More evidence Mr. Harper is opposed to or afraid of Free Speech. Apparently reporters were not allowed to talk to Chuck Cadman's widow and Conservative candidate at a recent Harper political rally in B.C.. This is leadership in a a free and open society that values democracy? Harper clearly does not want citizen to get informed on the issues in this campaign nor to investigate his political character in this election.
Harper fears what will happen if citizens engage, get informed and show up to vote. They may make a consider decision and not be subjected only to the mediated and manipulated by spin by the Harper War Room.
It is even more alarming to consider the point in this CTV blog post that the RCMP may be engaging in partisan politics beyond "protecting" Harper. It appears they are actively keeping reporters away from speaking to protesters and candidates. If so they are not "Serving and Protecting." They are keeping the truth from Canadians.
UPDATE: I just got Kady O'Malley's take on this RCMP shilling too. It is worth reading and reflecting on as Harper rehearses for a police state.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Harper's "Drive By Smearing" of Alberta Does Not Sit Well
Neil Waugh of the Edmonton Sun has trouble understanding that I can support the Alberta PC Party and vote Liberal federally. He once said I stood out in the Alberta PC Party “like a mustard stain on a tie.” I liked that, especially coming from Neil. I also like what Waugh has to say about Harper’s “drive by smearing” of Alberta last week.
Last week Harper, in Trudeau- like arrogance, once again decided to unilaterally imposed Ottawa into Alberta’s Constitutional rights over our natural resources. Is a new Ottawa politically inspired NEP being imposed on Alberta and this time from a Prime Minister ELECTED from Alberta? What breathtaking political overconfidence. This is just another example of how consistently Harper takes Albertans for granted.
Without any prior notice to the Alberta government, never mind some polite, if not required, intergovernmental consultation on such critical issues, Stephen Harper, the man who would be "President of Canada", waltzed into Calgary last week and kicked Alberta in the economic groin. He stood up and said he as Prime Minister would be the “Decider” about what countries would be eligible to buy our Alberta bitumen - and on what terms.
Harper has proven through his betrayal on Income Trusts that we can't trust his word. He has proven that he has no respect for the Rule of Law in how be broke even his own law on fixed elections. Now we know he has no respect for Federalism, Alberta and keeping government from interfering in the free market system. How UnConservative can you get?
Harper has been taking Alberta and Albertans for granted for over a decade. Alberta needs to send him a message on October 14 and show him we are not his lap dogs. Nor are we Albertans going to continue to act like sheep that he can depend upon to be herded into the voting booth with our ballots already mentally marked for his party and his "leadership."
Change in conservative politics in Alberta has happened before. Albertans sent the Ralph Klein leadership a strong message in the 2004 provincial election when 210,000 supporters stayed home or voted Alliance. The PC Party deposed Ralph a few months later, much to his surprise. Presumptive front runners, Dinning and Morton were found to be wanting in the last PC leadership contest and were denied power by the voters. Stelmach won! Significant political changes do happen - even in Alberta!
It is time for Alberta to send President Harper an equally strong message about change. Not showing up to vote is not the best way to send the message. Low turnout allows the politically powerful presume you are content with them and the status quo since you could not be bothered to show up at the polls. They conveniently fail to recognize the protest in low voter participation.
Showing up and voting strategically works much better. If you want to simply park your vote, vote Green. They will not elect anyone but it encourages them and they get $1.75 for each vote. That helps them get organized and get their message out for next time. Disgruntled conservatives can vote swap and support independent conservative candidates in Edmonton Sherwood Park (Jim Ford), as well as in Calgary and Medicine Hat.
If you want a wise, informed, strong contrarian ecological voice, you can arrange to help Linda Duncan, a Dipper, in Edmonton Strathcona. Imagine how the national media would react if Alberta sent a Dipper to Ottawa. The overzealous Conservative Party War Room would have to do some serious soul searching if that were to happen in Alberta.
If you want to drive Harper to distraction then help out Liberal Jim Wachowich in Edmonton Centre. Last election the Cons threw everything they had at Anne McLellan and finally beat her. Anne McLellan won this seat many times against all odds, with slight margins because of a strong campaign organization, exemplary personal qualities and by tapping into the contrarian Edmonton political spirit. Jim Wachowich has inherited that mantle from Anne is ready, willing and able to represent that contrarian Edmonton Centre spirit again.
It is your country and your province and the election results decide YOUR government. In a democracy you always get the government you deserve, whether you voted or not. Tired of Harper taking you for granted? Let him know that in no uncertain terms with a smart choice and a strategic vote on October 14.
Last week Harper, in Trudeau- like arrogance, once again decided to unilaterally imposed Ottawa into Alberta’s Constitutional rights over our natural resources. Is a new Ottawa politically inspired NEP being imposed on Alberta and this time from a Prime Minister ELECTED from Alberta? What breathtaking political overconfidence. This is just another example of how consistently Harper takes Albertans for granted.
Without any prior notice to the Alberta government, never mind some polite, if not required, intergovernmental consultation on such critical issues, Stephen Harper, the man who would be "President of Canada", waltzed into Calgary last week and kicked Alberta in the economic groin. He stood up and said he as Prime Minister would be the “Decider” about what countries would be eligible to buy our Alberta bitumen - and on what terms.
Harper has proven through his betrayal on Income Trusts that we can't trust his word. He has proven that he has no respect for the Rule of Law in how be broke even his own law on fixed elections. Now we know he has no respect for Federalism, Alberta and keeping government from interfering in the free market system. How UnConservative can you get?
Harper has been taking Alberta and Albertans for granted for over a decade. Alberta needs to send him a message on October 14 and show him we are not his lap dogs. Nor are we Albertans going to continue to act like sheep that he can depend upon to be herded into the voting booth with our ballots already mentally marked for his party and his "leadership."
Change in conservative politics in Alberta has happened before. Albertans sent the Ralph Klein leadership a strong message in the 2004 provincial election when 210,000 supporters stayed home or voted Alliance. The PC Party deposed Ralph a few months later, much to his surprise. Presumptive front runners, Dinning and Morton were found to be wanting in the last PC leadership contest and were denied power by the voters. Stelmach won! Significant political changes do happen - even in Alberta!
It is time for Alberta to send President Harper an equally strong message about change. Not showing up to vote is not the best way to send the message. Low turnout allows the politically powerful presume you are content with them and the status quo since you could not be bothered to show up at the polls. They conveniently fail to recognize the protest in low voter participation.
Showing up and voting strategically works much better. If you want to simply park your vote, vote Green. They will not elect anyone but it encourages them and they get $1.75 for each vote. That helps them get organized and get their message out for next time. Disgruntled conservatives can vote swap and support independent conservative candidates in Edmonton Sherwood Park (Jim Ford), as well as in Calgary and Medicine Hat.
If you want a wise, informed, strong contrarian ecological voice, you can arrange to help Linda Duncan, a Dipper, in Edmonton Strathcona. Imagine how the national media would react if Alberta sent a Dipper to Ottawa. The overzealous Conservative Party War Room would have to do some serious soul searching if that were to happen in Alberta.
If you want to drive Harper to distraction then help out Liberal Jim Wachowich in Edmonton Centre. Last election the Cons threw everything they had at Anne McLellan and finally beat her. Anne McLellan won this seat many times against all odds, with slight margins because of a strong campaign organization, exemplary personal qualities and by tapping into the contrarian Edmonton political spirit. Jim Wachowich has inherited that mantle from Anne is ready, willing and able to represent that contrarian Edmonton Centre spirit again.
It is your country and your province and the election results decide YOUR government. In a democracy you always get the government you deserve, whether you voted or not. Tired of Harper taking you for granted? Let him know that in no uncertain terms with a smart choice and a strategic vote on October 14.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Harper Takes on Alberta's Natural Resource Rights Over Oil Sands.
I like what the Sudbury Star has to say in its Editorial Today. Isn't this supposed to be Deep Blue Harper country? People are catching on to Harper, taking a second look and realizing he can't be trusted.
As for bring a steady hand on the economy in uncertain times, he blew that in Calgary on Friday. He created enormous uncertainty in the Alberta oilsands sector with his no bitumen export sales unless he says so. This is a direct interference in Alberta's Constitutinal right of control over natrual resources.
It is not just an Alberta issue since the oilsands are the only thing driving the Canadian economy these days. Remember 60% of all Canadian oilsands activity and money happens outside Alberta. Everyone will suffer from the inevitable economic declines adn increased political uncertainty due to Harper's interference in the marketplace. Some free trader he has turned out to be.
As for bring a steady hand on the economy in uncertain times, he blew that in Calgary on Friday. He created enormous uncertainty in the Alberta oilsands sector with his no bitumen export sales unless he says so. This is a direct interference in Alberta's Constitutinal right of control over natrual resources.
It is not just an Alberta issue since the oilsands are the only thing driving the Canadian economy these days. Remember 60% of all Canadian oilsands activity and money happens outside Alberta. Everyone will suffer from the inevitable economic declines adn increased political uncertainty due to Harper's interference in the marketplace. Some free trader he has turned out to be.
Harper "Achingly Close" To a Majority
The EKOS polling firm has gone deeper than most pollsters in this election. They are not stuck in the misleading national poll numbers but rather do seat projections in each province. Their results are much more interesting and nuanced than the other polls I follow.
The voter volatility in Quebec and Ontario is the key to the results in this election. EKOS says the BQ is on track to win BIG in Quebec. The slight shift of a few hundred voters will make all the difference in the outcomes in ridings in Quebec and Ontario. I expect lots of drama on election night and the issue of a Harper majority – on not. Canadians may have to wait until BC decides that issues one way or another on October 14.
The four way horse race in BC in other polling results is misleading because it ignores the efficiency of the Conservative vote in Lotusland. The Conservatives are in the driver’s seat to win big in BC. EKOS has projected them at 24 seats as of yesterday with the NDP doing rather well with 8 seats and a Liberal meltdown to 4 seats. B.C. is no long the "Left Coast."
The Cons are “achingly close” to a majority with 146 seats according to the EKOS seat projection. The Liberals are getting down to John Turner level of seats and now projected at 66 with almost 2/3 of their seat projections coming from Ontario.
EKOS shows a resurgence of the Bloc in Quebec that is apparently thwarting the Harper majority with a little help from a slight shift in Ontario to the Liberals who were closing the seat gap with the Conservatives in the past week.
The easy to overlook “sleeper” result in this weeks EKOS seat projection is the prediction of 1 LIBERAL seat in Alberta. That has to be Jim Wachowich, who is my choice in my constituency of Edmonton Centre. Harper is taking Alberta for granted and Edmonton is a contrarian place and may be sending him a message.
The voter volatility in Quebec and Ontario is the key to the results in this election. EKOS says the BQ is on track to win BIG in Quebec. The slight shift of a few hundred voters will make all the difference in the outcomes in ridings in Quebec and Ontario. I expect lots of drama on election night and the issue of a Harper majority – on not. Canadians may have to wait until BC decides that issues one way or another on October 14.
The four way horse race in BC in other polling results is misleading because it ignores the efficiency of the Conservative vote in Lotusland. The Conservatives are in the driver’s seat to win big in BC. EKOS has projected them at 24 seats as of yesterday with the NDP doing rather well with 8 seats and a Liberal meltdown to 4 seats. B.C. is no long the "Left Coast."
The Cons are “achingly close” to a majority with 146 seats according to the EKOS seat projection. The Liberals are getting down to John Turner level of seats and now projected at 66 with almost 2/3 of their seat projections coming from Ontario.
EKOS shows a resurgence of the Bloc in Quebec that is apparently thwarting the Harper majority with a little help from a slight shift in Ontario to the Liberals who were closing the seat gap with the Conservatives in the past week.
The easy to overlook “sleeper” result in this weeks EKOS seat projection is the prediction of 1 LIBERAL seat in Alberta. That has to be Jim Wachowich, who is my choice in my constituency of Edmonton Centre. Harper is taking Alberta for granted and Edmonton is a contrarian place and may be sending him a message.
More Canadians Believe in Big Foot Than Politicians Will Keep Election Promises
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation always struck me as frustrated Libertarians who compromised themselves enough to support Harper’s Conservatives on fiscal issues so they did not look extreme. Ironic don’t you think.
Well they have done some good work that Progressives like me have tended to overlook. The CTF work product that recently caught my eye at first glance looked like it originated with the Rhinoceros Party. To presume that would be wrong. It is the handiwork of the CTF and it underscores the depth of cynicism in the Canadian public over confidence in our political leaders to keep election promises.
This CTF sponsored poll was done way back in January 2008, when nobody was really paying attention, post Christmas and way before an election was anticipated. The poll asked at least one fundamental question that must have been judged as top of mind for every engaged Canadian by the CTF.
Q19 - Which is more likely to happen... Politicians will keep their election promises or Scientists will prove the existence of Big Foot.
The results will astound you. 58% of Canadians have more faith in science proving the existence of Big Foot than they do in politicians keeping election promises. Only 27% of Canadians chose the honest politician option.
This result is funny, then sad and finally, it is depressing, as you think about it. This shows just how inadequate we have come to view our democracy and the condition of politics in Canada these days.
The political cynicism about political leadership was consistent across the board, demographically and geographically. Only my Alberta and in good old Sask/Man, both Harper Conservative strongholds, was there any sense of some variation.
In Alberta only 51.5% of us favoured Big Foot’s discovery over trusting politicians. A full 18.4% of us were “Unsure or Undecided, so I am not sure where 1 in 5 of us is leaning (sic) to being unsure about such a question.
Sask/Man folks were split equally between believing in Big Foot or in believing political promises. Not sure what that says about voters there either but I will default to being "encouraged" that they took the question seriously (sic).
We already know Harper does not keep promises like Income Trusts and he breaks his own laws like Fixed Election Dates. Just imagine what Harper would do to us with the absolute power of a majority government! It is starting to look that that Harper majority will be the unfortunate outcome to this election.
You always get the government you deserve in a democracy. Cynicism is not an option this election.
Well they have done some good work that Progressives like me have tended to overlook. The CTF work product that recently caught my eye at first glance looked like it originated with the Rhinoceros Party. To presume that would be wrong. It is the handiwork of the CTF and it underscores the depth of cynicism in the Canadian public over confidence in our political leaders to keep election promises.
This CTF sponsored poll was done way back in January 2008, when nobody was really paying attention, post Christmas and way before an election was anticipated. The poll asked at least one fundamental question that must have been judged as top of mind for every engaged Canadian by the CTF.
Q19 - Which is more likely to happen... Politicians will keep their election promises or Scientists will prove the existence of Big Foot.
The results will astound you. 58% of Canadians have more faith in science proving the existence of Big Foot than they do in politicians keeping election promises. Only 27% of Canadians chose the honest politician option.
This result is funny, then sad and finally, it is depressing, as you think about it. This shows just how inadequate we have come to view our democracy and the condition of politics in Canada these days.
The political cynicism about political leadership was consistent across the board, demographically and geographically. Only my Alberta and in good old Sask/Man, both Harper Conservative strongholds, was there any sense of some variation.
In Alberta only 51.5% of us favoured Big Foot’s discovery over trusting politicians. A full 18.4% of us were “Unsure or Undecided, so I am not sure where 1 in 5 of us is leaning (sic) to being unsure about such a question.
Sask/Man folks were split equally between believing in Big Foot or in believing political promises. Not sure what that says about voters there either but I will default to being "encouraged" that they took the question seriously (sic).
We already know Harper does not keep promises like Income Trusts and he breaks his own laws like Fixed Election Dates. Just imagine what Harper would do to us with the absolute power of a majority government! It is starting to look that that Harper majority will be the unfortunate outcome to this election.
You always get the government you deserve in a democracy. Cynicism is not an option this election.
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