If It Clucks Like A Chicken…
Uncategorized Comments (0)
By Ricardo Rant
March 30 2004
So, Stephen Harper has been crowned king of the conservative movement – like that was a surprise. There was little doubt as to the outcome, although, pleasantly Belinda Stronach at least made it a contest. Unlike the Liberal nomination, at least there is an outward appearance of democracy at work. Although Bay Street’s new poster boy was not going to be defeated, they have too much invested in him.
The bone of my contention with Mr. Harper comes in his post-crowning attitude. one would think that Harper would come out gunning for Paul Martin and the Liberals. Could there be an easier target for Harper than the dog and pony show that passes itself off as a democratic party in the Liberal Party of Canada? Well it seems Harper has had enough of the Liberals and is going after Jack Layton and the New Democratic Party.
Fresh from his stunning win, Harper has come out clucking against Layton and the NDP. Why do I keep eluding to chickens? Simply this – Harper is trying to say that Layton and the NDP policies would be worse for Canada than Martin and his track record! Content to just throw muck, but not back it up, Harper is coming across as a blowhard.
We had a saying around our schoolyard – bad mouth all you like, but once challenged either back up your assertions or be labeled a chicken. Harper is avoiding the loud calls coming from Jack Layton to meet him in a head to head debate so he may counter the muck being racked by Harper and his team of lemmings. As of today, Harper and his handlers are refusing to go head to head with Layton.
Now, why could that be?
I would like to float this – Harper is afraid of what Layton would say, and how Harper and his far right policies would be exposed in relation to the pro-Canadian stance of Jack Layton and the NDP. From Jack Layton, “It’s time for Stephen Harper to tell Canadians why he finds peace or equality so bad… Given his derision of Ms. Stronach for not debating, I’m sure he’d welcome a debate on why fighting climate change, building better public health care or stronger communities are bad for the future of Canada.â€
So instead of playing Harper, I will now back up my own assertions.
Which policies of the NDP and Jack Layton would be worse for Canada than the Martin government?
Could it be social housing? Mr. Harper, how is putting poor Canadians into affordable housing BAD for Canada? Millions of Canadians would like to know.
How about corporate taxes? We know corporate tax breaks are at the heart of any and all conservative movements, but how is putting personal tax breaks before corporate tax breaks harmful to Canada and Canadians in general? Corporations this year only turned record profits, while take home pay for the average Canadian has been stagnant for almost a decade. So I ask Mr. Harper, how is putting OUR money back into OUR hands harmful to Canadians?
Maybe he was talking about restoring our cities? As Martin and his cheerleaders continue to cut corporate taxes, the overall tax base is lessoned, as the trickle down theory is the biggest bunch of BS ever concocted by the cheap labour conservatives. As taxes evaporate from the corporate end, those taxes are shifted onto the masses through new taxes, and user fees etc. Cities in Canada of course contain the vast majority of the Canadian population but each and every one of them is hurting to keep infrastructure in working order. Layton and the NDP want to see the feds give more money to our population centers. Harper in contrast wants to give even more to the wealthy and the non-entities known as corporations. I ask you – which is more harmful for Canada?
The NDP has been very vocal about National Missile Defence. Harper and his pro-America party will jump feet first into ANY American lead military set-up (see Iraq war). Harper thinks starting a new arms race and the weaponizing of space is NOT dangerous, but staying out of NMD is somehow harmful to Canada. Maybe to those wishing to get green cards Mr. Harper, but what made you conclude nukes in space is safe, but spending on cities is dangerous?
The environment is another hotspot. Layton and the NDP is all for Kyoto and other environmental moves. Harper and his cheap labour conservatives only see lost profits. Harper thinks polluting is safe, but cleaning up the environment for all Canadians is dangerous. Not sure how that works but if Harper is claiming the doom and gloom that Kyoto detractors always bring to the table, he is clucking up the wrong tree. Kyoto will bring change, and change brings money. You would think those that put money before all would see that as well.
Certainly Stephen Harper is not talking about health care. If there is one rally point for the majority of Canadians it is health care. Jack Layton and the NDP is all for keeping the health care system as it is, and reworking it with the Romanow report. Yet the Harper crew calls this dangerous for Canada! Harper and gang want a private for profit model like the US. Every single indicator shows that Canada has a better system that costs the taxpayers less than the for profit model, yet Harper wants you to pay more. For that he says Layton is dangerous while his profit model is not!
Have you ever heard of a Canadian selling their house to get an operation? I certainly haven’t.
Dangerous for Canada according to Harper:
National health care
Tax breaks for citizens, not for corporations
City infrastructure
No weapons in space
Healthy environment
Social housing
Education
Fair trade
Working with members of the opposition for the benefit of Canadians
Good for Canada according to Harper:
Private for profit health care
Tax breaks for corporations
No money for cities
Nukes in space, with a new arms race
Spoiled environment
No social housing
Privatizing and cutting back on education
More free trade
Working against the opposition for the sake of appearances
It is no wonder Harper is doing his best impersonation of a barnyard animal! If Harper was to try to defend this rap sheet against that of the NDP and Layton he would be exposed for what he is – the real dangerous character for Canada.
And no, I am not a member of the NDP.
@ March 30, 2004