PAUL:	They?ve been off for the summer, but they?ve not been idle, 
	our panel on political culture returns.  Joining me in the studio are 
	pundit and polster J. Richard Candow, and Ariel Flint host of BCN?s 
	Show Trial.  Joining us by phone from San Jose, Costa Rica is 
	Professor Carl Johnston, Valdmanis Chair in Political Economy at the 
	University of Newfoundland at St. John?s.  Welcome back folks.

ARIEL:	Thanks.

JR:	Pau1.

PAUL:	My notes indicate that you?ve been busy as beavers.

CARL:	Hello Paul.

ARIEL:	I was at the NAC convention.

PAUL:	And elected to the board, congradulations.

ARIEL:	Thank you.

JR:	Aren?t you a little ?fair skinned? to be on the NAC board.

CARL:	Congradulations.

ARIEL:	Oh give it up.  The media obsessed on race just so they 
	wouldn?t have to cover the real issues. 

JR:	Lipstick Lesb ...

ARIEL:	Besides I?m one eighth Cree.

JR:	WHAT! When did that happen.  You are unbeleivable. A 
	couple of years ago she suddenly gets a streak of grey a la Sharon 
	Sontag.

ARIEL:	Susan Sontag.

JR:	And now she?s a red indian!

ARIEL:	What a disgusting thing to sa...

JR:	Whooooo , Whoooooo. 

ARIEL:	Your true colors have certainly become obvious.

JR:	Sorry.

ARIEL:	Don?t deny that you attended the Newfoundland Savings 
	Bank A.G.M.

JR:	Why would I deny that!

CARL:	There?s some Polish blood on my mother?s side.

ARIEL:	The most garish spectacle of corporate excess since the fall 
	Rome!

PAUL:	Some of the stories I?ve heard Richard do seem ...

JR:	Oh Paul it was excellent!  Choppered in, a complete floor 
	show, group massage, hors d?oeurves from both ends ...

PAUL:	That does sound good.

ARIEL:	Surely the obscene profits made by the Banks in this 
	country over the past decade....

JR:	Heard it all before, next!

PAUL:	Richard I also understand that you attended a number of 
	political conventions this summer.

JR:	Ya, Republican, Reform, Conservative.

ARIEL:	(gags)

JR:	Yawn fests all.  You knew the Republicans were going to 
	nominate a reactionary, but yesterday?s reactionary.  And the 
	Canucks, Reform and the Tories,  if it wasn?t for the youth wing ...

ARIEL:	Boy if there?s anything to put fear in the cold heart of a 
	baby boomer its a Right Wing Gen-Xer with a big hate on for 
	Medicare.  

JR:	I think the Tory youth mean business.  The Health care 
	costs for the oldsters are going to be brutal. I don?t like to say this 
	but I think you had better get the basement apartment ready for Mom 
	and Dad.

ARIEL:	Have they no mercy.

JR:	What can the Right do?  Canadian politics is a closed 
	system, with the Liberal Party taking the centre,  Reform and the 
	Tories are being pushed against a wall.

ARIEL:	A wall called National Socialism.

JR:	Indeed.  It?s a great time to be a Liberal.

ARIEL:	What?

PAUL:	Richard?

JR:	What?  I?m a member of the Liberal Party of Canada, so 
	what?

ARIEL:	You pathetic parasite.  I suppose I shouldn?t be surprised, 
	crass opportunism and quiet hypocrisy are corner stones of the Liberal 
	Party.

JR:	And that?s why they?re the natural governing party of this 
	great counry.

CARL:	I attended a NDP policy form ... actually.

PAUL:	Carl?

CARL:	Yes.

PAUL:	Go on.

CARL:	Everybody there was very nice.

PAUL:	(patronizing tone)I?m sure they were.

ARIEL:	Precisely now Mr. Quisling, what policies of the Liberal 
	Party so enthuse you.

JR:	Well taking out the CBC, that?s going to make governing a 
	lot easier.  And keeping that tax on books, I think that?s inspired.

ARIEL:	NO! You know Richard you?re a dream from which I 
	cannot awake.

JR:	I knew you come crawling back.

ARIEL:	Why, pray tell, is the taxation of reading inspired.

JR:	You know what happens when people read too much Ariel, 
	their heads get full of crazy ideas, they start making unreasonable 
	demands on government.  

ARIEL:	And the CBC?

JR:	Being under constant scutiny inhibits the government.  
	You try putting some program in place, or building something, or 
	paving a few roads and the next thing you know you?re being accused 
	of pay backs.  You never get anything done.  
	
ARIEL:	So kill the national public broadcaster?

JR:	I admit I?ll miss the Fresh Prince.  Besides we?ve got the 
	BCN to pick up the slack.

LONG LONG SILENCE.			

ARIEL:	Well even if the BCN was to survive into the next centur ...

PAUL:	Sorry?

ARIEL:	Surely you know that the BCN is in play?

PAUL:	(very apprehensive) What?

ARIEL:	Word is that Conrad Black?s been talking to Newfoundland 
	Government about purchasing the grand old broadcaster.

JR:	 Great News.

PAUL:	(almost to himself) Cripes have I ever said anything 
	untoward about Tubby Black?
	
JR:	If you had, he would have sued you already.

PAUL:	That?s a relief.

CARL:	If I?m not mistaken Paul, didn?t you say that Barbera 
	Amiel was ...

PAUL:	AHGHH!  Babs!  That?s right.  

ARIEL:	I remember that.

PAUL:	Listen they were not that big when I dated her!  I was just 
	making an observation. Oh no ... I?m not qualified to do anything else.

JR:	Paul, they?re waving at you.

PAUL:	Wha?

JR:	There behind the glass.

PAUL:	Right.  We?re out of time.  Thanks for coming in.