Harper The Dictator

[canuckhooker 19203]

And of course what is missed in this, is what was said in the first few lines. He was a follower and admirer of Pierre Trudeau.

 

Now regarded as being at different ends of the political spectrum, their tactics are remarkably similar. Trudeau was a bully, and not afraid to use measures like the War Measures act to achieve his ends. Who can forget the quote "Just watch me" ?

 

He bullied and maneuvered Quebec into signing the constitution, something that is still not forgiven by many in that province. That is why terms such as "Night of the Long Knives", a reference to an event in the rise of the Nazi party, is used by many Quebec nationalists. Other provinces and politicians who saw some of the flaws in the Charter were also bullied into accepting it, and the odious "notwithstanding clause", including Jean Chretien.

 

The problem is the press forgets these little incidents. Harper is not the first of his ilk. Trudeau perfected it many years ago, and Mackenzie King before him. It is upsetting to them not because of his tactics, but because he is a conservative.

[piano8950 32577]

Coming from a background with real dictatorship regimes, titles like this are upsetting at best. I am not a Harper fan by any means, but lets not get carried away. Most Canadians thankfully do not know how bad a dictator can truly be.

[jonsmith 100]

Have to agree, he's not that bad. Fiscally we're the envy of many nations.

[yellowbot 110]

Yes our political system is scary and so much power for the PM.

Sadly we have to work with what we got and make change as best we can.

Hopefully after the next federal election thing will turn out better for us all

[cinelli 22184]

"Night of the Long Knives".... is used by many Quebec nationalists.

 

They obviously have no idea what really happened in Germany that night. Sad they can be so ignorant.

[roamingguy 300292]

Perhaps before criticizing Trudeau and his invoking the War Measures Act, lets not forget that was a direct response to the kidnapping of James Cross and kidnapping/murder of Pierre Laporte by the FLQ. This was an escalation in violence by the FLQ. Just my opinion, but the invoking of the War Measures Act probably stopped the FLQ from continuing to escalate and may have in fact saved lives.

And as for the Night Of The Long Knives, the real Night Of The Long Knives, that was when Hitler and the Nazis carried out "political" murders so Hitler could come to power

What happened with Quebec during the repatriation of the Constitution, well hardly rises to the level of political murder. Trudeau didn't murder Rene Levesque. There was a balancing act between the Feds and ALL ten provinces and that requires give and take on every provinces and the feds part. Quebec just wanted to take and no give.

And as much as I despise Harper and the CPC and they won't get my vote, lets not forget, it's the parliamentary system that allows for the Prime Minister to have the authority he does. But dictatorial, well anyone thinking that might want to live in a regime like Stalin's Soviet Union or Hitler's Germany or Idi Amin's Uganda or Pol Pot's Cambodia or Muammar Gaddafi's Libya or the Iran, both under the Shah and Khomeini

or...well you get the idea. Harper, well any PM in Canada's Parliamentary system doesn't deserve to be considered a dictator. Yes he can push through legislation, even bad, but he can be voted out, legislation can be challenged in the court because we have the Rule Of Law. Can't say that of real dictatorships can we.

A quick few ramblings

 

RG

[TINCUP 6043]

I totally agree with you

[canuckhooker 19203]

I am fully aware of the significance of the Nazi Night of the Long Knives, and agree the use of the term is hyperbole. I was not debating the points of the repatriation debate, not the War Measures act. I was making the point that Harper was not the only, nor the worst prime minister for using his powers this way. Again, the reason for the articles has nothing to do with what he is doing, but because he is a conservative.

[cinelli 22184]

Harper is a complete hypocrite and fraud.

 

He has contradicted everything he pretended to stand for when he was in oppostion.

 

He ran on a platform of open and accountable government. In fact he is secretive and tightly controls any information. His caucus and cabinet only speak in pre-approved sound bites.

 

He muzzles scientists to prevent the release of facts that contradict Tory dogma. Acid rain, global warming, pollution, product safety, any government employee responding to media can be fired for talking about these. Even if they speak the truth! How is that open and honest?

 

Harper orchestrates a smear campaign against the former head of Elections Canada for talking about the many flaws in the Tory "Fair Elections Act."

 

He tries to stack the Supreme Court of Canada with a Tory flunkie. The Chief Justice will have none of it. Next thing you know, Harper's go-fer McKay is telling everyone how out of touch she is...As if McKay knows more about the law than a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Could you possibly be more arrogant and self-important Petey boy?

 

Edit: he railed against the Senate before being elected. Now he sees it as a reward for loyal Tories and a place to put fund raisers like Pamela Wallin and Mike Duffy. Yes, the two senators he knew personally for many years but he had no idea they lived in Ottawa. Shocked he was! Those two did no actual work in the Senate. All they did was fly around at our expense making speeches at Tory fundraising events. So Harper got two very effective fundraisers, paid for by the taxpayers. Now he thinks, the Senate isn't bad! Nice to see it blow up in his face eh!