tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172229952007-09-25T16:12:59.516-07:00TDH StrategiesBlogger219125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-16353879956662167672007-05-01T08:42:00.000-07:002007-05-01T08:43:36.188-07:00

May 1, 2007 - Every bit of good will that Green party leader Elizabeth May had built as a result of what I believed to be her no-nonsense, pragmatic approach to politics has been eviscerated with these comments. I'm sick and tired of public figures using the Nazis in comparisons to every public policy issue under the sun. It's inappropriate, it's cheap, and quite frankly, it completely

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-91436719393480170612007-04-26T07:08:00.000-07:002007-04-26T07:56:20.670-07:00

April 26, 2007 - Watching the news last night has propelled me to break my silence regarding two specific issues. Rarely have I witnessed a national Minister of Defence more bumbling and unclear in his messaging that this Gordon O'Connor. First, he spends days on end defending the decision to hand over suspects to the Afghan authorities, asserting that no abuse was taking place (this is after

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-73297226440434348722007-04-03T07:07:00.000-07:002007-04-03T08:11:03.146-07:00

April 3, 2007 - I've taken a break from the commentaries for a couple of days because of a focus on personal matters, but also because I truly haven't been inspired to write anything of great significance. This morning that changes. I'm not going to link to any story, or give any blogging superstar egomaniacs more attention than they already so desperately seek out. I am instead going to

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-1130429798993472512007-03-29T09:33:00.000-07:002007-03-29T09:53:03.767-07:00

March 29, 2007 - Due to Stéphane Dion's popularity (3,853 friends and growing), the Liberal leader's political donations seem poised to be the target of a huge injunction and/or lawsuit from VANOC in the very near future. Oh, and if Dion tries to inspire Canadians to be "driven by dreams," or announces in a press release that his "game plan" is to "go for the gold," he's in big trouble.

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-85751653481377553442007-03-28T16:00:00.000-07:002007-03-29T08:06:38.861-07:00

March 28, 2007 - Most Canadians are well aware that free spending Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty didn't see fit to offer Canadians an income tax cut. It has also become common knowledge that the province of Quebec got an additional $2.3 billion in equalization and transfer payments for the coming fiscal year. My first question - how is Flaherty's blessing with regards to the promised $700

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-6502415989531088492007-03-28T10:13:00.000-07:002007-03-28T10:21:14.364-07:00

March 28, 2007 - A quote from Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre making a member's statement on October 6, 2004:"Mr. Speaker, since taking office the Prime Minister has engaged in a smorgasbord of patronage that is so impressive it would make even his predecessor blush. Why is the Prime Minister turning back on his promise to do politics differently? He promised to condemn to history the practice

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-76875265821177966272007-03-28T06:36:00.000-07:002007-03-28T09:22:29.945-07:00

March 28, 2007 - What is the reason that I was specifically not included in this? Well, here is an answer directly from the horse's mouth:"Mark Marissen did an interview on the call. I know your history. I couldn't invite you. And, so you know, I did not ask for his opinion on this."Truth be told, being a part of a "blogger" conference call isn't exactly my cup of tea, considering how I

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-47495039044843406912007-03-27T15:46:00.001-07:002007-03-27T15:50:16.754-07:00

March 27, 2007 - Alright, I am going to remain consistent, and stick to my assertion that there will be no spring election - regardless of polls, or Quebec election results, or any other mitigating factor. None of the opposition parties are going to bring the government down under their own volition, and I still see no issue of contention that Stephen Harper is prepared to turn himself into liar

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-5325907776559200192007-03-27T11:51:00.000-07:002007-03-27T15:44:59.808-07:00

March 27, 2007 - I have had conversations with many federal Liberals this morning who are trying to spin that Jean Charest's precipitous drop is an indication that Stephen Harper's pull in Quebec is limited. I don't assess the situation at all in the same way. The ADQ has proven that there is a willingness for the Quebec electorate to embrace more fiscal and social conservative values; what has

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-75998028275772473272007-03-27T10:07:00.000-07:002007-03-27T11:24:31.399-07:00

March 27, 2007 - Here is yet another example of how the NDP has completely lost its way (and I can confidently use the following example because of the formalized linkages between the provincial and federal wings of the party): British Columbia NDP MLA Guy Gentner is attacking the Liberal government led by Gordon Campbell because of the fact that credit card expenses demonstrate "a penchant for

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-72142670804926215312007-03-27T06:11:00.000-07:002007-03-27T07:23:48.534-07:00

March 27, 2007 - So much for my prognostication skills, as last night Jean Charest's political future got extended by the slightest of margins. The rebuke received by André Boisclair and his Parti Québécois is historic, clearly indicating that tolerance for the concept of sovereignty is not only stalled, but rapidly shrinking through generational change. The sovereignists will place most of

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-44174957503562408992007-03-26T11:54:00.000-07:002007-03-26T11:56:12.503-07:00

March 26, 2007 - I am going to reserve judgment on this story. However, if true, it is a stunning tale to read.

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-84549349518090550542007-03-26T07:33:00.000-07:002007-03-26T08:04:59.503-07:00

March 26, 2007 - I think that it is very telling that an across the pond description of Mario Dumont labels him as "Quebec's Jean-Marie Le Pen," referring to the French far-right nationalist politician that uses xenophobia as a political weapon. It is a scary prospect that Dumont is gaining favour for his notion of Quebec autonomy through his vision of a Quebec culture that does not embrace

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-82109247398620603662007-03-23T08:00:00.000-07:002007-03-23T08:31:49.350-07:00

March 23, 2007 - Enough politics already. This story is shocking, particularly with the fact that the most prominent rumour circulating in cricket circles asserts that disgruntled bookmakers are responsible. Bob Woolmer was about to blow the lid off of match fixing in the game, and millions of dollars in shady financial interests hung in the balance. I have played organized cricket since

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-81245812941897802072007-03-22T06:22:00.000-07:002007-03-22T09:20:28.277-07:00

March 22, 2007 - Much like having a dual identity as a result of a mixed heritage, I am an individual whose designation as a British Columbian has always been pulled in another direction. Much of my family roots are tied back to Montreal, and my frequent visits back to Quebec over the past 10-15 years have made the city and la belle province my second home. Thus, I have never been a western

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-58715749405287983022007-03-21T15:28:00.000-07:002007-03-21T15:34:43.055-07:00

March 21, 2007 - Someone just passed along this link, which shows that even the staunch Conservative publication The Western Standard (Ezra Levant's baby) doesn't have the stomach for Sandeep Pandher's opportunistic party switching. Being called a "rental player" and a "fabricator of facts" by your current team of convenience isn't exactly a ringing endorsement.

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-73181037472151957972007-03-21T12:45:00.000-07:002007-03-21T13:00:25.274-07:00

March 21, 2007 - This is written with the knowledge that there is no one leadership camp that stands alone in the following criticism. It is coming on four months since the Liberal Party of Canada chose a new leader, and I have been made aware that many staff and volunteers are still out of pocket for hundreds and in most cases thousands of dollars. For many that worked in the various

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-57084844103316039792007-03-21T06:53:00.000-07:002007-03-21T09:54:26.293-07:00

March 21, 2007 - Here is more proof of the Liberal party past of Sandeep Pandher, the Conservative candidate in Newton-North Delta. This is a photo taken from 2001 at a garden party hosted by former Minister of Industry Allan Rock: Mr. Rock invited political staffers and Liberal party friends over to his house for this event, which was voluntary to attend. Having simultaneously worked in the

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-49108923983264358982007-03-20T06:53:00.000-07:002007-03-20T07:24:11.347-07:00

March 20, 2007 - Yesterday's promised later in the day post on the budget turns into this morning's opening commentary. To be quite frank, I don't have the patience nor the inclination to delve into the finite details of the budget. Instead, I pass you along to Jason Cherniak's analysis from this morning, which I think does a very good job of explaining the nitty gritty of how underwhelming

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-5965508257674436142007-03-19T05:53:00.000-07:002007-03-19T06:46:08.653-07:00

March 19, 2007 - This is what this website has been saying for months now, generally tending to put me in the minority. Without the label of "expert" next to your name, however, one supposes that they don't take you as seriously. A rumoured $15 million war chest hasn't been built up by Doug Finley and company just to pull off another minority government. Now this isn't to entirely suggest

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-28291161166652205122007-03-18T10:21:00.000-07:002007-03-18T10:26:14.450-07:00

March 18, 2007 - So Elizabeth May has just announced that she will be running against Peter McKay. She is right when she describes her upcoming battle as a David and Goliath type of situation. Nonetheless, I haven't been as impressed with a politician's press conference in a very long time, particularly when the subject matter revolves around the respective figure's probability for victory

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-68174004701859844072007-03-16T06:54:00.000-07:002007-03-16T10:21:23.465-07:00

March 16, 2007 - Holy reversal of roles, Batman! If the left thinks that Stephen Harper and his lieutenant Jim Flaherty would come within 100 kilometres of the word deficit, then it is no wonder that many are now touting the death of the NDP for a lack of focus and/or purpose. Don't give me this "nuance between the word in French and the word in English" type of bullshit - les yeux brides has

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-51041043569340597372007-03-15T10:05:00.000-07:002007-03-15T10:08:28.677-07:00

March 15, 2007 - National Newswatch is the best new news aggregator out there. You can get all your top headlines and editorials seamlessly. Go check them out.

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-19368198886813393332007-03-15T06:40:00.001-07:002007-03-15T06:40:45.478-07:00

March 15, 2007 - I really hope that Mario Dumont faces a firestorm over his deceitful leaked memo stunt that he pulled during the Quebec leader's debate. This is the kind of tactic that plays the electorate for fools, and displays how Dumont is prepared to twist the facts for political gain no matter the cost. How is there any doubt left as to why people don't trust politicians after tactics

TDH Strategiestag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17222995.post-13896633340534404632007-03-14T14:31:00.000-07:002007-03-14T14:35:24.092-07:00

March 14, 2007 - Liberals cheered Jean Chretien-styled strategy when it was working for them. Thus, they had better have the same respect for it when they are facing it head on.

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