For a man who likes to exert total control over his cabinet as well as the federal bureaucracy, Stephen Harper, who is called “Doughboy” by some staffers, can’t seem to co-ordinate his own brain with his own mouth. (The Doughboy handle comes from Harper’s pasty complexion).
Before the last election, Harper blurted out the canard that public funding for political parties would be stopped. That of course would have left the field wide open once again to the power and influence of corrupt lobbies. After a public outcry, Harper. quietly dropped the idea.
And before that he had promised that we would go a full four years between elections. Then he got all excited about the possibility of steam-rollering over Stephane Dion and grabbing a majority and broke that promise.
He has broken other agreements and promises like The Atlantic Accord and Canada’s traditional support for equalization payments to the provinces. He made a treacherous decision to tax income trusts – much to the dismay of Canadians reaching retirement age. A great many Canadians have been hurt by Harper’s apparently mindless decisions. The list of his broken promises is too long for this page.
But even worse, Mr. Harper has behaved in some very un-Canadian ways and his sniping at Michael Ignatieff is not only inappropriate but hypocritical. For example, even before he became Prime Minister, he made several anti-Canadian speeches and statements – some of them in the Parliament of this country.
In 1997, Harper said that Canada should scrap the Canada Health Act.
He supported the Iraq War and advocated in Parliament that Canada should join in.
He decided as P.M., to extend Canada’s commitment in Afghanistan, and increase this country’s combat role, even though no coherent strategy existed.
Harper has been called the most pro-American Prime Minister in the history of our country. Now he’s doing the opposite and calling the Americans profligate deficit spenders.
And most absurd is his latest poorly-thought-out statement – he is saying that this country – which pioneered the development of medical isotopes starting more than half a century ago – should get out of the business entirely.
This is perhaps Harper’s most anti-Canadian position yet.
Some of us at RW are urging Canadians to contact their local political representative. (Sample letter below for readers in the riding of Huron Bruce).
To: lobb.b@parl.gc.ca
Subject: medical isotopes
Dear Sir
Our government’s failure to protect Canada’s production of medical radioactive isotopes, and the Prime Minister’s decision to end Canada’s production of medical radioactive isotopes, is this generation’s equivilent of the Avro Arrow debacle. Another Tory disaster.
Our government has put the health of all Canadians in jeopardy. We will dependent on other countries for these life saving isotopes, and it will be the end of research and development in this field in Canada.
Apparently, there are billions to spend on a misguided war in Afghanistan, and billions more to bail out failed corporations, but nothing – apparently – to spend to ensure Canadians have continued timely access to life saving medical isotopes.
Respectfully.
signed:
cc: pm@pm.gc.ca
Thanks for this Jim. Can’t understand why you’re not syndicated in the Globe, Star, Free Press, etc. Oh wait, I think I can figure it out, seeing where they come from.
Anyway, keep up the good fight.
although….
answer me this. Why the hell doesn’t Iggy pull the plug on this disastrous government. He’s squandering any credibility they may have gained- Canadians will get over the hype about another election and the media will play it with the usual bias depending on who, or what, you read. So get on with it. Get these people out. Give Canadians a chance to vent some anger.
They missed their chance with the isotope fiasco- or were likely worried their track record on the reactors and the isotope program was just as bad. They missed their chance on Afghanistan. They missed their chance on massive bailouts to corporations. They could have pushed for hikes to the Old Age Security and especially the Suppliment- which would have benefitted the poorest Canadians- old age pensioners who receive only the paltry government pension to survive on. (I don’t get the suppliment so I have no vested interest) Every dime that the suppliment was increased would go right back into the economy almost instantly, spent on food, rent, heat, etc. One hundred dollars a month immediately to the suppliment for the poorest Canadians and let the corporations go begging. It would be the right thing to do- the decent thing. So it won’t be done.
Now, Iggy and Steve are “talking” Candlelight dinners one supposes. And they wonder why we’re so cynical about them and all of it. Cooking up a deal between them, saving some face, and continuing to sell the rest of us out. Did you know Candians are starting to take Candian flags OFF their back packs when travelling through Urope and Asia?
A summer election? Bring it on. The result would be probably the lowest voter turnout in Canadian history- indicative of our collective disgust with them all- and another minority government, possibly Liberal. Welcome to the Italianization of Canadian politics- Italy has had I believe over 60 governments in the last sixty years. Including the current bizarre incumbent.
When the dust clears? get ready for “we have no choice” to cut programs or raise taxes or both likely. But don’t expect the Royal to post a third quarter loss.
I’m so angry at it all I could just spit.
-Bill
Bill, Jim
Methinks the Harvard Hatter will hold off.
He is a vain, arrogant and smart man. He knows not to fix something if it’s not broke.
The Cons have only started sliding in the polls.
Why not wait for the Igneffitable tsunami of spitting-rage against them, followed by a purging the likes of which Canada hasn’t seen since “Suitcase” Mulroney was sent packing.
Methinks he would like the really Big Majority Hat which will allow him to effectively ignore the Cons and everyone else in Canada for that matter.
By waiting for a thumping majority he will also teach these Conservative arses a lesson which will last well beyond our lifetimes.
What joy in picturing the likes of Kenney, Day and Clements not only out of office but rejected by their constituents.
Applying for jobs.
Teehee
Unrealistic but I have to get through the day….!
Well, the “news” is just out. They’ve agreed to set up a committee to look at employment insurance. The consultants, lawyers, hangers on and sundry wankers are all looking forward to their contingincy fees, power lunches at Winstons, and more, much more of the same. The government’s been saved from the abyss and we can all go back to sleep now.
No doubt the unemployed, who either don’t qualify for U.I. or those whose benefits are about to run out, are breathing a sigh of great relief. Thank goodness, they’re going to study it further. We’re saved. And Steve and Iggy get to keep THEIR jobs. A win/win.
These bastards are so far removed from the reality of ordinary, working, Tim Hortons Canadians they make me sick. And the media fawn on them. They’re so outraged by what the U.S. State Department is telling them to think about Iran that they don’t realize our government and our country are becoming a sad joke.
Ah, well. The rest of us will just tune out, which is probably the plan all along. We’ll spend the summer gazing- in part like deer in the headlights and part in frustration and anger as more jobs are lost, the banks continue gouging people on credit cards, as more young Candians get slaughtered in Afghanistan for nothing, as workers and their unions continue to take the right wing media blame for all that’s gone wrong, and as we watch gas prices go up and up for no apparent reason other than the oil companies just want to stick it to us. I’m looking forward to the usual traditional government inquiry into gas prices- any day now.
How the hell do I get on the receiving end of this “study” gravy train, instead of on the paying end?
-Bill
Thanks for your great comments gentlemen…I don’t know why I do this when you two can do it so much better.
In any event…if we were running this country it would be a paradise on earth…No?
We just have to take a deep breath and hope that Harper, Iggy, Layton and the rest get sucked into some sort of deep abyss from which they will never re-emerge.
Then we can stroll down to Ottawa and put things right.
Heheheh
Sorry to disappoint you guys, but my rants come from the far left. I’m a lifelong socialist, albeit democratic. Though I have to admit to voting Liberal just once- for Pierre Trudeau in 1968- caight up in it all.
Since then, I’ve felt that only the New Democrats spoke for me when it came to social justice, the environment and a sane foreign policy. I’m a strong believer in Unions, and think working Canadians need them more than ever before. If there’s any one in Ottawa I could and would vote for, as all my friends and family know, it would be the New Democrats. The party of Tommy Douglas.
We’ve all been around the block enough to be jaded by politicians, and political parties- to feel betrayed at the compromises and downright sellouts, whether that be to the car insurance companies, wage and price control’s, GST, etc.
But at the end of the day, short of overthrowing the system of parliamentary democracy (so called) that we have in place, we have to take a stand, and make a choice. And when all the hype, spin, agenda, doctrines, personalities, media
bias, downright proaganda, self interest, and class consciousness are swept aside, I’ll make my stand with the party of social democracy.
Doesn’t mean we can’t still write. Just so you know where I’m coming from.
Until the revolution comrades
Bill
A quiet revolution, yes.
Legislation to address the likes of this Alberta Finance-minister idiot telling her audience that one parent per household should stay at home, which has nothing to do with her government’s mandate, followed by an apology.
Or Cabinet-idiot Lisa Raitt and her belated blubbering over the isotope-disaster….
How many apologies are we expected to hear in a month or a year?
One CBC comment says, let’s hear them all AFTER the election.
I agree.
This shallow damage-control posturing disgraces elected office.
Let’s have a law where they have to post their complete apologies to be verified AFTER the next election or by-election, with whatever compensation or litigation is required.
Private members bill?
I’d support it.
L.A.- about as much chance of that as the Hon. members voting to voluntarily reduce their snuffling at the trough.
I’m afraid that not only can we not look to them to behave ethically, for the good of the country, but we should forget expecting them to have any meaningfull answers to this mess, or a credible plan to get us out of it. They stumble from one crises to another. Damage control, denial, spin, power politics. And until the U.S. “turns around” whatever that means, we’ll continue to slide- more jobs gone, more companies and individuals bankrupt. If the economy is slated to come out of the recession in the third quarter of this year, thats because we will have dropped into a depression. Indeed, in some places, Windsor for example, depression is the word most frequently heard.
It should becoming rapidly clear to all Canadians that we’re on our own here. If it gets deeper and much worse, we’ll be ready for alternatives and some of them may not be pleasant.
-Bill
Hi Jim, L/A, and Bill:
Great posts here guys. I’m on the same wave length as Bill. My Grandfather used to take me to all the CCF meetings to hear the likes of Tommy Douglas and Dave Barrett. I’m a coal miners Grandaughter and a lefty both in politics as well as being left handed as well. Including guitar playing. How’s your music coming along L/A?
I love this site, and hope you are doing well, Jim.
Sending my love from the West Coast today, and just had to comment on the great posts.
Hi all…and hi sherry…I am doing well. I’m knocked out by the quality of these comments and appreciate everyone’s participation.
It shows that there are Canadians who still care and who believe in our future as a nation.
For that I and I’m sure allof us…are grateful.
Thanks Sherry- nice to know there are fellow travellers out there. I’m thankful for Jim’s site. We’re lucky here as one of the local magazines carries his columns as regular comment- probably the only alternative voice many people here in this rather conservative area (Bruce County of Ontario-we have a tory M.P.) that tends to be somewhat red necked, anti union, and apolitical.
But…there is always hope as Gandalf would say.
-Bill