Originally Posted by Atlantic Xpat

It was impressive of the LPC to find a leader less charismatic than Mr Harper.

Originally Posted by Novocastrian

Has there ever been a Cabinet consisting of a comparably useless collection of no hope morons as the last one?

Originally Posted by JonboyE

In defense of our newest frothing loon you have to wonder if Harper has had some sort of epiphany since his days as the leader of reform.

Some of Reform's ideas:

* a strong pro-life stance on the issue of abortion rights, calling for abortion to be made illegal.

* opposed extending rights to gays and lesbians such as the right to marriage. "Homosexuality is destructive to the individual, and in the long run, society"

* opposed "any immigration based on race or creed or designed to radically or suddenly alter the ethnic makeup of Canada"

* Quebec secession should not be sought to be avoided at all cost

* Canada's government-funded universal health insurance system be replaced

Reform MP Bob Ringma stated in a newspaper interview that store owners should be free to move gays and "ethnics" "to the back of the shop", or even to fire them ...

Then there is this:

Long-time Progressive Conservative member and political commentator Dalton Camp observed the 1994 Reform Party convention in Ottawa and was personally disgusted with what he heard, saying: "The speechifying gives off acrid whiffs of xenophobia, homophobia, and paranoia—like an exhaust—in which it seems clear both orator and audience have been seized by some private terror: immigrants, lesbians, people out of work or from out of town and criminals.

There is genuine reason for concern. And I don't think it is any secret that, if Harper is not a megalomaniac, he is certainly the most controlling PM the country has had.

Originally Posted by jimf

Harper was never leader of the Reform Party.

I notice you say ideas rather than policies. Some individuals may have held some of those views but they were never policy.

The idea that the present conservative party is some sort of trojan horse for the reform to suddenly emerge is somewhat paranoid.

Originally Posted by jimf

Harper was never leader of the Reform Party.

Originally Posted by airbornesapper

No arguments from this side of the divide.....followed by similar ilk....Chretin and his gang....and the not to be forgotten sponsorship scandal for one, and then there was Chretin's own Shawinigate...

And like the Mulroney affair...with the subsequent inquiries factored in - have cost us all a pretty penny.

Back to the Libs...

"Liberal Boondoggles and Scandals"

Brought to us from the folks at LUFA - who until two mins ago I had never heard of Enjoy...

http://www.lufa.ca/boondoggles.asp

Originally Posted by JonboyE

Yes, I got that wrong - it had changed its name to the Canadian Alliance before he became leader.

He was the party's Chief Policy Officer under Preston Manning.

Yes and no. Although some members wanted to make these official party policy wiser heads prevailed. However, you have to look at the ideals and philosophies of a party to gain some sort of understanding of how they will govern in respect when they are no longer constrained by their election platform.

As I said above, most politicians abandon their election platform the day they form a new Government. What comes next will depend upon the whims of the government in power. Remember the long-from census issue. A capricious policy, loudly decried by just about everyone with an informed opinion, that seemed to come from nowhere except the ideology of the far right. I think we will get a lot more of this once they have a working majority.

Originally Posted by Almost Canadian

Assuming this is correct (I have no real idea) what does that say about those in the shadow positions?

Originally Posted by JonboyE

I wouldn't want either of them to have the keys to my pretty cash tin.

Originally Posted by Novocastrian

Nothing.

Originally Posted by iaink

Do you have a source for your information because it doesnt match Hansard.

I didnt think that the budget was actually voted on because parliament was dissolved after the contempt vote that was triggered precisely because the liberals and others wanted detailed info on the budget in order to discuss it, and that info was not forthcoming from the current administration. In reality its seems 6 of one and half a dozen of the other, and either side might have been able to prevent the collapse, but neither wanted to.

Originally Posted by dbd33

Again, how is that wrong? The Liberals are, by the standards of western democracies, a centerist party, the NDP portray themselves as a party of the left and the Conservatives are neo-cons of the religious right. It may be that one prefers a hard right party but liking them doesn't shift them to the centre.

Originally Posted by dbd33

I'm not about to dig for something they're unlikely to have been foolish enough to have written down. Do you accept that Reform was explicitly a religious party and that the current Conservative Party is run by former members of Reform? If so then I suppose you'll understand that I'm frightened by the Conservative Party on the basis of leopards and spots.

Originally Posted by Novocastrian

That might seem a reasonable comment if it weren't for the fact that Harper is absolutely empty of morality and is focussed more on destroying the Liberal Party of Canada than on the interests of Canada and those of Canadians.

He sees himself as a revolutionary who would seek to establish a hegemony of puritanical radical religionists hand in hand with the oil sand developers.

He is, quite frankly, a mad megalomaniac and a very dangerous man.

Originally Posted by Lord Vader

<snip>


Harper wants us all to suffer!

Originally Posted by Novocastrian

I thought you were going miss me out of your latest rant and was very disappointed.

Harper doesn't give a flying f*** about who suffers except for the Liberal Party.

Originally Posted by Lord Vader

The major players in the conservative party are from the eastern half of the country (other than Harper of course).