Blue Like You

Get used to it, Canada. Polls show that you’re falling for the ABC campaign. But be careful what you wish for.

Roger Smith just said on MDL that Stephane Dion has his transition team ready to go.

It’s just a matter of waiting for the formality of an election now. Are YOU ready for Prime Minister Dion?

Now, that’s scary.

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And I would suggest that the NDP change their tactics pronto. The keys to Stornoway are looking rather remote right now.

Update: The MDL clip is up now.

Stephane Dion said today that he ‘expects to be Prime Minister’ and he had his transition team in place. At Much Music he was referring to himself as the Prime Minister and to his wife as the ‘First Lady’!!!

Related : Is Harper’s Campaign in Decline? - Stephen Taylor

Conservative Reporter : It’s not so gloom and doom for Conservatives - Ekos

H/T Rootleweb and a loyal reader.

Beware : This afternoon, Roger Smith told Dan Matheson on CTV Newsnet that Stephane Dion already has his transition team in place for the change of government!

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Update : Political leadership in uncertain global economic times - Michael Bliss (Hill Times) :

Historian Michael Bliss says there has been no other time in Canadian history that political leaders have seen such a serious economic crisis break in the midst of a federal election campaign, but he believes Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s "less activist approach" is the winning leadership message in these economically uncertain times…

This article also by Michael Bliss is also well worth reading - Financial meltdown is all in the attitude (Post):

…It’s too simple to blame the global credit crisis and its consequences on covens of greedy bankers, incompetent regulators or do-nothing politicians. The fundamental cause of the enormous debt bubble of our times is firmly rooted in the way post-industrial societies evolved in the last half of the 20th Century. After the Second World War, values based on thrift and savings were gradually replaced by a culture of having it all. Now that culture is in danger of cracking up…

Lots to talk about today, so I’ll probably do a series of shorter posts.

You can start your morning with this stomach-turning piece of garbage from Margaret Atwood, the outraged Canadian writer who is begging for more of our tax-dollars, while supporting the separatists:

…Doesn’t Mr. Harper understand that some kids have lethal allergies? Doesn’t he understand that parents want to know what goes into their children’s mouths? We need to be able to trust our food! Mothers, don’t let Stephen Harper kiss your baby: you don’t know what kind of germ-packed, death-dealing cold-cuts he’s just been eating, and his ingredients are not on the label….

And aren’t good writers supposed to try to avoid clichés?

‘Secret agenda’? ‘Bush’? ‘Neocons’?

C’mon, Margaret. You can do better than that!  Anyway, I think you forgot ‘Mike Harris’.

Good grief. This woman makes Elizabeth May look like she’s on tranquilizers.

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Related: ABC Campaign reaches Ontario - Globe.

Just caught the end of an interview with Warren Kinsella on Canada AM. Hopefully the video will be availabe online soon.

He used a hockey analogy to explain his observations on last night’s English Leadership debate, with Harper getting full marks as the goalie who nimbly deflected the assaults from the other leaders.

Can’t remember exactly how he characterized the others but I’m sure Warren will update his blog soon with the details. It was a brilliant analysis.

Kinsella mentioned a Globe article where some of Dion’s handlers took credit for having him speak to Canadians and turn directly to the camera. Warren said that the concept was excellent, but the advisers should have kept their mouths shut and let Dion take the credit because he needs all the help he can get (or something to that effect.)

By ‘peeling back the layers of the onion’ as Mike Duffy would say, we can once again observe the tragic flaw of the LPC - a party whose members don’t stand behind the leader and instead look for individual moments of personal glory and self-gratification.

As much as Harper is criticized for being a one-man government, it is the solid support of those loyal and dedicated Ministers, MPs and party workers and members that are turning the CPC into a force to be reckoned with.

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Update: Warren just added his hockey analogy to his blog:

"Stephen Harper was the goalie. He knew he’d be under attack from the others, that he wouldn’t get an opportunity to score, so his job was to keep the puck out of the net and he did that. Stéphane Dion was skating around, he looked fine, but he didn’t score - and he needed to score. Jack Layton was all over the ice - forward, defence, in the corners with his elbows up. He dominated. Elizabeth May was in the dressing room, still suiting up. And Gilles Duceppe was asleep on the bench.

Jack Layton won the game."

Well, I might disagree with him on that last point.

First star went to the goalie.

Oh, and Lizzie Ma y was that belligerent fan that won’t shut up.

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Further Update : With Warren’s assistance, I was able to track down the Globe link - Dion’s Strategy: ‘Make it people, not dollars.’

Warren Kinsella has now posted a link to the Canada AM interview.

And more evidence here that Stephan Dion knows how to follow instructions. I’m just not convinced that this is a vital quality of an aspiring world leader.

Afternoon Update : Don’t miss this column by Kelly McParland - The frustration and fumbling of Stephane Dion. (H/T Jack’s Newswatch)

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Sunday Update: Not to be missed!! Stephen Taylor has a hilarious video - Will Dion score on Oct. 14?

Very apropos considering the hockey analogy.

…that Stephane Dion mentioned her company’s website in his kickoff speech to the Federal election campaign, right? National exposure after all… [sarc off]

For future reference, it’s THE Green Shift for you Mr. Bean, and Green Shift for the company who’s owner is filing for an injunction against your party .

And that’s the last bit of help I’m giving you.

Gaffe #1 and counting.

(Please see Monday update at end)

(Oh, o.k. just one more hint. Don’t accuse the Government of "sitting on their hands". That one could come back to haunt you.)

O.K. Just one more. It’s "Richer, fairer, Greener ", not "Richer, fairer, richer ".

Didn’t you check the script, Stephane?

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Update: Please check out Angelo Persichilli - Best to bomb the other party’s weakest link (Star).

And via Wilson’s comment at Christian Conservative, we have this juicy tidbit - Note on the new Liberal website, the name being used now
” The Liberal Green Shift” .

Will Jennifer Wright be o.k. with this further revision of the Green Shift? Stay tuned…

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Monday Update: Well, it seems that the CTV translator made a mistake and it has now been corrected. Mr. Dion did actually say "The Green Shift", but it was translated as Green Shift.  However, CTV has now changed their web page to reflect the correct translation.

Which all goes to show that you can’t always trust MSM, and neither should bloggers.

I just finished reviewing the beginning of yesterday’s ‘Question Period’, which I had fortunately recorded. Lloyd Robertson and Lisa LaFlamme clearly chastize Dion for saying "Green Shift", and Lisa calls it the first gaffe of the Liberal Party in this campaign. Strange that that segment is not available on the CTV website…

BIG UPDATE: LIBERALS HAVE A NEW WRIT EXPENSE: PAYING FOR ‘GREEN SHIFT’ - Steve janke

Jack Layton is after Stephane Dion’s job. He wants to be Leader of the Official Opposition. And in order to achieve that goal, he is writing off Dion as a political opponent.

Interesting strategy.

Greg Weston tells us in today’s Sun that Jack is going after Stephen Harper. Apparently, Mr. Bean doesn’t even merit his attention!

Of course the official story is that Jack wants Stephen’s job - Prime Minister. But in real life, could he possibly become the next resident of Stornoway? In some ways, Jack Layton seems to be a stronger leader than Dion and certainly recent polls reflect that perception.

Lawrence Martin warns us not to underestimate Mr. Bean Dion. Advice worth considering for sure.

I’ve heard many pundits suggest that Dion’s expectations are so low that if he exceeds them at all he will be regarded as being successful.  That’s like telling your child who usually gets D’s in school that a C would be awesome. Yes, perhaps. But if the rest of the class is getting A’s & B’s, should your kid get to be class valedictorian?

The Gazette’s Don MacPherson calls Dion the new Joe Clark. He discusses Dion’s latest concessions to changes in the the Liberals’ Green Shift platform as follows:

Were Harper to make a similar policy concession, he might be praised for being flexible and responding to criticism for a change, because he is supposed to be stubborn and rigid.

But Dion’s concession is more likely to be seen as perhaps only the first in a series of retreats from a position that was poorly chosen in the first place and a sign of weakness. That’s because Dion is the Joe Clark of the 21st century.

The Post’s Don Martin also suggests that Dion’s last minute amendments could be interpreted as weak ‘waffling’.

Martin points to what I see as a very arrogant attitude on the part of the Liberals, who obviously haven’t had enough time out to learn their lessons:

…The Liberals don’t just want to win, according to Mr. Dion’s argument, Canadians need them to win to save the country from an incorrect governing choice in 2006. That will be a tough sell, given the Liberals’ less-than-perfect record in power…

Jack Layton has likely assessed all these nuances and is ready to move into the political vacuum on the left created by the presently dysfunctional Liberal party.

I believe it’s his for the taking.

Time to get out the orange paint for Stornoway.

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Noon Update: Just caught a glimpse of the NDP rally being shown live on CTV Newsnet. Jack has clearly taken a page from Obama’s playbook.  He was standing in a circle of supporters, rather than at a podium on the stage. The discussion was heavily punctuated with the word ‘change’ - another of Obama’s trademarks.

Then came the clincher. He remarked that it was getting very hot and he decided removed his jacket. This again is the standard Obama play that Dalton McGuinty also loves to emulate.

My husband was sitting beside me and said, "Hey! His sleeves are already rolled up! Nobody rolls up their sleeves before putting on a suit jacket!"

A clearly contrived performance.

So, is it o.k. to admire Americans again? Just asking.

(Evening note: Graham Richardson remarked on the already rolled-up sleeves as well on MDL)

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Dion is holding a press conference now. (1 pm) He wants Gerry Ritz to resign.

Liberal talking points for this election are: Most right wing, most secretive, most pro-Bush, neo-con, hidden agenda, yadda-yadda.

Did I miss anything?

*Yawn*

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Evening Update: This has got to be horrible news for Dion! Canadians set to vote Conservative:poll - CBC!!!

Check out the Ontario numbers.

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Friday Update: NDP to take aim at PM, shrug off Dion - Star.

Stephane Dion in Saskatchewan (H/T National Newswatch):

"What the Conservative government has done to this economy especially is very wrong. Each time the Conservatives are in power they destroy what we Liberals have built," Dion told reporters in Regina. "We need to be back for Canadians, and we need to convince them about that. It will be a fight, hour after hour, day after day and I will have a great team to win it."

Translation: You stupid, moronic Canadians don’t realize that we are your only hope. But don’t worry. We will beat you over the head until you finally get it.

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Update : According to Roger Smith on MDL, changes are being planned to the Green Shift.

Don Martin - Step one for Dion is to get his own MPs onside - Post.

Isn’t Jennifer Wright making an unnecessarily huge deal out of the LPC’s rather liberal use of her company’s name, "Green Shift "?

I mean, we’re talking about The Natural Governing Party here - not some rinky dink little company. Shouldn’t Jennifer Wright be bending over in humble gratitude? Isn’t imitation the sincerest form of flattery?

[sarc off]

The Blue Zone has a post up about Jennifer Wright’s excellent piece in today’s National Post - The real Green Shift.

Blue Zone finishes his post with:

…Best wishes to Jennifer Wright and GreenShift.ca. My wife’s parents are small business owners so I can understand the frustration she is feeling at having her business’ identity stolen by Stephane Dion and the Liberal Party of Canada.

So is this identity theft? Identity highjacking?

Or did The Liberal Party of Canada just decide to hear ‘o.k.’ when the victim firmly shouted "NO!!!"

Jennifer Wright tells her side of the story:

…I was beyond livid when I realized that, despite my very vocal objections, during the coming general election, 308 Liberal candidates would be promoting an election platform whose environmental tax program would carry the hijacked name of our company …

…When first warned of the planned hijacking, we immediately told them that we objected and would do our utmost to protect our rights. Nonetheless, we woke the following morning to find our name on their tax plan and splattered in papers and broadcasts from coast to coast. We followed up with a formal cease and desist notice, which also failed to elicit a response. Accordingly, we were left with no choice but to sue them …

Does this sound like a lady who is willing to give in, Stephane?

Or when she said NO, did you hear "Mais, oui!"?

Is this an example of how you plan to respect the rights of all Canadians if you become Prime Minister?

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Related: Liberal Party of Canada accused of Identity Theft - NB Tory Lady.

And Ralph Goodale speaks out about Jennifer Wright’s company Dion’s carbon tax - Green Shift for a Warming Planet.

Nicely debunked here. H/T SDA.

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Friday Update: Blue Zone - How dare she? Now the Liberals want to control Jennifer Wright’s travel plans and who she talks to!

Randall Denley of the Ottawa Citizen is proposing a new party, and he says that unlike the LPC he has done his due diligence in investigating the name and its impact (All’s fair in the Name Game):

Fair’s fair. Liberal leader Stéphane Dion sees no problem with stealing the name of a company called Green Shift Inc. and applying it to his key environmental policy. In the same vein, I would like to start a political party and call it the Liberal Party of Canada.

The organization now operating under the same name might have a problem with it, but if the party complains, I’ll just adopt Dion’s stance and describe the complaint as "deplorable."

( . . . )

Unlike the old Liberals, the Arrogant Liberals did the homework to make sure the name for their key intellectual property hasn’t already been taken. Right there, that shows we’re more competent to run the country than Dion and his gang.

Details for Denley’s amusing tongue-in-cheek piece can be found in between the above two quotes.

Jennifer Wright’s situation is not funny though and she needs your help to fight the LPC Machine. A Facebook page has been started and she is asking for your support.

Please help Jennifer in any way you see fit.

And don’t forget The Victory Fund!

Thank you.

Something tells me that if Jennifer Wright were to bluff and proceed with her plan to bring legal action against the LPC even though she can’t afford it, they’d have no choice but to fold. (H/T National Newswatch) .

More at Right on course.

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And speaking of the Green Shaft, check this out - Dion to PM: Meet me in Calgary:

…Mr. Dion says the Conservative plan is too slow, full of loopholes, cumbersome and bureaucratic, while his Green Shift is simple, straighforward and "I won’t have to hire a single civil servant" to implement it…

Seriously? What planet does that man live on?

…Mr. Dion also rejected charges that the tax would collect a disproportionate share of revenues from Alberta and send it elsewhere. Because the tax will be imposed at the wholesale level, he said, the level will depend on consumption, not on production.

He noted that 46% of industrial emissions in 2002, the last year calculated by Statistics Canada, were on goods and services exported from Canada. That means a lot of carbon tax would be passed on to foreigners, not Canadian consumers, he said.

O.K. but those are Canadian goods produced by Canadians. He’s saying they’ll be more expensive to export. Therefore we lose another competitive edge on the world market.

Therefore, jobs will be lost. Good-paying manufacturing jobs.

Duh!!!

It’s either that he’s that stupid or he thinks we are.

And he wants to debate Harper???

Friday Update: Dion still doesn’t get it. We’re no threat to firm: Dion. (Post)