Goldie

The Conservative Party is not about what is good for western Canada, nor should it be. This party has to be about giving Newfoundland controll over offshore wealth, be it fish or oil. Quebec, to do business in North America and prosper as it sees fit, while protecting it's culture from anglo intrusion. The guy on the Prairies selling his wheat or milk on an open vast free market. A leader must not look to vote rich regions only, in fact just the opposite, he must reach out to those regions where a void of income and service are the headlines. Does it really matter where a leader comes from as long as these principles are in the forefront? Does it not make sense to entrust our government with someone that might have morals, ie., Christian belief.

A better question is why the media isn't asking that very same question? Only Warren Kinsella has raised it and hopefully it will spark a Liberal family feud that sheds light on the inconsistency of treatment of members based only on allegance to it's leader.

My hope is that Greg will ban both of you. This is not your personal insult forum run by Jerry Springer.

Maplesyrup, ie. 2000 election 12 million voters accross Canada = 100% appx. Bloq gets 10.7 nationally or 40% in Quebec or 1.3 million votes 48% should garner 1.53 million votes and that should translate into 12.53%, nationally which is a far cry from 9%. This is based on a constant of 12 million voters. Of course it is close enough to the margin of error but it would seem to be more contrived. Does this mean that the Liberals are about three points to the left of 42% in the Dominion.

Yes there have been issues with the polling numbers from EKOS in the past. I can't reconcile how CROP finds 48% Bloq and Libs at 32% in Labelle, when numbers like 48% in Quebec should not translate into 9% nationally. I love pols and stats but I can't do these numbers. I could see BC numbers like this only because of super majorities in Vancouver and Greater Lower Mainland.

Well that may very well be the case. This is why I tended more towards the social conservatives of the west, not just because I live in the west, but because I trust them the most. I'm in no way a social conservative, in fact, socially I lay with the NDP...............mostly. The Conservatives and Reform and Alliance have not had a Lawyer or CEO as leader, the least trusted and least socially conscious respectively. I suppose what I'm saying is pretty simple. Who would you trust the most to mind your wallet and your well being; Your lawyer, The CEO of your company, Or that guy in your office that reads the Bible on his coffee break and is rather a dullard?

When you have no screening process for these appointees this is bound to happen. Remember the privacy commissioner, Radwanski and the total contempt he had for the working slugs. The total contempt for tax payers dollars by this government. Time to reduce this party to naught for 10 years or so.

What this poll means to me is that Liberal support has moved to the NDP, for now. This might result in the Bloq picking up more seats due to a stronger NDP. The Liberals are down 6% in Quebec and that could translate into a loss of about 15 seats. Ontario could kick out as many as 40 Liberals, some to the NDP and some to the Conservatives. That is 55 seats! Why would they call an election?

So sorry Galahad, seems Steyn would believe the opposite of what you claim. I'm pretty sure Frum would be horrified that you included him and Steyn in this axis of paultry punditry. Paul Wells has admitted to not knowing anything about politicians and how Ottawa works so I would imagine he does believe Paul Martin, if only because he needs to keep the door open to Liberal brass as his paycheck depends upon it.

No. I would say that no official coalition government be formed by these two entities. I do not believe that Quebec really wants to separate and uses this threat to justify an unbalanced approach in confederation. If Bloq members wish to seek more powers for that province then they should join the conservatives. The new party is the only one that can form a government and actually wants to protect and enhance provincial jurisdiction, As is evident when Harper stated "build a firewall around Alberta". Individual members would have to denounce independance and join a party that wants a united Canada with strong autonomous provinces.

Yes Harper is quiet but I've seen him rip into the front bench of the Liberals when he has to. Paul Martin starts too many sentences with, Let me be perfectly clear and stammers like porky when the script writers have failed to hand him that response about why he didn't do something or say something about the scandal prior to it being tabled in the house. I'll take Harpers emotionless but logical and actually clear response over porky Paul anyday.

I tend to agree with the Watcher. Tony will make a great minister or critic along with those that are already there, like Mckay, Kenny, Day. Belinda still doesn't fit and I hope sticks around and developes some spontaneity and french. Some of the best comments came from the mediator though, maybe he should run. Why did CTV question period laugh at the thought of Prime Minister Stephen Harper? They acknowledge he is smart and understands issues. Craig Oliver defended him but damage done.

BigGunner I think what may have happened out in Alberta was Ralph Kleins travel habits and then he makes Paul Martin look like a champion of medicare and he supports Belinda. Whos side is he on? Is he drunk again?

Some facts Harper 36% in Ontario Belinda 26% in Ontario Clement 25% in Ontario Harper 46% Canada Belinda 26% Canada Clement 17% Canada Clement has no support anywhere in the country so I'm glad I'm not the only one that hasn't fallen in love with Tony.

Quebec bloq = 44 Lib = 30 CP =10 NDP = 9

I don't mind Tony Clement so much even if he does look alot like Groucho Marx sans 'stach. That is kinda cool cause Layton kinda looks like Lenin sans gote, who was a Marxist. Wierd uh. Anyway, the Conservatives have to stop changing leaders every two years and inflict an identity on the party. This is why I will support Harper instead of a quick fix heroine or a so called hero of the so called SARS crisis. Understand that most of the people infected with SARS in Toronto received it via the health care delivery system. Both ministers of health, Federal and Provincial should be held responsible and not made heros because of attempts to stamp out flames they set. Like the firefighter near Kamloops that started one of the biggest fires in BC from his carelessness, is he a hero because he took action, even though it was immediate and staightforward? I hope not. What about walkerton, who was ultimately held responsible for that? Did the big cheese pay a price, of course. So he should, and so should those that infected Torontonians with a fairly obscure disease by North American standards.

Sorry August1991 I don't know what the hell your trying to say. Like I'm curious what Jean Charest and Landry have to say so please fill in the blanks. I think Harper just screwd up because he said the rest of Canada views this as a Quebec scandal. Doesn't matter what the context was, the soundbite may very well be played over and over on the CBC. Like when Albonzky (or whatever) asked what Quebec ministers knew something then cut to the PM scolding her over Quebec bashing. This is maddening, who the hell is minding these people. Belinda was aked why she is being so polite in attacking Paul Martin. PLEASE SEE CONSPIRACY THEORY.

Let me be perfectly clear, I think Paul Martin is a perfect candidate for the Canadian system. Born in Windsor, lives in Quebec, Hell, even his name is the perfect Anglo\Franco broad marketing appeal. I think Visa used Paul Martin on sample cards in advertisements to a address the language sensibilities in Canada. They have since dropped it in favour of a gender neutral name to appeal to gender sensibilities. Paul is a conservative and fine manager of business and could have had large support in the west. I did predict a super majority for him way back in October. I also suggested the end of the Alliance and or the PC party and not because of a merger, but due to irrelevance. I saw an NDP official opposition and a shattered Bloq. I remember Jean Cretien suggested Paul Martin was a shooting star, like Kim Campbell. At the time I thought wow, for a guy that takes bullets for Liberals and constructs cones of silence for anything controversial, this was harsh. I guess the little guy gets the last laugh.

Michael Hardner, Let me just say that I never said Ontario only votes for Ontarians so pointing out that Ontario hasn't had a home grown Prime Minister doesn't disprove an anti-west bias. The wests rejection of Kim Campbell and John Turner again doesn't prove anything but that the west votes in a consistent manner. Screwed by Mulroney, punish his successor. Screwed by Trudeau, Don't vote for Turner or his other minister as in, Jean Cretien. That only left the NDP, sorry the west is too conservative so hello Reform. Paul Martin had a chance in the west because he mostly showed a dislike for Cretien. He wasn't connected to any previous, screw the west or central Canadian favourtism. That has changed this week. I would hope the Conservatives under Harper would win more than the 26 seats Eves did in the provincial election. I would hope that Harper wins more than the 43 seats Turner did in 1988. Ah, but we have Ontarians leading the other parties so I would be happy with 30 seats in '04 for the Harper Conservatives. Any less and your bigotry will dangle for all to see.

Michael Hardner In the last thirty years the most support thrown at a western leader by Ontarians was Joe Clark. 57 seats or 41% of the popular vote in 1979. Equal to the current leader of the petty theifs. Kim Cambell and John Turner did not fare as well. This is very interesting and may be as close to proof of anti-westite sentiment in Ontario as you get. John Turner was not a relative unknown having served in Pearson's and Trudeau's government. Mulroney came out of nowhere. This is actually written in books so I am sure it doesn't only exist in my mind. In 1984 John only was able to get 12 seats. Fast forward to the 1988 election on free trade, the one that brought in Paul Martin. An incredible 59% of Ontarians voted against free trade but because Ontario couldn't bring themselves to consolidate behind a westerner, the Conservatives picked up a majority of the seats, 46. In 1993 Kim Campbell, a popular minister at the time up against Jean Cretien, a minister in the very same cabinet as John Turner in the same governments of Pearson and Trudeau, barking the same tune as the former leader. Remember, scrap the GST and the trade agreements. What the hell changed in Ontario in 5 years to give Jean a sweep in that province? Well the leaders swapped birth certificates that's what. Do we really believe attack ads did Kim Campbell in? No, she simply gave an excuse to voters to dump on her like they wanted to dump on Mulroney in 1988 but just couldn't overcome a prejudice of the west. How pathetic that Mr. Harper has to state that he was born in Ontario to validate his leadership bid. How pathetic that a person from Ontario is a serious contender in that leadership contest simply because she was born in Ontario. She has high school education and a rich dad and if she wins the leadership it will be because Ontario made that happen.

Michael Hardner I don't buy your, Ontario would rather elect petty thiefs than an unknown. They elected Mulroney in 1984 and handed John Turner his walking papers. Perhaps it has more to do with Ontarios prejudice towards western leaders? This is the only logical conclusion that I can find to explain Ontarios voting preference. My message to Ontario is, shame on you! Your collective anti-western sentiment, keeping qualified people from power, only because they are westerners is hurting this country.

Sir Riff So what the hell does Stephen Harper have to do to show he is worthy enough to have have the support of Ontario. If Dalton can get elected Premier I'm lead to believe is doesn't take much. The Federal Liberals steal 100 Million $ and they sit at 41%. What the hell is Ontario so affraid of that they would rather have that much stolen from them than vote for the Conservatives. Really now, I'll assume the worst from an Ontarian perspective and suppose Stephen Harper becomes the leader of the Conservatives. Do people in Toronto really think that he would ban all abortions and jail homosexuals and hand out handguns in the public library? Is this a likely scenario? Maybe it is not the social concerns, maybe it is economic? Perhaps the conservatives would hand our economy over to the US like those bastards in Mulroneys government did with the trade agreements and introduce more taxes. Wait just a second, buddy! Canada has slipped in all economic indexes under Paul Martins watch and a corrupt government won't help matters. Look, I can understand Atlantic Canada and Quebec voting for the highest bidder via the PC's and Liberals, even the Praries can be forgiven for supporting these former and current parasites as they hope to benefit or at least create a simbiotic orgy. I don't get Ontario's pathetic blind faith in Paul Martin. It is time, Ontario, to start leading this nation towards a populist agenda where Canadians don't steal from Canadians. Let me make one final observation, if Ontario doesn't live up to its role in this Canadian confederation to punish those that transgress and abuse the public purse and choose to do nothing then they will see this country spiral into the void failed idealology. Ontario exists in Canada as the US exists in the world, in that a failure by the US affects the globe, A failure by Ontario lets all of Canada feel the pain. An Ontario that fails to lead within this country will be replaced in prominance by another. Anybody care to guess who might carry the new tourch in Confederation if Ontario fails? That is correct! Alberta.

Mulroney had alot of wetern Canadians in his cabinet and the reason Reform was created was because those cabinet ministers don't have real power. The problem is not that westerners don't vote with the government but rather that the government doesn't vote for the west. I mean that the PMO and his unelected staff is where the power is and they don't give the west it's due, so REORM was born in the west to reform the way government works. In other words the west said STOP favouring Quebec with our money. Nothing has changed in fifteen years. Think about this. Who is more likely to favour Quebec with our Tax dollars? The author of the clarity bill or Paul Martin? A tough stand on separatists vs wishy washy appeasement.

Why would the province with the highest standard of living, lowest taxes and a quality of life second to none need anything Liberal. Why would anyone wish Canada on Alberta, it is the rest of Canada that needs to learn from that province. Like Ontario tried, and now BC is limping along the road to Alberta's example.

I believe the most logical coalition is the conservative party and the purple martins. I can't see Jack and paul holding hands anytime soon. I did see a wink between Harper and Martin after the vote on elected committees didn't go the governments way. If Belinda wins expect a full blown marriage between these entities. Please see my conspiracy theory. Anyway it is going to take a bigger fall to halt the spring election till fall. You see the 2000 election numbers are( 40.8 lib) (26.8 CA) (12.2 pc) (8.8 NDP) so no real change. Oh ya, Happy Valentines day you hosers. I hope you all sent Paul Martin a Little something to keep him in the fake indignation mode till the tulips bloom in Regina.