What I want to see from the new Majority Government

[Scotty]

Harper needs to be a little magnanimous in victory. And he needs to keep close to centre. If he moves to the right that opens up the centre for the Liberals to surge back next election. Straddle that centre right position with solid fiscal government but don't target social programs except for improvement.

Canada hasn't seen a strong government able to confront the country's issues in at least a decade. We've had the tory minority, and before that the Martin minority, and before that the Chretien do-nothing years. Now at least, there's a government able to put an agenda into action.

For Harper, he can at last relax from the constant politicking. There won't be an election next year or the year after or the year after that. He can now set himself to govern, and ease up on the endless back and forth combat with the other parties. Hold the centre right, pay down the deficit, cut some unneeded programs, and do something about health care. And no, I don't mean look south. I mean look east, across the ocean to Western Europe. Don't pick fights with the unions. Don't pick fights with anyone. They can relax now from the trench warfare they've been involved in for so long. Provide solid, competent government. That's their key to success, and another victory next time around.

[Shakeyhands]

It will certainly be interesting to see how he handles some of the "special interest" groups that make up his base. They'll be wanting their returns now. I agree with you in how he should handle the next four years.

[Michael Hardner]

Well said. I hope you're right.

There is a huge area for Harper to improve Canada without starting wars as Mike Harris did in Ontario. Unfortunately, he will have the far right wing of his party pushing for big changes. He could ignore them, though. Maybe he will.

I suspect he will embark on economic reform - making government smaller and so on.

[Michael Hardner]

Oh, and the CBC should be terrified...

[Smallc]

Oh, and the CBC should be terrified...

Definitely, I think that CBC TV should be very afraid.

[Michael Hardner]

New question: Will they cut immigration ?

[fellowtraveller]

Harper will use the next four years to try and keep the modest recovery from the recession moving, in spite of the ongoing mess in the USA, our largest trading partner. It won't be easy, and we need to get more happening with pacific Rim and beyond trading partners. They need energy, we've got some.

If he is very good and a bit lucky, we may have a balkanced budget by 2015, in time for the next election. He'll be gone then, and I suspect a gent called James Moore may be groomed in the interim.

[August1991]

I hope Harper is serious about limiting government spending (as he has recently implied) and he respects federal jurisdiction. He must continue to move slowly the public discourse to the centre and make the Conservatives a viable party in central Canada.

As the NDP caucus begins to break apart, I think Harper should be open to allowing appropriate people to cross the floor.

[Battletoads]

I hope Harper is serious about limiting government spending (as he has recently implied) and he respects federal jurisdiction. He must continue to move slowly the public discourse to the centre and make the Conservatives a viable party in central Canada.

As the NDP caucus begins to break apart, I think Harper should be open to allowing appropriate people to cross the floor.

Why would he move to the centre? His base and his party will be dragging him to the right, even if he wants to stay in the centre (a big if).

[Sandy MacNab]

Why would he move to the centre? His base and his party will be dragging him to the right, even if he wants to stay in the centre (a big if).

I and many Conservatives I know are fiscal conservatives and not social conservatives. I'm as leary of and opposed to the religious right as are most Canadians.

[Bonam]

Why would he move to the centre? His base and his party will be dragging him to the right, even if he wants to stay in the centre (a big if).

Why? So he can win the next election of course. He needs to keep straddling the center and center-right.

[Battletoads]

Why? So he can win the next election of course. He needs to keep straddling the center and center-right.

I doubt that after 9 years harper will be interested in staying on for another term.

I also doubt that the tories have the ability to restrain their social conservative base for four years.

I'd predict that we will see a steady degradation of Canadian social services, new restrictions of abortions ect ect.

[August1991]

Why would he move to the centre? His base and his party will be dragging him to the right, even if he wants to stay in the centre (a big if).

The general political discussion in Canada is too fat to the left. Harper has to move it more to the centre.

So far, he has been very successful. In this campaign, he could speak openly about a Conservative majority and it only created a panic in Quebec and in the Toronto MSM.

[SF/PF]

New question: Will they cut immigration ?

No, they'll boost it to drive down wages.

[Sandy MacNab]

I doubt that after 9 years harper will be interested in staying on for another term.

I also doubt that the tories have the ability to restrain their social conservative base for four years.

I'd predict that we will see a steady degradation of Canadian social services, new restrictions of abortions ect ect.

Could you tell me exactly where this "social conservative base" resides? The social conservatives got pissed off and left the CPC soon after Harper was elected PM and totally ignored their loony socially backward agenda.

[Bonam]

I doubt that after 9 years harper will be interested in staying on for another term.

I also doubt that the tories have the ability to restrain their social conservative base for four years.

I'd predict that we will see a steady degradation of Canadian social services, new restrictions of abortions ect ect.

I dunno, maybe Harper will wanna go for 13 years. He is still young. But even if not, he'll want to see the conservatives continue to lead under his successor.

[Evening Star]

Could you tell me exactly where this "social conservative base" resides? The social conservatives got pissed off and left the CPC soon after Harper was elected PM and totally ignored their loony socially backward agenda.

Did they join the Liberals or something? Where did they go?

[Sandy MacNab]

Did they join the Liberals or something? Where did they go?

I don't know and really don't care. If you have time go to the Free Dominion forum and scout around. Most of them chat there. I'm persona non grata having been kicked off years ago.

[sk1d]

Good question, what's the over/under on the length of time it takes before all the nut jobs in the conservative party start speaking up?

[scribblet]

Good question, what's the over/under on the length of time it takes before all the nut jobs in the conservative party start speaking up?

Maybe about the same time as the all the nut jobs in the NDP start to speak out LOL

[Shwa]

Good question, what's the over/under on the length of time it takes before all the nut jobs in the conservative party start speaking up?

It doesn't matter. The CPC took over the GTA and the nutjobs will be whipped into shape as they have been over the past few years. If anything has been demonstrated by PM Harper, is that he doesn't flinch when it comes to lowering the boom.

Immigration being contained? I think he has already put those policies on the table right before the election. I expect he will continue to revise the hows and whos of immigration.

[Scotty]

Maybe about the same time as the all the nut jobs in the NDP start to speak out LOL

Given the number of political neophytes in the NDP right now, many of them with zero experience in politics or dealing with the media or the public, I suspect Layton will have quite a time keeping the headlines down.

[Scotty]

New question: Will they cut immigration ?

Unlikely. The Tories have spent the last several years sucking up to the ethnic communities around the GTA and got a big payback this election, particularly from the Indians and Chinese. He'll want to hold onto that. At the same time his conservative base want a rationalization of the immigration and refugee system to bring it more in line with Canada's needs. More younger people with communications skills, less grannies and older brothers who don't have the skills to compete in the modern economic environment. They should also be strengthening the laws and rules to remove phoney refugees, and immigrants who are criminals, or who arrive through fraud, including marriage fraud.

And they could still subtly redirect immigration to source countries which produce more successful candidates, especially if the ethnic communities from the less successful ones don't vote Tory.

Edited May 3, 2011 by Scotty