Saturday, March 21, 2009

What's Next?

After this absolutely dismal week for Harper and the Conservatives, you have to wonder what they will come up with next.

I mean this week was supposed to be all about the announcements wasn't it? Harper out there doing photo-op, upon photo-op, assuring us all that he was on the job. (I wonder if anyone has calculated just how much money was spent doing these 'look at me I'm a great PM' stops?) That's not what grabbed the headlines though was it? No, the gaffes by Ministers and the economic contradiction by a respected former civil servant dominated the news.

Given that and noting that the week ended with a poll that is pretty darned good for the Liberals, you have to know that all is not rainbows and ponies in Conservative land. That generally leads to nastiness on the horizon. What form will it take though?

We know that the Conservatives have bills to get through and of course they require Liberal support. The bills that we know of have already received verbal support from the Liberals, so the Conservatives can't really go negative on that front, though they did pull a fast one with the Budget. It's been mentioned that they will start with the negative ads against Ignatieff, but I just don't see the benefit in that strategy. Any 'wo/man on the street' interview that I have seen clearly tells us that Canadians just aren't in the mood. It seems to me that they would do that at their peril, but stranger things have happened I guess.

While it's tempting to think that in this 'week off' for many Canadians, the gaffes etc. went unnoticed, somehow I don't think that is the case. Indeed some people may have taken a March break, but in this economic climate it is unlikely that the majority would take a hiatus from the news. Additionally, most of the stories will continue to play out into the future.

James Moore and the CBC certainly isn't dead, nor is the environment and what Prentice is up to. The raffling of guns may not be written about again in it's original form, but there certainly is the potential to allude to the issue with gun crime bills on the horizon.

So, what will Harper bring next? While I wouldn't mind being a fly on the wall in their caucus meeting next Wednesday, I sure as hell wouldn't want to be one of the Ministers, or backbenchers who made the news this week and outshone their boss. That's not a good thing to do in any environment and one can only imagine what it's like if your boss is Steve.

Give me your best guess on the direction the Conservatives will decide on. For the Liberals part, at this point I'd say steady as she goes, meaning staying above the gutter, yet calling them out on whenever it's warranted. The on-line tracking of Conservative actions that I've seen mentioned is also a positive course to be on. There's nothing like a picture to back up your words.

Update - Didn't I say this wasn't going to go away? Silly man.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Iggy calls to wish Mulroney a happy birthday? WTF?

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090321/mulroney_ignatieff_090321/20090321?hub=TopStories

Karen said...

And your point?

That's what I mean about rising above the noise.

Anonymous said...

Mulroney & Harper have one thing in common. They both want Harper gone.

On what comes next, think negative attack ads. Lots of them. Call it the Conservative party's media stimulus action plan.

Anonymous said...

Meant to say "Mulroney & Iggy".

Anonymous said...

What is Iggy thinking talking to Mulroney?

Talk about bad optics.

Anonymous said...

Let's see, Mulroney is about to face a public enquiry for his dealing with Schreiber.

Mulroney is also a close advisor to Jean Charest (a neo-con in all but name).

Oggy has been accused of being a right-winger, Mr. Empire light (ect...).


In other news, I did receive one of the dreaded 10% (you know keepin' it classy)..... from Iggy himself...

Anonymous said...

Oggy - should be Iggy....


But back to your point, the Connies did not to very well this week, let's hope they continue.

Steve V said...

knb

Did I call this, or what ;) Like watching rats in the maze, it really is that sophisticated. Good for a laugh anyways.

Steve V said...

Harper is probably glad to get everyone back in Ottawa, where he can keep an eye on them. If even the gaffes didn't hurt, they took the focus off Harper chasing money around the country.

Anonymous said...

You do realize that Harper cannot contact Mulroney, right?

Anonymous said...

Maybe Iggy will do the classy thing and comments on the murder of civilians by the IDF, you know after supporting that little enterprise....
Or will that be swept under the rug?

Steve V said...

I wonder if he thinks people actually take him seriously? Probably does, unlike his real life ;)

Anonymous said...

Steve V, lets put this into perspective.
If the Conservative were to act as the Liberals are under Iggy, you'd be one of the first to be ranting.

So let's be clear here, I find you to be nothing but a hypocrite.

Now as for Iggy reaching out to Mulroney, he's doing it partly because Iggy is in Quebec this weekend and hopes to get some brownie points. For some inexplicable reason, Mulroney is still popular in this province.
Nevermind that Iggy is contacting a right-wing ideologue (possibly the worst PM in Canada's history) and to someone who is scandal ridden. What does this say about the Liberals?



As for the other news, it seems that some Israeli soldiers have been speaking out about what normally would be considered "war crimes" - except Iggy gave complete absolution to Israel no matter what they do.
I'm sure that it would be different if it was Muslims who had acted the way the IDF did....
Somehow, it always is...

Steve V said...

"So let's be clear here, I find you to be nothing but a hypocrite."

When I used to do research, you would be careful that any thesis developed relied on credible sources. Sifting through "evidence", weight was predicated on trying to accurately gauge the relevance of the source material. It is for that reason that I don't think it's humanely possible to care less. Flea.

Steve V said...

My apologies knb, I won't pollute your comments anymore :)

Karen said...

You know, sometimes you just have to think where people are.

cwtf, as you said, Mulroney still holds some cachet in Quebec. Period.

Yes, the enquiry is about to begin, but will that phone call be attached to the enquiry? No. The phone call is the stuff beyond politics and of little consequence.

Charest a neo-con? Come now. A Conservative to be sure, but...

As for Harper not being able to contact Mulroney, I find that an odd defense coming from you. Since when did Harper follow the rules?

As for the IDF and what is coming out, as I've said, I really want the Liberals and Ignatieff to acknowledge this. I don't know if that will happen. I didn't support the one sided response when he made it and still don't.

Anonymous said...

Yes, the enquiry is about to begin, but will that phone call be attached to the enquiry? No. The phone call is the stuff beyond politics and of little consequence.
I wonder how Liberals would feel about Harper reaching out to Bush or Lord Black?



Charest a neo-con? Come now. A Conservative to be sure, but...

Given how Charest is handling the Caisse debacle, how he placed friends at the head of the SAQ, how he tried to sell Orford to friends.... Seems to be able to lie with a straight face... I'd say bordeline...



As for Harper not being able to contact Mulroney, I find that an odd defense coming from you. Since when did Harper follow the rules?

No Harper stretches the rules to be sure, almost distorting them beyond belief - and he may have contacted him privately....
I think Harper is trying to distance himself from Mulroney given the shady dealings with regards to certain real estate dealing last year and the optics of the upcoming enquiry where the opposition will try to associate Mulroney and Harper...

Karen said...

Speaking of Lord Black and l/Liberals. Did you see Black's column addressed to John Moore? He's (John) on here in TO now, but he was at CJAD wasn't he? Maybe he still is as an entertainment guy...anyway, the article was pretty funny.

The Harper, Mulroney relationship is one for the books. Political and medical.

penlan said...

knb wrote:
"While it's tempting to think that in this 'week off' for many Canadians, the gaffes etc. went unnoticed, somehow I don't think that is the case."

Agreed. In this economic climate people are staying home, for the most part, as they can't afford to go away or are holding on to their money. So they most certainly are paying attention to what's in the news.

CWTF wrote:
"I think Harper is trying to distance himself from Mulroney given the shady dealings with regards to certain real estate dealing last year and the optics of the upcoming enquiry where the opposition will try to associate Mulroney and Harper..."

Have you forgotten that he distanced his entire caucus from Mulroney at the start last year, maybe a bit before, the 1st ethics hearing? Harper sent out a missive/command for EVERYONE to stay away from Mulroney. Zero contact. So he isn't "trying to distance himself" he already has. But knowing Harper he doesn't just bend the rules he smashes them to smithereens (fixed election date anyone?). So it wouldn't surprise me if he has contact with Mulroney in secret.

I think Harper IS going to bring out lots of bills that support his ideologue & force them through Parliament by possibly using confidence motions. It will serve 2 purposes. One to get his "changing Canada" vision through & secondly to make Ignatieff & the Liberals look weak when they either support or abstain from voting. Just like with Dion. This can then be used in the next election with negative ads & major talking points. If MI props them up too much it will make him look just like Harper, believing the same ideology.

Gonna be a tough road ahead. Harper seems to have his arrogance back & is going to use it, & his temper, full force.

RuralSandi said...

Cherniak_WTF -

A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject.
- Sir Winston Churchill

Are we so cynical that we can't accept statesmanship anymore? Good, bad of indifferent, Mulroney was our PM for 9 years and it doesn't hurt, like other mature politicians in other countries, to wish a former head of our country good wishes on their birthday - you know, like grown ups. Hey, Ted Kennedy, a "Democract" phoned Mulroney to wish him happy birthday.

Boy, have things gone down hill since Harper's been at the helm.

Statesmanship - how awful eh?

RuralSandi said...

Hey, check out blogger "Impolitical" interesting about Del Mastro.

Perhaps Harper is planning to make Canada a republic and eventually change the whole parliamentary system.

Karen said...

Thanks Sandi, I just saw that.

Geebus...if that idiot DelMastro is off the leash then something is surely up.

He's in the UK to show support for the the parliamentary system? Yeah, because, you know, those newbies have been having such a struggle with it so far. Not to mention the hypocrisy of the statement coming from him.