"Anyone can be a father, but it takes a real man to be a daddy."

12 Traits Of A Great Father

"Anyone can be a father, but it takes a real man to be a daddy."
  - Anonymous

A good father makes all the difference in a child's life. He's a pillar of strength, support and discipline. His work is endless and, oftentimes, thankless. But in the end, it shows in the sound, well-adjusted children he raises.

On Father's Day, much of the world will take the time to appreciate the work of good fathers. While you show your admiration for your own dad, take the time to see if you yourself have what it takes to be a great father, whether you have children or plan to.

1- He's a good disciplinarian
A good father loves his children, but he doesn't let them get away with murder. He strongly disapproves of his children's misdeeds, using tough love to prove a point. He does this through the power of his words, not his fists.

Likewise, a father doesn't reward his children for actions that are expected of them, such as helping with house chores or performing well in school. If his child drops out of school, the father demands that he provide for himself, considering the child no longer wants to invest in his own future.

2- He allows his kids to make some mistakes
A good father realizes that his children are human, and that making mistakes is part of growing up. Spending money recklessly, getting into minor car accidents, getting drunk and sick for the first time, even dating questionable women are rites of passage, and a good father recognizes this. However, he makes it clear that repeated irresponsibility won't be tolerated.

3- He's open-minded
A good father understands that times, people and tastes change over the years, and doesn't try to maintain some gold standard of his own time. For instance, he realizes that body piercings are more commonplace than before, that more couples have premarital sex, and that people talk more candidly about personal issues. In other words, he allows his children to be citizens of their day and age.

He shows his kids that everything has its value

4- He teaches his children to appreciate things
A good father never lets his children take what they have for granted. From the food on the table to the good education he's paying for, a good father will make his children see the value in everything they have. He'll ask his child to get a job to help pay for a part of his first car, and take the time to illustrate how important a good education is. He doesn't let his kids treat him like an ATM.

5- He accepts that his kids aren't exactly like him
Everyone is different and a father knows this well. He won't expect his kids to live the same kind of life he does, and do the same kind of work. He also respects their values and opinions, as long as they don't harm the family or anyone else.

To use a pop culture example, he's like Martin Crane from Frasier ; the everyman blue-collar dad who allowed his pompous sons to steer their lives in a different direction, even if he didn't quite agree with them.

6- He spends quality time with his children
A dad knows how to have fun with his kids too, taking them out to games, movies, and supporting their sports teams by attending their matches. He takes the time to listen to his kids and have a good, easy chat with them. He also makes time to help them with their homework, every night if necessary.

7- He leads by example
A good father is above the old "do as I say, not as I do" credo. He will not smoke if he doesn't want his kids to do it, and definitely won't drink heavily. He teaches them to deal with conflict with a family member and with others by being firm but reasonable at the same time.

A good father also illustrates the importance of affection by professing his love for their mother in front of them. And he won't fight with her in their presence. In all, he adheres to the values he'd like his children to follow.

He's fiercely loyal to his family..

8- He's supportive & loyal
Although he may be a football fanatic, if his son doesn't share his love for the game, he accepts it. He may be loyal to his alma mater and dream of having his kid follow his legacy, but if his son prefers to study abroad, he'll support his decision to take a different path.

A good father is also his children's public defender, standing up for them when needed. He waits for privacy to administer discipline. A safety net, a good father is also the person his kids turn to when things go wrong.

9- He challenges his kids
A father wants his children to be the best they can be, and gives them challenges that help them grow as human beings. This means giving them some liberty to face setbacks and resolve conflicts on their own. Or it could be a task, such as building something for the house.

If a father wants his children to take over the family business, he teaches them how to keep it flourishing -- provided that's the path they want to take.

10- He teaches his children lessons
A father figure is the prime source of knowledge in the ways of men, and teaches his kids accordingly. From shaving to being courageous, a father molds his kids into well-rounded members of society. He especially instructs them in proper etiquette, on being honest and keeping their word, and on being thankful.

A great father knows he must sacrifice his own comfort for his fatherly duties. For instance, if he comes home from a hard day at work and catches his kids looking at porn on the Net, he'll take the time to address an awkward situation even though he's tired.

11- He protects his family at all costs
As the main provider of security and necessities, a father will do whatever he can for his family. He'll take a second job to provide for them, and he'll put his own safety on the line to keep them out of harm's way. This is how a father instills in his children the importance of personal sacrifice.

12- He shows unconditional love
This is the greatest quality of a good father. Even though he gets upset at his children's faults and may lament that they did not attain what he hoped for them, a father loves his children no less for it.

give props to dad

In these days of polarized sexual politics, the value of a great father is often overlooked. But there are few things as valuable as a father who will do everything he can, and provide all the tools he has so that his children can become better than him.

2010 oil spill from an Enbridge pipeline in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

On Tuesday, the US Transportation Safety Board released a report on a 2010 oil spill from an Enbridge pipeline in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

For 17 hours, bitumen from the Alberta oil sands poured from the pipe, spilling at least 3.2 million litres of oil with devastating impact.
I wanted to share what the Board's chair said today:

"On that July evening, at about 6 p.m. when many people in Marshall were sitting down to dinner, Enbridge's Line 6B ruptured and began spewing crude oil through a more than six-and-a-half-foot-long fracture.
"For more than 17 hours and over three shifts, the people controlling the pipeline did not respond to the alarms, pressure differentials or even follow one of their own safety procedures established following another catastrophic release in 1991 in Grand Rapids.
"The people of Marshall would finish their dinners, get ready for the week ahead and go to bed. As they slept, and even when they got up on Monday morning, instead of stopping the flow, Enbridge staff twice pumped more oil - about 81 percent of the total release - into the ruptured pipeline.
"It wasn't until late Monday morning - 17 hours and 19 minutes after the rupture - that a worker from a local gas utility found the spill and notified the Enbridge control center. Then, and only then, did the Enbridge staff begin their response and start closing remote valves upstream and downstream of the rupture.
"Learning about Enbridge's poor handling of the rupture, you can't help but think of the Keystone Kops."

It's a damning indictment. 
And it highlights the enormous risks BC would take on if Enbridge is allowed to build the proposed pipeline here in BC and oil tankers are allowed on our north and central coasts.
But you can do something about that.

  please sign our letter opposing the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline right now.

Together, we can build a strong opposition to the Enbridge pipeline, and help make sure a Kalamazoo spill doesn’t happen here.
-Adrian
ADRIAN DIX
LEADER, BCNDP

Seniors worse off under Harper government

Statistics Canada data shows seniors’ income lower, poverty higher, & middle class stagnate

OTTAWA – New data from Statistics Canada compiled from 2007 to 2010 shows that Stephen Harper’s economic policies are leaving Canadians seniors and families further behind.  The data not only shows that there are have no improvement in family incomes since the Conservatives formed government, what is shocking is that seniors’ incomes have actually declined, pushing more and more into poverty.
 “The Conservatives claim that they’re taking care of seniors, but in reality, they’re making them far worse,,” said NDP Finance Critic, Peggy Nash (Parkdale—High Park).  “Today’s statistics show what Canadians have known for some time.  Since 2007 seniors’ incomes have declined and more seniors are living in poverty.  This will only be made worse in the future when Conservative policies like pushing back Old Age Security to age 67 take effect. This is not only poor fiscal management – it’s reprehensible.”
 Deputy Critic for Human Resources and Skills Development Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet (Hochelaga) further admonished the findings, saying that “we should be focused on reducing the unacceptable disparities in income levels, not making them worse. The middle-class incomes stagnate, while income inequality continues to grow.”
 “It just shows that the Conservatives policies are not helping the vast majority of Canadians. That’s why they’re so quick to slash services like OAS that seniors rely on. Unfortunately, as we can see with their Trojan Horse budget, Conservatives are doubling down on bad economic policies that are leaving the middle class and seniors behind,” said Boutin-Sweet.

Tom Mulcair, on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

I would first like to acknowledge and thank the five million Canadians, who are over 65, for their massive contributions to our society.
 After a lifetime of hard work, raising a family and contributing to the growth of their community, seniors have the right to grow old with respect, in comfort and dignity.
 Unfortunately, many of them are victims of abuse and negligence, sometimes by their close relatives. These abuses can be physical, psychological, financial, sexual or even spiritual.
 New Democrats will keep fighting to make sure that elderly people can live peacefully, with dignity.
 By cutting OAS and health transfers, the conservatives are making elderly people even more vulnerable.

 I thank the many Canadians and organizations who work every day to raise awareness of this situation for their laudable efforts.
 I invite all Canadians, today and every day, to speak out against elder abuse, denounce it and ensure that the seniors in their lives receive the respect they deserve. 

Radicals4ourCoast.ca calls out Conservative wedge politics

New Democrats launch interactive anti-pipeline website

Radicals4ourCoast.ca calls out Conservative wedge politics

VANCOUVER—New Democrats have launched an interactive, satirical website to call out Conservative’s divisive tactics and raise awareness about the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline.
 When environmentalists spoke up about their concerns about the Enbridge pipeline proposal, Conservatives called them “radicals” and “enemies of Canada”, continuing to use overheated rhetoric and wedge politics to pit Canadians against each other.
 Canadians have been outraged by these tactics and the new NDP website – Radicals4ourCoast.ca – allows Canadians to speak out. Users can choose an avatar and select ‘radical’ qualities about themselves, such as ‘avid recycler’ or ‘sings in the shower’. After submitting their information, their avatar is added to the image at the top of the page, where they can see themselves amongst a crowd of Canadians standing up for the coast.
 The website’s launch coincides with a tour of BC by New Democrat MPs, including NDP Deputy Leader and Environment Critic Megan Leslie.
 The New Democrat MPs are hosting public forums, meeting with municipal councils, attending an Enbridge Northern Gateway Joint Review Panel Hearing, and touring the proposed oil tanker route in Kitimat.
 You can view the new website here: http://Radicals4ourCoast.ca

Government must address tragedy of missing aboriginal women

Ashton calls on Conservatives to launch a national inquiry

June 29, 2012

WINNIPEG - The NDP critic for the Status of Women, Niki Ashton has called for a national inquiry into the disappearance and murder of Aboriginal women in Canada.  Ashton made the statement in the wake of the discovery of three murdered Aboriginal women in Winnipeg that are linked to one potential suspect.
 "The loss of these three young Aboriginal women is devastating. Tragically, they are part of a pattern in Canada - where Aboriginal women are more often the targets of violence and death," said Ashton. “This is an issue that the federal Government must take action on rather than cutting funding to groups that are trying to make a difference.”
 Despite calls from community leaders, aboriginal groups and opposition parties, the Government has done little to address the disproportionate level of violence faced by aboriginal women. The Conservatives have cut funding to Sisters in Spirit, a task force that compiles and maintains a database of missing and murdered Aboriginal women across Canada.
 “The Government needs to launch a national inquiry so that we can get to the root of these tragedies," said Ashton. “We have to address not only the violence itself but the systemic inequalities that lead to the vulnerability and targeting of aboriginal women.”

MP Don Davies attends arms trade treaty conference

July 5, 2012

NEW YORK – Today, the New Democrat Critic for International Trade, Don Davies (Vancouver Kingsway), is participating in the United Nations’ conference on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in New York.
“The world is waking up to the fact that it is completely unacceptable to internationally trade arms without proper rules and regulations,” said Davies. “This conference is an important step toward stopping the irresponsible trade of weapons that fuels so much strife in vulnerable regions.”

The ATT negotiations are seen as the most important initiative regarding conventional arms regulation within the United Nations. Davies is participating as part of the Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA), whose declaration in support of the ATT has been endorsed by over 1,600 parliamentarians in over 70 countries.
“An arms trade treaty is absolutely necessary for the promotion of peace around the world,” said Foreign Affairs Critic Paul Dewar (Ottawa-Centre). “As it stands now, there are no global norms for the transfer and export of weaponry and the consequences are devastating.”

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