democrassy

Things are too fluid Harper et. al. probably won initial salvo but much remains to be seen re: this story Polls are inconsequential at this point

This is an excellent link on Ignatieff vs Rae et. al. on foreign policy Big bad americans are an easy target for doves but their emotional argument is well intentioned but often insincere http://colbyfile.blogspot.com/2006/08/mich...ign-policy.html

Your question of RW vs LW invites vagueness - fiscally, socially, militarily/foreign policy, etc.. From you hawk/dove perspective I assume you are limiting question to issues that refer strictly to military/foreign policy If so I would say they are on the same page and definitley hawks in relative terms (Canada) based on their initial responses to Iraq at least - Harper may have put chains on hawk with trying to achieve a majority recently and ditto for Iggy trying to become Liberal leader but hard to say where they would be if either achieved supreme(aka majority) power

Three Dressed up as a Nine Three Dog Knights The lion, the witch and the bored knob

Torture issue is off the table... Maybe I should have added a smiley face and reference to opposition RW in what sense?

Why worry about spending - Canada has run a surplus for ....er....thats right, Conservatives are the biggest spending government in history of the country and will run a deficit for the first time in over 10 years chaching - billions in GST cut for votes ....chaching - billions spent catering to provinces espec. Quebec for votes....chaching - billions in strategic spending announcements before last election for you guessed it...votes(not that Libs didn't do that but these guys were supposed to be different) hmmm... green fog, wavering picture ...imagine how we could have been a shining star in the industrialized world if we hadn't made inefficient GST cuts, catered to provinces, election spending ... Canada... a beacon for fiscal conservatism wake-up ...back to the future... senate ... millions... whatever

Torture was good natured humour as in torturing opposition parties Agree on reserving judgement with Iggy but at first blush my inclination is that Iggy will be more of a statesman than Harper and this could be Harpers downfall I am also happy that Libs have picked most fiscally right of possible choices but admittingly their options were both in the left field bleachers

Iraq - torture - - lots in common One difference that I predict - Harper is the sweater clad hand shaking dad who can be tempermental and bitterly partisan - a limiting factor in trying to achieve the profile of a statesman .For Iggy I don't think you will see him lose his cool and do the petulant, nasty rebuttals that Harper has made famous and this may be the difference when Canadians chose their next PM Harper does deserve kudo's though for his calm demeanor during the debate