If you’re wondering why recent antics by Harper’s Ministers of Fear are giving you a sick feeling of Déjà vu, there’s good reason. Everything old is new again apparently. These old dogs have learned no new tricks, they’ve just learned trickier new ways of selling their old ideas to a new, bigger audience of Canadians. Here are just some of the greatest hits being re-issued for your listening pleasure:
Workfare – Big Brother is Watching
The arrogance of the Mike Harris Ontario government seemed to grow to breathtaking proportions as almost daily we were greeted with reports of more service more fights with unions (any union) and totalitarian approaches to Aboriginal nations (Dudley George), the poor (seniors and welfare) and even fashion (introducing the now ubiquitous black sci-fi OPP garb). The disdain for your basic human rights was reminiscent of Animal Farm, one of George Orwell’s lesser known novels – “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”. “If we’d been deterred by Charter challenges, we wouldn’t have proceeded with any aspect of our welfare reforms.” – Dan Miles, Spokesperson for Ministry of Community and Social Services summed up the government’s arrogant and horrifying official position (as reported in Now Magazine Vol 20 #47 Jul 26-Aug 1 2001)
Understanding the Harper Government’s Assault on Canada’s Environment and its Consequences
In Ontario the pursuit of an agenda very similar to that being followed by the Harper government was, eventually, instrumental in the defeat of the Harris/Eves Progressive Conservative government in 2003, but not before enormous costs had been incurred to the environment, health and safety of Ontario residents. Unfortunately there seems little hope that the current federal government will deflect from the same path before it is too late.
The Harris-Harper Wolf Pack : Social Darwinism Makes a Cozy Den in Ottawa
Flaherty, Clement and Baird: These three politicians are key elements of the new ideological class of conservatism that began to dominate Ontario’s provincial party at the start of the nineties. In distinction to the oldguard, which called for lower taxation and limited privatization, the new class represents a much sharper social darwinism. As outlined, they are fanatical boosters of privatization, punitive law and order measures, and the destruction of social welfare infrastructure.
Mike Harris and Preston Manning: Bad American Policies Done Stupid
The solution to Canadian problems isn’t warmed over failed American and British ideas. The solution is Canadian ideas and the best, not the worst, that the rest of the world can offer. Or as your Mom used to say, “if your friends jumped off a bridge, would you jump after them?” For Manning and Harris, looking south and seeing the Republicans jumping off a bridge, the answer is yes. For the rest of us let’s hope the answer is different. I think it is, because unlike some in the Conservative party I don’t think Canada is a third rate socialist country – I think we’re one of the best countries in the world, with the know how to make our country the sort of country we all want to live in. So let’s toss Harris and Manning’s idea in the trash basket and go back to making Canada a country that isn’t a warmed over hash of ideas which have already failed in the US.
