Deficit tax my ass!

I just heard on the news tonight that Canadians are still paying 1.5 cents/litre in "anti-deficit" tax every time we get gas. What deficit is that referring to exactly? The American one?

(I heard this on CTV obviously because CBC is still on STRIKE. Or rather, the CBC's workers are locked out; are all those poor, starving hockey players gonna come support them on the picket line? hmmmm...lol)

Seriously, though, what the hell going on with the governent? They run sky high surpluses for like the past 10 years in a row, but claim poverty every time they pass a new budget so the provinces get swindled. They still charge us deficit taxes (hey, wasn't the GST also a deficit busting tax put in by Mulroney that Chretien promised to get rid of if he got elected way back in the year of 1993??)

So, yeah, where exactly is all this surplus cash going exactly? It's certainly not trickeling down to the average person through social programs or much needed improvement to municipal infrastructure. And it's not coming to us throuhg tax cuts, but that's a good thing since massive neo-con style tash slashing always just benefits the rich and large corporations anyway and ends up creating a large deficit and driving up inflation (Bush anyone?); this obviously doesn't help the economy, or benefit the average person in any way at all, unless you're the type of "average person" that carries around $3 billion in your wallet in case you spot a Fortune 500 on sale for a good price.

So, why exactly are we still paying this extra 1.5 cents on every litre of gas? That amounts to $1.5 billion per year for all of Canada supposedly. That's a lot of money that could be spent on beer now that the glorious NHL is back (stupid bastard greedy players aren't gonna get my money!! I"m watching curling from now on!) The "finance" minister, Ralph something or other, claims that the poor federal gov. needs this money, and that the gasoline corporations are just too stupid and lazy for a reduction in 1.5 cents gas tax to make any noticeable difference. Yeah, $1.00/L versus $.97/L look exactly the same to me, Ralph. The honourable "finance" minister must have received his math degree from the same place FOX News investigative reporter Gerado Rivera received his journalism degree from.

Next time you're at a gas station, I say, calculate how much less youre bill would come to without the extra 1.5 cents for every litre and refuse to pay the extra. If the gas station manager calls the cops and you end up going to jail for the cause, I say good for you. You're making yourself a martyr for the benefit of the rest of Canada.

Don't expect any sympathy from me, though, while you're rotting away in jail. I have no patience for penny pinchers. Even though it's at about $4.50 a gallon by now, every time I gas up I drive across the border into Michigan. I may have to drive five hours to fill up, which wastes a whole tank of gas on a good traffic day, but at least I'm not saddled with the ridiculous one-and-a-half cent "deficit" tax.

Will Hans Island Dispute Turn Into Canada's Falklands War?

What would happen if this on-the-surface innocent little Hans Island spat disintegrates into an all-out war between Canada and Denmark? Do you think our Navy has any hope of winning? It sort of reminds me of the Falkland Islands War (1982 or so) between Great Britan and Argentina that started after years of useless negotiations on who the islands should belong to and was sparked by an incident where Argentina landed on South Georgia, an island nearby (at least I think that's what happend, I'm not an expert). Once they landed, they hoisted their flag too. Sound familiar?

Except we don't stand a chance in hell of winning. Unless the conflict is settled on a hockey rink that is. Yeah, let's send Tie Domi to beat the shit of of 'em!!! They might have huge dogs, but they don't have a Tie Domi.

Anyway, does anyone seriously think our lacklustre Navy would have any chance of wiping the Dane's asses in an all out Arctic sea conflict? You know, the Danish military -- that mighty powerhouse, the lone superpower of Scandinavia. Let's see, since Denmark's population could probably fit easily three times into the GTA, they must have about 30 sailors and one ship. Oh, wait, that's our Navy. Ha ha ha.

But seriously, with Canada's Navy consisting of approximately one trawler, a few tin can subs with cracked hulls we got suckered into buying from the Brits, and a bunch of under-paid, overworked sailers (who probably wish they'd signed up for the air force instead--"They have those cool new planes called the CF-18! They're only like 25 years old!!!") could we even offer the Danish Navy a challenge? It's hard to believe that during WWII, Canada had the fourth largest military in the world. And we were at the forefront of aviation with the Avro Arrow. And we even used to have our own aircraft carriers I think. Not that I'm really pro-military or anything. Probably more the opposite. I just think it's highly ironic that we've gone from fourth place to fourth last place. Kind of reminds me of what's happened to the Jays in the last decade actually. At least the Navy has a couple cool boats still though...

Correct that, not the Falkland Islands conflict. The Hans Island War would be more like Reagan's invasion of Grenada. And guess which side would be Grenada? I'll give you a hint. NOT DENMARK.

I just hope and pray that when we lose this bitter conflict, Denmark doesn't annex most of our proud nation and enslave us in pastry sweatshops where we will be forced to toil long hours in terrible inhumane conditions baking Danishes while our new overlords yell at us in their mysterious Scandinavian tongue (hopefully that only happens to Quebec and Alberta*). Oh, please, Paul Martin. I'm begging you (as someone who voted for you for some reason), JUST GIVE EM HANS ISLAND. The other alternative is just to terrible to contemplate.

*Disclaimer: I only mock our two most beleaguered provinces out of love