*Harper really isn't that popular. He is just more popular than Dion as a personality figure because he triggered an election when he saw fit to do so.
That's your excuse? That Harper caught Dion with his pants around his ankles. Find me a leader of a minority who called an election when the polls said he would lose.... The Liberals knew that an election was going to be called sometime in this session. They should have been ready to go. If you want the job of Prime Minister, saying 'I'm not ready just yet' to campaign, is not an excuse.
*This is the first conservative government in a generation. Its also the first serious economic downturn in a generation. You can blame the US all you want, but the fact remains that Harper is doing nothing about it other than meaningless tax cuts and screwing Ontario.
Those meaningless tax cuts have provided a larger economic stimulus proportionally than the US stimulus package. Was it bad tax policy? Sure. But as a counter to a slowing economy it was fortuitously timed. As for blaming the recession on the Conservatives. There is no way I am going to blame a recession on the Conservatives, who have only been in power for 2.5 years. Look at the economic stats, the slow down was already starting in the Martin years. I am loathe to blame governments in office for recession unless they have done something absolutely disastrous....Mulroney's policies during the 80s recession for example. Find me a policy that you can say actually contributed to an economic slowdown in Canada.
Dion's Green shift plan is the only plan that can generate the needed revenue and incentives to pay for a new Green collar workforce and seriously avoid a manufacturing meltdown.
It's a good long term plan. It's not an immediate cure. Ironically, the best cure to a recession would be to run a deficit. And no party has show the cojones to do that yet.
*Dion IS a fresh face, and turns the page to bring a new voice to the Liberal party. With the way the media have been acting you'd think Martin was still PM and that Liberals are the current governing party with the current problems.
Here's how the public sees it: Another Liberal leader from Quebec. Heck, I'll bet that even Quebecers see it that way....
I'm sorry, but the media need to start reporting that the Conservatives under Harper have had the government for nearly 3 years now.
They have been reporting it. Otherwise, you wouldn't have heard about it. The Liberals have just failed at opposing effectively.
This election is turning out to be quite hilarious. People ranting about a Campbell PC-like demise of the Liberal party when the party still has a good chance at pulling a minority government or even a surprise majority win (the polls really can't predict this as its razor thin).
Okay I was being a little dramatic earlier. But things aren't looking good for the Liberals. When you start seeing open commentary by Liberals against the party and the leader you know something is wrong. I could see a Liberals minority at best if they can sell the 'scary Stephen' gambit, but a majority is not looking likely.
All I can do is sit back and enjoy the show.
Then why so much panic in your posts....chill....grab a beer....life goes on...its just an election...for the federal government, one which does not touch our lives daily. I am always amazed at the lack of civic participation at the local level. People will run out to protest in front of parliament, but ask them if they attended the consultation for the new subway line and you'll get a blank look.
There is little reason to vote for the Canadian Greens. There's nothing to punish in the Liberal party anymore, Dion is a fresh face.
I have little respect for Greens when they should be voting Liberal these days. I understand Greens have a slightly more centrist economic platform compared with the NDP, but so do the Liberals.
Why the hate on for the Greens? I happen to believe in democracy. And I believe that fresh faces are what keep democracy....well, fresh. They draw votes from all three major parties. In fact, I'd bet that they draw in more Conservatives and Dippers than they do Liberals.
... about the Green party of Canada. Its fiscally more moderate than the NDP - like the Liberals - and its socially left and pro-green - again, like the Liberals.
...
In Canada the Liberals support the Canadian health system, Liberals created the Green Shift, and Liberals are socially progressive and created all kinds of social freedoms that everyday Canadians enjoy. It was under the previous Liberal government that gay marriage was granted.
...
If you're considering voting Green, why not just vote NDP and be done with it? I mean at least you'd be supporting a real party that has a greener platform than the greens.
They have policies which none of the other parties have....income splitting, direct the accelerated capital cost allowance at sustainable technologies only, increase in GST to pay for infrastructure, etc. Is it hard to understand that some of us out there might actually support these policies?
People who vote Green in Canada really are using a proxy vote to support Harper's government, especially in ridings where its close.
That's both ridiculous and insulting to voters. Is it inconceivable to believe that people should support they platform they prefer?
Brandon,
Your rhetoric is an exact example of why the Liberals are faltering in the polls. The ABC mentality didn't work last election and it won't work this time. The alarmist 'Harper = Bush II' rhetoric smacks of desperation. You would never see that from the 90s rat pack Liberals. They attacked the government on their record and they offered a strong alternative vision.
I think the Libs have strategically erred in moving too much to the left. They always campaign on the left and govern on the right (rather centre-right) but this time it would have served them well to campaign closer to the centre. While I am starting to like the Green Shift (after some convincing debates with Afransen) there are policies that just seem plain vindictive...payback for not winning the last election.
For example..... The court challenges program...not only do they want to bring it back. They want to double the funds. I happen to believe that the gov't should not be handing out funds to create legal liabilities for itself (and by extension the taxpayer). Sure that program help overcome some real struggles with language rights etc. but I think in this era we should be able to move past that. Increasingly programs like that have become slush funds for Liberal friendly law firms.... We now have a situation where a significant portion of law students don't pursue criminal or commercial law. They want to be constitutional lawyers. As one of my friends who is in law school put it, 'You'll only get famous suing the government.' I am fairly sure the Liberals would have killed that program eventually if they could have found a way. And now that the Conservatives have done it and taken the heat for it, they want to turn back the clock and double the funding?
That's one example....there's also other positions....all of a sudden change in tone on Afghanistan (after they sent us to that hilly desert in green uniforms), they want to reverse the Canadian stance on relations with Israel (and they wonder why they can't raise money in Toronto and Montreal), and on China its the reverse....they criticize Harper for caring too much about human rights. Yes that's consistent....
Some of it is plain exaggeration. The 70 billion for infrastructure. Well its only 22 billion that the Conservatives budgeted for the next four years. Ditto for defence....and that's after the Liberal induced 'decade of darkness'.
They are all over the map this election. Their platform is pulling them in so many directions. That's why they are having a tough time selling it. And there's Dion...maybe they'll finally learn to stop making it a pre-requisite to to be a Quebecer to qualify as a Liberal party leader. Their vote base is in the GTA. Check out how many GTA cabinet ministers they had relative to the other regions. And remind me again, when was the last time the Liberals had a party leader from Ontario...and from the GTA. Heck, it's been over two decades since they had a leader from outside Quebec.
This is exactly why they are bleeding support....left, right and centre (where it really counts). With the exception of a handful of friends, most of my friends and family, who all voted Liberal in the past election...ditto provincially), are voting for the Conservatives. And though I might still vote Liberals in the end (I still haven't decided...waiting for all the platforms)....I can certainly see why they are having trouble getting elected.
As the natural governing party of Canada, they somehow forgot that once in a while, they actually have to campaign and tell people why they deserve a shot at governing....this time around they just suck at that.
