Stephen Harper is visiting China for trade talks, and many believe that as the heads of the two countries meet, human rights issues must be addressed. Warning: These stories may be disturbing. – A vocal opponent of the government and an advocate for human rights, is routinely questioned. They also target his
Continue readingAuthor: Emily Dee
Pushed to the Left and Loving It: Stephen Harper Shows Corporate Tax Cuts at Work
On March 19, 2008, Stephen Harper posed for a photo-op at London’s Electro-Motive plant to showcase a $5-million federal tax break given to Caterpillar, the American buyers of the Canadian company. When Caterpillar, famous for union busting in the United States, amid record profits, wanted the employees to take a 50% pay cut and surrender
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: The Lost Boys of Neverland Have Been Discovered
In March of 2001, Rahim Jaffer, an Alliance MP, got into a bit of trouble when a hoax he had helped to perpetrate, blew up in his face. Jaffer then owned a string of coffee shops in Edmonton, one of them set to open on the very day that he
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: More Hands Found in Harper’s Deep Pockets
In 2007, knowing that they couldn’t ride Adscam forever, the Harper government put our tax dollars to good use, by hiring a private investigator to dig into the Liberal’s polling expenses. However, the firm he hired did not uncover the results he was hoping for. An independent investigator hired by
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: The High Cost of Corporate Tax Cuts
The Harper government’s plans to reduce the deficit with savings from Old Age Security, are absolute nonsense. Their argument is that it will be more beneficial for younger workers. Just how is forcing Canadians to work two years longer, going to help those entering the workforce? They will have to wait
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: When is the Price of a Politician Too High?
Since Citizens United paved the way for the wealthy to buy U.S. political candidates outright, there is more for Americans to worry about than losing their democracy, though that is certainly a blow to a once democratic country. The people with all of this money expect something in return and
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: Remind me Again Why we Spent $800,000 to Celebrate the Libyan Victory?
“Gadhafi’s days are over. Never again will he be in a position to support terrorism or to turn guns on his own people. The Libyan people can finally turn the page.” Stephen Harper The Harper government spent $800,000 on a celebration marking the end of the attack on Libya. Besides being
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: So Who Would You Like to Send to the Moon?
Newt Gingrich frightened even Republicans this week with his plans to develop a colony on the moon by 2020. He had obviously given this a lot of thought, because he indicated that the colony would consist of 13,000 people and would be named the 51st state. What he didn’t say
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: Too Big to Fail or So Big They Must Fail
g There is an excellent Viewpoint piece in this week’s Time magazine, written by foreign and domestic policy expert, David Rothkopf. Fixing Capitalism Means Taking Power Back From Business Rothkopf discusses not only the rise of big stateless corporations, now dictating foreign policy, but also what domestic capitalism has turned itself into.
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: Americans Fear Their Election Could End up Like Canada’s. I Can Help
In the upcoming election, Barack Obama will not be challenged by the Republicans, who frankly have given up on even pretending to be politicians serving the public, but by the Super PACs. Political Action Committees financed by wealthy corporations, who are tired of democracy getting in their way. Remember that
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: When is Money Good Money?
Several years ago a story in the Readers Digest’s Life’s Like That, was a perfect anthem to the American Dream. The young man who had sent in the story, was attending business school, and in the summer worked at his father’s restaurant, a busy local eatery. With his new found knowledge,
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: American Magazine Calls Canada a Jingoistic Petro-State
Blogger Scott Tribe shared a link yesterday to an article that appeared in Slate magazine, which is owned by the Washington Post. Saudi Arabia. Nigeria. Venezuela. Canada? Is our neighbor to the north becoming a jingoistic petro-state? We think that Stephen Harper is only our problem, but like it or
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: New Item on Menu – The McFox Sandwich
My neighbour told us of an experience he had with the local McDonalds. He was sitting in one having breakfast and found himself offended by a debate playing out on the television, that included racial slurs. So he went up to the counter and asked if they could change the
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: Newt Gingrich Thanks Harper for Being a Pro-American Conservative
Rick Santorum may get his fashion tips from Stephen Harper, but Newt Gingrich likes the whole package. The first truly pro-American prime minister of Canada. What’s not to love? What Newt doesn’t understand is the power of the people, who are just as determined to stop the Northern Gateway Pipeline,
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: Moving Beyond Politics by Empowering the People
What if Environment Canada issued a tornado warning for your area? And what if along with that warning they offered suggestions to keep you safe? Things like moving into the basement; covering yourself with blankets and staying away from your windows. You would certainly heed their advice, since it’s based on scientific
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: Should the National Citizens Coalition Lose Its Tax Exempt Status?
When it was learned this week that Bob Rae is now polling 24 points ahead of Stephen Harper, many of us wondered when the Harper attack ads would begin. It took exactly 17 minutes and 43 seconds (Actually, they were already running them). Careful not to make it appear that
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: Stephen Harper and Newt Gingrich May be Reunited After All
When Newt Gingrich and the Republicans stole the Mid-terms in 1994, Gingrich gave much of the credit to Preston Manning and the Reform Party. Manning’s lieutenantt at the time was Stephen Harper. In the contest for the Republican presidential candidacy, Newt Gingrich was a long shot, but that shot just
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: When is "Foreign" Money and Influence, Not "Foreign" Money and Influence?
The Harper government has tried a new strategy in pushing through the Gateway Pipeline. Apparently, we are now under attack by “foreigners”. “Foreign” money is driving the debate. “Foreign” radicals are trying to stop progress. And yet “foreign” ownership of the Tar Sands has accelerated since they took power. Our
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: So This is Ethical Oil?
The American conservatives appear to be adopting, or at least sharing, tactics being used by the Canadian conservatives to get what they want. Intimidation and corruption. The Republican controlled Congress is voting on a bill that would force President Obama to make a decision on TransCanada’s Keystone XL pipeline by November 1. An unprecedented
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: Since You Brought it Up: Stephen Harper and R.B. Bennett
In 1931, during a particularly stormy debate in the House of Commons, a member of the Opposition asked Conservative MP Walter D. Cowan, why he didn’t wear his “nightshirt”. An odd question to be raised in Parliament, but a very significant one. Before winning his seat in the federal election
Continue reading