As this week comes to an end, I can only sit back and say that it’s been a good week for the Conservative Party of Canada.

Who could have expected so many confidence motions to pass without any fuss from the Liberals.

I had thought the 2008 budget would be the most likely cause of an election; however, it turned out to be a really solid budget that was small on spending. Basically, there wasn’t anything in the budget that the Liberals could force an election on; therefore, they will be abstaining from the vote. Now you can understand why it’s no wonder the budget’s tax-free savings account is getting better coverage!

The next big possibility was around the Afghanistan motion. This is where the Liberal party seemed very opposed to the notion of increasing the time lines and staying in a combat role. However, soon after the Liberal’s proposed some minor changes, a revised motion was created and is now expected to pass with the support of the Liberals.

The last news item was the Crime bill passing in the Senate. This decision occurred only days before the Prime Minister threatened to call an election if the bill was delayed.

The highlights of the bill are as follows:

• Tougher mandatory prison terms for serious gun crimes.
• Stiffer penalties for impaired driving.
• Tougher bail laws.
• Tougher rules for repeat offenders.
• Increasing the age of sexual consent to 16 from 14 in certain cases.

The Liberal’s had also abstained on the motion calling on the Senate to pass the bill.

Make you wonder what the Liberal’s actually do in Ottawa eh?

Keep that in mind the next time a federal election actually occurs - hopefully as planned in the fall of 2009.

Add Higga, a member of Foot Clan, is an up-and-coming hip-hop artist based right here in Saint John the Port City (or as he likes to call it “No Support City”).

After buying his CD, I decided to ask him some questions - from how he got started to what he is working on next. Read on for all of the answers.

Add Higga first became involved in the music scene by listening to music. He describes it as the first step - and what a step it has been. Since then, he has gone on to produce his own record, “Peripheral Visionary”. The album features Foot Clan’s J-Smirl , Archetype, Donnie Nimfo, Gorgeous Geordie, and 16th Avenue’s Adam Williamson.

The response for has been quite positive, with over a hundred records sold. The CD is currently being sold uptown at Syndicate and Backstreet Records, along with online at his MySpace page.

He will be performing next at Harbour View High School on Feb 28th, along with Foot Clan and 16th Avenue. It is all ages and starts at 7:30pm and is only $5. You can find out more on the Facebook event page.

As for Foot Clan, they are working on their first debut record called “GhettoBlaster”. You can listen to sample tracks on their MySpace page. Add says you can expect to hear the brand new face of Maritime hip-hop.

That’s not the only album that is in the works; he has also started work on his next solo record “Debt From Above”. He also co-hosts the Def Republic, Saint John’s number one hip-hop radio show (Saturday nights 7-9pm). You can listen in at 107.3 FM in Saint John, or online at SHOUTcast - search for CFMH, or click here.

I bought the CD last weekend and have been listening to it all week. It’s incredible that this much talent exists in our city; however, we have to keep supporting them, and the best way to do it is to buy a CD and to tell your friends about it. Support our local artists and watch them explode across this country!

Listen to some of the songs from the debut album Peripheral Visionary below:

Stephen Chase is boycotting closed-door meetings at city hall.

There are two reasons for the boycott:

• Because of council’s ridiculous decision to launch an RCMP investigation into leaks.
• Because there should be a better system to deal with sensitive items.

“I just think there’s a better way,” said Chase, who has avoided the most recent private meetings, with the exception of an interview with the incoming commissioner of planning.

Chase’s protest was triggered by a council-approved criminal investigation into who leaked a piece of confidential legal information to the Telegraph-Journal. Since then, at least three former council members, a former mayor, a former city solicitor, a political scientist, and a top media lawyer have said the investigation is either baseless or over the top. Chase voted against the motion, along with Deputy Mayor Michelle Hooton and councillors Chris Titus, John Ferguson and Bill Farren.

He wants council to consider a system once floated by former deputy mayor Derek Chase (no relation) that would see all items start in open session, during the televised session in the council chamber. The then-deputy mayor had suggested that staff could write justifications the Friday before each Monday meeting on why a certain item should go from open to closed session. If a councillor wanted to argue that an item bound for closed session should be dealt with openly, he or she could make his or her case - in public - without revealing the most delicate details.

When Derek Chase suggested the idea in 1999, only four people were supportive: the former deputy himself, former councillor Mel Vincent, and current councillors Titus and Chase.

“It’s just another filter,” Stephen Chase said.

Todays Telegraph Journal had a great article about Stephen Chase and his concerns about a possible six cent tax increase mentioned by the city’s finance commissioner Greg Yeomans. He had said that it would be a worse case scenario; however, everything involving the police and parking complex (North of Union) seems to be up in and air right now.

Regardless of best or worse case, Chase says this should raise a “Red Flag” - and he’s right! A six cent increase would amount to an increase of over 3% to everyone’s taxes!

“It bothers me when people say, ‘Relax, spend, we’re in good times,’ ” Chase said Thursday. “Wasn’t the pension board in good times 10 years ago? Look at the mess we’re in now.”

Chase says the city has to do more to cut down its operating costs, which will give the city more breathing room when it has to borrow for big projects. “Let’s watch where we spend on the other side of the ledger,” he said.

Chase, a third-term councillor, has long advocated the city’s getting involved in more private-sector funding and public-private partnerships. He’s also been adamant that the city should do everything it can to rework the city’s outside workers contract, which pegs the minimum number of workers at 293.

Keep in mind that during the budget process, Chase made a motion for council to reduce operating expenditures by $2 million. Council did not support that!

Although he supports the police station, Chase said taxpayers will reject any increase in the tax rate to pay for it, especially with rising assessments already increasing bills.

“If this building is going to cost $20 million, then you should make sure you find the money within your current means,” he said.

I believe that Stephen Chase has hit the nail on it’s head. Regardless of where you stand on the North of Union issue, I think we all stand together on the issue of tax increases. Based on the way the entire issue has been handled thus far, I have little hope that things are likely going to end up on time and under budget.

I just hope that articles like these really do raise a “Red Flag” and make people challenge the planning to make sure that the project does not end up increasing our tax rate and driving more people away from our city!

Let me first say - I love the idea of having another holiday. Now let me explain why I think Jack Layton should not be suggesting that Family Day be a national holiday.

The NDP leader forgets that there is already a day that is not recognized as a holiday across the country. This is an important day that should be - it’s called Remembrance Day. It’s a the day remember the sacrifices made by those in the military who have fought in past and present conflicts.

I do understand what Family Day represents. It’s a great idea; but, it is the wrong one to fight for right now. Jack Layton should be fighting for Remembrance Day to be recognized across the country - both federally and provincially.

I was in Toronto for Remembrance Day in 2007 and it was sad to see how few people were in attendance. That is a national shame and it should be corrected before creating new holidays.

If there is one thing I love, it’s demotivational posters, and this is the website to get your fix.

Here are some of my favorites:

The Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick will choose it’s new leader on October 18th, 2008.

The main convention will take place at the Aitken Centre at UNB in Fredericton with several satellite voting stations around the province.

So far there are no confirmed candidates; however, there are many great potential candidates

Robert MacLeod, the party president, says “I am optimistic that we will have some great candidates and am looking forward to a great race, a great convention and of course, I am also looking forward to the next leader who will help bring the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick back to government.”

I am very excited for the party to select a new leader that can take on this incompetent Liberal government. I am so fed up with Shawn Graham and his gimmicky marketing campaigns. People wanted change; but, we need to be living within our means - we can’t raise taxes every time a government want to bail out a badly run company.

I think the next leader needs to focus on the core items that will move this province ahead the most. The main items I will be looking for in the campaign include: promoting and encouraging small business, boosting our eduction systems, and dramatically increasing immigration (all cultures and languages).

Keep watching here for more news!

The Liberals are once again demanding that we halt the combat mission in Afghanistan to focus solely on development. This plan will only lead to failure of the entire mission.

Peter MacKay, the Defence Minister, is telling it like it is.

“Development and security go hand in hand,” MacKay told the crowd in his home province. “Without security, there can be no humanitarian aid or assistance, no reconstruction, no democratic development.”

“To suggest, as some have, that we can do one without the other is nothing short of pure folly and, in fact, it’s dangerous.”

MacKay also explained Canada’s position that the country supports extending its military mission past the current deadline of February 2009 under the condition NATO sends more troops and equipment to help Canadian soldiers in the dangerous Kandahar region.

“In fact I’m sometimes left to believe that some members of the Liberal and NDP caucus are fundamentally, ideologically opposed to reality when they have this discussion,” he said.

All of this talk is ahead of the confidence motion to extend Canada’s combat role in Afghanistan for two years to February 2011 that is expected to be voted on in March.

Not only is this kid not sorry, he completely pwns the interviewer trying to make him apologize.

What if real life were like the web? Find out below!