Author: Stephen Taylor

It seems that both the Conservatives and the Liberals, like most of us outside of Calgary, are jumping on the Calgary Flames bandwagon. I, for one, can include myself in this group of fans eager to see Lord Stanley’s Cup returned home for the first time in 11 years. A solid performance by the Flames was cheered by all tonight as they confidently pummeled the Lightning 4-1.

My favourite political laugh of the day came from, of all place, the San Francisco Chronicle:

Calgary Flames President Ken King’s cell phone rang in the final minutes of the playoff-series clincher over the Sharks. He was told it was Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin, calling to congratulate the first Canadian team to make the Stanley Cup Finals in a decade. According to the Canadian Press, King responded, “Yeah, I’m Daffy Duck and I’ve got a hockey game to watch here,” and hung up. (The PM did call back.)

Ahem, we now return you to regularly scheduled Stanley Cup Final (and politicizing thereof)

It seems as though the website of the Conservative Party of Canada is experience a flood of hits and is struggling to make itself seen to visitors. Also, my hit counter says that I’m getting a lot of visitors looking for information on the “Conservative Party of Canada” so I’ve decided to mirror the most important information while the IT guys and girls down at headquarters add some more servers to carry the heavy load.

The Issues

Accountable Government
Accountable government is a pretty simple idea. It means putting Canadians’ interests first. It means taking responsibility for the past. A Conservative government will hold accountable those who waste, misuse or mismanage public funds. And we will do more. A Conservative government will be accountable for the promises we make and the actions we take. Demand Better. Demand accountable government.

Controlling Spending
Government waste affects all of us. The billions wasted on the long-gun registry, the HRDC boondoggle and the Sponsorship program could have gone into priorities such as health care, lower taxes, or our military. A Conservative government will control wasteful and corrupt spending. We will put money into your priorities. Demand Better. Demand an end to wasteful spending.

Access to Health Care
Canadians depend on our public system of health care. That’s why the Conservative Party supported the federal-provincial Health Accord. A Conservative government will cooperate with the provinces to ensure adequate funding, shorter waiting lists, and more doctors and nurses. We will improve access to health care for all Canadians, regardless of ability to pay. Demand Better. Demand improved access to health care.

Tax Relief
The Liberal government is collecting about $1,500 more in taxes per Canadian than it did ten years ago. That is an annual $6,000 increase for a family of four. Ask yourself, are you getting more value for that money? Should taxes stay this high when the government is wasting so much? We believe the answer to these questions is No. That’s why The Conservative Party will reduce your taxes. Demand Better. Demand tax relief.

Supporting our Canadian Forces
They do us proud. Whether serving here at home or on peacekeeping missions abroad, Canada’s military is a great source of pride. But unfortunately, pride is not enough. The Liberals are starving our armed forces. A Conservative government will invest in our military and provide them with the quality equipment they need to achieve the difficult tasks we ask of them. Demand Better. Demand support for our military.

Lower Taxes
The Conservative Party will fight for tax relief. We will work for lower and fairer taxes for hardworking Canadians and their families.

Support for our Canadian Forces
The Conservative Party will fight for our armed forces. We will ensure our armed forces are properly funded and equipped to do the difficult and dangerous work we ask of them.

Safe Communities
The Conservative Party will fight to reduce crime and violence. We will scrap the long-gun registry and redirect the money to law enforcement.

Canadians on Fixed Incomes
The Conservative Party will fight for low-income Canadians. We will increase support for Canadians on fixed incomes, including seniors, who face rising costs of living.

Investing in Infrastructure
The Conservative Party will fight for infrastructure investments. We will redirect federal gas taxes into roads and other critical infrastructure.

Access to Higher Education
The Conservative Party will fight for students. We will modernize the student loan program to help students overcome the financial barriers to education and training.

Definition of Marriage
The Conservative Party will fight to give a greater voice to Parliament. We will ensure that issues like marriage are decided by parliament, not the courts.

Canada’s Place in the World
The Conservative Party will fight for Canada’s national interest. We will stand with our allies and international bodies against terrorism and for the basic values of freedom and democracy.

Auditor General
The Conservative Party will fight for accountable spending. We will give the Auditor General an expanded role to root out waste and mismanagement, and we will act on her recommendations.

Support for Agriculture
The Conservative Party will fight for farmers. We will protect farmers against conditions outside their control and vigorously defend them in international trade negotiations.

Defending our Fisheries
The Conservative Party will fight for our fisheries. We will decentralize fisheries decision-making and ensure that EI provides adequate income protection in case of job loss.

Immigrant Credentials
The Conservative party will fight for immigrants. We will work to ensure speedier recognition of foreign credentials and prior work experience.

Cleaner Environment
The Conservative Party will fight for a clean environment. We will propose workable solutions to make Canada a world leader in clean air, clean water and clean land.

Protecting Children
The Conservative Party will fight for our children. We will replace the Liberal’s “public good” defense for child pornography with a zero tolerance policy.

Canada – US Relations
The Conservative Party will fight for our primary producers in trade disputes. We will stand shoulder to shoulder with the US when we can so that we can sit eyeball to eyeball when we must.

The Harper Express pulled into Montreal yesterday to address a crowd of about 500 people in a downtown hotel.

Harper underlined one of the key points of conservatism which is the even and fair distribution of power to the provinces. Yet, the preservation of the French language across Canada, in all of its federal institutions will be maintained.

You have my word. A government led by Stephen Harper will always believe that French in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada is a national priority.” — Stephen Harper, leader of the Conservative Party of Canada

The voters of Québec are seeking to dethrone the Liberals after sponsorship scandal has unfairly cast a shadow over that province. The voters there rightly believe that it is rather a Liberal scandal instead of a Québec scandal. However, the electorate is looking towards their usual voice of protest, the Bloc Québecois. Many Quebeckers are torn over how best to boot the arrogant Liberal party from office. The Bloc still maintains sovereignty as a principal policy position, yet many voters, who believe in Canada, see that party as the only viable option for removing the Liberal party from power.

Indeed, voters in Quebec are voting against the Liberals rather than voting for the Bloc. Gilles Duceppe remarked that while the Bloc cannot form the government, elections aren’t about win or lose; elections are about voters voting for people to represent constituents. Sovereignty is a dead topic in Quebec and Quebeckers may come to realize that their issues are being addressed and their values defended by Stephen Harper. Therefore, voters in that province may just vote for their true voice of opposition to the Liberals in Canada: the Conservative Party of Canada.