They’re talking about Sponsorship….
I’m listening on radio, so perhaps Harper has revolving red eyes, horns sprouting and green slime oozing out of his ears, but on the off chance he isn’t..
He’s kicking Martin’s ass.
Update: on farming now.
So far, Martin’s best jab was quoting the old Harper speech. Nice rebuttal, though. Throwing the “questioning his patriotism” charge in his face.
Duceppe is really hurting Martin with this hair-splitting over the use of the word “nation”.
(Can Jack “it’s time” Layton be any more nonspecific in his “solutions”?)
Martin is sssttttttaaammering now… and saying nothing in the process. Any mention of Gomery seems to do that to him.
AND… Martin is going to be facing a firestorm tomorrow, after his announcement that his government would reopen the constitution to remove the “notwithstanding clause”.
Monte Solberg grabs Rosemary Thompson’s blackberry;
“Oops breaking news. Paul says his new number one priority is childcare. Well, childcare and education. I guess they have knocked values and aboriginal issues out of one and two.”
“Or is it gassing the nothwithstanding clause. What happened to Paul’s committment to use the clause to protect religious freedom if the Supremes ever started to erode those freedoms. Can’t have it both ways Paul.”
“Better go now. Rosemary is missing her BlackBerry so.”
Did I just hear that Martin and Harper were “trying to outbid each other with your money” – come out of the mouth of Jack Layton??? Even hardcore NDP must have swallowed hard at that one.
Other good catches in the comments.
We’ve had Martin call Aboriginals the root cause of poverty
I heard that too. That has the makings of a Conservative campaign ad.
He is a Quebecer but he is from Essex county as well.
Paul Martin just called for the abolition of democracy in Canada. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Andrew Anderson:”it seems to me that Prime Minister Paul Martin made a new promise tonight: a Liberal government will Americanize the Canadian justice system by doing away with the “Not Withstanding Clause”. This will open us to all of the problems present in the US Supreme Court, the largest of which is the horrendous and long-term political impact of appointing new justices.”
A dissenting opinion from ” garhaneg”;
I guess everyone sees the same event their own way. I was reminded of a good skater coming down from a triple on one good solid foot that sprays the ice as he swirls away.
Martin, at long last, apologized for the hugely overblown scandal, such as it was, and lectured the others to grow up and move on, as he sped away from what was once thought to be his nemesis.
I like it. Stand up for Medicare and Vote Liberal, unless the NDP has a really good chance in your riding.
Interesting point. I wonder, then, in light of the recent Supreme Court decision, if the writer would be comfortable with a federal government that is unable to invoke the Nothwithstanding Clause to offset, or delay a court ruling opening wide the door to private “for profit” health care in Canada?
Morning after thoughts at Canadian Sentinel.
WOW! Martin has imploded! “MY VALUES ARE THE SAME AS QUEBECERS WHETHER THEY LIKE IT OR NOT!”
“By the way…doesn’t my swaying make me look like I’m about to break into song?”
Did anyone else catch Martin say that the lack of federal funding to aboriginals is the “root cause of poverty.”
If Canadians are still willing to vote for this dancing baffoon after tonight, well, I guess I just “don’t share their values.”
Paulie is saying “vey,very” an awfull lot.
I loved it when Mr. Harper called PM on the fact that twice he has tried to engage Mr Duceppe in a debate (during this debate)and that fact was that Mr. Duceppe HAD challanged PM to a debate and Paulie turned him down! Mr. Harper said he had expecpted the challenge. GO! HARPER! GO! Paulie’s going to pee anytime soon…..Haper looks VERY GOOD!
Paul “SAY ANYTHING’ Martin
Oh my goodness, is there any position this guy hasnt held?
I am beginning to miss da little guy from shawinigan….he did this schtick so much better.
Hey Layton – the NDP HAS been our third choice for 40 years. Take the hint.
“Uh, uh, the fact is, uh….”. If Martin flails his arms just a little faster, he might develop enough airspeed to fly around the room.
Can’t believe what I’m hearing. We’ve had Martin call Aboriginals the root cause of poverty, we’ve got Jack talking simpleton rhetoric, finishing off each answer with paraphrasing “vote for me”, and we have Gilles basically radicalizing the Quebec electorate. Holy smokes, I smell a Conservative majority.
Martin wants American style system where courts make the laws. Interesting.
Haven’t read the posts but did anyone else here Martin call Quebec a Nation?
Dam straight Kate!! The idiot cut his own throat with with the not-withstanding proposition!!!!
It’s only a matter of time until the Liberal courpse bleeds out, about two weeks I guess!!!
Syncro
SDC,
At least he isnt doing the “girlie” cheer….you know the one where the upper arms are kept close to the body while the forearms flail….
Harper’s good! “Every day in this campaign,we have had a sound double policy announcement”. The other parties are now jumping on board and using our policies. Close to those words….
Notwithstanding Clause jsut about burned whatever credibility this guy had.
Imagine it came from a brainwave Scott Reid had while he was tossing a ball in the air laying on his bed thinking about how he can get back in the big guys books.
Get rid of the of the Notwithsatnding Clause….yeah thats the ticket…..
God whats next? They will SAY ANYTHING….ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING
Duceppe clearly fears the potential of the Consevatives in Quebec, with his attempt at trying to include the Conservatives in the Options Canada Scandal. Interesting, because the Bloq would be deprived of their 50% + 1 of the vote in Quebec.
Watching this last bit on Global website: Martin does not sound too good but I sadly note that the opening statements ratings on the Global site has him at 3 stars and everyone else only 2???
closing statements, Harper sounds cool calm and above the schoolyard bickering. Go Stephen!
Good closing statement by Harper, a little self depreciation and solid policy statement to end. The impression that’s left………A man with ideas who isn’t arrogant or smug…..I smell majority!!!!!
Syncro
The Notwithstanding Clause…..kiss Paulie’s Quebec support goodbye…..oh my goodness….
Kiss Landslide Annie Goodbye
Kate….what will the effect on Ralph be.
What a stupid stupid move….typical Liberal promise…promise something you’ll never have to fulfill. Alberta, Quebec absolutely against it.
So Martin is willing to live with Challoui?
What a freakin muddle……….
Harper won. And Duceppe is right, Quebec is a Nation. So hold a referendum. Good luck to us all
Oh, I am SO enjoying watching that weasel Martin roast slowly on a spit in front of the media for a change 🙂
http://www.answers.com/topic/section-thirty-three-of-the-canadian-charter-of-rights-and-freedoms?gwp=19
A little off the topic. The first debate Layton mentioned Ed Broadbent’s accountability act at every chance he could. Not one mention tonight. Any thoughts from this crowd to an explanation?
Hey how about promising to get rid of the reserve power of the GG
Oh my goodness listening to this guy talk about the Notwithstanding clause……….now religous freedoms are being said to be paramount…..so who decides when this paramount religous freedom runs into a paramount individual right….the court…there are no absolutes here..typical Liberal response, the court made me do it….
Martin looked waaaaay to angry, and scary! He looked like he could bite the head off of a live rat! Now we’ve seen his hidden agenda with the not withstanding clause!
Jeff-
“Haven’t read the posts but did anyone else here Martin call Quebec a Nation?”
If I heard it correctly he said: “I’ve used the word nation, Ive said it many times before”.
He just scared the shit out of most canadians over 35 who remember the constitutional battles of the 80’s.
I can’t imagine anyone wanting to return to the divisions of this period.
Syncro
Layton sure seemed proud of his SMALL CAUCUS!!
it drives me frikking nuts when Martin claims to be from Quebec, which he often does. he was born in Windsor, Ontario! it’s almost like he’s ashamed of that little factoid. what a maroon.
Pre vs Post IPSO-Reid on-line poll question: If election held tomorrow who would win? Funny, the totals equal 101% ???
The interviews with toronto barflyies scares me. Must be the water up there.
Layton and sometimes Martin seemed intent on stoking class warfare: Layton: “we will work for working people” (what, my family is not a working family because we are not “working”class); Martin: we will take money from the well off and “redistribute” it; Canada is not a “fend for yourself country”?
These socialists/marxists/communists should be called out for what they are.
Communism: a great Canadian value – puke
Stephen Harper won this debate hands down. Cool, articulate, honest and standing his ground on the issues, laying them out completely once again, standing for the average Canadian.
Paul Martin is TOAST after that irrational remark about the nothwithstanding clause.
Jack Layton, oh, Jack Layton….what an idiot…
Kelly,
Have you been to Windsor? :->
Didnt you hear him tonight…he is a Quebecer but he is from Essex county as well…a farming family no less…..ick
Gilles Duceppe?? Trying hard to paint the Conservatives in a bad light due to the polls showing them coming along in Quebec… Gilles did not do himself any good except for nailing the Liberals for their scandals..and rightly so.
The French Debates tomorrow night are his area to shine, but separation and the talk of “We are a nation” do nothing for me regarding the unity of Canada.
They are not a nation. They are a PROVINCE in THIS nation and it is time they understood that.
Duceppe has legitimate concerns regarding provincial issues, but this talk ” WE are a NATION” loses me completely!
Paul Martin wants to get rid of the NOTWITHSTANDING CLAUSE…
He wants to give All the powers to judges who are UNELECTED ..Political Patronage hacks…
And THERE we have it!
Paul Martin wants to get rid of the NOTWITHSTANDING CLAUSE…
He wants to give All the powers to judges who are UNELECTED ..Political Patronage hacks…
And THERE we have it!
abolish the not withstanding clause? he’s showing his true colors now and when the hell did that come up? as I understand it that clause is the only recourse governments have against the SCoC. anyone wanna talk about hidden agendas now?
The average Canadian does not understand or ever care about the specifics of the constitution. It is too detailed and convoluted.
However, the average Canadian understands a cut in the GST to 5%, $1,200 for childcare, tax credit for transit users and hockey moms.
Conservative majority coming up!
Jack Layton: “We are concerned about Canada’s working families . . .”
Me (to TV): “Well, Jack, why don’t you ask Bev Desjarlais about ‘Canada’s working families’?”
We thought Martin had pretty much lost it (all that sputtering, and the arms-flailing thing was really bad) and that Harper was great, really relaxed; it was funny (in a sad kind of way) to watch the Global post-program and see Harper get downgraded, and Martin get upgraded, over the course of the half-hour. And one of the Toronto barflies: “I’d pretty much made up my mind to vote against the Liberals, but now Martin’s made me reconsider, I’m so confused” . . . you’ve *got* to be kidding!
As P. J. O’Rourke wrote apropos of the 1990 Nicaraguan election (when everyone thought the Sandinistas would win): “One thing about being conservative, at least you can’t be disappointed by ‘the people’.”
Kate, I love this site. I have never posted here before – happy to remain in the background observing the intelligent banter. Tonight’s debate sealed the deal for me – I am now officially scared of another Liberal government, minority or otherwise.
I can’t possibly describe the betryal I am feeling towards our own Prime Minister….
I encourage everyone to check out my Blog comments at http://cronicbny.blogspot.com as I couldn’t possibly type anything more relevant.
To a point – The Notwithstanding clause is the only thing that made the Charter remotely palpable. The courts have, for far too long, had too much power in this country.
I am honestly scared. We MUST vote for anyone except the Liberal party. Democracy requires a voice for the people. Paul Martin suggests we should give our collective voices to the courts and the courts alone.
Sheer idiocy.
I agree with most everything posted thus far, but why do I get a feeling in the pit of my stomach that Ontarians saw a different debate? I get it every election…
Also, nothing said so far about Martin’s apparent need to grab “500,000 handguns” from collectors throughout Canada (see: law-abiding citizens) to protect Toronto citizenry. If it’s the guns that kill people, my keyboard causes all of my spelling mistakes. Punish the criminals… please!
Best line of the debate has to go to Gilles, speaking to Martin:
“You campaign like an NDP and govern like a Tory.”
Anyone got a job opening for a slightly used finance minister?
Looks rough but runs(away!) well.
Has some international shipping experience, including but not limited to moving flags around. Willing to say “anything” for the job, and very loyal….no matter how corrupt you are!!
Also bilingual tells two versions of same story depending the audiences needs!
Flexible.
Does anybody get the impression that Martin is being set up by his own party? Maybe they don’t mind sitting this one out because they know what a liability he is. I can’t believe he pulled the NWC issue out of the hat. Somebody must have known he wanted to do away with it. And who would want the flakes on the bench having the ultimate authority? What a scary country Martin’s Canada has become.
Good one Paul!
After watching that would it ever be refeshing to have Stephen Harper represent us on the international stage. Martin, and Chretien before him were / are embarassments.
Wade, perhaps this will answer your question.
Harper was asked by reporters as to what areas the NDP and Conservatives could agree on to work together. Harper’s reply was ethics, integrity, & etc. A neat reply by Harper. Layton in effect said, No way would Layton work with Harper on ethics. Here is CBC:
Harper says he could find common ground with NDP
Last Updated Thu, 05 Jan 2006 21:56:55 EST
CBC News
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper has suggested he could find common ground with the NDP if the Tories were elected to lead a minority government.
Harper said Thursday he would be willing to work with the NDP on issues such as ethics and accountability.
“They saw the wisdom of defeating the present government we have today, so I would hope they would see the wisdom of making the next federal government work better,” Harper said after a news conference in Toronto.
“The federal NDP, regardless of the philosophical differences I have with them on a range of issues, has long been concerned with ethics and integrity in politics …There is an example of a matter I hope to work with them [on].”
NDP Leader Jack Layton repeatedly deflected questions on Thursday about working with a Conservative government.
Instead, he said the Tories have little in common with the NDP and are “offside with the views of a great majority of Canadians” on most issues, including abortion. >>>
http://www.cbc.ca/story/canadavotes2006/national/2006/01/05/harper-layton060105.html
Saying he would remove the notwithstanding clause should be the nail in the coffin. I just hope the general public figure out what it means in the next 2 weeks.
I can’t believe too many people would be willing to allow unelected judges decide everything for us.
ridersrqr8
Canadians had better find out what deleting the Notwithstanding Clause means. Parliament would be neutered and become nothing more than an advisory council to the ruling non-elected supreme court.
By the way, when did we become a nation of minorities?
I thought we were a nation of Canadians.
The abandon the Notwithstanding Clause must be right out of left field. Ask your Liberal MP whether that has ever been discussed in caucus. I will Thursday evening.
Western Critic, I agree 100%. The last two PM’s have been a embarrassment. Mr. Harper will make us proud when he represents us on the international stage.
Hey I would be for eliminating the NWC….if we had confirmation of judges, proper oversight on the comittee reviewing them, a strong history of bipartisanship and clear seperation of powers….i.e. we lived in the United States.
We dont? then leave it in there and if you dont want to use it when you are in government then don’t.