You know, I don’t support the Conservative Party’s policies, but they’ve run an effective campaign. Where the Liberals have looked harried, reactive and just plain silly, the CPC has managed to avoid any serious missteps.
Today, though, I read about a couple minor snafus. First, there’s the gin-running Conservative candidate Derek Zeisman who is accused of smuggling “a 1989 Mercedes-Benz and 112 containers of alcohol into Canada, and then lying to customs agents about it.” After some mixed messages yesterday, Harper has wisely distanced himself from the issue. However, in an election where the Conservatives have talked of being tough on crime and emphasized ethical politics, this has to hurt a bit.
Then, it turns out that Stephen Harper spoke at a fundraiser for an far-right group back in March, 2005. The link goes to a Liberal Party press release, but the story was on the cover of the Vancouver Sun today and featured in the TV news:
The Canadian Alliance for Social Justice and Family Values Association (CASJFVA) is a far-right-wing association that recently published a caricature on the cover of its July/August issue which portrayed Prime Minister Paul Martin as a Nazi receiving an award from Hitler for “the destruction of Canada’s foundational institution (family).†The group also published a similar illustration of former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.
Here’s a photo of Harper at the event, a link to the newsletter in question, and the charming rendering of Martin (here’s a larger version):
It’s a good likeness, no? This is the worrying part of the Conservative party–the far right. This is the part that would have Canadians in Iraq and render abortion illegal. It’s often said that governments govern from (or is it to?) the middle, so hopefully these nuttier elements will be kept at bay should the CPC win.
Regardless, I don’t think either of these issues is going to have much effect on the Conservative momentum. Personally, I’m flummoxed. For the aforementioned reasons, I’m scared of a Conservative victory. On the other hand, do I really want the Liberals in power again? Do they really deserve (up to) 17 years in government?
DarrenBarefoot.com 
Thanks for posting this, Darren. Did you catch Martin on the National tonight? It was a little rough at first, but he’s warming up to the questions quite nicely. But — I think it’s too little, too late. Hmmm.
check out Rick Mercer’s dream team for scariest Conservative cabinet ministers. http://rickmercer.blogspot.com/
Paul Wells had an idea for a Liberal ad that suggested trying to imagine Stockwell Day as Minister for Foreign Affairs. Rick kind of took the ball and ran with it…
The conservatives really did handle the issue of the cross-border boozer well by suspending him from the party until it gets cleared up. It plays much better than the liberal’s choice to let Goodale stay on while being involved in an RCMP investigation.
Paul Martin proposes… That’s all I hear out of some people. Martin will not get re elected, so who cares what Martin proposes.
Stop living in shangri-la. The Canadian national debt is 600 BILLION dollars, it requires 40 to 50 BILLION dollars a year in interest payments alone! That translates into $2,400.00 YOU PAY each and every year on YOUR income tax bill. AND THAT DOES NOT PAY DOWN THE NATIONAL DEBT!
Martins flailing attempts to buy his way back into office by promising to spend YOUR TAX DOLLARS, like a drunken sailor on leave, does the Canadian taxpayer a tremendous disservice.
Lowering interest burdens by PAYING DOWN THE DEBT will bring the money currently pissed away on interest charges to bear on SOLVING problems.
PAY YOUR BILLS, CANADA!
PAST DUE – 600 BILLION – PAST DUE
Becky – I thought Martin handled the not-withstanding clause issue perfectly, especialy how he framed it within the scenario of removing a womans right to choose.
I would rather have Martin back in that Harper.
Gee, “There is your change!” – thanks for dropping by the comments section and screaming at us all in CAPITAL LETTERS. Makes me care about what you have to say. (Please note sarcasm). I’m so tired of crazed right-wingers bitching about how, god forbid, the government is >spendingGee, “There is your change!” – thanks for dropping by the comments section and screaming at us all in CAPITAL LETTERS. Makes me care about what you have to say. (Please note sarcasm). I’m so tired of crazed right-wingers bitching about how, god forbid, the government is >spending
Hm. Site cut off half my post. To continue – I’m so tired of crazed right-wingers bitching about how the government is spending tax dollars, as if the purpose of tax dollars were to put them in a shoebox and keep them under the bed. Yes, there are challenges in governance, and all parties will have those problems, and yes we should get the debt under control, but that doesn’t mean a compassionate Canada should be abandoned. That’s a Canada where all citizens have the right to a good life, incidentally, not just, as streams of the Conservatives would have it, all citizens except faggots, foreigners and heathens. Which is why I’d rather tear my own fingernails out than vote Tory. Besides, Harper is just plain creepy.
“That’s a Canada where all citizens have the right to a good life, incidentally, not just, as streams of the Conservatives would have it, all citizens except faggots, foreigners and heathens.”
I would?
Jarrett – well, I don’t really know if you would or wouldn’t. I hope it’s wouldn’t, and if you say it is I believe you without hesitation. I was trying to refer to certain streams of conservative thought, aspects which I see within the party, rather than implicating any and all conservatives. Some of my best friends are Tories… as the saying goes.