knn

The Ontario government is amending 73 statutes regarding homosexuals and marriage. The vast majority of all political parties are in agreement, and the whole process is being completed in just two days. If only the federal government could finish its work that swiftly! ONTARIO REWRITES LAWS

Just as Stephen Harper is now being called "Mr. Divisive". It is a reputation that he has more than earned.

Stephen Harper wants to create a world in which Religion would have dominance over all areas that fall under the government’s domain, whether it be human rights, broadcasting, taxpayers revenue, getting a passport, or filing your income tax! In other words, Stephen Harper would create a theocratic state, in which “religious rights” would trump both the individual’s rights and the state’s rights. Madness!

Latest polls out show Stephen Harper continues to drag down the Conservative Party. Is Harper the wrong man for the job? You betcha!

If the best you can come up with is that "some of them are unfortunate" then you have no idea what intolerance even means. By the way, French is not something you just ignore because you "can't remember the last time you heard French being spoken in the streets of Vancouver". This nation was built on two official languages, French and English. For you, or Harper, to dismiss it so nonchalantly is well...I doubt if anything I say will get through to you.

I love this letter to the editor in today’s paper from a 76 year old woman. Years of wisdom, logic, and plain, old-fashioned common sense wins out every time. Quote -- "Hard to understand what the fuss is about." Same-sex marriage. "I'm sorry but I just don't get it. I am a 76-year-old heterosexual woman married many years and I just don't understand what all the fuss is about. If two women or two men want to make a commitment and declare their love for each other, what is the problem? I can't for the life of me see that as a threat to me or my husband. In fact, if they want to invite us to the wedding, we will be the first to wish them joy and throw the confetti."

Here's a few more: • "When you go into the issue of homosexuals and lesbians it's in the interest of society to have the right to discriminate against that group in areas of ... schools is one that comes to mind." Dave Chatters MP "Homosexuality is destructive to the individual and in the long run to society." - Preston Manning. • “Positive reforms to human rights acts would include removing phrases such as ‘sexual orientation’ that attempt to promote deviant behaviours.” - Peter Stock. • "It is simply difficult – extremely difficult – for someone to become bilingual in a country that is not. And make no mistake. Canada is not a bilingual country. - Conservative leader Stephen Harper. • "Why do they have to be out here in the public, always debating that they want to call it marriage? Why are they in parades? Why are men dressed up as women on floats? If they are going to live together, go live together and shut up about it." - Elsie Wayne MP • “Sikhs get their marching orders from Sikh temples. They don't think along the same lines" as Canadians.” - George Rigaux. • “For instance, I'm not opposed to gays, but if you bring one of those suckers into my school and they try to push their crap on my students, I have a problem with that." - Myron Thompson MP • "You have to remember that west of Winnipeg the ridings the Liberals hold are dominated by people who are either recent Asian immigrants or recent migrants from Eastern Canada; people who live in ghettos and are not integrated into Western Canadian society." - Conservative leader Stephen Harper • "A culture of defeat..." - Conservative leader Stephen Harper, describing the Atlantic provinces.

Where to begin... Here's a few quotes on the Reform/Alliance/Conservative's history of making racist and intolerant remarks: • “This bedroom bill extends benefits based on sexual activity”. - John Reynolds (future Government House Leader?) • “I find it repulsive”. - John Williams (future President of Treasury Board?) • “What we are really talking about (is) sexual behaviour”. - Stephen Harper (future Prime Minister?) • “I define the family heterosexually”: - Stockwell Day (future Foreign Affairs Minister?) • “Homosexuality is a repudiation of nature”. - Art Hanger (future Minister of Immigration?) • “Reform's official position in opposing hate crimes legislation and changes to human rights legislation to bar discrimination against gays is that there should be no categories of people that receive special treatment.” - Preston Manning. • "If I had a business and a homosexual was there working for me and he was responsible for my losing business, then indeed I would think of letting him go.” - Bob Ringma. • “Bob Ringma had been right in saying it was acceptable to fire blacks or gays or move them to the back of the shop. I don't have a problem with what this guy Bob Ringma has said because he could have made those remarks from the perspective of a businessman regardless of his employee's race or origin." Janice Lim - Reform candidate. • “It is unnatural and totally immoral”. - Myron Thompson (future Minister of Justice?) • “Society has a right to discriminate against them”. - Dave Chatters (future Minister of Natural Resources?)

Your answer is a non-answer. Obviously you CANNOT show me a post where I said "you" made those statements. As I stated before, I was speaking of the Reform/Alliance/Conservative Party.

Show me in which post I "villified" you or stated that you made any such statments. I pointed out the Reform/Alliance/Conservative voting record on minority rights and their history of making racist and intolerant remarks. If you are a member of that party and IF you support such remarks, then that's your burden, not mine.

I have no idea what you're talking about. I made no comment or reference to "the painted room". Where did I post that? Your logic is extremely flawed.

Poppycock. The Liberals don't have to "paint" them at all! The Conservatives, and particularly the Reform/Alliance, do an excellent job of showing just how racist and exclusive they can be, all by themselves. But the Reform/Alliance/Conservatives have made it an art. When did you ever see those parties vote in favour of passing any bills that granted rights to minority groups? Or as Reform/Alliance/Conservatives love to call it - "special rights"!

Heavenly days! First Stockwell Day, and now Stephen Harper. Conservatives sure do know how to pick 'em!

I agree with you. Bernard Lord would be a serious threat to the Liberals. As you say, he's bilingual, fairly young, intelligent, a good speaker, and knowledgeable in political savvy. Of course, he wouldn't do well in redneck Alberta, but he could carry the east, central, and B.C. and that would be enough to make him the next P.M.

Oh, I pray so. Let's hope the 'moderate's' don't have any say in setting the party's policy. If the rest of the party reflects the views of Stephen Harper, then the Liberals are a shoo-in the next time around!

At this point, can anyone? I suppose we'll all just have to wait for the Montreal convention to determine what the party is going to do with Harper's wanderings! Party policy will become clearer after that, but will it be clear enough to change the public's perception of a radical right wing nut running the party!

More than likely, you have no answer. Babbling on about the sands on the beach hardly addresses real people or real issues! You were the one who stated that changing the definition of marriage would make "marriage obsolete." I merely asked why it hadn't? Why hadn't marriage become "obsolute" when thousands of same sex marriages have already taken place over the last two years? Why haven't those thousands of same sex marriages across the country even put a dent in destroying marriage. Nothing changed. Your "analogy" about "sands on the beach" is ludicrous.

As I stated: "...they would have picked a leader who was more central to the (Conservative) party’s position and ideals." Most Canadians perceive Harper as being so far to the RIGHT of the Conservative party's position that he is falling off the edge!

eureka, you didn't respond to my question of -- "If it were a "simple fact" that having same sex couples marry would make marriage "osbolete", then that should have happened two years ago when same sex marriages began to take place. You've have shown no evidence that that has been the case." You might find this article from the U.S. (washington state) interesting: "...one has to wonder why so few people are standing up to decry the United States’ restrictions on same-sex marriage as Human Rights violations. Homosexuals are certainly human, their sexual preferences seem to fall under the heading of “other status,” and they are being prevented from marrying..." ...HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE?

Not from the Polls I’ve seen. The CPC is slipping badly. I believe they've fallen down to 26% since the election. Harper Slipping Not that I think the Tory camp has any great potential leaders, but since you asked... It would be difficult for Belinda Stronach to take on such a role, what with her limited experience in politics. I honestly believe that if Peter McKay had been chosen at the leadership convention, the Conservatives would be in power today; the Liberals were ripe for the picking. Bernard Lord has great potential and if he plays his cards right, I could see him the next leader. Personally, my favourites would be Ralph Klein or Mike Harris! Gads, what a heyday the Liberals would have knocking either of these two characters off the ballot box in the next election. Central Canada would be lined up at the polling booths early in the morning to enjoy getting rid of them so fast, it would make your head spin.

This is why I cannot fathom why, at such a crucial point in history, did the “new” Conservative party choose a man like Stephen Harper to represent them. Surely, if they had any smarts at all, they would have picked a leader who was more central to the party’s position and ideals.

Why the members selected Stephen Harper as their leader immediately after the merging of the two parties is beyond me. You would think in that delicate transition period of bringing the Alliance and Progressive Conservative parties together they would have wanted it to go as smoothly and as uneventfully as possible. Even have a middle of the road guy for the first few years. Instead they elected a leader who carries a lot of baggage; a history of making bad choices and bad statements. It gives, and reinforces the public image that the party is run by a rampant bunch of racist rednecks. Then again, maybe it is!

I know you like to mimic Harper about "marriage not being a right" but neither the Supreme Court or the federal government is going to agree with you. If it were a "simple fact" that having same sex couples marry would make marriage "osbolete", then that should have happened two years when same sex marriages began to take place. You've have shown no evidence that that has been the case.

Oh, Harper will lead his "party to the depths" alright. At his present rate, he drive it right into the ground so deep, you won't be able to find it!

Hardly. To change the term now for all civil marriages to civil "unions"will not wash. Civil marriage is civil marriage. A rose by any other name is still... "Separate but equal" won't wash either.