Should Stephen Harper resign?

[Smallc]

That contempt finding was a meaningless witch hunt by the opposition.

I know you don't mean that but...well...yes, yes it was.

[On Guard for Thee]

It's actually called The Standing Comittee on Procedures and House Affairs. It weren't no kangaroo court.

[On Guard for Thee]

I know you don't mean that but...well...yes, yes it was.

It was anything but. It fully fit the requirements of the findings. And may I add it was the first time in the history of this country. Way to go Stevie!

[Hal 9000]

If you want to dig up dirt, it can be done on any political party, I hardly think the NDP or Liberals can take any sort of high ground. In Canada, it's all about economy and if the economy is good, it's good for everyone. I think Harper is doing a great job. When Obama and the Euro's were all panicking about the financial meltdown, Harper stood his ground and were ALL the better for it.

[On Guard for Thee]

If you want to dig up dirt, it can be done on any political party, I hardly think the NDP or Liberals can take any sort of high ground. In Canada, it's all about economy and if the economy is good, it's good for everyone. I think Harper is doing a great job. When Obama and the Euro's were all panicking about the financial meltdown, Harper stood his ground and were ALL the better for it.

Neither the Liberals or the NDP have ever been found in contempt. I'm aware they all have skeletons in their closets. I wouldn't overdo it with praise for Harper and the "meltdown". Do you know how much you paid as a taxpayer to bail out Canadian banks during that time? and it wasn't the gov of the day that saved us. It was the stricter banking laws vis a vis US banking laws that were already in place that saved us from the sub prime fiasco Bush helped create.

[Hal 9000]

Neither the Liberals or the NDP have ever been found in contempt. I'm aware they all have skeletons in their closets. I wouldn't overdo it with praise for Harper and the "meltdown". Do you know how much you paid as a taxpayer to bail out Canadian banks during that time? and it wasn't the gov of the day that saved us. It was the stricter banking laws vis a vis US banking laws that were already in place that saved us from the sub prime fiasco Bush helped create.

Bush didn't create anything, Clinton and the democrats did when they decided that everyone deserved to own a home (affirmative action y'know), then allowed the loans to be sold. EVERY republican begged them to not allow such a thing - it's all on youtube via C-Span. Bush was simply the guy in power when the eventual collapse transpired.

[On Guard for Thee]

Bush didn't create anything, Clinton and the democrats did when they decided that everyone deserved to own a home (affirmative action y'know), then allowed the loans to be sold. EVERY republican begged them to not allow such a thing - it's all on youtube via C-Span. Bush was simply the guy in power when the eventual collapse transpired.

No. He had ample opportunity to put the brakes on. He simply called it a "rough patch" and let things roll on until '08 when the bubble finally burst.

[On Guard for Thee]

In any case, this thread is supposed to be about Harper not Bush, and if the former should resign. Whether he should or not is subject to discussion. He has some valid reasons to do so, (there is of course the contempt thing, and also he keeps pissing in the cornflakes of the SC and keeps losing which makes him look mostly like a spoiled little boy) but of course he won't resign. But I suspect the good people of Canada will take care of that next year.

[Hal 9000]

In any case, this thread is supposed to be about Harper not Bush, and if the former should resign. Whether he should or not is subject to discussion. He has some valid reasons to do so, (there is of course the contempt thing, and also he keeps pissing in the cornflakes of the SC and keeps losing which makes him look mostly like a spoiled little boy) but of course he won't resign. But I suspect the good people of Canada will take care of that next year.

So, why'd you bring Bush into it?

Anyway, this is a scandal - just like every scandal gets as big as the opposition and media want to make it. Remember Adrienne Clarkson's million dollar wine tasting vacations? This stuff happens all the time, if you let it bother you, you'll hate everybody. Fact is; Harper is the best PM we've had in many years - we are finally being taken seriously by the international community....And, yes that is important.

As I said, it all comes down to economy and if that's good everything else falls into place. You'd like Justin - i assume. Why? Because he'll legalize marijuana? Far out man! But, I prefer to stay away from wedge issues and focus on what is good for ALL Canadians.

[On Guard for Thee]

So, why'd you bring Bush into it?

Anyway, this is a scandal - just like every scandal gets as big as the opposition and media want to make it. Remember Adrienne Clarkson's million dollar wine tasting vacations? This stuff happens all the time, if you let it bother you, you'll hate everybody. Fact is; Harper is the best PM we've had in many years - we are finally being taken seriously by the international community....And, yes that is important.

As I said, it all comes down to economy and if that's good everything else falls into place. You'd like Justin - i assume. Why? Because he'll legalize marijuana? Far out man! But, I prefer to stay away from wedge issues and focus on what is good for ALL Canadians.

I'm glad you have such a rose colored picture of Harper. I think he is nowhere even close to one of our best PM's. Let's see, on the economy, he has taken 10 succesive budget surpluses and turned them into 7 consecutive deficits. All the while of course spending millions of tax dollars during hockey games trying to convince his dupes about his Economic Action Plan and his "steady hand" on the wheel approach. It's steady alright, just going steadily the wrong direction. His economic growth is the worst since R.B. Bennet and the great depression. If anything he has tarnished our "star" on the world stage with his "lecture and leave" approach. Even tourism has dropped. We used to be number 2, we are now 18th in tourist destinations. And he is quite pathetic to watch in Question Period when he is asked about the latest scandal and starts out by "Let me be very clear" and then drones on with anything but clarity. And of course there is that nagging old "contempt" thing. Best Prime Minister? Not even close. And don't scoff at legalized pot, Colorado and Washington don't know what to do with the tax revenues they are rolling in.

[jacee]

Harper.

he has taken 10 succesive budget surpluses and turned them into 7 consecutive deficits.

spending millions of tax dollars during hockey games trying to convince his dupes about his Economic Action Plan and his "steady hand"

. His economic growth is the worst since R.B. Bennet and the great depression.

he has tarnished our "star" on the world stage with his "lecture and leave" approach.

Even tourism has dropped. We used to be number 2, we are now 18th in tourist destinations.

. And of course there is that nagging old "contempt" thing

And don't scoff at legalized pot, Colorado and Washington don't know what to do with the tax revenues they are rolling in.

Well done, On Guard!

.

[overthere]

Harper is worse than Hitler.

(I am now channeling cybercoma)

[Keepitsimple]

Neither the Liberals or the NDP have ever been found in contempt. I'm aware they all have skeletons in their closets. I wouldn't overdo it with praise for Harper and the "meltdown". Do you know how much you paid as a taxpayer to bail out Canadian banks during that time? and it wasn't the gov of the day that saved us. It was the stricter banking laws vis a vis US banking laws that were already in place that saved us from the sub prime fiasco Bush helped create.

Give it a rest. The NDP have never been in power and the Liberals have always had a majority (except for Mr. Dithers short-lived minority) so the opposition could never gang up on them - although there were likely many reasons to do so. The Harper government was in a unique minority situation that included the Bloc Quebecois - so indeed, it really was a Kangaroo Court.

Edited July 28, 2014 by Keepitsimple

[On Guard for Thee]

Give it a rest. The NDP have never been in power and the Liberals have always had a majority (except for Mr. Dithers short-lived minority) so the opposition could never gang up on them - although there were likely many reasons to do so. The Harper government was in a unique minority situation that included the Bloc Quebecois - so indeed, it really was a Kangaroo Court.

So it's the commitee's fault he misled parliament?

[On Guard for Thee]

Now we see that the Canada/EU trade agreement ain't so much a "done deal" as Harper tried to say it was. Might have tp squeeze the corks back in those champagne bottles.

[jacee]

Harper is worse than Hitler.

(I am now channeling cybercoma)

... who is channeling mr canada ...

Maybe I'll channel argus for a while ... or not!

.

[Argus]

I'm glad you have such a rose colored picture of Harper. I think he is nowhere even close to one of our best PM's. Let's see, on the economy, he has taken 10 succesive budget surpluses and turned them into 7 consecutive deficits.

I don't think it's fair or reasonable to compare a government's budgetary performance in boom years to one which was in the midst of the worst international recession anyone can remember.

If anything he has tarnished our "star" on the world stage with his "lecture and leave" approach.

We never had a star on the world stage, despite what so many Canadians seem to believe. His foreign policy is the one thing I pretty much agree with. No more weaseling around and refusing to call a spade a space. I liked it better before the recession, mind you, when he was telling the Chinese to drop dead too.

Even tourism has dropped. We used to be number 2, we are now 18th in tourist destinations.

Number two for whom? If you mean for the US it's such a hassle to get across the border now I'm totally unsurprised lots of people would rather not. But that's hardly his fault. If you mean for the world, then again, a huge chunk of that would be the decline in US visitors due both to the hassle at the border and the fact the Canadian dollar is no longer worth $.60 US.

Overall, I give him maybe a C. Unfortunately, he's still head and shoulders above any likely replacements from the Liberals and NDP.

Edited July 28, 2014 by Argus

[cybercoma]

I don't think it's fair or reasonable to compare a government's budgetary performance in boom years to one which was in the midst of the worst international recession anyone can remember

When the government itself decided to burn revenues to the ground through tax cuts and so many credits that the codebook doubled in size, then you can blame the government for running deficits. If we were in the hole from the recession, they dug that hole even deeper. Edited July 29, 2014 by cybercoma

[On Guard for Thee]

Harper already had us in deficit before the "bust" hit. Cons. have a habit of doing that it seems. The odd time they get in power they start handing out "goodies" to appeal to their base. All parties do things to get votes, I am well aware of that. Harper seems unable to do anything else. And I wonder how much loot he has piseed away trying to take on the SC, only to continually fail. He's currently down 8-0 and he still doesn't seem to get it. I doubt his ego will ever let him apologize to the chief justice. And now he has to worry about the Duffy trial. Not looking too good going into an election year don't ya think?

[Smallc]

Again the US recession began Q4 2007. The negative effects on the Canadian economy started before even that. You're just as wrong now as you were before.

[cybercoma]

Again the US recession began Q4 2007. The negative effects on the Canadian economy started before even that. You're just as wrong now as you were before.

Assuming that's true and the federal deficit started growing that early, why then would you torch your revenues?

[On Guard for Thee]

Read Cyber's post from above. They blew away the Liberal surplus in short order and have never recovered. They claim they may next year. Justin time for a revival of surplus budgets.

[On Guard for Thee]

Assuming that's true and the federal deficit started growing that early, why then would you torch your revenues?

And the Canadian economy didn't suffer nearly as much from the sub prime mortgage fiasco as did the US due to much more stringent banking policies.

[TimG]

Read Cyber's post from above. They blew away the Liberal surplus in short order and have never recovered.

Except Paul Martin was ready to open the spending taps wide. If he had won the country would be worse off because of all of the new entitlement spending. The same would be true of a government by Justin. Harper is the only leader that shows any interest in constraining spending.

[On Guard for Thee]

Except Paul Martin was ready to open the spending taps wide. If he had won the country would be worse off because of all of the new entitlement spending. The same would be true of a government by Justin. Harper is the only leader that shows any interest in constraining spending.

Yeah and I'm really convinced of that when I see the costs of his dumb ass ads during the playoffs about a system that does not much more than just that: cost taxpayers money. Martin and before him Chretien had managed pretty well prior to Harper. Do you recall how much the Liberals handed him?