Media Alert

I am scheduled to be a guest on The Weekend Morning News, today at 10:05 AM ET to talk politics.

Harper and the Left

Is it possible the Harper majority government could actually be good news for Canada's left?

Yes -- to see why, check out a column I wrote which appears in today's Toronto Star.

Wondering about Rae

"I'd rather eat glass than see Bob Rae elected leader of my  party."

That's what a Liberal partisan said to me back when Rae was running for the leadership of the Liberal Party.

I assume many Liberals were also of that view.

After all, the guy ending up losing to Stephane Dion, who on paper at least, was an inferior candidate to Rae.

Then, after Dion crashed like the Hindenburg, the Liberals denied Rae the chance to even run against Michael Ingatieff, who was acclaimed leader.

So clearly, he wasn't going to win any popularity contests.

But now the guy's "Interim" Liberal leader.

It all makes me wonder.

I wonder if he holds any bitterness about his past treatment?

I wonder if  that explains his openness to having the Liberals merge with his old comrades in the NDP socialist collective?

I wonder how much damage a "past his prime" leader can do to a party, that's struggling to have a future?

Oh well, at least I don't  have to wonder about the Liberals' leader-picking abilities.

Obviously, they haven't got a clue.

Political subsidies

Prime Minister Stephen Harper will soon eliminate the public "per vote" subsidy for politicians.

It's a good idea, but I just hope he's doing the right thing for the right reasons.

To see what I mean, check out this Ottawa Citizen column I wrote which appears in today's paper.

Also, the Ottawa Hill Times recently interviewed me on the very same topic.

Media Alert

I will be on two radio shows this morning:

First will be on The House, CBC radio to discuss Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Senate -- 9:00 AM ET

Second, will be on The Weekend Morning News, (CKNW Vancouver) to talk about the new cabinet. Sometime after 10:00 AM ET.

Media Alert

Am scheduled to be on The Caldwell Account -- Sun News Network at 2:40 PM ET to talk about the Senate appointments.

Media Alert

I am scheduled to be on Madely in the Morning (CFRA radio Ottawa) today at 8:40 AM to talk about those Senate appointments.

New Cabinet

The Prime Minister unveiled his new cabinet today, which is newsworthy because it means journalists will now have to find something else to speculate about.

Also newsworthy about the cabinet is it's size, I mean in terms of population the cabinet is now the fifth largest city in Canada.

In fact, it's so large its meetings will now take place in the Rogers' Centre.

Anyway, here's a partial list of the new cabinet:

Marjory Lebreton, Minister in Charge of coming up with new excuses for not reforming the Senate

Bev Oda, Minister Responsible for Sticking it to all you critics out there!

John Baird, Minister in charge of foreign relations, and if those foreigners better like it or else.

Tony Clement, President of Ensuring Canada's  Fake Lake needs.

Jason Kenney, Commander-in-Chief of government’s Very Ethnic Legions

 Joe Oliver, Minister in charge of Being from Toronto

Julian Fantino, Associate Minister in charge of getting Peter MacKay his coffee

Maxime Bernier, Minister of Actually talking like a conservative

Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Pork

Gary Goodyear, Minister of (Prime Minister will dream up some important-sounding title later)

Should be a great four years of big government.

Media Alert

You can see me tonight on CHCH TV's Square Off, at 5:30 PM ET talking about the issue of subsidies for political parties.

Also, am quoted in this Globe and Mail story on the same issue.

Media Alert

Watch for me tonight on CTV's Power Play, at approximately 5:35 PM on the "strategist" panel.

Harper and the welfare plan for politicians

Here's my latest column from the Ottawa Hill Times, it suggests the Liberals better hope Prime Minister Stephen Harper remember his principles when it comes time to scrap the public subsidy for politicians. (It's behind a subscription wall.)

Helping the Liberals pick a leader

As we all know, the Liberal Party of Canada is on the lookout for yet another victim, er I mean leader.

It’s a tough position to fill.

After all, not everybody has the special skill set it will undoubtedly take to lead a once great party into oblivion.

So perhaps the Liberals should start thinking “outside the box” when considering leadership candidates.

For example, here are a few ideas I came up with:

  

Elizabeth May 

Not only is May on the same page as the Liberals when it comes to recycling light bulbs or whatever,  she also has lots of practice leading fringe parties

Charlie Sheen

OK I have no idea why Sheen would make a good Liberal leader, but including his name in these sorts of lists is mandatory.  

Stephane Dion’s dog, “Kyoto”

As a dog, Kyoto has all sorts of good qualities: he is loyal, friendly and would provide much needed companionship to the Liberal party. And if the party’s popularity declines under his leadership, the Liberal caucus can just smack his nose with a rolled up newspaper.

Justin Bieber

Has a huge fan base, plus has a much better haircut than Stephen Harper.

Osama Bin Laden

Yes, I know he’s dead, but heck so is the Liberal Party.

Getting it right

Neil Reynolds recently had column in the Globe and Mail in which he urged conservatives to cease criticizing the Prime Minster for moving away from his principles.

In response, I wrote the following letter to the editor which appeared in today's paper:

Getting it right

Neil Reynolds (Canada’s Conservatives Should Ease Up On Harper – May 9) argues there is no place in politics for what he calls “ideological purity.” But for many conservatives, it’s not a question of ideological purity, but of what’s right and wrong for Canada.

They believe it’s wrong to spend and borrow the country into deficit; wrong for the state to infringe on individual liberties and wrong to expand the size and scope of government.

It’s also wrong for Stephen Harper to ignore his conservative political base, the people whose money, time and votes helped propel him to a majority government. In short, Canadian conservatives have showed loyalty to the Prime Minister, he should now show loyalty to them.

Of course, some will say all that matters is winning power. But if winning power means simply replacing one Liberal government with another, then it’s a hollow victory indeed.

Media Alert

I will be a guest today on John Gormley Live at noon ET. Topic: Demise of the Liberals.

Tories need to free their inner conservative

Check a column I wrote on Conservatives and conservatives which appears in today's National Post.

Media Alert 2

Will be appearing on CTV's Power Play tonight at 5:35 PM ET to talk about the Liberal Party and its (non)future.

Also, FYI -- I will be appearing every Monday on Power Play on their "strategist panel."

Media Alert

Am scheduled to appear on two radio shows today to talk about the Stephen Hoperites.

*  1:35 PM ET will be on Michael Harris Live. (CFRA radio Ottawa)

*  2:30 PM ET will be on The Charles Adler Show (Corus Radio Network)

Hill Times Column

I am now a regular columnist for the Ottawa Hill Times, a great newspaper that's a must read for political junkies of any political stripe.

My first column deals with the fall of the Liberal Party. (It's behind a subscription wall)

Key quote: "The Liberal Party is a zombie – it’s dead but just doesn't know it."

Anyway, I would strongly recommend you subscribe to the Hill Times,  it features excellent columnists, interesting analysis, not to mention solid political reporting.

You won't want to miss a single issue. See here to get a free trial subscription.

Hope and Consevatives

Check out my column in today's Ottawa Citizen, in which I discuss the political impact of the "Stephen Hoperites".

Media Alert

Will be on the Roy Green Show today at 2:05 PM ET to talk about my Open Letter to Stephen Harper.

My Open Letter to Stephen Harper

Dear Stephen:

Congratulations on your recent historic victory!

You have certainly come a long way from your days at the National Citizens Coalition

Do you remember back in January 1997 when you joined me on the staff of the NCC.

In our first conversation after you joined up you asked me how I would describe myself ideologically.

My answer was that I considered myself a "conservative libertarian."

I wasn't sure if you knew what I meant, but you did. You told me that's what you considered yourself too.

And as conservative libertarians, both you and I agreed at the time that individual liberty mattered, that it was wrong for the state to coerce its citizens, that maximum freedom required minimal government.

But for you this wasn't just some "abstract ideological" notion. You wanted the NCC to fight for individual liberty.You wanted the NCC to be about more than just plastering pigs on billboards and exposing government waste.

In fact, you made promoting individual freedom a high priority for the organization.

Your idea was to use the courts to fight for freedom. I remember this idea was a little controversial for some NCC supporters, who like many conservatives mistrusted our court system.

But you believed conservatives could and should use the courts to achieve their ideological goals, just as the left was using the courts to achieve theirs.

Anyway, under your leadership the NCC become involved in several historic court battles aimed at curtailing the powers of the state and promoting the democratic rights of citizens.

We took on the Canada Wheat Board monopoly, election gag laws and Quebec's anti-English language legislation.

All these case had one thing in common: they were about freedom -- freedom of the individual to speak out during elections, freedom for western farmers to make economic choices, freedom for Canadians to express themselves in the language of their choice.

And I have no doubt that had you stayed on at the NCC a bit longer, you would have also gone to court to take on the Human Rights Commissions.

Indeed, here's what you said about the HRC in 1999, "Human Rights Commissions as they are evolving are an attack on our fundamental freedoms and the basic existence of a democratic society  ... it is in fact totalitarianism."

I mention all this because now you're Prime Minister of a majority government. That means you don't need the courts anymore to protect our freedoms. Nor do you have to worry about politically bloody battles in the House of Commons.

Now you have the power to make Canada a freer, better  place.

That's why I hope there remains in you at least some of the "conservative libertarian" principles you once held dear.

I hope you move quickly to scrap election gag laws, to end the Wheat Board monopoly, to speak out for English-speakers in Quebec and to rein in the Human Rights Commission.

And yes, I know many of your advisors, pollsters and people in the media are telling you to avoid "ideological issues."

But promoting freedom isn't so much about ideology as it is about doing what's right, about standing up for citizens.

If you as Prime Minister don't use this opportunity to do what's right, who will?

You're our last chance.

Media Alert

Will be on The Weekend Morning News (CKNW Vancouver) today to talk election.

Signs of Liberal demise

Lots of debate as to whether or not the Liberal Party is dead or just in an irreversible coma.

To help clear things up here are some signs to look for to ascertain if the Liberal Party is most sincerely dead: 

  

• Al Qaeda doesn’t demand to see photo of Liberal Party corpse.
  
  
• Bob Rae gives up party membership and joins the Tea Party
  
  
• Several Quebec advertising companies declare bankruptcy
  
  
• Justin Trudeau legally changes last name to “Diefenbaker.”
  
  
• Beer and popcorn sales plummet
  
  
• Incidences of wounds involving knife stabs to the back dramatically fall
  
  
• Liberal Party headquarters is turned into “Chretien Golf Ball” museum
  
  
• CBC scraps plan to produce 12 hour “bio-documentary” celebrating life and times of Stephane Dion’s dog.
  
  
• Liberal Party acclaims Pierre Trudeau’s Panama hat as its next leader.
  
  
• Ken Dryden gives up politics decides to join organization with more recent success than Liberals ---The Ottawa Senators
  
  

Hidden Agenda Exposed

Now that Prime Minister Harper has his majority he is free to implement the much hyped "Hidden Agenda."

But, of course, since it's hidden no one really knows what's in it.

Well almost no one.

As a member of the "Official Right Wing Conspiracy," I have special access to this highly classified document.

And don't ask me to tell you what's in it, because I've been sworn to secrecy.

Well, maybe I can give you just a small sampling of its contents.

Check it out:

* Appoint David Suzuki special life time ambassador to Iceland.

* No more government grants to any "art"  project a casual observer might mistake for a pile of garbage.(This would effectively eliminate 95 percent of all art grants.)

*  Sell the CBC to Sun News Network or at the very least allow Ezra Levant to chainsaw CBC logo.

*  Force the Human Rights Commission to investigate itself.

*  Impose special tax on anyone who publicly praises socialist health care system, but who also uses private clinic -- it will be called "The Jack Layton Levy."

* Next time Quebec threatens to separate, official Canadian government response will be: "Here's your chapeau, what's your  hurry."

* Stop government persecution of minorities -- most notably gun owners, smokers and entrepreneurs.

* Install updated calendars in Elections Canada office so they understand this is the 21st century with fancy new communications tools such as"The Internet".

* Just to annoy Heather Mallick, will replace income tax with flat tax.

 * Move Canadian capital to Calgary.

Exciting stuff, eh?

And there's lots more.

But I've said too much already, as this agenda is supposed to remain hidden.

So please keep this our little secret.

Media Alert

I will be a guest on CPAC today from 2-3 PM to talk about Conservatives and conservatives.

Media Alert

Will be on the Michael Coren Show tonight 11:00 PM ET.

Media Alert

Will be a guest on The Dave Rutherford Show (CHQR Calgary) today at 11:30 ET and on the Murray Langdon Show (CFAX Victoria) at 12:10 PM ET.

Gloating Alert

We need to analyze last night's election results and what they mean for Canada.

But first, I must do something far more important: gloat.

So here we go.

Now let's see, I was one of the first people in Canada to predict a spring election.

I also predicted a Conservative majority victory way back in February!!

Also, back in January I was the first voice to raise the prospect of Canada evolving into a two party country.

Let's see, oh yes, I also predicted the downfall of the Liberal  Political Empire.

Plus, I foresaw the Liberal strategy of hitting the Conservatives on ethics was a dead end.

But I am not perfect.

Had some misses along the way.

For one thing, the Liberal meltdown was even more severe than I anticipated. By the way, the Liberal Party is finished. It will never recover.

Was also taken off guard by the sudden and dramatic surge in NDP support and the concurrent demise of the Bloc.

Finally, I confidently predicted Green Party lader Elizabeth May would lose. Was dead wrong about that.

Guess God doesn't want me to get arrogant.

Election Prediction

Here's my prediction of the final seat count when all the election dust has settled:

Conservatives -157

NDP - 85

Liberals -  56

Bloc - 10

Green - 0

Please note, the recent Jack Layton "massage scandal" is a variable that could mess this up. My sense is it will help boost the NDP, while hurting the Conservatives.

How much is anyone's guess.