Don't Want To Be A Canadian Idiot - FUCK HARPER

[Cman]

GO HERE TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE RESULTS AND SUCH >> http://www.cbc.ca/canadavotes/electionnight/

I hate Steven Harper with a passion and he can go to hell.

I just saw a Liberal campaign ad, and among other things, Martin said,

"I believe in a Canada that ... (other stuff) ... has the US an an ally, but is a neighbor and not our nation"

Screw healthcare and whatever other issues are normally at stake, the biggest issue with me is Canada as a soverign country. I'm very proud of how the gov't has acted the last couple years, in the sense that we've made our own international decisions and have not simply gone along with US because "we're supposed to".

My fear is that if the Conservatives win, we will return to our traditional role as the USA's bitch. Who cares if the Liberals have been in power for what seems like forever. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Just because they're been in power for a long time, doesn't mean a change is necessary.

And as far as the scandals and corruption go, thats also not as big of an issue as they are making it seem because since when are gov'ts NOT corrupt. I mean duh, as if they are the only political party to ever be involved in corruption.

 

[Bob_Box]

it's time for a change ........ being from the west I've been taught to hate Liberals since Trudeau's NEP in 1980 which killed Alberta and the western alienation we've had. That's why I've always considered myself an Albertan before Canadian.

 

[Cman]

it's time for a change ......

this is the argument that the conservatives try to push, but it makes no sense and has no basis in reality. its not even a valid argument.

like i said above, just because one party has been in power for a long time, isn't an excuse to kick them out. if anything it means that they are doing a GOOD JOB because we've stuck with them for so long.

the canadian economy is doing great. we have very little debt, compared to other industrialized nations, and in many non-economic ways, we continue to be the envy of the majority of the world.

i live in atlantic canada so don't talk to me about regional hardship. i should be the one thats pissed, based on how neglected our region is, but i'm not because i look at the big picture and realize that we are in pretty good shape in canada. alberta is the last people who should be complaining because you live in probably the richest province of all.

 

[Dillon]

I voted Liberal

 

[Iceberg]

being from the west I've been taught to hate Liberals since Trudeau's NEP in 1980 which killed Alberta and the western alienation we've had. That's why I've always considered myself an Albertan before Canadian.

Hell, I'm from "The West", too, though I consider it Central Canada, since it is the longitudinal centre of Canada (Manitoba). I'll be voting Liberal. Let me tell you why.

The Liberals are the only party that will maintain balanced budgets. The Conservatives (not Tories, since that term is reserved for PROGRESSIVE Conservatives only, which this new outfit is anything but) will cut taxes to the point where there are massive deficits and program cuts. The NDP will spend their way into deficits.

The Liberals will "Stand up for Canada" because they will not cave to US interests and demands, unlike the Conservatives, which will bend to any whim of Dubya and his cronies.

The Conservatives will do nothing to combat climate change. The Liberals (along with the NDP and those separatist Bloc-heads) voted to ratify the Kyoto Protocol (which I admit is flawed, but is solely a first step to further action). The Conservatives will go with anything the oilmen tell them to do. Failure to act responsibly about climate change will essentially kill the Inuit way of life in the Arctic, will melt all the winter roads in the Provinces, and will result in the eventual flooding of coastal areas.

The Liberals will not try to kill a woman's right to choose to have an abortion, unlike many segments of the Conservative Party, nor will they renege on the rights that same-sex couples rightfully deserve. (Whether it should be called marriage is irrelevant. The Conservatives wish to destroy their financial rights as a union of two peoples.)

The Liberals did not send our troops to Iraq to fight a war based on false pretenses. It has been proven that Iraqis never participated nor conspired in the 9-11 attacks, nor had WMDs. We would have seen the loss of hundreds of soldiers from our already depleted military and would have been unable to participate to the same degree in the rebuilding process in Afghanistan.

As for your hatred of the Liberals for the NEP, maybe it is understandable, especially being so close to the Fraser Institute headquarters. However, had the Liberals not been in a majority situation in Ottawa from 1993 to 2004, it is very likely that Alberta would not be as prosperous today and have its debt paid off so quickly. Alberta is also far from "killed" as you so bluntly and falsely put it. The budget surpluses of the federal government under the Liberal Party is very connected to the successes of Alberta, which is, I might add, the most prosperous province in the country, if you hadn't noticed already.

Also, I feel no alienation being from "The West." This is only a ploy for Conservatives to try and garner the votes of western Canadians. "The West" is definitely IN. It has no use demanding "The West wants in!"

 

[Cman]

Yeah, the west will always get stuff before the east does. We're the ones that have the right to complain

 

[mindido]

CMan,

"Screw healthcare..."

As a person from the US, I'm not going to get into a discussion that I know little about, but, don't take universal health care lightly. I understand you pay quite a bit for it and that there are problems with its administration, but thats universal. At least, if you do get sick, your covered. Here, we have about 45 million people with no health insurance at all and another 50 million that may have it but are living on the edge. One major sickness and they're bankrupt. And more people are losing it daily as its becoming so expensive that many companies are getting rid of it entirely or in part (just look at Wal Mart).

So that seems to be a pretty valuable perk of being Canadian.

 

[Cman]

You misunderstood what I meant. I didn't mean that I don't care about health care, what I meant was, that it is usally the "default" election topic of discussion. When they don't have any other major issues to talk about, they use it as a fill in.

So I guess I just meant that I was glad they were emphasizing other issues for a change, especially the whole thing about making our own choices as a country

I also mentioned in a post that I made a while ago how our health care system is kind of blown out of proportion. It has a great international reputation than its actually worth. I do appreciate the system we have, but its not as magical as foreigners think it is.

 

[mindido]

I do appreciate the system we have, but its not as magical as foreigners think it is.

Yup, I'm sure of that. Nothing so complex as a health care system could ever be easy, but in many ways, it has to be better than the current US system. Although I imagine its just a matter of time before we adopt something like it.

 

[Preferred User]

I get real mixed reviews from Canadians on that system. Seems to really depend on who you talk to and what their expericnce has been with it. Like Min though, the system here (US) is really a disaster. Whether you are one of the many un-insured, or a corporation trying to pay for it all through employee benefits, you know our "system" is broken here.

I think you guys vote on Monday don't you? What do the polls say these days?

 

[Cman]

I think polls are stupid, because i believe they influence stupid people on how to vote.

People who don't know who to vote for will see that so and so is in the lead and then they will think "well, i guess i better vote for them because they are in the lead" I think if there weren't any polls, then people would actually have to choose someone on their own. That would be better.

Supposedly, the conservatives are in the lead at the moment, but thats just because they've been very effective at attracting the mindless sheep vote through their advertising.

 

[Preferred User]

...the conservatives...been very effective at attracting the mindless sheep vote through their advertising.

Don't underestimate the mindless sheep. Or as Churchill put it, "The best argument against democracy is spending 5 minutes with the average voter."

 

[mindido]

People who don't know who to vote for will see that so and so is in the lead and then they will think "well, i guess i better vote for them because they are in the lead"

I guess this explains why virtually everyone I vote for loses.

 

[Bob_Box]

However, had the Liberals not been in a majority situation in Ottawa from 1993 to 2004, it is very likely that Alberta would not be as prosperous today and have its debt paid off so quickly.

how is this so.....I see Alberta paying off it's debt by King Ralph doing massive cuts in spending and rising energy prices giving us a surplus. No where do I see the liberal goverment doing anything to affect us except accepting money from Alberta for equalization payments.

Alberta is also far from "killed" as you so bluntly and falsely put it.

the economy went for shit in the 80's and didn't recover til the early 90's

 

[Gibson]

I voted Liberal only to vote against the Conservative party. The only reason I can give for this is that Conservatives are against gay marriages. Because of my ignorance in pretty much every other topic relevant to the election, I have no opinion on any other issue. Or, at least, I have no opinion which I can successfully defend.

I am the threat to democracy.

Also:

the economy went for shit in the 80's and didn't recover til the early 90's

But it did recover, according to you. Do you have any other reasons to vote against the Liberals?

 

[Cman]

For those who don't like to read, I made the equation easier to understand

 

[Bob_Box]

Also:

But it did recover, according to you. Do you have any other reasons to vote against the Liberals?

Western Alienation

search it on Google

 

[Cman]

I agree that western alienation exists, BUT I don't think its valid. Especially since you live in such a wealthy province.

Alienation is common in every province except Ontario and its just because Canada is such a big ass country. Its hard to keep track of all areas.

So although your point is valid, I would have more sympathy for you if you lived in Newfoundland or something.

What happens if the Conservatives win and continue to ignore you. Are you going to be pissed at them too?

 

[Cman]

What’s Stephen Harper Got to Hide?
January 21, 2006

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper today refused to do a formal question and answer period with the media, suggesting he does not want to scare off voters by having his extreme socially conservative agenda exposed before Monday’s general election.

“Stephen Harper says he believes in open and accountable government. But now, he'll no longer make himself available to the press," Prime Minister Paul Martin said after Mr. Harper’s refusal to provide the media with access to him.

Mr. Harper has joined several of his candidates in hiding from the media, a move that was reported on by Carolyn Dunn of the CBC this morning.

“Unfortunately we're not going to be able to ask Stephen Harper any questions directly today because there is no media availability on his campaign today. And what we're being told is that we may or may not get an informal scrum on the plane…which we don't expect to fly until tomorrow so you'll get a lot of his messaging through his speeches like the one we just heard, but not a big likelihood of questions going to him in these last couple of days of the campaign.”

Mr. Harper’s spokesperson, Carolyn Stewart Olsen, said Harper no longer has time for formal question-and-answer periods.

Faced with daily revelations of his extreme conservative agenda, Mr. Harper is refusing to meet with the media in a bid to avoid further exposure of his radical right-wing policies.

Mr. Harper has spent the week muzzling the socially conservative views of his candidates and has now taken the final step of muzzling himself.

This, despite the Conservative leader having vowed an open and accountable government will be one of his priorities if he becomes Prime Minister.

"Stephen Harper says he wants members of Parliament to play a greater role in Parliament. He says he wants them to have a greater say, a greater voice. All the time, that is, except during an election campaign," the Prime Minister said.

"For the past month, Mr. Harper has had to keep many of his Conservative members in hiding. The reason is very clear. He doesn't want his Conservative candidates to tell Canadians what they stand for. He doesn't want them to say what they believe. He doesn't want them to say what they'd be working for if Stephen Harper ever formed a government."

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper is refusing to do formal question and answer periods with the media.

Mr. Harper has joined his candidates in hiding from the media as explained by Carolyn Dunn of the CBC this morning.

“Unfortunately we're not going to be able to ask Stephen Harper any questions directly today because there is no media availability on his campaign today. And what we're being told is that we may or may not get an informal scrum on the plane…which we don't expect to fly until tomorrow so you'll get a lot of his messaging through his speeches like the one we just heard, but not a big likelihood of questions going to him in these last couple of days of the campaign.”

Mr. Harper’s spokesperson, Carolyn Stewart Olsen, said Harper no longer has time for formal question-and-answer periods.

Faced with daily revelations of his extreme conservative agenda, Mr. Harper is refusing to meet with the media in a bid to avoid further exposure of his radical right-wing policies.

Mr. Harper has spent the week muzzling the socially conservative views of his candidates and has now taken the final step of muzzling himself.

This, despite the Conservative leader having vowed an open and accountable government will be one of his priorities if he becomes Prime Minister.

Canadians should ask themselves, is this a sign of things to come?

 

[blazin]

I'm in a western Canadian and i'm scared of what a Conservitive government will do to Canada. I'm not usually a fan of Liberals either, nor any Canadian political party, but i'd rather have Liberal government over a Conservative one. So Liberals get my vote.