As I begin this blog on Canada's political behaviour, I felt I should begin by marking an important milestone in our country's history. Yesterday, Stephan Harper celebrated his fifth anniversary as prime minister. At an event to approximately 600 Conservative faithful, Harper suggested that nobody loves Canada more than him. In fact, in his speech, Harper proposed that Canada is more united, stronger, safer and more prosperous after five years of his government.
Well, bravo Stephan, bravo. I must give kudos where they are due. I will openly admit that I tend to lean towards the liberal side of the spectrum on most issues yet I have had little to no problem with "Stevey" over the past 5 years. We may have bitched and complained when he was elected in 2006 but when the recession occurred, Harper was the best person to have in power. Sure, he may have had a few bumps along the way to his current anniversary but I give Harper an "A" for effort.
Coming into a possible (probable) spring election, those Canadians who actually do vote are not stupid and are aware of Harper's track record. Plus, the simple fact is this: the Liberal party is a complete mess and has been a mess since the 2006 Federal Election. One could argue that Harper didn't actually win the last election but that the Liberal's lost it (with Dion) for him. Michael Ignatieff isn't helping either. I feel like most Canadians know he is not a leader...and its not because of the Conservative attack ads.
New attack ads launched last week conclude with the tag line "Ignatieff: He didn't come back for you" implying Ignatieff's American connection. These ads contrast well with Harper's recent profound love of Canada. Despite the overall stupidity of these ads, they are effective in slamming Ignatieff's character even more in the minds of Canadians. So, unless Harper and his Conservatives' wheels come completely off, I'd be getting ready for at least another 2 years of Harper.
And Stevey, my congratulations card is in the mail.
Gratz bro, keep up the good work. I'll reel in some more readers for ya.
ReplyDeleteShane. G