Editor’s Notes

Laughing all the way to one ballot box

while bypassing the one that really counts

By the time you read this, the federal budget will have been beaten to death in print, on air, and on cable. So there’s not much point in me going on about it at any length. The budget, for the Harper Tories, is a no-election budget. In the most unlikely event that there will be an election this spring, it would be a good budget for the Tories to seek another, this time majority, mandate. It is in fact a Liberal budget, with some New Democrat and Bloc thrown in for good measure. Liberal leader Stéphane Dion is right to say that the Tories are giving back what they took away from Liberal government policy. The budget gives BQ leader Gilles Duceppe all he needs to save face by throwing in his support. With the separatist vote tanking, his squad will be vastly relieved. Federal pensions look pretty good from this distance.

Meanwhile, Tory Stephen Harper has given his Tory buddy, Liberal leader Jean Charest, a multiple-billion dollar boost that will nail down for him the Quebec showdown Monday, March 26. And back at the ranch, only the mentally challenged in the world of oil rustling will take offense at the eight-year spread in tax relief reduction. Shoot man! Eight years is a long time. A lot can happen to fix things between now and then. Like a majority government for Firewall Harper. The Liberals, unprepared for an election for more than one reason, with just enough kicking and screaming for the sake of public appearance, may support that which is, after all, mostly their budget. (However, perhaps behind the shield of BQ support of the budget, they may, as a public demonstration, feel safe enough to vote against it.) Those within the Liberal caucus, who still have faith in Dion, will see Tory budget success as an opportunity for their leader to do his stuff with the public. I recall that when Duceppe took the leadership of his party he was awkward in manner and delivery. I think Dion just needs time to warm up. Now it seems he’s going to get it — well some of it. For the New Democrats this may be the current that serves and if taken lead on to fortune. Time will tell.

True North has done its best, (aside from our editorial opinion), to give a fair account of George W.’s recent visit to Latin America. We’ve included reports mostly from mainstream media outlets. Today we publish a Russian gloat of the event. Please keep in mind that we don’t necessarily agree with that which is published in True North. We try to fulfill our self-imposed mandate to provide balance. With that in mind, tomorrow we will publish an objective comparison of what Russia, like the U.S., has to deal with by countries, including former Soviet republics, within its claim of sphere of influence. Russia may gloat over the U.S. and Latin America, but within the past few years the U.S. has had plenty to gloat about on Russia’s borders. Anyway, today Russia’s gloat. Tomorrow, the gloatarama in perspective.

Another story, that is almost breath taking, is the one about a new so-called “Gas OPEC” that may well be founded in early April. The countries involved control 70 per cent of the world’s gas reserves. It’s got to shiver the timbers of those in the U.S. who are capable of thinking beyond the points of their pistols. While America is mired in the Iraq blunder as a result of blind greed to seize control of that hapless country’s oil, they’re being outmaneuvered on energy supplies just about everywhere else. What a shame for Americans of good will that the spoiled brat who stole the Conch has been allowed to do so much damage to their now and long after.

A major piece that really must be read to get a serious grip on what’s happening in The Horn of Africa is also presented for your perusal. It’s written by a former Ethiopian diplomat who is an author and currently a university academic in Brussels, Belgium.

Turn off the noise in your life; take time to feed your mind with useful information. There’s more in this edition but a read of the heads and summaries will further prepare you for what’s inside.

Phonetically speaking, dee gadunkin zind frei.

Looking forward

Carl Dow

Editor and Publisher