This Is Just So Right On So Many Levels!

Back in November when it was announced that the G7 finance Minister's would be meeting in Iqaluit in February, it really struck me as perfect, I still think so.

First I wondered if the finance Ministers really knew just how far up north they were going to be.



Imagine. They will have 4 hours from Montreal, of nothing but Canadian wilderness to see. It might give them a whole new prospective on just how big, open, empty and wild Canada actually is. I hope they take note of the massive carbon sinks we have in the trillions of trees that suck up CO2. As they leave the planes, they will get their first experience of cold, crystal clear, non-polluted Arctic air. It appears that they will be lucky because it's only going to be -10C and sunny, perfect weather for a dog sled ride!



They also get to see my favorite lights in the world:



I suspect they will also get to sample seal meat, without any protesters around. It should be an excellent experience for the Minister's and their staff. I hope they enjoy a taste of Arctic Canada and come to understand why global warming is not high on our agenda.

Dog-sledding, seal meat on G-7 agenda in Iqaluit

Of course you get the typical protesters whining because they have nowhere to stay....I think that was the whole idea!

The first of several hundred expected guests began arriving in Iqaluit this week, including the various G7 delegations and support staff as well as about 100 accredited journalists from around the world.

But some non-governmental organizations say they are being told not to travel to Iqaluit for the G7 gathering, mainly because the city's hotel rooms are fully booked.

"We've been discouraged to come up to Iqaluit because of the nature of the location," said Ken Georgetti, president of the Canadian Labour Congress.

Georgetti would not say who discouraged his organization to come north, but he cited the lack of accommodation as a primary reason.

At the Navigator Inn, staffer Mike Praught said all 44 rooms are booked. People trying to make last-minute bookings are being told there is no vacancy until Feb. 9, he said.

"We just have to let them know that we're completely full and that everywhere in town has been booked up for probably a month now," Praught said.

Aglukkaq said nobody has been told not to attend the G7 meeting, but added that it's been clear that a lot of people will be converging on the Nunavut capital.

"I think it has a lot to do [strictly] with the capacity of the community to have hotels and so on," she said.

The community appears to be ready to welcome the visitors, and show them some of their unique culture, maybe the Minister's will better understand the importance of the seal hunt for northern Canadians.

Motorcades will have the right of way in high-traffic areas such as the Four Corners intersection while access to parts of some public buildings will be restricted at certain times, the RCMP said.

Police are not expecting large-scale demonstrations or disruptions like the ones that have erupted during similar international summits, Collins said.

Now that is too funny...what they have 7000 people and one road!

...

But elsewhere in Iqaluit, businesses are excitedly preparing for the international visitors.

Lori Idlout, who owns a fine arts studio, said she has already been approached by government officials who said her studio will get a visit from G7 representatives.

"We've worked more closely with artists from across Nunavut … increasing our selection for the influx of … [visitors] that we'll be expecting," she said.

Organizers with Nunavut's Alianait arts festival say they are planning to put on a show during the G7 meetings to promote their summer festival.

I predict that the Minister's will have a wonderful experience free of protesters. Enjoy a very important part of Canada!

Christmas Decorations and Magical Fossil Awards!

I was at a ladies dessert night (yumm chocolate!), and the combination of good company, Christmas songs, and the snow, finally got me into the Christmas mood. I was saving this for my Friday night funnies, but all that chocolate is giving me a buzz, so it's Monday night funnies, the short version.

Fantastic. Greg sends along this DIY FYI:

"Good news is that I truly out did myself this year with my Christmas decorations. The bad news is that I had to take him down after 2 days. I had more people come screaming up to my house than ever.Great stories. But two things made me take it down.

First, the cops advised me that it would cause traffic accidents as they almost wrecked when they drove by.

Second, a 55 year old lady grabbed the 75 pound ladder almost killed herself putting it against my house and didn't realize it was fake until she climbed to the top (she was not happy). By the way, she was one of many people who attempted to do that. My yard couldn't take it either. I have more than a few tire tracks where people literally drove up my yard."

Hey, I thought it was a real guy too!! That would be my husband if I didn't watch him.

Of course I can't stop there, here are some new dog favorites:






Okay that's enough fun for tonight.

I hear we got our first fossil award today, can we possibly take them ALL? Can we make speeches when we receive them? Like this maybe:

Canada is proud to receive this award showing that radical eco-nuts will target our cold country and our Parliament because they are too deranged to actually go after the real polluters like China and the US. The fossil award when rubbed grants us the power of one wish. Our wish is that eco-nuts canoe home, like our proud fathers and fore fathers did many years ago. If you do that, leaving the prostitutes, limos, and planes in Copenhagen, Canada promises to let you back in, but only if you go up north to live in igloos and measure the ice melting all year round. David Suzuki must forsake all earthly goods and forage up north for his living. He will be given a life time supply of those mercury filled squiggly bulbs, and some snow shoes, with miniature wind turbines for propelling him on the ice and snow.



Keep on giving us those magical fossil awards, because we have many more wishes for the global warming eco-nuts. All of those wishes involve being in the Arctic in January and February and keeping warm. Can't wait for February when all the finance ministers can join in the fun and see the damage global warming is causing first hand!

I've Been Chuckling Ever Since I Read This....

(Yikes polar bears kill seals....who knew?)

It is just so right on so many levels. At first I thought it was an April Fools joke. I'm still not sure that they are going to do this, but if they do, it will be awesome.

G7 ministers to meet in Arctic, kick sand in face of G20 wimps

That should have been "snow" not "sand", then it would have been the perfect headline.

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Top finance officials from the G7 countries will meet in the remote Arctic town of Iqaluit on Feb 5-6 but may not issue a communique, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said on Wednesday.

Finance ministers and central bank chiefs from the world's most industrialized countries will gather to coordinate global economic policy in Canada's northernmost territorial capital, an isolated town of 7,000 people.

"The February meeting will return to the G7's roots with a more frank and focused dialogue," Flaherty said in a statement. "In an ever-changing global economy, the G7 will continue to evolve, with a focus not on paper but on people -- not on communiques and accords, but on constructive dialogue on actions to strengthen the global economy." (Reporting by Louise Egan)

"In the ever changing global economy", "return to the G7 roots", "focused dialogue"? As a Canadian, you have to laugh, because these G7 finance Ministers have no idea what they are getting into.

Let's take this one point at a time.

Ever changing global economy...code for climate change/global warming.

So, let's get some of those guys up to the Arctic in the dead of winter to watch the ice melting, after they fly for 4 hours from Montreal over nothing but snow and ice. Then they land in -40C+ weather, and are glad for the heated buildings. Bet they will be glad they don't have to rely on wind turbines and solar up there, seeing as the sun goes down around 3:30, and if the wind fails to generate power, you freeze to death.

Return to the G7 roots....code for get some work done.

When you can't go out on the beach and watch the pretty girls, you will have to actually get to the meetings and do some work. The odd dog sled run or snowmobile ride is not going to cut into the meetings.

Focused dialogue...code for cut the BS.

It's hard to talk about sending BILLIONS to undeveloped countries for help with global warming when you are just hoping and praying that the heat won't cut out. Maybe they should invite Al Gore to the meetings, let him explain how the Arctic is melting, and the Northwest Passage will be open next year. Maybe he could even go out on an ice flow and ask the polar bears how they are doing, but they might be too busy killing seals to answer.

Speaking of seals, how are the Europeans going to feel about eating them? Maybe that should be all that is on the menu, seal soup, seal meatloaf, seal jerky, seal cake (okay that's going a little to far)...what can they do? Leave in a blizzard in protest?

Oh, and how about those protesters that dog any G7 meeting? I would love to see a greenie out in minus 40 weather dressed as a polar bear. It might be a tad difficult for the protesters to disrupt this meeting. If they try, let them go count polar bears out on the ice, see if they really are endangered.



Do those finance Ministers have any idea what they are in for? They can see Greenland from there! HA! Do they have any idea how far north they are going to be in the dead of winter? They will get to see the biggest and best light show on earth, the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis. They are so amazing the Ministers might actually forget about how cold it is in awe of the dancing lights. I watch them for hours, they are hypnotic.



It appears that rooms are being booked quickly so, if you want to vacation for a few days, 250 kilometers from the Arctic circle in February, for some reason, you better book now.



Why did the government choose Iqaluit for the destination for the G7 finance Ministers? Is it to show them that the Arctic is not melting and the Northwest Passage is not going to be open anytime soon? Or do they want to make it perfectly clear that the Arctic (and Santa) are ours? Whatever the motives, it's going to be fun to watch!
Further reading.