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You may have seen the series of ads on TV recently that feature a soothing folk music and clips of diverse gatherings, beautiful landscapes and a sense of opportunity and hope. These ads are part of the American bid to adopt what was once the Canadian dream – a dream that has been under dismantling since Harper took office in 2006.
There is a detail about Prime Minister Stephen Harper that is very mum in Canada. It is a detail that may and will explain every decision he has made to date and every decision he will make in the future.
It was only a matter of time before the Conservatives would try to paint NDP leader Thomas Mulcair as an environmental radical but in an unexpected turn, the NDP have struck back, hitting the Conservatives where it really hurts.
It appears that you don’t necessarily have to be a bureaucrat who’s losing a job to get a severance package. While the Conservatives are cutting Canadian services, they are giving their friends in the bureaucracy a $6 billion in bonus and a pay raises.
Pessimism and distain in Canadian politics is as notable as the voter turnout and the apathy related to the outrageous scandals that surface. A new Ipsos-Reid poll reveals that my cynicism of politicians isn’t rare and goes on to confirm other polls showing disappointment for all politicians.
International Development Minister Bev Oda has announced on her website that she will be resigning as MP for Durham on July 31. After the misspending that came out of her department, it is hard to see how Canada will miss her.
In politics, there is no such thing as a reality. If people think a certain way of a party, this way of thinking becomes a reality that is set in stone. While polls aren’t always accurate, they give people a chance to see what others are thinking and it also gives a chance to see where people stand on policies and what perceptions they have of political parties.
Peterborough MP Dean Del Mastro was the main defender of the Conservative party when allegations of illegal phone calls first occurred. At the time, he called the entire event an “unsubstantiated smear” and even charged that the Liberal party was behind it. It turns out that the Conservatives’ own defender has a record to hide and it isn’t a pretty one.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper campaigned on having a “strong, stable, national Conservative Majority Government” to protect Canadians from a “coalition with the separatists.” It turns out that after a secret meeting with former PM Brian Mulroney and current Quebec Premier Jean Charest, Harper is ready to work with the separatists.
It’s one thing to say that you want to fix Ottawa. It’s one thing to say that you want to get rid of the Harper government. It’s a completely other thing to act on those words, it seems, for the NDP. After recent actions in the House of Commons and recent comments published by former strategist Brian Topp, the NDP affirm that dirty tactics are here to stay.