Election Day 3: Let the Mudslinging Commence

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As I mentioned yesterday, I'm going to be speaking about the impending Canadian elections which are set to take place on January 23, 2006. The big names to watch for are Jack Layton of the NDP, Stephan Harper of the Conservatives and incumbant Prime Minister Paul Martin and the Liberals.

An addum to yesterday's rant: The Gay Marriage legislation that was passed and put into practice during the summer is back under fire. It seems that Harper wants at it, and this time, it's personal.

Harper would allow free vote on gay marriage

However, if they passed it, he would restore the traditional definition of marriage being between one man and one woman.

Harper said his government would allow existing same-sex marriages to continue.

So, this would mean that gay couples would likely rush into marriage strictly for the benefits if this held true, pending the apocalypse should the CPC get its "wish". It would also mean that there would be different statuses for the different couples, which would create additional problems.

Hindsight is 20/20, and Harper has none. He also has a blatant disregard for equality and human rights.

On with today's rant...

Now, it is no secret that the mud slinging will begin shortly, and the first to admit this, is Jim Harris of the Green Party (and for those of you who don't know, they are the treehugging hippie party of Canada).

Greens won't fling mud: Harris

Green party Leader Jim Harris warned Wednesday that Canadians should brace for one of the "dirtiest campaigns in history."
...
"Sadly, we can expect one of the dirtiest campaigns in history," he said about the Jan. 23 vote. "And after the 2004 election, that's saying something.

"Mud will be tossed by the bucketloads. Some will be flung even at us."

Well, thank you Captain Obvious! Name me one election recently that wasn't rife with slander, libel and the various little anecdotes as provided by the spin doctors and speech writers for the imcumbants and challengers.

Canadians know from the last election that any election isn't going to be clean. The stakes are high and the polling numbers are close. Many key ridings were won by just a margin in many cases in the last election, and it is these ridings that are again in the spot light. They will be closely watched come election night by many nail biting pundits and candidates.

And further, what reason do the Greens have to sling mud? None whatsoever. They want to protect every last grain of mud and green little grass strand on Canadian soil. And don't forget those cuddly polar bears who'd never hurt... OW! Little bugger just tried to eat me! Damnit, where's a hunter when you need one? Anyway...

Not surprisingly, Harris focused on the environment, saying that the arctic climate is changing at twice the rate of any other region in the world and threatening Canada's polar bear population.

He said C02 emissions in Canada have risen by 24.4 per cent since 1993, and cancer cases are predicted to double in the next 30 years.

I'm concerned about pollution as the next Canadian, but I have more pressing matters on my mind, such as, why the hell do we even need a tax cut?

Well, we can turn to Harper for reassurance that we'll get a tax cut.

Harper vows to cut GST

I find this extremely...interesting, especially since it was the Conservatives who had introduced GST when Brian Mulroney was in power. Oh wait! That's not the same party; it was the Progressive Conservtives that had, not the new ones. But, who's really keeping track? After all, the PC and the Alliance Party had merged to form the Conservatives, which means both inherit the moral deficit from their predecessors.

The Tories have long been contemplating a cut in the sales tax as a campaign plank. Harper said cutting the GST would be "more effective in stimulating consumption than anything the government's proposing."

Meanwhile, PM Martin and his incumbant Liberals have decided that they don't want to slash GST. They feel it's not what Canadians want. They had bigger, more ambitious ideas, and it may be more in line with what Canadians want.

"I believe we should cut personal income taxes," Liberal Leader Paul Martin said on Thursday after Harper's announcment. "Canadians should keep more of their paycheque."
Martin said voters will be able to compare the parties' two plans for cutting taxes.

"I believe mine is more fair, especially for the Canadian middle class."

This would give Canadians more disaposable income. It would mean that there is more to save and spend to live comfortably. The GST level of 7% would remain the same.

It seems that Martin is more mindful of the Canadian general population than Harper is, as is evidenced by his governments most recent budget that saw cuts for the middle class families and finacial assistance of sorts for low income Canadians.

I'm sure many of you recall the first budget release by the Liberal minority government, in which the Liberals made a deal with the NDP so thet could avoid a motion of non-confidence. The budget didn't have the corperate tax cuts that Harper had originally liked and saw more socially minded spending.

And just for the sake of showing what an arrogant prat this twat is...

Pointing out on Thursday that he himself is an economist, Harper said: "I believe that all taxes are bad. It's always good to keep taxes down."

Isnt it convenient that he is more than just a politician?

And since when are all taxes bad? Oh right - they're bad if you're an American. You don't want taxes because then it means you can pay for social programs, which is bad because paying for social programs means you have little left for the military and the religious right agenda.

*ahem* Back on topic, tax reduction is good, but only if its done when the climate is right and there is adequate room to pay down the deficit and keep spending in the black.

And as it has been an issue in Canada since 1995 - national unity.

Martin warns of threat to national unity

"I can tell you right now we're not going to allow the separatists to divide Quebec families," added Martin. "We're not going to allow separatists to divide this country."

Martin has decided to fight fire with fire and has taken to having a prominent candidate try and secure a Bloc stronghold in the a stretch of land between Montreal and Ottawa. Marc Garneau, the first Canadian astronaut is posed to run in Vaudreuil-Soulanges for the Liberals.

It never hurts to have someone well-known on your side, especially when it counts.

We don't need the Bloc impending on a stable government. They are the only thing that stands between a minority and majority government at this point. Though, while they are a threat to national unity, the CPC remains a threat to national sanity.