Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper

[JDenver]

I really just don't get it. I think, like Ken says, that Conservative voters are pretty smart. So what happened?

Didn't they vote for 'accountability' and 'transparency'?! It's almost absurd to write it down, there's such a disconnect in the actions of the party. This is the most secretive government I've ever seen. This government is shocking in how they flaunt their disdain for people.

Remember the pamphlet they circulated to members about how to disrupt and dismantle the important work of committees by walking out, not showing up, changing the schedules last minute, and so forth? That alone is so egregious they should have been run out of office for it - and no, no other party has EVER done something so obviously malicious and undemocratic. MP's who have been there for decades show shock and frustration at current Conservative tactics.

I won't ever again believe that Conservative voters are intelligent and decent people until they ask for more from the party they choose to support.

 

[Gordon Nore]

Thanks, guys, for the correction on Mackay.

 

[Blade96]

i like cool aid btw. Just make mine raspberry =]

in seriousness, ken does have a point about the cool aid. some drink cool aid' of the liberals and ndp and such. I dont, but some do. and they'll say "naw my party dont stink' when in fact it might smell of bad eggs.

but those of the Conservatives should be careful not to drink in their party's Cool Aid either. they are loyal so they should be careful their loyalty does not get them to drink coolaid they shouldnt be drinking. I understand with you, ken, you like tories. and you wouldn't wanna say too much bad about Harper, because, he is your leader.

I'd say though, just keep an eye on him. He isnt a tory of the PC kind.

 

[Gordon Nore]

In fairness, I don't think any of the anti-Harper posters here qualify as Kool Aid drinkers per se. None of us has ringingly endorsed any of the opposition parties. Realistically, though, the partisan filter prevents us from seeing flaws equally. I hadn't realized that Bob Rae had prorogued parliament. It comes down to perspective, I guess. To me, Bob Rae -- for all his faults -- kept me in a job (teaching community college) by instituting a number of unpaid days off work for public employees. Mike Harris had thousands of us on the streets within a year after taking office. Such things profoundly how we percieve our leaders.

 

[Ken Morgan]

There’s drinking Cool Aid and then there’s sipping Cool Aid.

If we like one leader or party, we tend to give them the benefit of the doubt when we hear stuff, and equally dismiss those we aren’t fond of with scorn or mistrust. Everyone has a bias, everyone.

Every time you hear any and all politicians speak, they are speaking in such a way as to make themselves and their parties appear in the best possible light. That’s part of their job. I read at least four or five news sources everyday, because I know there is a bias in all of them. I even read the news off of the party sites too.

Have you ever noticed the left leaning papers? Whenever the Feds do something good, the headline is “Ottawa does….”, but whenever it’s something bad, the headline is “Harper does…” or “Conservatives do….”

I hate all media, I just want facts!! Let me make up my own opinion!! :shock:

Has anyone, besides nerdy me, actually read the policy documents published by the major parties? There is some good stuff in all of them. I guarantee that if you read any of it you would agree with 80% - 90% of it all, even the CPC stuff. It all comes from the political grass roots, you, me and Bob next door. There is Green and NDP stuff you’d swear was CPC and CPC stuff you’d swear was LPC or NDP. Try giving some of it a read sometime…when you have problems falling asleep…

 

[Ramirez]

In fairness, I don't think any of the anti-Harper posters here qualify as Kool Aid drinkers per se. None of us has ringingly endorsed any of the opposition parties. Realistically, though, the partisan filter prevents us from seeing flaws equally. I hadn't realized that Bob Rae had prorogued parliament. It comes down to perspective, I guess. To me, Bob Rae -- for all his faults -- kept me in a job (teaching community college) by instituting a number of unpaid days off work for public employees. Mike Harris had thousands of us on the streets within a year after taking office. Such things profoundly how we percieve our leaders.

I never like Rae's policies, but but I always thought Rae had integrity.
Peterson I never forgave for playing Captain Canada and offering to give up Ontario's senate seats to Quebec in perpetuity during the Meech Lake meetings.

on the federal level , Chretien and Martin screwed over Ontario on equalization and things like EI benefits. I was quite happy at the time when Ontario turned on them after years of neglect and dismissal as to Ontario's concerns.

Actually Ken I was a CPC member when Harper first ran for leader, although I joined more to vote against Stronach who had the arrogance to think an entry level job in politics for her was prime minister....guess she thought Daddy owned Parliament too. So I was one of the ones that voted for Harper as CPC leader.

 

[Gordon Nore]

Actually Ken I was a CPC member when Harper first ran for leader, although I joined more to vote against Stronach who had the arrogance to think an entry level job in politics for her was prime minister....guess she thought Daddy owned Parliament too. So I was one of the ones that voted for Harper as CPC leader.

You were a member of the Communist Party of Canada, Mark? :uhyeah: Kidding.

Yeah, Stronach's play for the Tory leadership at the first go-round was pretty bold. I was actually a bit startled to see that she trotted out former Ontario Premier Mike Harris at the convention -- he was sitting with her camp. Remember when Jean Charest (December 14, 1993 – April 2, 1998) was the federal Tory leader, down to two seats, then only one seat in the House? He wouldn't take a meeting with Harris. So Stronach putting Harris out, front and centre, was an indication to me that she was playing to the far right of the party.

Then, out of nowhere, not seconds after seeing her squeeze Mackay, she goes into a meeting with PM Jean Chretian and walks out a newly minted Liberal. How do you go from palling around with Mike Harris to being a Chretian Liberal in, what, a few months?

Mind you, Stronach wasn't the first to aim high. Gerard Kennedy went after Bob Rae's old seat and Lynn MacLeod's old job as Ontario Liberal Leader. He ran the Ministry of Education in Ontario for a few years, and then ran for the federal Liberal leadership. Layton essentially leap-frogged from local Toronto politician to national NDP leader. It happens.

I'd like to see Kennedy take another run at the federal Liberal leadership. He's smart and hard-working. He brought all kinds of peace and goodwill back into the education sector in Ontario. I'd part with my traditional NDP vote to support him.

 

[Blade96]

Stronach is a douchenozzle. I still think that.