Join the new world

---

THE MANDATE

On October 5th, a majority of eCanadian voters provided me with a mandate to build an eCanada of vision, passion, and purpose. I have an outstanding team of people to help me achieve this:

Vice-President, Rylde
Vice-President, Acacia Mason
Minister of Defence, klop123
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shoi12
Minister of Finance, Bryan Alexander.



STATE OF THE UNION

Opening Remarks

We made it to the end! Thank-you!

I just finished old-timers hockey, had a few beers, so I may be a bit more nostalgic than usual.



On the thank-yous...

To Muglack, one of the best Speakers in eCan. He facilitated a great congress and we were able to accomplish a lot vis-a-vis rental agreements.

To my VPs, Rylde and Acacia. They didn't have big roles but they were there at key moments when needed. Acacia was there when the whole eUS foreign relations situation blew up and Rylde was there to prod the executive to find rallying points in the country and push the negotiations with eNL along.

To klop, a big thanks, he single-handledly took care of the Military side of things. There was too much on the regional rental side of things for me to attend to the Battle Orders, klop and his team took care of this.

To Bryan Alexander, a huge thanks for moving the first budget in eCan in many terms, and doing it in a professional and timely manner. Our prediction of tax revenue increases after an increase to 2% across the board was spot on and we had enough money to do what we wanted to do.

To Shoi, for shepherding the eNL agreement to completion, a big thanks.



On what I'm most proud of...

eCanada provided eNetherlands and eSwitzerland what their alliances could not; viability.

eNetherlands has escaped a cycle of wipes in Europe, they have a home in eCanada and are reasonably assured a congress. This has never before been done in eCanada. To boot, we are actually collecting rent.

eSwiss accomplished something very special. They RW'd back an original region against long odds of TWO oppressors, managed to launch an NE seconds before their nemesis, launched their air strike shortly after that and successfuly pulled it off despite a tiny MPP stack. eSwiss are on the map after a perpetual cycle of wipes. Incredibly, eCanada managed to accomplish something it never had done before TWICE.

eNetherlands and eSwiss are poised to become staunch allies of eCanada. Returning to the map, they have a genuine opportunity at player retention. eCanada has essentially grown in size by the populations of these nations.

The arrangements have cost eCanada nothing with respect to game mechanics. Sure, our polygon on the map has changed, but we still have 60/40 economic bonuses and we don't lose any population of citizens and we don't lose any tax revenues, but we collect rent. We will collect at least 12,000 CC a month under these arrangements.

It kind of sucks to say we financially benefit from being an ally, but these deals are very fair in the eyes of our partners.

We have forged strategic alliances with these countries and we have demonstrated to the outside world a distinct willingness to co-operate.

Congratulation eCan congress for authorizing these activities.

Congratulations eCan soldiers for co-operating so well in the battles that were required to pull this off.



On what I'm most disappointed in...

You'd think that it would be the dissolution of CoT, but I consider this a good thing. CoT has to die for TWO to turn on itself, and now that CoT is dead, TWO will turn on itself and the game stance a chance to rejuvenate.

No, my biggest disappointment is the eUS region swap talks.

I really wanted to get a three for three region swap authorized in my term. There is a very practical possibiliy for each of eCan and eUS to achieve 100/60 economic bonuses if we co-operate. Unfortunately, we have to co-operate.

My leadership style offends certain people. I analyse a lot, reach a conclusion, and then stand fast on my position, selling or explaining hard, trying to influence others. In the eUS negotiations, this did not go over well. In part, I overstated eNL's urgency to occupy regions of interest to eUS. In part, eUS did not appreciate the urgency that eCan was dealing with. Not only did we have eNL interested in regions, so were eSwiss (who landed) and eNorway (who couldn't assemble the AS resources in time).

I could have handled this better.

I don't think I did any permanent harm here, in fact, I think I was behaving in a manner consistent with my reputation, but I am disappointed that I could not arrange for those attractive economic bonuses to be put into place.



On my advice to the next CP...

There are two key things to deal with, one is urgent, the other is important.

As for the urgent one, we have an open war with eNetherlands. Peace cannot be proposed until seven days after the declaration of NE. That was four days ago. eNL must autoattack eCan shortly, and they are going to attack a region that they haven't reached a rental agreement on. eCan must win this battle. Then eCan will have to auto attack. eCan will have to attack a region that eNL has duly rented and occupied. eCan will have to lose this battle. Hopefully this "training war" goes well and peace can be proposed by this second battle. It is very important to manage these affairs well.

As for the important one, eCan is no longer in an alliance, CoT has dissolved. Not only has the alliance dissolved, the complexion of the game is changing as there is only one alliance, TWO, and they have nobody to fight. It is critical for eCan to identify its key international relationships and solidify them with MPPs, correspondence, and attention. eCanada may or may not end up in an alliance with them, but in the interim, we will need support for battles and we will need battles to provide activity for our vibrant population. These steps will be key in defining our future in this new alliance cycle.



On nominations to any Orders of Canada...

Usually this is when an outgoing CP makes those announcements, and I have made them in previous terms, but I do not have any this time.



On what is next...

I will be focusing on my MU, Military of Opportunity, getting our membership up and refining our new player development program.

I will also be trying to do a micro-baby-boom through the Twitter-verse, we'll see how that works out.

I'll likely run for congress next month, maybe even PP of CPF. CPF is focusing on some CP development programs and I'd like to help out with that as well.

I really like where eCanada is right now, and I want to stay. I am very content to take a step back, I really had no intentions of running for CP again, this just kind of happened. It may happen again but I have no specific ambitions to ever run again. Being CP is fun and I encourage others to attempt it. I believe that Exalted Druid is making an attempt next month and I really look forward to supporting him.



Closing Remarks and Shameless Plugs...

When you see moxy and swagger in this game, remember TFD.

When you see goodness, thoughfulness and literary prowess in this game, remember Plugson.

Someone commented that "Who's Your Daddy?" is pedo in my last article. I laughed it off. I am a middle aged man playing a game dominated by teenagers and university students, I could be the father of many players. Aside from being a catchy link to my citizen's name, it is also a code I live by; I try to be as fatherly as I can in this game; sharing what I know and have with my kin, protecting the efamily that I've made in this game, and playing the role of leader when it is required. When it isn't required, have a blast in my yard, take a spin in my car, and make sure there is enough liquor in my cabinet for me after you raid it.

Thanks for all the fish eCanada!!!

Who's your daddy?