Gold Medals, Gordie, Martha and Life

Great to be able to watch the Juniors breeze to yet another (15th in a row) victory at the World Junior Championships. I had occasion to watch the game with good pals the German Panzer (Willy Hoff), DDP (Dynamite Dave Petrishen), DB (Darryl Balasko) and T (Tony Balasko) with a slight interlude from our pal on Main Street Gordie Steeves and the City's Chief Mosquito man Taz (who was entertaining a sweet young lass at the next table). The event brought back good memories as DB, T and I (along with the Portugese Prince Shtev) had watched the Gold medal game - live - one row up from the off duty Russian referees in Grand Forks just 2 short years ago. Good to wave the flag, wear our game day gear and cheer on our country. We all brought prognostications of a Canada presence in the Wednesday Semi Final and Friday Gold medal games. On the other end of life but equally therapeutic was knowing that true evil on our planet is dealt with severe prejudice as Saddam Hussein was hung yesterday. Our world is safer, better place with him not in it. Now the manner and process for emancipating his evil will be debated for some time and as a Canadian Roman Catholic I have deep and sacred respect for life and my fellow human beings but Saddam was pure and undiluted evil to the core. I do not partake in the "eye for an eye" old testament scripture but I do agree with protecting our world from evil.

Browner Gender Balanced Bouquets for the Year 2006
Female - Martha Hall Findlay she has changed the landscape of women in politics and within the Liberal Party of Canada and will be counted on for a major role in leading the party to government. She has her challenges and trusting and bringing close advisors into her thinking to better support her is one. She will be a force in the immediate future of Liberals in Canada. She will recruit great people and create good policy and will be a major player in shaping party dynamics as she did on the faithful Saturday Morning in December. The bus is gone but the drive is alive in '07!!!

Male - Gordie Steeves- The largest number of votes of any councillor and biggest win at Main Street plus a real ability to bring people together. 2007 will be his stepping out year as he is up to be the next President of the Canadian Federation of Municipalities. After 6 years at City Hall what will be his next step? Many speculate Mayor and the people around Sam Katz are hesitant to bring him in tight as a result. Others state Liberal Member of Parliament Winnipeg South and still others say a "legal beagle" with might on Broadway as a member of Hugh's team not Jon's. He has his faults and I hope he will grow as a political leader and not just a representative of the great people of St. Vital but the man is good. Whatever path he charts he has an extremely capable ability to achieve electoral wins and has the "smell of success" about him. Gord is a guy who sees the good in people and is one of the good guys.