Topic
Will he disavow the Chretien-Martin era that betrayed his father's vision?
Justin Trudeau: Expect a short honeymoon.
You would think that federal Liberals would by now have immunized themselves against the affliction that almost did them in: delusional giddiness at the prospect of a political saviour. It is embarrassing watching Liberals talk about Trudeau 2.0 -- as if outpunching a Conservative in the boxing ring somehow qualifies for him taking on Stephen Harper's right wing political machine. Hope springs eternal, yes, but even that aphorism has limits.
Any euphoria accompanying Trudeau's leadership bid is rooted in a convenient amnesia about just what the Liberal party is and what it has stood for over the past 18 years under Jean Chretien and Paul Martin. While Justin might make people feel good, his party effectively paved the way for what Stephen Harper is now doing to the country by establishing the new political paradigm by which big business runs the country.
To be sure, Harper, with his unvarnished libertarianism is unique in Canadian political history in the degree to which he wants to dismantle the activist state and democratic governance. But the Liberals are so complicit in this grand project the notion that we should turn to them for salvation is laughable. It was Paul Martin who, more than any other finance minister including Flaherty, gutted the federal state and boasted that he had taken federal spending (as a percentage of GDP) back to levels not seen since 1950.
Paul Martin's legacy consists of two principal items: slashing 40 per cent of the federal contribution to social programs while ending the universality principle and then implementing a five year, $100-billion tax cut for corporations and the wealthy that ensured those cuts would never be reversed.
Where was Justin then? Did he write an op-ed denouncing this vicious attack on what previous Liberal and NDP parties had created? Did he call up Paul Martin and ask him what the hell he thought he was doing? If he did, now would be a good time to tell us about it.
Trudeau could get a lot of mileage from criticizing what his party has done to the country and pledging to reverse its course to re-establish the principles of governance that his father actually believed in. That, of course, is the real litmus test of any new aspiring leader, especially someone young like Trudeau promising renewal. Is he willing to sacrifice a bit of the loyalty that is expected of him to be truthful to voters? The answer: only if he really believes that mistakes were made.
Vague on six key issues
There is no indication that Trudeau thinks any mistakes were made. He is, in his attitudes, ideology and patrician background, a full patch member of the Liberal gang. The only thing likely to be renewed is classic Liberal opportunism: run from the left and hope to govern from the right. The 1993 Red Book of Liberal promises turned out to be a book of lies. Trudeau will have to work hard to convince people he won't play the same game.
Trudeau's opening leadership speech was very short on any policy details but there are a number of key issues that we should keep an eye on as his campaign evolves. These issues -- though not an exclusive list -- will determine where on the political spectrum he wants to establish his "renewed" party. In short, what he will do to take back the middle from the NDP? What will distinguish him from conventional Liberal hackery?
Key issue number one would be his attitude towards some kind of formal or informal arrangement with the NDP to rid the country of Stephen Harper. This is the one issue he decisively answered in launching his bid: there will be no "formal co-operation," period.
Key issue number two is the Enbridge pipeline. If Trudeau wants to recapture the seats his party lost to the NDP in B.C. this issue will be critical and here, too, he hinted at his position, though it is contradictory. He told a media scrum in Richmond that Enbridge would have to come up with a better plan if it wanted to go ahead. But he criticized the NDP's economic policies for "attacking success" -- that is, the tar sands. He has also said that he wants to start his rebuilding in Alberta. He can either do that or reclaim lost B.C. seats, but he can't do both.
Key issue number three is taxes and the revenue needed to actually run a country and pay for the social programs Canadians in overwhelming numbers say they want. Here, too, Trudeau could catch the NDP flat-footed and pledge to add a couple of tax brackets for the stinking rich and the not-quite-so-stinky, and add back a couple of the seven percentage points lopped off the corporate rate by Harper. If you think that's likely you may have forgotten who runs the Liberal party.
Key issue number four is climate change, Kyoto and some kind of carbon tax or cap and trade plan. This is, of course, especially important for the young people Trudeau hopes to attract to the party (he apparently has 153,000 Twitter followers). If does not have a clear policy on this issue which more than any other energizes young people, he hasn't a chance of engaging them.
Key issue number five is the question of industrial policy. Unfettered laissez fair economics has been a disaster for Ontario and Quebec, producing the famous Dutch disease issue that the NDP has used effectively. If Trudeau cozies up to the Alberta oil industry and lets Ontario and Quebec manufacturing swing in the wind, he can kiss any hope of being prime minister goodbye. A new industrial policy? Not if the financial sector has anything to say about it.
And speaking of the financial sector, what will the hip Mr. Trudeau do when the housing bubble truly bursts and tens of thousands of people face foreclosure? Does he have a plan? Will he -- and this would make him unique in the country's history –-- actually confront the banks and make them pay for their grossly irresponsible lending practices (including thousands of liars' loans)? Again, we would have to imagine a man totally inexperienced in the exercise of real power confronting the people who have dominated his party, and the country, for decades.
Lastly, will Trudeau pledge to reverse the most egregious actions by the Harper government regarding a whole raft of executive outrages -- cuts to the CBC, the environment department, public science and more? That alone would be a winner, taking the sting of voters' despair out of future Harper outrages.
Who really runs the Grits?
The Liberals could actually outflank the NDP on the centre-left on several of these policy areas but the centre in the Liberal party has moved to the right even since the days of Chretien. Many of the 25 per cent of people who identify as Liberal supporters have long ago decided they can never vote for the NDP. How many of these voters is Trudeau willing to alienate in order to scoop up recent NDP converts?
Then there is the question of the state of the party after Martin's extremely destructive leadership campaign. Martin's vicious campaign left the party traumatized, weak and deeply divided. Whoever takes the reins had better have a very clear idea of what they want or -- like Michael Ignatieff -- they will be pulled back and forth by different factions in the party and present an easy target for Harper's well-honed machine.
That doesn't bode well for Trudeau who, with four years experience in the House, has shown little initiative in terms of where he wants the party or the country to go. It's not just the public Trudeau has to impress. It's the power brokers in his party who will quickly fill policy and strategic gaps created by any weakness or uncertainty in their leader.
It's not a question of whether or not Justin Trudeau is just a pretty boy. He won't be. He'll be a pretty boy whose policy prescriptions and political persona will be judged carefully by those who agonize over Stephen Harper's death grip on the country. If he wins, and he likely will, it will be a short honeymoon. ![[Tyee]](http://thetyee.cachefly.net/ui/img/ico_fishie.png){kind=small}
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Dungeness_Crab
32 weeks ago
Damn straight.
"Paul Martin's legacy consists of two principal items: slashing 40 per cent of the federal contribution to social programs while ending the universality principle and then implementing a five year, $100-billion tax cut for corporations and the wealthy that ensured those cuts would never be reversed.
Where was Justin then? "
Right-effin-on, Mr Dobbin.
Where the hell was this pantywaist when Martin and Chretien cut the guts out of this country's social contract?
I want to know why he aspires to lead when he had ample opportunites to do so in the past, and FAILED.
Fiat lux
32 weeks ago
Chretien was elected on his
Chretien was elected on his promise to re-negotiate Mulroney`s criminal NAFTA treaty, then signed it without public input, or debate, and threatened his own Minister with firing for questioning the dictatorial Chapter 11, overruling democracy.
But there`s no point in and it is a waste of time to blame the politicians as long as the
also criminal theory of neoclassical market economics and deregulated money creation from the air is being taught in our universities as a "science"
The crimes, wars and mass murders in history have always been licenced by priesthoods as the "Will of the gods", as they're now licenced by the priesthood of the Money God, advising and urging politicians with their
criminal advices toward more destruction, by calling it "growth" and GDP.
Ed Deak.
hollinm
32 weeks ago
I agree with the analysis
of Trudeau and what he may or may not do. However, the comments about Harper are misguided. I would remind the author that almost 40% of the voting public voted Conservative. Yes Harper is demantling the Liberal state and there are many of us who agree that this needs to happen for Canada to prosper and succeed in the future.
Skywalker
32 weeks ago
Murray.
Great article and right on. Love the line "classic Liberal opportunism: run from the left and hope to govern from the right. That is sooo true.
garryw
32 weeks ago
corporate managers
I am encouraged that this twinkie is entering the political arena. It would be nice if a second party was vying for the priviledge of managing our country for the 1%. Trudeau gives the NDP a divided opposition in the next election. Isnt it great to be in a country that actually fields a viable opposition.
trueman
32 weeks ago
delusional giddiness
Your article captures the essence of the Trudeau leadership announcement in the first sentence...
"You would think that federal Liberals would by now have immunized themselves against the affliction that almost did them in: delusional giddiness at the prospect of a political saviour."
Political parties of all stripes suffer from the same saviour complex quest. Whatever skills and qualities Justin Trudeau brings to his search for the liberal party brass ring, or perhaps it may continue to prove to be alead ring, he will need to be tested in a real race. That is looking grim.
Sask Resident
32 weeks ago
The Liberals have always been run by Corp Brdroom
Many of us think that Trudeau 1 destroyed more of what Canada was than the next 4 PMs. Sure, he provided lots of goodies to baby boomers by promising their children would pay for them, but he still governed for the corporations in southern Ontario and southern Quebec, plus a few in Winnipeg and Vancouver. Before Chretien changed the rules, most of the donations to the Liberal party of Canada came from corporations (think Demarais, Bombardier, Tompson, Weston, Brofman, Irving, Louie, Bentall, Richardson) now some CEOs suggest that their executives donate to political parties (TD bank) with a hint that the party should be the Liberals. Trudeau laughed at Standfield's ideas on wage and price controls, then introduced wage controls. As for house foreclosures, few seem to remember the thousands of families who lost homes in Alberta, Sask and northern BC after Trudeau introduced the National Energy Plan.
webster4
32 weeks ago
writers that are biased...
Writers that are so completely biased are a drag. There's a lousy picture of Justin Trudeau and accompanying the article and it seems another NDPer finds Justin Trudeau threatening. I'm a member of the NDP myself and find this sort of attack harmful.
If we are to send the Conservatives running we have to focus on doing just that. Expecting that Justin Trudeau is responsible for the complete history of the Liberals in ridiculous and I think we will see an effort made to make a fresh start. I wish him well and like the fact that he's a younger person participating in our democracy, just as all the young faces of the NDP since the last election have been about the only good thing that happened as Harper attained his majority government.
Dahlia
32 weeks ago
Trudeau 2 not like number 1
It's a mistake to vote for the son just because one liked his father.
These two may have the same name, but not the same character. I doubt that Justin would do what Pierre did in 1970 against the FLQ - remember his "Just watch me"? To put not fine point on it, The Elder could be one tough SOB. That with his patriotism and awareness of the world reality made him a formidable opponent.
I may not be just to Justin, but he does not strike me like a chip off the old block.
He may, however, give Harper another majority, by splitting the opposition vote. That would be the end of Canada.
Heeding Tommy Douglas' Mouselend, I'll be voting for the mouse.
editingfool
32 weeks ago
it is probably not wise
it is probably not wise to underestimate any candidate that comes to the party with a name like, 'trudeau,' attached, but.... as 'green,' as this trudeau claims to be and no matter how much he may claim disagree with his father's national energy programme, he is still not saying that he is against the northern gateway pipeline project. he will undoubtedly energize the liberals but i think there is a bit too much maggie and not enough pierre in this pampered featherweight.
Talon
32 weeks ago
Thank you Murray
Awesome article with all the right notes hit. I am in total agreement that the difference between the Liberals and the Conservatives is how you spell their names. Like Fiat Lux reminds us over and over (thank you)until the concepts governing banking, the active participation of the country in its democracy which is so sorely lacking under PM Harper, and our active conversation in the media about climate change begins in ernest we will continue to dance to the music of whomever offers us the most money and pipe dreams. Would I vote for Justin? Not this year, or next, but maybe in 15 years.
Cynic
32 weeks ago
Of course,the financial
Of course,the financial sector will continue to rule. PET in 1967 "allowed" the 6% ceiling on interest rates to be removed and the only restriction could now be found in the criminal code: 60%. Combined with a gradual reduction in the percentage of government debt held by the Bank of Canada, this was the beginning of the end of the prosperity of the post-war period. The debt mushroomed, illegitimately in the view of those of us who care about this criminal scam, to feed the bankster greed. Not to mention the amendments to the Bank act under Brian "on the take" Mulroney's watch.
Witness the results. This fraudulent debt is the prime excuse for not providing the prosperity that all of us want and deserve. Does Justin Trudeau have a clue? I doubt it.
igbymac
32 weeks ago
Dahlia
Trudeau 1 was misguided, too. He did everything he could to keep the patriotic fervor alive from coast to coast. And patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels.
Trudeau 2 will bring nothing new to the table except a prettier face to look at. Thee is no turning back without an intellectual paradigm shift in the electorate as to what governance is all about. Until then we will see a further move right until enough of us are living in squalor that we have no choice but to revolt or be plowed under. I figure the latter is more likely.
Anyone thinking change is on its way is a complete fool or a scoundrel.
Weare collectively too ignorant and brainwashed to even contemplate crawling out of the Cave.
RickOshea
32 weeks ago
Light Weight
I always thought young Justin was a light weight when it came to politics - no sign of his father's intellect, courage, or vision. Just another neo-liberal sycophant willing ready and able to kiss corporate a$$.
As far as begin 'green' - given his endorsements to the tar sands - no amount of green washing will ever get that stain off him as far as I am concerned.
As MD illustrates, the Conservatives and the Liberals became one and the same on all the issues that seriously matter. If you want a change or even a shot at change, you have to vote NDP.
anne cameron
32 weeks ago
my recurrent nightmare
is that we'll head off to some future polls with the choice of either Justin for PM or the other pup, Ben Mulroney.
After all, we've had elections where the choice was between a member of the board of directors of a major bank and a member of the board of directors of a different major bank.
I agree there's too much Maggy and not enough PET in this twerp. I don't think he could lead a safari to the crapper in the middle of an Asian 'flu epidemic.
He loves to be center stage but once he gets there he doesn't seem to even have the ability to tap dance, let alone perform admirably. He's so far managed to try to promise all things to all people and managed to actually promise nothing to anybody.
Ed Deak, thank you. You are welcome at my table any time.
But I wouldn't walk across the street to hand Justin Trudeau a bucket of dog poop.
cyberclark
32 weeks ago
The "Legacy" is more of a Scitzo drama than a politic.
Paul Martin started the slide into the Conservative camp. Perhaps he thought being like them would improve his chances.
He endorsed Harper's move to support the private health care options.
He endorsed Harper's view to allow the export of bulk water from Canada! A long time holy grail of the Conservatives. Harper was allowed to move the responsibility for exporting to the provinces on everything except navigable water which remains Federal.
This said moves are afoot to change the status of the Great Peace River from that of Navigable to Non-Navigable waterway. Opening the door at that point for massive exports to the US of the river.
I don't know if Justin Trudeau can over come these serious short falls. His Dad isn't his problem, Paul Martin is.
Gary Warburton
32 weeks ago
Classic Liberal Opportunism
This is one of the best of Murray Dobbin`s articles, although I haven`t read them all. This is what Liberals are all about, Opportunism. Playing to both sides. As far as oil is concerned is he aware that oil is on the way out? Check out www.testlamotors.com they are getting 300 miles between charges. I`m sorry but nice hair won`t cut it Mr. Trudeau. His dad at least had something in mind when he took office. Bringing home the constitution and the charter of rights both worthy objectives. Now the NDP under Tom Mulcair has its work to do. Thomas has already stated that he wants to give us proportional representation but he has to do it right; not the single transferable vote as was proposed by here in B.C. but by having super ridings which incorporate three ridings. Where one could take votes from one riding and add them to the riding that is closest to the winner in that riding and equal their votes to produce another MP in that riding. Then taking leftover votes to next super riding until the entire province is covered is the way to go and would solve the problem in Saskatchewan where 30% of the voters (NDP`ers) don`t get to vote. Thomas has already said he wants to get rid of the unequal senate which costs us millions and is simply a means for governments to stack it with their people and offer them cushy jobs. There are others things that need to be done like rescinding Liberal and Conservative tax cuts with the stipulation to companies that they don`t get to sell in Canada if they pull out. Free trade never has been Free for Canada. Now we come to the most important thing that the NDP has neglected. They have to stop letting the Conservatives and Liberals take ownership of the falsehood that they know what is best for the economy. Do what I do. Don`t spend what you don`t have. Buy only what you can pay off in months. ---To make a robust economy you have to spur on innovation. The Conservatives believe that by giving handouts to corporation to innovate that they can spur on innovation but what it really is is more corporate welfare. Canada does little innovation. By asking individuals for new ideas or innovations on something then giving the people with the best ideas, maybe several different people with different ideas, limited funds to develop their ideas to a certain points you would be encouraging Canadians to innovate. You could have several points where new grants are given and in that way weed out the weaker ideas. The NDP needs to be more proactive.
Gary Warburton
32 weeks ago
A Mistake
The email address should have been:
http://www.teslamotors.com/en_CA/
happy (not verified)
32 weeks ago
Tesla. Sure
65,000 for the base model before taxes and all the other extra charges. Shall we say 80K to drive it off the lot. I could be low.
And you say things should be paid off within months to boot. You are one wealthy dude.
What happens when the battery pack wears out? I see it's warranted for only eight years.
Dan the socialist
32 weeks ago
I predict sadly the people
I predict sadly the people will buy into his celeb status, the libs and NDP will split the vote and the cons will win another term whether it is Harper or someone else and the NDP will be regulated to third party status again if the BQ does not come back otherwise NDP will be a 4th party.
Most people outside of posters at the Tyee fail to realize is most Canadians have no clue on the issues (yet can know who is who on jersey shore or on the hockey team roster), have no attention span and can't remember anything more than a 10 second quip, actually believe the federal libs are left wing..
Plus they believe everything the lame stream media has to say.
Nothing will ever change in this country. Going from Con to Lib then con then lib is not change. we will never get pro rep as it would hurt Libs and Cons the most, we will never get rid of the Senate. Not in my lifetime anyway and I am only 45.
The only way things will change is by force like a revolution but most Canadians are too busy getting diabetes from eating junk and unhealthy food while watching reality tv on their big screen with their gas guzzler in the driveway..Just look at their kids, lazy, always on the computer or video games, never walk to school, overweight...not much of a future really...
Fiat lux
32 weeks ago
The historical fact of
The historical fact of revolutions is that they usually put worse dictators into power than what they replace.
The NDP never had anybody with the communications skills and courage to explain to people what really is going on and what has to be done. All the leaderships can talk about are band aids over compound fractures, without daring to address the real problems. Like talking about "competitiveness" when that's one of the excuses for the biggest crimes against humanity.
By the way, I've been an NDP member for many years, still waiting for a miracle .
Ed Deak.
Sine Nomine
32 weeks ago
Slow down
This article was nothing but nastiness.
Let's not forget that the Liberal Party was crushed in the last election. We should also not forget that Justin is still a boy in any political arena and that he lives there under a great big shadow.
I think what he is doing is pretty magnanimous and shows a lot of character in and of itself. He first has to win the confidence of the membership before you earn the right to rip him apart and put the world on his shoulders at the same time.
Grow up Murray. I find myself wondering how a relative nobody like yourself would hold up under the kind of scrutiny this young man has had to endure. Your character assassination could be applied to just about any political leader in the western world today; political ideology doesn't really apply any more in the face of the pragmatic realities that currently confront us.
Fiat lux
32 weeks ago
If we want to look for
If we want to look for shallowness and ignorance, we don't have to go further than the PM's office.
Ed Deak.
Frank
32 weeks ago
Justin walking a fine line
Trudeau has obviously been well briefed. He's trying to find a happy medium between the NDP and the Conservatives. So he's going to try and act "green" and pretend he's got a social conscience, while at he same time supporting big business and the tar sands.
Given the fact its 3 years till the next election I don't think he has a chance of not being exposed and losing the support of one side or the other. You can't keep Alberta oil, BC environmentalists, eastern Canadian manufacturing, the Council of CEOs, social justice advocates etc, all in the same tent.
Iggy had great polling numbers too right off the bat, that means nothing. Eventually you have to do what most Liberals are loathe to do, you have to take a side.
freebear
32 weeks ago
Snore!
So now the federal Libs have to figure out how to pull the wool over voter eyes!
Plenty of advisors lining up for that I am sure!
Skywalker
32 weeks ago
Sine Nomine
Truth is always nasty when you try to avoid it. The liberals have a history. Justin carries that baggage. His lack of experience is also not in dispute as it has shown itself at times.
As for Murray being a relative nobody...and this from an anonymous poster.
bun
32 weeks ago
where was Justin ? uh, he was in his twenties
Really ? Where was Justin when Chretien and Martin were doing their thing in the early 90s ? He was, uh, around 25 years old.
Either in school or perhaps already teaching high school in Vancouver. More than a decade away from his entering politics, and you expect him to have said something at the time ?
Seriously, Dungeness and Murray, give your heads a shake.
bun
32 weeks ago
harper
And let's remind hollinm that the big majority of the population (>60%) have never voted for Harper, and do not agree whatsoever with what he is doing. And let's also remind hollinm that Canada has been doing far far worse ever since Mulroney, Martin and Harper started dismantling the liberal state that the vast majority of Canadians have consistently stated that they want.
Skywalker
32 weeks ago
But bun...
...he could have said something while in office. Anytime a political commentator pokes a few holes in the balloon floated by a politician it is a good thing. Murray rocks!
mission impossible
32 weeks ago
As a NDP supporter
I wish him all the best, there was a dozen riding in Ontario in the last Federal election that Conservatives won by a whisker over Federal Liberals..
With even a slightly more popular leader for the Grits we wouldn`t have a Harper majority..
As for Enbridge, Trudeau denounced a pipeline THERE, in the pristine north..
Let`s be clear, there will be pipelines built no matter who is Government, let`s figure out where and how to do the least damage.
Let`s start with a pipeline east and fill that oil void, we, as a country import 877,000 barrels per day from over-seas, Saudi Arabia and the like..
Fill the void and those tankers stop plying the ocean..
As I said, I`m a NDPer...But I like Justin, especially after his punched out the Conservative`s lights(for charity)
http://powellriverpersuader.blogspot.ca/2012/10/justin-thunderbolt-trudeau.html
Chris_
32 weeks ago
Excellent analysis Murray, I couldn't agree more . . .
Excellent analysis Murray, I couldn't agree more.
I predict that Justin is nothing more then a opportunist without any vision or fire in his belly for Canada. I will not support the Liberals not matter what Justin claims. Many Liberals, including Justin, sat by and said nothing while the Chretien Liberals furthered the Reagan/Thatcher/Mulroney economic policies for ONLY the 1%.
What's more, even if Justin was to acknowledge the truth about the damage done by the Chretien Liberals, he would still have to fight all the ones in the party that want to continue representing only the wealthy and their foreign friends.
There already is a national political party in Canada that for the most part is ALL on the same page and ready to govern for the common good. It is the NDP's turn and it has been for the past 2 decades.
2010 Surrey
32 weeks ago
PET was no patriot Dahlia
It galls me to have history revised like this. As a boomer while my Dad was overseas fighting in the second World War PET was finding himself on a globetrotting mission in India. He was exactly the same age as my Dad and should have been fighting alongside of him. He never even stayed in Canada during the war I assume in case we were invaded. He will always be a dilettante in my eyes and had no business leading a country that he could not committing to.
Gary Warburton
32 weeks ago
To happy
Did I mention that there are a lot of things that I just don`t buy or that I put money aside for; until the day I can afford them. There is no reason Government couldn`t do the same. A lot of people think you have to have something right now and go into debt for it. I`m not one of those; are you?
Tesla is new startup business other than a Roadster this is all they`ve made so far like any business, prices are more at first but prices will come down as mass production proceeds. But Tesla has plan`s for even cheaper cars but no startup can do can do everything at once. However other companies are not going to leave it up to Tesla. Already Toyota and Daimler in Germany have made deals with Testla to use their technology in their own versions of the electric car. Eventually, there won`t be any gasoline cars on the market and nobody will miss them.
NotaColony.ca
32 weeks ago
Little Boy Fonteroy
Justin Trudeau: All name, no game.
lynn
32 weeks ago
Never voted Liberal in my life
And likely never will
But I still think Justin should be given a chance to prove himself.
I like that he had the honesty to use unparliamentary language in giving his forthright opinion of Peter Kent's unparliamentary response to Megan Leslie in our 'new' UnParliament.
Bravo to Pat Martin and Brigitte Depape in this regard as well.
Stop Harper. End Canada's UnParliament.
Boreal
32 weeks ago
Justin: the hair apparent
That is all.
wlp1
32 weeks ago
The Middle?
"In short, what he will do to take back the middle from the NDP?"
In what alternate universe does the author live to assume that the NDP occupies even a sliver of the 'middle'? The 'middle' of the Left? The 'middle' in Quebec?
Thanks, I got a chuckle out of this piece.
Frank
31 weeks ago
wlp1
Depends what you call the "middle".
What defines right-wing? How big a percentage of the population does that include?
What defines left-wing, and how big a percentage of the population does that include?
And of course what defines "middle", and how big a percentage of the population does that include?
Without knowing the answers to those questions its pretty difficult to tell Murray he's wrong. Because otherwise Murray can make up his own definitions and they will be just as definitive as anyone else's.
aDriftwood
31 weeks ago
ONE anda TWO anda
But there is no three. There are two professional political parties who are needless to say in it for their own good. When these more or less rich people give me the right to vote on every important issue which comes up, I will vote for them. But they never will because I don't pay their bills. Corporations pay for profits and you and I are just collateral damage. Feed them all to the f*cking polar bears.
Marysue52
31 weeks ago
Hollinem statement on his agreeing with Harper
"almost 40% of the voting public voted Conservative...Harper is demantling the Liberal state and there are many of us who agree that this needs to happen for Canada to prosper and succeed in the future..."
Succeed as what? The New Feudalism? The new Nazi-Fascist State? It's all foreign corporate rule against the wishes of 62% of Canadians who had the brains to vote against Harper and the Koch Bros., Manulife, etc.
Justin Trudeau is an elitist, judging by his statment regarding successful people. He seems to think success equates with money. Uh...and the rest of us who work hard, but don't get to hoard millions are slack and lazy? If money were the measure of how hard someone worked, then paramedics in Vancouver and Kamloops would be millionaires and Conrad Black would be sharing a bedbug-ridden bunk with Harper and Campbell in the Sally Ann.