Steven Harper

Steven Harper is scary. I remember seeing a political cartoon of Steven Harper with the caption "What do you mean scary?" The guy never smiled. He just looked scary. Now that he is on the campaign trail again they have trained him to smile but to me it still looks scary.

What’s scary is his return to Mulroneyism. Libby Davies predicted the Tories will begin their vote buying immediately as sure enough. No sooner had those words left her mouth they suddenly were fulfilled. He’s handing out cash and buying votes left right and centre. That is not Reform that is Mulroneyism.

The Reform party gained popularity in the West because they were different than the Tories. They pledged to end pork barrel politics. They strove to balance the budget to save social programs not abolish them. Ontario saw them as a separatist group and wouldn’t buy in so they compromised their values and merged with the Tories and came full circle again.

The Tories are not as bad as the Liberals when it comes to being used car salesmen on the campaign trail but they are close. Vote for us we are good good good. Don’t vote for them they are bad bad bad.

There is talk about a minority government not being able to govern. That is nonsense. We don’t want to give any of these extremists a blanch check to do what ever they want in a majority government. Minority governments are good. It means they can’t steam roll ahead with their own agenda and ignore everyone else. It means they have to listen to debate and find common ground.

In a majority government debate is just a show. They let the other party speak but they have no regard for anything they say because they will simply out vote them when the question is called.

The Harper Government wants to reform the judicial system. This is needed. They will be able to get support from the NDP on this but they will have to listen to proposed amendments so they don’t go to the extreme and pose minimum sentences for the possession of marijuana when we were crying out for minimum sentences for violent and gun related crime.

My concern about the Harper government is their idolization of George Bush, their behind closed doors support for TILMA and the North American Union as well as their assisting the cover up in the 911 inconsistencies. My concern is their drive for extreme privatization and their commitment to affordable public health care. Those are all valid concerns that need to be addressed.