tml12

Bingo. Excuse me, how is Harper performing any differnt everything comes out of the PMO? Though I do think he is trying to change the optics on that so people forget he is vetting and doing everything, as yesterday when they donated 2 million to Stanley Park on behalf of Canadians, though the cheque was signed "Canada's NEW Government" he did not show up. Though he is today in Victoria when he dumps more money BC's way, it actually looks like he is Paul Martin, prior to last years election dumping money all over BC. PMs always dump moneys before elections. In Canada, the way you win is to spend like a drunken sailor on failed social programs. No way Harper majority is this liberal with my tax dollars.

Such is the nature of the Parliamentary system. The Mulroney PC party did the exact same thing. If Harper gets a big majority what makes you think he'll act differently? Harper has taken steps advocating Senate reform, supports Parliamentary vetting of Supreme Court justices, and is generally more provincial friendly. Indeed, in a majority government he will support more free votes. Harper wants to fix the system because I believe he is a humane man, unlike the Liberals.

Lol! What a great site! I followed the links too: "Volpe bills taxpayers almost $7,000 for 31 meals" - ctv.ca LOL I love that website! I have to admit...I wish Joe Volpe won the Liberal Leadership Convention. He'd still probably win 100+ seats but then again this is Canada after all.

Harper is no extremist and your posts are a bit ridiculous.

Yeah, I could see waiting until 2008. If Harper doesn't go right after the next budget he has no real advantage waiting until the fall. Wait for the '08 budget maybe... That is definitely longer than the averae minority Government in Canada. I do not want a fall election...ideally, I'd like to see a spring 2008 election with at least a partial solution to the fiscal imbalance as well as a Harper environmental plan.

It probably doesn't help to call the part of the electorate that doesn't vote Conservative stupid. That's the vote that the Tories need to win and to do that, they will actually have to formulate policies that will appeal to them. I do not believe I called non-Conservative voters stupid. Frankly, I respect all people who take the time to vote for ANY party but I do not psychologically understand how anyone can vote for a party that has broken so many promises and basically runs a country-club backroom government.

Funny how only Quebeckers ever say that. Out west, we think Quebec and Ontario are much the same, only they speak different languages. Then i should be thankful that Quebec is the only reason that that The U.S. hasn't taken over Canada,even they don't want to deal with The Seperatists Canada has more use for the U.S. than the other way around. The U.S. can live without Canada, but Canada sends almost 90% of its exports to the U.S., relies on the U.S. to pay for its defense and defend its borders, and needs the U.S. for tourism as well as to compare its image to the U.S. A North American Union would probably be beneficial to Canada and I think we will see it within the next 100 years.

It is your opinion that the Liberal record was embarrassing and horrible. It was also a record of elimination of the deficit and rising growth and employment. And while people may have wanted change, they didn't want to completely abandon the Liberals until they saw what the Tories were capable of. The polls have shown that Canadians are still not convinced about a majority government for either party. Yes there was rising growth and elimination of the deficit under the Liberals, namely Paul Martin who was, I would argue, a Liberal in name only. The man had more in common with Regan than Trudeau. Furthermore, instead of campaining on that accomplishment, Chretien argued Canadians should vote Liberal because the Liberals are responsible for Canada's "communitarian social values" as opposed to the Americans. However, his actions with Martin were very neo-liberal and even libertarian in many areas and resulted in the cutting of many of Canada's social programs and the CHST which devastated the health care system in this country. Again, as a conservative I give them credit for these sensible conservative initiatives yet it is hypocrisy to suggest this is a party that is communitarian but rather a "flavour of the month" party that will support ANYTHING it thinks will get them elected. It is shocking to me that the Canadian electorate is so brainwashed by the Liberal Party.

I think that many people in urban areas feel that Conservatives have a lot of anti-urban feelings. From your post, it would seem that is true. I think people in urban areas think the Conservatives have a lot of anti-urban feelings but I do not know why. I am a resident of an urban area and I have lived all my life in urban areas, yet I vote Conservative. I recognize Harper's core base is rural, but voting Conservative simply makes sense in terms of their superior manifesto. In terms of people in Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal, they all brainlessly vote Liberal and I do not know why. The last Liberal record is embarassing and horrible. It is nothing to be proud of and I would just assume vote for any party but the Liberals.

Harper has to play that card because Ontario accounts for 100+ seats in our dysfunctional first past the post SMP system. I hope if he gets a majority he starts the Regan revolution here.

Albertans think Toronto and Montreal are fools for voting Liberal and some in those cities think the same of Albertans who vote massively for Tories. Both have fears that either party will force their ideology on them. I have much more sympathy for Albertans voting for the Conservatives though. After all, minimal knowledge of Canadian history shows that the federal Liberals have raped Canadian federalism in the name of their tight Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal troika. Canada, in return, has been blessed with several separation movements, an elected dictatorship, billions of dollars that we cannot account for, a terrible environmental record, a problematic health care system, and poor relations with our closest allies, the Americans, after their 12+ years in power. Thus, voting Conservative is really all that makes sense at this point.

But that is the politics of Quebec. Harper wants to win a majority and he can't do it unless he gets more seats in Quebec to offset the Liberal fools on this island of Montreal who vote Liberal regardless of anything because they are just simply stupid. I think a Harper majority would be sympathetic to the West while sweetening Quebec enough to keep them in check. That being said, while I am VERY sympathetic toward Western Canada, I think individuals out there need to recognize that Harper's seemingly pro-Quebec policies are necessary while Quebec has 75 seats in the House. That is also probably why he will suck up to Ontario also.

Canada and the U.S. are almost exactly alike, save Quebec.

I completely agree. Although not from the West, I sympathize with their plight under successful Canadian (read: Ontario) governments that have sought to abuse it and rape it of its wealth. The more the Liberals climb in the polls the more sorry I am Ted Morton did not become Premier of Alberta. It begins with the mentality in Eastern Canada that Albertans are somewhat inferior to the rest of Canada, and the Liberals are especially good at painting the picture of us as a resource colony, the jewel in the crown of the Canada empire perhaps. Albertans are made to have a voice, because they are backwards people who go to Church and drive pickup trucks. They are merely here to provide the rest of us with money. Essentially the view East of Manitoba... and I'm originally from Ontario so I know all the stereotypes and how wrong they are. Welcome back tml. It is definitely the view of Canadians, especially those from Ontario, that Western Canada is simply a backwards exception to the Canadian federation. So many times I have heard Liberals from Montreal and Toronto talking about how they needed to "sedate" Western Canadian elements because they were so different from the Liberal view of Canada. Alberta has a lot of resources and they should have a voice. Furthermore, they should be outraged when they are neglected by their fellow Canadians. Thank you Geoffrey for welcoming me back!!! Although I haven't been here for awhile, I expect to be here for the near future. I certainly hope to cheer the Conservatives on in the next election...I think Harper is the best choice to govern this country.

Albertans will not turn on the CPC while they are still a part of the Canadian Confederation and while the CPC is the only viable governing choice compared with the Liberals.

You really think anyone would even notice? No but I think there are probably some educated non-Canadians who follow Canadian politics. Furthermore, any educated individual who looks at the Liberal track record and sees that after 12 months Canadian voters were ready to put them back in might think this country was full of idiots. I REALLY hope Harper gets a BIG majority in the next election...

Why shouldn't there be a North American Union? I should add that I don't necessarily support one but I think it is coming in the future.

Why shouldn't there be a North American Union?

I for one can't still believe the Liberals are running on the environment. I mean, I think we all know this is a party which seizes on the issue of the day, mixes it with a uniquely Canadian bit of anti-Americanism, and procedes to win majority after majority. If I were Harper I would devise an environmental plan and proceded to remind voters that the Liberals are the party that allowed Canada's greenhouse gas emissions to rise 25% more than the U.S. under George W. Bush. I sure am glad the truth is out there, whether or not Liberal voters are psychologically ready to handle it.

Let's say Quebec gets more cash and the Liberals promise to re-enter Kyoto? I move to another country or start working towards seperation? That'd just show that no one represents Alberta if the CPC and Liberals were both against us. I completely agree. Although not from the West, I sympathize with their plight under successful Canadian (read: Ontario) governments that have sought to abuse it and rape it of its wealth. The more the Liberals climb in the polls the more sorry I am Ted Morton did not become Premier of Alberta.

Harper's defeat would be an embarassment for Canada on the world stage. Why would we re-elect a party that basically runs an elected dictatorship? Can you imagine the Liberals undoing all the reform made by a PM whom I really believe is a man of the people? I am tired of the Liberals and their washed-up academic Dion. I hope Harper gets a big majority in the next election. If the Liberals win the next election it will confirm what intelligent officials have known all along...that Canadians are alcoholics who can't live without the addictively paternal Liberal Party.

Just for the sake of discussion I wonder what is the difference of how many Iraqis were killed by Saddam and then since Saddam. As far as Iraqis killing Iraqis this wouldn't be happening without the invasion by Bush. I don't see how you can decry responsibility for these deaths. I don't see how you can decry holding Saddam responsible for the crimes he commited. He wasn't about to be served wtih a warrant and surrender peacefully. President G.W. Bush did serve Saddam with an ultimatum: "Bush has given Saddam and his sons until 4 am (1am Irish time Thursday) to leave Iraq or face war. Saddam rejected the 48 hour ultimatum on Tuesday." http://archives.tcm.ie/breakingnews/2003/0.../story92311.asp Leafless is correct...that sure sounds like an ultimatum to me.

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/st...k=31590&p=1 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto...y/National/home This is some prelude to what....if they are acting like terrorists, Jack is ready to talk to them....? My heart goes out to the next NDP canvasser who comes to my door..... The NDP calling our troops terrorists? For doing what, trying to give these people a better life? The NDP is truly a disgusting, fourth-rate, pathetic party that will never form a government.

Good point fellowtraveler.

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national...a1d&k=45318 Good news. Cue all the tired old opinions that Kyoto is useless. It's so interesting to hear that one....for the thousandth time. If reports about the Conservative environmental plan are true they are out of step with a huge majority of Canadians on this issue. They should have had more than 70 odd people in their focus group!! Gerry why are you being so juvenile about this? Canada can't meet it's Kyoto targets BECAUSE OF THE LIBERALS. Instead of staying the course on a losing path, Harper is trying to explain to Canadians that we can't meet our targets because of past Liberal incompetence and is looking for a current solution. Your posts on this topic are pathetic.