Early thoughts on Election 2004
June 30, 2004 · By Hugo Chesshire
What looked like a Conservative victory in the making turned into another Liberal government, albeit a minority and an unexpected one. Most political pundits agree that Liberal scare tactics played the largest role in bringing most swing voters into the Liberal fold, but it has to be said that Stephen Harper played into their hands.
The Liberals promised that the Conservatives would bring in a programme of social conservatism as they rearmed and expanded the Canadian military and send it abroad on errands for the US. This was compounded by Harper’s arrogant talk of a Conservative majority, as he refused to even discuss the possibility of a Conservative minority government, and the electorate probably grew frightened of a Conservative parliamentary majority which would push all this legislation through. They voted strategically against a majority government that in all reality was never on the cards, and the minority Conservative government that could have been was stillborn as a result.
When Harper’s back-benchers spoke out on their pro-life and traditional-marriage views, Harper’s response was that his MPs were entitled to their opinions and would not be muzzled, which was a great message for proponents of free speech and good, active democracy but evidently not what the electorate wanted to hear. Perhaps Canadians have gotten so used to dictatorial PMs that they are actually afraid of a democratic one.
The most disappointing fact about this election is the lack of a viable option for conservatives in Canada. The CPC has only become palatable to the electorate by swinging left of centre, far further left than the Alliance/Reform parties that most CPC members come from. Talk of social-conservative issues such as opposition to abortion and gay marriage is played down, with the leadership keen to state that the Party as a whole will not propose such legislation (although a private member’s bill would not be squashed), and the fiscal policy is barely right of the Liberals - big government, taxes (cut but still very substantial), socialised medicine, state-run industry and so forth. The Liberals are left of the CPC, and the NDP further left still.
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Harper widens lead
June 22, 2004 · By Hugo Chesshire
According to Barry Kay of Wilfred Laurier University, the Conservatives now stand to gain 126 seats on June 28, while Martin’s Liberals trail at 95. Kay has used information gleaned by Ekos, Ipsos-Reid, Leger and SES since June 1 to arrive at his analysis. He has produced an accuracy rate of plus or minus five seats per party over the last several federal elections.
Conservatives have widened their lead over the Liberals to 126-95 in seat projections for the June 28 election based on an analysis of the latest opinion polls.
Conservatives pull ahead in latest polls analysis
June 10, 2004 · By Hugo Chesshire
The latest poll analysis by Barry Kay of Wilfred Laurier University for Global National shows the Conservative Party winning 117 seats, ahead of the Liberals’ forecast 112. The Liberals are behind everywhere but Atlantic Canada.
Although no party can yet form a majority government, the speed with which the tide is turning in favour of the Conservatives does not yet rule out a Conservative majority.
Tories set to win most seats: polls
The Conservatives have for the first time moved into the lead in the June 28 federal election and are poised to win 117 seats compared with 112 for the Liberals, an analysis of recent polls suggests.
Sharia law comes to Ontario, Muslim women lead protests
June 8, 2004 · By Hugo Chesshire
Under the 1991 Arbitration Act, the Islamic Institute of Civil Justice will begin tribunals of marriage, divorce and family issues later this year, creating a two-tier justice system in Canada. The British government rejected a similar proposal from the British Muslim community earlier, stating that Britain was a nation with one justice system that applied equally to all.
The Canadian Council of Muslim Women has vowed to fight the decision, feeling that it discriminates against Muslim women and subjects them to a highly sexist and chauvinistic legal system that other Canadian women are not held to. While Sharia law varies from country to country, it should be noted that no Islamic country holds women as the equals of men.
Protest rises over Islamic law in Ontario
“We’ve had a flood of e-mails from people, asking `How can we help?’” says Alia Hogben, president of the Canadian Council of Muslim Women, whose 900 members come from a variety of Islamic sects.
They were outraged that Muslim women could be coerced into taking part in sharia tribunals or face family and community ostracism — or worse.
“When you come to Canada, you are a human being with full rights,” says Jonathan Schrieder, a Toronto civil litigation lawyer. Allowing sharia here — even a “Canadianized” version, as its proponents claim — “will subject Muslim women to a huge injustice.”
15th Anniversary of Tiananmen Square Massacre
June 4, 2004 · By Hugo Chesshire
15 years ago today, the Chinese military murdered hundreds, possibly thousands, of peaceful protesters demanding democratic reform in Tiananmen Square, Beijing. While the Chinese government has enacted many of the reforms that the protesters demanded, they marked the anniversary this year by arresting 16 people in an effort to suppress public commemorations of the massacre.
It is fitting to reflect upon the fact that the single greatest evil of the 20th Century, and indeed in the entirety of the bloody history of the human race, is Communism. The most innocent blood was spilt and the most horrible repressions of human rights and freedoms occurred in the name of Communism. Perhaps we can take a moment to remember the hundreds of millions of people murdered, tortured, deported, enslaved and exiled, and also to remember the brave people who died struggling against this evil.
Ontario healthcare provides less service for more money
June 3, 2004 · By Hugo Chesshire
Dalton McGuinty’s latest Ontario budget adds insult to injury as though it were going out of style. Not only do Ontarians now have to pay a healthcare premium (abolished since 1989), but their coverage is curtailed. Dental and optical benefits are still not covered, but services no longer to be provided include chiropractice, optometry and physiotherapy. A call by health minister George Smitherman to provide free sex-change operations, however, was shot down.
Ontario opposition leader Ernie Eves quipped, “Zap: you’re taxed.”
12,500 convicted felons will vote in 2004 election
June 3, 2004 · By Hugo Chesshire
The CBC has reported that, after a Supreme Court decision in October 2002, convicts serving custodial sentences will be permitted to vote in the upcoming election. Federal inmates were last allowed to vote in 1997, but in October 1999 that ruling was overturned and no convict was allowed to vote in the 2000 election.
How many more privileges can we give to those convicted of serious crimes? Now serial rapists, child-killers, murderers, thieves and the very scum of our society get fast food in jail, early release, cable television, two-tier medical care that law-abiding citizens are forbidden, and now the vote. How long until the Supreme Court decides it is discriminatory to even lock the prison gates?
12,500 prisoners get to vote on June 28
On election day, 12,500 inmates serving time in federal prisons will be able to cast a ballot and choose a member of Parliament…
Gary Rosenfeldt, whose son was killed by [convicted child-murderer Clifford] Olsen, said the point of jail is to punish criminals, not reward them. “These are people who flagrantly disobeyed the laws of this country, who don’t care about the laws of this country,” said Rosenfeldt.
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper is of the same mind, saying he would strip prisoners of the right to vote by using the notwithstanding clause in the Constitution.
Martin Admits He Might be Beat
June 2, 2004 · By H. Cameron
Is Martin admitting defeat or is he trying to appeal to those voters who tremble at night at the thought of a government lead by Stephen Harper?
Martin admits defeat may be possible
VANCOUVER and MARKHAM — Prime Minister Paul Martin acknowledged the prospect of electoral defeat yesterday as he apologized for past Liberal mistakes and urged Canadians to examine the Stephen Harper agenda before voting Conservative.
For the first time in the campaign, Mr. Martin raised the possibility of a Conservative minority government if Canadians fail to catch on to the Liberal platform that stresses improvements to health care and cities and help for low-income seniors.
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