Feature, Musings —04.20.2019 07:05 AM
—#LavScam latest: PEI shows Canada the way
Nate Erskine-Smith is my MP. I have always liked him. I have always praised him and had a big sign supporting him in front of my house in 2015.
But ever since Nate voted to deny Jody Wilson-Raybould an opportunity to appear before the Ethics Committee – ever since Nate actually acted as the spokesman for the Liberal MPs who denied her a chance to testify about how the Prime Minister of Canada obstructed justice – I’ve (sadly) decided I can support him no more. I don’t want an MP who participated in, and defended, a coverup.
So, who to vote for? I’m not wild about any of the other choices. Polls suggest I’m not alone in that regard.
Tiny Prince Edward Island to the rescue! PEI is showing everyone there is indeed an alternative, now. And it’s ready to govern, too.
Here’s the latest from PEI, where I am told local Liberals have told Justin Trudeau to stay away.
I think we should heed their example, don’t you?
A new poll is showing a substantial lead by the Green party over the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives.
The poll of 400 P.E.I. residents, carried out by MQO Research, showed support for Peter Bevan-Baker’s Green party at 40 per cent, while Dennis King’s PCs stood at 29 per cent and Wade MacLauchlan’s Liberals stood at 26 per cent. The NDP, under the leadership of Joe Byrne, remained at three per cent public support.
E. May can’t remain as leader of the federal Greens if the PEI experiment is to be replicated federally.
I’m meeting my local Green nominee relatively soon to see what I can do. Although I am keenly awaiting JWR and JP’s decisions to help guide me too.
Interesting times.
If you vote Green, please turn in your gas guzzling SUV or pickup truck.
I’m going to drive it right up onto your lawn and do doughnuts.
That’s a good way to get rid of the Kentucky Blue Grass monoculture and allow diverse local plant life to be reestablished.
I love Green supporters. Greens say we must reduce CO2 emissions. But many refuse to change their own carbon emissions. Trust you can see the irony. 🙂
Do I see the need for climate change prevention? Nope. Which is why I wouldn’t vote Green, regardless of their other policy positions.
Well you do have a gross polluter in your garage warren- a mid seventies beetle.
It pollutes more sitting in the afternoon sun via its gas tank vapours than most modern cars do doing 120 km/h down the highway.
And I love it deeply
Gord wins this round!
http://www.zelectricmotors.com/
Good god, no, just no.
canada is already hanging by a thread. Put the NDP or greens in federally and boom, its done. The west will be out and socialists and envirowhackadoodles can run the rest into the ground.
If Canada is, as you say, hanging by a thread, and, its stewardship has been basically steered by either Liberal or Conservative governments, then, wouldn’t it make sense to try something else? Cant see Scheer being anything else but same old same old, so, I will be looking as well.
Not sure Scheer is the answer either, but what I know is the last two Liberal admins have been corrupt, and, therefore, most responsible for what Jack B. says about Canada hanging by a thread. I agree with him that the NDP or Greens are nowhere close to being the answer. My vote will likely go to Scheer because of this capable front bench.
An isolated corruption scandal or two does not in any way mean the Canada is hanging by a thread.
These ridiculous exaggerations happens on both the left and the right. NDP, Liberal, Conservative or Green, most Canadians lives will be uneffected.
An isolated corruption or two? Wow! Where have you been and where have you just come from? Mars? There were more than one or two scandals under Chretien-Martin alone!
There where more then one or two under Harper. Lets not get started on Mulrony.
The point is, Canada is in no way hanging by a thread.
Fortunately, this is just a protest vote (like the NDP’s ‘big wins’ in Quebec and Alberta). Neither the NDP nor the Greens will form a Canadian federal government in our lifetimes. People may hold their noses and use these two parties to send a message to the Liberals and Conservatives, but when push comes to shove the public is just not dumb enough to hand them the keys to our economy (have you ever *read* a Green platform? I did, once. It was SCARY stuff…like the economic plans a teenager might dream up…).
Fred,
Never say never. My vote will go wherever JWR goes. Period.
Testify.
Your first sentence contradicts your premise. Nobody expected the NDP to win in Alberta or Quebec during our lifetimes, yet they did. Why can’t there be a similar protest vote at the federal level?
“Your first sentence contradicts your premise. Nobody expected the NDP to win in Alberta or Quebec during our lifetimes, yet they did.”
Well, that was my whole point: they didn’t actually *win*, did they? Not as most of us define winning….they ended up in power by accident, really.
They didn’t go out and campaign hard, win debates and sway people over to their side by the strength and promise of their platform, did they? They didn’t nominate candidates with impressive backgrounds and strong ties to the community. In the case of Quebec, they nominated a few 20-something people who didn’t live in their ridings, some who had no political experience, one who left half-way through the campaign to go on vacation, etc etc. In other words, they WEREN’T EXPECTING TO WIN (and why would they?).
Instead, their opposition collapsed, and they were the unexpected beneficiaries. Happy, yes…but completely stunned anyway. That’s what a protest vote does.
“Why can’t there be a similar protest vote at the federal level?”
Too dangerous, is my guess. People have been known to screw around and cast protest votes quite a bit at the municipal level, not so much at the provincial level and rarely at the federal level. Why? In a word: CONSEQUENCES. Put an idiot in charge of your city finances and the provincial government will bail you out if things go really badly (at least that’s the rationale). Put a fool in charge provincially…well, now you’re talking a lot more money, but the federal government is still there to stave off total collapse and keep you afloat until your economy can recover somewhat. But put one in federally? NOW you’re screwed. Now you’ve got no backup, and no one is coming to bail you out (at least not for free).
That’s my theory, for what it’s worth. I hope it is never tested.
A federal NDP government would make Pierre Trudeau look like Ebenezer Scrooge (or Scrooge McDuck, if you like:).
.. something tends to move into most voids ..
Hence Ontario has a Premier named Doug Ford.. the Liberal collapse and Wynne’s white flag left such a void. In the US of A Trump et al oozed into the void of ‘its my turn’ Hillary. Same in sorryassed Alberta. Kenney did the Harper rebrand evangel ‘Advantage’ grift and petro void welcomed his ascension or ooze move
Was there a valid explanation from Nate or not? As you say though.. what are your options? Wh0 has our holy evangel fathers, the Conservatives offered as candidate? The NDP drifting twould seem? Green may be feeling their oats.. hell n damnation but there is a mighty void to step smartly into.
But I think Nate is safe.. he works his riding. The Great Trudeau Lavalin Conundrum will smack many a Liberal we thinks.. thus giving Ottawa boy Scheer a ridiculous opportunity he doesn’t deserve.
An aside.. it seems Albertans have bought into the provincial and federal Harper Rump – Economic Theory.. ejecting Ms Notely & NDP to return the Harper Dogma UCP dregs to power. The economic theory seemingly includes accumulating such a vast and astonishing Sovereign Remediation Debt (260 billion $$) that Alberta tax payers may have to cover it, instead of the polluters! Thus toxin leaching tar sands tailings ponds, leaking orphan & abandoned oil wells, fracking sites, derelict infrastructure, toxic boreal forest dump sites etc will almost certainly be ‘written off’ – never to be remediated. Jason Of Arc Kenney won’t even read the Alberta Energy Regulater report says he.. probably planning to just use retroactive legislation & the Never You Mind NotWithStanding Clause gambit.. to make it all ‘go away’. Seemingly, Trudeau & his Environment Minister etc lean this way as well.. and since most MainstreamMedia prove every day that they believe the myth that diluted bitumin is ‘Alberta oil’.. its best the extraction for export be expanded toute suite.. and so subsidize expansion with tax dollars.. and forget any Remediation. Lavalin has a share in TMX and Site C too.. so its all a big happy political family pre election …. (.. haha.. not !!)
I drive an electric car and do think we need to reduce our consumption of fossil fuels, but I will not support the Greens as long as they are radical left. If they moved to the centre, pushed for responsible fiscal policy and recognized that we need the oil and gas industry for a while still, then they would be an option. Sadly, Elizabeth May is a hypocrite who protests pipeline and then jumps on an oil- fuelled airplane every week.
.. its very true ‘we’ Canadians) need oil & gas for a while. Why shouldn’t we benefit from ‘Energy Security For Canadians’ ? But a hydrocarbon ‘extraction for export economy’ aka ‘Growing the Economy’ forever n ever Amen (until the Rapture cometh ?) Hell.. we have people with no safe drinking water, we can decimate our west coast fisheries to match our east coast tragedy, we have urban homeless, we are closing libraries.. we need exemplars representing us in our ridings, whether rural or urban.. not parachuted partisan thugs or dreamy whipped political animals. Give me a common sense informed housewife or a mailman.. over a weak ass partisan MP anyday
where does your electricity come from?
.. nuclear .. Pickering by Frenchman’s Bay on the eastern fringe of Toronto. Bruce Nuclear may be running a lot in too from southwestern Ontario. ie for Brampton almost for sure, but probably also for the west and north aspects of metro Toronto, plus Mississauga etc. TTC is a humungous buyer. A ton of wind power down that way too for rural and smaller centres plus the Bruce nuke.. We aint that far from Niagara hydro power either
Yes and meanwhile most greenies are doctrinaire anti nuclear power.
“If they moved to the centre, pushed for responsible fiscal policy and recognized that we need the oil and gas industry for a while still, then they would be an option.”
Couldn’t have said it better myself. I seem to remember them opposing the Site C project in favor of the ludicrous wind and solar BS that they keep pushing. The numbers have been known for a while now: if one out of every four BC families buys an electric car today, our electrical grid *crashes* tomorrow. WE NEED that hydro-electric power…real power, in massive quantities. 24/7 , rain or shine. Only an idiot would believe otherwise.
Always found this logic maddening: Criticism of something is impossible unless your actions are absolutely pure. Gets us nowhere. Do you really expect an MP to travel the 3 time zones from Parliament to her constituency by bicycle and canoe?
Peter Bevan-Baker deserves this! I knew him as a dentist in small Prescott Ontario in the 80s and 90s. He was a disciple of the green lifestyle when green was just a colour, not a movement. He has put in the work. Walked the walk. He certainly stands out as an example of someone who wants to govern not just be a politician.
One of my biggest beefs these days, especially insofar as the whole FordNation bullshit goes, is that the opponents to local winners of the provincial politics have disappeared. Where is Dave Henderson, former mayor of Brockville who opposed Steve Clark, now the Minister of Municipal Affairs. While FordNation rapes the province and Steve’s shiny bald head appears at every event from envelope opening to maple syrup testing, none of the candidates who would have had us believe they wanted to actually DO something for us has spoken up. They have retreated to oblivion leaving us to fend for ourselves.
I can tell you, Peter Bevan-Baker hasd fought the fight. I know because I didn’t vote for him in a bunch of elections and yet I always knew what he was up to. He never won anything around me but I always knew where he was and what he was thinking. He actually wants to govern. He actually WILL govern. Good on him.
As for the rest of this sorry lot, from Trudeau Liberals to Scheer Conservatives to Doug and the Slugs, I’ve had it. I’m with Warren. He couldn’t have highlighted a better example of someone with class, dignity and our better interests in mind who will, absolutely WILL, make a difference in Canada
PEI shows Canada the way! The “way” to what? Economic ruin for Canada is my prediction if elected federally.
Eliz. May on the Green website says “Canada is teetering on a recession for the second time since Stephen Harper became prime minister. His ill-advised political pledge to eliminate the deficit he created, just in time for this election, is now risking a deepening recession.”
Of course, it’s Harper’s fault. Everything is Harper’s fault. She’s shrewd not to offend JT! She knows the Greens may well hold the balance of power in the next election and a coalition with JT may just be her reality.
Yes, shut down all the oil fields with huge taxation. Drive away the big corps. with big taxes. And spend, spend, spend since neither JT or May believe deficits are problematic there is nirvana on the horizon for Canadians to be bought with their own money. Or rather their children’s money!
Realize, voting for the Greens means voting in JT.
I’m involved with the PEI PC Party and we don’t see the Greens being *that* strong. That being said, the polls could very well be true however n = 400/500 doesn’t have me (personally) convinced. This all being said, I could be very wrong too. There should be many tight races particularly with many incumbent Liberals not re-offering, which, from what I’m hearing, is because the premier is a dictatorial figure and many MLAs were at odds with top staff internally. The only hot take you can get from me is that the Liberal premier Wade MacLaughlin will lose his own seat to PC Bloyce Thompson.
Speaking of Green Party candidates from PEI, there was some sad news today:
https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/p-e-i-green-party-candidate-and-son-killed-in-canoeing-accident-1.4387657
Greens support BDS. They’ll never get my vote as long as they do.
416F,
Very good point we need to remember.
Yes, we still don’t know if those people actually left the party or were just asked to shut up…
PEI just further adds to the proof that I needs to be absorbed into another province.
It engages in the politics of small lefty city – not that of one of ten provinces in one of the most important countries in the world.
Gord,
It’s not our place to unilaterally decide or predetermine anyone’s borders.
Absolutely it is. Those borders were set by Canadians. They can be changed by Canadians.
Yeah…a full Parliament and *four* MPs for a province the size and population of a Vancouver suburb? Ridiculous.
You guys sure vote weird down east. Your MP is a nothing, a nobody just like Trudeau Sr said. They have as much power and influence as your doorstop. Who cares who they are. The PM is the power in this country and he carries the policy. That’s how an event like SNC Lavalin happens without 180 other MPs knowing whats going on. That would never happen in a US Congress. We have a defacto dictatorship.
So the choice is on policy, not people. I choose less govt because govt is ineffective, overreaching and incompetent and we have proof of that right from Trudeaus own cabal. I choose the opposite of that and CPC is the only one that offers that vision. Greens and NDP are just more Marxists Socialist constructs like Trudeau.
Well stated.
+1
The basic story in Canada.
West and Ontario give money.
Atlantic and Quebec get money.
Ontario and Quebec get power.
Quebec is quite happy with this arrangement.
Ontario and Atlantic are content.
Who cares about the West.
Walter,
This is not entirely relevant today but remember when Alberta was have-not and received equalization? Or how about who provided the first seed money for oil sands development? Here’s a hint: O-T-T-A-W-A.
That’s not the story as I understand it. The feds played a small in the early days – certainly not the beginning- taking over a refinery that soon failed circa 1943 (during the war oil security was a big deal – one wonders if they did it under Britain’s direction much as Canada did re nuclear)
The Alberta government got pissed at how inept the feds were sometime in the late forties and the feds were never involved to any significant degree thereafter.
By and large the feds have been a massive impediment to oilsands and Permian development- the NEB and pipeline (and now bill 69?) being just two of the bigger examples.
Gord,
I will go with your view as I don’t have any factual arguments with which to counter it. Thanks.
I thought it was American investment that developed the oil sands originally?
Jack,
Guess you missed all that time when Republicans controlled the House of Representatives and pissed all over themselves in a rush to eagerly do Trump’s bidding…
Most of what trump wanted passed couldn’t be because the house gop didn’t have the votes.
Repeal and reform of Obamacare wasn’t possible nor was building the wall.
And I guess you never heard of McCain, flake and sasse just to name three of many who strenuously opposes president trump.
Gord,
Apples and oranges. I’m talking strictly HR, you’re talking Senate.
I”m thinking of people like the magnificent Nunes, the ever-compliant Jordan, etc.
The house is just as diverse as the senate.
Gord,
Sasse is far more strategic in his opposition, due to his alleged presidential ambitions.
I’ve listened to lots of extended interviews with Sasse and he seems very set against trump (and he’s primary proof). But take him off the list and add in murkowski and Collins.
Gord,
I would add former Senate Corker but not Collins. After all, she voted for Trump’s Kavanaugh pick.
The Republicans never wanted a life-long Democrat to lead their party. Think back to how hard they tried to block his nomination.
Donald Trump is only a Republican because the Democrats, who he supported for 30 years or so (he donated to Hillary, remember?) had a process in place that was able to block him from being chosen as their candidate, while the Republicans, as I understand it, use a different system and were unable to stop him.
Once he won, of course, most of the GOP pretended to embrace him for the sake of staying in power. I suspect that most still don’t like him no matter what they may say in public…and of course there are still those who are openly hostile to him as well.
Fred,
The establishment are, by and large, politicians after all.
“The establishment are, by and large, politicians after all.”
Yup. They can always be counted on to do the right thing…for themselves…
Which reminds me: how many current Liberal MP’s do you think are first-timers? I can see someone not wanting to rock the boat re: JWR and JP until they get that all-important second term and resulting gold-plated pension (“Whoo HOO!!”), but surely there must be at least a few sitting Liberals who no longer have anything to lose (or prove?) and could easily have throw support where it was needed?
Fred,
We both agree that this is all about Liberal MPs and their so-called right to future full pension access. Don’t rock the boat and Justin will sign them papers…
It would be hilarious if it wasn’t so crass, craven, self-serving and incredibly pathetic. Ah, to not die on the hill of “high” principles! Don’t know how? Just ask caucus.
Trump became a Republican because, like many others, he bacame a Fox News grandpa.
No, Trump became a Republican because he wanted to run for President and the Democrats wouldn’t let him. The Republicans did.
Hey Warren, are you walking or swimming to your next vacation?
Will be interesting to see what happens. Due to its small population PEI tends to be underpolled, although I do think Greens are favoured here. Only question mark is it seems in last few years parties on the political right often overperform polls so if the PCs have a similar overperformance to what the CAQ and UCP did, they would win a majority, while if similar to Ontario PCs, it would be a nail biter. Off course all three parties are fairly centrist so not sure that will play out as well as turnout tends to be higher in PEI than other provinces. The main reason I think right outperforms is their voters are more motivated to show up than left, not because pollsters are necessarily getting it wrong, just who shows up.