Re: Seth

What an absurd, hyperbole ridden rant. Your ad hominem attack on Layton is hardly worth responding to. The 'substance' however, is that Layton has at least stood firmly behind the platform of his party, occasionally attempting to work across the floor (as ineffective and ill conceived as that may be). Ultimately, Layton is significantly closer to expressing the values of most Canadians, so while the victory of harper is crushing, I am not about to complain about having a record number of NDP members sitting in the opposition benches struggling (as ineffectual as they may be) for MY values.

Regarding Dobbin's article, I agree wholeheartedly. It seems to me that since we (progressives on the left) are facing a coy and cunning political creature in harper - and one who revels in his own ego as much as he does political strategizing - we need to mobilize an equally creative and cunning strategy to take him down. If he is immune to rationality, then the irrational may be the best way to dethrone him. As a Straussian, he is taking a long, and very calculated view on how to fundamentally transform Canada's political, social and cultural landscape ("so we won't recognize it"). Without some opportunistic self immolation, a similar approach will need to be taken by those opposed to him.

I think another important consideration is how to to win over the 'hearts and minds' of those who elected him. It is easy enough to undermine harper's political program, but his message has become hegemonic. Victory rests as much on convincing the electorate how harmful he is, as it does on discrediting him.

Harper is as crazy as Bush

Dobbin has had Harper's number for a long time, unfortunately too many people are blissfully indifferent to the truth about Harper and his malicious and berserk form of pseudo-conservatism.

At a critical time in history when we urgently need truly progressive future-oriented leadership we are burdened with demented ideologues who thrive on perverse values and policies. Harper is truly the Straussian Frankenstein stalking the land.

I think Seth is dead on

Harper & Layton are career politicians, leading parties of self serving politicos, who's real goal in life is to see how much lolly they can get.

Harper reminds me of a Nazi storm trooper smiling at book burnings and Layton reminds me of that "Peace in our time guy", getting off an airplane after laying the foundation for WW2.

What the two have in common is a belief that the Canadian taxpayers are mere rubes who can be shaken down on an annual basis.

We are heading for four dreary years of tax and spend government, where tax monies go to support Harpers cronies and the NDP doing nothing because doing nothing is what they are all about.

Unless there is an "Arab spring" and i don't think todays Canadian has the balls for such a thing, Canada will spiral down the pseudo religious/capitalist path.

We are in dark days, with no light at the end of the tunnel.

Is it only me who has this

Is it only me who has this feeling that Harper just gave us Canadians the 'finger' when he appointed his 3 loser Conservative friends to the senate last week?

When Harper is Criticized, Change the Subject

It remains amazingly coincidental that whenever Harper is logically and accurately critiqued, people jump in to change the subject. To, say, the NDP. Who aren't in power. Totally irrelevant.

Appears to be related to non-science based rhetoric.

Change the subject and Harper's attempts to destroy Canada will be forgotten. Unfortunately, Harper is real, just like science, only far more dangerous.

Ignatieff's problem was Ignatieff, not Jack Layton

Michael Ignatieff had the opportunity to rid Canada of Stephen Harper in 2008. He chose to disavow the option of a coalition, and never explain how it would be beneficial, because it would involve sharing power - God forbid. Instead, the NDP was informed, after being forced to eat Liberal-assisted CPC excrement sandwiches for 3 years, that they had to vote Liberal or else - and that there would still be no coalition.

Maybe another strategy would have been better advised. Jack didn't exactly force Michael Ignatieff to run for Liberal leadership without doing any of the necessary groundwork as an MP after coming back, either.

Harper's world view based on rejecting reality

"It may be only a slight exaggeration to suggest that if science supports something, there is a good chance Harper will oppose it."

If Harper is a sincere believer and not faking his religious beliefs and affiliation with the Christian and Missionary Alliance church for political gain, then his entire world view is based on rejecting scientific reality in favour of biblical creationism. He may not overtly express that world view, but it must inform everything he does so it is no surprise or exaggeration that he favours ideology over evidence in so many areas of public policy.

These attacks on Layton all have the same buzzwords in them so I

take them as coming from the same camp. Cheaply disguised calling Layton a free loader etc but it seems it is completely legitimate for conservatives to receive tax payers Money. The most important thing we have to remember is that it is we the people against the corpratocracy. If the NDP doesn't represent the public good then we well just have to deal with that won't we? Ultimately it is going to come down to a confrontation with the state. The G20 was a message and practice run to see how it would go over-the corporate press cannot be depended upon which is why sites like this are so important. I would like to see some sort of cooperative formed among Canada's independent news organizations like some sort of amalgamation between rabble and real news and the tyee in order to strengthen ( excuse my dyslexia) and increase readership. Back on topic A general strike will demonstrate who really has the power in society or at least some of it. Harper is a chicken shit and knows he cannot achieve Manifest Destiny on his own-which is why he signed a treaty with the US to have their troops up here in an "emergency" and why he is trying to implement the North American Union.

There is nothing inevitable about global capitalism

and if the reaction we have seen to austerity around the world is any indication-the socialist alternative is alive and well- this decrepit economic system is very close to collapse and will have to steadily increase exploitation and indeed fascist forms of government to do so. Make no mistake about that. The greatest roadblock to progress is the progressives themselves who have been convinced that some form of capitalism is the only economic system possible and have bought into capitalist triumphalism after the fall of the Soviet Union. Yet populations all over the world dont' see it that way thank goodness. Our allies in South America are a good example of that and the spanish speaking population reaches all the way to our own borders. Society can flip in an instant just as the NDP wave seemed to come out of no where all of those who have been working for an alternative planting seeds and keeping hope alive just like this site does ( and the more attacks like the ones from Seth the more effective you are otherwise you would be ignored so take them as compliments they know how tentative their grasp on power is) Lot's of Battles ahead-cut an paste every pertinent article you find and send it in to your NDP rep help with the research costs-the corporate press will have to present the rational alternative through Layton as these things come up in Parliament. If we are betrayed well that will spell the end of the NDP and a more true political entity will arise in it's place. You know Harper's security people think the greatest terrorist threat will come from environmental scientists who are fed up with the destruction of our planet-So it seems as if rationality is still the greatest weapon against capitalist irrationality and why capitalist always appeal to the irrationality of religion or racism or fear or whatever they can come up with as there is nothing rational about they system they represent.

Harper's Goal

This whole column sounds like one of a sore loser.

Despite five years of trying to tell Canadians that with the Harper government Canada will be destroyed and everything that is good will disappear Canadians returned the Harper government with a majority.

This column is once again a revisit of everything that has been said over the past five years. Time to move on my friend. Few regular folks are buying it.

So feel free to continue your tirades over the next four years. Watch as Canada continues to improve and reflects the hopes and desires of regular Canadians; not elitists, academics and the Harper haters in th media and the opposition parties.

Harper's Goal: Create a New Irrational Reality

One of the things Harper repeated over and over in the election was he wanted to give Canada a stable and effective government.

Watch the movie INSIDE JOB. Then read Harper's latest budget.

Then ask yourself whose side Harper is on, and if trickle down economics works for jobs and the economy.

Furthermore.

That majority Hollinm brags about is pretty tenuous and considering the money the conservatives got to spend pretty much confirms that the election was bought by corporate interests. It is not about being sore losers but after every elections those who did not vote for Harper and guess what?...they are the majority, will do what they always do and that is keep a very close watch on this guy. I don't buy the sell job that he is not as bad as all that. He is so pro right-wing Republican and so pro Israeli that he is scary.

From now on every action Harper takes will be his alone. No more blaming the other guys. Even the senate is owned by him so whatever happens he carries the can.

Nothing reflected Harper's disdain for the public like his appointment of senators rejected by the voters and one twice rejected. Harper has no sense of anything except his thirst for power. Sheeple like Hollinm will have their day but that too will pass just like it did in the U.S..

Hollering

Only in the topsey turvey world of irrational rationality, christian fundamentalist backed neo-conservatism and harper-con majorities would elitism become conflated with being educated and progressive. Still, I give the non-rapture crowd credit for being able to see through such a flimsy discursive reversion.

I doubt it needs to be pointed out that plenty of people who have been elected 'legitimately' have turned out to cause tremendous misery and damage, and winning with 23% of the eligible vote (as harper did) hardly reflects "the hopes and desires of regular Canadians". As Dobbin points out, the harper-cons will dismantle many of the things keeping most of us from sinking to the bottom (where too many already are), including the rights of women, a thriving democratic political sphere, access to quality health care and other entitlements like higher education, a healthy environment, etc. Dobbin isn't a sore loser. He is someone who can see the writing on the wall.

I must add too that the whole 'tax and spend' argument is trite, boring, and easily undermined, should you adore capitalism (and the 'benign' version under social-democratic rule) as much as it appears you do. Taxes are a way of redistributing wealth, in acknowledgement that some benefit disproportionately at the expense of others...but also that we are social and some gesture to communal well being is necessary to keep society afloat (though neoliberal ideology tries to convince you otherwise). People are way more things than just tax payers, and those things are worthy of being supported/defended.

60% voted against Stephen Harper

There has been much reference on this blog that Harper does not represent the majority of Canadians.
Simple question. Did you guys question the legitimacy of the Chretien government in 1997 when he won a majority with 38% of the popular vote.
Most elections never result in a party winning a majority of 50 plus one of the popular vote. Does that make virtually every government since confederation illegitimate?
I could turn the table for example and say 80% of Canadians did not vote Liberal and so on.
The fact is we have a FPTP system and those that win a plurality generally speaking form the government. You guys are really a bunch of whiney babies. Buck up. The country is bigger than Stephen Harper. There will be ample time to complain once he begins governing. Hopefully we will see you complain about substance rather than talking about theocracies etc.

I wouldn't vote for Steve

I wouldn't vote for Steve Boy for dogcatcher, but enough people did to give him a majority. It's done, things are not going to get better for the average Canadian.Let's hope the NDP can actually slow down the Conservatives selling out of Canada.Do I sound too negative? well I'm just stating the obvious. We are getting screwed

Inverted Totalitarianism

Watch Chris Hedges lectures and news clips on Youtube or read his book "The Death of the Liberal Class". He is talking about the US, but it all applies to Harper.
Harpers economic record is joke, with Canada's lowest corporate taxes and highest deficit, a fire hydrant could have attained the cat cuddlers record. The only reason he was elected was due to the mainstream press and other politicians, not asking him any hard questions. Like what kind of Christian would accept and implement an increase in pesticide levels on Canadian fruits and vegetables? Whats up with the ongoing SPP negotiations? Would Jesus be bombing Libya?

Thanks Murray.

Without columns like this and all those others that promised the end of Canada -by the way, the World didn't end yesterday, did it? - and Canada hasn't ended yet after all those years of Harper, so I guess the people became a wee bit turned off of all the Doomsday stuff and voila - another Stephen Harper victory.

This was a good one Murray, December 3 years ago when you wrote, "Stephen Harper is a political leader out of control and he must be removed from power before he does even more damage to the country and to our democracy." And that was when you were being nice!

Millions of Canadians send you a big thank you Murray for letting them know, and don't worry old chap, the sun will probably rise again tomorrow.

And at less than 50% Stephen Harper...

...has nowhere to go but down. That is a given. That majority that did not vote for him in this circumstance will be highly critical of his every move. His recent senate appointments would have solidified people's opinion of him and there is more of that arrogance to come..

realisticman ...

Anticipating "damage to the country and to our democracy", is not the same thing as the end of the world. Let's curtail the empty hyperboles and false dichotomies please.

And, while it is true that the very nature of reality demands change, to have our country changing before our eyes into something that no Canadian in their wildest nightmare up until about 30 years ago would have wished for, or expected is a profound disappointment.

If in the 70s or 80s, even in the early 90s someone had said to me, or to anyone I know, that come the very early 2000s our country would be headed by an anti-science, anti-fact fundamentalist theist who believes in the "End Times" and that the world is only 6000 years old we would have told them they were out of their mind.

Now here we sit in just such an ugly seat, and due to the corporate control of our media, the scare tactics and lies of the Harper PR machine, we are losing our democratic principles and process right before our eyes faster than you can dance your hypocrisies around a steaming BBQ.

Eyes wide shut, indeed.

The 21st wasn't the "end of the world".....

....it was The Rapture, wherein all of God's chosen get "called home". We can only hope that Harper is one of God's chosen......

The End of The World happens after that. Stay tuned!

Quote:...We're an empire

Sounds like he took lesson from Donald Rumsfeld:

Etc, etc, ad nauseum.

Electoral Reform

There is a fundamental problem with the electoral system in Canada and the UK - most of the rest of the parliamentary democracies have seen the light and changed the way they elect their governments.

Canadians, like Limeys, seem to have become the last to realize how badly they do things and how much we need to change to re-animate our democracy.

The funny thing is that Canada has a comprehensive independent Commission which consisted of: Nathalie Des Rosiers, Bernard Colas, Roderick J. Wood and Mark L. Stevenson and which reported in 2004.

For anyone who's interested - and who cares to take the time to read it - you'll find out why our system is so fucked up.

Here's a link to the report:

http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/Collection/J31-61-2004E.pdf

Argh Hollinm

You are absolutely right it is the responibility of the electorate and the media to critique the government. However, many of you don't want to critique the government and its policies but rather attack the PM as a person or attributing motivations that are indeed not based on fact.
The Rapture nor the end of the world has come about. It is time to face the reality that there is a Conservative government in Canada for the next four years. Judge the government on its policies and actions rather trying to malign the person who currently is the leader of our country whether you voted for him or not.

Van Isle asks

"Is it only me who has this feeling that Harper just gave us Canadians the 'finger' when he appointed his 3 loser Conservative friends to the senate last week?"

No, I think that he has the belief that since he has a majority, ethics don't influence his beliefs and wishes. He can do what he wants.

Electoral reform

Both Ontario and B.C. took votes on PR. It was rejected by both electorates. There is no party in government who feels the current system works to their benefit is going to promote this change in the electoral system.

By definition it would result in minority governments and with a Separatist party sitting in the House of Commons they would have too much influence.

While the Bloc is down it is not out. Quebecers flirted with the NDP in this election but when Layton is unable to deliver anything they will revert back to their old way of voting in the next election.

In fact I suspect that Layton and his party will turn into the Bloc lite and so when Quebecers see this they will vote for the real thing next time out.

Electoral reform

Both Ontario and B.C. took votes on PR. It was rejected by both electorates. There is no party in government who feels the current system works to their benefit is going to promote this change in the electoral system.

By definition it would result in minority governments and with a Separatist party sitting in the House of Commons they would have too much influence.

While the Bloc is down it is not out. Quebecers flirted with the NDP in this election but when Layton is unable to deliver anything they will revert back to their old way of voting in the next election.

In fact I suspect that Layton and his party will turn into the Bloc lite and so when Quebecers see this they will vote for the real thing next time out.

hollinm

I suggest you read the report of the commission.

In effect, there is no constitutional requirement to put electoral change to a vote - ever.

Furthermore, most of the mature democracies in the world exist very nicely with 'coalition' governments.

I know Pee Wee is afraid to death of them - but that simply makes us the bigger fools for listening to his undemocratic ravings.

I do, however, find it passing strange (but not hard to understand) why you'd want to change the subject to Jack Layton and the NDP.

However,

hollinm

If I recall the PR system was put to a referendum. Did that mean the government was obligated to pass legislation to change the voting system? Not sure.

You made my point. You guys are not interested in dealing with issues. You are only interested in name calling.

G West you must be a Liberal who is still in denial and who believes the electorate is stupid and didn't vote for the Conservatives knowing what they were doing.

I am not changing the subject to Layton. Simply making an observation which I believe is valid.

hollinm

Well, this "leftie" sure as hell doesn't want his hard-earned money wasted on some stupid stealth fighters, or stupid prisons.

What's the Matter With Kansas?

And what the hell is the matter with Canada?

Right-wing populists--really!
Religious fanatics--really!
Authoritarian Capitalism--really!
Dare I say, Fascism--really!

I didn't see it coming. That is, the end of society.

Too bad Harper wasn't raptured. I bet he's pissed.

Less government, but more government!

Now that he has a majority, against all odds, Harper (and the people pulling the strings) have made up a government with the most minister positions ever! Very strange! Or is it because he needs to reward all his friends? Is he really that Conservative or a socialist conservative!

Liberal -

HARDLY...

The subject is HARPER - and the mess he's making of this country.
As for the stupid voters - I agree that anyone who votes for the man who isn't a fundie is likely stupid OR rich.

I take it you didn't read the report of the electoral commission.

Why not?

I suggest you do if you think the kind of system we have in this country constitutes democracy.

Cheers

here's the link again

http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/Collection/J31-61-2004E.pdf

John Greg

"Be very afraid. And then drop everything, learn about Harper (here and here), work on the election, open your cheque book, talk to your friends and colleagues, insist that they pay attention -- and vote. Tell them if they don't, they'll be responsible for the resulting dictatorship and the end of the country as we know it. "

Murray Dobbin, March 2011

False dichotomy? Hyperbole? You decide.

Wrong on electoral reform

hollinm, "Both Ontario and B.C. took votes on PR. It was rejected by both electorates." Wrong, except in a technical sense.

After the B.C. Citizens' Assembly Report, the first referendum on electoral change was established by the B.C. Liberal government with the bias of a 60% approval rate, including, as I recall, the requirement for a minimum vote in each and every riding.

That latter was accomplished, but the final total was over 59%, but not quite 60%. Hardly what I'd call "rejection" if you believe in majorities.

The majority of B.C. respondents, regardless of party affiliation, wanted electoral reform. Confusion of how that would be done and what form it would take divided that force, noted on the second time.

As much as I've mirrored many of Murray's opinions over a few years, and really feel no trust in this neoConservative party, I think we've got to give Harper and his government a chance to work, succeed or fail in Canadians' interests, without the propagandist media doublespeak.

On one hand, there's no reason not to attack the Conservative leader, given that he and his cronies have done exactly that in the mainstream media for more than two years, election or not, to his Liberal leader opponents.

On the other hand, the natural pressure for majority governments to move to the middle will surely affect his decisions involving ideology, how much is yet to be determined. Besides, he can no longer, in any way, threaten the fear of coalition with separatists.

Like it or not, given our flawed electoral system, (and someone always finds a way to tinker with systems, especially where money is involved), this is what we've got for the next four years.

Remember, take notes, evaluate, give credit where its due but stock up on political ammo for the next election. In the meantime, some items will require organized action, but whining at every objection will only diffuse that energy.

As Napoleon B. recommended, "Pick battles big enough to matter and small enough to win."

This seems to also have worked for Harper's Conservatives, whereas the Liberals couldn't find the battles that would engage their own voter supporters.

By the way, this was not the first time Harper appointed his own losers to the senate.

At a 2008 all candidates' meeting (like in so many other such meetings) that, in this case, straddled two ridings, neither Conservative candidate showed up.

Every candidate from various other parties showed up, at least one of two.

Despite only making third place in a first attempt at becoming an MP, two months later a senate appointment was granted to one of these two failed Conservative candidates.

The media never picked up on it so why not try it again in 2011?

Yes, the sun will come up

...tomorrow morning, on a colder, crueler Canada. We knew it was going to happen, so let's all lie back and enjoy the rape.

It just rankles to hear someone telling us his "hard-earned money" is going to be spent "more better" by the libertarian likes of James Moore, professional student, who never held a proper job or ran a business in his life; who spent his time telling others on open-mouth radio "how the world really works" according to the witless maunderings of Ayn Rand or some such; who was born into opportunity and never suffered racism or discrimination, and sucked at the government teat all his life, and now thinks everyone should make his own way at his own expense, regardless of barriers.

Some posters on this board really haven't throught through all the implications of being a libertarian. Mebbe they meant "librarian", or "barbarian"....

We are at the bottom of the

We are at the bottom of the list on Environmental Action and for not fighting against bribery and corruption. We failed to get a seat at the UN Security Council. The rest of the world knows how bad Harper is, how long will it take Canadians to clue in? Some of us have, as this article demonstrates. We need to convince the rest and some of Harper's MPs in Ottawa will get restless if they receive repeated notes and letters of complaints from voting Canadians. I am 1 of 60% that did not vote for this charade.

Advancing the Bilderberg agenda

After almost twenty years on Vancouver Island I had to relocate to Calgary, the home of Mr. Harper. I have always felt politics in BC were very polarized but at least there is usually some balance (barring the near extinction of the NDP when Campbell sailed in).

Alberta, on the other hand, is basically right wingers with kind thoughts. Sometimes that works but usually just sympathy with very little support but an ideal breeding ground for Harper's philosophy.

Mr. Harper and party have been creating this Harperland philosophy since absorbing the original Conservatives. When you have a senator (Mike Duffy) denigrating journalism schools for promoting critical thinking skills you know you are in trouble. There has been a dumbing down process in the Alberta school system now for almost eleven years with the expressed design to disway kids from university and head more for the trades. I have no major problems with that but I think options should always be available. This type of teaching does not promote critical thinking and I believe that to be a very positive skill.

Someone or something really needs to keep a close eye on this government before they completely erode our Canadian democracy and move us into Harperland.

As an individual with a pysical disability I am horrified by the dismantling of programs and services that many with disabilities fought for over the past 40 years. And Harper managed to do this with a minority. Anyone who has attended Bilderberg training should really be watched carefully when put into a position of power particularly as the head of a country. Harper has attended some of this training which plays a big part in corporate tax breaks coming ahead of personal tax breaks.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilderberg_Group

The article needs a dose of rationality itself.

I know the article is an opinion piece, but some facts and logic wouldn't go amiss.

It's fair to point out that Harper has cut certain scientific agencies and to criticize him for it. However, you state that he's made "Massive cuts to science funding agencies" as if he's actually cut across the board, when this is demonstrably false. On the contrary, science spending has increased under Harper, as a few minutes on Google will confirm:

2006: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/060907/dq060907b-eng.htm

2010:http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/101013/dq101013b-eng.htm

Likewise, it is perfectly fair to criticize his decision to eliminate the gun registry, but the logic you use isn't particularly rational. The police will undoubtedly make heavy use of the new Internet surveillence laws Harper plans to pass, and most if not all police forces will support them. It doesn't make the laws either rational or justifiable, though.

And again, you can fairly argue that Harper shows too much support for Israel. But you must surely know that a lot of Canada's foreign policy doesn't touch on the Middle East at all, and so isn't influenced by it. You must also realize that many people would think that supporting the only Western-style democracy in a vitally important geopolitical area would in fact be in our best interests. You obviously don't think so yourself, but it's not a clearly irrational view.

And so on.