SFU
资深人士
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- 2007-07-26
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March 6, 2025
J. Richard Wright
Special to Niagara Now/The Lake Report
What hath time wrought? Canada’s neighbour is suddenly ruled by a remotely-diagnosed malignant narcissist. His ketamine-fuelled, right-wing, billionaire minion is dismantling the USA’s hard won institutions while funneling wealth into his own pocket. And the duly elected, Make America Great Again (MAGA) president is romancing Russia while flushing a nearly 250-year-old experiment in democracy by the dawn’s early light.
Land of the free? Not for long, bucko. Home of the brave? With a good south wind, you can hear Republican congressional teeth chattering all the way from Washington. Meanwhile, Canadians weep for America.
Indeed, as global right-wing extremism grows, Canada faces its own crisis. With a federal election looming, the positive polling of Conservative Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre signals the birth our own brand of extremism via a campaign filled with lies and deceit.
So who is Mr. Poilievre? Let’s find out through the lenses of his record.
To start, does he believe women should have control over their own bodies? Poilievre’s record illustrates he has voted to undermine women’s right to choose more than once.
He claims support for veterans? Under Stephen Harper, Mr. Poilievre voted to cut one-third of all Veterans Affairs employees, closed nine veterans’ offices and fought veterans in court. Quick with platitudes and salutes, the Conservatives are Houdini fast to hide the purse when Canada’s veterans need more than hot air.
Mr. Poilievre voted against workers’ rights by using procedural tactics to derail and block the Sustainable Jobs Act (Bill C-50) and anti-scab laws (Bill C-58) aimed at restoring fairness in collective bargaining for workers.
He also voted against initiatives to make housing affordable in 2006, 2009, 2010, 2013, and 2014. As Housing Minister in Mr. Harper’s government, he sold 800,000 units of affordable housing to developers and built – wait for it – six new ones.
Remember when Mr. Poilievre voted to raise the age of eligibility for OAS and CPP to 67. He hopes you don’t.
Mr. Poilievre voted against the National School Lunch Plan for poverty-stricken children in Canada. Seriously, who does that? Particularly as he smacks his lips with pleasure in the subsidized Parliamentary Dining Room.
And, Mr. Poilievre shamelessly voted against a much-needed free trade agreement with Ukraine.
His attack ads criticise possible Liberal Leader Mark Carney for the carbon tax though Mr. Carney announced its demise.
Mr. Poilievre has also publically refused to support a national universal pharmacare program under development by Liberals and the NDP. When asked repeatedly if he would keep the Canada Dental Plan (CDP), he scurried away into the dark. Sounds like he’s busy mixing cement shoes for the CDP.
A declared admirer of President Donald Trump, Mr. Poilievre has vowed to wield the “Notwithstanding Clause” if elected. Can you spell “Executive Order?”
While introducing an anti-vaccine mandate bill, Mr. Poilievre brought donuts, coffee and love to the idiots in the Trucker Convoy occupying Ottawa. Seriously? He doesn’t believe in a vaccine that halted a disease that killed eight million people worldwide? Indeed, Mr. Poilievre, break out the eye of newt, toe of frog and wool of bat.
Mr. Poilievre also stated he wants Canada to be the “Blockchain and Crypto Capital of the World.” So, trade the Canadian dollar for a cryptocurrency with no intrinsic value? Cue the head scratch.
Sadly, Mr. Poilievre is following Trump’s doctrine of lies and more lies. For instance, he accused Mr. Trudeau of causing inflation knowing inflation was global and Canada had one of the lowest inflation rates in the world. He lied saying Mr. Trudeau caused interest rate hikes though knowing the Prime Minister has no power over the Bank of Canada. And, he lied saying air pollution fines were the main drivers of inflation in Canada.
Mr. Poilievre has clearly indicated he will impose massive spending cuts. The fattest target will be healthcare. Welcome to U.S.-style privatized medicine with shareholders snapping their suspenders, chewing their cigars and growling for more profit over quality care.
Incidentally, Canada is seventh in the world in quality of medicine while the U.S. ranks 19.
Conservatives hate regulations and Mr. Poilievre is no exception. For a glimpse of deregulation, look south where regulatory watchdogs are being fired, regulations ripped up and the eerie dawn of chaos streaks the horizon.
Mr. Poilievre is against gun control and vowed to roll back Mr. Trudeau’s laws banning more than 1,500 models of large caliber/assault rifles. Consider that the U.S. had 288 school shootings from 2009 to 2018. Canada had two.
Also, consider the US was home to 488 mass shootings last year with firearms being the leading cause of death for teenagers.
Mr. Poilievre states he will defund the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Is he ignorant of the role the CBC plays in uniting Canada through national information sharing? How about providing opportunity for Canadian artists who, otherwise, have little chance against the monolith of American entertainment.
More and more Mr. Poilievre casts himself as a victim of elites and the media, though he actually represents the elite. Indeed, echoes of America’s oddly-coloured president claiming perpetual victimhood.
What Canadians have to ask is: Do we want a Trump Mini-Me leading Canada? An elitist posing as a populist? Or do we want a leader maintaining a country characterized by caring and compassion with fairness our mantra and honesty a prime and valued virtue?
Consider that, of the Top Most Respected Countries in the world in 2021, Canada ranked number one and continues to occupy a leading position.
Let’s not throw it all away.
J. Richard Wright
Special to Niagara Now/The Lake Report
What hath time wrought? Canada’s neighbour is suddenly ruled by a remotely-diagnosed malignant narcissist. His ketamine-fuelled, right-wing, billionaire minion is dismantling the USA’s hard won institutions while funneling wealth into his own pocket. And the duly elected, Make America Great Again (MAGA) president is romancing Russia while flushing a nearly 250-year-old experiment in democracy by the dawn’s early light.
Land of the free? Not for long, bucko. Home of the brave? With a good south wind, you can hear Republican congressional teeth chattering all the way from Washington. Meanwhile, Canadians weep for America.
Indeed, as global right-wing extremism grows, Canada faces its own crisis. With a federal election looming, the positive polling of Conservative Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre signals the birth our own brand of extremism via a campaign filled with lies and deceit.
So who is Mr. Poilievre? Let’s find out through the lenses of his record.
To start, does he believe women should have control over their own bodies? Poilievre’s record illustrates he has voted to undermine women’s right to choose more than once.
He claims support for veterans? Under Stephen Harper, Mr. Poilievre voted to cut one-third of all Veterans Affairs employees, closed nine veterans’ offices and fought veterans in court. Quick with platitudes and salutes, the Conservatives are Houdini fast to hide the purse when Canada’s veterans need more than hot air.
Mr. Poilievre voted against workers’ rights by using procedural tactics to derail and block the Sustainable Jobs Act (Bill C-50) and anti-scab laws (Bill C-58) aimed at restoring fairness in collective bargaining for workers.
He also voted against initiatives to make housing affordable in 2006, 2009, 2010, 2013, and 2014. As Housing Minister in Mr. Harper’s government, he sold 800,000 units of affordable housing to developers and built – wait for it – six new ones.
Remember when Mr. Poilievre voted to raise the age of eligibility for OAS and CPP to 67. He hopes you don’t.
Mr. Poilievre voted against the National School Lunch Plan for poverty-stricken children in Canada. Seriously, who does that? Particularly as he smacks his lips with pleasure in the subsidized Parliamentary Dining Room.
And, Mr. Poilievre shamelessly voted against a much-needed free trade agreement with Ukraine.
His attack ads criticise possible Liberal Leader Mark Carney for the carbon tax though Mr. Carney announced its demise.
Mr. Poilievre has also publically refused to support a national universal pharmacare program under development by Liberals and the NDP. When asked repeatedly if he would keep the Canada Dental Plan (CDP), he scurried away into the dark. Sounds like he’s busy mixing cement shoes for the CDP.
A declared admirer of President Donald Trump, Mr. Poilievre has vowed to wield the “Notwithstanding Clause” if elected. Can you spell “Executive Order?”
While introducing an anti-vaccine mandate bill, Mr. Poilievre brought donuts, coffee and love to the idiots in the Trucker Convoy occupying Ottawa. Seriously? He doesn’t believe in a vaccine that halted a disease that killed eight million people worldwide? Indeed, Mr. Poilievre, break out the eye of newt, toe of frog and wool of bat.
Mr. Poilievre also stated he wants Canada to be the “Blockchain and Crypto Capital of the World.” So, trade the Canadian dollar for a cryptocurrency with no intrinsic value? Cue the head scratch.
Sadly, Mr. Poilievre is following Trump’s doctrine of lies and more lies. For instance, he accused Mr. Trudeau of causing inflation knowing inflation was global and Canada had one of the lowest inflation rates in the world. He lied saying Mr. Trudeau caused interest rate hikes though knowing the Prime Minister has no power over the Bank of Canada. And, he lied saying air pollution fines were the main drivers of inflation in Canada.
Mr. Poilievre has clearly indicated he will impose massive spending cuts. The fattest target will be healthcare. Welcome to U.S.-style privatized medicine with shareholders snapping their suspenders, chewing their cigars and growling for more profit over quality care.
Incidentally, Canada is seventh in the world in quality of medicine while the U.S. ranks 19.
Conservatives hate regulations and Mr. Poilievre is no exception. For a glimpse of deregulation, look south where regulatory watchdogs are being fired, regulations ripped up and the eerie dawn of chaos streaks the horizon.
Mr. Poilievre is against gun control and vowed to roll back Mr. Trudeau’s laws banning more than 1,500 models of large caliber/assault rifles. Consider that the U.S. had 288 school shootings from 2009 to 2018. Canada had two.
Also, consider the US was home to 488 mass shootings last year with firearms being the leading cause of death for teenagers.
Mr. Poilievre states he will defund the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Is he ignorant of the role the CBC plays in uniting Canada through national information sharing? How about providing opportunity for Canadian artists who, otherwise, have little chance against the monolith of American entertainment.
More and more Mr. Poilievre casts himself as a victim of elites and the media, though he actually represents the elite. Indeed, echoes of America’s oddly-coloured president claiming perpetual victimhood.
What Canadians have to ask is: Do we want a Trump Mini-Me leading Canada? An elitist posing as a populist? Or do we want a leader maintaining a country characterized by caring and compassion with fairness our mantra and honesty a prime and valued virtue?
Consider that, of the Top Most Respected Countries in the world in 2021, Canada ranked number one and continues to occupy a leading position.
Let’s not throw it all away.
