Harper's Real Agenda

Not fooled by Harper's sudden lurch toward the center? You're not alone. Have a look at this article linked from the rabble.ca website, Manifest destiny will have to wait for majority by Scott Piatkowski.

Once saying in a voice dripping with contempt that climate change was a myth (he based his fund-raising efforts on it), Harper is now greener than Kermit the Frog. (Sorry, Kermit.)

If Stephen Harper and his "we march in lock-step and speak with one voice" (neo)Conservatives make you nervous now, you ain't seen nothin' yet.

Meanwhile, the Conservative MP for Lanark, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington sends this notice out to his constituents :

"Scott Reid will vote 'Yes' to scrapping the gun registry - but he needs to know your opinion." (The text in bold font appeared in the original notice.)

There follows a request for your name, street number and e-mail address.

Well, Mr. Reid, you've already made up your mind, so why do you need input from the constituents you won't be listening to anyway? More sinister still - why do you need their street addresses?

Mr. Reid followed exactly the same procedure before he voted to reopen the debate on gay marriage, which made Canada look like bigoted, regressive fools. That, I'm happy to say, was roundly defeated.

Hugh Segal, former Progressive Conservative agitator and now a Senator appointed by the last Liberal prime minister (it didn't stop him taking the appointment, though) said in a late 2006 interview with Alan Gregg on TVO that the (neo)Conservatives had trouble with what they called the "yahoo" section at first, the extreme right wing of the Reform/Alliance types that make up the bulk of the party. They had the habit of inconveniently expressing their ignorance and bigotry again and again in public for television cameras and reporters. They have been firmly sat upon now. No one is allowed to express an independent opinion.

I prefer to call them the "God and Guns" crowd. They have nothing to fear from me, but I wish I could feel the same way about them. Holding beliefs in imaginary beings and being armed to the teeth at the same time is a frightening combination.