The Star’s Susan Delacourt, the writer with “Ottawa insider” at all times written all over her, writes about the “buzzing” in “political circles” over the impending resignations of two Conservative ministers from the west and a western MP. The danger, you see, is that the Conservatives have packed up their belongings and relocated east to The Boogeyman’s Palace:
What may be most interesting about this news is the signal that Harper’s government increasingly is rooted in Ontario, and in particular, Mike Harris’s Ontario…
“Mike Harris’s Ontario” – the perfect pseudo-geographical intended-scare-phrase talking point for any anti-Conservative with Ottawa insider written all over her.
Alberta Aardvark:
If the PM found a cure for cancer, the Toronto Star would write an op-ed on how he is putting doctors out of work…
Pretty much.
Remember back when folks here had a problem with Liberals wooing ethnic voter blocs? One wonders: is it still such a scandal when it’s the Harper Conservatives doing it?
Liberal soreheads can’t bear the fact the Conservatives are taking over Ontario, the province the Liberals have owned for the past few decades. It’s partly due to the immigrant saturation in Toronto where Liberals have been known to use scare tactics to ensure they vote Liberal. The immigrants are no longer so ill informed.
Well, if spending and federal hiring can be used as indicators, all the pink tories and Liberals can rest assured that the direction Harper is heading in has little to do with Harris’s brand of conservatism…
Another Canadian journalist who is professional only in the oldest sense of the word.
CBC let this week’s lib war room talking point out of the bag to soon. This week’s talking point is this: Harper’s government is to western, got that? Now keep in mind three Con MPs are retiring, yes that’s the word not resigning CTV, thus should the retards at lib headquarters really be picking on western values and it’s people?
Mike Harris’s Ontario? Isn’t that the place created by Bob Rae’s Ontario?
Liz J: *Exactly.*
Davenport: The Harper Conservatives have never twigged the immigration system by mass-importing “family reunification” immigrants in the interests of shoring up particularly close ridings – like those on the outskirts of Vancouver – like the Liberals did. It’s a gratuitous and empty point to suggest that the Conservatives, by trying to get Canadian immigrants to vote Conservative, are doing the same thing as the Liberals did.
I suggest that reasonable Canadians increasingly understand the vast difference between the Conservatives and the Liberals when it comes to the nature of *how* they court the immigrant vote.
The Conservatives aren’t looking for Grandmas and Grandpas and extended cousins overseas; they’re looking for productive immigrants, even as the immigration system is still stocked with Liberal-minded bureaucrats.
A special SDA rimshot goes out to andycanuck and Stan…
Yes Andy it is, or rather it was. Squinty McLiar of the Librano McLiar clan turned it back into a broke, weak, whining, impotent government dependency again.
Isn’t it interesting how these retiring Conservatives are suddenly “respected, seasoned voices of political civility” whereas they, along with all other Conservatives, were not long ago derided as knuckle-draggers who, compared to the Liberals, had probably never even read a book, let alone written one.
[Wrong thread, Maz – EBD]
Great point, NeilD.
Liz I posted on a CBC thread that new immigrants vote for the Party that let them in. Then they have kids and start to think about their future.
I don’t even live in Harris’s Ontario. Is the Star that far in the past?
bring on the election . . . Iggy has the politcal abilities of a bag of hammers, Layton is a parody of a hoary old socialist pining for social justice and union rights . . . both are vulnerable.
Iggy has a real problem with his hard core Liberal bastion in Toronto being flanked by the Ford Nation and Layton still hasn’t figured out socialism doesn’t work – unless you are like him and his wife and have a double lip-lock on the public teat.
It is OK for him to be rich, because some socialists are more equal than ordinary taxpayers.
Correction to Alberta Aardvark:
“If Harper discovered INSULIN, he would be decried for putting funeral home operators out of work!!”
The imputed election SPECULATION due to the announcements by MPs Cummins, Strahl and Day is just more MSM overdrive, so they can preach to the choir on the ‘nastiness of Conservatives’; as only Liberals are caring and compassionate about money…er I mean people.
Next MSM headline “Harper’s diesel smells like sulphur…” etc etc
Of the course the constant mantra is that only LIEberals (thank you Senator Lavigne) can manage your money better than you can.
Just another talking point charade, on how a Liberal government is your salvation…
This is simple MSM marketing ‘fluff and stuff’
Meanwhile the search for the Higgs boson or “God Particle” continues as the MSM orchestrates its version of the Large Political Collider…
Cheers
Hans-Christian Georg Rupprecht, Commander in Chief
1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”
Idiot libs tend to forget – wishful thinking – how popular Mike Harris was in Ontario with two election victories, and likely a third if he hadn’t handed the party over to a guy who acted as if the whole thing had been a mistake.
Contrary to the national stereotype, there are millions of conservatives in this province.
“I don’t even live in Harris’s Ontario. Is the Star that far in the past”?
Apparently so, Mike Harris retired in 2001. What do you expect, blame George W Bush?
Please bring back the Mike Harris Ontario. We were a ‘have’ province with adults in charge.
Mike Harris did not have a history of serial lying like Mr. McGuinty and his corrupt government.
Teachers hated him because he sought to hold them accountable, what a novel concept!
Of course the liberal media enabled them and their lies about it being “all about the children”. Laughable nonsense.
Alberta Aardvark, excellent point, but replace “doctors” with “nurses” for a more vulnerable and attractive victim set.
EBD, agreed, rimshot to andycanuck and Stan. They sum it up beautifully. I would suggest that Stan’s description would equally apply to the the federal Liberals for even giving Rae consideration as potential party leader.
The Boogeyman’s Palace, is when Ottawa is transformed by those horrible boogeymen, the Oil Shieks of Alberta, and force all the leftwing parasitic socialists in Eastern Canada to pay for their own sex change operations, and then go after them with coathangers, and the back alleys of Hogtown are piled high with the victims of Dr. Feelgood, and his little bag of potions and snakeoils. The Oil Shieks are coming to Ontario, best check under your bed every night, poor widdle bed wetting handwringing leftwing socialist nitwits…
The Red Star is STILL mad at Harris.
The grudge knows no limits.
these (J)urnalists should just wear lieberal T-shirts, as they are the lieberal water carriers
Davenport said: “Remember back when folks here had a problem with Liberals wooing ethnic voter blocs?”
Yep, I remember that. I remember them changing the immigration rules to bring in more too.
Difference between talking to the people already here, and importing new ones by the ship-full. “Vote for me, I’ll get your whole fambly over here and on welfare by next year! Hell, bring the whole village, its all good.”
Your stratagems and straw men are becoming ever more threadbare by the day, dear Davenport. Maybe you should question some of your unexamined assumptions some day, just for the sake of doing something different. You know, as a novelty.
Phantasmo
Me strongly suspects that Davenport and Beagle draw some type of remuneration for hanging-out in these parts. They never truly engage in conversation, yet they live under Kate’s bridge. I wonder why someone would spend so much time with people they view as (take your pick). One would think that life living under the bridge would get tiresome after a few years.
Where was Stephen Harper when the Lindbergh baby went missing? I’m just asking questions!
BM, I am pretty sure he was evicting poor farmers or perhaps he was busy abducting Amelia Earwig the noted aviatrix.
Ah, so the media has provided him with an alibi. How convenient.
EBD: “The Harper Conservatives have never twigged the immigration system by mass-importing “family reunification” immigrants in the interests of shoring up particularly close ridings – like those on the outskirts of Vancouver – like the Liberals did.”
The Phantom: “Difference between talking to the people already here, and importing new ones by the ship-full.”
Actually, immigration levels have gone up since Harper came into office. True, as EBD says, the numbers have jumped in the “economic immigrants” group and dropped slightly in the “family class” group, but logically, that’s neither here nor there if we’re talking about courting ethnic voters. Folks here didn’t really distinguish before between courting working-age ethnic voters and their elderly parents; they just didn’t like that the Liberals were going after — and getting — their votes at all. Called it “pandering” that the Liberals would differentiate voters by ethnic background. Sometimes even called it “racist.”
But now, confronted with hard evidence that the Conservatives are doing the exact same thing — i.e., “talking to the people already here, AND importing new ones by the ship-full” — suddently it’s totally OK to target voters by ethnicity. “Because, you know, they’re economically productive ethnic voters. Whom, um, obviously we actually didn’t mind the Liberals trying to court back in the day. Just the grandparents and extended cousins. Yeah, right, that’s it. Our problem all along was the Liberals padding the voter registry with ethnic grandparents and extended cousins. But padding the voter registry with economically productive immigrants — totally cool with that.”
Don’t forget to stretch first, guys. Those goalposts you’re frantically trying to shift can be quite heavy.
By the way, Phantom, even back in 2006, the number of new entrants under the “economic immigrant” class outnumbered those in the “family class” 2 to 1. Typically, this meant a productive immigrant couple + their child or elderly parent. The “Hell, bring the whole village, its all good” scenario that you paint is alas but a self-serving myth.
The Harris Common Sense Revolution was a contemporary to the Reform movement out west.
Clement would have impressed me if his tweet was not an attempt to distance himself from Harris. Time for another Common Sense Revolution.
Davenport said: “…but logically, that’s neither here nor there if we’re talking about courting ethnic voters.”
Oooo, logic! Lets see, does an “economic” immigrant have the same interest in the welfare system and the medical system and all the other social safety hammock crap that a “family class” immigrant would have? Does an “economic” immigrant have the same interest in having more immigration that a “family class” immigrant does?
So, do the present class of immigrants coming here to get a frickin’ job and a life have any interest whatsoever in the laundry list of Liberal social “justice” balderdash being spouted by Count Iggula and his merry band of cutthroats?
I’m thinking no, myself. They have no more in common with the Liberals than I do, because they are in the same boat I’m in. Over taxed, over regulated, losing freedoms every day.
I just noticed that Davenport also said: “Whom, um, obviously we actually didn’t mind the Liberals trying to court back in the day.”
Yeah, because we’re all such a bunch of RACISTS!!!! right?
I don’t think I like talking to you Davenport. You’re hateful.
Nobody seems to be arguing against the notion that that the Liberals allowed heavy immigration “in the interests of shoring up particularly close ridings – like those on the outskirts of Vancouver” to quote EBD @10:30 (I assume this is a reference to Tamils among others). Have the conservatives done the equivalent? Are there any reliably Conservative-voting populations who’ve been granting visas and been poured into certain ridings for the purpose of swinging elections? (I’m genuinely asking, I don’t know; I don’t put most anything past most any politician.)
That would be one thing, quite a shocking abuse of the immigration system. Simply looking for ways to appeal to various demographics is something else entirely – that’s just normal politicking.
The Phantom: “Lets see, does an “economic” immigrant have the same interest in the welfare system and the medical system and all the other social safety hammock crap that a “family class” immigrant would have?”
Actually, yes. Survey data indicate that immigrants, “economic” class or otherwise, are as supportive of Canada’s social programs as any other Canadian. It’s actually a frequently invoked reason why many immigrate here — to provide a better life for themselves and their (future) families.
“Does an “economic” immigrant have the same interest in having more immigration that a “family class” immigrant does?”
Actually, yes. The typical pattern is that “economic” immigrants emigrate first, establish themselves in their new homes, and then seek to bring their loved ones (parents, family, etc.) over. What, “economic” immigrants somehow don’t have aging parents, or spouses, or children?
“So, do the present class of immigrants coming here to get a frickin’ job and a life have any interest whatsoever in the laundry list of Liberal social “justice” balderdash being spouted by Count Iggula and his merry band of cutthroats? I’m thinking no, myself.”
Congratulations, Phantom, you’ve managed to shift the goalposts so far that you’re now making my argument for me — not only conceding that Conservatives are as active in courting ethnic voters as Liberals were (and still are), but actually claiming they have a good reason for doing so (their policies better align with ethnic immigrants’ interests). I have a feeling, though, that you don’t actually realize you’re doing so.
“Yeah, because we’re all such a bunch of RACISTS!!!! right?”
Oh dear, it seems you’ve completely lost the thread now. Try reading my comment again, Phantom, except this time, turn on your sarcasm detection meter first. And perhaps re-read EBD’s 10:30 AM reply to me as well, so you understand the context.
“So, do the present class of immigrants coming here to get a frickin’ job and a life have any interest whatsoever in the laundry list of Liberal social “justice” balderdash being spouted by Count Iggula and his merry band of cutthroats? I’m thinking no, myself.”
Congratulations, Phantom, you’ve managed to shift the goalposts so far that you’re now making my argument for me — not only conceding that Conservatives are as active in courting ethnic voters as Liberals were (and still are), but actually claiming they have a good reason for doing so (their policies better align with ethnic immigrants’ interests).
Nope, he was making a general statement about what he thinks a group of people’s motivations might be for voting a certain way. Nothing about Conservatives trying to hook them.
No Davenport, I think I understood you pretty well. You’ve got a lengthy pattern of making oblique accusations of racism just like this one, and I’m sick of it. Stand up and say it if you mean it, shut up about it if you don’t.
Mamba, right on.
If only people would vote for whom favors their Country.
I favor Canada .
What is Best for Canada.
That is what I want my PM to do.
Don’t send me money.
Please don’t ask me for money.
I’ll just pay my taxes.
And you do what is best for Canada.
Davenport gives credence to the Hillary Clinton story about it “Takes a village idiot to raise a child”. He comes from downtown Toronto no doubt.
The Phantom: “You’ve got a lengthy pattern of making oblique accusations of racism just like this one, and I’m sick of it. Stand up and say it if you mean it, shut up about it if you don’t.”
Sigh. Fine, I will be clear: I’m not accusing folks here of being racist — I think political parties, whether Conservative or Liberal or NDP or otherwise, targeting their messaging to different demographics, including specific ethnic communities, is perfectly legitimate.
I am, however, accusing folks here of holding a double standard — condemning the Liberals when they courted “ethnic voters”, but giving the Conservatives a pass when they do it.
What’s particularly amusing is that when faced with evidence of the latter, the nature of the criticism of the Liberals magically morphs, from the general “they pandered to ethnic voter blocs” to the more nuanced “they jacked up immigration levels to pad the number of Liberal voters, and then pandered to said ethnic voter blocs.” And when faced with evidence that immigration levels have actually increased under the Harper Conservative government, the nature of the criticism of the Liberals magically morphs again, from “they jacked up immigration levels to pad the number of Liberal voters” to “they jacked up family class immigration to pad the number of Liberal voters” (as though the Conservatives jacking up economic class immigration wouldn’t possibly achieve exactly the same effect at the ballot box).
The purpose of my comment wasn’t to “make oblique accusations of racism”, it was to make an explicit accusation of hypocrisy. Re-read my first post at 9:30am yesterday if you’re still confused.
Is that clear enough for you?
“Is that clear enough for you?”
No, Davenport, sorry, you’ll have to type slower. There are many reasons for fluctuations in immigration levels, many reasons for the way immigration patterns work out, and many confusions (I’m confused) as to exactly how the political system works vis-a-vis whatever (who makes practical decisions on immigration – the House? the PMO? some bureaucrat? How long does this sort of thing take to kick in in a practical way? Cui bobo? from which immigrants and how? Who votes for whom?)
The question, to quote EBD @10:30, is whether “The Harper Conservatives” have ever “rigged the immigration system by mass-importing “family reunification” immigrants in the interests of shoring up particularly close ridings – like those on the outskirts of Vancouver – like the Liberals did…?”
My guess is that the answer is “no”. Simply quoting increases in overall immigration stats. doesn’t make the basic point go away.
Black Mamba: “The question, to quote EBD @10:30, is whether “The Harper Conservatives” have ever “rigged the immigration system by mass-importing “family reunification” immigrants in the interests of shoring up particularly close ridings – like those on the outskirts of Vancouver – like the Liberals did…?” My guess is that the answer is “no”. Simply quoting increases in overall immigration stats. doesn’t make the basic point go away.”
EBD’s “basic point” presupposes that the Liberals actually did “rig the immigration system.” That’s an assumption that, while popular among certain folks here and elsewhere, is in fact unsubstantiated.
Davenport said: “The purpose of my comment wasn’t to “make oblique accusations of racism”, it was to make an explicit accusation of hypocrisy.”
Uh huh. “You’re not a racist, just a HYPOCRITE!!!” Whatever.
Not satisfied with that, Davenport then said: “EBD’s “basic point” presupposes that the Liberals actually did “rig the immigration system.” That’s an assumption that, while popular among certain folks here and elsewhere, is in fact unsubstantiated.”
See, this is where you start to p-ss me off. -Your- assumption is we’re a bunch of racists and its so deep you can’t even admit it to yourself.
Liberals did not “rig” the system. Nobody says they rigged it.
They changed it to match their policy, which is mass immigration. That policy is in place because it supports all their other policies, most of which are based on divide and conquer, vote buying, victimology and the whole pantheon of multi-culti-social justice sacred cows. All of which are pointed to the single aim of ever-increasing power. Staying in office, expanding government, raising taxes, the lot.
None of which are good for Canada as a country, or good for me as a tax payer. I’m getting screwed and the country is getting destroyed.
But in your eyes it all boils down to me being a RACIST because I don’t support Liberal policy. If you can’t admit there might be other reasons than pure race hatred for opposing the Liberals, then you are a blind partisan, probably on government payroll in some capacity, and ultimately not worth the powder to blow you to hell.
Opposition to mass immigration is not about the immigrants. Its about the unfavorable cost/benefit involved in importing dependents into an already strained social “safety net” which will lead inevitably to bankruptcy, AND the equally inevitable personal and cultural destruction that comes from paying people to lie in the social safety net instead of working.
Basically, grow up.