stephen harper ← Progressive Bloggers // Blogues progressistes

Alberta Politics: Never mind apologies, it’s time for Canada’s Tories just to admit Jack Layton was right about talking to the Taliban

Aug

9

2017

PHOTOS: Jack Layton in Edmonton in 2011. Below: Forgettable Harper Government foreign minister Lawrence Cannon (Photo: Abigail Veronneau, Wikimedia Commons) and Peter MacKay, who took some of the cheap shots at Mr. Layton in 2006 (Photo: Department of National Defence, via the Wikimedia Commons). Never mind the apologies. That ship has sailed. We Canadians need ...

Alberta Politics: Derek Fildebrandt, UCP ‘liberty’ advocate, calls for return to ugly 1940s labour relations, labour studies professor says

Aug

4

2017

PHOTOS: The late Jim Prentice, during his successful 2014 campaign to lead the Progressive Conservative Party, with supporters in Edmonton. Below: Anti-union “liberty conservative” Derek Fildebrandt, NDP Premier Rachel Notley, and Athabasca University Labour Studies Professor Bob Barnetson. It was probably his “math is hard” moment in a televised debate with NDP Leader Rachel Notley ...

daveberta.ca – Alberta Politics: Sturgeon River-Parkland by-election to replace Rona Ambrose to be called by end of 2017

Aug

2

2017

A federal by-election will be held in Sturgeon River-Parkland in the coming months following the resignation of Conservative Member of Parliament Rona Ambrose. Ambrose served as MP for this riding from 2015 to 2017 and as MP for the now defunct Edmonton-Spruce Grove riding from 2004 to 2015. A by-election must be called by December 31, 2017. ...

Alberta Politics: Groovy! It’s the Summer of Love for the UCP! Should the NDP despair? Not really

Aug

2

2017

PHOTOS: Cool, man, it’s the Summer of Love! Alberta’s conservatives, grooving to the beat of the Jason Kenney Experience, say: Tune in, turn on, and (if you’re a progressive voter) drop out! (Photo found on the Internet; source not indicated.) Below: Pollster Quito Maggi, United Conservative Party leadership hopeful Jason Kenney, and Alberta Premier Rachel ...

Montreal Simon: John Ibbitson’s Obscene Ode to Andrew Scheer

Jul

24

2017

I realize that the Globe writer John Ibbitson has written some rotten columns before, most of them in praise of Stephen Harper.And I realize he works for a newspaper that somehow managed to endorse the Cons, if not Harper, in the last election.Which was of course somewhere between absurdity, and insanity.And after the way Harper and his ...

Montreal Simon: The Traitor Cons and the Trudeau Derangement Syndrome

Jul

22

2017

As you know, I believe that the decision by Andrew Scheer's Cons to take their campaign against the Khadr settlement to the U.S. on the eve of the NAFTA talks, can only be described as treason.So I'm glad to see that even some in the Con media agree.Conservatives are entitled to object to the Liberal ...

Montreal Simon: Why Are The Cons Trying To Destroy Canadian Jobs?

Jul

21

2017

The other day I accused Stephen Harper of acting in a treasonous manner, by trashing his country in Trump's America for crass political purposes.But now his filthy Harper Party has taken that traitorous behaviour one foul step further.By threatening to destroy tens of thousands of Canadian jobs.Read more »

Alberta Politics: On Jason Kenney’s Progressive Conservative leadership victory: big money guys finish first (nice guys, not so much)

Jul

20

2017

PHOTOS: Tory volunteers and armed guards move cash into Jason Kenney’s campaign vault. Actual Progressive Conservative bag people and security measures may not appear exactly as illustrated. (Photo … dimly recalled when needed … University of Victoria Archives.) Below: Alberta Progressive Conservative Leader Jason Kenney and badly outspent leadership contender Richard Starke. Jason Kenney has ...

Montreal Simon: Stephen Harper and the Treason of the Cons

Jul

18

2017

When Stephen Harper stumbled into the night after his humiliating election defeat at the hands of Justin Trudeau, I thought it would be a long long time before we saw or heard from him again.And for almost two years that seemed to be the case, as he kept a very low profile, or only came ...

Montreal Simon: Justin Trudeau, Omar Khadr, and the Monster Stephen Harper

Jul

12

2017

I've been having too much of a good time sailing and fishing in the north of Scotland to keep up with what has been happening in Canada.But everywhere I go, as soon as people find out I'm a Canadian, they can't wait to tell me how much they admire Justin Trudeau.And how they wish he ...

Alberta Politics: Canadian Taxpayers Federation’s position on Khadr case exposes the group’s partisan inclinations

Jul

6

2017

PHOTOS: Omar Khadr, left, with his Edmonton lawyer, Dennis Edney, at right. Mr. Edney’s wife, Patricia Edney, is in the middle. (Photo: CBC) Below: Mr. Khadr at age 14, not long before his capture by U.S. forces in Afghanistan in July 2002, and Aaron Wudrick, Federal Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. If you have ...

Montreal Simon: Omar Khadr and the Day of Justice

Jul

5

2017

I've written many posts about the case of Omar Khadr. I consider the way that Canadian child soldier was treated by his own government to be one of the worst legal travesties in modern Canadian history.And one that should shame us all.So I'm glad to see that he is finally going to get some justice. And as ...

Montreal Simon: My Fabulous Canada Day Long Weekend

Jul

4

2017

Well I must say my Canada 150 long weekend was about 150% better than I had hoped it would be.The music and the fireworks were amazing. Some friends from Montreal were staying with me, so I was able to party in both official languages.And for the first time I felt that our other founding nations ...

Alberta Politics: Big Tobacco will be pleased as Derek Fildebrandt’s ‘liberty’ video assails restrictions on flavoured cigarettes

Jul

2

2017

PHOTOS: Young smokers, circa 1910. Below: A screenshot of Wildrose Finance Critic Derek Fildebrandt’s social media video, Mr. Fildebrandt himself, former Wildrose Party leader Danielle Smith, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose marijuana-legalization strategy Mr. Fildebrandt appears to endorse. Wildrose Finance Critic Derek Fildebrandt is continuing his party’s tradition of supporting Big Tobacco’s right to ...

Alberta Politics: Happy Canada Day! Nice to welcome a new NDP government, though some caveats may apply here in Alberta

Jul

1

2017

PHOTOS: British Columbia’s NDP Premier-Designate John Horgan with your blogger, not so very long ago. Below: Alberta NDP Premier Rachel Notley, a Vancouver take on a Canada Day flag, and B.C. premier W.A.C. Bennett in his heyday. Happy Canada Day, people, and after more than 50 days of waiting to find out what the heck ...

Alberta Politics: With three right-wing political parties now possible instead of one, has Jason Kenney’s roll of the dice crapped out?

Jun

25

2017

PHOTOS: Jason Kenney, as he may see himself, gets ready to roll the unite-the-right dice. Actual Alberta conservative politicians may not appear exactly as illustrated. (Photo: Publicity shot for Sky Full of Moon, 1952.) Below: The real Mr. Kenney, plus the real Katherine O’Neill, Greg Clark and Stephen Mandel. Snake eyes? Jason Kenney rolled the ...

Alberta Politics: Corporate media have reached consensus about Andrew Scheer: He’s Stephen Harper with a human face!

May

29

2017

PHOTOS: Andrew Scheer, demonstrating his vaunted smile. (Photo: Rabble.ca.) This fills corporate media with hope. It shouldn’t. In Canada, with or without a smile, social conservatism is ballot-box poison. Below: former prime minister Stephen Harper, who really doesn’t have a very nice smile at all. Below him, former PM Joe Clark and serving PM Justin ...

Accidental Deliberations: On changing opposition

May

28

2017

While there will be plenty more to discuss about how the Conservatives’ choice of Andrew Scheer as their new leader, I’ll offer a few preliminary thoughts now – starting with a warning about knee-jerk reactions. We shouldn’t presume that Scheer’s apparent lack of current definition will last long: the Libs are obviously wasting no time ...

Montreal Simon: Nigel Wright and the Con Scandal That Won’t Die

May

26

2017

The timing couldn't have been more embarrassing for the Cons. On Saturday they will choose a new leader, and Rona Ambrose is still desperately trying to whip up interest in the event… The big day is almost here – on Saturday we're going to find out who Canada's next Prime Minister will be! #cpcldr pic.twitter.com/AxQDlO8h4S — Rona ...

Alberta Politics: ‘Foreign influence’ had nothing to do with Tory Joan Crockatt’s Calgary Centre election defeat in 2015

May

24

2017

PHOTOS: Joan Crockatt, during her brief spell as Conservative Member of Parliament for Calgary Centre. Below: Liberal Veterans Affairs Minister Kent Hehr, who beat Ms. Crockatt in 2015; environmentalist Chris Turner who ran against her for the Greens in 2012 and did very well; and environmentalist Harvey Locke, who ran against her for the Liberals ...

daveberta.ca – Alberta Politics: No, reforming Alberta’s Labour Laws will not kill democracy.

May

23

2017

It won’t come as a surprise to many political watchers in Alberta that the most vocal critics of the NDP government’s yet to be announced reforms to Alberta’s outdated labour laws have strong ties to the province’s Conservative establishment. “Keep Alberta Working” is a campaign of the “Alberta Growth Initiative,” which is a coalition of the Alberta Hotel ...

Alberta Politics: There’s no life like it! Alberta’s right-wing troll army is recruiting

May

23

2017

ILLUSTRATIONS: Poster thanks to the U.S. Army, circa 1941-42 or whenever they finally got around to joining the fight, with a little help from PhotoShop. Below: Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi – is he the target of the Troll Army’s latest Alberta campaign? The ad in question. Alberta’s right-wing Troll Army is recruiting! There’s no life ...

Accidental Deliberations: Wednesday Morning Links

May

17

2017

Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Binyamin Appelbaum highlights the strong consensus view that Donald Trump’s planned tax giveaways to the rich will do nothing for overall economic development. And John Buell points out that Trump’s plan for privatized infrastructure – much like Justin Trudeau’s – will serve only to enrich and empower corporations ...

Alberta Politics: Worthwhile Canadian initiative … Rona Ambrose said to be departing politics to help out the Wilson Centre

May

16

2017

PHOTOS: Outgoing interim federal Opposition Leader Rona Ambrose listens seriously to someone in this Government of Canada shot found lingering on the Internet. Below: Ms. Ambrose and her domestic partner, J.P. Veitch, grabbed from her Facebook page, and Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi, plucked from the author’s vast collection of political mugshots. Well, that’s no fun! ...

Alberta Politics: It’s weird to see Alberta’s Wildrose Party paying tribute to (Pierre) Trudeau’s National Energy Program … but what the heck!

May

9

2017

PHOTOS: Prime minister Pierre Trudeau, at right, and Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed looking friendly enough in this file shot taken back in the 1980s. Below: Wildrose Economic Development Critic Prasad Panda and former Manitoba (shhhhhh … NDP) premier Gary Doer. VICTORIA, B.C. While we await the results of today’s British Columbia election, I’ve got news ...