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The Liberals kept saying he was *scary* *scary* *scary* and incapable of governing. He has definitely proven he is not scary and capable of governing. Most Canadians don't want to go to the polls every 18 months. This minority was a probationary period. Harper has passed it, so time to give him a majority. I completely agree...time to give Harper his much deserved majority...

Do you remember the outrage when Harper dared to state that truth during the last election??? Some people think it cost him a majority. Doubtful, but you never know. I can't imagine why it would have cost him a majority. Is it not so plainly obvious that it is THE TRUTH? What cost Harper a majority was the fact that the election was not 2 weeks later...that would have been a Harper majority.

Newsflash! The CONSERVATIVES are the governing party and have made some overtures towards missile defence Norad/Nato etc. But lets look at the recent past. While I am not impressed with the Liberal role towards the Canadian Military, I don't think it can be fairly said with regards to the BMD that Paul Martin Supported. I don't know why Harper hasn't been more supportive of missile defense as PM with the exception of the fact that he is worried that he is in a minority situtation. A majority of Canadians may oppose missile defense but they are just Liberal brainwashed idiots...the reality is that Canada is in missile defense whether we like it or not.

Torontonians dont think that. We know that many centres exist all over the world. We just know that TO is the centre of Canada. In my opinion, Montreal will always be the true cultural capital of Canada. If it weren't for the separatists, we still would be today. Montreal was the business and cultural capital of Canada. While the banks may have moved to Toronto, Montreal remains in many ways the best part of Canada. Toronto is just another city and frankly, it isn't that impressive.

It's funny when the Liberals use "American-style" to describe attack ads. The fact is, I do not think Canadian political TV ads are much different than American ones. In fact, I think there are Canadian political TV commercials that are cruler than anything that has ever been seen in the states...the 1993 election comes to mind,

Canada should join U.S. missile defense for the sole reason that whether or not Canada joins the U.S. will still be discussing how to defend Canada with U.S. missiles. Again, how ironic that the Liberals who pretend to "protect" Canada's sovereignty are the ones selling this country out and letting our military down which ultimately encourages the Americans to take a more forceful role in defending Canada. Some days I truly do wonder about how much of a sovereign country Canada truly is.

Canada a united country! In reality Canada are two primary solitudes divorced, with Canadians forced to pay alimony to a province which is the primary cause of fragmented Canadian nationalism. But back to the topic and the question to be asked is how can a minority French residential language continue to have such disdain for the majority commercial language of this country while being fed federally and without signing our constitution? This is a black mark concerning the administration of this country and a direct insult against the English speakers of this country. Leafless...again, I agree. But you do understand no Canadian PM is going to challenge this because they do not want to be PM during the break-up of this country, right? What do you prescribe?

What a bunch of whiners. I am trying to figure out which is worse, the disgruntled Liberals, the Liberals, or the CPCs for taking opportunists like Wajid Khan and Emerson. To bad so sad. This is so typical of Liberal corruption. Absolute power truly does corrupt absolutely...right now Harper can hardly do anything in government because EVERYTHING is Liberal. Liberal Senate, Liberal civil service, Liberal Supreme Court. Some Canadians are thinking of voting Liberal in the next election. Why not? Hopefully, the tyranny will not begin anytime soon.

I agree with all of the above moves... but I feel like too much of our defense budget is going to Afghanistan... the Euros need to pick up some of that responsibility. We can't be burdened with it forever, despite the great things Canadians are accomplishing over there. I completely agree. If anything, Harper is increasing Canadian sovereignty by strengthening our military. After years of Liberal neglect, we currently can only be defended by the U.S. A stronger Canadian military would decrease our reliance on the Americans.

So it's essientially Quebec or Ontario... the West and the Maritimes are condemned to permenant irrelevance? I tend to agree. Hence why we need a provincially balanced elected Senate... that'd balance things out in a hurry. I completely agree. I know you are a student in Calgary Geoffrey so I'd like to know how the idea is flying with students out there. Just being a Conservative student in Montreal puts me in the minority...I think almost every political science prof I had has been staunch Liberal. They usually rant about how Senate reform is destroying the country (Ted Morton is their favourite enemy). Their criticisms usually make little sense. Harper is a policy wonk...I think he realizes Senate reform is one of the best ways to save the country and federalism. However, he needs a majority before he can implement much of what he wants. A Dion government would probably not be in favour of Senate or much government reform. I asked some people I know that work for the Liberals recently whether Dion would push government reform and they told me he has "unspecified plans."

Leafless, Quebec does make unjustifiable demands. All of what you say is correct but neither one of us would have to deal with the consequences of doing what you prescribe. Examine our current prime minister. Perhaps no one was more critical of Quebec favouratism than he was a few years ago. Then he became prime minister and now he is consistently courting Quebec with his promise to fix the fiscal imbalance. Make no mistake...tons of love and taxpayer money will be flowing into Quebec before the next election because you can't have a majority government without Quebec. Perhaps as a majority PM Harper would be tougher with Quebec but I do not know. Successful PMs have to play hot and heavy with Quebec so as to also court favouratism with Ontario. Hence, "the west wants in" and western alienation have become documented Canadian poltitical science terms. This is the future Leafless...it will only be different when a future PM stands up to Quebec, thus risking the end of a united Canada.

As a matter of fact David Warren has an interesting editorial in the Ottawa Citizen, Sat. Jan.20/2007, titled "Time to take sides in today's culture wars". In this editorial he describes Canada's cultural past and present, and says: " Which does not mean there are not two solitudes. "A man cannot serve two masters" according to a very old saying and when push comes to shove we tend to take sides. And that is what the culture wars have been about, in Canada and throughout the West; forcing us to take sides, for the purpose of annihilating one culture. As ever it is the minority that feels itself pushed towards extinction. Yet the odd thing is, there are still millions of them -the BIGGEST of all contemporary factions." It is obvious Quebec is taking advantage of Canada's political generosity and is in direct competition against the English language. Very unsportsmanlike, even if I say so myself. Leafless, Yes you may say so. Many of the French believe they have a vastly superior culture and remember the time when their language was the language of culture and world civilization. The 20th century saw the almost complete erosion of French influence in world affairs. The French have never been able to truly accept that. I have travelled often in Europe and only in France was the language of English spoken very low. Culturally, France still has a lot to offer and I would recommend people travel there. Yet, many in France still believe France is a major world power, which it is not. Winning federally in Quebec means appealing to the soft nationalist vote. Ultimately, the soft nationalists are provincial and either believe in Quebec more than Canada or believe in some sort of federalism where Quebec is treated in a different fashion than the other provinces. If you can make these individuals believe in a national Canadian dream, you will solve the dilemma of Canada. Until then, every prime minister will be faced with having to sell themselves in Quebec while keeping the West happy.

Beaconsfield is mostly anglo...August are you saying that you disagree with the town's decision to not change the names of the signs? Trudeau added the Minority Language Education Rights part of the Charter to undermine Bill 101. Based on the Charter and the national myth of bilingualism, Bill 101 remains unconstitutional. Nobody is comparing the English minority here to the French minority in Canada but the fact remains that the abuse needs to stop.

The reality of the situation is Canada does not have an abortion law (in the U.S., abortion is constitutionally recognized after 1973's Roe v. Wade decision), whereas in Canada since the Morgantaler decision in 1988 and after Mulroney's two failed attempts to pass an abortion law we do not have an abortion law in this country. The Libs refused to commit themselves one way or the other for years because they realized it would split them as a party and the Libs don't have a backbone. Another reality is there is no reason for someone to get an abortion. If they choose to have sex and do not use contraceptives, they are not only putting themselves at risk for a venereal disease, they are also just being plain stupid. I am not ignorant enough to think we should start an abstinance program in this country but I do believe we seriously need to teach younger Canadians of the consequences of these actions as well as create a tighter abortion law in this country. The Christian Heritage Party does not have a monopoly on pro-life issues in this country. Other religions have pro-life movements within their respective establishments. Practicing Christians have been typecast by the left as being the only ones who are still pro-life and this is simply not true. This is a moral issue for all those who care about the sanctity and decency of life out there.

The reality is that Canada will always be uncomfortable as a federation because it has two founding nations with two very different colonial histories. Canada nationally does not have powerful, unifying national myths that unite it as a country (unlike the U.S. for example). As such, you can travel to places like Jonquiere and Medicine Hat and still technically be in the same country but be dealing with people that have very little in common and define themselves in vastly different manners. In terms of this situation, this just simply reflects the reality of Canada. Is it good? No. But it is the way it is in this country.

Toronto is not 1/100th of New York as a city. The pace, the nightlife, the culture, etc. Toronto isn't even close. Toronto can ascribe to be Chicago MAYBE but it doen't even come close to NYC.

Regan was a fantastic communicator and he destroyed the Soviets. People thought he was senile, etc. when he was president but that was part of his act. He didn't come across as an Ivory Tower intellectual because he wanted his opponents to underestimate him. Overall, Regan was a pretty good president.

Oh please, do tell us who you feel is is NOT rational amongst the NDP MP's? When one watches QP, the only rational people one sees is the NDP, the rest are screaming and throwing slurs and lies around. Further, Jack is quite the opposite from radical, or he would not have been President of the Federation of Municipalities for as long as he was. In fact, one could say Harper is more radical than Jack, because of his history with the NCC, and his "global warming is just a myth" philosophy. And just what 3rd way are you speaking of/ Layton is the biggest BS politician out there. He can talk rationally and promise everything to everyone because he will never have to be in a position to deliver. I'm all for third parties, but the reality is the NDP will not form a government anytime soon. All of what CanadianBlue says is correct. In terms of the third way, this is a political science term used to describe the "moderate" left who abandon hard left socialist economic policies in favour of more centrist ones (a la Tony Blair and New Labour). It, of course, is more realistic politically. CanadianBlue's point is the NDP won't go third-way because they're too far left and I think that is absolutely correct.

Quebec has a $120 billion dollar debt, a high abortion rate, a declining population, and an inability to cut services or increase privatization because of its unions. Bouchard has said more or less when he came out with his model for Quebec's future last year.

Regan was not the right-wing extremist his critics portrayed him as. He was not as right-wing as the current Bush. The man in many ways governed in a pragmatic right-leaning fashion. While his 1981 Reganomic tax cuts were unprecedented, Regan raised taxes in 1982 and 1984 to make up for it. Economically, Regan isn't that far right of Paul Martin, for example. I think Harper is in his camp. His bark was not his bite.

I believe Harper is Regan at heart and I think that's a good thing because it is clear Canada needs a Regan revolution NOW.

Catchme, what are you trying to prove? That there are ideological similarities between the Republicans and the Conservatives and that they help each other out? Brilliant! Considering they are both right-of-centre parties I never would have guessed...

I agree with CanadianBlue that we need some kind of abortion law in this country, especially one that would ban hideous murder, like partial-birth abortion. It is good that 71% of Canadians supported that...I know I do.

It used to be baseball, but now the NFL is king. I agree...baseball has been heading south in the U.S. for awhile.

Dion is such a loser. I can't believe he is serious. It was smart politics for Dion to switch to the colour green at the Liberal leadership convention. He knows the environment is a top issue for Canadian voters. But if more Canadians had the sense to look at the Liberal environment record, they would see a record of broken promises...Canada signing Kyoto and doing NOTHING. No regulation...unlike the U.S., Canada has no EPA and no Clean Air Act. Dion was in government all those years. Furthermore, Dion has no environmental credentials. It is doubtful he would have even been in Martin's cabinet if not for the sponsorship scandal. He was brought into the Liberal government to solve Quebec's referendum crisis in 1995. He is not an environmentalist, but a former University of Montreal political science professor. He may very well play good politics, but the Liberals are a tired bunch of losers on the environment issue.