Opinion

This Year, Put the Country Ahead of the Party

May I suggest a resolution for 2012? Defeat Stephen Harper's government.

By Murray Dobbin, 2 Jan 2012, TheTyee.ca

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As we enter the new year, the prospects for defeating the Harper government in 2015 seem uncertain at best. And yet if those who care about the country were musing over a new year's resolution, that would be it, a dedication to this single overarching purpose. Even if Harper is soundly defeated in the next election, it will take a decade to reverse the damage he has already done. If he wins a second majority, it will take a generation or more.

There is a deep malaise in Canadian democracy rooted, it seems, in a profound alienation from politics and radically lowered expectations of what is possible from government. Much of this is the result of a deliberate strategy of voter-suppression employed by the Conservatives, a strategy of making politics so offensive and good government so unimaginable that millions of people simply tune out, as if it has nothing to do with them.

For those who thought that this was a temporary attitude of the Harper anti-government, that there would be more civility with a Conservative majority, the evidence is in. This is a permanent strategy to keep the party in power. It will not diminish with time or with the advancement of the Harper agenda. This was never about Harper being frustrated with his minority status. It is about who the man is, a malignant political rogue, contemptuous of his own country. It is about what his agenda has always been -- a right-wing libertarian remaking of the nation.

That this is an extraordinary, indeed unprecedented situation facing our democracy can scarcely be doubted, and many commentators normally supportive of the status-quo (like Jeffrey Simpson of the Globe and Mail) have identified pieces of the picture, denouncing Harper for particular policies, or outrages against democracy and the rule of law. Yet the true magnitude of the crisis we face is rarely declared. Until we begin to see the country -- and talk about it -- as if it has been occupied by a foreign power, we will not create the political atmosphere needed to save the nation.

Don't wait for proportional representation

So far, we aren't even close to achieving this political framing of the task ahead. While it is true that there is a strong push for proportional representation -- which would have prevented a Harper majority from happening -- it is a long way off, given that neither the Liberals nor the Conservatives support it. In the meantime, politics as usual is still being practiced by the main opposition parties. The NDP and the Liberals are still playing the game whose rules allowed Harper to gain the power he has. Blind to the deadly threat to the civilized nation built by several generations of Canadians, these two parties still behave and plan as if they are in a simple competition for seats in a normally functioning Parliament. 

Yet with the election of Stephen Harper, everything changed. No prime minister in Canadian history has come to power with such a ruthless determination to implement an agenda so at odds with the interests of the country and the values of its citizens. This involves not just a set of policies aimed at eliminating the social and economic role of the federal government. It includes, on a parallel course, a determination to change the political culture of the country to one that either supports or acquiesces to that policy agenda. (The Governor General's Christmas message was about volunteerism and philanthropy, Harper's long-term replacement for the state.) Working in tandem, these two political streams, if allowed to proceed for any length of time, could effectively change the country permanently -- or at least for all currently living generations. Harper aims for nothing less.

If the NDP and the Liberals continue to do politics as usual, as if Harper is just another political adversary in a normally-functioning system, Harper is almost certain to win again. His voter suppression tactics, permanent campaigning, financial advantage, vicious attack ads against opposition party leaders, and the care and feeding of his loyal base will again give him at least a minority and likely (given redistribution) another majority.

Myopic opponents to Harper

Canadians, whether they are party members or not, must force these two myopic political parties, both trapped in an old paradigm, to recognize the new reality and put the country ahead of their own narrow interests. They must find a way of cooperating in the next election -- along with the Green Party, which is already on side -- to rid the country of this quasi-dictator. But they won't do it on their own. Ordinary citizens will have to convince them.

Bob Rae of the Liberals is hard at work trying to convince himself and his party that they are back on the road to becoming the natural governing party. But this is sheer delusion. One more victory for the Harper Conservatives and the Liberal Party will fade from the national scene, joining the Socreds in history's dustbin. He avoids the issue of cooperation with the other opposition parties by setting up a straw man: the idea of a merger between the NDP and the Liberals. That is simply never going to happen; Rae knows it, and thus continues to flog this particular dead horse so that he doesn't have to consider practical proposals.

As for the NDP leadership contenders, only Nathan Cullen seems to understand the new political dynamic in the country, telling the Georgia Straight newspaper that Harper is a "clear and present danger to this country." His proposal is an interesting one. He wants his own party to allow its riding associations in Conservative-held ridings to hold joint nominating meetings with the Greens and Liberals. Whichever standard bearer wins the nomination, their party runs against the Conservatives while the other two agree not to run candidates. The assumption is that enough voters will be concerned enough about another Conservative victory that they will cast ballots for the opposition party even if they would not normally do so.

Cullen's plan is not the only possibility, and it may be too much to expect from the inward-looking institutions that political parties have become. He says he was inspired by Vision Vancouver. That's the centrist civic party which has won two landslide victories by attracting Greens, Liberals and NDPers -- defeating the right-wing business party that governed the city for decades. The argument is pretty simple: provide a mechanism to unite those who support the Canada we want, and those who wish it gone will be defeated.

Some of Cullen's other policy suggestions, like a referendum on the monarchy, undermine his credibility. He is unlikely to win the leadership. But his belief that the NDP must put the country ahead of its potential seat count is an important contribution to the leadership debate and the political debate in general.  

Political parties being what they are, it is unlikely that such a major shift will come exclusively from their own membership. But if enough Canadians concerned about the rapid devolution of their country and its democracy pressure both these parties -- or join them to do so -- anything is possible. A movement to demand such cooperation, and a commitment to proportional representation as part of it, may be the only thing that can save the country. The time for that movement is upon us. If we wait until 2014, it will be too late.

[Tags: Politics.] [Tyee]

Murray Dobbin writes his State of the Nation column every other week for The Tyee and Rabble, and he also publishes articles on his blog.

185 Comments:

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  • heathertuite

    20 weeks ago

    Co-operation

    I think Nathan Cullen's proposal for joint nominations has the potential to prevent another Harper majority. I wouldn't underestimate his potential in this race. He is an extremely charismatic and forward thinking individual.
    A lot of progressive Canadians are ready to see past the partisanship and eager to start working to improve our democracy, and Nathan is the best candidate in that regard.

  • Ann Elk

    20 weeks ago

    Even if there was only a Liberal/NDP/Green runnin in Harper held

    ridings how would that guarantee a loss for Harper? Could the ridings still not be split among Liberals/ NDP/Green seats and Harper still a majority? Or are the opposition going to become a "Vision" party?

  • hollinm

    20 weeks ago

    This year....

    It has been a long time since I have read such an utter piece of drivel. Yes Harper is a Conservative. He is not a Liberal and therefore one should not expect that he is going to run a Liberal government.
    Harper is using the powers that PM's have used over the years. When he starts giving himself more powers, banning opposition parties and outlawing the media then we can talk. Otherwise this is whole column is a rant by a left wing loon who thinks that nothing should change in the country. The reason Canadians vote in different political parties is to get a different way of doing things.

  • ron wilton

    20 weeks ago

    not a conservative

    Harper is NOT a Conservative or a conservative.

    I grew up in a western Progressive Conservative family, and up until Mulroney, held true to the PC platform.

    Harper is a usurper, planted and prepped by unseen and relatively unknown corporate controllers.

    Harper is a raving, red necked, right of right wing Reformer, and will go down in history as the most illiterate, poorly educated, unqualified person ever to attain ther status of prime minister of Canada.

    The only thing that comes close to making Harper distastefully palatable, is the utter imbecilic mentality and behaviour of the people he has chosen for his cabinet.

    Even the only true PC in the party, Peter McKay, has been contaminated beyond re election by the Harper idiotology.

  • Fiat lux

    20 weeks ago

    Harper is a miseducated, out

    Harper is a miseducated, out of control megalomaniac, without any conscience, with mental illness written all over him.

    I have the feeling that he could go crazy with his destructive policies this year and forced out of office, either by the public, or his own party, as Campbell was.

    Especially if and when the sick economic and dictatorial economic policies he advocates, and forces on the country, end up in a crash, that could happen any time.

    Cullen is definitely by far the best NDP candidate, but the minute another, especially NDP, government is elected, big business, the real world government now, will do their best to wreck BC's or Canada's economy so their propaganda machine can blame the government, as it happened here in BC in the 90s.

    In any case, there's no point in blaming politicians, governments and even the corporate mafia for the ongoing and growing destruction, when the legalization and authorization of their criminal actions is originating in our universities by being taught as a "science".

    The same way as all destructive ideologies and religions in history, like Hitler's racial and Stalin's and Mao's enslavement theories, were once university courses.

    In the name of "freedom", of course, as this present economic racket is now called "free enterprise", "wealth creation", the sale of the country is now "free trade and "foreign investment", "GDP and growth" to force the system on people, with an accounting system that has no debit or liability columns.

    Ed Deak.

  • woodworker

    20 weeks ago

    Hollinm has it right

    This column is mostly left wing drivel. He has no more abused power than any other PM. Fact is all power in this country is centered in the PMO and the Liberals made sure of that. He has done some really good stuff like getting ride of the wheat board. Now to get rid of the rest of the marketing boards and go to some free enterprise. The nanny state that the Tyee thinks is so good is what is destroying this country. If you want to see the effects of everything provided by the government just look at these remote reserves. In real life without the Nanny state these people would have moved to where there is work and provided for themselves. Yes is would have been a tough transition with a few casualties on the way but better off in the long run rather than have everyone be a casualty.

  • Janice McKay

    20 weeks ago

    Good Idea

    Let's give Nathan's joint nomination idea a chance.

  • Fiat lux

    20 weeks ago

    You're right . We should also

    You're right . We should also take the police off the roads and let "free enterprise" take over by the big trucks pushing the little buggers off.

    Communism is the highest degree of "free enterprise" as it allows the ruling sector to show their "individualism" by collectivizing everything under their power, as their beautiful brotherhood with our collectivizer capitalists shows it in China.

    So why shouldn't Cargill, Monsanto, the Bilderbergers and Trilaterals rule the world, in the sacred name of "competition by free enterprise"?

    Ed Deak. (Private enterpriser and independent business owner in BC since 1957)

  • AllowMe

    20 weeks ago

    Hollinm is definitly right

    but why would we expect anything better from Dobbin, he's never met a conservative or conservative policy he didn't hate, no matter what. Typical left wing drivel, Canada is doing better than most, we look forward to the fulfillment of more campaign promises as the Tores steer Canada on the right track. We also look forward to a larger CPC majority in 2015.

  • seth

    20 weeks ago

    Revisionism

    I always get a kick out of how Dipper's avoid responsibility for the enormous destruction they visited on Canada with their support of Harper in the election.

    Sure in past elections the NDP and Liberals would with good nature, exchange partisan barbs but it was always restrained knowing they were natural allies against Harper's radical neofascist movement.

    What turned another minority Harper government that Canada could have recovered from, was nasty Jack - the used car salesmen of the left and now sainted by party revisionists - deciding to stick a knife in Iggy's back smiling all the time like these types do. In exchange for the place in history his ego boosting Pyrrhic victory gave the NDP, Smarmy Jack made a deal with the devil himself and sold out his country.

    This time the NDP attacks ads were almost exclusively anti Iggy, piling on and seeming coordinated with the same odious content from the Harper horde. We all know about Layton's previous slimy deals with Harper so it's pretty obvious he made another pact this time to coordinate a campaign to destroy the Liberal party, exploiting the weak and stunned Iggy.

    The result as Murray suggests will be pain that no Canadian can imagine and the country turned into something none of us will recognize.

    Most assuredly Canadians can thank Smarmy Jack for that.

    Better than a joint nomination battle which fails to recognize the massive voter swings that sometimes happen in elections and massive ego of mostly male party gamblin' faithful, negotiations should center around voteforenvironment.ca's strategic voting coordination The group gathered the most up to date polling for all Canadian ridings then suggested the liberal green or ndp candidate most likely to beat the muzzled neocon stooge the cons put out for that riding. Progressive parties could run with the strategy calling it the preelection election based on comprehensive poling, with the losing candidates noisily and officially resigning their candidacy two weeks before the election. Post election the new progressive government would make sure ballots are only printed two weeks before the final election date.

  • realisticman

    20 weeks ago

    Move to the Maritimes Murray.

    Apparently 93 per cent of Maritimers are very happy with 2011. Murray and a small minority of others may have a deep malaise but Canadians don't.

    http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/canada-in-afghanistan/year/5935188/story.html

  • Fiat lux

    20 weeks ago

    I seem to remember that

    I seem to remember that Harper won his "majority" with 39% of the votes, making Canada a "conservative country", beating even Mulroney's record, putting us under the yoke of the "free trade" racket with 42%.

    Interesting to see this sudden "right wing" onslaught, reminiscent of the early days of the Reform party when our papers were full of their propaganda.

    Ed Deak.

  • the real ODB

    20 weeks ago

    a confederacy of dunces

    I thought hollinm was gonna be the biggest moron writing here, then I read woodworker and AllowMe. As for realisticman and seth...same old same old. Right on again, Ed. The right wing loonies can only resort to insults and bullshit drivel cause they have nothing else to offer.

  • Finewine

    20 weeks ago

    This is not a liberal/conservative/ green issue

    Nor is it about who "won" the last election. It's about the country being run by someone who meets most of the criteria used by parole boards to determine psychopathic behavior. I have never been so concerned about the future of my country and it's rapid move toward fascism brought about by the most dangerous polician this country has ever had.

  • judycross

    20 weeks ago

    Do you think any party or coalition would or could

    prevent repercussion from the effects of the police state to the south or would they buck globalism? Just as we have seen with Obama, the agenda gets followed no matter which party is in office, only the outward style is different.

    The NDP loves the globalist agenda as much as the neocons in office here do, or they would have fought the FTA in 1988 instead of fighting the Liberals and they would have voted against bombing Libya in 2011.

  • avandoc

    20 weeks ago

    hit them where it hurts

    My suggestion is that we give no money to the NDP, Liberals or Greens until they agree to some united effort to defeat Harper. It's the best way to get their attention.

  • Mark Crawford

    20 weeks ago

    Good Words--Now for Some good action

    Murray: Thank you for your statesmanlike essay. While the electoral system is in a sense to blame (Harper moves from 38% to 39% and gets a lock on power) we can't just wait for electoral reform to happen. And while the Liberals are itching to regain second place, and the NDP is itching to consolidate, there is still a need for both parties and the Greens to put the country first, just as you say.

    That is why I supported Nathan Cullen for the NDP leadership. Although there is considerable receptivity in the Quebec caucus as well for the general idea, Mulcair will be negaged in many battles with Liberals in Quebec.

    It is also why I would put my own name forward as a joint Liberal--NDP candidate in Caroboo-Prince George. Although I am not a strong enough partisan to win a NDP nomination under normal circumstances, that is precisely why I might be acceptable to the Liberals.

    As a former ministerial assistant to David Zirnhelt, a former Parliamentary Intern to Nelson Riis,as the first person from a town north of Kamloops to ever win the Rhodes Scholarship for British Columbia, and as somebody with five years work experience at both levels of government, I could hit the ground running.

    Speaking hypothetically, what could a putative candidate with NDP inclinations say to Liberals and Greens in my home riding to gain their support? FIrst, in a riding like ours, the Conservatives will obviously win as long as we don't cooperate. Second, although I would sit in the NDP caucus, I would seek a dispensation from my leader to seek the common ground with the other two parties on any issue, and to not vote against the Liberals on certain fundamental matters. Third, I would vigorously lobby to include Elizabeth May in any future cabinet. She has shown herself able to cooperate with all parties, is very practical and more eocnomically literate than many would give her credit for. Finally, I think that we should find another riding in the province where the Liberals are stronger than the NDP, but where cooperation is need to have any chance of winning, find a strong not-too-partisan candidate and reciprocate.

  • Fiat lux

    20 weeks ago

    The first thing people should

    The first thing people should realize is that there are no right and left "wings", because the political spectrum is not on the horizontal, but on a vertical level, with the so called "left" and "right" divided by a narrow line, like the F and C on thermometers.

    The majority of people are at the bottom, like in thermometers and the communists and capitalist on top, swearing and shouting at each other across the line, but of the same dictatorial ,makeup, kissing when it is in their own fascist interests to steal the most from the most.

    That's why Harper is so anxious to send more resources and oil to his commie brethren in China, selling and stripping the country to make them happy.

    Ed Deak.

  • realisticman

    20 weeks ago

    It's Interesting...

    ... to read that a few people would like to see a coming together of the opposition parties which would then create a system that would much more like the two party system in the USA.

    Some say that Harper wants to fashion Canada more like the US. It appears that there might be more on the left side of the spectrum that would prefer a US style of politics.

    How many Canadians would like a two party system?

  • Vox.Pop

    20 weeks ago

    Public Affairs Bureau redux

    It seems the BC Liberals think that changing a name changes the leopard - the rest of us are not fooled. The PAB's trolls are definitely targeting the Tyee. Looking at the language of these right-wing goons (hollinm, woodworker, allowme, realisticman, seth) we can see either coordination or worse, the same single idiot posting under several different names - best to ignore him/them.

  • RickW

    20 weeks ago

    Ed

    You've answered the rightwing loonies here perfectly. They all perport to want free enterprise - but not TOO free.

    Interesting that the GOP "candidates" in the Republican race down south all to a person want less government, less taxes, and MORE power to the president.

  • pwlg

    20 weeks ago

    good proposal

    Dobbin is asking those of us who see some merit in his proposal to take action. Those of us, and we are the vast majority, who don't belong to a political party are asked to send a message to Liberal and NDP and Green Party members saying we want the Harper agenda stopped by 2014!

  • gsarahs

    20 weeks ago

    A 39% Majority.... what a joke!

    My hope is that Harper's arrogance will result in what happened to Campbell, assuming that the rest of the Canadian electorate have any smarts to see through his arrogance and absolute disregard of democratic principles. The current system with all of the parties putting forth their slates of candidates will unfortunately ensure the continuation of his reign.

  • realisticman

    20 weeks ago

    A 74% Majority...what a joke!

    Murray thinks that there's a: "...a profound alienation from politics and radically lowered expectations of what is possible from government. "

    "All Things Considered, Three Quarters (74%) of Canadians Say 2011 was a Good Year for their Family, While One Quarter (26%) Say it was a Bad Year
    Canadians Most Likely to Say Their Health is Good (84%), Followed by their Happiness (82%), Social Life (76%), Romantic Life (64%) and Financial Situation (61%)"

    Ipsos Reid: Monday, January 02, 2012

    More likely an alienation from old-book thumping doom-meisters.

  • Okanagan Orchardist

    20 weeks ago

    Finewine is absolutely right.....

    our leader is "666" in semi-human form.

  • Dan the socialist

    20 weeks ago

    Now that Layton has 'passed

    Now that Layton has 'passed on' the NDP don't have anyone that can compete with Harper and neither does the Liberal Party. Plus with new seats in Alberta and BC (which almost if not all will go con) guarantees Harper a win next time.

    Hell even if NDP and Libs and even Greens were to all merge, who is competent or has the capability to take on Harper? There is no one I can think of. Maybe Justin Trudeau but the Liberal Party old boys club probably won't allow it. Yet he would be a breathe of fresh air and in 3.75 years be ready for next election. I dunno why people harp about his age or experience. Who cares? Obama was only a state senator for about 6 years and a federal one for 3 when he became President. people seem scared to try or do something new inthis country and want the same old. That is why FPTP will never go away either.

    I may even be pursued to vote Liberal if Trudeau was at the helm.

  • cghzd

    20 weeks ago

    Trudeau

    Trudeau is a dick and dummer than his old man.

  • RickW

    20 weeks ago

    R/M old man....

    I guess 13 million scared-as-hell Ontario-nians can't be wrong, eh?

  • Maxwell Cameron

    20 weeks ago

    hit them where it hurts

    I agree with avandoc about withholding money, but how do we do that? What is the mechanism?

  • moodyguy

    20 weeks ago

    Too Late

    I think that the big point that Murray make is missed on some of our conservative commentators and that is that Harper is not a "conservative" as we have seen in Canada before, nor does he have any respect for either the country or our political institutions. His behaviour and that of his ministers shows that in spades, the closest comparitor is actually the ruling government of Hungry right now. This article is absolutely right, to paraphrase Harper himself. By the time he is finished with this country you will not know it. I am very concerned for the direction I believe that we will see in the near future, and I think that the most surprised people will be those who blindly supported Harper only to find out too late what has been wrought.

  • Bailey

    20 weeks ago

    Which consequences are intended?

    Mr Deak seems to have a great many of the individual pieces of this puzzle in his grasp. Clearly the apparent causes of our difficulties are leading to a great many consequences.

    I'm very fond of your phrase "outrages against democracy and the rule of law", Mr Dobbin. These are the public face, the misdirection that will make the electorate think they are seeing one thing, and concentrate their fear and hatred on it, while quite another thing is being created just out of sight.

    Although it pains me to say this, Harper and all his ilk, all the corrupt heads of state and high officials we are seeing exposed all over the world lately are nothing but the magicians lovely assistant. The money they are selling their people and their own souls for is nothing but chump change, monopoly money printed by the banks and credit providers as Mr Deak keeps telling us quite accurately.

    It's fake, and all the economic consequences are fake too. If we succeeded in electing an opposition slate who would make real changes, we would find all our jobs gone and all our possessions confiscated and our children cast out from their hopes and dreams forever. The magicians who provide the fakes for our amusement also control whatever is real for their own.

    There are three main thrusts in the democracy movement operating now: Nation States=one citizen-one vote, Corporate States= one dollar, or at least one share-one vote, and the labor movement, where we get to elect representatives from among our number to negotiate with the others for us. A collectivist notion of workers rights.

    The Corporate arm is making this play. The so-called elite. Money is a fetish item, and having a billion dollars or 6 is a symptom of a disorder, not a sign of superiority. The power of life or death over statistical numbers of humans is a powerful urge. An insane urge, but a powerful one.

    We must remake our economic system so that the means of life belong to the living creatures who need them. Excesses beyond the necessary can be available for anyone who wants to create new things and incentives built in to honor that creativity, but not at the expense of the lives of others.

    Otherwise, we live among the consequences the magicians make us believe in.

  • MacKenna

    20 weeks ago

    Harper is the Loon, with a capital L

    Harper is doing his utmost to rid himself of any opposition and push his crazed agenda. So far he's used dirty tricks and slander, election fraud, voter suppression, the eradication of voter subsidies, and the endorsements of his strong corporate lobby (that includes Canwest News, the Globe and Mail and the National Post).

    The list of transgressions by Harper is long and makes Adscam look like Sunday School, starting with the diversion of $50 million to buy Tony Clement 26 votes in Muskoka.

    The latest evidence of Harper's craziness is his $20 million Office of Religious Freedom which is completely unwarranted and unnecessary, but is a way he can continue to use tax revenue to advance his rightwing Christian ideological framework inside and outside Canada. It's also seriously hypocritical since the Office represents only western religions: Catholics and Christians (mainly evangelicals).

    Harper is not a fiscal conservative. He's a big spender (on jets that don't work, unnecessary prisons, a costly crime bill) while he guts social programs, not because he can't afford them but because he doesn't like them.

    I loathe this man with every fibre of my being. I am convinced he is a sociopath and I will be dedicating all of my time to helping the opposition end his reign.

  • janetvickers

    20 weeks ago

    Thank you Dobbin, Deak and Bailey

    We need to learn how power is used against us:

    http://jacksonmeadvickers.blogspot.com/2011/12/reverberation-power-from-personal-to.html

  • igbymac

    20 weeks ago

    from the comments early this year

    ...it sounds to me like the insanely dogmatic neo-conservatives have hired a few more recruits to bombard the blogs and boards with their lies.

    Will this be just another lost year to its excesses and greed and complete lack of humanity, with the still-brained masses still determined to believe all is good in government and the nation?

    What is most amazing is just how much abuse some people are fully willing to refuse seeing. Go ahead, tell me how awesome little Amerika (or is that Amerika_451?) for us all.

  • Fiat lux

    20 weeks ago

    An excellent piece, Janet, on

    An excellent piece, Janet, on what I've been fighting against, having lived under every ideology mentioned in the article, all my adult life.

    Ed Deak.

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    judycross

    Since when did the Liberals oppose the FTA? If they are as against it as you suggest why did they expand it instead of scrapping it when they were in power for 12 years?

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    seth

    You need to read some history not written by Liberal hacks.

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    A coalition with the Liberals?

    If the Libs wanted to get rid of Harper by joining with the NDP, Greens and Bloc, Harper would have been given the boot a couple of years ago.

    Instead Iggy made a decision based on what right-wing editors thought best and said no and the Coalition collapsed.

    The only coalition the Libs are interested in is one where the NDP and Greens disappear.

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    realisticman

    You say you and other Canadians have Harper to thank for your love life?

    That's kinda creepy, like watching North Koreans cry over their Dear Laader.

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Dear Leader Harper

    How about you Hollinm, woodworker and AllowMe? Do you guys also thank Harper for your love life and whether the prairies get enough rain and for the number of hours of sunshine in summer?

    That's what I always find so interesting about you guy on the Right, you chant in unison that you're not a monolithic movement sharing a single brain.

  • Fiat lux

    20 weeks ago

    It was Chretien who signed

    It was Chretien who signed and implemented the Mulroney negotiated NAFTA, virtually in secret, without any public input.

    Harcourt threatened to sue, but then he crapped out and now we have a dozen of these criminal conspiracies destroying the country and democracy, with Harper begging for the CETA to take us over and for another sellout with India.

    Ed Deak.

  • realisticman

    20 weeks ago

    Frank's back - Duck!

    Boy are you pumped! I guess you just got off the plane and the adrenaline is pumping. How was North Korea? Did you cry at the funeral too? Did you pick up many tips on how pure socialism can keep the sheeple happy and starving at the same time? Don't tell me roast rat tastes a bit like chicken.

    Don't be too hard on Nathan Cullen, he just wants to help keep the federal Liberals in the running. I'm sure the NDP can soften it's policies, embrace NAFTA and be friendly to Bay Street. The Liberals can help out there. Could be good fit.

  • igbymac

    20 weeks ago

    ignorance and learned stupidity is rampant

    hollinm" When he (PM Harper) starts giving himself more powers, banning opposition parties and outlawing the media then we can talk"

    OK, let's talk.

    Did you hear about Canada entering the Beyond the Border Pact with the USA this past holiday season? It was signed without any democratic oversight or involvement.

    This Pact makes Canada de facto a security state. Meanwhile our media remains mute. At best it has been sold to the population as a way to streamline the transportation industry and to prevent that bastard child called Employment Insurance fraud from spawning.

    A couple things one won't hear about it is that it allows the authorities to chase bad guys into the reciprocating nation. On the face of that, one might find little offense; that is until one realizes that the recent signing of the NDAA in the USA has codified the dismissal of habeas corpus -- now the USA can apprehend and detain anyone as a terrorist without grounds.

    The Pact also agrees to a full and comprehensive exchange of information between the nations of everyone crossing the line. And in the USA, the border services turns over all collected information to the CIA, FBI, DEA and other investigative branches. So now your file will be considered in accordance with these bureau's vision for security needs.

    Further, the Pact allows the Prime Minister to call in the US military to suppress any domestic unrest or uprising against the state. This single fact alone should make us all take pause. Just consider why any government would feel it had the authority, the democratic right, to enter such an agreement designed to oppress its own democratic forces?

    Canadian democracy only exists if one complies with state. It dies when one asks to invoke one's alleged rights. Who can forget the Toronto G-20 fiasco with its agent provocateurs, its enforcement of wholly fictional laws, its billion dollar budget largely used to train and spend on militarizing the police, and and its 1100+ arrests with an whopping 24 convictions?

    Let's also reflect back on Canada's unlawful warring adventures under the cover of NATO so we can march lock-step with the leader of the US killing machine.

    Mix in some of the torture allegations, now virtually facts, levelled against the CPC.

    Add a dash of the easily forgotten double prorogation of Parliament by Harper -- actions clearly in contravention of the spirit of the law -- used solely to avoid the House (ie, Canadian democracy itself) and to retain a grip on power.

    Need I mention the CPC's de-funding of other political parties and the largely propagandizing CBC (ironically a rag that is little more than a stenographer for the status quo in any event)?

    I wonder, are you getting the picture?

    (con't below)

  • igbymac

    20 weeks ago

    (from above)

    The acts of the Canadian state against the people is long and ongoing. Certainly this Harper-led Canadian government is worse than the last. But if we do not respond intelligently, if we refuse to see what the larger geopolitical picture is and how it has an immediate impact on our domestic politics with weak leadership, the next will be even worse.

    The evidence of the Canadian government centralizing power is long. And when we do not pay attention, we miss it. But more importantly, our escalating centralization demands a far more developed sense of politics and history in order to be understood. To make meaning of it all, this Gordian Knot of propaganda and state showmanship must be unravelled.

    For these reasons, when Murray Dobbin says:

    No prime minister in Canadian history has come to power with such a ruthless determination to implement an agenda so at odds with the interests of the country and the values of its citizens

    I have to take some exception. Like Americans, most Canadians believe their propaganda. Most Canadians accept the rhetoric they have learned and which is buttressed daily. Who can say what Canadian values or interests are any more? In short, 'the truth is in the pudding', and our pudding has turned.

    For example, I suspect that if Canadians were asked, "Should the prison population be used as a free or very cheap work-force to help pay for inmate incarceration?", the majority would resoundingly say 'Yes'.

    Case closed.

    Of course if the question were posed, "Should we allow the prison population to take jobs from the labour pool and thus have an equivalent number of unemployed?", again, the majority would agree, but this time saying "No".

    And that, folks, is a simple example of politics and propaganda working hand-in-hand.

    Canadians, predominantly through the mis-guided leadership of state, have such a poor understanding about political matters that the majority will agree to accept most anything. Anything except, perhaps,the excesses of state which actually impose upon them personally.

    And there is the rub. Effected 'personally' is only comprehended as being relative to others very nearby -- not to those unknown, and certainly not to the global collective. And until we see the matrix of humanity and start behaving with that in mind, we will continue marching in the wrong direction.

  • John Corman

    20 weeks ago

    Mr Dobbin. You are a classic

    I can't find anyone as comical to read as Mr Dobbin. Some of his lines are just priceless.

    "a deliberate strategy of voter-suppression employed by the Conservatives"
    A person coming up with that line should be writing for a comedian.

    All of Mr Dobbin's facts are incredibly selective. He refers to the percentage of voters that supported Harper as being less than 50% but conveniently ignores the significant fact. That is that west of Quebec, in other words west of the welfare provinces where it really counts, Harper enjoyed a healthy majority.

    Some day Mr Dobbin will have to come to grips with the fact that his fanatical ideology is almost out of sight from the vast majority of Canadians.

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    Are you kidding?????

    So the new leftist version of 'democracy' is to have as national leader someone who got less than 15% of our parliamentary seats (a liberal) or a dead guy (Rub and Tug Jack)?

    Had the Liberal-NDP Bloc formed a majority coalition, WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN CANADA'S LEADER???????????? Which NDP candidate, other than Jack, did YOU vote for as Prime Minister??????

    Thanks mass-media, for keeping us in the dark about the poor health of a potential Prime Minister.... one who died before even taking office as Opposition.

    Leftist democracy....what an oxymoron.

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    colloquialism

    [OFFENSIVE COMMENT REMOVED. -MODERATOR.]

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    John Corman

    "I can't find anyone as comical to read as Mr Dobbin"

    You've never read the Vancouver Sun? The National Post? Watched Sun TV?

    I recommend an Ezra Levant rant if you're looking for chuckles.

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Red cheeks

    "Had the Liberal-NDP Bloc formed a majority coalition, WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN CANADA'S LEADER????????????"

    Guess you missed the live feed and the taped news. It would have been Stephane Dion. It was in all the papers too.

    I guess it was just too much work for you. I see that a lot on the Right.

    As for "leftist democracy", if it wasn't for the Left the only people allowed to vote would be male landowners. But thanks for coming out and acting like a caricature of the Right.

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    r'man

    Its raining today, did you write to Steve and thank him?

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Red

    Its ironic that Red in French is rouge which in english is what you get in football when a kick returner is tackled in the end zone.

    Jus sayin.

  • headstrong

    20 weeks ago

    Right on!!

    This is one of the best descriptions I have ever read of the frightening times ahead in Canada, with Bible Belt Stevie in charge.
    I fear greatly for my beloved Canada, not to mention my own well-being.
    Somehow, we need to get apathetic Canadians aroused, and voting, before it's too late. Easier said than done!

  • stver

    20 weeks ago

    Saving Canada

    Nathan Cullen may not win the NDP leadership race, but he will be getting my vote in the first and subsequent ballots. His primary issue of joint nomination meetings with other parties must be explored and pursued rather than ignored as some of the "top tier" leadership are opting to do.

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    Ha ha Frank!!!

    Phunnyman Phrank... Stefanie Dion????????? Ha ha ha ha ha!!!! Even the Lieberals didn't want him!!!!!! Lieberals/Dippers/North Korea... name 3 organizations with unknown leadership!!!!!!

    Leftist democracy.... we'll tell you who your leader is later, once our Oligarchy decides!!!

    All you have is 4 more years of excellent government to look forward too... please don't be like headstrong leaving doodies in yer pants out of fear!!!

    Another dose of reality.... the Lieberals high water mark was under Chretien. Since then the downward slide under Martin, then Dion, then Iggy, then Bobblehead Bob Rae has been continuous. Even Dead Jack was more popular!

    Phrank it's over.... get a life!!! Hahahahaha!!!

    Oh! Also it's sunny here, NOT raining... THANKS Prime Minister Harper!!!! Now that we've dumped Kyoto the climate is ALWAYS sunny!!!!!

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    More Phrank History

    Despite your revisionist history knowledge Phrank, you should know that when you say "As for "leftist democracy", if it wasn't for the Left the only people allowed to vote would be male landowners." you show an astounding ignorance that Sir Robert Borden (Conservative/Unionist Party) granted women the vote in 1919. Also, John Diefenbaker (Conservative Party) granted status aboriginals the vote in federal elections in 1960.

    But don't let your rhetoric get in the way of your knowledge.

    [OFFENSIVE COMMENT REMOVED. -MODERATOR.]

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    More Phrank History!

    More Phrank reality for ya!!!! When you say "As for "leftist democracy", if it wasn't for the Left the only people allowed to vote would be male landowners."

    Q. Name Canada's ONLY FEMALE PRIME MINISTER and her political party!!

    A. Kim Campbell, Progressive Conservative Party.

    But don't let facts get in the way of your opinion Phrank. After all you are the opitome of democracy... at least the leftist kind anyway.

  • Fiat lux

    20 weeks ago

    Looks like the organized

    Looks like the organized letter writers of the early Reform party days have been reorganized.

    "Good government", by selling the country to the commies, while buying junk planes for "defence".

    Ed Deak.

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Red cheeks

    I think its adorable that realisticman is thanking Steve for the rain while at the same time you thank him for the sun. He's obviously a god to you, do you have a clay figure of him on your fireplace mantle?

    Now you remember Dion? I guess you had to enter the name into google to learn what you would have learned years ago if you had been paying attention?

    No matter, I don't expect you right-wingers to know any facts other than what we Leftees have spoon-fed you.

    As for Kim Campbell, she was never elected. As for Borden, he was a true conservative, not at all like your type. But keep believing women got the vote because the Right thought it would be nice, ignorance is bliss as they say.

    Like I said you're a caricature, what did you do, lose a bet?

  • Dahlia

    20 weeks ago

    Defeating the Cons

    I agree with this -- we need to start organizing now to defeat them in 2015.
    This will require more articles on how the country is being mismanaged. And how it has been seamlessly colonized by the superpower to the south through various Conservative led treaties, starting with the FTA.

    Given the apparent fascist drift below the 49th, it may be an increasingly dangerous game. So there is no time to lose!

    I suspect most Canadians don't have a clue what is going on. Therefore people like Murray are doing the country a great service by informing us. How to reach a broader audience? I think to succeed against a government with money and obedient media outlets - that is the real issue. Could e-Tyee also go hard copy?
    Suggestions, anyone?

  • Fiat lux

    20 weeks ago

    Diefenbaker killed the Avro

    Diefenbaker killed the Avro Arrow and with it much of the Canadian industry.

    Mulroney torpedoed his leader Diefenbaker to become PM and gave us fraudulent "free trade", deindustrializing the country, but a string of directorships for himself.

    Kim Campbell was screwing around with her lover, nowhere to be seen during election time, wiping out the PC party.

    Harper........... a brainwashed maniac, who's not likely to last the 4 years in office.

    I don't believe in violence and wish him nothing worse than another string of directorships by the corporate mafia, so we won't have to see him again.

    Ed Deak.

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    Leftist Buffoons

    Hahahahahaha!! Between Ed eek and Dahlia I don't know whether to laugh or laugh louder!!!

    Ed eek- "Good government", by selling the country to the commies"
    Black Dahlia-"Given the apparent fascist drift below the 49th..."

    Now which is it? Commies or Fascists???? Do you know yourselves?

    Oh and Ed, Diefenbaker was no longer Prime Minister in 1963... Brian Mulroney graduated from Laval in 1964. So when you say "Mulroney torpedoed his leader Diefenbaker to become PM..." you sound foolish. Clearly you have no clue about what you're talking about!! :)

    [OFFENSIVE COMMENT REMVOED. -MODERATOR.]

    Hahahahahahahaha!

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    Phrank Phrank Phrank

    [OFFENSIVE COMMENT REMOVED.]

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Red Cheeks

    U mad bro? Try to stay on an even keel.

    Red Cheeks : "I thought Iggy was your leader"

    I know you thought Iggy was leader of the Libs at the time of the Coalition, but now you know otherwise, see how talking to me has already doubled your education?

    And no doubt you're proud of the NDP having 40 elected women MPs this past election? Most of any party. The Cons only had 28 elected.

    And of course the NDP had 123 women candidates, the Cons only had 68.

    Red Cheeks : "my statue of the Right Honourable Prime Minister Steven Harper is gold"

    Of course it is.

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    Revisionist Phrank

    Are you saying Phrank that the coalition document, whose exact wording is "The Liberal Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party of Canada adhere to this agreement until June 30, 2011 unless renewed." dubya dubya dubya .cbc.ca/news/pdf/081201_Policy%20Frame_en.pdf and that YOU in fact are right? Jeepers, I do lurn new stuff frum ya!!!

    Wow!! You guys had everyone fooled, I really, really believed Iggy was in charge of the Lieberals in the last election!!!!! You Lieberals will even lie about that it seems!!!!

    The NDP ran 'phantom' candidates in my, and 2 other neighbouring ridings... unlike the fools in Quebec WE DIDN'T VOTE FOR THEM!!!!!!! WE aren't stuck with 5 Carlton U students who never set foot in the ridings they SUPPOSEDLY WANTED TO REPRESENT!!!!! But such is leftist democracy!

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    More Phunnies Phrank!

    So lets recap.....

    Leftist 'democracy' involves candidates who don't bother to visit, debate or even step in the riding they're running for.

    Uh-huh.

    Leftist 'democracy' involves pretending to be the great emancipators of history without a clue that they are in fact Conservative policies you are most admiring!

    Uh-huh.

    Leftist 'democracy' has nothing to do with democracy at all... it's just the incessant whining and crying of leftists blubbering that they aren't getting THEIR way!

    Uh-huh.

    Leftist 'democracy' is the absolutely ludicrous idea that a party they didn't vote for, that they loathed, that they tried to marginalize would ultimately behave like the party the leftists DID vote for!!!!

    Such arrogance, ignorance and conceit is the entire reason Lieberals and Dippers are now the runts of Canadian politics.

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    Phranks Pop Quiz!!!

    Who can answer this question......?

    Q. Name the ONLY federalist Canadian political party with both a leader AND caucus!!!

    A. Conservative Party
    B. Lieberal Party
    C. NDP
    D. Bloc Quebecois
    E. Green Party

    (*HINT*HINT*HINT) you can get an 'A' if you get the answer right (wing)!

  • RickW

    20 weeks ago

    Red Jeff

    Google is definitely NOT your friend. Silly boy.....

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    Phamous Last Words!

    Phrank, was this you from 36 weeks ago?
    Frank "A political tsunami
    CROP - April 21
    Quebec

    NDP 36%
    Bloc 31%
    Cons 17%
    Libs 13%

    Montreal
    NDP 40%
    Bloc 28%
    Libs 17%
    Cons 12%

    Yep, the NDP is now in first place in Quebec. This is bigger than New Coke." dubya dubya dubya thetyee.ca/News/2011/04/21/SimplyNotTrue/

    Yup and about as successful as New Coke too!!!!!!!! :)~

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Red Cheeks, he of the exclamation marks

    Red Cheeks : "Are you saying Phrank .. that YOU in fact are right?"

    Yup, get used to it.

    Red Cheeks : "Wow!! You guys had everyone fooled, I really, really believed Iggy was in charge of the Lieberals in the last election!"

    Which has nothing to do with the fact you didn't know who would have been PM if the Coalition had stayed together. That's because you forgot to look up on Wikipedia the fact that the Coalition predated the last election. Which I guess means you were wrong twice about one subject. Hard to beat that.

    Red Cheeks : "The NDP ran 'phantom' candidates in my, and 2 other neighbouring ridings... unlike the fools in Quebec WE DIDN'T VOTE FOR THEM!"

    Albertans did. They voted for a number of phantom Con candidates that nobody had seen or heard from since the last election.

    Red Cheeks : "WE aren't stuck with 5 Carlton U students who never set foot in the ridings they SUPPOSEDLY WANTED TO REPRESENT!!!!! But such is leftist democracy!"

    Don't be upset that 5 people in Parliament actually have more education than you.

    Red Cheeks : "Leftist 'democracy' involves candidates who don't bother to visit, debate or even step in the riding they're running for."

    Which Canadians STILL consider to be better than Conservative candidates actually in the riding. How about that.

    Red Cheeks : "Leftist 'democracy' involves pretending to be the great emancipators of history without a clue that they are in fact Conservative policies you are most admiring!"

    Wow, the things you tell yourself so you can sleep at night. It was Conservatives and Liberals that kept women from voting, kept natives from voting, put natives on reserves and residential schools, refused to allows Jews to come to Canada to escape Hitler, put a head tax on Chinese and the list can go on pretty much indefinitely. Probably why those parties keep having to apologize for their predecessors.

    Red Cheeks : "Such arrogance, ignorance and conceit is the entire reason Lieberals and Dippers are now the runts of Canadian politics."

    Yep, its why combined we have way more support than the Cons. Fancy that.

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Red Cheeks

    "Yup and about as successful as New Coke too!!!!!!!! :)~"

    And what pray tell was wrong with a poll saying the NDP were in first place in Quebec?

    I assumed you got your parole officer to tell you the provincial result of the last federal election in Quebec, but apparently not. Well, you better sit down, the poll was right, the NDP did come in first in Quebec.

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Red Cheeks

    Just a little advice, your job is to prove me wrong, not prove me right. Try not to pull what passes for your logic out of your a** and you'll start doing better here.

    I still think its obvious you lost a bet.

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    Phrank you're Phabulous!!

    Too too phunny Phrank!!! When you say "Yep, its why combined we have way more support than the Cons." it's like you really, really wish that it was important!!! Hahahaha!!!

    Harper is King and there's nothing, nada, zip all you can do about it other than sulk and mope!!!

    Hey Phrank, at least the Lieberals gave murderers and rapists the right to vote in 2002!!!

    I love the new slogan tho'...

    "NDP... the New Coke of Politics"... now thats a winner!!!

    And 'Rub and Tug, Taliban Jack' is still dead! Any prospective leaders on the horizon? Bob Rae maybe??? snort snort!!!

  • Fiat lux

    20 weeks ago

    Frank, why bother? As the

    Frank, why bother? As the rope tightens the Reform/CRAPP/BCLib coalition will do anything, incl. the using plants, with more to come, to sabotage the Tyee.

    Now watch what this will bring on !

    Ed Deak.

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Red Cheeks

    You need to turn your caffeine intake down a notch.

    Other than that, I agree, the NDP won Quebec as the Crop poll predicted and the NDP and Libs combined have more support than the united Right.

    Happy days ahead federally as well as provincially.

    By the way, a rouge is a reward for failure, but you probably already knew that.

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Fiat Lux

    Ed, we get these right-wing waves here now and again. They all show up at the same time like a bunch of lemmings. Pretty transparent, easy to see someone ordered them to.

    But I love a game of whack-a-mole as much as the next guy.

  • RickW

    20 weeks ago

    Frank

    Quote:
    But I love a game of whack-a-mole as much as the next guy

    And ain't that the truth! I wonder how many sycophants bailed out of Tunisia when Zine el Abidine Ben Ali took a permanent leave of absense..........

  • Cool Hand

    20 weeks ago

    Frank

    Quote:
    we get these right-wing waves here now and again. They all show up at the same time like a bunch of lemmings. Pretty transparent, easy to see someone ordered them to.

    Always on the ball I see. Let ya in on a little secret: My superiors in Berlin feel that there are two dangers to the Third Reich - The Allies and Colonel Klink.

    Quite the entertaining thread we have here.

    Bonne Année!

  • RickOshea

    20 weeks ago

    Authoritarian Simpatico Syndrome

    Phil Rockstroh made this observation of the right wing's trolls:
    <quote>
    Often by the attempt to adapt to the burdensome, soul-defying daily obligations and the mean-spirited aura concomitant to the hierarchical structure of oligarchic capitalism, many will begin to mirror and internalize its pathologies. The bigot-whispering, big media bullies of the right seed the dismal air with resentment; in turn, little bullies, turned mean by the incessant humiliation leveled by a class-stratified, exploitive economic system, mimic (having internalize) the miasmic meme.

    Lost and alienated in the corporate state, many are induced to follow a loathsome, faux lode star to demagogically ruled inner douchescape that they mistake for a view of the world. Accordingly, when, for example, OWS questions the present social and economic structure, these downscale denizens of oligarchic rule personalize the critique; their indemnification with the system is so deep they feel as though the attack is personal. As a consequence, they respond by parroting rightwing distortions and ad hominem attacks thereby serving to defend a status quo that demeans them.

    This phenomenon could be termed Authoritarian Simpatico Syndrome (ASS) -- a pathology suffered by personalities who have been traumatized by authority, but who endeavor to remedy the wounding and humiliation inflicted by a brutal, demeaning order by identification with their oppressors.
    </quote>

  • Fiat lux

    20 weeks ago

    Never mind about Cool Hand's

    Never mind about Cool Hand's superiors in Berlin. What do his real superiors is China want ?

    More copper? More oil? More real estate around Vancouver, bought with the money stolen from Canadian food bank lineups ?

    And what do they fear most ? How about some economists who can add and subtract and are able to figure out that those "cheap" imports from those slave labour countries are, in reality, far more expensive on the long run, even if our corporate mafia makes obscene profits from them ?

    Ed Deak.

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Luke

    Been a long time, hope you had a good Christmas.

    I can guess what you found amusing, a few years ago you said something akin to : "Those (Reform-a-tories) guys are insane".

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    RickW

    Nice to see you too!

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    That's a Cracker Phrank!

    Phrank sez "Happy days ahead federally as well as provincially... " You are sooooo right (wing!) Phrank, it's hard to see how much lower Lieberals can sink!!! The Dippers are already deflating in opinion polls [OFFENSIVE COMMENT REMOVED.]), Rub and Tug Jack is still dead and Justine T is touted as the new 'savior' of the leftist (bowel) movement!!! Yup! Kim Justine Il is the 21st centuries Lieberal John Turner! We all remember how THAT worked out!!! :)

    Anyhooo... we don't reward failure anymore, remember? the Right Honourable Prime Minister Steven Harper took away your $2.25 for each losing vote you recieved... imagine that, you guys are gonna' have to pay your OWN way as opposed to leeching of the taxpayer!!!!! No wonder the Lieberal party is broke!!!

    Not to dissuade your fantasy but Borden, Dief and Kim C. did all those achievements you so dearly wish were done by Lieberals. Ahhhh such is reality!!!!

    [OFFENSIVE COMMENT DIRECTED AT ANOTHER COMMENTER REMOVED. -MODERATOR.]

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Red Cheeks

    I'm not surprised you're against the per-vote subsidy. It was fair so of course the Cons would want to get rid of it.

    Instead you want a system where the taxpayer pays most of the tab for donations to the Conservative party. Its a perfect system for the Right and something you'd expect from that party.

    As for my history, its accurate, I'm sure in 100 years we'll have a Conservative apologizing for what Stephen Harper did too and someone like you'll be praising the party for it.

  • ron wilton

    20 weeks ago

    cabin fever

    Please Tyee, please don't shut down your comments section again next year.

    Look at the result!

    A virtual tsunami of pent up partisan hard right putrifaction gushing out of every possible orifice.

    I had no idea that these people were so badly intoxicated from slurping the Harper Kool Aid, that they are unable to contain themselves let alone spew forth with anything resembling intellectual capacity.

  • Fiat lux

    20 weeks ago

    I don't think there'll be any

    I don't think there'll be any ideology based political parties in 100 years.

    If humanity wants to survive it will have to turn to economic systems based on physical realities, and get rid of the present system of fraudulent, imaginary figures of non existing money, controlled by a criminal sector of "conservatives" to steal most from the most, while calling it "wealth creation".

    Ed Deak.

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    Tax Teat Phrank

    Phrank, I'm not surprised you're for the per-vote subsidy as it is normal, yea expected, for Lieberals (and moreso Dippers) to expect everyone else to pay for your personal largess! Whats new???? This is standard procedure for leftists... take NO responsibility for your wants and certainly NO financial account.

    Perhaps, like most leftists, you lack common sense, however here goes.... I'm glad ALL TAXPAYER SUBSIDIES TO ALL POLITICAL PARTIES ARE GONE!!! Yes it's gonna' hurt Lieberals and Dippers most because they have grown the most accustomed to others picking up your tab for you... first your parents, then the nanny state pays your bills.

    As for your distorted past (and recent) history, I'll just remind you of your OWN words, then the facts... no more need be said :) :) :)

    Phrank reciting the 'facts': "if it wasn't for the Left the only people allowed to vote would be male landowners" from 1 day agp

    Jeff's Truth: Sir Robert Borden (Conservative/Unionist Party) granted women the vote in 1919. Also, John Diefenbaker (Conservative Party) granted status aboriginals the vote in federal elections in 1960. Canada's only female Prime Minister was Kim Campbell of the Progressive Conservative Party.

    It's sad Phrank when you don't even bother to learn the truth.

    Oh and by the way.... when you awoke this morning was your end-zone rouged? :)

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    Ed eek dichotomy

    Now Ed, how are you Lieberal and Dipper's gonna reach that leftist Mecca, that funding holy land, that unionist Eden of "wealth redistribution" without "wealth creation"?

    Are you commie leftists sooooo obtuse that you think you can distribute things that haven't been created??????

    Judging by your panic, I can tell you're a pant pooping climate alarmist to boot!!

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Red Cheeks

    You're happy all taxpayer subsidies are gone? You're obviously clueless or misinformed. Because they're not gone.

    With a per vote subsidy everyone puts in $2.25. No one pays anyone else's subsidy. The Conservatives are against this because they don't get enough votes to provide the amount of money they need.

    So the Harper system gives a huge subsidy to those who donate more. As the Conservative party says itself on its website :

    "The Conservative Party of Canada is a Registered Political Party and your contribution in any one year may entitle you to generous political tax credits on your next tax return".

    Note use of the word "generous". That generosity comes from taxpayers.

    The party website goes on to say that the maximum tax credit is $650. So the Cons have no trouble giving out $650 of taxpayer money to their supporters while at the same time saying $2.25 is too much.

    There's a word for that, and its "hypocrites".

    And they rely on the fact that uninformed people like you will believe their spin.

    As for Robert Borden, you should recall that he wasn't the first Conservative prime minister of Canada, a guy named Sir John Alexander Macdonald was. Perhaps you've heard of him?

    At best, Borden can claim to have undone a previous Conservative government policy. Sorry to have to educate you again, but them's the facts.

  • Fiat lux

    20 weeks ago

    Now you listen punk, I have a

    Now you listen punk, I have a 45 year record fighting communism with guns and words and now am spending my last years fighting their idiot twins, capitalism, run by the same gang of dictatorial crooks as communism, supported by brainwashed fools .

    Now look in the mirror to see one.

    Ed Deak.

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    Poor Revisionist Phrank

    No amount of rhetoric will change the fact that Conservatives granted women and natives the right to vote and no matter how hard you try you can't spin a barefaced lie (Phrank reciting the 'facts': "if it wasn't for the Left the only people allowed to vote would be male landowners" from 1 day ago

    Jeff's Truth: Sir Robert Borden (Conservative/Unionist Party) granted women the vote in 1919. Also, John Diefenbaker (Conservative Party) granted status aboriginals the vote in federal elections in 1960. Canada's only female Prime Minister was Kim Campbell of the Progressive Conservative Party.)

    Too bad, soooo sad Phrank.

    Secondly, donating money to a political party is now VOLUNTARY. You can do it if you wish, or not. ALL PARTIES are treated the same, equally. Perhaps you are uninformed that Lieberals AND Dippers are allowed the same rights, privileges and entitlements. The SAME tax credits. Identical. Typical of leftists, you see a level playing field as somehow unfair. It's about as far from (as you put it) "a system where the taxpayer pays most of the tab for donations to the Conservative party" as is possible. Then again I don't expect your words to make any sense.

    At least it's a better system than Lieberal and Dipper promoted government confiscation of monies to keep for themselves!!

    It's phunny Phrank, but you seem to be as eager to embrace Conservative policies as Obama is to embrace those of George W!!!!!

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Red Cheeks

    "Secondly, donating money to a political party is now VOLUNTARY"

    It always was, nobody is forcing anyone to vote. Everyone knows the party they vote for, if they vote, will get $2.25. Its all voluntary and I never heard of anyone complaining they wanted their subsidy to go to a different party than the one they voted for. And neither did you.

    The subsidy treated all voters and all parties the same. The current scheme does not. The current scheme favours those who can afford to pay large donations and pays them back with taxpayer money.

    The Right likes this idea because its unfair. If you truly wanted a level playing field you would go back to the per-vote subsidy. But you don't want that system because then your Conservatives wouldn't get enough money.

    Instead you campaign for a system where a party of the rich will have more money than a party that advocates for the poor. You seem to believe that the poor are equally able to make political donations as the rich, which will be news to most of the world.

    As for your view of universal suffrage, sorry buddy, but I'm right as any reading of the history of universal suffrage will tell you. It wasn't the Right out there picketing and demonstrating and getting arrested to get the laws changed. But as RickOshea has pointed out above, you only know your one-sided talking points.

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    Ed eek where's the other twin?

    You didn't fight communism, you are ADVOCATING for it!

    Now I know I've knocked you off your game a little, but when you say "spending my last years fighting their idiot twins..." and then only list "capitalism" am I to assume the twin was an only child? Or are you becoming as phlummoxed as Phrank now that your precious ideals are being shown to be paper tigers?

    [OFFENSIVE COMMENT REMOVED. -MODERATOR.]

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Red Cheeks

    No reply? Too embarrassed?

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    By the way

    It takes just over 288 taxpayers at $2.25 each to pay the donation credit for one Conservative supporter.

    So 288 taxpayers are donating to the Conservatives when its likely that 3/4 of them didn't vote at all or didn't vote Conservative.

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    Phrank Unclear of the Concept

    Phrank, confiscating money from taxpayers and giving it to your political cronies is NOT termed voluntary. Like Conservatives giving women and natives the right to vote (when the Lieberals refused to) then claiming the Lieberals did it.

    Both are barefaced lies.

    [OFFENSIVE CHARACTERIZATION REMOVED. -MODERATOR.] do you notice how the system you advocate ($2.25 per vote) penalizes, equal under the law, Canadian citizens who didn't vote? THEIR taxes are to be paid to political parties also! No one knows who I voted for, or if I spoiled my ballot or not, yet the tax money is paid to your 'favoured status' cronies because you're too cheap and lack the integrity of standing up for your convictions. As always it's the leftist meme of having someone else pay the tab.

    Lastly, when you say "You seem to believe that the poor are equally able to make political donations as the rich" am I supposed to just pretend that high paying UNION support to the Dippers doesn't exist?

    Another Phrank phail.

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Red Cheeks : "confiscating

    Red Cheeks : "confiscating money from taxpayers and giving it to your political cronies is NOT termed voluntary"

    Yet that's exactly the policy you support. Taxpayers have to pay as much as 75% of political donations. Saying otherwise is indeed a barefaced lie.

    You're worried about non-voters? Non-voters have to pay for the 75% tax refund under the current system. So if you're worried about non-voters you would be against the policy.

    You're also worried that unions are making huge donations to the NDP? Then do what the NDP advocates, ban union and corporate donations to political parties.

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    Nope Phrank

    Giving tax monies to political parties when the taxpayer has NO choice in the matter is NOT considered voluntary.

    Also Sir Robert Borden (Conservative/Unionist Party) granted women the vote in 1919. Also, John Diefenbaker (Conservative Party) granted status aboriginals the vote in federal elections in 1960. Canada's only female Prime Minister was Kim Campbell of the Progressive Conservative Party.

    I can't believe you support a racist misogynistic party like the Lieberals.

    Also!!! It takes just over 288 taxpayers at $2.25 each to pay the donation credit for one Lieberal supporter.

    So 288 taxpayers are donating to the Lieberals when its likely that 3/4 of them didn't vote at all or didn't vote Lieberal. That and Lieberals expect someone else to pay their $2.25 anyway!!!!!!!

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Red Cheeks

    Red Cheeks : "Giving tax monies to political parties when the taxpayer has NO choice in the matter is NOT considered voluntary."

    Which is exactly what happens now according to Harper. The policy is unsupportable by any thinking adult.

    Red Cheeks : "That and Lieberals expect someone else to pay their $2.25 anyway!!!!!!!"

    Nope. Taxpayers have less control over who gets that deduction under the Harper plan. To put it bluntly, they don't get to vote on the matter unlike with the per-vote subsidy.

    Red Cheeks : "Sir Robert Borden (Conservative/Unionist Party) granted women the vote in 1919."

    Sir John A. Macdonald (Conservative) presided over a policy of denying the vote to women and aboriginals.

    Alexander Mackenzie (Liberal) presided over a policy of denying the vote to women and aboriginals.

    Sir John Abbott (Conservative) presided over a policy of denying the vote to women and aboriginals.

    Sir John Thompson (Conservative) presided over a policy of denying the vote to women and aboriginals.

    Sir Mackenzie Bowell (Conservative) presided over a policy of denying the vote to women and aboriginals.

    Sir Charles Tupper (Conservative) presided over a policy of denying the vote to women and aboriginals.

    Sir Wilfrid Laurier (Liberal) presided over a policy of denying the vote to women and aboriginals.

    Sir Robert Borden (Conservative) presided over a policy of denying the vote to aboriginals.

    And so it went on with Meighen (Con), King (Lib), Bennett (Con) and St Laurent (Lib).

    Red Cheeks : "I can't believe you support a racist misogynistic party like the Lieberals."

    Neither can I, good thing I don't.

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Red Cheeks

    Your arguments are getting lamer with each post. You obviously know I'm right and have no counter-argument but are hoping I'll go away.

    You have a lot to learn but then that's probably not news for you.

    Keep at it, you can't do any worse than you've already demonstrated.

  • G West

    20 weeks ago

    Actually - you might want to check your facts.

    Female suffrage began in Canada long before the end of the First World War. You might want to do a little research...Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, BC, Ontario and Nova Scotia gave women the right to vote long before the laggards in Ottawa.

    Just like now the Federal Liberals and Conservatives are almost always the last to do anything democratic or progressive.

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    Phabulous Phrank right?

    So which is right Phrank?

    1. Phrank sez "if it wasn't for the Left the only people allowed to vote would be male landowners."

    2. Jeff sez "Sir Robert Borden (Conservative/Unionist Party) granted women the vote in 1919. Also, John Diefenbaker (Conservative Party) granted status aboriginals the vote in federal elections in 1960. Canada's only female Prime Minister was Kim Campbell of the Progressive Conservative Party."

    One of these statements is verifiable to anyone. One is a sadly misguided and a pathetically, poorly thought out opinion.

    I'll keep this as simple as possible for you Phrank... can you provide even a single shred of evidence to support your position?

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Red Cheeks

    Obviously you've given up on every other topic including the per vote subsidy.

    As for suffrage, lots of countries granted the vote to women long before Canada. And Conservatives and Liberals are the ones that kept them from getting the vote earlier.

    As I said, them's the facts.

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    Har har har!!!!

    So you can't support your words. Typical Dipper. Like Rub-an-Tug Jack's deathbed letter, a shallow PR move.

    But hey, thanks for returning everyones Dipper Deathbed Donations that were to go to the Ed Broadbent (we-werent)think(ing)-tank!

    "The NDP had set up a page on its website soliciting donations with the promise that the money would be forwarded to the institute when the Canada Revenue Agency granted it charitable status. The problem is the Canada Elections Act states that political parties cannot solicit or accept contributions on behalf of third parties, no matter what the reason. And at the time of Layton’s death, the institute was still in its start-up phase. It is still not a registered charity." dubya dubya dubya.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1072739--ndp-mistake-forces-donations-made-in-layton-s-memory-to-be-returned

    Said Dipper spokesman Dewey Theve "It was a way of making boffo money on Jack's death that the Party just couldn't pass up. What with the scripted 'deathbed' letter it was like a Hollywood fairy tale come true." Mr. Theve later amended his statement to describe the circumstance as "...like a Hollywood gay-lesbian-bi-and-transgendered tale come true."

    If you're a phlamer Phrank I was jus' kiddin' about the last line.

  • Troutsky

    20 weeks ago

    Finally, a spade is called a spade

    Harper is not a Canadian Prime Minister. He is not subject to the rules governing the conduct of a Canadian Prime Minister. He makes his own rules and breaks his own rules as he sees fit. His ascension was achieved through backdoor dealing and cheating and his way has been paved and made smooth by US oil money every inch of the way.
    He is more like an Oil Company Shah, or a Prefect that the Roman Empire would install to govern a conquered territory. His government is a Vichy government, and The Moon is Down.
    It was high time someone said so (besides me), one can only wonder what took so long.
    Now, what do we do about it ?
    Seriously ?

  • RickW

    20 weeks ago

    Red Jeff

    Having a difficult time countering G West, eh?

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Red Cheeks

    You're once again going off on new tangents looking for something, anything, to hit me with.

    Sorry buddy, but it looks to me like you've lost on every point. The Conservatives were the first government of Canada and wouldn't allow woman or natives to vote. And the Harper donation subsidy favours the Conservatives and is anti-democratic.

    Even more pathetic is your attack on Ed, a guy who fought in WW2 and ran a successful business in Vancouver.

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    Seriously Troutsky? What do

    Seriously Troutsky? What do we do about it? The first thing I recommend is have your doctor look into the meds yer taking! Then loosen the tin foil hat! <:)

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    No Rick

    Facts are facts. Conservatives brought in the legislation and nothing can change that. As such the statement "if it wasn't for the Left the only people allowed to vote would be male landowners." is demonstrably false.

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Wow

    Is any more proof required as to why the label, "right-wing think-tank" is an oxymoron?

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    You Phlatter me Phrank!!!

    An hour ago I wrote "Ed Broadbent (we-werent)think(ing)-tank!"

    2 minutes ago you wrote "right-wing think-tank" is an oxymoron?"

    "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" 1820 C. C. Colton Lacon I. 113

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Red Cheeks

    Lame response

  • ron wilton

    20 weeks ago

    Harpo changes the rules in the middle of the game

    http://www.mineweb.com/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page68?oid=63454&sn=Detail

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    Ron

    From your cite "Canada may ban..." so those are weasel words. Anytime any politician uses 'may' read 'but won't'.

    I note Stefanie Dion didn't support it.

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    Still read it tho' didn't ya Phrank!

    Still read it tho' didn't ya!

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Red Cheeks

    Yep, unlike your thinky-tank line which had too many brackets so I skipped it.

    I see the Cons are losing support in the latest polls. Down 3.6%. That's pretty bad. The NDP leader died and the NDP is only 1.5%. Looks like the Libs are increasing their strength in Ontario. If an election had been held in the past 2 weeks the Cons would have failed to get a majority, even with all the new seats.

  • Red Jeff

    20 weeks ago

    Phranks Dipper Math

    This is why Dipper math works out to a Dipper!....

    Mr Ed says this morning "I have a 45 year record fighting communism with guns and words"

    Now Phrank says "...more pathetic is your attack on Ed, a guy who fought in WW2..."

    So lets do the math... :)...=> This year is 2012 sooooo...

    2012-45= 1967 Hmmmm which commies were we fightin' in '67? I got it! Nam!!!

    Additionally Ed was in WW The Big One so assuming Ed was 20 in 1944, he was born in 1924, missed the Korean conflict, then re-enlisted in the US Army in time to be a 43 year old Grunt slogging it out at Khe Sanh!

    As a Conservative, trained in chemistry I find the math suspect.

    Then again I don't have an art history degree like 'always right(wing)' Phrank.

  • G West

    20 weeks ago

    In fact, buddy

    Women actually got the vote in federal elections for the first time in 1917...but not for 'all' women - only ones related to folks in the army...it was simply another transparent attempt to screw French Canada.

    You can look it up!

    There are far more examples of crooked pols - not least John A - among the federal conservatives and liberals than anyone can accuse the CCF and the NDP of being responsible for.

    Added to the fact that 'socialist' governments in Canada at all levels run smaller and fewer deficits than the old line parties have done and I don't think anyone can make a case for the record of the two parties who have always been in the pocket of corporate Canada anyway....

    Guess that's why their supporters always seem to be busier throwing mud than dealing with the reality they've created.

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Red Cheeks

    Actually, Ed was 18 in 1945 and wasn't in the US Army. It was the Hungarian army and he was fighting the Soviets, am I right Ed?

    He was then recruited by the Brits after the war. Eventually came to Canada and started a business in the 1950s where he employed a number of people building actual furniture.

    And he's long retired.

    As for art history, methinks anything that would entail you to think about the world outside the narrow little box you've put yourself in would be a bonus for you. You should look into it. Life is short.

  • Fiat lux

    20 weeks ago

    Jeff.. You may have been

    Jeff.. You may have been trained in chemistry, but not in logic I managed to gain some in my 7 years in Cambridge, after having been recruited by the Attlee govt. in 1948 , at the beginning of the Cold War, when they needed people with experience in fighting the Soviets and language skills.

    My birth name is not Ed Deak. It is a legal name given to me with my Brit. citizenship by the govt. and on my Canadian citizenship papers. Guess why ?

    My family were involved in fighting communism in Hungary since 1919. Even my mother, who was 13 at the time carrying secret messages in her school bag for the National Army across communist lines.

    I was born in Hungary in 1927. In Vlll gymnasium, or grade 12 in 1944, when the Soviets arrived at our suburb NE of Budapest.

    By then I had 5 years of military training in the cadets. Joined the army in Nov 1944. Taken to Poland for more training. When the Russians broke through in Jan. 45. I was in a volunteer battalion covering the retreat of our yet untrained division. At 17, I was a regimental champion marksman, one of 6 battalion staff master marksmen, detailed to a heavy machinegun squad to protect the crew from side attacks.

    Wounded on my right leg by a mortar shell when on a volunteer assault patrol near the Autbahn bridge over the Bobr river now in Poland. You can find the place on Google Earth

    Of the 100 in my company only 30 survived. We found our sister machienegun squad with their throats cut beside a forest road and we always carried a handgrenade to blow ourselves up with if wounded and couldn't walk more.

    My grandparents died of the effects of starvation under Soviet rule, my mother was gangraped, my uncle imprisoned for 15 years for his part in the 1919 uprising. I was sentenced to the gulags by the Hungarian communists, but they never caught me, so they arrested my mother and tortured her four times, trying to find out how I got to England? Of course she had no idea, but she was also brought out and lived the last 37 years of her life in England, also as a citizen.

    Figure it out with you bright "conservative" minds.

    Bu the way, Stalin's Communist International, the Comintern, declared social democracy as the greatest enemy of communism in the '30s, jailing and killing millions in their occupied zones on the suspicion of them being some.

    The capitalists would dearly do the same, being of the same dictatorial mind and under the same predator rulers. They can't yet, but give them a chance.

    I realize there's no point in trying to use facts withe the brainwashed faithful, because "Faith conquers all" especially elementary logic, so I wrote all this for people who still maintain and can use some of their brains and are not hooked up to screwball faiths and ideologies.

    As far Harper goes, he's a pathetic psycho maniac, with mental illness written all over his face I've seen many times under Totenkopf SS and Red Star caps.

    Cheers, Ed Deak.

  • Frank Lee

    20 weeks ago

    No Best Comments Yet

    I thought that Murray Dobbin's New Years call to arms would have prompted a better discussion. I liked Mark Crawford's musings about how Dobbin's and Cullen's suggestions could be put into operation in his constituency.

    But such actions are only temporary measures that need to be taken before a more proportional system can be put in place. They are not a substitute for electoral reform.

    And we should bear in mind: it is hypocritical for us to bemoan the lack of democracy in Harper's artificial majority, and at the same time rub our hands with glee at the prospect of a Glen Clark or an Adrian Dix winning a provincial election with 36-38% vote because of a split in the right of centre vote.

    What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, and we should be supporting those who are trying to building a centre-progressive majority at the provincial level as well.

  • igbymac

    20 weeks ago

    Here's one glaring deficit in understanding

    Red Jeff states: From your cite "Canada may ban..." so those are weasel words. Anytime any politician uses 'may' read 'but won't'. (emphasis added)

    Typical of most gross misunderstandings, the holder of this remark is very cocksure of his opinion. 'May' is discretionary and, as such, it means 'we will do as we wish' when uttered by a politician.

  • Phranks Nemesis

    20 weeks ago

    Some Democracy

    Well as typical with left wing rags, any dissent must be suppressed. This is why the Lieberals and Dippers won't run our great nation anytime soon. Leftists live in an echo-chamber, listening only to themselves and unfortunately the level of 'mob' mentality escalates to rediculous levels. Not only is rhetoric spewed volumously but it is swallowed hook, line and sinker.

    How rediculous does it get? Describing our duely elected government under the Right Honourable Steven Harper as no different than the "Totenkopf SS". Pathetic.

    Describing a political party as one who wants "the only people allowed to vote would be male landowners." when that party is committed to democratic freedoms and has shown historic proof of societal inclusion. Pathetic.

    It's sad when leftist cry about the 'racist right' when they act in the very way they are accusing of! But it's OK for letists to do it because the are acting for the good of everyone, not their own (selfish) interests. Thats why they're in the 99%, or 97%, whichever cloak is neccissary to represent the mob mentality.

    It's worse in America, but, rest assured the left is importing the same political spin here in Canada. All in the name of righteousness. It's not enough for leftists to disagree politically, they must personify their opponents as the epitome of evil. Then they can, with a clear leftist conscience, ignore any voice not mimicing their own.

    So in that light, the Tyee has decided to ban any dissent, in keeping with the Gulag philosophy.

    [OFFENSIVE COMMENT REMOVED. -MODERATOR.]

    By Guess Who?????? :)

  • Phranks Nemesis

    20 weeks ago

    Told you so...

    "In his last official act of business in 2011, President Barack Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act from his vacation rental in Kailua, Hawaii. In a statement, the president said he did so with reservations about key provisions in the law — including a controversial component that would allow the military to indefinitely detain terror suspects, including American citizens arrested in the United States, without charge." dubya dubya dubya .abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/12/with-reservations-obama-signs-act-to-allow-detention-of-citizens/

    Leftist democracy in action. Don't say I didn't tell you so.

  • Fiat lux

    20 weeks ago

    Note to the editors; How many

    Note to the editors; How many phony names is the same person permitted to hide under on this blog, to pretend being several people pushing the same propaganda?

    And why are these phony names still permitted, when the print media outlawed them 40 years ago ?

    Ed Deak.

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    "Phranks Nemesis"

    Oh please.

    The Conservative party has not historically stood for "societal inclusion and democratic freedoms". The echo chamber you should be concerned about is the right-wing one as it has obviously covered history up for you. Here's a thought, take some history courses, you'll learn a lot more about history than they teach in chemistry.

    And drop the victim act, its unbecoming when the Right is in control of the government and the economy.

    And instead of lashing out and making ridiculous claims every post you could instead show a little humility befitting someone who gets their history solely from Wikipedia and overlooks every anti-democratic act by their side while claiming Obama is a new Stalin.

    That's what's truly pathetic.

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Per-vote subsidy

    I should add that a party that gets rid of a per-vote subsidy and instead prefers one where donations to a political party get a 75% refund from other taxpayers is still not interested in advancing democracy.

    When a party believes in tilting the playing field so that a party that advocates for the rich will always be far wealthier than a party that advocates for the poor you know advancing democracy is not something they think about much.

  • Fiat lux

    20 weeks ago

    Frank.....Don't forget that

    Frank.....Don't forget that Stalin was "our ally" ...

    As he also was of Hitler's.

    With the Treaty of Versailles drastically limiting German military and outlawing a German airforce, there were large German military bases and airfields in Soviet Russia, where the origins of the Luftwaffe were trained.

    Stalin and Hitler also signed a Friendship Agreement, after they divided Poland between them. When the nazis and satellites, including our corrupt Hungarian government, attacked the USSR in 1941, when I was 14, Stalin went into isolation and depression for months, a dictator who refused to give orders and was the reason for the greatest losses.

    I was working once with an ethnic German guy from Russia, who was an officer cadet in the Soviet army in some artillery training school in the Ukraine. When the Germans advanced there was no way to transport them East, so 400 of them were lined up on the parade ground and the secret police machinegunned them down, then went around shooting some , still alive, in their heads.

    This guy was in a back row and being covered with the blood of others, pretended to be dead. When the Germans arrived he joined up with them as have a million Russians.

    But this is perennial politics from day one.

    When I was standing by an operating table, holding the legs of a hundred as they were amputated and reamputated, I swore that no goddamn politician will ever send me again to kill others, or die for some idiotic ideologies.

    Too bad the majority of the world hasn't learned this simple historical lesson. Yet.

    But I hope they will one day.

    Ed Deak.

  • RickW

    20 weeks ago

    But I hope they will one day.

    Evidently not as long as there are "Phrank Neme-sissies" in existence...........

  • lynn

    20 weeks ago

    Occupy Canada

    "Yet the true magnitude of the crisis we face is rarely declared. Until we begin to see the country -- and talk about it -- as if it has been occupied by a foreign power, we will not create the political atmosphere needed to save the nation."

    Thank you for saying that, Murray Dobbin.

    If we are to reclaim this country, and our rights as citizens, Canadians must first honestly realize and face the reality of the present situation, which is, that the state, the Canadian government under Harper, is no longer representing the citizens of Canada.

    It has other interests, to which it is fervently loyal and beholden to.

    And it fully intends to continue to represent those interests, and thus continue to betray Canadians, without any conscience or any remorse in doing so.

  • Fiat lux

    20 weeks ago

    Lynn....Don't blame Harper.

    Lynn....Don't blame Harper. He's a low intelligence psycho, without conscience.

    Blame the professors who brainwashed him and millions all over, to believe in and enforce the criminal globalization theory, destroying the world with the imagined power of imaginary money.

    Ed Deak.

  • igbymac

    20 weeks ago

    I don't know who to blame, Ed Deak

    but it is pretty clear to anyone who bothers to investigate such matters that we live in a kleptocracy with a geo-political mission to homogenize the planet to its wishes.

    "...and with the almost lemming-like acceptance that wealthy men and women have a right to rule the rest of us, indeed, that without such men and women, oh God forbid, all the rest of us would be poor, broken and lost" ~ reformed Col. Larry Wilkerson

    And yet we remain the very many governed by the [i]very few[/i} .So is it right to blame the few when the many dogmatically prefer for emotion rather than intelligence to give their lives direction?

    As for the right-wing trolls too many to mention, Phil Rockstroh made this observation:

    Often by the attempt to adapt to the burdensome, soul-defying daily obligations and the mean-spirited aura concomitant to the hierarchical structure of oligarchic capitalism, many will begin to mirror and internalize its pathologies. The bigot-whispering, big media bullies of the right seed the dismal air with resentment; in turn, little bullies, turned mean by the incessant humiliation leveled by a class-stratified, exploitive economic system, mimic (having internalize) the miasmic meme.

    Lost and alienated in the corporate state, many are induced to follow a loathsome, faux lode star to demagogically ruled inner douchescape that they mistake for a view of the world. Accordingly, when, for example, OWS questions the present social and economic structure, these downscale denizens of oligarchic rule personalize the critique; their indemnification with the system is so deep they feel as though the attack is personal. As a consequence, they respond by parroting rightwing distortions and ad hominem attacks thereby serving to defend a status quo that demeans them.

    This phenomenon could be termed Authoritarian Simpatico Syndrome (ASS) -- a pathology suffered by personalities who have been traumatized by authority, but who endeavor to remedy the wounding and humiliation inflicted by a brutal, demeaning order by identification with their oppressors.

  • Phranks Nemesis

    20 weeks ago

    Couldn't resist

    Phrank, Phrank, Phrank... you make me laugh! :). Complain about the 75% vote subsidy available to ALL political parties but champion a 100% subsidy of which the Dippers get the least!!!! Then again the Dippers want the government to fund EVERYONE, 100%, who want to run for public office. Imagine that, suckling from the taxpayers teat WITHOUT even working for them!!!! Tell me THAT'S not a Dipper wet dream come true!!!!!

    I find it soooooo ironic, yet not surprising in any way, that you equate the Right Honourable Steven Harper as 'Nazi-like' yet openly gush about someone who actually DID fight alongside the Nazis. Pathetic.

  • Phranks Nemesis

    20 weeks ago

    No Sympathy Ed

    Ed, Russia lost 10 million people in WW2. The Hungarian army stood with Hitler when he invaded. Now do you understand why the Russians didn't like you? Do you honestly feel that you should have been treated with gentleness and compassion when you didn't show it to others?

    Again, fighting our allies while WW2 was still happening is nothing to be proud of.

  • Phranks Nemesis

    20 weeks ago

    Big Words Iggy!

    [OFFENSIVE CHARACTERIZATION REMOVED. -MODERATOR.] How long will it take before the Dippers start demanding it be taught in schools and that the health care system fund a cure!!!! Why not? Schools will be teaching Occupy (fill-in-the-blank) Street courses come September!!!

    Imagine, worthless courses toward worthless degrees teaching students why worthless courses toward worthless degrees leaves them unemployed and heavily in DEBT!!!!!!

    The irony is just to much!!!!!

    My greatist joy is seeing all the sulking and moping of leftists as they come to the realization that they are no longer matter. That having listened only to themselves for years and now no longer have influence they blubber tears about not being listened to!!!

  • G West

    20 weeks ago

    Again, no facts

    The human losses within the boundaries of the USSR amounted to 26.7 million of their citizens during WWII.

    And, I have to echo Ed's message to the editors: Permitting a poster to simply sign on with another name and continue to violate the Tyee's commenting guidelines as egregiously as has been demonstrated above here in this comment thread makes the whole exercise of comment moderation little more than a joke.

  • Fiat lux

    20 weeks ago

    The guy is a joke, with his

    The guy is a joke, with his pathetic mental age the nemesis only to himself.

    Ed Deak.

  • Phranks Nemesis

    20 weeks ago

    Lil' Reminder

    From http://thetyee.ca/News/2011/10/07/Kalle-Lasn-Occupy-Wall-Street/

    GWEST, PLEASE RETURN TO ABIDING BY THE TYEE COMMENT GUIDELINES AND REFRAIN FROM PERSONAL INSULTS OR YOU WILL BE BLOCKED FROM COMMENTING.

    TYEE MODERATOR

    Ohhhhhh the ironing!

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Phrank

    Its considered bad form to declare a post as your last word before leaving the topic forever and then posting again on the same topic.

    And don't worry about Ed, the US, Canada and Britain formed an alliance a few years after WW2 with people they had been at war with shortly before.

    So if you're still anti-Hungarian in 2012 you must be pretty upset that Harper supports being in the NATO alliance with Hungary today.

    As for the per-vote subsidy, it was fair to all parties and all individuals. The amount of subsidy for every vote was the same and people without the money to donate were treated the same as people with lots of money.

    What you hate about the subsidy is the fact the Cons didn't have an advantage.

  • G West

    20 weeks ago

    Um!

    Seems to me you're a little behind the times mon ami.
    G West has had a couple suspensions over the years - and he served them - unlike numerous others around this place who simply change their handles and keep on 'trucking'.

    Now, can we actually deal with the subject matter of this thread? Because, if you had read the comment code of contact you'd also note that..."The Tyee exists to inform, enlighten and spark constructive discussion.

    We ask you to reflect this spirit in your comments, to relate your comments to the subject matter of the preceding articles, and to refrain from personal insults towards authors or other commenters.

  • Phranks Nemesis

    20 weeks ago

    Fine

    G, had a moderator or email explained that I'd recieved a suspension I would have understood that. However, no explanation was forthcoming, just a blocking. I'm as surprised as anyone I'm still here!!! But, to the subject matter.......

  • Phranks Nemesis

    20 weeks ago

    Believing PR

    The article states "a deliberate strategy of voter-suppression employed by the Conservatives, a strategy of making politics so offensive and good government so unimaginable that millions of people simply tune out"

    Pure unadulterated rubbish. The laws of the land apply equally to all, no exceptions. (unless you include native 'healing circles') The courts back the constitutionality of those laws and rein in excessive government jurisdiction and control. Parliamentary rules, again, apply to all political parties irrespective of philosophy. Until May the minority Conservative government could simply be out-voted on ANY issue, including ANY usurpation of elected powers by the opposition in Parliament. This didn't happen because no such actions were taken by the Conservatives.

    Unfortunately the 'loyal' Opposition doesn't quite understand that. Even though they are no longer in power, the Opposition seems to think it's business as usual and that they get to decide government policy. When they aren't listened to they cry that democracy isn't being respected. It most certainly is. The privilege of a majority government is that it doesn't have to pander to the wants of the other parties. Again all political parties operate under the same rules.

    The people of Canada voted under clear and transparent rules for a Conservative government. They also had the option of Liberal, NDP, Bloc and Green. They chose the Conservatives. Now, rather than deal with it and move forward by aligning their policies with those of the general public these same parties claim that the government is destroying the very essence of democracy by not following the Oppositions demands! This concept is ludicrous. Had the people of Canada wanted Liberal or NDP policies to be the law of the land they would have voted for them! They didn't.

    Instead of listening to the voters, the Opposition, with it's fellow media lackeys, is mounting a PR campaign to pretend that democracy is being usurped.

    By saying "millions of people simply tune out" my question is 'are those millions strictly Liberal, NDP, Bloc and Green supporters?'. If they are then the Conservatives are being VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL!!!

    How brainwashed are the Oppositions minions? Well here is a sampling of gullibility...
    "Harper is a usurper, planted and prepped by unseen and relatively unknown corporate controllers" ron wilton
    "Harper is a miseducated, out of control megalomaniac, without any conscience, with mental illness written all over him" Fiat Lux
    "It's about the country being run by someone who meets most of the criteria used by parole boards to determine psychopathic behavior" Finewine
    "our leader is "666" in semi-human form." Okanagan Orchardist

  • RickW

    20 weeks ago

    Phranks Nemesis

    Great cut 'n' paste! Got an original thought?

  • Phranks Nemesis

    20 weeks ago

    PR Continued

    As other commenters have noted, rather than wallow in self pity about how unfairly you think you are being treated. Pick yourselves up, dust yourselves off and reconnect with the attitudes of the public. Make your parties relevant again. Make your parties respect the wishes of Canadians rather than making Canadians respect the wishes of your parties.

    By making the Liberal/NDP/Bloc/Green one party you give the people only one option... to vote Conservative, or not.

    A word of advice... democracy is not, getting what you want every time. So stop expecting and pretending it is.

  • G West

    20 weeks ago

    If you'rd been around here for any length of time

    You'd be aware that the whole argument about whether or not Harper's philosophy amounts to de facto voter suppression has been introduced and debated here more than once. In fact, Harper's policies - especially the anti-democratic move away from pubic per vote financing of political parties - do amount to voter suppression. This is not difficult to understand. Furthermore, for anyone who has taken the time to read the works of Harper's political mentor, Tom Flanagan, it isn't difficult to understand why Harper (given his western base and his fundamentalist beliefs) would behave this way.

    He is not, in any real way, a genuine democrat AND, all the proof one needs to confirm this statement was delivered during the events surrounding the coalition events which led to the unquestionably dictatorial action of prorogation.

    Public financing of political parties is, without any doubt, the fairest and most democratic method of paying for political activity in a great many countries (other than the United States). Since you seem particularly exercised about a per vote levy, you might care to read a bit more about a system that works very well in a wide variety of countries.

    A recent survey of 111 nations by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA 2005) shows that 65 nations have public funding for political parties.

    You can start by going to a library and getting hold of a copy of the Royal Commission on Electoral Reform and Party Financing.

  • G West

    20 weeks ago

    On that other matter...

    Tyee almost never blocks IPs - they only block names and sign-in addresses. Anyone who wants to play fast and loose with the rules can do so with impunity.

    I think that hurts the quality of debate because it allow people to throw mud with impunity and avoid actually backing up their statements with reason and facts - I won't indulge in that kind of thing. As for your case, if you look back at the number of your posts that were redacted (in this thread alone) I think you'll understand why your previous incarnation was blocked and why, from my point of view, I can't take what you've been writing in a serious way.

    Furthermore, when you take the time to read the Royal Commission Report I've cited above, you'll find that the vast majority (more than 70 %) of Canadians think public financing for political parties is the RIGHT thing to do.

  • Phranks Nemesis

    20 weeks ago

    Doesn't cut it G

    I live in a riding where there is an NDP 'phantom candidate'. As well as 2 more adjacent ridings. Look no further than Quebec. These candidates sign up yet are never seen or heard from. They, like the ones in Quebec, exist so the party can say they ran in every riding and suck up undeserved money at the ballot box. This you call democracy. So do I, just don't expect to get paid for it. Pray tell, how do you reason away a phantom candidate paying the filing of the papers, spending $0 campaigning, get 9000 votes and having $20,000 of taxpayers money sent to the party? You say it's "voter suppression" I say it's voter exploitation.

    As for your second post you say "I think that hurts the quality of debate because it allow people to throw mud with impunity and avoid actually backing up their statements with reason and facts ... ". I thought you understood that when I write dubya dubya dubya I mean WWW..... the start of an internet adress, Seriously, you are to be mocked, not debated. I wrote a 2700 word original comment with references and cites. Your masterful response (in it's entirety) "Great cut 'n' paste! Got an original thought?". Absolutely brilliant! I'm just running out to get a copy of "Royal Commission on Electoral Reform and Party Financing" so we can have an equally as breathtaking and thought provoking exchange of ideas!!!

    As for mud-slinging, I've gone back and reread some of the comments... I've noticed that a great many are not redacted, they still remain with original name calling. But they're still there. In fact you can check for yourself above, 3 days ago. My comment on colloquialism was a play on the article author's name. Note, no commentor on this site. Your beloved Frank's response "Red cheeks... I guess it was just too much work for you. I see that a lot on the Right... Its ironic that Red in French is rouge which in english is what you get in football when a kick returner is tackled in the end zone." I'd write the other instances of other people treated the same way but you'd accuse me of plagiarism!!!!

    Again, my advice, stop playing the victim. If you're man enough to dish it out you better be man enough to take it.

  • G West

    20 weeks ago

    I'm not playing anynody's victim

    Look back at what I've written here. Nowhere did I say you cut and pasted anything.

    I haven't read virtually any of the words you've written above and, if you'll take the time to read the few things I did post about anything you said, you'll note it was simply to point out the factual errors in what you wrote under your other 'persona'.

    As for being able to dish it out, you seem to be able to use the search function here at Tyee so maybe have a look at how I 'play the victim'.

    As for me defending Frank, that comment is just another throw away remark - Frank can and does defend himself just fine.

    I don't believe you can honestly sustain the argument that what you've written on this subject is a serious attempt to debate the issues this article discusses.

    As for the redactions, there's nothing further needs to be said on that issue either.

    If you think you can defend Harper's record on 'electoral' and political financing reform I suggest you get busy and do it - so far you're batting 0.

    If you can defend the guy, you'd better start using your powder for something other than cheap pyrotechnics...as a chemist you ought to know better than that - fulminate of mercury will only get you so far.

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Phranks Nemesis

    Actually the opposition is not under any illusion about deciding government policy, but people voted for each of those MPs and those citizens do have a right to have their views aired even if the person they voted for is not a member of the government.

    Parliamentary government, even majorities, have to respect the elected members of the opposition or they're saying only citizens who vote for a government MP matter.

    A course in how our government works should be mandatory. Especially for elected officials. Then we'd avoid embarrassing situations like a PM calling a Coalition of opposition parties a "coup".

    As for the need for opposition parties to "reconnect", you're forgetting that just over 60% of the people already vote for opposition parties. Its our electoral system, not our citizens that has given the Cons a majority.

    On the subject of phantom candidates, every party has them. Unless you really believe Cons run serious candidates in every riding. They don't even run only serious candidates in ridings they always win as was publicised during the last election campaign.

    But what you're saying is that the people in that riding who vote for a party, even though the person running in that riding knows they can't win, should not have their vote subsidise that party. Why? How is that any different than someone in a riding donating to a political party and claiming a 75% tax reduction when the candidate they voted for lost? Your charge of "voter exploitation" is nonsensical.

  • igbymac

    20 weeks ago

    Here's another glaring deficit in understanding

    Phranks Nemesis states: The laws of the land apply equally to all, no exceptions.

    Typical of most gross misunderstandings, the holder of this remark is very cocksure of his opinion. Perhaps the author has never set foot in a courthouse, which may explain his/her romantic view. (echo beach)

    The truth, the hard cold reality is the opposite. Intellectual dishonesty, tactical subversion of evidence, and procedural preference to the state flourish in our courtrooms.

  • Fiat lux

    20 weeks ago

    The world has always been run

    The world has always been run by psychopaths, as shown especially in the 20th century, and now with the multinational corporate mafia destroying and enslaving everything and everybody, while calling themselves "conservatives".

    Harper's handlers put glasses on him to cover his eyes that scared people. An old trick. They did the same with Manning, changing his glasses to make him look intellectual.

    An interesting story on corporate psychopaths we can see in our lives in leading positions, every day, with people following and submitting to their demands, like sheep.

    Ed Deak.

    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/comment/brian-basham-beware-corporate-psychopaths--they-are-still-occupying-positions-of-power-6282502.html?printService=print

  • Phranks Nemesis

    20 weeks ago

    To G

    Firstly, I'd like to appologize. I was wrong. The words I attributed to you (you cut and pasted) were actually said by RickW. It's not right that I say you said something when you in fact didn't... I'm sorry for my mistake.

    That said, when you say "I haven't read virtually any of the words you've written" then that is what, as you say, "hurts the quality of debate". No debate exists where there is no listening. I thought that was obvious.

    When you say "As for being able to dish it out", you have said nothing about taking it. Rather leftist one sided in my opinion.

    Regarding your comment "As for me defending Frank", I never said that. I'm wondering if you are man enough to also appologise for an incorrect accusation? As you've noted I put words in your mouth that you didn't say. I've already lead by example... will you follow? I am curious to see :)

    You've mentioned "As for the redactions, there's nothing further needs to be said on that issue either." I assume that no further need be said because the leftists on this site are already treated 'more favourably' than others... why on earth would you want to be treated equally to others when you obviously enjoy favoured status?

    Additionally, there's no need to defend equal treatment for all. This is self explanatory.

    Finally, when you say "I don't believe you can honestly sustain..." that's your belief. Like religion it's your prerogative. No facts are (obviously) necessary!

  • Phranks Nemesis

    20 weeks ago

    Phunny Phrank

    When you say "the opposition is not under any illusion about deciding government policy" then why is it that when Opposition wishes aren't used it becomes a 'usurption of democracy'?

    And no, I'm not "forgetting that just over 60% of the people already vote for opposition parties." Just like the Trudeau, Chretien, Martin... etc governments. Or is this mathematical principle reserved only for Conservatives? Incidently, the last 2 governments with over 50% popular vote was Mulroney and Diefenbaker. No Liberals on the list.

    As for a 75% tax deduction or a 100% tax deduction I choose the 75%. I'd rather a 0% deduction because we are already in defecit... no need to dig a deeper grave. If none of your party can part with a $2.25 donation don't ask me to pay for you.

  • Phranks Nemesis

    20 weeks ago

    Iggy 2 are you for real???

    Iggy, please list for me a single law that only applies to certain people. Just one... to prove me wrong... just one.

  • Phranks Nemesis

    20 weeks ago

    To collaborator Ed

    [OFFENSIVE AND TROLLING COMMENT REMOVED. -MODERATOR.]

  • Fiat lux

    20 weeks ago

    In 1948 , 3 years after WW2,

    In 1948 , 3 years after WW2, the Brit. govt recruited thousands of young men with Soviet fighting experience.

    In my group of 6 of the other 5, 4 were ex SS ethnic Germans and 1 civilian, who was our cook.

    One of the ex SS was in the SS tank division that caught and destroyed the Arnhem landings. He was interrogated for days, trying to find out whether there was any sign of treason, then permitted to go to England. The last I saw him, he was Brit citizen, married to a London secretary and claimed he forgot his German.

    The Brits loved my experience in collaboration as they gave me citizenship and a new name for my services.

    And these are the last words I've wasted on you . Unless I may make a mistake, when you come back with yet another name, as you have done it before. I have no time to waste on commie lovers posing as "conservatives", as they're really the same fascists.

    Ed Deak.

  • G West

    20 weeks ago

    This, is what you wrote in a post directed to me...

    ...Again, my advice, stop playing the victim. If you're man enough to dish it out you better be man enough to take it....perhaps you forgot saying that as well.

    If you don't think that's far more inflammatory and 'personal' than anything I wrote (not once, for example even using either of your two aliases) then we don't have anything further to talk about on that score and I won't be taking any lessons from you.

    On the other hand, since you haven't actually written anything which, in my view, constructively defends your belief in Stephen Harper and his views about political financing without peppering your posts with ad hominem references to the beliefs and opinions of others - including the names they use here - I don't really expect much in the future.

    And finally, your highly offensive and
    personal remark above directed at Ed Deak is disgusting in the extreme and I hope the editors delete it forthwith.

    From someone who doesn't even have the courage to use his own name above his words your accusations are hollow, cowardly and, frankly, without any merit.

    In the end, I'll echo Ed's words - my time and efforts are wasted on you.

    Some people get off on the wrong foot here at Tyee and eventually get the point - others clearly don't belong. That has nothing whatever to do with political perspective and a lot to do with character, or lack of it.

    Bye.

  • RickW

    20 weeks ago

    Phranks Nemesis

    Quote:
    I'd rather a 0% deduction because we are already in defecit... no need to dig a deeper grave

    So that puts you in favour of rescinding the new corporate tax deductions. It is good of you to recognize at least one of Harper's follies.

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Nemesis, Uncle Frank and now Phrank's Nemesis

    Phrank : "then why is it that when Opposition wishes aren't used it becomes a 'usurption of democracy'?"

    Perhaps you could give me an example as I'm not sure where you're coming from on this point.

    Phrank : "Or is this mathematical principle reserved only for Conservatives?"

    You're inferring something I didn't write. You said the Libs, NDP and Greens had to "reconnect", remember? My point is, those parties don't need to, they still have pretty much the same support. The Libs have lost a bit of support to the Cons and a lot to the NDP and Greens but as a group not much has changed. Its just our first-past-the-post system that produces weird results sometimes. Like Alberta going almost entirely Conservative when in fact there's considerable support there for other parties.

    Phrank : "Incidently, the last 2 governments with over 50% popular vote was Mulroney and Diefenbaker. No Liberals on the list."

    Which means what? Just a fact to be taken as is? Fine, but its apropos nothing.

    Phrank : "If none of your party can part with a $2.25 donation don't ask me to pay for you."

    Which confirms my argument, you support a system where a party that advocates for the rich will command more resources politically than a party advocating for the poor. I think that's wrong, it institutionalizes an unlevel playing field and therefore perpetuates unfairness and inequality.

    I think if any subsidies exist in our system they should not reinforce inequality but serve to mitigate against same. The current system of a 75% deduction for those who can afford to donate makes the system worse.

    As for paying the $2.25, every adult in Canada pays for stuff they don't want, need or use. Whether its Harper's prisons which I will never be in, his jets which I don't want or the giveaway of our resources to foreign and domestic corporate interests, declaring a $2.25 political subsidy unaffordable is bizarre. Its a puddle compared to a lake of other subsidies and wasteful spending

  • Phranks Nemesis

    20 weeks ago

    To Ed

    Perhaps I would feel differently if my family hadn't been bombed by the Nazi's for 6 straight years. Perhaps I would feel different if our only allies weren't thousands of miles away. Perhaps I would feel different if my island didn't have to stand alone against the Nazi horde and it's despicable allies.

    I hope the money you made being a mercenary made you happy.

  • Phranks Nemesis

    20 weeks ago

    G

    I didn't think you would man up.

    If you want to defend Nazi partners so be it.

  • Phranks Nemesis

    20 weeks ago

    RickW

    [OFFENSIVE COMMENT DIRECTED AT ANOTHER COMMENTER REMOVED. -MODERATOR.]

  • Phranks Nemesis

    20 weeks ago

    Math for Phrank

    Phrank, the math shows that almost no parties have had 50% popular support since the 1950's. The ones that did were under Diefenbaker and Mulroney. Only when the Conservatives are in power do I hear the crying of "but they didn't get over 50%". I don't hear ANYTHING about Liberal (lack of) legitimacy when they recieve mandates below your sacred 50% threshold.

    Keep crying.

  • Phranks Nemesis

    20 weeks ago

    One Question Phrank

    [TROLL-ISH AND BAITING COMMENT REMOVED. -MODERATOR.]

  • igbymac

    20 weeks ago

    Phranks Nemesis

    Supporting Allies, good. Supporting Nazis, bad.

    OK, so which tag do you hang on the Americans?

    'Good' for dropping some nuclear bombs and putting an explanation mark on the end of the war already on its way?

    Or 'Bad' for funding the Nazis through Prescott Bush (Dubya's grandfather) and six other directors of the Union Bank, which was seized for trading with the enemy in 1942?

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Phrank

    Phrank : " the math shows that almost no parties have had 50% popular support since the 1950'"

    So? Again, that has nothing to do with the subject. I don't think you're comprehending what the discussion is about.

    You're the one that said the other parties have to "reconnect", remember? Combined they already have just over 60% support. Same as they did when the Libs were in power.

    Phrank : "I don't hear ANYTHING about Liberal (lack of) legitimacy when they recieve mandates below your sacred 50% threshold."

    You've created a strawman to argue with because you're not up to arguing with me. Please show me where I put out a "50% threshold" argument.

    Phrank : "in this light how do you justify glorifying a Nazi collaborator?"

    You obviously don't know what a collaborator is/was. Ed fought for his country, which was Hungary. Stephen Harper wants Canada to stay allied with Hungary, does that mean Stephen Harper wishes to be allied with what you call "Nazi collaborators"?

    I can only conclude you are drunk. Because you lack the basics of creating a logical argument and backing it up with facts. Instead you're flailing around posting stuff that makes no sense.

    No offence, just sayin

  • Phranks Nemesis

    20 weeks ago

    Keep defending Naziism Boys!!!

    [TROLL-ISH AND BAITING COMMENT REMOVED. -MODERATOR]

  • Fiat lux

    20 weeks ago

    This nutcase started off on

    This nutcase started off on this list by calling me a communist, and now, because I fought communism, I became a nazi.

    That's why the Churchill govt. gave me citizenship and became a Canadian citizen automatically a year after arrival.

    Ed Deak.

  • G West

    20 weeks ago

    Editors

    The above comment from poster Phranks Nemesis is in clear violation - and this is not the first time - of Tyee comment rules.

    If this site is to retain any credibility the comment should be removed forthwith and the poster, who has violated your rules several times on this thread, should be blocked.

  • Fiat lux

    20 weeks ago

    G.....This guy has used 3

    G.....This guy has used 3 different phony names on this single thread alone and God only knows how many before?

    As long as this phony name practice is allowed, and encouraged, these plants will come back time after time and will multiply to wreck the Tyee.

    Ed Deak.

  • Frank

    20 weeks ago

    Phrank's Nemesis

    Canada allied with West Germany in 1955. Only 10 years after the end of the war. There were millions of citizens in West Germany at that time that had fought in WW2 against the Allies or supported that war effort.

    Your new argument is a red herring to divert attention from the fact you've been unable to defend your position in the other discussions.

  • Fiat lux

    20 weeks ago

    Of course, if fighting

    Of course, if fighting against the Soviets, as a 17 year old schoolboy, makes me a nazi, it also makes Churchill, Roosevelt, King and millions of Allied soldiers who fought on the Soviet side, communists.

    I always thought there was something suspicious about them.

    Ed Deak.

  • Frank

    19 weeks ago

    Ed

    Its just a Godwin's law thing, when some people run out of arguments they start calling the other side nazis and/or communists.

  • igbymac

    19 weeks ago

    of course it is a BS rumour Phranks Nemesis

    Prescott Bush was completely innocent, of course, as he was only one of seven directors on a Bank shut down for Trading with the Enemy.

    I never said he was a Nazi or Nazi sympathizer. What I am saying is clear -- He was a capitalist and an opportunist. He was concerned with making profits over lives. That IS how ever major conflict in the last 100 years has been initiated, pursuit of profits for corporations directing nations into warfare.

    So while Prescott Bush may not have been sympathetic toward the Nazis, his actions were intentional and had foreseeable consequences. In short, the Bank's funding to seek profit was inevitably supporting the Nazis.

  • igbymac

    19 weeks ago

    Phranks Nemesis, some things are self-evident

    Phranks Nemesis: Iggy 2 are you for real???
    Iggy, please list for me a single law that only applies to certain people. Just one... to prove me wrong... just one.
    _________

    Proving you wrong is like proving to you the sky is blue. If you refuse to look at it, there is little I can do. But try considering these easy examples:

    Harper joining NATO forces in invading Libya in contravention of the international agreement under the international Kellogg-Briand Pact, and then is not being investigated and prosecuted for them domestically.

    No investigation into the torture allegations against troops in Afghanistan by Harper and the Canadian government, alleged by Canadian diplomat Richard Colvin.

    George W Bush and his leadership involving crimes against humanity, and then being allowed free access to Canada to give speeches, without being arrested as suggested by Amnesty International.

    Mulroney, as Prime Minister, in the dark recesses of a restaurant taking a brown paper bag full of money ($225k + in $1000 notes) and not declaring them as income for years, in the Airbus kickback fiasco; yet collecting a 2.3 million dollar judgment for sullying his good name, lying under oath as this brown bag evidence wasn't disclosed at the time.

    Chretien and other NATO leaders walking away from the war crimes indictment involving Kosovo conflict.

    The police in Quebec committing 400+ illegal break-ins and getting a mere slap on the wrist (discharged) committed on or about the October crisis. Also see Keable Inquiry.

    Are you telling us you do not believe that the laws on this nation, of the world, apply differently to different people? I truly believe your world view needs serious realignment if what you say is truly what you believe about the application of law.

  • Fiat lux

    19 weeks ago

    Dwight Eisenhower is

    Dwight Eisenhower is remembered as a great general who won the war and later as a great President

    He was also a dirty war criminal who starved about a million German and satellite POWs to death, after the war, locked up on open fields, without food, water, shelter, or medical attention, with drunk soldiers shooting into them at will.

    German and Japanese generals have been executed for lesser war crimes, and good riddance, but Ike remains a hero.

    I was lucky to have been in a hospital with an infected legwound.

    A few days ago I had a call from an old friend and room mate, who was one of thousands of Hungarian kids locked up in a dead end valley in the US zone of Austria.'

    They dubbed it the Valley of Death as they were dying like flies from starvation and exposure, without any help, or supplies from the US Army.

    He later was taken to the US by a Church organization, called up and served in the Army, now a member of the American Legion and a semi retired Protestant minister.

    The morale of the story is that you have to win some war and then you can commit any crime and write your own beautiful history

    Ed Deak

    http://www.rense.com/general46/germ.htm
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Other_Losses

    Many more on this on google, just type in "1 million German POWs killed after the war"

  • RickW

    19 weeks ago

    Phranks Nemesis

    So that puts you in favour of rescinding the new corporate tax deductions. It is good of you to recognize at least one of Harper's follies.

  • RickW

    19 weeks ago

    If not Bush....

    ...then how about Koch?
    http://exiledonline.com/a-peoples-history-of-koch-industries-how-stalin-funded-the-tea-party-movement/

  • Phranks Nemesis

    19 weeks ago

    Congratulations!!!

    Congratulations Right Honourable Prime Minister Steven Harper on being the first Canadian awarded the Presidential Gold Medallion for Humanitarianism by B'nai B'rith AND being made honorary Chief of the Blood Tribe in Alberta for officially starting the healing and rebuilding of relations between the federal and native councils.

    Congratulations Prime Minister Harper!!!! All of Canada is proud of you!!!!!

  • Phranks Nemesis

    19 weeks ago

    More Democracy in Action!!!

    "The Green Party of BC will not be running candidates in the by-elections to be called in 2012. Because this decision seems to be of interest to some in the media, I thought an explanation might be in order.

    There are all kinds of reasons we might not want to participate in by-elections. As a party that believes in evidence based decision-making, we now have data based on the four by-elections in which we have participated: the 2011 by-election in Vancouver Point Grey (3.42%); the 2008 by-elections in Vancouver Burrard (5.37%) and Vancouver Fairview (7.35%); and the 2004 by-election in Surrey Panorama (8.37%). With the exception of Surrey Panorama, the percentage of support for Green Party candidates in the by-elections is substantially lower than we receive in those same ridings in provincial elections. On evidence, therefore, that might be reason enough to take a pass on future by-elections unless there is compelling counter evidence that the outcome could be different.

    The most compelling reason for not participating, however, relates to the fact that... if a party participates in a by-election and it has received $10,000 in income by the by-election date, the party must submit audited financial statements to Elections BC within 90 days of the election date... The Green Party of BC believes the audit requirement and the expense and staff time consumed is punitive" dubya dubya dubya .greenparty.bc.ca/blog/elections

    Drat those financial accountability regulations!!!!

    Hey, is the Green Party's constitution STILL suspended so that Lizzie Mae doesn't have to undergo a leadership revue???

    George Laraque (On February 13, 2010, Laraque officially joined the Green Party. On July 31, 2010, Laraque was officially named to the party's Male Deputy Leader position.) wants to know!!!

  • Frank

    19 weeks ago

    Evade evade evade

    Next we'll be hearing about Kazakhstan's inflation rate and why its Stephane Dion's fault.

    Or how the number of hours of rain in Ghana is the fault of Jack Layton's bigger Quebec caucus.

    I can hardly wait.

  • Bobbob

    19 weeks ago

    Thank you Steven Harper

    Regarding the Northern Gateway Pipeline approval process: “We have to have processes in Canada that come to a decision in a reasonable amount of time and processes that cannot be hijacked,” [PM Stephen Harper] said on Friday.

    “In particular, growing concern has been expressed to me about the use of foreign money to really overload the public consultation phase of regulatory hearings just for the purpose of slowing down the process. This is something that is not good for the Canadian economy, and the government of Canada will be taking a close look at how we can ensure that our regulatory processes are effective and deliver decisions in a reasonable amount of time.”

    Steven Harper... protecting Canada from foreign intervention!!!

  • Bobbob

    19 weeks ago

    Union Site?

    Hard to believe this site is 2/3's owned by a Union. Love the commentary!

  • carfreecity

    19 weeks ago

    nathan cullen

    this idea was proposed by several of US left wing fanaticos prior to the last election
    run our own pre election election in our neighborhoods/constituencies

  • Bobbob

    19 weeks ago

    Harper the Dictator!

    See how Harper is trying to turn Canada into a dictatorship "In last year’s election platform, Harper’s Tories declared they were committed “to a universal public health-care system and the Canada Health Act, and the right of provinces to deliver health care within their jurisdictions... “In the spirit of open federalism, when renewing the Health Accord we will respect the fact that health care is an area of provincial jurisdiction and respect limits on the federal spending power.”

    "(former Saskatchewan premier Roy) Romanow said he is worried the Harper government has adopted a deliberate strategy to leave health care to the provinces — possibly to foster the development of more private, for-profit medical companies." http://www.canada.com/business/Harper+hands+stance+threat+health+care+system+unity+Romanow/5964409/story.html

    What a vicious man.

  • Bobbob

    19 weeks ago

    Floor Crossing MP's?

    How will Cullen's call for the NDP and Liberals to get into bed together when the Dips go apoplectic when their Quebec MP's start jumping ship to the Liberals? "While the federal Liberals cheer MP Lise St-Denis' decision to trade her NDP membership for a seat in the Grit caucus, New Democrats counter that the move represents a "blatant lack of respect for democracy." Wait.... isn't that what they say about Harper?

    "Her motivation, St-Denis explained, is rooted in a view of Canada's political future she now realizes is shared with the Liberals... On hand for the press conference, interim Liberal Leader Bob Rae was quick to welcome the newest member of his federal caucus."

    In response NDP Quebec Caucus Chair Guy Caron said "... we challenge them to run Madam St-Denis in a byelection," which was promptly ignored by everyone.