Marc Languille writes: “Dear Garth: I took this photo of an empty office today at 4:22 pm, and the place was totally deserted. I explained to my kids here in Regina why a man can be responsible for a government department and yet not take any responsibility! I hope they get it. I hope Ralph someday ‘gets it.’ Somehow it would be a relief to me if the man was at least worried.â€
______________________________________________________________
Two nights before New Year’s Eve, freezing rain, and I am driving into an area of Milton I have never been to before – the extreme southern edge, where spanking new houses sit in the middle of what was a field, and stare across at remaining fields whose days are numbered. My expectations, for some reason, are low tonight. Maybe it’s my unfamiliarity with the area, as I drive with a Mapquest page in one hand, squinting at it as the wipers beat on. Maybe it’s just because I am tired, unused to canvassing all afternoon, then all evening, as I have been doing this week.
Whatever. My days are measured in polls now, and tonight it is this one stuck to my clipboard that needs to be accomplished. So, I pile out, flip my hood up, gather the canvass materials and shove off.
Ninety minutes later, everything has changed. I am pumped, energized and optimistic. I have encountered a raft of new supporters and planted three new lawn signs. Even better, I came across a row of five houses all sporting Garth Turner signs. I had a volunteer show up unexpectedly, to help me get this poll done, and share the load. I was invited inside at least a dozen homes, welcomed warmly, thanked for my efforts, and heard people tell me how impressed they were with the momentum of the campaign.
Esther called me twice during the canvass with good news – thousands of dollars walked through the door this week in unexpected donations. We scored some great new volunteers and, of course, there is the Goodale factor. Warriors like Esther and Beth, both in the office tonight, know exactly the effect this kind of political event can have on a national campaign – with big implications for local ones, like ours.
In fact, tonight that’s what a lot of the people wanted to talk about. Not that they exactly knew the issue, nor should they, but they did understand that this goes to the very heart of what the vote is about: Who can you trust? Suddenly the Minister of Finance is under a cloud and refuses to step aside, and the Prime Minister is pooh-poohing it as inconsequential. And yet the people on those new streets I visited know damn well the seriousness of having the cops – especially the Mounties – on your case. That does not happen because police enjoy political sabotage, or chase publicity, but rather because they are unable to ignore something. Action is demanded. It matters.
People get that. They see the same behaviour now and hear the same statements as when the advertising scandal was just being unearthed. Liberals investigating Liberals, finding themselves blameless, and being exonerated. It is exactly what breeds cynicism and mistrust of the political system, this culture of entitlement and excuse.
So, we talked about that in a few living rooms, surrounded by appreciative dogs. And I know, there will be a lot more of it. I would be very surprised if Ralph Goodale lasts a week. I think this will end up looking like another giant error in judgment on the part of Paul Martin. Goodale may not be personally guilty of anything, but he is the minister and he is responsible. If a staffer was trying to massage an extra few ounces out of a good-news tax announcement, and ended up passing insider info, then it is the minister who has to step forward. And it’s the prime minister who backstops him. And, well, that’s pretty much it – unless you want to change the government.
And, tonight, we are on that road – at least in Halton. New money, new signs, new helpers, new voters. And soon, a new year. I like it already.
40 comments ↓
Still looking for the silver bullet huh? That one perfect scandal that’ll flip the polls?
Man if the Liberals didn’t have scandal you’d really have nothing. Nothing brought that into sharp relief more than the Conservative Reform Alliance Party ad on TV the other night. Weird that the NDP spot (the worst one yet with that stupid boot) had better production values that the Tory one. But for deep condescension you can’t get better than regular Joes watching Harper on TV in a bar (drinking away their lower class pain no doubt) while a voice over tells them that Richie Rich on the screen there is just like them.
Hint, if Harper were just like them he wouldn’t be on TV running for PM now would he?
While it wasn’t as cringe inducing as the landing of Captain Wetsuit and his Jet Ski of Cool it was still lamer than a gangrene suffering Tiny Tim auditioning for Icecapades. I really hope you guys have blown your TV budget and I won’t have to suffer through it again.
The Liberal’s ad was quite good, no attack, list of accomplishments with a tag line of “this is what we’ve done with a minority governmentâ€. Smart, quiet and polite in other words Canadian, your mob could learn something from them.
Memo from Liberal War Room: Canadian voters will be given $1200 to purchase the income trust of their choice AND a “free” stock tip AND the choice of their favorite beverage (more than beer eh?) complete with a bag of “I AM Canadian” popcorn.
I was beginning to think Salvage had decided to run for cover; guess he just took a Christmas vacation. “Quiet and polite”, eh? We’ll see… Wouldn’t it be funny if the Liberal commericials were like their blogs.
I guess Martin’s politics of fear are quiet and polite. It’s OK to rant that Harper is “Unfit to govern…”. This from a guy (PM Dithers) who stammers and stutters when responding to questions on the Liberal record, but gets eloquent when he wraps himself in the flag.
All this from the party that has done the most damage to confederation…
A bit of a vacation, family stuff and fresh air.
We have seen the spots have been on the air. I hope they Liberals continue the theme. When you’re number one you don’t acknowledge number 2.
Yes is it ok to rant that Harper is “unfit” to govern because it’s true. So true they don’t need to mention it in the ads.
Of course he stammers when it comes to the Liberal’s record, it’s horrible, they should be tossed out of power and would be if we had a credible alternative. Martin isn’t going to win this election, Harper is going to lose. If the Tories shed their right wing Bush wannabees they would be leading right now.
You can blame the media or the rain if it makes you feel better but the bottom line is Harper sucks and not enough Canadians like him for the job. This is not me, this is every poll that has asked the question.
The comment that Harper is “unfit” is arrogant and rude. Based on Paul Martin’s record, I would suggest that if anybody is unfit to govern, it is PM and his Liberal co-horts who are ‘unfit’ to govern at this point.
The Conservaties on this blog sure do not like dissention. Anyone who disagrees with them is labeled rude, unimformed, a lying Liberal, immoral, amoral, bleeding heart, etc. It’s scary reading the level of vitrol in some of your comments. I sit and wait for the vitrol to spew from my having made this comment.
Arrogant, rude and a fact.
Salvage – I hear your concerns. I just hope that when you hold your nose, you don’t vote Liberal. Happy New Year.
Salvage and Truegrit: with all due respect, how can you call it a fact that Harper is unfit to govern given that he has no record of ever being Prime Minister here to judge him on? Paul Martin Jr. does have a track record, Canadians will judge on January 23rd whether or not that track record will reward him with four more years of office, or if perhaps another leader should be offered the opportunity to prove him or herself ( although I can’t think of any female party leaders at the present time!)
Happy New Year, guys. And Truegrit, don’t waste too much time waiting for the vitrol (or is it vitriol), as most people have better things to do.
truegrit and salvage must be pretty scared and desperate to spend their time on and Conservative candidate’s blog.
TTH _ The area I’m in is pretty much a Liberal lock so I will vote Marijunna or Green depending on my mood that day; “Do I want to get stoned or save the planet?”
Paul, with some jobs you just know if they can or can’t, Harper simply can’t.
Yes Mark the 10 minutes a day I spend here is definately a sign of that. By posting on Garth’s blog I know I’m convincing millions of people to not vote for Stephen Harper. And look! It’s working!
scared? desperate? maybe. aren’t we all? at least they’re interested. and salvage, while admittedly poor, doesn’t appear to be a liberal – more like a small c conservative.
in fact, many of us in the halton area (and yes, unlike snowbunnie and many of the other republican wannabees who love to post such partisan crap, i live in the riding that Garth is trying to win) are former PC supporters. We just wouldn’t dream of voting reform, and are now faced with the choice between the current government (and you won’t find many defending their record), and a spectre of the religious right from out of the west. There is no more progressive or compassionate conservative party. What we have now is a party that believes abortion should be criminalized and that gays should not be treated the same as everyone else when it comes to marriage. (as an aside – this “free vote” excuse is a load of crap. just like referendums. policy needs to be set by elected representatives for the betterment of all, not just voted on by the electorate as a whole. show some leadership. make the tough decisions. Mulroney did it with the GST, and he got my respect. Remember – a society is judged by how the weak and minorities are treated.).
I respect Garth for leaping back into politics, trying to change things for the better. I wish there were more like him in the party. I also wish that the party leadership was more like him. And frankly, I think he’d make a better party leader. I’m not saying harper isn’t as smart or as hard working, but i’ll bet you the rest of the country would accept Garth as PM before they’d accept harper. And i can’t blame them – i would too. My (somewhat controversial) hope is that on election day, Garth wins Halton, and harper loses his riding. I think that might lead to a brighter future for the conservative party than the other way around.
Yup, the liberals are running scared, and no wonder. It’s obvious that they have only one strategy left, trying to frighten the undecided voter away from the CPC, because all that’s left in their trashed party is more scandal, more corruption, more panic.
The tactics employed by truegrit & salvage are the ultimate proof that their ship is sinking fast. Just ignore the poor sods.
off the stonewall goes Ralph
You can laugh at the Conservative commercials but at least they didn’t need to take out a loan to make them. Harper is a decent honest man – which definitely scares the liberals.
Isn’t it odd that, with an RCMP Commissioner who is a Liberal fart catcher, an investigation of apparent Liberal naughtiness is being launched right in the middle of an election. Could this be a snow job? It seems entirely possible that, after a little frenetic wheel spinning, information could be “leaked”, a few days before the vote, to the effect that nothing improper is being uncovered. Am I a tad cynical? Damned right.
Salvage and I simply like to hear and know what we are against. Debate is not much fun if the people you are talking to fully agree with you. Nothing new is learned if everyone agrees with each other. I may slam some of you guys from time to time, but it is in the interest of getting people to think in a way that they might not have taken into account in forming their opinion. Conservative, Liberal, NDP, etc we all want to create a prosperous society that maximizes liberty and shines as an example to the rest of the world. We just simply disagree on the means needed to achieve those goals. We are not enemies, just people who disagree and can still cohabit in the same country. In the end, isn’t this what Canada is really about? Isn’t this what most of the world is striving to be? Happy New Year and best of health to all of you.
Mike,
you said…”and a spectre of the religious right from out of the west.”
I’m sorry to inform you the religious spectre is every where, whether it be Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu etc and places of worship are found in all locations across Canada.
Nothing wrong in fearing God, it keeps you humble.
Mike, Salvage, etc
You need to consider the possibility that, like millions of Ontarians, you have been completely suckered by the Libs.
Harper has never been a social conservative. That is a label hung on him by the Libs to scare the intellectually comatose Ontario electorate. He, like half the Canadian population, thinks that there is no pressing need to redefine marriage when civil unions remain an option. He has no interest in opening the abortion issue and has said that repeatedly.
As for direct democracy, why are you so lazy? What is the big deal about occasionally expressing your opinion on an issue through a ballot? It has become painfully obvious that MPs just vote along party lines and not according to constituents’ interests. Why would you delegate important decisions to a group of corrupt, trained seals?
I have to wonder how many years of Liberal screwups and waste are sufficient for people like you. It’s been 12 years now. Would 15 or 20 be enough? Maybe we should just abolish elections, which are too much trouble for you.
You might also consider the effects of your eternal support for the Libs on national unity, both in Quebec and increasingly in Alberta.
Your evocation of the hypothetical risks of changing to a Harper regime is overwhelmed by hard evidence in the form of 12 years of Liberal mismanagement. Give your heads a shake!
I think Salvage is well named. We are going to need that talent after Jan25th. Slick commercials do not make a country run.
“What we have now is a party that believes abortion should be criminalized and that gays should not be treated the same as everyone else when it comes to marriage.”
What a load of crap. The CPC believes that abortion is yesterdays issue that is a fait accomplie. As for the gay marriage issue didn’t 39 Liberals vote against it as well.
Why have had a vote at all? You don’t want the citizens to decide but 300 MP’s is OK. I guess for you that number is OK because the majority(cabinet ministers being forced)voted in favor.Why not let the PM decide it.
Horny Toad
Far too many here are dialing up old “black and white” generalizations. Hold your nose and vote is a cop out. The Conservative party is a Western-Biblethumping-Misogynist-Homophobic party if it is MADE that way by the people who support it. Far too many take democracy for granted and allow abuse to happen by not participating. How many people actually give a damn enough to write to their MP’s? How many actually fill out questionaires, or email concerns? Not too many, I would presume. Blissfully and ignorantly the populace gets what it deserves – and it deserves crap.
I can understand why a person migh not want to vote Conservative, or why a person might consider themselves a Liberal. What I can’t understand is why anyone could support the current gang. Or posse, or crew, or whatever name fits best…
I read today there are over 30 current investigations being conducted.
And none of this bothers these people a all. Kind of makes you wonder what sort of ethical standards they have in their personal life. BTW, I don’t think that was vitriolic – I’d say it was rather restrained and civil.
Also, the word is spelled “dissension”
The Liberal ship is sinking FAST.
http://www.sesresearch.com
I like that term “TRUEGRIT SALVAGE” sounds to me they are going to be needed, OH! Hear that gurgle, gurgle is that the corrupt ship Lieberal going down, down, call in the “Truegrit Salvage” company. Maybe the NDP will welcome the liberal survivors into the fold and become the “Democratic Party of Canada”
salvage and truegrit, i’m afraid you are mistaken -
I have seen no “partisan vitriol” on this blog, nor have i seen any childish rantings….unlike those from the url you link to, salvage. Furthermore, you don’t seem to understand that the conservatives are NOT liberal-lite – they are conservatives! We don’t believe in statism or bloated government beauracracies supported by a myriad of special interest groups that feed off the public taxpayer’s teat. If you want liberal, then vote liberal and shut up about it. If you’re disgusted by paul martin, then go vote NDP.
Or, quit your histrionics about ‘anti-abortionists’ in the conservative party (the official party policy is to leave the status quo be, or did you forget about the montreal policy convention?), or perhaps about the ‘homophobes’ (which conveniently ignores the 50 odd liberals who voted against C-38, and paul martin himself, who always seems to talk about ‘charter rights’ but never ‘gay rights’. I woonder why…)
You have been trained well by your liberal masters to fear anything conservative. I think you’ve told your ‘bush-lite’ lie so many times now that you actually believe it.
Conservatives (both Big and Small ‘c’) stand for smaller government, an end to bloated beauracracies and mismanaged tax dollars, lower taxes, accountability in health care, and in government, and in the right to enjoy property coupled with strong beliefs favouring free-market capitalism.
If you want the twisted and perverted socialist system that we have now, then fine. Vote Liberal. But then don’t whien about the massive corruption and criminality that the bloated beauracracy entails.
sorry for the obvious spelling mistakes, btw.
I guess it can all be summed up by,
‘If you want a postive change and an end to the rampant corruption and statism that the liberals espouse, then vote conservative. Make a difference’.
Mike, your point is taken but I think I have a better chance of sprouting a pair of wings than Stephen harper has of losing his riding.
Biff, wake up. Harper has never been a social conservative? That is a label hung on him by the Libs to scare the intellectually comatose Ontario electorate?
“The truth of the matter is that the real agenda and the defining issues have shifted from economic issues to social values, so conservatives must do the same.
“This is not as difficult as it sounds. It does not require a radical redefinition of conservatism, but rather a shifting of the balance between the economic and social conservative sides that have always been there.
“In particular, Canadian conservatives need to rediscover the virtues of Burkean conservatism as a key component of that balance.
“For example, we need to rediscover Burkean or social conservatism because a growing body of evidence points to the damage the welfare state is having on our most important institutions, particularly the family. Conservatives have to give much higher place to confronting threats posed by modern liberals to this building block of our society.” – Stephen Harper
Eddie,
What more evidence do you need than the societal breakdown of Toronto, which we are witnessing, tragic death by tragic death, that that statement is fundamentally correct.
It seems that Mr. Salvage is afraid of losing something. Maybe he’s (I’m assuming he) concerned that our society might gain some positive qualities from moral leadership. Could it be that our present decaying values have to do with policies set in Ottawa? The negative comments made about Mr. Harper and the Conservative Party come without substantiation. That is the same pattern used by Paul Martin and his sinking seamen. It might be a good idea for Ontario votors to open their eyes and ears to the truth. We have been duped into paying millions of dollars in tax money to pad an ever increasing surplus that is used, in part, to support the Liberal Party in Quebec. Those are our tax dollars. Those funds do not belong to the Liberal Party. We save diligently for our retirements and invest wisely to assure some kind of future financial security for us and our children, only to have Mr. Goodale pull the plug on income trusts. Why? So that he could assure more tax revenue for the already bloated surplus. Then along comes an election making his move on income trusts a little uncomfortable, so he does a little patch job and thinks we’ll forget. Investors in this country are still recovering from an ill advised and knee-jerk move by the Finance Department. All for the sake of money they didn’t need. There are issues surrounding Income Trusts that need to be addressed, but some long term warning of impending changes allows the market to adjust gradually. Frankly, they didn’t think there was enough votors in Canada concerned about this issue to worry about. They’re wrong. By the way, Mr. Mike, does Mr. Goodale fall into the spectre of the Western religious right. After-all he is from Regina.
STRIKE ONE…Alienate the West..
Western Standard November 28, 2005
Oct. 22, Scott Reid, press secretary for the Prime Minister’s Office, announced to Calgary Herald columnist Don Martin, “Alberta can blow me.”
—————————————————————————————
STRIKE TWO…Alienate the parents…
This same Scott Reid said that parents would spend their daycare money on …popcorn and beer.
———————————————————————-
STRIKE THREE…
Martin vs. U.S.
Paul Martin is on the verge of destroying the Canadian business industry because of his all consuming lust for power.
Ontario letters to other newspapers indicate a real fear that the auto industry as well as numerous other industries will be in peril in Ontario..thanks to Paul Martin.
This is the start of something big…
Who will be left to pick up the pieces?
Paul Martin and his Liberals?
STRIKE FOUR…
What Mike Klander …Paul Martin’s close friend said…
Olivia Chow looks like a dog
Steven Fletcher is funny when he’s mad because he’s a cripple
Harper and Duceppe are gay or something
Ontario voters outside of Toronto like Barrie,
represented by a Liberal MP, are unimportant and a joke
People are stupid, pity politicians who have to pretend to be nice
Jack Layton is an asshole
==============================================
A LIBERAL Minister said the following…
QUOTE: “Oh, yes, Martin has done a great job! In two years, he’s lost our majority, brought the Bloc back to life, divided the Liberal Party like never before, and united the Conservative Party! Oh, yes, he’s a great leader, isn’t he?” (Source: CURRENT federal Quebec minister)
33 RCMP Investigations into Liberal Government Activities
RCMP investigations into Liberal government activities
OTTAWA – Yesterday’s announcement that the RCMP are conducting a criminal investigation into the Income Trust Scandal is just another chapter in an ongoing saga. Here are some media reports of RCMP investigations over the past three years:
DND:
• The RCMP is probing a $76.5 million DND contract with Compaq Canada. (National Post, September 30, 2003).
Public Works:
• Paul Coffin, president of a Montreal-based advertising company with Liberal links, was charged by the RCMP with 18 counts of fraud, involving $2-million. (Globe and Mail, September 29, 2003).
• Chuck Guite and Jean Brault, the former head of the Groupaction firm, are facing charges in the sponsorship scandal.
• A third advertising executive with Liberal connections was charged with fraud.as part of the RCMP’s investigation into the sponsorship program. Jacques Paradis, the former president of Publicite Martin in Montreal, allegedly submitted fake invoices worth $98,250 as part of a $1.2-million sponsorship of the Montreal Expos in 1998. (Globe and Mail, October 22, 2004).
• The RCMP continues to probe the sponsorship contracts and says more charges are pending. (Globe and Mail, September 29, 2003). Minister Ralph Goodale has referred a dozen files from five companies to the RCMP for investigation, including GroupAction. (Fredericton Daily Gleaner, September 15, 2003).
• The RCMP has raided the offices of Communications Coffin and GroupAction as well as “many other raids”. (Globe and Mail, September 10, 2003).
• Reports also suggest that the RCMP are also investigating the federal Liberal Party’s Quebec wing as a part of the investigation into the sponsorship scandal. (Calgary Sun, September 26, 2003).
• A report revealed that the Public Works Department has refused to release information under access to information on a $750,000 sponsorship contract for the 1999 Corner Brook Canada Games, citing an ongoing investigation. (St. John’s Telegram, December 1, 2004)
• In July, a Public Works payroll specialist working at RCMP headquarters was charged with 10 counts each of fraud and theft for allegedly paying himself $250,000 illegally. (Calgary Sun, September 26, 2003).
• The Liberal Party has requested that the RCMP investigate whether it was a victim of fraud in the sponsorship scandal (Statement by Liberal Party Lawyer, April 4, 2005)
• Martin referred the Gomery report to the RCMP (Martin Statement, November 1, 2005)
Industry Canada:
• The RCMP is investigating possible fraud and bribery within Industry Canada, involving possible “overpayments” to recipients of federal business grants. (Globe and Mail, September 29, 2003).
• A former Ontario director of a federal agency is facing fraud charges after allegedly using government credit cards to buy hockey memorabilia. (National Post, January 7, 2005)
• David Emerson told the House of Commons that several Technology Partnerships Canada files had been referred to the RCMP (Hansard, October 3, 2005)
• Lobbyist Registrar Michael Nelson said that he has referred a case involving a lobbyist to the RCMP (Ottawa Citizen, November 7, 2005)
HRDC:
• More than half a dozen bureaucrats have been “removed” from their jobs at a Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) in Toronto following a police investigation into projects funded under one of the department’s grants and contributions programs (St. John’s Telegram, September 15, 2003).
Radwanski:
• The auditor general called on the RCMP and Revenue Canada to investigate George Radwanski’s spending habits. (CTV.ca, September 30, 2003).
• The Leader of the Government in the Senate, the Hon. Sharon Carstairs, responding to a question from Senator Stratton, acknowledged that there are as many as 12 ongoing RCMP investigations into the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. (Hansard, October 1, 2003).
CCRA:
• Revenue Minister Elinor Caplan has called in the RCMP and ordered a sweeping security review after four tax department computers were stolen containing confidential personal information on more than 120,000 Canadians. (Windsor Star, September 30, 2003).
• Following a six month investigation, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Greater Toronto Area Commercial Crime Section has laid a charge of Breach of Trust by Public Officer against a former employee of the Canada Customs & Revenue Agency (CCRA), alleging that she disclosed confidential tax payer information to an unauthorized person. (release via Canada News Wire, October 7, 2003).
Aboriginal Affairs:
• The investigations into the Virginia Fontaine Addictions Foundation. Although some charges have been laid already the Edmonton Journal reported October 2 that.”the RCMP say they expect to lay more charges within the next three weeks.” (Edmonton Journal, October 2, 2003).
• Health Canada has called in the RCMP’s fraud unit and terminated a $6.8-million funding deal with a Winnipeg-based native health organization. (Winnipeg Free Press, February 22, 2005)
• Andy Scott revealed that when financial irregularities were found at Keeseekoose First Nation, the RCMP was called in and charges laid. (Globe and Mail, November 16, 2005)
Citizenship and Immigration:
• A prime suspect in the sweeping RCMP probe into alleged bribery of federal immigration judges twice bought his way out of jails in India before paying a human smuggler $8,000 to bring him to Canada. Last month, RCMP detectives alleged in sworn affidavits that Singh and members of his criminal organization pressured immigrants in Ottawa and Montreal to pay bribes of $10,000 to $15,000 that were shared with two Immigration and Refugee Board judges in exchange for favourable rulings. (National Post, July 5, 2003)
• In one of Canada’s most serious cases of passport theft, the RCMP foiled a scheme to sell 246 stolen blank Canadian passports — but not before some of them found their way into the hands of international people-smuggling rings. (Globe and Mail, October 26, 2004).
• The RCMP are probing allegations about immigration officer at Pearson Airport in relation to reports that a Romanian diplomat pulled strings in Canada so his exotic dancer daughter could get a work visa from immigration officials in 24 hours. (Toronto Sun, November 26, 2004).
• Media reports revealed that a former staff member in Immigration Minister Judy Sgro’s office is being probed for allegations relating to national security. (Toronto Sun, December 9, 2004).
• A senior Citizenship and Immigration Canada official has been charged along with four others in an alleged cash-for-permanent-residency scheme involving tens of thousands of dollars. (Ottawa Sun, December 17, 2004).
• According to media reports, the RCMP actually investigated allegations that Paul Martin supporter Gurbax Singh Malhi was using to granting of ministerial permits as a way to arrange political and financial support for Martin’s leadership campaign. The RCMP reportedly looked into the matter but closed it when witnesses refused to cooperate (Globe and Mail, March 10, 2005
Transport:
• Transport Canada officials reveal that following a six-month internal government review of security clearances granted to airport workers, 73 cases have been deemed suspicious or incomplete enough to forward to the RCMP for further investigation of possible criminal ties (Times-Colonist, December 12, 2004)
• Liberal MP Robert Thibault has asked the RCMP to look into the privatization of the Digby wharf: “I’ve asked the solicitor general and advised the minister of transport that I have asked for an RCMP review of the matter,” he said (Chronicle-Herald, February 10, 2005). The RCMP have no plans to reopen an investigation into privatization of the Digby wharf however (Chronicle-Herald, April 1, 2005).
Tim Murphy and Ujjal Dosanjh:
• The RCMP investigates allegations of Tim Murphy and Ujjal Dosanjh making offers to Conservative MPs to try and get them to cross the floor.
Finance:
• RCMP reviewing complaints of possible leak of income trust announcement: Staff Sgt. Paul Marsh told Bloomberg News. (CTV.ca, November 30, 2005)
It’s not just Goodale’s Office. I noticed a news article set in a Vancouver Liberal candidate’s campaign office last night. What was not commented on by the reporter was that the office was empty(except for one elderly lady reading a newspaper). Shows what the level of support is in his riding.
Eddie,
How does support for the family constitute a huge threat to society? There’s nothing here anyone ought to fear, unless there are a few words you needed to look up.
Look at the CPC policy on childcare, which says that parents should allocate their resources as they see fit.
The Liberals, on the other hand, know better what kids need. They want to create a whole new federal daycare bureaucracy, paid for with high taxes that themselves force more parents to work.
Do you really see the same Liberals who gave us a $2 billion gun registry, HRDC, sponsorship, etc, managing a nationwide childcare system effectively? Even if they could, the Libs exclude the more than half of all families who have one parent staying home.
I fail to see how your gullible, propaganda-driven fear of the CPC justifies continued support of a Liberal party that is demonstrably not just corrupt, but hopelessly incompetent. It ignores 12 years of Canadian experience and the decline of other countries where one party held power for more than a decade.
If you’d ever spoken to Harper, you’d know he has no interest in making big social policy changes. It’s just not important compared to political and economic issues.
Biff, you said that Stephen Harper was never a social conservative. All I did was point out that Stephen Harper disagrees with you. That’s all. I can read just fine. You, apparently, cannot.
BOB LOBLAW! BOB LOBLAW! BOB LOBLAW! LET THE NASTINESS BEGIN! In the new year, let’s all make an effort not to be a bunch of C U Next Tuesdays.
So very tasteful, Mr TrueGrit. Please take your “nudge-nudge, wink-wink” type of vulgarity elsewhere. It belittles any kind of point you wanted to make – and makes you look like a “dweeb” to boot!
[...] hve to do is cut the cable and close the borders for a week …. (NRO, thelastamazon) DESOLATION– “Dear Garth: I took this photo of an empty office today at 4:22 pm, and the [...]
I’m new to blogging but I though you might be interested in a letter I wrote to the Liberal party today.I removed my address and email from the top of the letter.
To The Leader of Liberal Party of Canada, Paul Martin,
Party President, Mike Eizenga
Vice presidents, Regional Vice Presidents, Presidents of member Organizations, Caucus Chairs, National Women’s Liberal Commission,
Young Liberals of Canada
Seniors’ Commission, Chairs of Standing Committees, Financial Management Committee, Liberal Party Members and to those who quietly vote Liberal,
Dear Sirs and Madams,
It is with the greatest sadness and deep sorrow that I find myself writing this letter to you this day.
Heading into this election, I would have called myself a faithful, quiet Liberal. I formed my political opinions after studying the lives and hard work of people like, Jean Cretien, Pierre Trudeau, and then Finance Minister, Paul Martin, as well as closely scrutinizing the Liberal’s policy and philosophies. I truly felt the Liberal party reflected my traditional values as a Canadian; therefore I was proud of voting Liberal and felt very safe living in Canada under the leadership of past Liberal Prime Ministers.
However, over the last few years I have seen a dramatic shift in the policy and philosophy of the Liberal party. I had some deep concerns about the direction that party was taking so I called my local riding and spoke to one of the aids in the office.
When I questioned them about why I didn’t see traditional Canadian values reflected in the Liberal party platform I was genuinely shocked, angered and felt deeply betrayed at the response that I received.
I was told, “That Canada is evolving†, “That Canada used to be “middle classâ€, “whiteâ€, “Christian†but no longerâ€, “That the white middle class Christian used to have all the power.†and that they “were†the majority. I then asked isn’t that the definition of democracy? I was told that that was “Some people’s definition of a democracyâ€. Unfortunately, the conversation deteriorated quickly as I felt I had to defend my heritage as a descendant of Empire Loyalist stock. My family helped build this country, they built some of the first schools and roads and yes, the first churches, in New Brunswick. They helped to make Canada great. The aid however, felt that my heritage, values and believes somehow infringed upon the “rights†of their Muslim neighbour and that they would fight for the rights of the minorities!
It was at this time that I mentioned that the Liberal party had just lost my vote, only to hear a loud bang and have the phone line cut.
I was left with the very strong impression that someone was trying to denigrate my heritage, to devalue the hard work and sacrifice of my forefathers and that the Canada of today only began in 1982.
It was an uncomfortable feeling to say the least and lest we say this was just an unfortunate phone call that really shouldn’t influence ones faithfulness to a political ideology; I felt I really had to examine the ideas that were presented. Were they just the opinions of one aid or did the aid reflect the party’s values as a whole?
The first thing mentioned was that, “That Canada is evolvingâ€, I was surprised to read Mr. Martins own statement on the idea that Canada may evolve.
“In Canada today and Canada as it may evolve, I believe we’re going to want minority rights to be protected in case in any circumstances a prime minister was going to decide what rights he would and wouldn’t protect, and I think that’s fundamentally wrong,” Martin said.
© 2006 Bell Globemedia Inc. All Rights Reserved
I personally believe in growth as opposed to evolution.
When a baby boy is born, that child grows, he goes through many changes until he matures into a man but he is still a male of the human race. I believe in that type of change and growth.
Evolution, however, involves a series of changes that change one type of creature into another creature such as a dinosaur becoming a bird, if you believe in that form of religious doctrine.
If the Liberal party as a whole is advocating that Canada evolve – what is the party proposing that Canada will evolve into?
I deeply love the Canada that the Fathers of Confederation founded, the true north, strong and free. They built a country that could change and grow but still remain strong, free and democratic in its form of government. There was room for the creation of our Constitution and our Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This leadership though, attacked the Charter adding in changes to “protect a special interest groupâ€. According to Stats Canada 2004 only 1.7 % of Canadians have ever belonged to this group, yet this Liberal government changed the Charter for 1.7% of the population, and an age old definition of marriage that had served Canada and the world well for hundreds of years! What arrogance!
This is not democracy. This is oligarchy!
This is a powerful shift in the policy and philosophy of the Liberal party and if this is how the party sees Canada evolving; a country where a few individuals can change the laws and govern the majority, I can not and will not vote for this. I see this same type of oligarchic thinking in Mr. Martin’s commenting he would like to remove the “notwithstanding clause†from the Charter.
The length of this letter already precludes me from commenting in depth on the prejudicial statement of anyone in Canada being referred to as a, “middle class, white, Christianâ€; I think such statements speak for themselves and equal Mr. Martin’s comments of calling some Canadians “rightwing fundamentalistsâ€.
Hitler used the same type of prejudicial statements to demonize the Jewish nation before the Second World War, I believe this level of prejudice is unacceptable to most Canadians. These “white, middle class, right winged fundamentalist Christians†just happen to be our friends and neighbours and live, work, pay taxes and vote in every community in Canada.
The Liberal party has ask Canadians to “Choose their Canada†during this election. I sincerely feel this party has not been honest or upfront about where you are leading us as a country. If I hadn’t called for clarification on some of the issues I would have voted Liberal not realizing or knowing that the policies and philosophy of the Liberal party of the past had so radically changed.
Therefore, I will be choosing my Canada. I choose the Canada that was…the Canada that was built upon the strong moral values and Christian principles of our forefathers and upon the deep sacrifices made by the generations that went before us to keep this country free.
The Canada that is… growing, expanding, questioning, changing and yes, even rebelling in some areas where we feel our forefathers may have failed, but still holding fast to the strong family values that were pasted down to us, values like respect, honesty and acceptance, never devaluing the price that was paid so that we can live in and enjoy this peaceful country.
The Canada that can be… maturing, powerful, democratic, built on the solid foundations of our heritage and the sacrifice of our veterans with the wisdom and knowledge gained during this time of growth.
I know that there are many, like myself, who believe that Canada will grow and mature into the country that our forefathers envisioned it to be, the true north, strong and free.
It is therefore my intention to vote for any party holding these progressive views, and after close consideration of the current policies of the Liberal Party of Canada, I can not and do not believe that you are that party.
Therefore, I respectfully asked to be removed from all mailing lists, email and otherwise, and from this day forward renounce any and all support for the Liberal Party of Canada.
Yours truly,
Mrs. Lois D. McKenna – McQuinn