I am not sure who the strategists/speechwriters are in the Conservative Party of Canada (or whether Stephen Harper himself makes the final decisions on party strategy), but it seems to me that they have bungled things badly over the past couple of months.
Initially, the minority Liberal government offered the carrot of corporate tax cuts (something the Liberals never campaigned on in the last election) to the Conservatives in an effort to gain their support to pass the budget. Stephen Harper said that the budget, while not perfect, was in line with Conservative Party priorities and seemed ready to support it.
Then, damaging testimony from the Gomery Inquiry came out (which I don't think was a big surprise to anyone) and Paul Martin announced that he would address the nation. Without using his head, Harper and his speechwriters came up with a fire and brimstone speech including the pledge to bring down the government at the earliest opportunity, thus doing a 180 degree turn from what he said previously re. passing the Liberal budget, in response to Martin's national address. The only problem with that was that Harper's response went way overboard and was out of whack with the Martin speech where Martin apologized for the Liberal sponsorship program actions, said he would ensure the proper controls were put in so that it never happens again once Justice Gomery filed his final report, and call an election within 30 days of the issue of the Gomery Report.
It just goes to show you how politically tone-deaf Harper and his handlers are to politics east of the Ontario/Manitoba border. As soon as I heard Martin's speech to the nation and Harper's response, I thought to myself that Harper just blew it and would pay for it. He has. This was just the start of many more Conservative bungles to come (Harper changing his mind again and saying he would now support the original budget but not the NDP amendment - funny given the fact that the NDP amendment would not have existed in the first place if Harper had not engaged in the knee-jerk reaction of a snap-election in light of the Gomery testimony, losing Belinda Stronach after chewing her out, the whole Gamut Grewal amateur hour audiotaping episode, etc.).
As it stands now, the Conservatives look like a bizarre sideshow act, not a party ready to govern. I don't care how "liberal" people think the East is: If you have a Liberal party who has governed for the past 4 terms and involved in so much scandal, and you as a party are STILL behind them in the polls, you better look at yourself in the mirror and do an honest unbiased analysis of how the silly moves you have made have cost you dearly, then smarten up.
Initially, the minority Liberal government offered the carrot of corporate tax cuts (something the Liberals never campaigned on in the last election) to the Conservatives in an effort to gain their support to pass the budget. Stephen Harper said that the budget, while not perfect, was in line with Conservative Party priorities and seemed ready to support it.
Then, damaging testimony from the Gomery Inquiry came out (which I don't think was a big surprise to anyone) and Paul Martin announced that he would address the nation. Without using his head, Harper and his speechwriters came up with a fire and brimstone speech including the pledge to bring down the government at the earliest opportunity, thus doing a 180 degree turn from what he said previously re. passing the Liberal budget, in response to Martin's national address. The only problem with that was that Harper's response went way overboard and was out of whack with the Martin speech where Martin apologized for the Liberal sponsorship program actions, said he would ensure the proper controls were put in so that it never happens again once Justice Gomery filed his final report, and call an election within 30 days of the issue of the Gomery Report.
It just goes to show you how politically tone-deaf Harper and his handlers are to politics east of the Ontario/Manitoba border. As soon as I heard Martin's speech to the nation and Harper's response, I thought to myself that Harper just blew it and would pay for it. He has. This was just the start of many more Conservative bungles to come (Harper changing his mind again and saying he would now support the original budget but not the NDP amendment - funny given the fact that the NDP amendment would not have existed in the first place if Harper had not engaged in the knee-jerk reaction of a snap-election in light of the Gomery testimony, losing Belinda Stronach after chewing her out, the whole Gamut Grewal amateur hour audiotaping episode, etc.).
As it stands now, the Conservatives look like a bizarre sideshow act, not a party ready to govern. I don't care how "liberal" people think the East is: If you have a Liberal party who has governed for the past 4 terms and involved in so much scandal, and you as a party are STILL behind them in the polls, you better look at yourself in the mirror and do an honest unbiased analysis of how the silly moves you have made have cost you dearly, then smarten up.
