Graeme Decarie
Well-Known Member
The issues discussed in a campaign don't matter. Most of them are not worth holding an election over. What's important is the principles that the parties stand for - and that doesn't get mentioned much in elections.
After most of a life time of studying Canadian history, I have no idea what principles the Liberals and Conservatives stand for - or have ever stood for since 1867.
The Greens have principles - but they're narrowly focused. A government cannot function on just one issue.
The NDP had principles when it was the CCF. They were the only party that thought of the needs of people. (With one exception. RBBennett,, close to the end of his term, felt the needs of Canadian people in the depression - and he began major efforts to help them. But no Conservative has ever followed his example.) Mackenzie King near the end of his career initiated changes - but his motives were purely political. King never looked beyond his own bellybutton.
The CCF actually arose from the Methodist and then United Churches. But it could make little progress because it had very little money to fight elections. That's why, in order to get unions to contribute, it moved more to the centre as the NDP.
However, unions can't give it enough support to compete with big business donations to the Liberals and, especially, the Conservatives. They have piles of money for this election.
Harper has pretty much sold us out to international big business, and has made us a colony of the U.S. as we once were of Britain. If he gets another term, Canada is over. That's not an exaggeration. He has contempt for democracy. And a love for big business that tells me he is going to retire a very rich man.
Justin Trudeau is there only because he is a rich man's kid who looks good on video. I knew his father fairly well. And Justin is no Pierre Trudeau. He's not particularly intelligent, and he has no values that I know of.
As well, the Liberal party is out of talent. It's last five choices for leader have been stinkers. That tells you a lot about the death of the Liberal Party of MacKenzie King.
For me, the Conservatives and the Liberals are unthinkable. The Greens aren't going to win. I don't much like what the NDP has become. But it has some shreds of its origins left - so it's the only acceptable one of the lot.
Canada is within inches of becoming a failed democracy - just like the U.S. We are almost entirely controlled by big business. The whole world, including Russia and China, has been going in that direction since the days of Ronald Reagan and that ultimate sleaze, Brian Mulroney.
After most of a life time of studying Canadian history, I have no idea what principles the Liberals and Conservatives stand for - or have ever stood for since 1867.
The Greens have principles - but they're narrowly focused. A government cannot function on just one issue.
The NDP had principles when it was the CCF. They were the only party that thought of the needs of people. (With one exception. RBBennett,, close to the end of his term, felt the needs of Canadian people in the depression - and he began major efforts to help them. But no Conservative has ever followed his example.) Mackenzie King near the end of his career initiated changes - but his motives were purely political. King never looked beyond his own bellybutton.
The CCF actually arose from the Methodist and then United Churches. But it could make little progress because it had very little money to fight elections. That's why, in order to get unions to contribute, it moved more to the centre as the NDP.
However, unions can't give it enough support to compete with big business donations to the Liberals and, especially, the Conservatives. They have piles of money for this election.
Harper has pretty much sold us out to international big business, and has made us a colony of the U.S. as we once were of Britain. If he gets another term, Canada is over. That's not an exaggeration. He has contempt for democracy. And a love for big business that tells me he is going to retire a very rich man.
Justin Trudeau is there only because he is a rich man's kid who looks good on video. I knew his father fairly well. And Justin is no Pierre Trudeau. He's not particularly intelligent, and he has no values that I know of.
As well, the Liberal party is out of talent. It's last five choices for leader have been stinkers. That tells you a lot about the death of the Liberal Party of MacKenzie King.
For me, the Conservatives and the Liberals are unthinkable. The Greens aren't going to win. I don't much like what the NDP has become. But it has some shreds of its origins left - so it's the only acceptable one of the lot.
Canada is within inches of becoming a failed democracy - just like the U.S. We are almost entirely controlled by big business. The whole world, including Russia and China, has been going in that direction since the days of Ronald Reagan and that ultimate sleaze, Brian Mulroney.
