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National Columnist

Harper Struggling to Stay Even

by Richard Cléroux
View all articles from Richard Cléroux
Article online since February 9th 2010, 18:07
Read all 4 comments about this article / Comment on this article

Stephen Harper with Haitians moms during happier times at Cité-Soleil hospital in Port-au-Prince on July 20, 2007

Stephen Harper seems nervous. He’s been slipping steadily in the polls for the past two months, right down to the same level as the Liberals. Two months ago he was 10 points ahead.

The latest Harris Decima poll showed 39% of respondents said Harper wasn’t working hard enough since he closed down Parliament.

So the other day he did something new for him -- he invited news media cameras to the start of a cabinet meeting to show his government is still hard at work even if there’s nobody over in Parliament.

Ministers hold news conferences for next to no reason; one repeated an announcement made last July.

Even military aircraft carrying refugees from Haiti are ordered to land in Ottawa for the cameras rather than in Montreal where most of their Haitian-Canadian sponsors live. Photo-ops with Harper cabinet ministers are a lot easier in Ottawa.

But the problems continue. Quebec premier Jean Charest is fighting Federal Immigration minister Jason Kenney over how many Haitian refugees should be let in.

Charest says more; Kenney says there are enough as is.

Charest wants to allow Haitian Canadians to sponsor not just “parents, grand-parents and children under 18” but brothers, sisters and children over 18 as well. That’s a lot more people.

Kenney says that would mean thousands more Haitians coming in and soon they too would be bringing in their extended families and then other ethnic communities would want the same rights. There would be no end to it.

Charest found a loophole in the 1991 Immigration Law which allows the Province of Quebec to decide for itself the extent of sponsorship limits, and he’s using it. So add about another 3,000 Haitians.

And poor Harper gets the brickbats from Haitian-Canadians for being mean despite all he’s done so far for refugees from Haiti.

Some days it seems you just can’t win, no matter how many smiling photos you have taken.

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M Btok

Comment online since February 13th 2010
AS I posted evidence and said yesterday Harper is a Bilderberg Boy! However I stated that Michael Ignatieff is also an Elitist into it right up to his neck! I have found the answer to that today as well in that I have more evidence, but I will post two segments from a publication to save time Re:
http://www.globalpost.com/notebook/general/091117/meet-michael-ignatieff
Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff, Harper’s main political opponent, doesn’t need the hired help. His circle of close friends includes Lawrence Summers, head of the White House’s National Economic Council, and Samantha Power, President Barack Obama's friend and former adviser on foreign affairs.

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/canada/090505/ignatieff
After the conference, Ignatieff dined with Holbrooke and Gen. David Patreaus, head of U.S. Central Command. Later, he met with Summers to complain about Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano’s claim that the Canada-U.S. border poses a security risk.
It’s the kind of access money can’t buy.

These friends of a feather that Ignatieff has in the States, are as elitist and as crooked as they come!
Canadians have played and fell into the Two party Paradyne Re: Vote Conservative = Get a a Global Elite Government / Vote Liberal = Get a Global Elite Government!

There is a standing alternative party for us called "Canada Action Party", small but standing I was trying to join it today! Will see what comes of it!
PS: Obama has been encouraging Harper to pick on Iran as he Obama Re: CIA, wants to throw a war PSYOP to save his failing presidency, either by becoming the US Saviour to save his American citizens from the Iranian Boogeyman or by declaring martial law on America and taking everybody's American citizen's Constitutional Rights away! Judge Napalitano and Alex Jones say's this will happen within' the next 3 to 6 months or sooner! Let us observe if they are correct!
Dam folks we are in a jam and need to be awake or we'll wake up in a Gulag!

victor woods

Comment online since February 10th 2010
Mr. Harper is a real piece of work. What aid has Mr. Harper really given to Haiti prior to 2010?. His pro-Israeli government position will surely draw Canada into future international conflicts as well as legally restricting Canadians' from speaking out against Israeli human rights violations (remember the rights and democracy scandal?). closing the prison farm system is also part of his legacy (dispite protest from Canadian farmers)and if re-elected an anti-abortion bill will be introduced in parliament. I forgot to mention ..., good bye Mr. Harper.

Wil Pendragon

Comment online since February 10th 2010
What goes around, comes around. The negativity yes, but the dictatorial style too. Many in Harper's party are egoists. He's had them under thumb a long while now. Sooner than later they too will usurp, then he will be fighting both within and without. I think its over for this PM. Even if he gets a boost, or a bomb, in Vancouver, it will difficult to win what he has lost, Trust. Time to give the Opp. parties a chance to cooperate.

Laurie Lacey

Comment online since February 9th 2010
Yes, I think Harper and his government's secrecy and arrogance are coming home to roost! This time, Stevie, all your negative advertising isn't going to work. Looks good on you and the CPC.