Yeah. Okay. We haven't heard that before at all.. . . .
...his leadership would be a failure if Western angst were not cured. However as his fortunes in the polls sank he reverted to Alberta bashing as a means to protect eastern seats"
*
That's just to remind everyone about the statements of the leader before Mr. Green-shaft.
If I remember correctly, and I do, Mr. "Cowboy" Martin, was booed at the 2005 Grey Cup in Regina.
Liberals . . . trust them at your folly. Here in the West actions speak louder that words. That's a little advice for both main political parties.
Cheers,
lance
Liberals . . . trust them at your folly. Here in the West actions speak louder that words.
Not quite right.
If you're Stephen Harper, and you decide to break your equalization promise to Saskatchewan, costing the province $800 million annually, your actions won't speak very loudly at all.
Certainly, they won't draw any attention from the 13 Conservative MPs who allegedly represent the interests of their Saskatchewan constituents, but who turn a blind eye whenever Harper breaks his word on equalization, the Senate, electoral reform, cap-and-trade, infrastructure funding, etc.
In the West, these actions don't seem to draw a reaction at all.
Oh, I dunno Stephen.
Here in S-R-B the CPC went down 1100 votes. C-Hills-Grassland went down almost 3k.
Now, having said that, Stoon-Humboldt up, Stoon-Wanuskewin up, Regina Qu'appelle up by 1300. Mr. Lukiwski's 20 year old comments gained him 2k votes.
Course, it may just be that Saskatchewan voters ... inherently agreeable to sharing... disagree with the old Saskatchewan NDP's mantra that we were "screwed".
Cheers,
lance
"Actions speak louder than words."
Unfortunately the actions of this Conservative government have spoken very loudly. Mr. Ignatieff will gain greater representation in the west following the next election by default. He won't make those gains because conservative voters fall for the usual liberal lies. He will do so because disaffected Conservative voters like myself will either spoil their ballot or just stay home.
While Harper and the CPC have done many good things in the way of easing the tax burden and reinvigorating the military, they have completely sold out on fiscal resposibility. They have increased spending to levels even the Liberals failed to reach, they have caved on this global warming BS, and this stimulus package is nothing more than a doomed-to-failure waste of taxpayer dollars which will come back to decimate Canadians' savings once its inflationary impact hits home.
I voted for the Conservatives because I wanted good stewardship of my tax dollars. They have failed miserably in this area and, instead of being the party I supported, they have morphed back into the PC Party of old.
Powell... True Mr. Harper has broken some promises. And our options are what??? Do you really think spoiling the ballot or staying at home will do US CANADIANS any good?? Is it wrong or impossible to hold your nose and vote for the lesser of the evils?? It sound like you are looking for an excuse for being too lazy to get out and vote. If you are actually going to do that then there is no need for you to post your opinion any more is there??
Course, it may just be that Saskatchewan voters ... inherently agreeable to sharing... disagree with the old Saskatchewan NDP's mantra that we were "screwed".
But it wasn't the "old Saskatchewan NDP's mantra," if you're talking about equalization.
It was the mantra of Lukiwski, Scheer and others who got up repeatedly in the House of Commons to attack Goodale and the Liberals for failing to give the province a fair equalization deal they said was worth $800 million annually.
No appealing to a Saskatchewan willingness to share, just Harper and pals pretending to care about a provincial concern and then jettisoning it once their promise had done its electoral work, and there were budget-passing deals to make with Gilles Duceppe and the dreaded separatists.
A study in cynicism.
Words words words,
I want to hear Iffy say :
If the Converatives win more seats than the Liberals, under his leadership he will NOT seize power with the help of the Dippers.
Do the math, as it stands now, if Cons lose only 15 seats (128),
Libs gain 15 seats + add Dippers = 92 + 37 = 129
So far I all I heard is Iffy saying He will bring in a carbon tax,
try to make it more Western friendly.
With no seats in Alberta and few in BC Man Sask, will he still care what the West wants?
Not a chance in hell.
Steph, you misunderstand my statement. I'm not saying that the CPC didn't break their previous statements.
I'm saying that the voters believe that Saskatchewan should give up some of the benefits of Saskatchewan to the have-nots like Ontario and Quebec.
Cheers,
lance
I cannot understand why anyone in Saskatchewan would prefer the equalization / welfare dollars to the economic boom they've had going for a few years now.
I'm certain it's just an NDP thing. Real thinking people don't allow this to happen.
Ya can't honestly take that welfare money, alongside yer boom.
it just doesn't work that way.
"Ya can't honestly take that welfare money, alongside yer boom.
it just doesn't work that way."
Unless you are a whiney Newfie premier.
When a Wieberal comes cawwing, be afwaid, be VEWWY afwaid....
Everything that “iggyanky the carpetbagger” say's is for the consumption of the folk's back home in toronto. Especially the toronto media who masquerade as Canada's national media.
I'm sure not buying any of his supremacist guff.
RobC you are wrong. Powell is dead on. The power hungry coward Harper showed just what he and the regressive con party is.
For years I voted con as a protest against the lib's. I finally found a party I could vote for, Reform and now thats gone. I for one refuse to vote against anymore.
As much as I detest the NDP at least thoes that vote for them are voting for something they believe in ( the free lunch ).
The real problem in voting against is that your giving $1.95 to something you wouln't waste spit on.
HELP KEEP ALBERTA RAT (LIBERAL) FREE!
Equalization for Saskatchewan when we're doing so well at the moment? Now you sound like Danny Williams. Equalization should be for used when the province needs it. I can't believe people can be so stupid.
Same old, Same old!!! Iggy must have read the campaign book of Trudeau, Cretian, Martin and a host of other Liberals who talk big and do the reverse. As all Easterners know when it come to votes the West doesn't count and will not in the forseeable future.
Iggy, bring forth a motion to cancel the long gun registry, a motion to bring choice to farmers as examples and then maybe the west will think about the Liberals.
The "vote for us first and then trust us to do what you want" will not work this time. Examples of your sincerity first, votes later.
If Danny Williams can build a FIREWALL around NFLD -Alberta can do the same.
Quebec, a poor province, has a firewall around their province.
For years the liberals knew how to treat their people like imbeciles with no mind- no brain -no intelligence. Take a look at the MSM.
The liberals never liked their people, they stole from them. what the liberals want is Alberta's oil sands to use for their pleasure.
Will this country fall spart and every province to themselves in the later future-most definitely.
LIberals made DRASTIC CUTS to transfer payments to provinces, to INFRASTRUCTURE, HEALTH, EDUCATION, MILITARY ETC. Why did they make those Drastic Cuts when there was no global crisis or recession- then to say they have created a surplus from those CUTS. Where did all those surpluse from DRASTIC CUTS GO-INTO THE LIBERAL CAUCUS.
Don't forget, after making those DRASTIC CUTS and taking the money for themselves-do you know what the liberals did?. They raised taxes to coverup their little thievey and added 1-1/2cents to the gas-to help them pay down the NATIONAL DEBT.
The only recession and crisis the liberals face is theirs and the MSM for their silence-you don't count.
westerngirl said: "Equalization for Saskatchewan when we're doing so well at the moment? Now you sound like Danny Williams. Equalization should be for used when the province needs it. I can't believe people can be so stupid."
Exactly right! After what seems like centuries of NDP rule in Sask., it is hard for some to shed the socialist mentality of a free lunch. Besides, the equalization issue makes PMSH an easy target and denouncing Harper is entertaining and therapeutic for those of the left. Hypocritical recreation at its best.
Iggy is right on one point, the Liberals didn't get it done in the West; reasons for that:
1. a disastrous National Energy Program of PET
2. A Canadian Wheat Board that takes from Western
Candian farmers the right to negotiate the
best price for their wheat and barley. Listen
Wayne Easter Liberal MP from PEI.
3. Gun registry, a 2 billion dollar boondoggle
that was only supposed to cost 2 million.
Here a just a few examples of Liberal treatment of the west. WHy should we trust them again.
I for one was not sad to see the equalization go. I did not agree with the government's legal action to get same. I thought, great now we can get off our ass and get some stuff done. It wasn't the money, it was the change in attitude. There will be problems for those that fall behind and that has been addressed. We now have the best government we have EVER had and probably will have. I have fond memories of Blakeny only because he was smart and I saw him give a Christmas message pi**ed as a newt that always makes me smile when I think of it.
" We now have the best government we have EVER had and probably will have."
Yes ... but ... but ... Our premier was caught on tape 17 years ago openly consorting with Tom Likuwski, a known homophobe and speaking with a Ukrainian accent thereby slighting Roy Romanow, a Sask. icon and Ukrainians in general. Mr. Wall had also allegedly been consuming alcohol at the time. Can the people of Sask. ever forgive him for these heinous and callous actions?
To the liberal commenters and Prime Minister Harper haters:: Where you think this magic equalization money comes from? The answer is from taxpayers that are contributers to growings the country's wealth, which in reality does not include anyone who is a net receipient of public funds. The socialist provinces will never be net contributers to national wealth, yes even Quebec with their $7.00/day child care and their incredible cultural industries are all funded by WORKING "HAVE" provinces. This burden will now be shared by the usual suspects of Alberta and (hopefully) B.C. with help from Sask. and Newfoundland. As far as the incredible discovery of Western Canada by that interpid explorer Cristopher Ignatieff, he has followed the trail of tax-monies going to government coffers and realized that this can no longer be ignored on peril of actually losing it. After all the "out west" is easy because the people are unsophisticated bumpkins who don't ask for much, are very willing to share in good times as well as bad and no culture and don't know what to do with money anyway. For the MSM to spew rhetoric about Ignatieff "courageously" speaking in Quebec, about perhaps not bad-mouthing Alberta and its' oil sands so much because this actually drives the Canadian economy and makes possible the public services,leaves all westerners a little cold. All except the the "green enviro-fascists" who all seem to be tax-funded. The Harper government had an economic statement in the HoC in Nov. that said among other things that the political parties should give up the $1.95 subsidy and criminals and seditionists attempted to overthrow an elected government. How can a true responsible conservative budget be passed without a majority government? Prime minister Harper did what he did to save this country not to save personal power.
Everything you need to know about Iggy is contained in his statement: "My party needs to be where the economic action is."
He wants to be close to the cash so he can redistribute it to his friends.
uuess @4.01.
You were doing great till the last 2 lines.
If Harper believed in what he was doing he would have stayed the course. Instead he showed exactly what he is. A cowardly, power hungry politician.
Give ourselves a good PAT on the back we albertans and western canadians are proud to say that we can handle our fares; we are proud people, we work hard and give to provinces that needs our help and for that we manage to succeed and gain in wealth.
Provinces that gives-gain. The prime minister knows that, he knows that we are not whiners, but strong.
when he has babies whining and throwing temper tanturms and threatening your country; has to be dealt with.
Prime Minister knows that he can count on the West for our survival we have proven it. Let no other province put us down nor talk us down.
We albertans always ask. how is it that Quebec can say they are proud when they take and take and take, threaten, and insult the very province that feeds them.
Quebec might be a beautiful province but the people running it are takers whiners.
The liberals come here to pull the wool over your eyes like you some fool with a forgotten memory.
They have made it very clear that Alberta is nothing but a redneck province to use to their advantage wealth. They don't like us period.
The Liberals still don't get it. People are PO'd by their promises of understanding just so they can get their hands in the federal cookie jar.
The National Party of Toronto will remain such.
Iggy voted for a coalition and only abandoned it when the outrage became so great he knew it was the end. This will never be forgotten in my mind.
Libs have not changed their core belief that the people of the West are nothing but upstart colonists and are only there to be pillaged to serve the "real" Canada, Toronto and Quebec.
I am from SK and the "equalization" Harper supposed to have reneged on is bull. High time we get off the GOV tit.
Those that think Harper abandoned conservatives principles are too idealistic and don't understand that moving a positive agenda doesn't mean perfection. Imagine what it would be like to have the Libs in power and what they would do to the West.
Even Lincoln had to twist his policies to meet the political climate of the day and only moved forward on principals only when he knew it would succeed.
Iggy is an arrogant elitist pr*ck and will quickly alienate the West as Martin did because that is just how they are wired.
Proof is pond scum like Ralph Goodale who was willing to sell his own Province out for cheap political gain. ( I hope he rots in political hell for his treachery).
Prime minister Harper did what he did to save this country not to save personal power.
F%$#@*&^! Cry me a river. Then the country isn't worth saving! You just haven't realized it yet.
When Ignatieff told Canadians "you are, after all, looking at someone who turned down the chance to become prime minister of Canada" because he did not want to divide and destroy Canada but wanted to unite the country, where did his lieutenant for western Canada Ralph Goodale hide, since it was Goodale, who was a chief proponent of this coalition, that was going to divide and destroy Canada. How can Ignatieff stand there and exude any integrity or does he and the Liberal party just play western Canadians as fools if Goodale is in his inner circle?