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Thursday, January 24, 2008
Two years and counting
At 4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Friday afternoon in the Congress Hall of the Ottawa Congress Centre, Prime Minister Stephen Harper will deliver remarks at an event celebrating the government's second-year anniversary. He will be joined by members of the Conservative Caucus.
Two years in a fragile minority government. I have to admit it: I never dreamed that even such an astute strategist and tactician as Mr. Harper could pull it off. Then again, I never imagined that Stephane Dion would suffer from such an acute case of political osteoporosis or that Jack Layton would devolve into a caricature of himself.
Posted by Terry O'Neill on January 24, 2008 in Canadian Politics | Permalink
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Comments
Has it been two years already since Mr. Harper restored competence, intelligence and dignity to Canada? How time flies!
Here's to two more years!
Posted by: Zebulon Pike | 2008-01-24 4:04:07 PM
Yea, but did the CPC send Gerard Kennedy a really nice holiday card for the gift that keeps on giving?
Posted by: rockyt | 2008-01-24 5:25:19 PM
Yes, but I think you need to ask "is the glass half-full or half-empty". Two years on, with a completely incoherent twit in charge of the Liberals, and the CPC are likely no closer to a majority (see ALL the polls). It's worse than the hockey analogy of not being able to score on four straight two-man advantage power plays.
You also have a majority of Canadians not in favour of the government's policy in Afghanistan, a foreign minister who changes the country's policy on Israel and settlement building as he walks from place to place, and worldwide disapproval of our stance at the Bali Conference.
What's to celebrate? Imagine if ANYONE other than Dion and Layton had been in opposition.
Posted by: Terry T | 2008-01-25 7:40:44 AM
1) Canada's role in Afghanistan was never really popular. The public never likes seeing soldiers die overseas for nothing.
2) Israel is just one country, so seeming changes in policy don't make that much of a difference. Fortunately the Harper gov't's restoration of close US ties has paid off. Hopefully they won't be tarnished again.
3) Bali was a farce to begin with, so little real damage occurred. Harper stood by his long-held policy to insist upon a unified global effort on climate change. If Greenpeace Canada feels ashamed at a worldwide Greenpeace meeting, it is to blame for raising expectations so high.
True, if a truly effective opposition had been in place Harper would not have lasted this long. But his poll ratings have been consistently high for the past couple of years. If forced into an election he could win a majority. Hopefully he does.
Posted by: Zebulon Pike | 2008-01-25 7:52:15 AM
Personally, with the current opposition, I don't see why he DOESN't force an election. Of course, his poll numbers are high - it's all relative. You and I could score high support in a looks contest against the ugliest guys!!
Our "close links" with the US have not been a positive, at least in the public's eye (i.e. anyone not posting HERE!!). And even the US President uses the word "occupation" in discussing the West Bank, yet Bernier says "build more settlements". A bit of a disconnect there, methinks.
Posted by: Terry T | 2008-01-25 8:16:04 AM
Yes, but should conservatives really support a government that sits silent while its kangaroo courts go about stepping on the right to free speech? Harper, where are you?
Posted by: Faramir | 2008-01-25 4:39:15 PM
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