Stephen Harper’s preeminence as the distant father, and often the bully-in-chief of Canadian politics, is finally being challenged by a group he ignores at his peril, Canada’s premiers and territorial leaders.Let it be clear: one premiers’ meeting does not a Canadian Spring make, but the icy grip of the Harper regime is beginning to melt.
After all, it is one thing to intimidate, ignore, disempower or punish civil servants, NGOs, environmentalists, scientists, unfriendly businessmen and pesky journalists, quite another to ignore a level of elected government much closer to the people than any federal administration will ever be.
Oh, please. Can you blame Harper for ducking out on a chance to be savaged by this constellation of mediocrities? Charest, McGuinty, Redford, Clark -- they couldn't between them run an ice cream truck. Their remedy for everything is more money. If he gave them everything they wanted, they'll spend every last penny of it, and pile that same amount again on to their deficits and they'll be back for more the next year.
They don't speak for "the people." Their constituents are the same rapacious unions and special-interest parasites (or as the economists more genteely describe them, "rent-seekers") that have plagued this country for decades now.
Comments (6)
Nasty Mr. Harper, expecting the Premiers to do what they signed on to do. How cruel of him!!!
Posted by Patsplace | July 29, 2012 11:30 PM
Posted on July 29, 2012 23:30
Harris' rant come close to being hate speech and is offensive in its personnal attacks. At the very least it is guilty of being very poor quality. There are so many logical errors - just plain horrible syntax and a truly flawed logic to his agrgument that I am surprise he can actually get paid for that. Any English teacher worth their pay woul fail that. Except maybe in Ontario where there are no standards.
Posted by Chris | July 30, 2012 5:05 AM
Posted on July 30, 2012 05:05
My take on this - I agree whole heartedly with the author's presentation.
So, who is the dunce here?
Posted by E Mac | July 30, 2012 6:29 AM
Posted on July 30, 2012 06:29
Michael Harris has completely lost his mind and has so gone to the dark side from which he will never recover.
To spew such venom in virtually every column shows that he is not of sound mind. Somebody sh.t in his porridge (maybe getting fired) makes him not too happy these days.
As for the ship of fools these premiers have no idea how to manage their own provinces and so have to develop straw men to distract from their abysmal performances.
Posted by hollinm | July 30, 2012 8:51 AM
Posted on July 30, 2012 08:51
I agree fully hollinm.Mike Harris has such a hate on for PM Harper in every one of his column,s.Since being cast aside by the listeners at CFRA for his one sided diatribes of hatred for the Conservatives and particulary PM Harper,he has gone over the edge with his writing.Not a healthy situation for a man of his experience.He has become borderline scary in his comments.
Posted by bertie | July 30, 2012 9:11 AM
Posted on July 30, 2012 09:11
Uh-oh. Wait until they start the federation of dog catchers and alderman. The Feds will be screwed then.
Posted by Alex | July 30, 2012 11:28 AM
Posted on July 30, 2012 11:28