Stephen Harper and the Great Toronto Makeover

Before he left his throne in Ottawa today, and set out for Toronto, I'm sure Stephen Harper had deluded himself into believing that this would be another Great Makeover Day.

A day to show his rebellious subjects that he is now a Great Kinder Gentler Leader.

A day to show them that even a leopard can change its spots, or a hyena can lose its teeth.

And still remain a Great Strong Leader, willing and capable of gumming a Fantino. 




Julian Fantino is out as Veterans Affairs minister. Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced on Monday the embattled Fantino will be replaced by Erin O’Toole, a southern Ontario MP and former member of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Fantino will become associate minister of National Defence, a post he previously held.

But sadly for him, it wasn't much of a gesture. Because although Fantino's departure was definitely something worth celebrating...



The fact is that he should have been fired, and he wasn't...



Because he needs him too much.

Obviously, Prime Minister Stephen Harper didn’t want to fire him. He could have done that months ago and spared his government some grief. But he’s betting that Mr. Fantino, the former chief of the Ontario Provincial Police and of many other Southern Ontario forces, is still a popular figure with swing voters in the electorally crucial bedroom communities of Southern Ontario.

And if you've ever seen Erin O'Toole on Power and Politics...



You know that O'Toole is just another tool of the Con regime.

And that the crimes of that foul regime will not be that easily forgotten....



So let's give that makeover effort an F for Fantino.

But Harper wasn't finished. Next he would try to prove that he doesn't hate women, liberals and lesbians as much as many of his restless subjects imagine. 

By meeting with Kathleen Wynne after shunning her for more than a year.



Prime Minister Stephen Harper met with Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne to discuss a number of issues related to jobs and the economy for the first time in a little over a year this evening, The meeting, held ahead of the gold medal World Juniors hockey game in Toronto, lasted less than 45 minutes and ended shortly before 7 p.m. ET.

But that wasn't exactly a great success either. The meeting couldn't have been shorter or chillier. 

And the fact that his prolific Twitter feed failed to even mention the meeting, tells me that nothing has changed, and that he only agreed to hold it so it can't be held against him in the election campaign.

Especially since he did tweet a lot about this next event in Toronto...

What a proud moment for Canada! It was great to be in the crowd to cheer on our team to victory #WJC2015 #TeamCanada pic.twitter.com/TsUN3wVO6g
— Stephen Harper (@pmharper) January 6, 2015

Because he is determined to portray himself a Great Hockey Leader, or just a nice guy.

But again sadly for him, on a chilly night in my neighbourhood, his reception was no warmer. One of my friends, who watched the game in a sports bar, told me that when Harper appeared briefly on TV he was greeted with deafening boos, and a lot of words that can't be printed.

And of course this ruined EVERYTHING. 

In an apparent attempt to keep pace with Kim Jong-un, a Canadian federal agency has blocked government employees from accessing a paywalled news site that reports on the government's inner workings. According to e-mails obtained in an access to information request by Blacklock's Reporter, Shared Services Canada has put in place a government-wide blackout on access to the Blacklock's website without explanation.

Because it shows that  even as he poses as a Great Kinder Gentler Leader, his sinister minions are trying to muzzle the internet, knowing all too well that social media will be their greatest enemy in the next election campaign.

Which is why I prefer this picture of him at the hockey game...



Because we do need to throw a net over him and his foul regime, before he does turn us into a country we don't recognize.

And what all of the above also tells me, is that an election could be closer than most imagine.

Because in addition to his frantic campaigning, and Harper's radio ad claiming the opposition would rollback his porky plan to bribe voters with children under eighteen, which I told you about yesterday.

There is apparently also another ad out there, which is not yet online, but  claims that Justin Trudeau is too "high risk in a high risk time."

And since it comes just before Harper decides whether to extend the Iraq mission in February. And considering that the Duffy trial will begin on April 7, and that the length of an election campaign is about 37 days.

The election call could come also come in February. 

This is a real possibility...



And we must be ready.

And the good news is that judging from the messages I have been receiving in the last few days, a lot of progressives ARE ready. As am I.

So grab your signs and prepare to join the Great Stop Harper movement.

For the monster is stirring, he could strike without warning.

And he must be STOPPED...



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