Another Rant on Politicians & Parties: Split from Address by the Prime Minister

[Toronto_NCO]

a bit off topic but, what do you think other countries think of Canada's current political situation?  If this type of "scandal" was to happen in the USA, how much of a big deal would it be there?  (also replace "USA" with any other NATO/G7/G8 member)

Just doing some late night thinking....(and am interested to see other posts/replies)!

 

[daniel h.]

I don't mean to be a drip, but please don't let Harper fool you that he'll be any better. This scandal is relatively minor, and does relate to national unity, which the CF supports.
Harper has said in the past that Albertans should "build a firewall around Alberta."

He refuses to talk about his positions anymore. He wants to privatize medicare against the wishes of the majority. He wants to go to war in Iraq against the will of the majority. He wants massive corporate tax cuts against the will of the majority. He wants to expand the military--but only to play U.S.A. quisling, against the will of the majority.
Stephen Harper has been to bilderberg meeting, dedicated to eliminating countries so corporations can do what they want, against the will of the majority:

www.bilderberg.org
www.gateway.ualberta.ca/view.php?aid=2632

Where is the media at Bilderberg?
Aaron Braaten

The most orgiastic display of coordinated corporate capitalism/state cronyism happens at the annual Bilderberg meetings, but since
our monolithic Canwest-Corus-Shaw-Quebecor-Bell media entity and even the venerable CBC refuse to cover them in-depth, all I can say is, thank God for the Internet.

The annual Bilderberg meetings were initiated in 1954 by the Nazi-sympathizing Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands at the Hotel de Bilderberg in Oosterbeek, Holland. Even though the meetings take place annually all over the world, they still retain their original name. The purpose of the meetings is to foster dialogue among world leaders in a private setting and enable leaders to be more candid than they would otherwise be in public.
Outsiders regard the meetings as "secret,â ? whereas attendees defend them as "private.â ? While they are exercising their rights to free assembly, I doubt that industry and state leaders of this calibre get together to engage in idle banter, scotch-drinking and a round of golf. The purpose of the meetings is to reach an informal consensus and then work towards that consensus through their more formal governmental bodies such as the G8.

Last year's meeting took place near Versailles, France while most of us were enjoying our annual May-long holiday, and barely was a peep heard of it in the Canadian press. Some headline guests included, as always, Henry Kissinger and Conrad Black (who sits on the steering committee that chooses invitees) as well as big-name Canadians like Heather Reisman of Chapters-Indigo, Anthony Fell, Chairman of RBC Dominion Securities, Mark Steyn, writer for Conrad Black's paper group, and Stephen Harper.
Maybe the corporate media is just stupid, or perhaps they're in on it, too. Only the 15 May, 2003 issue of the Toronto Sun and the 6 June, 2003 issue of Edmonton's See Magazine mentioned Stephen Harper's attendance, but both failed to provide the coverage that others such as Pepe Escobar's "Masters of the Universeâ ? article did for the Asia Times. The only other coverage available was on blogs and Independent Media Collective (Indymedia) websites across Canada.

A 1987 issue of the Economist magazine once declared: "when you have scaled the Bilderberg, you have arrived.â ? This is why Stephen Harper's recent attendance at the 2003 Bilderberg meeting has such significance, as it indicates that the global ruling class has placed its long-term bets on Harper. This is important for the Conservative leadership race, as Belinda Stronach has only captured the hearts of the World Economic Forum crowd, who rank lower in the global-ruling food chain. However, the real leadership race is amongst the partisan plebeians, and in all likelihood, the globalists can only hope for a positive outcome.
The Bilderberg group is said, though, to have made kings of Bill Clinton and Tony Blair, who were unknowns until after they had done their rounds at the annual meetings. Uncle Ralph did it the other way, as he was whisked away in 1995 to a Bilderberg meeting a few years after becoming King of the Kleinocratic Ralph-ublic of Oilbertastan, 51st State in the Union. Some say it reflected Black's admiration for the "privatize and tell lots of liesâ ? strategy that plunged Alberta into the Kleinocracy it is today. Klein is not unique, though, as other Canadian politicians like Paul Martin and Mike Harris have attended. Is this why Klein appears closer to Martin and Harris? I asked Uncle Ralph this very question recently, and he responded with a "no.â ?

To Canada's media conglomerates, I say do your job to inform us as to how these meetings shape Canada's future and how the Bilderberg consensus affects our policies and lives. The next one might be in Florida or Georgia-get your asses down there and cover it. Because after all, we have a right to know

.

To get an idea who the movers and shakers are in 2003--including Stephen Harper:
(Paul Martin, Jean Chretien, Pierre Trudeau, Mike Harris, Ralph Klein, Stephane Dion, Robert Bourassa, Bernard Lord, Frank McKenna have also been to these meetings in the past)
www.bilderberg.org/2003.htm

2003 Agenda -- from Bilderberg Press Release
"The conference will deal mainly with European-American relations and in this context Iraq, The Middle East after Terrorism, Non-Proliferation, The European Convention, Economic Problems." (rest of 'press release' much like previous years but no participant list yet)    
2003 Participant list
BILDERBERG MEETINGS
Versailles, France, 15-18th May 2003
CURRENT LIST OF PARTICIPANTS


B - Honorary Chairman - Davignon, Etienne - Vice-Chairman, Societe Generale de Belgique
GB - Honorary Secretary General - Taylor. J Martin - Chairman WH Smith PLC; International advisor, Goldman Sachs International
F - Adler, Alexandre - Editorial counsel, Le Figaro (*)
I - Ambrosetti, Alfredo - Chairman Ambrosetti Group
TR - Babacan, Ali - Minister of Economic Affairs
GR - Bakoyannis, Dora - Mayor of Athens
GB - Balls, Edward - Chief Economic Advisor to the Treasury
P - Balsemão, Francisco Pinto - Professor of Communication Science, New University, Lisbon; Chairman and CEO, IMPRESA, S.G.P.S.; Former Prime Minister
P - Barroso, José M. Durão - Prime Minister
TR - Bayar, Mehmet A. - Deputy Chairman of DYP (True Path Party)
A - Becker, Erich - Chairman of the Managing Board and CEO, VA Technologie AG
I -   Bendetti, Rodolfo de - Managing Director CIR S.p.A.
I - Bernabè, Franco - Chairman Franco Bernabe & C. S.p.A.
F - Beytout, Nicolas - Editor-in-Chief, Les Echos
KW - Bishara, Ahmad E. - Secretary General of Kuwait's liberal National Democratic Party
CDN - Black, Conrad M. - Chairman, Telegraph Group Limited
INT - Bolkestein, Frits - Internal Markets Commissioner, European Commission
USA - Bolton, John R. - Under-Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security
F - Bon, Michel - Honorary Chairman, France Telecom
F - Bruguière, Jean-Louis - First Vice President, Justice Department
D - Burda, Hubert - Publisher and CEO, Hubert Burda Media Holding GmbH & Co.
F - Camus, Phillipe - CEO, European Aeronautics Defence and Space company European Aeronautics Defence and Space company (EADS)
INT - Cary, Anthony J. - Head of Christopher Patten's cabinet, EU. [Patten is European Commissioner for Enlargement]  
F - Castries, Henri de - Chairman of the Board, AXA
E - Cebrián, Juan Luis - CEO, PRISA
B - Claes, Willy - Minister of State [Willy Claes is not now a Belgian Minister but former Belgian Foreign Minister and former Secretary General of NATO 1994-1995 - now disgraced - TG]
GB - Clarke, Kenneth - Member of Parliament, [former Chancellor of the Exchequer]
USA - Collins, Timothy C. - Senior Managing Director and CEO, Ripplewood Holdings LLC
F - Collomb, Bertrand - Chairman and CEO, Lafarge
F - Copé, Jean-François - Secretary of State in charge of relations with Parliament; Government Spokesman
USA - Corzine, Jon S. - Senator (D, New Jersey)
S - Dahlbäck, Claes - Chairman, Investor AB
GR - David, George A. - Chairman of the Board, Coca-Cola H.B.C. S.A.
USA - Donilon, Thomas E. - Executive Vice President, Fannie Mae
I - Draghi, Mario - Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, Goldman Sachs International
DK - Eldrup, Anders - CEO, Danish Oil and Gas Corporation
USA - Feldstein, Martin S. - President and CEO, National Bureau of Economic Research
CDN - Fell, Anthony S. - Chairman, RBC Dominion Securities Inc.
USA - Friedman, Thomas L. - Foreign Affairs Columnist, The New York Times
F - Gergorin, Jean-Luis - Executive Vice President, Strategic Coordination, European Aeronautics Defence and Space company (EADS)
USA - Gigot, Paul A. - Editorial page editor, The Wall Street Journal
F - Giscard d'Estaing, Valéry - French President 1974-81; Chairman of the Convention on the Future of Europe
N - Gjedrem, Svein - Governor, Central Bank of Norway
IRL - Gleeson, Dermot - Chairman designate, Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c.
GB - Gould, Philip - Public Relations Adviser to Prime Minister Blair
USA - Haass, Richard N. - Director, Office of Policy Planning Staff, State Department
NL - Halberstadt, Victor - Professor of Economics, Leiden University; Former honorary Secretary General of Bilderberg Meetings
CDN - Harper, Stephen - Leader of the Opposition
USA - Hertog, Roger - Vice-Chairman, Alliance Capital Management
NL - Hoop Scheffer, Jaap G. de - Minister for Foreign Affairs
USA - Hubbard, Allan B. - President, E&A Industries
USA - Hubbard, R. Glenn - Russell L. Carson Professor of Economics and Finance, Columbia University
USA - Johnson, James A. - Vice Chairman, Perseus L.L.C.
USA - Jordan, Jr., Vernon E. - Senior Managing Director, Lazard Freres & Co. L.L.C.
CH - Kielholz, Walter B. - Former Chairman of the Board, Credit Suisse; Executive Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, Swiss Re
GB - King, Mervyn A. - Deputy Governor, Bank of England
USA - Kissinger, Henry A. - Chairman, Kissinger Associates, Inc.; Member, Defense Policy Board; Member J.P. Morgan International Council
FIN - Kivinen, Olli - Senior Editor & Columnist, Helsingin Sanomat
NL - Kok, Wim - Former Prime Minister
D - Kopper, Hilmar - Former Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Deutsche Bank AG
USA - Kravis, Henry R. - Founding Partner, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.
USA - Kravis, Marie-Joseé - Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute, Inc.
INT - Lamy, Pascal - Trade Commissioner, European Commission
F - Lellouche, Pierre - Vice Chairman, NATO Parliamentary Assembly (**)
F - Lévy-Lang, André - Former Chairman, Paribas
S - Lindh, Anna - Minister for Foreign Affairs
FIN - Lipponen, Paavo - Former Prime Minister; Speaker of the Parliament
DK - Lykketoft, Mogens - Chairman, Social Democrat Party
CDN - MacMillan, Margaret O. - Provost, Trinity College, University of Toronto
RUS - Margelov, Mikhail V. - Chairman, Committee for Foreign Affairs, Council of Federation
F - Montbrial, Thierry de - President, French Institute of International Relations (IFRI)
INT - Monti, Mario - Competition Commissioner, European Commission
USA - Mundie, Craig J. - Chief Technical Officer, Advanced Strategies and Policy, Microsoft Corporation
N - Myklebust, Egil - Chairman, Norsk Hydro ASA
D - Naas, Matthias - Deputy Editor, Die Zeit
NL - Netherlands, H.M. the Queen of the [Queen Beatrix - Royal Dutch Shell]
PL - Olechowski, Andrzej - Leader, Civic Platform
FIN - Ollila, Jorma - Chairman of the Board and CEO, Nokia Corporation
INT - Padoa-Schioppa, Thomasso - Member of the Executive Board, European Central Bank
I - Panara, Marco - Journalist, La Republica
I - Passera, Corrado - Managing Director, Banca IntesaBCI
USA - Perkovich, George - Vice President for Studies, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
USA - Perle, Richard N. - Member, Defense Policy Board ; Resident Fellow, American Enterprise Institute (AEI) for Public Policy Research; member Project for a New American Century (PNAC)  
B - Philippe, H.R.H. Prince - Crown Prince of Belgium
I - Poli, Roberto - Chairman, Eni S.p.A.
F - Ranque, Denis - Chairman and CEO, Thales Aerospace and Defence
DK - Rasmussen, Anders Fogh - Prime Minister
CDN - Reisman, Heather - President and CEO, Indigo Books & Music Inc.
F - Riboud, Franck - Chairman and CEO, Danone Foods
CH - Ringier, Michael - CEO, Ringier AG
USA - Rockefeller, David - Member, J.P. Morgan International Council
P - Rodrigues, Eduardo Ferro - Leader of the Socialist Party; Member of Parliament
E - Rodriguez Inciarte, Matias - Executive Vice Chairman, Banco Santander Central Hispano
F - Roy, Olivier - Senior Researcher, CNRS
USA - Ruggie, John - Director, Center for Business and Government, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
NL - Ruys, Anthony - Chairman of the Board, Heineken N.V.
TR - Sanberk, Ã-zdem - Director, Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation
I - Scaroni, Paolo - Managing Director, Enel S.p.A.
D - Schäuble, Wolfgang - Deputy Parliamentary Leader, CDU/CSU Group
D - Schily, Otto - Minister of the Interior
A - Scholten, Rudolf - Member of the Board of Executive Directors, Oesterreichische Kontrollbank AG
D - Schrempp, Jurgen E - Chairman of the Board of Management, Daimler Chrysler AG
INT - Schwab, Klaus - President, World Economic Forum
DK - Seidenfaden, Toger - Editor in Chief, Politiken
RUS - Shevtsova, Lilia - Senior Associate, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
E - Spain, H.M. the Queen of    [King Juan Carlos (see photo) arrived with the queen, but he is not on this list]
USA - Steinberg, James B. - Vice President and Director, Foreign Policy Studies Program, The Brookings Institution
CDN - Steyn, Mark - Journalist for various publications
IRL - Sutherland, Peter D. - Chairman and Managing Director, Goldman Sachs International; Chairman, BP Amoco
USA - Thornton, John L. - President and CEO, Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
F - Trichet, Jean Claude - Governor, Banque de France
GR - Tsoukalis, Loukas - Professor, University of Athens; President Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy
A - Trumpel-Gugerell, Gertrude - Vice Governor, Central Bank of Austria
CH - Vasella, Daniel L. - Chairman and CEO, Novartis AG
NL - Veer, Jeroen van der - President, Royal Dutch Petroleum Company; Vice Chairman of the Committee of Managing Directors of Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies
F - Villin, Philippe - Vice Chairman, Lehman Brothers Europe
NL - Vries, Klaas de - Member of Parliament (Labour); Former Minister of the Interior
FIN - Whalroos, Björn - President and CEO, Sampo plc.
S - Wallenberg, Jacob - Chairman of the Board, Skandinavivska Enskilda Banken
GB - Williams, Gareth - Leader of the House of Lords
GB - Wolf, Martin H. - Associate Editor/Economics Commentator, The Financial Times
USA/INT - Wolfensohn, James D. - President, The World Bank
USA - Wolfowitz, Paul - Deputy Secretary of Defense, US Department of Defense
USA - Zakaria, Fareed - Editor, Newsweek International
USA - Zoellick, Robert - Principal Trade Adviser to the President
D - Zumwinkel, Klaus - Chairman, Deutsche Post Worldnet AG

Rapporteurs
GB - Micklethwait, R. John - United States Editor, The Economist
GB - Rachman, Gideon - Brussels Correspondent, The Economist

 

[Guardian]

Opinions like this just leave me sputtering...

I don't mean to be a drip, but please don't let Harper fool you that he'll be any better.

You're letting Martin fool you into thinking he'll be better than Harper. On what basis?

This scandal is relatively minor, and does relate to national unity, which the CF supports.

Please don't imply that the CF supports the kind of crass corruption we're seeing come out of this scandal. You're spitting on my uniform.

No scandal where the government lies to the public, stealing their hard-earned tax dollars, and uses them to fill their own partisan coffers can be called "minor."  The issue here is not the amount of money - it's the loss of integrity and public trust that we expect in a government.  You are saying here that corruption should be tolerated. If that's what you'd have us believe is a "Canadian value," well then I'd rather not be Canadian.

He refuses to talk about his positions anymore. He wants to privatize medicare against the wishes of the majority.

The Conservatives just held a policy convention, where they "talked about their positions" at length. As for health care, do you seriously expect that a political party in Canada would dismantle publicly funded medicare? They'd last one term, and be booted out - never to return. Ever.

I'll also point out that Martin, a Liberal, sees a doctor that runs a chain of private clinics, in the Province of Quebec (which is run by a Liberal government). Since you clearly believe everything the Liberals SAY, why don't you take the next logical step and believe what they DO? By your logic, the Liberals are the ones dismantling public health care...

He wants massive corporate tax cuts against the will of the majority.

The Liberal Party has incorporated corporate tax cuts in their budget - which is why the NDP won't support the budget.

He wants to go to war in Iraq against the will of the majority.

The Liberals allowed CF members to go to Iraq with coalition units, and they're still there. The new head of the Army doctrine and Training System was the second in command of the US Army's III Corps - the main American ground formation in Iraq - for almost a year over there. I just watched an interview on ATV with a PPCLI major who is in Iraq with the National Guard division there.

So the vaunted Liberals opposed the war with their mouths, but sent troops anyway. You don't have to agree with Harper's stance on the war, but at least you have to admit his stance was consistent and honest.

He wants to expand the military--but only to play U.S.A. quisling, against the will of the majority.

Maybe he wants to expand the military for the same reasons that the Liberals AND the NDP supported military spending increases in the last election - because the CF is falling apart? Because we no longer are meaningful on the international stage because we can't back up our high-sounding words with action?

I'll point out that without military expansion, we will be even more dependent on the hated, evil, baby-eating, theocratic, bogeyman USA than we are now - and not for overseas military operations, but simply to protect ourselves. It never ceases to amaze me how those who hate the US so much also oppose Canadian military spending - and, by that logic, would hand our defence over to those whom they hate so much....

As for the attack on Harper attending the Bilderberg conference, so did Martin.

All you've proven is that of the two options available to us, Conservative and Liberal (sorry, the NDP don't count), the Conservatives are no worse than the Liberals. And given the testimony coming out of the Gomery inquiry, the Liberals have lost any ethical standing in the public eye.

I'd rather take the unproven but consistent Conservatives over the proven criminals and liars that infest the Liberal party. Martin may not be personally involved, but the party he leads is as guilty as sin.

 

[a_majoor]

After looking at the list of attendees at the Bilderberg conference, I wonder what the fuss was about. These people are not the Illuminati (who don't hold public conferences anyway), and besides, isn't it interesting that people who have that kind of political and economic clout are interested in the ideas and opinions of Stephen Harper. George W Bush was also interested enough in Mr Harper to have a private meeting when he was in Canada.

The Bilderbergers and George W Bush are aware at some level of the disconnect between Paul Martin's words and deeds (probably not to the level of detail we have here, since Canada only makes up @ 3% of the global market and has negligible military, political or diplomatic influence), and seem to have reacted accordingly.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Excellent response Guardian!

 

[Gunnar]

I sometimes hear the question, "Why are you a Liberal?" and
frankly, I have to laugh. Laugh and laugh, because perhaps this
person may tire of my laughing, and he will eventually wander off.
Sometimes I ponder seriously when I hear this question, because I'll
look around and around and there's nobody there asking the question.
Why am I a Liberal?

I am a Liberal because I believe everyone deserves a chance. And if
necessary, a second chance. And if, by the eighth or ninth chance,
this guy needs another chance, I mean, come on. This guy is due.

I am a Liberal because I believe in helping those in need. All of us,
you and I, have an obligation to those less fortunate. You go first,
okay? I'm a little short this week.

I am a Liberal because I believe in the equality of all people,
regardless of their race. That is why I think we should give free
medical degrees to minorities because, well, duh. Like any of those
types are going to make it through medical school.

I am a Liberal because I fervently believe in tolerance. Tolerance is
critical in our diverse society, and if you have a problem with that,
mister, then I will inform the authorities and I bet that after a few
hours in their "special room" you too will agree that
tolerance is critical.

I am a Liberal because I believe that we should take our noses out of
other people's bedrooms. I say we move the noses to their banks and
storage sheds and scout troops, and so forth.

I am a Liberal because I hold sacred freedom of the press, as well as
freedom of the TV and freedom of the movie. Where I draw the line is
freedom of the talk radio, and don't even get me started about that
damn Internet business.

I am a Liberal because I recognize that education is important. Very,
very, extremely very important. We must increase spending on
education and enact important education reforms, such as eliminating
standardized tests. Because we can never hope to measure this
beautiful, elusive, important thing we call education.

I am a Liberal because I believe in the separation of church and
state. We must stop the religious extremists who want
school-sanctioned prayers. Now, you tell me - with all that chanting
and praying and incense-burning going on, how can our kids
concentrate on the big condom-and-banana midterm?

I am a Liberal because I believe in the rights of women, be they
lawyers or housewives or skanky interns. For too long women have been
the victims of discrimination, and we must target programs to help
these women, and also the various people who have descended from
women.

I am a Liberal because I believe in women's right to choose. I mean,
not a church school or a tax shelter, or something like that,
obviously. Let's be reasonable.

I am a Liberal because I believe in the rule of law. Or, at least,
lawyers. Because hey, according to my attorney, I could have been on
the Number 7 bus when it crashed yesterday. As far as you know.

I am a Liberal because I believe a healthy economy depends on good
jobs at good wages. So fork 'em over, you fat bastard boss man.

I am a Liberal because I believe the government should step in to
create good jobs when that fat bastard boss man moves my good job to
Mexico. Hey, I know! Maybe we can take all the money that boss man
spends on non-job-creating stuff, like solid gold yachts and mink
spats, and use that money to create jobs.

I am a Liberal because I fear the power of giant unrestrained
monopolies, such as Microsoft, Nike, Parker Brothers, Univac and the
Erie Canal Company. The government must wage an unrelenting, all-out
war to crush these scary monopolies to a pulp before they get too
powerful.

I am a Liberal because I believe in a strong military. Strong, yes,
but caring and thoughtful too, and ready to face new challenges. A
military that enjoys long strolls on the beach, cuddling in front of
a warm fire, unafraid to show its vulnerable side. Must be NS/DDF.

I am a Liberal because I believe there is too much violence in
society, especially in our schools. To avoid another Columbine
tragedy, we should have mellow "rap" sessions with at-risk
teens, such as the Goths. The violence will only end after the teen
Goths see that we adults really care, and are "hip" to
their groovy teen Goth scene.

I am a Liberal because I believe in campaign finance reform. Sadly,
our politics are dominated by advertisements, paid for by the
contributions of giant corporations. All too often, these drown out
legitimate grassroots opinions, like the kind heard on
TimeWarner-AOL-CNN, TimesCorp, or Disney-ABC.

I am a Liberal because I believe in public support of the arts. By
"the arts," I of course mean those things made by, or
excreted by, an artist of some sort. It is especially important that
art be provocative and take controversial stances, like opposing
Conrad Black, and so on.

I am a Liberal because I believe in the environment and conservation.
For instance, we must raise the price of gasoline, like they do in
Europe, to increase conservation. If we don't, there will soon be a
big gas shortage, and this will mean higher gasoline prices for you
and me.

I am a Liberal because I detest greed. Especially the sickening greed
of those who struck it rich in the 1980s, and greedily refuse to give
me any of their stuff.

I am a Liberal because I... hey look! A new episode of Survivor!
Geez, I hope they don't vote off Jenna, she's my favorite.

 

[larry Strong]

Gunner, that would be funny, if it did not hit so close to home ;D

 

[043]

Really, who gives a Rat's *** what any politician says. They all talk out of their asses anyways.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Well you should since you swore an oath to follow them........

 

[043]

Ooooohhhhhhhh the loyalty line. I like that one.

But really, name a politician in the last 20 yrs that has been straight up front with anyone?????

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Mike Harris

 

[043]

Mike Harris?? You're kidding right?? Please tell the forum you are kidding.............................

Mike Harris, the same Mike Harris who resigned as premier to escape the Walkerton and Dudley George problems>

 

[pronto]

Uhhh - tell that to Mrs. Harris. Nasty divorce....

 

[a_majoor]

Mike Harris?? You're kidding right?? Please tell the forum you are kidding.............................

Mike Harris, the same Mike Harris who resigned as premier to escape the Walkerton and Dudley George problems>

Mr Harris did not have to "escape" Walkerton, the perps were tried and convicted.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Ooooohhhhhhhh the loyalty line. I like that one.

But really, name a politician in the last 20 yrs that has been straight up front with anyone?????

Preston Manning

 

[043]

Walkerton - 2000
Harris Resigns - 2002
Walkerton Charges - 2004 or 2005 I beleive?

 

[043]

The one person who was not in court Monday, but who many still blame as the main reason the tragedy happened, was former Tory Premier Mike Harris.

Harris and his cabinet were the people who imposed unprecedented cutbacks on public services in the 1990s, despite dire warnings, and did so less for the good of the province as a whole than to finance tax cuts that conferred handsome benefits on upper income taxpayers.

It's worth remembering, as the Koebels fade away to serve their tap-on-the-wrist sentences, what the commission of inquiry by Justice Dennis O'Connor concluded after his investigation of the tragedy. Here are two key findings.

"¢ Ontario's Tory government failed to put safeguards in place when water-testing was privatized in 1996, despite numerous warnings.

"¢ Tory cutbacks at the province's environment ministry undermined the province's ability to deal with problems at Walkerton's water utility.

Who knows how many people, up to and including Harris and his cabinet, bear as much or more moral responsibility for the Walkerton affair as the Koebels. But none of them will be called to account. NUPGE

 

[pronto]

Preston Manning

Hmm, good ol' change-my-'do-when-I-hit-ottawa, I-won't-use-stornoway-wait-I-guess-I-will, I-hate-pensions-no-wait-I-LOVE-pensions Preston?

 

[canadianblue]

Preston Manning

I've gotta agree with you on that. I watched a biography on Preston Manning, and he was probably one of the best politicians we had. I remember he was sitting next to an African or Carribean immigrant on a plane who was a recent immigrant and needed a job, and ended up making him his car driver. But no such person will ever be successfull as a politician. I don't think I could ever be a politician, CF for me now, Police Force or Fire Department later.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

...OK, anyone who hasn't changed their mind or told a little white lie in the last 7 years ,...post here.