Outremont

Many Quebecers have told me that they don't like Stephane Dion because he lectures to them like a father lectures to a badly behaved child. I think that a by-election provides an electorate the opportunity to rebel without the severe consequences of a general election loss. Meaning that you can elect an NDPer without worrying that somehow you are electing a government. The voters can say to the LPC and Stephane Dion we don't like the way you have been treating us so we are going to elect someone other than a Liberal. When it comes to a general election I believe that the voters of Outremont will behave differently.

That being said the LPC had better examine the campaign they ran. A poor choice in candidate for the riding, poor organization and party infighting are not going to win a campaign. I can't understand why Dion would appoint a candidate who isn't liked by the Jewish community. Even if the perception of the candidate as being anti-Israel is wrong, it is a huge obstacle to overcome in politics perception is everything. Reading the post of Justin Tetrault it is clear that this wasn't a well run campaign. The party infighting is also documented in that post.

As for the Conservative gains, it is Brian Mulroney all over again bribe the separatist voters with federal money and powers and reap the dividend for your party. To hell with the country all Harper cares about is staying in power.

Overconfident

Stephen Harper must be so confident in his ability to win Quebec and the West that he is writing off the Atlantic Provinces.



That is the only explanation for his reaction to current events, even if you are right, the wrong thing to say is sue me. All you are doing is highlighting the fact that you are not willing to listen to someone else's viewpoint. It is the typical response of an adult bully. Am I surprised that Harper won't listen to other viewpoints? No I am not. Am I surprised that he would be so open about it? Yes I am, I thought that he was a much better politician.



Not only is he losing voters in Atlantic Canada, he may be losing caucus members. The true Harper is coming out particularly as it relates to Atlantic Canadians who he has slagged before.

It makes you wonder why they even voted Conservative in the last election?

Humour Works

I wish I was as funny as Rick Mercer.

He has summed up this Prime Minister and his government perfectly!

How does He do it?

Jean-Pierre Blackburn has been able to misuse government money and break all sorts of rules without there being a huge outcry from the Canadian public. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070527.wblackburn0527/BNStory/National/home

How does He do it?

This is so blatantly wrong and against the rules that he should resign immediately. When will this government be accountable? Harper touted accountability in the election campaign and passed an Act called The Accountability Act, yet he has a cabinet with members who think that everyone is accountable but themselves. This just further proof that the only thing that Mr. Harper has ever been interested in is to obtain and maintain power, to hell with morals and principles.

Black and White

I believe that there are too many bloggers who portray things as being black and white (to use an old cliche) when the truth is that most issues are not clear cut. For instance Harper's trip to Afganistan, while clearly it is a political move that is intended to aid him politically it also serves a useful purpose of improving the morale of the Canadians serving there.

Should Canadians be in Afganistan? That is a different issue and if you want to question our role in Afganistan and NATO I respect you for it but don't portray Harper as being completely wrong in visiting our troops.

I want to make it clear that I am no fan of Mr. Harper and his government in fact I work everyday to get Harper defeated and since the end of the Soviet Union I question the need for NATO. But as long as Canada is a member of NATO we need to honour our obligations.

What bothers me right now is that other NATO countries don't seem to be willing to do the same; Canada has asked other NATO member countries to do more in Afganistan with no success. Perhaps it is time for NATO to be moth balled; not completely disbanded but end its operational functions until its role can be debated by the member countries.