Nick Nanos Just in time for the second debate tonight, Nanos has come out with a poll dealing with voters’s views of what is needed to stimulate the economy. You can link to the Nanos study through the Toronto Star article. IT IS WORTH READING, AND WORTH SHARING. What
Continue readingTag: Justin Trudeau
Accidental Deliberations: On unclear pictures
David Akin may have been right to point out that Justin Trudeau’s response to the federal government’s latest fiscal update was based on an avoidable lack of knowledge. But it’s worth noting why it’s so difficult for anybody to have an accurate picture of what’s actually happened within the federal
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, summarizing these posts as to how the opposition parties can set the stage for a minority Parliament by telling us what they’ll do on the first set of confidence votes – and how we can make better voting choices if they fail to do so. For further reading…– Having
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: Were the Liberals and NDP Set Up by Lynton Crosby?
There has been much talk recently about the Conservatives hiring of the Australian strategist, Lynton Crosby. Known for his dirty and divisive campaigns, the news sent, if not shock waves, at least ripples; throughout the rival teams and their supporte…
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: Were the Liberals and NDP Set Up by Lynton Crosby?
There has been much talk recently about the Conservatives hiring of the Australian strategist, Lynton Crosby. Known for his dirty and divisive campaigns, the news sent, if not shock waves, at least ripples; throughout the rival teams and their supporters. However, we have since learned that Crosby has been working
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: Were the Liberals and NDP Set Up by Lynton Crosby?
There has been much talk recently about the Conservatives hiring of the Australian strategist, Lynton Crosby. Known for his dirty and divisive campaigns, the news sent, if not shock waves, at least ripples; throughout the rival teams and their supporters. However, we have since learned that Crosby has been working
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta Politics: Tuesday Morning Federal Election Updates from Alberta
Some of the latest from the federal election campaign trail in Alberta: NDP leader Tom Mulcair will visit the Lethbridge riding today to campaign alongside candidate Cheryl Meheden during his visit to Alberta. Mr. Mulcair is back in Alberta this… Continue Reading →
Continue readingCuriosityCat: Forum Poll: More Canadians believe Liberal economic plan is the best
Despite spending hundreds of millions of dollars to promote their Action Plan, most Canadians (52%) do not think Harper’s economic plan is successful. Less than 1 in 4 think it is a success. That’s bad news if you are running to be the next government, with your ads saying your
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: So Who’s the Dictator Now?
Recenty, former NDP MP, Bruce Hyer, has come out to the press about his former boss’s dictatorial style and problems he had with honesty; evident in the way that he is constantly contradicting himself.
When asked during his interview with Peter Mansbridge about this, Mulcair only said that Hyer did not want to vote with his colleagues.
In an email to HuffPost, however, Hyer called Mulcair’s statements “a total fabrication.” “I always supported 95 per cent of the NDP party platform. I still support much of it! But I feel very strongly that my primary role is as the representative of my constituents,” Hyer wrote.
“On some issues, an MP’s responsibility is to put … constituents ahead of the party line. It is interesting that Mulcair immediately contradicted himself and said that I was ‘someone who walked away from the party on a single issue.’ Again and again, I see and hear a man who in his pursuit of power will contradict himself.”
In fact as early as 2013, the Globe and Mail had already noticed the trend.
Much attention has been given to Conservative backbenchers who push socially conservative issues and are later overruled by cabinet. What is not well known is that Conservative MPs are far more likely to support motions from other parties – all of which are to the political left of the governing party. In contrast, the voting record of the official opposition under NDP leader Thomas Mulcair shows ironclad discipline. Not a single vote has been cast that is out of step.
This certainly lends credence to Hyer’s comments. One of Mulcair’s nicknames when he was in the Quebec legislature was objet immobile or immovable object. He was very obstinate. Recent analysis of voting patterns have shown that the NDP vote with their leader 100% of the time, while the Conservatives only 76%. So who’s the dictator now?
During the 2004 election campaign, many Canadians were concerned with Stephen Harper’s views on the Constitution, and fears that his platform would result in many court challenges. It has. But how is that any different from Mulcair’s platform? He is also threatening the Constitution with his promise to abolish the Senate.
Harper was also antagonistic toward the Supreme Court, suggesting that they had too much power. As a populist, he believed that all the power should rest in the hands of elected MPs. Is this not exactly what Thomas Mulcair is suggesting today?
He claims that if elected the Senate will have to answer to him. I find that rather frightening. Yes, the Senate is wounded but it is not broken, and is a vital part of our democracy. They are supposed to the sober second thought, that would protect us from leaders like Mulcair and Harper, who believe in an autocratic style of government.
Sadly, they have become little more than a partisan cesspool, but that is where we need change. Senators should not belong to any party. If they are caught campaigning for, or against, any political party, they can no longer be a senator. We need them to represent us. We are the ones paying the bills.
Both Harper and Mulcair want the Constitution reopened to push their own agendas. It won’t happen because both Quebec and Ontario, have already said that they are not prepared to do that.
I have been accused recently of not being progressive because of my opposition to Thomas Mulcair. However, it is as a progressive, that I am sounding the alarm.
In November of 2009, Linda McQuaig wrote in the Toronto Star
If, as polls suggest, Stephen Harper is poised to win a majority, it’s largely due to the media notion that his past reputation for extremism no longer holds. In fact, apart from his reluctant embrace of economic stimulus, Harper has shown little of the “moderation” that supposedly now puts his government comfortably within the Canadian mainstream.
I feel as McQuaig did then. The media is once again being blissfully ignorant, or intentionally misleading, by ignoring Mulcair’s past. He was not an “extremist”, but he was virulently right-wing. Most progressive journalists warned of Harper’s devotion to the principles of Margaret Thatcher, yet most, including McQuaig, are now eerily silent on Mulcair’s.
We can’t make the same mistake twice. If Mulcair is re-elected it will be as a Member of Parliament. Depending on the outcome of the election, he could be prime minister, opposition leader, or leader of the third party.
But under no circumstances will he be elected supreme being. He will not dictate to the Senate. He will not unilaterally change our constitution and he will not simply repeal anything, without the support of both Houses.
We’ve had a decade of this kind of government, and Canadians are weary of it.
Including this progressive.
Pushed to the Left and Loving It: So Who’s the Dictator Now?
Recenty, former NDP MP, Bruce Hyer, has come out to the press about his former boss’s dictatorial style and problems he had with honesty; evident in the way that he is constantly contradicting himself. When asked during his interview with Peter Mansbridge about this, Mulcair only said that Hyer did
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: So Who’s the Dictator Now?
Recenty, former NDP MP, Bruce Hyer, has come out to the press about his former boss’s dictatorial style and problems he had with honesty; evident in the way that he is constantly contradicting himself. When asked during his interview with Peter Mansbridge about this, Mulcair only said that Hyer did
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Can Lynton Crosby Save Stephen Harper?
Big news this week for the Harper campaign watchers—uber political strategist Lynton Crosby joined the Harper campaign team. Why this is news now and not when Crosby started working with the Harper team in March is a mystery, but never mind. Mr Crosby has a stellar record. He brought John
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On simplified procedures
Following up on this post, let’s also note how the right answer from Canada’s opposition parties could combine with the seeming agreement between the major party leaders as to the “most seats first” principle to take nearly all of the guesswork out of a post-election minority Parliament. Again, the range
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On basic questions
The National Post’s editorial board offers the latest reminder as to how confidence is won and lost in Canada’s Parliament. And it only highlights the need for our candidates – particularly those promising change – to offer a clear indication as to their post-election plans. But while it’s worth discussing
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Trudeau should dump Chris Brown for calling women bitches and whores
Justin Trudeau should dump Chris Brown, the Liberal candidate who called women whores and bitches in a series of incoherent, profanity-laden Twitter postings. The post Trudeau should dump Chris Brown for calling women bitches and whores appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingCuriosityCat: Battleground Ontario is moving into Liberal camp says Nanos
The kiss of death? The latest Nanos poll for CTV shows a three way split between the LPC, CPC and NDP. However, the Liberal grip on their heartland of Atlantic Canada remains firm; while the NDP has a clear majority in Quebec. The key battleground is now the biggest province,
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Thomas Mulcair comes to Edmonton bringing the promise of flinty eyed fixes to our national malaise
PHOTOS: NDP supporters lined up to take selfies with the man they hope will be the next prime minister of Canada. And if Thomas Mulcair wasn’t available, as below, there was always his bearded visage on the side of a bus for a selfie. Bottom: Mr. Mulcair, still smiling, as
Continue readingCuriosityCat: Does the Mansbridge Bump mean Justin Trudeau will be prime minister on October 20?
The chickens have spoken Peter Mansbridge, the jovial senior journalist of CBC, held three interviews with Harper, Mulcair and Trudeau. Google has revealed the results of searches on google of the three men, during each such interview. Here’s the graph: Two things about the number of searches. First, more people
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On historical connections
Needless to say, we have ample reason to laugh at Justin Trudeau’s attempt to cast himself as bearing any similarity to Tommy Douglas when it comes to social justice and economic management. But it may not be long before one significant link develops between the two. Based on a quick
Continue readingCuriosityCat: Justin Trudeau answers Peter Mansbridge on why he wishes to be prime minister
And gives a succinct answer that answers the question very well. Peter Mansbridge interviews Justin Trudeau And a good answer it is (even though Mansbridge seems to interrupt an awful lot): PM: But why, why do you think you’re that fresh approach? Not on your beliefs on policy, but on
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