It's An Election Year!

Much has been said about Justin's ducking out of the first debate, opting instead to appear in his comfort zones where he pretends to be middle-class and care about what people think:

Many Canadians probably get it. Conventional political wisdom is to avoid debates when you’re in a comfortable position to win. And of course Trudeau has never actually been particularly eloquent — not if you listen to the words — nor has he ever been a particularly impressive defender of liberal democracy except on Twitter. When let off the leash, and especially when sensing he’s on a roll, he is also capable of utterly extraordinary gaffes that might leave much deeper wounds at this point in his career than earlier on.

One of the Maclean’s topics was “Indigenous issues.” Not only has Trudeau’s government fallen far short of its reconciliation promises; along the way he has managed to argue that what First Nations youth really desire is canoe storage and quip “thank you for your donation” at protesters interrupting a Liberal fundraiser in hopes of acquiring potable water. This is not a man you want front and centre at every opportunity during his second campaign.

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It makes even better sense, cynically speaking, that Trudeau is refusing to subject himself to the rigour of the Munk Debate on Foreign Policy that the other leaders are attending Oct. 1 at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto. There will be an empty chair in the place where Trudeau should be. This will make him look bad enough, but almost certainly not as bad as Trudeau would make himself look in the attempt to defend his foreign policy record, let alone articulate his plans ahead. Foreign policy is a subject the Liberals would rather we not be thinking about at all.

As the Liberals have no record to speak of, they issue the usual distractions to voters distracted by bright colours and what their stomachs tells them - religion, abortion (and the fear of even mentioning the word) and what XYZ candidate may or may not have said (because their quips are far more scandalous that groping or halting a criminal investigation):

Several Liberals took to social media today to share an appearance Tory candidate Justina McCaffrey, a noted dress designer, made in a years-old online video with far-right political commentator Faith Goldy, as part of a pitch for a television show.

Goldy was among six Canadian people and groups banned by Facebook in April after the platform decided they had broken its policy on spreading hate.

The Liberals also raised comments McCaffrey made about Trudeau being “preoccupied” with Quebec and francophones — comments she is apologizing for in a statement, but without mentioning Goldy.

(Sidebar: word of advice, dear - don't apologise. It's unbecoming and they still won't like you.)

Scheer says he won’t have anything to do with Goldy and is accusing the Liberals of trying to distract from their record in government and their own problematic candidates, including one accused of making anti-Semitic comments who has since quit the race.

How right he is but it's not like Andy has shown any intestinal fortitude so far.

If he won't stand up for himself or anyone else in his party, who would believe he would defend Canada's interests? One knows why Justin won't. What is Andy's excuse?

Does anyone else find this incessant apologising for saying things that are evident tiresome?


Also - at least he sounds like he is doing something useful:

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer says he will still ratify the new North American free trade deal if he becomes prime minister, even though he thinks Canada got railroaded by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Meanwhile, Justin finds ways to sabotage himself.

Cases in point:

Justin Trudeau says a re-elected Liberal government would impose a national one per cent tax on properties owned by non-Canadians and non-residents in an effort to curb foreign speculation in real estate.

And anger your Chinese and Iranian bosses?:

Tens of millions worth of seized Iranian government properties have been sold off in Canada and the proceeds handed to victims of terrorist groups sponsored by the regime, Global News has learned.

According to a document filed in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice last month, the victims got a share of the money earned through the sale of Iran’s buildings in Ottawa and Toronto.

The properties went for more than $28-million, documents show. The recipients were victims of Hamas and Hezbollah — terrorist groups bankrolled, armed and trained by Iran.

Why aren't the other candidates all over this? Hezbollah isn't a penny-ante group.


It's not like the Liberals ever think about actually costs or anything:

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A pair of Liberal proposals to make home ownership more attainable would have a negligible impact, particularly in markets like Vancouver, Victoria and the Greater Toronto Area where home prices continue to soar beyond the reach of many, experts say.


The Liberals rolled out proposals Thursday for a nationwide foreign buyers tax and an expanded assistance program for first-time homebuyers in those three cities as part of their election campaign.

The one per cent tax on buyers abroad would deter speculation, but smaller communities that rely on U.S. tourists — like Mont Tremblant, Que., and Whistler, B.C. — could wind up hurting from fewer consumers and sagging real estate prices, said Tsur Somerville, a professor at the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business.

And then there is that little Quebec problem:

Trudeau has repeatedly told reporters covering the Liberal campaign in recent days that he is “deeply opposed” to the bill but that it would be “counterproductive” for the federal government to try to do anything about it.

On Friday, though, Trudeau added that while there are no plans to challenge it now, he has not ruled out doing so in the future.

A lie? A future broken promise? A ploy to get the Islamic vote? Another bit of self-destroying idiocy?

You decide.




(Paws up)