Ezra Levant's Desperate Speech

Thanks to Ted, we finally have the video evidence of Stephen Harper's newest talking head, Ezra Levant, embarrassing himself on Mike Duffy live. Speaking of desperadoes....

Have a look

Now, if CBC would release the Sunday morning tape of Pierre Poilievre telling lie after lie. That would be nice.

Dion Bans Blackberrys - Fife and Duffy to have Drought

The drought is on for CTV. Duffy is reporting Dion lashed out at the two veteran - one of which should be sitting in the Con's caucus - reporters and has apparently banned the use of Blackberrys at caucus meetings. I know two Liberal MPs from a nearby province that will be devistated for sure.

Good for you Stephane. Long overdue buddy.

APDATE: Tonda Mccharles and Fife say now they will have to wait 45 extra minutes to get the Liberal scoop.

Why the Dippers and Wells Shouldn't be Laughing at Quebec Liberals

This morning's post about the Dippers still being in fourth in Quebec seems to have signalled a victory for the NDP - at least according to their major blogger Robert McClelland. Hell I even made the New Democrats aggregator.

Here's a spin that Wells didn't talk about in his little blog story. One that brings the NDP's rejoicement over Liberals - who are apparently their real enemy, not Stephen Harper - to an abrupt holding pattern.

The Liberals have been hovering around 18 - 24 percent in Quebec for most of 2007 and 2008. Nothing's really changed in that regard. The Bloc was at 36% in the last poll out. According to this little CROP poll (try to find their website. Good luck) the Bloc is at 29%. A nice drop. So who got their support? The Conservatives and the Dippers. It's not the Liberals leaking support. It's the Bloc.

It would appear that Harper's immigration strategy is paying off large for him in the areas outside of the island of Montreal. Now we know why he has that ridiculous bill in the budget. It's clear that, once again, Harper has learned to pander to popular - and not always correct - opinion in Quebecoisville off the island. Remember the uproar recently over immigrants?

So, in the end, after the next election, the story will be the same. The Dippers will have one or less seats in the province of Quebec and 10 less seats in the House of Commons. That's my opinion. Afterall, how many seats have the NDP won in Quebec lifetime? Somebody refresh my memory.

So, for Quebec Liberals, repeat after me. The sky is not falling. The sky is not falling. The sky is not falling.

Great News for the Dippers

They're still in fourth place in Quebec. Paul Wells writes a blurb here.

What? No Spring Election?

Here's what I'm gonna say about that. If that's the case, the Dippers win. I concede to their wisdom. Good on you Dippers.

Sooner or later someone in this Liberal Party has to state the obvious without spinning it out of control. And, here it goes.

This Conservative government makes Mulroney's government look like a convent. They have abused every possible act of decorum in the House of Commons, challenged every single institution in Canada from the nuclear commission to the military police commission to Elections Canada to the court system. And here we are sitting in front of our TVs listening to Ralph Goodale suggest that we will not call for a spring election. That means we will be abstaining or supporting the Conservative Immigration Bill. Not to mention simultaneously, this brutal, shitty, ridiculous budget. Sorry Tuna, I no can do.

Now, I'm not certain how the rest of the so-called Liberal grassroots feel, but this nobody/blogger/involved/opinionated/donating/active/grassroots Liberal is baffled beyond all belief. And, I know I am not alone. I know that a bunch of caucus members are with me on this. I KNOW that more than one Liblogger and maybe two active members are with me.

So, I'm thinking that this blog will be dedicated to 100% provincial, municipal and recreational matters if we do not defeat the Conservative government before the summer break. And, I'm certain I won't be found to be working on a federal campaign if it's any date after July 15, 2008. I can no longer listen to Van Loan, Kenney and, of all people, Poilievre mock my party of choice.

Like brains, I thought they said trains. So, I'll wait for the next one.

So, Pierre's New Argument is About Kingsley

This Poilievre guy sure is something. Now he's claiming that the Conservative Party of Canada is going to cite a ruling from 1997 by Elections Canada. Further claiming that former EC boss Jean-Pierre Kingsley signed off on this ruling. Really Pierre?


How do you explain this then? You were warned Pinocchio Poilievre.



Elections boss who quit warned candidates about ad expenses



Glen McGregor and Elizabeth Thompson, Canwest News Service
Published: Thursday, April 24, 2008
OTTAWA - Less than a month before he resigned from his job, former chief electoral officer Jean-Pierre Kingsley wrote to some Conservative candidates' campaigns instructing them to back up claims for advertising expenses that are now central to the "in-and-out" investigation of the party's financing of the 2006 election.

The elections watchdog told Tory campaign officials they needed to provide more details to support the advertising expenses in returns filed to Elections Canada.

Kingsley asked the candidates' official agents for copies of the contracts with their advertising agencies, scripts of the ads and the dates the ads appeared.


Jean-Pierre Kingsley
Ottawa Citizen file

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Font:****In a series of letters sent out beginning Nov. 29, 2006, Kingsley gave the agents firm deadlines to provide the documents and told them failure to do so would be an offence.

Less than a month after sending the letters, on Dec. 22, Kingsley wrote to the Speaker of the House of Commons saying he was resigning. The Prime Minister's Office announced his departure six days later.

Meanwhile, a former Conservative party candidate is urging others who ran in the 2006 election to follow his example and accept Elections Canada's interpretation of the "in-and-out" affair.

Gary Caldwell, who will be running for the Green Party next time out, urged others to drop their claims for reimbursements based on money that was transferred in and then out of their campaign accounts by the party and to file revised financial statements with Elections Canada.

"I think it would be the proper thing to do because it seems to me that it is evident that it doesn't meet the test of the law," said Caldwell who ran for the Tories in Quebec's Eastern Townships.

However, Caldwell acknowledges that those involved in the affair are under a lot of pressure to follow the party line.

"I think it reflects the centralized nature of the party now and it reflects the fact that many of the candidates are now creatures of the party. They don't have their own personal autonomy."

While the Conservatives have said repeatedly that they have been open about the case and have cooperated with the investigation, Caldwell said he received a phone call as recently as last week from a woman calling on behalf of the Conservative Party, urging all former candidates not to talk to the media about the affair.

Kingsley's resignation had stirred intense speculation about why he would step down from a job he appeared to relish, two years before the end of his term, and amid rumours of a possible election that spring. But at the time, the public was unaware of the simmering feud between the Tories and Elections Canada over the $1.1 million in advertising purchases now dubbed as the "in and out" scheme.

The advertising purchases that Kingsley cited in his letters are central to Elections Canada allegations that led to last week's raid on Conservative party headquarters. Copies of Kingsley's letters to the agents were filed in documents used to support the application for the search warrant.

Kingsley was replaced by Marc Mayrand, who continued to look into the advertising purchases and eventually disallowed the expense claims. That meant the Conservative national campaign would have to take the cost of the ads onto their books, pushing them over their $18.3 million spending limit in violation of the election law.

That decision is the subject of a lawsuit filed by the Conservatives in Federal Court.

Kingsley is now president of the Washington, D.C.-based International Foundation for Election Systems, a non-profit group that helps run elections in the developing world.

His office said he would not comment on his work at Elections Canada or his resignation.

Earlier this week, the Liberals said Prime Minister Stephen Harper should consider calling in the RCMP to investigate allegations an invoice used to back up the advertising expenses had been altered.

New Brunswick MP Dominic LeBlanc said the allegation "raises questions about possible breaches to the Criminal Code including forgery, fraud and falsification of documents."

He said three government officials who may have been among the "directing minds" of the in-and-out plan should temporarily step down while the investigation continues.

LeBlanc cited Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon, the Harper government's Quebec lieutenant; Patrick Muttart, Harper's deputy chief of staff; and Michael Donison, a special policy adviser to the government House leader. Their names appear in e-mails discussing funding of advertising by candidate campaigns.

Ottawa Citizen and Montreal Gazette

The Globe's Galloway Pokes A Hole in Poilievre's Story

I just love this guy Poilievre. Man, I haven't seen a guy like him on the Hill since Lyin' Brian.

Sunday's CBC show with Evan and Carole had a political panel on after the ridiculous interview with Pierre la Pieu. Pinocchio Pierre asserts over and over again that CBC or someone in the CBC or someone at Elections Canada tipped off the Liberal Party to send cameras over to the Conservative's office to capture "the raid" on film. Pierrino also asserts, along with many many other Conservative talking heads that someone at Elections Canada tipped off CBC.

What Pierre Parrot and the other CONs don't complain about is that one of their shills of choice, Gloria Galloway was also at RAIDFEST 2008. Gloria admits on the CBC Sunday show that she was at the Raid and, in fact, beat the Liberals there. That blows a hole wide open in the Conservative theory that the Liberals came with the CBC to the RAID. Keep in mind, Gloria was one of the chosen few that was allowed to attend the SPARROWFEST that took place in not one, but two hotel rooms in Ottawa a week ago.

How come none of the Conservatives are complaining that Gloria Galloway was their for the raid on their office? Why are they so fixated on the CBC? Tell us Pepe La Pierre. We wanna know. Tell us!

The Decertification of the Conservative Party of Canada

Wouldn't that be something? Will it happen? Highly unlikely. Could that be one of Elections Canada's remedies? You bet.

On CBC's Sunday with hosts Carole MacNeil and Evan Soloman, Pierre the stretcher of the truth Poilievre appeared on the political panel. Naturally, he lied through his teeth through the entire interview spreading incorrect information to viewers like I spread manure on my garden yesterday - thick and everywhere.

After Pepe le Pierre was finished, a panel was brought on featuring Heather MacIsaac, a PoliSci prof, John Geddes of Macleans and Gloria Galloway of the Globe. Not to underscore the seriousness of the allegations leveled against the Conservative Party of Canada, MacIsaac explains to the hosts and the others on the panel that one of the remedies or penalties that may be thrown at the CPoC is "decertification".

What would that mean? It means, should the party be decertified, all of their elected MPs would have to find a new name to call themselves. In addition, each of the 67 individual ridings involved could face decertification without the Party being deceritfied.

Doesn't that sound pretty serious to you Mr. and Mrs. Canada? I guess Petit Pierre missed that in the talking points.

CTV Hides Another Poilievre Blunder

Well, for the second time in less than a week, I can't get a video clip where Pierre the mouth tells another lie, and another lie and another lie. Today on Question Period, young, koolaid drinking Poilievre asserts that Liberal MP Domenic Leblanc used some in and out scheme of his own in the last campaign. This came as a shock to me - and I'm certain Mr. Leblanc.

Pierre continues to say that these types of transfers happen "every day" in politics. Every day Pierre? Really? Give your head a shake buddy.

Lets have a look at Domenic's Return shall we.





As you can see, the only transfer from the Liberal Party to Domenic Leblanc's campaign is for $800. Domenic's campaign repaid that $800 and an additional $1500, which was more than likely the cost of his campaign kit supplied by the party. There is no wires from bank to bank. No claim for TV ads that never ran in New Brunswick.

Now let's compare Domenic's return to Conservative Cabinet Minister Lawrence Cannon's.






You'll notice in Mr. Cannon's return, Mr. Cannon received 10,126.18 on January 6, 2006. On January 12, 2006, Mr. Cannon wired the money back to the party, claiming an expense under the heading of "other expense", thereby trying to get a rebate of 60% of that 10,126.18.

Now, does anyone really think that these two examples are exactly the same thing, as Poor Pierre Poilievre would try to convince the rest of Canada they are? Like seriously?

You could view all the expense reports on the Elections Canada website as well. But the Conservatives are propbably going to start telling people that the website has false returns on it. That's the next talking point I'm certain. And, just why is Poor Pierre's interview not available on the Question Period site? That CTV sure is something I tell ya.

Conservatives Sue Elections Canada - And the Fallout Afterward

It is the contention of the Conservative Party and their sheep-like blogging folks that Elections Canada raided their offices as a retaliatory action for lawsuits brought against Elections Canada by said Conservative Party. That's their story and they're sticking to it. Some have even called the "raid" an RCMP investigation. And most of them are asking why Elections Canada never stepped in and investigated Liberals when the sponsorship scandal was affecting the Liberals.

To the latter. The sponsorship program was designed to promote Canadian unity. Placement of the Canada flag etc. were at the heart of the scandal. Ad agencies, through crooked bureaucrats, bilked the system and stole millions of dollars of taxpayers money. Three guys are doing time. Some money has been recaptured. One ex-Liberal organizer turned business exec from the early 90's has been charged and not convicted. Those charges however have nothing to do with sponsorship whatsoever. Another so-called organizer had his House raided, and no charges are laid to date.

So, a bunch of ad execs scammed the Liberal Party and Canadian taxpayers. The LIBERALS ordered an inquiry. They got an inquiry. We, as Liberals, were and are prepared to face the consequences. As a result of this investigation not a single elected member of the Liberal Party of Canada has been charged or implicated in this scandal to date.

Now to the former, the Elections Canada investigation into the Conservative Party's overspending in the 2006 election campaign. There seems to be some confusion as to why the RCMP were involved and why they were wearing vests. Well, it's simple really. When a warrant is granted to secure files, computers etc. by a government body, the body has to utilize agencies that can help them enforce and secure the said warrant. In this case EC utilized the RCMP. As for the vests? Um. On duty officers are generally required to wear them regardless of their assignment of the day.

The basic argument that the Conservatives seem to be snowing the Canadian public with is that this warrant was sought after by EC as payback for the Conservatives lodging lawsuits against EC. As they say, "the timing was impeccable". And, "EC should have held off until the civil suits were over". Laughable really, but some people would take those words as gospel I guess.

Firstly, an EC investigation does not end at the thought of a civil suit. EC has a job to do and they do it. Imagine if every criminal charged of a crime lodged a suit against the other party? Nobody would ever get to trial. The fact is 53 of 67 Conservative candidates refused or were told not to co-operate in an EC investigation. 14 candidates did co-operate. Of the 14, I'm going to hazard a guess that you will see more affidavits like the ones in my previous post. Affidavits of Conservative candidates that are admitting their party hung them out to dry. Why? Because they don't want to be found guilty under the Elections Canada Act.

The basis for the suit by the Conservatives seems to be that the expenses claimed by these 67 candidates were legal and that, as such, should be attributed to the candidates campaign and not the national campaign and as such should be eligible for refund claims.

If they are successful, The Conservative ridings involved will get a taxpayer refund of $777,000. That's where the pitfalls come into play for this clear, accountable Conservative Party. These are basically lawsuits to get taxpayer's money.

When they lose these suits - and they will - what do you think the Canadian public will demand? One cathcphrase I guess that will be used is "not only did you do something illegal, but you lodged a lawsuit to knowingly fraud Canadians of $777,000 to compound it?".

The email documentation obtained by EC seems to clearly outline that the Conservative Party was telling its candidates that the money being wired to their accounts were not to be utilized by the candidates. These monies were to be transferred back immediately and to be claimed as an advertising expense on TV ads. Feel free to view any of the filed returns. They are all on the EC website, so it's available to the public. You can clearly see where the Conservative Fund - the Agent for the Conservative Party - transfers money to candidates and the return by the candidates back to the fund and written off as advertising.

Now, here is the difference between this and the Liberal adscam. Adscam was a deplorable scheme concocted by greedy ad execs and a greedy Bureaucrat named Chuck Guite that took advantage of both the Liberal Party and the Canadian taxpayer. Adscam was not part of an election campaign. It was part of a sponsorship program. No rebate was applied for since it was not a part of an election campaign. That is why Elections Canada is not investigating Adscam.

The Conservatives on the other hand used party members running for office to help fundraise for the next election. In fact, 4 sitting cabinet ministers are involved in this scheme. Four cabinet ministers have actively participated in a scheme that, if the Conservatives win their case against EC, will net their 67 ridings $777,000 from the taxpayers. And, once again, the majority of these in and out ridings are in none other than Quebec. In fact Conservative General Lawrence Cannon is involved. You think he would know better - not that he's guilty or anything.

Now to the conclusions. The Conservatives will lose, settle or drop their civil suits against EC. All three scenarios have the same affect on the party - they can no longer call themselves the clean, accountable party. Canadians will toss them on their blue butts out to the curb. Are the Conservatives going to be as responsible as Paul Martin was and call a full inquiry into this? You bet not. They aren't prepared to face the consequences that Liberals were prepared to face. That's a fact Jack.

Then again, what do I know.

Conservative Candidate Slams In and Out On Paper

Here are the Affidavits of Mr. Goudie, the former Conservative candidate in Newfoundland. He clearly thinks the Conservative Party duped him. When your own candidates begin to roll over on you, you can bet that Elections Canada are closer to winning this battle than the Conservatives are trying to lead Canadians to believe.

You Gotta Love Rex Murphy

Here's his rant from tonight. I couldn't open the video, so I'm posting the transcript.


Harper's PR
Rex Murphy's Point of View, Thursday, April 14, 2008
TRANSCRIPT
Elections Canada raids Conservative headquarters.

This is the headline out of last week, when Elections Canada and RCMP officers in plain clothes - showed up at Conservative Headquarters to seize documents and files.

Raid is a bit exuberant. I think of police raids from old movies and the Untouchables. Breaking into the illegal booze shops, or hitting the local bordello, or busting some drug ring. I'd say last week's "raid" was executing a search warrant, but "executing a search warrant" is hardly the language for Question Period, so the Opposition are very happy with "the raid."

Ralph Goodale, who should know better, calls the story "the biggest electoral scandal in Canadian history." Mr. Goodale has a very short memory. Last election the announced RCMP investigation into the income trust leak, in mid-campaign, may well have changed the outcome of the election was much bigger story. And, IF, politically motivated, a far more worrisome scandal than his one.

That said, if the Tories attempted and succeeded in defying the Elections Act, if they played the rules or broke the rules, and gave themselves a forbidden million dollar advantage in ads in the last campaign - they should be nailed for it. A government that ran on "accountability" and savaged the Liberals for their lack of it, have no grounds for crying now, if the magnifying glass is on their behaviour.

The Conservatives, like Mr. Goodale, have very short memories too. In Opposition they were relentless.

If the circumstance were reversed, the Conservatives - Mr. Kenny, Mr. Van Loan, Stephen Harper - would be grinding the Liberals with the same half-confected merciless glee the Liberals are now turning on them.

Their attempt to 'manage' this affair couldn't have been been more inept, more dismally wrong-footed - if they'd handed the file over to their enemies.

Last Sunday - Sunday mind you - they invited selected members of the press - for example, CTV but not CBC, the Toronto Star but not Canadian Press - to what were ludicrously called "private briefings." This was the public relations equivalent of standing at the bottom of a skyscraper and paying someone to drop a grand paino on your head from the 100th floor. Stupid is far too kind a word for it, although if you join stupid up with 'perverse', 'self-defeating', 'embarrassingly amateur', 'witless', and 'what in the name of God where they thinking', it begins to earn its keep.

Stephen Harper's much vaunted communications strategy is now in much the same state as Rome after the Visigoths, or to bring a nearer illustration, the Liberals after Paul Martin's post-sponsorship apology tour. Poking the press with a stick, it may shock the PMO to learn, is not actually a strategy at all: it is, actually, not much more than an improper use of a good stick.

This contest/scandal with Elections Canada episode reveals a government that that has lost its fundamental political instincts, is losing ground on the great theme of accountability that brought it to office, and is so weary after 2 years as a minority, that in some matters - let's brief half the press and bar the others out - it simply can't think straight.

For the National, I'm Rex Murphy.

Posted by The National on April 24, 2008 03:19 PM |

Bill 33 Grandparents Rights...Long Overdue

I'm proud to say Kim Craitor is my MPP. Kim has brought forward this cutting edge Private Members bill and, in my opinion, it is a long overdue piece of legislation.


Bill would give Ontario grandparents more rights
Updated Thu. Apr. 24 2008 6:14 PM ET

ctvtoronto.ca

A private member's bill that would give grandparents in Ontario better access to their grandchildren is one step closer to becoming law.

Bill 33, drafted by Niagara Falls Liberal MPP Kim Craitor, received second reading in the Ontario legislature on Thursday. The proposal will now go to a committee for further examination.

If passed, Craitor's proposal would require courts to consider the relationship of children to their grandparents as part of a custody case involving the kid's parents, or if a parent dies and the grandchildren are taken away.

The legislation would also guarantee grandparents court-ordered visitation rights.

"We often forget that we must speak for the grandchildren, and that's what my bill does," Craitor told the legislature on Thursday.

"Far too often, as many of you may know in this House, after a messy divorce, for example, access to children of the marriage has unfortunately been used as a lethal weapon.

"Spite, hatred, revenge and anger can be an awful thing, but no child, no child, should be used as a weapon."

Craitor says many seniors are on fixed pensions and don't have the money to go to court to fight for standing or rights.

The bill, the third time Craitor has introduced it, received support from all parties on Thursday.

"I cannot imagine being refused access to Olivia, my granddaughter, my own flesh and blood, and I hope that I never have to go through that," said Progressive Conservative MPP Joyce Savoline. "Grandparents bring so much to a child's life."

New Democrat MPP Cheri DiNovo asked why the bill wasn't introduced by the governing Liberals, instead of as a private member's bill.

About 75,000 grandparents in Ontario are denied access to their grandchildren, meaning more than 100,000 grandchildren have been cut off from their grandmother and grandfather, CTV Toronto's Paul Bliss reported.

Craitor says he has received thousands of emails, letters and phone calls from constituents in support of his bill.

He said similar laws to protect grandparents already exist in Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the Yukon.

With a report from CTV Toronto's Paul Bliss

For those of us that are or were close to our grandparents and who have children of our own that are close to their granparents, we know how important this bill is.

Al Gore for President...Again!

Laugh as you may, it's not a bad option for the Dems. With the support of John Edwards, it's not impossible for Gore to win. The Boston Phoenix writes about here (I don't share his Clinton opinion and the fact that $440 million has been spent on this nomination puts Stark on the looney list in terms of realistic scenarios).

Gore would win. Easily.

While Flaherty Spends $122k on a Speech, Canada Goes into Deficit

Nice. Some of us wrote about this after the GST slash. Economic forecasters never had a doubt in their minds. But, now, we start to hear in detail how the deficit is about to hit us.

So what does Maverick Jim Flaherty, the king of deficit financing, have to say about it? At lunch in New York today he had this to say. Adda boy Jimmy. No need to be alarmed people. Don't look behind the curtain.

Somebody is going to lost their seat in the next election...and I think Jimmy boy is that somebody.

Here's the Third Conservative Scandal in a Week

Third party advertising is a tricky little play during election campaigns. It's kind of another way of hiding funds under an election cap if it's done right. And, judging by Tom Flanagan's book, Conservatives tried to take advantage of every little loop hole imaginable in the last federal election.

Getting your friends to advertise anti-Kyoto stuff is a good way to counter the Liberal pro-Kyoto campaign.

So let's recap this week's Conservative air farce. In and Out schemes, Minister of Finance breaking tender rules, Ryan Sparrow and Doug Finlay alienating the entire Ottawa press corps and now this third party adscam.

Wilson is right. Time for an election.

McCain In the Catbird Seat

Talk about luck. John McCain's dream came true last night. An extended Democratic nightmare.

Earlier this year I made the case that the Dems would be going all the way to Colorado to decide their candidate, thereby handing an election over to John McCain in November. I also made a point that the two Dems left in the fight would have a tough time explaining their fight for the poor when they are about to blow $300 million on a nomination.

Well. I lied. How about the Dems are already over $400 million for a nomination. $400million!!!!

Joe-down-and-out in bumblefudge Indiana is going to have a tough time believing these people are going to get elected to help his plight and, while simultaneously bringing fiscal responsibility back to America. Man, if I were a Republican strategist I'd be getting the word out on a minutely basis that the Dems blow money faster then they do.

Barack Obama. Champion of the poor. Champion of the no-lobbyist-in-Washington fight. He's already spent almost $200 million dollars. Tell me, just how many foreclosures can you buy for $200 million? And how many people can get health care insurance with that amount of money? Hillary Clinton is no slouch either, buying in at $160 million.

To put this into perspective, the annual budget for the City of Niagara Falls just came out last week. The cost? A whopping $89 million. To run a whole city with 82,000citizens. The combined total raised to date by the two of them? $440 Million. Almost enough money there to run my city for 5 years.

Yes, my friends, change is in the air. Hope is in the air. A Republican victory is in the air.

So, back to John McCain. He wins. It's really that simple. He looks like the fiscally sound candidate of choice at a mere $80 million.

Thank God, in Canada, we have that big time donation cap of $1100 - which I reach by attending a convention of my own party. Maybe America will want to consider something like this in the future.

And Flaherty Admits to Breaking Rules

Adda boy Jimmy. First time I have to say I believe you. Conservatives breaking rules has nothing to do with being an open and more accountable government.

Really. Just ask them.

Ezra Levant: You're So Freaking Desperate

Hey Ezra, go freak yourself with a pitchfork!!! Is this the New Talking Head for the CONservative Party??? I thought they had enough of embarrassing media scrums this week. What a disgusting piece of shit you are Ezra. Jenke and Taylor should be appalled by this moronic appearance by this loser on Duffy Live Today. What an ass.

Boy It's Quiet at Blogging Tories

Not much written about this scam. Of course Steve has a new and exciting timeline for all of us to peruse. Then there is some anger here and there. Some wanna know what Dion is going to do now. And, other than Taylor supplying us with another copy of the warrant, that's it.

Weird eh?

And Here's the 67 You've all Been Waiting For

I can understand the rookies and the no-chancers. But, Stockwell Day, talking head Jay Hill, Foreign Affairs non-entity Maxime Bernier, cocktail Josee Verner, Quebec general Lawrence Cannon (I called that one), David Anderson??? Sure looks like they really need money in BC and Quebec doesn't it. I'm gonna bet, in Ontario, those on the list finished third in their ridings.

Update: Apparently there is only 65. I stand corrected. Quick find the other two. Start with Blackburn will ya.

Upsydatesy: Far and Wide has proven my Ontario point here.


British Columbia

Burnaby-Douglas, George Drazenovic
Burnaby-New Westminster, Marc Dalton
Cariboo-Prince George, Dick Harris
Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca, Troy DeSouza
Kelowna-Lake Country, Ron Cannan
Kootenay-Columbia, Jim Abbott
Nanaimo-Cowichan, Norm Sowden
Okanagan-Coquihalla, Stockwell Day
Okanagan-Shuswap, Colin Mayes
Prince George-Peace River, Jay Hill
Vancouver East, Elizabeth M. Pagtakhan
Vancouver Kingsway, Kanman Wong

Saskatchewan
Cypress Hills-Grasslands, David Anderson
Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River, Jeremy Harrison

Manitoba
Winnipeg Centre, Helen Sterzer

Ontario
Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing, Ian West
Davenport, Theresa Rodrigues
Kitchener Centre, Steven Cage
London-Fanshawe, Dan Mailer
Parkdale-High Park, Jurij Klufas
Sarnia-Lambton, Patricia Davidson
Scarborough Centre, Roxanne James
Thunder Bay-Rainy River, David Leskowski
Timmins-James Bay, Ken Graham
Toronto Danforth, Kren Clausen
Trinity-Spadina, Sam Goldstein
Vaughan, Richard Majkot
Windsor West, Al Teshuba
York-South Weston, Steve Halicki

Quebec
Argenteuil-Papineau-Mirabel, Suzanne Courville
Beauce, Maxime Bernier
Beauport-Limoilou, Sylvie Boucher
Bas-Richelieu-Nicolet-Becancour, Marie-Eve Helie-Lambert
Charlesbourg-Haute-Saint-Charles, Daniel Petit
Compton-Stanstead, Gary Caldwell
Drummond, Jean-Marie Pineault
Hull-Aylmer, Gilles Poirier
Lac-Saint-Louis, Andrea Paine
Laurentides-Labelle, Jean-Sarge Beauregard
Levis-Bellechasse, Steven Blaney
Lotbiniere-Chutes-de-la-Chaudiere, Jacques Gourde
Louis-Hebert, Luc Harvey
Louis-Saint-Laurent, Josee Verner
Megantic-L’Erable, Christian Paradis
Montmorency-Charlevoix, Yves Laberge
Mount Royal, Neil Martin Drabkin
Notre-Dame-de-Grace-Lachine, Allen F. Mackenzie
Pierrefonds-Dollard, Don Rae
Pontiac, Lawrence Cannon
Portneuf-Jacques-Cartier, Howard M. Bruce
Quebec, Frederik Boisvert
Richmond-Arthabaska, Jean Landry
Saint-Laurent-Cartierville, Ishrat Alam
Shefford, Jean Lambert
Sherbrooke, Marc Nadeau

New Brunswick
Beausejour, Omer Leger
Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe, Charles Doucet

Nova Scotia
Dartmouth-Cole Harbour, Robert A. Campbell
Halifax, Andrew House
Halifax West, Rakesh Khosla

Prince Edward Island
Malpeque, George Noble

Newfoundland and Labrador
Bonavista-Gander-Grand Falls-Windsor, Aaron Hynes
Humber-St. Barbe-Baie Verte, Cyril Pelley Jr.
Labrador, Joe Goudie
Random-Burin-St. George’s, Cynthia Downey

And Here's Your Own Copy of the Search Warrant

Hot off the press. Part of it anyway.

You Say FOND CONSERVATEUR...I Say Conservative Fund

Even in French, the result will be the same. I'm thinking this little Entre-Sortie Scheme was very prevalent in Quebec. But, you never know. I don't know very much.

The Height of Conservative Hypocrisy

Who are these 67 ridings involveld in this in and out scheme? Just who can they be. Wouldn't it be ironic if Quebec generals Jean-Pierre Blackburn or Lawrence Cannon were participants? Both have made a killing in fortunes for their party off the Liberal Adscam, Adscam, Adscam cry they continue to bombard us with.

Conservative ADSCAM...But, Who Will the NDP Attack

No need for me to write about the Conservative dog and pony show. Everyone in the planet already has or is writing about it. The big, in depth details will seal the deal later today.

The real issue that comes to rise here is that the Conservatives knowingly tried to bilk Canadian taxpayers by asking for rebates on the $1.3 million in advertising expenses by the 67 ridings in question. Some of us knew this would blow up sooner or later waaaay far back in October.

A couple of questions run through my head though. 1. What will Mike Duffy do to spin this in a good light for the Conservatives? 2. How will Chantal Hebert blame this on Dion? And, 3. How vicious will Tom Mulcair be in blaming the Liberals for this?

Happy Pierre Trudeau Day

40 years ago today PET became PM.

I Know It's Kinsella's Fault

Why else would it be snowing in Calgary today. Westjet is punishing all bloggers landing here...even if they are flying Air Canada.

I Agree. It's Time for an Election

And the people are telling us that. So the next time I hear that Canadians aren't wanting an election, I'm gonna blow a gasket.

And, this so-called raid of the Conservative HQ is only the tip of the iceberg my friends, as I said months ago.

And, what do you think Rick Hiller's real reason for resigning is? Could it be Maxime Bernier's ridiculous comments in Afghanistan last weekend? I having a sneaking suspicion we haven't heard anything near the real truth to the story...YET.

Boy those "Transparent and Accountable" Conservatives are sure looking goofy these days.

Yaletown Restaurant Review

No trip to Yaletown would be complete without stopping into Rodney's Oyster House. A dozen or so oyster's and a glass of Pinot Gris and voila, you're ready for dinner.

The question then became, in a neighbourhood full of great restaurants, where?

Well, we decided on this little gem - Bin941. To start our flurry of taste explosion, we ordered the Goat cheese house dried tomato salsa, navajo fry bread. Delicious. Went well with the India Pale Ale beer.

Sitting at the Chef's bar overlooking the kitchen action was an added bonus.

Chef served up a Tijuana caesar with classic dressing, crisp romaine and lemon pepper grilled crouton just before the Yucatan spice rub Bison flat iron steak, with tequila lime sauce, pumpkin spiced pearl onions, jicama fried yuca salad, cilantro poblano chile syrup. Can you say HOLY COW - or Bison! Hard to top that dish.

Unless you ordered the Traditional souk spiced Moroccan Chicken, with tagine, accents of saffron, almonds, sun-dried fruits, slow roasted natural jus, steamed cous-cous. Then you'd have no problem.

But the show stopper was up next. The Sashimi grade Ahi Tuna seared rare, spicy tuna tartare as salsa, shitake mushroom sui choy egg noodle chow mein, sweet soy Pinot Gris lime sauce. Add a glass of Seven Deadly Zins, some loud Buddha Bar music, and you have a meal for the ages.

As a final side note, everyone in the joint ordered the mussels. I'm probably going to go out on a limb here but I'd say they are a must order. Then again, what do I know.

I'm off to B.C.

Feel free to buy me a beer while I'm there.

Harper Doesn't Care About Canada or Canadians

How else can you explain it???

On a day when you have Maxime Bernier dictating who the Afghani Government should be appointing as Governor of one of their own provinces; when there are questions about Afghan detainees and the Canadian investigation of said detainee turnovers; and, on a day when a Canadian citizen faces 5 years in a Mexican jail, what is Stephen Harper concerned about most? I mean what really gets him in the throat? AUTO THEFT OF COURSE!!!

What a joke.

What are the Conservatives So Afraid Of???

Seriously. This move has to make almost any Canadian suspect of their motives.

Government lawyers filed an application Friday to halt the investigation, saying the commission does not have jurisdiction to probe the complaints.

"(The) transfer of detainees is a military operation which does not form part of the 'policing duties and functions' for which the MPCC has oversight,'" the application states.

When the head of the Commission thinks there is something missing...there probably is!

MPCC chair Peter Tinsley had ordered that public hearings be held in the complaint, saying that government officials had not been entirely forthcoming in handing over relevant documents.

By launching public hearings, Tinsley would have the legal power to subpoena those documents.

Sorry About the Comment Section

A couple of weeks ago a buddy blogger talked me into Intense Debate Comment moderation. I liked it too. Unfortunately, the thing isn't quite up to snuff yet.

Case in point, I've tried to post comment responses on my own blog for the better part of 4 hours. So, tired and fed up, I've decided to remove Intense Debate from my blog. Unfortunately all the fun comment debates I was having are all now gone. If anyone knows how to import these back from ID to Blogger comments, I'm all eyes.

My sincere apologies to all of you that have commented and made your point over the past couple of weeks....especially Tom Robinson. Tom and I were having a good discussion on Jewish Immigration in Canada.

Let's Face it. The Conservatives Just Don't Like Minorities.

First they killed Kelowna. Then they want to discriminate against certain types of immigrants and pick and choose who they want in their country. Now they shelve their own Human Rights bill for First Nations people.

Canadians are becoming more and more aware of the brutal, hidden agenda of this stale, scandal-ridden government.

The polls ain't a myth....although I'm certain Chantal Hebert has something different to say about it...something like it's Dion's death knell....or it's because Bob Rae and Michael Ignatieff are winning the hearts and minds of Canadians and Dion should be gone.

Newsflash! It's Conservatives alienating Canadians and the rest of the world that is boosting Liberal fortunes!! Stuff like stomping on same sex rights, native rights, eliminating childcare spaces. You know, that kind of stuff.

NDP Tank in the Polls....Conservatives Can't Gain an Ounce

More proof that Canadians are feeling the NDP, and their lack of any strategy of their own, is playing out well for Liberals. In the meantime, as much as Harperites would lead us to believe, Dion and the Liberal brand is stronger by the day. These numbers must be depressing for poor Harpocrite.

Here's some highlights from Nik Nanos' most recent poll.


Question: For those parties you would consider voting for federally, could you please rank your top two current local preferences? (Committed Voters Only - First Choice)

The numbers in parenthesis denotes the change from the previous Nanos Research Survey completed in February, 2008.

Canada (N=827, MoE ± 3.4%, 19 times out of 20)
Liberal Party 36% (+3)
Conservative Party 36% (+5)
NDP 14% (-5)
BQ 8% (-2)
Green Party 6% (-2)

Ontario (N=251, MoE ± 6.3%, 19 times out of 20)
Liberal Party 50% (+7)
Conservative Party 32% (+1)
NDP 13% (-6)
Green Party 6% (-1)

Quebec (N=202, MoE ± 7.0%, 19 times out of 20)
BQ 35%(-2)
Conservative Party 23% (NC)
Liberal Party 23% (+1)
NDP 13% (+1)
Green Party 6% (NC)

Noteworthy is the fact that - despite Chantal Hebert's ringing of the bell for the death of Dion in Quebec - the Liberals are now tied for second in La Belle Province.

Also notable is the Liberals are now over 50% in Atlantic Canada and the Dippers have plunged out west by five points. As usual, the Liberals are behind the 8-ball out west.

Here's the rest of Nik's poll

Nothing to See Here Folks...Move Along

The Liberals appear to be striking back at the NDP. They actually let the NDP have it tonight. How you ask? Why by voting against their motion on the budget implementation. Take that Dippers.

Refresh my memory though. Who is the base of our Liberal votes in the urban ridings? Oh yeah. Immigrants. Immigrant voters. You know, the ones with family members that aren't doctors and are waiting in some queue to gain entry into our country. You know, those immigrants.

So let's have a peek at what ridings this may affect. Four in Brampton and, um.....never mind. The list is too long.

Anywho. You know. Whatever. My forehead is now bleeding profusely from banging it on the wall.

Say, did you hear the one about the Italian, the Ukranian, the Pakistani, the Indian, the Sri Lankin, the Chinese, the Mexican, the Serbian, the Croatian, the Somali......never mind, that's too long of a waiting list to finish the joke.

Thomas Mulcair: The Official Opposition of the Opposition

Many of you have noticed that I have been harping on the theme that the NDP continues to attack the Liberal Party almost in exclusivity. Thomas Mulcair has become the worst offender of this. Last Sunday on Question Period was ridiculous when he gave Peter Van Loan a free ride and leveled an attack on Ralph Goodale.

And, now, we have this classless attack on Liberals, specific Members of Parliament and, in my view, the decorum of the House. Birdbrains?? The Liberal Party is going to be abolished??(h/t IMPOLITICAL)

Mr. Mulcair seems to have a fetish with his former party and with Mr. Rae. 21 times does he reference the Liberal Party by name. That's not counting the theys and the thems referring to the Liberals. By comparison, Mulcair mentions the Conservatives a mere 15 times and doesn't lodge a single personal insult at any of the members of the Conservative Party.

As I've said previously, Dippers attacking Liberals will not generate votes for them. In fact, Canadians don't really know what Jack and Tom stand for any more. Oh yeah...there's that ATM fee thing...and that getting rid of the penny thing.

From Hansard:
Table of Contents]

Mr. Thomas Mulcair (Outremont, NDP):
Mr. Speaker, once again, we will have a chance to see the Liberal Party of Canada's true colours. Once again, during this afternoon's question period, we heard the Liberals get all worked up about all of the appalling ruses they detected in how the Conservatives handled the budget. The Liberals criticized the Conservatives for having included immigration provisions in the budget bill.


If we are meant to take them seriously and to accept their statements at face value, we would expect them to vote against budget bills, just as, from time to time, they have to speak out against the Conservative government's decisions because they are the official opposition.


As usual, the Conservatives know exactly what to expect from the Liberals. They know that they can do whatever they want, including burying objectionable immigration provisions in a budget bill, because the Liberals are much too weak to stand up to them.


This afternoon, we are considering a motion that takes the Conservative government to task for the choices it made in the budget. The Conservatives made a lot of decisions that brought radical change to Canada, and now we are talking about something quite specific. I will give a few examples to illustrate.


Table 5.4 of the budget just tabled by the Conservatives reveals what they really think and betrays their true intentions. Specifically, beginning today—as the new fiscal year begins—and over just two years, revenue collected from personal income tax—from my colleagues, from me, from the people listening to us now, from workers and their families—will increase by 12% in the state's budget, whereas revenue from corporate income tax will drop by 14%. That is the shameful choice the Conservatives really made in the budget. Individuals will be paying 12% more, and corporations will be paying 14% less. People can check table 5.4 of the budget and see for themselves.


We strongly object to this choice. What will the so-called official opposition do? I see that the Liberals are prepping their new star from Toronto Centre, who will undoubtedly rise to try to lecture us, as did his colleague who, yesterday, attempted to mislead the public with false figures on countries such as Sweden, Great Britain, Denmark and Norway. What tales did they tell yesterday? It was nonsense. What did his Liberal colleague say? He said that in the four above-mentioned countries, the corporate tax rate was lower than the Canadian rate. Is that so? Let us look at the facts.


Here, in Canada, with the most recent cut, the corporate tax rate is now 19.5%. It is important that we remember this figure of 19.5%. It will be further reduced by 4.5% to 15% by 2015. What is the current corporate tax rate in the other countries in question? It is 28% in Sweden; 30% in Great Britain; 30% in Denmark; and 28% in Norway. That is the reality, not the nonsense trotted out by the Liberals yesterday to try to justify the unjustifiable, that is their weakness, their softness, their lack of conviction and the fact that, once again, they will support the budget choices of the Conservatives. Conservatives or Liberals, it is all the same.


If the Liberals had the slightest amount of conviction, if they believed in anything, they would be getting up to criticize and challenge the Conservatives' budget.

(1545)


Later, when the new member for Toronto Centre rises, we will see that they will no longer be content to sit on their hands.


The Minister of Finance dared to reduce corporate taxes that much only because the current and ineffective leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, the so-called official opposition, told him that he could reduce corporate taxes as much as he wanted.


Indeed, the Minister of Finance rose in this House and said that he would never have dared to reduce them so much. He is a Conservative. He would have wanted to, but he did not think he could. It was the current leader of the Liberal Party of Canada who told him he should do so and reduce them so much. This is exactly what he is now doing and it is scandalous.


Now, to try to ease their conscience, instead of simply hiding, ducking the issue, disappearing from the House or sitting on their hands, they are trying to tell us—and I cannot wait to hear it—that the Conservatives' budget choices are completely consistent with their own. And that party has the nerve to talk about social justice, a nation-wide affordable child care system and wait times at hospitals across Canada, which receive federal funding. It can say what it wants but the Liberal Party of Canada does not believe in anything. That is the simple truth, which will be revealed a little later.

(1550)

[English]


On this side of the House, we are not afraid to stand up. We are not afraid to tell Canadians what is really going on here.


We can look at table 5.4 in the new Conservative budget if we want to understand what is going on. In that one table, there is a snapshot of the difference between the New Democratic Party of Canada and the Conservatives, but the Conservatives are being helped in this by the Liberal Party.


In that one table, we see the following: starting from today, when we are at the very beginning of a new fiscal year, over the next two years the part of the budget that comes from corporate income taxes is going to go down by 14%, while individual income taxes, which is what you, Mr. Speaker, and I and the people listening to us pay, are going to go up by 12%.


That is an increase of 12% for individuals and a decrease of 14% for the corporations. That is a scandal. The Conservatives should be ashamed of themselves for proposing it. The only reason they are doing it is because of the weakness of the Liberal Party.


Yesterday one of the minor ministers from the former Liberal government, a former revenue minister, went on the public record with something that was completely contrary to the facts. He named four countries, Sweden, Britain, Denmark and Norway, and said they had a lower rate of corporate taxation than Canada has.


Here are the facts. For somebody who was once in charge of revenue, it is surprising that he cannot count. In Canada with the most recent budget, we are now at 19.5% as our corporate tax rate. It is going to go down a further 4.5% between now and 2015, bringing it to 15%. The tax rate in Sweden is 28%. The tax rate in Britain is 30%. The tax rate in Denmark is 30%. The tax rate in Norway is 28%.


Hon. Bob Rae: Add the provinces, Tom, add them.


Mr. Thomas Mulcair: That is what those birdbrains in the Liberal Party of Canada want to support. They want to support the Conservatives. They are against families. They are against social programs. They are against social justice. They have no vision. They have no convictions. They do not believe in anything.


More and more, the truth is coming out. Canadians are starting to decode the Liberals. I am just waiting to hear the new star from Toronto Centre, someone who once had the guts to come into this House and claim to represent social justice and progressive thought and who has now sold himself out to the bosses.

I can hardly wait to have him stand up and talk against families, against workers, in favour of tax increases for individuals, and against the average working family. That guy wants to give tax breaks to corporations.


Let him have it, I say, and let him know what really is going on out there in Canada. We can hardly wait because we are going to deal with him.

[Table of Contents]

Mr. Ken Epp (Edmonton—Sherwood Park, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the enthusiasm with which the member spoke. He certainly was animated, and he had the attention of the House, which sometimes is a rarity here.


I have a couple of comments. First, would it ever occur to him that perhaps the amount of revenue that is coming from individuals is going up because there are now some 800,000 more jobs? There are that many new people who, instead of being unemployed and collecting unemployment insurance as long as it lasts, now finally under this government have the opportunity to get a job from business that is staying in Canada because it has a more tax-friendly base than other countries that beckon. This is just a reality.


I would also like to point out this fact when he complains about the price of fuel. He is talking about increasing taxes for people who produce fuel. Would it perhaps also occur to him that the price at the pump will increase if those guys have to pay more taxes? This is so elementary that I cannot believe he does not understand it.

[Translation]

[Table of Contents]

Mr. Thomas Mulcair:
Mr. Speaker, I hope you will give me as much time to answer the hon. member's question as you gave him to ask it.

[English]


I will answer in English for my colleague from Edmonton—Sherwood Park.


If he were a Liberal and not a Conservative, I guess the member would say that he is from Sherwood forest, because the Liberals love branding themselves as Robin Hood trying to help the poor, but the actual fact is that the Liberals do not believe in anything. They talk a good game when it comes to social programs and social justice, but they actually do not believe in anything.


Although I do disagree with the budgetary choices of the Conservative government, they exist, they are there, and the Conservatives themselves hold out for the fact that they are going to reduce by 14% the proportion. It is not a question of the global mass. The 800,000 workers do not change anything in the proportion.


The proportion of what is coming in from taxpayers individually is going to go up by 12%. The proportion of what is coming in from corporations is going to go down by 14%. Those are the numbers. It is in the Conservative budget in table 5.4. The member can look up the numbers. They are irrefutable.


However, what is even more important is what was done as a budgetary choice in the fall, with $14 billion in tax cuts for the most profitable corporations. In Ontario or Quebec, where the soaring Canadian dollar is making it more and more difficult to export, manufacturing jobs have been lost by the hundreds of thousands and we are suffering terribly in the forestry sector.


The Minister of Finance stands up in the House all the time and says that he gave all those tax breaks and that is how he is helping corporations. The problem is that if a company did not make a profit last year it did not pay any taxes, so it is not getting any of those tax breaks. If the company is called EnCana, if it is based in Alberta, and if it is making a small fortune in profits, it just got a cheque for several tens of millions of dollars from the Canadian taxpayer. That is the problem.

(1555)

[Table of Contents]

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Royal Galipeau):
Just for the edification of the hon. member for Outremont, the question took one minute and fifteen seconds and the answer one minute and forty seconds.


The hon. member for West Nova has the floor.

[Translation]

[Table of Contents]

Hon. Robert Thibault (West Nova, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to listen to this dialogue on this economic question put forward by the NDP.

[English]


It is rich to listen to this because we know what the New Democratic members' economic policy is: their support for small businesses is to take all large businesses, tax them all the way down to small businesses, give subsidies to bankrupt businesses, and tax profitable businesses. They have no vision at all on economics and are quite disingenuous on social programs.


I remember that not so long ago in the House, when there was a minority government, we presented a budget. The leader of the NDP negotiated with the Liberal Party so that we brought forward a year or two years ahead some of our priorities that were not in that budget: housing, assistance for poverty, day care, and Kelowna. We brought them all forward. The NDP members were all very happy to boast about it and then they voted our government out and supported this one on the income trust scandal, which took about $30 billion away from hard-working Canadians.


We cannot believe these people.

[Translation]

[Table of Contents]

Mr. Thomas Mulcair:
Mr. Speaker, I imagine the hon. member will be quite pleased to tell all the employees at Trenton Car Works that he agrees with the Conservatives' budgetary choices.


There are a number of companies in his province that are suffering in exactly the same way other companies in Quebec and Ontario are. That is why it is scandalous to have a political party like the Liberal Party of Canada, that has the constitutional right to call itself the official opposition party, but which in fact has become the official abstention party. Soon it will become officially abolished.

NDP Blame the Liberals Again

How unusual. I just can't believe it. Today on Duffy Live, NDP MP Bill Sicksay comes up with a real gem. Bill accuses the Liberals of being responsible for the sale of MacDonald Dettwiler. WHAT?!?!?!?

Bar Association Worried about Conservative Immigration Plot

And rightly so. As my buddy Kinsella wrote about once before: Who Decides???.

If it's the right thing to do, why is it buried in a budget bill? I thought this government was supposed to be more transparent!!!

This Conservative Government gets Dumber by the Day

A la the Liberal leadership fiasco, the Conservatives have decided they want to open the constitution. I'm certain we've seen this picture before. Losing the rest of Canada usually follows such Conservative motions. So, I'm okay with their ridiculous obsession with Quebec these days.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that Chantal Hebert is going to love this move by the Conservatives and proclaim the death of Stephane Dion and the Liberals yet again.

UPDATE: AND THE FALLOUT HAS ALREADY BEGUN.