Springtime in Harperland and the Battle to Take Canada Back

Well Spring has finally arrived in the little corner of Canada where I live. 

The hockey goals have been fished out of the once frozen canal where they sank after the ice melted.

And biking season is here at last...



Which would be perfect if I didn't live in Harperland, where winter never really ends.

And you can still be hit by this kind of icy chill.
Perceptions of Justin Trudeau’s leadership abilities have tumbled, according to a new poll, while Stephen Harper regained the lead as the top choice for prime minister. 

A Global News/Ipsos Reid poll released Monday found that Mr. Harper, leader of the Conservative Party, was the choice of 38 per cent of respondents as “best prime minister,” an increase of three points since September of 2014. He was followed by NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair with 31 per cent support (up seven points from September) and Mr. Trudeau, the Liberal Leader, with 30 per cent (down 12 points).

Which I admit does shock me.

Because while I'm not surprised that Tom Mulcair is doing well, after his strong performance recently. And while I'm not surprised that Justin Trudeau is not doing that well after practically disappearing from view.



I find it hard to believe that more Canadians trust Stephen Harper than they trust the other leaders. And this strikes me as absurd.

Mr. Harper led on most of the 11 traits, including “someone who will get things done,” “someone who is best to manage during tough economic times,” and “someone whose values best represent my own,” many of which previously went for Mr. Trudeau.

And the good news? I don't believe this poll accurately represents what's really going on out there.

Not just because other polls taken at the same time show a different result...



But also because the Ipsos Reid poll was taken before what I have described as Stephen Harper's absolutely disastrous week  

So it doesn't reflect how the Duffy trial is degrading his credibility... 



It doesn't reflect the rising tide of resistance to Bill C-51.

Or how more and more Canadians are giving him the thumbs down...



Or how they feel about all his other crimes against Canada...



And it also doesn't yet reflect the way the economy is degrading his self-styled image as a Great Economist Leader... 



Which can only be further damaged by what Lawrence Martin predicts will be a long period of economic stagnation. 

In the past decade, Canada experienced its lowest run of economic growth since the 1930s. Gross domestic product grew at an average of only 1.9 per cent a year.

Unless some unforeseen remedy appears, jobs will be harder to find, living standards will languish, Canada will lose global standing.

It's only a matter of time before Canadians realize that his promise of better times ahead is only an illusion.

Seems we’re living under an illusion that we’re doing reasonably well, the reason being that until the recent oil price plunge the Conservatives pushed out a lot of feel-good messaging about Canada faring better in the wake of the global financial crisis than other major economies. But doing better than some rivals doesn’t necessarily mean you’re doing well yourself.

So the economy will not lift his boat before the next election, and may well drag him down.

But what this latest poll and others do tell us, is that ridding this country of Harper and his foul regime will be a brutal battle.

It tells us that our leaders do need to be more aggressive if they wish to prepare the ground before the next election campaign begins in earnest.

That they do need to realize that this is the time to go big or go home.

Just like we need to realize that we do face a demographic challenge...



For unless we can convince older Canadians to vote in less numbers for the Cons, we will face an uphill struggle.

So while this ad which is aimed at younger voters is an excellent one...



We also need to target seniors, and convince them that a Harper victory would be a death sentence for ALL decent people in this country.

And the best news? I don't doubt that we can do it.

Our boat will soon be arriving to take us all young and old to the biggest battle of our lives...



But our flag will be waving proudly when it is over.

And the Cons will be defeated...

Please click here to recommend this post at Progressive Bloggers.