Federal Tories courting Dumont

[normanchateau]

I sure as hell didn't.

Dion, it must have been Dion.

[madmax]

Harper has gained popular support in Quebec and is at 32%.

[madmax]

Being as I've clearly stated Harper is done after the next election, I still wouldn't like it if Harper picked Dumont. Harper would no longer be able to play the unity card as the Liberals could dig up that Dumont signed along with the separatists in 95. Dumont would be poison for the tories.

One thing I can always count on blueblood. I know exactly where you stand and it always passes the acid test and BS detector whether people like it or not. You are consistent in your views on Quebec.

Personally, I think Dumont can bring the CPC one seat (his). Maybe some credibility, but not necessarily so. He could be the guy to shore up the loss of any potential Quebec seats should their be an election.

[blueblood]

One thing I can always count on blueblood. I know exactly where you stand and it always passes the acid test and BS detector whether people like it or not. You are consistent in your views on Quebec.

Personally, I think Dumont can bring the CPC one seat (his). Maybe some credibility, but not necessarily so. He could be the guy to shore up the loss of any potential Quebec seats should their be an election.

The Quebecers that vote tory, I think are in the "loaded" region of Quebec. I know the Beauce is loaded and that's where Bernier is from. It's not even worth potentially sabotaging the campaign for possibly one seat in Quebec. I don't know if Harper can get more seats as Quebecers from what I've seen aren't into fiscal conservatism and tough justice. Ignatieff will gain some seats. I'll say the Libs and Bloc exchange some seats.

August knows more about this than I do. But the logic of crying bloody murder when arts funding is cut due to softening the blow of tough economic times defies logic.

[Smallc]

But the logic of crying bloody murder when arts funding is cut due to softening the blow of tough economic times defies logic.

I think it was more about what Harper said on the subject. Something about out of touch elite artists getting handouts. That wouldn't go over well in Quebec.

[madmax]

I think it was more about what Harper said on the subject. Something about out of touch elite artists getting handouts. That wouldn't go over well in Quebec.

Harper has a way with words. No it didn't go over well. What made no sense is why he said it in such a provocative manner. That is what caught the medias attention. Once it spread, Artists of all stripes took it personally.

Politics doesn't have to make sense. Recently I have seen entire election campaigns based around a shell game. Avoid the real issues, make a bogey man, after the election put the bogey man in the closet, and bring him out again, and stir.

[blueblood]

I think it was more about what Harper said on the subject. Something about out of touch elite artists getting handouts. That wouldn't go over well in Quebec.

which defies logic.

[Smallc]

which defies logic.

I didn't think much of what he said either. I still voted for him, but he was wrong to paint a whole group of people that way just because he doesn't understand them.

[normanchateau]

I don't know if Harper can get more seats as Quebecers from what I've seen aren't into fiscal conservatism

Are you implying that Harper is into fiscal conservatism? During his 2-3 years in office, he's increased government spending more rapidly than any prime minister in the history of Canada. Remember that huge surplus he stumbled into in 2006? It's gone, much of it in multibillion dollar handouts to Quebec which allowed Charest to lower provincial income taxes at the expense of the rest of Canada.

[blueblood]

Are you implying that Harper is into fiscal conservatism? During his 2-3 years in office, he's increased government spending more rapidly than any prime minister in the history of Canada. Remember that huge surplus he stumbled into in 2006? It's gone, much of it in multibillion dollar handouts to Quebec which allowed Charest to lower provincial income taxes at the expense of the rest of Canada.

That huge surplus from overtaxation. Good I'm happy it's gone, more money in my pocket.

Harper has to spend in order to participate in a minority parliament. He's also trying to convince Canadians he's not Scrooge. If he continues his high spending if he gets his majority, don't worry I'll be quite upset. However since it's a minority I'll let it slide.

Don't let logic and the politics game get in the way of your drive by smears.

[Smallc]

That huge surplus from overtaxation. Good I'm happy it's gone, more money in my pocket.

Yeah, when taxes are raised to pay for the new debt that is about to be created because taxes were cut too deep and too fast while spending was increased too much too fast., I'm sure you'll be happy about it.

[BC_chick]

Are you implying that Harper is into fiscal conservatism? During his 2-3 years in office, he's increased government spending more rapidly than any prime minister in the history of Canada. Remember that huge surplus he stumbled into in 2006? It's gone, much of it in multibillion dollar handouts to Quebec which allowed Charest to lower provincial income taxes at the expense of the rest of Canada.

Fiscally, Harper is both liberal and conservative. He cuts taxes like a conservative, but spends like a liberal.

To use a human analogy, he's the guy who inherits a chunk of money and goes out every night buying rounds for everyone (since very few likes him otherwise). In the meantime he spends more than he earns. All overspending catches up once the inheritance is gone and the end result is what we see today: maxing out the credit cards and the line of credit.

[blueblood]

Yeah, when taxes are raised to pay for the new debt that is about to be created because taxes were cut too deep and too fast while spending was increased too much too fast., I'm sure you'll be happy about it.

Should have given harper the majority so he wouldn't have to spend like that. I'm more scared of paying the higher taxes if the Libs and NDP take their coalition nonsense and drop 30 billion.

[Smallc]

if the Libs and NDP take their coalition nonsense and drop 30 billion.

I would expect that the Harper governments stimulus package will be quite large. I hope your just as scared of that.

[August1991]

M. Dumont assure que son avenir à lui est toutefois ailleurs, mais n'a pas encore de plan précis en tête. La politique fédérale ne fait pas partie de ses projets pour l'instant, même si la porte ne semble pas complètement fermée.

«Je ne vous surprendrai pas en vous disant que mon plan pour la fin de la semaine, ce n'est pas de me relancer en politique. Ça fait que non, ce n'est pas vraiment dans... On n'est pas là du tout.»

Au cours des prochains mois, il entend conserver son titre de député et aider son parti à faire la transition tout en restant neutre quant à l'élection du prochain chef. Mario Dumont soutient qu'il ne se fera toutefois pas encombrant, qu'il ne jouera pas à la belle-mère et qu'il sera la meilleure cheerleader de l'ADQ lors des prochains congrès à titre de simple militant. À son avis, le parti devra toutefois revoir son programme.

Mario Dumont espère que son départ sera une «occasion de mobilisation» des idées de centre-droite, des idées que partage un électeur québécois sur cinq, a-t-il rappelé. «Ce brassage que cause le départ de quelqu'un qu'on a peut-être tenu pour acquis, c'est l'occasion de voir se manifester des volontés de participer et de contribuer de gens qui ont du talent et de l'énergie à donner.»

Ce père de trois enfants avoue qu'il a aussi le goût de se rapprocher de sa petite famille afin de passer du vrai temps de qualité avec son clan. Ce qu'il n'a pas pu faire très souvent au fil des ans. Il admet se poser quelques questions sur son avenir, mais ajoute qu'il a plus ou moins peur de plonger dans l'inconnu. «Je me croise les doigts, je me souhaite le meilleur!» a-t-il lancé, en assurant qu'il quittait ses fonctions sans aucune amertume. Même envers les médias, qui n'ont pas toujours été tendres pour ce politicien qui met fin à sa carrière à 38 ans.

Le Soleil

Only 38? Dumont is like Nixon - he has the itch.

[normanchateau]

Harper has to spend in order to participate in a minority parliament.

I see. So Harper has to pretend not to be a fiscal conservative in order to achieve a majority government even though you know that he really is a fiscal conservative despite being the biggest spender in the history of Canada.

Does he also have to pretend not to be a social conservative in order to achieve a majority government?

Why is it that only Conservative supporters know what Harper's true beliefs are as opposed to the beliefs that Harper pretends to have?

Do you sincerely believe that Harper's true beliefs will finally emerge if he wins a majority? If you do, you are incredibly naive. Those who gain power want to retain it and if Harper were ever to win a majority, he'd surely want to be re-elected by continuing to profess one set of beliefs while acting in a manner entirely contrary to those beliefs.

[Bryan]

Are you implying that Harper is into fiscal conservatism? During his 2-3 years in office, he's increased government spending more rapidly than any prime minister in the history of Canada. Remember that huge surplus he stumbled into in 2006? It's gone, much of it in multibillion dollar handouts to Quebec which allowed Charest to lower provincial income taxes at the expense of the rest of Canada.

There was no surplus.

[normanchateau]

There was no surplus.

[Wild Bill]

Are you implying that Harper is into fiscal conservatism? During his 2-3 years in office, he's increased government spending more rapidly than any prime minister in the history of Canada. Remember that huge surplus he stumbled into in 2006? It's gone, much of it in multibillion dollar handouts to Quebec which allowed Charest to lower provincial income taxes at the expense of the rest of Canada.

Well, at least he hasn't been caught handing out that surplus in Montreal restaurants...

Je me souviens...toujour!

Edited December 11, 2008 by Wild Bill

[jdobbin]

There was no surplus.

So there was a deficit?

[Bryan]

So there was a deficit?

A significant one. Hundreds of billions in unpaid commitments to health, education, infrastructure, environment, defense, etc.

The WORD surplus is the only thing Paul Martin understood about finance, beyond that he was inept. Anyone who thinks that just not paying the bills and claiming you have money in the bank is sound fiscal management is an idiot. Like I've said before, try that with your mortgage and see if the bank thinks you're a good fiscal manager.

[jdobbin]

A significant one. Hundreds of billions in unpaid commitments to health, education, infrastructure, environment, defense, etc.

I disagree that they were commitments. You make it sound like mandated spending.

Many of those areas are provincial areas of responsibility. Only defence is a pure federal responsibility.

The WORD surplus is the only thing Paul Martin understood about finance, beyond that he was inept. Anyone who thinks that just not paying the bills and claiming you have money in the bank is sound fiscal management is an idiot. Like I've said before, try that with your mortgage and see if the bank thinks you're a good fiscal manager.

Anyone who says that the Feds were mandated to spend billions as Harper has done is an idiot.