Can you lie, cheat, break the law or simply be a traitor? Harper needs you!

Short and not-so-sweet overview of Harper's judgement of character Canada. (small sample)

Can you lie? - Harper needs you!

Ms. Oda lied about the decision not to renew funding for Kairos by repeatedly claiming it was a decision of the Canadian International Development Agency.

Can you cheat? Harper needs you!

A top Tory strategist has left the Harper campaign after a media mogul outed him for supplying false information.

Can you break the law? Harper needs you!

Elections Canada has laid charges against the federal Conservative Party and four senior officials for exceeding the spending limit in the 2006 election campaign.

Are you a traitor to your province, your people, your country? Harper needs you!

Fabian Manning applauds Stephen Harper as he broke his promise (lied to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador) ends up in Senate after ABC campaign - now looking to be re-elected in NL - says he wants to look to the future.

The Coalition of 2007 between Harper and Duceppe - yes it was there for that budget!

You want to see a Stephen Harper coalition? Read this post and remember when the Bloc was the best thing since maple syrup. 

Whatever happened to Stephen Harper's promise? The one after the budget in 2007 - when Danny Williams and a population said you lied Prime Minister. When Harper and Conservative MP's from Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia (but one) voted away the promise to remove non-renewable resource revenues from the equalization formula.

For Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador - it was a devastating blow. For our province and her people it meant the loss of 10 billion dollars.

If we all remember it was a Nova Scotia MP Bill Casey who voted against his own government and budget and was booted from the Conservative caucus. Why? Because Mr. Casey had the integrity and backbone to stand for the people of his province and in fact - all of Atlantic Canada and Saskatchewan.

In case you don't remember - it was the Bloc that voted with Harper and removed this opportunity for our province and her children. This would be the same Bloc that Harper now says is dangerous and bad for the country. Harper and Fabian Manning did not blink when they used the Bloc to remove that "promise" from us and with it - the billions our children will now do without after the oil reserves are exhausted.

That money that would allow us to develop the Lower Churchill properly and without selling out yet another renewable energy asset.

So when it was convenient to use the Bloc to harm our province - Harper said yes - and worked with that coalition to get the budget implementation bill passed.

So when Harper says the Bloc is bad for Canada - and when Fabian Manning warns you at your door about the Big Bad Bloc - understand one thing - these liars and cheats will say and do anything with anyone to get and retain power.

By the way whatever happened to Harper's long since forgotten comment - that he would go to court to rebut critics who said he broke his word? I'm still here Harper - come on - have guts - don't do it in the shadows with your unknown helpers.

Tinkering with Minorities - The beginning of the end of the Conservative/Reform/Alliance Party

I see this Coalition thing as a maturing of our democracy. This concept more than anything else in the last century - shows that we are growing up as a population and no longer are "fearful" to elect something new.

You see Canada - the only group that fears a coalition - are the politicians and their parties.

They like ultimate power. They like taking their turns at the trough and enjoy the spoils of a majority - the bigger the better. It allows them to rule with an iron fist - and virtually makes the Prime Minister a dictator.

The Progressive Conservatives and the Liberals are so used to passing the puck - and being able to reward their cronies with contracts, jobs, and titles - that they don't know what to do in a system that prevents them from getting all the rewards. The Conservatives under Harper are absolutely fish out of water.

As we have witnessed over the past decade - scandals, patronage, criminal activity, and lies are now routinely exposed - denying these political pigs the free access to our money - they are used to.

Our political system allows the voters of different ideologies to elect members in a mathematical way that perpetuates minorities - until the politicians get it and start to cooperate. Our population has been so polarized and permanently partisan in the past that these establishments - known as political parties - have had their way with us. We are just enjoying the change up of our power and beginning to understand the actual control we have. We are now realizing that the Conservative Party is not the Progessive Conservative Party.

Outside of a minority here and there - our political masters relished the majority parliaments and their partners (large corporate interests) had hands extended to pick up our tax dollars. Publicly traded and large private conglomerates are not allowed to vote - they are not people. They relied on their money being used to CONvince a population - through millions of dollars in ads - to support one party or another. In that way Progressive Conservative or Liberal governments would be indebted to them and deliver policy appropriate for them. The Conservatives were created to rein the population back in and return all benefits to the corporate elite - who were let down by Mulroney's fall from public grace.

Promises made to voters were so routinely broken that our population preferred to just call them all liars - rather than exert the effort necessary to punish them at the polls. We became a population that simply disrespected this profession and became used to the friendly chameleon knocking at the door - and would expect - in short order they would change their colours.

Public financing of elections and political parties has changed this - and parties such as the Greens, Bloc, and NDP receive public funds based on the support they receive at the polls. This puts our democracy back in our hands - and is also why Harper wants to get rid of it.

Stephen Harper continues to threaten the population and has now begun attaching the delivery of his promises to a majority victory. This man and his candidates are running around our country attempting to dictate results by saying that the Conservatives essentially will not accept a minority result. Harper has taken up a new skill (reading minds) and then transmitting to us - the people - what Duceppe, Ignatieff, and Layton are really thinking and really planning.

Harper lies almost day to day on the campaign trail and suggests that everybody is wrong but him. He suggests that Duceppe and Layton are lying about what he committed to under the Martin minority. Harper skulks around community by community telling us what is really on the minds of Ignatieff, Duceppe, and Layton and promotes conspiracy as the likely culprit.

Harper has not yet been able to fully deliver for his corporate culture. Those shareholder leaches that raised him from college and taught him the art of exiling social welfare while feeding and nourishing corporate welfare. Harper has learned to promise and say anything to get power and keep it.

Unfortunately for this Reform political android - the people prefer the real deal - where candidates are not owned by oil and banks. Canadians prefer a balance of social and economic policy that moves our population forward - as a whole.

Until Harper and his ilk took over and destroyed the Progressive Conservative Party and then used people like Peter MacKay and Loyola Hearn to sell the "new" reform/alliance extreme right wing ideology - Canadians were not as fearful. That is why the Liberal, NDP, and PC's remained just right or left of centre.

Harper and the fear of him - has caused Canadians to kick the tires before buying the car. Unfortunately for Harper and his corporate clan - this man just did not have the skill to suck in an entire population. He is not the "man" they thought he was and when Harper receives - at best  - another minority he will be replaced.

This is a time when Joe Clarke should be listened to - and PC's in the country should resurrect the old party and return it to a Canadian alternative. Will Peter MacKay have the integrity and guts to do it? Probably not - so the PC's will have to find new blood and finally return the Reform/Alliance/Conservative party back to political obscurity.

Meanwhile Canada - we should continue to elect minorities and continue to force them to cooperate. The cost and inconvenience of election after election is much cheaper than selling our country to the corporate clan that just rendered an entire global financial system dead. The same corrupt white collar puppets that lied and cheated our markets into oblivion and have taken down the financial stability of entire countries.

Fortunately - the youth of the country and the explosion of social media - has made us sit back and take stock. Twitter and Facebook

This election is also a wake-up call for out nationals papers and broadcasters - that everything they report or provide commentary on - shall be critically reviewed by ordinary citizens of Canada. We the people are smarter than Harper gives us credit for. The old folly - Harper underestimated us while we overestimated him.

This time Canada wins.

Evan Solomon - Power & Propaganda - Co-A-Li-Tion

Power & Politics with Evan Solomon today - has confirmed for me that a name change is in order. Power & Propaganda as I will now refer to it - proved what Sue's Blog alluded to in an earlier post is true. Conservative candidates must line up to have a crack at being able to spew the "official" Harper message - over and over on a program that allows such rubbish.

Solomon had no control over the Conservative talking head Pierre Poilievre - who lied through omission over and over - while the NDP Robert Chisholm and Liberal Christine Innes did not have equal time.

First of all - the issue of coalition was concocted by Stephen Harper and was pursued by the media not the public. Mansbridge raised the issue again when interviewing Ignatieff. Next the CBC re fabricated the issue which is not being driven by the people of Canada.

The Conservative was once again - as is always the case with Solomon - permitted to avoid questions and continue to lie about what Ignatieff said. He further lied when he stated what was in the minds of Duceppe, Ignatieff, and Layton.

Solomon referred to getting the most seats in an election. He appears to have a difficult time understanding the obvious.

If Canada gives party A 4 seats party B 3 seats Party C 2 seats and party D 1 seat what does that mean?

It means that party A can attempt to form a government representing 40% of the public ideology but must however address the 60% with another ideology. If Party A can convince either Party B or C  individually to go along with a modified or cooperative combination of ideology then Party A can have 70% or 60% respectively of the parliament. That then would give them a way to operate like a majority.

If Party A can convince party's C and D to support a cooperative platform then Party A could sit with 70% of the parliament and thereby Canadians support.

If Party A acts like its 40% is a majority and ignores the wishes of 60% of the country then Party A will have failed to get majority support and would fall.

Then Party B would get a chance to try to make 30% become a majority by working cooperatively with parties C and D or even Party A.

So if Stephen Harper wants to remain in power if he receives a minority - he has to stop his contempt of the Canadian people and our democracy and find common ground. If this man cannot achieve this after so many years trying - he should do the honourable thing and resign. Perhaps this is the point Canada - Harper is intolerant of our democracy and therefore threatens to use our own system to frighten us.

Harper has spent more time manipulating the media and message regarding a coalition than ever spent on convincing Canadians that his party is the best party for the people.

If Evan Solomon cannot control Conservatives who come to his show day after day and say the same things including lies - day after day - then perhaps there should be a critical review of the program.

Ty to fellow twitter David for some info...

Coalition versus Harper Majority - Bogeyman exposed and it's not the Coalition

As I wait with bated breath for the Mansbridge interview with Stephen Harper - I figured it was just as well to talk about the Coalition.

If the media is hell bent on driving Harper's coalition issue - which clearly they are - then let's really look at it.

Mansbridge - without question - as if on Harper's cue brought the coalition word into the interview with Michael Ignatieff. Since then - the media like bees to honey - have been all over the comments and changing words here and there as they go.

So let us look at a Coalition versus a Harper Majority

The following would presume that the coalition will consist of Liberal, NDP, and Bloc:

1. Health care under the coalition versus health care under a Harper majority; I would be more assured that the coalition would protect universal health care more than a Harper majority.

2. Education under the coalition versus education under a Harper majority; I would be more assured that students and their families would fare better regarding funding of education under the coalition versus a Harper majority.

3. Seniors under the coalition versus seniors under a Harper majority; I would be more assured that seniors would have a higher standard of living under the coalition than under a Harper majority.

4. Child care and family needs under the coalition versus under a Harper majority; I would be more assured that the coalition would do more cumulatively for families and child care under the coalition versus under a Harper majority.

5. Taxation under the coalition versus under a Harper majority; I would be more assured that average Canadian families and small to medium sized business would fare better than banks and oil companies under the coalition versus a Harper majority.

6. Peacekeeping and defense under the coalition versus under a Harper majority; I would be more assured that Canada would play a more vital and peaceful role under the coalition versus under a Harper majority. Further I would be more assured that veterans would have a higher standard of living and receive the necessary health care they need under the coalition versus under a Harper majority.

7. Crime under the coalition versus crime under a Harper majority; I would feel much more assured that the coalition would steer us away from failed American crime policy and more toward the "Canadian" system of justice and further the RCMP leadership would have a chance of recovering from the mess created by Stephen Harper. Additionally - I would be much more assured that the coalition would defend Canadians charged and held in other countries than I would under a Harper majority.

8. The Economy under the coalition versus the economy under a Harper majority; I am certain the economy would continue to improve under the coalition as most of our recovery was because a) the opposition parties forced Harper and Flaherty to set objectives for incentives during the downturn caused by corporate corruption and illegal activity and b) the banking system in Canada (which was established under all parties historically) was not as impacted as other jurisdictions.

9. Regional Representation under the coalition versus under a Harper majority; I know that regions of the country would be better represented under the coalition versus under a Harper majority. The Prairie provinces and British Columbia would certainly be protected with NDP input, Ontario under both Liberal and NDP input, Quebec under Bloc, NDP, and Liberal input, the Maritime provinces with Liberal and NDP input, and Newfoundland and Labrador with input under Liberal and NDP. A Harper majority is the most divisive possibility for election outcome and poses the greatest threat of breaking up the country.

10. Trust and Accountability under the coalition versus under a Harper majority; There is no doubt - after the display under a minority Harper government - that if given a majority the contempt would increase exponentially and Harper would believe that Canadians sent him a message of "we don't care" about the law, rules, protocol, transparency and trust - if a majority was achieved. I further am more assured - with an annoyed Conservative opposition that they would do everything possible to out any wrongdoings by the coalition.

So there you have the bogeyman exposed - are you afraid of a coalition? I am not and that is why Harper has not achieved the majority he so hungers for.

Majority Must - Harper says Canada must Adapt to Me!

I presume you have been listening to the frenzied call for a majority by Stephen Harper to Canada and Canadians.

He says things like stability and security - in his efforts to frighten Canadians away from their own democracy.

Twice now we have had a stable and secure parliament as elected by Canadians. Our free democratic choice at the polls. Is Harper suggesting that we were wrong? Is he saying Canadians are stupid and he will keep folding parliament either directly or indirectly until Canadians get it right?

Stephen Harper must understand that he and all other MP's and political parties must work within the numbers Canadians elect. If that is a minority - then the governing party must work with all MP's to find compromise that reflects the ideologies properly and legally elected by people of this Country.

If Harper and company receive a minority - then he must work with all MP's to find a balanced way through for our people. If not - a coalition must be sought within parliament and they must work to find that balance. That has been the will of our people in the past two elections. Stephen Harper does not accept our elected choices. Stephen Harper is saying to Canadians - I am only willing to make parliament work if you give me a majority.

Stephen Harper is like an American fish out of water in Canadian politics and he would like the Country to adapt to him. That is the arrogance of this man - and also the danger he presents to our nation.

Stephen Harper will not accept that you and I will vote NDP, Liberal, Green, or Bloc. He will tell us that we are going to destruct if we continue with minorities, coalitions, or other parliamentry arrangements.

What makes all of this worse is that he lies over and over and will continue to do so - to get and retain power. He will eliminate unacceptable Canadians from his public election events after an "electoral background check" is done on citizens of this country.

He will take one of the cornerstones of a mature democracy - the media - and control them also - with question limits and physical accessability to him. This is what he sends our military to fight against in other countries.

The most disingenuous rendition of lyrics I have ever heard - is this man singing "Imagine". I do not believe John Lennon could have found anyone so polar opposite to himself and no doubt would cringe that Harper would sing this song in yet another lie to gain majority control of Canada.

If Stephen Harper will not accept your choices on election day - do the right thing this time and tell him to move on.

Note on the Lennon performance by Harper. Lenono music has now claimed copyright and has removed the video from youtube. Happy to see that - but the Conservatives and Harper used it to alter image yet again. 

Connect the Vote - Connect the Map Mark Kelley - you missed something else!

I guess we all remember Mark Critch chastising Mark Kelley - of CBC Connect the Vote - because the program left Newfoundland and Labrador off their cross-country tour during the election.

Kelly - within a couple of days - crew in tow showed up in St. John's - they say because of the outcry from Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. As we know the story goes - Quebec was next on the agenda for the tour.

So yesterday Mark stopped in Quebec and did what he had never done before - interview his brother - who happens to be a Quebec provincial Cabinet Minister.

I have another really pressing issue for Mark and CBC - look at the video of the interview below - and tell me why Mark Kelley did not ask Minister Kelley about the huge map set as the backdrop as the two brothers meet and embrace. What's with the boundary Mark? (about 1 minute in)

The question of the interview? "What's it like to be federalist in Quebec". I don't know Mark but I can tell you what it's like to be a Newfoundlander and Labradorian in Canada. 

Hard not to be cynical isn't it?

VIDEO PRESS HERE

Polls and Promises the Art of selling out Newfoundland and Labrador

Finally it appears that all political parties in Ottawa are going to hold Harper and his cronies to account. The lying, cheating, and misleading all leave a bad taste in the mouths of Canadians.

I sat and watched the budget yesterday - and wondered - what is the truth? Is Flaherty telling me the truth? Then I quickly reminded myself that he and his colleagues have cooked up some more politics, partisan tripe, and outright spin to see if they can't make it on third down? If all else fails Harper might want to try the US to see if he can make the end line of a fourth down attempt or just agree to pack it in and kick it off to the other team.

What I liked most about the commentary yesterday was the corporate elite telling Canadians - we do not want another election. Banks broadcasting that they was a 5 fold return on investment in the next quarter or half and major faceless shareholders drooling over yet more corporate tax cuts. Corporations do not vote! They do not own our election process - although arguably own quite a number of our politicians.

Then there were the media gurus who had Jack Layton supporting the budget before he left the House - only to be wrong as Jack first took to the mics. You got to give him his due - the Leader of the NDP - as he waited and waited for the Bloc and Liberals to state the obvious - and then after all were finished he arrived to a throng of childlike reporters hanging on to his every word.

Perhaps this election will see the virtual end to the Green Party and perhaps the birth of another to take its place. At the moment the Green's appear to be one very large employer for Elizabeth May and one very considerate draw on taxpayer voting dollars. I would like to see a few more parties in Canada - with choices more like the Bloc but for the rest of us. We need somebody to push for the real changes we need such as reform or abolition of the Senate, the restructuring of our confederation, equity for smaller provinces, equalization that does not punish the development of non-renewable resources, and parties that recognize that people not corporations - vote.

If they want to talk about fiscal responsibility as the Conservatives love to yammer on about - let's try to let them sink or swim on their own - the Conservatives do this but to average Canadians not failing mega-corps. Jim Flaherty like some of his past colleagues (now residing in corporate positions) believe they work for banks - not Canadians. When Flaherty gives yet another tax break to the largest of the largest publicly traded conglomerate - he his doing so with our money - not his.

We will soon find out if political prostitution is alive and well in our province - as we all await what Ms. Dunderdale will recommend to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. Will she forget about the 10 billion lost when Harper lied to Williams and to our people - just to fan dangle a loan guarantee for the Muskrat Falls development. A loan guarantee that we would not need if Harper had not screwed us on equalization - rendering our oil revenues a punishment not a mover for our long-term economic stability. Will our Premier - so desperate for the Emera deal - ignore the injustices perpetrated by the Harper administration and move us toward negotiating away even more of our future for that line to Nova Scotia?

The Harper government really needed to shut down the string of lies, deception, and manipulative practises - and so they completed a half-arse election budget knowing that an agreement would not be reached with other parties. Funny it is - watching Harper govern as a majority despite the minority reality - and up until yesterday the other parties allowed this to be.

And so today as I listen to the pundits tell me over and over again on our national media circuit - that Canadians do not want an election - I will remind myself that I must be in the minority - one who believes that parliamentary rules do matter - the truth from politicians must be paramount - and that these elected representatives are answerable to the people  not the creepy animated character in some bank advertisement.

Where do I mark my X - I am still on the ABC campaign - as I assume our Premier will be. I wonder if Harper will "promise" a loan guarantee to Dunderdale for the hydro legacy of shame and if Dunderdale will accept that promise like others before her? Will she join the long list of politicians who will sell out this province cheaply and conservatively?