Canada General Discussion

[RogueBeaver]

Different perspective.

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/02/17/national-post-editorial-board-what-vikileaks-hath-wrought/

[RogueBeaver]

Sock it to 'em.

http://www.canada.com/news/Tandt+Politicians+will+duke+ring+cancer+foundation/6177798/story.html

[RogueBeaver]

Even more on Vikigate.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1133845--tim-harper-a-mean-town-just-got-a-whole-lot-meaner

http://blogs.canada.com/2012/02/18/why-nobody-wrote-about-vic-toews-divorce/

[RogueBeaver]

It said a previous Cabinet. John English reported that Trudeau had some gays in his cabinet, but Maher is probably referring to someone from the Chretien/Martin era. If anyone has an idea...

Fine, VikiDome it is.

Any bets on Le Match?

[RogueBeaver]

We should scrap them and buy SSNs from France or the US.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/opinion/64952-doubts-about-subs-continue-surface

[RogueBeaver]

Is the House in session today? CPAC didn't cover QP for one, if one in fact happened...

[RogueBeaver]

Finally.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/finley-to-make-the-case-for-adjusting-old-age-security/article2344215/

Both were/are garbage.

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/02/20/bill-c-30-andrew-coyne/

[RogueBeaver]

Should be interesting. A Redford-style spending orgy will only spike Tory numbers, so Grits beware.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/bc-politics/bc-liberals-wary-of-ndp-rivals-gamble-on-the-budget/article2344220/

[RogueBeaver]

Ah. Now it looks like the budget's delayed until late March, maybe even early April.  So only the NDP convention to watch...

[RogueBeaver]

He won't rule out "revenue increases" or any number of Dadisms though.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1134385--dalton-mcguinty-rules-out-tax-hikes-to-pay-off-ontario-deficit

[RogueBeaver]

The PM made a mistake here. He should've kept Bellemare in reserve as a star candidate rather than put him in the Senate.

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/201202/22/01-4498650-quebec-en-rupture-avec-la-population-sur-c-10-dit-marc-bellemare.php

[RogueBeaver]

Promotion yes, but he's doing nothing to help Pelciquistes organize.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/bob-rae-promotes-liberals-in-quebec-as-ndp-membership-rises-in-province-140028203.html

[RogueBeaver]

His mistake was not keeping Bellemare in reserve as a star candidate. Lord knows our Quebec team is weak.

[RogueBeaver]

Eh, hopefully Bernier's probation will be over by next election. Paradis is OK but no one outside his native region knows who he is.

More on Rae's Quebec tour.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/rae-rallies-liberals-in-quebec-on-heels-of-ndp-membership-drive/article2346744/

Whistling through the graveyard indeed. This is the first Hebert column this year I agree with wholeheartedly.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1135309--hebert-brian-topps-analysis-of-liberals-may-not-mirror-reality

[RogueBeaver]

Whoever did it should be fired and if necessary, prosecuted.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1135702--opposition-parties-slam-election-dirty-tricks-campaign-linked-to-tories

I want whatever she's smoking. If Charest really wants to run on a "more federalist than Trudeau" (he of recent "bogeyman" fame) platform... yeah. On the flip side, he can't really go much lower than 18% among Francophones. A Machiavellian strategy to boost the CAQ's vote at the PQ's expense has at least as much a chance of backfiring as succeeding. So far Marois has been able to keep away from that issue, and if Charest wants to play it safe he should also. I honestly don't know what's going on with Hebert these days- she used to be so sensible but nowadays comes out with 90% chaff, 10% wheat.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1136389--hebert-resurgent-parti-quebecois-may-help-jean-charest-s-liberals

Paul Wells' print column mentions how Topp would be the best Dipper choice because he "knows the country better", was Layton's best strategist and strategized against Harper on innumerable occasions. No mention of never serving in elective office or being disliked by the NDP base. The second half mentioned how the Tories are the Resource Economy Party, Dippers Manufacturing Economy Party and Grits "Creative Economy" (WTF is that?) Party- and that the former is where votes are. Grits can retool to be the "Service Sector Party", esp. since their economic guru is a Bay Street alum.

There's also a Trudeau interview in there- nothing particularly new.

[RogueBeaver]

QP today: No one thought Robogate will have any long-term political impact.

[RogueBeaver]

Robocall, F-35, bunch of minor issues. Much less fiery than I expected.

[RogueBeaver]

Oh, and Rae told the House that a Liberal staffer was behind Vikileaks, then apologized to Toews.

[RogueBeaver]

Previous investigation focused on Guelph.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Robocall%2Bprobe%2Bputs%2BTory%2Bcampaign%2BGuelph%2Bunder%2Bmicroscope/6218191/story.html

[RogueBeaver]

Vikigate is over for everyone except Toews himself.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/02/27/vic-toews-vikileaks/

[RogueBeaver]

More dumbassery from Dad.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/mcguinty-rebuffs-redfords-oil-sands-plea/article2351145/

[RogueBeaver]

Federal budget comes down a month from today.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/flaherty-to-unveil-belt-tightening-plans-in-march-29-budget/article2354311/

[RogueBeaver]

Not a moment too soon.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/budget-cuts-to-affect-mps-pensions-pm-says/article2356033/

Again? *groans*

http://m.ledevoir.com/politique/canada/344016/un-autre-in-and-out-au-quebec

[RogueBeaver]

This is the worst week we've had since the coalition crisis 4 years ago. Hopefully the budget clears the air a bit.

[RogueBeaver]

Tories way down: http://www.ipolitics.ca/2012/03/02/frank-graves-poll-so-where-are-we-in-the-midst-of-scandal-a-measure-of-sway/

The next election is only 42 months away.