Thursday, March 31, 2016

The Rapid Collapse of Stephen Harper's Legacy (Continued)



One of the things that has surprised and pleased me the most, is to see how quickly the foul legacy of Stephen Harper is disappearing.

Demolished by Justin Trudeau's Liberals, and slowly buried by the sands of time.

So I'm glad to see that even the Con-friendly L. Ian MacDonald is wondering the same thing.

What happened to Stephen WHO? 




And how could his legacy collapse so rapidly?

One of the most remarkable features about the Trudeau Liberals’ first five months in office is the speed and efficiency with which they are undoing the legacy of Stephen Harper. 

It began their second full day in office, when the new government announced it would restore the mandatory long-form census. It was a substantive and a symbolic reversal of the previous government’s policy. Since then, they’ve kept their thumbs firmly on the delete key — which carried them right into last week’s budget, where they unleashed the wrecking ball.

As one Con law after the other bites the dust. From the Fair Elections Act and the barbaric cultural citizenship laws, to Old Age Security, and now the Court Challenges Program.

The Liberals are reinstating the Court Challenges Program dismantled by Harper in his first budget in 2006. Funding for official languages court challenges was later restored, but Harper had made his point. Now the Liberals are making theirs with $12 million over five years for “bringing cases to the courts that clarify and assert their Charter rights.”

Which was one of the first programs the Cons killed when they came to power.

And signalled the beginning of the Harper's bestial campaign to try to change Canada beyond recognition...



Only, as even MacDonald admits, to fall pathetically short.

So what does it say about Harper’s leadership that his legacy can be so easily dismantled, at least in the short term? It tells us he was a transactional leader, not a transformative one.

And while the Con columnist tries to buff up Harper's sordid record.

Harper, in time, may also be seen as a successful three-term leader. Just not one who transformed the country.

The fact remains that by the standard Harper set for himself, and by the short time it's taking to demolish his legacy, he can only be judged a miserable failure...



And will only be remembered as the tiny evil leader of the worst government this country has ever known

And the even better news?

Their legacy may be turning to dust all around them, but the surviving Cons haven't got the message.

They're still repeating Harper's mistakes. Still grinding out the same crude attack ads...



Which not only make it look like Great Ugly Leader is still running the Cons.

It has the Globe columnist Tabatha Southey wondering whether their defeat has broken them...


And as you know, I believe the answer is yes.

It was Harper's party, he moulded them in his own image. He taught them everything they know.

They were his slavish followers.

And now they will follow him to the same political desert where they all belong...



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16 comments:

Steve said...

idot wind

Anonymous said...

They are still flogging Rob Ford as a great leader too, going so far as to have CBC televise his funeral, as though the rest of Canada wanted to see it.

hinofan said...

Oh No!
It's getting confusing here in Alberta.
Hoping for Two Second Comings!
The faithful praying for a multiple orgasm!

Unknown said...

The reform/alliance/cons were not only the worst government we ever had they were the most dangerous.Harper spent his time destroying the Nation Building that previous Prime Ministers had put in place. The obedient serfs he left behind, called the opposition are running around trying to find someone to obey.

Omar said...

The Liberals are effectively killing two birds with one stone. For not only are they reversing all that needs reversing from the Harper regime, they are relegating the NDP to the political wilderness for some time to come. And if the NDP insists on keeping Mulcair around as leader? That wilderness will become even denser and darker for them.

Anonymous said...

Why wasn't Steve front and centre at the Ford funeral?

e.a.f. said...

It maybe "the kid" may be a better economist. Last evening's news said the economy had grown by 0.06% and that was the result of 4 months of consecutive growth. So in the middle of an oil collapse the economy of Canada grew by a point over 1/2%. Not bad. The dollar has reached up to 77 cents. If this continues we may improve with manufacturing taking up its once important place in Canada.

Some may say, so what. Well Harper and the Cons led us down the road to the economy shrinking, and it maybe that Trudeau is getting us back on the road to recovery. Having a happy and hopeful population helps. Now if Brad wall and Christy Clark could just take a hike, it would be so much better in this country.

Anonymous said...

Saw a poll that put Peter MacKay in the lead for leadership of the Cons. WTF is wrong with these people? They are insane, if insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

Simon said...

hi anon...yes could barely watch the spectacle, and what was worse hours later there was wild party by the Ford Nation in some convention centre. And a local TV channel kept running live shots of them all dancing around drunkenly, and whooping and hollering. t really did look like a zombie apocalypse...

Simon said...

hi hinofan...I thought the religious fanatics in rural Alberta prayed for NOBODY to have an orgasm, and just get high on Jesus. So I find your news encouraging ... ;)

Simon said...

hi Pamela...they certainly were the most dangerous government I have ever seen. I pretty sure we don't know half of the bad things they did, and I would really like a public inquiry. But what I am realizing is that by making Jason Kenney the chair of the shadow cabinet committee on strategic operations, he is the one really running the party not Ambrose. And that's why it still looks like the old Harper party....

Simon said...

hi Omar...yes you're right. The Liberals do have both the Cons and the NDP in an awkward place. With Trudeau's policies so popular the Cons can't give their natural instincts lest they look like Nazis. And the NDP with Mulcair at the helm is reluctant to go further left than the Liberals lest they look like commies. I don't know how the Cons are going to save themselves, but I do believe the first step the NDP should take, is get rid of Mulcair for he will lead them nowhere...

Simon said...

hi anon...well Steve always wanted to have his cake and eat it. He wanted the votes of the Ford Nation without being seen with their leader in public. And of course now he's dead he's useless...

Simon said...

hi e.a.f...there are encouraging signs that the low dollar is finally stimulating the non-resource sector. And I'm sure it will also boost the tourist industry. And since the price of oil is also been edging up, sunnier days may be ahead for all of us...

Steve said...

Makay is a good pick. He can buy planes with engines that never fail. We need those planes.

hinofan said...

That should have been "Multiple Orgasm Equivalent!".
We have lots of Mormons here and I think they like orgasms, singular or multiple or serial !