Sometimes, it is all so ludicrous, you just have to laugh.
Here is Stephen Harper about to call an election.
At the same time:
- The economy is tanking on his watch, so to speak.
- The arts and cultural community, all 800,000 of them, plus their supporters are madder 'an 'ell with him for gutting the industry and imposing censorship on artistic content.
- 80% of the docs in Canada think his government has made a big mistake trying to get between the physician and the patient and tell them what is acceptable clinical care.
- The uncertainty of food safety is creating anxiety amongst Canadians.... The government is dismantling the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, just as we see out breaks of listeriosis in smoked meats, recent e.coli contamination in spinach and salmonella in tomatoes.
- Seniors are still angry at the Broken Promise on Income Trusts that wiped out a lot of their savings.
Yet, our Prime Minister is itching to get to the polls because he says the opposition will block his bills and thwart his agenda.
The House has not met. No one knows what his agenda is, no one has blocked anything.... except the Conservatives blocking parliamentary committee work last session.
So why the rush?
Why the haste to risk an election in such a negative environment?
Why not stick to the much touted 4-year term?
Could it be that...
The results of Elections Canada’s investigation into the Conservative Party’s alleged advertising irregularities (the in-and-out scheme) are pending.
…or that the "Cadman Affair" is about to reveal clearer information from the subpoenaed tapes by the journalist?
…or that the security breaches in the Couillard/Bernier matter will be dredged up again when the House resumes?
Maybe I should reconsider what I said at the beginning of this musing.... calling an election at this time of bad vibes around Harper's government may not be ludicrous. After all… it may be very prudent...
Someone in the tent may be worried that things could get a lot worse!
- Hedy
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Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld
Vancouver - August 31, 2008
