$700B Bailout! Is It A Deal or No Deal?

The bubble has burst on the "brain trust" that was the American financial sector. This is the biggest government bailout in history. Deal or No Deal is the question and this bailout is not a slam dunk yet. Where is Howie Mandel when you need him? The package is still in some serious trouble with opposition from a significant segment of the Washington political class – House Republicans.

The very same Bush-league laissez-faire Republicans who our own Harper Conservatives see themselves as Bush-Republican clones. These guys have systematically reduce the responsible role of government to protect citizens from excess and abuses of greed and graft.

As the Congress and White House look at passing a law on how to nationalize the American financial sector they are putting the taxpayer on the hook of $700B of more borrowed money. No doubt that money will be from more borrowing that will undoubtedly come from China one again. This will serve to make the Americans even more vulnerable and subject to the whim of the Chinese.

The chance for a world-wide recession is still very real and confidence in the marketplace is going to erode significantly, including Canada. The expectations are for a steep economic decline as credit tightens up. The TSX is down over 535 points as the time of writing and crude oil is down $6 a barrel.

The Report On Business front page story today shows that Canadian CEOs are the most pessimistic they have been in years. The Harper claims that Canada is on track for a surplus this fiscal year because just one month has shown as surplus so far does not add up. Confidence has shifted under Harper’s watch. In June 2008 58% of CEOs were looking for moderate to strong growth in the Canadian economy. One quarter later, the September 2008 confidence shows 60% of CEOs now believe the economy will go into strong or moderate decline. This is more volatility that we have seen in the election polls this time around.

It is time to look seriously at Harper’s approach to crisis. Can a one-man-band who thinks he is the only smart person in any room he visits be worth the risk? The Conservative bench strength has Harper and Prentice as the talent – now that Emerson is gone. Skills and competence of the Harper cabinet drops off dramatically after those two men. There is no “I” in team and there is no Harper team either. Do we dare put our entire future into the hands of one man – namely Mr. Harper? All of us are smarter than one of us Mr. Harper.

The Liberals have lots of bench strength economically, environmentally and socially and a proven positive record in managing the economy in tough times. It is time to bring back Paul Martin, the best Finance Minister Canada has ever had. He turned a $46B Mulroney deficit into a long time string of balanced budgets, paid down debt and ended up with a $12B surplus.

Harper squandered that $12B surplus in less than 2 years. The facts show that Harper is not the fiscal managers and stewards of the taxpayer’s dollars. He misleads in this area like he does in many other policy areas. Harper is not only not worth the risk. He is the risk.

We are all going to be in this together and for a long time. We should deal with it together...not just depend on Harper as a one-man political and policy band to deliver us from this evil. Vote for a team approach and that means you need to vote Liberal on October 14th.

A Progressive Conservative Senator Speaks up on Climate Change

Here is what a Progressive Conservative thinks about climate change…and is prepared to speak up on the subject. Elaine McCoy was appointed to the Senate by Paul Martin as a Progressive Conservative, an identity she upholds even today.

Too bad Peter MacKay sold out the Progressive Conservative Brand after saying he would never do it - and then putting that promise in writing. Shameful - but not for a Harper Conservative - like he is now.

Can you imagine Stephen Harper appointing a person to the Senate from another party? He won’t even let his own MPs talk in public, never mind allowoing Cabinet Ministers to have a voice or even a thought that is not absolutely controlled by the PMO.

If Harper controls his government so tightly today, imagine what he would do with an unfettered majority!

(h/t to James Curran)

Harper's Probationary Period Is Over - It's Time For an Election

Take a few moments and read this link from CTV. It provides an interesting perspective and judging by the comments so far, an election in the late spring would be timely. It is clearly Dion’s call when to force an election. Harper tried to engineer one this past fall but that was about pure opportunity politics and not about good governance.

The sniping and carping by the Cons that is all about messaging and not governing has runs its course. We are tired of Canada’s new government and tired of being environmental front men for the Bush White House.

Harper has proven his indifference to social issues, his ineptness at environmental issues. He will expose his incapacity to deal coherently with the emerging slowdown of the economy in the Budget.

The Harper minority government was elected for two reasons. To declare our disgust with the Chrétien government and, as Gomery found, the willful blindness that enabled the corruption in the Montreal wing of the federal Liberal party. Secondly we were prepared to give the Harper Cons a chance but only as a probationary minority government.

Chrétien and Martin are history and there has been enough time for the Liberals to regroup and for Dion to assert his leadership. The probation period for Harper is also effectively over and we now know a lot more about how he would lead us and where.

It is time for an election and for the wisdom of the Canadian voter to once again to decide what policy issues we consider to be important to the future of the country and how and by whom we are to be governed.

Was Prime Minister Harper Really Out-of-the-Loop on the Mulroney/Schreiber Affair?

Can you believe that Prime Minister Harper, the master of micro-managing-message-control, was out of the loop for seven months on a letter sent to him from Karlheinz Schreiber alleging serious wrong-doing by former PM (and current Harper mentor) Brian Mulroney?

Given that the letter was accusing former Prime Minister Mulroney of serious abuses of the highest political office in the country, can you believe the Privy Council Office’s characterization of the letter’s content? What were they thinking when, according to media reports, the CPO decided the Schreiber letter to Prime Minister Harper as merely dealing with a civil suit between two private citizens and therefore Harper need not even be advised of the letter's existence, never mind the content?

Mr. Harper’s recent threats in response to the opposition parties (and many Canadians) saying they want him to investigate this matter saying we had “better be careful what we ask for” in demanding a sitting PM investigate a former PM. This attitude was pure unvarnished and unscripted Stephen Harper at his most insinuating, intimidating and threatening best. He implies with such a request to investigate the Mulroney/Schreiber affair there could also be other investigations of other former PMs. Scary stuff.

If further investigation of other PMs is warranted Mr. Harper, then that sir, is exactly what I and other Canadians would expect you to undertake. Your insinuation that this may bear some “consequences” to other politicians and other political parties is damaging to your own reputation as PM and brings into question your own fitness for service the highest political office in the land.

The last time Harper launched such an investigation it was politically motivated and over certain communications, polling and advisory contracts with former Prime Minister Martin and a consulting firm. That firm was also heavily involved in Martin's bid for leadership of the LPC and in his last two election strategies. The investigation mandate Mr. Harper set then was to look for any wrong-doing and skullduggery by the contractors and Mr. Martin. That appointee was seen by most as more of a political provocateur than an indifferent and independent investigator. He was supposed to report back on his findings in 6 months and that time has long since past without any report being released by Mr. Harper. We don’t even know if Harper has actually received such a report as yet. Not an encouraging record Mr. Harper.

Mr. Harper indicates he will appoint an independent third party to investigate the issues and allegations around the Mulroney/Schreiber affair. He says that appointment announcement may come as early as this week. Mr. Harper needs to prove, through this action, that he has the character and capacity for service in the highest political office in the land. If he aspires to a majority government with virtually unfettered control that would bring to him, and as was enjoyed by Prime Ministers Mulroney and Chrétien, he can do much toward ensuring that outcome in the next election by the appointment of a truly independent person to do this review.

Be careful who you appoint this time Mr. Harper and be very open and transparent with the mandate and terms of reference and be generous with the resources you afford this investigation. We are talking about the integrity of the highest political office in the land and not some clever political out-of-season campaign ploy like your series of “who-is-not-a-leader” negative TV ads against Mr. Dion. Please do not politicize this situation Mr. Harper.

Our faith in our democracy demands that we look to you Mr. Harper as our Prime Minister and as the leader of our government to ensure the necessary accountability is extant in dealing with these difficult circumstances.

While you ponder the appointee and the nature of the assignment please put a stay on the extradition of Mr. Schreiber for a while too. We need him in Canada to be examined under oath surrounding the various allegations in his recent affidavit on this matter. The Germans can wait a bit longer to pursue their tax evasion and fraud charges against him. Right now Canadians need to know if he can prove his allegations or not.

I'm not taking bets on if Schreiber can prove his allegations or not. I am hoping, for the sake of the confidence of the country in our political institutions, that he can't. Time will tell.

Harper and Day Do the Right Thing With the New RCMP Commissioner Appointment

I am usually very critical of the Harper Con-government but when they do something right or courageous I will applaud. I think the appointment of William Elliott as the new RCMP Commissioner is both right and courageous. I give this move more than applause. I actually give it a standing ovation. Mr. Elliott has proven to be able and respected in a trans-partisan way, serving in Prime Ministers Mulroney, Martin and now Harper.


The deplorable leadership and inept management culture of the force has been cancerous to the goals of good policing. Commissioner Elliott need not, and should not, wear the red serge uniform of the RCMP. That is something one earns through professional policing and service on the front lines. However he need not wear the uniform to run and reform the organization. He is, by all accounts, a capable and earnest public servant. It is that sense of duty to public service that has been missing in the nepotism and mismanagement of the RCMP leadership of late.

The RCMP is to serve the public and live up to its motto by “Maintaining the Law” we need fundamental change…especially at the top. There is too much evidence showing disturbing incidences were the management and leadership of the RCMP has been in service of more private and personal interests. There are examples where there have even been serious breaches of the law by the RCMP! That is unacceptable and only "serves" (sic) to undermine public confidence in their credibility and ability to maintain the law.

It is time for big changes in how the RCMP is run. That is clear. To presume this can be done only from the “inside” is a privilege that the RCMP, as an organization and an institution, has squandered. To those traditionalists who believe the military culture of a police force cannot be lead by a civilian, they will have to adapt. The RCMP is not just their organization. It is Canada’s police force that has a proud history and was at one time a proud symbol of our country.

It is time to restore the confidence of Canadians in the RCMP and to return it to a reputation as a respected, effective policing authority and an enduring international symbol of what is good about Canada.

Good luck Commissioner Elliott and good job Stephen Harper and Stockwell Day.