Bill Tieleman’s 24 Hours Column
Tuesday September 30, 2008
Don't be fooled by the sweater
By BILL TIELEMAN
A majority government for Stephen Harper would be one of the most negative political events in Canadian history.
- Newfoundland Conservative Premier Danny Williams, Sept. 10, 2008.
Forget about Liberal leader Stephane Dion's Green Shift - if you are worried about Canada's future, beware of Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Blue Shift.
Or more accurately, his Blue Sweater Shift - you know, the one where a right-wing politician keeps scary ideas hidden in his closet until he wins a majority and instead puts on a blue sweater of moderation to lull voters into thinking he's not threatening.
Then - bam! After the election the sweater goes back in the closet and out comes the full metal jacket - along with the entire neo-conservative wardrobe.
Doubt it will happen? Consider some of the warning signs seen to date.
First, Newfoundland's Conserva-tive Premier Danny Williams has gone so far as to run ads and set up a website calling Harper a "fraud" over reversing a promise to remove that province's non- renewable resource revenue from the equalization payment formula.
But Williams' anger goes way beyond that.
"If Stephen Harper gets a majority government, I'll remind you of the words of Bachman Turner Overdrive, 'You ain't seen nothing yet,'" Williams says. "His list of broken and unfulfilled promises portrays a lack of integrity in his character and shows us he cannot be trusted."
And this from a Conservative premier and businessman!
Williams isn't alone.
Harper defended a $45 million federal funding cut for arts and culture by saying "ordinary people" don't care when "people at a rich gala all subsidized by taxpayers" complain about a "niche issue."
But award-winning director Atom Egoyan disagrees.
"It's not a niche issue, it's a huge issue," said Egoyan. "A lot of 'ordinary people' work as carpenters, technicians, drivers and support crews on films, plays and television productions."
But like the 55,000 workers who lost their jobs in Canada in July alone - the highest in 17 years - Harper only worries about getting ordinary people's votes, not protecting their jobs.
Harper wants to close Insite, Vancouver's supervised drug injection site where Dr. David Marsh says last year nurses intervened in 222 drug overdoses, saving addicts' lives to give them a chance to seek help.
More than 30 peer-reviewed medical studies say it works - don't believe Harper.
Will Harper fight climate change?
Former U.S. presidential candidate Al Gore - the Inconvenient Truth crusader - sounded like Danny Williams last year when asked about the Conservatives' environmental strategy.
"In my opinion, it is a complete and total fraud," Gore said. "It is designed to mislead the Canadian people."
And unlike in Gore's 2000 U.S. vote, in Canada the electoral fraud is actually running for prime minister.
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9 comments:
Since 2000, and especially since 911 Canadians have felt smug about being not like George Bush's and Dick Cheney's Red-State wingnuts.
Well as you state . . . IT MAY BE OUR TURN to fall into madness.
The truly sad part about what has happened to America is that the GOP Jesus Agenda has divided it so brutally it is for many . . . in an apprehended-state-of-civil-war.
Harper and his neo-con Saints are a product of that same kind of crusade politics.
The minority government forced the holy warriors to break bread with the infidels but a majority opens Canada to a nightmare.
One can only speculate where Canada would be today if the Martinites and Dionites had failed in liquidating Jean Chretien.
Make no mistake . . . Mr Dithers and Dion the Dud have been centre to creating Harper.
Harper may not go hunting or accidently shoot his partner, but Stephen will do what it takes for the one true faith.
The GREAT SATAN
Hey Bill give your head a shake!
Stick to promoting the NDP and quit trying to sling mud when all you have is water!
As for job losses look at the real world,eventualy almost all manufacturing jobs will be gone,how do you compete with 5 dollar a day Chinese and India slaves?
Ever consider that in a tough economy that the arts SHOULD be cut!
Layton is promising giveaways to everyone, there is no track record for federal NDP goverment but the platform is full of holes!
The Liberals promised daycare,clean enviroment,get rid of GST, and another thousand promises,what did they deliver NOTHING, they were a lying bunch of corrupt do-nothings,not to mention they balanced the books by cutting transfer payments to the provinces,they set the country backward and lowered the standard of living for everyone!
Danny Williams is a disgruntled nut! He has a personel beef with Harper.
Has Harper done anything even close to the crimes of Gordon Campbell--selling BC rail--selling our rivers--massive illegal land giveaways, killing wild salmon--coruption with,dobell,john les,
Has he attacked the autistic,the disabled,had homelessness triple---Has he torn up union contracts,shit on the seniors,children,drink and drive,gag laws,no legislature,vote bribing, hell CAMPBELL HAS GORED JUST ABOUT EVERYONES OX
Harper did one thing that I regret and that is income trusts.
He had to--every single company from grocery stores,gas stations,banks,telecoms everything wanted to become a income trust--If he didn`t step in there would be no tax base,blame the business world for that one!
Why don`t you go after the "real" psycho--Campbell--Campbell has so cooked the books,stole,lied,rewarded his freinds with our future,Campbell is a dangerous baffoon!
Bill, and you want to play the scary agenda card and make a big issue about an alledged cut to the arts! When the truth be known that funding for the heritage umbrella has gone up by millions!
OH the tragedy, OH the miscarrage of justice,how will Harper live down the shame, is that all you got? Wheres the beef,the coruption?
TEILMAN--YOU BETTER STICK TO PROVINCIAL POLITICS, BC IS FULL OF CORRUPTION,CRIME,PAYOFFS,CRONYISM,THE CRIMES OF GORDON CAMPBELL WILL BE WRITTEN IN THE HISTORY BOOKS!!
I have to laugh at your hypocrisy. Why don’t you ask Gore about how he feels about your campaign to reverse BC’s carbon tax? What would he say about the Provincial NDP’s plan? Gore would probably say, “In my opinion, it is a complete and total fraud," "It is designed to mislead the Canadian people."
All that coming after a article about media bias. Too much.
I hear today that SteveBoy gave a rousing speach a few years ago when he was in opposition. It was his idea to get us involved in the Iraqi war. But it turns out he had stolen much of a speach given by the then Prime Minister of Australia a few days earlier. The Australian guy was booted out partly for being so right wing. If the guy ever got a majority, some of his ideas would hurt us all. Bring back public hangings, throw all folks breaking any laws in the slammer and so on. Stack the courts and get rid of a woman's right to chose come to mind . I notice a couple of no name commenters here. The Cons are getting nervous when they start writing in blogs. Especially if they can't even give a name so we know if its the same guy ove and over again. Harper didn't get elected for his brilliance, he got elected because folks wanted to dump Martin. Time to drop steve right now.
There is one particular comment here that has me making this comment. That is GORE. Gore is just as much a hypocrite as is Gordon Campbell. One has to view GORES' home to really see the hypocrisy of that man. He does a lot of talking but NO walking. As for Danny williams, Politics produces a lot of idiots and Danny takes top honours. And what about the pretender, DION, if he could speak english he may have a chance at fifth place. Jo5ey
"First, Newfoundland's Conserva-tive Premier Danny Williams has gone so far as to run ads and set up a website calling Harper a "fraud" over reversing a promise to remove that province's non- renewable resource revenue from the equalization payment formula."
Hey Bill, you forgot to mention that Williams THUGS are threatening anyone who wants to work on the conservative campaign. Does that mean that you now support violence?
And this from a Conservative premier and businessman and THUG!
"Harper defended a $45 million federal funding cut for arts and culture by saying "ordinary people" don't care when "people at a rich gala all subsidized by taxpayers" complain about a "niche issue."
Judging by some of the crap that masquerades as "art" I agree with Harper. If it's any good let it earn its own way. My business doesn't get a subsidy, NOR SHOULD IT.
"Harper wants to close Insite, Vancouver's supervised drug injection site where Dr. David Marsh says last year nurses intervened in 222 drug overdoses, saving addicts' lives to give them a chance to seek help."
And it gives them a chance to keep on breaking into business and stealing money from people who actually earn it. I have been victimized by junkies on several occasions. Probably one of those 222 "saved".
"Will Harper fight climate change?'
Looks like Harpers inaction on climate change is actually prophetic.
Especially in light of the latest info from NASA showing that the temp fell last year by 0.7 deg. Probably due to lack of sunspots.
Gee, thats inconvenient for alarmists.
"In my opinion, it is a complete and total fraud," Gore said. "It is designed to mislead the Canadian people.""
And if anyone is an expert on fraud it certainly is Gore.
Horny Toad
Rumour has it that the sweater was John Howard's too.
The single reason that Harper will get elected as a minority is because of tax cuts. He keeps it simple to the stupids and it works. The arguments so numerous against his policies, i.e. Ontario losing thousands of jobs, with no action to counter-act it, seem not to matter. Conservative voters are happy with the crumbs.
Actually I understand Harper is colour-blind.
I hear he puts on blue shirts thinking they are BROWN SHIRTS !
The GREAT SATAN
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