Harper gave a speech to his party faithful last Thursday night. These days he’s not quite the fair haired boy that many in the party saw him as oh 3 years ago and it makes me wonder if some of those hearing that speech took note of what wasn’t being said. The Toronto Star published an excerpt from the speech today.

In the excerpt Harper appears to be arguing how Conservatives, in particular his

Conservative Party of Canada

government, has been a benefit to Canada. That only with Conservatives can Canada move forward using conservative principles. He’s laid claim to the stable banking system in this country that he had nothing to do with. He does love to ride on the back of other people’s hard work doesn’t he, likely why he has never worked as the economist he lays claim to academically be.

He slammed the US for raising taxes instead of cutting them like the Conservatives have. What he conveniently forgot was that the US is cutting taxes for the lower income earners and doing so immediately, not when the next tax year rolls around. The US is raising taxes on the upper income levels who traditionally have enjoyed the greatest tax relief while retaining more of their income. Heaven forbid that those who have the most be expected to contribute more to economic recovery.

Yes and speaking of those high income earners. Apparently Canada doesn’t have a financial sector like ummm Bay Street because Harper only recognizes Wall Street as the seat of financial power. That would explain why the Conservatives added measures to the Budget that they recently ramrodded through that will decrease government oversight as foreign interests buy up Canadian businesses.

He claims Canada will emerge from this recession as a strong, rich and robust country. He fails to mention that he’s opened the door for foreign companies to buy us. Gotta keep the boys on Wall Street happy.

Ah but the closing two paragraphs really put the icing on the cake:

We, as conservatives, inherit an incredible legacy. Never forget – you would forget this sometimes listening to the CBC – that it was Conservatives that created our federation, one of the most lasting political democratic arrangements in history. In my grandparents’ era under Winston Churchill, conservatives rallied the world against fascism. And (during) my parents’ (generation), under leaders like Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, conservatives brought down the Iron Curtain. And in our generation we have united Canadian conservatives under one roof and brought down an entrenched Liberal party that was deemed an unstoppable juggernaut just five years ago.

Now, as I said at the outset, we find ourselves in office faced with great economic challenges, with instability in word markets unseen in 80 years. But as all previous crises have shown, it is only conservatism, rooted in enduring values and guided by real world experience, that will allow us to deal with those challenges. And with your help, I have no doubt we will succeed.

Wonder if he happened to notice that he has failed to mention one Canadian Conservative, except that the first government happened to be headed by Conservatives, who has done anything outstanding for Canada. Well except for his overblown sense of his own self-importance to Canada.

Meanwhile over at the Globe & Mail, Andrew Steele, does an enlightening comparison of Harper and Mulroney and their governments. Harper comes up wanting in almost all the areas of comparison. I suspect before he’s done, he will possibly rival Mulroney for one accomplishment, being the most disliked Prime Minister yet.

That needless to say, had my vote a long time ago.

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