Ten Reasons Why Harper Must Go

1. Harper does not trust his own cabinet ministers, which is evident in his insistence that all correspondence to and from member of cabinet be cleared through his office. If Harper doesn’t trust his own people, why should Canadians?

2. Harper does not believe democracy works, which is evident in his not allowing committees of parliament to chose their own chairpersons. If Mr. Harper doesn’t believe in letting parliament act under the rules of democracy, how can he believe in it working for the Canadian people?

3. Harper does not believe the Canadian people are smart enough or well enough informed to make up their own minds regarding public policy. This is best evident in his refusal to allow an open debate on the Afghan mission and his refusal to lay all the facts in front of the Canadian people. If Harper is unwilling to let the Canadian people decide what’s best for our foreign policy, then what proof do we have he will act in our best interests?

4. Harper has no intention of keeping his election promises. This is best evident in his flip flop on the Income Trust promise and the failed vote on same sex marriage. Harper knew when he made the Income Trust announcement that he would have to do the flip flop, if he didn’t he is the most incompetent Bay Streeter ever. As for the same sex marriage thing, if he really wanted to challenge it he would have invoked the notwithstanding clause.

5. Harper lies, or else he’s incompetent. Once again the Income Trust issue is the best example. Many average Canadians with investments in Income Trusts realized well over a year ago that something would have to be done to stop major corporations from converting to Income Trusts. If average Canadians knew something was afoot, Harper, as a Bay Street insider must have known too. If he didn’t, then he really is the most incompetent finance man ever to come out of Bay Street.

6. Harper cuts funding to social programs in order to quell criticism of his government. The severing of funding the status of women is the example. He is refusing to fund any agency that challenges his government. What happened to free speech?

7. Harper refuses to take responsibility. It is clear to everyone that Maher Arar was falsely accused, illegally imprisoned, slandered, and publically abused by the mounties, the Canadian government, and the Conservative party. Yet Mr. Harper continues to play a blame game and refuse to act on behalf of all Canadians and apologize, sighting Mr. Arar’s lawsuit. This is a scar on the face of Canadian civil liberties and human rights.

8. Harper is hurting Canada’s image in the world. Arar, Afghanistan, environment, Kyoto, buddying up to Bush and on and on. Canada has begun to be viewed as a henchman for George Bush, and is seen as a country that does not even protect the rights and priviledges of its own citizens.

9. Harper is a divider, not a decider. When his government came under fire for its environmental stand and its refusal to be forthright and honest about Afghanistan he chose to raise the spectre of Quebec Separation, at a time when it was a non-issue, in order to distract Canadians from the real issues before them.

10. Harper is waffling on healthcare reform and finance. Need I say more about that.

There, that’s ten good reasons why the Harper government must be brought down. But the fact is there is one good reason why Harper should go. That is: Harper does not represent the majority of Canadians and, as such, he should not be allowed to do anything that affects the long term well being or international reputation of the majority.
So I ask, do the Canadian people need more than one good reason to get rid of Harper?