Finally, the fall television season begins

I face a dilemma tonight, what shows to download, what order to watch the shows I will download.

There are the regulars (Colbert and Stewart) and there are two season premieres.

The Shield is back for its final season tonight on the American FX Network. (This was originally my priority for viewing when I get off work tonight.)

However, TVOntario’s The Agenda with Steve Paikin is back tonight as well.

Not only is the show back, but the topic is of extreme interest to me: “The Debate: McGuinty – Second Term Blues?

I’m beginning to believe the McGuinty government is adrift.

Mind you, my perception is through the lenses of higher education and a Minister’s office that seems disorganized at best. Looking back at the first sitting of the house for this second term, I’m hard pressed to think of any achievements.

On the flip side, looking into the prism of higher education in Ontario, the coming year will be the most important of the McGuinity government in terms of higher education.

The “Reaching Higher Plan” that followed the Rae Review is expiring and the government needs to map out the next steps in its vision for higher education.

I’ve talked with the Canadian Federation of Students – Ontario numerous times during the summer. They are preparing a Day of Action in October, however, they may have to postpone due to the expected federal election. Either way, when higher education will enter the government agenda soon after the CFS-O protest is held on the front lawn of Queen’s Park.

I’ve spent the summer preparing for this story and will work to have the best coverage of Ontario’s higher education debate.  (It’s sad I know, but I’m really looking forward to legislative committee debates on higher education.)

I’m also hopeful that we’ll witness the new Minister of Training, Colleges, and Universities live up to his full potential.

We will start seeing reports from HEQCO appearing this fall and these reports will be extremely influential as to the direction the government moves in this direction. It’s going to be an interesting fall and I’m looking forward to it.

It appears this episode is inspired, in part, by a recent column by Sun Media journalist Christina Blizzard calling the government out on its lack of leadership and communciation. (Damn, if only this column had come out prior to me wasting my time trying to get answers out of the government. I could’ve saved myself a lot of grief.)

(Funny, how a planned two paragraph post at 3:00am turned into this long winded, likely typo-filled, late night post.)