Harper's Poison Pill Had Horrible Side Effects

For a man who is supposed to be so religious, you'd think he might wonder if God is trying to tell him something.

Like maybe his venomous attack ads are not very Christian like.

Rather than responding to Michael Ignatieff's demands that Jim Flaherty be held accountable for gross mismanagement of the economy, he pulled out his best Richard Nixon, and said 'I'd love to fire the Leader of the Opposition, but with the tapes I've got on him...".

Soon after, tapes were discovered of Lisa Raitt calling the Isotope shortage sexy and dissing her fellow MPs; John Baird using profanity agaisnt the City of Toronto and Pierre Poilievre issuing a racist remark.

Now, at the G8 summit of all places, Harper once again went on the attack over an apparent quote by Mr. Ignatieff, only to discover the quote didn't belong to Ignatieff at all, so Harper was left with egg on his face.

Why doesn't he quit while he's ahead? Instead of telling us how long the Liberal leader has been out of the country, he might want to start protecting this country he is so determined to sell off; and instead of raising his creds by bashing his opponents, why not do something that will earn our respect? So far ... nada!

PMO apologizes after Harper slams Ignatieff
By Peter O'Neil,
Europe Correspondent,
Canwest News Service
July 10, 2009

L'AQUILA, Italy — Prime Minister Stephen Harper launched a blistering attack here Friday against Michael Ignatieff, although moments later his office withdrew the allegation and apologized to the Liberal leader.

Harper, whose party has questioned his rival's commitment to Canada because the Liberal leader lived three decades overseas, said Ignatieff should withdraw any suggestion that Canada could be excluded from a new body to replace the G8.

"I think it's an irresponsible suggestion, and Mr. Ignatieff is supposed to be a Canadian."But his spokesman, Dimitri Soudas, quickly met with reporters to say he had misinformed the prime minister on the matter. Soudas said the remark attributed to Ignatieff was actually made by an academic, and he apologized for the error.

Harper, during a lengthy news conference at the conclusion of the three-day G8 summit, also denounced a report in a New Brunswick newspaper earlier this week saying he pocketed the Holy Communion host during the funeral at a Catholic church for former governor general Romeo LeBlanc.

"First of all, as a Christian I have never refused communion when offered to me. That's actually pretty important to me," he said.

"Somebody running an unsubstantiated story that I would stick communion bread in my pocket is really absurd (too bad for Harper we actually that on tape, but at least he didn't lie this time and say he ate it, since realizing to do so would be against Church law) and I think it's a real, frankly, a low point. This is a low moment in journalism, whoever is responsible for this. It's just a terrible story and a ridiculous story and not based on anything as near as I can tell."

He also expressed bemused admiration for Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who remains publicly popular despite numerous business and sex scandals.

"Like Prime Minister Berlusconi, I have many weaknesses, but they are not the same."

Boy Harper sure has a great communications guy with him. Lies to get him out of the Communion debacle and goofs to make him look like an idiot.

But of course, once Harper gets riled up, and his mean streatk is tickled, there's no stoppong him, so he jsut tore into everyone.

Harper lambastes budget officer, apologizes to Ignatieff
'Like (Berlusconi), I have many weaknesses, but they are not the same': Harper
By Peter O'Neil,
Europe Correspondent,
Canwest News Service
July 10, 2009

L'AQUILA, Italy — Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in Italy on Friday he won't follow the "dumb" advice from Parliament's budget officer by raising taxes to balance Canada's post-recession books.

Harper's attack on Kevin Page was one of two partisan flights of fury during an otherwise statesmanlike closing to the three-day G8 summit here, which focused on climate change, the economic crisis, food security and Iran.

Harper also attacked Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff's commitment to Canada's best interests, a move that resulted in an embarrassing about-face when a Tory aide realized Harper's attack was based on false information.

Speaking about Canada's economy, the prime minister tersely dismissed Page's gloomy report this week, which said the government had underestimated the impact of the recession on government finances and the economy.

In addition to predicting higher-than-expected job losses, Page also said the Canadian government is now running a "structural deficit" and, therefore, won't automatically go back to budget surpluses when the economy recovers.

So "significant discretionary actions" will be necessary to get Canada's books back in the black, Page said.

But on Friday, Harper ridiculed the suggestion that the government would need to slash spending or boost taxes to balance its budget when the economy recovers.

"We will not start raising taxes and cutting programs. That's a very dumb policy and, to the extent, frankly, that the parliamentary budget officer suggested it, it's a dumb position," he said. (How articulate. Dumb means you can't speak, and is slang used mostly by kids)

"It will not be the position of our government. We will not be raising the GST or any other tax during or after the recession."

Harper, whose party has questioned in TV ads Ignatieff's commitment to Canada because the Liberal leader lived three decades overseas, accused Ignatieff of publicly suggesting the G8 be replaced by a body that doesn't include Canada.

"I think it's an irresponsible suggestion, and Mr. Ignatieff is supposed to be a Canadian."

But Harper quickly withdrew the remark after learning he had been misinformed by one of his media aides, Dimitri Soudas.

"During my press conference, I attacked Mr. Ignatieff for some things he had allegedly said about Canada and the G8," Harper said. "I learned shortly after the press conference this was not a quotation of Mr. Ignatieff. I regret the error and I apologize to Mr. Ignatieff for this error."

Soudas, who also apologized, said the remark attributed to Ignatieff was actually made by an academic. The apologies did little to blunt Liberal anger.

"This is not simply a mistake by one of Mr. Harper's staffers . . . but, rather, is reflective of the character of this prime minister who made the choice to continue his pattern of slinging mud at his opponents, this time on an international stage," said Bob Rae, the Grits' foreign affairs critic.

He also confirmed the government will review a tourism support program that funded the Toronto gay pride parade, and jokingly expressed admiration for Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who remains publicly popular, despite numerous business and sex scandals. (Most Italians would have no problems with sex scandals. Desicrating a Communion wafer though, now that's another matter.)

"Like Prime Minister Berlusconi, I have many weaknesses, but they are not the same."