It was great to be able to finally return to my peaceful neighbourhood by the lake, and find it looking as beautiful as ever.
And after a lot of travelling, and a case of the flu, I was tempted not to resume blogging until the New Year.
But I just couldn't let the grubby Pierre Poilievre get away with this latest Big Lie for ONE minute longer
I mean, can you believe that?
The ugly Harperite is now claiming that Canada is broken, and it's all Justin Trudeau's fault.
When he is the one who is always trying to tear this country down.
He had hoped that the Emergencies Inquiry would damage Justin Trudeau.
But Trudeau aced the challenge, while Poilievre who didn't dare go anywhere near the inquiry, lest he remind Canadians of the prominent role he played in that attempted insurrection, was left looking like a loser.
Which does help explain why his polls appear to be tanking.
As Christmas nears, Canadians have more holiday jeers than holiday cheers for the official leader of the opposition.
One-in-three (33%) view Poilievre favourably, while more than half (54%) hold a negative view. These levels of unfavourable sentiment are much higher than those of previous leaders Andrew Scheer, Erin O’Toole, and Stephen Harper at the beginning of their own leadership ventures.
With Poilievre setting a new record as the most unpopular leader since Stephen Harper.
While Justin Trudeau's popularity surges.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, meanwhile, enjoys a five-point boost in his approval compared to summer levels. He’s viewed positively by more than two-in-five (43%).
It seems that Canadians have not forgotten how Poilievre supported a domestic terrorist movement that was trying to overthrow the duly elected Liberal government.
It's just too big to ever forget or forgive.
But even more importantly, the polls suggest that many women have not forgotten the vile misogynist tag he embedded in his YouTube videos.
An emerging gender divide is unmistakable: Poilievre’s favourability is nearly twice as high among men (44%) as women (23%), while the inverse, though not as pronounced, is true of Trudeau (35% among men, 50% among women).
It was ugly and evil, like the man himself...
No self respecting Canadian woman could ever trust Poilievre, or vote for him after that. And without their support he cannot win.
Which explains why the increasingly desperate Poilievre has now hauled out the law and order card.
As if he hasn't done enough to corrupt this country's values, and endanger the life of the Prime Minister.
Which makes his claim that Trudeau is breaking this country an absolute farce, and only reinforces my belief that Poilievre is a dangerous fascist.
For this is the Brexit fascist Nigel Farage sounding off just the other day:
And there can no longer be any doubt that Poilievre belongs in their company, and is an existential threat to this country.
For Poilievre may still dream of becoming our little pocket Fuhrer.
But after only three months Canadians have made it clear what they think of him.
And try as he might, he will NEVER be Prime Minister...
* * * * * * * * * *
And that's it for me in 2022.
Except to thank those who have kept me company on my long blogging journey, and encouraged me to keep going.
I look forward to joining with you to try to bury the Cons once and for all in 2023. We'll never get a better chance.
Happy New Year everybody !!!!
35 comments:
Happy New Year, Simon! Good to see you back!
While I think "never" is too absolutist (Americans never thought Trump would be president), because of the stupidity of the both-sides media, the con-sympathetic pundits and pollsters, and their desperation to pull anything that would put such a ratings-bonanza chaos agent as Skippy in office. But it's nevertheless encouraging that despite his pathetic attempts to pivot away from the clownvoy in advance of their next circus, Canadians by and large aren't buying it. "I don't like the flags, but people wouldn't be waving them if Trudeau hadn't broken everything" is such a mealy-mouthed nonpology as to be worthless. The fact he trotted it out during the holiday lull the day before New Year's, which also happens to be a Friday news dump, shows he's insincere.
Canada is not broken, and I think PMJT's rousing speech to the LPC faithful at the first in-person Christmas gathering in two years was one of his best. But that's not to say there aren't shit disturbers hell-bent on chipping away at it -- and of course all of them are cons. Most notably the plague of "resistance" premiers dismantling the healthcare system (and the unforgivably feckless Jagmeet Singh, the enabler who is finally getting flak even from his own supporters for continuing to ignore jurisdiction and threaten an election over things that are Ford's fault). At least some people read the constitution.
But where Singh is merely duplicitous and desperate for relevance because his 15 minutes as an "influencer" are nearly up, Skippy is abjectly abhorrent. Not sure if you saw the Twitter exchange over why he's so detestable to women, but the arrest of Andrew Tate is icing on the cake. The Venn diagram of Tate's misogynistic fanboys and the deplorables Skippy is courting, is a complete circle. He has some nerve to accuse PMJT of inciting anger and "breaking" the country, as Skippy's entire schtick is nothing but 'roid rage for nerds.
I doubt there will be an election in 2023, but if there is, I hope Canadians, for any grumbles they might have with PMJT, continue to return him back to the top job, if for nothing else his natural humanity and compassion as a leader, in contrast to Skippy and his party of incels and January 6th wannabes: cowards hiding in their Musk-y basements tweeting Ballzinger memes, or constipating the nation's capital in their pig rigs and terrorizing innocent people to own the Libs. Never say never, and always work like you're 10 points behind.
All the best to you and yours in 2023, from my perch behind the 49th.
Happy New Year Simon!
UU
Happy New Year Simon. The world was hijacked, lets hope in 2023 it becomes free again. Yes I am hoping for the freest world in the solar system.
Its broken Mike Harris sure fixed Ontario.
Glad to see you again Simon.
Poison Pill Pete's news conference the other day fell rather flat. Even though he hates and fears reporters, he thought he could control the agenda with law and order drivel. The press must be pissed off at PP's hide and seek game. Most of their questions were on things other than the reformatory script.
Canadians don't like him; Canadian women , especially don't like him; and now he's alienated the press corps needs.
Welcome back! You have been missed! All the best for 2023 :):):)
The only thing that's broken is the record PP keeps playing over and over again. The #1 hit single (among the PP fan boys) by "PP and the Kakas" is a triumph of woe and misery. It just kinda makes you wanna scream.
Please, shut up PP. The only time you should be opening your mouth is to go weewee you weasily little snot. You denounce the eff Trudeau signs then flip over and proceed to make excuses for your scummy brethren's obscene destruction of our flag. They're angry you say? Boohoo. Of course they are when you and your assteemed colleagues spend 24/7 riling them into a rage by slagging JT for everything wrong in the world. Most sane people would laugh at your nonsense but not your mentally challenged base. They believe what you say and you take full advantage of it. You hope and you pray that one of your more deranged followers will take the next step and attempt to harm or do worse to our PM. Let's face it, it's the only way you'll avoid being the fourth POS Con leader to get their ass kicked by him in a federal election.
Regardless, in the highly unlikely event of JT being neutralized by one of PP's pathetic, hateful followers, Chrystia would kick his ass just as well as JT would. In fact, the many successes of this government is clearly not because of JT alone. It's because he has surrounded himself with extremely smart, talented and compassionate woman who help guide his way through a gargantuan amount of moving parts. Having said that, GIRLS ROCK!!!
PP will continue on his cross country adventure of spreading woe and despair and maybe financial advice to a following that must be extremely depressed and in search of some rope and a tree after a bowel churning speech from PP. I know I would be if I had to sit-in on one of his speeches. To save time, he should just wear one of those boards some people wear on the streets stating "THE END IS NEAR".
As PP's peepee keeps deflating in the favorability numbers, I take comfort in knowing that this party formally known as the Conservatives is sinking like a slow moving garbage scow. As it should when you elect the likes of Poilievre as your leader. Something's broken alright but it sure isn't Canada.
Happy New Year's to all! Great to have you back, Simon.
JD
Hi Jackie...I should know better than to say "never" to anything. After the last two nightmare years I should believe that anything bad is possible. But I still find it hard to believe that the slimy Poilievre could fool enough Canadians to become Prime Minister. The fact that so many women absolutely despise him, is going to be hard to overcome. Unfortunately Poilievre has apparently fooled a number of young men that they should support him because he could get them a house or whatever, so there is still a danger that can't be overlooked. But the more most Canadians get to know Poilievre, the more they are repelled. It's a gut feeling so I'm not worried. That strutting little fascist is the worst thing that ever happened to the Cons, and I'm going to enjoy every minute. Happy New Year Jackie !!!
Hi UU....Thank you, and Happy New Year to you too !! I know there are a lot of Canadians who don't feel much like celebrating for one reason or other. But there is a lot to celebrate. The wheels are coming off the Cons, Poilievre isn't going anywhere, and sooner or later his fascist crusade will finish his party off.
Hi Steve...Powerful right wing forces are trying to hijack our democracy, but hopefully 2023 will be the year more Canadians will understand what we're up against, and act accordingly. We need to expose the fascists among us, and give Canadians a better idea of what living in a Poilievre regime would be like. If progressives do that well, they won't lose....
Hi rumleyfips...Thank you, I missed you as well. The fact that Poilievre felt compelled to hold a newser after dodging the MSM for so long, is a sign that he has finally realized that his kooky campaign is making him look bad. He is now trying to soften his image, by claiming that he wants hope to replace anger. Can you believe that? He must think we're fools. Luckily, the more our would be Pigeon Fuhrer squawks, the more he condemns himself, and his party...
Hi anon@10:33 AM....Thank you, it's good to be back. I missed you all too. We are lucky to live in this country, but we are going to have to defend it from the Cons who would destroy it...
Hi JD...I share your outrage at the way Poilievre is behaving. He is inciting his rabid supporters to go after Trudeau, while claiming that he stands for peace and love. Never since the dark days of the Harper regime has a Con leader turned the truth on its head for sordid political reasons. I only wish we could have an early election, so Canadians could teach him a lesson he will never forget. But the time will come, and we will have plenty of time to shrink him further, and make the idea that he could ever govern this country shocking, and laughable. The more we mock him, the sooner he'll destroy himself. Happy New Year JD !!!
Glad you are back Simon! Reread some of your year end blogs dating back to 2007 and although the current outlook is somewhat more positive than a decade ago the fascist movement is still a real danger. The likes of Harper PP and Trump lead the movement to the cliff but are their followers prepared to jump into oblivion or is this just a pause while they slather on a new coat of paint. Although the MSM propaganda machine has cooled considerably its unlikely they are about to embrace a live and let live philosophy anytime soon so 2023 is likely to be a bumpy one.
Whatever happened to Global Orgasm Day?
RT
Hey, look what the cat dragged in. :-)
Latest polling tells you all you need to know. Despite rampant inflation, cost of living increases, government slowdown of services and all sorts of stuff Poilievre is still only up about 10-15 seats, at the expense of LPC.
What does this tell us? There's some "soft" Liberal support that could go to CPC but thankfully for Canada (and, I suppose, the world at large) none of it is in Quebec. CPC is getting absolutely trounced in my home base. You may as well split the 65+ seats between BQ and LPC, with one or two NDP seats. The 905 is still largely red, Maritimes mostly red with a bit of blue...so, what we have is anotehr LPC+NDP minority government.
And you know what? THAT'S GREAT.
It means we get social benefits. Chrystia Freeland has already given notice there will be some belt-tightening in the next Budget because of the recession, and this will enrage Harper Lite even more. The Liberal Party of Canada is using the Conservative Party of Canada's tricks against them:
Budget surplus? Check.
Deficit going down? Check.
Minor austerity measures? Check.
Fantastic international record, law and order, holding provinces to account? Check, check, check.
The CPC is a dead entity. Dead,of course, except in the halls of legacy media who dearly, dearly want the Foolhrer to ascent to the throne. But he won't, because we just aren't interested in his hateful, spiteful rhetoric.
Happy New Year Simon, Jackie, ottlib and the rest of ya!
Hi RT....I rarely reread anything I have written, and the reason is I always feel I left something out, or could have explained things in a clearer manner. And this year-end post was the hardest of them all. What normally takes me a couple of hours, took me two full days to write. It was such a huge year, so many things happened, both good but mostly bad, I didn't know where to start. But if you noticed, however bad the situation I have always tried to end on an optimistic note. The rise of fascism has made this harder, but we will defeat them, and I plan to try to laugh at them all the way to their bitter end. All the best to you and yours RT, and Happy New Year!!!!
Hi Pierre...I see you are out of the gate and raring to go. And so we all should. Poilievre is the worst Con opposition leader and our gift from the election gods. We may never get a better chance to do them real damage. I know everyone would like a break from the sleazy politics of Poilievre and his incredibly debased party. The poll numbers are all over the place, but the male/female split is bad news for the Cons, because in the time left before the election it's going to be very hard for them to change that visceral dislike into something more positive. With a kook like Poilievre, and his deplorable terrorist convoy supporters, it shouldn't be too hard to conjure up a truly dystopian image of what a Poilievre government might do to the lives of ordinary people. And have the Pigeon heading for an election on one wing . And a prayer.
Poilievre's handlers are now desperately trying to soften his image, which should be entertaining, but almost certainly won't work. The government needs to sharpen its attacks, as well as better publicize its achievements. But Trudeau is well positioned to make a pork pie out of Poilievre. Happy New Year Pierre !!!!
Canada's not broken, you say?
I suppose if you already own your own house, it might look like that.
Anon @ 11:59:
Shelter is a right but house ownership is modulated by government and private sectors. Ideally we'd have a thing like Finland where if you are homeless you get an apartment and are fed but you need counselling to return to society.
It really is up to provinces and cities. I am in my late 40s and have never owned a home. I own a nice two-level top-floor condo in the National Capital Region. I bought it for 80,000 in 1995 and it's worth 320,000 now. Scarcity is a real thing!
But getting back to Simon...tomorrow we get another bonus GST cheque for those low-income enough to get it. Soon the dental plan will expand to most adults. Then Pharmacare and medicines. Then will come 2025. Even with Poilievre's surging numbers he is...tied in seats with LPC. There is no path to a majority. And to those CPC dullards who think "Well Harper did so!" allow me to make this Crystal Pepsi clear to you:
The NDP backed Harper then under Layton, this NDP leader will not.
The BQ was semi-amiable to Harper's CPC, this one might do same, but unlikely as CPC doesn't want to grant QC additional powers as AB will lose their shit if they do.
The Pandemic changed everything. You can certainly argue against government overreach and that's fine. But people in Ontario and QC don't want another conservative at federal level. Poilievre can't do it. Mark my words. If I'm wrong I will donate $25 to a charity of Simon's choice. O'Toole could have done it but he was caught flat-footed and people turned away.
And yeah, I wish JT would get more aggressive but he will once the writ is dropped. If there's one thing Liberal Party of Canada knows how to do it's to win elections. And I'm not saying majority, but I am calling 145-155 seat Minority, 35 seats NDP, 22-25 BQ, 2 GPC, and around 135~ CPC. Maybe even 140 CPC. It's going to be super, super close. So rest up because this next general election is the one that defeats them once and for all!
Hi anon@11:59AM....I feel bad for people who really want a home and can't afford one. But a country is more than just a real estate market, and this one is not broken. If you think homes are expensive in this country try buying one in London, England or New York City. Pierre Poilievre is always making it sound like he could get you a home if you vote for him. But he lives in a fancy mansion with cooks and butlers rent free, and own homes all over the place, and he can't get young people a home no matter what he says. I believe the federal government is doing its best to improve the situation, but the provinces need to do more, but their Con leaders are only interested in helping their wealthy backers. But don't give up, some things are been done, and the situation can only improve...
The talking point about making the greenbelt into neighborhoods is the same kind of false logic.
Now the OPP has stepped in to legitimize the seizure.
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.
Here’s what you thought of the F-35.
‘ Even though they are way too expensive, we don't really need them.’
What say you now?
"I feel bad for people who really want a home and can't afford one. But a country is more than just a real estate market, and this one is not broken."
No, actually at this point this country IS nothing more than just real estate market. We certainly don't have any great prospects for GDP or productivity growth.
All thanks to the Canadian voters' addiction to pathologically low interest rates, govt "affordability" programs, and a hefty dollop of local NIMBYism thrown in for good measure.
And fuck anyone who didn't get in on the Ponzi scheme before the ladder was pulled up, apparently. Let them eat cake, eh?
We're a country well on its way to becoming a gated retirement community for smug progressives. So I guess I can see why you like things the way they are.
With regard to the F-35 I will maintain Simon's line. They are way too expensive and we really do not need them.
One thing the Ukraine war has taught us is that airpower is not what it used to be. The proliferation of disposable, hand-held, anti-air missiles, that are very accurate and cost a few hundred thousand dollars apiece have shown that putting billion dollar, manned aircraft in close proximity to troops carrying those systems is asinine.
Really, all the RCAF needs is aircraft capable of intercepting the occasional Russian Bear bomber in the north and a whole lot of drones. Buying three or four dozen Super Hornets or Gripens would have met the interception need and buying a few hundred drones would have met any need where Canada gets into a shooting war on the ground.
The cost of such an approach would be a fraction of what we will be paying for the F-35s and it would have the added bonus of giving the pilots intercepting the Bears the security of two engines instead of one. The pilots who fly them better hope for 100% engine reliability of the F-35 because they will only have one. It they are going or coming back from a mission above the Arctic Circle and they lose that one engine, over Hudson's Bay, in January, Canada will have lost a very expensive airplane and probably a pilot to go along with it.
The only upside I can see about the decision is the fact they made one. They did not let it drag on like successive governments did with the old Sea King helicopters. While I disagree with the decision I am at least grateful they made one.
Simon, you do realise the problem is not merely house prices, but the affordability of all housing in this country, do you not?
You're obviously not in the market for a rental in the GTA, and it shows.
Anon 11:47 AM -- Harper's boondoggle jets had too many issues, which have since been fixed in the upgraded models 13 years later. PP et. al. attempting to hang the latest F-35 purchase on Trudeau as a purported flip-flop doesn't wash.
Personally I'm more concerned about the governing party and its junior partner's whataboutist naïveté regarding Tik Tok as a matter of national security concern, rather than semantic gotcha games over new and improved fighter planes. Einstein said he knew not what weapons would be used to fight WW3; as it turns out, it's computers and social persuasion tactics, being exploited to turn the populace against one another and tear down countries from within. But he was all but certain that after the dust settled, WW4 would be fought with sticks and rocks.
Hi Pierre....Sorry to take so long to reply, but with the ongoing medical emergency I sometimes find myself with neither the desire or the energy to blog. But that doesn't mean that I don't appreciate receiving comments from readers like you. Your latest is as usual a well argued one, even though I don't agree with everything you say, starting with Poilievre's surging numbers. I don't think he's doing very well. Even with the gloominess of the season, and the failure of our useless media to challenge the stream of lies that pour like diarrhoea out of his pie hole, he should be doing better that he is, after only a month as Con leader. Women are his main problem, but I suspect many young men will jump off his bandwagon when they realize that he's treating them like fools, and that he will not be able to build them a house or anything else for that matter. I too wish that Justin Trudeau would use Pee Pee as a squawking punching bag. But he is who he is, and he still has all he needs to flatten that Con fraud when the time is right....
Hi Steve....I'm afraid the people of Ontario blew their chance to stick a fork in the side of the Fordzilla, when so many of them couldn't be bothered to vote. But although Ford will be able to do horrible things to Ontario, he will not be able to keep iy up all the way to the next election, and will almost certainly end up on his big belly far short of the runway. And hopefully his fate will help tar his ideological ally Poilievre, and make it even easier for us to take both of them down. People are going to have to choose sides, and I'm confident they will do better next time....
Hi anon@11:47 AM....You have been holding my view of the F-35 against me for over ten years. But times change, and so has my view of the F35. Ten years ago I was hoping we could choose something better, but most of the many bugs the plane once had have been fixed, and the price per plane is much more reasonable. More of our NATO allies have also signed up, and it makes more sense to join them. As you know I once favoured the Saab Gripen, but I have been convinced that in a dog fight the F-35 is a better choice, even with its one engine. I'm still not convinced that manned aircraft are the future of military aviation, but we need to be able to put up amore modern response to the Russians or we could end up in a very bad place. And if I'm completely wrong about that choice, I will of course blame you...
Hi Anon@1:54PM...Our housing market is not as good or as fair as it should be, but Canada keeps getting chosen as one of the best countries to live in, so it can't be all bad. Trust me, you need to travel more often and you will see that for yourself. I was recently in the UK and it's practically a disaster zone. The Conservatives have been in power for so long that almost nothing works, with people having to choose between eating and heating their homes, and ambulances lined up outside hospital waiting to get in. BTW, Pierre Poilievre was the "star" of a fundraising dinner last night in Toronto. It took place at a fancy private club, and it cost $1.700 to get in. So don't pin your hopes on him, for he is not on your side....
Hi Ottlib....I hope I didn't sound like an F-35 cheerleader, because I'm not. I wonder why we are buying so many, when the age of the drone is almost upon us. And then there's the one engine problem, and a few others. But we need to replace the F-18s and the strategic situation is becoming more dire by the day. The Russians and the Chinese are now a growing threat to world peace, and we need to be better integrated with our NATO allies. And like you, I'm just glad we are finally doing something instead of just talking about it.
Hi anon @9:35 AM....When I talk about housing, I include rental housing as well. It annoys me that people and the media focus almost entirely on houses rather than rental apartments and rental condos where I and most of my friends live. That market is also getting ridiculously expensive so governments and the real estate industry have to do better. But I remind you that most housing is the responsibility of provincial governments not the feds. So you should know where to place the blame....
Hi Jackie...Has it really been thirteen years since the F-35 became an issue? How time flies. But that hasn't stopped Poilievre and his ghastly gang from trying to use the issue to portray the Liberal government as too weak to govern. They are only playing into the hands of the Russians and the Chinese, so now the Con traitors will be left looking like idiots. Good. There are more important issues we need to deal with, like climate change which is becoming a real threat to our survival. But of course the oil pimp Poilievre is silent about that. By the time the next election arrives, I predict the issue will be so big the Cons will be roasted by it, and most Canadians will finally understand why no sane people should vote for them.,,
So you will be grateful that billions of taxpayer’s dollars are going to Lockheed, rather than staying in Canada?
That’s pathetic, even by your standards.
Your ‘opinion’ of the F-35 changed solely based on Justin’s flip-flop.
Nothing more.
Hi anon--- Give it up. My opinion of the F-35 had very little to do with anything Justin Trudeau said, and a lot to do with the state of the world. In case you hadn't noticed, we live in dangerous times, and we need to arm ourselves to deal with some new threats that weren't there ten years ago. It's a matter of survival. And the F-35 is the easiest and quickest way to go. So deal with it...
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