Is Jack Layton's NDP the New Bloc?

 Maybe!  Along with Jack Layton's NDP's big gains a month ago in the general election, mostly from Quebec, comes more attention and scrutiny as it should be. To the media's credit they're starting to pay attention.

 Tasha Kheiriddin from the National Post - Jack Layton is between a Bloc and a hard place.

Jack Layton may be nimble, but even he is not proving quick enough to escape the nationalist tarpit which has trapped many a federal politician before him.

Don Macpherson, from The Montreal Gazette- Layton is raising unrealistic expectations among Quebecers  and is still making promises.

Because the leader of the New Democratic Party continues to make promises to French-speaking Quebecers.

And in the process, he is raising unrealistic expectations among them that a national party that aspires to govern can act as a New Bloc Québécois, placing their interests ahead of those of other Canadians.

Paul Schneidereit from The Chronicle Herald-The NDP in a la-la-Layton Land with Quebec Sovereignty  

Federal NDP Leader Jack Layton and his party are playing with fire on the Quebec sovereignty issue.

They’ve been playing that dangerous game for a while, too. The irony, of course, is that the controversy that’s now blown up in their faces was inevitable as soon as they achieved a longtime party goal — political success in la belle province.

Even the Globe and Mails Lawrence Martin is weighing in.-Are the NDP more Bloc than the Bloc?

With the demolition of the Bloc Québécois, election day was supposed to be a nice day for federalism.
But that prognosis is already in doubt. After years on the margins of the national discussion, Quebec nationalism is moving to the forefront.
Its new primacy of place is assured by an Official Opposition, the New Democratic Party, that is hostage to many of the interests of Quebec autonomists. With 59 seats, most from former Bloquiste territory, the New Democrats have little choice but to sing their song, minus the ultimate goal of separation.

It seems as if Jack has bitten off a little more than he can chew. Seeing that most of the MSM are starting to ask questions. This issue is not going go away and will not be an easy four years for Jack especially with his the kids in his caucus.
 

PM Harper Doing Us Proud

Some common sense is starting to make a comeback in this country.

First the budget that is due to be tabled June 6 will include the phasing out of the voter subsidies to political parties.

Plans are being made to end the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly.

A bill will be introduced in June first through the Senate for senate reform that would allow for elections and set term limits.

PM Harper at the G8 summit in France resisted offering direct aid to Egypt and Tunisia instead Canada’s backing would come through its existing support of multilateral financial institutions.

He also stood firm with Israel in insisting the final document coming out of the G8 not mention the 1967 borders as starting point for peace.

PM Harper also confirmed we're not going take part in the next round of the Kyoto protocol talks later this year along with Russia,and Japan.

It's a good start and  is  good news for Canada if you're a common sense conservative.  Not so much if you're a lefty.  Heads must be exploding!


I hope to see more of this kind of stuff come out of this government over their four year term.  How about doing something about the CBC and the CHRC next?  That would really put icing on the cake!

Why Are We Funding Anti-Israel,Pro-Palestinian So Called Charities?

Sun Media has a story out stating that our tax dollars are going to a so called charity group that is really an anti-Israel activist group. Alternatives Canada based out of Montreal, is taking part in a flotilla that will try to run the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza with other left wing radical groups later this spring.

Radicals from this country are organizing to take part in a flotilla that will try to run the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza. A boat from this country is expected to be part of that flotilla in June and one of the main groups involved gets millions of your tax dollars.

 As Lilley states in his column, that  Alternatives Canada are not what they seem much like KAIROS that Minister Bev Oda judiciously cut funding on. . It's an activist group and has received $5 million of our money from the CIDA for the last five years.

The Montreal-based Alternatives, which has received $5 million from the federal government over the last few years, is not what most people think of when they think of an aid group. They don’t feed the hungry or clothe the naked. They are political organizers.

From NGO Monitor,an organization that keeps NGOs accountable says this about Alternatives Canada,

• Engages in a wide variety of highly unbalanced and politicized activities both within Canada and abroad. Outside Canada, the NGO has partnerships and funded projects, including projects based in the Palestinian Territories.
• Domestic advocacy is unceasingly critical of Israel even as it downplays Palestinian human rights abuses and ignores Palestinian terrorism.

Lilley gave a good synopsis on his show,Byline last night. It's worth watching.Eric Duhaime gives insight to what they're really up to.   Minister Oda did the right thing in defunding KAIROS. Now she can take the axe to radical left wing groups like  Alternatives Canada and other's who may not be what they seem.

Related: PM Harper blocks mention of 1967 border in G8 Mideast statement -Globe
              Canada objects to mention of 1967 borders in G8 statement-National Post
              Canada takes strong pro-Israel line at G8 summit- MSNBC

His support for Israel never waivers and it's nice to see his influence on the international stage!  Makes me proud to be Canadian.

Jack Layton's Quebec Conundrum

Jack Layton during the election campaign made certain promises to Quebec. He had promised he would recognize  50 plus 1 majority  as winning conditions  for Quebec to separate  in the event of a referendum and he would repeal the Clarity Act. in which the NDP had once voted for. Now a large part of Jack's caucus is from Quebec that he'll have a time and half to manage and much will be expected.  Some don't know how they would vote in the case of a referendum.

Now Jack is dodging trying to reconcile his contradiction.

He wound up dodging and weaving when asked to explain how to reconcile the contradiction.
"The position of the Supreme Court (which later became the Clarity Act), was accepted by the two sides of this great debate," Layton said. "So there is no necessity to go further then this because we have an excellent context for this possible discussion on this possible question."
Pressed about whether the NDP still recognizes the 50per-cent level, the furthest Layton would go was to say: "It's there in our declaration.
"We'll follow the decision of the Supreme Court judges," he reiterated. "We think that's an appropriate framework. We don't need to be revisiting legislation.
"But our goal is not to see another referendum. Our goal is to create the winning conditions for Canada in Quebec."
The term "winning conditions," is the one Layton used during the election campaign to portray himself as a strong nationalist or defender of Quebec's interests as a way to crush the separatist Bloc Québécois.

Now both the Quebec Liberal party and the PQ have picked up on Jack's confusion. Where exactly does Jack stand?  I believe this will dog him for the next four years. Jack will have some juggling to do between his Quebec caucus and the rest of the caucus to keep all happy as to prevent a revolt possibly led by Thomas Mulcair .  

He should try to remember Brian Mulroney, Meech Lake and Lucien Bouchard.  It produced the Bloc and the Reform Party.  The PCs were reduced to two seats.

Related: Last night on Sunnews Network former Liberal leader Stephane Dion tried to explain to Charles Adler the Quebec issues.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update: From Norman Spector twitter-Mulcair says 50%+1 in referendum would do the trick http://tinyurl.com/3nu4s5p #cdnpoli #NDP #LPC #CPC 
Translation here 

If there were a referendum on Quebec sovereignty, the NDP would accept a majority of 50% + 1, as required by the declaration of Sherbrooke. That at least is what Thomas Mulcair, NDP Deputy Leader and MP for Outremont, in an interview with Pierre Maisonneuve.

 

 

NDP Pat Martin To Bring Civility To Parliament

Ok! Over the top always outraged about something or someone NDP MP Pat Martin is going to turn a new leaf and get this, lead a movement for more respect and civility in the House of Commons. 

 OTTAWA -- Manitoba NDP MP Pat Martin hopes to turn over a new leaf in the next Parliament and lead a movement for improved respect between MPs.
Martin admits he is known as a "loudmouth," but he said Tuesday he believes that gives calls by him to be more respectful of others more meaning.
"This is my new policy," Martin said, holding up a handful of party-coloured buttons he had made reading "Opto Civitas."
"I choose civility. That's the new me."

 Is this same Pat Martin who was so rude and disrespectful to Minister Oda just a couple of months ago  during the so called "contempt" hearings and the disgraceful treatment of Candace Hoeppner on CBC Power and Politics?  The treatment of both of those ladies were thoroughly despicable. 

Has Pat suddenly had an epiphany? Has he decided to grow up?  Let's hope so.  A leopard just can't change his spots but let's see if he really has changed.   It's like L.Ian MacDonald says:

But if the New Democrats are to be taken seriously, it's time for them to behave like grown-ups, and lighten up on the sanctimonious grandstanding of front-benchers like Tom Mulcair and Pat Martin. 

I agree there needs to be more civility between parliamentarians in the HOC.  Parliament had become a toxic cesspool  with all the vitriol and petty partisanship.  It might have been a result of the minority situation, I don't know but it become stomach churning.  

Will Pat actually follow through? It would be nice.  I will give him the benefit of the doubt, for now but on the other hand I'm not holding my breath.  I guess we'll just have wait to see what happens.

PM Harper vs. President Obama on Israel and the Middle East

First I trust everyone had a great Victoria Day long weekend.  Here in southern Alberta it was an  OK weekend if you want rain. Saturday was fairly nice even got some gardening done. Sunday and Monday the weather was kinda of unsettled.

Now to the main topic.  Israel has been friends and allies with both Canada and the United States. Last Thursday President Obama gave a  major speech stating that the peace process between Israelis and the Palestinians that Israel must return to the 1967 borders in which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted Pres Obama saying it's "indefensible and challenges their existence."

President Obama's statement was frightening and is frankly dangerous not only for Israel but the world.

Obama is a danger. He is a Manchurian candidate — a radical, undermining America from within and endangering America’s allies, too.

Well, I'm glad our Prime Minister is "NOT" supporting Pres Obama's  dangerous Middle East  peace proposal.  PM Harper has been consistent in his support for Israel and I believe he's right, for Israel,the right to exist. and the right to defend itself. 

 Seeing that PM Harper is well liked and respected by his counterparts and now has a majority government there's good opportunity for Canada to take advantage and a have a greater influence in the world on  the Middle East and other important issues as well. 

PM Harper has always and will continue to consistently stand up for and protect Israelis interests, President Obama, I don't think so much.

Do You Really Believe These Two Guys?

Apparently both Bob Rae and Justin Trudeau say they don't want permanent leadership of the Liberal party. Yeah right!
Do you actually believe these guys?  I don't. They both have too big of egos and want to be PM.

Bob Rae has wanted to be Liberal leader and Prime Minister since 2006 when he sought the leadership after former leader and PM Paul Martin stepped down. He ended coming in third behind Michael Ignatieff and of course it was that race brought in Stephane Dion as the big kahuna of the party.

So.he only wants to be interm leader. Some Liberals don't believe it.  They believe he's setting things up to become the permanent leader.

OTTAWA — Liberals lined up to express concern Thursday that Bob Rae plans use his possible position as interim leader to mount a campaign for the permanent leadership of the party despite saying he has no plans to do so.

As for baby Justin Trudeau, supporters say he wants to devote more time for his family and has no interest in the permanent job. Okaaay!

Justin Trudeau is understood to have told supporters that he is putting his family first and will not seek the permanent leadership of the party. Mr. Trudeau grew up in a family where his father was often absent because of his political duties and he is said to be keen to avoid history repeating itself. Mr. Trudeau could not be reached for comment Thursday.

 There no doubt there are some Liberal supporters that think Justin is their next saviour and will bring them back to their rightful place. It's just based on  his name  and his pretty boy looks and nothing else really.  I don't think he has anything of substance and not really that politically savvy and if Liberals think he's their answer they should think again.

One thing is for sure, it'll be interesting to watch all the goings on within the Liberal party in the coming days, months and couple of years.

Wildrose Pushes for An Elected Senate

Danielle Smith,leader of the Wildrose party here in Alberta sent out letters to all the Premiers pushing them to hold Senate elections with their provincial elections.

“Provinces may never have a better opportunity than right now to show leadership on reforming the Senate,” Smith said. “We have a majority government led by a Prime Minister who will appoint elected Senators, we have more than half of the provincial and territorial jurisdictions going to the polls in the next seven months, and we will have 28 Senate vacancies to fill over the next eight years. We can’t let this opportunity pass by.”

                                                                 **********

“We have been pressing the current government very hard to reinstate Senate elections, but with all these other factors aligning, we’ve decided to broaden our pitch,” Smith said. “Having a provincially elected Senate is a major step towards greater autonomy for the provinces and a more democratic federal government.”

                                                              ***********
PC Premier Ed Stelmach was supposed to hold senate elections last fall with our municipal elections but he reneged.  I think because he was afraid Wildrose candidates would be elected.
                                                                **********

The current PC government cancelled Senate elections that would have been held in conjunction with last October’s municipal vote.

Danielle has challenged the Premiers. PM Harper has asked the Premiers to hold elections. Sask Premier Brad Wall has been complaining so has NS Premier Darrell Dexter. Now the PM has put ball is back in the their court. Will they hold elections or will it be status quo? It's up to them. Maybe Danielle Smith can help them with her letter.

But the director of communications in the Prime Minister’s Office said the two premiers do not have to wait for the federal legislation to enable Senate elections, and can go ahead in their provinces if they wish.

“Both of these provinces have yet to move on setting elections and consulting the population for the appointment of senators,” Mr. Soudas said. “We encourage them to do that so that if there are any vacancies from Nova Scotia or from Saskatchewan, obviously .... we would appoint those chosen by the population.”

James Moore, Maybe The State Broadcaster Should Catch Your Ire Too!

Vancouver punk band,Living With Lions has caught the ire of James Moore, Heritage Minister.  In their new album they mock the Bible.  It's deplorable and as a Christian, I do find it offensive and we should not be funding crap like that.  James Moore is right in criticizing this group. Why we are funding artists period is beyond me! 

 Anyway The State Broadcaster should catch the ire of the Minister as well.  Taxpayers fund the CBC to the tune of over $1 billion a year.  They burn through about $20 million a week, that's the entire budget for Sunnews Network for one year and what to they have to show for it?  

One day the CBC won't get the Sun's entire annual TV budget -- $20 million -- in a single week. Seriously, do the math: with a billion dollars a year, the CBC burns through the Sun's yearly expenses every seven days.

They produce garbage, are extremely biased  and only a small niche listens to them. The only thing they have going for them is Hockey Night in Canada. Another network could provide that quite nicely like TSN for instance?  They own the rights to the original theme anyway.  

So James Moore why are you defending them and want to increase their funding?  Cut them off and let them sink or swim on their own. Let them compete in the real world!

Minister Moore, the CBC has trained you well as Ezra Levant has pointed out on a recent episode of the Source.  If you don't come to your senses soon just step aside and let some one else take over  Heritage! Enough is enough!  It's time to stop arts funding and it's time for the State Broadcaster to go!

Finally There Will Be Choice

Choice for farmers that is. Everybody's focused on the Senate appointments that PM Harper made yesterday. Something that is not being talked about so much is that after the new cabinet was sworn in yesterday Ag Minister Gerry Ritz indicated that the Conservative majority government will move forward this fall to end the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly.Finally!

Legislation will be introduced in the fall and it's expected to take effect for the new crop marketing year August 2012.  It  will be a long time in coming and be much welcomed.

OTTAWA/WINNIPEG (Reuters) - Canada's Conservative government will likely introduce legislation this autumn that will end the Canadian Wheat Board's marketing monopoly on wheat and barley in 2012, the agriculture minister said on Wednesday.

I remember when my dad was still farming in the '70s he and his farmer friends for years had often complained about how restrictive the CWB was and how they felt they weren't getting a good deal for their grain. Then at the end of their discussions all the time they would shrug their shoulders saying " well, what can you do?"  They felt helpless. If you grew wheat or barley, there were quotas. You had to have a permit book, you were told when to sell,  told you could only sell a certain amount and  for a what price. Those quotas had a very limited time period each time too. Yeah I know, sounds like the old Soviet Union. My dad retired in the early '80s and is now in his mid 90s  and will be happy to hear that the farmers today will have finally get the choice of marketing their grain on their own.

Getting rid of the CWB monopoly will finally free farmers up to market their grain and get the best deal. There have been so many lies out there that the CWB will be abolished. That is not the case, the CWB will still be there for those who wish to use it. It's the monopoly that  will be abolished.

Getting rid of the monopoly is a promise the Conservatives have wanted to keep for so many years and have tried but not able to do so.  Now with a majority in both chambers of the House, it's looking more and more promising and possible  the job will be done.

Watch this video from a segment on Charles Adler's show  talking about the CWB  with a couple of guests.

Boy,Do The Liberals Have Problems

Since the trouncing they got on May 2, the Liberals are in an conundrum wondering what they should do next.  What do they do to make a come back or should they even make a comeback?  They sure have a lot of sole searching and a lot of work to do that's for sure.  It doesn't help that most of the candidates from the 2006 leadership race still owe money in which may put off potential future leadership candidates.

As if the Liberals didn’t have enough problems finding a new leader, there’s this: It costs too much to run, and if you don’t win you might have to mortgage the house to pay off the debt.
The Hill Times reports that most of the 2006 candidates for the leadership are still deep in hock: Gerard Kennedy owes $164,000, Ken Dryden owes $215,000, Joe Volpe owes $73,000.  Martha Hall Findlay still owes $125,000 (to herself, it appears), while Maurizio Bevilacqua, Hedy Fry and even Stephane Dion may all still have outstanding debts. Kennedy, Volpe, Hall Findlay and Dryden all lost their seats this month, making it even harder to raise money now.

Yikes, that's not a good start for rebuilding.  They certainly have trouble fundraising and what's going to happen when the voter tax subsidy is taken away?

And the situation will only be aggravated by the party’s own poverty, which can’t help but get worse when Prime Minister Stephen Harper cancels the subsidy lifeline. Small-time candidates will find themselves up against better-known MPs, plus their own party as it struggles to put together a fundraising apparatus capable of staving off bankruptcy.

But that's not their only problem, as Steve Janke points out Liberals are stuck in the rut of their own mushiness.  They don't know who they are and what they stand for. They tend to be all over the map on almost everything instead of finding a principal and sticking with it.

Then there's the infighting that's broken out.  Well at least there's one silver lining for the Libs, they have at least four years to figure things out and try and make a come back if indeed that's what they choose.  In the mean time we can have fun watching Jack Layton and his kids in the House and make sure the Conservative majority government becomes actually conservative.

Keep Slave Lakers in Your Prayers

I'm sure everyone is aware now of the tragic devastating fires in Slave Lake in Northern Alberta burning down nearly one third of the town.this weekend. More firefighters are on their way to help.

SLAVE LAKE, Alta. — More firefighting help is on its way to Slave Lake, but it will arrive too late for some parts of the northern Alberta town already destroyed by a wind-whipped wildfire.
Police say nearly one third of the town has either been destroyed or damaged after strong winds Sunday suddenly turned the flames on the town of 7,000.
All residents were ordered to leave Sunday afternoon, but the evacuation process proved difficult as smoke and flames blocked some of the highways.
No deaths or injuries were reported.
About 70 firefighters from the Edmonton area are on their way to Slave Lake to help battle the wildfires.
The province says equipment and approximately 200 firefighters from British Columbia and Ontario are also expected later in the week to help with the provincial firefighting effort

Residents started evacuated on Sunday and a state of emergency has been declared. What a horrible thing to happen. I can't imagine what the residents are going through. Thank God no one is hurt!

Residents in the town of Slave Lake were told to evacuate town Sunday evening after a series of fires were encroaching on the town of Slave Lake. A state of emergency was declared and residents were told to evacuate town or face being arrested.
Everyone, other than those directly involved in the rescue, fled town and forced to wait from a safe distance as their homes and businesses burned to the ground.

 For those who are looking for family or friends or just wish to help here's some contact information.

• Family members looking for information on where medical patients were moved can call Alberta Health Services at 1-866-301-2668.
• Anyone looking for help in finding family and friends in Slave Lake can call 1-780-523-338 for assistance.
• The Alberta arm of the Red Cross is accepting donations for displaced residents. You can donate by calling 1-800-418-1111.

And please remember to keep the people of Slave Lake in your hearts and prayers!  They desperately need it at this time.

Jack,Who Do You Think You Are?

Jack I don't think realizes he and his NDP have less clout now that there is a majority government than they did when there was a minority.   With his rhetoric he thinks just because his party has official opposition status now he has more power to wield around. He's warning PM Harper, he's going to take him on! .

Jack Layton is warning Prime Minister Stephen Harper not to ignore the New Democrats.
“Yes, he won a majority. But he is facing the largest, most united opposition in 31 years,” the federal NDP Leader told 2,500 delegates attending a convention of the Canadian Labour Congress on Wednesday.
It was Mr. Layton's first major speech since his party vaulted over the Liberals to become the Official Opposition after last week's federal election. New Democrats won 103 seats.
Mr. Layton accused Mr. Harper of ignoring a “brewing storm” of problems in pensions, casting himself as an ally with the provinces in strengthening the Canada and Quebec pension plans.
“It's the kind of practical approach that the New Democrat opposition will bring to the house each and every day,” he said in the brisk speech.
“Stephen Harper is in power. We are going to take him on.”

Hello,Jack, Conservatives have 167 seats, you have 102. Even though you'll be allowed to have your say, Stephen Harper doesn't have to give you the time of day.  
 Jack, that's what got Michael Ignatieff and the Liberals into trouble. Remember "Your time is up," and "If you mess with me, I will mess with you until I'm done."

Jack maybe you should come back down to earth.

Are The Greens On Their Way Out?

Much has been made of the spiraling downward trend of the once mighty powerful most successful political party of Canada who has ruled most of the time,the Liberal Party of Canada.  They suffered the most devastated loss in history on May 2.   Not much has been made of the Green party though.

Even though their leader Elizabeth May managed to win the first ever Green seat in the HOC, don't let that fool you, the Green party on a whole fared pretty badly in the election. 

 Little noticed in the aftermath of the federal election is how badly the Green Party did.
In fact, if you weren’t paying attention, you’d get the opposite impression. The Greens managed to elect an MP for the first time, and all the attention was focused on Elizabeth May’s glorious victory, just as Green-related attention has focused on Ms. May ever since she took over the leadership of the party.
But, unless you’re besotted by the glories of Ms. May, you have to wonder about the party’s overall health. In the 2008 election, the Greens attracted 937,000 votes, an increase of 237,000 over the previous election. Last Monday they gave it all back, and more, dropping to 576,000 votes. That’s less than they polled in 2006 or 2004, under then-leader Jim Harris. You have to go back to 2000 to find a worse result.
Ms. May was supposed to bring the party a higher profile and greater credibility. She has succeeded in the first, although party members have to wonder exactly who is benefiting from the extra attention: the Greens or Elizabeth May.  To a large degree their party leader has succeeded in establishing the Elizabeth May Party as a regular fixture, and has her seat in Saanich-Gulf Islands to prove it.
Great for Ms. May, but what about the 307 other candidates, all of whom lost? The 361,000 drop in votes would mean a cut of more than $720,000 a year in the party’s federal subsidy under the existing system. It will be a lot worse if, as expected, Prime Minister Stephen Harper eliminates the subsidy system and forces parties to raise their own funds.

Global warming isn't quite the fad that it was a few years ago and the average person cares more about their job, putting food on the table and paying the bills.  Green policies with solar panels and windmills just won't cut it.
In Ontario where they have been trying the "green" thing,  the Greens lost a lot of support.

Who was the biggest loser in last week’s election? You get a gold star for guessing right. It wasn’t the Bloc or the Liberals. It was the Greens. Although Elizabeth May finally won a seat, the Green share of the national vote plummeted. It sank from its 2008 high-water mark of 6.8 per cent to under 4 per cent – its worst showing in 11 years. In Ontario, formerly a hotbed of environmentalism, the Green vote fell by half.

Even  the well known influential environmental journalist,George Monboit, is starting to have questions.

Last week, Mr. Monbiot wrote a pair of searching columns in the Guardian. Environmentalism, he said, is stuck in denial, “and we have no idea what to do next.” Environmentalists simply can’t accept the fact that the vast majority of people on the planet prefer progress and economic growth to no growth. And yes, it is a choice. They don’t understand the science and they don’t understand the economics. They pretend that tackling climate change is relatively easy, when in fact it is demonically hard.

The Green party seems to be on it's way out. When the government gets rid of  the per vote subsidy, in my opinion, the Greens will be gone.

One Week After Election

Well it's one week after the historic election the dust is starting to settle. I thought I would share a few of my thoughts.

  PM Stephen Harper and the Conservatives have that much deserved and coveted majority although I'm sad to see that some capable ministers will not be back.   Conservatives will be able to govern for four years without the constant election threats,committees controlled by the opposition that obstruct, dilute and pursue faux scandals that waste time and taxpayer money.  They will actually be able to get some good things done for a change like finally killing the long gun registry but that doesn't mean they should have carte blanch.  We the public will have to watch,keep them accountable and make sure they don't get arrogant and adopt that culture of entitlement that brought the Liberals down.  

Jack and Olivia  moving into Stornoway are wondering how they're going to go about putting out fires and control  their new greatly expanded inexperienced caucus which is made up with a few young  kids that are going to need some training. I wish them well. Even though the NDP is now the official opposition, they will have less influence and power than they did before when there were minority governments and they had fewer seats.

Meanwhile the Liberals are licking their wounds from a devastating loss wondering what to do next and who will be their next messiah. The next few years the once mighty party will decide whether the party rebuilds, merges with the NDP or just dies.  Interesting days ahead to see what happens.

The Bloc, well it's a good day for Canada because now the Bloc has no longer any influence on the nation's business.

We'll have to listen to Lizzy May's screeching for four years but hopefully not too much.

The main stream media has lost the influence they once had.  They did everything in their power to sink PM Harper and the Conservatives but it didn't work.  Voters looked passed the hate, vitriol and the bias this time and made their choice.

Lastly congratulations to all who won their seats no matter what party.  The next four years are going to be fun and interesting to watch and just think no federal election until 2015. 




 

The Conservative Victory From an Alberta Perspective

I first want to congratulate PM Stephen Harper and all the team for winning a STRONG STABLE NATIONAL CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY GOVERNMENT!!!   Five weeks NO, it was since 2003 Stephen Harper along with Peter MacKay put this current party together and have worked hard to achieve this victory. It's well deserved.   Way to go!

A few proud prominent Albertans have come out to express their views and relish in this momentous   occasion.  Here is a comment from Premier Ed Stelmach

"I congratulate Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party of Canada on their resounding election victory tonight," said Premier Stelmach. "Canada can now move forward with a stable government that can continue to build our economy, balance the federal budget, get tough on crime, and keep taxes low for working families. I applaud all of the candidates who stood for election - whether they won or lost. I appreciate their commitment to our nation's democratic process. And on behalf of the Government of Alberta, I continue to look forward to working with Prime Minister Harper and his government on matters of mutual interest."

 Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith weighs in too.

“On behalf of the Wildrose, I’d like to congratulate Prime Minister Stephen Harper on his victory tonight and the election of a Conservative majority government. Tonight’s election result is the best possible outcome not only for Alberta, but for the entire country. Under his leadership, I believe Alberta and Ottawa will continue to have a strong relationship, based on co-operation and mutual respect for jurisdictional authority. Further, a Conservative majority led by Prime Minister Harper brings with it never-before seen opportunities to reform the Senate, strengthen the criminal justice system, lower the tax burden on families and reduce government spending. The Wildrose looks forward to working with the new Conservative government toward these ends.”

It all started with Preston Manning another proud  Albertan. His  father was Premier for many years. It was Preston who took disaffected PCs, formed and lead the Reform party, then later pressed for the right to be reunited.  Here's what he had this to say:

Former Reform Party leader Preston Manning is pleased the Harper Conservatives are being returned to Ottawa with a strong majority.  But Manning tells QR77's Dave Rutherford he's almost more pleased by the losses sustained by the separatist Bloc Quebecois.
Manning says,  "I don't agree with Jack Layton on very much,  but I congratulate Jack on wiping out the Bloc in Quebec.  I think that was a national service that had to be done."

To all the candidates who didn't win, thanks for your effort and hard work.  Best wishes for the future and I hope to see you back in four years. 

Sitting in Alberta it's a sweet victory but we also expect some things done like the wasteful gun registry should go, choice for farmers and senate reform.  We also expect the Conservative majority government to reduce the size of government and put us in the black again in the time frame they have set out.   We expect them too,to run a clean majority government and  not get arrogant! That's what did the Liberals in.

Once again it's a good day for Alberta and the rest of Canada too.  Now it's time for the new parliamentarians  to get to work and  do some good things to make a great country an even greater one. 

It's Not Just; E-Day, It's T-Day Too

This is the day we all go to the polls.  I hope you all educate and inform yourselves before you cast your ballot.

Today is also the deadline you have to file your tax return.   If you haven't done so I would advise you get on it toot sweet.  You have 'till midnight. 

Have a great day and God Bless!

You Really Want This Bunch Leading You?

A must read from Ezra Levant's column in today's Sun.

If last week’s opinion polls hold steady, Canada is about to get a lot more NDP MPs. There were 36 when Parliament dissolved and some of the wilder projections say that number could triple.
It’s unlikely that the socialist tide will reach so high. But it’s worth looking at some of the candidates who could be washed into Parliament on Monday.
Jack Layton calls his candidates “strong” and told reporters, “Our team is ready to work hard and demonstrate that each and every day as they’re campaigning across the country.”
But even that bland statement isn’t quite true. Take Jim Koppens, the NDP candidate from Ajax-Pickering, just east of Toronto. His friends tell reporters Koppens spent the first week of the campaign at an all-inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic.
Koppens is clearly taking this election as a joke — he couldn’t be bothered to reschedule his holiday. Hopefully, if he wins, he might be kind enough to clear his busy schedule by the time Parliament starts.
Ontario isn’t the only place where joke NDP candidates are phoning it in. Ruth Ellen Brosseau, from the Quebec riding of Berthier-Maskinongé, left for Las Vegas in the middle of the campaign. Which is just as well, because her riding is overwhelmingly French — a language she can barely speak. Unlike Koppens, Brosseau actually has a chance of being washed into Parliament in an NDP wave.
Who knows? Brosseau, who now works in Ottawa, might even move to Quebec.
Taking the election campaign as a joke is one problem. But the NDP has the opposite problem, too — candidates who are way too passionate about what being in government would mean. Take Dennis Perrier, the NDP candidate from Medicine Hat. He says he’s running hard because he wants to bring socialism to power — so the government can “pool tax money for the benefit of all.”
Got it? Everybody puts their money in a pot and the government divides it up. Animal Farm-style.
New kind of nutty
That’s just old-fashioned socialism. But the NDP has newfangled weirdness amongst their candidates, too. Dave Nickle, the party’s candidate in Peterborough, Ont., has a very special theory about what our Canadian peacekeepers are doing in Afghanistan. They’re not there to fight the Taliban or to protect Afghan girls who want to go to school. No, they’re there to help secure a pipeline that America wants to build. “I find I get more and more angry,” says Nickle. Okaaay.
Nickle isn’t the only conspiracy theorist at home in the NDP. So is David Laird in Burlington, Ont. He knows who the real terrorists are. The U.S. government. No — not the real U.S. government, not even George W. Bush. But a hidden hand. In response to a petition about secret government agencies, he said: “We all know that there is no greater terrorist threat … than the secret government operating in the U.S.A.”
Thank goodness a man with that kind of super-secret knowledge is going to be — well, what will he be if he’s elected? Foreign affairs minister? Maybe in charge of CSIS? Or the minister for UFOs?
My favourite NDP candidate is James McLaren, from Ottawa South. He made a joke the other day about the Jewish holiday of Passover, asking, “Is that the month when Jewish people like to buy Japanese cars?” Huh? If you’re going to make a Jewish joke, in this case about Passover being in the month of Nisan, it should at least be funny, not stupid.
Maybe McLaren will be in charge of the NDP’s human rights commission censors. They’re merciless if you’re not politically correct — you know, saying Personitoba instead of Manitoba. But their own bigotry is just fine.
Get to know these names. Soon we might be calling them “boss.”

Yup just what we need a bunch of loons running the show.. Come on Canada is that really what you want?  Let common sense prevail. Please!  Vote for a Conservative majority tomorrow for sane sensible governance.
And just a little reminder of the sane sensible accomplishments of this Conservative government.

A Note to Fiscally Conservative Liberals

Tomorrow will decide our fate. Does Canada move forward with Stephen Harper or do we go backwards with Jack Layton?  You must be a part in that decision. You may not like Stephen Harper but you have to admit he and his government have done pretty decent job in steering us through the great recession.  I along with other BT bloggers like Joanne from Bluelikeyou appeal for your help.

When you read about the NDP's hidden agenda and do a reality check on their cap and trade plan it must alarm you.  I'm sure reasonable minded Liberals like John Manley must think this is insane.and must not be allowed to happen.

Basically what the NDP would do is put our country into economic chaos that would shake the markets  and bankrupt this great nation.  You,your children, grandchildren and generations to come would be paying for this travesty.  What essentially would be happening is the NDP would be  "committing generational theft" (a term coined by moderate Republican US Senator John Mcain when referring to the uncontrollable spending going on the US)  Besides look at what is going on in the world, the economic crisis in Europe, the Middle East, the disaster that our friends in Japan are dealing with. and the financial turmoil our friends and neighbors to south are enduring.  Remember we are not an island.  What goes on in the rest of world affects us as what goes on here affects them. We do not need chaos and turmoil here to add to the world instability.

I'm sure you don't want that to occur.  This election is crucial.  It seems like your party won't be the government, not even likely official opposition.  A coalition with the NDP with Jack Layton as PM  wouldn't last long and  would probably destroy your party forever.  I don't think you want that to happen.  So as citizens who love their country and who want their party to survive join in and vote for a Conservative majority tomorrow.   All most all of the nations papers have endorsed a Conservative majority.

So why not take the plunge even if you have to hold your nose. It will give your party time to rebuild and to be viable contender in four years.   I'm sure you agree we cannot be into an election every eighteen  to twenty four months anymore. We need stability and four years of peace and I know you would agree.