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Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Conservatives launch radio ads
I have said before that this whole coaltion matter will not be decided by any constitutional norms. It will be decided by the opinion of the people. If Grippers have the support of the people than their scheme has a chance of surviving longer than Joe Clark (or Arthur Meighen). If the people don't support them then we could be looking at the doom of the Liberal Party.
Today the Conservatives are taking the debate to the radio waves. (Here's the first one and here's the second... personally I think the second one is better)
Now we can all hold our breath and wait for the first polling data.
Posted by Hugh MacIntyre on December 2, 2008 in Canadian Politics | Permalink
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Comments
"Grippers"
Heh! I think you've coined a durable term for the coalition.
Posted by: Kalim Kassam | 2008-12-02 1:25:02 PM
Aren't Harper's and his conservative party being more than a little hypercritical? Harper wrote to the Governor General when he was in opposition to Martin's government, suggesting that he and the NDP and the Bloc could form a coalition to defeat Martin. Now suddenly when this is the situation that he faces it is undemocratic. The Opposition collectively hold more seats and have a larger percentage of the popular vote than Harper does. If they can work together to provide better government than Harper so be it. Harper got caught trying to use the economic crisis to implement his neoconservative agenda instead of showing some leadership and bringing forward concrete proposals to help Canadians deal with the coming economic storm. We had an election that did not change the status quo - we still have a minority parliament and that is the will of the people so whoever can form an effective government and lead us through this crisis is the government the people want. If Harper doesn't like it then he should have thought of that before he tried to ram his agenda through in the guise of economic reform. For my money the Canada Elections Act is one of the best pieces of legislation that has been enacted in this country in a very long time. Limiting the power of corporations over our elected officials, imposing rules and paying election expenses out of the public purse goes a long way to ensure that we have fair and transparent elections. Personally I want to know who is influencing our politicians and when there is a free for all with regard to political donations that is not possible. Honest politicians will admit that when they are beholding to large donors it makes governing in the public interest very difficult. Harper's other little land mine was the intention to prohibit civil servants the right to strike. Public service strikes can be very devastating to the public good. If we decide that public service strikes are too damaging to peace and good order and we need to limit them, we must have a fair and transparent alternative to collective bargaining. Harper failed to present any alternative in his economic update. There is no justice or fairness if the government can both prohibit strikes and then be the sole arbiter of whatever settlement is made to public service workers. They can't have it both ways but that is what Harper apparently was trying to do. The third land mine in the economic update was the roll back of the equal pay for equal work that the courts awarded to women in the civil service. That was a regressive step and stated clearly that Harper and his party do not support pay equality for women. This political storm is entirely of Harper's own making and to suggest otherwise is hypocrisy of the highest magnitude.
Posted by: Allan | 2008-12-02 1:27:00 PM
Grippers? Good one!!! The question is where do we put the emphasis. Grip, as in to cling on to something and not let go; or gripe, as in to complain endlessly?
Here's something that I ripped off - it's a song based on the old Confederate song "The Bonnie Blue Flag" but adapted to support western rights. It may seem odd to be use a Confederate song since that rebellion stood for the institution of slavery. However, in the west's case, we're the slaves.
We are a band of brothers and native to the soil,
Fighting for the property we gained by honest toil;
And when our rights were threatened, the cry rose near and far,
"Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star!"
Hurrah! Hurrah! For Western rights hurrah!
Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.
As long as the Federation was faithful to her trust,
Like friends and like brothers both kind were we and just;
But now, when Eastern treachery attempts our rights to mar,
We hoist on high the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.
Hurrah! Hurrah! For Western rights hurrah!
Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.
First gallant Alberta nobly made the stand,
Then came Saskatchewan, who took her by the hand;
Next quickly Manitoba, and British Columbia ,
All raised on high the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.
Hurrah! Hurrah! For Western rights hurrah!
Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.
Posted by: Zebulon Pike | 2008-12-02 1:33:52 PM
If the people don't support them then we could be looking at the doom of the Liberal Party.
Posted by Hugh MacIntyre on December 2, 2008
The Liberals are bankrupt both financially and philosophically. Their support has declined essentially to Montreal and Toronto. This is a last gasp for them. The party is dieing.
Posted by: The Stig | 2008-12-02 1:43:31 PM
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