If you ever doubted where the communications strategy for the CPC comes from, wonder no more."(The carbon tax plan) is like the national energy program in the sense that the national energy program was designed to screw the West and really damage the energy sector - and this will do those things," Harper told a small crowd in Saskatoon.
"This is different in that this will actually screw everybody across the country."
That's not Pierre Poilievre speaking that is indeed the Prime Minister of this country. Harper is going across this country telling one and all that Dion's plan is going to "screw" everyone.
Wasn't it just yesterday that Stephane Dion extended an offer to Harper to the debate and have an honest discussion. Apparently Harper somehow mistook that to mean 'crawl lower into the gutter'.
This is our PM people! He's on a National stage, making announcements and this is how he speaks to Canadians? I'd say it's beyond obvious now just how afraid this man is, not to mention angry. What is really bizarre is that absolutely no one who is knowledgeable or who cares about the environment agrees with him.
Don Drummond has joined Jack Mintz and Marc Jaccard in their praise. The Suzuki foundation, Equiterre, and Greenpeace all support it. Good grief, even Dalton McGuinty said he liked it today.
Unbelievable, the PM of this country is going to speak about environmental issues from the gutter...that is his strategy. So far his intelligent rebuttal consists of "it's insane, it's crazy and this will screw everybody".
Disgusting.
50 comments:
And, w-h-e-r-e-s Johnnie (Baird)?
They've got Jason Kenney running around chirping like a chickadee...this is actually very funny - at least it is to me. Harper is unravelling right before our eyes....he can't do inscripted.
Leadership - can't take critique, runs and hides, loses his temper, attacks and sneaks in things like this last minute on the website defence spending announcement. Is he so ashamed of his policies that he has to hide them?
Leadership? I think he's just a big baby.
I think he's losing it Sandi. I mean, this is really a bizarre display of anger.
Buckle your seat belt. I think this summer is going to be one heck of a ride. If Harper keeps this up, he'll drive himself right into the ditch.
Personally I find his un-pc language refreshing. You've never spoken like that? He's talking like an ordinary Canadian would. Too much for your virgin elitist ears?
Yeah, that's the issue here Phil, my ears.
Un-pc? He's the PM, not a radio talk show host.
Aside from being an embarrassment, he's like a 13 year old who can't debate the facts, so he lashes out with inane, uneducated and factually incorrect remarks.
knb....
When Dion and Harper are side by side during the televised debates in the fall, I'm sure Harper will make his point of view known in a very eloquent manner. Can you say the same about your man? Harper will carve him up in english or french because Canadians know(or will know), this is nothing but a socialist, wealth redistribution, scam!
Gee, I'm surprised you didn't insist PMSH was talking to his base, those lowly trailerpark inbred CPCers.
On the other hand
'' Shift Happens ''
is oh so very classy.
Canadians can relate to 'everyone gets screwed',
not so much to eating a hotdog with a fork and knife.
Phil, the problem your man has, is that no one and I mean no one supports his position.
But carry on...
On the other hand
'' Shift Happens ''
is oh so very classy.
Your hero's coined that too, not the Lib's.
Who is he talking to?
I'm serious here, if you don't think he's alienating people with this temper tantrum, I think you're dreaming.
Oh, please. I thought progressives were hip and cool and tolerant of everything. The words he used are the typical words spoken every day by the average Canadian. Do you always get offended by such small things?
Phil,
have you ever watched a Canadian federal election 'debate'. It is anything but a debate... I wouldn't pin my hopes on it. Poor Dion, having to promote a policy that 61% of Canadians (according to the last national poll) support. And speaking of socialists, I remember how happy Canadian Conservatives were (from reading various comment forums) when right wing French President Nicolas Sarkozy defeated the cursed socialists in the last election. Here is a quote from the President himself as he called for a national Carbon Tax.
"We need to profoundly revise all of our taxes... to tax pollution more, including fossil fuels, and to tax labour less."
oh, those crazy socialist schemes designed to 'screw' the regular folk up the ying yang.
"I'm serious here, if you don't think he's alienating people with this temper tantrum, I think you're dreaming."
Oh? Do you remember the " Dat is not fairrr, You do not know what you talk about!!" meltdown? That was very primeministerial wasn't it. Expect more of the same during the debate.
"when right wing French President Nicolas Sarkozy defeated the cursed socialists in the last election. Here is a quote from the President himself as he called for a national Carbon Tax."
You're right. It's very disappointing when Conservatives feel the have to buy into that hysteria in order to gain power.
Can anyone explain why the Secretary of State for Multiculturalism is the most prominent Conservative Windbag in an environmental/economic debate? I had a feeling the "new NEP" bogeyman would soon make an appearance...I'm impressed Harper lasted nearly 24 hours before bringing it out.
anon @ 5:01, it's not a case of being offended, it's a PM, who is supposed to be a statesman being offensive.
Is there nothing this idiot can do that would upset you guy's?
At this point, I hope he keeps it up. It tells me he's got nothing and he's going to prove it.
What I am offended by is a PM that cannot have a rational debate.
Ah, speaking of Sarkozy - he wants to come to Canada to study how Canada got out of deficits and had surpluses, etc. - that would be he wants to study the Chretien/Martin plan - didn't you know that?
Considering so many economists and environment groups like Dion's plan and considering that at least Dion had the leadership/confidence to let you mull it over - it all makes sense that Harper has come unravelled - it shows. Big pouty baby boy.
That's where the right get it wrong - saying screwed is not pointing out why or having a debate - he's talking down to you and you don't even realize it. Do you not think educated people, or your so-called elitists say screw now and then?
I can't believe this nonsense. Harper doesn't talk "to me" in my terms - he talks "down" to me as if I don't understand the English language - keep it simple for the simpletons - that's what's he doing.
If anyone's getting screwed - it's his base because his whole strategy is to treat Canadians like they're stupid - that's a fact. In fact, it's a strategy devised by Frank Luntz.
We all know how that turned out - 8 years of George Bush.....talk to them like they're stupid, make them afraid - let them eat cake.
You like being treated like you're stupid, by all means - I surely don't.
phil " Dat is not fairrr, You do not know what you talk about!!"
It wasn't a meltdown actually, but your man did a good job of portraying it as such.
Dion was speaking to getting issues prioritized during cabinet discussions.
You really do believe evertything Harper and Co. manufacture for you don't you?
You called me an elitist. I've now come to the conclusion that anytime someone wants to have an intelligent discussion, they are considered elitist.
Remarkable.
md, from what I've heard, it's part of the grand strategy.
You see, they do not intend to treat this discussion as an environmental plan. Their aim is to treat it as a tax and economic issue.
Kenney used to be the head of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation you see, so he's their point man.
Bad move in my view. Respected economists do not share the view, so they are in a vacuum here.
His aim obviously is to take the focus off the environment, because he knows he loses there.
I don't think environmentalists will allow that to happen.
Sandi Ah, speaking of Sarkozy - he wants to come to Canada to study how Canada got out of deficits and had surpluses, etc. - that would be he wants to study the Chretien/Martin plan - didn't you know that?
Funny, McCain made a similar comment today. He said the US has lessons to learn from Canada in terms of how they could take such a huge deficit and turn that into surplus.
I can only presume that should he become prez, he'd prefer a Liberal government, lol.
"Dion was speaking to getting issues prioritized during cabinet discussions."
LOL, nice try. Confronted by his record Mr.Dion, instead of defending or explaining it, lashed out at Ignatieff in a shrill and nonsensical way. However to get to the bigger issue, yeah I'm sure Harper is worried, I am too. This Country has bought into the global warming hoax, so I can see a scenerio where Dion can win with this. Long term however, your party is committing electorial suicide with this scheme. Dion will damage the economy so much, his name will become a swear word. Just watch.
You've got it figured out, knb. No need for those namby-mamby "facts" when a good slurin' will do just as well.
What are yous, some kinda "elitist" or sumthin?
All kidding aside, I am disgusted at this. It's like Bush / Cheney back in their golden halo years during the 2000 election when they were caught on tape standing around calling one of the reporters a real asshole just before they got up to speak.
It's an insult. And anyone who tries to pretend this is acceptable behaviour for any national debate is fooling themselves.
I don't care that PM disagrees. I do care that he can't stop acting like a selfish tantrum-throwing child when it comes to the nation's business.
Geez, watching Stephen Harper I thought the poor man was going to blow a gasket.
Canadians are smart enough to realize that if the Liberals say the sky is blue the Conservatives will disagree.
Smart politician attempt to overcome that reality by taking a calm approach to criticising their opponent's policies.
Stephen Harper's reaction just creates the danger of him being perceived as a caricature of a foaming-at-the-mouth partisan. Bad news for a man who leads the government.
If this is the tack that the Conservatives take for the summer I can live with that. It will contrast nicely with the more positive approach of the Liberals.
Phil, This Country has bought into the global warming hoax,
Oh good grief! I rest my case.
Conversation over pal.
This Canada is who supports our very undistinguished PM.
He likely believes the earth is 2000 years old too.
"Oh good grief! I rest my case."
Oh, so the debate is over before it starts? What happened to wanting a "rational debate" as you said? Hmm..
I noticed Phil has fallen back on that Conservative security blanket that Mr. Dion will not be able to debate Mr. Harper during an election.
What ever gets you through the night Phil.
However, I would point out that Mr. Dion's English is getting better. Now that he is running for PM instead of just leader of the Liberal Party he will be much better coached before the debates. Mr. Dion's French is far superior to Mr. Harper's, which will impress a few Quebecers when the time comes. And just in case you missed it, that is where Stephen Harper is is counting on picking up seats.
However, Phil far be it for me to take the security blanket away from you, so keep clutching as hard as you can.
joseph, I don't care if the PM disagrees either. I'd like to see an intelligent debate.
He's got nothing though as it relates to this file. John Baird flaps as though his jaw is unhinged and says nothing.
Harper's really ticked in my view, because he knows this is his Achilles heel.
His response? Change the channel and take the environment out of the environmental plan.
His sycophant's see this as being very clever.
Nuff said!
ottlib, I really would love to see a debate.
Facts versus fiction.
Wouldn't that be great? I would like to have Steve Paikin as the moderator and have 30 minutes in English, 30 minute in French. (I know Paikin can't do that.)
But you are quite right. Really, anyone who didn't understand Dion's english yesterday is making excuses for how solid he sounded.
I often wonder how many people who comment here have an accented english.
Isn't it insulting to assume that only a pure Canadian english sound is acceptable? Of course it is and it tells us who these people are.
The pure laine mentality is apparently alive and well in white, anglo-saxon Canada. Oh, the irony.
The key word is rational Phil.
"I noticed Phil has fallen back on that Conservative security blanket that Mr. Dion will not be able to debate Mr. Harper during an election."
Sure it's a security blanket. Are you not concerned about Dion's ablity to communicate in the heat of a debate. Personally my main concern about Harper was that he tended to appear" wooden'. Thats why what he did today will help him.
"The key word is rational Phil."
So you are saying that is not possible? All the eminent scientists and climatologists that think it's bunk, like NASA's and the weather channels founder( among thousands of others) are what? Liars?Quacks? what?
Just look at background of those pushing this stuff the hardest. 1) The likes of Gore and Suzuki refuse to even debate it. Why? what are they afraid of? What are you afraid of?
2) they have a monitary interest in it. Would you deny there are people getting rich on carbon trading? Gore is one of them.
So why not debate it . It is hardly "settled" science.
knb:
From a political standpoint I had no problem with what Mr. Harper did today.
Phil seems to mistake anger and vitriol for passion and animation and I do not have any problem with that either. If Mr. Harper shows the same kind of "passion" and "animation" during the next election that would be great news.
The other reason why I like what Mr. Harper did today was he kept the Liberal Green Shift Plan in the spotlight.
Many people have compared Mr. Harper to Mr. Chretien. If that were true he would have done what Mr. Chretien would have done, ignored Mr. Dion's proposal. Let it fade into the background like all Opposition annoucements usually do after about 24-36 hours.
Instead he not only kept it in the spotlight, he did it in such a spectacular way that he might have just peaked the curiosity of some of those folks who do not support any particular political party.
It is really nice when your chief political opponent does some of your work for you.
If it was going to screw everybody, we'd call it the Julie Couillard tax.
Phil, the argument about global warming is over, and the deniers lost.
Of course, they will not admit it and they are fiercely fighting a rear guard action but it really is futile and pathetic.
Really, climate change deniers remind me of the tobacco industry after it was proven beyond doubt that smoking tobacco is deadly.
The industry tried its best to reverse that conclusion, going so far as to found think-tanks that produced all sorts of studies "refuting" the conclusion. It was all for nought.
There is a broad consensus in the world that global warming is real and that it is being cause by human activity. It is backed up by peer-reviewed science.
If you want to deny that, go right ahead, you are only hurting the future of your children and grand-children. However, you and folks like you are not fooling anybody.
"Phil, the argument about global warming is over, and the deniers lost."
Really? Then why has the planet cooled in the last ten years? The debate is far from over even if you and your fellow left wingers say it is.
Like his leader, Phil doesn't know when to stop talking.
Neither knows what they are talking about, but they keep on going.
Gawd, it would have been much more simple if Stock had been elected. (In more ways than one.)
That's the kind of person who adores Harper and thankfully, Phil and his like in Canada, are few and far between.
They live on the BT site and if you heard Stephen Taylor's question to John McCain today, you'd understand just how bereft of intelligence these people really are.
When these people are ready to enter this century, I will engage.
"Like his leader, Phil doesn't know when to stop talking.'
Was just trying to have a friendly, civil debate knb. I mean't no offense to anyone. I thought(mistakenly) that different points of view were welcome. Doesn't it get boring chating only with people you agree with? Anyways, take care and good luck.
-Phil
How about PMJ Chretien and Sgt. Pepper? Was that the actions of a PM to order non-violent protestors removed from route where foreign heads of state might see them.
And his attacking - and tooth damage to an innocent by-stander, just because he did not like his appearance?
Or when PMJC gave a "less-fortunate person" $10.00 and not one of his cabinet members gave him a dime?
Who can forget PM PET's "Fudle Duddle" comment or his famous LIEberal Salute to Western Canada - the same one DeYawn just gave Western Canada with this "carbon tax" that he promised he would never implement.
Or how about PMPM and his promise to change/get rid of the GST [stands for Grits Support Tories Tax]
The List could go on, but I think you get the idea that the LIEberals are no better than the Con's for acceptable manners of a PM.
"Phil, the argument about global warming is over, and the deniers lost."
Is that why Gore and Suzuki REFUSE to debate with any climate experts - it is not over. Were you warm last winter, if so that turn off your heat source and power - do not forget to burn your driver's license and start walking. If all you members of GHG Global Warmer Religion would stop using carbon based fuel Canada would be better off. Your carbon “foot print” is probably twice as much as Phil and I put together.
I suppose you forgot how many in Ontario cut their consumption of electricity so much that the power company had to put another charge - I think it was $5.00 - on the bill to make up for the losses.
When this religion is proven, through facts, who will you turn to?
"There is a broad consensus ...” not by facts.
This consensus is similar to the flat earth thinking of the Dark ages, until proven wrong. I suppose we are also responsible for the planets heating up also according to your religion.
Funny, McCain made a similar comment today. He said the US has lessons to learn from Canada in terms of how they could take such a huge deficit and turn that into surplus.
....McCain's memory is going - they did have that - under Bill Clinton. Oh those were the good times eh? US and Canada doing well, cleaning up messes left by conservative governments in both countries - under Chretien and Clinton.
Sure didn't take long for Dubya and Steve to make a mess of things did it?
"When this religion is proven, through facts, who will you turn to?"
should be:
"When this religion is proven false, through facts, who will you turn to?"
And yet he speaks the truth on the lips of every Canadian who are right now saying "Dion is telling me that I want my taxes raised and my cost of living to go up." Well, he doesn't speak for me, and quite frankly we are feeling it's a another screw in the chassis.
"Screwed" has multiple connotations by the way.
Well sam, I struck a cord, did I not?
Blather on all you like but the argument is over, you just have not accepted it yet.
In every country in the developed world global warming is the primary concern of most citizens. It has also been accepted by many countries in the newly developing world.
In all of these countries the debate has switched from whether global warming is real to how can we stop it or at least mitigate its effects.
Those who still cleave to the idea it is a hoax or it is otherwise not true are ridiculed and dismissed.
Hell, even George Bush and Stephen Harper have acknowledged that global warming is real and needs to be dealt with. Of course, their actions are not keeping up with their rhetoric but that is to be expected from two men who only acknowledged the problem because polls told them to.
Jeffrey Simpson in the Globe quoted a senior official from Shell Oil in his column today. I will let you read it for yourself to get the exact quote but the upshot of it was "climate change is real and to only way to stop it is to put a price on carbon". When one of Big Oil acknowledges the existance of global warming and the need to fight it then you have to know the argument is over.
No Raphael, he only speaks the truth that he hopes is on the lips of the rest of Canada.
He fervently hopes that there are enough Canadians out there who are as small-minding, self-absorbed and cynical as he is.
He is hoping beyond hope that Stephane Dion is incorrect that Canadians are bigger than that.
The CBC's Rex Murphy calls Dion's plan "bold and desperate". As he says it'll give him some breathing room as leader for a little while but, well let me quote Mr. Murphy in his own words:
"But a tax on energy, at this time, even one pledged to be "revenue neutral," is one of the most audacious gambles of any Canadian leader, national or provincial, I can recall. Politically, he has to run the table, shoot a hole in one and pull off a hat trick all in the same afternoon."
That sounds about right to me.
Rex Murphy is a denier - what the hell else is he going to blather about - yes, I know some like his writings - he blathers on and on.
"...he blathers on and on."
Like Ruralsandi?
Anon 9:"08 - geez, did it take you a long time to come up with that brilliant statement?
I'm wounded, hurt, destroyed by your remark....sigh
KNB - here's some news I thought you'd enjoy.....oh my, Harper in his anger forgot to congratulate her...
News
Linda J. Keen Receives 2008 Women in Nuclear (WiN) Global Award
On May 28th, 2008, Linda J. Keen, was presented with the 2008 Women in Nuclear (WiN) Global Award in Marseilles, France. She received special recognition for excellence in communications, education, leadership and mentoring in the nuclear sector. Ms. Keen is currently a permanent full-time Member of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) and was formerly President and Chief Executive Officer. The CNSC is proud to acknowledge Ms. Keen as the first Canadian to receive this award.
Harper fired this woman? Unbelievable.
I saw that Sandi.
If you disagree with the Harper edict, you're gone. Simple as that.
I wonder if the CNSC will be required to remove the congrat's from their site?
"I'm wounded, hurt, destroyed by your remark....sigh"
Just making a casual observation.
Stephen Harper's mistrust (hate?) of anything cultured, thoughtful and intelligent is what leads him to be irrational and amateurish. Will this behaviour play an integral role in his undoing? Well, one would hope, but I am not yet willing to count out his conservative propaganda machine from duping gullible Canadians into providing him with a future mandate for further governance. Time will tell.
Anonymous said...
"I'm wounded, hurt, destroyed by your remark....sigh"
Just making a casual observation
Well, I feel much better now..sigh.
Well, one would hope, but I am not yet willing to count out his conservative propaganda machine from duping gullible Canadians
Nor am I Omar, but if he maintains this anger level while employing the 'machine', it does have the potential to undermine the messages coming from it.
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