Mulcair gains a point in my books for pulling some jiu jistu on Steven Harper.
I'm not going to shiver in my boots thinking about attacks from the conservatives. I *am* going to look for a candidate who is a strategic thinker, and who can craft a message.
I wonder which other candidates will show off some skills.
One question remains however: I had no idea that Mulcair was a dual citizen in the first place... Was this information in his own bio? I don't remember reading about this.
Good question. Did his bio mention at what point in his life he became an extreme supporter of Israel?
And perhaps another question that should be asked is whether or not any of the candidates have anything else that they should let members know now instead finding out later?
Precisely. Like the Israel thing.
What's an "extreme" supporter of Israel? Is there a checklist?
What's an "extreme" supporter of Israel? Is there a checklist?
Yeah - it's someone who says, "You can't even say that you personally support the boycott movement."
ETA: I also have a definition for "extreme supporter of Mulcair/Topp/Nash/Saganash/Ashton/Cullen/Dewar/Singh": someone who acknowledges only their positive qualities.
Likewise for "extreme support of the NDP".
I want to respond to a point Malcolm made several threads back and that was to say that Canada needed the NDP's $35 billion warships because it has the longest coastline in the World and it needs to defend its borders.
Malcolm is wrong about this. The Joint Support Ships are not suitable to defending Canada's coastline because they are a) way too slow b) unable to break through ice
What they are meant for is to play a "support" role in missions far from your borders or friendly infrastructure and ports. This means these ships are designed for a war zone like Libya or Iraq. These ships can be built to contain full field hospitals and water purification facilities. They are basically a small military base on water. During the Christmas time tsunami in Asia several years ago, the US also used ships like these for humanitarian purposes (using their water purification and hospital facilities and the fact that they were already in the Asia-Pacific region).
So that is what the NDP is cheerleading for: $35 billion for fully deployable military bases on water, as compared to a "NDP Budget" in 2005 with $4.6 billion in social and environmental spending.
Priorities, priorities, priorities...
From the Saganash link:
“All my life I have tried to bring people together in order to move forward. It is more than a slogan for me — it has been my life,” he said. “I don’t consider myself as an aboriginal candidate or a First Nations candidate or a Cree candidate or a Quebec candidate . . .”Saganash said it is obvious from the declining voter turnouts that there are many people in Canada who feel disaffected.
“They have a chance to elect a prime minister in me that understands what it’s like to be disaffected. They have a chance to elect a prime minister that did not grow up with privileges. The have an opportunity to elect a prime minister that most of the time was on the wrong side of the power equation but yet came out victorious for the people. So this is what I have to offer,” he said.
Who does the NDP speak for? Where is this affected portion of the populace who doesn't vote? Where is the commentary on Monsieur Saganash? Ignored, over and over, and why? What is Romeo lacking?
To those who feel that Romeo can't win, I'd ask that you give your fellow Canadians some respect. Most Canadians are open to reconciliation with First Nations and Quebec. Romeo has been a stalwart in this regard.
I'd prefer someone who has been through these difficult canals already to guide us.
How do we get the vote out? How do we get the youth out? I'd bet Romeo has the best answer.
If he has two passports that is less than ideal. Giving up citizenship is something no one should feel they have to do. But having 2 passports is a whim for most people. He's been a national politician for years now, and there was the warning around the Michael Jean thing. He could have let the passport expire [if he still has one]. But too late for that now.
Has anyone actually confirmed that he has a French passport or is this just speculation?
What's an "extreme" supporter of Israel? Is there a checklist?Yeah - it's someone who says, "You can't even say that you personally support the boycott movement."
ETA: I also have a definition for "extreme supporter of Mulcair/Topp/Nash/Saganash/Ashton/Cullen/Dewar/Singh": someone who acknowledges only their positive qualities.
Likewise for "extreme support of the NDP".
You're so... extreme ;)
Looks like Mulcair decided to put Harper on notice, that he will not tolerate any attacks from the PMO, without a hearty response. link
After reading the article, I feel a bit like Harper just walked into a gun fight, holding a banana.
Re Charlie Angus e-mail - that was not in Charlie's voice. In fact, it was written to associate the ghost of Jack Layton with Dewar. Words such as "vision" "dream" (ie Jack's Dream), "caring" "optimism" (straight off of Jack's letter) and then "energy". Then there was the repetition "build on his work" and "carry on Jack's work" in a very short letter.
Dewar's last couple of endorcers seemed to have gotten perks out of the deal (ie Linda Duncan), this 70 thing seems to have impressed Charlie Angus. Still Angus and Monia Mazigh are good endorcements - and Duncan was made for Environment Minister/Critic.
I think that Dewar's stiff appearance was to fight his usual chicken look when talking so saw it as an improvment that may have gone too far in the other direction (judging by everyone else's reaction). Noticed in the CBC interview, Topp was no longer Mr bobble-head so I think they are all adjusting themselves and may go back and forth between the extremes a bit before they decide on an image.
Agree with (I think it was Unionist) who said basically that the Liberals are full of sell-fulfilling prophesies. Whether what they say has any truth in it or not, they figure that it they talk up a certain interpretation, it will come to be. Look in the tread for that piano cartoon - they figure that if they talk like they are still one step away from the PMO that people will start believin them and then it will happen.
That legalizing pot vote struck me as odd - that it was legalization rather than just decriminalization - and that it had the support of 75% there despite the fact that the top brass of the Liberal party are not in favour of it. Strikes me as one issue voters infiltrating the Liberal party.
Rae is a pro business free trader and, unless Ron Paul becomes President, the Americans will be threatening Canada to slow down goods getting across the border unless we toughen up our pot laws.
The NDP officially supports decriminalization.
Hmm
Pot and the monarchy, two ballot box issues. Ya just gotta hand it to the Liberals. LOL
Mulcair said he's never hidden the fact that he's both a French and Canadian citizen. In fact, the Montreal MP has taken part in news conferences, at the request of the French government, to remind dual citizens that they're entitled to vote in French elections. His wife has actually run as a candidate for French President Nicolas Sarkozy's conservative party. Mulcair said dual citizenship has never been an issue for Quebecers, many of whom are also citizens of France. "For us, it's just a symbol of the richness of Canada." Mulcair pointed out that he fought for Canada through two referendums on Quebec independence. By contrast he recalled that Harper once co-authored an open letter urging Alberta to build a "firewall" around the province. "I have no lessons to receive about being Canadian from Stephen Harper."
Oh hell yes! Mulcair is winning a lot of brownie points just for bringing [url=http://www.cbc.ca/canadavotes2004/leadersparties/leaders/pdf/firewall.pd... up.
Mulcair does seem to be on a bit of roll these days.
http://accidentaldeliberations.blogspot.com/2012/01/leadership-2012-roun...
Closed.
