Senate, courts would keep Tories in check: Harper (2006)

Ah, the good ole days when people thought he spoke the truth. Remember this:

The Tory leader drove home comments he made Tuesday that the Conservatives would be unable to wield absolute power even as a majority, as they would face a series of checks and balances from Liberal-appointed judges and senators.

"We have no alternative but to accept the checks; they're part of our system," Harper told a news conference in Toronto, facing some of the sharpest questioning he has faced recently.

"Judges are named, (and) judges can't be removed by governments except under extraordinary circumstances."

Harper has vowed to end the Liberal practice of "parachuting" political staffers into civil service positions where they can exert influence.

The Conservative leader also said he believes civil servants would welcome a change in government.

"Obviously, the civil service has worked for many decades much more closely with Liberal governments than others," Harper said.

Well, he ignores rulings from the courts and breaks his own laws. Apparently they are for others, not him. If you dare ask the government about accountability it will take you to court to shut you up. He ignores and gets rid of the countries watchdogs. He shut down parliament to end questions about his actions. He now has a majority in the senate. Did I also mention he violates charter rights?

I hope Canadians realize that all the reassurances from 2006 are gone. They were actually never really there. Its just taken 4 years to destroy our system. There is nothing right now acting as any sort of check or balance. By definition, Mr. Harper IS a dictator at the moment.

Dictator definitions:
* a ruler who is unconstrained by law

* authoritarian: a person who behaves in a tyrannical manner;

* a form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.

* A dictatorship is defined as an autocratic form of government in which the government is ruled by an individual, the dictator, without hereditary

It is absolutely imperative that Canadians understand that nothing is stopping this guy anymore. Its time to wise up and do some serious thinking. The next election is key to saving the country as we know it. It may be time to put aside your particular party affiliations and line up behind one party to stop Harper.

I am not saying a majority but at least a strong minority to put Harper where he belongs. On some right wing blow hard talk show host on fox where you can just tune him out for good. We all know that's where he is headed. Why else did he spend our money advertising him self down there lately? Recommend this Post

Mr Colvin, the whistleblower, faces reprisal from the Conservative Government

Just a few years ago when Harper was trying to unseat the Liberals, I remember him trotting out a gentleman by the name of Alan Cutler. This man was the sponsorship scandal whistle-blower who the Reform-Conservatives recruited as the poster boy candidate for accountability. Mr Cutler was recruited as a Reform Conservative candidate. He did and lost. Pierre Poilievre at the time praised the man and said that the government should be paying whistle-blowers to well, blow the whistle.

Fast forward to today and the latest whistle-blower, Mr. Colvin, is not being paid, and instead the government is refusing to pay his legal bills which they are required to.

Governments are usually defeated when they become everything they were against upon election. If that is the case, The Reform-Conservatives have reached that point after just 4 years. They have in essence become as crooked as the government they denounced and replaced just 4 years ago. Not bad. It took liberals 13 years to become so hypocritical people felt it was time to change. Recommend this Post

Where are the new Reform-Conservative Senators?

Could it be Harper knows Canadians are finally watching?

Or is something major going on in the Reform-Conservative Party? Both Flaherty and Flanagan contradicted Harper's excuses for proroguing this week.

Something is going on.

Harper's waited 4 years for this moment. I find it strange the senators seem to be delayed.

Or are they canceled?

I do believe this is the end of Harper. I was apathetic myself about politics but then in 1993, my first vote, I voted Liberal. It was just coincidence that years later I found myself actually agreeing with their policy. I voted Liberal in 1993 purely because it would get rid of the Conservatives, otherwise I would have not voted at all. Harper seems to have created the conditions for this sort of scenario for many people and he will be ousted. Harpers only achievement as Prime Minister will be increasing the voter turnout by giving them a reason to vote.

To vote him out.

PS: Been very busy with new job. My comment section is gone as haloscan is no longer in existence. I will be migrating over to wordpress in the next month or so and comments will return.

Like anyone gives a shit. Recommend this Post

Harper has dinner with 7 Columnists

Except they were American, arranged by George Bush's former spokesthingie Ari Fleischer .

Yes we paid for Harper to dine with American Journalists. Its pretty obvious Harpers got a boner for the USA or the Republican aspects of it anyway. Once he's booted just watch how fast he moves there.

Delacourts got a point here. Why should Harper be allowed to create a majority in the Senate when hes failed to get one from the electorate? Recommend this Post

Where's the apology?

Dimitri Soudas shoots his mouth off in typical reform-conservative fashion.

Be a man and apologize. Recommend this Post

Conservative Nanny Statism

Banning clothing from groups that hold them to account.

Its not the shirt that's protesting, its the people wearing them. Recommend this Post

This goes out to all the peeps in the CPC and its supporters

Language alert.


Recommend this Post

Oh Dalton

Why?

Could you not have waited until after the recession to bring in the HST?

I am on my 3rd job in one year due to the downturn with each lay-off lasting a month or more. My savings are gone. My transit pass is going to cost me 30+ dollars extra each month starting in January. Groceries are skyrocketing. I make exactly the same as I did last year except ends are not meeting. I've canceled cable, and my home phone and still ends don't meet. I have to live in a building with crack heads living in the stairwells and ends don't meet.

Ontario is becoming way too expensive and your bribe money discriminates against singles. I come from a province which has HST but we lobbed off 4% when we harmonized. You never. I am supportive of the HST but you have fucking shitty timing dude.

I will not vote for you Dalton in the next election. The NDP has my vote next time around. Hopefully you'll remember the little people then instead of business.

Federally the NDP can still kiss my ass. Recommend this Post

His reputation precedes him

China lifts ban on Canadian pork with Harper en route

Sounds like they want in on the stimulus spending. Recommend this Post

Canada's Latest International Embarassment.

'Thatcher Dead' Text Sparks fears

U.K. press purrs over Baird's 'Thatcher dead' text

Margaret Thatcher Is Not Dead; But Text Message About Cat Starts Rumor

If they wanted to put Canada on the map, congratulations, they now know where to find a good joke.

Do these people not take anything seriously? After 4 years it's still amateur hour. Recommend this Post

#1 Latest Pet Peeve

Conservatives while talking about the money involved in the gun registry have taken to the talking points imagine the social housing and how many single moms we could have helped.

Of course, Conservatives don't believe in social housing and when it comes to Conservatives, especially with Mr Baird, there is no track record with helping any single moms on welfare. Leaving to die maybe.

Conservatives make me sick. For a bunch wrapped up with Evangelicals, they sure lie, cheat, distort and completely lack any morals. Recommend this Post

I can't argue with this

Rural over-representation defeats the people's will.

20% of the country has more pull than the other 80%.

Its about time that we have a government that represents the people of this country instead of its vast landscape, no matter how beautiful it may be. We end up with a government just as barren as the prairies when it comes to ideas, morals and ability to lead a country.

The 20% that seems to have more power tend to have so few issues they elect members for one thing only. Things such as a gun registry. Is this how we want to run our country? With single issue government? That's all the reform-conservatives are. Its always been about guns and suspected crime in face of stats proving otherwise. Everything else they have promised they have taken half measures or completely neutered it to the point its useless, like the accountability act. We get mandatory election dates that are actually unenforceable. We also get 3 environmental plans yet none get implemented.

Ask yourself. What have the tories done that has improved EVERYONES lives.

They are not the government of canada. They are the Government of Conservatives areas within Canada. They are ignoring everyone else until you give in and elect one of them. Recommend this Post

Wow. They can go even lower than imagined.

Gov't program wants job applicants' views on Tory budget.

Yes, indeed.

You are still in Canada, whether you recognize it or not.

At least the weather is warmer in Zimbabwe.

I though Public Service was anathema to Reform Conservatives. But I guess like pork-barreling, its only bad when others do it. Recommend this Post

Teh Stoopid or How to be a Conservative

One week argue that everyone who has a bicycle should be required to licence it. And then later that everyone with a gun or guns shouldn't have to license them.

There you have it. The bizarre world of conservatism where a bike is a dangerous thing that should be licensed but guns should be freely available and don't you dare ask who has one.

No need to be confused. They never make sense. They are reactionary and have a mean streak. Its not about principle its about being an atrocious human being. You see having a bicycle makes you a tax loving green socialist liberal and thats just wrong but stock piling guns, rifles and automatic machine guns makes you a pillar of the conservative community.

I wonder how much money criminals and criminal organizatons are donating to the conservative cause right now??

Don't give me that BS about a gun not being a weapon unless a human shoots it. That can be said about anything, including illegal drugs. That argument only works on Teh Stoopid aka Conservatives/conservatives/reformers. Recommend this Post

Somebody, Please make It Stop!

I beg of you, media, please stop the coverage on the nonstory "Balloon Boy". Besides the fact he was never in the balloon, this story has no importance whatsoever.

I have already reduced my cable to basic to combat trash media, now I am considering removing it altogether. I think its become painfully obvious that the internet has had nothing to do with mainstream media demise, they are are killing themselves.

One more plea, please stop the other nonstory about the Gosselin family also. Who gives a shit, my neighbours are splitting up also and I see no media bandwagon there. Recommend this Post

Is it available on toilet paper?

Yawn. She's a neo-con republican and as such this book will be nothing but lies and revisionism to bolster her electability. I am sure it will read similar to a trailer park boys episode. Recommend this Post

So.

I fail to see the outrage about this ruling. In any country where there is a majority of one "race" there is always oppression. To pretend there isn't is to be a fool.

My friend Dwayne moved here from South Africa 8 years ago for the same reason. Racism occurs anywhere where one race is dominant over the other

It occurs still here in Canada. Usually when you travel and need to get home though. Recommend this Post

Bravo Mr Harper! Your lowest low yet!

You have taken an independent body central to our democracy and through a lawsuit you are forcing it to get involved in politics and attack the liberal party. How honorable of you to even pay for it.

There is a perfect word for you but Zimbababwe has it borrowed.

At which point can I use treasonous? Recommend this Post

Alberta's Tar Sands are Socialist

Actually worse.. Communist!

Whatever will the neo-connies do. Recommend this Post

Pope Stephen I of Canada

Now he's getting just plain weird. Stephen Harper has now said that he cares more about God's Verdict than what voters think.

Lovely. So god speaks to him now. How else would he know what god wants. Whose god? I would imagine the evangelical angry god. The one who approves of an eye for an eye. The black and white view of the world. Does his god know about the Pope of Canada's penchant for psychics? tsk tsk.

This is enough for most to not vote for this man.

Why would an Hindu, Buddhist, Shintoist, Atheist, etc want to be subjected to Pope Stephens evangelical christian view of Canada?

Whats happened to Canada, we use to pride ourselves as secular and honest brokers. Now we've become a theocracy subject to 6000 year old morality laws.

Will he add blasphemy to his law and order agenda?

Who the fuck does he think he is? Recommend this Post