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 Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 11:06 am Post subject: PM Harper reaches out to the Greens ... |
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Reaching out to the Greens is a smart move by PM Harper.
Combined with the Layton discussions last week, and the emissions trading market (pseudo) announcement this week, the Tories look set to regain some measure of credibility on the environmental file and even resurrect the Clean Air Act which had been given up for dead until very recently.
There are obvious political advantages too. You don't want to go into the next election wearing the "enemy of the environment" label on your back, and you remove a significant wedge issue for the Liberals who have had a pitiful record on the environment.
It may also allow Minister Ambrose some breathing room. She has had a disastrous few weeks of media coverage, especially in the Quebec press. For example, today on the Mike Duffy/Jane Taber show, Bureau Chief Bob Fife labeled her a ".. failed Minister".
Last edited by cbasu on Fri Nov 10, 2006 8:17 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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| Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 11:35 am Post subject: |
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Like so many other issues, the biggest losers here are the liberals. If the conservatives, new democrats and greens can come to an agreement, then all this partisan garbage gets exposed.
People seem to forget all those hunters and ranchers actually care about the environment too. |
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McGuire
Joined: 05 Sep 2006
Posts: 369
  
Location: Soviet Pictouwestistan
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| Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 3:40 pm Post subject: |
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| This is a smart move. I've always like Chernushenko, he's a sensible & fair minded person who isn't into that kinda partisan BS the Grits are. I wish more lefties were like him. |
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FF_Canuck
Joined: 02 Sep 2006
Posts: 3360
votes: 17
Location: Southern Alberta
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| Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 7:13 pm Post subject: |
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The Green Party under Chernushenko was actually my (distant, admittedly) second choice as far as party preference goes.
The CPC continues to delight me with decisions that are both in the best interests of the country, and also brilliant political strategy. |
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| Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 9:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Ah yes...helping the left vote split even more. I love it. |
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Craig
Site Admin
Joined: 29 Aug 2006
Posts: 4415
votes: 36
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| Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 10:05 pm Post subject: |
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| Cool Blue wrote: | | Ah yes...helping the left vote split even more. I love it. |
I believe this is Harper anticipating the merger of the NDP and Liberals once Rae is in charge. If the Green party is strong when that happens many NDPers will go green rather than red and the left will be split two ways again. |
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| Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 10:17 pm Post subject: |
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I've never been sold on the ndpers going green bit. The greens have some policies that are more right of center as well.
Granted, Ms. May replacing Harris as leader does alienate some of that more blue vote, but i still cant see that many new democrats going green. |
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Craig
Site Admin
Joined: 29 Aug 2006
Posts: 4415
votes: 36
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| Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 9:49 am Post subject: |
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This is just the culture part of their platform...
| Quote: | 109. Increase support for community arts programs and facilities across Canada by
establishing stable base-funding at a set percentage of the federal budget.
110. Establish stable base-funding for young artists.
111. Protect Canada's cultural identity during trade negotiations.
112. Expand support for regional arts festivals that bring new Canadian art to a
wider audience.
113. Share Canadian history by supporting more educational programming.
114. Provide stable base-funding for the CBC to provide quality television and radio
programming in both official languages.
115. Direct the CRTC to reserve more bandwidth for independent and non-profit stations.
116. Introduce a law mandating cinemas and video chains to have 20 per cent
Canadian content. |
May as well be written by the NDP. And that was written by Jim Harris who is much more conservative than May. |
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| Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 11:33 am Post subject: |
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Ya if people actually read what the Greens stand for there would be a lot less of the notion that they're right of centre on many issues.
One of the principles of the Green party is feminism and all of their policies have to comply with that principle for example. |
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| Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 4:41 pm Post subject: |
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| David Chernushenko isn't really a leftist. He's written books about eco-capitalism and why it's important. |
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biggie
Joined: 06 Sep 2006
Posts: 1738
votes: 10
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
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| Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 9:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Craig wrote: | | Cool Blue wrote: | | Ah yes...helping the left vote split even more. I love it. |
I believe this is Harper anticipating the merger of the NDP and Liberals once Rae is in charge. If the Green party is strong when that happens many NDPers will go green rather than red and the left will be split two ways again. |
Perhaps... I think there is that question floating around - but how many moonbats out there will leave their beloved jack layton? I think that the NDP have picked up a lot of ground. I doubt they would be willing to just throw it aside because a former NDP leader, who is running as a very liberal-esque leadership hopeful is their leader. Many NDP voters vote that way on their socialist principles...
Any merger would only serve to push more to the right. If only on the split of the Afghanistan issue. Like it or not, this will be THE issue in the next election. Those who don't believe in it will vote for the party who wants out - those who do will vote for the side who wants to stay. It is an issue which really trumps any other.. At least for the most part...
I tend to think along the lines of Harper pushing a further split on the left... pull votes from the libs and NDP and all of a sudden those close ridings are CPC seats.. |
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| Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 10:45 am Post subject: |
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| Craig wrote: | | Cool Blue wrote: | | Ah yes...helping the left vote split even more. I love it. |
I believe this is Harper anticipating the merger of the NDP and Liberals once Rae is in charge. If the Green party is strong when that happens many NDPers will go green rather than red and the left will be split two ways again. |
Do you think the NDP would go for such a merge? |
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kwlafayette
Joined: 03 Sep 2006
Posts: 6155
votes: 28
Location: Saskatoon Saskatchewan
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| Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 11:45 am Post subject: |
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| Is it really that smart? Aren't these the same people who for the past decade have been bashing anything closer than one mile left of center? It seems to me like going after voters who are not going to change their vote regardless. Like Ignatieff offering nationhood to Quebec; why would Bloc voters switch? Voting Bloc has gotten them plenty over the years, including this offer from Ignatieff. |
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| Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 11:59 am Post subject: |
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| Craig wrote: | | I believe this is Harper anticipating the merger of the NDP and Liberals once Rae is in charge. If the Green party is strong when that happens many NDPers will go green rather than red and the left will be split two ways again. |
Interesting theory... Is this a "gut feeling" or do have any sources on this? |
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FF_Canuck
Joined: 02 Sep 2006
Posts: 3360
votes: 17
Location: Southern Alberta
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| Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 8:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Is it really that smart? Aren't these the same people who for the past decade have been bashing anything closer than one mile left of center?... |
Chernushenko always struck me as a very enivironmental conservative, and though this may change under May's leadership, a lot of the Green Party's policies were conservative. A move like this might grab more support than you'd think. That being said, the amount of people paying attention to this is likely to be very small. |
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