Just sent a request to Ralph Klein that we make a sizeable donation for disaster relief for the Katrina hurricane.

I feel terrible that our PM has not issued a statement, but am relieved somewhat that Stephen Harper did.

I did suggest that the the donation be made on behalf of the Government of Canada, and in that way, we can assuage the eastern mentality that we are greedily holding onto our surplus while at the same time show support for our neighbours to the south.

THe PM and the DPM have offered assistance to the US, including DART and the military, health officlas and other who can do real work. Issuing a statement won't solve any problems. IS that what you guys call action? Or are you so hopelessly partisan that you have to celebrate Harper's feeble 1 paragraph press release (written by a staffer)?

If statements are what you are into, here is one issued by the Government of Canada.

Statement by the Government of Canada in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina

August 30, 2005 -- The Government of Canada today issued the following statement in support of those who have endured the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina in the United States:

“On behalf of all Canadians, I wish to extend our heartfelt condolences to those who have lost loved ones as a result of Hurricane Katrina, as well as our sympathies to those who have suffered great losses and personal hardship,” said Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan. “During this difficult time, we are offering our support to our friends and neighbours.”

The Deputy Prime Minister added that she has contacted U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and advised him that Canada stands ready to provide assistance if needed. In addition, the Minister of Health, Ujjal Dosanjh, has directed the Public Health Agency of Canada to contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and offer any assistance that may be helpful, such as emergency medical supplies contained in the National Emergency Stockpile System.

Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew echoed the comments made by the Deputy Prime Minister and expressed relief that no Canadians had been reported dead or missing. “We have successfully contacted the majority of those Canadians who are registered with our missions and who may have been affected by the disaster,” said Minister Pettigrew. “We are confident that the U.S. authorities are deploying all possible efforts to assist them.”

“An advisory warning Canadians against all travel to the North Central Gulf Coast from Morgan City, Louisiana, eastward to the Alabama/Florida border, including the city of New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain, was posted on August 28th,” noted Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dan McTeague. He added that Canadians in these areas have been advised to follow the advice of the local authorities.

Canadians with good reason to believe that Canadian friends or relatives are in the affected areas may contact Foreign Affairs Canada's Emergency Operations Centre at
1-800-267-6788, or in Ottawa at (613) 944-6788.

I am surprised that Carolyn Parrish, Michaelle Jean, John Ralston Saul, Lloyd Axworthy, or some other member of our national elite has not blamed George W. Bush for the hurricane. It can only be a matter of time.

Mark Proudman

Bourque, on his website, tears Martin a new asshole over his response:

Memo from Bourque to Martin: "Excuse my bluntness, but I'm directing this to you the person, Paul, not you the PM. I've got to tell you, amigo, this press release of yours late this afternoon is nothing more than Johnny Come Lately pablum ... somebody's got to say it and I'm speaking as a friend ... Hey, man, get with it, this is nothing short of the single biggest natural disaster to hit North America in modern times. Or as Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour put it today, "the worst natural disaster in the history of the United States". There is no reason to wait for other world leaders to step forward first, Paul. Canada's supposed to be the United States' best and closest friend in the world, Canadians are urgently wondering where's your leadership, humanity, and what we're going to do to help ...and all we're getting are benign sterile press releases. Park yourself in front of the national media, Paul, show some spunk, passion, concern, and action. Offer up something material, concrete, and viable to immediately support our neighbours to the south. You and I both know that you're capable of it, that we as a nation are capable of it, that our American brothers and sisters deserve it ... what the hell are you waiting for ?"

Hey "a"

I'm not into statements...I want to see action, and since Harper has no control over the running of the pursestrings (or any other level of government) he did what he had to do to try to get acknowledgement of our neighbours from the sitting government (sitting on their hands that is).

You make reference to the PM offering assistance...where? No where in the government's statement is a reference to the PM made and it is the one that was absolutely written by a staffer (unlike Harper's which was clearly written by himself). Couldn't the staffer at least have gotten a sympathetic quote from the PM to add to it, since I would never expect an action-oriented quote from Mr. Dithers...that would be asking too much.

I'm not sure how you can tell which one was 'absolutely written by a staffer' vs 'clearly written by himself'. Both refer to themselves in the first person. Yes, Harper's statement refers to his wife and kids but....so what? Should Paul Martin wax poetically about how he was getting a foot massage while watching the news coverage and how he was outraged to see the looting?

Give me a break.

I am still waiting for the political leader of Canada to announce what Canada will do to aid our closest neighbors (in many ways) at the time of their worst ever natural disaster. If something of this severity were to happen in Canada, every one of you know that the Americans would be here already, with both hands full of aid. Bugger your statement "a" and bugger you too. Where is the aid?

As in the western draught a few years ago, real aid came at the grassroots level; the same will happen now. Mr. Dithers is following Chretien's lead in staying home and silent.

I urge you all to go back and read Gordon Sinclair's words on how the US helps the world in time of need, and reflect on what your government is not doing now.

Just to help get resources circulated:

wesite to track missing persons in the New Orleans and gulf coast area-

http://www.katrinafinder.us/

The following site has information about the what is going on in New Orleans that is not being reported in the media. Assuming the stories it tells are true, it helps to explain why people there are shooting at relief workers:

http://www.livejournal.com/users/interdictor/