I didn't blog about any of the leadership races, but did have an opinion.
I think the Liberals got it right, but the NDP could not have got it more wrong.
I'll post on why I like Justin Trudeau later, but first want to explain why I am rejecting Thomas Mulcair and the NDP. (don't get mad until you read it all)
I first got back on the horse, with the idea that there would be a spirit of co-operation between all opposition parties, since the need to get rid of Stephen Harper could not be more urgent.
Then I watched the news coverage of the protests over Harper's Bill C-51, and saw many NDP members carrying signs with Justin Trudeau's image, blaming him for the Bill.
First off, it would have gone through no matter what, and no one wants to be seen as not having concern for the nation's security, especially during an election year. The Liberals fought for amendments that would have removed the worst elements. The NDP waited, saying they hadn't yet made up their minds. Odd, given the Draconian nature of the un-amended document.
I think they waited to see which way public opinion would swing, hoping to gain some leverage.
When it looked like there was enough opposition, they flatly turned it down, even voting against their own amendments. Some pundits see it as a smart political move. I see it as a disaster.
They let Stephen Harper completely off the hook, neutralizing what should have been an important election issue. Now he can shift focus to the economy, something many people believe is his strength. It's not of course, but there's nothing like those taxpayer funded ads, and big fat cheques, to convince Canadians otherwise.
Thomas Mulcair also came out of the gate attacking Elizabeth May. Thems fighting words. You do not attack Elizabeth May unless you are prepared to go a few rounds with me. I was already angry with Mulcair when he went after Libby Davies, because she dared to sympathize with the Palestinians. Then of course there was the caucus revolt against Jack Layton and the whole "pooling" scam.
However, even given his shortfalls, I was still prepared to promote him for prime minister, if he was deemed to have the best shot (not based on polls months before an election).
On my Facebook page, I have many discussions, some of them quite heated, since I have friends from all political stripes; even ones who want to kill me, or at least shut me up.
NDP supporters don't want me to speak ill of Mulcair, constantly saying that we need to work together. ABC and all that. However, what they are really saying is that I should just get behind Thomas Mulcair. Yet, if I bring up the Bill C-51 fiasco, many will immediately start slamming Justin Trudeau's "support" of it.
He's not a wizard and doesn't have a magic wand. If he did, Harper would be sunning himself on Alcatraz Island. Or better yet, on one of the polar drifts, broken away because of global warming.
Bill C-51 is now a distant memory for most Canadians, which is sad because it really is a horrible bit of legislation, though I think much of it will be nullified by the Supreme Court.
When Pierre Trudeau enacted the War Measures Act, in response to the terrorist FLQ kidnappings and murder, many Canadians were appalled. This was nothing short of treason. However, polls of the day either supported Trudeau or had no opinion. History gives it credence.
Despite the attack on Parliament Hill being perpetrated by a mentally ill homeless man with a gun, it gave Harper his false flag war, and an excuse to further erode our civil liberties. I can't tell you how many people I speak to, who still believe that ISIS was behind it.
If Bill C-51 is going to be used as an election issue, Harper will win that debate. Let it go until after the election. There's nothing anyone can do about it now.
From Anger to Hissy Fit to Oh My Gawd!
So here I was, all peeved and throwing darts at my autographed picture of Tom Mulcair (kidding I don't have one), and to relieve some tension I took out my blog. I was just going to publish a couple of silly attack style pieces. That'd fix him. (Like he cared)
But then when I started doing a bit of research, I discovered that almost everything the NDP uses to sell this man to us, is a fabrication. I soon realized that this was not a person of principle, but kind of a buffoon. His entire career was based on advancing his career. No one likes a headline more than Mr. Mulcair.
I started getting a knot in my stomach, not unlike the knot I got in my stomach, when it looked like Stephen Harper was going to win the election in 2006. I want Harper gone too, but I'd like his replacement to be worthy of the job.
With all of this conflicting emotion, I decided to start another blog. One that just challenged some of the things people believe of him, with my usual list of sources. In fact, a lot of what I discovered, could not be made up. It's just too weird.
Justin Trudeau grew up in the public eye. We feel like we know him, and can't deny the accomplishments of his father. But what do we really know of Thomas Mulcair?
I went on the NDP site and notice that they only have about a third of their candidates in place. Are they hoping to create so much hysteria around Mulcair, that they can again push through paper candidates like they did in 2011?
How is that any less undemocratic than the unfair elections act or Harper's gerrymandering? Besides, Mulcair will no doubt self destruct before election time anyway. He always does.
If they were really hoping to use the cult of personality to win, they should have gone with someone like Peggy Nash, who has the creds to back it up. She could have generated some excitement. A woman, strong and smart, with a good union background.
However, when it comes down to it, my politics are in this order:
1. Canada
2. liberal
3. Liberal
4. Green
Canada is first, so in the final days, I will promote and vote for who ever is best to take down Stephen Harper. However, I think that everyone should forget talks of ABC, strategic voting, or heaven forbid, coalitions.
All parties are jockeying for position, and need to focus on what their party has to offer. I visit Facebook pages of my NDP freinds and they are often more about Justin than Steve, so I don't apologize for any partisan rants, though I'm often just messing with people.
We need more political debate in this country. That's how we got into this mess in the first place.
