fellowtraveller

Only if you consider that sworn testimony, corroborated by other sworn testimony, delivered tearfully in front of a federal judge at a public inquiry is not evidence.... Judge Gomery calls it evidence. It looks like a duck, walks like a duck - except to the Liberal Apologists League. Everything looks like swans to them. Beautiful persecuted swans.....

That the Liberals will decide now IS the time for an election, yes that's probably wishful thinking. But I don't think it's wishful thinking to expect that an election campaign will put the spotlight back on the issues that put the Liberals behind in the polls. -k <{POST_SNAPBACK}> If the Liberals were certain of a win, certain that they are truly more popular, there would be an election in a heartbeat. That is the real story, not all this BS and posturing. Siding with separatists? Do you mean in the same way that Jack Layton and Gilles Duceppe were singing exactly the same tune on Budget Day, promising to vote against the Liberals and Conservatives? Like that?

Perhaps. Financial solvency is not a beef, but I fail to see why I should pay for middle class families to have others raise their children. I chose to have my children. It changed my family finances, but that did not come as any surprise, how could it? Single moms on welfare aren't a myth, they exist and should be taken care of with financial support and retraining. I have no objection to middle class people paying for their own day care, that's their choice. I have no objection to paying for day care for the 'mythical' single mom, so she can get back on her feet. But universal daycare- nope, not on my watch.

They are not subordinate in words only, in reality they are subordiante through the taxation system. If the feds control the money, our money, they control everything. Provinces can increase provincial taxes, but the taxpayers can only bear so muc. In any case, it is our money , not 'their ' money. And the poster has it backwards entirely. Our Constitution describes the division of repsonsibilites, it is the federal government that continually meddles in this, not the provinces. It's not about serving the citizens, it is centered on central power, central control. No government chould be in the control business, they should be in the business of serving their population. And much of the time - that means getting OUT of the way, not attempting to regulate every facet of our lives.

Here you go: Unfortunately for provinces, there is no linkage between their responsibility for providing health care to citizens and their ability to raise funds for this purpose. They have little control over the bulk of the money, which is retained by the feds via income tax, then used a a cudgel for political purposes. It could be said that our 'surplus' in the last few years is partly attributable to money the federal govt has taxed its citizens, then refused to contribute adequately to improve their health. Yet another reason I believe our federation is headed to a constitutional crisis, a big one.

Guaranteed he is gone, win or lose, after the next election. Things have not gone to plan at all for the Libs since Chretien left.

I think every funeral I've ever been to, nobody went to heaven or hell. Certainly not the deceased.

You can be sure that the Liberal power elite is finding Mr. Dithers sadly lacking lately. He's also old, and looking older every week. They can't turf him now, not until he takes the heat for Adscam fully and completely....or.... gets the Libs off the hook at least partially. Either way, he is badly damaged goods and a liability. He's a liability now actually, but circumstances prevent a change. My predicted timeline:- Libs succeed in deferring an election until early next year. If they manage that(which they will), they'll win another minority. Martin will be gone soon after. Next leader/PM: Frank McKenna.

I also saw the McKenna interview, it was totally bland. I see it as one of his first campaign speeches for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada. It's the perfect podium, prominent but outside the fray. Pretending that anybody gives a crap about Canada outside Canada, which McKenna will continue to do from Washington, plays perfectly to many folks at home who haven't a clue about US-Canada dynamics. This is a fact that Frank knows very very well. It is why he took the job.

It is not just Quebec that is becoming deeply dissatisfied with the federation that is Canada. Everybody, every region is seeing that 'me-firstism' , demanding special deals and favours from Ottawa is an effective strategy. Being a team player gets you nowhere fast today in our fractured land, may as well shoulder your way into the first row at the trough.

The reason Albertans like Klein is that when first elected, he did pretty much exactly what he said he would do in the campaign. It was such a novel approach, a politician saying and doing the same thing, that it through everybody off guard. He's pretty much out of gas now (resource industry joke). But lo and behold, on the horizon is Mr. Jim Dinning, who will reign for ...well... as long as he likes.

government. Gross incompetence, gross mismanagement, patronage, general boobery and buffoonery, the Senate, trickery and numerous other ways by which our elected officials fail to serve us. All of these are not exactly tolerable, but like a distressingly large number of Canadians my expectations are so very minimal that I can and have forgiven nearly everything in the last couple of decades. But I cannot and will not countenance, condone or forgive outright theft. Not now, not ever. And that is what the Liberals, with Paul Martin,John Chretien and many other senior , trusted people at the heart of our nation have done. It simply does not matter if they were directly involved. If they weren't, then their collective massive incompetence is ample reason for dismissal. They took our tax money, laundered it, and gave it to themselves and their friends. It would be like a bus driver returning home with an empty fare box, and claiming they somehow did not see anybody emptying it every day , 6 inches away from him - every day for 7 years no less. Just how contemptuous is it to expect us to believe that 'nobody knows anything?' If you vote Liberal next election, you are voting for thieves. What Stephen Harper or Jack Layton or Brian Mulroney might do is not relevant, because it has not happened yet, it is speculation. But what the Liberals have done is not.

No doubt because Harper is seen as a much more serious threat. Kimmy, you need some reference to Harpers predeliction for eating babies, Liberal babies, to make your list complete.

No, we don't 'need' it, not as a universal right/entitlement. And if it is implemented and universal, we'll pour billions into a fiscal sinkhole so that middle class people can pay off their mortgages quicker. For most people having children is a choice, and comes complete with financial sacrifice. No reason for others to pay for my lifestyle choices. I do support subsidized daycare for those who have no options, but definitely not as a universl program.

Much of the crisis in healthcare is specifically due to federal meddling in program responsibility and funding - areas that are provinical responsibilities. It's ridiculous that subordinate governments are forced to beg for money from the feds, money that comes from taxpayers and then is withheld for purely political issues. Our country will never reach its full potential until each level of govt defines and minds its own business. If you're going to trim anywhere-start at the top.

Yep, I now think that the Liberals are going to get away with it. The campaign core for them will be 'a vote for Conservatives is a vote for separatism'. Millions of Canadians have proven themselves entirely willing to swallow this BS whole, no reason at all to think anything has changed. A rumour, persistent one too, is that David Kilgour, one of the important 'Independent' votes is going to be appointed either a Senator or Ambassador in return for not voting which will greatly help the Liberals. Patronage and corruption, it is sadly what we have come to expect. Carolyn Parrish will vote Liberal, Chuck Cadman may not vote - and there are two very ill Tory MPs. So, the math favours the Liberals and NDP, assuming the NDP stay bought. At a cost of $250 million in taxpayers money per NDP vote, it should ensure some loyalty.

It's all much easier to accept this action if you accept that the Liberal Party is filled with bottomfeeding scum. They are utterly corrupt and bereft of ideas, clinging to power for no reason. They've deferred the Opposition days to give time for their spin machine to do what they do so skilfully- deflect Canadians from the serious problems our elected governments refuse to face. They do this by introducing red herrings, but I don't think that the opposition will be deflected this time. The next move by the Liberals will be to suspend Parliamnet and prevent anybody from introducing a motion of non-conficence. They all want to control the timing of an election, the later the better for the Liberal spin doctors.

Only the Liberals have the unmitigated gall to stand there peeing on my leg and tell me that it is raining.

Golly this post is so factually wrong in so many ways, it's hard to know where to start.... The post could well be described as a pack of lies. Alberta has the lowest taxes in Canada, closely followed by Ontario, until Ontario introduced health care premiums too. Wheteher it's out front or not, premiums are paid by everybody in every province for the same services. Add them all up, Albertans easily pay the least. Fact. Those 'indicators ' are a joke. The prime indicators of social progress are education and health spending, and both got massive, unprecedented boosts. Alberta was already spending the most per capita for health care, now they will be well in front. It's yet to be seen whether this will result in improved quality of life or longer lifespans. Education spending was in the middle of the pack, now it will be well above Canadian averages, especially in post secondary which just got a huge boost of cash for at least three years. Note that when Alberta was in the middle of the provincial pack, they were easily tops in performance in Canada by internationally objective measures in recent surveys. It was no contest vs the other provinces in grades k-9. They finished second and seventh in the WORLD in two subjects. Not bad for a province vilfied by morons who cannot see the truth from behind the mask of ideological hatred. The kids know the truth.

Just read the Poll list again. Truly an uninspiring bunch, I don't see any that inspire any confidence at all. You can scratch Ann MacLellan now, she will lose her seat soon.

None of the above. Most likely : Frank McKenna Dark Horse: Brian Tobin Scott Brison is a featherweight. He's just another shrill front bench apologist. His comments lately have been laughable. Whoever replaces Martin (which will happend after the next election no matter what the outcome) will have to appear to be distanced from the Liberal Old Guard.

Gee, I don't know, has he stopped eating babies yet?

sorry, I meant to say the liberals (federal) are about to be eliminated as a force in Quebec I am very uneasy about the way this is headed

The federal Liberal Party is about to be eliminated as a force in Canada and reduced to an Ontario party, with a few seats elsewhere. The Tories will be similar, with their base in the West. The NDP will of course maintian its historic irrelevance. The Bloc will sweep Quebec. Soon after, Duceppe will take over the PQ, win an election and try very hard indeed to take Quebec out of Canada. Is there a single person in federal politics, outside the Bloc, that the people of Quebec would listen to? I can't think of any.

What an overwhelmingly sad and pathetic attitude. I despair for the state of our 'democracy'.