn't earn me travel rewards.