the Liar

Last night I was watching the Mansbridge interview with the Prime Minister. At times I just sat there - saddened by the fact that this leader of the country I am stuck in - is likely not telling me the truth.

I listened to what Stephen Harper was saying and all I could see was the same expression of (sincerity) he had displayed to me in person as he explained to me the importance of removing the non-renewable resource revenues from the equalization equation. While Harper has always been described by most as "stiff" or "contrived" or even "robotic" - he has of late shown us another "image" the rocker. One can be sure or at least I can be sure - that all I am seeing is an image.

I cannot restate this often enough - outside of him promising the Premier and thereby us as a population that he would make these changes - he looked directly one on one at me and explained the following:

I am an economist from western Canada - I know that Canada has not worked for some provinces as it has worked for others and I recognize that the formula for equalization is inequitable. More particularly and as an economist - it is absolutely essential for provinces that are developing non-renewable resources - to have the ability to keep that revenue so that when the resource is depleted - the revenues derived from it could be used to develop infrastructure which then may be used to diversify and build the economy.In this way the province - after having lost the temporary and significant revenues from oil - would not slip back to the position they were in prior to these revenues.

I did ask him about Quebec as I knew that province would scream foul if somehow other provinces reliant on significant non-renewable revenues would get the edge on them - a renewable resource based economy (including those lovely revenues from our Upper Churchill).

He responded by saying he understood that political quandary - but that would not change his fundamental belief that removing these non-renewable oil revenues was the correct thing to do. He added that there were other ways to satisfy Quebec on their concerns. He ended by assuring me as one citizen - that this promise would be fulfilled.

The rest as they say is history - and regrettably a piece that has cost us and more particularly our children 10 billion dollars. Now he would like a majority - and Peter then asked him about this. He said things like "I do not see myself doing this or that" or in some instances said he would not do this or would do that. Mr. Harper you are a liar and I must not take any chances that you turn this country into a mini-me USA.

Then Mansbridge brought up the Senate reform to him and the fact that he had appointed many unelected Senators.If you recall that is something else that Harper promised to improve our democracy and make it more accountable to people. In either case Harper explained that now that he had filled the Upper Chamber with Conservatives - he could look at getting Conservative policies through. Not only is our Prime Minister a liar - he now believes that the people are fools.

What do I expect from Harper? I expect he will lie in the next election campaign in the same way he has done in the past. What do I expect Canadians will do? I expect they will continue to distrust him just enough to deny him a majority.