This is why, hopefully a conservative government under harper will never happen in this country.
Conservative quotes on : WOMEN
“At first glance to women of pregnancy prone age, this proposal may seem to be one of the best things about Canada. However, even with the current six-month leave, a functioning uterus can be an impediment to getting a job in the first place. A paid year off to spend with baby may sound wonderful initially but one still has to get sufficient insurable hours to qualify.
(Cheryl Gallant, Letter to the Editor, Fredericton Daily Gleaner, October 28, 1999)
This has to do with some employers not hiring women because they may have babies.
"Were it not for the idiocy of the Liberals contemplating the extrapolation of spousal benefits to roommates, it could be argued that parental leave discriminates against infertile couples -- but that may lead to the risks of extending parental leave payments to those who merely go through the motions!”
(Cheryl Gallant, Letter to the Editor, Fredericton Daily Gleaner, October 28, 1999)
Makes sense, parental leave should be for parents, not roommates of someone who has a child
“There are many ways to include aboriginal women in things. In my instance, my wife is aboriginal, so that does lend a little spice at home and there isn’t thin soup on the home front.”
(John Duncan, Aboriginal Affairs Committee, June 4,1996)
I have no idea what context that was in, so cannot comment. Hard to say is is prejudiced when he is married to a first nations woman, though.
"Now "pay equity" has everything to do with pay and nothing to do with equity. It’s based on the vague notion of "equal pay for work of equal value", which is not the same as equal pay for the same job."
(Stephen Harper, NCC Overview, Fall 1998)
This is absolutely true. I have worked in a a Pay Equity workplace, and people have been hired over over better qualified people simply due to race and/or gender. This is not racist or prejudiced, it is the truth. In fact, there are many places where the first qualification of a job selection process is based on racial and/or gender issues. This basically leaves out the white middle class male. Is this fair? Are you as a taxpayer getting the best bang for your buck when a government job is based on these criteria, instead of the best person for the job, irrespective of race and/or gender? If you think this is fair, then call it what it is, social engineering, not a job selection process.
(On pay equity) "For taxpayers, however, it’s a rip-off. And it has nothing to do with gender. Both men and women taxpayers will pay additional money to both men and women in the civil service. That’s why the federal government should scrap its ridiculous pay equity law.”
(Stephen Harper, NCC Overview, Fall 1998)
See above
"We should try to keep our mothers in the home and that’s where the whole Reform platform hangs together." (Garry Breitkreuz, Vancouver Province, October 11, 1993)
This is based on the idea of providing choices of whether to have a parent, in this case a mother, stay home with the children during child rearing years. Also, the quote is 12 years old.
Conservative quotes on : SOCIAL ISSUES
(Referring to an abortion clinic)
"We saw that young American (in Iraq) have his head literally cut off in front of the cameras, but what's happening down there is absolutely no different!"
(Cheryl Gallant, CBC, May 13, 2004)
No one can agree with late term, partial birth abortions, except in exceptional circumstances. That is wrong. However, I am not opposed to the concept of abortion, but do not want it to be seen as a continuing birth control method.
"If they say they're personally opposed to abortion but they don't want to impose their opposition on society, ask them if they're personally opposed to child abuse, ask them if they're personally opposed to slavery."
(Jason Kenney, Canadian Catholic News, May 24, 2004 Edition)
And? How is this any kind of policy statement?
"We have said all along, and I have said all along, that this (topic of same-sex marriage) is a door to slippery slope. What's next? Polygamist? What about child rights? Where is this going to end?"
(Myron Thompson, Carstairs Courier, January 25, 2005)
I support same sex unions, but want to keep the tradional definition of marriage.
"I'm saying with this a door opening to a slippery slope. What's next? Shall we say it's okay to have six or seven wives, even if some of them are 13-years-old? Where does it end?"
(Myron Thompson, Carstairs Courier, December 14, 2004)
“The fact is that homosexuals aren’t barred from marrying under Canadian law... Marriage is open to everybody as long as they’re a man and a woman.”
(Jason Kenney, Punjabi Editorial Board Interview, January 30, 2005)
Per the traditional definition of marriage
In an interview yesterday, Rob Merrifield said independent counselling would be "valuable" for women contemplating abortion because "people who take part in it may only be seeing one side of it. "I would think that they [should] have all of the information in front of them. I think [with] any procedure that's a valuable thing for them to have," said the Alberta MP, who is opposed to abortion.
(Rob Merrifield, Globe and Mail, June 1, 2004)
I fail to see how this is a bad thing. How can receiving information on an issue be a bad thing. I don't see mandatory in there, I see someone saying it would be valuable. Of course it would, just as having all information on any important decision is valuable.
“It will come as no surprise to anybody to know that I support the traditional definition of marriage as a union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others, as expressed in our traditional common law.”
(Stephen Harper, Hansard, Address in the House of Commons on Bill C-38, February 16, 2005)
As do I and the majority of Canadians.
Conservative quotes on : ON RIGHTS
“As I prepare to leave the House of Commons, I wonder if the Charter of Rights will ever be used for something really valid that all people in Canada want as opposed to an excuse for not doing anything at all.”
(Randy White, Press Release, March 10, 2005)
Again, in what context? Too many things now are based on the supposed rights in the Charter. There is no right to common sense anymore.
“If the Charter of Rights and Freedoms is going to be used as the crutch to carry forward all of the issues that social libertarians want, then there’s got to be for us conservatives out there a way to put checks and balances in there,”
(Randy White, Let No One Put Asunder, May 19, 2004)
If the left would quit using everything to try and social engineer this country into their image, then this would not have to be said. There are far too many frivoulous supposed rights issues tying up courts and commissions.
“I think you’ll see more uses for the Notwithstanding Clause in the future,”
(Randy White, Let No One Put Asunder, May 19, 2004)
And? It is a part of the Charter just like the parts you support.
“I think you’ll even see that redefined as the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and Responsibilities, which is really needed for an amendment.”
(Randy White, Let No One Put Asunder, May 19, 2004)
Again, what context.
Well the heck with the courts, eh. You know, one of these days we in this country are gong to stand up and say, the politicians make the laws and the courts do not. The courts interpret that law. And if we don’t like that interpretation there’s the Notwithstanding clause in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which the Liberal Government has never invoked and said they will not use. I believe we’ll see that with us in the House of Commons because enough is enough of this stuff.
(Randy White, Let No One Put Asunder, May 19, 2004)
Having unelected, politically appointed judges takes away the power of the elected members of parliament and by virtue of that, the people who elect them. Let's just elect one person who can appoint 12 judges, and be done with it, if you like. Don't know how all this reconciles with democratic rights, though.
Look, equality doesn't mean treating everybody exactly the same…there are forms of just discrimination…In this case we believe we should honour, make a deliberate choice to honour the union of a man and a woman who come together ideally to give, to transmit life and raise children in a strong family. That's the ideal. It's not always the case, but it's the ideal. And that's why every culture has recognized a special role for, for heterosexual unions.
(Jason Kenney, Punjabi Editorial Board in Brampton, Jan. 30, 2005)
And? Of course there are forms of disrimination in society. And yes, I agree with him about marriage.
“Foreign nationals without status should not be under the protection of the Canadian charter.”
(Inky Mark, Hansard, February 26, 2001)
He was referring to people who come into the country illegally.
Conservative quotes on : IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEES
"Canada needs to decide who its refugees are by more actively going to the camps and deciding on our own who can be a success in our country…We do have a process of going to these places and trying to figure out who can have some English capability and perhaps some education background and some social supports, but we don't select enough of those."
(Paul Forseth, CKNW Radio, BC, June 3, 2004)
“You've got to remember that 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.”
(Stephen Harper, The Report Newsmagazine, January 22, 2001)
“Well, I’ve always believed that we have to be a lot tougher with undocumented refugee claimants. Whether the best thing is to send them right out of the country or simply detain them until we get full information, we can look at either but, no this is a problem that does need to be fixed. Particularly post 9/11, we can’t take these kinds of security risks”.
(Stephen Harper, CHML Radio AM 900 Hamilton, June 3, 2004)
"B.C. gets no protection from an immigration department that imports literally thousands of criminals into British Columbia who prey upon law abiding citizens"
(Darrel Stinson, MP, Hansard, April 27 1998)
“Immigrants are choking welfare systems, contributing to high unemployment, and many cannot read.”
(Art Hanger, Canadian Press, February 2, 1994)
“A refugee determination system that has effectively created a backdoor immigration stream that bypasses legal channels is unacceptable. And we need to tighten that system.”
(Stephen Harper, Report Newsmagazine, January 7, 2002)
“Would the new legislation and the minister have the ability to detain suspicious refugee claimants who arrive here without documents or with questionable documents until they are cleared and proven not to be security risks? Simplistic, yes, it is very simplistic. Canadians want to know they will be safe and secure.”
(Stockwell Day, Hansard, October 23, 2001)
“Another potential threat to domestic security is Canada’s refugee determination system...”
(Stephen Harper, “The End of Moral Equivalence: Canada’s National Security After September 11”, www.oneconservativevoice.ca)
When Stephen Harper was Chief Policy Officer of the Reform party, his party platform stated that immigration "should be essentially economic in nature" and should not "be explicitly designed to radically or suddenly alter the ethnic makeup of Canada".
(Platform & Statement of Principles, Reform Party of Canada, August 14, 1988)
“Multiculturalism policy has been an “abject failure…Immigration continues to change the country’s face more extensively than at any time since the turn of the century.”
(Jim Abbott, Calgary Herald, October 16, 1996)
