I would simply ask him to define his vision for Canada and to juxtapose it with his understanding of the terms 'conservative' and 'limited government.'

(I really want to support PMSH but I'm finding it harder and harder to feel like he's a conservative in any meaningful sense of the term.)

If your stimulus package was such a good idea, why did it take the threat of a coalition government to force you to do it?

Three years of fiscal discipline flushed down the toilet with one budget, the damage to the Conservative brand may be irreparable.

He could have called an election, he could have handed the keys to Dion, who would have just done pretty much the same thing Harper did, but he didn't. Why not?

Question:

How are Alfonso Cashbagliano loan repayments coming along on his winery and will a future Liberal government mean another lawsuit by a former President of the Federal Business Development Bank?

ps Enjoy the veal.

pps Meant to drop the comment here but it also appears in another thread. Sorry for littering.

I'd ask him where he wants to take the country. I'm conservative, but right now I don't get the message that there is a coherent goal for this party right now.

It really seems like we're in a holding pattern right now. Maybe it's because we're the only right-of-centre party and have no common ground with the others, and we don't have a majority in the House.

Maybe if there were some underlying principles I could hang my hat on I'd have a better feeling right now, but as things are nothing is inspiring. Then again, maybe that's the nature of conservatism; hard to create an inspiring message with "we want less government".

What has thrilled you?
What has enchanted you?
What has troubled you?

Question:

Boxers or briefs?

Why doesn't the Government give freedom to western grain farmers by ordering the Canadian Wheat Board to issue export licences to producers in the west the same as the CWB already does now for eastern producers and allowed under the Act?

"Brad in Waterloo" (is a LibIggy troll) asks for "vision".

Vision is a blahbword from the leftist script.

Go seek LibIggy's "vision"; look back to Citoyen Dionky's Dream Team for his vision which ended in the PET Cemetery.

"Not much new in Ignatieff's vision
After the apologetics, Mr. Ignatieff begins to sketch his political vision of Canada. What's new in Mr. Ignatieff's new vision of liberalism? Not much. ..."
www.ukemonde.com/novisionigy.html

"How does it feel to be the only sane adult in world full of childish, narcissistic leaders?"

I'd like to know why our 'government bodies' such as the 'labour board' are not for regular working canuks but only for 'immigrants, visible minorities, gays, etc.'. Why?
Minimum wage earners working 2, 3 jobs have no rights nor protection in the labour force in Canada.
Thus ensuring the marginalized Canadain worker remains stuck down there, while the 'special' others get government help/representation.

Why should I vote. I'm not talking about the Obama vision. I am getting Liberal and Liberal Lite. I realize that you represent all Canadians but they are not limited by that reality. Explain there are things that have to be done but don't tell me it is for my good because it isn't. It is the result of being in a world that governments intercede in matters that should be left up to me. It is easier for me to walk away than swallow bile all the time. Maybe it is time to stand up and say you have run out of other people's money so they have to start relying on themselves. You will not get a majority if this continues.

Is there any truth to the rumour that "Ritalin" will be introduced into the House of Commons water supply?

Why are you ignoring the policies set forth at the last convention? HRC's ?

I agree with Sid. Ask about the HRCs and what he is going to do about them.

You have given the people of Quebec everything they ask for and they have abandoned the party. When are you going to realize they need a good kick in the arse?

When are you leaving?

Oh, and ask him if they would communicate better to the public about the accomplishments that the government has done. Canadians need to know. All the public gets is all the misinformation crap from the MSM and the opposition. The public doesn't get the true clear picture.

Though I understand, given the rabid anti-CPC/PMSH MSM/PPG in this country, why you're keeping a low profile ("damned if you do, damned if you don't"), is there any way you could become more visible to Canadians, in order to let us see all of your and your government's many accomplishments?

Your low profile isn't particularly bothersome to those of us who are keeping informed via blogs, but what about the millions of Canadians who only get their information via TV and newspapers? Do you see any way for you and your party to become more visible in order to get your message across to more Canadians?

When can we expect the repeal of section 13 of the Human Rights Act to receive Royal Ascent?

We all realize the media are petulant babies and will not help deliver a conservative message. However, it is your job to figure out a way to connect with average Canadians. Iggy is beating your brains in right now if you didn't realize it.

Show yourself, blow your horn, and do it!

Did you ever think that instead of just being called a bully by your opponents, that sometimes you might need to actually stand up to them, like a bully, and put them in their place?

Allowing 4 people to hammer you for an hour straight in the debates while you smiled at them did the party no favors.

Will the federal government fully fund the defense of any individual or group brought before provincial or federal human rights commissions?

Like others here want to know, when is the CPC government going to do something about the appalling state of CHRCs?

These kangaroo courts have been the agents of serious miscarriages of justice for a considerable number of Canadians who've been targeted by them, all in the name of "human rights." When will these travesties of (in)justice be dealt with by your government?

batb, frmgrl - I think those are good points. I've been concerned about the refusal of our MSM to publicize the many, many accomplishments of this Harper government.

On the foreign scene, Harper is considered one, if not THE, most impressive leader of the West. I mean that - his intelligence, his thoughtful response to questions (no teleprompter, no ahhs and awws, no quick transition into emotional hyperbole to evade answers..)..his knowledge of the issues - have led OTHERS to call him impressive. But in Canada? Our MSM derides and sneers at him.

Furthermore, the govt web sites that list these accomplishments are profoundly 'user-unfriendly'. You have to go from link to link to link to get any information on the thousands of federal projects all over the country, in large and small cities.

Last year, I made a list of some of these projects, for Ontario only. It covered 40 pages and involved areas not only in taxation cuts, but assistance in developing clean water, better water and sewer plants, cleaning up the Great Lakes, rapid transit projects, clean energy, road development, the focus on the North..on and on. I put them on 'Information Flyers' - one page two-sided brief points.

Handed them out to people - who were stunned. I mean that. They said they had never heard of these projects, never realized what the Harper govt was doing.

What I feel should be done is what I call the 'drip' method, where you distribute these Flyers on a monthly basis, whether by post or as ads in LOCAL newspapers...This 'drip' of information will build up, gradually, to outline what this govt is doing.

The current federal political scene in Ottawa is silence - except at election time, when suddenly, the political parties expect the voter to make a choice, in six weeks, based only on the verbiage screamed at them by the MSM in those six weeks.

But, over the months and months before, our MSM has been busy swooning over The Image of the Liberal/NDP party - and totally, utterly, keeping silent about the actual facts - the accomplishments of the Harper government.

So, what has to be done, is the drip method. If the WiseBoys in Ottawa won't do it, then each and every Electoral District CPC office ought to do it on their own. Inform their district what the Harper govt has done - for their district, for their town, their province,..and their country.

Don't ask PMSH a question, tell him what he should be doing. For example, tell him to go after Iggy as follows:

Last week on National TV, Iggy's Chief of Staff Paul Zed stated that:

1. Iggy won't raise taxes

2. Iggy won't run a deficit

3. Iggy will make up the current deficit by "Program Reviews" . . . aka cutting Federal government programs for "Paul" t o pay "Peter"

So Canadians have a right to know what is Iggy's secret Program Review agenda. How is he going to Program Review/Cut the $35ish Billion current deficit.

Will he cut:

Transfers to Provinces ?

Foreign Aid ?

National Defense ?

Support for the Arts ?

Funds for Arctc Sovereignty ?

Atlantic Canada job creation ?

Iggy's hidden agenda is a LPC vulnerability that should be exploited by the CPC and must be addressed by the MSM.

What ya gonna cut Iggy ?

What is your secret agenda ?

When can we expect:

the repeal of section 13 of the Human Rights Act?
the defunding of the the CBC?
the closing of the CWB, the CHC and the gun registry?
the enshrining of property rights?
the fixing of the senate? (you know making them elected)
setting term limits to all?

I will let you know if I think of any more.

GR-8 idea, ET, putting out flyers on a monthly basis listing PMSH's and the CPC's accomplishments. I totally agree with you, that trying on one's own to access the government's initiatives is totally user-unfriendly. Most people don't have either the know-how or patience to ferret out what the CPC has done, is doing, and is in the process of doing to benefit all Canadians.

But, you specialize in research: 'Any chance you could "publish" your flyers here at SDA, so that we could all make flyers up for our friends, family members, and acquaintances?

'Talk about a grassroots movement: Flyer Footsoldiers for Democracy!

oops CHC should read CHRC

Chalk up another vote for HRC reform or abolition

As someone who helped found Reform I feel that the principals of that movement have been abandoned by the CPC. The residual goodwill towars the existing leadership still exists in the West but for how long? I appreciate that there are 'conservative' values which might have to be put on the back burner for political reasons. But as another poster asked "What is the vision for the country"? If the committment to the grassroots and thusly the riding associations still existed within the party then that question might not have to be asked.

Re: Harper accomplishments - Sandy at COTM did a great job listing the ones before Jan. 27/09, which are still available at my blog on a separate page.

Did you get a tingle up your leg when you met Obama?

Ask him for reassurance that he's got a game plan to ensure the dangerous, Extreme-Left-Wing Liberals don't return to power, and that he won't pull his punches like the Republicans did when they threw in the towel and lost to Obama and the Extreme Left.

With the US rapidly descending into massive statism, where government will control more and more of the lives of its citizens, can Canada, which often follows the US lead, escape that sorry fate, and how?

With Obama taking the US into extreme debt, with the US banking system a mess, and with US taxes escalating, and with a carbon tax program that will significantly raise US energy costs, what will Harper do to:

A. Make Canada the country of choice for North American entrepreneurs and business.
B. De-couple the Canadian and American economies.
C. Open significant trade avenues to India and China where growth and economic expansion are forecast.
D. Attract head offices of US companies looking for a lower tax region.
E. Defend NAFTA against US predatory tariffs and tariffs masquerading as environmental protection.
F. Consider the option of setting a Made in Canada carbon strategy which consists of demanding to see the proof of global warming before entering into any tax, regulation or regime that restricts economic development.

Why did you declare Quebec a "nation"?

Why did you declare Quebec a "nation"?

Ask him if he agrees with Don Martin (of all people, a media type !) that

"Obama is proving to be a dangerous man for Canada"

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/05/01/don-martin-obama-is-proving-a-dangerous-man-for-canada.aspx

Joanne’s site and Jack NewsWatch all have Sandy’s Accomplishments of the Harper Government which originated at her Crux of the Matter site.

ET’s idea of drip drip driping the Accomplishment information into the busy minds of voters is the way to overcome the left wing media’s constant attempts to misinform the voters. ET is correct, when voters get that information in a flyer they are “stunned” … even Liberals say “Gosh, I had no idea this was being done for public transportation in Toronto by the Feds and that blah blah blah….”

If I were allowed to ask PMSH a question it would be:
How much of GDP do you think all three levels of government should manage? (Currently around 40%). In other words, do you think we should shrink government or grow it?

Henri, PMSH did not declare Quebec a nation. Quebec is the geography , he only declared the people , the Quebecois, a nation and that the Quebecois are a nation within Canada. There is a big difference.

My quesstion, are you prepared to turn off the taps to the USA if O continues his protectionism against Canada. Will you encourage american businesses to relocate their business and money and maybe themselves to come to Canada where democracy is still practiced.

henri bourassa - he didn't declare Quebec a nation.

He declared the Quebecois a nation. The PEOPLE not the geographic territory. There is an important difference. Declaring a people a 'national identity' is a valid 19th c concept and it has NOTHING to do with linking them to a geographic sovereignty. WHY?

Because the Great Michael Ignatieff introdued a Motion in Parliament to call QUEBEC (not Quebecois) a nation. He did that for purely political gain, for cynical manipulation of the Quebec people.
Of course, the NDP and Liberals jumped for it, both of them trapped within This Will Get Me Quebec Votes.

And then, Duceppe, who had to save his own face, intervened and said it had to be a Bloc Motion, and so, he introduced it..with QUEBEC as a nation.

With ALL three Opposition parties geared to vote for this, Harper saved the situation by introducing a motion changing it from a geographic domain (Quebec) to a population identity (les Quebecois).

So kindly get your facts straight...and understand just how malicious and power hungry the Liberals, NDP and Bloc are.

I have three major concerns.
1. Why haven't you pulled the plug on CBC funding and turned it into a PBS style network requiring private financial support?
2. Why haven't you moved to reform the Human Rights Commission, despite a strong mandate to do so from party members?
3. Why are we moving to a larger, more expensive government, with bailouts of private corporations and hugely increased spending, when you were elected with a mandate to do the opposite?

When will there be an a forensic audit and inquiry into the $9 Billion dollars Chretien put into the, so called, Private Foundations, out of reach of the Auditor General?

When will there be an a forensic audit and inquiry into the $162 Million taxpayer dollars that went to former Finance Minister and former PMPM's CSL while he was in government?

And what about an inquiry into the $1.2 Billion deal, that was sealed as a state secret by Trudeau, when Petro Canada bought out Petro Fina Canada? How many corrupt and still living Liberals illegally profited from that scam that was engineered by Maurice Strong?

When Trudeau was repeated asked in the House of Commons for details of that transaction he told the House, "it's none of your business."

I can see why Iggy is such a fan of Trudeau.

I think it is time to REOPEN Adscam & Shawinagate, Canadians deserve an answer. Its time to get answer's before the Crook from Quebec gets Monies for building a Resort in Vietnam.
Since the Liberal Party has become so flush with monies are we going to see Re-Payment?
Ya know there is another question The liberals flush, At max of what $1100 man thats alot of support to get to the black
Have they been recieving More then the Legal Amount?

Sub-urban, the Conservatives need a majority to do those things.

PM Harper, your government has officially apologized to Residential School survivors, implemented measures to provide clean water, passed Specific Claims legislation and repealed section 67 of the Canadian Human Rights Act, amongst other measures aimed at improving the lives of First Nation people across Canada.

However, First Nations continue to live under the Indian Act which provides virtually none of the rights, protections and accountabilities found in even the most basic municipality act, makes it impossible for individuals living on reserve obtain mortgages or loans (due to land title held by the Crown) which, in turn, inhibits home ownership and business development; thereby placing this authority almost exclusively in the hands of Band Councils, and, at the same time, concentrates all government powers and programs in the hands of local Band Councils.

When will your government begin to address this underlying flaw which fundamentally undermines all other efforts aimed at improving the lives of this segment of the Canadian population?

JC Kelan

Kate puts up a post - advice/questions for PMSH.

In an instant - more thoughtful comments on how to run a country than the MSM provides in a decade.

I like your idea, Bruce.

Thank you Jema54

I would ask Mr. Mallard why he is wasting his time? Any answer he gets from ol liberal lite Steve will be totally meaningless.

batb - a list of accomplishments on a blog is not the same as a monthly one page information flyer that is distributed to ALL voters in an electoral district and is put in a half-page ad in a local newspaper.

The difference is that the blog will primarily be visited by Conservatives, and the point of a monthly information flyer is to 'drip' this data almost without thought, into the minds of the voters.

Just as their minds are filled with rubbish that slithers in from the MSM, by the endless blathering of 'pundits' who hate Harper, who focus only around the elite mandarin class in Ottawa and view the rest of us as 'beer and popcorn'...this tactic of sending out Information Flyers - not posting them only on a blog - is equally 'slithering.

But there's an enormous difference. A vital difference. Our Information Flyers are providing facts. Not opinions. Just the actual facts. You make up your own mind, your own opinions, on whether you think these actions were any good. All that these Flyers provide is actual facts. Nothing else.

The Title of the Flyers is:
The Conservative Agenda: We Get it Done. Actions. Not Words.

And they are ONE page only at a time. 8 by 11. You can read it over your coffee just before you throw it out. But, these facts, bit by bit, will get through. Even if you only read the TITLE, before you trash it..that 'thought' gets into your mind.

So, one flyer on Transportation will tell you:

-697 million for the TTC to extend the Spadian subway line through York University to Vaughan; money already deposited into a trust account.
-83 million for Mississauga rapid bus transit
- 29.5 million for Hwy 401 improvements between Windsor and Tillbury

NOTE: that's all it will say. No analysis, no self-congratulations, no 'we did more than the Liberals'. Nothing. Just the facts. Set out in a two-toned Flyer (white background, with blue headers).

Another flyer will tell you
-30 million over 5 years to clean up Lake Simcoe
- 7 million over 2 years to clean up Lake Winnipeg
-3.3 million for St. Clair River Clean up

-Brantford: upgrade water plant
-Brockwille- wastewater system
-Sarnia - water pollution control

And so on. People have NO idea that these projects are being carried out. Sometimes, you'll hear about the results - but the local cities and provinces take ALL the credit.

I don't know who to send these to, so that you can see what I mean. Joanne - can I send them to you and you can put them on your blog so that others can get the idea?

Why don't you radically lower our taxes and make Canada a haven for all the John Galt's looking to flee the once great USA.

It's the media, stupid.

I know many people who are, in all respects, quite conservative in their views, actions, ect.
Personal responsibility, moral accountability, favor rewards for success not failure, income redistribution is a socialistic scheme.

And yet they vote Liberal ! Why ? Because they get their "news" from the media and the media only.

This is what PMSH is up against. He always has to be conscious of how his actions will be reported. All important, but quickly becoming less so.

Less so ? As hard as the media tried to put Dion in a favorable light, the effort failed because of the Internet. Worked at the Lib convention but not in the general election. Not enough wool to cover it.

Don't forget that there may be someone with a tape recorder there, spying for the enemy Liberals, hoping to get a soundbite to take out of context and perhaps doctor-up...

When Obama the Unready came to Ottawa, you can actually see the jealousy he felt when you gave your speech at the podium in the House of Commons. Likewise, the interviews you had with the American media were excellent.

Please, Mr. Harper, show this side of yourself to the Canadian public in an incremental fashion so that we can see your capabalities. Who knows, maybe the media will catch on to the fact that we have an intelligent, confident adult in charge.

ET “People have NO idea that these projects are being carried out. Sometimes, you'll hear about the results - but the local cities and provinces take ALL the credit.”

And that is the problem with our system of 3 levels of government controlling 40% of the economy with little accountability .. for either the credit or the blame.

The voter has no idea who does what. In Toronto they think an MP is responsible for speed bumps on their street. When you tell them a Councillor is responsible for that they ask “Who is my Councillor anyway?” And that isn’t just new Canadians( of which nearly 50% residents of Toronto are) saying that, it is even 3rd generation , tuned-out Canadians.

When trillions of dollars are sloshed around by politicians who get elected mostly on name recognition versus policy and ideas; then we have this confusion of who does what and the incumbents have no incentive to clear the matter up.

That is why dripping the information (just the facts Ma’am) into the minds of the voter is the only way to get accountability understood and to unravel the dis/mis-information peddled by the propaganda machines of the left in the MSM.

What kind of car do you drive?

When will you show your true self and not the all smiles at every insult hurled your way by people who couldn't carry your jock strap.Stand up and fight back,I think you might find that the average Canadian identifies more with Don Cherry than the champagne sipping we are the world corrupt to the core Liberals.

ron in kelowna:

I would agree the media are largely secular lieberal/socialist cheerleaders, their analysis and probing of lieberal misdeeds is woefully lacking.

If one publicly rejects the tenets of lieberalism expect a firestorm.

cf Carrie Prejean on the Miss America contest and the predictable Olberman sneering at a perfectly valid position. Short of bowing to the Humanist Manifesto one is considered a pariah.

What the lieberal mindset seems to count on is that somehow public disapprobation is a valid model of debate, rather than taking a considered position.

If you talk about lieberals financial misdeeds, it is one step short of a declaration of war.

Remember Garth Turner, on his since defunct blog, suggested the electorate wanted to stay with "the devil they know" Mr. Harper.

In short, if you don't belong to the LIEberal tribe one is next to the Devil himself. This is shallow group identity politics of the worst sort. Why do LIEberals continue to do it? Because it is the only game in town they know how to play.

Talking actual policy and political philosophy is far too dreary because it may call attention to the naked theft of the LIEberal years.

Cheers

Hans-Christian Georg Rupprecht, Commander in Chief

1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group "True North"

I don't know if this brian mallard is the brian mallard I know of but if it is I suspect he will know the background if the two questions I would like him to ask (and I'm also sure prime minister harper understands the context as well). Both are also significant stimulus for the economy and ridicously Esau to implement. :

1. Will you be moving any time soon to allow income splitting for couples with children (and for single parents to split income with the oldest mldependent child)? This would be a significant tax break for millions of cdn families as well as open up thousands of daycare spaces (gold polictucally IOW).

2. Would you consider allowing pension plans to take any earnings over eight percent and keep them in a tax defered overflow account instead of having to reduce employee/employer contributions? A very big reason why defined benefit plans are failing and are in disfavour with companies is because of the current rules. Yet employees consider DBPs to be the retirement planning gold standard. Changing the current rule would make them far more sustainable and popular with companies and remove muchof the liabilities that government has to support underfunded plans. A similar rule change would be done for life insurance policies.

Such a change would be a political home run with companies unions and employees alike.

If brian or the prime minister want to know more they can contact me as I am part of two committees working on putting forwards proposal.

PM Harper, why do you not stress what is important to Canadians ? Forget about courting the media. They will always hate you.

Even though some in the media are wakening up to the style over substance scam;

"Despite a warm, fuzzy glow that followed Barack Obama's February visit to Ottawa, Canadians are witnessing serious signs of greater U.S. protectionism and a thickening border." Barbara Yaffe

Fuzzy glow from the Canadian media that is never, ever given to PMSH.

Even Don Martin; "Don Martin: Obama is proving a dangerous man for Canada"

PMSH - that would play well in Ontario. Especially when WK is pushing the IGGY/Obama love in thing.

Further to his motion declaring the Quebecois as a nation, the PM added "within a united Canada". That would raise a few hackles no doubt.

Anyone suppose he lost support in Quebec for that or is it all down to the other excuse, Arts funding?

Quebec needs a time out from Federal politicians of all stripes kissing butt, let them grow up and stop the whining.

Questions I, the Invincible Phantom, would ask Stevie given the chance.

1) When are you going to kill the gun registry?

2) When are Canadians getting our property rights back?

3) When are we getting back our right to free speech?

4) WTF are you doing that's so much more important than 1, 2 and 3 that you couldn't even formulate a bill and make the Liberals vote against it?

4A) (If he gives a -good- answer) Do you want any help with that?

5) You should bring back the Arrow.

lizj- there is only one thing Quebecers are interested in - what they can get from 'Canada'. They have no sense of any requirement that they should offer, participate, give, anything to the Canadian federation. They do not feel part of Canada.

The division is hard; it is linguistic; it is 'francophone' vs the ROC - which is anglophone. And there's no mixing of the two. No alliance.

They feel that ALL their federal income taxes should be returned to them; the fact that they RECEIVE more from the federation than they give in taxes is something that they refuse to acknowledge.

I haven't been following Canadian politics; I can't stand Ignatieff but remember - he proposed that Motion 'Quebec is a Nation' (not les Quebecois are a nation in a united Canada..which was Harper's rebuttal). Ignatieff, as an elitist, will appeal to the Montreal elitists. He won't appeal to the rural, or to outside of Montreal, which will remain 'old Quebec' ..in this case, Bloc. But there's enough votes in Montreal to carry Ignatieff.

The Liberal party is elitist; this means urban, latte-crowd, CBC, 'arts and culture' (meaningless but they are an incestuous group totally reliant on federal money); leftist, anti-American, European socialist. That's the Liberal party..which is really, intellectually, Quebecois in Montreal.

They get Ontario votes by playing to the multicultural isolationism - that is, maintaining and keeping immigrants as isolate groups, non-integrated, funded to remain 'as they were 100 years ago in the old country'. Since Ontario is heavily immigrant - then the Liberal agenda of isolationist multiculturalism is after one thing only - their vote.

Canada? Heh. The Liberal Party isn't interested in Canada. Isn't interested in Canadians. Isn't interested in developing a Canadian society. It has only one agenda - power. Power as an elite, self-defined Guardian Class dominant over the beer and popcorn peasantry. And it will do anything to obtain this power.

What kind of a strategy is being afraid of own (conservative) shadow?

Maz2 you ignoramus. I'm no troll and if I was you'd never know anyways because I comment here about 5 times a year. And I'm not looking for a fight with this post either. I'm just setting the record straight: if anything I border on being a libertarian. Not that I owe you an explanation.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you have me mistaken for someone else.

ET comes up with the best idea I've heard yet. We can't expect PMSH to fight the media drones alone. My commnunity newspaper is always asking for submissions. A factual list of the CPC and Mr. Harpers accomplishments should be published in it.
Back in the day I helped the Reform Party candidate in my riding and got a positive response at every door I knocked on - in a typical NDP area.
In the end our candidate won. Then there were recounts until the opposition ended up with more votes than there were ballots. They stole the win from the Reform candidate. Complaints to Elections Canada brought the response of "sour grapes" and the blatant cheaters won.
My question to PMSH is: What can your government do about that corrupt organization Elections Canada to make and keep them honest?

I love the flyer idea.Not!

Was anyone watching the American election? Was Obama sending out flyers? No, he was TXTing his supporters, taking advantage of technology and current trends. This is one of the major failings of conservatives. I repeat over and over that conservatives alienate youth and I only get ridiculed.I admire GWB but c'mon, he didn't use email! John McCain didn't use email! Okay, okay I know Churchhill didn't use email and Reagan didn't use email; but, do you know how bad that looks?

Where I work there is a bit of a revolution happening. People in their 20's and 30's are cruising past people with more expirience because of their aptitudes wrt current tech. Senior people are highly valued still, but those in the middle are being left behind. IMO it's time to go young sturcturally,look at Brad Wall's success. Young talent needs to be thrown into important positions at all levels of politics and allowed to make mistakes. This is constantly demonstrated in sports, lots of youth supplemented with great vetrans is the winning formula; and turf the high payed old guy as soon as you can. No mediocore old people!

Going young, that's what's happening in buisness, and that's what conservatives should be doing. Conservatives need to walk the walk!

JMO^:!

Brad “I really want to support PMSH but I'm finding it harder and harder to feel like he's a conservative in any meaningful sense of the term.”

How about the policy of Canada having the lowest corporate taxes?
Compare where ours are headed to where Obama’s are headed.

Do you think Iggy and the Liberals would have promoted the idea of low corporate taxes to make Canada globally competitive by attracting investors? Iggy says he has never ever invested in the market and is proud of it.

phantom - formulating a bill against the gun registry wouldn't just result in the Liberals/NDP voting against it. The result would be a huge public relations bonanza for the Liberals. Why?

Because the MSM would define the question and its content. It would have NOTHING to do with the real long guns registered, nothing to do with their real use on farms etc. It would be based solely around two images:

Guns
Crime against hapless Canadians by criminals with guns.

Facts? Do you seriously think that the MSM and Liberals would focus on facts?
GUNS:
- the guns used in our cities by criminals aren't long guns but handguns.
- all handguns are required to be registered since 1934
- this requirement is irrelevant. No sane criminal registers his gun; and, most of them are illegal guns

CRIME
- crimes aren't committed by criminals with long guns but with handguns

COSTS
- the costs of the registration have nothing to do with lowering crime; indeed, gun-related crimes have gone up, up, up in our major cities. In Toronto, no-one even thinks about it; every few days, we read about some teenager or other, killing someone with a handgun.
- the costs, however, DO provide lots of jobs in the Maritimes for Liberal-voting bureaucrats

So- given that the MSM and Liberals won't provide Canadians with FACTS; and that most Canadians are quite satisfied with getting all their 'information' from the biased MSM - it is difficult for Harper to govern, AND NOT constantly be handing over PR bonanzas to the Liberals.

Same thing with the HRCs. It's taken several years - and not via the govt - but via grassroots organization, by people like Ezra Levant, Kathy Shaidle and others - to get the word out. BUT, in the big cities - among the latte crowd - they are still in their elitist fog.

Did we ever have property rights?

My suggestion, for what it's worth, is a grassroots movement. These are very foreign to the Canadian mentality, which has, since its colonial inception, been quite content to let The Guardians (Britain or Ottawa) do all the governing.
The only grassroots incident I can think of, was the anti-Coalition movement of last year -

So, I think that it's time for Canadians to 'grassroot' themselves out of their normal infrastructure of a Guardian Ruler 'doing it all'...and doing things on their own.

Have our own Tea Parties - with themes such as the HRCs. Or the Gun Registry.
And - those Information Flyers ..send them out on a monthly basis. Let people know what's going on.

Can you imagine - Canadians, actually taking things into their own hands? Not expecting govt, and The Guardian, to do it all?

Indiana Homez, you make good points about txt and youth. And that needs to be reconciled with the idea of flyers with information about action and accomplishments. Therein is the difference between a liberal and a conservative.

A conservative is about action and getting things done , not about musing things like “hope and change” .. that is emotion. You can maybe txt emotions. You can’t txt what has been done by PMSH vis a vis the Toronto subway … at least I don’t think you can ..it’s too long. That’s the conundrum.

Indiana Hormez and Nomdeblog:
"Mediocre old people"????
What an absolutely stupid and mediocre thing to say!!
Our Prime Minister just turned 50. Would you say that is "old"?
How do you define "young" and "old"?
I would define young as under 30, and i know many of that demographic who, if described as mediocre would be high praise indeed.

nomdeblog, you're preaching to the choir my friend. I'm no Iggy fan. On the contrary, my problem with Harper is his policies are becoming indistinguishable from Iggy's (or vice versa). In other words, I'm of the opinion that Harper's do-what-it-takes-to-stay-in-government "pragmatism" has been used as rationale for lurching altogether too far left. I'm with the Ralph Kleins and Mike Harrises of the world. I'm opposed to anyone that thinks our bloated bureaucracies deserve further expansion. And as long as PMSH is tabling budgets suggesting he identifies with this leftist line of thinking, well.... sorry.

Don't get me wrong. I'll still vote for him as the least-bad option. But I'd rather be voting for Preston.

"Carbon Tax Revisited"
Liberal delegates just approved a resolution that endorse's a National Carbon Tax
Ottawa Citizen/NNW

Mr. Prime Minister: Is there ANYTHING you won't do or say to stay in power?

Indiana Homez - "Young talent needs to be thrown into important positions at all levels of politics and allowed to make mistakes."

Like Obama?

We need no cult of tech-savvy youth. That image is entirely MSM-driven. ET's flyer idea is great, but needs to pervade all communication formats.

The Conservative have been, are, and likely will continue to be, completely inept at communications.

THAT is their central problem.

indian homez - obviously I disagree with you. And strongly disagree.

I do NOT advocate sending out SPAM email. I get lots of spam; my filter absorbs it and I ignore it. I don't even glance at it. So would anyone else receiving SPAM email from any political party.

You are erroneously thinking in an 'either-or' framework. EITHER use only electronic communication systems OR hard copy..and the latter is so..ooooooo 'out of it'. Well, you're wrong, in my view.

To spread basic factual information about policies and program accomplishments,
You use
1)INTERNET, i.e., blogs. You can list accomplishemtns.
You can also analyze.
You can also have commentary.

2)AND Information Flyers. These are one page 8 by 11 flyers, which list FACTS. These facts are set up in 'visual bits' (as differentiated from sound bites). The visual bit is set up in a coloured block and inside the 'bit' the information consists of Location, Cost, action:
Mississauga
83 million
rapid transit system

Not rhetoric, not analysis. They are NOT to be read with care but 'absorbed' as a whole visual bit.

These flyers are distributed to the entire electoral district over months; a new one each month. And, a half-page ad in a local newspaper with the same thing.

They are similar to the much larger flyers of food markets, drugstores..which also announce their information in 'visual bits' with the same short, non-analytic information of 'object and cost'.

WHY do this? Because Canadians have NO information, none, about what the government is doing. NONE.

Again, an Information Flyer is NOT the same as a newspaper, an article, a magazine. It does not consist of long sentences outlining themes and policies and etc. All it provides, in visual bits, are the facts, the actual actions that the federal govt has taken in your local area. This gives spatial and temporal reality to the govt. Rather than thinking of the govt as 'some far off abstract Power thousands of miles away'..you locate it in your local space and time.

3)Your reference to Obama was to his supporters! These Information Flyers aren't to supporters!

They are to ALL the people in the electoral district. They are meant to be 'glanced at', with the data 'picked up' very rapidly. If you want to throw it out then, fine. But your brain will already have absorbed the Header of The Conservative Government: Getting Things Done..and a few bits..such as that new transit line, that cut in small business taxes.

If you want to read it over a coffee - you'll see more..and there's a link for you to explore if you want.

Naturally, any party's organizers will txt and email and etc their supporters. That's not the role of these Flyers.

We are talking about INFORMATION - and you get that information in multiple ways. People still read academic articles on political and economic theory, and don't tell me that these are txt mode or email.

Again, these Information Flyers have a specific function - to inform, via a 'drip' method, that the govt is doing specific acts in their local area...and..to inform them as well, of the provincial and national acts. There is to be no general rhetoric (billions were spent on infrastructure..a totally and utterly meaningless sentence)..just specific acts in specific locations for specific amounts of money.

People need to be 'rooted' in local space and time...and that is the function of these Flyers.

donna b- that's quite a story - more votes than ballots. Unreal and yet, knowing Elections Canada, quite real.

If I can get an email for you, I'll send you some sample flyers.

ET said: "Can you imagine - Canadians, actually taking things into their own hands? Not expecting govt, and The Guardian, to do it all?"

Yeah I know, radical concept eh? ~:D I agree with you about not waiting for Big Brother to do it, but as we both know Canadians like to cooperate and they like things to be official. Most Canadians still think of the government as a source of solutions instead of being the root of the problem.

As it happens though ET, Canadians have already spoken on the gun registry. They are ignoring it, and are disobeying the law in their millions. Not even a quarter of gun owners have registered, and of those I'd expect almost nobody registered everything they had. Common sense, right?

So the question still stands. Rephrasing slightly from what I said, the question becomes "When are y'all going to grow a pair, admit nobody registered and scrap this thing?"

I might be more polite in person. Maybe.

What happened to you?

My question to the Prime Minister:

"Sir, can you give us your best estimates as to how long it would take an Ignatieff government to bring in a carbon tax that would see immense wealth transferred from Western to Eastern Canada?

PM Harper did you vote for Kate, for best Conservative Blog?

Id said "I'd like to know why our 'government bodies' such as the 'labour board' are not for regular working canuks but only for 'immigrants, visible minorities, gays, etc."

We need to get rid of affirmative action so that hard working honest people who have been paying the freight for everything won't be denied work just because they are white males.

I once went into the Human Resources Center for the City of Hamilton and the woman refused to even speak. She would only shrug her shoulders and point. When a woman came up beside me she got all chatty and gave her pamphlets etc. When I asked her a question again she just shrugged again. What a vile piece of work she was. Unfortunately the government is full of them now.

They had no problem taxing the shit out of me when I was at the steel company but the second I'm unemployed I'm persona non gratis.

It used to be if you had experience at a trade it meant something. Now 15 years experience is trumped by any of the 3 T's with no experience.

3 T's = Tits, tomahawk or turban.

Did he or anyone in his cabinet or in the revenue department lose money on the stock market when they broke their promise to leave the income trusts alone?

I would bet that they all disposed of any investments they had well before the dirty deed was sprung on the trusting public.

What brad in waterloo said. Very first comment.

The things I thought the conservative gov't stood for seem to have been swept aside in favour of warmed over Liberal ideas.

I want...LESS government (a lot less), less gov`t bureaucracy, less gov`t programs, less gov`t spending, less taxes, and LESS taxes.

My monetary support for the conservatives quit about a year ago when it became obvious that they were pandering to liberal voters.

We are back at square one and are in need of true conservative party like Preston Manning started how many years ago

Heh, gord, good one.
3 T's and now add a big V.
Veil.
Once small piece of cloth strategically placed on face and the MSM is all giddy about the newest made up victim.
Other (non affirmative action ones) victims are left out in the cold as usual.

Again during the last warm spell, I noticed the many head-scarf(ed) young woman wearing tight form fitting clothing of bright colours. Example, hair/head covered, but showing cleavage, tight jeans, full and heavy makeup. Hubby and I just looked at each other and said yeah...and they'll sue to wear that head scarf in the work place, even if dangerous to do so, based on modesty. Proves what a farce this so called claim of religious modesty is.

"Mr. Prime Minister: Given that the present United States government is becoming less accomodative, is this the right time for Canadian government policy to buttress Canada's competitive advantages rather than ape American trendiness in the hope that the American government will be gracious enough to not lean on us?"

I regret the long wind, but there's a point therein.

ET - thanks for the offer. donnabeeh@hotmail.com

Had to extract myself from SDA for a while - that accounts for the delayed response.

Why is it illegal for any male young or old to belong to any club that segregates sexes when females do it all the time. No men's clubs but there are women's clubs. No men's gyms but there are women's gyms. No Boy Scouts but there are Girl Guides. Why does the Government of Canada discriminate against children and have it sanctioned by the Supreme Court.

Excellent questions already so I won't duplicate. But I would like to share with you all an e-mail I just sent to talkshow host, Roy Green. It concerns a question he posed his audience today: Who would you vote for, Harper's Conservatives or Ignatieff's Liberals? I did speak with him on-air but didn't answer his question.

Here's my follow-up e-mail:

Roy,

When we spoke this afternoon, I never actually answered your direct question about who I would vote for. To be quite honest, it's not so simple. The reasons are the same both provincially and federally. Given the choices available to me the least worst options are the B.C. Liberals and the federal Conservatives. But in both cases they each disappoint on regular basis.

My top 3 issues have long been these:

1. Law and Order
2. Free Speech
3. Fiscal Responsibility

I don't see either of the aforementioned parties doing much of anything substantial on ANY of these issues. And yet the alternatives would be worse. So what to do?

Do you ever visit http://SmallDeadAnimals.com ? It's the most popular conservative political blog in Canada. It would be most interesting if you had on two very smart women from there:

* Kate McMillan - she's the lady who runs it
* "ET" - the nickname of a female professor and pragmatic libertarian in Ontario

Just say the word and I'll make the introductions. They would be absolutely fascinating guests! A good topic title would be, "What's a conservative minded voter to do in Canada these days?"

Robert

P.S. Go Canucks!!!

Can we really get tough on crime, instead of just saying it?

P.S. Go Bruins.

Why is it better to loan farmers a billion dollars of taxpayers money over the next five years than it is to get rid of the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly, which would in turn generate over a billion dollars every year in extra revenue from the marketplace?

"It's the most popular conservative political blog in Canada. "

This blog isn't conservative by a long shot. It is a good blog, it is a fun blog, but it is not a conservative blog, uh-uh, no way, no how.

It would appear based on the many questions posed for the PM that we tend to forget that the PM has only led minority goverments. Every time he has attempted to do what 40% of Canadians want we end up going to the polls to re-elect another minority. Each time getting stronger I might add. In the PM's last attempt the PM only hints at a massive shift in the right direction and this shuts down parlimant for 2 months - on the plus side Dion gets the boot and I haven't had to listen to Jack's drivel every other day.

The question on how he can do a better job at getting his message out to more Canadians is a good one. I don't think we can blame it all on Media. I do not see the Conservatives clearly defending their positions when given the opportunity.

Don't give up crew - all good things take time and the PM has a monumental task ahead of him with our support. It aint easy!

Lank,

I was just referring to that bright red award in the upper-left corner of the home page!

"How come you're so good lookin'?"

I would ask, "Is the Government doing anything to distance and thereby protect Canadian financial institutions, industries, and agriculture from the U.S.?

Who does your hair?

I would ask him how the recent trend in Ontario legislation to confiscate personal property on the spot by police, (e.g. speed racing and now, (alleged) blood alcohol level over .05 but less than the federal criminal code of .08 squares with the charter of rights and freedoms. Does he believe that the police being judge jury and executioner is in keeping with the spirit of the Canadian constitution. Good Luck!!

Why did you give the French in Quebec "nation" status?

In view of the fact that Jason Kenny makes you look like a political girly-man, can we have more Jason Kenny and a lot less of you .... and before you buy the condo ...

HOW ABOUT EXERCISING THE WILL OF THE CANADIAN PUBLIC AND RID US OF THE HORRID CRHCS. IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S A POLITICAL RISK YOU WIMP! GET RID OF THEM!!

I would congratulate him on avoiding actually implementing the "stimulus package" he was forced into accepting by the MSM, foreign socialist governments and the liberal party.

I would then ask him when he is going to reduce direct taxation - the greatest stimulus possible.

Q: "Are you ever tempted to walk away from this mewling lot of coddled infants that call themselves 'conservative', and just fade back into the private sector where you can watch the final disintegration of this country?"

I would ask:

"Some have said that the three opposition parties plan to form an alliance and overthrow the government was undemocratic. Others say it was democratic because our constitution supports it. Do you think our constitution is democratic, and if not what would you change if you could?"

"Prime Minister, can I buy ya' a drink?"

When will you keep your promise on the Gun registery? Simple.

Question for the Prime Minister:

"Prime Minister, I'm within several seconds of committing a hate crime. Would you suggest that 4 RCMP officers tazer me to death or a cross-examination by Lizzie May."

Follow up question:

"Prime Minister, under the Geneva Convention which of your possible responses constitutes torture."

Mr. Prime Minister, when are you going to stand up in the House of Commons and declare that Anthropogenic Global Warming is a fraud?
Millions of Canadians already know this fact and they are increasingly angry that their elected officials are pursuing cap and trade and/or carbon taxes. If one national leader would have the guts and honesty to challenge "the consensus" the whole house of cards of AGW/IPCC could tumble within the next [frigid] year.

Q. How will the current guvmint legally charge, try and hang ALL people connected to the odious chrcs?

allan - our Constitution says nothing - not one single word - about coalitions. Therefore, you cannot legally or logically say that the Constitution 'supports it'.

ET, does it not talk about support of the commons? If the government falls, the GG is supposed to talk to the opposition to see if they have the support of the commons. This may or may not be a coalition, which really isn't relevant.

But my question still stands, is our constitution democratic?

I would suggest you ask him if he remembers what happened to Mulroney when he forgot conservative values and the conservative voters that made him Prime Minister.

What's your favorite cheese?

I want a Vaclav Klaus type question:

"Considering the amount of taxation governments everywhere are about to impose to prevent CO2 "pollution" from entering the environment and causing anthropological global warming, what is our government prepared to do to prevent the water produced by the same "polluting" chemical reaction from entering the environment, considering water is a much more effective greenhouse gas than CO2"...

To stir the pot a little, heh:

"Mr. Prime Minister, sir. Seeing that Barack Obama appears to be Hell-bent on dismantling the U.S. nuclear umbrella, under which Canada has had shelter for nigh-on 60 years, when can we expect Canada to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and get to work on developing our own deterrent capability?"

(I really don't expect to see this happen. But it sure would fun for Harper to muse about this, just so we could watch the lefties' heads explode.)

I like Vit's question

Mine would be "how many times a day do you want to just say to the people holding the microphones 'go [insert word] yourself'"

WHO ACTUALLY IS RUNNING THIS COUNTRY??????

Is that a pistol in your pocket or are you just happy to see me.

Mr. Harper,

Please remove the public financing of political parties, when you raised it last time it was only the media and the political parties themselves that objected. I think this is a winner with the electorate.
While you're at it can we get rid of Dual Citizenship, if you want to be part of this once great nation you must choose, or at least be required to pay income tax when living abroad. If you live abroad and do not have an income, how about at least an annual maintanence fee of sorts.
This would keep the absentee engaged with this country in a less selfish way. Besides, we can use the money.

Sincerely,

Cappy

ask mental ill test too
Posted by: new at May 2, 2009 2:15 PM

Yes, new, I can see why that would interest you. Perhaps also a spelling test.

new, a word to the challenged.
Your posts never get read because they are way to frikkin looooooooong.
Try 4 or 5 lines not 80 or 100.

When will the Liberal party start honouring Paul Martin's promise to pay back every cent the Liberal Party stole from the Canadian taxpayer.

Question that no one will ask anyway, and if asked, it will be ignored:

Why with outsourcing of all the call centers of major banks and insurance companies to India, we all of a sudden trust all our personally identifiable, financial, health, employment and other information to the foreign nationals of whom and whose affiliations we know absolutely nothing and of whose actions we have absolutely no control?

My cup runneth over. I am surprised and humbled at the number and breadth of these suggestions. I am going to pass the entire thread along the PMO in hopes that they can see the scope of opinions out there.

When I get the chance I will ask 2 questions. Do you favor pruning or weeding (eliminate) the Human Rights Commissions and how do you reconcile your current economic policies with the philosophy of less government and lower overall taxation? I’ll let Kate know what happens.

allan - no, the constitution says nothing about 'support of the commons'. These are traditions not constitutional laws. Go read the constitution! Not a word.

Okay, okay you disagree. Bygones.

I feel I should explain myself a bit. WRT mediocre old people obviously PMSH isn't one of them; and, 50 isn't necessarily old, but more often than not it is. I specifically said experienced leadership is a must, but if you are going to have mediocre people around, people who’ve topped out at mid-management for example, they should be replaced with younger people who have a higher ceiling(another sports analogy). Put a young person in and see if they become exceptional; if not, what have you lost? As I said before, I see it happening in my industry right now.

Finally, for the person that commented “like Obama”; yeah, why not? What conservatives don’t seem to understand is we are getting beaten tactically. Our ideas and ideals maybe better; but tactically we are more like an insurgent fighting force instead of a modern military. It’s like we’re throwing rocks at tanks. Why? I’ve told people why IMO; but I suppose others see it different. One thing is not up for debate, and that’s that we continuously get our butts kicked and we’re on our way to a socialist utopia.

This is of a greater concern to me and my generation than it is to the folks pushing 60 and older. You folks have benefited greatly from debt spending and social engineering in your lifetimes. It’s seems the money will “run-out” just as your life spans expire. But don’t worry, the infrastructure your parents and grandparents built should last that long as well. What amplifies the issue, is you’ve now collectively squandered your take and will now require more from future generations as far as the eye can see. Argue as you will, but you had the money and now you don’t. That’s squandered no matter how you slice it.