While waiting for the Alberta Budget speech today, I have to take a few minutes and comment on the Elections Canada initiative to enforce the legislation they are entrusted to enforce. The spending dealings and the positioning of the Harper Conservatives with the RCMP assisted investigation has to be treated judiciously.
The Cons are spinning and framing of these events as merely being a “visit” by the RCMP. This is like suggesting you are leading a parade when there are people with tar and feathers who are actually chasing you out of town. The selective messaging to selective media in secret briefings only undermines the credibility and erodes confidence in the Cons as being of sufficient character to continue governing. The unsubstantiated allegation that others have done this too is the well worn Cons ground saying “that yes we are bad but the other guys are worse.” Canadians are not tricked, amused nor reassured of having an effective and responsible government with such ill-conceived defenses.
The Cons say the facts are agreed upon but I think that is premature until Elections Canada confirms they also agree on the facts. There are some significant fact discrepancies to my mind, that go beyond the spin and positioning of events perpetrated by the Cons. Consider the Cons said they gave Elections Canada everything they asked for. Apparently Elections Canada felt compelled to go to Court and get a search warrant to ensure they got all relevant documents…and they felt it necessary to engage the RCMP in helping to enforcing the search warrant.
Hardly seems like the parties are on the same page, never mind agreeing on the facts. We will never know if the $1.3million of additional advertising spending the Harper Cons that was shuffled from over 6o candidates to support key Quebec candidates had an impact on the election outcome. That is a concern, especially if the conclusion of the Elections Canada investigation finds that the Cons broke Canadian law. However there is very little we Canadians can do about that now. We have to wait until the next election when we can rethink about who we wish to grant our consent to govern us.
The hypocrisy of the Harper Cons is breathtaking and has been for quite some time. They are not as keen on providing Canadians with a good government as much as they are focused on beating down Stephane Dion. We will never know how many millions the Cons spent for party donations on the Dion TV attack ads. This was more Harper Con cleverness because the money was spent outside the Writ period, but when they thought an election was imminent, but those funds would not have to be included in campaign spending limits. Again the Cons show too much cleverness by a half. Now the Cons are abusing their free postal privileges with Canada Post and flooding the country with pamphlets that harp on the Liberals but not providing good government.
The fact they have been unsuccessful at engineering their own defeat has frustrated the, perhaps it is time Mr. Harper called upon the Governor General and tender his resignation. I expect Dion and Layton would not want to try a coalition government and Mr. Harper would have his “dream” election immediately.
If the Conservatives are so bad, simply bring the government down. My guess is that the Liberals and Dion are too weak to do so. Please make these arguments only when you have the backbone to vote the government out.
ReplyDeleteThe polls seem to indicate that the Liberals would not dare to have an election. Why call an election when the CPC is ahead of them at the polls?
ReplyDeleteThis Anonymous comment is the proof of my point. The government of Canada - as chosen by Canadians-was a Conservative minority.
ReplyDeleteThat was by the conscious intention of the electorate. The Cons have to get used to it and deal with it.
We expect that the minority Conservative government was set up in the last election and given the opportunity to prove itself to be worthy of a majority through showing capacity, competence and character...OR NOT!
Sadly the proof to date has been TENDING into the "or not" category in terms of capability, competence and Character...in particular.
Canadians do not want another election that proves nothing. They have given Mr Harper and his crew a chance to prove themselves.
According to the polls Canadians are consistently putting the Liberals and the Cons neck and neck. The Liberals have not yet redeemed themselves and the Cons have not yet proven themselves. This proves that nobody is yet deemed as sufficiently appropiate to govern with a majority.
To go to the polls now to only result in another ineffectual - but possibly AT BEST a less feckless government is a waste of time, attention and mostly money.
Dammit - PRIME MINISTER Harper - please provide evidence that you realize the job is to prove to the Canadian voter/citizen that you are worthy to be trusted and sufficiently capable of earning the respect of Canadians to be a leader and a statesman.
The job of the leader of Canada and Canadians is not to show how well and cunningly you can browbeat and belittle the Liberals. They are quite capable of inflicting that on themselves without your passion for such perseveration.
Mr. Prime Minister...please lead, follow of get the hell out of the way and let someone else lead your party. Your time sir has passed. It is time to exit stage Right along with Mr. Bush. Perhaps by this November or at least in November 2009 – but it is your call sir!
Eric - the polls are so close that the Cons and Libs are consistently statistically tied. If you really believed what you say - you would be calling for the Cons to
ReplyDeleteresign and force and election immediately.
Don't insult the intelligence of readers of this blog with such inaccurate and unsubstantiated commentary.
When I see articlies like this, the biggest joke is to suggest this blog is anything but conservative.
ReplyDeleteI advise as follows. Either:
ReplyDelete1. Stop the constant criticism of Stephen Harper; or
2. Admit it, you're a Liberal.
And I expect this not to be censored.
Anon @ 3:46 - Thx for the "advice." Should I be afraid of you because you are a Harper Con and deem yourself to be part of a power structure that I need to fear as a citizen?
ReplyDeleteAs for your "suggestions" about how I ought to behave...
#1 In a free and democratic society I will criticize who ever ichoose from those in authority for whatever reasons I feel are important...but always within the law.
#2 I am an Alberta Progressive Conservative and a Federal Liberal and admire much about the Green Party.
You got a problem with that go read the Blogging Tories - you will be happier but lesser for it.
Next time you expect not to be censored have the courage to tell us who you are. Don't ever think you can get away with trying to intimidate a voter/citizen AND a taxpayer.
This attitude expresed by this coward is exactly why the Cons have to be resisted and defeated.
They are out of control and purely lusting for power...at all costs. Good governing is a bother and a barrier to their true "political agenda."
"If you really believed what you say - you would be calling for the Cons to
ReplyDeleteresign and force and election immediately." Oh, duh, the Conservatives unlike the liberals believe in electoral reform and, as such, have instituted legislation for fixed elections. Don't insult your own intelligence on that one.
Anon 3:46, you do not have to read much about Ken's blog to show that his reasoning is weakened much by his partisanship. However, that is not to say that he makes some good points once in awhile but only that you cannot take his frail arguments (which are often simply liberal talking points) at face value.
Ken good to see you have come out of the closet politically speaking. Good for you.
ReplyDeleteDuring the 90"s I was a provincial tory and a federal reformer.
Was given a hard time by the red tories but so be it.
It is time to drop the labels and discuss ideas on merits.
I have found over the years that I learn more sometimes from people who hold a different view than I have.
I learn when I listen to why they feel the way they do.
The problem as I see it is we have a dialog of the deaf and when that happens nothing changes. at least generally nothing good.
Ken there are some issues we might never agree on for different reasons ,
What a shame if that stopped us from working on issues that we agree on.
I look forward to your comments and points of view
Keep up the good work.
David Fletcher Past President Edmonton SE Reform party.
PS Not everything the cons are doing are bad. some not so good but everything the Liberals did was not all good or bad either. The problem is when you involve people in politics you get all the baggage that comes with it.
Thx for the comment David...it seems to me that political parties have too much control over the system and citizens do not like to join them for many reasons...the subject of another blog post perhaps.
ReplyDeleteI think left-right labels don't help to describe the reality in pragmatic politics today. Just look at the last how many huge PC spending budgets we have had in Alberta and for good reason given the neglect in the final Klein years. Square that with the calls for curbing public spending by the Alberta Liberals and Dippers and you can see why left-right distinctions are myths these days.
You are also right that Harper is not evil incarnate and he has done some good things. I try and comment favourably on such events every chance I get.
I will be dong a complementary post on his NAFTA position at the recent Three Amigos meeting in New Orleans for example.
I have done other applauding posts around event on the Harper government good things...most recently the Radstat2 satellite sale decision. I liked his position and decision on Income Trusts - too bad he did not campaign on that position.
If you search this blog for Harper you will find other supportive posts.
Thanks for your participation on this Blog David for a number of reasons, your thoughtful and quality content, your civility and also for not being anonymous.
eric...the fixed election date is your best example of electoral reform by the Cons?
ReplyDeleteSurely what must be the longest running minority goverment in Canadian history has more to show for itself than that.
What about the much touted Accountability Act of Mr. Harper? It has been passed but most of it remains unproclaimed and of not force and effect. The intent and spirit of it has been seriously and repeatedly abused by the Cons ever since they took power.
Don't forget Chretien's monumental electoral reform that strengthend the Reform party significantly. Chretien changed the campaign fund raising rules to eliminate the power of big business and big unions and gave it back to the individual citizen.
The Reform party was and is excellent at gather and sustaining grass root support and digging out the dollars from individuals.
Because of Chretien you guys have been able to collect millions of dollars in donations from your base supporters to spend on TV attack ads against Dion. By running them outside the election Writ period you do not have to worry about breaking Canada's election laws - unlike your Party and its "players" have worry about now.
Not too cool eric...and it points to a character flaw in those who are leading and running the Cons as a party.
Canadians don't like bullys and cheaters.
Pointing out one act of democratic reform does not preclude other acts - your logic is weak to say the least. My guess is that you would not pass an LSAT nowadays!
ReplyDeleteI almost feel sorry for you. You state how terrible the CPC is but at the same time your leader is much too weak to call an election. How can you continue to support such a weak leader? Many of my liberal friends are already plotting for the next leadership race? I am glad you have this so-called in and out scandal - it at least gives liberals a little bit of ammo.
Hey eric - I accept your insults, concerns for my intelligence and well-being and "pity" as a badge of honour - considering the circumstances and the source.
ReplyDeleteeric - I am worried about you. Your tone has changed recently. You used to be more substantial and considered in your comments. You now seem more defensive and anxious about things. Why else would you lash out like this last comment?
Are you being bullied and intimidated by your own party now too? Is there a line you have to show you can toe as a CPC member? Do you have to prove your loyalty to the "leader" and "gang" by engaging in such bravado and bluster?
As to the merits of your comment...why won't Harper just call and election? It is within his power to do so. Or is he too weak a leader too?
Surely you don't think Mr. Harper has any fear of a plot against his leadership - not any more than Fidel Castro would have feared a coupe against his leadership.
Mr. Harper only has to fear his caucus revolting is if he fails to get a majority government next election.
Surely Mr. Harper has come to believe that he has already won the hearts and minds of most Canadians. The "reality" he perceives must be that the country is on his side and that a Con majority election outcome is guaranteed.
I can't fathom then, under such circumstances, that Harper would not merely resign and force and election. Please explain eric why Mr. Harper is not calling his own election if he wants one so badly?
What are we missing about the confidence and conscientiousness of the Harper Con government?