51 Replies to “The First American Prime Minister In Waiting”

  1. Sepertistna ducky and Taliban Jacko have just announced they will support PMSH on the EI thingie.No word from beaver Lizzie yet.
    Just a suggestion,Kate. Can you photoshop that pic to show PMSH instead of Lucy???

  2. I am a bit confused. I remember Ignatieff being so adamant about EI reform a few months ago that he was threatening to bring the gov’t down. Now he seems to be so against EI reform that he wants to bring the gov’t down. The only consistenty in his arguments is that he wants to bring the gov’t down. I suppose opinions evolve though,just a few months ago I thought Dion would be the most inept liberal leader possible. Today,I’m not so sure.

  5. So Harper lives to survive another day with the support of socialists and separatists. Ain’t that wonderful.
    After all of the broken promises and flip flops…
    … no taxes flip flops (income tax increases in his first month of office, income trust taxes, introduced a carbon tax, payroll tax increases)…
    … financial flip flops (record breaking spending even before the election, record breaking spending on polling, deficits, no spending cuts to speak of, personal coiffure, pork-barrel spending in Tory ridings (including for private schools in Tory ridings!!))…
    … democratic flip flops (making everything a confidence motion instead of just budgets, no fixed election dates, unelected senators starting from his first day in office, buying off Cadman, in-and-out scam, sabotaging Parliamentary committees when he said he would give them more power, no Public Appointments Commissioner, floor crossings without by-elections, cancelling opposition days, cancelling Parliament)…
    … are there any conservatives left in Ottawa anymore? Is there anything at all that Harper stands for anymore (other than staying in power)?????

  7. to : are there any conservatives left (?)
    such trolling lieberal claptrap – we know why you do not recognize good government when you see it – such matters do not now, and never have been, important to the kick ass party of Toronto

  8. Iggy . . . another day older, another day closer to his well justified political obscurity.
    The only question will be: Is he dumber than a bag of doorknobs or is he just dumber than Dion ?
    Only Kinsella knows for sure and he’s too busy bleeding money out of the rotting corpse of the Liberal Party to care.

  10. You guys don’t get it!
    I’m very impressed with Iffy, his gamble, and it was a big one(all-in) has broken the loop the Liberals have been in. This is no longer Dion’s party, it’s Iffy’s and his leadership has paid off big-time. Iffy has bought himself time and preserved, if not increased his dignity by showing some backbone. Nice political move Iffy! I hope the Conservatives take notice.
    Since I have a new found respect for him, I will retire the nickname Iffy I’ve given him.
    All of that being said, I do not like the Liberals anymore than I did yesterday, I simply disagree with the political analysis I’ve been hearing from the right.

  12. Indiana “I’m very impressed with Iffy, his gamble”
    For a while now I have had this thought that
    Ignatieff does not really want to be Prime Minister — or at least he is not desperate for it. I think since he has been in politics his life seems to have taken a turn for the worse — given his personality at an intellectual philospher type. I think he is sufficiently uncomfortable with all the phony posturing and infighting that he probably just wants out. Hence his move is not so much a bold and brave gesture — as one of someone desperately wanting to get it over with so he can get his life back.

  13. Scanoo, The Red Suit, Sick and Tired:
    What? Not even an attempt to dispell any of those facts? Of course not because they are all true.
    Now, if you want to say ‘yeah he has been a complete flip flopper, broken more promises in 3.5 years than any other politician… but he’s still the better choice so I support him’… that’s fine and quite possibly true. I have no problem with that.
    Just stop calling him and yourselves “conservatives”, that’s my big beef (that and, of course, that Harper can’t keep a promise he made 20 minutes ago, as noted by Rick Mercer come to think about it – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DUOoWv7wXk&feature=player_embedded).

  15. Are you asking me walli?
    If so, I’m not proud of nor do I support him. I’m saying that he has stepped his and the Liberals game up. It could be as Linda and Kate say, and his motives might not be so bold, but regardless of how he got there, the Dippers and the Bloc supporting the Conservatives is a political homerun for the Liberals.
    That is of course if you believe the Liberals would have been beaten badly at the polls.

  16. I thought that the media manufactured more scandals that the few fake outrages you mentioned @5:03, left.

  17. So breaking fundamental conservative promises and principles doesn’t bother you?
    Thank you for proving my point. There really are no more conservatives.

  18. Nope, just you and Ron Paul.
    You are so caught-up in definition that you can’t produce a constructive comment ever. In fact, I’m starting to suspect you are hardboiled under another guise.
    You have a point with your main premise; what you fail to understand is your point is moot! We get it, we just don’t care about what appears to be your #1 issue.
    ps. “we” being everybody!

  19. Voting for a Policy in Parliment is akint to signing onto a Coalition in a secret location okay moron. Snicker send in the grown ups Lib war room the village idiots are to stupid to grasp the issues.
    It’s a homerun if the ball goes out outside the field not if it hits you in the head Gomer Hamas.

  20. My second rule of politics is: Just about everything done in politics is a double-edged sword.
    We are now seeing one edge of the sword that the Libs are gleefully using on the Dippers–that it is THEY who will have to prop up Harper, swallow their pride, etc etc.
    The OTHER edge of the sword will be used on the Libs during the campaign trail. Tory candidates at the doorstep, will point out this simple, undeniable fact: Your Liberal MP voted AGAINST the home-reno tax credit, the new home owners tax credit, improvements to EI, etc etc etc.
    Now how many voters at the door will say to themselves: Yah but so what, Iggy scored some talking points over Layton. And besides Ralph sez his Libs would put in the home reno thing afterwards anyway.

  21. I liked John Ivison’s comment in the Post today:
    “[Iggy] never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity”

  22. Naturally the star editorial puts a liberal spin on what is yet another humiliation for the LPC ruling elite. It blames the NDP for the chaos when it was the LPC that started it. Nary a word criticising iggy and his deafness to the sentiments of canadians on having a fall election. No praise for Layton actually – and for him rarely – being the sane mind in this.

  23. Looks like Iggy and Jack couldn’t get the band back together.
    My guess is Iggy wouldn’t agree to let Jack be Minister of Bunnies and Fluffy Things.

  24. This is one of those explain-it-slowly-to-the-idiot questions, but:
    If the Count really is desperate to call it quits (and maybe he is), why doesn’t he just, you know, step down? Resign? Bugger off?
    Why force another expensive pointless election?

  25. What do you want, anti-Conservative? Your list is totally untrue and we have better things to do than deal with it all.
    Here are a few facts for you;Harper
    Set up The Tax Free Savings Acccount
    Reducing GST to 5%
    Lowest personal income tax reduced to 15%
    Increasing individual deductible to 10,100
    New child tax credit of 2,000 per child
    Child Care allowance of 100 per child under the age of six
    Elimination of tax on pre-univ. scholarships
    Child’s fitness tax releif
    Reduced corporate tax rate from 22.15% to 15% by 2012
    Increase in capital gains exemption
    Reduced small business income tax rate
    No, there’s no increase in payroll tax deduction.
    And it isn’t simply a budget that is a confidence motion, but anything with a fiscal component.
    Since the Liberals, NDP and Bloc won’t permit elected Senators, and since the Senate exists, by constitutional requirement, then, Harper has to appoint Senators. Bet you don’t understand that. Oh, but each new senator has signed a document that they’ll be subject to election if the, ahem, Liberals, actually will permit it.
    How dare you smear Harper. He didn’t buy off Cadman; what a disgusting thing to say.
    The rest of your rant is empty opinions, unsubstantiated by fact or reason. Enjoy your biased views.

  26. ET:
    Your post is full of lies, brazen lies.
    – Flaherty announced two days ago that they were going to increase payroll taxes. You lie.
    – what is this lie about “anything with a fiscal component”? The 2006 platform was very clear on this as was Harper when he was pretending to care: “budgets and main estimates” like a semi-annual fiscal update, not “anything with a fiscal componenent. You lie.
    – Harper appointed an unelected senator on his first day in office. The others patronage appointments to his buddies I don’t mind as much. But Fortier was not a requirement, no one forced his hand and that was on day one. The paper those senators signed is unenforceable and… Fortier never signed one. You lie again.
    – You are right Harper didn’t buy off Cadman. He tried to but was not successful. To be absolutely specific, the Conservative Party offered Cadman “financial considerations” if he would vote with them. That’s in Harper’s own words. You are right: that was a disgusting thing of Harper to say and to do.
    I had no rant. I provided a list, a long list of the many broken promises. All related to fundamentWhat is untrue in my list of many broken promises? Each and everyone of them verifiable.
    But it wasn’t just the fact of broken promises that irks real conservatives. It is the fact that so many of those broken promises are core conservative beliefs, at least what used to be core conservative beliefs even for Harper.
    Which is why I wonder if there are any conservatives anymore. Don’t answer. I know the answer already. You’ve shown it to me better than I could describe.

  27. Since the world ain’t perfect, I assume you’ll voting left, left. And the world will be a better place.
    Or are you just a whiner?

  28. no, non-conservative, your list is invalid.
    Flaherty hasn’t raised payroll taxes, as you claim (payroll tax increases). If he plans to – to deal with EI changes – neither the EI nor such an increase in EI has been passed.
    You say nothing about the extensive cuts to taxes and the many financial benefits to Canadians. Why don’t you comment? Cherry picking?
    No, the Conservatives did not offer Cadman ‘financial considerations’ for his vote; they offered to help him with his re-election if he chose to run as Conservative.
    I don’t consider Harper’s appointments to the Senate as ‘patronage to his buddies’ and it is irresponsible of you to make such claims.
    What broken promises? A politician cannot make promises because they must always react to context, to circumstances. It is irresponsible if they do not do so. Instead, they must lay out their agenda..eg.. not taxing income trusts..but, if banks and other institutions all jump into the scene, to make money, then, this would have disastrous results to the economy and would have required an increase in individual taxes. Perhaps you would have preferred that.
    So far, you haven’t provided any outline of what you consider to be a ‘conservative’ government style. You rant against Harper (aka hardboiled) but you don’t provide any substance to your assertion that you are indeed a conservative. Therefore, I cannot accept your claim.
    Enjoy your biases. You most certainly are not a conservative!

  30. Black Mamba: “why doesn’t he just, you know, step down? Resign? Bugger off?”
    ___
    That would be humiliating for him. He needs to bow out gracefully — getting defeated, but looking like he fought the good fight.

  31. Beware.
    I say it’s all a ruse
    The three buffoons are up to something.
    They’ll unexpectedly defeat the Conservatives then attempt to seize power without an election.
    Why would anyone expect Iffy to change his ways now? His seat in Parliament and the leadership were both seized in an underhanded manner. Isn’t “past experience” the best indicator of “future actions”?
    I hope I’m wrong, but it just might end up that it’s the Conservatives and Canada that end up flat on there back side.

  32. Are there any conservatives left – It’s not in Harper’s power suddenly to declare that The Senate Shall Be Elected! He’s a PM, not a dictator.
    LindaL – Yes, I suppose you’re right, although I find what Iggy’s doing anything but graceful. They’re sick with egomania, almost all of them.

  33. black mamba: correct on the assessment of steve-o harpoons limits.
    and he certainly makes the best of the situation by doing things the same-old same-old way.
    make the promise then break it using a dog-eared but nevertheless perfectly accurate excuse.
    hint: they ALL do it.

  34. Ya gotta feel just a bit sorry for Iffy. He’s the school nerd trying to hang with all the cool kids. He just bought all the cool clothes but the day he wears them to school everyone has come up with a new fashion and he looks even more nerdy. Iffy thinks its cool to oppose the government the very day everyone else decides to support the government.
    Tell me again who can’t seem to get along with others?
    Go back to pontificating Iffy. Its so much easier and you don’t have to try to get other kids to play with you.

  35. Oh ET. It is because of career politicians like Harper and the unquestioned kool-aid drinking loyalty of followers like you that Harper helped create the Reform Party in the first place.

  36. If Iggy heads off back to academia, that would leave the party open to Boob Rae or Kim Justin-Il. And personally I think the country would be worse off (all other things being equal) should either of these two clowns become PM than it would be with Iggy.

  37. Not sure. I think the Iggy crowd is going to be feeling pretty good, high fives low fives all around at having passed the odious responsibilty of ‘sporting the gov’t to the NDP ‘n Blockheads – temporary as it is – thats how they’ll think. How long can it last? Some legislation is bound to set them off and soon. Who’s going to hold the bag then? Tenuous times – how to rationalize a vote in the winter. It’s good thing we have PMSH, tactically superb -it must frustrate the opps at being so easily so effortlessy outflanked outflanked.

  38. Are there any conservatives left?;
    Did you ever forgive your dad for the promised bicycle he couldn’t buy you after he lost his job?
    Grow up son life throws you all kind of curves and what seemed good yesterday seems foolishness in the new dawn light.
    Anyone so stupid as to hang on to every ‘good idea’ without compromise is a fool and incapable of leading a public school board let alone a vast nation like Canada.

  39. Anyway, I will go through it once again ET and you tell me where I’m wrong.
    – Harper promised not to appoint any unelected senators. Before even trying to pass any senate reform, he appointed an unelected senator. Fact. Broken promise.
    – Harper promised not to raise taxes. He increased income taxes in his first month. He taxed income trusts. He introduced a carbon tax. He pushed for HST. He announced this week he will be increasing payroll taxes. Facts. Broken promises.
    – Harper specifically promised not to tax income trusts. He taxed income trusts. Fact. Broken promise.
    – Harper promised to make only budgets and “main estimates” a matter of confidence. He has made almost everything a matter of confidence including crime legislation. Fact. Broken promise.
    – Harper promised to give more power to Parliament and parliamentary committees. He wrote a 200 page manual on how to block committees and parliament from working. Fact. Broken promise.
    – Harper promised to reduce spending. He broke spending records to become the biggest spending PM in our history, even before the recession. Trudeau would be jealous. Fact. Broken promise.
    – Harper promised to govern by principle and not by polls like Martin. He doubled spending on polling. Fact. Broken promise.
    – Harper promised to hold elections only on fixed dates unless and only if he lost a vote of confidence. He called a snap election. Fact. Broken promise.
    – Harper promised create a Public Appointments Commission. He has yet to do so. His first choice – a Tory fundraiser – was rejected by Parliament and he hasn’t bothered to do anything since. Fact. Broken promise.
    – Harper promised to create a Budget Office that reported to Parliament. He created a Budget Office but one that reports to him and he has tried to cut the Budget Office at the knees and starve it for funding. Fact. Broken promise.
    – Harper promised to be more accountable. His campaign manager is now a lobbyist as well as many of his former staffers and the Information Commissioner has issued damning report after damning report about Harper breaking the Access to Information Act. Fact. Broken promise.
    Those are the ones just off the top of my head.
    And your response? Things are so bad now among “conservatives” that someone criticizing a career politician for breaking core conservative promises is automatically deemed not a conservative.
    You can have your Jim Jones, ET. I’m heading into the jungle.

  40. nv53 @11:41 – Justin is completely thick, and not cunning enough for politics. How hard was Maggs partying in the year before he was born? Anyway, he’s no threat to Bob “the malevolent rabbit” Rae.

  41. Are there any conservatives left? Can you find somewhere else to vomit your hatred for Harper? I would like to read the intelligent posts without having to skip over every second one. Get a hobby or a lover or something.

  42. ET You forgot something the troll is stuck on, He insists the PM increased taxes in his first month of office. The liberals voted in their election promises (with the help of the NDP) just days before the election was called and the poor troll doesn’t realize that the losers lost all the legislation that hadn’t cleared the senate when the election was called. Remember those days, with the combination of the LPC and the NDP, extravagant, immediate tax cuts, an aboriginal policy that gave pork and power to the elite (but not equal rights to the women). Let’s not forget the promised day-care-package that would pay the whole shot for the state to raise our children. Remember both Chretien and Martin made Hundreds of pre election appointees to plum government positions, ensuring decades of liberal dominance in most areas of the civil service . Some how the lefties don’t know the difference between legislation that never happened ,13 year old promises (day care) and good governance that does what is in the best interest of the country, even when the game changes like the income trusts did.
    Every family friendly tax cut that the CPC gave to Canadians, the NDP voted against. And Jack thinks he speaks for the kitchen table crowd. Maybe his kitchen table is at the union hall.
    pork and power to the eliete (but not eqall rights to the women). Lets not forget the dream-on-daycare-package that would pay the whole shot for everyone.

  43. Blame Crash – I harbour the same suspictions as you – the msm is being way too positive about the Prime Minister. Rats don’t change color.

  45. Are their any conservatives left:
    you are failing to differentiate between conservative elected politicians and conservative citizens.
    I and lots of others on this site are conservative citizens – the number of conservatives is going according to polls both north and south of the border – and most of us understand that in a democracy making change happen requires compromising ones otherwise hard and fast ideas on how it should be done.
    Threatening to run off into the woods, not vote CPC and/or ranting that a politician struggling to move the country to the right isn’t doing it precisely as you think he should, does nothing to make any change for the better happen.

  46. But Gord, WHAT change? Other than a few very minor tinkering with sentencing, on what basis does this government get considered conservative in any way?
    They have certainly reduced taxes while increasing them at the same time. The freakin’ Liberals reduced taxes without increasing them… other than increasing EI premiums… WHICH HARPER IS PLANNING TO DO AS WELL!
    Harper made another tiny tinkering effort to reform the senate. That was good I’ll give him that. But there were serious Constitutional questions about his legislation and, rather than address them, he tried to ram it through the senate and said he would allow no change. So I really have to question how much that was about real desire for change and how much it was about optics. Especially when he appointed an unelected senator on his first day in office.
    If Harper got booted this month, what will his legacy be? There is nothing of any note that makes this government conservative. In fact, on all of the big stuff – spending, deficits, pork, accountability, democratic reform – there are TONS of anti-conservative positions.
    Tons of anti-conservative positions and tons of whiny kool-aid drinking excuses.

  47. There have been lots of achievements as I have commented on this site in the past. Here a few off the top of my head:
    a complete volte face on practically every aspect of our foreign policy
    a complete overhaul of our immigration policy
    public interviewing of SC appointiees (a huge precident IMO)
    cutting gst
    Restoration of provincial transfers which is in effect a spending cut on the federal government. Soon to be followed by tax point transfers to the provinces.
    TFSPs
    defunding the gun registry
    a multi-year plan to appomit senators in order to pass elected senator legislation – the only way it can be done
    no carbon tax
    a referendum on the CWB
    (the spending “stimulus” was part of a committment by all members of the G20 to spend 2% of GDP to stimulate the economy)
    not bad for a minority party – one that even after a economic slump is riding at near majority status.

  48. Gord, sorry, but I take issue with some of these.
    – carbon tax: Harper has in fact brought in a carbon tax with cap and trade. The official lingo calls it a carbon “charge” but does he really think we’re that stupid?
    – public review of SC appointees? Thomas Cromwell may well be a good judge but Harper did not vet him in any public process. In fact, he cancelled the selection panel.
    – gun registry? what defunding? It is alive and well and fully funding. AND THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT EVEN TRIED TO INTRODUCE A SINGLE BILL TO DEAL WITH IT. Not even introduced.
    – what volte face on foreign policy? He has had so many foreign ministers so far that we are losing ground. That is a Liberal talking point but it is one that they stole from the foreign policy analysts. Worse, he promised not to cut and run from Afghanistan, said we should not advertise a departure date to our enemies, then turned around and cuts and tells our enemies precisely when.
    I am not saying he’s all bad. But the Liberals were not all bad either. They introduced tax cuts, they actually reduced spending, they paid down a chunk of the debt, they brought us into Afghanistan, etc. Those too were good conservative things… but that didn’t make them conservative.
    This is not a conservative government. In fact, you could strongly argue that it is LESS conservative than the Chretien Liberals. And if real conservatives don’t speak up then it will continue to be less and less conservative.

  49. The Dipper/Bloc and the Libs are laying the ground work to establish the Conservatives working with the (socialists and the separatists) so that they can later rationalize their coalition. That’s what’s up their sleeves IMO.

  50. Position of prime Minster in today century and life time we only watch them more closely under microscope is their obsession of have a power and they think they can change it toward good But later this can be changed by temptation
    For all eyes on them and all eyes are changed as soon as they have job of prime minister or president .They put themselves in big hole
    They have not free liked past to say anything they wish
    Or talk with anybody they like to go out they need to do background check
    They can not smoke or drink or deal with prostite
    They can not wear any dress they want
    Worst of all: They must say NO to big offer of money and corruption received daily
    saying you only are prime Minster for 4 to 8 years after that you back to zero with small income how about we can do legalized prostitution or legalized bank rubbery in white colored way sell the seat or collect nonprofit organization to support certain business people who in their back and etc…
    How about put some bomb to sell weapon to kids and allow some law or ignore they know it, All temptation and offer and all desire of human in side of Satan under skin standing in left and angel in right shoulder. Now time is short responsibility is too much
    Money is available and girls are available .Now how to choose even JF Kennedy and Clinton did not say NO to those women As most of celebrity fall down period is they have rich and got too much offer and that is soon bring them down
    Therefore how to stop temptation is hard therefore as all food industry need inspector to watch for health of public all therefore, Prime Minster and president jobs need to get watch carefully they need independent judge to watch the prime Minster job and tell them do what the law is to do as like board. This is benefit public interest and this is prevent shame for country for media make them real job over corruption and this is help save lives and save country and position remain for next president as safe guard out of conspiracy and two faces game against unlawful temptation and reduce confusion to all especially extra help need to bring prime Minster up not down since if he goes down country go down with him or her this bring shame for all people if they do crime or any illegal activities therefore some board need to watch them how to execute their job they do regular job when complain come those committee in mix of some judge or experience political will stop or correct the prime Minster or find any better solution.
    School is important place for grow the mind and body of children and healthy and corruption can be start as mental ill or abuse from early age in West from childhood to teens when person get adult age are already no way can save him or her and need so many cost to correct the corrupted mind.
    therefore we need to have healthy environment for them, when you see a teen girl wear small short and all body show up in crowed buss and all old men watching or can touching them, since they are standing next to each other until next stop sign then all is security is children in hand of board of education. When all kids are fail from moral from any way you look at then all blame it to parent while portent are only take care after they arrive in home during children are walk in public this is government to take care of all kid from school who is principal is responsible when they go to buss the driver and ministry of transportation is responsible from how some may able to touch the young girl or boy in buss or in park is policy is involve they need to have security walk in library or in park this is also add more better job for police and security and so one the time kids back to back home then parents responsible but too many step is missing before that to blame it all to parents. When kids like to go to cinema or fun time for sport club all again security of them and take showed with old men naked in YMCA club that is nasty to this get allowed and so on when they buy film to watch to drink to drink or food to eat and language they are talking so abuse to each others all is some one must watch kids when they are out side. How to see their doctor may each school need to have doctor and nurse this is also bring new job for doctor
    The only way can save children in school to only concentrate when they go to school to when they come to school have uniform all long trousers ( pants) and long sleeves shirt with extra jacket for winter and pants can two material one for winter and one for hot day and two set can be pay by board of education to made so many cloth company find job and let allow safer place to kids for not show their body or force some with low income and high income can be distinguishable after school every body free to wear any thing they want. Government can pay for low income parent cost of their uniform. IN bus every person must have seat for daily if person wear not seat belt in car can get fine then how come bus put so many person and all kids are push together that is can be harassing to some one stand so close to each other for next stop therefore all buss need to have follow and city of Toronto need more buss and driver to hired and this also bring more job and if people comfortable to go with buss they will less drive their own car.

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