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EI changes nudge Canada further to the right
Published on 2012-05-24 22:47:41
For the majority of Canadians, those who identify themselves as centre-left on the political spectrum, the announced changes to EI show further evidence of Canada evolving into a more and more Conservative nation. > read more
What are the changes to EI? Harper government says 'trust us'
Published on 2012-05-19 01:23:24
I've been reading about proposed changes to EI legislation, with speculation rampant that benefits will become harder to qualify for, particularly for those who repeatedly access the program. Okay, fair enough. I don't consider myself an extremist on any issue, and that includes social programs like EI. > read more
Flying from Quebec City to Toronto via Porter
Published on 2012-05-18 23:13:24
I don't want to come across as a corporate shill or anything, but at the same time when there's a product or service that I enjoy, I like > read more
A solution to the Québec student strikes...bill baby boomers
Published on 2012-05-17 16:10:46
I'm really getting fed up with baby boomers, especially those who to try to characterize the Québec student strikers as being greedy and out of touch with reality. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Tuition fees in Quebec were frozen when baby boomers stormed through the educational system. > read more
Christian crackpot radio and useless Bible prophecy
Published on 2012-05-12 00:54:45
I've been doing a fair bit of driving lately, often between the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Québec City. > read more
Huffington Post Canada Poll says majority favour today's abortion debate
Published on 2012-04-26 07:39:14
Today is the day apparently. > read more
I guess all of Europe is misogynist - Welcome to the new Canada
Published on 2012-04-08 02:59:40
Demonizing those with whom one disagrees, that's something we're seeing more and more > read more
The progressive pissing contest and the abortion debate....
Published on 2012-04-07 03:22:59
When is a human being a human being, and who exactly is progressive? These are two questions being raised in the wake of Conservative MP Stephen Woodworth's motion to have Canada's parliament establish a committee to study the question of when a human being is > read more
On abortion and absolute rights
Published on 2012-04-04 22:22:01
With > read more
Fasten your seat belts, here comes the abortion debate...
Published on 2012-04-02 21:31:04
In just under three and a half years I have written or touched on > read more
A nickle for your thoughts? No more pennies allowed
Published on 2012-03-29 23:39:36
Finally!!! > read more
What the federal budget will say, and what it really means...cue Carlin
Published on 2012-03-25 23:58:16
When Thursday rolls around Canadians will be finding out exactly what kind of government a minority of some 40% of us > read more
Mulclair is a winner, cue the attack ads
Published on 2012-03-25 00:11:42
He won the battle, Thomas Mulcair > read more
Need to raise taxes or cut services? Hit boomers...
Published on 2012-03-23 17:08:55
I was born in 1966, > read more
Higher temps, higher gas prices...$1.40+ in Québec City
Published on 2012-03-20 19:11:55
Ahhh what a nice warm spring, and it finally caught up > read more
Enough with the attack ads already, we get it....
Published on 2012-03-19 14:57:46
Okay, okay...Canadians from coast to coast to coast should finally understand by now. > read more
Dépanneur owner whose store was vandalized should learn to speak French
Published on 2012-03-15 16:59:14
The owner of a Verdun depanneur had his store vanadalized after a series of events resulting from his inability or unwillingness to speak French. CTV is reporting (HERE) that Anthony Williams, owner of a convenience store east of Montreal, has seen a > read more
Kony 2012 - Grassroots campaign or manufactured outrage?
Published on 2012-03-13 22:59:07
Disclosure, I haven't watched the Kony 2012 video. I think I'm one of about 12 people in Canada who haven't. I did catch some of it on network news however, and like any person with a heart and a pulse, I was sickened. It is unbelievable to me the atrocities that continue to take place all over the world. And violence against children is always reprehensible. With that being said, I was struck by something tweeted by journalist Eric Margolis back on March 8th: Amazing coincidence. YouTube [..] > read more
Do Republicans want a religious extremist as their nominee?
Published on 2012-03-13 14:55:04
The U.S. has troops in places like Afghanistan and Iraq, and numerous other countries, and there's some definite sabre rattling happening right now in the direction of Iran from some quarters. Often times western powers are battling with religious extremists, Islamic fundamentalist with an extreme interpretation of the Muslim holy book, the Koran. You might expect to see quotes like this from leaders in countries like Iran or from the Taliban in Afghanistan: "This is not a political war at all. [..] > read more
Think Ron Paul is nuts? Good, the MSM is doing its job...check out John Stewart
Published on 2012-03-09 23:47:42
Ron Paul could easily drop out of the GOP race and coporate media would be very happy. They've built up candidates like Rick Santorum, while working very hard at avoiding the Texas doctor and service vertran. Don't believe me? Check out John Stewart. Pretty telling when Comedy Central provides more insight than major news outlets: > read more
Americans can win back world respect by electing Ron Paul
Published on 2012-03-09 22:45:04
I spent a bit of time growing up in the United States. I attended kindergarten and grades one to three and a bit of four in NJ and all of grade six near Portland Oregon. It is probably for that reason that I have enormous respect for our southern neighbours. With that being said I have seen the U.S. in decline for generations now. Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Obama...Republicans and democrats, it doesn't matter, the slide continues. I wasn't born into the information age, but I've come of [..] > read more
Tories to social conservatives...thanks for the votes, now bugger off!!!
Published on 2012-03-09 00:37:41
Members of Canada's socially conservative religious right fraternity must be looking on the Harper government like the insurance salesman who attends church to drum up business. I mean sure he's on the membership role and tosses his cheque in the plate every week. But is he a true believer or just there to network? From where I sit the issues of importance to social conservatives are as follows: A return of the death penalty Abortion back in the criminal code Ending the legal status of same-s [..] > read more
Are Canada's conservatives a house divided?
Published on 2012-03-08 12:55:44
Here's a question dear reader. Are you conservative or liberal? It might seem a straight forward, but I imagine responses would vary widely based on the context of the question. Are we talking about political parties, money, human rights...all three? In terms of party politics, the Conservatives are hot. Sure they're not yet garnering a majority of votes in any recent election, but their numbers keep going up and they are the single largest minority by a good margin. If you're on the left [..] > read more
Brad Trost says Harper is not Pro-Life and chastises the PMO
Published on 2012-03-08 03:51:58
I just finished reading a Macleans interview with Conservative backbench MP Brad Trost. For those, like me, who've seen his name in the press about the issue of abortion, and formed the opinion that he is a one string banjo plucking the Pro-Life chord over and over...I strongly suggest giving it a read. I think you'll find the interview engaging and perhaps find at least a modicum of respect for the Saskatchewan MP. I did, and more than a modicum. On the issue of abortion he laments the f [..] > read more
Taxpayers on the hook for almost $600 Billion in mortgage debt
Published on 2012-03-07 01:00:16
Do you know anyone who has recently bought a house with less than 20% down? I know a few myself, young twenty somethings with decent but not great income, who've decided to take the dive. And why not? Qualifying for a mortgage is easy, and if you're not good enough at handling money to have put away a piddly little down payment, the banks will rebate it to you. Why waste money on rent when you can build equity right? I mean its not like we're the U.S. where record levels of personal debt and [..] > read more
CREA projects average house prices to dip
Published on 2012-03-05 16:07:52
The Canadian Real Estate Association is predicting that the national average for house prices will drop in 2012, but not by much. I wouldn't put too much stock in such forecasts though, before the U.S. housing market cratered so called experts were out to lunch on their predictions south of the border. The elephant in the room, so to speak, is household debt. The national average is pegged at over 150% of income with low interest rates being cited as the major cause. And with so many buyers l [..] > read more
Robocall scam provided employment...in Canada!!!
Published on 2012-02-27 08:43:07
Canadians upset over the RoboCall scandal need to look at this another way. With our sputtering economy and record high levels of debt, a strategy like this provides jobs. Sure, call centre jobs aren't the highest paying or most secure....but at least the CPC didn't hire a company that make calls out of India or something. Its now being reported that in addition to Racknine Inc out of Edmonton, the Tories employed the services of Responsive Marketing Group out of Thunder Bay. And interviews [..] > read more
Canadians don't care about the 'Robocall' scam....
Published on 2012-02-27 00:37:23
When is a scandal not a scandal? When nobody gives a rip. Sorry for the trailer park answer to that question, but I'm thinking some conservatives might read this...and well, I like to pander. If I tossed in a word like dichotomy their eyes would glaze over and their heads would tilt to one side. Better to keep things simple. Its like the so called in and out scandal, sure it smells but we live in a win at all costs society now. Call it a hybrid between pro wrestling and MMA, in keeping with [..] > read more
Is the U.S. conservative movement on drugs?
Published on 2012-02-24 21:04:57
I realize very well that the conservative movement in the U.S. has gone and basically co-opted the fundamentalist, born again, bible thumping, man walked with dinosaurs Christian crowd. Fair enough, they're a great constituency to have. They're used to doing as they're told, and they don't worry about obvious contradictions or warped logic. And that's a good thing for Rick Santorum, the new golden boy of the religious right. President Obama wants higher college enrollment in the United Sta [..] > read more
MSM slowly waking up to Canada's real estate bubble
Published on 2012-02-20 15:56:48
We all know the anatomy of a recession, right? For those who don't, recessions tend to follow this general pattern. Insert government and market 'experts' where you see the word 'we'. Stage 1 - DenialThe fundamentals of the economy are strong and 'we' anticipate continued growth. Stage 2 - Limited Recognition While there appears to be some stress in certain sectors of the economy overall the fundamentals are sound and while growth may moderate 'we' continue to project growth. Stage 3 - Predic [..] > read more
Progressive and supporting Ron Paul? How can that be?!?!
Published on 2012-02-15 20:55:51
A recent post of mine, supportive of GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul, elicited a comment from Laura, the author of We Move to Canada. An excellent blog about her experiences as an American moving to, and now living in Canada. She directed me to a post she had written on the Texas congressman entitled: memo to progressives and liberals: ron paul is not your friend Laura takes exception to Mr. Paul's extreme Libertarian politics, and many of his stances would certainly appear to be 'anti- [..] > read more
Is the Mormon faith racist?
Published on 2012-02-13 19:22:01
Ron Paul has come under some fire for newsletters bearing his name that contained racist remarks some 20 odd years ago. The Texas congressman and Presidential hopeful has said he didn't write them or read them, and thankfully he disavows them. Good on him. All is fair in love and war, and certainly in politics. Which brings me to Mitt Romney and the Mormon faith. Perhaps CNN will grill Romney over the fact that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon or LDS) did not allow A [..] > read more
Why the media is afraid of Ron Paul
Published on 2012-02-12 15:43:14
There are four candidates vying for the nomination of the Republican Party for a run at the U.S. presidency this coming November. However, based on media coverage, some might think its a race between Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich. Maine just conducted a straw poll. And while Mitt Romney won, he only beat Ron Paul by a reported 200 votes. Though he came in second, with Maine's convoluted system of voting in stages and then appointing delegates to the GOP convention, Ron Paul m [..] > read more
Visions of Moses, Jesus and Mohammed walking hand in hand
Published on 2012-02-12 00:43:16
Just for clarification I would like it known that I chose the order in the title of this post based on the age of these respective faiths, with Judaism being the oldest and Islam the youngest....and Christianity in the middle. Personally I don't believe in religious visions, frankly I think they're the product of over active imaginations and other factors like lack of sleep or even narcotics. But for the sake of argument, let's say visions are real, and that people all around the world start [..] > read more
Heading east out of the GTA? Gas up cheap in Shannonville
Published on 2012-02-11 22:08:05
I've been back in Kingston the past few weeks, and driving to the GTA on weekends to see family and friends. I had heard that cigarettes were cheap on a Mohawk nation reserve called Tyendinaga, which was true. But that wasn't all, the gas prices there are around 10 cents cheaper than what's being charged in the Toronto area. It occurred to me that there are probably many people who drive that stretch of the 401 who aren't aware that a quick 10 minute jog off the 401 can save a motorist [..] > read more
Economic turnaround, all it takes is innovation
Published on 2012-02-08 19:03:12
Wall and Bay Streets have been recovering nicely over the past few years in the wake of the global financial meltdown, Main Streets haven't been doing nearly as well. Many corporations are sitting on massive balance sheets, while workers like those at Caterpillar have seen their jobs disappear. What will it take to turn the North American economy around? One word, innovation. All one need do is look back to the incredible economic growth of the nineties when everything was going digital. Com [..] > read more
The real Stephen Harper is slowly emerging
Published on 2012-02-06 20:26:27
Ever since his speech in Switzerland many have been talking about the real Stephen Harper and his so called 'hidden agenda'. Rarely though are things ever black and white, and even more rare in the political realm. Talk of reducing public pensions, capping transfers for health care, opening up new avenues for the financial sector to provide private pensions...Are these just trial balloons or is Stephen Harper looking to move Canada sharply to the right? Let's take a step back, because I don't [..] > read more
Cup size confusion in Canada
Published on 2012-02-03 13:16:55
Sorry guys, I'm not writing about A, B, C or DD...this is about Tim Hortons and the new sizes for their coffee cups. If you're a Timmies customer you've probably already found out that your large or medium coffee is bigger than it was before. I'm in Kingston where they've been test marketing this change for the past few months, and now its been rolled out Canada wide. Tims has added a new bigger cup, and rather than calling it something appropriate like the bladder buster, they've changed t [..] > read more
CMA editorial advocates restricting reproductive choices
Published on 2012-02-01 19:29:13
For those who missed it, ( I did) an editorial in the CMA Journal by that publication's editor in chief has caused quite a stir lately, as one might well expect. Any suggestion which advocates limiting or restricting choice on reproductive matters...well its just asking for trouble. Dr. Kale, the author of the article, is advocating a ban on gender results from ultra sounds until 30 weeks to preclude gender based abortions. Run for cover Dr. Kale. In Canada there are zero laws on the books [..] > read more
Report on housing prices says no need to panic....yet
Published on 2012-01-30 20:24:42
Doesn't this sound like the chatter going on in the US back around 2007 before the balloon that was their housing market went BANG!!! -From the CBC- Average prices have grown more than twice as fast as family incomes since 2001, but BMO's report argues there's no reason to panic yet. (Emphasis mine) Like many I've been waiting for the bubble to burst, but continued low interest rates have largely kept real estate values afloat and now mortgage rates are at an all time low of 2.99%. For those [..] > read more
On this Father's Day, let your kids believe in their dreams
Published on 2011-06-19 11:32:12
For this Father's Day I thought I'd write about my kids. They are 'Buddy Basketball Star' and his sister the 'Princess Raspberry' aged 6 and 12 respectively. Kids are incredible, and when they're younger they're even more incredible. Ther > read more
No hidden meaning or lessons in Vancouver riots - Its just plain sad
Published on 2011-06-16 21:18:09
I was in downtown Toronto when the Blue Jays won their first World Series in 1992, it was fun. If there were isolated incidents of vandalism or violence I didn't see any, either live or reported. People just running up and down Yonge > read more
While waiting for Harper to destroy the country...a bit about me
Published on 2011-06-14 20:19:47
If you've only just stumbled upon this little corner of cyberspace, then you won't be aware of my political leanings. You see, like many who observe the political arena, I have leanings. Leanings however shouldn't be confused wi > read more
Should getting tough on crime include jailing drug users?
Published on 2011-06-05 19:38:42
So the Harper Conservatives want to get tough on crime, including the building of new super jails. The question of course begs, with crime rates falling who's going to fill all those cells. Attitudes on drug use tend to run the gamut, with some > read more
Let Israelis worry about Israel, we have enough problems
Published on 2011-05-29 01:06:19
Should a new Palestinian state be created, and if so where should its borders be? WHO CARES!!! There are trouble spots all over the globe, Afghanistan of course, the Congo, Sri Lanka, all over the Middle East in general and of cou > read more
Time for the post Rapture headcount....
Published on 2011-05-23 01:21:59
May 21 came and went with no earthquakes or other disasters to speak of, unless you think this blog qualifies. The Rapture was supposed to happen on Saturday, and near as I can tell we're all still here. For those unfamiliar wit > read more
Sure hope God doesn't mess up my camping plans..
Published on 2011-05-21 12:48:02
By now everyone knows that the world is supposed to be ending today, bummer. Its on billboards, in the paper and all over the news. I just checked and someone won $35 million last night on LottoMax. Boy wouldn't that be a kick in th > read more
Market research for a new religion
Published on 2011-05-19 19:29:21
Having looked into various religions like Christianity, Judaism and Islam I've decided that the marketplace is in bad need of a new faith, but given our modern age I think some market research is in order first. After all, new products and s > read more
Is Christianity an evil religion?
Published on 2011-05-19 10:39:26
It has become something of a common practice for those of the Christian faith to ask whether Islam is an inherently "evil" religion. I've even heard fundamentalists question whether Muslims worship Satan. Just type "Is Islam an evil relig > read more
Are emboldended right wingers pushing the agenda? Fraser Institute chimes in on immigration
Published on 2011-05-17 21:21:33
Maybe its coincidence, or perhaps its just me...but it seems like Conservative minded Canadians have felt their cajones swell with Stephen Harper's electoral triumph. Yes, sixty per cent of Canadians voted for the so called 'reckless coalition' > read more
Government probe into gas prices a waste of time....
Published on 2011-05-15 00:30:22
Oh boy, there's gonna be another government review of the oil and gas industry over sky rocketing prices at the pumps. And all the while Big Oil continues to rake in record profits. I bet executives at Shell, Petro Can and Esso > read more
An idea for sticking it to the oil companies - No boycotts, just put up your hand
Published on 2011-05-11 18:54:01
Canadians are getting hosed at the pumps again, just as summer has arrived and we all start thinking about jumping in our cars for a trip to the cottage, trailer or a simple vacation. Raising prices 10 cents per litre at the pumps means we > read more
Liberals still haven't figured out what went wrong...So I'll tell them
Published on 2011-05-11 17:47:14
Okay Liberal Party of Canada, you obviously haven't figured out where you went off course, why Canadians snubbed you at the ballot box. Every newspaper I pick up is filled with stories and quotes from Liberal party members and seniors within th > read more
Hey Liberals, forget the English French English French thing....pick the best leader
Published on 2011-05-09 20:08:42
Contrary to what some think, I'm not a member of the Liberal party...So card holders take this as the opinion of an interested individual, but not from someone who's spent too much time drinking the kool-ade. Drop the annoying habit of alternating be > read more
Real Estate at the tipping point - More voices predicting major correction
Published on 2011-05-09 19:37:25
Want to be popular? The most recently available statistics say 70% of Canadians are owners of real estate, so if you're looking to win friends talk bullish about the housing market...it'll be bull alright, but you'll be loved. Who wants to hear > read more
Sun TV ratings tank - Nobody is watching
Published on 2011-05-08 10:29:03
I used to like the Toronto Sun newspaper, certainly before they were gobbled up by Quebecor and became just another corporate mouthpiece. Then they got rid of some of their best columnists, guys like Mathew Fisher, Greg Weston and Eric Margolis > read more
Why would anyone doubt the killing of Osama bin Laden?
Published on 2011-05-05 19:50:06
So Osama bin Laden is now officially dead, okay. Still there are tons of people out there who doubt the story. Some think he's still alive and others contend he's been dead for years. There are plenty of American citizen > read more
Christian right will find out soon- What a friend they have in Harper - Can PM keep abortion off the agenda
Published on 2011-05-04 20:16:43
Stephen Harper finally has his majority, the third time was the charm. Canadians, while perhaps not warming to the Conservative leader, did trust him sufficiently to let him rule without the burden of the leash that is > read more
Tired of politics Canadians let Harper off the leash...
Published on 2011-05-03 18:56:02
Stephen Harper wanted a majority. Canadians wanted a break from politics. Last night both got their wish. I won't rehash the results or gloat over my prediction of a Conservative majority with 162 seats...I got lucky. I > read more
Calls saying polling stations moved reeks of Conservative dirty tricks
Published on 2011-05-01 21:56:00
This is reminding me of Florida back in 2000, sadly this type of behaviour has moved north to Canada along with the negative political ads and smears. Its being reported that some voters have been called and told that their polling statio > read more
Stephen Harper tweets that a coalition government would be legitimate
Published on 2011-05-01 16:34:18
Democracy is all about choices, deciding which individuals and which parties we want to represent us in government. There has been some concern that Stephen Harper might not accept the rules of our democracy if he were to be leading a minority > read more
Its going to be a Harper Majority
Published on 2011-05-01 14:28:06
The polls open in less than 24 hours, so its time for a prediction...and sorry to say it looks to me like a Harper majority. Based on the polls, especially those relating to the province of Ontario, I see Harper's Conservatives garner > read more
Time to decide on the kind of politics we want....
Published on 2011-04-30 13:13:19
This should have been an election about ideas, an election on Harper's record over the past five years, an election about competing visions of the kind of Canada we want now and in the future. Sadly this election is none of those things. > read more
Sun Media - Smear trumps journalism
Published on 2011-04-30 00:06:46
Okay, we all know the story by now. Jack Layton went to a licensed massage clinic something like 15 or 16 years ago. Yawn. That an organization that tries to pass itself off as a source for news would even bother reporting this is one th > read more
Québecois et Québecoise - Canada a besoin de votre aide...
Published on 2011-04-29 22:11:29
Français c'est ma 2eme langue, donc s'il vous plait excuse mes plusieurs fautes et lire ce que j'ai a dire a vous autres. Pour moi, Québec c'est la couer de la democracie içi en Canada. Vous etes toujours au courant au sujet de le > read more
Harper majority out of reach? DON'T BET ON IT!!!
Published on 2011-04-29 21:28:36
Surprise surprise, Stephen Harper's tightly controlled campaign machine has sprung a leak. The Toronto Star is reporting that senior Conservative party insiders are saying 'they're just not there' in terms of being able to garner enough seats af > read more
Canadian Soapbox Exclusive - Jack Layton hit a girl in kindergarten
Published on 2011-04-29 21:21:47
Jack Layton is alleged to have hit a girl when he was in pre-school back in 1955. A now retired kindergarten teacher has made startling allegations against NDP leader Jack Layton. The stunning revelation about th > read more
Things Stephen Harper told us...
Published on 2011-04-28 20:32:11
Stephen Harper talks a good game, I'll certainly give him that. And the game he's talking now is about doom and gloom should Canadian voters decide to elect a sizable number of Jack Layton's NDP to our Parliament. Fair enough Mr. Pr > read more
Advice to help Harper stem the Orange tide....
Published on 2011-04-28 18:35:04
Jack Layton is cool, and Stephen Harper is...well, he's Stephen Harper. I'm fearful that if the Conservatives squeak out a narrow minority we might just see this headline in a couple of weeks: PM prorogues parliament permanently How's > read more
A federal NDP government??? Let's get serious...
Published on 2011-04-27 18:45:27
Okay kids, its been nice dreaming but let's get serious for a second here. Recent polling is suggesting that the NDP may in fact have a chance of forming a government after the votes get counted on May 2nd. Have Canadians really thought t > read more
10 Reasons for wanting Jack Layton as Prime Minister
Published on 2011-04-26 01:22:25
Top ten lists seem to be all the rage, back on March 5th I posted an annotated list of 10 reasons to vote for Harper's Conservatives, (all very tongue in cheek) and its been viewed close to 1,000 times in less than two months. S > read more
Suffering election burn out? You're not alone...
Published on 2011-04-25 23:18:32
Thank heavens a Canadian election only lasts a few weeks. I'm a political junkie, but despite that even I'm suffering fatigue. Pity our poor American friends who have to endure months of campaigning before electing Presidents and members > read more
Michael Ignatieff - What do Canadians think? Make up your own mind
Published on 2011-04-25 01:26:15
I have a certain degree of empathy for the leader of Canada's Liberal party. He came home to Canada after an incredibly successful career internationally as an academic, writer and broadcaster, that's simply a matter of record. But before > read more
Layton giving Canadians against Harper something to vote FOR
Published on 2011-04-24 00:53:47
I don't want to come across all feng shui and zen like, because that's now what I'm about. But at a core level I think many frustrated progressives realize that being against Harper isn't enough, you have to be for something. Its the > read more
Canadians are coming home to the NDP
Published on 2011-04-23 15:33:33
Put a group of Canadians together and ask them to define what it means to be Canadian. It won't be long before the subject of health care comes up, or the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). Canadians are justifiably proud of our social progr > read more
My reasons for voting for Michael Ignatieff and the Liberals
Published on 2011-04-22 23:21:19
My vote is in, and after flirting with the idea of voting NDP I finally decided to cast my lot with Michael Ignatieff and the Liberals. Why did I pick Michael's party? Part of the reason was strategic certainly. My riding has been solidly > read more
Give me a majority or we'll have a constitutional crisis - Harper
Published on 2011-04-22 00:35:20
The rules of Canadian parliamentary democracy are pretty basic. When no one single party garners a majority of the seats in our House of Commons after an election, the party that wins the most seats is asked to form a government. But wit > read more
Brad Trost - The real face of the Conservative party
Published on 2011-04-21 15:59:01
Stephen Harper's reputation of ruling his party with an iron fist is well earned. Ask the likes of Garth Turner or Helen Guergis, both booted from the Conservative party. Garth was shown the door it seems for being too ope > read more
Harper disrespects Israel, thinks Jewish state undemocratic and reckless
Published on 2011-04-20 17:32:45
Everyone now knows Stephen Harper's opinion of coalition governments. They're reckless and undemocratic, at least they are now...as opposed to when he was looking to head one in an effort to topple the Liberal government of Paul Martin. Bu > read more
Way to go students!!! Now we need all of Canada's youth voting
Published on 2011-04-20 02:43:27
I'm loving the youtube videos of vote mobs taking place all across Canada on university campuses. Yes the Conservatives tried to have the votes cast by University of Guelph students ruled invalid, but thankfully they failed. I'm 44 years o > read more
Your vote does matter - Don't let Harper turn you into a cynic
Published on 2011-04-19 12:16:40
"It doesn't matter who I vote for, they're all a bunch of liars anyway". You've probably heard sentiments close to or exactly like this over the past few weeks. I heard that comment just this morning from a young twenty something guy I shared a > read more
Canada's coporate media in love with...Jack Layton???
Published on 2011-04-19 09:41:35
Jack Layton seems to be Canada's newest political rock star, at least that's the impression I get watching the likes of CTV news and reading our mostly Conservative press. Am I the only person who finds this strange? Business and organized labou > read more
Will seniors trust Harper on Health Care after he screwed them on Income Trusts?
Published on 2011-04-19 00:15:05
You have to love little Stevie Harper. So nice, well dressed and polite. Oh, and his hair! Isn't he just adorable? Just don't believe a word he says, especially during an election campaign. Remember back in 2006&nbs > read more
Why disgruntled Conservatives are hanging with Harper
Published on 2011-04-17 23:23:58
Pity the Conservative minded Canadian voter. Tired of waste, secrecy and mismanagement they finally got hold of the big prize in Canadian politics...and were forced to watch five years of Stephen Harper. Five years of fund > read more
Stephen Harper - Taking us back to the Trudeau-Mulroney years
Published on 2011-04-15 22:08:02
Some might find this a strange admission, but I actually consider myself something of a conservative, certainly in terms of all things fiscal. I have in fact voted Conservative in the past, I take a bit of pride in being able to say t > read more
Dismantling Canada's social safety net, one tax cut at a time....
Published on 2011-04-08 23:21:56
Health care, CPP, education, programs for the needy and disenfranchised. Canada has for a long time maintained an enviable position in the eyes of the world based on how we look after the most vulnerable and poorest members of our society. > read more
Afraid to debate Iggy, Harper finds another way to score...against kids
Published on 2011-04-03 16:17:20
Stephen Harper is looking an awful lot like Sean Avery these days. An annoying pest who likes to stir things up, but doesn't have the stones to back his words up with action. If you missed it, and no doubt many have....our Prime Ministe > read more
Stephen Harper Video - Why he won't debate Iggy
Published on 2011-04-02 22:35:01
Conservative leader Stephen Harper has finally spoken up about why he doesn't want to go toe-to-toe with Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff. Click the button below to vote for Canadian Soapbox at CanadianBlogosphere, then click green. (You can vote o > read more
C'mon Harper, don't wimp out. Debate Ignatieff!!!
Published on 2011-04-02 21:16:17
Ouch!!! This is gonna leave a mark. Stephen Harper challenges Michael Ignatieff to a debate, one on one, mano-a-mano. Ignatieff gets his gloves on and says: "Anyplace, anytime...let's go"!!! Then Stephen runs and hides. > read more
Why does Stephen Harper surround himself with sleaze?
Published on 2011-04-02 20:27:14
Love him or loathe him, Stephen Harper doesn't come across as a sleazy character, far from it. Sure he's made a boat load of promises and commitments that he's later broken or completely ignored, but that's par for the course in the political a > read more
Why do guys like Gaddafi and Harper fear coalitions
Published on 2011-04-01 21:22:30
There are two men on this planet who seem joined at some level of consciousness, and it all centres on coalitions. Both Stephen Harper and Muammar Gaddafir hate them. But why? Coalition by definition means an alliance of distinct parties, > read more
Canadian Soapbox will be back....
Published on 2011-03-26 13:33:46
This very political blog will be back up and posting in 3 weeks. I will be pretty much off the grid until after the 16th of April, still plenty of time for me to post opinions on the election. Click the button below to vote for Can > read more
Coming soon, Harper's new ad
Published on 2011-03-20 08:50:56
Cue Stephen Harper.. I'm Stephen Harper, my government runs this country. I've spent my entire life here and I grew up very proud of my father who worked very hard as an accountant for Imperial Oil...uhm....Ignatieff's great&n > read more
Harper Regime looking desperate, because they are....
Published on 2011-03-19 20:40:35
First things first. How dare I paint the Harper Regime as being desperate? Its simple really. In the ocean that is politics in Canada, they are but a small but decent sized island. And that island is shrinking, with > read more
Conservative reaction to Iggy's ad? Your Daddy ain't so hot!!!
Published on 2011-03-19 01:31:02
I was going to leave this alone, there's plenty of bandwidth already being used up either touting or trashing the latest Liberal ads about Michael Ignatieff's Canadian experience. But I just had to wade in. One good example of Tory reaction com > read more
Jason Kenney proposes new patronage....errr, regulatory body
Published on 2011-03-19 00:18:02
Gotta love twitter. Jason Kenney just tweeted that he's proposing a new regulatory body for overseeing immigration consultants. It would be called, "The Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council". If that's too har > read more
Oda and Escorts and Scandals..OH MY
Published on 2011-03-18 15:48:46
Oh weeee Oh...Oh weeeeeeeeeeeeee Oh!!! Another day, another scandal for the Harper Government. The latest of course involves former Harper top aide Bruce Carson and an escort by the name of Michele McPherson: TORONTO ST > read more
Accumulated deficit to hit all time high. Another Harper Regime achievement
Published on 2011-03-18 09:48:48
Here's the news - LINKED STORY - All the gains made by previous governments have been wiped out by Harper's Conservatives. Eleven years of paying down the debt all down the drain. Don't feel too bad though, profitable businesses like banks, o > read more
Sporting arenas or prisons costing billions? Tough choice...
Published on 2011-03-17 19:45:30
Alrightee, on the one hand the Harper Regime is proposing that Canada needs new American style super jails because there's too much unreported crime in the land. Which makes perfect sense in the Conservative Bizarro world I guess. And > read more
Harper serving two masters - Will religious right stay on side?
Published on 2011-03-16 19:19:21
Reading various blogs and comments there seems to be some debate about Stephen Harper's membership in the Christian and Missionary Alliance church. While some believe our Prime Minister's faith is genuine, others view it as being more poli > read more
Japan doubles evacuation zone - Should Canadians be worried?
Published on 2011-03-15 21:27:51
Just read on a UK site that Japan's PM had increased the evacuation radius from 10 to 20 km around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. LINKED STORY WITH VIDEO Meanwhile here in Canada iodine supplements are flying off the shelves despite > read more
Why did Harper come back? Not for me
Published on 2011-03-14 20:47:48
Dare I suggest that Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff and Conservative king pin Stephen Harper have something in common? They do. Both can be cast in the role of 'prodigal son' for their respective parties. Michael went abroad and became f > read more
Why did he come back? Ignatieff answers
Published on 2011-03-13 17:35:22
So, why did Michael Ignatieff return? I posed the question here on Saturday, and offered up my thoughts on what motivated him to jump back into Canadian politics: So...Why did Michael Ignatieff come back? I even tweeted him, not d > read more
Young Canadians, our democracy needs you
Published on 2011-03-12 23:52:13
I have an incredible father, one who has passed on many valuable lessons. One of those lessons is that people like to be needed, that people like helping other people. In work related situations when I've been in management positions, he > read more
So...Why did Michael Ignatieff come back?
Published on 2011-03-11 23:40:12
I just tweeted Michael Ignatieff. I can't send him a message on twitter because he isn't following me...yet. But I can broadcast a tweet that might catch his eye by putting @M_Ignatieff in the message. Here's what I wrote: @M_Ignatie > read more
Green Party "Attack Ad" strikes perfect tone - Please Watch
Published on 2011-03-10 19:40:55
This ad by Canada's Green strikes the perfect tone, that's not just my opinion, its fact. Just watch it. Why is this ad so effective? First of all note that in our last election nearly half of all eligible voters decided to > read more
Harper + Numbers = Zero Trust
Published on 2011-03-10 17:08:56
Another day, another black eye for Harper's government. This time its costs for the F35 fighter jet purchase. The parliamentary budget office says the Harper Regime has the numbers wrong...AGAIN. It'd be nice if this was a cas > read more
Harper Regime in contempt and doesn't care. Do Canadians?
Published on 2011-03-09 22:59:55
Canadians gave the Harper Regime a minority mandate to rule back in 2008. The only word in that sentence that seems to resonate with Stephen Harper's government is "rule". That's what he and his cadre are doing, ruling. Democracy is > read more
Harper Regime coming under fire...
Published on 2011-03-07 17:53:57
The "In and Out" scandal, an alleged money laundering type scheme to help the Conservatives evade Canada's election laws. Two senators being charged but still clinging to their appointed seats while Harper says nothing. Harper insider Be > read more
Please...be nice to Conservative supporters
Published on 2011-03-07 11:16:34
For those of us who are liberal minded and progressive, I think its time to lay off those who support Stephen Harper and the Conservative party. I know many, myself certainly included, find it difficult to understand how any intelligent person could > read more
^NOT^ Voting for Harper? Let people know!!!
Published on 2011-03-06 13:35:24
We Canadians can be a reserved lot, we like to play our cards close to our chest, especially when it comes to politics. And in the political realm that is even more true for those of us with an open minded and liberal world view. But > read more
10 reasons to vote for Harper's Conservatives....annotated
Published on 2011-03-05 02:50:37
We bloggers love to preach and pontificate, and often develop a holier than thou attitude to anyone who opposes our views. Any reasonable person though should be able to take their shoes off and slip on the footwear of those who dare think > read more
Judge appointed by Harper Conservatives has knuckles rapped
Published on 2011-03-02 19:06:19
Robert A. Dewar, a donor to the Conservative party in 2008 and appointed to the bench in 2009, will not be hearing any cases of a sexual nature while his handling of a recent case is reviewed. If you missed it Judge Dewar let a man convict > read more
Shaking the Conservative tree - Targetting soft Tory support
Published on 2011-03-02 18:23:36
If the polls are to be believed, and I see no reason to doubt them, then Stephen Harper and his Conservatives are within a whisker of forming a majority government. I might not like it, and I'm in good company with roughly 60% of the population, but > read more
Is Stephen Harper against drugs or on drugs?
Published on 2011-02-28 22:12:57
Sucking and blowing, saying one thing and then doing another. If this were an Olympic event Stephen Harper would be a strong contender for gold. Against taxing income trusts then taxing them, against stacking the senate then crammin > read more
Donate to Cons in 2008 - Get seat on bench in 2009 - Let rapist walk in 2011
Published on 2011-02-27 11:17:52
Props to Dammit Janet for linking THIS PDF which lists Judge Robert A. Dewar as a donor to the Conservative Party of Canada, citing Elections Canada as its source. This story is getting lots of attention. How could it not? An appoi > read more
More on Conservative appointed judge who let rapist walk the street...
Published on 2011-02-27 01:31:56
Imagine for a moment that a judge appointed by a Liberal government decided to grant a suspended sentence to a man found guilty of rape, allowing him to freely roam the streets. How do you suppose Stephen Harper and his Conservative minions woul > read more
Harper's judge lets rapist go free, cites victim's attire as mitigating factor
Published on 2011-02-25 21:07:59
For those who don't think Stephen Harper is having an effect on this country, I suggest you read today's news and look at more than the headline. Woman outraged over lenient sentence for convicted rapist - Brandon Sun A convicted rapist is out on the > read more
Toronto Maple Leafs - Not a .500 team yet
Published on 2011-02-25 20:37:59
All news and politics makes Gordie a dull blogger...I do have other interests, and one of them is sports, something I write about on the odd occasion... I am a hockey fan, and a Leafs fan to boot (go ahead, make fun). I always support the home > read more
Note to Gerry Nicholls, Relax...Harper will deliver if given time
Published on 2011-02-25 12:02:43
A blog I visit frequently is that of Gerry Nicholls, the cleverly branded Making Sense With Nicholls. Apart from intelligent and witty writing, Mr. Nicholls adds something very valuable to the political discourse that takes place in this country, be > read more
Harper's plan of action and Canada's role in the tumultuous Middle East...
Published on 2011-02-24 16:54:47
Damn, there's nothing. Oh wait, he is encuouraging Libya to engage in peaceful dialogue with its people. There ya have it folks!! The new Canadian paradigm for Foreign Affairs, direct and decisive encouragement. Possibly followed by milk and c > read more
Oil back to $100 - Time to double the gasoline budget
Published on 2011-02-23 15:30:55
Not the best of news for those with budgets already squeezed by record breaking debt loads, but like it or not a barrel of oil traded over $100 again today for the first time since October of 2008. (NEWS STORY) With all the unrest and unc > read more
Freedom of speech is great, just don't criticize Israel. Right Harper?
Published on 2011-02-23 00:25:23
According to a news piece in the Toronto Star, the reason Bev Oda provided funding for aid group Kairos "NOT", is because of their support for Palestinian aid groups that have been critical of Israel. (News Story)The horror! Imagine, criticizing Isra > read more
65% of Canadians say Harper not the best choice
Published on 2011-02-22 13:02:26
Stephen Harper has been Prime Minister for over five years. That's five years of legislation, five years of press conferences and interviews, five years representing Canada on the world stage. No other leader of a federal party has had a sniff of the > read more
Is Harper selling out the Christian right in hopes of a majority?
Published on 2011-02-21 21:39:59
The western based Refrom movement of Preston Manning invigorated a long ignored constituency in this country, that of socially conservative Christian voters. Abortion on demand and same sex marriage were two of the issues that galvanized support for > read more
Is Evangelical Chrisitanity the Trojan horse of neo-conservatism
Published on 2011-02-18 23:57:13
Evangelical, Fundamentalist, Born Again...Christians of the religious right go under a number of different labels, you've probably encountered at least a few in your neighborhoods, schools and places of work. If you've ever run into this animal then > read more
Hey Ezra...Go after NCC donor disclosure next okay?
Published on 2011-02-17 22:19:26
Conservative commentator Ezra Levant has his shorts all in a knot because a lobby group called Environmental Defence is targetting Environment Minister Peter Kent.Read his whining hissy fit HERE: Foreign billionaires campaigning in CanadaEzra practic > read more
Iran protests - The U.S. would never interfere in another nation's affairs...Would they?
Published on 2011-02-16 15:26:20
Accusations by Iranian government officials that Washington and Israel are behind the anti-government demonstrations taking place in that country are probably falling on a lot of deaf ears in the west.We're 'the good guys' right? I mean, countries li > read more
Taking in Biebermania with the Princess Raspberry
Published on 2011-02-13 02:27:28
Biebermania, Bieber-Fever...if you're the parent of a young girl chances are you've heard of Canada's newest and biggest singing sensation. Yesterday I went with my daughter (Princess Raspberry) to take in the Justin Bieber 3-D movie, 'Never Say Neve > read more
The Economist muses on Canada's neutered Conservative PM
Published on 2011-02-10 19:23:27
At Gerry Nicholls' blog "Making Sense With Nicholls" I was directed to read an article in The Economist on Canada's Prime Minister.The article (CLICK HERE) describes our evangelical, libertarian PM as an incrementalist. One who is willing to sell out > read more
Delighting in Rob Ford's health woes is undignified
Published on 2011-02-10 15:13:44
Toronto mayor Rob Ford is in hospital to have kidney stones removed -NEWS-.Delighting in another person's misfortune is hardly a laudable trait. You don't have to like the populist Toronto mayor, but rejoicing and poking fun at his plight is hardly t > read more
2011 - The year houses started owning people
Published on 2011-02-10 11:09:14
With more and more people voicing concern over Canada's housing bubble, and with mortgage rates climbing and lax mortgage lending rules tightening, this is looking more and more like the year when houses could very well start owning people instead of > read more
Huffington Post over to the dark side, sells out to MSM
Published on 2011-02-09 11:36:40
The blogosphere just became a whole lot less progressive with THIS NEWS about The Huffington Post being sold to AOL.Well, if we want corporate and heavily filtered news there are plenty of other options. In the meantime I think its time to plan the v > read more
Can criticizing Israel get you sued? Ask Jimmy Carter
Published on 2011-02-08 22:39:20
I'm going to go out on a big limb here and state my opinion that the creation of the nation state of Israel was a big mistake. I've written about this before, how Zionists used terror tactics to gain control over then British controlled Palestine.And > read more
Harper leaving one helluva mess for our next PM
Published on 2011-02-07 16:41:42
Stephen Harper is beginning to look a lot like that little brother or sister who comes into your room with his buds, pulls out all the games and toys for his friends to play with, then leaves it in a total state of disarray.But hey, he sure is a popu > read more
Hey Stephen Harper - NEWS FLASH - You're a 'Tax and Spend' guy too
Published on 2011-02-07 01:32:53
Can somebody do Canada a favour and buy our Prime Minister (pro-tem) a freaking clue? I'd ask Stephen to buy it himself, but he'd only borrow the money...So Ignatieff is a 'tax and spend' Liberal...uh huh.And what does that make you, the leader of Ca > read more
Egyptian crisis - The end of Bush Senior's 'New World Order'?
Published on 2011-02-04 12:17:17
Anti-Globalization types and conspiracy theorists often point to a speech made by the elder George H.W. Bush back during the first Gulf War in which he heralded the establishment of a "New World Order" or NWO for short.The NWO according to these grou > read more
Imperial Oil makes $799 million in 4th qtr profit Harper wants to give them a tax break
Published on 2011-01-31 20:14:44
In these troubling economic times its nice to know that those in need have a friend in Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Imperial Oil (you probably know them as ESSO) only managed just shy of $800 million in profit for the last 3 months of 2010. (Globe > read more
Corporate tax cuts or health care? Canada's choice
Published on 2011-01-29 18:35:23
I'm sure Stephen Harper will take exception, but if things play out the way many are anticipating, then this will be the question facing Canadians in a spring election:Do Canadian voters want continued funding for health care and other federal social > read more
- Mortgage Financing - Flaherty wanting props for fixing mess he created
Published on 2011-01-23 13:17:17
Canada's finance minister Jim, "Mr. Magoo" Flaherty finally took steps to fix a problem he created, that of lax lending regulations surrounding the real estate market and mortgage financing.Everyone likes to talk about how "Canada is different", that > read more
Life in the army, heading back to base
Published on 2011-01-08 13:52:24
After a very enjoyable Christmas holiday season with my kids and family, its back to work Monday. Since joining the CF in March of this year at the ripened age of 43, (now 44 and counting) I've had lots of readers commenting on posts about my experie > read more
Real Estate industry terrified of proposed changes to mortgage financing rules
Published on 2011-01-06 02:02:46
Over and over again we're being told how, "Canada is different". While other countries (most glaringly the United States) have suffered serious erosion in the value of real estate, Canada has largely dodged the bullet...SO FAR.We don't have "no money > read more
Are Canadians smarter than Americans, or will we too ignore warnings of a housing bubble here
Published on 2011-01-04 03:00:44
As early as 2005 some market analysts and economists in the U.S. came to the realization that the explosive growth in residential real estate prices stateside represented a bubble market. After the dot com melt down anyone around the age of 30 and ab > read more
2011's biggest story, concern over falling house prices
Published on 2011-01-03 22:23:45
With my first blog entry of the new year it seems fitting to take a look back at the year that was.According to google analytics, in 2010 this blog had over 8,000 page views with over 7,000 being unique. Hardly earth shattering, but probably equivale > read more
Harper's Consservatives counting on the stupidity of young Canadians
Published on 2010-12-29 16:23:24
From a "do whatever it takes" perspective you can't help but be awed by the audacity of Stephen Harper and the Conservatives.After all, our Prime Minister has never let things like scruples or simple truth get in his way when it comes to his pursuit > read more
Who says Canada has a housing bubble? Lots of people
Published on 2010-12-29 11:46:56
Anyone who keeps an eye on economic indicators probably has an opinion as to the relative health of the Canadian housing market, and with good reason. Whether you're simply a home owner looking to build equity, a prospective buyer trying to decide if > read more
Stephen Harper's Night Before Christmas - A Holiday Poem
Published on 2010-12-24 21:03:08
Last year at this time I did what many have done before me, I wrote a poem butchering the Christmas classic 'The Night Before Christmas", it was entitled 'The Porogued Night Before Christmas. I think I have the makings of a tradition here, as I've do > read more