My CPC Seat Prediction was... 162

And my friends thought I was nuts... who'da thunk I'd guessed TOO LOW. Final result: 167.

Post-Election review hopefully coming early next week, once I've caught up on a few things.

New CPC Ad: "OUR COUNTRY"

WOW... just possibly THE BEST political ad I've ever seen!!! Way to go CPC!!!

PM Stephen Harper performs piano with 10-year old Youtube sensation Maria Aragon

Love his line... "and no religion too... I'm gonna get in trouble for that..."

Another Tory ad blitz underway

Is there any doubt that we're ready to go to the polls if the Opposition forces an election?

And once again, leading off with a GREAT positive ad...


...followed up by a hard hitting ad on the insane tax policy positions of Michael Ignatieff.

I do take issue with the Bev Oda CIDA decision

Please insert a "NOT" between "do" and "take" in the above title, and then read this well thought out post from a former Liberal staffer.

Any Liberals still hankering for an election?

Here's a couple buckets of cold water on that idea... First, there was EKOS, with the CPC at 37% vs. the LPC at 24%, a 12 point spread. And now we have IPSOS, with the CPC at 39% vs. the LPC at 25%... a freaking 14 point, Valeriote de-electing, cusp of majority spread.

You may now return to your regularly scheduled lives.

Iffy playing Chess while Harper's playing "Global Thermonuclear War"

Hope you all catch the "WarGames" reference, and I hope no one accuses me of inciting someone to drop a nuke on Iggy's head...

Gerry Nicholls, whom I've disagreed with in the past on a fairly regular basis, has a FANTASTIC article in today's Globe & Mail, and has summed up my long-held belief on what needs to happen for Canada to truly grow and prosper... the destruction of the ideological J-E-LL-O Party, the Liberal Party of Canada.

Here's his intro...

Here’s some free advice for Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff: Be afraid, be very afraid.

Okay, that’s more like a warning than advice, but it’s a warning Mr. Ignatieff should heed. He needs to understand that while he’s playing political chess, his opponent, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, is waging total war.

To be blunt, Mr. Harper’s ultimate strategic goal really isn’t to win a majority government – it’s to eradicate the Liberal Party as a viable political force.

Sound overly dramatic? Well, consider the well-documented ruthlessness of Mr. Harper’s political style. Consider, too, that he’s a master tactician who likes to concoct long-term strategies. And, finally, consider the fact that he just doesn’t like Liberals. It all adds up to a prime minister who’s capable, willing and able to take out Canada’s “natural governing party.”

UPDATE: The campaigning begins?

Our Political Leader's Theme Songs

Buddy of mine sent this my way... pretty fun. If all our political leaders had a theme song, what would it be? Of course, I don't think Harper deserves to get "The Imperial March", but even I had to smile. I think this Tyrone guy's got the other leaders pretty much nailed... and I LOVE Lizzy May's!

Jack Layton


Ignatieff


Elizabeth May


Stephen Harper

Welcome to the fold Mr. Fantino!

Congrats on a hard fought, and well deserved, upset last night in Vaughan for Julian Fantino, one of Canada's newest Memebers of Parliament. With a hard fought 997 vote margin, Mr. Fantino stole for the CPC a supposedly "safe" Liberal seat, even with all the resources thrown at them by Ignatieff and the Liberal Party of Canada.

For Mr. Ignatieff, however, last night was not a total loss... in what's sure to shock many, the Liberals managed to upset the NDP in Winnipeg North, and stole from them what thought to have been a safe NDP seat. In all likelihood, look for this seat to swing back to the NDP in the next General Election, as it may well have been low voter turnout that allowed the Libs to swipe this one.

Last nights results do mean one all important thing, however... NO SPRING ELECTION. If the NDP are losing seats to the Liberals, with a guy like Ignatieff at the helm, I'm guessing that they'll think twice before pulling the trigger. And with Iffy losing seats to Mr. Harper in the GTA, right on the doorstep of "Liberal" Toronto, look for them to also dial down the rhetoric somewhat.

Speech from PM Harper on opposing anti-Semitism

Yet another reason why I support our Right Honourable Prime Minister whole-heartedly... I've reposted in it's entirety his speech today.

Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada on the Ottawa Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism
November 8, 2010
Ottawa, Ontario

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today made the following remarks at the Ottawa Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism:

“Members of the Steering Committee, fellow parliamentarians, Ladies and gentlemen, let me begin by saying how delighted I am to see so many of you from around the world, gathered here in Ottawa for the second annual conference of the Inter-parliamentary Coalition for Combating Antisemitism.

“It is a sign, not only of your commitment to our common cause, but also of the momentum established at the London Conference last year. It is, therefore, a great sign of hope.

“History teaches us that anti-Semitism is a tenacious and particularly dangerous form of hatred. And recent events are demonstrating that this hatred is now in resurgence throughout the world. That is why the work of the Inter-parliamentary Coalition for Combating Antisemitism has never been so important or timely as it is now.

“On behalf of the Government of Canada and all Canadians, I commend you and support you in the great and important work that you are doing.

“I would like to thank Minister Jason Kenney, for inviting the ICCA to Ottawa, and for his outstanding record of leadership in combating anti-Semitism.

“I would like also to thank my introducer and friend, Scott Reid, Chair of the Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Antisemitism, and Mario Silva, Vice Chair, for organizing this conference.

“And I would like to thank all my colleagues in the Parliament of Canada here today, including Professor Irwin Cotler, for their dedication to your mission.

“Ladies and gentlemen, colleagues, two weeks ago I visited Ukraine for the first time.

“In Kiev I laid a wreath at Babi Yar, the site of one of the numerous atrocities of the Holocaust. I was left there with much the same impression as I had in Auschwitz in 2008 — that such horrors defy all comprehension.

“At the killing grounds of Babyn Yar, I knew I was standing in a place where evil — evil at its most cruel, obscene, and grotesque — had been unleashed. But while evil of this magnitude may be unfathomable, it is nonetheless a fact.

“It is a fact of history. And it is a fact of our nature — that humans can choose to be inhuman. This is the paradox of freedom. That awesome power, that grave responsibility — to choose between good and evil.

“Let us not forget that even in the darkest hours of the Holocaust, men were free to choose good. And some did. That is the eternal witness of the Righteous Among the Nations. And let us not forget that even now, there are those who would choose evil and would launch another Holocaust, if left unchecked. That is the challenge before us today.

“The horror of the Holocaust is unique, but it is just one chapter in the long and unbroken history of anti-Semitism. Yet, in contemporary debates that influence the fate of the Jewish homeland, unfortunately, there are those who reject the language of good and evil. They say that the situation is not black and white, that we mustn’t choose sides.

“In response to this resurgence of moral ambivalence on these issues, we must speak clearly. Remembering the Holocaust is not merely an act of historical recognition.

“It must also be an understanding and an undertaking. An understanding that the same threats exist today. And an undertaking of a solemn responsibility to fight those threats.

“Jews today in many parts of the world and many different settings are increasingly subjected to vandalism, threats, slurs, and just plain, old-fashioned lies.

“Let me draw your attention to some particularly disturbing trends. Anti-Semitism has gained a place at our universities, where at times it is not the mob who are removed, but the Jewish students under attack. And, under the shadow of a hateful ideology with global ambitions, one which targets the Jewish homeland as a scapegoat, Jews are savagely attacked around the world, such as, most appallingly, in Mumbai in 2008.

“One ruthless champion of that ideology brazenly threatens to ‘wipe Israel off the map,’ and time and again flouts the obligations that his country has taken under international treaties. I could go on, but I know that you will agree on one point: that this is all too familiar.

“We have seen all this before. And we have no excuse to be complacent. In fact we have a duty to take action. And for all of us, that starts at home.

“In Canada, we have taken a number of steps to assess and combat anti-Semitism in our own country. You will no doubt hear from my Canadian colleagues about the measures we have taken to date.

“I will mention for the time being that, for the first time, we are dealing with Canada’s own record of officially sanctioned anti-Semitism. We have created a fund for education about our country’s deliberate rejection of Jewish refugees before and during the Second World War.

“But of course we must also combat anti-Semitism beyond our borders, an evolving, global phenomenon. And we must recognize, that while its substance is as crude as ever, its method is now more sophisticated.

“Harnessing disparate anti-Semitic, anti-American and anti-Western ideologies, it targets the Jewish people by targeting the Jewish homeland, Israel, as the source of injustice and conflict in the world, and uses, perversely, the language of human rights to do so.

“We must be relentless in exposing this new anti-SemitismDemonization, double standards, delegitimization, the three D’s, it is the responsibility of us all to stand up to them.

“And I know, by the way, because I have the bruises to show for it, that whether it is at the United Nations, or any other international forum, the easy thing to do is simply to just get along and go along with this anti-Israeli rhetoric, to pretend it is just being even-handed, and to excuse oneself with the label of ‘honest broker.’ There are, after all, a lot more votes, a lot more, in being anti-Israeli than in taking a stand. But, as long as I am Prime Minister, whether it is at the UN or the Francophonie or anywhere else, Canada will take that stand, whatever the cost. And friends, I say this not just because it is the right thing to do, but because history shows us, and the ideology of the anti-Israeli mob tells us all too well if we listen to it, that those who threaten the existence of the Jewish people are a threat to all of us.

“Earlier I noted the paradox of freedom. It is freedom that makes us human. Whether it leads to heroism or depravity depends on how we use it.

“As the spectre of anti-Semitism spreads, our responsibility becomes increasingly clear. We are citizens of free countries. We have the right, and therefore the obligation, to speak out and to act. We are free citizens, but also the elected representatives of free peoples. We have a solemn duty to defend the vulnerable, to challenge the aggressor, to protect and promote human rights, human dignity, at home and abroad. None of us really knows whether we would choose to do good, in the extreme circumstances of the Righteous. But we do know there are those today who would choose to do evil, if they are so permitted. Thus, we must use our freedom now, and confront them and their anti-Semitism at every turn.

“That, Ladies and Gentlemen, is the purpose of our intervention today: our shared determination to confront this terrible hatred. The work we have undertaken, in our own countries and in cooperation with one another, is a sign of hope.

“Our work together is a sign of hope, just as the existence and persistence of the Jewish homeland is a sign of hope. And it is here that history serves not to warn but to inspire.

“As I said on the 60th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel, Israel appeared as a light, in a world emerging from deep darkness. Against all odds, that light has not been extinguished. It burns bright, upheld by the universal principles of all civilized nations — freedom, democracy and justice.

“By working together more closely in the family of civilized nations, we affirm and strengthen those principles. And we declare our faith in humanity’s future in the power of good over evil.

“Thank you for all you are doing to spread that faith. And thank you for your kind attention.

“Thank you very much.”

Ignatieff looking to Clegg for advice on coalitions?

Here's a scary thought... maybe he's looking for advice on what it's like to form a working coalition with a Conservative?

The REAL "Fake Lake" numbers released... $57k

Once again, the media does it's best to make the Tories look bad... but when the REAL numbers come out, we see it's all just Liberal spin.

$57,000 as part of a major Canadian marketing strategy, designed to promote Canada to the rest of the world, is not the "big deal" that the media made it out to be yesterday. Besides, considering that tourism is one of our biggest industries, $57,000 is a deal. By promoting this iconic "Canadian landscape", we're bound to bring in a whole lot more that $57,000 in new tourism dollars... and I'm betting it will bring in more than the $1.9 million that the whole media centre is costing us.

Now that the light of reality has been shone on this whole thing, I take back my "Lake Mistake-a" crack from yesterday... it starting to look more like money well spent.

Naming the G20 fake lake

Okay, I gotta admit, this looks bad... but I'm betting that it was a less expensive sounding idea when some underling who's helping to organize the conference suggested it. But of course, as with these things, now we get to wear it.

Maybe we can call it "Lake Mistake-a". (instead of Lake Muskoka)

BMO says Tory MP Shory is NOT being accused of fraud

Lawyers for the Bank of Montreal have clarified their position in their mortgage fraud case, indicating that the lawyers named in the suit, including Tory MP Devinder Shory, are NOT being accused of taking active part in the scheme. They are, however, simply accusing them of not doing their due diligence in dealing with these particular mortgages.

Munaf Mohamed told a hearing the bank accuses the lawyers of negligence, not fraud.

"We do not allege impropriety against any of the lawyers who are named in this action," he said in response to a question from Justice Adele Kent.

That's a BIG difference, my dear Members of the Opposition... so I assume we can look forward to your apologies in the House on Monday?

Tories fund raising outpaces Liberals 2.5 to 1

YIKES... $4,023,923.14 vs. $1,589,953.81 raised during the first quarter of 2010.

For the record, the Tories hauled in $1.17 MILLION dollars more than the rest of them COMBINED.

I guess it's no wonder that the likes of even rabid Conservative hater Ralph Goodale is whistling a happy tune about finding a solution to the Speaker's ruling.

Time for a new centrist party in Canada?

With Iffy taking a hard left turn, maybe it's time to shake things up a bit... maybe it's time for a new federal Party.

I know, it's just crazy talk, but hear me out on this one... there are a whole lot of socially conservative Liberals who are being systematically pushed out of their own party. Just look at the recent vote on abortion, and Iffy's new orders to vote in favour of keeping the Gun Registry. There are Liberals who know full well that they're going to lose their seats on these two issues alone. I've even been hearing rumblings from supposedly "safe" Liberal seats that their MP's are at risk over their votes in these recent fiascoes.

But I also know full well that there are a few "progressives" who are still with us over here in the Conservative Party of Canada, who have never quite fully integrated within the new Party. Also various activists too, who whine and complain about our positions on various issues, but who hold their nose and vote for us when it comes time at the ballot box.

So, what's the solution? Perhaps it's time for a few of the "Red Tories" and the "Blue Grits" to start talking... perhaps it's time for a new truly "centrist" voice on the political landscape.

Quite frankly, there will probably never be a better time than this to shake up the political landscape in Canada. The creation of a small "centrist" coalition, founded by a core of existing MP's, from both the Liberals and the Conservatives, could shake things up fairly dramatically. They could become the "independents" of the Canadian political landscape, the group to which the other main parties would have to make significant overtures in order to form a Government.

Stop and think about it for a minute, in all seriousness. The Conservatives have no natural allies from which to form a coalition. Likewise neither do the Liberals, due to all the animosity that exists between them and the NDP. The formation of a core centrist "rump", if you will, would allow Canadians to raise their voices on the issues and say "We want something somewhere between both of you guys", which is what I believe a significant amount of Canadians are saying these days.

Of course, I'm not advocating for the formation of a new Party who should make the PMO their goal. What I'm talking about is the formation of a group of MP's who are better able to reflect the views of their constituents, by allowing them to place themselves somewhere ideologically between the two major parties, and allowing them to negotiate on issues between themselves and the other two major parties, thereby allowing them hold some of the cards when it comes time to decide who gets to form the Government after an election.

Yes, it would introduce a degree of uncertainty in our system... but in reality, no more so than currently exists, as I think we're set for a series of minority Parliaments for a number of years to come. I just think that now would be an ideal time for such an initiative to fly, even if it's just a short lived endeavour that lasts only for the next few election cycles. And I think it's something that has a genuine chance to work right now, with the current polarization that's going on within the mainline parties, and the rump of MP's on both sides of the isle that fall somewhere in the middle of all this. I can name off about a dozen MP's who fall into that category, lower profile MP's who could make their mark on the Canadian political system for years to come by pursing such an idea.

My two cents on things. Of course, for the record, I'm not planning on giving up my CPC membership anytime soon... though I certainly would have to give any such new group an honest listen before casting my ballot...

New Conservative Candidate Application Form

Okay, you gotta admit, this is pretty funny...

How to be a true blue Conservative
Published On Tue Apr 13 2010
By Vinay Menon - Humour Writer

Thank you for your interest in the Conservative Party of Canada.

We are always scouring this great land – especially west of Winnipeg – for future political stars. Are you shrewd? Do you have street smarts? Do you believe government should be small and surpluses should be big?

Are you ready to fight the blight of liberalism and Stand Up For Canada?

Recent situations have forced us to rethink our once invisible recruitment strategies. Psychological profiling, stress analysis, urine tests – we are considering all of this going forward.

For now, however, we ask that you take a few minutes to answer a few multiple-choice questions. These hypothetical situations, and your responses to them, will help us gauge your suitability.

Here now, our 2010 Screening Questionnaire For Aspiring Conservative Politicians:

1. You are about to breakup with a girlfriend who has ties to a biker gang. During a visit to her home, what do you bring?

a) Flowers and chocolate.
b) A goodbye card.
c) Sensitive documents related to a NATO meeting.

2. It is your birthday and you are rushing to catch a flight in Charlottetown. When asked by airport staff to remove your boots, what is your reaction?

a) You comply.
b) You say, “Thank you for doing your job!”
c) You berate staff, swear and refer to the entire city as a hellhole.

3. You are on a conference call with public health officials during a listeriosis outbreak that has caused multiple fatalities. Do you:

a) Ask for the latest information.
b) Outline an emergency plan to deal with the crisis.
c) Start making inappropriate jokes such as, “This is like a death by a thousand cuts. Or should I say cold cuts.”

4. The shutdown of a Canadian nuclear reactor has caused an international shortage of medical isotopes needed for cancer testing. In one word, please describe the situation:

a) Grave.
b) Horrifying.
c) Sexy.

5. While giving tourism money to a gay rights organization, you find yourself in a photo-op with drag queens. Do you:

a) Ask not to be photographed.
b) Discreetly tell organizers this may alienate supporters who are socially conservative.
c) Smile for the picture without giving it a second thought.

6. A Canadian city has not met the technical criteria while submitting an application for federal stimulus money. Do you:

a) Calmly reject the application.
b) Work with municipal leaders to develop a compromise solution.
c) Tell the city to, “F--- OFF!”

7. When is it appropriate to raise taxes?

a) Never – Canada is already beset with high taxes.
b) Never – raising taxes will hurt families and businesses.
c) Not sure.

8. Using three words, please finish the following sentence. “A woman’s place is ________:”

a) in the kitchen.
b) in the bedroom.
c) wherever she wants.

9. You’re no longer with the party, but your spouse is. You’re leaving a dinner with shady business associates. You are also drunk and in possession of cocaine. Do you:

a) Call a cab.
b) Call a friend.
c) Drive and exceed the posted speed limit.

10. (Removed after reconsideration... not quite in keeping with the content of my blog. Click the link above if you really want to read this one...)

Now please review your responses. If you answered “c” to any question, we must ask that you cease from contacting us again. Seriously, we will contact the RCMP.

Once again, thank you for your interest in the Conservative Party of Canada.

vmenon@thestar.ca or twitter.com/vinaymenon

Tories 10 point lead returns

37% vs. 27%, according to Ipsos Reid. Finally... took a bit longer than I'd expected, I thought we'd have seen these numbers back by late February. Regardless, it's nice to see that the Canadian public are paying attention to real issues of governance, rather than Opposition manufactured "outrage" over normal Parliamentary procedure.

In other news, Liberals cancel their search for a campaign plane... seeing as there's no way they're going to be needing it anytime soon.

h/t to the ever vigilant Stephen Taylor.

Guergis OUT

More to come, PM to hold press conf. shortly

Sent from my Blackberry

UPDATE: Here's the info. She's resigned from Cabinet, and will be sitting as an Independent MP until she's cleared of the various allegations.

And cue the disgusting posts of glee from the Liberals in three, two, one...

Fellow BTer here in Cayman?

Hey Doc Roy... I didn't know you were such a big deal here on Grand Cayman!