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December 16, 2009

Liberal reaction full of holes

Too illustrative, too offensive? The Liberal comms strategy on this IS full of holes I’m sorry to say.

Yesterday, I went on Evan Soloman’s Power & Politics show to talk Photoshop faux-pas and the illustration that was put on the Liberal Party website showing the PM in a Liberal partisan “assassination fantasy”. I mentioned that ad hominem always fails in communications; personal attacks such as the Liberal photoshop failed and the Conservative poopin’ puffin failed too.

Soloman mentioned another illustration (which was not available at airtime) of “bullet holes” around Stephane Dion’s head that appeared on the Conservative Party website.

Here is the is the illustration in question, held up by Kinsella on P&P yesterday and today on CTV’s Canada AM:

One of the tools in a web designer’s toolbox is the stock photo. For a buck or two, a designer can grab a professional illustration or photo to accent a base illustration or photo. In this case, a Conservative web designer grabbed a stock photo of
“holes” from a website called iStockphoto (a website I highly recommend, btw).

Here is the image from iStockphoto:

and the name of the file on the iStockphoto website? Not “Bullet Holes” but “Paper Holes“:

Holes in Dion’s plan, holes in Dion’s platform?

Why do the Liberals only see death?

Let’s consider the process of the Liberal apology:
1) An apology from “The Web Team” at Liberal.ca if the assassination photoshop may have offended some people.
2) An apology from Ralph Goodale suggesting that social media does not allow for editorial control. This is so absolutely wrong and misleading. The Liberal.ca photoshop contest had a screening process (ie. “editorial control”)
3) An accusation from Warren Kinsella that the other guys are just as bad so let’s all just forget the Liberal transgression.

When the poopin puffin was released, the Prime Minister apologized to Stephane Dion. When will Michael Ignatieff apologize to Stephen Harper for a mock assassination photo that appeared on the Liberal leader’s website?

This entry was authored by Stephen Taylor at 05:03 PM | Tweet this | Add a comment

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Nathan

Great Post, Thanks... I like your mini investigation about the holes. ;-)

millipo22

What is a computer's first sign of old age?
Loss of memory.

What does a baby computer call his father?
Data.

What is an astronaut's favorite key on a computer keyboard?
The space bar.

What happened when the computer fell on the floor?
It slipped a disk.

Why was there a bug in the computer?
It was looking for a byte to eat.

What is a computer virus?
A terminal illness.

To err is human; but to really mess things up requires a computer.

Computers are not intelligent.
They only think they are.

Computers make very fast, very accurate mistakes.

My computer isn't that nervous. It's just a bit ANSI.

The attention span of a computer is as long as its electrical cord.

thanks
spoach
______________________________________________
sexy female bodybuilders

Observant

Liberals practicing their brand of necropolitics ... so obvious.

east of eden

Stephen - did you really have to include a photo of Garth? Urgh. I almost tossed my lunch.

Omanator

I don't know why all you people are discussion the most obnoxious photo ever produced with those diheart Liberanos. It should be clear by now that the Liberal party of Canada is an empty Garbadge Bag. Empty of ideas, empty of honesty, and empty of plans of any kind. All they have is loudmouth propaganda pandits.

batb

Omanator: "All they have is loudmouth propaganda pandits [pundits?]."

Yeah, well, that's the problem and why we're talking about it. 'Trying to make a point that the Librano$' pals in the media refuse to make. I agree that the LPC is a Garbage Bag, but not necessarily an empty one; they've got a lot trash to take out.

takedeadaim

my God. Am i actually reading fellow conservatives trying to tell each other than those holes around Dion are "paperholes" ?

Really ? So i recently got an email of jpegs of different things in nature (trees, clouds, bushes) that look like naughty parts of people. if i sent this email to my fellow conservatives, you'd just stare at me blank faced and say 'what's the big deal about a bunch of clouds and trees?'. Of course, it looks like something other than a cloud or tree, but since it's just a cloud, if i'm interpreting something else then really that's just my own biased perspective?

Can we not try so hard to win that we end up looking like the liberals used to look when they were in power?

AlexinEdmonton

Let's assume for the sake of argument that those are bullet holes and not paper holes.

There is a profound difference between using cartoony bullet holes surrounding a picture of Dion and photoshopping Harper's head onto an image of an actual event, an actual image of someone having their life extinguished. The former is obviously a metaphor, i.e. the Liberal Party was taking shots at Dion. You'll note that Dion isn't actually struck by any bullets. There's no blood or violence. Even to a sixth grader, the "bullet" holes are obviously metaphorical for the disdain Dion was receiving from his own party. The advertisement is obviously satirical in nature. The latter shows someone actually being murdered with Harper's head pasted on top of Oswald's, someone in the final moments of their life. It is violent in nature, and while it's meant to be funny, it comes across as purely tasteless, even to the many Liberal supporters. Seeing as this photo contest was supposed to tie in with the Copenhagen summit, it doesn't even make sense. It's just tasteless garbage.

Here's a litmus test: How many were outraged at that Dion image? If it had truly been offensive, the media in our country would have been all over it in seconds. But it couldn't be intepreted as such at the time, and the fact that Kinsella is pulling it out of his filing cabinet months later to compare it to the Harper image is an indicator of that. It also really cheapens the supposed remorse the Liberals are showing. And yes, I know WK doesn't work for the Liberals anymore, but he's representative of the Liberal partisan.

Gayle

Yes, there is a difference. I do not think anyone would disagree.

It is, however, utterly hypocritical for CPC supporters to get all morally outraged and self-righteous about this photo-shop when their party has been guilty of much the same thing.

The excuse that everyone would be offended by one photoshop, and only some people would be offended by the other, does not really hold water.

batb

"Gayle": "It is, however, utterly hypocritical for CPC supporters to get all morally outraged and self-righteous about this photo-shop when their party has been guilty of much the same thing."

Sorry. AlexinEdmonton made a very cogent point about the two images NOT being at all the same thing, with which I concur (see my comment 22 hours ago in reply to tedbetts).

You don't get it, do you? You reveal your utter myopia every time you respond.

You need a new pair of glasses, "Gayle."

slith

Gayle,

It's mind boggling that you--an individual who has trolled blogs for years calling conservatives out for their "two wrongs don't make a right" defense of ill-conceived political behaviour--are now using this to defend the indefensible.

I had to scratch my head. But then it dawned on me: you're a liberal and in your own mind and that of your liberal brethren, this means you can't possibly be wrong. Hypocrite.

Gayle

Which would be a fair comment, if I were actually saying two wrongs make a right.

But I am not, so it isn't.

Maybe read my comment and try again.

feyenoord

I think we should have an independent judicial investigation to get to the bottom of this.

batb

BTW, where the He** is Iffy?

I mean, aside from not appearing in order to apologize to Prime Minister Stephen Harper for his party's inexcusable blooper, where is he AT ALL? He seems to have dropped off the radar altogether (I suspect to ease Bob Rae's ascendancy to LPC leadership status).

Count Iggula is no leader.

Liz J

Where's Iggy? He's probably off making F'Iggy pudding, doing family Christmas things, shopping for Mimi etc. He won't be missed, the kids are running the LPC.

Hoarfrost

The poopin puffin was a lighthearted spoof. Assassination was not light hearted in the least. I can understand the paper holes explanation but I cannot justify the assassination reference.

Partisan political commentary can often be over the top. I loved the old Mike Duffy show because he had a grin and raised eyebrow whenever these guys in whatever party strayed.

Gayle

I am sure Harper regrets ever appointing him. Now he has to deal with someone who is not trying to suck up to him to get a senate seat.

m123T

Please supply proof that PMSH is sorry he appointed Senator Duffy.
Why do you say that.

Gayle

I said it as a joke. The point is that Duffy was beyond biased in his show (a bias which he proved when he accepted the appointment to the Senate).

Now the CPC have to go on a show where the host is not trying to curry Harper's favour.

wilson

Did you know the media is referring to Iffy as LOL...... haha lol

Having a loud straight talking East Coaster Conservative in the Senate is an ace.
Duffy will shake things up, Harper enjoys that.
And so do we!

Gayle

Which has nothing to do with the fact that Harper probably misses his totally biased and slanted talk show, but then you never were one for staying on point.

east of eden

Dang - I think I spotted a little personal attack at the end of that comment.

eapr9

Did the grits renew your trolling contract gayle?

Gayle

Wow, very insightful Roy. A doctor, who taunts like he is still in junior high school. Your mother must be proud.

Let me know when you have something substantive to say.

east of eden

Hmmm, that could qualify as a personal attack.

eapr9

ditto Gayle. I am quite serious, I think you are a paid grit troll. My 85 yo mother who is also a doctor is very proud of me. Bringing my mother into is very classy gayle, if that is actually your name. I am sure your mom is proud of you inspite of your mollycoddling criminals and trolling on Tory blogs.

Gayle

Snort. I said get back to me when you have something "substantive" to say. You do understand what I mean, right? You are, after all, educated and all.

Unless, of course, you actually cannot think of anything intelligent to say on this subject.

Your mother must be proud.

batb

Roy Eappen's comments are right on. I suspect, too, Gayle, that you're a paid troll for the Liberal$. I also suspect that you're not a "Gayle" at all with the only other alternative being that you're a "Gary."

Who's got the time, other than a paid operative (!), to be on top of every comment made on a Blogging Tories' blog? Unfortunately, "Gayle," your ubiquitous presence has had the opposite effect of what you had intended: Your non-stop commentary is over-kill; it's a joke.

east of eden

Wow, nice drive-by personal attack

Liz J

That's the sort of comment Gayle is famous for and apparently passes for civility.

Guess it's OK if we speculate on what profile of Gayle might look like, ah, forget it, not worth the bother.

I have heard she does have a squeaky voice, thank goodness we don't have to listen to that.
BTW, notice she's not always "en pointe".

Stephen Taylor

keep on topic, please!

Liz J

Different strokes for different folks?

wilson

LOL

Liz J

I've got it, it's obvious those holes were punched from behind the red paper curtain, it had to be all those Liberals who were desperately trying to take a punch at Dion, scare him into stepping aside for the real messiah.

Timothy J. Friesen

I'm curious how this "obvious" explanation only just occured to you, months after the image being made available on the web?

Liz J

The image in question is new to me fella. It's not too difficult to know when a hole is punched or bored.

Enjoy the dig with your fellow desperate Liberals.

JCherniak

If Harper apologizes for implying that all Liberals are Antisemites, then maybe it would make sense.

eapr9

Jason, interesting to see you come out of the woodwork. Your party is in an absolute shambles. There are a lot of grit antisemites. Some of them posting on liblogs quite recently.

Liz J

Hi there Cherniak, how's it going in the land of Oz which is where you must be making a statement like that?

Nougat Christ

Stephen, the keyword to that file is TARGET SHOOTING....
What are you shooting at if not Dion?

Your readers can continue with their cognitive delusions if they want and continue with "paper holes"...

Bec

And the question marks over the heads of confused looking Liberals would mean what?
Colonel Mustard in the Library? Quick, hide the evidence!

The obvious is just too obvious to Conservatives when nothing VIOLENT was suggested or intended but then Mr Dions' MATES, may have had another notion and Conservative had someone on the inside, hmm?

Ridiculous thinking.

platty

It was always meant as shooting holes in Dions platform NC, nothing delusional about it, at least not on the Conservatives part.....

=

Stephen Taylor

Keyword loading is common for istockphoto in order for an image to be found for multiple applications.

A keyword including is "punching" as in "hole puncher". Is it target shooting or hole punching? Other keywords are "cut or torn paper". Do you cut/tear paper with bullets? You an inferring intent. The Dion image is not so clear as the intent of the Jack Ruby photoshop.

The Conservatives were punching holes in the Liberal plan. You perceive it as shooting. There is no room for interpretation on the Liberal photoshop.

Nougat Christ

That's an interesting narrative but sadly so far from the truth.... Really it is demeaning to most Conservatives to even try to run with "it was only paper holes" story...

I never told you how I perceived the ad, so the inferring is coming from you.

You can try to argue that it's hole in the paper, but in the end, you are just insulting common sense.

Stephen Taylor

How do you perceive the ad? In fact, it would seem that you have a different perception than me since you are arguing that these are shot holes. Ergo, different perceptions. This can be interpreted in different ways (by opponents in the worst possible way, and by the creators of the ad that describe paper holes via punching holes in a platform).

Jack Ruby photoshop has one interpretation.

900ftjesus

"Jack Ruby photoshop has one interpretation."

No. The contest, "Anywhere but Copenhagen" is supposed to have pictures of where Harper would rather be than Copenhagen. So with the Ruby shot, the person using the photo was very obviously trying to say Harper would rather be a murderous, scum traitor being shot than to be in Copenhagen.

Had the contest been "where would you rather Harper be," or "where should Harper be," then you would be correct.

Stephen Taylor

The interpretation being: hey, is that guy getting shot/killed? Yes.

Liz J

You've lost, stop digging.

Gayle

Who cares how many interpretations there are, so long as one of them is that these are bullet holes?

Nougat Christ

Trying to disassemble reality into a nice little spin will not change what it is. Neither is trying to obtusely argue that these are paper holes.
You'd have a better change are fooling people if your graphic artist had used any other shape except for the round one.
The keywords clearly state TARGET SHOOTING - so are the Conservative trying to shoot Dion?

It is rather "convenient" that that Conservative come out with the excuse of "ripping paper" months after many have complained of the bullet holes around Dion. What happened? Did the Connie spin machine get caught in another case of hypocrisy?

Let's put it this way, if I were to take those same "paper holes" and place them on Haper's forehead and use the explanation that I'm just releasing hot air, it would not take long for the howler monkeys to claim that I was shooting Harper.

The Liberals have already presented their excuses for the poor taste of posting that image - I have yet to see Conservatives offer the same for the bullet holes around Dion. At, lets be clear about this, the Ruby image was from a follower, the Dion bullet holes commissioned by the Conservative party.

Liz J

Like your alter ego, 900ftjesus, you've lost, stop digging. The holes as depicted by the photo would have to be punched from behind, just what the Liberal hierarchy were doing to Dion, they punched him right out of office to make way for their chosen one.

Stephen Taylor

I don't see a hole on Dion's head.

The keywords say "punching" and "torn paper".

You're spinning.

The Ruby image was given the seal of approval from the official Liberal Party website, a website Mr. Ignatieff is in charge of (buck stops with him, doesn't it?)

When will Michael Ignatieff apologize?

Nougat Christ

If you prefer, I could use the same layout and replace Dion with a picture of Harper and the howler monkeys would be outraged.
The keywords are : Cut Or Torn Paper, Hole, Paper, Torn, EXPLODING, TARGET SHOOTING, Punching, Broken, Image Effect, Cracked...

It is insulting that you'd argue that round hole in that shape are not bullet holes and at this point quite tiresome.

It's a nice little diversion and I'm sure some of the more gullible BT will gladly reproduce.

Maybe you'd like to blog about something with substance such as Colvin's rebuttal today?

m123T

Re Colvins rebuttal, did you read where he suggested taking fewer prisoners. Is he suggesting they be killed instead of captured, or is he suggesting they should be ignored, to go and kill our troops, throw acid, behead people and plant landmines.
Considering the liberals favor assassination, perhaps that is what he is suggesting in that statement.

Stephen Taylor

So you acknowledge that you're simply a howler monkey with a partisan slant? If you presume that partisans on the other side would react as howler monkies if the shoe were on the other foot are you saying that you're acting like a "howler monkey"?

No, no, the "howler monkies" on our side are outraged by the photoshop monkies on your side that depicted the PM getting shot.

I await your howling response ;)

joannetb

Why do the Liberals only see death?

It's like a Rorschach test. Show them a pencil hole and they see bullets.

Devin Johnston

I think you're stretching here, Stephen. What cause the holes in the paper? Why are they there? The illustration doesn't really make sense unless the holes are supposed to be bullet holes due to Dion's being shot at by his own party members.

Let's just be gownups about this. The Liberals should apologize for publishing the photoshopped picture their supporter made on their website. The Conservatives should apologize for this one and pull it down, too.

I really get the sense that issues like these wouldn't come up so ofter if political actors didn't feel the need to vilify each other constantly.

Gayle

The liberals did apologize.

Nougat Christ

@bigcitylib the keyword to the file that Taylor is saying is only "paper holes" is TARGET SHOOTING....

Last time I did target shooting I used a gun... if anything is full of holes it is Taylor's explanation...

Stephen Taylor

Both the image I've produced above of "paper holes" and this one: http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-2647106-...

have the same first keyphrase: "cut or torn paper"

bigcitylib

If you look at all the photos on istock you get when searching paper holes, you find many of them are .jpgs of bullet holes shot through paper targets and other paper objects. So that proves nothing. In context (against a stop sign red background) they are obviously gun shots, probably from a .412 shotgun.

I'll give you the same advice I give everyone, Taylor, apologize now. Twice, for that Iggy with the shotgun thing. Otherwise it will never go away.

jckirlan

What's a .412? .410 maybe? If you fascists are going to ban guns in this old democracy , then at least know what you're talking about.
It tells me your logic is flawed at best. The Liberal party is lost to this country for a generation or more. THANK GOD.
In the words of Oliver Cromwell, to the looney Libs: "You have sat too long for any good you have been doing lately... Depart, I say; and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!"

Gayle

Oh no, he said .412 instead of 410. How flawed his logic must be!

jckirlan

Did you even read the post? It's better to aim before you shoot. If you did read it , then your comprehension must be poor.

Gayle

I read it. I think your ability to express yourself is what is lacking here.

jckirlan

In classic communist style, go ad hominem when debate fails. True to form, you took the bait.

Gayle

Ha ha ha

I trust you are speaking about yourself. Or did you miss it when you said "your comprehension must be poor"?

I know what you said, and my comment stands. Instead of defending your comment you attack me. That is the classic definition of ad hominem.

Stephen Taylor

It is not obvious at all (paper holes, guilt by paper hole association with other paper holes -- stop equals red? Or Liberal?). On the other hand, a Jack Ruby photoshop of the PM is quite obvious.

Michael Ignatieff should apologize.

Gayle

OK. So because not every person will think they look like bullet holes, no apology is required?

How many people have to think they look like bullet holes before the photo comes down?

Stephen Taylor

If we started to function by this standard, the automatic reaction to everything in politics would to be offended.

Let's just say 100% of sane people find a photoshop of Jack Ruby shooting the PM to be offensive.

Gayle

You are wrong about that. Apologies for offensive conduct come all the time, even when not everyone is offended.

Politicians should not have to poll people and get a 100% offended rate before they issue an apology for being offensive.

Liz J

Bullet holes around Dion? I thought he was pushing up through daisies.
Anyhoo, not a chance of Kinsella and his gang passing off the depiction of assassination of our Prime Minister as funny. In fact it could be dangerous if some deranged individual gets an idea from it.

It's about time Ignatieff acts like a leader and take responsibility for his flock. Ralph Goodale , Mr know-all, may want to go off and check his facts before spouting off.

If Ignatieff can't bring himself to apologize for such an outrageous posting on his website, he's not a real leader.

billg

Ted...do you remember the good old days when if the Libs polled at 7 to 10 points behind the Conservative's they'd look inside the party to see what's wrong instead of blaming the guy that keeps winning elections, cuz, sooner or later your gonna have to give that a try.

Bec

The Liberals and their very anally aggressive "Copenhagen Contest' will soon be proven even more idiotic than Copenhagen itself. perhaps that is why they even did it, to take the attention off a leader and party that HAS NO POLICY. Other than that of the bandwagon.

Someone very wise said today, "once you are 7 steps off of the 'Hill' nobody cares what is happening there" and I tend to agree.
Canadians, are sick of this garbage and in particular these outrageous partisan attacks.
This one however, will go down as the MOST DISGUSTING, ever and they had at least 1/2 of those 75 to chose from.

On the LIBERAL WEBSITE, none the less.

gimbol

My guess is that the brains behind this contest is the guy that will also have to be the one with the task of explaining it away. Won't that be real kick in the backside. Let me stress that this in no way imply that Warren is the idiot that thought this up.

Canadiansense

Liberal math does not add up again. It listed seven vs six finalists. The assassination got pulled after it made the finalists list. I have the pics.

http://canadiansense.blogspot.com/2009/12/does-...

I don't think making light of genocide by despots and calling our PM a dicatator is fair game either given the stink by the coalition regarding alleged human rights abuses ignored by our military and our government.

tedbetts

Except, Stephen, to sustain your argument you need also explain why the Conservatives added gunshot sound effects and drew Ignatieff holding a gun.

Clearly the paper holes are meant to be gunshot holes in a paper background.

Nice try though.

And generally nice attempt at changing the channel from Colvin's latest damning testimony, the possibility that Harper will once again prorogue Parliament to avoid accountability, the fact that Harper is deliberately showing contempt for Parliament by ignoring the will and motions of Parliament, Harper's use of our soldiers as props to help him cover-up his incompetent oversight of detainees, the embarrassment in Copenhagen, and Harper's falling polls/Ignatieff's rising polls.

Canadians are smarter than that. And knowing you to be a reasonable and sane partisan, I don't for a second believe you really think Ignatieff should apologize for a stupid ill-thought photo that appeared for about half an hour. If you really thought an apology was owing, I'm sure we would have heard you calling on Harper to apologize for: calling Martin a supporter of child pornography, posting bullet shots around Dion during an election, calling Navdeep Bains a supporter of terrorism because his step father knows one of the Air India bombers, saying Ignatieff and Bob Rae (of all people) and the other Liberal leaders as haters of Israel etc etc etc.

Seems to me conservatives were whining away that the opposition was desperately grabbing at faux outrages because they have nothing else. Certainly, that is the case here.

When is Stephen Harper going to apologize to Canadians?

Alberta Girl

Where is your proof of that TED???

batb

" ... posting bullet shots around Dion during an election ..."

IF those were intended to be bullet holes, at least there isn't one through Dion's head. 'How about this being about Dion dodging bullets? G*d knows, there were enough of them coming from his own party members and his own ineptness.

It's astonishing to me that Liberal$ can't distinguish between partisan cheap -- though, sometimes, apt -- shots and a staged assassination shot of our Prime Minister. There IS a difference, and no amount of trying to play gotcha is going to remove the distinct odour of desperation coming from the Librano Camp.

Look, the Liberal$ have scraped the very bottom of the (gun) barrel by their Web Team's allowing this barbaric photoshopped image of Prime Minister Stephen Harper 1) onto their Web site and 2) as a finalist in their contest. They've badly blown it (sorry for the constant stream of double entendres, but they just keep slipping out).

The very fact that they posted this image reveals a craven lack of morals or ethics and that they and their supporters just don't get it.

As for "Colvin's latest damning testimony," only the Taliban and the Liberal$ are worried about a shoe being thrown at their comrade. As for "the possibility that Harper will once again prorogue Parliament," who says? Ralphie Badbeer? As for "the embarrassment in Copenhagen," a lot of Canadians are saying "give us another fossil award! Please!" PMSH isn't falling for the manipulated stats supporting "Global Warming" and the real agenda behind carbon credits, which is a massive, internatilnal redistribution of wealth and a grab at one-world government centred in the UN.

Ardvark

Holes through paper cannot possibly be compared with holes through people, but yet this is what the Liberals are trying to do.

Sad.

Gayle

Yes Ardvark. The fact the bullet holes in the paper surround Dion's head has nothing to do with it, right?

MrEd

aren't bullet's round??? I don't see any round holes in the picture but then maybe I'm missing something the MSM, NDP, and Liberals seem to want to see.... must be the rose colored glasses effect

Janni

Warren the depraved gets the usual last word on CTV. Warren´s pals at the Hill Times think this photo was "...Funny. Gasp! I said it". (Harris McLoed).

I feel like I live on Mars because these friendly folks think such a photo is fair game and somehow the same as a poopin puffin.

Sorry to do this but consider changing the players around. In the photo, put Ignatieff´s head shot onto Lee Harvey Oswalds body and have Jack Ruby murder him in front of the FBI agents. Sparks do fly!

How many days, how many angles, how much dialogue, how much ink of indignation would be spent discussing the ways that Conservatives have maligned the great thinker Liberal leader. I figure it would be dragged through the print and TV news for at least a week. A week of heavy coverage, most of which would be very sympathetic to the Liberal leader.

I saw some comment at the Globe where a person said that kids play videos shooting people all the time and their kids would have no problem seeing this photo with the PM being shot. My kids do not know what politics are but they know the PM and they´d be shocked and upset. Rightfully.

Canadiansense

If I am not mistaken his advice was to call the RCMP and let them sort it out back than.

Liz J

It's apparent the Liberals are seeing only and the reason is becoming more obvious by the day.

The Taliban detainee issue is all they've got and they're hanging on to it like flies to manure.
Accusations are flying and they're zeroing in on the Harper government as being responsible for torture of Taliban, (the enemy), detainees. They will not sleep until the government of Canada is indicted for war crimes.

Liz J

Damn, that should read: It's apparent the Liberals are seeing only DEATH and the reason is......

Canadiansense

Polls and fundraising fourth quarter results?

east of eden

Well, Stephen, you asked when Ignatieff will apologize to PM Harper. The answer is: "probably never". There are reasons for this. First of all, our PM is highly intelligent, a real leader, a good man, a man of faith, a man with class, and a man who has his feet firmly planted in reality. Ignatieff, on the other hand, is academically intelligent but has no reality smarts, he has no class, he has no idea how to lead his party and he has no concept of what it is like to be Canadian. We are a polite country - something of which Ignatieff could not be aware since he is American (yes, I know what his passport says). Ignatieff is clearly not a leader and, as such, is weak and ineffective. He would not apologize because he has no leadership qualities.

Retired Eagle

Where have you been? In Eden? If you listen you will hear an angry, unforgiving man without a soul. PM Harper is about unChristian as a person could get if we define a Christian as a person of love. Photoshopped photos should never be allowed in any serious journalistic publication (electronic or other). That said, freedom of expression does exist ... until Christians extirpate said freedoms from the face/body/soul of Canada. Lead with the heart, not with vengeance and the idea of payback.

east of eden

PS - if you want to see what a lack of freedom of expression looks like, go to Afghanistan, Saudi, Syria, China, Zimbabwe, etc. I suppose it was the Christians who removed those freedoms? Whenever I read comments like that, I just shake my head and wonder why people cannot actually think for themselves instead of regurgitating speaking points which they heard or read somewhere.

east of eden

Who said anything about defining a Christian as a man of love? I referred to him as a man of faith - as he truly is. I, also, am a lifelong man of faith and I can tell you that any person of faith who goes around "loving" everybody and everything is a phony. We are human and not all of us are sweetness and light. Heck, even Christ had a temper - think of that temple scene. God certainly has a temper. So, bringing up your bit about PM Harper being un-Christian, sorry, I think your comment is completely without merit. I respect your right to an opinion but I also respect my right to dismiss that opinion, as I do; without rancour or personal attack.