Day Five:
In the morning I drove to the Elections Canada office in Halton and met with Mark, the returning officer. Yesterday I delivered to him the thick sheaf of forms that constitute a candidate’s nomination papers, complete with the required 100 citizen signatures. Last night at 12:03 am he finished pouring over them, signed, and confirmed me.
So, I left the cavernous space – still devoid of phones, Internet, chairs and walls – feeling positive about what I am doing. Seeking to be an MP once again makes me proud, since it’s a singular honour to represent more than a hundred thousand people and walk the stone halls in Ottawa. Despite the dangerous and twisted path I’ve been on these last three years, I would not have changed a thing.
I would stand up again to Stephen Harper, speak my mind and place my constituents over my party. I would again join the Liberals, since I know now this is the home for Progressive Conservatives. Moreover, this party better reflects the Canada I love – and the riding I represent – than the party of Stephen Harper. The party of goons, anonymous bullies, threats and smears.
Should you think I exaggerate, let me tell you what happened after I left with Mark’s precious paper in my hand.
• Driving to doorknock a poll in Milton, I passed miles of trashed election signs – arterials accordion-folded into uselessness, hanging off stubby broken stakes or tossed in the ditch. As I mentioned the other day, my campaign is the only one which has any signs up across the riding, the product of hard-working crews of volunteers. Now, garbage.
• Back in the campaign office a few hours later I went to update comments on this blog, and found it being assaulted with negative and taunting messages, all from the same IP address. Typical, “Taking away the right of criminals to vote would make it hard for Liberals to go to the polls,” and, “Muzzling those on this blog who do not agree with you has cost you my vote.”
Research showed them all coming from the headquarters of the Peel Regional Police. After a call, the cops were there within minutes, hugely concerned about a breach to their system or a rogue user. That took three hours.
• Tonight the local Con web site defames both my wife, and Esther. It calls me a pimp and says of Esther, “she has exactly 33 days of employment left. Then Garth won’t even return her calls. Pathetic and sad people all around.” As for Dorothy, it says she has “asked to be taken away from that excuse of a man.”
• Also tonight, I have received an anonymous letter delivered to my MP’s office earlier today. In part, it reads, “Over the last few days, where have you been campaigning? Could you be afraid to go out door-knocking in your riding? How does it feel to be afraid of getting the door slammed in your face? Over the last few days we have been tailing you around the riding… you can’t hide forever in your condo, Mr. Turner…”
There’s more, but it’s actually too distressing to write about tonight. I never would have believed this additional action was possible in Canada, had I not just lived through it in the last eight hours. Some day, I will tell.
I mention these things not because I want any sympathy, but rather because it’s time we took this country back. Those who seek to gain or keep political power through threats, intimidation, smears, bullying and anonymous acts of vandalism need to be stopped.
This is not what our precious country and its democracy are about. This is not why people stream here from around the world, or why we swell with pride on Canada Day or weep with gratitude as a soldier’s hearse passes on the Highway of Heroes.
Those who seek to defeat me have the most powerful tool in the land in their hands – their ballots. They are free to use them, and I will defend that right without end.
But those who hide behind emails, send brown envelopes, drive over signs, shadow and threaten me as I travel, attack my reputation or deliberately hurt people I care about will pay for it.
The party of fear must, and will, be stopped. Will you help me?
216 comments ↓
Don’t let them get to you Garth, they are as much the the party of fear as they are the party of cowards. Speaking of cowards, I received a mailout from Emerson today. Very nice, too afraid to run but not too afraid to spend my tax dollars on questionably legal campaign material. This had to have been produced and mailed well after the conservatives knew the election date.
Garth: Your latest comments put Sparrow’s comments about the dead soldier’s father in a very stark light. Sparrow’s attack was deliberately malicious. It wasn’t just another example of similar things politicians and their thugs have done in the past. And it came from the top. I always thought Harper might have trouble attracting his own kind to him. He will attract some, but never enough to harm our country.
Thousands of Americans have lived in fear from terrorism for the past seven years. Are we Canadians now to live in fear from Harper and his goons? It’s terrible when the so called prime minister of Canada doesn’t really care about Canada or its citizens.
Garth, this is truly frightening, and maddening at the same time. How dare these thugs and vandals try to intimidate those who hold views other than their own.
I can never remember a time in my long life as a proud Canadian when politics and politicians were so vicious.
These acts of vandalism now and in Guelph represent the overriding fear they have of our values. They can’t defeat us honourably, so they must resort to the cowardly acts you describe.
It is indeed time we took this country back from these practitioners of fear and intimidation. It’s nothing short of terrorism. But they vastly underestimate us if they think their tactics will make us back down. We won’t. We will be energized even more to send them back under the rocks from which they crawled.
Courage.
Garth
Hope you don’t mind I brought this forward – posted in the wrong feed.
But first about the rubble and the rabble.
Signs don’t make a candidate – your deeds do and from what I have learned from your Halton constituents here – you are very admired.
Now the rabble that resorts to thuggish behaviour is some how justified because you don’t quit is borderline socialpath in nature.
I have no idea what part of democracy they don’t get but I would say it’s the most important part Freedom of Speech.
Keep your helmet on…
Well fellow bloggers,
I will be a less than frequent poster here for the duration of the campaign. But if I have the permission of Garth I will give you my insight on what it’s like to work in a satellite campaign office in a riding far removed from the GTA and yes, even Halton.
I could have sent my $100 Gordie bucks to Mr. Turner or M. Dion and complained about why Garth isn’t posting enough or why M. Dion isn’t going negative enough – I will let you armchair quarterbacks analyze that.
Me, I will donate my time put some revenue generating projects on hold and learn how hard it is to get a candidate elected.
I cannot sit in the comfort of my living room and not try because it is inconvenient or too hard or even crazy.
It is because I am a Canadian and love my tiny patch of this vast land we all care about.
I cannot bear to listen to anymore John Baird speak on the environment or the sitting Prime Minister of Canada raise the spectre of separation for Quebec voters.
Enough is enough.
It’s about the future not the past. So I challenge all of you. Get up couch bloggers – out of that chair and volunteer – get involved.
This is the most important election we will experience in our lifetime.
Now is the time for all good people to come to the aid of their country.
Another web-based attack on The Globe and Mail may be underway right now. I can’t get to the site. This has happened before.
I suspect this vandalism has happened because of the climate of division that Harper has put in place. I would hate to think that Conservative Party insiders had done this trashing, but it is their whole mentality that is the problem. When you put no ideas or policies forward, but simply bash and trash your oponents every day, that will encourage the intellectually challenged to take more mindless action.
During our NB provincial election 2 years ago, some Liberal signs in my area were trashed. The Liberals won the election.
It means they fear you Garth.
I’d still take a bullet for ‘ya .
If you need a minder let me know .
Sorry to hear about the troubles your having. The only positive on it is the more this stuff gets reported, the more people will hopefully beging to realize these are the ones Harper gathers around him and all should be disgusted.
Speaking of attacks, it’s 12:23 at night and I cannot get the Globe and Mail web site up. Does anyone else have this problem or now what’s up? The attempt to connect to the site is timing out. Maybe a Denial of Service (DoS) attack?
I forgot to mention, I spent many many election, municipal, provincial and federal doing signs. While having them kicked them down was a regular occurrence, the “destruction” of them only happened when the other side started getting scared.
Garth,
This kind of stuff needs to be told to the national media. This needs to get out so that the rest of Canada is aware of what some people are willing to do for the CPC.
It is unacceptable in our society to have people living in fear for representing their constituents. We don’t freakin’ live in Stalinist Russia, nor Mugabe’s Zimbabwe.
I can bet you that this is probably playing out elsewhere in more isolated ridings, and this needs to stop.
More importantly, Harper needs to make a statement as Prime Minister that this is unacceptable in our society, and that he does not accept supporters of this ilk.
I for one would like to see how he handles a question like this, particular given the amount of hate that the CPC feels for you.
Kick some serious ass in Halton, Garth.
Austin
Garth your courage and persistence is truly one of the most admired attributes that make you a well respected Canadian Politician! My hope is that the police find these culprits who continue to vandalize the democracy we call Canada. I have been in contact with the local riding office and will be receiving my signs this weekend, and man, vandals beware me and my neighbours watch out for each other and will not put up with this, mind you cowards always have a sneaky way of doing things, then I trust the police to get them. I had just made a comment on another blog about the bullying tactics of Steven Harper and that went like this; Sure Canadians will notice the bullying behaviour of Steven Harper, it was evident from the kyoto Accord and the summits related to the environment and the G-8 meetings as well, evident when he forced his way into an election, evident the way he and his henchmen conducted themselves in the house’s question period, evident with the type of high ranking staffers he employs and calls friends, evident in the way he has spent millions upon millions in prime time advertising to portray Stephane Dion as not a leader (hoping to fool Canadians). The Bullying Behaviour of Steven Harper can only be covered up by our mainstream media for so long, HOWEVER CANADIANS ARE NOT STUPID! Hang in there Mr. Honourable Garth Turner, Canada needs courageous politicians like yourself!
Garth… This shows Harper’s Bully Tactics in full force. Good people will rise above this gang mentality and prevail. Keep up the good work.
Welcome to the jack-of-all-trades and master of none type of job we do in getting out the vote.
Today, two other ladies and I took our little lists from house to house to ask if they would support our cadidate and if we could put up signs on their lawns.
The houses were lovely, the gardens were coveted and the day was lovely but I thought I’d never make it up the last hill back to the car. Obviously I did.
We were in the foothills of the escarpment.
This should make the westerners laugh because when I went to Mt. Royal College in Calgary as a fifteen-year-old, the kids would tease me whenever I mentioned the Hamilton mountain.
Anyway, it was over hill, over dale and we hit the dusty trail and I could hardly wait to get a nice cold diet, d-caf. Coke.
Tomorrow maybe I’ll go back to counting out piles of 100 mailers or go on the ‘phones.
There’s an amazing amount of busy-work to do to get you candidate and the issues in front of the people. Some have just come back from holidays and didn’t know an election was on. I try to tactfully suggest why our party is better than the one whose boss puts out lies on top of lies and it seems so natural to him. I think he actually loves seeing how he can fool the people
I’ve suggested to a few that they could look at some reality checks at:
http://www.liberal.ca/rc_e.aspx
Tks. for the link TS.
Mr. Turner, I am appalled at what you are reporting. Only Day 5? I shudder to think what these…. terrorists is all I can think to call them, will try next. You’ll have to be very careful, Mr. Turner; I trust in your supporters to watch your back.
If the local Police department fails you, your family and your supporters, and cannot bring these criminals to justice you will have to go above their heads!
Keep on keeping on, Garth, like you can!
Bonnie, great post. Even I am volunteering at my local candidate’s office now! I start on Monday morning. Not the person I usually vote for (who has done a lot of good for my riding), but one that I can have some hope and trust to keep these Harper dregs at bay.
I will be horrified if my local campaign takes on the sinister, underhanded and dangerous aspect that is happening in Halton.
Good luck and stay safe!
It used to be that random election signs belonging to all parties would occasionally be knocked down, the work of bored teenagers drunk on Screech on a Saturday night. Now they seem to be knocked down in an act of deliberate, organized vandalism by bored Conservative trolls drunk on right-wing rhetoric on any night of the week. (Except Sundays, perhaps.)
I want my Canada back.
Hi:
I’ve been trying to compare and analyze each parties climate change policy.
The parties themselves and media are not
a lot of help so far.
Here is one economists view {via Andrew Coyne}.
If it’s okay with Garth , if Garth’s readers know of other links with the same or differing views, please
post them here. I’d appreciate it.
Thanks.
Climate change policy {just ignore the name calling in the title}
http://worthwhile.typepad.com/worthwhile_canadian_initi/2008/09/climate-change-policy-and-the-conservative-ndp-axis-of-dimwits.html
Carbon taxes vs cap-and-trade
http://worthwhile.typepad.com/worthwhile_canadian_initi/2008/06/carbon-taxes-vs-cap-and-trade.html
“Those who seek to gain or keep political power through threats, intimidation, smears, bullying and anonymous acts of vandalism need to be stopped.”
Remarkable Garth, after my experience with Cdn justice and how it seriously hurt my children it`s exactly why I choose none of the above.
no justice, no investment has deep roots
Sorry to hear about your day but it fits in with everything else the cons. have done since the start of the election.
So to cheer you up here is a quick summery of the local conservative election kick off party. (background- Darryl owns both shoppers drug marts in the territory and is publically active but not liked by many who have to actually deal with him)
After six months of town halls, free bbq on Sundays and 7 visits by Harper and cabinet ministers he is off and running. From the media! After going through Harpers talking points trashing the Liberals and especially the green shift he generously allowed three questions. First qustion was what is your greatest strength? Second question as how will you unseat a longtime MP? Third question was how much control does campaign headquarters exert over your local messaging and how much freedom do you have to speak about issues? His reply was “we’re going to take the opportunity to meet regularly with the media on issues WE see as important”, end of session. When asked if he would answer more questions he stated he had to run as he was on a schedule but his office could fit in one on one interviews next week maybe. I guess he is in a hurry to meet all 55,000 residents of this riding.
To make matters worse he was informed that he could not carry out political meetings on the steps of a federal building! He didn’t think the outside of the building was part of the building.
We have two papers in town, one right wing and the other one for normal people. Even the right wing rag reported the real story for once and showed complete disgust with the whole effort.
So Garth I think this tops the start to the conservative campaign in your riding by just a bit for incompitence. Anybody else have some interesting startups as well?
Well Garth, it’s seems some CONS consider you a very dangerous threat to their party. In one way you should be flattered that they consider you as such. When you think of it, is there a CON candidate who draws such a reaction from the Libs? Don’t think so because they are told to shut up. When you think of their mentality, it makes you wonder what kind of lives these people have. Maybe that is the problem, no lives and no brains…hmmm…that just maybe a good CON recruiting poster? Bet you they are from the old REFORM party….just good old boys and girls out having some fun eh, don’t mean no harm…..
I guess this might be a waste of time, but I would complain to the police about the mischief to the signs. If it keeps happening they are going to have to take the trouble to investigate – or at least keep their eyes open.
Also I suggest going to the media. Surely this is one of those things Harper should be putting a stop to – since he has set the “tone” for this campaign and all.
You will have my donation in the morning. Maybe it will replace some of the signs…
Cheers
Tonight the local Con web site defames both my wife, and Esther. It calls me a pimp..- Garth
Now that’s dastardly and whoever they are should retract that scurrilous statement. You are not a ‘pimp’, you are a politician.
Q. What’s the difference between a pimp and a politician?
A. A pimp offers an indispensable social service, while a politician offers a carbon tax.
First they ignore you,
then they ridicule you,
then they fight you,
then you win.
by Mahatma Gandhi.
My condolences and encouragement to your team. Bless Dorothy and Esther for standing tall beside you.
Time to give your sign team a new name. How about Free Speech Team or Anti-Terrorist Squad! Get them each to bring in another friend to help them – they’ll need to do twice as much work every day just to keep ahead of the malicious damage. Keep the mood light and fun…don’t let ‘em get you down.
Then you’re gonna have to clone yourself, Dorothy and Esther so you don’t burn out from the abuse.
So sorry you’re having to bear the brunt of the anger of the Southern Ontario conservatives.
We have them here too and they’ve been attacking our signs for years. Last election, they threw dog shit at the front doors of people with Liberal signs – 4 on my street alone. So we now have a power washing team.
The only way out is to win. Redouble your efforts, take your vitamins, share hugs with your team and proudly march out everyday to deliver the message.
Bonnie N BC was right – Keep your helmet on! And keep telling us what’s goin’ on, if you have time. It will get us out there with Bonnie and with you to knock on doors.
He will attract some, but never enough to harm our country
BY KEVIN ON 09.11.08 11:35 PM
I hope that’s true, but Harper’s lying smear propaganda is out there, with up to 21 flyers at one residence alone, from coast to coast to coast.
So there’s the soft money from using our tax dollars to fund his campaign, and then there’s Friends of Science and Calgary Foundation and so on. He is bound to be caught this time. The amount of money spent to benefit his campaign that is not registered with Elections Canada has got to be double or triple the limit for all we know.
I’d like to know were the hell my Lib candidate is in Durham region so I can help him get rid of Limo Oda would appreciate his number, if Libs want to win they better get a little more visible PLEASE HELP
After reading this I am mad as hell & can`t take it anymore–who on God`s green earth do these people think they are–where on God`s green earth do these bozo`s think they live–this is Canada & not some fascist state in some far off part of the world where civility does not rule.
This is just too much to comprehend for an old Progressive Conservative like myself–we lived by rules & codes instilled in us by people who honored the name of this country & did not trash it like some hooligans from hell.
This is a sad day indeed if this is what this party has come to–Garth & Esther have dedicated themselves to their constituents & have left themselves open to crackpots like these people.
If these idiots are representative of the Conservative party of Canada , it is now obvious to me that they are no longer an alternative which need be considered.
My decision to vote Liberal after 37 years of Conservative support has been confirmed .
It is now time for everyone to reconsider a vote for Stephen Harper.
Dr Mike Popovich—former life-long Conservative.
Garth,
This is the most disturbing post of yours that I’ve read in the years that I have been coming here. I would urge you to make ALL of this public beyond the relatively tiny audience here on your blog, invite in the national newspapers and CBC.
Please keep us up to date on any developments. Especially if you ever learn who has sent the letter, who in the police department has been posting, and what their relationship is, if any, to your opposition. Election financing should not have to also cover the costs of a private investigator or bodyguards.
You’ve banned the word “facism” from your website, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t many of us alarmed by such acts that don’t think it.
Does the IP address then suggest that a police officer might have been making these comments while he/she was supposed to be working on the taxpayer’s dime?
Once again now is time to Canadians to come to the aid of their country and defeat the party of fear and inside corruption…………….
I want my Canada Back! I love those words, yes Ladies and Gentlemen, the Canada that we grew grew up in, the Canada I was raised in with all it faults, the Canada I was proud of, the Canada where we had leadership not “Dictatorship” not where the Bully on the Hill is more concerned about the “White House” rather than “Our House”". I want my children and grandchildren to have at minimum the standard of living I enjoyed. A Canada where I turned on a TV and the PM of Canada was talking to Canadians, not talking down to Canadians. My Canada is unique not in the image of George “Dubya” Bush but in the memories of gallant men and women who came to-gether from coast to coast to coast and fought for freedom of speech and for the right to be heard via there elected representative in Ottawa. Not a controller, who has trained his sheep to sit and listen, spells out rules of what to say, where to say it and to whom to talk to. Dam it I want my Canada back, the question is do you?
It’ll show in the whites of your eyes.
Hi Garth,
Keep going! I would have never thought people would behave in such a way in Canada. These kind of antics will backfire on their perpetrators; will all the Cons gaffes so far, I can’t imagine they need anymore.
Fight the good fight.
Garth, the saddest thing about your posting is that nothing in it surprises me. Unfortunately Harper has taken politics to a dark and dangerous place in his all consuming war to win at any costs. His mean-spirited actions, purposeful lies, and blatant contempt for democracy do not bode well for this once great country.
Yes, I say once great…because the vile actions of these thugs that support him debase our nation.
I hope that the police catch the people responsible. Their behaviour is reprehensible and they should be charged.
By the way, I’m still predicting a Liberal minority, and every day that seems more likely. Keep going, Garth!
Garth, if it were me….I’d leave all of those damages signs up. It is a powerful testament to the complete lack of ethics and morals of the Conservatives… and would send a strong message to people in your riding about the contempt of the Conservatives when it comes to the concept of democracy.
By Bonnie N BC on 09.12.08 12:02 am
“This is the most important election we will experience in our lifetime.”
Sure, Bonnie, sure.
However, as I said before and I’ll say it again, a candidate that does not do anything to help him/herself to win an election does not deserve to win.
Point in case, Dion is doomed. Nope, it’s not my opinion. It’s the people’s opinion. Remember? “We The People”? Check the most accurate Canadian poll company:
http://www.nanosresearch.com/election/CPAC-Nanos-September-11-2008E.pdf
I am not surprised. Anyone who has ever bucked the angry men and women who are attracted to the new Conservative Party have faced some form of uncivil behaviour and it is ingrained in all levels of the party. You are more important to them so the attacks are more extreme.
More to my point at how Dion is NOT helping himself.
The following from:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/Steele
“So where is Stephane Dion? He’s talking about issues that are tangentially of interest to these voters: assault weapon bans, Charter challenges, one-third women candidates. But he’s not connecting with their lives, and he certainly isn’t assuaging their fundamental fears.
And Dion actually has the right policy to do it. It’s the Green Shift.
No one knows it, because he hasn’t been telling the story, but the Green Shift is much more an economic policy than an environmental policy.
Sure, it puts a price on carbon and all that. But its core is moving taxes off profit and work (read: corporate income tax and personal income tax) and onto consumption (read: pollution and energy).
This is really bad news for a few sectors: oil and gas, obviously. Cement, steel, electricity generation. Their costs are going to go up.
But for Ontario’s ailing manufacturing industry, this is a major tax cut and more money in the pockets of consumers.
For Quebec’s aerospace and financial services industry, it’s a major tax cut and more money in the pockets of investors.
For BC’s forestry industry, it’s a major tax cut and more money for home renovations and new home purchases.
And in all of these sectors, it’s probably going to mean more jobs and more job security for existing employees.
And for those women sitting at their kitchen tables trying to make the bills go away, this represents a major boost in their disposable income.
There is a story for Dion to tell here.
Instead of being at Dawson College talking about guns, he should be with the CEO of an Ontario employer in front of his factory talking about how the corporate income tax cuts will be a big boost to his industry and mean more sustainable jobs.
Instead of an event on an obscure Charter challenge fund, do a round table with middle-class women to show them how much of an income tax cut they will get under the Green Shift.
Instead of an event with women candidates, visit a small business to talk about the tax breaks your plan represents to business owners, and how cash in people’s pockets means more business for him.
And the subtext of all of these events is that Stephen Harper is in the pocket of big oil, and he would rather this money went to them than to you.
It’s the economy, professor. Get to work.”
This is the stuff for a future best seller.
However, Mr. Dion, quite rightly, got his heckles up when Harper turned the Green Shift into a possible unity issue.
He needs to get his heckless up a little more. He’s still on the defensive over his Green Shift plan, having to be reactionary to Harper and Layton’s attacks.
You need to get back on the front foot (a cricket term for going on the attack.) As one commentator stated, he would be happier if he knew what Harper’s plan was.
Harper has been dealing in generalities, except for his 2c/litre reduction on diesel. He’s basically say he’s going to stay on a steady course. Well we’ve seen that course, icebergs ahead.
Time for M. Dion to expose that course, a course of broken promises and mismanagement. Do we want to risk a Harper majority?
And if you remember “Harold” from StarTrek; “Remember Harold, everything he says is a lie!” Therefore everything Harper says about the Green Shift, or his own steady hand on the tiller is pure fiction.
And the master of fiction, Doug Finley, has now replaced the disgraced campaign PR director!
If Harper wins a majority, there will be a book that our grand kids will write, “The Canadian Dark Ages of the Harper era!” And it will be a history book!
By Jody on 09.12.08 6:16 am
Don’t forget, civilians work for police departments. It could have been one of them.
the people who would do this are the worst our society has to contend with. Keep fighting the good fight Garth. Hopefully someone in your riding will spot the culprits and they will be caught.
Ever think of doing a stakeout? If I were in your riding, I’d do it for fun, chances are I’m bigger than the coward running over those signs.
If Conservatives in your riding want to ensure you are re-elected, they will continue with the personal attacks. This Conservative blogger is not the first Conservative to endorse you, you were favourably mentioned on Steve Jenke’s blog:
“Lisa will have her work cut out for her, going up against Garth Turner of the Liberals. Whatever else you might think of Garth Turner, there is no denying that he is not one of those MPs you only hear about at election time, and then only on election night. Garth Turner has the advantage of incumbency as well, and he has the credibility of someone who has worked hard for his constituents (credibility that he probably deserves).”
Behaviour like you describe here, makes Mr. Harper cringe and very angry. Like Iggy said a few days ago “Harper needs to get control of his people.” (quote)
Karma. What goes around, comes aroud. Exhaibit A: Ryan Sparrow.
Posted from Nobleton Clear’s blog
Keep up the tradition Vote Conservative for Recession
History is set to repeat it self. If we can learn anything from history it is that to vote conservative is to have an economic slow down/recession/ depression:
1911 Borden, 1930 Bennett, 1957 Diefenbaker, 1988 Mulroney, 2008 Harper. We are in another economic slowdown the stewardship of which belongs with the current government. Keep the tradition vote conservative have a recession.
I just heard Harpo adressing the Halifax Board of Trading saying that since they were elected they cut 40B off Canada’s debt. I ask, at what cost?
Hi Garth, You are doing a great job. Keep up the good work. Why is it that all the medias and opposition parties are all against Mr. Dion on his Green Shift? Do we not all have to find out about the other parties’and especially Harper’s enviroment plan as well before we cast our votes? I think the Liberal Party has to show us in detail what the Green Shift will do in comparison to Harper’s “$65 a ton enviroment plan”. At the moment I have no idea what’s the different between all these plans. Let Canadians compare apples to apples and let us then decide who should be our PM. Time is running short. If Harper and his CONservatives win a majority after the election, it would really be a sad day indeed for all Canadians.
GGG.
By Go Green on 09.12.08 8:14 am,
Nice spin but the fact is that during the last century a Liberal Government was also defeated as a recession started. This is the first time in over a century that a “Conservative” government gained power while the economy was vibrant.
They know you will win. They just do not want you to win easily. They will make it hard for you; too hard you will ask yourself after having been proclaimed as a winner whether your sacrifices were all worth it. But they were worth it, Garth. In times when people hate politics, you took the challenge because you believe it is the best way for you to serve your constituents. When people do not care about what is happening in the government, you show you care. Indeed, it is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.
During the early days of campaign I have nothing but respect for Dion. He attacks Harper but only to correct his wrongful accusations. But Dion never derided Harper as a person. Not so with regard to Harper and his Conservatives.
After this election, these opponents are going to meet again whether in the House or in streets. Will they still treat each other with respect or contempt? Wounds created by words seldom heal. They leave indelible imprints on each one’s psyche.
Election may be akin to war when great men are defined and cowards marked.
Forgive me if I have said this before:
ERASE THE DISGRACE – ÉCRASEZ L’INFÂMIE!
And this is precisely the reason why “none of the above” is not an option. (Sorry, U.C.) The neo-Republicans are a cancer attacking the marrow of Canadian politics and have got to be rejected by our body politic.
And there are times the use of the devil to drive out Beelzebub is justified! (But I haven’t yet managed to convince myself to give up my non-partisan liberty to go work for a Liberal candidate who looks to me like a party soldier vice a real MP like Garth.)
Point in case, Dion is doomed. Nope, it’s not my opinion. It’s the people’s opinion. Remember? “We The People”? Check the most accurate Canadian poll company:
http://www.nanosresearch.com/election/CPAC-Nanos-September-11-2008E.pdf
By Required on 09.12.08 7:05 am
Yes, my good man–the CPC is at 37 and the Libs at 32, or–as the Ottawa Sun puts it–the Cons are “way ahead,” and Harper’s leadership numbers are “stratospheric.” At the same time, to borrow and modify Jeffery Simpson’s phrase, Canadians vote out governments. Jean Chretien won in 1993 not because he was seen as a strong alternative to the PCs, but because he was the only alternative to the PCs. Still weeks to go. Harper may very well win, but I’d say a 37-32 gap at this point is hardly a runaway victory for the CPC.
Garth — Every destroyed sign is as good as 100 votes for you. All it says is that Harpers goons know they have already lost big time and in the minds of reasonable people they aren’t worth considering. You have already won!!!!
Sorry–the headline now says that “Harper” is “way out in front,” which is true in the leadership race. At the same time, I could’ve sworn that it said “Conservatives” this morning, but I could be . . . what’s that word? The opposite of “intelligent” . . .
At the same time, to borrow and modify Jeffery Simpson’s phrase, Canadians vote out governments. Jean Chretien won in 1993 not because he was seen as a strong alternative to the PCs, but because he was the only alternative to the PCs. Still weeks to go. Harper may very well win, but I’d say a 37-32 gap at this point is hardly a runaway victory for the CPC.
By Homer C. on 09.12.08 8:32 am
Yes, but, Harper was voted in NOT because he was such a wonderful politician but because he mounted a great campaign. AND HE WON. He is doing now exactly as he did before, with the added “soft” $$$ that comes from being in government… if you know what I mean.
Meanwhile, the timid, almost flacid professor is flunking. NOT for lack of arguments, not for lack of good plans but BECAUSE of personality perceptions AND wrong tactics. ALL of them, fixable IF he acts now. And by now, I mean NOW!
So, since so far he has not done so, I stick with the poll. Dion is doomed.
I agree with Austin’s opinion that more people than just those who read this blog should know.
If wide scale attention is brought to these actions, I expect those responsible will be reigned in. Forthwith.
It is important to send a message to people who behave in this way that these actions invoke memories of events such as Kristallnacht.
I agree with Austin, the national media should cover this one, especially since police computer security was breached.
First they ignore you,
then they ridicule you,
then they fight you,
then you win.
by Mahatma Gandhi.
By Ben on 09.12.08 2:29 am
I would like to add, ” Violence is the way of the brute” M. Gandi
And they are following you around? Whats the matter with these assholes? They dont scare me as much as revolt me.
Go to the media with this, Garth. People all over Canada need to know the kind of people who are attracted to the Cons. And lots of good suggestions here for Dion – he must get the message out loud and clear about how his Green Shift is superior to Harper’s and Layton’s plans. Good luck!
The Nanos poll is predicting a small CPC majority. Garth: You are going to win your riding. Take a few moments, please, and phone a few Liberal candidates who might not be working hard enough at their campaigns. Ask them why they chose to run. Get them out and campaigning!
Q. What’s the difference between a pimp and a politician?
A. A pimp offers an indispensable social service, while a politician offers a carbon tax.
By HARRY S on 09.12.08 1:52 am
…….you are a total jerk…and why are you on here?
Given the events recently in Guelph, it would appear that the Tories are behind a lot of nasty stuff.
I say – talk to the press, let it be known.
Their slip is showing
By Andrew Coyne September 11th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
“…But mau-mauing grieving fathers isn’t just a slip of the tongue: it betrays an attitude. Indeed, it lends some heft to the otherwise unspeakably silly puffin-poop business. And it’s of a piece with the other Tory missteps: the attempt to bar Elizabeth May from the debates, the war-room overkill etc.
What’s common to all is an approach to politics: sneering, ad hominem, bullying, and, above all, directionless. Even as they dismantle the last remaining policy differences with their opponents, the Tories amp up the vicious partisanship. It’s almost like the one is replacing the other.
As, in fact, it is.
FREUDENDATE: Unintentionally revealing quote of the week, from the same story:
“I want to make it very clear that I have set a tone and I have set an expectation for this campaign and as leader, I am going to make sure that that is followed all the way to victory,” Harper said.
Yes, Prime Minister. Yes you have.”
http://blog.macleans.ca/2008/09/11/their-slip-is-showing/
I just heard Harpo adressing the Halifax Board of Trading saying that since they were elected they cut 40B off Canada’s debt. I ask, at what cost?
By Go Green on 09.12.08 8:14 am
Now put it in context. Tell me, how much did Paul Martin knock off the debt during his short time as PM?
This is also outrageous!
A site claiming to be a news aggregator (impartiality implied) editorializes a newspaper’s headline.
Instead of showing the actual headline of a story in the Chronicle Herald this morning, the first story/link on the National Newswatch website this morning: “Harper a pig: Thibault”. The link is to the Chronicle Herald story, “Into the eye of the storm”, about Harper’s tour through the East Coast. The Thibault quote is at the end of the story: he says, you can put a sweater on a pig, but it’s still a pig. Further down the Newswatch site is another link to the Chronicle Herald story with the actual headline.
http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/1078355.html
Who owns the National Newswatch site, the Harper ‘war room’?
Some news items to ponder.
Venezuela joins Bolivia and expels U.S. ambassador
“Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has announced that the U.S. ambassador has 72 hours to leave Venezuela and he’s recalling his ambassador from Washington.
Chavez said he’s asking U.S. Ambassador Patrick Duddy to leave as a means of showing solidarity with Bolivian President Evo Morales, who recently announced that he was expelling Washington’s envoy to his country.
Morales’ plans to overhaul the constitution and redirect gas revenues have incited two weeks of protests, which recently turned violent as demonstrators in the country’s energy-rich eastern provinces stormed public offices, blocked roads and seized gas fields.
At least eight people were killed and 20 injured Thursday, according to authorities, as anti-government protesters fought Morales’s backers in eastern Bolivia and seized more natural gas fields.
Morales is an indigenous Bolivian whose rise to power in 2005 was heralded as a watershed moment for the country’s majority aboriginal population. He has used his first presidential term to effectively nationalize much of the nation’s petroleum and mineral wealth – often to the detriment of foreign corporations and Bolivia’s old-guard, wealthy elites.”
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/cbc/080911/world/world_bolivia_us
—————————–
Pain at the pumps for Canadian motorists as gas prices shot up Friday
“The price for gas at stations throughout southern Ontario were up by about 13 cents at midnight to more than $1.36 a litre. Prices in Ottawa were also up by 13 cents. A veteran gas-price watcher, Liberal MP Dan McTeague, predicted similar increases would face many Canadian motorists later in the day.
The threat of Hurricane Ike to Gulf Coast oil refineries, mostly in Texas, sent wholesale gasoline prices in the U.S. soaring Thursday over supply concerns.
While McTeague said the threat posed by the hurricane was the “spark” that triggered the increase, he also pointed the finger at the Canadian oil industry.
“The proverbial fuel on the fire is in fact the distortions by an unresponsive, uncompetitive market that has actually been diminishing its output,” McTeague said in a phone interview from his Toronto-area riding ”
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/080912/national/gas_prices
The old boys in the Oil companies board rooms wouldn’t be throwing some fuel on the fire re: carbon tax program and the election campaign would they?
All this almost reminds a bit of how the nazis started out when they first got into office before WW2… smear, lies, aggression, humiliation directed at reputable members of other political parties… what’s next?
In Germany eventually many opposition members paid with their lives. Why did that happen? Cos people chose to be oblivious and apathetic and where proud to have “a strong leader” Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
Lets just hope the cons are gonna be defeated!
By James- Chatham on 09.12.08 9:30 am
Let me clarify,
Put it in context, Steve! Your management of the economy isn’t as good as you would have us believe.
I agree with TS — keep the broken signs where they are–people are more likely to notice them anyway, and it makes a statement.
I am disgusted with the comments made about you, Esther and your wife. I agree with the poster who said this issue should be covered by national television, and be investigated by police (especially the “stalking” threat).
I’m going Green again this election in spite of them having Mme May as their leader.
The Liberals have lied for years starting with Trudeau stealing the election from Bob Stanfield and then implementing wage and price controls that he promised he wouldn’t implement.
The NDP? Don’t be stupid.
The Conservatives have goten things done and generally delivered on promises but I’m sick and tired of their overbearing PMO and the way they deal with people who they don’t like. Heck with the poopin’ puffins and the vitrolic sparrows you get the feeling
that their campaign is for the birds!
Garth, the Liberals have an excellent resource in Dan McTeague. He is one of the best informed MPs on the oil industry and gas pricing. He needs to be showcased more.
The 13 cent hike in gasoline prices is an obvious price gouge by Big Oil. The Liberals should be proposing a national price regulation on the price of gasoline and diesel fuel to stop Big Oil from reaping unwarranted, windfall profits. I think this would also go a long way in selling The Green Shift.
Who owns the National Newswatch site, the Harper ‘war room’?
By AM on 09.12.08 9:32 am
Well, whoever owns it wants to remain anonymous. The domain is registered to an Arizona company called Domains by Proxy, which was setup so that owners of domains could remain hidden.
“Who owns the National Newswatch site, the Harper ‘war room’?”
You must not read the site very often. They have negative articles about all the parties. Fair as far as I’m concerned.
Harper proposes GST break on high gas prices
Last Updated: Monday, May 17, 2004 | 10:14 PM ET
CBC News
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper promised he would provide relief for motorists by eliminating the GST on gas costing more than 85 cents a litre.
“These are revenues that no one foresaw even a few months ago. We are only depriving Ottawa of a massive windfall it didn’t count on and that it doesn’t need,” Harper said, adding that consumers would save about a penny a litre.
Gas prices today in Milton
Time to make that promise again Harper. Trouble is, who will believe you?
Reality Check:
Sorry folks, but it is now fully apparent that Dion does not possess leadership charisma to be the next prime minister, and everybody knows that now.
He looks grim and desperate, he doesn’ look or sound right, his image doesn’t evoke friendliness, he lectures instead of converses, he reverts into his professorial stance lecturing groups and strident when confronted by the media.
Dion’s Green Shift message is not one of hope, but one of foreboding and punishment through a carbon tax. He doesn’t have a message of hope, only a message of doom and gloom.
The Liberal brand is still strong, and our MP Garth may ride to victory on the coattails of being a Liberal in Halton.
The accusation that Dion is not a leader may unfortunately be the truth that Liberals do not want to admit.
Sorry folks, but that’s the undeniable reality now. The only hope for Liberals now is to hold Harper to a minority, find a more acceptable leader, and then precipitate another election next October 2009.
Yes, but, Harper was voted in NOT because he was such a wonderful politician but because he mounted a great campaign. AND HE WON. He is doing now exactly as he did before, with the added “soft” $$$ that comes from being in government… if you know what I mean.
By Required on 09.12.08 8:51 am
Harper ran a good campaign in 2005-06, yes; but in my humble opinion, he won because, in the middle of the election, the RCMP announced that they were investigating Ralph Goodale and Finance Canada over income trusts. I still believe (and I’m not a party man) that the Libs would’ve eked out another minority if not for that announcement. That was the straw that broke the camel’s back for many voters, and it was enough for some to suppress their own perhaps negative image of Harper long enough to vote for his party. Harper got in by default–almost as in, “He can’t be worse than the Libs.”
You make some good points, though, so I’m not going to be a stickler. Just my own opinion.
This destructive behavior has to be taken to MSM. If Harper set the tone for this election, when the life and family of an opposing candidate is threatened just what does it say about the tone he is setting.
I haven’t yet managed to convince myself to give up my non-partisan liberty
By Herb on 09.12.08 8:30 am
Herb, you`re non-partisan, lol, what happened to put us back in power and then we`ll tell you the what the program is?
Personally Herb I don`t care if you vote against corporate corruption by voting for judicial corruption as I`m voting with 1 in 10 Cdns currently against both with NAP.
You might want to keep in mind even a majority by any party will not change economic conditions.
The only option for change is none of the above and with the only pre-election polling is Nanos with 1 out of 10 Cdns declaring none of the above, you should be paying attention to our concerns.
Still don`t get too worked up about it if none of the above stays below a majority then brutal economic conditions will make the changes required,, anyway.
Sounds like Constable Harry S from Peel Police has been extra busy these days, thanks to Canaduh’s Gnu Goobermint[TM] (and our tax money).
(I am guessing that, as police officers usually seem to protect each other against anything and everything, this issue may not ever be resolved, but you should take one of the signs to a private investigator to get fingerprints! Also, please take pictures of the cars and people following you so they can be featured on this site!)
I can only guess that the campaign is getting as intimidating as Morgan Tsvangirai’s in Zimbabwe or Aung San Suu Kyi’s in Myanmar, but you must hang on with a positive message. But I would love to see this story played on the news tonight, as the CONs’ actions speak louder than their words, and the whole country should hear about this. On the campaign trail, I’ll make sure to tell the undecided voters some of this. The CONs deserve nothing less!
From the Real News (a great website):
The Canadian election and the Afghan War
Murray Dobbin: Canadian government is supporting an American policy that’s against Canada’s interests
“…[T]he Harper government is committed to what is called “deep integration.” The formal name for this is the Security and Prosperity Partnership. It’s a plan to gradually, over a 20-year period, integrate Canadian policies with American policies. That includes the military policy, foreign policy, energy policy. We have governments both Liberal and Conservative committed to this whole deep integration agenda, which of course at its root is an assault on Canadian sovereignty. It is virtually impossible to win in Afghanistan… And so the loss of Afghanistan is a certainty. The only question remaining is when western powers recognize that and leave the country, and how much destruction will be done, and how many Afghans and Canadian soldiers will have to die before that happens.”
http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=2277&updaterx=2008-09-11+15%3A31%3A41
Point in case, Dion is doomed. Nope, it’s not my opinion. It’s the people’s opinion. Remember? “We The People”? Check the most accurate Canadian poll company:
http://www.nanosresearch.com/election/CPAC-Nanos-September-11-2008E.pdf
By Required on 09.12.08 7:05 am
The Nanos poll is predicting a small CPC majority. Garth: You are going to win your riding. Take a few moments, please, and phone a few Liberal candidates who might not be working hard enough at their campaigns. Ask them why they chose to run. Get them out and campaigning!
By Kevin on 09.12.08 9:10 am
Both these comments misinterpret what the latest Nanos poll actually shows.
As I stated in an earlier thread, John Laforet on his blog has crunched the numbers of latest Nanos poll (Conservatives 37 % Liberals 32 % NDP 13 % Bloc 9 % Green 9 %) and has come up with the following seat projection:
Nanos Poll Results in H & K Seat Projector
Party 2006 Actual 2008 Projected
Conservative 126 125
Liberal 101 122
Bloc 50 45
NDP 30 16
Green 0 0
For more details check out his blog:
http://laforet.ca/2008/09/11/nanos-poll-should-give-liberals-and-canadians-hope/
MSM is reporting May said Cdns will get more money in their pockets with a green tax.
The last time I voted federally is was for the Green candidate. Nanoe poll; twice as many Cdns would rather not have a leader than have May.
Pity the party has been run into the ground with a Liberal clone and removed the chance to vote for the environment instead of against corporate or judicial corruption.
If you want change you can believe in,,,
Garth.
Here is a news video giving a grade to each party in the election on their environment policy.
http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=2274
See which party fails!!
I love how, without proof, you accuse the CPC of these “attacks” on you. Typical Garth Turner.
Aliens, I guess. — Garth
CTV
http://tinyurl.com/4npnwm
Which do you rank as the highest priority election issue?
Economy 7605 votes (57 %)
Environment 2209 votes (17 %)
Health care 2227 votes (17 %)
Afghanistan 683 votes (5 %)
Other 646 votes (5 %)
Day whatever, and Cdns are still in the dark over the no-plan economic plan.
No MSM chatter about falling global demand for our resources but lots about how consumers will fund industry through taxation to make a more expensive product, with only 10% of the population financially able to afford. Rubber roads and concrete tires makes more sense.
Where did those international investors go?
no justice, no investment
Over the last few days we have been tailing you around the riding… you can’t hide forever in your condo, Mr. Turner…”
Say, am I the only one who caught the oxymoron in the above?
How do you fallow someone “around the riding” who you accuse of “hiding out in their condo”???
That shows you just how stupid they are.
It also shows how stupid they think we are.
Go, Go, Garth!
A. A pimp offers an indispensable social service, while a politician offers a carbon tax.
By HARRY S on 09.12.08 1:52 am
So Harry, you are saying that prostitution is an indispensable service. Spoken like a true pimp!
FYI there are many of us in society who have NEVER EVER availed them of said services and view your statements as both aiding and abetting criminality.
So much for the getting tough on crime gang.
Why are gasoline prices spiking BEFORE there is a problem from Hurricane Ike?
Simply put, it is a lack of competition.
Stephane, if you promise to order the Refining companies to divest themselves of the gasoline service outlets to let independents and small chains buy gasoline from which ever company they wish at free market prices, including out of country sources, it will get you votes. ARE YOU READING AND LISTENING?
BREAK THE MONOPOLY. SYNDICATES ARE AKIN TO CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS!
Why not to “choose none of the above:”
Encouraging not to vote has only 2 sources
(1) Lack of foresight — nothing gets done when you do nothing
–or–
(2) Encouraging non-votes is an instruction for vandals
No vote, as in sports, is a point for Con side that counts
Encouraging non-voting is a well-known sabotaging effect against democratic process.
The same saboteurs have various degrees of vandalism of voting process:
– Property vandalism creates fear. Fear induces either apathy or courage. Harper thinks creating apathy is his best check — cynically expecting Canadian inaction, and non-participation in the democratic process, the basic gift our ancestors gave us so we can avoid the inevitable consequence of inaction: revolution
– Harper’s 32 month smear campaign against Mr. Dion is intended to create confusion. He is actively fishing for inattentive public.
The Conservative Party is extraordinarily worried about Stephane Dion’s honest and trustworthy spirit, because they know Mr. Harper has “none of the above”.
Public Instructions on how to effect positive reversals:
Set out To Do Something for Change.
Garth,
Atrocious. Simply atrocious. They feed on the unread and the unprepared. Glad you are both well read and prepared.
Now, could you lend Esther out to a few ridings in Quebec?
This is an astounding affront to our democracy.
I only hope that the Globe and Mail, National Post and bloggers pick up on this.
The thugs doing this are no better than nazi brown shirts – and that comparison fits – EXACTLY.
Mr. Harper – is that what your party stands for? Is that what you’ve made of my former Progressive Conservative Party? Come on Globe and Mail, start calling this nastiness for what it is.
Don’t forget… There’s going to be a majority.
Hopefully you are not going door to door alone.
It’s very frightening when you can’t even trust the Peel Regional Police. Clearly someone there is out to harm you.
This climate of fear is not what most Canadians stand for. However, it is not keeping you safe either. You need private bodyguards you can trust.
Why not to “choose none of the above:”
Set out To Do Something for Change.
By Barb the proofreader on 09.12.08 12:06 pm
You go first, change this….
Which do you rank as the highest priority election issue?
Economy 7605 votes (57 %)
The CTV poll was an internet poll, 57% can afford a pc and internet costs but are most concerned about the economy.
These are middle class Cdns that when polled a year ago felt they were only one or two paychecks away from bankruptcy, conditions have worsened greatly over the last year. Many are now hooked into maxed credit card debt, under saved and many over mortgaged with the 40/0 in a falling housing market.
I`m sure the`re finding the political gaffs that has been the bulk of MSM coverage for the last 4 days as entertaining but, analytically there can be no other outcome of a no-plan plan, 30M really pissed off Cdns.
leaves and other things will fall with this election
ARE YOU READING AND LISTENING?
BREAK THE MONOPOLY. SYNDICATES ARE AKIN TO CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS!
By Truth B Told on 09.12.08 12:06 pm
That sounds like a “sound” idea, TBT.
I will help. Yesterday I made a donation to your campaign even though I reside in British Columbia. I feel we need someone like yourself to represent the people. Thanks to your blog, I have chosen to vote Liberal and encourage all those I know to do the same.
It has been disturbing hearing, reading and watching some of the antics of the opposing party. This has taken on a very dark side. Scary! I don’t even want to believe that the behaviour you describe in today’s blog is happening in my beloved Canada.
Yesterday I watched Cpac and all the candidates for each party were interviewed for the Halton region. Lisa Raitt is a confident speaker…but in her interview she basically said nothing about what her party can do for the current issues facing Canadians and the people in her riding. Oh yes… she did mention that they are recycling in her riding and that this practice is being passed on to the children in her family. Give me a break! She sounded like an idiot. None of the others interviewed were convincing speakers other than you, and none but you, gave any great reasons why we should vote for them.
Feedback from those people that I have spoken with about the upcoming election is that Dion needs to have a stronger image. Harper has tried really hard to portray a kinder, gentler warmer image…fortunately you can see under that facade
that it’s not genuine and that he’s choking on it.
All this stuff is so petty and boorish. Let’s get on with the real issues. Good luck to you Garth! Keep up the fine work. Your voice makes a difference
You and Dion need to really get the message out about what the Green Shift plan is all about in a very basic way and to deliver the message of solutions that will bring back confidence and hope for Canadians. We need to also realize there is no quick fix but that there is a Rx for what ails us.
Good luck to you Garth! Your voice makes a difference.
Whoever said Nik was prediciting a small majority for the cons is an idiot .The numbers show that the Conservatives have entered the campaign from a definite position of strength over the opposition. But, with the Conservatives mounting a leadership driven campaign they need to be wary of how the 27% who answered none/unsure on the best PM question break. Despite Harper’s strong leadership numbers, the Liberal brand remains strong trailing by only five points nationally. Any significant missteps by Harper could potentially push this block of voters over to the opposition.
Nik Nanos
Why ,,, to “choose none of the above:”
The greens plans offered or in use by any political party is nothing more than an excuse to tax.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/opinion/25prasad.html?_r=2&th&emc=th%20`&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
On Carbon, Tax and Don’t Spend
By MONICA PRASAD
Published: March 25, 2008
The very thought of new tax revenue has a way of changing the priorities of the most hard-headed politicians — even Genghis Khan learned to be peaceful, the story goes, when he saw how much more rewarding it was to tax peasants than to kill them. But if we want lower emissions, the goal of a carbon tax is to prompt producers to change their behavior, not to allow them to continue polluting while handing over cash to the government.
“Is there a pact?”
And since the source for this story is a Liberal, Stéphane Dion should be asked his understanding of his own agreement with May. Does that agreement contain clauses whose import we haven’t yet seen?”
http://blog.macleans.ca/2008/09/12/workin-in-a-coalition-mine-whoop-about-to-slip-down/
Serious issue. For the love of Canada, DION MUST SPEAK TO THIS TODAY!
I’m not a Conservative or a Liberal but I am or think I am a democrat who hopes my politicians will be honest, brave and hard working such as yourself. This behaviour you describe is dreadful. Collect all the evidence and go to the media. Once ordinary folk know about it there will be a backlash just as there was on the exclusion of Elizabeth May from the debates. Why is no one attacking Harper on the SPP and the North American Union? Or are any attacks not being covered by the media. This is what Danny Williams is getting at. Most Canadians don’t even know about these very undemocratic plans!
We just got a local phone call asking for my husband (we have different last names). I asked who was calling, and they said they were calling on behalf of Stephen Harper (note they didn’t say they were calling on behalf of the Conservative Party). Interesting.
Anyway, I told them we were not voting for Stephen Harper this time. I then double-checked with my husband who did vote for Harper last time. (He was a died-in-the-wool Conservative).
I said “you can call them back if you want”. He said “nope, I’m never voting for that guy again.” One of his major turnoffs was Harper’s efforts to keep May out of the debates.
His vote is going for the Green Party. So much for everyone thinking the Green Party will bleed votes from the NDP and Liberals only.
However, I’m voting strategically, and voting for the Liberals–even though I’m pretty sure my Liberal MP is a shoo-in.
By James- Chatham on 09.12.08 9:30 am
Let me clarify,
Put it in context, Steve! Your management of the economy isn’t as good as you would have us believe.
By James- Chatham on 09.12.08 9:56 am
James – been trying to research debt repayment.
So far came across these sites:
Economists praise Canada’s debt reduction record
Last Updated: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 | 4:08 PM ET
& from a blog discussion:
http://canadiancynic.blogspot.com/2007/09/paying-down-national-debt-as-required.html
When I said at what price I was referring to all of the programs that Harpo has cut – many of them socially progressive, as someone on the previous post listed.
In an intended subtly subversive ‘take it either way’ substance-abuse ramble for May yesterday, here’s the end quote:
“I also believe we should look seriously at prostitution. It’s not like we have been able to stop it or likely ever will. Maybe they can start a party too. Wouldn’t it be fun picking a name for that?? Wanna Party?”
By ** ** ON 09.11.08 11:43 AM
Today a similar commenter’s quip:
A pimp offers an indispensable social service
BY * * ON 09.12.08 1:52 AM
It appears to be new ‘talking diversion’. So I take it that Conservative party sleuths are incrementally going to produce cavalier comments like.. abused women deserve it. What’s next.. jokes about child sexual abuse.
There’s no doubt whatsoever that these comments are presenting the two fisted punch. At once, they marginalize the women who are the victims of this trade, and to grind hate into the subject, they re-characterize this crime as being served up as humour.
If there is any doubt that prostitutes are victims, come forward now and state that. But first read up on these victims, who fall into this desperate trade because of abuse, drugs, or a lack of understanding of it’s consequences. And then understand that anyone who advocates the furthering of this trade by legalization, fails to understand the devastating unfurling of that effect in reality:
http://tinyurl.com/qb4u
Next stop: the Conservative Attack Trolls here will attack me with their neoconservative word feminazi, which U.S. neocons, pre-dating Harper, dreamt-up to marginalize women’s efforts.
Well don’t attack, Con boys, because I’m no different than your boss’s wife, so you’d be attacking her if you attack me.
Is this campaign turning into women’s rights vs disrespectful, ignorant right wing punks?
I was listening to CBC news in the car this am. Supposedly they had called back voters who had called in the last ? week and today they said they were against attack ads. So maybe I was wrong earlier stating that the Libs should put some out, even tho, in principle, I’m against them. The voters felt, however, that they had not heard any specific policies on various subjects from any of the Leaders.
……..CANADA FOR SALE………
While the little fruits of Harper’s orchard(remember the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree) are out knocking down campaign signs, our PM, today, is promising to put up a big sign for the foreign corp elite.
……Canada is for sale…….
At a time when countries around the world are building up their strategic petroleum reserves , our PM , the fruit that he is, would rather see our natural resources owned by foreigners instead of we the people. Pure and simple, this is a promise to SELL US OUT. I can’t possibly trust the CPC on this issue. I have not and will not forget the softwood lumber deal, a BILLION DOLLARS or 16% was left on the table. WOW, that was a brilliant piece of work. If CPC continues to lose 16% every time they sign a trade agreement , Canada will be in the poor house in a blink of an eye.
Harper, the rotten apple that he is, believes socialism is good for the corp world but bad the citizens.
HE IS NOT OF THE PEOPLE.
HE IS NOT A LEADER
Gas companies gouging consumers, says Harper
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080912.welxngas0912/BNStory/politics/home
Layton, Harper react to gas price hike
http://www.thestar.com/FederalElection/article/498027
This is a bandwagon that Mr. Dion needs to be on. The oil companies are now more socially irresponsible (corrupt would not be too strong a word) corporate citizens than the tobacco companies.
Today, big government in Canada condones price fixing. As you drive through any community in Canada, every gas outlet has the same price. The oil companies say this is not ‘legally’ price fixing but everyone knows that it is. And the government permits it.
Here in Victoria this morning, gas at every station in the city is $1.39 per litter (the $0.125 increase through the rest of the country has not hit here yet…). When oil was $163 (Can) per barrel, the price at the pump in Victoria was $1.53 per litter. Crude oil has now dropped to $110 (Can) per barrel. So the price of crude has dropped approximately 32.5% and the price at the pumps has dropped 9%. If the $0.125 price increase happens today, that will mean a pump price of $1.515 per liter, or a drop of zero percent while crude costs 32% less. If that isn’t gouging or usury or racketeering or whatever you want to call it, I don’t know what is.
Is there a politician out there who has the nards to stand up to the oil companies?
Time to step up your guys’ game Garth.
You cannot let this ass back in government!
where did those int’l investors goBY UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES 12.08 11:46AM
You Conservatives Trolls are just getting stupider by the minute with your shallow tactics.
Casual Reader on Garth’s Blog:
“Oh, dear me, this guy on Garth’s blog says we should worry about int’l investors. Crisis! I’m afraid!”
No crisis..it’s an obfuscation ploy for re-framing Harper’s personal agendas.
News from the PMO at the same moment in time, hmm, conveniently coincides with the perceived drama above.
In plain sight.. all crafted lies, Harper loves to incorrectly frame issues, and then he proceeds to reframe and make false references of his “issue”. Harper & Co. truly believe Canadians are stupid. Just in case, he also has some media by the balls, of their feet of course. Jobs are scarce you know. Luckily some honest media are speaking out. They are the ones to watch.
Beware of the ploy that Harper’s chief, Tom Flanagan, openly bragged about in an interview article a few months back. They don’t leave things up to chance…
… except Flanagan underestimates one basic thing about people: “They learn.” (quote from Jurassic Park)
until people are caught doing these things, isn’t it a bit premature to label this as conservatives or conservative tactics. maybe the signs were just juvenile vandals. Maybe it was a liberal doing all this to convert those of us who deplore such activities. Its not the first time the fire chief has beencaught setting fires to make themselves look like heroes. My point is it is premature to be blaming this on a party or their operatives.
Kerry
“Why are gasoline prices spiking BEFORE there is a problem from Hurricane Ike?”
From Truth B told 12:06 pm
Ummm because Hurricane Ike is going to be a big Frickin problem?
24 hours from now we may be seeing somthing as bad as Katrina. I hope not.
Garth, just gave your election account a little boost, $150 for you, $200 for Dion and $50 for Kirt in Nunavut.
So stay positive, keep on message and do us proud.
In the end maybe the CONS will slither out of town, and disappear, in their dark holes.
“Mr. Harper, are you for or against enshrining the recognition of Quebec as a nation in the Canadian Constitution as has been asked for by Mario Dumont?” Duceppe said. “Let Mr. Harper answer that question.”
Oh me oh my, looks like Duceppe wants to two step with Stevie. It was only a matter of time before this classic separatist song would get played again.
Gilles has decided that he doesn’t like the way the song is worded and it’s time to change the lyrics.
Have fun Stevie, you should have given this one a lot more thought in ‘06. But then again that would have been too much to ask of you.
[...] Here in boring old Canada, our national election campaign is shuffling along. Steely-eyed, saturnine Prime Minister Steve’s campaign has gotten off to an unsteady start thanks to a stunning series of gaffes, including puffin poop, the attempted muzzling of the Green Party, disrespect toward the family of a fallen soldier, and quite possibly the harassment of Garth Turner. [...]
Accusations fly over Calgary incumbent’s pamphlet
A flyer mailed to voters by Conservative MP Jason Kenney may be technically legal, but it leaves the impression of a politician trying to skirt election financing rules, says a political scientist.
Calgary Southeast Liberal candidate Brad Carroll said his Conservative rival was misusing his privileges as an MP.
“I can understand that perhaps it was mailed out just prior to an election call,” said Carroll. “I’m uncomfortable with the fact the Conservative party knew when they were going to call an election and dumped these on the doorsteps just prior to it so it would show up during an election.”
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2008/09/11/flyer-kenney-election.html
If CPC continues to lose 16% every time they sign a trade agreement , Canada will be in the poor house in a blink of an eye.
Harper, the rotten apple that he is, believes socialism is good for the corp world but bad the citizens.
HE IS NOT OF THE PEOPLE.
HE IS NOT A LEADER
By Ron p on 09.12.08 1:27 pm
Socialism this is NOT! More like the Corporate Welfare Bums are using a brand of Corporate Communism to rip off We the People. There is no free competitive market and no free trade!
As for Hurricane Ike, while it is currently triple the size of what Katrina was, watch the projected tracking. It just may be zeroing in on Crawford Texas! If it does not get some upper steering wind traction it may in fact hit Mexico instead! Until it does strike the coastline, it is still outright highway robbery to raise Cdn fuel prices. The only feeble excuse that has any validity is that the Cdn Dollar has dropped vis a vis the US$. This is where we should be demanding that oil and gasoline be priced in Cdn $ and not US$. And why do we Cdn’s not have a strategic petroleum/gasoline reserve to protect our supply demands in the case of unexpected refinery outages, of which we have had numerous in the past 2 years?
By Kerry Busse on 09.12.08 1:47 pm
It could have been Conservative supporters, or non partisans that do not like Garth, siding with the Conservative party for better chance to have him lose the election. I highly doubt it was the doing of the CPC. I would hope the people operating that party have more imortant things to do then knock over campaign signs. Our riding has had some Conservative signs destroyed. Most vandels do not discriminate against what parties signs get knocked down. It would have been interesting if Lisa Raitt has signs up along that same stretch, as most likly those signs would have been knocked down as well. But seen as we will never know, it makes a better conspiracy to blame it on the C.P.C.
Barb the proofreader on 09.12.08 1:09 pm
Paranoia will destroy ya…
Maybe lay off the news channels for a day or two. You’re going to do yourself some injury.
Serious issue. For the love of Canada, DION MUST SPEAK TO THIS TODAY!
By Molly on 09.12.08 12:44 pm
Molly
He did in Burnaby BC today. Remember the three hour timezone?
Dion flatly denied there was anything beyond the agreement to not run a candidate in their respective ridings.
It’s a rumour meant to tarnish Dion spun by the Conservative war room.
……..CANADA FOR SALE………
While the little fruits of Harper’s orchard(remember the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree) are out knocking down campaign signs, our PM, today, is promising to put up a big sign for the foreign corp elite.
……Canada is for sale…….
By Ron p on 09.12.08 1:27 pm
Bargain Basement Prices in effect immediately that Harper is re-elected. No residency required, membership in OPEC mandatory, entry fees payable to the under the table CPC constant re-election campaign!
I had to read your topic three times for the gravity to completely sink in. I hope it is vandalism, pure and simple – from some idiots with too much time on their hands. If it ever is determined that a member of a different political party is involved…then politics has gone way over the top.
I have spent the last few days calling hundreds of people for lawn signs – only one cranky person so far. Very, very few ‘no’ responses. I look out my window and see ‘Big Red’ strategically placed on the corner and smile every time someone honks. I chose to believe that the honk is a sign of support. No damage, vandalism or attempts to report. Interesting though Garth – and this is the honest truth – one gentleman that I called today declined to have a sign placed on his lawn, but he said ‘if the guy across the street puts up a Conservative sign I’ll call you back and you can send me the biggest sign you have’. I laughed right out loud – and so did he. Hang in there Garth – this is the good fight.
Mr. Garth TurnerMP, FYI/BLOG Aug 20th
I was just looking at your Blog,
The main page, and the MPtv page,
The Aug 20th townhall with Mr. Dion, I can not see first fram or watched.
You might like to ask your web site manager to check for bugs/hakers etch.
PS. It’s to bad that the C-PACtv guy is still saying you left PMSH party.
When in fact you got the boot from PMSH’s boys for not backing down to them, and keeping queit/silent and shuting down this Blog site.
Keep up the good work trying to do the best job you can for everyone best short and long term interests.
Some news media are reporting that PMSH may get his majority, the way the polls are looking at this time.
I hope not!!!
I’m glad the only poll that realy counts is Oct 14.
Still plenty of time to change a few more minds. If they are paying attention?
Is it just me, or is PMSH noise getting longer the more he gives speeches/talks/is shown in TV adds?
The skinheads of Aryan Nations ,at one time, filled a hall for a nomination meeting in Toronto .
These fear tactics are loathsome and despicable .
What is particularily appaling as these cretins share our heritage of being Canadians .
They are .quite, obviously, mentally ill and deranged .
I was going to quit posting .But then they win .
This type of abuse goes beyond the
pale .
If you are so tough call me .Garth has my number . I’ll be glad to teach you a few manners .
By Men With Hats on 09.12.08 12:25 pm
Yes, and the scary part is that they walk amongst us every day, unidentified!
Mr. Garth TurnerMP,
Ike, Ice free artic ocen this summer,
Global climab change.
Have you see this 10 min. info. show yet?
Why even if you don’t believe in climbate change doing something is a better choise than nothing!
‘How It All Ends’ 10min.
http://www.youtube.com/user/wonderingmind42
Also a great show to see, on same web site as above, just scrowl down.
‘The Most IMPORTANT Video You’ll Ever See.’ 8 part. (same link as above, just scrawl down.)
Are Liberals showing signs of turning away from the party?
Today’s Nik Nanos results:
Committed Voters – Canada (N=975, MoE ± 3.2%, 19 times out of 20)
Conservative Party 38% (+1)
Liberal Party 31% (-1)
NDP 14% (+1)
BQ 9% (NC)
Green Party 9% (NC)
Undecided 19% (NC)
Hey, tomorrow 9/11 is my BIG day (65) I”M GOLDEN! (There, I’ve told the world!) LOL
By A.R.Wainwright on 09.11.08 1:17 am
Congratulations Allan. I have a pair of lace ups and some skiis with bear traps which would suit your special occasion.Remember! there,s nothing like dealing with an old established firm. You,re on the inside edge now!
I’ve said it before, but this contest is unnecessary.
These people should be disqualified and taken out of the game.
Thanks for the head’s up.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080912.welxnharper0912/BNStory/Front
Harper is a sellout. He appointed a 5 member panel to look into M & A’s and all 5 members were corporate lobbyists that unsurprisingly spoke on behalf of their own self interests in favor of relaxed M & A regulations.
What Harpers relaxed regs on M & A’s will do to anyone who actually cares to read about issues of import, will expose current consumer protected economic sectors, specifically banks, insurance, healthcare, commodities everything… more foreign ownership/control with unregulated U.S. buyouts of all of our economic sectors. Needless to say, informed citizens like Brent Fullard and patriot investors like myself aren’t happy.
Someone should tell our current U.S. multinational corporate lobbyist Stephen Harper that we can only sell it once and once our economic sovreignty is gone, so is our national sovreignty. At that point, a flag is a mere figurehead of what once was.
And having failed at that, maybe someone should tell the Canadian electorate. It seems that 37% of us Canadians are missing the point. A Harper majority means the destruction of a great nation through deregulation and privatization of all of our ESSENTIAL services in favor of for profit corporate monopolies, not to mention what follows (consumer gouging, price fixing, lost tax revenues, shrinking GDP and higher unemployment) and if that doesn’t mean enough, try poverty. Greed always implodes. In the end, everyone will get what they deserve and thats credit for putting such corporate lobbyists in power to begin with.
One would have thought, just one time even, that the example of Cheney Bush corporate lobbyist damage to the U.S. economy, environment and world peace would be sobering enough to question why one should support “shrub”, “Yo Steve”, the one who takes daily orders from the whitehouse.
Please, if y’all are going to vote the Republican in power so we can lose another 80 Canadian soldiers for no reason over the next 2.5 years same as we did the last 2.5… (and another 20 or so Canadians to Listeria or whatever else kills us from relaxed regs), let me know so I can make plans to move to a safer nation that doesn’t have such a lust for war and want to be controlled by the empire south of the line.
Please, let me know so that when Harper wants to join in on the war against Iran, I’ll have the time to get my son out before getting drafted to fight a resource war based on lies.
Oh, dear me, this guy on Garth’s blog says we should worry about int’l investors. Crisis! I’m afraid!”
No crisis..it’s an obfuscation ploy for re-framing Harper’s personal agendas.
Barb the proofreader on 09.12.08 1:44 pm
I would never have thought you to support Flipperty with his `the economy is as solid as the Cdn Shield` line, roflmao
You better read;
unintended consequences on 09.12.08 12:13 pm
57% of Cdns put the economy as #1 issue and you`re telling them it`s just a political game, it`s just in their heads, omg you are the funniest person I`ve ever chatted with.
Don`t ya just `hate` reality.
I wish I lived in Halton so I could volunteer for your campaign…I wish I wasn’t a poor student so I could donate to your campaign…but you are an amazing politician and I hope to see you back in Parliament October 14th. The Liberal Party made an amazing choice in allowing you to become a Liberal last year.
until people are caught doing these things, isn’t it a bit premature to label this as conservatives or conservative tactics. maybe the signs were just juvenile vandals. Maybe it was a liberal doing all this to convert those of us who deplore such activities. Its not the first time the fire chief has beencaught setting fires to make themselves look like heroes. My point is it is premature to be blaming this on a party or their operatives.
Kerry
By Kerry Busse on 09.12.08 1:47 pm
Leasa had the same argument when something similar happened in Guelph prior to the by-elections we paid for but didn’t happen.
Pretty unlikely scenario, Kerry….especially when you add in the nasty emails and threats to Garth.
Kerry, you aren’t Leasa, are you?
So much for everyone thinking the Green Party will bleed votes from the NDP and Liberals only. However, I’m voting strategically, and voting for the Liberals
BY LANA 09.12.08 1:01 PM
Hi Lana,
A very close relative who always votes “against” the system — for up and coming parties to earn election funding — has done something astounding, in newly deciding to vote strategically. Not only that, but uncharacteristically now complaining that the opposition signs in their town aren’t good enough… and to boot, making phone calls for pete’s sake to get better signs for the strategic candidate. This is a “when pigs fly” moment, to change attitude and be doing that. I’m soooo proud!
My point is it is premature to be blaming this on a party or their operatives.
Kerry
By Kerry Busse on 09.12.08 1:47 pm
Pretty naive arentcha ?
Listen, fellow voters, if you really do care about what happens to this nation moreso than yourself when you cast your next vote, familiarize yourselves with who the candidates are in your riding.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canadavotes/ridings/
If you feel as though you are electable and have the stuff it takes to fairly represent all the constituents in your riding through thick and thin even if means turning your back on elected leaders/parties who make horrible decisions that carry dire consequences to the consituents in your riding, by all means, run as a candidate for the party/leader of your choice. If you haven’t got the goods, lend your support to someone who does.
I can’t stress this one enough. “Simply get the best players on the field”. Not for bragging rights, nor for ego gratification but for the health and good of this nation. There are still alot of candidacies to fill in our still fine nation. Democracy in any nation is only as healthy as the level of support and voter turnout it receives.
Comedian from This Hour Has 22 Minutes gets handcuffed by police while posing a question to Harper today.
Just caught this on CBC–later Harper grants an interview. Weird!
Anyone else see it? Can’t wait to see this on This Hour’s show.
Canadians don’t go for ideology, but rather who they think is most ready and competent to govern at a given period in time.
At this juncture, I don’t believe there are many except the most diehard partisans, who think that either Stephane Dion, or his fractious party is ready to be trusted to govern.
Paul Martin had proved himself incompetent and voters cautiously gave harper a mandate on a tight leash. He has proven competent, and not to be an ideologue. He has governed from the centre.
I think voters are ready to let Mr. Harper have a majority this time, and will be ready to judge him again after 4 years. And the Liberals in their current state, are going to need those 4 years, possibly more to rebuild.
Detective Dyk on the case:
Well the NDP members would be too busy recycling their old galoshes to have time to get up to mischief .
Green members too busy making granola bars, smoking dope and recycling their Birkenstocks .
Bloc: who cares ?
Liberals: To say the Liberals would destroy hundreds of dollars worth of signage to gain sympathy is the most asinine thing I have heard today .
Subtract all the most obvious…when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.
Arthur Conan Doyle
Garth,
What you describe is a prty that has learned from their leader. They see the bullying, the insults, the thumbing the nose at the laws of canada, even of some he enacts and tehy feel all powerful. They move on to insults on the web (which Harper undoubtedly knew about).
Yet we see Harper ahead in the polls. This is no doubt as we see the G & M front page (Green Shift will cause mayhem) and page 7 saying “Economists disagree with Harper on Green Shift”.
I think Dion handily won the last couple of days in terms of ethics and integrity and announcements but Harper is leading in leadership and that must be attacked. It has taken far too long to do so.
I like you Garth but you have it “easy.”
Historically, political races were much nastier.
Ever heard of the “1-hour without a vote” about 100 yeas ago? Some bullies could get their people to vote and then block access to the voting booth. Voting booth would close after an hour without anyone voting and then done. Another riding stolen.
At least, come election day, nothing will stop people from voting. Just focus on the message. And they will vote for you!
Be afraid…be very VERY afraid:
Conservatives gaining momentum on campaign trail: poll
CBC News
Last Updated: Friday, September 12, 2008 | 2:16 PM ET
“Nationally, the Conservatives lead with 41 per cent of the public’s support, followed by the Liberals at 26 per cent, while the NDP are at 14 per cent support, said the Canadian Press-Harris/Decima rolling survey, in partnership with the CBC.
The Green party trails with nine per cent support, while eight per cent of respondents said they favoured the Bloc Québécois. …”
Not even at the end of week 1, and Harper is in MAJORITY territory. A Harper majority would NOT mean more of the same; it would mean the complete destruction of social justice, economic stability, environmental sustainability, and national unity in this country.
Polling data from previous election :
All pollsters :
http://tinyurl.com/4sngh9
Interesting to read .Indicative of nothing.
If Harper wins a majority, there will be a book that our grand kids will write, “The Canadian Dark Ages of the Harper era!” And it will be a history book!
By James- Chatham on 09.12.08 7:36 am
If Harper wins a majority, there will be no books except those approved by the government, and no Canada as we know it.
The Steve and Jack show plays out in BC:
http://bcinto.blogspot.com/2008/09/video-steve-and-jack-no-longer-so-happy.html
Not all Americans are totally preoccupied with their own election…
What’s the Matter With Canada?
How the world’s nicest country turned mean.
By Christopher Flavelle
Posted Friday, Sept. 12, 2008, at 11:17 AM ET
“…But beneath the calm exterior, Canada’s political system is in turmoil. Since 2004, a succession of unstable minority governments has led to a constant campaign frenzy, brutalizing Canada’s once-broad political consensus and producing a series of policies at odds with the country’s socially liberal, fiscally conservative identity. Canada is quietly becoming a political basket case, and this latest election may make things even worse.
…
If the last week is any indication, that polarization is only getting worse. On Sunday morning, Prime Minister Harper began the race by predicting “a very nasty kind of personal-attack campaign.” Two days later, his party briefly released an ad that showed a bird defecating on the leader of the Liberal Party. So much for Canadians being nice. “
http://www.slate.com/id/2199929/?from=rss
In today’s London Free Press they ran this poll:
In your view, is Prime Minister Stephen Harper wearing a toupee?
Yes
29%
No
71%
Total Votes for this Question: 102
What a vacuous idiot question to ask. I don’t care if he is wearing a rug, it is the wrong headed thinking that is going on in his brain that I care about!
“Is there a politician out there who has the nards to stand up to the oil companies?”
Yes, Vicguy, there was such a man. His name was Trudeau, but not even he could stand up to them for long. He must have gotten an offer he couldn’t refuse, such as cease and desist this NEP nonsense, or we will ruin you and your party for good.
But to answer your question, no, there is no politician out there who will stand up to the oil companies. That windmill has too much money, power, influence, international clout, free market rationale, not to mention too many employee voters dependent on it, for any but a suicidal politician – or an irrelevant one like Layton – to joust against it.
All we can do is bite the bullet until we either manage to do without them, or they go too far and force politicians to react as a matter of political survival.
Garth,
Just sent you a hundred bucks. Although I don’t live in your riding, I am cheering you on.
Keep your chin up. You are doing fantastic job.
Grace
Re: Oil industry gouging people.
The oil industry isn’t gouging anyone. Gasoline prices are set on international mercantile exchanges by traders. IKE is a perceived threat to supply, so the price goes up. IKE is not a perceived threat to oil supply so the price of oil hasn’t gone up.
FYI, 3 years ago in late summer, oil was 72 bucks a barrel. Gas hit 1.20. If that “ratio” existed today, gas would be over 1.50 and would have topped out at 2 dollars a litre about 3 months ago. Guess what, you’re actually getting a deal thanks to lower refinery profits.
Hard to swallow the whining from Canadian drivers anyway. North America consumes 25% of the worlds daily production and has a mere 5% of the people. You complaining about gas prices is like an obese human complaining about the food prices.
Irvine
Calgary, AB, Canada
Stuck in the filter
Why ,,, to “choose none of the above:”
The greens plans offered or in use by any political party is nothing more than an excuse to tax.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/opinion/25prasad.html?_r=2&th&emc=th%20`&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
On Carbon, Tax and Don’t Spend
By MONICA PRASAD
Published: March 25, 2008
The very thought of new tax revenue has a way of changing the priorities of the most hard-headed politicians — even Genghis Khan learned to be peaceful, the story goes, when he saw how much more rewarding it was to tax peasants than to kill them. But if we want lower emissions, the goal of a carbon tax is to prompt producers to change their behavior, not to allow them to continue polluting while handing over cash to the government.
http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/498442
THE CANADIAN PRESS
HALIFAX–She went from police detention to Stephen Harper’s hotel room in a matter of minutes.
She got hot and bothered. She unbuttoned part of her blouse.
The prime minister touched her arm gently and asked if she enjoyed being handcuffed.
It was all part of a TV skit – well, all except for the part about her being detained by the RCMP.
Geri Hall, a fake-news reporter for CBC’s spoof show This Hour Has 22 Minutes, had a wild morning after she interrupted a Harper news conference.
She jumped out of her seat while reporters prepared to ask their questions and professed her desire for the Prime Minister.
This is the same Prime Minister who has struggled to win votes from women, especially young ones like Hall, and who once joked in the House of Commons that he had trouble with seduction – even his own wife.
Hall was a different story: “I’m a single female . . . I love you. I want to love you,” she shouted while approaching the podium.
Burly RCMP guards quickly whisked her away. Hall was handcuffed and detained for a few minutes in a separate room – standard procedure for anyone accosting the Prime Minister, even in jest.
Harper aide Carolyn Stewart Olsen assured the RCMP the incident had been a comedy stunt, and that they could remove the cuffs. Then the Tory leader granted her an interview.
THIS IS A VERY SICK JOKE TRYING TO IMPLY THAT HARPER EVOKES A MANIA LIKE PIERRE TRUDEAU DID. I THINK I’M GOING TO PUKE!
Thinks are getting filthy, to be sure. Let us know if you need volunteers to form a human shield.
BTW, James? “And if you remember “Harold” from StarTrek; “Remember Harold, everything he says is a lie!”
It was Norman, not Harold.
Here is the low down (and do mean low as in scum sucking profiteers) from one of our local Esso dealers. I took the time to discuss the assinine price increase with the dealer today. Here is what I found out.
First, when a dealer orders a load of fuel they must have the money in their account RIGHT THEN. That delivery can cost them $75,000 and there is no credit extended. When it goes into their tanks they must PAY FOR IT!
Second, the supplier waits until midnight, regardless of the time the order is placed to ‘process’ the order. The Time Stamp on the refinery/supplier invoice is marked 0000, which is WHY last night, after midnight the price went up a ridiculaous amount. All nicely while most of us are ASLEEP!
Third, the dealers are NOT the responsible party, the gasoline (oil) producers/refiberies/distributors ARE.
The speculators drive the price up, the producers instantly increase their price to the retailers, and we get GOUGED every time.
That, my friends, is PRICE FIXING and falls under ORGANIZED CRIME.
Where is Stephen Harper ? What has he domne to protect Canadians from this criminal GOUGING? The answer, as you well know is NOTHING!
This destructive behavior has to be taken to MSM. If Harper set the tone for this election, when the life and family of an opposing candidate is threatened just what does it say about the tone he is setting.
By Judy Roberts on 09.12.08 11:08 am
Judy, I hope the MSM are reading this post because I am so friggin outraged with their childish behavior & reporting of what they want Canadians to believe regardless of whether it is the truth or not that I could soon blow a casket. For god’s sake, elementary students could blow these idiots away when it comes to the honesty & skills of today’s generation of Journalists. It used to be that the media kept the politicians on a straight & narrow line by actually investigating stories & using all reliable sources available to find the truth. Today we see them doing just the opposite. They are continually reporting half truths by using certain words or wordings to distort the real truth & thereby ruining people’s livelihoods & careers with no regards to family members. It is a pretty sad situation when we accept to live in a “Me First” mentality
I would suspect that some reporters are afraid of losing their jobs if they don’t follow the MSM owners guide lines even if they have to fudge or in other words, skirt the truth in order to keep their jobs & not be transferred or fired & forced to take new jobs elsewhere. I am guessing that fine reporters such as David Atkin for example, who have credibility & honesty in their reporting, are victims of such guide lines.
Televisions news reporting is also guilty of such tactics. Bought & paid for by “Mafia” type ownership & the thing that’s so scary is how successful they have become in manipulating young peoples mind by continually reporting gloom & doom tactics in order to control them. It is getting to a point where people have to say; enough is enough already. I won’t watch the news because it’s too damn depressing.
There! I have had my rant for the day & believe it or not, I feel better for it. Btw Judy, it is the MSM that is promoting those destructive behaviors.
Have good weekend.
Hard to swallow the whining from Canadian drivers anyway. North America consumes 25% of the worlds daily production and has a mere 5% of the people. You complaining about gas prices is like an obese human complaining about the food prices.
Irvine
Calgary, AB, Canada
By Irvine on 09.12.08 5:22 pm
That sort of Alberta arrogance is what is hard to swallow. That is just the very type of attitude that got you the National Energy Program. Go ahead and raise the price of gasoline to 2, 5 or 10$ a liter. At some point there will be a rebellion, and then fires of revenge will burn very deep! Gasoline is not worth the prices being charged, it is pure greed and black mail. The civil disorder that can happen as a result will not be nation building and not a proud story. Obese oil company bank accounts are just as hard to swallow! Take a very good look at how most every one earns a living. It is built on being mobile, whether it is mfg, sales, transport, food, clothing, etc. The right to reasonable energy supplies transcends ownership by the few. History of the English speaking peoples includes riots, assassinations, and some other very ugly incidents. That can happen again. When the majority can not feel or see that they can make a reasonable life then beware.
I don’t care myself as I am retired and not far from the grave, but I tell it the way I see it.
Garth do you have a Amish/ Mennonite community in your riding? I see a horse and buggy sign on the picture with the wrecked sign!
Stéphane Dion’s Campaign Diary Day Four
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWEAUomeeB8&feature=related
Dion: equality for women in politics and social justice for women.
You know I am becoming very suspicious about these polling companies doing the polling for CTV/Global etc. I think I will put my trust in Nanos daily tracking system for more reliable polling.
Nanos Daily Tracking + Hill and Knowlton Seat Projection
I wish I lived in Halton so I could volunteer for your campaign…I wish I wasn’t a poor student so I could donate to your campaign…but you are an amazing politician and I hope to see you back in Parliament October 14th. The Liberal Party made an amazing choice in allowing you to become a Liberal last year.
By David on 09.12.08 2:57 pm
David, it does take money for parties to run an election but as importantly, it takes volunteers to support a party that you believe in that has Canadians best interests at heart. You can help by simply donating your time to the Liberal candidate in your area by talking with your fellow students, your families & everyone you know & by steering them to this website & ask them to pass the info it on etc. We need some fine young brains taking actions for the best reason of all. “Saving the integrity of Canada” by protecting our country & fellow men is of the outmost importance. While you’re at it, remind all your friends, relatives & peers that your generation is our future. We have trust that your generation will keep this country Strong & Free for your own children.
The very best to you
The refinery margin on gasoline is very very low these days.
You can look it up.
The liberal Green Shaft plan will cause fuel prices to rise even higher, especially on diesel fuel which produces less C02 per mile than gasoline.
Thank God Harper is doing something about the environment and reducing taxes on diesel.
For some strange reason Dion wants to increase the tax on diesel but not on gasoline. That would result in increased C02 emissions.
Sounds insane to me.
Irvine,
let me get this straight: gasoline prices are set on international mercantile exchanges by traders who are idependent of any industrial interests and just happen to have billions in spare change that they invest in futures to make some money. And just because Ike may or may not present a threat to supply a few months down the pike and these traders decided to long or short futures yesterday, the price of gasoline refined and delivered months ago jumps 13 cents a litre.
As an analyst, what would be your definition of gouging?
If Harper wins a majority, there will be a book that our grand kids will write, “The Canadian Dark Ages of the Harper era!” And it will be a history book!
By James- Chatham on 09.12.08 7:36 am
If Harper wins a majority, there will be no books except those approved by the government, and no Canada as we know it.
By AM on 09.12.08 4:14 pm
And then the revolution begins.
Re: Oil industry gouging people.
The oil industry isn’t gouging anyone. Gasoline prices are set on international mercantile exchanges by traders.
By Irvine on 09.12.08 5:22 pm
Some have argued that Harper is not an ideologue but he has proven himself to be one over and over.
The purpose behind globalization was to take price competition out of the marketplace and allow “stakeholders” or those who control the global market to set the price. This is exactly what has happened in the oil industry. In other words, those who control the industry control the price.
Harper is wants to expand that kind of “monopoly” price setting to an every increasing set of goods and services. His announcement that he will encourage more foreign ownership in Canada means that he is promoting the interests of the mega-corporations that he hopes will replace government. The same interests that are able to remove price competition from petroleum will soon be removing price competition for everything you need to survive in out climate.
If Harper wins a majority, there will be no books except those approved by the government, and no Canada as we know it.
By AM on 09.12.08 4:14 pm
The book I’m talking about will be written after Harper is long gone, which I think will be in about 4 years;
4 years of “grinding and nashing of teeth!” with lots of pepper spray being used on Parliament Hill.
So, Garth, I have a message for you to take to M. Dion. Yes, I have said it here before. There’s more to this election than the Green Shift vs cap and trade(NDP) vs. do nothing (CPC.) If the Libs don’t start going after the Harper record, this election is going to be a one horse race, with Harper getting a majority.
Its time to stop being reactionary to Harper and Layton’s attacks on the Green Shift, its time to be preoactive and go after the Harper record and show us the Lib alternative.
Garth, on this blog you have done just that. Tell M.Dion its time to take your message nationwide.
“reality”
~ by Unintended Co-inkydinkies 12.08 2:56PM
I’ll give you reality. Reality is that Harper is the biggest scam artist Canada has ever known. He mocks major issues by promising one thing and then never following through, harming our citizens wallets and lives. He abuses the timing of announcements on major issues for his own political purposes without regards to citizen’s, promoting himself with smear campaigns against honourable and sincere citizens.
Reality is that your comment put words in my mouth that I did not say, so you have falsely smeared me, and that’s in plain sight for anyone to see.
Your “don’t vote for anyone ploy” has Harper written all over it.
And I just noticed Brain read the same item, and put it quite well, so here’s the reply to your scare tactic:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080912.welxnharper0912/BNStory/Front
Harper is a sellout. He appointed a 5 member panel to look into M & A’s and all 5 members were corporate lobbyists that unsurprisingly spoke on behalf of their own self interests in favor of relaxed M & A regulations.
What Harpers relaxed regs on M & A’s will do to anyone who actually cares to read about issues of import, will expose current consumer protected economic sectors, specifically banks, insurance, healthcare, commodities everything… more foreign ownership/control with unregulated U.S. buyouts of all of our economic sectors. Needless to say, informed citizens like Brent Fullard and patriot investors like myself aren’t happy.
Someone should tell our current U.S. multinational corporate lobbyist Stephen Harper that we can only sell it once and once our economic sovreignty is gone, so is our national sovreignty. At that point, a flag is a mere figurehead of what once was.
And having failed at that, maybe someone should tell the Canadian electorate. It seems that 37% of us Canadians are missing the point. A Harper majority means the destruction of a great nation through deregulation and privatization of all of our ESSENTIAL services in favor of for profit corporate monopolies, not to mention what follows (consumer gouging, price fixing, lost tax revenues, shrinking GDP and higher unemployment) and if that doesn’t mean enough, try poverty. Greed always implodes. In the end, everyone will get what they deserve and thats credit for putting such corporate lobbyists in power to begin with.
One would have thought, just one time even, that the example of Cheney Bush corporate lobbyist damage to the U.S. economy, environment and world peace would be sobering enough to question why one should support “shrub”, “Yo Steve”, the one who takes daily orders from the whitehouse.
Please, if y’all are going to vote the Republican in power so we can lose another 80 Canadian soldiers for no reason over the next 2.5 years same as we did the last 2.5… (and another 20 or so Canadians to Listeria or whatever else kills us from relaxed regs), let me know so I can make plans to move to a safer nation that doesn’t have such a lust for war and want to be controlled by the empire south of the line.
Please, let me know so that when Harper wants to join in on the war against Iran, I’ll have the time to get my son out before getting drafted to fight a resource war based on lies.
BY BRAIN ON 09.12.08 2:56 PM
Brain, you said it so well.
Harper is a corporate lobbyist, they helped him get elected, they promote him, and these guys work together — as syndicates. They own the media, duh, they have their hands in everything. If citizens don’t fight for their country, our country is lost, our general population will get what it deserves, a foreign controlled government, sliced up into weak provincial loosely-knitted and ready to unravel our resources.
I like what TBT and Lana said, “SYNDICATES ARE AKIN TO CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS!” We are under the influence of a minority thug — please don’t give Harper another crack at us like the Americans did with Bush in 2004. The United States came within a few hundred votes of booting Bush out, and look what he did to them.. A vote is so important..
Barb the proofreader on 09.12.08 1:09 pm
Paranoia will destroy ya…Maybe lay off the news channels for a day or two. You’re going to do yourself some injury.
BY LAWRENCE ON 09.12.08 2:30 PM
OOOOh, I’m scared, they’ve pulled out the big gun Harper thug troll to imply that I’m going to get injured as I POINTED OUT that you guys started belittling prostitutes in your comments here. Too bad you guys don’t respect women. Women are smart and they pick up on things like that.
And HOW STRANGE LAWRENCE that you would come here and decide to defend your friend’s jokes about victimized women.
Is this campaign turning into women’s rights vs disrespectful, ignorant right wing punks?
I’ll remind you troll, “I’m no different than your boss’s wife, so you’d be attacking her if you attack me.”
There are Newfies; then, us honky trashes . . .
****************************************
A Newfie was proudly showing off his new apartment to a couple of his friends late one night.
He led the way to his bedroom where there was a big brass gong and a mallet.
‘What’s with that big brass gong?’ one of the guests asked.
‘It’s not a gong. It’s a talking clock,’ the Newfie replied.
‘A talking clock? Seriously?’ asked his astonished friend.
‘Yup’ replied the Newfie.
‘How’s it work?’ the friend asked, squinting at it.
‘Watch’ the Newfie replied. He picked up the mallet, gave the gong an ear-shattering pound, and stepped back.
The three stood looking at one another for a moment.
Suddenly, someone on the other side of the wall screamed, ‘You asshole! It’s three-fifteen in the morning!’
****************************************
A weather report for anyone out here who is interested from John Thomson’s castanet.net column . . .
The Old Farmer’s Almanac—Canadian Edition. I quickly go to the weather to see what they are predicting for the southern half of B.C. They say that there is no folklore, just technology, the Sun, and a secret formula that is the key to their forecasts.
Winter will be milder than normal, with above-normal rainfall in the west, above-normal snowfall in the southeast, and below-normal snow and precipitation in the northeast. The coldest temperatures will occur in mid- and late January, with the heaviest snows in mid-December and mid-January.
April and May will be cooler than normal, with below-normal precipitation in all areas but the northeast.
Summer will be cooler and rainier than normal, with the hottest temperatures in early July.
September and October will be cooler than normal, with precipitation below normal near the coast and above normal inland.
There you have it, make your plans.
Nothing political, I think . . .
12.09.2008
Secret government study belies Harper’s claim that carbon tax will cause recession
TORONTO – The Green Party is releasing a secret report to the federal government from one of Canada’s leading economists, obtained under the Access to Information Act in 2007. The report supports a carbon tax as an effective way to make significant cuts in greenhouse gas emissions and concludes that a $50/tonne tax on carbon would have an insignificant impact on the Canadian economy and would open tremendous economic opportunities. The model estimates this carbon tax shift would cut emissions by about 36 megatonnes (MT) by 2010, 59 MT by 2015 and 114 MT by 2030
http://www.greenparty.ca/en/releases/12.09.2008
Apparently Elizabeth May talked about this today in Toronto – can’t find anything in the news.
Mr. Turner, I first want to thank you for your committment to the people of Halton, and for not being afraid to say what you believe, no matter what others say. Please continue to do so. Although my views are conservative, I (mostly) hope that you will remain our federal representative.
However, the suggestion – made partially by you, and partially by others who have commented here – that “bored conservatives drunk on right-wing rhetoric” have been destroying your signs, stalking you, and verbally attacking you, is ridiculous.
I have noticed recently that there are a few hard-core ‘right-wing’ rebels whom even most conservatives would disown, who might do this sort of thing. But for the information of all those who have posted comments here, most conservatives, like myself, are upstanding people who are concerned about our country, just like most liberals. Please take this into account. Just because someone hates Garth Turner and the liberals doesn’t mean that the conservatives are evil.
Re: Oil Industry Gouging
LOL, wait, did I just hear Dion on the CBC say that the reason for price increases was that demand was outstripping supply
OH MY GOD, SOMEONE FINALLY GOT IT RIGHT.
—> To the dude that said my post about oil companies was an example of Alberta arrogance. Interesting. I was born and raised in Ontario and left Waterloo in 2007. Got any other stereotypes to get out there “redneck”
I POINTED OUT that you guys started belittling prostitutes in your comments here
Barb the proofreader on 09.12.08 7:39 pm
Wanna Party?”
By ** ** ON 09.11.08 11:43 AM
Today a similar commenter’s quip:
Barb the proofreader on 09.12.08 7:26 pm
***This was a sarcastic remark in response to a none of the above comment on political parties in general.***
———
Barb the proofreader on 09.12.08 7:26 pm
What does your huge rant about Harper have to do with your original response to my post?
I`ve said all along it won`t matter which party wins even with a majority, it won`t change the economic situation. Why would I, a none of the above` be interested in the daily soap you seem to be so involved in. Get a grip, I have one goal, take the children out of the middle.
——————–
Attack Trolls here will attack me with their neoconservative word feminazi,
By Barb the proofreader on 09.12.08 1:09 pm
No one is asking you or anyone to take any blame. we all have a choice to be part of the solution or part of the problem. I`m suppling data based facts to help people understand what needs to be done.
The fact that Conservatives need to resort to these kinds of tactics is disgusting. I hope they don’t win a single seat!
illigitimi non carborundum Mr. Turner.
semper fie.
All this hand wringing and gnashing of teeth over a possible Harpo majority is too funny .
It will never happen .
Canadians are far too smart to let this interloper be our ruler for four more years .
Ain’t no hanging chads or butterfly ballots in Canada ,No Diebolds .
Harper will be extremely lucky to hang onto the seats he has .
At least 12,seats were won with less than a two percent advantage .
Liberals still have the lead in Ontario and nothing will change that fact .
semper fie.
By James Bowie on 09.12.08 8:18 pm
Uh hem, excuse moi…It is Semper Fi…always faithful.
Bill-USMC
Uh hem, excuse moi…It is Semper Fi…always faithful.
Bill-USMC
By Bill-Muskoka (not anymore) on 09.12.08 8:42 pm
Yj
Thought so .
Uh hem, excuse moi…It is Semper Fi…always faithful.
Bill-USMC
By Bill-Muskoka (not anymore) on 09.12.08 8:42 pm
Yj
Thought so .Always faithful .
By Men With Hats on 09.12.08 8:41 pm,
Don’t be so sure. When Peter MacKay was negotiating with Stephen Harper to end the Progressive Conservative Party, Liberals friends were assuring me that it would never happen. The Progressive Conservatives would never vote their party out of existence and hand it over to the Canadian Alliance. They were wrong.
Even Garth Turner turned his back on his old party. Don’t ever assume that a Harper majority cannot happen.
You are wrong. My old Conservative Party left me, hijacked by the Reformers. — Garth
Thank you for that post. Constuctive criticism, as opposed to belittling attack, is definitely welcome. While Dion handily rebuffed the Canadian Unity assertion, he did not do the same for the recession remark. In future he should point out just how many hundreds of billions of dollars of GDP and budget this country and government spend, respectively, and express the Green Shift cost as a fractional percentage of that to put its 15 billion price tag in perspective. Or compare it to Harper’s defence plan that calls for 25 billion per year for 20 years. Or to how many billions of surplus that Harper has eliminated in his short tenure, expressed in an hourly rate of expenditure that the average Joe can relate to. That sort of comparison will show how over-the-top the Harper recession claim is, and should help put a questioning electorate at ease.
Dion is the right man; I do not want him to be relegated to making hindsight “I told you so’s”.
Please excuse the typos in my comments.
Actual telephone call from my mother today:
Geoffrey, don’t put a Liberal sign in front of your house in Westdale because I’m afraid for my grandchild. I am afraid that “they” will attack your house or car and endanger my grandchild! Think of your family’s safety, don’t put a Liberal sign on your property!
To those of you destroying election signs and causing vandalism, is this the effect you want?!
Unfortunately with her personal connections, Leasa is too close to the party and that in turn interferes with objectivity. As an Ontarian and a Conservative, she apologetically did not even see the unequivocal and fundamental unfairness of the electoral gerrymandering bill, Bill C-22.
I read her post over on the site that described the Guelph vandalism, one where she suggested that the cutting of brake lines might have been done by 12-year olds. Well I have one of those at home, and I can assure you, he wouldn’t even know what the brake line is and/or where to find it, and for that matter, would be incapable of accurately describing the mechanism that translates the tap of a brake peddle into the stopping of a car. Sorry, I just don’t buy that explanation.
BY UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES 09.12.08 8:16 PM
The quotes you quote, were addressing Okie and Harry comments about prostitutes, victims whose issues should not be taken lightly.
If your topics are true, then you, of all people can appreciate that I am here because people like Harper have no respect for the concerns of people like you and me.
Uh hem, excuse moi…It is Semper Fi…always faithful.
Bill-USMC
By Bill-Muskoka (not anymore) on 09.12.08 8:42 pm
Yj
Thought so .
By Men With Hats on 09.12.08 9:00 pm
Here is the correct latin FYI!
Semper fidelis – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
“Semper Fidelis” is Latin for “Always faithful.” Best known to Americans as the motto of the United States Marine Corps (often “Semper Fi” (IPA: s?m p?r …
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semper_fidelis – 51k
Garth, I hope for the sake of the country that you’re back in Ottawa to poke a stick into the eye of injustices.
I can’t stress this one enough. “Simply get the best players on the field”. Not for bragging rights, nor for ego gratification but for the health and good of this nation. There are still alot of candidacies to fill in our still fine nation. Democracy in any nation is only as healthy as the level of support and voter turnout it receives.
By brain on 09.12.08 3:16 pm
Hear Hear!
Don`t ya just `hate` reality.
By unintended consequences on 09.12.08 2:56 pm
Some people aren’t too good with reality. Too busy making lists.
Irvine – it is interesting that finally the true story about the retail price of gasoline is coming out – including the very small margin of profit on the refining process.
There is a really big downside to all this – only really big refineries are efficient enough to make the small margin work – and instead of lots of little ones we now only have a few big ones – and when one of these goes on the blink we lose a sizable chunk of our production.
A read of the opening chapter of Tom Clancy’s Red Storm Rising is in order about now.
That being said, I really do think that it will pay us, as a species, to actively pursue ways of reducing our carbon footprint as quickly as we can. I also think that it is very much the sort of thing that governments can do to try to create the sort of environment within each one’s society that fosters the development of replacement technologies and restricts the use of traditional technologies that are appearing to be no longer sustainable.
Is this Green Shift idea perfect as it stands – if you think it is then you are an idiot – and if you reject it in toto because you can see an imperfection then you are also an idiot.
Keep in mind that maintaining the status quo is not a viable option – the longer we as a species on this planet do so, the closer we come to our mutual suicide. The end will not be with a bang, but with a whimper. Don’t ask me when this end will be, because I do not know. It probably will not be in my lifetime.
Nonetheless, we absolutely must stop looking just past the end of our noses and start thinking in terms of the next century or two. This is going to be very hard for a lot of us, because we just aren’t used to thinking that way. But ask a forester in Kapuskasing ON how long it takes to grow another tree just like the one she flagged for cutting. It isn’t 3 months, it isn’t 3 years, and it isn’t 30 years either. When you’ve done this exercise then you’ll begin to get an idea of the sort of thinking and planning we absolutely must be doing, and how much of our individuality we will have to give up in order to achieve these common goals.
Barb the proofreader
You are one smart gal. Okie, Harry, Lawrence and UC are no match for you. You’ve made your point with them , now don’t spend anymore time on these loosers . These men are time wasters.
They’ve got NOTHING.
HARPER IS NOT OF THE PEOPLE
HARPER IS NOT A LEADER
—> To the dude that said my post about oil companies was an example of Alberta arrogance. Interesting. I was born and raised in Ontario and left Waterloo in 2007. Got any other stereotypes to get out there “redneck”
By Irvine on 09.12.08 8:02 p
And I was born and grew up in the oil patch, and saw how my father was badly treated by Husky. I also know a lot more than you think I do about oil refining and production. The neck is purple, not red….direct decendant of Bloody Mary…..the English Speaking Peoples have 7 times in their history executed their Royals. The total view of our ancestory is not a pretty picture, and the record of human rights plus logic is sadly lacking. Just remember for all your money grubbing, you can’t take it with you, dead don’t hurt, getting there might, and in some cases damn should.
If you greedy bastards keep it up, John Q. Public has one recourse, and that is to stop buying everything but the absolute bare necessities and less than that in some cases. The resulting recession/depression can and will bankrupt you price gougers, and those of you that chose to jump out of your high and mighty office towers because of the damaged economy should watch on your way down…..some of us peons will be standing on the sidewalks clapping and grading you as to the # quality of your swan dive!
Do you know that one central Alberta farmer lost it when the 30 odd pipeline was being run across his land right through his garden under his bedroom window? When he tried to run those bulldozers off with a 12 gauge he was arrested and placed in Ponoka Mental Institue for the Insane. It is alleged he is as sane as the next person but is kept well medicated and will never get a judge and jury courtroom trial. That is what your Alberta has come to already years ago. I also recall the time that the Province elected all PCs and no opposition members. THAT TOO IS NOT DEMOCRACY. Alberta is just as much a blight on the Canadian Federation or more than Quebec. Raise the price some more while you can get away with it because there will be a time for payback, and she will be a real bitch!
By William Laidlaw on 09.12.08 11:57 pm
It took 3 centuries of industrialization since James Watt 1712 invented/improved the steam engine for the World’s population to cut down net 50% of the original forests, and to increase the total live population from under a 1/4 billion to over 6 billion. This net loss of the carbon dioxide natural sequestration ability of the Earth plus the vastly increasing production of CO2} is why we have a climate problem. Like you point out it takes nearly a century of growth to rebuild some of our forests, while others with softer woods tend to be in the decades. The most important facet of the problem is that it is world wide not just in Canada.
The solutions have many issues, too. First is creating a clear awareness of the basic situation, followed by building of a consensus of how to proceed to a resolution. Given the lack of agreement within the Free World never mind the other blocks, it is a fore gone conclusion that Homo Sap will not act in concert with any viable meaningful solutions in the immediate or near future. So just suffer the consequences, as I will be dead by then, and won’t care no mo’!
That photo shows a vandalized sign. I put up signs during Ontario’s election/referendum. I know when signs fall if they have been vandalized or if the wind blew down a loosely staked sign.
For those who disagree with Garth, challenge him on his record. I don’t think he’ll mind. Don’t vandalize his or anyone else’s signs.
. Those who seek to gain or keep political power through threats, intimidation, smears, bullying and anonymous acts of vandalism need to be stopped. By Garth.
You have not comr right out and said that this was done by the Conservatves but you sure are implying it Which I thiunk may be a wise move on your part. If you indeed have proof that it was then come out for all to see. You want to do your party some good? Then go to the media and present your proof that the Conservative party is doing all these evil things to you.
Did you one better. The police. — Garth
Did you one better. The police. — Garth
Glad to hear it Grath. But did you have proof that the Conservative party or a Conservative party member did it?
Are you a cop now? — Garth
I totally agree with you Skinnhy dipper. I fact i would even go a step further and say that anybody who destroyes candidate’s signs needs an attitude ajustment. It is unfortunate we have these kind of people living amongst us. Hopefully the police will catch the culprits and then our legal system for what it is can take over and slap them on the wrist which is far to lenient IMO.
Glad to hear it Grath. But did you have proof that the Conservative party or a Conservative party member did it?
Are you a cop now? — Garth
Not at all, But it is a fair question. After all you implied it was the Coinservatives that did it and all I am asking is if you have the proof. It is an easy question to answer with a simple Yes, No. Grath, Why do you have such a problem with the question?
Garth, sorry I forgot to mention in my last post that if you indeed have the proof I would immediately write Harper and tell him in no uncertain terms how disgusted I am with the tactics his party is using in Halton. If you don’t want to say so here you can email me.
These men are time wasters.
They’ve got NOTHING.
By Ron p on 09.13.08 12:04 am
Are you trying to say you are pained by witnessing her destruction of her own credibility or that you would prefer she resume leading the cheers?
The intolerance of your small gang and its penchant for amateurish smears lends support to the far right assertions that elements of the so called Liberal entity are no better than what they accuse the right wing nutbars of being.
One of your buds directed a comment to me, saying I didn’t know who I was dealing with. I’ve heard that expression before. It is generally a veiled threat of some sort. When I asked for clarification, none was forthcoming.
I know what, if not who.
Reality check Ron P
And HOW STRANGE LAWRENCE that you would come here and decide to defend your friend’s jokes about victimized women.
Apparently you are not just illogical but illiterate as well. I’m not defending any jokes – or any friends – I am commenting on your bloviating paranoia. You leap to bigoted and illogical conclusions as a matter of course and are cheered on by people even less insightful than yourself (a situation I’d have hardly thought possible.)
Jokes likening people to pimps and prostitutes are as old as the profession itself. Your kindergarten level of ‘connect the dots’ would be (barely) amusing in an actual kindergarten. Here, not so much.
“Irvine – it is interesting that finally the true story about the retail price of gasoline is coming out – including the very small margin of profit on the refining process.” – William Laidlaw,
I’m still waiting for the “true story” about the retail price of gasoline to come out. And while we are waiting and commiserating with the low profit margins of refineries, perhaps someone would tell us which operators independent from the oil companies own them.
You can talk about low profit margins at each step of the gasoline-production process from oil field to retail gas pump, but ultimately the profits of each link in the daisy chain wind up in the same corporate account of a handful of oil companies. Corporate organization to maximize operational, financial and taxation efficiency does not mean separate existence.
If my view of the corporate world is jaded, I once worked for one of the giants of the soap industry. It made seven brands of laundry soap that competed with each other in the marketplace. The curious thing is that each brand had the same effective formula, but was produced in a different powder or flake consistency, might be mixed with crystals of a different colour for the sake of appearance, was packaged in boxes of different colour and art work, and marketed heavily under a different brand name.
These men are time wasters.
They’ve got NOTHING.
By Ron p on 09.13.08 12:04 am
Are you trying to say you are pained by witnessing her destruction of her own credibility or that you too have a problem with differing points of view?
The intolerance of your small gang and its penchant for amateurish smears lends support to the far right assertions that elements of the so called Liberal entity are no better than what they accuse the right wing nutbars of being.
Reality check Ron P
Are you trying to say you are pained by witnessing her destruction of her own credibility or that you would prefer she resume leading the cheers?
By Comrade Okie on 09.13.08 9:28
It appears that you have difficulty comprehending a sentence or two.
You are wrong. My old Conservative Party left me, hijacked by the Reformers. — Garth
By C. B. Innes on 09.12.08 9:08 pm,
That is a totally dishonest spin.
You deserted the Progressive Conservative Party and accepted the new Stephen Harper Party well before the Harper Party turfed you.
Actually the PC Party ceased to exist with amalgamation. I fail to see your point. — Garth
If your topics are true, then you, of all people can appreciate that I am here because people like Harper have no respect for the concerns of people like you and me.
By Barb the proofreader on 09.12.08 10:39 pm
The problems I`ve outlined stem from a majority Liberal government ignoring the 1998 joint senate commons report `For the Sake of the Children`. Harper with his total lack of commitment to the next generation as communicated by his Minister of Justice to me, `you`re on your own`, shows the Conservatives are just as big a user and abuser of children, whose only benefit is to the bottom line of justice industry.
How could I be anything other than a `none of the above`.
——–
These men are time wasters.
They’ve got NOTHING.
By Ron p on 09.13.08 12:04 am
You`ll find I borrowed the following expressions from Garth. I hardly think Garth is a time waster even if he is keeping your asinine comments in free flow.
unintended consequences on 09.12.08 12:13
“These are middle class Cdns that when polled a year ago felt they were only one or two paychecks away from bankruptcy, conditions have worsened greatly over the last year. Many are now hooked into maxed credit card debt, under saved and many over mortgaged with the 40/0 in a falling housing market.”
I’m still waiting for the “true story” about the retail price of gasoline to come out. And while we are waiting and commiserating with the low profit margins of refineries, perhaps someone would tell us which operators independent from the oil companies own them.
By Herb on 09.13.08 9:46 am
If I may offer some perspective Comrade Herb from when I was involved with the Petroleum industry. For example; when gas was retailing in the 45 cent range, dealers received between 2 and 5 cents per litre depending on volume, whether they paid for their fuel on delivery or sold on consignment. Other factors were their individual negotiating skills and whether the oil company they were associated with owned the facility or had a financial interest. i.e. paid for and owned pumps, tanks signage etc. Also in some cases oil companies installed these items per a loan arrangement with the site owner. All of the above affected what the individual retailer received as his share.
An example of profit share would be this: retailer operating a high volume Oil company owned site and receiving his fuel on consignment with a security bond in place. Operator could receive 3.5 cents per litre if it was a high volume location. Operator was responsible for all utilities, staff and staff related costs, snow removal and incidental repairs. Operator would also own all stock in trade and absorb related losses and all theft.
Oil company share/gross profit as per regional head office audit division was 12 cents per litre at retail level.
As far as refineries independently owned by entities other than the oil companies themselves, I am not aware of any.
Hope that helps.
It appears that you have difficulty comprehending a sentence or two.
By Ron p on 09.13.08 10:11 am
Truth hurt?
Actually the PC Party ceased to exist with amalgamation. I fail to see your point. — Garth
By C. B. Innes on 09.13.08 10:48 am,
You supported, by your actions, what you refer to as the “amalgamation.” That is an interesting term to select and certainly not one that I would have chosen.
You were complicit in accepting not questioning the new constitution, which contains very little of the PC Constitution. You accepted the centralizing of the party in the hands of the leader and his 12 disciples and the removal of power from the riding associations and their membership to select candidates.
Were you too apathetic to bother looking at what kind of a party you accepted? If that is the case, how can you complain about voter apathy?
Is is easy to stick your head in the sand until the damage is done and then deny, deny, deny. If that happens in this election, just look in the mirror, you have no one else to blame.
Maybe I was lied to. Say, did you have your bran this morning? — Garth
Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, Liberal Leader Stephane Dion will hold a rally in Richmond, B.C. He received a noisy reception by 1,000 supporters at a campaign stop in Surrey, B.C., on Friday night.
So much for Dion not being able to draw a crowd .
Did you find any evidence whatsoever linking any of the incidents you describe to the Conservatives?
Yes. — Garth
Presumably the cops will lay some sort of charges against the appropriate individuals if/when your evidence is looked at. Until then you’ve not provided anything here to support your assertions.
I don’t report to you. — Garth
It appears that you have difficulty comprehending a sentence or two.
By Ron p on 09.13.08 10:11 am
Truth hurt?
By Comrade Okie on 09.13.08 3:09 pm
It obviously hurt you.
“I don’t report to you”-Garth
True, however it is to hoped you do see a certain obligation to the guests at your blog.
Making claims you are unable or unwilling to substantiate isn’t a good way to earns trust, for you or any other politician.
Do you seriously think I would share information given to the police for their investigation on this blog? Get real. — Garth
It obviously hurt you.
By Ron p on 09.13.08 6:48 pm
Without the cheering section, I can barely hear you.
Did you find any evidence whatsoever linking any of the incidents you describe to the Conservatives?
Yes. — Garth
By Simon on 09.13.08 5:11 pm
Simon, you should have left out the `whatsoever`. there is an incredible range of definitions depending on what party is in power.
I`ve been reading this blog for, lol way too long, any spin is mostly superficial. I don`t know why you would doubt Garth has evidence, he wouldn`t be as public about it as he is if he didn`t.
Political vandalism has been around since the first dolt that couldn`t figure out how to defend or attack an idea without attacking the person.
Shoot the messenger, sound familiar?
Maybe I was lied to. Say, did you have your bran this morning? — Garth
By C. B. Innes on 09.13.08 3:17 pm,
I am trying to make a point. If you were lied to and you believed the lies without considering what others such as Joe Clark, Flora MacDonald, Lowell Murray, etc. were saying then how do you expect the ordinary voter, distracted by trying to make a living, would be any different?
You were an intelligent, well read, experienced politician and you might be saying you were fooled. It is too bad that you did not bother to educate yourself about Stephen Harper’s beliefs before you bought in. He made it very clear that in his party you worked for him and not the people you were elected to represent.
Making claims you are unable or unwilling to substantiate isn’t a good way to earns trust, for you or any other politician.
Do you seriously think I would share information given to the police for their investigation on this blog? Get real. — Garth
By Simon on 09.13.08 6:59 pm
Of course not, since that would compromise any up coming court case! Such evidence once given as “An Information” to police is required to be kept confidential until presented “At Discovery” in the legal steps of our court system. Seems like you are either not knowledgeable in our legal system or making a stupid blunder attempt at compromising a criminal investigation. It would be very wise on your part at this point to shut up and stand aside before you become a subject of the investigation, too! [You may already be that anyway for all I know]
That’s exactly why Turner should have avoided all reference to the incidents until the police ended their investigation. Instead he reported them on his blog, used them to appeal for funds and then announced that he couldn’t really talk about them.
At first look I’d say Garth is “compromising the investigation” by announcing most of the gory details on a public blog
“shut up”? “stand aside”? “a subject of the investigation”?
Thanks for your updates Garth and if anyone deserves to be an MP its you!I feel ill tho when i read the articles about a Harper majority?
What possibly could people be thinking?I think the liberal approach to ads “sucks”…harper is a compulsive liar and its documented..where,s the attack ads showing him at his real domineering self? Personally id attack him…he has shown over and over again his superior attitude and his inability to handle any kind of criticism. furthermore he doesn’t have enough brains to keep his mouth shut when he loses it………hit him hard and he will destroy himself!
Larry claims:
Jokes likening people to pimps and prostitutes are as old as the profession itself
Well Larry, your spots sure are showing. Prostitution is not a profession. It’s the end result of a neo cynical and macho society that says to itself, that after a woman is abused or on drugs — a victim — she is worthless, so let’s throw her away or throw money at her and allow her to throw her own life away.
This commenter nicknamed Lauwrence is about as low as the Conservative Party Headquarter’s commenters get.
Larry swooped in twice, once at 12.08 2:30 PM and again at 13.08 9:41 AM just for the purpose of doing a personal attack on me. My crime? I had pointed out the untoward comments that two of his other paid Conservative blog trollers had made about helpless female victims of our society. My crime was to dare say anything about the comments of the Conservative fakes who comes here to disrupt Garth’s blog, and for that one of them plops a smear me. reminiscent of Germany in the 30’s.
Harper and his paid gang of thugs will be quite surprised to find out that Canadians are paying attention.
I’m a middle aged women who has never belonged to a political party, yet Harper’s War Room sees fit to attack even my comment. I want a decent country back.
Message to Old-time Progressive Conservatives:
It’s your responsibility to get rid of the insidious disease that took over your party. Please get cracking.
Hi Garth:
I am advocating for another party and actively advocating against the extreme right-wing conservative MP in my riding. I keep on receiving comments like “you are an idiot” or “you are a hate-monger” on my personal diary blog that gets barely 30 hits a day. I am sure that a higher traffic site such as yours gets tons of threats/insults/etc. Even though we are advocating for different parties, I agree that this is a campaign of fear and is beginning to remind me of my history lessons about Germany before WWII.. not a surprise with the former Heritage Front affiliations of the Reform Party/Conservatives/whatever they are hiding behind now. Chin up and soldier on – ever need any help with the cyber stuff feel free to e-mail me.