Week III Wrap Up
The big issue in the past week was the debates, which I have already posted on below, so instead I will focus on other events.
There was the beer and popcorn comment but Liberal strategist Scott Reid, which attracted much controversy. This will no doubt play into the hands of those who believe the Liberals have the attitude Government knows best while the Tories trust individual Canadians. I'll admit I am not a big fan of the Liberal childcare plan, but like most Canadians I vote on many issues, not just one issue. Besides Scott Reid apologized for this and Paul Martin made clear that he did trust parents. Even during the debates he said Stephen Harper's $1200 a year for parents was better than nothing, but still not good enough.
The next big news was Ambassador Wilkins' (or is it Williams) comments on Canada bringing the US into the election. I happen to for once agree with Harper that the ambassador should stay out of our election. Also I fully support Martin on the softwood file. He has not attacked the American people directly, but rather gone after the US government for illegally slapping tariffs on our softwood lumber, which has cost many jobs, especially here in BC. Any prime-minister has the duty to stand up to another country, when Canadian jobs are being threatened over another country not honouring their part of the agreement. If the Americans don't like it, then tough. On the Softwood Lumber file, we are right and they are wrong and therefore we should not back down until they remove the tariffs and return the $5 billion in illegal duties collected. As a supporter of free trade, free trade means free trade for all products, not cherry picking, which areas you want free trade in or not. I do think however, they we need to strenghthen our ties with other countries as our values seem to be diverging with the Americans. I also think from a purely economic view that being so dependent on one trading partner is not wise and therefore we should diversify our trade. I would never invest 87% in one stock, so having 87% of our trade with one country is a bad idea.
While in Alberta over the past few weeks, there were few lawn signs so difficult to gage the public mood, but from the few people I talked to, most seemed to be very angry at the Liberals. The only riding I can really see them holding is Anne McLellan's since even some who dislike the Liberals personally like her and will vote Liberal simply to ensure Alberta has at least one strong voice on the side of government.
This past weekend I went to Joyce Murray's campaign office opening who will hopefully after January 23rd be the MP for New Westminster-Coquitlam. Stephen Owen was there as a special guest who gave a strong introduction to Joyce Murray. Even though I don't always agree with him, he is not doubt a strong MP and I was quite impressed with his talk about how we can have a clean environment and a strong economy at the same time. I fully agree here and I believe none other than Joyce Murray would be an excellent MP due to her strong record on the environment while provincial minister of Land, Air and Water. It was really too bad New Westminster turfed Joyce Murray last provincial election, but hopefully she can bring her talents to the federal scene. She brought far more to New Westminster in 4 years as an MLA than Paul Forseth has done in the last twelve years. This wednesday I will going to Brenda Locke's campaign office opening where David Emerson will be the special guest. Hopefully she can unseat the embarassing and useless Nina Grewal while hopefully Vancouver-Kingsway will elect a strong cabinet minister who can bring much to BC over someone who will languish in the opposition, and in this case I mean the NDP.
Prediction: Lib 137 Con 88 BQ 61 NDP 22
There was the beer and popcorn comment but Liberal strategist Scott Reid, which attracted much controversy. This will no doubt play into the hands of those who believe the Liberals have the attitude Government knows best while the Tories trust individual Canadians. I'll admit I am not a big fan of the Liberal childcare plan, but like most Canadians I vote on many issues, not just one issue. Besides Scott Reid apologized for this and Paul Martin made clear that he did trust parents. Even during the debates he said Stephen Harper's $1200 a year for parents was better than nothing, but still not good enough.
The next big news was Ambassador Wilkins' (or is it Williams) comments on Canada bringing the US into the election. I happen to for once agree with Harper that the ambassador should stay out of our election. Also I fully support Martin on the softwood file. He has not attacked the American people directly, but rather gone after the US government for illegally slapping tariffs on our softwood lumber, which has cost many jobs, especially here in BC. Any prime-minister has the duty to stand up to another country, when Canadian jobs are being threatened over another country not honouring their part of the agreement. If the Americans don't like it, then tough. On the Softwood Lumber file, we are right and they are wrong and therefore we should not back down until they remove the tariffs and return the $5 billion in illegal duties collected. As a supporter of free trade, free trade means free trade for all products, not cherry picking, which areas you want free trade in or not. I do think however, they we need to strenghthen our ties with other countries as our values seem to be diverging with the Americans. I also think from a purely economic view that being so dependent on one trading partner is not wise and therefore we should diversify our trade. I would never invest 87% in one stock, so having 87% of our trade with one country is a bad idea.
While in Alberta over the past few weeks, there were few lawn signs so difficult to gage the public mood, but from the few people I talked to, most seemed to be very angry at the Liberals. The only riding I can really see them holding is Anne McLellan's since even some who dislike the Liberals personally like her and will vote Liberal simply to ensure Alberta has at least one strong voice on the side of government.
This past weekend I went to Joyce Murray's campaign office opening who will hopefully after January 23rd be the MP for New Westminster-Coquitlam. Stephen Owen was there as a special guest who gave a strong introduction to Joyce Murray. Even though I don't always agree with him, he is not doubt a strong MP and I was quite impressed with his talk about how we can have a clean environment and a strong economy at the same time. I fully agree here and I believe none other than Joyce Murray would be an excellent MP due to her strong record on the environment while provincial minister of Land, Air and Water. It was really too bad New Westminster turfed Joyce Murray last provincial election, but hopefully she can bring her talents to the federal scene. She brought far more to New Westminster in 4 years as an MLA than Paul Forseth has done in the last twelve years. This wednesday I will going to Brenda Locke's campaign office opening where David Emerson will be the special guest. Hopefully she can unseat the embarassing and useless Nina Grewal while hopefully Vancouver-Kingsway will elect a strong cabinet minister who can bring much to BC over someone who will languish in the opposition, and in this case I mean the NDP.
Prediction: Lib 137 Con 88 BQ 61 NDP 22
posted by Monkey Loves to Fight at 9:22 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home