- another 'Harperism' - appeal to people's emotions to explanation why it is not his fault, but, in actuality, total non-sense

Tories starve Toronto's red ridings, MP chargesLiberal and NDP areas get 38% less from big parks and rec fund, Bruce Campion-Smith
Ottawa bureau chief Published On Thu Oct 22 2009Tab 16

Harper is suggesting that it is ok for the MP to use these 'Con-Cheques' with the MP's signature on it, but not their Con logo. This is convenient since, Harper himself has signed such 'cheques'. And, it is ok since it is the MP's hard work that got the funds for the riding, they represent the government and they should be acknowledged for their efforts.

This is, of course, another 'Harperism' - appeal to people's emotions to explanation why it is not his fault, but, in actuality, total non-sense.

If this were really Harper's position, then why is it that the Harper government has not arranged for any of the Liberal ridging to have such ceremonies, such larger than life cheques, to have the Liberal MP's signatures on it. The same rational applies, if one wants to look at these things objectively ... doesn't it. This goes for NDP ridging and Block riding as well, of course. After all, stimulus funds have been going to these other riding, as Harper himself points, albeit to a much lesser extent than Con ridging.

And if the Con stimulus funds ceremonies are not politicized then you might expect that they would invite representatives from the other major parties to attend, participate, and even help hold up these 'Cheques'. What are the chances of these things happening - none. And this should raise an eyebrow for all Canadians. Basically, Harper and the Con's are identifying these funds with the Con Party, as if Canadians collectively donated 55 billion to Harper and the Con Party - or over $1,500 for every man, woman and child in Canada - and I though the limit was only $1,100.00

There is no doubt that Harper and the Con's have politicized the stimulus funding to the hilt. This is a very unique situation, given the economic crash, the fact that Harper is a minority government and given Harper and the Con's promises on transparency, integrity openness de-politicizing government spending which Canadians evidently bought into. They ought to have arranged to transfer the funds in an non-partizan fashion, as Ignatieff and the Liberals proposed right at the beginning. Harper simply ignored this.

Lloyd MacIlquham cicblog.com/comments.html