Day Ten
Tonight the prime minister visited Oakville for a regional rally which featured Conservative candidates from Burlington, the Niagara peninsula and Halton. He came to the same hall where Stephane Dion spoke three weeks ago, and appeared in the same room. Here is a picture taken from close to the back row:
Here’s the same room pictured during Dion’s speech. Please note the Liberal leader is barely distinguishable from this distance. Actually, that Canadian flag in the background is nine feet high and twenty feet wide:
Here is a picture of the room about to empty tonight when Mr. Harper finished. You can see here how the rows were arranged to try and fill a portion of the large space.
For further comparison, here is a picture of the same room with the crowd awaiting the arrival of Dion at the Oakville hall:
Just under 500 people (the local paper is reporting 400, here) were in attendance at the rally this evening, compared with media estimates of 1,400 for Dion. Normally, as you know, crowds are larger during election campaigns when party supporters pour out to encourage their leaders. Thus, it was a surprisingly light turnout for the prime minister in Halton. I am sure he was disappointed.
Apparently some people trying to enter the hall were also dismayed. Everyone was required to sign in, giving full address, before being allowed in the room. All bags and purses were searched. In several cases, twice. There was a high level of police security, as you might expect for a prime minister. An added level of party security was apparently provided by large men in shirts with party logos emblazoned on them. This may have been the result of noisy protestors outside the hall (media report here), who were decrying Mr. Harper’s economic policies and recent escalating job losses in our area.
During his speech, the prime minister spoke these words: “The liberal leader stated very clearly he wanted to raise the GST back up. He said he would take back the $100 a month child care allowance. And he says he will create a brand new tax on carbon.”
Of course, Dion has uttered no such thing. He’s made it clear the GST will not go back up under a Liberal government, and the child care allowance will increase, not be eliminated. As for the carbon tax, Harper’s correct there, but it will come with billions in income tax cuts, while the Conservatives will also price carbon and raise energy costs, with no tax help.
But this is an election campaign. It’s war. Truth is again the first casualty. Last week the Halton Conservative candidate toured a child care facility in Oakville with cabmin Rona Ambrose, then told the local paper straight out that a Dion government would take away all funding for child care and leave parents with nothing. Apparently she and her boss believe a lie repeated often enough, in many voices, to enough people, will raise sufficient doubt to frighten adequate numbers of voters.
You can excuse her. She wants attention and the kind of support you might get from, say, scaring the crap out of people instead of inspiring their loyalty. It’s sure easier than knocking on doors, of course, and listening to voters. But for Stephen Harper to take this roadshow from hall to hall across the country is disgraceful. He’s been our national leader for three years. Surely he has a good story to tell, instead of merely falsifying his opponents’ words. Hopefully at a time when people are worried about markets, house values, jobs and family finances, he would try to instill confidence, rather than having them vote out of fear for something worse. We need certainty people in Halton can escape the worst of the storm now lashing the US middle class, driving home prices down and robbing retirement savings accounts.
I am sure my opponent, a businesswoman and lawyer, trained in factual language and true statements, was also disappointed. If not, she found her soul mate tonight.
234 comments ↓
I believe the Conservative strategy in Halton is to run against Dion and ignore you.
The question is will Halton Conservatives vote for you as a Liberal or will they vote for Raitt and stay Conservative?
What odds? — Garth
Pathological liars, all of the Harperites. Just say anything. Fret none or very little; they’ll be gone soon.
How did Dion’s rally go tonight?
I heard the plane broke down.
It was a surprise tarmac party. — Garth
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/09/16/listeria-meat-inspection.html
“The current government’s policies on public health mean Canada may be less prepared than in the past for an influenza pandemic, outbreaks of listeriosis and other epidemics, the Canadian Medical Association Journal said Tuesday.
“An editorial in the journal criticizes the Conservative government’s policies, and an accompanying news article reports that changes to meat inspection rules that took effect in April mean contamination at meat processing plants may no longer automatically result in a shutdown.”
Since Harper has done his utmost to ensure that Canadians will go to the polls before any official investigation is possible, the public must base its decision on whatever information is available.
I hope you and the Liberal party will bring this to the attention of all voters.
Why can’t the journalist report on this kind lying and deception tactics used by Steven Harper and his CONsevatives.
any chance of a Halton candidates debate?
Call (905) 636-0779 for details. — Garth
The difference in the two photos was you were there in one Garth so of course the room was packed. Had you have been there with Harper the room would have been packed, but probably with a lynch mob led by Harper. His loss!
I think Dion is getting his second wind tonight on the news he said Harper may speak better than him in English BUT Dion speaks the truth in both official languages.
He’s starting to grow on me.
Merde!!
http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2008/09/16/aig-bailout.html
Not good. This is getting messier and messier.
Hi Garth, the continual lies and misrepresentations from Harper and the Conservatives is simply disgusting.
I believe the Conservative strategy in Halton is to run against Dion and ignore you.
The question is will Halton Conservatives vote for you as a Liberal or will they vote for Raitt and stay Conservative?
What odds? — Garth
By HARRY S on 09.16.08 11:04 pm
The proof of the pudding will be October 15 after the electorate of Halton makes certain the parachute candidate has done a Roman Candle.</b.
economic conditions will make the changes required
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080916.welxnharper0916/CommentStory/politics/#comment
I see Harper, at the end, sustaining some VERY SERIOUS CONTUSIONS.
Stéphane Dion is a leader of noble proportion.
Stephen Harper is a liar of Nobel proportion.
Hmmmm! And just where is this blue wave the MSM have been beaking off about in Southern Ontario ?
Mythological .
I believe the Conservative strategy in Halton is to run against Dion and ignore you.
And I believe you are a twinkle toed little fairy .
Yes, The truth is most important….
Duff Conacher’s modest proposal for cleaning up Canadian politics
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/letters/story.html?id=d1183784-c2d8-4350-a689-38299c217dda
~ by HERB 09.16.08 7:47AM
Herb,
Several weeks ago my elderly Dad asked me to do a post here, just for him, so I did.
At 91 he wanted to blog!
Anyway, funny timing for this letter to the editor to come out after Dad’s suggestion, that when a politician makes an election promise and breaks it, they should be fined, and as I recall he said they should lose their job over it. And they should.
Wouldn’t it be funny if it was Dad’s comment here that spawned the letter to the editor?! He’d be so pleased if it were so.
I think the scariest thing in your post was that folks had to sign in, giving name and address, before being admitted. I have attended many political rallies and have never seen that done. I don’t have a problem with checking purses and bags; that is even done at concerts. BUT, people have to be able to maintain their anonymity lest we fall victim to a police state.
Just wondering. Do you suppose those 84,000 folks who attended Obama’s final speech at the Democratic convention had to sign in?
Garth, Please do a daily blog on the Green Shift sometime soon.
Please focus on explaining the Green Shift to voters here in Halton:
Is petrol exempt from the additional taxes?
How much more will I pay for diesel per litre?
How much more will heating my home cost?
Will these additional tax measures/costs be offset? By what amount?
What measures will a liberal government take to protect seniors on fixed incomes from the large cost increases in home heating and cooling that a carbon tax would bring?
I have done so already, but will do it again. Also tell me your street and I’ll include it in my daily canvassing. — Garth
I went to see Stephane Dion on Friday at U.Vic.I was there 3 hrs.early,and was lucky to get in.The hall held 200 people,the 500 that couldnt get in heard his speach over loudspeakers placed out side!There was a press conference following,then the crowd walked him to his bus!I was very ,very impressed! I AM CANADION!I noticed the news doesnt really report on the large numbers of people who come out to see him.
He didn’t call the election fast enough! His beloved free market has bitten the dust! He knows it. And let’s not forget that pesky ‘idiots’ and ‘turds’ article in the Ottawa Citizen people. Puffin poo and turds, so juvenile.
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/decisioncanada/story.html?id=060d55a6-71be-4426-9188-f67987e472f9
Lisa Raitt was the head of the Toronto Harbour Commission, a body that was at war with the City of Toronto over plans to build a bridge to the Toronto Islands and vastly expand the airport there.
She struck me then as an autocrat and a bully. I’ll think she’ll be a perfect fit on Harper’s “team”.
I feel the frustration some posters have already expressed. How can the lies and deceits of Harper and the CPC be explained to the average voter in such a way that it makes them care about substantive issues. Obviously the mainstream media have been corralled “Bush-style” and seem complacent to follow whatever they’ve been told by the Great Leader(tm).
As far as I’ve seen Mr. Dion has been doing a fine job of trying to get his message out but it just doesn’t seem to be resonating since the message doesn’t seem to be getting through to Canadians. Well, I truly hope Mr. Dion pulls out some magic from the bag resilience and knocks Harper out like he has to other political opponents before.
Saw this in the G&M under one of the bloggers. Of course the MSM doesn’t seem too interested to make it more prominant.
Tory dissenters ‘idiots, turds’
That’s the title of the article, so don’t blame me. Harper is the one who should be concerned about an internal revolt. This news is about the IN/OUT scam .
Fist time I did a link, hope it works.
right. all the dion pictures are taken from about twice as far back, and your favourite one is 5 stitched together. o well its your feel good post.
And John Baird is saying Liberal Green Shift would benefit Alberta oilsands. Pay and pollute he calls it. The Green shift has emission reductions targets I hope. Targets are so successful, every politician should set one.
“Tories admit disputed ads in 2006 campaign were national in scope”
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canadavotes/story/2008/09/16/tories-spending.html
This sums up what Harper and his team stand for. They will knowingly break the spirit of the law and walk the line between right and wrong all the way to the courts to justify their misdeeds.
Pyotr,
The other day you mentioned Ezra Levant was joining Harper’s Neo Con Party Keystone Kops in the War Room but did you know Craig Chandler is too? Just a warning to Canadians, and those poor unfortunate souls in Ontario who may be on his phone call assignment list:
http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Columnists/Bell_Rick/2008/09/12/6745056-sun.php
By Rick Bell
Calgary Sun Online
[I snipped out the part on Ezra Levant]
Craig Chandler isn’t taking anything easy. If he did, he wouldn’t be Craig Chandler.
Chandler was nominated to run in the last Alberta election by a Tory riding association in Calgary but was bounced by Premier Ed.
Just before getting the boot, this province’s human-rights commission ruled against a pastor and a group where Chandler had been the CEO. The pastor wrote a letter to a newspaper and the human-rights authorities ruled the published letter would likely expose gays to hatred and contempt.
Anyway, Chandler is back in the game and he plans to be working on the Harper team, almost certainly being in a Tory phone room wooing undecided voters in Ontario.
“I’ve been asked by the Tories to be involved heavily in this campaign. I get up from one fight with a black eye and it heals and I get into another one,” says Chandler, who no one accuses of staying on the canvas long.
“The federal party is not like the provincial PCs. We work well together. We don’t have a problem. I will have an involvement. It’s a 99 percent guarantee. It will be in the phone rooms, wherever they are.”
Chandler also says when Calgary gets new seats in Parliament because of the city’s growth, some top Tories want him to run for one of the open spots.
“I’ve been asked to seek one of the seats,” he says. Who has asked?
“These are people who are high-profile in the party.”
Chandler is well aware his presence in the campaign will raise some eyebrows.
“People can complain all they want. Democracy takes all kinds. We have to learn to play in the sandbox. If they can’t grow up, that’s their problem,” he says.
“I’m not going away. Politics is a blood sport and I’m just going to get better at it.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A fundraiser for Peter MacKay said about Chandler: He could live to be 100 and he’ll never know the meaning of, I am my brother’s keeper.” Chandler, who is from Ontario, caused controversy in late August 2007 for comments stating, “You came to here to enjoy our economy, our natural beauty and more. This is our home and if you wish to live here, you must adapt to our rules and our voting patterns or leave. Conservatism is our culture. Do not destroy what we have created.”. This statement was strongly criticized by some, including the Premier of Alberta, Ed Stelmach.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Chandler
I don’t know why Harper would .. well…um, see wiki notes
25
Once Dion shared the stage with Bob Rae, that confirmed Dion’s failed leadership .. the Green Shift .. the Carbon Tax .. the income tax credits .. and now attempting to pivot away into economic issues with little to no credibility.
A leadership divided is a leadership lost.
I will not be voting Liberal here, but hope the best for you in your riding Garth!
Also, I found this link amusing:
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/documents/National_Office_Pubs/2008/Canadas_Productivity_Performance.pdf
let me know what you think of Wherry’s exploration of Harper as “Everyman” at http://blog.macleans.ca/category/blog-central/national/the-commons/
BY HERB ON 09.16.08 9:29 AM
Herb,
Did you see the update, after Harper’s statement:
“Stephen Harper, [yesterday]: “You know, I’m from a household where before I got back into politics, both my wife and I were running small businesses. I was running, I suppose better to say a medium-sized business.”
For what it’s worth the NCC describes itself as a non-profit business.”
–Aaron Wherry
UPDATE Sept. 16th:
“No I don’t consider the NCC a ‘business’ at all. It’s an organization with a mission to promote ‘more freedom through less government.’”
– Gerry Nicholls, former president of the NCC
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It’s not a business, according to Gerry Nicholls who had also been it’s president, just like Harper had been.
– Another big fat Harper lie..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NCC
It is part of the NeoConservative network for doing third party ads to lobby for corporations to eliminate the protections Canada has for small businesses, farmers and individuals, etc.. NCC also does ads promoting the Conservatives ideologies in lockstep with them.
They better not spend more than $150,000 — he’s already in the middle of election spending scams galore… hey, when are those cases coming up?
Ok, there is a report available on the costs of the war in Afganistan. The budget officer said he NEEDS all party consent. He has it from everyone but harper. Harper says the guy is independent and can do what he wants.
BUt that guy says he needs the OK from you Steve. Why won’t you give it? Why can’t I see where the tax dollars (my tax dollars) are going. An election is precisely the time for debate on these costs. What are you hiding……..again???
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/09/16/listeria-meat-inspection.html
It doesn’t often get much uglier than this (but it will and much moreso if we let it). How many more Canadians have to die before voters finally catch on to how grossly negligent/incompetant this Harper party truly is? (but… but wait… smaller government is better government! As all corporate lobbyists sluffing themselves off as democratically elected representers of the people would say, anyways)
15 dead from Listeria and counting and the Harper coverup has begun. By the way… who’s dumb enough to appoint a provincial minister responsible for 7 dead at Walkerton from deregulated water treatment into the position of minister of health in the first place?
What kind of PM would be dumb enough to do a thing like that?
At least 60 dead soldiers from Harper’s warmongering in Afghanistan (ah, I’m being generous, the number is higher) and we never do hear the numbers of all the destroyed lives from our brave sons and daughters being permanently disabled from bullets, bombs and trama…
At least a dozen dead from yet another broken promise from the 2006 election by Harper to ban Tasers, anyone who wasn’t on the corporate take could see how dangerous they were… 1 out of every 200 times a Taser was used, a Canadian died. (my numbers haven’t always jived, but these are accurate) 20 Canadians died out of the last 4,000 Taser uses in this nation from police and still no action from the Harper party. Who’s to say how many more of us are about to under Harpers relaxed food and drug manufacturing regs because smaller government is better government…
It used to be that “Tory” was synomynous with what what was best for the consumer. Trade, pricing, product protection/inspection, labelling, guidelines, trade, environment, all Tory policies were at one time, “what is best for the consumer” (when they weren’t cashing in on directorships for share options after stepping down from public life for all those jobs “well done” or filling their pockets with cash stuffed in brown paper bags).
Not now. Not this Harper party sluffing themselves off as something once great. Whats best for the largest corporate shareholder and U.S./foreign ones at that, trump all else now…
Greed is good.
And Harper was so anxious to join Bush in the lie based war on Iraq… I guess with the mainstream media bought propaganda that just might sucker Canadians into giving the U.S. puppet plant corporate lobbyist NCC prez Harper the majority he’s after, we’ll be murdering Iranians along side american soldiers over a bunch more lies for the next largest shareholder controlled corporate led oil war under the banner of “freedom and democracy”.
I wonder how many more Canadians will have to needlessly die before Canadians catch onto the reality that corporate lobbyists should never, ever dictate government policy on, well, anything. One would have thought that the corporate lobbyists Bush and Cheney would have taught Canadians something.
One would have thought…
Just a hundred or so dead Canadians who died for nothing from a Harper minority. With a majority… yeah… something tells me they are just getting started. :<(
I believe these were the same tactics used by someone in Germany and look what the eventual cost was.
If you vote conservative watch the rest of your freedoms disappear.
Under Con rule Harper has become Prince John and his buddy Flarety is the Sheriff of Nottingham not a pretty picture from were i sit.
Garth, give me a break. Rona Ambrose even mentioning childcare is an affront to me. She is the author f the ‘Choice in Childcare’ notion – the choice being – here’s $ 100 per month , good luck.
Now your opponentt, on leave (but still geting paid) from a $200,000 position can afford a live-in nanny.
She doesn’t have a clue about the child care costs of a normal family.
Dear Garth
Thought you might get a kick out of this. I was trying to find out who the Con candidate is (Lisa Raitt?? Toronto Harbour Commission Mandarin?)
It’s a screenshot of their website. Catastrophic failure indeed. Just like their policies!!
cheers
Val
Continue the lies–say them often enough & they will believe.
What a grand thought for a Prime Minister—isn`t this the guy we are supposed to trust–the most powerful person in the land—the protector of the people–the “petter”of small animals–the “kisser”of babies & old grannies.
Give me a break–this guy would lie & fabricate , kick you when you are down , give you the big one to the “nads” just for power.
He does not care one small whit for any of us.
His vision for Canada is set in stone & the only thing that will stop him is you & I.
I will do my part–what about you.
I want my Canada back–I have no desire to be America revisited.
Dr Mike Popovich–former Life-long Conservative.
I think Dion is getting his second wind tonight on the news he said Harper may speak better than him in English BUT Dion speaks the truth in both official languages.
He’s starting to grow on me.
By DJ on 09.16.08 11:14 pm
Ditto, but I would add, Something the Media has failed to inform Canadians about to which is lacking in their professional editorials. Simply put print the truth not Harper attack lies!
I’d love to have a lay person explanation of the green shift because on the surface I don’t understand how gasoline won’t go up due to the green shift. While you may not tax it directly it CERTAINLY will be facing upward price pressure (price increases) due to the green shift taxes. ie. Cost to ship raw material (oil) will increase, cost of refining will increase due to higher costs caused by tax, cost to ship gasoline to the station (diesel fuel for trucks) will increase etc etc etc.
An explanation in your blog might alleviate concerns.
Duff Conacher’s modest proposal for cleaning up Canadian politics
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/letters/story.html?id=d1183784-c2d8-4350-a689-38299c217dda
~ by HERB 09.16.08 7:47AM
Duff Conacher’s proposal would not make any difference. Paying a fine would not stop the likes of Harper. He would simply view this as a necessary election cost.
I would rather see an independent election advertising commission that would approve all election advertising. There should be special election laws that would prohibit personal attack ads, and force parties to prove the claims that they put in their ads.
It should also be illegal for any political party to make claims about what is in another party’s platform.
The campaign should be about each party trying to sell its particular platform.
The penalties for breaking the legislation should be expulsion from the race in a particular riding if done by a candidate, with the party the candidate represents not being allowed to put in a replacement. Basically this would mean forfeiting any opportunity to win that seat.
If a national party launched an illegal advertising campaign then 10 of its candidates would be expelled from ridings, with no replacements allowed. Those ridings for expulsion would be chosen by representatives of the opposing political parties as long as they had achieved 10% of the national vote in Canada.
A second offense in the election would result in a 20 riding expulsion, a 30 riding expulsion for the third offense.
To stop blatant lies about the content of an opposing party’s stated campaign as Harper is doing wherever he goes, opposing parties could launch an immediate challenge to the public announcement. All parties would have to file their complete platform with Elections Canada within 3 days of the writ being dropped. If a blatant lie is discovered, then the offending party would have its candidate expelled in the riding in which the lie was uttered.
It would also be illegal for any political party to advertise in any way within 90 days of a fixed election date. In the case of a minority parliament, all political parties would be banned from any and all advertising.
This kind of election law would force parties to run on the merits of their ideas and platforms, and the prospect of being expelled from competing in ridings would be the ultimate penalty to ensure compliance.
No surprise that Harper is scarce on truth.
But, according to the CBC last night, Harper’s spending promises todate amount to $20B. Given the surplus is all but gone, and that he says we won’t go into deficit, the question needs to be asked how he is going to fund these promises? Even if the spending is over 4 years, that’s still $5B/year from where?
What programs is he going to cut? Or is he using Flaherty math and we WILL go into deficit?
Sure the cons lie, but where is Dion’s response. All the media is highlighting the absence of the liberals. Who is in charge of Dion’s campaign? He and others should be in front of the cameras every night telling people the true story; not the one the cons want to spew.
It is obvious that, for the most part, the MSM has been cooped by the Harper Conservatives and is ‘playing ball’ with Harper to help in his re-election. That is precisely why digital democracy is so important.
Pyotr,
The other day you mentioned Ezra Levant was joining Harper’s Neo Con Party Keystone Kops in the War Room but did you know Craig Chandler is too? Just a warning to Canadians, and those poor unfortunate souls in Ontario who may be on his phone call assignment list:
By Barb the proofreader on 09.17.08 1:06 am
Craig Chandler speaks during candidate speeches at the Tory Leadership Convention in Toronto Friday May 30, 2003. (Aaron Harris/Canadian Press)
http://images.theglobeandmail.com/archives/RTGAM/images/20071201/wchandler1211/_done_chandler.jpg
http://daveberta.blogspot.com/2007/08/if-you-move-to-alberta-adapt-or-leave.html
NOTEWORTHY:
He ran against Beth Phinney as a Reformer, back in the 90’s. He also attracted a lot of unprincipled rabble and liars in his support of the Mike Harris regime in Ontario.
I’m surprised a guy like him would even venture out of the political woods to drop himself into the cross-hairs.
One of his bold, new ideas was to “shoot up Liberal campaign signs” in Ontario, while offering what he considered an ‘appropriate’ monetary reward.
He is, like the others, representative of the totally contradictory dichotomy within the Harper coterie of “suits.”
Thanks fer askin’ … an’ thanks fer tellin’
A leadership divided is a leadership lost.
By HARRY S on 09.17.08 1:14 am
Remember the sayings, “Poison comes in little bottles, but they don’t make diamonds as big as bricks?”
Well maybe the “Whole of the Liberal Leadership is greater than the sum of its parts!”
Now what can be said about the CPC leadership, there’s Harper and…….can’t think of anyone elected, just the backroom mob!
I was once doing a project, whereby the company had noone to replace me. The VP stated, “What happens if he falls under a bus?”
What would happen to the CPC, there’s no-one to replace Harper? He may be their leader, but he’s all they’ve got.
“An economics lesson for Stephen Harper “
There is an economic argument for a Green Shift, and Citizen columnist Dan Gardner makes it to-day. Now what will it take for the Liberal team to hammer it into the electorate in clear 30-second sound bites and one-page handouts?
Gardner points out,
As Gardner concludes, “…a masters degree in economics hasn’t done much for Stephen Harper.”
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/opinion/story.html?id=244d2749-4441-4150-aeb2-8a1d8208b037&p=1
By Barb the proofreader on 09.17.08 2:54 am,
When I was an undergraduate in political science the term for this kind of organization was a “pressure group.” It was an organization, funded by those who would profit from the agenda it promoted, designed to pressure government through various communication strategies.
By Dee on 09.16.08 11:22 pm
Re: AIG bailout. The U.S. Gov. will own Freddie Mae and Fannie Mac and 79% of AIG. Sounds a lot like Socialism to me.
I heard a report a few days back that discussed 4 million mortgage foreclosures in the US. That’s a lot of disillusioned and broken people.
I wonder when their bail out will come?
Wouldn’t want to be owing the IRS a bunch of money right now. Might end up in the Gulag.
Harper–rough ride at St. Volodymyr AND Kitchener.
An explanation in your blog might alleviate concerns.
By dj on 09.17.08 7:09 am
From a lay person’s perspective, your explaination, as far as it goes, is correct. I think it also applies to the CPC Carbon tax plan amd the NDP’s cap and trade plan, as all three will increase costs to the oil patch and refiners which will be passed onto consumers.
The difference, the part missing from your explaination and the part conveniently missed by the CPC when they attack the Green Shift, is that the tax revenues raised by the Lib. plan will be used to cut income and corporate taxes, and increase investment in green technologies.
Incidentally, there seems to be a flip-flop on the CPC side. At first they were saying the Green Shift was an attack on Alberta and the oil sands.
Now Mr. Baird is saying that actually the oilsands might like the Green Shift because they could pay to pollute!
So when it comes to the Green Shift, can you believe what the CPC say? No!
I couldn’t resist. Saw Dion on a live press conference yesterday talking about “guns assault”. The guy butchered the English language and it was truly an embarassment to watch him. I thought Duffy was going to burst out laughing when they returned to the studio. As far as the number of people showing up who cares. Most Cons know PM Harper and don’t have to show up to support him as they have lives. The people that went to see Dion were there mostly out of curiousity and I am sure if you have another town hall you will be lucky to attract anyone other than the people that post on this blog. Harper and his election team are taking you guys to the cleaners again with his daily common sense announcements (maternity benefits, house closing credits)and all you can do for 2 days is apologize for something because you got caught staging a house call and the attendance at a Harper rally. You guys are the Northern version of Obamas campaign fear and smear because you have no ideas that most Canadians would embrace. The Liberal party will be road kill on the 15th.
PS> In my neighbourhood there were a lot of Conservites signs torn down so it happens on both sides.
Feeling a little threatened, are we? — Garth
There is a sleeper buried deep on page C4 of to-day’s Ottawa Citizen: “Our politicians fail the public”, by Joe Banks, who is a “Rural City” contributor now and then.
Banks considers the example of his own MP (who shall remain nameless, although he has enjoyed unfavourable mention on this blog now and then), who
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/city/story.html?id=93c28721-8ce6-422f-8adf-8fb32ef2a767&p=1
Show them how it’s done, Garth!
–the “kisser”of babies & old grannies.
By Dr Mike from Rodney on 09.17.08 6:08 am
Leastways he’ll have lotsa pucker practice.
That’ll be important because he’s obviously double-jointed based on his history of lying … He’ll be more than ready to kiss his backside just before he waves goodbye.
Is the NCC vacancy for president still open?
Garth,
I am trying to get an answer from you on the costs to consumers from the Green Shift but you haven’t answered yet. Here’s the question from yesterday:
I saw the interview Dion gave in Halifax yesterday and it was the first time that I heard him quantify the average tax increase due to Green Shift. It averaged it at about a buck a day which would mean somewhere between 160 to 460 CAD a year (.51 to 1.49 all average to 1). Now my calculations from the Green Shift web site show that a family with 100K a year will get about 1,200 back a year, meaning a gain of 800 average. I would assume that since 100K is above average income for average Canadians, the average Canadian will get more. Imagine, even someone making 1 million a year will get over 1000 back.
Without adding the money to support rural and northers residents, and any administrative costs, the program already pays out in tax benefits far more than it brings in.
Garth, can you please tell me where my arithmetics are wrong?
The plan balances revenues with expenditures – about $10 billion in income tax cuts, and $5 billion in corporate tax cuts and new benefits for families, rurals, low-income earners etc. The greatest benefit goes to lower-income families ($2,300 for a family earning $20,000), and diminishes as income rises ($1,300 for a family making $80,000). There is no excess of tax cuts over revenues raised, — Garth
RE: M. Dion’s interview on the Current:
16 Sept 2008.
Excellent job!
The link for the replay is not available yet.
Just wondering. Do you suppose those 84,000 folks who attended Obama’s final speech at the Democratic convention had to sign in?
By Marg on 09.17.08 12:01 am
Marg….Obama’s life has been threatened, men were arrested that had machine guns, etc.
Marg – read Greg Weston’s article today about how Harper is abusing taxpayers’ dollars using our RCMP for PR purposes.
Harper saying people shouldn’t worry about a Harper majority….remember folks during the last election we shouldn’t worry because the senate would keep the checks and balances…..?
Garth, you may get a kick out of this anecdote from yesterday’s Harper appearance in Kitchener. Our son, a Conservative supporter (I know…he’s the Alex P Keaton of the family and, for the life of me, I don’t know how that happended!) wanted to attend at the event so off he went to hear/see his hero. Our son drives a large black former police sedan which he bought used a few months ago.
Anyway, upon arriving at the housing development where the event was to occur, he was met by a police road-block. It was moved aside and he drove through (remember the used car). He drove another 500 feet to a second road-block which was also moved aside to allow him to continue. At the last set of barriers, he parked the car, finished his cigarette and then got out of the car. I should tell you that our son is 6′10″, a rather imposing figure you may be sure. Suddenly an organizer rushed up to him, ID flapping in the wind, and demanded to know why he was there. “To see and hear Prime Minister Harper”, was his reply. “You’re not invited – get out!”, he was told.
I can’t help but contrast that with the event held in your riding a couple of weeks ago where, from all accounts, anyone and everyone was welcome. This whole episode makes me think our kinder, gentler society is disappearing down the rabbit hole at an ever-increasing pace and I don’t like it. Like a fellow-poster always says, “I want my Canada back!”
Stabbed in the back
Pictou firm loses military contract to Chinese copies
By MONICA GRAHAM
Wed. Sep 17 – 5:19 AM
PICTOU — It’s bad enough that a company in the defence minister’s home riding of Central Nova has lost a contract to supply knives to Canadian Forces paratroopers.
But to add insult to injury, some people who now have the knock-off knives have been calling Grohmann Knives Ltd. in Pictou to complain about their quality, said company co-owner Michelle Jamieson.
“It’s poor workmanship, it’s terrible, it’s crappy,” Ms. Jamieson quoted the callers as saying.
She said the callers are also concerned about whether the knives are safe. But neither Ms. Jamieson nor the company’s co-owner, Mike Babinec Jr., who is also her father, have seen the knock-offs.
“We’ve been told it looks very similar to our knife,” she said.
Ms. Jamieson said Grohmann has put a disclaimer on its website in response to the complaints.
She said she has been told the knock-off has the word valour stamped on it and it is labelled Made in China.
The No. 3 model of the D.H. Russell belt knife, designed by Deane Russell and Rudolph Grohmann in the 1950s, was supplied to the Canadian Armed Forces from 1964 to 2006.
It was issued to paratroopers, who used it for cutting their parachute harnesses during dangerous landings in water or when they became entangled.
Two years ago, Ottawa opted to buy army-issue knives from Gear Up Motors, which offered to supply 2,400 knives at a cost of $40 each.
Stanley Pioro of Richmond, Ont., owns the company.
Any national bid on a contract worth about $100,000 or more must go to tender, and Mr. Pioro was able to offer a comparable product for a lower price, Defence Minister Peter MacKay said in a telephone interview Tuesday.
The Armed Forces has received no complaints about the Pioro knife, Mr. MacKay said.
“Surely someone isn’t suggesting that I rig the procurement process in favour of a local contractor,” the defence minister said, insisting that he would not do that.
Mr. MacKay said he has not seen the Pioro knife and did not know where it was made, but he owns a Grohmann-made Russell belt knife himself and frequently buys them as gifts.
The knife, made of German steel, retails for about $90, but Grohmann offered a significant discount for buying in bulk, Ms. Jamieson said.
The company supplied up to 6,000 knives a year to the Canadian Armed Forces over the last few decades. It continues to fill smaller orders for the Canadian Coast Guard and other military branches.
Mr. Babinec spoke with Mr. MacKay and Gen. Rick Hillier about the issue when they toured the Water Street factory in June. But Ms. Jamieson said company officials didn’t receive a reply until Mr. MacKay contacted Mr. Babinec on Tuesday to describe the procurement process.
Meanwhile, his father, Mike Babinec Sr., again mentioned the problem during a factory tour earlier this week by Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, who is opposing Mr. MacKay for the Central Nova seat.
Ms. May said she was shocked that the government had ignored Grohmann’s reputation for quality and reliability and awarded the contract based solely on cost.
“My next thought was what kind of other shoddy non-Canadian goods are being purchased for our soldiers in cost-cutting measures?” Ms. May said in a news release Tuesday.
She said there appears to be a bias against contract bids submitted from Atlantic Canada. Ms. May noted that a submarine retrofit contract also went to British Columbia.
Grohmann has not followed up on copyright or patent infringement issues, Ms. Jamieson said.
She said she is upset that someone could make cheaper knock-offs of the company’s knives and then sell them to one of the firm’s major clients.
“It was designed by Canadians for Canadians,” she said.
Ms. Jamieson said she would like to see steps taken to help Canadian manufacturers win contracts like the one her company lost.
Such measures would ensure that local people keep their jobs and that the government receives quality products, she said.
“We have a quality product,” Ms. Jamieson said.
Mr. MacKay said he always supports local industry, but many Canadian products have components from China.
Grohmann was founded by Ms. Jamieson’s great-grandfather in 1961.
Rudolph Grohmann went to Pictou from a German area of Czechoslovakia in 1949 to work at a cutlery company.
When it folded, Mr. Grohmann started making knives in his garage, winning international awards in the ensuing years. The company employs about 25 people who make outdoor, kitchen and specialty knives.
http://www.thechronicleherald.ca/Front/1079331.html
Garth, you still have not answered my question:
If everybody (or every family) gets at least 1,000 CAD in tax cuts/credits a year and the cost is about 1 CAD a day, those two do not balance out.
Unless Dion is intentionally missleading us using first year costs and fourth year benefits.
Can you give me a straight forward answer on what the Liberal program estimates the cost of Carbon Taxes imposed by Green Shift to taxpayers/consumers will be after the year 4?
You forget the tax raises revenue not from consumers but from corporate polluters who pay per ton of carbon emitted. We know the level of carbon emissions, so calculations are simple. This is not a retail tax. — Garth
Today’s editorial in the Chronicle Herald
Spending that counts
Wed. Sep 17 – 4:46 AM
WHEN in Halifax, party leaders should report to the Dal Med School – and bring a big cheque.
That was the drill this week, as NDP Leader Jack Layton and Liberal Leader Stephane Dion used the medical faculty here to unveil big-ticket promises on improving health care.
On Monday, Mr. Layton offered a plan to spend $1 billion over five years to plug shortages of health professionals by training more doctors and nurses and by forgiving medical students’ loans if they commit to 10 years’ service as family doctors.
A day later, Mr. Dion stood in the same spot with his own $1-billion prescription – a four-year plan to fund a national standard of coverage for catastrophic drug costs in cases of life-threatening or chronic illness.
These are expensive promises (Mr. Layton ties his plan to cancelling business tax cuts; Mr. Dion didn’t say where he’d get the money). But they do face up to serious problems in the health system that spell hardship for many sick people.
The Canadian Medical Association has long said Canada isn’t training enough doctors to meet its needs. And the difficulty of finding a family doctor is one of those “kitchen-table issues” Mr. Layton is sensibly saying the election should be about. Kudos to the NDP leader, then, for listening to Halifax medical students and trying to lower one barrier they identified to choosing family practice – it’s a lot easier to pay your debts if you opt to become a higher-earning specialist.
Forgiving the student debt of those who commit to family medicine for 10 years is a practical approach to keeping doctors in the often-unsung backbone of the health system. It’s not a complete answer – it doesn’t guarantee enough Dal-trained GPs will stay in this province, for example. But helping to fix the problem is a good day’s work.
Mr. Dion’s catastrophic drug plan addresses an appalling gap in health care. Consider cancer patients, for example. Injected chemotherapy is covered by medicare; oral chemotherapy and anti-nauseants needed to keep it down are not. As new oral agents appear, heavy chemo costs are thus downloaded from the public system to private insurance and uninsured individuals. A patchwork of provincial programs help the uninsured but tend to have absurdly low income cut-offs. In Nova Scotia, a major improvement came last year with the the province’s premium-based Family Pharmacare. But lack of federal assistance is a disgrace and (a quibble with Mr. Dion) it shouldn’t take four years to make it right.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper says in a period of economic uncertainty “it’s not the time for wild experiments, new taxes or grand new spending schemes.” Yet he proposed two big outlays this week – $150 million to allow the self-employed to opt into EI maternity benefits and $200 million to give first-time home buyers a $750 tax break. These target certain voter demographics but don’t compare in importance to supplying enough doctors or covering life-saving drugs.
The EI change will raise premiums (i.e. taxes) for employees, who don’t have the choice of volunteering for coverage. And $750 – less than the cost of one oral chemo prescription – is not going to make or break a house purchase.
Good economic management is using the public funds available on what really matters and on the gravest needs. Mr. Harper’s two goodies fail that test; the Liberal and NDP health proposals pass.
http://www.thechronicleherald.ca/Editorial/1079343.html
By Herb on 09.17.08 8:44 am
Is you is or is you ain’t talkin’ ’bout John BIRDY [BOO!] BAIRD, NewPeon Carleton incumbent?
…Famous for his gameplaying with the Ottawa mayoralty race and LRT lawsuits.
Steve had a Bad Day on the campaign trail it seems. Funny how when he goes out into the REAL world his entourage of Yeah You Kiddies is NOT there with positive and warm fuzzies.
I especially enjoyed what one auto worker told him using a megaphone on a Global National News segment last night You’ll have a hard time getting a seat in a restaurant Harper, much less one in the government!
By James- Chatham on 09.17.08 8:51 am
Ooops wrong date.
The interview was today 17 Sept 2008.
Complete literary credit to Dwayne Allan from Canada–Posted 17/09/08 at 1:45 AM EDT Globe & Mail Forum
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080916.welxnharper0916/CommentStory/politics/#comment
You forget the tax raises revenue not from consumers but from corporate polluters who pay per ton of carbon emitted. We know the level of carbon emissions, so calculations are simple. This is not a retail tax. — Garth
BY AD ON 09.17.08 9:17 AM
Are you telling me that the Liberal calculation is based on the assumption that corporate polluters will absorbe the tax without increasing the prices on goods and services they provide to consumers and other businesses?
Since Dion already made the public claim that the Green Shift will cost consumers about a dollar a day, can you please explain to me where does the one dollar a day figure comes from?
Of course many companies will absorb it as an added cost, since the tax is a long-term incentive to reduce emissions, not just to pass costs down the food chain, and since many companies are in competitive price environments. The estimate of a dollar a day is for home heating charges – natural gas or electicity – which is where any carbon pricing will show up for consumers. The Conservatives have a similar plan, which will put a higher cost on carbon and also raise energy costs, but without any offsetting income tax decreases. Have you grilled them yet? — Garth
Lies, lies, lies. Lies have been a central element of conservative political strategy since the invention of the tax cut.
but complaining about conservative lies is useless. Lies need to be dealt with in the media in the same swift studious way there planted.
simply put, the libs need to expose conservative lies and respond through the media, in the same news cycle. the libs should have someone at every Harper event listening for lies and reporting back to the centre so it can respond. the libs should have someone monitoring media, blogs, video, etc. for lies and then responding when one appears.
During a campaign, this is a full time job, 24/7, but with todays teknology, its totaly doable. In the campaign against George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton responded to republican lies in the same news cycle — and that was in 1992.
Here’s a recent example Obama dealing with republican lies
http://www.playahata.com/?p=4471
Of course the Harper conservatives lie, that’s normal. The questions is — what will the liberals do about it?
Cue the crickets.
Of course many companies will absorb it as an added cost, since the tax is a long-term incentive to reduce emissions, not just to pass costs down the food chain, and since many companies are in competitive price environments. The estimate of a dollar a day is for home heating charges – natural gas or electicity – which is where any carbon pricing will show up for consumers. The Conservatives have a similar plan, which will put a higher cost on carbon and also raise energy costs, but without any offsetting income tax decreases. Have you grilled them yet? — Garth
BY AD ON 09.17.08 9:39 AM
Garth, first thanks for explaining where 1 CAD a day comes from. can I correctly assume that this is the year 4 figure or is it year one?
Still though I am not convinced how the Liberals will make sure that businesses do not pass taxes to consumers.
The competition arguments holds no water as the tax will effect all players in the market pretty much the same.
Let me take an example:
The new tax will be applied to diesel fuel which will directly impact transport and shipping costs directly. We all know that any increase on transportation costs, especially due to taxes, is passed directly top consumers in for of higher prices.
It’s year four. As for competition, those companies emitting less carbon will have a big competitive advantage over those which do when the tax clicks in. Extra diesel costs will be less in year four than the price of diesel rose last week. Stop exaggerating. — Garth
Global Margin Call Pushing Oil Prices Lower …
Sean Brodrick MONEY MARKETS 09-17-08
http://www.moneyandmarkets.com/issues.aspx?Global-Margin-Call-Pushing-Oil-Prices-Lower-2259
Well how come us Canuckians is payin’ $1.29+ per litre? I think it’s ‘cos we don’t got some leader who kin lead.
Extra diesel costs will be less in year four than the price of diesel rose last week. Stop exaggerating. — Garth
Still it will be a tax on top of that, or any increase, which will make almost everything a little more expensive than it would have been without the tax.
In general, I normally vote for the party that promises to get less money from me. I prefer to decide myself how my hard earned money is spend rather than any government.
While I am not very happy with the way the Conservatives have governed, my dissatisfaction with them is that they governed too much like liberals, hardly a reason to vote anybody left of CPC.
I personally believe in “Libertarian” principles where people are free to make their own decisions without government interference and, at the same time, bear the consequences of their own decisions without government bailouts.
By AD on 09.17.08 10:07 am
snip
“I personally believe in “Libertarian” principles where people are free to make their own decisions without government interference and, at the same time, bear the consequences of their own decisions without government bailouts.”
snip
I would imagine that you will be voting ABC this time around then. The CPC are a LONG WAY from “Libertarian principles”!
By AD on 09.17.08 9:53 am
GO A-W-A-Y …We all know you’re a ‘temp’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NubcKsQTuNQ
I personally believe in “Libertarian” principles where people are free to make their own decisions without government interference and, at the same time, bear the consequences of their own decisions without government bailouts.
By AD on 09.17.08 10:07 am
Then you stand against the government bailing out the failed businesses which have now bankrupt not only themselves, but the investors who’s life savings are toast?
Fact is, John McCain stood against any such regulations that would have prevented this atrocity of mis-management and greed. He, too, supports free markets. Candidate McCain, opposes Senator McCain’s position. What a shock, eh?
Harper sings the very same tune, right out of the Imperial Songbook.
I would imagine that you will be voting ABC this time around then. The CPC are a LONG WAY from “Libertarian principles”!
BY MAYBE RHINO? ON 09.17.08 10:13 AM
Well, the reason I quoted the world Libertarian is because I might not use the most common meaning of it.
I believe in a society where government performs only very basic services, like security, basic health care, basic education and foreign policy and stays as far away as possible from the daily lives of the citizens. No extensive redistribution of wealth, no political correctness, no social reengineering. That’s what I call Libertarian, if I am using the wrong word, I apologize and stand corrected.
I would imagine that you will be voting ABC this time around then. The CPC are a LONG WAY from “Libertarian principles”!
BY MAYBE RHINO? ON 09.17.08 10:13 AM
And, BTW, I agree that CPC is far from “Libertarian” however all other major parties (Libs, NDP, Greens) are even further as all of them advocate an even bigger government structure and role in our daily lives.
Pyotr,
no, it isn’t Baird. The whole point of not naming the schmuck was to get people to click on the link and read the whole thing. Do it, you’ll like it.
With thanks to Wikiquotes, a little light shed on Stephen Harper’s not-so-hidden agenda. The site holds many more precious gems that have fallen from the lips of Our Glorious Leader. His contempt for just about everybody in Canada is amazing.
His contempt for Canada and the programs Canadians hold dear:
“Canada appears content to become a second-tier socialistic country, boasting ever more loudly about its economy and social services to mask its second-rate status.”
* National Post, Dec. 8 2000 p. A18
Harper the homophobe:
“Mr. Speaker, I am sure the picture of the hon. member of the NDP [Svend Robinson] is posted in much more wonderful places than just police stations.
* Hansard, October 23, 2002″
Harper the American (this really worked, considering the morass the U.S. military and economy is now in):
“The world is now unipolar and contains only one superpower. Canada shares a continent with that superpower. In this context, given our common values and the political, economic and security interests that we share with the United States, there is now no more important foreign policy interest for Canada than maintaining the ability to exercise effective influence in Washington so as to advance unique Canadian policy objectives.”
* Canadian Alliance Defence Policy Paper: The New North Strong and Free, May 5, 2003
Harper the xenophobe:
“You’ve got to remember that west of Winnipeg the ridings the Liberals hold are dominated by people who are either recent Asian immigrants or recent migrants from eastern Canada: people who live in ghettoes and who are not integrated into western Canadian society.
* The Report newsmagazine, January 22, 2001
Harper’s concern for hungry children:
“These proposals included cries for billions of new money for social assistance in the name of “child poverty” and for more business subsidies in the name of “cultural identity. In both cases I was sought out as a rare public figure to oppose such projects.”
* The Bulldog, National Citizens Coalition, February 1997
Harper the divider:
“If Ottawa giveth, then Ottawa can taketh away… This is one more reason why Westerners, but Albertans in particular, need to think hard about their future in this country. After sober reflection, Albertans should decide that it is time to seek a new relationship with Canada. …Having hit a wall, the next logical step is not to bang our heads against it. It is to take the bricks and begin building another home – a stronger and much more autonomous Alberta. It is time to look at Quebec and to learn. What Albertans should take from this example is to become “maitres chez nous.
* National Post, December 8, 2000
Harper the animal lover: (Does he feed the cats or clean out the litter box? Hah! I didn’t think so. He just uses the little furry critters for photo ops.)
“I think people should elect a cat person. If you elect a dog person, you elect someone who wants to be loved. If you elect a cat person, you elect someone who wants to serve.”
* Interview with Kevin Newman, Global National April 5th, 2006
From a speech to the Council for National Policy, a conservative American lobby group, June 1997, as reported by the CBC:
Harper’s contempt for Canadians’ knowledge of the world:
“It may not be true, but it’s legendary that if you’re like all Americans, you know almost nothing except for your own country. Which makes you probably knowledgeable about one more country than most Canadians.”
Harper’s contempt for the country:
“[S]ome basic facts about Canada that are relevant to my talk… Canada is a Northern European welfare state in the worst sense of the term, and very proud of it.”
Harper’s contempt for the unemployed:
“In terms of the unemployed… don’t feel particularly bad for many of these people. They don’t feel bad about it themselves, as long as they’re receiving generous social assistance and unemployment insurance.”
Harper’s contempt for the NDP:
“[T]he NDP is kind of proof that the Devil lives and interferes in the affairs of men.”
Harper’s love of guns (really good after three shootings in Toronto alone yesterday):
“In the last Parliament, [the Liberal Party] enacted comprehensive gun control…”
Harper’s contempt for Catholics:
“There is an important caveat to its liberal social values. For historic reasons that I won’t get into, the Liberal party gets the votes of most Catholics in the country, including many practising Catholics.”
Harper’s contempt for the PC party:
“Then there is the Progressive Conservative party, the PC party, which won only 20 seats. Now, the term Progressive Conservative will immediately raise suspicions in all of your minds. It should. It’s obviously kind of an oxymoron.”
Harper on Conservative fiscal policy:
“In fact, before the Reform Party really became a force in the late ’80s, early ’90s, the leadership of the Conservative party was running the largest deficits in Canadian history.”
Harper as Republican wannabe:
“The Reform party is much closer to what you would call conservative Republican.”
Harper contempt of bank regulation:
“The predecessor of the Reform party, the Social Credit party, was very much like this. Believing in funny money and control of banking, and a whole bunch of fairly non-conservative economic things.”
Harper and the government’s place in people’s private lives (funny – he was just having a go at the NDP for interfering in the lives of “men”):
“The Reform party does favour the use of referendums and free votes in Parliament on moral issues and social issues.”
Harper’s contempt for the Bloc and the Québecois:
“The Bloc Québécois is equivalent to your Southern secessionists, Southern Democrats, states rights activists. The Bloc Québécois, its 44 seats, come entirely from the province of Quebec. But even more strikingly, they come from ridings, or election districts, almost entirely populated by the descendants of the original European French settlers.”
Harper’s contempt for Atlantic Canada:
“If you look at the surviving PC support, it’s very much concentrated in Atlantic Canada, in the provinces to the east of Quebec. These are very much equivalent to the United States border states. They’re weak economically. They have very grim prospects if Quebec separates. These people want a solution at almost any cost.”
More (if you can stand it( here:
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Stephen_Harper
He hates everbody, but loves their tax money. You have been warned. The only people he does seem to like are white social conservatives and unregualted big business.
I think we can see where that type of thinking got our neighbour to the south.
Abashed, Harper says, ‘But three weeks ago you said they were Conservatives!’
‘I know,’ she says. ‘But now their eyes are open.’
Complete literary credit to Dwayne Allan from Canada–Posted 17/09/08 at 1:45 AM EDT Globe & Mail Forum
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080916.welxnharper0916/CommentStory/politics/#comment
By PYOTR PETROBITCH on 09.17.08 9:39 am
Thanks Pyotr – A good one. I hope more Canadians wake up and see Stevie’s hidden agenda.
Re my last post: I see 2 more in NS have their eyes open.
True to type?
There are economists and there are economists. Lately, Stephen Harper has been reminding people that he is an economist, but not what type of economist he is. Actions, however, speak louder than words.
The deregulation, privatization and cutbacks implemented by the Harper government, mostly incrementally in secret or by stealth owing to their minority status, tell the tale. Their throwing away, in effect, of the huge surplus they inherited from the previous government is designed to asphyxiate future Canadian governments and prevent sufficient funding of the social programs we value, as a precursor to privatization.
From these actions, it is safe to conclude that Stephen Harper is a follower of, or at the very least is greatly influenced by, the late economist Milton Friedman and his Chicago School economic orthodoxy, more commonly known as trickle-down economics or Reagonomics. The same economics practised by George W. Bush and his neo-con cronies in the U.S. Policies supported in Canada, by the way, by the Fraser Institute, the C.D. Howe Institute, and other like-minded organizations including the CCCE (Canadian Council of Chief Executives).
Consider the planned misery felt in countries where these policies have been implemented, and actively promoted by the Chicago School boys in their 50-year crusade to privatize the world. One only has to read Naomi Klein’s book The Shock Doctrine to understand what Stephen Harper is about.
Ruth Kunz, Porters Lake
Political bully
Ironic, isn’t it? We send our youth to school dressed in pink to send the message we will not stand for bullies in our schools. But in politics, we prepare to send Stephen Harper into a majority, when he’s proven himself to be the supreme bully.
We’re told an animated image of a puffin doing its business on Stephane Dion was the result of an overzealous web designer. We are to believe that a man who vets almost anything said by his MPs and tightly controls all media access somehow allowed an image on a Tory website that was not first watched by either the PM or his staff – an image which portrays the opposition in a light only a bully could shed.
Then we have a Valley politician’s husband, who writes in an online forum that he wants a minority government, suddenly changing his story to desire a majority Conservative government. Either his wife was the bully here, or Mr. Harper was.
Our PM surrounds himself with bullies, watches everything they do, then blames one of them when these things occur. My problem isn’t so much that they occur, but that I’m asked to believe in the flimsiest of excuses. All the broken promises, the reversals of policies espoused in the last election, the consolidation of power to the PMO in contradiction to his own statements, and the ads showing a cold and ruthless politician as a warm and fuzzy grandfather all lead me to believe we are actually engaged in something other than general politics.
Perhaps the red in our flag should be changed to pink.
Art Fenerty, Halifax
I personally believe in “Libertarian” principles where people are free to make their own decisions without government interference and, at the same time, bear the consequences of their own decisions without government bailouts.
By AD on 09.17.08 10:07 am
Nice ideology, and maybe Mr. Harper, who syas he his more to the right than his government has been, would agree with you.
However, we only have to look at the financial meltdown in the US. to see what happend when government oversight is relaxed.
What happened. Well first we had the sub-prime mortgage mess, where lending institutions relaxed their lending requirements.
Then, these mortages where packaged together by the investment banks and sold as “low risk securities” so that the lending institutions could get them off their books, enabling them to have lower reserves, cash on hand. Hence the funds that should have been in reserve, where used for other purposes.
Then, as in the case of AIG, the lending institutions took out insurance in case of default.
So what happened.
The Sub-prime went sour. The lending institutions suffered losses and claimed on the insurance. So the lender lost, insurance companies like AIG lost, investment banks still holding these new securities, which are now worthless, lost and the reserves, which were supposed to be there to cushion these events, was non-existant.
So, AD, where were the regulators when this house of cards was being built? That’s right, an ideolog called Bush had “liberalised” the system allowing the house to be built, despite warnings from central bankers such as Alan Greenspan.
End result, the US. tax payer is now on the hook to stop the entire financial system from falling apart.
Conclusion, government intervention is required. The key is to get the right amount; too little is more dangerous than too much!
BY JAMES- CHATHAM ON 09.17.08 10:51 AM
I disagree. People took mortgages beyond their means. It was their decision so they should face the consequences. The government should not be in the business of saving people from their stupidity as this will encourage people to continue do stupid things.
However, I agree with your last paragraph that the government should have an overseeing role as to ensure that people have all the information available to make informed decisions.
By AD on 09.17.08 9:53 am
GO A-W-A-Y …We all know you’re a ‘temp’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NubcKsQTuNQ
BY PYOTR PETROBITCH ON 09.17.08 10:15 AM
I am going nowhere cause Garth’s name will be on the ballot I will cast October 14.
Apparently you lack the intellectual capacity to debate my points, hence the one sentence, non-sense posting.
I personally believe in “Libertarian” principles where people are free to make their own decisions without government interference and, at the same time, bear the consequences of their own decisions without government bailouts.
By AD on 09.17.08 10:07 am
By James- Chatham on 09.17.08 10:51 am,
Another point is that these capital and other interests are also free to hide their manipulation and problems from investors and consumers. That means that no one has the ability to make informed choices because what is happening is a carefully guarded secret.
The complex interlinking means that the unethical operatives can attempt to protect themselves by linking themselves tightly with more scrupulous businesses. Once the problems are discovered the more ethical businesses are held to ransom and become just as unethical to try to protect their assets by hiding the situation from the public. This eventually brings the whole capitalist system into disrepute.
Are we seeing the gradual collapse of capitalism as it has been evolving over the past few decades?
Of course many companies will absorb it as an added cost, since the tax is a long-term incentive to reduce emissions, not just to pass costs down the food chain, and since many companies are in competitive price environments. — Garth
BY AD ON 09.17.08 9:39 AM
All in one sentence, companies are in a competitive price environment but won`t pass off the tax to consumers. On my planet consumers making $20,000/y can`t afford a car let alone a hybrid or $10,000 to upgrade their homes, if they own, because landlords certainly won`t do the upgrades to windows or furnaces.
With the economy tanking why take much needed money out of consumers pockets to fund companies to make green products to sell to an already broke consumer if private investors won`t. The problem is with broke consumers not availability green products.
Judging by the polls the splashing is the sound of carbon tax proponents walking the carbon tax plank.
So, AD, where were the regulators when this house of cards was being built? That’s right, an ideolog called Bush had “liberalised” the system allowing the house to be built, despite warnings from central bankers such as Alan Greenspan.
By James- Chatham on 09.17.08 10:51 am
Cute James, Greenspan warned the Democratic controlled Houses who were in charge of oversight they better get their act together, they didn`t. They did manage over the last 2 years to renew the attack on American families and Biden as VP will certainly step up that agenda but action on the economy, not so much.
WOW!
I just watched Elizabeth May give her platform launch.
She gave, what I think, is a lesson to the Liberals on how to present a carbon tax program. Her comments and focus on the positives is extraordinary.
The other comments made, have me very impressed with her as a leader, and future as a politician.
She easily handled a CPC heckler, and her enthusiasm and conviction were commendable. It is fun to watch her speak, as she goes from cute giggly housewife, to hard nosed lady of firm conviction. It became obvious why Harper and Layton do not want her in a debate – she will shred them!
I will vote strategically this time for the Liberals, but continue my flirtation with the Greens. This lady means business.
By AD on 09.17.08 10:29 am,
There is a vast difference between the theory behind libertarian and the reality that it creates. It is primarily based on the survival of the fittest with the fittest the person or persons that can manipulate the system in their own self-interest.
The financial collapse and the various deaths caused by contamined food and other products illustrates the dangers of the theory for the the general public.
It is a popular ideology among the economic elite who see themselves as powerful enough to exploit their position of wealth and power. It is also a popular ideology among the young, primarily men, who see themselves as invincible and able to take on the world. For most of us it is not a practical or commonsense ideology.
From the Warren Kinsella “sour lemons” blog:
• LOSER: Garth Turner. Full disclosure: I am a friend and a fan of his main opponent, Lisa Raitt. But Garth did himself no favours in his riding, this week – with CPAC, with CBC, with pretty much anyone. Lisa, meanwhile, did what any smart politician does when his/her opponent is setting himself on fire: she sat backed and watched. Could she win? Not only could she, I believe she will.
…………………………………
Any comments, Garth …???!!!!
Warren who? — Garth
By AD on 09.17.08 10:33 am
Then vote Rhino, Marijuana (probably the MOST LIBERTARIAN!), or, heck, just vote Libertarian!
ABC
Don’t get “conned”,,,
Death from the air by remote control, costing $500M, to be delivered by 2012 (what for?) and could be used for “domestic operations”?
Whaaaat?
Apart from the fact that Canada would used unarmed drones equipped with Predator missiles on its own citizens, which has got to be scary enough for anyone with any functioning brain cells left, I can think of much more important (and less lethal) things $500M could be used for.
Part of the “law and order” agenda?
DND seeks armed drones by 2012
Craft could be used for ‘domestic’ operations
David Pugliese, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Canada’s military is pushing ahead with its plan to buy aerial drones outfitted with weapons even as the Harper government is promising to pull troops out of Afghanistan in 2011.
The government’s Afghanistan Procurement Taskforce has released details to the defence industry about the $500-million project to purchase a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs.
The first of the UAVs would be delivered in February 2012…
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=38ec540e-2a70-45d1-ae9a-71f034332bc6
Barbarians At
TheOUR Gate!U.S. Investor Threatens First Ever Health Care Suit
Successive governments—both Liberal and Conservative—have long insisted that Canadian trade negotiators succeeded in “grandfathering” medicare under the North American Free Trade Agreement. In other words, our health care system—at least as it stood in 1994 when the NAFTA came into force—is beyond the reach of foreign insurance companies and HMOs seeking to re-model it after the U.S. system.
What’s less clear, however, is whether the ongoing flirtation by various provinces with greater private financing and delivery of certain forms of health care is slowly eroding Canada’s legal defences.
At least one American citizen is keen to find out.
In mid-July, Melvin J. Howard, an Arizona businessman, filed legal papers that have set in motion a process that could lead to formal arbitration against Canada under provisions of the NAFTA that permit foreign investors to sue governments for certain investment losses.
Mr. Howard claims that he and some 200 financial backers tried for several years to take advantage of an increasing openness in British Columbia to private involvement in the health care system. But, after encountering what they describe as anti-American roadblocks in a series of municipalities, Mr. Howard’s partners elected to pull the plug on plans to construct a private surgical centre. They claim to have incurred $4 million in expenses along the way, and they want the Feds to compensate them for these losses—as well as for another $150 million representing their foregone profits.
As someone who specializes in writing about these types of cross-border lawsuits, I should caution that not every such threat leads to an actual arbitration under the NAFTA. Moreover, even when arbitrations are launched, that doesn’t always mean that investors can convince a panel of arbitrators that they have suffered breaches of NAFTA protections owed to them.
Another ‘leak’ of the Harper Secret Agenda revealed? I think so, yes indeed! Just where are Steve’s orders coming from? It’s not the Great White North Strong and Free, but the Dark Side to our South!
WAKE UP and STAND UP Canada.
Are we seeing the gradual collapse of capitalism as it has been evolving over the past few decades?
By C. B. on 09.17.08 11:34 am
No.
What we are seeing the a gradual collapse of the global economy made up of democratic, socialist, socialist dictator and communist countries of which some are only loosely tied to capitalism.
By Herb on 09.17.08 8:44 am
Is you is or is you ain’t talkin’ ’bout John BIRDY [BOO!] BAIRD, NewPeon Carleton incumbent?
…Famous for his gameplaying with the Ottawa mayoralty race and LRT lawsuits.
By PYOTR PETROBITCH on 09.17.08 9:23 am
Hi Pyotr
Actually Nepean Carleton would be SkiPPy but my guess is the MP is from the riding of Peterborough – Dean del Mastro…
Are we seeing the gradual collapse of capitalism as it has been evolving over the past few decades?
By C. B. Innes on 09.17.08 11:34 am
YES! Again I say read John Ralston Saul’s excellent book (if you have not) ‘The Collapse of Globalism and The Reinvention of the World!’
He foretold of all that is happening and has the credentials and experience to stand behind him as a True Expert, not these MSM created so-called ‘experts’.
It is going to get much worse for those who adhere to this outdated ideology. No government will be able to rescue them because the taxpayers will revolt, and HARD!
Just to clarify, real capitalism is good, but what has evolved is a sham and a fraudulent system to segregate that very capital into the hands a very few. It is the direct result of Conservative Financial and regulatory policies worldwide, but especially in the U.S. and Canada.
Like the saying is currently down in the States ‘Can we afford four more years of last eight? In Canada it is ‘Can we afford anymore years of the last two?
BTW, why are WE buying UAV’s in 2012 for a war we are leaving in 2011. What about those tanks that Steve’s goobernment ordered? Remember that order? I do!
Canada’s military is pushing ahead with its plan to buy aerial drones outfitted with weapons even as the Harper government is promising to pull troops out of Afghanistan in 2011.
The government’s Afghanistan Procurement Taskforce has released details to the defence industry about the $500-million project to purchase a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs.
The first of the UAVs would be delivered in February 2012…
By CM on 09.17.08 12:00 pm
Last Winter there was an article in the online MSM about the latest military research project by the US Army at an Arizona Testing Grounds developing a new artillery shell which is computer controlled to self correct its trajectory in flight to minimize “collateral” damages and improve on target efficiency. COST $250,000 PER COPY! What ever happened to “carpet bombing”? [you would have to be a fan of David Letterman to appreciate my sense of humor]
The tax will raise about $15 billion from polluters, of which almost $10 billion will be used to cut taxes, and the rest paid to disadvantaged Canadians. Got a problem with that? — Garth
—————————————-
The plan balances revenues with expenditures – about $10 billion in income tax cuts, and $5 billion in corporate tax cuts and new benefits for families, rurals, low-income earners etc. The greatest benefit goes to lower-income families ($2,300 for a family earning $20,000), and diminishes as income rises ($1,300 for a family making $80,000). There is no excess of tax cuts over revenues raised, — Garth
—————————————
So if I have this correct. Saturday you stated the green shift will take in 15 billion. Wednesday you state 10 billion in income tax cuts, 5 billion in corperate tax cuts. Total tax cuts as of Wednesday is 15 billion. Total tax collected from polluters, 15 billion as of Saturday. Is the green shift already into deficit financing, as there is money going to childcare, contigency fund, farmer rebates? This is not adding up.
Fifeteen billion raised, fifeteen billion returned in tax cuts and benefits. — Garth
I disagree. People took mortgages beyond their means. It was their decision so they should face the consequences. The government should not be in the business of saving people from their stupidity as this will encourage people to continue do stupid things.
By AD on 09.17.08 11:03 am
I agree, people did take out mortgages beyond their means. However, if the ideologes had not reduced/removed the restrictions that allowed sub-prime, the lending products which these people used would not have been available.
The reason they give was they were trying to help people buy their own homes.
Well the road to hell is paved with good intentions that were not thought through.
The point is the average people are paying for it. Even if they declare bankruptcy in the US. they are still on the hook to pay off the debt. And if they’ve defaulted the lenders have taken their homes. Yes, the ones at the bottom of the food chain have paid and it should be noted the government isn’t bailing these people out!
Another article that should come back to bite Harper in the Ass.
Harper wants control of next government, even a minority
The Harper proposal for first-time home owners of what supposedly works out to be a $750.00 tax break, will only create MORE MORAL HAZARD and CREATES the same as what is happening in the U.S.A.
To entice those, that can LEAST afford a home to begin with, to borrow is no different than what the low life regulators, banks, realtors, IB’s, appraisors, Fed, BUSH ETC… have done to the American people. To try to bribe, with that promise, to those same people, for a vote, is PROOF of how low HARPER will stoop.
Do YOU want to be an unemployed person, with mortgage payments that you really could NOT afford in the first place? – in the declining asset value situation as is current – with rising prices on necessary consumer goods?
That promise is akin to what HARPER promised all the people in the last election who were invested in Income Trusts. He lured them – and they then bought it- and then he caused them TO LOSE OVER 35 BILLION DOLLARS in value.
It appears that, in this election time, HARPER is now picking away at a different populace – trying to get the all the financially naive others to vote for him!
What a disgrace!
Another ‘leak’ of the Harper Secret Agenda revealed? I think so, yes indeed! Just where are Steve’s orders coming from? It’s not the Great White North Strong and Free, but the Dark Side to our South!
WAKE UP and STAND UP Canada.
By Bill-Muskoka (not anymore) on 09.17.08 12:01 pm
FYI seven young middle aged ladies met after work yesterday for a business meeting, lunch and drinks in Toronto. The dinner conversation turned to the American Election Campaign events, ie. Sarah Palin. One asked a question pertaining to our own election campaign here in Canada. It did not continue as a thread.
WAKE UP CANADA, OUR ELECTION CAMPAIGNING IS A NON EVENT TO THIS POINT! JANE Q. PUBLIC IS NOT NOTICING!
Mr. Grohmann started making knives in his garage, winning international awards in the ensuing years. The company employs about 25 people who make outdoor, kitchen and specialty knives.
By Go Green on 09.17.08 9:09 am
Re: Mr. Mckay and Grohmann knives. This companies product has become a mainstay in the food service industry and is widely used due to it being superior product.
Perhaps Mr. Mckay doesn’t understand the concept of you get what you pay for young feller.
Have had some experience with Chinese products recently. One was an off road motorbike that is mass marketed in Canada without dealer prep etc. Besides poor quality hardware which compromised the safety considerations of the vehicle, the low level of the quality of assembly of the product made it potentially dangerous and spoke volumes about the manufacturers level of concern as well as the that of the exporting countries officials.
Without the experience in motorcycle mechanics I gained as a lad, the money spent would have been a complete waste and the machine would quite likely have been the cause of injury.
My most recent purchase of goods from china was a bit of a lark too. I acquired a bunch of wireless network cards cheap. You get what you pay for. For most users the garbage can would have been the most likely recipient. The software that accompanied the units was useless and wouldn’t work with 3 common operating systems that I tried. Dead, nada. It was also misrepresented. After patching together bits and pieces of software from 3 sources, I finally got them to work. Yea! The old trial and error process.
I’m thinking about the failure of said knives while in service and the replacement rate. It is difficult to try to assess the “cost” of failure, but it is a real consideration. Replacement might be easier to assess. If it is inferior, it will need to be replaced often. Like dollar store stuff.
I don’t expect Mr. Mckay or any person at a more senior post to be aware of everything that goes on in a given department, but once real issues, quality and employment in a very limited employment area are brought forward, I would like to see an appropriate response.
Otherwise, I would say don’t send a boy to do a man’s job.
Ya just lost my vote:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080917.welxndiondeficit0917/BNStory/politics/home
It’s back to the Liberals of old.
I will vote strategically this time for the Liberals, but continue my flirtation with the Greens. This lady means business.
By maybe Rhino? on 09.17.08 11:45 am
Rhino – I’ll second your vote. Loved how she handled that heckler – no doubt a CRAP supporter.
Garth! Another deception? Would you PLEASE play things honest?
http://www.thepolitic.com/archives/2008/09/17/breaking-is-garth-turner-splicing-images/
The photo was compiled by Zorpehous who, I believed, has described his tortuous process in a comment to this thread. But, thanks for the attempted smear. — Garth
In his news conference campaigning today PMSH announced that he will ban tobacco companies from promoting flavored cigarettes aimed at sales to children. So almost 3 years into his administration he suddenly is now concerned about this abuse of our young people by less than ethical marketing! If he was sincerely concerned this would have been done months ago and not as an election campaign gimmick. Very shabby, sweaterboy! Shame on you for waiting until it was in your perceived best interest to promise action. Is this another promise you plan to break?
Come on, stand up and testify, did you get the PMO to hire Mme. Coulliard to “escourt” Bernier because he was becoming a liability? Who was the REAL BUSYBODY here? How will your “Truth Squad” spin this one once the facts are known?
By AD on 09.17.08 11:06 am
Just because you are too lazy to do your homework doesn’t mean the rest of us have to put up with your silliness.
Do the work, or leave the blog. I don’t have any respect for lazy people like you.
Suddenly discovering that transportation is a key contributor to the cost structure cannot be termed a ‘breakthrough’ … although it sounds to me like you wish to attempt it.
Ever hear of Jeffrey Sachs? Read some of his works, particularly as they relate to international transportation.
The Green Shift program provides a calculator … If you can’t work with it, say so, and then go on to a remedial classl.
Any comments, Garth …???!!!!
Warren who? — Garth
By HARRY S on 09.17.08 11:48 am
Hello Mr. Observant. I see the dressing down you recently got on Mr. Kin’s site hasn’t deterred you from your quest.
As such, I would ask you this. If you were a voter in the riding that Mr. Gart represents, would you vote for someone who is an unknown quantity, was parachuted into the riding which is a absolute and clear affront to Democracy, or would you vote for an individual who God knows ain’t perfect, but at least steps up and leads with his chin?
Who I might also add, provides you a forum on which to spew?
Remember your comment on how women can avoid the sufferings of war by laying on their back?
I haven’t.
So which is it Harry, Observer, Observant?? Like the foamers like to say, “People want to know”.
By Comrade Okie on 09.17.08 12:42 pm
Perhaps you recall the premise of the book and movie ‘Disclosure’? When QA is shut down the product turns to CRAP.
“I am not a fan of marijuana use. I have to confess this — I know all politicians are asked. I’ve never used marijuana. I apologize.”
Elizabeth May
‘S OK Elizabeth … Some would liken that statement to an implosion. Er, the more fanciful ones, at least.
In the comments section today under Brian Laghi’s article
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080917.welexnharperminority0917/BNStory/politics/home?cid=al_gam_mostview
#
Joe Citizen from Everytown, Canada writes: WORST ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE BY A PRIME MINISTER IN 40 YEARS !
Change in Productivity While in Office
Diefendaker 9.7%
Pearson 18.6%
Trudeau(1) 30.4%
Clark 0.4%
Trudeau(2) 11.8%
Mulroney 6.4%
Chretien 18.3%
Martin 4.1%
Harper -0.6%
* Posted 17/09/08 at 12:12 PM EDT |
The point is the average people are paying for it. Even if they declare bankruptcy in the US. they are still on the hook to pay off the debt.
By James- Chatham on 09.17.08 12:33 pm
Wrong.
That`s Canada that does not have `jingle letters`, not the US.
Canadians are on the hook for the full amount, they can`t walk away as US home owners can.
After the 1982 housing crash our government decided it was important to protect the banks from their own bad management and policies.
Where is/was our oversight on the 40/0 or ABCP?
30M really pissed off Cdns will want to know
“On balance, as I say, and I know we always get criticism, on balance we were able to make that Parliament productive for longer than any minority parliament in history.”
He added that he would rather lose a vote in Parliament and resign his government than do something that would put the economy at risk.
BRIAN LAGHI
Globe and Mail Update
September 17, 2008 at 12:53 PM
This is getting to be a bit too much. We’re having an election because Harpoon claims parliament is dysfunctional. BUT WAIT, he’s now saying that he was able to make parliament productive in historical proportions. WOW……..Guiness World Record?
News flash Stevie, the economy is at risk. Now remove your ever lengthening nose from Bush’s ass and RESIGN.
The point is the average people are paying for it. Even if they declare bankruptcy in the US. they are still on the hook to pay off the debt. And if they’ve defaulted the lenders have taken their homes. Yes, the ones at the bottom of the food chain have paid and it should be noted the government isn’t bailing these people out!
By James- Chatham on 09.17.08 12:33 pm
You might want to check your facts on that statement mon ami! Depending on the Chapter used in filing most eradicate the debt permanently. Likewise, there are certain exemptions on homes in U.S. Bankruptcy. Foreclosure is a more definite matter… pay or lose…period.
Remember your comment on how women can avoid the sufferings of war by laying on their back?
I haven’t.
So which is it Harry, Observer, Observant?? Like the foamers like to say, “People want to know”.
By Comrade Okie on 09.17.08 1:00 p
Hurray, Some one pulled the legs off that insect Harry S. and he can’t crawl back under his rock that he is so unobservant and can’t find anyway!
For that remark, he should be taken out back to the wood shed and thoroughly whipped!
Fifeteen billion raised, fifeteen billion returned in tax cuts and benefits. — Garth
By Marc on 09.17.08 12:31 pm
The Charter will safeguard everyones individual rights.
We will axe the tax.
The GST is revenue neutral.
We will fix health care for a generation.
We will get tough on crime.
We will, rofl, reform government into a transparent accountable institution.
omg, splash
Just follow The Bear.
The markets should be telling you who to vote for and it isn’t for the Republican Clones called CRAP.
CRAP have lost Control. It is all happening under the watch of CRAP.
Cleavage will destroy CRAP if Blue Thunder doesn’t.
Judging by the polls the splashing is the sound of carbon tax proponents walking the carbon tax plank.
By unintended consequences on 09.17.08 11:37 am
Hi UC, Got Rope and your multiple monikers – U’ve really got to get a life. Instead of constantly denouncing all of the parties, create one of your own. BTW, I happen to believe that some Dad’s have gotten the shaft as well, but there are far more women that have been shafted by dead beat dads. I knew several of them.
http://buckdogpolitics.blogspot.com/2008/09/green-party-of-canada-threatens-buckdog.html
Looks to me like Buckdog got neutered!
BTW, I happen to believe that some Dad’s have gotten the shaft as well, but there are far more women that have been shafted by dead beat dads. I knew several of them.
By Go Green on 09.17.08 1:21 pm
btw I`m a childs rights advocate not a dads rights advocate but on the issue of getting shafted the ratio of mothers defaulting on child support is off the scale compared to fathers. You might want to consult the science rather than your simplistic and limited view.
There is no need to continually remind me of the results of sole custody now evident in Vancouver where parent denied children top the charts along with the second highest amount of child support collected. I get it, you approve of the use of sole custody to increase the crime rate. You`re not alone, the entire justice industry feels the same.
no justice, no investment
By Bill-Muskoka (not anymore) on 09.17.08 1:09 pm
Thanks for the clarification. Bottom line, going back to AD’s comments, these people aren’t being bailed out by the government.
The way I look at this whole sub-prime thing: most people will get themselves in the hole of debt. The lenders thought (or sold it as) they were giving them a ladder to help them out, when in fact they were giving them a ticking timebomb which when it exploded would make the hole deeper.
It was the regulators job to make sure the ladder was a ladder and not the timebomb. Bush and/or the Senate/House tied the regulators hands.
People took mortgages beyond their means. It was their decision so they should face the consequences. The government should not be in the business of saving people from their stupidity as this will encourage people to continue do stupid things.
By AD on 09.17.08 11:03 am
That is an excellent description of the concept “there’s a sucker born everyday.”
The new conservative ideology encourages its followers to believe that their superiority gives them the moral right to exploit others in their own self-interest.
Thank you for making your ideology so clear for the rest of us to consider.
Fifeteen billion raised, fifeteen billion returned in tax cuts and benefits. — Garth
By Marc on 09.17.08 12:31 pm
Sorry my bad, I miss read the 5 billion corporate tax cuts and new benefits for families, rurals, low-income earners etc, as being 5 billion corporate tax cuts.
Do we have an etimate on how much corporations will be getting their tax cut, or does it depend on how much any future campaign plank costs will be comeing out of carbon taxes? The 10 billion income tax cut remains constant I hope and no new announcements will eat out of that?
By Truth B Told on 09.17.08 12:28 pm
“What ever happened to “carpet bombing”? [you would have to be a fan of David Letterman to appreciate my sense of humor]
Humour received and understood.
—–
Tough Luck, Kids
When Harper plays the family card, he cheats. by Murray Dobbin
“You have to hand it to Stephen Harper and the Conservatives and their chutzpa at portraying themselves as pro-family. Virtually all their policies work to undermine the security of families and their quality of life.
…[O]f course Stephen Harper is counting on all those facts being swept away with cozy, sweater-clad visuals of him sitting down with a family in Burnaby.
Neo-cons also get a huge amount of traction from their so-called pro-life stand. But while they are keen to protect the fetus, as soon as it is born the kid and its parents are on their own.”
For that last sentence alone, Mr. Dobbin, I think I love you.
http://thetyee.ca/Views/2008/09/17/ToughLuck/
By Go Green on 09.17.08 1:21 pm
http://homepage.mac.com/dorlando/.Pictures/AMG_Blog_Photos/photo_was_his.jpg
I think the scariest thing in your post was that folks had to sign in, giving name and address, before being admitted. I have attended many political rallies and have never seen that done. I don’t have a problem with checking purses and bags; that is even done at concerts. BUT, people have to be able to maintain their anonymity lest we fall victim to a police state.
Just wondering. Do you suppose those 84,000 folks who attended Obama’s final speech at the Democratic convention had to sign in?
By Marg on 09.17.08 12:01 am
Marg, FYI back in the mid 1950’s when Dwight D. Eisenhower was in a motorcade driving through Rapid City, S. Dakota, there were armed snipers and police guards on building tops and upper story floors. This was Republican territory, too! There has been a long history of ultra protection for elected heads of state in America ever since Abe Lincoln was assassinated. We Canadians are much less cognizant of the dangers and are also much more lower profile in our security surveillance, BUT IT IS NEEDED AND DOES EXIST! What goes on in the minds of those less thoughtful is truly worrisome. I pray that no one does anything stupid to Harper, Flarhety, et al, since it would be a greater tragedy for them to be immortalized as the result of some one’s ill begotten revenge. Remember the 30 odd billions of Income Trust $ that just evaporated in time for last Halloween! I personally lost nothing due to a better financial adviser, but I sympathize with all those who did!
By Bill-Muskoka (not anymore) on 09.17.08 12:21 pm,
I have read Saul’s book. I am not sure what you mean by real capitalism. I am more of a proponent of a mixed system in which real democratic governments play a role in mitigating the negative impacts of capitalism.
Some forms of capitalist ideology, in fact, are similar to Marxist socialism in which it postulates the withering away of the state. In the capitalist sense power passes to those who can control society through economic rather than political means.
I don’t believe that Harper’s concept goes that far because he believes that a strict system of police and military power is required to protect the capitalists who control society. If not there could be a public revolt. Law is primarily designed to protect the capitalists from each other, from the society they exploit, and to facilitate economic relationships between capitalists.
Before the fall of the iron curtain and the threat of communism declined we were forced to have a mixed system. Once the communist system failed many of the most powerful world leaders saw no need to maintain the mixed system and the controls were removed.
Like our environment, it may be too late to rescue the current system. With the U.S. government in panic mode, providing billions of dollars that it does not have to try to rescue the system, it does not bode well.
By Herb on 09.17.08 10:34 am
I realize Herb, you have forgotten all the pet names we have for PARIAH, Poi Poi, Boticelli Boy, Self-Crank Poilievre. You must admit he and BIRDY [BOO!] BAIRD are in a class unto themselves.
S&P/TSX Composite Help 11,881.270 -345.720-2.83%Vol: 255,925,240 Last Trade: Sep 17, 2008 13:28:00 EDT
Last: 11,882.630 Net Change:
-344.360 % Change: -2.82%
By PYOTR PETROBITCH on 09.17.08 1:46 pm
The sum total of investor confidence in the next/another election bringing an improvement.
Market now in bear territory, down 20%.
economic conditions will,,,,,,
“I am not a fan of marijuana use. I have to confess this — I know all politicians are asked. I’ve never used marijuana. I apologize.”
Elizabeth May
‘S OK Elizabeth … Some would liken that statement to an implosion. Er, the more fanciful ones, at least.
By PYOTR PETROBITCH on 09.17.08 1:04 pm
Well a lot of people have, and do. I don’t think its good for people either. I speak from long since past experience though. But I didn’t inhale. yup yup yup.
I didn’t catch that news release?? but will repeat myself and say it is an issue that needs to be dealt with intelligently. Thanks to Marc for informing me as to the US/DEA considerations. I knew about their presence but not about the warnings re goods crossing the border.
I often wonder when Canadian government officials and the other select few will grow a spine. Something they expect of others.
Having a goodly number of years experience in the market place, I know that when you have a product/s that others NEED, advantage goes to the supplier.
But it takes guts and commitment to not blink first.
By Johnny Test on 09.17.08 12:44 pm
You’re a fickle one aren’t you. My guess is “we” whoever that is, did not have your vote anyway.
“Now we have the worst economic growth of the G8. We are close to a deficit, and close to a recession, thanks to Mr. Harper and Mr. Flaherty.” – M. Dion from article
It is hard to really plan for “no deficit” until you see what you are actually left with. With the spending binge of Harperites, the next PM could walk into a hidden and nasty financial situation.
This happened recently here in Quebec when the Libs took the province from the Pequists, and I believe recently when there was a change in government in Ontario. History is loaded with governmental cooked books.
It would be FALSE AND MISLEADING to not accept that a deficit may be necessary in the short term after the most spending government in Canadian history leaves. Or should I say “replaced; kicked out; ousted”.
This is just another indication of the honesty, and integrity of M. Dion, who is not willing to mislead the electorate just to get voted in. Quite a contrast from Harper, eh?
Like our environment, it may be too late to rescue the current system. With the U.S. government in panic mode, providing billions of dollars that it does not have to try to rescue the system, it does not bode well.
By C. B. Innes on 09.17.08 1:58 pm
I have seen tremendous will for change among parents and grandparents for the sake of succeeding generations.
There are, HOWEVER, some who choose NOT to participate. Harper and his dodge ball crew won’t matter. I have high hopes for a solid upcoming change after October 14.
By C. B. Innes on 09.17.08 1:58 pm
Excellent piece C.B. Your specialty I presume, Mr./Ms. Holmes. I have no idea which is the case.
It’s all about balance. Always has been.
Well a lot of people have, and do. I don’t think its good for people either. I speak from long since past experience though. But I didn’t inhale. yup yup yup.
But it takes guts and commitment to not blink first.
By Comrade Okie on 09.17.08 2:18 pm
I have that kind of commitment. But I guess I’m the only one here like Dan Quayle. I didn’t exhale.
Where is/was our oversight on the 40/0 or ABCP?
30M really pissed off Cdns will want to know
By unintended consequences on 09.17.08 1:08 pm
And thanks to you,also, for the correction.
I think we agree(?), the cause of the mess was a lack of oversight and regulation.
I just saw Dion answering questions in Kitchener. Although he stumbled a few times and had some difficulty understanding a couple of questions, I found that he explained his positions much better and he seems to come over well in this setting.
I do think he has to be careful not to promise too much because in a period of economic concern it could undermine his campaign. Harper has already promised $20 billion in extra spending even before the campaign started and hs since promised at least a couple billion more.
By Truth B Told on 09.17.08 1:06 pm
Good find, bro, the libs should start using this telling tidbit on the election trail.
Another good one for the libs to use would be the “misery index” — the economic indicator that combines unemployment and inflation rates. It was famous in the presidential campaigns of 1976 and 1980.
How’s this opening line? Misery in Canada has risen to record levels, thanks to the Harper conservatives …
personally believe in “Libertarian” principles where people are free to make their own decisions without government interference and, at the same time, bear the consequences of their own decisions without government bailouts.
By AD on 09.17.08 10:07 am \
Just like Maple Leaf foods?????????????
Just like the banking industry in the US with no oversight.
Kinda like placing the foxes in charge. of the hen house. Right?
In case you have not noticed AD, when the “corporations” govern themselves you get burned. It has something to do with unfettered GREED.
What don’t you understand about that?
The prime reason for government in a “Democracy” is to protect those at the bottom from those who have NO CONSCIENCE at the top. (We used to call them “Robber Barons” now they are “corporate executives”.)
This is not to block the aspirations of those who would better themselves.
Just to control the ones who would hurt the rest of us for their own gain.
Give harper a majority and you will unleash these “Robber Barons”
The above is why the “libertarian credo” can never work.
Bottom line, GREED CONQUERS ALL If unleashed
By Truth B Told on 09.17.08 1:54 pm
You did a lot of thinking in that Truck.
1. I doubt the Harper-Flaherty jihad against seniors will ever grant the prospect of martyrdom and 144 virgins although there is still the prospect of the intemperate Shreveport broker … temporarily chastened by the court.
2. Unfortunately, ’sympathy’ is of no help to anyone at this point. I am still out for REVENGE … in a Big Way.
Cute James, Greenspan warned the Democratic controlled Houses who were in charge of oversight they better get their act together, they didn`t. They did manage over the last 2 years to renew the attack on American families and Biden as VP will certainly step up that agenda but action on the economy, not so much.
By unintended consequences on 09.17.08 11:45 am
Sorry there Uni-Con but untill the last US congressional and senate elections the senate was totally in the power of the Rethuglcans. which gave them the power to stop any changes to reform the oversight bodies.
Harper Flaherty LIES, LIES, LIES
Del Mastro can’t open his campaign office without Flim Flam Dim Jim Flaherty accompaniment.
http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1198600
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=6ab1beb9-955b-475c-848d-19d4d4cbedb8
http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/432012
Total press coverage, similar theme, 564 articles.
Well it seems the “We Hate Garth Turner” foamers are still at it. So lets set the ground rules, and we will use the ground rules as set by the CPC supporters.
From Dante at UnCommon Truths we have this;
4. Will you withdraw from the Race in Halton now that it appears that your campaign has attempted to deceive a national broadcaster and the voters of your riding – and indeed, all Canadians?
Ok here is the gold standard, Dante feels Garth should resign because he tried to Manage a Media Photo-Op, but he is even more open here. An attempt or really case of misleading voters or Canadians is now grounds for Politicians to resign.
This isn’t my rule, this is the rule and level responsibility that a Blogging Tory and CPC support is demanding.
So if Garth is now required to resign, so should Harper, if it is found Harper mislead voters or Canadians. So here we go.
1) Did Harper promise not to Tax Income Trusts, answer yes. Did Harper break that promise? Yes. Did Harper mislead Voters and Canadians? Yes. Harper should resign, and Dante should be calling for Harper’s to resign.
2) Did Harper promise fix election dates? Yes. Did Harper call a “Harper Optional Election” (HOE), Yes. Did Harper mislead Voters and Canadians? Yes. Harper should resign!
3) Is Harper misrepresenting the Liberal position on the Child Tax Credit, the Liberal position on the GST and the Green Shift policy? Yes. Harper should resign.
4) Did not the Harper Government produce and publish a manual that was designed to make Parliamentary Committees Dysfunctional and there by contributed to the gridlock in Ottawa and turned around and said it was entirely the Liberals fault? Yes?
Four very clear examples of Harper Misleading Voters and Voters, Case number cost Canadians and voters 35 Billion dollars, Case 2 for HOE will cost Canadian Tax payers a quarter billion dollars. Those are real promises and broken promises that cost all of use some very serious coin. And are the Blogging Tories calling for Harper to step down and leave? Nope.
Garth on the hand tries to Manage a Media Photo-Op (Managed Photo-Op, aren’t those mutually inclusive terms) and this is grounds for Garth to step a side and resign,… Has Harper ever tried to control the media and message he puts out? Oh boy, is that ever a BIG YES.
Now wait it gets better people, it seems that Mathew at The Politic is suggesting Garth sliced together the picture of the Dion event and may have done so to make it appear like there were more people there than there were.
Ok here are the facts on that Photo.
1) The photo is sliced together, and it is not done very well.
2) It is clear that no attempt was made to even hide the slcing lines.
3) the photo was generated in an attempt to give the best possible representation of the actual size of the crowd and there was no attempt or intent to make the crowd look larger.
How can I say with 100% certainty you may ask? The answer is very simple. It is my photo, I took the pictures, I sliced them together. So if anyone has issue with that photograph, you need to talk to me and I will be more than happy to supply you with the original jpg files and raq nef files that I will copy directly from my Camera.
So now I look forward to the Blogging Tories to hold Harper to Gold Plated Truth standard and Harper being forced to resign.
As for the photo, sorry guys no story or scandal there for ya. It is not easy to splice together photographs to make a panorama image, even when the photographs are taken from the exact same point in space, the changing angles from one picture to the next changes the perspective on the flat LCD pickup plate (same holds true for 35 mm film). I’ll try better next time ok?
The Harper tactic of telling baldfaced lies as if they were the truth is straight out of the Bush/McCain/Repub/Neo-Con playbook.
Bill Moyers, in his last program, spoke with two journalists about how to deal with outright lies. As he said, it’s hard to “unring the bell”, which is what they’re banking on. (Just about the ONLY thing you can bank on in the current climate.)
The only thing to do is refute every lie as it is spoken, in newspapers, radio and television, and right after it is reported. So, the CBC, say, should, right after it reports what Stephen Harper said, report that Stephane Dion never said aything of the kind. It’s the only way to deal with liars.
That picture of the bouncer in the Con t-shirt? NICE. The future face, or back of the head, of security in Canada.
I feel so much better.
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/09122008/transcript4.html
Fellow Canadians, yes you, you lenders of last resort, you the lonely wallet that pays for all those political promises. You the bootlickers of the elite money barons and enablers of the war machine that crushes your children…You. Yes YOU!
Have you raised your head enough beyond the yin/yang of political screaming to look at what is happening to your paper dollars?
The keepers of the vault have declared it empty of real wealth and are shoveling more promised paper into it. Following the lead of the greatest “free market” economy in the world, they have adopted the paperprestidigitizer sorcer’s apprentice mental wand of neverending paper creation to bailout that which goes further under water each day, glub, glub.
Now, even Russia, Japan and China have started cranking up the paper train as it stokes its engine to gather steam on the downhill slope. the car companies are in troubble…give them cash. The consumer can’t fund Xmas purchases…time for another cash injection. Wo pays? You do.
How is Canada competing with this paper creation? Well, your Finance Minister with the permission of the Liberal party has granted unlimited power to purchase to the Bank of Canada Governor.
Are your represntatives concerned enough to ask him what he has been buying? Do they still think that there should be no oversight? Of course they do! After all, it’s not their money…it’s yours and as you have seen, they are never timid in spending what’s yours.
By Zorpheous on 09.17.08 3:04 pm
You know what Zorph
This kind of attack is just to divert attention. Consider the source of FUD Conservatives that literally will do anything for the holy grail majority government.
As I always say to Garth keep your helmet on – for you, my favourite auditor keep your nutty wings on – to expose the truth…
So now I look forward to the Blogging Tories to hold Harper to Gold Plated Truth standard and Harper being forced to resign.
By Zorpheous on 09.17.08 3:04 pm
Again, another good piece of writing , Zorpheous.
And this straight from the horses mouth.
“On balance, as I say, and I know we always get criticism, on balance we were able to make that Parliament productive for longer than any minority parliament in history.”
But he convinced our GG that Parliament was dysfunctional.
Or how about this from the other end of the horse.
“He added that he would rather lose a vote in Parliament and resign his government than do something that would put the economy at risk.”
Well Stevie , the economy is at risk . Of course how can he know this if he’s got his ever lengthening nose so far up Bush’s ass.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080917.welexnharperminority0917/BNStory/politics/home?cid=al_gam_mostview
I believe the acronym for Steve’s PR department is
PROMISE AND RENEGE
For all those who are jumping on Garth Turner, I strongly suggest you buy his books and start listening to him wrt to the economy. Your Mentor Stevie the Economist just lost his shirt if he followed his own words…. and that ladies and gentlemen and Harper’s MSM is the truth!
By Zorpheous on 09.17.08 3:04 pm
Say “Z”
Get a tripod. Hand held will always give some weird results.
Make sure you allow overlap since there is typically distortion on the outer 10-20% of the lense – unless you spend mega-bucks for optics.
That said, it is good thing you have such obvious seams in the panorama. At least you cannot be accused of hiding some form of “doctoring”.
I’ll try better next time ok?
By Zorpheous on 09.17.08 3:04 pm
The new digital camera’s will do it for you!
For Pat, Go Green, Bonnies and others, as well as myself,
I’m doing a second post in a moment, and hopefully it will post next? We need a snapshot of Harper, one we should all talk about to family and friends, because grassroots talk helps to inform Canadians of a revealing part of what he is, because it would be SO helpful if more Canadians knew Harper’s basic M.O.
Sure, Harper’s “voter fooling” method — lying — could alone stop him if ‘our collective common sense’ kicks in.
Perhaps even enough voters will begin to see that Harper’s basic philosophies, and his 2nd tier “organized pressure groups” are insidious — like organized crime — but it takes a bit of thought on the part of some Canadians to figure it out — the press fails us.
Amongst his ideologies, Harper shares long-standing belief with Bush and their cohorts in the ideas of Friedrich Hayek, of the Austrian School of economics. This is part of the reason why we have the economic meltdown and grand scale cheating of today. And yet, so far, only a few wealthy Con Men in jail. All this deregulation has been finessed through by a longstanding league of neoconservative right-wing cronies, all administered through a co-operative yet somewhat diverse set of ultra right theorists, war hawks, evangels, corporate elites and large numbers of voters they can trick, fool or lull into going along with them.
But Hayek’s theories are not only long-outdated, but quite officially proven wrong now that we see the dangerous economic outcomes of decades of this bully free-for-all of economic deregulation. His premise was mid-century when there were no computers or the modern, fast telecommunications as we have now. The new electronic and social communications now put a lot of power into the hands of the wealthy cheaters. Sure, mid-century had wealthy cheaters too, as history always has, but with vast communication capability, and cronyism, wealth builds incrementally, and doesn’t stop, until they get so criminal as to be publicly obvious. Now we have a lining in the litter box — a plethora of ignorant cheaters of great wealth so intertwined and networked and all assimilating their public images as though they are on the general public’s side. Harper’s band call it bio-politics. They pretend their way past us. Of note though, the fellows who adore Hayek’s theories, fail to mention one thing:
Hayek himself wrote a later essay in which he disparaged conservatism for it’s inability to adapt to changing human realities or to offer a positive political program.
I’ll post quotes about one part of fake “pressure network” in a moment — revealing some of what Harper is.
Tony Clement uses scare tactics for I know I just got one from him.
Boy was it a great day yesterday! To start with I had great interview with CTV regarding Parry Sound Muskoka gas pricing, differences. Then got a great deal on a digital movie camera. I will be hitting the streets to talk Parry Sound gas pricing for the rest of the election.
Then on my lunch hour for this is were my story begins with Tony! As I walk in to one of my favorite lunch spots finishing lunch, was Tony. So went to the boy’s room got out my tape recorder and turned it on. As I came back and passing Tony I said “hi Tony”. He responds by putting his hand out and saying “hi Tim”. I took that as a invite to talk, would you not? So we starting talking and I challenged him to a debate on this in front of a camera to put on utube for everyone to see. Then Tony Baloney saw my tape recorder and got mad and stated “are you recording this” “Of course” I said. He lost it and stated “this is a form of harassment leave or I, will call the police.” What a little wimp he out vying for our votes in public invites you to talk then turn on you. If he was a true Politian he would debate the topic. He, s a wimp for not taking the challenge. I gave him his wishes and left but not saying a few loud words on the way out.
The whole thing is that this mourning having coffee there I got clapping and cheers. Due to Tony,s decline to me there he lost votes and I was the one getting thanks and hand shakes
So many lies and so much CON complaining about the Lib, NDP and Green plans, yet what platform are the CONs coming out with? The diesel rebate evaporated in advance, and that’s all I can remember from the ‘plan’! Unless there is a clear C.R.A.P. plan out there, I think it’s fair to say Harper has either no plan, or a hidden agenda.
An approaching deficit, vulnerability in face of a recession, no plan for the future, and a hidden agenda. Brought to you by the kind folks from Canaduh’s Gnu Goobermint[TM].
untill the last US congressional and senate elections the senate was totally in the power of the Rethuglcans. which gave them the power to stop any changes to reform the oversight bodies.
By A.R.Wainwright on 09.17.08 3:02 pm
The obvious was never a question that needed an answer but thanks for the accuracy.
The question is what has the Democratic controlled Houses done in the last 2 years on oversight.
Coping words for today:
The public will just have to get used to it.
there’s nothing we can do – it’s beyond our control
fundementals are strong
it was too big to fail – if we didn’t throw your money out the window into this fire, you’d be in serious trouble
hep me Flaherty, hep me
He says…. Central Banks must bear the weight of financial turmoil, governments must do more to force disclosure of losses. That helps?
Where does Central Bank get it’s money? Hey you, taxpayer. Step forward now.
Who oversees Central Bank? – Hey you, politician. Not you Dion, sitting on your hands.
Who oversees Politicans? Not you, the citizen that stays home.
re: BARB THE PROOFREADER 4:06 PM
..a revealing part of Harper, Canadians need to know:
In 1974 “corporate leaders chipped in a total of $75,000 to start the Fraser Institute, perhaps persuaded by the famous memo to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce written by Supreme Court Justice Lewis Powell in which he outlined the need for a business-financed propaganda infrastructure.
“Success in defending capitalism”, he wrote, “lies in organization, in careful long-range planning and implementation, in consistency of action over an indefinite period of years, in the scale of financing available only through joint effort, and in the political power available only through united action and national organizations”.
Over time, this machine would hobble activist governments, undo the social and economic advances of the 1950s and ’60s, and put business back in the driver’s seat.”
“The Fraser Institute held an anniversary gala celebration of 30 years during which business and conservative foundations pumped more than $100 million into Fraser activities; 30 years during which Harper rose from high school to University of Calgary student to Reform party policy chief” to head of the Neoconservative corporate lobby group NCC for five years… and Prime Minister (..hmm?)
“The scene was the glitzy Imperial Ballroom of Calgary’s Hyatt Regency, where 1,200 adoring libertarians, conservatives, and reactionaries paid to hear prominent politicians, Ralph Klein, Mike Harris, Preston Manning, and Harper pay tribute to the Fraser’s success in pushing political thought in Canada to the right — helping make their careers possible.
Credit the Fraser Institute? Harper probably thinks so. In his videotaped address Harper confirmed he was a big fan of the institute. Like the Fraser, he is dedicated to the ideas of Friedrich Hayek, leader of the Austrian School of economics. Hayek urged: No social programs, no environmental or consumer regulation.
Harper is at last in a position to act on long-cherished beliefs about the need to place Canada at the service of the United States.”
“Hayek, who became a Fraser Institute adviser, originated the idea of setting up fake scholarly organizations to supply authoritative studies demonstrating the superiority of markets over governments in solving all our problems.”
Why would he advocate fake scholarly organizations you ask?
Well, “because a genuine academic organization would not start with a conclusion and then look for arguments and evidence to support it.”
“Powell recommended that the Chamber of Commerce should run the propaganda machine. Instead, business adopted Hayek’s more effective model of dispersed, seemingly independent think tanks echoing each other’s output.” Fake ‘think’ tanks, used as propaganda factories at the disposal, and in support of, neoconservatives ideologies.
“Harper studied Hayek as an undergraduate at Calgary and developed his free-market philosophy while working with his long-time political mentor, Tom Flanagan, a political scientist, head of the so-called Calgary School of [ultra or neo] right-wing academics, a Fraser Institute fellow, and Harper campaign manager.
Just a year after the Fraser’s anniversary, Harper was prime minister and it was payback time. Buried in his first budget was a provision to exempt from capital gains tax donations of stock to charity. Adding this new exemption to the existing tax credit for donations to charities means that the donor pays only 40 percent of the dollars he donates. Taxpayers pick up the rest. The Fraser Institute is a registered charity. Of course there are many thousands of registered charities in Canada BUT only a few are likely to see their funding increase — expect large endowments to come the Fraser’s way. Hundreds of newly minted Calgary multimillionaires own shares in oil companies that have skyrocketed in value. Their shares will continue to rise as long as the government doesn’t apply the provisions of Kyoto. Now they can help the conservative cause at little cost to themselves. Critics of the Fraser Institute will have to grit their teeth, pay their taxes, and bemoan the fact that they are supporting its work through this — yet another Harper-Fraser scheme that uses tax payer money to build for themselves an ultra-right-wing, corporation controlled, ‘nation’.
Additionally: “Promoting charities is in line with another Hayek strategy: starve government and fuel the voluntary sector. Remove as many activities as possible from the public-policy arena and put them in the hands of private charity providers.” Let the wealthy elite and the socially ultra-conservatives evangels, not the people, determine Canada’s social and environmental justice policies.” Will the majority be duped into this continuing degradation?
And there’s more: “While Harper was finalizing his gift to voluntary organizations, the Fraser, perhaps expecting more money to roll in, was setting up a Centre for Canadian-American Relations to promote greater economic integration of the two countries. Harper has often voiced his support for deeper integration. It’s another strategy for reducing the role of government. No coincidence the Fraser has churned out books hyping hemispheric integration for 15 years.” The modus operandi is back-door legislation and has already seen a lot of public protection broken up, i.e.: food industry.
And another example of how he’ll do it:
“The softwood lumber pact may indicate Harper’s route to deeper integration. Little mentioned is a key clause that requires U.S. government approval of any provincial forest-policy changes. This may be the most significant retreat from sovereignty in recent years, one authored by Harper. The Americans want this provision to ensure that all Canadian forest-policy changes point in one direction only: toward industry-controlled timber pricing.
Hayek would cheer from his grave, and the folks at the Fraser were probably cracking open the champagne. Harper’s deal will hobble provincial governments’ ability to tie timber supply and pricing to community economic development and job creation and retention.
Harper’s first major foreign appearance was at a meeting of NAFTA. While the media obsessed over Harper’s attire, the three governments were on the verge of taking a giant step toward continental integration. Perhaps he dressed like a goof to divert media attention away from the real story. The SPP goals are astonishing: eliminate the border, deregulate the economy, lock Canada’s energy resources into American needs, fashion a unified defence force, and create a new institutional framework for North America.
The Cancun meeting introduced a new institution, the North American Competitiveness Council. This organization will comprise members of the private sector from each country and provide government leaders with ‘recommendations’ (directives from industries) on competitiveness.”
But it’s not competitiveness as the word used to be known: We think of “competitiveness” as providing better products and services at lower prices. But … Competitiveness to them, in their “speak”, means “regulatory cooperation”, and that means deregulation. The competitiveness council is designed to accomplish on a grand scale: removal of public oversight.
Harper’s program is the reactionary ultra-right agenda advocated by his Calgary School advisers and the Fraser Institute.
”But his task is to hide his true intent and pretend to be in the mainstream, which is all the “bewildered herd” can comprehend”
(“Bewildered Herd” is the term early neoconservative P.R. guys called the public).
In 2003, Harper delivered an important address to his Civitas Society. “This secretive organization is a network of Canadian neoconservative and libertarian academics, politicians, journalists, and think-tank propagandists. Harper said his goal is a future ruled by socially conservative values and small government. Movement toward this goal must be “incremental”, he told Civitas members. Regime change one step at a time.
That’s likely why he decided not to dismantle Medicare, and, instead, appears to be a defender of the public health-care system, at least until he has his majority.”
“Despite a decade of anti-Medicare propaganda from the Fraser and other corporate lobbies” like Harper’s NCC corporate lobby group, “Medicare is still one of our most valued public programs.”
In a major Fraser Institute publication in 2005, Fraser fellows Preston Manning and Mike Harris proposed eliminating the federal role in health-care management and financing.
“Harper has opposed Medicare for two decades”. But he responded to the Harris-Manning recommendations by saying, “I could not imagine a proposal that is more a non-starter than that one.” The Conservative party “supports the evolution of the health-care system within the framework of the Canada Health Act”. At least until after the next election, he might have added.” Again, his job is to remain under-the-radar for now.
He can then bring in deep tax cuts for the wealthy with a majority, another “Fraser Institute staple” .
He did live up to his promise to reject the Kyoto Accord, which has been a Fraser Institute target since before the agreement was signed in 1997.
“Harper derives only part of his agenda from the Fraser Institute and other Hayek-inspired sources.” These are the policies that pretend smaller government is somehow good, and meanwhile undermine good governance with less regulation. “But there are not enough libertarians to win elections. Harper needs the social conservatives in his tent. And social conservatives want government intervention in people’s lives to enforce the values they believe in: no abortion, no gay marriage, the right to bear arms, a tough approach to crime. Reagan and Bush knew this. Harper knows it too because he is an evangelical Christian himself.”
“Not only does Harper have to hide his agenda from the Canadian voters, he must balance the demands of the social and economic conservatives in his coalition. Sometimes they want very different policies.
Harper recognized the factions in his cabinet appointments. On the social-conservative side he has Stockwell Day and Vic Toews in major portfolios. And he has libertarian Maxime Bernier as his minister of industry. Bernier talks about less state intervention in the economy even though he is the minister for state intervention. He was a vice-president of the libertarian Montreal Economic Institute, the Fraser’s sister think tank in Quebec, where he wrote a book arguing for a flat tax. (A progressive tax system discriminates against the rich, so it’s not fair, he wrote.)
Harper created a Public Appointments Commission as part of his government accountability package. He nominated recently retired oil tycoon Gwyn Morgan to be its chair at a $1 a year. (This was not a hardship for Morgan because he took home $18.2 million in his last year as EnCana CEO.) This commission would oversee the selection of cabinet appointments to government agencies, boards, commissions, and Crown corporations. It would have great influence over the staffing of key government posts.
Morgan is a long-time trustee and supporter of the Fraser Institute and a fundraiser for Harper’s Canadian Alliance and Conservative party. In a speech to the Fraser Institute in Calgary last December, Morgan identified the root problems facing Canada: public-sector unions, publicly funded Medicare, and immigration from lawless countries like Jamaica.
Harper’s other appointments to the commission are the founder of Future Shop (who is another Fraser Institute trustee), the owner of a Quebec real estate company, and a commissioner of the Trilateral Commission. (Yes, conspiracy theorists, it still exists.)
These were to be Harper’s gatekeepers. But we won’t know just yet who they will let in and who they will keep out. Morgan appeared before the Commons operations-and-estimates committee, where he was rejected by a six-to-five margin. In response, Harper dropped the commission until he has his majority in Parliament.
The CanWest papers went berserk over this rejection of a favourite son. The links between the papers and the institute are strong and long-standing. When Conrad Black owned the papers, his wife and his two business partners (David Radler and Peter White) were Fraser trustees. When the Aspers bought the papers, David Asper joined the Fraser’s board.
And some Fraser researchers found perches on the editorial boards of CanWest papers: Fazil Mihlar (Vancouver Sun), Danielle Smith (Calgary Herald), and John Robson (Ottawa Citizen).
The CanWest papers have been very good to the Fraser Institute, giving its researchers regular access to their opinion pages and providing extensive news coverage of Fraser publications.”
……………………………….
Harperstein
http://tinyurl.com/5osabj
Friedrich Hayek (1899-1992)
http://tinyurl.com/dnuye
I’ll try better next time ok?
By Zorpheous on 09.17.08 3:04 pm
The new digital camera’s will do it for you!
By James- Chatham on 09.17.08 4:05 pm
Hey I was shooting with a nikon D80, /w a 18-135mm zoom lens. The Pictures were taken at 18mm. I hind sight I should have taken a series of 20 photos and slice the center 5% of the images together instead of taking the 4 or 5 I used.
I also had to stand on a table at the back of the room, and I’m sure security like me standing up there so I had to quick about it. I have a tripod, but that night I couldn’t find my quick clip shoe for the mounting, which ment I had no way of mounting the camera on the Tripod (D’Oh).
Still, my intent on that Photograph was only to display the size of the crowd and I made no attempt exaggerating the size, as has been suggested by others. There is/was no need. 1400 people packed that place, and according to my math, that makes the Garth/Dion event 350% larger than Harper’s turn out from last night. Garth gives the number of 500 the media has 400,… you do the math, no pictures are required for that.
After all, it’s not their money…it’s yours and as you have seen, they are never timid in spending what’s yours.
By PTDBD on 09.17.08 3:28 pm
There will be no dodging the economic bullet when the 40/0 unwinds, and yet, they distract, dismiss, deny.
Plenty of negatives about harpo and CRAP, although folk should avoid the msm like the plague, as they continually twist everything around, so people remain in a state of confusion (is this deliberate?).
Example: On the front page of today’s KDC, there is a report saying how harpo was confronted by angry workers in Ont., yet on page 5, harpo said he wants a majority to govern properly (sell us to the US).
People such as moi tend to keep writing letters to editors of papers, posting them on the ‘net, and trying to do as much as possible to discredit harpo.
All we can do is focus on the lies, deceptions and mistruths, then get people angry enough that they will vote strategically.
Anyway, to other matters . . .
****************************************
My Living Will
Last night, my friend and I were sitting in the living room and I said to her, ‘I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and fluids from a bottle. If that ever happens, just pull the plug.’
So she got up, unplugged the TV, and threw out my wine.
Maybe I’m unclear on the concept . . .
“It is clear to us that you knew you were speaking to a CBC journalist and agreed to do so, and that you acknowledged you were doing an interview.”
BY SUSAN ORMISTON 09.16.08 10:41 AM
Patently false if you read her quote closely.
Dear Susan Ormiston,
You made an error in communicating, and an error in judgement. From your own quoting, it is clear you owe Garth an apology. Garth’s words, and you quoted him here yourself:
“It’s one thing to have it on YouTube, you put this on CBC… ahh, I can’t prevent you, and you can do it if you want and I’ll do your little interview here.”
It’s obvious as hell that first of all Garth was trying to let you know that you’d be making a fool of yourself to do such a trivial story of ‘YouTube calibre’.
Garth clearly states after reminding you that you’d be broadcasting triviality if you want, that he will do your little over-the-phone interview that you were trying to set up.
He said he will do it, not ‘doing it at that moment’, but the future tense being that he will do it — “I’ll do your little interview here” with you on the phone.
What kind of a bad reporter are you, or are you a sensationalizer? Or just plain tory assistant?
This is a blow to your CBC segment on blogs — if you can’t figure out as a ‘reporter’, or research first that you got “played” by an aggressive neocon blogger who is a known, low, perverse hand of the CPC.
Maybe you’ll find credibility if you admit that and apologize to Mr. Turner, who is very well known for being forthright and honest. Mr. Turner did not deserve the very poor treatment from you, and I think Ms. Ormiston you know it, you should back down from your error and apologize to viewers.
And, are you going to “balance” the story with a flashy segment on how his Conservative opponent had lied, and knowingly, and deliberately set up a false camera situation all by herself. Why was that not treated in a similar fashion and simply glossed over? What’s up?
It’s incredibly clear Ormiston should have handled this differently. It’s clear Garth did not give permission for the tape to start and thought they were having a personal conversation. It’s clear that Ormiston has made herself at least appear to be working with an eye to the CPC. It’s clear she did not properly communicate with Garth, so he thought the interview was yet to start.
Ormiston truly made a stump out of a bump and she will forever be remembered for her huge gaffe and her misunderstanding and failure to apologize for it. Bloggers will remember that she has agressively covered up her own error and miscommunication, perhaps to save her own neck.
Will she apologize to Mr. Turner once she gets her hackles down and realizes her misunderstanding of their conversation — which is evidenced in her own quoting of him.
Thanks fer askin’ … an’ thanks fer tellin’
BY PYOTR PETROBITCH 09.17.08 7:57 AM
Pyotr,
I’d meant to reply that day, but got behind. Calgarians know the thugs well — sociopaths, so kept in the room. Did you read the reference notes on wiki, esp #25?
Simply put: if only Canada knew..
It’s not that we don’t like you…
The great divide – people who like people and people who distrust people because they are: tree huggers, art lovers, immigrants, students, elitists, latte drinkers, want daycare, want gas prices to go down.
(Seriously, we all are “Don Quixote” when it comes to pump prices.)
Wait a minute- when did we become a country of libertarians that hate everything but money in your pocket? It’s a description of Canada that divides Canadians by postal codes.
In the end, we all want to live in a society that appreciates hard work, family and a living wage. We just look at those things through a different lens. I for one, don’t think that my experience is superior to a farmer or tradesperson or stay at home mother. It’s just so disturbing to hear that because I want all families to flourish it makes me an elitist.
I don’t know how to make you believe that it is a fundamental right of all Canadians to enjoy the same basic philosophy – we are all equal.
Please don’t listen to this divide and conquer people are less than equal because they don’t share your views. It’s not that we don’t respect you – we just don’t understand why you don’t respect us…
It is not easy to splice together photographs to make a panorama image, even when the photographs are taken from the exact same point in space, the changing angles from one picture to the next changes the perspective on the flat LCD pickup plate (same holds true for 35 mm film). I’ll try better next time ok?
By Zorpheous on 09.17.08 3:04 pm
Hey Zorph. Get a Canon camera. It comes with a “Splice” program. I have sent “spliced” pictues of our gardens to M-I-L in Austria that “blew her away”.
I use a Canon S2Is and it is great. The newer models are even better.
By Tim Pellett on 09.17.08 4:10 pm
You go everywhere with a tape recorder, or just to restaurants? I thought only Conservative supporters did that sort of crap, now it has spread to other parties? This might be getting infectious.
I think I am swaying to the green party now. Decriminalzing pot, and allowing users to grow their own, will save me more then any promised tax cut by any party.
Overgrow the government, vote Green!
The question is what has the Democratic controlled Houses done in the last 2 years on oversight.
By unintended consequences on 09.17.08 4:36 pm
UC, your question is interesting but a bit misleading. Democrats had a healthy control of congress but were in a dead tie with Republicans, with ties broken only by Joe Liberman, Democrat turned Independent. The problem is that in both houses, the Republicans still had the ability to launch delaying votes known as filibusters to slow down business, allowing only insignificant bills to pass. Don’t forget that with Bush using veto power, or the threat of veto power, the most a Democrat-controlled congress can do is slow down Bush – they can’t do much to change or move forward on anything in the current state of affairs. The “do nothing Washington” bit that McCain is pitching is disingenuous at best, and fraudulent at worst, considering what I just outlined.
There is/was no need. 1400 people packed that place, and according to my math, that makes the Garth/Dion event 350% larger than Harper’s turn out from last night. Garth gives the number of 500 the media has 400,… you do the math, no pictures are required for that.
Zorph – It was stated that there were about 150 in the room yesterday that came out to see Dion. Personally, I think there were more than that. There were also people up in the bleachers upstairs. Maher said “Liberals even chanted Mr. Dion’s name for a time, and he looked pleased with his performance. But there was no doubt which guy was the real crowd-pleaser.”
Well I was there. Yes Rae is quite the orator and he got the crowd going. But, I can attest to the fact that the crowed chanted Dion’s name throughout his speech, not just for “a time’. I’ve noted throughout this campaign that all of the media, including, the so-called unbiased media (CBC) that they are biased and repeat the same old, same old that Dion is not a leader. As others have said, is a leader basically a ‘dictator’ or someone who inspires, listens to, and calls upon those around him. Well, this old gal thinks its the latter.
The Green shift has emission reductions targets I hope. Targets are so successful, every politician should set one.
By Marc on 09.17.08 12:36 am
It’s so precious to see dewey eyed optimism. Marc unfortunately there are no reduction targets associated with the Green Shaft. And when questioned on it Dion said to a reporter he wouldn’t tell what the reductions are going to be because he would not be believed.
“Move it along folks, nothing to see here.”
The question is what has the Democratic controlled Houses done in the last 2 years on oversight.
By unintended consequences on 09.17.08 4:36 pm
They have had their legislation VETOED by Bush is what has been done. They cannot currently override a Presidential Veto because the Senate is not 67% under their control…Not yet! Read the Constitution would be my recommendation. FYI, Dick Cheney sits as the deciding vote in the Senate.
By Zorpheous on 09.17.08 4:51 pm
Let me rephrase…
The new digital camaeras will do that for you……LOL!
By Tim Pellett on 09.17.08 4:10 pm
Congrats on nailing that little weasle. Now, send it to the Muskoka newspapers and see if they publish it. The test will also be their’s. Good going Tim.
Where does Central Bank get it’s money? Hey you, taxpayer. Step forward now.
Who oversees Central Bank? – Hey you, politician. Not you Dion, sitting on your hands.
Who oversees Politicans? Not you, the citizen that stays home.
By PTDBD on 09.17.08 4:38 pm
PTDBD – I guess you meant to say that Stevie with his appointed friend (aka Bernackie sidekick)..
Dion sitting on his hands? Surprise to me, I thought he was the Leader of the Opposition.
Two shots of a room that size at 18mm with a good external flash would have done just fine for showing the size of the crowd. Then I would have used something like photo stitch to stitch the two together for a panorama shot.
The whole thing is that this mourning having coffee there I got clapping and cheers. Due to Tony,s decline to me there he lost votes and I was the one getting thanks and hand shakes
By Tim Pellett on 09.17.08 4:10 pm
Tim – Could you put it on Utube? That would make a great video. Another example of Stevie’s Mins not allowed to say anything without the approval of Stevie/PMO.
The blogging toadies are reaching desperation levels and coming up with whatever whacko ideas that they can find to create scandals where none exist.
Reason? Because they know that their leader is a lying sociopath and that most Canadians realize it.
Lies, more lies, broken promises, (alleged) broken laws, the blogging toadies are clearly supporting empty rhetoric and nothing more. Well, maybe criminals, we’ll have to wait for the courts to decide that. And the courts will in due course.
The blogging toadies know it, and are clutching at straws. Eventually they will realize it won’t work because Canadians are much smarter than the blogging toadies.
voting machine heads up:
“Finally, on-line voter registration would offer strategic opportunities for Elections Canada to position itself for the investigation of electronic voting, to establish a substantial Government On-Line presence” from…..
http://www.elections.ca/content.asp?section=loi&dir=fea&document=index&lang=e&textonly=false
At 91 he wanted to blog!
Anyway, funny timing for this letter to the editor to come out after Dad’s suggestion, that when a politician makes an election promise and breaks it, they should be fined, and as I recall he said they should lose their job over it. And they should.
Wouldn’t it be funny if it was Dad’s comment here that spawned the letter to the editor?! He’d be so pleased if it were so.
By Barb the proofreader on 09.17.08 12:01 am
Barb – Who knows, but at least your Dad had the idea and you can feel mightily proud of him. I hope you’ll enjoy many more years with him. Did you happen to see that lady in NB who celebrated her 109 birthdy, IIRC. The elder generation were wise. I just hope the younger generation will be as wise and vote out this ‘dictator’.
Neo-cons also get a huge amount of traction from their so-called pro-life stand. But while they are keen to protect the fetus, as soon as it is born the kid and its parents are on their own.”
By CM on 09.17.08 1:53 pm
Hear! Hear! Spot on!
“The electoral process at the federal level in Canada is one of the most efficient and respected in the world”
from: http://www.elections.ca/content.asp?section=loi&document=p1&dir=vot&lang=e&textonly=false
It works great, we are proud of it, other nations are envious of its simplicity….Then, this paper goes on as to how they will automate it and how the proven limitations of this process can be overcome.
Our New Government doublespeak in action.
As my mother used to say when I took apart the clocks…if they ain’t broken, don’t fix em!
Report on Afghanistan costs: independent Parliamentary Budget Officer issues statement
and you thought you’d get an answer before the election…BBBBBbbbrrrrrrrrrahahahahaha
This morning an item on CBC’s 7:00 AM hourly radio news featured Halton riding and the Conservative rally. (Unfortunatley I cannot find an audio link. The 6:00 AM and 8:00 AM hourly news had somewhat different content, a practice that I’ve noticed quite often with CBC; the audio links that are available resemble those two broadcasts rather than the 7:00 AM one.)
The newscast contained clips of Harper addressing the audience, saying that Garth finally has the opportunity to live up to his conviction that floor-crossers should contest their seats in an election (a typical provocative shading of the truth of the matter), and Lisa Raitt using a maternalistic reference — presumably to appeal to female voters — saying that it’s time Garth Turner had a “time-out”. I suppose she thought it was a clever appeal to female voters; personally I found it patronizing to the intelligence of women. By that approach, I guess she’s chosen Sarah Palin as a role model.
The Current featured Stephane Dion during the first half hour its program this morning. He took all questions head on and explained the Green Shift in an extremely clear manner, one that addresses questions that the electorate may have and help bring many more on board. Aside from that, I must commend him on the improvement in his English, not only in pronunciation, but in the sophistication of use. He has definitely been a quick study; I suspect that this campaign and its inherent requirement for him to address large numbers of English audiences has be extremely beneficial on that front. I would hazard a guess that his skill on that front has not been equivalently matched by Harper with his French.
The interview can be heard here:
http://podcast.cbc.ca/mp3/currentdonotusethis_20080918_7595.mp3
I note that Cross Country Checkup is featuring each of the main leaders on its Sunday afternoon program in the lead up to the election. This past Sunday featured Elizabeth May; there is no schedule posted for the next 3 Sundays, but if Dion can express himself and Green Shift with the clarity that he did this morning, then he will go a long way to informing the public just what Green Shift is all about; it’s quite a vision and makes emminent sense.
Stevie, what do you have to say about this CMA Journal editorial concerning the listeria outbreak?
***He said it was one author who said it, not the position of the medical association. “This author is in our opinion not someone who is credible.”***
But, but, Stevie, it says right here:
***The editorial, signed by several doctors and journal editors, states that Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government has reversed much of the progress previous governments made in relation to public health.***
What gives Stevie?
Are you ‘lying’ again?
Just under 500 people (the local paper is reporting 400, here) were in attendance at the rally this evening, compared with media estimates of 1,400 for Dion.
Nice try. the room has a posted capacity of 491.
The hall has two main rooms which open onto each other with a folding wall between, which was rolled back on both occasions. Are you the fire inspector? — Garth
Herb,
I know John Baird has some serious competition, but who is Play Pen running against? This is the second article that you’ve posted in the past few months from a Citizen columnist who is embarassed (naturally) to have junior as their representative. It would make Parliament so much better to have the likes of those two, and Van Loan, flushed from system. I liked the last 2 paragraphs:
PS - I see you've embraced your coding lessons whole heart. Bravo!By Johnny Test on 09.17.08 12:44 pm
You’re a fickle one aren’t you. My guess is “we” whoever that is, did not have your vote anyway.
I’m voting Green. At least they COSTED out their program and actually said they would raise the GST 1% rather than lying.
I know everyone following this election tries to point out solely the policies of each leader/party.
BUT, why do the liberals keep pretending Stephane Dion really has a chance? The reason the libs got in trouble was because of the Quebec Scandal… and then they go and pick a leader who can hardly even speak english. Is there an unwritten rule that all Liberal Leaders must be from Quebec?
Stephane Dion has no charisma at all, his english is so bad he probably can’t even order a Pizza, and he does not look like a P.M. at all. The fact that Liberals keep trying to deny this, just shows they’re are full of it!
Many of us non-party voters are going to cast a ballot for a party other than Liberal simply because Dion sucks…I think that the liberals have underestimated the importance of a strong leader.
You pick a PM on charisma, looks, and pizza-ordering ability? — Garth
• Conservatives: 124 seats (40.3% of the popular vote): 110 men and 14 women.
• Liberals: 103 seats (33.4% of the popular vote): 82 men and 21 women.
• Bloc Quebecois: 51 seats (16.6% of the popular vote): 34 men and 17 women.
• New Democrats: 29 seats (9.4% of the popular vote): 17 men and 12 women.
• Independents: 1 seat (0.3% of the popular vote), André Arthur, Portneuf- Jacques-Cartier, Quebec City.
Oops. For my post at By Straittohell on 09.17.08 5:51 pm, I should have included “dead tie with Republicans in the senate”.
That should make it clearer.
By PTDBD on 09.17.08 6:38 pm
Elections Canada makes a statement on our electoral system as the most efficient and respected in the world and that proves the system isn`t broken by corruption??? Just for starters our Westminster system has had the least reform of all parliamentary systems world wide.
Then of course how far can you trust Elections Canada.
They destroyed crucial evidence that was pertinent to a national investigation and not one was even reprimanded let alone fired or charged with obstruction of justice. But that`s not broken?
a system broken by corruption will not fix itself
By Johnny Test on 09.17.08 7:36 pm
Good enough dude.
At least it is ABC!
Time to get the “garden” ready too, eh?
Not sure about the “lying” part though. I give benefit of the doubt here until the lie can be proven. Personally, I would prefer a 2%++ hike and further reduction in income taxes, but hey, whatever works for you!
Just under 500 people (the local paper is reporting 400, here) were in attendance at the rally this evening, compared with media estimates of 1,400 for Dion.
Nice try. the room has a posted capacity of 491.
The hall has two main rooms which open onto each other with a folding wall between, which was rolled back on both occasions. Are you the fire inspector? — Garth
By wjp on 09.17.08 7:12 pm
This is not my post…I have not posted here since the election was called..
Thank you…
An imposter fire inspector. Somebody call Susan Ormiston! — Garth
So…
The circumstances are different when the Prime Minister attends an event, in terms of security, screening and so on than when another party leader does?
In any event I don’t know that attendance numbers are a good indicator; apparently Dion gets out far larger crowds than other Liberals in Halton.
Somehow I suspect if Dion got 400 and Harper got 1,400 you’d be typing other words. — Garth
By Marc on 09.17.08 5:47 pm
Ah yes…. but that might mean the end to “Kootenay Green”. What a shame! That is, if I still remember things and it hasn’t changed since the ’70’s…
(O my gawd… Just Googled it. They even have a website now!)
Bill Moyers, in his last program, spoke with two journalists about how to deal with outright lies. As he said, it’s hard to “unring the bell”, which is what they’re banking on. (Just about the ONLY thing you can bank on in the current climate.)
The only thing to do is refute every lie as it is spoken, in newspapers, radio and television, and right after it is reported. So, the CBC, say, should, right after it reports what Stephen Harper said, report that Stephane Dion never said aything of the kind. It’s the only way to deal with liars.
That picture of the bouncer in the Con t-shirt? NICE. The future face, or back of the head, of security in Canada.
I feel so much better.
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/09122008/transcript4.html
By CM on 09.17.08 3:26 pm
Hi CM – I saw that show. I have great admiration for Bill Moyers & what he stands for.
Unfortunately, CBC is not PBS. Because Harper wants to privatize them, the CBC’s voice is no longer non-partisan in my view. At least in the US one can donate to PBS & receive a tax credit. BTW, I know that the Bush administration tried to squash their voice by appointing Colin Powell’s son. Unfortunatelty, the repugs in the US hace had a major affect on PBS. I’ve witnessed the constant repeats of PBS programs & endless campaigns for viewer funding. So sad. Our media has been taken over by ‘big business’ to the detriment of democracy.
An imposter fire inspector. Somebody call Susan Ormiston! — Garth
By wjp on 09.17.08 8:41 pm
Shouldn’t be too hard for you to tell since my e-mail address and URL in on here…I suspect the person using my name also has used the name bunny in the past, be my guest and find out…
By Men With Hats on 09.17.08 7:47 pm,
I will try this again.
Who is going to defeat Bill Casey?
Judging by the polls the splashing is the sound of carbon tax proponents walking the carbon tax plank.
By unintended consequences on 09.17.08 11:37 am
So we should do nothing a la Harper’s non-enviro plan.
Perhaps posted before, but just in case…
———————————-
Tory Dissenters ‘Idiots, Turds’
Glen McGregor, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Tuesday, September 16, 2008
OTTAWA — Workers on the campaign of a Conservative MP who declined to participate in the in-and-out advertising scheme in the 2006 election were denounced as “idiots” and a “bunch of turds” by senior party officials, who wanted to “put the fear of God” into them for not taking part in the contentious TV and radio purchases.
The emails obtained by the Citizen show how the campaign of MP Dave MacKenzie in the Ontario riding of Oxford expressed concern about the advertising purchases that would later come under investigation by Elections Canada.
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/decisioncanada/story.html?id=060d55a6-71be-4426-9188-f67987e472f9
Not sure about the “lying” part though. I give benefit of the doubt here until the lie can be proven. Personally, I would prefer a 2%++ hike and further reduction in income taxes, but hey, whatever works for you!
By maybe Rhino? on 09.17.08 8:39 pm
When Canadians hear the words “Revenue Neutral” they are assuming there will be no impact on there wallets. Clearly this will not be the case. The “Revenue Neutrality” the Liberals are talking about is the GOVERNMENT’S wallet.
Nope!
Keep in mind that you’ve bewen a little off your game lately so you shouldn’t “suspect” anything. Sticking to what you can prove to be correct might save you a few misadventures.
I know everyone following this election tries to point out solely the policies of each leader/party.
BUT, why do the liberals keep pretending Stephane Dion really has a chance? The reason the libs got in trouble was because of the Quebec Scandal… and then they go and pick a leader who can hardly even speak english. Is there an unwritten rule that all Liberal Leaders must be from Quebec?
Stephane Dion has no charisma at all, his english is so bad he probably can’t even order a Pizza, and he does not look like a P.M. at all. The fact that Liberals keep trying to deny this, just shows they’re are full of it!
Many of us non-party voters are going to cast a ballot for a party other than Liberal simply because Dion sucks…I think that the liberals have underestimated the importance of a strong leader.
You pick a PM on charisma, looks, and pizza-ordering ability? — Garth
By Aleck on 09.17.08 7:41 pm
Aleck – How shallow your mind is. I’d rather have a non-charismic, but intelligent, trustworthy person as a leader of our great country than a lier. If you can’t understand Dion’s English, I’d say its your problem. Can you understand Harper’s French.
BTW, I’m English but I’m told by my French in-laws in Quebec & France that I speak French very well. I, personally feel I don’t speak as well as I should for all the time I’ve spent learning the language. My pronounciation in French is far better than Harpers.
How sad that so many Canadians have been duped by Harper’s broken promises & outright lies. I guess it speaks to their level of intelligence.
An imposter fire inspector. Somebody call Susan Ormiston! — Garth
By wjp on 09.17.08 8:41 pm
Ought,oh ! A member of the wimmins fire brigade .
By wjp on 09.17.08 7:12 pm
This is not my post…I have not posted here since the election was called..
Thank you…
An imposter fire inspector. Somebody call Susan Ormiston! — Garth
By wjp on 09.17.08 8:41 pm
Hi wjp – I don’t doubt what you said. My name has also been used by CRAP supporters. It’s their modus operandi -deceit, lies, mis-information. They are so desperate that they’ll do anything to achieve their ‘minority’ read actually ‘majority’ govt. I wonder how they can actually look themselves in the mirror each morning, especially with their so called phoney Christian values.
You pick a PM on charisma, looks, and pizza-ordering ability? — Garth
Unfortunately, I think a lot of people do vote for superficial reasons.
Ladies & Gentleman on Garth’s blog I implore you to get your questions together and flood CBC with them. Peter Mansbridge is having each leader on his show. Layton was on this eve. I don’t know when the other leaders will bo on. But I think we should all send in question’s about Harper’s so called enviro plan. Make it a key issue along with others. Ask a question that Harpo can’t evade without looking like the lier that he is. There are so mant intelligent, well spoken people on Garth’s blog that I know will rise to the occassion – those who lost big on the Income Trust fiasco.
Ritz in hot water over wisecracks during listeria outbreak
By Steve Rennie, THE CANADIAN PRESS
OTTAWA – Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz unnerved some public servants at the height of the listeriosis crisis by resorting to gallows humour during a conference call about a public health scare that has now killed 17 people.
Ritz was also deeply concerned about the political fallout from the listeriosis crisis as the deadly disease claimed more victims in the days before the federal election was called, according to sources in on the crisis call last month.
But that concern apparently didn’t stop Ritz from cracking wise while scientists, bureaucrats and political staff listened in on the Aug. 30th call.
Sources who took notes during the call said Ritz fretted about the political dangers of the crisis, before quipping:
“This is like a death by a thousand cuts. Or should I say cold cuts.”
The disease was linked to cold cuts from Maple Leaf Meats.
And when told about a new death in Prince Edward Island, Ritz said:
“Please tell me it’s (Liberal MP) Wayne Easter.”
Easter is the Liberal critic shadowing Ritz’s Agriculture Department.
About 30 people participated in the Sunday morning conference call that began after 10 a.m. EDT. Participants included scientists, senior bureaucrats and political staff. …………….
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/2008/09/17/6796961-cp.html
On the National News Jack Layton was interviewed and called for Harper to fire Ritz from the Cabinet and dump him from the campaign.
And that is just some of the Ritz cracker crumbs on the media tonight! Since I am not elected, nor appointed, I take it that I can make some hot cuts!
You pick a PM on charisma, looks, and pizza-ordering ability? — Garth
Unfortunately, I think a lot of people do vote for superficial reasons.
By Ed Brooks on 09.17.08 10:17 pm
Or do they vote for who they think is the best liar, is maybe the correct question?
You pick a PM on charisma, looks, and pizza-ordering ability? — Garth
Unfortunately, I think a lot of people do vote for superficial reasons.
By Ed Brooks on 09.17.08 10:17 pm
Oh, on second thought, I do know the odd person that just has to vote for who they think will win, not who they think will do a better job. That is the me too crowd, that can’t think for themselves and have never had an original idea in their life!
They destroyed crucial evidence that was pertinent to a national investigation and not one was even reprimanded let alone fired or charged with obstruction of justice. But that`s not broken?
a system broken by corruption will not fix itself
By unintended consequences on 09.17.08 8:36 pm
What evidence was destroyed and when? For what investigation? Seriously, I have no idea what you are referring to unless you are talking about the In and Out scheme seizure which was supervised by the RCMP.
So is this the latest talking point as this is a very serious allegation against our lynch pin for democracy.
Is there even a link or is your tinfoil hat too tight? Better suggestion, go drink more Kool-aid.
Hey Garth, you really get around!
Met a lady at the dog park today and when I asked her what she thought of the election and the local candidates she said you were at her house just yesterday doorknocking. Was quite impressed. Said she’d vote for you if she could but I guess we need the Liberals to fix the whole immigration department file too. I told her she might not be able to vote yet but she can sure volunteer on a campaign and help out. Suggested we could walk the dogs, put up lawn signs and set the dogs on any conservatives we catch kicking signs down. She found that to be quite funny so expect the english lady to show up looking for a volunteer job. How’s the doorknocking going? Any cpc’ers tasered you yet? (what a hostile bunch)
Two shots of a room that size at 18mm with a good external flash would have done just fine for showing the size of the crowd. Then I would have used something like photo stitch to stitch the two together for a panorama shot.
By Randy on 09.17.08 6:21 pm
Thanks for the tip, Photo Stitch, is that commercial product? How much does it cost?
Hey Zorph. Get a Canon camera. It comes with a “Splice” program. I have sent “spliced” pictues of our gardens to M-I-L in Austria that “blew her away”.
I use a Canon S2Is and it is great. The newer models are even better.
By A.R.Wainwright on 09.17.08 5:28 pm
LOL, my wife would kill me, I bought two the Nikon D80 DSLRs two years ago, with underwater Ikelite housing and 150 underwater flash units that we use while scuba diving. I don’t even want to tell you how much that costs for Scuba setups like that (hint, most peoples cars cost less than what I laid out for those cameras a housings) I ain’t about to change any time soon. Not to mention I also have some special macro lenses,…
Nope I will be using this Nikon for many years to come.
Wow! Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz is some kinda comedian .
After fretting about the political dangers of the Listeria scare, Ritz quipped: “This is like a death by a thousand cuts. Or should I say cold cuts.”
What an insensitive jerk .How dare he .
Seventeen families,so far, have lost loved oned to Listeria .
Ad when told another person had diesd on PEI he said he hoped it was AG crituic Wayne Easter .
Yup, nothing but class from these losers .
One of his bold, new ideas was to “shoot up Liberal campaign signs” in Ontario, while offering what he considered an ‘appropriate’ monetary reward.
He is, like the others, representative of the totally contradictory dichotomy within the Harper coterie of “suits.”
Thanks fer askin’ … an’ thanks fer tellin’
BY PYOTR PETROBITCH 09.17.08 7:57 AM
I did not knooow that! Maybe with him locked up in the war room, the signs will be safe.
“During his speech, the prime minister spoke these words: “The liberal leader stated very clearly he wanted to raise the GST back up. He said he would take back the $100 a month child care allowance. And he says he will create a brand new tax on carbon.”
Dion voted against both and opposed both. He said a year ago raising the GST would be an option. You cannot trust him.
The policy of the Liberal party is to keep the GST at current levels, and maintain child care payments. As for not trusting a party’s leader, I have two words for you: Income trusts. — Garth
The sources who spoke to The Canadian Press did so on the condition of anonymity. Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government has been relentless in searching for and punishing anyone thought to have provided embarrassing information to reporters.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/2008/09/17/6796961-cp.html
Two points:
-why has it taken 18 days for this story to surface in the media? As Mike Duffy was saying tonight he is going to investigate if this story was released through one of the other political parties before it was released [now that shows how much he is unbiased and independent]
- and maybe there is some serious PMO black mail and skull duggery threatening civil servants and journalists. Once Harper is out of power I predict that there will be some serious payback. I recall when Diefenbaker won a land slide, there were numerous investigations of the civil service for corruption and out right theft. Numerous Young Conservatives who were Summer Students employed in the civil service were called to testify at those inquiries, including a future Prime Minister! Charges, court cases, and firings did follow. Oh how history repeats itself!
What’s less clear, however, is whether the ongoing flirtation by various provinces with greater private financing and delivery of certain forms of health care is slowly eroding Canada’s legal defences.
[snip]
Another ‘leak’ of the Harper Secret Agenda revealed? I think so, yes indeed! Just where are Steve’s orders coming from? It’s not the Great White North Strong and Free, but the Dark Side to our South!
WAKE UP and STAND UP Canada.
BY BILL-MUSKOKA (NOT ANYMORE) 09.17.08 12:01 PM
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Hi Bill!
I can tell you for a fact that “they” …the U.S. interests, are deliberately eroding our healthcare system, systemically, systematically and from many angles…. and they are relentless over the years, around the world. They want Canada’s healthcare funds so bad. They have money, stealth, an overabundance of networking, and time. And they are very organized.
Bill, I had a personal look. I saw what one of the big med guys looks like, one of the biggest, and saw how they operate. And he was a dirty liar and cheat.
I hear a lot of talk about premiers and past PMs and our healthcare…… Okay, but there’s a “but”. Take the provinces to task for falling for the bullshit of powerful privateers in eroding our medicare — maybe mostly blame their dufus health ministers of the past 15 years and more for falling for LIES from “the pressure groups”.
Ok take them to task. BUT BUT BUT never forget……… big medicine and their lobby has created phony.. phony think tanks, with big names and money and powerful people. It’s EASY to fall prey to them. They did. Any of us would. Until now. Now the curtain has been pulled back.
Scrutinize.
Don’t forget, it’s privateers who are insidiously driving up health costs.
It’s privateers who peck away at our system, with actual phony studies and statistics. Faked!!!
It’s privateers who pocket profits that are normally put back into the system under public healthcare.
It’s big med who own the isotopes. It’s big med who is suing us for billions over the isotopes. It’s big med who want regulations loosened. Geez. Is nobody paying attention? And WHO helps all of this along?
It would seem that yes, other parties have been duped, provincially and nationally, perhaps even have rogues?? Or bought off individuals?? I don’t know. Maybe some bygone errors? It’s happened around the world, Canada is just a bit of a tough nut for “them” … big medicine… to crack.
But….. there is ONE party that IS ALL ABOUT PRIVATEERS !! They have a giant, long history of working for big medicine politically… with stealth.. as Tom Flanagan admits.
Harper’s party. Do not re-elect.
So we should do nothing a la Harper’s non-enviro plan.
By Go Green on 09.17.08 9:13 pm
Depends what your goal is, if it`s to collect tax then Harpers would put more into general revenue. If you`re looking to take on climate change why would I even consider these two excuses to tax.
Today Layton blew his chance to be the leader of the official opposition so his green plan is not in the picture. Same goes for the green and red plan unless you believe in Santa.
Perhaps KPN I should tell you about my experience with cancer, it would probably serve a better purpose than whose green plan will shore up general revenue the best.
Hi Zorpheous. Please remind me when you received my consent to take my picture and publish it on the internet on a political blog. A scan of the consent form will do. You have made me famous.
Just kidding. But any debate about that picture is bogus. I can see myself quite clearly in it and that is 100% what it looked like. There is no deception there. It was packed. I was probably standing right beside you just before it started but at the last second they brought out 4 or 5 more rows of chairs and I was able to get one in the very back row. Too bad we didn’t meet.
And please don’t think I was one of the conservative few in the back that they keep referring to. I was not one of them. Just lucky to get a seat.
So is this the latest talking point as this is a very serious allegation against our lynch pin for democracy.
Is there even a link or is your tinfoil hat too tight? Better suggestion, go drink more Kool-aid.
By Bonnie N BC on 09.17.08 10:39 pm
So that was a serious allegation but when I repeat the system (referring to our elected federal government) is broken by corruption,,, that isn`t.
Nice personal attack you finished with, I take it you don`t want to discuss Elections Canada giving itself a good report. Honestly why would they need to do?
In a sincere patriotic moment I voted non-confidence in the whole system, you can vote anyway you like and personal attacks won`t change my reasons.
But while they are keen to protect the fetus, as soon as it is born the kid and its parents are on their own.”
By CM on 09.17.08 1:53 pm
Oh-my-gosh, ain’t it the truth.
BY UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES 09.17.08 11:37AM
U.C. just a note. My closest relative in S.W. Ontario lives extraordinarily frugally, yet they have good credit and shop for little homes in small towns to flip or rent. They have a very modest income and make very modest profits. They have greened their own home and some of their rentals, as well as homes they sold recently, through governments grants. They live on sweat equity, they have nothing too modern, nothing fancy, and they are happy in a well-balanced renaissance way. They contribute in their own ways too.
My second closest relative lives even more frugally.. and has no time for the shallow grabbing all around.
My third, fourth, fifth… well, let me just say that my people are not wealthy, but they have very intelligent minds and good hearts.
I care about your causes, your problems, your concerns, as I’m sure you care about mine.
But we have big fish to fry. Get with the program of baby steps, or get questioned.
Oh, and quit with the Democrats in the two houses thing, you know damn well that they do not have enough to have the power, and that besides the republicans shun their responsibility and vote in lock step with the president. Now that’s a subject you should read up on.
In the Senate, a majority doesn’t matter, they still need 60 votes — they need 9 more votes.
Also, the Republicans vote as a rubber stamp, so the president has power that he should not have. Congress is abdicating their role as they only vote with the president.
It has NOTHING to do with the Democrats.
It has EVERYTHING to do with the NEOCONSERVATIVE corsortium that has ruled for 8 years, and on and off before that. What’s WRONG with the word? The NeoConservatives are what’s wrong.
Get with the program and help get rid of the long-standing NeoConservative RIGGED game.
Dube,
thanx for the coding-lesson compliment, but it is solely your desert.
I merely printed your summary and put it in a page protector on the other side of my international character cheat sheet.
No point overtaxing the grey bits.Dube,
sorry, forgot to answer your question. PP’s competitors in Nepean-Carlton are Lori Gadzala (Greens) and Ed Mahfouz (Libs). Nothing about either one has penetrated to me in Ottawa Centre, but now I’ll be watching.
Unless there is a wave of revulsion against him or his party in the riding and there is a massive “Red Shift”, it looks good for Peewee Poilievre. Last time, he got double the number of votes of the Liberal candidate – 39,512 to 20,111, 55% to 28%. Gadzala ran for the Greens then too, and got 3,976 votes (5.5%).
What point are you trying to make with the different pictures? That Dion or the Liberals are more popular than the Conservatives? Please……most folks understand Harper’s agenda whereas others are still scratching their head on the Liberal Green Shift plan and tried to take advantage of an opportunity to speak to Dion directly in an effort to seek clarification.
By Barb the proofreader on 09.17.08 11:52 pm
They used to be called Slavers, and the gluttonous morons want to keep it that way at all costs. That is why the U.S. has NO National Health Care program. One either conforms to working for a corporation and paying the criminal HMO’s or they are left with the choice of bankruptcy or life when serious illness or injury strikes them down.
Their Theme Song should be the chorus from the Eagles song ‘Dirty Laundry’…’Kick ‘em when they’re up, kick ‘em when they’re down. Kick ‘em in the guts, kick ‘em all around!’
Oh, and quit with the Democrats in the two houses thing, you know damn well that they do not have enough to have the power,wrong.
Get with the program and help get rid of the long-standing NeoConservative RIGGED game.
By Barb the proofreader on 09.18.08 1:33 am
Not sure what the `my people` comments added up to but Congressional oversight doesn`t take any votes, just getting the job.
There have been several of us including Garth talking about the economy for over a year. If there was a time to take down the Conservatives it was last spring yet Dion pushed ahead with the GreenST. Not exactly inspiring Cdns to vote LPC. Not the kind of failed program I`d want to `get with`. If you recall at the time I said timing was everything, that a severely failing economy could hurt the LPC more than the CPC, have you checked the polls lately?
As far as caring about my concerns, don`t put yourself out, the future of Canada is certainly a small fish compared to winning an election. Perhaps we can take it up when the next election starts on Oct 15th 2008
here`s a little fish I`m frying
no justice, no investment
most folks understand Harper’s agenda By Confused on 09.18.08 7:58 am
Tell me Confused, just what is on Steve’s agenda if he gets a majority gov’t.
I would really like to hear it from you.
Small Fish
Report out of Vancouver, school bullying out of control.
Gangs of youths setting fires.
Armed police in every school.
Mischief up 39%
That`s the generation of the highest number of parent denied children ever, the generation I`ve been warning about.. Add that to the following.
Even with cooking the crime rates we are still left with;
More police per capita now then ever before.
Highest property crime rate in NA
Highest number of unreported crime ever.
I don`t think cooking the bigger fish while letting all the little ones rot is much of a plan, more like extinction of our social ecology.
By unintended consequences on 09.18.08 12:20 pm
And now kids are selling contraband chips, choclate bars etc. out of their school lockers.
By Confused on 09.18.08 7:58 am
Aptly named, no doubt.