I admire the individuality of my walkman cell phone. It's a device that lets me choose the tone of my day and gives me the choice of listening to conventional radio. It doesn't treat me like a confused sheep or an ice cream product posted "Made in Canada" but with significant content from New Zealand. My attitude towards life can be as blissful as a Celine Dion tune or as torturous and melancholy as... a Celine Dion tune.I gave the conventional radio station a try the other day and was enjoying the influx of new tune to supplement the outrageously drowsy elevator music that I, and around ten percent of the radio audience in Toronto are used to, according to last industry survey.Considering we're into a new year, and another minority term of federal government over in Ottawa, I was startled to hear an ad from our gorgeous friends, the Conservatives."Let's make government work," screamed this ad's overall tone and bit, "we need to reach a consensus bladdy-blah..."Is this because Stephen Harper was denied a majority?Was this because our Queen of Canada... ahem... Governor-General gave Stevie a Christmas break slash pick me up from certain political death slash let the public forget my latest boondoggle?Frankly any political advertising, especially from the governing Conservatives, about a consensus "anything" is patronising and insults a regular voter like myself to believe that they were always this conciliatory to political opinion and opponent contrary to their own. Do the Conservatives really think that I forgot their pathetic ways to "crush" what they see as representatives of the dominion undeserving of their seats even though we voted for them? I'm still reeling from the fact that Conservatives even run partisan ads in a post-election non-election period.The mongrels we have in parliament, regardless of political stripe, are pathetically laden with archaic semantics only acceptable in the Victorian era. I am certainly not fond of public advertising calling opposition moves as "Un-Canadian" or compared to a coup of any sort.No, that's called democracy in the Canadian dominion. And any political party should be sued for calling what is legal, "illegal". It's an arrogance that drives me further away from ever voting periwinkle.Maybe I should just use my next ballot paper in the bathroom instead. That's what our current Prime Minister suggests with his current ad campaign and put-downs.

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Why is it so hard to vote?Even with minority governments, the time in which we can exercise such a fundamental right is so easily wasted and ignored by an uninterested public.I turned eighteen years old the day before municipal elections were held back in 2006. All I had to do, even without my name on the official voters' roll at the time, was to bring appropriate identification. It was easy, quick, painless and I got to say it was a calming feeling.Earlier that day, a female friend and I were trolling (which is probably a lousy way to describe it) on Yonge Street in Toronto, entering an adult-themed shop just because I could as a person over the age of majority. It wasn't as painless or calming as voting, but for some voters they would rather enter an adult shop than vote at all.For the record, I glanced and gave a disgusted look considering my naivete and baby face to boot, dragging my suddenly amused female friend out of the store.People are definitely not liking the government as we see it in general. I'm certainly not thrilled with partisanship, or corporate donations, or moustaches for that matter. But voting was a right that we as a country fought for in war and with the British.I'm sure that this history lesson has already bored most apathetic voters I'm trying to convince.Election laws stipulate that you have the time to vote. You can be excused from work or probably school just to slip that ballot into the ballot box.But why such low turnouts these days? Sure, we're not satisfied with politics.But without voting, even with a spoilt or blank ballot, you as a non-voter has given all permission to let the current system continue its apathetic voter-making ways.So take your damn Voter Information Card, and say what you need to say on that small piece of paper. Why is it so hard to vote?

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At the age of fourteen years, a young man was enjoying his life growing up in a town not too far from Windsor, Ontario.This young man was riding his bicycle, and even gave a helpful lift for a classmate he knew. You could tell that this man was very gentlemanly.Suddenly, in a blink of an eye he was arrested, charged and brought to death row, reportedly staying there for over a decade. The young man found out that his classmate, the one he gave that helpful lift to, was murdered, and he was the culprit least according to the authorities at the time.The outrage caused by his potentially lethal sentence was reduced to time in prison, and after he was released the man had lived discreetly, never to be heard until recently.Stephen Truscott sought to clear his name, and the same court system that sentenced him to the gallows, acquitted him.As a miscarriage of justice, it was about time he was cleared of something he didn't do. This case shut him out from enjoying the most lively years of his life, and I for one am angry that it has happened in the first place.At least Mr. Truscott can live the rest of his life confident that he was vindicated. That is good to hear.

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A Californian has got me riled up again.Ignoring the ridiculously airy fluff you can otherwise find in budget ice cream at your local Loblaws, comes the frothy but lucrative views of American politics.The constituents that elected the House of Representatives of our southern neighbour passed a resolution that doesn't affect them at all. In fact, a good-sized group of Maritimers would be affected first (if it affects anyone at all).Tom Lanos, a US representative from the Golden State presented, and successfully passed, a bill condemning the so-called "stunning barbarianism of Canadian hunters".Might I remind you, I have fumigated most of this premises before with the seal hunt. But this has happened in the wake of Belgian lawmakers giving us a shot in the foot.Let's face it. Some politics are dirty. And some, corrupt. But this is ridiculous...Given that seal pelts are sold mainly in China and the less confrontational (compared to Belgium) countries of Scandinavia. 

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It's obvious that patriotism will be in quite a high recently, given that our humble Canadian Dollar has soared into the sights of rates we haven't seen since "King of Kensington" was still on television. It's not very shocking at all for some, but others are worried of a possible death knell to an important part of the Canadian economy. But that's life in a capitalist society like ours.Canada has been known to be cheap. So cheap, a lot of economic life depends on us being cheap. And other than those "No Name" brand generic products you see in the supermarket, it's quite a good thing to have. That means more employment for people all around, from moviemakers who have moved their craft to Spadina Crescent for a good vigorous filming to carmakers who like their parts being a bit cheaper to produce.But the heydays of a booming Canadian economy leading from the 90s are ending, quite soon perhaps. We have been in quite the limbo when you think about it. Economic resources and unusual politics have given us some more wealth, but the manufacturers and city governments who used to cherish those dollars coming in are worried they would cease to exist in advantage to other places because our loon has flew up near space.Should we be worried? In my opinion, no. Back when the Canadian Dollar was worth less than the Canadian Tire dollar in morale and spiritual principle, residents were complaining of how much their money isn't worth so much in places like ahem... south of the border.Maybe that spending from companies outside the country will be headed back to where they originated? We all don't know.But we remain envious of Alberta's flower gardens; remember, they have no debt anymore!

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Birchmount Park Collegiate in Scarborough was home to quite the set of disturbances earlier today. And in the end, in my opinion, the events that followed was the fault of everyone, apart from the police and media.The freedom of speech is cherished here in Canada, to the point of being legally enshrined. This was the message that students brought out in their protest after a number of students were suspended for making comments online. The demonstration grew, especially after the fire alarm was pulled, and thanks to an altercation with police, a couple of students are now detained.What is the point of the freedom of speech, anyways? Well, even the Charter of Rights and Freedoms has its legal interpretation, but in the raw, it's about expressing views.The school was right in the first place for determining that the students were basically striking down the reputation of the teacher involved. It is unfair and intolerant to have teachers being disrespected to this point. It's ridiculously arrogant, however, to suspend students without explaining what these comments were. It is too much for the Toronto District School Board to have a heavy hand over something they don't have authority in. The internet is open to all, but responsibility involves the school, not just the students.The students involved are just as arrogant, even self-centered, to use such a fundamental right to further their own interests. I understand that the right to speech is paramount, but by high school, students are taught that there is a responsibility involved with a line between freedom of speech and libel. It's ridiculously rude to bully, even teachers, and it's not freedom of speech if you cross the line.It seems that students and teachers have feet in their mouths. That's fine... if you can walk with your buttocks.

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