Harper - Cryi-i-i-i-ing over you. . .

Its a dull day, supposed to rain, and the laundry is not on the line but steaming up the house!

I am watching a flock of cormorants dive, and look like they are frolicking in the water, (I don't really know what their emotional state is, but I can project, however useless that may be) and I was feeling pretty happy, . . . and thinking about doing some housework before I go off to a meeting re: a union organizing drive. . . until the CBC radio news came on.


This morning, CBC news reported that Stephen Harper says that all of the opposition parties are running from "the left" leaving the "centre" wide open. The Conservatives, he says, are the only party of the "centre". He also says that Canadians have become more conservative, presumably meaning that the centre has moved right.

I do not believe this to be true and thinking about it literally made me cry.

Do you think that Canadians are more conservative?

I don't see how they can be. . . Politically, I understand conservatives to resist change, to want to leave things the same; to embrace more "traditional" values and to want to downsize government and reduce spending. Economically, conservatives believe in reducing taxes and government spending, reducing social programs and have basically an "every man for himself" philosophy (the women and children of course are attached to "the man" who will help them survive.) - pull yourself up by your own bootstraps or die in a ditch is the tone I hear.

In times of great economic prosperity, it is likely that Canadians would be more "conservative" - if you are doing well who wants to change things? But, lets face it. . . Canadians except for the top 10% of income earners -- are not better off. They are either in the same economic state (income) or worse off than they were 25-30 years ago (see www.growinggap.ca) and we are headed into an economic slump. So why would Canadians be growing more conservative?

They are not more conservative, but the growing numbers of those who do not vote indicate that they are feeling alienated from voting and from any kind of citizen engagement. Even in this election when the New Democrats came out swinging -- strong ads, and demanding Layton for Prime Minister, the media just covers the election as a two horse race. even with polls showing the New Democrats at 30% in BC and the Maritimes. . . For 25 years people have told me -- there is no point in voting for the New Democrats, "they won't win." I don;t know why Canadians feel like they have to vote for a winner - but they seem to and it is particularly a problem in Toronto. . . Imagine, if all of those people went to the polls and voted with their honest opinion and self interest, I believe that the New Democrats would win many more seats and even form government.

People are not more conservative but they are jaded about politics. The Liberals and Conservatives across this country have so consistently made promises that they have not kept that everyone believes that is just the case with politicians. Now the Liberals are by far the worst at it - but I also think it IS the case with the current Conservative government and with Harper. On his "broken promises", Cambridge resident Geoffrey Stevens, an author, former Ottawa columnist and managing editor of the Globe and Mail, itemized some of the broken promises:

For example, in the wake of the Liberals' sponsorship scandal, Harper promised that a Conservative government would be open and accountable. Yet he introduced an Accountability Act that amended the Access to Information Act so as to make it harder, not easier, for citizens to find out what their government is up to. He gagged his ministers; he threw up new barriers to journalists trying to do their jobs; he centralized information control in his office. He ordered Conservative MPs to obstruct parliamentary committees that try to probe government activities.

He promised to curb patronage by creating an independent commission to vet senior public appointments. He made one half-hearted effort before abandoning that promise. He promised not to tax income trusts, then taxed them anyway. He promised fixed election dates and introduced a law to that effect. Yesterday, he broke that promise and the law.

The broken promises help to explain why 41 percent of Canadians and 50 percent of Ontarians (according to a new Ipsos Reid poll) think Harper has a hidden agenda. It's why voters tell pollsters they anticipate another minority government. See: Straight Goods for the whole article.

If one looks at Harper's previous record and positions, he is hiding them now, and yet he has never disavowed anything he said before, or said it was no longer his view (someone correct me if I am wrong, please -I'll sleep better. )

Harper quit is seat in 1997 and became Vice President of the National Citizen's Coalition. (NCC) According to Harperindex . . . NCC has campaigned prominently on many libertarian, anti-worker and anti-public service issues over the years including:

campaigns to "de-unionize" the workforce;

opposition to fair tax reform;

privatization and/or elimination of public sector services;

discredit any activity carried out through the public sector such as education or health care;

court challenges to social unionism;

"closed shop" provisions in Canadian labour law;

lobbying campaign to have "right-to-work" legislation implemented in Alberta;

legal and advertising support for challenges to Canadian Wheat Board;

court challenge to annul election of BC NDP government, advertising campaigns against targeted politicians and parties;

media campaign attacking MP pensions;

court challenges to electoral laws that would limit third party spending;

media campaign attacking grants for the arts, advocacy organizations, and social science research;

attacks on public funding for what it calls "interest groups" such as human rights or women's groups.

Do you really want to vote for this man and his policies? Think about it. . .


So - Are Canadians more conservative? I don't think so. . . Do they believe the statements above to be true and/or a way to proceed to improve things for "average" Canadians - I don't think so. . .

Are they going to realize that the only way to change direction and their lives is to engage in electoral politics and vote in their own best interest? I wish I knew the answer was yes. I will keep fighting for that and trying to inform people. . . but I wish the media was not so class based and biased. . . when you, like my daughter-in-law and son have two jobs, two children, low income and no car, it is hard to take the time to be engaged in an election, to work in it, or even to vote (although I know that they will!)

Go and work in the election, put up a sign, attend debates, be engaged and spread the word - vote for working people and families, green jobs, consumer protection from price gouging, fairness and equity. I'm working for Jack Layton and the New Democrats.