In the past few years Macleans has shifted (slightly but noticeably) to the right in editorial tone– and only co-incidently have we had Conservative governments starting shortly after this shift– but I think sometimes that readers who’ve seen these two separate trends as not separate– as part and parcel– are a little jolted when they see journalists/columnists pointing out that Tories are just as vulnerable to human foible as Liberals, and make both policy and strategy mistakes with the best of them.

Harper is in a no win situation here, and has chosen the p.r. route of “you may not like us but we’ll keep government clean” on this issue.

Ben Mulroney needs to ditch the fake tan and plastic hair if he wants to be taken seriously as a politician.

To be fair to Harper, if his stance was to stand by the former PM and declare him a member, everyone would be accusing him of valuing loyalty more than rooting out corruption.

Election anyone?

C’mon now. There’s no way in which Haper resembles a titan.

Conservative for life – gave me a giggle or two. The Conservatives surely have enough money to give Mulroney a free life-membership. But M. has been tagged as dirty so they won’t, or if they did, the probably retracted it.

Some folk thought lyin’ Brian had charm. Too bad it’s not a saleable asset. anymore.

I really enjoy watching the MSM who tried to take down Mulroney over this issue a year ago, now defending him from the evil Harper. I think Mr.Mulroney needs to send PM Harper a thank-you card..

It just goes to show that NO amount of Canadian taxpayer dollars are too many to waste for the liberals in their manic quest to return to power or failing that, to try and hijack democracy, a-la Koalition.
It proves; once again; that the Liberals put the interests of their party and it’s vast coterie of bloodsuckers and hangers-on above the best interests of our country Canada and the Canadian people.
Canadian taxpayers have not forgetten.

You mean like the Cadman affair which was settled out of court?

Whether or not Mulroney did raise Schreiber’s case with Harper at their families get together at Harrington Lake is secondary (though I’d be really upset if I was Harper and it was raised even in some peripheral way). As Spector has pointed out, and Wells has concurred in some ways, Harper is the cleanest PM for quite some time. A core value he perhaps guards more than anything. Something that takes a career/ lifetime to establish which can be much more easily tainted through events outside of his control.

Whether or not Mulroney did raise Schreiber’s case with Harper at their families get together at Harrington Lake is secondary (though I’d be really pissed if I was Harper and it was raised even in some peripheral way). As Spector has pointed out, and Wells has concurred in some ways, Harper is the cleanest PM for quite some time. A core value he perhaps guards more than anything. Something that takes a career/ lifetime to establish which can be much more easily tainted through events outside of his control.

“She’s right to say that all of us who are Quebecers know full well that Harper lost his lead in the Belle Province because of Duceppe, not because of the art funding cuts.”

She’s right to say that all of us who are Quebecers know full well that Harper lost his lead in the Belle Province because of Duceppe, not because of the art funding cuts but because of Duceppe’s brilliant campaign against Harper.

Those cuts were announced during that summer, if I’m not mistaken, yes? And Quebecers – mis a part the arts community – didn’t really react to them at that time.

What made the difference is that Duceppe was able to use those cuts and the Youth offender policy announcement made during the election to debunk the myths that had been created in Quebec around Harper’s so-called moderate political leanings.

Duceppe was able to skillfully show Quebecers – who happen to be the most progressive voting block in the country – that Harper is a hardcore rightwinger from Alberta who is completely out of touch with Quebec values.

On that last point, sound advice from Mulroney would have prevented such nonsense from Harper.

It is a balanced, more than fair view of how Harper achieved power and is complimentary of him. But what Paul is pointing out is the pattern of Harper’s worst tendencies getting him into trouble, repeatedly.

I suppose, looking back at my initial post, that I really should have included the phrase “Pete perceives/believes that” at the very beginning.