Updating the Prime Minister on Rob Ford and 416

Had an opportunity to speak to the Prime Minister in Ajax about Rob Ford's campaign and also the opportunity for Conservatives to finally break into the 416 ridings of Toronto. While he cannot officially endorse a candidate he was happy with the progress made for Conservatives in the city.

Stephen Harper YouTube Interview

I give Stephen Harper full credit for reaching out to voters via Social Media. I also respect that he answered the questions posed to him directly.
-Darryl

Stephen Harper Christmas Greetings

Photo of the Day: Macleans

I really like this family photo. As a Beatles fan it is good to see! To read an interview conducted by MacLeans about Stephen Harper's musical talents click here.
-Darryl

Stephen Harper sings Beatles song with Yo Yo Ma

A very respectable version of "With a Little Help from My Friends" by the Beatles. Personally I like it when Harper shows his true personality.
-Darryl

Photos from Prime Minister Harper BBQ in Oakridges-Markham last night

Random Thoughts:

Now that the Ontario PC Leadership Race is over, I am not quite sure what to do with my time. I congratulate Tim Hudak on his victory and am proud of the campaign that Frank Klees ran over the past few months. I think the PC Party will be stronger because of the race and I think Tim Hudak is off to the right start for victory in 2011 over Dalton McGuinty. I believe Tim Hudak will be the next Premier of Ontario. Overall I think Tim Hudak, Frank Klees, Christine Elliott and Randy Hillier raised their profile and did a great job contributing to the rebuilding process of our party. I think the leadership contest will also help us organizationally in Ontario for whenever the federal election comes. It was good to see the relationship improve between provincial and federal Conservatives. I am also excited about the prospect of former leader John Tory running for mayor of Toronto. The Tory tribute and keynote address from Peter MacKay was also very well done. There are only three complaints I have about the PC Ontario Leadership race after the fact. The first is that the contest was too short. A fall vote would have allowed more time to promote the party, the leadership candidates, PC policies/principles and of course provided the time to sell more memberships. The party currently has about 45,000 members. We had over 100,000 in 2002. My second complaint was that the media, supporters and candidates seemed to focus the entire campaign around the Human Rights Commission. While that issue certainly needs to be addressed, I think given the state of the economy there were other areas I would have liked to hear more from the candidates on. The Economy, education, energy, health care and transit should have got more attention. Finally I have noticed in general that media coverage is really lacking these days at Queens Park. I think this hurts our entire democracy because too many people are not getting the information about what is happening in Ontario politics. The major newspapers and television stations should have at least one reporting covering provincial politics despite their economic struggles.

I hope Tim Hudak reaches out to Frank Klees, Christine Elliott, Peter Shurman, Elizabeth Witmer and Randy Hillier with his shadow cabinet picks. We need to have the strongest team possible and all the signs I have seen so far is that the Hudak team is serious about unity. Perhaps we will see the shadow cabinet picked later this summer. The provincial legislature returns September 14.

At the end of June, my term as President of Newmarket Rotary Club ended. It was a pleasure to serve the club for a year as President and I appreciate all the support given to me by members of the club. I think we did a lot of good things in the community and around the world. Those with some extra time should really consider joining a service club. It is rewarding to give back to the community and I believe it is time well spent. Virtually every community in Canada has a Rotary Club, a Lions Club or another service club. These groups need members in order to continue the good work they are doing. I would strongly encourage anyone interested in giving back to their community to consider joining a service club in your area. If time is an issue, perhaps consider helping an organization for a weekend such as Habitat for Humanity, Big Brothers and Sisters, and various other charities or causes looking for volunteers, time or money. With the state of the current economy, there are many people in need. Government cannot solve every problem, so many are relying on volunteers to fill in the gaps.

Today also marks my fourth day without a cigarette. This is getting close to the tenth attempt at quitting I have made over the past five years. This time I am feeling confident and hope to be successful. More and more people are quitting everyday and more and more young people are not starting the habit to begin with. Addictions are painful to break and I would strongly encourage anyone reading this not to take up smoking. It simply isn’t worth it. The first four days are the hardest and withdrawal symptoms last about ten days. For now I am proud to have joined the ranks of non-smokers and hope to stay in that club. Financially if I quit I will save close to $3600 and of course health issues are the main motivation to give up the habit.

On the garbage strikes in Toronto and Windsor, to me there is only one solution. York Region and Etobicoke use private collection companies and Toronto/Windsor should do the same if legally possible. In York Region I believe the company is Turtle Island that handles recycling and trash collection. I am not sure what value CUPE adds in Toronto that is not present in York Region and other places where garbage collection is outsourced. I also think that previous Toronto labour agreements and the council pay raise had a major role in this strike and the position of the union. In the private sector people are losing their jobs and unions have made concessions in the auto and airline industries. Toronto’s finances are in shambles and it is clear that taxpayers cannot afford another Miller style union-friendly contract. It is time for Toronto to live within its means and dump the socialist mentality. Frankly I don’t see much chance for improvement in Toronto until 2010. I would be proud to support Tory, Stinz, Smitherman or whoever the credible candidate is that runs against David Miller. God do I miss the good old days of Mel Lastman! The fact council will not even consider rolling back their "cost of living" raise tells me clearly that it is time to take a broom to city hall in 2010. The city of Toronto desparately needs change at the political level. Like in Windsor, taxpayers should be reinbursed for services not rendered.

Speaking of dysfunctional cities, I also hope Julian Fantino eventually enters the race for Mayor of Vaughan. If not mayor, perhaps he would consider being a candidate for the PC Party and future MPP in 2011? Armand La Barge would also be fantastic if he ever entered politics in my opinion.

I have seen lots of studies, funding announcements and talk, but will shovels ever get into the ground on the TTC Subway extensions into York Region along the Yonge and Spadina lines? On a positive note, I am excited by VIVA’s plans in Newmarket and throughout York Region. Now if we could only get hourly GO Trains from Newmarket to Union! Extension of the 404 and 427 North as well as the Bradford By-Pass would have been huge stimulus projects that I would have strongly supported. Public transit is important for sure, but so are roads and highways. It doesn’t make sense to bailout auto companies and then continue to fight a war on the car in Ontario. Tearing down the Gardener in Toronto makes absolutely no sense.

It is exciting that Magna is looking to acquire Opel and also potentially will manufacturer electric cars in Canada. Magna is a crucial employer in York Region and the riding of Newmarket-Aurora.

Stimulus spending is taking place in Newmarket and Aurora as we speak. VIVA, GO Transit, Newmarket Curling Club, Newmarket Soccer Club, Aurora Waste Water Infrastructure, Parks and Trails and the revitalization of Newmarket’s old town hall are some of the stimulus projects in my riding. Would love to see more GO Trains between Newmarket (or Barrie) and Union added to the list.

Can anyone explain to me why Schreiber has not been deported to Germany yet? It is time to end the dog and pony show and force him to finally face some justice. As predicted the Mulroney inquiry was a waste of time and money.

I really like the idea of a high speed rail link between Calgary and Edmonton as well as Montreal and Windsor.

I am disappointed that Ontario is going to hold off on nuclear energy. I think that is the only realistic solution at this point to meet energy demand while reducing green house gas emissions.

On federal politics there is no election but lots of political games. Will we go in the fall? Will we survive the Olympics? Will we fall on the budget? Are we years away from another election? Truth is I really do not know. I predict Harper will appease on EI, delay the next election until after the Olympics, fall on the budget and win another minority but drop some seats. With Ignatieff supporting another confidence motion in June, I don’t think he has any issue or point of differentiation to run on in September. His opinion on Afghanistan is the same as Harper. His position on the Middle East is basically the same as Harper. He voted for the budget. He supported the auto bailout. He backed most of the Conservative justice bills. He opposes a carbon tax (now at least). He supports the oil sands and is “concerned” about the size of the deficit. He backs Quebec as a “nation” and agrees that the self employed should be eligible for EI. Could any of my progressive friends share with me how Ignatieff is any different than Harper? So far I fail to see any significant differences between the two men that would justify an election during these economic times. Of course the fact we have abandoned most of our Conservative principles has helped in blurring the line between the two parties that have any real chance of winning. As usual the Bloc is strong but useless and the status quo in Quebec will not change. NDP is on the decline and losing relevance by the minute. Greens are simply not players and without a seat are barely different than the other fringe parties. If an election takes place in the fall, I predict the lowest voter turnout in Canadian history.

I would still love to see Mario Dumont run for the Conservatives in the upcoming by-election in Quebec in his former provincial riding. I also think it is time to bring Maxime Bernier back to cabinet. Obviously we have a lot of work to do in Quebec. It is also well past time that Michael Chong was considered for another cabinet post as well.

I am very happy with the job Newmarket council and Mayor Tony Van Bynen are doing for this town. We are lucky to have a functional, mature and stable council in Newmarket that are putting the residents first. Keep up the good work my friends. Yesterday, Mississauga decided to cancel question period during council meetings. I am disappointed in this decision and think it is an idea that should be considered in Newmarket.

I don’t really have an opinion on the gay pride parade funding announcement. My question is why is the federal government spending taxpayer money on festivals at all?

It is a waste of time, resources and tax dollars for America to prosecute Mark Emery for selling marijuana seeds. Potential for serving 5 years in prison is a joke when compared to sentences being handed out for violent, sexual and other serious crimes here in Canada.

To some degree Obama has been a disappointment, particularly as far as domestic spending goes. I am not sure how much longer America will remain solvent and future generations are facing a massive tax hike because of the spending now and over the past few years. I think America’s role as the sole superpower has ended and we are seeing a transition into a multi-polar world. At the same time the Republicans do not have their act together and do not present anything close to an alternative at this point. I think Dr. Ron Paul is the only one who can cure that party right now. It has become painfully obvious that Sarah Palin is not the answer and unfortunately I am not sure who else is possible leadership material for the Republican Party right now. They need to return to their fiscal roots and rebuild the Reagan coalition. Right now the base is way to small while at the same time not inclusive. To be blunt, I fully expect Obama to serve a second term in the White House despite America’s current problems.

It is great to see people pushing for freedom in Iran and China. I also hope that democracy can be restored in Honduras and Zimbabwe soon. I also think we are not far from change in Cuba. Eventually democracy will prevail over tyranny. I am also optimistic about relations between Russia and the West as well as the potential for peace in the Middle East.

I do not want to see the Jays trade Halladay. I am happy about off season moves made by the Raptors and Bills. I am really happy with Burke’s efforts in rebuilding the Toronto Maple Leafs. It will be interesting to see who they acquire to score some goals. I know it doesn’t make sense on a rebuilding team, but part of me would really like to see Sundin retire as a Leaf. It is a shame that Koivu and Sundin were not able to finish their careers with the Canadiens and Leafs. I am also looking forward to UFC 100 this Saturday and hope to see a show live in Toronto some day. Brock Lesnar has added excitement to the heavyweight divison.

I am looking forward to a summer full of relaxation without having to think much about politics. Fall will be interesting as Hudak makes his debut as PC leader and of course the potential exists for a federal election in November or possibly even sooner.

Thanks for reading…

Darryl

Video: Harper on Fox News

I believe this aired in the USA this past weekend
-Darryl

Pros and Cons from Iggy's Perspective of forcing an election

Apparently today or Monday, Michael Ignatieff is going to tell Canadians if he plans to force an election on one of the opposition days or if he will abstain allowing the government to survive through the summer at least. There has been a lot of speculation on the odds of an election ranging from no chance to a 85% chance of Canadians hitting the polls this summer. Let us first look at the facts.

1, Canadians last went to the polls late in 2008. The current minority parliament has not yet lasted a year.
2, Since the time of Dion’s leadership, Conservatives have largely governed with the support of the Liberals on confidence votes.
3, A coalition was formed in December and January of this year. It was rejected by Canadians and as a result Ignatieff supported the budget and killed the coalition.
4, Since the coalition, several recent polls consistently indicate Liberal support ahead of the Conservatives with Liberal fortunes improving in the 905, Quebec and BC.
5, The NDP and Bloc are on record as recently as yesterday suggesting they will not support the government.
6, The NDP would likely lose seats to the Liberals in the event an election took place in the near future.
7, The BQ might lose seats around Montreal but are likely to pick up seats around Quebec City. Several Bloc members qualify for full pensions starting in July.
8, It appears Stephen Harper will not back down on EI due to the already large deficit
9, Based on his voting record and statements; there are not many policy differences between Stephen Harper and Michael Ignatieff at this point in time.
10, Canadians do not want an election and could get angry if politicians spend another 600 million on the fourth election in five years only to get another minority during these economic times.

Based on those facts, here are some reasons Ignatieff might avoid an election:

-He will look opportunistic should he decide to go to the polls. He voted for the budget, the Afghanistan extension, Harper’s justice policies and has supported the Harper Conservatives on virtually all confidence votes since he was elected leader. His only policy difference right now with the Conservatives is this EI policy proposal that has not caught on with Canadians. During this recession, Canadians will want to see an alternative vision to what the current government has implemented. EI is not an election winner and no platform or ideas have come out at this point in public. Kelowna Accord, national childcare and other recycled Liberal policies are not affordable unless he either raises taxes or cuts spending elsewhere. If his argument is that the stimulus isn’t being spent fast enough, he will have to explain how an election will speed it up. If he complains about the size of the deficit, he will have to tell Canadians what programs he will cut or what taxes he will raise in order to reduce it. At this point, he lacks a defining issue that would resonate with Canadians on the election trail. He lacks a policy Canadians are excited about. He lacks a scandal that Canadians are angry about. At this point all he has is a few polls in his favour and a lot of voters hurting because of the recession. While he leads in the polls, a win is not a slam dunk for him right now.

-Although he has a lead in several polls, the lead is not as large as some would expect given the economic crisis that would be tough on any incumbent government. Any backlash for calling an unnecessary election or a successful negative campaign by the Conservative Party could result in him losing the next election. If that happens will his leadership be safe?

- Liberals are just starting to nominate candidates now and have so far yet to recruit any new blood. A few potential stars have been rumoured such as Louise Arbour, Phil Fontaine and David Dodge but to my knowledge none of these people are officially confirmed as running for the Liberals in the next nomination. Some incumbents did not meet the requirements and will now face a nomination race. Others could potentially retire. If the plug is pulled on June 19, do Liberals have enough time to get the quality candidates in place? Obviously money, technology, volunteers and platform are other areas where it is unclear if Liberals are ready to fight an election.

- If Ignatieff waits, do his chances of victory or majority improve? Economy while showing signs of recovery could still not have hit rock bottom. Some have predicted the economy will recover by the end of the year. Others predict it will take much longer. If Ignatieff pulls the plug now, does he risk missing a majority that could be attained should he wait until the fall or spring?

- The summer presents a good opportunity for Iggy to work the BBQ circuit and become better known to Canadians. While universally considered superior to Dion; it is not exactly Iggymania at this stage. It is also unknown how damaging the last round of Conservative attacks were and how damaging future attacks might be.


Based on the same facts, here are some reasons he might call an election now or at least vote non-confidence:

- When Stephane Dion was leader, he found himself in a nasty trap that made him look weak thanks to the NDP and the Bloc. The reason for that trap was Dion wanted to avoid an election more than any of his opponents. As a result he abstained and propped up Harper leading to Rick Mercer and others making a mockery of him as leader. Dion never was able to shake the image and it cost him in the last election. Michael Ignatieff wants to avoid this happening to him, but so far he has been unsuccessful. When the coalition was rejected by Canadians and Conservatives were polling at over 50%, Ignatieff was appointed leader and had to support the budget in order to avoid an election and distance himself form the coalition. While he could claim he forced some concessions, the NDP/Bloc accused him of forming a “coalition” with Harper. Today Iggy is stronger than Dion ever was, but as I mentioned in point one of why he may not call an election; he has yet to differentiate himself or paint an alternative vision to Harper and the Conservative Party. The NDP and Bloc have again attempted to lay the same trap by coming out early and saying they will oppose the government on upcoming confidence votes. Iggy may want to call their bluff to break this cycle of having to abstain or prop up the government to avoid an election. The fact of the matter is the NDP would have their seats reduced if an election were called anytime soon and Layton’s leadership could be threatened. 16 Bloc members could find themselves gambling with their pensions if an election takes place before July. If Ignatieff comes out today or Monday and says he is voting non-confidence; it is quite possible that Layton would back down and pay a price with his credibility. If not, an election might be a better alternative for Liberals than looking weak. Certainly they have more incentive to hit the polls than the NDP and have no reason to back down as they have in the past. Announcing that Liberals will no longer support the government could break this pattern even if there is no election.

- The polls are currently showing that the Liberals would win if an election took place right now. The NDP and Bloc have said they will vote non-confidence. This might be Iggy’s best and only chance to win. The economy is bad right now but is showing signs of recovery. A budget could later be turned into a campaign document and perhaps appease the Conservative base currently upset about spending, bailouts and deficits. Harper would also have the opportunity to be Prime Minister during the Vancouver Olympics perhaps spiking his popularity. If the economy recovers, Conservatives will get credit. Is there a risk of backlash? Yes. Do Liberals have a platform? No. Are Liberals truly ready for an election? Perhaps not as ready as they would be in the fall or spring. Despite this, these opportunities do not come everyday. Passing on this opportunity may come back to bite him later.

- Conservatives have gained some baggage. The budget is a record in Canadian history. Spending has increased. The auto bailout is not popular. Unemployment is up. There is not money to promise much or to load pork into ridings. Conservatives are in freefall in Quebec. The situation in Southern Ontario is not looking very good. There is Lisa Raitt and a few other Ottawa scandals. There is some concern a lot of Conservative voters could stay home in the next election. Harper’s positives are equal to Ignatieff but his negatives are much higher. It is tough to convince regular Canadians that the government is on the right track when economic times are so tough. All of these issues may not be there six months from now.

- Canadians will be angry about an election being called, but those Canadians are more likely to stay home altogether than vote Conservative to send a message to Ignatieff for calling the election. Canadians did not want an election in 2004, 2006 and 2008 either.

- Liberals do not like being in opposition. It is a party motivated more by power than policy. It will be too tempting to avoid an election when they are up in the polls and can taste government and all the perks that come with it.

Chances of an election:

I would not be surprised if Canadians vote in July and I would not be surprised if we don’t. Here is what each leader has to consider.

Stephen Harper – an election is largely out of his hands. He could roll the dice and back down on EI and implement the Liberal proposal. Doing so might buy him time but it would further alienate the base.

Michael Ignatieff – will put a non-confidence motion forward so at worst he does not look weak and sends a message to the NDP/Bloc or at best causes an election he believes he can win. Only way he backs down is if internally the party is not ready for an election or if he lacks confidence in his chances for victory. I suppose he could back down and say “Canadians do not want an election” but ultimately that would mean supporting Harper again. This hurts his chances in the fall or later for the same reasons that are creating obstacles right now.

Jack Layton – has constantly accused the Liberals of supporting Harper and being absent in their role as official opposition. Claims Iggy has just recently championed EI, while the NDP has been fighting this battle for years. He would love to vote against Harper, but if he thinks Liberals will too and can’t be sure of Duceppe’s plan; next to the Conservatives, he probably has the most to lose if an election happens this summer. The ultimate flip flop might cost him his credibility but it is better than his job along with half his caucus. Iggy putting forward a confidence motion on EI would put the NDP into an impossible position of sacrificing their credibility vs. getting destroyed in an election campaign. Ultimately over the long term the results would be the same. I believe Layton is the most likely to back down.

Gilles Duceppe – some members may not want to lose their pension, but there isn’t much to gain or lose if the Bloc goes into an election. Seats they lose to the Liberals they would likely make up by winning seats from the Conservatives. There is no challenger to Duceppe at this point. Some Bloc members might abstain to protect their pensions and to avoid an inconvenience of a summer election. Unlike the NDP however, they have much less reason to fear an election.

Overall, I put the odds of an election at 75% but would not be too surprised if at the end of the day a summer election is avoided. What is clear is that every confidence vote from now on will be a risk that the government falls.

Thanks for reading…

Darryl

Libertarian Party of Canada attack ad against the Conservatives

Update: Additional videos added

Previously I posted the attack ads the Libertarian Party of Canada ran against Michael Ignatieff. Here is one they have now posted on YouTube about the Conservative Party.
-Darryl









...and one more on the Liberal convention I missed



What is a Libertarian

Liberal Party Attack Ad from 2006

I really like the accusation that Stephen Harper would be willing to work with the Bloc or sending Canadian troops to Iraq. This ad proves Liberals are no strangers to going negative and the accusations are interesting given Michael Ignatieff's current leadership of the Liberal Party. They have also had their attack ads going on for months.
-Darryl

Perhaps a response to "The Grit Girl"?

Comes from the YouTube channel "NoTaxHikes". Not sure who is responsible for it.
-Darryl

Update: New one on "Toryboy1" YouTube channel:



"NoTaxHike" YouTube Channel



Others:

3 New Conservative Ads

New website for Iggy as well.
-Darryl

"His Country"



"Arrogance"



"Economy"

Finally the Conservatives launch attack ads against Ignatieff

A very good ad in my opinion
-Darryl

Harper Easter Greeting

Harper on Fox News March 30


CNBC on New Currency



Coverage on Harper missing the photo op

Kinsella and Liberals cheering on bad economy for political gain

Warren Kinsella loves finding bad economic news in the business section and then posting it under the headline "Why Michael Ignatieff will be Prime Minister Part...". Today he has a video that highlights all of the layoffs that have come as a result of the global economic crisis and the video concludes with the headline "Tory times are tough times".

It is an insult to the intelligence of Canadians if they are expected to believe that the global financial crisis is the sole responsibility of Prime Minister Harper. It is an even bigger insult to believe Harper is a disaster yet McGuinty is somehow OK in Ontario. Now that Kinsella is back in federal politics, he may have taken his eye off the ball as far as provincial politics are concerned.

Let me point out a poll from the Liberal friendly Toronto Star:

Do you agree or disagree with each of these statements about Dalton McGuinty?
He has a clear plan to deal with the economic slowdown - 24% agree

Right now, he’s more interested in his political career than in doing what’s best for Ontario - 49% agree

I have confidence he will find the right solutions for the Ontario economy - 30% agree

He has a strong team - 32% agree

Interesting numbers I must say. I would suggest that even if Randy Hillier wins the leadership there is no guarantee that Dalton McGuinty "will be Premier for 100 years". You cannot have your cake and eat it too Warren. If Harper is responsible for the economic recession in Canada than McGuinty must surely be responsible for Ontario's situation right Warren? I mean jobs have disappeared in Ontario under his watch consistently - especially in the manufacturing sector. Ontario is now a have not province. McGuinty will overtake Bob Rae's record in terms of record deficits. Ontario is dead last in economic growth. While the rest of the world rushed out a stimulus package (a coalition was even formed with socialists and separatists to force one out of Harper quickly) Ontario is still waiting for the McGuinty budget and will continue to wait for a few weeks. Broken promises and a lack of an economic plan are side issues now against Ontario Liberals.

I won't get into the Obama "hope not fear" stuff. Apparently it doesn't matter to Warren that Obama praised Canada for being in a better position than most countries to handle this global economic downturn. It doesn't matter that he complimented the strength of our banking system. It doesn't matter that our housing market is not collapsing in the same way we are seeing in the United States at this point. It would be ridiculous to suggest that America is in a recession and Canada is hit hard given the fact that 85% of our exports go into that market. Why acknowledge a strong working relationship between the Harper Conservatives and the Obama administration on issues ranging from Afghanistan to energy to the environment to the auto industry to trade to the economy. Of course that all is irrelevant when you can post immature photos instead.

Following the economic statement, Liberals were quick to attempt to seize power by joining separatists from Quebec and the socialist NDP party. When the public turned against it, they went back to abstaining and supporting Conservative legislation. A wide consultation process took place on the budget and while people were offering suggestions across the country; Liberals and Ignatieff stayed silent and plotted election strategy. To this day, neither the Liberals nor their leader have come up with any tangible solutions that are different from Harper or helpful on the economy. Even their amendment did nothing to stimulate the economy. All it did was set up a series of confidence votes so that they could position themselves to politically take advantage of the economic climate. I suspect the government will fall in June following the Liberal leadership "contest" in Vancouver.

The numbers in the Toronto Star about Dalton McGuinty show Canadians are not fooled with Liberal partisanship on the economy. Two polls released today showed some improvement for Liberals, but ultimately indicate Canadians are still behind Harper. It is no surprise as up until this point McGuinty, Ignatieff or Kinsella have offered nothing to help the economic situation real Canadians and Ontarians are living with right now.

What happened to hope over fear? A promise not to go negative? Liberals said attack ads and partisan rhetoric would backfire in this climate and I suspect they are right. If Liberals think they can avoid rebuilding, avoid renewal and simply cash in on a recession and bad economic news; they will be proven mistaken. Canadians want their politicians to work together during these tough times. They do not need Liberals exploiting bad economic news for political gains while failing to present any alternative policies, ideas or solutions.

Watch the PC leadership race in Ontario closely Mr. Kinsella. I guarantee you that one of the contenders will be the next Premier. Unlike the federal Liberals, all of the candidates will be putting forward solutions as an alternative to McGuinty's "simply hope for the best" economic plan that has prepared this province much less for this global recession than we have seen at the national level under Harper and the Tories.
-Darryl

Peter MacKay meetings with US Defense Secretary Robert Gates

It is good to see such cooperation between the Obama administration and Harper government on issues including the auto sector, economy, trade, environment and Afghanistan. It has been a long time since relations between the US and Canada were this strong. Hillary Clinton today is calling for a conference on Afghanistan.
-Darryl

Are Liberals going to blast Obama for suggesting it might be a good time to buy stocks

In the October election, Stephen Harper suggested that the falling stock market presented a potentially good buying opportunity for investors because many of the stocks at the time were trading below their true value. Today President Obama said the same thing. When Harper made the comment in October, Liberals tried to turn it into a gaffe and a major issue. Today after Obama's comments, I hear silence from the left. Why aren't Layton, Ignatieff and May up in arms that Obama is insensative and doesn't realize we are in a recession?

Perhaps my good friend Ms. Takacs can now see that these two leaders are much closer than Liberals (and their former Bush/Iraq supporting) leader care to admit. As I have said many times, when Obama's first four year term expires, I suspect it will be the left wing camp that ends up the most disappointed.

"If Conservatives like Darryl wish we were actually taking the kinds of bold of approaches in Canada as Obama is, I'd strongly encourage them to join them to join the Liberal Party to help make that happen :)."

I appreciate the kind offer, but I am quite satisfied with the relationship the Conservatives have developed with the new US administration. Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party supported our largest trading partner and closest ally even when it wasn't fashionable. Amazing how quickly things have changed in the Liberal party now that Obama has achieved international fame. Now that the wind has blown in a different direction, it is interesting how some people have changed.
-Darryl


Obama: Stocks are a `potentially good deal'

By BEN FELLER – 4 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — As Wall Street tumbles, President Barack Obama offered up some investing advice on Tuesday, telling a wary nation that stocks are becoming a "a potentially good deal" for those willing to think long term. The White House later cautioned people not to read too much into the statement.

Obama also said he will not base policy on what he called the "day-to-day gyrations of the stock market." The Dow Jones industrial average fell again Tuesday after plunging on Monday to it lowest level in more than 11 years.

The index has lost more than half its value since a record peak in October 2007. The toll on retirement plans, college savings and nest eggs has been huge.

"You know, the stock market is sort of like a tracking poll in politics," Obama said during an appearance with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. "It bobs up and down day to day, and if you spend all your time worrying about that, then you're probably going to get the long-term strategy wrong."

Yet lately, Wall Street's direction has been down, period. Investors are in despair over the state of financial companies, the deepening scope of the recession and doubts about the government's various attempts to bolster the banking sector and create jobs.

Obama says those plans will work.

"I'm absolutely confident that credit is going to be flowing again, that businesses are going to start seeing opportunities for investment," he said. "They're going to start hiring again. People are going to be back to work."

The White House is out for a balance. Obama and his aides must recognize the depth of public worry and fear about the unraveling stock market, yet keep trying to get people to understand that Wall Street is just one, volatile measure.

Obama said his focus is on the long-term recovery of the U.S. and world economy. He said lax regulation and risky, faulty investing have put a beating on the banking sector, which in turn has resulted in a lot of losses.

"It's not surprising that the market is hurting as a consequence," Obama said.

And then he sounded a bit like a financial adviser by referring to a common measure used to assess whether a stock is overvalued or undervalued.

"What you're now seeing is profit and earning ratios starting to get to the point where buying stocks is a potentially good deal," he said, "if you've got a long-term perspective on it."

Was that the president telling people to buy stocks?

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs urged caution. He said people shouldn't "overly read into" any suggestion that they should buy or sell in their particular portfolio. Asked again to calibrate exactly what Obama meant, Gibbs said: "I guess I didn't read into it as much as many people may have."

In his comments with Brown, Obama urged the American people to take a longer view as massive efforts to reshape the economy unfold.

"We are cleaning up a mess," he said. "It's going to be sort of full of fits and starts in terms of getting the mess cleaned up, but it's going to get cleaned up."

Video: Stephen Harper on CNN Fareed Zakaria GPS

Another solid interview by the Prime Minister. It is great to see a Canadian politician getting so much attention in the United States of America. It is also refreshing to see their media talking about issues of substance as oppose to what we often see here. I do not see Harper's comments as a flip flop and find it odd that the opposition is attacking him for basically saying what they have been saying. What Harper said is common sense. Progress in Afghanistan is going to take more than just a military solution. At the end of the day, the goal is to allow the Afghanistan government take control of their own security and affairs backed by the Afghan people. The insurgency is never going to be completely defeated and a final solution will have to incorporate economic, diplomatic and military initiatives. We should not try and play politics with the Afghanistan mission given that parliament passed a resolution committing to this mission until 2011. That mission extension was supported by both the Prime Minister and the Official leader of the opposition.
-Darryl