Harper and McGuinty use same play book

I can see where many Canadians are getting pissed at governments.  Two governments have effectively treated us like idiots.  The first is Stephen Harper and his Conservatives. He campaigned in a bubble zone, promised to balance the budget one year ahead of schedule and was elected to a majority government.

Today we all know that was folly. Harper must have known he couldn't balance the budget as he said he would. But then he also knew the media would get tired of that issue after awhile, and they did.  This despite the other political parties saying he couldn't do it.  That there was a 12 billion dollar hole in Harper's plan. The non-partisan Parliamentary Budget Officer said the same thing.

Flaherty, our Finance Minister, said today he will balance the budget in the Medium term, rather than in three years they promised. He gushed on how despite this Canada was doing better than any other country.  The only trouble with his statement today is that he could have made the same statement before the election in May of 2011.  Of course he didn't.  That would help the Conservatives get re-elected.

Top all the out right deceiving going on about the budget with the Conservatives invoking closure, limiting debate in the House of Commons eight times.  No government in Canadian history has ever done that!  Its not good enough that he can pass his laws, he wants to be sure committees are limited in time and breadth of  informed discussion.  The government has moved many committee meetings "in Camera". This then prevents anyone in the meeting from saying what was discussed.

We have a democracy shortage in Ottawa and the man responsible use to be the man that railed against the Liberal government of Jean Chretien for its dictatorial style.  You know what they say, "there is no better oppressor than the formally oppressed."

The other government I refer to is the Dalton McGuinty Liberal Government of Ontario.  They lost a lot in the election.  They are now a minority.  McGuinty called it a major minority and said he had a strong mandate. What utter garbage.  He finished less than two percentage points ahead of the Conservatives and the NDP almost doubled their seat count and did double their share of the vote.  People in Ontario did not give Dalton a strong mandate to carry on.

The Ontario election said that 60% of the voters thought McGuinty needed to be rained in and the end result was he got 4 out of ten votes. That's no mandate, but then McGuinty thinks he can do whatever he wants to.  That's the same number of votes Harper received.  3.5 votes out of 10 went to the Conservatives and 2.5 votes out of 10 went to the NDP.

The opposition have asked to meet with the Premier.  He has refused every offer.  Today we hear some Liberal hack state that the opposition leaders will get a chance to see McGuinty several times a day when the legislature sits.  That means McGuinty will bring forward a throne speech in a minority government without ever having so much as said good morning to one of the opposition leaders.  So much for his platitudes about making nice.

Of course McGuinty was in a balloon during the entire election.  He only ended up hearing from one voter that wasn't pre-screened. Remember the pharmacist that crashed his coffee making lesson.  McGuinty walked away.

Then we have the two power-plants he has cancelled. Not a word from him or his government on how they will be addressing this matter.  Nor what it will cost. Will he try to keep it all under wraps?  At least we may be able to get to the bottom of this when committees get to sit.

Its an unlikely couple, Harper and McGuinty.  They have learned a lot from each other. They both face massive deficits, they both need revenue, they both plan to slash corporate taxes. They use the same play book. Lets hope people wake up to see the way these two play would get them sent for a timeout in daycare.

We can only hope the occupy movement will gain more footing and resonance in the general public.