December 17th, 2012
As I was writing this Christmas column, I was listening to a radio host discuss whether or not Saskatoon City Council should ban Merry Christmas on city bus signs, based on just one complaint.
The media loves running with all these “attack on Christmas” stories at this time of year. The meaning of Christmas and whether or not traditional values are being eroded are great topics for talk radio or the comment section of your favourite blog.
Let’s face it: There are always going to be some people just waiting to say “Bah, humbug!” in one way or another.
However, it is Ebenezer Scrooge’s conversion and realization that Christmas is a time to appreciate family and wish goodwill to all men which makes A Christmas Carol a holiday favourite over 150 years after it was first published.
The themes of Charles Dickens’ Christmas story, compassion and generosity, are also thoroughly Canadian traits. Consequently, Christmas is an important tradition shared in the spirit of the season by all Canadians.
On behalf of my family and my staff in Humboldt, Ottawa and Saskatoon, I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
I’m Brad Trost, your Member of Parliament in Saskatoon-Humboldt. You can reach my office in Saskatoon at 975-6133. Feel free to drop by my two offices for a visit: Saskatoon (Monday to Friday) or Humboldt (Tuesday and Wednesday). I always appreciate your feedback.
December 10th, 2012
Every so often, a Member of Parliament gets unwelcome news out of the blue. Such was the case when a constituent informed me about the decision not to maintain cross country ski trails at Waskesiu.
Now, I am a strong supporter of balancing the budget; and to do that certain programs have to be eliminated. But cutting the grooming of cross country ski trails with no warning is just plain dumb.
The cuts appear to be an attempt to save money without impacting programming that is important to the bureaucrats in Ottawa.
There are lots of places for Environment Canada to cut, without hurting cross country skiing and tourism. It may be too late to solve the maintenance issue to save this ski season. But hopefully, by the fall of 2013, Saskatchewan MPs will have a solution so that the ski trails can again be used all winter long.
I’m Brad Trost, your Member of Parliament in Saskatoon-Humboldt. You can reach my office in Saskatoon at 975-6133. Feel free to drop by my two offices for a visit: Saskatoon (Monday to Friday) or Humboldt (Tuesday and Wednesday). I always appreciate your feedback.
December 3rd, 2012
Did you know that judo and tae kwon do matches are technically illegal in Canada? I learned this strange fact the other week during a briefing on legislation that will update the Criminal Code of Canada.
The police have exhibited discretion and common sense in regards to enforcing these outdated laws for years. However, the law books need to be modernized from time to time because of these odd quirks.
The work of government often involves the mundane. Undertaken by MPs of all parties, the task of reviewing obsolete and quaint legislation doesn’t garner much attention because the media likes news that tends to be of a more controversial nature.
Members of Parliament co-operate on a variety of issues. For example, we regularly work together to advance Canada’s interest in the international arena. We research and write reports supporting economic development. Last week, we renamed a national park.
Politics and government isn’t all controversy and dispute, MPs from all parties work together quite well, particularly on issues that don’t make the news.
I’m Brad Trost, your Member of Parliament in Saskatoon-Humboldt. You can reach my office in Saskatoon at 975-6133. Feel free to drop by my two offices for a visit: Saskatoon (Monday to Friday) or Humboldt (Tuesday and Wednesday). I always appreciate your feedback.
