Beyond The Commons

Beyond The Commons

Aaron Wherry covers all the goings-on in and around Parliament Hill. Follow Aaron on Twitter: @aaronwherry

Only Stephen Harper can protect us from foreign invaders

by Aaron Wherry on Saturday, March 26, 2011 12:07pm - 93 Comments

On cue, the Conservatives have two new adverts.

The second seems designed to confirm that Michael Ignatieff is the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.

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  • OriginalEmily1

    Amazing how we are always about to be invaded by someone since Harper got into govt.

    Goodness, Russkies, Tamils, Taliban….and now smugglers are all poised to attack.

    Not since 1812 Mr Harper….and they were Americans.

    • Dave

      Yeah, but in 1812, the Americans were just visiting.

      • OriginalEmily1

        LOL good one!

    • john g

      Well we do have the dreaded Pirates to deal with.

      • OriginalEmily1

        Right…forgot about them! And just when the Rhinoceros'ssss were no longer a threat! LOL

      • Just Joe

        It's a pirate's life for me!

        Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate's life for me
        We pillage, we plunder we rifle and loot
        Drink up me hearties, yo ho
        We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot
        Drink up me hearties, yo ho
        Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate's life for me
        We extort, we pilfer we filch and sack
        Drink up me hearties, yo ho
        Maraud and embezzle and even high-jack
        Drink up me hearties yo ho
        Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate's life for me
        We kindle and char inflame and ignite
        Drink up me hearties, yo ho
        We burn up the city we're really a fright
        Drink up me hearties, yo ho
        We're rascals, scoundrels villains, and knaves
        Drink up me hearties yo ho
        We're devils and black sheep – really bad eggs
        Drink up me hearties yo ho
        Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate's life for me
        We're beggars and blighters and ne'er do-well cads
        Drink up me hearties, yo ho
        Aye, but we're loved by our mommies and dads
        Drink up me hearties, yo ho

        – Bruns and Atencio (Disney)

      • Dave

        Aaaaaaarrrrrrrrr.

  • charles

    Mr. Ignatieff’s personal approval numbers are at historic lows for a Liberal leader. The field now appears to be clear for a bombardment of positive advertisement as to why a vote for Harper is a good thing for Canadians.

    The Liberal war chest, meager as it is, will have to be split between attacking Harper and pointing out Mr. Ignatieff’s vision for Canada. On that last point, I’m wondering when we will be seeing a comprehensive platform. May 2 is approaching very fast, he has a frightening amount to cover before then.

    • Anon

      I think we'll be seeing a very comprehensive platform from the Liberal.

      From the Conservatives? Pretty thin gruel I would imagine.

      • Dave

        They already printed their platform, at taxpayer's expense. They mailed gazillions of budget booklets before the writ dropped.

    • Reverend_Blair

      "The field now appears to be clear for a bombardment of positive advertisement as to why a vote for Harper is a good thing for Canadians"

      Not a bad strategy, but the isn't much to work with with there. Why is Harper allegedly good for Canada?

    • John D

      I thought we didn't need platforms anymore

  • Ann

    Mr. Harper is correct……Who else out of the 3 other parties is going to "protect us" from the people who are coming into our Country with bad intentions. The other parties are more concerned about the Foreigners rights as opposed to the Canadians rights.

    Yes, it is Mr. Harper who has kept the Taxes down. Look at the last election where Iggy's party promised not to raise taxes……Are we stupid enough to believe anything this man says now???

    • OriginalEmily1

      Oooh…. Foreign People With Bad Intentions!

      Lock up the wimmenfolk, and circle the wagons everybody!

      • http://www.theunitedstatesofcanada.com KennethGibson

        "Where all the white women at !?"

    • SanDiegoDave

      Yer God Damned right that Stephen is THE man to keep them damned Taxans out. Bunch of snippity people- I have to go to Dallas this week too- NOT looking forward to it. The moment they find out I'm Canajan, they're all over me trying to figure out ways to rise up and invade.

      Freakish forinner, forigner,…OH IT"S NOT IMPORTANT HOW ITS SPELLED…damned NON CANADIANS-type people, especially the people from TAXES.

      WE NEED MORE informed Opinions on THESE damned LIEBERAL boards ANN- YOU IS WELCOMED here.

      • Proud canadian

        Harper is so far up the amercans ass he can see mulronys feet!

    • http://www.theunitedstatesofcanada.com KennethGibson

      Fortunately we don't have to choose our own rights and the rights of foreigners. Indeed, foreigners rights are our rights, you know, human rights?

  • http://secondthots.blogspot.com Dennis_F

    I suspect that all of Wherry's campaigning against Conservatives will lead to frustration, but hopefully it won't be too unbearable.

    And, yes, the second ad simply states that a vote for Liberals is a vote for Iggy. Liberals have said all along they want the spotlight of a campaign to get their guy out. Looks like the Conservatives are more than happy to oblige. They seem perfectly confident that Canadians don't like Iggy and that they'll like him even less the more of him they see.

    • Gayle

      Change confident to "desperately hopeful it sticks" and you may have a point.

      • http://secondthots.blogspot.com Dennis_F

        That what sticks? A focus on Iggy, which is what Iggy's people have even wanted? Who's desperate again?

        • Reverend_Blair

          The distortions, misrepresentations, and false claims of the Conservatives against the Liberals.

          Why are you guys so afraid of an honest campaign based on issues?

          • http://secondthots.blogspot.com Dennis_F

            The main message of the ad is that a vote for the Liberals is a vote for Ignatieff. Just where in the world are the "distortions, misrepresentations, and false claims" in that? What is wrong with some of you? Why can't people run against you and win? Why can't they speak the truth, only to be accused of just the opposite? Unbelievable.

          • Reverend_Blair

            No, the message is that Michael Ignatieff is a bad man. The claims the Conservatives make about him, in this ad and elsewhere, are distortions. I don't like like Ignatieff and won't vote for him, but the Conservative dishonesty on this says more about Harper than the ads say about Ignatieff.

          • http://secondthots.blogspot.com Dennis_F

            No, the message is that Michael Ignatieff is a bad man.

            Oh my God. He's a bad man! How awful of them. How dare they say something you don't like about one of their political opponents!

            If you're not an Iggy supporter, then why do you act like one? And why do you ignore all the vicious accusations he's made against our prime minister?

            Some people want only their side to have a say, while others have to sit there and take it. Harper stands up, and some of you get furious at him for doing so.

          • Reverend_Blair

            "If you're not an Iggy supporter, then why do you act like one?"

            Because I think the stupid name-calling and personal attacks, especially when they are demonstrably dishonest as what the Conservatives have been engaging in, are harmful to our country and our democracy.

            "Some people want only their side to have a say, while others have to sit there and take it."

            And I want all sides to have a say. That includes people and parties I don't agree with. Hell, I even want Stephen Harper to have a say. Standing there and screaming that somebody doesn't meet your narrow criteria of being a Canadian is not having a say though, it is an attempt to keep others from listening.

            Let's see Harper offer some electoral and parliamentary reforms that aren't completely self-serving and would limit his own power as Prime Minister. Let him run an ad about that. He should, at the very least, admit that he broke our parliamentary rules and was found in contempt as a result. Instead he's pretending that it never happened.

          • http://secondthots.blogspot.com Dennis_F

            Because I think the stupid name-calling and personal attacks, especially when they are demonstrably dishonest as what the Conservatives have been engaging in, are harmful to our country and our democracy.

            What utter nonsense. Again, it's as though people you disagree with you are not allowed to do so, so you lash out with these outrageous claims and hypocritical accusations.

          • peter

            Oh please, the Reverend is absolutely correct. And put that on top of the nonsensical hysteria the CPC is raising regarding the perfectly legitimate notion of a coalition government. Perhaps the CPC could put out an ad explaining how its disastrously expensive crime agenda and prison building stimulus project will be successful in Canada since it has been proven to be an utter failure in the United States, where Harper plucked it from. May 2d can't come quick enough.

          • http://secondthots.blogspot.com Dennis_F

            Oh, I'm sorry, why should anyone even bother to debate people like you when you're so obviously correct on all the issues, right? Harper is evil. You're right on prisons and jets. That's the only message we should ever hear. Everything else should be banned, except a coalition. Thank you.

          • Reverend_Blair

            Nope. I disagree with people all the time. I don't try to discredit them though, I respond to their arguments. Conservatives don't make valid arguments though, instead they call people names, scream like spoiled little children, and stomp their feet like dim oxen.

            I'd love to discuss what I find wrong with Ignatieff's policies and ideas, just as I would have loved to discuss the weaknesses of Dion's. I learned in the last election though. There could be no valid discussion of the many weaknesses of Dion's arguments though, because the Conservatives were too busy misrepresenting them in a bizarre fashion and brutalizing Dion for having an accent and having a mother who came from France.

            It's the politics of destruction and stupidity, like the lies of of the Swift Boat Bozos or the insanity of Bill O'Reilly. It's Tea Party stupidity. It's the worship of purposeful ignorance and practical stupidity.

            Grow up, get some policies, and learn how grown-ups deal with things. I'm sick and tired of people thinking that acting like idiots makes them somehow adequate.

          • http://secondthots.blogspot.com Dennis_F

            Conservatives don't make valid arguments though, instead they call people names, scream like spoiled little children, and stomp their feet like dim oxen.

            So you're right on everything, and they're wrong on everything? That's how communists think, isn't it? Wow.

          • Reverend_Blair

            Not at all. There's a lot of Reform/Conservative things I could support or reach a compromise on. It won't happen when you treat politics like a hockey fight though. It certainly won't happen when you start from the position that I'm a dirty commie or that people I know to be upstanding citizens are somehow second class Canadians because they spent part of their lives working outside of the country or moved here from someplace else. It sure as hell won't happen when if you stand up and lie about how our democratic system works.

            Now, I'm not going accuse you of being a backwoods hillbilly to stupid to tie your own shoes, too inbred to have binocular vision, and too poorly raised not have intimate relations with barnyard animals. To do such a thing would be wrong. I do want you to consider how you'd respond if you were accused of those things every day though, because that's basically the level the Conservatives have reached.

          • http://secondthots.blogspot.com Dennis_F

            You say you won't do those things, but you just did it. You are angry, bitter, stupid, and completely resent anyone pointing it out.

            You're losing in politics precisely because nobody believes your lies, hate, and utter hypocrisy.

            Why not move to China where they love your types? You obviously thinks it's a better qualification than actually living in Canada.

          • Reverend_Blair

            "Why not move to China where they love your types?"

            They love middle-aged men with tractor fixations in China? I wasn't aware of that. Is this some kind of sex cult you're getting started up? Are you trying to sell me into slavery? Sure, promise me travel and affection and then chain me behind a team of oxen in some rice paddy. You conservatives are all the same.

            "You say you won't do those things, but you just did it."

            No, actually, I just avoided doing it. I didn't call you an inbred one-eyed pigf***er, I noted that calling you that would be wrong.

            I'm not losing in politics either. I'm not in politics and I'm not quite stupid enough to see it as a win/lose proposition. I'm in landscape carpentry and how-to writing. I'm not getting rich, but I'm not running out of money for smokes either. Again, not a win/lose thing.

            Also, I really can't generate the energy to hate anybody.

            Go ahead and scream and yell and stomp your feet though. Let off a little steam. Maybe take the truck out and roll it in the ditch, or wander down to the local beer hall and start a brawl. Whatever turns your crank.

          • http://secondthots.blogspot.com Dennis_F

            You DID write those things, and I called you on it for the cowardly and hateful tactic that it was. I love exposing people for who and what they are on here. Congrats.

          • Reverend_Blair

            I'm not joining your weird sex cult, Dennis, no matter how much you sweet-talk me.

        • Gayle

          I thought i answered that question.

          Harper. And you.

      • s_c_f

        There's only one party that's desperate in this election. And they know it sticks, Iggy's had low approval ratings for the last two years, and they've been dropping, now they're in the basement, somewhere around 19%. When your approval ratings are below your party's ratings, then you have a problem.

        • Gayle

          Wow. That's some deep intellectual analysis there.

          Anyhoo, the point is that the ad, like most of the CPC attack ads, is at best misleading, and at worst and out and out lie.

          What does "nobody speaks for the LPC but me" mean? Could it mean that as the leader he is the one the media should go to for the position of the LPC? Because it appears Harper is trying to say the only person who makes decisions for the LPC is Ignatieff. The LPC is running as a team, which means, unlike the CPC, the MP's and other party members have input into LPC policy. Harper wants you to believe otherwise, and he thinks this quote is going to prove that.

        • peter

          Of course, campaigning in 905 and 416 and having to answer questions about the 2 billion dollar boondoggle surrounding the fascist police riot promoted by Harper will be a lot of fun for the CPC. Now that we have an election the conservatives won't be able to hide away and refuse to answer questions, which really all they have shown themselves to be good at as a government.

          • Reverend_Blair

            That is likely to be an issue with some voters outside of the 905 and 416 too. I know it politicized a couple of young people out here, and all they did was watch the police riot on television.

    • s_c_f

      Well, the thing is, everybody knows Wherry is a partisan Liberal. He's never been objective and fair in his reporting, it's always been biased, and thus his campaigning will have little effect. Once you declare yourself a cheerleader, you're not the kind of insightful voice that can change peoples' minds about things.

      • http://halooverride.blogspot.com/ Halo_Override

        Once you declare yourself a cheerleader, you're not the kind of insightful voice that can change peoples' minds about things.

        QED.

    • http://www.theunitedstatesofcanada.com KennethGibson

      No actually if you had any critical thinking skills you'd see that they're actually taking factual information (that Ignatieff only recently came back to Canada, that he will "raise taxes" [although it's not even clear how he is going to do that, not even to himself, so what that means exactly is kind of vague] and that he has at one point in time considered what forming a coalition with other parties might achieve) and then making completed ungrounded claims about that information, that Ignatieff is an "opportunist" (Although in my opinion Stephen Harper is a textbook example of a political opportunist, as are most Conservative politicians, actually as are most politicians for that matter), that Ignatieff's tax plans will jeopardize our economic recovery (Although by most peoples' evaluation Canada's economy declined less and is rebounding faster than any other Western nation and why is that? Oh yes, that's right it was Paul Martin and the Liberal's fight to stop Canadian banks from deregulating) and finally that a coalition government is "wreckless" because it includes the Bloc and that is just good old-fashioned anti-separatist scaremongering.
      So, in point of fact they are creating the pretext to say that Canadians don't like the Ignatieff themselves, not picking up on genuine populist opinion.

      Please get off the bandwagon dude and think for yourself, I beg you!

      • http://secondthots.blogspot.com Dennis_F

        You know, it's so laughable to see people like yourself insult me for a lack of "critical thinking skills" and an inability to "think for yourself" when you're clearly inferior on that score. You can't come up with a logical or coherent rebuttal, so you have to make up these lies and insults. Why is that? Is it hatred? Ignorance? Ideology? What?

        Ignatieff does want to raise taxes. Corporate taxes are now at about 16%. He wants to take them back to 18%. Instead of dealing with this reality, you lash out with your venom.

        You're allowed to call Harper an opportunist, but nobody is allowed to call your precious leader such. That's how they do it in communist countries, isn't it? I, for one, thank God Canada is free, and that both sides can have a say. You apparently don't think this.

        I also suggest that, for someone who laughably claims to be capable of critical thinking and intelligence, you start to learn to write in paragraphs. That way, you won't come across as the thin-skinned ideological zealot you appear to be.

        lol.

        Next.

        • http://www.theunitedstatesofcanada.com KennethGibson

          Okay, I'm sorry but you are arguing in extreme bad faith.

          First of all you're arguements are, I don't even think one could call them arguments, they're based on fluff, nothingness, insinuations. Basically, your original statement seemed to indicate that you believed that the Ignatieff advertisement's claims were not only truthful but were genuine beliefs held by a majority of Canadians. However, it is very much the case that the Conservatives have created these trumped up charges and are hoping "they will stick." Which is fine, that's another thing all politicians do besides being opportunists.

          Okay, so let's say this is a "debate" we're supposed to be having here, you're opening argument would be "Everything said about Ignatieff in that advertisement is true fact and is moreover believed by a majority of Canadians."

          So then what I did was point out how they aren't even facts but very shady, fabricated insinuations which are slyly intimated, these being primarily that Ignatieff is an opportunist (which is an opinion not a fact but more on that later), that his nominal 2% tax increase will obliterate our economy and that a coalition government would be reckless because it would involve the Bloc. My argument was that the charge of opportunism is a non-starter because that something that can be said of all politicians, something which you readily admit yourself. Secondly, this notion that the Conservative know what's best for the economy is absurd. Like I said the only reason that this country escaped that financial meltdown relatively unscathed was because of Paul Martin, which is no exaggeration and is proven by the demand that other governments (the British, for example) are showing for his advice. Then the last argument is just dumb, coalition governments are a routine part of parliamentary politics and whatever you think of the Bloc they're a legitimate party whether you like it or not.

          Okay let's look at your response:

          • http://www.theunitedstatesofcanada.com KennethGibson

            You said I was laughable and then took my accusation of lacking a critical engagement with political issues and basically said "I know you are but what am I?" You wrapped it up in some flowery language to try and hide what you were basically saying. However, you haven't told me how this is true because you didn't actually address any of my arguments, you just immediately accuse me of being incoherent (though, in my opinion, my statement had a simple structure and logical progression so I'm not sure how it is "incoherent"), that I was a liar, that I insulted you, that I'm hateful and ignorant. I said none of these things about you, I only asked that you try to remember to engage political ads critically and not just believe whatever it is they say. I don't see were the venom was, I put forth my argument in the plainest, least emotive language I could.

            As to you specific claims: Yes, Ignatieff wants to raise corporate taxes by 2% but how does that endanger our economy? And yes I am allowed to call Harper an opportunist and you are more than welcome to call Ignatieff one (whom isn't my "leader" by the way, being a good civic and responsible member of society I don't pick sides in politics as a rule, but weigh all sides based on merit). All sides are completely free to say whatever they want, I do believe that, but is making fruitless claims about opportunism is just a waste of all our time which is why I thought it was unfortunate the Conservatives want to make this a part of the debate: it's a pointless road, all politicians are opportunists, end of story.

            Next?

      • frobisher

        Now that Duceppe has flatly stated that Stephen Harper lies, we shall see what sticks. As much as he's demonized, people weirdly trust Duceppe. He says Harper lied. There is not enough teflon in the universe for that to slide off. It will emerge again and again. Here comes the hammer.

  • Mike T.

    Harper raised income taxes. He didn't see the recession coming, wanted to deregulate banks, would have invaded Iraq, hasn't built hte icebreaker conservative governments have promised since the 1980s, and had to be forced into the stimulus program he now credits with saving the country.

    Next?

  • s_c_f

    Maybe they're not foreign invaders, but Harper's been protecting us from the socialists (half the Liberal party, the BQ and the NDP) for the last 4 years.

    • Holly Stick

      The thing is, the socialists want to protect us. It's the Conservatives who steal the tax money we pay for government services and waste it on advertizing their talentless party and its repellant leader.

    • OriginalEmily1

      'Protecting us from the socialists'??

      You mean the candidates 70% of the country wants in office??

      • s_c_f

        Well, Harper's polling at 40%, and half of the Liberal party (the non-socialist half) support (currently about 26%) is 13%, and I exclude the Greens at about 8% because they're not socialist, they're environmentalist.

        Let's be fair and admit that a few NDPer (maybe 2% of their 18% support) and a fair number of BQers are not socialist (maybe 5% of their 10% support).

        So, that means 68% are not socialist, meaning 32% like socialism.

        So somehow you managed to get 70% from 32%. Interesting math.

        • OriginalEmily1

          Harper has backing from less than a third of the electorate….his base. 70% of Canadians voted for the other parties.

          The NDP is socialist, Liberals are not.

          Canadians aren't interested in being 'protected' from socialists in any case. The NDP hasn't gotten anywhere is 60 plus years.

          Never assume everyone thinks like you do.

          • Reverend_Blair

            "The NDP is socialist, Liberals are not."

            More accurately, I'd say about half of NDP members are socialist, the rest are not. About half of the Liberal party is left-leaning if you use the USian definition of that, the rest are not. Steve Harper is 100% anti-social.

          • OriginalEmily1

            When Layton first got in he said he was a socialist…dippers had a fit, declaring they were social democrats…like northern Europe

            If you use the US definition of 'left'….Harper is a leftie. LOL

            But Harp is actually an early Libertarian….the 'night watchman state' is what he wants.

            The tribal form of govt.

        • Proud canadian

          Polls in this country are right wing just as the press is owned by the tory business men. Thank GOD for social media so Canadians can see what other Canadians are really saying. EVERY site on the net that has an election story is overwhelmingly rejecting harper. I just watched the tory owned CTV news and they quoted a non exsistant poll (quote "this is not scientific but liberals are at 11% in quebec!) None of their polls are scietific its just right wing american style spin to try and fool Canadians that other Canadians are supporting harper when we all know that is a lie! Harper is so far up the amercans ass he can see mulronys feet!

    • bil

      The election has pushed Conservative rhetoric from "Amusing" to "Full Blown Satire". This election should be entertaining as we watch Harper scramble to escape the web of lies and deceit he's shrouded himself in over the past few years.

      • s_c_f

        You're on the right blog.

    • Reverend_Blair

      Do you think it's wise to alienate people by calling them names?

      • s_c_f

        "socialist" is a "name"? Since when? They call themselves socialist! They do like to throw the word democratic in there and call themselves "democratic socialist"… whatever. They like to use the term "progressive", but I like to use the word progress for other things (since socialism is regressive). They use the word socialism, and so do I. I think it's a negative word, not because it's an insult or a "name", but because socialism is inheritently regressive and has a negative effect on human societies.

        Iggy wants a national daycare program… that's socialism. The people who want it are socialists.

        • OriginalEmily1

          I sure wish Cons knew what words meant. Daycare is not 'socialism'. Honest to gawd….!

          • s_c_f

            Government-run daycare is socialist, unquestionably.

          • OriginalEmily1

            That's absurd.

            For one thing it's not govt-run…it's simply subsidized.

            For another it would mean the military, the police, firemen, garbagemen and so on are all socialist.

            Like I said….look up words before you use them

            so·cial·ism   /ˈsoʊʃəˌlɪzəm/ Show Spelled
            [soh-shuh-liz-uhm] Show IPA

            –noun
            1. a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.

          • s_c_f

            For one thing it's not govt-run…it's simply subsidized.

            No, it's not.

            For another it would mean the military, the police, firemen, garbagemen and so on are all socialist.

            No, you guys have a real problem understanding simple concepts.

            Stop with the trolling. If you need to go back to high school, then do it.

          • OriginalEmily1

            Yes, m'dear it is.

            Yet somehow you see that as different from your pet projects….military, police etc

            We aren't the ones having trouble understanding simple concepts scf….that would be you.

        • Reverend_Blair

          Since you use it to define people who aren't socialist. I am a socialist, being that I share my beer and help my neighbours lift heavy things…even Conservatives…so calling me that doesn't bother me. It does bother people who aren't socialists when you use it as an epithet against them though, and rightfully so.

          • s_c_f

            "I am a socialist, being that I share my beer and help my neighbours lift heavy things"

            Boy, you have a lot of trouble with certain concepts. You don't have the slightest clue what socialism means.

            Do you forecfully confiscate money from each and every one of your neighbours to pay for the beer (obviously, that is impossible)? Do you tell your neighbours what can be lifted and when?

            Then you clearly don't understand the concept of taxation-based funding and regulation of an industry, nor do you understand the concept of voluntary participation, nor do you understand the concept of the problem with monopolies, nor do you understand the concept of earnings based on voluntary exchange and earnings based on government legislation, nor do you understand the concept of having control of your own earnings, nor do you understand the concept of freedom.

          • Reverend_Blair

            Funny thing…I've lived under NDP governments in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Not only did they not confiscate my money and/or property, but they managed the economy better so I had more money and/or property.

            Do they bring in regulations? You bet. I have to make sure my workers wear safety equipment, for instance. It's a good regulation, helps to keep comp costs down.

          • s_c_f

            I did not know that you pay no taxes. That's nearly impossible.

            You seem to have trouble with simple concepts. I'm not your high school teacher, go back to high school if you cannot understand socialism. Or read a book. Or take a look around you and learn something.

          • Reverend_Blair

            Don't be ridiculous, of course I pay taxes. Those taxes pay for necessary programs…schools, roads, workers comp, EI, police, fire fighters, the military, etc. If I had to buy government services privately, the costs would be unaffordable.

          • s_c_f

            RB: "Not only did they not confiscate my money"

            Merriam-Webster: "CONFISCATE: 1 appropriated by the government : forfeited "
            free-online dictionary: v "con·fis·cate: 1. To seize (private property) for the public treasury.
            adj 1. Seized by a government; appropriated."

            RB: "of course I pay taxes"

            Seems as though you are having difficulty with the English language. Like I said before, go back to high school.

          • Reverend_Blair

            I'm sorry…I wasn't aware that you were one of those guys who wanted to regress to the days of the cave people.

          • s_c_f

            I'm just trying to have a conversation in the English language, which is something you are not doing, either because you cannot do it, or you don't wish to do it.

            As for this "cave people" nonsense, whatever…. try making sense sometime.

          • Reverend_Blair

            You are trying to equate taxation with confiscation. That's not a discussion about the English language, it's a distortion of reality.Here's something for you though. I've had two personal income tax cuts in my life…one from a provincial NDP government, and one from a federal Liberal government.Seems like it's the Conservatives who, by your standards, are confiscating my money.

        • Proud canadian

          So you are giving up your health care, education for your children etc, etc… damn socialists!

  • Fred Moro

    Anybody else finds it funny that the comment and rating option on youtube is disabled by the CPC and allowed by LPC for their ads?

    • Garnet

      I just think it's an oversight by the Liberals. YouTube commenters are pretty awful.

  • Martha

    All harper has is attacks, spin, lies and propaganda.

    If Canada were to really focus on his hard right agenda and his record he'd be toast in an instant.

  • Missy

    IGNATIEFF STILL PLANNING A CARBON TAX — And that is the reason he came back to Canada, to push the Al Gore elitist ponzi, traders game! Carbon tax will NOT, I repeat NOT lower any emissions. It's just a traders game, which we all have to pay for. Just look at McGuinty's DIRTY Green Energy games…..how are they benefitting us??? Wake up people. You really have to do your homework & stop buying into the Liberal Fear Mongering Propaganda Machine!

    click on link for full story, then do your own homework.
    http://www.conservative.ca/press/other_stories/ig…

    • Esther

      Missy – you seem to be someone who a. does not believe in the very real and scientifically validated environmental crises that are around us, and b. angry at the idea of anything that aims to deal with environmental issues. With regards to "dirty green energy games", I'm not sure how you can call goals or wind energy, geo-thermal, and solar energy production that. Especially in the face of conservative utterly false claims of 'clean coal energy' (which is by the way, impossible) and environmental degradation of the oil sands and intent on drilling in the arctic, and other off-shore locations. I am not against anything that does great harm to economic stability (like refusing to use fossil-fuel energy); what I am against is the poorly researched and irresponsible practices that places the needs of large corporate parties (and the conservative party members who lobby on their behalf), above the health and long-term needs of Canadians. This is precisely, what Harper has been doing, and continues to do as lead member of that party. If you want to be concerned about financial costs, and irresponsible spending, I would look to the Ads that Harper's has purchased last year, and until the election promoting the propaganda of his party, rather than offering useful information to Canadians. In addition, the money he plans to spend on prisons (when crime was the lowest its been in decades BEFORE Harper was elected.) Harper has made Canada an international embarrassment. We lost our seat on the UN security council, and were awarded the fossil of the day award. Where Canada was once considered an international leader on human rights and environmental responsibility, we are not in the running for some of the lowest rankings worldwide.

  • Sam-I-

    Where did you come to Canada from, Missy? …. the Harper School of Trained Seal Talking Points ?

  • Selena

    But who's gonna protect us from the Neocons?

  • Just Joe

    Does anyone know why Harper waddles when he walks (first video)? Is it some sort of spinal problem, or what?

  • OriginalEmily1

    I thought it was just me that figured he had an odd walk. I'm not sure if it's a waddle, but it's like he's not comfortable in his own body.

  • Just Joe

    Maybe the word is "lumbering" — odd though.

  • OriginalEmily1

    Yeah, that's closer…lurching along anyway. Never noticed it before, but then we don't usually see him walking.

  • Reverend_Blair

    Not a slam at Harper, but a guess based on my own walk. It's because he used to be thin and is now heavy. Likely a little stiffness in the knees to…generally a result of carrying that extra weight and getting older.

  • Just Joe

    Can't attest to the weight theory, bet yeah, age makes a difference. According to my wife, with age I have started to "shuffle-walk" .

  • OriginalEmily1

    Heh….too much beer while sitting on the tractor.

    Something I've heard called 'tractor butt'

  • Reverend_Blair

    Well, like I said, based on my own walk. I was 160 when I got married, now I'm fat. Pounds the heck out of my knees.

    Don't call it "shuffle-walk" though, call it "walking like Ozzy Osbourne" or "the Gerry Garcia Waltz" or whatever. That way I can still pretend that I'm cool, as long as I don't say it out loud…..

  • Reverend_Blair

    Too much beer, not enough tractor, in my case. The kind of tractor-driving I'm prone to requires an awful lot of getting off the tractor and doing real work. Possibly why I'm so fond of tractorin'. Spring is just around the corner though, so I'll be trading some of this belly in for cash.

  • Sam-I-Am

    Quick … Call Peeder MuckEh? During earth hour I saw a series of randomly flashing lights reflecting from a high cloud base. Be emphatic with Peeder … You're only indispensible if you can continue to give verbal and signed pledges that prove to be absolutely meaningless. David Orchard would know all about that and could probably give you full insights on a No Coalition pledge.

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