Stephen Harper's Monstrous Plan to Steal the Election

After four years and 24 days of being slowly strangled by Stephen Harper, the 41st Parliament has finally groaned its last, and given up the ghost.

And although that bestial leader must have enjoyed savaging the traditions and values of the country he hates with a passion only he can muster.

He can hardly be celebrating. Because his depraved behaviour has finally caught up with him.

And it is, as Chantal Hébert writes, his season of discontent.

Stephen Harper’s Conservatives went into the last parliamentary stretch of their majority mandate last January with a breeze in their backs in public opinion and amidst long-awaited signs that Justin Trudeau’s honeymoon with voters was finally at an end.

Six months later, the budget has fallen flat. Support for the government’s anti-terrorism legislation has steadily declined. Some of the more able members of the caucus have bowed out — including, as of Friday, Industry Minister James Moore.

His polls are down all over the country. Most Canadians believe the country is heading in the wrong direction. The economy is sputtering along on one cylinder. His government has been battered by one scandal after the other. And is now trying to turn us into a police state.

The numbers don't lie. It is without a doubt the worst government EVER.

But nothing has alienated Canadians as much as the bestial way Stephen Harper has behaved...



Like his predecessors, the Conservative leader has become a more polarizing figure with each passing mandate. Having covered Ontario at the tail end of Pierre Trudeau’s reign in the mid-80s I saw first-hand how rampant fatigue with his ruling party had become by the time he retired. 

Now as then, regime change has become an overriding incentive for a record number of voters.

Nothing has made the desire for change stronger. Which should in the natural course of events lead to his defeat in October.

But as Karl Neremberg reminds us, Harper still has one powerful weapon in his arsenal. 

His plan to try to steal the election by disenfranchising millions of Canadians, 



There are new ID requirements, which will be difficult to meet for many who are elderly, poor, young, homeless, Indigenous or members of other minority communities. 

If you are part of the about 80 per cent of Canadians who have valid, current driver’s licenses, with photo and correct address, you’re set. You’ve got you the required picture ID with address. If you are part of the other 20 per cent or more who lack this precious card, you’re going to have to work hard to make sure you can vote, and it may not be easy. 

That 20 per cent group constitutes well over four million people.

His sinister plan to suppress the vote, that he cooked up with the help of his ghastly little stooge Pierre Poilievre...



The deathly cocktail of dirty tricks that will almost certainly be supplemented by the unseen hand of the members of the robo-call gang, who were never brought to justice for trying to steal the last election.



It's a depressing thought. But the good news is that while we were forced to look on helplessly while Harper and his Con gang ravaged our parliament, there are things we can do as ordinary citizens to stop them from stealing the election.

We can join parties and groups that are working to get out the vote. We can talk to the people we know, help young voters to understand why they need to vote, and what they need to do that. 



We can put up signs like this one in our neighbourhoods.



We can create a sophisticated communications network on social media, like they did during the referendum in Ireland recently, to warn of any irregularities, or call for reinforcements.



And of course we can make sure that we are ready.

If you do not have that magic driver’s licence with photo and current ID, you should get on the Elections Canada website, right now, and start figuring out how to make sure you can vote. Here is where to get all the information about voter identification rules: Elections.ca. 

So this monstrous scene is not repeated again...



After so many years of having to look on helplessly while Stephen Harper savaged our country and its democracy, we finally have a chance to do something about it. 

And take our future into our own hands.

And I for one couldn't be happier.

He will not steal the election. We'll teach him a lesson he'll never forget.

And we will end this long nightmare...



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