Wideleft

Do some critics overreact? Absolutely, but the same can be said for both sides. Remember how bestiality was going to run rampant after gay marriage was okayed? The guy literally removed the word "Environment" from Environment Canada and "Progressive" from the Progressive Conservative Party. Don't know why we'd be concerned about Harper. People today are disgusted by some Trump policies and forget that Harper implemented the same policies while he was in office (muzzling scientists, removing protections on water ways, trying to make it harder for people to vote etc.). Conservatives play a long game - you don't notice how your rights (as a non 10 per center) are slowly being stripped away unless you are paying very close attention.

Again, the way he governs is contrary to the idea that he's an actual racist. Him being an empty vessel is a whole different discussion.

Less and less fetters every day.

The CPC won't run against Chretien or Martin's legacy because then they'd have to complain about budget surpluses

A global system of unfettered capitalism will accomplish the same things.

Monsters have emerged from all political and religious stripes. Even the Buddhists are committing genocide - again.

Stalin was a monster and his implementation of communism was at odds with the idea of a classless, egalitarian society. A real communist (in the Ancient Greek/Persian sense) would not have made Ukraine expendable. By the same token, the feudal system pretty much did the same thing to Ireland - just on a different scale.

The PPC is running over 300 candidates, so I guess it's ok.

Max Bernier must be very concerned about losing his supporters to Trudeau now.

If only.

Nothing sadder than cries of "fake news" regarding the truth. https://news.yahoo.com/canada-pm-hid-closet-during-attack-151453229.html https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/527146/Canada-PM-Stephen-Harper-cupboard-gunman-stormed-Parliament https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/24/canadian-pm-stephen-harper-ottawa-shooting https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/stephen-harper-exactly-followed-protocol-during-parliament-hill-attack-rcmp-chief (a complimentary article in which he refuses to admit that following protocol meant hiding in a closet).

It's still Harper's party and policies. If not, show me any platform changes that would suggest they've "evolved".

I would call for his head and I also think the Liberals can do a lot better than Trudeau as their leader - I wanted Joyce Murray to win. And yes, Scheer and Harper would have done the exact same thing with SNC Lavalin. The difference is that Harper would not allow someone who can think for themselves to be his AG and we never would have known about it. I don't excuse the Aga Khan trip nor do I think that lobbyists perform any useful function in today's connected world.

By your logic, I could say the same thing about the Catholic Church.

And that list would still be longer than a list of Conservative First Nations cabinet ministers.

Here's the Communist Party of Canada's official 2015 election platform. http://communist-party.ca/platform/ Please point to the section advocating genocide. Here's their policy on hate speech: Fight Racism, Sexism and Homophobia Oppose all forms of racism and discrimination. Strengthen and enforce affirmative action and employment equity programs for Aboriginal peoples, racialized communities and persons with disabilities. Ban all discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity and expression. Guarantee the rights of Aboriginal peoples and people with disabilities for equal access to social, medical and educational facilities and services. Strengthen laws and enforcement against hate crimes and neo-fascist groups, and prosecute war criminals living in Canada. Where am I lying?

The leaps you take!

Critics of the cabinet makeup (ratio) started on day one, so it was implicit that they weren't qualified because of "who they were". Your question is irrelevant. Trudeau took in more Syrians than Harper would commit to (while reminding everyone they were "security threats"). She wasn't demoted simply because she was native which is a silly theory I am seeing from right wing bots. You can't compare a candidate in an unwinnable constituency with someone who was appointed to AG. While we're at it, please supply a list of First Nation politicians who attained cabinet positions with the Conservatives (good luck with that).

The Communist party is not a hate group.

You can't own it if you are hiding it. I have no problem with candidates' pasts coming back to haunt them through opposition/media research. I'd sure as hell want to know if someone was a member of Storm Front a year ago.

It's not a double-standard when past bad behaviour lines up directly with policy platforms. See Jason Kenny. Also see the collection of nutbags running for the Conservatives as well as Scheer's campaign team. One of the founders of the Rebel is literally his campaign manager, for chrissake.

Trudeau's biggest weakness has always been that he just isn't that bright. While his blackface episodes are clearly insensitive (even racist under today's lens), I don't believe they were done with any malicious intent. There are a lot of people out there who will cross a line in order to have the "best" or most outrageous costume at a party - they just don't stumble their way upward into the PM's chair. I don't think he's a racist and if he is - he doesn't govern like one. His cabinet was the most diverse in the country's history (while Conservative critics suggested then that they were somehow unqualified just because they weren't white males) and he increased the number of Syrian refugees allowed into our country. They have accelerated clean water initiatives on reserves and have not walked away from treaty settlements ala Harper. He did not demote JWR because she was native and I have a very hard time believing that a native woman would ever be named to that post under a Conservative government in the first place.

The difference is that Kenny's views actually haven't changed when it comes to implementing policy. He has made it more difficult for Gay-Straight alliances to form in Alberta schools since he's been elected.

That being said, Whitehead gets to both Wolitarsky targetted long balls if given the same route (if he gets through the initial jam). Wolitarsky is not doing it for me this year as a pass-catcher.

Hate to burst bubbles, but Canadian beef is not hormone-free. That isn't to say that all ranchers are injecting their steers with growth hormones, but I know enough ranchers back home to know that some of them do. Only the dairy industry is prohibited from using growth hormones. The food industry is a mess. Small organic farmers face more scrutiny than factory farms just to attain an organic designation. The huge farms have largely been self-policing and we know how well that works. I know of one hog corp that doesn't even have a soil scientist employed in Manitoba anymore. Chickens and hogs have been overcrowded for so long that antibiotics (which they are receiving - don't fool yourself) are working less and less well. Barns are treated like bio-hazards. The producers have to take some responsibility in this as well or they are going to lose their markets. But this probably doesn't belong in this thread.