Michaelle Jean Talks About Prorogation

Today the outgoing Governor General of Canada briefly discussed her decision to prorogue parliament (for the first time) in 2008.

You may remember the time of political crisis when the 3 opposition party leaders decided to oust Stephen Harper from the Prime Ministers Office and form a coalition government. (You can read my previous post from December 2008 here:http://thoughtsofrainn.blogspot.com/2008/12/harper-prorogues-parliament.html)

There was a certain amount of outrage at the time when Michaelle Jean bowed to the request of the Prime Minister and agreed to the suspending of parliament. This effectively allowed the government to unexpectedly adjourn the session of parliament, and there by dodged the bullet of a non-confidence motion from passing.

Regardless of whether or not you agreed with the decision, since it was a precedent setting course of action (as no other Governor General had made a similar ruling, and the fact that it prevented the opposition from tabling a confidence motion) the people of Canada were owed an explanation as to why and on what merit her decision was made.

We still have not received a justification.

Personally, my biggest problem was not so much with the fact that it saved the current Conservative government but the fact that the action prevented democracy from occurring. There are reasons as to why a process is in place for what should occur if a confidence motion does not pass. It means that the ruling government has lost the confidence to govern, and that either an election be held, or an opposition party take the reins. In all fairness, Michaelle Jean took that democratic process away from the people.

And for that we are owed an explanation.

Unfortunately, during her conversations regarding her choice, she still has not offered any reasonings. (No doubt waiting until she releases a new book about her time as Governor General.)

What she DID say was that she felt her decision had a positive spin, in that it forced a national discussion and led Canadians to learn more about their "democracy".

I find her comments insulting and laughable.

I am glad to see the woman go, and I look forward to the next Governor General. Frankly, I think anyone could do a better job.

Destination of the Week: Athens, Greece

As fall sets in, the colours become bright and vibrant, the weather seems to suddenly take a turn for the better (we had a horrible summer), and it reminds me of lazy summer days. Which is why I think Athens is the perfect choice for a featured destination!

The weather always seems to be beautiful in Athens, with nothing but sunshine and and the occasional breeze off the Mediterranean Sea.

Athens is a remarkable city, and one of the oldest on the planet. It was once the major power of the known world, and much of modern Western civilization was built upon its principles and social graces.

Over the millenia, Athens has continued to grow, evolve and expand to a burgeoning metropolis of more than 3 million people.

Athens For Miles

Although the city is huge and expansive, you would never know it by walking and touring around. There are always people milling about, and with so many outdoor cafes, charming streets, and public squares, it's easy to think of yourself as being in a small community.

Changing of The Guard: Constitution Square

Of course one of the most important reasons for visiting Athens is the architecture and history of the city. After all, this is one of the places where civilization as we know it started. There are many interesting sites to visit.

The Acropolis is arguably one of the most visited sites in the world. It can get very busy throughout the day, but I assure you it is worth it. This site has some of the best kept ancient buildings in all of Greece. And the government has been working continuously to restore much of the damage.

The Acropolis

Another great site to visit is the Ancient Agora and the Roman Agora, which are located next to each other. They are in an area of the city called Monastiraki, and the local metro has a stop right there. Make sure to tour the whole area of Monastiraki, as there are literally dozens of great restaurants and lots of shopping for the ladies. (Remember to barter with the shop keepers while shopping.)

Ruins in Monastiraki

Other great sites to see are The Temple of Olympian Zeus, The Archeological Museum, and more. Infact, there are so many museums that it would be difficult to see them all in only one week.

The people in Athens tend to be very friendly, and most of them speak a fair amount of English, especially in the more tourist areas. Though they often seem to look at Americans (or Amerikani, as they say) with a certain amount of amusement. They really don't seem to want to make the distinction between Canadians or Americans though. If you are from North America, you will be considered "Amerikani".

The Greek have a much different way of life than we do in Canada and the US. Their culture is very much driven by family. Greeks tend to live at home with their parents until they marry, and family is the most important aspect of their lives. While the Greeks work hard, work seems to be more of an afterthought to many of them. Simply a means of maintaining their lifestyle, rather than an important area of focus. Upon talking to many of the locals, they seem to have a more positive outlook on life and enjoy themselves more frequently than we do.

It is true that the city looks old. The WHOLE city looks that way. But the insides of buildings are well maintained and it's part of Athens' charm. I especially recommend going to the bar on top of the Intercontinental Hotel at night to get a great view of the city. It's truly spectacular.

A trip to Europe is simply not complete until one visits Athens. I think after you've been there, you tend to look at life a bit differently. I know it made me re-examine what is truly important in life.

Happy Travels.

Orgy of Excess

The Liberal party today made headlines in no doubt every news publication in Canada today by calling the expenses of the G8/G20 summit in Toronto & The Muskokas an "Orgy of Excess".

I am not going to defend or attack the expenses of the summits, as I think each Canadian needs to make that decision for themselves.

But what is it about the term "orgy" that generates so much interest in the media, and indeed, with average Canadian readers?

Dictionary.com defines the term as:

1. wild, drunken or licentious festivity or revelry.

2. any actions or proceedings marked by unbridled indulgence of passions.

3. Informal. A boisterous, rowdy party.

While there are a few different definitions, they are all rather similar, and do not leave a lot of room for duplicity in meaning.

However, none of the three terms are overtly provocative. Yet, somehow, throughout the centuries, the term has always held it's connotations of being lewd or dirty.

The particularly lewd connotations stem from the ancient Greek civilization. Specifically in the way certain gods were worshipped. I suspect, the acts of worshipping in this fashion was considered inappropriate with the adoption of Christianity.

Yet even thousands of years later, the term is looked upon as being provocative and even shocking in nature, and thus, is used rarely. This allows the user of the term to be noticed, and considered to be making a rather harsh observation.

It works not only in politics, but with everyday conversation as well. For example, if an online reviewer of televisions, who probably writes reviews on dozens of TVs each year were to state that the new Sony Bravia television was "An Orgy to the Senses", one could guarantee that it would likely be the most viewed or discussed product all year.

So if it is such a powerful term, why exactly is it used so rarely?

I think because no matter how often the term would be used, it would always have that slightly childish, negative slant. Even if the word were to be only used in a positive way (as in the above example). Eventually, the person or publication frequently using the term would be viewed as the dirty uncle wearing a trench coat while reading adult magazines at the gas station.

While it can be a fun and poignant term, use it wisely! It is a powerful word.

Rainn

Featured Destination of The Week - Zurich, Switzerland

Since I like to travel so much, I thought a new and interesting idea would be to post my "Featured Destination" each week.

Some of these destinations may be places that I have visited, or where I would like to go. I will be sure to include some really neat photos, as well as travel tips for each destination.

To start off this week's destination, I have chosen Zurich, Switzerland.

Lake Zurich

Zurich is a beautiful and peaceful city in Switzerland. It sits on Lake Zurich, which is a wonderful place to take a boat ride and do some site seeing of the countryside. As well, I believe one or two of the smaller tour boats actually sail you down the river which intersects part of downtown Zurich for a closer look at architecture.

Part of Old Town Zurich

All of the streets appear to be quite clean and tidy. The Old Town has plenty of high end shopping outlets and pubs are located everywhere if you need to take a break from touring around.

The people seem to be genuinely friendly, though I was surprised how many citizens speak absolutely no English at all, which seems odd for such an international city. It is quite helpful if you speak German or even Italian.

It's easy to get around in Zurich, as the rail system seems to be quite extensive. However, if you stay in the downtown area, you can walk pretty much anywhere. The weather in the summer is pleasant enough that you may prefer to walk anyway.

As a note, they do not typically use the Euro in Zurich, as the prefer they Swiss Franc. The currency is close to Par with the Canadian dollar, but the city is expensive. I have also had reports from some travelers that they had problems using some of the automated banking machines in Zurich, and that for some reason they would not read Canadian bank cards (though mine seemed to work fine).

If you are in town for a short while, I recommend you stay at the Hotel Ascot, which is right across the street from the central rail station. It is well kept, clean, with fairly spacious rooms. There is a nice quiet evening restaurant on the main floor, and they have a great breakfast buffet in the morning which is included in the room rate. Also, the staff is fluent in English, and very polite and helpful.

You can view their website here: http://www.ascot.ch/en.html

If you have been to a place that you think is fantastic and would like to see it featured, send me an email and let me know!

Happy Travels

Rainn

BC Voters Move to Recall Defiant MLAs

Most people have probably heard at least something about the ongoing fight to repeal the Harmonized Sales Tax in BC, which added an additional 5% tax onto many products and services that had previously been exempt.

The fight has been ongoing for nearly a year now, ever since BC's Liberal controlled provincial government signed onto a Federal agreement to meld the provincial sales tax with the Federal Goods and Services tax.

The new "Harmonized" tax has been hotly contested, mainly since the Liberal government had partly been elected by standing on a political platform of rejecting the idea of a harmonized sales tax.

Having our elected officials renege on election promises is not a new development in Canada. However, in a rare form of democracy being exercised, more than 10% of eligible voters in EVERY BC riding signed a petition which forced the BC government to make a choice: Either table new legislation to repeal the tax all together, or hold a province wide referendum allowing the voters to decide whether to scrap the tax.

Now a few things should be noted here. First of all, tabling new legislation does not mean the tax would actually be repealed. Since the Liberal government still hold a majority in the BC legislator, they could in effect, vote the bill down. The tax would carry on and nothing would change. Aside from the problem of mass voter revolt in the next election which would probably decimate their political party for the next 10 years.

The other option of choosing the referendum has its flaws too. A referendum is a lengthy and expensive process, not unlike a general election. It requires polling stations stacked with election officials, and vote counters. It is also NOT legally binding. This means that even if an overwhelming amount of voters choose to scrap the tax, the government is not obligated to do so. Though again, failure to listen to the voters most likely means political death.

In recognizing that the non-binding and expensive referendum is not a favorable option, the organizer of the anti-HST movement, Bill Vander Zalm publicly called for the government to call the legislature into session early and to table a bill to repeal the tax.

Vander Zalm, who spent a great deal of effort to rally BC voters to have their voice heard, was also very up front in stating that failure of government MLAs to table the legislation and to listen to voters and repeal the tax would face the unpleasant consequences of a recall.

In true politicking fashion, the Liberal government chose the route of holding a referendum. Next year. This would allow the tax to be integrated into the province for a considerable amount of time (ie, the citizens would be used to paying it), the heat of the topic would die down, and it would buy the government time to buy votes. Pardon me. Regain voter confidence.

Bill Vander Zalm is now on a mission to show the government his bite is as harsh as his bark. He has already set a date for recalling Liberal MLAs. And, he's published his hit list of MLAs that will be recalled first.

While recalling an elected MLA is exceedingly difficult, (it requires 40% of eligible voters in the MLA's riding to sign a petition in 60 days) the MLAs on the hit list should be legitimately worried.

Vander Zalm's campaign has specifically targeted MLAs that are already weak prey. They are the elected officials who won their ridings by slim margins, or have been embroiled in public controversy since the election. In addition, Vander Zalm is going to start with attempting to recall 3 MLAs, with another one being added every month starting in February. To determine who the first 3 targets for recall will be, Vander Zalm is hosting a Survivor-like contest asking for extremely competitive volunteers to help with recall efforts. Whichever 3 ridings have the most volunteers signed up will end up being the targets. Holding this contest should keep the recall efforts on the list of top stories for every BC news outlet for the next 3 months.

Ultimately, Vander Zalm's goal, aside from showing his displeasure with the government, is to recall enough Liberal MLA so that they will lose their majority in the Legislature.

I for one, hope his efforts succeed. This is a rare glimpse of the Canadian public doing something to hold their elected representatives accountable. It happens so rarely in Canadian politics. Other provinces should be paying close attention to these developments. If the recall campaign is successful, voters across the country may decide that there are viable courses of action to punish their representatives for failing to listen to them.

And after all, isn't that what democracy is all about?

For those of you that live in BC, here is Vander Zalm's complete hit list of MLAs. Yours may be on it:

John Slater - Boundary-Simikameen

Donna Barnett - Cariboo Chilcotin

Terry Lake - Kamloops North

Bill Bennett - Kootenay east

Ida Chong - Oak Bay - Gordon Head

Ron Cantelon - Parksville - Quallicum

Bill Barisoff - Penticton

Norm Letnik - Kelowna - Lake Country

Ben Stewart - Kelowna Westside

Steve Thomson - Kelowna - Mission

Eric Foster - Vernon Monashee

John Les - Chilliwack

Don McRae - Comox Valley

John Rustad - Nechako Lakes

Colin Hansen - Vancouver Quilchena

Jane Thornethwaite - North Vancouver - Seymour

Joan McIntyre - West Vancouver - Sea to Sky

Marc Dalton - Maple Ridge - Mission

Man Pleasures Himself in Wal-Mart Toy Dept

Ok, So this was just too bizarre not to post.

The picture you see is an actual mug shot of 28 year old William Tyler Black. Black allegedly went into his local Florida Wal-Mart, grabbed the latest Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. He then took the magazine into the Toy Department and pleasured himself to completion. The article further alleges that when he had finished, um, playing with HIS toy, that he wiped his hands on a child's toy which was on a nearby shelf.

Police have levied a series of charges on Black.

While I agree that the man needs help and SHOULD be arrested, I think the last charge of Battery On A Child may be reaching for straws. Police felt that the charge was reasonable, as they concluded it was possible that a child may have come into contact "with the fluid on the toy".

In any case, I guess Wal-Mart really DOES have everything.

Montreal Canadiens Too English?

So today, Pauline Marois, Parti Quebecois leader (That's the official opposition party in the Province of Quebec) stated publicly that she felt the players on one of the most beloved NHL teams in history, the Montreal Canadiens, are "not French enough".

Apparently, Pauline also told reporters the fact that there are so many non-French players on the team is not in Quebec's interest.

Sound stupid? Wait. It gets more retarded.

Pierre Curzi, who is the language critic for the Parti Quebecois stated on a popular French radio program that he believes the lack of French players is "Not by chance" and that it is an attempt to "Serve the Federalist agenda"

It seems that Curzi's comments have created quite a stir in Quebec, and indeed within the NHL.

Dominick Saillant, a spokesman for the Montreal Canadiens responded by saying that language has nothing to do with who plays on the team, and that player selections are done purely based on talent.

As it should be, in my opinion.

Saillant did go on to say that as long as people are counting, the Canadiens do have more francophone players than any other team in the league, with 11 being French.

Since the public furor, language critic Curzi has attempted to backtrack on some of his comments suddenly saying he did NOT believe this was a deliberate attempt by the team to stack itself with English players. This came after Pauline Marois denied that there was a federal conspiracy to slight the French speaking people.

As if Curzi doesn't sound brain-damaged enough, he made headlines 2 years ago when he spoke out against Paul McCartney putting on a free show on the Plains of Abraham to celebrate Quebec City's 400th birthday. He stated it was inappropriate for McCartney to be singing in English on the historic battle site of French and English troops.

On a personal note to Curzi, should he happen to read this: 1. I doubt Paul McCartney could care less about furthering Canada's Federalist agenda, and 2. The French LOST. Deal with it.

All of the above shenanigans is a prime example of what is wrong with the Parti Quebecois. I don't really have a preference for or against Quebec separating. Whatever they want to do is fine with me.

What I DO have a problem with however, is irrational, uneducated ramblings from people in high ranking positions with the intention of getting the public worked up. Instead of wasting valuable air time being negative and looking for non-existent conspiracies, the party SHOULD be showcasing the positives and uniqueness of their culture. Why not spend some of the cultural dollars Quebec has and use it for a cross Canada promotion of French Heritage? Lots of provinces (ie, New Brunswick, Manitoba and even Alberta) have a significant Francophone population, and such actions would probably do well to convince other Canadians to embrace the importance of the French culture.

What do you think? Am i being too hard on the Parti Quebecois? Or do they really use scare tactics on a frequent basis. I don't live in Quebec, so it is possible I have a bias. If you think so, let me have it!

Rainn

The Vegas Lights Collection

So this winter I finished a new collection of photos called The Vegas Lights Collection. I really like this series, and yet I haven't done anything with the photos.

Typically I will add them to my collection for sale, or give away some prints for gifts or auction, but so far... nothing.

I am not really sure why. I guess though, since I moved into a new city this month, I am suddenly ready to share them.

So here they all are. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Rainn

The Bellagio

Bill's Gamblin' Hall

Caesars Palace

Ballys & The Eiffel Tower

Flamingo

The Strip

Telus Mobility Sucks!

Ok, so lots of people say lots of different companies suck. So why should you read this post?

Here's why:

Telus Mobility is selling you a product that doesn't work properly. And they know it. And they won't compensate you in any way.

About a year and a half ago, the iPhone was made available in Canada through Rogers Wireless. Rogers was first to the market because they have been using the SIM card network for years. Canada was one of the few industrialized countries where the majority of the big telecoms (ie Telus & Bell Mobility) used CDMA technology - meaning that SIM cards were not used, and therefore most handsets were programmed to only work on one specific network.

However, Telus & Bell were wise enough to realize that the majority of popular smart phones would all use SIM cards, and that the manufacturers would not make special versions of their handsets to work with the CDMA networks that they were running. This forced the two companies to work together on their networks again to create a new SIM card enabled HSPA network. And presto! Both phone companies could now sell the iPhone.

So I finally caved in June of this year, and purchased an iPhone through Telus Mobility. I'm not a hardcore tech geek, but I already had an iPod touch, and my phone was outdated, so I thought why not combine the two?

When I first got the iPhone, I was working in Fort McMurray, Alberta, which is WAY north, and well known for cell reception problems and dropped calls. I would get the occasional dropped call on m iPhone when I was there, but my old phone (which worked on the old CDMA network) would do the same thing, so I figured things were par for the course.

After two months of using the iPhone, I traveled to the US for a week and my phone worked perfectly fine there. After returning from The States, I moved to Calgary, Alberta. Suddenly, my iPhone seemed to suck. Bad. Really bad, in fact.

I have now been in Calgary for 3 weeks, and I am averaging 2 - 3 completed calls out of every 10 calls made. The rest of the calls drop, and I get that lovely message 'Signal Failed' on my iphone. The signal typically drops right away. And in a some cases, the bars on my phone show full, but it drops the call any way. The call usually drops in the first five minutes or less. Yesterday, when I was trying to make a call, it dropped 3 times while the phone was still ringing.

So finally, the other day, i needed to call a utility company to get my utilities connected, since I had just moved into my new home. As usual for utility companies, I was placed on hold on their automated system. After being on hold for 18 minutes... You guessed it. 'Signal Failed'. This was the last straw. I called Telus.

I called Telus (and ironically the phone did not drop the call). I navigated my way through the automated system to talk to a technician. (I'm sorry, I do not remember his name). Here is a brief script of key points of the conversation as I remember it:

Tech: Thank you for calling Telus, how can I help you today?

Me: Yes, I was wondering if you have been having a problem with your network in the Calgary area lately? My phone has been dropping calls for-

Tech: (Interrupts) Yes, we are. We have been having problems across Alberta for some time due to the network upgrades we are doing.

Me: Oh, I see. Well do you have any idea how much longer this will go on for? I can barely make a call.

Tech: I really don't know. I could say 6 months, but it might be a year. The upgrades to the system are slow, because we have to work with Bell on the network and that takes time.

Me: A year? Really? Well, that's not really acceptable to me. This is the only phone I have and I use it for business. I was speaking with a client the other day, and the call dropped 3 times. That doesn't make me look very professional.

Tech: Yes I understand. But the network is in its infancy, and we are constantly trying to improve it. (Tech then goes into a long winded speech about the problems that other companies such as Rogers had when they launched their networks.)

Me: Ok, I understand that, but we need to come up with a solution.

Tech: Well, what do you suggest? You can always press both buttons on the iPhone and hold for 10 seconds to try and reset the phone. (I am not sure how he knew I had an iPhone.)

Me: Well, either provide an ETA on how long the reception troubles will be, or find a way to compensate me for service interruptions.

Tech: That is not likely to happen sir. We do not guarantee service or reception and we have a limited liability. You have signed a contract stating that you agree to those terms. Let me read the liability section of the agreement to you. (Tech then reads 2 paragraphs of fine print to me verbatim.)

Me: Well, I admit that I did not read all of the fine print in the contract. Who does? I will accept responsibility for not reading that, but in all fairness, what you just told me is that you sell a product but don't stand behind it in any fashion.

Tech: We stand behind our products, sir.

Me: How is that? The product doesn't work, I am paying full price on it, but you refuse to help me. In addition to that, it is misleading. Do you think any of your sales people are telling customers that there have been constant problems with the network?

Tech: We no, I am sure they don't. But it's not misleading.

Me: How is that not misleading? They are selling a product that they know does not work correctly, but they are not telling anyone. Do you think I would have bought the product if I knew there were network problems?

Tech: Well no, I am sure you wouldn't.

Me: Well then. It's misleading, isn't it?

Tech: Well what do you suggest?

Me: As I said before, either provide me with an ETA on when the service will be reliable, or connect me to somebody who can compensate me for lack of service.

Tech: Ok, no problem. I can connect you right away to someone from our Loyalty and Reception department. Can you hold for a moment?

Me: Yes that's fine.

That portion of the call lasted about 20 mins, as the tech told me all about their new HSPA network, and that it is a new technology for them, and like all new products, its takes a year or so to work the bugs out of it.

He didn't try to offer any solutions for compensation, and he couldn't offer any solutions to make the reception problems disappear, but he is a technician and his hands were tied. I understand that. So I waited on hold for about another 8m minutes, and I was seriously rocking out to some hard core elevator music. This is where the call gets more interesting.

Tech: Hello Sir. Thank you for holding. I have Nicholas on the line for you. I gave him a brief update of what we talked about, and he will take care of you now. Thank you for calling.

Nicholas: Hello, my name is Nicholas. How can I help you?

Me: Well, I am guessing that the Tech told you about the issues I was having?

Nicholas: Yes. (Pause. Nicholas liked to pause A LOT on this call.)

Me: Well the issues I am having are not really acceptable. I use my phone for business, and at this point in time, it doesn't hardly work.

Nicholas: I see. And what would you like us to do Sir?

Me: Well, either provide me with an ETA on when the network will be working normally, or, if it's not going to work properly, then we need to make it financially viable for me to stay with you.

Nicholas: You mean as in a credit? Why would we do that?

Me: Your product does not work consistently. There must be some benefit to stay with your company. Either reliable service, or reasonable prices. Currently, I am paying a premium to be on your network, but the network does not work well. So, then the price must be cheaper than your competitors, or there is no point in staying with your service.

Nicholas: Pause. I have nothing to credit you for. The network is fine. It sounds like the reception problem is with your phone, and I recommend you send the phone back to apple to be repaired.

Me: Pause. There is nothing wrong with the phone. It works perfectly fine everywhere except in Calgary. If the phone works everywhere else, then there is not a problem with the phone.

Nicholas: That's not true, if the phone works in other places, but not in a big city, then there could still be something wrong with your phone. We have not had any problems with the network in Calgary since last November.

Me: But that's not true. In fact that's the exact opposite of what your tech told me. He told me himself that you have had constant problems with the network here.

Nicholas: No, I don't believe so. To my knowledge there has been no problems with the network in Calgary since last November.

Me: Well, no offence to you, but I think I'll take the word of your technician over you on network problems.

Nicholas: That's fine. So what would you like me to do then?

Me: Well, credit my account for the service I am paying for but can't use please.

Nicholas: I have no credits for you and nothing to credit you for.

Me: Pause. Well then maybe we need to put in for a disconnection of service.

Nicholas: Snicker. Well what network are you going to go to then?

Me: There are others out there. There's Rogers.

Nicholas: Snicker. Yes, but their network is older and slower.

Me: Yes, but if I can actually make a call on their network, then it doesn't really matter, does it?

Nicholas: Well that's fine. When would you like a disconnect?

Me: Let's go for September 30th.

Nicholas: Your billing cycle ends on October 9th. I can disconnect then. Does that work for you?

Me: Yes, that's fine. And just so I can write it down, what is your name and position again please?

Nicholas: My name is Nicholas and I am in the Loyalty and Customer Retention department.

Me: Really? Well good job. Anyway, thanks.

So, the long and short of the call was the Tech admitted they have been having problems with the network all over Alberta for some time. He also told me that they have no idea when it will be working properly, as it is a 'new technology' for Telus. Both people I spoke with refused to compensate me in any fashion, and Nicholas, who supposedly works for Customer Retention did not even make a suggestion that would have attempted to retain me as a customer.

If you are going to purchase an iPhone, or a smart phone that uses a SIM card, I warn you, do not purchase it from Telus, or you will be really sorry.

Got a horror story about Telus? Tell Us all about it!

Harper Prorogues Parliament

So Harper successfully managed to petition the Governor General to prorogue Parliament until the end of January.

I have difficulty believing that this is in the best interest of the Nation, rather than the Conservative Party of Canada.  How, when Canada is facing an economic crisis, is it worthwhile to STOP working for two months, rather than let a coalition of people get to work and deal with the problem?  

This is purely a move on the Conservative Party to retain power, rather than to help the Nation.  

And shame on the Gov. General for bending to the will of Harper.  Granted the Gov. General position is primarily figurehead status, and has little real power in our current political system.  But considering that this is probably the first time in nearly a century that the Gov. General had a decision to make that actually effected all Canadians, she should have taken a different course of action. 

Since this was relatively uncharted territory in the History of Canadian politics, the Governor General SHOULD have consulted the British Monarchy for advice on how to proceed.  After all, that is her job.  She is a representative of the Queen.  Do not mistake her position as a Regent.  She is not to rule, but rather to represent the Queens authority.

Not only did Governor General Michael Jean NOT consult the Queen when making her decision, but now she has set a very dangerous precedent for future minority governments.  By choosing to prorogue Parliament, she has allowed any minority government to halt parliament whenever they may risk falling to a motion of confidence.  This gives almost any minority government an inexcusable amount of power.

So now, we wait another two months while the Conservatives wage a multi-million dollar propaganda campaign against the coalition, and the economy will continue to crumble.

I would like to be able to sit in a room with Stephen Harper for just 10 minutes, so that I might begin to understand his line of thinking.  The Conservative economic update not only lacked a stimulus package for Canada, but also included eliminating the right of Unionized public servants to renegotiate their contracts (granted I think most of them are already over paid, but they should still have the right like everyone else does), and limited the ability of women to sue for pay equity, but it also eliminated the political subsidies provided by Elections Canada to all of the political parties.  

Regardless of whether or not you feel the political parties should receive subsidies to help them focus on working, rather than fundraising, Harper had to know it would cause a political backlash.  And to save $26 million?  It's a drop in the bucket compared to the billions the economy needs in investment.  I have a hard time believing that Mr. Harper sat at his desk, feverishly looking for an area where he could save a few pennies.  I have a feeling it had more to do with the ability to potentially cripple his opponents under the guise of 'cost cutting'.  I think he expected it to go over better than it did.  But, if I am correct and that was his real motivation, I think the man is too stupid to be allowed to be Prime Minister!  Forcing your political competitors into virtual bankruptcy does not show good faith.  Especially to voters that you haven't convinced yet to agree to your way of thinking!

I would strongly suggest removing the man from leadership of the Conservative Party before he causes more political fallout.  Oh, that's right.  We can't.  Parliament has been suspended!

The Canadian Coalition?

This week, the Liberals, the NDP and the Bloc all stated publicly that they would NOT support the Federal Conservative's economic update.  They claim multiple reasons for this, including the fact that there is no sign of any type of economic stimulous included in the update, the fact that the Conservatives are trying to take away any public servants ability to go on strike (or effectively renegotiate their contracts for their own benefit) , and the fact that the Conservatives would do away with the subsidy provided by Elections Canada to the political party.  

As you well know, all three parties voting against the Conservatives bill would bring down the minority government.  That leaves us either with a Coalition government or another election. 

So the Conservatives seem to be on their way out, and the Liberals and NDP in.  Interesting turn of events considering we Canadians just had an election 6 weeks ago.

I hear people bitching on both sides of the matter.  Those with Conservative view points tend to think that it's mutiny at best - as a whole, the Cons won more seats than any other party, and therefore, should lead the government.

Those on the Liberal or NDP side of the fence point out that not only did the Cons not win a majority government, but they also only had 35% of the votes.  So why not let a coalition of Liberals and NDP, who together received 50% of the vote run the country?  These people argue that at least this way, more Canadians will be represented in government.

Personally, I think there is merit to a coalition.  Not because of a numbers game, but simply because it will force the majority of our MPs to work together and compromise whether they want to or not.  Either they co-operate, or we go back to the polls again.  

Going back to the polls would likely not sit well with the bulk of Canadians, who are pretty much 'electioned' out.  We have had 3 federal elections in 6 years.  Add to that the overwhelming media saturation of the American election for the last two years, and that's a hell of a lot of politics.

I say bring on the damned coalition and get back to work!  Be done with it already.  We are in the midst of an economic crisis, and political instability is the last thing we need.  Aside from racking up a costly bill, another election within 6 months would likely see us back in the same situation we are already in.

Canada is ready for a new type of government.  There has not been a coalition since the 1920's.  I think that they Canadian People's political views are diverse enough that the bulk of Canadians would support a coalition government.

Just don't let Stephane Dion play Prime Minister.  There are at least two other men available who would do a much better job.

Rainn

Carleton University; Department of Idiocy

So the Student's Union at Ottawa's Carleton University, have decided to stop supporting Cystic Fibrosis with their annual 'Shinerama' fundraiser, "has been recently revealed to only affect white people, and primarily men." (http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2008/11/25/ot-081125-shinerama.html).

The entire student union, sans 1 representative decided to vote against the charity, and to find a new recipient for their fundraising dollars.

The Shinerama drive, where students spend a week shining shoes or cars for donations, has been an institution at Carleton for nearly 25 years.

While I am all for being racially and gender inclusive, it seems to me using politics to choose a charity is rather despicable.  The last time I checked, Cystic Fibrosis was a fatal genetic disease, for which their is currently no cure.  But I guess it's alright to cut them off from funding, because, you know, they are mainly all just white men.

HELLO?  Am I the only one that sees the idiocy in this line of thinking?

According to the student council motion that passed this week, orientation week "strives to be inclusive" and "all orientees and volunteers should feel like their fundraising efforts will serve their diverse communities."

I fail to see the logic in this statement.  Does this mean that I should not feel that raising money for breast cancer research is not serving my community, because I am not a woman?  Should I feel that my community is not being served by people who fundraise for sickle cell anemia since it affects mainly black women, and I am not black nor a woman?

I sincerely hope that the students of Carleton who disagree with this policy demand changes in their student union representation, and continue to raise money without official support from their University.  

I feel badly for these students, as it is likely they will be considered guilty of idiocy, purely by association to their student council.

I can only hope that the Cystic Fibrosis foundation will receive additional donations from people who were outraged by this callous decision.

Remember that a disease causes heartache for everyone regardless of the victims appearance.  

Keep Giving.

Rainn

Election Frenzy

Sarah Palin

Elizabeth May

So. Two federal elections in North America within a 4 week period.

Thank God that's over. If I see one more political ad on TV in the next year, it will be too soon.

First, we had the federal election in Canada the day after Thanksgiving. I know *I* was impressed, having $300 million of taxpayers dollars to hold another election with nearly the same results as before.

Stephen Harper continues his minority government after breaking his own law to call the election in the first place. The Liberals continue to be the official opposition (though with a few less members). And Jack Layton contiues to be the runner up, along with Gills Duceppe. However I have a feeling Jack is going to be louder than ever with his newly acquired seats this term.

The one silver lining of it all was the surprisingly well spoken and knowledgable Elizabeth May, leader of the oft mentioned, yet fruitless Green Party. This lady made it seem possible for a new party to stand a real chance and make a real difference in politics. Even though she did not win her seat, I have faith that it won't be too much longer before we see her calling everyone in parliament hill a 'fraud' in both official languages during question period.

Now to the American Election which made history with their first Black President, Barack Obama. I think its great that finally we see some diversity in the American government rather than rich, old white men who supposedly represent the American Populous. Still, part of me thinks the nation would have been better off with Hilary at the Helm. Does anyone REALLY believe that she wasn't running the show behind the scenes during the Clinton administration?

Which finally brings me to the now infamous Sarah Palin. Is this woman to be believed? She certainly has a marketable appearance, but come on! She's the govenor of Alaska! It's like asking the Mayor of Flin Flon, Manitoba to run New York City! Perhaps not the brightest idea the republicans have had. And I can guarantee that the only thing that will be remembered from this election, aside from the Historic President Obama, is 'I can see Russia from my house!'

Rainn

I'm Baaaacckk!

Yes, its true.

I am back and better than ever.

I had taken a nearly two year hiatus from blogging and photography to pursue another passion. Alcohol!

No, I am not a problem drinker, but I have been running a bar in Fort McMurray, Alberta Canada.

I am still running the bar, but have managed to free up some time for the blog once again.

So, excuse me while I go mix a drink, but I will be back shortly to give you all a piece of my mind. (So to speak.)

Rainn

Canada Bans Incandescent Lightbulbs - And why it's a stupid idea.

According to Environment Minister John Baird this morning, Canada will enact a plan to completely ban incandescent light bulbs within 3-5 years. This follows the footsteps of California and Australia.

While it could be said that there are some environmental and financial benefits to consumers on banning these bulbs, it's what they are NOT telling you that makes this plan completely irrelevant.

The office of the Environment minister says that these bulbs are inefficient, and that 90-95% of the energy used in incandescent bulbs are emitted as heat, rather than light, thereby wasting electricity, and costing consumers money.

John Baird says consumers who switch to energy efficient fluorescent lights will help clean up the environment, and will save about $50 a year on their electricity bills.

And this is all true. The fact that fluorescent lights are more efficient is hardly a new revelation.

So how could banning incandescent bulbs possibly be bad, you ask?

What the Minister is NOT telling you is that fluorescent lights are harder to manufacture. Instead of using a normal filament to emit light, fluorescent bulbs contain argon or neon gasses. These gasses contain mercury vapour, which become excited when hit by electricity, which creates a plasma that emits ultra violet light. Then, the ultra violet light causes a phosphor to fluoresce, and Presto! Instant light.

One would be relatively safe to assume that a product which is difficult to produce (or at least more difficult than a typical light bulb) will actually pollute MORE during the manufacturing process. Also, as you probably have guessed, argon and neon gasses are not without their own environmental impact. These bulbs are not safe to toss into the trash, as you would with a standard light bulb. In fact, most fluorescent bulbs say right on the packaging that they should be disposed of at a proper facility equipped to handle such an item. And, as we all know, most people will simply throw the bulb in the trash when they have expired.

In addition to this, there is the matter of the actually efficiency of the bulb AFTER it has been manufactured. While light bulbs which emit a significant amount of heat may not be a good thing for places such as California or Australia, it IS a good thing for Canadians. We live in a country which typically requires our homes to be heated 70% of the year. Not only in winter, but often during summer nights depending on where you live. Incandescent light bulbs help us maintain a comfortable temperature in our home. Any savings Canadians realise on their electricity bills, will automatically be transferred to our heating bills. And of course, lets not forget that fluorescent bulbs are more expensive to purchase.

So what will be the ultimate outcome of this light bulb ban? Increased pollution during manufacturing of the fluorescent bulbs, increased costs to buy bulbs, and the potential to harm our environment even more during the disposal process.

Bravo John Baird! It looks like you have definitely thought this plan through.

Rainn

Saturn Update

So as I was reading my email today, I received a note from another dissatisfied Saturn owner expressing sympathy for me regarding my car. This reminded me that I was going to keep you all posted on what was going on regarding my 2005 Ion.

The car currently has 36,000KM on it. It has been in the shop more often than I have been able to drive it this year. A few weeks ago, my power steering stopped working. It, like all of the other problems on my car was intermittent. I had been driving it for an hour or so, and stopped at a photo lab to drop off some prints I had been working on for a client. About 10 minutes later, I came back outside, and drove down the block to Wal-Mart. I only picked up 1 item at Wal-Mart, and I went outside and started my vehicle. Everything appeared normal until I attempted to back out of my parking space. The steering wheel wasn't turning! I thought perhaps that I had a large build up of snow and ice around one of the wheel wells (This is a frequent problem with this car) and that maybe it was preventing the wheels from turning. I got out and checked, but the wheel wells were clear. So I jumped back in the car, started it again, and heard that lovely beeping sound that indicates there is something wrong with the car. Sure enough, the Power Steering message was flashing on the LCD screen.

So, I drove the car home using my superior biceps to control the vehicle. I immediately made an appointment to take my car in for servicing. The soonest I could get it into the shop was in 3 days time.

So the next day, being that I do have a job, I drove the car without power steering. On the second day before going into the shop, I turned over the engine, and wouldn't you know it, my power steering was back, and the car thought everything was peachy keen. And it remained that way right up until the car went into the shop.

At the shop, the mechanics said they had no idea what caused the problem. There were 3 error codes in the computers log, and they simply indicated that there was a low voltage problem. They had asked me if the car had recently been boosted, or if I had given anyone a boost. I said no. So they listed the repair as 'No Fault Found' and sent me on my way.

The next day, I had driven to a client's office. I went to park my car, and wouldn't you know it, the key wouldn't come out of the ignition. This would be the 4th time that the car has went into the shop for this specific problem.

I cancelled my meeting with the client and drove the car home. I had to leave it in the driveway with the key stuck in the ignition. Of course, I locked the vehicle using my spare key.

I called Saturn to make an appointment to take my car in for service. Being that I am currently in Fort McMurray, and there is no Saturn Dealership here, Saturn asked me to take the vehicle to Canadian Tire, because the automotive manager there used to be a technician for Saturn. I drove the car there that day, and the service manager told me he would diagnose the problem and call me the next day.

He lived up to his promise. He told me this time (unlike the last few times that I had taken the car in for this problem) that the problem was the shifter. It was not locking into place, and therefore, the car did not know that it had been put into 'Park', and therefore, would not release the key. He told me that he had contacted Saturn to let them know what the problem was, and that he was waiting for the Saturn Dealership in Edmonton to let him know how he should proceed. He said he would get back to me on Monday (as this was currently Friday).

In the mean time, I had made sure that I contacted Saturn's 1-800 number to make sure everything was documented, and that this would be listed as a warranty issue. The woman who was helping me deal with this was really quite pleasant and helpful. Her name was Marg Powell.

I also asked to speak with Mary Clarke. She is on Saturn's Management Review Board. I had spoken with her in the past when I had NOT been receiving any help from the call centre employees, and had asked her to help me find a solution with this piece of junk car. I suggested giving me a new car for the duration of my lease, or simply canceling my existing lease. Of course she told me neither of these solutions would happen.

Again I told her about the numerous problems I had been encountering. I did mention that Marg was being very helpful following up with the dealership on my current warranty issues, but that this was not solving the problem of the car constantly breaking down. Again I asked if we could come up with a co-operative solution to the car issues. And again, she gave me the same response, saying there was nothing wrong with the car, and any issues that arise are being dealt with under the warranty program.

I again pointed out the fact that I have had the car for 22 months, and that this would be about the 20th warranty repair. I said this was not acceptable. She told me, if I liked that I could trade the car in for a new one. Which means extending my lease, and having to take the hit of paying off the remainder of the existing lease. Also not acceptable. She told me there was nothing else that could be done. I told her that she left me with no other option but to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, contact the local Edmonton media, and to file a complaint with AMVIC (Alberta Motor Vehicle Industry Council). Mary Clarke's response was 'If that's what you feel you need to do, sir, then by all means.' That was the end of my dealing with Mary Clarke.

So, back to Canadian Tire. Monday goes by with no one contacting me. I did not think too much of it, as all repair shops in Fort McMurray currently have more business then they can handle. On Tuesday, I receive a phone call from Marg Powell at Saturn's customer care line. She is pleasant as always, and asks me how the car is running for me now. I told her I didn't have a clue, and that I still hadn't received a phone call from Canadian Tire, let alone actually have the car back in my possession. She was shocked. According to the notes that she had, the Saturn Dealership in Edmonton told her there was no fault found with the car, and that I had it in my possession, and that I was to monitor the car for future problems of this nature.

Naturally this enraged me, as none of it was true, and why should I be responsible to monitor the car for problems? I was already supposed to be monitoring it for transmission problems that they were unable to fix, let alone the key not coming out of the ignition. She told me she would contact the dealership to get confirmation of what was going on, and that I was to contact Canadian Tire to see where they were on the issue. I did so.

Canadian Tire told me that they had contacted the dealership with details on the problem, and were still waiting for the dealership's recommendation on how to proceed with the problem.

Fortunately for me, I had to fly back to Edmonton this same week. I called Saturn of Edmonton West while I was there and demanded to speak the GM and the Service Manager. While both of them were very nice in person, the GM was completely unfamiliar with any of the issues I had encountered. Apparently, the Service Manager I had been used to dealing with no longer worked for Saturn, and so they had a new guy in this position that was also unfamiliar with me.

I had them pull the service history for my vehicle. (10 pages of it!) We went through everything. All of the problems with the car, all of the problems with the servicing of the car, and especially Mary Clarke at the Corporate Care line.

The solution was to contact Canadian Tire again to tell them to fix the car. Also, I now have to drive the car back to Edmonton (a five hour drive) to have the car thoroughly inspected while the Saturn Sales Rep for Alberta happens to be there, so that he can be personally involved. Also, they were going to request the tapes from my phone calls with Mary Clarke, as they could not believe that she told me to go ahead and file complaints about Saturn if it made me feel better.

It certainly is not a new car or ending the lease, but I suppose it is at least a step in the right direction. I did tell them that I was concerned about driving the car all the way down there to have it inspected when all of the problems with the car are intermittent. What happens if I bring the car down there and it works perfectly fine for them? They didn't really have much of an answer for this, but did say clearly the car needed to be inspected regardless of whether or not the car currently had an issue.

So I wait. I have to take the car back on February 14th. And speaking of intermittent problems, I stopped at the corner store on the way back home yesterday afternoon. When I exited the store, I turned on my vehicle to drive home. You guessed it.... Once again I had no power steering. And this time, the car did not give me the warning light. When I pulled into my driveway, I turned the car off, and immediately turned it back on again. The power steering was back.

So I guess we will see what happens. In the meantime, NEVER EVER buy a Saturn. And, if you ever buy a used vehicle, even if it is from a branded dealership, do an online search for the VIN number and see what comes up. There are numerous websites that log and record service histories for each VIN number. And, I can assure you, when I give up this lousy car, I will make sure that I do the same thing on this website.

I will keep you all posted on how the car's inspection goes next week.

Peace,
Rainn

West Edmonton Mall/South China Mall

So. The Chinese have done it again.

You may remember in my original post on this blog that I informed you I lived in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. You may also remember that I mentioned that Edmonton is home of the worlds largest mall - West Edmonton Mall.

West Edmonton Mall covers several city blocks. It has a full hotel, casino, ice rink, full size water park, a lagoon with submarines, Imax theater and a whole lot more.

And what did I see on the news this morning, but the Grand Opening of the South China Mall. Now officially the worlds largest mall. It's SO big that it is actually 10 times LARGER than the Mall of America. That's a pretty big damn mall.

So, to make sure that I was not accused of listing inaccuracies, you know now that Edmonton is no longer the home of the worlds largest mall.

Take Care,

Rainn

Las Vegas, Nevada

Edge Of The Las Vegas Strip

So, I am not going to bore you with the standard promotional photos that you always see of the Las Vegas strip. Everyone has seen those and there are more than enough to go around. If you would like one of those photos, buy a postcard.

But I would like to show you, throughout this commentary, some of the things that you may NOT have seen in, and around Las Vegas.

I will admit, visiting this city was one of the best trips I have had in a long time. The city is absolutely beautiful. In fact, it is probably the nicest US city I have visited. This, of course, excludes the awesome, yet gaudy spectacle of The Strip itself.

The weather was pleasant the entire time I was there, which made sightseeing and photo taking all the more enjoyable.

While in Sin City, I stayed at The Orleans casino resort. This hotel is about a $6 taxi ride away from The Strip. In fact, you can even walk to The Strip if you prefer. Although not as glitzy or glamorous as some of the other Hotels I visited, I found The Orleans to be the most comfortable and home-like. The rooms were very nice, every amenity you could want was provided. The staff, with the occasional exception were very friendly. I found this place more relaxed, and there seemed to be less pressure to constantly SPEND exorbitant amounts of money. I highly recommend staying there.

The Orleans Hotel & Casino

Of course, like a true tourist, I had to visit some other must-see resorts. Some of these included the world famous Ceasar's Palace, The Bellagio, The MGM Grand and the New York, New York.

Ceasar's Place is truly a work of art. The lobby alone is an attraction to see. Marble and plaster is abundant here. The hotel is elegant without being overdone. It is definitely worth spending a few hours to tour this resort. If your interested in shopping, there is a plethora available, but bring the Platinum card, as there is not many middle class stores.

The Bellagio Hotel, (directly across the street from Ceasar's) Was somewhat less spectacular. But this resort is still a must see simply for the show the hotel puts on every 15 minutes in the front lake. The lake has a choreographed fountain and light show, placed to music. It runs about 5 minutes in duration, but really is quite beautiful. If photo taking is a goal here, I recommend bringing one without a shutter delay, and id possible, one where you can change the shutter speed. The fountains can often be quicker than your camera.

The MGM Grand is definitely one of the larger resorts I visited. Clearly this place has had some major renovations in the recent past. A large segment of this hotel felt more like a trendy ultra-lounge rather than a casino or hotel. But the ambiance left me feeling cheap even though I had spent several hundreds of dollars here. I felt an overwhelming pressure to spend, spend, spend, for fear that security would toss me out on my ass if I didn't. Unless you plan to bring all of your piggy banks to this building, I would steer clear of it.

And that leaves us with the New York, New York. I personally don't have much good to say about this one. I did find the exterior of this hotel one of the more appealing. It looks so massive, as it is cleverly designed as a series of New York highrises. They even managed to work the Empire State Building into the architecture. But the inside is shamefully tacky. It's almost impossible to put into words how much I disliked this place. I left within an hour of arriving, and never considered going back.

While out and about on my sightseeing tours, I had the pleasure of meeting many of the 'locals'. I use the term loosely, since not once on my entire stay did I manage to meet someone who had actually resided in Las Vegas for more than 5 years. But I found this actually improved the atmosphere. These folks seemed to have a little bit more worldly knowledge, and were incredibly interesting to speak with. Almost everyone I encountered was exceedingly friendly. And to them, I say thanks for making my visit so hospitable.

My favorite part of Las Vegas however, was actually 20 miles west of the city. Here you will find a great place called Red Rock Canyon. At the Canyon, you will find expansive desert, incredible rock hills, and fantastic hiking. If you are not a hiker, never fear, you can take a 13 mile scenic drive around the Canyon, and still see lots of the good stuff. The colors are unreal, and the vegetation is incredibly unique. I implore any traveler to rent a car and spend a few hours out here. It is definitely worth it.

Red Rock Canyon

Thanks Again Las Vegas, and I will see you next year!

Rainn

MyCarSucks.com

I highly reccomend that anyone who has a Saturn check out the website www.mycarsucks.com There are SEVERAL issues on the website that I had taken my car in for. Most of the time, the dealership told me there is no problem with the car, but I suspect otherwise.

Rainn

Why Saturn Canada Sucks

So I have a 2005 Saturn Ion 2 sedan. And boy, what a hunk of junk. The car barely has over 30,000 KM on it, and I cannot count how many times the damn thing has been in the shop.

This car has been in the shop 4 times for transmission problems. The last time it was in for this problem was last week. And yet I am still having problems.

The car has also been in 3 times because I couldn't get the key out of the ignition. To make matters worse, not only could I not get the key out, but nor could I turn off the engine. This probably wouldn't bother me so much except the dealership was not open when this occurred, and I had to leave my car in the dealership parking lot, pull fuses out of the car to turn the engine off, and lock the key in the car to prevent it from being stolen.

This car has had 16 warranty complaints against it in the 19 months that I have had it. That translates to 1 warranty issue for every 36 days of ownership. Or, roughly 1 warranty issue for every 1875KM on the car.

Now I know what your thinking. Your thinking 'Rainn, why are you putting up with this crap? Just make them give you a new car!'.

Hey, I hear you. Believe me, I have been trying. Some time ago, oh, probably around the 10th issue with the car, I called Saturn Canada's corporate service centre. Basically, a pleasant English woman named Margaret told me that they would document all of the issues I have had for future reference. Stellar. Um.... The service centres document those.

So again, last week, I picked up my car from the dealership after they attempted to fix my transmission for the 4th time. 5 hours later, I drove to a client's home to drop off proofs of some photos I had taken for them. Low and behold, when I got to the destination, I could not remove the key from the ignition, or turn off the engine.

So once more, I called the customer service line. I told them I insisted on getting a different car. I told them I wanted to talk to someone higher up the chain of command. And the response? I was told They (GM Canada) won't take the car back, because your service records show the problems have been corrected. You will have to wait until you have another issue with the car before this can go further.

Of course they do. EVERY time the car leaves the dealership, the problem is shown as being corrected. That doesn't change the fact that the problems continue to reoccur. Also, Margaret would not give me the name of the District service manager because apparently 'There are too many of them to remember all of their names.'

So. Now what to do? Well, as luck would have it, the next day I was sent a card in the mail from Saturn to remind me to fill out my customer satisfaction survey. Believe me I did. But fortunately, the reminder card also had the address of the corporate office, and the name of the Director for Saturn Saab Canada. How fortunate! So I wrote a letter, enclosed a copy of all the service issues I have had. I made the dealership print me a history of the car the last time I was there. U will see a copy of the letter I sent below. I will keep you posted on what, if anything, I hear back from Saturn.

Now to all you fanatical Saturn owners out there... Please do not send me hate mail telling me how wonderful your car works. I am sure that there are many Saturns out there that work wonderfully. The point I am making is that MY car does not. I understand that every product that is mass produced will have a batch of defective units. However, I expect Saturn to deal with my car in a more productive fashion, because after all, continuing to repair the car under the warranty program is NOT working.

I will keep you posted.

Rainn.

LETTER TO SATURN

October 13, 2006

Saturn Saab Canada

7496-2 Bath Road

Mississauga, ON L4T 1L2

Dear D.B. McCall,

Recently, you sent me a Service Satisfaction Survey in the mail, as well as a reminder card to fill out the survey. After much consideration, I have decided that a survey simply cannot convey the concerns I have with my Saturn, the service centre, and your company.

I got my 2005 Saturn Ion 2 on a three year lease, which commenced in March, 2005. Since then, I have had warranty issues too numerous to mention. Enclosed, you will find a service history from the main service centre I use, although there have been other problems which I know are not recorded on this document.

While some of the problems have been cosmetic, such as needing a new CD player or new seal on the steering column, most of the issues have been substantially more serious. The car currently has just over 30,000 KM on it, and the transmission had to be recently overhauled. Even still, we are as of yet, unsure whether this will in fact fix the problem. On three separate occasions, I have been unable to remove the key from the ignition, and two of those times, I was unable to actually turn off the engine. This left me no choice but to pull fuses out of the car to turn it off, as it happened after service centre hours.

On October 11, 2006, I had picked up my car at 5 PM from the service centre, after they overhauled the transmission. 5 HOURS later, I had to return the car at 10 PM, because once again, I could not turn the engine off, or remove the key from the ignition.

I am currently on the 4^th repair for my transmission, and 3 times for the lock cylinder (so I can get the key out of the car).

I voiced my concerns with your customer service call centre some time ago, and no solutions were offered. Again yesterday, I called the service call centre. While pleasant, the agent flat out refused to take my concerns to anyone of a higher rank in the company. At least until I experience more problems with the car.

This is unacceptable to me. I have experienced nearly 20 warranty issues with this car in the last 18 months. I do not think I should have to experience more.

I will be moving to the city of Fort McMurray, Alberta at the end of October. The city is isolated, and there is no Saturn dealership there. I also use my vehicle for my job, and I cannot have an unreliable vehicle. At this point, I simply do not want the car. If that means having GMAC end the lease term early, or simply replacing the vehicle, then so be it. But this car is less than a quality product.

I am also disappointed with the service I have experienced with your call centre and the service depot. Even through all of the issues I have dealt with, not once was I ever asked if anything could be done to help make my experience better. Finally, I received a spoken apology from the service centre manager when I picked up my car yesterday. But nothing more has ever been offered. This does not sound like a company that puts people first.

At this point, with the experience I have had, I certainly would not purchase or lease another Saturn. And I would encourage everyone else I know to not purchase one. I am most disappointed, as I was very much looking forward to buying a Saturn Sky at the end of my lease.

Thank you very much for hearing my concerns, and I hope that in some small way, this letter will help improve the service given to other Saturn customers. I look forward to hearing from you.