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Agreed. However, no one should now be saying Canada's army is in good position because it isn't. Friends of mine who wanted to join the armed forces either left for the States or went to Europe. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> That is unfortunate. Are military can be in better shape if our LIBERAL government did more to fund it. But what can make it better is, if people like your "freinds" didn't go off and join US armed forces or some in Europe and join the Canadian force's than maybe we would have enough military personal. and are government would haev to fund it better. agree? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Curt, We can talk endlessly about this. I understand your point about people joining the armies of other countries, but if I joined the Army I would want to make sure I was working with state of the art modern equipment, not secondhand submarines Britain dumped off. I have nothing but the greatest deal of respect for the members of this country's armed forces. But it is unfortunate that the Liberal government does not. As for the state of this country's armed forces, Army Guy is correct. It is in the state that the people in this country want it to be in. Yet, because the socialist NDP bribed the Liberals into denying this country a role in missile defence, we have to rely on the U.S. to defend us. Our great enemy the U.S. who we take so much time dissing defends us. You have got to love it.

The Martin government has ended tonight in a historic non-confidence vote to topple Canada's 38th Parliament. We will probably go to the polls on January 23. http://www.canada.com/story.html?id=dd6137...f9bb22b&k=11732 Predictions???

<{POST_SNAPBACK}> Funny how the CBC funding was cut by Martin as finance minister...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}> Fair enough. The election is usually the government's to lose and the opposition's to win. The opposition must prove to the voters that they are worthy of governing. One of the worst things to do when attacked on a certain issue is to ignore it or attack your critic back on a different issue. If the Liberals attack Harper's right-wing past, he can't ignore the criticism if he is going to win. He must come back and say "you know what, you're right. I was against universiality of health care, against abortion, against big government, an advocate of free market, etc. but you know what? I was the head of a right-wing party and a right-wing lobbying group. Now I am the head of a major party and my views have shifted to the left. We are moderate and we will govern as Canadians want us to govern." THEN "And you, Paul Martin...famed socialist...you supported the Iraq war, missile defence, spoke about the defence of marriage...hell, you cut health care funding in order to rack up huge surpluses and now you are telling me you are for human rights and social programs?" I am not endorsing Harper and knocking Martin but it is just so frustrating to see Harper lose this election...I can only imagine what true Conservatives feel. Harper cannot win on scandal. An election run on scandal will produce a Liberal minority...because as some people I know argue, "no scandal will make me vote a socially conservative government into power." Silly, but true.

Its good that he got the nomination. He's an anti-Ukranian racist and will either lose his seat soundly or prove that the Liberals are hypocrites. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> He is not a racist, he was just a big fan of Russian imperalism. Yet, I cannot fully comment because I did not read his book.

Agreed. However, no one should now be saying Canada's army is in good position because it isn't. Friends of mine who wanted to join the armed forces either left for the States or went to Europe.

Built by a Republican government no less.

CBC is so beyond left-wing that it is getting ridiculous. They spend every single day trying to prove with inane and manipulated statistics that Canada is completely different than the U.S. A few weeks ago they claimed that Americans don't know what date squares are (even though they are very popular in rural New England. Then they rambled on for about for awhile about how Americans pronounced "sorry" "sarry." Well, I have travelled extensively in Canada and the States and I can tell you that accents vary in different parts of both countries...it is never as simple as that. At a bar later that night there were two people who were Americans and a friend of mine from Manitoba. The Americans were from Oregon and sounded a lot like Canadians, whereas the Manitoba guy remarked "you guys sound more Canadian than me!!!" The CBC is just doing their fair and balanced pro-LIBERAL NDP journalism...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}> You're right Shoop but in all fairness the "record majority" speech was before the sponsorship scandal and the Conservative unification when the Liberals had a 30 point lead in the polls.

If the CPC gets in I'm sure he will. If the liberals get back in, look for more sepratist problems with Alberta. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Harper will probably give a sincere look about what to do with Quebec. He will not get a majority government without a few seats in this province, but it is likely he would offer a fresh prospect without spending taxpayer dollars like an alcoholic with a blank cheque at a liquor store.

I am sorry but I have to say this. The Clarity Act is bullshit and everyone, federalist or separatist, in Quebec knows it. Chretien went through the whole Clarity Act debacle to prove he was a federalist blah blah blah. Bouchard went ahead and claimed victory. Correct me if I am wrong, but other than saying it had to be a clear majority and a clear question the Clarity Act provided no real specifics and left the question open to personal interpretation. Like him or not, Trudeau was the only one who worked truly hard to keep this province in Canada.

Thats are real problem! 2 parties to choose from(realistically) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Probably true, although this could vary from state to state.

Harper is only campaining on the Liberals disgusting record...there really isn't much else for the Liberals to attack. They are not going to attack something on conservative.ca because they wouldn't want to give people a reason to go there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}> Taking a completely open view here, I do not think a four point Liberal lead signifies a Conservative minority government. If anything, it means we will have a very close election with probably the Liberals OR the Conservatives forming a very close minority government (maybe a 15-20 seat minority if anything). Looking at it from the point of view of a conservative, we cannot be confident that a four point deficit means anything other than either a bare win or a close defeat.

I took it again and spent more time on it. This should be a better indication of what I am, albeit it isn't much different than what I got the first time. You are: Social Authoritarian 9.1% Economical Libertarian 2.3%

Probably some Montrealer running that web site Nah but seriously that's not cool... Really dumb.

You're statements are quite intimidating. Are you saying that Ignatieff is a left-wing communist hiding under some kind of moderate centrist Liberal platform? Explain.

I took it really fast but I got: You are: Social Authoritarian 9.1% Economical Libertarian 0.0% Close to where I think I am...centrist communitarian...

Atually it was not specifically relating to the RalphBucks Bonus, but the surplus spending as a whole. It's a question of accountability. Currently, the government is spending the extra dough however it pleases with no oversight whatsoever. Sounds a lot like the bunch in Ottawa. I can't for the life of me understand why Albertans whinge about Ontario's voting habits. "Why oh why do those stupid easterners keep voting for a corrupt government that throws away heir tax dollars?" is the cry. Talk about yer pot calling the kettle black. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> First of all, I never called Ralph a genius...I said he had conviction and behaved according to principle...has nothing to do with intelligence (or lack thereof). No matter how much money has flowed into Alberta, if Klien had not closed schools and hospitals and cut back spending drastically as he promised, and then did, Alberta would not be where it is today financially. Doesn't mean we'd be Newfoundland, but we'd be far worse off. As far as the surplus spending, I've had three different surveys sent to me (as have all Albertans) by the government asking my opinions on how surplus dollars should be allocated. Poor Ralph got criticized for wasting taxpayer money through these public consultations...and now you want to criticize him for not doing it...when he did... I asked for increased funding of Legal Aid programs and higher salaries for Crown Prosecutors, amongst other initiatives. In fact, just yesterday a huge fold-out glossy pamphlet found its way to the homes of Albertans which was the Alberta government's detailed description of what it is doing with surplus funds. I cannot remember ever being asked as a taxpayer and citizen what I wanted to do with the several successive multiple billion dollar federal surpluses...and I have not yet seen any instances of Ralph's ministers falsifying invoices and well...you know the rest. So let's see, they asked every citizen for input on how to spend the surplus and then sent out a report on what they are doing...perhaps I'm wrong but I'd call that the definition of government accountability. It seems to me your likeness of the two governments falls flat when one actually looks at fact as opposed to partisan banter. Just because lobbyists don't feel like Klien is listening to them (because he's not) doesn't mean there is no accountability. FTA. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I admit I have not heard those initiatives being practised anywhere else in Canada.

Completely agreed. People can go to their local HMV equivalent and buy his CDs. There is an underlying problem here the Liberal government is denying.

Moore should change his name to "More" and super size it. But for the record, I think there was a time when he was pretty objective.

Happy Thanksgiving to all Americans who write on this board and all Canadians who have any American roots.

Actually, what he says makes perfect sense. I mean, surely it is a simplistic comparison using Grade 1 logic but it would be difficult, in general, to disprove in the field of political science.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}> HAHAHA Ah when he's on a roll...

With Michael Ignatieff ready to slip in you'd better NOT abandon them. One senior Liberal source told me today that Michael Ignatieff is "pretty much a lock", and added that efforts to find him a Toronto area riding were well under way. (Or did I read that in John Ivison's article in today's NP on page A6, I forget?) SO ... what riding will it be? Could it be that Bill Graham has 'Toronto Centre' all Christmas gift-wrapped for him? That's my guess, anyway. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Ignatieff is so much more of a modern intellectual then say Trudeau. Ignatieff understands that we NEED AN ARMY, NEED A MILITARY, NEED SUBMARINES WITH DOORS THAT CAN OPEN AND CLOSE. Yeah I would totally vote Liberal with Ignatieff at the healm.