Canada's concentrated power

[alienofwar]

A piece from an article in the National Post concerning Paul Martins choices for the senate:

Link Byfield, another senator-in-waiting, denounced Thursday's appointments as part of the "worst curse on this land," the concentrated power of the prime minister.

"You go to explain to Americans that in our system the prime minister appoints one-quarter of the Parliament personally, the entire judiciary from the level of Queen's Bench up, including the Supreme Court, all federal boards, agencies and commissions, all deputies, all cabinet ministers - one guy! - they kind of look at you like you're nuts," Byfield said.

http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=f9c710d5-0428-4078-b461-ac07ef401c25

Such a sad state of affairs in Canada.....

 

[mrmom2]

Its not Martin Alien its Mr Dithers :lol:

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: Canada's concentrated

Link Byfield is xenophobic Nazi freak, so anything that pisses him off is just dandy as far as I'm concerned.

 

[cub1c]

Re: RE: Canada's concentrated

Link Byfield is xenophobic Nazi freak, so anything that pisses him off is just dandy as far as I'm concerned.

So a prime minister having the same rights as a Monarch doesn't ring a bell in your head? :wink:

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: Canada's concentrated

I went to one of the meetings that Byfield and his pals sponsored when they were getting the Reform/Alliance/Conservative party started. I got my bell rung a couple of times that night. They didn't like us much. ;-)

 

[cub1c]

Re: RE: Canada's concentrated

I went to one of the meetings that Byfield and his pals sponsored when they were getting the Reform/Alliance/Conservative party started. I got my bell rung a couple of times that night. They didn't like us much. ;-)

Haha.

I don't know about Byfield sorry. But based on what you said, do you consider Conservatives as xenophobics?

 

[Ten Packs]

Link Byfield is xenophobic Nazi freak, so anything that pisses him off is just dandy as far as I'm concerned.

"Bulls-eye! Give the man a Cupie Doll!"

Be afraid of anything coming from Byfield, cub1c - be very afraid. :roll:

I don't know about Byfield sorry. But based on what you said, do you consider Conservatives as xenophobics?

There's no doubt in my mind that some certainly are. The Evangelist/Reform/Alliance types, mostly. Ask them privately about Bi-Lingualism and Multiculturalism, for instance.... but stand back a few feet.

 

[Reverend Blair]

I don't know about Byfield sorry. But based on what you said, do you consider Conservatives as xenophobics?

First, I'd like to second what Ten Packs said...especially about Byfield. Be careful of his sons too....They are like a family of hillbillies who came down from the back country "lookin' fer wimmen-folk" and forgot to go home.

I don't automatically consider conservatives to be xenophobic, but I am fairly familiar with the Reform/Alliance and they do make up most of the Conservative Party. Racism, homophobia, religious bigotry, and general hatred of anything or anybody they decide is different runs deep in the Reform/Alliance roots.

 

[cub1c]

There's no doubt in my mind that some certainly are. The Evangelist/Reform/Alliance types, mostly. Ask them privately about Bi-Lingualism and Multiculturalism, for instance.... but stand back a few feet.

:lol:
Why are they getting close to govern?

It concerns me, can you make a generalization of the people that vote for them? Age, urban or rural, religion, ethnic?
I know this is delicate for you.

 

[Ten Packs]

It's not delicate for me at all... I quit the PCs about 20 years ago, thanks to Lyin' Brian. Just becasue I believe in living within your means, doesnt make me a red-neck. The day will come when you realize you can't keep cranking up your Visa card, without paying the bill off.

I have personal experience, as does Rev, with the Evangelist types that more often join the Conservative, at least more than Liberal or NDP. Age doesnt much matter to them - just the refusal to tolerate that which is not in agreement with them on moral and social issues.

But then I know some exteme left-wing people like that, too.... intolerance covers the political spectrum.

 

[Extrafire]

I don't automatically consider conservatives to be xenophobic, but I am fairly familiar with the Reform/Alliance and they do make up most of the Conservative Party. Racism, homophobia, religious bigotry, and general hatred of anything or anybody they decide is different runs deep in the Reform/Alliance roots.

Racism, religious intolerance and general hatred of anyone who has the audacity to disagree with them is pretty much official policy of the NDP.

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: Canada's concentrated

You know that isn't the case, Extrafire. Just spewing stuff out doesn't make it true.

 

[dukee]

You know that isn't the case, Extrafire. Just spewing stuff out doesn't make it true.

Wow, talk about the pot calling the kettle....

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: Canada's concentrated

What policies of the NDP's are racist, intolerant of religion, or promote hatred? There aren't any, so saying that there are is being far less than honest.

There are several policies promoted by the Conservatives that are though, including their official opposition to same-sex marriage and their support of racial profiling.

You need to find a better answer, Jamie.

 

[JorCON5]

Firstly everybody knows the senate is a joke. That was proven with the GST push through by Brian. Those guys are retired on the job.


The conservatives are just of bottom-line hugging morons who have no idea of social justice. All they care about are big business and pushing the bottom-line down without caring about the consequences to the average worker. The fact they forget is that all businesses are based on the common worker and thrive on government subsidies (given by the common worker).

I find it interesting that Canada has produced a socialist monarchy and the U.S. has produced a Theocratic Republic.

Extra Fire,

do you just go around and randomly disagree with people without any basis of argument

 

[dukee]

Why are they getting close to govern?

Here are a couple of reasons off the top of my head:

Lower taxes - You'll rarely find people complaining that their taxes are too low. When faced with a high rate a taxation and significant government corruption, people begin to think that their money might be better off in their own pocket.

More Accountable Government - The Conservatives will open the door to allowing MP's to have free votes on issues of conscience. This opens the door for MP's to go back to their constituents and engage them in the decision making process, instead of being forced to be mere instruments of a political party. The Liberal Party has run this country like a dictatorship, and to give some of the power back to the members of parliament would be a welcome change.

Moderate Positions on Hot Buton Social Issues - Not every Canadian are like the Liberal Party and want legalized prostitution and lax drug laws. With regards to the gay marriage debate, the Conservatives have choosen a position to recognize gay unions as having legal equality to all facits of a traditional marriage. The only difference is in using the term "marriage". This is a position that is more progressive than what is used in 99% of the world, and appeals to the majority of Canadians.

Not Liberals - The Liberal name is sinking in the minds of Canadians. Everything from corruption, to mob ties, to wasteful incompetence is turning Canadians back to the nations other governing party. Not to mention, watching Martin's performance is ringing true the saying "My, how the mighty have fallen".

It concerns me, can you make a generalization of the people that vote for them? Age, urban or rural, religion, ethnic?
I know this is delicate for you.

I believe it was Churchhill who said, "Any man who is under 30, and is not a liberal, has not heart; and any man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains."

The Conservatives primary voting block is middle to upper-middle class Canadians.

 

[peapod]

Your talking about a conservative party of the past. Get rid of the alliance and the religion (which does not belong in government) and you might be worth a listen.

 

[Reverend Blair]

Lower taxes - You'll rarely find people complaining that their taxes are too low. When faced with a high rate a taxation and significant government corruption, people begin to think that their money might be better off in their own pocket.

The Conservatives have a long record of giving tax breaks to corporations and the rich instead of to working people. They like to point to the US as a model, so how about you have a look at who got the tax breaks in Georgie's little scheme. Better yet, have a look at the Conservative record. Under the Mulroney government the tax load was shifted from corporations and the wealthy more and more onto the shoulders of middle and working class Canadians. I Alberta, which the Conservatives love to point to as a success story, corporate welfare is rampant.

More Accountable Government - The Conservatives will open the door to allowing MP's to have free votes on issues of conscience.

Under our current system, one the Conservatives voted not to try to change significantly at their recent convention, Canadians vote for MPs who belong to parties. Those parties vote as a block.

Unless each of your MPs makes their personal stance very clear on how they would vote on issues of conscience during an election campaign, including SSM and abortion, then we have to assume that they will simply toe the party line.

Moderate Positions on Hot Buton Social Issues - Not every Canadian are like the Liberal Party and want legalized prostitution and lax drug laws.

Polls indicate that most Canadians want a move in that direction. I thought you were all for democracy?

With regards to the gay marriage debate, the Conservatives have choosen a position to recognize gay unions as having legal equality to all facits of a traditional marriage. The only difference is in using the term "marriage". This is a position that is more progressive than what is used in 99% of the world, and appeals to the majority of Canadians.

"Equality to" is not the same as equality, first of all. Using the term marriage to describe a relationship is a legal right. The courts in 8 jurisdictions in Canada have said so. Your party would be in the position of using the notwithstanding clause to take away rights that are guaranteed in the charter. The only motivation for this is a wish to force your peculiar religious beliefs on those that do not share those beliefs.

Not Liberals - The Liberal name is sinking in the minds of Canadians. Everything from corruption, to mob ties, to wasteful incompetence is turning Canadians back to the nations other governing party. Not to mention, watching Martin's performance is ringing true the saying "My, how the mighty have fallen".

We all remember Mulroney. We've all seen Harper lie and smirk. We've remember him wanting to build a firewall around Alberta and making disparaging remarks abut anybody not from Alberta. Those of us from Saskatchewan remember the Devine government. Those of us from Manitoba remember the Filmon government. There is still a lot of anger at Harris in Ontario. News of how badly Klein has mismanaged Alberta's oil money is seeping out.

Peapod is right...you guys are not the Conservatives of old. That party died when Joe Clark retired. Harper's Conservative Party is nothing but the rabid and failing neo-conservatism of the Bush Republicans...religious zealots with hearts full of greed and brains full of mush.