Dear Sir:
So, we have yet another episode in the Harper Government Play Centre. Now we have a member of the cabinet telling blatant lies and a Prime Minister who upholds her right to tell those lies. It is very, very difficult to rationalise the Conservative Party pulling ahead in the polls after adding this to their dismal performance. Can anyone seriously trust a government that supports a cabinet member who lies in Parliament, who will not answer questions and tries to hide behind sun glasses – or nip out for a quick smoke?
Hello!! We, the not so foolish public, can see you hiding behind those large darkened glasses. We can even see you with the cigarette in your mouth. Is this a measure of the intelligence of government ministers, they do not even know the dangers of smoking? What is more, we can have no doubt the now big fellow, for he has surely put on weight, has no moral backbone because he approves of his cabinet members telling lies. I sincerely believe that all those dyed-in-the-wool Conservative voters must be having second thoughts.
It really is time for a change even with a Coalition, despite the fictitious danger of which the Prime Minister keeps warning us. The British Coalition seems to be working very well so, if the chips are down and no party gets a majority, why would a Canadian Coalition not work equally as well? In fact. a Coalition might be the best thing that could happen to the federal politics in this country.
It never ceases to amaze me how the committed Conservatives find excuses for massive boon-doggle, throw-away costs – such as the G8/G20 fiasco, the Fake Lake and the pork barrel funding for Minister Clement’s Riding. These stout Tories even accept such massive, amoral financial blunders as legitimate whilst we wait years to get a creaky old international bridge replaced. Please, would someone tell me why a Conservative Party can dig us into a massive deficit and consider they are doing okay when the Liberal Party with its record of controlling deficits is unacceptable? Doesn’t make too much sense to a level-headed person.
The writer in this newspaper (Standard Free Holder) who attacked Mark MacDonald for his honest appraisal of the provincial government should take a look upstream at the federal level if he is so enamoured of his Conservatives. Does this writer, Barry Millett, have his head so far in the sand he believes any other political party will change the tax structure of Ontario? True, we might get dollar a bottle beer but, really, is this the best the provincial Conservatives can do? With respect to the LHINS, why not give them a chance to see if they can succeed? From the inside track there does seem to be a different image to the one we are being fed by some media commentators.
It is noted that Barry Millett did not throw his hat in the ring for the Conservative ticket, so one can assume he has very little confidencce he could do better. At least Mark MacDonald can say he has been there, done that and knows which way is up.
One final word for Barry Millett, the HST on your home heating fuel, is a federal government determination. If you were more politically aware, and not just steeped in the Conservative mantra, you might realize the federal NDP is constantly pressuring Harper to remove the HST from home heating fuels. Come on you NDP supporters get the true message out.
John E. Milnes – South Stormont Ontario
(Comments and opinions of Editorials, Letters to the Editor, and comments from readers are purely their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of the owners of the Cornwall Free News, their staff, or sponsors.)
Very good point that HST on home heating fuel is ultimately a federal government determination.
With Harper so focused on generating jobs and lowering the deficit, it appears an American company has been awarded our muli-million dollar low level bridge contract.
LHINs are the communicative links between helath care centres. To dispose of their growing informational service, would be like blacking out the province’s telephone reception.
If we as Canadians have chosen to spend countless billions of dollars on bigger prisons, Star Wars fighter jets, new NHL arenas, Olympic games, G8/G20 sleepovers, and on and on, we have only ourselves to blame when we find ourselves broke. The only way to pay for all this BS is to have a trickle-up economy, which we have, where vast numbers of under paid McWorkers (working poor) keep the filthy rich filthy rich. We seem to have chosen by our votes, the system we have.
So Furtz, what are you going to do to fix it?
I don’t think it’s fixable Jamie. Our collective brains seem to have been sucked out by television, religion, consumerism, greed, drugs, sex and rock ‘n roll, and on and on. We, as a so called civilization, are in big trouble. Many years ago, I was an active member of a provincial/federal party until I saw the petty infighting and the ego- fueled motives of the party elites. As long as we have a party political system, I think we’re dinked.
That ain’t gonna change in my lifetime.
John E.Milnes why don’t you run in the elections and if elected we’d see exactly what you would do. It’s easy to criticize but lets see you doing something concrete for the population!
Cornwall Harry. You have obviously not been involved in the local political scene. I did try, on one occasion try for election, but failed. Now, rapidly closing in on 79 years of age it is a little late since I have a conviction this is a world for the young. I have worked in the Cornwall political/scientific/social arena for the past forty years and although I may feel I am past the age of representing the public I am willing to give my help to any needy cause. as my record shows. I agree it is easy to criticize but that is the prerogative of those with an alert mind. Too many sit back and let the others do what they might do – you sound much like them but, I note, you do not take your own advice – you criticize me for having a point of view but you do not put your name into the political arena.
Furtz, in your list of attack ads against the present government, a couple of big money programs should be delved into, deeply.
40 years after the Offical Languages Act, it is just a money pit.
About the same amount of time into the multicultural experiment as well, how is that working out?
And Ignatief wants to have bilingual Police Officers across the Trans-Canada, what has English Canada done to offend the Liberals so we are not allowed decent jobs?
Eric. What the hell are you talking about? When did I ever say that I’m a Liberal supporter?
You did not say you were a Liberal supporter, and neither did I call you one. My point was your shopping list against the current government is small compared to what past governments have done to eat away at our tax dollars..
I do try to be careful and am cautious calling anyone a Liberal.
Mr. Milnes, the HST on heating fuel now combines Federal and Provincial tax elements, where as it was only Federal before. That tells me the Provincial government has piled on extra cost to this item needed to survive our winters.
Mr. McGuinty did not have to sign the document and could have chosen more items than a few from Tim Horton’s, to keep us from paying more, but did not.
OK, I get it. The mistakes made by previous governments absolves the current government of any blame for its mistakes. That makes sense to some people, I guess.
We should not allow the current governments to spend foolishly either, but if past events are bankrupting us, they should be addressed. None of us voted for the Offical Languages Act or multiculturism, but we could vote to make them better.
Eric, you were saying about government spending foolishly? What about giving our money to the rich conglomerates such as Barrick Gold and Rio Tonto or whatever? Now I about heard it all..
Maybe thats why they need this money,
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Tories+request+money+impending+election+campaign+confidential+memo/4321952/story.html
They’re just giving it all away it seems…
Guy Lauzon used to be chairman of the House of Commons committee on Bilingualism and Biculturism. When the committee wanted to do something useful, he walked out, preventing the vote.
If we’re going to try and save money, let’s quit paying Lauzon his salary and pension, and get a member for this riding who will listen to Canadian citizens, rather than the Prime Minister’s Office.
Eric. Are you saying that the money squandered on bilingualism and multiculturalism would have been better spent on big-box prisons, Star-Wars jet fighters, and bailing out big businesses when times get tough?
Eric. A Conservative you must be and I find no shame in branding you. Whatever happened to moving our society into a better situation? I do consider the provincial HST to be far more valuable to the business community than the proposed federal gift of reduced taxes; the costly proposed prison plans and buying expensive jets when we cannot even rescue our own citizens form Libya with existing good equipment. The Conservatives fly an empty plane into Libya and fly the same plane out empty. Only a committed Conservative could find solace in such incompetence.
Watcher. You are right on the money.
The plane flying in and out empty is because there was no-one at the airport to get on the plane. Were they being held back or what? The plane left because of scheduled take-off times. Thats certainly NOT the fault of the Conservatives!
Anti-pasta you obviously did not see the TV clips showing the immense line – up of people at the airport. The crowd at the airport was made up of Canadians and nationals of other natiuons that had rescued our people while our Conservative government was asleep at the wheel. Others nations took our people why could we not reciprocate? Sorry, Tories may not understand that big word substitute[take theirs].
An addendum to the above. Canada is the laughing stock of the world with its fumble and bumble in Libya. You may believe what Harper and his cronies tell you, about no one at the airport, but the entire world knows differently, Just tune in or go on-line to BBC and see what they are reporting. Alternatively tune in to any foreign media source. Get the correct picture not what is put out by those practiced in telling lies.