Newfie Canadian

Perhaps on a small scale, but when you ask people the question, more often than not they will say they're anti-Bush, not anti-American. What we see in demonstrations are people who say America is an imperialist bully, but you and they have to realize (and I think a majority do) that that is a decision of the American government and the president, not the American people.

The other thing to keep in mind is that a provincial party's success/failure doesn't always correspond into success/ failure for it's federal counterpart. It's all in the timing and the spin.

And there's the rub for Martin, Stoker. Calvert and Lord are setting up the war tents to get the same kind of deals as NL and NS got. The problem McGuinty has though is his own governments track record. If memory serves, he broke all sorts of election promises shortly after taking office. How are Ontarian's memories for that kind of thing? I know he tried to blame the PC party in Ontario, so can he now believe that the voters of Ontario will believe that it's the fed's fault? I think the equalization formula will be ammended. It's the only option for Martin. He can't afford, financially and politically, to go around to all the provinces and territories setting up little side deals. The formula has to be fixed. I'll wait for the policy convention to before I go looking for CPC lawn signs.

McGuinty is of course trying to get re-elected by using the oldest trick in the book: bash Ottawa, and it is going to be a common theme. Some pundits are saying that his reproach of Liberal Ontario MPs isn't sittiing well with those MPs, his brother among them. To answer your question Stoker, who knows?

What I meant by that was the CPC is the closest party, on a national level, to offering a viable alternative to the Liberals. I believe the poll you cite saw the NDP around 16%. Like the CPC, they haven't been able to capitalize on the Liberal scandal(s?), but that's a different thread. I think Lord would work wonders for the party. He's bilingual, young and got NB on a pretty good track. Harris has too much baggage in vote rich Ontario. The CPC may look more attractive, as may Harper, after their policy convention, in which Harper, the party and the public will hopefully find out what the party stands for. The CPC was unfortunate to fight an election without having such a convention, especially considering that some of the old PC party and the Alliance party seemed to differ in certain areas of public policy.

I agree August. A breth of fresh air is desparately needed in Ottawa. The apparent next choice, as of the national polls, is the CPC. So it comes back to the original question, is Harper the right person for the job? He may be, but I don't think the combined party is mature enough yet to get him the chance, as evidenced by the mistakes of the last election and of the last couple of weeks. So, if knn don't mind I ask: assuming the CPC don't make an earth shattering gain in the next electiona and assuming Harper steps down, who would be able to step in to get them over the hump? Stronach, Prentice, McKay, Reynolds, Lord, Harris? Honesty in Ottawa. That's a rarity.

IMHO, Harper has many factors going against him, from leading a merged party, to MPs shooting their mouths off, to maybe some bad advisors. I do believe that he has the unfortunate luck to be leading a conservative party in Canada when Canadians look south of the border, and see a conservative adminstration in the US doing all the things that give Canadians reasons to distrust conservative politics and politicians. (And before I Miss Reagan jumps on this and say it's anti-American, that's not what I mean. Anti-Bush maybe, but not anti-American. ) Now, there is of course an icredible divide between American conservative politics and politicians and Canadians conservative politics and politicians, but I would wager that the divide is largely unknown, misunderstood or totally ignored by the electotrate

Now it isn't confirmed, but CTV's Mike Duffy speculated tonight that PM PM will use his upcoming trip to Brussels to tell Pres. Bush that Canada won't be joining the BMD system.

Your optimism is refreshing August.

IF Harper can get to the policy Convention (in March?) without getting shot in the back by one of his MPs or shooting himself in the foot, he may do OK. AS knn has alluded to, he hasn't been doing too well in the last few days in regards to bringing negative attention to himself.

What an interesting and bizarre little twist this thread has taken. Getting back to the topic, sort of. Hopefully Gen. Hillier will be able to do what those before him (Heanult, Baril, Murray, Boyle, de Chastelain, Anderson) have been unable to do: shame the Liberal government into spending money on the Forces. I thought he did pretty good in his assuming command speech.

Well, some news on funding the Forces. Boeing gets $117 Million contract to upgrade CF-18s Payraise for the Forces, Hopefully

Because survival of the fittest isn't always the way to live life. From a purely practical stand point, if you show mercy and compassion, mercy and compassion may be shown to you should you one day need it.

Seems real enough to me. Funny picture too.

I Miss Reagan, my friend (if I may be so presumptuous), I disagree. It may be a reason for some, but not many. I cited a poll in another thread that indicated that a majority of Canadians liked America and Americans. More than that, the poll indicated that support for Americans was greatest in Canada, compared to the UK and other US allies. Did it ever occur to you that people may treat Canadians better because they are Canadians, and not because they are not Americans? Again IMR, I respectfully disagree, and I'll point to O'Reilly's poll for evidence. (I'll be, O'Reilly may not be totally useless after all. ) I've already stated elsewhere what I think of her immature antics. She is a nobody in regards to government. I never saw them as anti-American. I just saw them as making fun of some stereo types that Americans use about Canada and Canadians. The media I'll give you to a point. The only thing I've got to say about school is I learned more about the US in school than I did about my own country. I knew about the US constitution before I knew about my own. Isn't that sad? Maybe, just maybe, we as Canadians are starting to distance ourselves from our American cousins to shape our own identity and destiny separate from that of the US. I don't see that as anti-American. I see it as pro-Canadian. And what's wrong with that?

Just another stop on the slippery slope. It is unfortunate. EDIT-Which adds to the importance and necessity of asking questions.

I can assure you, IMR, that that is not the only reason people put the Canadian flag on their backpacks. Aren't we? If that's what you believe, and I don't by the way, who has the inferiority complex? Carolyn Parrish is one back bench MP. How come nobody from the right ever mentions the venom that spewed from Pat Buchannan's mouth. And that was when US/Canada relations were good. He was a freakin' presidential candidate for crying out loud. Give the Parrish thing a rest. There are idiots on both sides of the border.

That's a nice link kimmy, thanks. We all knew the Liberals weren't going to get every bill passed. I wouldn't start raising eyebrows until there's talk of scuttling the budget. Just 6 more days til it comes out.

Speaking on issues fosters debate, and debate is almost always good, especially on important issues concerning society.

I believe there is a widening philosophical gap between Americans and Canadians, but I don't believe that anti-Americanism, that is hating America and it's people, is running rampant. I do believe however, that many Canadians have a distrust and dislike for thte governnment of the US, not just in the White House. The follks on the HIll have done little to foster warmer feelings from north of the border. At least, that's how I see it.

Bush himself is irrelevant, just as Blair himself is irrelevant and Putin himself is irrelevant. But, whether we like it or not, Bush and Putin the Presidents and Blair the PM are relevant because they hold the offices they hold.

And here's another reason to close up Rideau Hall. Student Asks a Question and Gets in Trouble Wasn't bad enough that they kicked out the group, but then the school suspended him. Hilarious. On the other hand, Rideau Hall will be offering an apology and the boys suspension will be lifted. Too bad it took an appearance on Canada AM to do it. Suspension Lifted

FoxNews wasn't banned from coming to Canada, it was just refused a broadcasting licence, until late last year. The CRTC never reviewed a ban, it reviewed and granted an application to broadcast.

Touché But.... Another Missile Defence Test Fails.

Keeping his mouth shut certainly doesn't appear to be his strong suit.