A fact that should frighten us all: the Prime Minister’s cat positives/negatives and Ignatieff’s cat positives/negatives will actually swing a few votes.
The purpose of the cat photo-op for the Prime Minister is to show the “softer side of Steve” according to those that run focus groups. The sweater during the last campaign had the same objective. For years, the Liberals have tried to craft an image of the Prime Minister of a scary, mean and cold man. Kittens and sweaters? All that’s missing is the trolly to the land of Make-Believe, neighbour. Prime Ministerial image crafting aside, to most voters the PM has instead turned out to be calm, predictable and maybe even a little boring. But, against the crafted image of the fearsome ogre by his opponents, the realities both crafted and actual serve him well.
Here, Michael Ignatieff — in sweater — stares down his cat. Ignatieff’s perceived negatives — that he’s arrogant, aloof, crafty and out-of-touch — are not diminished by the cat photo-op. Stephane Dion named his dog Kyoto to emphasize a clear policy initiative of his leadership. Mr. Ignatieff has not carved out any bold policy direction on much of anything and naming the cat Nuance may be a move that only Ignatieff and the cat understand.
Stephen Taylor is a scientist, political analyst and a blogger. Taylor writes here regularly and is the founder of bloggingtories.ca. Taylor has contributed to Macleans, CTV, talk radio and has been a featured speaker on new media at numerous events including the Western Standard Cruise and the Forum for Public Policy. In December 2008, Taylor organized Rally for Canada, a series of rallies held coast-to-coast to protest the proposed coalition government.
April 29th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Is this a serious post or are you just having some fun?
April 29th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Not even a red sweater can help I'm afraid. I wonder how Iggy is with babies and small children, because Harper's terrific with them and we've got the snaps to prove it.
April 29th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Steven Harper looks very comfortable with his cat and the cat looks like “Oh yeah, we read togther all the time”. However Michael Ignatieff looks like he's terrified of the cat and I am sure the cat is saying “What the Hell are you” so I'm afraid when it comes to the two men and their cats, Steven Harper gets my vote.
April 29th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
fun. I just wanted a reason to post this goofy picture of Ignatieff and his cat.
April 29th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
A better name would be “Bloodless Coup” or “Count Chocula”
April 29th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Iggy eats babies for breakfast and small children for suppoer… but only for the alliteration of it. And he takes off his sweater while doing so.
April 29th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Gee, he's really done it now, he's wearing a sweater! So is the missus, really casual and pedigreed kitty makes three all soft and cuddly.
Talk about a photo-op of hypocrisy. Our PM wears a sweater and the Liberals go off their sticks in disdain.
Dion named his dog after something he was sold by Chretien, Kyoto. Ignatieff named his cat after himself, “MIMI”, his initials times two. What's that tell ya?
April 29th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Harper, having never been seen in public without a suit jacket, launches his re-election campaign with a series of fireside chats wearing, for the first time in public, an ugly blue sweater, wears make-up and talks about his kids. The media campaign had no substance it was all about image, so people talk about his attempt at a new image.
Iggy has been photographed looking goofy in his home during an interview wearing an ugly red sweater.
Are you honestly and seriously trying to pretend there is no difference in these two scenarios Liz?
April 29th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
But according to Schroedinger's quantum rules of photo-ops, the leaders are both cold and aloof AND warm and fuzzy until such time as the cat makes a decision ….
April 29th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
PM Harper looks like he enjoys the company of the shelter cats that his family takes in..The one on the right is a cutie!..
Ignatieff on the other hand, comes across as an elitist with his breeder bought, hand delivered feline prop.
April 29th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
On power play
Peter Kent just accused W5 of shoddy journalism!
Tom clark was spitting mad, so was Kent…..
this should be fun.
Oh Ted, do you really think anyone here cares what Iffy wears or about his cat MeMe?
Do you really think you should be here defending Iffy's sweater?
April 29th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
“Harper, having never been seen in public without a suit jacket”
Really? Hockey games, family trips, Calgary Stampede, recent photos with PM Golding, 3 Amigoes meetings are a few examples that make that statement FALSE.
What do people think, he wears a suit all day at home, while he tumbles on the floor with his kids or hangs out with them, during a friends sleepover and movie night? Or while playing a few board games?
As far as the cat goes, adopting from the humane society is a trademark, Harper-ism. Nothing fake or contrived there.
April 29th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
Wilson ,Tom Clark really blew his credibility this evening. He didn't even give Peter Kent time to stay on his train of thought. That's not only showing disrespect for a member of parliament, it's showing a person who doesn't wish to hear the another side of the issue.
We all know how the media ignored one of their own veterans by the name of Mike Duffy when he was appointed to the Senate. He was ignored. If he were appointed by the Liberals they would have been slobbering all over him.
April 29th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
And Kent did answer Clark over and over, Clark just didn't like the answer, so kept asking the question.
W5 did the same hatchet job on Mulroney.
Liz did you here Fife's slip:
''what it (crop poll) means to the Liberals is WE…..blahblah'
Clark corrected him….too funny.
You can be sure that there will be an all out media war on Cons/Kent now.
April 29th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
Ted: “… but only for the alliteration of it.”
What alliteration? Babies for Breakfast? SMALL children for Supper?
How about Brats for Breakfast and Teens for Tea?
Now THAT'S just for the alliteration of it.
One of the saddest things to happen to politics was when image became more important than substance, when Trudeau (in that idiotic cape and with that stupid rose in his mouth) beat Robert Stanfield (who, admittedly, dropped the ball … well, so what?). Robert Stanfield was the best Prime Minister Canada never had, while the ill-effects on the True North Strong and Free of Trudeau's policies are still being felt, big-time.
April 29th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Clark corrected him to save his own ass but the truth got out first. He said what it, he had it in his mind because it's a fact tha gang of PG's are all Liberal hacks.
If I had anything to do with it, Clark would be out of a job. That was the most disgusting display ever by a journalist interviewing an MP and Minister of the Crown. Not a modicum of respect.
April 29th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
Ok, I have seen this picture of PM Harper a million times. But is that a second Cat in the PM'S arm?
April 29th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Hmm. Mr Ignatieff wears sweaters too. I guess sweaters are an acceptable garment now.
April 29th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
“the fact that he shakes his kids hands and uses his kids as props…”
Fact?
No wonder you are not taken seriously Ted.
April 29th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
JDot: ” … is that a second Cat in the PM'S arm?”
It sure looks like it … it's not a dog, that's for sure.
April 29th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
Liz J… are you a full time resident of fantasyland?
April 29th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Stephen, I guess now that the cat's out of the bag in terms of poor polling by the Haperites it must be time for the slurs to start.
I love it when Tories get angry.
It shows they are losing the hearts and minds of Canadians after thinking Harper was the beginning of a 1000 year Tory rule.
April 29th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Cathy, harper always plays cat and mouse with the truth, therefore the comfort level.
April 29th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
“Harper, having never been seen in public without a suit jacket,”
OR?
“Harper is very rarely seen without a jacket,”
Which is it, TED?
It would seem that a cameraman would have to be everywhere with the PM, to prove you wrong.
It seems like a pretty shallow point though, so I'll vote to let the PM have his privacy.
April 29th, 2009 at 8:17 pm
Oh, Gawd!
More recycling?
If it's not 15 to 20 year-old speeches, it's old Polaroid shots.
Oh well, it's the same tired non-arguments. YAWN!
April 29th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
BTW, Stephen, tomorrow (April 30) the PM turns 50.
If you see him, wish him a very Happy Birthday from a very happy conservative with him at the helm. I'm sure other conservatives posting here would do the same.
April 29th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
BTW, Ignatieff's kitten is a Burmese.
According to Wiki, “The Burmese is a breed of domesticated cats split into two subgroups: the American Burmese and the British Burmese …”
How appropriate!
April 29th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
I too heard Fife's WE and noticed that he couldn't stop blinking thereafter. He knew he slipped up. The bias was blatant!
April 30th, 2009 at 4:25 am
Gabby, harper's cat is obviously an ally cat since its owner is a flip flopper who will get down and dirty with anyone including his latest foray to enthrall the separatists and socialists, with more bribe money, the same two groups he derided when Dion was in the coalition with them.
Harper Layton and Duceppe truly deserve each other and eventually makes a liberla majority government that much more palatable and needed.
April 30th, 2009 at 4:59 am
Ted: “In public, bec, Harper is very rarely seen without a jacket.”
Well, duh, yeah. As bec points out, a cameraman would have to follow him around and show the public what PMSH is wearing at any given moment. And we know, from bitter experience, that the Canadian MSM avoid reporting on PMSH, and what he might be wearing, like the plague, unlike the European, British, and American media.
How would Canadians know, from day to day, what our Prime Minister is doing in the political realm, let alone the fashion realm, if we relied on our partisan media hacks here in the Deranged Dominion? 'Same goes for their coverage of Laureen Harper, a beautiful woman by any standards. If she was married to Iggy, she'd be on the front pages of our daily rags a few times a week. As it is, photos of her on her motorcycle, caring for stray cats, fundraising for Breast Cancer are deep-sixed. Most Canadians wouldn't be able to pick her out of a lineup of First Ladies.
Who will rid us of this media scourge?
April 30th, 2009 at 5:19 am
So, in your line of thinking Dion, Layton and Duceppe truly deserved each other. Ignatieff also signed on to that particular pact to overthrow the government, all deserving each other, all using each other for power, the people of Canada were not considered.
Explain to us what the PM has done to “enthrall separatists and socialists”? Must have missed that.
The juvenile nonsense spewed about who supports who in the HOC on issues is not the same as forming a pact to overthrow the government. The Liberals will gladly accept the Bloc and Dipper votes on any issue, any vote in the House, they are all elected by the people to serve in the House.
It's rich for anyone from the Liberal ranks to rail on about bribery, they wrote the book. They'll whore themselves out to anyone for power, they've proved it. Your soon to be crowned King Iggy is anything but upstanding in all the machinations that went down to dump Dion. It was disgraceful the way the Liberal party treated the person they VOTED to be leader. They all ran away, let him twist in the wind. It was an orchestrated boot out to make way for Ignatieff who was lured back to Canada with a promise of leadership.
Liberals will need the support of the Bloc and NDP to bring down the government, are you saying they won't accept it ?
April 30th, 2009 at 5:31 am
How appropriate indeed. It may be pedigreed but it's one ugly cat.
April 30th, 2009 at 5:43 am
Wilson. You are absolutely right. Tom Clark is blantantly courting the Liberals. His shmoozing with Ignatieff was blantant. Wonder what he hopes to get out of this. Never have I seen Mike Duffy with only the two parties NDP and Libs on the show. Tom has done it numerous times, always with the excuse the Tories were not available. With over 140 seats in the house that is redicules.
As far as the cat pictures are concerned they speak for themselves. Iggy lookes more like a worlock with his familiar.
April 30th, 2009 at 5:47 am
Sam, His teenage son would be very upset if he was seen with his father publicly slobbering all over him. I don't think you have any kids, else you would know.
April 30th, 2009 at 5:50 am
True, Harper's cat is “an ally cat” – ally as in friend and colleague. Maybe you meant “alley”?
But in reality, PM Harper's hosting some kittens until they find permanent homes. Those pictured are like this one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CAT2007_05_16...
Stll angry about the coalition not working out, eh?
Now you call it bribing. And before, if it had worked to wrest power from the Conservatives, you would have called it “democracy,” right?
April 30th, 2009 at 5:54 am
LIZ J,DOES THIS HELP?
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTV...
Tory insiders say the party is hatching a survival plan to keep the surging Liberals at bay and delay any potential election long enough to enjoy the international limelight at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.
OR THIS?
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RT...
Less than 24 hours after the CROP poll, Duceppe is joining Layton in negotiations on forming an informal Conservative-Separatist-Socialist coalition.
April 30th, 2009 at 6:19 am
Thanks for the CTV link, Terry1.
It illustrates perfectly the kind of “interpretation” the media does.
From the article:
“We intend to be there (for the Olympics),” one senior Tory told The Canadian Press on Wednesday.
In the eyes of media, that equates to “hatching a plan.”
Hilarious.
Give up “reporting,” guys. Reading tea leaves might be more profitable.
April 30th, 2009 at 6:59 am
'Tory insiders '
Yes, the LibLuvin' media would love to turn Gilles and Jack begging for a truce into the Cons 'hanging on for dear life'.
Canadians are not that stupid,
but the media is.
April 30th, 2009 at 8:21 am
I'm with Mr. Taylor on this issue, Gabby. Sometimes, you just need to lighten up. Funny goofy photo for funny goofy photo. Relax once in a while.
April 30th, 2009 at 8:28 am
Are you questioning whether he does so Sam?
The story is well known: Harper calls in the press corps to follow him in his minivan and take photos of him dropping off his kids at school. The press, annoyed at being manipulated for an obvious image-manufacturing photo op note that he shakes their hands instead of a hug, shoulder hug or any other kind of goodbye.
The other story is not as well know: In the last election, Harper called the press corps to show up an early press gathering without telling them what it was. Turns out, all that it was was Harper walking his daughter to school. No questions were allowed. The journalists were only allowed to take photos or video of him and his daughter. When they got to school, he took off. No announcement, no questions, nothing. Just using his kids as props for getting elected.
April 30th, 2009 at 8:32 am
Not talking about his privacy here, Bec, but his public image.
And I'm not trying to criticize him. Only highlighting that the sweater thing was a deliberate attempt at image manufacturing since he is almost always seen in a jacket and never in a sweater in public. Would have thought that was a pretty obvious, non-partisan point.
April 30th, 2009 at 10:32 am
No. I'm not a Liberal.
April 30th, 2009 at 10:46 am
Duceppe and Layton, together again. They'll be making overtures to the crowned one very soon.
Iggy might just get buoyed by all the cheering and hoopla at the Seinfeld Do and decide to be more than just the piano player with a coalition of schmucks.
April 30th, 2009 at 10:55 am
“Relax once in a while.”
That advice should be heeded by two of your travelling companions: one who posts here quite often and another who posts over at Janke's. Two more humourless people I have never met.
April 30th, 2009 at 11:03 am
HAPPY 50th BIRTHDAY MR. PRIME MINISTER!
April 30th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Gabby, will the CTV ever come clean and report the unreported. CTV CBC are the LPOC backbone; both endores corruption.
PM cats are strays- he need not have to ask any of his caucus to fly in a stray cat like Ignatieff had Derek Lee fly in an expensive cat at 1am.
CTV CBC A LOST IN SPACE MEDIA-
April 30th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Wilson, do you know that game children play ” let go play fish” well, that's exactly what the ctv cbc etc are doing 'FISHING' until a big SHARK comes by to eat them alive.
April 30th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
Sweaters yes. Sweater-vests….NO!
April 30th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
” … report the unreported”
Jen, I just wish the media would tell what happened, without the editorial content. I don't think that's an unreasonable expectation.
Fortunately, there are still a few individuals who carry out that function reasonably well.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
“The other story is not as well know [sic]:”
Well-known to whom? And made known by whom? How come you're privy to that little-known “information”?
If it was indeed merely a photo-op with no questions allowed, as you claim, what kind of questions would you have expected?
April 30th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
Spirits are very high here at Liberal central in Vancouver…its going to be a great convention
May 1st, 2009 at 4:03 am
I don't imagine just spirits are high at the Liberal Convention in Vancouver, with so many Liberals in one room.
I'm happy for all of you Liberal$ that you're having fun as you crown Count Iggula the Prince of the LPC, but meanwhile, there are a lot of us wondering what happened to all of our money … you know? Adscam? HRDC? etc., etc.
Isn't it fortunate that the MSM would rather investigate the Mulroney/Schreiber boondoggle? Your friends in the PPG are making sure that the Liberals are Teflon©.
May 1st, 2009 at 10:13 am
Actually Bat B…. I would rather someone investigate the stupid moves made by Harper and his FM on income trusts that took, as a best estimate, $35BB out of the economy. I hear that harper is thinking he needs to reinstate the trusts as they were before……….more stupidity and populist nonsense.
May 1st, 2009 at 10:16 am
your tastless comment is about par for another angry tory seeing their party slide into obliviion or making desperation side deals with socialists and separatists…something they crowed and spewwed garbage about in another coalition they were not a part of…………speaking of hyocrisy and odour$!!!
May 1st, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Liz J…nice of you to buoy his sirits but I think he needs more than that.
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Harper+deep...
http://www.calgaryherald.com/columnists/Harper+...
http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/columnists/...
http://www.cfrb.com/node/920730/url
Too bad; so sad
May 2nd, 2009 at 4:50 am
Terry, you really are pathetic. I wished the PM a happy birthday. Why the hell do you feel obliged to comment on that? It's not about debate.
Have a nice day Terry.
May 2nd, 2009 at 6:57 am
Liz J, Terry1 thinks he's found incontrovertible proof PM Harper is in deep trouble. He must be rubbing his hands together in glee. Too bad his proof falls flat.
Link 1 is an op-ed by L. Ian Macdonald, who blows hot and cold on Mr. Harper depending on the issue and how that issue affects his former boss Mr. Mulroney. Despite that, I respect Macdonald, although I may not always agree with him, and I admire his loyalty to his former boss.
Link 2 is a columnist's speculation on what Mr. Harper will do after he leaves politics – which most politicians do. Mr. Harper has nowhere to go but down, as Don Martin cleverly puts it, because Mr. Harper is presently occupying the HIGHEST office in the country. Sort of self-evident. Obama too will have nowhere to go but down after he leaves office.
Link 3 leads nowhere.
Link 4 contains links to CFRB radio shows. So?
But here's a link Terry1 may not enjoy reading. It's from Brian Lilley's blog. Lilley is the Ottawa Bureau chief for radio stations CFRB and CJAD.
http://www.cfrb.com/node/922443
“Stephen Harper continues to poll ahead of his party and is seen as the man best suited to run the country, a person they trust more than Michael Ignatieff and someone who can get things done. Michael Ignatieff you could say is trailing his party. The man remains for many a blank canvas, Liberals better fill it in before Conservatives do.
Here are some of the poll highlights from the Ipsos-Reid news release.
When asked which of the party leaders best resemble the following attributes, this is how Canadians weighted in:
• Someone you can trust: Harper (40%, up 2 points), Ignatieff (28%, up 1 point), Layton (25%, down 4 points), Duceppe (7%, up 1 points).
• Someone who will get things done: Harper (43%, up 1 points), Ignatieff (28%, up 1 point), Layton (22%, down 3 points), Duceppe (7%, up 1 point).
• Someone who has what it takes to lead Canada: Harper (43%, up 1 point), Ignatieff (35%, up 1 point), Layton (19%, down 3 points), Duceppe (3%, unchanged).
• Someone who has a vision of Canada that you can support: Harper (42%, up 2 points), Ignatieff (30%, unchanged), Layton (24%, down 3 points), Duceppe (4%, up 1 point).
• Someone who knows when to compromise for the greater good: Harper (38%, up 4 points), Ignatieff (32%, up 1 point), Layton (25%, down 4 point), Duceppe (6%, unchanged).
• Someone who is best to manage during tough economic times: Harper (46%, up 2 points), Ignatieff (32%, unchanged), Layton (17%, down 3 points), Duceppe (5%, up 2 points).
• Despite trying to shake the opposition branding him as someone who has a hidden agenda, Harper (48%, down 3 points) also leads Layton (25%, down 1 point), Ignatieff (21%, up 2 points) and Duceppe (6%, up 2 points).
• Finally, Ignatieff (34%, up 1 point) leads Harper (32%, up 2 points), Layton (29%, down 3 points), and Duceppe (6%, up 1 point) when it comes to being someone who is open to the ideas of others.
Politicians hate polls, except the ones that go their way. This poll has lessons for Mr. Harper, Mr. Ignatieff and their parties.”
Except for the last two, all the points are positives for Mr. Harper.
May 2nd, 2009 at 7:16 am
Ask Jean Chretien why he also didn't wish him a happy birthday in his speech last night…..pathetic is the governance of your party
May 2nd, 2009 at 7:19 am
The trend is clear and now that Iggy will be formally installed as Liberal leader he will certainly take the gloves off as needed and when he so chooses. haprr is very vulnerable and it is showing.
The rest of your blurb is just more nonsense. Harper would not be acting like a socialist if he felt he was secure in his job.
May 2nd, 2009 at 8:15 am
” … haprr [sic] is very vulnerable …”
Terry1, that part of your comment proves two things:
1. Your anger inhibits both your spelling and your typing skills.
2. If the PM is “vulnerable” – your word – it merely indicates he's a human being, unlike the robotic cold calculating figure his opponents have painted of him.
That sort of brings us back to the kittens in PM Harper's office …
“… Harper would not be acting like a socialist …”
Remember, Terry1, the Liberals voted for the budget, thus they approved it. And now they're asking for more … more … more!
From this site: http://themoderatevoice.com
“John Maynard Keynes, the influential British economist whose ideas are known as Keynesian Economics, sums up how I feel about the overused American political term “flip-flop”:
When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?
Well sir, I change my mind as well. But I don’t count. I’m a regular guy dealing with an ever-changing situation at work were I have to constantly flip-flop due to layoffs, company strategy, and overall business strangeness due to my supervisory position. Guess we regular folks have leeway in our lives where politicians don’t.” [my highlighting]
That aptly describes what the PM has to deal with in this new reality.
So … stop living in the past of bogus surpluses (it's called over-taxation) and start dealing with the reality of a global recession.
“When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?”
I know what the Liberals do … they wax nostalgic about the past … like Ignatieff telling the Young Liberals' caucus how he felt at the 1968 convention … Cue the song “Memories” … from you guessed it … the musical “Cats”
May 2nd, 2009 at 9:33 am
Gabby,
1. my misspelling is not anger;I simply type too fast and don't check back especially when I'm laughing at your comedic remarks.
2. The PM is vulnerable in a way that will poke his ego into doing something stupid again. it goes with his temperment and that of most control freaks. Liberals are very thankful for helping them change leaders and [putting them back on top. The Liberlas blocked their noses and voted becasue it simply would have been too stupid to force an election so soon. Iggy is not in a hurry to win a minority and is going for the big win. look closely again at those polls you seem to like and you will see the Liberal party is enjoying growth right across the Country. They collected $1.8MM in the first three months of Iggy's tenure and have already almost doubled their Q2 donations over last year with still two months to go and the convention generating more goodwill towards the party. Of note is the fact the Reformer donations went down by 10% last Q and the dippers dropped by 50%. So please tell us once again about momentum. The party has started rehiring staff and have a counter attack ad budget should Harper's ego get the best of him once again. Iggy will shot him down veery fast which is why I don't think the reformers have the cojones to go ugly again, although desperation produces more stupidity sometimes.
3. As far as changing ones mind goes… how did Harper go from no recession statements to depserate measures in two short months? The answer is very simple… his ego got to him and he wanted to show he was boss last fall until the opposition stuck it to him and he will never recover from that fiasco. Then he went overboard and didn't even think about what the economy really needed Maybe if he had left isues like the income trusts alone and not touched GST in his populist stupidity, we may not have had to go to such large deficits and over spending. Economic targets could have been better planned,etc.
4. Liberals are the only party to exist since confederation and have much to be proud and nostalgic about, unlike the regressive and progressive merger that is not working very well these days and has no history and probably not much future. The new leader is hell bent on putting the party back on a solid financial and political footing and is off to a great start, something you would be loathe to admit.
May 2nd, 2009 at 10:03 am
Vintage Chretien and truthful as usual:
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/627954
In a spirited kick-off to the federal Liberal convention in Vancouver, Chretien noted Harper, who once seemed embarrassed by Canada when he spoke abroad, now seems to be boasting about all the things the Liberals did for the country while in office – regulating banks and balancing the books, for instance.
Chretien took aim at Harper's writings from years ago, in which he expressed dismay at the Liberal decision to opt out of the Iraq war and called this country a “welfare state.”
“Now he's a proud Canadian,” Chretien said. “And guess what he's most proud of: The Liberal record. He brags about our strong economic fundamentals. Well, it was we Liberals who turned our country around after the last Conservative government ruined our economy.”
Chretien said Harper knows: “It was Liberals who turned around the Conservatives' $42-billion deficit, the biggest in Canadian history, into surplus after surplus.”
May 2nd, 2009 at 1:20 pm
“Proud Canadian” Chretien is spending a lot of time in China with Mo Strong. 'Wonder why?
Prime Minister Stephen Harper doesn't need any “Liberal” reasons to be a proud Canadian. He has paid his dues in public life and the HOC without any help from the Librano$.
The talk of fiscal responsibility and Chretien's Liberals in the same breath is an oxymoron. Where's the do-re-mi stolen from hard-working Canadians by the Liberals in Adscam, the HRDC boondoggle, Shawinigate, etc., etc.? Until that money has been returned and Liberals are held accountable, any talk of Stephen Harper's being proud of “a Liberal record” is insultingly risible.
One other thing: How does the small-town Shawinigan Strangler become a multi-millionaire, with a few luxury homes, including a vacation home in Palm Springs?
May 2nd, 2009 at 1:55 pm
What happened to my most recent comment, Stephen?
May 2nd, 2009 at 2:01 pm
“Proud Canadian” Chretien is spending a lot of time in China with Mo Strong. 'Wonder why?
Prime Minister Stephen Harper doesn't need any “Liberal” reasons to be a proud Canadian. He has paid his dues in public life and the HOC without any help from the LPC.
The talk of fiscal responsibility and Chretien's Liberals in the same breath is an oxymoron. Where's the do-re-mi stolen from hard-working Canadians by the Liberals in Adscam, the HRDC boondoggle, Shawinigate, etc., etc.? Until that money has been returned and Liberals are held accountable, any talk of Stephen Harper's being proud of “a Liberal record” is insultingly risible.
May 2nd, 2009 at 2:14 pm
You juxtaposed a broad statement of criminality of the Liberal party with a suggestion that an individual (JC) is the beneficiary of some sort of mysterious winfall. You can accuse a political party of a crime but you cannot suggest by juxtaposition that an individual (who has not been convicted) is the beneficiary of that crime.
It's certainly a high threshold, but I hope you'll appreciate it.
May 2nd, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Stephen: “You can accuse a political party of a crime but you cannot suggest by juxtaposition that an individual (who has not been convicted) is the beneficiary of that crime.”
Thank you for your answer to my question. I figured that my question about Jean Chretien, the Shawinigan Strangler, was probably not something you appreciated. I did not, however, accuse him of anything. What I did do, was ask a question about his assets. And, one might wonder why no one in the Liberal Party has been convicted of unlawful activities given all that came out at the Gomery Inquiry.
It is very strange and somehow disconcerting how the Liberals and their leaders seem to be made of Teflon©.
May 2nd, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Just don't give Telfon a bad name!
May 2nd, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Mr. Chretien never told a lie?
What would you call telling us the hated GST would be gone prior to an election which he went on to win?
Why did Sheila Copps have to re-run for her seat in that same election because she told her electorate what her boss had said, the GST would be gone?
How much was the deficit PET left Mulroney? How about you give us that figure Terry.
May 2nd, 2009 at 9:18 pm
Well thank God Paul Martin talked him out of that idea. Sheila Copps should have been a Tory;she was anal.
You cannot compare a baby boomer deficit created by PET from a structural deficit created by Muldoon….that's nonsense and even you really do know that although I might be surprised.
Iggy warned Harper he is playing with fire from now on. I hope he turfs him in June
May 2nd, 2009 at 9:21 pm
As usual you are out to lunch with no dessert. Chretien was a very honest guy and has nothing to hide from the likes of you.
Accountability is a word the Tories don't like these days.
May 2nd, 2009 at 9:22 pm
It is very strange that your prejudices go so far.
May 2nd, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Thank you Stephen for bing fair and honest and avoiding a potential lawsuit. High thresholds are Liberal trademarks. Are you coming over to the good guys?
May 3rd, 2009 at 6:26 am
Not a prejudicial bone in your body, eh Terry?
How old are you? I'm wondering if telling you to act your age not your shoe size would be fitting.
May 3rd, 2009 at 7:04 am
Liz J…. I love it when you Tories get angry and insulting….. good sign polls must be bad….LOL
By the way I'm sure my shoe size is bigger than yours.
My age is that of a mature 'with it” person…how about yours?
May 3rd, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Wrap yourself up in polls if you wish, Terry, they have a tendency to change when you least expect it. You probably enjoy the see-saw in the playground too.
Who is angry? I see signs of it on the Opposition benches every day in the HOC and elsewhere.
Never saw anyone more angry than Mark Holland, he oozes anger. Marlene Jennings is also perpetually angry, just a couple of observations, I could go on. I'm not seeing it among the Conservative ranks.
May 3rd, 2009 at 3:49 pm
I'm not wrapped up in anything but reality. Polls are indicators however and Harper has reacted vigourously to the recent ones with all sorts of side deals and a new openness to the Bloc who are about to pick pocket us again becasue Stevie baby wants to stay at 24 Sussex.
The opposition gets angry at being stonewalled by the wall of silence comeing from this useless government. And its not only liberals.
Your hero John Baird was not mentioned in your diatribe..that a foul mouth ever I have ever seen one.
May 3rd, 2009 at 6:40 pm
Tell us the “side deals ” PM Harper has made with the Bloc. If they were “side deals” were they public or do you have an inside track? If there's a wall of silence, you must have psychic powers to know what's going on.
Could you tell us where the ADSCAM money is? How much of the EI pilfering figured in Paul Martin's surplus?
PM Harper actually enjoys the job of PM and it shows. He knows he's serving at the will of the people, as all PM's do. He also said when he leaves politics he will not be writing a book about how somebody did him wrong. We all know who he was alluding to. He certainly would never give the Bloc veto power over Canada as the signatories to the coalition did, Including Ignatieff.
John Baird is an effective, experienced and hard working Minister.
You must be a little disappointed in your Liberal finance critic, McCallum. He got caught in a pathetic lie. He apparently wanted to hide the fact he owns a car not made in North America, so, when asked, he said he owns a GM car, pressed further he said a Chevrolet. Then had to fess up to the media, he actually owns a VW, made in Europe. Oh the tangled web we weave………
Take breather Terry, you seem to need it by the quality of your posts.
May 3rd, 2009 at 11:34 pm
I have taken a breather and enjoyed the great sights around Vancouver today……and by the way iggy has another cat of the same ilk of his first one.
Baird isa typical tory bully and hasn't enough IQ to fit on the head of a pin.
Your garbage about Mccallum is all about pettiness something you seem to thrive on. I'm not dispappointed in him at all. He contributed to the convention very positively.
Iggy got it dead on…harper is all about himself and his ideological bent and his determination to destroy the Liberals sometihng he screwed up royally in November. He didn't even know we were in a recession. Give your head a shake.
May 4th, 2009 at 5:46 am
Now that's really one funny post, Terry. Maybe there's and opening at “Just for Laughs”.
Anyone who could make it to the convention contributed a sackful of platitudes and threats to destabilize the country in a recession by remarks from Chretien to go to an election sooner rather than later. Wonder who he suggested they team up with to bring down the government, 77 votes won't do it?
I will give you man A++++ for unmitigated gall with the statement, “Mr harper doesn't understand Canada”. This from a person who has spent much of his life away from Canada, swooping back to Canada for opportunity, pledging “True Patriot love”.
The best report on the convention is given by Monte Solberg in the Ottawa Sun today, you should give it a read: “Canucks top Grits”.
May 4th, 2009 at 6:23 am
I think we are talking about the same Chretien who decimated the tories and forced them into an unholy alliance (takover by) with the regressive bunch from the right wing reform party. I would thetefore understand your complete dislike of this winning politician who also cleaned up Muldoon's fiscal destruction while winning THREE MAJORITY GOVERNMENTS out of three tries. How many majorities has your man Harper won in three tries?
Your tired refrain about Iggy's time away from Canada makes no logical sense whatsoever. Who says he wasn't closely in touch with issues here as he was about the world in general. Besides we live in a very global world and your turkey never ever travelled outside of Canada in his life until he became PM. Guess who has more experience.
Has Iggy showed any ignorance of Canada and its way of life? Or is this the tory mantra prepping us for the next series of negative attack ads which is your party is good for. Be careful what you wish for in that department.
Your arguments are so weak as to make me think you are simply lashing out at anything that can save your hopeless party from defeat.
Monte Solberg is a very strong Regressive Tory partisan so reading him would be just like reading your nonsense. He also got out of politics because he doesn't like Harper's particular brand of conservatism but he is a die hard one none the less.
May 4th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Not “die hard” Liberal anywhere, no siree. All Liberals are non-partisan, yes siree.
June 29th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
I think it speaks volumes to Ignatieff 's character – buying a $1500 cat that reminded him of his home – England. Flying it from Vancouver across the country, because money is no object.
Conversely, Harper shelter's cats from the SPCA, and adopts cats from local shelters.
October 13th, 2009 at 10:18 am
cats do bring out your softer side
February 22nd, 2010 at 8:58 pm
why is here when he has not contributed to canada pesion nor spent any canadian dollars why did the states not let him run how much of our hard earn tax dollars is going to his pension
what he hasnt been in canada for what 25 years does he not get a pension there in states is that why he is back who is he to tell us what we need how much if any tax dollars has he contributed or had to pay like us canadians have i ask these questions to all i am so tired of when i call his office which we are paying for and getting told thank you for your contribution does any of these questions i have asked sound like a contribution and his secretary was quite snippy each time i have phoned i do beleive it has been more than once she has said as in his secretay that we are paying for also has said to me he has paid property taxes as he rented out his home while he was in the states where do you think he spent his rent income the united states where he lived for what 25 years its time to find a true canadian that has contributed like the rest of us have and beleive we can be a better country not one that has two faces and expects everything from us and has given nothing to us for what 25 years has he even paid revenue canada in the 25 years he was not here i ask these questions and have commented on my opinion maybe the news media should be asking these questions instead of letting him go blah blah blah
February 23rd, 2010 at 4:58 am
why is here when he has not contributed to canada pesion nor spent any canadian dollars why did the states not let him run how much of our hard earn tax dollars is going to his pension
what he hasnt been in canada for what 25 years does he not get a pension there in states is that why he is back who is he to tell us what we need how much if any tax dollars has he contributed or had to pay like us canadians have i ask these questions to all i am so tired of when i call his office which we are paying for and getting told thank you for your contribution does any of these questions i have asked sound like a contribution and his secretary was quite snippy each time i have phoned i do beleive it has been more than once she has said as in his secretay that we are paying for also has said to me he has paid property taxes as he rented out his home while he was in the states where do you think he spent his rent income the united states where he lived for what 25 years its time to find a true canadian that has contributed like the rest of us have and beleive we can be a better country not one that has two faces and expects everything from us and has given nothing to us for what 25 years has he even paid revenue canada in the 25 years he was not here i ask these questions and have commented on my opinion maybe the news media should be asking these questions instead of letting him go blah blah blah