Politics

Stephen ‘we aren’t in election mode‘ Harper’s attack ads on Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff takes various quotes with no context in order to paint him as someone with no love for Canada and apparently by extension no right to govern. Now I’m neither a Liberal nor a great supporter of Ignatieff, however, if this is the litmus test for leadership let’s see how Harper does when hoisted on his own petard.

“A culture of defeat…”
describing the Atlantic provinces

“Canada is a Northern European welfare state in the worst sense of the term, and very proud of it. Canadians make no connection between the fact that they are a Northern European welfare state and the fact that we have very low economic growth, a standard of living substantially lower than yours, a massive brain drain of young professionals to your country, and double the unemployment rate of the United States.”

June 1997 Montreal meeting of the Council for National Policy, a right-wing American think tank.

“I was asked to speak about Canadian politics. It may not be true, but it’s legendary that if you’re like all Americans, you know almost nothing except for your own country. Which makes you probably knowledgeable about one more country than most Canadians.”

June 1997 Montreal meeting of the Council for National Policy, a right-wing American think tank.

“Canada appears content to become a second-tier socialistic country, boasting ever more loudly about its economy and social services to mask its second-rate status, led by a second-world strongman appropriately suited for the task.”

“It is time to seek a new relationship with Canada,”

“In terms of the unemployed, of which we have over a million-and-a-half, don’t feel particularly bad for many of these people. They don’t feel bad about it themselves, as long as they’re receiving generous social assistance and unemployment insurance.”

June 1997 Montreal meeting of the Council for National Policy, a right-wing American think tank.

Harpers views on particular Canadians

Immigrants

“You have to remember that west of Winnipeg the ridings the Liberals hold are dominated by people who are either recent Asian immigrants or recent migrants from Eastern Canada; people who live in ghettos and are not integrated into Western Canadian society.”
Report Newsmagazine, 2001.

Does that make NDP supporters Satanists?

“The NDP could be described as basically a party of liberal Democrats, but it’s actually worse than that, I have to say. And forgive me jesting again, but the NDP is kind of proof that the Devil lives and interferes in the affairs of men.”
June 1997 Montreal meeting of the Council for National Policy, a right-wing American think tank.

Feminist -read women’s rights and health care oh my!!

“The establishment came down with a constitutional package which they put to a national referendum. The package included distinct society status for Quebec and some other changes, including some that would just horrify you, putting universal Medicare in our constitution, and feminist rights, and a whole bunch of other things.”
June 1997 Montreal meeting of the Council for National

Lost your job? don’t worry daddy Harper cares or maybe not…

In terms of the unemployed, of which we have over a million-and-a-half, I don’t feel particularly bad for many of these people.
Rebel Youth magazine

Gay? no rights for you!

Same sex marriage is not a human right. … [U]ndermining the traditional definition of marriage is an assault on multiculturalism and the practices in those communities.
Hansard, February 16, 2005

Poor child? Suck it up wussies!

These proposals included cries for billions of new money for social assistance in the name of “child poverty” and for more business subsidies in the name of “cultural identity. In both cases I was sought out as a rare public figure to oppose such projects.”
The Bulldog, National Citizens Coalition

On coalition

As leaders of the opposition parties, we are well aware that, given the Liberal minority government, you could be asked by the Prime Minister to dissolve the 38th Parliament at any time should the House of Commons fail to support some part of the government’s program. We respectfully point out that the opposition parties, who together constitute a majority in the House, have been in close consultation. We believe that, should a request for dissolution arise this should give you cause, as constitutional practice has determined, to consult the opposition leaders and consider all of your options before exercising your constitutional authority. Your attention to this matter is appreciated.

From a letter to then-Governor General Adrienne Clarkson signed by all three opposition leaders: Gilles Duceppe, Jack Layton and Stephen Harper (September 9, 2004)