How do Canadians feel about PM Steven Harper?

[Stubblejumper]

Originally Posted by taigagirl

Sorry, no refunds. Just, please take him back.

Dang. And I had so many plans for my money. But let's be fair. We took back Preston Manning (and his Refoooooorm party) - at least my dog doesn't start howling when Stephen Harper's on TV.

- to be fair to Preston Manning, I like a lot of what he's said, especially recently. I just wish he wouldn't sound so aggravating when he said it.

[jambo101]

I'd say Harper is ok when comparing him to the other options
The no chance green party,
The separatist party (Bloc)
The socialist party (NDP)
And the party that could oust Harper if they just realized no one likes the buffoon Iggy.Change Iggy for Trudeau and its a whole new ballgame.
So with those options this whole election is pointless and will end with Harper and a minority government again..

[netwit]

Originally Posted by jambo101

I'd say Harper is ok when comparing him to the other options
The no chance green party,
The separatist party (Bloc)
The socialist party (NDP)
And the party that could oust Harper if they just realized no one likes the buffoon Iggy.Change Iggy for Trudeau and its a whole new ballgame.
So with those options this whole election is pointless and will end with Harper and a minority government again..

I agree with you that Iggy doesn't come across as having a whole lot of charm and does come across as somewhat buffoonish, but I think appearances are deceiving and he isn't an actual buffoon. He's probably the best educated of the bunch, with Harper being the least well educated.

As far as Harper is concerned, this is the man who wrote a letter together with Stockwell Day to the Wall Street Journal condemning Canada's decision not to invade Iraq, and he's the same guy who said his platform appealed to the same sorts of people GWB appealed to. Personally I think he comes across as a Dick Cheney wannabe - sneaky, very right wing and a control freak. I actually think I would like to have a beer with Dubya (politics aside), but I can't imagine having a beer with Harper and it being fun.

[Stubblejumper]

Originally Posted by netwit

I agree with you that Iggy doesn't come across as having a whole lot of charm and does come across as somewhat buffoonish, but I think appearances are deceiving and he isn't an actual buffoon. He's probably the best educated of the bunch, with Harper being the least well educated.

As far as Harper is concerned, this is the man who wrote a letter together with Stockwell Day to the Wall Street Journal condemning Canada's decision not to invade Iraq, and he's the same guy who said his platform appealed to the same sorts of people GWB appealed to. Personally I think he comes across as a Dick Cheney wannabe - sneaky, very right wing and a control freak. I actually think I would like to have a beer with Dubya (politics aside), but I can't imagine having a beer with Harper and it being fun.

I agree that he's not an actual buffoon. However, he's spent his whole life in academia, and I'm not sure he functions all that well outside it. Of the 4 who'll be at the debates, Gilles Duceppe is by far the least educated. Layton and Ignatieff both have Ph.D's (Political Science and History, respectively), Harper has a Master's (economics). Duceppe did not graduate.

It's true that Harper was pro-Iraq war, but keep in mind so was Michael Ignatieff (he wrote a New York Times peice in favor of it).

I agree as well that having a beer with Stephen Harper would probably not be all that much fun. That's probably his weakest point as a politican - he seems like a jerk, and he probably is. On the other hand, he comes across as a relatively competent jerk. It's sort of the opposite effect that Jack Layton has on me. He doesn't really seem to grasp money management at all, but seems like a genuinely nice guy.

[netwit]

Originally Posted by Stubblejumper

I agree that he's not an actual buffoon. However, he's spent his whole life in academia, and I'm not sure he functions all that well outside it. Of the 4 who'll be at the debates, Gilles Duceppe is by far the least educated. Layton and Ignatieff both have Ph.D's (Political Science and History, respectively), Harper has a Master's (economics). Duceppe did not graduate.

It's true that Harper was pro-Iraq war, but keep in mind so was Michael Ignatieff (he wrote a New York Times peice in favor of it).

I agree as well that having a beer with Stephen Harper would probably not be all that much fun. That's probably his weakest point as a politican - he seems like a jerk, and he probably is. On the other hand, he comes across as a relatively competent jerk. It's sort of the opposite effect that Jack Layton has on me. He doesn't really seem to grasp money management at all, but seems like a genuinely nice guy.

True. I wasn't thinking about Duceppe at all because I can't see any way he'd ever become PM.

I think that whatever the various parties official at-the-moment platforms might be, regardless of who wins, the checks and balances in the system would prevent any one of them including Layton, from totally ruining the country. They promise far more than any of them can deliver.

Layton reminds my husband of all the sociologist profs he's met (and disliked) over the years, lol.

[Stubblejumper]

Originally Posted by netwit

True. I wasn't thinking about Duceppe at all because I can't see any way he'd ever become PM.

I think that whatever the various parties official at-the-moment platforms might be, regardless of who wins, the checks and balances in the system would prevent any one of them including Layton, from totally ruining the country. They promise far more than any of them can deliver.

Layton reminds my husband of all the sociologist profs he's met (and disliked) over the years, lol.

That's true about Duceppe.

As to whether someone could genuinely ruin the country, I think it'd depend mostly on how great a majority they won and whether they had control of the senate. So, you're likely right in your assertion. I can't imagine someone who did a wholly awful job of managing the country would manage to stick around long enough to stack the senate in their favour (let alone Jack, as there's no senators with allegiance to the NDP).

[GTOlover]

I have to say the liberals putting iggy as their leader really is what killed them same when they ran dion like WTH can they not find a leader plus I get a kick from layton and his ideas like the tories and liberals must be like WTH is layton talking about plus the NDP wanted to cut funding for aftercare and college education programs from returning war vets .

[jambo101]

After watching the debates last night Harper still seems to be the lesser of all evils as Layton just wants to spend a whole lot of money, Iggy has no real agenda other than criticizing Harper and the Conservatives, and Duceppe is only in it to milk everything he can out of Canada for Quebec,
So i guess Harper gets another minority government.
As i'm in Montreal and most Quebecers will vote Bloc i may as well vote Green Party

[NotTooImpressed]

Hate his politics.

The only one who I find really inspiring is Elizabeth May, partially because the person who has no chance can be the most honest.

Harper is on the other side of the equation... he has the greatest chance, so an honest word has yet to cross his lips.

[BruSan]

We are going with Harper again in our household. Had enough of Liberal politics with Trudeau and his multi-culturism, then later with Paul Martin, after serving as finance minister and raping the CPP, having the nerve to state it was in arrears and WE'D have to top it up! Chretien and the Sponsorship Scandal and almost losing the country in the 49/51 vote! You remove Iggy and you've got that other Rhodes Scholar, ex NDP turncoat who almost ruined Ontario, anyone remember Rae Days?

They all scare the cr** out of me but at least I'm reasonably safe in a dark room with Harper as along as I've got my hand on my wallet.