Discussions

Just a guess but with a name like that you are probably a member of that ridiculous group called Canadian Taxpayer Federation.  
 
Also you are leaving out a little detail, we don't pay gst on everything, a whole lot of our essentials are exempt, so you mostly are only charged gst on crap you don't need. Rich people feel the gst the most, poor people the least.  
 
Guess we now know you want to see "the rich folks busy dancing while the poor folks pay the band".  
 
Either that or our grandchildren, guess that's Harper's plan.

I'm keeping an open mind this time around but I remember what everyone said in 06 if Harper were to get elected.  
 
1. He'd end universal health care  
2. Doom and gloom for the economy  
3. He'd outlaw abortions  
 
You can argue the economy point but none of the other things happened and they were only said by people who aren't conservative. It wouldn't matter if Harper sh!t rainbows there would still be people who want him out because he's not Liberal or NDP.  
At the end of the day my life hasn't changed a whole lot regardless of who is in power. We are still over taxed, health care is still somewhat broken and finding anything Canadian made is getting harder and harder.  
Has any party considered tax breaks for consumers who want to buy made in Canada goods? It could possibly help out the manufacturing sector and it would keep money in Canada.  
I do know what I don't want and that's another billion dollar program that we can't afford.

JR said "I think someone has been drinking a lot of blue kool-aid lately.     In case you haven't heard, Canada is in a recession. The supposedly "steady economic hand" of Harper has resulted in the poorest economic performance of any Prime Minister in Canada since WWII. The only reason we got through the 2008-09 recession as well as we did is because Harper didn't have time to gut Canadian banking regulations before the downturn. Also, if you recall, the stimulus spending that got us through was because of the opposition parties' insistence, as Harper was planning to "stay the course". Hell, he and Flaherty wouldn't even acknowledge that there WAS a recession until it was almost too late.     As for oil being our big, primary product... how well is that doing now that the price per barrel is in the crapper? Had this so-called "fiscal government" had any sense at all, they wouldn't have sacrificed Canada's manufacturing sector in a vain, useless attempt to remake us as an energy "super power". Ask around to your oil patch buddies and see how well relying on that industry is doing for them...     While I'm on a rant, how do you reconcile the "sound fiscal management" of Harper with his calling an election with the longest campaign period in the last century? Since electoral offices in each riding have to be staffed, and the additional money that parties are allowed to spend has to be matched and refunded, this unnecessary extended election period will cost Canadian taxpayers many millions of dollars more than a regular length election.     If you still believe that Harper is an economic genius, I have some reading for you. Just remember... anyone can have "credentials" just as anyone can have a drivers license - it doesn't mean they necessarily know what they are doing when they get behind the wheel!     http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/new-report-shows-harper-governments-economic-record-to-be-the-worst-in-canadas-post-war-history-519888611.html     Edited by JR, 2015-08-03 01:07:19"

Well said .

Is Harper perfect? No and no one is.  
Are we due for a change? If there was a viable candidate - probably  
Do we need to get rid of Harper at any and all costs? I don't believe so  
 
http://www.goodcountry.org/overall  
 
This is certainly subjective but I don't think the creators of this rating system are the big business parasites usually associated with Harper by his critics. We aren't doing great but we are not doing bad enough to make change for the sake of change. I believe that the alternatives right now would just be change for the sake of change and I don't think Harper is that bad yet although...maybe in four years.

KJ2013 said "I'm keeping an open mind this time around but I remember what everyone said in 06 if Harper were to get elected.     1. He'd end universal health care   2. Doom and gloom for the economy   3. He'd outlaw abortions     You can argue the economy point but none of the other things happened and they were only said by people who aren't conservative. It wouldn't matter if Harper sh!t rainbows there would still be people who want him out because he's not Liberal or NDP.   At the end of the day my life hasn't changed a whole lot regardless of who is in power. We are still over taxed, health care is still somewhat broken and finding anything Canadian made is getting harder and harder.   Has any party considered tax breaks for consumers who want to buy made in Canada goods? It could possibly help out the manufacturing sector and it would keep money in Canada.   I do know what I don't want and that's another billion dollar program that we can't afford. "

Well now, there's the problem. Canada's manufacturing sector has been suffering greatly under Harper. There are no more Canadian-made goods... at least, not nearly as many as there should be. Canadian manufacturers have been largely ignored by our government in the last 10 years while piles and piles of our tax dollars are used to subsidize petroleum producers under the misguided attempt to make Canada an energy "super power". Obviously, things haven't worked out so well - go ask anyone who works (or worked) in the oil fields. Yet, for some reason, Harper continues to hand out billions of dollars in concessions and aid to these mostly foreign-held non-renewable resource corporations while Canadian businesses that used to manufacture goods here either close up shop or move operations off-shore.  
 
KJ2013, I'd LOVE to buy Canadian-made goods, but most of them say "made in (not Canada)" on the labels...  

I don't think you can completely blame Harper for Canadian manufacturing taking a hit. Manufacturing was well on its way out under the previous liberal government and also the provincial governments. It's just too attractive to get cheap labour overseas instead of paying a high wage and benefits to a worker here.  
And we also have ourselves to blame. Would you buy a Canadian made product if it meant paying $5-$20 more than what it would be if it was made in China.  
We need a government that will make it attractive to businesses to build here. These are things that matter, not lip service to the environment because we all know no government will put thru a carbon tax or tax the big oil/potash, etc that pour in billions to economy. They can say they will but it will never happen.

2 pages without a mention of the candidates that we actually get to vote for. Who are the Liberal & NDP candidates? Also I guess the greener....

isn't steady at the wheel this time. (remember he would look after the economy, because no one else could)  
 
We are pretty well over the cliff though so maybe it doesn't matter.

Here are some things to think about before voting PC Harper the dictator in. People's memories can be very short (mine included).  
 
These are interesting short snippets. All have sources listed below each blurb if one needs to dig further.  
 
I take issue with a couple of them, but for the most part it's on point.  
 
I find #24 interesting (fact or fallacy from the Ottawa Citizen?) given Harper's attack ads on Trudeau. Who looks better?  
 
Traditionally, the lobby in parliament has been decorated with photos of former Prime Ministers. Since taking office, Stephen Harper has broken this tradition, decorating the lobby with just photos of himself.  
 
Really? Here is the link to 25 reasons of why not Harper.  
 
Let's get back to democracy. Harper called an early election from a devious strategy. The PC's have more money to spend on attack ads, which he knows the opposition cannot match. Yes, this is costing Canadians and will hit the average family hard. Same with the Home Reno tax credit, which may or not come to fruition, but buying votes.  
 
The child tax giveaway is like a Christmas present until tax time next year.  
 
Give this short link a go for fun and if you can defend Harper, it's welcomed!  
 
http://www.whynotharper.ca/#1  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Edited by Tarry, 2015-08-05 00:37:45

Do you not think other parties would pull the same thing? It's politics and it's called strategy. And because it's a longer election it's going to hit families hard?? How will it hit you or me hard? What about the NDP's proposed free child care will cost us? It will probably balloon out of control and be run by unions who will threaten to strike.  
People say attack ads are bad but what's the difference between airing a commercial or hitting the campaign trail and attacking the other guys instead of just talking about the positives you think your party can do?  
And who really cares if he put different pictures up? Does it really bother you?

KJ2013 said "Do you not think other parties would pull the same thing? It's politics and it's called strategy. And because it's a longer election it's going to hit families hard?? How will it hit you or me hard? What about the NDP's proposed free child care will cost us? It will probably balloon out of control and be run by unions who will threaten to strike.   People say attack ads are bad but what's the difference between airing a commercial or hitting the campaign trail and attacking the other guys instead of just talking about the positives you think your party can do?   And who really cares if he put different pictures up? Does it really bother you? "

Politics shouldn't be about strategy so much as what's the best for Canadians.  
 
You, the taxpayer will be paying for a longer election. Don't kid yourself. Much of this is spending our taxpayers money.  
 
I haven't looked at the NDP's child care program as yet. I'm waiting for all the fine print promises to come out first before I decide. Harper is a turn off and I'm welcome to my opinion.  
 
Attack ads are awful. It's a major turn off. What about spending millions telling the public what you have to offer instead of negative comments on any opponents personality or style. It's a bullying tactic and I see SH as that big schoolyard bully.  
 
Pictures? I worry about someone who is so loose with power and centered on ego, that anything that stands in his way can be mowed over in a second.  
 
That's my opinion.

Of course we'll be paying for it but how will it be hard on families like you suggested? And all sides do attack ads. I don't know what your political side is but Trudeau can be viewed as a bully or at least an poor antagonist when he tells one guy to "f off" and tells another guy he is a POS in parliament. Kind of sounds like bullying to me-belittling someone.  
And your link about 25 reasons Harper sucks or whatever is funny. Wants to kill Medicare? Lol. That's been said since 2006 and it never happened. He can say his opinion but no change will ever come to it. That whole thing is the very thing you're against-an attack.  
You can comb thru the history of any governing party and find 100 things you disagree with so to me the website just panders to people not in the know or people or lean one way already.  
 
Just my opinion. As I've stated I'm going to be looking at all platforms this time around but don't think I'll question something.  

"Attack ads are awful" - your words  
 
Then you link the why not Harper website. Is that not the equivalent of an attack ad. We don't really know who or what is behind the site but it is certainly biased. I will use point #1, from your link, to illustrate my point. While it is true that the Conservatives were found to be in contempt of parliamentary procedure (not a good thing), the site states that this means Harper has contempt for Canada. Whether you agree with Harper or not, I thinks it takes an intense degree of partisanship to actually believe Harper has contempt for Canada. Kind of sounds like an attack which I am sure you would be opposed to.

I made a choice to look at that website. It's not funded by Canadian taxpayers. You can decide not to click on it. I can't however stop the mailings from Canada Post or sometimes get to the remote fast enough to change the channel when the 30 second ads are non-stop, which will soon be ramping up more than ever.  
 
I do see some merit in Harper, but there are many things people forget about the past record of the Cons.  
 
This is the beauty of democracy. We all have opinions we can voice. That's mine.  
 
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/our-money-for-attack-ads-how-low-can-the-harper-conservatives-go/article11579462/  
 
Edited by Tarry, 2015-08-05 12:03:47

I may not agree with the opinion but I always respect the right to have it. If any candidate goes outside the lines, I hope they are called on it. Hopefully there is some respectful campaigning to look forward to.

http://www.debtclock.ca/provincial-debtclocks/manitoba/

CommonTater said "I may not agree with the opinion but I always respect the right to have it. If any candidate goes outside the lines, I hope they are called on it. Hopefully there is some respectful campaigning to look forward to. "

I agree, Common Tater.  

what I can't understand is why anybody would vote NDP? I'd love for anybody to explain to me how socialism is good for Canada? when has socialism ever worked? It scares the living crap out of me that the NDP may run this country - you think we are in a recession now? the NDP will bankrupt this country.  
 
My vote is with Harper. change for the sake of "change" is stupid.

It's not really socialism that ruins countries but more so the people of the country. If you look at Greece you see the perfect exams where socialism hasn't worked, but if look at a country like Sweden, also a socialist country, you have a country that has not suffered under socialist ideas.  
 
In a way I don't view our parties as conservative and socialist, but more as a business party on the so called right, and a labor party on the left. I have a different view of conservative ideas, where government plays a very small part in our economy, but even under conservative governments in our country government continues to grow.

Well said commontater and tarry. I'm trying to keep my comments positive or at least constructive instead of getting defensive like a lot of people do about politics (and religion for that matter).  
 
But we all know all 3 parties (green doesn't count let's be honest) will start mudslinging sooner or later.

KJ2013 said "Well said commontater and tarry. I'm trying to keep my comments positive or at least constructive instead of getting defensive like a lot of people do about politics (and religion for that matter).     But we all know all 3 parties (green doesn't count let's be honest) will start mudslinging sooner or later. "

...and there's another problem. Too many people just think that "Green doesn't count". Why not? It's not like they are a one-issue party. Their leader is very well spoken and is, in the opinion of the House of Commons, the hardest working MP in Ottawa. Let's face it - the Reform party "just didn't count" and the Alliance party "just didn't count". By joining forces with the defunct Conservatives, who, at only 2 seats should have been the ones to "just not count", they formed the Canadian Reform-Alliance Party (CRAP) and then took on the Conservative name. That's a lot of "should not have count" that formed a majority government. Why can't anyone take the Greens seriously? Harper takes them so seriously that he's afraid to debate Liz May. That says a lot right there.  

JR said "    KJ2013 said "Well said commontater and tarry. I'm trying to keep my comments positive or at least constructive instead of getting defensive like a lot of people do about politics (and religion for that matter).     But we all know all 3 parties (green doesn't count let's be honest) will start mudslinging sooner or later. " ...and there's another problem. Too many people just think that "Green doesn't count". Why not? It's not like they are a one-issue party. Their leader is very well spoken and is, in the opinion of the House of Commons, the hardest working MP in Ottawa. Let's face it - the Reform party "just didn't count" and the Alliance party "just didn't count". By joining forces with the defunct Conservatives, who, at only 2 seats should have been the ones to "just not count", they formed the Canadian Reform-Alliance Party (CRAP) and then took on the Conservative name. That's a lot of "should not have count" that formed a majority government. Why can't anyone take the Greens seriously? Harper takes them so seriously that he's afraid to debate Liz May. That says a lot right there.   "

The Green Party should count. Unfortunately they do not seem to have the means and/or ability to get their message out. If they want to be taken seriously, they need to have "presence". Until they can do that, they will remain a side note.

JR said "    KJ2013 said "Well said commontater and tarry. I'm trying to keep my comments positive or at least constructive instead of getting defensive like a lot of people do about politics (and religion for that matter).     But we all know all 3 parties (green doesn't count let's be honest) will start mudslinging sooner or later. " ...and there's another problem. Too many people just think that "Green doesn't count". Why not? It's not like they are a one-issue party. Their leader is very well spoken and is, in the opinion of the House of Commons, the hardest working MP in Ottawa. Let's face it - the Reform party "just didn't count" and the Alliance party "just didn't count". By joining forces with the defunct Conservatives, who, at only 2 seats should have been the ones to "just not count", they formed the Canadian Reform-Alliance Party (CRAP) and then took on the Conservative name. That's a lot of "should not have count" that formed a majority government. Why can't anyone take the Greens seriously? Harper takes them so seriously that he's afraid to debate Liz May. That says a lot right there.   "

I don't believe any party leader is afraid to debate Liz May, I believe its a case of they don't have to. The Green Party is barely a party and receives barely any federal funding because they don't hold the minimum number of seats in the House Of Commons. Until she fund raises and gathers enough donations to make a real run at it and get some seats the Green Party will fade away sooner or later.  
No one will take the Green's seriously until they have a group of people worth taking seriously.

I hope to tune in to the Leader's Debate tonight.  
 
Harper, Trudeau, Mulcair and May.  
 
It's just the beginning of finding out what they represent and how they handle themselves.

Where are everyones comments this morning on how well bug eyed Thomas and the flailing scarecrow with no brain but nice hair did in the debate last night. Oh right but there was no winner in the debate last night according to cbc. Actually 2 leaders did quite well last night but only one has a chance to run the country and that isn't Elizabeth may.

I know they are trying to soften his image but, his smile, especially during closing remarks, was creepy. My first thought was.....serial killer. For clarity, I am pretty sure Mulcair is not a serial killer.

Too bad these debates don't translate into votes most of the time. If so, then I think we'd be looking at a minority Green government with the cons running a ways back in second. Libs and NDP would be tied for a distant third place. I could live with a HOC like that.

I agree that mulcair looked creepy. He looked very uncomfortable and I strongly disagree with his view that we should only enter wars or conflicts as long as it's approved by the UN. We can make up our own minds and the UN is a joke anyways.  
May actually impressed me. She came off as smart and informed on a lot of issues. Trudeau rubbed me the wrong way especially at the start. He's got some work to do. Harper didn't wow me but seemed on the defensive too much.  
I think they're all lucky they have more debates and a long way to go before the election date.

Now THAT is funny! I like it.

I just noted that Harper is not going to tax Netflix or other streaming media.  
I purdy much know which way my vote is going to swing