Buying your way in office

[Topaz]

It seems Tony Clements was unsure he could get the votes so he spent 4 millions to buy the votes he needed, just a days before the election was called. Surprising? No, not for these Tories, they will spend any amount of money to get what they want! So now, Clements job is to CUT spending and this should be no problem since its four years until the next election before Tony starting spending more money in that northern region again. His supporters should start making a list of what they will do with the next 4 million! http://www.thehilltimes.ca/dailyupdate/view/clements_dual_roles_as_treasury_board_president_and_fednor_minister_in_direct_conflict_say_opposition_mps_05-24-2011

[Shwa]

It seems Tony Clements was unsure he could get the votes so he spent 4 millions to buy the votes he needed, just a days before the election was called. Surprising? No, not for these Tories, they will spend any amount of money to get what they want! So now, Clements job is to CUT spending and this should be no problem since its four years until the next election before Tony starting spending more money in that northern region again. His supporters should start making a list of what they will do with the next 4 million! http://www.thehilltimes.ca/dailyupdate/view/clements_dual_roles_as_treasury_board_president_and_fednor_minister_in_direct_conflict_say_opposition_mps_05-24-2011

huh. Sounds EXACTLY how the Liberals operated for decades...

Hey, if the CPC took a page from the Liberal playbook and achieved the same results... fair game...

[Topaz]

huh. Sounds EXACTLY how the Liberals operated for decades...

Hey, if the CPC took a page from the Liberal playbook and achieved the same results... fair game...

BUT Harper hates everything to do with the Liberals and besides, two wrongs don't make a right and the Tories really don't care about the finances of this country only what he finances can help them do. They speak out of both sides of their mouths and the sorry thing about it is that 40% of voters believe everything they say but they will be affect when they start bring down the axe on programs that they themselves may need.

[CPCFTW]

Of course it's worth that cost to secure a majority government so that the conservative government can finally start doing what it has been mandated to do by the Canadian people (cut costs and spending). For the greater good and all that jazz. The entitled libs and NDP no longer have the power to hold the government hostage by threatening to topple the government without increased spending.

If spending continues to rise while the cons have a majority government, then they will be in trouble because the Canadian people finally gave them the mandate and the power to do what 40% of Canadians know needs to be done.

[Sandy MacNab]

It seems Tony Clements was unsure he could get the votes so he spent 4 millions to buy the votes he needed, just a days before the election was called. Surprising? No, not for these Tories, they will spend any amount of money to get what they want! So now, Clements job is to CUT spending and this should be no problem since its four years until the next election before Tony starting spending more money in that northern region again. His supporters should start making a list of what they will do with the next 4 million! http://www.thehilltimes.ca/dailyupdate/view/clements_dual_roles_as_treasury_board_president_and_fednor_minister_in_direct_conflict_say_opposition_mps_05-24-2011

At least Clements had supporters willing to pony up the 4 million; a helluva lot more than your Liberals were able to do. Without the $2 federal subsidy, the Liberals would have had to dig into that 'secret' $40million 'slush fund' they accumulated a few years back.

[Keepitsimple]

It seems Tony Clements was unsure he could get the votes so he spent 4 millions to buy the votes he needed, just a days before the election was called. Surprising? No, not for these Tories, they will spend any amount of money to get what they want! So

Once again Topaz - you've stubbed your toe......but we'll make a Conservative out of you yet - because obviously, you just misunderstand the stories that you read. In fact, Mr. Clements was never "unsure" that he could get the votes. He won the riding - for the fourth time by more than doubling the vote total of the runner up.

Tony Clement ** CON 21,831 50.2 10,960 25.2

Jamie McGarvey LIB 10,871 25.0

Jo-Anne Boulding NDP 5,355 12.3

Glen Hodgson GRN 5,119 11.8

David Rowland IND 325 0.7

[sharkman]

Yeah man, power to the people. They gave the cash so their candidate could get his message out. That's politics and if liberals and NDPer's want to cry now that the election is over, just wait 4 or 5 years, and then put your money where your mouth is and out give the competition. Whining about it now only makes you sadder.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

Yeah man, power to the people. They gave the cash so their candidate could get his message out. That's politics and if liberals and NDPer's want to cry now that the election is over, just wait 4 or 5 years, and then put your money where your mouth is and out give the competition. Whining about it now only makes you sadder.

Well said.

[Saipan]

It seems Tony Clements was unsure he could get the votes so he spent 4 millions to buy the votes he needed

How come I didn't get even a penny?

[Wild Bill]

BUT Harper hates everything to do with the Liberals and besides, two wrongs don't make a right and the Tories really don't care about the finances of this country only what he finances can help them do.

Topaz, what are you suggesting? If two wrongs don't make a right, then why should a tie go to the Liberals?

That's what your words seem to mean. If our choices are Liberal and Conservative but the Tories make some of the same sins as the Liberals, what are we supposed to do?

You seem to be saying that we should not vote for Harper because he's done something bad that the Liberals did so therefore we should vote Liberal!

Frankly, that seems nuts! If both parties make the same sins then those sins cancel each other out. We don't automatically forgive the Liberals! We are forced to make our choices based on other issues.

[Sandy MacNab]

BUT Harper hates everything to do with the Liberals and besides, two wrongs don't make a right and the Tories really don't care about the finances of this country only what he finances can help them do. They speak out of both sides of their mouths and the sorry thing about it is that 40% of voters believe everything they say but they will be affect when they start bring down the axe on programs that they themselves may need.

So do most honest, decent people. Since I became a voter, 51 years ago, I've watched the Liberals go from bad to horrible - especially since Trudeau. The Liberals need a strong dose of political Exlax. Better yet, they deserve political Boot Hill.

[Battletoads]

Of course it's worth that cost to secure a majority government so that the conservative government can finally start doing what it has been mandated to do by the Canadian people (cut costs and spending). For the greater good and all that jazz. The entitled libs and NDP no longer have the power to hold the government hostage by threatening to topple the government without increased spending.

If spending continues to rise while the cons have a majority government, then they will be in trouble because the Canadian people finally gave them the mandate and the power to do what 40% of Canadians know needs to be done.

Funny how Canada had balanced budget before the cons came into power... But hey its not their fault that they spent us into deficit before the recession hit!

Some people are dense...

[RNG]

Funny how Canada had balanced budget before the cons came into power... But hey its not their fault that they spent us into deficit before the recession hit!

Some people are dense...

As has been discussed, the Libs balanced the budget by raping EI and CPP. As has been discussed, Harper unfortunately got the reins (of a minority) just as one of the worst world wide economic downturns of recent time happed. And as has been discussed here, Harper was against stimulus spending but the Libs and NDP forced it on Canada.

But don't let facts disturb your ideology.

[charter.rights]

As has been discussed, the Libs balanced the budget by raping EI and CPP. As has been discussed, Harper unfortunately got the reins (of a minority) just as one of the worst world wide economic downturns of recent time happed. And as has been discussed here, Harper was against stimulus spending but the Libs and NDP forced it on Canada.

But don't let facts disturb your ideology.

While Harper was spending that surplus he continued to rape and plunder EI and CP. So the fact that he spent the $13 billion before the recession speaks to his inability to balance the budget.

[Smallc]

No one has raided CPP.

[Battletoads]

As has been discussed, the Libs balanced the budget by raping EI and CPP. As has been discussed, Harper unfortunately got the reins (of a minority) just as one of the worst world wide economic downturns of recent time happed. And as has been discussed here, Harper was against stimulus spending but the Libs and NDP forced it on Canada.

But don't let facts disturb your ideology.

The recession hit in 2006, when Harper took power and revenues began to collapse?

There's a reason Harper has never managed to hold a job in the field of economics.

[Saipan]

The recession hit in 2006, when Harper took power and revenues began to collapse?

Yes, Harper caused the world economic depression. A man of far reaching influence. It's why Greeks, Portuguese and Irish hate him. He practically decimated those countries.

[Shwa]

BUT Harper hates everything to do with the Liberals and besides, two wrongs don't make a right and the Tories really don't care about the finances of this country only what he finances can help them do. They speak out of both sides of their mouths and the sorry thing about it is that 40% of voters believe everything they say but they will be affect when they start bring down the axe on programs that they themselves may need.

You might have a point IF the money spent in a riding goes directly to line someone's pockets with some shady contracting blessed by the Minister for Public Works. Show me one of those and I am with you. However, dropping 4 million dollars into a region that experiences seasonal income discrepencies and allowing that money to filter down through contractors, then to their workers, then to the grocery store employees and Timmies servers, then to the banks and eventually find it's way back into the tax pool... I say go for it.

Other than pure savings accounts, where does that 4 million eventually end up when everyone has had their touch of it? Any idea about that?

[Keepitsimple]

While Harper was spending that surplus he continued to rape and plunder EI and CP. So the fact that he spent the $13 billion before the recession speaks to his inability to balance the budget.

Just so you better understand where the Chretien/Martin "surplus" came from - and how the Conservatives have tried to correct the system.......

A significant part of the federal fiscal surplus of the Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin years came from the EI system. Premiums were reduced much less than falling expenditures - producing, from 1994 onwards, EI surpluses of several billion dollars per year, which were added to general government revenue.[3] The cumulative EI surplus stood at $57 billion at March 31, 2008,[4] nearly four times the amount needed to cover the extra costs paid during a recession.[5] This drew criticism from Opposition parties and from business and labour groups, and has remained a recurring issue of the public debate. The Conservative Party, after voicing much the same criticism while in opposition,[6] chose not to recognize existing EI surpluses after being elected in 2006. Instead, the Conservative government adopted in 2008 and 2009 legislation freezing the EI surplus indefinitely and putting EI premiums on a pay-as-you-go basis, so that - starting in 2011 - they will fluctuate in line with changes in unemployment levels.[7] On December 11, 2008, the Supreme Court of Canada rejected a court challenge launched against the federal government by two Quebec unions, who argued that EI funds had been misappropriated by the government.[8]

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employment_Insurance

[Battletoads]

Yes, Harper caused the world economic depression. A man of far reaching influence. It's why Greeks, Portuguese and Irish hate him. He practically decimated those countries.

That was a question not a statement.

No surprise that basic language skills are in short supply on the right...