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FF_Canuck
Joined: 02 Sep 2006
Posts: 3360
  
votes: 17
Location: Southern Alberta
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 Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 12:47 am Post subject: Dion's hearing problems... |
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Mentioned in a few unrelated threads, but I figure this deserves it own: CTV.ca - Dion blames hearing for English-language skills
While it's certainly possible, I find myself doubting that Dion has a hearing problem that is any more severe than is common for a married middle-aged man. Considering how long he's been pilloried for his poor English, including during the Liberal leadership contest, it would have made far more sense to mention this earlier.
As a ploy to neutralize his poor communication skills, it's brilliant. There's pretty much no way for the CPC to argue it, or demand proof, without having huge imaging problems. If it gets accepted as fact, it'll worm it's way into every 'translation' of what Dion *really* meant. Our only hope is a skeptical media, and that could be a long wait for a ship that doesn't come... |
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kwlafayette
Joined: 03 Sep 2006
Posts: 6155
votes: 28
Location: Saskatoon Saskatchewan
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| Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 12:59 am Post subject: |
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| Hearing problem or not, the man is not stupid. He should have known that carbon tax was simple bad policy. He should just admit he made a mistake and move on. |
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| Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 5:31 am Post subject: |
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I call BS.
What kind of medical problem affects the English language only? His French is fine. |
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kwlafayette
Joined: 03 Sep 2006
Posts: 6155
votes: 28
Location: Saskatoon Saskatchewan
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| Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 9:31 am Post subject: |
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Who cares if he is disabled or not? Why even talk about it? His brain is OK, and he is coming up with bad policy, which he should smarten up and stop doing. Appoint an English language lieutenant if he cannot effectively communicate in English.
This is not an issue, all you can do by talking about it, by calling him a liar, is hurt the brand of whatever party you are associated with.
Would you be talking about how Stephen Hawking sounds funny, or would you talk about his policies if the CPC was running against him? |
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gc
Joined: 23 Jun 2007
Posts: 1698
votes: 16
Location: A Monochromatic World
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| Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 10:57 am Post subject: |
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| kwlafayette wrote: | | Would you be talking about how Stephen Hawking sounds funny, or would you talk about his policies if the CPC was running against him? |
I agree. Criticize him for his policies, not for the way he talks. |
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Mike McB
Joined: 19 Dec 2007
Posts: 78
votes: 2
Location: Toronto, Ontario
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| Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 11:13 am Post subject: |
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| I am just curious about this claim. If Dion claims that he has a hearing problem that stops him from learning english properly. Then how did he learn french? Or did he acquire this disability later in life after learning french? |
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| Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 11:26 am Post subject: |
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| kwlafayette wrote: | Appoint an English language lieutenant if he cannot effectively communicate in English.
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I tend to agree, |
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gc
Joined: 23 Jun 2007
Posts: 1698
votes: 16
Location: A Monochromatic World
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| Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 11:56 am Post subject: |
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I'm surprised that you guys would doubt him so quickly.
If it turns out that this is a complete fabrication, that would be the lowest of the low, and I would expect people to look down on him for it. But I think we should at least give him the benefit of the doubt. |
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marklar
Joined: 03 Oct 2007
Posts: 186
votes: 1
Location: Toronto, Ontario
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| Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 12:08 pm Post subject: |
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| gc wrote: | I'm surprised that you guys would doubt him so quickly.
If it turns out that this is a complete fabrication, that would be the lowest of the low, and I would expect people to look down on him for it. But I think we should at least give him the benefit of the doubt. |
It's the timing that makes me doubt him. Articles about his English problems are nothing new over the last 2 years, you'd figure it'd have been brought up by now. So there is part of me that thinks he's dropping something like this to go for sympathy in the middle of an election, or trying to downplay expectations ahead of the leaders' debates. |
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| Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 2:32 pm Post subject: |
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| marklar wrote: | | gc wrote: | I'm surprised that you guys would doubt him so quickly.
If it turns out that this is a complete fabrication, that would be the lowest of the low, and I would expect people to look down on him for it. But I think we should at least give him the benefit of the doubt. |
It's the timing that makes me doubt him. Articles about his English problems are nothing new over the last 2 years, you'd figure it'd have been brought up by now. So there is part of me that thinks he's dropping something like this to go for sympathy in the middle of an election, or trying to downplay expectations ahead of the leaders' debates. |
I agree, the timing is suspicious. I will not challenge him on it, but just be skeptical about why he only revealed this now, as opposed to years ago. That seems like giving him the benefit of the doubt to me. |
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| Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 4:53 pm Post subject: |
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| 13 years as an MP, most of that time as a minister and this is the first we've heard of it? Suspicious. |
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kwlafayette
Joined: 03 Sep 2006
Posts: 6155
votes: 28
Location: Saskatoon Saskatchewan
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| Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 6:50 pm Post subject: |
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There is probably an MP with a superfluous papilla, and we haven't heard about this either. People tend to be hush hush about real or perceived physical deformities and disabilities.
http://www.script-o-rama.com/m.....cript.html
| Quote: | Current price: one million dollars a hit.
No... er... photograph on file.
But he does have one distinguishing
feature, however. A superfluous papilla.
- A what?
- A mammary gland. A third nipple, sir.
He always uses a golden bullet,
hence ''Man with the Golden Gun''.
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gc
Joined: 23 Jun 2007
Posts: 1698
votes: 16
Location: A Monochromatic World
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| Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 7:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Bleatmop wrote: | | I will not challenge him on it, but just be skeptical about why he only revealed this now, as opposed to years ago. |
Maybe because he didn't think it was a big deal?
I think kwlafayette said it best. |
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| Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:00 pm Post subject: |
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| gc wrote: | | Bleatmop wrote: | | I will not challenge him on it, but just be skeptical about why he only revealed this now, as opposed to years ago. |
Maybe because he didn't think it was a big deal?
I think kwlafayette said it best. |
People have been making a big deal about his poor English since, at the very least, he became leader of the LPC. He just now became aware that it is a big deal? |
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FF_Canuck
Joined: 02 Sep 2006
Posts: 3360
votes: 17
Location: Southern Alberta
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| Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 9:10 pm Post subject: |
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I don't think it is unreasonable to 'question the timing', so to speak. That's all.
When Dion messes something up, due not to a language barrier but rather genuine incompetence or inability to understand other Canadians, will the media run interference for him, using his hearing problem as a cloak? That's what I'm concerned about, not the 'gaffes' that are clearly founded in language issues. |
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