Conservatives Go Offside On Language

Afghanistan is really about NATO coming to the aid of the U.S. invaders, and Canada's role is more closely tied to Canada-U.S. politics than it is to bringing assistance to the unfortunate Afghans. Harper is in trouble on this issue in Quebec, and too close to the U.S. for many Canadians. His trip to Kandahar will not change public opinion on the issue. The some $6 billion in military expenditures for the war, and another $11 billion in heavy equipment will have an impact on voters when it becomes better known how the government is spending their money in Afghanistan, rather than meeting needs in Canada. The Conservative idea of giving more power and authority to the provinces, while at the same time allowing the U.S. to direct Canadian foreign policy, could even turn off Conservative voters. Many voted for Harper in the last election when he called on the nation “to stand up for Canada.” Why would old Tory nationalists bother to vote for a Canadian government that is determined to weaken the powers of the central government? It is standard Canadian political lore that French-language voters are a significant force in about 100 ridings. Until they lost Quebec to the Bloc, the Liberals owned all these ridings, which helps to explain why they were the dominant party in Canada throughout the last century. http://www.rabble.ca:80/politics.shtml?x=59533 [Proofreader's note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on May 24, 2007]

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