Monday digest

- It has come to light that the RCMP spied on Tommy Douglas, creator of the socialist New Democratic Party and allegedly the Greatest Canadian that ever lived.

I, for one, am glad.

Not only was Douglas a Communist sympathizer, he was an advocate of using state power to sterilize the weak and downtrodden within society, primarily including, as he put it, "the mentally and physically defective" in his Master's thesis, written as a 30-year old at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.

I would only expect that the authorities keep an eye on such a disloyal individual, who not only believed in the use of unspeakably inhumane tactics to deal with the handicapped, but also aspired to become the Prime Minister of Canada.

- Congratulations to China, Cuba and Saudi Arabia, all new members of the UN's new Human Rights Council. No doubt they'll somehow find a way to change the subject away from the tyranny of Hamas and towards the so-called policies of "apartheid" promoted by Israel.

- Interesting article here further to last week's articles on parenting.

- Another footnote in the ongoing war on individual thought on campus, here. The crime in this instance? "Changing people's perceptions" at Michigan State.

- By now, everyone knows that Time Magazine's international edition has dubbed "you" as the Person of the Year, while in Canada, our Prime Minister Stephen Harper was dubbed Newsmaker of the Year.

At this time, I'd like to nominate two other individuals for year-end awards.

First, for the 2006 Road Hammer Person of the Year, Canadian edition. This award goes to Canadian Chief of Defence Staff Rick Hillier, pictured below, for literally fighting the good fight. Hillier was steadfast in his defence of the Afghan mission when some Canadians were lulled into a sense of September 10-like complacency, even when it looked like the Liberal party might balk in support of it as Canadian troops joined with our NATO allies to continue to fight the Taliban and prevent Afghanistan from falling back into the hands of those who would use it as a base from which to launch terror attacks as they did on 9/11.

Hillier never fails to remind us that the job of soldiers is to fight war, not rescue kitty cats who get stuck in maple trees. It's also his tone that I like - for him, victory is just a matter of time and the sacrifices are certainly worth it.

Now that's leadership.

Here's General Hillier in Kabul with some butt-kickin' gals from the Great White North:


Canadian soldiers are amazing.

Next, the Road Hammer 2006 International Person of the Year comes to us from England. I have long admired politicians who are socially democratic at their core but stand tall against the prevailing pressures of the day to do what they think is right for the greater good (see Moynihan, Daniel Patrick for a great American example).

That's why, although John Howard's rhetoric was more firm and unapologetic during 2006, British Prime Minister Tony Blair wins this award. In no uncertain terms, he told those who wanted to enjoy the freedoms and prosperity of British society without recognizing the customs and culture that underpin it that they have a responsibility to adapt.

He also led his Labour cabinet to support the ongoing effort against terrorism against much anxiety both within and without to the point where one Labour minister recently castigated newly elected Canadian Liberal party leader Stephane Dion, telling him to "get real" and support the aforementioned effort in Afghanistan without equivocation.

Finally, Blair has ended the year with a morale-boosting trip to Iraq and the Palestinian territories, warning those who hate liberty that the West will always stand tall against them.

Again, leadership.


Does that look like the face of a quitter?

In many ways, Blair is the real Secretary of State, although Ms. Rice has been showing more promise as of late and her predecessor shows himself as the lone wolf careerist he's always been.

In this blogger's opinion, Tony Blair's legacy is safe, despite what the Fleet Street punditry might say.

Here's to the 2006 Road Hammer Persons of the Year.

(And because it's the season of giving, here's a little something that readers on all sides of the political spectrum will enjoy.)