So much snow has fallen on the Eastern Townships region (55-60 cm) that Bishop’s University cancelled all classes and gave us a Snow Day! This doesn’t happen often for a University!

I have never seen that much snow fall down in two days!

Now I have to go and dig my car out…

Piles of snow, or cars? That is the question…

Wow, turns out they’re cars. Who would have thought?

Here’s mine. And to think I don’t even own a shovel. Fun times…

Here’s a broader view of the Bishop’s Campus… as you can see, I’m far from being the only one in that situation.

And here’s a view of my residence building…

I HATE WINTER! (Although it does have some good sides, like getting classes cancelled)

This is the modified version of an "op-ed" essay that I submitted as schoolwork this semester for my American Foreign Policy class at Bishop’s University. The other version will be sent to newspapers/magazines for publication later.

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It’s a given. Conventional wisdom throughout the world holds that the more money you throw at poor and underdeveloped countries, the richer and the more developed they will become over time. Ask any non-governmental organization (NGO) devoted to the help of the world’s deprived and they’ll tell you so. It all logically makes sense, right? More funds equal less poverty.

As strange as this may seem to some, blankly throwing money at the world’s needy does not help. Personal initiative, market liberalization and economic development and growth – the very tools these countries need to pull it off - can’t be bought. If all foreign aid funds dispensed since the beginning really did anything to alleviate poverty, we’d have totally gotten rid of it by now. The whole continent of Africa has received roughly the equivalent of four or five “full-fledged Marshall Plans” since the 1950s. Unfortunately, these nations have become poorer. Something does not add up here, but what?

Well, for one thing, foreign aid to underdeveloped countries always is exchanged from the hands of one government (“giver”, democratic) to another (“receiver, usually authoritarian). Why is this relevant? Underdeveloped countries generally do not enjoy the same standards of transparency and accountability that we in the West do. Corruption runs rampant, and the flow of international aid often gets ambushed and diverted to the selfish profit of malevolent dictators and other non-recommendable rulers or “figures of authority”. Strike number one.

When foreign aid funds really do make it to the population for which they were intended, they still don’t help much. Industrialized nations that provide foreign aid for underdeveloped countries appear to help them in the short term – but they are in reality undermining their own willpower and capacity to make it on their own. They are causing them to be accustomed to receiving aid, and this lowers national morale because these populations then feel that they depend on the help of others to live. This kills any personal initiative that these individuals might have and enslaves them in a vicious, hard-to-break circle preventing them from creating a better living for themselves and their families. Strike number two.

If the aforementioned is in fact true and verifiable, and that dispensing foreign aid to underdeveloped countries really makes things worse, then why do most governments and NGOs come out in favor of continuing to do it? Well, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, or so the saying goes, and the truth is that foreign aid does help some, although it doesn’t help those that it was intended for. It helps the “giving nations” feel better about themselves. That’s right. We self-loathing Westerners can’t help but feel a little responsible for the tragedy of world poverty, so just grabbing hold of that checkbook and signing a fat one off to Zimbabwe helps us feel better about it. It’s purely instinctive. Strike number three, foreign aid: you’re out.

Are we at all responsible for their demise? Yes, but not in the way you think. Countries that suffer from poverty don’t suffer because they have been victims of globalization, but rather because they haven’t been “globalized” enough. Deprived countries could very well compete in the agrarian sector if they were given property rights and if the industrialized nations abandoned protectionist measures. The key is investment rather than just monetary aid. Everywhere they’ve been given the chance, capitalism and the liberalization of markets have enriched nations. Look at Ireland. Look at Taiwan. Look at India, which a while ago decided not to accept foreign aid anymore. We’re now moving call centers over there.

Let’s make that choice for their sake. Those who believe foreign aid actually helps will still be free to contribute on their own.

*SCROLL DOWN FOR ENGLISH VERSION*

C’est fait, je suis revenu de la convention du Fraser Institute et de l’Institut Économique de Montréal tenue à l’hôtel Delta Centre-Ville samedi en soirée, non sans mal toutefois. Je vous donne ici les détails, et j’ai même quelques photos pour vous, chers lecteurs!

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Vous vous souvenez, chers lecteurs, de mon dernier article, celui publié juste avant de partir pour la convention du Fraser Institute et de l’Institut Économique de Montréal? J’y racontais (en anglais) que j’allais passer une fin de semaine géniale et que j’allais avoir beaucoup de plaisir!

Eh bien, tout compte fait, c’est raté.

Ne vous méprenez pas, j’ai eu beaucoup de plaisir à la convention où j’y ai rencontré pour la première fois en personne quelques membres des Blogging Tories et autres personnalités influentes de la droite au Québec et au Canada. Nous avons aussi eu droit à des discours très éloquents de la part de ces mêmes personnalités et d’autres aussi. Ce fut très excitant et de ce côté, rien à redire sur la convention. Même que, si j’en ai l’occasion future, j’adorerais assister à d’autres conférences de ce type. Non, le problème n’est pas là.

Et, il faut dire que la fin de semaine avait tout de même bien commencé, car vendredi soir, les quelques membres de mon groupe de l’Association des Étudiants Conservateurs de l’Université Bishop’s et moi-même sommes allés veiller, comme on dit en bon québécois, au Café Campus à l’angle de Prince-Arthur et du boulevard Saint-Laurent. C’était la première fois que je sortais dans un bar dans une grande ville et je dois dire que l’expérience fut très amusante et agréable. Ensuite, j’ai passé la nuit avec les membres de l’Association dans le repaire de la fraternité Sigma Chi, (dont deux des gars qui étaient avec nous sont membres du chapitre de Bishop’s) sur le campus de l’Université McGill. Je tiens à remercier les gars de la "frat" pour leur hospitalité, car ils nous ont très bien reçus et on a eu bien du plaisir à fêter ensemble.

Non, l’évènement trouble-fête qui est venu foutre ma fin de semaine en l’air s’est produit pendant que nous étions à la convention, à notre insu. Nous ne nous en sommes rendus compte que quand nous sommes revenus à la voiture. Des individus que je qualifierais personnellement de parasites de la société se sont permis de briser la vitre arrière du côté passager de la Honda Civic de notre chauffeur et membre de l’Association, Charles Lindstrom, et de voler mon sac à dos (et son contenu intégral) qui se trouvait sur le siège arrière.

C’est la première fois que je me fais voler de la sorte, et je dois vous dire que ça fait royalement chier. Le mot n’est absolument pas trop fort.

J’ai donc perdu pour environ $250 de possessions bassement matérielles, mais tout de même appréciées de ma part. Je n’ai pas perdu d’item de grande valeur, mais le tout ensemble fait que la facture monte vite (sac inclus).

Mais bon, c’est la vie paraît-il, et j’ai pu racheter les items essentiels à mes études (avec la précieuse aide de mes parents).

Je vous laisse donc sur la collection de photos que j’ai prises de mon groupe et de plusieurs conférenciers, ainsi qu’une photo de groupe de membres des Blogging Tories en compagnie de Paul Beaudry, qui est l’auteur de plusieurs textes politiques/économiques mais qui malheureusement ne tient pas de blogue…

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De gauche à droite | From left to right :

1. Paul Beaudry, conseiller en politiques stratégiques pour le cabinet de Maxime Bernier, ministre fédéral de l’Industrie, collaborateur au webzine libertarien "Le Québécois Libre" (http://www.quebecoislibre.org) et participant au documentaire-choc "l’Illusion Tranquille" (http://www.lillusiontranquille.com); | Paul Beaudry, policy advisor to Maxime Bernier, federal Minister of Industry, contributor to libertarian webzine "Le Québécois Libre" (http://www.quebecoislibre.org) and participant in "l’Illusion Tranquille" (http://www.lillusiontranquille.com), a hard-hitting documentary about the state of Québec’s government, economy and politics.

2. Moi, Xavier R. Dubé, auteur de ces lignes, membre des Blogging Tories; | Myself, Xavier R. Dubé, author of these lines, Blogging Tories member;

3. Vincent Geloso, auteur du blogue "Vincent Geloso et cie" - membre des Blogging Tories, fondateur de la Coalition des Esprits Libres (http://www.espritslibres.org) et lui aussi participant à "l’Illusion Tranquille"; | Vincent Geloso, author of the blog "Vincent Geloso et cie" - Blogging Tories member, founder of the Coalition des Esprits Libres (http://www.espritslibres.org) and also participant in "l’Illusion Tranquille";

4. Adam Daifallah, auteur, journaliste, étudiant en droit, conférencier à l’évènement de samedi dernier, auteur du blogue "Daifallah" (http://www.daifallah.com) - membre des Blogging Tories. | Adam Daifallah, author, journalist, law student, speaker at last Saturday’s event, author of the blog "Daifallah" (http://www.daifallah.com)  - Blogging Tories member.

La délégation de l’Université Bishop’s, en grande partie composée de membres de l’Association des Étudiants Conservateurs de l’Université. De gauche à droite, en bas : Sean McConnachie, président de l’Association et Vincent Light; de gauche à droite, en haut : Marc Cleary, Christina Lazarova, Eric Hamilton-Smith, Jonathan Fortier, conférencier à l’évènement et professeur de littérature anglaise à l’Université, Charles Lindstrom, Moi et Vincent Marmion. | The Bishop’s University delegation, mostly composed of members of the Bishop’s University Conservative Students’ Association. From left to right, on the bottom : Sean McConnachie, Association president and Vincent Light; from left to right, above : Marc Cleary, Christina Lazarova, Eric Hamilton-Smith, Jonathan Fortier, speaker at the event and Professor of English Literature at the University, Charles Lindstrom, Myself and Vincent Marmion.

Moi-même et le président de l’Association des Étudiants Conservateurs de l’Université Bishop’s, Sean McConnachie | Myself, and the Bishop’s University Conservative Students’ Association president, Sean McConnachie.

Jean-Luc Migué (animateur), collaborateur au "Québécois Libre" | Jean-Luc Migué (host), and contributor to "Le Québécois Libre".

John Robson (conférencier), chroniqueur au Ottawa Citizen | John Robson (speaker), Ottawa Citizen columnist.

Martin Masse (conférencier), consultant en politiques publiques, fondateur du "Québécois Libre" | Martin Masse (speaker), public policy consultant, founder of "Le Québécois Libre".

Michel Kelly-Gagnon (conférencier), président du Conseil du Patronat du Québec | Michel Kelly-Gagnon (speaker), president of the Conseil du Patronat du Québec.

Jonathan Fortier (conférencier), professeur de Littérature Anglaise à l’Université Bishop’s | Jonathan Fortier (speaker), Professor of English Literature at Bishop’s University.

Adam Daifallah et Tasha Kheiriddin (conférenciers), co-auteurs de Rescuing Canada’s Right : Blueprint for a Conservative Revolution | Adam Daifallah and Tasha Kheiriddin (speakers), co-authors of Rescuing Canada’s Right : Blueprint for a Conservative Revolution.

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It’s over, I made it back home Saturday night from the Fraser Institute/Montréal Economic Institute convention held at the Delta Centre-Ville hotel in Montréal. I have to say that I had a lot of trouble. Here are all the details, and even some pictures for you, dear readers!

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Do you remember my last post, dear readers, the one I published just before leaving for the Fraser Institute/Montréal Economic Institute convention? I was telling you guys I was about to have a wonderful weekend and that I’d have a truckload of fun!  

Well, all in all, it kind of backfired.

Don’t get me wrong, I did have a lot of fun at the convention where I met some Blogging Tories members and other influential right-wing pundits in Québec and Canada for the first time. We also got to listen to great speeches from these same pundits and from others too. I really couldn’t complain about anything, and I have to say that I’d love to assist to other conferences of this kind in the near future. No, the problem does not lie there.

And, I have to say that the weekend had kicked off pretty well, because on Friday night, some of the few members of the Bishop’s University Conservative Students’ Association and I went out on the town, and we ended up at Café Campus on the corner of Prince-Arthur street and Saint-Laurent boulevard.

It was my first time going out in a big-city bar and I have to say that my experience was very pleasurable and enjoyable. Then, the Association members and I spent the night at the Sigma Chi Fraternity (of which two of the guys that were with us are members in the Bishop’s chapter) house on the McGill University campus. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them frat boys for their hospitality, because we felt welcomed and we had a lot of fun together.

No, the incident that really screwed up my weekend took place while we were at the convention, without any of us knowing about it until we walked back to the car at the end. Individuals that I would personally characterize as social parasites convened that it was appropriate to break the rear passenger side window of Charles Lindstrom’s Honda Civic, our driver for the weekend, and steal my school backpack (and everything that was in it) while it was resting on the back seat.  

It’s the first time I’ve ever been robbed in this fashion, and I have to say that I’m royally pissed off.

Basically, I’ve lost for about $250 of worldly goods, which I did enjoy possessing a lot. I didn’t lose anything really valuable, but the fact that I had a lot of stuff in the bag is what drives the estimate up (backpack included).

But hey, shit happens, as they say, and I was still able to re-buy the stuff that’s essential for my studies (with my parents’ precious assistance).

I will therefore be leaving you with this collection of pictures taken of my group and of all the convention speakers, along with a picture of me with some Blogging Tories members posing with Paul Beaudry, author of many political/economic essays, who doesn’t maintain a blog, rather unfortunately… Scroll up to see them.

The Fraser Institute and the Montréal Economic Institute are holding a bilingual event this Saturday, February 3rd, from 9 AM to 5 PM at the Delta Centre-Ville hotel in the heart of downtown Montréal. (777 University) The conference features many renowned speakers each presenting a highly interesting topic. The conference will be about Public Policy Issues in Canada and will also focus on North America as a whole. The editor of the French Libertarian webzine Le Québécois Libre, Martin Masse, will be delivering a speech at the event, as well as The Blogging Tories’ very own Adam Daifallah, author of Rescuing Canada’s Right : Blueprint for a Conservative Revolution. Jonathan Fortier, Professor of English Literature at Bishop’s University and Senior Fellow of The Fraser Institute will also be speaking at the event about the impact of excessive regulation on the economy. The conference also features a free lunch while Michel Kelly-Gagnon, president of the Conseil du patronat du Québec addresses the participants about "Re-awakening the Coureur des bois spirit in Québec".

And you know what the best part of it is?

I’M GOING!

Yep, Sherbrooke (where I’m studying Politics at Bishop’s University) is a mere two-hour drive from Montréal. I’ll be attending with the Bishop’s University Conservative Students’ Association and there’s quite a bit of us going. This is going to be my first-ever conference of the kind and I’m extremely excited. I need to pack up my stuff and get my suit ready for tomorrow. I’ll keep you posted and maybe will put some pictures up here on KR when I get back on Sunday.

I hope I’ll meet many of you guys from the conservative blogging community there!

Have a nice weekend! (I know I will!)