How far have blogs come in Canada?  When the CBC devotes time on the flagship newscast to profile bloggers, you know blogging has come a long way.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 07:27 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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The Liberals have abandoned trying to win this based on policy, or even on moral superiority.

Now it comes down to attacks.  This time it is allegations of plagiarism.  Did Stephen Harper's speech writers lift portions of a speech by John Howard in a speech Stephen Harper delivered in 2003?

Sure looks like it.  And then what was lifted?  A few sentences in which the same opinion was being expressed.

It's not quite in the same ballpark as passing yourself as an expert in a subject based on content ripped off from a recognized expert in the field, or using someone else's work for your own financial gain.

Update: A speechwriter has admitted to grabbing the text.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 12:24 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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What do you do when you feel your leader is dragging you down in an election campaign?

You might pine for a leader from the past.

But some MPs are made of sterner stuff than that!  They don't just pine for the good old days.  They do something about it!

Meet Liberal MP Jim Karygiannis, part of Paul Martin's team!

Posted by: Steve Janke at 05:59 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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People hate to be wrong.  OK, that's obvious.  But keep that in mind when you hear Liberals say that with such low expectations going into the debates, Stephane Dion is poised to do very well.

The argument is that people will be surprised that Stephane Dion is not a complete disaster, and so their estimation of him and of the Liberal Party will go up.  Heck, even Stephane Dion is saying the same thing.

I suppose that sort of make sense.  But then again, not really.  Why?  Because people hate to be wrong.

Like I said, it's obvious.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 10:04 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Posted by: Steve Janke at 06:17 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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I've avoided expressing any comment on the notorious Heather Mallick column.  I've been waiting until the CBC had responded to the firestorm.  I was cautiously optimistic that the right conclusion would be reached.

My optimism was rewarded today.  The ombudsman has come down quite decisively against Heather Mallick, and the publisher of CBC News, John Cruikshank, has accepted his conclusions.

Indeed, Cruikshank says the diversity of opinion expressed on the CBC must be expanded.  I agree with him.  I'd even apply for the job.

But I wouldn't work with Heather Mallick.  She's so poisonous that the CBC would be well advised to terminate her employment immediately as a gesture of good faith to those conservative opinion writers who might lend their skills to helping the CBC represent the broad range of Canadian opinion.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 04:44 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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There is a cliche in disaster movies, at least in the most recent ones.  The heroes will avert disaster, but the audience will still be treated to a big smash up, too.  People like to see the big boom.

Does this spell disaster for the Liberals?

Posted by: Steve Janke at 10:16 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been taking a lot of heat in some quarters for his attitude with regards to art funding.

If it makes him feel any better, Stephen Harper is not alone.  Liberal Party star candidate Marc Garneau was quite clear about his attitude towards art.  It's all very nice, but really, it's not going to put Canada back on track.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 09:11 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Liberal candidate Garth Turner and Conservative candidate Lisa Raitt are battling it out in Halton.  Now things have gotten even more complicated with a letter from (allegedly) long time conservatives endorsing the NDP.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 04:04 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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It is hard to imagine a more powerful symbol of the change the is looming on Canada's political horizon.  It's literally jaw-dropping.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 02:24 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Amuse yourself by reading a statement issued by the Green Party on the importance of electing Green MPs.

Not a statement from Elizabeth May, mind you.  According to the Green Party, she can't really be taken too seriously at times.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 09:28 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Despite the millions in special breaks and programs promised by Liberal leader Stephane Dion, farmers are not buying into the Green Shift carbon tax.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 06:21 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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The Green Shift is a wealth distribution program.  A new version of the National Energy Program.

Hey, don't believe me.  That's what Liberal Party candidate Mohamed El-Rafih is saying.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 07:06 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Or perhaps this is a history of how the Liberal Party is short on leadership.  In any case, the story of 9/11 conspiracy theorist Lesley Hughes, a Liberal Party candidate in Manitoba, has come to a miserable end.

And as we waited for the inevitable, the Liberal Party officials and apologists for the party dodged and weaved in a very amusing way.  I guess they had no choice, waiting for Stephane Dion to be prodded into some action that mimicked leadership.

Update: Watch Stephane Dion blame the Jews!

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Elizabeth May of the Green Party wants people to vote against the Conservative Party, but unlike the leaders of the NDP and the Liberal Party, Elizabeth May is not particularly interested in getting votes for her own party.

That makes me wonder.  Is the Green Party engaged in third party advertising?

Posted by: Steve Janke at 08:48 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Is Green Party leader Elizabeth May helping or hurting the Green Party?

Posted by: Steve Janke at 02:53 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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It's all rather sad, really.  A Liberal blogger posts about a Liberal surge.  The big Conservative lead was just an aberration.  The NDP is fading away.  It's a whole new ball game.

Poor sod.  She was looking at a poll from last year.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 02:28 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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More people are planning to vote for the Conservative Party than for any other party, according to the polls.  Part of that comes from a deep store of credibility that the Conservatives have built up. 

To give credit where credit is due, the Conservatives have the Liberals to thank for that, in part.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 06:40 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Putting the "party" back in Liberal!

Woo-hoo!

Posted by: Steve Janke at 06:47 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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If you're interested, I have here an MP3 of the conference call held today by the Liberal Party with MPs and community activists to discuss today's launch of the Liberal Party platform.

There are several interesting points.  Going back to standard Liberal-style practise, the military is going to be bled dry.  Childcare spaces will be made if the Liberals find money after paying for everything else.  And the Green Shift?  Not mentioned during the main presentation.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 10:26 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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