FEAR & LOATHING FROM OTTAWA...

A friend of mine received a telephone solicitation yesterday -- the day before Valentine's.

But the person on the other end wasn't selling a long distance plan, a handy-dandy towel that could soak up messy spills, or the needs of a respectable charity.

No, my friend was 'hit-on' by someone calling on behalf of Stephen Harper's Conservative Party, and the line went like this:

"Hi, I'm calling on behalf of the Conservative Party of Canada, do you have a moment to talk about something critical to our country?

I don't know if you are aware of it, but our democracy is under threat from a coalition of separatists, socialists and liberals who wish to upend last October's results. These parties are trying to remove Stephen Harper's government without your consent, isn't that frightening?

I know you share our concerns, that parties should respect the will of the people and do what they were elected to do. But these parties don't care about making government work!

If you agree with me, do you think you can donate $200 to the Conservative Party of Canada so that we can continue our fight for democracy? It would go a long way to keeping the Bloc and NDP from controlling the levers of our nation? Your donation is also tax deductible!"

Thankfully, my friend is fairly aware, although is not a member of any political party. A lot more aware apparently than this 'spooks-person' for the CONs.

Apparently, Michael Ignatieff truly has the despicable CON team desperately trying to sow seeds of fear and anger about a threat that was of Harper's own making. A national crisis? A threat to democracy? Funny, those weren't words Harper used in 2004... While most constitutional experts saw the possibility of a coalition perfectly legal and within the typical bounds of a Westminster parliamentary system, thanks to the inflamed language used at the time, the November action taken by Dion, Layton and Duceppe was quickly shown unpalatable by the Canadian public. Michael Ignatieff got that message, and he used his skills and smarts to make sure that in the end the public was served. Was the coalition a threat to democracy? When all its members are elected to the House of Commons, by the same kind of Canadians who voted for parties of all stripes, I don't see that as a palace 'coup'. How about a useful tool that has already been put in the dustbin?

But it is another sign of now a well-known fact: the governance of Canada will not get in the way of Stephen Harper's partisan games. They do have one thing right. We should be afraid, very afraid -- but the boogieman under the bed is wearing sheepskin blue suit.

Shame!

DEFAMATION DUCK-WALK...

Who defamed who again?
I guess the whole intent was just to stifle questions and stall until after an election... Well done, sir, well done!
But what's that sound i hear? Could it be another one of your skilfully planned 'hue-and-muted-disdain' acts to scurry the public from finding faith with elected officials? only this time, it's hitting you foresquare on the chest.
It looks good on you, James.

SPLIT PERSONALITY

Silent film star Lon Chaney was known as the Man of a Thousand Faces.

In his relatively short career, Chaney created numerous memorable characters, often through macabre makeup and incredible contortions.

I'm beginning to think Stephen Harper may be a Chaney descendent.

With his latest thrown, er Throne Speech, the CON so-called leader has turned his previous standings inside out, hoping to extend his shelf life another few months.

Mr Hard-Asss is now the Candy Man, taking tomorrow and dipping it in a dream. Only his dream means taking money that should go to help people losing their jobs and providing those of us fortunate to still be working with a few sheckles for our troubles.

Is it shrewd politics or opportunism gone wild that drives this narcissist?

Let's not forget where Harper has tread before. He was against appointing senators before he was for it -- ending up 360 degrees from his first broken promise as PM. How many of those 18 are fine upstanding citizens, who will make decisions on behalf of all Canadians? Or will they bark only when their master blows his whistle? Harper once stood up for accountability and giving power and voice to all MPs, and then did this.

We've got the income trust flip-flop, the fixed-election law push-pull, and his self-serving dereliction of duty. He cares so much for the female voters that he chose to appoint someone accused of sexually inappropriate behaviour to the senate. Just in the past few months alone, Harper has out-done himself with his schizo-phrenic twists and turns. In one moment, he's against deficits, noting, despite the reports of some of Canada's top economists, that if there was going to be a recession, Canada would have already had it. Talking about an economic strategy during an election was "panicking". He then proceeded to pilfer said plan upon winning a second minority.

The fiscal turbulence of the market was a "buying opportunity," one that I hope all good CON supporters took advantage of.

He then talked about the global situation in terms that compared it to the Great Depression, but first only from the safe distance of Peru. Harper also talked of working together with his opposition and reaching out. In his first act, he swung for the neo-con fences by trying to ban public sector right to strike, pay equity and kneecapping all opposition parties and their public funding -- policies he didn't have the balls to talk about during the campaign.

When the opposition banded together to end his Mussolini-esque charade, he scurried off to the Governor General's house, hiding in the hallway and pleading for a time-out. He then sent out emissaries to rescind each of his damaging platforms, pretending to extend an olive branch while turning his own diaper pail into a unity crisis.

Now, suddenly Harper's a man who believes in the good works of government? He's embraced deficit spending, despite having only used the public purse in the past 2 years to lather up his election machine? Should we expect the next wave of pricey 10-percenters to include a two-for-one coupon for Big Fatty's Pizza?

Whether he lives to see another day or another season, Harper must be made to wear this. No, the economic downturn isn't his fault, but the mess that Canada's in has a lot to do with the trash their government is turning out on a daily basis.

When Harper's makeup is finally removed, Canadians will be shown a two-bit charlatan who cares not a whit for Canada, justice or a strong and united nation. He will come to epitomize the old slogan "Tory Times Are Tough Times."

Right now, it's tough to stomach.

DOWNWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS...

If there's a foundation that seems built on salt, that's the one of Stephen Harper and his party being leaders of christian beliefs. Sure, they may be mostly Christians, and many may talk about the tenants of Christianity, but I'm finding the proof that they live their beliefs to be embarrassingly slim.

Oh, I'm not calling Harper a heathen or a charlatan of his faith. There is no doubt a very strong group of evanglical christians who believe that their opponents are also the enemies of Christ, who embrace the covenant of an eye-for-an-eye. Perhaps the evangelical stream that Harper has chosen to swim in truly believes virtue is only for suckers, or that the best way to the Lord is through spurning the power of compassion and empathy.

How else to explain the string of stark actions that Harper has personally promoted or condoned?

This weekend a young man went missing in PEI -- hopefully he'll be found safe and sound -- but in the CON war room it rekindled an old 'joke' that Harper let slide just a handful of months ago by one of his ministers.

He's played the weakest card available -- divisiveness -- to gain the upperhand, while cravenly refusing to accept responsibility for his own actions.

Nearly a year ago, one of the lowlight CON 'stars' breached security blackout on politicians flying into a combat area. By commenting to the media of the then-Liberal leader's visit to Afghanistan, not only did she put at risk both the Opposition leader and his staff, but also added to the security risk of all Canadian members of the Afghan mission, who suddenly were in the spotlight and a possible Taliban attack. In fact, four Canadian soldiers were injured in a bomb blast while Dion and Ignatieff were in the region. But did Harper even scold his minister for the act? How close to the line is that to what Cheney did?

There's the unchristian principle behind launching out-of-the-election cycle advertising attacking an opponent, very American. Now that its been done and the media and public has absorbed it as 'almost normal', this unprovoked mode of politics is now the norm. And Canadians are the more cynical for it. Thanks for that, Harper.

There was his act early in his first year where he postponed an announcement on funding AIDS projects, primarily to punish those who would chastize his government for ignoring their issue and for also their 'late-to-the-party' interest. Petty and certainly unleader-like. Pearson set the example of what a real leader does under intense debate, and Harper refused to follow.

And the latest would make Putin proud: threatening Toronto's Zareinu Educational Centre, which includes a school for disabled children, because they dared invite Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff to a menorah lighting ceremony.

What we know of Harper's character, we should be less and less surprised by these turn of events. Taken on their own, they may be just an overplayed political ploy by the man who loves his own image. But scanned as a trend, it is troubling indeed. That the CON support team, of which many claim to be religious and Christian-minded, endorse this tactic is alarming. That Canadians are now experiencing 'salt-the-earth' tactics so many Americans have lived through over the past 12 years (beginning with the radical impeachment play on Clinton) is disheartening.

But what is most disappointed (but perhaps least surprising, considering who pays their lunch) is the acquiescing through silence by the Mainstream Media -- only one outlet reported on the Zareinu Educational Centre incident. Where have their ethics gone? Are they so comfortable, or perhaps in these times too timid, to not see where Harper is leading them? Do they not realize that, today, it may be Quebec voters or a Jewish school, but tomorrow your community, your neighbours' place of worship?

If it is expedience and payola through power, then bankruptcy is too good for them...

THE ART OF FINGER POINTING...

... isn't lost on Stephen Harper and his nodding numbskulls.

In a typical week, the CON government will blame certain realities/bad decisions on the opposition/Liberals. Taking responsibility is not part of the Harper gameplan. But he and his underlings have been known to broaden their aim when they want to deflect the spotlight from their own stumble-bumness. Any scapegoat in a storm, apparently.

Last week, when Flim-flam Flaherty pointed a finger at the big banks and told them to "Lend more money!" it was to shunt the glare off their own un-plan for Canada's quickly deflating balloon. Because, unlike what Harper and his munchkin minister have pitched us over the past six months, we are very much a part of the economic crisis. But the Canadian banking system does have sounder financial pillars, thanks to business decisions by the banks and past governments unwillingness to unlock the regulatory locks. Harper, who always tries to tag-team his way into that bit of good news, in fact was eager to join the coalition of the fiscally irresponsible early in his first year, when he unveiled the so-dumb idea of 40-years, 0-down mortgages. After pressure from the industry, but not before some were signed, the program was bounced. The Canadian bankers were not interested in getting into the 'a mortgage with every toaster' scheme that weighs so heavily in the American-leveraged meltdown.

But back to the present. Harper and Flaherty are pointing fingers at the banks for not lending, especially considering the lowest rates from the Bank of Canada.

The bankers counter -- look, we are lending. There have been fewer people requesting loans, but it is also due-diligence that the banks lend responsibly. And if we were to ease our lending requirements, wouldn't that essentially be following the worst examples of the American problem?

Harper must have his scapegoat, however. It harkens back to the days when the rapidly rising Canadian dollar caused consumer angst at the cash register -- 'why are we still paying $1.20 for every American buck on a book, when the current price is a wash?' Then, it was Flaherty lambasting businesses for not dropping their prices, using a Harry Potter book for a prop. The only problem? Every Canadian business and distributor were dealing with months-old, if not year-old inventory, purchased at the old low-Canadian loonie cost. However, it made for a nice photo-op, man-of-action fodder for the sheeple.

So while Harper's gang tries to score points off easy target corporations and industries, they do so knowing that the initial rewards can be plenty. It helps that 'avoiding responsibility' thing. And while those banks and companies no longer can donate to political parties as in the past, what Harper and his doofus minister may learn is that when Don Drummond talks, or chooses to get involved, people in the know will follow.

So keep pushing, CONs. One of those buttons you're hitting may just be for a hidden ejector seat.

IT'S CLOBBERIN' TIME...

Buried beneath the list of bland, if somewhat mildly accomplished humans, power-hungry Stephen Harper has plucked a secret weapon in his battle against the scourges of ancient justice.

The only means to eradicate the chief thorn in his search for all-encompassing power is the senate, which labours slowly and meticulously over his hastily sketched and nefariously crafted bills.

Under the guise of democracy and renewal, he has snuck in four among 18 who at first believe Harper's intentions are honest and plan to fight for the Forces of Reform: Mister Elastic, aka Reed Richards, who can help Harper stretch the truth to convoluted and awesome lengths! Invisible Girl, aka Sue Storm, who disappears and sneaks up on you with invisible powers! The Human Torch, aka Johnny Storm, who fights back with super-heated kung-fu powers! And the Thing, aka Ben Grimm, who can crush opposition with his sizeable mandibles!

Together, they do Harper's deeds in disrupting the House of Sober Second Thoughts. But can anyone end Harper's destructive rage on democracy?

A WORMY APPLE...

Tell me teacher, what is the lesson today?

Besides the 3 R's, are your students able to look you in the eye and see how happy you are to be leaving?

Don't worry. While they may be sad and disappointed that their classroom leader is leaving, they'll be happy to know that she will be well taken care of. Who knew that there was something better than a teacher's pension? But that's the senate for you.

And you're still young. Think of all the things you can influence from Ottawa, all the little minds you can shape. What, that isn't in the job description? You won't be bringing your insight and own decision-making skills to the table? Well, we all have to follow orders sometimes, right?

That was an important lesson you shared with your class, too.

Remember how you showed those young, impressionable minds that it's tough being a bully, that bullies are people too. Sometimes, bullies are right. One bully is right all the time, and we should never doubt it. And bullies never have to take responsibility for their actions. Yes, you taught that well.

And we heard around the schoolyard about another vital lesson, where it's important to stand by your word -- and keep silent no matter who or what is asking the questions?

People come in all shapes, colours and sizes, but those who disagree with our bully, err, leader aren't worth listening to, right? That message was also received.

Now, you are showing the kids another lesson in reality, that accomplishments in life aren't all that important. You can really carve a nice niche for yourself on a smaller scale, but if you tow the party line you may just win the 'senate-seat-for-life' lottery. Remember kids, it's who you know and how you serve them. Being qualified is good, but being agreeable to the terms set by a bully is better.

Class dismissed.