Reading through the news today just leaves my head shaking. Let’s see, instead of being at the UN engaged in that gathering of world leaders, Harper shows up at Tim Horton’s head office in Oakville to tout his tax policies as being what brought Tim Horton’s back to Canada. Then he actually suggests:

“The path we are on will draw home many other Canadian companies and businesses, it will attract highly skilled immigrants here from all over the world.”

Right, I can see it now; Inco, Stelco, Hudson Bay Co, Nortel, medical isotapes — they are just lining up to fly back into Canadian hands. Those lost jobs and opportunities will fly back into existence just because Harper and his cronies have played with taxes while squandering a $13billion surplus.

Then there is the Conservative (in)Action Plan.

Remember last spring when the budget contained this huge stimulis program which was supposed to cut red-tape, get right into the hands of shovel ready projects and get Canadians working again? Remember how Harper demanded the Opposition parties allow through a motion to give him unfettered access to distributing $4billion without Parliamentary oversight until well after the fact?

A report undertaken by Gerrard Kennedy in an attempt to find out how much money has actually gone out, how many projects have gotten underway and most importantly, how many jobs have been created shows the Conservatives have been apparently lying through their teeth. Like that surprises me.

Another non-surprise is that the report shows the bulk of money that has actually gone out… roughly 12% of the $4billion has gone out the door — has gone to Conservative ridings over opposition ridings.

The Harper bulldog (aptly named, especially the bull part) Baird claims that the location of the Liberal release of their report (an empty field in Burlington) was the site of a project not set to start until 2010 and that the Liberals are  “downright opportunistic and I believe it’s shameful.” This coming from a Conservative cabinet member whose riding has received $21.3million in grants compared to the $10million average going to other ridings.

If it is soo opportunistic Baird, I suggest you release a full list of the projects along with verifiable contact information for the Liberals to eat crow on — or would that just strengthen their argument?

Put up or shut up dude.

Then there is climate change

While world leaders gathered to discuss climate change this week, want to take a guess who was not present? But, to be fair, he made it to the dinner they had later. Who wants to listen to those boring speeches, Harper wasn’t scheduled to speak. That would likely have to do with other world leaders would recognize his hot air on climate change (lack of) efforts in Canada.

The British journal “The Lancet” has slammed the lack of leadership from Canada, not only on the climate change file but also on poverty:

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is “perfectly positioned” to lead “dramatic” progress as host next June of the G8 summit of wealthy countries he said.

“We are not seeing that leadership from Canada – whether it’s on climate change, development or a whole host of other issues.”

He sums the problem up so well.

Not to worry, prisons will be so much better

Without consultation with Parliament, the public or any stake holders it appears the government has put aside millions of dollars to undertake the modelling of our prison system on that of the US. With the highest rate of incarceration in the world without a corresponding reduction in crime rates, I can see that people should be just lining up to copy the American system.

Maybe Harper needs them for all those Canadians who have wised up to his lies and distortions and would seek to toss him out of office.

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