ITScam: an oddity

So it was the NDP that pushed the RCMP for an investigation. Not the Conservatives, although they likely have the most to gain from such a thing. Interesting.

Know what it makes me think? Here's the Winnipeg Conservative's Revelation Forecast (©):

Stephen Harper and Jack Layton already have a loose coalition/agreement going on. Jack does Stephen's dirty work during the election (notice how the NDP isn't even bothering to attack the CPC?) and Stephen co-operates with Jack in the new Parliament when he's Prime Minister.

Think about it. Stephen gets the Liberals smeared and the MSM can't blame those "scary, angry Conservatives" for stopping the gravy train. Jack gets his ideas listened to, and supports a minority Conservative government for a while. Legislation that they can both agree to gets passed, and Canada moves forward.

What Jack hasn't figured out is that Stephen would likely need him at some point, anyhow, to co-operate on some things. So in essence Stephen isn't really conceding anything. Just making Jack feel like he's getting something. But what Stephen gets in return--it's pure gold: the Canadian public seeing him in action, not as a scary angry man, but as a thoughtful, intelligent man who loves Canada. Which leads to even more seats in the next election--2007, 2008, whenever.

Brilliant strategy.

If it's even true. ;)

In the campaign office

Right now I'm sitting in Rod Bruinooge's campaign office. I came here to volunteer my services, and I'm happy to do whatever I can. He has me as the reception guy right now.

Until a couple of days ago, I had never met Rod. He's a smart, articulate, yet soft-spoken man, not at all like the blustery windbag Reg we have in our riding now. Rod would be a refreshing change.

Understandably the office is not very busy right now--people are likely more focussed on Christmas and spending time with family--as I will be once my flight to the west coast leaves on Saturday morning. Oh yeah, and it's been snowing for about 2 days now so that doesn't exactly help.

The negative campaigning from the Liberals has started, albeit weak. A speech from 8 years ago? To a partisan crowd? That was meant to be (and was) humourous? Ooh, take THAT, Stephen!

2 things. First, if that's all the Liberals have, then their attacks are going to need spice. Second, and I think more importantly, what does that say about their internal polling? They only resort to attacks when the numbers don't look good. And after beer and popcorn, AdScam, HRDC, long guns, GST (in many ways), among others, it doesn't surprise me.

But remember: when in trouble, the Liberals can be as dangerous as a cornered rat. Dirty. All teeth. Rabid.

Let's hope (and I think it's the case) that Stephen Harper has something big to unleash in January, a few days before election day. Last time he didn't and look where it got him.

Un. Dirty word. Believable.

All of a sudden, PMPM favours an elected senate.

Give me a break. First he and Chretien thumbed their noses at Reform Party policy that included exactly this and recently ignored senate elections in Alberta. NOW he decides he likes the idea of an elected senate?

3 questions:

1. Is it my imagination or are the Liberals' ideas coming more and more to the right, in essence trying to steal from the Conservative platform?
   
2. Is there anything this guy won't say to get elected?
   
3. Does anyone even believe what PMPM says anymore?
   

H/T to Joel Johannesen.

Seriously, folks, this is sickening. I don't know whether to laugh or to cry. Vote for ethics in government. Vote for a Prime Minister who wants to make his country better, not his pocketbook. Vote for real change. Vote Conservative.

All I want...

My birthday is January 24. I'm serious.

Canada, I only want one thing for my birthday. Okay, it's four words but it means one thing:

Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Beer and popcorn

Okay, does anyone doubt that

1. had a Conservative said something this callous they would be done,
   
2. had this happened in mid-January we would no doubt be talking about Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and
   
3. regardless, this could sink the Liberals' ship?
   

Message to Stephen and the strategists (sounds like a rock band, doesn't it?): this quote .... this set of quotes is gold. Absolute gold. Use it, along with whatever other bombshells you must have agains the Liberals, but use it wisely, sparingly, and with a sense of "here's why we'll treat you and your money with respect".

Get involved

So yesterday i was perusing my local Conservative candidate Rod Bruinooge's website and there was some new information there: the location of their campaign office. Turns out it's a short walk from my place. Sweet.

I walked over to the office and introduced myself to Rod and some of the volunteers. I asked for a sign (2, actually) to be put up in my yard, and asked how I could help. I start volunteering for Rod on Thursday, when work won't interfere.

Rod and one of the volunteers, Wade, came to my place and together the 3 of us put up the (big) signs in my yard--they're prominent and very visible to passersby. I have a lot of road frontage on my yard, at least by Winnipeg standards.

I'd encourage all of you, if you have some free time over the next month and a half, to help out wherever you can. My job with Rod will likely be putting up signs. That's fine. I'm just happy to be on the team.

Hidden Agenda

Wanna know? Click the link for the hidden agenda. Limited time offer only.

Google bomb idea h/t to Robert Phillips.

I don't have any kids, but...

The talk about the Liberals' plan for national communist daycare enrages me; what enrages me more is the sheep who support this disaster waiting to happen.

First off, the argument about parents having no choice but to put their child into daycare is well taken. But you know why they have no choice? Because they're overtaxed! A couple where one spouse is making $50000 and the other stays at home with the child, bringing in $0, pays more tax than a couple where both work, each bringing in $25000. This isn't likely meant to be discriminatory against parents who choose to stay at home with their kids, but it is.

The Conservative plan doesn't include as much money as the Liberal plan, and that's just fine by me. Because as many have already pointed out, this reeks of HRDC and Gun Registry. $10 billion over 10 years? Ask the government of Québec how their socialized daycare program is going compared to original budget estimates.

But further to the offer of $1200 a year (for children 6 and under--admittedly they could do better than that, but wait for the end of this paragraph), the Conservatives have another ace up their sleeve--not yet announced, but it will be--tax cuts which will facilitate parents who want to stay at home with their kids instead of having Jane Q. Daycare (sexist, I know, but the vast majority of daycare workers are female) raise the child.

But further, I have no problem with people wanting to put their children in daycare. That's their choice. I personally think that the better option is to have the child raised by Mom and Dad, but that doesn't make me want to stop others from sending their kids to daycare if they so desire: call me a libertarian. (Please!) ;)

I suppose what I'm getting at is this: the individual planks of the Conservatives' child care plan are small; however, fit them together with tax reform and income splitting, and the planked floor is much sturdier than the Liberals' ever will be. (And that's assuming the Liberals would even stick to their promises--remember the abolition of the GST?)

Tuesday musings

I have a day off work and can actually afford the time to do some reading and nosing around.

Does anyone else think that Belinda's ramblings are ironic and silliness of the highest order? I mean, it's the Liberals who have advanced the cause of Québec separatism due to their own selfishness. And nobody's talking about the elephant in the room, which will come to stomp everyone if the Liberals are elected to power. Trust me. The sentiment in Alberta isn't from just a few rogues.

On the Liberal Party website, there's a really funny image button--one that's meant seriously, but as Warren points out, it's ironic. The image, in both English and French:



Heh.

Election platform

The conservative platform is dominating the political news these days. The other parties are having a difficult time just keeping up and responding. My favourite one so far, the can't lose, guaranteed-to-make-the-Libs-cringe-and-squirm plank is the one about cutting the GST. It's brilliant. It capitalizes on the Christmas shopping we're all doing, on which we all pay 7%; it points out the Liberals' lie in 1993 to scrap the GST; and contrary to what some Lib pundits are saying, it's a tax cut for everyone, benefitting everyone.

The other planks I've seen so far don't surprise me, of course, because I've known about the hidden agenda ever since I got my secret decoder ring, but the message has been (grudgingly, it seems) accepted in the media. This campaign already has oodles more momentum than the one in 2004 did. Let's just hope they can keep it up for another 7 weeks. With the break at Christmas, of course. (Note to ultra-hyper-sensitive Liberals: I meant to say Christmas-Hanu-Kwanzaa-Festivus....ah screw it, "240 dollars".)

Since this campaign has started, Ottawa roommates Chuck and Monte have been on fire with great writing, personal insight, and an electronic jousting match that I want to see more of. Go check them out!

I'm waiting...

I e-mailed my local conservative candidate, Rod Bruinooge, asking a) for campaign signs for my (hidden--like the agenda, ha ha) lawn and b) how I can help, seeing as how I work shiftwork and can sometimes help at unusual-for-ordinary-working-Joe times.

He hasn't gotten back to me yet.

I hope it's just because it's the weekend.