Learning from the mistakes of others

Given the state of the polls in Canada at the moment, it would appear that Canadian voters, having seen how things have gone south of the border for the last six months, have said to themselves, "enough of the this solid economic development and sane, sensible, progressive social policy - gimme some incompetent bible-thumping yahoos who want to disassemble the government and fast, before its too late for us to get in on all the fun and games in Iraq."

They appear to have decided that because Paul Martin and the Liberals are "arrogant" and the previous Liberal administration probably skimmed some money from the till, they are going to vote for the Bush-Lite Conservatives.

Great idea Canada. Very clever.

Babies and bathwater, amputated noses and spite-worthy faces - pick your similie my fellow Canucks, but the bottom line is that you're making a horrible mistake.

Imagine your adult son is accused of shoplifting. He has an excellent job, takes great care of his wife and your grandchildren and you, gives lavishly to charity, has good taste in music and books, doesn't drink to excess or apparently have any bad habits except for a tendency to be a bit smug and now, he's been accused of shoplifting. So what do you do? Disown him, set fire to his house, your house and shoot every member of the family between the eyes! That will teach the arrogant little pisher!
Because if you vote in that glassy-eyed, regressive reactionary ignoramus that is running the Conservatives, that is what you are doing.

"Don't be ridiculous Rev., you're over reacting," you say "Don't exaggerate. That's a bit over the top, we just want to punish the Liberals a little bit, so we are voting for the opposition, don't have a cow!"
Yeah, well "mooooooo!", I don't think that is hyperbole, not for a minute. Stephen Harper and his merry band of ham-fisted Republican wanna-bes, if given a majority, will destroy the country:

They will stack the Supreme Court with conservative ideologues from among their own ranks.

They will run up a a deficit again.

They will use the notwithstanding clause early and often to ban homosexual marriage and get rid of any kind of legislation banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

They will tear up all the government's previous hard-won
agreements with the First Nations' peoples.

They will bring back capital punishment.

They will repeal the decriminalization of marijuana and bring in more draconian punishments.

They will split up the country by encouraging Quebecois to separate and by encouraging Western seperatism through decentralization.

They will bring religion and especially fundementalist Christianity to the forefront of governing philosophy. (Just what we need, more scum like Ralph Reed)

They will end multiculturalism and divide and rule by playing
on our fears, by playing to their base and pitting native born white Canadians against immigrants and minorities and natives.

They will ban abortion.

They will destroy public education by encouraging
US style voucher systems and standard tests .

They will revive Canadain participation in the U.S.'s completely useless, never-going-to-work missle defense shield

Even if held to a minority government, the Tories' only likely ally is the Bloc Quebecois, whose first condition for backing the government is going to be more powers for Quebec. Harper will give them what they want and then turn around and give the western seperatists a bone of similar size to keep his base in line, Until eventually both Quebec and Alberta will have achieved sovereignty association by increments.

A list of the ten best reasons not to vote for the Tories in the last election is still just as valid today.

On the bright side, when Haper and company trip over their bibles and screw-up sufficient ly to get turfed out, they will be so loathed as to make Brian Mulroney look like a national hero, and the Conservatives will implode once again and be driven into the political wilderness for another generation. By then, the Liberals will have replaced the againg Mr. Dithers with a younger, more charismatic leader (cough Justin Trudeau cough)