- Lawrence Martin, When You're Right, You're Right (morally, that is) - Shine Your Light

Posted; 10:35 AM on January 25, 2011 Globe and Mail
Five years later, Harper has made Canada more conservative, Lawrence Martin, Globe and Mail, Jan. 25, 2011
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/opinion/five-years-later-harper-has-made-canada-more-conservative/article1881421/

Harper and the Con's are a right wing party at the extreme of Canadian values bent on eliminating the
transfer payments, privatization of health care, tearing Federalism asunder, abdicating to the Provinces and converting Canadians to Con'ism.

As PM, Harper is able to drag, and has been dragging, Canada to the extreme right, tearing asunder what it took our forefather generations to build, through their blood, sweat and tears.

Further, this pervasive and insidious movement to the extreme right is representative of the values of only a small minority of Canadians.

Harper is in this position not because the people of Canada want it. But, for two reasons:

Harper and the Con's have a fierce (die-hard) support by a small polarized fraction (right-wing extremists) of the population but large enough (33%) and focused enough (epi-centred Alberta) to get them in power and maintain it because all the other parties are even more polarized.

And,

With a minority as long as the Harper policies do not consolidate the opposition then Harper can, and continues to, implement his right wing extremist program and policies.

With a minority these die-hards have cut him some slack since they feel it's better to have Harper in power than not, but with a majority they will expect him to come back home to his roost in the extreme right, and he will - something about a leopard and his spots.

The Healthcare transfer payments come to a head when the current agreement expires in a couple years

Do we want Harper, from now till then, insidiously laying the ground work for such demolition. As Harper himself said "the strengths of a plan are advanced preparation and consistent execution" (Vancouver Sun, 10 Oct.'08)

excerpt: Lloyd MacILquham cicblog.com/comments.html