Seeing the poll that told us that 70% of Canadians want to see Dion and Harper actually discuss policy, was heartening.Aside from how it could set Dion up for success, it was gratifying to know that Canadians are engaged by issues and tired of the status quo.
That got me thinking about the various ideas that Dion has had, that deal with the bane of Harper's existence. Social issues. These are issues that Dion has proclaimed on and they include artistic freedom and tax credits, InSite, poverty, Aboriginal rights and Kelowna, immigration, and women's rights, to name a few.
Not all of these issues have been polled, but those that have been tell us that the majority of Canadians side with Dion's position. That fact hasn't been spoken to much and perhaps that will change if the summer goes as it should.
That polls do not support Harper is not really surprising given the percentage of the vote that Harper received, but it's telling in terms of what we as an electorate will face come the next election.
More than ever, I'm convinced the next election will be about ideas. We haven't had that for a long time and as much as Harper would like to believe that he was elected on that basis, reality simply doesn't support it. His various Ministers and his devotee's each fancy themselves to be 'the cock of the walk', but the noise they make simply echoes.
Dion's ideas resonate, though all the pundits say he does not. Well, if we aren't presented with anything outside of how the Con's portray him, how on earth could he resonate?
The question is what are Canadians more concerned with?
My bet at this point is ideas.
What? Oh, did you expect me speak about the Bernier speech or the cabinet shuffle? Sorry both were as vacuous as the man who orchestrated them.
For now, I'm more focused on the country moving forward.
11 comments:
Read Coyne's latest. It's illuminating.
For the lazy, here's the key bit from Coyne:
For all D’Aquino’s professed even-handedness, you get the distinct impression that he has more problems with the Conservative plan. Its emphasis on regulation over price signals “imposes a heavy burden” on industry, yet “fails to impose any real restraints” on the consumer sector, where it relies on “measures that have been tried in the past without success.” By contrast, his only complaint with the Liberal plan is that it doesn’t offer business a fair share of the offsetting tax cuts.
So: that’s a conservative columnist from Alberta, a conservative economist, and a conservative business leader, all of whom come out, on balance, on the Liberal side of the controversy. Fascinating.
What's fascinating is that you Liberal sycophants and apologists like RT actually think that making a tax the centrepiece of your election campaign makes political sense. It doesn't.
I know it would be nice if elections were determined by a board of experts who would cast the deciding votes. But in a democracy, the tax paying public gets a pretty big say, indeed, they decide elections.
That's a Tax-Shift, Jarrid.
Big difference from just a tax.
knb says
''That polls do not support Harper is not really surprising given the percentage of the vote that Harper received, but it's telling in terms of what we as an electorate will face come the next election.''
knb, if the polls did not support Harper, Dion would have pulled the plug long ago.
I'll take the last policy change, Bill C-50, Harper made, that Dion says he will reverse if he gets elected:
''A controversial immigration bill which was sold by the Conservative government as a way to reduce the growing visa backlog recently sailed through the House of Commons, sparking outrage at the opposition Liberals for failing to protect immigrant rights...
''In general, the Canadian population agrees with the government.
According to a recent poll by Angus Reid Strategies, 83 per cent of those polled see the importance of attracting highly skilled migrants to Canada, while 65 per cent supported the initiatives of the new rules to ease labour shortages.''
There are many examples where Dion is offside with Canadians.
knb wrote:
"More than ever, I'm convinced the next election will be about ideas."
I sincerely hope you are right, knb, but I have my doubts. Not from the Lib side but from the CON's. They do not present ideas only "attack". Attacks of the Libs "ideas" but presenting none of their own as an alternative.
And discussion is not, nor has it ever been, on their agenda. Bully, lie, cheat (In & Out), twist the truth but never never present a working plan. Cut, cut, cut programs, fire people, tie up committees, etc., then run & hide & never answer a question without pointing fingers at the Libs & going completely off-topic.
This is what I expect to see. Certainly the Libs will present ideas but there will be no discussion or debate from the other side as far as I can see.
It's shameful, degrading, & completely condescending to Canadians, as though we are robots who cannot think for ourselves.
Canada: Carbon tax fits into federal plan: PM
Source: Copyright 2008, Vancouver Sun
Date: March 11, 2008
Byline: Fiona Anderson
Original URL
The decision by British Columbia to impose a carbon tax in July complements the federal government's plan to combat climate change through regulations, despite concerns to the contrary, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Tuesday.
"The B.C. plan, which is tax-based, targets at this point mainly consumer emissions and emissions down the production stream," Harper told the Business Council of B.C. "On the other hand, our regulation-based plan focuses on large emitters higher up the production process, with special emphasis on the challenges created by the oil sands and coal-fired electricity generation."
The federal government announced its regulatory framework on Monday. Its plan calls for setting up a carbon emissions trading market, including a carbon offset system, establishing a target that will require oil sands operations to implement carbon capture and storage and effectively prohibiting the construction of new dirty coal plants after 2012.
In two visits to B.C. this year, federal finance minister Jim Flaherty has emphasized the need for the provinces and the federal government to cooperate in developing environmental laws, citing concerns that business would be otherwise negatively affected.
But on Tuesday, Harper said that "contrary to some commentary, the national plan and British Columbia's plan complement each other."
......hmmm...
Thanks anon and RT.
Here's the link.
wilson, Dion has Ignatieff and Bevalaqua (sp?) out developing an immigration plan.
Dion is not off side with Canadians on this, he's not with the government and is looking for better ways to fix the problem.
This is what I expect to see. Certainly the Libs will present ideas but there will be no discussion or debate from the other side as far as I can see.
I have no doubt of what you are saying penlan, but the point to me is that the Lib's will be presenting ideas and people will become engaged in some of them. They will be looking for responses from the government that present a different idea. If they only get more of the same childish nonsense, I think that will play well for us.
Conversely if they do come back with counter ideas, I have faith that Lib ideas will have more resonance.
Nice one Sandi. Liberals should carry that article in their pockets this summer.
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