Mr Harper redux

I think the damage that is done by revealing this speech is that it shows that Stephen Harper is not being honest when he campaigns. Stephen Harper and many of the old Reform gang do not hold the same values as many Canadians, especially eastern Canadians. Instead of being honest and espousing these views they hide them because they know that they will not get elected in Canada by running the GOP playbook. When Stephen Harper says that Canada is a northern European welfare state in the worst sense of the word he is disparaging what many Canadians hold dear. We look after the least among us, we believe that there is a common good that is served by not dishing out 'tough love' to people down on their luck. Does it piss me off that people take advantage of the system? That people rush to the ER because they have a runny nose? Hell Yeah it does! But these abuses are minor compared with the cost of having to deal with the results of leaving people to struggle for what they need to survive. Look at the difference between Canadian and American prison systems, ever wonder why they have so many people locked up? Land of the free?

The people from Alberta who complain about having no say in politics should stop electing people who have extreme views. If Nfld and Labrador were electing members of the "Communist Cod Fishers Party" they would be saying the same thing, why aren't Albertans voting for the CCFP? Why do they keep electing those Conservative bums?

Do the Liberals deserve a swift ass kicking? Damn straight. If the old PC party was still around they would have won a majority during the last election. Say what you will about the PC's, they were a national alternative that could elect members in every riding. Instead of leaving voters with an easy alternative the Conservatives have driven Canadians to choose between the devil they know and the ones they are not sure of. They have also driven many of the Red Tories over to the Liberal party ensuring that the sole possessor of the 'Centre' of the political spectrum is occupied by the Liberals. Ask a Canadian where they fit in the political spectrum and by far the majority will say somewhere in the middle.

Want to know how many easterners feel about the Conservatives and Stephen Harper? Ask an Albertan how he feels about the NDP and Jack Layton. Same opinion, too radical.