Moonbats on Parade: The low point of election night
Listening to Jack Layton's speech, I witnessed what I thought was the low point of the night, and it made me nervous.
Jack Layton of the NDP thanked each of his opponents in turn: Gilles Duceppe of the Bloc Quebecois, Paul Martin of the Liberals, and of course, Stephen Harper of the Conservatives.
But while the mention of names of Duceppe and Martin were met with polite applause, a chorus of boos greeted Stephen Harper.
Jack Layton didn't miss a beat, or scold his supporters, but carried on with a congratulatory message.
I worry that in Canada, the potential exists for what has happened in the US -- the fight between the Left and the Right will become intensely personal, at least for the Left. George W Bush is hated on a very personal level by Americans who have never met the man. Is Stephen Harper in for the same sort of treatment, hated for committing the crime of being a conservative?
The jeers made me wonder if that process has already started. I blame Paul Martin for this. The attack ads, especially the group that included the "military ad", were intensely personal. They depicted Stephen Harper as duplicitous and without scruples, though without any real evidence. And in the last days of the election, Paul Martin constantly reminded people that "Stephen Harper's values are not Canada's values." What are Canada's values? Whatever the voters say they are, I think. That why we have elections, in part, to elect leadership that embodies the values a majority thinks are important today. To imply that Canada has one static set of values and that Stephen Harper and his supporters don't share them is to say Stephen Harper and his supporters aren't really Canadian.
Casting the enemy as the outsider, the foreigner, the alien, is the first step to convincing someone to hate the enemy.
I understand that the NDP crowd was tired and punchy after a long campaign and a long election night. But somehow they found it in themselves to applaud the Liberals, a party with strong corporate ties, run by a multi-millionare shipping magnate, and mired in scandal involving millions of dollars taken from "working Canadians".
Stephen Harper, a man with young children, an academic not unlike Jack Layton, hardly a rich man or the product of Corporate Canada, is subjected to jeers.
Here's hoping that Jack Layton can maintain some level of control over this element of his party as he tries to find ways to work with the Conservatives in the minority parliament. If Layton allows the moonbats to take control, he might be forced to pull the plug on the government against his will, and who knows what will happen next.
A return of the Liberals? A Conservative majority? No way to know, except to be certain that the Canadian voters are likely to punish the NDP if it forces an election out of spite.
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Comments
I think that I have an explanation for the jeers, especially amongst the youth-oriented composition of Jack's audience:
http://www.thiscanada.com/2006/01/24/against-all-odds/
Add to this the uninformed, and you have your answer.
Posted by: Erik Sorenson at January 24, 2006 12:13 PM
My first thoughts hearing his speech was that Jack Layton was on his way to being Prime Minister by the way the crowd was cheering. Of course, Jack at best might make leader of the Opposition in his best dream, but that is it. The crowd showed little class booing Harper. I remember growing up a kid in Oshawa, and hearing the respectful and classy way Ed Broadbent and his followers handled themselves. Layton has a bunch of college kids and hard core downtown lefties following him, and they have a history of treating poltics like a hockey game.
Last night Harper showed remarkable class, and all campaign he portrayed himself as a respectful guy, even when he doesn't agree with his questioner. He will need all his class to deal with people in the future who will still try to portray him as a right-wing kook. The thing is, he is NOT a George W Bush clone at all, and as time goes on, intelligent people will understand this.....
Posted by: Mark in Bowmanville at January 24, 2006 12:23 PM
And heading the post "Moonbats on Parade", in which you lament that the "fight" might become "intensely personal", is sure a great start to help keep the dialogue civil.
Do you ever think before you hit "Post"?
Posted by: SmartCar at January 24, 2006 12:43 PM
Raskolnikov over at Dust My Broom made a very valid point yesterday, when he noted the basic hypocrisy of the anti-American loons in Canada who are always complaining about the supposed Conservative intention to "Americanize" Canada.
If there is any parallel between the two countries' political environments, it is embodied in the Lib/NDP moonbat fringe who have foresaken simple political debate in favour of the de-humanization of whoever happens to disagree with the received wisdom of the "progressives".
To quote: "The Canadian Left has now officially become the Northern version of Democratic Underground, KOS and numerous other idiotic and scum-ridden conspiracy theory shitholes full of hirsute prog feminists and neutered communist ecotards. .... Nothing Harper could do ? no two-tier health care, no missile defense system, no anti-abortion stance ? could make Canada anymore American."
Posted by: Doug at January 24, 2006 12:49 PM
I wasn't expecting any cheers for Harper from the NDP. I'm surprised there wasn't more.
It's just the nature of politics. I wouldn't be worried about it. Although.. I do worry that Olivia Mao will get out of hand.
Posted by: fortottawa at January 24, 2006 12:49 PM
I do worry that Olivia Mao will get out of hand.
And you thought conservative bloggers would have nothing to do after a Harper win.
Posted by: Steve Janke at January 24, 2006 12:57 PM
The NDP is NOT the balance of power. The Bloc holds the balance, and there are more synergies with the Bloc than with any other party.
The Bloc will not allow this government to fall. Period.
Posted by: Patrick Maloney at January 24, 2006 01:01 PM
In addition to the booing at the "congratulations" remark, there was more after the "we wish him well". And Olivia joined in on that one with a bit of head-wobbling, suggesting that she wasn't really sure if she was joining those wishes.
But I think the fightening thing about this election is the hysterical amounts of venom spat at the city of Calgary. I would concede that there might be some jealousy and some hurt feelings when Calgarians say things like "get a job", but this notion that they are dragons coming to eat your children and burn your house down (using the army if necessary) .... and whatever tenuous connection one has with that city makes you marks you as evil, worthy of all manner of hitler/satan metaphors, .... -- that does not augur well for the future of the country.
Posted by: Mike Fraser at January 24, 2006 01:06 PM
The BLOC will be a great asset to the CPC--they also want to get to the bottom of adscam. They have been great in bringing to the fore the Liberal criminality. I know they did it to defeat the libs in Quebec--but now that the CPC is in Quebec I believe the BLOC will work diligently with the CPC to root out anything that can be found re Lib crimes. On the other hand, the Dippers were more than willing to prop up the criminal Liberals for their own self-aggrandizement. Looks good on both the Libs and the Dippers!
Posted by: George at January 24, 2006 01:13 PM
Doug,
That was one of those great comments that keeps me coming back to blogs.
Posted by: moptop at January 24, 2006 01:19 PM
Trying to portray Harper as a Bush clone will only go so far for scoring political points, for the simple reason that Bush's personality isn't Harper's. And in their heart of hearts, true progressives know this; it's only the progretariat that harp on the them, and eventually they'll learn because it'll bite them back.
Harper will no doubt learn to work with the other parties, but it's more important that the other parties learn to work with Harper. A good chunk of the Liberals will be so relieved that he's not a fire-breathing Orc that they'd have no problem supporting his budget measures; only the rabid would act otherwise. Likewise the NDP will realize that FAA is legislation they can live with.
As for the Bloc, they have no real choice. If they try to wreck the government to show that federalism doesn't work, their critics will nail them for not adequately working in Quebec's best interests. Unless someone tries something to deliberately injury Quebec interests, they'll probably play along.
Posted by: PhantomObserver at January 24, 2006 01:22 PM
Oh, I guess you swiped it, but it is an interesting idea anyway.
Posted by: moptop at January 24, 2006 01:26 PM
This flaky passion for despising their enemies is a deeply entrenched trait of the left. Consider this.
The Conservatives defeat the Liberals in a severely tense five-week campaign and who does Saskatchewan NDP Premier Lorne Calvert speak about first in his first statements to his province? This fourth-stringer.
Calvert lauded Jack Layton for his gains in the House of Commons and expresses his disappointment that his province did not elect one NDP candidate.
And we wonder why this province has become irrelevant in both Ottawa and in corporate and industrial circles. The status of the country post-election is less concerning to him than the status of his national party post-election.
Saskatchewan has all the resources and ability to be competitive with Alberta. Instead, Calvert would rather duplicate the economic policy of an island of seals located just north of the Arctic Circle. He's partisan and socialist to the end and cares less about us than he does about power. He's a freakin' idealogue that needs to be cut off at the knees with an annihilation in a possible 2007 Provincial Election.
Will that happen? Probably not. This labour union-ran Western outpost has no vision but the status-quo. I'm getting sick of it.
Frustrated in the Gap!
Posted by: saskfishtales at January 24, 2006 01:31 PM
When Stephen Harper praised PMPM in his victory speech, he didn't smear the man or his campaign. You also didn't hear any boos from the crowd, Mr Smartcar.
Posted by: anti-smartcar at January 24, 2006 01:41 PM
The liberals hold the balance of power. Bloc+Dippers add up to not enough. The house will be empty on votes the libs will avoid voting on something they can't agree with. If all goes well with the Libs they will have a smooth leadership campain after Paul chooses to anounce this intentions then they have to learn what to attack Harper on, collect donations, and wait till Canada will let them pull the plug. This will take more than two years. In the mean time Harper will be bring though legislation that will limit both the Dippers and the Liberals having big business and BIG unions lobbying them. Steven got MORE than he anticipated when this process began (hopes were way up during the campain), Stevens plan was to achieve a minority so they could start taking the bogey man out of the equation. Quebec will love his progarams as well as ALL the other provinces. People will start to wake up to the possibilties and not dwell on yesterdays fears.
Posted by: rob at January 24, 2006 01:44 PM
I hate to break this to you but the "values", whatever that means," of the coservative party are not the "values" of the majority of Canadians. I am an ardent conservative supporter but I have not led myself into the delusion that the conservative principles I have will ever be in the majority.
Posted by: J at January 24, 2006 01:47 PM
Hey saskfishtales it SUCKs having to leave your home to get your view point in gov't but alberta is the land of exsaskers like me. we have regular highschool reunions at ridergames in calgary and edmonton. my parents ask why so many kids leave sask and i have to tell them that it's because go keep electing socialist gov'ts that limit our ability to grow
Posted by: rob at January 24, 2006 01:48 PM
you're hilarious...talking about this irrational hatred of Bush by the left. You are aware of the cottage industry that was built around demonizing Clinton, are you not? Jeez...the right wing moonbats are still beating the dead "Clinton killed Vince Foster." horse.
Posted by: dave at January 24, 2006 02:08 PM
Steve, I watched that crowd segment as well, and I was watching Layton quite carefully. It seemed to me that he was quite frustrated by the NDP supporters that did not have the class to applaud Harper's win.
Layton has a very big opportunity here to be able to take the NDP to the level where in a few election cycles, they become a viable contender for the official opposition and even government status--all he has to do is remove or muzzle the moonbats within the NDP's ranks. If he fails to do this, the NDP will remain on the fringes and have its constituency swallowed up by Liberals and Greens.
Interestingly enough, this was a challenge faced by Manning, Day, and Harper with the Reform/Alliance/Conservative party with their more radical social-conservatives. The NDP have NOT enjoyed the same level of support as they did in Ed Broadbent's days--and though Layton deserves some of the credit for increasing the party's share of seats--I would wonder whether a) this support is comprised of soft Liberals who held their noses and voted NDP because they couldn't vote Liberal or Tory, and b) whether this support would evaporate once the Liberal party reconstitutes itself.
Either way, the NDP needs to broaden its base of support, and it needs to purge or muzzle the moonbats if it is to continue to grow as a party.
Posted by: RJ at January 24, 2006 02:11 PM
you're hilarious...talking about this irrational hatred of Bush by the left. You are aware of the cottage industry that was built around demonizing Clinton, are you not? Jeez...the right wing moonbats are still beating the dead "Clinton killed Vince Foster." horse.
The right wing Foster moonbats weren't leading the CPC cheer last night in Calgary.
As for Clinton, he molested a young woman in his employ. In the White House. Multiple times.
It wasn't the first time he'd done this sort of thing.
Stephen Harper's crime was being critical of Canada's welfare policy.
And anyway, I don't write about Bill Clinton.
Posted by: Steve Janke at January 24, 2006 02:20 PM
While Harper is definitely not Bush's twin, he and the rest of you are going to have to show some serious grit if the same breed of half-brained yahoos that have been after Bush starts to tear into your boy more actively.
Best of luck pushing those reforms through.
Posted by: Dan F. at January 24, 2006 02:20 PM
Bravo on a great posting.
I thought the other parties and their audiences conducted themselves in a dignified manner. How unfortunate that the 'Dipper crowd chose to be the only ones to be such poor sports on a night that was pretty good to the folks in the orange scarves. If there is a unifying "Canadian Value", it would be courtesy and respect for the views of those who do not necessarily share our own views. One would think a functioning democracy should be predicated on a diversity of political opinions...
Too bad there is such a vocal component of the NDP crowd that feels the need to conduct themselves like drunken bar brawlers. Kudos to Harper, Martin and their followers for taking their gloves off when the fight was over. To Layton's credit, it did look like he was a little ashamed of the jeers coming from his audience. Nonetheless, I hope the booing goons are hanging their heads in shame today for making New Democrats look like a bunch of boors.
Posted by: MB Guy at January 24, 2006 02:25 PM
The liberals and the socialists have been promoting hate for conservatism, for a long time now....
Martin was spewing hate at Harper all through the election...
Anyone who thinks like a conservative is to be .............HATED............
It's the way of the left, either get used to it,
or fight back...
Posted by: william wylie Ajax,Ont. at January 24, 2006 02:40 PM
Our "instant take" on (campaign) lessons learned at The Wild Duck:
Quick Lessons Learned…from This Canadian Election
Posted by: The Wild Duck at January 24, 2006 02:41 PM
Yes, Angry, I was disturbed also. When the tribal mentality, 'us against them', trumps our democratic and tolerant mentality, then things polarize, and become politically dysfunctional. One would think that John Stuart Mills writing 'On Tolerance' and 'Liberty' would be must reading for all politically active democrats, including the NDP'ers in that crowd.
I was disturbed as you were, but noted that Layton dealt with it by quickly 'changing the subject' by switching to French, and this way he stopped this 'low point' episode.
It's the tribal goon mentality, and any political leader has to contend with this human aspect in the ranks. In my three decades of political experience, I have found that the most intolerant people in this regard are on the 'politically correct' 'left', and in this they are actually very 'right wing'.
Posted by: brock at January 24, 2006 02:42 PM
EVEN IN DEFEAT, I BELIEVE LIBERALS CHEATED CAUSING THE CONSERVATIVES TO LOSE A SEAT IN SASKATCHEWAN
Liberals probably cheated in other ridings too and not just in Edmonton Centre where the margin was so great that Anne McLellan had to concede anyway, and you fair-minded conservative folk are too damn (sorry to say this and take it in the sense that it is meant) dumb as a post to see it.
And then of course, there's still...
www.smalldeadanimals.com/archives/003425.html
www.canadafreepress.com/2006/cover012106.htm
www.lostbudgie.blogspot.com/2006/01/canada-election-day-stay-vigilant.html
www.elections.ca/content.asp?section=med&document=jan2206&dir=pre&lang=e&textonly=false
www.conservative.ca/EN/1091/40086
www.andrewcoyne.com/2006/01/please-stand-by.php#comments
Posted by: Chris from Victoria, BC at January 24, 2006 02:49 PM
Unfortunately calling elements of the left or the NDP, “moonbats” is the very essence of personal attack, and casting them as,” the outsider, the foreigner, the alien”.
The bread and butter of 99% of right wing commentary is shouting, angry and hate filled: Rush Limbaugh, Hanity, etc.
I would say that it is the right that has been at the forefront in characterizing their opponents as enemies.
In my opinion the Conservatives have more that their share of nuts. Look no further than the born again weirdoes like Darrel Robert Reid, who ran in Richmond, BC. It is conservatives like this who are consistently rejected by the electorate.
Posted by: Nick the Dick at January 24, 2006 02:50 PM
Lets see how these socialists in Montreal/Toronto/Vancouver enjoy eating their hemp, as that is all the f*%&ing material they will have to work with, unless they get off their asses and grow it.
I and other Albertans will be pressing our MPs to turn off the taps to these "enlightened" centers, and they can turn into some cheezy George Romero zombie movie. Oops, kinda forgot, they still would go hungry at they seem to need someone with brains to feed off of.
If the rest of Canada does not like a monetary penalization of these individuals, they can also take that long walk off a short pier.
Posted by: View from the West at January 24, 2006 02:56 PM
Hi Steve,
I'll go point by point
The right wing Foster moonbats weren't leading the CPC cheer last night in Calgary.
-fair enough, they showed a lot of class. Congratulations again on a great and dignified campaign. Very much appreciated.
As for Clinton, he molested a young woman in his employ. In the White House. Multiple times.
-molested? Ahhh here's the moonbattery to which I was referring. If the president 'molested' this young woman, why didn't the young woman press charges? Or scream about harrassment? She could have made way more money, and spared herself a lot of humiliation. Could it be that she was a willing participant, in which case your 'molestation' argument goes up in flames? Or was it that Bill Clinton threatened to kill her with his bare hands and bury her with Vince Foster? As an aside, that's cute, calling her a young woman. Makes Clinton sound like a pedophile. Instead of what he was: one part of an illicit, but consensual relationship between two adults. if you wait long enough, Hillary Clinton will be a senior citizen, and you can accuse Bill of molesting grannies too.
And anyway, I don't write about Bill Clinton.
-unless it's to not-so-subtly accuse him of pedophilia and rape.
In this posting alone, you showed far less class and civility than the NDP did in booing Harper last night.
Just goes to show, there's classless losers on both sides of the political divide.
Posted by: Dave at January 24, 2006 03:09 PM
Lets see how these socialists in Montreal/Toronto/Vancouver enjoy eating their hemp, as that is all the f*%&ing material they will have to work with, unless they get off their asses and grow it.
I and other Albertans will be pressing our MPs to turn off the taps to these "enlightened" centers, and they can turn into some cheezy George Romero zombie movie. Oops, kinda forgot, they still would go hungry at they seem to need someone with brains to feed off of.
If the rest of Canada does not like a monetary penalization of these individuals, they can also take that long walk off a short pier.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA..Boy is this guy ever in for a big surprise.
NEWSFLASH: The left still runs the country. If Harper goes far right, he'll be on his ass before the snow melts and it'll be the last conservative government we'll see for 30 years. Think about it: The Liberals ran a spectacularly awful, scandal-riddled, error prone campaign. Hot on the heels of a HUGE sponsorship scandal. The tories ran an absolutely perfect campaign. And the Liberals still won over a hundred seats.
Press your MPs all you want. won't matter. the left STILL rules Canada.
Long live the left,
and in case you were wondering, f*ck the corrupt Liberals.
Posted by: Dave at January 24, 2006 03:17 PM
Ahhh here's the moonbattery to which I was referring. If the president 'molested' this young woman, why didn't the young woman press charges? Or scream about harrassment?
Strange thing about this. Over and over again I am told at work that any flirtations or relationship with a coworker who reports to you is a firing offense, regardless of whether there was consent, because the assumption is always that the senior party used his or her position of power to demand favours of the junior party.
President = power
Presidential Intern = not power
Posted by: Steve Janke at January 24, 2006 03:24 PM
Steve
Ahhh here's the moonbattery to which I was referring. If the president 'molested' this young woman, why didn't the young woman press charges? Or scream about harrassment?
Strange thing about this. Over and over again I am told at work that any flirtations or relationship with a coworker who reports to you is a firing offense, regardless of whether there was consent, because the assumption is always that the senior party used his or her position of power to demand favours of the junior party.
President = power
Presidential Intern = not power
funny how you went from 'he molested a young woman in his employ' to reading a page out of the McDonald's employee handbook.
from child rape to inappropriate behaviour on the job. All in a matter of 2 or 3 posts. your legs must be tired from all that backpedalling.
thank god the republicans never thought to investigate Clinton for stealing office supplies, making non-business related photocopies, and making personal calls when not on break. he woulda really been screwed then.
Posted by: dave at January 24, 2006 03:37 PM
You're all worrying about stupid things when we have electoral fraud on the horizon.
My own side embarrassess me.
OUR side has much naivete. Their side has much evil.
Whatever. It's a draw.
Posted by: Chris from Victoria, BC at January 24, 2006 03:41 PM
The latest from Beryl Wajsman from Montreal:
“Paul Martin claimed during the campaign that Stephen Harper would change the face of Canada as we knew it. Canadians were finally ready for that change. It could only be for the better. For in this campaign the true face of Paul Martin’s Canada was unmasked. And it proved to be nothing more than a debased and degraded portrait of privilege and preference having perverted the public trust.”
~
The Natural Governing Party finally stopped being able to fool all the people all the time.
Canadians finally got tired of being bamboozled. The first kink in the Liberal armor actually resulted from what Martin thought would protect him. The narrow mandate of the Gomery Inquiry. Nobody bought into his “exoneration”. In the face of $167,000,000 in contracts to CSL and the off-shore tax havens and the mound of evidence that Martin operatives asked for sponsorship money, Canadians finally got it. If Martin knew nothing, then he had planned to know nothing. He planned his own “credible” deniability. He planned to push the RCMP aside because it was getting too close to his centre. He planned guilt by innuendo and insinuation against the Chrétien wing of the party to save his own skin. Canadians finally saw the Gomery Inquiry for the transparent deflection from Martin’s own conflicts of interest and party settling of accounts that it was. Martin’s earnest false piety just didn’t sell anymore.
Finance Minister Goodale’s mishandling of the income trust file spotlighted Martin’s own arrogant culture of “entitlement”. Canadians finally saw that Martinites talked to only some of the people, some of the time. The release by the RCMP of the letter to NDP MP Judy Wasylieca-Leis confirming a criminal investigation, was payback for Jean Lapierre’s bullying of them before the last election when he used it as an agency of the party demanding that charges be laid quickly to help the Liberals in the campaign and then pushed them aside to protect the Martin centre.
Stephen Harper did a great job focusing Canadians minds on the fact that a man who made retroactive changes to tax-haven rules as Finance Minister, and benefited from them to the tune of $300,000,000 in avoided Canadian taxes, had no business dictating Canadian “values”. It was Harry Truman 1948 resonating through the decades. “One per cent of the population has the means to reach an elected representative. The job of a chief executive of a nation is to represent the 99% who can’t.”
The blowback against the Liberals from the disastrous attack ads was bad enough. But it was made all the worse through Paul Martin’s pushing the hysteria button in the last week of the campaign charging Harper with everything short of the Lizzie Borden murders.
Martin claimed the mantle of champion of Canadian federalism saying a vote for Harper would weaken Ottawa’s powers and aid Quebec sovereignists. But the nearly flawless Tory campaign made it clear to voters that it was Martin who signed an unconditional health-care accord with the provinces allowing them to spend federal health-care dollars as they wished with no accountability. That it was Martin who brought Bloc Québecois co-founder Jean Lapierre into the federal Liberals and made him his Québec lieutenant. And the Tories got even more ammunition when Martin’s new-found buddy, CAW President Buzz Hargrove, told voters that the separatists were a preferable option in Quebec than the Tories at the same time that the Liberal candidate in Jonquière was conceding to defeat and urging supporters to vote for Conservative Jean-Pierre Blackburn and deny the Bloc another seat. Canadians saw all that and more.
Martin claimed that Harper was a regressive social conservative who would compromise anti-abortion laws, prejudice Charter rights and politicize the judiciary.
Yet Harper had been clear on abortion. His government would not touch existing laws. In fact the only MP in the past ten years who had called for legislation rolling back a woman’s right to choose was Liberal junior defense Minister Albina Guarnieri. The Tories drove that message home too.
On Charter rights Harper succeeded in making the Tory image resonate. He successfully portrayed the new Tories for what they were. Populists who want to roll back big government and protect the sovereignty of individual choice and privacy. And he reminded voters that it was Martin who had pushed through several pieces of legislation, just before this election, that would overturn the presumption of innocence in certain cases; allow for random search and seizure of private property without probable cause; demand that personal e-mail and internet telephony records be handed over to state security authorities on simple demand; and mark uncharged and unindicted individuals as enemies of the state subject to “preventive control measures” such as electronic security anklets on simple Ministerial dictate. He succeeded in making Canadians see that this was business as usual for an administration that ordered the ransacking of reporter Juliet O’Neill’s home when she refused to give up a source.
Martin attacked Harper for a statement of the obvious, that the Canadian judiciary is overwhelmingly filled with Liberal appointees. He claimed that this statement was evidence that Harper would politicize the courts in order to get “absolute power”. Harper’s calm and reasoned response was that the only administration in twenty years that had appointed judges to the Supreme Court of the land for a political purpose was Martin’s when he brought Justices Abella and Charron to the bench to assure success in the same-sex marriage reference. Canadians were listening.
Martin tried to be all things to all people as usual. But at the same time that he was calling on all “progressives” to rally to his banner, he agreed with Harper on a free debate on same-sex marriage in the House. What could he have been thinking? He was fighting the last election because he had no real vision, agenda or focus.
Martin droned on about “good government and accountability”. But Canadians were finally beginning to “get it”. Thanks to a media elite that stopped being the Liberal party at prayer, they finally learned that during his tenure as Finance Minister, 90% of the tax cuts he made benefited the top 7% of the population. They saw the placards of organized labour condemning Martin for ripping the UIC surpluses out of the hands of working men and women and into the general accounts. They heard that Democracy Watch filed dozens of ethics complaints involving his PMO’s breaches of the Ethics Code and its incestuous interference with the Office of the Ethics Commissioner. They listened to that same Ethics Commissioner, appointed by Martin, openly admitting that he either would not, or could not, apply the Ethics Code to elected officials. So much for “good government and accountability.”
And finally it was the Liberals who blundered in the waning moments of this election. Unlike the Tory Randy White debacle of 2004, the last ten days of this campaign saw dirty tricks by Liberal candidates that smacked of what Nixon’s White House Counsel Charles Colson once called “rat-fucking”. From attempting to bribe an NDP candidate to pull out of a race in B.C.; to false charges of sexual aggression against a Tory candidate in Saskatchewan; to rigging voters’ lists in Alberta, the Liberals spent the last week of the campaign apologizing and backtracking again and again. The rats were finally fucking themselves.
Paul Martin claimed during the campaign that Stephen Harper would change the face of Canada as we knew it. Canadians were finally ready for that change. It could only be for the better. For in this campaign the true face of Paul Martin’s Canada was unmasked. And it proved to be nothing more than a debased and degraded portrait of privilege and preference having perverted the public trust.
Beryl P. Wajsman
President
Institute for Public Affairs of Montreal
www.iapm.ca
Posted by: Hans Rupprecht at January 24, 2006 03:56 PM
>funny how you went from 'he molested a young woman in his employ' to reading a page out of the McDonald's employee handbook.
Funny how "progressives" have fought so hard to enshrine "fraternization between unequals=abuse of authority" as a common workplace rule, but don't want the rule to apply to their preferred leaders.
Posted by: lrC at January 24, 2006 03:59 PM
"dave"... STFU. That is all.
Everyone else... carry on.
Thank you.
Posted by: Jason M at January 24, 2006 04:08 PM
hey, I'm not trying to enshrine anything. I just come from the school of thought where if you're going to make veiled accusations about child rape, you have your facts straight.
Imagine if people were going around saying any one of us was a child molester (no matter the words used) when we weren't. Not much fun.
Funny, I coulda sworn it was the people on the right who were talking about decorum, respect and decency.
Posted by: Dave at January 24, 2006 04:09 PM
Is confused,, If the Cons couldnt or it was said about them that they were not a national party but a regional party because the lacked having a member in Quebec before this election, the why is the Dippers so fired up, a quick count in my head says five provinces have no NDP member at all. Can any one explain this to me
Posted by: Ken at January 24, 2006 04:11 PM
hmmm,,should of previewed that one before posting,excuse the typos
Posted by: Ken at January 24, 2006 04:12 PM
jason: no reply is needed for your post, for you've demonstrated far better than I ever could have that even meth-addled concussion victims can a)get their hands on a computer
b)navigate the internets
and
c)make moronic comments that cause people to giggle their asses off at them.
Posted by: dave at January 24, 2006 04:12 PM
Steve,
Seems from this American's perspective that America's and Canada's left share two things in common: passionate anti-Americanism, and the lust for power.
Yes there is still a cottage industry surrounding both Presidents Clinton, and with excellent reason given the recent suppression of the Barrett Report and the sheer vindictiveness shown by Democrats against non-democrats. Only worth the while if there're parallels between recent American and Canadian politics.
One parallel may be how the RCMP continues its investigations into alleged crimes of insider trading committed by Goodale and/or other members of the Liberal Party. Bush can not prosecute similar in the US due to the hystrionics surrounding both Presidents Clinton. Do you think Harper may be forced to set those aside in order to avoid accusations of the political purges frequent in Clintons' America and the Soviet Union.
A second parallel that is emerging is the suppression of free political speech. The extremes in America seem intent on using even physical assaults to prevent dialogue, and this will have a tremendous negative impact on American society. Do you believe Canada is heading down the same trail?
Will Harper invest in the Canadian Forces so that Canada's foreign policy once again has a stick to back up the carrot?
Your writings suggest that Jack Layton played the kingmaker. Seems that Gilles Duceppe (sp?) actually earned that role. What now for BQ and Duceppe? Given that Layton played to his base, isn't his base now territorially-confined and not likely to break out in a big way into the other provinces?
Any word on how the governor-general will act toward a Conservative coalition government?
Lots of questions. Beyond that - good luck Canada!
Posted by: AnotherDave at January 24, 2006 04:42 PM
It's really not a surprise how NDP supporters reacted.
Even though the Left claims to have a monopoly on tolerance, it is, in fact, not true.The definition of a liberal (small l) of course is: One who agrees with freedom of speech up until a point at which he/she disagrees with what's being said.
Remember when chocolate milk was thrown at Stockwell Day while he was giving a speech in 2000? Remember the wet macaroni thrown at Mulroney? Or the protester with a bag on his head who grabbed Tory education minister (at the time) and threw water at her? Or how about Chretien, who had a pie thrown in his face by a leftist social activist?
Simply put, the Left has some of the most intolerant and uncompromising people you'll ever meet ... generally speaking, of course.
Posted by: William at January 24, 2006 05:09 PM
The big advantage the Canadian right has over the Canadian left? We understand them waaaaay more than they understand us.
While we are able to defeat their arguments and ideals with facts and historic examples, they fight back with fear and strawmen of the boogie variety.
I will give Jack "Used Car Salesman" Layton something: He did NOT look impressed that his legion of youngsters were so ungracious on a night they had lots to be thankful for.
Posted by: Yukon Gold at January 24, 2006 05:19 PM
Another Dave - you're quite right, as I just mentioned on another post here, Duceppe will really be the kingmaker in this parliament, especially as Harper has excised the sting of the "separatist-cozying" charge by winning seats in Quebec. And there are even issues (like gov't accountability) where NDP, BQ and CPC wan work together.
In fairness to Jack, he did put his hands up to "shush" the crowd when it started booing Harper, and when he finished his nicey bit, they clapped in a well-okay manner, though not as enthused as when they clapped for Martin or Duceppe.
Posted by: Meg Q at January 24, 2006 05:24 PM
To be clear, not all those at the NDP Layton rally were booing. But the ones who were are "moonbats." It seems that on the evening of an election, magnanimity is the natural emotional response of the psychologically balanced. I have no problem calling the small-souled boo-ers moonbats.
Regarding Clinton and Bush, there was indeed a sexual assault complaint regarding Clinton in the White House. (I forget her name.) Further, the politicos went after Clinton for things that happened. The demonization of Bush were about things that were plainly scare-tactic demonizations or bald insults-millions will be homeless, Bush is a moron, etc. The same tactics were used against Harper--hyperbolic allegations as to hidden intent, etc.
The reality is that Harper is an economic policy wonk who began as concerned about democratic-economic reforms and that is his genuine agenda. I share it. The Liberals in the early 1980s were a train out of control. Regulations passed in secret wiping out industries overnight. Budget day was an economic-legal trauma that had law firms working feverishly to react before midnight implementation. Need I mention the NEP, which was passed without consulting representatives in the oil industry (can you imagine?). The Tories reformed all that in the mid 1980s. The budget process was made sane. Federal regulations had to be proposed in advance with a justification and period for comment. Rail transport was reformed. The post office rationalized. etc.
The Mulroney government blew all this in the second term, becoming like the patronage devil they replaced. This was a betrayal of the Western expectation of the Tories and gave energy to the birth of the Reform party, which was about reform of democratic institutions and reversing the centralization of power in the PMO. I believe this is where Stephen Harper comes from. If so, his election will be one of the most important positive steps for Canada.
The NDP should celebrate it, as it would open the door for the NDP to become the alternative to the conservatoves over the liberals, who exploit the patronage system adeptly. (Anyone know the first question an applicant for judgeship was asked under the Liberals?)
However, I fear the NDP, like many on the left, would rather have de facto power concentrated in one spot, so as to facilitiate the implementation of their agenda. The conservatives (reformed), I believe and hope, value democracy as a process. Better to have a democratic process that's sound--with checks and balances and requirements for compromise--than get what you want through abuse of the system. We'll see where Layton stands when the conservatives propose democratization and accountability measures.
Posted by: Murray at January 24, 2006 05:54 PM
I think Harper woke up a long time ago to the fact that a long term majority is gained through Quebec. Westerners, and Quebecer's understand the struggle to gain a voice and influence in Ottawa, they have quite a few things in common, quietly.
After this election, it seems the Liberal and NDP are popular in Toronto and the Maritimes. If the bloq and the Conservatives work well together over the next year or two, it will be very, very tough for the Liberals and the NDP to expand their influence outside their present popularity.
I believe the biggest win for Harper would be to do some special things with the big cities in Canada, especially Toronto. If he gets tough on crime and it has an effect, and if he gets more federal money directed to Toronto, the Liberals are in for a long wait before they can be a federal force. They may even be at risk of becoming a regional party...
Posted by: Awake Canadian at January 24, 2006 06:02 PM
Why do lefties feel they need to insult and abuse the conservatives and the con POV?
Simple! It's because they know damned well that their whole belief system is BS.
Without their smug and selfrighteous assumption of having a morally superior world view they have NOTHING. The whole premise of these people is that they know what's good for the rest of us and nothing is scarier to them than a bunch of independent free thinkers who will not put up the BS!
Posted by: PGP at January 24, 2006 07:30 PM
I read with interest the views of many of the comments. It is clear that there is no objectivity or understanding of the left. Clearly it is dismissed out of hand, radical, irrelevant, angry and ignorant. However, the comments show arrogance, ignorance and intemperance and the halo complex that is so evident in the fundamentalists, religious and conservative. All of the things that you accuse the left of are displayed in the comments. There is a lot of anger displayed. It was like reading Mike Harris comments all over again.
By the way, you can thank Mike Harris for the angry reaction to the word conservative. He and his troop, some of which were re-elected Federally, went out of their way to divide Ontario politically and emotionally and has yet to recover. We are reminded every day by George W. Bush, how short sighted, greedy and callous conservatives can be.
Harris did to Ontario what Bush is doing to America and it isn't pretty.
I hope and pray that Harper's new found smile is real and his social policies are more moderate. Of course, we won't see the real Harper for good or ill because he has such a short leash given to him by the Canadian people. IF he survives and gets his majority only then will we see the real Harper. Meanwhile I suggest he talk to William Davis as to how best to be an acceptable conservative leader.
Posted by: Steve D. at January 24, 2006 08:43 PM
The Liberals have used the name-calling and hating their fellow Canadians as routine politics for over 30 yrs. I don't really think it means much to most Westerners anymore, except as a badge of honor that we weren't foolish enough to support the regressive and boneheaded policies of the Liberals. In fact, you could always tell when one of the old Liberal PMs was losing an argument because he always trotted out his intellectual hammer by calling us anti-Canadian, unCanadian, bigots, racists, blah, blah, etc. It was a sure sign we won the argument even if the media didn't see it that way. The tactic amused me to no end and still does.
Posted by: rockyt at January 24, 2006 08:45 PM
Weren't you the guy that attacked Cindy Sheehan - as if beating the deadest of horses? Ever met her? Why don't you take a look in the mirror, take your head out of your ass, and realize that the PJ Media logo on your aidebar makes you about as credible as a 5th grader.
Posted by: Don at January 24, 2006 09:48 PM
The Bloq are basically quebec conservatives focussed on their own interests; power to them.
But basically being conservatives I feel they will support all of Steven Harper's legislation because it is good and just. I see this new government as a conservative majority as such with quebec having a different name but the same issues at heart. You all call Quebec separatists, but I call them patriots for standing up for their own interests; something Alberta should have done long ago. This government will last for years to come because the Bloq believe in what the Conservatives have had to say. Fuck you all you liberalists; you are irrelevant from now on!
Posted by: Affliction at January 24, 2006 11:42 PM
I agree with Patrick, the Boc are the natural allies, especially in this first term.The NDP aren't going to be dictating any budgets this time. And there hasn't been a lot of talk on health care since Jack's big revelation.There is a pretty good opportunity to portray the NDP as the scary party.
Posted by: Mike at January 25, 2006 04:30 AM
some of you guys scare me. The BLOC is like us except they are standing up for Quebec? Oh really? Ever know anyone from Quebec that has told you about their child care program? How about their love for Kyoto and the YCJA as it is constructed? The Bloc is made up of a LOT of left of centre people, not unlike the NDP. The Parti Quebecois is not much different. Yes they have some right of center people there, but from what I have seen of Gilles Duceppe, he is in many ways Jack Layton's buddy.
Now, as for our friends on the left, we may understand them more than they understand us, but do not ever dismiss them either. Or the Libreals. Stephen Harper won a great victory for democracy in this country, and I think if he eases into power slowly, a Majority government is in the offing. Just take it slow, steady and methodical. I want to see Harper win 2 or 3 victories, and slowly leave power on his terms without scandal. To do this, he will have to manipulate and co-erce and educate Canadians into seeing that his way is going to work. Many people in Alberta are going to have to realize that at times they wont always be happy with him, but in the end, he has to govern the whole country, not just put in everything to cater to Alberta.
As for Mike Harris's revolution, well, lets just say much of what has been said about it has been twisted around, but there are two lessons I get from living here through those years. I helped Mike get elected, and voted for him twice. He did what he said he was going to do, and people just HATED that. So much that they re-elected him. It is very nice for Ontarians to dump on those years, but he was given two mandates. He went too far and some minsiters were idiots in how they prosecuted their power, but I will tell you that the Harris era Ministers who are now in the CPC caucus are the good guys. Jim Flaherity is one of the good guys, and would fit in out west. Baird was competant, and Tony Clement is VERY much like Stephen Harper. The country will not suffer for smart people from all regions, and I hope in time, you guys out west understand us Conservatives in the east in many ways have suffered more for the crap we have had dumped on us from all the pinkos down here...
Posted by: Mark in Bowmanville at January 25, 2006 05:08 AM
Quite funny you guys are. I have survived six - ten months of loud mouthed social cons forcing their opinion on anyone who is unfortunate to be around them.
One dyed in the wool conservative had the audacity to state (during the same sex marriage debate) that he would kill Paul Martin on the spot if he ever walked into his church.
Qualifiy the loonies, let them carry their noise down the street (as all good Canadians do) and let the days of our lives continue.
MJinRussell
Posted by: Jeff at January 25, 2006 10:26 AM
Iam a moonbat. A right wing moonbat.
Where can I buy a T shirt? club membership?
Posted by: Curtis at January 25, 2006 11:32 AM
I felt that Jack Layton did a classy job, and stated quite clearly that he would be willing to work with Mr. Harper. Yes, it was a party, and of course the crowd would boo the name of Harper, and perhaps that is not so classy, but its understandable.
I think Jack is a shrewd guy and a diplomat.
Posted by: Denis at January 25, 2006 12:46 PM
Don't blame the attack ads for the jeering of Stephen Harper. Blame the Reform/Alliance party for turning the PCs into a party for the rednecks. They didn't get one seat in the big cities and only got 36% of the popular vote. Perhaps he will chose some more progressive members for his cabinet and change the way the country feels about him. It doesn't help that he wears bad turtlenecks and has creepy eyes either.
Posted by: TS at January 25, 2006 03:10 PM
"It doesn't help that he wears bad turtlenecks and has creepy eyes either."
Thanks chief, you've just displayed how most Canadians arrive at their democratic choice.
Posted by: noblerogue at January 25, 2006 09:09 PM
"They didn't get one seat in the big cities"
Hello? Calgary? Winnipeg? Québec? . . . oh, I get it, only Vancouver, Tronna, and Montréal count. Well, thanks for validating a long-held stereotype amongst many of your conservative countrymen. Good job.
Jeff, I'd like to know who said that he "would kill Paul Martin on the spot if he ever walked into his church". Some activist? An MP? Any names? -- I just did a Google search on "kill paul martin if he walked in" and got no return within the first 150 matches, so it obviously wasn't reported at the time. Seriously, I'd like to know more about that. It's quite a serious allegation.
Posted by: Meg Q at January 25, 2006 09:11 PM
Most modern democracies use some version of proportional representation wherein parliament actually debates and compromizes to come up with legislation representing the people, not hair-brained 'sides'. All this hostile verbiage is a signal of the polarizing influence of the 'first past the post' system, where you're either in or out, creating a rather rocky and wasteful teeter totter.
Canada can do better than the US present polarization via genuine, modernizing democratic reform.
Posted by: brock at January 25, 2006 09:47 PM
Saskfishtales:
You start out with this statement...
"This flaky passion for despising their enemies is a deeply entrenched trait of the left. Consider this."
Then end with this quote of absolute peace, tranquility and brotherly love....and you say the left has a passion for despising their enemies?
"He's partisan and socialist to the end and cares less about us than he does about power. He's a freakin' idealogue that needs to be cut off at the knees with an annihilation in a possible 2007 Provincial Election.
Look in the mirror buddy...
Yikes!
Posted by: at January 25, 2006 10:46 PM
Who cares about Toronto or Montreal? That's so last century... New Century new cities... Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, (ok) & Vancouver, the new Canada.
The city of Vancouver is actually fairly small... only about 1/2 million... The lower BC mainland has a population of 2.1 million... and these people in suburban Vancouver elected 6 conservatives... Surrey, Abbotsford, Delta, etc...
Posted by: Curtis at January 26, 2006 01:35 AM
Okay - so you got me. Maybe it's just a little jealousy that Alberta has all the oil - and the oily politicians.
Me - I can't wait until the next Ontario election so I can vote in a PROGRESSIVE conservative candidate.
The only good thing about Harper being elected is that he might send Presto Manhole out of the country. LOL!
Posted by: TS at January 26, 2006 11:17 AM
Oily politicians? give me a break.
the slickest low lives in Canadian history have to liberals.
lets see:
-throw Diefenbaker out of office after dollar slips to .90 US... then allow the dollar to slide to .72 over the next decade...
-Campaign against wage and price controls, then implement them. - then give wage raises to public employees greater than the wage freeze...
-GST remember GST?
-Tear up the free trade agreement...
you can vote whomever you like. Good luck with your progress, I sure haven't seen much progress.
Posted by: Curtis at January 26, 2006 11:50 AM
 
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