Canada General Discussion

[RogueBeaver]

Attack ad against Bob Rae: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XgsjkPb_AM

Do the Tories realize that an election is 3 years away? I guess everyone thinks we're still in perpetual election mode just like before 2011.

By the way, the NDP is preparing ads after the convention trying to promote whoever the new leader will be. Smart move, for sure. I don't think I've ever seen NDP ads outside election time, so it will be interesting to see.

Good thing that unlike the previous two Liberal "leaders", Bob Rae already has a plan to respond.

Yep. Don't bitch about the Permanent Campaign- start your own, like Rae and Mulcair want to do.

[RogueBeaver]

Oh, and if Rae really wants to use said proposed fund for a defense of Rae Days... strategic stupidity is the kindest thing I can say. Repudiate it and run on Brisonomics. 'Tis not complicated, Grits.

[RogueBeaver]

OUT!!!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/paradis-stays-put-in-cabinet-despite-ethics-rebuke-in-jaffer-case/article2378214/

[RogueBeaver]

Two things this week: the budget on Thursday, Le Match on Saturday. Something tells me I'll like the results of one better than the other.

[RogueBeaver]

Ontarians will not vote for NEP II, i.e. C&T. Ditto the West. We and the Grits will hang it around Mulcair's neck like we did Dion and Iggy.

[RogueBeaver]

The Appeal Court of Ontario stuck down the laws banning brothels and the law banning proxenetism.
It kept the law banning solicitation on streets.

I suppose federal government will appeal to the Supreme Court.

Yep.

QP today: All about Avion and Air Canada. Personally I would just amend the privatization legislation for all those ex-crown corporations and eliminate the economically nationalist provisions from them.

[RogueBeaver]

Personally I don't have a strong opinion one way or the other on this issue- either outcome is fine with me.

[RogueBeaver]

QP: More on Paradis and F-35s. Though for some reason the hunting lodge references gave me flashbacks to the final scene in Denys Arcand's Duplessis . The guy should resign but won't and Harper won't fire him. For some reason he seems to place a lot of faith in Paradis- don't ask me why. As Bellevance said on PP today, better to replace him with Lebel in both roles. Dare I say Bernier.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/olympic-official-pitched-paradis-on-quebec-arena-during-hunting-trip/article2382888/


More stuff on Le Match. Alas, I don't get Sun and will have to find another feed somehow...

[RogueBeaver]

Ontario budget comes down soon, but most likely Horwath folds and gives Dad the extra vote.

[RogueBeaver]

I doubt than she would give them a vote.
She either deal a strike with McGuinty to have some changes in the budget or some of her MLAs will be sick the day of the voting.

Yep. If there's to be another Ontario election, next year would be more likely.

Getting closer to Pierre Poutine.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/robo-calls-sleuth-closes-in-on-election-fraudster-pierre-poutine/article2383841/

I disagree somewhat with Den Tandt. Mulcair has to be himself- bland for him will be as authentic as Harper's sweater vests were in '08. Rae's all but declared candidacy has no effect on the Grit polling numbers or his House performance. Harper's polling numbers aren't too different than they normally are between elections, so no lasting harm done.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Each%2Bleader%2Bbleeding%2Bfrom%2Bself%2Binflicted%2Bwounds/6369610/story.html


Grits are going to launch a Permanent Campaign of their own. About time too.

http://blogs.canada.com/2012/03/28/bob-rae-says-liberals-wont-abandon-airways-to-right-wing-jerks-after-conservative-attack-ad/

As for the budget, NDP is going to pull every procedural trick to delay the inevitable. Grits seem to be critiquing us from the right financially and the left on entitlements.

[RogueBeaver]

Retirement age will go back to where it was before Liberal meddling... 67. Cue Dipper hysterics and Grit hedging.

[RogueBeaver]

Mulcair gets his post-convention bounce.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1153428--poll-new-democrats-riding-mulcair-wave

[RogueBeaver]

Apparently, the 0.01$ coin will be abolished.

Yep. The budget is tamer than I hoped it would be, but overall I'd give it a B+.

[RogueBeaver]

Trudeau socked it to Brazeau in the just-concluded Thrilla on the Hilla. I thought he'd win, but didn't realize just how lopsided 'twud be. Plus they raised 30k for the cause. Kudos to Justin.

[RogueBeaver]

BC Liberals are apparently in a death spiral.

Quebec wants an injunction against the gun registry's destruction.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/quebec-seeks-injunction-against-destruction-of-gun-registry-data/article2390646/

She'll probably cave on the tax hike in exchange for McGuinty accepting the rest, unless she's dead-set on an election.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ndp-conditions-on-ontario-budget-include-tax-hike-for-highest-earners/article2390643/

It depends what your general opinion of Justin was before the match.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/lawrence-martin/justin-trudeau-in-the-name-of-the-father/article2389682/

[RogueBeaver]

More F-35 stuff.


http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/04/05/michael-den-tandt-conservatives-credibility-in-tatters-if-the-auditor-general-is-right-about-f-35s/

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1157256--tim-harper-stephen-harper-should-be-seeking-some-cabinet-resignations?bn=1

Good.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/04/05/restaurant-owner-vigilante-support.html

Dippers do the soft sell. Sweater vests Mk II methinks.

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20120405/ndp-ad-features-thomas-mulcair-120405/

[RogueBeaver]

If anyone's interested, Mulcair will be on Tout le monde en parle tonight.

[RogueBeaver]

He forgot cap n'trade, but otherwise agreed.

http://www.vancouversun.com/Mulcair%2Bpaved%2Bpath%2BSussex/6428318/story.html

[RogueBeaver]

NDP soaring in Quebec.

http://www.hilltimes.com/news/politics/2012/04/11/ndp-lead-all-parties-in-quebec-with-mulcair-as-leader/30412

Unless he becomes PM, yes.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1159792--walkom-can-the-ndp-s-stubborn-thomas-mulcair-keep-his-french-passport

[RogueBeaver]

With the possible exception of the Bourassa blowhard, I can't think of any Pelciquistes who don't tow the Trudeauvian line on this subject.

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/04/19/jeff-jedras-thomas-mulcair-federalist-champion-opens-opportunity-for-liberals/

[RogueBeaver]

She's not stupid, and forcing an election would be stupid from the NDP's POV. She can't prop him up forever though, as the fates of Iggy and David Lewis would remind her.

[RogueBeaver]

3 deputy leaders? Yeesh. Cullen's a good choice for House Leader though. Dewar and Nash are also resuming their previous roles at Finance and Foreign Affairs while Turmel becomes Chief Whip.

On another note, remind me why Harper hasn't fired MacKay yet. My best guess is that he's stripping away many of his powers while letting him twist in the wind. "Resignation by humiliation"- in which case it depends what lasts longer: the PM's patience or MacKay's self-regard.

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/04/19/john-ivison-peter-mackays-defence-reign-could-end-with-latest-dnd-embarrassment/

[RogueBeaver]

Because MacKay has no power, as all other ministers.
All power is obviously held by the PMO.

The ministers who Harper trusts have power. Even those who aren't on P&P like Ambrose, Finley and Raitt. Long past time that Harper end this spectacle and put someone else in there.

[RogueBeaver]

Chretien was the same way- plenty of scandalous ministers (Jane Stewart anyone?) who he didn't fire because it would be admitting weakness. Most strong PMs with autocratic tendencies are. Martin had sloppy Cabinet discipline and it showed. Mulroney had a more relaxed leadership style in his first term but later admitted in his memoirs that with hindsight, Chretien's approach was better.

[RogueBeaver]

At Issue tonight: the prison announcements and Chretien's merger support. I agreed with Coyne on merger- it will not happen before the next election, if that. Disagree with Hebert that Rae has worn out his welcome, since there's no one else in caucus willing to jump in.