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Right-winger set to smash the mould in Canada
UK Telegraph ^ | Jan. 23, 3006 | Francis Harris

Posted on 01/22/2006 8:02:58 PM PST by FairOpinion

An unashamedly Right-wing politician is poised to shatter decades of middle-ground consensus in Canada's general election today.

The emergence of Conservative leader Stephen Harper has panicked opponents and cheered those demanding a radical change of direction for a country they describe as vanquished by the adherents of political correctness.

Paul Martin, the prime minister, warned of a shift to the far Right Paul Martin, the Liberal prime minister, has whipped up voters' fears in the final days of campaigning, claiming that Mr Harper would overturn the newly-enshrined right of homosexual marriage and cosy up to President George W Bush, who most Canadians dislike.

He even claimed that the Tories would attack abortion rights, which the party denies.

"We have a party that wants to take this country to the far, far Right of the US conservative movement," Mr Martin warned.

But despite days of such allegations, opinion polls showed the Conservatives steady at about 10 per cent ahead of the Liberals.

Such a result would mark the first Conservative victory for almost 20 years, although it might not be enough to deliver a majority in the 308-member House of Commons.

The Conservative campaign has been marked by a moderate election programme based on tax cuts, a crackdown on crime, increased defence spending and devolution of power to the provinces.

Mr Harper, 46, an economist, has been very careful not to threaten too much change. But most who have watched him during 20 years in politics say he is far from the typical Canadian consensus-seeking mould that has typified leaders of both Left and Right for decades.

According to his biographer, William Johnson, the country has never had a leader like him in the 139 years since Britain handed over power.

The biography, Stephen Harper and the future of Canada, describes him as a brilliant conviction politician who admired the no-nonsense styles of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan.

An introverted policy wonk, he distrusts the Canadian political elite and has a taste for necessary but unpopular policies. Many Canadians, including some on his own side, say this mix will make the sparks fly if he becomes prime minister.

Unlike almost all recent Canadian premiers, he did not originate in the Francophone heartland of Quebec.

A fluent French-speaker who has promised to leave Quebec's controversial language laws alone, he is unashamedly English by culture, temperament and origin.

In the run-up to war in Iraq, Mr Harper gave voice to the minority who were uneasy that Canada's old allies in America, Britain and Australia were about to engage in a conflict without Canadian units at their side.

On the day war broke out, he berated Canada's Liberal government for its "insecure anti-Americanism".

He no longer insists on sending troops to Iraq but few doubt that when he spoke to the House of Commons that day, MPs saw into the heart of the real Stephen Harper.


TOPICS: Canada; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: canada; canadianelection; elections; harper; martin
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To: oolatec
Martin will pull through. Just you all wait and see.

Let me give you 5 reasons this will not happen this time:

1) The 2004 election polling data was days old by election day. Most polls didn't reflect the last-minute swing to the Liberals. This time, the SES, Ipsos and Strategic Counsel polls were updated through the day before election day.

2) In 2004, ALL of the polls in the week before the election showed the Tories behind or tied. In 2006, ALL of the polls for the past two weeks have shown the Tories AHEAD.

3) In 2004, many major Canadian newspapers endorsed the Liberals. In 2006, most of those papers endorsed the Conservatives.

4) In 2004, Election Prediction Project correctly forecasted a slight Liberal win in ridings. Today, Election Prediction Project is forecasting a slight Conservative win in ridings.

5) The University of BC Election Market wasn't up and running at the time of the 2004 election, since it was summer term. Today, the UBC Election Market forecasts a Tory victory. This market has been more accurate than most opinion polls in forecasting election results.

The Tories will receive the most votes in the 2004 election, due to increased Quebec support. The only remaining question is how much Ontario follows. I'm predicting a Conservative minority government, with the Tories taking 120-125 seats.
41 posted on 01/22/2006 8:50:04 PM PST by conservative in nyc
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To: Alberta's Child
It's worth noting that there is nothing "right-wing" about Canada's Tories. Anyone who expects major changes in Canada after this election is going to be sorely disappointed.

Gotta disagree with you there. There's a big difference between the Tories and the Grits, not only on spending, tax cuts, crackdown on crime, increased defense spending and devolution of power to the provinces, but also on social issues.

But most who have watched him [Harper] during 20 years in politics say he is far from the typical Canadian consensus-seeking mould that has typified leaders of both Left and Right for decades.

According to his biographer, William Johnson, the country has never had a leader like him in the 139 years since Britain handed over power.

The biography, Stephen Harper and the future of Canada, describes him as a brilliant conviction politician who admired the no-nonsense styles of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan.


42 posted on 01/22/2006 8:50:25 PM PST by Victoria Delsoul
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To: conservative in nyc; Alberta's Child
Thanks, I was looking for this.

Harper needs about 15%– 20% points difference to form a majority government. According to these polls it looks like a minority government.

43 posted on 01/22/2006 8:52:30 PM PST by Victoria Delsoul
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To: Malcolm; wtp7

Canada is our friend and our ally. We are by far their largest trading partner. The current government stinks, but that will likely change tomorrow - the opposite of Spain, where a friendly government lost power and was replaced by anti-American leftists.


44 posted on 01/22/2006 8:53:12 PM PST by conservative in nyc
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To: kanawa; SheLion; MS.BEHAVIN; armymarinemom

Canadian Libs have been relying on the flood of immigrant / Moslem / Professional welfare recipients to keep voting them their power, have they not?

"Embracing Diversity" - Sort of like what France did and Austrailia has been doing.... up until recently, anyhow.

Our Governor here in Maine made an "Executive Order" decreeing that no Gov't agency (Election workers included, we assume) are allowed to even ask about a person's immigration status, assuring him the illeagal immigrant vote in perpetuity.

We don't think that that is particularly legal on a Federal level, since it makes ME a "Sanctuary State" - but since when has the "Law" ever applied to a Democrat in power (other than when they cross their Party Bosses, as James Trafficant did once too often)?

As France and lately Austrailia have demonstrated, this trick generally works for the Statists for a while - but has a nasty habit of backfiring sooner or later.

If the Canadians don't wake up and take their Country back pretty soon, their Daughters are going to find out what Moslem "Rape Gangs" are all about, and they might even see their streets on fire, too.

And since, like Europe and Oz, the honest people in Canadastan have been disarmed / passified by their socialist overlords, just what are they going to do about it, eh?


45 posted on 01/22/2006 8:56:38 PM PST by Uncle Jaque (Club Freedom; Dues: Vigilance.)
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To: Victoria Delsoul

With a minority government, Harper isn't going to have anything close to the mandate he would need to make any real changes in the political landscape of Canada. The best we can hope for -- assuming the Tories and Bloc Quebecois form the governing coalition -- is a government in Ottawa that provides more power to provincial governments than they have now.


46 posted on 01/22/2006 8:59:16 PM PST by Alberta's Child (Leave a message with the rain; you can find me where the wind blows.)
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To: Alberta's Child

You gotta a point there, for sure.


47 posted on 01/22/2006 9:00:06 PM PST by Victoria Delsoul
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To: FairOpinion

God I hope. I want a neanderthal running the Truly Effed Up North...maybe he'll clean house.


48 posted on 01/22/2006 9:00:45 PM PST by faithincowboys
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To: Uncle Jaque
We don't think that that is particularly legal on a Federal level, since it makes ME a "Sanctuary State" - but since when has the "Law" ever applied to a Democrat in power (other than when they cross their Party Bosses, as James Trafficant did once too often)?

It has nothing to do with party politics. It's worth noting that the government of New York City has maintained this kind of posture for at least the last 12 years . . . which is Reason #1 why Rudy Giuliani will play quarterback in the Super Bowl before he ever gets elected to the White House.

49 posted on 01/22/2006 9:01:56 PM PST by Alberta's Child (Leave a message with the rain; you can find me where the wind blows.)
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Comment #50 Removed by Moderator

To: goldstategop

Mark Steyn has written a foreword to a brilliant new book by two of Canada's coolest young conservatives, Tasha Kheirridin and Adam Daifallah. As can be expected, its titled Rescuing Canada's Right: Blueprint For A Conservative Revolution.

Sounds good!

51 posted on 01/22/2006 9:09:27 PM PST by GOPJ
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To: wtp7

To complete the list :

Poland (100% hardcore pro-US), Ukraine, new Merkel's Germany (as much as she can make it).

The Vilnius 10,

Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

Not that I care that much about Albania per-se, but they did support us on the Iraq, whatever that meant.

And there are many, many others.


52 posted on 01/22/2006 9:10:47 PM PST by farlander
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To: Victoria Delsoul
The Liberals have won majorities with 38% to 40% of the vote. Why should it be different for the Conservatives? Let's not forget that while the Conservatives are a true nationwide party, the Liberals doing well as they have in the face of a disastrous campaign is due to their grip on the core urban areas. That's all they represent and they no longer speak for all of Canada.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

53 posted on 01/22/2006 9:14:36 PM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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To: kanawa

I agree completely...and I will give 2:1 odds as well.

For once, the Conservatives have a lock on an election in Canada. About time, I say.


54 posted on 01/22/2006 9:18:32 PM PST by dk/coro
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To: goldstategop

The Liberals won a minority government last year with 36% while the Conservatives had 30%. It's my hope the Tories win the majority tomorrow, so let's wait and see.


55 posted on 01/22/2006 9:21:52 PM PST by Victoria Delsoul
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To: goldstategop
Actually it was Liberals 37% and Conservatives 30%. Today the Conservatives are at 37% and Liberals 30%. Here is the link.
56 posted on 01/22/2006 9:28:44 PM PST by Victoria Delsoul
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To: FairOpinion
"vanquished by the adherents of political correctness"

Save that quote for the MSM, the University, and Hollyweird.

57 posted on 01/22/2006 9:30:12 PM PST by Uncle Miltie (Liberals oppose individual slavery compared to colletive slavery because they hate competition!)
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To: Baynative

I'll go out on a limb and guess that the Tories will win 140 seats.

Not a majority, but a strong minority.


58 posted on 01/22/2006 9:30:40 PM PST by Beagle8U (An "Earth First" kinda guy ( when we finish logging here, we'll start on the other planets.)
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To: bahblahbah

Whereever liberals stand is for them the middle, that is the CENTER of the universe.


59 posted on 01/22/2006 9:31:14 PM PST by RobbyS ( CHIRHO)
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To: Alberta's Child


how committed are these conservatives in canada to getting rid of the socialist death..err i mean health care?



60 posted on 01/22/2006 9:49:08 PM PST by Stellar Dendrite (There's nothing "Mainstream" about the Orwellian Media!!!)
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