No Election in Spring 2007

[jdobbin]

I predict that many people like what the Conservatives have to offer, because after the latest leadership convention where the Liberal chose Dion to be their leader, it shows quite strikingly that the Liberals have learned nothing from the electorate and they are simply carrying on with the same old, same old, and the funny thing is it is with the same has-beens. The only peopel left behind are Martin and the Cretin. Dion is no better since he was involved in the shenanigance of sponsorship, HRDC, and the failed gun registry to name just a few blunders, besides the fact that he can't even speak English. The LIberals seem to feel for whatever reason that the National leader has to be from Quebec, and I have to wonder why since they represent one language and not the language of the majority of Canadians, nor the language that the majority wants to speak.

That's quite a handful of things that Dion was personally responsible for. And to boot, he is a Quebecker and speaks French!

[scribblet]

Well Mr Harper is learning something and our minority government is working. The home renovations program which Mr. Harper cancelled and hurt a lot of people in our area apprears to be reinstated. Great news for poorer home owners whose windows for instance need replacing. We can just keep up the pressure and we might get some good government out of this situation. Aye

You allready have a better government than the previous one Aye

http://www.canada.com/topics/finance/story...288e142&k=67085

``Of the people who had the audits done, only 30 per cent actually went on to do renovations,'' Lunn said Wednesday. ``Seventy per cent of the people did nothing (after getting) subsidized audits. So that does zero for the environment.''

A source familiar with the plan said the government also wanted the new program to target long-term higher-payback renovations, as well as including more incentives for "home renewables" such as ground-source heat pumps and water-efficient appliances.

[jdobbin]

The Liberals, Paul Martin, Jack Layton, the CBC all said that if Stephen Harper got into power, it would be the end of Canada.

Every day that Stephen Harper is a decent, honest Prime Minister of a united, civilized Canada is proof that all the Liberal/NDP claims were false. Harper knew long ago that if English Canadians got to see him as PM, they'd like him. (He apparently likes the job too.)

Another story of an envelope of cash across a restaurant table would make a headline.

Chances are that it will happen. And then what will Dion say?

Watergate ended in the US because Ford pardoned Nixon. Could PM Dion pardon Chretien?

Stalin did the same after Lenin's death. IMV, if Dion can consolidate power and really clean the Liberal Party, then maybe he'll be PM. Dion is no Stalin but he might be a Duplessis.

The Liberals did not self-destruct in the last election. (The Liberals self-destructed in 1984.)

If Canada is lucky, Harper is Mulroney Part II. IOW, a Harper Conservative majority would mean that Canada has two legitimate national parties that cross linguistic lines. Only Part II? Well, Harper is a WASP whereas Mulroney was a Catholic.

Stephen Harper is Canada's first French-speaking Protestant Conservative Prime Minister.

Laurier and Trudeau would be proud.

Oh my God. You have thrown everything but the kitchen sink into this one. Linking Dion to Lenin and Stalin? Wow. Ford and Nixon? Chretien, Martin and Duplessis? Laurier and Trudeau? Mulroney and Harper? Catholic and Protestant?

What are you trying to say here?

The Liberals going into the last election had numbers in the polls showing they might eke out a minority once more. The RCMP announcement in the middle of the campaign showed them drop 10 points in the polls and they never recovered. The campaign, by all accounts, self destructed over the course of the election.

So far, the longer Harper has been in power, the farther he has dropped support in Quebec and Ontario. That could change but it is the reality right now. Your desire for a majority is coming up against that hard fact. Hoping for another scandal from the past popping up in the election is not something the Tories should hang their hat on.

The NDPs the balance of power right now. It hasn't helped Layton that much at all having that power. His own supporters don't want him propping up the Tories even if it means they write the environmental bill. His party has been hurt in recent months because of a Liberal recovery and the Greens emerging on the scene. I don't think it should surprise anyone if the NDP pulls the trigger on this election sooner than people think because they stand to lose the most with their connection to the Tories.

As far as your comments on Harper being a decent man, I'm sure it is all true. He does face some hot button issues this year that could make him a very unpopular man in some quarters.

[madmax]

The Liberals, Paul Martin, Jack Layton, the CBC all said that if Stephen Harper got into power, it would be the end of Canada.

I guess Paul Martin would argue with you on that one. From CBC news January 17th 2006.

Liberal Leader Paul Martin chastised NDP Leader Jack Layton, claiming he had given up the fight against the Tory agenda to attack the Liberals.

"Jack Layton has been making some very strange comments during this campaign. He's attacked Liberals, not Conservatives. In fact, he's all but ignored Stephen Harper."

Martin said Layton would rather risk a Harper victory "than be faithful to his own party's principles."

Paul Martin makes a point during a news conference at the Wanuskewin Heritage park in Saskatoon, Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2006. (CP photo)

Layton has asked Liberal voters to "lend" their vote to the NDP while the Liberals cleanse themselves of the sponsorship scandal.

"Jack Layton has taken a pass" on fighting the Conservatives, who will end the Kyoto climate-change deal, cut social programs and introduce a socially conservative agenda, Martin said on Tuesday, during a tour of a solar-power company in Burnaby, B.C.

[madmax]

If Canada is lucky, Harper is Mulroney Part II. IOW, a Harper Conservative majority would mean that Canada has two legitimate national parties that cross linguistic lines. Only Part II? Well, Harper is a WASP whereas Mulroney was a Catholic.

There is no comparison. Mulroney had a Majority in his first term, he made policies successfully, fought for the FTA and won a second majority. He then fled the horrors at the end of his 2nd term government.

If Harper had gotten a Majority in 2004 his first run, we would be in Iraq.

Game over, no second term, Period.

[Ricki Bobbi]

I predict that many people like what the Conservatives have to offer, because after the latest leadership convention where the Liberal chose Dion to be their leader, it shows quite strikingly that the Liberals have learned nothing from the electorate and they are simply carrying on with the same old, same old, and the funny thing is it is with the same has-beens. The only peopel left behind are Martin and the Cretin. Dion is no better since he was involved in the shenanigance of sponsorship, HRDC, and the failed gun registry to name just a few blunders, besides the fact that he can't even speak English. The LIberals seem to feel for whatever reason that the National leader has to be from Quebec, and I have to wonder why since they represent one language and not the language of the majority of Canadians, nor the language that the majority wants to speak.

Fair enough.

The Liberals have been lead by a Quebecker for 17 straight years now.

That goes to show a lot of where their priorites are. (When they actually have priorities.

I somehow think the next election will be interesting to watch the Liberal's strategy.

If they try *scary* *scary* *scary* Harper can run on his record. The Harper-haters will pint to it as evidence of how terrible the Conservatives have been. I don't think we have lost any swing voters who took a chance on us last time around.

The Conservatives are slowly building a strong environmental record. Once that has been built we can move on with a positive agenda.

[Remiel]

If Harper is doing an acceptable job now, why would we want to give him a majority?

[Ricki Bobbi]

If Harper is doing an acceptable job now, why would we want to give him a majority?

The Liberals kept saying he was *scary* *scary* *scary* and incapable of governing.

He has definitely proven he is not scary and capable of governing.

Most Canadians don't want to go to the polls every 18 months.

This minority was a probationary period. Harper has passed it, so time to give him a majority.

[HoratioCaine]

I'm an election Junkie, so an election is not the bad news to me it seems to be regular people. That being said I'd only look forward to an election where the Liberals are ready. The good news is the government can not be defeated without the Liberals, so they have some choice in when. Harper can drop the writ himself but then he'd have to explain why to a populace already grumpy from two elections a little over a year apart.

I do think that trying to discern whether it's go or no go from those Dion comments is pointless however, Dion isn't Harper and he doesn't have a blind lust for power at any cost to try to hide. Sure he wants it, but not on the level Harper did.

[tml12]

If Harper is doing an acceptable job now, why would we want to give him a majority?

The Liberals kept saying he was *scary* *scary* *scary* and incapable of governing.

He has definitely proven he is not scary and capable of governing.

Most Canadians don't want to go to the polls every 18 months.

This minority was a probationary period. Harper has passed it, so time to give him a majority.

I completely agree...time to give Harper his much deserved majority...

[Remiel]

So, I have a choice between thinking Harper is stupid, or *scary* *scary* *scary*? I think I'll do him a favour and go with *scary* *scary* *scary*.

People said Harper was scary because of the way he spoke before he was the leader of the government. Then, he became the leader of a minority government and started speaking like a leader of a minority government speaks: like they have to compromise somewhat to make a government work. So, you are saying that Harper's compromises are good, so we should allow him to stop compromising and go back to the same rhetoric we originally thought was *scary* *scary* *scary*?

Or, I can just think Harper is stupid, because obviously he is too dumb to tone down his rhetoric to make a minority situation work.

I think Harper is a jerk. I do not think Harper is dumb.

[Ricki Bobbi]

Or, I can just think Harper is stupid, because obviously he is too dumb to tone down his rhetoric to make a minority situation work.

I think Harper is a jerk. I do not think Harper is dumb.

Too dumb to make a minority situation work? Where does that come from?

What has he done that hasn't "made the minority situatiion work"?

He has served for almost a year. There is no election in the offing. He hasn't gone on National television beggin for more time in office.

What do you consider making "a minority situation work"?