Well, hell... why don't we just pick up the tab for everyone in this country that wants to attend the funeral?
Naheed Nenshi wants to attend? Hell why not... the City of Calgary will pay.
Don Iveson wants to attend? .... sure .... sounds good to me.. Edmonton can pay.
Danielle Smith wants to attend with Allison? Why not... we've got lots of money laying around to foot the bill.
Hell... lets even invite Rob Ford... we can pay for him too.
Edit: Maybe we can send a few Senators too... They all seem like a deserving lot. What's another few thousand dollars, to add to the budget deficit, eh?
You are aware that Redford worked for Mandela and was as an advisor to help draft South Africa's constitution right?
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The prime minister’s office says Opposition Leader Tom Mulcair, as well as four provincial premiers and several MPs who made the 18-hour journey for today’s service, won’t be allowed into the Soweto stadium for the event.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper says the decision was made last night by the South African protocol office.
As Rerun said, I hope they didn't go down on the taxpayers dime.
you're worrying about cents and dimes by worrying about travel expenses here - total none issue.
It is not the amount that is the issue its the idea that you need to lead by example. How can you expect everyone to cut costs when you blow money left and right at the top. This is lost on some politicians today and goes back to the Liberals as well.
That being said the Mandella funeral is not a one of those fun boondoggle trips that politicians always get away with. However, its amazing how many politicians you can see at the Olympics and other sporting events all over the world.
On one hand, "Africa" has nothing to do with South Africa or Africa. Now that I think about it, I've listened to this song for 31 years without fully understanding what it's about.
On the other hand, it is an awesome song, especially for singing along. And now I want it at my funeral, as sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti.
Just glad they didn't use the Karl Wolf version.
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We may curse our bad luck that it's sounds like its; who's sounds like whose; they're sounds like their (and there); and you're sounds like your. But if we are grown-ups who have been through full-time education, we have no excuse for muddling them up.
On one hand, "Africa" has nothing to do with South Africa or Africa. Now that I think about it, I've listened to this song for 31 years without fully understanding what it's about.
On the other hand, it is an awesome song, especially for singing along. And now I want it at my funeral, as sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti.
Location: A simple man leading a complicated life....
Exp:
Quote:
Originally Posted by nik-
god, how about you just don't post this garbage here ... go to a Wild Rose rally or something and get the rah rah from them.
The Prime Minister is representing this country. Like how many people do we really need over there? If she's going as Alison Redford and on her own dime that would be great but not likely.
I'm a huge critic of Alison Redford and her government's record, but the criticism over her going to SA is ridiculous when you consider that they are taking Harper's RCAF jet and the marginal cost of bringing another person along is negligible.
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Well in our confederation the provinces and federal government are considered to be equal partners. The constitution divides the powers between the two in a way that is meant to be somewhat equal.
It's not like the province is below the federal government, so premier and the prime minister are supposed to be equals. I have no issue having the current Prime Minister, and past Prime Ministers make the trek on behalf of Canada with an invitation to the sitting premiers, and/or perhaps any premier that has had interaction with Nelson Mandela.
At the end of the day I like that we sent more than just a token support of one government official. Canada is a very powerful player on the international scene, especially in terms of constitutional issues and constitutional development. Why wouldn't we show a strong support for a generational leader?
As previously stated the jet is going anyway.
Stephen MacNeil has taken some criticism seeing how he was just elected and the first sitting of his government just sat. But events of this significance don't happen every day, you have to show your support when and where you can.
This is a man who is recognized around the world, who spearheaded a relatively peaceful end of the Apartheid in South Africa (when the United States faced a similar scenario they had a full blown civil war, I don't mean that as a put down to the United States but to demonstrate just how impressive Mandela's accomplishment was).
We send four sitting premiers and the sitting prime minister and three former prime ministers. I'm pretty proud of that.
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