2005-6 Federal Election: Harper promises Toronto a place in government

[billy corgan19982]

From The CBC

Harper promises Toronto a place in government
Last updated Jan 18 2006 12:52 PM EST
CBC News


Conservative Leader Stephen Harper appealed to Toronto on Wednesday, playing up his childhood connection to the city and promising to take the city's concerns seriously in Ottawa.

"We want Toronto to be part of the truly national government we are asking Canadians to give us," Harper said.

With a strong contingent of Toronto MPs in a Tory government, Harper said, the city can take its "real place in the centre of our government."

Calling his campaign so far one of policy and ideas, rather than the "fear and smear" presented by the Liberals, Harper pointed out that Toronto is unique among Canadian cities for its size, its diversity and its spirit.

The Toronto area, which has more than five million people, has voted Liberal for several elections. In 2004, only one seat went to another party, and it was taken by NDP Leader Jack Layton.

Harper held a rally on Wednesday in St. Paul's, the Toronto riding currently held by Liberal Carolyn Bennett. The Conservative candidate there is Peter Kent, a veteran television journalist.

Kent, who was introduced at the rally by CanWest Global executive David Asper, denounced the media as "Liberal apologists."

Riding a wave in recent polls showing his party in the national lead and making gains in traditionally Liberal areas, Harper made a pitch for votes in Canada's largest city by doing something rarely done by a Western-based politician: he called it a "great city" and promised to "stand up for Toronto."

Harper recounted his platform policies from child care to immigration, tailoring his message to the city's voters.

He also promised an official apology for the Chinese head tax and vowed to call an inquiry into the Air India bombings.

 

[ganjavih]

Harper's advisors really got their act together.

 

[bizorky]

denounced the media as "Liberal apologists."

Wow, I am amazed by Kent's vast grasp and insight into nothing less than the entire media of this country! Why those nasty Liberal apologists; (like his former boss, Asper) it sounds like nothing but a giant conspiracy of control! I suppose he was the lone Conservative among all those evil Liberal media lackies, imagine that. It's amazing that he managed to attain the position he once held, given the sea of lefty light-weights he had to contend with on his way all the way up to chief teleprompter reader at Global.

 

[dan e 1980]

He also promised an official apology for the Chinese head tax and vowed to call an inquiry into the Air India bombings.

west of Winnipeg the ridings the Liberals hold are dominated by people who are either recent Asian immigrants or recent migrants from eastern Canada: people who live in ghettoes and who are not integrated into western Canadian society

gotta love this man. he's flipped more issues than mc donalds have flipped burgers.

 

[afransen TO]

Yeah, those wonderful quotes keep on coming up and biting him in the ass.

I think the Liberals are spinning them well, for good or for ill.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Harper's advisors seems to have learned from the Liberal stance of saying very nice things with little proof behind the pudding. Just "how" will Toronto has a place in the government, for example? Gawd knows how many cabinet ministers from the GTA we had in the current Liberal government and see what they have done, exactly?

AoD

 

[blixa442]

I wouldn't judge other parties by the performance of Toronto Liberals.

 

[Observer Walt]

^ Prior to the current election, the Liberals held most of the Toronto seats and did little for the city. It sounds like it will be exactly the same after this election.:rolleyes

 

[Abeja de Almirante]

It sounds like it will be exactly the same after this election.

If the exact same Liberals win again, then yes it will be exactly the same after the election. I am willing to give the CPC a chance before accepting another thirteen years of uncontested Liberal rule.

 

[bizorky]

I don't think that there are any very strong Conservative candidates from "the east" who would have a good showing in a Harper cabinet. This is still a party that has its focus on righting the perceived wrongs that have lead to Western Canadian alienation. It's leader has advisors who are not too big on Ontario and would like nothing more than to encourage a power shift from Ontario to the West.

So pardon me if I doubt that Toronto would have a place at the table of the Conservatives - particularly if many Liberals are elected from within the city.

 

[heckles2]

If he loved Toronto he wouldn't have adopted Calgary as his new base with all the side issues and party affiliation included. Harper's word is about as empty as the surplus will become under his rule.