Harper in Afghanistan

I do not think I have ever been as proud of our Prime Minister.
Some pundits may say that Stephen Harper visited the troops just for political
capital, but I do not remember Jean or Paul going to that war-torn region.
Perhaps they felt that the tough jobs should be left to the Governor General.

2006 Canadian General Election Results

Although I would have preferred a Conservative majority, or even a strong minority, I am somewhat pleased with the election results, but I am concerned about the fragmentation of the Canadian electorate. When the Conservatives started to show a rise in popular support, the other three major parties resorted to the old SCARY neo-conservative fascist portrayals of the Conservative Party of Canada. Please note the name of our country in their name!

At the conclusion of the night, the party leaders displayed good diplomacy by extending olive branches and pledging to find consensus to progress the country forward (with the possible exception of the Bloc, as we all know their not-so-hidden agenda). The major disappointment of the evening for me was the reaction from Jack Layton's NDP supporters in Toronto to the congratulatory message sent to Stephen Harper, our new Prime Minister. There were jeers and boos from the crowd, until an embarrassed NDP leader calmed them down. It is time to work together as a nation and progress to create a better Canada for all of us.

Congratulations to Stephen Harper for a well run campaign and an excellent first speech for our new Prime Minister. Now, he has to prove to dissenting Canadians he and his party are not bogeymen - or is that bogeypeople? He has to stay on the issues, get to work, and make Ottawa operate for the Canadian people instead of the other way around.

I will not vote today

I will not vote today.
I voted in the advance poll.

Stephen Harper Hiding Something?

This graphic is from the Liberal website on Saturday. Fortunately for the country, the link will not go to where the Liberals think it should.....

Paul Martin - Fear Monger Plays FEAR Card

For the better part of the campaign - if there has been a better part - our Prime Minister Paul Martin has avoided discussing the issues. His has deflected criticism, blame, and has painted his main political rivals as neo-conservatives bent on a facist-type of government. He has pulled the big FEAR card out of his deck of political manuveres hopefully for the last time.

Some fear quotes just in case Paul needs some different material...

A boss creates fear, a leader confidence. A boss fixes blame, a leader corrects mistakes. A boss knows all, a leader asks questions. A boss makes work drudgery, a leader makes it interesting. A boss is interested in himself or herself, a leader is interested in the group.
- Russell H. Ewing

Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others.
- Robert Louis Stevenson

We will not walk in fear, one of another. We are not descended from fearful men, not from men who feared to write, to speak, to associate and to defend causes which were for the moment unpopular. This is no time . . . to keep silent.
- Edward R. Murrow

Canadian 2006 General Election Rant

I'm not an cabinet minister or a special interest lobbyist. I don't drive a Lexus,
or live in Ottawa, eat caviar, or receive golf balls from former presidents.
I know my neighbours Mike, Marilyn and Shen from Calgary, and like me,
I'm certain they're all working half the year as "virtual civil servants."

I have a computer, not a multi-billion dollar long gun tracking computer system.
I wear toques, not sun visors.
And I pronounce it 'Give Libs the boot!' not 'Are there any Libs about?'

I can proudly give my full support to our armed forces.
I believe in more doctors not spin doctors; communication not
redirection and that democracy is a truly worthy governmental system.
A lie is a lie, a bribe is a bribe.
And it's pronounced `accountability' OK? Not `give-your-money-to-me.'

Canada is the best part of North America, but it could be better!
Blogging during the election rocks and parties using attack ads is a way of life.

My name is John and I am a Canadian voter.

Liberals announce a ban on the colour blue!

In addition to the previously announced ban on blogging by current PM Paul Martin, the Liberals have announced a ban on the colour blue, due to the association with the Conservative Party of Canada. A Liberal stratigist was heard to say, "Blue represents the greatest threat in our country today. There will be no provinces painted blue. The number one priority of a new Liberal government will be to immediately ban this hated colour, blue."

A spokesman from The Blue Man Group commented from The Venetian® Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas, "I cannot believe the Liberals would stoop to monochromatic discrimination."

Martin announces a ban on blogging!

Current Prime Minister was quoted today, "Bloggers have been causing the Liberal party nothing but trouble. It will be the number one priority of a new Liberal government to immediately ban blogging. Neo-Conservative Star-Wars-loving crazy nut-bag bloggers will be investigated by the CRTC and brought to trial."

Notwithstanding the lack of the Notwithstanding Clause in the Liberal Red Book

The new Liberal Red Book seems to be missing the "first thing Martin's government would do if elected."
This of course is the scrapping of Section 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms or the Notwithstanding Clause.

Are the Liberals hiding something scary, or are they so desperate for the reversal of their polling fortunes that
they are willing to make drastic policy changes at the drop of a hat? Obviously, Martin and his Liberals did not have as their top priority the removal of section 33 or it would have been in the publication! It is just another case of the Liberals doing anything to stay in power.

Paul Wells take on the Liberal Soldiers Ad

Just now at the Subway on Bank St. I was buying my lunch and there... in line... standing in front of me... was a soldier.

In our cities.

In Canada.

A soldier.

He seemed to be ordering the six-inch ham and turkey.

With chipotle sauce.

In Canada.

We're not making this stuff up.

from: http://weblogs.macleans.ca/paulwells/

A Soldier Responds to Liberal Ads

On Rutherford today (AM-QR770 - Calgary), Dave Rutherford read a letter from a member of the PPCLI in regards to the Liberal attack ad that involved increasing the Canadian military presense in our cities. I could feel the raw emotion of this soldier and agree with his points viamently. The text will speak for itself.

Thanks to Stephanie Levitz, Producer of the Rutherford Show, for providing the text below.

I just saw a Liberal attack ad against the Conservatives on CTVs’ Mike Duffy today. I don’t know if its’ going to be released for mass viewing or if its already out there, but I feel that I had to say something because I am LIVID with RAGE! Now normally I wouldn’t care what a Liberal says because they can’t be trusted or believed about as far as you can throw the entire Liberal Party. But this ad doesn’t just attack the Conservatives, it attacks me and others like me! First of all the ad states that a Conservative Stephen Harper wants to locate soldiers in or near large population centres, ie cities. Then the ad goes on to say…. “soldiers, with GUNS, in OUR cities….. we’re not making this up!” This somehow insinuates that the Canadian Forces are armed thugs?!?!? This is where I went ballistic… I AM a Canadian soldier, living IN a large population centre ie Edmonton, and I cannot believe the audacity of the Liberals who are suggesting that I am going to be somehow a “THREAT!” to that very city I live in with my own family!?!? First of all, who are these people to confuse me for a threat, when I have VOLUNTEERED to serve my COUNRTY! To DEFEND the people and ideas of this nation, with ultimate liability, that namely being that I love my country so much I would give my LIFE for it! I have served on three overseas' missions (ordered by the Liberal government) sacrificing time away from friends and family to serve in dangerous war zones at the behest of the PEOPLE OF CANADA in support for OUR ideas of PEACE and FREEDOM for everyone! Then, to have these same Liberals insinuate that I and all other military people like me, would be a threat to the very society and cities that we live in and have chosen to defend! It boggles my mind!!! I think of all the soldiers that have been killed in the last twelve years from serving this country under a Liberal government, the under funding, always undermanned with crappy equipment that always comes too little too late, always more being asked of us, and on top of it all, we have a desperate and increasingly hysterical Liberal Party now attacking the very people that they should be getting down in their knees and begging for forgiveness! An apology to all miliatry members past and currently serving I think is what is called for right now from them! I know that this will not happen, because in the Liberals eyes, they can do no wrong (even when caught!) and they don’t need to apologize because they are the only party with so called “Canadian” values. Well, they can just kiss good-bye another 50000 votes and Anne McLellans’ riding, because it was her that got all of us moved from Calgary to Edmonton in the first place! I will now do my very best to see that the Liberal Party is wiped from existence for the utter contempt and arrogance that they have demonstrated!

Liberal Ad "Pulled"

It is interesting that the Liberals have pulled the ad mentioned in the below post.
Free air play occurred on practically every newscast in the country!
This ad was deliberately given to the media to get the benefits, but none of the consequences or cost!

Liberal Scary Attack Ads

(image from www.liberal.ca)
It was only a matter of time - the Liberals have released their first scary attack ads of the 2006 campaign depicting Stephen Harper as perhaps one step away from the AntiChrist. It is interesting that CTV Newsnet has aired these television advertisements on tonight's newscast only to have some of the more scathing ads pulled by the Libs. One portrayed Harper as a militaristic soon-to-be dictator who would increase the Canadian military presence in cities. It emphasized the fact that soldiers would be in our cities WITH GUNS! Imagine our Canadian troops visible in our cities WITH GUNS! I can see why this ad was pulled, since the gangs would probably be able to outgun our poorly equipped army.

I sincerely hope that the Canadian electorate will see through these blatantly negative scary ads. I believe that the public has had enough of the "natural governing party of Canada" and will dismiss this last-ditch attempt to scare people into voting for Martin and his Liberals. From what I have been able to discern, is that people are listening to Stephen Harper's ideas for the country, not his liberal imposed scary death mask.

Martin Parliamentary Employment Equity?

In last night's "debate" Martin seemed to indicate
that the Liberal party would institute an employment
equity policy in parliament. While I agree that
the percentage of women in politics is much less than
50% of the total number, this fact should not be used
to create new requirements for public office.
The next phase would then have to include every and all minorities. Employment
equity is NOT a solution to get minorities and women into politics. People with
drive, vision, and guts - money doesn't hurt either - is needed for a good
candidate. Gender, race, and religion should not enter into the equation.
Image from CTV.

Leaders Debate 2006

Clearly the winner of the debate was the "moderator" relative unknown from OntarioTV - Steve Paikin.
Image from CTV