Harper mixing things up in '07

[Tonington]

Apparently Harper's Conservative government will have a new look in the new year. Rona Ambrose will be moved to Intergovernmental Affairs, where current Minister Peter Van Loan will take over Indian Affairs, thus moving that current Minister Jim Prentice to Environment.

Miss Ambrose has had a tough go with that Clean Air Act, even conservative insiders have expressed feelings of the shortcomings after all that hype. With Stephane Dion big on green issues, it's not surprising that Harper would want a fresh new face. It's really not through any fault of Ambrose, the government was all over the place on this issue, there was miscommunication between micro-manager Harper and his lackies, and the party has been exposed to their weak spot.

 

[RedGreen]

The shuffling of Harper's cabinet will do nothing for him. Whenever Gilles Duceppe decides to force an election, it is sure the Liberals will be back in power. If Duceppe waits long enough, I believe that most Canadians will have realized what a poor job Harper is doing governing and a Liberal majority may ensue.

The Liberals under M. Dion have really come together since the convention. I don't think they could have chose a better leader. The reason I say that is because the party would have remained divided if any of the other frontrunners from the convention had won. Rae or Ignatief would have created division between their camps had they won. And, I don't think other Liberals would have rallied around Mr. Kennedy the way they did around M. Dion.

With the Liberals united and bad blood behind them from the long running Chrétien/ Martin days; Canadians seem to have a sense that the Liberals will focus on getting things done that we care about if elected. M. Dion speaks of changes that seem to reflect the desires of Canadians more than those that Mr. Harper's government has made, is trying to make, and will continue to make if given the time.

Now, all of this being said. I know that people have good reason to be sceptical about the Liberal party (their track record wasn't good towards the end of the Chrétien/ Martin reign). For whatever reason however, Canadians seem to trust in M. Dion and believe that the Liberal party has changed.

The ace in the hole for the Liberals is that no Canadian wants to be in bed with the USA. We don't want Bush's hand up his buddy "Steve's" coat telling him what to do and say. The more and more people I talk to say that they would vote for the Liberals or other parties far before they would vote for any party that puts Canada in such close contact with the US government.


We just want to be the friendly neighbor who does their own thing, smiles and asks "how's it going?" when seen, feels welcome at their neighbor's place but not obligated, doesn't let their dog **** on their neighbor's lawn and expects the same in return.

 

[Colpy]

Spare me.

Dion doesn't seem too bad personally, but he was Jean "the Don" Chretien's man.....not a good past......and he is an ivory tower intellectual. Want to ruin the country? Put academics in power.

Jean is advising Dion. That scares the hell out of me.

 

[RedGreen]

Since chosen as leader, I was looking into some of M. Dion's past. It is actually quite surprising how he seemed to stay away from much of the controversial Liberal issues of the 90s.

As far as academics go, I think in some cases academia transforms people into walking books of useless information. With this being said I think when people with varied interests and who are curious go through the academic system the result can be amazing! What higher learning can give you is the ability and the opportunity to learn anything you want. As long as academics can keep a grip on the practical side of life I think they can turn out great. Now, this isn't to say you have to do academics to become a great, smart person at all. It just one road of many. I just think that many people really better themselves and challenge themselves to learn when put in that situation.

 

[m_levesque]

Spare me.

Dion doesn't seem too bad personally, but he was Jean "the Don" Chretien's man.....not a good past......and he is an ivory tower intellectual. Want to ruin the country? Put academics in power.

Jean is advising Dion. That scares the hell out of me.

For me, that would be enough to vote for the Liberals. Chretien was a good Prime Minister. Harper is a buffoon.

 

[BitWhys]

Spare me.

Dion doesn't seem too bad personally, but he was Jean "the Don" Chretien's man.....not a good past......and he is an ivory tower intellectual. Want to ruin the country? Put academics in power...

And besides being an entry-level computer programmer who traded in real work for a Calgary School economics degree and a job shilling for right-wing think tanks, Harper has more credentials HOW exactly?

 

[Colpy]

For me, that would be enough to vote for the Liberals. Chretien was a good Prime Minister. Harper is a buffoon.

Oh yes, Chretien was a GREAT PM, if you like two bit, tin pot dictators, as in

- dirty deals with arsonist hoteliers

- tens of millions of our dollars handed over to Liberal Party supporters

- mobster cabinet ministers

- mobsters deeply involved in the Quebec wing of the Party

- the use of the RCMP as his personal Gestapo in personal vendettas

- the use of the RCMP to stifle peaceful protest and free speech

- the magical disappearing billions

- laws that ignore most aspects of the Charter of Rights

- China

- Robert Mugabe

I mean, if that's your style, Jean the Don is your man!

Perhaps you'd be happier in Zimbabwe?

 

[Colpy]

And besides being an entry-level computer programmer who traded in real work for a Calgary School economics degree and a job shilling for right-wing think tanks, Harper has more credentials HOW exactly?

Honestly, I don't really know what Harper did before politics.........I should read up.

Credentials I'm not sure of, except for this.........he ain't a Liberal, and that is a very good thing to be on the CV.

 

[Tonington]

How long does someone have to be out of academia before they are no longer considered "from the towers"? What is wrong with an educated person running in politics? Should politicians all be doctors and lawyers, or perhaps some executive from the financial sector?

I might be concerned if it were say some stodgy old professor who has worked their entire career as a professor, but Dion has had a good career in public office so I'm not too worried about that.

Back to Harper, anyone have any ideas what he has up his sleeve?

 

[snowles]

Honestly, I don't really know what Harper did before politics.........I should read up.

Credentials I'm not sure of, except for this.........he ain't a Liberal, and that is a very good thing to be on the CV.

Ya, things must be grim for Dion, I mean, they're only surging ahead in the polls (which is great when you consider how concentrated Conservative support has been isolated to), and article after article and poll after poll are showing Canadians are in step with Dion, while things like accountibility are being hypocritically thrown out the window by this administration - who certainly seemed gung-ho on the subject when they were in opposition, and even made it part of their platform. Barring a Harper holiday miracle, their numbers can really only continue to go in their current directions. Moving Ambrose only puts a band-aid on a bullet wound, so to speak.

Anways, I fail to see how putting an academic in power could be bad for the country, like you are suggesting. Are you suggesting that stupid people, or even less smart people, are better and smarter for the job than a smart person? Especially someone with a meticulous background in political science and a lifetime in growing up in the Canadian political system? Someone who is brilliant enough to spend years shaping and leading others through his professorship at one of the country's top institutions would make a poor leader? Sorry to say, but when you put his credentials up against Harper's (try doing some research on it, before juding others), Harper isn't fit to carry Dion's coattails.

Sorry to say Colpy, but Election '07 will be over by the time the ballots west of Kenora are even counted.

 

[BitWhys]

...
Back to Harper, anyone have any ideas what he has up his sleeve?

That's easy. He's rolling out his constitutional amendment for property rights plank in time for the next election and needs someone with Prentice's experience with land claims to make sure the environmental plan doesn't develop any intrusion on corporate interests and provide a topical focus for controversy. Its only for a few months so it should be simple enough as long as he remains proactive.

 

[Colpy]

Ya, things must be grim for Dion, I mean, they're only surging ahead in the polls (which is great when you consider how concentrated Conservative support has been isolated to), and article after article and poll after poll are showing Canadians are in step with Dion, while things like accountibility are being hypocritically thrown out the window by this administration - who certainly seemed gung-ho on the subject when they were in opposition, and even made it part of their platform. Barring a Harper holiday miracle, their numbers can really only continue to go in their current directions. Moving Ambrose only puts a band-aid on a bullet wound, so to speak.

Anways, I fail to see how putting an academic in power could be bad for the country, like you are suggesting. Are you suggesting that stupid people, or even less smart people, are better and smarter for the job than a smart person? Especially someone with a meticulous background in political science and a lifetime in growing up in the Canadian political system? Someone who is brilliant enough to spend years shaping and leading others through his professorship at one of the country's top institutions would make a poor leader? Sorry to say, but when you put his credentials up against Harper's (try doing some research on it, before juding others), Harper isn't fit to carry Dion's coattails.

Sorry to say Colpy, but Election '07 will be over by the time the ballots west of Kenora are even counted.

Well, there is only one poll that counts........and that is on election day. You may be right, perhaps Canadians are in step with Dion and the Liberals. They've disappointed me many times before.

I'd like to see some more people who have actually worked in their life get into politics. Do you know any academics? I do, including one good friend, a professor of history at UNB. A bigger bunch of nut-cases you will not find anywhere short of the psycho ward. They just don't deal with the real world. Jack Layton is a perfect example. I'll take Chuck Strahl, Deb Grey, et. al., thank you.

 

[Colpy]

That's easy. He's rolling out his constitutional amendment for property rights plank in time for the next election and needs someone with Prentice's experience with land claims to make sure the environmental plan doesn't develop any intrusion on corporate interests and provide a topical focus for controversy. Its only for a few months so it should be simple enough as long as he remains proactive.

Perhaps you could explain to me what is wrong with the concept of property rights?

 

[BitWhys]

Perhaps you can explain to me why they need to be constitutionalized?

 

[snowles]

Well, there is only one poll that counts........and that is on election day. You may be right, perhaps Canadians are in step with Dion and the Liberals. They've disappointed me many times before.

I'd like to see some more people who have actually worked in their life get into politics. Do you know any academics? I do, including one good friend, a professor of history at UNB. A bigger bunch of nut-cases you will not find anywhere short of the psycho ward. They just don't deal with the real world. Jack Layton is a perfect example. I'll take Chuck Strahl, Deb Grey, et. al., thank you.

I don't think there's anything wrong with people who have worked in their lives getting into politics; in fact, I believe that it reinforces the belief that democracy is a system of the people, not just certain individuals. I think that in this vein, Mr. Dion hit the nail on the head when he has Gerard Kennedy as his shadow, a man who has done more 'working in his life' and greater good for this world than most, if not all of the current Conservative MPs. There is an electic mix of intellectuals and 'workers' in each party, regardless of the small generalizations you trot out, and that's what makes politics exciting and provocative.

I think it is incredibly short-sighted of you to use your small experiences with academics as a basis point for Stephen Dion. I know a few academics as well, and none are this conjured up image you paint. I also know a lot of 'working men' (I'd say women as well, but since the Conservatives only run less than half as many female candidates than any other party, why bother) who are, how they say, 'special'. Doesn't mean it's the norm and the benchmark for everyone who falls into that category.

 

[sanctus]

Oh yes, Chretien was a GREAT PM, if you like two bit, tin pot dictators, as in

- dirty deals with arsonist hoteliers

- tens of millions of our dollars handed over to Liberal Party supporters

- mobster cabinet ministers

- mobsters deeply involved in the Quebec wing of the Party

- the use of the RCMP as his personal Gestapo in personal vendettas

- the use of the RCMP to stifle peaceful protest and free speech

- the magical disappearing billions

- laws that ignore most aspects of the Charter of Rights

- China

- Robert Mugabe

I mean, if that's your style, Jean the Don is your man!

Perhaps you'd be happier in Zimbabwe?

I realize he was not necessarily everyone's ideal PM, but I must confess that I rather liked his spunkiness.

 

[mapleleafgirl]

I realize he was not necessarily everyone's ideal PM, but I must confess that I rather liked his spunkiness.

he was prime minister when i was born...what i read about him showed me he was a very tough guy who was around a long time in ottawa, which must say something good about him. he was in trudeaus cabinet too i think. mthats my hero, trudeau. i wish i had been alive when he was prime minister. i read everything i can get by him and about him. he had such charisma that he is still held high by canadians even now.

 

[Colpy]

he was prime minister when i was born...what i read about him showed me he was a very tough guy who was around a long time in ottawa, which must say something good about him. he was in trudeaus cabinet too i think. mthats my hero, trudeau. i wish i had been alive when he was prime minister. i read everything i can get by him and about him. he had such charisma that he is still held high by canadians even now.

Let's see, Mr. Trudeau.......

-took a nation blessed with a balanced budget and set it firmly on the road to a crippling debt

-took a strong, professional military of 140,000, and turned into military of 80,000 so ill-equiped they were unable to fulfill their military commitments.

-declared martial law, jailing over 500 without charge or trial.

-brought home a constitution without Quebec, setting the stage for the 1995 almost-lost-it, only to insure his own place in the history books

-took lying on the campaign trail to a new art form, running against wage and price controls, only to bring them in soon after his election

-alienated the west with the NEP

-brought in the idiot policy of coast-to-coast bilingualism

-and, in some ways his most serious offense, ruled by order-in-council, intended for emergencies only. This made OIC part of the Canadian political institution, and each PM since has done the same, largely by-passing Parliament

-was an arrogant, elitist SOB

You should take a closer look at this "gentleman".
-

 

[Colpy]

he was prime minister when i was born...what i read about him showed me he was a very tough guy who was around a long time in ottawa, which must say something good about him. he was in trudeaus cabinet too i think. mthats my hero, trudeau. i wish i had been alive when he was prime minister. i read everything i can get by him and about him. he had such charisma that he is still held high by canadians even now.

WOW!

You are at the oldest 14..........

Good for you, to become involved in forums like this.

But understand something......your views will change radically as the decades pass.....that is a good thing.........but remember, what you believe now is opinion, not necessarily fact.

 

[L Gilbert]

Well, in my view, the past half dozen or so PMs have been nothing but culls and duds, with the possible exception of Clark because he wasn't in long enough to say one way or the other. Not one of them has done their level best for the whole country. And I think Harpy isn't much better.