Continued from here.
Issues Pages:
Federal Election - 2015 (started January 27, 2015)
Wed, 2015-01-28 01:51
#1
Federal Election - 2015 (started January 27, 2015)
Wed, 2015-01-28 01:53
#2
This one's a biggie!
NDP would prohibit changes to pension plans by your employer after you are retired: Mulcair
A New Democratic Party government would protect pensions and prohibit companies from unilaterally changing the rules after an employee retires, NDP Leader Tom Mulcair said Tuesday.
“A deal is a deal is a deal,” Mulcair said, responding to a question from Gary Oberg, president of the National Association of Federal Retirees.
“Nobody should be ever allowed retroactively to change your pension deal. That’s what you bought, that’s what paid for and that should be respected.”
“That’s going to become another very big issue in years to come.”
Mulcair said the NDP would also move to better protect workers’ pensions when a company goes bankrupt.
http://www.ipolitics.ca/2015/01/27/mulcair-promises-tax-relief-for-small...
Wed, 2015-01-28 01:58
#3
Hey Unionist, there's that use of corruption once again.
So lets see, lower taxes for small business, Protect pension plans, Hold a national inquiry into missing aboriginal women, bring corporate taxes in line with our competitors, remove income splitting that the conservative finance minister said was bad for everyone, restore long term health care funding, return the retirement age to 65 from 67, change the fair election act so that Elections Canada has the power to investigate things like the robocalls, bring in an Universal daycare program for affordable daycare but allowing the people who don't want to participate the option of just getting the funds that our best and brightest cons have offered. Seems to me that this party is right on the ball as to what most Canadians want. A party that seems to want to help me make my life better, and bring back democracy. And how will these promises be paid for? Well the Canadians for Tax Fairness report that Canada loses to BILLIONS of dollars yearly to companies like apple, google, yahoo, tim hortons, cameco, microsoft, mcDonalds through tax loopholes and hidden and corrupted practices because our best and brightest conservatives are taking care of their corrupted buddies.
Wed, 2015-01-28 02:09
#4
Excellent article and should be required reading for all those interested in Canadian politics
Harper imagines a surplus; Mulcair talks to business about job creation
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/karl-nerenberg/2015/01/harper-imagines-s...
Wed, 2015-01-28 02:27
#5
NDP jobs plan walks an economic tightrope but brings Mulcair back from the political dead
http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/01/27/john-ivison-ndp-jobs-plan-walks-...
Wed, 2015-01-28 02:37
#6
The challenge for Canada's Trudeau: substance over style
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/01/28/uk-canada-trudeau-idUKKBN0L10DI...
Wed, 2015-01-28 08:16
#7
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/01/27/ndp-leader-thomas-mulcair-...
The headline is a good one.
Also these promises are directed at the private sector, actual direct economic stimulaa will mostly be in the enviromental platform, especially cap and trade and urban issues inforstructure, as well as more regional issues.
Wed, 2015-01-28 19:45
#8
Nice to see the NDP kicking some right-winger's butt!
NDP asks Speaker to sanction prime minister over Iraq
NDP asked the Speaker of the House of Commons to determine whether Prime Minister Stephen Harper intentionally misled MPs about Canada’s war in Iraq.
In strongly worded language, NDP defence critic Jack Harris accused the prime minister of hiding plans to put Canadian soldiers on the frontlines when MPs were debating the Iraq mission in the fall.
“There can be little doubt that the prime minister misled this House and Canadians in order to minimize the risk that public opinion or the consciences of parliamentarians would turn against him ahead of the vote to authorize the mission,” Harris said in the House of Commons.
Harris made the comments as he asked Scheer to rule on whether Harper was in contempt of Parliament for telling the House of Commons on Sept. 30 that Canadian soldiers would not be accompanying Iraqi and Kurdish forces into battle. Scheer said he would rule on the NDP’s request at a later time.
In response to questions from NDP leader Tom Mulcair, Harper said back in the fall that “Canadians soldiers are not accompanying the Iraqi forces into combat,” and that the mission was “to advise and to assist. It is not to accompany.”
Senior military officials have since confirmed that Canadian commandos in northern Iraq are spending about 20 per cent of their time on the frontlines, where they have been calling in airstrikes and have killed attacking Islamic State fighters with sniper fire.
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/ndp-asks-speaker-to-sanction-prim...
Wed, 2015-01-28 20:10
#9
montrealer58
This is political dynamite. Stephen Harper's contempt of Parliament is well-known.
Wed, 2015-01-28 20:15
#10
As the male journalist said on Power Play today with Don Martin the NDP are now showing signs of life.
Timing is everything in politics, like many things in life, and this fire under the NDP's ass could not come at a more opportune time for Mulcair and his team.
Wed, 2015-01-28 20:49
#11
Not every Canadian is a suspect. These right-wingers are nuts.
Mass surveillance program defended by Conservatives
The Conservative government says the Communications Security Establishment acts within the law after revelations of massive electronic spying program.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/01/28/mass-surveillance-program-...
Wed, 2015-01-28 20:57
#12
The Conservative right-wing approach to resource-depletion economics has failed Canadians.
For confirmation just looking at the crashing Canadian dollar which have never, ever fallen so far, so quickly.
Watch and see how much devastation that is going to cost us.
Now these right-wing yahooos, wanabee Americans, can't even balance the budget.
A country's currency is a leading indicator of its economic success or failure.
Switzerland has succeeded. Canada has failed.
Wed, 2015-01-28 21:21
#13
Conservatives by suing them, have now definitely abandoned our Veterans.
The problem for Canadians is to not replace these Conservative right-wingers with Liberal right-wingers.
Wed, 2015-01-28 22:16
#14
Seeing as how Jim Prentice might call an early election, how could that affect the federal election?
If Rachel Notley manages to become opposition leader or take most of the Edmonton seats could that help the Federal NDP?
Wed, 2015-01-28 22:42
#15
montrealer58
The crashing Canadian dollar may not be 100% a bad thing. We are not locked into the currency of a much different (and larger) country which may have a different monetary and fiscal policy agenda. The fall has been dramatic, some 25% in weeks. As you say, this is unprecedented.
Our bonds will still pay, although foreign holders of them have taken a haircut on the valuation. If the yield is in US dollars, there will be no change. If it is in Canadian dollars, they will receive a lot less.
We are generally at high levels of debt, and our housing prices are stratospheric. Canadian debt and housing costs just got marked down by 25%. This is a reality check. And fortunately, the banks lowered the mortgage rates so it should be a bit easier to pay it off.
Looking at it classically, the lower dollars should force imports down and exports up, and eventually return us to a state where we are making foreign currency hand over fist. The way we can really get ahead of the game as individuals and as a country is to start concentrating on making that foreign currency.
As Harper would surely say, this is a great time to buy Canadian. Anyone who can hold their hand on the tiller through this period will experience some very good economic growth down the line. This country has great fundamentals, and if it is managed properly can deliver higher-than-G8-average rates of growth.
During the last period like this (Chretien around 2000) Canadian workers were being sold short by the government and their unions. Collusion between the Liberals and the unions led to inactivity in several areas which have now left Canada at a serious disadvantage. Then, we were run by a shipping tycoon who refuses to pay his Quebec and Canadian taxes, and now we are run by a "Calgary School Economist" whose policies have failed. The only answer the Liberals can come up with is Justin Trudeau, who simply does not have the gravitas for the job.
Liberal Tory, same old story, Liberal Tory fail.
Wed, 2015-01-28 22:45
#16
Probably Scott.
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NDP blames Conservative cuts to StatsCan for jobs revision
“We thought that a 15,000 per month pace in employment growth wasn’t great, though respectable, but the now reported 10,000 per month pace clearly shows that the labour market failed to make significant headway last year,” CIBC economist Nick Exarhos wrote in a note to clients.
“The Bank of Canada is more concerned about the path of oil prices, and their impact on investment and hiring going forward, but today’s revisions suggest that the economy might not have been on quite as firm ground as earlier believed.”
As part of the revisions, Statistics Canada said the number of full-time jobs gained last year totalled 158,300 compared with its earlier reading of a 190,300.
The number of part-time jobs lost in 2014 was revised to 37,000 compared with the initial estimate of a loss of 4,500 for the year.
http://metronews.ca/news/canada/1273530/ndp-blames-conservative-cuts-to-...
Thu, 2015-01-29 01:13
#17
NDP's Small Business Tax Cut Would Help The Rich: Economists
01/28/2015
OTTAWA — An NDP plan to give tax relief to small businesses will actually end up giving wealthy Canadians a tax cut, some economists said Tuesday.
“[It’s] something to make the rich richer,” Jack Mintz, the director of the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy, told The Huffington Post Canada.
. . .
“We find that 60 per cent of the small business deduction goes to households with more than $150,000 in income,” Mintz said, of research he has previously done on the subject. “That’s because you tend to have a relatively high number of high-income households who own small businesses,” he said.
“The worst part [of the NDP plan],” Mintz added, “is that it doesn’t have good economic impacts because small business deductions contribute to a wall of taxation, so if they grow, they lose some of their benefits and get hit with higher taxes…. It tends to keep small businesses smaller.”
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More:
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/01/28/ndp-small-business-tax-cut-wealt...
Thu, 2015-01-29 01:36
#18
Says a right-wing economist. Blah!
Thu, 2015-01-29 10:41
#19
Canadians need to wake up to the mess Harper's warmongering is creating for us
Thu, 2015-01-29 10:55
#20
Thu, 2015-01-29 10:58
#21
NDP Leader Tom Mulcair focuses on Southwestern Ontario
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/ndp-leader-tom-mulcair-...
Thu, 2015-01-29 13:37
#22
CTV manages to do a whole article and not identify Leung as being a Conservative MP. Conincidence? Oversight? Not bloody likely,
Toronto MP issues apology after comments anger Iranian-Canadians
http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/toronto-mp-issues-apology-after-comments-anger...
Thu, 2015-01-29 13:40
#23
Trudeau is coming across as shadier and shadier.
Baloney Meter: Have the NDP and Liberals vowed to end the child care benefit?
http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2015/01/29/baloney-meter-have-the-ndp-a...
Thu, 2015-01-29 15:52
#24
White Cat
The Toronto Star has started it's election-campaign bullshit brigade early. Today Walkom claimed that Jack Layton was a "small-c conservative" and Muclair is bringing in Harper policies with a promise to cut small business taxes.
To set the record straight, the Neo-Liberals and Neo-Cons have cut corporate taxes by 50% since 2000. According to KPMG, Canada now has the lowest effective corporate tax rate of all major economies. Our rate is half that of China's. Mulcair's plan is to reverse a big chunk of these failed tax cuts and lower small business income taxes to even things out. Fact is small businesses are the major job creator in Canada.
Harper's plan is to give small businesses an EI tax cut blowing a $2-billion EI surplus. Fact: Canada has one of the lowest payroll tax rates in the world. We need to restore benefit cuts. Not give businesses a payroll tax cut. Trudeau upped the ante on Harper and vowed to include corporations in on Harper's EI tax cut.
"EI" is such a farce now after Liberal and Con benefit cuts that only 4 out of 10 workers are eligible to receive benefits. They turned unemployment insurance it into a tax on poor workers -- and pilfered the "EI" fund for $52-billion which they used to pay down government debt.
Long story short: like the recent Ontario election, the TorStar corporation has decided to throw out the rule book on journalistic standards and outright campaign for the Liberal party with rhetoric and lies.
There message: the NDP's actual move towards the center makes them "right-wing populists" no different than the neo-con party. They will overlook Trudeau's actual right-wing policies and claim he is the real left-wing leader.
Bretter break out a bulldozer. The Liberal Star will try (again) to bury the electorate in bullshit. Hope NDPers are prepared this time.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/01/28/as-election-looms-tom-mulc...
Thu, 2015-01-29 16:12
#25
White Cat
The crashing Canadian dollar may not be 100% a bad thing. We are not locked into the currency of a much different (and larger) country which may have a different monetary and fiscal policy agenda. The fall has been dramatic, some 25% in weeks. As you say, this is unprecedented.
Yes, the 20% drop is unprecedented. But so was the 60% rise in the dollar from 2003 to 2008. According to the OECD (based on PPP calculations) the proper value of the Canadian dollar is 81 cents US.
The fact is prices never change whether the dollar rises or falls. A 20% drop in the dollar should cause a 20% rise in inflation. All we got was, at most, a 0.5% annual rise. Same thing happened when the dollar dropped by 14% in 1997. Inflation was actually 1% -- well below the 2% target. Meaning prices didn't go up, they slightly dropped.
And when the dollar jumped 60%, prices did not go down. This neo-con economist Mike Moffatt (works for team Trudeau Jr.) showed the US/Canada price differential remained the same the entire 60% rise. He blamed the Bank of Canada for countering the massive 60% deflation one would've expected. Except the BoC took no action (interest rate cuts) to counter deflation. There was none.
The fact is purchasing power melts away into demand. Higher demand, higher prices. Lower demand lower prices. So average Canadians get zero benefit from an overvalued dollar, and pay no price for an undervalued one.
The only people who benefit are snowbirds and the rich who will actually feel the effects of a 60% bump in their wealth. And they will cry the loudest when it disappears.
BTW, Ontario lost 300,000 manufacturing jobs when the CAD turned into a petro-dollar in 2003. It will take an actual weak loonie (say 65 cents) for a prolonged period to restore the glory days of the late 1990s. (Compare GDP growth in the late 1990s to the abysmal growth since 2001.)
Thu, 2015-01-29 16:33
#26
Trudeau is coming across as shadier and shadier.
Baloney Meter: Have the NDP and Liberals vowed to end the child care benefit?
http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2015/01/29/baloney-meter-have-the-ndp-a...
THE VERDICT
Mulcair of the NDP has clearly and repeatedly stated he will not eliminate the Universal Child Care Benefit.
Delegates to a Liberal policy convention last year proposed retooling the UCCB as part of a broader tax credit that the Conservatives have now eliminated, but Trudeau has not publicly endorsed the plan and has said only that he would rescind the government's family income-splitting plan.
The Prime Minister's Office did not provide any evidence of Liberal or NDP MPs calling for the end of the UCCB.
For these reasons, Harper's claim that his political opponents have repeatedly promised to get rid of the child care benefit is "full of baloney."
Thu, 2015-01-29 17:10
#27
As mentioned above, Trudeau is coming across as shadier and shadier
The Liberals have been less clear.Leader Justin Trudeau was asked directly in a Business News Network interview last Nov. 19 whether he would keep the Conservatives' enhanced Universal Child Care Benefit.
"There are pieces in their proposal that are interesting and helpful," Trudeau responded,
Thu, 2015-01-29 17:11
#28
Dean Del Mastro fundraiser cleared by elections commissioner
Commissioner of Canada Elections found no wrongdoing with Brian Mulroney-headlined fundraiser
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/dean-del-mastro-fundraiser-cleared-by-el...
Thu, 2015-01-29 17:22
#29
This is what the Official Opposition NDP is up against in Canada.
Anti-terror bill briefing for MPs scheduled during question period
Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney's office invites MPs to session when they're supposed to be in House
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/anti-terror-bill-briefing-for-mps-schedu...
Thu, 2015-01-29 17:59
#30
Harper can't run on the economy any more so he is going to make security the ballot box issue.
Trudeau has already jumped on board, hopefully Mulcair doesn't.
Stephen Harper spinning gold from his little Iraq war:
Forget the inconsistencies spun to Parliament, the prime minister is revelling in the news that our forces are taking out the bad guys.
There are more than 60 countries in this anti-ISIS coalition. But either Canada is the only one whose special forces have engaged the enemy on the ground or we are the only ones who have publicized the fact.
“Why are we the outliers?” asked NDP defence critic Jack Harris.
That is the question that largely remains unanswered. Lawson said he gave the mission the go-ahead to begin identifying targets and move closer to the front, because the mission had evolved and the troops we were training were making such progress, although he said Canadians were not actively seeking areas where they can trade fire.
It is impossible to tell whether this type of mission was the plan by Harper all along or he merely approved as it “evolved.”
It is also yet to be learned whether this engagement on the front line puts a further spotlight on this country and its soldiers and whether it is merely a precursor to a larger ground involvement.
As Nicholson repeatedly told us Thursday, an overwhelming percentage of Canadians is behind the government on this mission.
But just to make sure, Harper has co-opted these soldiers as an election asset.
Perhaps the government view was best summed up by Ontario backbencher Rick Norlock who lamented that, just as we were making such progress in Iraq, the opposition came along to put “a damper” on things by asking all these pesky questions.
Indeed, the Conservatives would have us all hoard scrap iron and give up our nylons for the war effort and have the prime minister pose in front of soldiers on his way to the polls.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/01/29/stephen-harper-spinning-go...
Thu, 2015-01-29 18:04
#31
alan smithee
Bad news for Harpo.
http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/poll-canadians-rank-economy-jobs-ahead-of...
Thu, 2015-01-29 18:09
#32
Harper's a liitle ahead.
He is already shifting the ballot box question to security unfortunately.
Thu, 2015-01-29 18:37
#33
Justin Trudeau, Kathleen Wynne say Ottawa needs to be involved in greenhouse gas reduction
Trudeau & Wynne held a joint news conference today. Here's an article & video:
http://www.cbc.ca/m/news/politics/justin-trudeau-kathleen-wynne-agree-ca...
Thu, 2015-01-29 18:45
#34
Trudeau has just abdicated responsibility for global warming to the provinces because he is terrified of incuring the wrath of his corporate backers by having to raise taxes.
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Canadians concerned with possibility of giving security agencies too much power but see judicial system as not equipped to handle homegrown terrorism
A new survey by the Globe and Mail and Nanos Research suggests that almost half of Canadians (46%) think a terrorist attack in Canada is now more likely than it was a year ago. The perception of an elevated threat is further reflected in the fact that 33% agree and 33% somewhat agree that Canada is currently at war with terrorist groups.
When it comes to policing terrorism and stopping threats, less than half of Canadians (18% agree and 26% somewhat agree) believe that the judicial system is well equipped to handle homegrown terrorism. A majority support (43% agree and 23% somewhat agree) giving government the power to remove websites or posts on the Internet that it believes support the proliferation of terrorism in Canada.
Nevertheless, Canadians are concerned (34% concerned and 30% somewhat concerned) about the possibility that Canadian security agencies will be given too much power.Methodology
Nanos conducted an RDD dual frame (land- and cell-lines) hybrid telephone and online random survey of 1,000 Canadians between January 24th and 26th, 2015 as part of a Canadian omnibus survey.
Participants were randomly recruited by telephone using live agents and administered a survey online. The sample included both land- and cell-lines across Canada. The results were statistically checked and weighted by age and gender using the latest Census information and the sample is geographically stratified to be representative of Canada. The current wave of research was commissioned by the Globe and Mail.
The margin of accuracy for a random sample of 1,000 Canadians is 3.1 percentage points, plus or minus, 19 times out of 20.
QUESTION - Would you say a terrorist attack in Canada is more likely, as likely or less likely compared to a year ago?
More likely - 46.2%As likely - 45.8%Less likely - 5.3%Unsure - 2.8%
Do you agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or disagree with the following [RANDOMIZE]:
QUESTION - Canada is currently at war with terrorist groups.
Agree - 33.1%Somewhat agree - 33.3%Somewhat disagree - 16.9%
Disagree - 12.4%
Unsure - 4.4%
QUESTION - The Canadian justice system is currently well equipped to handle homegrown terrorism
Agree - 17.8%Somewhat agree - 26.1%Somewhat disagree - 27.4%
Disagree - 21.0%Unsure - 7.8%
QUESTION - The government should have the power to remove websites or posts on the Internet that it believes support the proliferation of terrorism in Canada.
Agree - 42.7%
Somewhat agree - 22.6%Somewhat disagree - 13.1%
Disagree - 17.4%Unsure - 4.2%
QUESTION - Are you concerned, somewhat concerned, somewhat unconcerned or unconcerned about the possibility that Canadian security agencies will be given too much power?
Concerned - 34.1%
Somewhat concerned - 29.6%
Somewhat unconcerned - 17.9%
Unconcerned - 15.9%
Unsure - 2.5%
The full report for this survey including the perceptions of the candidates can be found on our website. www.nanosresearch.com
Thu, 2015-01-29 18:46
#35
alan smithee
Harper's a liitle ahead.
He is already shifting the ballot box question to security unfortunately.
Really? Canadians care more about the economy than war.The only thing Harpo has to offer is security and Canadians aren't biting.
He can shift himself as far as he likes on the question of security. Canadians care about the economy and last I checked,the Conservatives shit the bed with it.
Thu, 2015-01-29 19:03
#36
Once again hatred of Harper doesn't get rid of him, it only blinds people to his strengths.
Harper is creating a security crisis for Canada to avoid having to deal with the economy.
And unfortunately to a certain extent it will work.
Thu, 2015-01-29 19:06
#37
alan smithee
Once again hatred of Harper doesn't get rid of him, it only blinds people to his strengths.
Harper is creating a security crisis for Canada to avoid having to deal with the economy.
And unfortunately to a certain extent it will work.
To a certain extent,maybe. Will it work? Not so far.
Thu, 2015-01-29 19:09
#38
Trudeau has just abdicated responsibility for global warming to the provinces because he is terrified of incuring the wrath of his corporate backers by having to raise taxes.
Totally false statement. Even when there's a video saying the opposite of what you claim, you just make things up. Just like Harper.
Trudeau says in this video conference that Ottawa cannot absolve itself of responsibility on global warming - it needs to be involved.
Thu, 2015-01-29 19:17
#39
Involved how? What does it need to do? Justin will never say because he really has no idea.
Thu, 2015-01-29 19:18
#40
Harper squished Trudeau like a bug here - it is just unfortunate Trudeau didn't know how to return the fire as he had lots of ammunition to do so.
Another example of Trudeau not being ready for prime time.
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/01/28/stephen-harper-justin-trudeau-tr...
Thu, 2015-01-29 19:19
#41
Exactly JTT - Trudeau said dick! 
Thu, 2015-01-29 19:26
#42
Thu, 2015-01-29 19:41
#43
Ladies and Gentlemen if the Libs have thier way our next Prime Minster (pic in the link).
http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/15800000/homer-simpson-2-the-simp...
Thu, 2015-01-29 19:47
#44
Come on, I like Homer! 
Thu, 2015-01-29 20:12
#45
Come on, I like Homer!
Besides, my understanding is that Homer was a Winnipegger; JT most certainly is not.
Thu, 2015-01-29 20:12
#46
Come on, I like Homer!
Besides, my understanding is that Homer was a Winnipegger; JT most certainly is not.
Thu, 2015-01-29 20:22
#47
Tax cuts for any business (small-medium-big) result in those business hoarding money. Tax cuts are also very insignificant, they do not create jobs
Thu, 2015-01-29 20:24
#48
I like Homer too, doesn't mean I want him for Prime Minister.
Thu, 2015-01-29 20:28
#49
Taxes are just another game that the rich people play and make complicated to try and confuse the masses. It is quite simple. Put a minimum 10% inheritance tax in and we will basically solve inequality in Canada.
Tax cuts for any business (small-medium-big) result in those business hoarding money. Tax cuts are also very insignificant, they do not create jobs
Thu, 2015-01-29 20:46
#50
The experts have failed Canadians, maybe on purpose, but more probably just too stupid, and that is why the one persenters control our country, lock, stock and barrel.
Taxes are just another game that the rich people play and make complicated to try and confuse the masses. We need to get rid of the lawyers, accountants, and MBas. Math is quite simple. Bring a minimum 10% inheritance tax in, and we will basically solve inequality in Canada. The NDP had it as part of their platform. The NDP at least had their foot in the door, before they got cold feet. We need to support them again in this direction so they will have to courage to not back down against the right-wing reactionary Liberals and Conservatives this time.
Tax cuts for any business (small-medium-big) result in those business hoarding money. Tax cuts are also very insignificant, they do not create jobs
Thu, 2015-01-29 21:25
#51
This is of major concern because if security is the ballot box question Harper will get re-elected.
Too bad Trudeau is acting so clueless about the issue.
Tories open about Iraq mission because the majority of people actually support it
The answer is that the Harper government finds itself in the unusual position of having the support of a majority of the Canadian people. An upcoming EKOS poll says 55% support the mission in Iraq, while only 37% oppose it.
A poll by Nanos Research released Thursday said 66% of respondents agree Canada is currently at war with terror groups, with only 29% disagreeing.
“It helps explain the significant turnaround in support for Mr. Harper and his government,” said EKOS’ Frank Graves. “People think the government is doing a pretty good job responding to the security threat.”
Since nearly two-thirds of Canadians have told pollsters they have already ruled out voting Conservative at the next election, this is a remarkable level of support and explains why Stephen Harper has been so aggressive in pushing the line that Canada is obliged to confront those plotting violence against us.
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The committee meeting was also notable for highlighting what a mess the Liberals have gotten themselves in. Marc Garneau, the Liberal point man, did a reasonable impression of Stephen Leacock’s Lord Ronald, who flung himself upon his horse and rode off madly in all directions.
He opened his questions with a preface that stated the Liberal Party supports the job our special forces are doing in Iraq. But he then proceeded to express his party’s opposition to the mission.
It’s not clear to me, or apparently to many Liberal supporters, how they intend to extricate themselves from the tangled web they have woven.
The NDP has no such qualms, remaining unapologetic about its unflinching opposition to the mission.
“We’ve identified ourselves as an outlier,” said Mr. Harris, as he emerged from the committee meeting, pointing out that the American and British say they have not permitted their special forces troops to engage the enemy. “That puts us in the limelight and may well provide more comments from ISIL people promoting attacks [on Canada].”
For now, the main beneficiary of the Iraq mission is the Harper government.
But that is not unusual in the early stages of a low risk mission. Owning it may be less attractive, should the wheels start coming off. “The positive effects politically won’t disappear overnight but they are not likely to endure in the long term,” said EKOS’ Mr. Graves.
http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/01/29/john-ivison-tories-open-about-ir...