I think things have gone so far in Federal Canadian politics that, as they say in Lunenburg County, the arse is out of it. The speech from the throne yesterday was on all appearances, if a little nutty, reasonably moderate...but that may well be bad. It may have been prepared to smoke out an election that would benefit the government...how unexpected! But the weirdest thing may be the political reaction to these holiday cards sent to constituents from the Jewish community:
"For them, the end justifies the means, and they want to win. They're using disappointing, crass tactics to achieve that goal," Liberal MP Susan Kadis said. Ms. Kadis is concerned about Rosh Hashanah letters sent out last month by Prime Minister Stephen Harper to constituents in her largely Jewish riding of Thornhill, near Toronto. She said she wants to know how the names were obtained and compiled. "I would say this is a sinister and disturbing type of activity and approach by the Conservatives," Ms. Kadis said.I have no idea of the particulars but I know I hate getting Christmas cards from people I do not know - consultants mainly. But it is not like I would expect one consultant to be ticked off by another's use of the same tactic...because somehow I was the first consultant's territory. That does not quite achieve "sinister". To quote The Elephant Man (a movie I walked out of) I am a human being. Treat me like one. I can deal with my own mail.
Cut the side show. The Grits should go find who was running the Liberals in 1994 (or even the Tories in 1987) and hire them to shout at everyone else - constantly. I wish someone would stand up for real issues (- hey, I have a new slogan.) I get none of this Arctic sovereignty stuff, I like well funded social services, I think asking the military to destroy those who would kill girls for attending elementary school is the right thing, I have no problem with regulations for better light bulbs and I want a bit of a tax break given the obscene budget surpluses. Am I not alarmingly average? Do I not deserve a party that can reasonable represent those interests?
Comments
sean liddle - October 17, 2007 10:20 AM
I think Ms. Kadis' point is isort of valid in a conspiratorial kind of way if only jewish residents, and non-conservatives at that, received letters as in "do the Conservatives keep lists of constituents who are Jewish?" Otherwise, you are correct.
Such seemingly minor actions on the part of an MP or a PM can backfire. I used to every year get a Christmas card from JC, (the PM not your diety, that'd be silly). Martin has his little short lived coup and bam, no more cards. In his eyes (or his handlers more like) it was a way of indicating to me that I was known non-supporter, but in truth, it simply reaffirmed my lack of support.
And my firm doesn't do Christmas cards BTW so you get nada from me. Okay, maybe a phone call. :)
Alan - October 17, 2007 10:24 AM
Well, I suppose that you have just admitted you were on a political party's list for Christians and had no issue with that.
sean liddle - October 17, 2007 10:42 AM
I so love the new Captcha.. I want to post and post until I get a naughty pair of words to type in.
No, don't get me wrong, I am just trying to decipher why Ms. Kadis was upset, no issues with it and not judging the actions of the PMO.
Its potential good PR for the PM, but has the chance of backfiring if a few of the more paranoid members of society were to pick up on it. Imagine if gun owners who had not yet registered their firearms yet received a reminder notice? They'd freak.
David Janes - October 17, 2007 11:22 AM
Was there a problem with the old Captcha?
WCG - October 17, 2007 11:24 AM
I don't know, it smacks of the same kind of political manoeuvering as appointing Conservative "Government Representatives" to NDP ridings (you know, because their MPs are part of a party that's too small, so they need a better way to talk to the Government). Conservatives simply see a chance to represent more people. To get the message out to a new constituency! It's very sweet, actually, if you ignore the sinister aspect of the Cons compiling all sorts of lists of various groups of people. In this case, Jewish voters have tended to vote Liberal, but there was a strong constituency supporting John Tory in the provincial election, so hey, they're simply seizing the day. I expect my Samhain card is already in the mail.
WCG - October 17, 2007 11:25 AM
(And yes, Al, you're alarmingly average. We should put you on a poster - "This guy!") :)
Alan - October 17, 2007 11:40 AM
I have no captcha control and, remember, our sysadmin Dave is now training for the RCMP. This may be an effort of the new Dave aka NuDave aka Keith. I like it. Groovy.
Gordo - October 17, 2007 1:33 PM
PM Steve-o is under investigation by the privacy commissioner for those cards and quite rightly so. A purely political department, such as the PMO, has no bloody business keeping lists of folks of a particular religion. Jews, in particular, have every right to be very touchy about this.
My captcha was "saddled features" ... :-)
hANS - October 17, 2007 3:37 PM
Al, I never realized how truly average you are until you spelled out for us.
Alan - October 17, 2007 3:55 PM
Inordinately average.
sean liddle - October 17, 2007 4:24 PM
Above average height mind you..
sean liddle - October 17, 2007 7:13 PM
C'mon Alan.. Group project on "if you were Dion, WWSD"..
WCG - October 17, 2007 7:48 PM
My captcha is "vandalism would" Would what? I don't know.
sean liddle - October 17, 2007 7:59 PM
Mine is spiritual practices.. I know it's because I watched 7 episodes of Vicar of Dibbley last night, I know it is..
Ben (The Tiger) - October 17, 2007 8:53 PM
Alan -- all verbiage by the politicians aside, I think it's pretty likely that you'll get most of what you said that you want from this government (and the next, if Dion defeats Harper in the near run -- they're not all that different in terms of policies adopted).
***
My capcha is "complicity Flora".
Is this a reference to your seeming longing for Joe Clark-style governance, Alan?
Alan - October 17, 2007 9:08 PM
Joe's was a golden era.
"automatic hemmed"
Jay Currie - October 17, 2007 11:51 PM
I was actually rather surprised at the moderation of the Throne Speech. Harper, at the moment, could bring in his entire "hidden agenda" and M. Dion would just have to take it. I suspect, however, that Harper is looking at "vote rich" Ontario more than he is at the poor Liberal Party. He has a solid need (which was my Captcha and , yes, this is a lame attempt to start a trend whereby people use their Captcha in their comment)for those votes.
Gordo - October 18, 2007 12:31 AM
Harper needs to learn to play better with his fellow sandbox denizens: "Cooperate or I'll make everything a confidence vote"? C'mon!
"Luna have" ... I'm too tired to work that into my comment.
sean liddle - October 18, 2007 10:23 AM
Egad, it is foggy in the sity (just like in) 1485 when the Sweating Sickness outbreak began in England. (Sity 1485 was my captcha, whats a guy to do with THAT).
I say, let it pass then go ahead and vote against the first bill he puts forward then ignore him when he claims it is a confidence motion. Lets see him win a majority when everyone ignores the election call!!!
Gordo - October 18, 2007 10:35 AM
The arrogance of demanding that parliament pass legislation flowing from the throne speech just because the speech was passed boggles my mind. So boggled, in fact, that I almost had an 'accident' on the way to my 'company' after hearing it.
Note to PM: It IS possible to agree with a concept, but disagree with the implementation.