11.22.2012 10:53 AM

Byline, Nov. 21: Twinkies, dope and dopey conservatives

42 Comments

  1. !o! says:

    “won’t pumping more oil piss off the people that want to legalize pot”

    No. Support for legalization has completely changed as an issue. It’s popular amongst the left, certainly, and also amongst socially libertarian, fiscally conservative voters, this isn’t anything new, but in the past 5-10 years we’ve seen (both in Canada and the US, and Canada is ahead of the curve w/r to the US) a pretty significant swing in the general public, such that as an issue it only really has low levels (sub 50%) of support amongst those who identify as very socially conservative, i.e. the religious right. Even amongst recent immigrants it’s not cut-and-dry. This is not a fringe issue anymore, it’s simply sensible policy, both tactically and policy-wise.

    • !o! says:

      It’s also good policy differentiation— the CPC cannot adopt a softer approach to marijuana because it pisses off his religious right base, but as a tactical position to take, it will bleed CPC support to the LPC.

  2. steve says:

    If Obama is President I doubt he would shut the borders, his base would go ballistic.

  3. Philippe says:

    I don’t think we have much to worry about at the border. The US is slowly headed in the same direction on legalization.

    Justin is 100% aligned with public opinion on this one, it’s the other greying white-guy politicos who aren’t. Home-run on this one, bravo Justin.

  4. Tim says:

    I didn’t think you’d come out against pot legalization, Warren. If there’s ever a time to start changing drug policy in both the US and Canada, it would be with Trudeau and Obama in power. Washington’s move to legalize makes cross border issues relatively benign in the part of our own country where the biggest cross border issues exist. Since various states are starting to legalize, it nullifies the role that Canada plays as a supplier. Why deal with the hassle of getting it over the border when the state you live in, or one near you, let’s you buy it legally?

    • Conservative Socialist says:

      His concern is about the unintended effects of said legalization. If legalizing pot will put constraints on trade, then perhaps it’s not worth it to go down that road just yet.

      I’m hesitant to support legalization myself for the simple fact that sometimes people need to be protected from themselves. I’ve seen firsthand how marijuana has turned people into the brain dead zombie caricature propagated by those who are against legalization. But they might have been extreme examples, there’s a clear distinction between the casual user and those who abuse it. I certainly enjoy having the occasional beer once in a while, and I do hate being lumped with alcoholics when teetotalers admonish me for such a minor indulgence.

      But perhaps the resources required to enforce anti-drug laws could be spent somewhere else. I could support legalization with the caveat that it be taxed the hell out of it, just like tobacco and give tax stamp authority to select producers.

  5. Bluegreenblogger says:

    Trudeau did NOT come out and say legalization. He said decriminilisation. Big difference (when it comes to slamming borders shut). Do NOT forget that the US can stop Canadians from visiting their border states (who incidentally all voted for Obama), but to do so would cost them untold billions in cross border shopping, and tourism. (Costs borne by those who voted for Obama). With the $$ at parity, the money is flowing South, not North. Put that together with the fact that many States are decriminilising, or even legalising dope, and both the optics, and the practicalities (meaning $$) would mitigate STRONGLY against such a reaction. In short, it is not a credible threat. Maybe expect some bombast, but who gives a toss.
    The twinkie discussion is interesting though. If we legalizse dope in Canada, we can advertise to all those stoners, `Come to Canada for your two for one special. Twinkies with every dime bag!`

  6. Anne Peterson says:

    I visualize dozens of little Harper mini mes in the PMO office digging endlessly through the past words of all the opposition people (at my expense) looking for words to quote (out of context if nothing else) to send to the press. Why don’t you political types start digging for Harper quotes to tell Canadians about again and again. And there are lots of them. How about his lovely take on the Atlantic provinces. I almost said ‘you Eastern bastar…d political types’ in honour of Mr. Ralph Klein, the least deserving of any order of anyone I know. I resent all that sleezy stuff they are doing and I am not even a liberal.

    When will someone research in depth and write a book about the NEP and the oil companies. As a born and bred Albertan I think it is about time to lay blame where it belongs.

    • Bill says:

      Interesting comment. You have to remember that the Trudeau’s name is polarizing, with great power comes great responsibility….he blow it and will pay dearly. What he has said is actually quite dangerous to Canada in so many ways.

      The research has been done and history doesn’t lie. PET owns NEP and the liberal party continues to pay the price.

      • Domenico says:

        Hold it, I thought it was agreed that for the sake of relevance, not to mention their own credibility, a person couldn’t reference the NEP? The penalty, if I recall correctly, was that other posters would repeat quotes from Myron Thompson until the reference was retracted.

        • Domenico says:

          Well as you will not abide by the ironclad rules of this forum here goes:

          “Lets lower the age to ten.” – Canadian Alliance MP Myron Thompson, commenting on the age at which the Alliance believes one should be tried as an adult, at a Vernon, BC meeting.

    • Bluegreenblogger says:

      Uhhh, maybe you should take note of what website you are on (I still want to call it a blog), and read the book the websites owner was promoting here for years before his latest release, ‘The War Room’. That is precisely what a war room is supposed to prepare, and WK made the point that organising all the quotes by keywords, context etc. is critical to making TIMELY response to breaking news. (or even anticipating breaking news) It works in business, in politics, in all complex human endeavours. Contingency planning.

  7. Kirsten says:

    Bill, by using your logic, if I were to consider all of the extremely divisive and offensive comments made by our current Prime Minister about all manner of things in the last decade alone, including but not limited to “the culture of defeat” or “Alberta needs to take the bricks and begin building another home” – the only office he’d be elected to would be Premier of Alberta.

    I don’t mind partisanship but don’t let it eviscerate your credibility through statements like “it will now be impossible for Trudeau to make any gains in Ontario.”

    I am no great mind, but it seems to me, if this was so salacious and earth shattering, the CPC should have held on to it until the next election, instead of giving Trudeau 3 years to hammer it down.

    • Bill says:

      I have to disagree with you on Harpers comments. Not a single one is nearly as damaging to national unity. Justin’s future will be defined by these comments. A Trudeau talking about how Quebec owns Canada, is more competent than any other province, specially Alberta….WOW!!!!! Lots of Canadians will not forgive or forget these statements, not just in Alberta.

      I don’t think it is possible to “hammer it down” as you describe. It will be interesting if others running for the top job bring this up during the leadership race.

      • Kirsten says:

        You are talking about a man, who, prior to being in serious contention to become Prime Minister did nothing but tear down Canada, a man who said that Atlantic Canadians suffer from a culture of defeat, a man who said that same sex marriage was not a human right, a man who said that whether Canada ended up as one national government, two national governments or some other kind of arrangement was “secondary” in his opinion. Yeah, you’re right. Justin’s factual comments about the most prominent leaders of the 20th century hailing from Quebec (including Mulroney) is waaay more divisive.
        Take your blinders off and have a good look around at the comments made by Mr. Harper.

      • Bluegreenblogger says:

        Really? Hyperbole much?

  8. JH says:

    Won’t stick. The ‘Firewall Letter’, ‘Culture of defeat’ and Guns in the streets’ stuff didn’t either.
    BTW – CBC and MacLeans’ pundit Marty Patriquin covered this two years ago and posted the video, so don’t give Sun News too much credit. Macleans did the dirty work for them.

    • Bill says:

      He wasn’t running to be the Prime Minister then…….

      • kenn2 says:

        The Trudeau 2010 statement is, at a minimum, awkward. But it’s not fatal, and the spin that he’s saying “Quebec owns Canada” is just so much BS.

        Regional biases and sentiments exist. Trudeau was intemperate in expressing the Quebec viewpoint. He could take a lesson from the CPC, who have very successfully embraced and channeled western resentment, and they are much more adept practitioners of the dog whistle, stoking the regional bias while not leaving telltale quotes.

        He wasn’t running to be the Prime Minister then

        This is the tell. You’re in effect saying that leaders can talk sh!t and not be held to account, under certain shifting rules, and that’s OK. Me, I’m looking past that to the person behind the words. Trudeau is relatively young and passionate to a fault. We have yet to see him in full campaign mode or at the controls. Harper by contrast has been on the job, and we’ve seen his bias expressed in his disdain for Quebec and for past progressive accomplishments.

        • Bill says:

          Running for top job will bring more visibility to past statements, that was my point. Many, many hopeful candidates never had all past comments displayed if Prime Misterership is not likely.

          My point is this…Trudeau doesn’t get a second chance, the Trudeau name and Quebec is a very sensitive issue for Canada. Trudeau just tipped his hand, he feels Quebec is better/more important than Canada. Big mistake, he will never be able to correct this. Trudeau 2.0 is done.

          • kenn2 says:

            he feels Quebec is better/more important than Canada

            That’s the right-wing spin, the reality is no more toxic than the western boosterism expressed by many CPC members. Who isn’t proud of their home province, to some extent at least?

            he will never be able to correct this.

            … I’ll take that bet. Whether it’s next election, or 10+ years from now, Trudeau will lead the Liberals to federal victory. The question is… whether it will be just charisma or name-recognition winning over voters’ Harper/CPC fatigue, or whether Trudeau can spark and lead a genuine Liberal rebirth.

  9. Geoffrey Laxton says:

    Who needs environmentally dangerous pipelines to push dilbit when we have rail lines to pull bitumen?

  10. steve says:

    If you were on the fence before this story should tip you over. Oh the humanity.
    http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/2012/11/22/drug-charges-for-11-niagara-students

  11. Jonas says:

    Wonder if Justin will also apologize in French, in Quebec; but I doubt it.

  12. Lawrence Barry says:

    Jesus, he has nice hair though.

  13. Tim Sullivan says:

    Wow. A Liberal offends Alberta, again. The news is just so full of news.

    When will anyone cover how thin-skinned Albertans and elected Alberta politicians are.

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