gdp's Comments

Macleans.ca : How in God’s name do you explain?

Mon, 9 May 2011 14:40:06 +0000

No mention of the Rick Mercer lead youth voting mobs and the once again incredibly low youth vote. Mr.Mercer had spent the election campaign taking turns getting told by telling his perennial pensionable colleagues in the media how edgy he was inspiring vote mobs....and how he was just the spark to start the fire. Rick Mercer is just as connected with youth as any 41 year old super cool uncle... By that I mean well connected from his side but not at all from the kids side. His sweet spot demographics are the old people who consider him a youngster. Like most of the stuff the media talked about this election,while waiting for a spot to open in the media retirement home, it had no basis in fact. No mention that almost all of the NDP increase came in Quebec at the expense of the grumpy old separatist party. The rest of of Canadian rejected the Harvard professor and the massage parlor guy got only a very portion of the votes....with most of them going to the traditional family man.

Macleans.ca : The West is in and Ontario has joined it

Fri, 6 May 2011 16:10:25 +0000

He will get support from the Bouchard sovereignists if he finally stops treating Quebec like a spoiled teenager and kicks them out of the basement into the real world where they can get a job and pay their own rent. They can still be part of the family, but need to grow up and accept some responsibility. Quebec's lack of maturity and teenage rebellion phase has gone on far to long and they have to grow up and accept responsibility. It will be better for everyone. First comes respect and then love

Macleans.ca : The West is in and Ontario has joined it

Fri, 6 May 2011 14:57:17 +0000

The "for entertainment purposes only" pollsters that had the CPC at 33% of the popular vote and with absolutely no chance at a majority did the Quebec voters a HUGE disservice. They went to the polls thinking that Jack Layton might be the PM today and would at least have major influence. The Quebec voters are very immature and easily confused. We in the rest of Canada have attributed them far greater political acumen than they have every actually displayed.

Macleans.ca : The West is in and Ontario has joined it

Fri, 6 May 2011 14:45:11 +0000

This is an argument about what Canada wants to be when it grows up. Alberta is all about for hard work, being rewarded for work and risks and individual accountability, paying your own way and small government and low taxes. Quebec has stood for big government, high taxes and the government being responsible for the well being of all individuals from the cradle to the grave, Both areas have great natural assets... space, power, minerals, forests and water .....much more than the rest of the World. Alberta and its political system and the philosophy of its people have created the best social programs, education, hospitals etc AND also pay for a huge chunk of Quebec's. If you are in Ontario you have examples of two very different systems and which one they want to follow. Even more striking is Saskatchewan. After decades of socialism and being a never-have province they finally switched over to the Alberta model and are now the strongest Province in the federation.

Macleans.ca : On the impertinence of the NDP: a (vote-)splitting headache

Thu, 5 May 2011 18:39:15 +0000

great analysis the election after the NDP-liberal merger the Social democrats will get 40% of the vote.... and the CPC around 44-46%. So looks like we are talking a 12 year CPC majority. 1 more election to drive home the need to unite and another election to shake out the new party.

Macleans.ca : Mulcair

Thu, 5 May 2011 14:14:33 +0000

If a Liberal (pre-2011) or a CPC made the same comment there would be demands for party discipline to step in and address such a huge mistake. Which of the other quality 57 Quebec NDP MPs will be appoint the deputy leader????

Macleans.ca : Mulcair

Thu, 5 May 2011 14:08:50 +0000

I wondered who would step up to become the official NDP apologist. Mr. Wells you are looking at a busy 4 years.

Angry in the Great White North : Undercutting Ignatieff

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 17:38:37 +0000

watching Fife asking Harper a question today--- basically - the Canadian people don't trust you and trust Jack Layton, why is that? when Harper gave the standard clear choice majority or coalition.... Fife came back and said that Harper did not answer the question. What a maroon... Waiting for equivalent questions Mr. layton your economic platform was tried and failed in the USSR and more recently Greece, please explain why it would be different in Canada. And are you related to the Greek PM..... ( they look like identical twins) Mike you have been very inconsistent in your positions, is this on purpose or early onset Alzheimer?

Macleans.ca : The odds are against the Grits

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 23:31:04 +0000

Why would Layton give 2 years support to the party he wants to replace ..... without him getting some Cabinet spots. The NDP might sell out to the Liberals but I don't think they will be cheap. Especially the Liberals have shown a long History of governing from the right. The loans that they have taken out to run this election are likely held by the Banks that they want to pay more taxes. The corporate tax cut won't happen.... and won't make it through the Senate....

Macleans.ca : Ignatieff tries to get a rise out of voters

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 15:35:46 +0000

This is only a Liberal cheer-leading event in print. There is a reason there is no video attached. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7dD-cnNkA4 compare this to the write up.

Macleans.ca : The Commons: Rise up

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 15:30:49 +0000

Not any links from here to the video? Good reason as the write up is far better in Mr. Wherry's imagination, It was embarrassing. The crowd was embarrassed for Ignatieff and clapped politely as the handlers made them stand up after the 4th or 5th rise up out of Ignatieff. The Liberal campaign is in "well nothing else is working" mode so what if we lose a bit worse.

Angry in the Great White North : Leaks have consequences

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 17:56:39 +0000

Ms. Fraser rightly spanked the Conservatives for their blunder in using an out of context quote. This was just a warm up for the thrashing the Liberals are going to get when the leak is found. NDP has joined in the dog pile on the Liberals for the leak. The Liberals were trying to change parliamentary rules in Committee and NDP Vice chair Chistopherson said it was so hypocritical by the Liberals that the NDP voted with the CPC on March 24. Watch the NDP catch up to the Liberals as this unfolds.

Angry in the Great White North : Leaks have consequences

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 17:15:32 +0000

Sheila Fraser just ordered a probe to find the leak. It is aimed at the Government departments. As according to Ms. Bryden it was a member of an opposition party. There are so few card carrying Liberals that would have access it should be a quick search. Can Ms. Bryden be forced to reveal her source? It would not be unreasonable to get the Liberal war room searched for any leaked documents. Same for the CPC. Some one should step up to take the contempt charge for leaking the second document. I can't see Fife not telling what Conservative gave him the document. debate: Mr. Ignatieff when did you first find that your party supporters had illegal access to a secret document that they were illegally sharing with the Press? Who was it? What did you do about it?

Angry in the Great White North : Leaks have consequences

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 13:19:25 +0000

It is not the final document.. But yes Robert Fife has a copy. It is really disgusting that Shelia Fraser is being so disrespected.

Angry in the Great White North : Leaks have consequences

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 08:55:24 +0000

so you are saying that the nameless political affiliated bureaucrat that let Joan Bryden look at a document clearly marked secret and not to be shared and could be looking at 5 year in a mega prison could be a major contributor to actually getting the Budget balanced sooner? I also see a problem when Joan Bryden said she saw a document that was clearly marked as a government secret and not to be shared by an opposition affiliated individual and ran with it. Will Ms Bryden be asked to reveal her source? Held in contempt if she refuses? This is almost a theoretical case it is so clear cut. Ms. Bryden knew the document was secret and the source was breaking the law and under no circumstance would she take a copy of the document. As it was a politically affiliated source.... not claiming to be a whistle blower (according to Ms Bryden), then it would be interesting who he shared this document within the Liberal party (or maybe NDP) and when ? Where does this lead to in the Liberal party? Who condoned or authorized the breach of public trust and picked the moment to do so? Does Mr. Ignatieff have Plausible deniability ?

Macleans.ca : Flaherty explains that extra $11 billion

Sat, 9 Apr 2011 14:03:02 +0000

There was a question by Liberal MP. McGuinty: " When have the Conservatives ever been ahead of their deficit estimates?" Answer: Fiscal 2010 $9 B less deficit than budgeted. I can't believe that the press lets those kind of statements go unchallenged.

Macleans.ca : Flaherty explains that extra $11 billion

Sat, 9 Apr 2011 13:57:25 +0000

A Majority government definitely has the ability to make the spending cuts required in the first 2 years of a 4 year mandate. A minority or coalition is not able to cut spending.. Every minor cut (Kairos for example) becomes a battle ground. Without looking too deep - Human Rights tribunals and CBC would have well over 1B in government funding. I certainly could rather watch my hockey on TSN and take advantage of the TFSA. It is like Mr. Ignatieff says all about choices.

Macleans.ca : What changed in the last 17 days?

Fri, 8 Apr 2011 18:16:27 +0000

The Green already have done it. The NDP says it doesn't matter, they are putting the government spending on a Visa and defaulting. and the Liberals are using a 1B increase in revenue (raise corporate taxes) to fund 10B in spending AND get rid of the deficit. Since no one is calling out the other parties on their ridiculous claims Harper decided to stretch the truth as well

Macleans.ca : 'Stop creeping'

Wed, 6 Apr 2011 17:16:17 +0000

Because he did know and was okay with it as long as remained under the radar. Very similar to the coalition pact Mr. Ignatieff's signature is on the nomination papers. He has got to signing everything that is put in front of him.

Macleans.ca : Ontarians fear, respect Harper: poll

Wed, 6 Apr 2011 14:28:14 +0000

If Ignatieff somehow gets to become Prime Minister of Canada will he stand for election as leader of the Liberal party? Right now Dion has a more legitimate right to be considered as leader of a coalition and PM. He won the last democratic Liberal Leadership election.