Wild Rose Party falling apart....

[SpankyMcFarland]

And the indications that Harper is a hardcore Reformer are(this is the part where you list The Secret Agenda):

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

You can fill in the blanks. Best of luck, Harper moved the CPC to the center long ago, which is why he is PM. Somehow, so many missed that move then and still do now.

Prentice is nothing new at all in Alberta. Late term Klein, Stelmach and Redford all also moved the party fully to the middle of the political spectrum for a common, simple motive: because that's where all the votes are.....

The novel thing about Prentice so far is that he is a smooth operator, much more so than his predecessors. But on the poltical spectrum? No different really.

He TALKS like a hardcore right winger on religion, Israel, Ukraine, Khadr, the Supreme Court.

[SpankyMcFarland]

I would put Harper definitely to the right of Prentice on the Christian issues spectrum and I think he would have a less confrontational style with the Supreme Court and would harbour grudges less intensely. I don't see Prentice seeking a photo op confrontation with Putin either.

[overthere]

He TALKS like a hardcore right winger on religion, Israel, Ukraine, Khadr, the Supreme Court.

Harper rarely talks on religion. He has not done anyhting at all in 9 years on the most inflammatory special issues like same sex marriage and abortion. Nothing . Nada.

Israel. Canada is an ally of Canada. Dep[site what you think, Canada IS NOT and HAS NEVER BEEN a neutral nation.

Hats off to Harper for speaking the truth about Russia and the Ukraine.

Khadr. What is your point?

Supreme Court. What is your point?

And this is Harper Secret Agenda?

Try again.

And try harder, much harder this time.

I would put Harper definitely to the right of Prentice on the Christian issues spectrum and I think he would have a less confrontational style with the Supreme Court and would harbour grudges less intensely. I don't see Prentice seeking a photo op confrontation with Putin either.

I don't either has a Christian Issues Agenda.

Harper and Prentice are very similar in this way: both are excellent managers, and neither is big on leadership- which translates to both glib frothings and smooth communication in todays world of charisma and camera friendly chats being considered qualities of leadership.

Harper had been criticizing the blatant, violent aggression long before he met with Putin and told him the same thing to his face.

What would you have Harper do, whine quietly in private while Ukraine gets publicly raped?

[SpankyMcFarland]

Harper rarely talks on religion. He has not done anyhting at all in 9 years on the most inflammatory special issues like same sex marriage and abortion. Nothing . Nada.

Israel. Canada is an ally of Canada. Dep[site what you think, Canada IS NOT and HAS NEVER BEEN a neutral nation.

Hats off to Harper for speaking the truth about Russia and the Ukraine.

Khadr. What is your point?

Supreme Court. What is your point?

And this is Harper Secret Agenda?

Try again.

And try harder, much harder this time.

I don't either has a Christian Issues Agenda.

Harper and Prentice are very similar in this way: both are excellent managers, and neither is big on leadership- which translates to both glib frothings and smooth communication in todays world of charisma and camera friendly chats being considered qualities of leadership.

Harper had been criticizing the blatant, violent aggression long before he met with Putin and told him the same thing to his face.

What would you have Harper do, whine quietly in private while Ukraine gets publicly raped?

Hold on. This is about where Harper is on the spectrum not whether his position is correct or not. Harper created something new in Canada, an Office of Religious Freedom. I can't see any of his predecessors doing that. Actually, they didn't. His speech to the Knesset and his many statements on Israel have changed Canada's perceived position on the ME. Really, I can't see how one can conclude otherwise. He's not Jean Chretien.

[SpankyMcFarland]

The emotion you bring here is similar to Harper's and shows your support for a kindred spirit.

Harper has pursued a personal agenda on Khadr for some reason. Again and again, on small issues he distinguishes himself and sends a message to the base. His stance on prisons isn't small and his approach to emissions has ben fairly clear. The Liberals muddled along on that file whereas Harper has been more strident.

I think a Prentice govt. would be less confrontational than Harper - not much different in substance but softer in tone.

On the economy, Canada has had a broad consensus since Michael Wilson's time, so I don't see big changes comng in that area no matter who is in charge.

[SpankyMcFarland]

I didn't bring up any secret agenda. Harper has definitely moved closer to Canada's centre to keep power. His main agenda is staying in power.

[SpankyMcFarland]

Back to the main topic for a second...Danielle Smith's behaviour has been extraordinary. Can anybody point to a previous example in Canadian history of a leader of the opposition crossing the floor under similar circumstances? If it has happened before, it must be a very long time ago.

[August1991]

Your analogy is laboured and pointless.

Oh, and only Quebec is so navel gazing and self important to fantasize that its Premier is a Prime Minister.

Laboured? Pointless?

"... Quebec is so navel gazing.... "?

Have you ever heard of Bob Winters? Bob Stanfield? Bob Rae? Bob Bourassa. Or, which Quebec Prime Minister ever became a federal Prime Minister? (Answer: None.)

=====

overthere. I suggest that you learn more about Canada's history, federal nature, and our federal politics.

[August1991]

Back to the main topic for a second...Danielle Smith's behaviour has been extraordinary. Can anybody point to a previous example in Canadian history of a leader of the opposition crossing the floor under similar circumstances? If it has happened before, it must be a very long time ago.

Her behaviour appears even more bizarre given the fall in the world price of oil.

Alberta is like modern-day Russia: a State with a government whose revenues depend on a world price.

This is why I like popcorn. Let's see what happens next.

Edited December 21, 2014 by August1991

[left_alberta]

Her behaviour appears even more bizarre given the fall in the world price of oil.

Well, if you accept the premise that the Tories will be re-elected no matter what the price of oil is(and there is a fairly strong case for that, based on history), then her actions make a certain amount of sense.

If the economy is gonna tank, Prentice would likely prefer as small an opposition as possible, or at least one not led by "the most effective opposition leader ever". So, there is an incentive for him to offer some sweetheart deals to Smith and Company for coming over.

And, if Smith knows that she will never be premier as a Wildroser, she probably does not want to stick around on the opposition benches, even if the tanking economy gives her a few good talking points in question period. Not if she's got a cabinet position waiting for her.

[overthere]

^^^^^^^

Why would Prentice care about the size of the official Opposition.

Anyway you slice or dice it, he has a commanding majority with or without Wildrose, NDP or Liberal support.

overthere. I suggest that you learn more about Canada's history, federal nature, and our federal politics.

And I suggest you refrain from commenting on AB politics, you are embarrassing yourself.

What does it matter that a Quebec Premier has not been a PM? Do you have a point?

Quebec has become a pathetic thing : a failed State with a government whose revenues depend on the world price of a commodity extracted elsewhere, and whose only export is complaints.

Fixed it for you

[The_Squid]

Where are the right wingers who oppose switching parties and want by-elections when someone crosses the floor? Or is it ok when conservatives do it?

[The_Squid]

Danielle Smith is a huge hypocrite and a liar.... She has found a new home with the PCs....

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/what-could-wildrose-s-danielle-smith-possibly-have-been-thinking-1.2878471

Edited December 23, 2014 by The_Squid

[SpankyMcFarland]

Harper had been criticizing the blatant, violent aggression long before he met with Putin and told him the same thing to his face.

What would you have Harper do, whine quietly in private while Ukraine gets publicly raped?

Whining quietly or pretending to buttonhole him amount to the same thing without big changes on policy.

If Harper was as keen on the military as he claims to be, he would have increased spending to British or French levels. That has not happened. Canada does not pull its weight in NATO.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/harper-isolated-on-nato-defence-spending/article20307815/

On Ukraine, we were slow to be tough on Russian oil companies in Canada.

http://globalnews.ca/news/1579979/canada-three-times-softer-on-oil-when-it-comes-to-russia-sanctions/

And, oddly enough, despite the bellicose speeches, Canada's official policy on the Occupied Territories has not changed very much in the Harper years.

[overthere]

Whining quietly or pretending to buttonhole him amount to the same thing without big changes on policy.

It doesn't matter what Harper says or does with characters like you in the cheap seats.

If he very clearly states Canadian foreign policy publicly , he a poseur.

If he says nothing, he is an American puppet.

Sigh.