Minority, how can it work?

[cowman]

Not real sure just how much a minority Conservative government can do?
I would think they first of all can bring in an accountability act with some teeth and seek out the thieves who have been stealing the taxpayer money for the last 12 years? Get those thieves caught before they skip the country!
I would think with a new minister of the CWB they can change a lot of policy without changing the act? For example issue export licenses without a buyback? Is that possible?
Can they scrap the gun registry without running it through Parliment? How about just not providing any funding to continue financing operations? That would kill it pretty fast?
If Harper is sincere about smaller government and giving the provinces back their rights, does he need the approval of Parliment? Will Duceppe support him on these issues?
Between the Conservative minority and the BLOC numbers there is a clear majority to move ahead on a lot of issues that both support? Both Harper and Duceppe say they can work together.
Which I will suggest is a good thing? Take the power out of Ottawa and get it back where it belongs...the provinces! Forget the petty things and work on the big picture?
One of Harpers promises was a free vote in the house of commons on the gay marriage thing? I think that is a very good thing! It's called democracy...something we haven't had for several years! It may not change the outcome one bit but it sure will seperate the goats from the sheep!

[farmers_son]

Really is this government much different from the Mulroney government which won a large majority in 1984? I expect the Conservatives and Bloc will join to run the country just like in the Mulroney years. The Quebec Conservative MPs were separatists who joined with Mulroney to draft the Meech Lake Accord which was first and foremost a recognition of the province of Quebec as a “distinct society”. The Meech Lake Accord was effectively killed when the Accord did not get the unanimous support from the Manitoba legislature after Elijah Harper raised a white feather to mark his dissention. Lucien Bouchard and other separtist Conservative MPs left the party to form the Bloc Quebecois in 1990 and in the next election formed the Official Opposition.

I think Cowman is right to say “Between the Conservative minority and the BLOC numbers there is a clear majority to move ahead on a lot of issues that both support? Both Harper and Duceppe say they can work together.” I expect the Conservatives will keep the support of the Bloc by moving Quebec towards a distinct society only without any Constitutional Amendments.

[cowman]

And what Quebec gets...we all get? That isn't good?
Quebec gets control of its healthcare and education....so do we all?
Quebec gets to sit in on international events that affect it...so does Alberta?
This is a good thing, in my opinion? No longer will Toronto/Montreal/Ottawa be able to dictate to the provinces. No longer will they be able to treat us like a bunch of slaves for the benifit of the golden triangle? I would suggest that is very good.

[wilagro]

cowman: Why don't we just deConfederate? That seems to be what YOU want. Ten or more little nations sitting in the middle of what WAS Canada. That thinking is BULLSHIT in my opinion. A stronger federation is what we need...not 'special interest' groups like Quebec attending international conventions and pretending to be a sovereign (spelling) nation.
Enjoy your 'Harper Revolution' while it lasts...just remember that there are other people in Canada besides Albertans.

[ivbinconned]

Ya like me from Saskabush!!

The only way to "strengthen" this confederation is through a triple E senate. But wilagrow, your beloved Liebranos enjoy dictatorship to much. Absolute power corrupts and they where extreme.
What is bizarre is how intolarant you are of the likes of cowman and I but are sooo tolarant of the lieing, schemeing, perverted, stealing, arrogant liberal party.

[wilagro]

ive****: There are a few rotten apples in every barrel as they say. I wouldn't condemn the entire Liberal party because of a few rotters. There were even a few good people in Grant Devine's gov't...or were there?

[ivbinconned]

Good point wil***! But the point here is this. When parties turn corrupt some of us work to throw them out even if we supported them to begin with.

Zero tolerance is what I practice and many westerners do, thus the many political movements that start in the west. This can not be said of the left.

[cakadu]

My curiosity is getting the better of me here. If you have zero tolerance ivbinconned and others, then when the Conservatives make their mistakes, as Harper stated in his acceptance speech last night, will that same zero tolerance apply?

It is a proven fact that power corrupts and Harper has many inexperienced caucus members and nobody knows how anyone will act in a certain situation. We may think we know but until we are there in the same circumstances we can never say for sure. There are only two certainties that any of us get in this life. and knowing how others will act and/or react isn't one of them.

[ivbinconned]

Isn't that what I had just posted???

You can count on me to hold their feet to the fire...notice my post about their promise to do away with the long gun registration.

One caveat though...they have a minority...how much of their agenda will the lying liberals and the rest of the opposition permit them to implement???

[ivbinconned]

Linda, I agree with you regarding how easy it is for newly elected MP's. MLA's and even municipal councillors to become caught up in how easy it might be to swing the vote in such a way as to help their own cause etc. I think this government has to keep their noses clean, because even their own party faithful are telling them that they will not tolerate self serving politics !!

[cowman]

I think Harper will have a tough job of keeping some of his people in line? Lets face it there are a lot of loose cannons out there? But also lets remember he sure kept them in line during the campaign?
I guess we'll see the mettle of the man in this term in office? He is going to need a lot of management skill to keep this diverse bunch together? Hopefully he will get the co-operation of all members of the party and not have to be putting out fires every day?

[ivbinconned]

Loose cannons like Caroylin Parish etc!

[silverback]

So how much corruption is ok wil*** ?

How many lies are ok ?

If you had a pile of money on your desk and the liberal party of Canada came in, how much would you let them steal, burn, or give to their friends before you told them to stop? If it was only some of the party doing the deeds, would you still say "Go ahead, I still like the rest of you!" ?

Anyone who stood by or accepted and made excuses for the crap the Liberals were pulling on us needs a slap upside the head.

[cowman]

One thing Duceppe brought up during the campaign should be pursued? He asked where the dirty money went? Which Liberals recieved it? And he implied that the reciever of stolen money is as dirty as the provider?
I would suggest that is something that should be pursued? If I buy a load of stolen weed spray I am as guilty as the thief...and so were the recievers of the stolen tax dollars! It might be very interesting to see who benifitted from the theft?
There will always be thieves. If you catch the little fish but the big fish get away you really haven't accomplished much because the big crooks can always find little crooks to do their dirty work? That is how organized crime works? And make no mistake...this was organized crime on a massive scale.

[ivbinconned]

Good point silverback.

It is discouraging and worrysome to see the tolarance that the liberal minded have for perversion, cheating and stealing within their ranks and yet have zero tolarance for those moms that want to stay at home and raise their own kids.

Or for the paster who preaches that the gay lifestyle is a sin. Or for the farmer, that for decades kept the shot gun close by and ready to use.

Or for for those who support life at all stages.

Their hate for traditional "values" was evident on election night when jack chow mentioned Harper there arose loud booing from his supporters. A classless bunch I'd say!