It's hard to feel sorry for Conrad Black. I mean, he was in the newspaper business, he sometimes uses archaic words, he's married to a talented woman... oh, wait, that seems like a terrifically sympathetic person, after all!
At any rate, here's poor Conrad, sent to jail in the US for what may or may not actually have been a crime (I lean toward the "not" option, personally). If there were crimes, they're probably victimless; on the other hand, Black is certainly the victim of the weird American system of "justice" that involves grandstanding public officials, outrageous plea bargaining (where is David Radler these days?), and penalties don't vaguely fit the crime.
But now, Conrad is out on bail, his sentence for most of his convictions is likely to be overturned, and it well may be decided that he has done his time for the final, still-in-effect conviction.
And thus, he says, he wants to return to Canada.
This may be more related to his current housing crisis than his love for his home and native land. He has apparently sold his homes in England, New York and (as of August), Palm Beach, leaving him only with a spacious dwelling in Toronto.
The apparent problem is, he isn't actually allowed to come to Canada. This is temporarily true because of his bail conditions, but even if they are waived, or he is declared a completely free man due to time served, he still may not be able to come home.
That's because, in a fit of pompous arrogance (I suspect that phrase to be redundant, but he can take arrogance to a whole new level), he renounced his Canadian citizenship back when he lusted after his British peerage... which the Queen graciously bestowed on Lord Black of Crossharbour. Of course, he was rather forced to choose because of the enmity of one Jean Chretien, and the entire thing thus becomes as muddy as certain harbours.
So, does Canada forgive and forget? Well, we're unlikely to forget... Mr. Black is not a person to slip out of one's national consciousness.
But forgive? I vote, yes... not that there is a vote involved. He is a Canadian, despite all the political and peerage machinations. He's more than that -- he's a Canadian character, in a era when too many of our national figures are largely character-less.
I think we demand an apology for his abandonment of Canada (which will hurt him much more than an extended prison term, I suspect) and then welcome him home. He can be an ass, but he is our very own ass, and to leave him in suspended animation as a man without a country, when he very clearly is Canadian and nothing but, would be wrong.
He may have set a record as the proudest Canadian to ever give up his Canadian citizenship; when the time comes and the outrageous American legal system says its okay, let's let him back in.
Maybe we could arrange for Chretien to meet him at the Toronto airport since, given the reports of their current financial situation, the Blacks may need to hitch a ride downtown.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
Rideau Hall is the Fortress of Solitude
Ran into an intriguing bit of bureaucratic overkill, this week.
You probably know that David Johnston, President of the University of Waterloo, has been named the next Governor General of Canada. That's pretty good news for our area. For some reason, Waterloo Region has been a hotbed of celebrity this summer -- Stephen Hawking is here, the Prime Minister has popped in, the Queen showed up to pick up her new Blackberry at the source.
And then we learned that Johnston is the new GG. Pretty cool, and perhaps this strikes a blow for all of us old, grey-haired guys who are now the forgotten minority. Grey power! Grey power! What was I saying?......
Joking aside, I wanted to interview Johnston for Exchange magazine, the business magazine which I edit.
Turns out, thanks to relentless bureaucratic power games, this cannot be done.
I have interviewed Johnston in the past, on several occasions. He's a personable guy, articulate, extremely intelligent, and very visionary. He's a great person to talk to, and his comments always make for good articles.
He's also been surprisingly accessible for such a busy man. I've met him in his office, but I have also received a call from him as he travelled somewhere, but chose to respond to my message. I've been impressed.
That side of David Johnston was stifled in about three and a half seconds, the moment it became public knowledge that he will be the GG.
When I called the university media relations people, I encountered a fair level of genuine frustration on their part. They're not happy. Here's the deal -- they have always been the ones who set up interviews with their President. Johnston is their President... and the university is in the middle of a huge fundraising drive. However, the moment he because the Governor General-designate, some Ottawa poohbahs took over. The UW folks were told all requests had to come to the people at Heritage Canada. So, the UW-ites reluctantly referred us on to Ottawa.
Here's what happens.
Me: "I'd like to interview David Johnston."
Them: "Can we get all the information about you and your publication?"
Me: "Sure." And I give it to them.
Them: "We will get back to you in a day or two."
Them (a day or two later): "Interviews with Dr. Johnston are not being scheduled
at this time."
I would be personally paranoid, except I know this is happening to every media outlet trying to talk to the guy.
In the past, there has been some evidence that some people who became Governor General also became... how shall we say this... somewhat snobbish. Elitist. Distant. Maybe that shouldn't come as a big surprise, because from the very second David Johnston was announced as the incoming GG, a cloak of secrecy and elitism -- not of his own making, in any way has closed around him.
Personally, I think this is ridiculous.
David Johnston is known by his friends and colleagues to be a personable, friendly, open person. These should be ideal qualifications to be the Governor General, because the GG is most of all a person who leads by example, not by authority.
Let's hope that our new GG's strength of character is sufficient to overcome the fortress of solitude that the bureaucrats are already trying to build around him.
And David... if by some chance you happen to read this, give me a call. There's
nobody here to prevent it.
You probably know that David Johnston, President of the University of Waterloo, has been named the next Governor General of Canada. That's pretty good news for our area. For some reason, Waterloo Region has been a hotbed of celebrity this summer -- Stephen Hawking is here, the Prime Minister has popped in, the Queen showed up to pick up her new Blackberry at the source.
And then we learned that Johnston is the new GG. Pretty cool, and perhaps this strikes a blow for all of us old, grey-haired guys who are now the forgotten minority. Grey power! Grey power! What was I saying?......
Joking aside, I wanted to interview Johnston for Exchange magazine, the business magazine which I edit.
Turns out, thanks to relentless bureaucratic power games, this cannot be done.
I have interviewed Johnston in the past, on several occasions. He's a personable guy, articulate, extremely intelligent, and very visionary. He's a great person to talk to, and his comments always make for good articles.
He's also been surprisingly accessible for such a busy man. I've met him in his office, but I have also received a call from him as he travelled somewhere, but chose to respond to my message. I've been impressed.
That side of David Johnston was stifled in about three and a half seconds, the moment it became public knowledge that he will be the GG.
When I called the university media relations people, I encountered a fair level of genuine frustration on their part. They're not happy. Here's the deal -- they have always been the ones who set up interviews with their President. Johnston is their President... and the university is in the middle of a huge fundraising drive. However, the moment he because the Governor General-designate, some Ottawa poohbahs took over. The UW folks were told all requests had to come to the people at Heritage Canada. So, the UW-ites reluctantly referred us on to Ottawa.
Here's what happens.
Me: "I'd like to interview David Johnston."
Them: "Can we get all the information about you and your publication?"
Me: "Sure." And I give it to them.
Them: "We will get back to you in a day or two."
Them (a day or two later): "Interviews with Dr. Johnston are not being scheduled
at this time."
I would be personally paranoid, except I know this is happening to every media outlet trying to talk to the guy.
In the past, there has been some evidence that some people who became Governor General also became... how shall we say this... somewhat snobbish. Elitist. Distant. Maybe that shouldn't come as a big surprise, because from the very second David Johnston was announced as the incoming GG, a cloak of secrecy and elitism -- not of his own making, in any way has closed around him.
Personally, I think this is ridiculous.
David Johnston is known by his friends and colleagues to be a personable, friendly, open person. These should be ideal qualifications to be the Governor General, because the GG is most of all a person who leads by example, not by authority.
Let's hope that our new GG's strength of character is sufficient to overcome the fortress of solitude that the bureaucrats are already trying to build around him.
And David... if by some chance you happen to read this, give me a call. There's
nobody here to prevent it.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
What? The do-not-call program do-not-work?
I, for one, am shocked. Well, not.
I'm reading a news story, published today, about the national "do not call" list. You know, the one that prevents telemarketers from calling you. Really.
According to this report, 300,000 complaints have been filed by frustrated Canadians, against unwanted telemarketers.
The federal government has responded, sort of. In two years, it has imposed $73,000 in fines.
Here's the good bit -- it has collected $250 of that. That probably didn't come close to covering the coffee bill for the bureaucrats assigned to the job.
I have tried to use the do-not-call list. I notice no impact at all. I still hear the blare of the ship's horn as some cruise captain or other calls to tell me I have won a cruise. I still seem to win the chance to attend a never-ending sales pitch on time-shares on a regular basis.
The news story -- I'm drawing from CBC.ca -- says that "telemarketers are barred from dialing a number once it is on the list." Well, not so much, in reality.
They are also subject to fines up to $15,000 for offending companies.
Doing the math, it would seem, then, that fewer than five companies have even been assessed maximum fines (and none paid), despite 300,000 complaints. And the Conservatives think the long gun registry in ineffective! Heck, it is a glowing example of efficiency, compared to this!
According to the report, there have been 11 fines imposed since Sept., 2008. And I love this comment: "As of March 1, no company has officially refused to pay the imposed administrative monetary penalty."
This is a brilliant approach. Let's use it ourselves, for 407 charges, taxes, speeding tickets. We accept the penalty, we never officially refuse to pay it... we just don't cough up.
In fact, more than 7 million telephone numbers have been registered with the do-not-call registry. People genuinely want to believe this will work, despite all the supper-time and Saturday afternoon evidence to the contrary.
One critic nailed it, listing all the groups that are exempt from the do-not-call registry: charities, political parties, newspapers, and businesses with a prior business relationship. Add to that businesses that don't give a flying leap, and you pretty much have a telephone ringing, all the time.
The situation is pretty clear. We -- I speak for at least seven million Canadians, which is a pretty heady feeling, let me tell you -- don't want to hear from telemarketers. But we do hear the bell tolling for us. Incessantly. Tougher measures are called for.
I'm thinking, put the callers in a room with a hundred telephones, and allow volunteers from the general public to call at whim.
Or put a tracking bracelet on the offenders, and let public volunteers call them when we know they are asleep, or eating dinner, or playing with the kids.
Or issue a referee's whistle to every phone owner, to be kept right beside the telephone, to use in the case of unwanted telemarketing.
Because hangin' up is too good for these varmints.
I'm reading a news story, published today, about the national "do not call" list. You know, the one that prevents telemarketers from calling you. Really.
According to this report, 300,000 complaints have been filed by frustrated Canadians, against unwanted telemarketers.
The federal government has responded, sort of. In two years, it has imposed $73,000 in fines.
Here's the good bit -- it has collected $250 of that. That probably didn't come close to covering the coffee bill for the bureaucrats assigned to the job.
I have tried to use the do-not-call list. I notice no impact at all. I still hear the blare of the ship's horn as some cruise captain or other calls to tell me I have won a cruise. I still seem to win the chance to attend a never-ending sales pitch on time-shares on a regular basis.
The news story -- I'm drawing from CBC.ca -- says that "telemarketers are barred from dialing a number once it is on the list." Well, not so much, in reality.
They are also subject to fines up to $15,000 for offending companies.
Doing the math, it would seem, then, that fewer than five companies have even been assessed maximum fines (and none paid), despite 300,000 complaints. And the Conservatives think the long gun registry in ineffective! Heck, it is a glowing example of efficiency, compared to this!
According to the report, there have been 11 fines imposed since Sept., 2008. And I love this comment: "As of March 1, no company has officially refused to pay the imposed administrative monetary penalty."
This is a brilliant approach. Let's use it ourselves, for 407 charges, taxes, speeding tickets. We accept the penalty, we never officially refuse to pay it... we just don't cough up.
In fact, more than 7 million telephone numbers have been registered with the do-not-call registry. People genuinely want to believe this will work, despite all the supper-time and Saturday afternoon evidence to the contrary.
One critic nailed it, listing all the groups that are exempt from the do-not-call registry: charities, political parties, newspapers, and businesses with a prior business relationship. Add to that businesses that don't give a flying leap, and you pretty much have a telephone ringing, all the time.
The situation is pretty clear. We -- I speak for at least seven million Canadians, which is a pretty heady feeling, let me tell you -- don't want to hear from telemarketers. But we do hear the bell tolling for us. Incessantly. Tougher measures are called for.
I'm thinking, put the callers in a room with a hundred telephones, and allow volunteers from the general public to call at whim.
Or put a tracking bracelet on the offenders, and let public volunteers call them when we know they are asleep, or eating dinner, or playing with the kids.
Or issue a referee's whistle to every phone owner, to be kept right beside the telephone, to use in the case of unwanted telemarketing.
Because hangin' up is too good for these varmints.
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