tml12

I doubt it. More likely, Canada may just not be consulted as much. Think Bush's visits to Ottawa during the Chretien era. Probably true, I added that because Bush threatened Martin with that last time he was here and I am thinking long term.

Yes...well put.

So what? Anyone with eyes can see the Americans have been the ones spending billions on their military while Canada has reduced theirs. Have we had a free ride? Sure, maybe. It still does not eliminate the fact that Canada has been involved in peacekeeping around the world. Why you would ignore the sacrifices made those men and women and trivialize it as some "Liberal myth" is unfathomable. I do not ignore the sacrifices that anyone has made in any role and it is unfathomable to me that would conclude that based on my posts. If anyone is doing the unfathomable it is the Liberal establishment in this country who would have us forget the brave COMBAT sacrifices that our soldiers made in WWI, WWII, and Korea. Those wars are downplayed now in our politically correct society. Now our soldiers in Afghanistan are again doing combat work and the Liberals say "we don't do combat work, we mediate peace." I call bullshit. Canada has historically been a country with a combative military history. Of course I credit those who have gone overseas in the name of peace but those individuals should not be remembered as being better than those who went overseas to fight combatively for our freedom. Remember in the early 90s when CBC aired that program "The Valour and the Horror" portraying our combative WWII veterans as vicious for killing civilians during WWII? The WWII veterans were naturally outraged at how they were portrayed in the film and, in suing for libel, challenged the "accepted" truth that Canada is a peacekeeper. Of course Canada has peacekeepers. The U.S. has peacekeepers, so does Israel, and other countries you might not think of. A country should appreciate its peacekeepers but not any more than it appreciates its combat soldiers. I should add: Canada is free-riding off the U.S. for defense and it is only a matter of time, I think, before the U.S. might want a bit more in return for its service.

"...and receive the Wall Street Journal, National Post and Commentary Magazine online." A computer is a computer is a computer, no matter where it is. Smart thinking...I am still the guy who actually goes to the corner store and buys a paper.

Just a guess but you can't have tax cuts without cutting spending or you end with a huge deficit. Your confidence in Harper is almost blinding. I'd be asking questions no matter what party was in power. Who said I wasn't asking questions? Ultimately, we'll all see what happens. My confidence in Harper is not blinding...in fact, I am greatly concerned he might try to go Liberal lite in the next election. We need to win as a true-blue blooded Conservative Party. Canada needs that. Harper needs to win over the centre with his brand of moderate conservatism. I should add: your dislike of Harper is a bit much...what don't you like about him?

They wouldn't give $1.14 million to their *friends* through the sponsorship program. They haven't. I was just going to respond like that and then I saw your response. jdobbin, I am not saying I agree 100% with all the things Harper has done since last January but seriously, you've got to be at the very least bit happy that the corrupt/do-nothing Liberals are not in power anymore. Harper has made mistakes but he has so for not demonstrated that he deserves anything less than a majority government.

Are you an accountant or economist? Do you know how much it will cost? I certainly don't. How can you claim it won't lead to a deficit when most economists aren't even sure? Just a guess...we'll see when the numbers are laid out. The fact is you can't have the Trudeau welfare state without a huge deficit.

It's not partisan, you're right. Only the Liberals are pulling out the "peacekeeping" card when historically Canada has not been known to play such a role. Are you saying Canada has not been known for Peacekeeping? Based on how it is taught to Canadians in school, one would think Canada ranked in the top ten for world peacekeeping. Instead, Canada ranks 51st in the world. Canada's efforts in WWI, WWII, and Korea are "downplayed" and trumped by Pearson at the Suez Crisis and Trudeau at Vietnam. Perhaps you should check out this link as it pretty much flies in the face of the Liberal myth of Canada: http://dominion.ca/americanmyths/11-12-05-granatstein.pdf

Good question and good topice. All of the above. I have the New York Times, New York Sun and Journal News (Westchester) delivered, and receive the Wall Street Journal, National Post and Commentary Magazine online. I didn't know you could get the National Post delivered in the States.

It probably won't lead to a major deficit, if any. We've already got a huge national debt, I should add.

It's not partisan, you're right. Only the Liberals are pulling out the "peacekeeping" card when historically Canada has not been known to play such a role.

But it is the behaviour the Tories used to accuse the Liberals of. NO! The Liberals played the *scary* *scary* *scary* card with Day and Harper. Now the CPC is only reminding Canadians of how it was under the Liberals when they controlled the rhetoric and did nothing in reality.

I Google them.

I agree...Liberals myths include (but are not limited to): peacekeeping, multiculturalism, bilingualism, "kindler, gentler, nation," etc. You've learned good cultural policy and the "real" facts from the CBC (or thought you did). I find it fascinating how these Liberal myths make their way around and how the left worships them.

It is good. Dion has flip-flopped so much in his almost two months as leader you gotta keep it fresh in people's minds. My favourite flip-flop was on his French citizenship. Can we view them online? So can't wait to be watching these after a couple of beers next week.

Saturn is correct, but only in this aspect. Overall, personal income tax revenues as well as government spending increased by at least 2 times the rate of inflation. This is piss poor from a supposedly conservative government, and it's clearly not sustainable. Yes I agree with you geoffrey (you earned my respect awhile ago). This and the income trusts were the busts so far for Canada's New Government (I am still voting for Harper though... )

yeah, it's "fair and balanced" alright, like Fox News. You know, it seems right of centre because the MSM is so Liberal. Thus, when you read "endorse Harper" and "we need change," instead of *scary* *scary* *scary* you begin to think how right-wing it MUST be.

Yes, the National Post's owner, Mr. David Asper, went campaigning with Mr. Harper in the last election. Of course, this implies that his paper (which is ran on a very short leash) is fair and balanced. At the very least, you can balance it out with the CBC.

Harper's did his fair share of tooting about health-care too (well, before he was elected anyway). Funny how when the issue is something people morally agree with, the federal government should start fixing the healthcare problem. But when it's something with which you morally disagree, it's the province's responsibility. yeah, okay. Yeah and I'm beginning to think this is a private sphere responsibility (wait, did I not pass several private clinics walking through downtown Montreal today...we already have two-tear healthcare here!!!)

Wow, there is a lot of anger there. Are children really a commodity like any other in your mind? That's really the only way your argument for specialization works in this case... This individual is clearly delusional and rabid in his attack on Conservatives that has absolutely no merit.

I can't understand how you can spin a tax cut for the wealthy under the false appearance of a childcare plan into a left-wing attack on the rich. Your family should have spent more on your education and less on charity. Very funny there Saturn...your spinning Harper's tax cuts into "tax cuts for the rich." Any sources there? I sure am not rich and I've saved $$$ off Harper's GST cut (which would have otherwise been an unwanted donation to the Liberal party).

What I can't understand is the "socialist" children of families with big money. They do not understand that the left will not bring the poor up but will bring the rich down. I come from a relatively middle-class background. My family gives money to charity and various causes. We are very happy when we receive word that we have paid for individuals who do not have the means to be able to do something they could not have been able to do. Charity does begin at home.

You are saying he is ready to go and the Conservatives believe they can win a majority? You're on the Conservative election committee? You believe they would win a majority if Harper called an election on Monday? Could the Conservatives win a majority tomorrow? Probably not...my call is a fall election. Harper needs some time to give this new cabinet some experience so Canadians can warm up to its new ministers. Keep in mind Dr. Harper is still detoxing Canada after a long experience of Liberal governments. I don't think he wants those Canadians more prone to vote Liberal to be tempted by the intoxicating effects of Dion and his elite and power-hungry Liberal machine just yet.

What a steaming load!!! Why should the US undertake the burdens of maintaining the peace, safety and tranquility of the West if its allies are "publicly neutral". Protecting freedom must not make the US a pariah state. Welcome to the frustrations we in the Canadian right-wing movement have in dealing with our leftist Canadian friends.

Don't fool yourself, if most media did not fully support Harper, he would have never made it to the PMs chair. Asper of CanWest went campaigning with Harper in the last election, not with Martin, and all major papers and TV channels were on Harper's side (with The Star and the CBC being the only ones that did not endorse him). Most of the LIBERAL MSM does NOT support. Perhaps CanWest is not run by the TO Liberal establishment but the rest are.