Liberal Ads - Point by point rebuttal

[August1991]

The Liberal Party web site posted these ads. I watched them there. But when a young French-speaking neighbour told me about them, after seeing several ("they're on all the time on English TV"), I decided to respond.

My comments are not about style (the jokes have been endless) but rather about substance. To my knowledge, no one has called the Liberals on the substance of these ads. Consider this is a (weak) start.

(BTW, the twelfth ad has become such a joke that I ignored it). The following order is the same as the Liberal Party web site, where you can see the originals.

1) Washington Times

The ad: Harper is pro-American, pro-Iraq invasion, anti-Kyoto and Bush's best friend.

Over the past 10 years or so, the US has done a better job of respecting the goals of Kyoto than Canada has. It is one thing to sign an agreement and it is another to respect it.

Considering the various regimes and governments in the world, is it wrong to say that we are happy to have them as neighbours and appreciate the ideals of America? Should we remind them that in the past, Canadians, like the British and Australians, defended the ideal of liberty before Americans did?

2) 2nd Tier

The ad: Harper states Canada is a second tier socialist economy.

Chretien used to claim that Canada was Number One, according to a UN measure. Liberals don't say that any more. Why?

Worse, ordinary Canadians pay higher taxes, get less public services, yet receive about the same take-home pay. Under the Liberals, Canada's official economic growth may have grown but it has gone to government, not ordinary Canadians.

3) Contributions

The ad: American right-wingers financed Harper

Foreign contributions to Canadian political campaigns are illegal. There is no evidence that Harper received any, and Harper is a straight-arrow type guy. It is unlikely he would accept such money. More, Harper doesn't need it. The Conservatives are flush with cash (from ordinary contributors) but the Liberals are broke. Harper, like his Dad, has always been careful in how he budgets his campaigns. This Liberal attack ad is particularly weak.

4) Diversity

The ad: Harper claims Liberals only win in western ridings with Asian immigrants, or eastern migrants - living in ghettoes.

Stephen Harper himself was a migrant from Toronto to Calgary. The issue here is really how the Liberals represent the country, and what it means to integrate into this thing called Canada. Canada surely is not superficial.

5) Atlantic

The Ad: Harper says Atlantic Canada is a culture of defeat, it needs Quebec so that it has a government of favours. (I may have painted the ad worse than it is.)

Look, anybody who knows anything about Newfoundland and the Maritimes knows that government doesn't work. The best thing that ever happened to Newfoundland is Hibernia. Real money is real money. The Maritimes can do it, but this ACOA political-connected welfare is not the way. (Agreed, ACOA is better than DREE.)

6) Mike Harris

The Ad: Stephen Harper is like Mike Harris

Mike Harris sits on the board of Magna International. In fact, Harris sat on the board of Magna when Belinda Stronach was CEO. If Mike Harris is good enough for Stronach, he must be good enough for Harper and the Tories. Not. In fact, Harper is much more enuanced than Harris.

7) Hotel

The Ad: Famous speech in Montreal to American group

Is the US Right Wing a light and inspiration? Look, several years ago, Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher changed the way the world worked. There's no Cold War. Instead, people talk about freedom, including the freedom to travel and even to marry. In context, I too would describe such as an inspiration.

8) Campaign Promises

The Ad: The Tories will have to raise taxes or incur a deficit

Apparently, the Tory promises are less costly than the Liberal promises. But frankly, I agree with John Maynard Keynes, Robert Barro and David Ricardo. I'm not afraid of government deficits and I certainly don't consider them as a measure of economic competence, or worthy of an ad.

9) Health Care

The AD: Harper is indifferent to provinces allowing private clinics

Given that Martin uses some of his personal millions to pay his private clinic bills, and Layton goes to private clinics (paying with his provincial health card), this ad is otiose.

10) Unity

The Ad: Gilles Duceppe and Stephen Harper are quite a team

You can be certain the Liberals don't run this ad in Quebec. The best support for the BQ is the federal Liberal Party. If anything, Duceppe is now concerned that he won't get his 50%. Why? Because of Harper and the Tories. (For English-Canadians, please take note that the popular vote in this federal election will matter in Quebec.)

11) Social

The Ad: Harper doesn't care about poor people

Welfare is a provincial question. Anyone who knows anything about unemployement insurance knows that the system must change. Harper is idealistic to believe that he can change it.

[JerrySeinfeld]

The Liberal Party web site posted these ads. I watched them there. But when a young French-speaking neighbour told me about them, after seeing several ("they're on all the time on English TV"), I decided to respond.

My comments are not about style (the jokes have been endless) but rather about substance. To my knowledge, no one has called the Liberals on the substance of these ads. Consider this is a (weak) start.

(BTW, the twelfth ad has become such a joke that I ignored it). The following order is the same as the Liberal Party web site, where you can see the originals.

1) Washington Times

The ad: Harper is pro-American, pro-Iraq invasion, anti-Kyoto and Bush's best friend.

Over the past 10 years or so, the US has done a better job of respecting the goals of Kyoto than Canada has. It is one thing to sign an agreement and it is another to respect it.

Considering the various regimes and governments in the world, is it wrong to say that we are happy to have them as Ineighbours and appreciate the ideals of America? Should we remind them that in the past, Canadians,like the British and Australians, defended liberty before Americans did?

2) 2nd Tier

The ad: Harper states Canada is a second tier socialist economy.

Chretien used to claim that Canada was Number One, according to a UN measure. Liberals don't say that any more. Why? Worse, ordinary Canadians pay higher taxes, get less services, receive about the same take-home pay. Under the Liberals, Canada's official economic growth has gone to government, not ordinary Canadians.

3) Contributions

The ad: American right-wingers financed Harper

Foreign contributions to Canadian political campaigns are illegal. There is no evidence that Harper received any, and Harper is a straight-arrow type guy. It is unlikely he would accept such money. More, Harper doesn't need it. Harper, like his Dad, has always been careful in how he budgets his campaigns. This Liberal attack ad is particularly weak.

4) Diversity

The ad: Harper claims Liberals only win in western ridings with Asian immigrants, or eastern migrants - living in ghettoes.

Stephen Harper himself was a migrant from Toronto to Calgary. The issue here is really how the Liberals represent the country, and what it means to integrate into this thing called Canada. Canada surely is not superficial.

5) Atlantic

The Ad: Harper says Atlantic Canada is a culture of defeat, it needs Quebec so that it has a government of favours. (I may have painted the ad worse than it is.)

Look, anybody who knows anything about Newfoundland and the Maritimes knows that government doesn't work. The best thing that ever happened to Newfoundland is Hibernia. Real money is real money. The Maritimes can do it, but this ACOA political-connected welfare is not the way. (Agreed, ACOA is better than DREE.)

6) Mike Harris

The Ad: Stephen Harper is like Mike Harris

Mike Harris sits on the board of Magna International. In fact, Harris sat on the board of Magna when Belinda Stronach was CEO. If Mike Harris is good enough for Stronach, he must be good enough for Harper and the Tories. Not. In fact, Harper is much more enuanced than Harris.

7) Hotel

The Ad: Famous speech in Montreal to American group

Is the US Right Wing a light and inspiration? Look, several years ago, Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher changed the way the world worked. There's no Cold War. Instead, people talk about freedom, including the freedom to travel and even to marry. In context, I too would describe such as an inspiration.

8) Campaign Promises

The Ad: The Tories will have to raise taxes or incur a deficit

Apparently, the Tory promises are less costly than the Liberal promises. But frankly, I agree with John Maynard Keynes, Robert Barro and David Ricardo. I'm not afraid of government deficits and I certainly don't consider them as a measure of economic competence, or worthy of an ad.

9) Health Care

The AD: Harper is indifferent to provinces allowing private clinics

Given that Martin uses some of his personal millions to pay his private clinic bills, and Layton goes to private clinics (paying with his provincial health card), this ad is otiose.

10) Unity

The Ad: Gilles Duceppe and Stephen Harper are quite a team

You can be certain the Liberals don't run this ad in Quebec. The best support for the BQ is the federal Liberal Party. If anything, Duceppe is now concerned that he won't get his 50%. Why? Because of Harper and the Tories. (For English-Canadians, please take note that the popular vote in this federal election will matter in Quebec.)

11) Social

The Ad: Harper doesn't care about poor people

Welfare is a provincial question. Anyone who knows anything about unemployement insurance knows that the system must change. Harper is idealistic to believe that he can change it.

August as a conservative (small c) I appreciate your efforts. However I think in today's context it's unnecessary.

The Liberals have done a tremendous job of discrediting yourself. As in the soldier ad - when you hurl wild and untrue accusations at your opponents, everything you say starts to sound like BS.

Rather than rebut, I think the CPC's current strategy of keeping cool and allowing the Libs to self destruct is working fine. No?

[Harare]

There was a time when a Lib government with the collusion of the left leaning media could have made some of this garbage stick. But there is one aspect of the media that they can't control

and it's right here - the INTERNET.

Listen to some of the stuff that Peter Kent has been saying and you'll understand, bye bye CBC.

[newbie]

August, who are you trying to convince?

[August1991]

August, who are you trying to convince?

No one. But when that kid told me about the ads, I was upset. Is Canadian politics designed for a 14 year old who watches English TV but can't speak English? Is that politics?

Newbie, everyone has joked about the military ad but no one has taken on the substance of the other ads.

My post is a meagre effort to respond.

[newbie]

Well, in all honesty I thought the Martin ads sucked. I will agree with most of you he is running a terrible campaign and I've seen a lot of them. When I asked you that question, I realize probably everyone on this board has made up their minds.

[mar]

too long

I think this is a pointless exercise, but really August, you saying that "Harper is a straight-arrow type guy. It is unlikely he would accept such money" means absolutely nothing. I say Paul Martin is a straight arrow guy. When He was finance Minister he knew nothing about Sponsorship and he is innocent of any involvement. There! I refuted the whole taint of scandal; lets turn the page.

Another

"Worse, ordinary Canadians pay higher taxes, get less public services, yet receive about the same take-home pay. Under the Liberals, Canada's official economic growth may have grown but it has gone to government, not ordinary Canadians."

Unless you have some secret source of statistics unknown to the Canadian government, the international investment community and just about anyone else, official figures show that Canadians have a higher real income and pay less taxes than they did in 1994.

"The ad: Harper claims Liberals only win in western ridings with Asian immigrants, or eastern migrants - living in ghettoes.

Stephen Harper himself was a migrant from Toronto to Calgary. The issue here is really how the Liberals represent the country, and what it means to integrate into this thing called Canada. Canada surely is not superficial."

au contraire. The issue is whether he said it and he is not denying it. The comment is racist and arogant. I know he suddenly claims to have undergone a metamorphosis and no longer believes what he did in the past. Kinda like the Kafka character, he's now a dung beetle or something.

the phrase 'Atlantic Canada is a culture of defeat' is about the people of Atlantic Canada. I'm sure the people were happy he straightened them out tho. "Thanks, Steve. We'll do better from now on."

"several years ago, Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher changed the way the world worked. There's no Cold War. Instead, people talk about freedom, including the freedom to travel and even to marry. In context, I too would describe such as an inspiration."

Actually the West gradually and deliberately escalated the Cold War over a period of nearly four decades to the point the centralized ecomony of the Soviet Union collapsed, but why get technical. Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher had about as much to do with it as Goofy does with preparing the Disney economic plan.

C'mon August, giving your opinions doesn't count as refuting something. The point is the statements made by Harper stand for themselves. He said them, he owns them. At the minimum it shows an amazing lack of judgement for someone who wants a career in public life, not something you want in a PM.

On the one hand we have the opinions, on the other all we get are Harper's self-serving statements that he's evolved. "Well yeah, I did think that but I don't now. I did think we should sent tropps to Iraq but I don't now." Very comforting.

As a judge, August, you'd apparently be the guy saying "Well Ms Homolka, I'm certainly glad to hear you've changed. That's good enough for me!"

[Guest eureka]

Tkanks for responding to August, Mar. You saved me a lot of time I cannot spare since I am now engaged in some real work to dispose of at least one Conservative sitting - and I mean sitting since he certainly does not stand for Canada - member.

August, (My post is a meagre effort to respond.) Meagre is not the word I would use. I think you are revealing yourself as a Conservative "Spin Doctor."

[mar]

Tkanks for responding to August, Mar. You saved me a lot of time I cannot spare since I am now engaged in some real work to dispose of at least one Conservative sitting - and I mean sitting since he certainly does not stand for Canada - member.

August, (My post is a meagre effort to respond.) Meagre is not the word I would use. I think you are revealing yourself as a Conservative "Spin Doctor."

"Dispose of" in that "Good Fellas" kind of way?

KIDDING

[mowich]

Taken from the Globe and Mail, Friday January 13th 2006, the following:

“The insight: “This is all about the facts and laying bare the facts about Stephen Harper,” liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh said.

The source: The quote is paraphrased from an opinion piece that appeared in the Washington Times. The piece was written by Patrick Basham of the Cato Institute, a Washington-based libertarian think-tank that favors minimalist government.

The quote: The use of direct quotation marks suggests that the ad presents an exact quote. Not so. The quote is a liberal paraphrase of a lengthy piece. For example, the original article says a Harper victory ‘may’ put a smile on George Bush’s face. The rejigs the quote to say such victory ‘will’ do so.”

So much for the facts Ujjal and nothing but the facts. Next time you make a statement you just might want to check THE FACTS, instead of basing your words on lies. Just another example of the much vaunted liberal integrity.

[geoffrey]

The quote: The use of direct quotation marks suggests that the ad presents an exact quote. Not so. The quote is a liberal paraphrase of a lengthy piece. For example, the original article says a Harper victory ‘may’ put a smile on George Bush’s face. The rejigs the quote to say such victory ‘will’ do so.”

The Liberals can't even be honest in quotations? How can anyone take these ads crediably?

I thought the quotes were out of context and unfair. Now I find out they aren't even real quotes. Got to love it.

[mar]

The quote: The use of direct quotation marks suggests that the ad presents an exact quote. Not so. The quote is a liberal paraphrase of a lengthy piece. For example, the original article says a Harper victory ‘may’ put a smile on George Bush’s face. The rejigs the quote to say such victory ‘will’ do so.”

The Liberals can't even be honest in quotations? How can anyone take these ads crediably?

I thought the quotes were out of context and unfair. Now I find out they aren't even real quotes. Got to love it.

Geez! The fake outrage quotient is thru the roof.

<sarcasm>Yeah, there is nothing outta context, incorrectly paraphrases or misleading in the ads the Conservative Party has been running since day one. </sarcasm>

There's an old political saying: "When you can't refute the substance, go after the style." Guess those are words to live by.

[shoop]

eureka,

Who are you working to dispose? There are only a handful of currently-held CPC seats that are in danger of being lost. After writing off BC Southern Interior there are less than 10 that *might* be lost - although the CPC will probably win most of those ten. We are looking at a big, big CPC win a week from Monday.

Tkanks for responding to August, Mar. You saved me a lot of time I cannot spare since I am now engaged in some real work to dispose of at least one Conservative sitting - and I mean sitting since he certainly does not stand for Canada - member.