Taking Stephen Harper to School - or - David Meets Goliath

Over the past week there's been much said about the new federal budget and the near violent reaction of some Canadian Premier’s to it, most notably that of Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams.

Stephen Harper and his cronies, yes men like Hearn, McKay and Flaherty, appear to be spending much of their time these days feigning shock and amazement at, what they seem to feel, are unprovoked attacks. Personally I'm not so sure what we're all seeing is really an act at all. What I mean is it’s possible, just possible mind you, that these guys truly are at a loss to understand all the fuss.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean to say they can’t understand why some Province's are so upset, the reason for that's as obvious as the Republican play book sticking out of the PM’s back pocket. No, what I’m saying is that the conservative brain trust may actually not comprehend why so many quiet and unassuming people have suddenly decided to lash out during Stephen Harper's watch. I mean it’s not like they’ve never been screwed over by the federal government before right, so why this uncharacteristic reaction?

The conservatives can’t seem to understand why so many Premiers have suddenly gone on the attack over the federal budget or something as dry and boring as the equalization formula. Worse yet, why would so many voters stand behind them. While one Premier is taking out nation wide ads calling Harper a liar, another is using words like betrayal and a third is planning to take the federal government to court over the whole affair. Why, Harper must be asking himself, have the people of these puny little hick provinces suddenly dared to attack their great and wonderful Overlord?

Far be it from me to get all preachy and biblical, believe me, but perhaps if Stephen Harper and his axis of evil doers have ever read any Christian literature they may want to think about those teachings at this moment in history. If they did they may realize that the reason for their sudden shift in reality is not that complex.

For decades the people of Canada’s forgotten provinces, especially those in Atlantic Canada and most of all in Newfoundland and Labrador, have been known as “easy to handle” and of “no real concern”. All a PM had to do was royally shaft them and then throw a few pieces of silver their way in the form of grants, EI or some other form of government largesse. Suddenly, BOOM, “Bob’s your uncle and where do I mark my X?”

I suspect the easy going ways exhibited by the fine folks of Atlantic Canada might have stemmed from many years of a solid religious education and an ingrained sense of duty. Likely it can be traced directly back to the biblical teaching that, “The meek shall inherit the earth”. How else can you explain decades of quiet acceptance while insults and deprivations are continuously heaped on such a quiet and friendly people?

For years “turn the other cheek” was the favored approach of the down trodden in Canada and it played like a charm on Parliament Hill. On the government side of the equation, as long as vote rich Ontario and Quebec were satisfied, and the rest of the nation suffered on in silence, life was good. Unfortunately the reality of life on the fringes of Confederation was, and is, not so good.

Times have changed however and unfortunately, for Stephen Harper anyway, these same people who were once willing to suffer the slings and arrows of the entire nation have finally decided to cast aside their old ways in favor of a new, albeit still Christian approach. Their new approach is one that allows them to forego the stoic and quiet suffering of the past while still keeping their spiritual values firmly anchored to the shores of their hearts. It consists of casting aside the idea that, “The meek shall inherit the earth”, in favor of a much more direct, “The Lord helps those who help themselves.”

It’s really quite simple when you think about it.

All I can say is may God himself (or herself) help all those poor lost souls who plan to run for the conservative party in Atlantic Canada when the next election rolls around because nobody else will.

Welcome to Stephen Harper's Canada

Many people have speculated on who the real Stephen Harper might be.

With the latest happenings in Ottawa and the new relationship between Canada and George Bush's America it looks like Harper has finally revealed his true inner self.

A parasitic blood sucking Republican who is more than happy to connive, slash and destroy anything or anyone who stands in the way of his agenda.

Welcome to the new and improved Conservative Canada!!!

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VOCM QUESTION OF THE DAY

Newfoundland and Labrador Declares War on Canadian Government

Newfoundland and Labrador Premier, Danny Williams, launched an ad campaign today in newspapers across Canada. The campaign is intended to depict Prime Minister Stephen Harper as a fraud.

The full page and half page ads will appear in publications such as the Globe and Mail and depict a white maple leaf on a red background containing the words, “Is this what Canada stands for now?” The ads also identify the lies told by Harper along with the words, “There is no bigger fraud than a promise broken”. Words similar to those used by Harper over and over again during his campaign for Prime Minister.

The words, used so successfully by Harper to convince Canadians to elect him over Paul Martin in the last federal election, now provide ammunition for what will surely be a long and hard fought battle. A battle that is expected to ratchet up as speculation of a federal election continues to permeate the halls of Parliament Hill.

In brochures distributed to households during his campaign, Harper promised that a conservative government would keep all non-renewable resource revenues out of the equalization formula and that he would not implement a fiscal cap. Something the governments of several provinces see as a necessity to ensure survival and their ability to finally move toward becoming sustainable and self sufficient provinces.

As one observer recently put it, “Non-renewable resources should not be factored into equalization because they are not a product than can be manufactured or renewed to support an economy in the long term. They are not like a salary from a permanent job.”

“It’s the equivelent of someone losing their employment and resorting to selling the furniture in the house in order to survive until the next job comes along. If that money is taken away from them, denying them the ability to use it while working to find other employment, that's a real problem because once the furniture is gone it’s gone with nothing to keep them alive."

The ad campaign asks, "If we can't accept at face value the promise of our Prime Minister, then who can? A promise made should be a promise kept and as Mr. Harper pointed out, there is no greater fraud than a promise not kept."

Harper meanwhile continues to tell anyone who will listen that the recent budget meets his obligations to all Canadians. While Mr. Harper denies the claims of several premiers, including Williams, it’s clear from the public record that he has indeed not kept the promises he made. Promises delivered both verbally and in writing to the premiers and citizens of at least 3 provinces.

Harper’s contention is that the budget does not affect the Atlantic Accord contracts signed with Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador by the former Liberal government, however his promise in reality was to remove all non-renewable resources from the equalization formula for all provinces and this was not done.

The battle is clearly heating up as Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador take a strong stand. While the latter two provinces are governed by conservative leaders they are clearly not toeing the party line on this issue and appear ready for an all out battle.

Many people in Newfoundland and Labrador have thrown their support fully behind Premier Williams, who prior to this event sat at about 75% in public opinion polls. Many have demanded the resignations of the province’s 3 conservative members of Parliament.

On Tuesday conservative MPs Norman Doyle, Fabian Manning and Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn all voted in favour of their party’s budget and against the wishes of the people of their province. An act many may view as an act of treason during a time of virtual war.

Instead of standing with the people who elected them Doyle, Manning and Hearn have opted to back Stephen Harper and the conservative party of Canada. Manning and Hearn went so far as to say that any attacks by the province could make things difficult in dealing with Ottawa in the future. This veiled threat, real or imagined, doesn’t seem to be carrying much weight with most voters in the province however because many people in Newfoundland and Labrador seem to believe that the Parliament of Canada is so out of touch with the province that they are missing one key point entirely.

Perhaps the comments of a local political insider, who spoke with this writer earlier today put it best, "Nobody cares. The people here are sick and tired of decades of indifference. All the so called “good relations” we’ve had with Ottawa over the years haven't done one damn bit of good for us so if they want to play hard ball they can bring it on.”