I Suppose That’s One Way
– of making sure your candidates don’t force you into making another apology make your party look bad.
While Prime Minister Stephen Harper was readying to take on opposition leaders in last night’s nationally televised debate, several of his Conservative candidates were making themselves scarce at local debates.
From the North to the Atlantic provinces and the Prairies, Tory candidates have been missing at a number of encounters.
CPoC campaign officials claim there is no policy forbidding candidates from participating in debates, but when it happens enough times that you have radio stations (in Calgary no less) mounting Tory candidate search efforts the questions are gonna be asked aren’t they?
Last nights debate was a big joke. It wasn’t a debate it was 4 on one. I never heard any of the opposition make one valid point for their leadership. All I heard was what they didn’t like about Stephen Harpers campain. I sure hope tonight will be an actual debate. Instead of bashing Mr. Harper come out with your platform and then let everyone debate it. Last night was a waste of time for the tax payers to watch. I also didn’t like the way they were seated around the tables. They couldn’t look into the camera’s and talk to the people. Like I say it was just an attack.
Why don’t you try removing your Con goggles and look at reality for a change? When Harper was in opposition, he was all about attacking the party in power non-stop. He is still in that mode; from the moment Dion was elected, CPC money has been poured into advertisement that are personal attacks on the man (Had it been Iggy or Rae elected leader, it would have just as sickening.)
What Michael Fortier did in Québec was a disgusting attack on people’s rights and choices to vote for the Bloc MPs who represent them in Ottawa, exactly as they say they will. This tactic is a return to the old Union National politics and Fortier is a pig used to getting down in the mud and pulling others down in there with him. A perfect ideological comrade for Harper.
The Cons have NO election platform. It’s all photo opportunities, window-dressing for announcing something that sounds good to one of their target demographic groups. Smoke, mirrors and bombast: Stephen Harper, his dirty-tricks goons and his invisible candidates.
Harper had a great line I heard this morning on the radio
The other party leaders should take a lesson from that, I didn’t watch more than 5 minutes of the debate but they certainly appeared to be spending more time complaining about Harper than they did promoting their own platforms.
If the majority of their argument to the Canadian people is ‘we’re not Harper‘ they’ve got a long row to hoe before sitting in the big chair.
Harper treats his party members like pinheads. Ok, well I guess most of them are. So, Steve and I agree on this. But the point is, Steve likes them to be quiet for fear Canadians will see them for what they are.
Stephen Harper, doing for Canada what George Bush did for America
It seems to me that Stephen Harper does not view Canada as a sovereign country, but rather a commodity that he wants to sell to the United States.
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From peacekeepers to ass-kissers, thanks for nothing Stephen Harper
Exactly so stageleft – perhaps this evening all 4 will shut him out by not eveb addressing his mis-management of government and his non-platform.
Harper is a black hole.
I witnessed a no-showing of a Con MP last afternoon. She sent a statement to be read to students, and they booed.
Wow … this whole election has really been serving to remind me of why it was I moved East from Alberta. This phenomenon of Tory candidates missing debates is not new. Every recent election I can recall has involved at least a questionably high number of Tory candidates – usually, the ones most unable to represent themselves as rational individuals – being absent from debates. The best example that comes to mind is Rob Anders, who is so universally hated by the politically knowledgeable members of his own riding that during his previous campaign he actually spent a good chunk of it in BC, as I recall. Of course, it being Calgary, where you could run a dog under the Tory banner and it would get elected, he hasn’t really had to worry about his seat yet.
My local Conservative MP will not be attending a debate on the 7th and she’s running in place of Carol Skelton, who’s retiring. Way to get your message across!
sorry for being o/t BUT – I just discovered this and think it would be great shorthand for the debate this evening.
there’s a great shot of Nunavut conservative candidate, Leona Aglukark, shown here along with the other party hopefuls. At least she didn’t duck out of the local debate but no wonder this got confusing – too bad I missed out on this……..NOT!
I like Leona, but I think that picture makes her look…I dunno…phony.
I don’t know, B. I think she’s really dialed up her look – as the kids say, she’s off the hook. You might see that as phony, but I think it sets a good tone.