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29 – Marc Emery: Martyr to Madness?

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Nov 012007

Marc Emery’s impending extradition to the United States for selling marijuana seeds raises profound questions about sovereignty, justice, and the irrationality of drug prohibition laws. In this episode of Just Right, the discussion centers on Emery’s lifelong activism, tracing his path from a London bookseller to a political firebrand challenging censorship, taxes, and government overreach.

Emery emerges as a complex figure—abrasive yet principled, self-promoting like Muhammad Ali, but driven by a passion for individual freedom. His early debates with the host at City Lights Bookshop sparked shared ventures, including publishing newspapers like The London Tribune and The London Metro Bulletin, and co-founding the Freedom Party of Ontario in 1984. Campaigns against the 1991 Pan Am Games bid saved London taxpayers millions, while fights against Sunday shopping laws and business improvement areas demonstrated how civil disobedience can triumph over bureaucratic folly.

Clips from films like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and documentaries such as Prince of Pot: The U.S. vs. Marc Emery illustrate Emery’s influences and current plight, where U.S. authorities target him not just for seeds, but for funding legalization efforts—a clear political vendetta. Speakers in these excerpts, including Emery himself comparing his struggle to Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela, highlight the absurdity of facing life imprisonment in America for acts that warrant mere fines in Canada. Note that these views do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Just Right.

The episode underscores broader implications: if Canada extradites Emery, it surrenders sovereignty to insane U.S. drug policies, setting a dangerous precedent for any activist. Differences between Emery’s anarchistic leanings and the host’s perspectives add nuance, yet unity persists on core principles of liberty.

In examining Emery’s story, the pursuit of justice demands vigilance against such moral obscenities, ensuring freedoms remain just right for all.

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027 – Money: Virtue’s barometer or theft’s tool?

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Oct 182007

Money fascinates and frustrates in equal measure. With the Canadian dollar hovering at par against its American counterpart, conversations turn to exchange rates, yet few pause to question the deeper nature of this everyday abstraction. Why accept a piece of paper or a digital entry in exchange for real goods and services? The theme emerges clearly: money reveals far more about morality and freedom than mere pricing.
Three paths exist to acquire anything in life—by gift, by earning through voluntary trade, or by taking without consent, which amounts to theft by force or fraud. Politics often disguises the third as virtue, labeling wealth redistribution as equity while condemning the same act in private life as criminal.

Government compulsion in transactions denies consent, eroding the moral foundation of exchange. Voluntary trades create win-win outcomes, where both parties value what they receive more than what they give up, increasing overall wealth through mutual benefit. Forced exchanges, common in state spending, depreciate value and breed resentment.

Subjective value drives prices, as illustrated in everyday encounters—like a mother discovering why a rare comic book commands far more than a common one. Collectors assign worth based on desire, proving value lies not in inherent properties but in individual judgment. This principle exposes fallacies in collectivist schemes that treat wealth as a fixed pie to be sliced “fairly.” Production generates wealth; productivity, not mere hard work, elevates living standards by creating more with less effort.

Inflation confuses money with wealth itself, an illusion exploited by governments that expand credit and currency supply, eroding purchasing power—especially for those least able to hedge against it. Historical examples abound: paper currencies collapse while gold retains value across millennia. Credit creation by banks, often politically enabled, mimics counterfeiting, transferring wealth subtly but surely.

Discussions with callers highlight supply and demand in professions, the pitfalls of materialism mistaken for happiness, and the contradictions in visions of moneyless utopias like those in Star Trek. True progress stems from free markets where consent reigns, not coercion disguised as social good.

Money is Just Right as the barometer of a society’s virtue.

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026 – Ontario election 2007

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Oct 112007

The recent Ontario election delivers no shocks, with Liberals securing another majority amid record-low voter turnout. Faith-based funding emerges as the flashpoint, revealing deep divides: Liberals cling to a state monopoly that forces double payments on parents opting for private schools, while Conservatives peddle taxpayer-funded “choice” that contradicts true freedom. This debate echoes Ontario’s tangled history, where education roots in political control—from Simcoe’s 1791 fears of republican heresy to the 1807 District Public School Act subsidizing wages, and Strachan’s 1816 Common School Act demanding allegiance to the crown. Reformers and Tories battled over funding from clergy reserves, all aiming to suppress “Yankee” ideas and instill moral training from the Scriptures.

Public education’s monopoly prioritizes indoctrination over learning, as Khalil Ramal admits—it’s about “integrating” society into one vision. Shared values like freedom to disagree must unite us, yet the system stifles innovation, rewards union seniority over merit, and inflates costs even as enrollment drops. Complaints from the 1980s ring true today: political masters ignore classrooms, curricula bow to pressure not preferences, and diplomas lose meaning amid literacy gaps.

Michael Coren’s cynical Thanksgiving rant captures broader discontent—Canada as a “home on native land” plagued by unresolved claims, eroding freedoms via Human Rights Commissions, lenient justice for criminals, a flawed Charter empowering radicals, and a health care system ranked 30th globally. Abroad, respect fades as our warrior heritage withers under emasculation.

Federally, Harper’s drug war escalation promises mandatory sentences and millions for enforcement, prevention, and treatment, yet ignores failed prohibition’s lessons. Criminalizing substances empowers gangs, inflates profits tax-free, and confuses addiction with restraint of trade. Better to legalize, end welfare for abusers, and hold individuals accountable for actions, not possessions.

Workplace stress hits hardest in repetitive jobs, while Canada Post’s antiquated monopoly exemplifies government inefficiency—outdated machines, accidents galore, and static delivery amid urban growth.
In this landscape of monopolies and misplaced priorities, finding balance remains just right for true progress.

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025 – Steve Holmes: NDP candidate for London-North-Centre – Ontario election 2007

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Oct 042007

In this pre-election dialogue, NDP candidate Steve Holmes joins us in studio to outline his party’s vision for Ontario, just days before the October 10 vote. Holmes, a long-time bus driver and union leader, shares his background in representing workers through the ATU 741 and London District Labor Council, emphasizing the NDP’s roots in labor advocacy. The conversation quickly turns to the interconnected planks of Howard Hampton’s platform, linking healthcare accessibility—including relisted services and dental care—to environmental initiatives like the Green Lights program, which promotes conservation and decentralized renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.

Discussions on energy reveal sharp contrasts, as Holmes invokes Adam Beck’s conservative-era push for public power at cost, while the flaws of government monopolies become evident in examples like inflated hydro bills burdened by transmission fees and debt charges. Economic philosophies clash over free trade, globalism, and the “race to the bottom,” with Holmes defending protections for workers’ rights and local economies against unchecked corporate profits. Labor issues dominate, exploring whether unions truly serve all workers or act as special interests, amid declining unionization and critiques of leaders like Sid Ryan venturing into unrelated political activism.

The referendum on mixed member proportional representation sparks debate on electoral fairness, highlighting the NDP’s support for a system that balances riding representation with party lists, potentially amplifying diverse voices despite risks to independents. Broader topics include crime’s roots in social inequities, the need for preventive education supports cut under Mike Harris, and unresolved Aboriginal land disputes in Caledonia and Ipperwash, blamed on federal delays. A caller challenges private education’s accessibility, underscoring tensions between choice and equity.

Throughout, audio clips from Star Trek and comedians illustrate themes of taxes, unions, and greed, though these external views do not reflect our own. As philosophies diverge on individualism versus collectivism, the exchange underscores why true fairness demands rejecting coercive policies in favor of freedom that’s just right.

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024 – God: All About Nothing?

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Sep 272007

God

In our exploration of faith and reality, questions arise that challenge the very foundations of belief: Is God a literal creator or a symbolic representation of existence itself? Society clings to notions of divinity that influence everything from politics to personal choices, with statistics revealing how North Americans envision God as authoritarian, benevolent, critical, or distant—shaping views on issues like abortion, wealth distribution, and even war.

These conceptions often blur the line between mysticism and reason, prompting a deeper look at creation myths versus the axiom that existence simply exists, without beginnings or ends. Concepts like nothingness prove illusory, as even zero in mathematics serves as a placeholder, not an absence of reality. Religion, in its essence, promotes self-restraint and discipline, yet literal interpretations can lead to conflicts with knowledge and free thought.

Morality emerges not from divine decree but from human choice and awareness, navigating the debate between determinism—where every action seems predestined—and free will, which affirms our power to shape destinies. Historical ties between religion and state power, from ancient councils to modern policies, underscore how faith becomes a tool for control.

Politics and religion intertwine inescapably, raising provocative inquiries: Can true freedom of religion exist without freedom from it? Listeners tuning in discover perspectives that provoke thought and challenge assumptions, where understanding these dynamics keeps society balanced in a way that is just right.

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023 – State Funding Kills Religious Education

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Sep 202007

God and Adam

The controversial proposal to extend tax funding to faith-based schools dominates Ontario’s 2007 provincial election, yet the real issue escapes most observers. Both John Tory’s plan to integrate religious schools into the public system and Dalton McGuinty’s opposition mask the same danger: expanded government control over what children learn.

Tax dollars always come with strings. Once religious schools accept public funding, courts and bureaucrats dictate curriculum and policies, overriding faith-based distinctions. The Marc Hall case proves this principle— a Catholic board’s refusal to allow a same-sex prom date collapsed under Charter equality provisions, despite religious objections. He who pays the piper calls the tune.

Public education already suffers under this monopoly. Literacy rates decline, standards soften, and moral relativism replaces objective values. Extending funding merely grows the beast without addressing its failures. Creationism debates distract from the core problem: forcing taxpayers to subsidize others’ education choices while surrendering parental authority to the state.

True diversity demands separation of school and state. Parents must reclaim responsibility for their children’s education, free from coercive funding that homogenizes beliefs under the guise of inclusion. Only then can genuine freedom in education emerge—one that respects individual rights and rejects forced assimilation. That’s the perspective just right for preserving both faith and liberty.

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022 – Afghanistan: A sense of the place | Arthur Majoor

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Sep 132007

In the shadow of the sixth anniversary of 9/11, our discussion turns to Canada’s unexpected role in Afghanistan, a mission that defies the media’s narrow focus on combat. Joined by Sergeant Arthur Majoor, fresh from a six-month tour in Kandahar, the conversation reveals a landscape far removed from the alien desolation often portrayed. Mountains loom against a red desert, temperatures soar to the low 50s, yet adaptation becomes second nature amid air-conditioned bases and limited outdoor exertion.

The media’s obsession with battles obscures the true essence of our efforts: a seamless blend of security and reconstruction. Provincial Reconstruction Teams, bolstered by battle groups, enable projects that rebuild infrastructure without immediate Taliban sabotage. Afghanistan’s history unfolds as a tale of instability—from constitutional monarchy disrupted by 1970s droughts and factionalism, to Soviet invasion in 1979, Mujahideen resistance, civil wars, and Taliban tyranny that froze society under draconian rule. Ejected in 2001, the Taliban left a void now filled by ISAF’s multinational alliance of 38 nations, including Canada, committed through the UN-mandated Afghan Compact until 2011.

Progress manifests in small but profound ways: reclaiming irrigation ditches, building village schools and clinics, fostering community councils—including those for women—and training Afghan National Army battalions. Yet challenges persist, with 30 years of educational voids hindering skilled labor like engineers or mechanics. Canada’s $1.2 billion aid over a decade supports this, spurring local economies rather than flooding with foreign goods. Critics who demand withdrawal ignore the symbiotic tie between combat and development; pulling out prematurely risks undoing gains in a geopolitically volatile region bordering nuclear powers.

Humanitarianism aligns with our self-image as UN supporters and human rights advocates, countering Taliban ferocity against education and freedom. Villagers actively aid ISAF, exposing caches and informing on threats, proving local rejection of fear-based rule. As Canadians historically tackle immense challenges—from building the CPR to forging NATO—staying the course honors our values. In this pivotal endeavor, success demands persistence that hits just right.

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