Sir Stephen Harpsalot

[bouche]

I just read the most idiotic quote by Stephen Harper today.

"I'm flabbergasted at the amount of taxpayers' money these guys are prepared to throw around to keep themselves in office, and I'm flabbergasted at what the NDP prepared to settle for and what they're not prepared to settle for," Mr. Harper said

This is what he calls...throwing money around ?

"The deal would see the Liberals spend $4.6 billion in new investment over two years for the environment, affordable housing, foreign aid, and post-secondary education and training - the same amount of money Martin had previously committed to corporate tax cuts, starting in 2008.

Layton had demanded the Liberals eliminate $4.6 billion in proposed business tax cuts so the money could be spent on social programs. But the deal only calls for the tax cuts for big corporations to be put off.

Promised cuts for small-and medium-sized businesses will remain. In an interview Wednesday with The Canadian Press, Martin said those tax cuts will be included in a separate piece of legislation. "

Edited April 27, 2005 by Guest

[TomFoolery]

Harper's job is to be flabergasted. He has to be upset at this. Coupled with the fact that he's a complete a$$hole and that's what you get...

[StoneMtn]

I don't know if he'll be reading this, as he's been notably (regrettably) absent lately, but I'd be interested in hearing Hux's comments on this.

[MarcO]

The Liberals could burn $200 million of taxpayers money right on the front steps of Parliament and it would still be preferable than the Conservatives having an opportunity to unleash their sick social policies on waht should be one of the most progressive and liberal societies on Earth.

(that was a long.

sentence!)

[bouche]

oh...I guess he's also calling it the following:

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper has vowed to topple the Liberal government over its "deal with the devil."

[MarcO]

wow. a minority government behaving like a minority government (making deals, compromises, adjustents etc.)!

sponsorship scandal aside, isn't this what Canadians wanted???

I don't want a Spring election but if one is called I'll be laughing my ass off when we go to the polls and ........ re-elect the Liberals!!

Fuck you Stephen Harper.

[MarcO]

oh...I guess he's also calling it the following:

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper has vowed to topple the Liberal government over its "deal with the devil."

and another thing!

so, a "deal with the devil" eh? the devil here being the party pushing for affordable housing for the poor, affordable tuitions for students and a financial commitment to the environment, all things I firmly believe most Canadians are genuinely concerned about and would love to see addressed, for once.

Is it just that Harper knows that he's gonna (hopefully) lose the upcoming same-sex marriage legislation and just can;t handle the fallout from that?

What does he possibly think he will gain from forcing an election at a time a majority of the country doesn't want one?

[AdamH]

I find it hilarious that in dollar terms this is only about $100 million dollars. A friend in Public Works said that more is spent every year maintaining federally-owned buildings that were purchased for possible re-location, never filled and still remain vacant.

At least the sponsorship part had some sort of purpose to be taken advantage of. Maintaining a roach motel and not leasing it out?

[Kaidy Mae]

I've said it before and I'll say it again...

SUZUKI FOR PM!!!

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/

[AdamH]

And as for your other comments MarcO I think it's fairly certain that Harper would win given the liberals approval rating is at its lowest in twenty years. A conservative minority but a win all the same. For all we know, Jack Layton is sitting damned pretty and, after a few more non-confidence votes, Canadians may get so fed up with the two majors that they bring in the moustache to really take a chance with things....a chance I'd like but one that the country isn't ready for at the moment.

I met Jack at the Van Morrison concert, in the men's washroom no less, and was impressed that he was unimpressed with the show. The fact that he speaks his mind about things is a nice change from poor Paul and his teleprompted, robotic speeches. At least Steven Harper has some sort of opinion on things.

If Harper wins it's likely that Stockwell Day would be our foreign affairs minister! The guy who thinks the world is 5000 years old!

[d_rawk]

Very sleepy (Caribou!) so this will be muddled, but ...

Yeah, as it stands right now, everyone stands to benefit from a June election except the Liberals. The BQ & CPC in particular. It's funny, because I remember a thread on here not so long ago (Missle Defense?) where we were talking about how it wasn't in the Conservatives interest to force an election. Things change fast. The Conservatives are now outstripping the Liberals nationally, and are even edging them out in Ontario (first time since 1985) - this is a rare window of opportunity for them.

Harper is doing what Harper is expected to do given the circumstances - capitalize on the fallout of the Gomery inquiry while it's hot. People seem to have it in their heads that not only have the revelations been damning to the Liberal party in general, but that they've been damning to Martin in particular. Martin himself will most likely be exhonerated of any personal guilt or wrongdoing in the inquiry's final report, so it would serve the Conservatives well to have the public go to the polls before that happens, while the public is still (mistakenly) under the impression that Martin is himself directly and knowingly tied into the scandal.

*shudder* at the thought of Stockwell as foreign affairs minister. I'm still bewildered that he was made foreign affairs critic for that party.

Although these folks are salivating at the prospect:

Stockwell Day Award

(unfortunately not a joke)

[timouse]

I've said it before and I'll say it again...

SUZUKI FOR PM!!!

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/

so how do we convince mr S to run? i don't think i could face a government made up of warmed over reform party yahoos. paging david suzuki, it's democracy calling, will you accept the charges?

[bouche]

TONIN FOR PRIME MINISTER!

[d_rawk]

That'd be fun, but of course you can't actually "run" for the office of PM. I s'pose you could try to convince him to join the Liberal party and challenge Martin for the leadership at the next convention, whenever that will be.

[AdamH]

so how do we convince mr S to run? i don't think i could face a government made up of warmed over reform party yahoos. paging david suzuki, it's democracy calling, will you accept the charges?

:crazy:

Celebrities as politicians was a bad thing win governor arnold did it. It would be even worse to elect a celebrity based on his stance on one issue.

[StoneMtn]

One issue? We should elect him on the basis of that funky-ass goatee, alone!

[TomFoolery]

Sh!t. They way this country is currently run, the good people of this board could do a better job with the assistance of a few well picked monkeys.

[Kaidy Mae]

I'd vote for Tonin.

[MarcO]

And as for your other comments MarcO I think it's fairly certain that Harper would win given the liberals approval rating is at its lowest in twenty years. A conservative minority but a win all the same. For all we know, Jack Layton is sitting damned pretty and, after a few more non-confidence votes, Canadians may get so fed up with the two majors that they bring in the moustache to really take a chance with things....a chance I'd like but one that the country isn't ready for at the moment.

I met Jack at the Van Morrison concert, in the men's washroom no less, and was impressed that he was unimpressed with the show. The fact that he speaks his mind about things is a nice change from poor Paul and his teleprompted, robotic speeches. At least Steven Harper has some sort of opinion on things.

If Harper wins it's likely that Stockwell Day would be our foreign affairs minister! The guy who thinks the world is 5000 years old!

Well, if there's one thing to keep front and centre with Canadian politics, it's that anything can happen! If what you are suggesting is a strengthened NDP (to the point of forming a gov't?) than I have no problem with that. They got my support last year and will surely get it again, unless my riding becomes key in stopping a Conservative march to power, in which case my priorities shift.

I simply do not believe that Canada will elect a Conservative government under these circumstances. Firstly, I don't believe anyone thinks they (the Conservatives) wouldn't get in similar problematic situations given the opportunity (the only thing here is the Liberals got caught) but more I feel Canada is not ready to roll back the hands of time in terms of it's social and cultural policies. And they are trying to paint Martin as desperate to cling to power when all he has done is ask for Canadians to wait for the results of the inquiry that he himself commisioned before passing judgment on him, and simultaneously done what minority governemnts should do - wheel, deal, and make things happen through compromise and negotiation. Finally, no-one really wants an election right now. This could really backfire on Harper.

Or am I just too optimistic?

As for Layton, I think your story speaks of his character in spades. I can't even imagine another federal politician being so upfront and honest - even on a relatively trivial matter. Good for Layton. I am glad he is on the federal political scene. Looks like Billy Kreutzmann too.

[Booche]

"I don't believe anyone thinks they (the Conservatives) wouldn't get in similar problematic situations given the opportunity (the only thing here is the Liberals got caught) but more I feel Canada is not ready to roll back the hands of time in terms of it's social and cultural policies."

Yeah right. Put the bong down hippie.

Let's hope when push comes to shove people will be too scared to vote for Harper much like last time, but I dont know bud. The spin doctors are having a grand ole time right now.

[bouche]

Voting Conservative = Deal with the Devil

[Del]

Not that I'm for the Conservatives or anything, but the Liberals have to pay for what happened. If there's an election and the Liberals end up winning, what kind of message does that send? It says "It's ok to fuck us over...". I don't care if Martin was involved or not, he is the head of the party and should sink with the rest of the ship...

[timouse]

another tonin supporter here that is if we can't convince mr suzuki to run...

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

Count me in for a vote, Mark!

[hamilton]

"I don't believe anyone thinks they (the Conservatives) wouldn't get in similar problematic situations given the opportunity (the only thing here is the Liberals got caught) but more I feel Canada is not ready to roll back the hands of time in terms of it's social and cultural policies."

Yeah right. Put the bong down hippie.

Let's hope when push comes to shove people will be too scared to vote for Harper much like last time, but I dont know bud. The spin doctors are having a grand ole time right now.

I'll keep my bong right where it is, thank-you very much.

From CTV News:

Liberals and Conservatives tied in latest poll

The Strategic Counsel's Ontario poll results

CTV.ca News Staff

Updated: Thu. Apr. 28 2005 11:34 PM ET

A new poll shows that if an election was held today, the Liberals and the Conservatives would be neck-and-neck in the race for national support. The numbers show a boost for the Liberals in the past week, indicating a recovery from bombshell news from the sponsorship inquiry.

In the total sample of the poll, conducted for CTV and The Globe and Mail by The Strategic Counsel, Liberals are polling at 30 per cent and the Conservatives trail close behind at 28 per cent. (That two percent gap is within the poll's margin of error, meaning the parties are statistically tied.)

The NDP are at 21 per cent in this new poll, and the Green Party is at 10 per cent.

In Quebec, the numbers are less encouraging for the Liberals: They have 16 per cent support, compared to 55 per cent for the Bloc Quebecois and nine per cent for the Conservatives.

"The grip they have on the province of Quebec is getting tighter and tighter and tighter," said pollster Allan Gregg of the BQ's continuing strength. "And the federalist forces appear to be in complete disarray."

Nationally, the numbers indicate Conservative support has weakened in the past two weeks, after a surge during the worst of the sponsorship inquiry revelations.

"In two weeks, as the news agenda shifts away from corruption to now election timing, they are now on the wrong side issue, and their support falls," Gregg said.

The polling was done between April 24 and 27, starting three days after Prime Minister Paul Martin's televised speech last Thursday. That's when he pleaded with Canadians to await the results of the sponsorship inquiry later this year before judging the actions of his government.

Canadians seemed to take kindly to Martin's suggestion. According to the poll, 61 per cent felt Martin's offer to call an election within 30 days of receiving the sponsorship inquiry report was reasonable. Another 33 per cent felt the offer was unreasonable and six per cent said they did not know.

These numbers, more of which will be published Friday morning, show voter volatility, much more than one would have seen in a federal campaign 10 or 15 years ago.

"It's an entirely different game," says Gregg. "If you were eight points ahead you couldn't lose, if you were eight points behind you couldn't win. Today we're seeing polls move 15 points in two weeks."

Polling details: This poll was conducted for CTV and The Globe and Mail by The Strategic Counsel. Telephone interviewing was conducted between April 24 and 27, 2005. The weighted nation-wide sample is based on 1,000 which yields a margin of error of 3.1 per cent 19 times in 20. (Note: Proportions may not sum to 100 per cent due to rounding.)