Con Game

As I predicted here the Harpocrites have only one song sheet they sing from when it comes to the economy;the old neo-con tighten your belt.

Throne Speech warns of deficit
It pledged cost-control measures in Ottawa, including a squeeze on the budgets of many government departments and a law to limit the pay raises of civil servants.
"Hard decisions will be needed to keep federal spending under control and focused on the results," Ms. Jean read, following with the government's pledge to place grants and capital spending "under the microscope."
Mr. Layton argued that the Throne Speech adopted austerity measures and a laissez-faire approach, when intervention is needed. "I don't think you want to be taking ideas from the Mike Harris-era in Ontario and applying them to today's economic crisis," he said.

SEE:
Blue Throne Speech
Pinocchio Conservatives
Deja Vu


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Canada, Great Depression, market crash, free trade, recession, Harper, Conservatives, deficit, Government, politics, Flaherty, Budget, GST, politicsCanada, Surplus, Economy, Taxes, EI,

Blue Throne Speech

Why am I not surprised?

Throne speech warns of deficit, offers economic plan

No specifics in Tory economic plan

Because the neo-con agenda was about the failure of Keynesianism, except now all the capitalists and their political puppets are Keynesians when the market crashes. And when they applied their neo-con agenda it was during a temporary debt and deficit crisis of their own creation and it exasperated that into a full blown Reagan Recession. A little historical fact they fail to mention.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper moved closer to an about-face on economic policy today, outlining plans to stimulate growth that may run up a budget deficit after vowing to preserve surpluses.
A month after his Conservative Party government strengthened its hand in Parliament while falling short of a majority, Harper outlined his legislative agenda in a so-called Speech from the Throne, the ceremonial opening of a session. He pledged ``support'' for the country's car makers and plans to expedite infrastructure spending.
``In a historic downturn, it would be misguided to commit to a balanced budget in the short term at any cost,'' according to the text of the speech, which by tradition was read by Governor General Michaelle Jean in the country's Parliament, while Harper and other lawmakers listened. ``Ongoing'' deficits, though, would be ``unacceptable,'' Harper said.
Harper, who pledged ahead of his Oct. 14 re-election to maintain a balanced budget, told reporters last week his government may need to provide more stimulus to the world's eighth-largest economy to boost demand amid a global recession.


SEE:
Pinocchio Conservatives
Deja Vu
Business Unionism Offers No Solution To Capitalist Crisis

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Which Priority Was This?

Gee I didn't know Capital Punishment was one of the Stephen Harper Party priorities. No mention was made in the throne speech. Did I miss that.

And gee they even did a 'secret' poll and found out that other than their base, the majority of of Canadians oppose capital punishment. Does that matter? Nope its full speed ahead with their Hidden Agenda.

So now we have reversals on clemency and the abandonment of sponsorship of the UN resolution on a global moratorium on the death penalty. All straight out of Tom Flanagan's play book

OTTAWA - The Conservative government will not co-sponsor a United Nations resolution calling for a global moratorium on the death penalty, breaking with a nearly decade-old tradition.

An official with the Foreign Affairs Department says Canada will vote in favour of the resolution when it comes to the floor of the UN General Assembly in December, but will not sponsor it.

"There are a sufficient number of co-sponsors already, and we will focus our efforts on co-sponsoring other resolutions within the UN system which are more in need of our support," said Catherine Gagnaire.

Seventy-four other countries have put their names forward as sponsors, including the United Kingdom, Australia and France.

Last week, Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day surprised the House of Commons by announcing that Canada will not oppose the execution of a Canadian citizen on death row in Montana for two murders. Day said the new policy will apply to "murderers" such as Ronald Allen Smith who have had a fair trial in a democratic country.

The government has not specified which countries it considers democracies.

Scott hits the nail on the head with his observation;

"Basically I perceive that image the Cons want to be seen showing is “we’d support a reinstatement of capital punishment if we had the numbers in parliament to do so, but since we don’t, we’ll send out a sublinimal message like this and like last week’s “no clemency pleas” to show our hard-core supporters we really do wish we had capital punishment here (nudge, nudge, wink, wink)”

SEE:

Another Tory For Capital Punishment

More Conservative Media Backlash

Conservative Columnist Opposes Capital Punishment

Capital Punishment Poll

Harpers Lethal Injection


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Liberals Gain Third Party Status

The Liberals are not effective as Her Majesty's Official Opposition due to their failed fund raising .

The latest party financial returns published by Elections Canada show the Liberals raised $793,835 from June through to October, less even than the party's third-quarter donations last year.

The legendary "natural governing party" almost fell behind the NDP, which raised just $38,000 less than the Liberals during the same nine-month period.

The figures were released by Elections Canada only this week, but the Liberals were aware of their financial state well before Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean opened the new session of Parliament with a speech from the throne in mid-October.

Add to that any funds they do raise they have to use to pay off their Leadership convention debt. They have no election war chest. They are now just another third party in the House.

And as those of us on the left know politics is all about economics. And economically the Liberals cannot afford an election. Which determines their political praxis. It really doesn't matter whether they want an election or not, they can't afford it.

So they will shut up and sit on their bums fearful of challenging the Stephen Harper Party. And they will continue to claim it's all because the people of Canada don't want an election. When in fact it is because they are politically and financially bankrupt.

While the Tories awash in cash launch another attack ad campaign, we are in the midst of a protracted election campaign whether the Liberals want it or not.

Tories launch fifth negative ad campaign targeting Stephane Dion

Which Garth Turner notes on his blog. H/T to Take Off,eh for the Turner link.

When I spoke with a top dog in the OLO (Office of the Leader of the Opposition) Friday night, he said they were debating what to do about the new attack ad.

The Liberals cannot respond because they lack the moola. Also it doesn't help when your leader sticks his foot in his mouth and mumbles about increasing the GST.

Stephane Dion's suggestion that he might one day increase the goods and services tax had some of his Liberal troops shaking their heads yesterday.

One Liberal MP actually buried his head in his hands when told of his leader's public musings.

Another simply cursed.

Yep trust the Liberals to blow it. They are not on autopilot they are on auto destruct. And they will end up a third party come the next election.

SEE:

Harper the Mad Dog

Liberals Favorite Tax Cut

Poll Spin

A Reply To Northern Liberal

Jack Layton PM?

LiberalTory Surplus Story

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Harper the Mad Dog

‘‘We will choose our time when we will decide to put this government down -- it will not be tomorrow,’’ Dion said to reporters.

Oops I think he meant 'bring down the government', unless he is ticked off about what they have done to poor Kyoto, his pet cause...Or maybe he actually meant it, perhaps he thinks the government is a Mad Dog....but then why let it suffer if that's the case.

Asks the Toronto Star Liberaltorial;

At what point does Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion take a stand and say: "No More! It is time to change this government"?

That's a question well worth asking after Dion and his Liberal MPs abstained yesterday from voting in the House of Commons on the minority Conservative government's tax-slashing mini-budget. And it is one worth considering in light of Dion's earlier willingness to give tacit approval to the Conservative throne speech and other measures, such as a get-tough-on-crime agenda and a weak environmental plan, while at the same time the Liberals insist they oppose much of what Prime Minister Stephen Harper proposes to do.

Is there a line across which Harper cannot go without the Liberals bringing down this government?

Nope apparently not.

The Liberals are a party in defeat and disintegration. Not even in the dark days of Trudeau as opposition leader or the days of exile under Chretien has the Natural Ruling Party been a house as badly divided as it is today. They smell defeat at every turn. They dread an election. And so they will prop up the Harper government and take their lumps.

Waiting, waiting, for an issue on which to take a stand. And what issue will that be they have retreated on Afghanistan, Kyoto, Childcare, Income Trusts. They have no principles left on which to take that valiant last stand. Each time the Harpocrites toss an issue out the Liberals will lead the charge of the light brigade.

And even if they did find 'the' issue to defeat the government, Dion will find himself alone then in the field of battle, as the party continues it's internal night of the long knives.

The Liberals have no platform, no agenda, no policies that the Harpocrites cannot steal and use against them and they have the cash to do it.

Finance watchers say it's likely Ottawa is sitting on more surplus cash than it's admitting and, if the economy stays hot, it will be able to offer more goodies, including a tax cut in a spring budget expected to set the stage for the next federal election.

TheLiberals elected a leader while failing to conclude Party Renewal leaving them to abandon the ship of state for the life boats. And now the various factions paddle in different directions.

Which of course is good for Jack Layton and the NDP who are now the Official Opposition.

SEE:

Liberals Favorite Tax Cut

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Broken English

"Never a government fall down because of a throne speech."

Mike Duffy Live: Liberal Leader Stephane Dion explains why his party did not vote against the throne speech

But they fall down laughing when the Leader of the Opposition speaks.

See:

House Divided

Does Bilingualism Matter?

Should Liberal Leader Be Bilingual

Dion Sucked

Kennedy And Dion

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A Reply To Northern Liberal

The Northern Liberal asks;

Isnt it a bit rich for Conservatives and Dippers (the latter in particular) to be heaping scorn on Dion for proping up Harper when both parties at one time or another propped up Paul Martin's government when their own poll numbers weren't hot?

The difference is that the NDP got $4 Billion dollars in social spending appended to the Martin Budget and ended tax cuts for corporations. Big difference. And they were able to get the Martin government to accept changes in his Minority Government bills including forcing his government to live up to its commitment to his good friend Bono.

The NDP have been consistent in opposing Harpers Throne Speech's and Budgets. Which is more than can be said for the Liberals who supported the extension of the War in Afghanistan, supported Harper budgets, and who vote by sitting on their hands or taking a sick day off during crucial votes.

It's a little thing called principle.

SEE:

Tories Kill Kyoto

Jack Layton PM?

House Divided

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Tories Kill Kyoto

No, not Dion's Dog.

New Liberal Leader, Stéphane Dion is the owner of Seadream's Kyoto. 
We wish you the best

Canada's commitment to the Kyoto accord.


Had they killed his dog well then maybe he would have had enough principles to get mad and get even.

Dion's choice: Save the planet, or save his political ass

But somehow I doubt it, after all he has made his choice.

Dion pledges to ‘make parliament work'

Instead this staunch defender of Kyoto, the accord and his dog, wimped out and the result was gales of laughter in the house today.

Tory laughter rains down on Dion

Dion drew the loudest laughs as he read press releases from environmental groups who accuse the Tories of cancelling Liberal programs and replacing them with inferior ones.

"And I quote the Sierra Club," Dion began.

"Federal programs were slashed and the importance of climate change was downplayed. An entire year was lost. End of quote.

"But I continue to quote the Sierra Club. . ."

Of course when you abandon your principles you deserve the cat calls.

Canada Liberals send PM lifeline

Dion has accepted a Throne Speech that Kills Kyoto, and his Party will sit on their hands to allow it to pass.

No retreat with honour for Dion

Harper's government a majority in all but name

Not because Canadians don't want an election, which is his excuse. But because the Liberals don't want an election. Showing that they are not only fiscally bankrupt but politically bankrupt as well.

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House Divided

The Liberals are saying that Canadians tell them they don't want an election. Actually its the Liberals who don't want an election. After all the past few days have been like the rest of Dion's year as leader, Annus Horribilis.

Stephane Dion remained undecided Tuesday whether to bring down the Harper government over its throne speech even as evidence mounted that his Liberal team - particularly in Quebec - is not ready to fight an election.

The Liberal leader lost both his Quebec lieutenant and the director general of the party's Quebec wing just hours before Prime Minister Stephen Harper unveiled the government's blueprint for the new session of Parliament.

More top Quebec Liberal officials quit party

With a federal election campaign possibly only days away, the federal Liberal party has just lost two of the key people responsible for ensuring it can fight a campaign in Quebec.

On Tuesday, former MP Serge Marcil resigned as the director-general of the party's Quebec wing, saying he has decided to take an attractive job offer in the private sector. While Quebec wing president Robert Fragasso agreed the timing was "very particular," he said Mr. Marcil is leaving the Quebec wing in good shape and there are a number of talented people who can replace him.

However, Mr. Marcil's departure leaves the Quebec wing without a director-general, just as the party is searching for a national director to replace Jamie Carroll, who quit amid controversy over remarks many members of the party's Quebec wing felt treated Quebec francophones as just another ethnic minority.

News of Mr. Marcil's departure came only 24 hours after Hull-Aylmer MP Marcel Proulx handed in his resignation as the Liberals' political lieutenant for Quebec. After MP Denis Coderre, a savvy veteran political organizer turned him down, Mr. Dion reached past his dozen Quebec MPs and into the Senate to name Celine Hervieux-Payette, one of the few caucus members who supported his leadership bid, as his new Quebec lieutenant.

However, her Senate colleague, Liberal party president Marie Poulin, was nowhere to be found on Tuesday.

While her office refused to comment, confirming only she was not going to be present for the reading of the speech from the throne, sources said Ms. Poulin is vacationing in Bermuda.

Ex-Dion adviser is now the Prime Minister's secret weapon

Mark Cameron knows the inner workings of Stéphane Dion's brain, and now he is one of Stephen Harper's most trusted advisers.

In the unique position of having served Mr. Dion and now the Prime Minister, Mr. Cameron recently joked that if the Conservatives lose the next election and the Liberals win, he could just stay in the PMO and no one would notice.

Chrétien's book revives spectre of house divided
Pollster says former prime minister's memoir could undermine Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion

Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion could find that his old boss, Jean Chrétien, is more trouble than any Conservative attack ads, according to pollster Nik Nanos.

By reigniting his old feud with Paul Martin, his successor, in his new book, Chrétien could do some serious damage to the Liberals, Nanos says.

"The Liberal brand has been able to effectively weather the image storm outside of Quebec," Nanos said yesterday. "Even with Stéphane Dion's rough ride, the Grits are still very competitive in Ontario and urban Canada. However, if a narrative emerges that the Liberals are a house divided, that would be potentially more damaging than any attack ad on Dion."

Harper vs. Dion: A battle of the bland

A new poll suggests the next federal election won't exactly be a battle of towering personalities.

Both Tory Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Liberal Leader Stephane Dion have a "charisma deficit" among voters, according to the Canadian Press Harris-Decima poll.

The good news for Harper is that while his personality is deemed a weakness by 41% -- among voters of both sexes and almost every age group -- Dion fares even worse.

Half deem Dion's personality as a weakness.

And while 38% consider Harper's personality an asset, just 19% feel that way about Dion.

The natural governing party is a house divided. Which means this is the best time for an election for the Conservatives and NDP.

SEE

Adscam Aftershock

Denis Lebel Nationalist

Sept. 11 for Dion

Politics is Local

Quebec By-elections

Rudderless Liberals

Liberal Flap

Ouch

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Leaky Ship Of State

Gee now who could have done this? Throne Speech Leaked

Considering how tightly under wraps they had their Income Trust announcement last year, and how tightly controlled all information from the PMO is, including its ability to gag cabinet and back bencher's, who do you think did it.

See:

Harpers Shoe Fetish

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