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Saturday, September 06, 2008
Tories hammer Professor Dion on "car pool" confusion
Press Release -- September 6, 2008
OUT-OF-TOUCH DION DOESN’T EVEN KNOW WHAT A “CAR POOL” IS
Professor Dion proves the only environmental action he understands is higher taxes
Ottawa – Stéphane Dion betrays his shocking ignorance of everyday Canadians by admitting he has never heard of car pooling.
“Stéphane Dion is shockingly out-of-touch with the tens of thousands of Canadians who are taking real action on the environment by car-pooling with their neighbours and co-workers,” said Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre. “This first gaffe of the Dion campaign is just more proof that Stéphane Dion is clearly uncomfortable with the kind of practical, tangible environmental leadership shown by real Canadians every day.”
During a visit to Saskatoon, Dion was asked about his opinion on the practice of car pooling.
“‘What is a car pool?’ he asked organizers, who enlightened him. ‘Oh that’s good. I’m never alone in my car.’” (Saskatoon StarPhoenix, August 25, 2008)
[Ed.: Maybe he's been in Ontario for too long; Pickup pal, an online car pool portal, is illegal in Ontario, as we discovered in August.]
“It is a long voyage from the top of Dion’s ivory tower to the day-to-day lives of real Canadians, but you would think he would at least make an effort,” explained Poilievre. “He loves talking about new carbon taxes and grand environmental theories, but when it comes to practical environmental solutions he doesn’t have a clue.”
Dion’s ignorance of car-pooling is only the latest example of his long history of being out of touch with the lives of real Canadians. The Dion Liberals opposed the Conservative’s Transit Tax Pass which makes it more affordable for everyday Canadians to take public transit to work. The Canadian Taxpayer Federation also revealed that, as a cabinet minister, Dion’s chauffeur billed taxpayers $14,225 in 98 separate expenses for limousine trips between Gatineau and Montreal (CTF News Release, February 22nd, 2007).
“Dion might believe sharing a car with a taxpayer funded chauffeur counts as a kind of car pooling, but I doubt many Canadians would agree,” said Poilievre. “The only environmental ideas Dion understands are the ones that involve raising your taxes. He just is not worth the risk.”
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Posted by Matthew Johnston on September 6, 2008 in Canadian Conservative Politics | Permalink
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Liberal leader, and severely challenged, Stéphane Dion doesn't even know what car pooling is: OUT-OF-TOUCH DION DOESN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT A CAR POOL ISProfessor Dion proves the only environmental action he understands is higher taxes [...] During a visit ... [Read More]
Tracked on 2008-09-06 5:36:56 PM
Comments
Dion is never alone. He always has the 'voices'.
I understand that there is a problem with car polling. It turns out that people chip in on the cost of the car running them into work. That means the driver is charging to carry people in his vehicle. This is not going over well with the unions who are in the transportation business.
This is being attacked from the point of view that it is running a business without a license or proper insurance.
See ... Unions and taxes will be the end of us all.
Posted by: John V | 2008-09-06 4:02:43 PM
Ah the Hypo-grits. Where would we be without them?
Posted by: Zebulon Pike | 2008-09-06 4:14:37 PM
John V: I'm glad you mentioned that car-pooling is not going over well with unions. I'll get in there and link to an old story of ours about a car-pooling company that is illegal in Ontario.
Great comment.
Posted by: P.M. Jaworski | 2008-09-06 4:19:52 PM
Jaws,
I look forward to reading it. Thanks.
Posted by: John V | 2008-09-06 4:26:10 PM
Sounds to me like Dion merely didn't know the English expression for covoiturage. Trust that little squirt Poilievre to make a smelly, steaming mountain out of a molehill.
Posted by: Dr.Dawg | 2008-09-06 4:57:21 PM
I have to agree with you, Dr. Dawg.
The Conservatives are exploiting a language confusion. And who are the Conservatives calling an out-of-touch professor? Has professor Harper ever had a "real" job? And what about Poilevre? Isn’t he an conservative youth activist turned Conservative MP? Neither have a lot of real world experience that would put them in touch with average Canadians.
Of course, they are both infinitely better than Dion, which is where we do differ, Dr. Dawg.
Posted by: Matthew Johnston | 2008-09-06 5:06:42 PM
Quote:"Has professor Harper ever had a "real" job?"
In his early 20s he was a computer programmer. He has also assisted his wife with her business as a graphic artist.
Posted by: Cool Blue | 2008-09-06 7:27:43 PM
If Wikipedia can be trusted in this instance, Cool Blue, Harper went from the mail room at Imperial Oil to working with computers at that company. Do you really think he was a "programmer"? That's a big jump for someone with no training.
The fact is, Harper is well qualified to lead due to his public policy and political experience.
But calling Dion an out-of-touch professor would sound more credible coming from someone with a more diverse background that either Harper or Poilievre.
Posted by: Matthew Johnston | 2008-09-06 7:37:16 PM
Is this the same Pierre Poilievre who insulted First Nations on a talk radio show the same day as the 'national apology' for residential schools?
The same Pierre Poilievre who insists that 'because everyone else is doing it, we can too' over the In and Out scandal?
I don't put much stock in this gentleman's opinion, especially in this case where he seems to think it's okay to make fun of Mr. Dion's misunderstanding of English terminology.
Posted by: cms | 2008-09-06 8:56:32 PM
Dion's first language is French. I am sure that you would probably have a hard time knowing a French colloquialism for car pooling.
Posted by: Cant believe you guys | 2008-09-07 6:13:13 AM
Which, of course, is why they aren't running to lead a French-speaking country. Are you admitting that Dion isn't qualified for the position he seeks?
Posted by: ebt | 2008-09-09 3:07:52 PM
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