64 Replies to ““Conservatives Need These Policy Pivots””

  1. That was a dumb article.
    Particularly things like this…
    The unemployment rate was higher when Harper left then when he started. Income growth was barely above inflation rates.
    Harper took office in 2006, when the economy was booming and unemployment was as low as it had been in thirty years. Then the Great Recession hit, which took years for the global economy to recover from. No Prime Minister, no matter what their policies, could have shown better numbers at the end of that tenure than at the beginning.

  2. Want a big idea that resonates like that cut to the GST did?
    Promise to end income tax source deductions on anyone earning $14 an hour or less.
    You could call it the conservative minimum wage law.
    The concept is those earning $14 or less seeing $0 as the amount of income tax deducted off their pay, and the socialists in the LPC and the NDP trying to argue against it.

  3. I’m not in love with the idea of deficit spending to fund tax cuts but would support it as a ‘foot in the door’ approach to cutting government services….
    …and cutting government services is our real issue here. Let’s face it. People who work for the gov are the Canadian elite. Premium hours, cush vacations, great benefits, fab salaries. They’re the envy of many and that’s a real issue because the truth is they’re vultures of the real – albeit fewer and fewer – real producers we have left.
    Good read though. I’m so tired of the only way Canadian Cons differentiating themselves from everyone else is via fiscal responsibility.
    I’m ready for a Trump-In-A-Toque willing to tell the media here to straight up f-off!
    This boat could use some rocking before it sinks.

  6. The article forgets to mention the powerful influence of the Mafia, Organized crime in general and of course the gatekeepers of the Trudopian State, Peeair Trudo Supreme Court. It would be great to see a new Reform Party, one that wouldn’t commit suicide just before they succeed. Alas that’s not going to happen. The Cons could promise “electoral reform”, but the corrupt corporate Media would attack them viciously on this Liberal Party ‘promise” as “electoral reform” is a threat to the Liberal hegemony. Unfortunately, Trudopia needs a counter revolution and that isn’t going to happen. Trudopia is too far gone, too corrupt for change to happen. Get ready for more PM Anus and his actor sock puppet friend, Justine the retard and their Media friends and enablers. Trudopia was born corrupt and it will stay corrupt, thinking it can be changed or reformed is a mugs game, it cannot.

  7. About the only salient point in the article is that Andrew Sheer is a no show. The rest of it has all the appeal of a dead skunk on a dance floor. The point of fact is that Canadians are not attracted to policy. They are attracted to personality. If the politician has the personality of say a Ralph Klein or Brad Wall and Stephen Harper they will do well. If they have the personality of Stephan Dion or Paul Martin or Michael Ignatieff they will do very poorly.

  8. Neither reasons nor excuses change the fact that the situation was what it was: at the time of the election the Conservative government didn’t have an great economic situation to put in front of the electorate and say, “See, you are better off with us.” Doesn’t matter whose fault it really is or how true this is, “Look, it would have been worse if we weren’t in charge” just doesn’t get out as many votes.

  9. I’m ready for a Trump-In-A-Toque willing to tell the media here to straight up f-off!
    This boat could use some rocking before it sinks
    Totally agree. What’s the worst that could happen, the Conservatives could end up in the opposition with fewer seats.

  10. A perfectly idiot article, made all the more hilarious by the fact that it advocates ‘making nice with unions’ and other policies that amount to attempting to make friends out of enemies!
    No, Canadians are not going to to go for anti-immigration planks or any other form of Trumpism. Even most Americans didn’t vote for Trumpism. Oh and cutting the GST was stupid. GST is one of the least harmful taxes levied.

  11. Re: federal tax on $14/ht
    When I key in a wage of $2240 / 4 weeks
    (160 hrs x $14) I’m told to deduct $165.74 for federal tax.
    I think $2000 more on the annual paycheck would feel good. 2

  12. Much like the cut to GST, your idea would cause maximum fiscal pain for minimal economic gain.
    Capital and corporate income taxes are the worst; gut them first. Then marginal income taxes-the highest rates-have to come down, they are the most damaging.
    Another reason this article is idiotic: no mention of supply management.

  13. I think it would be helpful to have a dialogue between the CPC and the Libertarian Party, because the LP is just a tip of the iceberg of libertarian sentiment, much of which either doesn’t vote at all, or votes CPC without much enthusiasm.
    If the CPC had an authentic conservative foundation, there would be no need for a Libertarian Party and no votes for it, if it kept fielding candidates. The fact that 3 to 5 per cent of all votes cast in the last federal election in three Burnaby ridings went to Libertarians tells me that something is being overlooked.
    That alone might not turn the tide, but a party stuck in the lower 30s in the polls should not turn their noses up at potential incremental gains.
    But here’s what I would suggest might sharpen the divide and perhaps lead to a return to power if Canadians ever get a clue:
    1. Make an unambiguous pledge to abandon the green economy boondoggle and any taxes designed to change the weather. Only crazy people think that this could possibly work.
    2. Reduce immigration — we are allowing too many in now, not a racist perspective, just common sense, can’t dilute the cultural base too quickly, it’s reckless and will cause trouble we don’t need.
    3. Lower corporate taxes in co-ordination with provincial governments.
    4. Develop the economic infrastructure, stop taking dictation from the handful of eco-freaks who have the ear of the media and leftist political parties, just say no to them.
    5. Recommit to property rights and personal freedom.
    Waffling around these issues and taking some grey stance that is meant to convey “Oh we’re progressive too, just not THAT progressive,” is pointless (then swing voters say, well why waste a vote on you then?) and fails to represent what the base really wants. Give the people what they want, this is the whole point of representative government. Elitism sucks, just because a person is some knob who knows the ten most important elitists in Canada does not mean their opinions about anything are useful or even sane. Just look at our media for a daily confirmation. Are they sane? Straight-faced reporting that the Vancouver city council wants pictures of high tides to prove the dangers of climate change, I mean, is that sane? Why should Canada be governed by delusionals? Most of the average voters are not delusionals. Give them a real choice. Xe up, as I am forced by law to say.

  14. “…the Conservatives could end up in the opposition with fewer seats.”
    And even that doesn’t necessarily mean a bigger Liberal majority. Jagmeet Singh hasn’t really lit up much yet but he may get better, and the Liberals haven’t finished screwing over all the Canadians they are going to. If the they win the next election it may be with a minority. Not a good situation, but if that inspires them to get their knives out for PM Castreau and Cardinal Butts that would be some improvement.

  15. “2. Reduce immigration — we are allowing too many in now, not a racist perspective, just common sense, can’t dilute the cultural base too quickly, it’s reckless and will cause trouble we don’t need.”
    There is no evidence that immigration is causing problems at all, and a lot of reason to believe that it’s still too low. Your post should get award for unintentional hilarity. “We should appeal to libertarians. But first, lets stab liberty through the heart by denying freedom of movement!”. Next you’ll attempt to appeal to libertarians with a renewed commitment to drug prohibition.

  16. So how well did brashness work for Kevin O’Leary ? For me the only palatable candidates would be Lisa Riatt or Michelle Rempel , and the press will do everything in their power to portray them in an unfavourable light . It is no wonder they look tired .
    Scheer is decent nice guy who thinks he can appear to out liberal the Liberals . It won’t work and he will be roasted anyway.
    All you need to know is we have a Prime Minister and Finance minister who have shown numerous serious lapses in judgemet, engaged in activities which at best are unethical and truly are serious conflicts of interest bordering on in illegal and actually Brocken the law , yet the silence is deafening. To top it off they still poll roughly 50% support.
    It would take an exceptional leader to make the conservatives palatable. I don’t see one . I do see things getting bad enough that Canada as we know it becomes untenable.

  17. Good luck with that agenda.
    There is no conservative party in Canada or Of Canada.
    Kleptocracy rules, you get to pick from Thief Number one through three.
    We, citizens, are powerless and confused, by design.
    Educated to be innumerate, taught that theft by government is productive, bamboozled by endless laws and regulations that contradict.
    There is no rule of law here and no one is responsible.
    When did a high ranking politician or bureaucrat last do jail time?
    We are sinking and who shall continue to bail?
    Why?
    To support an unending supply of entitled parasites?
    There will never be another Reform Party, those people believed in law, order and justice..Things that are now proven to be absent in Canadian society.
    Ontario East is an ethical wasteland, what does Western Canada share with the East?
    6 decades after Pierre the Idiot, the country is still an economic basket case,hewers of wood and producers of raw resources for our foreign masters.
    And I see no chance of any growth for the West under current rules.
    For who will invest the time,effort and resources to create wealth that can be stolen at the whim of our masters?
    I predict a wave of economic immigrants going south, where the right to retain your own property still remains enshired in law.
    Tax avoidance is already a full time Canadain occupation.

  18. There is no conservative party because there isn’t enough conservatives to support one. Canada is a nation of timid sheep who need mommy government holding their pathetic little hands. A competitor and friend once told me, “Canada dislikes failure, but really hates success.” Our best and bravest inevitably end up south of the border succeeding there, because it is welcomed and admired. I am a Canadian, and embarrassed as hell.

  19. Scheer should run on scraping the GST entirely and a massive middle class tax cut and bring back income splitting.
    Anyway I agree that this cuntry is a complete joke. I think the thing that exemplifies it for me is the Amazon office in Vancouver. You know what it is? It’s basically a place for any non-engrish speaking programmer who can’t get a green card and work at Amazon HQ. That’s it. Anyone good is sent to HQ. That’s what Canada is.

  20. I like Scheer and think he can appeal to a broad spectrum of Canadians. He is non-threatening, so he can go further with policies that might seem extreme to some but which reflect long-standing Conservative positions. So long as Canadians are not looking for a pretty-boy, Scheer can do well. He is articulate, and I think he can make Canadians care about policy. I also thought some of the ideas were appealing.

  21. The Uranium One deal “RAN” Product THROUGH Canada & Cameco (a Canadian Public Corp)
    WTF Cameco was competing from the back door using Russian US Uranium against it’s own Canadian Uranium Assets… No wonder the Market was/is Flat
    Where is the Class Action Canadian Lawyer for Cameco share-holders… No Tony Merchant (Sally’s mentally challenged Son) available for this level of corruption
    http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/358339-uranium-one-deal-led-to-some-exports-to-europe-memos-show

  22. You’ll ‘think’ whatever you want to. It’s your fantasy, but the poll numbers are clear: Scheer is going nowhere.
    “Canada is a nation of timid sheep who need mommy government holding their pathetic little hands.”
    And yet still we have a smaller welfare state than America, and have for almost the entire last hundred years.

  23. The Conservatives just kicked Senator Lynn Beyak out of the Conservative Caucus.
    She’s was the only person willing to expose the political corruption of the Indian/Liberal/Cult. Marxist industry in speeches and her website.
    The good reserves with honest leadership have higher educational achievement and higher levels of employment, including of their members living in cities.
    Adapting to modernity pays off in healthy families long term.
    Victim hood pays off in the very short term but is disastrous in the medium/long term.
    Discriminating between good and bad outcomes is considered a potential hate crime by the Mendacious Mainstream Media.
    The use of the Scientific Method is labeled as evil colonialism.
    Liberals prefer evidence the consistency of yogurt, calling it hard when they’re one toke over the line.
    One the other side timid Conservatives are again frightened of their own shadow.
    Can a band of Mouseketeers inspire an electoral insurrection against Trudeau-dopia?
    That is a survey question waiting to be asked!

  24. Whatever gets you through the night bud. Canadian governments absorb more of the national income than the US and that is a fact.

  25. You and Peter @ 9:01 are right.
    Maybe I am getting old, crotchety, and tired. I no longer see any hope. Harper was, in hindsight, the last hope and he blew it. Canadians are too far gone into the leftist world conquered and created by the Marxists. The Laurentian Elite have won and Darrel Bricker and John Ibbitson lied in the book, “The Big Shift”.
    The author of article means well, but every step is uphill against the media guardians and attack dogs. Any deviation from liberal dogma and doctrine is viciously attacked by an almost 100% liberal media.
    Scheer rammed the Paris Climate Accord fraud down the throats of his MPs and that finished it for me. Not a dime from me since then. Nuts to him.
    That no one has gone to jail for the High River gun grab put an awful big dent in my faith in the rule of law in Canada. What the hell did I wear a uniform for, even as a reserve status, just to see the RCMP act like Chekists.
    Dr. Jordan Peterson and our young hero Lindsey Sheppard are almost alone in exposing just how much of a progressive (communist) cesspool our educational system has become.

  27. “The Conservatives just kicked Senator Lynn Beyak out of the Conservative Caucus.” I forgot that item in my lament and I posted a Reader Tip about that.

  28. “So how well did brashness work for Kevin O’Leary ?”
    I don’t think brashness was his downfall. The guy was just unlikable and definitely came off as cynically participating for self-promotional purposes.
    Canada won’t ever vote for a true Trump-like character as we don’t have the ‘ra-ra Canada’ type nationalism to stir up nor do we have strong founding documents that can be patriotically invoked to stir a crowd.
    I do agree though that it will take a special kind of character to lead Canada (and me) into support and a belief that we could #MCGA somehow. I haven’t felt patriotic since Terry Fox and maybe an odd olympic medal here and there.

  29. There is this person “Un” something like that who writes here a lot at S.D.A. …..doesn’t seem to have a life. Always yakking, I think here-in also, who is often factually incorrect. I think “it” does it on purpose, just to get attention.
    The G.S.T. is not only a consumption tax but a tax on labour. Just ask the professionals….lawyers, accountants etc.
    This person thinks most Americans didn’t vote for trumpism. Another deception, H.R.C. lost, accept it.
    This person, “UnMe” must be Mika or Joe after their nightly 40 oz binge.

  30. That’s what they said about Harper in the early days of his leadership.
    Sheer is right to keep his powder dry – score points where he can – but let the libs make the mistakes. And they are.
    A ridgid Conservative policy platform guarantees defeat in this country. It is wiser – clearly more prudent – to win the battles that can be won and once in Power slowly move the country further to the right – just as PMSH did.

  31. Harper lost because:
    1) American Marxist money and people poured into Justin’s campaign.
    2) Justin bribed the CBC
    3) Justin promised pot
    There were other factors, but they were magnified by the above. If our economy is sliding and the US economy is booming, people will sour on Justin.

  32. Canada is one of the most liberal countries in the world. Trump in a toque isn’t happening here. No election for 18 months.
    I just spent xmas in Ontario. In spite of hizself bongo is beloved. I was watching the year end tv interview where a cat got bongo’s tongue and my daughter-in-law said,”change the channel I can’t watch this,” because she couldn’t stand seeing him ridiculed.
    He will be very hard to depose. The CPC might be hoping to knock the libranos back to minority status – that might be all that’s attainable unless bongo gets caught in a major scandal.
    If I’m Scheer I’m on cruise control until this time next year. Give the sock another year to soil himself. He will.

  34. Get rid of the CARBON TAX FEDERALLY AND PROVINCIALLY. Lower Immigration amounts. A FLAT TAX FOR ALL CANADIANS then everyone has a dog in the fight. Get rid of all the National Energy regulations suffocating the oil industry, coal and gas. Work with the UNIONS! Get rid of CBC saving billions of taxpayers dollars or Privatize it. Talks with the First Nations people…make a one time payout to all and cut the ties to the Gov’t or PROMISE TO SEND THE CHEQUE TO EACH AND EVERY FIRST NATION PERSON, so they can decide how to spend it. Cut the GST? Andrew Scheer first has to go out and meet CANADIANS ACROSS CANADA DOOR TO DOOR…talk to Canadians and find out what they would like to see the Cons. do!

  35. Harper lost because:
    4) We had about 4 months of news before the election that consisted of “Duffy, Duffy, Duffy”.

  36. 1. Green economy pledge. Downside only. No reason to make this pledge because you will just be attacked for it. Everyone who agrees with you is already voting for you.
    2. Reduce immigration. Yes, but do not call it that. Say you are raising the standards and considering chain migration in making your evaluation of each individual. This allows you to have a rational response to the immediate “racism” calls. If you couch it in positive terms, it will work. “I want to work hard to ensure that we are letting in the best immigrants from around the world who are going to contribute to the betterment of Canadian society in a manner consistent with our values.”
    3. Lower corporate taxes. Do not bother. Corporate taxes have a limited impact in an integrated tax system where corporate tax payments are essentially netted off personal payments through the dividend tax credit. Instead, strengthen the thin-cap rules, and ensure that corporations in jurisdictions like Guernsey (have a tax treaty as part of the UK, but have no corporate income tax) cannot use any related-party debt. Paint this as an attack on foreign exploitation (which it is) and it should be embraced by all Canadians.
    4. Develop the economic infrastructure. This is vague. There is no requirement for any further federal involvement in Canadian infrastructure (with a few exceptions where there are serious regulatory issues). I spoke with a lead advisor of the Canadian Infrastructure Bank and with one of their CEO candidates, and the reality is that even these individuals (or perhaps especially these individuals) recognize it is unnecessary. Really, it is unnecessary. Simply cut regulation that is impeding the development of infrastructure. That’s enough.
    5. Recommit to property rights and personal freedom. Yes. This is how conservatives can stand for something. However, committing to property rights and personal freedom should also include committing to a destruction of the government sponsored, enforced, or regulated oligopolies and monopolies that negatively impact the economic outcome for the majority of Canadians. There is no need to attack the rich, but there is certainly a need to attack those who become rich simply through the stewardship of a government sponsored, enforced, or regulated oligopoly or monopoly. Such an approach would align the conservatives with the average Canadian while placing Liberals and the NDP in the awkward position of either agreeing, or arguing for policies and approaches that harm the average Canadian and benefit the existing oligarchs.

  37. Many great points here.
    Cocerned said “.nice guy who thinks he can appear to out liberal the Liberals ”
    Mulroney did that…and look where the PC party ended.
    The treatment of Senator Beyak has clinched it for me…CPC is toast.
    In a week that they should be going after the absent PM who entertained a creepy terrorist sympathiser they decide to eat their own??
    Burnt toast.

  38. Maybe I am getting old, crotchety, and tired. I no longer see any hope.
    I fully expect Cormac MacCarthy’s The Roadlevels of societal collapse in my lifetime. I’m enjoying the decline, as the Captain would say.

  39. …..neither should you take the advice of your opposition – which is where this thinly veiled piece of Libtard BS came from. Be conservative, traditional values have support – the mook who penned this advice is comfortable with the type of swamp Trump is cleaning up before it tanks the nation permanently into 2nd world corruption and austerity.

  40. Un: Let me put this in laymen’s terms, on immigration.
    If you have a boat, that comfortably fits 5 people, do you let 500 in?
    I agree with the article, about the media leftization. I hate the CBC. Harper should have scrapped them. They are like a bad employee that ruins your business behind your back.

  41. Sheer is as much behind the times and boring as most of Canada. Real conservatism in Canadian politics will happen in 5-7 years, one of the main issues or perhaps the leading one will be Islamization of the once great White North.

  42. You can’t help but be impressed with the Cons missing the chance to elect Bernier and going with a very decent version of wallpaper paste.
    It is quite possible that Justin will self-destruct in the next 18 months but I am not sure his base cares. And Scheer is not the man to make them.
    Sad.

  44. Was usting Senator Beyak from Conservative caucus is the act of a tight assed leader afraid to allow freedom of opinion? Running scared doesn’t work,this is an example of that IMO. Let the Senator explain for herself, let the banshees wail.

  45. It didn’t impress me much either.
    As a media strategy, how about an overtly anti-CBC. Most people don’t work for the CBC; the CBC would have to be silent due to conflict of itnerest; the Friends of the CBC can be portrayed as fat cats wanting more government milk for them and their friends.

  46. Most certainly reduce income taxes; they are the most harmful. GST is relatively “benign”.

  47. “Pleasing your enemies does not turn them into friends.”
    As I pointed out on another thread yesterday, Harper was too friggin’ naive to avoid this trap. His Senate corruption problems were absolutely self-inflicted and deservedly so, attempting to appease inherently corrupt CBC gravy-trainers with Senate seats instead of publicly challenging the Corp’s destructive liberal bigotries. What a monumental fool. Cripes, even his failed election run against the utterly useless Trudeau was so weak and uninspired that he looked like he had just graduated the Hilary Clinton School of Campaigning.
    Scheer shows me the average Canadian Conservative is STILL blind as to what battles even need to be fought. He appears to be yet another Conservative slave to the left’s political correctness god and a coward in the face of a hostile media. If my assessment is true, he is frigging useless to those of us who understand we MUST change the direction this country is heading. At least the author seemed to understand this also.
    Maybe Scheer should start by pointing out that there is NO WAR on Free Speech in this country!!! It is 100% strictly AN ALL-OUT WAR on Conservative Speech. Big Difference. Call out leftards for their incessant hate-mongering, racism and lack of true diversity at every turn! Point out the undeniable fact that you can cram any room chock full with blacks, browns, whites, gays, trannies, Latinos, Asians, etc,etc, etc… but you still have ZERO DIVERSITY if they ALL believe the exact same leftard ideologies.
    The Big Liberal Diversity Lie.

  49. many people talk about cutting government services, well, government could be cut severely without affecting any so called services.

  50. Harper’s campaign against Trudeau was the worst I’ve ever seen. It was like 5 long months of nothing. That alone should put a stake through the ‘Harper was really a genius’ delusion but you still got Gord Tulk and the other believers.
    @Tulk: Harper was the wrong man in the right place, and he still nearly managed to blow it. If the Liberals had gotten their act together sooner or Layton’s Orange Wave hadn’t occurred, he would have never gotten a majority and would have lost power earlier. Again: 2015 = worst campaign I have ever seen.
    “Canada won’t ever vote for a true Trump-like character as we don’t have the ‘ra-ra Canada’ type nationalism to stir up nor do we have strong founding documents that can be patriotically invoked to stir a crowd.”
    Thank God.
    If you roll ALL the taxes together (federal and otherwise), Canadians and Americans don’t pay that much difference in tax as % national income. It’s higher in Canada now, but used to be lower a few years ago. Canada and the US swap places every several years. The average top income bracket is higher in America too: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/07/canadians-may-pay-more-taxes-than-americans-but-theres-a-catch.html

Proudly powered by WordPress & Skyrocket Themes

MENU

Navigation