An Interview with Dr. Karen Overall

Excellent video. Thanks Dr. Karen Overall.

Reason # 16 why Dalton McGuinty must go!

The Dalton McGuinty Green Energy Strategy for Solar Power in Rural Ontario Scandal - Where Dalton McGuinty offered Ontario Working Families in Rural Ontario 80 cents per kWh if they implemented small solar power installations on their properties, only to renege on that deal and chop that rate to 58.8 cents, after many Ontarians already invested in the technology.

In addition to the rate slashing, many Rural Ontarians are now being told that their contracts can no longer be fulfilled, after they've invested their retirement incomes into these Solar Power Systems. This is how Dalton McGuinty protects Ontarian's.

To read more..

The McGuinty Liberal government is incompetent.

October 6th please vote and please vote for the candidate most likely to unseat the Liberal!

Criteria for the CGN Canine Good Neighbor Testing

Canine Good Neighbour Program

The Canadian Kennel Club, Canine Good Neighbour program identifies and rewards responsible and caring owners and their canine partners.

The purpose of the Canine Good Neighbour Program test is to ensure that one of our most favoured companions, the dog, is accepted as a valued member of the community.  Canine Good Neighbours can be counted on to present good manners at home, in public places and In the presence of other dogs.  The program embraces both purebred and mixed-breed dogs and has been created to assist canine owner’s combat anti-dog sentiments which often target dogs as a whole. Additionally, the program enhances community awareness of responsible dog ownership and the benefits associated with dog ownership.

Canine Good Neighbour training is fun, rewarding, and useful. It can enable owners to achieve a better relationship with their dogs.

The test is not a competition calling for precision performance by the handler and dog.  Rather, it assesses the handler and dog's relationship together with the handler's ability to control the dog.

Dogs are evaluated on their ability to perform basic exercises as well as their ability to demonstrate good manners in everyday situations. 

The Canadian Kennel Club encourages all dog owners to participate in this program, thereby ensuring that our beloved canines are welcomed and respected members of our communities.

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT AND MATERIAL  

The handler is required to bring the following equipment to the test

•         Proof of vaccination certificate
•         Dog license
•         Test fee
•         A leash not less than .75 metres (2’) nor longer than 2 meters (6’) in length is required (acceptable collars include a well-fitting slip, buckle or martingale collar, made of fabric, leather or chain.  All other types of collars are unacceptable.
•         A grooming tool – either brush or comb
•         A plastic bag for picking up after the dog
•         For the registration form you need

o        Owner’s name

o        Full address

o        Phone number

o        Email address

o        Dog’s registered name

o        CKC registration number (if registered)

o        Breed

EXERCISE DESCRIPTION

Demonstrating confidence and control, you and your dog must complete theses 12 steps.

TEST I - Accepting A Friendly Stranger

This test demonstrates the dog's ability to allow a friendly stranger to approach and speak to the handler in a natural, everyday manner.

The evaluator will walk toward the handler and dog and greet the handler by shaking hands and briefly chatting. The dog should remain under control with only gentle verbal or leash assistance, if necessary. The dog should not go to nor jump on the evaluator. It must not exhibit any signs of shyness by hiding behind the handler or by attempting to avoid the evaluator, and must not exhibit any signs of resentment.

TEST 2 - Politely Accepts Petting

This test demonstrates the dog's ability to allow a friendly stranger to pet it while out with its handler.  The evaluator will pet the dog on the head and shoulders. The dog may sit or stand quietly beside the handler and may change position, but must not exhibit any signs of resentment or shyness.

TEST 3 - Appearance and Grooming

This practical test demonstrates that the dog will accept being groomed and examined and will permit a stranger to do so. The evaluator inspects the dog, brushes the dog briefly on the back and sides, and lightly examines its ears and front feet. The evaluator then quietly walks behind the handler and dog, returning to face the dog. The dog does not have to hold position, but should not have to be restrained: minor movement is allowed. The handler may assist the evaluator and talk quietly to the dog.

TEST 4-Out For A Walk

This test demonstrates the ability of the dog to walk politely on a loose leash as well as the handler's ability to control the dog. The evaluator will have the handler and dog walk a course, which will include at least one right and left turn and a 180º-degree turn. It is not necessary for the dog to be exactly aligned with the handler or sit when the handler stops. The handler may talk to the dog.

TEST 5 - Walking Through a Crowd

This test demonstrates the dog's ability to walk politely beside the handler in pedestrian traffic while remaining under control at all times. The dog and handler walk through and close to several [at least five] people.  Throughout this test the handler may talk to the dog, giving praise and encouragement. The dog must maintain a position close to the handler without becoming unduly stressed or unruly. The dog may show some interest in the strangers but should not go to them.

TEST 6 - Sit/Down On Command and Stay In Place (Long Line)

This test demonstrates the dog's ability to respond to the handler's commands. The handler may take a reasonable amount of time and use more than one command to sit and down the dog. If required, the handler may touch the dog gently to assist it.

Once the dog has responded to both a sit and down command, the handler will decide in which position the dog is going to be left. The handler will then tell the dog to stay, and walk forward & meters (20 ft), before turning around to face the dog, then will return to the dog.

TEST 7 - Come When Called (Long Line)

This test demonstrates the dog's ability to come when called by the handler. The evaluator will stand near the dog, and instruct the handler to position the dog in either a sit, down or stand position.  The handler will then leave the dog and go to a distance of 3 meters (8 - 10 ft) before turning and calling the dog.  The dog may change position, but must remain in place.  The dog should come readily to the handler; the handler may encourage the dog.

TEST 8 - Praise/Interaction

This test demonstrates that the dog can be easily calmed following a play session or praise. After playing with the dog for approximately 10 seconds, the handler then calms the dog. More than one command may be used, but the dog must display controlled behaviour when told to settle by the handler. The evaluator is looking for evidence of a good relationship between the dog and handler.

TEST 9 — Reaction to Passing Dog

This test demonstrates the dog's polite behaviour while in the presence of other dogs and handlers. Two handlers, with their dogs, approach one another from approximately 6 meters (20 ft). They stop, shake hands, briefly chat, and then continue walking for approximately 2 meters (6 ft). The dog should exhibit no more than mild interest in the other dog, and should not cross over to it.

TEST 10 - Reaction To Distractions

This test demonstrates that the dog is confident at all times when faced with common visual and auditory distractions such as the sudden opening or closing of a door, crutches, wheelchairs, baby strollers, joggers, etc.

The dog may express natural interest and curiosity at the distraction, or may startle temporarily, but should not panic or show aggression or fear. One or two barks are permitted but the dog must not continue to bark at the distraction. The handler may encourage and talk to the dog throughout this test.

TEST 11 - Supervised Isolation

This test demonstrates the dog's ability to be left alone with a trusted person other than its handler, while maintaining a calm acceptance of the situation. The handler asks another person to hold the dog, and tells the dog to stay or wait.  The handler will leave the area and go to a pro-designated location, out of sight of the dog. The handler will wait 3 minutes until called to return by the assistant evaluator. The dog is not required to stay in a particular position, but should not show excessive stress or nervousness by pulling on the lead or trying to get away. Excessive panting, barking, whining, or seeking attention from the evaluator is not acceptable.

TEST 12 - Walking Through A Door/Gate

This test demonstrates the dog's response to the handler's commands as well as the handler's ability to control the dog in a restricted area while moving ahead of the dog and through a door/gate. The handler may speak quietly to the dog as they approach the door/gate.  The handler commands the dog to sit/wait and walks through the door/gate, while instructing the dog to follow calmly and join him. Alternatively, the dog and handler may proceed through the door/gate together, with the dog accompanying the handler on a loose leash.  The dog must not go through the door/gate before the handler instructs him to do so.

Reason # 15 why Dalton McGuinty must go!

Reason #15 McGuinty must go! While McGuinty has been in power the number of Ontario Public Sector workers making $100,000+ has skyrocketed from just over 12,000 members in 2003, to a whopping 63,371 in 2009, or in total, an over 500% increase while Dalton McGuinty has been Premier. We, the Ont taxpayers picks up the bill!

Read on...

October 6th please vote and please vote for the candidate most likely to unseat the Liberal!

Reason # 14 why Dalton McGuinty must go!

Post Secondary tuition has skyrocketed under McGuinty's watch. The Canadian Federation of Students Ontario says the province's undergraduate fees have increased by 5.4 per cent, while graduate fees have spiked 10 per cent. The percentage is higher than the maximum allowable fee increase percentage set out by the Liberals. This makes it harder for Ontario parents to pay for their kids education.

Students struggle to meet the highest tuition costs in Canada.

To read on...

October 6th please vote and please vote for the candidate most likely to unseat the Liberal!

Reason # 13 why Dalton McGuinty must go!

In a word... Caledonia.

How did it come to this? Canada, a nation whose name is held as an international byword for law and order, is now home to natives who are openly running a commercial protection racket in a wide swathe of Ontario land. History shows that such illegal protection rackets typically operate in ghettos, unpoliced immigrant enclaves and lawless frontier regions -- that is to say, places where the official forces of government either cannot or will not enforce the law. So it is in Canada, where the Ontario government has become so terrified of confronting militant natives that it has effectively permitted them to operate outside the laws that bind the rest of us.

McGuinty endangered Ontarians, and undermined the rule of law. He should have had the gonads to step in but he did not.  The rule of law must take precedence over the PR needs of a gutless government. McGutless must go!

The McGuinty Liberal government is incompetent.

October 6th please vote and please vote for the candidate most likely to unseat the Liberal!

Reason # 12 why Dalton McGuinty must go!

The Cancer Care Ontario scandal.

Cancer Care Ontario shows the provincial agency handed out consultant contracts in some of the same questionable ways as eHealth.

It gave a consulting firm $18.7 million in deals over two years, some in the form of so-called "follow-on" agreements, a practice that allowed them to be added on to current contracts without being opened to bids. The audit found the number of follow-ons "excessive" — with at least 26 recorded.

In the two years examined by the audit, about 60 per cent of some $30-million in contracts examined were doled out to three big vendors.

The audit noted that Cancer Care Ontario had no policy for buying radiation therapy equipment for hospitals, resulting in $3.5 million in orders that didn't follow proper tender procedures and in six-figure price jumps.

Contracts for a number of radiation treatment machines rose above the original ceiling price by $300,000 to $500,000. In one instance, a contract price rose by $1 million, because the machine had to be customized to fit into a room.

Another time, extra equipment plus user fees were tacked on, causing a $861,000 increase above the original agreement.

The agency also appeared to have a recurring problem with documenting consultant expenses, with only six per cent of $136,000 in out-of-expense claims accompanied by the necessary receipts.

Other revelations in the documents included:

• Details of some contracts were ironed out after the deal was done.
• One contract ballooned to almost six times its original maximum worth of $3.5 million — to $20.2 million — in a process that lacked proper approvals from the CEO.
• Contracts without tender accounted for 49 per cent of examined contracts for non-capital goods and non-consulting expenses, such as computer equipment, software and equipment rental.
• About $1.6-million worth was paid out over 14 invoices to a company with no written contract.
• At one point, the director of finance had the authority to create, approve and review purchase orders.
• Several employees recruited were offered between $17,000-23,000 over the maximum salary range.
• CCO employee files were kept in an unlocked cabinet accessible to unauthorized employees.
• Even though policy forbade paying for parties, Cancer Care paid for two staff picnics, a farewell function and gifts for staff, one holiday party and a baby shower.

To read more click this link.

For this reason McGuinty must go! The McGuinty Liberal government is incompetent.

October 6th please vote and please vote for the candidate most likely to unseat the Liberal!

Reason # 11 why Dalton McGuinty must go!

The McGuinty Delisting of OHIP Covered Necessary Health Services. McGuinty promised not to decrease any health services covered by OHIP, and also not to raise taxes, he did both on the same day by implementing the Ontario Health Premium and delisting coverage of Optometry (Eye), Chiropractic and Physiotherapy Services for Ontarian's.

The Liberals delisted the services the same day they introduced the annual health tax of up to $900.

For this reason McGuinty must go! The McGuinty Liberal government is incompetent.

October 6th please vote and please vote for the candidate most likely to unseat the Liberal!

Reason # 10 why Dalton McGuinty must go!

In May 2011 McGuinty was asked if he’d hike taxes if he’s re-elected in a historic three-peat Oct. 6, Premier Dalton McGuinty had a cryptic response.

 
“I’m going to promise to keep doing what we have been doing,” McGuinty told reporters. 

 
McGuinty: Clearly what you have been doing for the last 8 years has messed up Ontario beyond our wildest imaginations. Pack your bags!

Christina Blizzard had a great article back in May of this year.

For this reason McGuinty must go! The McGuinty Liberal government is incompetent.

October 6th please vote and please vote for the candidate most likely to unseat the Liberal!

Reason # 9 why Dalton McGuinty must go!

The debt retirement charge on hydro bills was paid down and all collected by 2010 yet the McGuinty Liberals are keeping the charge intact until at least 2018! As if having the debt retirement fund on our hydro bill wasn't enough to piss us off, McGuinty is keeping it as a money grab for another 8 years!


The Tories have promised to remove the debt retirement charge from hydro bills if they're elected this fall. They also promised to remove the HST portion from our hydro bills which Hudak says will save a typical household $275 a year.


October 6th please vote and please vote for the candidate most likely to unseat the Liberal!

Reason # 8 why Dalton McGuinty must go!

The McGuinty Liberals have nearly doubled our now enormous provincial debt. Ontario's debt was $138.8 billion in 2003-04, the Liberal's first full year in office. The provincial debt is now in excess of $236 Billion dollars!

Yup that's $236,300,000,000.00

Try and get your head wrapped around that!

Check out this article from CBC.

Reason # 7 why Dalton McGuinty must go!

In September, 2010 McGuinty made changes to Ontario Auto Insurance. These changes resulted in less coverage for the same costs :

- A 50 % cut in medical and rehabilitation benefits
- A drop in attendant-care benefits
- Income replacement coverage fell to 70% of gross income from 80%

That's right, Ontario drivers now pay the same amount for standard premiums but get a lot less. Insurance companies make more money but Ontario drivers get ripped off.

The McGuinty government has the audacity to issue a press release in October 2010 advising that Auto Insurance rates have dropped by a whopping 0.1% after a 12% increase in the first 3 months of 2010. You do the math.

For more information click this link.

For this reason McGuinty must go! The McGuinty Liberal government is incompetent.

October 6th please vote and please vote for the candidate most likely to unseat the Liberal!

Reason # 6 why Dalton McGuinty must go!

Another one of Dalton McGuinty’s tax grabs: 

Eco-Fees under Stewardship Ontario

On July 1st, 2010, this agency introduced environmental fees on a multitude of consumer products under the guise of funding of recycling programs.

They imposed the fees on such products as bleach, soap, dishwater soap, toilet bowl cleaners, laundry detergents, fertilizers for domestic use, etc.

For complete details of this outrageous list of products, check this link. 

McGuinty will stoop to any level to grind the dollars out of your pocket. He has been on an 8 year spend-a-thon so he must find the money to pay for his large scale spending somewhere.

The huge backlash against the fees sent the Liberals into panic mode and they scrapped the fees on July 20, 2010. More on this issue at this link.

For this reason McGuinty must go! The McGuinty Liberal government is incompetent.

October 6th please vote and please vote for the candidate most likely to unseat the Liberal!

Reason # 5 why Dalton McGuinty must go!

On July 1st, 2010, The McGuinty Government introduced the HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) which adds an additional 8% tax on many consumer items such as; gas, utilities, and my favorite hairstyling. The HST is carving a gouge into the economy deeply hurting the middle class and poor. Just for fun, add up the HST component on your utility bills from the inception last July to July of this year.
It is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain our standard of living in Ontario. Disposable income is shrinking which in turn are dollars not spent on the Ontarioeconomy. McGuinty's insulting HST rebate cheques brought very little relief to already overextended budgets.
For this reason McGuinty must go!
October 6th please vote and please vote for the candidate most likely to unseat the Liberal!

Reason #4 why Dalton McGuinty must go!

On June 2, 2010, the McGuinty Liberal government passed a secret law that temporarily expanded the Public Works Protection Act and granted police powers to stop and detain people during the G20.

This was a disregard of process that resulted in giving the police a half baked law to do their job.

The Ontario Ombudsman Andre Marin conducted an investigation into the law. His report was made public and slammed McGuinty for passing the secret regulation and characterized it as “illegal and likely unconstitutional”.

McGuinty had 20 days before the summit to advise the public about the new law but choose not to. 

Dalton McGuinty would not explain nor apologize for his actions. 

More about the G20 fiasco can be found here.

To read the full Ombudsman report click this link. 

For this reason Dalton McGinty MUST GO!


October 6th please vote and please vote for the candidate most likely to unseat the Liberal!

Reason #2 and 3 why Dalton McGuinty must go!

Reason #2

E-Health Scandal

The Ontario Auditor General reported the mismanagement and incompetence of the McGuinty Government.

Between 2003 and 2009 , this agency wasted 1 Billion dollars of taxpayers money without accomplishing anything. This occured under McGuinty's watch.

Despite the waste and incompetence of this agency, McGuinty rewarded its employees with 1.9% merit raises and bonuses of 7.8% in 2011. 

After a public outcry, the McGuinty government scrambled to have the raises and bonuses rescinded.

More Info on this scandal can be found here.

The full Auditor General’s report can be found here.

Reason #3 

OLG Scandal

This crown corporation was rocked with scandals ranging from expense abuse to insider wins.

It has been the subject of damning reviews by the Ontario Ombudsman and the Ontario Auditor General pointing out everything dysfunctional with this organization. Again under McGuinty’s watch.

During 2008-2009 year, OLG’s employees spent $1 Million of taxpayer money on meetings and hospitality expenses alone.

Ontario Auditor General Jim McCarter released his report on the OLG scandal, which clearly implicated the McGuinty government.

Millions of dollars, originally intended to  stimulate Ontario’s economy were wasted on gym memberships, liquor tabs and car detailing. Many OLG executives, earning salaries in excess of $200,000, used taxpayer dollars to buy clothes, golf club memberships, and expensive dinners.

More info on this scandal can be found here.

The full Ontario Auditor General’s report can be found here and here.

For these reasons Dalton McGinty MUST GO!


October 6th please vote and please vote for the candidate most likely to unseat the Liberal!

And the countdown is on... 50 more days to the election!

It has been a looooooooong 8 years under Dalton McGuinty's never ending punishment he has bestowed on this province. 


The countdown is on and as of today there are 50 days until the election which takes place October 6, 2011. McGuinty set election dates during his far too lengthy stay as the worst premier Ontario has ever witnessed therefore we have known for a while the date of the next election. Gave those of us, who have anticipated it like a holiday after a burnout, a date to hold on to as a possible turning point of taking our province back from Nanny State and the highest debt in the history of Ontario.


I have decided to do a daily countdown of reasons why McGuinty must go. I have chosen today as my starting point although I anticipate running out of days with plenty of reasons left so forgive me if I double up. 


I have chosen to begin with my #1 reason that McGuinty must go.

As of August 29th 2005 the Dog Owners Liability Act included an amendment to ban 3 purebred breeds of dogs and anything substantially similar. This draconian legislation has punished responsible dog owners and resulted in the death of thousands of good dogs based on looks not behaviour. The law is based on mythology and urban legend not fact. The facts were presented to the McGuinty government at a committee hearing where 86 of the 102 presentations were against the ban. The 86 presentations were a compilation of experts worldwide where the presentations for the ban were mostly victims bitten by so called "pitbulls" which isn't a breed but a slang term for a short haired, mix breed dog. In other words a "pitbull" is an unidentifiable or misidentified label. McGuinty had and has full access to all the facts but he treated the facts with disregard and decided to go ahead anyway. This law set a precedence of reverse onus, warrant-less entry, restrictions on mobility among other unconstitutional aspects that they have since used for laws applied to other issues. In other words we dog owners were thrown under the bus while people were spinning over the red herring of the fictitious "pitbull"!  While that was happening McGuinty hit a home run in taking away YOUR rights as a citizen of Ontario and nobody paid any attention, least of all the main stream media.

For this reason Dalton McGinty MUST GO! 


October 6th please vote and please vote for the candidate most likely to unseat the Liberal!