Harper 6th longest serving PM in Canadian history

[opinion2015]

http://wpmedia.news.nationalpost.com/2011/03/gdp.jpg

Not sure the discussion of budget deficits is fair- considering that every year, world events, recessions and global shifts in global financial power continues to change. Canada's economy is the 6th strongest in the world, according to the Heritage Foundation (www.heritage.org/index/ranking). I also found a chart (see link above), that compares debt but ties debt to gross domestic product (GDP).

The comparison goes back to years when the Liberals were in power, so there is a comparison to the Conservatives. Unfortunately (or fortunately!) we cannot compare the NDP as they have never had the reins of power, and control of Government spending.

There are comments about socialists/right wingers in some of the posts I have read on the topic of Harper's history of service, but I would make an argument that there have never been any socialists in power in Canada, and I doubt that there will be in my lifetime. Also, I think that the Conservatives cannot be labeled as 'right wingers' either. Yes, they have 'right wingers' that will continue to advocate to make abortion illegal, not allow gay marriage and continue to argue that marijuana should not be legalized- but they are marginalized and kept quiet with the threat of expulsion from the Conservative Party.

This is not your Great-Grandma's Conservative Party- they are much more of a centrist party- with good reason. The majority of voters will vote for a centrist party, and there really are three 'centrist' parties (one dead in the center- Liberals/one left of center- NDP, one right of center- Cons) and all are positioning themselves for the election- and, in my opinion, the NDP and Liberals will split the left of center vote, and the Conservatives will pick up their share of the centrist vote, added to their core voters- fiscal right wingers.

Unless Mike Duffy comes up with a doozer of a scandal, or there is some other major political mess that will derail the Cons, I predict a minority government for them. I have mused on other forums that the left of center parties must join forces, and form one party. Will that ever happen? Doubtful. Too many egos in both the Liberal and NDP parties.

I am not an economist but I do think the graph that I have attached will show that there are many ways to present the 'true' financial status of Canada. I know this much, we will see these comparisons "ad nauseum" come election time, through 'blue' eyes and 'red' eyes, and the ad campaigns that will be all over the air waves during the election run up.

I am not a card carrying member of either the Libs or Cons, and have voted for both of them in the past. At this time- I remain on the fence- but I must say I am happy that our economy has been strong, when many free countries economies have gone bankrupt since the 2007 recession, and I will remember that come election time!!

[Donald G]

To opinion2015 ...

I think that that "fence" position you have taken has and will become more and more popular in the months leading up to the next Federal Election later this year.

Hopefully the majority of voters will be able to look at matters as objectively as you have.

[bumblebuns]

http://wpmedia.news.nationalpost.com/2011/03/gdp.jpg

I am not a card carrying member of either the Libs or Cons, and have voted for both of them in the past. At this time- I remain on the fence- but I must say I am happy that our economy has been strong, when many free countries economies have gone bankrupt since the 2007 recession, and I will remember that come election time!!

I appreciate your sound reasoning opinion 2015. Thumbs up.

PS: It's "ad nauseam"!

[johnp3]

I remember back to Diefenbaker he also lowered the value of the dollar, Mulroney, harpo it seems to be a habit.
Please do tell when a federal conservative government ever had a surplus, Harpo is bragging about next year, but he has ran up 174 plus Billion deficit.
Sun news , the liers channel, is really trying boost harpos image as a real man but never seems to remember that when it came time to show he had any testosterone he hid in the closet.
No one seems to want to pay for the deficits, I guess it will need to be done by the poorest as usual.
Conservatives should be proud of what they have done and admit it not make excuses and blame everyone else.

[36Drew]

19) Joe Clark..........................273 days

Joe who?

[daria]

Ha!

[Donald G]

Just sent the Conservatives my campaign funds along with a note encouraging them to get to work on making Medical and recreational marijuana more available in Canada in a system similar to Colorado. They will definitely win the election if they do that. Outcome will not be as certain if they don't.

Addition to Colorado model would be;

1. Tighter control over six plant home grows;
2. Chargex and banking privileges;
3. Impose quality control on all marijuana and THC marijuana products, including home grows;
4. Mandatory monthly inspections by people renting out property.

[bob vernon]

The coming election campaign will not be Steve against the Liberals and the NDP. It will be Steve against terrorism. You will be convinced that there are terrorists everywhere, determined to destroy your way of life and convert your children into terrorists. And only Steve can prevent the worst from happening to Canada. You will be told that Trudeau wants your kid to do drugs and turn into a monster and that the NDP plans for daycare and expanding medicare to include pharmacare will bankrupt the nation, weakening us so the terrorists can take over. Only Steve can prevent it. And you'll vote for him because the status quo is better than risking it all.

[Glacier]

^I was thinking of voting for Justin, but now that you put it that way, I think I'll have to go with Steve.

[dg3]

justin wont reverse these bs terror laws, so there no reason to vote for him, all we can do is vote for fringe partys and hope for endless minority governments, thats the only way to prevent escalating the police state that we now live in,

[Donald G]

To dg3 ...

I agree that a minority government usually produces the best Government.

I disagree that Canadians are living under anything even remotely related to a police state ??

Exaggeration for the sake of party politics ??

[dg3]

To dg3 ...

I agree that a minority government usually produces the best Government.

I disagree that Canadians are living under anything even remotely related to a police state ??

Exaggeration for the sake of party politics ??

The inhabitants of a police state may experience restrictions on their mobility, or on their freedom to express or communicate political or other views, which are subject to police monitoring or enforcement.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_state

[Donald G]

To dg3 ...

You left out almost all of the other requirements that go to make up a police state such as the government politicians being able to direct the police to do their bidding as and where required, regardless of the laws.

Incarcerated criminals who can not move around the country as desired go to make us a police state ?? I don't think so.