NY Times links Stephen Harper to American Far Christian Right
The following was originally published by "The Canadian" while Harper Govt. was still in opposition. (The photo was not)
Though a little dated, with the Harper Conservatives now in power in Ottawa, the article contains information that is extremely important for all Canadians to consider.
Over 20 candidates and members of Parliament for the Conservative Party of Canada, including leader Stephen Harper, Justice Critic Vic Toews, Foreign Affairs Critic Stockwell Day and Firearms Critic Garry Breitkreuz, have had on-going links to organizations established under the umbrella of the Council for National Policy (CNP), an American group that David Kirkpatrick in a New York Times article on August 28, 2004, calls a “club of a few hundred of the most powerful conservatives in the country.”
Robert Dreyfuss in the January 28, 2004 edition of the Rolling Stone reports that the CNP -- which is not well known in Canada -- has “funnelled billions of dollars to right-wing Christian activists.”
Several years before Stephen Harper would become Prime Minister of Canada, he reportedly addressed CNP members in 1997 at its meeting in Montreal. Reportedly, the effort to impeach then U.S. President Clinton was conceived at this meeting, as reported by Robert Dreyfuss, “Reverend Doomsday,” Rolling Stone, January 28, 2004.
Addressing the elite group is no small feat, given that guests may only attend meetings with the unanimous consent of the Executive Committee, as confirmed by David Kirkpatrick, “Club of the Most Powerful Gathers in the Strictest Privacy,” New York Times, August 28, 2004 edition, and specifically on p 10.
Since Mr. Harper’s address, links between Conservative Party members and groups sponsored by the CNP like Focus on the Family, the Christian Coalition of America and the National Rifle Association have grown. In turn, these groups have taken an increasingly forthright role in influencing Canadian politics through radio broadcasts, Canadian affiliates, and training for grassroots advocacy efforts in support of Conservative Party candidates.
This should perhaps come as no surprise given that the Vancouver Sun estimates that “roughly half the current 98 members” of the Conservative caucus “are religious social conservatives,” which is “well over double the national average.” It suggests, however, that powerful forces may be affecting the distribution of political power in this country about which Canadians may not be aware.
Though a little dated, with the Harper Conservatives now in power in Ottawa, the article contains information that is extremely important for all Canadians to consider.
Over 20 candidates and members of Parliament for the Conservative Party of Canada, including leader Stephen Harper, Justice Critic Vic Toews, Foreign Affairs Critic Stockwell Day and Firearms Critic Garry Breitkreuz, have had on-going links to organizations established under the umbrella of the Council for National Policy (CNP), an American group that David Kirkpatrick in a New York Times article on August 28, 2004, calls a “club of a few hundred of the most powerful conservatives in the country.”
Robert Dreyfuss in the January 28, 2004 edition of the Rolling Stone reports that the CNP -- which is not well known in Canada -- has “funnelled billions of dollars to right-wing Christian activists.”
Several years before Stephen Harper would become Prime Minister of Canada, he reportedly addressed CNP members in 1997 at its meeting in Montreal. Reportedly, the effort to impeach then U.S. President Clinton was conceived at this meeting, as reported by Robert Dreyfuss, “Reverend Doomsday,” Rolling Stone, January 28, 2004.
Addressing the elite group is no small feat, given that guests may only attend meetings with the unanimous consent of the Executive Committee, as confirmed by David Kirkpatrick, “Club of the Most Powerful Gathers in the Strictest Privacy,” New York Times, August 28, 2004 edition, and specifically on p 10.
Since Mr. Harper’s address, links between Conservative Party members and groups sponsored by the CNP like Focus on the Family, the Christian Coalition of America and the National Rifle Association have grown. In turn, these groups have taken an increasingly forthright role in influencing Canadian politics through radio broadcasts, Canadian affiliates, and training for grassroots advocacy efforts in support of Conservative Party candidates.
This should perhaps come as no surprise given that the Vancouver Sun estimates that “roughly half the current 98 members” of the Conservative caucus “are religious social conservatives,” which is “well over double the national average.” It suggests, however, that powerful forces may be affecting the distribution of political power in this country about which Canadians may not be aware.
29 comments:
Another great article patriot.
I have been following the activity's of this party,for quite sometime now.If the canadain people knew half of what I could make availible ,there would be rioting in the streets.Thease actions are what actually led me to this blog Mr Higgens.
From illegal phone taps ,to using governement agencies to monitor civillain activitys.It's completly uncalled for and totally agaisnt the law.
The activitys that happen here on your very own blog,Sir, go agaisnt some of the "Privacey Laws"that this governement says that it defends .My only way onto your site now ,Sir ,is thru a Free-Proxey ,or an Onion Router.
http://proxy.org/cgi_proxies.shtml
I would advise all your reader's Patriot to use such a servive.
If it were not illegal for me to release such information ,I would gladly make it avaible to the Royal Newfoundland Constanbulary.If I did not fear the charge of "Treason",which the Canadain Armed Forces,can still applye to me I'm afraid .Other then that ,rest assured ,Sir,that the Governement is watching.
"During Time's Of Universail Deciet,telling The Truth Become's A Revolutionary Act" - George Orwell.
As Always,Lost-In-Excile!!!
Patriot I want to say I disagree with the picture you have posted on this site of Prime Minister Harper. It gives me the shivers to look at that picture. I really do think you should remove the picture, even though I agree with everything you have written and what the posters to your blog have written .
I might add the fact that Prime Minister Harper reneged on his written promise to the province on not including non-renewable resources in equiliazation has really upset me. Also, I disagree wholeheartedly with the way Ottawa has treated the province of Newfoundland and Labrador for the past 58 years, since Newfoundland and Labrador was never treated with equality, even though the province gave so much of its resource to Canada.
Patriot- I will make another plea to you - please take down that picture of the Prime Minister, it is very inappropriate. Even though what we write in disgust, for his actions, is not.
Hi anon,
I appreciate that the picture may not sit well with you. (it gives me the creeps as well), but the article shows the American (Republican) side if Mr. Harper and what many would consider his two faced approach to governing Canada. In this light the picture fits well with the story.
I apologize if this offends you however if I agreed to remove pictures, comments and articles every time someone asked me to do so (as they often do) there would be no site left for anyone to visit.
I hope you'll show some patience over this and remember that in a few days the picture will move from the front page to the archives and hopefully it won't be such a concern for you.
Regards,
Myles Higgins
"It gives me the shivers to look at that picture. "
The only thing that scare's me about this picture is the fact that it shows us what kind of man leads the country.
"Judge me for my actions ,not my words."
If we put a white robe on him ,and light behind his head,would that makes us feel better about a man that is killing our people,family's and culture.Absolutly "NOT".Show the Anti-Christ for what he is ,so the world can judge him for what he has done.
I feel "NO" sympathy for a man that comes from the Fedral Govenment ,and does what Mr Harper has.Where has the conseideration gone to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.Its time we looked after our own .
I use it for wallpaper,lol.I love it .
Just a few of the US incidents that happened during the last election that helped Mr Harpers campaign and perpetuated the tried and true George Bush style of fear mongering politics.
-American submarines surfacing in the canadian artic during the last election.
-American criminals crashing the peace gate border crossing in BC. -USA releasing a defunct 1930 plan to invade canada during the lst election.
-Canadian border guards leaving their posts because they don't have guns and some US criminals with guns are purportedly heading their way.
http://www.agoracosmopolitan.com/home/Frontpage/2007/04/10/01485.html
http://www.agoracosmopolitan.com/home/Frontpage/2007/04/10/01485.html
New York Times links Prime Minister Stephen Harper to American far Christian right
Edited Iain Mackenzie
Over 20 candidates and members of Parliament for the Conservative Party of Canada, including leader Stephen Harper, Justice Critic Vic Toews, Foreign Affairs Critic Stockwell Day and Firearms Critic Garry Breitkreuz, have had on-going links to organizations established under the umbrella of the Council for National Policy (CNP), an American group that the David Kirkpatrick in a New York Times article on August 28, 2004, calls a “club of a few hundred of the most powerful conservatives in the country.” Robert Dreyfuss in the January 28, 2004 edition of the Rolling Stone reports that the CNP -- which is not well known in Canada -- has “funnelled billions of dollars to right-wing Christian activists.”
Several years before Stephen Harper would become Prime Minister of Canada, he reportedly addressed CNP members in 1997 at its meeting in Montreal. Reportedly, the effort to impeach then U.S. President Clinton was conceived at this meeting, as reported by Robert Dreyfuss, “Reverend Doomsday,” Rolling Stone, January 28, 2004,
Addressing the elite group is no small feat, given that guests may only attend meetings with the unanimous consent of the Executive Committee, as confirmed by David Kirkpatrick, “Club of the Most Powerful Gathers in the Strictest Privacy,” New York Times, August 28, 2004 edition, and specifically on p 10.
Since Mr. Harper’s address, links between Conservative Party members and groups sponsored by the CNP like Focus on the Family, the Christian Coalition of America and the National Rifle Association have grown. In turn, these groups have taken an increasingly forthright role in influencing Canadian politics through radio broadcasts, Canadian affiliates, and training for grassroots advocacy efforts in support of Conservative Party candidates. This should perhaps come as no surprise given that the Vancouver Sun estimates that “roughly half the current 98 members” of the Conservative caucus “are religious social conservatives,” which is “well over double the national average.”6 It suggests, however, that powerful forces may be affecting the distribution of political power in this country about which Canadians may not be aware.
I don't know about anybody else.But ,that is just bottom line scarey s#$@ to this Newfoundlander.My God ,can you imagine this guy with a majority in Governement.1 Billion would be a drop in the Bucket compared to what would happen to Newfoundland and Labrador.This "madman" must be stoppped ,plain and simple.
Is this the only picture you have Patriot?
Are you so in love with Harper that you need his picture on every article you write??
Leave the Picture Patriot .Show the bastard for what he is ,"The Anti-Christ" on earth .Who else would kill his fellow countrymen.I know that a Newfoundlander ,or a Labradorian wouldn't do that to one of his own.
Let the two face B@$#&%#$ Rot in H%$@ were he belongs.The Picture suites him .
PS, can you use it more often Patriot???
I remember our Great and Glorious leader the Hon. J.R. Smallwood signing the praises of Canada. He would go on for minutes lauding and praising and extolling the greatness of the country of Canada which the province of Newfoundland and Labrador joined in 1949, while not once mentioning the Great and Glorious resources that we brought to the Canadian table, and not once ever mentioning to the people of this province that we were adding up a debt to $12 billion dollars that now amounts to $23,500.00 per man, woman and child.
Mr. Smallwood built up the image of Canada to be so great, in the minds of the people of this province that our fathers and grandfathers thought everything was passed to us on a silver platter with not one red cent placed on a tab that we would be burdening ourselves with and would have to pay at some future date.
Our grandparents were even lead to believe by our politicians that Old Age Pensions and Medicare were paid for by Ottawa, with the people of this province not contributing one cent. Oh, My! Oh, My! Can you imagine we now owe $12 Billion dollars for 500,000 souls while giving away numerous multi-multi billion dollar resources so that other provinces could create glorious economies, with top of the line infrastructure and many industries, while keeping their debt to a minimum? The fact that our Glorious leaders never told us, their people, of what we were sacrificing to be part of the Canadian country is shocking. We gave away our country, we gave away our resources, we saddled ourselves with an onerous debt. We cannot compare our infrastructure with the infrastructure of the rest of Canada which is enjoying our resources; and we lost all of our self-esteem, because Canadians not only pilfered our resources, they kicked us in the back when we were down, while not once giving us thanks for anything they received out of this place.
Matter of fact because of the praise our Newfoundland and Labrador politicians were heaping on Canada, I am not sure that the average Canadian was apprised of what Newfoundland and Labrador gave to them, since they might hae been lead astray as well. They were under the impression that we were destitute and had absolutely NOTHING and Canada was giving us everything with nothing in return. My God how awful for our politicians to have imparted that image on Canadians when we were so well endowed with resources which we passed over to Canada.
Maybe they are just as in the dark as Newfoundlanders and Labradorians were. We were not told we had resources, we were not told we were racking us a debt for everything that appeared here, we were told that Canada gave us everything free of charge, and Canadians were not apprised of what they were getting out of Newfoundland and Labrador. There is a story here to be told, who is going to tell it?
A history lesson has to be given to the people of Canada.
Margaret and Jeffery, which one of you would like to collect the royalties from the Story?
uuhhh.....the head of the Canadian Army is a Newfoundlander...who is sending his fellow countrymen to be killed.
Guilty by association.
Your grandparents were stupid then....don't let politicians lead you anywhere. Think for yourselves.
To Lost in Exile:
Then make it public idiot.
Oh right........you got nothin'.
Our grandparents had no say in the matter. Canada wanted us and Canada got us. It was all a concoction between Canada and England. There were two referendums, but Canada got the territory anyway in the second referendum by a slim margin and some say people have expired saying that ballot boxes that would have cancelled out the second win were burnt. Our grandparents were absolutely disenfranchised people who had to take what they were given. That is the gist of the whole situation.
Back during the war there were thousand of Americans living amongst us on Military bases. Being that imporatant to America, don't you think they wouldn't have appreciated having the area that we live in called Newfoundland and Labrador as a prime piece of their territory. They are doing very well with the territories that are not attached to their land mass, such as Alaska, Hawaii and Puereto Rico, etc. If we had become an American Territory, we would have been doing much better as well. The Americans would have seen to it. We certainly did well while they were here in the 1940s, but we regressed in the 1950s after we became part of Canada. That is after Canada started to pilfer our natural resources for the development of its other children.
The Article below written by Walter Noel appeared in today's "The Telegram". Please take the time to read this great article, it is quite explanatory.
QUOTE
Equalization is sharing benefits, not generosity
April 9, 2007
Canada’s federal system confers costs and benefits. Equalization is the way the Government of Canada partially compensates provinces which are disadvantaged. Without it, the country would not exist because the disparity in benefits would be intolerable.
Ontario is not an equalization recipient because it has been the prime beneficiary in other ways. Quebec gains the most through equalization and ranks second in other assistance, such as the recent $900 million commitment to the aerospace industry. They have been the big winners because they control the House of Commons. They win through the concentration of business and government activities Ottawa bestows on them through national policies, subsidies and transfers.
The equalization compensation each province receives is determined by its fiscal capacity - its ability to tax. This may be a convenient formula, but is not an accurate measure of the relative economic health of provinces. Two could have the same fiscal capacity but much different levels of employment, debt, cost of providing services, etc.
Newfoundland and Labrador is on the verge of reaching Ontario’s fiscal capacity, but our economy remains far weaker. And taxing ability based on liquidating finite non-renewable resources is different from that based on renewable activities which continue producing indefinitely.
Ontario has not received equalization because it enjoys so many other benefits provided by Ottawa. Alberta is not presently receiving because its economy is doing well - as a result of its oil wealth. Unlike Ontario, its prosperity is not dependent on federal government favors. All the other provinces have been recipients, with Quebec consistently receiving the most, in addition to receiving the second highest share of other benefits. It only has 25 per cent of the population but will receive 33 per cent of all transfers this year.
New ways have to be found to better share the benefits of our federal system. The recent budget increased equalization payments, but also provides for other transfers more beneficial to the large provinces. The agreement to exclude non-renewable resource revenues from equalization helped the provinces affected, but, as a result of this budget, will in future be reduced by 50 per cent and capped. The combined changes will benefit Quebec most, and hurt Newfoundland and Labrador most.
Non-renewable resource revenues should not be included in the formula because they are different from other economic activities. All resources are capital assets, but non-renewables are finite. When they are depleted, when all the minerals or oil is gone, they will no longer provide jobs or revenues. They should not be treated the same as industries such as banking, farming and manufacturing which make Ontario wealthy, with Ottawa’s help.
Canada’s political history has been a fight for the benefits which would not exist if Canada was not a country. Ontario and Quebec would not be in the center of a country, they would not have the excessive concentration of government and industrial activities, and the rest of the country would not be their captive market. There would not be any vehicles built in Ontario; automobile manufacturing would not be the cornerstone of its economy. There would not be very costly financial assistance to help preserve the French identity.
The equalization program is either welfare, or it is an attempt to share the benefits of Confederation. If it is the former, as Ontario would have us believe, the recipients should be thankful for what they receive. If it is the latter, it should be equitable. Any proper study of Canada’s economy would demonstrate that it is the latter, and it fails to share adequately. Such a study would document just how much other Canadians contribute to Central Canada’s prosperity.
Years of equalization payments have not changed the fact that Newfoundland and Labrador contributes more financially to the country than it receives. The federal government might spend more than it collects here directly, but our contribution to the economies of other provinces far exceeds their contribution to ours.
We contribute through buying goods and services from Ontario and Quebec, instead of from other countries where they could be obtained more cheaply. We contribute our own taxes, in addition to those collected elsewhere because of economic activities we create. We contribute through exploitation of our resources, in particular through providing far more revenues for Quebec than for ourselves as a result of the Churchill Falls Hydro project - because Ottawa refused to enforce our right to transmit power across Quebec, or to compensate us for the loss. We contribute through the inflated food prices we pay to subsidize mainland businesses. We contribute through the enormous debt we’ve accumulated to finance the purchase of goods and services from Central Canada.
The country would cease to exist without equalization. Ontario and Quebec would be the biggest losers. The other provinces would be better off financially as independent countries or American states. As Americans, citizens of the smaller provinces would also have more say in national affairs through effective Senate representation.
The provinces which benefit least from Confederation made some progress in recent years through increasing their share of federal transfers and having non-renewable resource revenues kept out of equalization calculations.
Unfortunately, the latest Conservative budget reverses the progress made by these provinces. Prime Minister Harper is obsessed with winning a majority government. Voters in the large provinces of Ontario, Quebec and Alberta are the constituency he is courting. His recent budget initiatives to win votes in those provinces will be very costly for the others. The country needs more equitable sharing of the economic consequences of Confederation, but the Harper government is moving in the opposite direction.
UNQUOTE
Oh Boo-hoo cry me a river.
Maybe instead of cutting and pasting the SAME stuff over and over you could maybe come up with something new.
And no, your grandparents weren't forced into Confederation. I know that makes for a great story and and even better excuse ....not to mention providing a wonderful scapegoat for all your problems, but it just isn't historical facts.
And yes, facts do count.
Nobody has mismanaged a Fishery industry worse than Newfoundland and rather than own up to it it's so easy to blame the Merchants, blame the Government, blame the world.
It's time to take a good hard look at yourselves and finally take some responsibility for your own messes.
You say you want independence and the freedom to manage your own resources. Well, sorry, but you can't be trusted to do so as has been proven time and time again.
The real question is why Canada continues to carry you. But I guess it's the humane thing to do.
We couln't have done a worse job than Ottawa. It is not possible. With the resources we had, we could have done the same thing as Ottawa did, just sold the resources, Ottawa took them for her other children and gave us a few dollars back. If we had done the same thing as Ottawa did skim the resources out of here, I will say it again - "No" we would have been much better off, and that is if we hadn't processed anything in this province just allowed what Ottawa allowed to happen.
The huge foreign fishing factory ships, that Ottawa gave quotas to fish in our offshore waters sealed the fate of our fishery, not the ordinary Newfoundlander and Labradorian who fished from a little boat that could only be referred to as a punt. No way the little fishers did not seal the fate of the fishery. Please come to your damn senses. How in the hell did all the foreign countries that showed up in our waters over the past 30 years get the right to fish there? Will someone answer that question for me please? No country would allow an intrusion of foreign businesses to show up in its fishing waters off it shores uninvited and fish to their hearts delight. Who allowed it to happen? Anon please answer for me who allowed this travesty to HAPPEN?
Oooh, the truth hurts! The pasting of the truth got you, eh?
Sorry but that is how it happened with Ottawa. Ontario and Quebec got parchuted into the world of business, while a child like the province of Newfoundland and Labrador had to have its resources pilfered for the transition to work. Not only does Quebec get the goodies from Ottawa, it also enjoys the largest share of the equilization pot. It must hurt you to know what your dear mother did for you at the expense of others. THE TRUTH HURTS, AND SOME PEOPLE CAN'T WEAR IT WELL. It is a sordid story. Please get use to hearing the stories of the abuse that Canada inflicted on Newfoundland and Labrador. We, who care about Newfoundland and Labrador, will keep the stories going.
How can we get ahead when the amount of monies given to us for our resources keeps us forever in debt? We can't!
Stay tune for the changes that were made in the equilization and rammed through this present Federal Budget is going to impact us. That is turing out to be a VERY SORDID AFFAIRS as well.
I can't wait for Premier Williams to get back from vacation and make his statement on the maneuvering that occured on the changes made to the equilization formula with regards to Newfoundland and Labrador prior to the Federal Budget being rammed through. How corrupt can a mother be, to do such a cowardly thing and not apprise the province of Newfoundland and Labrador that it had made the changes. How often has this type of thing happened over the past 58 years to this province? How many times have we been told we were getting X NUMBER OF DOLLARS, and immediately the numbers were changed? We have to do the accounting on anything we are promised by Ottawa, I mean not only for our provincial government do the accounting, but also an Independent Accounting Firm.
Read Anon of April 15, 2007 12:48 PM
If you ever wondered how this poorly strung together Canada operates, all you have to do to find out is read Walter Noel's column which apppeared in this Saturday's "The Telegram", it is pasted above under Anon's post of April 15, 2007 12:48 PM
Oh yeah. The Premier's away. No matter it's been so peaceful and NORMAL around town. Shucks....I guess he has to come back eh??
I wouldn't trust any accounting coming from NL.
You guys don't have the best track record.
more verbal garbage from an uppity canadian bacon wrapped turd "eh"!
If we can't trust the province of Newfoundland and Labrador's Accounting system, well certainly, as Newfoundlners and Labradorians, we can't trust the DECEITFUL accounting system of the Federal Government, after what just happened to this province with the Federal Government Budget passed two weeks ago. The Feds changed the equilization program as it pertains to the province of Newfoundland and Labrador just prior to tabling the budget for approval and it cost this province billions of dollars.
And believe me, what happened in the this recent Budget happened in all the Budgets ever tabled by the Federal Government. We have had the wool pulled over our eyes in Newfoundland and Labrador by Ottawa for 58 years.
"more verbal garbage from an uppity canadian bacon wrapped turd "eh"! "
Maybe try writing something that makes an ounce of sense.......what are ya? A Newfie??
Patriot,
What I am seeing here has greatly up-set me.Pardon me ,don't let me come across as if I don't agree with a great deal of what you are saying.
What I don't agree with is the behavior and talk that is being used by my fellow Newfoundlander's and Labradorian's.
I know how we as a people have suffered .I know of the in-justice that has been done to our people's and our family's .But,"PLEASE" I ask you all as my fellow country-men to set an excample to the "Canadains" on what it is like to have morals and values.To be "Rightouse" and to lead by "showman-ship"not thru words.
Words do not make a man wise or just.It is the actions that we set for our children and our familys that make us Newfoundlander's and Labradorian's.
How can you speak agaisnt them that critize you now.I too would be angery at you if you said that I was a thief ,and that I hurt your family.But,it is up to us to be "Bigger" then they .Show them why ,When people come from all over the world ,they fall in love with not only the place ,but the people as well .Do not fall to thier level .Rise above it and show them "WHY" it is time for us to leave .say thank -you and be gracefull.Don't shame your familys and your ancestors by falling to the level that they want you too.Show them what makes us "PROUD."
Thank-you for reading my post.
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