I've officially decided. No flu vaccine shot in this arm. I guess I just don't trust it, simple as that. Dr. Robert Strang, the province's chief medical officer, says people like me are taking a gamble. I know I'm not alone. I've had several responses from people saying they won't be getting a flu shot either. Surveys indicate a majority of Canadians also feel that way including just over half of health care workers surveyed. A survey released yesterday in the USA said 60% of Americans are not planning to be immunized. It was also interesting to hear News 95.7's story yesterday on the views of some of HRM's better known residents. John Dunsworth, the Trailer Park Boys Mr Lahey, Dawn Sloane, the city councillor for downtown Halifax and Mooseheads coach Cam Russell all telling reporter Jason White they have no plans to get a shot while police chief Frank Beazley and Dartmouth councillor Gloria McCluskey will get the needle
Mayor Peter Kelly was leaning toward getting the flu shot but was waffling on a final decision. (Insert your comment here!. Ha!)
Iggy paid us a visit yesterday. Federal Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff dropped in on the province for some campaigning on behalf of Jim Burrows, the party's candidate in the November 9th by-election in Cumberland-Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley, Bill Casey's old seat. The Grits think a backlash over how Casey was treated by Prime Minister Stephen Harper gives them a shot at winning the seat, but Conservative candidate Scott Armstrong is a close confidant of Casey's. I think the Tory's might just hang on to the riding despite voters' views on Harper.
And what gives with Harper's choice for getting his television news? Harper told a Canadian Chamber of Commerce convention in Toronto this week he tends "to watch American news." The prime minister of Canada went on to say "I don't like to watch Canadian news...My hobby is to watch politics elsewhere." A Canadian Press story on the comments suggested Industry Minister Tony Clement was "aghast Thursday when asked about Harper's news viewing habits." I too was floored by Harper's comments. I mean, ow can the country's leader not keep himself informed about the issues facing us all? It also clearly shows his affection for that country south of us.
Ever since that incident in Iraq, shoes have become quite the in-thing for the anti-Bush crowd. George W was in Montreal yesterday to give a speech. Protestors outside burned him in effigy and threw shoes at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel where he was speaking to a business crowd. I have no time for Dubya, but he did get off a few good lines including the story of a recent visit to a hardware store. A fellow came up to him and told him he looked like George Bush, then added, " Sorry about that." Ha! Rick Hillier's new book is creating some waves. There have been a number of revelations from the former general and Canada's top military officer. But none have been more startling that his claim the Harper government considered taking day to day control of the mission in Afghanistan away from the military and giving the decision-making authority, including decisions on combat, to Canada's ambassador there. The army would have been forced to ask the ambassador, a political appointee, for permission to conduct any combat mission. Hillier describes it as an "idiotic suggestion" and says it went away "very quickly." Maybe so, but these people in government can be freakin' scary.
Have a great weekend. Get involved. And if you're not outraged, you're not paying attention.
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