Mike Brock says the problem is Stephen Harper’s baggage. The Hack thinks the problem should be pinned on Harper’s baggage handlers. I’m more inclined to agree with Mr. Hack. Let’s be honest, Paul (Mr. Dithers) Martin is about as marketable as a flaming cow pie, yet he manages to pull in solid enough numbers to hold onto his spot.
It’s all about the advertising, baby. Of course, this helps when you have damn near every ad agency in Canada in your back pocket thanks to the elaborate system of federal grants the Libs have put in place.
I don’t think that Harper’s ‘baggage problem’ will clear up for whoever succeeds him because there is a veritable army of spin doctors waiting to make sure this doesn’t happen.
h/t Bound by Gravity
Harper step aside?
And be replaced by whom exactly? Is there a candidate who would be able to pull the party together, and gain the trust of both the east and the west? I haven’t seen him or her if they exist.
Mr, Harper, unlike paule, is the man he is all the time. Canadians, in cities, don’t know many people that are not animated, hugging and kissing,gooing and gahing,sneering,laughing loud and wide from the mouth,talking about nothing to hide what they really are saying,’targeting’ people, ….
Stephen is a man with a mission; he wants to strighten out this country and then get out of town (Ottawa). He thinks people were given minds to use. In the country where people take care of themselves, Stephen Harper is understood, appreciated and 9 times out of ten the only person to consider voting FOR. Maybe the city minnions will wake up when “where’s the beef” is not an ad but a cry in the dark because farmers/ranchers have gone on strike.
Sean is absolutely correct about Harper.
Sadly even people like Greg Weston are now piling onto Harper.
Is it possible he has been brainwashed at Don Newman’s writers lefty roundtable?
It appears there is still room on Martin’s butt for MSM lips, Liberal lying and corruption notwithstanding.
Pity.
I have to think that the media is portraying Harper as the sum of all Conservative policies. In other words, attack the person who is the representative of the Policies versus attacking each Policy on its own merrit (news time constraints). The media adds up all the policies and just forms a single collective thought then pins it on the leader. My thoughts are that it is not Harper, for he firmly represents what he believes, its the policies. I see smaller government which is good but do not see what government policies he is removing. I see less taxes but do not see what he will remove from government to make it happen. Anyway, to save Kates bandwidth, the policies he represents does not allow me to make a decision as to what I might lose compared to the policy gains stated, then balance out the equation to see if policies are worth a vote. Compare this with the not losing anything with the Liberals in a “strict personal” sense in that the corrupt Libs will probaly cost me what?? – my share for debates sake, a hundred bucks this year. 🙂 majere a libertarian socialist conservative
Weston and his cohorts in MSM, including the publishers, are the chorus for the Liberals, chanting:
Big Brother
Big Brother
Big Brother
Big Brother ……..
Harper is St. George; circling the Liberal dragon; patiently, patiently, waiting for the thrust which will slay the dragon of Liberal corruption and crime.
The thrust is the votes of like-minded Canadians.
Do you dare to join Harper?
This Canadian is standing with Harper.
Together we shall slay the Liberal dragon; and mighty will be the fall of it.
The task may look hard,the dragon is vile; the dragon is evil.
St. George slew the dragon.
We are happy warriors.
We fight on to slay the Liberal dragon.
The dragon shall die.
Are you with Stephen Harper and the Conservatives?
If ones ideals are of the minority, then surounds oneself with alike, then they stand as a minority regardless of what they are striving for? Or if you are not with us against an unmoral issue your against us and therefore all morality? Using a single moral issue tied to a guilt trip does not bring forth any new information about the issue at hand……Harper the Leader is being bashed in the media. Why? Its the Policies and He represents them, therefore he is the target by default. majere
Canadians understand that this incarnation of the Reform/Alliance is entirely something new in Canada. Most Cdns don�t want a Republican Party in Canada, but the CPC members act as if this is exactly what everyone wants and needs. Canadians see that the CPC are extremely antagonistic in that American style and hardly talk about policy � most Cdns think they�re hiding their real policy intentions.
To be a little more constructive, many CPC members have imported the Republican style of branding themselves as victims. They really sound like losers when they question every motive and poll that comes out where they do poorly. Then there is the MSM (mainstream media � American acronym) that are in the pockets of the Liberals, including the Globe, CBC, Global, CTV- in other words everything is against them. They constantly ask themselves why can�t Cdns see how great we are and answer because everyone else is so dumb and unenlightened. Of course they never think to question their policy choices and media handlers. Most people remember meeting that kid in school who acted the bully but you could easily beat up � he�s that pathetic guy who now goes on about how people in Ontario are so stupid and maritimers suck up all our tax dollars and we need a firewall in Alberta.
doug: “this incarnation of the Reform/Alliance” and “American acronym” sums up your position, and your preference to speak in soundbites rather than actually research things for yourself.
roger: Under CPC policies, what you’ll give up is the federal intervention in provincial jurisdictions, like healthcare, education, infrastructure, etc. CPC policies have the $ flow to the provinces with little or no strings attached. Less bureaucracy = less wasted on administration + more for the programs.
How hard is that to understand?
Maybe if Harper’s communications guys would spring for a beer once in a while, we’d be reading about the pathetic and deplorable Liberals all the time.
I’ve read more calls for Harper’s head than for any other political leader in a long, long time. Those calls aren’t all internal — much of it is coming from the MSM — and why?
Because anything conservative is an easy target. It just reinforces the opinions that people want to have.
The comparisons between Harper and the Republicans or Bush are laughable — but people like to put a face to their anger. They want that face to be a conservative one. Harper just happens to be the guy at the top this time around.
Harper’s problem is Canadians are too civilly shallow and politically puerile to see principle, ethics and democratic reform as a desireable leadership/government trait.
Most are either looking for a handout or special dispensation for their special interest agenda….then, many are mindless herd animals that run wildly in whatever direction the MSM tells them to. Bottom line: they are too immature to appreciate a statesman like Harper and our degenerating government shows it. You have to value democracy and take your civil duty seriously to protect it seriously to grasp Harper’s more evolved message….obviously the voters are not evolved enough to appreciate responsible democracy so they won’t get it.
Problem #2: the eastern based MSM will not accept a PM from anywhere but Quebec in their never ending propagated fairy tale that Trudeaupia still exists and the King must be a Quebec Liberal to keep the kingdom of shangrila together. They will block Harper and support the corrupt Martinistas and they will do so with the torrential Vulcan mind melt of partisan BS they delige the gullible eastern voter with.
Bottom line here: to sell Harper’s alternative democratic reform message in this atmosphere of blinding stupidity and indoctrination acceptance of corruption, will take greater PR people than he has now….we need political/history teachers, citizenship schools and about 30 years to deprogram the partisan rot that fills the voters head.
Frankly I don’t think Jesus H. Christ can save this apathetic nation from failing due to the civil and confederal rot this entrenched political mental retardation has created….but I’m always optomistic…and there are miracles for those who believe.
Doug the party schill sez: “Canadians see that the CPC are extremely antagonistic in that American style and hardly talk about policy”
A hearty BS to that Lieberal misdirect. How can we have a policy debate when the liberals have closed off the debate and denegrade, stiffle and marginalize dissent for the past decade….this minority government was the first oppotunity we as Canadians have had to hear open equal political debate on but the scandals plagueing the government are so numerous they occupied all the print space and debate time.
Just the same the now equal debate on C-38 has resulted in what should have happen the last decade but didn’t, an acceptable compromise.
Liberal government in majority is always a one sided debate Doug…and if you deny it, I think you have been living in a cave for the past decade.
Take it from someone who lives in the Toronto area that the issue is not Harper himself anymore than it was Stockwell Day or Preston Manning. The issue is that the majority of Ontarians will never vote for someone from Alberta.
A significant number of the people in this part of the country believe that everyone from Alberta is a member of the religious right who if given the chance will eliminate abortions, jail gays and minorities, and force women to stay at home and look after the kids.
Quebec is even worse. They simply will not vote for anyone who does not reside in their province. Ask John Turner on this one.
So there is a more fundamental question that needs to dealt with then whether the current conservative leader should be changed or not. The big question is whether people out west are willing to accept the premise that one of their own can never be Prime Minister. If that is acceptable then begin the search for a Quebec based lawyer who can carry the day. If not then a battle plan must be drawn to scare the crap out out of people in Eastern Canada that you are going to separate. Not talk but real action or else you will be taken advantage of forever.
Can one of you enlightened ones explain the difference between the Conservative Party of Canada and the Republicans? I hear a lot of howling if anyone mentions the obvious similarities, but can anyone explain the salient differences?
Hello WL Mackenzie Redux, all you have stated is an eloquent insult to all those who do not agree with you and or the Conservative Party. You have brought no specific issues to the table.
Candace; ref your healthcare, are you saying that as I move from Province to Province I have different doctors that do not have to meet the same standards for care as their Provincial Acreditations dictate? If so, does that mean that people with different disabilities will move to the Provinces which provide the best care? Or would there be a National medical stop move policy to keep people from flooding a “have” medical Province.
Ref your infrastructure; are you saying that instead of funding a major infrastructure project within a Province that the Feds would just give them the money for anything the recipient Province sees fit? So no cost savings to the Feds but I still get to hit those potholes as the Provincial government decides to spend the money on a Museum instead?
Ref part of your equation of less admin; what numbers are you basing it on so I can see if it is worthwhile to me for a vote. Or do you expect me to actully trust a politician using such a vague equation using just general words.
How hard is it for you to understand specifics as your general statements can only be interpreted generally, as in read into it whatever you want to avoid specifics.
Steve L. said: “The issue is that the majority of Ontarians will never vote for someone from Alberta.”
That is my finding also (as a displaced Albertan living here temporarily). I also find that when asked where they got the notion that Albertans are bible thumping autocrats that want to string up gays and stop abortions, we come back to the common reply: “well everybody knows that” or ” “evey one says so”. A cursory analysis on who this “everybody sez” source commonly comes back to the usual eastern based, partisan MSM suspects.
It always seemed bizzare to me that this obtuse opinion was so wide spread and deeply entrenched…hell I’m Liberatrian and most Alberta PCs are too (Classic liberals) open democracy and small responsible government is the prime dirictive in Alberta politics.
Aside from never having met any real Albetans, or forgetting their relatives that live there, most Ontarians have a glowing report of Alberta’s beauty and it’s warm friendly people, ( and they all have a relative that moved there) but when the conversation shifts to Alberta politicians and politics we become “scary”.
This is political media conditioning…no doubt. And the reason is as I stated earlier, there is a media Trudeaupian guard who keep the liberal-socailist-natural ruling party myth alive in print….in the kingdom of Trudeaupia only Onatrio and Quebec count and the rest of Canada are vassal colonies…the king must be from Quebec or Ontario.
Will Alberta accept another Liberal government coronated by Ontario alone? Will Albertans not react to the fact that an Alberta will never be allowed a PM ( even though Harper is from London Ont.)
Well in the answer is yes. I know Alberta and Albertans and there will be a confederal backlash. Klein will be caught in it if he attempts to go soft or side with Ottawa. Frankly it’s over due IMHO. The arrogance and exclusivity of Ottawa based confderal systems can no longer be tolerated there and when it starts to cost an Albertan money for something he does not get, the bronc is out of the chute.
WL Mackenzie Redux
Are you serious? Do you really think that Canadians are too stupid to buy Harper’s vision of the CPC? Sounds like a recipe to accept the status quo. Are you a liberal troll?
I always get a laugh about this not voting for someone from Alberta.
Stephen Harper was born and grew up in Burlington , Ontario. He moved west as many thousands of Canadadians did as an adult.
So now they want to attack one of their own.
Strange times.
Oh joy, oh joy. The Supreme Court has just begun to dismantle the entire Liberal platform by allowing Canadians (well, Quebecers) to purchase their own health care rather than die on a wait list. How civilised! It’s a charter issue, and the Libs can no longer accuse Harper of a secret agenda. This is absolutely huge, and in one fell swoop, thie government has been denied a major weapon used repeatedly in their fear-smear campaign. This is truly amazing. Apropo of nothing in particular, despite the supposed surge in Librano$ support, MPs are not looking at all happy, while the Tories are looking quite relaxed. Is there something going on that MSM are ignoring? Even Layton is looking a tad less smug and hyperkinetic these days. Hold on Tory faithful. We are in for a very exciting ride.
Roger there is only one option for voters in the current governmental situation….there is only one option for principled liberal in the current situation.
We have a corrupt, debased, unconstitutionally sitting government which survives by the same un ethical illegalities it has operated under for the past decade. It must be brought down and left in the wilderness for a few years to cleanse itself…to reelect it is to encourage the unethical/criminal/unconstitutional behavior and encourage more.
I am non partisan as I have no party ( I’m libertarian…a classic liberal) The Liberal party left me when it adopted socialist statism. I never like Mulroney or the PCs because they were just the flip side of the Chretien liberals.
Given that termianlly idealist bolsheviks like the dippers can’t be trusted with a national economy, and the BQ is no option, and the current criminal cartel cannot be trusted with the public purse…what does that leave as a realistic replacement?
I speak as a concerned Canadian citizen who sees a degenerated governing system and a corrupted confederalism. My main political agenda is parliamentary reform, justice reform, and democratic reform… I swim out of the main stream and I defend my position ( and believe me I’ve been attacked for it)
As for insults: the greatest danger to a functional, responsible democracy is an uninforemed or disinformed electorate…and that’s what we have…there is no reason to be uninformed in the info age…it’s a product of civil lethargy…allowing some partisan media dork to make up your mind for you and accepting this at face value without thinking…this is how a great many Canadians vote…they should be ashamed and they NEED insulting.
As for my putting points forward to back my position, I have done so amply on my Blog, in news papers, numerous political internet BBs…..a lack of factual resarch on your side does not constitute a lack of positional clarity on my side.
BTW this is Kate’s blog and not some dipper internet blab site…we’re fairly limited as to what we can say but any time you want to cross swords, pens or keybords with me I’m available at Free dominion and my own blog.
Are people trying to say that Paul Martin has a good track record as leader of the Liberal party?
When it comes to Harper and the conservatives the critics resort to accusing them of a hidden agenda.Pretty difficult to defend such criticism and makes it rather easy for the critics to justify their opposition with such empty rhetoric.
With the country almost evenly divided on SSM how can critics say this is such a big liability for the conservative party?
I would ask the question when was the last time that a leader of a major political party who was from western Canada was thought to be capable by Eastern Canada?
Diefenbaker, Clark, Campbell, Manning, Day,
Yet the Eastern media sold Canadians on Mulroney who proved to be a disaster and more recently they promoted the air head Belinda as a capable leader of the CPC. I believe that 90 % of Canadian people must have come to the conclusion that Stronach is a complete dud and if it wasn’t for her financial fortune she wouldn’t be given a second glance.
Would anyone in their right mind dare compare the leadership abilities of Harper versus Belinda other than some hacks on her payroll?
The Conservatives have got to stop being afraid of speaking the truth. When someone says something that is ridiculous say so. When they say something that is false, say it is wrong, say you are twisting the facts. Don’t be afraid to get angry and say Yes I am angry and if you knew what I know you would be angry to, so wake up. The truth is a weapon that Conservatives need to begin using.
Point out that if you only look at the surface of things which is what the media does you will support the Liberals. Look deeper and you will find that you are being deceived. Shallow people are easily deceived. If the Conservatives want to make Canada a better place to live they will have gain a majority in parliament. They will never do this if they play the game as nice people. Once they gain a majority they can be nice but when the Liberals own the Ad agencies that mold public oppinion they will have to play the same kind of game. Ad agencies are bending the truth to support the Liberals. The Conservatives need to rebend the truth.
The Conservatives need to build a team of Ad type people who can shred Liberal lies. It is as simple as that. It is not ROCKET SCIENCE dudes. Will the Conservatives do it? Do they even understand just how much damage a few good people can do to Liberal support? Influencing people is not about being nice, it is about being passionate, it is about being honest, and it is about pointing out flaws in other’s logic. Pointing out how Liberal logic and actions are un Canadian, Pointing out how Liberals have changed Canada from a nation of laws to a nation of plausible deniability.
Thanks for the laughs this morning, especially “doug”. Although I seriously wonder why such a transparent troll as “doug” bothers, clearly “doug” is the metaphorical equivalent of an 800 pound gorilla in a china shop.
Since I’m fairly sure “doug” won’t quite understand what that means, I will continue to laugh at “doug”‘s misunderstanding of reality.
However, “doug”, truly it’s the DEMOCRATS that brand themselves as victims, and the LIBERALS in Canada that play that exact same stupid game. It is truly tragic, “doug”, that your partisan blindness extends so far.
I’d certainly take some of those Republican values: tax cuts, a military, intervention against brutal dictators, lack of respect for liberals and their foul agenda, attempts to repair badly damaged social programs, and many others. I doubt I’ll ever see that from Canada during my lifetime.
This Canada we see today has no spine.
Quebecers voted massively for John Diefenbaker from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.
Quebecers will vote for Conservatives from the west.
One should beware of insulting a people who were partners in 1867 when the central government based in Ottawa was first arranged.
Quebec is and will remain a partner with all the other provinces. The paramount fact is that the central government must give up the charade of centrality and allow de-centralization of powers to the provinces.
The Liberals know this; but are clinging to power; the Bloc is their mortal enemy.
Unite with the Bloc; let us take back our country.
Harper may have his faults, I’ll admit, but the biggest problem with the CPC is their communications dep’t. I used to work on the Hill when the Reform Party was up there. Guess what, they have the SAME communications clowns working up there as they did 11 years ago. They could not get the message out for Manning or Stockwell Day, and now Harper. I don’t know why they have not all been fired – to me the communications dep’t always was useless and they continue to prove me right.
For what it’s worth I see there’s been a shakeup in the Conservative press office.
But let’s be frank. It’s not as if the CBC, the Globe and Mail and CTV are desperate to stop whoring for the Liberals, and only the shortcomings of the Conservative press office are preventing them from being honest. And it’s not the Conservatives that compel Ontario to think and vote as the television instructs them. The Conservatives are trying to fight a free election in a country with a controlled press. They’re not doing badly. And you, the kid in his parent’s basement pontificating on the computer, don’t know how to do it any better.
It is not Stephen Harper who is the problem. Be it Day, Mullrney, Manning, or PET reincarnated, the leader of any conservative party in this nation or in any of the provinces will be pilloried and defamed. To use Mr. Harper as an example, were he to follow the presciption set out by the chorus – i.e. he has no passion, he is a raving lunitic – and become what it is they percieve a “leader” to be, they would soon find a therapist who would brand him as bipolar at best and more probably skitso.
I decided after the last elaction that what the voters of Ontario (I am one) wanted was not a cogent discussion of the issues facing this nation but images of Stephen Harper cavorting with puppies. How can anyone who plays with puppies have a hidden agenda. I fancy a script which as follows:
Stephen Harper galivants, cavorts and gamboles with various and sundry breeds of cute little puppies. The voice over: “I’m Stephen Harper. I would like to frankly discuss all the important issues facing this nation, but i think you would be more swayed by this blatantly manipulative imagry. That said, I will leave you with one passing thought. My opponents will tell you that a vote for them will make this country a heaven on earth. A vote for them will make all your prolems a thing of the past. In short Ladies and Gentlmen, this is a crock of excretia. I ask you a simple question; who is better able to make a better life for you and yours? Yourself or The Liberal Party in its infinite wisdom – all evidence to the contray.”
k: You are correct about the CPC communication people. Tim Powers and Jeff Norquay can’t think on their feet . The sleezy Rick Anderson , is a liberal, he does not speak for Conservatives. The CPC might be able to hire Dave Rutherford, he would be able to get out the message with precision and he could counter any hack that crossed his path. I hope someone from the CPC is reading this blog, everyone here has the same opinion of our Communication people.
Doug Laddie..off the progressive Koolaid…you said but did you mean that you honestly believe that the REPUBS in the USA spew a rant about their victimization…SHEESH…were you on a different planet when BUBBA cLINTON AND THE HILDEBEAST ,day after day for eight long years turned the victimization talking points in an artform…anybody remember the..”VAST RIGHT WING CONSPIRACY “…DOUG is your last name TROLL or do you just look and smell like one????…EH
What Canada needs is a Rush Limbaugh. OK, time is short, depending on the election date, and the next best thing would be–footsoldiers!!
Call your local conservative member and Set aside 1or2 evenings per week to canvass.
Cut out blatant lies&disinfo from the newspapers(theres tons) AND talk to everyone that will listen.
gabbing on blogs is fun and informative but really is preaching to the choir, and the few slimeral plants.
I told you so 🙂 See my post above. Here’s what the National Post editorial says today:
“Rather, we imagine the trouble lies with how the message is being delivered. Mr. Harper is a glum, moody figure who has shown little enthusiasm for the rituals of mass-media politics and for the simple glad-handing expected of party chiefs. And instead of hiring communications staff who make up for these weaknesses, he has hired glum, clannish people who reinforce them.”