Some more loathsome and fearful news on the Canadian elections. Harper’s conservatives were leading in the polls but now, apparently, the Liberals and Conservatives are ‘neck and neck’ in a ‘nail biting tug of war’.
The Conservatives tried to exploit a brutal murder of a child in Toronto by claiming the Liberals are soft on child pornography (the murderer said he was motivated to rape and kill the child because of child pornography). My own reaction is to think the Conservatives are defiling the child’s memory by exploiting her brutal murder for electoral ends. But ‘conservatives’ like these are adept at making such vile acts work for them.
Michael Moore told Canadians not to vote for Harper, saying as so many of us have been saying that it would be a tragedy for Canada to move in that direction as the rest of the world is trying to move away from that direction. I don’t share Michael Moore’s rosy view of Canada, but I have traveled enough in both countries and have had enough American friends visit me here to understand how he can feel a difference he doesn’t want to lose.
Moore’s analysis of the Canadian political situation isn’t far off though. Witness the fear of the Conservatives:
“I hope this doesn’t happen. Bush is going to throw a party (after the Canadian election). He’s going to be a happy man. (Harper) has a big pair of scissors in his hand. He wants to snip away at your social safety net. He’d like this to be the 51st State.”
And the loathing of the Liberals:
“They moved to the right (under Martin), which then validated the right.”
He wants his film (coming out on the 25th) to influence the election (on the 28th)
“Moore said the distributors here originally thought of delaying the release of Fahrenheit 9/11 until after the Canadian federal election, to avoid influencing the outcome — even though the film makes almost no mention of Canada.”
“And I said, no, no, no. Even if it’s just four days before the election, you’ve got to get something out there to inspire people to do the right thing here.
“This movie should say to Canadians, you want to join the Coalition of the Willing? Get ready to send your kids over to die for nothing, so that Bush’s buddies can line their pockets.””
