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Canada Election Watch: Stephen Harper and Conservative Party Poised to Take Control of Canada
Canadian Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper addresses supporters during an early morning election rally in Windsor, Ontario January 22, 2006. Canadians go to the polls in a federal election on January 23.
Reuters: Canadian Liberals face loss after 12 years in power
Canadian political leaders on Sunday made one last cross-country dash on the eve of an election expected to oust the ruling Liberals, move Canada to the right and improve ties with the United States.
With polls showing a steady lead of 7 to 12 percentage points, the Conservatives sounded increasingly confident, though it looked like they would fall short of a majority in Parliament and have to depend on other parties.
“After 13 years and four failed mandates, the era of Liberal arrogance is ending,” local candidate Michael Smith told a Winnipeg rally as he introduced Conservative leader Stephen Harper, who made stops in Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia on Sunday.
It is the second election in just 18 months and the third since late 2000. The Liberals — who took power in late 1993 — campaigned on their fiscal record, reminding people the economy was booming and trying to portray Harper as an extremist who wanted to scrap gay marriage and abortion.
But Prime Minister Paul Martin, who spent Sunday in British Columbia before flying to his home province of Quebec, seems likely to fall victim to voter fatigue with the Liberals and a major kickback scandal that hit his government shortly after he took power in December 2003.
“Only a new government can turn the page on the past 13 years of scandal and inaction and get on with addressing the real concerns of ordinary working people,” Harper said. “We have an opportunity with a new government, and only a new government, to bring together East and West, English and French, city and country, new and old Canadians.”
Some polls suggest the Liberals will get their lowest percentage of votes in any election since independence in 1867, even lower than the 28 percent they collected in 1984.
If Harper wins, it will be his reward for uniting Canada’s two fractious right-wing parties at the end of 2003 and creating the Conservative Party.
Harper would be the first prime minister to have spent most of his life in the conservative Western province of Alberta. He promises to lower taxes, clamp down on crime, clean up government, cut health waiting times and return some power from the federal government to Canada’s 10 provinces.
It is all over but the voting.
Here is to the Conservative Party, Stephen Harper and better Canada – USA relations.
Stay tuned……..
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Canada Election Watch: Conservatives and Stephen Harper Headed for 24 Sussex Drive
Canada Election Watch: Polls Show Harper and Conservatives Near a MajorityCanada Election Watch: Tories Surge in Polls
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin Watch: Canada Blames U.S. for Gun ViolenceCanadian Prime Minister Paul Martin Watch: USA – Don’t Dictate to Me
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin Watch: C’EST LA VIE
Canadian Adscam Scandel: Canadian Government Falls on No-Confidence Vote
Liberal leader and Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin (R) takes a break after looking over notes with his wife Sheila during a flight on their campaign plane from Ottawa to London, Ontario January 21, 2006.
Technorati Tags: StephenHarper, PaulMartin, Canada, Conservative, Party, LiberalParty, Tories, CanadaAdscamScandal, Adscam
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Iran Nuclear Watch: Military Action Against Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Would be a “FATAL MISTAKE”
An Iranian woman walks past an image of the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, at the conclusion of a ceremony to form a human chain at the Isfahan Uranium Conversion Facility, to support Iran’s nuclear program, just outside the city of Isfahan, 410 kilometers, 255 miles south of the capital Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2006.
ASSociated Press in the Jerusalem Post: Iran says Israeli threats are a ‘childish game’
Iran on Sunday said Israel would be making a “fatal mistake” should it resort to military action against Tehran’s nuclear program and dismissed veiled threats from the Jewish state as a “childish game.”
On Saturday, Israel repeated its stand on the issue, saying it would not accept a nuclear Iran under any circumstances and was preparing for the possible failure of diplomatic efforts.
While Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz stopped short of an outright threat of military action, he said Israel “must have the capability to defend itself…and this we are preparing.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said Israel was only trying to add to Western pressure on Iran to give up its nuclear program.
“We consider Mofaz’s comments a form of psychological warfare. Israel knows just how much of a fatal mistake it would be (to attack Iran),” Asefi told reporters. “This is just a childish game by Israel.”
Iranian athletes form a human chain around the Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF) to show support for Iran’s nuclear program in Isfahan.
Iran will NOT halt pursuit of development of a nuclear weapon.
Israel and the United States will NOT accept a nuclear Iran.
The United Nations will NOT impose harsh economic sanctions.
Who will BLINK first?
Flap handicaps it will NOT be Israel and the Unites States.
Stay tuned……
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Iran Nuclear Watch: Winds of War – Talk of Military Action
Iran Watch: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – Challenges Europe to Take Back Jews in IsraelIran Watch: Winds of War – Iran President Meets Anti-Israel militants in Syria
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Moving Currency As Pre-Emptive Move
Jacques Chirac Watch: Threats May Spur Iran’s Nuclear AmbitionsJacques Chirac Watch: France Will Respond to Terrorism with Nukes
Iran Nuclear Watch: Mohamed ElBaradei Rejects EU Call to Condemn Iran at February IAEA Meeting
Iran Nuclear Watch: IEAE to Hold Emergency Iran Meeting February 2nd
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Scorns EU 3’s Draft Nuclear ResolutionIran Nuclear Watch: France Rejects Iran’s Request for More Talks on Nuclear Program
Iran Nuclear Watch: Russia and China Do NOT Support Sanctions Against IranThe Natanz uranium enrichment complex in Natanz is pictured in this January 2, 2006 satellite image
Technorati Tags: Iran, Russia, China, SergeiLavrov, UnitedNations, UnitedNationsSecurityCouncil, ZhouWenzhong, NicholasBurns, EuropeanUnion, MahmoudAhmadinejad, ManouchehrMottaki, JacquesChirac, Chirac, France, Iran, Nuclearweapons, nuclear, AbdulQadeerKhan
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Day by Day by Chris Muir on Ted Kennedy and the Samuel Alito Confirmation
More like a pathetic display, Chris……
Technorati Tags: DaybyDay, ChrisMuir, SamuelAlito, SupremeCourt, TedKennedy, SenateJudiciaryCommittee