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Layton and Donnelly Woo the HST Haters

New Dems' by-election strategy is to pin the much maligned tax on Harper.

By Monte Paulsen, 6 Nov 2009, TheTyee.ca

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Candidate Fin Donnelly and NDP leader Jack Layton campaign at Tim Horton's in New Westminster.

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If the Fin Donnelly campaign now underway in New Westminster-Coquitlam says anything about how the New Democratic Party may run in the next federal election, the message is this: Make the HST a federal issue, pin it on Stephen Harper, and keep Jack Layton in the picture.

"I'm hoping that the message that I've been hearing about the HST will bring people out to vote," Donnelly told The Tyee. "This is the first opportunity that people in B.C. will have to vote on the HST. This is a chance for them to express their concern, their anger."

And as NDP leader Jack Layton tours New Westminster this weekend -- for the fourth time since the Nov. 9 by-election was called -- it appears that the HST may be on its way to becoming something more than just a B.C. issue.

'Keeping a seat warm for Fin'

It's pretty easy to see the difference between the Donnelly's campaign and that of his rivals in Monday's by-election. Just look at the signs staked throughout New Westminster, Coquitlam, and Port Moody.

None of the signs promoting Diana Dilworth of the Conservative Party, Ken Beck Lee of the Liberal Party, and Rebecca Helps of the Green Party mention the leaders of those parties. Donnelly's signs read, "Jack Layton and the BC Team."

Layton has made three trips to the New Westminster-Coquitlam riding since this by-election was called, and plans to be here again this weekend. He's appeared at about a half-dozen Donnelly events, and has campaigned on the streets of New West during every visit. That's more groundwork in B.C. than all the other party leaders combined.

Fin and Jack appear to genuinely enjoy one another's company. Both men cut their political teeth in municipal politics. Both were swimmers.

"I'm thrilled that Fin Donnelly has decided to be our candidate," Layton told a campaign audience. "And I'm keeping a seat warm for Fin Donnelly to get down there in November. You be sure to send him."

Donnelly returned the praise. "I've certainly had a lot of encouragement and support from Jack," he said. "He's just encouraged me to be who I am."

But the cold reality that underlies their warm relationship is that Layton, whose party has been unable to break out of its distant-third position in national polls, needs to hold on to the seat that was vacated when Dawn Black left the federal party to move to provincial politics last spring.

Losing New West would likely be perceived as a more damaging set-back for the NDP than gaining it would be for the Tories. (The federal Liberals have not historically been competitive in this riding.)

We're not in Ontario

The Fin and Jack show is also test-marketing a new message. They argue that through the Harmonized Sales Tax -- or HST -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper is raising taxes on working-class Canadians during a recession.

Federal Conservatives and BC Liberals claim the HST merely shifts and equalizes taxes that already exist. Along with many economists, they claim that the new tax structure will make provinces that adopt it more competitive.

Ontario residents appear to have believed that message. There was surprisingly little public comment when that province adopted the HST earlier this year.

Not so in B.C., where the new tax scheme was unveiled just days after Premier Gordon Campbell was re-elected last May. Fueled by the provincial NDP, an anti-HST backlash has been building all summer.

Donnelly has made the HST his top issue, outranking tried-and-true NDP issues such as the Fraser River sockeye crash, the lack of funding for the Evergreen Line and the lack of federal funding for affordable housing.

"I have talked to thousands of people since the summer, when I was nominated, and I'd say the biggest concern I've heard is the negative impact the HST will have on families, students, seniors, small businesses," Donnelly told The Tyee.

"This is not making life more affordable. It's making it harder to survive in a tough economy," he added.

'Wrong tax, wrong time, wrong people'

Donnelly seized on the only all-candidates forum of the by-election (as of this writing) to press Conservative candidate Diana Dilworth on her assertion that the HST is "a provincial issue."

"If Diana is serious that she thinks this is not a federal issue, then I want to know if she will oppose the enabling legislation?" Donnelly asked Dilworth during a joint appearance on CKNW.

Dilworth replied, "No I would not."

And the HST has become Layton's top issue, too, at least when he's campaigning in New Westminster.

"We are fighting this new tax on families right down the line. We're not going to let them bring it in. It's the wrong tax at the wrong time on the wrong people," Layton told a campaign audience.

The anti-HST message work well for Layton, because the Conservatives brought the plan to the provinces, and key Liberals have indicated that they support it. If it works well in this by-eleciton, there's a good chance Layton will expand the NDP's anti-HST campaign to other parts of Canada -- particularly Ontario.

Donnelly new to the NDP

Donnelly is best known in B.C. as the guy who twice swam the 1,400 kilometre length of the Fraser River to draw attention to threats to salmon and other species. Altogether, he's made 14 marathon swims covering 3,200 kilometres of B.C. rivers, lakes and ocean.

But his life ashore has left him well-positioned to take on this curiously cobbled together federal riding, which includes the eastern part of New Westminster, the southwestern part of Coquitlam and a southern portion of Port Moody.

He was born in New West, grew up in Port Moody and now lives and works in Coquitlam.

Donnelly studied at the University of Victoria, worked for the federal government, then founded the Rivershed Society in the wake of his first Fraser River swim. He was elected to Coquitlam City Council in 2002.

Asked to list his top accomplishments, he named two:

"I lobbied strongly for a social planner. What the social planner got us was the ability to update our affordable housing strategy. And what that got us was the ability to address homelessness as a municipality," Donnelly said.

"Second, as a Metro Vancouver director, I brought forth a zero waste motion. That has evolved into the Zero Waste Challenge, which is something that I was very proud to bring forward," he added.

Donnelly remained politically independent as at city councilor, and only joined the NDP earlier this year. Asked how long he'll stand by his new party, he replied as follows

"I will serve as long as people will have me," Donnelly said. "I didn't take this decision lightly... I'm looking at doing this a long time, and really making a difference as a New Democrat MP."

'What would Tommy D. do?'

Donnelly's campaign is run from a dingy New West storefront that looks and sounds like something out of a movie set for a 1970s campaign. Dog-eared manila envelopes lay strewn across shabby used furniture. Fifteen phone lines are in regular use as volunteers strive to contact 500 would-be voters each day. A photocopied photo of Saskatchewan's most famous former premier is taped alongside one such desk. Handwritten above the image is the question, "What would Tommy D. do?"

One almost expects Warren Beatty to come bursting through the door in long hair and blue jeans. One settles for Jack Layton peering down from posters on every wall. (No hair, polyester slacks.)

Like the Dilworth campaign, Donnelly expects to raise and spend the limit set by Elections Canada. For this riding, that's about $72,000 during the campaign period, and another $89,000 during a ramp-up period.

Donnelly figures he's got more than 100 volunteers in a by-election that all sides agree will be more about turning out the party faithful than converting the masses.

"We're attracting younger people as well as the NDP base," he said. "That was a bit of a goal for me, to bring in some newer people."

But critics of the campaign, particularly Conservatives, complain that the NDP amounts to little more than a made-for-TV party. Dilworth and her supporters have frequently pointed to the access to power the riding would receive if it elected a Tory.

Donnelly, on the other hand, would become a back-bench member of a back-bench party.

I asked if he expects to be able to accomplish as much as an MP as he did as a city councilor.

"I think so. Totally," he replied.

"I think New Democrats have been the effective opposition. I think they have been effective because they attract people with passion and people who want to make a difference in the country. I feel I am one of those people."

Coming on The Hook Friday: The Liberal and Green candidates running in the New Westminster-Coquitlam by-election. [Tyee]

Monte Paulsen reports on politics and policy for The Tyee.

43 Comments:

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  • mary jane

    2 years ago

    No HST

    Good luck to the NDP
    gordo and harpo are working together to destroy BC and Canada with the hst. The mismanagement is so bad that no one can trust either of these men. Canadians are not usually destructive to their friends and neighbors. Given time gordo / premier spite will have us so over taxed because he could not say no to over spending on a bunch of shitty games. Who in their wisdom allows such horrific over spending at the expense of the tax payers of the voters - seniors, health care, education, safety services that make our social safety net. Our social safety net is what prevents people from staving and neither gordo or harpo give a damn about any of us who cannot afford to pay for everything our selves.

    We need better health care, child care and the old system of EI payments not to mention more for IA or welfare that makes sure no one goes hungry, housing etc Harpo doesn't care about kids. He proved this when he did not vote to remove proverty from Canada. BC now has the highest child poverty in Canada and the money is already there if we don't have greed running things. Thank you harpo and gordo

  • Jeannie

    2 years ago

    Fin a decent human being

    While not an NDPer, I have been very impressed by Fin Donnelly's performance on Coquitlam Council. He asks intelligent questions and provides rational responses. And, he actually shows up to meetings and will make himself available to meet the community. I am of two minds about him running Federally..he is undoubtedly the best candidate, but Coquitlam will lose their best Councilor.

  • Matt T.

    2 years ago

    Fin Will Keep NWC for the NDP

    BUT it will be a very tight race and here are some campaign observations:

    1 - Jack Layton held an anti-HST 'town hall' meeting with Fin and 50 people showed up. The Con Dilworth held a 'town hall' meeting with a cabinet minister and 100 people showed up.

    2 - Fin says that he has 100 volunteers on his campaign. In other media, Dilworth claims 200 volunteers on her campaign.

    It seems that double the people turned for both the Con's 'town hall' meeting and in terms of volunteers. "Get Out the Vote" will be critical in this by-election.

    Angus Reid Strategies was both Canada's and BC's most accurate pollster in the last respective federal/provincial elections.

    And the most recent BC results for both party standings as well as party leader preferences are as follows:

    Con - 47% (+3% from 2008 election)
    Lib - 21% (+2% from 2008 election)
    NDP - 22% (-4% from 2008 election)

    Harper - 37%
    Ignatieff - 12%
    Layton - 7%

    http://www.angusreidstrategies.com/uploads/pages/pdfs/2009.10.16_PoliticsCAN_EN.pdf

    According to public opinion, Fin's anti-HST campaign against the Cons seems to be a dud. And Layton lags far behind in terms of popular opinion here in BC.

    So come on people in NWC - No matter what - Get out and support Fin on Monday - He's the BEST candidate! Every vote counts!

  • Dan the socialist

    2 years ago

    It is amazing how the HST is

    It is amazing how the HST is becoming a distant memory just like how the carbon tax became one. The alleged main stream media sure saw to tha, especially Canwest-Gordo.....

  • Wilfride Laurier

    2 years ago

    Imagine the NDP campaigning

    Imagine the NDP campaigning against a tax, while at the same time wanting to double CPP contributions.

  • samuidave (not verified)

    2 years ago

    nice to argue the HST issue

    however collateral it is to our big problem.

    What we, the people, really need is accountable representation -- accountable to the people, that is. We need Constitutional reform, political reform or we need to secede and start over.

    Without drastic reform we will continue to lose our country to privatization with the obedience of the political police (ie, RCMP).

  • crankypants

    2 years ago

    If you want a voice

    If you want a voice in Ottawa that represents its constituents then vote for the Green Party candidate. She is the only one that does not have an elected leader currently elected and should be free to vote on issues based on her conscience. We can hold her personally responsible for how she carries herself. The other three candidates will be representing their party, not their constituents.

    I am not a member of the Green Party nor have I ever voted for them before. I was prepared to just spoil my ballot as there is no independent running, but in this case she will do.

    Our electoral system is totally broken and one way of fixing it is to relegate the political party to the landfill. Our so called democracy is really nothing more than a democratized dictatorship. The politicians sure won't change anything as they have a vested interest in keeping the status quo, so it is up to the electorate to do the heavy lifting.

    Voting in the underdog won't change the balance of power or anything, but at least we will be down to only 300 robots in Ottawa. Sometimes change can only be achieved by baby steps.

  • crankypants

    2 years ago

    Mr. Laurier

    At least an increase to CPP premiums will benefit those that fund it. The HST will only suck money out of the citizens of BC and deposit this money into the hands of the corporate elite. I for one am not in the least bit interested in funding the various CEOs' bonuses with my diminishing after tax dollars. If you feel different then send your remittance to you favorite CEO(s) and I am quite sure they will accept it with no questions asked.

  • Tree

    2 years ago

    Glad we have Fin

    My family moved here in the 1960's BECAUSE Tommy Douglas was the MP.

    Gordo and Harpo haven't set up detention camps for the less desirable citizens - yet.

    Glad we have Fin to fill the shoes of Dawn Black.

  • Intention Pure

    2 years ago

    NDP MP

    I swear if we did not have such an excellent NDP MP for the Southern Interior the Kootenays would be going to a hotter hell in a bigger handbasket right now. Imagine a Conservative MP in the West Kootenay: ruin of river projects everywhere, watershed logging going unquestioned just to run the machine for the tax dollar, CBT taken over by the provincial liberals and relocated to Vancouver, vaccine clinics on every streetcorner pushing untested and contaminated vaccines on the uninformed general public, GM farms everywhere poisoning our ecology and our bodies, no organized food security initiatives, heck the Conservatives probably would have built a prison in the area to house all the non-status natives, educated hippies, and outspoken professionals (or wait - I forgot - we won't need that prison cause we would just let Canadians rot in US prisons) !

  • For a better world

    2 years ago

    Crankypants...You're Correct, however...

    "Our electoral system is totally broken and one way of fixing it is to relegate the political party to the landfill. Our so called democracy is really nothing more than a democratized dictatorship. The politicians sure won't change anything as they have a vested interest in keeping the status quo, so it is up to the electorate to do the heavy lifting."

    Not too long ago we rid ourselves of the very deviant Socred party (aka the Car Sales party) and created a genuine BC Liberal organization. Unfortunately the latter was hijacked by large coprorate interests and former Socreds. It should be noted that previous BC Liberal party was also sent to the slag heap for police corruption and other misdeeds.

    The Mulroney Conservatives were sent the landfill, but they were reincarnated by the devious tory/reformers. Much of this take over was spearheded by a very sly John Reynolds. Obviously Reynolds knew where the skeletons were buried to enable him to retain influence.

    The only way of attaining any semblance of a democracy is to have some useful form of proportional representation.

  • crankypants

    2 years ago

    For Better

    Proportional representation would be better than what we have now, but as long as the party mandarins call the shots we will still be electing nothing but robots. A true democracy would be where the elected person, federal or provincial, would be free to represent his or her constituents by doing as they say rather than saying what people want to hear only to do as they are told.

    Even at that not everyone would be happy as each riding is made up of people with many different views, but at least we could hold our representative responsible for the views they put forth. Under the party system we can only hold the representative responsible for the party they belong to.

    Canada is so diverse that I doubt any one party can truly represent the whole country. They can only cater to the areas that give them the best chance of either remaining in power or gaining power which serves no one. Provincially we have the same problem due to the urban/rural divide. The urban centres have totally different issues compared to the rural areas. In BC alone I suspect that half the population resides in Metro Vancouver yet the area represented is probably only 5% of BC's land mass if that.

    The big problem is that there is no one size fits all and maybe a consensus would serve us all much better. Political parties cannot offer this because they are always looking for their next fix.

  • crankypants

    2 years ago

    Our electoral system

    First, I apologize for posting this many times on one subject, but sometimes the ideas flow in spurts and spasms and if I don't put these to print when they happen, they may be forever misfiled in my cranium.

    I truly believe that the political party is a detriment to good governance, and I offer this example.

    Assume that you have two groups of people that given a problem to solve. Each group has a leader. One group's leader is overbearing and demands that his group uses his parameters to solve the task. The other group's leader is confident in his underlings abilities and just lets them have at it. Mr. overbearing's group will probably solve the problem first if his parameters are on the mark. However, if his ideas are incorrect then all bets are off. The other group has a much better chance of being successful as they are able to think outside of the box because they are not constricted to their solutions.

    At present, our political system limits one party and its leader to solve a problem and the rest are relegated to the role of observers because they are considered the enemy. To compound the problem, the so-called opposition parties are further constricted by their respective leader's parameters. This system may serve the parties well, but does little for the electorate at large.

    Change must come, and the sooner the better.

  • Intention Pure

    2 years ago

    Proportional Representation

    Yes, proportional representation is one way to prevent fascists like Harper and Gordo from "running" our country with only 38% of the vote. However, BC just threw away our chance at this in the last provincial election, or else we are victims of electoral voter fraud, which is highly likely given the level of corruption that exists in current "government".

  • alive

    2 years ago

    Different concept?

    crankypants:
    You are correct about us electing leaders through party machinery that give us little chance to select the person we want.
    My solution would be that we try elect along party-lines and that names are not on the ballot at all.
    If we were to vote for issues instead of personalities perhaps the issues would be what the eventual leader will work on?
    I would have no problem if a party selected the best suited individual to represent me, not based on charisma or appeal but on background and commitment.
    We suffer from ministers who get shuffled along to portfolios they have no talent to run, only because a poll makes them unpopular in the department they already destroyed.
    As things are we suffer because certain leaders are poor on TV ( Dion and James as a for instance).
    We would be better off with nameless workers who had no ego to boost and no worries about getting re-elected.
    Once again let us vote for ideas / parties instead of for individuals

  • lakegirl22

    2 years ago

    The proposed NDP CPP increase is far more damaging than the HST

    Crankypant, let me fill you in on some facts.

    1. CPP contributions max out if you make over $46,000, so don't give us the dribble about CEO's paying more.

    2. Let me show you how bad the NDP are for working people. An individual making $8.00/hour would currently have take home pay of around $15,000 per year. Let's assume 50% is for housing and 25% are for goods which are exempted from HST or currently are being charged PST. That would leave 25% which may be subject to HST or $263 per year. This individual being a low income earner will receive back $230. So their net cost might be $33 per year.

    Jack Layton's proposed CPP payroll tax increase will cost this individual $328 per year. ($16,640 - 3,500)x 2.5%) in addition to the $652 he/she is already contributing to CPP.

    So a vote for the NDP will cost a person making $8 per hour $361 or 1100% more than the HST. You will notice that I added the HST increase to the payroll increase. This is because, no matter which person is elected MP, they can do nothing about the HST as it's implementation is completely under the control of the Provincial Government.

  • Amazed_Theseus

    2 years ago

    Try at least to be a little objective

    It would be refreshing if Tyee reporter and leftist worshiper was as objective as many of the comments following his articles. In the Diana Dilworth article Monte tells us "Over the next few days, I learned that with the exception of a tightly structured appearance on CKNW's Christy Clark Show, Dilworth has yet to participate in any all-candidates' debate." He neglects to mention neither had the NDP, Liberal, or Green Candidate... because at the time of writing the article there hadn't been one. I also suspect that Christy would be surprised at being accused of having a highly structured show. Her trademark is a wide open non partisan grilling. I did do the Google search Monte suggested and found a number of interviews in the Tri City News, New Westminster Leader, and the Coquitlam Now so obviously she wasn't ducking them.
    Then Monte worships rather than reports in his Fin Donnelly article. We are even treated to a visit from the ghost of Tommy Douglas past. People who met and knew Tommy Douglas, know that Fin Donnelly is no Tommy Douglas. An honest evaluation would also note that Fin's anti HST campaign, which Monte used prominently in his headline is a shell game hoping to tap into a provincial jurisdiction anger to affect a federal election.
    After reading both articles I see that there is a reason that Monte's photo is prominently featured on Fin's campaign Facebook page.

  • RickW

    2 years ago

    LakeGirl

    Quote:
    So a vote for the NDP will cost a person making $8 per hour $361 or 1100% more than the HST.

    Yes it will. But CPP is long-term investment, while HST is fritter-away revenues.

    For someone earning min. wage here today, the available CPP is not enough to live on in retirement, and (beleive it or don't) not everyone making min. wage can "pull themselves up by their bootstraps" and become president and CEO.

    So Jack's proposal is practical, while H&G's is simply greedy, each having way overspent relative to their revenue streams -- jut like the Province Newspaper is accusing the municipalities of doing:
    http://www.theprovince.com/business/Municipalities+spending+outpacing+real+growth/2186197/story.html

  • Grandma_J

    2 years ago

    Amazed_Theseus

    I've responded to most of the remarks in your virtually identical post in the comments following "The curious case of the missing tory" so won't bother to repeat them.
    Regarding Fin Donnelly's anti HST stand - how else are we going to stop this vile tax other than through parliament. If the legislation enabling the 1.6 billion "bribe" isn't passed, no doubt the HST should quickly lose its allure for the BC Liberals. The federal NDP is standing up for the wishes of the people of BC and hopefully Ignatieff and company will follow suit.
    I'm not opposed to reducing taxes for business but IMHO tax breaks should be tied new job creation or recalling laid off Canadian workers. Otherwise what's the point?

  • RickW

    2 years ago

    Grandma_J

    Quote:
    I'm not opposed to reducing taxes for business but IMHO tax breaks should be tied new job creation or recalling laid off Canadian workers. Otherwise what's the point?

    Gasp! You mean -- terms!!?? No carte blanche such as the "conditions" given big biz and the banks?

    How could you think such thoughts??

  • alive

    2 years ago

    HST v/s CPP

    RickW.
    Correct about CPP.
    Nobody can survive on the present allocation, and since many more will become retired in the future, it will drain the governments rescources to keep even the present system going.
    Hate it or not, people are going to have to save up for retirement, and it has to be while they are earning money.

    The HST on the other hand serves noone except business and they love it.

  • Wilfride Laurier

    2 years ago

    HST Myths

    "That would leave 25% which may be subject to HST or $263 per year"

    In fact, it would be much less that that since the PST would already apply to most of those goods.

    I recently had a clerk tell me that the HST was going to be added to the GST and PST to make "everything" 14% more expensive.

  • realisticman

    2 years ago

    2 taxes

    Why is it we don't hear about all those wonderful and envious progressive countries that have two different sales taxes, just like the NDP and their supporters cry over?

    I guess it's because there aren't any, except the good old US of A. The NDP want us to have a sales tax system just like the USA.

    Strange bedfellows.

    There's even one writer here that thinks that the HST will be a big deal in the next Federal election. I mean, seriously folks! You could get more people out to protest saving the Monster barking toad myth than to a kill the HST rally.

  • Skywalker

    2 years ago

    I woulndn't get too cocky about rally turn outs.

    Most people I run into would not bother going to a rally. A rally no matter how big will not get rid of the Campbell gang. That has to be done in other ways and remember guys, all this cockiness will come back to bite you. The local coffee shop conversation is a better political weather vane than a rally. Just stay in your warm cocoon.

  • Sask Resident

    2 years ago

    Jack Layton

    I can't believe that the local candidate would think having rich boy Jake Layton come out a campaign would be a good thing. NDPers from Ontario are not like NDPers in the rest of Canada. Canada has had lots of NDP provincial governments but only the one in Ontario was a true, out-and-out disaster, even when compared to the odd disaster in BC with its new Premier a week.

    I'm hoping for a NDP win in Quebec then Mulcair replacing Layton. The NDP could and should replace the Liberals as one of two major parties, they already have a more national coverage, but not with someone like Layton in charge. The rich boy seems to think everyone has lots of money.

  • Sask Resident

    2 years ago

    alive: Different concept?

    Using your logic, why not vote for a table or a door? You vote for a person to represent you they the caucus they sit in determines how much effort they put into each party policy. No party leader is stupid enough to go against the majority of their caucus since the member could cross the floor or start a new party (the demise of the Reform under Day by the Alliance). The door you voted for could not think and would not listen to you.

    PR is worse because the party leaders would choose who became elected and they would only choose yes people.

  • G West

    2 years ago

    CPP Contributions are not a consumption tax

    They are based on income and they are collected to fund a pension scheme.

    There is a difference.

    The switch to HST only benefits businesses - you can ask Gordon Campbell.

  • RickW

    2 years ago

    skywalker

    Quote:
    The local coffee shop conversation is a better political weather vane than a rally.

    http://eeuropeanrussianaffairs.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_politics_of_coffeehouses
    Since the date of their earliest establishment, coffeehouses have been hotbeds of radical politics and the free exchange of ideas.

  • realisticman

    2 years ago

    Those coffee shops

    You understand that targeting double decaf chai soy lattes for HST is not something that occurred by accident. It's considered to be a gold mine.

  • alive

    2 years ago

    Doors?

    Sask Resident:
    I proposed voting for ideas, concepts and solutions.
    That of course entails that voters bother to think, instead of voting for who looks the best.
    Whatever your argument, it holds no water if candidates are not known at the times of voting.
    The idea that a candidate can influence parliament is like saying you OK bribes.
    Why not let sound judgment decide where and how monies are spent?
    Politicians as we know them spend more time worrying about getting re-elected than anything else; let us have people who have experience in their field hired to run and organize our country.
    Nothing could be worse than what we have now!

  • RickW

    2 years ago

    By-Election Result:

    http://enr.elections.ca/ElectoralDistricts_e.aspx?ed=1307

    I must retract my notion that lousy voter turnout favours the incumbent. Or....this is the exception that proves the rule.

    In any event, both the Cons and Libs are shooting themselves in the proverbial foot, the longer their bluff and bluster goes on.

    Jack was smart in siding with the Cons, in order to postpone a general election. That way, the "foibles" of PM Harper (American news preference, Action Plan signs made in US, stimulus money weighed in favour of Con ridings) become exposed to light of day, while Iggy's apparent indecisiveness turns people off.

  • realisticman

    2 years ago

    Win, Win for the Conservatives

    One resounding win in Nova Scotia, another turnover, and importantly a win over the Bloc, in Québec and two predictable wins. One for the Bloc in hard-core Hochelaga, the other for the NDP in hard-core New West.

    As long as Jack keeps voting with the Conservatives then Fin will be told to do the same. Of course, if Jack decides to stop voting with the Conservatives and brings on a general election the Liberals, as the only alternative, will not do well for the foreseeable future. More good news for the Conservatives.

    Canadians are increasingly viewing the Conservatives as good government - just as the rest of the world keep telling us.

  • G West

    2 years ago

    Robo calling moves east...

    Some 'good' government:

    Bloc files police complaint over alleged impersonation of MP during byelection

    (CP) – 19 hours ago

    OTTAWA — The Bloc Quebecois filed a police complaint over what it described as sabotage in one of four federal byelections Monday.

    The Bloc says it contacted police after someone impersonated one of its members in a phone call Monday to voters in eastern Quebec. It says someone pretending to be Bloc MP Christiane Gagnon left bizarre, recorded messages urging people to vote for her colleague Nancy Gagnon.

    Nancy Gagnon is hoping to hold the Riviere-du-Loup-area riding for the party, in a hotly contested race against the Conservatives.

    The riding is considered a potential bellwether and victory would be considered a huge coup for the Tories.

    The Bloc says someone pretending to be their Quebec City MP left halting, unprofessional-sounding phone messages urging people to vote for the Bloc - and it says the calls were designed to leave a negative impression of the party.

    The MP filed a police complaint, party president Hugues Belzile signed an affidavit, and the party is also complaining to Elections Canada.

    "What we want is an investigation to know who's behind this operation," Christiane Gagnon said in an interview.

    Guess the Gary Lunn playbook is getting around!

    And some people think only the Liberals are sleazeballs; I think the new crown belongs on Pee Wee's tiny pointed noggin.

  • realisticman

    2 years ago

    Earth to Garth

    So you are suggesting that some Conservative made a phone call urging someone to vote for the Bloc and this is Harper's fault?

    Sounds like another weird tin-hat concept. I can see the headline:

    "Harper schemes to lose election by endorsing Bloc candidate in spoof telephone call. Plan backfires after Conservative candidate wins easily."

  • G West

    2 years ago

    Harper and Lunn wrote the playbook

    And that was after they offered a dying man a reward for changing his vote.

    No matter how you slice it, Pee Wee is a bigger sleazeball than the Liberals - and believe me, that takes SOME doing.

  • realisticman

    2 years ago

    What do I want?

    Information. I won't get it.

    Still, after asking many, many times for the name the insurance company that you claim would write an insurance policy for a person who is dying of a terminal disease.

    I suppose this myth has less likelihood of being proven than the discovery of the Loch Ness Monster.

    By the way. Did you see Alex's summation of last night's vote?

    "Finally: The NDP are really not a national party, just a protest destination. Outside of B.C., Winnipeg and northern Ontario, they don’t even matter. Layton can rage against the dying of the light (with apologies to Dylan Thomas) all he wants to, it’s over for socialism in this country. The NDP can never claim anything more than that they are the pace for left-wing Liberals and disaffected Greens to park their votes."

    http://alexgtsakumis.com

  • G West

    2 years ago

    I just know what I heard from Pee Wee's own lips

    Insurance companies will insure anything - if you're willing to pay the premium.

    As for what Pee Wee will pay to hang onto power - absolutely anything....I can remember after 8 - 9 years of Mulroney bullshit that the PCs were reduced to 2 seats in the house...

    Anyone claiming they know what the future will bring is an idiot - and those who listen to such idiots are even bigger fools...

  • happy

    2 years ago

    Come on now West

    After the last Federal election you claimed Harper had made the Cons unelectable in Quebec b/c of the Arts funding cutbacks, and that just proved how he didn't "understand" how Quebecers think.

    What happened?

    Surely Quebecers are too smart to be taken in by someone singing a Beatles tune if they think that persons out to screw them over.
    Are they that gullible?

  • RickW

    2 years ago

    R/M old man....

    The longer Jack keeps "Pee Wee" in power, the more "faux pas" the Cons will make, the more foolish they will look, until finally they will earn the prize they've been lusting after -- a spot on America's Funniest Home Videos!

    After all, historically they can't help themselves.

  • realisticman

    2 years ago

    Rickie, my son

    Jack ain't gonna pull the plug anytime soon after last nights' disappointing showing in Nova Scotia and neither is Iggy either. Come to think of it neither is Gilles, after losing one biggie to the Conservatives too.

    All everyone sees is Harper growing in strength and the Conservatives becoming more and more the party of choice, even in by-elections which are usually the place where protest votes are cast for the governing party.

    Don't expect anymore interest in a federal election until next autumn, at the earliest.

    By that time Bob Rae will be 62. He knows that if Iggy continues to fail in clicking with the people he will loose the next election and, by tradition, be replaced by a francophone. That francophone will then have a couple of years to take a crack at the big job before he too will fade away. Now Bob will be around 65. Can he then become party leader and ascend to the top at 65 or 66 years of age? Doubtful. Expect Bob to not wait around for the off chance 'maybe'.

    With Iffy and Bobbie gone the Toronto Liberal team will just fade along with the heavy hitting team.

    Expect no change until 2013 at the earliest. Jack will be 63 and Stephen Harper will still be only 54.

  • G West

    2 years ago

    happy

    I still think they're unelectable in Quebec. In fact, the situation in the by election in Trois-Rivieres is the anomaly.

    Quebecers, on average are no less subject to flattery, dirty tricks and Harper/Lunn calumny than other Canadians. You might want to look a bit more closely at what actually went on in that constituency up to the by election.

    Eventually, at the end of some more time with Pee Wee at the helm things may change – if not, might as well kiss good bye to what was once a fine and honourable country where the people cared for each other regardless of their economic clout.

    I never supported the Liberals and I’ll never support the Harperites either – I don’t believe in dictatorship.

    As for Stephen Harper, he'll always be older than Jack Layton - that's the thing with dinosaurs.

  • realisticman

    2 years ago

    kiss goodbye... to a fine and honourable country

    Methinks thou doest protest too much.

    You, West, might wish you lived in another country but the rest of the world wishes they could be here. You are right, of course, and the whole world is wrong, we know.

    Nov. 6 /CNW/ -FutureBrand of New York, NY. - Canada has held on to the number-two spot as the world's most respected country brand for the second year in row.

    Canada also ranked among the top five countries in ten of the categories, and ranked first in the categories of: Country You Would Most Like to Live In;

    "In a challenging year for the global economy, we're especially pleased with the recognition that Canada's tourism brand is holding firm in an intensely competitive international tourism marketplace," said Greg Klassen, CTC senior vice president, Marketing Strategy. "Our travel marketing focuses on enticing travelers with extra-ordinary experiences against a backdrop of vibrant cities and spectacular natural settings. The strategy has market strength and is paying off. We've come a long way from an image of moose and mountains."

    I guess some of you old prairie boys long to go back to moose and mountains.

  • realisticman

    2 years ago

    On Québec

    Chantal Hébert writes from Montréal for Jack's favourite rag, the Toronto Star. She appears to disagree with you again.

    "MONTREAL Nov 11 2009

    Hébert: Tables turn for Tories in Quebec

    The federal Conservative party is no longer radioactive in Quebec. That's the main message from this week's by-election foursome. As a result, it is no longer a given that Quebecers will again stand in the way of a Conservative majority in the next general election.

    Gilles Duceppe and his strategists had come to feel they had a lock on the province for as long as Stephen Harper led the Conservatives. ..."

    thestar.com

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