He has the internet now

I must admit I have a new guilty pleasure that keeps me looking back to Saskatchewan, the place where they got the thematic inspiration for the movie, The Land Before Time.

I am speaking of Jim Pankiw’s new website. http://www.jimpankiw.ca/

You can see my earlier blog post below to get the low-down on this former MP representing Saskatchewan. This embattled warrior is back and he’s ready to fight the forces of racism against Whites. Yes, you read that correctly. Racism, against Whites.

I don’t think Mr. Pankiw really knows what racism means as he is best known for delivering inflammatory rants and public tirades against native people, and even for trying to pick a fight with a native lawyer at a bar while intoxicated. His actions got him ejected from the Conservative Party, spurned by the press, and eventually voted out of office. Looks like even those people in Humboldt have their limits.

It’s pretty clear that Pankiw has only one agenda or interest in politics and that is to cast aspersions against native people. In his eyes, they are treated with lavish favour and privilege. Clearly, he’s never driven through a reserve before.

Pankiw’s new website is a sight to behold. It features pictures of parliament and him in a gun-slinging stance, thumb in his waist, ready to kick ass. On the site you can read all about him, ask him questions, post on a forum, read hate mail he’s received, and even donate to his cause to get re-elected as an independent. It used to have an intro movie playing to the tune “Back in Black” by AC/DC but I see that is no longer. I guess Mr. Pankiw discovered what a copyright is after getting a call from a lawyer.

"Larger than Parliament" Pankiw (not actual size)

My personal favourite part of his website is a collection of quotes from his time in the House of Commons. He used to regularly ask questions about why the Canadian system is so baised against whites. Most entertaining are the responses he elicits from the ministers, much more than his questions. I’ve including some below for your entertainment.

In response to Pankiw’s question on:

The Public Service

Hon. Joe Jordan (Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, a good question deserves a good answer. That was not a good question.

Hon. Denis Coderre (President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians, Minister responsible for la Francophonie and Minister responsible for the Office of Indian Residential Schools Resolution, Lib.): He should be ashamed of spouting such nonsense.

Official Languages

Hon. Reg Alcock (President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I often find the member's questions somewhat offensive and, frankly, this is no exception.

Aboriginal Affairs

Hon. Irwin Cotler (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I reject the implication in the question about a racist two-tier sentencing scheme.

Hon. Andy Mitchell (Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, those comments are utter nonsense.

Hon. Irwin Cotler (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, once again the hon. member proceeds by castigating aspersions of a racist character, and I will not answer those questions.

Hon. Robert Nault (Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate and I can understand why even the Alliance does not want that member in its caucus.

On Fisheries:

Hon. Robert Thibault (Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I assume the member is an expert on racism because he speaks to it often.

Want more? You can read them all here:

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, move to Saskatchewan

It’s safe to say that Saskatchewan was not ready for the housing boom that started a few years ago. Within the span of months, the provincial real estate market heated up as hordes of property speculators came in and bought up what seemed like bargain real estate prices compared to elsewhere. Of course, nearly all of these speculators were former Saskatchewaners themselves, people who had left the province in earlier decades to make small fortunes in Alberta and BC. It felt like in a Poltergeist movie when they all started coming home. “They’re baaaaaack!”

I remember how housing prices went up 60% in one year alone. My house went up in value by nearly $100,000. I said it then and I say it now: it made sense as people were paying more to live in the same place with no other discernible benefits. I still can’t decide whether the stranger thing at the time was the fact that prices could go up in SK or that people were voluntarily moving to the province.

This brings me to the topic of this post: rent controls. You see, the effect of the real estate boom on rental properties was particularly felt. All of a sudden, rental homes began to be converted and sold. Then with no new rental suites being constructed, the city began experiencing low single digit rental vacancies.

Saskatchewan has no rent controls. So what happened next could have been predicted. Owners began to jack up rent prices to take advantage of high demand or as a way to evict renters in hopes of selling. I knew people who faced hundreds of dollars in rent increases in one month. And where was the NDP govt on this issue?

Nowhere.

To make things worse, no-one in the province seemed to care enough to force and change. The result? A lot of people found out what it’s like to live in a garage.

I find it particularly rich that, now in opposition, the SK NDP is calling on the govt to do what they did not in all those years in power: install rent controls.

http://www.leaderpost.com/business/Saskatchewan+calling+provincial+government+impose+rent+control/2713906/story.html

But according to the story, a change is not on the radar for government. And here is the rationale for not doing anything:

Social Services Minister Donna Harpauer stated:

"Because what happens — and studies have shown — where rent controls have been implemented fewer developers will build multi-door units, as well as the landlords will not necessarily maintain the units they have, using the excuse that they don't have enough revenue from those units," Harpauer told reporters.

Apparently, Ms. Harpauer has no idea what has been taking place in the hottest real estate markets in Canada. Both BC and Ontario have had rent controls for years. And have they inhibited new development or resulted in dilapidation? No! Vancouver and Toronto remain the most expensive places to live in Canada. Rack up another giant DUH for SK.

One Bad Party

Note: A commentator on this site pointed me towards this story featuring good ol’ Saskatchewan. It’s a bit late coming but, by popular demand….

Where were you when the planes hit the Twin Towers on 9/11? I bet it wasn’t partying down at a pig roast…. that is, unless you live in Martensville, Saskatchewan.

Saskatoon Star Phoenix - Sask. Party burned by 9/11 image

FULL STORY

The story is this: someone in the Sask Party constituency association for Martensville released a poster for a fundraiser featuring an image of the 9/11 World Trade Center exploding just as the second plane hit it. The kicker was that–get ready for it—the event was a pig roast for a firefighter who survived the attacks.

I know Saskatchewan is a long way from New York and Afghanistan but the stupidity of this defies logic. They might as well have used the slogan “We’ll have a real knock-em down good time,” or “Get fired up with us,” or “Come go hog-wild at this barn-burner.” And the people at the Star Phoenix are no better by going with the headline “Sask. Party burned by 9/11 image.” Once again, I am reminded why the Star Phoenix is the Daniel Baldwin of the Canwest media empire family: thin on talent and not-so pretty to look at.

Personally, I don’t think any image of 9/11 is suitable for any advertising (unless you are trying to sell air mile Visa cards to Al-Qaeda) but this is Saskatchewan after all. Martensville for that matter –which essentially is a suburb of Saskatoon that provides absolutely nothing memorable to see or stop at as you drive your Sunfire north to Waskesu. Well Martensville, you’re officially on the map now! This means that they will now have to put up a giant roadside attraction. Let’s hope they learned a lesson and it has nothing to do with 9/11.

He’s Baaaaaaaaack!

Jim Pankiw. What else can I say? This infamous Saskatchewaner is known everywhere as Canada’s most openly-racist politician. In parts of Saskatchewan, however, he is hailed as some kind of folk hero, a dare-to-tell-the-truth warrior, valiantly fighting the good fight against the evil political correctness police. Never mind the fact that he has the IQ of a gopher hole and a hatred for aboriginal people that makes my dislike of Saskatchewan look like Mother Theresa’s work in Africa. His only political platform is a dislike of native people and he's more tan willing to talk about it. Apparently this is all you need to get elected in Saskatchewan. While not everyone in the province likes him, he certainly has a legendary following among many. He also seems to have no trouble getting local press. Boy, is that a sad thing.

Jim "Workin' Hard" Pankiw

Many thought that Mr. Pankiw’s political career was over after he lost his seat in the House of Commons and then came in third in the Saskatoon mayoralty race. But like a bad case of jock itch, he is back, and with a vengeance. He announced a few days ago that he will be running in the next federal election as an independent.

http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/Pankiw+announces+return+politics+says+doesn+need+media+federal+riding/2522595/story.html
(check out the video and the comments section)

I’m reluctant to poke too much fun at Mr. Pankiw – if you watch the full video it seems pretty clear that he is either suffering from a mental illness or is indeed intoxicated, as one suspecting reported asked him (see 10:05). Still, I can’t help but find it hilarious that he claims to “have the internet now,” that he invited the media to hear him speak just to “rub it in their face,” and that he equates native headdress with a KKK Klansmen hood. Apparently wearing anything on your head makes you a racist by his logic. I also love how he nearly forgot to mention the reason for calling the press conference in the first place, that is until the very end. And to think - when I lived in SK, I thought Maurice Vellacott was a nut!

Sask Party Political Attack Ad Tells the TRUTH (Can you handle it?)

The Sask Party have released a new attack ad focusing on Lingenfelter (For those of you out of the loop, Lingenfelter is not some new type of stinky cheese - it is the name of the current leader of the New Democratic Party in SK).

The ad is a real doozy that Saskies will get to watch on their TV screens over the next few months while it runs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPGRMk0h0vg

Let me be clear that I am no fan of either the Sask Party or "house band" NDP in Saskatchewan. I have a strict policy of equal opportunity scorn when it comes to SK political parties. Furthermore, I have stated here before my dislike of Brad Wall’s Fred Durst wannabe sideburns and Lorne Calvert’s heinous mug as the face of government for all those years. Heck, I still sometimes wake up from the occasional nightmare involving the ex-premier’s face chasing me around in a wheat field… although the fright may just as well come from the thought of having to live in Saskatchewan again.

The Sask Party attack ad is a real gem. It starts by saying:

“Ever since he moved back from Alberta, Dwain Lingenfelter has been running down Saskatchewan.”

The next part lists a series of ostensibly damning quotes from Lingenfelter.

“These [Saskatchewan] people are grumpy.”
“Our economy is in free fall”
“We have gone from boom to bust”
The Premier is a “loser”

The ad ends with the statement:

“Dwain Lingenfelter. No new ideas... down on Saskatchewan.”

So these are not new ideas? Grumpy people, a bombing economy, and a loser for a Premier are old hat in Saskatchewan? Actually, now that I think about it, Lingenfelter's comments provide very true descriptions of what it is like in SK, the place I call the “rectangle of regression.” Could this be the most accurate political attack ad ever made? Maybe it is not an attack ad at all, but a documentary on Sask culture, as told by a person who I am sure they will indeed name a cheese after one day.

A few other truisms can also be gleaned from the ad:
-Moving away to live in Alberta (or any other province) is what many people have done (including myself) since life is too unpleasant in Saskatchewan for anything other than gophers and crazy Rider fans. But to Sask people, moving away is akin to an act of treason.

-“Running down Saskatchewan” is something voters can relate to since no-one ever walks anywhere in the province – they only drive (a Sunfire, of course).
-Also, being “down on Saskatchewan” is frowned upon on the ad because it really is a terrible sin to say anything but specious niceties about the province when living in SK. It actually is the 11th commandment in SK: “Thou shalt not be down on Saskatchewan,” followed by the 12th commandment: “Thou shalt not crack jokes about Saskatchewan, ever, never, wherever.”

Oh, Father, I have sinned….

Tillman Resigns - A Provincial Day of Mourning

Well, Eric Tillman has done something the Saskatchewan justice system obviously could not: dish up a penalty for the sexual assault of his sixteen year old babysitter. In case you missed the news, Tillman was charged and found guilty of the charge of sexual assault. The judge, however, discharged Tillman with no penalty or criminal record, a sure sign that Rider management get the royal treatment in SK. That is, when they are not busy playing hut the ball with their babysitters.

So the supreme il duce leader of the Roughrider Nation will no longer serve as the team’s GM. I’ve been watching this story from afar and am glad to see that somebody had watermelons enough to do the right thing. He learned the hard way that you can work for the Roughriders but you can’t Roughride those who work for you.

I’ve been watching the fallout at the Rider Nation headquarters - http://www.riderfans.com/forum The reaction there is mixed at least, but more than a fair share of fans are angry to see a resignation. In addition to refuting the seriousness of the crime, they see no problem with Tillman staying on as GM. Sad.

So what’s next for Tillman? Who cares, really but I have five bucks saying he’ll shack up with another person who screwed Saskatchewan – Kent Austin – and film a sequel to Swingers. Gotta love them babies.

You can take them out of Saskatchewan but you can't take the Saskatchewan out of them

While it is true that I am an ex-pat who still loves to take shots at the province, I am NOT this guy!


Sask. ex-pat kept hunting in province, now faces fines
Used health ID to get big game licences

The StarPhoenix January 3, 2010

It was February of 2003 when Brian Larson left Saskatchewan for greener pastures in Alberta.

His Saskatchewan Health card expired a few months later -- but Larson held onto the number printed on it, and in 2005, 2006 and 2007, it allowed him to keep the same big game hunting privileges as any true resident of his home province. He used his father's post office box in the town of Brock as his "address" when filling out applications.

Conservation officers caught up to Larson on May 6, 2008, when they searched his uncle's farm near the small town of Mankota and seized six sets of antlers from whitetail and mule deer -- three from the farmhouse, two more from an outbuilding and one from a grain bin. FULL STORY